Lake Manatee is a jewel that shines bright and is lightly fished

This Lake Manatee largemouth bass fell for a Myakka Minnow on a 2-weight TFO Finesse. (photo by John Weimer)

The other day, I told a friend of mine that I was going to head out to Lake Manatee the next morning. I told him he could join me if he'd like.

Must not have appealed to him because he decided to fish a private lake in Venice instead.

No big deal.

He'd fished Lake Manatee one time a year or so ago with little success. So, I doubt he was too excited about the prospects of another trip. Surely a chance to fish a private look had significantly more appeal.

I get it. Most folks who fish Lake Manatee leave unimpressed. She's a tough nut to crack -- to say the least. I'll bet there are more Lake Manatee one-timers than any other lake in Florida.

That's a shame.

I experienced perhaps my best day ever on the lake. And I've had some good ones over the years.

A hefty Lake Manatee shellcracker

I first fished Lake Manatee in the late 1970s. And I'll admit I certainly wasn't very impressed.

"Lake Manatee is very tough to fish," said Bob Popp, who at the time was manager of the old Bass Pro Shop on the north Tamiami Trail in Sarasota. "But she has some impressive bass."

He was right. The old gal can be extremely tough. Reason is the lake isn't your typical Florida "dishpan" lake, with vegetation-covered shorelines. The lake was created in 1964 when a dam was constructed across the Manatee River. The lake/reservoir is used to provide drinking water for Manatee County residents.

Most of the shoreline is not really shoreline at all, but a facade created by vegetation that grows out into the lake. The edges can be 20 to 75 feet from the true shoreline. And under the vegetation is nothing but empty water.

Another factor that affects fishing is the lake's water level. I find it best when the water at the dam (where the measurement is taken) is at 39 feet. That means there's plenty of water at my favorite spots to cast popping bugs for bluegills and bass or nymphs for bluegill, speckled perch, shellcracker, stumpknocker and channel catfish.

When the water drops, that often means spots where I had been catching fish are now only 12 inches or less.  The fish move offshore into deeper water.

You can determine the lake's water level by visiting: 

https://www.weatherforyou.com/reports/index.php?config=&place=winter+park&state=fl&forecast=riversobs&gauge=MTDF1

The lake's level  is controlled by flood gates on the dam, which is located on the western end of the lake. I'm not sure what Manatee County's philosophy is when it comes to determining the water level?

Certainly rain and drought have influence, but who knows what goes on when it comes to the lake's water level?

Although low water can be a pain, it doesn't mean fishing will stink. Witness a trip John Weimer, a Sarasota retiree, and I had in May of 2017. We launched  our NuCanoe Pursuits at the ramp in Lake Manatee State Park. I hadn't fished that part of the lake very much and really knew little about it.

So, we headed across the lake and found some fish feeding in a shallow cove. We cast small popping bugs and had a pretty good bite for about an hour. We caught largemouth bass, bluegill, sunshine bass and a feisty channel cat (a rare catch on a popper).

When the bite ended, I wasn't sure what to do? However, I noticed some disturbances along the shoreline and paddled closer to see what was going on. Turned out, it was big channel catfish "tailing" in the shallows. While they were grubbing along the bottom, their tails would pierce the water's surface. It was then an easy task to present them a fly. We connected on quite a few before the fish left the area.

We found more "tailing" activity just west of the cove. At the spot, we found it easier to "beach" the kayaks, get out and walk along the exposed beach (it was normally under water). Casting Squirmy Wormy flies under a strike indicator, Weimer and I caught and released 17 channel cats from 2 to 6 pounds.

My latest trip was one of my best ... ever!  At dawn, I found some bluegill feeding along a grass edge and caught an half dozen on popping bugs. When that died, I paddled along a grass edge and found an area of deeper water. I expected bluegill, but encountered largemouth bass to 3 pounds. I caught four or five bass, plus a handful of bluegill and a large stumpknocker.

At that point, I decided to give Speck Cove a try. It's an area that has been yielding some really big bluegill and shellcracker. But a funny thing happened on the way to the cove.

I found some "busting" fish and decided to give them a try. I wasn't sure what they were, but what the heck? I was expected bluegill, but found more bass. First cast resulted in a plump 3-pounder. By the time the topwater bite ended, I had caught and released a half dozen bass to 2 1/2 pounds.

