The Holidays are just around the

corner Here’s some great gift ideas

for the special angler in your life

What Really Works

Winter Fishing

Passion of a Company

Reaching Out

The Right Place to Fish

Recon for Reds

www.KayakFishingClassicS.com

Fall 2013

2

What’s Inside

FEATURES 6 Gear Guide 2013

See the best gear in the world.

The Holidays are just around the

corner.

37 Developing a Winner

44 FL Gill Netting

46 Sarasota

47 Tampa Bay

49 Nature Coast

50 East Coast

53 Reaching Out

DEPARTMENTS 5 Editors Letter

What I want for Christmas

42 Throwing Feathers

The Fly Phasmes

55 Bob’s Corner

Recon for Reds

57 Meet the Champs

2013 National Championship

64 Special Thanks

65 Great Eats

Our Host Sponsors

44

3

42

68 Using Your

Resources

72 Sponsors

35 37

4

The #1 selling fishing kayak in the world.

See what it’s all about...

www.PredatorKayak.com

Editors Letter

The power of social media is incredible and the effects of a concen-

trated single effort can be far reaching. We Americans have always had a

voice in everything that goes on here and now we have something that is

paramount at our disposal.

I hope that in our busy lives we do not squander this tool and we teach

our young citizens the moral responsibility that comes with freedom that

so many have given all for.

Another thing that I would like is a little more time to spend on the wa-

ter doing what I like best...kayak fishing. I don’t know who I would ask

for that but it’s nice to have a dream… It’s of my own doing and I

greatly enjoy all that goes with putting on a kayak fishing tournament

series but if any of you see a box of free time on a store shelf, please let

me know.

I did get a few days to throw some feathers but I broke my favorite fly

rod on a giant 47”…. tree branch. It got away too! Picking out a new rod

is always fun so I will look forward to that.

Our Sponsors and all of us here at the ClassicS wish all of you and yours

a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukkah.

Thank you for a great 2013 Series Year,

Captain Pat Horrigan

What I Really Want for Christmas

And a Few Other Things

5

Gear Guide 2013 Here’s an inside look at some great gear that you

or your favorite angler is sure to appreciate...

Each year at this time we try to make Christmas shopping easy for our friends and their

families. We know how difficult finding that special gift for your special angler can be

and we want to make it easy and fun for you to bring smiles to those faces. If you are

looking for a gift for under the tree or something that fits in the Christmas stocking you

are sure to find it here. Look for the Christmas Palm Tree of the Stocking in

each section to help you locate that perfect gift.

We thank you for supporting all of our great sponsors throughout the years

of Christmas Past and know you will enjoy your special shopping this Holliday Season.

We wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to All...Ho Ho Ho

6

Gear Guide 2013

Our sport starts with the kayak of course and Diablo has

been hard at work this year. They have delivered a new

stand up kayak that is super easy to paddle and is easy

on the purse strings. The new Amigo is a blend of SUP

and kayak as is their world famous Adios model that

started it all. Diablo Paddlesports offers 3 models to

choose from beginning with the Chupacabra designed

for

those

very tight backcountry places where the

big fish like to hide. No matter the size

your angler needs, Diablo has you cov-

ered. You can visit your local Diablo

dealer or drop in online and take a

look...this is one sweet system.

www.DiabloPaddleSports.com

7

Old Town Canoes & Kayaks have been at it for 125 years and just seem to keep getting

better. They have a tradition of quality craftsmanship that is well founded in every product

that they make.

This year Old Town Canoes rocked the kayak fishing world by introducing the all new

Predator 13 and Predator MX. The Predator 13 won the ‘Best Boat’ honor in the ICAST

Best of Show Competition. That’s huge and the Predator 13 reflects every bit of such high

praise indeed. If you are looking for a new kayak for that special angler or for yourself as

well, take a look at the all new, award winning Predator 13.

You can’t go wrong...it’s Awesome.

www.PredatorKayak.com

8

KC Kayaks K12 is one versatile fishing

machine that can take whatever you have to

dish out. This lightweight 12’ kayak is not

only sharp looking and highly functional,

it’s all about fishing. Designed from the

needs of the Louisiana Bayou anglers who

know what catching huge redfish is all

about. It’s simple, agile and clean.

It bristles uncomplicated functionality with features that will surprise you like the built in rod

rest for fighting monster fish, built in dry storage and fully adjustable seat that flips over on

it’s tract to double as a scouting platform. And talk about storage, the K12 has more storage

area for all of your gear than most larger kayaks. We were amazed in how great the K12 pad-

dles and handles rough water and wind. Check out the KC K12 at your local dealer today or

visit them online. We know they would love to hear from you...

www.KCKayaks.com

9

There’s a lot in a name and when it comes

to navigation Magellan says it all. Magel-

lan has been making sure we get where

we want to go and back home again…

that’s a good feeling. In 2012 Magellan

introduced the eXplorist 510 Marine Edi-

tion at the ICAST show and captivated

the attention of kayak anglers every-

where. The handheld eXplorist 510 ma-

rine edition comes with a Navionics chip

that contains all of the inland and coastal

waters of North America. The nautical

charts are fully interactive. In fact you can

take a photo, audio record your important

information and drop a way point on the chart. Click the way point and your photo and opens

and the audio plays back your information. That makes keeping track of your top secret fish-

ing holes easy and simple to find.

There is even a automobile mode to get you to your favorite kayak

launches. Just tap the suspend mode on the touch screen and the eX-

plorist 510 will keep on tracking you so you don’t get lost or run-

down your batteries. The feature rich device is simple and straight

forward to use. Take a look at the Magellan 510 eXplorist Marine

Edition at your local dealer and be sure to visit Magellan online.

This is a great gift giving idea that is sure to please every angler and

get him back home.

Magellan...expect the best.

www.MagellanGPS.com

10

Mark Nicholes knows how to catch big snook. He has been catching beauties like this for a long time and he

does it on D.O.A. Lures. He should...he owns the company. Mark started D.O.A. out of his passion for fishing

and his desire to share with his fellow anglers. Mark we are all glad that you feel that way because your lures

have helped top anglers win several major tournaments in the Kayak Fishing ClassicS Tournament Series over

the years. What is the one lure that everyone will go to under any condition? The D.O.A. Shrimp and it just

keeps fooling fish year after year.

If you are a veteran kayak angler or you’re just getting started, take a look at the complete product line of

D.O.A. Lures and you will be amazed with what Mark has done over the years.

Thanks Mark and keep em coming.

11

www.DOALURES.com

Denali Aqua Gills shirts

are truly the new Legend

in on the water comfort

and protection. Our an-

glers love to wear Denali

brand shirts and so will

yours. The fantastic quick

drying, breathable fabric

is enhanced with the gills

that help keep you cool

and dry under the most

extreme conditions.

12

Our lady anglers know what per-

formance is all about and how im-

port protection is. The hot tropical

sun can just cook you out on the wa-

ter but they keep cool with their

Denali Performance Apparel and

look great doing it.

Whether they are fishing or stepping

out for a relaxed evening of fun with

friends. The KFCTS ladies always

are looking good.

Give the gift that protects

year round and keeps your

anglers looking good too.

Visit Denali Performance

Apparel and take a look at

their Artist Collection. You

will see works from our

friend Steve Whitlock are

also available on your

choice of Denali shirts for

that added touch of cool...

www.DenaliPerformance.com

Get the best hook-up with the best saltwater flies. Get your angler and handful of some of

the best custom tied flies in the world from a collection of private fly tiers. RiverBum has put

together a great bench full of top quality proven patterns that are tied just for them.

Top quality hooks, top quality material put together by expert private tiers. You may expect

to pay a lot for RiverBum Flies but you won’t. For what you

pay for a couple of average flies elsewhere you will get a

dozen of top quality flies at RiverBum.com For them it’s not

about the money, it’s about you catching fish on their flies.

We have been using RiverBum flies for nearly 5 years now

and they last and last, even with the harsh and brutal treat-

ment that saltwater fish

know how to dish out on a

daily basis.

When you visit them be sure to poke around and check

out their complete line of fly fishing gear as well. A box

of new flies is going to make that perfect

stocking stuffer that you have been looking

for.

13

www.RiverBum.com

Eye protection and

seeing through the

water are both im-

peratives for our an-

glers. We did a lot of

studying and re-

search before we de-

termined that Ocean

Waves inventive

technology really are

the world’s best sun-

glasses. When you

put on a pair on

OW’s be ready for a

shock. You are going

to see things that you

just don’t see with

any other brand of

sunglasses. That’s a bold statement and that’s how impressed we are with them. Take the

time to read about their 30 layer light filtering technology and then

compare them to your shades. Keeping up with the ‘Cool’ is no place

when it comes to protecting your eyes, although OW’s are pretty cool

anyway. Ocean Waves also takes care of your vision prescriptions

with no hassles. Hey stop in and take a look at their new store in the

beach front district of Atlantic Beach, Florida the next time you’re on

the East Coast.

You can also shop and purchase these great stocking stuffers at

Ocean Waves online store. Everything you need for your anglers

eye protection is there and you can make a fashion statement for

yourself while you are there.

14

www.OceanWaves.com

The sun isn’t up yet but your angler still needs to be

able to see well and we have the best solution in the

world for you. Princeton Tec has several lighting so-

lutions for your kayak angler. They specialize in

very high tech, low energy lights that will brighten

the night so he can see and be seen by others. The

Princeton Tec company offers multi light head gear

with multiple lights in one neat little and light weight

system. Fully adjustable lighting technology to adapt to any need from a broad beam, low

brightness to up close intensity and far reaching super bright spot light. All from one little wa-

terproof box that only uses 3 AAA batteries. Hey don’t worry, you won’t be buying batteries

all the time like you do with other lights. The amazing little lights yield over 200 hours of

lighting form those little batteries. That’s impressive and that’s why we chosen Princeton Tec.

