Spring 2012
Miami Canal System & the Peacock Bass ClassicS New Scoring System is Big Hit Its Tarpon Time, Its Tarpon Time
Meet the Champ...
Both of Them
Everglades Chokoloskee
Easy Casting While Seated
10,000 Islands
Kayak Fly Line www.KayakFishingClassicS.com
The Stark Reality It’s a fact. The Diablo Adios is the very best stand-up fishing kayak that there is...period. Add sight fishing to your tackle box and watch your catch rate go up . Add an Adios to your boats and fish like a pro.
www.DiabloPaddlesports.com
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Ocean Waves The Best Sunglasses in the World You will see more fish and structure then you ever have before when you use Ocean Waves. The Top Anglers in the Kayak Fishing ClassicS national tournament series use them and no others. Think about it….what makes them so good? Find out for yourself and visit Ocean Waves on the net at www.OceanWaves.com
Top anglers all over the world know that they see more fish with Ocean Waves and protect their eyes better than any other sunglasses in the world. You should do the same. Protect your eyes… See more fish… Ocean Waves Baby Ocean Waves : RX
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What’s Inside
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FEATURES 8 Scoring Changes Major scoring changes prompts tighter competition in ClassicS
9 Miami Canal System Peacock Bass & the Night Life
23 Watch Out Boys This Lady Can Fish
26 The First Snook Do You Remember Yours
48 Action Photo A New Award for Anglers
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DEPARTMENTS 7 Editors Letter
5 Our Sponsors
The Fishing is Fine
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24 Gear Corner Bending Branches Prototypes
25 KFC Reviews New Kayak Cover
28 Paddle On Series Champ takes Road Trip
New Gear 17 Kayak Fly Line 59 Everglades 10,000 Islands
30 Meet the Champs 63 Thank You 34 It’s Tarpon Time
Honoring Memorial Day
37 Throwing Feathers
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Thank You to All of our Sponsors Diablo Paddlesports
www.DiabloPaddleSports.com
Ocean Waves Sunglasses
www.OceanWaves.com
RiverBum Flies
www.RiverBum.com
Jim Teeny Fly Lines
www.JimTeeny.com
Dr. Slick Co.
www.DrSlick.com
Deep South Fishing Rods
www.DeepSouthFishingRods.net
High Roller Wooden Lures
www.HighRollerLures.com
D.O.A. Lures
www.DOALures.com
River2Sea Lures
www.River2SeaUSA.com
MirrOlure Lures
www.MirrOlure.com
PrecisionPak
www.Precision-Pak.com
Princeton Tec
www. PrincetonTec.com
Bending Branches
www.BendingBranches.com
Aqua~Bound
www.AquaBound.com
Scotty Paddle Sports
www.ScottyPaddleSports.com
RAILBLAZA
www. Railblaza.com
ExOfficio
www.ExOfficio.com
KanuLock
www.KanuLock.com
Suspenz
www.SuspenzKayakStorage.com
Plano
www.PlanoMolding.com
C-Tug
www.C-Tug.com
Skwoosh
www.Skwoosh.com
Mangrove Sungloves
Available at TFO Dealers
Kokatat
www.Kokatat.com
Redington
www.Redington.com
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Thank You to All of our Sponsors BassYaks
www.BassYaks.com
Steve Whitlock Game Fish Art
www.SteveWhitlock.com
Real Dreams Fish Prints
www.ReelDreamFishPrints.com
Wildlife From Scratch
www.WildlifeFromScratch.com
Slot Limit Radio
www.TeamSlotLimit.com
Kayak Fishing Magazine
www.KayakFishingMagazine.net
Kayak Angler Magazine
www.KayakAnglerMag.com
Florida fly Fishing Magazine
www.FlaFlyFish.com
YakAngler Magazine
www.YakAngler.com
Yak-Gear
www.Yak-Gear.com
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Editors Letter
Come On In, the Fishing is Fine As we fished the tournament locations of 2010 & 2011 after some very harsh winters, we were looking forward to our 2012 series year. As many of you know we keep catch records throughout the year and from time to time compare them. We had some pretty scary conditions that took a heavy toll on some inshore species around the Gulf States and in particular the snook kill in Florida. I noticed juvenile snook in waters reserved for large adults in their northern range last year which was a very good sign indeed. As the year progressed we found snook populations on the rebound where we held tournaments. This year we are seeing very good numbers of both juvenile and large adult snook as well as two and three year olds. All good signs. In the past tournament years we limited the minimum catch size of any species to the state minimums. I changed that this year for a very good reason. After conversations with several marine research organizations I realized how important the juvenile data is to them. If all we record is slot size fish the research teams will have a skewed data base to work with which won’t help paint an accurate picture of what is going on inshore. We asked all of our contestants to record every fish they catch and pass the information onto the FWC or SGF as well as share it with us. What you as anglers do or do not do will have a direct effect on our fisheries when it comes to this important topic. All of us can do a better job of sharing all of our fishing experiences and it has never been easier. Please get involved with the Angler Action Organization through the Snook & GameFish Foundation and record all of your fishing data. Here’s the link www.SnookFoundation.org
Captain Pat Horrigan 7
2012 Scoring Changes The ownership and staff of the Kayak Fishing ClassicS are always looking for ways to improve the series. Late in 2011 a new scoring system was being designed by KFCSTS national director of tournaments, Capt. Pat Horrigan. The captain had been asking many questions of contestants and observing opportunities for improvement for the past two years. It was now time…
two fish catch equaling more inches combined. What is the solution for this potential problem? Capt. Pat decided to include a ten point slam bonus in slam ClassicS for the contestants that caught a three fish slam. This bonus counts directly onto the total combined inch length for a given tournament. If an angler caught a 35 inch snook, a 27 inch redfish and a 26 sea trout for a combined length of 53 inches he would receive slam bonus of 10 points for a total of 63 inches/points for his tournament score. It is extremely improbable that a 2 fish catch could now beat a slam although it is mathematically possible. When asked about ‘what if’ Capt. Pat said “you need to
Big Fish! Johnathan Ross displays his 34” Snook on Official Tape” in 10,000 Islands Classic Captain Pat concluded that using an ‘inch = a point’ scoring system and moving all bonus points onto the running series standings score would make the series more competitive. That is all except for one bonus. A contestant in a three fish slam Classic could catch only two fish and beat a slam with the new scoring system. It is unlikely but possible all the same. One thing kayak anglers greatly dislike is to catch a slam only to lose to a
catch bigger fish” as the group of gathered contestants laughed and agreed with that. The other bonuses such as the sponsor bait bonus for example, score only onto the running series standings total and not onto the tournament score. This new scoring system has been very well received by all contestants along the Coastal Gulf States. The anglers are happy, participation is up, sponsorship is up and that is exactly what we wanted. To all of you that shared your thoughts, be it complaints or suggestions, we thank you and are always open to new ideas.
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Peacock Bass & the Miami Canal System In early March we went to Miami and met up with our good friend Michael Teixidor to fish the canal system for Peacock Bass. Having never been in Miami I was a bit taken aback. We launched our kayaks from Maceo Park on what was a beautiful morning all be it a bit windy. The canal system has a few lakes that are connected by the canals. The water is crystal clear and immediately deep, no shoreline with sloping sandy bottom. I watched the locals launching boats as our photographer made the Diablo Paddlesports photo boat ready. The guys launching the small boats must have been new at it as it was very entertaining but that’s another story. We did a bit of sightseeing and paddled to where Michael suggested that we fish. The canal system is very beautiful and very clean. I watched Michael fishing as he almost immediately began hooking up with the little roosters. I noticed that he was using a small white jig similar to a crappie rig. Will in Rome or in this case Miami, so I tied one of the same rigs to my line. It was obvious that Michael was skilled at setting the hook as the roosters are very fast and slight of lip as it were. I tried fishing deep and was rewarded with several hard hits and straightened hooks on the little rigs. Our photographer Al and Michael kept hauling in nice three pound peacocks from the plants along the sea walls. It would appear that the fish roost on the leaves of these unusual plants as well as the shores beneath the bridges which are
just about the only sloping grades in the system. Michael and Al both called me over to show me a pair of very colorful roosters they had just caught. We were im-
as a tree limb or plants. I made several casts only to have my lure chased and smacked. Our host explained to me that they do that as the peacocks are very territorial by nature. I went back to fishing the deeper water in the center of the canals and along the many bridge supports. I had a great time getting hammered by large fish that straightened the hook each time. If I loosened the drag a bit, the roosters ran all over the place until they could break me off on the concrete or other hidden sharpies. It’s a tricky routine as the peacocks will not take larger bait that would support a larger hook so it was back to the lighter gear.
