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THE IMPORTANCE OF BOAT INSURANCE
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Unpredictable waters
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FATHER’S DAY: THE PERFECT TIME TO FISH WITH YOUR KIDS
THATCH MAGUIRE, EDITOR AT LARGE
Father’s Day is one of the best opportunities to take your kid !shing.
It’s a celebration of the powerful bond forged when dads pass down the timehonored tradition of !shing, a tradition that stretches back thousands of years. While !shing once put food on the table out of necessity, today it still feeds something deep within us. at ancient connection to the water lives on in every angler, whether they realize it or not.
Inviting your son or daughter to !sh on Father’s Day regardless of their age makes a timeless statement. It bridges distance, mends di erences, and rea rms love in a way few other gestures can. Even if the day ends without a single bite, the act of !shing together creates a bond that words can’t express. It’s not about the catch. It’s about the connection.
ere are countless lessons a father might teach a child, but carving out time to share a quiet day on the water—free from the noise and distractions of modern life is one of the most meaningful. By saying, “Let’s !sh together today,” you’re also saying, “Let me share who I am with you.” And that’s a gi no one forgets.
Don’t have a son or daughter? No problem. Take any kid !shing this Father’s Day. Whether it’s a neighbor, a niece or nephew, or a friend’s child, the impact is the same. You’re passing on something real, something rooted in tradition, and something that could change a young life forever.
KINGFISHING
ON A SHOESTRING BUDGET
By Capt. Steve ompson
Targeting king!sh during their annual migration season o Florida’s east coast is a predictable event that coincides with the annual migration patterns of the Atlantic stock of king!sh. During the summer, anytime from midMay through August, when the water is warm enough for the kings to stick around, we all have a great chance of catching a tournament class king!sh, at almost anyplace we decide to !sh.
King!sh can be caught anywhere from the mouth of an inlet, on out to 200 foot depths, and that means that almost any seaworthy vessel can, and does, go a er these !sh during the “mostly calm” summer days.
Everyone has heard about the GJKT tournament winner that Fred Morrow caught at the tips of the north rocks, or Bob Johnson on his Traveler who won the aggregate, with two nice !sh, also right o the beach. What do these teams have in common? ey won in small boats with very little overhead, with very short runs to their !shing grounds. But they did their homework and had a plan, and went straight to where they were going to !sh. Because let’s face it, the small boater isn’t going to run all over the ocean chasing !sh that have already been caught. And those are not the only examples, this same scenario takes place every year
in tournaments up and down the Atlantic coast.
Another way to !sh on a budget is to not get caught up in the latest and greatest gear. Sure, you need quality equipment, but one can good used reels from friends, who are upgrading, or from yard sales or even at swap meets at your local o shore club.
As far as rods go, if you know what “feel” you like on your rods, you can !nd o name rods at sidewalk tent sales at your local tackle store, that perform as well as a custom rod, for a fraction of the cost!
To avoid buying that expensive bait, become pro!cient with a cast net! Kings get fat and happy on a steady diet of “pogies”, or menhaden found along our beaches. You need a heavy fast sinking net to have all the bait you want for a day’s !shing. No pogies, you say? Don’t worry, many king!sh over the years, have fallen to other baits than just a pogy. A pound of shrimp on tournament day could very well be a day saver. Croakers are great king baits, as well as blue runners and blue!sh. Ribbon!sh can also be used but are best caught a few days before and brined so they are easily trolled. If you like !shing the Party Grounds always have some sabikis on board. ese are small feathers on small hooks on a special rig that will catch fresh sardines and cigar minnows on most of the o shore reefs and wrecks.
Don’t be intimidated when you sign up to !sh any tournament. You have the same chance to catch a tournament winning king!sh as the next guy. And you do not have to drop big bucks to do so. Just do your homework, pre-!sh as much as possible and, come tournament day, have a plan and stick to it…and we’ll see you at the weigh scales!
Capt. Steve ompson is Chairman of Jacksonville Marine Charities / Greater Jacksonville King sh Tournament and a 40-year successful veteran of competitive king sh tournaments all over the Southeast. Contact him at (904) 251-3011 or email: gjkt@king shtournament.com.
