Coastal Angler Magazine | October 2022 |Ft. Myers/Cape Coral/Charlotte Harbor Edition

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This time of year, any artificial that resembles a mullet will do the trick. I like Vudu Mullet Swimbaits, Rapala X-raps, Bomber Lures Mullets,

TARGETING REDFISH During the Mullet Migration

The mullet run doesn’t have an official start or end date. Large schools of mullet—some the size of three football fields—move south as temperatures cool. Tarpon, sharks, kingfish and redfish are just some of the gamefish that move with these pods. Most years the fishing is on fire in October and November.

The rigging is pretty much the same if I need to beef up for larger catches. With a 2500-size setup, I’ll fish 15- to 20-pound leader. I’ll bump that up to 25- to 30-pound test on 3000-size gear for bigger fish.

The

• BAIT: Obviously, mullet is the bait to use this time of the year. Full-grown mullet are great for shark and tarpon fishing. I prefer freelining finger-sized mullet, because pretty much everything eats them.

• TACKLE: I mainly fish inshore, so light tackle is the way for me. However, it’s important to be prepared to switch up depending on the size and species of game fish present.

Here are some tips for anglers to take advantage of the mullet run.

It’s heartbreaking to see breeder fish floating due to carelessness or lack of knowledge. Hauling a big redfish up vertically onto a bridge or pier, dragging it over the rocks on a jetty or tossing it back from up high severely limits its chance of survival. Get a pier net to fish from a bridge or pier, and do everything in your power to ensure the healthy release of your fish.

• REDFISH REGULATIONS: Florida recently adopted new management plan for redfish. There are now varied regulations across nine different zones. Anglers need to understand those regulations because they’re intended to protect one of our iconic species in the face

To fish with the mullet, I just follow the pods, cast to the outside of the school and open the bail to let the bait swim. When you hit it right, you can hook-up on nearly every cast, with the species changing from one cast to the next. Big gamefish tend to seek out isolated or injured mullet, which is exactly what your bait is.

Atlantic Coast of Florida experiences one of the planet’s great migrations each fall. When millions of mullet push south in giant schools toward spawning grounds off the southern end of the state, it presents an exciting prospect for fishing. It’s an event anglers anticipate all year long.

Free-lining sounds simple, but where you choose to fish and what you’re targeting will play a role in the set-up and rig you should use.

• ARTIFICIALS: This backcountry lady angler enjoys sight fishing and scouting Mosquito Lagoon and the marshes of the Tomoka Basin along Florida’s central Atlantic Coast. I’ll target bull reds in the inlets, but I spend most days targeting snook, tarpon and slot reds in the backcountry. This style of fishing is perfect for throwing artificials on light tackle.

Handling them with care and releasing them safely is important to the future of our fisheries. The statewide slot limit from 18 and 27 inches is intended to protect the large fish, which are part of the spawning stock.

Landing a bull red this time of the year is easy. With the mullet running, simply free-line a mullet or drop one on a weighted rig to land a trophy! Before you experience the drag-pulling run, you should know how to properly handle and release your fish.

Most of the state now has a one-fishper-person daily limit in the 18- to 27inch slot. Some regions have a two-fishper-vessel possession limit and others have a four-fish-per-vessel possession limit. The Indian River Lagoon region is strictly catch-and-release only for redfish. For complete Florida redfish regulations, go

By Skye Burkhardt

Keep up with Skye Burkhardt on Facebook Inshore Adventures with Skye and on @brassyangler87.Instagram

In the backcountry, I like a light- to mediumaction 2000 size spinning set-up to fish 10-pound leaders and 3/0 circle hooks. I prefer Mustad hooks and tie them on with a simple loop knot. I use an FG knot to connect my leader to a braided main line. This creates a true free-line, without the added weight of a swivel.

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Ahhhh, yeah! This is the time of plenty. Now is the time of year to have a community-sized fish stew to clear out all the vacuum-sealed stuff in the freezer. You’ve got to make some room for freezer-stuffing grouper, snapper and seabass.

BIG BOTTOM FISH ARE THE BOUNTY OF FALL

love spring and summer fishing, but let me say this loud and clear: I live for fall and winter fisheries!

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This is the time of year that can make even me look good. The large male gags have started staging up on nearshore structures, wrecks and traditional bait-holding bottom. The scamps and large snappers have started a transitional move to their deeper wintering grounds. Water temps will soon draw a line in the water that clearly shows you where to fish.

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the possibilities of spawning. The same places will hold large seabass, as well. I love to eat grouper, but the way I grouper fish also produces large seabass, which I think are even better than grouper in texture andScampsflavor.

Hanapa Marlin

Once onshore you can take it a step further showing your fellow anglers your catch of the day wearing “slippahs” from Scott Hawaii.

and snappers hold a special place in my heart. Starting right now, they should be going off! It’s time consuming to stop on the way out a jig up bait. However, a 15- or 20-minute bait stop could make the difference between a good day and a great day. When you find bait in numbers, it doesn’t take long to rack up. I like to keep a Sabiki angler on each side of the boat handing me baits to dehook into a bucket in the center of the boat. Once I get 20 or so baits in the bucket, I pour them into the livewell and repeat until there’s enough.

‘a -

You raise the flags of the fish just caught to show you weren’t skunked.

Hanapa

After all, that is why the gags are there. They are eating the same baits that you’re catching. They come inshore to a place that holds bait, so all the smaller females have plenty to eat while they are discussing

Starting this month, the larger gags will be so close in that it’ll shock you. Don’t run too far, or you’ll run over some of the biggest fish of the year. Go wherever you jig up your cigar minnows and sardines, and the gags will be right there. When you get a few baits in the well, it’s a good idea to have at least one person put a bait right back down.

Tim Barefoot

I

I also like to take pinfish from the marina as a “bird in hand” for bottom fishing. The beauty of putting a live sardine on a jig and sending it to the bottom is that EVERYTHING down there eats them. The beauty of sending a pinfish, grass grunt or sailors choice to the bottom is that everything down there would love to eat them, but can’t. They can’t get their mouths around the bigger baits, but the ones that can are the fish you want to catch. Go enjoy the bounty of the season!

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Reef Donkey: Derogatory term for greater amberjack. “We were dri ing baits for kings, but all we caught were reef donkeys.”

Yahoo: Refers to anyone on the water other than the anglers in the group using the term. “We went to our honeyhole, but there were a bunch of yahoos already in it.”

A

• Damn Carp: A sh caught by an angler that is any species other than the intended target. “I thought it was a big largemouth, but it’s just a damn carp.”

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nglers have their own languages. We make up words or phrases to describe situations we frequently encounter on the water. Some of these phrases are quite amusing, and some are too colorful to be used in print. Like regional dialects, they vary from location to location and even from boat to boat. Without further ado, here are some of our favorite angler idioms.

Dink: Synonymous with peckerhead, a dink is a very small sh. “Look at this dink. It’s smaller than the plug it ate.”

• Mud Dart: A bill sh that dies when released and sinks nose down,

Leroy Jenkins: Derived from an Internet video game meme, this exclamation is used in kayak shing when you race ahead of your shing buddies to be the rst one on the water. “Y’all can keep mucking around on the boat ramp. I’m going shing! Leeeroooy Jenkiiins!”

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Bank of Despair: e opposite of honeyhole, this is an area known for not producing sh. “Man, I wasted three hours over there pounding away on the bank of despair.”

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• Bucket Sitter: Sometimes derogatory term for someone who shes bait from the shore. “Look at those bucket sitters over there sitting on their buckets and drowning worms.”

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Easy Release: A sh that shakes the hook right at the boat. Counts as half a sh in informal shing competition. “Oh, well. Easy release. It was a little peckerhead, anyway.”

