We're now a member of the Aqua-Bound Pro Staff

I am happy to announce that I have been selected as a member of the Aqua-Bound Paddles Pro Staff.

Aqua-Bound is a premier paddle manufacturer and offers a variety of paddles to meet the needs of kayak anglers and recreational paddlers of all skill levels.

I conduct kayak-fishing seminars throughout Sarasota and the state each year. One of my messages is that prospective kayak anglers should buy the best equipment they can afford. It makes no sense to purchase of good kayak, but select an inexpensive paddle. That’s like putting economy tires on your Porsche!

For my use, I selected Aqua-Bound’s Surge Carbon Kayak Paddle. It’s strong, very light (24.5) ounces and attractive. Mine will be 230 cm in length.

Please check out the Aqua-Bound website at http://www.aquabound.com/.

January offers hot snook and redfish river action

Al Ewert of Connecticut shows off a hefty Myakka River snook that he caught on a D.O.A. 4-inch jerk worm and jig.

For the most part, January was a good month for clients of Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing.


Concentrating on the Myakka River, clients caught a variety of fish, including snook, redfish, largemouth bass, spotted gar, Florida gar and tarpon.

The year started with repeat client Al Ewert of Connecticut. Using a D.O.A. CAL 4-inch jerk worm on a 1/16-ounce jig head, Ewert connected quickly on a hefty river snook. We were fishing my deep-water pattern of which few anglers are aware. I discovered this pattern by accident.

In addition, Ewert caught small redfish, bass and gar. We added a 35-inch snook at mid-morning.

John Garcia, a fly angler from California, and his cousin, Daniel from Sarasota, had a good day, but had to fish hard to succeed. Garcia managed a pair of nice snook and a 28-inch redfish on fly. Daniel caught gar and a 3-pound largemouth bass.

On a busman’s holiday, I hit the river and landed 7 snook to 33 inches, 2 bass to 2.5 pounds, a 28-inch redfish and a gar. All fish were taken on a CAL Jerk Worm and jighead.

John Mallia and Jim Hoffman of Buffalo, N.Y. joined me for two tough days of fishing on the river. But the persistent and hardcore anglers succeeded. Mallia managed snook to 28 inches, gar and a bass. Hoffman connected on snook and bass, but lost a hefty snook at the side of the kayak.

The following day was tougher. The group managed one 25-inch snook, 5 bass to 2.5 pounds, 5 gar, a ladyfish and a small tarpon – all on jigs.

Key to the river success is persistency. Those who keep their lures in the water usually are rewarded. It’s tough fish, but can pay off in quality fish.

Dick Badman of Pennsylvania joined me and had a very tough day. Snook, bass, gar and tarpon were absent. However, we did land a 32-inch redfish.

John Mallia and his son, J.D., fished Palma Sola Bay and did well. The duo managed 55 spotted trout, 10 flounder and several ladyfish on CAL Jigs with gold paddle tails.

John Skivington of New York fished the Myakka River and had a smattering of success. Snook had lockjaw, but he caught bass and several gar. We also caught a small redfish and a plethora of ladyfish.

Dick Badman of Pennsylvania fished Sarasota Bay and did well. Casting flies, Badman landed spotted seatrout, ladyfish, Spanish mackerel and pompano. We were fishing the deep grass off Stephens Point.

Tom Miller of New York joined me for a river outing and had a good time. He caught a few bass and hooked a gar. In all, we totaled five largemouth to 3 pounds and a few ladyfish.

Mike Green of Cartersville, Ga., and I got out on the water at 4:30 a.m. and had a good day. He caught two snook – the first of his life – and several spotted seatrout on fly around dock lights. After daylight, he managed a number of spotted seatrout and ladyfish. We also landed a nice pompano.

Woody Calloway of Legacy Paddlesports, videoman John, Bobby Harless of Punta Gorda, Mark Lozier, a Native Watercraft-endorsed guide from Virginia Beach, Va., and Dave and Lisa Harper of North Port fished with me off Stephens Point. We caught a load of small spotted seatrout, ladyfish, flounder and Spanish mackerel on jigs.

River action slowed down toward the end of the month, but we expect it to improve – if we get some cold weather.

If not, we’ll concentrate on fishing the deep grass in Sarasota Bay.

A good alternative is to get out on the water a couple of hours before daylight to fish around dock lights. On a solo trip, I landed a redfish and spotted seatrout on my first two casts. I later lost a snook at the side of the kayak. After daylight, I caught spotted seatrout, ladyfish, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, pompano and bluefish.

Freshwater trips also are an option. The Manatee River is producing good catches of big bluegill and hefty channel catfish.

Lake Manatee is yielding bluegill, shellcracker, speckled perch, a few bass and large channel catfish.

