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WANT TO BE A CHARTER CAPTAIN?
GIANT TREVALLY
MAR 21-24 • PBBOATSHOW.COM PHOTO COURTESY OF TOMMY MIANO
VOLUME 29 • ISSUE 348
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O P P O R T U N I T I E S
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MARCH 2024
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PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®.
KEEN SENSES
ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
By Capt. Michael Okruhlik
I
t is always important to pay attention to our surroundings as we go through life, and fishing is no exception. How many of you have been fishing without any action and find yourself daydreaming and going through the motions until you feel the tug on your line? Suddenly you are frantically trying to remember the cadence of your retrieve to duplicate the action, but you are dreaming of fish instead of trying to catch them. Well, in this article and the accompanying video for The Angler Video Magazine, I will go over a specific situation when paying attention paid off, and you can see it and hear me talk through it on the video. I will also share some wisdom from two incredible Texas guides whom I was fortunate enough to spend a few hours with on the topic of targeting big trout. While wading in knee-deep water that
4 NATIONAL
MARCH 2024
was about 61 degrees, I could see a few mullet jumping in their casual mullet way. It was enough to keep me interested in the area. The bottom had undulating depth with grass and scattered potholes, or sand pockets for those not familiar with the term. I was throwing a slowsinking soft-plastic jerkbait, letting it slowly sink between twitches where the sand and grass met. With a cast in mid-air, I saw a mullet do an abnormal flip. It was distinct from the norm of the day and not as if it were being chased, but different, nonetheless. I burned my lure back in and made a cast just beyond where the mullet flipped. When my lure paused near the area, a nice redfish slammed my soft plastic. Had I not been paying attention and blew it off as just another mullet jumping, I would not have caught that fish and a few more in the general area. Since we cannot always have a bird’s eye view,
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we need to utilize the birds’ eyes. Here are a few tips I picked up on during a conversation with guides. Birds do not always need to be feeding to point us to fish. There are subtle hints, such as a head turn of a gliding pelican. They don’t turn their head for no reason; they saw something. Maybe they saw a huge trout and kept soaring because it was too big for them to eat. Also, watch the lines birds are relating too. They may not dive, bait may not flee from the shadow, but they are flying that line for a reason, and maybe you should work your way toward the area. Pay attention on the water and in conversation with old salts. You might need to read between the lines, but the answers are there. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures®, and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.
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JACK CREVALLE: BATTLE THE BULLIES OF THE REEF
S
ometimes called the “poor man’s giant trevally,” jack crevalle will strike a surface lure or bait aggressively, and once hooked, engage the angler in a slugfest they won’t soon forget. Jacks are world-class fighters. These fish are perfect for small-boat anglers because they frequent inshore and nearshore waters. They can be caught in bays, inlets, canals and off reefs, where they target schooling baitfish. These fish are perfect for light spinning gear or a fly rod, as they will readily take any fast-retrieved bait imitation. They frequently show up in bays and estuaries following migratory baitfish like mullet. Strong current that concentrates bait is usually best, and you’ll find them at the mouths of the inlets on a strong outgoing tide. Any nearshore reef close to an inlet that has “nervous water” – a sure sign of bait schools—is prime territory for jacks. A 7-foot medium-action spinning rod equipped with a 6000 sized spinning reel and spooled with 40-pound braid is a prime tool for fighting these fish. I like a fluorocarbon leader in the 50-pound range for abrasion resistance. These fish are not leader shy. Jacks school up in large groups of juvenile fish under 10 pounds. The larger 20-plus-pound fish usually hunt in pairs. While a
By Mark Ambert
5000-class rod and reel setup will handle the smaller fish, a larger setup will be better for anything over 20 pounds. Pro-Tip: If you tangle with one of the larger fish, get a second bait or lure in the water for a double hook-up! Live bait and chum will usually find the biggest fish. Any local seasonal bait such as herring, pilchards, sardines or mullet will do the trick. For maximum fun factor, a topwater lure or fly stripped fast can’t be beat. I usually locate a school of feeding fish first then break out the fly or topwater spinning gear for sport. A 9- or 10-weight fly rod setup with an intermediate line is optimal. When fly fishing, a popper, Deceiver, Clouser or any streamer pattern will work. I use flies that cast easily and in colorful patterns to attract the fish. With spinning gear, any noisy or splashy plug such as a 3- to 4-inch Storm Chug Bug is ideal. I also use a 4-inch Heddon Zara Spook in white with a walk-the-dog retrieve. Watching this lure get knocked out of the water and eaten is worth the
price of admission. For sub-surface action, the Rapala X-Rap size 10 in Ghost finish can’t be beat. The initial run of a big jack is spectacular, with ever shortened runs to follow. Using lighter gear, you might have to chase bigger fish down, so be prepared to move. Once a fish is spent, I usually use a net or tail grab the fish boatside for a quick picture and safe release, as these fish have limited food quality. Now head out your local inlet and target these plentiful and eager sluggers. They will not disappoint. Find Mark Ambert on Instagram @marksgonefishing_™; Email: marksgonefishing25@gmail.com.
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MARCH 2024
NATIONAL 7
DO YOU WANT TO BE A CHARTER CAPTAIN? By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon
I
went fishing while on Florida vacation about a decade ago. After returning home to Canada for two months, I drove back to pursue a career in the industry. I had zero experience, no connections, and less than half a clue on where to begin. For those with a similar dream, here’s what I learned. First, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been a weekend warrior. If you want to be a captain, be a deckhand first. You don’t know what you don’t know, and working for someone fishing the waters you plan to guide provides all kinds of information. Every fishery has its own etiquette and unspoken guidelines. Community is crucial, and paying your dues and earning respect goes a long way. Captains communicate about fishing on the water, and often, we are each other’s first responders. This same-team mentality is nearly currency. Beginning as a deckhand is difficult. Nobody wants to train you, yet you must be trainable. On your own time, practice skills like knot tying, bait rigging and net throwing. Veteran fishermen are usually happy to flex knowledge to those who ask for help humbly. No matter what you learn, be ready to have a captain you work for tell you it’s wrong. Adapt, and learn things their way. The expectations of deckhands are high, and everything on board will be their fault. You are expected to arrive early, stay late, come in on days off, anticipate your captain and clients wants, and do it on minimum salary. The biggest issue with new deckhands is they sometimes don’t show up. Finding a replacement at 6 a.m. is nearly impossible, and it affects the productivity of a charter. Being a fisherman takes a special kind of person. If can fish six days a week and still want to go out for fun on your day off, this job
may be for you. If you’re on the boat watching the clock, you won’t last long. Showing up to the dock consistently is a great way to make connections and get work. If you can’t find work, show up an hour before local charters head out. Walk the dock and ask if anyone had a no-show deckhand. If you do this consistently and pass out your number, eventually someone will call you. They will see you have the dedication to show up. Deckhands are also required to be on a drug consortium. Sign up and keep your paper with you. Lastly, if you hold a captain’s license and are working as a deckhand, make sure your “captain” has one too. You do not want to be held liable for someone else’s mistakes. Protect your future in the industry. If this is something you want to do, I highly recommend going for it. In 10 years, I have never regretted it or lost the smile it puts on my face. Capt. Quinlyn Haddon guides with Sweet E’Nuf Charters, Marathon, Florida Keys. Captainquinlyn.com; @captainquinlyn; (504) 920-6342.
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Snook fishing during this transition is very much dependent on the weather. A warming spell pushes snook out faster toward the passes and bays, while a cooling trend will slow them down. A cold snap will absolutely shut the bite down. If it breaks cold and clear the morning of your planned fishing trip, you’re better off targeting trout and reds. While snook are moving out, big schools of scaled sardines and threadfin herring start to show up close to shore. These baitfish, also known as whitebait or pilchard and greenbacks, respectively, become the favorite food source for snook as well as many other gamefish. When water temps reach the mid-70s, a snook’s metabolism ramps up and they’ll eat anything from crabs and shrimp to mullet, but a lively sardine or herring freelined on a 2/0 circle hook is as close to a sure thing as you’re going to get. Generally, these baitfish are also pretty easy to find this time of year. Where you find the bait is where you’ll find snook. Look at a map and draw a line between a known wintering hole and the passes where snook spawn in summer. In spring, they will be somewhere along this line, staged up and feeding on structure. Snook are ambush predators and prefer to hang in the slack water while the tide sweeps food in front of them. By CAM Staff On the beginning of an incoming or outgoing tide, look to the docks, bridges, points, channel swings, mangroves, oyster bars and anything else that provides a little current shade adjacent to faster water. River mouths are a good place to start your search. If there are greenies or whitebait present, there’s a very good chance a school of snook will be there feeding on them. Want to know for sure? Use a chum bat to sling a double handful of disoriented greenies where you think snook might be. If they’re there, you’ll know it in a hurry. Fresh live bait is the easiest way to catch fish, but the spring feed-up also provides lots of opportunity for anglers throwing artificials. If you’re someone who prefers to skip the hassle of catching and keeping bait, you can absolutely get the job done with a baitfish or shrimp imitation. Topwaters, soft-plastic paddletails, soft-plastic shrimp, twitchbaits, plugs and bucktails nook are hungry when they break out of the winter doldrums and go will all get bit. A couple benefits to artificials is you can use them to cover lots on the move this time of year. As spring temperatures begin to stabilize, of water quickly to find fish and they can be skipped up under mangroves they push progressively farther out of their backwater holes, and their and docks. migration intersects with the arrival of spring baitfish schools. It’s a recipe For more tips and tactics, go to coastalanglermag.com. for an aggressive feed-up ahead of the summer spawn.