That's when I finally head to Speck Cove. I caught a half dozen nice bluegill on a Gibby's Simple Nymph under a strike indicator, but they certainly weren't jumping into the kayak.

This huge channel cat was taken on a 1/2-weight fly rod.

So, I paddled back to a spot  where Weimer and I had done well the week prior. It's a long grass line, but only a third of it had been productive.  The strategy was to drift the productive area and then  paddle back and drift it again. As long as the fish were cooperative, we'd gladly make another drift.

The pattern was the same on this outing -- only better. In addition to some really big bluegill, I caught 10 speckled perch (northerners call them crappie), bass to 4 pounds and a 13-pound channel cat.

All of the fish were caught on nymphs.

And to complicate things, I was using a TFO 1/2-weight Finesse. You're reading that correctly. It's a half weight. Smaller than a 1 weight fly rod.

I've caught a lot of fish on that rod, but I never expected to catch my largest channel cat ever.

Fortunately, when I set the hook after the big cat inhaled the No. 12 nymph, the fish decided to head out into the middle of the lake. If it had headed into the grass, there's no way my 4-pound tippet would with survived.

Still, it was an epic battle. Not only was I taken deep into the backing, I was also close to being stripped. I've developed the ability to paddle and fight a fish at the same time, so I could follow the fish and regain some line. I was able to prevent the big cat from stripping me.

The battle took 15 minutes. It didn't take a genius to figure out it was a big fish, but my eyes widened when I saw the channel cat for the first time. It was the largest I'd ever hooked on the lake.

I netted the monster, removed the tiny nymph and weighed the fish. Slightly more than 13 pounds.

Incredible.

I've caught quite a few noteworthy fish from Lake Manatee.

John Weimer with a Lake Manatee speck

In March (2020), Weimer and I were drifting the north shoreline on our way back to the launch at Lake Manatee Fish Camp. We'd had another remarkable day, with loads of bluegill, shellcracker and largemouth bass. We really did expect much, but the light westerly breeze was moving us along shoreline beautifully.

Weimer was casting a Gibby's Rudy J; I was casting a No. 12 Gibby's Myakka Minnow on a 2-weight TFO Finesse.

We each caught a couple of small fish, but nothing exceptional. I cast the Myakka Minnow, a fly I developed in 2005, to within a inch of the grass line and began to retrieve it. The line tightened and I swear I was hung up on a log or the bottom. I knew that wasn't the case when I felt movement on the end of the line.

"Big fish," I yelled to John, which is our signal to get the camera ready.  "I don't know what it is, but it's big."

I began paddling backwards with one hand and fighting the fish with the other. My goal was to (hopefully) get the fish away from the grass and limbs. I saw the fish flash and really thought it was one of the lake's huge tilapia. But when it made its first jump, I knew it wasn't.

It was a huge bass. It was the largest bass I'd ever taken on fly. It was beautiful.

But how could I land it on such diminutive tackle? Would the tiny, No. 12 hook hold? Would the 4-pound tippet be strong enough?

I didn't know, but I would give it my best effort.

The fishing gods were with me that day. The tiny hook and light tippet survived six jumps and a 10-minute fight. When I was finally able to net the bass, I was amazed.

I've caught a pair of trophy bass in my life. I caught an 11-pound, 9-ounce largemouth from a pond in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., in 1975. I caught a 10-4 bass from Sarasota's Cowpen Slough in 1979. But those came on spinning and baitcasting tackle.

This bass was my largest on fly rod. I'm not sure how much it weighed, but I'd guess 7 pounds or more.

Other memorable Lake Manatee outings include the day Weimer and I combined for 30 big speckled perch on nymphs (our record). 

And there's the time I caught a 6-pound tilapia on a 1-weight TFO Finesse (also on a nymph).

I got to video Weimer fighting and landing a huge tilapia that he got on a Myakka Minnow.

Noted fly fisher Joe Mahler of Fort Myers and I had an unforgettable day when we didn't land a big one. It was Mahler's first trip on Lake Manatee. We paddled under the State Road 64 toward the south shoreline. I'd been getting some nice bluegill there.

We started casting along the shore, but our plan was interrupted by some big bass feeding on golden shiners behind us. You could see shiners frantically leaping from the water, trying to escape the big bass in pursuit.

We cast what we had in our hands as quickly as we could. I was using a No. 10 popping bug. I don't remember was Mahler was casting, but I'm sure it was equally as ridiculous for big bass as my tiny bug.

