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.

Nymphing is a productive fly-fishing technique in Florida

Gibby's Snymphs (simple nymphs) are quick and easy to tie and are very productive for a variety of freshwater species.

A few years ago, I traveled to northeast Georgia to fly fish for trout.

After a frustrating morning on Noontootla Creek, I asked guide Rex Gudgel for a little help.

"I know where the trout are, but I can't catch them," I said. "Why don't you show me what you would do?"

The author shows off  a hefty Mayan cichlid

Gudgel, who was working at the time as a guide out of Unicoi Outfitters in Helen, Ga., surveyed the spot, then tied on a nymph and added a strike indicator. He cast upstream and allowed the rig to float down with the current.

He explained the nuances of nymphing to me. While doing so, he caught rainbow trout of 12, 17 and 26 inches.

I was amazed.

After he left, I caught and released a 27-inch rainbow, the largest of my life.

But that wasn't the highlight of my life. Don't get me wrong. The trout was great. But nymphing lit the proverbial lightbulb in my head.

I thought the technique would pay handsome dividends back home in Florida where freshwater trout were little more than a dream.

John Weimer's peacock bass sucked in a Snymph.

Rather than trout, I envisioned big bluegill and shellcracker. I could see these panfish sucking up nymphs with reckless abandon.

Now, I'm not going to tell you that I'm the first person ever to use the technique in the Sunshine State. I'm sure others have done it. However, I have fished in Florida for more than 45 years and I've never seen anyone use the technique.

For me, freshwater fly fishing was simple. You'd cast a small popping bug for bluegill. You'd cast a larger popping bug for bass.

There was no in between.

Lake Manatee speckled perch on a Snymph.

When the bite ended, it was time to go home.

Sometimes, the bite lasted all day. Often it didn't. We would usually head home by mid-morning.

That all changed when I began nymphing.

I started out using a popular trout pattern: a bead-head Hare's Ear. It produced pretty consistently. 

Later, I began developing simpler patterns that could be tied in just a couple of minutes.

Hefty shellcracker on Snymph.

I first began nymphing on Lake Manatee, a  body of water nine miles east of Interstate 75 in Manatee County. The lake can be tough, but if you invest the time to learn it you'll find it's loaded with fish.

I've used a number of different strike indicators over the years, but I've settled on  Lightning Strike Round Foam Strike Indicators (http://www.basspro.com/Lightning-Strike-Round-Foam-Strike-Indicators/product/15218/)  that I purchase at Bass Pro Shop. They're simple and do the job nicely.

This is no fancy system. I tie on my Gibby's Snymph (simple nymph) and set the strike indicator according to the depth of the water. Usually I set it between 18 inches and two feet.

I cast it out (usually toward the shoreline structure), allow the nymph to sink, and then twitch it during a slow retrieve.

When the strike indicator twitches, moves or goes under, it's time to set the hook.

What could be more simple?

I've used the technique in lakes and streams throughout Florida, and it has rarely failed. I have used it in Lake Manatee and caught hand-sized bluegill, large shellcracker, impressive speckled perch, largemouth bass to 4 pounds and channel catfish.

Capt. Rick Grassett used a Snymph to fool this tiny tarpon.

In a small lake east of Naples, I have caught gargantuan Mayan cichlid, hefty bluegill, shellcracker, largemouth bass and peacock bass.

It has produced in The Everglades, the Myakka River, Upper Myakka Lake, Hillsborough River, Manatee River and other bodies of water.

A month ago, I launched my NuCanoe Pursuit at Benderson Lake near my home in Sarasota. I had only fish the lake a couple of times and not in the last 15 years. I caught a few bass near a spillway on Clouser Deep Minnows, then begain drifting down the east side of the lake. I started nymphing. I caught 25 bluegill, five shellcracker and a hefty channel catfish. I also lost another large channel cat.

I've also caught small snook on the Manatee River on the Snymph. Capt. Rick Grassett of Sarasota fished a small lake in Charlotte County with me and landed a small tarpon.

The Snymph has now become my "go-to" rig in fresh water.

The beauty of the rig is its simplicity.

It is quick and easy to tie.

Most of the time I use a White River 396 No. 10 or 12 nymph hook (Bass Pro Shops).

Slide the gold bead on the hook, then place it in the vise.

Tie on the thread just behind the bead and wrap back to the bend of the hook. Then tie in the tail. You can use pheasant tail, squirrel or whatever.

