We got to the launch a little early so we took the time to look at the lures and rig the best of what we got. I personally looked at the bag and took out all the darts because all the other lures were dark and not natural colors. I think more natural colors work better in the crystal clear waters along our cost lines. So I rigged one rod with a gold dart on a weed less hook, my second rod with a 1/18th oz jig head and a clear/silver flake (opening day color), My third rod I put a weighted weed less hook on a gold rush RT-Slug. We began the morning staring at some big dark clouds as we paddled west towards the fish. After 30 minutes of cold rain and lightning we started fishing again and we were lucky enough to see the double rainbow!
We began fishing around some mullet that were acting very strange and I even caught one that ate my green jig head.
We moved away from the mullet and Jesse hooked up to a nice red on the RT-Slug in a deep hole near some mangroves.
After we got some pics I hooked up to a redfish just an inch or so larger.
We moved north to an area we thought would hold snook but Jesse ended up catching 2 trout while we were fishing with heavier jig heads. We fished for several more hours with nothing happening until we ran into our kayak wars teammates and heard they had a rather large slam. We talked for a few minutes and decided we needed to go find a snook to have a chance we figured we would have to paddle out to the beach to find a snook of any size. We got out there to find people everywhere riding jet ski’s, and boats. We decide to get out and wade past the waves we saw a couple small black tips but couldn’t hook any. Maybe that was a good thing because out of the corner of my eye I saw a shape that appeared to be a linesider swimming right at us. Since Jesse was closer he made the flip about 5ft from us and it swam right up and sucked in the gold dart! We were so excited we ran are kayaks through the waves and up to the beach and this was at around 2:30. We got a good picture and gently revived her and let her go. We paddled are asses off back to the trucks and made it to the weigh in with time to spare. The second place finish was awesome but we were really trying for first! Next time.
Its 1:45 a.m. and I still have not had a minute of sleep.I sat at my desk wide awake recollecting the countless stories of gargantuan trout, monster snook and elusive redfish shared by my friends while fishing the DOA tournament. Considering that I was supposed to wake up at 2a.m. I decided to forgo a succinct nap and started moving my bags and equipment to the driveway to wait for Peter to pick me up.I was excited that in 4 hours I would try my luck in the great fishery I have heard about ever since I started kayak fishing in 2008.
Peter arrived right on time; we loaded the gear and were on our way.Peter claims that I was asleep before we left my neighborhood.After what felt like an hour nap, I was awakened by the halt of the car.Mud creek was the location we were fishing on the first day.
As soon as the doors opened we were greeted by a cloud of the resident mosquitoes which thought deet was a condiment.Fortunately they were not immune to a thermacell.John Lee and Mark Couch pulled into the parking lot.Mark opted to stay and guard the car (for Mark this means take a nap)
We put our kayaks in the water and started working our way out of a cove and along the mangrove line.There was a lot of action in the water.I could hear baits being crashed under the mangroves.After a couple of casts I found out that the commotion was being caused by a school of small jacks.We kept paddling on and ran into a couple rolling tarpon.A few casts were made but they were not interested.We paddled a couple miles without success other than a few small trout.The water quality was very poor and despite there being bait and mullet everywhere, after a few hours we decided to start working our way back.
As we drifted back to the car we came across a patch of clear water with deep potholes.A couple casts in the potholes resulted a trout a hair under 28 inches.That was the only decent fish I caught all day; a couple hours later we decided to leave and swing by the beach to check out a launch we had heard about.Peter and I were both interested in doing some fishing off the beach if the weather cooperated.
After a brief inspection we decided to give it a go ahead in the morning.We drove to the Palm River Lodge in Jensen Beach.We decided to stay at the lodge because it would be the venue for the captains meeting and weigh-in for the tournament.I have to say I was very impressed with the facility.The pool was definitely the highlight of the evening.It was nice to relax in the pool and sip on a beer and hang out with the crew.After the pool we went to grab some pizza at a local shop which ended up being a regular stop on the way back from fishing for the next couple of days.
Headed to the beach
On the way back we stopped at this tackle shop to get some info on fishing the beach. They were very helpful.
I don't know if it was because I was really hungry but this place made some great pizza.
We woke up early Friday morning;Mark and John decided to fish locally inshore while Peter and I headed to the beach.We were greeted by a beautiful sunrise.The surf was rougher than the previous afternoon but we still decided to stick with the plan.Unfortunately it was a slow day of fishing.There were half a dozen boats on the water and we only saw one of them catch a small permit.As we moved back to the launch we noticed that the surf was rougher then what we are used to seeing on the west coast of Florida.Peter went in first and decided to walk his kayak in.I stored all my gear in the hatch of my Emotion Grand Slam and headed in.Peter radioed that the surf wasn’t as bad as it seemed so I decided to ride the waves in.I waited for a couple minutes for a lull in the surf.I saw an opening and I made my way in.
Enjoying the sunrise at the beach
After loading all our gear up on the trailer, we made our way back the lodge in Jensen Beach for the Captains Meeting.After a quick stop at the pizza joint and a dip in the pool we walked to the pavilion where Mark Nichols went over the rules.After the captains meeting, I definitely got a clear feel for the tournament.This is an event that’s sole purpose is for the participants to have fun.Mark did something that I have never heard before at a tournament, he asked the participants what they thought and was open to suggestions.I thought this was very cool.
Norm apparently forgot his rods in Tampa so his good friends were nice enough to present him with some tackle during the captain's meeting so he would have a rod to fish the tournament with.
People came from all over the place to fish the tournament. This guy drove down from Illinois by himself; I think it was worth the drive because he caught a 40" snook that morning.
After the brief meeting and inspection of the lures provided everyone headed back to their rooms to start rigging the rods.
John Lee showed had a great idea of cutting the pinch weight in half, attaching it to the front of the hook to create a weighted weedless hook.
Can you spot Mark? He blended in perfectly with the wall.
We woke up early the next morning and were on our way to try our luck at a different location then what we prefished. I went over the pointers that John, Mark, and Peter shared with me the night before as I paddled along to the mangrove line I planned to fish.After a couple casts I was hooked up to a monster snook.I never got a really good look at her other than a football sized head swooshing back and forth before she made a long run.After 30 seconds it was over, the line went limp.I reeled in my line only to find that she had worn through my 30 lb leader.I retied and kept moving on.The rest of the day proved to be extremely slow.I couldn’t even catch a trout.I saw some docks in the distance and decided to make the long paddle over to see if I could find any fish willing to cooperate.
Mark is well known for his naps on the water and the fact that he was fishing a tournament was not a big enough reason to stop a tradition of many years.
Here is John trying to sneak up on Mark to scare him, but unfortunately Mark heard him approaching and was awake before John got close enough to make his move.
I started working the docks without avail.As I kept moving on I spotted a push of water that appeared to be redfish.It only took one cast to confirm my suspicions resulting in a little redfish.I decided to make a few more casts to see if I could upgrade.A few casts later I had boated 3 more redfish all 18-19 inches.It was apparent that they were all the same size so I moved on.
I fished the rest of the day without any luck.Time had run out and it was time to go back to the weigh in.After stopping at the pizza joint and a dip in the pool, back to the pavilion we went to find that the raffle had already started.
We even saw a wedding proposal at the captains meeting! Fortunately she said yes! My wife would have killed me if I had proposed to her at a fishing tournament.
Mark then announced the winners, and it was obvious that it was a slow day of fishing with only one slam turned in.
After the winners were announced and pictures had been taken, Mark Nichols made an announcement.
With an embarrassed young man by his side, he proceeded to tell Ken Taylor that 3rd place was being revoked from him because the young man at his side had been misinformed of the rules by one of the DOA staff and he had not turned in his over-slot fish because he was told that it was slot fish only.
More pictures were taken and everyone moved on.
After a brief nap I met up with a few of the guys. Jeff Harrell of FinaticDesigns.com and I made plans to hit the dock of the lodge. He managed to pull a nice trout from the lights.
It was a great event that I definitely plan in participating in next year.
Slik-N-Cider Getting Their Poons On, Hair Band Style!
