# Tomoka mojo



## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

A little Tomoka mojo

The daughter and I fished Tomoka Basin this morning as the
fog burned off. Launched at the State Park and eased into the
wheel ditches along the northern shoreline. Time to find out
if the Slipper has any mojo. We went as far up and in as we
could get, and killed the engine. Maneuvered the slipper into
a side ditch to turn around, using the kayak paddle, then started
paddling back out. As we went, we were herding fish ahead of us.
Gina was casting fresh frozen shrimp on a circle hook into every
shadow and indent in the shoreline. I kept the Slipper centered in
the waterway and eased us back towards open water. The wheel ditch
bank to bank, was the same width as the kayak paddle is long.
After 10 minutes or so of paddling, Gina dropped a shrimp in a mullet
swirl and on the retreive picked up the Slipper's first redfish.










A little farther along at one of the intersecting ditches She
dropped her bait on top of another small red.










I finally got to make a few casts as the wheel ditch widened out,
and got to tussle with a few ladyfish. Then I got to play with a small red.










At the end of 2 hours of fishing and exploring, in places we could
never get to before, we caught 7 reds, 4 whiskered trout, 3 ladyfish
and an assortment of blue crabs, small stingrays and puffers.
The Grass Slipper appears to have a little mojo. She definitely
gets back in the skinny with them. She had mud, slime, twigs,
salt and cheeto's all over her. We burned about a pint of gas.
Most of that, I think, running in the rinse bucket, afterwards.


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## Canoeman (Jul 23, 2008)

Good job fishing with your daughter. My granddaughter will be ready for that in about 2 years. 

I like the self portrait in the second photo.


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## phishphood (Dec 15, 2006)

Way to go Brett. Nice job.


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## Green_Hornet (Nov 1, 2008)

The first of many good times!
Looks like your in for a whole lotta fun!


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## tom_in_orl (Dec 9, 2006)

Great stuff! Thanks for sharing.


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## HaMm3r (Dec 11, 2006)

It's about time the slipper got some slippery stuff on her! [smiley=1-thumbsup1.gif] Nice work!


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## B.Lee (Apr 29, 2008)

Dat a boy! After a couple shakedown runs, you put some fish in the boat. I hoped you dabbed a few of those reds on the boat to get some slime on it!

How does she run with the five horse on it and the two of you in it? It ought to cruise along on plane ok, huh?


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

The Nissan 5 hp pushes the Slipper at 1/4 throttle at 5 mph,
Anything above that and the prop ventilates. The engine has
such a minimal cavitation plate that the prop tips spin a hole
in the water as soon as the bow starts to come up. I expected
this, the engine was designed as a sailboat kicker. But, since
the basin is a manatee zone, doesn't matter how fast I want
to go, it's a no wake zone anyhow. Gina was happy with it,
we went so far back in the marsh that we were pushing the
water in with us. Low tide and the Slipper kept right on going,
Cedar trees on both banks and we slid under them. Much better
adventuring than my old square tail canoes. The long kayak paddle
made ditch fishing too easy. 2 people on the casting decks and
no problems. At the ramp and in the parking lot, where we stopped
for lunch, people stop, lean on the hull and ask questions.
A couple of the old timers wouldn't let me go, the Slipper reminded
them of the old wood boats they had when they were young.


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## JRH (Mar 18, 2007)

That's great! Looks the the water levels were really low back in there.


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Low tide is the best time to fish mosquito creeks.
The main channel is the deepest, and the side creeks
run dry at low tide. All the fish move into the holes
in the main ditch to wait for the incoming tide.
Makes finding the fish predictable, but you
have to be able to float skinny to get to them.
As the tide comes in, the fish move back into the marsh
and spread out, making them hard to find.
That's why we only fished for 2 hours.
An hour each side of low tide.


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## Kemo (Jun 22, 2008)

Great day, Brett. Looks like you had a great time. I hope to get out there tomorrow. Gongrats. [smiley=1-beer-german.gif]

Kemo


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## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

ok, so this was the maiden voyage eh mate?  

congrats for sure on the de-skunking straight away. 

btw- I really like the fairing compound look.


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