Tag: Offshore Kayak Fishing

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Shimano Saragosa SRG6000SW, Offshore Spinning Reel

Shimano Saragosa SRG6000SW | Kayak Fishing Accessories | Navarre Kayak Fishing

Buy Here: Shimano Saragosa SRG6000SW, Offshore Spinning Reel

Over the years, we have been able to use a ton of products. We have found some that have proven to be reliable and this blog is designed to share them with you. All of the products in our Kayak Fishing Accessories section are our recommended kayak fishing products. We are not biased of brands, we just use the best possible products for each situation. If you purchase the product from the link above, we receive a small commission which helps support this blog.

We use the Shimano Saragosa SRG6000SW on all of our offshore fishing charters. There are tons of other reels like this on the market. However, this offshore spinning reel has proven to tackle all offshore species and fishing conditions without issue. When selecting a spinning reel for offshore fishing, it is important that you find one that is reliable and durable. This will ensure your reel will hold us against various species of fish and the saltwater environments which tend to corrode certain types of metals.

The Shimano Saragosa SRG6000SW is our "go-to" offshore spinning reel and we will continue using for a long time!  If you are searching for a new offshore fishing reel, we highly recommend ordering the Shimano Saragosa SRG6000SW.

 

Product Highlights:

  • Equipped with a Propulsion Line Management System that provides longer casting distances while preventing backlashes and wind knots from forming
  • X-Ship technology provides improved gear durability and eliminates friction between the spool shaft and gear enhancing the casting performance and allowing for longer casts
  • Shielded roller bearings on both sides reducing the possibility of salt or sand from obstructing the bearing’s rotation while the waterproof drag uses rubber gaskets to protect against intrusion of the elements
  • Max Drag: 22 lbs. / Gear Ratio: 5.7:1. / Weight: 16.4 oz. / Line Retrieve: 40" / Bearings: 5BB + 1RB – PowerPro Line Cap: 30/290,50/195,65/140 – Mono Line Cap: 12/265,16/170,20/120
Shimano Saragosa SRG6000SW, Offshore Spinning Reel
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Onyx M-24 Manual Inflatable Lifejacket

Onyx M-24 Manual Inflatable Lifejacket
Onyx M-24 Manual Inflatable Lifejacket

Buy here: Onyx M-24 Manual Inflatable Lifejacket

Over the years, we have been able to use a ton of products. We have found some that have proven to be reliable. All of the products in our Kayak Fishing Accessories section are our recommended kayak fishing products. We are not biased of brands, we just use the best possible products. If you purchase the product from the link above, we receive a small commission which helps support this blog.

We own six Onyx M-24 Manual Inflatable Lifejackets and provide them on all of our Inshore and Offshore Kayak Fishing Charters.  There are a ton of lifejackets on the market but we prefer to use the manual inflatables.  They are lightweight and breathable, providing all day comfort throughout the year.

The lifejackets hold up well and we haven't ever had an issue.  It's a product that we will continue using for a long time!  If you are searching for a new lifejacket we highly recommend ordering the Onyx M-24 Manual Inflatable Lifejacket.

Product Highlights

  • Manually inflates when the wearer pulls the “Jerk to Inflate” handle.
  • Equipped with back-up oral inflation. Minimum buoyancy of 22.5 pounds when inflated.
  • In-Sight - shows GREEN if the product is armed and ready to use; shows RED if not ready to use
  • Provides comfort, safety, and peace of mind without knowing you have it on, until you may need it.
  • Comfortable, lightweight, low profile design.
Onyx M-24 Manual Inflatable Lifejacket
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Reliable Fish Bag

Reliable Fish Bag | Kayak Fishing Accessories | Navarre Kayak Fishing

Buy Here: Reliable Fishing Products Insulated Kayak Bag 

Over the years, we have been able to use a ton of products. We have found some that have proven to be reliable. All of the products in our Kayak Fishing Accessories section are our recommended kayak fishing products. We are not biased of brands, we just use the best possible products. If you purchase the product from the link above, we receive a small commission which helps support this blog.

We use this reliable fish bag on all of our inshore and offshore charters. There are tons of other bags like this on the market. However, it is important that you find one that will hold up against various species of fish. Specifically, Red Snapper because of their very pointy spines. When we go out on charters, we strap the insulated fish bag to the back of our client's kayak. When I am fishing alone, I strap it to the front of my kayak. It fits perfectly on our Old Town Predator PDL. As you can see below, it can easily held a 4 man limit of Red Snapper.

