Cool water trout fishing...

 Although it is still a little chilly in the morning, once the morning sun hits the water the fish begin to wake up. Depending on the year little by little February water temps will start to rise up as each day passes. With water temps rising the fish will start to shift into their next phase of season.  Some species will be starting to spawn but, first and foremost the fish will be on the hunt, looking to fill their stomachs after being a bit sluggish form the cold winter.

    One of my favorite fish to target this time of year is the Speckled Trout also known as the Spotted Sea Trout. The adult spotted sea trout are anywhere from 19-32 inches and from 3-15lbs. They can be caught in large numbers once you have located them. The average size this time of year is about 16-20 inches, but don’t surprised to catch some well over 20 inches. We locals call them “Gator Trout” once they make it over the 20-inch mark. In our area you are allowed to keep four over 15” with one of them being over 20inches. Although, I do release most trout over 20” because they are either already full of eggs or they are getting ready to start spawning any day. Plus, they are much better tasting when they are under the “Gator Trout” size…

   There are many different tactics to catch Spotted Sea Trout. My absolute favorite way to catch them is on top water “walk the dog” baits like the Yo-Zuri  3D Inshore Pencil. They do have paper thin mouths so, make sure not to rip the lure out of their mouth when they strike it. Feel the weight of the fish and just reel. If it’s a cold morning and they are being lethargic, I like use a soft-plastic shrimp like the Monster 3X X-MOVE. Work it extremely slowly to entice the bite.  Between those two baits, one of them should be your golden ticket to success!  As always please be safe! Take care of your local waters and respect all the anglers on the water. There is plenty enough water out there for everyone to enjoy. Tight Knots and Tight Lines to all! 

Fly fishing in a kayak...

Fly fishing and kayaks can go together like peanut butter and jelly once you master the combination. Fly fishing form a kayak can be one of the most effective ways to fly fish. I personally enjoy fly-fishing from a kayak above all different methods of fly fishing.  Although it does have its challenges, once you fine-tune everything it can become game changing.  Your process will depend on your own person skill set and you will have to learn different casting techniques that you would normally not use on land or in a bigger boat. However, there are many advantages to moving your fly fishing game to a kayak, for example, you can get to places that no one else can get to. Also, your presence is so small that you see and get shots at many more fish. Here are a few pointers for making your kayak fly fishing journey a success.

Being organized can be the night and day difference of having a poor day or the day of a lifetime! When I plan on going fly-fishing from the kayak, I bring minimal equipment out on the yak. Getting your things ready the day before is mandatory:  picking out what size rods, lines, and flies helps ensure that there are fewer things that could go wrong on game day.  Generally, the only thing I bring on my kayak is my paddle, 1-2 rods/reels, anchor stick, a dry bag to put phone, keys, flies, etc… and maybe a small cooler for drinks and food. Now on my personal body… I have on my life vest, a pair of pliers, and some type of snips for cutting lines or trimming flies. The less stuff you have on your yak, the less likely you are going to tangle or catch your lines.

Once you have fly fished out of a kayak a few times and are starting to get the hang of it, there are a few more things that I would recommend bringing.

Landing net: Using one with a longer handle or an extension handle with rubber mesh can make it easier to land fish depending on how long of a leader you are using. Also, on windy days it can make a great stripping basket.

Stripping basket or mat: Bringing these out on the yak and storing them away while not using them can be kind of difficult. But, on really windy days it can make huge difference with line management.

Push pole: Some sort of push pole depending on the area that you are fishing in. It can help you control and move your kayak while standing. Standing makes it easier to see and locate fish.

Remember, the more stuff you bring out with you the more things you have to be aware of your line getting tangled around. I even ask myself sometimes… why did I bring so much stuff! Haha! Anyways, go out there and give it a try. I promise once all the puzzle pieces all come together, it will become a lifelong obsession. 

Crazy day of pre-fishing for a tournament...

This particular day I had been pre-fishing for an inshore slam (snook, redfish, trout) tournament. The tide was pretty high and still coming in so, I started out working the mangroves for snook. It didn’t take long before I had both snook and redfish blowing up on my top-water lure. As the tide rolled in, it became harder and harder to reach the fish because they had pushed so far deep into the mangroves. 