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Every year, just after the New Year, American shad move from the northern states south. This year, my dad and I went to central Florida to see if we could find some shad making their way up a river. Unfortunately, after hours of constant jigging with light tackle and tiny jigs and a couple miles of paddling a tandem kayak, the shad were a bust. We decided to take a lunch break with lines out for a catfish or bowfin. We soaked baits for about an hour without even a nibble. At this point, I was more than a little disappointed after driving three hours without even a bite to show for it. Don’t get me wrong, the scenery was beautiful, but I was determined to catch something! I started jigging again as my dad slowly paddled us back to the truck. About a quarter of the way back, I got a bite, a cute little 10-inch largemouth. Despite the size, I was satisfied; I had beaten the skunk. I continued jigging until we were about halfway back, where this narrow part of the river opened wider. I made a “last cast” and had decided to call it quits. As I cranked my jig straight in, I was surprised when it got thumped! I laughed and told my dad we had been doing it wrong all day. To test the theory, I tossed my jig out and again just cranked it in. About two feet from the kayak, a huge swirl appeared where my jig was, and 4-pound line started By Emily Hanzlik ripping off my ultralight. My dad paddled to keep the fish a manageable distance from the kayak while also maneuvering defensively to place the kayak between the fish and the vegetation. After an extremely stressful nearly 20-minute fight, we netted a beautiful, 7-pound-plus Florida sunshine bass. I frantically checked the FWC website for the state record, which weighed 16 pounds, 3 ounces. However, I knew I had one more hope for a record. I checked IGFA and was more than pleased to find the women’s 4-pound-test record was a 5-pound fish. If approved, this will be my first record that was not targeted. When you’re hunting records, it’s key to be prepared. No matter where we go, I keep my certified Rapala scale and my tape measure in a glasses container in whatever bag we have that day. The other key is to make sure you always have accurate line on your reel. I use tournament Ande line so I don’t have to worry about my line over-testing. Other than that, it’s just the f you’ve read my column, you know that catching IGFA record fish is what luck of getting that big one. I love to do. I’ve caught more than 60 of them, and people frequently ask Emily Rose Hanzlik has caught more than 60 IGFA world records which is my favorite. It’s tough to pick, but the following recent record in various categories. Find her on social media @emilyhanzlikoutdoors. is at the top.
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By: Capt. Greg Poland
he fishing around Islamorada has been amazing lately as long as you pick the better weather days, as there has been some calm days before the storms. If you were lucky enough to get out, then you know the fishing has been great! I have been spending some time both in the backcountry fishing for snook and found some goliath grouper that have moved in from the Gulf and who have been doing their best feed on the snook. I also found that the fishing just off the edge on the Atlantic side of the Keys, that I have been catching a good number of kingfish. I have not spent much time as I would like chasing the sailfish bite, but when I have had the time, it has been steady. Listening to other anglers, I have even heard of guys spotting some blue fin tuna while out sail fishing, that has got to be a sight! I have never seen a 300 lb tuna, but I bet it’s unbelievable to see a pack of them swimming down the reef. While fishing for the snook, I like a 10-15lb spin rod spooled with beaded line and a 30lb fluorocarbon leader and either a jig head or a circle hook, and for the kingfish I move up a rod size and use a 20lb rod again with brace then a mono leader with a piece of leader wire about 10 inches with a circle hook and a pilchard. I have some dates open this month if you would like to get out on the water with me and see my techniques. Stop by the Lorelei if you happen to be around in the afternoons and say hello and let’s swap some fishing stories! — Contact Capt. Greg at 305.393.3327 or email gregpoland@icloud.com Instagram: gregpoland Facebook: Fishing in the Florida Keys with Capt. Greg Poland
MAHI ON MY MIND
By: Capt. Angelia Swanson
A
s we start to approach the Spring months in the Florida Keys, we passionate anglers and captains have Mahi on our minds. Mahi have always been a huge draw for anglers from around the country and beyond and keep us busy through the Spring and Summer months. Mahi Mahi, also called Dolphin or Dorado, can be found in tropical waters around the globe. They are beautiful fish with bright colors of blue, green, and yellow. I’ve even seen some with a purplish hue. They are also FAST! With speeds of up to fifty miles per hour, they make for intense and exciting sportfishing. Mahi also grow very quickly. With short life spans of about five years, some say they are the fastest growing fish in the ocean. They spend their short lives eating and traveling. They are extremely desired by anglers for the battle to get them to the boat. With their intense and wild aerial maneuvers, a large mad Mahi is exciting for everyone watching. They’re average weight is anywhere from five to fifty pounds, and they are commonly found in sargassum weed lines or under floating debris, with the smaller ones higher in the water column and the larger ones below. Last year was a hard year for us finding these prized fish. Since they are always on the move, the hunt for them can be very hit or miss. Last year started off slow, with very small specimens winning the first of our season’s tournaments. They were simply hard to find, and it seemed like there were less of them altogether. A lot of our local captains blamed this unusual time last year on the pressure of commercial fishermen on the Mahi. With our limits constantly decreasing, now down to five per person per day, the days of loading your boat with Mahi seemed to be long gone. Since these fish are so exciting to catch, even one or two being caught made for an exciting trip. As I had friends in town at the end of last summer and they wanted to target the Mahi, and I wanted to sit back and enjoy just catching fish and not have to take on the labor of captain or mate, I decided to book us with one of my favorite captains, Captain Justin Hopper, aboard his boat “The Fantastic II”. We trolled and trolled for Mahi with high hopes. Finally, after some frustration, Captain Justin found a petroleum slick offshore that was holding together a lot of debris on the surface, and with his keen eye from the tower of his boat, he spotted exactly what we were looking for, a large school of Mahi! With his very skilled deckhand, “Turtle”, we started pitching live bait at these beautiful fish and we SCORED! We limited out in less than an hour. Happiness abounded. No matter who you book your Mahi hunt with, be patient and keep your fingers crossed. It’s worth the exercise in patience.
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MARCH 2024
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Mile Marker 48 / Marathon / 305.289.0540
pring is here and it’s a great time to do some bottom fishing! One of my favorite and in my opinion most exciting fish to target on the bottom here in the Florida Keys is the mutton snapper. They are a beautiful, colorful, great eating fish that can be found in a wide range of depths and targeted with several different fishing techniques. Mutton snapper can be found in the Keys any time of year and they’re open to harvest all year round. A lot of anglers like to concentrate on these fish during their annual spawn in June, and I do too, but my favorite time of year to catch muttons is now, springtime. The fishing is usually very consistent in March, and I have found that I usually catch a higher percentage of large muttons during this time. Mutton snapper are a unique fish in that they can be found everywhere from very shallow patch reefs, sometimes even around bridges out to the reef and beyond, and on wrecks as deep as 300 feet of water. I like fishing for them a number of different ways, but my favorite way to consistently catch mutton snapper on our fishing charters is by drifting live baits around wrecks in the 120-to-250-foot range. These fish are very smart. They can be line shy and wary, so I like to use fairly long fluorocarbon leaders in the 30 pound test range and small light wire hooks to entice a bite. Many types of live bait will work, some of my favorites include live ballyhoo, cigar minnows, pilchards, and pinfish. Once you hook up, you’ll have to hold on. These fish are great fighters and will try to break you off in the wreck. You’ll want to try and apply as much pressure as you can without breaking him off. Once you get his head turned and have the fish coming try to stay on it and keep the momentum in your favor so that you can get them up fast before the shark gets him! Usually, the higher up in the water column you get, the less the fish will fight and faster you can get them. Their air bladder will usually expand towards the end, making the last third of the fight fairly easy. Usually when the fish comes into view it will already be starting to float to the top and there’s nothing like the sight of a huge mutton snapper floating to the surface behind the boat while you unclip your lead to bring him the rest of the way in. If you want to get out and try to experience the thrill of catching a mutton snapper, give me a call and let’s get out there! It’s one of my favorite types of fishing to do and one of the best times of year to do it!
www.thetacklebox.com
4 FLORIDA KEYS
MARCH 2024
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/FLORIDA-KEYS
— www.captaineasycharters.com You can reach Captain Bruce Andersen at Capt. Easy Charters, MM 85, call 305.360.2120 or email at: captbrucekey@comcast.net
open to ng their ttons is found
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a Fresh Catch Book your RV Site or Rental ONLINE NOW!