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Greenlight to A Deep Dive Without Going in the Red
Every year in Basel, Switzerland, the world’s best-known luxury watchmakers gather to display their new timepieces. It’s a great event for spotting timepieces that standout–– in performance and in personality. We saw one impossible to ignore: a precision dive watch with an arresting green dial. But we also saw the five-figure price tag and knew we could bring our customers that exact same precision and stand out appeal for a whole lot less. The Stauer Evergreen Diver is that timepiece.
Built like a submersible battleship with a stainless steel case, caseback, and band, the Evergreen Diver is water-resistant down to 660 feet or 20 atmospheres, a feat facilitated by a hardened crystal and screw-down crown.
Green On Your Wrist AND In Your Pocket. You could pay an awful lot elsewhere for this verdant virtuoso, but the majority of the cost is in the big designer name upcharge. We think those guys are all wet. This is how you own a top-of-the-line dive watch without helping pay for some marketing guy’s yacht.
Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back. Wear the Evergreen Diver for 30 days. If you’re not completely happy, send it back for a full refund of the item price.
Limited Reserve. A watch of this caliber, with a price that won’t drag you under, takes 6 months to create and won’t stick around for long. Call today!
SPEND LE TIME ON TASKS More Time Fishing
It’s no fsh tale when you run with a John Deere. You can get everything done faster and easier, so you get more time on the water. Plus, our special offers make them the catch of the day.
RECORD 126-DAY GULF RED SNAPPER RECREATIONAL SEASON SET FOR 2025
Arecord-breaking 126-day Gulf red snapper recreational season has been set for 2025, the longest season since Florida assumed management of Gulf red snapper. e expanded season includes additional summer and fall shing days from 2024, o ering anglers more opportunities to sh over major holidays such as Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day, and anksgiving.
“Florida is the shing capital of the world— with 4 million licensed anglers and generations of families who enjoy our waters. A er setting a record last year, we’re doing it again with the longest Gulf red snapper season in state history, giving Floridians and visitors even more time to
sh on Florida’s waterways, said Governor Ron DeSantis.
“ e Gulf recreational red snapper season is a highly anticipated and celebrated event for anglers nationwide, emphasizing Florida’s exemplary shing resources,” noted Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Executive Director Roger Young. “ is record-long season results from the strong data collected through the State Reef Fish Survey, which Governor DeSantis, the Florida Legislature, and our recreational anglers have consistently supported.”
e 2025 Gulf red snapper season is open to those shing from private recreational vessels or charter vessels. e summer season began over
Memorial Day Weekend, and reopens June 1 through July 31. e fall season will include the following dates:
• September 1 –14
• September 19 – 21
• September 26 – 28
• October 3 –5
• October 10 – 12
• October 17 – 19
• October 24 – 26
• October 31 – November 2
• November 7 – 9, 11 (Veterans Day)
• November 14 – 16,
• November 21 – 23
• November 27–30 ( anksgiving weekend)
• December 5 – 7
• December 12 –14
• December 19 – 21
• December 25 – 28 (Christmas weekend)
Florida’s ability to o er this extended season is made possible by the data-driven management approach of the Florida’s State Reef Fish Survey (SRFS).
In the event of weather-related closures impacting the shing days, Florida will evaluate the option to add additional Gulf red snapper dates later in the year.
Anyone shing for red snapper from a private recreational vessel—in state or federal waters— must be registered as a State Reef Fish Angler (with annual renewal), even if exempt from shing license requirements. Registration is available at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.
For more on recreational snapper regulations, visit MyFWC.com/Marine.
PHOTO COURTESY OF FIRED UP FISHING CHARTERS
POPPING CORKS & KIDDOS: A JUNE FISHING TRADITION
What are the best parts of June? School’s out, the days are long, and I get to hit the water more o en with my boys. It’s become a tradition in our family: pack the cooler, grab the rods, and head out chasing tails under the summer sun. Our not-so-secret weapon? e always-reliable popping cork.
Now, I won’t try to name every cork on the market (we’d be here till next June), but I’ll share our go-to setup and a few tips to help make your next trip smoother—especially if you’ve got little anglers in tow.
Let’s talk bait. Live shrimp is our MVP, but dead bait and lures get their time to shine too. Lures tend to keep the “bait bandits” away, but if it’s a slow bite, those pesky nibblers become the stars of the show. My kids think a croaker on the line is just as thrilling as a red sh.
