One of the best techniques I have found for fishing the ICW (Inter Costal Waterway) is to drift with the current. While drifting I will often have a finger mullet rigged in a pole holder and have another rod that I work with a lure on it.
The Current Drift
Most of the ICW will have quite a bit of current that is affected by the tides. An outgoing tide will cause the drift towards the nearest inlet while an outgoing tide will push you away from the inlet. No matter the direction of the current I like to position my boat broad side to the current causing a slower drift. The broadside drift also allows much more space on the boat for trolling or casting options.
The Rigs
I almost always troll a finger mullet while drifting (deadly on trout and redfish). I use a Carolina rig with just enough weight to keep the mullet mid-water. If I am attempting to drift the channel, I use more weight to get the bait down deeper.
My second pole I choose a lure appropriate to the part of the ICW I am drifting on. If I am near mangrove I toss Berkley Gulp Alive shrimp, near the channel I toss a gotcha plug, early morning or near sunset I toss a top water jerk bait. I just make sure to keep the lure in an area that I can either retrieve it quickly or leave it in the water out of the way if the live bait rig gets a fish in.
Safety
Sadly, there are many boaters on the water that do not respect kayaks, or any other boaters for that matter. Some boats will not slow down and will barley take evasive actions to avoid running you over. So it is VERY important to always be aware of your surroundings. If a boat is coming down the channel at high speed, don’t expect them to avoid you, AVOID them.
When outside the channel, another advantage of the broadside drift is the bow, or stern, will almost always face the wake of a passing boat. There are times, however, when a large boat throws a very large wake. When the is the case, it is best to put the rods down, pick up the paddle and make sure to keep the bow, or stern, pointed into the wake to avoid being swamped or capsized.
Conclusion
Drifting the ICW has become one of my favorite ways to fish from my kayak. Keeping my eyes open and my mind on safety has kept me from getting into any trouble on the water and lead to me landing quite a few trophy fish!
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