the florida keyZ - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

wade · 01-23-2014, 08:16 PM

Video Report / Inshore Kayak / SW Florida and The KeyZ for Jan 01-Jan 10th, 2014: Several cold fronts backed up together on this week..15-25 Winds, Fishing Z-Man artificial ElaZtech exclusively with excellent results regardless of these cold fronts and rain. Mixed C&R bag: Specs, Snook, Jack Crevalle, Snapper, Flounder, Bluefish, Tarpon, Reds, Ladyfish, Shark, Cuda, ect. Topwater/ Sub-surface / ProCure Scented ShrimpZ, Chatterbaits, DieZel MinnowZ, PogyZ, PaddlerZ / New Penny, Pearl Blue Glimmer, Pinfish & Mulletron. Weighted Gamakatsu EWG’s 1/4-1/2 oz & weedless jigs, 1/4 oz-3/8.

Headed south for the Holidays to open my place up for the new year and put Daiwa’s new Lexa 400 to some good use.

After dusting off some Florida gear and gassing up, I purpously left the ol’ cast net back at the lodge along with few other unnecessary items for this session.. Armed only with a couple Chatterbaits and a few packs of ElaZtech, I set off on a artificial assault of Florida’s Keys and inshore mangroves for some plastic action aboard Hobie’s Revo. As mother nature is often cruel at times, we were pounded with one cold front on top of another drastically effecting the inshore action and water temps across the grounds consisting of shallow oysterbars, shoals, mangroves & various back country offshoots.

Mostly pitching Z-Man’s Chatterbaits, I was surprised on one cast to see a large darting ghost figure shoot out of the mangrove shadows to explode on my vibrating offering. From a glance I saw no calligraphied lateral line to suggest a pig snook, possibly a big cuda until I saw him skyrocket my chatterbait straight into the sky with multiple violent headshakes!! After a few good runs and a couple dancing aerials this beautiful solid Tarpon shook me loose once again in pure amazement.. Consolation footage at the end has some hungry Tarpon actually trying to inhale my Gopro 3+!?
With most of the airports canceled from all these storms effecting everyone, I knew departure was going to be a nightmare. All connecting flights were canceled when trying to board, and getting back on time to SD was completely out of the question..Running down concourses only to be told the same story in Texas & Arizona..
Z’s were definitely the tackle ticket for this week, although sleep wasn’t going to be an part of this equation..

wade · 01-23-2014, 08:16 PM

Forward all my mail..

wade · 01-23-2014, 08:17 PM

The calm after & before 'one' of the stormZ..

wade · 01-23-2014, 08:18 PM

Next accessory for the bow of my new 2014 PA 12..

On the way back up, fill up your cafecito!

wade · 01-23-2014, 08:22 PM

Storms, storms, storms...

wade · 01-23-2014, 08:23 PM

Gerry · 01-23-2014, 08:43 PM

Awsome stuff right there, Wade. I'm gonna have to hit up the lodge one of these days.

PE.rider · 01-23-2014, 10:51 PM

Great report. Thanks for sharing. Heck, I'll be just fine sitting on a stool at that bar drinking Margaritas until my liver goes out....

FL is indeed paradise...

kobra · 01-23-2014, 11:13 PM

Bad ass Wade !!! Bad ass!!!

capntim · 01-23-2014, 11:20 PM

Bad weather or not, still looks like a great trip!!

Cbad Mike · 01-24-2014, 12:04 AM

Thanks for the awesome pics, video, and report.

easyday · 01-24-2014, 01:19 AM

Dude awesome photos, looks like you didn't let the weather slow you down one bit.

TJones · 01-24-2014, 04:59 AM

To bite a hook? Great photo spread .

GregAndrew · 01-24-2014, 08:11 AM

Kewl stuff there Wade. Love summer down there, where you can set your watch by the afternoon thunderstorms.

blitzburgh · 01-24-2014, 08:28 AM

Awesome!

So.......Captian Wade's Charters Florida BWE 2014 group trip?

I'm in!

PapaDave · 01-24-2014, 08:37 AM

Nice photos and trip Wade.

The keys on the east coast of Florida were my backyard when I was younger.