Princeton Tec recently released the all new VIZZ light and it is awesome, it’s also waterproof.

Click the link below the picture and watch the impressive video that tells all about it. We know

you’ll be impressed and want your angler to have the best equipment possible...we do to and

we are proud to say that Princeton Tec has been lighting the way for the Kayak Fishing Clas-

sicS for 4 years now and we know

how great they are.

15

www.PrincetonTec.com

www.princetontec.com/vizz

16

Anyone that uses any kind of a tool knows the value of quality craftsmanship. When it comes

to tying your own flies, tools are everything and can make the difference between success and

not so much. In fact, there are tools and then there are instruments. Our good friends at Dr.

Slick are always coming up with new innovations to help us make our tying experience better.

When you pick up a Dr. Slick instrument you are immediately impressed

with the feel and balance as it should be. After all the good doctor uses

surgical tools and knows what quality should be like. That is why he de-

signs all of the tools you find on his website. As a fly angler and fly tier

we have been using Dr. Slick precision instruments for over a decade

and have never had an issue or a disappointment. We are so impressed

with the amazing quality that we invited Dr. Slick to become a sponsor

to our series. That was some 5 years ago and all of our angling friends

are glad that we did.

Take a look at the video about a new must have tool; the Knot-

Tying Nipper. Every fly angler is going to want one of these.

Check out all of the great instruments that Dr. Slick offers on their

website today for some great gift ideas and

fantastic products.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?

www.DrSlick.com

17

www.PlanoMolding.com

We are proud to say that we have been supported by Plano Tackle Systems for 5 years

now and they just keep getting better and better. Their new Guide Series Tackle Bags

are quite a catch and your angler is sure to be pleased with one of these under the tree.

Plano Guide Series gear is top shelf with industry leading quality and performance.

Our anglers have been use the Guide Series Waterproof Boxes all of this time and we

have never had a wet cell phone or other important ‘dry items’ get a hint of moisture

on them.

If you’re a kayak angler, you know how wet we can get and how important keeping

everything dry and organized is. Put a Plano Guide Series Tackle Bag in the hands of

your favorite angler and have camera ready for that big smile that is sure to follow.

This year visit Plano’s website and make your gift giving easy and fun.

Protect Your Passion

18

www.JimTeeny.com

A year ago our Capt. Pat designed

the Kayak Fly Line for contest-

ants in our series. If your angler is

a fly angler this is the perfect gift.

One back cast and shoot 50-60’

with only 15 feet of line beyond

the rod tip is no problem. Visit

Jim Teeny Fly Lines catalog

online and order yours today.

When ultra light weight, precision paddling is important turn to Aqua-Bound Paddles. The

technology that goes into each Surge Carbon paddle delivers stiff horsepower and low swing

weight, virtually eliminating arm fatigue. That’s critical

to our tournament anglers who cast all day long each

time they are on the water. At only 25.5 oz the two piece

adjustable Surge Carbon helps keep arm energy in re-

serve for a busy day on the water. When it comes to

critical centric equipment chose Aqua-Bound Paddles.

The First Choice in carbon technology.

19

http://www.youtube.com/watch?

www.AquaBound.com

20

It just seems sometimes like we all need a special place

for a fishing rod, a camera or a place to

change lures and to keep our pliers and such.

Well Scotty has been taking care of life’s lit-

tle problems for all of us kayak anglers for a

long time now. They have introduced a new

line of goodies for all of us in 2013 and they

are very useful.

The new bait table is perfect for so much

more than cutting up bait. It also keeps much

of what you need in place. The new night

navigation light is perfect and the handy

camera mount makes filming those special

moments easy. Scotty also has an additional

camera mount that fits anywhere you like and will accommodate

any standard setup. Scotty’s new rail system is awesome and will fit where

every you want. This is one of the most convenient accessories there can be

on a kayak.

These are the kinds of products that every kayak an-

gler wants and needs. Scotty products can be found

where ever kayaks are sold or you can visit them

online to see all of their great gear.

www.ScottyPaddlesports.com

21

www.BendingBranches.com

As you can see Bending Branches makes a

huge variety of custom and production pad-

dles for any kayak anglers needs. Their hand

made, high tech methods are the industry

leader in both R&R and new product devel-

opment.

There’s nothing quite like a new paddle and

there is nothing like a Bending Branches.

Visit them online or call for a special paddle

or a list of dealers near you. Shape your fish-

ing future with a Bending Branches Paddle

and you will bring smiles to your lucky an-

glers faces this Holiday Season.

Anglers Choice Award Winner

22

Visit Steve’s website and see for yourself what all the excitement is about. Steve is one of

the most unique artists in the world and we are very proud to have him as one of our art

sponsors. Take a look at his amazing work... you’ll want one for yourself as well.

www.SteveWhitlock.com

23 www.facebook.com/BlackDogRods

BlackDog Rods make some of the finest kayak

fishing specific rods on the planet. The Black-

Out Kayak Rod is a fine example of BlackDog’s

custom craftsmanship and design. The perfect

gift for your angler this year.

BlackDog Rods also can make any kind of cus-

tom fishing rod that you have in mind such as

the Ducks Unlimited rod pictured below or a

custom rod with your favorite school and team

logo proudly displayed above the grip.

BlackDog Rods use only the very finest blanks,

guides and cork that your favorite angler will be

proud to fish with. Contact BlackDog Rods to-

day and place your order now.

Champion Angler Chuck Statham uses the

BlackOut Kayak Rod.

24

Big Hammer Lures are one of the most suc-

cessful swimbaits in our series. It’s simple,

they catch fish...Champion Angler Chuck

Statham knows it and wins big tournaments

with the Big Hammer Swimbaits. The fish

calling action of their lures is amazing and

calls up fish when no other lures seems to

work, just try but hang on.

Order your angler some of championship Big

Hammer lures and he will thank you every

time he goes fishing. The huge paddle tail

drums the water and the fish just can’t resist

the action or the

look.

Big Hammer SwimBait’s come is a variety of color combinations

and sizes that are sure to put more fish in the kayak on tournament

day… Big Hammer lures are hand made in the United States from

only the highest quality materials. Big Hammer lures are tough and

make your fishing dollars go a long, long way.

Put the hammer down on trophy fish with Big Hammer lures today

www.SwimBait.com

25

Cumings has been making top quality landing

nets since 1927 when Ed Cumings started the

company. An angler himself from a long line of

anglers knew a thing or two about fishing and

he simply was not happy with the nets of the

day.

Ed redesigned

everything

about an an-

glers net and

the industry has

followed him since. They really started something back

then and anglers have been enjoying the benefits of Ed’s

vision for generations.

The Kayak Angler’s net is designed just for our anglers

and it really makes landing that trophy tournament fish a

synch. It’s heart-

breaking to loose

a fish next to the

kayak after fool-

ing him and winning the battle. That is why the

ClassicS turned to Cumings Nets. We know they

are the best and that’s what we want for our an-

glers.

Give the best, give a Cumings

www.CumingsNets.com

26

There are differ-

ent ways to look

and ExOfficio

makes looking

good and being

comfortable

easy. Keeping

your cool is im-

portant too and

ExOffico is ex-

pert when it

comes to func-

tional, good

looking, cool

clothing for the active lifestyle. That’s just a few of the benefits that anglers the world over

seek and find in all ExOffico clothing.

In the tropics it seems like the bugs can always find us and ExOffico

has some awesome good bug-repelling clothing that we just can’t live

with out. The line also comes in ladies fashions as do all ExOffico

products. You know your angler gets hot while fishing and the amaz-

ingly cool Air-Strip shirt takes care of all that. Wearing an Air-Strip

shirt is like wrapping a cool breeze around you. The specially designed

shirt has our anglers in mind and you just can’t have enough of them.

ExOffico has been sponsoring the ClassicS for a few years now and we are very happy about

that. Keeping cool and comfortable are a must for our anglers and ExOffico knows all about

that. Visit ExOffico and take a look at their fantastic collection of men’s and women’s clothing

and do a little shopping for yourself too.

www.EXOFFICO.com

27

I can’t tell you off hand how many tournaments have been won on MirrOlure lures this year…

Let’s just say it has seen a lot of podiums on the winners

stand. MirrOlure has been around a long time and with the

ClassicS since we started. That is saying a lot because an-

glers will not demand a lure that doesn’t get the job done.

MirrOlure Lures catch fish! Just right that on the outside

of the box and put several under the tree this year, it’ll be

the first gift opened. They have a phenomenal selection of

lures to choose from and if you’re not sure which to get

your angler (or yourself) the 17MR is always good. Just

ask kayak fishing guide Otis Coblentz of Hooked Up

Kayak Fishing Charters and he’ll tell you all about one of

his very favorites. Recently while warming up for a photo

shoot, Otis cast into a school of tails and pulled out a

41.5” redfish. Yep, he was using his MirrOlure 17MR.

It turned out

to be a great

day of fish-

ing. In fact it

was a Mir-

rOlure Day

because

every fish caught was on a MirrOlure. Your an-

gler needs some of these lures in his tackle bag so

give MirrOlure a visit today Turn On the Bite!

www.MirrOlure.com

www.HookedUpKayakFishingCharters.com

28

The artworks of Florida artist Mike Bainter

are very beautiful and unique. The unusual

techniques that he employees yield esthetic

colors and electric motion rarely seen in

life. Mike Bainter’s works are highly sought

and our anglers collect them since the intro-

duction of FishTail Artworks in our series.

We are very proud to have such a distin-

guished artist as one of our art sponsors and

have started a collection of his works our-

selves. These are the perfect gift for any an-

gler as Mike Bainter brings the action to life

on canvas, commission work is also avail-

able, of course.

