A new species on fly rod is always a memorable occasion

Author Steve Gibson shows off a first, a sailfin catfish from Lake Manatee. (John Weimer photo)

I'm a little different. I think.

While most people I know don't give a hoot about catching a new species, I'm all over it any time I get the chance.

I've been that way since the day I started fishing.

I remember a trip to Costa Rica in the early 1990s. My hosts wanted to pursue snook and tarpon -- species I catch all the time while angling around my home in Sarasota, Fla.

I've caught more snook and tarpon than any angler has a right to catch. With that in mind, I opted for Costa Rican native species.

During my stay, I caught guapote, roncadore and mojarra -- three species that were new to me and unavailable in my home waters. I didn't catch any snook or tarpon, but I was quite happy with the results.

Just the other day, I caught a new species near my home. I had been trying to catch a sailfin catfish around the boat launch at Lake Manatee. They are pretty easy to spot around the launch. However, I had tried a couple times without success.

After a fun day fly fishing for bluegill and other species with John Weimer of Sarasota, I decided to try my luck on these prehistoric catfish once again. Only this time, I would pursue them with a No. 12 Gibby's Snymph, a tiny nymph pattern which usually produces good numbers of fish.

I didn't expect much. Why should I? I'd never had a sailfish cat show even the slightest interest in anything I cast in front of them.

But they apparently loved the Snymph. The cats were plentiful in the shallows along the shoreline just north of the launch. I waded along slowly and look for them on the bottom. When I'd spot one, I would cast the fly in front of them and let it sink to the bottom.

I hooked and lost two fish quickly. The third fish wasn't so lucky. I was solidly connected to the 2-pound fish on my 1-weight TFO Finesse.

The fight was unremarkable. The fish was slow and sluggish, but nothing the 1-weight rod couldn't handle. After a couple of minutes, Weimer, who was wading beside me, was able to net the dark-colored catfish.

I was extremely happy. Not because of the battle. Not because they're good on the table. But because it was my first on fly!

Actually, according the Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, they're pretty decent on the table. Sailfin cats are not indigenous to Florida, but have been in state waters since the 1950s. They were probably introduced by tropical-fish enthusiast who dumped the contents of his/her aquarium into a backyard canal or pond.

The rest is history.

Over the years, I 've caught a number of first-time species on fly, including oscar, peacock bass, Mayan cichlid, Midas cichlid, blue tilapia, spotted tilapia, sheepshead and others.

Every time I catch a fish on fly rod that I've never caught before is a memorable occasion!

Wind and rough water couldn't stop us from catching fish

Bonnie Hickey of Bozeman, Mont., battles her first beach snook.

We were able to catch a decent number of fish during May -- despite strong wind, rain and rough and dirty water.

Weather certainly has been a major influence on fishing throughout southwest Florida so far in 2018.

 We're hoping things settle down and we can get back to "normal."

This unusual brown peacock bass was impressive.

Early in the month, we made a number trips to The Everglades where we walked in and did quite well on peacock bass, largemouth bass, bluegill, oscar and Mayan cichlid. Despite our success, those trips are over until the next dry season. High water, heat, thunderstorms and mosquitoes will keep angling action in The 'Glades to a minimum for a few months.

That being said, it could be the time to think about an Everglades trip down the road. If you've never caught a peacock bass, you might want to seriously consider this trip.

Over our last four outings down there, we caught and released more than 200 peacock bass. It's some great fly fishing, for sure.

Most of the fish were caught on Junior's Craft Fur Minnow, a creation of Junior Burk, an Indiana fly tyer. We also caught peacock bass on Gibby's Myakka Minnows.

Gibby's Myakka Minnow was effective on peacocks.

I did get out on a couple of beach snook trips in May. Conditions were not good, but we still encountered snook. Mike and Bonnie Hickey of Bozeman, Mont., joined me on a marginal day. We first tried Manasota Key, but encountered rough water and quite a bit of red algae (not red tide) in the surf. We drove north to Casey Key and found better conditions.

At Casey Key, Bonnie Hickey landed a 23-inch snook (the fish broke loose as I was holding the leader). She and Mike also hooked a few others. In all, they got maybe 15 shots at snook, including one fish we estimated at 10-12 pounds.

Jeff Marshall of Venice and Sherri Soper of Arizona spent a day with sight-fishing the surf in trying conditions. The water was calm enough, but the sky was overcast  which resulted in extreme glare on the water, making spotting snook pretty tough.

This over-sized redfish was sight-fished in 18 inches of water.

Still, Sherri  hooked a 24-incher and had a couple of other s take her fly. Jeff landed a decent spotted seatrout and lost another.

John Weimer of the Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers in Sarasota joined me on a trip to Lake Manatee. We launched at the Verna Road Bridge on the east end of the lake. The results were fair. We landed 25 mostly hand-size bluegill on popping bugs and Gibby's Snymphs under strike indicators.

Weimer also fished with me late in the month around Buttonwood Harbor off Sarasota Bay. We caught and released five snook, two redfish to33 inches, a number of spotted seatrout and a few ladyfish. Snook were caught on Gibby's Snook Shrimp, while the reds went for MirrOlure Lil Johns on light jig heads. Fish of the day was one we didn't land. While casting for trout over deep grass, I jumped a 60-pound tarpon that put on quite a show before I lost it!

Marshall  Dinerman of Atlanta caught spotted seatrout to 18 and ladyfish on MirrOlure Lil Johns on light jigs around Buttonwood Harbor. We also landed a fine, late-season pompano on a MirrOlure MirrOdine.

