The Lime Cider Chronicles
Russ Caipen
Living on the Gulf coast of Florida is a kayak anglers dream come true.
The elusive Snook aka "Line Sider" is my favorite inshore fish to target. My alias "Lime Cider" is derived from this "bad-boy" of the shallow water. Known for it's drag-blistering runs and spectacular aerial displays, Snook are one of the most sought after gamefish in our region.
The mighty Redfish is my second favorite game fish to target. These strong, shallow water dwellers can be found aggressively searching for food around grass flats, oyster bars and schools of Mullet. Sometimes you can see their tails sticking out of the water as they use their blunt nose to stir up crustaceans from the bottom.
When it comes to beach fishing, no other fish can compare to a Tarpon, aka "Silver King". This migratory monster follows warm water temps and hangs around our area beaches for most of the summer.
These behemoths of the sea can grow to 200+ lbs.
Catching one from your kayak is an experience that you will never forget!
Catching one from your kayak is an experience that you will never forget!
My other favorite is the super-fast King Mackerel! With huge eyes and razor sharp teeth, they follow bait schools through our area when water temps are in the upper 60's to mid 70's.
These large pelagic fish are also known as "Smokers". Not because of how good they are on the grill, rather when hooked, exhibit bursts of speed that can leave an angler's drag-washers smoking.
In 2008, my fishing partner "Slik" Nik Comeau and I created the HardCore Kayak Anglers Club.
Today we have over 1000 registered members including some of the best kayak anglers in the world.
Check out our website, forum, and Facebook page if you are interested in being part of the 'Core!