Since I had already caught 2 out of the three species I was looking for, I decided to make my way out to a deeper flat to try and catch some trout. As I paddled up to the flat, I a saw an enormous school of white bait that went on for nearly a hundred yards! While I was jigging for trout, out of the corner of my eye I saw a large tarpon roll. I reeled up as fast as I could and bombed a cast in that direction. Soon as the soft-plastic was getting ready to hit the water another tarpon rolled. Mid roll the tarpon saw my bait hit the water and bent like a pretzel to inhale my bait. All of the sudden I went from jigging for trout on light weight tackle to having a 70-90 lb. tarpon jumping like crazy on the end of my line!  It was probably a good thing it came unbuttoned soon after because my set-up was no match for that large of fish…

After finding all three species and miscellaneous tarpon, I decide to make my way to the shore line to head back towards the launch.  On my way back, I saw a group of dolphins cruising down the shore line tearing through bait and mullet. They were actually playing with their food by blasting full grown 5-7 lb. mullet back and forth to each other. I ended up stopping on the shore line to take a couple of casts and to let the dolphins go around me. After they passed me, I see fin a pop up and charge the shore line coming directly at me. I was on a corner where the land elbowed so, there was nowhere for this large fishy to go. The water was pretty tannic from all the rain the previous day.  So, I watched this large grey fin swim right up to me and stop.  I thought to myself I better give this dolphin a little poke to let it know I was here… Well that’s when all heck broke loose! First off it wasn’t a dolphin, it was a 10 ft. BULL SHARK! Soon as I poked it, JAWS came out the water snapping at me and then it was like an explosion in the water as flipped out to get away. I’m thinking the dolphins had scared it up against the shore line and it had nowhere else to go… 

Moral of the story is to be careful while on the water. Always be aware of your surroundings. You never know what you are going to run into (literally)! Hahaha! Tight lines and Tight knots to all!  Eric Henson is the owner of Casting Kayaks LLC a guided kayak fishing company out of Sarasota Florida.  He specializes in inshore light tackle or fly fishing from Tampa Bay to Charlotte Harbor. To book a guided fishing trip with Eric check out his website www.CastingKayaks.com or give him a call at 941-504-1349

Being prepared for cooler days on the water...

 Now that things are cooled off, it is time to bundle up and get out on the water. Some of the coldest days of the year have been where I have caught some of the biggest fish of my life. It is all about timing and preparation. Watching the weather is always my first step to planning any fishing trip. I try to calculate the weather, wind, and tides for the area and species of fish I plan to target. The weather patterns this time of year can be tough to predict. Checking multiple weather apps and stations will help you zero in on the true conditions. With generally having high winds this time of year, you really have to pick and choose your spots wisely. For winter time tides, always remember the strong winds can play a huge roll in the tides. N.E. winds will push all the water out of the bay and southerly winds will keep the water in the bay more than usual.

     Being protected from the elements outside is my next plan of action. Anytime you see me on the water I will be completely covered up with long sleeves, long pants, buff, gloves, hat, and sunglasses. Many of the amazing new materials they use for clothing nowadays help regulate your temperature and wick water to keep you dry. On cold days, I like to dress in layers. The first layer soft and moisture wicking. Second layer is warm and fuzzy. Then something that will break the wind and keep me dry. On super cold days I will even throw on my waders. Also a warm hat and a buff can do wonders. You can always peel layers off but, you can’t put them on if you don’t have them!

     Almost all fish are sensitive to high pressure systems but some species are more than others. Snook are one of my favorite fish to target right when the high pressure system is starting to roll in. Although it can be extremely harsh conditions with high winds, this is one of the times that they get really fired up! Some of my largest size snook and numbers come during this period. A day or two after the cold front hits the high pressure will start to let up. This is when I love to target redfish and trout on these brisk chilly days. 

     This winter remember to watch the weather, dress accordingly, be safe, and have yourself a great time out on the water. Tight lines and Tight knots to everyone!  Eric Henson is the owner of Casting Kayaks LLC. a guided kayak fishing company out of Sarasota Florida.  He specializes in inshore light tackle or fly fishing from Tampa Bay to Charlotte Harbor. To book a guided fishing trip with Eric check out his website www.CastingKayaks.com or give him a call at 941-504-134

Eric Henson

 Now that things are cooled off, it is time to bundle up and get out on the water. Some of the coldest days of the year have been where I have caught some of the biggest fish of my life. It is all about timing and preparation. Watching the weather is always my first step to planning any fishing trip. I try to calculate the weather, wind, and tides for the area and species of fish I plan to target. The weather patterns this time of year can be tough to predict. Checking multiple weather apps and stations will help you zero in on the true conditions. With generally having high winds this time of year, you really have to pick and choose your spots wisely. For winter time tides, always remember the strong winds can play a huge roll in the tides. N.E. winds will push all the water out of the bay and southerly winds will keep the water in the bay more than usual.

