Coastal Angler Magazine | March 2023 | Brevard Edition

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A MODERN-DAY

TED WILLIAMS

By A. DeGruchy

M

ajor League Baseball’s JD Martinez has garnered a lot of accolades, including three Silver Sluggers, a Hank Aaron Award and MLB Player of the Year. The man is a fivetime All-Star! What some folks might not know about the former Boston Red Sox turned Los Angeles Dodger is he’s also an avid fisherman.

Growing up in Miami, he often escaped to fish the Florida Keys. Through the years, that passion never faded. He now lives in Islamorada and spends the offseason fishing with Capt. Brandon “The Bean” Storin.

Capt. Bean grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and has vacationed every year in the Keys since he was 5 years old.

He fished with Capt. Jimmy Willcox, who inspired a dream to become a backcountry guide. In 2021, The Bean fulfilled his dream.

Together, JD and Capt. Bean have made memories while landing some awesome fish.

Their first trip in the Islamorada backcountry produced JD’s personal-best tripletail. It was JD’s first time tripletailing, and they were sight-casting buoys. Just like hitting a 95-mph fastball, timing and execution are everything, and JD made the perfect cast when they spotted a stud tripletail. Several runs and exhales later, The Bean swooped deep and netted the 20-plus-pound

beast. It was JD’s first, and it is a personal best that will take some work to beat.

Another epic adventure took place during a sunset blackfin tuna mission. Capt. Bean knew it was the optimal time for bigger blackfins, and they used light spinning tackle to make it more fun. It didn’t take more than a couple minutes for JD to get tight on a monster blackfin. All you could hear was the reel screaming, and the rod was doubled over the whole fight. It was JD’s personal-

best blackfin—a true butterball—and a full-grown one to boot.

On their most recent adventure, Capt. Bean and JD were bottom fishing for mutton snapper when an unexpected bite inhaled a whole ballyhoo. It ended up being an almost record-breaking yellowtail snapper, which at 29 inches was the fish of a lifetime. Gray’s taxidermy commemorated the yellowtail to add to JD’s mount collection, along with the aforementioned tripletail.

JD is a good angler, and he is not the first Red Sox slugger to find a fishing home on Islamorada. Ted Williams, considered by many to be the greatest hitter of all time, played for the Sox from 1939-1960. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966, and he is also a member of the Fly Fishing Hall of Fame.

Williams resided and fished in Islamorada for bonefish and tarpon with legendary Capt. Jimmy Albright. It is said he became as good an angler as any of the guides.

MLB and the Islamorada backcountry have a shared history. Capt. Bean and JD continue adding to the legends to this day.

Follow JD Martinez (@jdmartinez28) and Capt. Bean (@bnmbean) on Instagram.

Some of their adventures are featured on YouTube at Bean Sportfishing TV.

A TO REMEMBER

By Deidra Thrappas

N

oodling for Catfish...what have I gotten myself into?

This past summer, I wanted to do something exciting and different with my friends for my “bachelorette” getaway. I always thought noodling would be a cool experience.

If you’re not familiar with noodling, it’s a technique anglers use to catch catfish with their hands. In the lead-up to the spawn, catfish find holes in the banks where they will eventually lay and guard their eggs. It’s up to the angler to locate either a natural hole or a strategically placed box that a catfish has decided to call home. The angler then sticks their hand into the hole, triggering the catfish to chomp down on their hand and forearm.

Then, it’s a wrestling match to the surface.

The flathead catfish we pursued don’t have teeth, but they do grow large, with some fish reaching well over 50 pounds. It takes all your strength to get them out of their happy place and up to the surface to become fish celebrities.

Because it takes place during the spawn, this style of fishing has become almost 100-percent catch-and-release for many noodlers. After a few photos, fish are released safely to return to their holes and continue spawning duties.

When my two best friends and I left the familiar clear Florida waters for the beautiful state of Alabama, we had the goal to get one of these monster cats to bite... our arms. I’m not going to lie; I was a bit nervous getting on the boat. It was beautiful and peaceful on the river,

but the water is murky like chocolate milk and the banks are muddy. Shoes are highly recommended.

When I entered the water at our first spot, it kind of hit me: “What have I gotten myself into?” But there was no turning back. Our guide located the wooden box he had planted earlier in the season and instructed me to hold my breath and lie on the bottom while slowly sliding my hand into the hole.

At first there was nothing. Then…

WHAM! It was like a toothless gator grabbed me. I had been instructed to grab that sucker by its lower jaw with both hands and not to let go. So that’s what I did. After a brief struggle, I had a dandy on the surface staring right at me!

Through the day, we tried many holes, some empty and some with fish. Each time we stopped, the anticipation and excitement were the same as at the first hole. It was a great experience, and I plan to go again soon.

If you’ve ever thought of going noodling, I highly recommend it, 10/10.

The noodling season runs from midspring through the summer, depending on the location. Get online and find a local guide for the area you’re interested in. Feel free to contact me with questions on Instagram @ get_outside_with_deidra or my husband, Capt. Jamie Thrappas @yellow_dawg_fishing.

Deidra and her husband Capt. Jamie Thrappas are co-publishers of the Volusia County, Fla. edition of Coastal Angler Magazine.

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A CHANGE OF PACE

T

oday we are going to cruise past the shallow South Texas flats, through the pass, and find some nearshore rocks loaded with huge legal Texas red snapper! What a difference a few miles and 68 feet of water can

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

8 NATIONAL

MARCH 2023

make.

I typically make a handful of trips to the short rigs or rocks off the Texas coast each summer for a change of scenery. On the calm summer days, the mosquito fleet (smaller bay boats) breaks the jetties and heads out for kings, cobia and red snapper. These shallow-water snapper are typically in the 16- to 20-foot range. They are tasty none the less, but nothing like what you find close to shore in winter, as I recently observed during my first winter offshore trip.

Recently, we were in between cold fronts and had our first sunny day in more than a week. Several days of windy, cloudy, cold, rainy days had me longing for some sunny rays. When my brother called and asked if I wanted to join him and his neighbor for some Texas red snapper, I didn’t hesitate to say yes! The photos he sent of the previous trip’s catch were the icing on the cake.

The forecast called for 2- to 3-foot seas—which turned out to be less—70degree sunny temps, and wind at 6 knots from the east. This was a one-day window.

When we pulled up to a small set of rocks, there were two other boats there and four rods were doubled over! One of the boats was doing a bag check, and I watched him tossing and counting 15- to 20-pound snapper into the cooler.

His count ended at 14, two shy of his limit… and they had two on the line.

Keep in mind, at this time my personnel best snapper was about 8 pounds, and everything I was seeing was more than twice that size. The anticipation was high as I waited for the trolling motor to lock in.

Once the trolling motor settled into place, we pinned chunks of squid onto bottom rigs weighted with 8 to 12 ounces of lead and the fun began! It became a bit chaotic with doubles on while trying to coax a 20-pound snapper into an oversized net while still trying to catch one yourself.

It is hard to beat the drag zinging of a king mackerel or the Mack Truck power of a cobia during the calm days of late summer, but I might have to switch my snapper season from summer to winter! When the smallest winter ones are twice the size of your largest summer catch, it’s an easy switch.

Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures® and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

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It’s Pompano Time in South Florida!

P

ompano have already begun to show up here on South Florida’s east coast, and the bite will only get better as we move deeper into spring.

Temperature drives the movements of these tasty little jacks. They prefer 70- to 80-degree water temps, they travel in schools and feed on mollusks and crustaceans in inlets and off sandy beaches.

These are some of the reasons pompano are a favorite target of shore-based anglers. Once you find them, you are in for a world of fun.

