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VOLUME 29 • ISSUE 347
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM
F R A N C H I S E
O P P O R T U N I T I E S
A V A I L A B L E
FEBRUARY 2024
W O R L D W I D E
S P E N D YO U R T I M E W H E R E I T S TA N D S S T I L L R U N T H E WAT E R ™
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else, here are a few tips to help you hook and land more tripletail. • Cruise Carefully: Floating at the surface and doing its best to imitate a garbage bag, a tripletail is easy to spot once you develop an eye for it. Run a trap line on plane with a dedicated spotter and you can cover water quickly to locate “trips.” However, you’ll put fish down if you wake them too hard. Stay at least 30 feet off a trap line or channel markers while prospecting. When you spot a fish, give it a few minutes to settle and come back to the surface while you bring the boat around to approach with the trolling motor. A tripletail at ease on the surface is an easy fish to target. • Consider Your Eyewear: Obviously, polarized glasses are a must when sight fishing anything. The color of your lenses matters, too. It’s worth investing in a couple of good pairs so you can switch out according to conditions. Gray or blue works best in clear water. In dingy water, go with copper or rose lenses. • Stay Rigged and Ready: If you’re targeting trout, redfish or whatever, keep a tripletail rig on hand and keep an eye out for them when you’re running to a new spot. A good basic rig is a popping cork with a short 20-pound fluorocarbon leader of a foot or less and a 2/0 circle hook. Live shrimp is best, but if you’re fishing artificials, a DOA shrimp or a Gulp! shrimp or crab will also work. • On Approach: Come at your quarry from down-current and cast well past it so that your bait drifts back in front of its nose. If that cork starts to dance, give it a few seconds before coming tight. Tripletail have small, hard mouths and you want to be sure the fish has taken the bait. • Fish Small Baits: The reason a tripletail is hanging out on that marker is to eat the small crabs and shrimp that live there. They’re used to small food and have small mouths, which is why they’ll sometimes reject big shrimp. Pitch small or medium shrimp to them or small baitfish and lures no longer than about 2.5 inches. • Stick With Them: If a tripletail spooks or goes down, it usually isn’t going far. Try drifting an unweighted bait on a longer 4- or 5-foot leader that will get down deeper on a long drift past your structure. If that doesn’t work, t will soon be the time of year when everyone’s favorite oddball, the go hit your next mark and come back later. There’s a good chance the fish will tripletail, starts moving in closer to shore to hang out on structure or free- be sunbathing happily on the surface when you return. floating debris. Whether you actively sight fish them by running a line of traps and markers or if you just happen to see one while pursuing something For more tips and tricks, visit coastalanglermag.com.
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your veins. Then, bam! The tarpon puts on a show, soaring into the air with moves like no other. It’s a show that leaves even the most seasoned anglers wide-eyed. Those silver kings? They’re not just strong; they’re the rockstars of Islamorada. Now, let’s talk strategy. These tarpon are known for their spontaneity, so patience is your best friend. When it comes to bait, think live mullet or crabs–the kind of irresistible treats that tarpon just can’t resist. Toss your bait in front of where you think they could be, let it drift back in the current, and patiently watch the magic unfold. When your line starts to load, get ready for a ride. Keep that tension steady, brace yourself for some serious speed, and be prepared for tarpon acrobatics. It’s like a rollercoaster on water, and trust me, you’ll want to savor every twist and turn. When they jump, it’s important to bow your rod toward them to give them the slack so the hook doesn’t pull out. As you get closer to that leader touch or face grab, remember, gentle is the name of the game. Tarpon have delicate mouths, and going all WWE on them might end in heartbreak. If you’re going out with a guide, I recommend booking more than one day to give yourself better odds of landing a tarpon. So come late February through March, and the stage will be set for a front-row seat to Islamorada’s Silver King show. To book a charter, visit www.beansportfishing.com
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FLORIDA 3
By Emily Hanzlik
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own in South Florida, the influx of exotic species is crazy. Most people know about peacock bass and snakeheads, but clown knifefish are a lesser-known exotic that are a blast to catch. You might see these fish rolling on the surface, but they’re tough to catch due to their intelligence. Clown knifefish are silver in color with black spots along their tail. These fish have a very unique shape that almost resembles the blade of a knife. Their faces are similar to snook or a tarpon, but they have a huge shoulder right behind their eyes.
4 FLORIDA
FEBRUARY 2024
These fish have a similar texture to freshwater trout, as they have micro scales and a slime coating that makes them smooth to the touch. A fun fact, since their anal fin and tail fin are conjoined, it allows them to undulate and actually swim backward. If you get one boat-side, watch as they back away from the net. Clown knives are native to southeast Asia. Their popularity as aquarium fish has led to their spread because they quickly outgrow most home aquariums and are released. These fish like warm water, and they are bimodal air-breathers, which means they surface to gulp air if the water is too stagnant. This makes them well-suited to the swamps, lakes, canals and backwater rivers of South Florida. Juveniles school together and hide in roots of plants. When they grow larger, they become solitary but still hunt from the cover of aquatic vegetation. Clown knifefish spawn in the spring. Research suggests they prefer three straight days of rain before laying and fertilizing eggs. When the time is right, the female lays eggs on a root or some other secure surface. The male then tends the eggs. Even after the eggs hatch, the male will guard the fry until they are large enough to be on their own. These fish are nocturnal. The best time to catch them is at night, or at dusk or dawn. When the sun is up, they seek refuge under structure or in thick mats of vegetation. Clown knifefish are aggressive ambush predators. If you walk canal banks at night, you can see their eyes glowing in the beam of a flashlight. I’ve found the fishing is always best after a rain, as it gets them frenzied. I use live bait like shiners or shad and freeline them near flowing pipes or in fast-moving canals. If knifefish are there, you’ll see them rolling on the surface. I use a small live bait hook on a 20-pound leader, since they do have sharp teeth. For artificials, a 2- to 3-inch white swimbait or a jig will work. An exciting option is to fish a white topwater frogs at night. Remember, when they get to the bank the fight isn’t over. They always come up to say hi, and then quickly back away into the darkness. The current IGFA all-tackle world record is 14-pound, 8-ounce fish caught from Florida’s Lake Ida in 2018 by Michael Donvito.
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Emily Rose Hanzlik holds 62 IGFA world records in various categories. Find her on social media @emilyhanzlikoutdoors.
