A Great Day of Kayak Redfishing!, Saltwater Fishing Report

Report for the Week Ending 11/20/10

Just one trip again this week, but it was a great day of redfishing from the kayaks with a great guy.

My customer for Wednesday's kayak trip was Don Marano. Don and I met in August when he contacted me about a possible interest in my Talon. We've chatted back and forth since, and he booked a kayak trip. I could tell from talking with Don via email over the last few months, he was a guy I was really going to like.

We decided to try launching at Turner Beach, so we could fish around Buck Key, since Don was interested in learning about the Buck Key area which is convenient to him from South Seas Plantation. We agreed to meet there by Blind Pass Wednesday morning at 6:30, and see how it looked.

I got there at quarter 'till six. It was pitch dark, and even before I pulled to where I could shine my headlights out over the Gulf, I could hear the roar of the surf. The headlights confirmed what I heard. Big rollers coming in and making nasty ground swells as they came up on the shallow bars. That would be dangerous in any boat this morning. We'd have to check out Castaways.

Don showed up a few minutes early, as well. It was starting to get light, and I pointed at the water and said we wouldn't be launching here today. Probably not most days, or at all. There's no provision for a trailer there, and it's hourly parking. Don led the way across the bridge to Castaways, where we found the ramp cabled off and the store closed. We were debating whether to move on somewhere else or wait when the storekeeper/dockmaster pulled in.

I had inquired via email what the fee was to launch. They had written back and said it was $10 for non-guests. That was all they said. But, when we inquired with the dockmaster he said it was $10 in, $10 out, and $15 to park, plus tax! $37.50. We were both shocked, and ready to leave, but we knew that it would be the same at any of the competitors' launches, and decided to go for it. Don volunteered to pick up the tab, and then wouldn't let me contribute.

Castaways is actually a great place to launch kayaks. The paddle from the ramp out to the channel in Blind Pass is .55 mile. Then, the paddle to the first spot we fished is .51 mile. It's all very scenic, and I had the first keeper size trout in the boat before we'd covered the first 1/8 mile. I lagged behind Don a bit because I was messing around with the GPS, and getting things arranged in the new Ultimate. What a great boat.

Finally, I pointed at our first spot and told Don a little of my history with it. That's sticking your neck on the chopping block, telling someone about how many fish you've caught in a particular spot, but on this morning it worked out just fine.

It was overcast with the second front of the season upon us, and a perfect morning to toss topwater plugs. I wasn't counting, but I think it was my second cast with a Yozuri walk-the-dog lure that it was blasted and inhaled by what turned out to be a beautiful 25 inch redfish. That fish gave me fits, but eventually came to the kayak. Wow! Topwater redfishing is about as much fun as you can have in public with your clothes on! There were more. Many more! I'm not sure how many we caught at the first stop, but the first six reds were on topwater plugs. Once we'd fished it thoroughly and the bite slowed, we moved on to the next stop.

A half mile paddle had us at our next stop. The action was immediate and constant! We caught fish after fish, mostly redfish, but also including one snook, and Don's five pound trout, which he said was by far the biggest trout he'd ever caught. We were having fun. The fish were eating topwater plugs, silver and gold spoons with abandon.

All of a sudden, we seemed to be getting a lot of company on our flat. We had three boats come in on us. One I thought might have been a friend of mine, but I wasn't sure. One guide boat didn't stay long. They apparently weren't catching. The boat I though might have been a friend indeed turned out to be John Objardle, and they were catching fish. The third boat came in after the other guide left, and took his position. They were a couple of privateers. They didn't seem to be catching much.

We continued to work our area catching redfish, and missing many more. Then, two or three porpoises came in on the flat near the boat with the privateers, and raised holy hell on what was probably redfish schooling. I watched intently knowing instinctively that once the porpoise left, the redfish would go in to the big mud the porpoise made and take advantage of easy feeding on the goodies they like. No! Porpoise rarely scare redfish off a flat. That's a myth.

I fully expected one of the boats to make a move to get to the area where the porpoise were feeding. But, none did. I pulled my stake and switched on the trolling motor and motored to the area. I got as close as I could without encroaching on the boat with two anglers that was there, seemingly oblivious to what had happened. I staked out and cast. Redfish on!

I landed that fish and cast again. Redfish on. Redfish on. Redfish on. They guys in the boat just watched me in seeming disbelief. I quickly caught nine redfish and only saw them catch two. I whistled to Don to come join the action but he was either on action or didn't hear me. Finally, he did come and join me, and said he didn't hear my whistle. But, by that time the action was coming to a halt.

We ended the day with 28 redfish to 25 inches, 6 trout including Don's beautiful 5 pounder, and one snook for the Slam. It had been a great day of both fishing and catching. We turned on our trolling motors and headed the mile or so home. Don's run home was interrupted several times by fish, but we got there pretty quickly. Don spoiled me with helping me drag all the stuff from the boats to the van, which I usually do myself.

We had a great morning on the water. It doesn't get much better than what we had. And, Don surpassed my gut impression of him based on our email communications. I can't wait to get out with him again.

About the Author:

Captain's Bio: Capt. Butch Rickey is a native Floridian, and fished since he was four. His love of fishing is a life-long passion, and he has spent most of his life fishing the southwest coast of Florida. He's fished all over, but he's never been happy for very long away from the flats fishing of southwest FL.

After decades of guiding from his skiff, Butch has returned to kayak fishing only. One of the oldest guides in his area, Butch fishes with anglers of all skill levels and all walks of life. Kayak fishing is different from what most folks have ever done, and Capt. Butch is an instructional guide, and guiding and teaching his customers the joys, skills, and adventure of kayak fishing is his life.

So, throw away your preconceived notions, and come with me on the adventure of a lifetime. Everything pulls harder from a kayak. You are the Captain of your boat. You are immersed in the experience and nature. It's a blast!