We o en dri or anchor near structure when there’s bait ickering around. Dri ing can be tricky with kids who haven’t mastered the long cast or slack control. Two tricks help here. First: the circle hook. It sets itself (less work for little hands) and does minimal damage if you need to release your catch. Plus, in the chaos of a dri ing boat, it’s more forgiving when someone forgets to keep tension on the line.
Second: skip the loop knot for your cork and
hook. Loop knots are excellent—just not here. ey add slack where you don’t need it, and with junior anglers on deck, less slack means fewer tangles and missed sh.
Now to the main event: the cork itself. A er decades of experimenting, I’ve fallen for a newer model—a hard plastic, deep-cup, rattling, popping cork. It’s heavy enough for my boys to cast like champs, even into a headwind. No wires, no wind tangle nightmares, and it ies like a bullet. e built-in rattles add the right commotion to call sh in without scaring them o . And that deep cup? It creates that irresistible slurp-splash sound with almost no e ort. Perfect for young anglers still guring out the rhythm.
One last tip—transport like a pro. Most folks clip the hook low and let the cork bounce up top, opping around and waiting to poke someone. I reverse it: secure the cork down by the reel, wrap the leader around the handle, and clip the hook up high. No ex, no loose hooks, no surprise piercings.
So grab a few snacks, load up the boat, and hit the water. June’s waiting—and the popping cork’s ready to work its magic.
Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures®, and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.
By Capt. Michael Okruhlik
PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®.
Florida Keys
THE HEAT IS ON
By: Capt. Greg Poland
As we roll into summer, June brings some of the best fishing opportunities of the year here in Islamorada, the Sportfishing Capital of the World! With warmer waters, longer days, and active fish both offshore and inshore, anglers of all levels have plenty to look forward to this month.
The mahi-mahi (dolphin) bite is heating up as June typically marks the beginning of peak mahi season, and this year will be no exception. We’re seeing good numbers of schoolies with some gaffers mixed in, and even the occasional bull. Weed lines and floating debris in 300-1000 ft of water have been especially productive. Trolling ballyhoo, and squid has been getting the job done. If you can get some pilchards, pull up to the weed line and throw a few over to see if anybody is home!
Reef fishing continues to be strong with yellowtail snapper biting well on the edge in 6090 feet of water. Chumming heavily and using small pieces of cut bait is the go-to method. Mangrove snappers are starting to show up in better numbers, especially around the patch reefs. Grouper season is open, and many anglers are targeting blacks and reds with live pinfish and pilchards. Be ready to put some muscle into it as these fish don’t come up easy!
Tarpon fishing remains a highlight in June, especially around the bridges and in the channels during the evening outgoing tides. Big migratory fish are still hanging around, so it’s a great time to hook into a silver king. Live mullet and crabs are top choices. I have been tarpon fishing in the morning, then switching gears to catch a few bonefish on live shrimp.
Snook and redfish are also active throughout the Everglades Region and around mangrove shorelines. Early mornings and late afternoons with topwater plugs or soft plastics can bring some exciting action. Check out this big triple tail we caught while looking for a triton in the backcountry. Whether you’re heading offshore for pelagics or sneaking through the mangroves in the backcountry, June is a phenomenal month to fish Islamorada! IF you would like to get out on the water with me and see how it gets done, call me!
Tight lines and good luck out there!
JUNE IS HOT
By: Capt. Angelia Swanson
Imean it’s literally hot with our temperatures in the Florida Keys starting to soar and the fishing catches being epic. Not only are we seeing sizable Mahi Mahi coming in, but we still are catching the random wahoo. By this time of year, the wahoo, who prefer cooler waters, are usually long gone, although recently I did catch one, however, It was the smallest wahoo I have ever caught, but a wahoo nonetheless! The flaky, white, mild wahoo meat has always been my favorite and a sportfisher’s dream catch. No matter how small my wahoo was, it was excellent eats for days for me and my trusty canine fishing mate, Scout. Also, the spring mahi have been coming in steadily and with some good size to them. Our mahi season the last few years has been a little slow and with smaller fish being caught, but this year has started out with a bang.
Great timing for all of the mahi tournaments getting amped up. Add to that the never ending blackfin tuna bite and you are in fishing heaven. Another advantage to those of us who love to troll, is that lobster and stone crab season is over, so you’re not trying to navigate the obstacle course of trap lines and buoys. I actually witnessed a charter captain come in last week with a yellowfin tuna! Not unheard of in this area, but certainly far and few between.