Every year the Rough Riders the group my dad is in has a charity fishing tournament that I have fished the last five years. (They are one of the largest charity groups in this area). My report really starts the night before I was on my way to the hotel where the captains meeting is at and I figured what the hell I stop and grabbed a bag of shrimp. Well I got everything ready and in my room then went upstairs where everyone was hangin out. I met my dad’s friend Cam who was also fishing from a kayak we agreed we would be a team since my other friends bailed. I told him if he wants to fish with me we are meeting early to get bait then fish the flats early. So we met about 5:30 am after a late night incident with the police in the hospitality room. We tried netting some white bait on the beach to no avail. We launch and headed towards the flats the tide was super high and the mullet were really spread out. I missed a couple trout on spook but was not impressed. It was still early; I made a major decision to leave the flats and go try some docks I haven't fished since this tournament last year. Well we headed over and we soon found out that this was the right choice! I flipped a DOA cal up under the first good-looking dock and it never even touched the bottom and my drag was screaming! I fought the fish for about 10 minutes in and out and all around the pilings of the dock. I was thinking big red the whole time until I pulled up a 29" black drum up along side the kayak.
The first thing I thought was what am I going to do with this fish because unfortunately its a kill tournament and I have to keep all the legal fish I catch. I called my dad and told him what was going on Luckily there was an empty lot the next dock down. I jumped up on the seawall and ran to the road to figure out where I was so he could come with a big cooler to hold the fish. I called him back told him where I was. I got back out to the dock and put my wang anchor down good thing I had the 8ft because it was about 7ft deep. I grabbed a shrimp out of my cooler and flipped it back under the dock and again before my bait hit the bottom my drag was screaming this time it was a little bit better fish. I fought this fish through about 10 different pilings and about 15 minutes of babying so it wouldn’t break me off. This fish also tricked me I thought I had a big boy black drum and it turned out to be a 29” redfish. I got back to my position and told Cam to come over he flipped a shrimp under the dock and nothing we waited about 5 minutes and I said that’s weird I flipped another shrimp in there and just like that another fish. This time I was ready and I was able to turn her head, after a good fight away from the dock I pulled up a beautiful 27” fish. I again told Cam put your bait back in there not wanting to be greedy and again nothing. So I flipped back in and I had a beautiful 28” black drum about 5 minutes later and my dad showed up; I loaded up the fish and I got back out there Cam had still not caught a fish. It took me about 30 seconds to catch a perfect slot drum right at 23”. This is how it happened for the next hour I hammered the black drum and even got a sheep’s head. Cam eventually got two black drum to add to are total.
I also hooked a mystery fish that took about 50yds of line before I realized what was happening and I couldn’t do anything but watch my line disappear before I broke it off. I ended up calling my dad back 3 different times to pick up fish because the stringer was getting full. We paddle back to the hotel and got are fish ready to weigh in. We weighed in our 9 black drum, 1 redfish and 1 sheeps head and ended up with 66lbs. Well at the dinner they announced the winners and saved our division till last. My dads friend Brian announced it was a landslide win for the only 2 kayakers in the tournament we beat the second place team by 60lbs. It felt great to be in a kayak and kick all the boaters butts! We also beat all the guides by about 40lbs.
The Jacksonville Classic is a charity tournament that raises funds for children's programs at the Down Syndrome Association of Jacksonville, Daniel Memorial and the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation.
It is the biggest kayak tournament in the country and last year with an attendance of over 400 anglers, it has become the largest kayak tournament in the world. This year there were 430 participants from all over the world at the event.
The Classic has always been a tournament I have wanted to fish and this year I finally got my chance! I made the drive up with Chuck Statham (Team Shaft 1)from Tampa on Friday, the day of the captains meeting. Unfortunately due to my work schedule I was not able to do any pre-fishing.
My expectations were not very high due to the fact that I have never fished in Jacksonville before and the style of fishing is completely different from what is found in Tampa. We arrived around 4 p.m. to a parking lot full of kayaks.
Check-in was quick and painless. Chuck and I gathered our captains bag and headed inside for food and drinks. Once inside we were met by the rest of Team Emotion (John Lee, Mark Couch, Blake Beltz and David Simms), Nick Felts, Todd Llewellyn and a few other friends.
Chuck enjoying the refreshments
Dave gladly handing over money to a couple of the Jacksonville Jaguars cheerleaders to improve his odds during the raffle.
At the conclusion of the check in the hall was packed. The notorious raffle started around 6 p.m. and didn't end until almost 10 p.m. The craziest part is that it was only half of the raffle. The classic has over 80,000 dollars in prizes and the vast majority of that is for the raffle.
Emotion Kayaks Fishing Team
The next morning started at 4:30, when Nick, Chuck and I packed up and headed to the launch location. We arrived at 5 a.m., about an hour before launch time only to find another angler already there. By the time 6 rolled around there were about 40 other kayakers there waiting to launch.
Todd getting prepared at the launch
The plan was to work a couple of docks and islands in search of a trout and flounder and then relocate to another area at the change of the tide to find a redfish. After on the 3rd dock I visited I managed to pull a 23.5 inch redfish. I waved Chuck over and on his second cast, he hooked into a 24 incher. After a couple other casts we decided to move on to some muddy grass beds to find flounder. Unfortunately by this time the wind had kicked up to 15-20 mph which made fishing miserable.
After an hour without any success we decided to paddle over to a few islands that would provide us some shelter from the wind. My first cast by the island resulted in a flounder which was about 13 inches, but he spit the hook boatside. On my second cast my jig was greeted by another flounder. I sighed with relief when I landed him. Took a quick pic and waved Chuck into the area. Chuck hooked up with a slightly smaller flounder on his second cast. We continued working the area without success and decided to move to our second launch.
The general consensus was that if you don't catch a trout by 9 a.m. it would be very difficult to find a quality trout, if you could find one at all. Unfortunately, this proved to be true. Trout were very scarce and all seemed to be undersized, which didn't help me in a tournament that require legal fish. When Chuck and I had given up and decided to move one, I announced that I was making "one last cast" that thankfully resulted in a 16.25 inch trout. With my slam complete, we moved on looking to upgrade the redfish. Unfortunately no upgrades came and it was time to go back to the weigh in.
When I arrived at the weigh in I was surprised to see that no slams had been turned in. I guess the high winds had become a factor in angler's success. By the time I made it to the booth to submit my pictures there was 1 slam in front of me. I figured with 30 minutes left I might actually have a chance. The tournament only pays out 5 places and unfortunately by the conclusion of the submissions I found myself in 6th place. Mark Couch also ended up with 2nd place in the trout category which scored him a 300 dollar carbon fiber paddle.
I was still happy with my result though, 6th place out of 430 was not bad, not to mention it was an area that I had never fished before that requires a completely different style of fishing from what I am used to doing.
I had a great time and will definitely be back next year!
Top water fishing is like no other fishing you will experience! The blast of hungry snook or a feeding redfish is what top water lures are all about. Since I started fishing around the age of 8 I have always had a top water plug in my arsenal. My obsession with top water fishing started when I discovered Ladyfish and Jack Crevalle.
Every Saturday for almost a three year period, my friends and I would spend the morning hours catching fish after fish on top water. When I started fishing the flats I learned the now common sounds of a Redfish, Snook, and Trout blast my top water plugs. After several years of experience I have learned that nothing will get your heart pumping quicker than a trophy fish exploding out of the water on your plug.
I have also learned that top water fishing is not something you can learn over night. It’s an art form that takes years to master. Being able to have pinpoint cast up to the edge of an oyster bar or the shoreline of a sandy beach. Placing a perfect cast under the edge of a mangrove tree, having your plug ambushed from a waiting Snook.
Top water fishing can be a guessing game blind casting on to an open flat or into a school of mullet. The amount of fish you catch can also be determined by your experience on the water, knowing where the ambush points are for Snook and Trout or where the Redfish stage in different periods of the tide.
Which Plug to Throw:
There are many companies that make top water plugs and almost every one of them will catch fish. Everything from a hand carved wooden lure; to the molded plastic Super Spook Jrs we have all come to love. You only need a select few to work for all applications. There are two popular types of top water plugs; poppers, and the “Walk the Dog”. Almost every lure company make a their own version of a “Walk the Dog” type lure. Examples would be Super Spook Jrs, Skitter Walks, and Top Dogs. There are different types of these as well; high pitch and low pitch are the two post popular. High pitch plugs are supposedly for calm days and flat water. When low pitch plugs are for more choppy or rough conditions.
