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. 

Jack Attack!!!

 Most people who fish, do it for many different reasons. Some do it to escape from the everyday grind, some do it just for the pure beauty of being on the water, and others for the shear thrill of hunting different species of fish. But, if you are out there to find the best fishing challenge, when it comes to saltwater fishing the fish that comes to mind for pound for pound hardest fighter would be the Jack.

    There are many different species of Jacks all over the world and are they are all known for their long hard fights. The Jack Crevalle is one of the most popular species that lives here in our local waters. Generally, they travel in large groups and don’t discriminate on what they eat. Look for schools of bait getting blasted in every direction and most likely it’s them. They will eat anything from bait fish to crustaceans. My favorite thing that I like to pitch at them are top water lures like the Yo-Zuri 3DB Pencil. Their top water assaults are ferocious and if the first one misses it, keep on working it because there is going to be another one right behind waiting to explode again! Then the second thing I like throw are Monster 3X Paddle-X soft-plastics with a 1/8 oz. jig head. Swim it very fast with slight twitches and hold on when it hits! These fish pull like a freight train as you start to look at your reel wondering if you have enough line. When they start to swim in a circle in either direction, this means they are starting to slow down but, even when they start to slow down you still have a good fight ahead of you. The last but definitely not last way I like to target them is with a fly rod. Once you’ve hooked one these fish on a fly rod, you will be hooked for life. They will have you into your backing in seconds! Most of the time it doesn’t really matter which fly or what lure you are throwing as long as you work it fast.

    You can find these fish from deep in the backwaters all the way out to the gulf. Just make sure your tackle is up to par when playing with these guys because they will surely test it. I hope that on your next trip you run into these tackle testing machines and have some fun. 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! 

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

Fishing in Florida!

    As you probably know, Florida is one of the best fishing destinations on earth.  It is unique with beautiful lagoons, lush grass-flats, long rivers/creeks, deep blue-green coastal waters, and lakes/ponds in just about every direction you look. There are many ways to fish on them:  by boat, by foot/wading, or by canoe, but my personal favorite is by kayak. I love the freedom of being able to put my kayak in just about anywhere and leave as little imprint on the environment as possible. Plus, they are super stealthy and I can get to places that many people can’t get to… I want to give you guys my three top places to fish in Florida and why…

1st- Tampa/ Sarasota, FL

  I choose to live here because of our beautiful Gulf waters and the amazing fishing. Besides Sarasota winning best beach in the world just about every year, it is home to some of the best tarpon fishing in the world. We also have some of the most beautiful, lushest grass-flats that I’ve seen anywhere.  And our water clarity is pretty good all year. This makes for an outstanding inshore fishery for snook, redfish, trout, and tarpon. Because we are on the central gulf coast, it does take a little bit to get into some deeper waters for offshore fishing. But there are plenty of nearshore reefs on the way out with lots of great fish to be caught like grouper, snapper, cobia, kingfish, etc…

2nd- Mosquito Lagoon/ Indian River, FL

   This place is a very unique fishery. It is home to some of the largest trout and redfish I’ve ever seen! It isn’t really tidal driven like most saltwater areas, so the wind and rain play a huge part in the water level and clarity. If you are any type of fisherman whether fly or conventional and like to catch redfish and trout, this place is literally a dream come true. If you put your bait anywhere near a fish over there it is going to get crushed!

3rd Florida Keys

   This place is an incredibly beautiful chain of islands that has the best of both worlds inshore and offshore. Literally pick an island, head out in any direction and you can find just about every fish Florida has to offer. They are well known for their tarpon and bonefish fishing. I also love that it still has that old Florida feel.

    Be adventurous and go check out what all Florida has to offer. Also please respect and take care of our water so that everyone can enjoy. Tight Lines & Tight Knots! 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 941-504-1349

Spring is HERE...

  Get ready because spring is on its way and the fish are fired up! Even though we didn’t have much of a winter this year, most of the fish will still be following their normal patterns. The fish that did push back into warmer waters will be heading back out to the grass-flats looking for a good meal.