Florida pompano, like permit, are in the jack family. They have a strong resemblance to each other, so it’s important to be able to tell them apart.

Size is a dead giveaway when you’re dealing with mature specimens, as pompano rarely grow larger than 6 pounds and permit regularly reach weights of up to 40 pounds. Pompano and juvenile permit, however, have a similar appearance. The most noticeable difference is a permit’s larger, humped forehead. Pompano also tend to be more yellow throughout their body, while permit only have yellow on their bellies near their anal fins.

Anytime from March into the beginning of September, pompano move offshore to broadcast spawn. Since they already travel in schools, this is spontaneous, and they head back inshore when they are done. Prime time to fish for them here is April and May, and you’ll find them along sandy beaches as well as around oyster and seagrass beds.

Pompano seem to enjoy water with more current,

which has that milky look.

By Emily Rose Hanzlik Pompano migrate seasonally to stay in their preferred water temperatures, and they have been found as far north as Massachusetts. They move north or farther offshore to find cooler water in deep summer. They come back south in fall to prepare for the spring mating season. Local movements also happen due to tides and other conditions. They are either in an area or they are not, and they move to find waters where they can feed comfortably. After strong storms, our sandbars tend to change, which will also change where pompano are feeding.

Pompano are very spirited fighters on light tackle. Small jigs in yellow or chartreuse are commonly used with great success. Beach anglers use long surf rods and chicken rigs baited with shrimp, clams, crab knuckles and sand fleas. Sand fleas are the preferred bait. Many anglers take it a step further by adding a piece of artificial bait, such as Fishbites, to the natural baits. This is especially effective when other fish peck off natural bait quickly. It ensures something stays on the hook, as most of these artificial baits are very durable. These artificial baits can also be added to jigs for scent.

Emily Rose Hanzlik holds 56 IGFA world records in various categories. She hails from West Palm Beach, where she has a part time Bowfin Guide Service as well as fishing classes for Jr. Anglers. Find her on social media @emilyhanzlikoutdoors.

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TIPS FROM A PRO

BLADED JIGS

TYLER WOOLCOTT

L

et’s talk a bait that works absolutely everywhere. The bladed jig, also called a chatterbait, is one of the most versatile baits you can tie on the end of your line. It’s one of my all-time favorites. From Florida to New York, in any season, this bait catches them.

There are hundreds of situations that make me want to sling a chatterbait. I always keep one tied on because it’s so versatile.

Whether it’s grass, rocks, docks, wood or open water, there isn’t a situation where this bait doesn’t work.

Use a chatterbait as a search bait and cover some water. If there is a hungry bass around and you match your color to the forage they are feeding on, you will get them to bite. Unless the water you are fishing is extremely muddy, matching color to the forage species is important. In cold water, where bass are feeding on red and orange crawfish, tie on a bright red or orange bladed jig. If you are in the south and bass are feeding on bluegill or shiners, stick to natural colors like a green pumpkin or some kind of gold and silver. The only time I throw

a bright white or chartreuse chatterbait is in extremely stained water, where I need the bait to stand out. Always match the hatch!

I live in Florida, and our spawning season is earlier than most. By the time you read this, most of our fish will be finished spawning. Farther north, they’ll just be getting started. A chatterbait is deadly when bass are staged up before, during and after the spawn. The chattering blade drives these fish crazy. It’s a fish call. Throw it around in a staging area and you will have a very good day on the water.

There isn’t a wrong way to use it. With the many colors, weights and size options, there is a match for the style of fishing you want to do. From northern smallmouths to giant South Florida largemouths, every bass will eat a bladed jig.

Like any bait, a chatterbait will perform best when matched with the right gear.

I like a medium-heavy, moderate-action rod. You don’t want to set the hook as much as you want to reel into the fish when they eat the bait. Treat it like a bait with treble hooks. The 13 Fishing Omen Black 7’4mhm is absolutely perfect for this application. I pair a 7:5:1 gear ratio Concept A 13 Fishing reel and 15- to 20-pound Seaguar AbrazX. Hope this fishing tip finds you well and puts more fish in your boat. Don’t hesitate to contact me on social media with any questions.

Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide. Check out his website at www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com.

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Triple Threat Throwdown to Raffle Off Loaded Fishing Kayak F lorida’s saltwater angler recognition program, Catch a Florida Memory, is sweetening the pot this year by offering anglers a shot at winning a fully loaded fishing kayak.

Rigged out with an accessory package from Yak Attack, this Bonafide SS127 series kayak is a fishing machine. It will be raffled off to one lucky member of Catch a Florida Memory’s Triple Threat Club after a season-long event billed as the Triple Threat Throwdown. Only members of the Triple Threat Club who are recognized with a Catch a Florida Memory achievement between now and Sept. 5 will be eligible for the raffle.

Triple Threat Club Triple Threat Club status is awarded to anglers who have qualified for recognition in all three of the following Catch a Florida Memory programs. Once an angler enters the Triple Threat Club, they are a member for life. They receive a dry-fit performance fishing shirt and entry into Triple Threat Club opportunities like the Triple Threat Throwdown.

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hour time period. There are nine different grand slam categories for different saltwater species in different habitats.

• Saltwater Reel Big Fish recognition is for anglers who catch one exceptionally large specimen from a list of 30 different species with pre-determined qualifying length.

• The Saltwater Fish Life List 10 Fish Club is for anglers who have caught 10 different species of saltwater fish from the Catch a Florida Memory Life List of 70 species.

Raffle Eligibility Eligible anglers must qualify for a recognition between now and Sept. 5, 2023 and be a member of the Triple Threat Club at the time of the drawing.

Eligible recognitions include a Grand Slam, a Reel Big Fish recognition, or a Life List recognition. Each angler will receive only one entry into the Triple Threat Throwdown raffle.

For more information and to submit catches, go to catchafloridamemory.com.

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The fight for an unforgettable catch begins here. From elusive bonefish to massive tarpon and beyond, fly fishing adventures across The Out Islands’ shallow-water flats offer more thrills and tales for even the most experienced anglers. See what could be waiting on the other side of your line.

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his month, for the first time in more than 30 years, a few Florida anglers will have the opportunity to harvest a goliath grouper. The limited and highly regulated season runs from March 1 through May 31, and you’re out of luck if you don’t already have a state-issued Goliath Grouper Harvest Permit.

Just 200 non-transferable permits were issued by lottery after the application period back in October 2022. This spring, permit holders will hit the water in search of a very expensive fish sandwich. On top of a $10 fee to enter the lottery, anglers selected for a permit paid $150 for Florida residents and $500 for non-residents for the chance to harvest a single fish.

“No way. Not interested at all,” said one angler from the Florida Keys when asked if they hoped to get a permit. “I guess there’s some novelty in eating a fish that no one is supposed to have tasted for 30 years, and it might make sense if they let you keep a big one, but it’s hardly worth my time to chase a 10-pound grouper.”

The slot limit for the one fish allowed per permit holder is 24 to 36 inches. Fish above or below that slot must be released immediately. Anglers with goliath tags will be intentionally fishing for juveniles rather than the enormous 8-foot-long, 800-pound monsters that lurk around shallow, nearshore structure.

This highly regulated and extremely limited harvest seems to be the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) way of testing the waters. Harvest of goliath grouper was completely banned in 1990 after the population collapsed due to overfishing and the loss of mangrove habitat required by juveniles of the species. Since then, the population has rebounded and abundance continues to increase. Removal of just 200 fish from the population, and no more than 50 fish from Everglades National Park, will not hinder rebuilding, according to an FWC presentation on the fishery.

