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View Full Version : First time at Merrit Island Wildlife Reserve


Red
06-25-2006, 01:41 AM
Yesterday morning I headed out to the Merrit Island Wildlife Reserve for the first time, a friend suggested it. I got there around 7:00 am, and although I found several nice places to wade, my friend who came with me didn't want to wade (I don't know why), so we continued to look for somewhere to fish from land. The only place suitable seemed to be Hauliver (spelling?) Canal, but it was very crowded. After about two hours, we left, although we did see what we think was a black panther on dirt road to the WSEG Boat Ramp.

After that we went to the Space View Park and tried fishing off the dock, but with no luck.That was around 9:30. After a while we went down to the old 520 bridge where I tried fishing off the pilons under the new bridge, but all I did was loose bait. At both locations I was using live finger mullet, on 1/0 hooks, with a half ounce of split shot, about two feet of 25 pound monofilament leader on 15 pound test.

It occured to me that I might be using the wrong bait/rigging/something, so if anyone has any corrections, please do share.

Also, when I was in the MIWR, I was directed by a man at a bait shop to go down to the Biolab boat ramp, and take a right on the dirt road just before the ramp. I did, and followed that down for a ways. When I got out to look around, I noticed a small stream flowing into the ICW, and I saw a small snake in the water, what I believed to be a banded water snake. I was under the impression that snakes wouldn't be in that water, am I wrong?

Even though I caught no fish, I had fun.

Space View Park: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=28.613685,-80.80307&spn=0.003956,0.007317&t=h&om=1

Old 520 Bridge
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=h&om=1&ll=28.356293,-80.717159&spn=0.003965,0.007317

patindaytona
07-15-2006, 09:19 AM
I tried that place too. A month ago. I heard it was a great place, so I went very early in the morning. I used shrimp, but didn't catch anything there!
pat

uncdub13
07-15-2006, 02:32 PM
that creek that parallels biolab road is always FULL of big gators when i come down there in december. i follow biolab almost all the way south before it veers away from the water and fish in that little cove. usually see plenty of tails and manage to hook a few. some of the best fishing i've done anywhere. good ol skeeter lagoon.

cpn_aaron
07-15-2006, 10:22 PM
Haulover Canal is busy for a reason. You can nail some nice fish there with fingerlings floated along the weeds and shoreline. It tends to hide some hungry mouths of all varieties. I'm heading to the lots on the beach tomorrow early (I know its morning low tides, ug) and I'm hoping to nail some toothy customers plus anything interested in clams and fleas. Wish me luck guys, been two weeks of bad waves and nothing but weed. Still pulled in a +18" whiting last week. Fed my wife and I for one meal. Biggest whiting I've ever seen. Thought we had a game fish on the line with that one.

creek
07-16-2006, 08:47 AM
Good luck and give us a report