New fleet on the way in time for frantic fall action

Ron Grand of Palatine, Ill, prepares to release a spotted seatrout.

My new fleet of 2011 Native Watercraft Ultimate 14.5s is scheduled to be shipping out on Nov. 19. That means we’ll have them rigged and ready to fish toward the end of the month.

I’ve sold my older Natives, but will have them until the new ones are ready to fish!

Fishing has been good and should get better after this first severe cold front of the season passes through. We’re looking for excellent fishing for spotted seatrout, Spanish mackerel, pompano, bluefish and maybe even a few snook.

Last year, we did very well this time of year, fishing the deep grass flats around Sarasota Bay. Spin anglers did well on D.O.A. Shrimp and CAL Jigs. Fly anglers scored on Gibby’s Big Eye Baitfish. We used 6-weight rods for most of the fish.

Pompano average 2 pounds, but we landed a few to nearly 5 pounds. Blues pushed 6 pounds, with the average fish being 3. Spanish mackerel ran from 1 ½ pounds to slightly more than 7.

Hank Guetz battles a fish on fly rod on the beautiful Manatee River

We’re picking up a few snook under the lights on jigs and flies. The fish are fairly large and tough to land, but it’s a lot of fun.

In fresh water, we’ve been doing very well on bluegill and channel catfish on the Manatee River and Lake Manatee. We’ve been getting channel catfish (superb fighters) on my Myakka Minnow. Bluegill and a few speckled perch are hitting the Myakka Minnow and popping bugs.

We’ll begin our Everglades trips in December. Who knows what’s in store after last season’s extreme cold. The cold killed a bunch of oscar, Mayan cichlid and other exotics, but we expect that to mean we’ll experience some great action on bass, bluegill, speckled perch, stumpknocker, shellcracker and maybe some peacock bass.

We’ll do a few advance trips to determine the state of the fishery.

I’d like to thank everyone who helped Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing experience its best year ever. We’re hoping that we finish 2010 on a high note and do even better in 2011.

We’re filling up quickly and November and already started booking December trips. If you’ll be in the area, please give us a call and book a trip.

Ron Grand of Palatine, Ill., fished with me recently and had a good day – despite trying conditions. Grand nearly got a fly-rod slam, falling a snook short of the accomplishment. He landed some nice spotted seatrout and redfish on Clousers and Gibby’s Big Eye Baitfish.

Hank Guetz of Apollo Beach heard about my success on the Manatee River and quickly arranced a trip. There’s nothing better than hand-size bluegill on fly rod.

Using poppers and Myakka Minnows, we combined for 100 bluegill, several bass and channel catfish.

“What a wonderful day on a beautiful stream,” Guetz said.

Once again, I’d like to thank my sponsors for their support: Native Watercraft, TFO fly rods and spinning rods and D.O.A. Lures. This business would be tough without them!

I am in the process of writing a book, entitled “Kayak Your Way to More and Bigger Fish.” I’m a firmer believer in kayak fishing and I know that it’s the most stealthy way to approach fish. if the fish don’t know you’re there, you stand a pretty good chance of catching them.

The book will include chapters on selecting your kayak, rigging, fishing the flats, drifting and general tips to make you a successful kayak angler.

We expect to finish the book by February, then we’ll begin the process of finding a publisher.

Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving!

Steve Gibson

Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing

www.kayakfishingsarasota.com

http://gibbysfishingblog.blogspot.com/

(941) 284-3406