Looking for kayak guides in the Everglades and Keys

[J.A. Veil]

I am planning an extended driving trip from Maryland to Florida next month and have already lined up five days of kayak fishing (1 in NC and 4 on the Gulf coast of Florida). I will spend more time in the Everglades and the upper Keys, but have no contacts for kayak fishing guides or even kayak rental shops in those areas.

If any Snaggedline members have used guides in those areas and liked the quality of service, please let me know. Also is you have rented kayaks in the Everglades or Keys or have used a boat fishing guide in those areas, please let me know those names too.

[Shady]

Its been several years, but I had a good experience with Capt. Jason Stock in Longboat key

http://jmsnookykayakcharters.com/

[J.A. Veil]

Its been several years, but I had a good experience with Capt. Jason Stock in Longboat key

http://jmsnookykayakcharters.com/

Thanks Ryan. I have seen his website. I already have kayak trips booked for areas just north and just south of where he operates (Bradenton). I am hoping to find opportunities much farther south.

[MD Dore]

John, I know you're looking for kayak guides primarily, but if you are looking for a change of pace and want to run in a flats boat, I recommend Bob LeMay for the Everglades. I fished with him out of Flamingo a few years ago. He knows the inside like the back of his hand and put us on top of trout, snook, ladyfish, redfish, snapper, tarpon, shark, and sawfish--all in the same day. (We didn't hook up with any tarpon or sawfish that day, but we saw them cruising around the boat.) Bob operates mostly out of Flamingo, but also runs trips out of Chokoloskee.

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[J.A. Veil]

John, I know you're looking for kayak guides primarily, but if you are looking for a change of pace and want to run in a flats boat, I recommend Bob LeMay for the Everglades. I fished with him out of Flamingo a few years ago. He knows the inside like the back of his hand and put us on top of trout, snook, ladyfish, redfish, snapper, tarpon, shark, and sawfish--all in the same day. (We didn't hook up with any tarpon or sawfish that day, but we saw them cruising around the boat.) Bob operates mostly out of Flamingo, but also runs trips out of Chokoloskee.

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Thanks. I sent him an email.

[mike o]

John, its probably out of your way but I rented a pro angler 12 from Naples Kayak Center in Naples. They have other Hobies also and are nice people. They have a guide there also but I have not fished with him. I have not used any guides in those areas but I do fish near Everglades City. There is a kayak ramp there and the fishing is good right across where the mangroves start. I will be down there the end of February but not sure of the dates yet.

[J.A. Veil]

John, its probably out of your way but I rented a pro angler 12 from Naples Kayak Center in Naples. They have other Hobies also and are nice people. They have a guide there also but I have not fished with him. I have not used any guides in those areas but I do fish near Everglades City. There is a kayak ramp there and the fishing is good right across where the mangroves start. I will be down there the end of February but not sure of the dates yet.

Mike - Thanks for the lead. I will be passing by the Naples area at some point and may consider that as an option (although as a Native Watercraft Pro Staff team member, it would hurt to rent a competing brand of kayak ). I found a kayak fishing company in Everglades City that offers guided trips. https://www.evergladeskayakfishing.com/. I talked with their owner and may book a day with them to learn more about the local tidal waters. I am also interested in some fishing in the freshwater side of the Everglades. Shawn Kimbro recently fished those waters on his own and posted fun photos and videos on his Facebook page. It may not be kayak fishing, but would provide the opportunity to catch some new species of fish.

I also got a lead on a kayak charter company on the south Florida Atlantic side in Boynton Beach, FL & Delray Beach, FL (Thanks Redfish12). I am intrigued by their trip to target peacock bass and knife clownfish. That would be toward the end of my trip. I will wait and see how my wallet and aging body are doing by that point in the trip.

[mike o]

That's funny John, just last week I saw a woman in a bikini on youtube ( much nicer than watching Kimbro) catching peacocks and clown knife fish at Del Ray beach. I decided that I should try that but I also saw people catching sailfish just off the beach and decided that I need to try that also. So I thought I would go out with a guide and try for sailfish and try for peacocks and clowns on my own. However family stuff may prevent me from going at all at this time so I'll have to wait and see.

[LivinTheDream]

A little more on the Atlantic side: I know a couple of others as well as myself (late December 2017) have used Deep Blue Kayak Fishing to target sailfish in the Boynton/Delray area as mentioned. I know others here had a great time getting them, but my trip didn't produce a single fish of any kind with two clients and two guides with bait in the water. I don't know how often that happens, but it is a very expensive gamble at $320 for a 5 hour trip plus a recommended tip of $50-$100. Of course you have to play to win and can't always expect to win. The guides are great guys though and it was a good and learning experience getting out with them. Some notes that I made to try on my own next time are at the bottom.