We both hooked up immediately. I don't know how large my fish was, but I couldn't stop it. The hook didn't do a good job, either. It pulled. I hooked three more huge bass (and lost each one) before the melee ended.

It's my opinion that Lake Manatee isn't a great bass lake. At least that's what I've found. I think there are some huge bass in the lake, but they're not easy. I believe you have to be opportunistic.

During spring and fall, you'll often find schools of hefty bass busting shad in the afternoon. Shad will rise to the surface to feed on plankton when the water warms up in early afternoon. You can often witness the blowup from the bass.

The author with a nice tilapia taken on a 1-weight TFO.

I've found it's tough to get close enough to cast. My strategy has always been to paddle to the general vicinity, then sit and wait. Sooner or later, fish will move close enough for you to make a cast.

These usually aren't trophy bass, but solid 3 to 5 pounders.

The lake also has some hefty shellcracker (redear sunfish). I was told years ago that you can't catch shellcracker on popping bugs. The Lake Okeechobee guide who gave me that sage advice probably should have told me that I couldn't catch very many shellcracker on popping bugs.

On a recent trip, I caught two nice shellcracker in a row poppers. Later in the day, I caught four more shellcracker, including one that weighed more than a pound, on my Gibby's Simple Nymph. Most of my shellcracker are caught on nymphs.

That leads me to my freshwater strategy. I'm like most other fly fishers; I love to catch fish on the surface. So, I usually started out with a No. 10 popping bug. And I'll fish it as long as I'm catching fish. That can be from 20 minutes to several hours. I let the fish tell me what to do.

When the topwater bite ends, I usually switch to a Simple Nymph under a strike indicator. This is my go-to combo on Lake Manatee and other lakes around the state.

When I first started fly fishing, all I used in fresh water was popping bugs. And when the bite ended, it was time to go home.

That all changed when I discovered nymphing.  That discovery took place while fishing for trout in northeast Georgia with guide Rex Gudgel out of Unicoi Outfitters in Helen, Ga. We were doing well on nymphs, catching rainbow trout to 27 inches. That's when the proverbial light bulb started glowing in my head.

"If trout love nymphs, why wouldn't Florida panfish?" I thought.

My plan was to give it a try upon return to Sarasota.

I ordered a dozen Hare's Ear Nymphs from Orvis and the odyssey began. Not only did the nymphs work, but they worked wonderfully! I started catching more fish than ever. And I caught some large fish.

After a while, I start tying my own. I didn't tie Hare's Ear Nymphs, but an adaptation that I created for myself. I call it the Gibby's Simple Nymph. It's a bead-head nymph with a pheasant tail and dubbed body.

It's quick and easy to tie. And it catches loads of fish.

The best fishing at Lake Manatee takes place fall through spring. I don't fish it much in summer because that's the time I'm usually walking the beaches, sight-fishing for snook in the surf.

Lake Manatee is located off State Road 64 west of Bradenton in Manatee County. It's nine miles east of Interstate 75.

It's close, easy to get to and, most importantly, lightly fished.

If you haven't fished Lake Manatee, you're missing out.

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!

Junior's Craft Fur Minnow great for fresh- and saltwater fish

Junior's Craft Fur Minnow is easy to tie and very effective on fresh- and saltwater fish.

Every once in a while, I stumble upon an idea so simple that I wonder why I didn't think of it?

Joe Mahler, a fly-fishing guru in Fort Myers, Fla., turned me onto a fly created by Junior Burke of Indiana. It's a classic takeoff on the Clouser Deep Minnow created by Bob Clouser of Pennsylvania. 

The original Clouser is tied with bucktail.

Peacock bass are suckers for Craft Fur Minnows!

Burke's minnow is tied with select craft fur that's readily available in most fly shops. In my hometown of Sarasota, I purchase craft fur at The Compound (4063 Clark Rd., http://www.compoundboardshop.com/). The Compound arguably has the best selection of fly-tying materials in this area. (Note: The Compound will be moving into its new building in Sarasota in late February.) You can call The Compound at 941-923-0430.

Back to Burke's amazing minnow!

The fly is easy to tie. I'd estimate I can crank one out every couple of minutes. So, as you might imagine, I have a good supply.

The fly was originally designed for smallmouth bass in Indiana. Burke advises to fish it on a sinktip line with a fluorocarbon leader.

The fly paid big dividends for John Weimer.

