Kayak Fishing the First Coast
by Craig Morris

"Hey Buddy, what do you got?" a curious boater screamed.

 "Hell if I know, sure hope it ain't a shark!" I replied.  Soon other boaters began to stop and gawk. After all, it's not every day that you see a man in an orange kayak, holding on to a 7-foot pole bent into the shape of a pretzel, Penn reel drag screaming, being pulled down the middle of the main channel of the St. Johns River by a powerful fish. 

The fish had hit a diving Youzri lure near the Blount Island Jetties and proceeded to pull the kayak eastward, aided by an out going tide, until I was almost parallel with St. Johns Creek.  It was there that the fish began to tire out giving me the chance to gain back some line.  The fish made several more runs pulling the kayak (much to my relief) closer to the southern shoreline.  Finally the fish came to the surface and I was thrilled to see its yellow color.  A huge Jack Crevalle!  What a fish! What a ride!

Now I faced a dilemma even more daunting.  How was I going to unhook this monster without overturning the kayak?  Fortunately the jack was hooked by only one barb of the lure's last treble hook.  However, just as I was about to remove the hook a large offshore fishing yacht came blasting by throwing a wake that rivaled, at least in my opinion, any wave I had seen in the movie "The Perfect Storm."  Instinctively I reached down, grabbed the hook with needle-nose pliers and gleefully watched it swim slowly into the dark water. 

With no time to spare, I jammed the rod between my legs, grabbed the paddle and turned the kayak's bow forty-five degrees into the oncoming waves.  As usual, the kayak floated over the waves like a pelican and not one drop of water entered the cockpit.  People in the other boats cheered!  One guy even motored over and asked me if I led kayak-fishing charters.  All I could do was grin the jack was the first fish I had ever caught out of a kayak. 

Since that day, fishing has never been the same.  I own two other boats and the only water either has seen since I caught the jack is rainwater. I spent most of my youth boating on and fishing the waters of Mill Cove, and I acquired a deep love for salt marshes.  On the waters of the St. Johns River I have had adventures in all types of watercraft that would make even Huckleberry Finn jealous.  Yet it was not until my thirty-eight year that I had ever paddled a kayak.  After my first trip, which turned out to be a fifteen mile, seven hour excursion, I was immediately smitten.  No other boat made me feel as close to the estuarine environment.  In a kayak I was one with the river.  I felt extremely safe; currents, wind and waves did not matter.  The kayak and I were a new entity whose natural place was the salt marsh. I had to have a kayak! 

The more time I spent out in a kayak the more impressed I was by its seaworthiness.  It made head way against wind and currents that put canoes to a shame.  The type of kayak I own is known as a "touring kayak" and comes equipped with a rudder controlled by foot pedals.  The rudder gives you an incredible advantage in terms of maneuverability.  Using the rudder makes rounding sharp bends in tidal creeks a snap and also helps keep the bow fixed in a certain direction when going against the current or wind. In a touring kayak you sit lower in the water than the "sit-on-top" variety, commonly seen at the beach.  Sitting that low lessens wind resistance and makes paddling much easier. 

Kayaks give you the opportunity to approach wildlife in a non-threatening manner.  One day, way up a tidal creek, a huge redfish just swam up beside the kayak and lay fearlessly next to me occasionally rubbing it's side against the hull.  I was mesmerized.  Later that same day in a shallow part of the creek I felt hundreds of small things running into the hull.  I splashed the paddle into the water and shrimp exploded everywhere!  Also I can approach tailing redfish in my kayak much easier than wading the flats. 

Kayak fishing is an experience all anglers should try at least once. Kayaks cost anywhere from $700 to over $4000.  I recommend plastic hulled kayaks because they take the punishment of oyster shell scrapes better than do fiberglass-hulled varieties.  You also need to purchase a PFD and a whistle.  Paddles cost $100 to $300.  The most important piece of equipment needed for kayak fishing is a "paddle leash."  The paddle leash keeps your paddle attached to the kayak via a bungee type cord.  When a fish hits your line you are going to have your hands full and the last thing you want to worry about is loosing your paddle. 

In terms of fishing tidal creeks a kayak has no equal.  Kayaks allow you to get into shallow water or over sandbars into deep holes like no other boat.  You'll be fishing in the shallows hours before the guys in their fancy flats boats.  Fighting a fish out of a kayak is an unforgettable experience.  Unlike standing on your feet in a boat fighting a fish, in a kayak your legs matter little.  You fight the fish primarily with your upper body.  So whether it's a Jack taking you on a "Nantucket Sleigh Ride" in the St. Johns River or a redfish dragging you back in forth in a tidal creek you'll have a fight to remember.