For those of you who prefer to stay closer to shore and fish our reef, almost every spe cies of grouper is in season and the snapper never fails to bite. Just remember what I always say when fishing the reef, “chum and they will come”! There is no such thing as too much chum on the reef. I put a weighted chum cage about half way down with the theory that it brings the fish up off of the bottom.
While bottom fishing or “yellowtailing” on the reef, get a flatline out there with some live bait. I prefer pinfish because they are very hardy. Leave the bale on your reel open and wait for a kingfish or sailfish to hit it. It should be late in the season for sailfish, but if the wahoo are still here, the sailfish probably are too. And if you aren’t an angler, the waters are getting to my favorite bathwater temps and it’s usually crystal clear, so put on a mask and snorkel and explore everything there is to see under the surface. That’s where you will truly have a life changing experience on North America’s only living reef!
If you need help figuring out what you want to do on your summer vacation in the Keys, give me a call and we’ll design the vacation you have always wanted!
HERE COMES SUMMER
By: Capt. Bruce Andersen
June marks the start of the summer fishing season here in the Florida Keys, and there’s no better time to get out on the water. With calm seas, warm weather, and long days of sunshine, conditions are just about perfect, and so is the fishing.
Offshore, we are entering prime time for mahi-mahi (also known as dolphin). These fish are a favorite among Florida Keys fisherman for their great fighting ability, beautiful tropical colors, and great table fare. June brings consistent east and southeast winds that push weed lines, floating debris, and bait into the Gulf Stream, setting the stage for ideal mahi fishing. Anglers can expect to find school-sized mahi under birds and floating structure, with the possibility of bigger slammer size mahi lurking nearby. It’s not uncommon to come across large patches if sargasso weed holding dozens of fish, turning a good day into a great one in a hurry.
Closer to shore, the reef and bottom fishing is just as hot. Yellowtail snapper are one of the mainstays of our reef fishing, and in June the fight is about as good as it gets along the edge of the reef in 60 to 90 feet of water. With a light line and a steady chum slick, it is possible to chum yellowtail right up behind the boat,
offering some of the most exciting light-tackle action you’ll find anywhere.
Alongside the yellowtail, we are catching mangrove snapper and the prized mutton snapper. Muttons move into the reefs and wrecks in good numbers this time of year, especially around the full and new moons. These hard-fighting bottom dwellers can be a challenge to hook and land, but are well worth the effort when you are successful.
June is the perfect time to experience everything that makes Florida Keys fishing special: beautiful weather, clear water, and a wide variety of species. Whether you are looking to head offshore in search of mahi-mahi or spend the day anchored on the reef catching snapper, summer fishing in the Keys is in full swing.
If you’re ready to get out there and experience it for yourself, come aboard The Captain Easy with me and let us show you how we get it done!
— www.captaineasycharters.com | You can reach Captain Bruce Andersen at Capt. Easy Charters, MM 85, call 305.360.2120 or email at: captbrucekey@comcast.net
This springs mahi bite has been exceptional. Great quantity and good quality mahi are being caught closer in offshore than usual. The winds are blowing the Sargasso weeds closer to shore and lining up just outside the reef and 200 to 400 foot of water. In years past we were mostly finding dolphin in 650 foot and deeper. Now we have only been traveling 12 to 15 miles out to find the mahi where normally we have to travel 18 to 30 miles out. Having the mahi in closer this year makes it more exciting because of the variety of fish that were able to catch closer to shore with the mahi such as sailfish, black fin tuna and wahoo.
The weeds blowing in closer to shore, brings in all the bait fish that travel with the weeds, such as flying fish, goggle eyes, baby trigger fish, and a bunch of baby crabs, all of which we are finding in the mahi’s belly when cleaning the Mahi. When the weed lines are further out and less weeds than usual, the mahi seem to be more easily fooled with plastic baits and trolling lures and can be just as effective as using ballyhoo. That is the weed lines are further in and thicker, it’s tougher to trick the Mahi with plastic baits and trolling lures. They’ve got so much food to feed on that most of our bites have been on trolling Ballyhoo. In the shallower or water situations I like to use naked ballyhoo rather than skirted ballyhoo. Because the ballyhoo look more natural naked than with a skirt, and when there’s so many weeds and so much food for the mahi to feed on, it’s harder to trick them and it’s easier to trick them with a naked ballyhoo who than a skirted ballyhoo.
this area with 70 boats filled with some of the best offshore anglers and Captain’s in the world. During that two-day tournament we found a 20-foot floating tree in 400 foot of water, a giant wooden pallet in 450 foot of water and several other things like buckets, helmets, coolers, and several other miscellaneous floaters.
My son, Capt. Jojo Fishing for Bravo ACR (automatic clip release) placed 6th overall and team Ana Banana placed 11th over 4th in the wahoo division, 6th in the tuna division and 6th in the Lady’s Division. We didn’t win any prize money like we have in the past, but we made a decent showing.
My boat had six clients in it during the tournament. During the two-day tournament we caught over 200 Mahi and kept almost half. We are allowed to keep up to 10 mahi per person per day measuring 20 inches or more to the fork of the tail with a boat aggregate of no more than 54 mahi per boat per day. There is a lot of skill to my fishing, knowing what to look for and what not to look for in the way of birds and floaters and weed lines and such, but there’s a lot of luck to mahi fishing too. Most of the time the difference between the guy who catches the giant bull and the guy who doesn’t or the guy who catches 100 versus the guy who caught one fish is one guy took a right and another guy took a left.
But this year’s wind, pushing the weed line closer to the reef also comes floaters closer to the reef. I just finished the largest bull and cow tournament in
The best advice I can give you when Fishing closer to the reef on big weed lines take that skirt off of your ballyhoo and troll your ballyhoo naked. Also follow the frigatebirds. Following the frigatebirds is no new advice, I’m just going to add by saying don’t give up on them quickly. Follow them as long as you can. Bird is the word in the bigger and black or the better.
Frigatebirds can’t land in the water because their wings water router than shed water. God gave them a hook bill on a serrated beak, so they can catch their food in the air which of course is flying fish and when you were trolling your ballyhoo the way he thinks your ballyhoo is a flying fish. Frigates have been known to stay up in the air for 100 or 200 days in a row, but all living things must sleep so they close their eyes, set their wings and fall an inch at the time and that’s the way they sleep. When they wake up in the morning, they are hungry for breakfast like we are and they start searching for flying fish. They are specifically looking for a big bull and cow hunting together, which would be likely to push up the most amount of flying fish. When a bull and cow mahi gets 30 inches they are mates for life and they feed and breed together the rest of their lives. 90 out of the last 100 big bulls we’ve caught have been under frigatebirds.
— For a charter with Captain Joel Brandenburg of Ana Banana Fishing Company Marathon Florida Keys call 305– 395–4212 office# or 813–267–4401 Cell #. Or visit us in person at ponchos fuel dock a half block away from Cast Away restaurant at 1280 Oceanview Ave. Marathon Florida Keys.
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What’s your favorite fish to catch? As much as I love them all, I have been particularly loving red snapper season each year! It makes my mind jump straight to the kitchen or boat! There’s just been something special about that time when fresh, flavorful snapper is in abundance, ready to be turned into something yummy that brings my family and friends together. Red snapper are a dream to cook. Their firm texture and semi-sweet flavor make it perfecto for a variety of dishes.
Each time I bring it home, I’m so excited to start experimenting. One of my go-to meals is grilled red snapper with lemon and herbs. A quick marinade of olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice then straight onto a hot grill, it’s light, fresh and full of flavor. It’s a summertime favorite at my house.
Another staple? Red snapper tacos! I season the fish with a smoky Cajun rub, then pan-sear it until crispy on the outside and juicy and flaky on the inside. Wrapped in a warm tortilla with crunchy slaw and creamy avocado, it’s the kind of meal that disappears fast around here.
For something a bit fancier, I’ll roast a whole snapper in the oven. Stuffed with lemon slices, thyme, and a few pats of butter, it’s as beautiful as it is tasty, and it always impresses dinner guests, and my husband, as always!
IN THE KITCHEN FROM SEA TO SIZZLE
withJessica
By: Jessica Hendrie
Of course, no red snapper season is complete without a classic fish fry. Lightly battered, golden, and crispy, served with hush puppies and coleslaw, it’s a Southern tradition I never skip. We get together a few times a year just to do this and I look forward to it just the same every time.
Red snapper season isn’t just about the fish to me, it’s about the experience. It’s about gathering with friends and family, sharing meals, and making memories around the table.
Whether I’m out on the water or in the kitchen, I look forward to this season all year long. What about you?