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rs.com arters, ast.net
33000 Overseas Hwy. Big Pine Key, FL 33043 COVECOMMUNITIES.COM
FACEBOOK.COM/CAMFLORIDAKEYS
305.290.4118 MARCH 2024
FLORIDA KEYS 5
ONE NEVER KNOWS By: Beth Steele
T
his month in Islamorada’s shimmering waters, I lucked out on two swordfish while out on my recent fishing expeditions and also landed a cuban night shark. They are such a powerful species of the requiem shark. You can recognize them by their long, pointy snout, large eyes, and small jaw. They sure do put up a hard fight, but the excitement of the catch makes it worthwhile! As it usually is this time of the year it’s been a pretty windy month to venture offshore, as the seas kick up a lot. On my first trip out, I was able to get a nice-sized sword that made for great steaks for dinner, and on my next trip out, I was able to land another sword. The sense of accomplishment after pulling up a swordfish is such a great feeling. This guy was on the smaller side, so I tagged and released him in order for him to grow up. Hopefully when he’s a nickel, we’ll meet up again! There is nothing better than seeing a sword come to the surface after a long fight, and I’ll be waiting patiently for him! I hope everyone is having Happy New Year, and here’s to Tight Lines! Here Fishy Fishy!
6 FLORIDA KEYS
MARCH 2024
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/FLORIDA-KEYS
— Beth Steele Owner, Hooker BookerLLC fishing@hookerbooker.com @hookerbookerllc
S
THE SILVER KINGS By: Jessica Harris
I
t’s nearing the time of tarpon season! Florida, also called the Fishing Capital of the World, has so many fishing opportunities, but one experience stands out among the rest - tarpon fishing. Tarpon, aka The Silver Kings, are such a unique catch. Pictured here, I had a wonderful trip in the tarpon capital of the world also known as Boca Grande. This was the experience of a lifetime! It was a full 10hour day of tarpon fishing. Now if any captain knows, Boca Grande in May is not for the weak. You will be surrounded by other boats trying to catch tarpon. But if you can beat that, you’ll be in for a great time. My trip started out fast. Within the first hour, I had 2 tarpon hooked and got 1 to the boat. It was a learning process on remembering to put the rod tip down when they jumped. The whole day, I used crabs as bait and boy did it work. When you catch your first tarpon, remember to keep a scale for good luck! As the day passed, we had to stop at one of my favorite places for lunch, Cabbage Key. Then back at it we went. The tarpon were biting like crazy and at one point, we were the only boat out there and got to experience a wonderful sight of tarpon rolling at sunset. That was in itself, a once in a lifetime opportunity. The fishing came back on as the sunset, and we hooked up to 3 more! I was able to tag one and become more educated on their migrating, eating and the way they live in general. Each tarpon I caught, was hooked right in the button. (Right where you want it!) This trip and what I was able to accomplish reached a lot of people and I was able to speak about the experience on several radio stations. So, to be able to write about the experience all over again is really special to me. And I would like to give a huge shoutout to James of Boca Coast Bait Fish Chum and Airborne Outdoors Fishing Charters with Chris Fanelli for sponsoring me and making it happen. Happy Fishing!
WINTER
8 FLORIDA KEYS
MARCH 2024
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/FLORIDA-KEYS
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FLORIDA KEYS 9
A Vibrant Spirit of the Keys
I
ntroducing Keys Deep, the local apparel brand that embodies the vibrant spirit of the Florida Keys lifestyle. Recently acquired by Carlos Lorenzo, a three-time stage 4 cancer survivor and resident of the Keys, this brand is more than just clothing—it’s a testament to resilience, passion, and the power of community. During Islamorada’s Farmer’s Market, an instant connection formed between Carlos and Scott, who had created Keys Deep, a brand that perfectly aligned with the Keys lifestyle. The shirt design and artwork from a local fishing captain, Sam Milazzo took his breath away. Carlos purchased a few performance shirts and immediately became a fan. The outstanding quality, Made in the USA label, and the inclusion of a Bible verse inside the collar made Keys Deep a standout choice for the family. They became avid supporters, buying Keys Deep apparel whenever they spotted it at local events. Carlos became a loyal customer, and his appreciation for the brand soon merged with the desire to run a company with his wife, Belkis, and his grown kids, Jonathan and Amanda. An apparel company seemed like the perfect solution to put their individual talents and experience to good use. He pitched the ideas to his family, and they were all on board. Then, like a twist of fate, Carlos had a vision once again. Two days before he discovered that Keys Deep was up for sale, he woke up and proposed the idea of acquiring the brand to his family. It was an immediate sign that this was meant to be. Without hesitation, they sealed the deal, bringing Keys Deep under their wing. 10 FLORIDA KEYS
MARCH 2024
Amanda, Carlos’ daughter, has the role of Administrator of Keys Deep. She is in charge of custom orders, invoicing, creating mockups for designs, and more. Jonathan, Carlos’ son, took on the role as Director of Sales of Keys Deep. Scott is also still a part of the team as the Head of Corporate Sales. Today, you can find Keys Deep Apparel in local stores such as Robbie’s Islamorada, Florida Bay Outfitters, and the Key Largo Visitor Center. The brand is currently working closely with local artist, Pasta Pantaleo, on a new collection that will exhibit a variety of new fish and landscapes that customers have never seen before. They are also launching a new cotton line, hats, and much more! To view their collections or place a custom order, visit KeysDeep.com. And keep an eye out for some exciting news about their upcoming storefront located in Islamorada!
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/FLORIDA-KEYS
Keys N Keys N Capt. T Capt. ofofBud Bud
#1
APPAREL COMPANY Local to the Florida Keys!
Retail Locations: Robbie’s, FL Bay Outfitters and Key Largo Visitor Center
Islamorada Storefront location coming soon!
Keys Native & Local Keys Native & Local Capt. Tyler Valles out Capt. Tyler Valles out ofofBud Bud&&Mary’s Mary’s
@ keysdeep
Direct: 786-502-6640 Office: 305-800-DEEP
TIDE CHART KEY LARGO
High
Date
www.USHarbors.com
MARCH 2024
Key West, FL - Mar 2024
Low
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
Fri
1:16
0.9
12:53
1.3
6:10
0.2
7:44
-0.2
6:47
6:31
2
Sat
2:11
0.7
1:31
1.3
6:34
0.3
8:51
-0.2
6:46
6:31
3
Sun
3:38
0.5
2:24
1.3
7:03
0.4
10:09
-0.2
6:45
6:32
4
Mon
5:49
0.5
3:42
1.4
7:57
0.4
11:27
-0.3
6:44
6:32
5
Tue
7:09
0.6
5:13
1.4
9:47
0.5
6:44
6:33
6
Wed
7:48
0.7
6:31
1.6
12:34
-0.3
11:24A
0.4
6:43
6:33
7
Thu
8:20
0.8
7:36
1.7
1:27
-0.4
12:38
0.3
6:42
6:33
8
Fri
8:51
1.0
8:33
1.8
2:11
-0.4
1:39
0.1
6:41
6:34
9
Sat
9:23
1.2
9:27
1.9
2:50
-0.3
2:35
-0.2
6:40
6:34
10
Sun
10:55
1.4
11:19
1.8
4:26
-0.3
4:27
-0.3
7:39
7:35
11
Mon
11:28
1.6
5:01
-0.2
5:19
-0.5
7:38
7:35
12
Tue
12:10
1.6
12:03
1.7
5:36
0.0
6:12