     Being protected from the elements outside is my next plan of action. Anytime you see me on the water I will be completely covered up with long sleeves, long pants, buff, gloves, hat, and sunglasses. Many of the amazing new materials they use for clothing nowadays help regulate your temperature and wick water to keep you dry. On cold days, I like to dress in layers. The first layer soft and moisture wicking. Second layer is warm and fuzzy. Then something that will break the wind and keep me dry. On super cold days I will even throw on my waders. Also a warm hat and a buff can do wonders. You can always peel layers off but, you can’t put them on if you don’t have them!

     Almost all fish are sensitive to high pressure systems but some species are more than others. Snook are one of my favorite fish to target right when the high pressure system is starting to roll in. Although it can be extremely harsh conditions with high winds, this is one of the times that they get really fired up! Some of my largest size snook and numbers come during this period. A day or two after the cold front hits the high pressure will start to let up. This is when I love to target redfish and trout on these brisk chilly days. 

     This winter remember to watch the weather, dress accordingly, be safe, and have yourself a great time out on the water. Tight lines and Tight knots to everyone!  Eric Henson is the owner of Casting Kayaks LLC. a guided kayak fishing company out of Sarasota Florida.  He specializes in inshore light tackle or fly fishing from Tampa Bay to Charlotte Harbor. To book a guided fishing trip with Eric check out his website www.CastingKayaks.com or give him a call at 941-504-134

Eric Henson

Moon and the tides...

  Moon and tides play a huge part in catching fish. Not all of us can plan our fishing trips around the tides and moon but, when you can it will definitely benefit you. Once you learn them/figure them out, it will increase your fish catching odds. 

 Lunar tides are caused by the magnetic attraction of the earth and moon. The moon tries to pull everything closer to it and so the water moves depending on the location of the moon. Since the position of the earth and moon are always changing, the water is always moving. The ocean is constantly switching from high tide to low tide with two high tides and two low tides. There are generally about 12 hours between the two high tides.

 Spring tides occur when the moon is in it’s full or new moon stage. This is when tides are at their strongest with extreme high and low tides. (Spring tide has nothing to do with spring the season.) Neap tides occur when the moon is in it’s quarterly stages. These tides can be very weak with sometimes not much movement at all. Needless to say there are other variables for tides like the winds. When we have strong north east winds it can help blow all our water out of our bay causing extreme low tides. Same with strong south west winds keeping our tides higher.

  Taking this all in consideration. When you can, try to plan your trips around the stronger tides. Fishing in a general is better around the full and new moon tides. When the tides are ripping the fish have more oxygen running through their gills making them friskier. There are a lot more bait pouring in and out with the tides. Even on land when there are full and new moons there is a lot more activity in nature. Also another thing to look out for is when the moon is setting and rising. Almost everyone knows sunrise and sunset can be some of the best fishing. The moon rise and fall is just as important as the sun rising and setting. 

  Hope this helps answer some of your questions about tides and fishing. Understanding the tides can be critical to your safety on the water as well. Be safe out there on the water and respect your fellow anglers. Tight Lines and Tight Knots to all!

Springtime Fishing Report!

 
     Springtime is here! All the fish and their surroundings are going through a huge transition. As water temps heat up, grasses begin to grow, and bait begins to pour back into our bays.  The grass flats will come to life!  Fishermen and women will shed our winter clothes and break out our warm weather gear in search for hungry fish.
SNOOK-    They will be pouring out the mouths of creeks and rivers. Look for them scouring the flats eating just about anything that crosses their path. This is one of my favorite times of year to throw top-water plugs like the Yo_Zuri 3DB. There will be full blown aerial assaults on top water plugs with fish so fired up they will literally come out of the water to nab the baits.
TROUT-     Our huge gator trout will start to thin out inshore but, there will be plenty of nice size trout on the grass flats. Anywhere you can find good moving water with grass flats littered with deep potholes, you should find as many trout as your heart desires. Suspension baits like the Mirro Dine are a great baits to cover lots of water until you locate these fish. Don’t be afraid to work these lures with fast twitches. If you don’t plan on keeping these fish, I like to put single hooks on them to help preserve their soft mouths.
REDFISH-    Look for these fish to be schooled up. Sometimes you will find two to twenty of them but, don’t be surprised to run into schools with over fifty of them. As much as you may want to start plugging away at them… Watch them for a little while to see what their pattern is, and then start working them. My first bait I like to throw at them is top-water lures and then soft plastics like the Monster 3X X-MOVE. What ever baits you decide to throw, make sure to get it out in front of them. Once they see you or your fishing line bounces off them, you will be playing cat and mouse all day!
    Good luck! Be safe and respectable to your fellow anglers! There are plenty of fish in the sea for everyone! Tight Lines and Tight Knots to all!:)