It's his "go-to fly."

Mahler, a good friend of Burke's, advises letting the fly sink, then use short, sharp strips with long pauses.

While Mahler uses the fly to fool largemouth bass, I've found it's an incredible fly for peacock bass. Over our  last four trips, we've totaled 125 peacock bass  to 5 1/2 pounds. In addition, we've caught largemouth bass, monster Mayan cichlid and oscar.

While driving home from a peacock bass trip in south Florida, I began to think about using Junior's Craft Fur Minnow in salt water.

Why not?

If I tied it on a saltwater hook, there's no reason it shouldn't work.

Tying a few on No. 2 Mustad  S71SNP-DT hooks, I set out to find out how marine species liked the fly.

I can't say I was surprised. They loved it!

For freshwater fishing, I tie my Craft Fur Minnows on a No. 6 White River 004 that I get at Bass Pro Shops. Most any strong freshwater hook will work.

Tying the Craft Fur Minnow is simple.

Hook: No. 2 Mustad S71SNP-DT (salt water); No 6 White River 004 (fresh water)

Thread: White flat wax nylon

Eyes: Bead chain (your choice of size and color; I like black)

Body: White extra select craft fur

Flash: 2-3 strands pearl Krystal Flash

Beard: I like red, but Mahler prefers pink. Your choice!

First trip out in the salt with the Craft Fur Minnow was remarkable. I tied a few on No. 4 hooks so that I could use them on my 5-weight TFO BVK rod. I caught several trout from 20 to 24 inches before the wind came up. When that happened, I switched to a 7-weight TFO BVK. I caught trout up to 28 inches.

Next trip, I took John Weimer of the Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers in Sarasota. We had another good day. In fact, Weimer beat his personal best trout seven times! His largest trout went an impressive 27 inches. He also added a 5-pound bluefish.

The shallow-water pattern ended, so I opted for a TFO BVK 6 weight with an intermediate sinktip lne the next outing. I caught trout to 26 inches. In one spot, I caught 15 from 16 to 22 inches.

The fish of the day, however, was a 5-pound blue that I caught when I cast into a school of breaking jack crevalle. I hooked a jack on my first cast, but lost it after a few seconds. The fly was immediately eaten by a healthy blue!

On another trip, I caught several trout from 20 to 26 inches and a 28-inch redfish.

I have no doubt the fly will appeal to a variety of saltwater fish. I believe the fly is easy for the fish to see and ever-so-sexy in the water, with the craft fur forever pulsating to entice predators.

Junior Burke may have designed his fly for smallmouth bass, but I'm not sure he realized the wide appeal of this easy-to-tie fish-catcher!

December was a potpourri of action: peacock bass to large spotted seatrout

John Weimer of Sarasota shows off one of the may large spotted seatrout he caught from Sarasota Bay. 

For the past two months or so, we've been concentrating our efforts around the freshwater lakes and streams of southwest Florida.

First, we like to catch fish. And we've found that the state's lakes and streams result in bent fly rods!

Second, there's much more to Florida than salt water.

The author and a fine peacock bass caught on 5 weight.

We've been fishing the state's salt waters since 1971. We began fishing the Gulf of Mexico and Choctawhatchee Bay around Fort Walton Beach. I was in the Air Force then, and stationed at Eglin AFB.

We moved to Sarasota in 1975 and have been here ever since.

What we've discovered is that the region's lakes and rivers often are overlooked and underfished. That's a good combination for those who want to catch fish on fly.

For the most part, we target hand-sized bluegill, shellcracker, largemouth bass and channel catfish. That's particularly true when we're fishing around Sarasota. Our favorite spot to fish in Lake Manatee, a 2,400-acre reservoir located 9 miles east of Interstate 75 on State Road 64. This lake is lightly fished and chock full of bluegill, speckled perch (black crappie), shellcracker, largemouth bass and channel catfish.

John Weimer's bluefish put up quite a battle.

We also fish the Manatee River, Myakka River, Upper Myakka Lake and Benderson Lake.

For this, we use .5- to 6-weight fly rods. I like to cast No. 12 Gibby's Snymphs  (simple nymphs) under a strike indicator on my .5-weight TFO fly rod. I'll rig my 2-weight with tandem Myakka Minnows. I'll cast a small popping bug on a 3-weight TFO.

Best time of year to fish Lake Manatee and other nearby waters is November through May.

