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SEPTEMBER 2021
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deep waters it was designed to explore and it’s sporty screw-down crown can take the pressure in stride. Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. If you are not completely convinced you got excellence for less, simply return the Explorer Dive Watch within 30 days for a refund of the item price. At Stauer, we never leave our customers high and dry. Limited Edition. Sure you could give your hard-earned money to those other guys, but why would you? We’ve got the thinking man’s timepiece right here. This watch takes six months to engineer and it’s already making waves, so we can’t guarantee it will be around for long. Call today, and experience how good it feels to get true luxury for less.
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NATIONAL 5
IN THIS BATTLE, YOU NOW HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF SHOCK AND AWE.
The next generation of our workhorse spinning reel, the new PENN ® Battle ® III now features our proprietary CNC Gear ™ Technology for ultimate durability, and the proven HT-100 ™ Carbon Fiber Drag System for ultimate control during the fight. Available in nine different sizes, from 1000 to the new 10,000, and in select high speed models, it can handle any situation. The new Battle® III. Fish won’t know what hit them. PENN. LET THE BATTLE BEGIN.
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CAST 2021 marked a return to normalcy for the fishing industry. In the 64th exhibition of the world’s largest sportfishing trade show, the halls of the Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center bustled with activity July 21-23. As usual, the event kicked off with the ICAST Cup bass tournament at nearby Lake Toho, and the renowned big-bass factory did not disappoint. In a short four-hour tournament, the winning team weighed a tournament-record 25-pound, 7-ounce five-fish limit. But most of the action went on indoors. The annual ICAST New Product Showcase is an event the fishing world eagerly awaits every year. It is the venue where industry heavyweights and innovative newcomers roll out their best new gear for the year to come. This year, 686 new products were entered by 218 companies to compete for Best of Category awards in 30 different categories. From rods, reels and lures to apparel, electronics, gadgets and accessories, the New Product Showcase is gear-head heaven. The Angler Video Mag team was on-hand at ICAST 2021 to cover the show and give you a first-hand look at some of the cool and innovative products that will make you a better angler this year.
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NATIONAL 7
Live Bait Snook on South Florida Beaches
H
ere on Florida’s East Coast, we have access to some of the most exciting shore-based fishing there is. From spring, through summer and into fall, big snook run the beaches of South Florida, and they can be caught from the sand with lures and even sight fished with flies. I am a lure fisherman, and everyone knows it, but fishing with artificials can be difficult during the doldrums of late summer and fall. The Atlantic Ocean is flatter and big snook become wary. The fish are still here; what are we to do? Here’s a pretty simple technique that will catch snook when the fishing gets tough. The hottest bait this time of year is live croakers. Croakers are catching so many snook right now that the local bait shops here in the Stuart, Fla. area sell out as soon as they get a shipment. With the artificial bite kind of drying up, my friend and occasional fishing buddy, Mike Vars, showed me how to catch big snook on live bait. Mike buys a dozen croakers when he can get them. All you need to keep them alive for a couple days is a round bucket with an aerator. Good baitsized croakers are 5 to 8 inches, anything larger might catch a big snook, but they are harder to fish. Mike uses a 3 or 4 size circle hook and hooks his croakers through the nostrils so they can
8 NATIONAL
SEPTEMBER 2021
By Richard L. Matteson
swim freely. Some anglers prefer to hook them through the tail. Since the tactic involves free-lining, with no weight, casts should be just past the trough on a high tide, which is about 20 feet here. Then open the spool and let that croaker run. On low tide, it might be necessary to wade past the trough and cast farther out. Mike uses a 60-lb. leader and 20-lb. braid on a spinning reel. Before the snook takes the bait, the croaker will often wiggle excitedly—this is a signal you are about to get bit. When the line suddenly starts moving fast, it means a snook has your croaker. Let her have the bait for a few seconds, and then begin reeling steadily so the circle hook lodges in the corner of her mouth. Mike Vars with a nice beach snook Mike averages three or four big female snook caught on live bait. each trip with this method. He has caught several over-slot snook, with the biggest measuring about 40 inches. Florida’s Atlantic Coast. You’re allowed one per day If you want to catch your own bait, use a between 28 and 32 inches. sabiki rig and tip hooks with a small piece of Richard Matteson writes for the Stuart Rod & shrimp. Or fish the trough with light tackle and a Reel Club and he is a long-time contributor small piece of shrimp. to Coastal Angler Magazine. Sept. 1 marks open season for snook on
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The Mullet Run Is On! By CAM Staff
I
t’s that time of year again when the lowly mullet becomes a primary target of interest for Florida anglers. Over the next few weeks and months, mullet in untold numbers will migrate out of the estuaries and run down the coast to their spawning grounds off South Florida. The mullet run is on, and it has switched on the predatory drive of almost every fish in the ocean. From the beach, or on a jetty, pier, bridge or boat, anglers who encounter fish feeding in huge schools of mullet are in for a treat. These intrepid little pilgrims have made their way south from as far up as the Carolinas, and it’s a good thing they come in numbers, because a whole lot of them get gobbled up along the way. Snook, tarpon, flounder, redfish, sharks, bluefish, jacks, Spanish mackerel,
2 FLORIDA
SEPTEMBER 2021
ladyfish… they all answer the dinner bell when mullet are balled up. To find the fish, you must find the bait. Young finger mullet make an easy meal when large schools of them are pinned against a jetty or are caught out in the open by predators running the beaches. Live or dead mullet are the obvious baits to fish if you’ve got time to throw a net, but don’t get caught cast-netting when there is a frenzy going on. A plug or soft-plastic will also get hammered when the melee is on. Don’t pass up your window of opportunity when the action is hot. Bait might be heavy in an area one day and gone the next. Anglers with boats can run the beaches in search of diving birds and find fish blowing up on top. Seawalls, rocky shorelines and other obstruction to the southward migration can serve as ambush points or corrals where baitfish are pinned in. Any structure that steers schools of mullet into a predictable path can turn into a killing ground. Shore-bound anglers must rely on good intel or just show up and hope to get lucky. Some prefer to pick a place that has been productive in the past and return frequently to catch it when it’s right. Others have a list of likely locations and eat up the road in search of activity. It’s the time of year when your gear should remain rigged and ready in the back of the truck. A good network of fishing buddies is worth its weight in tarpon during the run. Sharing good information on locations and the southward progression of bait is a two-way street. Take care of someone else, and they will likely take care of you. This time of year is a great time to be on the water. Temperatures are beginning to cool, most of the tourists have gone home, and thick waves of baitfish are there to be found, running the coastline with big predators in hot pursuit. For more information, go to coastalanglermag.com.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES.
A
Fall
Transition Pay Attention to Detail By Capt. Michael Okruhlik
s fall approaches, fish patterns change. By understanding the habits of fish, you can target them with confidence. Spring fry have matured in the marsh and are ready to move into open water. Knowing the timing, tides and location of this migration can lead to great action. I recently tried a new area. It’s a place I really hadn’t heard anything about. I planned to target reds, since satellite imagery suggested it should be favorable. This area had a long meandering bayou that emptied into a small lake, which ranged in depth from 1 to 3 feet. I was at the top of a chain of lakes and marsh, so this particular drain would see the first of the baitfish and shrimp exiting their summer home. Targeting the inland-most marshes and bayous early in the season will be the most productive. Follow the bait and schools of fish out as the season advances. Although the reds were there, they were only 12 inches long, and the trout were smaller. They were gorging on shad and shrimp as tide poured out of the bayou into the lake. Once I noticed flounder busting completely out of the water attacking the schools of shad, I quickly changed my retrieve. I had been working my soft-plastic swimbait high in the water column to keep it in the bait balls. When I saw those flounder, I immediately lowered my rod tip and began vigorously twitching my rod down and to the side to make the jig head hit the mud bottom hard. Kicking up clouds of silt attracts flatfish. I started landing flounder immediately with the new retrieve. It was obvious they were aggressive since they were going airborne to feed on shad. This is why I worked the lure hard and fast, unlike a traditional flounder retrieve. I’m not sure how many I caught, released and lost, but it was well into double digits. The most productive color was white or pearl to mimic shad. Since they were attacking schools of bait, I tied on a tandem rig using the same lures. I think the presentation looked more like the schools of baitfish they were targeting. I rigged my second lure so it would look more natural floating above the first jig-head swimbait, which was bouncing on the bottom. This increased my strikes. Paying attention to the details of the location, season and tide, as well as how the fish were feeding all played a huge part in my success. These concepts can be applied in any situation at any time of year. It was not what I expected, but I will take a limit of flounder any day. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures and Controlled Descent Lures. He owns www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.
