Sometime last year, Jim VanPelt and I were shark fishing on Bonita Beach and talking about fishing. We were discussing kayak fishing and all the different species of big fish we had caught. At some point, we began talking about the fish we wanted to try from a kayak. I will never forget his reaction when I brought up goliath grouper: “Can’t be done,” he said without hesitation. The conversation moved on, but I kept thinking about the possibilities. So did Jim.

Sometime last year, Jim VanPelt and I were shark fishing on Bonita Beach and talking about fishing. We were discussing kayak fishing and all the different species of big fish we had caught. At some point, we began talking about the fish we wanted to try from a kayak. I will never forget his reaction when I brought up goliath grouper: “Can’t be done,” he said without hesitation. The conversation moved on, but I kept thinking about the possibilities. So did Jim.

The Southwest Florida Kayak Anglers Association’s 2nd Annual Inshore Kayak Classic is over and another year is in the books. There were over 40 anglers competing for a brand new Hobie “Outback”, a Kaku kayak, and cash prizes in this marathon overnight event. In the end, only five anglers could place, but the competition was fierce as many of the participants found their slams.

I have been fortunate enough to travel all over Florida, meeting and fishing with new friends and writing blogs about it. I have met a lot of people and learned a lot of new things. One thing that has really impressed me is the inventiveness of kayak anglers when it comes to customizing their gear. Whether it’s their tackle, accessories or even vehicles, kayak anglers have a knack for putting their ideas into practice.

I met up with Marty Meakin earlier this year to fish the Palma Sola Bay area. Marty is one of those individuals who takes great care of his gear. While we were packing up our stuff after the fishing, I noticed Marty placing his rods in a device attached to his kayak rack. There were tubes under the cross bars of the rack that allowed the rods and reels to hang freely and securely. I normally place my rods in the bed of my truck and secure them with bungees. This can cause wear on the rod and line where they are pinned against the gate. Marty explained that he can rinse his kayak, truck and rods all at the same time using this rig. He said he came up with the idea after watching his expensive rods and reels bang around in his truck bed during transport.

MightyMount from YakAttack.

Luther Cifers of YakAttack says this is not a new phenomenon. YakAttack (yakattack.us) manufactures some of the most innovative products for kayak anglers. When asked about the success of the Mighty Mount and Gear Trac systems that allow kayakers to customize accessory mountings, Luther responded, “Our rigging platform has done very well in the marketplace and continues to grow rapidly”.

While fishing with Brian Stauffer at Mason’s Creek we were joined by Mark Knowles. Mark is very serious about his tackle and can advise you at length about lure selection and presentation. I noticed he was doing well and catching his share of fish. He told me about his specially made tandem weedless spoon rig. Mark said he looked all over for tandem spoons that were weedless as well and couldn’t find any. He began making the rigs out of necessity and they had been working well. They were very well made with good quality components. Mark said “I just make these for myself but I suppose I would make them for anyone else who wanted one”.

GearTracs from YakArrack.

Many of the kayak angler forums out there have specific areas dedicated to modifications and customization. You can peruse these for ideas on your own mods, or as a guide for a project that has you stumped. YakAngler (www.yakangler.com) has just such a forum called “Look What I Did”. Mark Wantanabe, Owner of YakAngler said “I’m constantly amazed by the creativity and problem solving abilities of kayak fishermen. They don’t sit around waiting for a company to develop a solution to their problem, they break out the PVC and Duct tape and handle the issue themselves. I see it everyday on the YakAngler.com forums, DIY kayak rudders, Jackson Cuda seats mounted on Hobie Revos, and crate mounted trolling motors”.

Either out of necessity or an ease of use issue, many kayak anglers are customizing their own gear to suit them. What will you do next to modify your kayak?

While planning the SWFKAA annual tournament, I was very pleased to find out previous clients and very good friends Aaron Peters and Tracey Ziomek were planning a trip from California to Southwest Florida to participate. I offered to prefish the tournament with them and show them some of my spots. It was roughly a year ago when I put Aaron on his first redfish, and he was looking for a repeat, while Tracey was looking for her first.

They arrived on a Thursday evening and we met for beverages and to discuss the next day’s fishing. Always the troopers, they wanted to launch at daybreak. We decided to fish the Hickory Pass area of Estero Bay on an incoming tide. The weather promised to be clear and our plan was set.

The next morning we arrived at the launch to flat calm water. The tide was moving in at a pretty good pace and there was bait popping the surface. We launched and peddled our Hobies into the backwater. We were in an area where I have had pretty good luck with redfish. I hooked up first with a small slot red on a gulp shrimp. We worked the area for a while I told them about the fish behavior and what they could expect on tournament day.

We moved out into an open area in the bay and Aaron hooked up on his first redfish of the day. It was small, but it gave him a good fight. As we moved along the mangroves, he would catch another small red, and he hooked up on a huge one. The fish threw the hook very quickly, but not before we saw the huge boil and a big copper flash under the water. That was enough to get Aaron and Tracey really excited.

After hitting the redfish areas, we went after trout. We found them pretty quickly and Aaron hooked up two of them. Tracey caught her own as well and we moved on to complete the slam. We fished the mangroves on the way back but couldn’t find the snook. We were off the water early as I had to get ready for the tournament Captain’s Meeting later that day. The next day, Aaron was able to complete the slam, catching another redfish, trout and finally finding the snook to finish 12^th in the tournament. Tracey was also able to catch her first redfish and the both went back to California happy!

I usually write about the great inshore saltwater fishery we enjoy in Southwest Florida, but we have some excellent freshwater opportunities as well. The weather has been brutally cold up north and aside from the recent Boondoggle, most of my northern friends have not been able to fish for quite some time. I dedicate this blog to you folks who may be feeling a bit of cabin fever.

The freshwater fishery in Southwest Florida consists mainly of drainage canals and manmade subdivision ponds. There are a few natural lakes scattered around the region as well. Many of these bodies of water have been stocked with fish by FWC at some point. All of them are full of fish.

My sister Angie, her husband Carl and my brother in law Joe decided to go “pond hopping” in some of the local communities. We start by circling a pond while casting spinners, spoons or soft plastics along the edges. Once we circle one pond, we move to the next. We travel light and keep moving. It’s a lot of fun and has produced some nice fish. This day was no different.

We began in Angie and Carl’s neighborhood at a little pond I am very familiar with. Our target was largemouth bass, and we quickly struck gold. Cast after cast produced bass up to two or three pounds. As soon as we released one, the next cast would produce another. After we circled the pond, we moved on. We followed this pattern for a couple more ponds, and then we came to the largest pond in the community. Pretty soon, we were catching larger bass. These fish averaged around 5 pounds and were aggressive.

We had spent about two hours pond hopping and were ready to go have lunch. Joe said “I want one more cast” as he tossed his lure at a mostly submerged stump. There was a boil and his drag started going off! “Oh, that’s a biggun!” he said as the line peeled off his reel. A big green five gallon bucket emerged and splashed around the surface in an effort to shake the hook. Joe kept the fish on and eventually brought him to the bank. Joe and I differ in opinion as to the size of the fish. I said 8.5 to 9 pounds. Joe estimates somewhere around 35 pounds! I guess we will just agree to disagree.

Most of the area freshwater ponds, lakes and canals have plenty of largemouth bass, crappie and bluegill, but many of them have other surprises as well. Landlocked snook and tarpon are common as are exotics like cichlids and oscars. Very large tilapia love taking a fly and peacock bass are making a comeback as well. So, when you decide to visit, don’t forget your fishing rods, and don’t forget to call me to go fishing!