Inshore Special: How To Catch The Most Popular Saltwater Gamefish

Ahhhh, the open sea. Wind, waves, whales: sounds too wild for a little plastic boat and a single angler. But there’s another side to the saltwater experience. We’re talking about inshore fishing. Close to the beach, behind the islands, in the inlets and on the marsh.

Some of the most prized inshore fish live in shallow water where a shallow-draft, easy-to-maneuver kayak is an advantage. Whether shooting through the surf to fish beyond the breakers or sneaking into a backwater to sight fish in the shallows, nearshore anglers target big fish with light tackle. Best of all, the tactics for inshore species hold true throughout their range.

Just because the water is skinny, doesn’t mean the fish aren’t fat. True trophies like 50-pound striped bass and tarpon over 100 pounds lurk in the backwaters. So, if you’re intimidated by sea monsters and ocean storms, consider exploring the backwaters. Targeting inshore species is an easy way to learn kayak fishing and test your skills against the biggest fish in the sea.

Best Inshore Fishing Kayaks For 2024

Inshore Special: How to Catch the Most Popular Saltwater Gamefish

1 Striped Bass

Matt Stone | New England

2023 On the Water Striper Cup kayak division winner, Black Hall Outfitters manager, freelance writer

We call it a Nantucket sleighride when a big striped bass pulls me in my kayak like a gladiator in a chariot. I started kayak fishing for largemouth bass in Vermont millponds, but after a taste of battling large stripers in tidal waters, I was hooked on salt water. I catch stripers year-round in water from two to 65 feet deep. Striped bass take a variety of live baits and artificials; I can choose the way I fish for them. I have a deep respect for the long migration striped bass make to reach New England.

Where to Catch Striped Bass

From May to early June, large migratory striped bass follow schools of menhaden into Long Island Sound. Starting in September, juvenile bay anchovies, silversides and peanut bunker pour out of tidal creeks fueling the legendary fall striper run. After the fall run ends, most bass journey south. But Connecticut hosts holdover stripers through the winter.

Look for strong tidal currents create confluences that concentrate bait. In the spring, the outgoing current flushes warm water out of the shallows. In the fall, the outgoing current carries bait out of the shallows. Full and new moons produce stronger currents creating rips around reefs, sandbars and other structures. On summer nights, big bass move shallow when the sun isn’t heating the water. Cloudy and overcast days with a bit of wind are ideal. A bad weather day is flat calm with bluebird skies associated with a high-pressure system. When conditions are calm and clear, I head offshore for sea bass and other bottom fish.

I have a checklist to identify potential striper spots: current, structure, depth change and history. History is the most important. Just because a spot has structure and current doesn’t mean striped bass hold in the area. To discover a new striper spot, I fish it many times over the season. Even if I get skunked, I’ll return to the potential spot until I determine if the area holds striped bass. Sometimes, I fish in a good place repeatedly and never catch a bass.

Striped Bass Tactics

I use live bunker and eels, seven- to nine-inch topwater lures and nine- to 14-inch soft plastic paddle tails or eel imitations. My tactic depends on the conditions and the area I’m fishing. I troll live bunker and lures, blind cast lures and eels, cast to breaking fish and drift deep structure. Live bunker is effective in the spring and live eels fool striper in the fall. My favorite way to catch striped bass is casting topwater lures.

I recommend a pedal or motorized kayak to fish in the strong current. A pedal kayak also allows me to cast while I’m searching for fish. Then, when I hook a bass, the pedal system lets me fight the current while I’m fighting the fish. Side imaging sonar is very important in the early season when small schools of big fish are in rivers and on flats. I use the side imaging sonar in conjunction with my GPS chart to hold my kayak in the perfect position so I can cast to the structure.

Striped Bass Story

I launched before sunrise and pedaled a couple of miles to my target area. Even in the dark, the sky looked threatening. A few minutes later, thunderstorms broke and I headed to shore. After the storm moved through, I launched again. As soon as I got to my target area, I knew conditions were perfect: wind ripples, overcast sky with remnants of rain clouds, a ripping outgoing current and full moon with the sun coming up. For six hours, I had the most ferocious topwater strikes from striped bass up to 48 inches. The experience taught me the value of sticking it out through bad weather.

