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As we progress through the cycles of seasonal change many kayak anglers despair the looming onset of winter. The lack of morning light, accompanied by crisp cutting air can cause that dreaded alarm clock to sting for days. Kayak fishing in winter, no matter where you're from can be an arduous affair. The wind chill can be horrendous on the body, the ambient temperature taxing on the mind. The simple thought of a drop in water temperature and the slim pickings below can bring any seasoned waterman to his knees.
When comparing our nations cooler coastal areas some appear to cop only a glancing cold snap while others leave an impression of being completely frozen over. Your past experiences fishing these ‘doldrums' can easily be reversed by trying a different approach. A change in tactic, technique and a little experimentation will find you thinking less about the nippy water temperature and more about whats residing in it.
Locating estuary species in cool water can be quite a challenge but like most things from a kayak it can be done. The general train of thought applied by most Bream tournament anglers fishing icy waters from their boats is 'go deep or go home'. When a system appears to shutdown due to water temps fishing at depth from your kayak, like the boaters, can be a far more productive affair than just hugging the shoreline and plugging away at some stark flat. During winter it’s what lies beneath the surface that tends to concentrate the fish. Be it vertical or horizontal, Bream or Flathead, when it's cold fish just won't tend to hold around the shallow water structure visible to our naked eye.
On smaller systems fish may prefer to wander around as the tide ebbs and flows, rather than fixate themselves around underwater formations (As evident on some deep flats). Your local may seem to shut down for days/ weeks in winter and then when action resumes only fire around the bends and turns of a rivers bank. For fish to hold pattern in minor waters they don’t just require structure (Like a series of rocks), they need a place to shelter away from its current flows. Deep bank side roots and runs provide this and a lot more, be it some offshoot creek or river anabranch. Situated away from a main basin most will be subject to less boat traffic and in turn less angling pressure, especially from the hungry bait brigade. Some of these waters will be just as deep as they are wide, perfect areas to paddle/pedal and explore from a kayak.
The subterranean approach:
Rather than just using a chuck and chance approach, angling deep water is about utilising the tools at your disposal, in this case your kayak of choice. As an example by using your kayaks length and width and Mother Nature’s elements you could effectively set up a free flowing drift to cover ground quickly. Another option could be deploying a drogue/sea anchor to slow a windblown drift. Without repeating ourselves here when fishing with Soft Plastics you could position the kayak bow first into tidal flow which would impart a slow sinking and lure wafting approach. For example, targeting Bream around bridge pylons or break walls works best with a drifting technique against a current flow. You could also drift with the current and cast across its course to keep your presentation flowing through the water at the same speed as the kayak (Great when fishing drop-offs).
Why not try drifting with the current and casting directly ahead of the kayaks bow, a great way of getting your lure offering to sink quickly before you and your kayak naturally catch up. Each approach has its virtues, time and place and knowing when and where to deploy one can be critical to your winter success rate. Most winter species (Such as Bream) won't bother venturing up through the cold water columns for just any old lure. Luckily large estuaries such as St Georges Basin on the NSW South Coast allow for more conventional methods of pulling fish from its chilly depths. Even though it's an immense waterway with plenty of traffic in winter (Including regular Bream tournaments) the fish are relatively easy to come by if you keep it deep. Getting a successful lure or bait presentation down here from a kayak will come down to tackle selection and a combination of positioning and approach.
While paddling/pedalling out into any old open space could payoff, utilising a fish finder/sounder to concentrate on a water depth around the 10 - 15m will provide a happy hunting ground. At these depths you will more than likely encounter what initially looks like barren ground, however pinging the depths with a sounder will reveal all. Scattered with cockle rubble and sand along with occasional weed beds, this is a great place to target Bream, Snapper and the occasional Jew. With the current flowing stronger higher in the water column species like Bream concentrate on sifting through the silt and shells (Mouth down tail up). This means producing a presentation that sits on and off the bottom; in this case it's the all important strike zone. Keeping a tight line from a kayak is critical when maintaining contact with the estuary floor. Simply cast out the desired distance, allow the lure to sink under a tight line, wait for the slack on the surface to indicate you have hit bottom, hop the lure off the bottom, lower the rod to reduce slack line and then whip the tip slightly when the line is almost tight again. This will offer a larger hop followed by a smaller quicker one, when fished with a blade it's a deadly combination.