JUNE FORECAST: I can tell you what it should be. Snook should be plentiful in the surf  and willing to hit a Gibby's D.T. Variation. This is the best sight-fishing around when conditions are right. All we need are a light easterly breeze, calm surf, clear water and sunshine! Around Sarasota Bay, I look for decent snook action at night around lighted docks. Spotted seatrout should be plentiful over deep grass. And I think redfish action is beginning to (finally) pick back up after four sub-par years. I've already caught and released more reds this year than in the last four years combined.

If you want to get in on some of this exciting action, please give me a call (941-284-3406) or email me (steve@kayakfishingsarasota.com).

Steve Gibson

Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing

www.kayakfishingsarasota.com

941-284-3406

Despite the drought, freshwater fishing still produces

John Weimer of Sarasota admires a colorful oscar he caught on a Myakka Minnow. (Photo by Steve Gibson)

Wind and heat were the culprits of May as far as fishing is concerned along Southwest Florida.

With that in mind, most of our attention was focused on freshwater fishing throughout the region.

We visited a variety of spots, including Alligator Alley, The Everglades, Webb Lake, Tenoroc  Fish Management Area and Lake Manatee. We also spent some time fly fishing the surf for snook.

Let's cover the freshwater efforts.

Webb Lake is a long body of water located in the Babcock-Webb Wildlife Management Area just east of Punta Gorda in Charlotte County. John Weimer of Sarasota accompanied me for a fly-fishing endeavor. I've fished Webb Lake on a number of occasions over the years, but this was the first trip of 2017.

We were greeted by extreme low water, something that's quite common through this state that has been in a severe drought. Still, we were able to catch a few fish. We totaled seven largemouth bass, 21 mostly hand-sized bluegill, a shellcracker and a gar.

We ventured to Miami-Dade County along the Tamiami Trail and had a blast. We launched the NuCanoe Kayaks amid a flurry of mosquitoes (bring your bug spray!) and began catching fish immediately. We started out casting popping bugs and caught Mayan cichlid, largemouth bass and oscar. When the topwater bite ended, we switched to Myakka Minnows and continued our assault on the same species. At mid-day, I grabbed a 6-weight rod and cast a No. 6 Clouser for peacock bass. I broke off one peacock and caught a bunch of Mayan cichlid, oscar and largemouth bass.

I'll definitely hit this spot again!

Jim Snyder of Naples joined me for an outing along Alligator Alley. Fishing was slow compared to previous trips, but we still managed 50 Mayan cichlid, 30 oscar, 10 largemouth bass, five bluegill and a bunch of stumpknocker and warmouth perch. All fish were caught on Myakka Minnows.

I donated the trip to the Naples Backcountry Fly Fishers. Snyder bought the outing at the club's annual banquet.

John Weimer and I visited the Tenoroc Fish Management Area near Lakeland. We fished Lake No. 2 and experienced slow action. We combined to catch two largemouth bass on No. 4 popping bugs and a bluegill on a Gibby's Snymph under a strike indicator. Water was extremely low.

Despite slow action, we'll definitely return to Tenoroc in the fall.

Late in the month, Weimer and I decided to do something different.

"Why don't we fish Lake Manatee, but launch at the state park?" he said.

Launching at Lake Manatee State Park would give us access to water that normally out of range. The park is a couple of miles west of our normal launch.

I have an annual state park pass, so I'm able to get into the park after hours. State Parks don't open until 8 a.m., but we entered the park at 6:15 a.m. and were on the water by 6:30.

It was like fishing a new spot. We had no idea where to go and the water was extremely low. We paddled directly across the lake from the boat ramp to the north shore. We pulled into a small cover and were greeted by breaking fish over a wide area.

I cast a No. 8 popping bug and missed a fish. I hooked and landed a hand-sized bluegill on my second cast. I then caught a decent sunshine bass and a 1 1/2-pound largemouth bass. Weimer caught the first sunshine bass of his fly-fishing career.

When that action slowed, we noticed several tails piercing the water's surface. Closer inspection revealed they were from channel catfish grubbing along the bottom. We caught a half dozen on popping bugs. Later, we beached out kayaks and walked along the shoreline, casting to tailing fish.

We ended up with 17 channel cats to six pounds. We caught a majority them on bead-head Squirmy Worms on No. 12 scud hooks.

We also did a number of beach snook outings during May. For some reason, numbers were down from the previous month. We saw an average of 15 snook per trip. We hooked a couple and landed one.

JUNE FORECAST: Look for increased numbers of snook in the surf along area beaches. I you like to sight-fish with a fly rod, this is for you. Bay fishing should result in decent numbers of spotted seatrout, snook, ladyfish and jack crevalle. Redfish numbers have been down, and I don't anticipate any change. Night fishing around lighted docks should produce good numbers of snook. In fresh water, Lake Manatee is the best bet for bluegill, largemouth bass and channel catfish.

Gibby's Tip of the Month:  In order to have success when sight-fishing, you must be able to see the fish. To see the fish, you must have a pair of quality sunglasses. Most fly anglers will spend several hundred dollars on a fly rod. But without a good pair of sunglasses, the most expensive fly rod won't help you if you can't see the fish. A good pair of sunglasses is just a piece of equipment that will help you do the job. The money spent is up front. You'll enjoy the benefits of your sunglasses for years. Don't cheap out. You'll regret it.

I'm heading up to Tennessee for a week where I'll cast a few flies for rainbow and brown trout. When I return, my battery should be recharged and ready to go. I expect beach snook to be in the spotlight.