The reliable fishing products company has been producing products like this for years. They hold a great reputation for creating bags like this for large sports fishing boats. The same material is used to hold tuna, wahoo, and other large offshore species. If you are in the market for a new fish bag, we highly recommend the reliable insulated kayak bag.

Product Highlights 

  • Washable, Mildew, and UV resistant
  • High quality 1/2" close cell foam
  • 3 Carrying Handles
  • Measures 36"L x 8"T and tapers from 10" W to 20"W

 

Insulated Fish Bag | Kayak Fishing Products | Navarre Kayak Fishing
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Offshore Kayak Fishing

Offshore Kayak Fishing Charters Kayak Fishing for King Mackerel

Offshore Kayak Fishing | Navarre Kayak Fishing

Anglers enjoy Offshore Kayak Fishing all over the world and for good reason, it’s exciting and you never know what you might hook.

(Let’s take a second and make one thing clear, wear your lifejacket!)

However, Offshore Kayak Fishing has its dangers and every year a new group of inexperienced anglers attempt to launch kayaks into the surf.

They lack experience and the lack of experience leads to costly mistakes.

(We will get to the good stuff but lets take a few minutes and make sure you know it’s not all fun and games.)

Mistakes…

  • They fail to check the radar.
  • They fail to check the wind.
  • They fail to check the tides.
  • They fail to check the surf report.
  • They aren’t familiar with their kayaks.
  • They have never attempted a deep water re-entry.
  • They forget paddles and life jackets.

We spend the majority of our summer launching kayaks into the Gulf of Mexico and we see these mistakes every morning. (That list is short, we could continue) We delay Offshore Kayak Fishing Charters to help strangers launch and our clients look in amazement as people fail over and over again.

Launching

Every coastline has its own set of challenges. The surf forecast changes daily and can be monitored at https://magicseaweed.com/Navarre-Beach-Surf-Report/651/.

It’s important to realize that the wind and tides will manipulate what the surf is doing. In Navarre, a strong North wind will lay down the surf but it will blow you way off of the beach. A strong South wind will quickly turn the 1′ waves into 4′ of crashing white water.

Fishing

Offshore Kayak Fishing opens the door to endless possibilities. While trolling you can run into everything from King Mackerel to Sailfish. When you’re bottom fishing you can catch a ton of different reef species, such as Red Snapper, Triggerfish, and even Gag Grouper.

If you’re looking to target Red Snapper check out Kayak Fishing For Red Snapper.

If you’re unexperienced and looking to experience Offshore Kayak Fishing for the first time, visit Offshore Kayak Charters and Book Your Adventure!

Landing

Launching is easy but landing can go sideways very quickly. More often than not, the winds will increase throughout the day. As the SE wind increases the surf will become rather sloppy along the beaches from Destin – Pensacola. Ideally, you’re on the beach before conditions get out of hand. If you’re not, slow and steady if the best approach.

If conditions are really bad, we recommend getting out of the kayak and holding onto the rear. The waves will push you into the beach and prevent you from rolling in the surf.

Pick Your Days

Offshore Kayak Fishing is a blast and the majority of coastal kayak anglers look forward to it every year. However, if the weathers bad you should play it safe and stick to fishing the protective waterways. There will always be another day!

Offshore Kayak Fishing | Navarre Kayak Fishing

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Kayak Fishing for Red Snapper

Kayak Fishing for Red Snapper Kayak Fishing Charters

Kayak Fishing for Red Snapper | Navarre Kayak Fishing

Kayak Fishing for Red Snapper is an incredible experience that anglers along the Emerald Coast take advantage of year after year.

In 2018, Red Snapper season was only 40 days long and the fish were beyond plentiful!

We decided we would take the time to break down exactly what you need to catch a Red Snapper from the kayak in 2019.

Call (850)264-3957 if you’re interested in booking an Offshore Kayak Fishing Charter.

Did you know?

Red Snapper can live for over 20 years and are found in large numbers along the Gulf Coast.

The majority of fish are found offshore on various forms of structure but they can also be found in Pensacola Bay, FL.

The Florida state record is 46 lbs 8 oz and was caught near Destin, FL in 1985.

For additional information on Red Snapper visit FWC – Red Snapper.

How to catch them?

It’s simple, find them. (We will help in a second…)

Once you find structure, Red Snapper can be caught a variety of ways and the technique depends on the conditions.

Rough Conditions

If conditions are rough and the current is flowing quickly you will need to use lead to get your bait in the strike-zone.

But you don’t need to use several ounces of lead to catch a fish that’s in 60′ of water.

When the currents are heavy and the wind is ripping we use Circle Hook Jigs up to 1-ounce.

