Shore Fishing

Fresh Water Kayak Fishing

Red tide and kayaks just don’t mix well. Shallow waters concentrate the toxins, and then the victims get hung up in the mangroves to “air out.” Since it looks like this condition may linger a while, we are recommending some favorite freshwater spots to chase bass, panfish, specks, catfish, and pickerel or whatever will pull a kayak around. Here are a few places that we enjoy in this area.

Shell Creek is not as wild as some other creeks in the area, but access is good, and the fish often cooperate. We usually launch at Hathaway Park and always use the boat ramp if it’s not too busy. The kayak launch, at the east entrance, is challenging after the “improvements” to the old launch, which was washed out after Irma, left this one as a rough concrete trough with inconveniently placed parking. The west entry road will take you to the boat ramp.

We usually head upstream and paddle under the Washington Loop Bridge. The lily pads, shoreline vegetation and overhanging pepperwood trees provide plenty of structure to hold bass. Occasional creek side homes with docks further add to the natural structure so essential to gamefish. The bends in the channel create pools that also concentrate baitfish and predators.

The deeper areas are favored by both channel catfish and invasive armored catfish (Plecostomus). Live minnows will usually catch a channel cat. Minnows are also popular as the weather cools for speckled perch (aka-black crappie). Of course, a minnow on a small hook will also interest bass and bluegill. When we target bass here, a plastic worm is hard to beat.

Another favorite is Webb Lake by Punta Gorda. We usually target bass here, but others enjoy it as a good panfish and catfish spot. Either way, a kayak is the best way to fish the shoreline of this lake after the heavy rains we just endured. There are three kayak launches along the road that parallels the lake from the entry area. Try the middle launch on windy days and enjoy the lee shore created by the curvy course of the channel. There is a small fee to use this area and can be paid at the entry kiosk.

On windy days, our first choice would be the canals in North Port north of US 41. The major canal, known as the Cocoplum Waterway, orients east and west along the north side of US 41 which leaves it protected from northerly winter winds. The clear water here is usually tannic but remains a drinking water source for North Port. The launch at Dallas White Park off of North Port Blvd. has challenging floating kayak launches but we find the nearby boat ramp is much friendlier and not usually busy. We have caught snook in the freshwater above the weir and bass in the saltwater below it. So this area can produce a mixed catch of fresh and saltwater species.

We recently checked out Deer Prairie Creek, but it was still closed to the public while a walking bridge and a new kayak launch is being constructed over the weir. When it opens again, it will be interesting to see how much damage the hurricane did to the big oaks that formed the beautiful canopy over the lower part of the creek and how many other fallen trees may be blocking access to the rest of

the creek.

 This time of year, it’s hard to beat a plastic worm fished deep and slow. Lately we have found a tiny 1/32-ounce bullet weight ahead of the hook to be our favorite. This tiny weight lets the worm sink slowly and headfirst to leave the tail sticking up on the bottom. A Texas rigging works well, but we modify it and use the tag end of the loop knot to hold the weight near the eye of the hook. To do this, first tie the overhand loop in the line. Then take the tag end down through the weight, through the hook eye, and back up through the weight to finish the knot. Leave the tag end about ¼" long to secure the weight near the eye of the hook. If your loop gets too large, just extend the head end of the worm onto the loop to the weight. This gives the head of the worm an enticing action on a slow retrieve.

As soon as our northerly winds blow the red tide away from SWFL, we’re anxious to get back onto the flats to chase redfish and snook in clean water. Until then, freshwater kayak fishing is on our list of fun things to do when we need a break from cleaning up debris.