I also love to travel south to fish Alligator Alley and the waterways around Naples.

At Alligator Alley, I target oscar, but also catch bluegill, largemouth bass, Mayan cichlid, peacock bass and stumpknocker. I most often cast a 3- or 4-weight rod loaded with floating line and 8-pound fluorocarbon leader. My fly of choice is my Myakka Minnow in gold, copper, brown or black. If you don't get cut off or lose your fly to a snag, often you can fish all day with one fly.

When fishing Alligator Alley, we often catch more than 200 fish each. I estimate that 60 percent of the catch will be oscar, an exotic that was unintentionally introduced into south Florida waters in 1954. Oscar are extremely strong and readily take a fly.

The waterways around Naples can be even better -- not in terms of numbers, but in quality. All species (oscar, peacock bass, bluegill, shellcracker, largemouth bass) seem to run a little larger than average.

I fish Naples from May through December. I've found the colder months to be a little slow.

Peacock bass there range from just a few inches to more than 5 pounds. My largest on fly is a 5 1/2 pounder that I caught in November . We usually cast 5- or 6-weight rods, floating lines, 8-pound fluorocarbon leaders and JR's Craft Fur Minnows or my Struttin' Peacock Fly. I've also caught plenty of peacock  bass on nymphs, Myakka Minnows and popping bugs.

Peacock bass are very strong and will test the skills of any fly angler.

Butterfly beacocks were introduced into south Florida waters by the state in 1984 and have thrived. Maximum size of butterfly peacocks is about 10 pounds, but the average size is 2.

I've found peacocks like to hang out around docks, rocks and aquatic vegetation like hydrilla.

Saltwater fishing shouldn't be overlooked. After the onset of cooler weather, the pattern changes and fish can actually perk up.

One of my favorite spots to fish this time of year is Palma Sola Bay. I find spotted seatrout to 4 pounds will pile up in holes and canals. I've had some fantastic days there over the years. We average 40 fish per outing, but have topped the 100-fish mark on several occasions.

For this fishing, we use 6-weight fly rods with an intermediate sinktip line, 10-pound fluorocarbon leader and a variety of flies. Clouser Minnows and Bob Popovics Jiggy Fleyes are good choices.

In addition seatrout, we also encounter snook, redfish, ladyfish, jack crevalle, flounder and pompano.

Around Sarasota Bay, spotted seatrout are the main catch, but snook, pompano, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, flounder, ladyfish, black drum and (occasionally) redfish also are available.

We like to get out an hour or so before daylight to target snook around dock lights, using an 8-weight rod, floating line and 20-pounding fluoro leader. Fly choices include Gibby's Snook Minnow or Gibby's Glass Minnow.

At daylight,  we will target snook,  redfish and black drum in canals with fly or spinning tackle.

We'll spend the rest of the day on the flats or over deep grass, targeting redfish, snook, spotted seatrout, flounder, pompano, bluefish, ladyfish, jack crevalle and Spanish mackerel.

When fly fishing, we'll use Clouser Deep Minnows or baitfish patterns. On spinning tackle, we like the mini MirrOdine by MirrOlure. We also like to cast MirrOlure Lil Johns on 1/16-ounce jig heads.

We encountered some very good spotted seatrout action during the month. In fact, John Weimer of Sarasota obliterated his personal-best seatrout several times during one outing, catching and releasing trout to 27 inches. Fly of choice was Junior's Craft Fur Minnow.

I did a solo trip and caught a bevy of trout to 28 inches on Craft Fur Minnows. In addition, I managed bluefish, pompano, snook, redfish and jack crevalle.

Jesse Ehrlich of Sarasota joined me and a great tide, but we didn't have a great day. We caught about a dozen spotted seatrout to 23 inches. In addition, we lost a decent redfish that went for a Craft Fur Minnow.

Another solo outing resulted in a bunch of trout to 26 inches. Most were taken on chartreuse-and-white Clouse Deep Minnows. I also caught jack crevalle, ladyfish , bluefish and pompano.

Marshall Dinerman of Atlanta, Ga., caught a pair of snook from a Longboat Key canal on Clouser Minnows.

JANUARY FORECAST: Usually this is the month for big snook in the Myakka River. The action hasn't been great the past two years, but then again the weather hasn't been cold. And cold is the key to pushing the big snook up the river. We'll see what the month has in store. We look for excellent night snook around lighted docks, plenty of spotted seatrout in deep holes and canals and along the edges of the flats. In fresh water, we anticipate good action on bluegill, speckled perch, channel catfish and largemouth bass in Lake Manatee. Of course, Alligator Alley is a prime spot for oscar, Mayan cichlid, bluegill and largemouth bass.

