MARCO SPORTFISHING CLUB

 KAYAK FISHING TRIPS
2019 to Date
Scroll down for the latest Pictures & Stories,
or
CLICKHERE to jump to that section.
Also see the Archive of past events from 2012 to 2018

See the COMING EVENTS page for upcoming trips


CONTACT HOWARD LASKAU

Kayak fishing can be pretty exciting.  Click here for a sample.

Get on the Email List and get involved in KAYAK FISHING

CLICK HERE
to read the rules & guidelines for using Kayaks in all other Club fishing tournaments & contests.

Naples Outfitters

Official Kayak Outfitter for the
Marco Sportfishing Club

239 262 6149
or contact  Ashley Howe at
naplesoutfitters@gmail.com

http://naplesoutfittersflorida.com/


KAYAKING FISH TALES AND PICTURES
From Sept 2019 to date.  
CLICK here to see all Kayak Adventures from 2012 through 2018
<click to go to top of this page>
January 2023

Click the IMAGE above to see the whole story, including the pictures!
November 2022

Click the IMAGE above to see the whole story, including the pictures!
August 2022

Click the IMAGE above to see the whole story, including the pictures!
May 2022

Click the IMAGE above to see the whole story, including the pictures!
April 2022


Click the IMAGE above to see the whole story, including the pictures!
March 2022

Click the IMAGE above to see the whole story, including the pictures!
January & February 2022


Click the IMAGE above to see the whole story, including the pictures!
November & December 2021

Click the IMAGE above to see the whole story, including the pictures!
October 2021

Click the IMAGE above to see the whole story, including the pictures!
September 2021

Click the IMAGE above to see the whole story, including the pictures!
June & July 2021

Click the IMAGE above to see the whole story, including the pictures!
April 2021

Click the IMAGE above to see the whole story, including the pictures!
March 2021

Click the IMAGE above to see the whole story, including the pictures!
February 2021


Click the IMAGE above to see the whole story, including the pictures!
January 2021

Click the IMAGE above to see the whole story, including the pictures!
December 2020

Click the IMAGE above to see the whole story, including the pictures!



Kayak Slam Challenge
November 2020

CLICK HERE to read all about the event & see the results.




Kayak Fishing at the Fakahatchee Strand State Park
November 14, 2019

On an overcast cool morning six kayakers fished this former quarry located in the Fakahatchee Strand State Park. On this day the bite was on the light side and only about fifty fish were caught by the group. As the morning wore on, winds picked up substantially which made fishing even more challenging. Nevertheless, some quality fish were caught with Mike Larsen landing the catch of the day; a very nice Largemouth Bass estimated to weigh around eight pounds. Several 18-inch and 17-inch fish were also reported caught. Most of the fish were caught on plastic worms and a few hit plastic frogs. All the fish were released.
This venue has become a favorite event for the MSC kayakers. The site has easy access, excellent cover for fish and a healthy population of Largemouth Bass. There are a few alligators in this quarry lake, but these reptiles have shown no aggressive behavior.

Kayak Fishing McIlvane Bay
October 21, 2019

 Four kayakers fished McIlvane Bay; Mike Larsen, Dave Dodd, John Baker and Vic Ordija. While fishing conditions on this day were good, the bite was generally slow. The bite picked up somewhat as the morning wore on and the group caught over 30 Snook, but all were small fish except for a 26” Snook caught by Mike Larsen. Only four Redfish were caught this day and Mike also reported catching a 22” Redfish; the largest one caught during this outing.

McIlvane Bay continues to be a good venue for kayakers. Access for kayakers is excellent with numerous kayak groups utilizing the area. Power boating traffic is low due to the shallow conditions in the bay and fishing pressure is believed to be light.

Kayak Fishing the Hell’s Gate Area
September 23, 2019

Originally scheduled for Saturday, this kayak event was postponed until Monday due to windy weather. Conditions on Monday were good except that water clarity was impacted due to winds during the weekend.
Nevertheless, fishing was generally good with nine slot size Redfish caught by the group of four. Dave Dodd had a banner day with six slot size Redfish and a good size Snook. All the anglers caught Snook and Redfish, but Mike Larsen also completed a Marco Slam by catching the only Spotted Seatrout.
Winds picked up as the morning wore on which made fishing a bit more difficult. A good fishing day was had by all.




Kayak Fishing Chokoloskee Bay
August 23, 2019

A calm and sunny day greeted the small group of kayakers that fished Chokoloskee Bay. The long eight hour plus outgoing tide kept the group from venturing deeper into the mangroves. The kayakers fished the oyster bars and the mangroves islands bordering the bay. While no large fish were caught, several smaller Redfish, Snook and Spotted Seatrout were landed by the kayakers. Mike Larsen caught a 22.5” Redfish, the largest one caught this day and John Baker landed a 21” Redfish with multiple spots. John Moore reported a Marco Slam (Redfish, Snook and Trout) and Howard Laskau needed a Spotted Seatrout to complete a slam. Victor Ordija hooked a four foot plus Tarpon, but the fish broke the 30# leader on the third jump.
On a cautionary note, Larsen, Laskau and Moore were stopped by park rangers and were checked for fish and the now required park pass.