Poppers are the second kind of top water plug. Poppers will have a cup shaped front to trap water and throw it out when popped. Poppers are great when trying to draw a fish out from under structure or cover such as a weed pad or mangrove shoreline. They are more commonly used in the world of bass fishing but have their place in the saltwater world as well. Both can be productive in the proper conditions.
WHY
Why are we so addicted to throwing top water? Well I believe that seeing the fish explode on a top water plug that is so addicting. With most other lures you don’t get the visual key of the fish eating your lure, which we crave so much. Hearing the fish smash the snot out of your plug is another reason I love throwing top water so much. After several years of experience you learn to recognize what species of fish is attacking your lure by the sights and sounds of the attack. Such as the suction cup sound of a snook or the huge wave a red may push up behind your lure just before the ambush. With top water fish you will probably miss 60% of the hits you get on a good day of fishing. So why throw it? Because seeing and hearing the explosion of a feeding fish is half the addiction. Here are a couple reasons why to throw a top water plug.
There is one important fact to remember, BIG fish love top water lures!!
Hello folks. Being part of the Kayak angling scene I have been trying to keep up with the latest as far as Kayak Tournaments go. I will be keeping you posted through out this year as to what tournaments are happening and what tournaments will be happening in 2010. The Kayak fishing sport has grown to great proportions and it seems many tournaments are starting to cater more to kayak anglers only. If there is a tournament that I have missed, please feel free to email me the Kayak tournament info at HCKAC@yahoo.com
By the way ALL tournaments listed are C.P.R. ( Catch,Photo, Release) based. Kudos!!!!
Here are a few that will be starting this quarter of 2010:
This will be the 1st time that there will be a2-man kayak team tournament series hosted by the HardCore kayak Anglers Club. This will begin Feb 13th and finish into December. This tournament series will be every other month s to not coincide with most major kayak tournaments. So far their are 21 teams signed up. This is a great tournament that is put on by Kayak Guide Peter Poletti ( Director) with the help of Jose Chavez ( Tourney Director) and Club Pres. Russ (limecider) Caipen.
If you're looking for a great kayak club to join in the Tampa bay / West coast (Florida) region the HCKAClub shares your passion in Kayak Angling. They put on Monthly Gatherings along with Tournaments and also participate in Environmental Clean ups. For more info visit HCKAClub and/or visit HCKAClub 2-man team for tourney info.
ExtremeCoast.com hosts one of the Biggest online kayak tournaments. Their tournaments last for 10months and is based on a point system and a photo MUST accompany all submissions. This is a great way to get many of the kayak community, clubs together for one big fishing battle to claim #1. This tournament includes teams and/or individuals. Kayakers from all Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic and Pacific bordering states are welcome to join. This is for the Hardcore of kayak anglers. We're not just talking about catching a redfish or trout, but this is including sailfish and other pelagics!
Kayak wars also allows "Motherships"..check out this excerpt from the site rules:
(Mothership Clause) 'Mother Ships' are allowed for transporting kayaks/anglers to offshore destinations, however points for only the major species/types of pelagic fish including Billfish, Blackfin/Yellowfin Tuna, Wahoo, Amberjack, Cobia, Grouper and Dorado are counted in association with Mothership deployments. Due to the extreme danger, Sharks (ie Mako's etc) will NOT count for points from Mothership Deployments so do NOT try to target them.
The sign up has begun to enter your team/ club and the final date for registration will be April 1st. The tournament will end December 15th. The teams in the respective East/West at the end of the year with most accumulated points will be crowned the 2010 Kayak Wars Champions. For further info please check out ExtremeCoast.com.
Yup folks the IFA will have there hands in at Kayak Tournament hosting. This tour begins in Feb and will end roughly towards the end of the year with a champions event. They have LOTS of sponsors with top prize taking Hobie kayaks. Their Schedule of the tour is impressive. Traveling from Florida (East/West / Gulf Coast divisions) to North and South Carolina ( Atlantic division), Louisiana Division, and a Texas Division. The entry fee is high with a pretty extensive form to sign, BUT if you're serious about kayak tournaments you will be impressed at how this is being organized. For further info please Visit the All New 2010 IFA Kayak Fishing Tour Website
(Taken from the site) JaxKayakFishing.com, Northeast Florida's online kayak fishing community, has again announced plans for the world's largest kayak fishing tournament to be held in Jacksonville, Florida on May 7-8. The 7th annual Jacksonville Kayak Fishing Classic promotes kayak fishing in Jacksonville with a fun conservation-oriented format and raises funds for children's programs at the Down Syndrome Association of Jacksonville, Daniel Memorial and the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation. The Columbia Sportswear Company, the global leader in active outdoor apparel, is the title sponsor.
With over 175 anglers onboard via early registration officials expect that more than 350 kayak anglers will target Redfish, Trout, and Flounder in a catch-photo-release format with more than $80,000 in prizes and gifts. Last year’s Classic had a world’s largest attendance of 430 paddlers with more than $75,000 in prizes and gifts. The event raised over $40,000 for local children’s and conservation charities.
Trophies, kayaks, fishing gear and gift certificates will be awarded for first place through fifth place finishers in four open divisions. Divisions include: the Redfish-Trout-Flounder slam, biggest Redfish, biggest Trout, and biggest Flounder. There are also contingency prizes and awards for Jr. Angler, Lady Angler, Sr. Angler, Fly Angler, a Mystery Fish prize, a raffle for the Best Dang Tackle Box, and raffles that include more than $20,000 worth of kayaks, equipment, and tackle.
The event is co-sponsored by many of North Florida’s finest kayak and fishing retailers, including Strike-Zone Fishing, Black Creek Outfitters, Gander Mountain, Dick’s Sporting Goods, All Wet Sports, Black Fly Outfitters, and AquaEast. The world’s leading fishing kayak and accessory manufacturers are also sponsors: Hobie Kayaks, Malibu Kayaks, Ocean Kayaks, Emotion Kayaks, Native Watercraft, Cobra, Wilderness Systems Kayaks, Accent Paddles, and Malone.
Kayak fisherman can register online at http://www.JacksonvilleKayakFishingClassic.com or can also pick up an entry form at Strike-Zone Fishing, Black Creek Outfitters, All Wet Sports, and Gander Mountain. More information, rules, and prize details are also available online.
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Mako's Tips
Peter Poletti
# 1
When approaching reds that are tailing, softly push pole yourself towards your target instead of paddling; and if you need to use the paddle, keep it at a low angle.Fish can see movement from a distance and will get spooked easily before you can get a shot at them.
Remember, be stealthy and invisible.
# 2
Learn to read the signs that will lead you to find game fish in the water.When you see these signs, go ahead and check out the area. Here’s a few:
Birds diving.
Nervous water:Ripples in the water surface moving in different directions.
Baitfish jumping out of the water, running away from predators.
Schools of mullet.
Swirls.
# 3
One of the most common and successful baits used for inshore fishing is the shrimp.DOA Lures makes an outstanding shrimp imitation and they come in variety of colors to suit different situations.
I personally prefer the 3-inch size.My favorite colors are Near Clear, Glow (for night fishing), and anything else that has Gold or Silver Glitter.
On the picture below we can see 3 different ways to rig a DOA shrimp.Top shrimp is right out of the box.In the middle, the shrimp is rigged weedless.The original hook is removed and replaced by 3/0 Mustad Power Lock.The bottom sample shows the “backward” rig, used for a presentation where the shrimp is escaping a predator.
#4 – Winter Tactics
Take advantage of negative low tides to learn about an area while it is dry.
Change your approach regarding lures when days are cold.Use plastic lures and work them slower than usual.
Best time to fish the flats for reds and trout is around mid-day once the water has warmed up.
Fish the edge of the flats and then moved up as the tide floods them.
Look for potholes on the flats on negative low tides.Once you find the ones holding fish, it’ll be like fishing in a bucket.
Fish residential canals for fish laying close to sea walls. These concrete walls will absorb heat from the sun and keep the water around them warmer.The walls facing east will be warmer in the morning, and the ones facing west will be warmer in the afternoon.
Rivers and creeks with deep mud holes will also hold fish.
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Finding the Perfect Rod Part 2
Jose Chavez
After many emails, phone calls and private messages received over the past months asking me about when the next installment of “Finding the perfect rod” was going to be out, I decided to stop procrastinating and actually write it.