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ISLAMORADA IN FEBRUARY By: Capt. Greg Poland
F
ebruary in Islamorada has got to be one of the best places in the world to go fishing as the weather is perfect and the fish are biting! The offshore bite has been on fire with a lot of nice kingfish and tuna being caught. We have been on the hunt for sailfish the past couple of months, and over in the Everglades area, the action for redfish and snook has been steady. Sharks are still a problem to contend with, but with the cooler water temperatures they have slowed down quite a bit allowing us to land the fish on the boat, without them taking their share, and released much better than we were during the warmer months. For the last few months, I have been fishing different locations until I see signs of a shark, then simply moving to another location. This way, we are not feeding them our prized gamefish and if I have a client that wants to pull on one, I get out the big rod, catch it in hopes of giving it a reason to move out of the area. There are now a couple of products that will irritate sharks, however, I have not tried one yet. If you have had any success with these types of devices, drop me a note and let me know how it is working out! This time of year, we have many visitors from up north trying their hands fishing the Florida Keys. If you would like to get out on the water with some local fishing knowledge, drop me a line and I’ll show you how we do it either on your boat or mine and let me show you around the backcountry or the oceanside. Tight Lines and see you out on the water!
— Contact Capt. Greg at 305.393.3327 or email gregpoland@icloud.com Instagram: gregpoland Facebook: Fishing in the Florida Keys with Capt. Greg Poland
WAHOO TIME By: Capt. Angelia Swanson
T
he Wahoo are here! And we Captains couldn’t be happier! Wahoo in the Florida Keys are a prized, bucket list fish that we are a definite tourist destination to fish for. In the last few weeks everyone has been making charter clients happy with wonderful wahoo catches. Last year was one of the most prolific seasons for wahoo I have ever experienced, and this year is off to a similar start. As with last year, the wahoo have been running a bit deeper than in past years. To get your trolling lines to a sufficient depth, most captains use planers or downriggers, although I much prefer to use torpedo weights or diving lures. The torpedo weight is easily clipped to the line just above your leader and runs nice and smooth for me without worrying about the line popping (as I experienced many times with planers) and the diving lures make things really easy. I prefer the Rapala diving lures that are available in different sizes depending on the depth you want the lure to run. I even have some custom-made Wahoo lures that have twelve-ounce lead heads, a large squid skirt, and a double hook set. These custom-made lures work extremely well for me. Through much trial and error, I have also learned to not slow down on your speed once a Wahoo hits. Sometimes these fish will run straight at your boat, and you may think that you’ve lost it, but just keep reeling! If the fish goes completely wild and the fear of losing it or getting spooled becomes a concern, slow the boat down, but don’t come to a complete stop! I’ve lost many wahoo by stopping the boat when I was a novice at catching these beasts and the disappointment is tough to deal with! Another controversial topic with wahoo fishing is the speed at which you should troll for them. High speed trolling at up to fifteen knots is not uncommon when wahoo fishing and many charter captains are successful with this speed, but personally I have never subscribed to this practice. I prefer to troll between eight and ten knots, and I have had much success with this range of speed. I believe that the slower speed lets the weighted lures run deeper in the water column and I have had no problem catching these amazing fish at these speeds. In addition, I believe that at the slower speed I do not miss out on catching other species such as blackfin tuna or kingfish. Cleaning wahoo has also been a great learning experience for me. I have perfected my own technique for cleaning them that leaves you with big, beautiful steaks that you can see the beautiful swirling of the meat inside, and when cooked, you can pick those swirly layers apart with a fork. It makes for the best table fare! And if you want to go chasing these wild Wahoo, come fishing with me!!
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FEBRUARY 2024
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here’s nothing like a family fishing trip in the Florida Keys. Taking your kids out and seeing the excitement on their faces when they’re hooked up to the fish of a lifetime is priceless. With the variety of species and types of fishing available to us here in the Keys, there’s probably no better place to take your family out for the fishing adventure of a lifetime! Throughout my charter fishing career and my time raising a family in the Keys I can say that some of the best times I’ve had on the water have been taking families fishing whether it was with my kids, or my customers’ families. The feeling you get from showing kids exciting new experiences like all the types of fishing we have in the Keys is unmatched. Luckily, we’ve got so many different types of fishing here that there’s always something new to show them. Also, we’ve got several different options depending on the needs of each family, the weather, and fishing conditions that day. For example: a day with moderate winds out of the east where it might be too rough in the ocean for a family, we could take them back to the gulf, where it’s calm, for nonstop action catching Spanish mackerel, mangrove snapper, jacks, sharks, and possibly even cobia! If we’ve got a north wind then we can hit the patch Reefs for a variety of fish including yellowtail, mangrove and mutton snapper, grouper, cero mackerel, and a whole mix of other stuff! If we’ve got light winds and calm seas, then the sky’s the limit, and we could head offshore to do any number of things, including targeting blackfin tuna, king mackerel, wahoo, and sailfish on live bait! With several different types of light tackle options, it’s easy for the kids to handle the tackle and they usually learn quickly. Having the right guide, someone with a little patience, and the ability to explain things and teach the kids is key. Luckily, the guides here in the Florida Keys are some of the most knowledgeable and experienced guides in the world. The exhilaration of the engines revving up and the boat jumping up on plane with the sunrise coming up over the open water in the morning has the amazing effect of getting your kids eyes off the iPhone and out on the horizon. And once they start catching fish, you may have a new passion for the entire family to experience together! This is a great time of year to get the family out on the water, and I would love to take you. Give me a call and let’s get out there and go fishing! — 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
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By: Joe Sheaffer
W
hat is your favorite lure? Like most anglers I have a plethora of lures, top water plugs, diving plugs, spoons, all types of plastic lures and live bait rigs. I use many of these lures throughout the year. Without a DOUBT, a jig of some type would be my go-to lure because it can be paired up with many different options. A grub, swimbait, jerk shad, and creature baits to name a few. Jigs can be used with live bait such as shrimp (dead or alive), many species of baitfish and crustaceans. There are many types of Jigs, Bucktails, Swimjigs, Jig and Pig, Diamond Jigs and Casting Jigs are examples of very productive presentations. Using a jig sounds somewhat Neanderthal but honestly this simple tool can be very versatile. Using your imagination can put so many different twists on presentations that can be very productive. Starting with the weight of the jig, color, shape and don’t forget the add ons. A jig and paddle tail probably accounts for more fish being caught than any other presentation. Simply changing the weight of the jig and the color of the paddle tail as conditions dictate can make for a great day of fishing. Sure, most people will jig the lure off the bottom or use a slow retrieve and these presentations are very productive. Other presentations like, quick jerks, waking the lure on the surface and dead sticking off the bottom can be very effective. A Bucktail in the surf, a Swim Jig on the flats, a Casting Jig offshore, all have a place in this fishing game. I am a firm believer that you can never have too many jigs. There is never a time that at least one fishing rod on my boat has some type of jig tied on. Sure, there is a time for other types of fishing lures but having a jig in your arsenal is encouraged. Using these awesome lures will definitely help anglers catch more fish. Keep casting and good luck.