Tie in a short length of copper wire, then began dubbing with Hareliine Dubbin' Hare's Ear Plus. Build up the body. Finish by wrapping the copper wire toward the bead and whip finishing the thread. The wire serves two purposed: 1. It segment the body; 2. I secure the dubbing.

I usually use tan, olive, brown and rust dubbing. I'm not sure color makes much difference, though.

Simple.

Snymph.

Easy.

When I head to a lake or stream to fly fish, I'll still start out most of the time with a No. 10 popping bug on a 3-weight fly rod. I'll stick with it until the bite slows or stops.

When that happens, I'll pull out my 2-weight TFO Finesse rod and begin nymphing.

What I've learned over the years is when the topwater bites stops, your day is just beginning.

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

Tournament success has little to do with luck

Redfish are our toughest fish on fly, but I got this one early.

Had to pick my wife up at the Orlando airport last night and got home late.

So, I didn't fish today. Instead, I've been tying an assortment of flies in preparation for the 12th annual MCFF/CCA Fall Fly Fishing Challenge, an event that Rick Grassett and I founded.

Now in its 12th year.

It's a pretty decent little tournament. Though the stakes aren't all that large (grand champion in each division receives an Orvis fly rod and reel), there certainly is some good competition. If you win the overall prize or a division, you've accomplished something against many of the best fly anglers in southwest Florida.

Although I'm not a tournament angler per se, I do enjoy competing. First, it's a day on the water doing what I like to do. Second, I like formulating a game plan and implementing it. I like the focus and concentration it takes to succeed.

I've done decently over the years. In the event's history, I've won a division nine times. I've won the Snook Division five times and Spotted Seatrout Division four times.

I fish in the Open Division. If you're a guide or license charter captain, you have to fish in the Open Division. If you think you're pretty good, you can opt to fish in the division. It's open to anyone. In the Open Division, eligible species include snook, spotted seatrout and redfish.

The tournament's other division is the Angler Division. No guides or charter captains are allowed.

This pits weekend anglers against other weekend anglers. Nearly all inshore saltwater species are eligible.

We usually hold the tournament on the last Saturday of October. So, I spend portions of the last two weeks of that month preparing for the event. I try to formulate a game plan that gives me the best shot.

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First, I want to win the event. I want to be grand champion. To do that, you must catch, photo and document a Slam (snook, trout, red). I've done that three times in the tournament. Twice, my slam simply wasn't large enough. The third time, I forgot to place the required tournament chip in the photo of my first snook. I landed the fish, placed it on the measuring board, snapped a quick photo and then released the snook.

As soon as I let go of the fish, I realized my blunder.

And, as luck would have it, my next fish was a 25-inch redfish. I caught more than 100 inches of trout that day to easily win the Trout Division. However, that mistake on my first fish cost me the overall title.

Mistakes happens. So do errors in tournament strategy. Two years ago, I caught a lot of trout and three snook. I decided that since the snook were small and shouldn't be a factor I would enter 10 photos of trout. Even though I had nearly 150 inches of trout, I was a distant second to a friend of mine.

Had I entered my three snook (49 inches total), I would have won that division.

Oh, well.

Though I place a premium on pre-fishing and coming up with a game plan, things rarely go as you might you envision.

Five years ago, I found some pretty good action in southern Tampa Bay between Bishop Harbor and Port Manatee. As I was paddling out the Bishop Harbor channel into Tampa Bay a couple of days before the tournament, I noticed a couple of things: 1. The nearby flats were void of water on the negative low tide; 2. There were loads of trout in the channel. The trout had nowhere else to go on the low tide. The was no water on the flat, so they had to fall into the channel.

I beached my kayak, got out and began casting Clouser Deep Minnows into the channel. The trout were more than cooperative. In 20 minutes, I must have caught and released 15 trout to 18 inches. In addition, I coaxed a small snook into hitting. Now, all I had to do was find a redfish.

If you've ever fly fished along southwest Florida, then you understand redfish are our toughest fish on fly. If you go out and catch a red, you've had a good day. If you catch two or more on fly, you'd better buy a lottery ticket on your way home.

There are sand bars that run for great lengths between Bishop Harbor and Port Manatee. Redfish and other species will swim onto the sand bars as the tide rises to feed. I was able to catch and release a couple of decent reds.