By: Caitlyn Gatrell
Tarpon fishing is in full swing in the Ten Thousand Islands! These majestic beasts make their way around our area every year, even with some still sticking around in the winter months. But the best time of the year is here as they are migrating heavily near and are ready to eat.
We’ve recently had the pleasure of seeing them roll around the mangroves, flats, channels, backwaters, and points. It’s quite the sight when you see a bunch of them rolling around, gulping air, and even free jumping after bait. We have had times where we got them to strike on artificial bait, and I know others have had good luck as well, but we prefer to use live bait. Our go-to are finger mullet, pass crabs, and pilchards. At times if we can get a smaller ladyfish we also may throw a live one out the back and slowly troll it.
TARPON TIME
Tarpon fishing consists of a couple things. First, it’s pretty quiet, yet peaceful. We stay quiet in hopes of hearing them roll or splash around us so we can locate them. We also switch between throwing a bait out and letting it sit in the rod holder, versus actively holding our setup ourselves. If it’s quiet and calm, usually we let a few lines sit out and patiently await some activity. If the area is
already active, we’ll cast, keep a finger on the line, and wait for that thump. To me, it’s a little more exciting to feel it go off in your hand, especially when it hits you hard and suddenly. Another thing to keep an eye out for is any bait that seems to be getting chased or swirls and wakes around the surface. While this does not guarantee a Tarpon, it’s a good sign!
My favorite time to go Tarpon fishing is in the evening, as the fish activity is often high and the surrounding skies and waters are quite stunning. First things first, we head to our favorite island to stock up on some fresh, live bait, and then we hit various spots before the sun goes down. I’ve said it before, but fishing in the evening around a flowing incoming or outgoing tide is always my go-to adventure. I find the most excitement and opportunities for hookups when I go around this time, Tarpon especially. When we do get hooked up to one, whether it’s myself or someone else on the boat, it’s an awesome battle to watch. There are tons of drag screaming, flying jumps, and runs to take in. Plus, seeing that gorgeous fish up close, and admiring its strength and beauty is another awesome feeling! If you haven’t caught a Tarpon yet, either ever or this year, this is your sign! Summer fishing for Tarpon is waiting for you. I wish you tight lines.
THE BEST MONTH
By: Capt. Rob Modys
June is one of two of my favorite months here in the Keys. October is the other. June is what I call the beginning of “solid” summer with rain showers and storms almost every day along with warm nights. October is just the opposite in my mind because the air temperatures finally begin to cool down and you never know what the weather is going to be like from day to day. This cooler weather also drops water temperatures just a bit and that turns on fish as they begin to fatten up for the winter months.
But I’ll still give June the edge over October.
Search for birds working over the marauding fish and then move in as close as you can to make a cast. If you get too close to the action the bait will spook and head down away...
June supplies many anglers the best fishing of the entire year. It’s almost impossible to get skunked in the backcountry or the ocean where everything seems to be feeding on everything. Stop on one of the many patch reefs and drop a chum bag in the water, wait a short time and you’ll soon be surrounded by snapper, jacks, grunts, blue runners and ballyhoo.
I love looking down into about thirty feet of crystal-clear water and seeing scads of fish rotating underneath the boat ready to eat anything dropped down to them. Granted many of them will be undersized, but you can’t beat the action, and there’s always the possibility of a big surprise showing up.
In the backcountry I’ll move from spot to spot looking for snook, redfish, seatrout and late season tarpon.
June is my favorite month to hunt for stingrays cruising across the mud flats in upper Florida Bay. No, it’s not about catching rays, it’s about hooking up with what almost always follows directly behind them in the mud trails they create. I’ve caught huge jacks and healthy redfish using this trick. The object is to get a fly, lure or a shrimp on a jig head as close as possible to the back of the ray without spooking it. The strike from whatever is following will come almost as soon as the offering hits the water. Fight it to the boat, release the fish and then hunt for another ray. I can spend hours doing this on a beautiful June day.
For those anglers that live and fish close to the Gulf of America, June is a good month to chase pelagic species like mackerel and bonita. Big schools of thread fin herring and scaled sardines are massed up and moving with both the inbound and outbound tides. Search for birds working over the marauding fish and then move in as close as you can to make a cast. If you get too close to the action the bait will spook and head down away from the surface of the water and the feeding fish will follow.