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• Bait Chucker: Always derogatory term used by y shers to describe any other type of angler. “I think that bait chucker was jealous of my tweed cap.”

presumably to stick in the mud on the bottom of the ocean. “Keep hauling sail sh in the boat for photos, and you’re going to keep throwing back mud darts. ”

Pellet Pig: Derogatory term for sh that reach large size because of a feeding program. “ at yahoo thought he caught a trophy, but those pellet pigs are trained to eat hooks.”

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Share your favorite angler idioms with us on our Facebook page: Coastal Angler & e Angler Magazine.

Dreaded Frustrations: e downward spiral of being so ustered by your poor angling performance that you seemingly can’t do anything correctly. “I was slaying them until I hung my lure on the bottom. en I broke my rod tip trying to get it loose and the dreaded frustrations set in. I couldn’t do anything right the rest of the day.”

THE LANGUAGE OF ANGLERS

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“ is at right here was so lush, the grass was thick as could be. But with water quality issues fueling massive seagrass die-o s, miles of underwater vegetation have been reduced to barren sand ats. ere are still giant red sh, though they’ve changed behavior and where they would once tail and search out the sea oor, they now just cruise around looking for bait sh,” re ected Le.

the Indian River Lagoon for years, G. Loomis ambassador Capt. Willy Le can’t help but reminisce of the days when the Banana River was brimming with seagrass.

Throw Topwater BANANA RIVER REDS

“We can sight during all hours of the day and in all weather conditions, but since red sh are focused on feeding early and late in the day this is when you will encounter the most cooperative topwater bite. With overcast conditions the topwater shing can stay strong throughout the day,” said Le.

Since these reds aren’t tailing, spotting them means you’re looking for wakes. Mature red sh push wider wakes at a steady pace in a straight line. Mullet make those darting V-shaped wakes.

Once a red sh is spotted, it’s important to be patient and accurate. Nothing will spook a red sh faster than an improperly placed bait falling from the sky.

Shimano’s Current Sniper topwater baits o er anglers a lure for every scenario. e Current Sniper Walk 110F Silent is a walking bait that lacks internal rattles and excels in calm conditions. e Current Sniper Walk Hi-Pitch emits a high-pitch rattle for rougher water.

Anglers imparting the appropriate snap of the rod tip can mimic distressed bait sh on the surface, but it’s important to choose a lure with proper action for the conditions. When the Banana River becomes moderately choppy, loud topwater lures draw in predators. On calm days, it is better to sh a quieter walking lure.

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With a blunt snout and downturned mouth, red sh are designed for rooting. ey aren’t wellequipped for attacking prey on the surface, but they certainly display thrilling surface strikes as they

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track a topwater lure and overtake the o ering a er several failed attempts.

Le shes topwaters with a size 4000 Stradic CI4+ with a 7’6” G. Loomis GCX Inshore spinning rod with medium power and extra fast action. is set-up casts heavy topwater lures well and o ers excellent control for walking the dog.

e 31-mile-long Banana River is an isolated lagoon. Here, marsh and mangrove ecosystems ourish in a complex landscape where there is uniquely no tidal ow. ere are no freshwater tributaries, no saltwater inlets, and the only outlet to the Atlantic Ocean is through a lock at Port Canaveral.ACocoa Beach local who has been guiding

On a beach, with the lure on the sand, allow a banner of 50 to 70 percent of the rod’s length. is shorter banner limits the size of the belly in the line when you cast. e larger the line belly is, the more casting energy is taken from the lure’s ight, resulting in reduced distance.

Give it an honest try. I’m sure you’ll be convinced that distance lures are superior to lighter models of similar dimensions in many situations.

Legendary angler Patrick Sebile is a world record holder and an award-winning designer of innovative lures and shing gear. Check out his creations at abandofanglers.com.

LURES

A long banner also reduces your control of the lure once it hits the water. A line belly in the water pulls your lure sideways on retrieve. You also won’t be in direct contact with the lure. is a ects the lure’s action, and you might also miss bites.

Again, we all love to sh topwater, but distance-dedicated lures are in many cases the better option. In windy conditions with breaking waves and ripping currents, I de nitely prefer a 3-ounce plug or a 4-ounce darter over a topwater, which weighs half as much.

If the wind is full force into your face, this adds drag on the lure and line during a cast. A high-density lure cuts through wind more e ciently than a oating lure. Everyone loves shing topwaters, but in windy conditions they are not the best choice. A denser lure always casts farther than a oating lure.

LURESLONG-CASTINGINTHEWIND

Typically, a long-distance model weighs 30 to 100 percent more than a oating one of similar dimensions. If a oating lure weighs 2 ounces, a similar sized distance-dedicated lure will weigh 3 to 4 ounces. at’s really a big deal, especially in wind.

Over

the past few months, we’ve discussed almost everything concerning long-distance lures. We’ve touched on elements an angler can control such as lure choice and the proper rod, reel and line con guration. Now I want to discuss the uncontrollable elements of weather and water conditions. ey play a big role in how far you are able to cast and how e ectively you can sh a lure.

When you’re casting into the wind, you should also adjust the way you cast. In long-casting lingo, I use the term “banner” to refer to the section of line between the rod tip and the lure. You should limit the banner when you’re shing in wind. Instead of using an overhand cast, try a sidearm cast, which limits the lure’s exposure to the wind.

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Water conditions are another factor worth consideration. Big waves, whitewater and strong currents limit your control. ese conditions are also o en the best conditions for sh to bite. When you cast, engage the reel before the lure hits the water and reel up slack. is gives you a straighter line for better control of the lure, better swimming action and more direct contact with the lure. When you can feel the lure, you can feel the bite and ultimately increase your hook-setting ratio.

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e most productive way to catch blacktips is to use a 6- to 8-inch chunk of whatever fresh sh you have. Toss it out without a weight. If you are

Before blacktips begin migrating for the mating season, they will actually be in gendersegregated schools that come together only for mating. Blacktips tend to be separated due to the male’s highly aggressive drive towards the females, which could result in serious injury.

Blacktip sharks can be found year-round in the Atlantic from Virginia through Florida. ey have been known to migrate up to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. ough they do prefer more tropical temperatures, a little cold won’t deter them from their mission. Blacktips are de nitely not picky when it comes to hunting grounds. ey can be found in bays, estuaries, coral reefs and mouths of rivers.

shing in strong current, simply walk down the beach as the bait dri s. On days when they are hanging out too far for casting, swim a live bait out. Blue runners, jack crevalle and palometa work well for this.

ese sharks are viviparous, meaning the pups develop inside the female’s body, unlike other sharks that lay egg sacks. Most pups will be le in shallow nurseries due to the high amount of prey and few predators, which increases their chances of survival.Fishing for blacktip sharks is fairly easy; however, there are days when they can be nicky. Paying attention to speci cs can increase your number of bites. On clear-water days, sharks tend to stay just on the backside of the last sandbar. On milky water days, they can literally be at your feet as they patrol up and down the rst drop.eyde nitely will eat dead bait, but will hit live and fresh-dead bait without hesitation.

Emily Rose Hanzlik holds 51 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.

On slow days when the bite is dead and you’re catching nothing but cat sh, swim one out or cut into chunks. If there are any blacktips around, they will eat it. A lot of anglers use huge hooks and long wire leaders, which will require you to get a shore-based shark shing permit to legally sh for sharks in Florida.

By Emily Rose Hanzlik

Photo courtesy of Je Tomalo

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM OCTOBER 2022 FLORIDA 11

uring the mullet run on Florida’s east coast, plenty of blacktip sharks cruise past our beaches with huge schools of bait. Even if you plan to sh for blacktips outside of mullet-run season, you are still in luck. Finding a blacktip shark de nitely isn’t an issue due to a large and growing population of these big sharks.