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SEPTEMBER 2021
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Look for the Ladies! By: Capt. Dave Stephens
A
s we move along further into summer we get into the heart of hurricane season. With a little luck from mother nature we will not see any major storms. For the new residents that are not as familiar with Florida weather, summer time is our wet season. We don’t necessarily need a named storm to have serious weather. We frequently have severe thunderstorms that can pop up and catch a boater off guard, especially in the afternoon. Keeping an eye on the sky can help avoid these situations. Also, do not let a forming storm get in between you and the boat ramp. As for our late summer fishery, we have a lot of good things that are going on. For one this is the time of year when we start seeing schools of redfish showing up on the flats. Locating these fish during low tides can be easy, but catching them can be more of a challenge, on lower tides schools can give away their location by making pushes in the water, the hard part is these fish also become spookier under these conditions. The further you stay away and make less disturbances on the water, your success will be better. On higher tides these same schools are not nearly as spooky, but can be harder to locate. Often these schools will hang around large schools of large mullet. Mullet are a vegetarian fish that stir up the bottom causing the little crustaceans and baitfish to be exposed. Another place to look is large potholes on the flats close to mangrove islands and deep-water access.
A fish that is also over looked this time of year is tarpon. The late summer and early fall fishery for these guys can be very good. Unlike the east coast we don’t have a mullet run on Charlotte Harbor. However, we do have a so-called ladyfish bonanza. During the late summer large schools of ladyfish feed on glass minnows and smaller baitfish. This attracts schools of tarpon that in turn feed on the ladyfish. If you run across this in the harbor it can be very exciting. I highly recommend keeping a rod on the boat that can handle a tarpon over 100 pounds. Also, if you have any junior anglers that you would like to introduce into the world of fishing these large schools of ladyfish will give you hours of endless bites! They are willing to eat anything that moves, put a good fight on light tackle, and jump like crazy when hooked. Did I mention they poop everywhere when you get them in the boat; what kid wouldn’t love that? It also gives you a chance to maybe hook up on a monster tarpon. Toss a ladyfish out on a big rod behind the boat, you might find yourself in the fight of a life time. Our summer fishery should stay strong as long as we don’t have any major storms and our waters stay clean. Just remember to keep an eye on the sky!
Back Bay Xtremes |Backbayextremes.com 941-916-5769
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From Shore to Sea By: Capt. Mike Manis
W
ith the heat still ever present, I’ll continue working early and concentrate on outside shorelines that run adjacent to open water bar systems. In particular, shorelines that adjoin creek mouths and deeper cuts are my favorites. This type of habitat can hold snook, redfish, and juvenile tarpon. Redfish are beginning to school up now and they can be a lot of fun when grouped up. Keep an eye out for stingrays as they kick up a lot of sediment and redfish will hang close looking for an easy meal. When they’re on the feed like that they’re a bit less cautious and when there’s a few fish together they’ll also be more competitive. Also, the rays are sometimes easier to spot than a fish and that’s particularly true when the water is on the tannic side. While on any outside bar system, don’t be surprised if you see a school of Jack crevalle cruising and busting bait. They disappear as quick as they show up so be ready to throw no matter what you’ve got rigged. The spotted sea trout bite will start to get better as the month progresses. For the most part, anywhere in two to four feet within the proximity of a turtle grass flat should be good first thing in the morning. Tarpon will be scattered throughout the upper harbor. The bigger fish are around the deeper holes and bridges. Some smaller fish can be found around the perimeter canals of Punta Gorda and outer mangrove shorelines that adjoin creek systems. In addition, this is a good time to keep an eye out for schools of black drum bouncing back and forth between the U.S. 41 bridge and the same perimeter canals holding tarpon. Also, don’t be surprised if you run into some sharks around the deeper holes. Black nose, blacktip, and bull sharks are always possible. Spanish mackerel could be anywhere especially if you’re around one of the markers. Smaller sharks are great sport on the bars that border the open harbor. When it’s hot, these bars stay a bit cooler from a decent tide flow. Whether from land or a boat, fishing off the beach can be a lot of fun this time of year. There are still snook in the surf and many of these fish are also going to be making their way to shorelines and dock structure inside the passes. Schools of Spanish mackerel are here too and will be moving in and out of the passes busting bait. As always, find the bait and the fish won’t be far off. Until next month, good tides. Captain Michael Manis is a U.S.C.G. Licensed captain and has been teaching the sport of fly and light tackle angling since 2002. He lives in Punta Gorda, Florida and can be reached at www.puntagordaflycharters.com.
Punta Gorda Fly Charters | puntagordaflycharters.com 941-628-7895
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FACEBOOK.COM/COASTALANGLERMAGAZINEFTMYERS/ | SEPTEMBER 2021 | FORT MYERS 3
The International Sawfish Day Logo. Credit: The Deep, Hull, UK.
Two sawfish at Mandalay Bay Shark Reef Aquarium in Las Vegas. Credit: Tonya Wiley.
SAWFISH NEWS by Tonya Wiley, Havenworth Coastal Conservation
International Sawfish Day is October 17
T
he sawfishes are some of the most imperiled elasmobranchs (sharks, rays, and skates), with all five species assessed as Critically Endangered or Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. International Sawfish Day is an annual event held on October 17 to educate the public about the biology and ecology of these spectacular rays, to highlight the threats they continue to face, to focus on current research and management efforts to safeguard their future, and to inform people how they can contribute to the conservation and recovery of sawfish around the world. Founded by the European and American Associations of Zoos and Aquariums and the Sawfish Conservation Society, the first International Sawfish Day was celebrated in 2017. On October 17, 2021 the fifth International Sawfish Day will be celebrated mostly online due to the global coronavirus pandemic; however, there may be some events at institutions and organizations around the world. To celebrate International Sawfish Day next month, participating aquariums, museums, zoos, schools, conservation agencies, and research groups hold celebrations and events, share messages and images on social media, and help spread the word about sawfish. Social media posts using the hashtag #InternationalSawfishDay and interactive events reach hundreds of thousands of people in the weeks surrounding each International Sawfish Day. In addition to the excitement generated for sawfish protection and conservation, International Sawfish Day also raises funds for sawfish field research programs and helps strengthen the collaborative relationships between the public aquarium community and research and field conservation organizations. The American
The 2021 International Sawfish Day shirts available from the Sawfish Conservation Society. Credit: Sawfish Conservation Society.
Association of Zoos and Aquariums coordinates the fundraiser to contribute to important sawfish research and conservation efforts. Information about events and the fundraiser can be found at www. InternationalSawfishDay.org. Want to get involved? Lots of resources are available to help you celebrate in style or host your own event and increase your knowledge about sawfish. You can print posters, brochures, and handouts and discover fun sawfish games and craft ideas. You can also buy an official 2021 International Sawfish Day t-shirt, which this year promotes the preservation of mangroves which provide crucial habitat for young sawfish, to proudly wear on October 17 (and any day). Information about scheduled events and other International Sawfish Day resources can be found at www.SawfishConservationSociety.org and at the Sawfish Conservation Society public Facebook group at www.facebook.com/ groups/91335002341.
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Hanging Out! By: Capt. Bart Marx
H
Nice trout caught on a recent trip!