Yak Tackle :
Blades or 'Metal Vibes' make up a huge amount of my winter estuary lure arsenal, followed closely by deep diving cranks and soft plastics. While most anglers reach for the plastics first I save them and the hard bodies for more structured environments (Like boat hulls and bridges) and use the Blades for more open styled water. A rapid sink rate with the chance of being hit on the drop is one bonus, another is it’s tell tale vibration when retrieved. If a treble fouls on weed when it’s swimming deep you feel it straight away, instantly telegraphing straight back to the angler. It’s these features plus the numerous tow points (Great for vertical jigging) that make it the perfect winter estuary searching lure. When it comes to weight and size a 5 gram Ecogear 'ZX35' is a great starting point, followed closely by a Berkley 'Big Eye' in 1/6th oz and a 6.6gram Strike Pro 'Cyber Vibe'. Using the same lift and hop technique as mentioned previously you can upsize profile and go heavier if the situation suits.
When it comes to soft plastics those with curl styled tails (like a grub or wriggler) provide a more subtle presentation and can often tempt those fish reluctant to strike a more aggressively worked stick bait. Initially picking a size and style to suit a winter bite can be a difficult affair but 50mm (Or around 3") soft plastics in a natural colour is a good start. Like all lure angling sometimes It's worth trying a bigger is better approach, especially when the water temperature has recently dropped. The profile of a 100mm Squidgy 'Wriggler' or Berkley Gulp 4" 'Turtleback Worm' could prove to be the difference when trying to persuade those really big brutes to push through the pack. With jig head selection its best to start off on a lighter weight, say 1/32oz and move up or down depending on water depth and conditions . Darter styled heads will sink with a more vertical presentation (Great for wafting down deep pylons) whilst a similar weighted round ball jig head will descend more evenly (Perfect for rock bars).
Kayak fishing deep in an estuary situation requires a certain level of finesse so line sensitivity and leader choice is paramount to detecting bites, especially when dealing with finicky Bream. Gel Spun Braid offers a lower stretch and more raw strength than monofilament, providing feeling right through the rod blank. Mainline breaking strains of 4 - 8lb will keep you out of trouble; fluorocarbon leader selection is based around the same rating. Accompanied with a smart rod and reel selection using braid is a great way of knowing what the lure is doing at all times. A 2kg leader tied correctly on 8lb braid and used with a giving drag setting keeps the fishing sporting, while still providing enough power through the mainline to tackle that rogue by-catch (Thumping Tarwhine, winter Jewfish).
I prefer to use 7ft, small spin reel outfits with a light rating to fish soft plastics and bait deep, teamed with 6'6, slightly larger spin reel combos with a medium-light action for blades and sinking hard baits. Lure colour choice and pattern isn't as much of a factor down deep, any well worked lure will catch Bream and Flathead. On certain days some colours and colour combinations seem to trigger more strikes than any others but a great rule of thumb that works for me is creating a silhouette when on top and adding a bit of flash on the bottom. In my experience fish holding deep in estuaries respond well to a gold pattern, add some dirty/cloudy water to the mix and the probability of a decent catch doubles. White and silver seem to work well in open clearer waters where as more natural colours like green, yellow, gold and browns produce the goods in the enclosed. While there is an art to using lures in deep water whatever you do don't get too hung up on winter colour selection as honestly any colour will work if the presentation is right.