We attach the jig to 30 lb. Fluorocarbon using a non-slip mono loop knot.

For this method we prefer to use live bait.

Pinfish and small Cigar Minnows do a wonderful job.

Simply hook them in the tail and drop the jig over the school of fish and hang on tight.

The live bait does a great job of keeping the Triggerfish and smaller Red Snapper away.

Calm Conditions

Unfortunately, conditions can’t always be perfect but when they are we prefer to sight cast Red Snapper.

Wait, how do you sight cast a fish in 70′ of water?

It’s simple, you chum them up and pick the one you want to catch.

Typically, you can present a hook and a single piece of chum directly in front of the fish you prefer to catch.

This is a great method when attempting to avoid undersized Red Snapper or Triggerfish.

It’s in important to remember that the water is crystal clear and the fish can see you just as good as you can see them.

Don’t get carried away with the chum.  It takes very little to get the fish interested and Kayak Fishing for Red Snapper is a blast!

Finding Structure

Catching Red Snapper is extremely easy and that’s one of the reasons the limits are so tightly regulated.

A good fish finder goes a long ways and if you buy a good one you won’t need to replace it!

In 2015, I strapped a Garmin EchoMap 74SV onto my kayak and off I went.

The machine is pricey and the model has been updated several times since.

Fortunately, I have had no need to upgrade and I am still using the original unit!

Side scan played a huge part in finding places that were loaded with Red Snapper.

Did it take a ton of time to locate them? Yes, but if you can find a “private” spot keep it to yourself.

It will continually produce Red Snapper for years.  Be mindful of how many you keep from each location.

It’s going to take time but it’s worth the work and reward.

Public Structure

There’s a ton of public structure in the Gulf of Mexico.

These spots will get hit hard by recreational anglers and charter boats in the first few weeks of the season.

The following links will make it easy for you to input public numbers into your fish finder:

Destin Public Fishing Reefs

Pensacola Public Fishing Reefs

Offshore Kayak Fishing Checklist

Kayak Fishing for Red Snapper | Navarre Kayak Fishing

Stay Connected and Say Hello!

www.NavarreKayakFishing.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NavarreKayakFishing

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/navarrekayakfishing

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Conditions for Offshore Kayak Fishing

Conditions for Offshore Kayak Fishing

Understanding safe conditions for Offshore Kayak Fishing

The temperatures begin to rise in May rising and the conditions for Offshore Kayak Fishing are just around the corner.

The Gulf Coast is filling with tourist and the locals are beginning to think about chasing King Mackerel.

As the world of kayak fishing grows daily, more and more anglers are venturing offshore. This often leads inexperienced kayak anglers into dangerous situations.

Understanding the weather is one of the most important aspects of Offshore Kayak Fishing.

Weather Checklist for Kayak Fishing Offshore

This blog is going to briefly cover a set of guidelines that we use to avoid taking unnecessary risks.

Knowing the limits of your kayak, yourself, and your gear is key when Kayak Fishing Offshore.

Remember – There’s no fish worth risking your life.

Wind – How much is too much?

The wind is pretty calm in the mornings this time of the year, but increases in strength as the day goes on.  Anytime the wind is forecasted to be equal or greater than 10 MPH, we get off of the water.

  • As the wind increases, the surf will grow.
  • Northern winds push water off of the beach. This will calm the surf, making for an easy launch and landing.
  • South winds push water to the beach. This increases the height of surf, making a more challenging launch and landing.

(NOTE: North wind will continually push you south and make returning to the beach difficult. Last Spring, there were multiple kayakers rescued by Cobia boats because they did not understand how much the wind affects a kayak in open water)

For accurate wind information we use:

https://www.windfinder.com/forecast/santa_rosa_island_navarre_pier_beach.

Surf – How much is too much?

Like the wind, the surf is pretty calm first thing in the morning, and usually increases as the day progresses. It is important to keep that in the back of your mind.  Summer time breezes shift to the South East around midday and the surf will be much larger than it was at first light.

We never launch my kayak if the surf is 2-3 ft and growing.

For accurate surf information we use:  http://magicseaweed.com/Navarre-Beach-Surf-Report/651/.

Wind and Surf conditions are equally important and should always be monitored together.

Offshore Kayak Fishing is a lot of fun, but remember that things can quickly take a turn for the worst.

Continue to monitor the conditions for Offshore Kayak Fishing throughout your trip.

Stay Safe. Have Fun. Go Fishing.

Stay Connected and Say Hello!

www.NavarreKayakFishing.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NavarreKayakFishing

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