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Editor's note: ESPNOutdoors.com Fishing editor Ken Schultz also is a commentator for "BassCenter," which air Saturdays on ESPN2; look for his "Reel Speak" segment.

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Every once in a while an article appears about angling in or near such metropolitan areas as Chicago, New York or San Francisco, because to some people it's a big surprise that many of our most populated cities — usually first settled because of their location near a big lake, river, or ocean — have good recreation, including sport fishing.

While that is true of many places, what is often problematic is finding shore or boat access to the water. In many metro areas, that's really tough.

However, anyone who lives and fishes in the St. Petersburg area, bounded by Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, knows how lucky they've got it, especially if they fish on foot or by car-top boat. There's simply no end to the places where people can access the water, wade to fish and drop in a kayak or canoe.

When I began thinking about visiting this area, I assumed people were kayaking and fishing the abundant flats — and that in order to do likewise, I might have to rent one from a kayak-tour operator and somehow haul it on my rental car.

So I was mildly surprised when longtime friend and local resident Bill AuCoin said he knew a guide who specialized in this. One morning not long after I found myself with Bill AuCoin on the causeway to Fort DeSoto Park meeting up with Dave Loger and his friend Stacy Hatcher.

Loger, who owns and runs Adventure Kayak Fishing, takes customers kayak fishing anywhere in the state. But his home base is the Tampa-St. Pete area, where he finds hundreds of places to explore.

At his suggestion we paddled and fished the southern half of Shell Key Preserve, venturing to the inside of Shell Key, a barrier island whose outer sand beach faces the Gulf of Mexico, and around and between several mangrove islands.

Loger paddled and wade-fished (with the kayak tethered to his belt) in the open grass flats, while I stayed in my kayak and explored the edges of the mangroves, spotting a few sizable redfish and snook hiding in the low tidal waters of the root edges.

Although I've done much freshwater kayaking, paddling a kayak in shallow saltwater environs is still enough of a novelty to me that I spend a considerable amount of time peering into the water, watching for stingrays and sharks; spying crabs; looking for bait species, especially mullet; observing ospreys and herons hunt for fish; and trying to get within quiet casting distance of reds, trout and, occasionally, snook.

Such "eco observation" takes away from the number of casts I make, but I'm usually ready for that moment when a group of redfish suddenly pushes mullet up ahead. Then it's just a matter of making a couple of quick strokes to get into position to cast a plastic worm, soft-bodied jig or surface plug into the school. That occurred quite a few times.

Redfish and seatrout were on the agenda this day, and although there were no tarpon in the areas where we fished, they sometimes frequent these shallow areas and Loger does fish for tarpon in other near-shore areas.

I've never caught tarpon from a kayak, but I have to believe it would be a thrill. Loger will sometimes go with a customer in a tandem kayak to coach and help land and unhook the fish.

Pinellas County, which encompasses St. Petersburg, has an estimated 100 miles of saltwater shoreline where recreational anglers can park their vehicles and legally wade and fish or launch a kayak.

All of the beaches along the Gulf are public, with numerous public parking and access locations. The Gulf often is near-placid, especially on mornings, and a kayak angler can often fish along the beaches in relative ease.

There's less access to the waterfront along the Intracoastal Waterway and Tampa Bay, where much of the shoreline is privately owned. But there are many public parks, interstate highway rest areas and other public access spots where anglers can park and fish.

A great example of accessibility is Fort De Soto, which is just south of the area we kayaked and encompasses five islands.

There is more than 7 miles of waterfront here, and accessible grass flats are found nearby. Wade anglers and kayak anglers enjoy opportunities for snook, redfish, seatrout, flounder, pompano and Spanish mackerel.

Two other places that have good fishing near publicly accessible areas are Honeymoon Island State Park off the Dunedin Causeway (known for big snook in late spring and summer) and Fred Howard Park in Tarpon Springs (where grass flats are a seatrout hotspot).

It seems that if you're in this area and you don't go fishing, you can't blame it on not having a place to go.