Additionally, goliath grouper may not be harvested from federal waters or from the waters of Martin County, including the St. Lucie River and its tributaries, south through the Atlantic coast of Monroe County and Dry Tortugas National Park.

Goliath grouper harvest will also allow FWC to collect important data for a species about which there is plenty to learn. Upon catching their one goliath, tag holders must immediately apply their tag to the lower jawbone of the fish and report their catch online within 24 hours. Even if they don’t catch a fish, tag holders must report that after the season ends. Some permitted anglers will be required to provide a biological sample of their fish for genetic testing.

For more information, go to myfwc.com.

12 FLORIDA

MARCH 2023

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TIPS

ith warm months approaching, this month I want to share with you some tips on how to catch, and land, juvenile tarpon. Tarpon are, by far, my favorite fish to catch! They are on the top of the list when it comes to sport fish. Tarpon, also known as the “Silver King,” are majestic, yet ferocious creatures.

Their acrobatic skills are like no other fish in the water and their fight and determination draws anglers to our waters from all over the world.

Here is what you’ll need to be successful: Rod and Reel: For juvenile tarpon up to 20 pounds, a light tackle set up is the way to go.

I prefer a 3000 series reel spooled with 10 lb. braided line with a 15-20 lb. fluorocarbon leader on a 7-7.5 ft. medium rod. This combination will give you plenty of power and backbone to fight the fish and will also increase the thrill of the catch because you are using such light equipment.

Lures: When targeting juvenile tarpon, I prefer to use soft plastics. There is a huge variety from which to choose. D.O.A. lures are my “go to,” and have never let me or my clients down.

D.O.A. makes some of the best soft plastics on the market, available at all bait and tackle shops, and flat out catch fish. For juvenile tarpon I prefer the D.O.A. C.A.L. Shad Tail rigged weedless with an Owner 3/0 1/8th oz. Twist Lock Hook, a D.O.A. TerrorEyz and the D.O.A. Shrimp. As far as color choice is concerned, natural, white and dark

colors work best in our Space Coast waters.

Now that we are ready to go, let’s talk about landing these incredible fish. In the summer months, water temperatures rise and, as a result, there is less dissolved oxygen in the water.

Because of this, tarpon will “roll,” where their backs, dorsal fin and tail come out of the water to take in fresh air. This rolling action is what I look for on the flats in pursuit of tarpon. Once located, cast out in front of the tarpon and begin working your lure. Tarpon are the most aggressive, lazy fish I have ever seen. Here’s what I mean. In order to trigger a bite, you must put your lure in front of the tarpon. They need to see the lure move and it must be right in front of their face.

Lazy. But when they eat the lure, pure aggression comes out. It is beyond exciting, but don’t get too excited just yet. Once a tarpon eats a lure and feels the tension of a set hook, they will propel themselves out of the water, shaking their head back and forth violently. This is when you will want to implement a tarpon fishing technique called “Bow to the King,” which simply means pointing your rod tip at the jumping fish. When you bow, or point your rod, you are allowing slack to form in the line and this is important because when a tarpon is airborne, shaking its head, tension in the line will cause the hook to become dislodged and you will lose your fish.

That is known as jumping a tarpon. “Bowing to the King” takes some time to perfect, but will

greatly increase your hook-to-catch ratio.

A few things to remember: 1. Tarpon are catch and release only “with the exception of the harvest or possession of a single tarpon when in pursuit of an IGFA record and in conjunction with a tarpon tag” per FWC. 2. Tarpon may be taken out of the water for photographs as long as they are no longer than 40 inches.

3. Please be sure to handle, revive and release tarpon—and ALL fish—with respect and care.

CAPT. JONATHAN MOSS

Go Castaway Fishing Charters www.gocastaway.com www.thecaptainslogtv.com (407) 760-8593

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MARCH 2023

BREVARD 3

CAPE CANAVERAL MARCH 2023

PORT CANAVERAL OFFSHORE FORECAST

M

arch Madness is here so bring on the cobia! This is the historic time frame here in the central east coast that the migration of cobia swims by us. Free-swimming cobia are the most fun to target in my opinion and, although we catch them all year long, this is usually the best time. The water is warming back up to the 70-degree mark, which is great, but a few things must come together though. One being sunny skies; you must be able to see into the water a little bit. And, two, try to get as high as possible.

A hungry cobia is not a picky fish, nor are they the smartest. My bait of choice is a buck tail with a whole squid hooked on it. This gives a natural look and smell. There are many different types of baits and lures people use.

They also like to eat the steel at some points.

I also like live bait. Bunker and pinfish work great too.

It’s fun to watch a cobia go nuts trying to eat a livey.

Sometimes there are days that you will see 30 fish and maybe only two actually eat or get “Fired Up” on a jig. I haven’t had many cobes turn down a live fish. Some say they will never turn down a live choice shrimp or their magic swim bait etc. Fishing is just what it says, fishing. Some days they’re on fire, others they swim away from whatever you throw at ’em.

My gear of choice is a 7-foot medium action rod with a light tip to jig the lure and enough backbone to stick the hook. Line is 40 lb. braid and a 50 lb. leader. If I’m using live bait, I use an 8/0 circle hook and I hook the live fish through the back of the head and cast forward and past the fish.

CAPT. CHRIS CAMERON

Fired Up Fishing Charters firedupcharters.com | sharkfishingcocoabeach.com (407) 222-3573

Super awesome trip for this “Fired Up” Junior and his mom aboard the Fire Fight with Capt Joe, catching limits of nice kings (releasing two), limits of three amberjacks (one shown above), a couple rudder jacks, some lane snappers and chocolate chip porgies to fill the board.

4 BREVARD

MARCH 2023

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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BANANA RIVER LAGOON: Black drum should be found in schools ranging from 20 to 100 fish each on many of the deeper flats of this lagoon.

FORECAST Look for pushes or tailing activity on slick calm days. On days when there is some texture on the water you can often find these schools by baitfish, shrimp or crab can be the difference the muds they create. These can be seen when maker in some cases. Tripletail are often seen the drum are actively feeding in the 4- to 6-foot floating near weeds and debris while searching for depths in the open basins of this body of water. cobia, so small jigs or medium sized live shrimp Live shrimp or cut crab cast to these fish on a can be useful if you encounter one of these fish. ¼ ounce Saltwater Assassin Boodah-style jig head. Most of these fish are scaling from 15 to 30 pounds, but a few are pushing the scales into the 40 pound range.

Slot sized redfish, trout and snook will be found near baitfish schools along the mangrove covered shorelines, and on some of the Caulerpa-covered flats around the Thousand Islands and Sykes Creek areas. Top water plugs like the Rapala Skitter Walk or Storm Chug Bug should start to work on these fish as the water temperatures warm into the lower 70’s degree range.

Sheepshead and mangrove snapper are possible for anglers fishing near bridge pilings and docks in residential canals. Small pieces of The Johansen twins doubled up on shrimp or small crabs rigged on a small-butthe tripletail with captain Jim on a recent stout hook are usually the best way to get these trip outside Port Canaveral. tasty fish away from the pilings and into the boat.

Until next time...Catch a Memory!

Whiting, pompano, and black drum should be hitting cut shrimp, clam, and fresh sand fleas in the surf zones between Melbourne Beach and CAPT. JIM ROSS the tip of the false cape too. There is no shortage Fineline Fishing Charters of fish species to chase this month, you just need www.FinelineFishingCharters.com (321) 636-3728 to get out there with us and catch some.