So, I had a pretty decent slam. With an 18-inch trout, a 22-inch snook and 28-inch red, I had accumulated 68 inches. I'll take my chances with a 68-inch slam any time!

The next day, I paddled to the channel just to make sure the trout were still there. They were. At this point, I paddled back into Bishop Harbor to a hole in the mangroves where a creek led to a decent-sized saltwater lake (Mose's Hole). I have caught some nice snook and reds there, so I wanted to find out if it might be a tournament spot.

In just 20 minutes, I caught and released three snook and two reds.

Game. Set. Match.

I was ready for the tournament.

As I wrote earlier, things rarely go as you plan. A front had moved through overnight and the wind was cranking when I launched the next morning.

Luckily, the trout were still jammed into the canal. I caught 10 trout in about 10 casts and documented each with photos. There was no water on the adjacent flats and it was too windy to fish Tampa Bay, so I headed for Mose's Hole.

I caught fish there, but no snook or reds. I caught several more trout, including an anchor fish that was 24 inches in length. My 10 trout totaled 178 inches. I won the division with room to spare.

The weather came into play another year. It was predicted to be bad, and it was.  With the wind supposed to blow 20-25 out of the north, my plan was to fish the Buttonwood Harbor area of Sarasota Bay. I would paddle to just north of the Buttonwood channel, anchor and fish the deep water slowly. With a super low tides, I expected snook , redfish and trout to be in the channel.

The wind was cranking when I arrived at the launch. But it wasn't  out of the north. It was straight out of the east -- not a good wind to fish Buttonwood. I sat in my truck for about 10 minutes and decided to drive to the east side of the bay and fish Stephens Point. There I would get a little relieve on the lee side.

It was still dark when I launched my kayak. I paddled out to a nearby lighted dock and saw several snook. I hooked up on my first cast and landed a chunky 24-incher after a strong fight. By the time I landed the fish, photographed it and released it, the sun was up and the light was off.

I made a few "just-in-case" casts, but didn't get a hit. So, I paddled out of the basin and into Sarasota Bay. There are several docks along the bayfront, so I set up to make a few prospect casts.

Long story short: I caught and released nine more snook from one of the docks. My 10 snook were all that large, but I had slightly more than 200 inches -- no doubt enough to win the division.

When the snook bite ended, I paddled out into the bay. The wind was now blowing hard out of the north. All I could do was anchor on grass patches and blind cast. I spent three or four hours doing this and caught 30 or more trout. My 10 best went  160 inches. Again, that should be plenty to win.

With two hours remaining in the tournament, I paddled to the shoreline, anchored the kayak, got out and began casting for redfish. I didn't get a red, but I was confident I had done well.

When I got back to tournament headquarters, I decided to enter 10 snook photos. I won the Snook Division quite easily. I also would have won the Trout Division easily. However, tournament rules restrict all competitors to winning just one division. That spreads the wealth, so to speak.

As you have probably surmised, I fish the tournament out of my kayak, the last three from either a NuCanoe Frontier or NuCanoe Pursuit. Realize, this isn't a kayak tournament. I'm one of the few competitors going against powerboaters out of a kayak.

I realize this could handicap me -- if I allowed it. However, I actually think I have the advantage. If the fish don't know you're there, you have a pretty good chance at getting them to hit.

And that's where tournament strategy comes into play. It certainly would be a different story if I didn't have the foggiest idea of what was going on when I launched on tournament day.

Here's an elementary tournament strategy. Since the tournament begins at 6 a.m., I suggest camping out at a lighted dock at which you know there are snook (you can see them). Arriving early stakes your claim and assures no one else will fish it. There's a great chance you'll catch at least one snook -- and maybe more. At daylight, your redfish quest can begin. You can spend several hours in pursuit of reds. Remember, redfish are usually the toughest of the trio on fly rod. I suggest getting out of the boat and wading. You can cover the water slowly and completely.

If you get that red, you're in business. Saving trout for last makes a lot of sense because the species is pretty easy to catch.

If you live in southwest Florida or will be in the area in late October, you might was to fish this fun event. For tournament information and registration form, visit http://fallflyfishingchallenge.com/.

You can also call me with any questions at 941-284-3406.

We'd love to have you. You'll not only get to spend a day on the water, but you'll have loads of fun, too.

We have a pre-tournament (captains' ) meeting scheduled Oct. 28 at 6:30 p.m. at The Meadows Community Center, 2004 Longmeadow,  in Sarasota.

