Page 108 - South Mississippi Living - November, 2015

SPORTS & OUTDOORS night moves THE
The Fish Whisperer knows how to lure them in
story and photos by Mark Spain
It was a dark and windy night when I first met Kyle Johnson. The skies were cloudy with a crisp temperature of 69 degrees, not the ideal conditions for catching fish. I shook his hand and followed him to his humble 14-foot skiff, a craft I underestimated. The boat was lined with interior
rope lights that lighted the interior of the boat with green, red and white light that he could change depending on the nature of his work.
We started the journey into our exciting episode of night fishing. I promised him that his fishing spots would be held as sacred secrets. We slowed much sooner than I expected, anchoring just within casting distance of our prey. Kyle explained that when
fishing for trout, it’s best to keep your
distance so you don’t spook the fish.
Kyle’s first cast was instantly hit hard,
but he didn’t hook up. His second was
dead on and he pulled the first trout
into the boat. Although, not a keeper,
we knew they were there. The wind was
screaming and our boat was being moved
in circles, so we had to change our positions
constantly. We didn’t mind, we were in the belly
of the beast. Kyle did a side cast and as soon as
the artificial shrimp hit the water, he smiled and said,
“Mark, this is lunch.”
Then he decided to take me to a place where you can just about pick out the redfish you want to take home. I, being a little skeptical, wanted to experience this firsthand.
As we skimmed along, Kyle talked about his passion for fishing. He grew up on the Gulf and has studied the habits of many of the species that inhabit her waters. It started with his grandpa taking him shore fishing all over the coast. Kyle and his dad also fished often throughout his childhood. His approach to fishing is extremely scientific. He has
DEAL
108 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • November 2015 FOR MORE REFLECTIONS OF THE GULF COAST >> www.smliving.net