PORT CANAVERAL NEARSHORE & BANANA RIVER LAGOON

P

ORT CANAVERAL: Anglers will be eagerly awaiting the arrival of their favorite springtime fish: the cobia. These fish make great visual targets as they swim along the surface of the ocean basking in the springtime sunshine on calm days. They often look like sharks, but to the trained eye cobia are some of the best-looking brown spots they’ve ever seen. Large brightly colored “cobia” jigs are what most anglers use to target the cobia. These work well when tipped with a plastic or natural bait trailer. l like to use these popular jigs as well, but find that after the fish have seen one or two of them cast in their direction they will get a little selective about what they are willing to eat. I really like the 5-inch Saltwater Assassin Artimis Shad rigged on a ¾ ounce jig head. These come in a variety of colors but I like the natural colors that imitate pilchards and pogies best. Other great lures to cast at these fish include the Storm 5-6 inch swim shad, and Rapala’s X-Rap lipped diving plug in the size 12 or 14 in natural colors as well. Other options that I like to use especially when these fish are shadowing manta rays are the Williamson Surface Pro popper, and the new Rapala X-Plode chugger plug. These generate excellent commotion that can lure the cobia away from the rays where they become much easier to catch. These tasty fish can get fussy once in a while, so I would advise keeping some form of live bait onboard. Live 6 BREVARD

MARCH 2023

321.868.0400

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SPACE COAST SURF FISHING FORECAST

“

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T

he month of March has traditionally held phenomenal surf fishing along the Space Coast. Ideal conditions of calm seas and clean water culminated in big catches of pompano, whiting and black drum during the months of January and February, so as long as water temperatures stay in the ideal range we should be in for a fantastic beach fishing month. The bluefish bonanza along Brevard County beaches should persist well into March and April.

With that being said, the big catches of pompano will continue to be the talk of the town. Guided beach fishing excursions provided clients with delicious catches of pompano and whiting in February and I look forward to continue that momentum into March.

Southern beaches provided the best bite for pompano during the flurry of fish that came through, albeit most anglers “followed the bite” as word spread at bait shops, forums and by word of mouth.

Knowing this you could easily find the crowd and past bite, but not necessarily an indication of staying with the fish. As the fish moved around, those who could stay on the bite proved to have more consistent fortunes. Pompano rigs with floats were the ticket and, per usual, Fishbites in the crab and clam flavor tipped with shrimp, sand fleas and clam performed well.

Finally the whiting showed up in decent numbers which hasn’t been the case up to this point in the season. A welcomed sigh of relief for any experienced or inexperienced surf fishing angler. Whiting are a fairly easy species to target and catch and generally aren’t far from shore. So for those that aren’t equipped with long casting rods, whiting provide a great opportunity for table-fare fish. I personally love eating whiting and every one I catch symbolizes a fresh fish taco.

Guided shark fishing charters will be another big hit item into the spring months of March and April. This is when we see a migration of blacktip and spinner sharks that make for a memorable catch with their fierce ability to pull hard and jump erratically. As a reminder, make sure to know all surf fishing rules and regulations and practice safe handling and release techniques on these apex predators.

Enjoy the spring fever and hit the sand as surf fishing opportunities abound. And you can always contact us to acquire recommendations on surf fishing gear and tactics. We love to support our local surf fishing community.

CAPT. LUKAS BRICKWEG

Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters cocoabeachsurffishingcharters.com (321) 205-4672

Ben Martin

Editor in Chief Coastal Angler Magazine

”

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You’ll travel with this awkward adventurer as he risks home and health to pursue his passion for fishing...regardless of the consequences. Anglers of all expertise levels will immediately identify with why his addiction is incurable. This book defines the blurred line between passion and obsession.

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MARCH 2023

BREVARD 7

COASTAL ANGLER BREVARD/VOLUSIA

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Fineline Fishing Charters Capt. Jim Ross recently took Eric Bullard and his son out for some black drum sight fishing action in the deep flats of the Banana River Lagoon.

h ch redfis sed in 4 3 e ic a This n ickly rele he u q d n a t t h was caug Kp Enderle from id r a e s k a e .H by kay er Lagoon e Indian Riv catch beauties lik ’t n they do in Minnesota!! this

SEND US YOUR CATCH PHOTOS!

For a chance to be featured on the Brag Board, upload your high-quality photos (at least 1MB) along with all the details at: WWW.COASTALANGLERMAG.COM

SEBASTIAN INLET MARCH 2023

SEBASTIAN INLET TO EAU GALLIE CAUSEWAY FORECAST

T

hrough early February, our weather on the Space Coast was very windy and cool, but the fishing was pretty good. The water temps should increase in March and the fishing should improve in the lagoon, and the inlet should remain decent with live bait used in the daytime and artificials will work well for fishing at night. Should be decent numbers of redfish in the inlet on the incoming tide, with live bait working the best, and snook bite will be best on the outgoing tide during the daytime.

Inshore fishing should be good as well as our spring mullet run heats up. When the schools of mullet fill inside the lagoon and the creeks from Sebastian to Palm Bay and Melbourne, snook, redfish, jacks and trout will be hot on their heels. March can be one of the best months to get gator trout from 26 to over 30 inches in length. While live bait is the best bet, I also like to fish a Rapala Skitter Walk topwater and Rapala Twitchin’ Minnow suspending baits early in the morning around the bait pods, and go deeper with the D.O.A. C.A.L. jerk bait or Paddle Tail bait as the sun comes up. Live bait will also work well fishing the bait pods as the predatory fish are normally below the bait pods.

Warmer weather will also bring the bait inside along the beaches and the sharks, tarpon and big jack crevalle will be right with them. We have had small schools of tarpon along the beaches from Sebastian to Melbourne a few times in the last few months and the fish are feeding well. There will be plenty of blacktip and spinner sharks, bluefish and mackerel on the beaches if the weather allows you to get out and fish the ocean. Fish big topwater plugs for the jacks and sharks, and scale down the plugs for the bluefish. For the tarpon as well as big jacks, fish the Rapala Long Cast 14 and the D.O.A. Bait Buster for good success.

CAPT. GLYN AUSTIN

Going Coastal Charters www.goingcoastalcharters.com (321) 863-8085

Some big black drum for Ken and his family from the midwest!

10 BREVARD

MARCH 2023

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

B

est!

Time

1W

2Th

Height

12:23 AM 2.0 6:19 AM 0.3 12:46 PM 2.1 6:54 PM 0.3 1:12 AM 1.9 7:11 AM 0.4 1:30 PM 2.0 7:45 PM 0.3 2:06 AM 1.9 8:05 AM 0.5 2:18 PM 1.9 8:37 PM 0.3 3:02 AM 1.9 9:01 AM 0.5 3:10 PM 1.9 9:27 PM 0.2 4:00 AM 2.0 9:56 AM 0.5 4:04 PM 1.9 10:16 PM 0.1 4:57 AM 2.1 10:46 AM 0.4 4:59 PM 2.0 11:03 PM -0.1 5:50 AM 2.2 11:34 AM 0.3 5:51 PM 2.0 11:49 PM -0.2 6:40 AM 2.3 12:21 PM 0.2 6:42 PM 2.1 12:35 AM -0.4 7:28 AM 2.4 1:06 PM 0.1 7:31 PM 2.2