6 FLORIDA KEYS
FEBRUARY 2024
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FLORIDA KEYS 7
JUST ANOTHER
MAHI MONDAY By: Jessica Harris
W
ith the new year finally here, came new goals. Fishing goals that is. Between bucket list fish in Panama to trips to Costa Rica, I am so excited for what’s in store. At the end of this month, I will be making my way to the beautiful Puerto Rico to fish their blue waters. Three days on the boat and lots of fish to catch. I cannot wait to share that story! With that being said, as we welcome February, the days may be a little colder, but the fish are always biting. As always, the tasty mahi mahi never fails to fill the cooler. Besides being a fun catch, I love, love, love, cooking what I catch! Especially mahi mahi. There are so many tasty ways to do it. My favorite has to be fish tacos or fried, or fish dip, or baked with coconut rice, anyways, I could go on and on. The photos above were taken in Fort Pierce on the Summer Girl and in Fort Lauderdale on the Goodhit. The South Florida fishing always delivers a good mahi mahi bite for me. Fish dip is also a staple recipe to have for your mahi mahi. Works well for a hosting dish, appetizer for a football game, again, the list goes on. Did I mention that it’s yummy every time? Because it really
never gets old no matter how you cook it and your guests will always enjoy it. You will definitely impress them bringing this beautiful fish to dinner. Back to the photos. In Lauderdale, that cold front had them biting like crazy. I was also able to tag and release one which is something I enjoy doing any chance I can. In Fort Pierce, those fish were all that were biting. I was trolling for sooo long for the wahoo bite but wasn’t happening. And as I always say, the mahi mahi didn’t let me down once again. It’s also a fun catch for kids, too. My son loves the schoolies, they’re just his size. So happy fishing, happy cooking and have a wonderful month!
WINTER
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FLORIDA KEYS 9
KEYS KIDS SAILFISH TOURNAMENT RECAP S
eventeen Anglers, all 16 years old and younger, took to the waters of Islamorada in search of Sailfish on January 13th for the First Annual Keys Kids Sailfish Tournament. The one day tournament included anglers from age 0-10 in the small fry division and 11-16 in the junior division and was FREE to all anglers. The kickoff party started at Angler House Marina on Friday night with burgers and dogs for the kids and parents. Lines were in at 8:00 on Saturday morning. Fishing was slow with a south westerly wind blowing 1015. The first hook up was called in by Captain Benny Spauld1st Place and top angler ing aboard his charter boat Playbaby at 8:52. Angler Dallon Team Playbaby Morjon from Pompano Beach, FL released the fish 14 minutes later. Heavy Guns called in the next hookup but the fish was lost. When the comAt 11:04 Tackle Center’s Captain Charlie Scoble called in a hook- mittee boat called up. Angler Layton Lange of Tavernier, FL would release the sailfish lines out at 3PM 45 minutes later. I wouldn’t take long before Dallon Morjon had it would be team a second fish on. Dallon released the fish putting his team in 1st Playbaby with anPlace. Tackle Center would hook up another fish for angler Zane glers Dallon MorWampler of Tavernier, FL. He would release his first sailfish only 5 jon age 16 and Small Fry angler Hunter Spaulding age 6 that would minutes later. take home 1st Place with 2 releases on time. Second place would go to Team Tackle Center, also with two releases. Most outstanding catch award went to Small Fry angler and Islamorada resident Gauge Nopp age 10, for his catch of a nice black fin tuna. “The awards ceremony at Lorelei was fantastic”, stated tournament founder and owner of Tackle Center Islamorada, Donny Lange. “It was great to see all the kids sitting at one table and having such a great time! This is our first year and we look forward to making it bigger and better next year.” Far left: 2nd Place Team Tackle Center Left: Outstanding Catch Gauge Nopp and Donny Lange 10 FLORIDA KEYS
FEBRUARY 2024
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TIDE CHART KEY LARGO
www.USHarbors.com
Key Largo, South Sound, FL - Feb 2024 2024 FEBRUARY High
Date
Low
TIDE CHART ISLAMORADA
www.USHarbors.com
Islamorada, Florida Bay, FLFEBRUARY - Feb 2024 2024 High
Date
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
Moon
Thu
12:52
1.2
12:56
1.2
7:59
0.2
8:24
0.0
7:03
6:05
1
2
Fri
1:40
1.2
1:39
1.2
8:48
0.2
9:14
0.0
7:02
6:05
3
Sat
2:35
1.2
2:31
1.1
9:46
0.3
10:13
0.0
7:02
6:06
4
Sun
3:39
1.2
3:33
1.1
10:50
0.3
11:16
0.0
7:01
5
Mon
4:46
1.2
4:42
1.2
11:55
0.2
6
Tue
5:50
1.3
5:49
1.3
12:19
-0.1
12:55
7
Wed
6:48
1.4
6:50
1.4
1:17
-0.2
8
Thu
7:40
1.6
7:47
1.5
2:12
9
Fri
8:28
1.7
8:40
1.6
10
Sat
9:14
1.7
9:31
11
Sun
10:00
1.8
12
Mon
10:45
1.7
13
Tue
11:31
1.7
14
Wed
12:06
1.7
12:19
15
Thu
1:01
1.6
16
Fri
1:59
17
Sat
18
Low
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
Thu
