Hooked Up Designs Magazine December 2016 | Page 57

one biotic community by another, succession is an ecological
term for when a habitat of one species is changed or altered
to the point that it becomes more suitable for something else.
The resident species along with prey and predators alike, have
completely evacuated an area that’s no longer conducive to
their needs. Over time, different species that find the changed
habitat more favorable then take up residence, thus completing the cycle of succession. As with the loss of thousands of
acres of seagrass in the southern IRL, a myriad of producing
organisms such as phytoplankton and zooplankton, which in
turn supported the small finfish, shrimp, and crabs that seatrout, flounder, and snook fed on have also vanished. Leaving
a drastically altered landscape that now resembles more of
a Caribbean sand flat than that of a trout and snook fishery.
So with this and without any competition from native predators, it could be that other species like bonefish are beginning
to occupy this area. While it’s certainly not good news, frustrated anglers adapting to an impaired ecosystem could use
a break from the bad, and catch a few bones in the interim.

standard inshore gear. Sure, a small crab imitation fly would
be effective in luring a stubborn bone to the line, but for us a
¼-ounce jig or shrimp imitation like the DOA 2.75” shrimp in
root beer/gold glitter handily enticed several over the course
of two days, and with light spinning tackle we were able to
make the long casts necessary to avoid spooking these cagey fish. A 7-foot medium-action G. Loomis E6X spinning
rod, matched with a 3000 Shimano Sustain FG spinning reel
spooled with green, 10-pound PowerPro braid did the trick.
And attached via a double unit knot, we used a three-foot
section of 20-pound fluorocarbon leader to further conceal
the line.
CONSERVATION
The ecological destruction of the Indian River Lagoon is
nothing to celebrate or to try to make positive in any way. The
information shared in this article is strictly intended as an
informative resource for anglers interested in targeting this
region and species of fish. Hooked Up Magazine is committed
to the preservation of all of Florida’s natural resources and has
partnered with several conservation groups in the state to
help educate and inform readers of the ongoing issues that
affect our waters.

HOW
Without a fly rod in hand or any semblance of traditional
bonefish gear, Ed and I landed several IRL ghosts by using

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