Kayak Bass Series Sanford, FL

   This weekend was the first tournament for the Kayak Bass Series. I had charters all week up to Thursday so I didn't get much time to pre-fish. Also, I have not freshwater fished since the last KBS tournament! I was just going over there because it is a fun tournament with great people and I wanted to get back to my roots- my first fishing experiences as a child were fishing for bass. I headed over to the other coast Friday morning around 4 am to do some bass recon. Needless to say I was on a mission to find some bass for the tournament the next day.  I pushed out on to  the beautiful St. Johns River around 8:30. The only thing I could get these bass to eat this day was the Yo-Zuri popper. I ended up sticking 3 nice bass and lost a really nice one. I didn't fish too hard this day because I didn't want to sore lip the bass for the next day. Once I had found fish, I knew where to go and what my game plan was going to be for the next day.

On game day (Tournament Day) I pushed out around 6:30  on the prowl for my 5 bass bag limit. Since I had so much success the day before on top-water, I started throwing a top-water popper and a frog. I lost two fish right off the bat, both in the mid 20's!!! Then I did the thing they say you should never do... leave fish to find fish. When I reached the other side of the lake, I saw Andrew Mixon sitting in the spot where I wanted to fish. I had to be respectful to my fellow angler/friend and not carry on to that spot. After watching him catch 3-4 fish right in front of me I headed off to re-group for another game plan. I went back to where I lost those other fish and just slowed everything down. I put on a speed worm and rubber worm with a bullet weight, both rigged weedless. I finally figured out that if I didn't have my bait in the weeds, I was not getting bites! After I tuned into the bite, I had my 5 bass bag limit in no time! I lost a couple of more lunkers on the top-water frog that made me wanna throw up! lol! My bass game was just a little rusty and couldn't get a good hook-set with the frog. Needless to say, I had one of the most fun days watching some of the most EPIC eats I've ever seen from bass on top-water. And I was just happy that I was able to compete with people who had been pre-fishing for two weeks and who bass fish on a regular basis. Who knows where I would have been in the ranking with the couple of the fish that I lost. Shoulda, Woulda , Coulda! :)

   The St. Johns River is a Beautiful fishery and would love to go there again some day. My hats off to all of the competitors and Andrew Cameron/Crew for an fun tournament. Also great job to my friends:  2nd place Andrew Mixon, 3rd place Jason Broach, 5th place Bart A Swab. I'm sure this series will continue to be a blast!  Check out Kayak Bass Series if you are a bass fisherman.:) I would like to thank everyone who makes this possible for me God, wife, family, friends, Johnson Outdoors, Old Town Kayaks, Ocean Kayaks, Bending Branches, Yak-Gear, 3-TAND, Humminbird, EGO, RailBlaza, Monster 3X , Yo-Zuri Lures, Mister Twister, EXUDE, Mirro Lure, Paul Brown, St. Croix Rods, Owner Hook, Seaguar, Mojo, Intova, River Bum, Costa Del Mar Sunglasses. 

Black drum on the Run!!

       The black drum is a cousin of one of my favorite fish… the redfish. It is the largest species of the drum family. The average black drum is about 5-30 lbs. but, they have been known to reach 90 lbs. The juveniles look very similar to the sheepshead. They are a silver-grey color with 4-5 vertical black bars running across their body. The main difference are that sheepshead have crazy human-like teeth and Black Drum have chin barbells. When they grow longer than about 24 inches they start to lose their black bars and become a solid dark silver-grey color. Their mouths are on the bottom of their face with whiskers under the chin, making them the ultimate bottom feeder!

     The smaller fish usually like to hang out in brackish water near cover or structure. The larger fish will venture out into the saltier areas where most of the time they like to hang out by structure as well like oyster bars, rock piles, piers, docks, etc… Look for black drum tailing like redfish near oyster bars on low incoming tides. Or on higher tides look for them in small tight schools cruising the flats. Most of the time the pods of fish are 3- 12 fish slowly swimming around looking for their next meal. This is a great opportunity to sight cast to them. Targeting them around bridge pilings are another great way to catch HUGE Black Drum. I’ve have friends who vertical jig for them along the pilings and catch monsters. My favorite way is to drop down good size fresh chunks of blue crab down and wait. It won’t be long until you have a monster on your line.