2:14
0.3
2:26
0.4
9:18
0.1
10:31
0.0
7:03
6:08
2
Fri
3:11
0.3
3:05
0.4
9:44
0.1
11:40
0.0
7:03
6:09
3
Sat
4:37
0.2
3:57
0.5
10:18
0.1
7:02
6:09
6:07
4
Sun
6:35
0.2
5:02
0.5
12:53
-0.1
11:09A
0.1
7:02
6:10
7:00
6:07
5
Mon
8:03
0.2
6:15
0.5
2:04
-0.1
12:25
0.1
7:01
6:11
0.2
7:00
6:08
6
Tue
8:54
0.2
7:22
0.6
3:07
-0.2
1:42
0.1
7:01
6:11
1:51
0.1
6:59
6:09
7
Wed
9:33
0.2
8:23
0.6
4:00
-0.2
2:50
0.1
7:00
6:12
-0.3
2:43
-0.1
6:59
6:10
8
Thu
10:07
0.3
9:19
0.7
4:45
-0.2
3:49
0.0
7:00
6:13
3:04
-0.4
3:34
-0.2
6:58
6:10
9
Fri
10:41
0.3
10:13
0.7
5:27
-0.2
4:44
0.0
6:59
6:13
1.7
3:55
-0.5
4:23
-0.3
6:57
6:11
10
Sat
11:14
0.4
11:05
0.7
6:06
-0.2
5:38
-0.1
6:58
6:14
10:22
1.7
4:45
-0.5
5:12
-0.4
6:57
6:12
11
Sun
11:48
0.4
11:56
0.7
6:44
-0.2
6:32
-0.1
6:58
6:15
11:14
1.7
5:35
-0.4
6:01
-0.4
6:56
6:12
12
Mon
12:23
0.5
7:21
-0.1
7:28
-0.1
6:57
6:15
6:26
-0.3
6:52
-0.4
6:55
6:13
13
Tue
12:47
0.6
12:59
0.5
7:57
-0.1
8:27
-0.1
6:57
6:16
1.6
7:19
-0.2
7:45
-0.4
6:55
6:14
14
Wed
1:41
0.5
1:38
0.6
8:34
0.0
9:32
-0.1
6:56
6:17
1:10
1.5
8:15
0.0
8:42
-0.3
6:54
6:14
15
Thu
2:40
0.4
2:22
0.6
9:13
0.1
10:44
-0.1
6:55
6:17
1.5
2:06
1.3
9:15
0.1
9:44
-0.2
6:53
6:15
16
Fri
3:55
0.3
3:15
0.5
9:55
0.1
6:54
6:18
3:04
1.4
3:09
1.3
10:20
0.2
10:50
-0.1
6:52
6:16
17
Sat
5:41
0.2
4:23
0.5
12:01
-0.1
10:48A
0.1
6:54
6:18
Sun
4:13
1.3
4:18
1.2
11:27
0.2
11:54
-0.1
6:52
6:16
18
Sun
7:27
0.2
5:45
0.5
1:23
-0.1
11:57A
0.1
6:53
6:19
19
Mon
5:21
1.3
5:25
1.2
12:30
0.2
6:51
6:17
19
Mon
8:31
0.2
7:01
0.5
2:41
-0.1
1:16
0.1
6:52
6:20
20
Tue
6:20
1.3
6:23
1.3
12:54
-0.1
1:26
0.2
6:50
6:17
20
Tue
9:12
0.2
8:02
0.5
3:42
-0.1
2:27
0.1
6:51
6:20
21
Wed
7:09
1.4
7:13
1.3
1:47
-0.1
2:16
0.1
6:49
6:18
21
Wed
9:43
0.3
8:52
0.5
4:25
-0.1
3:27
0.1
6:51
6:21
22
Thu
7:50
1.4
7:56
1.4
2:33
-0.1
2:59
0.1
6:48
6:19
22
Thu
10:09
0.3
9:34
0.6
4:59
-0.1
4:16
0.1
6:50
6:21
23
Fri
8:27
1.4
8:36
1.4
3:15
-0.1
3:38
0.0
6:48
6:19
23
Fri
10:32
0.4
10:11
0.6
5:28
-0.1
4:59
0.0
6:49
6:22
24
Sat
9:01
1.5
9:13
1.4
3:53
-0.1
4:14
0.0
6:47
6:20
24
Sat
10:55
0.4
10:47
0.6
5:56
-0.1
5:38
0.0
6:48
6:22
25
Sun
9:33
1.5
9:49
1.5
4:29
-0.1
4:48
-0.1
6:46
6:20
25
Sun
11:18
0.4
11:21
0.5
6:22
-0.1
6:15
0.0
6:47
6:23
26
Mon
10:05
1.5
10:25
1.4
5:03
-0.1
5:20
-0.1
6:45
6:21
26
Mon
11:42
0.5
11:56
0.5
6:48
0.0
6:51
0.0
6:46
6:24
27
Tue
10:37
1.4
11:01
1.4
5:36
0.0
5:52
-0.1
6:44
6:21
27
Tue
12:07
0.5
7:12
0.0
7:29
0.0
6:45
6:24
28
Wed
11:09
1.4
11:38
1.4
6:08
0.0
6:23
-0.1
6:43
6:22
28
Wed
12:32
0.5
12:33
0.5
7:34
0.0
8:10
-0.1
6:45
6:25
29
Thu
11:41
1.3
6:42
0.1
6:58
-0.1
6:42
6:23
29
Thu
1:11
0.4
1:01
0.5
7:56
0.1
8:56
-0.1
6:44
6:25
1
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Moon
TIDE CHART
KEY COLONY BEACH www.USHarbors.com
Key Colony Beach, FL - Feb 2024 FEBRUARY 2024 High
Date
Low
TIDE CHART KEY WEST
High
Date
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
Thu
12:51
1.4
12:58
1.6
6:38
0.3
7:27
0.1
7:05
6:10
1
2
Fri
1:44
1.2
1:40
1.6
7:17
0.4
8:28
0.1
7:04
6:10
3
Sat
2:47
1.1
2:30
1.6
8:05
0.5
9:34
0.0
7:04
6:11
4
Sun
4:00
1.0
3:31
1.6
9:06
0.5
10:41
-0.1
7:03
5
Mon
5:17
1.0
4:38
1.7
10:12
0.5
11:42
-0.3
6
Tue
6:23
1.0
5:44
1.9
11:15
0.4
7
Wed
7:16
1.2
6:46
2.0
12:38
-0.4
12:14
8
Thu
8:02
1.3
7:42
2.2
1:29
-0.5
9
Fri
8:44
1.5
8:35
2.3
2:16
10
Sat
9:24
1.6
9:27
2.3
11
Sun
10:04
1.8
10:18
12
Mon
10:44
1.9
11:10
13
Tue
11:26
2.0
14
Wed
12:03
1.8
12:09
15
Thu
1:00
1.5
16
Fri
2:03
17
Sat
18
Low
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
Thu
1:35
0.9
1:47
1.2
7:11
0.2
8:24
0.0
7:07
6:13
2
Fri
2:32
0.7
2:26
1.2
7:37
0.3
9:33
-0.1
7:07
6:14
3
Sat
3:58
0.6
3:18
1.2
8:11
0.3
10:46
-0.2
7:07
6:14
6:12
4
Sun
5:56
0.5
4:23
1.3
9:02
0.4
11:57
-0.3
7:06
6:15
7:03
6:12
5
Mon
7:24
0.5
5:36
1.4
10:18
0.4
7:06
6:16
7:02
6:13
6
Tue
8:15
0.6
6:43
1.5
1:00
-0.5
11:35A
0.4
7:05
6:16
0.2
7:02
6:14
7
Wed
8:54
0.6
7:44
1.7
1:53
-0.6
12:43
0.3
7:04
6:17
1:09
0.1
7:01
6:14
8
Thu
9:28
0.7
8:40
1.8
2:38
-0.6
1:42
0.1
7:04
6:18
-0.6
2:03
-0.1
7:00
6:15
9
Fri
10:02
0.9
9:34
1.9
3:20
-0.6
2:37
0.0
7:03
6:18
3:00
-0.6
2:56
-0.2
7:00
6:16
10
Sat
10:35
1.0
10:26
1.9
3:59
-0.6
3:31
-0.2
7:03
6:19
2.2
3:44
-0.5
3:49
-0.3
6:59
6:16
11
Sun
11:09
1.2
11:17
1.8
4:37
-0.5
4:25
-0.3
7:02
6:20
2.0
4:26
-0.4
4:43
-0.4
6:58
6:17
12
Mon
11:44
1.3
5:14
-0.3
5:21
-0.3
7:01
6:20
5:09
-0.2
5:40
-0.4
6:58
6:18
13
Tue
12:08
1.5
12:20
1.4
5:50
-0.1
6:20
-0.4
7:01
6:21
2.0
5:53
-0.1
6:39
-0.4
6:57
6:18
14
Wed
1:02
1.3
12:59
1.5
6:27
0.0
7:25
-0.4
7:00
6:22
12:57
1.9
6:39
0.1
7:43
-0.3
6:56
6:19
15
Thu
2:01
1.0
1:43
1.5
7:06
0.1
8:37
-0.3
6:59
6:22
1.2
1:50
1.8
7:31
0.3
8:53
-0.2
6:56
6:20
16
Fri
3:16
0.7
2:36
1.4
7:48
0.2
9:54
-0.3
6:59
6:23
3:18
1.0
2:53
1.7
8:30
0.4
10:06
-0.2
6:55
6:20
17
Sat
5:02
0.5
3:44
1.4
8:41
0.3
11:16
-0.3
6:58
6:23
Sun
4:49
0.9
4:05
1.6
9:37
0.4
11:16
-0.2
6:54
6:21
18
Sun
6:48
0.5
5:06
1.3
9:50
0.4
6:57
6:24
19
Mon
6:10
1.0
5:19
1.6
10:45
0.4
6:53
6:21
19
Mon
7:52
0.5
6:22
1.4
12:34
-0.3
11:09A
0.4
6:56
6:25
20
Tue
7:03
1.0
6:22
1.7
12:17
-0.2
11:46A
0.3
6:53
6:22
20
Tue
8:33
0.6
7:23
1.4
1:35