2 Speckled Trout

Chris Castro | Gulf Coast, Texas

Host of Next Level Fishing TV, Old Town pro staff, Texas Parks & Wildlife ambassador, Fin Factory Kayak & Tackle team leader

I blame my first giant trout for my toxic love affair with the fish. When I started fishing, speckled trout were the toughest fish to master. I remember holding my first trophy and realizing big trout are very rare and I was lucky to release the fish back to the water. Trout are true predators with eyes located on the top of their heads, big canine teeth and upturned mouths. Big trout are elusive. I wait until winter, when the big fish see less pressure, to target trophy trout.

Where to Catch Speckled Trout

The best time for a crack at a trophy speckled trout is between January and February when fluctuating air and water temperatures congregate the fish. I like to find a pocket of warmer water. Then, I look for bottom structure with an aggressive contour and current.

Surviving winter is brutal for speckled trout. Their metabolisms slow to cut feeding periods in half. Timing is everything. A little warm-up gets the trout’s stomach churning. When water temperature drops into the upper forties, target warm-ups that push temperatures to the low sixties. Clear green water is best.

A killer recipe for finding trout is a shoreline with a quick drop near grassy bottom. I also fish wind-driven shorelines where trout wait to ambush bait caught in the rough water. Warm south wind brings fog and cloud cover with a barometric pressure sweet spot between 29.9-30.2 inHg. If wind conditions are not ideal, I move around and look for bait. Early in the morning, I start on ledges and then work to the shoreline as the sun rises.

Speckled Trout Tactics

The key to winter trout is a slow retrieve. The more time the lure spends in the strike zone, the more time a trout has to eat. I often find trout on a ledge where grass meets a steep drop. My favorite ledge presentation is a weedless ⅛-ounce Owner Twistlock hook tied to a grub tail from AM Fishing Lures. The lure has a moderate drop and imitates the slow twitch of a lethargic baitfish. On clear, calm days, a Paul Brown Corky’s slow death drop is a destroyer.

Kayak choice plays a huge part in working an area efficiently. The Old Town AutoPilot 136 powered by Minn Kota motor combined with my Humminbird 5 G2 SI allows me to cover water and leave no stone unturned. My latest discovery is the new RAILBLAZA Gear Hub with storage to hold lures, safety lights and camera booms.

Speckled Trout Story

One of my favorite fish stories is catching two massive 29-inch trout in 15 minutes. Funny thing, I caught both fish while talking to my fishing partner. We were chatting and I realized I hadn’t moved my lure. Now I know working the lure slowly makes good things happen. When I catch one big trout, I make another cast to the same place hoping to find its twin.

3 Snook

Wendy Biles | West Coast, Florida

Bassmaster Kayak Series and Florida Kayak Bass Trail angler, Old Town pro staff

Whether I’m popping a popper early in the morning or working a paddle tail around a mangrove point, aggressive snook don’t mess around. They blow up on my lure so fast I don’t have time to react. Wrangling a feisty snook to the boat as it jumps and shakes its head is challenging and fun. Snook are caught all along the Florida coast in shallow backwaters and on open water. Growing up to 40 pounds, snook qualify as a heavy fish on light tackle.

Where to Catch Snook

Snook season lasts from March into late September. The best times to target snook are dusk, nighttime and dawn. I like the tail end of an incoming tide to flood the shallows.

When I’m fishing Ponce Inlet, I cast to dock and bridge pilings. In Mosquito Lagoon, I key into stretches of mangrove trees with sporadic overhangs. I cast to every river point and turn to find snook waiting to ambush bait. Most of the time snook hang out in schools. If I catch one snook, I expect to catch more.