Steve Gibson

Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing

www.kayakfishingsarasota.com

941-284-3406

Lake Manatee rarely disappoints intrepid anglers

The author shows off a sight-fished channel cat that hit a fly in 12 inches of water in Lake Manatee. (Photo by John Weimer)

On the way out to Lake Manatee, John Weimer and I were discussing the lack of sunshine bass in the popular Manatee County body of water.

"The state used to stock them in Lake Manatee, but I don't know if they do anymore?" I said. "I caught a small sunshine bass three years ago, but none since."

John Weimer holds his first sunshine bass.

Sunshine bass are hybrid fish. They're a cross between a white bass and a striped bass. They grow fast, are strong and put up a great fight on appropriate tackle.

On this outing, we launched at Lake Manatee State Park off State Road 64. We normally launch the kayaks a couple of miles up the lake at Lake Manatee Fish Camp. But Weimer suggested we try the ramp at the park so that we could fish some new water.

Sounded like a good idea. And since I have an annual state park entrance pass, we could launch any time we wanted. State parks don't open until 8 a.m., which is a little late to get started when you're an angler.

Weimer battles a channel catfish on fly rod.

With an annual entrance pass, park officials give you the gate code so that you can enter the park after hours.

We launched at 6:15 and paddles directly across the lake. We had no idea where to fish, but the some striking fish made the decision very easy.

I got a hit on my first cast, but missed the fish. I connected with a feisty bluegill on my second cast.

The third cast resulted in a small sunshine bass, my first from Lake Manatee in several years. Weimer connected with a sunshine bass a few casts last. It was the first he'd ever caught.

Weimer shows off his channel catfish.

The scenario changed shortly thereafter. I caught a pair of decent bass, but the highlight of the day was channel catfish. They were cruising the shallows and actually tailing.

I caught four on No. 8 popping bugs. We then beached our NuCanoe kayaks and began walking along the shoreline, looking for tailers. It was a productive afternoon.

Using a bead-head Squirmy Worm on a No. 12 scud hook, I added 12 more cats to my tally. Weimer connected with three more. The cats ranged from two to six pounds.

For the uninformed, channel cats are highly sought throughout this country's fresh waters. They're strong, speedy fish that can take you deep into your backing. They readily take flies and will make you wonder if you should be using a heavier fly rod.

A sold catfish takes the author into the backing on his fly reel.

I've caught them over the year from Lake Manatee, but usually on Myakka Minnows or bead-head nymphs under a strike indicator cast blindly along the lake's vegetated shoreline. I have never encountered them tailing nor sight-fishing for them in shallow water.

I have been fishing Lake Manatee for more than 30 years. I think it's one of the best lakes in the state for bluegill, speckled perch and channel catfish. It's a pretty good bass fishery, but I rarely target them. My bass are largely bycatch when targeting panfish.

This past spring was great for speckled perch (black crappie). They run larger than average in Lake Manatee, often exceeding two pounds.  They hit nymphs greedily and put up a good battle on light fly rods.

This sunshine bass fell for a popping bug.

For nymph fishing, I use a 2-weight TFO Finesse fly rod, floating line and 7 1/2-foot leader. I usually about 18 inches of 8-pound fluorocarbon tippet. I believe the key to success when nymphing lakes is to not be too aggressive. I'll twitch the nymph slightly, then let it sit. Many of the hits take place when the nymph is just sitting there.

It's not a bad idea to start the day with a small popping bug. I prefer chartreuse, but I'm sure other colors with work. I like poppers with a distinct cupped face. I cast them out, let them sit and then give them a significant "pop." That's about all I do. Most of the hits take place with the popper just sitting on the surface.

My Myakka Minnow also works well on Lake Minnow. Again, the key is to not be too aggressive with it. A slow, deliberate retrieve works best.

Lake Manatee isn't the easiest lake to fish. I've put in more hours than I care to admit over the years. And that effort has paid off nicely.

I like to fish the lake in October through May. I'll fish in the summer if the water level is decent.

Lake Manatee is located in Manatee County nine miles east of Interstate 75 off State Road 64. It's not heavily fished, and you'll likely have much of the lake to yourself on any given day. Outboard engines are allowed, but maximum horsepower is 20.

I've had many memorable days on Lake Manatee, but my latest outing may be atop the list. 

Tiger Lake offers fantastic fly fishing for bluegill and other species

John Weimer of Sarasota battles a bulldog bluegill on fly rod at Tiger Lake in Polk County.

Thank you, Chuck.

Weimer shows off a fine bluegill.

The late Chuck Collins introduced me to Tiger Lake more than 25 years ago. I'll never forget Collins telling me about the population of large bluegill in the 2,200 lake located in Polk County near the small city of Lake Wales.

I don't fish the lake often, but it doesn't let me down when I do.

When I first started fly fishing the lake, I used only small popping bugs designed to catch bluegill and bass. Since then, I've added nymphs to me arsenal.

I drove to Tiger Lake recently with John Weimer of the Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers in Sarasota. Weimer had never fished the lake, but came away very impressed.

"What a great lake," he said. "I don't know how many fish we caught."

We launched our NuCanoe kayaks (www.nucanoe.com) at Bud's RV Park and Marina (1700 Tiger Lake Road, Lake Wales, 893-696-2274). Launch fee is $5 and there is ample parking. The lake is just a short paddle from the ramp.

This speckled perch fell for a Gibby's Snymph.

Weimer and I paddled into the lake and began fishing immediately. He caught a 3-weight fly rod with a Gibby's Snymph under a strike indicator. I cast a No. 10 popper on a 3-weight rod.

We caught a few fish (bluegill and shellcracker) around Kissimmee grass and reeds,  but the action wasn't what we had envisioned.

