It is early morning, and the sun has not yet peeked its rays over the tops of the mangrove trees that populate the shoreline. It is very quiet and serene on this shoreline, only the sound of roosting birds, and a silky rippling of liquid as a kayak gently glides over the water’s surface. The silence is interrupted by the sharp swish of a rod firing a cast, and the zipping sound of line sailing through rod and sky. The soft plastic jerk bait hits the water with a light plop and the hopeful angler begins to impart life into his artificial lure. A few moments into his retrieve, water swirls vigorously around his lure and a golden flash emanates from the disturbed water. A solid thump telegraphs down the angler’s fishing rod, and he responds by setting the hook into a healthy redfish. Now the silence is completely broken by the high-pitched chattering of drag, the game is afoot!
This scenario illustrates what is perhaps the ultimate allure of fishing from a kayak. The serenity, proximity, immersion, and intimacy of the fishing experience are heightened when fishing from a small self propelled craft. In today’s culture of high speed, high performance, high price tag, some believe it pays off to go slow, go low tech and get back to basics.
One south Florida guide tapping into that philosophy is Capt. Ross Gallagher. Capt. Ross has several south Florida kayak fisheries dialed in, and I recently picked his brain for some information to pass along to CAM readers. More info can be found on his website/ blog, www.theintrepidangler.com.
When posed with the question of his favorite aspects of kayak fishing, he gave this explanation. “When you fish out of a kayak, your day is focused in a limited range. You choose where you launch by analyzing various factors on where and when the fish should be feeding. Once you’re in the water, in that area, odds are you are not going to go more than a few miles from start to finish. This forces you to make sure you check each and every nook and cranny for that trophy fish that’s going to make your day. I focus more on finding what the fish want to feed on, making my casts even more accurate than usual and working the baits perfectly. Often, when fishing from a boat, if you think they are not biting, you usually run a few miles away to fish a different area. That distance of mobility in a kayak isn’t really possible.”
I asked Ross what type of fishing action he preferred to engage in, and he had this to say. “I’m very fond of using my Yak Attack Park and Pole to push my Hobie Pro Angler 14 along the shallow flats of Pine Island Sound and Matlacha. We have a lot of opportunities to stalk fish in very skinny water and this makes for a very challenging game of cat and mouse. Some days the fishing can be wide open and anyone can be a hero. Other days, the bite is tough and you may have to work hard to catch a few quality fish. The Pro Angler’s stability allows me to comfortably push my way along the flats for miles without getting exhausted; the more ground I cover, the better odds I have at finding and catching fish.”
Ross fishes from a 2014 Hobie Pro Angler 14, and I was interested in any special modifications or extras he found necessary for his vessel. Here is his explanation on outfitting his craft. “My kayaks are still very simple in the layout. I generally don’t fish deep water, so I don’t have a GPS/Fishfinder on the kayak. My two favorite items on my kayak are the Yak Attack Park and Pole, which I couldn’t fish the flats without and my Yeti Roadie Cooler that does an excellent job at keeping my snacks and beverages icy cold during the hot summer afternoons. I also utilize the Hobie Drift Chute when trying to slow down a drift over long flats. It really makes a difference if there is a breeze kicked up, slowing your drift down by 40% – 60% can allow you a lot more fishing time before drifting out of the strike zone.”
Capt. Ross Gallagher had this to say when I inquired as to his favorite qualities of his Hobie Pro Angler14. “Hobie has done an excellent job with the design of their Mirage Drive propulsion system. This pedal driven powerhouse allows me to be hands free all day while easily maintaining a 3.5 mph speed across the water. I can fish, respond to emails or if I have to, take a conference call while effortlessly covering ground.”
For the saltwater fishing enthusiast looking to really get personal with the action, kayak based fishing is one of the best ways to achieve that level of interaction. The mobility, stealth, and stability of these modern kayaks can definitely add excitement and confidence to the game. Take a look at Captain Ross Gallagher’s webpage www.theintrepidangler.com to find out more.