I would like to thank my sponsors: Native Watercraft, D.O.A. Lures, Go Fish! Sportsman Sunscreen and Peak Fishing.

The season is booking up nicely. Please book your trips at your earliest convenience to assure your day(s) of fun on the water.

For those of you who enjoy social media, you can get daily fishing reports from me on Facebook and Twitter. Please “friend” me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter @gibby3474.



Steve Gibson


Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing


www.kayakfishingsarasota.com


http://gibbysfishingblog.blogspot.com/


(941) 284-3406

Myakka River pictorial

Cold weather often means hot fishing on the mighty Myakka River



Jim Hoffman of New York shows off a fine Myakka River snook caught on a D.O.A. CAL 4-inch jerk worm.



Cold is not the reason I moved to Florida in 1971.

No, I moved to escape it.

However, we do experience a bit of cold weather in the winter.

But I’ve learned to deal with it. In fact, I’ve learned there can be some mighty fine fishing when the weather’s a tad chilly.

When the water temperature dips into the low 60s or high 50s, you can usually find me on local rivers. That’s because snook and several other species move up rivers in the winter, seeking warmer water. And when this happens, fishing can be very productive.

I most often fish the Myakka River, a picturesque stream that begins in Polk County and meanders through Sarasota County before emptying into Charlotte Harbor.

I conduct 6- and 8-hour trips on the river. This trip is for serious anglers, but newcomers will enjoy the fishing and the scenery!

Most often I launch at Snook Haven, a well-known spot located at 5000 E. Venice Ave., near Venice. It’s about a mile west of Interstate 75.

I like to paddle downstream to a series of deepwater spots that usually hold good numbers of big snook. In addition, anglers will get a shot at redfish, largemouth bass and some big spotted and Florida gar.

I usually use medium to medium-heavy spinning tackle, 15-pound test braided line, 20-pound fluorocarbon shock leader and a D.O.A. 4-inch CAL Jerk Worm on a 1/16-ounce jig head. This lure out-produces others lures by far.

I encourage fly anglers to use 8-weight outfits and 20-pound leaders. Most sinking baitfish patterns will produce.

Fishing on the river isn’t fast. But what it lacks in numbers, it make up for in quality. For example, we caught snook exceeding 30 inches on seven of our first nine trips in 2012, including five snook of more than 35 inches. Largest snook was a 37-incher.

We target the big fish on deep ledges and drop-offs. You’ll find many other anglers casting lures toward the banks and fallen trees. While this approach does work, you’ll catch more and bigger fish when working the deeper water.

A River Slam is any three of the above species. Catch all four and it’s a Grand Slam. Add a tarpon and you’ve got something really rare – a Super Slam.

We’ve had several River Slams in 2012 and even a couple of Grand Slams. I came within a redfish of a Super Slam on Jan. 10. I got the tarpon, but didn’t land a redfish.

Fly fishing can be good. John Garcia of California caught snook and landed a 28-inch redfish on fly. Dick Badman of Pennsylvania has landed snook.

Key to success is keeping your lure or fly in the water and not losing focus. It’s tough fishing, but persistent anglers are usually rewarded.

Sometimes, anglers catch their biggest fish first thing in the morning. Sometimes, it’s a mid-day. And at others times, it’s during the final hour.

We call 10 fish “par” on the river. Anything more is icing on the cake.

In addition to fine fishing, there is a plethora of wildlife to see on the river. Alligators, blue heron, otters, raccoons, wild hogs, whitetail deer, ibis, red-tailed hawks and other wildlife are commonly seen.

You don’t have to be alarmed by alligators. Wild gators don’t like to get close to humans. And during cold weather, we usually only see them “sunning” themselves on the banks or sand bars during the warmer afternoons.

Fishing the Myakka River during the winter is one of my favorite endeavors.

I think you’ll like it, too!

Newcomers guide to the exciting world of kayak fishing

Fishing from a kayak is fun and exciting for newcomers and veterans alike.

Welcome to the thrilling and wonderful world of kayak fishing!


Newcomers will be amazed at the ease and productivity of fishing from a kayak. On average, even inexperienced anglers will catch more fish while fishing from a kayak than they will from a motorized vessel. The reason is kayaks are very stealthy – and the fish do not know you’re around.

I use Native Watercraft Ultimate 14½-foot kayaks, so there’s no need to fear capsizing. The kayaks are so stable that I often fish while standing up. I don’t allow clients to stand because of obvious liability issues, but the kayaks are very stable.

I supply kayaks, safety equipment, rods, reels and all lures. I also supply fly rods, flies and leaders for those who prefer to fly fish.