-0.5
7:37
7:36
13
Wed
1:00
1.4
12:40
1.7
6:10
0.1
7:07
-0.5
7:36
7:36
14
Thu
1:52
1.1
1:20
1.7
6:45
0.2
8:07
-0.4
7:35
7:37
15
Fri
2:49
0.9
2:04
1.6
7:22
0.3
9:14
-0.3
7:34
7:37
16
Sat
4:02
0.6
2:58
1.5
8:04
0.4
10:30
-0.2
7:33
7:38
17
Sun
5:54
0.6
4:10
1.4
9:03
0.5
11:51
-0.1
7:32
7:38
18
Mon
7:37
0.6
5:43
1.3
10:33
0.5
7:31
7:38
19
Tue
8:28
0.7
7:07
1.3
1:07
-0.1
12:04
0.5
7:30
7:39
20
Wed
9:00
0.8
8:10
1.4
2:04
-0.1
1:18
0.4
7:29
7:39
21
Thu
9:25
1.0
8:58
1.5
2:44
0.0
2:16
0.3
7:28
7:40
22
Fri
9:47
1.1
9:39
1.5
3:15
0.0
3:02
0.2
7:27
7:40
23
Sat
10:08
1.3
10:16
1.5
3:43
0.0
3:41
0.1
7:26
7:41
24
Sun
10:29
1.4
10:52
1.5
4:09
0.1
4:17
0.0
7:25
7:41
25
Mon
10:53
1.5
11:27
1.4
4:33
0.1
4:52
-0.1
7:24
7:41
26
Tue
11:18
1.6
4:56
0.2
5:26
-0.2
7:23
7:42
27
Wed
12:03
1.3
11:44A
1.6
5:18
0.2
6:02
-0.3
7:22
7:42
28
Thu
12:42
1.2
12:11
1.6
5:40
0.3
6:41
-0.3
7:21
7:43
29
Fri
1:23
1.0
12:41
1.6
6:02
0.3
7:26
-0.3
7:20
7:43
30
Sat
2:10
0.9
1:15
1.6
6:26
0.4
8:20
-0.2
7:19
7:43
31
Sun
3:10
0.7
1:57
1.5
6:54
0.5
9:26
-0.2
7:17
7:44
1
Moon
TIDE CHART ISLAMORADA MARCH 2024
High
Date
Low
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
Fri
1:55
0.3
1:32
0.5
8:17
0.1
9:51
-0.1
6:43
6:26
2
Sat
2:50
0.2
2:10
0.5
8:41
0.1
10:58
-0.1
6:42
6:26
3
Sun
4:17
0.2
3:03
0.5
9:10
0.1
6:41
6:27
4
Mon
6:28
0.2
4:21
0.5
12:16
-0.1
10:04A
0.2
6:40
6:27
5
Tue
7:48
0.2
5:52
0.5
1:34
-0.1
11:54A
0.2
6:39
6:28
6
Wed
8:27
0.2
7:10
0.6
2:41
-0.1
1:31
0.2
6:38
6:28
7
Thu
8:59
0.3
8:15
0.6
3:34
-0.1
2:45
0.1
6:37
6:29
8
Fri
9:30
0.4
9:12
0.7
4:18
-0.1
3:46
0.0
6:36
6:29
9
Sat
10:02
0.4
10:06
0.7
4:57
-0.1
4:42
-0.1
6:35
6:30
10
Sun
11:34
0.5
11:58
0.7
6:33
-0.1
6:34
-0.1
7:34
7:30
11
Mon
12:07
0.6
7:08
-0.1
7:26
-0.2
7:33
7:31
12
Tue
12:49
0.6
12:42
0.6
7:43
0.0
8:19
-0.2
7:32
7:31
13
Wed
1:39
0.5
1:19
0.6
8:17
0.0
9:14
-0.2
7:31
7:31
14
Thu
2:31
0.4
1:59
0.6
8:52
0.1
10:14
-0.2
7:30
7:32
15
Fri
3:28
0.3
2:43
0.6
9:29
0.1
11:21
-0.1
7:29
7:32
16
Sat
4:41
0.2
3:37
0.6
10:11
0.1
7:28
7:33
17
Sun
6:33
0.2
4:49
0.5
12:37
-0.1
11:10A
0.2
7:27
7:33
18
Mon
8:16
0.2
6:22
0.5
1:58
0.0
12:40
0.2
7:26
7:34
19
Tue
9:07
0.3
7:46
0.5
3:14
0.0
2:11
0.2
7:25
7:34
20
Wed
9:39
0.3
8:49
0.5
4:11
0.0
3:25
0.2
7:24
7:35
21
Thu
10:04
0.4
9:37
0.5
4:51
0.0
4:23
0.1
7:23
7:35
22
Fri
10:26
0.4
10:18
0.6
5:22
0.0
5:09
0.1
7:22
7:35
23
Sat
10:47
0.5
10:55
0.6
5:50
0.0
5:48
0.0
7:21
7:36
24
Sun
11:08
0.5
11:31
0.5
6:16
0.0
6:24
0.0
7:20
7:36
25
Mon
11:32
0.5
6:40
0.0
6:59
0.0
7:19
7:37
26
Tue
12:06
0.5
11:57A
0.6
7:03
0.1
7:33
-0.1
7:18
7:37
27
Wed
12:42
0.5
12:23
0.6
7:25
0.1
8:09
-0.1
7:17
7:38
28
Thu
1:21
0.4
12:50
0.6
7:47
0.1
8:48
-0.1
7:16
7:38
29
Fri
2:02
0.4
1:20
0.6
8:09
0.1
9:33
-0.1
7:15
7:38
30
Sat
2:49
0.3
1:54
0.6
8:33
0.2
10:27
-0.1
7:14
7:39
31
Sun
3:49
0.3
2:36
0.6
9:01
0.2
11:33
-0.1
7:13
7:39
1
Fisherman’s Retreat
27310 West Indies Drive, Ramrod Key $1,275,000
• Stellar ocean and gulf access from 140’ Dock! • Sprawling and private lot with serene tropical vegetation. • Abundant storage space for storing your gear. • Generous wrap-around deck, perfect for entertaining. • Call the Lisa Ferringo Group for information today!
The Lisa Ferringo Group
29967 Overseas Highway, Big Pine Key, FL 33043
305-797-1221 | www.lisaferringo.com 12 FLORIDA KEYS
MARCH 2024
www.USHarbors.com
Islamorada, Florida Bay, FL - Mar 2024
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/FLORIDA-KEYS
Moon
TIDE CHART
KEY COLONY BEACH www.USHarbors.com
Key Colony Beach, FL - Mar MARCH 2024 2024 High
Date
Low
TIDE CHART KEY WEST
High
Date
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
Fri
12:24
1.3
12:09
1.6
5:50
0.3
6:48
-0.1
6:44
6:27
1
2
Sat
1:13
1.2
12:49
1.6
6:27
0.4
7:48
-0.1
6:43
6:28
3
Sun
2:15
1.0
1:43
1.6
7:15
0.5
8:58
-0.1
6:42
6:28
4
Mon
3:30
0.9
2:54
1.6
8:23
0.5
10:11
-0.1
6:41
5
Tue
4:50
1.0
4:12
1.7
9:42
0.5
11:17
-0.2
6
Wed
5:57
1.1
5:26
1.9
10:55
0.4
7
Thu
6:48
1.3
6:32
2.0
12:14
-0.3
11:59A
8
Fri
7:31
1.5
7:30
2.2
1:04
-0.4
9
Sat
8:11
1.7
8:24
2.2
1:49
10
Sun
9:50
1.9
10:16
2.2
11
Mon
10:30
2.1
11:06
12
Tue
11:10
2.2
11:56
13
Wed
11:51
2.2
14
Thu
12:47
1.6
12:35
15
Fri
1:41
1.4
16
Sat
2:41
17
Sun
18
Low
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
Fri
1:16
0.9
12:53
1.3
6:10
0.2
7:44
-0.2
6:47
6:31
2
Sat
2:11
0.7
1:31
1.3
6:34
0.3
8:51
-0.2
6:46
6:31
3
Sun
3:38
0.5
2:24
1.3
7:03
0.4
10:09
-0.2
6:45
6:32
6:29
4
Mon
5:49
0.5
3:42
1.4
7:57
0.4
11:27
-0.3
6:44
6:32
6:40
6:29
5
Tue
7:09
0.6
5:13
1.4
9:47
0.5
6:44
6:33
6:39
6:30
6
Wed
7:48
0.7
6:31
1.6
12:34
-0.3
11:24A
0.4
6:43
6:33
0.2
6:39
6:30
7
Thu
8:20
0.8
7:36
1.7
1:27
-0.4
12:38
0.3
6:42
6:33
12:57
-0.1
6:38
6:31
8
Fri
8:51
1.0
8:33
1.8
2:11
-0.4
1:39
0.1
6:41
6:34
-0.4
1:52
-0.3
6:37
6:31
9
Sat
9:23
1.2
9:27
1.9
2:50
-0.3
2:35
-0.2
6:40
6:34
3:32
-0.4
3:44
-0.5
7:36
7:32
10
Sun
10:55
1.4
11:19
1.8
4:26
-0.3
4:27
-0.3
7:39
7:35
2.1
4:13
-0.3
4:36
-0.6
7:35
7:32
11
Mon
11:28
1.6
5:01
-0.2
5:19
-0.5
7:38
7:35
1.9
4:55
-0.2
5:29
-0.6
7:34
7:33
12
Tue
12:10
1.6
12:03
1.7
5:36
0.0
6:12
-0.5
7:37
7:36
5:37
-0.1
6:22
-0.6
7:33
7:33
13
Wed
1:00
1.4
12:40
1.7
6:10
0.1
7:07
-0.5
7:36
7:36
2.1
6:20
0.1
7:18
-0.5
7:32
7:33
14
Thu
1:52
1.1
1:20
1.7
6:45
0.2
8:07
-0.4
7:35
7:37
1:24
2.0
7:06
0.2
8:20
-0.3
7:31
7:34
15
Fri
2:49
0.9
2:04
1.6
7:22
0.3
9:14
-0.3
7:34
7:37
1.1
2:19
1.8
7:59
0.3
9:28
-0.2
7:30
7:34
16
Sat
4:02
0.6
2:58
1.5
8:04
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10:30
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7:33
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3:26
1.7
9:03
0.4
10:42
-0.1
7:29
7:35
17
Sun
5:54
0.6
4:10
1.4
9:03
0.5
11:51
-0.1
7:32
7:38
Mon
5:22
0.9
4:43
1.6
10:16
0.5
11:54
0.0
7:28
7:35
18
Mon
7:37
0.6
5:43
1.3
10:33
0.5
7:31
7:38
19
Tue
6:42
1.0
6:01
1.6
11:29
0.4
7:27
7:36
19
Tue
8:28
0.7
7:07
1.3
1:07
-0.1
12:04
0.5
7:30
7:39
20
Wed
7:31
1.1
7:05
1.7
12:52
0.0
12:32
0.4
7:26
7:36
20
Wed
9:00
0.8
8:10
1.4
2:04
-0.1
1:18
0.4
7:29
7:39
21
Thu
8:04
1.3
7:54
1.7
1:38
0.0
1:25
0.3
7:25
7:37
21
Thu
9:25
1.0
8:58
1.5
2:44
0.0
2:16
0.3
7:28
7:40
22
Fri
8:31
1.4
8:35
1.8
2:14
0.0
2:09
0.2
7:23
7:37
22
Fri
9:47
1.1
9:39
1.5
3:15
0.0
3:02
0.2
7:27
7:40
23
Sat
8:58
1.6
9:13
1.8
2:46
0.0
2:50
0.0
7:22
7:37
23
Sat
10:08
1.3
10:16
1.5
3:43
0.0
3:41
0.1
7:26
7:41
24
Sun
9:26
1.7
9:49
1.8
3:16
0.1
3:27
-0.1
7:21
7:38
24
Sun
10:29
1.4
10:52
1.5
4:09
0.1
4:17
0.0
7:25
7:41
25
Mon
9:55
1.8
10:26
1.8
3:45
0.1
4:03
-0.1
7:20
7:38
25
Mon
10:53
1.5
11:27
1.4
4:33
0.1
4:52
-0.1
7:24
7:41
26
Tue
10:25
1.8
11:03
1.7
4:14
0.1
4:38
-0.2
7:19
7:39
26
Tue
11:18
1.6
4:56
0.2
5:26
-0.2
7:23
7:42
27
Wed
10:55
1.8
11:41
1.6
4:43
0.2
5:14
-0.3
7:18
7:39
27
Wed
12:03
1.3
11:44A
1.6
5:18
0.2
6:02
-0.3
7:22
7:42
28
Thu
11:25
1.8
5:12
0.2
5:52
-0.3
7:17
7:39
28
Thu
12:42
1.2
12:11
1.6
5:40
0.3
6:41
-0.3
7:21
7:43
29
Fri
12:21
1.4
11:57A
1.8
5:42
0.3
6:34
-0.2
7:16
7:40
29
Fri
1:23
1.0
12:41
1.6
6:02
0.3
7:26
-0.3
7:20
7:43
30
Sat
1:05
1.3
12:33
1.7
6:15
0.4
7:23
-0.2
7:15
7:40
30
Sat
2:10
0.9
1:15
1.6
6:26
0.4
8:20
-0.2
7:19
7:43
31
Sun
1:56
1.1
1:18
1.7
6:55
0.4
8:24
-0.1
7:14
7:41
31
Sun
3:10
0.7
1:57
1.5
6:54
0.5
9:26
-0.2
7:17
7:44
1
Moon
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FLORIDA KEYS 13
THE SHIFTING WEATHER By: Capt. Tony Young
O
