Back to the board/Born again freshwater fisherman

[fq13]

Well, I have been absent from this board for awhile. I am glad to see it's just as nice and civil as when I left. I am primarily a light tackle and fly guy fom South Florida, and have generally spent most of my time chasing snook and tarpon. But I had a terrible year in the salt water Glades. The red tide and algae blooms pretty much decimated things and the state even closed redfish season. It was grim.

But, inspiration struck, as it often does, in the form of a wise old red neck who wanted a beer. 😎I was fishing the west side of the Fakaunion canal where it's public, the east side is private, so of course that's where the juvenile tarpon are. I am getting nada, but this good old boy in a tiny kayak is tearing them up. He comes to shore and asks if he can bum a beer, and I oblige if he'll tell me about his boat. It's a Lifetime Daylight from Wally World, eight feet long, weighs 38 pounds and as a sit on top is unswampable. Plus with a milk crate on back and a couple of pvc rod holders zip tied in its good to go for fishing. When I asked the price he said $175. I about chocked, I spent more than that on my last rod and reel (USED!). 😀

Needless to say I was at Wal-Mart the next day. After a misadventure with a gator (as in scarred the carp out of myself) I was loving it. It's light and fits in back of my truck so I can leave it there along with a rod. Here on the east coast we are cut with tons of fresh water canals you can't get to from the bank because they are posted. But park the truck somewhere legal and drop that forty pound boat in and you are good to go. And virtually nobody fishes those canals except the folks who live on them. So I am giving the salt a rest and taking my eight foot death machine (I'm still recovering g from the gator thing), and getting back into crappie bass and pan fish with light tackle and a three weight. It is a nice change of pace for short money.

[skeetbum]

I too am a light tackle enthusiast and christen a Fenwick 4wt that I just finished in the morning. My spinners are loaded with 2lb nanofil and a leader that have kept me busy for many months now. Nice to know I’m not the only one. I haven’t bitten tha kayak bullet yet but it speaks to me often. I’m less than 10 minutes from 3 ramps, 2 on the St Johns. Look forward to your posts, and welcome back from Debary.

[CrappiePappy]

FQ13 .... them canals of yours got Oscars, Peacock Bass, or Snakeheads in them ??

[fq13]

All of the above. Once you get to southern palm beach county. Plus the occasional tarpon, clown knife fish, gators and maybe a python!😯

[CrappiePappy]

All of the above. Once you get to southern palm beach county. Plus the occasional tarpon, clown knife fish, gators and maybe a python!

LOL !! Yeah, so I've heard.

We have our own invasive species problem up here in KY.

[fq13]

It is a problem down here. The pythons have killed off most of the small mammals in the glades. Foxes and rabbits are gone and they are doing a number on deer and the bobcat and Panthers that depend on them.

Fish wise I am about thirty miles north of the snakehead line. I have never caught one, but they are supposed to be fun and good eating. In fact that's why we have them. They are, or were an expensive delicacy in Asian restaurants so some jack wagon released them into the canals, and since they guard their young they out compete other fish. The method is to fish frog patterns or buzz baits up against the banks, and by law you have to kill them, you can't have a live one in possesion. Fine by me. The Oscars have been displaced by Mayans which are like a bluegill on steroids, and they have out competed the bluegill.The canals are like forest gumps box of choclates. You are fishing a #10 soft hackle for pan fish and then it's a two foot tarpon.He'll shake that little hook first jump, but the rod bends double and the drag screams!😎

I am Not sure about summer crappie, they are mostly a late winter early spring thing here, but I am exploring.

[Redge]

Nice post, would love to hear that gator story!!
Looking forward to your adventures!


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