We're approaching "The Season." That means the demand will be high for kayak fishing services. Be sure to book your trips early to assure you get in on the action!

You can call me at 941-284-3406 or email me at steve@kayakfishingsarasota.com.

Happy Holidays!

Steve Gibson

Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing

www.kayakfishingsarasota.com

941-284-3406

Snook are in the surf and hungry for a fly

Pat Martin of New York battles his first beach snook on fly rod in the Gulf of Mexico.

You never know when you'll be surprised. That happened early in April when my wife and I drove down to Nokomis Beach to spend a leisurely few hours in the sun.

While there, I decided to take a walk. Of course, I would have to see if there were any snook in the surf.

John Kis shows off one of six snook he caught on topwater plugs.

Most years, I don't worry about snook in the surf until about mid-May. But this year has been extremely warm. So, I figured there could be a fish or two in the surf.

Wrong! I spotted more than 50 on my short stroll. I saw singles, doubles and schools up to 15 fish.

That was good news because I had Pat Martin scheduled for a trip the next day. He had originally inquired about fly fishing the surf for snook when he booked the trip a few weeks earlier. At the time, I told him it was a little early to hit the beach. I suggested instead that we fish Sarasota Bay from the kayaks and target snook around dock lights before dawn.

He agreed.

When I called to touch bases prior to our outing, I mentioned the snook in surf.

Bill Koenaman of Indiana brings a nice trout to the kayak.

"I think it's doable," I said.

Martin was agreeable and we met the following morning at 7 and drove south to the beach.

We arrived, grabbed out fly rods and walked to the surf. From there, we began walking north, eyes glued on the surf.

Didn't take long before I spotted a pair of snook 10 feet off the beach, swimming south. Martin didn't see them, but followed my directions and laid down a perfect cast. Two strips later, he was into his first beach snook.

Martin hooked three more snook that morning, landing two. We saw 80 snook over the morning.

This curious manatee decided to check out the kayak.

I usually don't start walking the beaches until May. I've found the prime months to be July and August.

These fish are made for fly fishing. They cruise the surf just a few feet from the dry sand. All it takes is the ability to see them and the ability to put a fly front of them.

Last season was the best in more than five years. I'm hoping this season is as good.

Required gear includes a cap or hat, polarized sunglasses, sunscreen, water, 6- to 8-weight fly rod, floating or sinktip line, leader and flies. I also like to wear flats boots when walking the beach.

On this first outing of the year, we used my new High Intensity Minnow, a glass minnow imitation that has proven deadly on a variety of fish in Sarasota Bay. I tied up a bunch on No. 1 hooks with beach snook in mind.

We weren't disappointed.

You can find snook in the surf from Anna Maria Island to Marco Island. Some beaches are better than others. You'll just have to figure that out. And you'll find that a beach that is hot one week won't have as many snook the next.

We spent the rest of the month fishing from our NuCanoes. Repeat client Bill Koenaman of Fort Wayne, Ind., had a good day fishing around Buttonwood Harbor. We caught and released more than 50 spotted seatrout and a snook. Most of the fish were taken on MirrOlure MirrOdines.

John Kis of New Rochelle, N.Y. had a fair day while fishing topwater plugs and jigs in Buttonwood Harbor. We landed six snook to 26 inches, one redfish and five spotted seatrout. I have been fishing John for nearly 10 years.

Repeat client Kirk Klingensmith of Corning, N.Y. caught four snook to 26 inches, a couple of spotted seatrout and a ladyfish of poppers while fly fishing around Buttonwood Harbor.

Milton Cheney of Sarasota joined me for an outing around Buttonwood Harbor. Action was slow, but we managed eight spotted seatrout to 19 inches on MirrOlure Lil Johns on light jigs.

A solo outing to Buttonwood Harbor produced a 28-inch snook, six spotted seatrout to 18 inches and a ladyfish. All fish were taken on High Intensity Minnows.

John Weimer of Sarasota and I fished a small lake near Naples and had a really slow day. The lake normally produces good numbers of peacock bass, Mayan cichlid, bluegill, shellcracker and largemouth bass. However, the last year's drought has resulted in extreme low water and excessive aquatic vegetation.

