GEAR

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Kayaks

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I have been on the Jackson Kayak Fishing Team since 2012 and conduct my charters and rentals using their high-quality fishing kayaks. After carefully considering the type of water and conditions we have here in the Lower Keys, my hand-picked fishing fleet includes:

 

Cuda 12

Cuda 14 (3)

Big Tuna

Kraken 13.5

 

These kayaks are all made to both paddle well and allow the angler to stand for easier sight fishing. Further, they have dual hi/lo seating, giving the paddler the option of raising the seat for better visibility, or lowering it for easier paddling and covering water more quickly.

 

If you are considering a kayak purchase, I recommend checking out the Jackson Kayak line at your local dealer or online at jacksonkayak.com. Jackson’s boats have been proven performers for me. It’s a great, forward-thinking company with well-designed, functional and extremely durable kayaks.

 

Fishing Tackle (spinning)

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Spinning gear is by far the most common gear in use in the Keys because they enable the angler to throw lightweight lures for distance and accuracy. Additionally, those who are new to fishing can get functional on spinning gear with just a few minutes of instruction. Bait casters aren’t the best choice here, and I don’t keep any in my arsenal.

 

Saltwater is tough on rods and reels, and I’ve had several years to try different brands of tackle against strong, long-running ocean fish. Considering performance, durability, and price, I’ve settled on Penn Spinfisher V spinning reels mounted on Sea Striker graphite and Temple Fork Outfitters rods. I also have a few older Diawa BG60 reels on Cortland rods for live-baiting big tarpon.

 

Fly Tackle

I have a selection of fly fishing outfits ranging from 8wt to 12wt using Redington and Orvis reels, with rods by St. Croix, TFO, and a local custom rod builder. All of these are strung with high-quality Rio saltwater weight-forward fly lines.