Features
Q & A with Randy “River Pirate” Vining
Story by Tony Narcisse and photo by Ron Mancil and Doug Fallon
Randy “River Pirate” Vining is a true Georgia original or, as he says, “A pirate born 400 years too late.” A member of the Ocean Kayak Pro Staff Fishing Team and a professional kayak fishing guide, the Pirate plies his trade on the rivers of middle Georgia in pursuit of the fabled shoal bass. The Pirate is an expert on this elusive species, which is found only in Georgia and a handful of tributaries that run into Alabama and Florida. In fact, it’s the Pirate’s knowledge of these gamefish and his comittment to protect them and their habitat that has brought him in close contact with President Jimmy Carter, presenting the Georgia-born Pres with a kayak in 2008.
We captured the Pirate and asked him to share some of his treasure with KAO.
How did you get to meet Jimmy Carter and give him a kayak?
In the 1970’s, during then Governor Carter’s administration, he was critical in protecting the Flint River and surrounding watershed from proposed damming. Now, due to the recent droughts in our state, there has been renewed talk from some of Georgia’s legislators to dam the Flint. Once again, we’ve called on President Carter to assist us in protecting the Flint and join us in the formation of the Flint River Keeper Organization. It was at the inaugural event for the organization that I had the good fortune of giving President Carter a kayak on behalf of the River Keepers.
We understand that shoal bass are your favorite species to target—can you tell us a little about them?
Shoal bass are one of the seven black bass species found in Georgia. The shoal bass was not recognized as a separate species until the late 1990’s when George Burgess and Jim Williams, two ichthyologists from Florida, did some research on them and determined they are indeed a unique species. The state record catch is eight pounds, three ounces caught in the Flint River in 1977. They’re hard fighting fish and they can be caught on most any bass lure: finesse worms, spinner baits, jigs and topwater baits like broken back minnow lures and buzz baits. Shoal bass are active all year long with early spring through fall being the best times to fish them.
As a kayak river fishing guide, how do you help novice anglers get the most out of a trip on a Georgia river?
My job as a guide is to show the clients what bait to use and how to present that bait so that it looks natural to the fish. I show them the types of areas where the bass tend to hang out and how to position the kayak to present the bait to that spot. Even if we don’t catch a fish, just floating the rivers is great fun. The scenery is vibrant and changes with every mile and there are bald eagles, deer and wild hogs to see. There are also shoals to negotiate, which makes the paddling part fun. But once a client hangs into that hard-fighting shoal bass my job is done. That angler is hooked for life!
What’s considered a good day on the river?
There are days when we might catch 50 fish—an average good day will be 15 to 20. But any day on the river is a good day.
Tony Narcisse is the owner/operator of KayakFishLanier.
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