When you gift a Mike Bainter artwork you

are giving a gift that all who see it will en-

joy. Your special angler will be very proud

to display any works of art from FishTail

Artworks. You will notice several works by

Mike Bainter in this issue, for your enjoy-

ment. To order your selection or request a commission please visit Mike by clicking the link

below.

www.shop.FishtailArtworks.com

29

All of us know that an angler just

can’t have enough lures. The key

is to have the right lures and so

often purchasing lures can be hit

or miss. We have taken that prob-

lem out of the equation for your

gift giving this year with Live

Target Lures.

Live Target is an award winning

lure company that makes both

fresh and saltwater lures that

really work. In fact they are so

good that they have won at

ICAST 4 years in a row. We were

amazed by the results in our test-

ing prior to extending an invita-

tion to become a ClassicS spon-

sor and we are sure glad that they

excepted.

Live Target Lures have tremendous life like action that

calls fish in and really turns on the action. Strikes on

Live Target lures are generally much harder as they cre-

ate a frenzy and that’s what an angler wants. Live Tar-

get lures cast far and land naturally which is also im-

portant. When you visit their website take a look at

their videos and you will see exactly why we are so ex-

cited about Live Target lures.

Get your angler a selection of Live Target Lures and get your camera ready...

www.LiveTargetLures.com

ICAST Winner: Live Target BaitBall

30

Comfort on the water is everything. All of us know what happens

to our concentration when we are uncomfortable and kayak fish-

ing is no different. Proper seating and support is critical for pad-

dling and casting

and Skwoosh has

you covered.

Skwoosh seats are just plane awesome. We

highly recommend the Skwoosh Big Catch

with lumbar support for every kayak angler.

The features are overwhelming such as the ad-

justable lumbar support, the high back support

with fiberglass stays, super Air-Flo cushion seat

padding and tackle trays and bags on the back

and side just to wet your apatite. Visit Skwoosh

and watch the video interview with professional kayak fishing guide Derick Burgos. Learn

why he is so big about Skwoosh. We have been using and recommending Skwoosh for 5 years

now and our anglers love the comfort and

support the Skwoosh offers. The new Big

Catch is the way to go for us and just may

be the right seat for your angler too.

We know you’ll be pleased with the extra

tackle storage that the Big Catch and other

models offer such as the High Back Lum-

bar seat. If you’re looking for proper sup-

port and comfort, you just can’t beat a

Skwoosh….

www.Skwoosh.com

31

Yo-Zuri lures have

stood the test of

time...more than 50

years in fact. Their

technology has helped

create lures that are

simply fish catching

machines. Take a look

at their new Sashimi

lures with their ‘wave-

motion’ action that turn fish

on. The wave-motion ac-

tion creates vibrations that

big predators detect and

use to locate fish. It’s a

more natural method that

duplicates the signals that

distressed or scared bait

fish put out.

The

Sa-

shimi

lures

also us

‘color-change’ technology to further imitate or duplicate what bait fish do

when they know a big hungry predator is lurking. The combination of the wave motion vibra-

tions and the color change technologies trigger reaction bites and that’s what your angler

wants. Tournament champion Joe Komyati used the Yo-Zuri Sashimi lures in the 10,000 Is-

lands Classic to ace the win and beat some

great talent. Joe was amazed and hasn’t looked

back since. Yo-Zuri is the lure to use under any

condition, be it stained water or crystal clear.

Put some Yo-Zuri Lures in the Christmas

stocking or under your tree this year for you

favorite angler, just visit Yo-Zuri and watch

their amazing videos of their lures in action or

ask Joe.

www.Yo-Zuri.com

32

When it comes to protection

against the harmful rays of the

sun, lets not forget our hands.

They really take a beating from

the sun and the saltwater.

A few years ago we came

across Mangrove Sungloves

and put them to the test. The re-

sults were no surprise to us

since they are the industry

leader in hand protection. An-

other important feature of the

Mangrove Sungloves is their

flexibility which is a must for our anglers. They are always tying knots, casting, handling fish

and paddling. Mangrove Sungloves are tough too! We put them on and don’t take them off

again until the end of our fishing day. They are so lightweight and comfortable that you just

forget that you have them on and that’s perfect in our book.

You can purchase Mangrove Sun-

gloves everywhere Temple Fork

Outfitters products are sold. Man-

grove Sungloves make for a perfect

gift that your angler will use all

year long. Hey they clean up real

good too. Just throw them in the

washing machine and they come

out looking new...Mangrove Sun-

gloves

Sold at fine tackle stores and your TFO Dealers world wide.

33

This should tie up your shopping list so

lets not forget a few spools of some

new fishing line for your favorite an-

gler.

SpiderWire has been making high per-

formance, advanced technology braided

line for a long time. SpiderWire intro-

duced the world to modern braid and

has lead the industry since.

Their new ULTRACAST INSI-BRAID

is flat out the best fishing line on the

market. We have converted a lot of die-

hard fans of other lines and it was

really pretty easy after they saw the re-

sults and used the new line. Our anglers

use their 15 lb test ULTRACAST INVISI-BRAID white translucent which is ‘Xtreme LO-VIS’

and crazy strong.

Your angler needs a line that will cast a

country mile, hold up to rocks and oys-

ters, take on a 40” redfish and come out

on top...every time...every day. Spider-

Wire ULTRACAST INVISI-BRAID is

ultra smooth featuring near invisibility,

extremely high strength per diameter,

amazingly thin and sensitive and comes

in a variety of tests and spool sizes. In

short it’s everything other lines wish they

could be...

www.SpiderWire.com

NOTHING GETS AWAY….

34

This is a great gift idea that every kayak angler

needs. All of us know the negative effects the sun

can have on plastic over an extended time. Even a

garage kept kayak should be covered to protect it

from dust, exhaust vapors and spills. A kayak cover

is the perfect gift and the good people at JLM De-

sign will happily make a custom kayak cover for

your boat.

JLM Design will custom measure your kayak and fit your cover to exacting needs. Their cov-

ers are reinforced in the all of the right places for added life and performance. If you live far

away from the JLM shop just send a photo of the kayak, provide some model information and

they will find the same boat locally to fit to. Their work is guaranteed so no worries.

Order your JLM Design custom kayak cover and protect your kayak investment today.

727-862-0700

35

If you want it, need it, gotta have it...YAKGEAR is the place to get it for your yak. No matter

what it is, YAKGEAR has it, will get it or will find it for you...that’s service. And just to make

the deal sweeter YAKGEAR only charges 99 Cents for shipping. Yep that’s right! You order a

bunch of gear for a gift or for yourself and YAKGEAR will ship it all for only 99 Cents.

Now that’s making your gift giving dollars work for you.

www.YAK-GEAR.com

We hope that our 2013 Gear Guide has helped you and gave you some great gift giving

choices and ideas for your holidays this year.

We thank you in advance for supporting our many generous sponsors who make this won-

derful sport and the Kayak Fishing ClassicS possible.

We know that you and your friends enjoy the beautiful outdoors along the Coastal Gulf

States and Eastern Seaboard as we ask the you continue to teach out respect and conserva-

tion for the beauty that surrounds us all.

To all of you from all of us,

We Wish You a Very Merry Christmas

&

Happy Hanukkah

36

Gear Guide 2013

Developing a Winner

37

Many of us that kayak fish have made

certain adjustments to our favorite

fishing yak or have customized them

in one way or another. It is safe to say

that there probably just isn’t a single

multi-situational fishing kayak out

there that meets everyone’s wishes.

Over the years we have seen our sport

grow into a highly popular way to fish,

supported by various manufacturers.

The most important piece of equip-

ment is of course the kayak itself, for

without it we have no kayak fishing.

The manufacturing arena has heard

our voices and have made some great

improvements to our boats over recent

years, some more so than others. If

you look at the modern fishing kayak

today you will see a few trends that

are becoming common threads

throughout the industry however true

innovation has always been the prized

jewel of any endeavor.

At the 2013 ICAST Show where

manufacturers show off their new

products that all of us want at least one

of, we will see the best of the best. To

begin with it isn’t for the faint of wal-

but time consuming. Test after test until

Old Town had what they were going for.

Next was the list of features which is

always a long list. How do you put eve-

rything that every kayak angler wants

onto a single boat? You don’t, you give

them a foundation to build upon or per-

sonalize their kayak. You make it simple

and easy to do…brilliant. The all new

Predator 13 offers exactly this philoso-

phy and much, much more.

There are of course features such as the

Hummingbird transducer scupper plus 8

drain scuppers. They even re-invented

the scupper plug with a one-way pat-

ented Scupper Valve that is really sweet.

There are molded paddle rests to lay

your blade down to quickly free up your

hands. A large bow storage area with a

click seal hatch keeps water out and is a

simple one hand function to open and

close. The recessed tackle storage port

and starboard of seating are very con-

venient for pliers, camera, radio and

such. The 2 position, flip seat is more

like a chair that you enjoy sitting in. The

let as booth space at the show is

prime and just getting there

with everything in tow is very

expensive. Then there is of

course the cost of designing a

prototype and building it. It is to

that point that I wish to share

some information with you.

The Old Town Canoes & Kay-

aks Company has been around

for over 100 years and is going

very strong. A few years ago

they wanted to create a true

fishing kayak that would give

kayak anglers all of the best

basic, functional needs of such a

boat and then some. That’s

where it gets interesting.

Old Town formed a team of top designers

and pro-staffers to brain storm together in

search of creating the perfect fishing yak.