    Baits I like to use to target them…Starting out with artificial baits -Right now in the backwaters, I have been catching them on heavy jig heads with a root beer colored Monster 3X X- Swim 3 ¾ inch shrimp. Also small bait fish patterns as well. Working them slowly, bouncing them off the bottom. On the flats, I have been using the same method just lightening the jig head and sight casting tailing fish or pods of fish cruising. With a little Pro Cure scent and working it slowly, it will usually get the job done. If you like using live bait… A shrimp on a jig head or free lined on a 2/0 Owner circle  hook would be my next bait of choice. Most of the time they won’t be able to resist ole trusty shrimp! Fishing Docks, bridge pilings, or structure would be my next choice, using a chunk of crab on a circle hook with enough weight to keep it down near the bottom. They will smell that out from far away!

        Black Drum are great fighters and under 15 lbs. can be absolutely delicious! Next time you have a chance at a black drum, give them a shot. It might become one of your new favorite species!  Till next time, Be Safe! Tight Lines and Tight Knots!

Fall is right around the corner...

   Fall is near and the fall fishing patterns are not far behind. One fish that doesn't come to everyone's mind for inshore fishing is the Cobia. When people usually think about Cobia, they think offshore. Although that is normally the case for these fish most of the year, during fall and spring these fish will make there way inshore hanging around pass bridges, inshore wrecks, and scouring the flats searching for their next meal. Most of the time when you find these fish, they are not alone. Either they are cruising around in small groups or tagging along with stingrays and/or manatees.   

       They are mainly brown and white with a dark lateral stripe that runs from head to tail. Many people refer to them as the man in the brown suit. Their long sleek body, broad head, and long pectoral fins almost makes them look shark like. Although you don't have to worry about teeth, one thing to look out for are the first dorsal fins/ spikes right behind the top of the head.

       Cobia are pound for pound one of the hardest fighting fish on the West Coast of Florida. Their body design makes for incredible long runs and being able to change directions in a blink of an eye!  Even smaller Cobia put up insane fights, launching themselves into the air numerous times and never giving up until the very end. Never under-estimate the power of a Cobia. Larger ones have been known to bang up boats and people pretty badly. Although it can be hard to net these powerful fish, never gaff one unless you know for sure it is over 33 inches. If you do decide to keep one that meets the legal size limit, you are in for a treat. They are extremely good table fare.

    Many times when catching these fish, I wasn't even targeting them. They will literally pop up out of know where.This time of year always be on the look out for these cruising fish on top of the water because that is usually going to be your best chance to present a bait to them. You always need to have something ready to throw at them like a free lined live shrimp, pinfish, crab, for when they are really on the prowl. Artificial baits like buck-tail jigs, Monster 3X soft plastics, and flies work great as well! None the less when you hook into a Cobia, you better have your best gear because they are definitely going to put it to the test! 

    The two different Cobia that I hooked earlier in the year were both on the flats while I was fishing for Snook, Redfish, and Trout. The first one I hooked was on a 8 wt. fly rod. My client and I were paddling back to the launch at the end of a trip when all of a sudden two Cobia popped up right in front of us. We chased them for what seemed like forever until we decided to split up to try to cut them off. It worked so I was able to site cast and landed my first fly-caught Cobia! The second Cobia I caught was while I was fishing in a Slam Tournament. I pitched a soft plastic towards the mangroves hoping for a big snook when a 44 inch Cobia inhaled my bait! I was only using a 3000 Shimano CI4  on a 6 1/2 ft St. Croix spinning rod with 15 lb braided line. Both setups were a little small for the task but, they got the job done leaving me whooped! I promise if you ever hook a Cobia on a kayak, it will be an epic adventure that you will never forget.

           Till next time, be safe! Tight knots & Tight Lines!

Redfishmania!

       Redfish are pouring into our bays, with new schools showing up just about daily. Look for them cruising the flats on the higher tides in the mornings and afternoons. Or hanging out on the deeper edges and holes on the lower stages of the tides. When you find them, you must be extremely stealthy because they are very spooky! Most of the time you can pick a few out of the school if you are quiet and patient. Once they know you are there it can become very frustrating, like chasing ghost! These fish will only hang out in the same area for a few days until they have eaten everything they can eat in that area. Then on to the next areas food source!