Snook Tactics

A typical day of snook fishing can mean fast and furious action or making many casts with no bites. I use a topwater lure in the morning and transition to a Z-Man paddle tail for the rest of the day. The magic is finding the perfect speed to retrieve my lure and determine how the fish are reacting. Most of the time, a slow to medium retrieve keeps the lure just under the surface of the water. At dawn and dusk, a topwater Spook triggers an explosive bite.

I use an Old Town Sportsman PDL 106 or Salty PDL 120. The pedal drive allows me to propel and steer my kayak in strong currents and heavy wind while leaving my hands free for fishing. The Sportsman 106 is a foot shorter and a little wider so it’s a bit sturdier in waves and wind. On a nice day, I use the Salty 120 because it’s faster and turns on a dime. I can cover more water with less effort. I rigged each boat with adjustable rod holders to keep my reels away from the salt water.

When I cast to structure, I anchor the boat in place. I use an Anchor Wizard winch to lift and lower my anchor. I can quickly change the angle of my boat by adjusting the anchor rope in the anchor trolly.

To land a feisty snook and prevent injury to myself or the fish, I use a YakAttack Leverage Landing Net. Rapala Floating Fish Grippers help me remove the hook from a wriggling snook.

Snook Story

One of my favorite days snook fishing, my brother and I spent a Saturday cruising down the canals. The fish were blowing up on the surface. All we had to do was cast to a disturbance and hold on for a fun fight. Ten hours later, I lost count of the number of snook we had caught. My arms and back muscles were fried after reeling in so many fish.

4 Redfish

Trey Carden | Charleston, South Carolina

Vibe Kayaks team member, Lowcountry Kayak Anglers former club president

I love fishing for redfish because of their strong fight and willingness to take a variety of artificial lures. Redfish are one of the most iconic inshore fish. The dark copper body punctuated with the famous spotted tail appears on T-shirts, bumper stickers and fishing hats. Their fame derives from the drag-screaming runs that put fishing gear to the test. I can target redfish with bait, jigs, swimbaits and topwater, but sight fishing is my favorite tactic. Spotting a school of reds in shallow water, landing a perfect cast and watching the fish attack my lure is one of the most exciting fishing experiences.

Where to Catch Redfish

Prime time is September through October. In winter, redfish look for clear, cold water. In spring, red drum follow the bait inshore, hunting oyster mounds, mud flats, grass lines and creek mouths. In summer, redfish seek refuge from the heat in deep drop-offs.

Redfish are comfortable in water temperature from 60 to 90 degrees but the fish cooperate best around 70 degrees. Clear water makes it easier for the fish to see my lure and for me to see the redfish. Ideal times are an hour on each side of high and low tide. When the water is at a standstill expect a lull in the action. For a great topwater bite, fish early in the morning. Overcast skies also call for topwater lures. The bite remains active after sunset; fishing dock lights provides a break from the summer heat. When the air pressure is low or the water is moving too fast, I anchor in a creek mouth or find a drop-off and fish a bottom rig with bait.

When the tide is high, I sight fish on grass flats. If the water is too low to get into the grass, I target creek bends and submerged structure such as wrecks, rockpiles, oysterbars, sandbars and mud flats. In summer, I target drop-offs and shady spots under docks. An oyster bed at a creek mouth on the outgoing tide is a great spot to find reds. When fishing grass lines, I like to work parallel to the edge and cast to a hole or indention in the grass. If I don’t find redfish in the grass, I continue fan-casting and targeting structure and moving water.

Redfish Tactics

I love hitting the water just before sunrise and throwing a walk-the-dog topwater. To give the fish plenty of time to find the lure, I make a long cast and slowly walk the dog. For sight fishing, my go-to is a Z-Man DieZel MinnowZ with a 1/8- to 1/4-ounce Eye Strike jighead. To avoid spooking the fish, I use the lightest jig that will reach the bottom. I also like to drift a popping cork down a grass line or over a sandbar. Every 30 seconds I give the cork a few short pops.