Design concepts came in and out; feature

ideas were considered and dispatched and

so on. Perfection is indeed elusive and cap-

turing it was their quest. As in any design,

they began with the hull concept and moved

forward. Months and months went by on

just the hull design, all be it very important

By Capt. Pat Horrigan

38

www.SteveWhitlock.com

39

continued form page 19

center tackle/storage pod located on the

Exo-Ridge non slip deck will hold a va-

riety of gear and keep it dry. It also gives

you a place to arrange and customize

your gear such as paddle leashes, GPS,

rod holder and fish finder on its hatch.

No screws or drilling holes in your boat

for this. The hatch has molded-in re-

ceiver plugs to accommodate accessories

from companies like Scotty who make a

variety of goodies for kayak anglers.

Hold on it gets even better.

I touched on drilling holes in your boat

and most anglers really hate the idea of

doing that. Well not only did Old Town

give us that nifty place to plug and play

our accessories without drilling and

screwing into our kayaks, they gave us 6

removable mounting surfaces to perma-

nently affix whatever we want. Go

ahead, drill holes in the mounting plates,

that’s what they are for. You can replace

them if you ever wish to change your

configuration as well. How cool is that?

I could go on and on but the point here is

that Old Town came up with a fantastic

all new fishing kayaks that allows you to

easily make it into what fits your

needs… again, brilliant.

There are of course many more features

to this amazing kayak but they didn’t

stop there. Old Town wanted to be sure

that they had this right so the team took

several Predator 13 kayaks on an ex-

tended test run. They loaded the Predators

with enough fishing gear, camping gear,

food and water to last a week and headed

out on an adventure that would make most

of us envious. The designers and pro-

staffers paddled, fished, camped and lived

out of their Predators for a week just to

make sure that they didn’t overlook any-

thing. Hard work if you can get it…

Three years later, they were ready and in-

troduced the all new Predator 13 to the

world at this year ICAST show and blew

everyone away with it. So much so that the

Predator won the Best in Show Award in

the new boat category, no small achieve-

ment in anyone’s book. We fell in love

with the new kayak and had to have it for

our series. Our testing confirmed to us that

this is a very special fishing kayak and we

invited Old Town to join us as a sponsor.

That was not the end of it however.

The Predator has been available on the

market now for less than a year and is now

the number 1 selling fishing kayak with a

15% market share. That’s huge and they

should be very proud of this as it is con-

formation that what they have done is give

the kayak fishing anglers what they want; a

very comfortable, smooth, quiet, easy pad-

dling, stand-up fishing kayak that is feature

rich and allows anglers to easily personal-

ize it without drilling holes in their new

40

Artist Mike Bainter

41

42

Fly Phasmes Fly Phasmes

I rarely talk about the anatomy of the

flies that we use for inshore, saltwater

fly fishing so I thought I might share a

thought or two. After all with a fly spon-

sor like RiverBum Flies, we really do

not have to think abut the quality or ef-

fectiveness of the flies we use. But lets

take a look and consider a few things

anyway. A fly which is really a hook

phasmes, must do a few jobs that we

take for granted. We really shouldn’t

because without the proper disguise it is

just a hook.

An improperly tied fly or a poor pattern

won’t fool a fish at all. A phasmes is a

bug that looks like something that it is

not, like a walking stick bug or a thorn

bug. They fool their prey buy looking

like their surroundings. A bait fish does

the same thing to an extent. If you look

at fish in general, they all have some

kind of camouflage that works for them.

When we develop a fly pattern or just

purchase one, we should keep in mind

what it is that we are trying to represent.

For example a simple crab pattern

speaks for itself until you look at all of

the different crabs in the ocean. That

being said, we

must know what

the crabs look

like in the area

that we are go-

ing to fish.

A glass minnow

hides itself by

having a clear

or glass body.

Bone fish hide

by having mir-

ror like scales

that reflect their

surroundings.

They reflect

what is in the

water and on the surface which make

them virtually undetectable. If a hook by

itself would catch fish we wouldn’t need

to tie feathers onto it.

That sounds simple but it makes the point.

We must imitate nature in appearance to

make the hook a Phasmes so to speak. We

all know that just any bait won’t always

work. If we borrow from the crank or

plug bait industry for a moment we will

see that they go to great lengths in creat-

ing proper shape, look and action in their

baits. It is also known that if a fish sees

the same bait

over and

over and has

been caught

on it a few

times, your

chances of

fooling it

again with

the same bait

are slim.

Fly Phasmes

as I like to

call it is the

art of creat-

ing patterns

that work for a given area. If you watch

live baits on the flats for an extended

time you will see that the same bait fish

are not always present in the same gen-

eral area month after month, year after

year. It is perhaps natures’ way of

changing it up. If you get into the think-

ing, it will help you understand nature

better and help you in pattern develop-

ment. It is very rewarding to develop a

pattern that works consistently under the

conditions that it was designed for.

I know some anglers that fish the same

place, in the same area, every time they

go fishing. They caught a fish or two at

some point in their area and now they

are stuck there and getting poor results.

It is important to learn the behaviors of

the species you target and what they feed

on while in a given behavioral pattern.

Combine that knowledge with the cor-

rect pattern and you will get consistent

results in catching fish.

Without Fly Phasmes you can’t have Fly

Fatum and without them both,

“you got no fly mojo, mon.”

By Capt. Pat Horrigan

Throwing Feathers

43

44

In this case, it appears to be a bit

different. While a notice of appeal

was filed within hours -– essen-

tially stalling Judge Fulford's rul-

ing –- late last week her ruling

went into affect until the 1st Dis-

trict Court of Appeals grants an

emergency hearing. On Nov 1, a

memo was sent to FWC law offi-

cers notifying them they must re-

spect Judge Fulford's ruling, to

refrain from enforcing gill net

laws, until otherwise notified.

As a result, Florida's inshore wa-

ters faced unregulated netting for

six days, until finally the decision

was made to allow enforcement

until the case is heard.

Reports of large net hauls in the

Jacksonville area and along the

pan handle spread around the

state, as well as news that nets

flew off the shelf all over Florida.

Aside from the typical valid argu-

ments against entangling nets, I

feel doubly duped - here's part of

the reason why.

Thinking back a few years when

the spotted sea trout population

was deemed healthy enough to

loosen take limits, commercial

fishermen brought their argu-

ments to FWC, asking for a very

large increase in their limit. What

was once a 75-fish-per day limit

would have more than quintupled.

Written by Brett Fitzgerald | 05 Novem-

ber 2013

Mullet in NE Florida netted

for roe. While the netting of

mullet is not illegal, certain

net gear has been. As of to-

day, Florida is NOT enforc-

ing net gear limitations. As

many of you may have

heard, Leon County Circuit

Judge Jackie Fulford or-

dered to stop enforcement of

Florida’s constitutional

amendment limiting the use

of nets.

While challenges to the “net ban”

have surfaced in the past (the

original amendment dates back to

1994), they are usually appealed

without much fanfare.

As it is, they had their take limit

doubled. “It’s OK,” they said.

“The gear restrictions make trout

fishing impractical anyhow.”

Last week, gear such as this net

used illegally in 2009 was not

part of the law abiding commer-

cial fisherman's arsenal. Are we

ready to allow this again? Well

here we are. For 6 days, there

were no net gear restrictions.

Does this apparent lack of ur-

gency to close the loopholes in

net gear restrictions mean we’re

going to have increasingly diffi-

cult battles over net restrictions in

the future?

That answer is unknown. But this

much is true: in any scenario

where one force becomes compla-

cent towards a seemingly inferior

or insignificant challenger, bad

things can occur. It happens in

sports, politics, and basically any

situation where one interest no

longer feels the need to protect

themselves.

FL Gill Netting Halted

(For Now)

45

the Angler Action Program is

your fastest and easiest way to take part in ensuring a brighter fishing

future in Florida. Sign up today. Finally, start your Angler Action Pro-

gram account today. There is no reason not to log your catch. It is a

free program, and it is our best leverage as a unified group to ensure

these issues do not creep back into Florida’s waters. If you have ques-

tions about the AAP, you can email me directly at

brett@snookfoundation.org. I promise to answer every email on the

issue. This program is recently updated – it is faster, more intuitive,

has weather and solunar info, and has already been used for stock as-

sessments by the State of Florida. It is your opportunity to take part in

the process – make your recreational fishing trips count in every way

possible. Start logging in the AAP today.

Sincerely,

Brett Fitzgerald

Executive Director

Snook & Gamefish Foundation

brett@snookfoundation.org

I offer a few things every recrea-

tional angler can do right now, to

help ensure a brighter fishing fu-

ture in Florida.

First, visit FWC's website regu-

larly, especially until this blows

over. Watch for updates on their

front page regarding this issue.

Follow CCA Florida, and follow

SGF on facebook. Share informa-

tion you have verified with your

peers and encourage them to do

the same. Challenge rumors, look

past emotion, and inform yourself

so you are better prepared to

make the best decisions regarding

recreational fishing.

Second, write to your FWC Com-

missioners. Thank them for push-

ing Judge Fulford's order to an

appeal and encourage them to

take every step within their power

to ensure Florida's great inshore

fishing doesn't regress to the piti-

ful state it was in before 1994.

Our Governor needs to hear from

you as well, and while you're at it,

sign this petition. While commer-

cial fishing can have its place,

recreational fishing brings more

to the economy than commercial

fishing. Recreational fishing re-

leases 80% of all fish caught.

Recreational fishing contributes

directly to conservation funding.

Recreational fishing has a direct

positive impact on multitudes of

people.

We wish to thank Brett Fitzgerald for sharing this article with all of

us. As many of you may know, Brett is always working to help

bring awareness to issues that effect our waters and fishing. He is

one of the finest ambassadors of our sport that I know of and all of

us are proud to know him.

Thank you Brett and please keep up the good fight.

www.SnookFoundation.org

www.facebook.com/SnookFoundation

46

Winter Fishing

Winds have been Northeast

10 to 15 miles an hour with

temperatures in the lower to

mid 80 degrees with clear to

partly cloudy skies.