For this reason, I like to toss Rat-L-Traps and Kastmasters. Both can be thrown long distances and create lots of flash once in the water, and they also have a profile that looks very much like the bait fish the mackerel and bonita are chasing.
It’s June. Get out there and enjoy best month of fishing!
FloridaKeys
Beautiful Mahi pulled up fishing on the Captain Easy Charters.
Capt. Angelia Swanson with a nice Mahi caught off Key Largo. Nikki Murphy with a nice Mutton Snapper landed off the Middle Keys.
Mother’s Day fishing with Huntress Sportfishing Charters off Marathon.
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GO DEEP(ER)
Tim Barefoot
I’ve written quite a few articles on the tactics I used to catch grouper on the edge and inside the edge with bait in a decoy jig in the past, but now is a good time to push out a little further to see what’s up in the 350 to 500+ foot depth range. !is type shing may require you to change gears on your thought process and/or tackle, but you may be pleasantly surprised with the results.
First o , you will want to use a spinning rod with backbone and a lighter braided line. I’m not going to suggest any tackle manufacturer for rod, reel or line, but the line in the jig is the most important part of this equation. I know this sounds crazy, but you can get away with braid, a small is 20 pound test connected to a short 6-foot shot of uorocarbon leader, and catch the big boys from the deep. When you sh ledges, wrecks and rock homes, you have to use heavier tackle to coerse the grouper and big snapper out of the structure, but in the deep the sh tend to congregate around bait, and there is very little structure out there for them to get you in. !e bait out there consists primarily of squid—the universal bait for all the seven seas of this planet, period. Squid are present at all depths, from the surface at night to their migration back to the deep by day; just ask any sword sh. Ha!
!is deeper water shing may also require a change in electronics. In order to mark the sh and bait you need to have enough power to send the signal and
get a return. You can run all over creation trying to mark sh or bait in vast areas of water, but having the correct electronics will assist in this greatly. Once you start marking the blue-speckled screen on the bottom, you know you’re in squid. I’ve always said it, but when you nd the bait you found the sh. Once you mark the bait, more than likely, it will be squid and it’ll be time to drop in the correct jig.
I’ve made several videos using the 4 ounce (so plastic) Squid Jig, but I’ve also had a 6 oz. size made. A 10 inch mold cra ed squid, trimmed properly, can be very e ective at times. Fish like a champ on the 6 ounce headed down deep. !e jig stays perfectly horizontal and jumps like the 4 ounce, and everything down there sucks it up. I’ll be publishing videos soon on this.
I’ll close with this: nd the bait and you’ll nd the sh...using the correct electronics. Once you nd the bait/ sh, drop in the correct jig that imitates what they eat on a daily basis and you’ll get the bite. And one more very important note. Pay close attention to the MPAs, which are marine protected areas, and seasons you can sh in them. You need to be well informed of where you are when you nish shing and what you could put in the cooler. You have to play by the rules.
Check out Tim Barefoot’s YouTube channel and website, barefootcatsandtackle.com.
CAST LURES IN A MITZI TOURNAMENT 17
EMPTY TANK?
TIPS FROM A PRO
FISHING A BIG WORM
hile there are many ways to target bass, one method consistently stands out— shing with a big worm.
Worm shing may not be the ashiest technique, but it allows you to present your bait from a distance and work it slowly—ideal for tempting big, cautious females that ignore faster presentations.
One of my go-to techniques is casting a Texas-rigged stick bait. It’s a common tactic, but many anglers waste time casting at dead water. I focus on high-percentage areas, such as isolated patches of grass or lily pads. Even when the sh aren’t visible, they o en hold tight to this type of cover. Similar results can be achieved by targeting wood or rock. Make multiple slow retrieves through these areas for best results.
I prefer a larger 6” stick bait in dark colors like black and blue tip. For weights, 1/16 or 1/8 oz keeps the presentation subtle and natural. I recommend 17–20 lb uorocarbon, which o ers strength without sacri cing stealth—braid can be too intrusive here.
To cover more water and locate active sh, I switch to a big speed worm. While it’s a popular technique in Florida, where I predominantly sh, it works well across the country. !e bait’s vibration drives bass crazy, making it an excellent search tool. Once I nd sh with this method, I slow down and ne-tune my approach with other techniques. For stained water, I like darker colors like junebug; for clearer water, I use green pumpkin with ake. Weight ranges from 1/8 to 1/4 oz depending on depth and wind. Fluorocarbon in the 15–17 lb range is ideal here too.
