[dropcap]S[/dropcap]pring is finally here this month. Warmer days and warmer water should bring the bite on. Early morning and late evenings a top water plug is hard to beat for trout and reds. I have been having great results with the MirrOlure Top Dog Jr. and Sebiles blood red stick shadd. I prefer the natural colors like the 84MR and natural shiner. Change the speeds of you retrieval until you find what is working. Always work your bait all the way back to the kayak and don’t be afraid to stop mid retrieval and let your surface walker just sit. Flounder, reds, and specks are still being fooled by Saltwater Assassin sea shads fished slowly along the bottom and drop offs.
Also this month starts tournament season. The IFA Kayak tour gets back in to full swing on March 9th in Punta Gorda, FL. This is a CPR (catch photo release) tournament based on your best length of a speckled trout and red fish. The IFA tour has tournaments running all year long from South Carolina to Texas. The Championship will be in Louisiana in October and you have to fish 2 IFA events to be qualified. As always we have a running tab on what’s going on in the kayak community at our facebook page Kayak Fishing U.
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.