Other targets:
One of the most commonly targeted estuary species from a kayak would have to be Flathead. In winter these 'Crocs', 'Frogs' or 'Lizards' (Depending on where you're from) become quite docile and less aggressive, adopting a different lure crunching attitude than a inhaling summer catch. They still remain in large enough numbers to target and in many states it's the colder months that bring out the bigger females. There are some great tips on hooking up with big winter Flathead from a kayak and many include a common message, downsize your lure, cover water leisurely and slow your retrieve down. Using a rod, reel and line combo similar to what you would use on Bream try targeting a water depth that is a little shallower (Say 5m in depth). Obviously with light leader you could drop a few yak side but you there is a good chance you will land more than you lose. They seem to hunt relentlessly in summer and will often strike at a vigorously worked lure on numerous occasions before the final hook up; this is definitely not the case down here in the cooler months (NSW South Coast).
At this time of year these fish are just too docile to require a large heavy imparted Stick Bait approach, it's certainly not going to get these guys moving any great distance from their comfy 'lie'. The use of scents can improve catch rates and a liberal smothering of Squidgy 'S' Factor or 'Megastrike' could bring an upsizing approach into play and/or allow you to slow your retrieve even more. I tend to use plastics that are 3" or 4" in length rather than opting for a larger 5" or 7" size. Slimmer profiles like Sandworms and Minnows seem to work better fished slowly than shads or paddle tails; the same can be said for a deep diving hard body’s silhouette underwater. The slower drawn out action of a Minnows shape, in my experience seems to grab their attention just a little longer than the typical fatter shads. Flathead will always inhabit all the areas you would normally target them, albeit a little deeper. Ambush points will still include rock bars and the usual weed bed scenarios but they just don't seem to chase down an offering as effectively without a few key cool water changes. During winter the standard indications of a Flathead on your line are less subtle and your lure will be more than likely hooked in their lip (Rather than inhaled).
If your targeting Flathead around structure before you strike and set a hook, slowly lift the rod tip and wind the reel, instead of loading up the rod completely. With your kayak perpendicular (Bow towards) to a drop off or channel and with the current ebbing or flowing, 'quarter' cover the same areas that you would in summer. By 'Quartering' an area start casting at a clock arm position of 9, retrieve; continue to 11, cast again. Repeat this till you have covered around till 3 and move on, either under tidal influence or paddle/pedal stroke. Trolling soft plastic lures or blades on the bottom is another great winter option, especially when visiting sandy grounds. Kayak fishing an estuary on the troll in warmer water is usually about imparting a predictable action on your lure at around 3.0kmph, getting your lure hovering just off the bottom and occasionally smacking down. When water temperatures plunge slow your paddle/pedal stroke down to well below walking pace, just enough to drag a soft plastic or Blade along behind you.
The key here is to haul your lure along the bottom stirring up as much sediment as possible, while moving to or from fishing locations. Your soft plastic will slightly spring up with each stroke and create smaller flurries of sand, movement and disturbance. At these speeds the weight of the Blade and lack of its natural action will cause it to sit flat and pull sideways. While perhaps not the Flatheads number one food of choice, this creates a walking action similar to a crustaceans scurry and their bedded commotion will be investigated!
Conclusion:
Every kayak fisherman has his/her favourite time to target an estuary , usually for a bloody good reason. Certain species definitely seem to fish better at different times of the year and just like fish, some kayak anglers appear to 'shut down' in winter (opting for gear maintenance and tackle organisation instead).
He who braves the elements and ventures out of bed early during winter will be the ones hooked up first, while you're still at home dreaming about it. Some of the best days I have had on the water have been during winter chasing estuary dwellers. Remind yourself why you became addicted to kayak fishing in the first place. That same stealthy manoeuvring and quiet loom only a kayak can provide in the summer shallows will work just as effectively over the wintery murk! If anything these tips and techniques are provided to motivate you into visiting your local during winter, no matter what your chasing. There are plenty of other species prevalent and in winter abundance, such as Mulloway, Snapper, Tailor and Trevally but nothings as bread and butter to an Estuary angler than a Bream and Flathead combo. I could ramble on and on about the opportunity of a great winters adventure but the simple fact is I have only touched on the preliminary basics, the stuff that will hopefully blow the cobwebs off the yak and get you out on the water.