ne of my favorite parts about fishing and diving in the Florida Keys is that we always have different fish to chase as the seasons change throughout the year. We all can agree that this year’s winter has brought some frustrating weather. Cooler than average temps, high winds, poor water clarity, and many times lack of live bait. But with all that being said, it has been a very fun year to predict which winter fish to target. As much as we can’t control what mother nature is going to throw at us, we can certainly adjust and take advantage of the fish that come along with her shifting mood. You all know that kingfish, wahoo, and sailfish are the most targeted winter species. I hope this article helps you predict which fish to target and when to target them. Kingfish has become one of my favorite species to catch and finding a large one to shoot with a speargun seems to be more difficult to hunt than Wahoo. You rarely see divers holding up big kingfish in their photos and there is a reason for that. We’ve been having a blast catching big kingfish off the wrecks and reefs this winter. The cold days that you want to stay at home, getting house projects done, are the days you should be out targeting kingfish. Even if you want to go setup and yellowtail fish, always be prepared for some mackerel swimming through. When you are anchored up, fly a kite or cast back some live baits in your chum slick. These fish will be swimming though, and you will get bit, for me nothing is more fun than seeing that line peel off and listening to the reel scream. Rough seas and cold weather seem to really get a good kingfish bite going. Despite what people say, they taste great and, in my opinion, should be treated more as a table fish than just a smoker fish. Needless to say, smoked kingfish is phenomenal. I brine my fish for 12-48 hours, pack it with brown sugar, then smoke the fish with apple and cherry wood. We call it fish candy and it’s a crowd pleaser. We all know wahoo migrate through in the winter months and luckily this year they have been fairly predictable. With all the changing temperatures, cold fronts, calm days, windy days, and cloudy days it is easy to look at the week’s forecast and see which day the Wahoo will be targetable. I have not focused as much on the moon phases this winter as normal, more its been about timing weather, this seems to be working for us. Live baiting, running planers, or trolling lures all to the job. It’s been a lot of fun running lures this year, the market is flooded with new designs, and it has been a blast figuring out which ones are performing best on certain conditions. We have also been running lures in between dive spots, this is a great way to maximize your time on the water in between dives! Still to this day, freediving for Wahoo is my greatest passion on the water. The time watching the ocean and waiting for a Wahoo is priceless. We have been blessed with some great fish and some beautiful encounters. Bluefin tuna, marlin, sailfish, you name it we have seen it. It’s truly remarkable watching the ocean and what 14 FLORIDA KEYS
MARCH 2024
lives within. One aspect of Wahoo spearing that cannot be stressed enough, is how important it is to wait for the right shot. Once you pull that trigger you are committed, waiting is so critical to secure a good shot and land the fish. I like to saltwater brine my wahoo for a day or two before fileting it up. The filets never touch freshwater and are patted dry before vacuum sealing. This will keep the meat sashimi grade all year long, our favorite dish by far is wahoo carpaccio. There are thousands of articles on sailfish, they truly are a spectacular winter fish to chase. This year in particular we have seen a good number of sails while freediving, they are beautiful to watch swim in a natural motion, without a hook in their mouth. I’ll never forget the moment I watched a sailfish swim right to me, pushing ballyhoo. The bait showered right over my head as the sail whacked away at them, collecting his meal. It was a remarkable moment that has stuck with me ever since, the fish acted like I was not even there. Overall, it seems like more sails have been caught this year than the years past. Our local “Fish For Holly” sailfish tournament in January, brought in a record number of releases! Overall, it has been a great year for sailfish and winter species. As spring approaches, enjoy your time chasing the winter species. Before we know it, summer will be here and it will be back to catching mahi and other summertime species. Pay close attention to the shifting weather patterns and make the most of your days on the water! Kingfish, wahoo, and sailfish are only here for a few more months. It is time to get after it, be respectful to other anglers, and dive safe!
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— Capt. Tony Young can be reached at Forever Young Spearfishing in Islamorada, FL at 305-680-8879
R
102451 Overseas Hwy Key Largo, Fl 33037
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MARCH 2024
FLORIDA KEYS 15
Be a Friend to
Brown Pelicans... DON’T FEED THEM!
B
rown Pelicans are icons of the Florida coast and waterfront. They loaf on beaches, perch on piers, and soar across the Sunshine State. Although their numbers have increased significantly since the early 1960s when rampant pesticide use nearly drove them to extinction, they still need our help to thrive. Brown Pelicans are large seabirds that can live in fresh or saltwater environments. They are brown and white with short legs and an impressive wingspan of nearly seven feet. They are easily recognized by their long, narrow bill and large pouch they use to catch fish. Using their keen eyesight to spot prey from the air, Brown Pelicans dive right in, hitting the water with a splash. Their preferred food? Small, schooling fish such as sardines. While they are no longer a threatened species in Florida, Brown Pelicans remain part of the Imperiled Species Management Plan as they continue to face dire threats from loss of wetlands, pollution, nest-site disturbance, and entanglement in fishing line. Brown Pelicans, especially juveniles that may not have mastered the skill of plunge-diving, will readily accept handouts from boats returning to the dock and sometimes hang around fishing piers and bridges where they hope to make an “easy” meal of someone’s bait. But, by associating food with humans, birds put themselves at risk of becoming entangled in fishing gear. Audubon Florida has initiated a research project to investigate how hooking and entanglement are impacting Brown Pelican populations in Southwest Florida, including Tampa Bay. Because so many pelicans are rescued on or near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, Audubon biologists are applying metal bands to the legs of pelicans healthy enough for release. The goal of this project is to understand how pelicans are interacting with recreational fisheries, what impact that is having on their population, and what steps we can take to reduce negative impacts on Brown Pelicans.
What can you do to help?
• If you spot a Brown Pelican with an ORANGE leg band, report it to fl.audubon.org/pelican-study. • Reel in caught birds, cut the barb off the hook, and back the hook out. • Remove and properly dispose of all used/unwanted fishing line and gear. • Don’t feed wild seabirds, including Brown Pelicans.