pressed with the natural beauty of the species. The broad bars of dark green, orange and red against their bronze/ black base color made for some nice photos as I admired the fish. I changed my lure to a D.O.A. TerrorEyz in white for a heavier hook and proceeded to fish deeper waters for the larger variety of the striped nibblers. As I floated along I could see three to five pound peacocks along the banks wherever there was any structure such
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Meantime Michael and Al continued to best fish after fish while flaunting their success in my face. It was great fun. We eventually made our way to the dam that controls the water for the system. Now this is where you get into snook that are quite large as well as tarpon. Our old friend began to blow harder but we kept at it. I saw a few snook in the thirty five inch class as I paddled around looking at the system. I became more interested in looking around then fishing at that time. As we were paddling about a heavy flew over low on takeoff setting off all of the car alarms in a parking lot. The Miami Airport is adjacent to the system and this big bird must have been loaded down with cargo as the pilot poured on the coals to gain altitude. An interesting dichotomy of nature and man-
Peacock Bass continued to eat. Being a very gracious host, he took us to made needs exists here. Airport, city Watson Island to buildings, highway system all smack view downtown in the middle of the hustle and bustle Miami at night. of one of America’s busiest cities is Wow, what a this beautiful canal system full of sight. Many of the fabulous fishing. Another note on the buildings have peacock bass, they are not only slight their own distincof lip, they are also powerful speedtive lighting on sters. After a subtle take it’s Game On them as well as with power head shacks and scorching the many bridges. runs that are surprising. I only got a A few of the huge brief look at one of the larger roosters cruise ships were docked and were that I hooked up with as it streaked also sporting their lights to add to the past my kayak to dive back into the nuance of the Miami skyline. A Eurodepths of the canal and break off my pean circus was in town and set up its 40lb leader. Big, beautiful, powerful tents along the waterway yielding a and challenging would describe the mysterious white glow to their many big old roosters so when you go there peaked tint tops. As if this was not be prepared and expect anything. enough, As I padthe many Al Klose & his first Miami Peacock dled back bridges to the had beaulaunch tiful blue area I glow saw one lighting tarpon up the jump and underside few more and pilshowing. lars as the Michael well later exlighted plained yachts that most cruised of the by. Quite tarpon are located at the other end of a sight to say the least. the system. That will make good a We got back into the car and headed to reason for our return trip. We took a a restaurant. Michael once again surbreak from the water and cleaned up prised us by taking us to South Beach. for dinner. In conversation during the Another light show treat against an day, I had asked Michael if we are ocean setting was magnificent. The near the famous South Beach Area or Art Deco style buildings lining the the Miami shipping area. He answered streets with all of their night lights that we would drive past it later when were quite a sight. People were walkwe went to dinner. ing around looking in wonder as were After a shower and a bit of rest from we. There are many restaurants and paddling against 15 to 20 mph winds just about anything to eat that you can Michael picked us up to go get a bite think of and some things that I have
never heard of. We settled in at a Fridays and enjoyed some very good food that filled that hollow spot you get after a day of paddling and fishing. All of us here at the ClassicS thank Michael for showing us a great time and sharing one of his favorite fishing holes with us and now with you. When you go there to try your hand be sure to say hello to him when you see Michael on the water. Thanks for reading and good fishing.
Our host Michael Teixidor and a Miami Peacock Bass.
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Port of Miami Night Lights
Port of Miami Night Lights photography by Al Klose
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The warm Miami breeze in March was as wonderful as the beautiful night lights. Photo on left is of the cruise ship docks.
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South Beach Night Life
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South Beach Night Life
South Beach is of course right on the white sand beaches of Miami and it has a lot to offer in the way of great food, amazing architecture and plenty of bright lights. There are several night clubs and saloons to keep the place jumping. Everyone is friendly and anxious to help you find your way along the walk. Lots of fun and good night life.
The old hotels are very well kept and drip with class and distinction. All have a fantastic view of the beautiful beach that extends for miles. They are a great place to stay and spend the weekend. Just remember to bring your sun screen. Hey, it’s Miami and its hot even during the day with the sea breeze.
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South Beach Night Life
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The Kayak Fly Line, Just what the Captain Ordered
Anglers Corner By Captain Pat Horrigan
For those that know me know that I live & breathe fly fishing. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy all styles of fishing under the correct circumstances. It’s just that fly fishing poses the greatest challenge for me personally so I fly fish whenever I can. As a result of my passion I try to do all that I can to promote the sport and it goes hand-inhand with kayak fishing. I introduced fly fishing into our tournament series in 2010 and brought many kayak anglers into the sport but there was something missing. I started asking the contestants what their biggest bump is for them when it came to fly fishing from a yak. The common answer that I received is that it was difficult to get enough line-load onto the rod while seated. Please keep in mind that those who answered were both experienced & new to the sport of fly fishing but perception is everything. The anglers could not stand up for the most part, taking away most if not all of the body movement or ‘English’ from their casting. I liken it to swinging a golf club with without being allowed to rotate your torso. It just doesn’t feel right and it has an effect on performance. I began a motion study of fly anglers casting from the seated position and
plugged in the energy movement flows. Likewise I did the same for a standing position. It quickly became obvious that much of the available body energy just was not there while seated. Placing a rotating seat in a kayak was out due to stability concerns and today’s fly rods are to the point of being akin to rocket launchers already so where lay the answer? Fly casting is all about energy being transmitted into the fly rod and transferred to the fly line which ultimately delivers the fly. The problem was the energy relationship between the rod and the line and of course that funky feeling of casting while seated. Given the parameters, the answer had to be in the line. I asked several of the responding anglers how it was once they
made enough back casts to feel the line load and the answer was unanimously favorable to the sport. I began by playing with some math formulas, glide length versus sink rates to weight ratios and that kind of stuff. After some time and experiments I was confident that I had the correct formula to make a line that would load with one back cast and launch 40 to 50 feet with ease all the while allowing the caster to ‘feel’ the loading and unloading of the line. Keep in mind that many fly anglers will over load or use a higher weight line on a lower weight rod to get the same ‘feel’ but this just makes the rod work harder and shortens the distance of the cast and takes away a great deal of control. I was surprised to hear the
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The Kayak Fly Line continued comments of these ‘sinners’ if your will. By using a heavier line than the rod was designed for they were able to cast compared to not being able to cast, then that might make some sort of since. What they were experiencing was the ‘feel’ of the line loading the rod all be it an overload. It’s kind of like trying to throw a shot put that is a few pounds heavier than you can handle. You can throw it but not as far as the lighter one. You could feel the weight for sure but your muscles were stressing. After all of that, I got with my good friend Jim Teeny who owns Jim Teeny Fly Lines and has been throwing feathers since chickens started growing them… a long time. His expertise in the field is unquestioned and he happens to make the very best fly lines in the world. With that having been said, who better to ask to make the Kayak Fly Line for me? I called Jim and told him what I had in mind. Of course he thought I had been in the sun too long. I told Jim that the Kayak Fly Line would load the rod on one back cast and launch a fly 40 feet or so from a seated position with no body rotation. That got his
I shot out a total of 50 feet or so with ease. After a few more casts we headed out for Miami to check out the Peacock Bass in the Miami canal system. That gave me a windy day of on the water, in the kayak testing. Upon return I did additional line stress and other testing. I was very satisfied and released the prototypes for production. While we were holding one of our tournaments, I gave my rod with the kayak line on it to an Orvis certified instructor to check out. He made a few casts on the beach and then sat down to try it as if in a kayak. He was very impressed and later
Anglers Corner
for the line is expected. Recently we held a tournament in the Everglades and I had a little time to do some fishing in the 10,000 Islands and Chokoloskee area. There was a 10 knot breeze and I was uncorking 60 foot casts without any problem or effort. I just wiggled out more fly line to begin with and made my cast. I put my rod and line in the hands of a relatively new fly angler and he was throwing some very nice casts. More importantly he was doing so with ease and great control. I hope that you give the fly line a try and let me know what you think of it. I am currently working on a couple of other lines to address additional kayak fly fishing needs and will keep you posted. Thanks for reading and Good Fishing.
www.JimTeeny.com
stated that it was the best fly line that he ever threw. That was great to hear and confirmed that I wasn’t nuts. Jim Teeny is now taking orders for the Kayak Fly Line in 8 wt. You can call him at 503-667-6602 to place your order. The Kayak Fly Line will be available on their website soon but I would suggest that you call now to get your order in as a big rush
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Action Photos We have received some really great entry photos over the past five months for the RAILBLAZA Action Photo contest. Each month anglers send us their photos and videos of them Marty Meakin-Hammerhead Shark fighting fish or of fish they have caught between our tournaments. five ClassicS this year have turned in some cool shots Please keep in mind that while others have had fishcatching a fish in mid-jump ing partners snap the pics. is almost impossible and the ones that are fortunate Some of the anglers have enough to have done it, placed their cameras onto many are on the fuzzy side. the RAILBLAZA mount There have been some very and set the camera to monice fish caught by our tion mode. They then just contestants while preturn the camera fishing and many of the via the mount tophotos are of the happy anwards the action gler holding up the prized and record the catch. Nice photos for sure. video. They then can capture a sinThe contestants that have gle frame of the won the RAILBLAZA action and save it camera mounts in the first as a photo. This
works great and is what we suggest, especially when fishing alone or your partner is also fishing. Today’s photo software is incredible and much of what is on the market is also free online in a light version. The light versions
Johnathan Ross-Trout
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Action Photos are very powerful and capable and are really all that you need for this. If you search around on the web you will find free video edit software that will perform frame capture for your entry photos. We hope you enjoy the shots and as you see, many are very impressive. We wish to thank all that have sent us your photos and we look forward to the next ones. Thanks and good fishing.