10F

Time

Height

1:21 AM -0.5 8:15 AM 2.5 1:51 PM 0.0 8:19 PM 2.3 11Sa 2:07 AM -0.6 9:01 AM 2.6 2:38 PM -0.1 9:08 PM 2.4 12Su 2:55 AM -0.6 9:47 AM 2.6 3:26 PM -0.2 9:58 PM 2.4 13M 3:44 AM -0.6 10:34 AM 2.6 4:16 PM -0.3 10:50 PM 2.4 14Tu 4:36 AM -0.5 11:22 AM 2.6 5:08 PM -0.3 11:44 PM 2.4 15W 5:31 AM -0.3 12:11 PM 2.5 6:04 PM -0.3 16Th 12:42 AM 2.3 6:30 AM -0.2 1:04 PM 2.4 7:04 PM -0.3 17F 1:43 AM 2.3 7:33 AM 0.0 2:00 PM 2.2 8:05 PM -0.3 18Sa 2:48 AM 2.2 8:37 AM 0.1 3:00 PM 2.2 9:07 PM -0.3

Time

Height

19Su 3:54 AM 2.2 9:41 AM 0.1 4:03 PM 2.1 10:08 PM -0.4 20M 4:58 AM 2.3 10:42 AM 0.1 5:05 PM 2.1 11:05 PM -0.4 21Tu 5:57 AM 2.3 11:38 AM 0.1 6:03 PM 2.1 11:58 PM -0.4 22W 6:50 AM 2.3 12:29 PM 0.0 6:55 PM 2.2 23Th 12:48 AM -0.5 7:38 AM 2.4 1:17 PM 0.0 7:42 PM 2.2 24F 1:34 AM -0.5 8:21 AM 2.4 2:02 PM -0.1 8:26 PM 2.2 25Sa 2:17 AM -0.4 9:01 AM 2.4 2:44 PM -0.1 9:07 PM 2.2 26Su 2:59 AM -0.4 9:38 AM 2.3 3:25 PM -0.1 9:47 PM 2.2 27M 3:38 AM -0.3 10:14 AM 2.3 4:04 PM -0.1 10:26 PM 2.1

Time

Height

28Tu 4:17 AM -0.2 10:50 AM 2.2 4:42 PM 0.0 11:06 PM 2.0 29W 4:55 AM 0.0 11:25 AM 2.1 5:21 PM 0.0 11:46 PM 2.0 30Th 5:35 AM 0.1 12:02 PM 2.0 6:01 PM 0.0 31F 12:30 AM 1.9 6:17 AM 0.2 12:41 PM 1.9 6:45 PM 0.1 1Sa 1:18 AM 1.8 7:06 AM 0.3 1:24 PM 1.8 7:34 PM 0.1 2Su 2:11 AM 1.8 8:02 AM 0.4 2:15 PM 1.7 8:29 PM 0.1 3M 3:12 AM 1.8 9:02 AM 0.4 3:13 PM 1.7 9:27 PM 0.0 4Tu 4:15 AM 1.9 10:02 AM 0.4 4:16 PM 1.8 10:24 PM -0.1 5W 5:16 AM 2.0 10:59 AM 0.3 5:18 PM 1.9 11:19 PM -0.3

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ST. JOHNS RIVER FORECAST

L

ook for schools of live bait getting crushed by sunshine bass and schooling largemouth bass at the mouths of the lakes and in the deep river bends at first light or late evening. Topwater is the name of the game! Nothing beats that explosive topwater strike. These hungry fish will destroy a Heddon Spook Jr. in bone color, or you can also try your favorite saltwater topwater baits if they are small-sized. Second best are rattling crank baits— Rattle Traps and their look-alikes (no rattle works great too). If the bass are finicky, tie on a white jerk bait; first try unweighted and use a walk-the-dog style retrieve just beneath the surface.

March means trophy bass in the St Johns River. Large wild shiners are the 13 BREVARD JANUARY 2019 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THE ANGLERMAG.COM best bait if you can find some.

For giant largemouth, remember these female fish are the breeders for the future; lift them out of the water supporting their belly and hold them out of the water only as long as you can hold your breath.

January layout.indd 13 Avoid holding large bass vertically by the lower jaw. Take measurements of length and girth, take pictures to save and share the memory. Practicing catch and release for trophy bass is honorable.

Panfish will readily eat minnows. They love red worms, night crawlers and crickets. Look for bedding areas in shallow waters. Bluegill and shellcrackers will take over beds used earlier by bass and crappie; look in those same areas and concentrate efforts where there is a shell bottom near drop-offs and nearby cover (lily pads). Crappie will be found in the pads during full and new moons; other times try longline trolling or spider rigging the drop-offs along the river.

CHARLIE McCULLOUGH

12/13/2019 10:24:07 AM

Coastal Angler Magazine charlie@coastalanglermagazine.com

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MARCH 2023

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Coastal Angler Welcomes New Volusia County Co-Publishers

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lease join us in welcoming Capt. Jamie and Deidre Thrappas, the new owners of Coastal Angler Magazine’s Volusia County edition.

Capt. Jamie is a 21-year resident of Volusia County, where he and his wife Deidre live on a 10-acre horse ranch in Osteen, Fla. They acquired the Volusia County edition jointly and enter their latest venture armed with a wealth of business and sales experience.

Coastal Angler Magazine and Capt. Jamie’s existing businesses complement each other perfectly. Nine years ago, he launched his own successful charter business, Yellow Dawg Fishing, out of Daytona Beach, and last year he opened Yellow Dawg Bait & Tackle in Ormond Beach.

With existing contacts in the local business community, nearly a decade in corporate sales, and a three-year stint managing sales for Native Eyewear and Costa Sunglasses—while running charters—the Thrappas are well positioned to be the voice of the local business and fishing communities.

Their yellow lab, Bay, will continue duties as a mascot.

“When I heard about this opportunity, I knew it was a perfect fit,” said Capt. Jamie. “I love the fishing industry, and I am pretty connected in that industry as well as with the local community here in Volusia County. I look forward to making a positive influence on WELCO fishing in the area as a ME ABOAR whole as well as helping D other small businesses O grow.”

A ME ABO The Thrappas’s are consummate outdoorspeople, who love fishing, bowhunting, riding horses, surfing and spending quality time with friends, their dogs and family.

New Coastal Angler Magazine Volusia County Co-Publishers, Deidra (above) and Capt.

Jamie Thrappas.

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PONCE INLET & BACKWATERS FORECAST

M

arch means the start of nice weather is upon us. While we will still have a few cold days with a north or northeast wind we will start to see multiple warmer days in a row.

On the chillier days I will focus on sheepshead and black drum as I have been doing most of the winter months. They will be spawning and they will be hefty this time of the year. Structures like bridges, piers and rocks near the inlet will be the ticket to getting some of these tasty fish.

On warmer days I will focus in the back country up north near Ormond at our shop in the High Bridge area for redfish. As the day warms these fish will be in flats feeding and sunning. They will tend to be schooled up and as you move around— whether from shore, in a kayak, on a paddle board, or by skiff—you will see these fish pushing water or even blowing up on bait. This type of fishing is, by far, my favorite; I love the spot and stalk aspect of it. As you spend more time doing this you will learn the difference between a school of mullet pushing water vs. redfish; the redfish are more like submarines and will even sometimes make a wake. Soft plastics are my “go to” for this, such as NLBN, Z-Man, Gulp or Voodoo. Hard baits like topwaters by MirrOlure or even suspended baits will work too; I tend to use these earlier in the morning and then transition to soft plastics as the day goes on. It’s a numbers game and all about accurate casting and covering water. You want to be ahead of the fish and swim your bait right past

their nose if you can. I’ve caught some of my best fish blind casting in the direction the school was headed.