16 FLORIDA KEYS
MARCH 2024
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MARINELAB: CONSERVATION VIA EDUCATION By: Sarah Egner, Senior VP
W
MarineLab/Marine Resources Development Foundation
18 FLORIDA KEYS
MARCH 2024
hen people think about marine conservation in the Florida Keys, things like coral restoration, research, and protected areas generally are top of mind. At MarineLab, a conservation focused nonprofit based in Key Largo, we utilize education. While the impacts of education may not be as apparent as out planting coral on a reef (which is also awesome!), the effect education has on our waters is seen at our facility daily and has proven to be long lasting. MarineLab, started in 1985, is a hands-on outdoor educational program that literally immerses students in ocean science. Our primary goal is to foster today’s students to get excited about science and become tomorrow’s environmental stewards. Snorkel field trips, hands on labs, and opportunities to collect “real” data are strategies we use to make science fun while inspiring environmental awareness and appreciation for the marine habitats’ participants explore while with us. Our students come from all over the country. With dorms, a cafeteria, labs, classrooms and a fleet of vessels, we are an all-inclusive facility, but a MarineLab field trip is quite different from the average Keys vacation. Of course, we make sure to spend time out at the reef, but MarineLab students also snorkel lesser known habitats including the seagrasses and mangroves of beautiful Florida Bay. We use this strategy to emphasize the interconnection of our waters (integral for conservation!) and to foster appreciation for all of the unique habitats. Before snorkeling each habitat, students learn the ecosystem services the habitat provides, threats to the habitat along with conservation efforts, some of the interesting critters they can be on the lookout for, and what role the students themselves can play in conserving the habitat, even from their homes. Students then snorkel with a marine biologist guide. Most of our programs are school sponsored, teacher led field trips. We also offer a weeklong teacher workshop in July as well as multiple one-week sessions of day camp for kids aged 8-14 throughout the summer. Environmental education is so much more than teaching students about the ocean. We strive to change behaviors and inspire future changemakers. While we teach about the issues our waters are facing- and our students see much of it firsthand- we want students to leave us feeling empowered. Sarah Whelan, the Executive Director of the Healthy Ocean Coalition, told us, “My time at Marine Lab in seventh grade truly sparked my commitment to ocean conservation and helped pave the way for my career in marine law and policy. That week provided me with a real life understanding at how important the ocean is in all of our lives, including me - a girl growing up among the cornfields of Illinois.” That is the power of education! @MarineLab Environmental Education Center MarineLab Key Largo
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Who Doesn’t Want to be Here… Welcome to Los Cayos! We created an authentic “Keys inspired” lifestyle brand. It’s the no-worries, always-sunny, warm breezes, and sunshine experience that everyone wants to live! Here on the island, you don’t move at the pace society tells you to. It’s no wonder our catchphrase is “Who doesn’t want to be here...” Come join the Los Cayos family and take the journey with us. We may not know exactly where we’re going, but we’ll know when we get there! Capt. “Franker”
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FLORIDA KEYS 19
PHILLY BROTHERS
SCORE BIG ON BONEFISH
L
ike many of our winter visitors in the Florida Keys, Ben and his brother Dan had driven south to escape the harsh winter weather. When booking the charter, they had asked about our famous flats fish - tarpon, bonefish and permit - the “big 3”. Unfortunately, recent cool weather had lowered the water temps below 70 degrees, which usually makes it difficult to find those 3 species. I explained this but told them I thought I could probably find a few tarpon. Otherwise, we would
By: Randy Morrow
likely be targeting barracuda and sharks that are more tolerant of cool water. Honestly, I thought our chances of seeing bonefish were almost nil. After brief orientation on my kayaks, we shoved off at 7:30am into a light breeze and pretty skies, with tarpon being the first target. First tarpon spot, nada. Second tarpon spot, zip. The third tarpon spot had one small school of fish who wouldn’t play. The fourth tarpon spot had about 4 schools of happy fish, but they weren’t rolling much in the cool water, so it was quite a waiting game to get shots. We did get a few blowups followed by three solid jumps from a hooked fish before he came unbuttoned. As we went from spot to spot, I had each angler rigged with a shark bait, but I didn’t see any lemons in the usual areas. With half of the 5 hour trip behind us and little to show for it, we went to a nearby lee shore to blind cast spoons and they each landed a barracuda. The tide had flipped at this point, and we had a bright blue sky, so I suggested we anchor up and try to chum in some sharks. Conditions were nice, with my clients able to look down current and down light in about 24-30” of nicely moving water. I tossed out some chopped frozen silversides and gave my guys a primer on presentation for lemon sharks. As I surveyed the flat, I saw a shape about 40’ away that I thought was a small cuda over the marl bottom. I told one of the brothers to chuck a spoon out there. He hooked the fish, and the run was far more than expected. He reeled the fish halfway to the kayak, then another long run. Still more reeling, and ANOTHER long run. As the fish finally came into view, Ben yelled “bonefish”! And as he brought the fish to hand, I saw 20-25 blue shapes zig-zagging all over the flat. Whoa! Bones! I scrambled to re-rig both brothers with a 1/4oz white bucktail jig, gave them each a small bag of shrimp, and then diced up more shrimp for chum. We spent over an hour with dozens of shots and singing drags. When the dust settled, we had boated 6 nice bones, including one that I estimated at 7-8lbs, and pulled the hook on a few more! If I can help with your piscatorial pursuits, ring, text, or email and let’s get out there!
— Randy Morrow, Kayak Fishing Guide | LowerKeysKayakFishing.com randy@lowerkeyskayakfishing.com | 305-923-4643 20 FLORIDA KEYS
MARCH 2024
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FLORIDA KEYS 21
Capt. Joel’s
FISHIN’ HOLES By: Capt. Joel Brandenburg
M
any marine biologist and anglers alike agree that the Florida Keys is the shark capital of the world with the largest population of sharks and the largest variety of sharks. Love them, or hate them, Shark are a very important part of our ecosystem. Think of sharks as the cleanup crew of our ocean environment. People are more and more intrigued with sharks than ever before. Sharks are so popular that shark week on TV has become shark month. Many people are terrified of sharks. Reality is you have a much better chance of being struck by a lightning in the Florida Keys, then, getting attacked by a shark. Typically, sharks are more afraid of us than we are of them. We’ve only had a few shark attacks over the past few years in the Florida Keys. Some of the most recent attacks are from Spear fisherman who have speared fish attached to their stringer. In these rare instances the sharks are attracted by the blood scent of the fish and the diver who is attached to the fish stringer gets bit by mistake. There have been some instances where people were bitten by sharks in the Florida Keys, and they didn’t have any harvested fish attached to them. One attack a few years ago comes to mind where a young couple from Georgia, who were snorkeling off of sombrero, lighthouse reef, allegedly, the husband jumps off the stern of the boat with his snorkel gear on and a bull shark attacked him as soon as he hit the water grabbing him in the shoulder area. The husband’s wife saw what happened and immediately jumped in grabbed her husband in the headlock and swam him back to the boat, before the shark could attack him again. This young Georgia wife was 8 1/2 months pregnant. I’d say she’s a keeper. To the best of my knowledge, this fella survived that attack. Another shark story that doesn’t involve an attack but shows the feriouciouness of sharks is a couple years ago, a local fishing captain had clients specifically fishing for sharks in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Marathon. They hooked into a large tiger shark, and after a long fight, they got the shark boat side and the tiger shark puked up a whole Key deer. Living in the Florida Keys, and making a living on the Florida Keys touristy industry as I do, I realize that the last thing scuba and snorkel companies want me to write about is sharks and shark attacks, but it’s the “elephant in the room” and I hope after reading this, that a tourist would have a better understanding of how we live and play in an ocean full of sharks. I have a good friend who lives in big Pine key, and a few years ago he was elk hunting in Montana and got attacked by a grizzly bear and survived. I have a fishing client who was recently attacked by a mountain lion in Utah while hiking. Whether it’s a grizzly bear in Montana,a mountain lion in Utah or a shark in the Florida Keys when you’re in the great outdoors, you must be conscious of these creatures existence and remember we are in their environment. There are all kinds of shark repellent products on the market today and several in the research and development phases, but I’m convinced that if a shark wants to attack you, the shark will attack you. They are so quick and agile in the water compared to us humans there’s no match. Recently, I was giving a presentation on Florida Keys environmental issues to a bunch of anglers at the Duck Key Fishing Club. I asked the audience to raise their hand if they’d ever had a game fish, they were reeling in attacked by a shark. Everybody’s hand in the room went up, and then the stories began. Many of the anglers in the room, agreed that sharks are getting braver and braver, and showing up more frequently. One charter company in town has been experimenting with a sound device that runs sharks off. When we encounter a shark problem while fishing, the best thing I can suggest is to get your game fish in quickly, but with finesse by lifting your rod slowly and reeling down quickly over and over again until the fish is landed. This technique seems to make your hooked game fish come up in a zigzag slow/ fast pattern that makes it a lot tougher for the shark hit your game fish. I think the reason anglers have such a problem getting their game fish past a hungry shark is because our water in the Florida Keys is typically crystal clear and we have to use much lighter line to get our game fish to strike our baits so we can’t horse the fish 22 FLORIDA KEYS