With cold fronts beginning their

winter march from the north,

the best times for fishing will

be three days before and three

days after each front.

Inshore Fishing: King Fish

and Spanish Mackerel been

being caught on cut bait, live

baits and a few artificial lures.

In the bay and on the flats, the

redfish, trout and flounder bite

have been strong with a few

smaller snook thrown in the

mix. When fishing for the red-

fish look for your schools of

mullet and sandy potholes on

the flats. Also fishing the man-

grove shorelines the last part

of the incoming tides and the

first part of the outgoing tides

have produced good numbers

of catches and

some large fish.

In the early-

morning hours

top water lures

have been pro-

ducing catches

the best. Using

lures like the

MirrOlure Top

Dog, Heddon

Zara Spook Jr. in

bone or nickel, Live Target

Saltwater Series lures and the

Skitter Walk in black and sil-

ver, fishing the sandy pot-

holes on the flats have been

good. In later morning hours

switch to subsurface lures

such as the MirrOdine 17 MR

in redfish pattern or dark olive

green back, Yo-Zuri Sashimi

series lures, also using jerk

baits such as the DOA 418

Mellon back four-inch Jerk

Shad and the Big Hammer

Swim Baits on a 16th ounce

jig head or a weighted weed-

less hook are working well.

November, December and

January are usually good fish-

ing in Sarasota. Fishing the

upper part of flats during the

afternoon hours in the deeper

edges in the early hours is

productive. Fishing the cooler

winter water temperatures

you should slow your bait

down will give for best results.

The fish slow way down in the

winter due to the colder waters,

so you have to creep your lures

past them to trigger a strike.

Look for schools a mullet and

throw right into the schools for

the best chance of catching

redfish. Reds will follow or mix

with mullet to take advantage of

getting an easy meal. Mullet will

stir up small bait fish, crabs and

shrimp in the hunt for their

meals.

As the schools of mullet start to

thin out look for redfish to be

sitting in sandy potholes along

with trout and flounder.

Currently the Snook have been

cruising on the flats but have

not been laying in the potholes

or on the mangrove shoreline

edges. Normal winter weather

patterns are developing on

schedule so learn to fish the

around the fronts and you will

catch fish throughout the win-

ter.

Sarasota By Otis Coblentz

Book a winter charter today with Cham-

pion kayak angler Otis Coblentz and enjoy

some great winter fishing.

Lessons & Gift Certificates Available

www.HookedUpKayakFishingCharters.com

47

Winter Fishing Tampa Bay

www.HookSUPFishing.com

With the fall taking its grip on the Tampa

Bay area it’s time to adapt to the change

in weather along with the effect it will

have on the inshore bite. In the last couple

of months many paddleboard and kayak

anglers were able to get into schools of

redfish in the upper and over slot class

from Fort Desoto to upper Tampa Bay.

These fish were very willing to take many

offerings from the tried and true gold

spoon to top water plugs and soft plastics.

Though at this point, for the most part,

most of these larger fish have pushed off-

shore to breed. Yes, sometimes you don’t

realize how good something is until it’s

gone. But as the saying goes when one

door closes another opens, and this could

not be truer in regards to Tampa Bay fish-

ing.

Though the large schools of breeder red-

fish have pushed offshore, there will still

be plenty of slot fish to target all winter

long. These fish are going to be moving a

lot slower in the coming months and that

goes for their prey as well. So when you

are thinking about your retrieve speed it

should be just that, slow. Some go to baits

this winter are going to be weed less soft

plastics, such as the Z MAN Paddlerz in

Pearl, Bad Shad and their new pattern for

this fall, Pinfish. Try rigging these baits

on a weighted weed less hook and focus

on keeping your retrieves as slow as pos-

sible. The benefit of these weed less

hooks will be that you can imitate a hid-

ing bait fish in the grass. Then, by slowly

lifting your rod tip when you feel the

grass, the bait will give the impression of

a small fish diving into the grass. This

whole process should be done very

slowly, but the strikes from these power-

ful redfish will be hard and abrupt. Some

other lures to try for these sluggish redfish

will be C.A.L. Paddle Tails from DOA in

bright attractive patterns including Elec-

tric Chicken, Glow, and Chartreuse.

The oyster bars along Weedon Island and

Fort Desoto will also hold plenty of Red-

fish. When fishing the oyster bars you can

use the weed less rig but can also opt for a

C.A.L. jig head. When using the jig head,

work your bait with a twitch motion al-

lowing it to just touch the bottom then

raise your rod tip abruptly. This will keep

you out of the oysters and draw some

much desired attention from that wary

Redfish.

Not to be neglected this fall and winter

will be the abundance of large Sea Trout

on the flats. Look for these hungry trout

to be right on the edges of the white sand

pockets bordering the turtle grass. When

fishing for trout, remember that “white is

gold”. A large area of sand bordering

grass can hold lots of fish, and unless you

By Michael Julian

48

Winter Fishing Tampa Bay By Michael Julian

Book a winter charter today with

Champion SUP angler Michael Julian

and enjoy some great winter fishing.

Lessons & Gift Certificates Available

www.HookSUPFishing.com

were to paddle across the sand pocket and

disturb them, they are not likely to move.

These fish are ambush predators to the

highest degree and this will keep them

perfectly still and tight to these edges.

Target these fish in water depth ranging

from 2-6 feet with good movement. In the

shallow water area try using top water

plugs such as the Super Spook Jr. from

Heddon, Skitter Walk from Rapala, or the

Top Dog from Mirrolure. All of these

plugs are very productive in luring out

aggressive trout from their hiding spots.

The trick with these top water pugs is

casting distance. With a fast action rod

and braided line in the 10 to 15 lb. class

look for bottom resembling Swiss cheese.

Make your cast so that the retrieve will

come across as many sand edges as possi-

ble. This will highly increase your

chances of a large trout blowing you up,

and allow you to fan your casts toward

the most productive areas. Soft plastics

are also a great way to stir up lazy trout

and the same technique should be used as

with top water, with the sand edges being

your main focus.

Fishing the creek mouths will also be very

productive this winter. Focus on areas

where water will be spilling into deep

holes out of these “feeding streams”. This

will be warmer water that has been heated

by the day’s sun, and on outgoing to low

tides. This water will carry with it small

baitfish right to the hungry mouths of

game fish such as Snook, Redfish and

residential Tarpon. In places like this

there is no better presentation than a Mir-

rodine pulled into the current. The water

flowing past the lure along with a twitch

every few cranks will create an action that

will be hard to pass up by these feeding

predators.

Another great fall/winter feature of

Tampa Bay is the abundance of power

plants that are accessible to paddle craft

fishermen. Power plants can bring sur-

rounding water temperatures up consid-

erably because of the hot water that is

discharged from the outflow, causing

many species of baitfish to congregate in

the area. These oasis type fisheries are

known to draw in significant amounts of

marine life and it is not uncommon to

take on large Snook,

Tarpon and even Co-

bia. Almost anything will work in these

areas but not much beats live bait such as

pinfish and if possible, whitebait. Just

make sure that you read all posted signs

because these areas generally restrict an-

glers from getting within 50 yards of the

shoreline.

This summer (and so far this fall) has

proved to be incredible for inshore fishing

in the Tampa Bay area, and will hopefully

set us up for a stellar winter. With these

fish beginning to settle into their cool

water feeding patterns, be ready to adjust

with the weather just as they do so you

can

stay

on top

of the

game

and

on top

of the

fish.

49

Winter Fishing

The weather is getting colder and the

fishing is heating up! My name is Cap-

tain Kyle Staton and I primarily sight

fish for Red Drum.

September proved to be slow fishing up

here in the Homosassa area. The Red-

fish were few and far between. October

brought a few more fish and now in No-

vember I am spotting big Red Drum

everywhere. When I tell you big, I

mean that I have been catching some of

the fattest Reds I've ever caught. These

fat fish are ranging from 26 to 32

inches. My thoughts on this matter are

that when these fish disappeared in Sep-

tember into the deeper water to bread,

they ate like crazy and came back with

full bellies. No matter how it happened

these fish are big, healthy, happy and, as

always, strong. I’ve also been catching a

lot of small 12” to 15” fish which is the

result of last year’s spawn. Most of these

fish I’m seeing are singles or in pairs

with the occasional school of 6 to 7 fish.

I almost always throw a 1/8th or 1/16th

ounce gold spoon when sight fishing for

reds. However when it comes to choos-

ing a lure, I think color and size are the

most important features. Remember to

match your lure color to the clarity

of the water. Dark color lures are

best for dirty water and light color

lures are more geared towards

cleaner water.

This time of year brings the big

Sheep Head Snapper and Black

Drum into the shallows. Both of

these fish are my favorite eating fish

that our back country has to offer.

They can be caught using live or

dead shrimp, although they prefer a

small Fiddler Crab or a small Blue

Crab for those bigger Black Drum.

Look for the Sheepies on shallow oys-

ter bars. Black Drum like to hang on

the edge of these same oyster bars

where the water drops off a foot or so.

Snook have been roaming around

their usual hunting grounds and seem

pretty hungry this time of year. Maybe

they're feeling the urge to fatten up for

winter before they huddle up in the

springs. It's tricky to target these fish. If

you catch them on the right day, they will

gladly take a top water or suspending

twitch bait.

The Trout seem to be spread out from the

deeper flats to the shallows. In the morn-

ing before the sun gets high enough to

sight fish, I like to throw top waters over

pot holes for these fish. To watch a trout

come completely out of the water as it

explodes on your lure is an exciting ex-

perience. Remember if you catch a mon-

ster trout release it to fight another day.

