By Jane Feehan
I’ve visited all its fishing piers while growing up in South Florida. I've been as intrigued by the activities of anglers on the boards as by the surrounding blue waters. Recently, as a Florida historian, I saw an opportunity to quench my interest in angling while learning a bit more about this area’s topography by reading Steve Kantner’s Ultimate Guide to Fishing South Florida on Foot (published by Stackploe/Headwater and available on Amazon). This book provides all that—and more.
A disclaimer: I am not an angler nor will ever be. But Kantner’s knowledge of these subtropical environs—the Everglades, canals, lakes, spillways, beaches, jetties, docks, and their ecosystems—impresses anglers, tag-alongs and spectators like me.
Kantner's book is not only about the remote, secluded honey holes where he has guided both novice and expert fishing hopefuls but also about urban settings such as city of Oakland Park through which the natural Cherry Creek tributary runs. He considers this the “most pristine in-town waterway in all of South Florida.” Who knew. This is a must-read for anglers who call South Florida home.
The book also serves as a primer for anglers living near water in other parts of the state or country. He writes “the current is what triggers the action” and it’s the “wave action that serves as catalyst for shoreline fishing." That's useful information for land or sea anglers nearly anywhere. Kantner, who has a biology degree, reveals where the places are, how to get there, where to park, what to bring, the species that inhabit each, what time to catch them and how. His book is also a trove of information about flies, lures, and rigging, some of which he's invented or developed and bear his name.
There’s something for everyone who loves South Florida in this guide. It’s well written, informative, chock full of beautiful photos and more than anything, fascinating. Kantner cooks up a lot of what he catches. If only he could include his recipes in this tome ...
Tags: Fishing in South Florida, Steve Kantner, Landcaptain, Steve Landcaptain Kantner