Another e ective presentation is the wacky rig. It’s a more subtle approach and shines in pressured waters. Like with the Texas rig, I cast this bait weightless to isolated cover. I use lighter line and a spinning setup—typically 10–15 lb leader—adjusting based on cover density. In dirty water, I stick to dark colors; in clearer water, I go with more natural tones.
Flipping a worm is another technique I use, especially when there’s a lot of heavy cover. While not as stealthy, ipping allows you to place the bait precisely where other rigs can’t reach. I use large Senko-style baits, braided line, and heavier weights (3/8 to 3/4 oz) to penetrate thick vegetation. It’s perfect for pads, long banks, and heavy wood or grass. !e key is to sh slowly and thoroughly, putting your bait where others haven’t.
Rod and reel setups vary slightly depending on the technique. For most casting and ipping styles, I like a longer rod—around 7’6”— with medium-heavy to heavy action. !e 13 Fishing Omen Series has a few ideal models. I pair these with a high-speed baitcasting reel like the Concept A 7.5:1, which helps pull sh out of thick cover quickly.
For the wacky rig, I downsize to a 7’3” medium-heavy spinning rod. It o ers enough backbone to move sh but also provides the sensitivity and exibility needed when using lighter line. A spinning reel with a smooth drag is crucial. I recommend the 13 Fishing Axum, which o ers the control and power necessary for nesse shing around cover.
!ese worm shing techniques consistently produce. Whether you’re casting to isolated cover, ipping into thick vegetation, or working a speed worm through open water, there’s a big bass out there waiting to bite. I’m excited to put these methods to work—and hope they help you land some giants too.
Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide. Check out his website at www.tylerwoolcott shing.com.
WHY BUY NEW WHEN YOU CAN RENEW?!?
STATE RECORD FISH TITLE BROKEN THREE TIMES THIS YEAR!
For the third time in less than a year, Georgia has a new freshwater !sh state record spotted sun!sh!
Josh Forsythe of Homerville, GA (Clinch County) landed the newest record catch of 0 lb, 13 oz on May 5 from the Suwannee River. is almost 9-inch catch beats the previous state record tie of 0 lb, 12 oz, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).
“My 5-year-old daughter and I were !shing for bream on one of my favorite rivers, the Suwannee, when I caught this spotted sun!sh,” said Forsythe. “I have been !shing this river for more than 15 years and it is one of my favorite places to !sh for good-sized bream, especially spotted sun!sh. I recommend waiting until river levels are below 4-foot and using top water bugs to catch giants, but a beetle spin or even a cricket or a worm on a cork will work.”
Spotted sun!sh are found in the Ocmulgee, Oconee, Altamaha, Ogeechee, Ochlockonee, Suwannee, St. Mary’s, Satilla and Savannah River basins. When angling for them, WRD recommends using worms, crickets, small spinners, ies and popping bugs.
“Maybe hearing about that state record tie for spotted sun!sh !red up some folks to land a new record – and we love to see it,” says Scott Robinson, WRD Chief of Fisheries. “Are you the next state record holder? Georgia has the best variety of angling opportunities across the state so Let’s Go Fish Georgia!”
NC CERTIFIES NEW VERMILION SNAPPER RECORD
North Carolina‘s Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries recently established a new state record for Vermilion Snapper (Rhomboplites aurorubens).
Colby Shaw of Newport caught the 7-pound, 4-ounce sh o Morehead City on April 18, 2025. !e previous state record was 6-pounds, 9-ounces landed out of Ocean Isle in 2009.
Shaw was shing in his own vessel, o shore south of Beaufort Inlet when the sh struck his cut bait. Shaw made quick work of reeling in his state record sh, landing it using his Shimano rod and reel with 65-pound braid.
Shaw’s sh measured 23.5-inches fork
to the fork in the tail) and had a 17-inch
sheries sta at the Morehead City Headquarters
!e
Division of Marine Fisheries.
Bill Dance Signature Lakes O er Impactful Improvements to Tennessee’s Fishing Waters
By David Haggard & Heather Lose
Representatives from Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, and Tennessee State Parks celebrate the ribbon cutting of the Bill Dance Signature Lakes project at the Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville on March 25, along with the project’s namesake. Photo Courtesy of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development:
