explains. “The tiger minnows tend to stay on the surface, so when they get nervous, I get ready.” Because of the inherent abuse, tackle
is kept simple. A 7-foot 6-inch medium- action spinning rod is paired with a 4000-class reel spooled with 15-pound Trilene monofilament. The longer rod gives better leverage for landing fish without a net and increases casting dis- tance. Droze skips a leader, tying on a 4/0 wide gap worm hook directly with an improved clinch knot. With the thin mono, he always makes sure the hook eye is completely closed. “I like the mono because it gives a
little bit for the trout and I can count on one hand the times I’ve broken off with no leader,” he explains. “Fishing these shallow, narrow creeks requires finesse and the mono is harder for the fish to see. They’re skittish enough as it is.”
WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS Ideal conditions include moderate
current at the tail-end of the outgoing or first part of an incoming tide. New or full moons with close to zero or neg- ative low tides are best. Droze scouts during those negative lows, especially in the winter time with a north wind, to
locate deeper holes and rocks that are prime zones. Satellite aerial photographs are another key reference. “Using the satellite images, look for
creeks with light tan zones. Those are shallow sand bars. The darker spots are deeper holes and if you find a pathway between the sandbars and trace it all the way to the gulf, those creeks will hold trout, redfish and flounder on low tides,” he says. Droze prefers wading for the physical
exercise, but he will sometimes drag a canoe or kayak behind him to transit back on incoming tides. He also rides his mountain bike along the Deep Creek levee to access small feeder creeks that eventually lead to open water. During our trek we waded almost to the mouth of one creek and back before riding three miles to fish the levee canal. Droze often crawls on hands and knees when casting to lower his profile and avoid spooking wary targets. His efforts and dedication certainly
pay off. We caught several mid-slot trout on our trip, but the day before, he landed a couple reds over 30 inches. His biggest refuge trout so far was a 28- inch, 7-pound 4-ounce gator taken from the mouth of a small rivulet.
Droze has had his share of wildlife
encounters over the
years, including being treed by a wild hog
and run-ins with alli- gators that also call these creeks home.
“Fish will be in those tiny little spots if
there’s enough for them to eat and they think nobody will get them,” he explains. But less pressure also means other
hazards. Droze has had his share of wildlife encounters over the years, including being treed by a wild hog and run-ins with alligators that also call these creeks home. “Since I got married I have three
rules: Don’t stay out after dark; don’t put my hands or feet where I can’t see them, and don’t go directly in the path of big gators. But I have had some close calls,” he says. “It was getting late one day and I was about half-way across the creek when I looked back to see a 12-footer making a beeline for me. He was only 20 feet away when I reached the bank. But I had to go back across to get home and he kept following me back and forth like a dog. I finally caught a ladyfish and waved it like a bone. I threw it towards the creek mouth, the gator chased it and I don’t think my feet touched the water until I reached the other side. “I don’t have a death wish,” he
adds. “I don’t consider those incidents the highlights of the experience. It’s just an occupational hazard of the type of fishing I do.” I’ve met a slew of hardcore anglers
over the years. Some certifiable ones too. The most successful, like Droze, are a little bit of both.
Dave Lear is an award-winning free-
lance writer and photographer whose byline appears frequently in several nation- al fishing and boating magazines and tour- nament web sites. He’s also had close encounters with alligators and sharks while wading, so now he mainly stays in the boat or kayak. When he’s not on assignment, this former light-tackle guide spends his retirement exploring the tidal creeks and flats of Northwest Florida.
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www.joincca.org TIDE
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