A full-size pedal kayak, like my Vibe Shearwater 125, is great for holding position while fishing open water. But, when the redfish are super shallow, a paddle kayak or SUP sneaks into backwater creeks and through the grass. To position my kayak in deep water, I use a grapple anchor and anchor trolley. In shallow water, a stakeout pole allows me to stop the kayak quickly and quietly.

Redfish Story

The first time I saw redfish belly crawling across a flat, I was shoveling mud with my paddle trying to get into a flat before the tide started to rise. From 50 yards away, I watched bait explode and the back of a large redfish come out of the water. I grabbed my Skitter Walk and made the perfect cast about 10 feet ahead of the fish. When I started the walking action, the redfish took off like a torpedo and completely engulfed the bait. The attack led to a drag-screaming, 15-minute fight and a solid 28-inch redfish. After this trip, I learned I miss the best fishing when I hit the snooze button on my alarm.

5 Summer Flounder

Wesley Nowlen | Northeast Florida

Flounder are an overlooked inshore fish. But the flat fish are misunderstood. Catching flounder on light tackle with bait or artificial lures takes patience and finesse. Flounder are ambush hunters, lying on the bottom and waiting for a meal. When they attack, the bite is ferocious. Flounder often grab the tail of their prey, so hooking a flounder requires perfect timing and a fine touch. They fight with a series of head shakes as their flat body undulates against the pressure of the hook. Best of all, flounder are one of the most delicious inshore fish. The fine white meat can be baked, fried and stuffed with crab. How about flounder sashimi?

Where to Catch Summer Flounder

Flounder move inshore in late summer to fall. The fish winter offshore and then move back inshore during spring and summer.

Seek out clear water above 70 degrees. Moving current is most important. I look for a rising barometer and cloud cover. Dusk and dawn are best. At night, a full moon helps the flounder see the bait. When conditions aren’t ideal, I explore new areas in hopes of learning a new pattern.

I fish sandy bottom, rocks, docks and grass lines. Look for moving water causing eddies around the structure. When the tide changes, the current comes to a dead stop and the flounder bite dies. I use my trolling motor to maneuver around structure while casting and working the bait along the bottom.

Summer Flounder Tactics

My first choice is a Carolina rig and live or strip bait. The best artificial lure is a curly-tail or fluke-style soft plastic. I use the lightest jig possible to get the lure to the bottom without spooking the fish.

I use a NuCanoe Unlimited outfitted with a MotorGuide Xi3 for flounder fishing. To find structure, I have a nine-inch Lowrance HOOK Reveal with side scan sonar. In shallow water, I use a stakeout pole. In deeper water, a Tornado Anchor holds bottom without getting stuck in structure. To keep my catch, I use a 50-can soft-sided cooler that fits in my tankwell.

Summer Flounder Story

One of the most memorable days I was fishing in St. Augustine. I decided to fish docks that were known to hold flounder. Everything felt right: tide, wind, clouds, water temperature and current were in line. I didn’t catch anything on the first few docks I hit. Then, I felt the sensation of the flounder slowly chewing my bait. I set the hook and caught a legal-size flounder. Within 30 minutes, I had my limit of flounder. It was hard to leave the fish biting.

6 Bonefish

Kevin Patrick Hughes | Miami, Florida

Former kayak fishing guide at South Florida Uncharted

Reaching speeds up to 40 miles per hour, bonefish are the fastest inshore gamefish and one of the fastest fish in the world. A bullet-shaped head followed by a muscular missile body and forked tail make bonefish a lethal weapon. Blistering speed allows bonefish to pull off mind-blowing runs surprisingly powerful for a fish that averages three pounds. In addition to drag-melting speed, bonefish inhabit crystal clear water, brilliant white-sand flats and bright green grass. I pole my kayak through this tropical backdrop to sight fish for gray ghosts hunting the shallows.

Where to Catch Bonefish

Target bonefish from March to June. As water temperatures rise, bonefish congregate to feed on the flats. In April and May, on the full moon, bonefish gather to spawn. The spring bonefish frenzy coincides with the arrival of baitfish and crustaceans. Summer sees the calmest weather for sight fishing. To find bonefish in winter, look for warm water pockets.