Walt Ruda-Tarpon Otis Coblentz-Snook Mike Teixidor-Shark
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Action Photos Mike Teixidor Redfish
Marty Meakin Trout
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Action Photos Rick Klosicki with a very nice snook. Rick is one of the top anglers in the series and is always competitive and hard to beat. Below is our good friend Mike Teixidor with a nice snook. Mike is wearing the Mangrove SunGloves, if you were wondering.
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Watch out Boys, This Lady Can Fish By Staff Journalist
In her first ever kayak fishing tournament, Deborah Lineberry showed most of the boys how it’s done and all of the boys that she can fish. Although she was one redfish shy of a potential podium finish in the Weedon Island Classic, Deborah turned in an impressive catch of trout. One trout in particular really stood out as you will see in the photo. Her 23.5 inch Spotted Sea Trout was beautiful and complimented only by Deborah’s photogenic smile and friendly personality. The outgoing Mrs. Lineberry has served notice that This Lady Can Fish and intends to enter many more of the upcoming ClassicS. While many of the anglers in the event were using sub-surface lures, Deborah Lineberry tied on a top water plug as the sun began to show on what had been a dark and foggy morning. Slowly and carefully she worked the lures’ magic across the surface to be rewarded with a small trout. That was
a start and all that she would need to spur her on. She made another cast to a likely looking area of boils and connected with this winner. The ensuing battle with the equally energized trout went into slow motion as she felt ever pulse, head shake and tail flip. What must have seemed to last forever was suddenly over as she netted the prize trout to conclude what was a natural occurrence for her. She’s new to all of this but it didn’t show a bit. Was it luck? We don’t think so. She made the hard decision to go against convention that only a veteran would make. It was late morning and the sun was now bright and everyone was
Please note that this photo was taken before the issue of the new Official KFC Measuring Tape.
using other lures to fool their quarry. There was no early morning bite due to the dark conditions and heavy fog. So when it looked like a normal morning, Deborah made the decision to fish like it was. It worked and you can’t argue with that. We congratulate Deborah and wish her continued success in the ClassicS. Boys get your napkins out, you’ve just been served.
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Prototype Paddles & the Kayak Angler
Gear Corner By Captain Pat Horrigan
When it comes to purchasing a product off of the shelf many of us do not give it much thought in respect to what really went into the product to get it onto the shelf in the first place. What I am talking about is prototype paddles and the kayak angler. In particular, Bending Branches who contacted me to ask if the Kayak Fishing ClassicS would test some prototype paddles for them. I suggested that we not only test them but have some of the top kayak anglers on the Gulf Coast do the same for us. Well the good people at Bending Branches liked that idea and we moved forward. Upon receipt of several paddles we tested them for blade bite, blade dive, exit drip, noise, blade & shaft flex and a host of other conditions that paddlers would be interested in and found all of the prototypes to be quite good. Keep in mind that each paddle had its obvious price point from entry level to expert paddler. As we are strong in marketing, we took an additional view from the traditional approach of paddle testing. We looked at how well the paddle presents itself to the consumer at all levels of expertise. Bending Branches loved this approach as it gave them a user’s eye on perception of their products. After our review of each paddle we put them into the hands of expert anglers to field test, not telling them anything other than they were prototype paddles by Bending Branches. We asked them to use the paddles as normal and let us know what they think. Our primary expert testers were Derick Burgos of Phatfish Kayak Charters, two time KFC National Champion Mark Knowles and Tournament Champion Marty Meakin. I could go
on for hours about the high level of esteem and regard these masters are held in, but that is another story. Please know that we gave all three experts entry level to mid priced paddles and here is why. If one is new to kayak paddling they could not tell us much difference between paddles other than looks and perhaps weight. They could not tell us anything about performance other than it is better than the old 2x4 that they had been using. If you hand an expert a $500 paddle it will be business as usual but hand them an entry to mid level paddle and its déjà vu for them. With all of their experience they can and did tell me exactly what they liked and disliked about their test paddles. They also told me why and I thank them all for their honest and accurate expert evaluations. We sent all of our gathered data to Bending Branches and they will now finalize and make new paddles based on this for you, the paddler.
we just walk into a store and purchase. Bending Branches firstly had to design and build the paddles based on their objectives. Make the design to properly perform and yet be affordable to the entry level, average angler and experts that we all share our sport with. Bending Branches Paddles are also Made in America. It is this kind of forward thinking and angler concern that we based our sponsorship selection upon. Bending Branches is a unique American company made up from a collection of fantastic people. When you buy your next paddle think about what you just read. In reality Bending Branches is a prototype of the new American business model and we at the ClassicS are very proud to represent them in our tournament series. Visit Bending Branches to see all of their great paddles.
www.BendingBranches.com
So if you think about it, it really is amazing what goes into a product that
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Under Cover Kayak
KFC Reviews
Well you just dropped a paycheck on a new kayak and you have it all tricked out the way you want. When you are finished fishing you drag your pride and joy up into the yard and leave her to bake in the sun. The next time you go fishing you have to wash her down to remove the baked on birdie presents and other dubious smudges and smears. Well you are only half done with tricking her out. To protect your kayak investment, and it can really be an investment as we all know, you need a good cover. Not just any cover mind you and you don’t need to spend two or three hundred dollars to get the job done right. Recently we designed a cover for our photo boat, a Diablo Adios. Prior to this effort we looked around the market for an appropriate cover and found that the existing selection was held in very high esteem by their manufactures. All we wanted to do is cover our kayak with a good UV protected cover that didn’t break the bank. We looked everywhere but nothing doing and none were easy to put on or take off, so to the drawing boards we went.
with some interesting ideas. First and foremost, it must be a simple straight forward design and easy to put on and take off. It must fold up into a neat stow-able package. It must draw down and securely hold itself onto the kayak and not blow off. It must be double stitched and reinforced where need and of course the fabric must be lightweight, UV proof and water proof. That’s not asking too much is it? Oh yes, it must be under a hundred bucks.
What makes a good cover for a kayak, we asked ourselves and we came up
Well not to be discouraged, we took our planes to the master sail maker at JLM Designs in Hudson, Florida. The owner of JLM Designs was happy to work with our design ideas and came up with a fantastic kayak cover that met all of our specifications and exceeded our expectations. We were so pleased that we discussed her making a line of kayak covers for us that are designed for specific kayaks.
She was delighted to do so and we now have a line of what we consider to be the best kayak covers on the market. Now our Adios is only twelve feet long so naturally if your boat is bigger, it may cost you a few dollars more but certainly nothing like the big buck tube covers that are really a royal pain to use. To discuss your needs and to order your custom kayak cover, just give JLM Designs a call at 727-862-0700 or visit www.KayakFishingClassicS.com and get your Kayak Under Cover today.
727-862-0700 25
The First Snook
By Capt. Pat Horrigan
Photo by Capt. Pat Horrigan Our photographer, Al Klose gets some pretty neat photos and spends a lot of time on the water as you can imagine. He loves to fish but rarely has the opportunity. He is new to saltwater inshore fishing and has lots of questions about our sport. I figured the best way to answer some of these questions was to guide for him while fishing for snook. Snook hold a fascination for him as they do for many of us. After all they are quite a unique game fish so what could be better? We launch our kayaks early on a very still spring morning recently and headed to the long fabled Fillmans Bayou, about a ten mile round trip. I explained to Al how snook hunt and what their fight is like. I told him about how they love to lay-up in the mangrove roots and ambush bait fish
as the tidal flow forces them by. I also warned them about their nasty little trick of turning and heading for the roots after the take and that he would have to be quick to maneuver the linesiders out into the open to avoid what could follow. When we arrived at one of my favorite snook haunts, we stayed off about 100 yards to watch what was happening in the area. I pointed out the direction of the water flow and explained that he would want to present his lure upstream and work it past the snook, just like a live bait fish being forced by the awaiting fate. We observed the depth of the feeding zone and what the rises in the water meant. Al was all set and anxious to get started. We positioned our kayaks and he made his first cast, worked the bait and repeated that a few times. He was
on his way and didn’t need me looking over his shoulder so I moved off as he began his work in earnest. It wasn’t long until I could hear a very excited call for my attention. I paddled back to Al and there he was with a very nice snook in his net. Perfect. He wasn’t sure what he had but figured that it was a snook based on the way he caught it and the tell tale dark line running the length of its body. “Is this a snook” he asked as he held up the net full of fish? It sure is and a nice one too I replied. In a bit of a role -reversal I took a few photos to document his First Snook and watched as he revived the 30 inch beauty and then we watched her swim away. Al noticed that I referred to the snook as she or her several times and asked me why. I explained that all snook start life as a male and as they mature they become female. He really thought I
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The First Snook
By Capt. Pat Horrigan
Photos by Capt. Pat Horrigan was pulling his paddle about I assured him that it is true. After a few minutes a lull in the conversation developed so I said “So tell me about catching your first snook.” At that point there was never another lull as he painted a verbal picture perfect epic battle including the take, the attempt to run back to the roots and so on. It was fantastic and I think I enjoyed it more than he. It was such a memorable event and so much fun that I later printed a 13 x 19 inch photo and framed it for him. You would have thought I gave him a new boat but that’s another story. Do you remember your first snook?