The tournament begins at 6 a.m.. Oct. 29. The tournament ends at 3 p.m.

We'd love to see you there. You won't regret it!

Gibby's Snymph is a an effective, easy fly that catches fish

Snymphs are easy to tie and  effective in most any color.

Fly fishing is a great way to catch fish. It's not only deadly on such species as rainbow and brown trout in this country's colder fresh waters, but for most species of fish.

I'm going to share a technique that I began using about 10 years ago that has increased my catches in fresh waters around Florida.

Monster shellcracker on Synmph.

Flashback to 1975. In those days, I cast popping bugs and only popping bugs. When the topwater bite ended, it was time to go home.

Fast forward to 2006. I discovered nymph fishing. Nymphs are small flies that are usually used in colder streams for freshwater trout.

I'm here to tell you they're deadly on a variety of fish in Florida. Now, when the topwater bite is done, my day is usually just beginning.

For starters, I use a No. 10 bead-head nymph that I tie on a White River (Bass Pro Shop) WR-396 No. 10 hook. It's a 1X long classic nymph hook.  You can tie the nymph on any size hook you want, but I've found No. 10 is very versatile.

The fly is so simple and easy to tie that I've dubbed it Gibby's Snymph.

I tie the fly with tan dubbing, brown dubbing, olive dubbing and a number of other colors. I use a 1/8 gold bead.

Gibby's Snymph (simple nymph)

Hook:  WR-396 No. 10

Thread:  8/0 Uni Thread (color to match dubbing)

Head:  1/8 gold bead

Tail:  Small bunch of squirrel tail to match dubbing

Body:  Hare's Ear Plus Dubbin Hare's Ear

Ribbing:  copper wire

Nice peacock bass and a Snymph.

The fly is not only deadly on a variety of fish, but ultra-easy to tie.

Add bead to hook and place in vice. Tie in thread and wrap back to point of hook. Tie in a small clump of squirrel tail. At this point, I tie in a short length of copper wire. Now, I twist on dubbing to the thread and wrap forward. I start with about a 2-inch noodle of dubbing. I keep going forward and build up the dubbing toward the head. After I'm satisfied with the shape, I wrap the wire forward, tie it off and cut it. I then whip finish the thread.

Voila! You're ready to fish.

I've caught a variety of fish on the Snymph. I've caught big bluegill, huge shellcracker, stumpknocker, channel catfish, largemouth bass to 4 pounds, golden shiners, Mayan cichlid, oscar, peacock bass, speckled perch, sunshine bass, snook and tarpon. I might have caught a couple of other species, but I can't remember.

I fish the Snymph under a strike indicator. I adjust the strike indicator according to the water depth. It might take a couple of adjustments to get it right.

Diminutive tarpon on a Snymph.

I fish out of a kayak, so I don't have to make long casts. The beauty of kayak fishing is that the fish don't know you're there (if you're quiet). So, I set up about 20-25 feet from my target area.

When it comes to kayak fly fishing, there's no doubt in my mind that the NuCanoe Pursuit (www.nucanoe.com)  is the best. It's roomy, spacious and features and uncluttered cockpit that makes a perfect stripping basket. Additionally, it has four rod tubes into which you can stow fully assembled fly rods. I normally carry at least three fly rods on most trips, so two are stowed safely out of the way when I'm not using them.

I cast to my target area and allow the nymph to sink. I don't "work" the nymph much, and I believe you can overdo  it. I give it a twitch or two and allow it to sink.

Channel catfish love the Snymph.

A majority of my hits take place as the Snymph sinks or when it's just suspended under the indicator. Sometimes I'll just let it sit there. If there's a little chop on the water, that's usually enough to give the fly life.

Detecting a strike comes with experience. The indicator (think of it as a miniature bobber) might go under. Set the hook! But it might just "twitch." Set the hook. It might not move at all. I advise watching your line and responding if it moves.

With experience, you'll get the hang of it.

Just the other day, I launched my Pursuit at a local spot which I hadn't fished in years. It's a lake within a county park that has been fished hard over the years.

The fishing was pretty darn good.

In just a few hours, I caught nine largemouth bass, 25 bluegill, four shellcracker and a decent channel catfish. I also hooked another sizeable cat, but broke off.

Bluegill are suckers for the Snymph.

That's 39 fish.

Most came on the Snymph.