Lastly, as the water temps start to warm I will focus on catching snook. The daytime bite will be good, but my favorite way of fishing for these fish is at night in the dock lights. (We will be offering more charters this year for this type of fishing, so if you want to learn how it works give us a call.) My technique for this is usually free lining live shrimp or bait fish such as pinfish or croaks through the light or on the edge of the light line. Don’t necessarily focus on being right

in the light; the bigger fish will be hiding in the shadows. There’s nothing like getting wacked by an upper or over slot snook when you least expect it. Give us a call if you’d like to get out there and experience these types of fishing techniques for yourself.

As always, have fun, and if you see us on the water say, “Hello!”

CAPT. JAMIE THRAPPAS Yellow Dawg Fishing www.yellowdawgfishing.com (386) 366-3424

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MARCH 2023

BREVARD 13

EDGEWATER BACKCOUNTRY FORECAST

R

ising water temperatures during Black drum March signals the northward are a regular migration of all sorts of both inshore Edgewater and offshore fish along the Atlantic coast.

Backcountry Bait fish such as mullet, sardines, pilchards, catch in holes and glass minnows, as well as game fish and channels. being jack crevalle, ladyfish, bluefish, black drum, tarpon, Spanish mackerel and pompano are among the inshore species that swim back north in spring. Schools of jacks, blues and ladies come through the ICW during early spring making for fast action with these hard fighting, catch-and-release game fish. Early morning can see surface striking activity along the Intracoastal or old channel in Edgewater.Fish are attacking spring run shrimp or glass minnows. Cast a shrimp, bait fish, artificial imitation or fly in the busting fish for a fast hook up.

Mackerel or trout can also be caught in this surface activity. Look for diving birds or surface strikes. These fish are not always visible on top; they can be stacked up down deep shrimp free lined or with a small split shot on the on channel edges, shoreline drop-offs, points and drop offs and in holes for mixed bag action; throw creek mouths with good current flow. them at surface-feeding fish in the channel, on the We will hope for a good spring shrimp run bottom in black drum spots, and at the Ponce Inlet this year as every fish—big and small—swimming jetties; small live or peeled frozen for sheepshead in our inshore waters eats shrimp, so you can’t go on dock and bridge pilings; and peeled shrimp wrong using them for bait. Use select size hooked work great for surf fishing. through the trimmed tail for a long cast to sight Nighttime dock light fishing will improve this fished reds and trout in skinny water; regular size month with rising water temps and shrimp on

the move riding the outgoing tide. Lighted docks on both sides of Ponce Inlet, into the ICW at New Smyrna, around the bridges, south into Edgewater and Oak Hill can be very fishy. A flowing tide is a must, with outgoing always a good choice. Closer to the inlet may hold more bluefish and jacks and, as you go south, seatrout will become the main target species. “Go to” bait is a simple free lined live shrimp, or try small size artificials. Fly fishing can be great at the dock lights with a shrimp imitation.

Redfish, seatrout and sheepshead patterns can stay in winter patterns during March as the water is still cool. Lagoon redfish stay schooled with chilly water and become more scattered after the water warms a little. Stay shallow, fish the flats, oyster and shell bars, and sloughs with select size tail-hooked live shrimp, live finger mullet, mud minnows and scented soft plastics. Quality trout in the same places and tactics as for reds, with schools of smaller trout usually in deeper water. Try drop-offs, holes and channel edges; light colored swimming tail jigs are a good lure choice here.

CAPT. MICHAEL SAVEDOW Edgewater River Guide EdgewaterRiverGuide.com (386) 689-3781

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t’s just one of those days; good vibrations, little wind, no current.

I just got back from Guatemala last night. I couldn’t wait to set up on the beach for surf fishing this morning. Some people say the water is too cold and the fish went south. But my rod started to bamba full tilt with a big stud pompano. A big bend, it took some line, ran, and then flopped up on the beach! 18 inches to the tail (on crab knuckles). A quality fish, what a way to start the day!

The good news is how green and clear the water is. There hasn’t been a lot of current and the ocean is back to its form, providing us with some great fishing days. The cooler weather is upon us, but the water is staying warmish, 60° to 65°.

Getting three beautiful stud pompanos a day is a great way to go through the end of this run.

It’s cold and windy today. I have my legs wrapped up in a thick, old towel (like Grandma) trying to stay out of the wind. It’s a late season this year, probably due to the Hurricanes Ian and Nicole. There are still no beach ramps being worked on in this area and only two access points—the ramp on Toronita and a beach ramp by Jerry’s Pizza down in Ponce—and that’s it.

The storms have really devastated our area and there’s a race on to get the seawalls put back up before more Nor’easters or hurricanes hit this area.

Lots of trucks, plows, cranes, backhoes and earth moving equipment run up and down the beach. You have to keep totally aware of what’s going on.

It’s now the next day. It’s very windy, still. Right now, it’s morning and I’m out here. It’s a beautiful windy day. The wind is from the northwest and the ocean is flattening, but moving. I’m hugging a wall, sitting in front, in the sun. Ya, mon!

Well, now the rod just did a bomba. It didn’t take, so I’ll cast it back in the same spot. Ya, mon! It hit! A nice run and a good catch: pompano.

I’m heading home from the edge of the ocean, and starting over again, just like Stick Figure says. These fish are heading to the smoker, and so am I. — Marcopompano@gmail.com

Volusia County Surf Fishing Guide (386) 212-4838

TOMOKA FORECAST

M

arch brings warm weather, warm water and fewer fronts—all a sign of good fishing. With the season changing the fish migration begins.

The tarpon, black drum, bluefish, jack crevalle and pompano, just to name a few, will be moving north joining our reds, trout and snook. How good the fishing becomes is predicated on the shrimp population. With the loss of our sea grass we are at the mercy of the fish gods to help develop the shrimp.

Look for the tarpon in the middle of the river, and a good fish rig is a popping with a mullet free lined down river.

Snook, redfish and trout will be cruising the grass banks in the river and the basin. Free line big shrimp and mullet along the edge and the dock posts. As for artificial lures, I like Z-Man’s 3 inch paddle tail in chartreuse, white and root beer colors, and in a hard bait I like the 3 inch SS Minnow.

Look for mullet schools lumping out of the water and cast any floating lure or spoon and reel fast in front of the school or in the middle because the fish chasing will most likely be jacks.

Night fishing under the bridges in the intracoastal using crabs or large shrimp can yield some big drum.

Can’t wait for my new Caymas 26! They are building my new boat, so if you see me on the water let me know how you like it.

CAPT. BARRY ENGLEHARDT Fish With Captain Barry fishwithcaptainbarry.com (386) 871-8500

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bass g Blitzin inshor fisheri the m they a south, the lan stocke by the base is and and tr inshor striper Nassau I, north Altam each fr condit and co Iw a.m. w Camp charte for clie a perfe Al Jones w of gor and th Str drift fi he swi with so Be maze on the comin shrimp of slow an old ballast Europ 20-pou the cr

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n cold, rainy, winter days, when most fishermen are happy to stay home dreaming of better weather, a few die-hards gear up and get on the water. In the Southeast, bad weather is striper weather, my friend, and just the thought of hooking a 15- or 20-pound striped bass

By Danny Patrick is enough to keep you warm on the inside.

Atlantic striped bass get all the attention up north.

Blitzing linesiders are a prize of inshore and nearshore recreational fisheries from the Carolinas up through the mid-Atlantic and New England. But they are down here in the south, too, and not just the landlocked stripers stocked in reservoirs by the states. My home base is Jacksonville, Fla., and although redfish and trout are the staple inshore species here, there are fishable striper populations in coastal rivers like the St. Johns, Nassau and St. Marys.

I, however, was lured by reports a little farther north in Georgia, where rivers like the Satilla and Altamaha are producing big-time striper fishing with each front that rolls through. Stripers prefer low-light conditions and colder water temps, so overcast, rainy and cold days are the best days.

