KAYAKS We used Hobie Outback kayaks, equipped with pedal-powered MirageDrives, to fish the Lower Keys. These drives, which operate fins beneath the hull, free up both hands to fish because your feet propel the boat. You can remain in one spot in wind or current, or make a controlled drift through a section of water, without putting your rod down. They were essential to our ability to fish the bridges, where a fisherman in a standard kayak would have to paddle constantly to maintain control. With the MirageDrive you can navigate until you enter the shallowest of waters, at which point you simply remove the pedal unit and use a paddle. Outbacks start at $1,849 (hobie.com). You can rent kayaks at several marinas throughout the Keys. Florida Bay Outfitters (305-451-3018) in Key Largo has a vast supply.
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RODS** The 7- and 71⁄2-foot St. Croix Tidemaster Inshore travel rods ($210-$250; stcroixrods.com) were perfect for fishing the Keys: The three-piece rods fit in a duffel, are soft enough to cast a shrimp without snapping it off the hook, and have enough backbone to tame a powerful fish. The lengths allow you to keep a straight line to the fish when it crosses in front of the 'yak; the shorter butt sections mean you don't have to hold the rod out in front of you when reeling from a kayak seat.
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REELS, LINE** We fished with sealed-drag Abu Garcia Soron SX reels, now redesigned as the Abu Garcia Orra SX ($70 and up; abugarcia.com) loaded with 10-pound-test mono and 15-pound fluorocarbon leaders for the shallows, and 17-pound line with 25-pound fluoro around the bridges. We also kept spare spools of 30-pound braid and 50-pound fluoro for heavier fish. BAIT Everything in the Keys eats shrimp, and the fresher yours are, the better. Freshly dead shrimp are better than frozen, and Gulp! shrimp will catch snappers. Circle hooks are required when fishing for reef species in the Gulf of Mexico; we used size 1/0 to 4/0 circles, depending on the size of the shrimp we had on. In many cases a split shot or two was enough weight to keep the shrimp close to the bottom when we were drifting, even near the bridges. Where legal, we also used 1⁄16-ounce jigs tipped with a shrimp. Jig's Bait and Tackle (305-872-1040; jigsbaitandtackle.com) on U.S. 1 in Big Pine Key sells a variety of bait at reasonable prices.
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ACCOMMODATIONS** The rustic housekeeping cabins at Old Wooden Bridge Guest Cottages and Marina (305-872-2241; oldwoodenbridge.com) on Big Pine Key start at $95 per night. There are kayaks (and a boat launch) on site, as well as a marina and a fully stocked bait and tackle shop. Part owner Capt. Bill Keogh offers charter kayak fishing trips (keyskayaktours.com). If you don't want to prepare your own meals, Parmer's Resort (305-872-2157; parmersresort.com) on nearby Little Torch Key offers spacious and comfortable rooms and suites, along with a free breakfast, starting at $99 per night. RESOURCES The Florida Keys Paddling Guide by Bill Keogh lists every kayak launch (official and otherwise) from Key Largo to Key West, and has maps and descriptions of paddling routes. Florida Keys Paddling Atlas by Bill and Mary Burnham has detailed charts of all Florida Keys waters, including water depths and habitat types. For general information about the Keys, go to fla-keys.com. This is where you buy the essentials (which are beer, bait, and tackle, according to the signs outside) at Old Wooden Bridge Guest Cottages and Marina. Old Wooden Bridge, on Big Pine Key, and Parmer's Resort, on Little Torch Key, are ideal, affordable accommodations for fishermen and their families in the Lower Keys.

Mike Toth