01-23-2014, 08:16 PM	#1
wade Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oceanside Posts: 1,214	the florida keyZ Video Report / Inshore Kayak / SW Florida and The KeyZ for Jan 01-Jan 10th, 2014: Several cold fronts backed up together on this week..15-25 Winds, Fishing Z-Man artificial ElaZtech exclusively with excellent results regardless of these cold fronts and rain. Mixed C&R bag: Specs, Snook, Jack Crevalle, Snapper, Flounder, Bluefish, Tarpon, Reds, Ladyfish, Shark, Cuda, ect. Topwater/ Sub-surface / ProCure Scented ShrimpZ, Chatterbaits, DieZel MinnowZ, PogyZ, PaddlerZ / New Penny, Pearl Blue Glimmer, Pinfish & Mulletron. Weighted Gamakatsu EWG’s 1/4-1/2 oz & weedless jigs, 1/4 oz-3/8. Headed south for the Holidays to open my place up for the new year and put Daiwa’s new Lexa 400 to some good use. After dusting off some Florida gear and gassing up, I purpously left the ol’ cast net back at the lodge along with few other unnecessary items for this session.. Armed only with a couple Chatterbaits and a few packs of ElaZtech, I set off on a artificial assault of Florida’s Keys and inshore mangroves for some plastic action aboard Hobie’s Revo. As mother nature is often cruel at times, we were pounded with one cold front on top of another drastically effecting the inshore action and water temps across the grounds consisting of shallow oysterbars, shoals, mangroves & various back country offshoots. Mostly pitching Z-Man’s Chatterbaits, I was surprised on one cast to see a large darting ghost figure shoot out of the mangrove shadows to explode on my vibrating offering. From a glance I saw no calligraphied lateral line to suggest a pig snook, possibly a big cuda until I saw him skyrocket my chatterbait straight into the sky with multiple violent headshakes!! After a few good runs and a couple dancing aerials this beautiful solid Tarpon shook me loose once again in pure amazement.. Consolation footage at the end has some hungry Tarpon actually trying to inhale my Gopro 3+!? With most of the airports canceled from all these storms effecting everyone, I knew departure was going to be a nightmare. All connecting flights were canceled when trying to board, and getting back on time to SD was completely out of the question..Running down concourses only to be told the same story in Texas & Arizona.. Z’s were definitely the tackle ticket for this week, although sleep wasn’t going to be an part of this equation.. __________________ Last edited by wade; 01-24-2014 at 07:22 AM.

01-23-2014, 08:16 PM	#2
wade Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oceanside Posts: 1,214	Forward all my mail.. __________________ Last edited by wade; 01-23-2014 at 08:35 PM.

01-23-2014, 08:17 PM	#3
wade Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oceanside Posts: 1,214	The calm after & before 'one' of the stormZ.. __________________ Last edited by wade; 02-12-2014 at 10:32 AM.

01-23-2014, 08:18 PM	#4
wade Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oceanside Posts: 1,214	Next accessory for the bow of my new 2014 PA 12.. On the way back up, fill up your cafecito! __________________

01-23-2014, 08:22 PM	#5
wade Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oceanside Posts: 1,214	Storms, storms, storms... __________________ Last edited by wade; 01-23-2014 at 08:36 PM.

01-23-2014, 08:23 PM	#6
wade Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oceanside Posts: 1,214	__________________

01-23-2014, 08:43 PM	#7
Gerry Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 89	Awsome stuff right there, Wade. I'm gonna have to hit up the lodge one of these days.

01-23-2014, 10:51 PM	#8
PE.rider Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: OC, CA Posts: 234	Great report. Thanks for sharing. Heck, I'll be just fine sitting on a stool at that bar drinking Margaritas until my liver goes out.... FL is indeed paradise...

01-23-2014, 11:13 PM	#9
kobra Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: oceanside Posts: 880	Bad ass Wade !!! Bad ass!!!

01-23-2014, 11:20 PM	#10
capntim Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Laguna Hills Posts: 115	Bad weather or not, still looks like a great trip!!

01-24-2014, 12:04 AM	#11
Cbad Mike Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Carlsbad Ca. Posts: 1,206	Thanks for the awesome pics, video, and report. __________________ [SIGPIC]

01-24-2014, 01:19 AM	#12
easyday Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Oceanside Posts: 1,470	Dude awesome photos, looks like you didn't let the weather slow you down one bit. __________________

01-24-2014, 04:59 AM	#13
TJones Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,526	No luck getting a tarpon To bite a hook? Great photo spread .

01-24-2014, 08:11 AM	#14
GregAndrew Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,384	Kewl stuff there Wade. Love summer down there, where you can set your watch by the afternoon thunderstorms.

01-24-2014, 08:28 AM	#15
blitzburgh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Menifee Posts: 2,509	Awesome! So.......Captian Wade's Charters Florida BWE 2014 group trip? I'm in! __________________ ”The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.” ~Thomas Jefferson.........maybe

01-24-2014, 08:37 AM	#16
PapaDave Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Menifee, CA Posts: 1,473	Nice photos and trip Wade. The keys on the east coast of Florida were my backyard when I was younger. __________________ So long and thanks for all the fish...