So here it is, the next overdue installment of finding the perfect rod:
All rods were not created equal, and it was for a reason.When a rod blank is made, it is designed for a specific purpose in mind.The way we can tell how one rod is different from another is by the combination of specifications with which the blank was designed.These specifications are varied and include characteristics like lure weight rating, line rating, action, power, modulus, etc.When picking out a rod it is important to know what the specifications are, what they mean, and which combination you should be looking for in your next rod. This is why this installment of finding the perfect rod will be focused on understanding rod specifications.
Action and Power
For years I thought action and power were the same.It wasn’t until after some research I found out that my “medium action” rod was not what I thought it was.In actuality, there is a big difference between action and power even though sometimes they are thought of as one.
The action of a rod determines what section of the rod flexes when it is under a load.A slow/moderate action blank will feel flimsy because the rod will flex near the butt section.Slow/moderate action rods are less accurate during casts, offer less control of the fish but will be more forgiving when fighting large fish.On the contrary, an extra-fast action blank will seem stiffer because the point where the rod flexes is near the tip of the blank; it will be more accurate when casting, will offer more control when fighting a fish, but will less forgiving to angler error when fighting a large fish.This is why when selecting a rod, you should pick the action depending on the application you plan on using it for.
This image shows a visual representation of action and is from the St. Croix Rods website:
The power rating indicates how much force is needed to flex the rod.The higher the power rating the stronger the blank and the more backbone it will have.I choose the power rating depending on two things:The amount of structure that I am fishing in and the weight of the lures I am throwing (even though I mostly base it on the cover I am in). If I am in heavy cover then I will choose a higher power rod than I would if I was in no cover.
Another thing to take into consideration is that it might take longer to harness the power of a rod depending on the rods action.You will not be able to use a rods power until the rod loads properly.For example:
A slow action rod will have to bend to the butt before there is any real stopping power.On the contrary, an extra fast action rod will give more immediate power because it will have to flex very little before it is in the power section of the rod.This is the reason why an angler has more control of a fish with faster action rods than with slower action rods.
Modulus
Another element to take into consideration is the modulus of the graphite.Modulus is the resistance to bending of the graphite blank.For example, let’s compare two rods.These two rods are identical in power, action, line rating, and lure rating; the only thing different is that one rod is of a higher modulus than the other.The rod of the higher modulus graphite will feel slightly stiffer than its counterpart because it is made out of higher modulus graphite.So even though they have the same specifications, there will be a noticeable difference between how the two rods act and perform.Usually, the higher modulus blank will be more sensitive and lighter weight than a lower modulus blank, but it will be more brittle.
Blank Composition
One thing to look out for is the blank composition.Usually the higher modulus rod blanks will have a high graphite composition and a low fiberglass composition.Be on the lookout for rods that claim to have a high modulus rating but feel heavy to the touch or very flimsy.Chances are manufacturers are misrepresenting the true composition of the blank.This is especially true of less expensive/ unknown rod manufacturers that boast a high modulus.Well known rod manufacturers will list the quality of the blank on their rod and will charge accordingly, for example:
St. Croix Rods rates their rods with a SC rating that ranges from SCII to SCVI.SCVI is the highest grade graphite they make and is very light and sensitive, but also very fragile.G. Loomis also does the same; they rate their rods accordingly: GL2, GL3, IMX, and GLX; with GLX being the highest quality grade blank they make.Both manufacturers will offer a model of a rod in different graphite blank grades.
Lure Weight and Line Weight Rating
The lure weight rating is probably one of the most overlooked aspects of a rod when it comes to buying a rod to salt water fisherman.Unfortunately, not taking it into consideration can be a costly mistake making the difference between effortless casting and casting as hard as you can to achieve the same results.
By matching the lure weight rating with the lure you plan on casting, you will make casting effortless.This is because rods are engineered to load with a certain amount of weight.If you pick a lure that is too light for your rod, you will be straining yourself to cast the lure.This would be much like casting with a broomstick because there is no help from the rod loading to give you the effortless extra yards.
On the contrary, if you pick a lure that is too heavy; then the rod will feel whippy at the end of the cast and you will have less control and accuracy when casting.
Line rating is pretty straight forward.That is the lb test line that the rod blank can handle under stress.Anything more and you run the risk of having your rod snap when under pressure.
Soft Plastics Rod
Jigging
In the world of inshore fishing, generally soft plastic are used for jigging and throwing light weight/unweighted baits.These are the applications when I recommend buying the rod with the best blank you can afford.Reason being that the higher grade blanks will provide improved sensitivity that can make even the most subtle bite clear as day.
For a Jigging rod I look for a fast action blank with a medium or medium heavy power depending on the amount of cover that is being fished and the weight of the lure thrown.
Unweighted
For unweighted and light weight soft plastics I prefer an extra fast blank that is rated for light lures ( preferable with a rating starting as low as 1/8 or 3/16 oz).In terms of power, once again match it to the amount of structure.
Topwater
Now in my opinion, I do not think there is anything more exciting than fishing top water lures.If you are a top water addict like me, you will find yourself “walking the dog” for hours.I have tried various different rods for topwater lures and finding one that I love was one of longest searches I have had.
When looking for a rod to work topwater lures, I prefer rods shorter than 7 feet.I find either a 6’6” or a 6’8” to be ideal.Reason being is that working a top water lure requires constant moving of the rod.The shorter rod is easier to manage and is less fatiguing.The downside is that casting distance is sacrificed, but I have found that the distance lost is negligible when compared to the added comfort from using a shorter rod to work a topwater all day.A key to minimizing your casting distance lost is making sure the rod lure weight rating matches the topwaters you intend to throw.
Another thing I look for in topwater lures is an extra fast action.It is important for the tip to be extra fast in order to have more control over the action that is given to the lure.Some people prefer fast rods and even popping for this application because they can “bounce” the tip to give action to the lure.It is simply preference, but I find extra fast actions to give me the most versatility and control over the lure.
Back in the day, people preferred popping rods for this application because they could “bounce” the tip and because they were much more forgiving than the traditional rod.With a slight movement they could keep the topwater walking effortlessly.With recent innovation in rod design and a movement by the new generation of anglers to use technique specific rods, manufacturers have developed a blank with an extra-fast tip that is parabolic providing anglers complete control of the action of the lure while still having the forgiveness that comes with a parabolic rod.
I hope this helps you guys in your rod search.Next will be a review of a couple of rods and some discussion on what to look for when searching for a rod for twitchbait applications.
Saturday I was able to get out for a few hours in the morning with some friends. The early morning launch yielded beautiful weather. There were clouds noted off the horizon, but they were well a ways from where we launched, so we thought. We fished the Clearwater Harbor since the tides were just perfect for the area to look for some tailing redfish. The bottom of the outgoing tide, than coming in fast.
Among us was kayak guide Peter Poletti of Mako Kayak Fishing - Guide Services. Peter fishes the TampaBay area and if you're looking to get on some fish, He is the guide that can put you on them ( Tarpon, Kingfish, Redfish,Snook, Trout). He is also a great photographer. Peter asked if any of us wanted to follow him to an area in which he had been working the tailing redfish. I didn't take him up on his offer due to the fact that my time was very limited and he had to paddle a few miles further south. Let me be the first to say that when ANY guide tells you that he will put you on fish, take them up on the offer, even if you're going to be late to where ever it is you need to be at. Fishing is more important :P
So we all paddle off our ways to specific areas. Right off the bat about 300yards off where I launched I decided to stake out (Wang Anchor) and work a small swash / channel. I used the natural dark blue back Stick Shadd lipless jerk/stick sinking/darting Sebile( say that 10 times). I got into some nice trout. many within slot, but a few in the lower 20's. Also got into some jacks which are always give a good tug on your line.
Mean while the storms that looked to be far, looked as if they were approaching fast our way.
The winds seemed to be shifting from the southwest to east. For the most past many of my kayak friends carry a handheld Marine VHF Radio. I can not express the fact that it is a great "tool" to have with you at all times being on the water. Anything can happen and the good can turn bad and ugly quick. For those of you that kayak fish iCom has a great marine radio, the IC-M34 that costs about $150 and is waterproof and floats!! this is a winner. A great investment that could aide in saving you.