ello fellow anglers, September in SWFL you choose a time to target snook in the night - it is totally summer. Things are hot; hours. This too is when the tarpon tend to mithe water the temperature and the fishgrate up river in search of food. These are usualing. Looking at the inshore possibilities you got ly the resident tarpon that do not migrate with your snook, and reds. The snook are close to the masses. They will feed in the deeper holes transitioning back to their regular environment in the rivers and harbor where the baits mingle. from the spawn this season. The big schools of Depending on the weather, hurricanes and or breeder reds will start to show up close to the afternoon thunderstorms as to how much fresh passes where there is plenty of food to prepare water comes into the area, Venice it is not much them to head back offshore to spawn. They show of a problem; Charlotte Harbor can be tricky up at the passes, as they work their way into the with two rivers dumping into it. Yes, the Myakbays and coastal inshore areas where there are ka River from the South Venice area and from plenty of pinfish and greenbacks. This is the the East and North the Peace River both dump time of year you will start to find the big schools into the Upper Harbor. And down south to the of reds. The shrimp comes into the bays usualsouth end of Pine Island you have the Caloosaly around Thanksgiving then that becomes the hatchee River. food of choice. The snook will start hanging Hey how about offshore? This month around the docks and bridge pilings to ambush would be a great time to do some night time their prey. snapper fishing. Any close reef artificial or nat If it is too hot for you to fish during the ural that holds snapper will be a great place. Do daylight hours this is a great time of year to do yourself some research to make a chum slick. some night fishing. Yes, the snook like to hang This will bring the snapper to the surface, so around the bumpers in the main channel of the rivers and creeks. The you may use light tackle and that makes it so much fun. These are some shadows from the lights on the bridges give them a place to ambush things to look forward to this month! And always remember singing their prey. This is when I would check the solunar tables. I use tides- drags and tight lines make me smile. <*(((((>{ 4fishing to find the peak feeding times for the fish; they use these moon Alpha Omega Charters | alphaomegacharters.com phases to hunt deer and other big game animals too. These will help
captbart@alphaomegacharters.com | 941-979-6517
FACEBOOK.COM/COASTALANGLERMAGAZINEFTMYERS/ | SEPTEMBER 2021 | FORT MYERS 7
Technical Spearfishing
By: Capt. Chad Carney
M
ost technical divers are wreck & cave divers that dive with overhead restrictions at depths below 130’. Their gear & techniques are specific for a sport, very different from that of spearos. Spearfishers avoid overhead caves & wrecks, but sure depth lures us to big quality fish! In 1993 I took a nitrox class in an on-land sink hole. 1994 brought my Nitrox Instructor certification by TDI VP Mitch Skaggs, who is a spearo! We shot a bunch of fish in the Middle Grounds to 130’ on nitrox which gives you more time safely. We used leaner nitrox out to 150’, which is Advanced NiBack of Pack trox & Decompression with stage deco bottles. Big groupers & snappers were plentiful! Technical dive computers came in the late 90’s and fit with my Technical Instructor certifications of Advanced Nitrox, Decompression Procedures & Extended Range out to the Gulf’s 30 Fathom Line, 150’-180’. We dove great sites with my 36’ sportfish/dive boat on long weekends. After that we won the 2000 St. Pete Open with two 80-plus# groupers, red snappers & big hogs, I wrote an article about it in Spearfishing Magazine, titled “Technical Spearfishing.”
Front of Pack
mary. • Get long freedive fins, they have overdrive cruise speed with little effort, great for scuba & plastic blades are cheap & durable if you kick bottom. • Get in shape. I exercise swim without my arms, just scissor kicking, to build muscles and stamina. You don't need a big pool for this swim style. * Spearfishers that want to dive deep should get technical training from a spearo instructor, not a cave or wreck instructor. Shoot straight! Capt Chad
chad.carney@yahoo.com https://www.facebook.com/floridaskindiver/ https://www.deeperblue.com/beginners-guide-spearfishing/ 727-423-7775
g n i h s i F
180-ft+ creates a serious narcosis problem. In 2001 I took TDI Trimix Instructor Joe Odom offshore along with my buddy Dan MacMahon, for our TDI Trimix certifications (& my Instructor cert.) Trimix is a mix of O2, Helium & reduced Nitrogen, which keeps you razor sharp compared to deep diving without He. Dan lead with a 90 plus# carbo, but I found a honey hole & a huge fish - it took 3 shots to kill & drag out a 127# black/carbo! My next article in Spearfishing Magazine, title “Technical Spearfishing II.”
your gun, fish stringing & knifing, high off the bottom. * Hang high... shallower water is your friend & fish won't see you up there. Hit the deepest spots first and save the shallow areas last, to prevent gas loading. * Dive like you're in molasses. Slow everything down, your breathing will follow and your fluid motion won't scare fish. (Only bolt after a shot to pounce on prey.) * Use performance regulators and keep them tuned. I like dual control 2nd stages, de-tune the cracking effort and venturi when it’s a spare & open up only your pri-
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Technical Spearfishing Tips: * A quote I've used for years: "Keep your gas in your tank & out of your body... unless fish are going on your stringer!" • Streamline your gear. "Everything you need, nothing you don't." No double tanks or giant BC needed. • See gear pic. It’s a steel 120 cf tank with a dual DIN valves & 30 cf DIN deco bottle, & 3 DIN regulators. A hose-less computer & a back up. The BC was designed for spearos, it’s a sleek & tough Zeagle Stiletto. * Get the lead out. Check buoyancy at dives end safety stop, especially after suit or gear change. Excess weight makes your BC larger & changes your trim, wasting more power to move through the water. Use your gun butt to push off before kicking (avoids clouding the bottom) & load
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Navajo Lake By: Dan Carns
T
here lies in northern New Mexico a pure gem of a lake that I’ve recently visited while camping in Navajo Lake State Park. If you know anything about the area you’ll wonder why I’m not writing about the most prolific trophy trout water that flows around the park, but this area gets so much attention that unless your ultra-dedicated and most proficient at fly fishing, the fish will not respond unless they truly believe your fly is food! So, after a couple of days fooling myself that I can fly fish, I loaded up my Vanhunks peddle drive kayak and launched into a more familiar setting. I was raised on bass fishing in the south and also became proficient in fishing for smallmouth bass while in northern New England so when I heard there where both species in Navaho Lake, I was excited to give it a try. It’s just spring when I’d arrived and was told that the bass are hanging out in front of the dam so I peddled my way around the marina at daybreak and found fish rising and busting on bait over the rock structures that hold back the water. Cast after cast, fish after fish I’m sitting in paradise, alone and a little chilly but nonetheless ecstatic at the amount of fish I’m boating! At this point I’m an hour in and haven’t caught anything over two pounds so I work my way across the face of the dam to the other side where it looks like the edge of a can-
yon drop and sure enough it’s deep, really deep, but full of massively large and submerged boulders. I’m using a wacky rigged rubber worm in pumpkin color with a chartreuse tail and constantly getting picked up by what I assume are young fish as I cannot get them to the boat. They literally wear out all of the baits in the package so I switch to a salt and pepper bait and on the first cast it’s game on, big fish, huge pickup and run, hook-set brings my first three pounder to the side of my kayak and I begin to laugh at my good fortune! I spent the next 3 hours dropping the same salt and pepper bait around huge boulders catching and releasing beautiful smallmouth bass in one of the most prolific fisheries I’ve had the pleasure of peddling around. By now I’ve about worn out my welcome around the boulder field and see a shoreline full of sunken trees so off I go, a five-minute journey into classic largemouth territory. There are dead stumps and submerged branches all around so when my first cast gets tagged and disappears into a maze of tangled branches I know it’s going to be hard to retrieve this fish and sure enough it takes me ten minutes to boat my first largemouth. The sun is high and I’m one shore bound and satisfied angler! It’s A Wild World-Get Out There! Fishman Dan
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You’re Safe, or Are You? By: Capt. Sue Nerud
S
everal years ago, I was introduced to scalloping up in the Tarpon Springs area. What a beautiful area to boat, play, fish, and of course scallop! After scalloping that day, I made my way to a local fish diner and spent the evening discussing the area waters with local boaters. At one point, a boater mentioned a rock, a rock called Gomez rock. I thought wow, it actually has a name, it's got to be huge. After further questions, Gomez Rock is actually more like an oyster bed, but apparently a big one at that. We had been boating all weekend and following the same GPS tracks, this Sunday morning was no exception. The difference was, I had inadvertently forgotten to check the tides. Since I had been following the same tracks all weekend I figured we would be fine. Famous last words, right? I was up on plane and suddenly felt a little shake at the helm. It was so slight I almost didn't power down but when I went to turn, Alpha Mare would not change course. My first thought was my shift cable snapped. Either way, I powered down to check it all out. I sent my first mate back to check it out while I stayed at the helm.
He said "Sue, trim up, bring your outdrive up". I said "It is up!". The expression on his face was something I will never forget. "Sue, your lower unit is gone!" Yes, it appears I had experienced the infamous Gomez Rock! After further investigation, it was completely sheared off, almost like someone had cut the lower unit off. I had hit Gomez Rock at the exact perfect angle that it sheared the lower unit cleanly off. All I could say was, thank god we were up on plane. Had I been traveling slower, this story may very well have a much darker ending. No one got hurt, other than my ego and of course Alpha Mares' lower unit. Weeks earlier, I had purchased a new stainless-steel prop, which was now missing. But I was determined to find it, and find it I did. Not only did I find my lower unit, but another large prop was also discovered. It appears I was not the only Captain to visit Gomez Rock! I leave you with another quote " Each day, a new day." To clean water, good seas, and blue skies. Captain Sue.
