Take Another Road: Yellowdog, a kayak angler's paradise.

Matlacha is a well known kayaker’s paradise. Within paddling distance there are places with names that most kayakers have heard time and time again. Names like Smokehouse Bay, Indian Fields, East Wall, Mud Hole just to name a few. For kayak anglers coming to Matlacha there are few places to stay close by, requiring a drive from Cape Coral or Ft Myers. Recently, I found a place in the heart of Matlacha that caters to kayakers, and the more the better.

The Redfish Cottage

Inside the Redfish

Yellowdog is comprised of several buildings on the waters of Matlacha Pass. It’s right next door to famous Bert’s Bar and Grill, and steps away from the Matlacha Bridge. There is a private gated entry to the compound which boasts three cottages, a commercial kitchen, a retail space featuring a well known kayak and paddling shop and ample dockage for boats and kayaks.

Each cottage is named after the target species of fish that inhabit the area. The Snook cottage is a studio with a large modern kitchen, seating area with large LCD television and a spacious bathroom. This unit is directly on the water and has several french doors opening up on the protected basin.

The Snook Cottage veranda

The Redfish is a one bedroom cottage that is oozing with old Matlacha charm. Vaulted bead board ceilings and reclaimed hardwood floors are some of the cool features. Renovated from an old fishing shack, this unit still has some of the interesting features of its past like uneven floors and low ceilings in the full kitchen. There is a living room with LCD television, dining area and a nice bathroom. This cottage overlooks the water and also has a front door on the busy main thoroughfare of the town.

The Tarpon is the biggest cottage with two bedrooms and one and a half bathrooms. This unit is a spacious open concept cottage with enough room for a large living room, dining room and big kitchen with bar. It has the largest deck of the three with seating for very large parties.

Inside the Snook

In the center of the compound is a full commercial kitchen. Yellowdog owners Chris and Linda Seibert have a restaurant license for the property, but until that comes to fruition, the kitchen is available if you have a large group. There are also two fishing kayaks and two paddleboards available for guests at no charge, in case you have to leave yours at home.

On the Water

My family and I reserved the Snook and Redfish cottages for two nights. I was all set to go fishing in the morning, then checking in that afternoon, but weather hampered those plans. I ended up checking in early, which was ok due to the remote check-in procedures. I was very pleased with the Redfish cottage and found it to be deceptively roomy. It was very clean. I connected to the wifi and it was speedy. I walked around the property and the docks. I noticed several fish and a large snook under the dock.

Redfish Charm

My sister Angie and her husband Carl checked into the Snook a little later and loved it. They immediately opened the waterfront doors and relaxed as we watched boats pull up to Bert’s. There was a steel drum band playing there and it was so close it felt like they were playing for us. Later that evening, we fished the docks and caught snapper, Spanish mackerel and one really big snook that took me to school.

The next morning I met fishing buddies Josh Harvel, John Donohue, Lucas Cesario and Mike Malle at the nearby Matlacha kayak launch and we paddled right by the Yellowdog cottages. We fished within a mile or two of the dock, catching over slot reds and trout, and one large jack with a bad disposition. After a few hours, we went back to the cottages for drinks before we paddled back to the launch. Later that afternoon, fishing buddy Allen Reddick picked my grandson Hunter and I up in his Hewes and south down the pass we went, catching snook and enough snapper to make Hunter tired. It was a great day of fishing from our base.

John Donohue saving the day

The next morning, checkout was a breeze. Hunter and I had breakfast at the famous Perfect Cup restaurant and capped off a great weekend. Yellowdog has it all for kayakers, especially for groups, who want to fish the famous Matlacha Pass area and Pine Island. Check out their website at www.ouryellowdog.com and go fishing!