Those gator trout are our breeder fish. It's

better for the fishery to release the big

ones and to keep the slot fish for the din-

ner table. Be safe and take a friend fish-

ing.

Nature Coast By Kyle Staton

Book a winter charter today with

Champion kayak angler Kyle Staton

and enjoy some great winter fishing.

Lessons & Gift Certificates Available

www.ShallowSightings.com

50

Winter Fishing Winter weather patterns can

often make kayak fishing a

challenge. These patters can

also provide some of the best

opportunities in catching trophy

redfish, seatrout, snook, floun-

der and black drum that you will

experience all year. The days

normally bring a cold front every

5-6 days. The day of the front

usually brings rain followed by a

day of breezy conditions. In be-

tween the fronts are calmer and

clear which sends the fish into

feeding frenzy. So would you

rather be sitting at home watch-

ing fishing shows on a cold day

or out catching world-class

fish?

By making a few adjustments

and paying attention to detail,

you may find wintertime to be

your favorite time to fish.

HABITATS:

The principle habitats in and around

the Sebastian area are the miles of

mangroves that overhang along the

shoreline, shallow sea grass flats

and the inlet itself. The food source

for our bigger game fish starts to

concentrate along and under man-

grove lines, along structure such as

rocks and piers and on the grass

flats. They hold creatures that feed

off of the barnacles and algae that

cover the branches, off of the grass,

rocks and pylons. Young fish, shrimp

and crabs and other crustaceans

then feed off of those creatures pro-

viding a food source for larger game

fish. In addition, they provide cover

to hide as they try to avoid being

eaten. Under mangroves in deeper

cuts; redfish, trout, flounder and the

occasional snook will lie in waiting for

small baitfish to come to them. I have

even come across schools of black

drum under mangroves.

On the flats, you can find reds, trout

and black drum looking for their win-

ter foods, shrimp, crabs, and worms.

Creeks and rivers are mostly located

on the west side of the Indian River

Lagoon. These warmer areas will

hold snook and tarpon. With the

warmer waters, the habitat offers a

melting pot of different foods for dif-

ferent species. The diversity of the

Indian and Banana River and Mos-

quito Lagoon flats offers you the

chance to target a diverse amount of

species.

TIMES and LOCATIONS:

The best places to fish are based on

the water temperatures. If you can-

not stand the lower air temperatures

in the morning, relax and have some

coffee and then head out. Most of

the time, the fish do not get active

until the sun has been up an hour or

so. Concentrate on locations where

the sun starts cooking the water first

thing or just on the outside of the

shadow created by the mangroves.

Fish drop offs where trout and reds

sun themselves right on the edge.

With the rapidly rising water tempera-

tures on the grass flats, reds and trout

will be found sunning themselves in

sand holes. The temperatures can

fluctuate 15 - 20 degrees through the

day. I usually find that the best time to

find fish hitting the flats is around high

noon.

Some deeper channels between is-

lands, culverts and little back bay ar-

eas also are great areas to try first

thing in the morning or later in the day

when the sun begins to go down. The

channels will hold warmer water due

to depth. This is where you may find a

school of smaller black drum hovering

just under the mangroves and sheep-

shead. Culverts and bays will be

warmer because the bottom will be

East Coast

51

Winter Fishing

dark and will hold warmth longer thru

night and heat up quicker during the

day. Snook can be found in these

areas along with trout and redfish.

On the flats, cast through the pot

holes. Many times the larger holes

hold a few reds and multiple trout.

This is the time of year you will find

schooling trout just sitting there in

deeper holes laying in wait for their

next meal. I have experience seeing

hundreds of trout on a sand flat that

is only a few hundred yards wide.

Within those trout, you will find reds

or even Sheepshead hiding. Floun-

der can be found in the sand flats

where there is a flow of water while

laying in wait for their next meal as

well. I have experience non-stop ac-

tion in these areas.

Tide does not influence when I

choose to fish in the winter unless I

am focusing on pompano on the ad-

jacent flats of the Sebastian inlet or if

I find black drum in the nearby chan-

nels. My experience has shown that

pompano seem to run along the drop

offs, around islands and on the flats

when there is a lot of food being

pushed with the tide and they seem

to leave or shut down at slack tide.

Black drum start striking more often

during an incoming tide in the later

part of the day. My experience is that

they wait for the food source to come

to them. I have never encountered a

tailing black drum in the southern

area, only in the NIRL, Banana River

or Mosquito Lagoon.

BASIC TACKLE AND EQUIP-

MENT:

Basic tackle that I use for reds and

trout includes a spinning rod and reel

holding about 150-200 yards of 10 lb.

test braided line in yellow or moss.

Depending on the species of fish I

am looking to target, I like to use be-

tween 12 – 20lb fluorocarbon leader.

Winter is the time to go small with all

your gear including your lures. You

East Coast

52

Winter Fishing want to present your offerings with-

out spooking the fish in any way.

Since the water clarity is crystal, they

will see your every move and every

presentation if you are not as stealth

as possible.

Redfish and trout will strike a variety

of surface and subsurface lures, and

there are thousands of lures manu-

factured that target these species

and it can get a bit confusing so I will

tell you what I find to work for me.

The Spook Jr. by Heddon has

brought me more strikes than any

other surface lure. I like the trout,

bone and the black and gold. Also, I

have recently started using High

Rollers which are a plug made out of

wood with a prop at the tail. This

seems to land quieter and the re-

trieve is more controllable than the

Spook Jr.. I can use any combination

of retrieve techniques but I start out

with a slow retrieve and speed it up if I

am not getting any reaction strikes.

Another lure type I love using are 12

Fathom plastic baits that are rigged

weedless on an Edje Joe 3/0 to 4/0

hook. There are many styles and col-

ors to choose from but my favorites

for winter at SlamR, Buzz Tails, and

the Fat Sam Mullet. The colors I usu-

ally prefer for Buzz Tails and Fat Sam

Mullet in the winter are Baby Shrimp,

Shimmer Gold, Clear Gold,

GoldDLuxe, and New Penny. For the

SlamR; Glow Shrimp, and Clear Gold

Glitter. The Edje Joe hooks come in

different gap sizes, weights and are

dipped so you have different colors.

The tip has a worm screw for attach-

ing into the front of the bait and then

the hook itself is inserted farther back

with the point left inside the bait, mak-

ing it weedless. The other option I use

is a Joe Jig with the same options

except it is a jighead. The action

one gets when putting this combina-

tion together is based on your

speed of retrieval, of course.

TECHNIQUE:

The only difference between my

summer and winter technique is

speed of retrieval. Its all about prac-

ticing 4 things. Patience, accuracy,

stealth, and slowness. Even if you

don’t see your target fish you should

always practice “P.A.S.S.”.

Patience: It is always the toughest

thing to do. It goes like this….You

see your target fish, you heart starts

pounding. You try to get as close as

you can, as fast as you can, only to

spook the fish. So, one must learn

to be patient and observe. Stealth

is our biggest advantage. We need

to do everything we can to minimize

or eliminate noise. Long accurate

casts deliver a better hookup ratio.

Ideally, your cast will land and the

fish will never suspect that a human

delivered it. Practice accuracy, then

practice distance. I love my Native Wa-

tercraft Ultimate kayak and my Bull

Bay 7'6" rod to help accomplish this. I

can get into VERY skinny water and I

can cast a mile to help with distance

and being stealth.

Search casting: Early mornings when

the angle of the sun is not helping you

see into the water, I use a small top

water to seek out my prey. Cast and

retrieve SLOWLY to start. If you think

you are going slow, go slower. In the

summer, I must cast over 1000 times.

In the winter, it’s reduced to ¼ of that.

If you get a strike and no hookup, cast

to the same spot you originally cast to

and work your lure though again. The

colder water makes them lethargic.

They will likely circle around after the

lure drops and sit right back down in

the same sand hole. Chances are

good that you will get a strike and

hopefully hook up. When you do, re-

member what speed you were retriev-

ing and repeat.

East Coast

I like carrying 2 rods. The second is

rigged with a soft plastic so I can

work the bottom. If the fish doesn’t

hit the first rod rigged with a topwa-

ter, I will cast my other lure and drag

it SUPER slow on the bottom almost

at a snails pace. Make your offering

easy for them to eat and your suc-

cess will improve. Slowly crawling

your bait across the bottom or

through the grass with a steady re-

trieve can often be more effective

than attempting to give it too much

life. Sharply actions with your lure

can spook shallow water fish and

send them racing off the flat.

Sight fishing technique:

Trophy Trout:

When the water temperatures dip in

to the 50’s and 60’s, the larger trout

will invade the shallow sand holes

seeking warmth from the daytime

sun. Sight fishing for big trout is one

of the most challenging adventures

but it can be done. Trophy sized trout

in shallow water are some of the

most wary fish on the flats and must

be approached with extreme stealth

and you must cast from a distance.

Trout are ambush feeders and are

almost always lying motionless near

the grass edge or in a sand hole on a

sand flat. Their camouflage backs

make them difficult to spot from a

distance, even to the trained eye but

on a sand flat, if you can get some

height by standing, you can spot

them easier. They look like long

black dashes. If you see big trout on

the move, it has probably taken no-

tice of your presence and will rarely

eat. However, I have seen them set-

tle down to the next sand hole and

after using PASS, I was able to hook

up on several occasions.

Trophy

Redfish and

Snook:

Unfortu-

nately the

areas

around

Sebastian

Inlet flats do

not hold the

big trophy

reds the

Northern

Indian River

Lagoon and

Mosquito

Lagoon

hold. I am speaking of the ones

weighing more than 30 or 40 lbs.