I did go out on my own in late December, but the seas were too rough to stay out and I didn't bait for Sailfish. The amazing thing to me was that in the hour that I was out there, I caught a nice Spanish Mackerel, a King and a nice Bonito Tuna, all between about 24 and 30 inches and all on 3" Z-Man paddle tails in Opening Night on 1/4 jig heads. I had a number of bite offs too as I wasn't expecting that bite and had 15# Fluoro leader. The toothy mackerel were both foul-hooked, the King in the top of the back making for a crazy fight. Not sure of there behavior that could have caused such a thing unless maybe they are in thick schools competing for bait. I know that wasn't an impressive King, but it was my first as well as my first Bonito and my biggest Spanish. Plenty to get me to want to go back and learn more.

I'm heading back over Spring Break and staying near Lake Ida and canals where the Deep Blue guys catch those Peacock Bass and Clown Knife Fish. Can't beat an empty nested teacher's life or having a wife who likes to see you happy. The videos I've seen almost all show Peacocks being caught in the canals on shiners. I read somewhere that you have pretty much no hope of catching a Clown Knife Fish without live bait. My plan is to fish freshwater when the wind is up, which is almost always in the winter, and hope to hit the ocean if I can get a quiet morning or two. I really might just troll around with paddle tails given how fun that was. If I could get a few calm hours out there with paddle tails, I think I'd be satisfied. The strength of the foul-hooked King also made me wonder if I'd even want to tangle with a Sailfish.

Notes I made from my guided Sailfish trip:
• Use 6000 reel with 50# braid and at least 40# leader.
• In Boynton/Delray, call Ken the bait guy for delivery on the water (Extreme Baits (561-547-4628)). Call the night before to let him Know you are headed out. Will need aerated 5 gal bucket. Or maybe use ¼ oz jig with gulp or a small hair jig for Spanish Mackerel or other fish to use as bait.
• Use 6/0? J hooks. One through the nostrils and a stinger J (NO TREBLE) in the back.
• Put fish in the water gently open the bail and paddle, counting to 50 to let out about 50 yards. Online article says to use 7/0 circle hooks, but guide says they have much better hook rate as described.
• Two techniques: Troll in and out across contours with a slow gentle paddle or let the line out and then just sit and wait
• If you managed to be lucky enough to land a Sail in the kayak, it will be well spent and need a good reviving. They hold the fish by the nose and peddle it around until it can make it.

Can't wait until it's warm enough that I don't have to drive to Florida to get a fishing fix and hoping the bay is better to me this year!

[mike o]

Livinthe dream thanks for the info, unfortunately everything is up in the air right now and not sure if I can go. If I make it during spring break i'll send you a pm incase you want to get together.

[J.A. Veil]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I had a successful trip on Feb 1 near Swansboro, NC on my way south. We fished two tidal creeks with Spartina marsh and oyster mound habitat. It took a while for the fish to get hungry after two very cold nights in a row. Once we anchored up at the second spot, I caught 7 redfish to 25" in the next 45 mins. The guide, Tim "ncpierman" Taramelli, knows his local waters extremely well. Anyone wanting to catch reds and willing to drive 7 hours south, book a trip with Tim.

red6.jpg

https://www.facebook.com/NCPIERMAN/v...1554749070145/

I am now in Tampa and have three kayak trips set up with my usual guide, Neil Taylor. This morning I caught 8 speckled trout and a pompano. After Wednesday's trip with Neil, I head south to Port Charlotte, where I will fish the following day with a fellow Native Watercraft Pro Staff member.

Last week, I received recommendations for kayak guides in the lower Keys and the Everglades. Later this week, I will fish out of Flamingo (eastern side of the Everglades) with guide Alex Tejeda. He will take me deep into the back country and assures me there are plenty of snook to catch. The following day I will fish somewhere between Big Pine Key and Key West with guide Randy Morrow. We will be sight casting over sand flats for snook, bonefish, permits, shark, and tarpon. I have never kayak fished in either of those areas and am really looking forward to those days. After that I have some free days before heading home. I may book a trip with Deep Blue kayak fishing or rent a boat and head into the Everglades.

[Mark]

Continued success to you John.

The frigid temps are gone here but the ice is bit more stubborn.

[Bayvalley1]

John, its probably out of your way but I rented a pro angler 12 from Naples Kayak Center in Naples. They have other Hobies also and are nice people. They have a guide there also but I have not fished with him. I have not used any guides in those areas but I do fish near Everglades City. There is a kayak ramp there and the fishing is good right across where the mangroves start. I will be down there the end of February but not sure of the dates yet.

Hey Mike. I'm going down next week and will be in Marco visiting .How long advance notice should I give to rent a Kayak in Naples?

[mike o]

Hey Mike. I'm going down next week and will be in Marco visiting .How long advance notice should I give to rent a Kayak in Naples?

I guess that depends how busy they are. They probably don't need a lot of notice but not really sure. Give them a call. 239-262-6149. They also recommended a spot not too far from Marco where we caught some Reds, trout, jacks and ladyfish. I still like Everglades city better though.

[Lisa]

If all goes well I'll be kayak camping in the Yucatan with Active Nature Bacalar later this year. Don't know if they guide fishing too.