Millie’s North 330 S. Atlantic Ave, Ormond Beach 386-238-9756

Hours:

With A Menu seafood , produce. Avenue 32118

Monday 11am-9pm • Tuesday closed Wednesday - Saturday 11am-9pm Sunday 9am-9pm

Monday 11am-9pm • Tuesday closed

Monday: 11am - 9pm tuesday: Closed Wednesday - sat: 11am - 9pm sunday: 8am - 9pm mosquito lagoon FORECAST

kynDal lynn

forts on all species of fish through satellite tagging worldwide. Tagging fish with Gray Fish Tag has allowed me to combine my love of science with my favorite hobby of fishing. So, you may be wondering, what does a day tagging redfish look like? Let’s get into it! On a day I set out to tag, I load the boat with all necessary supplies. I have a tackle box full of tagging supplies that includes a handheld tag applicator, dart tag and research report cards. Depending on the time of year, I will grab whatever bait I think will produce bites for that day.

As a new writer I would love to begin by introducing myself. My name is Kyndal Lynn and I am a female angler from New Smyrna Beach, Florida. I have been fishing Mosquito Lagoon for four years now and have fallen in love with not only the sport of fishing, but the fish themselves. Although I would love to fish every day, a career in Medical Laboratory Science keeps me busy most days. Working in the medical field means always striving to learn more and I have found that I am able to apply that same mindset to my fishing hobby as well. I have only fished saltwater for four years so as you can imagine, I have packed my brain full of every bit of information I can obtain. Learning about each species, tidal influences, different bait, where the fish are depending on the season, and how to navigate our waterways has been an amazing adventure. I get excited even thinking about how far I have come but at the same time, I realize how much more there is to learn.

One of my favorite learning experiences on the water has come from teaming up with the research company, Gray Fish Tag Research, and tagging redfish in the lagoon. Gray’s Fish Tag Research is the world’s largest cooperative fish tagging research program and they conduct research ef- caPT. Barry EnglEharDT

During the months of January and February, the water was clear and I preferred sight casting with live shrimp. Once the boat is loaded, I am off to find fish! I try to fish different areas and capture redfish of all sizes but fishing is fishing and I take whatever I can get. Once I have a redfish on the line, I do my best to keep fight time to a minimum. I do not want the fish to endure extended amounts of stress, so a quick capture is essential. Once the fish is in the boat I get straight to tagging. My tagging supplies are always on deck and easily accessible. Before I take a quick measurement and approximate weight with the Boga grip, I wet the gunwale of the boat where I will be tagging the fish to ensure I don’t disrupt their slime layer. The tag is placed approximately an inch from the dorsal fin and once it has been properly placed, the fish is ready to be revived and released. Proper revival is key to fish swimming off strong!

After a successful release, I enter all of the pertinent information into Gray’s fish tagging website where the fish are registered for research. In the event of a recapture, the fish’s new location, weight and length will all be recorded and this gives the company insight into how fish are moving and how quickly they are growing. I love Mosquito Lagoon and the ecosystem within it and I am so glad that I am able to combine my love for fishing with my “research wired” brain. I can only hope that my efforts will help both anglers and scientists better understand our fish and their habitats. Thanks for reading. Tight lines!

April is one of the best months to fish. The water is getting warmer and the fish become more active. Hopefully the shrimp will venture in and thereby bring the fish with them. If that takes place we will have an assortment of fish to catch. In the beginning of April, we will have sheepshead around the docks and bridges. Choice of baits are fiddlers, sand fleas, and shrimp. The best location is the Halifax River. The basin should be holding reds, snook, and trout. Look for jacks, blue fish, and ladyfish following the shrimp. The later part of April will be a good time to night fish in the Halifax targeting the docks that are lighted. I like shrimp on a floating cork and free lining a shrimp or finger mullet. If you are an artificial fisherman I like Zman 3 inch paddle tail on a 1/8 once jig head in red or yellow with a white or chartreuse tail. Yozuri’s 3 inch floating minnow is dynamite with a superb wiggle. Keep an eye open for the tarpon in the river and basin and use a popping cork with a mullet or crab floating with an open bail. Tight lines!

Fish With Captain Barry fishwithcaptainbarry.com (386) 871-8500

a Morning of fishing, prizes, & Delicious Homemade Cookies

The Halifax Sport Fishing Club held their annual Special Needs Fishing Tournament May 4th at the pier under the Dunlawton Bridge. Children and young adults enjoyed a morning of fishing, prizes, delicious homemade cookies. At noon everyone dined on hamburgers and hot dogs with all the trimmings. The tournament ended with awards for the biggest fish, the smallest fish, the most fish and more.

Doug Allen and Chad Russell won Biggest Fish. Doug Allen also won for Fattest Fish. Ashton Taber won Most Fish and Thomas Butler won Smallest Fish. Alexander Rodriguez won Most Colorful Fish. Alexander came over from Orlando to go fishing with his dad and big brother after recently receiving his last chemo treatment for his battle against leukemia.

A big “thank you” to our sponsors: Fishin Shack, Dunkin Donuts, Ed Gardner, Backyard Boys, Bob’s Space Racer, and Evans Mechanical Systems. And of course, to all the volunteers from the Halifax Sport Fishing Club and community.