Kayak Fishing Tampa Bay

[abc_123]

Bought a 12' yak and some gear and finally got things rigged and in the water for a shakedown paddle late afternoon yesterday and for a few hours agan this morning. Total discovery learning process from the get go. Even figuring out how to tie braided fishing line on the damn reel was a science project for me. I think it took me hours on the first one Lol.

Anyway, I got lucky today... just randomly stopping in some flats and slinging plastic shrmp behind a popping cork I managed to actually catch some trout. All 5 of them just shy of the 15" limit, so I threw all of them back.

Then some dolphins cruised into the area and put an end to my fishing for the morning.

A fun way to fish.

It'll be even better when I actually figure out what I am doing and where to go.

[craigepo]

It's 16 degrees here. Just thawed some water lines in the barn. Have a great time fishing.

[JJ_BPK]

Originally Posted by abc_123

Bought a 12' yak and some gear and finally got things rigged and in the water for a shakedown paddle late afternoon yesterday

It'll be even better when I actually figure out what I am doing and where to go.

Great start,, There used to a a sub-fora for Florida Sportsman magazine for yak fishing and another for the Florida South West Coast. Use your google foo..

http://forums.floridasportsman.com/

I did a little in the Keys,, yaks are just undersized flats skiffs..

a few cautions:

1)wind,, plan the days wind conditions,, you don't want to be down wind after several hrs and have to fight to get back to the dock. Winds out of the west in the AM may swing to the east in the PM..

2)think small fish until you're good with the yak and your load-out. A 10lb jack running 90deg to the beam will dump you in the water most riki tic..

3)think shallow,, you may find that sweet spot in the mangroves that is full of snapper that others ignore because their swantzs are TO BIG to bother.. Capish? and If you're going to eat it, have ice..

4)nothing wrong with live shrimp

5)shallow wet mangroves also hold some big Snook. When you feel your up to it, bring a casting or spinning out dressed in 50 lb braided line.

6)You may also find 30-100 lb Tarpon laid up on the warm grass bottom flats in 3-6ft water. Juveniles in the 5-15 lb range can be found along shallow sand flats...

7)rods,, bring at least 100,, no you can get by with 2 or 3.. qty 2, 15b spinning or bait casting, one 25lb mono or 50lb braided,, all 7ft light to medium stiff. Going back 5 miles to the dock because your only rod broke or reel seized,, not so good...

8)think safety, file a boat plan with friends you can trust to start looking for you,, within a week?? waterproof radio AND phone pouches.. ALWAYS WARE YOUR PFD

9)think of it as an over night recon/ambush, carry food & water, medical bits and rain gear.

10)spend time at the boat ramp/launch site,, watching the non-successful yak'ers, watch for what doesn't work,, make adjustment as required..

I have friends that have successfully landed 100+lb tarpon,, it only took 5000 trips to work out the kinks..

Have fun..

PS: bulls & hammerheads like shallow muddy water...

[abc_123]

We were at 16 degrees too. And then we added another 65 of them.

I'm new to this ocean fishing stuff, but something slammed my plastic shrimp and almost ripped the pole out of my hands and then stripped off line and pulled me around a bit. I'm not sure if it was some thing that I could eat or if it was something that could eat me because it shook the hook when it got it close to the kayak and was at the point where i was starting to think "now what in the hell do I do?"

[JJ_BPK]

Originally Posted by abc_123

We were at 16 degrees too. And then we added another 65 of them.

I'm new to this ocean fishing stuff, but something slammed my plastic shrimp and almost ripped the pole out of my hands and then stripped off line and pulled me around a bit. I'm not sure if it was some thing that I could eat or if it was something that could eat me because it shook the hook when it got it close to the kayak and was at the point where i was starting to think "now what in the hell do I do?"

Could have been a 4-5 lb jack or small bonita,, 10x the power they look like..

Although a good stiff leader is nice,, it's easier and faster to tie an 18-24 inch bimini twist. The toothy one will bite thru it but it's great grocery fishing.

[abc_123]

JJ,

Thanks for that. I'm fishing right now in probably 8->3' water at low tide.

Have a good fishing pfd with small floating vhf radio on the shoulder. Have mirror etc. And have a small personal locator strobe on order. Radio i good enough to hit the repeaters in the bay. Have leashes in the important stuff (like my padfle and my tackle) and i have a small knife on the pfd in case i need to cut something away. Besides I'm staying shallow until I get the hang of things and I do a few capsize drills. I have one smaller rod and reel combo rigged with 15# braid and 20# flouro leader. I have a slightly bigger and stiffer combo with 30# braid. Still running the 20# leader but have #40. Take both with me on the water.

Leaders are just shy of 2x pole length. Used a uni-uni knot to tie on one leader and an Alberto knot to do the other. I think I jacked up the Alberto because itshe not as small/smooth as I want. Will cut and retie. Am using a loop knot to tie on the shrimp so it has more action. Oh, I've been using a popping cork with some beads with the shrimp 18-24" behind that (using the same 20# leader). That seemed to be the consensus of all the YouTube videos I've watched...

