Coastal Angler Magazine | August 2023 | Brevard County Edition

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By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

Athe cooler waters of great depths, deep-water grouper are some of the better tasting sh in the ocean. of deep-water grouper we target o coast of the Florida Keys are snowy grouper and yellowedge grouper. ey are found in depths of 400 to 1,000 feet.

Yellowedge are open year-round, and they can be a little di cult to nd. ey congregate in localized areas in depths between 600 and 800 feet. You might nd snowies and tile sh where you nd yellowedges, but this is not true the other way around. When you nd an area with yellowedge grouper, mark it, save it, and do not over sh it. Keep your harvest light, and this honey-hole will produce for you again in the future.

When making a deep-dropping rig, use larger hooks on the top and bottom of a ve-hook rig. Mustad 11/0 circle hooks provide excellent hookup ratios for this kind of shing. A x larger baits on these hooks, with the bottom intended for yellowedge, and the top intended for snowy grouper. Pepper in smaller ones in the middle for tile sh.

e nice part about dropping ve hooks is you can play with a variety and see what works. e best

to do what it is made to do.

Bait selection can vary greatly, so use anything and everything. I use chunks of fresh sh, with skin that will stay on the hook longer, for my top and bottom hooks, and squid in the middle. At least one hook should have some greasy, oily, stinky squid for deep dropping.

When it comes to catching deep-water species such as grouper, tile sh, barrel sh and rosies, you don’t need to break the bank to get a reliable electric set-up. e lower priced reels can handle these and can be paired with a rod and stacked with line on a budget of $1,000 to $2,000. I don’t recommend buying these used, as everything electronic on the water has a shelf life, and you never know how they were cared for previously.

With mahi-mahi still prevalent in o shore waters, and with snowy grouper still in season, the timing is perfect to hunt yellowedge grouper. If you aren’t interested in the trial and error of searching the depths of the vast ocean by yourself, Sweet

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E’nuf Charters’ two-boat eet is available to help put you on the grouper.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SWEET E’ NUF CHARTERS.

BILL DANCE SIGNATURE LAKES to Solidify Tennessee as the Heart of Fishing in the Southeast

Bill Dance Signature Lakes will connect the world’s most-loved angler with some of Tennessee’s most excellent natural resources – its lakes. is program is intended to make Tennessee a best-in-class destination for anglers worldwide.

With the new initiative’s goal to improve and enhance Tennessee lakes, increase visitation and honor Dance’s legacy, Tennessee will invest $15 million in improvements above and below the water at 18 lakes that bear shing legend Dance’s stamp of approval. Tennesseans will bene t from increased stocking, habitat and sheries management and improved access for shing and boating. e collaborative e ort between Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee State Parks and Tennessee Department of Tourist Development seeks to solidify Tennessee as the heart of shing in the southeast and drive economic activity across the state.

“I’m unbelievably humbled and excited to be involved in such a helpful project that will bene t so many people and our natural resources in my great home state of Tennessee,” said Bill Dance. “You can bet your favorite lure this project will have a ripple e ect for a mighty long time, not only giving the weekend sherman but tournament anglers a wonderful shery as well, thanks to the great state of Tennessee and my friends at TWRA.”

Bill Dance Signature Lakes touches 39 counties, including 22 at-risk or economically distressed counties, and is an essential step in helping those communities create new revenue streams through increased visitation. Fishing generates $1.2 billion in economic impact annually and supports 7,480 jobs across the state.

Bill Dance Signature Lakes includes nine large reservoirs with a proven track record for quality shing for a variety of sh. In partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority, reservoirs will receive new or upgraded best-inclass ramps to improve public access for both recreational and tournament anglers. Each of the 18 lakes will see such above-water upgrades as courtesy docks, ample parking, additional access points, shing piers and signage, to name a few. Several smaller lakes, many which are located within Tennessee State Parks, will be managed intensively by TWRA for Bill Dance approved family shing with regular stocking to ensure the best chance for success.

Projects are slated to begin in 2022 and near completion by the fall of 2024. For more information, see www.tnvacation.com.

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GETS THE FISH

When the low for the month is 82 degrees and the highs average 100, we have to make some modi cations to our lifestyles… and so do the sh. Let’s cover a few opportunities to take advantage of as we try to entice a bite this summer.

In the past I have written about some night shing techniques, but I realize that is not for everyone. However, optimizing your time on the water when the temperatures are at their coolest is imperative.

Water and air temps should be at their coolest just before dawn, and that is prime time to be chunking and winding. I like to be casting at least 30 minutes before the rising sun. I recommend locating an area that will have ample tidal ow. is obviously encourages the sh to feed, and it also helps keep the temperature lower. Pair the moving tide with some structure like shells or deeper water adjacent to a shallow at, and you should be in business. e area obviously needs to be holding bait, also.

Topwater lures are always fun and a popular

choice before and at sunrise in August. Once that bite slows, it’s time to bounce the bottom with some plastics. I try to not specify jighead weight if I am not covering a speci c location because it depends on tide, depth and a score of other variables. I would position myself to cast toward the shallows and bring my lure down the drop o . is is a good method to locate sh and cover di erent depths. Fish could be shallow early and fall o the edge as the sun rises. I also like to vary my retrieve speed, and don’t be afraid to work your lure very slowly ticking the bottom structure. Fish in warm water can become lethargic just as they do in cold water. Another time to hit the water is a er a summer rain. Take advantage of these showers, which cool

the water temps. ese periods can be short-lived depending on the extent and duration of the rain event. Heavy lighting tends to slow the bite a er the storm moves on, so I am not a big fan of shing a er a lightning storm.

I hope these tips can help you catch a few more sh this summer and stay out of the heat. Another bene t of shing early and heading home is you have the rest of the day to do other things. Wear your sun block, stay hydrated, and have a fun summer on the water!

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

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®

FIND THE BAIT, FIND THE FISH

Tim Barefoot

August is a pre-transition month, when we’re at the end of summer, and just before the true transition months of September and October. e shing can be hot as a recracker if you pay attention to the bait. is is a pre-staging month for the bait and the bottom sh, as well. Huge schools of cigar minnows and sardines will start their annual migration toward inshore waters for spawning, waiting for the fall and winter.

When o shore bottom shing, I’m looking for large stacks of beeliners as well as cigs and sardines. is is where you nd the sh. Period. Many years ago when I was commercial shing, we would stay for days at a time looking for grouper and snapper. We concentrated on the bait as much as the structure. If you found these two together (bait on a ledge), so much the better, but we o en found sh on slick, at, sand bottom on stacks of bait. We’d anchor on these big stacks of bait and go to work. If the bait school moved, so did the sh… and so did we! We’d y the anchor and move around until we found them again. It was just like magic, with instant bites on the bottom. is is the reason I keep saying, nd the bait, nd the sh. It doesn’t matter where these big stacks of bait go, the sh will follow.

With late summer water temperatures, pelagics like the tunas, wahoo and dolphin are scattered all over the nearshore waters due to the hot water. e water temperatures on the beach will be close to the water temps in the Gulf Stream by now, and the sh will follow bait wherever it goes. In August and September, some unsuspecting king mackerel sherman always catches a stud wahoo trolling live bait on some nearshore stack of bait. I remember wrestling a yellow n for more than an hour on lightweight king mackerel tackle just 10 miles o the

beach. We were bottom shing and had a live cigar minnow out on the light line. Eventually, I lost the ght due to a swivel that couldn’t take it anymore. Ha! Neither could I.

Keep a good eye on the recorder and any surface activity around structure. You know the areas that hold the big schools of cigs and sardines. Keep going back to these places now and into September. is is where you’ll nd what you’re looking for.

I’ve always been a bait freak. Now that I’ve seen more than just a few cycles of what happens through the seasons, I’m better able to see the big picture. Bait moves around for speci c reasons during di erent seasons. Whatever you are shing for requires food to keep them in a place. So… nd the bait, nd the sh.

For more from Capt. Tim Barefoot, check out Barefootcatsandtackle.com.

A nice scamp caught o a big stack of beeliners.

CATCH LATE SUMMER TRIPLETAIL SOAKING IN THE SUN

By Emily Hanzlik

In late summer, the humidity is crazy and the heat wants to take you down. e shing can slow down during this time; however, chilling in the sun is a lifestyle for some sh species.

e tripletail is one of the strangest sh in the ocean. Tripletail are usually dark brown with some lighter shades mixed around, and they can sometimes be yellow, depending on their area. ese sh don’t have a typical body structure. Instead, they have a at almond-shaped body and get their name from the appearance of having three tails, which is an adaptation of enlarged lobes on the posterior ns. ey usually don’t grow any larger than 15 pounds and typically range from 20-30 inches. For their size, they put up a heck of a ght.

Many tagging studies have been done on these sh to track their migrations. However, science has yet to gure it all out. e idea is they move north to south, then back up the coast going no further than Georgia. In the Gulf, they make it as far as Texas. e timing of their movements appears to be random, but it probably depends on currents, since they don’t free swim much.

Sometime during the summer months, tripletail will oat o shore to breed. Like most,

they broadcast spawn, with females producing anywhere from 4 to 8 million eggs. ey can spawn every three to ve days.

When these sh aren’t o shore spawning, they typically hang near lots of structure. You might spot them oating near crab buoys, mangroves, oating leaves and poles in the water. Tripletail are known for mimicking and blending in with their surroundings. is makes it especially di cult while shing to spot these creatures. However, it gives them amazing bene t, since their prey is also hiding in these places. Tripletail usually prey on shrimp, sh and small crabs.

ere are many di erent ways to target tripletail. Since they aren’t big swimmers, you’ll normally nd them oating around with seaweed or next to buoys. You can pitch baits, like live shrimp, to target them. Usually, you’ll want to use a small live bait hook without a weight to get a natural dri in front of them. If live bait isn’t your style, you can also use small jigs or swimbaits to grab their attention. Another great way is y shing. Here, you’ll want a y that mimics a small shrimp or bait sh. When targeting them, make sure to nd which end is their face. en try to dri your o ering in front of their nose.

e current IGFA all-tackle world record is

42 pounds. It was caught in South Africa in 1989.

Emily Rose Hanzlik holds 62 IGFA world records in various categories. She hails from West Palm Beach, where she has a part time Bow n Guide Service as well as shing classes for Jr. Anglers. Find her on social media @emilyhanzlikoutdoors.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMY LOCKHART

Let’s grow with Florida together.

PORT CANAVERAL OFFSHORE FORECAST

August fishing can sometimes be a challenge, but also a fun time. The cold water is usually still around and causing issues for bottom fishing and finding bunker. By cold water, I’m talking about the yearly thermocline. Just because you can’t get a bottom bite going doesn’t mean the bottom fish don’t come up in the water column a little. Get on the wrecks and chum. You will find the cold water pushes the fish up to the surface; they try to get to the warm water level. It’s not uncommon at all to see amberjack, snapper, cobia, mangroves and many other species not far from the surface. Picking out the biggest fish can be fun, especially for your charters. Almost forgot about the cobia run. That cold water also pushes them cobes to the shallows. By the way, the regulations have changed, so be sure to look them up.

Mahi. Cold water really pushes those mahi up in the stream as well. Get out there and put your best baits out. Now is the time to get them. If you have no luck out deep, go to 8a and troll fast through the reef. We catch many fish—even wahoo—on 8a.

Kingfish should continue to do well, as many fish in the 40/50lb class have been caught recently. Capt. Joe of the Fire Fight had a few stud kings and there was also a sizable chunk taken out from what appeared after forensics to be the extinct sandbar shark. How exciting!!!

Nearshore beach fishing is going to really be picking up. The tarpon are there and rolling every day. You can slow troll them or just drift in the mornings with live bait. We have caught them on everything—chunk baits, live baits and artificials. There is not much they won’t eat.

Beach fishing in 20-30 feet is a blast. You’d be amazed how shallow all these fish come in. Kings, bonito, crevalles and many other fun fighting fish. Look for the schools of bunker; if you find them, you will find the fish.

Shark fishing is about as good as it gets right now. If you’re looking for some fun with the kids, anchor up in 20 feet off the beach and hold on. Good luck, and we hope to see you out there!

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

Young Eli putting the smackdown on the family and learning the kingfishing ropes aboard the Fire Fight with Capt. Joe.

Big red snappers for Titusville’s “Motley Crew” opened the Atlantic snapper season on the Fire Fight with a big bang! Too bad the 2023 season was only for two days...

AUGUST 2023

DAY TIME HEIGHT

1TU 2:17 AM 0.08 L

8:47 AM 2.64 H

2:39 PM -0.47 L

9:31 PM 2.86 H

2W 3:10 AM -0.07 L

9:42 AM 2.78 H

3:32 PM -0.48 L

10:19 PM 2.93 H

3TH 4:02 AM -0.19 L

10:36 AM 2.86 H

4:25 PM -0.42 L

11:07 PM 2.94 H

4F 4:54 AM -0.27 L

11:29 AM 2.87 H

5:17 PM -0.28 L

11:54 PM 2.88 H

5SA 5:46 AM -0.28 L

12:23 PM 2.83 H

6:11 PM -0.1 L

6SU 12:42 AM 2.77 H

6:40 AM -0.24 L

1:17 PM 2.73 H

7:07 PM 0.1 L

7M 1:32 AM 2.62 H

7:35 AM -0.15 L

2:14 PM 2.6 H

8:05 PM 0.3 L

8TU 2:24 AM 2.46 H

8:33 AM -0.04 L

3:13 PM 2.47 H

9:06 PM 0.46 L

9W 3:20 AM 2.32 H

9:33 AM 0.07 L

4:15 PM 2.37 H

10:07 PM 0.57 L

10TH 4:20 AM 2.22 H

10:32 AM 0.15 L

5:19 PM 2.31 H

11:07 PM 0.63 L

11F 5:21 AM 2.18 H

11:29 AM 0.19 L

6:19 PM 2.31 H

Miami Beach, Government Cut

12SA 12:02 AM 0.64 L

6:20 AM 2.19 H

12:23 PM 0.19 L

7:12 PM 2.35 H

13SU 12:53 AM 0.61 L

7:12 AM 2.24 H

1:11 PM 0.18 L

7:58 PM 2.4 H

14M 1:39 AM 0.55 L

7:59 AM 2.3 H

1:55 PM 0.16 L

8:38 PM 2.46 H

15TU 2:21 AM 0.49 L

8:41 AM 2.37 H

2:35 PM 0.15 L

9:15 PM 2.52 H

16W 3:00 AM 0.42 L

9:21 AM 2.42 H

3:13 PM 0.17 L

9:50 PM 2.56 H

17TH 3:37 AM 0.37 L

10:00 AM 2.46 H

3:49 PM 0.21 L

10:24 PM 2.57 H

18F 4:11 AM 0.34 L

10:38 AM 2.48 H

4:23 PM 0.27 L

10:58 PM 2.54 H

19SA 4:44 AM 0.32 L

11:16 AM 2.48 H

4:58 PM 0.35 L

11:31 PM 2.5 H

20SU 5:17 AM 0.31 L

11:55 AM 2.46 H

5:33 PM 0.45 L

21M 12:05 AM 2.43 H

5:52 AM 0.32 L

12:35 PM 2.44 H

6:11 PM 0.56 L

22TU 12:41 AM 2.36 H

6:31 AM 0.33 L

1:19 PM 2.4 H

6:55 PM 0.66 L

23W 1:20 AM 2.3 H

7:18 AM 0.35 L

2:10 PM 2.36 H

7:48 PM 0.75 L

24TH 2:07 AM 2.25 H

8:15 AM 0.35 L

3:09 PM 2.34 H

8:51 PM 0.81 L

25F 3:05 AM 2.24 H

9:20 AM 0.33 L

4:16 PM 2.37 H

9:59 PM 0.81 L

26SA 4:15 AM 2.29 H

10:29 AM 0.25 L

5:25 PM 2.47 H

11:07 PM 0.72 L

27SU 5:27 AM 2.41 H

11:34 AM 0.13 L

6:29 PM 2.63 H

28M 12:09 AM 0.56 L

6:35 AM 2.59 H

12:34 PM -0.01 L

7:26 PM 2.81 H

29TU 1:06 AM 0.35 L

7:37 AM 2.81 H

1:30 PM -0.14 L

8:18 PM 2.98 H

30W 1:59 AM 0.14 L

8:33 AM 3 H

2:24 PM -0.2 L

9:07 PM 3.11 H

31TH 2:50 AM -0.05 L

9:27 AM 3.15 H

3:15 PM -0.2 L

9:54 PM 3.17 H

We usually start getting tropical storms in August and it can be a great time to fish the IRL as well as the beaches from Melbourne down to Sebastian Inlet as long as the ocean is calm and the tropical storms aren’t wreaking havoc on us. If I can’t fish the beaches, I like to focus on the flats, spoil islands or mangrove shorelines that should be loaded with bait in the Indian River Lagoon from Palm Bay to Sebastian. Try to get out early and use topwater baits such as Rapala’s Skitter Walk for trout, snook and redfish. The bite will stay solid if you switch to live bait as the sun comes up and the water warms. If the fish won’t hit topwater early, go subsurface with the Rapala Twitchin’ Mullet and Twitchin’ Minnow, or D.O.A. Shrimp or Paddletail baits if soft baits are your preference.

The snook and redfish should be very active in the inlet, with nighttime being a great time to fish with Rapala X-Rap 14 or bucktails. You could rig a D.O.A. jerk bait or paddletail on a heavy jighead and fish it like a bucktail with great success as well. If you have live bait, fish the trough along the beaches for snook and redfish as well as the occasional tarpon looking for a meal. I like to target the bait pods along the beaches from Melbourne down to Sebastian for tarpon, cobia, snook, kingfish, bonito and sharks. Live bait is my preferred method, rigged on VMC circle hooks.

The creeks from Melbourne down to Sebastian will hold

plenty of snook, tarpon, sharks and big jacks. After the heavy rains, fish the spillways with live baits or fish the Storm or D.O.A. paddletail baits, or use TerrorEyz in the deeper waters. For a hard bait, use the Rapala Twitchin’ Mullet and Minnow for good success on snook and juvenile tarpon.

Anglers can also target the shorelines, docks and oyster bars for snook and may even find a few flounder too.

Janelle Austin with a big tarpon off the beach in Sebastian

Hello and welcome to Pro Tips with Capt. Jonathan Moss. It is August and soon fall will be here as well as cooler temperatures and I, for one, am ready for a break from the heat.

Additionally, we are quickly approaching the one-year mark of the closure of redfish on the Space Coast; a closure I believe was much needed. Clean/clear water is crucial for our estuary and the bounce back of our much needed sea grass. Increased grass growth plus the closure of redfish theoretically meant a return of habitat for bait such as shrimp, crab and pinfish which ultimately means more fish. Hurricane Ian quickly halted that plan. Heavy winds, lots of rainwater and runoff created the perfect storm to stir and contaminate the water, causing it to turn brown and killing all of our new grass growth. Almost a year later, I am happy to report that the grass is growing.

Here are some simple steps we can take to protect our lagoons:

1) Refrain from fertilizing your yard. It has been a fairly wet summer. Fertilizer is just overkill, unneeded and, frankly, a waste of money. Rainwater flushes added nutrients from fertilizer into our lagoons and feeds the algal blooms. This is something we can avoid by not fertilizing.

2) Pole or Troll. In areas of new grass growth, it is paramount that we allow that grass to continue to grow. Using your outboard in these areas destroys the new growth and can create prop scars. To avoid this, pole your skiff until you reach deeper water, or lift your trolling motor as high as possible to create space between the prop and grass. Of course this will add time to your fishing trip, so keep that in mind when you want to move spots. The extra time and being patient will be worth it!

3) Join the movement! I am happy to report that I am a member of the Lagoon Watermen Alliance. In July, we met with lagoon stakeholders to gain public opinion on the issues that our lagoons are facing. Join us by visiting lagoonwatermen.org, as we are passionately fighting for our special estuary.

Let all come together to ensure the future of our water!

Tight lines,

BREVARD BRAG BOARD

Finn Jaffe pulled this 20-inch redfish from the mangroves in the Thousand Islands of Cocoa Beach.

This 27-inch snook was a morning catch for Javier Torres, hooked with live finger mullet on 7-foot Ugly Stik rod near Black Point on the Indian River by Sebastian.

Kasen Jordan caught this big 18-inch bass in Suntree Lakes on his first cast with just a hook and bread balls. This fisherman was SO excited!

Isabella reeled in her 18-inch black drum out of Mullet Creek. Caught with a live shrimp, it put up a good fight, but she did it!

Lane Kleinschnitz caught his biggest fish ever—a 5 lb. jack crevalle—fishing with his dad, Robby, and his uncle, Capt. Shane Trottier of Whatever Turns U On Fishing Charters.

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 the details at: WWW.COASTALANGLERMAG.COM

FLORIDA’S WATERS NEED YOUR HELP!

Anglers, your help is needed: Florida’s waters are in serious trouble.

Even a partial list of facts demonstrates the broad failure of Florida’s environmental regulatory system to protect our waters.

• Red tides have increased dramatically in frequency, duration and intensity.

• South Florida is bracing for yet another summer of massive blue-green algae blooms.

• Nearly a million acres of estuaries and 9,000 miles of rivers and streams are contaminated with fecal bacteria.

• Seagrass beds are on the brink of a death spiral.

• Eighty percent of our 1,000 springs are polluted.

• No state has lost more acres of wetlands.

• No state has more acres of polluted lake water. When it comes to our polluted waters, the buck stops with the state. Florida waters su er because our state government permits pollution and environmental degradation through its actions and inactions.

e primary problem is special interests, such as big agriculture, big development and big mining, which wield undue in uence over legislators and thus environmental policy. It’s pro t over public interest.

In 2020, looking to clean up their polluted waterways themselves, an astounding 89 percent of Orange County voters approved a Right to Clean Water/Rights of Nature charter amendment.

e state legislature swi ly took that right away by preempting the authority of local governments statewide from passing such laws. If you want proof that a rights-based approach to protecting our waters would be e ective, it’s right there.

at preemption le Floridians with only one viable course of action: amend our state constitution to give all Floridians a fundamental right to clean and healthy waters, a right beyond the reach of legislators. e amendment is indefeasible and self-executing; it can’t be annulled or compromised by the legislature.

is fundamental right would be on par with other fundamental rights such as the right to free speech and the right to bear arms.

Given how critical clean water is to Floridians, we merit this right. We need this right. With it enshrined in our constitution, we can hold state government accountable when it permits pollution and degradation of our waters and aquatic ecosystems.

To get on the 2024 ballot, 891,589 signed and approved petitions are needed by Nov. 30, 2023.

Go to FloridaRightToCleanWater.org to read the full text of the amendment. Browse the FAQs. Note the growing list of over 150 organizations and businesses supporting this amendment.

CONSTITUTIONAL

Learn that this right doesn’t mean your neighbor can sue you for fertilizing your lawn, or that there will be a proliferation of lawsuits. It means our government must provide real remedies for polluted waterways. en, if you are a registered Florida voter, print out, sign, and mail the petition. Get family and friends to do the same.

Florida waters depend upon it, and we all depend upon clean water.

Visit FloridaRightToCleanWater.org for more ways you can help make a di erence.

Ballot Title:

Ballot Summary:

Amendment Information

Right to Clean and Healthy Waters

This amendment creates a fundamental right to clean and healthy waters. The amendment may be used to sue State executive agencies for harm or threatened harm to Florida’s waters, which include aquatic ecosystems. This amendment defines terms, identifies affected constitutional provisions in Article IV governing the executive branch, provides for civil action enforcement, allows attorney’s and expert witness fees to prevailing plaintiffs, and provides equitable remedies including restoration of waters.

See separate document for the full text of the proposed constitutional amendment.

04/22/2022 2202 Date Approved Serial Number

Sponsor's Information (Return all completed petition forms to the address below.) Name: Address:

FloridaRighttoCleanWater.org

13300 South Cleveland Avenue Suite 56 Fort Myers, FL 33907

Voter's Information

I am a registered voter of Florida and hereby petition the Secretary of State to place the above proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution on the ballot in the general election.

Address

Update my voter registration record to this address. (check box)

Petition Circulator's Information

This Petition form is only to be collected by a volunteer or directly by the voter him or herself.

A paid petition circulator must use the DS-DE 155B version of the form. Forms for paid petition circulators can be obtained from the Division's Paid Petition Circulator website. Visit https://dos.elections.myflorida.com/InitiativePetitions/ for more information.

Attention

• This form becomes a public record once filed with the Supervisor of Elections.

• It is a first degree misdemeanor to knowingly sign the same petition more than once. [§104.185, F.S.]

• An improperly completed form will not be validated.

DS-DE 155A (10-2021) R1S-2.009, Fla. Admin. Code

THROW A WACKY RIG TO GET BIT!

TYLER WOOLCOTT

Have you ever heard the saying, “going catching, not shing?”

Well, there’s a technique that will help you do just that. More than any other bait I can think of, a wacky rig gets bit at any time, under any conditions. If you haven’t heard of a wacky rig, it’s simply a Senko-style bait with a hook through the very center of the worm.

ere are a few reasons this bait outperforms many others when it comes to getting bites. First o , it is versatile when it comes to areas where you can throw it. I wacky rig with a weedless hook, which allows me to pretty much put this bait anywhere. Hayabusa makes an awesome hook called the Wacky Fluoro Guard that is completely weedless and helps you sh through cover. What kind of cover? e options are endless. Docks, grass, wood and rocks are some of the places I’ll throw a wacky rig.

I use a spinning rod with a wacky rig, which allows easier casts, especially when skipping the bait under cover most people can’t reach. A wacky rig skips extremely well, and this lets you reach sh that might never have seen a bait before. e natural falling shimmy action of the Senko drives sh absolutely crazy. It will catch bass when nothing else seems to be working.

For colors, I like green pumpkin or some type of brown when the water is clear. If there’s some stain to the water, I use a darker color like junebug or redbug to help it stand out. In muddy water, the silhouette of a darker bait is what the bass pick up on.

Typically, the slower you sh a wacky rig, the better. I throw it or skip it under and around cover and then let it sink for a few seconds. A lot of times, bass will eat it on the initial fall. If not, I give it a few small twitches or a pull of the rod to cover some area. Repeat this process a few times until your bait leaves the strike zone. If there is a sh around, it will bite.

Wacky Rig Gear

A spinning rod is ideal for this technique. I like a shorter rod for more accurate casts and skips. e 13 Fishing Defy 7’1” medium is an awesome rod for a wacky rig, and it’s super a ordable. Pair it with your favorite 2000 or 3000 size reel, and spool up with 10-pound Seaguar Smackdown braid. I use a uorocarbon leader to help keep the line visibility down. A 10- to 15-pound leader works, depending on the type of cover I am targeting. Seaguar Abrazx is an awesome uorocarbon line that I use for most of my spinning rod leaders.

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

Surf Expo, the premier watersports and coastal lifestyle tradeshow, enhances the buying experience for both watersports and out tter retailers with the debut of its new Shoreline o ering during the Sept. 7-9, 2023 edition.

Shoreline at Surf Expo will feature products dedicated to technical apparel, equipment and gear any enthusiast needs to transition from a day on the water to stretching out on land.

“From the trails to the lakes and beyond, Shoreline at Surf Expo supports the natural evolution of the waterman’s lifestyle with gear, apparel and accessories that will take consumers from coastal shoreline activities into camping, hiking, climbing and other recreational activities found along rivers and lakes,” said Roy Turner, Emerald SVP and Surf Expo Show Director.

Shoreline is positioned to become the hub for industry-leading retailers and brands focusing on shing, boating, wakeboarding, technical apparel, outerwear, camping, watersports hardgoods as well as essential gear and accessories.

e newest oor category complements Surf Expo’s extensive product o erings—Surf, Skate, Paddle and Bluewater—by targeting the business associated with outdoor amenities and recreation found in lake towns across the country.

Eric Marvin, founder of Elakai Outdoor, is exhibiting outdoor games within the new Shoreline category. Some games include cornhole, bocce ball, croquet and more. While this is Marvin’s rst year participating at Surf Expo, he knows it will be the right t for his business.

“Our products can be used on the beach, by the lake or near the ocean. Exhibiting at Surf Expo is a natural t for who we are as a business and what the Shoreline category is all about,” said Marvin.

Shoreline will also create a seamless connection with Surf Expo’s Bluewater category, which showcases notable inshore and o shore apparel and accessory products ranging from lifestyle and technical apparel to footwear, outerwear, sportswear, T-shirts, sunglasses and much more.

“Blending the inshore and o shore worlds under Surf Expo’s one roof exposes buyers and sellers to this growing crossover market within the coastal lifestyle industry,” added Turner.

SHORELINE & BLUEWATER EXHIBITING BRANDS INCLUDE:

Ronix Wake/ Radar Skis, Columbia OCS, MANG, Hest, Bimini Bay Out tters, Burnside Sierra Paci c Apparel, Elakai, Fahlo, HEST, Kracken Adventure Bikes, Intracoastal Waterway, Kanga Coolers, Lowtides Ocean Product, Line + Cleat, Pirani, Preston 1947 by Ebinger Brothers, Promo & More, Sunski, Sunburn Drink, e Grateful Diver, XTRATUF, Welly Bottle, and ZEP-PRO.

Summer-Long Fishing Competition Engages Youth Anglers

CCA Florida’s summer-long STAR shing competition o ers anglers a shot at more than $500,000 in prizes, with $100,000 in youth scholarships and invites anglers of all ages and skill levels to walk away with prizes from new boats to scholarships and more.

“Since we launched STAR in Florida, we’ve seen anglers catch more, release more, support the recovery of our state’s marine resources and walk away with new boats, scholarships and amazing new gear at the same time,” said STAR Director Leiza Fitzgerald. “Since the start of the competition, we’ve awarded anglers with over $2 million in prizes, including $800,000 in scholarships and two new ski s to youth anglers across the state.”

e 2023 STAR competition ends Sept. 4 and includes 15 divisions targeting 12 species both inshore and o shore. Awesome boat, motor, trailer packages and cash prizes and more will be awarded for di erent divisions.

STAR and its scholarship partners also provide tremendous incentives to engage youth in shing and conservation. For only a $10 New Tide Membership, youth ages 6 to 17 can enjoy free registration in STAR and participate to win boats, scholarships, other great prizes and earn community service hours.

At the conclusion of the competition, scholarship winners will be determined by a random drawing of all eligible photo entries.

Registered youth anglers may submit one photo a day of their sh on the 2023 STAR O cial STAR measuring device of the following species: lady sh, jack crevalle, sheepshead, snapper, snook, spotted seatrout, red sh, tarpon, grouper, dolphin or king sh.

e STAR Youth Scholarship Division presented by Realtree Fishing, o ers $100,000 in scholarships: two $25,000 scholarships presented by Realtree Fishing and e Slade Kerr Family and 10

$5,000 scholarships. is year Academy Sports + Outdoors, Florida Cracker Tournaments, e Plantation Inn Red sh Classic, Sodium Fishing Gear and Millers Boating Center join Coastal Conservation Association Florida, Southeast Environmental Solutions, Florida Sports Coast, Florida Sport shing Association, Phillips & Jordan and Tailin Toads Apparel as partners in presenting the $5,000 scholarships for 2023.

e Tagged Red sh Division Youth Prizes include two ski s, complete with Minn Kota trolling motors and Humminbird electronics and powered with Yamaha Outboards sitting on a trailer. e Tagged Dolphin Division o ers a $10,000 scholarship if the rst tagged dolphin is caught by a New Tide member.

Youth anglers also have another wonderful opportunity in the Costa Kick Plastic Trash Division presented by Papa’s Pilar. Youth participants can pick up garbage from the water or a shoreline during the competition and get rewarded. ey must submit a photo of the 5-gallon buckets full of trash for a shot at a $1,500 prize package, Kahuna Wagon, sunglasses certi cate and other great prizes. For every 5-gallon bucket of garbage a STAR Youth participant submits, they will also be provided with 30 minutes of community service hours.

For a full list of divisions, visit cca star.com.

For more information on STAR, or to register, visit the Facebook page or cca star.com.

By TAM Sta

CRAPPIE TIPS for Deep Summer

Spring is long gone and so are the quick limits of shallow-water crappie. at doesn’t mean you can’t go load the cooler with some slabs for a sh fry; it just means you’ll have to work a little harder. Here are a few tips to help you catch crappie when the weather and water are hot.

Trust the Electronics: Sonar is your best friend when crappie move deep. You might know where good brush and structure are on your lake, but you won’t know where the schools of crappie are until you spot them on the graph. Use side-scan to look under docks and around points, ledges, ditches and creek and river channels. Don’t even bother wetting a line until you’ve located sh with your electronics.

Find the Shade: Crappie don’t like the sun, and deepwater docks or piers can be the mother lode on bright days. Even underwater structure like ledges, humps and creek channels provide shade. Pay attention to the location of the sun, and then start searching the side of a given piece of structure that will provide some shade.

Go Early: ere’s no sense baking in the sun for a few sh when you can load the boat in just a few hours before and a er daybreak. Boat tra c and water temps are both lower in the morning, which means crappie and the small bait sh they feed on will be most active. In the morning, crappie move shallower up on the humps and ledges to chase bait. ey are more likely to bite when they are actively feeding.

Troll the Humps: O shore humps that top out at 15 feet or deeper will hold crappie this time of year. ey’re even better when there’s brush on them. Early and late, or if there is some dam-generated current, the sh will move

up to feed on these humps. ey suspend o the sides when the sun is high or the water is still. Slowly pull a spread of jigs or small, deep-diving crankbaits or spoons over and around humps where you’ve located sh. Pay close attention to how deep your lures are getting and add weight if you need to get them deeper.

Shoot Docks: Main-lake docks with 15 or more feet of water under them are comfortable places for crappie to hang out when the water is warm. Shoot lightweight jigs as far under these docks as you can, and let them sink slowly to the bottom before beginning a steady retrieve. If there are sh under a dock, they usually won’t let that jig hit the bottom.

Drown a Minnow: A school of crappie suspended o structure at 15 or 25 feet over a 40-foot bottom can be a frustrating scenario. You see them on your electronics, but they are slow to bite. Try dropping a live minnow down there where you’re marking sh. en just let it sit. e bites will be light, so pay attention.

PHOTOS BY NICK CARTER

Re-Discover Old Florida Waterfront Charm

The Perfect Vacation Getaway for Fishing, Boating & Outdoor Enthusiasts

n a dark, muggy morning, we eased into Campo’s Marina in Shell Beach, Louisiana.

By Gary Turner

We picked up 150 live shrimp for our rst day, and every morning began the same way for the rest of the week.

5 a.m., and it would be getting light at 5:30.For some of us— Dewayne and Blake Pro t, Darrel and I—this was the rst time we had been to Shell Beach in search of giant red sh,

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massive sheepshead and gator trout. Touted as the “Best Inshore Fishing in the World,” Shell Beach did not disappoint! e red sh shing was incredible! We hooked some giants, some we never even saw!

We shed spinning gear and 17- to 20-pound line with 2/0 circle hooks baited with either live shrimp or chunks of fresh blue crab. We also used two di erent techniques. Some of us popped a Cajun under cork. I used a Carolina rig, with the weight on my line, then a barrel swivel and an 18-inch leader terminating in my 2/0 BKK circle hook with a live shrimp.

Now… back to the sh we never saw! We shed some ats right where the tall marsh grass met the canals. e water was usually less than a foot deep. We would cast right next to the grass and wait for sh that were cruising this edge in search of food. en it was on! Your line would cut a wake as the sh ran for deep water and peeled drag. ese sh used any structure or rocks they could nd to break o . Even when they ran to deep water, they just kept going. We broke several lines before deciding to pull up anchor and chase the next big one.

at worked well, so we started chasing down lots of big red sh. Blake hooked one with the popping cork that broke him o . Later, we spotted the cork in the shallows and eased up to try to net it. Just as we got to it, the sh took o and was never seen again.

e days were hot, in the low to mid 90s with pop-up thunderstorms every day. One day we even spotted two waterspouts. We did our best to dodge all that, but we did get wet a few times. e last 30 minutes of daylight were always the most productive. We shed rock walls and hooked up several big red sh each evening. Mixed in with the red sh were some giant sheepshead that fell for the same tactics as the reds. Blue crabs are everywhere. You can catch them with a long-handle dip net or rod and reel.

Shell Beach is in St. Bernard Parish on the Gulf Outlet Canal near Lake Borgne, just 30 minutes from New Orleans. We plan on going back next year.

Check out Gary Turner’s YouTube channel @FishingMagicWithGary.

O

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Tennessee Angler Breaks His Own State Record

Aer a grueling 15-minute battle while shing solo, angler Micka Burkhart successfully netted and boated a 122-pound blue cat sh from Tennessee’s Cumberland River on June 28. e sh is a pending state record that should top the 118.7-pound record mark, which Burkhart set himself at Barkley Reservoir last September.

e whole ght can be viewed on a video posted to Burkhart’s YouTube channel, with the action climaxing as Burkhardt breathlessly pleads with the sh and promises to release it if he can just get it in the net.

Burkhart’s monster blue o cially weighed 122.3 pounds and measured 57.5 inches long, with a 42.25-inch girth. It ate a white bass head shed on 40-pound-test line. A er transporting the sh in a large livewell on his trailered boat to get o cial measurements, Burkhart returned to the Cumberland River and successfully released it back to the Stewart County stretch in northwest Tennessee near the Kentucky and Missouri borders. In a Facebook post, Burkhart reported that he also caught 69- and 72-pound blue cats on the same day. at’s a mighty ne day of shing.

e IGFA all-tackle world record blue cat sh weighed 143 pounds, even. It was caught from Kerr Lake, Virginia by Richard Nicholas Anderson in June of 2011.

The Return of a

To watch Burkhart catching the new state record, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ni4BPAaEng&t=1s

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