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3771 Palm Beach Blvd., Ft. Myers, FL 33916 239- 694-2185
MATLACHA
September/2021 • 26°38’N 82°4’W
www.USHarbors.com
Matlacha Pass, FL - Sep 2021 High
Date
AM
ft
September/2021 • 26°39’N 81°52’W
ft
AM
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www.USHarbors.com
Fort Myers, FL - Sep 2021
Low PM
fishfacecharters@ yahoo.com 239-357-6829
FORT MYERS
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7:27
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5:16
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1.6
12:24
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12:20
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7:09
7:39
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5:06
2.0
6:15
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12:06
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12:30
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7:12
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6:14
1.6
7:28
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12:48
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1:18
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7:10
7:38
11
Sat
5:35
2.1
7:27
1.6
12:32
1.0
1:31
0.3
7:12
7:40
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Sat
6:49
1.6
8:35
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2:28
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Sun
7:30
1.7
10:03
1.0
1:42
0.8
3:56
0.5
7:10
7:36
13
Mon
6:55
2.2
1:06
1.3
4:12
0.2
7:13
7:38
13
Mon
8:20
1.7
11:46
1.0
2:18
0.8
5:43
0.4
7:11
7:35
14
Tue
7:54
2.2
5:45
0.2
7:14
7:37
14
Tue
9:24
1.7
3:11
0.9
7:19
0.4
7:11
7:34
15
Wed
9:18
2.2
7:06
0.1
7:14
7:36
15
Wed
1:13
1.0
10:49A
1.6
4:28
0.9
8:24
0.3
7:12
7:32
16
Thu
11:00
2.2
8:08
0.1
7:15
7:35
16
Thu
2:08
1.1
12:24
1.6
5:54
0.9
9:13
0.3
7:12
7:31
17
Fri
3:04
1.5
12:26
2.2
6:43
1.4
8:56
0.1
7:15
7:33
17
Fri
2:47
1.2
1:43
1.6
7:13
0.8
9:53
0.4
7:12
7:30
18
Sat
3:13
1.5
1:32
2.2
7:56
1.2
9:34
0.2
7:16
7:32
18
Sat
3:20
1.3
2:44
1.7
8:20
0.7
10:26
0.5
7:13
7:29
19
Sun
3:25
1.6
2:25
2.2
8:50
1.0
10:05
0.3
7:16
7:31
19
Sun
3:51
1.3
3:34
1.7
9:17
0.7
10:53
0.5
7:13
7:28
20
Mon
3:35
1.6
3:11
2.1
9:35
0.9
10:30
0.5
7:17
7:30
20
Mon
4:19
1.4
4:16
1.6
10:06
0.6
11:14
0.6
7:14
7:27
21
Tue
3:45
1.7
3:53
2.0
10:16
0.7
10:51
0.7
7:17
7:29
21
Tue
4:44
1.5
4:56
1.6
10:52
0.6
11:31
0.7
7:14
7:26
22
Wed
3:57
1.8
4:34
1.9
10:55
0.6
11:10
0.8
7:18
7:28
22
Wed
5:07
1.5
5:35
1.5
11:37
0.5
11:47
0.7
7:15
7:25
23
Thu
4:11
1.9
5:15
1.8
11:34
0.4
11:28
1.0
7:18
7:26
23
Thu
5:28
1.5
6:16
1.4
12:21
0.5
7:15
7:23
24
Fri
4:29
2.0
6:01
1.7
12:15P
0.4
11:47
1.1
7:18
7:25
24
Fri
5:49
1.6
7:03
1.2
12:05
0.7
1:07
0.5
7:15
7:22
25
Sat
4:52
2.1
6:56
1.5
12:59
0.3
7:19
7:24
25
Sat
6:12
1.6
8:01
1.1
12:26
0.7
1:59
0.5
7:16
7:21
26
Sun
5:20
2.1
8:10
1.4
27
Mon
5:54
2.1
28
Tue
6:36
29
Wed
30
Thu
12:05
1.2
1:51
0.4
7:19
7:23
26
Sun
6:41
1.6
9:18
1.0
12:53
0.7
3:01
0.5
7:16
7:20
12:21
1.3
2:54
0.4
7:20
7:22
27
Mon
7:16
1.6
10:56
0.9
1:28
0.8
4:17
0.4
7:17
7:19
2.1
4:12
0.4
7:20
7:21
28
Tue
8:01
1.5
2:18
0.8
5:44
0.4
7:17
7:18
7:37
2.0
5:33
0.4
7:21
7:19
29
Wed
12:28
1.0
9:01A
1.4
3:33
0.9
6:59
0.4
7:18
7:17
9:07
1.9
6:42
0.3
7:21
7:18
30
Thu
1:26
1.1
10:30A
1.4
4:58
0.9
7:55
0.3
7:18
7:16
12 FORT MYERS | SEPTEMBER 2021 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/FORT-MYERS/
Moon
10871 Kelly Rd Ft Myers, Florida 33908 239-267-6857
SANIBEL/ CAPTIVA
September/2021 • 26°29’N 82°11’W
www.USHarbors.com
Captiva Island (outside), FL - Sep 2021 High
Date
AM
ft
6:51
2.7
September/2021 • 26°56’N 82°4’W
ft
AM
ft
www.USHarbors.com
Punta Gorda, Charlotte Harbor, FL - Sep 2021
Low PM
15881 Chief Ct., Ft. Myers, FL 33912 239-489-0884
PUNTA GORDA/ CHARLOTTE HABOR
High
Date
PM
ft
Rise
Set
Moon
3:31
0.4
7:08
7:52
1
AM
ft
Wed
10:17
2.0
Low PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
7:26
0.3
7:06
7:49
8:20
0.2
7:07
7:48
9:04
0.2
7:07
7:47
1.3
9:41
0.1
7:08
7:46
8:31
1.2
10:14
0.2
7:08
7:45
2.3
9:15
1.0
10:44
0.2
7:08
7:43
4:00
2.3
9:59
0.8
11:12
0.4
7:09
7:42
1.7
4:47
2.2
10:45
0.7
11:39
0.5
7:09
7:41
5:05
1.8
5:39
2.0
11:34
0.5
7:10
7:40
Fri
5:29
2.0
6:38
1.8
12:05
0.8
12:29
0.4
7:10
7:39
11
Sat
5:58
2.1
7:50
1.6
12:31
1.0
1:30
0.3
7:11
7:38
7:39
12
Sun
6:33
2.2
9:35
1.4
12:53
1.2
2:43
0.3
7:11
7:37
7:13
7:38
13
Mon
7:18
2.2
1:05
1.3
4:11
0.2
7:11
7:36
0.3
7:14
7:37
14
Tue
8:17
2.2
5:44
0.2
7:12
7:34
3:10
0.2
7:14
7:36
15
Wed
9:41
2.2
7:05
0.1
7:12
7:33
4:12
0.1
7:15
7:35
16
Thu
11:23
2.2
8:07
0.1
7:13
7:32
1.9
5:00
0.2
7:15
7:33
17
Fri
3:27
1.5
12:49
2.2
6:42
1.4
8:55
0.1
7:13
7:31
4:00
1.7
5:38
0.3
7:16
7:32
18
Sat
3:36
1.5
1:55
2.2
7:55
1.2
9:33
0.2
7:14
7:30
3.0
4:54
1.4
6:09
0.5
7:16
7:31
19
Sun
3:48
1.6
2:48
2.2
8:49
1.0
10:04
0.3
7:14
7:29
12:08
2.9
5:39
1.2
6:34
0.7
7:17
7:30
20
Mon
3:58
1.6
3:34
2.1
9:34
0.9
10:29
0.5
7:14
7:28
2.3
12:50
2.8
6:20
0.9
6:55
0.9
7:17
7:29
21
Tue
4:08
1.7
4:16
2.0
10:15
0.7
10:50
0.7
7:15
7:26
12:54
2.5
1:31
2.6
6:59
0.8
7:14
1.1
7:18
7:28
22
Wed
4:20
1.8
4:57
1.9
10:54
0.6
11:09
0.8
7:15
7:25
Thu
1:08
2.6
2:12
2.4
7:38
0.6
7:32
1.3
7:18
7:26
23
Thu
4:34
1.9
5:38
1.8
11:33
0.4
11:27
1.0
7:16
7:24
24
Fri
1:26
2.8
2:58
2.3
8:19
0.5
7:51
1.5
7:18
7:25
24
Fri
4:52
2.0
6:24
1.7
12:14P
0.4
11:46
1.1
7:16
7:23
25
Sat
1:49
2.9
3:53
2.1
9:03
0.5
8:09
1.6
7:19
7:24
25
Sat
5:15
2.1
7:19
1.5
12:58
0.3
7:17
7:22
26
Sun
2:17
2.9
5:07
1.9
9:55
0.5
8:25
1.8
7:19
7:23
26
Sun
5:43
2.1
8:33
1.4
27
Mon
2:51
2.9
10:58
0.5
7:20
7:22
27
Mon
6:17
2.1
28
Tue
3:33
2.8
12:16
0.6
7:20
7:21
28
Tue
6:59
29
Wed
4:34
2.7
1:37
0.5
7:21
7:19
29
Wed
30
Thu
6:04
2.6
2:46
0.5
7:21
7:18
30
Thu
1
Wed
2
Thu
8:12
2.8
4:25
0.3
7:08
7:51
2
Thu
11:38
2.0
3
Fri
12:16
2.0
9:21A
2.9
2:52
1.9
5:09
0.2
7:09
7:50
3
Fri
3:42
1.5
12:47
2.1
6:47
1.4
4
Sat
12:30
2.0
10:16A
3.0
3:49
1.8
5:46
0.2
7:09
7:49
4
Sat
3:56
1.5
1:42
2.2
7:44
5
Sun
12:43
2.0
11:04A
3.1
4:36
1.6
6:19
0.2
7:10
7:47
5
Sun
4:09
1.5
2:30
2.3
6
Mon
12:53
2.1
11:49A
3.1
5:20
1.4
6:49
0.3
7:10
7:46
6
Mon
4:19
1.5
3:15
7
Tue
1:05
2.2
12:34
3.1
6:04
1.2
7:17
0.5
7:11
7:45
7
Tue
4:31
1.6
8
Wed
1:20
2.3
1:21
3.0
6:50
0.9
7:44
0.7
7:11
7:44
8
Wed
4:46
9
Thu
1:39
2.5
2:13
2.8
7:39
0.7
8:10
1.0
7:12
7:43
9
Thu
10
Fri
2:03
2.7
3:12
2.5
8:34
0.5
8:36
1.3
7:12
7:42
10
11
Sat
2:32
2.8
4:24
2.2
9:35
0.4
8:58
1.6
7:12
7:40
12
Sun
3:07
3.0
6:09
1.9
10:48
0.4
9:10
1.8
7:13
13
Mon
3:52
3.0
12:16
0.3
14
Tue
4:51
3.0
1:49
15
Wed
6:15
3.0
16
Thu
7:57
3.0
17
Fri
12:01
2.1
9:23A
3.0
2:47
18
Sat
12:10
2.1
10:29A
3.0
19
Sun
12:22
2.1
11:22A
20
Mon
12:32
2.2
21
Tue
12:42
22
Wed
23
10:59
2.1
12:04
1.2
1:50
0.4
7:17
7:21
12:20
1.3
2:53
0.4
7:18
7:20
2.1
4:11
0.4
7:18
7:18
8:00
2.0
5:32
0.4
7:18
7:17
9:30
1.9
6:41
0.3
7:19
7:16
Moon
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FACEBOOK.COM/COASTALANGLERMAGAZINEFTMYERS/ | SEPTEMBER 2021 | FORT MYERS 13
E
Friends of the Pelicans
