Fishing Hotspots
Inside Passage, Ketchikan, Alaska
Story by Conor Mihell and photograph by Ketchikan Kayak Fishing
In the sheltered inlets of Ketchikan on the southern tip of the Alaskan panhandle, it’s possible to reel in five species of salmon, as well as monster halibut, lingcod and dozens of species of rockfish. “This is the kind of place that will make you feel small and insignificant,” says Howard McKim of Ketchikan Kayak Fishing. It’s not a friendly place for the unprepared. McKim encourages all his guests to watch the weather and carry enough gear for an overnight.
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Corral Beach, Malibu, California
Story by Conor Mihell and Photos by Jock Bradley
There’s no doubt that the thresher shark offers some of the most exciting—and perilous—kayak angling. Each spring off of Corral Beach near Malibu, California, threshers gather in large schools to spawn. Veteran kayak angler Dennis Spike says there’s two ways to catch them: By the mouth using live bait like sardines or Pacific mackerel, or by the tail on a Rapala. When threshers hit live bait, be prepared for aerial stunts—Spike’s seen one jump 15 feet out of the water—and greyhounding, where the shark skims the surface of the water. And expect a workout. “For every 100 pounds of fish there’s an hour of fight,” says Spike.
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Lake Lanier, Georgia
Story and Photos by Tony Narcisse
Set in the foothills of Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains just a 45-minute drive north of Atlanta rests sprawling Lake Lanier. With 692 miles of shoreline and over 38,000 acres of surface area, the lake stretches its arms into five counties. Originally impounded in the 1950’s for flood control and power generation, Lake Lanier is now Atlanta’s primary water source and a recreational destination for more than eight million annual visitors. “Lanier is the epicenter for kayak anglers in metro Atlanta” says Jeff Steigerwald of Kayak Fish Lanier. “Because Lanier is blessed with a healthy natural population of forage fish, the lake supports an aggressive game fish stocking program by the GA Dept of Natural Resources. Lanier offers some of the best angling for stripers in the Southeast with monsters over 30 lbs taken annually.”
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La Jolla, California
Story Conor Mihell; Photos Jim Sammons & Paul Lebowitz
Cradled between the famous surf breaks of SoCal’s Pacific coast, La Jolla is a kayak angler’s paradise. A unique seabed of canyons and kelp provides nutrients and habitat for a long list of game fish. “There’s everything from bass to halibut, and it’s the prime yellowtail spot in southern California,” says Jim Sammons of La Jolla Kayak Fishing. Sammons says that even on the biggest surf days it’s easy to launch. “It’s a 15-minute paddle to trophy-size fish,” says Sammons.
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Timucuan Preserve, Jacksonville, Florida
Story by Conor Mihell
The Timucuan Preserve of northeastern Florida was known as the “place where waters meet” to Native Americans. This collection of creeks and saltwater marshes offers typical inshore fish—including redfish, trout and flounder— in bountiful numbers. “It’s as diverse an estuary as any in the country,” says Mike Kogan, founder of www.jaxkayakfishing.com, an online community of Jacksonville-area kayak anglers. Kayaking makes it possible to get strikes regardless of the tidal height, which ranges up to six feet. Access the Timucuan via Jacksonville and the Intracoastal Waterway.
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 Side-by-side carp hotspots on the Colorado River highlight the kayak fishing scene in Austin, Texas. Austin’s best fishing holes—Lake Austin and Town Lake—are separated by a dam and feature convenient launch sites from the Fritz Hughes Park and Rosebud Isle, respectively. Flyfishing from a kayak adds a new dimension to carping. Local pro Aaron Reed says its possible to land 30-pounders on high floating, bomber-pattern dry flies. www.austinkayakfishing.com
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 Walleye fishing heats up early in the Motor City. In April and May, Walleye gather to spawn along the gravel bed of the Detroit River. Launch from Wyandotte’s BASF Waterfront Park—it features a kayak-only put-in and access to a slow moving backwaters. Fish bottom structure like drop-offs and shelves with jigs. www.michigankayakfishing.com
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 “Indianapolis has been called the largest city in the U.S. that is not on a navigable waterway,” says local kayak angler Dan Sutton. But that’s not taking kayaks into account. Broad Ripple and Riverside Parks in downtown Indy provide access for motor boats and host bass fishing tourneys, but several dams further downstream mean that water levels south of the city are reserved for kayaks. Put in at the Raymond Street crossing to chase 18- to 22-inch smallmouth and 10- to 20-pound carp and catfish.
www.indyyaks.com
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Galveston, Texas
Story and Photos by Steve Mullins
The Galveston Bay complex from San Luis to Rollover Pass offers a plethora of accessible marsh locations. Just minutes from the city, Galveston Island State Park offers miles of sheltered fishing on three marked paddling trails. Extensive marsh restoration makes for scenic angling and healthy populations of redfish, flounder and trout. With a history colored by shipwrecks, pirates and smuggling, the area is as rich in stories as it is in fish. Venture out at after dark to avoid crowded fishing holes. The cover of nightfall also means the fish become less skittish and begin feeding again. For productive outings focus your fishing time on changing tidal movements, peak moon phases and falling barometric pressure.
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