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Paddle On
Road Trip
No matter where you live, there are opportunities for a road trip. I am fortunate enough to live within an hour’s drive of the 10,000 Islands and the Everglades. I have long wanted to go on an overnight camping trip to some of the outer islands on the Gulf of Mexico and partake in the legendary fishing there. After lots of preparation, my chance came during an April weekend. A few months before, some friends and I rented a houseboat and “mothershipped” our kayaks to the islands. That was an epic trip, but I wanted to try something a little rougher. For this trip, we planned on only taking our kayaks, and what we could pack on them. When you plan on packing a kayak for camping in a remote spot, space becomes a huge issue. I have many kayaks, but I chose the Wilder-
By Bob Bramblet
ness Systems Tarpon 160. Between the ample storage space under the front hatch, and the generous tank well, I thought this the best choice for carrying all the gear and still being able to paddle well. My friends and I decided to pack as if it was a solo trip. Each of us was responsible for our own food, water, safety gear, etc. I carried a small pack tent, five MRE’s, a large soft-sided cooler with water, first aid kit, small camp stove, all the things one would require to make a small camp. Every-
thing fit neatly into a dry bag and went under the front hatch. All my normal fishing gear went in back. Things that I don’t normally worry about when just fishing had to be addressed as well. I carried a handheld GPS with mapping, and a handheld VHF radio for emergencies. There is no cell phone service to speak of, and it’s a long paddle back if you get hurt. Once my kayak was all loaded up, she was so heavy that I was sitting in water during the entire paddle out. We chose Jewel Key, a little island
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Road Trip
with a small beach about 5 miles paddling. To get a campsite in the park, you have to get there when the office opens in Everglades City and reserve it for that night. We launched from the park office and started the journey. The trail led us across the bay and into some of the most pristine mangroves and oyster beds I have ever seen. The water here is very clear for the most part and the tides are very strong. The fishing is great as well and it wasn’t long before we were on the redfish. We paddled out against the tide, which is not easy. The water moves quickly and our 5 mile paddle took 3 ½ hours. We did fish on the way and probably could have made the paddle shorter. The scenery was beautiful and with so many mangroves and waterways, we only saw one other boat during our journey.
Continued
We reached Jewel Key mid-morning and set up camp. It didn’t take long and we were fishing again. There are so many oyster beds and mangrove inlets that we could never cover it all in one day. The fish were everywhere and we caught reds, snook and trout. After a while, we checked out our little island. The small beach area was just big enough at high tide to hold us and next to a narrow, deep channel. We ate and fished, and fished and ate. At night, we built a fire, and put out shark lines. Under the stars we caught sharks and talked about all the fish we caught that day. We all agreed, this was an epic trip!
ing tide back to Everglades City and without paddling at all, we fished to entire way in and still made the 5 mile journey in two hours. At the launch, all we could talk about was why we didn’t stay another night.
The next morning, we packed up our camp and fished our little channel on an incoming tide. The snook were crazy and we caught many until they finally shut down. We rode the incom-
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Meet the Champ..Both of Them
At the conclusion of the Kayak Fishing ClassicS ten tournament, 2011 series year, a series champion was determined by the point system. The winner of the often grueling and competitive series was master angler Bob
Bramblet of Bonita Springs, Florida. That was no small accomplishment and required a strong commitment on his part to fish every tournament. Of course he did not win every tournament but he always managed to earn some points and just kept at it which paid off. That set the stage for the Invitational National Championship in November and it also wiped the slate clean. No one brought any points into the national championship and it was anyone’s tournament to win. Mind you that the field was loaded with some super talented anglers from all over the Gulf Region to add to the excitement. The winner of the national championship was the defending 2010 National Champion, Mark Knowles of Clearwater, Florida who by doing so earned the nickname of Repeat. A name given with the upmost of respect as it is difficult to win any championship two years in a row.
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Meet the Champs.. continued Mark is also a master angler who like bob Bramblet, has a very good since of humor and both are a lot of fun to be with. With that being said, we thought it would be fun to have the two champions do a little fishing together and show off their Diablo Paddlesports Adios kayaks that they each won in their respective championships. All of us met in Tampa at Whiskey Joes Bar & Grill, the scene of the 2011 national and a great place to eat and have fun. Of course others joined in on the fun as the Two Champs shoved off to do a little fishing, all in fun mind you. This was more of a photo op than a fishing contest but you know what happens when you put two champs from any sport together. They were not really fishing so much as just looking like it when one of them ‘happened’ to catch a small trout. That started it and not to be outdone, the other had to do the same. They were both laughing and generally having a good time with each other and it re-
minded me of what the series is really all about. Having fun fishing with friends and making new friends while doing something together that everyone enjoys is the ticket. Having fun and a great time has been a common thread of every Classic and it is refreshing to see it firsthand. In too many sports today and at all levels the theme of friendly competition has been forgotten and tempers too often prevail. I am either stuck in the office preparing for a tournament or setting up an award ceremony at a tournament, to see very much of it. Sure I see the photos and the videos but it’s not the same. Hearing the laughter and friendly verbal jabs while joking around is what it is all about and it’s why I do what I do. I applaud their spirit and say thanks to the Champ… Both of Them.
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Beach Tarpon by Artist Jim Roberts
Reel Dreams Fish Prints
www.RealDreamFishPrints.com
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It’s Tarpon Time
By Capt. Pat Horrigan
It’s Tarpon Time! It’s Tarpon Time! Yes it’s true; I get very excited about this time of year as do many anglers everywhere. Many of us have fallen victim to the affliction to which there is only one cure and a long time between antidotes. May and June are the months along the West Coast of Florida for the Silver King to make his majestic appearance. Oh of course there are year-round resident tarpon that are much smaller than the true kings of the flats. They just don’t pack the kick for me that the big boys do but I am spoiled geographically as I live in one of the best areas in the world for a shot at real monsters. As the tarpon pods migrate northward from their southern haunts, the smaller juveniles drop off in bays and other safe havens as the larger poons continue their trek north. By the time they get up my way it’s mostly large young adults and the good old boys that I see. On the smaller side of the scale are the 80 to 100 pound class however many are bigger. The group that really excites me is the 200 pound and up monsters. You may think it is because of their size and that would be partially correct. What I really enjoy about the big boys is their smarts, if you will. Think about it. A tarpon that is around 200 plus pounds is a sly old rooster and hasn’t lived that long because he is stupid. He has seen much and has learned many tricks in his battles over the years. He has outsmarted many an angler and predator alike and has lived to tell about it. That’s right, tell about it. If you are fortunate enough to hook up with one of these true kings, you will get an education that you won’t believe, all be it accelerated learning.
Walt Ruda & The Silver King
While having dinner at a café in the everglades with a couple of friends, the topic of tarpon fishing came up….naturally. The two younger anglers that I was with had of course caught small tarpon and asked me if I like to tarpon fish. My reaction was not unlike the dog in the ‘bacon strips’ commercial on TV. As we talked the question arose on how tarpon became to be known as the ‘Silver King’ which led to yet another cup of mud and a deep breath. The Silver King is full of tricks that are nasty, confusing and at times, dangerous to the inexperienced angler. I told the lads about a couple of epic battles that I had encountered over the years from the deck of my flats boat. I told them about the basic stuff like bowing to the king and was surprised that they asked me why. “Is that some sort of tradition or something when they jump” one of them asked? “Yes” I replied “and never break tradition.” I
explained that it really is necessary to slack the line by bowing and extending your rod hand forward. The tarpon will try to land on your line to snap it on the way down from a jump. One of the nastiest tricks that I encountered was during a long fight with a real big poon on fly. In fact I don’t think that I have ever caught a tarpon on anything but a fly rod. The huge fish tried all kinds of nasties and couldn’t shake the fly or break the line. He made a run head on and jumped several feet into the air just a few feet from the bow. He was shaking his head and looking at me. What a deep dark eye gave me. If you have ever caught a big tarpon you know what I mean by that. The sudden jump didn’t startle me and my sunglasses kept most of the water out of my eyes as he slammed back into the water and took off like a hell hound shot out of a cannon. The beast swam away from the boat
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It’s Tarpon Time
continued Walt doing battle with the big poon
and circled back to my left at the 9 O’clock position. It was all that I could do to manage the line and keep from getting all tangled up. This was it; the grand play of a master flats warrior that greatly outweighed me. I didn’t dare take my eyes off of him as that would mean certain defeat for me. The mighty king really turned on the speed, coming straight at me and leapt from the water straight at me. It was enormous, shaking his head and swiping his tail at me as he tried to body check me and sweep me off of the deck of my skiff. As I looked up at the brute coming at me, time seemed to stop. All was in slow motion as I found myself falling flat onto the deck of the skiff to duck the decapitating attack of this very serious flats master. I bounced up from the deck and had the presence to flip the line from one side of the boat to the other while watching this magnificent wild animal do its worst to me. I gained control of the line and managed to gather some in and put the down and dirty on the great beast one last time. It had finally had enough and let me bring him along side. I removed the hook and revived him for a long time prior to release. With a deep stare into my eyes and a swoosh of his mighty tail, he was gone. I suddenly felt all alone as I stood and watched an old friend go into the distant blue….It’s Tarpon Time!
to be in his office recently and he showed me a few pictures that I just had to share with you. I am looking forward to throwing feathers at poons with Walt soon. Hey it’s that time of year so go get your fix.
