I've been on a good redfish bite lately. Sarasota Bay  has been yielding reds up to 32 inches.

The fish have moved from their usual haunts and I found them by slowly poling my kayak over the shallow flats. The red are hanging out in and around sand holes.

On my last outing, I caught and released eight redfish. Most were horses. I caught them on D.O.A. CAL 5-inch jerk worms, Zara Super Spook Jrs., and gold spoons.

The largest red was the coolest. I actually "sight-fished" this monster. I had poled up to within a cast of a sand hole and slipped the anchor over. When I look out toward the hole, I saw the big girl slowly swimming away. But she apparently wasn't aware I was there.

So, I tossed a jerk worm about 10 feet in front and allowed it to sink and she approached. When she neared. I twitched the bait.

She ate it.

The was another kayaker in the area who watch in amazement as my big red peeled line off the line in an impressive first run. The other kayaker wasn't having much luck. Reason was he was fishing too fast and was casting behind his drift.

I would have figured out some way to tactfully give him advice, but by the time I landed my fish, he was off in the distance.

In addition, I caught and released 15 trout to 26 inches.

What a day!