"Last time I was here, we caught a bunch of fish along the north shoreline," I told Weimer.

We fished that shoreline for the next five hours and caught more fish that we could count. We caught bluegill to 10 1/2 inches, plump shellcracker, feisty largemouth bass and chunky speckled perch (black crappie). I'm not sure if the fish quit hitting or we ran out of time.

I'm sure we caught more than 100 fish.

Tiger Lake has plenty of fly-eating shellcracker.

At one point, Weimer, who moved to Florida from his native state of Oregon, caught 10 bluegill in row from a small opening in the lily pads.

We caught a few fish from grassy areas and around reeds. However, most of the fish were concentrated in the vast fields of lily pads.

I'm sure poppers would resulted in plenty of bluegill. But I'm not certain we would have caught any shellcracker or speckled perch on poppers.

I've been using Gibby's Snymphs (simple nymph) since I created the pattern a few years ago with great results. The nymphs work well on most freshwater lakes, ponds and streams. I usually tie them on No. 10 hooks, but I'm sure you could tie them on larger and smaller hooks and do well.

I used a brown Snymph; Weimer an olive.

Bass fishing can be quite good on Tiger Lake. A few years, we shot a TV show at Tiger. We planned to video the excellent bluegill action, but bass kept getting in the way. Took an hour or so (and a half dozen 3-4-pound bass) before we hooked a bluegill. Bass just wouldn't leave our flies alone!

It's interesting to note that Tiger Lake rarely is mentioned among Florida's top spots for bluegill. Yet, fly fishing for bluegill on the relatively shallow lake consistently is very good to excellent.

I can't imagine another lake being any better.

Bass, speckled perch and shellcracker, as you might imagine, are likely bonuses.

If you're thinking about fishing this hidden gem, you might want to take a 7- or 8-weight fly rod with floating line for bass. Try poppers early, and then switch to worm-like flies, Clouser Deep Minnows or Joe Mahler's Straw Boss.

Also, carry a 3-weight for smaller poppers and a 2-weight for nymphs. I'm sure my Myakka Minnow will result in a bevy of big bluegill.

Next time we get a prediction for light wind, you can bet I'll be heading for Tiger Lake. That's the body of water that Chuck Collins introduced me to more than 25 years ago.

Terry Byce of Lakewood Ranch, Fla., shows off a fine spotted seatrout caught on a Clouser Deep Minnow.

I really enjoyed March fishing -- both in fresh and salt waters.

Saltwater action picked up nicely, with spotted seatrout, snook and pompano leading the way. Oh, and for you fly fishers, there usually were plenty of ladyfish around to stretch lines and make acrobatic leaps.

Micah Breckenridge, 17, is a snook master.

In fresh water, we fished a number of places including Lake Manatee, Alligator Alley and Shell Creek.

Dr. Mac  Steiner of Ohio joined me for an outing on Sarasota Bay and Buttonwood Harbor. He caught snook to 22 inches, redfish to 20, spotted seatrout to 24 and flounder on Gibby's Glass Minnow and MirrOlure Lil Johns on light jigs.

Len Tavormina of Sarasota caught snook to 24 inches, spotted seatrout to three pounds, pompano and ladyfish on MirrOlure Lil Johns on light jigs around Buttonwood Harbor.

Dr. David Breckenridge and son Micah had a good outing around Buttonwood Harbor, catching eight snook to 25 inches, 25 trout to 23 and ladyfish on MirrOlure Lil Johns on light jigs and MirrOlure MirrOdines.

Big bluegill no problem for Melvin Johnson of New Mexico.

Terry Byce of Lakewood Ranch had a fairly slow day, catching only a few trout and ladyfish on Gibby's Glass Minnow and a Clouser Deep Minnow. However, one of his trout was a 5-pounder which was caught on the edge of a grass flat in Buttonwood Harbor.

Melvin Johnson of New Mexico and Tom "Gator" Kayser of Ohio joined me for a pair of trips -- one in fresh water and the other in the salt.

First day out, the two professional trout guides (Tom guides in Montana; Melvin in New Mexico) faced tough conditions but did well on Lake Manatee. They caught a dozen speckled perch to two pounds, 15 hand-size bluegill and several largemouth bass to three pounds on Gibby's Snymphs and Ruby-Eyed Leeches under strike indicators.

John Weimer battles a Lake Manatee largemouth bass.

Second day, they did well around Buttonwood Harbor, catching 30 spotted seatrout to 22 inches and loads of ladyfish on Gibby's Glass Minnows.

John  Weimer of Sarasota joined me on several freshwater outings. We fished Shell Creek and had a fair day, catching six largemouth bass, 18 bluegill and 10 stumpknocker on Myakka Minnows, popping bugs and Gibby's Snymphs under a strike indicator.

Next time out, we fished Lake Manatee and caught 12 oversized bluegill, eight largemouth bass to two pounds, four speckled perch to 2 pounds and a four-pound channel catfish on Gibby's Snymphs under a strike indicator.

We had one banner day at Lake Manatee, catching a record (for us) 30 speckled perch to two pounds, 20 hand-sized bluegill, five largemouth bass and a stumpknocker on Gibby's Snymphs under a strike indicator. Our previous best day on specks was 17.

I did some scouting trips and had good action. On one trip, I caught 35 spotted seatrout to 24 inches and four pompano to three pounds on MirrOlure MirrOdines and MirrOlure Lil Johns on light jigs. On another, I used Gibby's Glass Minnows to catch snook to 26 inches and spotted seatrout to 25 around Buttonwood Harbor.

APRIL FORECAST: After experiencing pretty good action in March, I can only predict better fishing April. Spotted seatrout should continue to hit a variety of lures and flies around Sarasota Bay. I also anticipate good action on snook before daylight, ladyfish and pompano. Redfish action hasn't been the best, but could improve in April. In fresh water, I look for good action in Lake Manatee on bluegill, channel catfish and largemouth bass. I think speckled perch action will slow down and the popular panfish move back into deeper water. Fly fishing along Alligator Alley should continue hot until the rainy season on oscar, Mayan cichlid, largemouth bass, bluegill and stumpknocker.

April can be a fun month, and I anticipate it being busy. Please book your trips early to assure you of the days you want.

Book trips by calling me (941-284-3406) or email (steve@kayakfishingsarasota.com).

I look forward to leading you on an exciting kayak-fishing adventure.

As always, I want to thank my sponsors: NuCanoe, TFO and Mirrolure. 

Steve Gibson

Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing

www.kayakfishingsarasota.com

941-284-3406

Snook action was the strong point of February

Dr. John Lacy of Kentucky shows off one of the eight snook he caught on MirrOlure Lil Johns.

With unseasonably warm weather, it was no surprise that snook ruled during February. Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing clients landed snook to 30 inches on fly and spin gear while fishing around lighted docks and in the Longboat Key rim canal.

Jon Freyer battles an Alligator Alley oscar on fly rod.

We also encountered good numbers of spotted seatrout on fly and spin gear in Sarasota Bay over deep grass patches off Whale Key.

Tim Foster, a winter resident from Montana, caught 20 spotted seatrout and a few ladyfish on my new glass minnow fly. He also lost a couple of snook on a very windy day.

I spent a day at the Florida Sportsman Show in Fort Myers, helping out NuCanoe. I demonstrated how to fly fish from a NuCanoe Frontier. The NuCanoe Frontier and Pursuits are no doubt the best kayaks for fly fishing on the market.

After fishing with me, Foster sold his paddleboard and bought a NuCanoe Pursuit from West Coast Kayaks in St. Petersburg. One outing is all it took to convince him that the Pursuit was the boat he needed for fly fishing!

I spent a day fishing around Buttonwood Harbor with good success. I caught 10 snook on fly and jigs. In addition, I landed 30 trout to 24 inches, pompano and ladyfish.

Annie Ewert puts the pressure on a big fish.

I accompanied about 20 members of the Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers on an expedition to Alligator Alley for a two-day outing. Fly fishing was great and everyone caught more oscar, Mayan cichlid, largemouth bass, stumpknocker and warmouth perch than they could count.

After we got back from Alligator Alley, I demonstrated how to fly fish from the NuCanoe Pursuit at the Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers Casting Clinic at The Meadows in Sarasota. Members were very interested in the boat.

Tim Foster fished with me again and did fair despite strong wind. He landed two snook, five spotted seatrout and ladyfish.

Repeat clients Al Ewert of Connecticut and daughter Annie of New Hampshire caught 25 spotted seatrout, ladyfish and flounder on fly and spin around Buttonwood Harbor.

Fly fisher Tim Foster stands and battles a spotted seatrout.

Tom Biondo of Bradenton fished with me at Lake Manatee and had an interesting day. New to fishing, Biondo caught large bluegill and speckled perch on nymphs under a strike indicator. In all, we totaled eight specks, 15 bluegill and a largemouth bass.

Jim Doughton of Gainesville and Dr. Pete Gearan joined me for a windy day of fly fishing around Buttonwood Harbor. They managed spotted seatrout and ladyfish on my new glass minnow fly. In addition, they used the outing to test out the NuCanoe Pursuit and Frontier.

Dr. John Lacy of Kentucky fished with me again and had an exceptional  day. He caught eight snook to 27 inches on MirrOlure Lil Johns on light jigs. He also landed spotted seatrout to14 inches, flounder to 15 and ladyfish on jigs and MirrOlure MirrOdines.

Longtime fried Jon Freyer of Ludington, Mich., visited Alligator Alley for the first time and came away impressed. He caught the usual: oscar, Mayan cichlid, largemouth bass, bluegill and stumpknocker on Myakka Minnows. He caught more fish than he could count.

Fly fishing along Alligator should remain strong through May.

MARCH FORECAST: We anticipate continued excellent action on spotted seatrout and snook. In addition, redfish activity should be good on the flats around Sarasota Bay. Night fishing for snook will continue to be excellent on fly and spin gear. In fresh water, Lake Manatee should produce decent amounts of hand-sized bluegill, large speckled perch, largemouth bass, shellcracker and channel catfish. Expeditions to Alligator Alley will result in oscar, Mayan cichlid, largemouth bass, bluegill and stumpknocker.

As usual, I'd like to thank my great sponsors: NuCanoe, MirrOlure, D.O.A. Lures, TFO Fly Rods and Peak Fishing. They all play an important part in the success of Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing.

If you'd like to spend a day on the water, please give me call (941-284-3406) or email me (steve@kayakfishingsarasota.com).

Steve Gibson

Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing

www.kayakfishingsarasota.com

941-284-3406

December saw improved fishing in Sarasota Bay and plenty of freshwater action

John Kis of New Rochelle, N.Y., caught a variety of species, including this leaping bluefish.

December arguably was the best month of fishing we've experienced in a while. After battles with red tide, poor water quality and wind, things finally perked up in salt waters around Sarasota.

Ray Gibson of Atlanta shows off a fine pompano.

We experienced good to excellent action in both fresh and salt waters from Tampa Bay to The Everglades.

