By Wendy Biles
When I’m not bass fishing, I love the thrill and freedom of taking my Old Town 106 PDL Kayak into the salt water of the East Coast all around Ponce Inlet, Flagler Beach and Mosquito Lagoon. I stick with the same set up nearly every time which is one rod rigged with a top water spook, another rod with a popping cork tied to a 1/4 ounce jig head and a Z-Man paddle tail, and my 3rd rod will have 30 pound braid tied to a 30 pound mono and again, a 1/4 ounce jig head and Z-Man paddle tail. All of my rods are saltwater machines: KastKing and Ugly Stik!
The most important thing to me is arriving right before sunrise. The topwater bite can be quick and may only last for a short while. When I’m fishing close to the mangroves in super shallow water with a lot of grass, I will burn the paddle tail as soon as it hits the water and then let it drop once it passes to the edge of the grass. This is how I catch most of my snook that are roaming the bank lines. I also love to find grass flats that are out in the open water where I can work my popping cork drawing fish such as trout to the sound which will make them strike. Schools of ladyfish and jacks will also bite if they are in the area. Sometimes I like to pedal my kayak in about 3 feet of water parallel to the bank while trolling my paddle tail. This has attracted some nice redfish to attack my bait since there is no loud plop in the water spooking them from my casting.
A couple of must-haves on my kayak would be my YakAttack TowNStow Bunkster wheels which transports my kayak from my truck down those sandy embankments to the water. I also rely on my YakAttack BlackPak Pro to keep all of my tackle organized and dry as well as keep my reels away from the splashing salt water. My YakAttack landing net, Rapala fish grippers and my Line Cutterz ceramic blade ring are equally as important. After catching a couple of these toothy critters, it is very important to retie with fresh mono. Even after one catch, your line will most likely be frayed and cause you to miss the next one!
Add in the bonus marine life of dolphins, shark, manatee and even alligators, I love the thrill of knowing that the possibilities are endless as to what I might catch.
