Exploring a New Canal for Panfish

There is this one canal about a mile from my house that I have driven by periodically over the last year. Never stopped to even look at it, but if you're anything like me, if you see water you must fish it. Last Monday I finally had some free time and decided to give it a shot. Stopped by and saw a small canal overgrown with a lot of vegetation. I was excited though as I saw a lot of fish swimming around it as well. It was a tough day since the fish were super skittish and swam off whenever I either got close or whenever my lure hit the water. Through it all I still managed to get a couple. Hope you enjoy the video.

https://youtu.be/CBiY6d6sQfc

I did like the video, pretty fish. Are they breeding right now, such vivid colors. Maybe that SkeetBum feller could chime in on how to fish those canals, I know lives down that way and likes to Panfish. Maybe a short Fly Rod and roll cast a small dry fly or nymph to those skittish fish? Fish real early or late and get the sun angle to help disguise your shadow or form? Chasing them is part of the fun!

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Originally Posted by StantheMan2567

I did like the video, pretty fish. Are they breeding right now, such vivid colors. Maybe that SkeetBum feller could chime in on how to fish those canals, I know lives down that way and likes to Panfish. Maybe a short Fly Rod and roll cast a small dry fly or nymph to those skittish fish? Fish real early or late and get the sun angle to help disguise your shadow or form? Chasing them is part of the fun!

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Thanks. I've never flyfished, but I suppose that would work on skittish fish. It's been on my list of things to learn how to do so maybe this would be a good chance.

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Originally Posted by ArthurLK11

Thanks. I've never flyfished, but I suppose that would work on skittish fish. It's been on my list of things to learn how to do so maybe this would be a good chance.

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Dude, if I lived in Florida, I’d do nothing but fly fish. As it is, I do two Florida trips a year: fly fishing in the mangrove swamps. We catch snook, jacks, baby tarpon, ladyfish, bluefish, mackerel. and snapper. In freshwater, we also catch Mayans, Oscars, and peacock bass.

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Originally Posted by deathb4disco

Dude, if I lived in Florida, I’d do nothing but fly fish. As it is, I do two Florida trips a year: fly fishing in the mangrove swamps. We catch snook, jacks, baby tarpon, ladyfish, bluefish, mackerel. and snapper. In freshwater, we also catch Mayans, Oscars, and peacock bass.

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Sounds like an awesome trip.

Those Mayans and some pretty fish

Here is the video of the same canal after I went back with some live worms. The live bait made for some better fishing, but this canal was pretty tough.

https://youtu.be/pzlLGKbUZO0

Better catch on numbers, are those fish removed for food by the locals? The reason I am asking is those look to be very small waters, and with the wam weather and longer growing season down there, can or do they get stunted?

Good videos Arthur, the colors are so vivid.

Stan, I don’t live that far south where all the canals cross the landscape. I’m west of Daytona and north of Orlando. Most of my fishing is in the St Johns river system and its lakes. I haven’t been in a couple of weeks, and it’s wearing my attitude pretty thin. Been cold and weekends are coming with front after front. Those aren’t excuses but having dodged being sick and only one person I know of doing anything close to good, I’m just in pre stage mode for a little while. A fly rod in those canals would be a challenge for me at my skill level but it would be great fun. Tiny bugs on my 4wt would probably keep me busy. Got a vacation coming up, I may have to do a road trip south and look some of them up.

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Originally Posted by StantheMan2567

Better catch on numbers, are those fish removed for food by the locals? The reason I am asking is those look to be very small waters, and with the wam weather and longer growing season down there, can or do they get stunted?

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They're edible and people do keep them, but this canal doesn't see much if any fishing. The more popular bodies of water see more pressure. I don't think they're stunted, but I haven't seen any big fish in there like I could in other bodies of water.

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Originally Posted by skeetbum

Good videos Arthur, the colors are so vivid.

Stan, I don’t live that far south where all the canals cross the landscape. I’m west of Daytona and north of Orlando. Most of my fishing is in the St Johns river system and its lakes. I haven’t been in a couple of weeks, and it’s wearing my attitude pretty thin. Been cold and weekends are coming with front after front. Those aren’t excuses but having dodged being sick and only one person I know of doing anything close to good, I’m just in pre stage mode for a little while. A fly rod in those canals would be a challenge for me at my skill level but it would be great fun. Tiny bugs on my 4wt would probably keep me busy. Got a vacation coming up, I may have to do a road trip south and look some of them up.

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Let me know if you ever make it down. I can give you this spot and some others, but honestly just drive and pull over where ever you see water. There are canals and fish everywhere.