My morning started just before sunrise, working a mangrove shoreline that turned out to be quiet. I decided to move into a nearby backwater canal where I noticed a cloud of minnows flickering across the surface — always a good sign. I began casting a 3” paddle tail tight to the mangroves, hoping for a snook, when my rod suddenly doubled over. A large juvenile tarpon exploded from the water, shaking its head wildly before crashing back down. Adrenaline immediately kicked in. What followed was an intense battle filled with aerial acrobatics and powerful, drag-peeling runs. Eventually, she rolled on her side in defeat, and I was able to grab a quick photo before releasing her to fight another day. Moments like that remind me exactly why I love fishing these waters — pure chaos, excitement, and beauty all at once.

The morning started off with some solid inshore catches—a trout, a redfish, and a couple of snook. But the real excitement came on the way back to the launch. I spotted a large school of jacks feeding aggressively and couldn’t resist throwing a topwater into the frenzy. Instantly, I was hooked up, and what followed was the battle of a lifetime. This jack would have been a serious fight from a boat, but from a kayak it was absolute chaos—pure power, drag screaming, and a test of endurance. Landing that fish was an awesome experience I won’t soon forget!

The plan: cut mullet for redfish. Reality: only managed to catch fingerlings—not gonna work. Switched to lures and hit the mangroves, landing a few snook, trout, and a couple reds. Then came a ladyfish… which quickly became cut bait. With that cut ladyfish? First chunk: a nice red. Second chunk: an unbelievably lively tarpon! Sometimes, the day just writes its own story on the water.