D

I personally use a 5/0 extra strong circle hook with 2 feet of wire leader attached to 5 feet of 80-lb. test. e largest IGFA recorded blacktip shark weighed in at 270 pounds, 9 ounces. It was caught out of Malindi Bay, Kenya in 1984.

BLACKTIPSCATCHING fromBeachthe

Normally, blacktips leave Florida in the

spring to travel up the coast to Georgia and the Carolinas to mate in summer. Blacktips participate in internal fertilization, meaning that each female is separately impregnated, which will then result in 4 to 11 pups every two years.

F

ere is no minimum size or bag limit for tilapia. e FWC encourages anglers to catch and eat them like any other invasive species. e white akey meat is mild, and wild-caught tilapia are superior to the farm-raised tilapia sold in grocery stores.

By Rex Hannon

waters o Key West to the many famous bass shermen that made Lake Okeechobee a destination for anglers from around the world, Florida has a rich angling history and amazing shing for everyone.

Blue Tilapia

e blue tilapia (Oreochromis aureus) is the most popular of the tilapia and the species most commonly found here in Florida. It is also a very important species in the sh-farming world due to its fast growth, salinity tolerance and the fact that it can be stocked densely. Tilapia have a long history. Farming of Nile tilapia goes back to ancient Egypt, and its importance is noted by the ancients using the sh as a symbol of rebirth.

Perhaps a lesser-known draw to the Sunshine State are the exotic species that have taken hold here. ese are the non-native, sometimes invasive species that would otherwise require expensive travel for anglers to target. ey are here, so we might as well sh for them.

e Blue Tilapia is considered invasive to the United States. It was introduced to Florida in the 1960s by stocking and experimental studies by both private and state entities. Tilapia are here to stay and can be found in a wide variety of locations, from lakes and ponds scattered around the state to many freshwater and brackish rivers and streams. For anglers, canals found in almost every neighborhood can be shing paradise.

Rex Hannon is a regular contributor to Coastal Angler Magazine. See more from Rex at coastalanglermag.com.

Tilapia… blue tilapia, to be exact, are one of more than a hundred species of cichlid native to the Middle East and Africa that are all called tilapia. is is similar to the way U.S. anglers refer to multiple species of sun sh as bream.

Exotic Species in Your Backyard:

I’m sure everyone reading this can target blue tilapia within a short distance of home. ey are great ghters that stand toe-to-toe with any species of similar size.

Tilapia can be nicky eaters, which poses a puzzle for anglers. eir diet consists mainly of green algae, diatoms and small invertebrates. I have witnessed other anglers catching this species on corn, dog food, hot dogs and bread balls. I have caught good numbers and some very large examples with a y rod. I caught most of these sh on Clouser Minnows and other similar small bait sh patterns.

It’s 8:17 p.m. Been out on the lake for hours. But there are more fsh in the water. And my LBP batteries are still going strong. Maybe One More Cast . . . the offcial battery of “One More Cast...” Visit lithiumbatterypower.com Or call us at 727-233-9831

is species is very fast growing for the rst few months, and then they settle in and grow to the 5-pound class by three to ve years of age. e Florida state record was caught by Pamela Henry, of Stuart, from of a dock on the St. Lucie River in 2011. e 9-pound, 6-ounce beast is also recognized by the IGFA as the all-tackle world record.

Fall

is upon us and the days are becoming shorter, and the cooler night temperatures will help cool our waters. The migratory fish will start to show up in area waters as they make their push south for the winter. Red fish is possibly one of our most target ed species of the fall and will be forming big schools on area bars and grass flats. Also, the receding rains will allow our summer-stained waters to return to clarity suitable once again for sight fishing. Our num ber one inshore migratory fish has to be the spanish mackerel. Signs of these fish showing up are evident in the deeper areas of the harbor. On recent charters, I have seen mackerel jumping out of the water chasing glass minnows and herring. As our water tempera tures cool to the mid 70’s larger schools will appear throughout the area. A thin wire leader with a 1/0 circle hook is recommended. Snook, by far are my fa vorite fish to target and fall has to be one of my favor ite times of the year to fish for big line siders. Snook will be making migratory runs to their winter haunts, moving from shallow points and shallow grass flats to deeper creeks and rivers. While making this migra tion a ferocious appetite will help put on their winter fat reserves. Large sardines and pin fish are my baits of choice. When fishing for fish in heavy cover a 40# leader with a stout circle hook is recommended. The trout bite has been very good on area grass flats, the deeper flats remain your best bet for consistent action. While water

By: Capt. Dave Stephens

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and air temperatures begin to cool, the fishing will remain hot. If you would like to experience some of the area’s finest fishing, give us a call or send an email. All of our charters are customized to fit your needs.

The Signs Are Obvious

By: Capt. Bart Marx October

in Southwest Florida things start to change. The water should be getting a bit cooler, and this helps the migratory / pelagic species to prepare to move. Spanish and king mackerel are two that we get in our area that are fun to catch and good table fare too. The method I use is to match the hatch. What I mean is to troll some lure that are of similar size to the baits in the area. I have used a double lure system for spanish a jig followed by a spoon. Most of the time I use white buck tail jigs and a silver spoon to match the hatch. I use a fifty or sixty lb. mono leader, a piece approximately three feet long. Tie the jig on one end and the spoon on the other of the lead er, then hook the spoon in the ring closest to the handle of your pole. Next, hook the jig to the first big guide up the pole, and pull the line tight toward the tip of the pole making a loop and tie a surgeon’s loop knot then attach fishing line to your loop ready to fish! For king mack erel, I use a number one planer and match the hatch spoon. Your planer

is a shiny piece of metal, I like to put wire before it and after it so if a king tries to eat it you don't lose the whole rig. And on the planer, add to the wire about six feet on fifty or sixty lb. leader with a piece of wire then your spoon. This completes your king trolling rig. Okay so much for the migratory stuff. While you are trolling these rigs you may en counter some of the breeder reds that come to estuaries to feed then go in the Gulf to spawn. And this brings us to inshore in October it is nick named Red October, this is when the reds are in large schools in the es tuaries, and these are the big girls averaging thirty inches. It is exciting to find some white bait/pilchards to use to fish for these big reds that are schooled up. In the past I have used pin fish too and shrimp. The snook fishing around bridges and docks where there is moving water, they like to ambush unsuspecting baits. And on the flats where there is grass you can find some trout starting to become more active. There may be some flounder starting to start biting too. If you would like to hire Capt. Bart Marx for a training session on your boat or come along on a charter to learn some of these methods and how and where to use them contact Capt. Bart Marx at 941-979-6517 or e-mail me at captba rt@alphaomegacharters.com And always remember singing drags and tight lines make me smile!

The Start of the Change

2 FORT MYERS | OCTOBER 2022 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/FORT-MYERS/ Alpha Omega Charters | captbart@alphaomegacharters.comalphaomegacharters.com|941-979-6517

Punta Gorda Fly Charters | puntagordaflycharters.com941-628-7895

FACEBOOK.COM/COASTALANGLERMAGAZINEFTMYERS/ | OCTOBER 2022 | FORT MYERS 3 SCHUMAN INSURANCE Why insure yours with anyone else! I'm Capt. David Schuman a second generation insurance agent. Our family has been serving Lee County for 42 years. WE KNOW BOATS! Boat Auto Home Motorcycle Life Business 3114 Lee Blvd Suite 4, Lehigh Acres, FL 239-369-131333971 1329 Hibiscus Dr., Cape Coral, FL 33909 Davidschuman3@allstate.com239-242-8072 2801 Del Prado Blvd S., Cape Coral, FL 239-945-888833904Capt.David Schuman "Nothing Like A Day On The Water!" One of My Favorite Months

Redfish are coming off their August and Septem ber spawn and will still be grouped up on open flats. Any bay or sound could hold fish. In past years, flats with good flush from the Gulf were a good bet. Spotted sea trout have been active this year and this bite should pick up as the weather begins to cool. First thing in the morning is best and anywhere in two to four feet over some decent grass is a good bet. This is a great time to break out the top water plugs. Tarpon should still be in the upper harbor anywhere between the Peace and Myakka bridges. Here too, a first light is the best time to look and really all you need is the deep running D.O.A. bait buster. Also, in the same area between the U.S. 41 Bridge and perimeter canals, it’s not unusual to run into a school of big black drum.Moreover, snook and redfish aren't the only species transitioning this month as there’s lots going on off the beach just outside the pass es. Spanish mackerel, bonita, and kingfish are on the move following schools of baitfish. Looking for diving birds is a great way to find the fish. A few years back, I caught the biggest redfish that I’ve ever caught while fishing under the bait outside Little Gasparilla Pass. It’s just one of those areas where you never know what you’re going to run into. It’s also a great place to get into your backing. Until next month, good tides.