So as these storms approach we start making sure we all are ok and are headed to a safe spot. I start to hear Peter Poletti aka Mako on the radio saying" I'm ok...just bringing the fifth redfish to the boat." I'm saying to myself Dayum Son!! He relays that he found plenty of tailers. Ugh! I'm kicking myself for not going. Ahh well lesson learned. :-\
here are a few photos that Peter took while stalking those tailing redfish:
The storm soon approached us; as we are far from the launch to stay dry. The rain was fast and swift as it passed us by. We all converged at one spot, meanwhile Peter is on the radio saying he spotted another tailer. All we could do was laugh. In all serious, if you see a storm approaching and you think you can make it to dry land, do so especially if there is lightning involved.
Well it was the end of my stay and I fished a bit more as I drifted back to the launch. Not much else happening for me. It was a good time spending the morning with great people that enjoy the same passion for fishing.
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Paddling For The King
Ryan Alise
For many people, Saturday is a day to sleep in and relax. I am definitely not one of those people. In fact, many of my fondest memories are of early morning fishing trips on Saturdays. That magic time on the water as the sun rises is far too valuable to waste sleeping late. On this particular Saturday, I am up before the alarm goes off at 3:30 a.m., because I am going kayak fishing for tarpon, also known as the Silver King.
I get all my gear ready and loaded in the truck the night before. Since I can’t sleep, I may as well get prepared. I have everything I need ready, from my lunch to my paddle, so all I have to do is wake up and get on my way to the beach. I go over a checklist in my head as I walk out to the truck. Today is not the day I want to get to the beach and find that I left something at home. It’s long and lonely drive to my favorite spot for pursuing the silver king, but I am not worried about dozing off. If I couldn’t sleep last night, there’s no way I’m falling asleep now. Besides, when I have a date with a tarpon, I am far too amped to be tired.
I get to the parking area and immediately start unloading and gearing up for the day’s mission. My kayak looks like some sort of alien craft, with all of my rods and gear rigged and ready to go. While I am preparing to drag my boat to the water, Jake, my fishing partner for the day, shows up. He’s not late, I am just really early. I can’t help it. Tarpon fishing makes me crazy.
I drag my kayak down to the water’s edge and make some final preparations, while I wait for Jake. As I stand there, I can’t help but to take in the scenery a little, survey the situation, if you will. The water is perfect, a little spooky in the darkness of the early morning, yet oh so inviting. With the light east breeze we get here in central Florida during the summer, the Gulf of Mexico looks like a farm pond. There is hardly a ripple on the surface, which is just what the doctor ordered when you are looking for schools of tarpon. Of course, when it’s 80 degrees before the sun rises and the humidity lays on you like a warm wet blanket, a little breeze would be nice. No worry though, the tarpon are here, and I could care less how hot or humid it gets.
Jake makes it down to the water and we don’t waste a second getting the kayaks in the water. The tarpon will be hungry and we have to gather some bait before the magic starts. I paddle out and start catching bait, but I hardly have time to fill my live well.
The tarpon have already started rolling all around me and there’s hardly enough light to see. If I wanted a sign that it would be a good day, sitting smack in the middle of a school of rolling tarpon would be a good start. There is no time to get a bait rigged so I grab a rod with an artificial lure and make a cast as quick as I can. With so many tarpon rolling around me, any cast will put the lure in front of a fish, and it wasn’t but a couple seconds before one of them was all over it. The line came tight and I set the hook like I was trying to rip his face off. Almost as soon as I set the hook, the silver king made his first appearance of the day. Only seconds into the fight, the tarpon was airborne, at what seemed to be only a few feet from the front of my kayak. He was so close I am sure my heart actually hit him as it beat completely out of my chest. The sight and sound of a tarpon launching from the water, rattling its gills, and then crashing back down, is spectacular to say the least. I don’t know why tarpon jump and dance on the water like they do, but I do know that it definitely keeps me coming back for more. Tragically, this dance would be cut short. On the second jump, Mr. Silver Sides decided to send my lure right back at me. Oh well, that’s tarpon fishing.
I couldn’t be too disappointed when this happened. How could I complain when my very first cast of the day was gobbled up by just the fish I was looking for? It’s not even 7:00 a.m. and I have already had a close encounter of the tarpon kind.
Of course Jake and I went on to catch a few more tarpon throughout the rest of the morning. Jake caught one that jumped and flipped like a Russian gymnast. I love it when they jump a lot. They seem to tire out faster that way also, which is a good thing, for us and the fish. We assisted each other in landing the tarpon and reviving them for a safe release, which is nothing short of an absolute blast, but nothing could top having the first cast of the day land in a tarpon’s mouth.I can have all of this excitement before noon on Saturday, which is why I don’t sleep in.
I had the pleasure of being invited to fish with
Sam from Saltyshores for
some evening sunset fishing. We hit Da 'roach at about 5:30pm. Actually
we waiting for roughly 30minutes to let the rain pass us by. We had a
break To launch and off we did in his Ranger. I know I know "Stinkpot!" I RARELY fish evenings do to work and what not,
but I had a chance and it was awesome. Not sure if it was the fresh rain
or what, but DAYUM SON!! the flats were alive. Tons of bait being being
destroyed. Sam wanted to target redfish and it took about an hour
before we started seeing the schools push our way. Pods of up to 10 or
so scattered, but it was one main pod we followed and casted into. I do
have to say that before all of this I hooked up on some nice trout
pulling over 20" plus. I had used the sinking sebile (Stick Shadd,
lipless, jerk/stick, 0.64oz) in green/ glitter color. The trout were
tearing this up. I also had a chance to test out the Norton Fish
gripper. It costs $15 on the market and it is very light and it floats.
They even have one that glows in the dark for you night fisherman. It
holds on very well to the fish and clamps. Not too fond of how it feels
since I don't think it is "ergonomically" correct when holding, but that
just could be me.
Ok now back onto the redfish. We start to cast into the large school
only to find hard pulling jacks and ladyfish. We trolled further
following different pods and casting into them. Sam pulled out his
Flyrod to have fun with the jacks and this is what he got :
I ended up hooking on a HUGE redfish, but as luck would have it, it
became unbuttoned at the boat Ugh!!!! my frustration. All in all a great
3 hours of non stop trout, reds, jacks, ladyfish.
On a side note: I went to Tampa
Fishing Outfitters on Dalemabry and Osborne. WOW!! is all I have to
say. They have a HUGE inventory of gulps, sebiles, mirrolures, Heddon,
Rapala, you name it....High end rods and reels and Sunglasses as well as
fly equipment. My fist time there. I was on my way to Basspro shop when
Sam said "What are you doing!?...Turn your ass around and go check
these guys out." I'm glad I did..although I came out broke
Got out in the yak for the first time today since the Reel Rodeo tournament, and was greeted by a dreary foggy morning giving me high hopes for a good topwater bite. I launched shortly after 7 and paddled towards my first destination, a deep channel which tarpon, amongst other finned creatures, frequent. While paddling to the area where I was expecting to see them a fish rolled half a cast from me, then remained on the surface of the water exposing his fins as he glided along. I promptly fire a CAL paddletail several feet ahead of him, as soon as my bait hit the water there was a loud splash and large hole in the water where the fish had just been. For the split second that I had to think I thought I had spooked him until my line went flying from left to right and drag started screaming off my reel. The fish went airborne and then once again, sending my jig flying back at me... that's okay I thought to myself, if anything it was a good sign that they were willing to feed.
I regained my composure and kept paddling, as I arrived to the area I was expecting to find the fish in I was not disappointed to hear the familiar sound of fish gulping air. Several casts later with the Spook Jr I was hooked up again, this time with a much smaller, and angrier fish. In the ten seconds I had him on he probably jump atleast 7 times violently shaking his head until he finally got the best of my hookset and sent my lure flying back at me... an all too familiar sight.
After that the mini poons grew wary and the bite shut down so I moved on in search of other, more cooperative fish. As I was padding I saw a disturbance that looked too large to be a school of mullet, so I fired Jr out into he middle of it and watched as redfish fought over my lure until one finally connected. I jumped out of my boat and landed the fish, snapped a pic and casted back into the commotion. After landing another upperslot fish the group had moved on and with no sun to see into the water I was unable to locate them again. I kept moving working the shoreline and began hooking into some cookie cuttersize snook. I would continue to do this until around 10:30, 11 snook later, when the fog finally cleared. I began working a sebile when I hooked up to a little trout to complete my slam. After this I decided to go back to my tarpon spot to get the 4th piece to what would of been my first grand slam... alas I would be denied by the tarpon once more as I lost another fish on a MirrodineXL to knot failure.