I was giddy about the cold, foggy drizzle at 6:30 a.m. when I met guide Drew Jones at the Two-Way Fish Camp on the Altamaha near Darien, Ga. Jones runs fishing and duck-hunting charters in the area, and he’s caught more than 300 stripers up to 14 pounds for clients this season. They’ve had some 30- and 40-fish days, and this felt like a perfect striper day!

All I had to do was get in the boat with my gear and a thermos of hot coffee.

Jones was waiting for me with his Carolina skiff in the water and a livewell full of gorgeous local live shrimp. As we motored off in the mist through creeks and the winding river, he told me a little about the fishing.

Stripers are constantly on the move, and they hunt in packs. Jones drift fishes live shrimp on float rigs to locate concentrations of fish. Then he switches to artificial lures. Slow-sinking stick baits and bucktail jigs with soft-plastic tails both work great.

Between Brunswick and Darien, Ga., the Altamaha system is a maze of creeks and tributaries. We stopped at the mouth of a creek on the Darien River, not far from downtown Darien. The tide was still coming in but slowing near the end of the high tide. Jones said to cast shrimp out in front a point where the current split to create a back eddy of slower flow. He said this was one of his favorite striper spots. It was an old ballast pile, where sailing ships from the 1800s dumped ballast weight from their hulls after crossing the ocean from Europe. They used hundreds, if not thousands, of 10- to 20-pound round rocks to stabilize their ships during the crossing and then dumped

the rocks in order to navigate over the shallow sand and mud bars of the river.

Georgia’s sounds and rivers are littered with piles of ballast rocks, many of which are fish magnets. We fished the point for a good 20 minutes with no bites before moving up the creek.

Through the early morning, we fished several spots with only a few small redfish and speckled trout to keep our attention. We fished a creek loaded with fishy-looking downed timber and carefully navigated beneath a low bridge, where Jones thought we might find fish on the outgoing tide.

He was correct. Jones hooked up with a nice 6-pound hybrid striped bass on his first cast near the bridge. Hybrids are a hatchery-produced cross between striped bass and white bass. They are unable to reproduce and are an excellent sportfish with the aggression of white bass and some of the size of a striper. These hybrids came from the Georgia DNR hatchery at Richmond Hill, Ga. Jones said he catches true stripers and hybrids together, and that sometimes aggressive stripers move in and take over when he’s catching trout. I threw to the same spot Jones caught his fish and immediately hooked and boated a 4-pound hybrid. The bite was on! We saw them busting finger mullet and had one come unbuttoned right at the boat. But then, as is sometimes the case with stripers, it ended as suddenly as it had begun.

So, we picked up anchor and went back to the creek mouth where we started. Now the tide was running out swiftly. We caught several trout and a couple more hybrids before we headed back to the docks.

As we ran past downtown Darien, I saw remnants of old buildings from the 1800s and thought of the history. This was a major port during the early rise of the United States. Cotton and rice from slave plantations were shipped out of Darien, and old-growth cypress trees were logged way up the Altamaha. Loggers would cut trees close to the river and then raft them together in units of dozens of massive logs, which were floated down to the coastal sawmills with men riding the rafts.

Darien is a quiet town now, but it was a truly a bustling place then. It is beautiful with old live oaks and Spanish moss, and history buffs will not be disappointed. If you want to change up your fishing and explore a special place, give Jones a call. He can hook you up…

a i g r Geo

S R E P I R T S y M n O Mind

Capt. Drew Jones can be contacted at (912) 242-2502.

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f you’re a scalloper looking for a way to get involved in making more of the bivalves we all love, FWC has put a call out for “scallop-sitters” in the Florida Panhandle. The Scallop-Sitter program is available for volunteers in St. Joseph Bay, St. Andrew Bay and St. George Sound, and it is intended to increase scallop populations and reintroduce them to suitable areas from which they have disappeared.

Scallop-sitters volunteer to maintain cages with up to 50 bay scallops from June through January. On a monthly basis, volunteers check, count and clean their cages and scallops. Each volunteer will receive a cage, a bucket of scallops, tools to maintain cages, instructional materials and some fun giveaways.

To register as a scallop-sitter, you must meet the following requirements: • Have no FWC violations on your record • Live near St. Andrew Bay, St. Joseph Bay or St. George Sound • Have access to the bay: via private dock, boat, or kayak • Register through the UF Pace platform before May 25, 2023 • Watch virtual training video following registration and complete the program pre-survey

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For more information, go to MyFWC.com or email bayscallops@myfwc.com.

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FLORIDA 21

By Will Schmidt

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f you don’t already troll for grouper or if you’re looking for ways to improve your success rate, here are some things to consider while we wait for the seasons for our most popular species to re-open.

Large-lipped and big-profile plugs are deadly, but many anglers struggle with getting lures into the strike zone. Many think if they are fishing in 30 feet of water they need a plug that dives 30 feet, but that’s not always the case. Maximum dive depths are with everything optimum: speed, amount of line out and rigging.

First, consider your speed. I use Nomad DTX Minnow lures, which are designed to run anywhere

from 20 to 50 feet at speeds of 2 to 12 knots. The plugs will dive deeper at the higher end of that speed range than the lower end. I usually run about 5 knots and can easily get a 40-foot plug down to 30 feet at that speed, but a 30-foot plug would likely be short of the bottom.

The amount of line you have out also greatly affects the depth your plug is running, and this is where many mistakes are made. Slower speeds equal a flatter angle of descent, so more line is needed. The idea is to be so close to the bottom that you occasionally bounce off it.

Watch your rod tip for signs of the lure bouncing off the bottom. You will likely find you need more line than you think. Keep dropping back until you start hitting bottom. The downside of this is you will get snagged on the bottom occasionally. When you do, don’t just try to wrench it off the bottom, get back behind the lure and pull it off in the opposite direction. A plus to the DTX Minnow is the single hooks seem to come off the bottom easier than treble hooks.

The final piece to the puzzle is your rigging.

Pulling 8- to 9-inch lures, and handling the fish that smack them, means you need stout tackle. But heavier lines create drag in the water that will impede the lure’s ability to dive. Using braid is a huge plus, as the diameter is much smaller and creates less drag. To further streamline, I use crimps on my leader between my lure and a small (but strong) swivel. It’s a little thing, but knots on heavy leader can be bulky and add to the rig’s drag.

Heavy drags as well as keeping the boat in gear helps pull the fish away from cover quickly. Large single hooks aid in keeping you connected as the bigger gaps decrease the possibility of ripping the plugs out of the fish. Trolling is fun way to catch grouper and it’s a great way to find new spots, as you can cover a lot of ground.

Will Schmidt is a seasoned tournament angler who has been writing about fishing for more than three decades. Check out Nomad Lures at nomadtackle.com.

22 FLORIDA

MARCH 2023

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guess I was a little bored. For the past hour, I’d been on the phone with Daniele, the head of my office in Italy, reviewing our latest purchases of Italian gold, Murano glass and Italian-made shoes and handbags.

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2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic Returns to the Tennessee River

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B.A.S.S. PHOTO

he prestigious championship bass tournament—widely known as the “Super Bowl of Bass Fishing”—will be held March 24-26 in downtown Knoxville and on the University of Tennessee Campus.

The Bassmaster Classic pits 55 of the world’s best bass anglers against one another for the title of Bassmaster Classic Champion. The Classic is a catch-and-release event, with bass being returned to the fishery under the supervision of the TWRA. Daily takeoffs will be from Volunteer Landing on the Tennessee River in downtown Knoxville each competition day, and weigh-ins will take place in the Thompson-Boling Arena on the University of Tennessee campus. The fan-favorite Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo will be held Friday through Sunday, March 24-26 in the Knoxville Convention Center and the adjacent World’s Fair Exhibition Hall.