Next on my list is tarpon from my kayak. That leads me to my good friend Walter Ruda who is very experienced in catching poons from his kayak. Walt owns Metalfab Inc and custom makes commercial fabrications that are just outstanding. In fact Walt can make just about anything that you can dream up. I had occasion
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You can’t go wrong with these guys when it comes to your fly fishing needs. Visit them today and say hello.
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Flying Crabs
Throwing Feathers By Captain Pat Horrigan
There are more fly patterns on the market today than you can shake you fly rod at. Most of them work so how does a poor fly angler select the right one? It’s a question that many feather tossers struggle with but the answer is really quite easy to determine.
crabs. Yummy little crabs, one of their favorite foods and the reds are all too accommodating to take advantage of the easy meal. So many anglers throw gold spoons, plugs and soft plastics that all imitate fish and forget all about crabs being redfish candy.
To begin with what are some of the natural foods that a redfish eat? Well let’s look at that for a minute. We know that they eat shrimp, other fish and of course small crabs. Have you ever watched a school of mullet work across a flat? If you look closely you will see that the reds are right behind them or mixed right in there with them. We know that the two species are not competing for the same foods, so what is going on there.
There are many crab imitations on the market but we are going to look at crab fly patterns. Why fish a fly for reds? Simple, it is highly productive. Kayak fishing is stealthy and fly fishing goes hand and hand with that premise. When reds are busy cracking crabs and following mullet in shallow water they are also very spooky. If you land a fly just ahead of them and work it correctly as they approach it, you will earn their attention. Now that you know where to cast in this situation, how do you work the pattern?
In their working over the grasses on the flats, the mullet stir up the small bait fish, shrimp and of course the
Have you ever watched a redfish or
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Flying Crabs
permit take a crab? What does the crab do that turns on the hungry fish? Remember the mullet are stirring things up and that should be a clue to you. When the crabs are disturbed by the mullet they swim away and drop back into the grass. Mind you they do not swim far but it’s enough for the following reds to see them and it usually happens right in front of them or within a foot or two. In only a couple of feet or less of clear water, that’s all
Throwing Feathers Continued
it takes to ring the dinner bell. Watch a crab and you will see him swim just above the grass tops and then drop down to the bottom. So what should you do? The same thing to mimic the real McCoy will work nicely. You make your cast ahead of the working school and wait for them to arrive. When the mullet pass through, lift your rod tip a little to raise the crab, swim it and get ready for action. When you see an unsuspecting red turn on you fly, drop it to the bottom when he gets close. Tails up and set the hook. When a redfish snatches a crab and you should really watch that sometime if you can, it picks it up, crunches the shell in the crushers located in the
back of his mouth and then spits out the shell. You can almost hear him say Yummm. It only takes a second for that to happen so if you wait for the big feel you will probably miss the hook set. Permit are even faster. It takes a keen eye and you have to pay close attention but it pays huge dividends. A nice slot red will give you a good accounting for on a fly rod. I select a fly pattern that is similar to the crabs color and size that they are feeding on. There are a multitude of crabs in the sea and that’s why there are so many different patterns. If I don’t have the pattern coloration, I don’t worry about it at all. It’s all in how and when you work the pattern. Many anglers ask me what weight fly
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Flying Crabs
rod and line should they be using and that depends on how big of redfish are you hunting. The heavier the rod weight, the heavier the line and the more energy you will have to exert to deliver the goods. If you are fishing for slots, then an 8 weight is perfect. An 8 weight fly rod will handle any redfish that you will encounter on the flats in this situation. If it is a bit windy for you and it makes it hard for you to deliver then move up to a 9 weight. Fly fishing is like golf in the respect to the number of clubs it takes to play the game. A club for every situation equates to a fly rod for every situation. That is why I take at least two rods on my kayak and if I am on a skiff I will take four or five. If you were to only have one fly rod I would suggest that you make it an 8 weight. With our new Kayak Fly Line you can get away with only rod with no problem as it will handle the wind under most conditions. Our line is available in only an 8 weight for now and Jim Teeny Fly Lines is making it for us. Many anglers make the mistake of
Throwing Feathers Continued
going up one line weight such as a 9 weight line on an 8 weight rod. That really takes away a great deal of performance from the rod and makes it harder to cast and control. It will allow the angler to feel the line load but you won’t have that concern anymore with our kayak fly line. So where to get your flies? Well many anglers tie them for their own use but most purchase them considering the busy life we all live. You know I am going to suggest RiverBum Flies for your purchase. They are our fly sponsor for some very good reasons. Quality, price and service to name just a few reasons to buy from them. RiverBum offers a great selection of saltwater flies without confusing the hell out of you. Keep
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Flying Crabs
it simple and enjoy the sport works for most anglers.
Throwing Feathers Continued
DOLLAR CRAB
Give it a try the next time you are hunting reds and you will most likely see your fish count increase and break the funOmeter.
www.RiverBum.com
www.Redington.com
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Indian River Slam
Steve Whitlock Game Fish Art
www.SteveWhitlock.com
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New Product Reviews I know this sounds like something out of the Great Oz or a new whoopee cushion but it is not. In stead this just may be the answer to your comfort level in your kayak. Skwoosh makes great kayak seats and cushions that raise the level of your seating comfort and will allow you to enjoy time on the water and avoid a nagging backache that some of us must endure. Skwoosh Kayak Seats are so comfortable that you may find yourself seated in your kayak while reading the Sunday paper or the latest issue of KFC Tournament Trail Magazine. Really they’re that good. We purchased a few of the kayak seats to test them before inviting Skwoosh to become involved with the ClassicS, as we do all of our sponsor products. The neat thing here is that we are gathering information about a product before they become a sponsor. Once the testing is complete and the product meets our needs and criteria of quality and pricing, we pass the information along to you. In addition to the comfort, we found Skwoosh products to be very well made and priced so that the average kayak angler can easily afford them. The stitching on all of their products is very durable and sun-resistant. The finish details are complete, no hanging
threads or missing hardware or straps. The equipment is of course very easy to install and the hardware is rock solid. So far it sounds like a normal kayak seat. This is where Skwoosh takes it to the next level. Skwoosh incorporates gel cushion into
the seating area of their kayak seating systems. Talk about comfortable. Our on the water photographer has some back issues and he is very comfortable seated in a Skwoosh seat while other chairs just won’t work for him. Additionally,
many of the Skwoosh models are constructed with Air Flo fabric so that you stay cool as well as comfortable. We spent a few hot days on the water testing the Skwoosh seats and a few hours of computer time just sitting in them. There is no doubt about it. Skwoosh seats and cushions will make a huge difference in your comfort level and ultimately enhance your on the water performance. By the way, Skwoosh is made in the USA and that’s another plus for sure. Visit Skwoosh and take a look at all of their great products at
www.Skwoosh.com
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New Product Reviews
Over the past few years Captain Pat Horrigan has been talking at the ClassicS awards ceremonies about the importance of proper kayak storage. The Hang Up as the captain calls it is critical to the longevity and proper performance of your kayak investment. While researching new and better kayak storage systems for today’s larger fishing kayaks, we discovered Suspenz Inc. makers of a variety of kayak storage solutions. We liked what we say and purchased one for testing. We found that the simple design was very well built and made perfect sense for our contestants. What led to all of this was the discovery by Capt. Pat that many of the KFC contestants were using there
kayaks so often that they just drag them into the backyard or garage and leave them on the ground. Tsk, tsk so very bad for a kayak. Keeping in mind that a kayak is basically plastic, leaving it on the ground unsupported will allow the boat to warp and set the keel into a new position. This of course will cause the kayak to track in a not so straight line and greatly reduce performance. Kayak fishing is all about stealth and a crooked boat is harder and louder to paddle. The angler may not hear the extra noise he is making but the fish will detect the ‘odd’ vibration’ it now makes and head for cover. The Suspenz kayak storage system cradles your kayak in durable webbing and holds your investment dollars firmly in place. It was very simple to install and only took an hour including digging postholes and pouring in the cement. The quick cement set in thirty min-
utes and we mounted the Suspenz brackets with four screws and attached the arms. That’s it! Simple, effective and it will make your kayak last for many more years and perform as designed. Suspenz also makes systems that suspend your kayak from the ceiling or from walls. They also make a very nifty set of portable stands to support your boat while you are working on it or washing it. Yes I said it. Washing your kayak properly helps prolong its life and performance. After our testing we were so impressed with Suspenz that we invited to them become our exclusive Kayak Storage Sponsor and we are glad we did. Take care of your kayaks and store them properly. Please visit Suspenz to take a look at all of their innovative products and great customer service at
www.SuspenzeKayakStorage.com
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New Product Reviews
By Kayak Fishing ClassicS staff journalist Kayak fishing is one of the, if not the fastest growing sport in North America and around the world. This has created a huge demand for accessories to outfit your favorite fishing kayak as new companies come to life each year to assist the yak angler. Many yak anglers do not have a neighborhood kayak store for these needed goodies so we turn to the internet. In our search for a great internet/ brick & motor store that can ship on a moment’s notice, offers fantastic prices and service and has what we need, we discovered Yak-Gear in Texas. Geographical location does not matter much with the internet and speedy shipping but more importantly was the service and selection combined with good prices. That’s hard to find sometimes but we did it. We know that most of you want what you need right away but when you factor in the time of a long drive and the cost of gas into the equation
it is less money to ship it and wait a day or two for your yak goodies. If you are like we are, being frugal is a big part of our sport. Yak-Gear ships your order to your door for only 99 cents! We found that the selection at Yak-Gear is great and if they don’t have what you want they will get it for you. They have saved us a lot of time, money and running around and they will do the same for you. We were so impressed with Yak -Gear that we invited them to award our tournament contestants a $10 gift certificate for fishing our events. It’s just our way of saying Welcome to the ClassicS and here is a great place to get your gear. Yak-Gear also carries most of the products that our sponsors offer and that’s all the better for everyone. The thing that has amazed us and our anglers is how great their service is. They know that anyone can sell kayak fishing gear for your kayak, but only a few do it well so take advantage of this tip and check them out . You will be glad you did and so will your checkbook. See you on the next wave.
