hello everyone,

im sorry that this post is not about bass fishing but i would like to use light spinning gear to fish Whitewater Bay.

we will be spending a few days this month kayak fishing in Whitewater Bay and I was wondering what type of lures to throw around on 8-10lb flouro. I've done a little reading and it appears there are redfish, bonefish and small tarpon in the bay.

i was thinking of using hard and soft jerkbaits and crankbaits. would you recommend top water baits or soft plastics? I believe the average depth is about 8ft in the bay but i plan on fishing near the mangroves.

thanks in advance,

-z

bigfruits,

Flamingo is an awesome place to fish. I'm no expert when it comes to this place, but we have fun with it and catch our share. 90% of the time I'm using a heavy (1/2 - 3/4oz) Kalins jig head and a Gulp Shrimp. You can catch pretty much anything there on that setup. I will also bring a couple spoons, some jerkbaits (mirrolure, x-rap), and a couple topwaters (top dog).

A spinning rod with 20lb braid tied with a 2foot length of flouro leader (30lb) tied on and you'll be set. A typical trip we'll catch 10-15 different species of fish, with a couple of the desired species (snook/redfish/tarpon).

thanks, piscicidal. jigs are my favorite way to fish, im going to try those gulp shrimp.

do you pretty much fish them like bass jig or do you do a little more dragging than hops?

thanks!

This video (Jose RIP) will show you exactly how to set up a spinning outfit for bonefish using shrimp or crabs, I know you will be using floro and not braid but you'll get the idea.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTH9gmeG7DM&feature=related

As a rule bonefishing is done by sight casting, they spook very easy and are a challenging fish to hook. Fishing for redfish, snook or tarpon, I personally would use a bit heavier set up as those fish can run much bigger than a bonefish, not to mention if run into a permit.

I have caught everyone of those fish on plastics, flukes and paddletails on 1/4-3/8 oz jig head, bucktail jigs, hard jerkbaits, spoons, and topwater lures, you don't need anything else. Bonefish and permit are better caught using live shrimp and crabs.

I would be using a med spin 8/17 for bonefish with a 4000 reel, I prefer 15# braid, those fish can run a lot, for the larger fish a 10/20 mh rod with a 4 or 5000 reel and 20# braid would be my choice.

bigfruits,

Pretty shallow inside whitewater...usually end up hopping that bait off the bottom.

re; the gulp shrimp. You'll want to get one of those big cans of gulf shrimp with the screw-on lid and the gulp juice inside. That can will last you hundreds of fish...the little legs will get bit off the shrimp, and the end of the tail...don't worry about it. You will keep catching even with a little stub of bait on there. Inside whitewater, you'll have a good chance at some redfish/snook and snapper. maybe a tarpon in the early AM. You will almost certainly catch jacks/ladyfish/sea trout. Very good chance at a shark using cut bait, if you're bold enough to do it in a kayak. Some big bull sharks in there, so use caution.

As Mike says, those new penny gulp shrimp (3inch) are the ticket. Some guys also like the swimming mullet style gulp. I mostly use 1/8 ounce jig heads with a strong hook (like the DOA or Strike King jigs). A gold or silver spoon works great and you could also throw topwaters. Most shorelines are 1 to 3 feet deep. The whole bay averages 5 feet deep. Consider spooling with 10 lb braid to increase your casting distance.

Fishing success in WWB has lots to do with current and water temp. A warming trend means hot fishing. However, a sudden and strong cold front makes for both tough paddling and difficult fishing. You are not in bonefish territory... but the redfishing has been off the chart for the last couple of years. Good luck.