The Hidden Gem of Central Coastal Florida...

Spring time and early summer, are some of the best times to get outside, especially in kayaks. With cool waters and moderate temperatures, the slugging heat won't slow you down when trying to cover some distance. This season is perfect for going to the "Holy Grail" of inshore kayak fishing, commonly referred to as"Mosquito Lagoon". A short drive south from the great expanse of a city, kayak angler's can make big catches with many routes and environments to access. This vast expanse of tidal estuary is the heart and backbone of the Eastern Central Florida coastal waters. The uniqueness is partly due to no motor zone restrictions which keep noisy boats and craziness from disturbing the fish below. The attractiveness is all the miles one can cover in a day or going overnight and camping in the bush. The waters are bordered to the north by the Halifax Rivers a nd the beginning of the Indian River North and estuaries just south of Ponce Inlet Cut and Edgewater. U.S. 1 parallels the waters to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the East. At it's furthest point to the South, the NASA Complex and Playalinda Beach. The Intracoastal Water Way meanders on the western shores all the way through entire sections of the Indian River. The other great qualities that make this area prime are that it is part of the Canaveral National Seashore. It is smack dab in the middle of some prime wilderness.

Kayak fishing here can be a little more challenging because of the distances traveled and the remoteness of launch sites. The primary boat ramps are in Edgewater, Oak Hill, and Shiloh on the west side. There are several points of access from the National Seashore which are referred to by there historical and anthropological significance. Cedar Island, Shipyard Island, Eldora, and Eddy Point are the main boat ramps along the National Seashore. The farther south you go, the launch sites can close depending on the Space Shuttle Program. Southern access is from Titusville and the surrounding causeways that weave over the barrier island habitats. The entire area is rather shallow, and is full of mangroves and small islands. It is here that the turtle grass beds that Redfish love to feed from begin. This is the best area in the entire state to fish for Red Drum. The deeper channels offer record aggregate catches of Sea Trout. Seasonal species of fish can include Tarpon, Snapper, and Snook in the Mangroves during later summer months. There are little amounts of cover such as deadfall from trees and oyster banks, so the target areas to paddle that hold fish, are in the grasses and sandbar areas, and small islands with channels and holes.

For the best get away weekend, reserve one of the backcountry permits to use the one of many camping spots that is dotted around the lagoon on islands. Several of my friends make the annual pilgrimage just to fish and be out in the bush while using their kayaks. Contact the park headquarters to apply. Be aware that its name lives up to its reputation and certain seasons can be intolerable for camping. Heat also plays an important role and the areas do see trade winds and afternoon thunder storms.

The easiest way to fish for Reds here is to use live shrimp and free line the bait or use jigs. It is also an excellent area to sharpen skills using artificial lures and jerk baits and spoons. Try using chunks of crab meat in the turtle grasses where the reds will patrol for shrimps and small crabs in the grasses. Trout on the other hand, will go for anything that resembles small feeder fish like finger mullet or mud minnows. The Trout will hunt in the deeper channels and holes unlike Red Drum which will forage grass beds and shell banks looking for crustaceans. A bit of preparation and patience usually pays off with big rewards here. Be prepared to spend time paddling distances and searching for areas that might be holding feeding fish. Winds here are more of a hindrance than the eight to ten inch tidal range. The weather as far as barometric pressure is concerned, directly affects fishing here. I suggest fishing when the pressure remains steady or is rising.

The more chances you get to travel to Mosquito Lagoon, the better you get at fishing this particular region. It could be said that there is a lifetime worth of paddling just in the lagoon alone. The best approach is to target your fish, and use the less is best adage to compliment your standard techniques. I recommend keeping things simple and using light tackle and lightweight to medium weight rods at best. Don't' forget to file a float plan with someone back home and take extra precautions to accommodate for changes in the weather. Exploration and preparation will help to land more fish. Always practice catch and release ethics and never take over legal limits. Leave only your footprints and shoot lots of pictures, they never lie!

The Adventure Island from Hobie is just that....

One of the newest products to hit the market for 2007, is the reinvention of the popular Mirage peddle Kayaks the sixteen foot Adventure Island from the Hobie Cat Company. The Mirage series takes from the traditional sit-on top kayak and has borrowed from nature a design that is very effective in a wide range of water conditions. The Mirage drive was designed to mimic the highly efficient Penguin and the way that the bird swims through the water flipping their wings as a source of propulsion. The new twist is that it is now a tri-maran of sorts with a large roller furling headsail and Hawaiian style outriggers.

The vessel sails well and has great handling characteristics with the new changes, compared to the smaller sail kits that are additions to the other Mirage series of boats like the popular Outback SUV. What makes this boat better is the increased stability of the Akas and Amas[outriggers],the larger roller furling sail, larger rudder which can be locked down ,and the dagger board. The designers kept the two flush mount rod holders for fishing capabilities. The longer length and narrow beam also paddles quite nicely when not using the peddle drive unit. Overall, the versatility of this particular kayak has more appeal to several buyers who want several features built into one single design. The boat can handle stronger winds and cruises gracefully when trimmed in properly with an avid skipper at the helm. So, you are a novice sailor, no problem, with a little reading or lessons anyone can manage this craft with a little practice.

Some basic things to consider would be that there is more weight involved due to the support system and there are also more parts and pieces to get together before you take the boat on the water. Hobie has included detailed instructions as well as travel bags for outriggers and sails to make portability less of an issue. Other cool features are that these boats come in complete packages which includes a paddle, the Mirage peddle drive unit, running rigging and rudder system, hatches, storage cubbies, lines and pulleys, integrated comfort seat back, scupper plugs, a dry bag, water bottle, and support systems. The hull material is a polyethylene plastic that for weight is light and extremely durable. The pricing is right at three thousand dollars. If you add all of the features and capabilities together, this is really a great buy for a Kayak Sailing system that also allows fishing "Hands Free".

Until next time, keep on paddling and try to fish five days and only work two!

Keith Keller
Black Creek Guides