ven if you take precautionary steps to avoid it, sometimes you might hook a bird by accident. That’s when it’s important to remember—don’t cut the line and let the bird fly away with it attached. This will lead to entanglement, resulting in death of that bird and possibly others as well. Instead, follow these simple steps to unhook the bird: Reel. Remove. Release. 1. Wear safety glasses and enlist a partner for help. 2. Reel the bird in slowly and lift it from the water using a hoop net. Even a large pelican weighs only 4-8 pounds 3. Grasp the bird by the head just behind the eyes and fold the wings against the body. For pelicans, hold the beak, keeping the mouth slightly open so it can breathe. Cover the bird’s head with a cloth to keep it calm. 4. Never pull the hook out but carefully push the end through the skin, cut off the barb and back the hook out using pliers or clippers. If the bird is entangled, remove all line. 5. Release the bird (if healthy) by placing it on the ground near the water and allowing it to take off. 6. If the bird has swallowed the hook or is severely injured, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator from the list at MyFWC.com/unhook.
How else can you help a seabird or wading bird? 1. Don’t feed the birds, which teaches them to approach where they are more likely to be hooked. 2. Dispose of filleted bones where birds can’t get them—in a trash can with lid or at home. Bones of a filleted fish will become lodged in or tear throats, stomachs and intestines leading to the death of that bird . 3. Cover bait buckets and take unused bait home. 4. Dispose of fishing line in a monofilament recycling bin or cut into small pieces and place in the trash. 5. Don’t leave your line unattended. 6. Cast carefully to avoid hooking a bird in flight or being snared on trees, bridge pilings etc. 7. Help others learn what to do when they accidentally hook a bird. It’s pretty easy, once you know how. 8. Sponsored by Friends of the Pelicans, Inc. More detailed information can be found at facebook.com/ friendsofthepelicans. — Photos by Carol Cassels
14 FORT MYERS | SEPTEMBER 2021 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/FORT-MYERS/
Rise and Shine
By: Capt. Billy Norris
F
ishing over the past month has been excellent! Nearshore and backwater have been equally productive. Unfortunately, our brothers to the north in the Tampa area are getting pummeled with a bad red tide bloom, and we pray that they can return to normal soon. Luckily for us however, the Bonita Springs area has not been affected at all. Right now if you are planning on going fishing, the morning bite has definitely been the way to go. By 11am, the temperature is ridiculous and the fishing slows down. If you do decide to go all day, make sure to stay hydrated and be prepared for the temperature…yesterday the heat index was 110 on the water. Backwater Right now is the time of year where fish tend to congregate around the passes and beaches. There are snook cruising every beach and stacked in every pass. There are so many in fact, that I consistently accidentally catch multiple of them in the cast net while throwing for bait in the mornings. The water is crystal clear right now and snook have great eyesight, so you may have to dumb your leaders down a little bit. I use about 3 feet of 30-pound fluorocarbon with a 2/0 - 3/0 hook. Look for them in schools very close to the shoreline. When you spot them, don’t cast directly at the school. Instead, cast ahead of them and retrieve your bait away from them.
Remember, prey would never naturally swim towards a predator. There are also plenty of redfish in the backwater. They will eat pilchards or threadfins, but I find that with the warmer water I catch bigger ones on cut bait. Trout have made a great recovery as well, and are on nearly every grass flat. Regulations as far as size and bag limits have changed from previous years, so ensure that you are reading up on what the new regs are. Nearshore The nearshore fishing has been awesome this month! The water is at around 86 degrees, so we are definitely in full summertime swing. Big mangrove snapper have moved in closer to shore, and limiting out has been fairly common with most of the fish being 15 inches or greater. There have also been plenty of cobia around in the area. Many of them have been on the smaller size, but there have been some studs around as well. The gag grouper bite has also been great. Live baits have been getting hammered almost as soon as they hit the bottom. Look for them around wrecks and artificial reefs. As always, the usual summertime predators like sharks, barracuda, and Goliath Grouper are around as well. Fishing should continue to be awesome this month, and as the we move into fall we should get a good second run of tarpon, redfish should be on fire, and the kingfish should migrate through again as the water cools down. Fishing is great so call today to book a trip with Pale Horse Fishing Charters!
Pale Horse FC | palehorsefishingcharters.com | 239-285-7710
FACEBOOK.COM/COASTALANGLERMAGAZINEFTMYERS/ | SEPTEMBER 2021 | FORT MYERS 15
Matanzas Pass Inn By: Mike Hammond
I
’m always on the lookout for paddle-friendly lodging and restaurants along the Calusa Blueway, such as places where you can land and launch your paddle craft safely, have some space for said paddle craft to stay while you eat, and staff who welcome wet paddlers. When representatives of these places contact me, it makes it easy. When Matanzas on the Bay management said they wanted to be more involved with the Calusa Blueway, the timing was perfect. The
owner of nearby Getaway Marina (see March 2021 article) also wanted to offer more opportunities for paddlers and brought in longtime Bunche Beach paddle outfitter, Kayak Excursions, to offer kayak rentals and tours. One of the tour ideas we discussed that will be implemented is a guided lunch tour. With the marina and the restaurant being only a mile away from each other, it was almost too good to be true. There are many great waterside restaurants along the Calusa Blueway, but not all of them are paddle friendly. If you ever tried to negotiate an 8-foot drop from the dock to the water at low tide, you know what I mean. Matanzas on the Bay and the Matanzas Inn have a floating dock for paddlecraft and dinghies. This makes it easier to pull out your kayak or SUP and set it on the grassy lawn next to the dock while you are grabbing a bite to eat. The dock is primarily intended to be a takeout for paddlers visiting the restaurant or inn, but paddlers can use it as a launch if they are with someone patronizing the restaurant. This may be a great solution when you have visitors or family who want to paddle while others want to dine or grab a waterfront beverage. Better yet, let the paddlers take a SUP lesson from the onsite paddle outfitter, Sea Dog Eco Tours. Parents can sit at their table, relax, and take photos while their kids take a lesson in the canal next to the restaurant. My daughter and I had a clear view of a tour paddling from Matanzas on the Bay all the way to the sand bar near the shrimp docks while we sat inside the restaurant and had lunch. In addition to the Getaway Marina, paddlers can rent kayaks from Kayak Excursions at Bunche Beach or launch their own paddle craft from both locations and at Bowditch Point Park. Wherever you launch from, Matanzas on the Bay is a fun place to land and enjoy living in Southwest Florida.
CalusaBlueway.com 16 FORT MYERS | SEPTEMBER 2021 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/FORT-MYERS/
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FACEBOOK.COM/COASTALANGLERMAGAZINEFTMYERS/ | SEPTEMBER 2021 | FORT MYERS 17
‘Dog Days of Summer’ Behind Us By: Capt. Terry Fisher
H
opefully September will begin to cool off from those excessive temperatures offering anglers relief from the humid mornings and ridiculous water temperatures of 88°+. This in itself will allow more pleasant days on the water catching fish. High tides, strong currents and reduction in water temperatures will work together to provide ultimate conditions for catching almost any species inshore and offshore. Be conscious of the winds and storms. Our waters house a variety of species during September as we begin to transition to fall weather. Inshore: redfish and snook remain closed to harvest but the seatrout harvest has opened up, with reduced bag limits. All other inshore species are available for harvesting including;
sentations. Live shrimp under popping corks with light spinning tackle is an easy and effective way for anglers of all ages to experience hooking and catching lots of ‘Ocean’ fish on their own. My biggest decision when taking anglers inshore, is how many shrimps to purchase, so as not to run out when the bite turns on. More sophisticated charters and those with less fisherman ‘on board’, experience fishing the creek mouths, oyster bars, mangroves and dock structures when tide and wind conditions are right. I take these clients to catch redfish, snook and mangrove snappers. I use live pinfish, pilchards, big shrimps to entice the redfish and snook. Mangrove snappers will eat any small piece of shrimp. The key to catching any of these species (or getting bites), is presenting the baits close up to and under the docks or mangroves. Free-line the baits on small circle or ‘bait’ hooks, on small weighted jig heads to hold the baits in place or under a small popping cork to suspend the presentation. They all work as do artificial. Another technique that works well is to use a small circle hook, with an egg sinker on the leader line, allowing it to slide ‘up and down’ in the current, to catch the bigger fish. This is called a ‘Knocker’ rig.
mangrove snappers, jack crevalle, sheepshead, pompano, and Spanish mackerel. I continue to support decisions to keep the inshore species closed until we are positive that the water quality improves together with the return of grass beds on the flats and oyster bars. It is my hope that FWC continues to extend closures past next year to allow more time to sufficiently rebuild the fish populations to higher levels in order to sustain the additional fishing pressure from more boats and anglers enjoying ‘water’ life. September offers a lot of options as the weather cools and the fish begin moving around. Weather (winds) permitting I like to take clients offshore (within state waters) to fish for reef species as well as migratory species. Depending on how many on board, the levels of experience and a minimum of 6 hours charter time, I might even suggest The inshore bite should be good during the month as the condithree hours offshore, then move inshore to fish, depending on tides. tions will be improving from the heat and rain perspective. Fish seatrout, Jack crevalle, ladyfish, Spanish mackerel and small shark on 5’ grass flats. Look for birds diving on baits both inshore and just off the beaches for the mackerel. Fish for pompano around the ‘spoils’ inside the passes. Expect to catch more than your share of catfish. Fish live pilchards or pinfish off the beaches, current cuts with structure along the passes and docks for snook. Fish redfish in the back country areas on high tides. The ‘close’ reef offshore bite (30’-50’ of water) should improve from the summer months as water temps cool. Try marked reefs off of Sanibel, N. Captiva and Cayo Costa Islands. Otherwise, I suggest drifting to find areas with little to no pressure. To catch the bigger grouper, snappers and other species, one needs to fish 85’-110’ of water or approximately 40 miles offshore. When making a far offshore trip be certain that the vessel is seaworthy and the weather conditions are safe. Once your out there and the winds and storms come, it is scary and dangerous. If several days of winds have prevailed, always a good idea to let the seas settle for a couple of days before going.This is Captain Terry Fisher of Fish Face Charters wishing everyone ‘tight’ lines. I am available as Captain for Hire on your vessel both inshore and offshore This may be offshore in the morning and inshore midday to early after- (by the hour) to instruct in navigation, safety, fishing techniques and noon or ‘vice-versa’. Offshore, consider live or dead pilchards, shrimps locations to make your excursions successful. or squid on small circle hooks with just enough weight to get to the bottom of the seabed. Inshore, live pilchards, shrimps or artificial preFish Face Charters | fishfacecharters.com | 239-357-6829 18 FORT MYERS | SEPTEMBER 2021 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/FORT-MYERS/
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George caught a nice snook in Matlacha.
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Denis Burke w/ a 33” snook he caught on fly!
JoGene Holaway, doing what he loves to do!
Tom Sh adr from Pinach with a 26” tro e Island Sound. ut
Debi Decker caught this nice red grouper on the last day out w/ friends.
Colton Franklin Sullivan showing of one of his many SWFL Everglades black bass.
Hall ca ught in Este his first redfi ro B sh Congra tulation ay. s, Colto n!
Photos submitted Courtesy of Coastal Angler Readers and Contributing Writers Submit pics to: camswfl@gmail.com or text to 239.595.8265
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Drop Shot Gear A drop shot is a finesse approach. I use a 13 Fishing Omen Black 7’1” medium fast action rod paired with a 2500 size spinning reel. Spool this combo with Seaguar 10-lb. Smackdown braid leading to an 8- to 12-lb. Abrazx fluorocarbon leader depending on the cover and water clarity you are dealing with.
TIPS FROM A PRO
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DROP SHOT WHEN THE BITE IS TOUGH
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TYLER WOOLCOTT
he end of summer is here, and the fishing is a little tough. From fishing pressure through the summer to warm water temps, this time of year can be a grind at times. Fish tend to get a little lock-jawed, and this can be really frustrating. When this scenario presents itself, I pull out a spinning rod, downsize my line and bait, and slow down my presentation to get finicky fish to eat. One of my favorite techniques this time of year is a drop shot. My drop shot rig consists of a weight tied to the end of the line with a hook and soft plastic tied in about 12 to 18 inches above the weight. There are two styles of baits I like to drop shot. One of them is a finesse-style worm like the 13 Fishing Rabbit Ear Joy Stick Ultra Thin 4.5’ worm. I like a worm on my drop shot when I’m targeting largemouth, especially in Southern states. These fish are usually feeding on a little bit larger forage, and the finesse worm is a perfect fit. Rig this worm on a 1/0 Hayabusa FPP Straight hook with a 1/4or 3/8-oz. WOO Tungsten weight for the perfect presentation. The other soft plastic I like on a drop shot is a small baitfish imitator. The 13 Fishing Vertigo Minnow gets a ton of bites. When you find fish chasing small baitfish or you’re up north where there are smallmouth bass, this style of soft plastic gets the job done. Rig it on a Hayabusa DSR132 #1 hook with a ¼ or 3/8-oz. WOO Tungsten weight, as well.
Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide. R E S E RV E Check out his website at www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com.Y
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I like to keep things simple when it comes to colors. With finicky fish, you want your bait to look as natural as possible. I match colors to the forage in the lake. When throwing the finesse worm, my favorite colors are the green pumpkins and even pinkish colors like a morning dawn. With the baitfish, I stick to white and pearl or your green pumpkin and brown. A drop shot is an awesome way to get bites when it gets tough. With the bait suspended off the bottom above your weight, it gives fish a different presentation than the normal Texas rig. Pitch it around hard cover like wood and rock, drag it through grass or throw it around dropoffs or deep spots. I always have a drop shot rigged this time of year, and it puts fish in the boat.