Snook will slowly begin making their way from open water shore lines towards backcountry creek systems. Last month, most of the fish I saw were on outside shorelines facing open water. Now, especially on higher water, I’ll begin exploring shorelines an island or two back. If it’s an area without a group of islands, I’ll explore down creek systems that run adjacent to the outside.

For the most part, this is one of my fa vorite months. Al though it still heats up during the day, it’s beginning to feel just a little like Fall in that you can feel the difference in the air just before dawn. Too, before the low tides and consistent north winds of Win ter begin to push our way, we have a window with favorable winds that allow us to hunt both snook and redfish as they each enter seasonal transition periods. Be cause they’re separate and unique, sight-fishing opportunities are pos sible on mangrove shorelines and on open grass flats.

By: Capt. Mike Manis

By: Capt. Terry Fisher

10) Snook harvest will not open until December 1, but anglers are still allowed to fish for them for sport. Snook will be found in the same lo cations as redfish and the tackle specifications remain the same.

late November, so now is the time for a ‘redfish of a lifetime’!Thesebig fish are hungry and will eat artificial presentations as well as live and dead baits. I use artificial presentations from a variety of manufac turers such as, Mirr-O-Lure, Bomber and Rapala for top water, twitch and crank baits. I prefer Gulp and Zman for soft plastics, scented or unscented. Gold spoons are very effective. Some anglers have their favorites, but the truth of the matter is, they all work. However, ‘tenacity’ is the most effective ‘lure’ on the market. I prefer live or cut presenta tions such as larger shrimp, cut pinfish and ladyfish on the bottom. I also free-line live pilchards and pinfish.Thestrategies to find and catch these fish rare ly change. On high tides they will congregate in schools and will move into shallows around, in and under mangrove roots offering protection while providing oyster clusters housing supplies of food, including small shrimp and crabs. On low tides, look for them just off the mangroves in deeper water holes in the bed of the estuary. It will not take long to figure out if the fish are in the area, as they will be aggressive this month with cooler temperatures.

4 FORT MYERS | OCTOBER 2022 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/FORT-MYERS/

Now

The Hunt For ‘Red’ October

I OFFER MY STRATEGIES FOR CATCHING REDFISH

6) Do not hesitate to re-visit previous stops (spots) at different times and stages of the incoming and outgoing tides, as these fish will be on the move.

3) Fish the point(s) of spoil islands and oyster beds. Fish the edges of and under the mangroves for results.

5) Utilize both artificial, live and cut bait presentations mentioned above. However, one will need to have a trolling motor or kayak when using artificial presentations. More than two or three casts in the same area will wear out an angler’s welcome.

Come visit with me at the Fort Myers Boat Show next month as Coastal Angler and I will be sponsoring the fishing seminars!

7) Do not arrive at a location too late during a new moon phase that will produce higher and stronger tides, as these fish will position them selves far back into the mangroves preventing an effective presentation getting close enough to them to attract a strike. A presentation over 6 feet from where they are, may be too far. On the other hand, do not arrive too late to fish on an outgoing tide when the water column will be too low as the fish will have moved out to the deeper water holes as the water retreats.

Fish Face Charters | fishfacecharters.com | 239-357-6829

8) Use light spinning tackle (but not too light) with comparable rod strength for these fighting fish. 3500-4000 series reels with 15 to 20lb line text should do the job.

4) Fish when wind direction if from the south when possible. Water levels will be higher than when winds are out of the north or east.

is the time! Those looking for opportunities to catch big redfish; now is the time! FWC opened redfish for harvest ef fective last month (September 1st). The limit is two redfish per vessel with a slot size of 18-27 inches. Big ‘bull-reds’ are everywhere in our waters, fattening up for their migration back to gulf waters. ‘Bullreds’ spend the cooler months in deeper waters offshore leaving be hind their smaller relatives (‘rat-reds’) to winter in the shallows, back country haunts, creeks and rivers that flow into Pine Island Sound. The ‘bull-reds’ will not return to spawn and eat again until late next summer or early fall. They won’t stay here much later than mid-to-

9) I suggest attaching a 2-3 ft. Fluorocarbon leader (25-30lb) to reduce chance of a cut or break off from a mangrove/oyster cluster while hook ing and landing the fish. Size of hooks can range from 1/0 to 4/0.

1) Work the top half of the incoming and outgoing tides. Fish the higher monthly tides on both sides of a new or full moon cycle.

2) Be very quiet when moving into a spot you choose to fish, as bigger fish spook easily (they did not get big by being lucky). Do not hesitate to change locations after 15 minutes or so in an effort to locate fish.

