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First time out into the Kitchen area of Tampa Bay's South Shore, just north of the Big Bend power station. Launched from the Kitchen Branch culvert on 41, at a dead low negative tide. Didn't have to cross any actual mud, but there were two areas where the kayak would not float with me in it, so I had to slog a bit.

In spite of good water movement, there was not much happening anywhere on the flat or the deeper water. Only saw a few mullet, and those were close to the end of the incoming tide far inshore, near the creek mouth. Didn't generate anything other than a few ladyfish, until the trip back. Picked up a few micro-snook, lost one about 24" at the boat, one rat red - all in the mangroves in the creek, next to the big house.

Guess I need some Kitchen lessons...

Greg, good to see you Sunday at EGSP and glad to see you made it out.
Hopefully with no issues either.

That's a tough launch at a negative low. I usually concentrate on the oyster bars and the east sides of the islands further out on the flat for reds and snook. The maze will also usually produce all three when the water's moving.

Good luck

You should have consulted your sensei.

Fished around the islands - east and the north lee sides - and in the maze. Only saw three slot reds together, back on the flat near the creek mouth. Didn't get further north onto the flat, or further out.

Kitchen is one of my favorite places to fish on the South Shore.....I caught my biggest Red there just outside of that Creek mouth......I also loved to launch at Kracker Rd but that is a very shady place to launch, especially since they have closed off the loop......Greg if you keep working the Kitchen it will become one of your go to places on the South Shore.....

You're back in the saddle again? The fishing may not have been stellar but I hope the rest of the trip went well.

Went very well - thanks, Rik. Robert and I were just talking about making the Kitchen our target area for this year - there's a lot of water to learn there.