Benton Parrott
As the weather and water gets colder look for deeper holes that the fish will stack up in. Structure in the rivers can be good as well with fish hanging around. Fish often become lethargic as the water temperatures drop. Fish slow and low bouncing your lure off the bottom. During these cold days I like to use soft plastics like a Saltwater Assassin sea shad on a ¼ oz. jig head or a sinking corky. Look for flats near drop offs that will heat up quicker during a sunny day. Fish these flats in the afternoon where fish will come to feed. I will work the flats with a Rapala Shadow Rap Shad making a few twitches and letting the bait pause while taking the slack out of the line. Even with the water temperature down I will still work a topwater late in the evening on drop offs to deeper water on the edge of these flats. Slowing down my retrieve to a crawl has produced some solid trout over the years as they are looking for one good meal. I am still finding reds cruising close to the bank along the grass lines looking to eat.
There isn’t anything going on as far as tournaments in January, but start looking ahead to next year. Take the time to clean up and organize your gear and get ready for the Spring bite. Add that depth finder or anchor system you have been wanting. In the spring there will be the B.C.K.F.C Paddlepalooza14 in Louisiana, G.C.K.F.A. Spring Tournament in Pensacola, Fl., and the M.B.K.F.A Bagwell tournament in Dauphin Island, AL. Also, a lot of these groups have an all year online tournament for club members. Go to their sites for more details and to get signed up. All are great tournaments where you can have a great time and meet new anglers. We always have a list of upcoming events on our Kayak Fishing U Facebook page.
Always dress for the water temperature and not the air. One wrong move could spell disaster if you aren’t prepared. Remember while fishing from a kayak to always think safety. We are low to the water and not always easily seen. Keep a 360-degree light on at dark and low light conditions, wear a PFD, keep hydrated, and let someone know your float plan.
Benton Parrott
Hobie Regional Team / Pro Staff Fishing Guide
dbparrott@bellsouth.net