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8 FORT MYERS | OCTOBER 2022 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/FORT-MYERS/ MATLACHA 3771 Palm Beach Blvd., Ft. Myers, FL 239.694.218533916FORT MYERS fishfacecharters@ 239.357.6829yahoo.com October/2022 • 26°38’N 82°4’W October/2022 • 26°39’N 81°52’W www.USHarbors.com Matlacha Pass, FL - Oct 2022 Date High Low AM ft PM ft AM ft PM ft Rise Set Moon 1 Sat 5:38 2.3 2:47 0.1 7:22 7:17 2 Sun 6:28 2.3 4:16 0.2 7:22 7:16 3 Mon 7:37 2.2 5:47 0.1 7:23 7:15 4 Tue 9:21 2.1 7:00 0.1 7:23 7:14 5 Wed 2:27 1.5 11:14A 2.1 5:34 1.5 7:56 0.1 7:24 7:13 6 Thu 2:22 1.5 12:39 2.2 7:10 1.3 8:40 0.2 7:24 7:12 7 Fri 2:31 1.6 1:45 2.1 8:13 1.0 9:14 0.4 7:25 7:11 8 Sat 2:42 1.7 2:41 2.1 9:04 0.7 9:42 0.6 7:25 7:10 9 Sun 2:54 1.8 3:32 2.0 9:49 0.5 10:05 0.8 7:26 7:09 10 Mon 3:07 2.0 4:20 1.8 10:32 0.3 10:23 1.0 7:26 7:08 11 Tue 3:23 2.1 5:07 1.7 11:12 0.2 10:40 1.1 7:27 7:06 12 Wed 3:42 2.2 5:57 1.6 11:53 0.1 10:55 1.2 7:27 7:05 13 Thu 4:06 2.2 6:56 1.4 12:36P 0.1 11:07 1.3 7:28 7:04 14 Fri 4:34 2.2 8:20 1.4 1:24P 0.1 11:10 1.3 7:29 7:03 15 Sat 5:07 2.2 2:22 0.2 7:29 7:02 16 Sun 5:47 2.1 3:32 0.3 7:30 7:01 17 Mon 6:43 2.0 4:49 0.3 7:30 7:00 18 Tue 8:13 1.8 5:58 0.3 7:31 6:59 19 Wed 1:22 1.5 10:11A 1.8 5:25 1.4 6:52 0.3 7:32 6:58 20 Thu 1:27 1.6 11:41A 1.8 6:45 1.2 7:35 0.4 7:32 6:57 21 Fri 1:37 1.6 12:46 1.8 7:36 1.0 8:10 0.4 7:33 6:56 22 Sat 1:47 1.7 1:39 1.8 8:17 0.8 8:39 0.5 7:33 6:56 23 Sun 1:58 1.8 2:28 1.8 8:55 0.5 9:05 0.7 7:34 6:55 24 Mon 2:10 1.9 3:16 1.8 9:32 0.3 9:27 0.9 7:35 6:54 25 Tue 2:26 2.0 4:04 1.7 10:11 0.1 9:48 1.0 7:35 6:53 26 Wed 2:47 2.2 4:57 1.6 10:52 -0.1 10:06 1.1 7:36 6:52 27 Thu 3:13 2.3 5:58 1.5 11:38 -0.2 10:21 1.2 7:37 6:51 28 Fri 3:45 2.4 7:20 1.4 12:32P -0.2 10:25 1.3 7:37 6:50 29 Sat 4:23 2.4 1:34 -0.2 7:38 6:50 30 Sun 5:09 2.4 2:48 -0.1 7:39 6:49 31 Mon 6:07 2.2 4:09 0.0 7:39 6:48 www.USHarbors.com Fort Myers, FL - Oct 2022 Date High Low AM ft PM ft AM ft PM ft Rise Set Moon 1 Sat 7:07 1.8 10:51 0.9 12:56 0.8 4:19 0.4 7:18 7:15 2 Sun 8:00 1.7 1:38 0.9 5:59 0.4 7:19 7:14 3 Mon 12:32 1.0 9:11A 1.6 3:02 0.9 7:18 0.3 7:19 7:13 4 Tue 1:24 1.0 10:54A 1.6 4:45 0.9 8:14 0.3 7:20 7:11 5 Wed 1:59 1.1 12:40 1.6 6:16 0.8 8:58 0.4 7:20 7:10 6 Thu 2:30 1.2 1:57 1.6 7:31 0.7 9:33 0.5 7:21 7:09 7 Fri 2:59 1.3 2:55 1.6 8:34 0.6 10:00 0.6 7:21 7:08 8 Sat 3:28 1.4 3:44 1.6 9:30 0.5 10:22 0.6 7:22 7:07 9 Sun 3:55 1.5 4:28 1.5 10:22 0.5 10:40 0.7 7:22 7:06 10 Mon 4:20 1.6 5:10 1.4 11:12 0.4 10:57 0.7 7:23 7:05 11 Tue 4:44 1.7 5:55 1.3 12:01P 0.4 11:15 0.8 7:23 7:04 12 Wed 5:08 1.7 6:46 1.1 12:52P 0.4 11:36 0.8 7:24 7:03 13 Thu 5:32 1.7 7:46 1.0 1:45 0.4 7:24 7:02 14 Fri 6:00 1.7 9:02 0.9 12:02 0.8 2:43 0.3 7:25 7:01 15 Sat 6:33 1.6 10:36 0.9 12:36 0.8 3:48 0.3 7:25 7:00 16 Sun 7:13 1.5 11:58 0.9 1:30 0.9 5:00 0.3 7:26 6:59 17 Mon 8:06 1.4 2:53 0.9 6:09 0.3 7:26 6:58 18 Tue 12:49 1.0 9:31A 1.3 4:23 0.9 7:05 0.3 7:27 6:57 19 Wed 1:25 1.1 11:30A 1.2 5:44 0.8 7:49 0.3 7:28 6:56 20 Thu 1:55 1.1 12:57 1.3 6:53 0.7 8:24 0.4 7:28 6:55 21 Fri 2:22 1.2 1:58 1.4 7:50 0.6 8:53 0.4 7:29 6:54 22 Sat 2:45 1.3 2:48 1.4 8:41 0.5 9:18 0.5 7:29 6:54 23 Sun 3:05 1.4 3:34 1.4 9:28 0.4 9:41 0.6 7:30 6:53 24 Mon 3:23 1.5 4:19 1.4 10:15 0.4 10:02 0.7 7:30 6:52 25 Tue 3:43 1.6 5:07 1.3 11:03 0.3 10:23 0.7 7:31 6:51 26 Wed 4:08 1.7 6:00 1.2 11:55 0.3 10:44 0.8 7:32 6:50 27 Thu 4:37 1.8 7:00 1.0 12:51P 0.2 11:06 0.8 7:32 6:49 28 Fri 5:13 1.9 8:10 0.9 1:53P 0.2 11:34 0.8 7:33 6:49 29 Sat 5:54 1.8 9:36 0.9 3:02 0.2 7:34 6:48 30 Sun 6:43 1.7 11:03 0.8 12:17 0.8 4:18 0.2 7:34 6:47 31 Mon 7:43 1.6 11:59 0.9 1:39 0.8 5:33 0.2 7:35 6:46