P
Drop Shot Gear A drop shot is a finesse approach. I use a 13 Fishing Omen Black 7’1” medium fast action rod paired with a 2500 size spinning reel. Spool this combo with Seaguar 10-lb. Smackdown braid leading to an 8- to 12-lb. Abrazx fluorocarbon leader depending on the cover and water clarity you are dealing with. Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide. Check out his website at www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com.
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MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TRIP Tim Barefoot
Y
es, everyone wants to catch a grouper, or three, but you should be prepared— tackle-wise—to come home with “the groceries.” One way to accomplish this is to keep a beeliner/triggerfish rig ready on a rod and to have someone willing to use it when you get on the right mark. Not all big stacks of bait on the recorder are beeliners and triggerfish, but get accustomed to it and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what you’re looking at. The bigger species of the reef complex tend hang out under a big stack of bait, like cigar minnows, sardines, beeliners, etc. But the truth of the matter is, what you might be looking for is near the top of the stack. For example, the larger beeliners might sometimes be the first taps you get on your jig as it drops toward the bottom. When I’m grouper fishing, I fish a revolving spool reel rather than a spinning reel for several reasons. The main reason is so I can feel the bait as it drops. If you feel the bait on the jig getting tapped on the way down, understand that you’re in beeliners, triggers and/or American reds. At that point, it’s up to you to capitalize or just continue to grouper fish for grouper only. If you choose to do it, you can load up on some pretty tasty groceries by sizing down your tackle.
T H E
P E R F E C T
I take a 5-lb. box of squid on every trip offshore for a number of reasons, but this is one of the main reasons. Using a small 1/0 circle hook, double tackle and a 2- or 3-oz. bank sinker, you can harvest grouper bait and dinners deluxe. I count the strips it takes to get to the fish. This is also where multi-colored line can come into play. Drop your bait down to the same color where they were hitting, and then start a very slow descent. These fish like to eat bait as it falls. When you feel the tap or the bait just stops falling, click the reel into gear and let the circle hook do its work. When you get them working upward in the water column, keep them going. If you stop catching them, you’ll see the top of the mark start working it’s way back closer to the bottom. The top of the school is typically where the larger fish will be, especially the triggerfish. Triggers are hard to catch on the grouper jigs, but smaller circle hooks are deadly on these crafty bait stealers. I always anchor to grouper/bottom fish. This style of teasing beeliners and triggers up toward the surface only works from a stationary boat, not drifting. Check out videos on rigging and using doublecircle-hook tackle at barefootcatsandtackle.com.
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MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TRIP
Y
Tim Barefoot
es, everyone wants to catch a grouper, or three, but you should be prepared—tackle-wise—to come home with “the groceries.” One way to accomplish this is to keep a beeliner/triggerfish rig ready on a rod and to have someone willing to use it when you get on the right mark. Not all big stacks of bait on the recorder are beeliners and triggerfish, but get accustomed to it and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what you’re looking at. The bigger species of the reef complex tend hang out under a big stack of bait, like cigar minnows, sardines, beeliners, etc. But the truth of the matter is, what you might be looking for is near the top of the stack. For example, the larger beeliners might sometimes be the first taps you get on your jig as it drops toward the bottom. When I’m grouper fishing, I fish a revolving spool reel rather than a spinning reel for several reasons. The main reason is so I can feel the bait as it drops. If you feel the bait on the jig getting tapped on the way down, understand that you’re in beeliners, triggers and/or American reds. At that point, it’s up to you to capitalize or just continue to grouper fish for grouper only. If you choose to do it, you can load up on some pretty tasty groceries by sizing down your tackle. I take a 5-lb. box of squid on every trip offshore for a number of reasons, but this is one of the main reasons. Using a small 1/0 circle hook, double tackle and a 2- or 3-oz. bank sinker, you can harvest grouper bait and dinners deluxe. I count the strips it takes to get to the fish. This is also where multi-colored line can come into play. Drop your bait down to the same color where they were hitting, and then start a very slow descent. These fish like to eat bait as it falls. When you feel the tap or the bait just stops falling, click the reel into gear and let the circle hook do its work. When you get them working upward in the water column, keep them going. If you stop catching them, you’ll see the top of the mark start working it’s way back closer to the bottom. The top of the school is typically where the larger fish will be, especially the triggerfish. Triggers are hard to catch on the grouper jigs, but smaller circle hooks are deadly on these crafty bait stealers. I always anchor to grouper/bottom fish. This style of teasing beeliners and triggers up toward the surface only works from a stationary boat, not drifting. Check out videos on rigging and using doublecircle-hook tackle at barefootcatsandtackle.com. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COMSEPTEMBER JUNE 2020 2021
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he recreational harvest of greater amberjack and gray triggerfish opened in Gulf of Mexico state and federal waters in August. Greater amberjack is scheduled to remain open through Oct. 31 in Gulf state and federal waters. Gray triggerfish is scheduled to remain open through Dec. 31 in Gulf state and federal waters, but an early quota closure is possible for either species. The bag limit for amberjack is one per person, per day, with a minimum length of 34 inches fork length. The bag limit for triggerfish is one per person, per day, with a minimum length of 15 inches fork length. If you plan to fish for amberjack or gray triggerfish anywhere in Florida state or federal waters from a private recreational vessel, you must sign up as a State Reef Fish Angler (annual renewal is required). To learn more, visit MyFWC.com/SRFS. Sign up today at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.
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“A
iyeeeeee, yeeee, yeeee, yeee!” The shout sounded Cajun, or perhaps like the intro to a mariachi tune. Either way, it amplified the chaos on deck. Three rods were bent. Two anglers scrambled to uncross lines screaming off reels. A third angler dove to wrap an arm around the 10-year-old who held a death grip on rod number three. It was a tossup as to whether the kid would lose the rod or be yanked overboard into a very active chum slick. The whole scene unraveled when a 10-foot tiger shark rose to the surface. It smashed the boy’s cobia straight through the surface, blowing up close enough to drench us, maybe 15 feet off the stern. There was stunned silence, then... “Ayeeee, yeeee, yeeee, yeeee!” our captain hollered. “I love chaos!” Man, what a trip. It was a lot more than my two brothers and I expected upon reconnecting with a childhood friend in Bluffton, South Carolina. Our captain, Keene Reese, is a successful real estate agent with Ussery Group, Charter One Realty in the Lowcountry. He is also a very fishy dude. In mid-June, he invited us—along with my 10-year-old son— on a 20-mile ride offshore, where cobia were thick on a well-known wreck. With a beautiful chum slick snaking off the stern of Reese’s 25’ Regulator “Copacetic,” it didn’t take 10 minutes for “brownies” to start showing on the surface. There was no need for down-lines that day. All the action was on top, visible and simple. Pitch a live menhaden on a freeline, and a cobia would take it before you reached the rod holder. Over the course of a few hours, we boated well over a dozen cobia,
although the action came in such crazy spurts that no one could keep count. The thing is, we only landed four fish longer than the 36-inch minimum. That’s good news, according to Mel Bell, the director of Fisheries Management with South Carolina DNR. For decades, South Carolina was famous for its inshore cobia runs. May is the peak of a spawning run that once saw scads of cobia pushing into Port Royal Sound, Calibogue Sound, St. Helena Sound and the Broad River. Bell said boats lined up to target big eggbearing females before they could reproduce. The fishery collapsed. “We were in a bad place in 2016,” Bell said. “The numbers were scary. Even the anglers were telling us we had to do something.” While overall Atlantic cobia stocks are in good shape, according to the latest assessment, Bell said sound-spawners in South Carolina are a distinct “sub-population.” The Southern Cobia Management Zone was formed in 2016 to protect these inshore-spawning fish. The zone stretches from Jeremy Inlet on Edisto Island, S.C. south to the Georgia border. It extends three miles offshore, and within this zone there is a one fish per person, three per boat daily limit—except in May, when cobia harvest is closed. The limit in federal waters is one per person, six per boat. The minimum length is 36 inches, which brings us back to all the short fish. Bell said South Carolina DNR isn’t ready to release hard data. However, he’s heard fishermen reporting lots of smaller fish, which are likely the age classes protected since 2016. If anecdotes translate into survey data, it would mean the restrictions are working. Bell said next year might be time to take a close look and see just how well cobia are returning to the sounds. PHOTO BY GILBERT CARTER
By Nick Carter
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ALL SEASON LONG! T
he approach of autumn doesn’t mean you should fall back on the game! The seasons are changing, but the action isn’t. Fall is nothing more than a second spring. So, spring into action with the Contender series raglan long sleeve shirt. The raglan sleeve construction allows for increased movement, which you will need since the fair weather will liberate you from the sweltering summer heat. Even though the sun is less intense in the fall months, you still need sun protection, and the raglan long sleeve shirt delivers by blocking UVA and UVB rays for all-day protection. In fall, there’s no better time to be out on the water. With fall breezes blowing in, you’ll need to check out our men’s tournament anorak. Featuring a full storm hood and a center placket that provides critical coverage to protect you, you can count on the jacket to comfortably protect you, rain or shine. As the days get shorter, you will need something sturdy like the men’s pro series storm fleece. Designed with spacer-fabric and engineered with air pockets embedded in the fabric that provides insulation and temperature control to keep the piece lightweight, it is the perfect accessory to make your fall epic. No matter the season, GILLZ has you covered. Check out the website: gillz-gear.com
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
SEPTEMBER 2021
NATIONAL 11
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PARKIT360° TRAILER PARKING SOLUTION
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ave the parking headaches—oneshot your boat into position every time with one of Parkit360’s Electric Trailer Dollies. The Force and Transformer models are compatible with almost every trailer thanks to ball-mounted Stablelock technology. Just connect to the hitch and steer your trailer into place. With weight capacities ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 pounds, these portable powerhouses handle the most difficult parking challenges with ease. The user faces the trailer, allowing complete visibility and control while parking. Park in ways that are impossible with a truck, with the flexibility to move around the trailer to check its position. The dolly’s compact design also allows the user to park hitch-end forward as a theft deterrent. All models include Intelligent Speed Control to move through open areas quickly and more precisely in tight spaces. Have a unique trailer hitch? Easily move any ball-mounted, fifth-wheel or gooseneck trailer with standard adapters, or try the Telescopic Hitch Adapter. It’s a non-invasive, alternative connection point that bolts around your existing trailer frame. Built strong and secure to safely move on firm grass, packed gravel, and 4- to 6-percent inclines. Move your trailer with ease, and get PARKIT360.CA in and out of storage faster than ever!