Redfish-   Although you will still see a lot of single and doubles hanging out, be sure to look for them to be grouping up into small schools… Most of the schools will be mid to upper slot fish with some over-slot fish mixed in. Early in the mornings I will throw top-water and sub surface baits like the Mirro -Lure Top Dog or the new Yo-Zuri 3D Inshore Series .  And even though it is towards the end of the shrimp run, I will still be targeting them with the Monster 3X 4 ¾ X-MOVE pretty much throughout the whole day. The water is still very clean and clear and it makes for an outstanding sight fishing bait.

Trout-    These fish will be fired up and eating in just about any part of the water column from super skinny to 5-7 ft. of water. Most of the slot fish will be schooled up on the grass-flats in the 4-7 ft. range and your bigger over-slot fish will be in the 1-3 ft. range. I like to use top-waters and hard baits like a Mirro-Dine early in the morning to cover lots of water until I find them. Once I’ve found one I will slow down to work them pretty hard because there are usually more close by.

Snook-    The snook that pushed into the backwaters will be pouring out of the creeks and rivers onto the grass-flats. I like to stage up near the mouth entrances and plug away at them. Again I like to use the Monster 3X X-MOVE but with a little bit heavier jig head. With the stronger currents and the little deeper water, you want to make sure that your bait is getting down into the strike zone.  

   This is the best time of the year for weather and fishing so get out there and enjoy it. Be sure to stay safe and be courteous of your fellow anglers while on the water. There is plenty enough water and fun for everyone! : )  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

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

Fly Fishing...

    Fly fishing can be one the most exhilarating things to try if you are an angler and desire a novel experience or a new challenge.  It is pretty much the most intimate fishing experience that you can have. From tying your own flies for your next catch to casting a fly rod, the whole experience could most definitely be considered an art form.

First, you pull just enough line to cast and give it a good stretch so that you have less room for error once you reach your target. Once you find the fish you are looking for, you get into the best possible position for hitting your mark. While you are casting, you breathe as you feel your line loading through the rod and you listen to your line starting to form tight loops. Then you release your line as it rockets through the guides of your rod and lays down ever so softly just in front of your target. You begin to strip your line as the fish turns its head with its pectoral fins out, and rushes over, mouth wide open to inhale your fly. Boom! Fish ON!

One more good strip set as you begin to feel your line peeling out through your hands until it is tight on the rod. Then you palm the spool for just the right drag while you feel the sheer power of the fish. You look at the backing of your line hoping that you have enough just as the fish’s will starts to break. You reel reel reel and then the fish decides to go for another run! Finally, you get all your line back as you see fish getting closer and closer to you until the fish rolls over on its side into submission. When all of this comes together it can be one of the greatest fulfillments in fishing.

This is one of my favorite times of the year to fly fish. As the water clarity continues to improve and air/ water temps are cooler, sight fishing will be key. The fish are easy to see but it is also easier for them to see you so you need to have a good plan of execution. Also this time of year the fish are starting to feed on smaller things which is a great for fly fishermen. I like to throw crustacean type patterns now, although they will feed on smaller bait fish patterns as well. Sometimes the wind can be a bear this month so don’t be afraid to hit the backwaters. The fish will be making their way back there anyway if they aren’t already there.

Fishing Report

Snook- These fish are really starting to feed heavily to get fattened up before winter. Look for them near the mouth’s of creeks and rivers. Once you have located them, get ready to hold on tight! They will eat just anything that crosses their path. If you see them busting baits near the surface, start out by pitching top water lures like the Yo- Zuri 3DB and be ready for crazy aerial assaults. 

Redfish- This is a great month for redfish. The large schools will slowly start to break into smaller pods and don’t be surprised to find large fish by themselves. You can also find them hanging around the mullet schools. My bait of choice in this situation is Yo-Zuri’s new Inshore Series in the mullet pattern and it is great for covering lots of water. Play with the speed and retrieval twitches until you figure out what speed they are eating that day. 

Trout- Big trout are here! They have been on fire in the deeper potholes in the 4-6 ft. range but, don’t be surprised to see them creeping in the shallows as well. Most of my big trout lately have been caught on the Monster 3X X-MOVE 4 ¾ with 1/16- 1/8 oz. jig head. Once you catch one or two, I would stay close to that area because there will probably be more. 

I hope everyone enjoys the cooler air and beautiful waters. Be Safe! Tight Lines and Tight Knots to all!

Sharktober!

