Yesterday Diamond Dave invited me for a kayak trip to the Ding Darling wildlife refuge on Sanibel Island.
We launched the kayaks during hightide from the trail and first did some exploring around the many creeks and bays in the refuge.


First stop at one of the flats.

It was high tide so all the fish where way back in the mangroves and thus far out of flyfishing reach.
The only fish abundant where the many mullet jumping all over the place.
One of them even jumped right into Dave's kayak, that got Dave's attention for sure:)


The mangroves, home of the fish we where after.

Dave managed to catch the first fish of the day at one of the culverts at the trail.
He caught a Snook from a deep channel near the culvert.
We moved further inside the creeks in the search for fish but the water was still too high.
I had one following fish to show for during high tide.
As time progressed and the tide started to run out we positioned us near one of the deeper channels where the water moved out to the bay.
I fished a weighted fly close to the mangroves and caught a Jack Crevalle from under the roots.


Jack Crevalle

I probed the shoreline for some more fish and was rewarded with
a little mangrove snapper.


Mangrove snapper.

Low tide was upon us so we moved out to one of Dave's favorite flats.
At the flat the currents had formed a deep channel along the mangrove shoreline.
I dropped my fly againts the shoreline and had an instant hit. I fished deceivers and my own little twister fly creation and caught fish after fish.


Snook


Redfish


Mangrovesnapper

That mangrove shoreline was like a fish hotel, it was unbelievable how many fish I pulled from the same spot.
Diamond Dave was having a ball at the shoreline catching Snooks, Reds and Mangrove snappers.
With the lowering sun the swamp angels and mosquito's quickly found us.
It was pretty annoying but that was the price to pay to fish these backwaters.
At sunset we ended our kayak fishing trip and loaded all gear in the car.


Sunset over the refuge.

As we drove along the trail Diamond Dave saw rolling Tarpon at one of the culverts.
He stopped and insisted we should and the day with a backcountry slam of Snook, Redfish and Tarpon.
There was one little or better put big problem at the culvert fishing spot.
A 12 ft gator was moving between the Tarpon, it was obvious what would happen if a fish was caught.
After shining a light into the gators eyes he moved off so we could
fish the place without the risk of alligator involvement.

The Tarpon where inclined to eat flies but yours truly had a little handicap by being a troutfisherman, namely high sticking.
So everytime a Tarpon grabbed the fly I would strike high and pull the fly out of the Tarpons mouth.
Eventually I surpressed my Trouting origins and struck the Tarpon properly.
After several frantic jumps I landed my baby Tarpon and Diamond Dave repeated that action minutes later.



Baby Tarpon on an EP hot minnow in chartreuse/pink.

Catching the Tarpon was the brilliant conclusion of a brilliant day, many thanks to Diamond Dave and Everglades Angler for taking me out and giving me proper advice.

Sounds like a great day