-0.3
12:20
0.3
6:56
6:25
21
Wed
7:40
1.1
7:13
1.8
1:06
-0.2
12:39
0.2
6:52
6:22
21
Wed
9:04
0.7
8:13
1.5
2:18
-0.3
1:20
0.2
6:55
6:26
22
Thu
8:10
1.2
7:55
1.8
1:46
-0.2
1:26
0.1
6:51
6:23
22
Thu
9:30
0.8
8:55
1.5
2:52
-0.3
2:09
0.1
6:54
6:26
23
Fri
8:37
1.4
8:33
1.9
2:21
-0.2
2:08
0.1
6:50
6:24
23
Fri
9:53
0.9
9:32
1.5
3:21
-0.3
2:52
0.1
6:53
6:27
24
Sat
9:05
1.5
9:09
1.9
2:53
-0.2
2:47
0.0
6:49
6:24
24
Sat
10:16
1.1
10:08
1.5
3:49
-0.2
3:31
0.0
6:52
6:27
25
Sun
9:34
1.6
9:46
1.8
3:23
-0.1
3:25
0.0
6:49
6:25
25
Sun
10:39
1.2
10:42
1.5
4:15
-0.2
4:08
0.0
6:52
6:28
26
Mon
10:04
1.7
10:23
1.8
3:52
0.0
4:02
-0.1
6:48
6:25
26
Mon
11:03
1.3
11:17
1.4
4:41
-0.1
4:44
-0.1
6:51
6:28
27
Tue
10:34
1.7
11:01
1.6
4:21
0.0
4:39
-0.1
6:47
6:26
27
Tue
11:28
1.3
11:53
1.2
5:05
0.0
5:22
-0.1
6:50
6:29
28
Wed
11:04
1.7
11:40
1.5
4:50
0.1
5:17
-0.1
6:46
6:26
28
Wed
11:54
1.3
5:27
0.1
6:03
-0.2
6:49
6:30
29
Thu
11:35
1.7
5:19
0.2
5:59
-0.1
6:45
6:27
29
Thu
12:32
1.0
5:49
0.2
6:49
-0.2
6:48
6:30
1
Moon
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FLORIDA KEYS 13
FINS FOR POLES By: Capt. Tony Young
T
he winter months in the Florida Keys have always been my favorite time to spearfish. We get our best push of wahoo, African Pompano, Yellow Jacks, and all the other bluewater and wreck going fish in large numbers. I’ve seen hundreds of wahoo staged up together and what seems to be thousands of yellow jacks schooling with one another. These memories will never fade and always keep me longing for the winter/spring months of the Florida Keys. However so far this year, we have had some difficult diving conditions. There have been more cold fronts, rain, wind, you name it we are getting it. This all leaves the water dirty and difficult to dive, we have had to improvise daily and many of our spearfishing charters have become fishing trips. Each day I wake up feeling blessed to fish and dive in a place as special as the Florida Keys. Every weather condition is different and while it may not be good for one thing, it will fire off another fishery! With the first few weeks of the new year bringing in dirty water conditions, we transferred our efforts to reef fishing. If the water is too dirty to dive, this is your opportunity to capitalize on some great reef fishing conditions. A friend once told me you now need a PHD in fishing to catch a full-size yellowtail snapper in the Florida Keys, I would agree they can be a smart fish at times. But with a little current, cloudy water, and good fluorocarbon leader, you are in for some great action. These conditions make it easier to catch the larger fish and we usually cap our bag limit at five fish per person, instead of ten. This also allows time in the day to focus on other fish and introduce some new species to out of town anglers. If the seas are rough or the wind is blowing from the North, you need to be ready to catch kingfish. Hooking into a large kingfish on live bait is a fight you will never forget, and you can usually catch them right on the reef when you are yellowtail fishing at. As a diver, I can’t resist the urge to hop in the water after we have been Yellowtail fishing. You will be amazed at the amount of mackerel swimming underneath your boat, all shapes and sizes! Toss a live bait on wire for Kingfish anytime you are on the reef fishing. You can run the bait on kits, a balloon, cast it back, or just let it drift. Do the same on the wrecks and enjoy a great fighting fish that will add some great value to your fish box! When you’re flying kits for sailfish, do not be afraid to run a shot of wire. Sailfish might not like the wire, but it does open you up to catch kingfish, wahoo, and other pelagics with sharp teeth. As winter progresses and spring approaches, we will focus more and more of our efforts on the wrecks. One part of wreck fishing in the cooler months I truly enjoy is not dealing with as many sharks. Hooking a mutton snapper off the bottom still needs to be brought up quickly, but you can relax a bit knowing that there is not an aggregate of sharks sitting below your boat. When wreck fishing in the winter, I always run a small shot of light wire. There are too many wahoo, kingfish, and other mackerel species running through to not try and take advantage. Last year, around this time, I cubed up a few bonita tunas and chummed up a wreck over a long drift. It did not take long until a pack of Wahoo found us. A nearby group of divers also swam over and got a few shots off at the school. Needless to say, putting in the work and being prepared will usually pay off. Although we can’t always predict the weather, you can always take advantage of the shifting conditions. We hope to have a great spring of calm and clear water for diving, however if our current seasonal trends continue then we will enjoy the beautiful top side fishery we have in the Florida Keys. From sailfish, wahoo, kingfish, tuna, to yellowtail snapper; the Florida Keys never lets us down! Tight lines and safe diving!