All activities and venues are free and open to the public.

For more information, visit Bassmaster.com.

10 NATIONAL

MARCH 2023

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NATIONAL 11

COLOMBIA: A GOLDEN ERA OF FISHING BEGINS

By Riley Love

T

wenty years ago, I wrote an article on the Golden Age of Panama fishing. Long have anglers waited for access to the salt and freshwater environments of Colombia.

In 2016, a lengthy peace process was negotiated and a final agreement for a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities between the government and militias. In truth, there are still areas of the country to be avoided and cocaine production remains high, but the political and drug-crime environment has improved enough to move Colombia nearer the top of the target list for angling. The country’s upward trajectory with new tourism outstrips its neighbors. The latest three trips we’ve taken to the country have been completely safe.

Fishing the Amazon and Orinoco River basins are “peacock bass trips.” It is a stunning fishery, where you routinely encounter fellow anglers from the far side of the world. From there, these trips can be divided into peacocks and “what else.” In Guyana it was giant arapaima. For the last Brazil trip, it was big wolf fish. This venture was to the Guaviare River, massive itself, a tributary to the mighty Orinoco. It is hard to understand the size of these watersheds until you see them yourself. Our quarry here was payara, the vampire fish.

The dichotomy of life in the tropics is the wet and dry seasons. During the time of rain, the rivers swell from their banks into dense rainforest. Sitting in your boat, you listen to peacock bass bust prey far back in cover where no cast can go. The fishing season is refined to those months when the rivers shrink back into their skeletal forms and fish are targeted in remaining aneurysmal pools. But the payara have a need for speed. They stack up in current and mouths of tributaries where more water flows. There is something about going after speed freaks… it presses my buttons.

Alberto “Beto” Mejia is the young progenitor of FISH COLUMBIA. He has developed lodges here, on the Orinoco and on the Pacific coast at Punta Ardita, just inside the Panamanian border. He is a stone-cold payara fly fisherman. This lodge is more rustic, and you really feel away from it all.

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The angle

Peacocks and payara take flies very well, both poppers and streamers. For the conventional fisherman, it’s a chance to use multiple baits and techniques.

Very large topwater prop baits and poppers, big minnows at multiple depths.

The Dramatis personae includes numerous others- pacu, sardinata, also the opportunity for multiple species of catfish, some in the 400-pound range.

Uraima falls in Venezuela was a specialized lodge for payara. This is off the list as a destination for various sordid reasons. I have bagged them across the frontiers of South America. Most run 6 to 7 pounds, and a very good one about 15 pounds. The fish on Columbia’s Orinoco run twice that size. I believe this is the best payara lodge on the planet.

For more information, go to www.fishcolombia.com. For more from Riley Love, go to rileylove.com and find him on social media @rileyloveauthor.

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SUPER GLUE BELONGS IN YOUR TACKLE BOX

By CAM Staff

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Soft Baits: You’re throwing away money if you fish soft plastics and don’t use super glue. Most soft plastics are designed for action rather than durability. They’re disposable, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get the most you can out of them.

If you’re fishing a paddletail, grub, eel, worm or any soft plastic on a jighead, a small drop of super glue will extend the life of that bait indefinitely.

Secured to the jig, it will never slide down to the bend of the hook like a loose sock. To a lesser extent, this trick works for bare hooks, as well. Forget multiple fish, a soft bait can last multiple trips when it’s glued in place— barring, of course, interactions with toothy fish.

When it comes to fish with teeth, there’s no way to avoid rips and tears in your soft plastics. Even toothless fish will beat up a bait with extended use. Super glue repairs slices and gouges in soft plastics. The rigidity of the repaired area will affect the action of the lure, but this can be a trip saver when you’re down to the last in a bag of that one color fish are biting.

Hard Baits: With hard baits, super glue is for on-the-water repairs.

If the lip on your crankbait gets loose, a tiny dab of glue will hold it tight and keep your lure swimming true. If the screw eye comes out of your favorite topwater or swimbait, gluing it back will render it stronger than it was to begin with. Super glue extends the life of expensive lures that would otherwise be headed for the trash.

Knots: The debate is ongoing on whether super gluing knots increases their strength. Most folks who do it are in the “it can’t hurt camp.” However, there are a couple situations when it just makes sense. Coating line-to-line connections that frequently run through the guides smooths the knot and protects it from wear. With braided line, good knots, and the right knots, are crucial. Even so, braided line can cut itself when knots shift and tighten under stress. A drop of super glue keeps knots snug and secure.

Miscellaneous: Super glue can save the day when an eyelet or rod tip ust like pliers or a good knife, super glue is an essential item in your fishing kit. There are numerous practical uses for this stuff in fishing, and comes loose. It’ll also keep you on the water when you cut yourself chunking it’s also a catch-all tool. It’s like liquid duct tape. When you have it, there’s bait. Glue the wound shut and keep fishing. Save the emergency room for later. no end to the situations when it comes in handy.

Here are a few good reasons you should keep a tube of super glue in your For more tips, go to coastalanglermag.com.

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GOLDEN BASS GEORGIA SHEEPSHEAD TIES CAUGHT IN VIRGINIA STATE RECORD

By Molly Kirk

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irginia angler Jacob Moore was quite surprised when he reeled in this largemouth bass from the James River. Moore was expecting to catch a largemouth—he was targeting them. But he definitely wasn’t expecting to catch a golden largemouth!

“I was out there practicing for a tournament, catching a bunch of fish,” said Moore, who works as an arborist and participates in local tournaments. “I was on the lower James near Chippokes [State Park]. When I hooked into that one, I thought I had a saltwater fish on at first, but lo and behold, it was a largemouth! A very different largemouth, though. I haven’t seen anything like that before. I’ve seen bass with black spots, but I’d never seen an albino one.”

“Golden largemouth bass are extremely rare and most anglers have never seen them, let alone heard of them before,” said Alex McCrickard, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) Aquatic Education Coordinator.

“The fish is a product of a genetic mutation that alters the skin pigments called xanthism. Yellow pigmentation dominates in xanthism, as you can see in Moore’s golden largemouth.”

Moore measured the fish at 16 ½ inches, took a few photos, then returned it to the water.

For more information, go to dwr.virginia.gov.

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his big Georgia sheepshead tied a two-decade-old state record for the species after weighing in at 14 pounds, 14.37 ounces.

The angler, Ben Golden III, of Midway, Ga., caught his fish near the Sunbury community outside of Midway on Feb. 3. The catch qualifies as a tie with the existing record of 14-pounds, 14-ounces set by Ralph White, of Rincon, Ga., in 2002.

“To be honest, I’ve been telling folks it’s been my goal to catch a state record for 10 or 12 years,” said Golden, who grew up in Midway and has been fishing the Georgia coast most of his life. “I’m excited to say that I did it.”

Sheepshead are common around 7 pounds but can easily be found up to 10 pounds. They reach maturity around 3 to 4 years of age and primarily live inshore, often near rocky areas, docks, bridges or artificial reefs, or other areas with barnacles.

Between 2017 and 2021, NOAA Fisheries estimates that Georgia recreational anglers caught an average of 490,197 sheepshead each year, with an average of 262,457 being harvested.

For more information on the Georgia Saltwater Game Fish Records program, visit www.CoastalGaDNR.org/SaltwaterRecords.

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MARCH 2023

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