During warm weather, I suggest anglers wear a long-sleeve fishing shirt, cap or hat, shorts and footwear that you don’t mind getting wet. Most of the time, we do not wade. However, your feet will get wet getting in and out of the kayak.

If we choose to fish while wading, tennis shoes and sandals are not good choices. They will fill with sand and shell. In addition, they pull off when wading in soft mud.

Wading anglers should wear “flats boots.” They are similar to dive boots and are made for wading anglers. I use Orvis wading boots: http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=03JQ&dir_id=758&group_id=11059&cat_id=5421&subcat_id=6047.

Believe it or not, but it does get chilly in Florida. For winter fishing, I usually wear a long-sleeve shirt, fleece-lined vest, long fishing pants and wading boots. If it’s going to warm up by mid-morning, I wear shorts.

I supply sandwiches and drinks on all-day trips. Anglers supply their own food and snacks on shorter trips.

Rain gear often comes in handy. I carry an extra rain jacket and also have a few inexpensive ponchos for clients.

Sunscreen should be applied prior launching and should be reapplied a couple of times while out.

I use spinning tackle and braided line. I will show you how to cast and work with braided line.

I usually drift while fishing from the kayak. It’s important to make sure the bow of the kayak is pointing in the direction of your cast. When drift fishing, I rest the paddle on my lap in order to make quick bow adjustments.

We anchor and fish occasionally. I have anchor trolleys on the port (left) side of each kayak. Simply clip the anchor line to the O-ring on the trolley and position the anchor (I’ll tell you) at the proper place along the kayak. By using the anchor trolley, we can face the direction we need to cast at all times.

You may bring your own equipment, but I suggest you use mine. My tackle is rigged and ready to go for local conditions and species.

I tie my own flies and leaders. Flies are designed for area fish in a variety of conditions.

I use D.O.A. Lures for the most part. In addition, I use MirrOlure products, topwater plugs and a few spoons.

After you book your trip, I will call you the afternoon/evening prior to your trip to discuss time and place to meet. Clients often follow me to our launch site and are able to leave as soon as the trip is over.

I require a 50-percent deposit to guarantee your date. I will refund the deposit within two weeks of your scheduled trip – provided I can book another trip to replace it.

Although I have no control over the fish, I can assure you that I will make sure your trip is everything you expect. I place an emphasis on fun.

Thank you for your interest in Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing!

December started slowly, but heated up with trout and snook

Dick Badman of Pennsylvania shows off a fine Myakka River snook, one of seven caught and released on the day.

December was one of the more memorable months in Southern Drawl history – although it certainly didn’t start out that way.

The month included some of the best spotted seatrout, flounder and snook fishing we’ve ever experienced. Bluegill and speckled perch action wasn’t too bad, either.

The month began with repeat client Dave Sutton on Michigan pursuing his passion – bluegill on fly rod. I’d scouted Lake Manatee the day prior and done very well, catching hand-sized bluegill, shellcracker, speckled perch and channel catfish on my Myakka Minnow, nymphs and popping bugs.

I’m not sure what happened, but the next day was really tough. We caught fish, but not nearly as many. We had to work extremely hard and ended up with a fair catch of bluegill, including several hand-sized fish. Best flies included the Myakka Minnow, poppers and nymphs.

Regular client Dick Badman of Pennsylvania fished with me in early December and we did well on spotted seatrout, flounder, redfish and sheepshead. An avid fly fisher, Dick caught more than 30 trout, plus a hefty flounder and a sheepshead on my Big Eye Baitfish. Sheepshead are rare on fly. We fished Palma Sola Bay.

Dick joined my again and we fished Stephens Point in Sarasota Bay. Using the Big Eye Baitfish Fly on a 6-weight TFO TICRX, Dick caught a plethora of spotted seatrout, ladyfish, Spanish mackerel and bluefish.

Repeat client Jason Beary of Pennsylvania had a banner day. We fished Buttonwood Harbor along western Sarasota Bay and experienced some of the finest spotted seatrout action I’ve ever seen. We caught and released more than 50 trout between 3 and 5 ½ pounds. In addition, he landed Spanish mackerel and bluefish. Jason hooked a big redfish late in the day, but lost it after a 5-minute battle. We used Big Eye Baitfish Flies, Gibby’s Duster, MirrOlure MirrOdines and D.O.A. CAL Jigs with gold paddle tails.

Dan Byers of Colorado was next. We tried Buttonwood Harbor, but found slow action. A cold front had moved through and evidently moved the fish. We loaded up the kayaks and headed for Palma Sola Bay. It was a good move. We caught plenty of spotted seatrout to 16 inches, flounder to 15 and ladyfish. Action was very fast. Our lure of choice was the CAL Jig with gold or copper crush paddle tails.

