We would like to introduce BD’s newest Fishin’ Chick, Dee Kaminski, of Reel Kayak Fishing.
BD: Where do you live?
Dee Kaminski: I was born in Chicago, Illinois and then moved to Melbourne Beach, Florida, all for the love of fishing.
BD: What do you do for a living?
Dee Kaminski: I have been a full-time saltwater kayak fishing guide since 2007 on Florida’s Space and Treasure Coast. I am also a brand ambassador for multiple fantastic manufacturers in the fishing industry who support my passion.
BD: What are your other hobbies?
Dee Kaminski: Well, I just became a grandmother in July. Therefore, my newest hobby is holding him as much as I can. I enjoy getting all the photos I can so I can put them into a memory book as I did for my two sons. I enjoy paddleboarding, cooking, camping and just hanging out with my Fiancé whether fishing or enjoying a glass of wine.
BD: Who or what got you into fishing?
Dee Kaminski: My parents! It’s hard to tell if it was my father or my mother. My parents built a cottage in Ontario, Canada on a gorgeous lake. I remember my father showing me what lures worked for a day of trolling for musky and walleye. He would always make sure gear was prepped and ready for any kind of fishing. When it came to northerns, bass, or bluegill, I was always with my mother who was showing me the ropes. I guess they both had their special place in teaching me the basics.
BD: How long have you been fishing?
Dee Kaminski: I have been fishing since I was a couple years old. Let’s just say more than 45 years. Don’t want to give my age away. It all started after they built the family cottage. My parents didn’t have a babysitter when we vacationed there so I HAD to go along when they went fishing. Once they put a fishing pole in my hand and I landed my first fish, I was “hooked”! When most girls were playing with Barbie’s, I was out fishing.
BD: What types of fishing have you done and where?
Dee Kaminski: As I grew up, I fished mostly in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan, several lakes in Canada, catching everything from musky, northern pike, pickerel, bass, whitefish, bluegill, and the list goes on. My Fiancé introduced me to surf fishing on a visit to Melbourne Beach, Florida. That’s when I fell in love with saltwater and moved here. After we purchased kayaks, I quickly fell in love with inshore flats fishing for redfish, snook, trout, flounder and tarpon, all on light tackle. I have had a few chances to fish offshore and caught kingfish, mahi mahi, and black seabass.
BD: What is your favorite kind of fishing so far?
Dee Kaminski: I love sight fishing for redfish, snook, trout, black drum, flounder and tarpon from my kayak or SUP on light tackle. Being able to stand and see fish in pure stealth mode is amazing because you aren’t dependent on anyone but yourself to sight the fish, cast and land your prize catch. Going on a “sleigh ride” after hooking up is exciting and very rewarding.
BD: What are some future goals or plans pertaining to fishing?
Dee Kaminski: I would love to learn how to fly fish and to one day fish offshore in a kayak. Perhaps I may go back up north and stay at the cottage my parents built and fish the lakes and streams for trout. I do have a “bucket list” of fish I would like to dwindle down too. I also plan to continue my volunteer services with many organizations pertaining to conservation and teaching children to fish and be good stewards.
BD: What part of fishing do you like the most?
Dee Kaminski: I love everything and anything that has to do with fishing. To knock it down, I would have to say I love the “heart pounding” adrenaline rushes. It’s not even my own, but to see it in my client’s face when they catch that special fish from a kayak, makes me have goose-bumps all over. I also love the serenity of fishing from a kayak. When fishing while paddling down a creek or fishing in a marsh, you get to be up close and personal with nature around you. You get to inhale beauty that you don’t normally see when running from location to location in a boat.
BD: Tell us about some of your proudest moments in fishing.
Dee Kaminski: There are so many! I was so proud of myself for starting Reel Kayak Fishing Charters. After investigating, what goes into being a guide, I found out there weren’t any women doing what I was about to start, at least not in my area. Now, every time clients, especially the little ones, hook up and land a fish, I am ecstatic. In 2012, I was voted Kayak Fishing Guide and Angler of the Year by my peers in the YakAngler.com community, which told me I was doing it right! Recently, I was asked to be a returning guest traveling speaker in the George Poveromo National Seminar Series for the 3rd year in a row! I love sharing my experiences, expertise and to meet everyone that shares my same passion.
BD: What other “aspects of you” would you like to portray?
Dee Kaminski: While fishing for so many years on the Indian, Banana, and Mosquito Lagoon, one cannot help but notice the changes in the environment from human impact. It’s not just our waterways but ALL waterways. Our environment is in peril. I have been trying to do my part in helping change the way people are treating our environment; from picking up trash to volunteering to teach the next generation to be responsible marine stewards.
I ask everyone to contribute in their special way so that our children and our grandchildren can experience grass-covered, crystal clear waters filled with healthy and happy fish.
Our thanks to Dee for sharing her story with us. You can check out her website or follow her Facebook page.