Kayak Fishing the East River Drainage Area
July 23, 2019

Five anglers set out to fish the upper lake of the East River Drainage Area located in the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve. The focus on this day by the anglers was to catch a Tarpon that would qualify for the MSC Triple Crown Tournament. Two small Tarpon were caught and one that may have qualified (Tarpon over 30”) was hooked but lost.
While fishing was generally slow on this day, several good size Snook were caught. Victor Ordija caught a 27 inch Snook, the largest caught that day. Ron Scriver reported two Snook over 24 inches and Gary Costley landed a 22 inch Snook. A number of smaller Snook were also caught by the group. John Baker also caught a Mayan Cichlid. All the fish were caught using artificials.
The East River Drainage Area consists of a series of brakish water ponds and creeks that drain into Fakahatchee Bay. The upper lake also has a large rookery of nesting Egrets, Herons and other birds. These waters also have numerous alligators that at times do not appear to fear humans.


Kayak Fishing at the Golden Gate Community Park
June 13, 2019

Kayak fishing at the Golden Gate Community Park did not meet expectations. No Peacock Bass were caught and only three Largemouth Bass and a Mayan Cichlid were landed by our small group of kayakers. The largest bass, a nineteen inch fish was caught by Gary Costley.

Hot humid weather had a negative impact on the extensive freshwater canal system that drains this community located west of Naples. Low oxygen levels and little moving water probably kept fish in an inactive state. Nevertheless, this new venue made the outing a new experience for the group.


Kayak Fishing in Rookery Bay
May 25, 2019

6 anglers gathered on Saturday the 25th to fish the waters of Rookery Bay. The tides on this day were extremely poor with only 6 inches of moving water between high and low tide. As such, the fishing was less than spectacular. Ron Linn did manage to land a nice size black drum, doing so without the use of a landing net which required some skill to accomplish.

Despite the lack of moving water, a diverse selection of fish was caught, including Snook, mangrove snapper, barracuda, Spanish mackerel, and of course the usual mix of jacks, ladyfish, etc.
While the big fish remained elusive this day, the group enjoyed a beautiful morning on the water.

CLICK here for pictures

Kayak Fishing at the Fakahatchee Strand State Park
April 18, 2019

This former quarry continues to produce a lot of Bass. On a very pleasant morning, seven kayakers fished this small lake located in the Fakahatchee Strand State Park and caught approximately 80 Largemouth Bass. While most of the fish caught were small, a number of quality fish were landed by the group. Dave Dodd had the largest fish measuring 22.5 inches and Mike Larsen was close behind with a 21.25 inch fish. Several 19 inch and 18 inch fish were also caught. On this day most of the fish were caught on plastic worms and a few were also caught on plastic frogs. All the fish were released.

Kayak Fishing Chokoloskee Bay
March 26, 2019

On this day, the MSC kayak group fished the southern edge of Chokoloskee Bay. Nine kayakers launched from a landing midway along the Chokoloskee Causeway and paddled a little over a mile across the bay and fished the numerous oyster bars and complex channels and mangrove islands that make up this part of the Bay

Weather was perfect with a mild breeze and a clear sky. The bite was on the slow side, but a good variety of fish were caught including Redfish, Snook, Trout and Mangrove Snappers. Dave Dodd caught a 33.5” Black Drum which was entered on the Leaderboard and Vic Ordija landed a 19.25” Spotted Seatrout, the largest trout caught this day. While no large Snook were caught in this event, several slot size Redfish and legal Mangrove Snappers were reported caught.

Only a small portion of this area was actually fished and this part of the bay will undoubtedly be visited again.


Kayak Fishing the Imperial River
February 12, 2019

Expectations were high for the seven kayakers that left the launch on the Imperial River. Last year several large Snook including two fish above slot were caught at this venue.  Weather conditions were good, the water was crystal clear but the ten mile paddle that the group endured resulted in very few fish being caught. Very little fish activity was seen as the group paddled down river and into Fish Trap Bay. A few Pelicans were observed in the bay diving on bait fish but no feeding fish were seen attacking the small school of bait. Gary Costley managed to catch a small Black Drum and Mike Larsen reported catching a small Redfish. All the other fish caught were a few Snappers, Jacks and Ladyfish.

The Imperial River is a scenic waterway with large expensive homes along the shoreline before the river enters Fish Trap Bay. While the main channel has considerable traffic, the side channel that leads into Fish Trap Bay is pristine and is normally the area that is most productive for anglers. On this day, other than enjoying a nice day on the water, the kayakers had little to show for their effort.

Kayak Fishing in Hell’s Gate
January 19, 2019

Seven kayakers set out to fish the Hell’s Gate area on a day where the tide was exceptionally low. Goodland Bay had very little water and the group paddled over into the Hell’s Gate channel and were rewarded with and abundance of Redfish, Snook and Trout. Six of the seven kayakers that participated in the event recorded a Marco Slam; which means catching a Snook, Redfish and Spotted Seatrout. Mike Larsen had an amazing day catching 35 Redfish from one area alone. Most of the Reds where undersized, but some were in the slot.

Ken Robertson caught a 25” Snook in this event; the largest fish caught that day.   

Winds picked up later in the morning and kept most of the group from fishing Palm Bay. Most of the fishing action remained in the Hell’s Gate channel.

WANT TO SEE MORE?

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL KAYAK ADVENTURE FROM 2012 THROUGH 2018

<back to top of this page>

      Last updated on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 by Ed Crane, Webmaster since 2006    

end