Sight fishing on the flats is the most popular way to catch bonefish. But sight fishing depends on weather and water conditions. When the sun is high and the water is clear, I get the best chance to see a bonefish.

An ideal day would have light wind and high tide at sunrise. At high tide, bonefish hunt in the surf line and feed on crustaceans and mollusks. In low light, bonefish are less wary and more willing to eat.

The fish ride the falling tide to the deep pockets along the edge of the flats. At midday, the tide swings and begins to flood and the sun is high for sight fishing. This is a perfect scenario for seeing bones daisy chaining along the edge of sandbars and grass flats.

The rule of thumb for finding bonefish is follow the rising tide into the shallows and then retreat to deeper water as the tide drops. Look for bonefish on sand bars, grass flats, edges and flats.

Bonefish Tactics

Bonefish hunt in clear, shallow water. Standing in my kayak, I see the fish swimming along the bottom. When I spot a bone, I cast a crab or shrimp lure and work it into the fish’s path. Once the bonefish sees the lure, it usually attacks.

When the sky is cloudy, I change tactics. I anchor the kayak in a known bonefish area and chum with small bits of shrimp. I fish with a live shrimp on a small hook floating in the current. Or, I stack several pieces of shrimp on a hook, called a bonefish booger.

Another option on a cloudy day is blind casting a small bucktail, known as a skimmer jig, in promising areas. The skimmer jig has a flat head and monofilament weed guard to slide over grass and structure without snagging. My favorite colors are variations of tan, gold, brown, orange and pink.

I target bonefish in shallow water, so a stable and quiet paddle kayak or hybrid SUP is easier to navigate. The water is too shallow to require a fish finder. My only rigging is a stakeout pole. A stakeout pole is easier than an anchor to deploy and retrieve and it doesn’t damage the grass.

Bonefish Story

One of the best parts of targeting bones is I often run into other prized gamefish like tarpon, permit and mutton snapper. One early morning in late April, on a full moon high tide, I found schools of bonefish and mutton snapper in a deep trough next to a grass flat. For an hour I caught either a bonefish or a mutton snapper on almost every cast.

Another memorable day came in early summer when the sargassum weed pushed onto the beaches. The seaweed provides habitat for crabs, shrimp and schools of pilchards. Bonefish are opportunistic feeders. When large schools of pilchards are around, bones will turn away from their normal fare of crabs and shrimp and focus on little fish. I was targeting tarpon with a MirrOlure and unexpectedly caught several bones hunting around the sargassum.

These experiences illustrate the importance of thinking outside the box. I always look for fish where I don’t expect to find them.

7 Tarpon

Alex Tejeda | Miami, Florida

Bone Collector Kayak Fishing guide

Tarpon, also known as the silver leviathan, silver king and poon, is the ultimate inshore target. The bright silver fish grows to over 100 pounds and lives in water as shallow as a few feet deep. The prehistoric species is infamously difficult to fool and harder to set the hook. On the line, tarpon jump into the air, charge the kayak, dive deep and buck like a bronco. If I do manage to work a silverado to the kayak, I take a quick look at the brilliant armored warrior before releasing it. Tarpon live from the Gulf Coast to the mid-Atlantic, but the best place to target them is from south Florida to the Keys.

Where to Catch Tarpon

February to June, tarpon migrate south to the Lower Keys. Water temperatures rising to the upper 70s will put tarpon on the move. A late-season cold front pushes tarpon offshore into deep water and strong current. Early morning and late evening are prime feeding times. Tarpon respond to calm, hot and muggy weather by rolling on the surface and slurping up small baitfish and crustaceans. When it’s windy and cloudy, I head to mangrove creeks and look for small openings where I hide from the elements and target smaller tarpon.

While I look for free-jumping and rolling tarpon, I listen for fish slapping their tails and gulping air. Areas near large passes with a basin, bridge and deep channel hold tarpon.