      My favorite way to target them is by using artificial baits. I usually start out by throwing top-water plugs like Yo-Zuri's 3DB Pencil. Stay as far away from them, making long cast out in front of them. Wait to start working it until they get right behind it. Usually it is game on from there. Sometimes redfish can be a little clumsy hitting a top-water bait so that is when I will switch over to ole faithful soft-plastic like Monster 3X Shrimp with some Pro Cure. Let them smell the bait out working it very slow with light twitches. If your line is in the middle of a school and your line bounces of one of them, it will usually spook the whole school. Suspension baits like the Mirro Dine are another great bait for making long cast out in front of the school.

      I've spent the last 4 days with back to back charters on the same school of redfish. Client Chase Deskin nailed the biggest red of the week out of all my charters this week. It was about a 35 inch red, while working a soft-plastic out in front of them. Great job Chase! Most of the the redfish this week were from the mid 20's to mid 30's. I have been seeing some MONSTERS out there! Looking forward to getting on the water with my next charters.:)

Redfish Red Hot!

         Redfish have been in full force the last couple of weeks. Schools of hundreds of them scouring all over the flats! Some days they have been a little tricky but other days eating anything you throw in front of their face. This was the perfect week for Leolla to call me and say that she wanted to surprise her husband for his 40th birthday with a kayak fishing trip. She told me they had some fishing experience but had never fished off a kayak. I told her that I would love to take them out and introduce them to kayak fishing.

    Leolla told me that its was a surprise when we spoke earlier that week. As  they pulled up I walked up to the truck to introduce myself. The husband at that time still didn't know what was going on or who the heck I was! lol! Then Leolla blurts out... We are going Kayak fishing! He was super excited to try kayak fishing. I gave them both a quick run through of the kayaks and we were off. I decide to use shrimp that day because of it being their first kayak fishing experience. The husband was just saying, "I would be happy if my wife catches fish..."  Not even a second later her first cast and boom fish on! Slot redfish:) As I went over to assist and put her fish on ice,  I look over and see his rod bent over with the drag just screaming off! Literally within the first 5 minutes we had a slot redfish and he landed a 30+ inch redfish. I told him you were suppose to save the big fish for the grand finally.;) He said to me, who's to say that will be the biggest fish... I said I like the way you think!:) Next thing you know people started pouring in around us so I decided to move. Usually I don't like to leave fish to find fish but, it worked out this time. The birthday boy ended up catching an even a bigger red than the first one. Totaling four over slot redfish ,with the largest being over 33 inches! Also a few trout. The wife caught 1 slot red fish, a few nice trout, and a shark. I ended up cleaning a redfish, trout, and a flounder for them because they were having a birthday dinner at Walt's. Leolla spoke with them earlier that day. Walt's Fish Market lets you bring your catch in and they will cook it for you.:)  A great ending to a nice B-day of kayak fishing. They are already thinking about buying kayaks.:) 

Artificial vs Live / Cut bait

  Being a Kayak fishing guide here in Sarasota, FL I have to make the decision every day, artificial or live baits...Both can be extremely productive if used properly and in the right scenarios. I usually try to feel out each of my new clients to find out how much fishing experience they have and to see what type of fishing and baits they would be most comfortable with. The most common response to my series of questions is, "you are the captain...whichever you think will work the best!"  I wish it were that simple! : )  Generally, though, if someone has less experience I usually start with the live bait and then work them into artificial lures. 

   Live and/or cut bait is really hard to beat!  My go-to live baits are hand picked shrimp and or white bait.  When working with live shrimp, I like to mostly tail hook them with a 1/0 or 2/0 circle hook. I then usually free line them. If they are sitting in grass too much, I'll rig them under a popping cork. Leaving just enough line under it to keep the shrimp just above the grass level. Every couple of minutes or so I'll give the popping cork a couple of rips across the top of the water to attract the fish.  If the fish aren't on a good bite, I like to pinch the tail off to release more scent into the water. Red fish can't resist it! For white bait (green backs or pilchards) make sure you use the right size hook to match the size of your white bait. They are a delicate bait. You want that bait to swim as naturally and freely as possible. I nose hook them and try to cast them as few times as possible. If you are anchored in a spot where you know fish are there, it always good to chum with the extras. You know what they say... if you chum they will come! For cut bait I use mullet, lady fish, or pin fish. Freshly frozen will work but always try to use fresh fish from that day whenever possible. Then take the whole fish and cut into 1inch chunks and use a 2/0 circle hook or up depending on the fish you are targeting. Soak it in a hole or a spot where fish are known to hang out and wait until it's Fish On!