I have caught bass to nearly 5 pounds on the Snymph. I've caught loads of hand-size bluegill. It's deadly on shellcracker. Speckled perch (black crappie) love it. Ditto for stumpknocker, channel catfish and tilapia.

The best thing about the Snymph is it meets my criteria for a great fly: 1. It catches fish; 2. It can be tied in five steps or less.

Quick, easy, out the door and on the lake. What more can you ask?

It's my opinion that many (most?) flies are designed to hook fly fishermen. They're intricately designed, beautiful and take more time to tie than they're worth.

I received a new fly-fishing/tying magazine to which I subscribe and saw an article written by one of the young guns of fly tying. He wrote about a new fly that he had designed.

Now, nowhere in the article did it chronicle the fly's effectiveness on any particular species. The fellow simply wrote about how to tie it.

It was a good-looking fly, for sure.

But it involved 62 tying steps! That fly would take more than an hour to produce.

The only way I'm going to spend that amount of time on one fly is if fish jump out of the water to hit it or it's a fly that will catch a species that won't hit a fly.

Take a look at the Clouser Deep Minnow, if you will. It's perhaps the best fly in the country for both freshwater and saltwater species. In addition, the Clouser is one of the simplest flies of all. You can crank them out to the tune of 12 or more an hour. Four tying steps and you're ready to fish.

That's my kind of fly. And, by the way, I do use the Clouser successfully in fresh and salt waters.

The Snymph is quite similar in that it's easy to tie and catches fish -- lots of fish.

When the topwater bite is over, I no long head home. I start casting the Snymph. My day is just beginning.

Freshwater fishing was the ticket to September success

John Weimer of Sarasota shows off a beautiful peacock bass that fell for a Clouser Deep Minnow.

Let's just call it "Freshwater September."

With red tide rolling into Sarasota Bay, we switched things up in September and spent most of our time in fresh water.

Hefty shellcracker 

We located a bunch of Mayan cichlid in a small lake within South Gulf Cove in Charlotte County and spent a couple of days there.

We drove south a couple of hours and fished a small lake east of Naples and did well.

We didn't forget about salt water. In fact, we launched near Buttonwood Harbor and had two pretty good outings.

First, let's address red tide. It's a pesky algae bloom that can kill fish and makes things uncomfortable for humans. However, it doesn't mean you can't catch fish. When red tide enters a body of water, it doesn't cover it like a blanket.

The worst red tide that I can remember took place in 2005-06. It lasted a little more than a year. We were able to catch fish throughout its stay.

Fish will seek clean area, and you can often have some pretty good days.

When the wind is out of the east, you usually can find decent action along the east side of Sarasota Bay. In addition, others local areas haven't been affected. I expect Little Sarasota Bay to offer strong action as the weather and water cools.

Rick Grassett's tarpon that was caught on a nymph.

I found out about the spot near South Gulf Cover from a friend. It is supposed to contain a healthy population of Mayan cichlid, a non-native species that found its way into Florida's waters in the mid-1980s. It had a whole bunch of cichlids. This is the farthest north I've encountered appreciable numbers of Mayan cichlid.

John Weimer and I visited the lake and did well. We caught more than 50 of the "atomic sunfish" on No.  bead-head nymphs under a strike indicator. The cichlids ranged from hand-sized to 12 inches in length.

These fish are great fun on light fly rods. They can fight about as well as any fish you'll encounter in fresh water.

Next time out, I took local charter guide Rick Grassett. It was his first fly-fishing venture in a NuCanoe Frontier. We caught a bunch of Mayans to 12 inches. But the highlight of the day was a 14-inch tarpon that Grassett caught while casting a nymph along a fallen tree.

Stability? No question in a NuCanoe as Rick Grassett shows.

I told him at the time that he might be the only fly fisher ever to catch a tarpon on a nymph!

Back to Sarasota Bay, I had a couple of decent outings. First time out, I fly fished docks along Longboat Key and landed two of the four snook I hooked. I saw a few tarpon, but didn't hook any.

At daylight, I paddled to a nearby flat where I have experienced good redfish action in the past. A funny thing happened this time out. Couldn't find any redfish, but I caught several snook and spotted seatrout on topwater plugs and MirrOlure MirrOdines. I caught snook to 28 inches and trout to 24.

Next time out, I found good numbers of snook on the same flat, but smaller. I caught and released eight snook to 22 inches. I also landed a couple of decent trout.