Tarpon Tactics

Best baits are mullet, live crabs, pinfish and shrimp. I focus on the outgoing tide when tarpon move into the shallows. I stake out my kayak on the edge of a channel and upcurrent of rolling tarpon. I float a mullet, crab, pinfish or shrimp in the current to the feeding fish. When I’m fishing a bridge, I position my boat down current. Then, I cast to the bridge and let the current sweep the lure back to my kayak. Heavy current and crosswinds turn the passes into a washing machine. Then, I focus on the edge of a flat near a boat channel where the water is calmer.

Beating a tarpon from the kayak is one of the toughest challenges. I use a lot of drag and heavy tackle to keep the fight short. Once the fish is away from the threat of breaking off in the structure, I crank hard to reel in the fish fast. When the tarpon is close to the boat, I reel down and pull back on rod to encourage the fish to jump. After a couple leaps into the air, the fish will tire out quickly. Keeping the fight short also discourages sharks from attacking the tarpon.

When I’m fishing for tarpon in deep water and strong current, a pedal or motor kayak is a big advantage. The pedal or motor makes it possible to maneuver in the current and control the kayak while I’m hooked into a big tarpon. In shallow water, I prefer a paddle kayak for a clean deck to avoid snagging the line while fighting a tarpon. To store my live bait, I use a five-gallon bucket and a pump to circulate the water. On hot days, I throw a frozen water bottle into the livewell to keep the water cool.

8 Calico Bass

Howie Strech | San Diego, California

Marketing manager, Newport Vessels

Similar to their freshwater counterparts, calico and bay bass are the saltwater version of largemouth and smallmouth bass. The fish respond to the same types of lures and light tackle and are often found around structure such as points and grass. For southern California anglers, inshore bass fishing is a great way to spend a summer afternoon casting lures for feisty fighters.

Where to Catch Calico Bass

Summer is the prime season for calico and spotted bay bass. As the water temperature warms, calico bass become more aggressive. When water temperatures exceed 70 degrees, calico bass will strike topwater lures.

Consistent weather patterns get the fish into an active and predictable mood. Almost every summer afternoon, southern California sees a moderate sea breeze. This condition creates a downhill current that pushes bait into structure like kelp and rocks that hold calico bass. Blue to clear green water with moderate current is best. When I’m fishing boiler rocks, I want my cast to land in the foam.

For spotted bay bass, seek out warm, clean green water with tidal current to sweep baitfish over eel grass, rocks and high spots. Spotted bay bass position with their noses into the current awaiting any opportunity to ambush smelt and anchovy.

I use both visual indicators and sonar to find calico bass. Visual indicators include current and wind flowing into or alongside structure. I target leading edges and points of underwater structure. I observe the kelp and grass to get an accurate read on current direction. I will quietly slide into an area, take a look at the direction the kelp is laying, then pinpoint the leading edge of the kelp patch or hard structure.

Calico Bass Tactics

My favorite lures include soft swimbaits and hard jerkbaits that imitate senorita, perch, smelt, anchovy, sardine and Pacific and Spanish mackerel. A reliable go-to is a Z-Man TRD Ned bait on a 3/8-ounce mushroom head. I also work weedless swimbaits over the kelp, letting the lure sink into the holes and alongside the rocks. I also like a burn and pause retrieve with a 150-millimeter or larger jerkbait like the Daiwa SP Minnow.

A Hobie Pro Angler 360XR is the best kayak for shedding saltwater grass and thick kelp. The MirageDrive 360 allows me to precisely maneuver to get the perfect casting angle. My kayak is rigged with a Lowrance side-scanning TripleShot transducer to identify the density of structure and schools of baitfish.

Calico Bass Story

My best memory of targeting saltwater bass was a day in August when I was on a photo shoot and needed to catch big calico bass. The fish wanted a 170-millimeter Daiwa SP Minnow burned as fast as possible over the top of lay-down kelp. I had multiple fish over five pounds that day.

Catch a trophy close to shore. | Feature photo: Fin Arnold