I regularly fly fish the Manatee River and Lake Manatee near my home in Sarasota, Fla. For some reason, these bodies of water offer the best fly fishing for channel cats that I've ever experienced. I fly fish in fresh water all over the state, but the lake and river are the only two spots that I can actually target channel cats. The fish usually range from a pound to more than 10 pounds.

I catch them on my Myakka Minnow and nymphs under a strike indicator. I have taken as many as 18 channel cats in a day. Typical day is four or five.

These fish are great fighters on fly!