Stuart Snook Kayak Fishing During the Summer Months

Summer time brings on the spawn for these fish. During this time Snook will move from the back waters and rivers to the inlets along the coast. Stuart Florida is one of the best places to go kayak fishing for one of the giant breeders that will spawn in the Saint Lucie Inlet.

Summer also means hot temperatures. Getting out early or late in the day will give you the best opportunity to hook into these fish. I generally like to start the day by throwing the cast net and catching a dozen or so 8-12 inch mullet in the bait tank. These mullet are for back up for the time 9 am hits and I want to make sure I am still going to get a bite. I love getting bit on artificial, so the first lure that is going to hit the water will be either a Super Spook or a large paddle tail swimbait. Some days the Snook want more of an erratic moving bait and other days a straight moving swimbait. Try both baits for a while and see what they are in the mood for.

Basic kayak fishing set up is a 7ft, 10-20lb spinning rod with a 5000 sized reel lined with 30 pound braid attached to 40lb Yozuri Fluorocarbon leader. This set up will give you enough backbone to pull fish out of structure, but at same time not wear you out casting all day.
My target location in Stuart is seawalls and docks in and around the inlet. These are easy ambush spots for Snook moving in and out of the inlet. When throwing your artificial lures get parallel to the seawall or dock making sure you get the lure as close to the structure as you can. If you are not having the luck with the lures bring out Mister Mullet. Pitch the live bait to the wall or dock and let him swim around freely. If he runs away from the structure, reel him up and get him close to it again. Repeat this process and by the end of the morning you should be hoisting a nice sized Snook.

June 22, 2017 Brian 0

Jupiter Offshore Kayak Fishing for Mahi

Jupiter Florida is one of my favorite areas to go offshore kayak fishing. It has the best bottom structure of all the areas we fish. There is a lot of ground to cover and fish can be very shallow to very deep.

During the early spring and fall this area will see a good push a Mahi come through. I have caught dolphin in as shallow as 50 foot and deep as 180 off the Jupiter coast. Finding flying fish, current rips and floating weeds is very important. Locate one of these areas and fish it hard. The great thing about this time of year is that there is usually plenty of mullet around. I like using finger mullet in this area as I can also bottom fish for snapper at the same time fishing for Mahi. My bait tank holds 10 gallons in which I run two bubblers to keep the water oxygenated. With this set up I can hold roughly 40 finger mullet.

General set up for these fish is our normal offshore rods and reels. 6’6” medium live bait rod paired with a Shimano Spheros 8-10k lined with 30lb braid and attached to a 40 pound Yozuri fluorocarbon leader. I like using 4/0 circle hooks and run a light drag. This allows the bait to be swallowed on hopefully the initial strike if not the second attempt.

To start the day, slow troll live baits starting in 50 foot and make your way out to 180. Again this area off Jupiter is spread out so that journey is about 3.5 miles. If you spot weeds, rips or other bait, stop and set up a drift. If you are unlucky enough that there seems to be no signs of life, keep on the slow troll. Change baits out every now and then to constantly have a frisky offering and hopefully by the end of the day your offshore kayak fishing trip in Jupiter will send you home with a Mahi dinner.

For more information or to book your trip call Brian at 772-201-5899 or fill the short form below:

June 19, 2017 Brian 0

Pompano Beach Florida | How to Catch and Release a Sailfish from a Kayak

Kayak Fishing in Pompano Beach Florida

The Set Up

The most widely used technique is slow trolling. Tackle for targeting sailfish is very specific; a 6’6” to 7” 30-50lb rod, with a reel that will hold at least 300 yards is the ideal setup. I use spinning reels because that’s what I am accustomed too, but a conventional reel works just as well. I prefer using 30-40 pound braided line. Combining the braid with 15 feet of 40-60lb fluorocarbon leader has proven to be an effective combination. The size of the hook will depend on the size of your bait; smaller bait means a smaller hook. I use a 5/0-7/0 inline circle hook exclusively. If you are specifically targeting sails a circle hook should always be used to ensure a healthy release.

Properly Rigging Live Bait

There are many types of bait to use when trying to catch and release, from live goggle eye to dead squid. The top two baits fishing off Pompano Beach are live goggle eye or small blue runners. You can rig these baits through the nostrils or for a better hook up ratio, bridle the bait. This technique will expose the entire hook for a better shot at hooking the fish. When slow trolling you want to go just fast enough to keep the bait away from your kayak. If you think you are going slow, go slower. I like to be moving at about one to one and a half miles per hour. Sails in the Pompano Beach area are attracted to structure, drop offs, current and temperature changes in depths from 40’-300’. When you begin slow trolling for sailfish, start shallow and work your way to deeper water in a zigzag pattern. Moving shallow to deep and deep to shallow repeatedly will help you find fish quicker.

Keep your drag loose!

A lot of times these fish will hit the bait with its bill or hold it in its mouth then drops the bait immediately when they feel the tension of your line. If and when that happens, free spool your bait. Most of the time the fish will turn right around and pick it back up. When the fish finally commits and takes off with the bait engage your reel keeping constant tension. When that sail feels that hook in its mouth it will go nuts dancing across the surface in all directions. Stay focused and land the fish quickly if possible.

When landing a sail use a pair of gloves to handle the bill of the fish, as it will destroy your hand if you have nothing to cover it. Snap a quick photo and take the time to revive it. Holding the fish into the current while alongside the kayak until you feel the fish biting and using its tail will revive the fish quickly.

For more information or to book your trip call Brian at 772-201-5899 or click the button below

June 12, 2017 Brian 0

Delray Beach Florida | Kayak Fishing How to: Vertical Jigging for Tuna

Kayak Fishing How to: Vertical Jigging for Tuna

Vertical jigging in a kayak can be an exhausting technique. Jigging even for 30 minutes can leave you feeling like you want to chop your arm off and go to bed. I try to use the lightest rod and reel I can get away with without losing to much drag and power. Pairing that light setup with a technique that alleviates pressure on you shoulder and arm will set you up to have a long and hopefully successful day on the water kayak fishing.

Set up

I use a Shimano Trevala 30-80 pound jigging rod paired with a Quantum Cabo 50 spinning reel. The reel is spooled with 30 pound braid and a 40lb Yozuri fluorocarbon leader attached via uni to uni knot. A 3-5 ounce speed jig caps off the set up. I prefer using the speed jigs, as they are slender and cut through the water quickly giving you less resistance to work the jig to the surface. Jig fishing is all about getting a fish to react to the jig. In the case of a fast moving tuna, a quick moving jig gets the job done.

Technique

When specifically targeting tuna, your target depth of water is 200-320 off Delray Beach Florida. When you reach your target depth see what the current is doing. If it is 1-2 mph try using a 3 ounce jig, if faster bump up to a 5 oz. You want the jig as vertical as possible when retrieving it. If the current is over 2mph throwing the jig ahead of your drift is a good idea so that when it reaches that drop zone of around 150ft down it will be directly under your kayak.

When you start your retrieve try to find a place to plant your foot on your kayak. Your thigh is going to become your base to rest your elbow when jigging. Using this technique will take most all pressure off you shoulder and reduce fatigue. From here it’s just setting up a rhythm of reeling and bouncing your rod tip. Again I like to work the jig fast, if that doesn’t seem to be working slow it up with different retrieves. Check out the video below to see me using this method on the water.

For more information or to book your trip call Brian at 772-201-5899 or click the button below.

June 6, 2017 Brian 0