Paddling north, I found some decent trout action toward White Key. I caught trout to 25 inches on MirrOlure MirrOdines and the new D.O.A. 2 3/4-inch shrimp.

I fished southern Tampa Bay and caught six trout, a jack crevalle and a lookdown on topwater plugs and MirrOlure MirrOdines.

Tampa Bay lookdown.

Two trips to Naples proved enjoyable. First time out, I landed three peacock bass to 3 pounds on nymphs. Now, I would never have expected to catch decent-sized peacocks on nymphs! John Weimer and I also caught jumbo bluegill, Mayan cichlid, large shellcracker and largemouth bass on nymphs, Clouser Deep Minnows and popping bugs.

Another trip to Naples resulted in a variety of peacock bass, bluegill, Mayan cichlid, shellcracker and largemouth bass. Largest peacock went 3 pounds and was caught on a Clouser Deep Minnow. Nymphs accounted for most of the other fish.

I spent a day on the Myakka River just below the dam at Upper Myakka Lake. I caught good numbers of hand-sized bluegill, a large shellcracker and small bass on nymphs. I also found several rolling baby tarpon, but didn't hook up.

I bought an annual pass, so I can now get into Myakka quite early. I can be on the water and catching fish by the time the park opens at 8 a.m.

OCTOBER FORECAST:  I look for the best bets to be spotted seatrout and snook. Trout will hit jigs, MirrOdines, D.O.A. Deadly Combinations and D.O.A. shrimp over deep grass along the east and west sides of the Sarasota Bay. Snook will be around dock lights and on the flats at dawn. Shark fishing should be good in Tampa Bay. I also expect decent trout, snook and redfish on the flats around Joe Bay. In fresh water, I anticipate strong action on peacock bass, bluegill, Mayan cichlid, largemouth bass and shellcracker south of Sarasota. Closer to home, Upper Myakka Lake, the Myakka River and Lake Manatee should produce decent bluegill, shellcracker and largemouth bass.

The "season" is beginning to book up. I anticipate a good year based on the interest I've received . If you know when you're going to be in the area, please give me a call or email me to book your trip.

And remember, the best time to go fishing is any time you can!

Steve Gibson

Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing

www.kayakfishingsarsasota.com

941-284-3406

From keyboard to video: An arduous process

Print journalism has always been my bag. I've been pounding a keyboard for about as long as I can remember.

I spent more than 40 years in print journalism from the time I entered the U.S. Air Force in 1971 until I retired from the newspaper business in 2009.

I fooled around with video and electronic media over the years. I host a weekly radio fishing show in Sarasota and a fishing segment on a local TV station.

I didn't get into the technical end of it, though.

About 18 months ago, my wife bought me a GoPro video camera. I have a buddy who has a GoPro and he's done some quality work. Also, there's a plethora of video work around the Internet.

Unfortunately, my GoPro sat in my office. I could shoot video, but editing it was a whole other world.

The more I thought about my dilemma, the more determined I was to solve this problem. At the 2014 ICAST in Orlando, I spent 30 minutes at the GoPro booth, getting some expert instruction on how to produce video. I was excited and couldn't wait to get home to put my new knowledge to use.

A funny thing happened between Orlando and my home in Sarasota: I forgot most everything I had learned.

Chalk that up to old age. Stupidity.

So, my GoPro remained in the office for another year.

One day I was headed to the beach to sight-fishing snook in the surf. I figured that would be the perfect place to begin my GoPro efforts. I had previously purchased an apparatus that allowed my to put the diminutive video cam on my cap.

So, I hit the beach and decided to give it a go

.

The effort was less than stellar, but it was a start.

While it wasn't the best video on beach snook fishing around, it served to give me perspective. You have to understand what's going on and what the camera is seeing.

Next time out, I shot more video. And I was able to put it together via instruction from YouTube. The more I looked into it, the more I found out. I learned how to make clips. How to put them together.

How to add titles, music and voice-overs. I learned how to fade in and fade out. I could do that with clips, music and titles.

I've taken the camera out in the kayak a few times. The first couple of occasions kind of sucked because the fishing was so slow. Third time was the proverbial charm! We caught loads of fish and I was able to get a lot of footage.

For most of my life, I've been a photo guy. And since the advent of digital cameras, I've been able to download photos into my computer and edit them. It's a pretty painless and quick endeavor.

Video -- at least for me -- in another matter. It takes time, planning and is a production.

Of course, you can keep things simple and just create a simple clip to show to your friends. But there's a whole new world out there and there are no limits.