www.Yak-Gear.com
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New Product Reviews
Many kayak anglers spend three or four days a week on the water, lucky dogs. As we all know, the sun is brutal along the Coastal Gulf States where we conduct our tournaments. I know that we all think about and protect our exposed areas from the sun but have you considered what your hands go through during one of your average outings? Even if you put the goo on your hands, and many don’t, it is going to get washed off. Many of us try to avoid getting the stuff on our hands like the plague. I know I do because I don’t want the stuff on my flies. I use a heavy glove when throwing feathers at tarpon or while polling my skiff while guiding but they are just too heavy for kayak fishing or even for lightweight fishing gear. Oh yah, they are hot too so I don’t like to wear them to begin with. Take a look at your hands. Do you have spots on them or do they resemble a lizard’s skin? Mine did and it concerned me. I noticed some pretty leathery looking hooks on some of our contestants at weigh in and decided to look into this. I started testing all kinds of sun gloves and could not find a pair that would protect our hands and still be comfortable while fishing and paddling. That is until we stopped in at the Bass Pro Shop in Fort Myer, Florida on the way home from one of our tournaments. I decided to look at the gloves and much to my delight I found a pair of Mangrove Sungloves that looked like they would do the job. I tried on a pair and they were
lightweight, thin and cool like an extra layer of sun proof skin. I read what they are made of and the formula should hold up well to paddling. A miracle glove? Perhaps but testing would tell the story. I wore the Mangrove Sungloves on several fishing trips. I paddled with them on and both fly fished and spin fished in them. I tyed all kinds of knots with them on, dunked them in the saltwater repeatedly and handled fish with them on. In other words, I wore them like an outer skin and I was very pleased with them. They did not show any signs of wear and all of the stitching held up. I next ran them through the washer a few times and wore them some more. These things are great!
the Kayak Fishing ClassicS. We worked out the details and have now awarded a dozen pair to our contestants. Everyone that I have spoken to is crazy about the Mangrove Sungloves. They paddle, cast, handle fish, tie knots and everything else we would normally do while kayak fishing. No complaints or suggestions from this avid crowd and that is a ringing endorsement from a group that puts our award products through the paces. I highly recommend the Mangrove Sungloves and suggest that you start wearing them immediately to protect your hands from the harsh environment that we all love and enjoy. You can win a pair of Mangrove Sungloves in our events or purchase them from any TFO dealer.
Once satisfied that these gloves are a great solution to our needs I spoke with the good folks at Mangrove. I invited them to become the official glove sponsor of
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New Product Reviews WideGlide, the Game Changer River2Sea WideGlide Bait. Well I had to have one of these to try out and had one sent to me for testing. Upon receipt of the glider I tied it onto my favorite rod and headed out to do a little fishing, or so I thought. I made a basic overhead cast and the thing flew much, much farther than I had anticipated. That was a nice start to what was to become a real head scratcher. I cranked the bait but it didn’t glide the way Larry’s did on TV. I tried it again and again with the same results and we all know what that means, right Einstein?
I was watching Larry Dahlberg catch some more really big fish on his TV show and noticed the fantastic action of the lure he was using. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought the lure was remote controlled with the way it was working and conjuring up fish. I looked into this and discovered that Larry was using a
I retreated to my computer and went to Larry’s website to discover a few videos on how to properly work the lure. Oh, well that looks easy enough I thought and headed back out for some more casting. Long story short, it took me a while to get the hang of it but I am glad I took the time. This is remarkable I remember saying to myself. Not that it worked so much as to the fact that I could do it. I am a fly guy but the glide bait really got my attention. On a sixty foot cast, the bait will glide side to side about eight feet while only moving forward a couple of feet. So by making two glides the lure has moved forward approximately four feet and covered around twenty surface feet with two twitches of the rod and a couple of turns on the reel handle. Think about that for a minute and what that can mean to you. In a sixty foot cast your lure will cover around six hundred surface feet of water all with only one cast. The lure works or covers an eight foot wide swath which I envision to be like a swath cut out of a wheat field. It wouldn’t take too many casts to accumulate a tidy harvest. Tournament fishing is all about present-
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New Product Reviews
ing your lure to as many fish as possible with the least effort and time and that is exactly what the River2Sea WideGlide does. Imagine a school of reds working with a school of mullet. You make a cast with the glider and a whole lot of reds are going to see your offering. The odds are stacked in your favor that you are going to hook up. When reds are doing this do you think they would eat a nice plump little mullet? Yum…you bet cha they will. River2Sea Lures makes the WideGlide lure in a variety of finishes to fit most of our inshore needs. The lure comes in two sizes and we award the 4 inch, 7/8 oz is perfect for big snook or tarpon. The WideGlide comes with two sets of stainless steel treble hooks and the body
finish is amazing and very lifelike to match the action. Also you can get even more action if you add a split ring and when the lure completes its glide, it actually sits there and shimmy’s in the water. Something that I learned is to use a mono leader and not stiff fluorocarbon. That made a huge difference in the performance. You can run the lure subsurface or right on top. Most of the strikes will come during the glide or right as you change directions to go the other way. It is exciting and I am putting it to work in May & June on big poons. If you want a game changer lure this is it. Get it, learn it and I’ll see you on the winner’s podium.
www.River2SeaUSA.com
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New Product Reviews
While MirrOlure is not a little name in the fishing lure industry, the MirrOdine MR17 is at only 2 1/4 inches long and 3/16 oz. It runs from surface to 24 inches deep so it’s very versatile and productive. MirrOlure is out of Largo, Florida and was started by Paul Brown in 1974 so it’s not a new company but the MirrOdine is new to the ClassicS and we are very glad to have them with us as are our contestants. What is new there is the Lumo Series with Flash. The bold flash combined with the natural batfish pattern and new luminescence foil insert delivers a knockout punch of light bending flash to attract fish. They rattle and swim like a wounded bait fish run on the surface or up to the same 24 inch depth as before. The finish is outstanding; a tradition started by Paul and is still true to its roots.
finish, you can’t lose. Give one a twitch or two to mimic a wounded baitfish and get ready for action. Trout, Redfish, Snook and Tarpon find the MirrOdines to be irresistible. There have been several podium finishes thus far in the ClassicS attributed to the MirrOdine and they have captured a few Big Fish Awards to date. More is to be expected, naturally. One of the unique features of the series of lures is the ease of use. Pros and Newbie’s alike love the lures and have great success with them. When you think back to the time when you were just learning how to inshore fish, you may remember the confusion you experienced over which bait to use. Well MirrOlure takes that all away and Turns on the Bite. Of course the company makes a wide variety of lures from which to choose but the MirrOdine that we award has been doing the job for many anglers. Next time you are wondering what lure to throw, try a MirrOdine and catch some fish.