 Sharks can be one of the most fun fish to catch in SW Florida and just about anywhere in the world really… Pound for pound they can be some the strongest fish, with long line burning runs that never give up. They can be caught in waters less than a foot or in deep sea waters. They also come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.

    The most common smaller sharks caught in our waters would have to be Black-tips, Bonnetheads, Spinners and Reef sharks, but, we do have larger ones as well like Bulls, Lemons, Tigers, and even Great-whites! Targeting the smaller species out of the kayaks can be lots of fun. And if you really want to target the big boys, the best way is to do it from shore and to use your kayak to paddle your bait out past the sand bar. Sometimes when we are fishing for smaller sharks we end up with bigger ones than we would prefer so we enjoy the fight, get as much line back as possible and then cut it.

   There are many techniques to target sharks. My favorite way to target them is to sight fish them with artificial lures. Top water lures like the Yo-Zuri 3DB Pencil and the  Monster 3X X-MOVE are my go-to artificial lures for sharks. If you prefer other bait, anything fresh and bloody will work every time! Cut pinfish, mullet, jacks, bonita, and lady fish to name a few of my favorites. Also chumming never hurts or even tie a bonita carcass off the side of your yak. If you chum, they will come!

     For smaller sharks 4 ft and under a size 3-4000 size reel, 7 ft. med-heavy action rod, 15-20 lb braided line, and 30-50 lb. fluorocarbon leader will get the job done. And for the larger ones I like to use an 8000 size reel, 8 ft. heavy action rod, 40-50 lb. braided line, 80 lb. fluorocarbon leader with a steel leader tippet. Of coarse the larger the sharks you are targeting… the bigger and beefier your gear had better be!

      Please make sure you are very cautious while doing this out of a kayak. Sharks are a bundle of  muscle, cartilage, and teeth. They will beat you and your kayak up if you bring them into the yak without having complete control of them. Also be careful when releasing them because many sharks can reach the tip of their tail with their teeth!  As always, Be Safe and have fun! Tight Lines and tight Knots to all!

Landing the big one...

When it comes to fishing, learning to properly land your catch is critical.  We all have a great story about the huge fish that we almost landed… but there’s no photographic evidence (or dinner on the table) because we lost it while trying to get it into our boat.  Learning to land your fish can be the difference between a good and a great day. There’s nothing like catching the fish of a lifetime and as soon as it gets next to the yak, it comes unglued… This usually happens when you try to lift the fish into the boat with your rod or you try to grab it with your hands next to the boat. There are many different types of tools that you can use to land certain types of fish in different types of situations. The two main tools that I use to land fish are a good landing net and lip grippers. These two tools can improve your game and help you successfully land more fish.

Landing Net-  This is the number one thing that I depend on in tournaments when it is most critical to land the fish. When picking out a net decide on what size fish is the average that you will be targeting. The last thing you want on your kayak is a huge clumsy net that is always in the way of your paddling or fishing. For inshore species I like to use the EGO Slider 2 17” or 19”. Reasons why: First, it has rubber mesh that is easier on the fish and is extremely easy to remove the hooks from (no tangled mess). Second, it has an extension handle that makes it easy to use for reaching out on kayaks or when using a fly rod with a long leader.  Third and most of all it floats! : ) People ask me all the time what if I catch a huge fish? Trust me I’ve landed 40+ inch fish in this net. Most of the time if you get a large fish’s head in a net it will break it will and give up, giving you complete control of the fish.

Lip Grippers- I use lip grippers on an everyday basis! Either to land a fish or after just to remain in control of the fish. A lot of times I have a bungee tied to the grippers so I can let the fish rest in the water (to lessen the stress put on the fish) while I decide to get out a measuring board, camera, etc… They have many different varieties out there from floating ones like Fish Grips to ones that you can actually take weight measurements from like a Bocca Grip. None-the-less, they all work great for keeping control of your fish.

Until next time, keep control of your catch and land the fish of a lifetime! Tight Lines and Tight Knots to all! 

RED HOT!!!

  This can be one of the hottest times of year where the outside temps and water temps are at their highest. The fishing can be RED HOT as well if you plan your trips out right. I like to get out on the water earlier and finish up before the hottest part of the day.