FACEBOOK.COM/COASTALANGLERMAGAZINEFTMYERS/ | OCTOBER 2022 | FORT MYERS 9 SANIBEL/CAPTIVA PUNTA CHARLOTTEGORDA/HABOR10871 Kelly Rd Ft Myers, FL 239.267.685733908 25096 E. Marion Ave. Punta Gorda, FL 941-655-711033950 October/2022 • 26°29’N 82°11’W October/2022 • 26°56’N 82°4’W UPGRADE YOUR GRILLING GAME San Carlos | (239) 415-1161 18911 S Tamiami Trail, Fort Myers, FL 33908 Port Charlotte | (941) 627-5558 3035 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte, FL 33952 For More Information Visit SunshineAce.com www.USHarbors.com Captiva Island (outside), FL - Oct 2022 Date High Low AM ft PM ft AM ft PM ft Rise Set Moon 1 Sat 2:35 3.2 10:51 0.2 7:22 7:17 2 Sun 3:25 3.1 12:20 0.2 7:22 7:16 3 Mon 4:34 3.0 1:51 0.2 7:23 7:15 4 Tue 6:18 2.9 11:24 2.1 3:04 0.1 7:23 7:14 5 Wed 8:11 2.9 11:19 2.1 1:38 2.0 4:00 0.2 7:24 7:13 6 Thu 9:36 2.9 11:28 2.2 3:14 1.7 4:44 0.3 7:24 7:12 7 Fri 10:42 2.9 11:39 2.3 4:17 1.3 5:18 0.5 7:25 7:11 8 Sat 11:38 2.8 11:51 2.5 5:08 1.0 5:46 0.8 7:25 7:10 9 Sun 12:29 2.7 5:53 0.6 6:09 1.1 7:26 7:09 10 Mon 12:04 2.7 1:17 2.5 6:36 0.4 6:27 1.3 7:26 7:08 11 Tue 12:20 2.8 2:04 2.3 7:16 0.2 6:44 1.5 7:27 7:06 12 Wed 12:39 3.0 2:54 2.1 7:57 0.1 6:59 1.6 7:27 7:05 13 Thu 1:03 3.1 3:53 2.0 8:40 0.1 7:11 1.7 7:28 7:04 14 Fri 1:31 3.1 5:17 1.9 9:28 0.2 7:14 1.8 7:29 7:03 15 Sat 2:04 3.0 10:26 0.3 7:29 7:02 16 Sun 2:44 2.8 11:36 0.4 7:30 7:01 17 Mon 3:40 2.7 12:53 0.4 7:30 7:00 18 Tue 5:10 2.5 10:19 2.1 2:02 0.4 7:31 6:59 19 Wed 7:08 2.4 10:24 2.1 1:29 2.0 2:56 0.4 7:32 6:58 20 Thu 8:38 2.4 10:34 2.2 2:49 1.7 3:39 0.5 7:32 6:57 21 Fri 9:43 2.5 10:44 2.3 3:40 1.4 4:14 0.6 7:33 6:56 22 Sat 10:36 2.5 10:55 2.4 4:21 1.1 4:43 0.7 7:33 6:56 23 Sun 11:25 2.5 11:07 2.6 4:59 0.7 5:09 0.9 7:34 6:55 24 Mon 12:13P 2.4 11:23 2.8 5:36 0.4 5:31 1.2 7:35 6:54 25 Tue 1:01P 2.3 11:44 3.0 6:15 0.1 5:52 1.4 7:35 6:53 26 Wed 1:54 2.2 6:56 -0.1 6:10 1.6 7:36 6:52 27 Thu 12:10 3.1 2:55 2.0 7:42 -0.3 6:25 1.7 7:37 6:51 28 Fri 12:42 3.3 4:17 1.8 8:36 -0.3 6:29 1.8 7:37 6:50 29 Sat 1:20 3.3 9:38 -0.2 7:38 6:50 30 Sun 2:06 3.2 10:52 -0.1 7:39 6:49 31 Mon 3:04 3.0 12:13 0.0 7:39 6:48 www.USHarbors.com Punta Gorda, Charlotte Harbor, FL - Oct 2022 Date High Low AM ft PM ft AM ft PM ft Rise Set Moon 1 Sat 6:01 2.3 2:46 0.1 7:19 7:15 2 Sun 6:51 2.3 4:15 0.2 7:20 7:14 3 Mon 8:00 2.2 5:46 0.1 7:20 7:13 4 Tue 9:44 2.1 6:59 0.1 7:21 7:12 5 Wed 2:50 1.5 11:37A 2.1 5:33 1.5 7:55 0.1 7:21 7:11 6 Thu 2:45 1.5 1:02 2.2 7:09 1.3 8:39 0.2 7:22 7:10 7 Fri 2:54 1.6 2:08 2.1 8:12 1.0 9:13 0.4 7:22 7:09 8 Sat 3:05 1.7 3:04 2.1 9:03 0.7 9:41 0.6 7:23 7:08 9 Sun 3:17 1.8 3:55 2.0 9:48 0.5 10:04 0.8 7:23 7:07 10 Mon 3:30 2.0 4:43 1.8 10:31 0.3 10:22 1.0 7:24 7:06 11 Tue 3:46 2.1 5:30 1.7 11:11 0.2 10:39 1.1 7:24 7:05 12 Wed 4:05 2.2 6:20 1.6 11:52 0.1 10:54 1.2 7:25 7:04 13 Thu 4:29 2.2 7:19 1.4 12:35P 0.1 11:06 1.3 7:25 7:03 14 Fri 4:57 2.2 8:43 1.4 1:23P 0.1 11:09 1.3 7:26 7:02 15 Sat 5:30 2.2 2:21 0.2 7:26 7:01 16 Sun 6:10 2.1 3:31 0.3 7:27 7:00 17 Mon 7:06 2.0 4:48 0.3 7:27 6:59 18 Tue 8:36 1.8 5:57 0.3 7:28 6:58 19 Wed 1:45 1.5 10:34A 1.8 5:24 1.4 6:51 0.3 7:29 6:57 20 Thu 1:50 1.6 12:04 1.8 6:44 1.2 7:34 0.4 7:29 6:56 21 Fri 2:00 1.6 1:09 1.8 7:35 1.0 8:09 0.4 7:30 6:55 22 Sat 2:10 1.7 2:02 1.8 8:16 0.8 8:38 0.5 7:30 6:54 23 Sun 2:21 1.8 2:51 1.8 8:54 0.5 9:04 0.7 7:31 6:53 24 Mon 2:33 1.9 3:39 1.8 9:31 0.3 9:26 0.9 7:31 6:52 25 Tue 2:49 2.0 4:27 1.7 10:10 0.1 9:47 1.0 7:32 6:52 26 Wed 3:10 2.2 5:20 1.6 10:51 -0.1 10:05 1.1 7:33 6:51 27 Thu 3:36 2.3 6:21 1.5 11:37 -0.2 10:20 1.2 7:33 6:50 28 Fri 4:08 2.4 7:43 1.4 12:31P -0.2 10:24 1.3 7:34 6:49 29 Sat 4:46 2.4 1:33 -0.2 7:35 6:48 30 Sun 5:32 2.4 2:47 -0.1 7:35 6:48 31 Mon 6:30 2.2 4:08 0.0 7:36 6:47

Th is is a cool event for the novice angler as you are really fishing against yourself trying to upgrade each fish as the day wears on. Make sure you have all your gear ready, a backup plan if you need to re-launch and bring food and water as you may be fishing for 5-7 hours!

This year due to the popularity of this tournament we are using a professional online tournament app called FishDon key that automatically uploads your catch all day and culls out the smaller fish as you go.

Get Out There-It’s A Wild World Dan @paddlinandfishin

10 FORT MYERS | OCTOBER 2022 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/FORT-MYERS/

By: Dan Carns

Scotty’s Bierworks in Cape Coral will again graciously hold the Captain’s meeting on Nov 11th at 7:30 PM. This is a mandatory meeting where the rules will be explained and measuring devices will be assigned. These Captain’s meetings are a fun time. Kayakers are a fairly laid-back group where you may get to make some new fishing friends or fire up some past rivalries.

Gulf Coast Kayak | gulfcoastkayak.com | 239-283-1125

Set

for Saturday, November 12th, 2022. This is Florida’s largest and longest running Kayak Fishing Tournament. Last year had a record breaking 90 plus kayak anglers and a re markable financial payout.

Tournament day is Saturday, Nov. 12th, start time is 6:30 A.M. and all fishing must take place in Lee County waters, home of the Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail. This 190-mile Paddling trail is a remarkable fishery where even a novice has a chance to place in the money spot and the trial is so big you may have your little piece of water to yourself all day! Weigh-in will take place at the Olde Fish House Marina in beauti ful Matlacha and will feature door prizes, food, live music, raffles, and silent auctions. This is a fun family event where you and your family or friends can watch the leader board as the anglers come ashore and register their catch!

Th is is a benefit tournament for The Candlelighters of Southwest Florida whose mission is to provide support, education and assistance to the families of children with cancer and blood disorders. The last

The 19th Annual Calusa Blueway Kayak Fishing Tournament

couple of years have been a challenge trying to raise money for this noble cause and this tournament has become very important to their mission.

If this is your first tournament here in S.W. Florida, we are chasing what is called an inshore slam. This is a Snook, Redfish and Trout and you must catch all three to be eligible for the top three prizes. There is also a Top Lady Angler prize as well as a prize for the biggest of any one of the inshore slam species. Your $50.00 dollar entry fee gives you a shot at the top three spots paying out $1,000, $500 and $250 and includes a Calusa Blueway Kayak Fishing shirt plus free beer at the captains meeting and food on tournament day! Every angler also gets a raffle ticket to win some other cool stuff.

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Paddlers can be famous for offering up criticism and reviews of ADA kayak launch sites. I find this one very easy to launch from and take out. Also, it helps get paddlers on the water who would otherwise be stuck on shore or need a lot of assistance. For those who do not want to use the launch or dock, there is still a small beach available.

use the launch or dock, there is still a small beach available.

Cape Coral’s Sirenia Vista Park has been on my “Future Articles” list for quite some time. With the Calusa Blueway Kayak Fishing Tourna ment quickly approaching, this seems like the perfect opportunity to write about it. The tournament is in Matlacha, and the park is just east in Northwest Cape Coral.

Th is park is well known to most local paddlers for good reason. There is plenty of free parking and you have immediate access to some very “fishy” water.