Just like the Little Engine… this little lure really packs a punch in the productivity charts. MirrOlure says it all.
www.MirrOlure.com
The realistic appearance and action invokes violent strikes which we all love. The MirrOlure also features 3 D fiery red eyes, extra strong stainless steel hooks and hardware to handle the monsters. Combined with the heat cured MirrOclear
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New Product Reviews There are all kinds of kayak fishing boots to select from if you can figure it out. Well we did the leg work for you and it wasn’t as easy as it may sound. The primary function of a kayak bootie is to protect your feet while being comfortable. That sounds simple but wait, it gets complicated the more you look into them. To begin with you need to keep in mind where you are going to fish. What are you going to be walking across to get your kayak into the water and what is the sea floor like? Are you going to be walking on rocks and in mud? Do you need some protection from oysters and stingrays? The list can endlessly go on and if you try to cover all possible situations you will be wearing some very heavy, cumbersome footwear. Our fishing conditions don’t really require extreme protection but they do require a shoe that has good support, good grip, and protection from abrasions and cuts to begin with. We also
wanted a boot that won’t cook your feet yet will be warm in cool waters. We also wanted lightweight, flexible footwear that you would be comfortable wearing for several hours. We were concern about the durability and ease of cleaning and simple to adjust to fit. The bootie that we wanted had to also be a very quiet. We did not want a clunky hunting boot style that will make loud thuds every time you move around in your kayak. We didn’t want much, only the perfect kayak fishing bootie, that’s all. After looking into and trying several brands we discovered that most of the kayak boots are very good but none had exactly what we wanted for our anglers. We then came across Kokatat, a company out of California that makes most of their products right here in the United States. After a good look and some research we got our hands on a pair of Kokatat Seeker kayak shoes for testing. We also talked to people from around the Americas and heard nothing but great things. One of the big rocks for the ever frugal kayak angler is of course price. We
felt that if we could find the perfect boots for our needs and stay under $100 we would be happy. Some boots are very inexpensive and the quality reflects the price point. Some are just too expensive for the average kayak angler so we felt comfortable with our price guide. We found that the praise is well deserved. The Seeker’s that we tested are very comfortable and durable. They have a very cool adjusting system on them that is snag free and protected and protected by a neoprene cover. The shoes are just above the ankle and have a vulcanized rubber sole, heal and toe for sufficient protection. They stay on your feet when you step into the mud yet are easy to remove. The Seeker is much like wearing a moccasin with a padded insole. The stitching is strong so no problems there and they are extremely light weight and durable. They clean up like new and dry quickly. Continued:
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Kokatat Seeker Boots
New Product Reviews
We were very pleasantly surprised with the price point of the Seeker. Well under $100 at only $62 bucks. All of the $40 dollar price range kayak shoe that we tested just didn’t meet our needs and we fell that the Kokatat Seeker is a great value. We highly recommend them for your fishing and paddling needs. We were so impressed with the Seeker that we invited them to become our official Kayak Fishing Shoe Sponsor. The nice people at Kokatat were delighted and we worked out the details so you can now win a pair of Seeker’s at our events. We know you will be impressed and ask that you help us welcome Kokatat to the ClassicS.
www.Kokatat.com
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New Product Reviews
As a captain and guide I have accumulated many different fishing shirts over the years and I don’t think I have any two the same brand. Does that sound like you? The technology in fishing shirts is amazing and keeps moving
forward with fantastic innovations. I wanted the perfect fishing shirts for our anglers and did a lot of research to find the right one. Not just any shirt would do, no not at all. It gets very hot out on the water along the Gulf Coast and pro-
tection from the sun and heat is a must. I contacted ExOfficio about their new Air Strip shirts after hearing about how great they are. I explained to them what we do and need and they suggested the Air Strip shirt as well. They then sent me a few to test for myself. Upon receipt I anxiously put one on and could not believe it. It felt like I didn’t have a shirt on. I went outside and stood in the sun and could feel the ‘cool’ of the shirt. Flat out amazing! This of course made good reason for me to go fishing, not that I really needed one. It was a typical hot and sunny day in Florida with little breeze in the backcountry and out on the flats. Perfect for testing the Air Strip and do a little fly fishing. On my first cast I noticed that the Air Strip did not restrict my motion in any way. That in itself sold me on the shirt. I usually have to fish with my shirt tail out and I just find that very uncomfortable. The fishing actually got pretty interesting and I was throwing a lot of feathers around and catching a few reds. Before I knew it I had been out there in the heat for the better part of the day and it was getting time to
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New Product Reviews
come in before the tides turned me into a camper. I couldn’t believe how cool and comfortable I stayed and that aced it for me. Now that ExOfficio has been our Official Fishing Shirt of the ClassicS for a few months, we have awarded quite a few of them to our tournament winners. We have interviewed several of the winners and they all say how great the shirts are. A few of the common threads from our contestants is firstly how cool and comfortable the shirts are. I also heard repeatedly comments about how well the shirts are made and that the love all of the pockets and how good they look. Many of the anglers wear the Air Strip’s all of the time and that they are getting their friends hooked on them. Take a look at the feature loaded list and you will see why everyone loves these shirt; UPF Sun guard 30+, 3-position button-down sun collar, 3position Airomesh Plus back cape ventilation, Upper back mesh lining, Air Strip Ventilation System sides for increased air flow, Critical seams moved off the shoulder to prevent
rubbing, Roll-up sleeve tabs, Utility loop above left front pocket, Pleated bellows front pockets, Hidden security zipper in right pocket, Moisture wicking, Quick drying, soft peach finish, Wrinkle resistant, No ironing, Sizes: S-XXL
The most important features of course are the protection and comfort. The Air Strip can’t be beat and is quiet simply the best fishing shirt that we have ever tried and we have tried them all. The cool, stylish comfort and protection of the ExOfficio Air Strip and the top quality makes the Air Strip the number one choice of the Kayak Fishing ClassicS and at under $100 for a shirt that you will want to wear all of the time, makes it a bargain.
www.ExOfficio.com 52
New Product Reviews Getting that prized Action Photo of yourself has never been easier since RAILBLAZER joined the Kayak Fishing ClassicS as the Official Camera Mount sponsor. Here’s a very simple way for you to get those ‘hard to get’ shots without putting a cramp in your fishing or dealing with a lot of hassles. Mount your RAILBLAZA camera mount up front or forward on the side opposite that you cast from. Secure your camera on the mount with the built in convenient stainless steel thumb screw and set your camera to the motion or movie mode. Adjust the height and snug the tension knobs on the mount. That’s it, simple and quick. The camera boom will move where ever you want and you can adjust the height and angle with one hand. When you hook up just reach over and turn on your camera.
RAILBLAZA Camera Mount on ClassicS Diablo Photo Boat The boom system is so simple and rock solid that your photos will look like a pro took them for you. The system allows you to be hands free while documenting your trip and fishing adventures. The Star Mount makes it a five minute job to attach the RAILBLAZA to you kayak and allows you to remove it quickly and easily by unlocking the built in security slide.
When you load your movie into your computer just perform a simple ‘screen shot’ capture for your entry photo and email it to us. Be sure to include the general location and bait used when you caught the fish. If you don’t have a RAILBLAZA camera mount don’t worry. You can win one in our events or you can purchase the mount/boom at your local West Marine or online. The lucky anglers that have won the RAILBLAZA camera mount/boom system are turning in some outstanding photos and videos captured while using the system. You can have your fishing buddy take the action shot of you fishing if you can get him to stop fishing long enough.
www.RAILBLAZA.com
The powder coated aluminum boom shaft is very ridged and so is the adjustable camera pad mount. When snapped into place on your kayak you will have a professional camera mount and boom that just could not be any better. We really put the boom through some tough conditions and could not phase it a bit. If you have image stabilization on your camera you will be able to get some incredible shots and videos that you would have otherwise missed. It really is that simple so no more reasons to miss that once in a life time shot. Capture all of your adventures with a RAILBLAZA and enter the Action Photo Contest today.