MARCH 2024
in like you can in many other areas of the US. This is why I say you must bring your game fish up quickly, but with finesse or you’ll snap the line. A couple decades ago MLB Hall of Famer Wade Boggs and Ana Banana Fishing Company teamed up and started a charity/celebrity shark tournament called The Black Tip Shark Shoot Out which raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the national pediatric cancer foundation. We chose black tip sharks as our target species because they are plentiful, great to eat and exciting to fight. Black tips jump, like Tarpon, dig like Cobia And will take out drag like a wahoo. Our tournament was a kill tournament. Each tournament team could enter one shark at the weigh in and the largest shark won the tournament. We had a team of shark cleaners at the weigh station who would immediately clean the sharks and all of the sharks were made into little shark nuggets that we called shark bites, and they were consumed at the award ceremony dinner. We also teamed up with Marine Biologist Dr Robert Hueter of Mote Marine Center for shark research and helped him by tagging and recording sharks, providing them with fin and skin samples, whole shark studies and fluid dynamic studies. After several years of hosting this tournament, it was met with controversy over killing sharks. Even though Florida law states an angler can legally harvest two sharks per day per vessel some of our large corporate sponsors decided they didn’t want to support a tournament that killed sharks anymore. We ended up, continuing the tournament and keeping our large corporate sponsors satisfied by turning it into a non-kill shark tournament where anglers would bring their largest black tip on board with a tail gaff, and videotaping the shark being measured on our tournament measuring device, and video recorded the shark being revived and released unharmed. Today shark harvesting is somewhat discouraged. Even though in Florida it’s still legal to keep two sharks per day per boat, there are several species that are off-limits to keep and other than having your fishing license you are required to watch a video on shark species identification and pass a shark test online to legally harvest sharks. There are all kinds of theories on why the shark population in the Florida Keys has increased and why sharks have become braver around boats and divers. Some people say that it’s because of new shark finning regulations in US waters where shark fins were sold to Asian countries who have a taste for shark fin soup, and they even say it’s an aphrodisiac. Some say it’s because shark encounter tours where people dive with sharks and feed them by hand are making sharks less scared of people and relate people and boats to feeding time. Sharks and people live together and rather than fearing them be aware of them and when/if you encounter one respect that you are in its environment and keep your distance and the shark will usually do the same. — For a charter with Captain Joel or Jojo Brandenburg of Ana Banana Fishing Company in Marathon Florida Keys call cell 813-267-4401 or office 305-395-4212 or visit www.marathonkeyfishingcharters.com or visit us in person at Ana Banana Marina located at 11699 Overseas Hwy Marathon Florida Keys. Look for the big yellow Ana Banana sign with antlers around it.
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MARINE THEFT PREVENTION • Install motion sensor lights. Make sure areas around the boat are well lighted. • Install surveillance cameras and make sure they will capture the face of an intruder. Cameras are often installed too high and only capture the top of a suspects head or the brim of the hat he is wearing. • Install a GPS tracking device on your boat and/or engines. • Install a boat alarm. Alarms are very effective at preventing equipment and boat thefts. • Disconnect the batteries to disable the trim / tilt function. Keep the engine down, touching the ground so the lower unit can’t be removed. • If the boat is on a trailer, chain the rims together or boot one of the wheels to prevent the boat and trailer from being stolen. • Keep a trailer hitch lock on at all times. • Install bolt locks on the engine or put extra-long engine bolts on and bend the ends. • Destroy the threads on one bolt so the nut can’t be removed. • Keep valuable electronics in a secure location. It might be a hassle, but it will same you thousands of dollars in the long run. • Take pictures and record serial numbers if available. • Don’t leave fishing and diving equipment unattended outside. It only takes a thief a minute - literally - to take it. • If you are gone for an extended period, call your local Sheriff’s Office substation. Our deputies will keep an eye on your property while you are away.
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Florida Keys Mr. Alan
Mr. Dale holding up a stud mutton snapper, caught off the Marathon reefs with Main Attraction.
utton is nice M h t t h g u th ca Lori Hea off Islamorada
wanted Reel Att to catch som raction e got it d thing big, so C one wit h a larg aptain Steve o f e Ambe rjack! the
Wahoo Willy landed thi s 27lb American Red Sn appe off a wreck about 30 0 feet deep off Key We r st.
Big Kingfish caug with Capta ht aboard Main One in Marty an d Steve.
with released Sailfish Banner day! Five team Ohio! r fo , rs te ar ortfishing Ch Main Attraction Sp
If you have a catch to brag about send your picture and caption to: flkeys@coastalanglermagazine.com
SPRINGfiSHING CLASSIC SPRING CLASSICEVENT EVENT
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CCA FLORIDA STAR STREAMLINED FOR 2024
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CA Florida STAR presented by Yamaha, boasts amazing prizes, is the largest familyfriendly saltwater fishing competition in Florida and it begins May 25. A unique combination of conservation, data collection and education, plus prizes and scholarships valued at over $500,000, makes CCA Florida STAR the state’s not-to-miss-summer-long fishing competition. No other fishing tournament in Florida has the ability to engage participants
of all ages and experience levels, and even nonanglers can win, just by collecting trash and debris. Heading into the tenth year, CCA Florida STAR presented by Yamaha has made it easier than ever to participate. The summer long fishing competition encourages thousands of anglers of all ages to fish with a purpose – conservation and winning. STAR is simplifying the competition to make it easier for participants to enter their catches
and win big. It’s not just about anglers winning but helping the fishery win too. Florida STAR focuses on conservation with its technology-based, CPR format and dedicated smartphone app. This format promotes the proper handling of species and allows participants who, at the time of their catch are members of CCA and registered in STAR to upload photos of their catch for an entry in the competition. STAR has set the bar for other fishing tournaments to follow by implementing conservation friendly alternatives, such as a trash division and conservation division with rewards of some really big prizes. The CCA Florida STAR competition presented by Yamaha has a division for everyone, from the non-angler to the experienced angler and targets inshore and offshore species. For the 2024 competition, CCA Florida STAR will once again offer over $500,000 in prizes and scholarships but has pared down the number of divisions to make participation simpler. STAR will offer a Tagged Redfish Division, Tagged Dolphin Division, an Inshore and Offshore Division, Native Watercraft Kayak Division, Realtree Youth Scholarship Division, Power Pole Conservation Division and Costa Kick Plastic Trash Division. With so many ways to win amazing prizes and help protect our marine resources, now is the time to get registered and make fishing in Florida more rewarding this summer. For more information on STAR, become a member and register, call 844-387-7827 or visit their Facebook page and ccaflstar.com.
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LIFE IS A BEACH
By Richard L. Matteson
COOL WATER SNOOK&THE MARCH FISHING FORECAST
I
t’s not like summer, but there are still snook on the beach here on the Treasure Coast. I caught a 21-incher a few days ago in the surf and released it. My main artificial rig is a 4-inch DOA pearl white paddletail on a chartreuse 3/8-ounce DOA jighead. Snook are looking for warmer water, so they’ll be around inlets and bridges where the water is deeper. Sometimes they run the beach because the ocean is better for them than the shallow water in the lagoon. Some large snook are being caught in deeper water of the St. Lucie, both North and South Forks, Crossroads and around deep piers and bridges as well as around deep water in both the St. Lucie and Ft. Pierce inlets. Large jigs and live or cut bait fished early morning, at dusk or at night work best. Live 6-inch croaker seem to be the preferred live bait. This month, you can harvest one snook in the 28- to 32-inch slot here in the IRL Zone. March is windy and will be the last good month for many of the winter fish like pompano, mackerel and bluefish. Some fish, especially bluefish, will remain, but the numbers are relatively small. Pompano can be caught on the beach with orange fish bites and sand fleas. In the lagoon, try jigging from bridges with pompano jigs on moving tides.
Chartreuse or hot pink are good colors. Permit have been caught on the beach on small crabs, fish bites or large sand fleas. Both permit and pompano are 50 to 70 yards offshore. The mackerel bite is good on the beach early in the morning when bait is present. This bite is in the trough around the close breakers. Small spoons like silver 1-ounce Krocodiles or gold Johnson spoons with treble hooks work best, but they will hit any lure retrieved quickly near the surface. There are mackerel still in the Peck’s Lake area where you’ll need a boat. The bluefish bite has been sporadic with fish chasing bait in early morning or when bait is present. Trout are scattered in the lagoon and can be caught on jigs and topwaters like Skitterwalks and Zara Spooks on warm afternoons. The best trout areas are north from the power plant to the Vero Beach flats. The flounder bite is still good on small the 5- to 10-pound range have been taken on jigs jigs and live bait on the flats and around the bridges. and shallow-running crankbaits. Some redfish have been caught on jigs tipped Remember, see the birds, find the bait, catch with live shrimp from the power plant north. the fish! Target mangroves on high tide in the afternoon or Richard L. Matteson Jr. is a long-time Coastal mangroves with deep water. As usual, there are scattered schools of ladyfish Angler contributor and staff writer for Stuart Rod & Reel Club. Contact him at (336) 414-3440. and jacks cruising the beaches. Some nice jacks in
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Sunday Honor Our Moms Always in our Hearts JB!