You will find them within the inlet

itself and along the outsides of the

jetties ready to inhale their next

meal. The pods of bait fish hanging

around the edges and moving

through the inlet are keeping them

there. However, slot sized reds will

act pretty much the same as the trout

except they will also be moving along

the sand drop offs, sunning in sand

holes and under mangroves. Rarely

do I find them showing off their tails.

Usually only a tiny portion of their

tails will give them away. Again, I

practice using PASS. In the NIRL

and ML,

For both trout and reds, it is impera-

tive your cast lands well beyond the

fish and quietly. Dropping it within

several feet of them will make them

spook. When I spot a fish lying in a

sand hole or on the move, I cast past

the hole and slowly bring my bait,

almost crawling, in front of his face

and let it drop. I also try not to have

the line land on their backs. When

you see a tailing red, be patient and

watch what direction the tail is pointing.

That is the direction the fish will be

moving as it is feeding. Cast in front of

him using the same technique above

and let the fish come to the bait. Again,

let the bait fall to the bottom in front of

the fish.

Good luck and get out there and have

fun, stay warm and watch the weather

reports! Fish on!

53

Winter Fishing East Coast

Book a winter charter today with

Champion kayak angler Dee Kaminski

and enjoy some great winter fishing.

Lessons & Gift Certificates Available

www.ReelKayakFishing.com

54

Reaching Out & What it Takes Recently I was chatting with my friend

Steve Bendzak of ExOffico who had

also sent me some interesting photos of

his trip to Kenya. It made me curious as

to what he was up to and it came as little

surprise that he was personally helping

victims of a war torn nation and had his

company resources involved. This got

me to thinking about all of the much

needed, helpful things that ExOffico

does around the world and what it must

take to support their philanthropic ef-

forts…so I looked into it.

In Kenya, the company assists ExOfficio

partner World Concern to provide a

chance for a life beyond war. Transform-

ing lives of the world’s poorest people

into a meaningful, hope filled, produc-

tive life takes great effort and resources.

The refugees there are working on envi-

ronmental improvement projects, agri-

culture and housing projects to rebuild

shattered lives. The refugees from Dar-

fur & Sudan were forced out of their

home lands by monstrous rebel groups,

behavior that is difficult to get my mind

around. Never the less, Steve is right in

there doing what he can to help. It must

have been humbling to witness these

friendly people working together to re-

build.

ExOfficio also partners with Rivers of

Recover, an organization that creates

lifetime experiences for disabled Veter-

ans and their families. They also support

the Wilderness Classroom Organization

who reaches around the world to work

with students to teach

them about the impor-

tance of discovery and

the natural world around

us through wilderness

exploration. All of this of

course takes money, per-

sonal involvement and

commitment. Medical

Teams International

sends volunteer teams

around the world to pro-

vide disaster relief, sur-

geries and general medical care to im-

poverished people. ExOfficio supports

their efforts by outfitting their medical

teams and staff as well as donating prod-

uct for fundraising events to support

MTI efforts.

All of this adds

up to a lot of

work by a lot of

fantastic people

worldwide and

ExOfficio is

happy to be in

position to help

support the ef-

forts of these fine

organizations. So

you may be ask-

ing yourself why

I am bringing all

of this to your attention. I am not trying

to further support a sponsor of ours…

not at all. We do plenty of marketing of

all of our sponsors. I bring this to your

attention because of what it is that Steve

and ExOfficio are quietly doing. Finan-

cial involvement is of course a must, but

personal involvement and personal sacri-

fice is unheralded. As if almost working

in the background of anonymity, saying

little and doing much.

Why did Steve go halfway around the

world to help total strangers? Why does

his company support so many needed

organizations? Because it’s the right

thing to do. There is much to be done

and yesterday was the only easy day…

By Capt. Pat Horrigan

Photo

by B

ryan

Han

sel

55

By Bob Bramblet

I really love kayak fishing. Being closer

to the water, becoming more intimate

with your prey and the quiet solitude are

just a few reasons why I prefer a kayak

over a boat. But there are still redeeming

qualities offered by a power boat that

enhances the kayak fishing experience

and can assist while prefishing for tour-

naments. I will frequently hitch a ride

with friends to reconnoiter possible

kayak fishing spots or see if the fish are

at some of my favorites.

Recently I fished with Dave Johnstone

and Alan Reddick on Alan’s Hewes

Tailfisher around Pine Island. I haven’t

owned a boat in several years, but if I

Peace River south to Matlacha Pass,

about 15 miles. There are many kayak

launch points from Cape Coral to Punta

Gorda that offer access to the bar. We

arrived in minutes and began fishing bait

schools running along the shallows. Al-

most immediately we boated several

trout ranging from 15” to over 20”. After

a half hour we headed to the next spot.

A few miles away, but just minutes by

boat is the kismet launch area. This

launch is at the end of a road in Cape

Coral and after a long paddle through

twisting mangrove creeks, empties into

Matlacha Pass. It’s usually a good area

for redfish but can be very disappointing

did, it would be this boat. It is capable of

operating in very skinny water and is

very comfortable to fish from. I was

planning to fish with my kayak later in

the week for an upcoming tournament

and the plan was to see where the fish

were in relation to the nearest kayak

launch. We launched from Matlacha

Park and headed north to the Burnt Store

bar.

Burnt Store Bar refers to a long, shallow

sandy flat running the East side of Char-

lotte Harbor. The area has long been

known for producing many varieties of

large fish from redfish to tarpon. The

bar runs from just south the mouth of the

Bob’s Corner Recon for Reds

56

By Bob Bramblet

if the fish aren’t there after the trek. We

worked the mangrove shoreline and open

flats with gold paddletails and came up

empty. Just before moving on, Alan

scored a nice snook just shy of the slot.

We continued our journey and made the

long run to Pineland.

Pineland is a small community

on Pine Island. It’s the home of

the historic Tarpon Lodge and

the Pineland Marina. It’s a little

north of the middle of the island

and usually is a world-class red

fishery. The area is vast and

kayakers can go north, west and

south of the launch and find

fish. We started on the north

flats and could easily see red-

fish cruising the mangrove

shoreline. Alan picked off a

small red, but for the most part

they were not fooled by our

lures. We made our way south

and crossed a flats area where I

have caught very many large

redfish. Aside from a few kayak

head back, stopping at one more spot on

the way in.

Indian Fields is a vast area on the west

side of Matlacha Pass that encompasses

several flats areas and small mangrove

islands. A few years ago, fishing buddy

Jim VanPelt and I had a secret launch

here that allowed us to reach the flats,

and tailing redfish in minutes. That has

been closed off and now it’s a several

mile paddle to reach the area we like to

fish. Alan eased the boat onto the flats

and we began fishing. We worked the

shallows and the deeper pockets and

came up with a couple of trout. Eventu-

ally it was time to call it a day.

On the way in I reflected on the success

of the trip. We didn’t catch a lot of fish,

but I felt we accomplished quite a bit. I

would have had to spend a day at each of

these launches to cover them as thor-

oughly as we did, and we covered them

all in one day. This allowed me to make

the decision of which launch to use with

confidence. That is no small thing be-

cause on tournament day, you only get

one shot.

anglers, there was no life on the flats.

Even the ever present trout holding up in

the sandy potholes were not eating. Far-

ther out toward Cat Key, we finally had

redfish turning and following our pad-

dletails, but no takers. We decided to

Bob’s Corner

57

National Championship Classic

National Championship Classic 2013

Results

The Mosquito Lagoon natives were

drumming on Friday night before the

Kayak Fishing ClassicS National Cham-

pionship Classic scheduled for Novem-

ber 16th. Several anglers loaded up their

yaks and headed out onto the Mosquito

Lagoon for some local redfish action.

The anglers paddled over to the Hau-

lover Canal where huge reds seem to

congregate and Friday night was no ex-

ception.

The moon was full and the reds were

drumming so loud that you could hear

only 20 qualified for the Invitational

National Championship Classic. These

anglers are the best of the best and are

from all over the region. And why not

with what all is up for grabs to the win-

ners.

This year’s format was a little different;

the top four anglers each won a kayak

and the remaining top ten shared in

$10,000.00 in sponsor gear prizes. First

and second place each won the all new

Predator 13 kayak by Old Town and

third and fourth place each won a KC

Kayaks K12 Kayak. The 6th through 10th

winners took turns selecting one sponsor

gear item at a time then the remaining

that special beat drumming up through

the water. Now that’s some serious

drumming. Joe Komyati caught a huge

redfish then his partner Michael Julian

did the same. Pepi Vidal then followed

and the bite was on fire.

The weather had been questionable for

the National Championship Classic with

a cold front, windy conditions and some

rain. The high pressure zone got pushed

around the weather was perfect for tour-

nament day. The bite should be good and

it was.

Of the hundreds of anglers that fished in

the saltwater tournament series this year,

58

contestants joined in to share all of the

gear so everyone received a very nice

prize package. Here’s how the winners

scored in this year’s 4 redfish national

championship;

Chuck Statham won 1st place and scored

a total of 114.6” with 4 redfish caught on

paddle tail soft plastics. Chuck scored

28”, 28.5”, 29” & 29.1” fish for his total.

Congratulations Chuck for an unbeliev-

able year that you have had. Chuck also

won the National Angler of the Year

Award, the Gulf Series division and the

divisional angler of the year

to rack up some impressive

numbers. Chuck selected the

Old Town Predator 13 in

Camo color.

Joe Komyati won 2nd place

with a 4 redfish and a total

score of 101.2” caught on

Yo-Zuri Lures and soft plas-

tics. Joe scored 23.9”, 24”,

25.2”and 28.1” fish for his

total. Joe also had an awe-

some series year and we congratulate

him for all of his success. Joe won an

Old Town all new Predator 13 in yellow

color which Joe can’t wait to get into the

water.