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New Product Reviews Every kayak angler in the Kayak Fishing ClassicS Saltwater Tournament Series has a considerable investment of both time and money in their kayaks. Most anglers secure their boats during transportation with an adjustable synch strap. Although this will keep it in place while whizzing down the road, it will do nothing for you in the parking lot if someone else likes your boat. We asked several anglers during the course of our events what it would do to them if someone slipped the straps and took your kayak. Most answered that they would not be able to continue fishing until they could save up and by a new one. That’s not good and we set out to do something about it. We researched lockable straps and found that there are many straps and other devices that will lock your boat to your truck or trailer but most were hard on the boat and expensive. Just about all of them are a pain to use so that combination of expense and hassle is probably why we did not see any locks on the boats. We think that most people are honest but all it takes is one less than honest person to ruin your day or your season. We continued our research and found a company with the perfect solution to our needs. I wondered why we had not heard of them before and discovered that this was a new product. We contacted KanuLock about their lockable tie downs to learn more and obtain a set for testing. We wanted a locking tie down system that is designed for kayaks instead of cargo. The locks had to be super tough and rust proof and easy on the kayak. Cargo straps can cause burn-in on your kayak so that was an additional concern
to us. The tie downs had to be long enough and come in a variety of lengths to do away with all of the extra strap to deal with. The system also had to be easy to use and simple to store. The lock had to be padded or coated so as not to damage the boat. This may all sound simple but until now such a product did not exist. We received the KanuLock tie down system and began testing them. We were delighted to discover that each strap has two stainless steel, aircraft quality cables running throughout the strap and into the lock. The strap section of the system is fully padded on both sides so you won’t damage your boat. The locks are stainless steel and extremely tough and hardened as well as coated with a rubber cap and contoured to your boat for greater protection. To test the lock, we hung it over the seawall for a couple of days in the saltwater canal. That would expose the lock to
more saltwater than you would ever do. A quick rinse revealed that the lock was un-phased by all of this and next we tried to cut the cable. We used the biggest cable cutters allowed by law for civilian use and hardly did anything to the padded outer webbing let alone damage the cable. Wonderful, this is the perfect solution to our needs and yours. The KanuLock Tie Downs are now in use with many of our contestants and no problems have been revealed. The KanuLock system is the best solution for securing your boat while unattended so no worries anymore. The systems come in lengths of 8 feet, 13 feet and 18 feet for a perfect fit. You can win a set of the KanuLock Lockable Tie Downs in our events or purchase a set or two from them online and Get Locked.
www.KanuLock.net
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New Product Reviews Here’s another great new product for you but first, ask yourself how many trips do you make from your truck to your kayak at the launch before you get all your gear loaded in your boat? It would surprise you to know but you know how much time it takes you before a tournament launch and that is critical time. You can save all of that time and walking back and forth by using a C-Tug kayak cart. We watched anglers and the tournament launches and just had to find a solution to minimize all of those trips back and forth. We found C-Tug kayak carts and thought they would do the trick and we were right. The durable, light weight kayak cart is made of tough non-corroding material and the ultra wide tires are perfect in sand. This little all terrain cart even disassembles in less than thirty seconds without any tools and can be stowed away onboard your kayak. This cool kayak cart is no light weight when it comes to strength. How about an impressive 300 pound load capacity? It even has a kick stand to keep the self adjusting cart in
ter, un-strap the cart and launch. It’s that simple and fast. Hey in a tournament moments count and the fish don’t wait for you to get ready.
place while you load your boat onto it. Set your kayak on the C-Tug and load all your gear into your boat. Simply roll it over to the wa-
In fact the average launch time is around 30 minutes. The C-Tug will take that down to 10 minutes or less. In addition to saving all of the critical time, your back will thank you at the end of the day. You can win a C-Tug kayak cart in our events or purchase one online.
www.C-Tug.com
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New Product Reviews
Pursuant to our rules, a trolling motor may not be used during our tournaments. They can however be sued during pre-fishing as many of our contestants do. This of course saves our anglers valuable time in locating fish. In a six hour pre-fishing period and anger can cover around ten times the amount of water that he could cover while paddling. That of course could pay dividends at the podium. The anglers don’t really do much fishing in any one area while tournament pre-fishing. Of course they catch a few
fish during the course of the day and release them, but the main objective is to locate them and see what they are feeding on.
around $100 and don’t really have much thrust. That’s certainly fine for scouting a small area. We looked at some systems that cost nearly
We wanted to make available a world class trolling system to our contestants as well as satisfy our needs as well. New for 2012 is our Diablo Paddlesports photo kayak powered by BASSYAKS trolling motor system. We looked into several different models and found that all is not equal in this particular field of technology. There are some motors for sale for
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New Product Reviews $3,000.00 and that is out of the question for most. There had to be a system for under a grand that would deliver the power needed to cover large areas that is not only affordable but highly dependable. We also wanted hands free operation to allow for our photographer as well as for our anglers.
course dependent upon the batteries that you use. We selected the AGM type batteries as they withstand repeated discharging and charging. They also are sealed and spill proof, a must in a kayak.
We learned of BassYaks from a friend and made arrangements for one to be shipped to us. We installed it on our Diablo which is a perfect platform for what we had in mind. The BassYaks system came outfitted for our Diablo and when you purchase one of the slick setups it will come custom outfitted for your kayak. Nice!
We have had our BassYaks system in use on our Diablo photo boat for several months now without a single problem. The thrust is outoption to purchase the electronic throttle module which we strongly urge you to do. This completely sealed and waterproof EMU will save your batteries and greatly extend your power time on the water. Of course all of the electronics are sealed from BassYaks and the system comes with printed and DVD instructions with handy photos.
We installed the system in little time and began our testing. It is fantastic to say the least. BassYaks did this right and it is a delight to use. The time that you can spend on the water is of standing and even puts the boat on plane if you can imagine that. We get an entire day of motoring around snapping photos on the two small batteries, a good showing of efficiency designed into BassYaks system. Everything that you will need will come with your system and you will have an
If you want to power up your yak and spend more time fishing then get yourself a BassYaks today. You can purchase a BassYaks system designed for your boat or purchase a BassYaks kayak with the system onboard from their website in the dealers section.
www.BassYaks.com
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Original Marine and Wildlife Art on Salvaged Wood Items by Jeanie Beline
www.WildLifeFromScratch.com
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10,000 Islands Everglades Wonderland
On April 14th the Kayak Fishing ClassicS held the annual Seafood Depot 10,000 Islands Classic. This year I had some time to get out onto the water for a day with Everglades kayak fishing guide Rich Jones who was kind enough to show me around and put me on some fish. I was immediately impressed with how
vast the area is and how huge the oyster bars are. Not the kind of oyster bars that we eat at but rather the bars that the redfish hang out at. It’s a good neighborhood so worry there. I did find the redfish to be a bit snooty and I attribute that to their upbringing. Guide Rich Jones who owns Kayak Fishing the Everglades guide service out
of Everglades City and Chokoloskee showed me an oyster bar that must have been nearly a mile long situated between the islands and the mainland of Choko. I just sat there in my kayak watching the fish work over the bar. It was quite a sight. I set up a current drift to the island side of the massive oyster bar and began throwing feathers. I was also trying out my new Kayak Fly Line so I was in angler heaven and having a good old time. As I drifted along I saw a big redfish working the bar so when I got within sixty feet I put the fly right in front of her. No take, just a bump. I had to retrieve to stay out of the oysters as the water was only eight inches or so over the beds. I made a few more casts with no take. I stopped throwing and just waited for it. Suddenly the big red gave me a wave and a wink with the biggest red-
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10,000 Islands Everglades Wonderland
fish tail that I have ever seen. Talk about excitement. After I caught my breath I uncorked a shot and it landed right where it needed to be. She bumped it, bumped it, bumped it and then rejected it entirely….how rude of her. That’s fishing or I didn’t hold my mouth right or something.
phy photos of some monsters. It you want to kayak fish the 10,000 Islands area you should give Rich a call or visit his website to set it up. I have known him for a few years and he is really a
great guy and a very good guide. He put me on the fish but I just didn’t hook up. The day after the tournament I headed up into the back country to an area that
I told rich about it and he informed me that there are some huge reds around there at times but mostly slot size, which is fine with me. I didn’t see any snook that I could take shots at and as the day went on and I only heard one tarpon jump and then smack the water. Rich told me that the snook were going crazy the day before and I guess that just figures. It’s all about the tides and it was low most of the day. Rich continued to show me around as we fished and enjoyed a pleasant conversation. Rich is known as a great snook guide and has shown me some real tro-
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10,000 Islands Everglades Wonderland Rich told me about. The Everglades is a very cool area but take someone with you that knows it and a GPS. Best shot is to hire Rich. I threw feathers at snook all day and some reds of course. I caught a few and some fish that I have no idea what they were other than something exotic. The Everglades backcountry opened into pools and small lake size areas dotted with islands. It was fantastic and with all of the natural beauty I found myself sightseeing more than a few times. I rarely take a camera with me when I am on the water. It seems to jinx me and I don’t catch fish but that’s a different story. I took a new waterproof camera with me to try out and it captures some nice shots. It is really amazing how much technology is packed into such a little unit today. If you don’t have a camera/fishing affliction be sure to bring on with you. It is some of the most beautiful areas that I have ever been too and I am going to clear the calendar next year so I
can spend a week down there and really spoil myself.
one tank of gas from the Spring Hill area north of Tampa.
There are plenty of little places to stay at that are really quite nice and the restaurants are all good. The Everglades Seafood Depot is awesome and I plan on eating there again for sure. The drive is swift and direct. It doesn’t take long to get there and I did it on
Be sure to get in touch with Rich Jones, you’ll be glad that you did and here’s his website.
www.Kayakfishingtheeverglades.com
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www.DeepSouthFishingRods.net
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All of us here at the ClassicS thank all of you who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Without you we would not be free. For those that have fallen, we pray and are ever thankful‌ God Bless America
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