12 NATIONAL
SEPTEMBER 2021
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
THREE WAYS TO TARGET
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BIG CATS
f you like the feel of really big fish on the end of a line, catfish are a good option. There are several different types, but trophy hunters set their sights on blue and flathead catfish. Both species grow large and can weigh in excess of 100 pounds. For bait, catfish have been caught on just about everything you can think of. But generally, big flatheads are predators and like whole, live, hand-sized bream. Blues like large cut bait like bream, skipjack or carp. Once you’ve got your bait, here are some ideas for how to fish it. Fish a Fan: My favorite technique is to anchor up in a good spot near rocky bottom or structure such as a ledge, river channel or creek bed. I have 14 Driftmaster 255 H Pro Duo rod holders, which I use to put out a fan of baits on Penn Fathom reels and medium to heavy rods. These are spooled with 80-pound PowerPro braid. The terminal end is a weight slide on the main line then a swivel and a 3- to 5-foot leader, with a Gamakatsu 8/0 circle hook on the end. These are the rigs I use to fish Cabela’s King Kat tournaments. They are heavy duty because you never know when a 100-pound monster will show up. Back-Trolling: On big rivers, back-trolling can be very effective. Use your trolling motor in reverse to slow
the boat’s drift in the current and present baits to catfish holding on the bottom. Bottom bouncing is Bill Dance’s preferred method on the Mississippi River. It’s also very popular on the Tennessee River. It allows you to keep your bait about a foot off the bottom and bounce it to fish facing upstream. Tie a three-way swivel to a mainline of 40- to 80-lb. braid. On the bottom eye of the swivel, tie in 12 inches of 20-lb. mono drop line and attach a bank sinker. The drop line should be lighter than your main line so you can save the rest of the rig when your sinker gets caught. On the third eye, use a 2- to 3-foot piece of the same line as your main line and attach a 6/0 to 12/0 circle hook, depending on the size of your bait. Drift Fishing: Drift fishing is very popular on big lakes like Santee Cooper in South Carolina. On windy days, set all your rods on one side of the boat with weights that will slide along the bottom. Pencil, Lindy and slinky sinkers all work well for this. If the wind pushes the boat too fast, deploy driftsocks to slow the boat. If you don’t have driftsocks, 5-gallon buckets work in a pinch. Gary Turner is a long-time contributor to The Angler and Coastal Angler Magazine. Contact him at gary@purgeright.com.
MASTER YOUR GAME TECHNICAL FISHING APPAREL _BUILT FOR ANGLERS _DESIGNED IN FLORIDA _TESTED ON THE WATER
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The highest level of innovation. Unparalleled ventilation. Extremely versatile. Your practical solution to a life lived less ordinary. GILLZ technical fishing apparel is there when you need it most. GILLZ keeps you cool and comfortable, so you can always master your game.
SHOP THE ALL NEW FALL 21 PRODUCTS VISIT GILLZ-GEAR.COM
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
SEPTEMBER 2021
NATIONAL 13
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INSETTA BOATWORKS:
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A LOOK AT THE NEW 35IFC AND ITS ‘RELATIVELY NEW STYLE DRUM WINDLASS’
nsetta Boatworks has always aimed to “continuously challenge the standards of an average catamaran” by setting the bar high for performance, stability and safety. Insetta’s IFC system (Internal Foil Catamaran) not only increases cruising speed and handling and stability, it also provides the boat with better acceleration and better fuel efficiency by 20 to 40 percent, meaning “20 to 40 percent farther cruise range.” Last spring, their commitment to being “the best-performing center console sportfish boat in its class by way of the hull design, cruise speed and best miles per gallon” expanded to the anchoring system on the new 35’ Internal Foil Catamaran. They installed an E-Z Anchor Puller Patriot EZ-3 drum anchor winch. The Georgia-based, fiberglass original equipment manufacturer excitedly announced in an April 23 Facebook post that they were “extremely impressed with the performance and reliability” of the installation, posting the maiden voyage of their demo boat on social media as well as writing about it on their official blog. “We kept it simple on Hull #2 with the Patriot by E-Z Anchor Puller Mfg. Co. and have really enjoyed using it,” they wrote. In another Facebook post from July, they wrote: “[It] takes up [approximately] 3 cubic feet and holds 560’ of chain, rope and dyneema.” Utilizing the Patriot series, Insetta’s boats are equipped with a complete 316 stainless steel unit, much like their commitment to use this corrosionresistant, marine-grade metal wherever applicable during the construction of their own vessels. Insetta has instilled a standard of transparency in their day-to-day processes as well, encouraging factory visits and taking a sales-
team approach to the buying process by giving customers a single point of contact for each buying experience. “The highest quality materials and best workmanship possible are paired to produce the finest boats on the market. From the first drawing to final installation, the Insetta design and construction teams ensure the final boat can withstand the rigors and stripes in adverse conditions.” - Insetta Boats, insetta.com
About the Patriot Series The Patriot series is the perfect shallow coastal saltwater anchoring solution for center consoles and sportfishing boats. With three sizes, the Patriot spools rope capacities from 1/2” nylon down to 1/4” dyneema. Completely 316 stainless steel components make the Patriot the ultimate saltwater anchoring solution. Engineered to evenly spool anchor rope, these units deploy and retrieve at an average 100-feet-per-minute. Call 1.800.800.1640 or visit ezanchorpuller.com for more information.
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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
SEPTEMBER 2021
NATIONAL 15
16 NATIONAL
SEPTEMBER 2021
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
Sizzling Hot Deals From Suzuki’s Summer Sales Event Suzuki’s Summer Sales Event is finally here! It’s time to get to your local Suzuki Marine Dealer for a sizzling hot deal on the Ultimate Outboard Motor. You can get Low-Rate Financing on the all new DF140BG with Drive by Wire Technology, or our Flagship DF350. Get all the details at your participating Suzuki Marine Dealer.
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*REPOWER FINANCE is available through Synchrony Retail Finance, as low as 5.99% APR financing for 60 months on new, unregistered Suzuki outboard motors, subject to credit approval. Not all buyers will qualify. Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on creditworthiness. $19.99/month per $1,000 financed for 60 months is based on 5.99% APR Hypothetical figures used in calculation; your actual monthly payment may differ based on financing terms, credit tier qualification, accessories, or other factors such as down payment and fees. Offer effective on new, unregistered Suzuki outboard motors purchased from a participating authorized Suzuki dealer between from July 1, 2021 through September 1, 2021. †5 YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY applies to qualifying purchases of Suzuki outboard motors sold and delivered to the retail purchaser, for pleasure (non-commercial) use only, from April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2022. See Suzuki Limited Warranty for additional details. The Suzuki “S” and model names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2021 Suzuki Marine, USA, LLC.
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