Michael Julian nailed down 3rd place

with catches of 23.1”, 28.7”, 23.5” and

24.5” redfish, all on soft plastics. That

totals 99.8” of redfish and it was good

enough for 3rd place and a new KC Kay-

aks K12. Michael had a fantastic series

year and we congratulate him.

William Lusk captured 4th place with

catches measuring 24.1”, 25.8”, 21.7”

and 22.9” for a total of 94.5” of redfish

and an all white KC Kayaks K12. Wil-

liam has had a very good year against

some very good competition and we

congratulate him for this win. William

lost a 40” red which slipped his jaw grip-

59

per when lifting it out of the net and onto

the measuring board. That may have

changed a few things but that’s fishing.

Pepi Vidal earned 5th place with 4 red-

fish measuring 25.2”, 21.5”, 20.9” and

20.9” and selected the new Magellan

eXplorist GPS for his grand prize. Pepi

is also the winner of the East Series divi-

sion and the east Angler of the Year.

Congratulations Pepi, it’s been a huge

year for you on and off the water.

6th place-Rodney Nelson = 77.7”

7th place- Wade Hollowell = 74.6”

8th place- Jean McElroy = 62.5”

9th place- Joshua Harris = 57.9”

10th place- Otis Coblentz = 57.4”

Largest redfish scored in tournament

went to Otis Coblentz with a 31.5” red

caught on a Big Hammer swimbaits.

Congratulations Otis.

We wish to thank all of our sponsors,

awards host Dixie Crossroads Seafood

Restaurant and of course all of the an-

glers who fished in our tournaments this

year. We are looking forward to next

year which will mark our 5th year of

bringing you the ClassicS. The Winter

Issue of KFC Tournament Trail Maga-

zine will be published about the same

time you read this article and you can take a

look at it on our website at

www.KayakFishingClassicS.com The winter

issue is special as it contains the Shoppers Gear

Guide to help our friends select those special

kayak angler gifts. Thanks again and have a

wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season.

60

61

62

63

64

A Special Thank You

All of us at the Kayak Fishing ClassicS wish to thank Pepi Vidal for his assistance and hard work in bringing

the ClassicS to the Space Coast in 2013. He helped guide us in unfamiliar waters and to make new friends. We

wish you and your family all of the best in 2014.

May the winds of life always be at your back

Capt. Pat

65

Some Great Places to Eat We would like to introduce you to some of our Tournament Host Sponsors from around Florida

That were so gracious to us and our tournament contestants throughout the series year. When

you are out and about Florida please stop in a visit them...the food is always good.

Whiskey Joe’s Bar & Grill is a long time favorite of the ClassicS and

our contestants. The Tampa Bay eatery features very good food, ex-

cellent service, a very cool atmosphere, a real Tiki Bar on WJ’s pri-

vate beach. It’s great family fun and you can drive your boat right up

onto their beach. Whiskey Joe’s has wood burning fire pits on the

beach to warm you on a chilly day and a raised band stand with live

talent performing some very hip music. If you are driving across the

Courtney Campbell Causeway pull into WJ’s and let the valet park

your car for you. Open the doors to the very beach-classy ambiance

and enjoy the wonderful restaurant overlooking beautiful Tampa Bay.

The Dixie Crossroads Seafood Restaurant really is World Famous.

It’s no wonder with the way they do things. The seafood is fresh and

delicious every day and prepared to perfection every time. There is

plenty of parking at this highly popular eatery in Titusville and once

you eat there you will understand why.

The World Famous Dixie Crossroads play host to the ClassicS twice

in 2013. The Mosquito Lagoon Classic and our National Champion-

ship Classic just would not have been the same without the friendly

atmosphere you will find here. We know you will enjoy a visit here.

Billy’s Stone Crab Restaurant is a steak and seafood lovers paradise.

This fantastic eatery overlooks southern Tampa Bay and the Gulf of

Mexico situated in Tierra Verde near Fort DeSoto for you campers

and nature lovers. The beach-relaxed atmosphere is very comfortable

and easy going so bring your friends and family to this great iconic

eatery. Service is always the best and very friendly. You can also mo-

tor your boat up to Billy’s docks on the backside of the restaurant.

Say while you are their be sure to take their boat tour of the area.

Yep, it’s that beautiful and it’s all for your enjoyment. See you at

Billy’s real soon.

Host of Old Tampa Bay Classic

Host of Mosquito Lagoon Classic & the

National Championship Classic

Host of the Fort DeSoto Classic

66

Tournament Hosts

Kars Park Banana River Classic

If you’re a nature lover and enjoy camping then Kars Park along the

Banana River in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is a must

stop for you. We held our Banana River Classic there and it was fan-

tastic. The wildlife is abundant and always amazing to go along with

your fishing or wildlife tours. The campground is spotless and mod-

ern with accommodations for tents to RV’s with modern showers and

restrooms. We know you will enjoy your stay at Kars Park as much as

we did. The migrating bird population is overwhelming and inspiring

which makes for great photography and painting. See you there and

happy camping.

Host of the Round Island Classic

Everglades Seafood Depot

Host of the 10,000 Islands Classic

The Everglades Seafood Depot in Everglades City is a must visit. The

seafood is phenomena and fresh daily. Local commercial fishermen

supply the eatery with yummy South Florida fish and shells. You will

love their cooking like we do and the view is beautiful overlooking

the waterway. The Florida Everglades is home of some of the most

beautiful and exotic wildlife in the world. It is also home of real

South Florida everglades home cooking so stop in and visit the Ever-

glades Seafood Depot on your next trip to the Florida Everglades.

You’ll be glade you did.

Cobb’s Landing hosted our

Round Island Classic and we

were very impressed with this

very esthetic waterfront restau-

rant. The food will amaze you as

much as the atmosphere and

friendly service. There is a lot of

history here so be sure to ask

about it. The eatery is perfect for

large wedding parties or corpo-

rate meetings in their private dinning rooms overlooking the Indian

River Lagoon. After a great meal and you feel like kicking up your

heels a bit head down the boardwalk to Original Tiki Bar

for some tropical beverages, live music and more fun. You

can drive up and park or motor up to Fort Pierce Marina

and tie-off your boat. Both places are fun and exciting and

the food is Soooo good. See you there soon...

67

Tournament Hosts

Another favorite location of ours is the famous Tarpon Lodge in Pine-

land located on Pine Island, Florida. The old lodge is absolutely won-

derful with its rustic yet refined elegance creating an unusual atmos-

phere found only in South Florida. The food is of course fantastic to

go along with the great service and the lodging is a treat to the heart

and eyes. The old world charming lodge overlooks the Gulf of Mex-

ico and the famous fishing grounds of the lodge. This is a great get-a-

way locale to just unwind or to do some world class fishing. The ser-

vice is second to none and the scenery is amazing. Launch your boat

and tie-off at the docks right out in front of the lodge. Host of the Pine Island Classic

The Long Point Café’ is a very nice little restaurant serving some

very good food with equally good service. The family restaurant

hosted our Sebastian Classic and we were delighted to discover it.

The family owned eatery is one of the best restaurants around and

enjoys the comfort of a relaxed atmosphere. The tackle store next to

the Long Point Café’ is also owned by the same family and has every-

thing that you will need for your next fishing trip to the area. Stop in

and visit the good folks there and enjoy some great home cooking that

you are sure to like.

Long Point Café’

Host of the Sebastian Classic

Pecks Old Port Cove Seafood Restaurant is strictly top shelf. The restaurant

is well known for it’s local fresh caught seafood and blue crabs. Fresh

caught shrimp, grouper and more are on the menu and prepared to perfection

with old family recipes. The fun rustic atmosphere and affordable prices just

ad to the enjoyment of this water front eatery located in Ozello, Florida. It is

one of our favorite locations to fish and eat. Just ask any of our anglers and

you will hear the same thing, over and over again. You just can’t beat the

Pecks Old Port Cove Seafood Restaurant...it’s that good and you should try

it next time you are in the area.

Host of the Ozello Classic

Cracker Jacks Seafood Tiki is a great place to have some fun and en-

joy a good meal. Our anglers love this place too. Cracker Jacks is lo-

cated on the famous Indian River in Titusville and you owe it to your-

self to make it a stop when in the area. The service and ambiance are

fun and relaxing and the food is tasty too. The out door Tiki is fun

and friendly with lively keepers and patrons. We know you will enjoy

your visit here as much as we do. The fishing in the area is very good

and the restaurant will of course cook your catch for you. See you

there soon.

Cracker Jacks Tiki

Host of the Indian River Classic

68

Using Your Resources

We have found that the YakAngler is a very good information resource for many of

your kayak fishing needs. You may find it strange to see another online magazine

and forum advertised in our magazine. Our thoughts on that are simple. If you find

something good… Share it! Promote Kayak Fishing, it’s a great sport.

www.YakAngler.com

Photo Florida Fishing Adventure

69

Using Your Resources

www.KayakFishingMagazine.net

The Kayak Fishing Magazine is really a kayak fishing information entity. They pro-

vide insights into kayak manufacturing, fishing gear, monthly stories and much more.

Visit KFM and you will see just how great of a resource they are.

24” Fluke Caught by Chris Parson

70

Using Your Resources

www.FloridaSportsman.com

Become a part of the action with the Florida Sportsman Magazine and forum.

The highly informative magazine has been supporting the Kayak Fishing

ClassicS efforts for over 4 years now and we are proud to be associated with

them. Here you will get the latest info on anything fishing so you can’t go

wrong.

Check them out from the link below and we are sure you will want to add

them to your favorites.

71 www.RapidMedia.com

Another favorite of ours is Kayak Angler

Magazine. It’s flat out awesome and full of

great information from kayak touring, camp-

ing, waterwater, canoeing to kayak fishing

and more.

An electronic subscription to Kayak Angler would be a great gift!

Using Your Resources

72

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