— Capt. Tony Young can be reached at Forever Young Spearfishing in Islamorada, FL at 305-680-8879
S
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FLORIDA KEYS 15
MEET THE OSPREY,
W
Another Angler of the Feathered Kind
herever you are boating in Florida, you’re likely to see an Osprey. This bird of prey is widespread, found on every continent except Antarctica. While Ospreys in northern North America spend winters in the tropics, many are year-round residents in the Southeast and across Florida. These large, brown-and-white birds are slender with a mostly white neck and belly and a dark stripe extending from the eyes down the sides of the head. Also known as “sea hawk” or “fish eagle,” the Osprey is highly specialized to catch fish in both fresh and saltwater environments. It is the only fish-eating bird of prey that fully submerges itself as it hunts. An Osprey can spot a fish from 30 feet above the water, often hovering to get a good look, plunging to make its catch before hitting the water feet first. It then uses its powerful wings to swim upward to take flight with its catch to a nearby perch. Osprey feet are uniquely adapted for gripping slimy prey, with rough pads and long, curved talons. While hawks and eagles have three toes facing forward and one facing backward, the Osprey has two front toes and two in back
16 FLORIDA KEYS
FEBRUARY 2024
that can rotate sideways as needed to carry large fish. More than 90 percent of the Osprey’s diet is fish. In Florida, their most common catches include mullet and catfish, but they also consume spotted seatrout, jacks, crappie, and more. Ospreys almost always build their nests above water. They use cliffs and trees in most places, but in Florida they increasingly take advantage of artificial structures and nesting platforms. They are especially fond of channel markers, which provide easy access to plenty of fish to feed their young and a safe haven from terrestrial predators. Ospreys were not always so numerous or widespread. The pesticide DDT decimated their population until it was banned in the 1970s, and while they have made a recovery in the last 50 years, they are not completely out of the woods. Because they frequently live near people, they are threatened by collisions with power lines, degraded water quality, and entanglement. Do your part to keep them flying — always remove your misguided tackle from the trees and water and dispose of all trash properly.
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LIVING LIFE BY THE BUOY W
inter fishing is nothing short of an adventure. As the cool temperatures start to creep in, some species come out to play, including the Tripletail. This tough-fighting creature is on many anglers’ bucket lists, and tons of eager fishermen target them daily during the cooler months. If you’re not too familiar with the Tripletail, here’s a little breakdown. They got their name because of the not one, but three tails they have. This is what gives them their reputation, as their tails help them powerfully swim and fight back against predators and fishermen. They spend most of their time floating around near or offshore objects, especially buoys. Targeting Tripletail in the winter is exciting, but it can be hard to navigate, especially for anglers with smaller flats boats. Owning a smaller flats boat, my crew and I will wait for calm conditions before we head out there because in our area, we typically have to head a couple miles out to see some Tripletail. We learned our lesson a long time ago when we tried to go out there in choppy conditions. Let’s just say during the winter, when the water is splashing on you, it is freezing! On a calm day, we ride out for a couple of miles until we start to see a long line of buoys. Our technique is to slowly troll along them to see if we can spot any Tripletail hiding below. Once we get our eyes on a fish, we use our preferred bait of live shrimp, and cast nearby, letting it drift towards them. If there’s an outgoing or incoming tide, the drifting trick works even smoother. As soon as we catch their attention, they aggressively lung at our bait.
18 FLORIDA KEYS
FEBRUARY 2024
By: Caitlyn Gatrell For the smaller ones, the battle is tough but quick. The larger ones of course put up a stronger fight, but you just have to fight strategically, avoiding tangling with objects, and keep the tension balanced. They will give you all they have as they try their best to get away. Sometimes they win, but usually even if they get away, they end up biting again. One time we even had one come back three times! Like other smaller saltwater species, you may get them to the boat, but it can be a challenge getting them in. Tripletail have been known to shake off the hook even at the boat, so don’t celebrate until you get them in! They do have sharp gill plates, so you have to watch your fingers too. If we have one available, we’ll use a net to scoop them up. After snapping a couple photos and getting a measurement on them, we throw them back and get ready to catch the next one. For those of you getting on the water soon, I wish you good luck! And for those who have just learned about Tripletail, I wish you tight lines the next time you try to target one!
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FLORIDA KEYS 19
A Little Love for the LEMON SHARK T
By: Randy Morrow
large fish. In other words, you get plenty of chances to improve your skills. 4. There are plenty of lemons in the 3’ to 4’ range on Keys flats, which is the perfect size for kayak fishing - big enough to be fun, but not so big as to be frightening. he winter months in the Keys can bring a change in the fishing, espe5. With proper tackle, the fish can be de-hooked and safely released. cially when the water temps drop to the low 70s or below. One of the most fun but overlooked sight casting targets on the flats is negaprion My standard spinning rig for these medium-sized lemons is: brevirostris, a/k/a the lemon shark. My standard spinning rig for these medium-sized lemons is: 7’ rod rated 12-20lb Lemons check a lot of boxes for the flats angler: 4500 series reel 1. They are a moving target, but more predictable in their path than many 20lb braided line (minimum 200yds) flats species. Add 4’ of 100lb braid 2. They require an accurate presentation and retrieve for success. Swivel rated for 70lb + 3. Generally, there are good numbers of them on the flats, giving lots of op4” of #7 wire portunities for casting, retrieving, setting the hook, fighting and landing a 4/0 Owner SSW all-purpose bait hook The 100lb braid section is to protect the line from rubbing against the rough skin of the shark, and of course the wire protects against the razor-sharp teeth. The Owner SSW hook, while not a true circle hook, has a hook point that curves back slightly towards the shank, and is slightly offset. These 2 features result in hookups in the corner of the shark’s mouth, making hook removal much easier. The other piece of gear I recommend are LONG handled pliers! For fly fishing, a 10wt rod will get the job done. Flies are simple - a stout 3/0 hook dressed with orange rabbit fur will get their attention. Leaders are also simple - 8’ of 40lb fluorocarbon is fine. And of course, you’ll want a small swivel and about 4” of #7 wire as a bite tippet. One other addition will greatly improve your hookup ratio, though it might get me in trouble with the fly fishing purists. A small piece of fish skin (I like snapper - about 1” x 1/2”) will add scent to your fly without making it clumsy to cast. I’ve found that the fly alone will get their attention and earn you a “follow”, but rarely will the shark commit to it. Add the fish skin and you’ll be nailing 80% of the sharks you cast at. Lemon sharks many times tend to be deliberate - even cautious - about eating offerings from anglers. Make your presentation about 24” in front of the shark in his line of travel and start a slow to medium retrieve. Often the shark will follow it for several feet before committing, so be patient and wait for the pull before setting the hook. And then HANG ON for a flats sleigh ride!