14 FORT MYERS | OCTOBER 2022 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/FORT-MYERS/

Kayak Fishing Tournament

By: Mike Hammond

As soon as you approach the launch, you’ll see large Phase 2 Calusa Blueway maps on either side. These are complemented by the maps that are more detailed and available on the Cape Coral Parks Department website. I suggested looking at them before launching.

W hen launching, be aware of boat traffic that passes near the launch. This area is a Slow Zone, but there seems to be a flexible defi nition of “Minimum Wake.” Lori Coppola, owner of Paradise SUP Adventure Tours, told me that she has moved her beginner tours to another nearby City of Cape Coral kayak launch to avoid the traffic. I would suggest others do the same on busy boating days if there are newer paddlers in the group.

A lso, it helps get paddlers on the water who would otherwise be stuck on shore or need a lot of assistance. For those who do not want to

Immediately across the canal from the launch is the mouth to a mangrove creek. Most of it is open enough to paddle through with rods up. You can even paddle a mile loop through the mangroves, into the canal by Miceli’s Restaurant, and then back to the launch. Be very aware of the direction the tide is flowing. Sometimes the canal flows more like a fast-moving river. Lori explained this is another reason she often uses the other Cape Coral launch. I strongly recommend using the current to your advantage. Observing the buoys by the launch will indicate which way the water is flowing.

For more information about paddling from this and other City of Cape Coral launches go to Dan,trackcontactanglingLoriparks_and_recreationhome/eco_tourism_recreation.phphttps://www.capecoral.gov/department/orcontactatParadiseSUPAdventureTours.ForinformationaboutkayakinthisareaortheCalusaBluewayKayakFishingTournament,BryanorMikeatGulfCoastKayak.OrmaybeyoucanevendownDanCarns,whoalsowritesforthismagazine.Wemissyouwhereveryouare.

CalusaBlueway.com

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Klayton Palmer w/ a BIG LM bass in Cape Coral.

Bud Welch w/ a big cuda caught out of Englewood.

Karen Theis used a frozen sardine from Cattle Cock Bait to catch this 41” whopper!

Photos submitted Courtesy of Coastal Angler Readers and Contributing Writers Submit pics to: camswfl@gmail.com or text to 239.595.8265

Rico Ramirez w/ a beautifulsnook at D&D Bait & Tacklein Matlacha.

Greg Goodliff w/ a big 39” black drum from Charlotte Harbor!

Amber w/ a beautiful red near Lovers Key on a live shrimp.

Alicia landed this monster w/ Capt. Tom in Bradenton.

Andy w/ a nice juvenileEstero Bay tarpon, w/ Capt.Fred Gowdy.

Rich Sarni caught this 30” beauty off Marco Island.

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Izquierdo’s sh weighed 15.38 kilograms, which is 33 pounds, 14.5 ounces and some change. On the same trip, Robert Navarro boated another star-studded grouper that weighed 15.51 kilograms, or 34 pounds, 3 ounces and some change. Both sh will be recorded as all-tackle world records in the books.

Both sh were caught slow-pitch jigging with JYG Pro jigs.

TWO RECORDWORLDGROUPER

14 FLORIDA OCTOBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

oastal Angler Magazine contributor Ryan Izquierdo was on a really hot bite on April 28 while shing out of San Carlos in Sonora, Mexico. e boat he was on landed not one, but two IGFA all-tackle world records for star-studded grouper. With just a fraction of a kilogram separating the weights of the two sh, IGFA recently named them both a tie for the all-tackle world record.

Star-studded grouper are a species that inhabits the eastern Paci c Ocean from Southern California down to e previous all-tackle world record was a 31-pounder caught by Chris Wheaton out of Loreto, Mexico.

Caught on the Same Trip!

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON RECORD FISH, VISIT IGFA.ORG.

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ed sh have black spots. Some of them have several black spots. is red sh caught on the Texas Gulf Coast had so many black spots that it doesn’t even look like a red sh.

e angler, Ryan Hernandez, caught his “leopard” red sh while shing with Capt. Danny Alvarez in the Upper Laguna Madre near Corpus Christi, Texas on Aug. 27. Hernandez said the sh had more than 300 spots per Leopardside. red sh are rare, but they do show up from time to time. Fisheries biologists believe this rare color pattern is caused by both parents having a recessive pigmentation trait. e wild coloration leaves the o spring particularly susceptible to predation early in its life. Not only is it rare for a leopard red sh to be hatched, it’s rare for them to reach catchable size.According to SaltWater Sportsman, Hernandez kept his leopard red sh to have it mounted. It’ll make a heck of a conversation piece.

For more weird catches, go to coastalanglermag.com.

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Photo courtesy of Knockin Tail Lures

My other tip involves a color I haven’t seen pictured with many, if any, snook other than those anglers in my circle. e color is in the orange family with gold glitter and a chartreuse tail. is little gem has produced numerous snook over the years. I sh this color in a 5-inch paddletail lure, typically on a heavier jighead. I like a heavy head because I burn these swimbaits through the water.

Here’s my disclaimer: I invented Knockin Tail Lures. e paddletail I use for snook is the Knockin Tail Lure in the Halloween is lure, like the Rat-L-Trap, has a built-in rattle. Trust me,

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

CATCH BIG SNOOK

W

hen it comes to snook shing with lures, I typically see the same color patterns and lure styles displayed in the jaws of caught sh as the angler proudly presents their catch to the camera. I’d like to share some new colors and lures that I have found to be very e ective when targeting solid-lined trophies.Let’s start with what you might already know. Feather jigs are popular among those who pursue line-siders. Some may tip their jig with a grub of some sort, while others take the simple approach of feathers, lead and a sharp hook. More o en than not, when I see these jigs pinned in the jaws of magni cent sh, the colors are typically white, red, chartreuse or a combination of all three. I don’t typically throw a feather jig, but when I do I prefer to tip it with a paddletail to give it extra vibration. Find one with a rattling tail, and you just increased your odds of hooking up!

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

I hope this new look at snook shing helps you catch your next e theme here is sound attracts sh. So, tie on some noisy lures and get hooked up!

Now for methods you may not have tried while targeting snook. Let’s visit our friends in the freshwater aisle and pull out an old favorite: the Rat-L-Trap! Pick up a few of these in chrome and blue, buy some stout saltwater-grade treble hooks, stainless steel split rings, and you’re set. ese noisy, rattling hard baits drive big snook crazy. I sh these on a fast and steady retrieve. e simplicity, in itself, is enticing. Among the advantages are the castability of these lures, their bullet-proof construction, and best of all there is not much skill required in this tactic. Simply cast and reel at a fast pace and hold on tight. When a hungry, or mad snook nails a Trap as you burn it through salty water, they will try their best to take the lure and the rod from your hands. ere is nothing like a 40-inch snook hammering a fast-moving Rat-L-Trap!

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stone crab season opens Oct. 15 and runs through May 1. e minimum claw size is 2 7/8 inches, and recreational harvesters may take a daily bag limit of 1 gallon of claws per person or 2 gallons of claws per vessel, whichever is less.

Trapping is the most e cient method of collecting the legal limit. Each harvester is allowed ve traps. ey may be baited and placed in the water as early as Oct. 5, but traps may not be pulled and claws may not be harvested until the Oct. 15 season opener.

Diving and snorkeling for stone crabs is also popular. Look for crushed shells in front of holes in the rocks or reef where a stone crab has been feeding. Use a tickle stick with angle of less than 90 degrees to pull them out of the hole and grab them by the claws with gloved hands.

Whether diving or trapping, it is illegal to harvest claws from eggbearing females. It is permitted to take both claws if they are of legal length, but most people choose to take just one so the crab is le with something to feed and defend itself with.