The big news, however, was the return to glory of Sarasota Bay. That's good news on a number of accounts. First, it's close to home. Second, the bay perked up considerably after red tide pummeled it for the second straight year.

John Weimer of Sarasota and I launched at Stephens Point and caught a number of ladyfish and jack crevalle. We were anticipating spotted seatrout, bluefish, Spanish mackerel and pompano, but came up short. However, the water quality of extremely encouraging.

The next three days saw us launch off Longboat Key at Buttonwood Harbor. The first day, we caught several snook on fly rod around dock lights. Then at daylight, we switched to spinning gear and caught a number of snook to 26 inches on MirrOlure Lil Johns on light jigs.

We moved into the bay and caught numerous spotted seatrout to 22 inches on MirrOlure MirrOdines. In addition, we managed eight bluefish to four pounds and eight pompano to three pounds.

Next day, repeat client John Kis of New Rochelle, N.Y., caught snook, spotted seatrout, ladyfish and pompano. Snook were caught on Lil Johns and light jigs in the Longboat Key rim canal. We caught seatrout to 21 inches, bluefish, pompano and ladyfish on MirrOdines.

Ray Gibson of Atlanta caught spotted seatrout to 19 inches, ladyfish and pompano on MirrOdines and flies.

That action was particularly encouraging after several months of slow fishing. If we can avoid red tide, I anticipate a good year of fishing in Sarasota Bay.

We fished Lake Manatee on a number of occasions and did well. We caught hand-sized bluegill, speckled perch to 15 inches, largemouth bass, stumpknocker and channel catfish on Gibby's Snymphs under strike indicators. We also caught fish on popping bugs and Gibby's Myakka Minnows.

Manatee River action ranged from fair to very good. On one trip, we caught six channel catfish to four pounds, a number of hand-size bluegill, tilapia and a 7-pound largemouth on Snymphs under a strike indicator.

John Weimer and I visited a small lake east of Naples and had an average trip, catching bluegill to 12 inches on Myakka Minnows, stumpknocker, largemouth bass and two peacock bass.

JANUARY FORECAST: It has been unseasonably warm, but we're expecting the weather to cool off with a cold front on the way. When that happens, look for snook to begin to push up rivers, creeks and canals in search of warm waters. If that happens, we anticipate decent action up the Manatee and Myakka rivers. Spotted seatrout, pompano, bluefish and Spanish mackerel action should remain good in Sarasota Bay over deep grass. In addition, our trips to Alligator Alley should results in hot fly-rod action on oscar, Mayan cichlid, largemouth bass, bluegill and stumpknocker.

We hope everyone had a great holiday season.

Of course, we couldn't do anything without our sponsors: NuCanoe, Aqua-Bound Paddles, MirrOlure, D.O.A. Lures, TFO and Peak fishing.

January is looking good and my schedule is filling. If you'd like to experience the world of kayak fishing, please give me a call (941-284-3406) or drop me an email (steve@kayakfishingsarasota.com). 

Steve Gibson

Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing

www.kayakfishingsarasota.com

941-284-3406

Anticipating strong action in fresh and salt waters as we head toward winter

The author shows off a fine peacock bass caught on fly near Naples, Fla. (Photo by John Weimer)

Freshwater fishing has been much better than saltwater fishing.

But that's subject to change any day.

We're moving into the winter pattern and that means several things.

In salt water, it means bluefish, pompano and , hopefully, large snook.

In fresh water, it means wonderful trips to The Everglades for tackle-busting exotics.

We fished the salt a few days in November and did so-so. Fishing Little Sarasota Bay around Vamo, we encountered snook, spotted seatrout, jack crevalle and ladyfish. Snook were plentiful around the islands on the west side of the Intracoastal Waterway and were a blast on topwater plugs.

Trout, although somewhat scarce in most areas, could be found along the ICW. We caught sseatrout to 20 inches on MirrOlure Lil Johns on 1/16-ounce jig heads.

The best action took place around and under docks just south of the launch. Using skip casts to get jigs well under the docks, we caught snook to 30 inches, jack crevalle and mangrove snapper. The most effective bait was the new D.O.A. 2 3/4-inch shrimp in gold flake.

John Lacy of Kentucky joined me for a trip on Little Sarasota and did fair. We caught three snook, two jack crevalle, six spotted seatrout, a mangrove snapper and a ladyfish. We also lost a snook estimated at 15 pounds while skipping D.O.A. Shrimp under docks.

Highlight of the day was the number of manatee we encountered. We probably saw at least 18 manatee over the six-hour outing.

In fresh water, we fished a variety of spots, including Lake Manatee and a small lake east of Naples in southwest Florida.

Lake Manatee, located in Manatee County just 10 miles east of Interstate 75 off State Road 64, is one of my favorite places to fish -- especially during fall and winter. It's a spot where diversity rules and you'll likely catch a variety of fish.

I really don't target any species in particular. I used popping bugs, nymphs and my Myakka Minnow. I catch bluegill, speckled perch, shellcracker, tilapia, stumpknocker, shellcracker, largemouth bass and channel  catfish.

Our best day in November was an outing in which we caught big bluegill, two huge speckled perch (black crappie) and five nice channel catfish. All of the fish were taken on my Snymph (simple nymph).

The following day was much tougher. John Weimer of Sarasota and I combine to catch 26 bluegill, one speckled perch, one bass and a golden shiner on Snymphs.

A few days later, I took John Freyer of Ludington, Mich., and we had to work extremely hard. We combined to land 17 bluegill and a gar. The interesting thing was we couldn't catch anything on Snymphs. Most every fish came on my Myakka Minnow.

John Weimer and I drove 105 miles south on I-75 and had a wonderful outing. Fishing a small lake east of Naples, we caught a variety of fish, including peacock bass to 4 pounds. Interestingly, we had few fish by 1 p.m.

It was at that point, I decided to pull out the 6-weight TFO fly rod and cast an orange-and-chartreuse Clouser Deep Minnow  in areas where I had caught some nice peacock bass. I wasn't disappointed. Over the next two hours, Weimer and I combined to land 23 peacock bass to four pounds. We lost several others.

Peacock bass were introduced in state waters in 1984. Because they can't tolerate cold water, they were stocked only Miami-Dade and Broward county waters. Both barred and butterfly peacocks were stocked, but the bigger barred species couldn't tolerate the cold. Butterfly peacocks thrived.

Somehow, they made their way west to Collier County. And, through a friend, I found out about a small lake and adjoining canal system that holds a good population of these colorful, hard-fighting battlers.

It took me a while before I began catching them with regularity. I found out you don't have to get up too early to catch them. Best action takes place from mid-morning on.

I've caught them on a number of flies (even tiny nymphs), but I've discovered the best action takes place on orange-and-chartreuse Clousers.  I use a fairly quick retrieve.

I also keep my eyes open for peacocks chasing bait or nesting along the shoreline. If you pay attention, you'll be rewarded.

The lake is also home to mega-bluegill, giant shellcracker, monster Mayan cichlid and largemouth bass.

DECEMBER FORECAST: I look for good numbers of spotted seatrout, jack crevalle, ladyfish, bluefish and pompano  in Sarasota Bay over deep grass off Stephens Point and Whale Key. Night fishing for snook should be good around lighted docks. Late in the month, we'll start probing local rivers for monster snook -- especially if we encounter cold weather. In fresh water, Lake Manatee and the Manatee River should yield good numbers of bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass, speckled perch and shellcracker. For those interested in non-stop fly-fishing fun, Alligator Alley should yield good numbers of feisty oscar, Mayan cichlid, largemouth bass, bluegill, stumpknocker, warmouth perch and an occasional peacock bass.

I'm booking up fairly fast, so contact me to make sure you get in on the action. You can call me at 941-284-3406 or email steve@kayakfishingsarasota.com.

Happy Holidays!

Steve Gibson

Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing

www.kayakfishingsarasota.com

941-284-3406

Fast and furious peacock bass action at its best

John Weimer of Sarasota admires a chunky peacock bass he caught on fly.

In the United States, you have to choices when it comes to fly fishing for peacock bass: 1. travel to an exotic destination; 2. visit south Florida.

The author got in on the action, too.

I choose the latter. It's convenient and productive.

A little history here. The state of Florida stocked butterfly peacock bass into south Florida waters in 1984. The original stocking was in waters of Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Waters anywhere north of that area could be too cold in winter for these tropical cichlids.

Somehow the fish have found their way to Florida's west coast and can be found just 100 miles down Interstate 75 from my home in Sarasota. In just 90 minute, my clients and I can be fly fishing for peacock bass.

I will not reveal the name or location of the lake to protect the fishery.

I have fished the location many times in the past four years. At first, peacock bass were somewhat of a mystery. I didn't catch any on my first trip, but a friend of mine did. Joe Mahler, a fly-fishing guru who resides in Fort Myers, caught a chunky 3-pounder on his famous fly, the Straw Boss.

It took several more trips for me to start figuring out how to catch peacocks.

First trick I discovered was to find peacock bass on nests and sight-fish them. I'd stand up in my NuCanoe Pursuit (www.nucanoe.com) and slowly pole along the shoreline. When I'd spot a peacock on a nest, I'd anchor nearby and cast to the fish. Note that peacocks will hit the fly virtually every time it enters the nest. But hooking them is another matter. They have an uncanny ability to spit your fly out quicker than you can react.

So, it becomes a game of guessing and timing. You almost have to "set" the hook before you see the bass take the fly.

I caught some very nice peacocks with this method.

But peacock bass don't spawn year round. So what do you do when they're not on the nests?
I began "blind casting" along the shoreline with No. 6 Clouser Deep Minnows, using a fairly quick retrieve.

For this fish, I use a 5-weight TFO Finesse rod, floating line and 9-foot (8-pound test) leader.
This method has paid the biggest dividends. I've had several "double-digit' days using it.

My best fly is a No. 6 Clouser in orange and chartreuse. I tied it to resemble a baby peacock bass. The fish are cannibalistic and will often eat their young.

Last trip to the lake was very productive.

John Weimer of the Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers and I made the trek and did extremely well. We combined to catch 23 peacocks to 4 pounds. However, we didn't catch our first peacock until 12:30 p.m.

Up to that time, we had nine largemouth bass, one bluegill, one shellcracker and two stumpknocker on poppers and on Gibby's Snymph.

The action was much slower than normal. At that point, I pulled out the 5-weight and set up a drifter along a shoreline that had produced peacock bass in the past. I was quickly rewarded. I caught a trio of peacocks, including a pair of 3-pounders in about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, Weimer was casting a tiny Clouser that was producing nothing. I gave him an orange-and-chartreuse Clouser and suggested he give it a try. It wasn't long after that he connected on a solid 4-pounder, the largest peacock bass of his life.

We hit several spots, but really found some fast action at a location that has paid off in the past. I was drifting down the bank when I saw a peacock chasing minnows. I made a quick cast and immediately got a hit. I missed that one, but hooked up on a chunky 2-pounder on the next cast.