— Randy Morrow, Kayak Fishing Guide | LowerKeysKayakFishing.com randy@lowerkeyskayakfishing.com | 305-923-4643 20 FLORIDA KEYS
FEBRUARY 2024
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FLORIDA KEYS 21
TheNew YEAR! By: Capt. Joel Brandenburg
I
t was a great 2023. The charter business was good, the fish cooperated, and we dodged a few hurricanes yet another year. Tourism seemed to be a little slower than the past Covid years. Hotels, restaurants, and vacation rental owners all seemed to indicate business in the Florida Keys was a little slower in 2023 than the past few years. I attribute this tourism slow down to a few different factors: During the Covid years families who would typically travel to the Bahama’s or South or Central America or even Europe and Asia to visit sand, sun and crystal clear water didn’t want to get stuck outside of the US for days or weeks waiting for a Covid quarantine to finalize if someone in the group caught Covid while on vacation. Rather than risk being stuck in a 3rd world country away from work and family they chose to vacation as far south as possible in the USA, still enjoying the sand, sun, and crystal-clear water by vacationing in the beautiful Florida Keys. So we got many new visitors who’d never experienced the Florida Keys before. Now that we are practically past Covid, and the travel restrictions and quarantines have been lifted, many people are traveling outside of the US again for their holiday vacations. I think other factors have been a poor economy, and all the wars going on in the world. A poor economy and war make people save their money and travel less. Unfortunately, all of these factors still exist as we enter into 2024, but hopefully they’ll get better instead of worse. On a more positive note, most of those people during the Covid years who traveled to the Florida Keys for the first time, got a taste of our paradise, and will return and become repeat clients and bring others down here with them. I think the most fortunate thing about living and working in the Florida Keys is that there’s no place like it in the world. Our islands and waters are so unique. We have so many cool places to explore, and so many hidden treasures to be found. Not to mention we’re in the epicenter of the fishing and diving capital of the world. The Florida Keys also has the best group of captains in the world. I tip my cap to my fellow captains. We have Captains in the Florida Keys that are so good at catching mutton snapper for example. We have others that have kite fishing for billfish and other pelagic fish down to a science. Some are deep drop magicians and land swordfish weekly. There are other captains who have perfected the art of free diving to spearfish for Wahoo. Our local commercial Captains, who make the Florida Keys, the spiny lobster and stone crab capital of the world are some of the hardest working Captains around. The commercial Captains Who bring in thousands of pounds of Yellowtail and kingfish each year amaze me as well. Each of these captains have their own specialties, but one thing us Florida Keys captains all 22 FLORIDA KEYS
FEBRUARY 2024
seem to have in common is respect for each other, and the environment that we thrive in. Some may laugh when they read that I mentioned about captains having respect for each other, because those who know, know that captains are like feral cats and that sport fishing and commercial fishing is an individual sport, not a team sport and yes we still have the “bloods and the crips”(Captain clans), but if another captain is in danger or in serious need we all come running to help down here. Here’s my New Year’s fishing resolutions: • Use heavier pound test line in murky or less clear water than usual. • Use heavier lead and longer leader while drift fishing for mutton snapper. • Use braided line rather than mono for grouper trolling. • Get better at catching Goggle eyes at night • Get better at keeping bait alive at the dock • Start kite fishing with multiple kites rather than just one • Improve on deep dropping, amber jack fishing and African Pompano fishing and swordfishing. • Rig my own deep drop rigs rather than spending a fortune on inferior rigs. • Perfect the art of trolling with planners. • Catch more wahoo on Bonita and other live baits rather than high speed trolling for them most of the time. A fishing captain can spend his or her entire life fishing every day in the Florida Keys and still not learn half of everything there is to know. All you can do is try to improve each day and remember that no matter how much experience you have there’s always room for improvement and you never stop learning and trying new things. One thing I love about what I do is that every day is different. Team Ana Banana Fishing Charters want to wish all of our friends, family, clients and supporters a happy and healthy new year!! — 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 Smoker Nice Amberjack caught with Captain Ben Zdan of BenOfishal Sportfishing
up his , holding e Main y r e v A s h ye nT ngler, Ha ishing o Junior a tail snapper f . w n o Attractio flag yell
Joni Vondrak with a sn owy grouper on a deep drop trip.
Danny with a nice
kingfish
going in
the box
on Main
One!
Josh caugh t and re in 50 feet of leased this blue parr otfish water off Ke y Largo.
mahi.
If you have a catch to brag about send your picture and caption to: flkeys@coastalanglermagazine.com
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Fish Methodically When the Bite Slows PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®.
By Capt. Michael Okruhlik
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recently had a stretch of tough fishing days that called for a thorough covering of a cove to find what I was looking for. Over the next few paragraphs, I’ll cover what changes I made that saved the day, and I think you will see the logic in my decision and possibly implement this method when you find yourself in a slow-bite situation. Keep in mind, I typically don’t have the patience to utilize this approach, as it is very methodical, leaving no stone unturned, so to speak, but it can and did pay off. During a normal wade, I only target the sweet zones, but when they are not there or not feeding, I map out a deliberate path where I cover every inch of the area, twice. Depending on whether I start from the shore or from offshore via a boat or kayak, I will choose a direction to wade. For this example, let’s say I walked in and started from the bank. I will slowly walk out to the maximum depth I want to fish casting to my right, left and straight ahead. I vary my retrieve speed, depth and action throughout until I find what the fish are looking for. Once I reach the farthest point I want to cover, I make a 90-degree turn and walk about the distance of a long cast as I continue casting right, left, and straight ahead. Once I reach that point, I turn another 90 degrees and head back toward the shore repeating the same casting process. One direction will be covering the same water I just fished but from a different angle. At times, this can make a difference and entice the bite, depending on how they are staged on the structure or the direction they are swimming through the area. Once my cast has reached the shore, I may decide to change lure size or type. Once again, I turn 90 degrees and repeat the process. During a tough bite, you need to pull out all the stops. This is not the time to be stuck in a rut of what typically works or what your favorite fishing style may be. It’s important to change your retrieve style and speed. Don’t let a slow bite convince you that inactive fish will only eat a slowly presented lure. Many times, a faster erratic retrieve is what gets them to strike. Cover the gamut and see what works. I rarely use this method, as it is tedious. However, if I have high confidence in the area and the fish are inactive or possibly deeper or shallower than I anticipated, working methodically has paid off, and I learn something new each time it does. Take a kid, and even a tough day of catching will still be a good day of fishing.