15

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Recreational harvesters age 16 and older who plan to use traps are required to complete an annual no-cost trap registration at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com. rough this process, they will obtain trap registration numbers that must be included on each trap along with the owners name and address.

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Congratulations to Sam Winton of omasville, Ga. for winning a Suzuki DF2.5 Portable Outboard Motor from Coastal Angler Magazine and Suzuki Marine. Winton picked up his prize on Labor Day Weekend from Southeastern Marine and Repair in Douglas, Ga. When Winton arrived at the dealership, Kevin Stone presented Winton with a huge winning check and his outboard.

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When Sam returned home he used his new outboard right away and was pleasantly surprised by how well it worked with his boat. ank you to over 10,000 people who entered the contest. We've got some more great prizes every month on CoastalAnglerMag.com, so please keep checking back for more!

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Twice, we traveled northeast by van to Hope, Alaska, where we fished for pinks in Resurrection Creek. They were so thick that we stayed busy catching and releasing them after we all caught our limits. On our second trip to Resurrection, we went in search of silvers but they had not arrived yet, so we caught pinks

By Gary Turner

Our lodging was in Soldotna, near the mouth of the Kenai River on Cook Inlet. That’s where we fished the Kenai River for red (sockeye) salmon. The famous king salmon season closed before we arrived this year, or we would have been fishing for them. We “flossed” for reds, which is a technique used in rivers to catch salmon that are more interested in their spawning run than they are in feeding. Basically, you use a weighted leader. As pods of fish swim upstream, the line threads an open mouth and you snag the fish when the hook pulls tight. This was combat-style fishing. We stood a rod’s length from other anglers, and it was mayhem when someone hooked up.

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laska’s Kenai Peninsula is a world-renowned fishery, known for all of its salmon runs, of which the Kenai River king salmon run is the most famous. The saltwater fishing out of Homer, Deep Creek and Seward are also amazing. I’ve been to Alaska fishing several times, and this year I fished the fresh and the salt with five friends who were all on their first trip. Here’s a quick look at what we did in freshwater. I’ll write about our saltwater adventures in the future.

Second only to the Kenai’s fishing is the scenery. There is a majestic feel to this area. The views are beautiful, there is amazing wildlife and tons of stuff to see. We saw it all as we drove all over the place chasing fish.

again. It was so fun!

We also ventured south from Soldotna to the Kasilof River and caught salmon and trout. We crossed the peninsula to Seward and fished the Resurrection River for silvers, pinks and dog (chum) salmon. The river was full of fish, so we fished until it was too dark to see the bears and called it a day at midnight.

We also fished from a boat on the Kenai River, where anchored to deploy small Kwikfish. These lures settle into the current near the bottom and vibrate. Fish swimming upstream see them and attack. Unlike the red salmon, which aren’t interested in eating, the pink (humpback) and silver (coho) salmon jumped all over this setup.

If you ever get the chance to fish the Kenai Peninsula, you will love it. Get a group of friends, do some research and go. Fish with a guide or on your own. There are so many options and so many fish that it’s hard not to have an amazing adventure.

Last, but not least, we fished Skilak Lake, which feeds the Kenai River from the center of the peninsula. This was my favorite place to fish. It is as beautiful as it is full of fish. We stayed 18 days in Alaska and spent our 17th on Skilak, where we slayed the fish. We landed and released more than 100 reds, silvers and trout that day! It was a great note to end our trip.

Gary Turner is a long-time contributor to The Angler Magazine. Contact him at gary@purgeright.com.

Catch Amazing Action on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula

On a big tailwater, McCrickard gears up with 250-grain sinking line and runs a short 3-foot leader of 0x tippet. If the water is dingy, he’ll fish 3 feet of straight 20-pound monofilament.

Across the East, brown trout spawn in a window that runs from midSeptember into December. Males and females of the species leave their summer lies to strike out upstream in search of spawning habitat. They are on the move and more visible to anglers than at any other time of year.

Alex McCrickard has a go-big or go-home attitude when it comes to fall browns. He’s a former fly fishing guide and the current aquatic education coordinator for the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. As the days grow shorter, McCrickard breaks out his heavy 6- and 7-weight rods to sling big streamers.Onsmaller streams, he’ll fish floating line with a 9-foot leader that tapers down to no lighter than 2x tippet. The long leader allows a weighted streamer to get down in the water column, and 2x has a breaking strength of about 10 pounds. It’s more than enough to handle the 14- to 20-inchers you might encounter in a creek or stream.

“A productive day is relative. When you’re throwing a 10-foot 7-weight and a 250-grain full sinking line with 3 feet of 20-lb. monofilament, you’re not really going for numbers anymore,” said McCrickard. “You’re looking for one, maybe two fish. You kind of have to go out there with the mentality of, ‘I might get skunked today, but I might catch my best fish of the year… or the best fish I’ve caught in the last five years.’”

While the females become preoccupied with cutting nests, called redds, on shallow gravel bars in moving water, the males put on bright colors to

“If I have that fish that’s two feet or larger, I’m feeling really confident having that fish on 20-pound as opposed to having it on 2x,” he said.

L

FOR AGGRESSIVE FALL BROWN TROUT

Nick Carter is author of “Flyfisher’s Guide to North Carolina & Georgia.” It is available on Amazon or by contacting the author at nsc8957@gmail.com.

ust and jealousy make males of many species do stupid things they wouldn’t normally do. This is true for humans and whitetail deer, and it’s also true for brown trout, which grow aggressive this time of year as they gear up for the spawn.

On large or small water, pre-spawn browns will hit bigger flies than you’d think they would. This could be a 2- to 3-inch-long Woolly Bugger on a mountain stream or a 6-inch-long articulated pattern on a big river. Either way, it’s a game of covering water persistently and presenting the fly to as many fish as possible.

12 NATIONAL OCTOBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

advertise their suitability as mates. The big boys spar with each other for the opportunity to fertilize eggs. They become ornery, and are cocked to lash out at anything that catches their eye.

AggressiveTactics

By Nick Carter

The timing is different on every piece of water, but October is thought to be the peak of pre-spawn behavior for most streams and rivers. Since big browns are more aggressive than they are at any other time of year, anglers who target them should fish aggressively.

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The angler, 59-year-old Cary Carney, was fishing aboard the 32-foot Willow B, which was captained by his son Brandon Carney. They were fishing in about 1,300 feet of water on Aug. 21, when the big broadbill ate a strip of albacore belly. They had the fish on an electric Diawa MP3000 reel, but a blown fuse rendered it inoperable. Carney buckled down and cranked the fish in by hand on 65-pound test line.

“He’s one of those old-school guys,” Brandon Carney said of his father for an article in the Raleigh News & Observer. “His arm might be hanging off, but he won’t let you know it. After about 30 minutes, it rose to about 20 feet below the surface and we could see how big it was.”

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Carney’s swordfish crushed the previous state record by more than 60 pounds. The old record of 441 pounds had stood since 1979. The thing is, if they had hauled it in with the electric reel, it would not have qualified for the record.The

IGFA all-tackle world record swordfish weighed 1,182 pounds. It was caught off the coast of Chile in 1953 by Louis Marron.

Two hours later, the big fish was boatside. They roped its tail and used the T-top as a pulley to bring it onboard. It measured 104 inches fork length and had a 53-inch girth.

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14 NATIONAL OCTOBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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8-ounce swordfish caught 55 miles off Morehead City, North Carolina was recently certified as a new state record.

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From exemplary fishing for striped bass, or a trophy largemouth bass, to our hiking trails and water activities, along with scenic outdoors where you can catch a glimpse of white tail deer and gators, Berkeley County has activities to fit all visitors and families.

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Berkeley County is a wonderland for outdoor enthusiasts, sports buffs, adventure seekers, and water lovers.

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