After I released that peacock, I began casting again. I noticed some action underneath a nearby tree that was hanging over the water and began to cast around it as I neared. I had the rod nearly jerked out of my hand on a ferocious hit. I was solid into another fat peacock.

I caught and released nine peacocks along that stretch. Weimer also caught a fatty.

The day started slowly, but ended beautifully.

"That's why you have to keep at it," said Weimer, who relocated to Florida from his home state of Oregon. "Your days wn't always start out quickly. But if you keep at it and keep a fly in the water you have a chance."

I love fishing south. I love catching fish that I can't find in local waters. I fish south a lot during the year. And it won't be long before I start fishing along Alligator Alley where I target oscar and Mayan cichlid.

These great fisheries are simple too good -- and productive -- for Sunshine State anglers and others to ignore.

Wind, rain, red tide and high water slowed things down in October

I've always said October is the best month in Florida.

Light breezes, low humidity, comfortable temperatures and great fishing.

Usually it is. But not this October. It was windy and rainy. We had a hurricane (Matthew) push up the east coast. That storm didn't affect us much here on the west coast, but we did get a lot of wind and rain.

Snook fishing has been consistent throughout the area.

I can handle most anything when on the water: rain, heat, cold. Wind is another matter. It makes fishing quite tough. It's not that you can't fish in the wind, but it make controlling the kayak a problem. It doesn't allow you to fish areas slow and thoroughly  as you'd like.

Still, we were able to get out and catch fish.

Early in the month, we spent a few days fly fishing local fresh waters. We fished Upper Myakka Lake and Benderson Park. We did well.

The first day at Myakka, we launched the kayak and paddled to the dam. There, we floating over the dam and spent a few hours casting flies for whatever might be lurking in the depths. We caught hand-size bluegill, shellcracker, largemouth bass, tilapia and channel catfish.

We returned a day or so later, but high wind prevented us from getting into the lake. So we opted to fish the protected boat basin. We were surprised when we caught a bunch of hard-fishing, hand-sized bluegill.

We wanted to target Clay Gully, a creek that empties into Upper Myakka Lake. But high water caused by recent heavy rain made that impossible. We'll keep that in mind and plan a return trip in a month or so.

Snook gather in a dock light.

For most of this fishing, we used a TFO Finesse 2-weight rod, floating line and a No. 10 Gibby's Snymph (simple nymph) under a strike indicator.

Our trip to Benderson Park was quite surprising. The lake is a former pit that was given to Sarasota County. It now serves as a world-class rowing facility. I'd fished the lake a couple of times previously, but not in about 15 years. I launched at the boat ramp on the south end of the lake and paddled up the east side to the Cooper Creek spillway. There, I caught several bass to 15 inches on Clouser Deep Minnows.

I drifted along the east side and cast Snymphs to the edge. I caught 25 bluegill, four shellcracker, five bass and a hefty channel catfish. I also hooked another channel cat, but lost it after a short battle.

I was at the lake in the spring of 2000 when the State of Florida stocked it with 10,000 channel catfish. After my outing, I would say the lake has a good (and hungry) population of channel cats.

Sarasota Bay has been battling red tide, so most of my salt water outings have been in other areas. I fished a couple of days in a tidal creek south of Venice. I was scouting for the 12th annual Fall Fly Fishing Challenge. The creek paid off for me last year when I caught enough snook to win the Snook Division of the tournament.

Speckled perch action should perk up in November.

This time was different. First trip, I didn't see a snook. John Weimer and I returned a week later and totaled five snook to about 20 inches.

I decided I would fish somewhere else in the tournament.

I also fished Sarasota Bay off Stephens Point. I've had memorable days off Stephens Point, but not this time. Usually, it's a spot where I can always catch 20 or more spotted seatrout. I caught none on this trip. I only managed a couple of ladyfish and a jack crevalle.

To make matters worse, two underwater lights in the Stephens Point basin were turned off, making night snook fishing impossible.

Scratch Stephens Point as a tournament spot.

We waded the flats near Vamo in Little Sarasota Bay and caught seven snook on Rainey's Bubblehead Poppers. That was encouraging. However, we didn't find any redfish or trout. That eliminated the spot from tournament contention.

John Weimer and I drove to Palma Sola Bay and did so-so. We found several underwater lights that held a bunch of snook. We left them alone, preferring to catch them during the tournament.

We paddled out onto the nearby flats and found a few seatrout.

We returned on tournament day. Things started out pretty decently. I caught five snook and lost another at the side of the kayak.

We then headed out onto the flats. I caught a small trout. Now, I had the rest of the day to catch one redfish.

Didn't happen. In fact, the wind started blowing and we had to abandon our outing.

Fortunately, Weimer managed four trout that totaled 53 inches to win the Trout Division.

Congratulations, John!

We're hoping the wind finally settles and that red tide dissipates.

If so, things should pick up in November.

NOVEMBER FORECAST: We look for improved snook, spotted seatrout and redfish action in Sarasota Bay and surrounding waters. Water temperatures should drop, causing gamefish to begin a feeding assault in preparation for winter. Night snook fishing should remain strong. In fresh water, we look for improved action on bluegill, bass, speckled perch, shellcracker and channel catfish. Best spots should be Lake Manatee and Upper Myakka Lake. Also, we're anticipating a couple of trips south to the Land of Peacock Bass. We've got a small lake just east of Naples that holds a decent population of peacock bass, plus monster bluegill, shellcracker, largemouth bass and Mayan cichlid.

Steve Gibson

Southern  Drawl Kayak Fishing

www.kayakfishingsarasota.com

941-284-3406