   Being on a kayak you are limited on how much space you have and how to keep live bait ALIVE! Artificial baits when mastered can be extremely productive. Most of the time they are easier to cast and you can catch multiple fish on one artificial bait. Being able to cast farther means you can target the fish farther away without spooking them. When throwing lures you also cover much more water. You are able to reach fish that you might not of had a chance at while waiting for the fish to come to your live/ cut bait...

    The first artificial bait I start clients on are soft plastics. These are probably the most versatile of the artificial baits. Soft plastics are easiest to learn and catch many species of fish.  Either rig them with a jig head or a weedless hook depending on the bottom of the water you are fishing. If you are fishing in 2 ft. of water or less I would generally use a 1/16 oz jig head or 1/16oz weedless hook. Right now I am still catching tons of fish on shrimp pattern soft plastics like the Montser 3X Shrimp in the most natural colors as possible. As the white bait starts to move more into the the bays in the next couple of months, I will be using more bait fish patterns like the Monster X-Moxe and Exude's shads. I always start out working them slowly and then speeding them up until I find out what speed the fish are chewing. For suspension hard baits I like to use Mirro Lure's MirroDines and Yo-Zuri,s Jerk-Baits. Keeping your rod top down, start out slow with the twitch-twitch-pause, then speed up from there... Top water is by far one of my favorites! Seeing the fish exploding sometimes clear out of the water is an amazing thing to see! I like to use Yo-Zuri's (3DB) and Mirro Lure's (Mirro Mullet). You can make long accurate casts with these lures. As the lure hits the water, always let it sit there until the ripples dissipate, then start your retrieve. These lures are heavy and when they hit the water the fish will move away from the lure and then turn back on it to investigate. If you immediately start retrieving the fish will sometimes keep swimming away.  After the the ripples leave, a lot of times the hit will come very soon, just as you start to walk the dog with the lure. But, make sure you always work it all the way back to the kayak because some fish will follow it all the way in and blast it right at the boat. Walking the dog... You must point your rod tip to the water as you continue to make short twitches with your rod tip. Remember, always start out working it slowly and then work it  faster until you find that magic speed at which they are eating.

Spring Time is Back!!!

    The spring time transition frenzy has started! Our large trout have started to move out. The red fish have already begun to start grouping up in small schools. And snook are moving out of the backwaters, ending up up on the flats as they make their journey to the beaches to spawn.  The bait has already started coming in strong! Although the bait is coming in I have been still catching tons of fish on shrimp artificial lures like the Monster 3X!  Other very productive baits have been Mirro Lure's Mirrodine and Yo-Zuri's Sashimi Top Water Pencil. Sometimes if my clients do not feel comfortable using artificial lures I have been using live shrimp, which has been productive as well. A couple of days ago my clients were using shrimp catching nice red fish and flounder. They told me that they would love to watch me to catch something on artificial lure. I saw a large shadow of a fish, of just its head inside of a pothole. I pitched my top water over at it and it took off into the grass where I couldn't see it anymore. Soon as I finished my retrieve I launched it into the dark grassy area. My second twitch BOOM it missed it, then BOOM it missed it again, and the third time the snook  inhaled it! Fish ON! I had to pull the anchor because it literally almost spooled me! I was only using  20lb Seaguar Fluorocarbon and could feel the gills of the fish cutting through it! Finally I got her to the boat and I could only fit her head in the net! Measured just under the 40 inch mark. My client Freaked out and told me he couldn't believe that there were fish like that in the water! lol! He said I was just standing in the water with that thing! I then told him that the fish had know teeth, and that you could actually hold him like a bass. He was truly amazed that an artificial lure caught the biggest fish of the day. I tell everyone that if you believe that you will catch something on a lure, YOU WILL! Confidence is the key to success!

Winter time fishing officially is here!

   First off sorry it has been a while since my last blog. Had some computer issues that I had to take care of...

          Fall fishing was excellent with everything in it's transitional state. Now winter is here and the fishing is still great if you are using the right tactics. First off don't worry about getting on the water at the  crack of dawn to catch the early bite because it is nonexistent. Even with the warmer days heating the water temps up, the fish are still in their winter time patterns. If you are on the flats look for fish to be sitting in super skinny sand holes trying to warm up, and if you are in the backwaters look for the darker areas where the water is going to heat up faster. Once you have located the fish, slow our presentation down if you are using artificial lures. Most of the bait has moved out except the large schools of glass minnows. Exudes shrimp pattern soft plastics, smaller Yo-Zuri swim baits (Sashimi Jerk-baits), and crustacean looking flies are my baits of choice this time of year. Also remember what I said about SLOW YOUR ROLL! The winds have been pretty heavy lately so make sure you are not blowing by the fish. I use Yak-Gear's Anchor stick or Drift anchor, connected to my Anchor trolley to slow my presentation down. If you put all these techniques together, you will have great success.  Until next time Stay Warm! Fish On! Fish On!