The drought has had an effect on Lake Manatee, too. The lake is down and places where we normally catch fish are now nearly dry.

MAY FORECAST: I look for improved beach snook action, with improved numbers as the days go by. Keys to success include calm conditions and clear water. As long as the wind if from the east, conditions are usually good. Night snook action should remain good around lighted docks. Spotted seatrout action should be good over deep grass and along the edges of the flats in Sarasota Bay. Snook also should cooperate on the flats and around mangrove islands.

My beach snook trips usually begin to book up in May. To assure you get the day(s) you want, please book early by contacting me. Email is steve@kayakfishingsarasota.com. Phone number is 941-284-3406.

As always, we couldn't do this without the help of your sponsors: NuCanoe, TFO, Peak Fishing, Economy Tackle, MirrOlure and D.O.A. Lures.

Steve Gibson

Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing

www.kayakfishingsarasota.com

941-284-3406

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

Gibby's Snymph opens up a whole new world in Florida freshwater fishing

Gibby's Snymph is very effective on a variety of fish and amazingly easy to tie.

Nymphs aren't just for trout.

I found that out a few years back after a productive trout trip to northeastern Georgia. Fishing out of Unicoi Outfitters in Helen, Ga., we caught an impressive number of rainbow trout on nymphs in the Chattahoochee River, Soqui  River, Chestatee River and Noontootla Creek.

The Snymph resulted is this fine speckled perch.

While drifting nymphs in the current, the proverbial light bulb went on in my head.

"I'll bet nymphs would  be great on panfish back in Florida," I thought to myself.

I was only half right.

Not only are nymphs great for bluegill, but also speckled perch (black crappie), shellcracker, largemouth bass, channel catfish and other species.

Unlike nymphs used to entice trout, they don't have to be fancy or complicated. In fact, the pattern I tie and use is quite simple. It's so simple that I've dubbed it Gibby's Snymph (a combination of the words simple and nymph). It's a bead-head nymph, with a squirrel tail, dubbed body and wire ribbing.

Four steps and you're done. Four simple steps and you're ready to fish -- and catch fish.

Big fish also eat nymphs.

GIBBY'S SNYMPH

Hook: Bass Pro White River No. 10 396 nymph

Thread: Uni

Head: 1/8 Gold or copper bead

Tail: Squirrel

Ribbing: Fine gold wire

Put bead on hook and place in vise. Tie in thread and wrap to hook bend. Tie in sparse bunch of squirrel hair. Dub body, building it up toward the bead. Wrap ribbing forward and whip finish.

Voila! You're ready to fish.

Hefty shellcracker eat nymphs.

I tie Snymphs is several colors: tan; brown, olive and rust. Those colors have all produced. I'm sure other colors also would produce.

I fish the Snymph under an strike indicator. I like Lightning Strike 1/2-inch fluorescent yellow strike indicators. I've found they're the best and simplest to use for what I do in Florida.

Fishing the Snymph is pretty simple, too. I cast the Snymph to the edge of the structure (grass, lily pads, trees, rocks, etc.) and allow it to sink. I don't work the Snymph too much. I use a couple of one-inch strips in succession and then allow the Snymph to sink again. If there's any chop on the water, that usually is enough to give the Snymph all the action needed.

One thing I've found important is to point your rod tip straight down the line toward the strike indicator. With the rod tip in the water, all slack is removed from the fly line. That is important when the indicator goes under and it's time to set the hook. With no slack in the line, setting the hook is easy and usually effective.

You might think the Snymph is only good for small fish. Not so. I've taken bluegill to 12 inches, speckled perch to 2 1/2 pounds, large shellcracker, bass to 5 pounds, channel catfish to 7, Mayan cichlid, peacock bass, gar, tilapia and oscar.

This large tilapia inhaled a Gibby's Snymph.

Back when I first started fly fishing in Florida's fresh waters, I used popping bugs. I used popping bug for bluegill. I used larger poppers for bass. I caught mostly bluegill and bass. On rare occasions, I caught shellcracker and speckled perch.

It was fun when the topwater bite was  going on. When it slowed, it was time to go home.

That all changed after my trip to northeast Georgia to fly fish for trout. That opened up a whole new world.

I found out that when the topwater bite ends, the day is just beginning when you switch to subsurface flies.

In fact, the subsurface bite usually is much better!

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