Today I got out with a good friend and forum member JPFrog (Gary). Our goal was to target Tarpon. We are both "Greenhorns" as I believe the term goes. Newbies to the Tarpon fish.
Both of us met at dark a.m. and we are so giddy!! We paddle to our destination and sabiki up plenty of bait. We did see HCKAC member Nick (CountryboyUCF) and his brother Kyle out there too. It was a pleasure to meet you fellas and thanks for the tarpon info Nick. Right off the bat we see quite of few tarpon roll.
It was a sight to see. My heart is pumping blood through my body faster than ever. Gary does the same. We followed a few pods with not much luck. Frustrating when you have 80 to 100lb plus fish rolling 5 feet from your kayak. We went 2 hours without a solid bite. Gary did get hit twice, but unbuttoned ( UGH!). Plan B was to target shark since we have had plenty of luck with them in the past. Nope! never made it to plan B. As I start to paddle into the deep abyss I hear Gary "Yoohoo!!!" I paddle my ass off to catch up to him. I was a good 50 yards. 1st we don't know what it could be. This fish was digging and digging hard into the bottom. Within a few minutes there it surfaces ladies and gents. Laaaaaaaaaaaaa ( like a ray of sunshine amongst the rain clouds) appears the dorsal fin of the Tarpon. Sweeet!!!!!! I was stoked for Gary. Long report short, Gary fought that 'poon pretty well for his 1st. I stayed along side of him as well as Kyle (BIG thanks). The tarpon gave us a few awesome arials. Gary was beat I have to say, but gave every bit as the tarpon fought. After being dragged ( with a drift chute) from east to west, Gary finally subdued the fish. A few quick photos and gary peddled (Hobie) the tarpon for some recovery time. All in all an exciting morning. We were off the water by 1030 since the weather was getting nasty. I look forward to my turn!!
Here are a few photos of Gary in action. Conditions were a little tough especially being my 1st tarpon shots. The clouds thick, so the lighting made it a bit tricky. I learned a lot though.
This one was Gary horsing the tarpon close, but I edited it as an "inside" joke. Can you tell?
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Tampa Bay Watch Clean Up
Jose Chavez
It’s been
a few weeks since I have managed to post anything.There
does not seem to be enough time in a
day to do everything I would like to accomplish.Recently,
some of us got together to
participate in the Ft. De Soto clean up conducted by the Tampa Bay
Watch.I was very happy to have been able to
participate and even though I had pulled a all nighter fishing, I was
more than
willing to do what I could to give back to an area that I enjoy so much.
I was
self appointed camera man during the
trip for the part on the water that Adrian could not cover because he
did not
bring his kayak.I promised to get the
photos I took to him, and I figured better late than never.Here
are a few of them, enjoy.
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Barametric Pressure / Weather / Fishing
Peter Poletti
So you think a day with nice, clear blue skies is the best day to go inshore fishing?Well, think again.Below, you’ll find general guidelines about how atmospheric pressure affects the behavior of inshore fish in Florida and the type of weather you should expect when the barometer varies.
High pressure= clear blue skies = slow fishing
Low = rainy = slow fishing
Falling = cloudy, turning bad, prior to storms = best fishing
Steady = fair weather = normal
Raising = improving weather = good action
Disclaimer:These are just general guidelines.The best time to go fishing is whenever you can.
Early morning with the sun just starting rise, throwing my favorite lure in one of my favorite places in the world. I wasn’t long before the water exploded and a ‘big ole’ linesider was peeling drag. My heart was about to pound out of my chest as I reassured myself “this big girl is mine.” I just knew I had nothing to worry about. With no mangroves or pilings in sight, no pesky crab trap buoys or anchor lines to get tangled in, it was a sure thing. Line, leader, rod and reel are all more than adequate but wait, did I change those hooks? An incredible fight that seemed to last forever came to a heartbreaking end with one last headshake that resulted in my lure hurled back at me. I had not replaced the factory hooks on my lure and was now paying the price.
Most everyone I know likes to replace even the hooks on a brand new lure with something a little stronger. Sure you can loosen up your drag to what we like to refer to as “TV drag” and put very little pressure on the fish but you are liable to lose more fish due to mangroves and other obstacles. It is also a good idea to beef up your tackle to shorten the fight to give released fish a better chance to survive.
The problem with replacing the hooks is in making the decision on which hook to use. If you go to the tackle shop just looking for treble hooks, you will quickly find it is not just that simple. There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a good replacement hook.
The things to consider, in what I would say is the order of importance, are size, weight, strength and corrosion resistance. It is important to maintain the proper action of the lure and size and weight are big factors in this respect. It’s pretty simple to get the size right since hooks come in standard sizes but their weights vary quite a bit. The variances are slight but have a big effect on lure action. The whole point here is to have a stronger hook but if it is too heavy then the lure won’t produce any fish to hold onto anyway. So we can’t just grab the strongest hook as much as we would like to. As far as corrosion, I just don’t want to have to replace hooks after every trip so I think it is important.
Such is life that no one ever agrees on which hooks are best so I decided to do some testing and make the decision a little easier. I have tested a few of the popular choices and here are the results. I used the Zara Spook Jr. for my test but the factory hooks on other lures I looked at were similar size and weight.
1st VMC 4X These hooks are only slightly heavier than the factory hooks but are much stronger and either the galvanized or red finish resisted corrosion beyond the ten day test.
2nd Owner (not Stinger) The Owner is well within the weight class and I love how sharp they seem to be. My problem is while they are very strong they tend to break instead of bending. They are also expensive and not easy to find.
3rd Lazer Sharp 3X,VMC Xstrong and Gamakatsu Each of these were almost exactly the same weight as the factory hook and while not as strong as the leader, they were quite adequate.
6th Lazer Sharp 4X(black) The weight of these hooks seems to have too much effect on the action of the lure. You can still “walk-the-dog” but it rides low and just doesn’t seem quite right.
Last Owner Stinger (galvanized) Frankly I didn’t even bother testing these on a lure because they were so heavy. If you have a top water lure you would like to make a suspending twitch bait then this may be a good choice. However if you are looking to make “stinger” rigs for kingfish, this is your hook. The Owner Stinger was by far the strongest hook tested. I darn near ripped the I-screw out of the wall doing the test and the hook didn’t bend.
Please understand the results are my opinions based upon experiences with the hooks and the data from the test. I know it may seem like splitting hairs and maybe a little silly but like a friend of mine says, “It’s fishing, It’s not life or death. It’s much more important than that.”
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August!
Adrian Correa
It is not too often that I can pat myself on the back , but this morning I received the August issue of the Florida Sportsman Magazine and low and behold on page 28 a small article "Beach Club Kingfish" written by editor Jerry McBride about the HardCore Kayak Anglers Club ( www.HCKACLUB.com ) Kingfish club trip and two of my photos; Sweet!!
I had written a report about our Kingfish Club trip back in late April (KingFish Gathering trip) and about a week later I received an Email from J.M. about heading out and getting on some Kingfish and taking some photos. Unfortunately due to the westerly winds , there was no way of us getting out. Even to try to target some tarpon off the beach this summer has been a joke. J.M. and I ended up doing a "phone" interview for this article. I have to say Thanks a bunch to Jerry for giving me the opportunity to contribute to a Florida Sportsman article PERIOD! Look out for more to come .
I can not stress the importance of being part of a club / organization. Being part of the HCKAClub made me realize that I am not the only Nut that goes coo-coo for the sport of fishing . I have met a lot of great folks and new friends. No matter what it is you do for a hobby, there IS a club of some sort. Don't be scared to make it to a meeting and get the feel for what is done in that club. I have to admit I would have never thought of joining a club. I always thought it was "corny," but have found this to be way wrong. I don't think for one bit I would be where I am at now if it wasn't for it!
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Finding the Perfect
Rod
By Jose Chavez
A
question that I commonly see asked is “how to pick the perfect Rod?”I once asked myself the same question, and
left my house determined to find that perfect rod.After
hours in the tackle shop I found myself
unsure of what I wanted since there seemed to be a limitless number of
choices.I got tired of being there and made a
decision. What I thought would be a great rod for a certain
application,turned out to be mediocre, and I was still determined to buy
something better.
After
years of fishing and buying dozens or rods I found out that picking the
“perfect rod” does not have to be a frustrating ordeal.It
can be much simpler if you ask yourself
the right questions.
How often do you
fish?