TIPS FROM A PRO
ISOLATED TARGETS FOR BIG BASS
TYLER WOOLCOTT
A
round the country, spring is either here or it is rapidly approaching. There is an amazing tip I want to share to improve your chances for catching big bass this time of year. In spring, bass flood into shallower areas of any lake. Whether that be a bank, pocket or a flat shallow area, they move shallow to start their transition and get ready to do their thing. They use any type of readily available cover to stage up and then eventually spawn. This takes a lot of the guesswork out of the search for where your next bite may come from. What I look for is isolated cover and structure. Types of cover that I look for differentiate from state to state and lake to lake, but the general concept is always the same. The more isolated the better! For instance, here in Florida, anything from a couple lily pads or a very small patch of vertical grass sticking up away from most of the other cover is the ideal spot for a big one to be sitting. In other areas of the country, it could be a single rock, a piece of wood or any kind of debris or cover that looks out of place. Shallow brushpiles near a spawning area that you find with your electronics are also an awesome thing to look for. Some of my biggest spring bass have come from something so obvious that most anglers
go right past it. Fish also often replenish on these places very quickly, so don’t overlook visiting the same piece of structure multiple times in a single day. One of my favorite things to do is cast to isolated lily pads. There could be two tiny little pads out in the middle of a flat on their own, and I might catch multiple fish off the same two pads by revisiting them throughout the day. I often pick apart these objects by dragging something slowly by or through the structure. Typically, a wacky-rigged weightless Senko or a very lightly weighted Texas-rigged stick bait are my go-to lures. When in Southern states that have some stain to the water, I stick with darker colors like blacks and blues or junebug. When the water is clear, I’ll go with more natural colors like a green pumpkin. You can keep your gear pretty simple, but remember you’re fishing around structure fish can wrap you around and break you off. Use heavier line. Try stepping up your leader size to 12- to 15-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon on a spinning rod, and use 15- to 20-pound when throwing a Texas rig on a baitcaster. The 13 have fun and be safe on the water. Fishing Defy series of rods are awesome and Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament affordable. I use the 7’6” MH for baitcasting angler and guide. Check out his website at rods and the 7’1” MH for spinning. www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com. Good luck out there this spring and always
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MARCH 2024
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DECEMBER GIVEAWAY WINNER ZIPPING AROUND WITH HER NEW OUTBOARD
ENTER TO WIN!
A PAIR OF WILEY X SUNGLASSES THROUGH MARCH!
I
n December, Coastal Angler and Suzuki teamed up to award one lucky reader with an extra special Christmas gift as part of the magazine’s regular contest drawings. Jeanette Harkin, of Edgewater, Fla., is now the happy owner of small, but feature-rich Suzuki DF2.5 outboard, which she plans to use on the inshore fisheries around Smyrna Beach. “I was super excited when I found out that I won, because we’ve been wanting to get a nice trolling motor for a long time,” Jeanette said. “It was an extra special Christmas present from you guys! Thank you again!!!” The Suzuki DF 2.5 weighs just 30 pounds, and the smooth, quiet and dependable engine is a perfect fit for the 16-foot Gheenoe Jeanette plans to put it on. She goes out frequently after whitefish, redfish and blue crabs on the Intracoastal near her home, and this little rig will be perfect for zipping around on the flats and backwaters. Coastal Angler’s current Giveaway drawing is for two pairs of awesome Wiley X sunglasses. These high-performance and stylish glasses will be just in time for all your springtime outdoor adventures. Go to Coastalanglermag. com, click the “Contest” tab, enter the drawing, and you could be sporting some free new shades on the water this spring. To enter, go to coastalanglermag.com/contest.
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NATIONAL 11
WHERE THE SUWANNEE & STEINHATCHEE RIVERS MEET THE GULF OF MEXICO
PHOTO BY DAVID HAY JONES
GREAT FISHING!
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REDFISH TIP:
THE GARRETT REDFISH DRAG
H
ere’s a quick redfish tip from Capt. Garrett Ross, of Miss Judy Charters out of Savannah, Ga. “While using a traditional adjustable style cork, adjust depth to allow the live shrimp to sit directly on the bottom. This means that your cork will be laying completely over on its side. Now, when the cold-water redfish decides to take the bait in its mouth, you will not know until the cork stands up right and starts to make way. It is suggested to reel lightly tight and allow the circle hook to do its job of lip hooking your redfish!” Capt. Garrett’s reasoning for the Ethan Long, 13, with a nice redfish caught effectiveness of his while fishing with Capt. Garrett Ross. technique is that a redfish has plenty of time to eat the shrimp and begin to swim away before the angler holding the rod even knows the fish is there. It might sound counterintuitive, but circle hooks have a way of coming unbuttoned when there’s an over-eager angler holding the rod. For more from Capt. Judy Helmey, visit missjudycharters.com. 12 NATIONAL
MARCH 2024
E
very saltwater angler knows the frustration of losing their hardearned catch to sharks. With a hard thump, that big, feisty cobia or snapper stops fighting and all that’s left to haul over the rail is a head. Those delicious fillets were donated to the taxman, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Well, it seems the U.S. Congress is at least willing to take a look at the issue of shark depredation, which is a shark hammering a fish on the line before it can be landed. The SHARKED Act is a piece of legislation working its way through Congress right now with bipartisan support. The bill is just a first step toward mitigating shark interactions with anglers, both recreational and commercial, but it’s one of those rare occasions when legislators might just come together. According to the American Sportfishing Association, shark encounters are increasing on all U.S. coasts. The Magnuson-Stevens Act of 2007—the sweeping legislation that gave us the decades-long red snapper fiasco in the Gulf of Mexico—has been successful, maybe too successful, in rebuilding populations of many shark species that were previously reduced by fishing. In addition to being frustrating to anglers, there is concern that sharks are negatively impacting fisheries, and there is already talk among fisheries managers of stricter regulations on anglers intended to offset or avoid shark interactions. With support from several sportfishing and conservation organizations, the SHARKED Act unanimously passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives, and at presstime it was headed to the Senate and potentially to President Biden to be signed into law. It would direct NOAA Fisheries to develop a task force to study the issue of shark depredation. The task force would be tasked with improving coordination and communication across the fisheries management community to identify research priorities and funding opportunities and make a plan to reduce shark/angler interactions. We can only hope this future plan puts limitations on the taxman and not on anglers.
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GRAND LAKE TO HOST
2024 BASSMASTER CLASSIC T
he field is set, and the grandest spectacle in bass fishing will be renewed for the 54th time from March 22-24. This year’s Bassmaster Classic will be held on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, with weigh-ins and festivities in Tulsa, Okla. Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees has more than lived up to its name. The 46,500-acre fishery provided some of the grandest moments in the history
of the event when Classics were held there in 2013 and 2016. Now the picturesque reservoir in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains will add to that grand lore when it again plays host the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing. As with past Classics held in Tulsa, daily weigh-ins will be held at the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa, with the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo across the street at the Cox Business Convention Center. Daily takeoffs will be held about 90 miles away at the Wolf Creek Park and Boating Facility on Grand Lake. During the first Tulsa Classic in 2013, former Elite Series pro Cliff Pace of Mississippi claimed a wire-to-wire victory during a frigid event when icy precipitation tested the toughness of the 53-angler field. In 2016, local favorite Jason Christie led Days 1 and 2 and seemed poised to earn his first Classic trophy until fellow Oklahoma pro Edwin Evers caught a five-bass limit that weighed 29 pounds, 3 ounces to claim a dramatic come-frombehind win. “The Grand River Dam Authority is excited to see the Bassmaster Classic make its return to Grand Lake in 2024,” said GRDA President and CEO Dan Sullivan. “Not only will the event provide a tremendous economic benefit to the region but it will once again showcase Grand Lake to interested audiences across the country. “GRDA places a high priority on caring for the natural resources under its control, and being a three-time host of the Bassmaster Classic reinforces Grand’s reputation as one of the nation’s top fisheries. GRDA is excited to once again support the Bassmaster Classic, which is known as a premier event and competition for anglers.” On last year’s list of 100 Best Bass Lakes by Bassmaster Magazine, Grand Lake ranked 17th in the Central Division. That marks the 11th straight year that the fishery has ranked in the Top 100. The field will include 56 anglers competing for a $300,000 first-place prize and a total purse of over $1 million. “Since its inception, the Classic has been a tournament that changes lives,” said B.A.S.S. Vice President of Tournaments Chris Bowes. “The payday is great, sure. But the opportunity to refer to yourself as ‘Bassmaster Classic champion’ for the rest of your life — there’s no greater clout in our sport.”
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