[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he weather is picking up and the water temps are rising. There is an abundance of bait starting to show up and some good fish should be there with them. I like to down size my lures when there is this much bait around. The mirrOlure 14mr and 9mr have been working well for me with trout feeding on schools of glass minnows. As always throwing top waters is a fun way to spend a morning covering lots of ground locating fish. I am downsizing lures in this as well. Top dog jrs., she pups, and spook jrs., are all good choices that are producing nice blow ups. Bass Assassin has a new 3.5” die dapper that has been catching trout, reds, and flounder for me. The grey ghost color has been one of my favorites. Change the weight of the jig head depending on the depth of water you are fishing and presentation you want. I usually match them up with the ¼ and 1/8oz. pro elites.
Not to miss this month is the 8th Annual MBKFA Bagwell tournament in Dauphin Island is on May 3rd. The Big Bend Classic is May 2 -3 in Crawfordville, FL. The 9th Annual GCKFA tournament is May 10th in Pensacola, FL. with off shore and inshore divisions. The IFA kayak Tour comes back to Empire, LA. May 18-19. IFA kayak tour is a catch, photo, and release tournament based on length of a 2 fish aggregate (Speckle trout and red). The Hobie Bass Open will be held on Kentucky Lake, Kentucky May 30th. This bass tournament will be a Hobie Worlds qualifier. If you win you get the invitation to compete in Amsterdam as a member of the USA team in the Hobie Worlds competition. There is plenty going on in May to keep you on the water. For more information on these and other events we keep a running tab on our Kayak Fishing U Facebook page.
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.