Do you fish a
few times
a year, a couple times a month, are you a dedicated weekend warrior or
are you
a serious tournament fisherman?How
frequently you fish should be the first thing you should consider.Why?Because how often you fish will have a direct impact on how much
you
should budget toward a rod.It would be
silly to spend hundreds of dollars on your rod if you are only going to
use it
a couple of times a year.Then again, if
you fish multiple times a month and spend extended periods of time on
the
water, then you might want to look into mid to high end rods, since they
will
be lighter and more sensitive, making your time on the water less taxing
and more enjoyable.
Where do you fish and
what do you target?
Where
you and what you fish for will greatly affect what rod you chose.Do you fish the flats and backwaters, do you
fish docks and bridge pilings, do you fish the intercoastal or do you
fish
offshore? These are all questions to consider carefully because they
each call
for rods with very different characteristics, and most of the times when
a rod
is designed, it is designed with a certain application or niche in mind.Often times it is difficult for a rod to
function well outside of its intended use.
In flats
and backcountry fishing, finesse and
stealth will often make the difference between tricking the spooky reds
and
suspicious snook, or just catching a couple of trout. In
this scenario you will be throwing lighter
lines to be less noticeable and increase your casting distance in order
to have
a greater chance of fooling highly pressure fish.Also,
there is not much structure for that
fish to break you off so you can get away with lighter tackle.In
contrast, if you throw a broomstick all
day on the flats, you will find yourself getting more fatigued after a
day on
the water and not enjoying the fight when you winch in that 26 inch
trout, slot
red, or snook.
Structure
oriented fishing and fishing the intercoastal require a whole different
approach.In fishing structure like
docks, often time you want a stouter rod which will give you a greater
chance
of turning that monster from his desperate sprint to a piling. There are
finesse approaches to structure fishing that we will discuss in a later
time,
but these will not work in every application in which case a shoulder to
shoulder battle is your only option.Similarly, on the intercoastal you will occasionally encounter
larger
game fish like cobia and tarpon for which you will need a stouter rod to
have a fighting chance.
Rod specs and
techniques?
Another
area that is frequently overlooked is the specs of the rod needed and
the intended technique you plan on using the rod for.I
have seen countless
times people using a rod that is rated for 12 pound line spooled with 20
lb
mono and they wonder why they can’t cast very far or why their rod
broke.Also, I have seen people throwing a 1/8th
once jig on a rod that is rated for 1/4th to 5/8th
or a
1oz plug on that same rod.In these
situations people often think “I don’t like this rod” or “this rod
stinks” but
really, there is nothing wrong with the rod, the problem is that it is
being
used incorrectly.It’s like trying to
hit a bowling ball with a golf club and wondering why it didn’t go very
far.It is amazing how much better you
will like a rod if you get match the blank to the rest of the equipment
you are
using.
So what is next?
Now that you
have thought
about these questions you are ready for the next step which is going to
the
store and picking up the rod.Before you
do, there is still one more important thing to consider: “What action
and power
rating should I be looking for?” All
rods are not created equal, and it was done for a reason.There
is a right combination in action and
power that will make a rod shine at the application you are using it
for.I will be discussing this on part two of Finding
the
Perfect Rod.
In part two, I will
explain the difference between the action of a rod and its power rating,
discuss what combination of action and power works best for certain
techniques,
and give you examples of good rods for different techniques.
Hope this gives you some insight on your search for
the perfect
rod.
Well not much to really say. Took a trip to the East coast to the 'Goon
( Mosquito Lagoon) in search for those big famous Redfish. It was a
beautiful morning as we paddled off to our destination. We paddled
around 10miles from what I later learned. The wind progressively got
worse. We were told that winds around 6 to 8 knots would not be
conducive to find those big tailing reds and sure enough the wind was
our enemy. We spooked plenty of BIG fish and spotted a tailer here and
there, but the "hook up" eluded us.
Very interesting that there is no tidal changes. The grass seemed very
healthy compared to what I see here on the west coast. Plenty of "sand"
holes where we were at. The weather to say the least turn for the
worst. We had to get out of our kayaks and find some cover at one
point. It was a disappointing drive home to say the least.
It is nice to try new areas. Plan ahead and Google the area as well.
Ask for help to those that fish the area you plan on going too.
Here are a few photos, sorry no BIG reds.
The beautiful
sunrise, calm morning
Here's a close up
Ready to Launch
SlikNik standing
on his BigGame and Jose wading
Time to put on the rain
gear
This Storm was no
joke!
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Tails a Plenty
Spencer Goodwin
It was a foggy morning when I recently launched into Tampa Bay on a low tide with fishing partner and local kayak fishing guide, Jason Stock of www.jmsnookykayakcharters.com. After quite the drag we finally made it to the waters edge, and it didn’t take long for us to find fish happily tailing away in the fog.
When targeting tailing redfish, you must first learn what conditions a redfish is most likely to tail in. On this day conditions could not have been any better; an early morning negative low tide that had already started coming in, coupled with a thick fog that had blocked out much of the sun light. Redfish tail best in low light conditions because as the sun rises they become much more cautious of their surroundings. Aside from fishermen, one of the redfish’s greatest enemies is birds of prey, specifically ospreys and the occasional bald eagle. On sunny days the shadows of birds flying over head can be enough to spook these fish from tailing and keep them from getting happy enough in the shallows to tail. The overcast skies also help to mask your presence when approaching these fish by making them less likely to see your shadow as well.
An incoming tide is often the most productive tide for seeing redfish tails, but they will tail on an outgoing tide as well. A common misconception is that the tide must be low for redfish to tail, this however just isn’t true. Redfish have an inferior mouth, which means they do most of their feeding off the bottom; tailing is a way for them to root through the grass to get to the crustaceans that they love to eat so much – which means a redfish will “tail” on high tides, it is only a matter of, the tide being low enough or the fish being large enough for their tails to breach the surface. The winter time provides us here on the west coast of Florida with great negative low incoming tides in the mornings, every other week, around the new and full moons, so this is prime time to target tailing redfish right in your back yard.
Jason and I slowly approached the first group of tailing fish, it’s VERY important to move slowly and quietly, the slightest bang on your kayak’s hull or disturbance in the water will leave a hole in the water where there had just been a tail, and a wake flying away from you. I was throwing a weightless worm hook on a golden bream colored jig and Jason was using a topwater. I prefer weightless hooks to the popular weighted versions because they make less of a splash when landing in the water, and spook less fish. Jason chose a topwater because often the “click-clack” of a super spook jr. (or any other topwater for that matter) walking the dog over their heads is enough to make them take their faces out of the grass and turn on the pesky surface plug making all that racket. Cast past the fish and bring your topwater back over the area they are tailing in, careful not to let your plug land too close to the fish, this can draw some very aggressive strikes and can be very exciting, but often not as productive as using a jig.
After being denied by the first group of fish we split up into the fog to see where the meat wad of fish was. It didn’t take long for me to find more fish tailing, this time I rigged up a Berkley Gulp Shrimp to get the added benefit of scent in hopes that this would be enough to entice these picky fish into eating. One common mistake that people often make is that they have to get out and wade to these fish. They will often not tail long enough for you to get out of your kayak, anchor, and then wade to them... that is, if you manage to not spook them while stumbling through these actions. I prefer to stay in my kayak and very slowly approach them, it is important to slow yourself down so as to not accidently drift into the fish without realizing it. I prefer to have the wind in my face, which does make casting more difficult, but will keep you from drifting over the fish.
I finally found a group of three fish happily tailing with their tails way out of the water, I approached slowly and loaded a cast right into the middle of the group. Before my bait could hit the bottom it was fish on, a solid 31” fish probably around 12 pounds. Though it was the only redfish I caught this day, it was the most rewarding fish I had caught in a long time. I had to get off the water early due to other obligations, but later got a call from Jason to learn that his topwater strategy paid off big with a 35” dog. We each finished the day with only one redfish each, but when fishing for tailers that’s the way it goes most of the time. h a piece out of a pothole, but there’s something about sight fishing that’s one of the most rewarding feelings.
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Paddle Picking Pointers
Jose Chavez
I remember when I bought my first kayak; I was amazed that it did not come with a paddle.I remember the awkward silence of standing there waiting for the kayak shop owner to attach a paddle to the boat, and he sat there with the same bewildered face waiting for me to take the boat after I told him I would buy it.After a few seconds I asked “does it come with a paddle?”…“No” he replied, and told me most kayaks do not come with paddles and most people end up picking as specific paddle depending on what their paddling style.Of course, at the time I thought a paddle was a paddle, and bought the cheapest one available at the shop.I didn’t know much about it at the time, but it turned out that every paddle isn’t for everyone.