I need to do some DIY work and rig a way to mount a battery powered light in case I get stuck paddling back after dark.

Roger on the wind and tides.

[JJ_BPK]

Originally Posted by abc_123

JJ,

Thanks for that. I'm fishing right now in probably 8->3' water at low tide.

Have a good fishing pfd with small floating vhf radio on the shoulder. Have mirror etc. And have a small personal locator strobe on order. Radio i good enough to hit the repeaters in the bay. Have leashes in the important stuff (like my padfle and my tackle) and i have a small knife on the pfd in case i need to cut something away. Besides I'm staying shallow until I get the hang of things and I do a few capsize drills. I have one smaller rod and reel combo rigged with 15# braid and 20# flouro leader. I have a slightly bigger and stiffer combo with 30# braid. Still running the 20# leader but have #40. Take both with me on the water.

Leaders are just shy of 2x pole length. Used a uni-uni knot to tie on one leader and an Alberto knot to do the other. I think I jacked up the Alberto because itshe not as small/smooth as I want. Will cut and retie. Am using a loop knot to tie on the shrimp so it has more action. Oh, I've been using a popping cork with some beads with the shrimp 18-24" behind that (using the same 20# leader). That seemed to be the consensus of all the YouTube videos I've watched...

I need to do some DIY work and rig a way to mount a battery powered light in case I get stuck paddling back after dark.

Roger on the wind and tides.

Try shorter. Although trout and jack come in from the front, most grocery fish come up behind the bait, so you don't need to bother with length, and shorter leaders are easier to cast..

There are never ending debates about flouro vs what ever. I like the Bimini for ease of replacement. and I like limp mono rather than the harder more abrasive resistant stuff. Again, easier to cast and less storage memory..

NEED PICTURES..

[abc_123]

Hey according to Google that Bimini Twist restaurant in West Palm Beach, gets 4.3 out of 5 stars.

No issues with memory on the flouro leader as it never hits the spool. Knot is right on the top. In reality I didn't know I was going to use a cork or I would have tied that directly to the braid.

Pictures will come but I'm telling get you the last thing on my mind when I had that last fish on (maybe a ray? Or a small shark? Or just a big bass) was a camera.

[abc_123]

launching yesterday a.m.

[JJ_BPK]

Originally Posted by abc_123

launching yesterday a.m.

This might be obvious to some,, but most fail to see the opportunity..


Hint Hint: Boat ramps, with fish cleaning tables.. People throw in scraps,, the locals are there to clean up.. If the place is empty, like in your picture,, don't be in a rush to head for your special hidden spot. Pick a deep spot between the ranp & the point..

In my canal in the Keys, we fed a young grouper that hung out at the cleaning tables.. Last time I saw him,, about 200lbs..

PS: A small depth finder is a great yak tool, especially in muddy water. Any bottom irregularities will hold fish..

[GreenSalsa]

MILD threat hijack--but can anyone recommend a good (two person) kayak (daughter and me)?

All this talk of fishing is making me remember just how fun it was to be a teenager fishing along the banks of northern Michigan lakes...

[SF_BHT]

Originally Posted by GreenSalsa

MILD threat hijack--but can anyone recommend a good (two person) kayak (daughter and me)?

All this talk of fishing is making me remember just how fun it was to be a teenager fishing along the banks of northern Michigan lakes...

Get two and lash them together. Makes a nice outrigger. Also makes it a lot stabler for those rough days.

[JJ_BPK]

Originally Posted by GreenSalsa

MILD threat hijack--but can anyone recommend a good (two person) kayak (daughter and me)?

All this talk of fishing is making me remember just how fun it was to be a teenager fishing along the banks of northern Michigan lakes...

I would suggest you spent time with google foo. There are literally hundreds of make/model to choose from.

A lot depends on your style and the waters you plan to ply. I had a Hobie Quest. It is wider than most for stability, but the width also does not make it fast nor easy to paddle. (see ruff pic)

Attach 2nd pic is a friend that poles his Yak,, from a platform,, You gotta know that is not the norm..

[Golf1echo]

Good memories! Have a few Wilderness Systems Sealoutions. A small course might be helpful to take that Hillbilly roll to an Eskimo roll etc...having a strong paddle brace can mean everything at times! And practicing various self rescue techniques is well worth it. I do remember going through my templates of what it might possibly be when a Loggerhead Turtle surfaced next to me at Folly Beach...it looked like a dinosaur but that wasn't one of my templates It appeared he thought the same of me.

Now the Large Bull Shark near the Morris Island Lighthouse inlet during an 0 dark thirty paddle was a different experience, it made the sand flies and mosquitoes back on the island seem like a better choice.

Maybe a Hobie: http://www.hobiecat.com/mirage/mirage-outfitter/

[JJ_BPK]

Originally Posted by Golf1echo

Maybe a Hobie: http://www.hobiecat.com/mirage/mirage-outfitter/

Nice choice,, still need paddle back-ups,,

PS: don't try to roll recovery,, not on a SOT.. :]



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsDUQpUfRzg