by Capt. Mike McNamara
[dropcap]I[/dropcap] am not trying to make a fishing report out of my kayak story this month, but I feel the need to share some good information. This winter season has produced an abundance of fish taking refuge in our local rivers. Somewhere in time passed, I remember winter trout and redfish to be a primetime must do fishing event. In the good old days trout would pile into the Big Bend rivers, and catching was the descriptive word used, not fishing. The redfish numbers were strong, and catching and releasing dozens per day was common. Then they were gone. Well not gone, but we now refer to those days as the good old days.
This winter season has not returned us to those days of glory, but I will report great fishing has returned to the Big Bend rivers this winter. From the Steinhatchee River to the St Marks River, the winter reports have been stellar.
This all relates to kayak fishing, because kayak fisher folks should embrace this winter season. This month is the perfect month to explore a river. Just remember that winter fishing is a different game then spring, summer, and fall fishing. Winter river fishing involves bottom structure. Rocks, oyster bars and holes will be the target zone. Often deep water fishing tactics will be applied. To be a true river master, you must apply some amount of finesse. Bouncing bottom with jigs, or tail hooked shrimp over rock and shell, and still, feeling that soft winter bite is a skill. Practice makes better, and braided line will increase your catch rate.
In winter months, I prefer to fish with tail hooked live or fresh shrimp. My desire to switch from artificial to live bait during the winter is to increase my species available. February will hold sheephead, trout, and redfish in the rivers. The use of shrimp or cut mullet will catch all three species.
This month is a chance for kayakers to embrace a new technique. I have never had much use for a sonar machine on a kayak in the Big Bend, but having a quality unit in the winter months would be advantageous. Especially when fishing the deep water rivers like the Steinhatchee or St Marks Rivers. Using sonar to find underwater structure and also to mark fish is common place in boat fishing, but not so much in the Big Bend kayak scene. As a cross over guide, I am very familiar with the sonar use in the rivers. It works, finding the structure and marking fish will help put fish in your kayak.
As a kayak angler, I am also looking for new techniques and challenges to motivate me to the water. February will be cold, and the fish will be slow to eat, as their metabolism is bottoming out. Mounting a sonar unit on my kayak seems a bit unusual for the guy who likes to keep it simple, but, I believe I just gave myself several reasons to find a crisp morning, and embrace my new sonar unit. ENJOY.