Dick Badman joined me the next day. We opted for the Myakka River. Because the temperature had been dipping into the 40s at night, I suspected snook might have made their way up the river.

I knew after two casts I was right. We launched at Snook Haven and found most of the action about a mile down the river.

We caught and released seven snook to 36 inches on GIP Flies and D.O.A. 4-inch jerk worms on 1/16-ounce jig heads.

River fishing isn’t fast, but often produces large fish, including snook, redfish and largemouth bass. The action should be good through February and is a favorite of mine.

I’ve found a pattern than I’m not sure if anyone else has discovered. And it has produced good catches of all three species over the last year.

We have taken snook to 36 inches, redfish to 28 and largemouth bass to 6 pounds – all on the same lure.

This is the coldest time of year in our area, but it often means hot fishing. When the daytime highs reach the upper 60s or low 70s, it’s time to hit the river. We dress in layers, and usually remove our jackets by mid-morning.

In addition to fine fish, the river offers really gorgeous scenery.

We anticipate good river action on snook, redfish and bass in January. In addition, the deeper grass areas of Sarasota Bay should produce trout, bluefish, Spanish mackerel and pompano.

January also is a great month for freshwater fishing in The Everglades.

Upcoming seminar schedule:

Jan. 21: Redfish Tactics and Techniques, 12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m., Flying Fish Outfitters, 820 Albee Rd., Nokomis.

Feb. 11: How to Tie the Myakka Minnow, 10 a.m. – noon, Flying Fish Outfitters, 820 Albee Rd., Nokomis.

Happy New Year to all. May fish and fun be in your future.

I would like to thank my sponsors: Native Watercraft, TFO Fly Rods, Go Fish! Sportsman Sunscreen and Peak Fishing.

I hope 2012 is as good as 2011.

Hope to see you on the water.

Steve Gibson

Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing

www.kayakfishingsarasota.com

(941) 284-3406

Redfish, trout and flounder action heating up around Sarasota Bay

Sarasota Bay redfish on a D.O.A. CAL Jerk Worm

Redfish action is heating up along the east and west sides of Sarasota Bay.

I recently caught and released 19 reds from 15 to 24 inches on D.O.A. CAL Jigs with gold paddle tails, D.O.A. 5.5-inch jerk worms and gold spoons near “The Elbow” in north Sarasota Bay.

In addition, I’ve been picking up pompano, snook, loads of spotted seatrout and a surprising amount of flounder.

I had a great outing near Buttonwood Harbor on the west side of Sarasota Bay. While paddling through the Longboat Key rim canal, I noticed a bunch of mullet on a flat to my north. So, I altered course and started to fish. I caught and released 25-inch reds on gold spoons.

After that, I headed out into the bay and fished a grass edge on the south side of Whale Key. I caught at least a dozen trout from 20 to 24 inches on the MirrOlure MirrOdine. The great trout action was interrupted by a fast-approaching storm. Since discretion is the better part of valor, I paddled back to the launch.

I took Graham Peterson and Bill Rittle of Sarasota out on a windy day. It wasn’t too bad in the morning, but kicked up significantly by 10:30. Prior to that, we caught spotted seatrout, ladyfish, gag grouper, redfish, snook and a few flounder – all on CAL Jigs.

We paddled back south and fished a channel heading into Bowles Creek. We anchored on the lee side of a mangrove island and cast jigs into the channel. We landed snook, spotted seatrout, ladyfish, flounder and pompano. We encountered some toothy fish (mackerel, bluefish), but didn’t land any. The “razor cuts” on our leaders were the giveaway.

Freshwater fishing has been good. Two trips to Lake Manatee produced 110 bluegill (at least 50 were hand-sized), shellcracker, speckled perch and channel catfish. Fly choices included No. 10 poppers, No. 12 nymphs and my Myakka Minnow.

This action should heat up in December, with speckled perch taking the forefront.

Flounder action has been very steady. In fact, I believe you could catch 20 or more -- if you targeted them. D.O.A. CAL Jigs with gold paddle tails bounced slowly across the bottom of sand holes and sand bars have been producing flounder to 21 inches.

When we fish the deep grass off Stephen’s Point and Whale Key in Sarasota Bay, we’ve been getting bluefish, pompano, Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, gag grouper and plenty of spotted seatrout.

Buttonwood Harbor has been producing steady redfish action – especially when mullet are abundant on the flats. When that happens, a gold Johnson Spoon has been producing reds to 26 inches.

Spotted seatrout action has been hot on the southside flat at Whale Key. Two trips there produced 50 trout from 2 to 5 pounds. Most of the fish were taken on the MirrOlure MirrOdine. The MirrOlure MirrOmullet also has been working.

Steve Gibson

Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing

www.kayakfishingsarasota.com

(941) 284-3406