New Beginnings!

John was freshly retired and looking for a new Adventure. He picked up a nice used kayak that he modified to fit his needs. I could not believe some of the ingenuity that he came up with... The one thing that stood out to me the most was the up raised seat he designed out of a luggage rack! Great Job!  He was new to kayak fishing and wanted to learn the basics. After teaching him a few tricks and techniques about rigging fishing gear/kayaks, we headed out on to the water. When showing new people to artificial fishing, I always start them out with soft plastics. Showing them different colors, size jig heads, hooks, and speed variations for certain situations. And Why?  I began showing him what to look for and where to look for that prized fish. Before  you know it, he put it all together and hooked into a Nice red fish. After a nice red fish sleigh ride from a beautiful lit up up fish. John had fell in love with kayak fishing! We ended up catching a only a couple of red fish and a few trout but, he was ready to rock n' roll in the future on his next kayak fishing adventure! Great Job John!

On The fly!

    The Fishing and weather has been Great!  Fly fishing this time of year is great because the water is starting to clear up, making easier to sight fish. Although you can see them better, they can see you better!Lol! So taking a stealth approach is a must. Match the hatch with your fly, and make sure its the right fly for the water column you are fishing. I have been Catching tons of trout in the 3-6ft depth.  Snook and reds  have been in super skinny water, which I have been catching most of them on top water flies. Keep an eye out for huge Jacks coming through.  They can be a lot of fun on the fly rod! Till next time... Fish On! Fish On!

NEW FLEET IS HERE!!!!!

My love for paddling and fishing began at a very young age. I grew up on a beautiful lake in DeLand , FL. My dad bought a red Old Town Canoe for us to paddle around the lake. My next door neighbor on the lake was a Pro Bass fisherman who regularly stocked our lake with all types of freshwater species. When I was 9 years old, my dad and neighbor bought me my first spinning reel for my birthday. I was blessed to have this great introduction to the water at such a young age. I spent much of my childhood on that shiny red canoe paddling the lake every day, catching Largemouth Bass, Stripe Bass, Speckled Perch, and Blue Gill.

I moved to the west coast of Florida when I was 14 years old. I hadn’t ever really done any serious saltwater fishing before that, except off of docks, beaches, and piers. We had left the canoe with the lake house when we moved. I continued fishing from land and from friends’ boats, but I kept thinking about how fun it would be to get back to paddling around catching fish. As soon as I was old enough to get my first truck, I was ready to get something to paddle! Kayaks were just starting to become popular for fishing, so, I invested in my first kayak. It was called the Dawn Tracker by Ocean Kayak. At the time it was one of Ocean Kayak’s top of the line sit-in fishing kayaks. Man, when I got in the water with that thing, I felt invincible—the unlimited places I was able to go with it. I can’t even begin to tell you how many fish that I caught out of that yak.

Now, over 15yrs. later I am a Pro Kayak fishing Angler and a fulltime Kayak Fishing Guide. The proud owner of Casting Kayaks, LLC out of Sarasota , FL.  Through the years I have tried out many different kayaks. Then recently my good friend Pat let me borrow the Predator 13 to do some filming for sponsors. When I sat in the P13 the first time I couldn’t believe how comfortable it was. I couldn’t believe how nice it handled for being a large, wide kayak. Then as I began to fish out of the yak, my mind was blown-- everything on the kayak was so well thought out. Everything I wanted in a kayak, the P13 had! Towards the end of the trip I took the Prowler Big Game 2 out for a spin and it solidified my confidence in Ocean Kayaks.  I immediately knew I was ready to change my whole fleet. I pride myself in using nothing but the best products. I’m very thankful to have my new fleet so I can give my clients the best possible experience every time we are out on the water.

One of my greatest enjoyments in life is helping friends and clients experience the beauty and thrill of kayak fishing. Teaching them how to use different types of lures (I specialize in artificial baits) and watching them catch the biggest fish of their life!  My mission in life is to get anyone and everyone into a kayak on the water and to show them my life through their eyes… to bless them as I have been blessed.  Experiences like these can be life changing.