Canoes allow you to get into skinny water and over bars and other obstructions that keep other boats out. Canoeing anglers can reach areas that receive very little fishing pressure. If you're willing to get out and walk on top of the bars you can really work over promising or productive areas. Canoes let you touch the past as you explore the area the same way that natives did hundreds or thousands of years ago.

One place you can launch a canoe is at the public boat ramp found at the first bridge you cross when you travel toward Cedar Key down S.R. 24, the Channel Four bridge. Use the wind and currents to determine your direction of travel. Your best tactic involves catching the tide one way, fishing as you go. You wait for the tide to turn, and then catch the flow back to the launch site, again fishing as you go.

While you can find plenty of fish going in either direction, both Dupre and Collins suggest trying around Corrigan's Reef, east of the Channel Four bridge. This "reef" is actually a huge collection of oyster bars, between two and three miles long. One end pokes up into the salt marsh. The other extends well out into the Gulf. You could spend several days exploring this one area alone.

You'll find another good area around Rattlesnake Key, west of the S.R. 24 bridge. An extensive system of oyster bars surrounds the key, giving the angler plenty of promising spots to try. This expedition is best saved for a nice weather day. The island is only about two miles from the boat ramp, but lies at the edge of the marsh and the open Gulf.

Also check out the waters around Shell Mound, north of Cedar Key. Take S.R. 24 from Cedar Key back and head toward Gainesville. Take the first left on C.R. 347 and then follow the signs.

Gainesville flyfisher Dana Griffin spends a lot of time here in a canoe, working the shorelines and creeks near Horse Island, Hog Island and Buck Island. There's a maze of oyster bars, passes, islands and islets giving the fish plenty of good hunting areas. Consequently, you'll have to move around to find them. Dana has best luck on the incoming tide at Shell Mound. When working shallow areas he prefers an orange-and-yellow Sea-Ducer with lots of silver flash tied in. As the water increases in depth he changes to a Clouser Minnow or a hybrid of a Whistler and a Sea-Ducer called a Whistleducer. His best fish to date was a 32-pound black drum, caught on the orange-and-yellow Sea-Ducer.

Yet another large piece of this salt marsh system presents itself for exploration to the east and south of Cedar Key at Waccasassa Bay State Preserve. The 31,000 acres here have no public access other than by boat.

You can run a skiff to the preserve from Cedar Key, or launch a canoe at the boat ramp in the preserve itself. To find this ramp from Cedar Key take S.R. 24 to US 19 and go south. Go right on C.R. 326 when you reach the town of Gulf Hammock. The ramp is at the end of the road on the Waccasassa River. If you take a motor skiff here use extreme caution navigating this treacherous creek. Searching the creek mouths and flats for reds and trout right at the mouth of the Waccasassa River will keep you busy for a long time.

Whether you prefer guided trips or the do-it-yourself variety, the salt marsh complex around Cedar Key presents a wealth of opportunities for the flyfisher. Spend a day, a week, or a lifetime exploring the fly fishing and the natural beauty of this Gulf Coast paradise.

What to Bring

Fly casters heading to Cedar Key should carry at least two rods, one rigged with a floating line, the other with a sink-tip. Seven- and 8-weights are ideal. With the sinking outfit you'll be ready to fish places with fast currents or deep holes or both. The floating line is used to work the edges of oyster bars or other structure.

Leader length will vary with the type of line used. On sinking lines use a short leader, between two and three feet. A single length of 15-pound-test monofilament works well. On the floating line use a 9- or 10-foot leader tapered down to a 15-pound tippet. Check these tippet sections frequently for abrasion, as the oysters will shred them in short order. Be sure to bring extra leader material, and plenty of flies!

Accommodations and Diversions

Cedar Key has a long and interesting history which the visitor can learn about at the Cedar Key State Museum. Most of the residents there now make their living by fishing, by catering to the tourist trade, or by creating art. You'll find many interesting small galleries in town.

If you like eating seafood, a walk around town will be an adventure. Restaurants line the streets, most serving freshly caught seafood. The town boasts of many excellent accommodations for visitors. One of the nicest is The Island Place, right on the Gulf and a one-minute walk from the town boat ramp. Call them at (352) 543-5306. For more information about lodging or restaurants in Cedar Key call the Chamber of Commerce at (352) 543-5600 between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Monday through Friday.