I'm a whole lot better at this video thing than I was a few months ago, but I'm not as good as I'll be tomorrow. It's a never-ending process.

I'll keep at it and I'm looking forward to future endeavors.

Beach snook winding down; back to kayak fishing lakes and bays

Snook are plentiful in the surf from May through August. The season is winding down.

Beach snook season is finally coming to a close, so it's back in the kayak for this fishing guide.

There are still a few snook in the surf, but the numbers are down drastically compared to a couple of weeks ago.

The author shows off a fine beach snook caught on fly.

For planning purposes, I target snook in the surf from May until about mid-August. For the most part, I sight-fish these great game fish with my fly rod.

My clients totaled more than 175 snook this past season. On days when I didn't have trips, I caught and released 154 snook from the surf to 28 inches.

This was the best beach snook season that we've had in at least five years. I'm hoping it's even better next year.

For beach snook, I recommend 6- to 8-weight fly rods, with clear, intermediate sinktip line. I don't get fancy on the leader. I use a six-foot length of fluorocarbon. My fly of choice is my Gibby's D.T. Variation, a fly that has produced more than 1,000 beach snook over the years.

Check out this video I produced on beach snook fishing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dLI7HoLJLE

I also did a little freshwater fishing during the month, although I must admit I didn't do all that well.

We're a couple of months from peak action. Freshwater fishing will heat up as the weather cools and the water level goes down.

Now that I'm back fishing the bays, here's what we can expect:

SARASOTA BAY -- I usually launch at Buttonwood Harbor on the west side of the bay midway up Longboat Key, I like to get out an hour or so before dawn and fish dock lights for snook, tarpon and other species. At dawn, I like to be on an adjacent flat, casting for redfish. I look for schools of mullet on the flat and concentrate my efforts there. I usually start out with a topwater plug. I also use jigs, spoons and jerk worms. Stephens Point on the east side of the bay can be a very good spot. You can work the dock lights before dawn there, then paddle out into the bay and fish for spotted seatrout, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, jack crevalle, pompano and ladyfish over the deep grass. I like to use jigs, Mirrolure MirrOdines and D.O.A. Deadly Combinations.

TAMPA BAY -- I launch at the south rest area near the Sunshine Skyway and fish the area around Joe Bay. I like to hit the nearby flats at dawn and cast topwater plugs for redfish, snook and trout. I'll also use MirrOlure MirrOdines. At mid-morning, I paddle out to the nearby sand bars where I like to sight-fish for redfish, snook, cobia, shark and large jack crevalle. When on the sand bars, I cast MirrOlure Lil Johns on 1/16-ounce jig heads. I also fish Tampa Bay out of Bishop Harbor.

CHARLOTTE HARBOR -- My favorite place to launch is Ponce de Leon Park in Punta Gorda. If I paddle north to the mouth of the Peace River, I often encounter tarpon from 30 to 100 pounds. The shoreline structure (docks, mangroves, fallen trees) can be good for snook and reds. If I paddle south from the launch, I'll get into snook, reds and trout on the flats and along the shoreline against the mangroves and around creeks mouths.

SEPTEMBER FORECAST: Fishing around dock lights for snook, tarpon, spotted seatrout and other species is the best bet and a great way to beat the heat. You'll need to use tackle stout enough to prevent the fish from getting around pilings or back into the docks. After daylight, I like to switch to deep grass of Whale Key on the west side of Sarasota Bay and Stephens Point on the east side to cast for spotted seatrout, bluefish, Spanish mackerel and other species. Action should be good in southern Tampa Bay for redfish, trout, snook and shark.

As always, I would like to thank my sponsors: NuCanoe, Aqua-Bound, MirrOlure, D.O.A. Lures, Peak Fishing.

Steve Gibson

Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing

www.kayakfishingsarasota.com

941-284-3406

NuCanoe's Pursuit and Frontier are simple, comfortable and very fishable

My NuCanoe Pursuit is a fishing machine with clean lines and  loads of comfort.

I have been doing this kayak thing for quite a while now. To give you an idea, when I first started fishing from a kayak, I most often was the only one on the water doing so.

That was in 1986. I fished from a kayak while doing articles for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune on the subject. I used kayaks from Intracoastal Kayaks in Venice and from Economy Tackle in Sarasota.

Client Todd Dawson battles a nice fish out of the Frontier.

I enjoyed it immensely. I love the feeling of freedom and independence that kayaks gave me. I also enjoyed that I could go fishing when I wanted, where I wanted, for which species I wanted and I could fish the way I wanted. I could also fish as long as I wanted and I could leave when I wanted.

As a bonus, I didn't have to stop at a gas station on the way home to fill up the tank for the outboard.

I've been the powerboat route. I had one of the first flats boats in Sarasota, Fla., where I reside. It was a great boat, but it continuously cost me money. If it wasn't one think, it was another.

What I learned many years ago is that I was catching more fish out of the kayak than I did in the powerboat. And that made a whole lot of sense to me. If the fish didn't know I was there, they were easier to catch.

Vinny Caruso fights a shad on fly on the St. Johns River.

Granted, I was limited where I could fish. I was only as good as where  my paddling arms could take me. But I realized that was a bonus, too. If the fish weren't cooperating where I was, I couldn't simply turn the key and speed off to a hot spot 10 miles away.

I was there for the entire time. So, I got to know each and every spot intimately. I eventually discovered every nook and cranny in every spot I fished.

Take Buttonwood Harbor, for example. Buttonwood is a popular spot located on the west side of Sarasota Bay. It's comprised of nine mangrove islands, grass flats, channels and sand holes. It's about a mile long and half mile wide. Within that area, I have about 60 spots I can fish, depending on the wind, season and weather.

Standing and poling the flats at dawn in Charlotte Harbor.

Simply put, fishing from a kayak has made me a better angler.

I co-founded the CCA/Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers annual All-Release Fly Fishing Challenge (along with Capt. Rick Grassett)  in 2004. For the first few years, I fished with a buddy out of his powerboat. Six years ago, I decided it was best for me and my business (www.kayakfishingsarasota.com) that I fish out of my kayak.

I've done well. I have won a division of the tournament nine out of the 11 years. I've won the Snook Division five times and Spotted Seatrout Division four times. On three occasions, I've caught more than enough snook and trout to win both divisions. However, tournament rules limit each anglers to winning just one division.

A.J. Menard fights his first permit.

I've also caught Slams (snook, trout and redfish) three times. My slams haven't been enough, but I've won a division two of the three times.

You might have surmised that I like to fly fish. Yes. And I do it as often as I can.

Early on in my kayak-fishing career, it was a tough go. Most kayaks aren't designed for fly fishing.  There's no place to stow fly rods safely. And most kayaks have plenty of line-snagging equipment and/or accessories scattered over the deck.

Then came NuCanoe. I was introduced to NuCanoe by fly-fishing guru Joe Mahler (www.joemahler.com) of Fort Myers. Mahler is a fly-casting instructor, author, illustrator and world-class fly angler.

A couple of trips with Mahler had me convinced that NuCanoe was the way to go.

When I decided to make the switch, there were just to models: the Classic and Frontier. I opted for three 12-foot Frontiers.  The Frontier is a spacious, wide open kayak that arguably is the most stable watercraft of its kind. Standing in the Frontier is no big deal.

Menard's permit made him smile.

It's so easy, in fact, that I've had anglers as old as 84 standing while fishing.

I have discussed with NuCanoe owner Blake Young that we need to change the designation of the Frontier from kayak to personal fishing craft.

By any name, it's a winner.

About a year after I joined NuCanoe (www.nucanoe.com), the company came out with the Pursuit, a narrower, longer, sleeker version with similar stability. The boat also features four rod tubes in which you can stow four fly rods safely and out of the way.

That sealed the deal for this fly-fished enthusiast!

The Pursuit also has a spacious, uncluttered cockpit. There's nothing for my fly line to catch on.

Simply put, it's a virtual fly-fishing machine.

I'm a minimalist when it comes to rigging and accessories. But that's the beauty with any of the NuCanoe models. The integrated track system allows you to add as many (or as few) accessories as the want.

For me, it's as few. I added an anchor trolley system to my Pursuit. I also mount a GoPro video camera in the track system. That's about it.

I carry tackle in a milk crate behind my seat. I've added seven rod holders to the milk crate.

I fish all over in my Pursuit. I fish saltwater bays and estuaries. I fish freshwater lakes and streams. I fish from Tampa Bay to The Everglades and points beyond.

And best of all, I always catch fish.

I'm a fishing fool in the best fishing kayak on the market.

I'm a versatile guy, so I need the most versatile fishing kayak available.