Photo By Gary Trabant from Split2ndphoto.com
After a few trips with some friends I realized how exhausting it was to paddle, so I did a little research and it turned out that I bought the opposite of the paddle I should have gotten.I am not trying to say that you should buy the most expensive one on the market; there are some high dollar paddles that would be terrible for a kayak fisherman.But there are a few characteristics of the paddle that you should look into before you buy one.
Weight:
I have owned everything from an aluminum shaft paddle with plastic blades, carbon shaft with plastic blades, full fiberglass, and now I have a full carbon paddle. The reason why I have upgraded my paddle so much is simply because it makes a noticeable at the end of the day. Then again, I usually paddle 7-12 miles a trip, but regardless of the distances you paddle, it will notice a difference on the water and when you get off the water.Your paddle is the engine of your kayak, and the lighter the weight, the more performance you will get.An aluminum shaft plastic blade paddles are about 42-54 ounces. Carbon paddles and fiberglass paddles can range from 23-35 ounces. You might say what the big deal? 12-16 ounces difference (2/3 lb- 1 lb) isn’t a big deal. But if you plan on paddling more than 3-4 miles it will add up.
A lig A light paddle isn’t just for people that blow through nautical miles. It will be the determining factor whether you feel invigorated after your day on the water and ready to do other things with the rest of your day, or dragging yourself from your kayak to your car with your shoulders feeling like mush, and being done with everything for the day besides a nap.
Pat, the owner of Onno Paddles put it this way:
A light paddle isn’t just for people that blow through nautical miles. It will be the determining factor whether you feel invigorated after your day on the water and ready to do other things with the rest of your day, or dragging yourself from your kayak to your car with your shoulders feeling like mush, and being done with everything for the day besides a nap.
It’s hard to argue with that, but same as with rods, you have to put into account how much use you plan on getting out of your paddle when you decide how much to pay for one.
Paddle Blade:
One thing to
It’s hard to argue with that, but same as with rods, you have to put into account how much use you plan on getting out of your paddle when you decide how much to pay for one.
Paddle Blade:
One thing to keep in mind before you buy is the shape of the blade that suits your style of paddling. I have heard people who tried a paddle that is nicer than theirs and not really liked it as much as their original paddle, but I am also willing to bet that the blade design of the paddle they tried is different from the one they are use to.
There is a lot to paddle blades, but this is the basic idea:
The wider your paddle, the more "bite" it will have. You will accelerate faster, and is better for people who make powerful short strokes. Sounds great right! But the downfalls are that it is harder to maintain your paddling speed and is more tiring after a day of paddling.
The narrower a paddle blade is, the less "bite" it will have. This means that you will be less fatigued maintaining your comfortable paddle speed. The downside is that it will not accelerate as fast and it will require a few extra strokes to get to this speed.
My advice for you is find the lightest paddle you can afford with the blade that suits your paddling angle for the way you paddle and the distance you cover, it will make a difference, after a few long trips or trips in the wind you will be happy you did.
Keep in mind before you buy is the shape of the blade that suits your style of paddling. I have heard people who tried a paddle that is nicer than theirs and not There are other elements that come into play: bent shaft, straight shaft, symmetrical blades, asymmetrical blades, low angle/high angle, and the list goes on. Do some reading about it before you decide and make sure to try out your friends paddle when you get a chance.It is always good to swap paddles for an hour or so because you never know what works for you until you try it out. really liked it as much as their original paddle, but I am also willing to bet that the blade design of the paddle they tried is different from the one they a
As many have seen I was able to get out and fish with Jose recently for some redfish. We paddled about a mile or so and found a small pod of BIG redfish. This was my chance to set myself up for some tailing photo shots.
I learned quite a bit in this process:
Stealth is key. I let the wind drift me in my kayak into the school as close as possible with spooking them. They were feeding big time, so I sort of had the upper hand in them not noticing me. I was able to get withing 5 feet. I made the decision to get out of the kayak and quietly wade to them. I had my 300mm on hand so I didn't have to get too close.
I had to position myself to get out of the harsh lighting. I couldn't take good detailed shots of the tailing redfish facing the sun. It created harsh shadows. Which is cool if I were looking for that sort of shot, but I wanted color. Harsh lighting photo:
Wait patiently for some good tailers to come up and just shoot like a mad man. I had to take as many photos as i could to get a good shot. I don't care who you are photography wise. I guarantee you that the so called "money shot" was not the 1st shot taken. It takes multiple shots, different angles, so forth to weed out the bad photos for that good shot of the day.
Finally the end result that i was pleased with:
Photo notes: I had to bump up my ISO to 400 to get a fast enough shutter speed to my liking. I set my camera on Aperture mode shot around f/5.6 to f/11. My metering was set to center weight and than I switch to Matrix. Focal length at 300mm.
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Leash That Thing!
Ryan Alise
I have a very cheap and easy solution for all your
kayak leashing needs.
-old
cellphone charger cord--free--if you don't have one someone near by
does
-brass snap ring--$3.00--Home Depot
-Velcro cable tie--zip
tie--tape--string--something free to attach the cord to the paddle
-aluminum
ferrule set--$1.25--Home Depot
I just put the ferrules on and bang then
tight with a hammer on the driveway. Don't forget to put the snap ring
on before
you bang them tight.
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Reaction Strike Lures
Adrian Correa
I had an opportunity to try out a few lures from Reaction Strike Lures. This company in based in Indiana and have been in the business since 2003. They are a freshwater lure company that has been working into the saltwater scene. My good friend Daniel Lee of Lee Fishers International and Tampa Fishing Outfitters gave me a pack of a few assorted lures that they will be carrying and I thought why not write a review. Beside my brief write up I did a video as well.
Split Tail, Jr. in 4” and 5’. As you can see there is an assortment of color patterns that you can choose from:
Fluke* and jerkbait fishing has been around for a long time. But until the Split Tail, Jr. every other fluke/jerkbait was essentially the same bait by a different manufacturer. The Split Tail, Jr. changes all that. This bait is hollow inside, creating a much slower fall if fished with an unweighted hook. The real power of the bait is the ability to add lead in the hollow cavity. You can add a rattle too, if conditions dictate. We even have Pros adding scent, and another uses foam to enclose the cavity creating a waking jerkbait. As we said, there is no fluke or jerkbait on the market that is in the league of the Split Tail, Jr.
This bait is available in 4 or 5 inch sizes and comes in a 5 pack! Proprietary final dipping process locks eyes and paint patterns below a clear layer of soft plastic! The beautiful finish you see when you buy the lures will last until the biggest, meanest fish in your waters absolutely chomp them.
I RARELY fish evenings do to work and what not,
but I had a chance and it was awesome. Not sure if it was the fresh rain
or what, but DAYUM SON!! the flats were alive. Tons of bait being being
destroyed. Sam wanted to target redfish and it took about an hour
before we started seeing the schools push our way. Pods of up to 10 or
so scattered, but it was one main pod we followed and casted into. I do
have to say that before all of this I hooked up on some nice trout
pulling over 20" plus. I had used the sinking sebile (Stick Shadd,
lipless, jerk/stick, 0.64oz) in green/ glitter color. The trout were
tearing this up. I also had a chance to test out the Norton Fish
gripper. It costs $15 on the market and it is very light and it floats.
They even have one that glows in the dark for you night fisherman. It
holds on very well to the fish and clamps. Not too fond of how it feels
since I don't think it is "ergonomically" correct when holding, but that
just could be me.
, there was no way of us getting out. Even to try to target some tarpon off the beach this summer has been a joke. J.M. and I ended up doing a "phone" interview for this article. I have to say Thanks a bunch to Jerry for giving me the opportunity to contribute to a Florida Sportsman article PERIOD! Look out for more to come 
.
. I have met a lot of great folks and new friends. No matter what it is you do for a hobby, there IS a club of some sort. Don't be scared to make it to a meeting and get the feel for what is done in that club. I have to admit I would have never thought of joining a club. I always thought it was "corny," but have found this to be way wrong. I don't think for one bit I would be where I am at now if it wasn't for it! 