 REDFISH-  They are really starting to heat up large schools of redfish growing just about daily. You can find these fish in the shallow grass flats early in the morning and then look for them cruising the outer edges once the sun gets up over head. Remember to be stealthy because if you scare one, you have scared them all. I like to target them with top water lures like the Yo-Zuri 3DB Pencil first thing in the morning. Then I switch up to soft plastics like the Monster 3X X-SWIM or suspension baits like Mirro Lures Mirrodine.

 SNOOK- My favorite place to target these fish is with a fly rod off the beach close to the passes as they start to migrate their way back to the flats, creeks, etc… The set up I primarily use for this is an 8 wt. St. Croix rod,  TF 70 3-TAND fly reel, Teeny’s 8 wt. kayak series fly line, with a Seaguar fluorocarbon leader 30# tippet. Look for groups of smaller fish close to the shoreline with larger fish lurking around I a little deeper water. I’ve been catching some nice snook on River Bum’s purple tarpon toad early in the morning and then switching to gotcha flies later.  

TROUT- Look for these fish to be hanging on the grass flats in deeper pot holes around the 4-7 ft. range. Most of these fish are in schools averaging about the 15-19 inch range but, perfect if you are looking for dinner. I always like to start throwing top water plugs like the Yo-Zuri 3DB Pencil because they are a blast on top water!. Then I move onto soft plastics like the Monster 3X X_MOVE.

   So this summer beat the heat! Not only do we need to take care of ourselves from the heat like staying hydrated but, also take care of the fish… If you are practicing catch and release, spend a little extra time to reviving them.  “Quick tip” Fish can be a little sluggish on hot days so don’t be afraid to cast out an ole trusty piece of cut bait. It might just do the trick! Till next time… Be Safe, Stay Hydrated, and have fun! 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 them a call at 941-504-134

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. 

My February Coastal Angler Magazine Article... On Fly Fishing!

     Winter time can be
 one the best times of the year to go fly fishing. Soon baits
 like larger pilchards
 and threadfins will start to dissipate and most fish will start
 to switch over to
 eating more crustaceans (shrimp, crabs, blood worms,
 etc…).  Also as water temps
 start to drop, the fish appetites will begin to slow down.
 As their appetites
 begin to slow down, the fish start to prey on smaller baits.
 This making it the
 perfect time of year for throwing flies!

     My all around go
 to rod and reel this time of year is a St. Croix 9 ft./ 8wt.
 Legend Elite with
 a 3-TAND T-70 reel. The rod has plenty of backbone/
 sensitivity for throwing
 most flies and handling fish from 1-2 lbs. up to 30plus lbs.
 The reel has a
 sealed Nano CF Drag system, interchangeable larger arbors
 from 7-9 wt., incredibly
 strong for a great price that doesn’t break the bank! I
 prefer to use Teeny’s
 weight forward floating Redfish line. This WF line was
 designed to help
 kayakers cast while sitting down, but, rockets out of the rod to
 make for a long accurate
 cast.  Most of the fish I
 target with this line will in pretty skinny water unless
 I’m fishing deeper
 creeks in which case I will add more length to my
 leader. For my leader,
 I start out with 4-6 ft. of 40-50 lb. test, then connect
 that to a 3 ft. 30-25lb
 test leader and finally connect that to a 3 ft. 20-10 lb.
 Seaguar Fluorocarbon
 leader. I do adjust my leaders due to fishing certain
 species of fish or during this
 time on windier days I like to shorten my
 leader up to about 8
 ft.

     Now for my flies
 of choice this time of year…  I have been having lots of success on
 River Bums chartreuse/white deceiver. Catching everything
 from trout, redfish,
 to snook. Another fly that I have lots of luck on
 is a simple white
 gotcha. It is so small and simple looking but, I have hooked
 some huge snook on
 them this time of year! Last, but, my favorite is a Tan
 Epoxy shrimp. This
 fly is killer this time of year for just about all types of
 fish! Also what is
 cool about this fly is that because it is made out of epoxy,
 I like to put a
 little shrimp flavored Pro Cure on it. Work it extremely
 slowly along the bottom
 and it is game on!

 Hope this helps motivate
 anyone thinking of picking up the
 fly rod this winter. Until next time… stay warm! Tight
 Lines and Tight knots!