If you're going …

To learn more about kayak-fishing opportunities in the Gulf or Bay waters of Pinellas County, call Dave Loger at Adventure Kayak Fishing at 727-858-5851, or visit his Web site. Loger has a fleet of kayaks fully rigged for fishing to suit any needs or body size. I found the sit-on-top model that I used very comfortable, but he also has sit-inside models and provides tackle if you need it, which is especially helpful to the visiting angler. Party sizes range from one to four. This is a year-round fishery, although not for all of the species. Summer fishing is usually best early in the morning and late in the afternoon, while spring fishing is best in the morning and winter fishing is best in the afternoon. For information about accommodations and attractions in the area, including beaches and parks, contact the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Convention & Visitors at 800-822-6461 or visit its Web site. I can recommend staying at the Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort next to the Skyway Bridge in St. Petersburg; contact them at 727-867-1151. For information about Fort De Soto County Park, call 727-582-2267 or visit its Web site.

Game-fish profile

Species: Drum, red (Sciaenops ocellatus).

Other names: Channel bass, redfish, rat red, bull red, puppy drum, drum, spottail bass, red bass, red horse, school drum.

In general: Commonly known as a channel bass and redfish, the red drum is second only to black drum in size among members of the drum family, Sciaenidae, but probably first in the hearts of anglers.

The common term "drum" refers to the loud and distinctive "drumming" noise that occurs by rapping a muscle against the swim bladder. The noise is voluntary and is assumed to be associated with locating and attracting mates; it can sometimes be heard from a good distance, even by people above the water.

Identification: The red drum is similar in appearance to the black drum, although reaching smaller maximum size and being more streamlined. The body is elongate with a subterminal mouth and blunt nose. On adults the tail is squared, on juveniles rounded. There are no chin barbels.

Coloring is coppery red to bronze on the back, and silver and white on the sides and belly. One or many black dots (also called an eyespot) are found at the base of the tail. A more elongated body and an absence of chin barbels distinguish the red drum from the black drum.

Size and age: Average adult red drum are 28 inches in length and weigh about 15 pounds. Though red drum can attain enormous sizes, they seldom do so. A 30-pounder is generally rare south of the Carolinas or in the Gulf, although fish up to 60 pounds may be caught in offshore locations.

Thirty- to 50-pound fish are most prominent in the mid-Atlantic, principally in North Carolina and Virginia; these sizes are considered trophies. Red drum can live to 50 or more years. The all-tackle record is a North Carolina fish of 94 pounds 2 ounces.

Distribution: Red drum are found in the western Atlantic Ocean from the Gulf of Maine to the Florida Keys, though they are rare north of Maryland, and all along the Gulf Coast to northern Mexico.

Habitat: An estuarine-dependent fish that becomes oceanic later in life, red drum may be found in brackish water and saltwater on sand, mud and grass bottoms of inlets, shallow bays, tidal passes, bayous and estuaries.

It also can tolerate freshwater, where some have been known to dwell permanently.

Larger red drum prefer deeper waters of lower estuaries and tidal passes while smaller drum remain in shallow waters near piers and jetties and on grassy flats.

Life History and behavior: Males are mature by 4 years of age at 30 inches and 15 pounds, females by 5 years at 35 inches and 18 pounds.

The spawning season is during the fall, although it may begin as early as August and end as late as November. Spawning takes place at dusk in the coastal waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico, near passes, inlets, and bays, and is often tied to new- or full-moon phases.

Immediately before spawning, males change color and become dark red or bright bluish-gray above the lateral line. Both males and females, hours before mating, chase and butt each other, drumming loudly. Females may release up to 4.5 million eggs, though very few survive to adulthood. Currents and winds carry the larvae into estuarine nursery areas.

Food and feeding habits: As a bottom fish, this species uses its senses of sight and touch, and its down-turned mouth, to locate forage on the bottom through vacuuming or biting the bottom.

Juveniles consume copepods, amphipods, and tiny shrimps. In summer and fall, adults feed on crabs, shrimps, and sand dollars.

Fishes such as menhaden, mullet, pinfish, sea robin, lizardfish, spot, Atlantic croaker and flounder are the primary foods consumed during winter and spring.

In shallow water, red drum can often be seen browsing head-down with their tails slightly out of the water, a behavior called "tailing."

For more fish species information, see "Ken Schultz's Fishing Encyclopedia," available through www.kenschultz.com.