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TIPS FROM A PRO
FISH TOPWATER TO LOCATE SPAWNERS
Shallow flats adjacent to deeper water are preferred spawning grounds, and a topwater is one of my favorite ways to cover water and locate productive areas. Whether it be a frog, walking bait, prop bait or buzzbait doesn’t matter. Pick your confidence lure and chuck it around to see if you can get some bites. Typically, a bass on a bed will show itself TYLER WOOLCOTT to some form of topwater, even if it doesn’t actually eat it. They might eat it, or they might just wake behind it or swirl on it. Curiosity and his time of year, in some parts of the country and especially in the South, bass are about to start transitioning to protectiveness of the area typically gets the best of them this time of year, and a topwater is an awesome way to move up on beds and spawn. cover a lot of water to find productive Whether you’re fishing from shore in areas. a pond or by boat in a big lake, this Once you’ve located some fish, time of year is prime time for making slow down with something like a memories because the biggest fish wacky worm to pick up some of the in the lake become more visible and other fish in the area. Typically, bass more vulnerable to anglers. prefer to spawn next to some sort As the bass spawn rolls northward of cover or structure, so keep this with warming temperatures over the in mind. They will use grass, trees, next few months, keep the following docks, rocks, sand, or pretty much tips in mind. For the most part, I do anything hard to make a bed for their the same things, whether I’m fishing eggs. Find a shallow area with plenty for big Southern largemouths or of objects you can cast to, and there’s smallmouths up north. In a nutshell, a good chance bass will be around it I’ll fish through areas fairly quickly in some stage of the spawn. until I find some aggressive fish and The biggest bass I’ve ever caught then slow down and pick them apart was during the spawn in 2013. It with something slower. This is when weighed 13 pounds, 1 ounce and is I can also look for beds with my eyes pictured here. Get out there and find to sight fish. some big egg-laden females over the The spawn is triggered by a few key factors. Major moon phases, whether it be a full moon or a new next few months, and there’s decent chance you’ll get to take a photo moon, along with a general warming weather trend are the triggers for with your new personal best. bass to move up and start their spawn. Staying on top of these factors will Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide. tell you when fish are likely to be moving shallow at your lake. Then you Check out his website at www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com. can go find them and put them in the boat.
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“We can mix and match consoles, fish boxes, full transoms, cut transoms, bare hulls… you name it,” Grubbs said. “There are some recreational guys adding towers and sight fishing for cobia, and such. Everything we do is built around keep it simple, keep it efficient, keep it easy to maintain, keep it cost effective to own and operate. They are all unique… no cookie cutter trailer queens here. The 25 is a great example of what C-Hawk is.”
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BLITZING BASS INVADE
EARLY SEASON ESTUARIES By Nick Carter
S
triped bass are king along the crags and marshes of the Massachusetts North Shore, and each year around the first week of May something very interesting takes place. They call it the early season in this stretch of coastline north of Boston, and it can bring on some of the fastest action of the year. All the baitfish—the herring, the sand eels, the silversides and bunker— push into the estuaries in search of warmer water temperatures. Big schools of striped bass move in with them. It leads to classic bass blitzes, when pods of stripers push bait up to boil on the surface as birds hammer them from above.
You can bet Matt Zimmerman, owner of Back Eddy Charters out of Beverly, Mass., will be there in the middle of the melee standing in the water waving a stick in the air. “I fly fish pretty much everywhere for everything, but it’s better early season,” he said. “You can use a slower presentation, mimic smaller baits, and cover the water column a lot better with a fly.” Historically, the pattern produced 40-fish days of smaller 14- to 26-inch stripers, known as “schoolies.” However, recent years have seen an uptick in larger 26- to 30-inch fish in the early season. “That’s great for fishing, but it’s not a great sign for the fishery,” Zimmerman said. If you haven’t heard, fisheries managers are scrambling to prop up Atlantic striper populations. Since 2019, striper reproduction on the Eastern Seaboard has been dismal due to weather conditions. Emergency action reduced the recreational limit to one fish in a slot limit from 28 to 31 inches, and more restrictive measures may be on the horizon. “The regs? I’m all catch and release, so it hasn’t impacted me too much,” Zimmerman said. “They’re trying to get the stocks up, but most of what we’re seeing is slot fish and up.” That’s not necessarily the case in the early season, which Zimmerman said is a time when you can just park the truck and wade in. “Most of the time I fish from a boat,” he said. “But early season, when there’s lots of fish in the river, it’s easier and you can catch more fish wading from shore.” Zimmerman fishes 5- to 8-weight rods and leaders of straight 20- or 30-pound monofilament. Intermediate sinking lines allow for good depth control, and a handful of Clousers and Deceivers are all you need. Zimmerman suggested 4- to 6-inch patterns and colors of green/white, yellow/white and gray/white. The fishing is best on the last three hours of an outgoing tide or the first couple hours of an incoming tide, when the bait moves around and incites feeding activity. This river bite is Zimmerman’s go-to pattern for about a month, after which he’ll move out to the beaches and rocky islands, where huge stripers herd bait and slam 6- to 8-inch Hollow Fleyes. Find Matt Zimmerman on Instagram @backeddycharters.
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arly in my career, I fished out of Venice, Louisiana. On off days, we fished inshore and roadside, which produced incredible catches like bull reds, 100-pound alligator gar and 70-pound blue cats. It was nothing to complain about, but my heart is always offshore. The offshore fishing off Venice is topnotch for yellowfin tuna, wahoo, marlin and swordfish, but the gas bill was too much for me to get out there as anything but crew. One evening, I was invited on an offshore trip and was told I got to plan the route. I ecstatically hit my Hilton’s offshore report to check the salinity chart and decided to hit an overlooked rig called Moxie. We headed out the next morning, caught bait and arrived at the rig. This rig sits in shallower waters and is a bit off the path for rig hopping, so it is often passed by. I was surprised to see another boat when we arrived. The bottom machine lit up with giant marks, and we tossed out our baits. I was running the deck and focused on the back of the boat, but I kept hearing the captain comment on the other boat. It seemed like they were diving, but they didn’t have a dive flag up. I heard him say the boat looked to be sitting
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low in the water. All of a sudden, Capt. Travis Mayeux started screaming, “LINES IN, LINES IN!” I was reeling everything up as quickly as I could when he pushed the boat to full throttle. I wasn’t sure what was going on until I had the lines secured and I turned around. The motors of the other boat had gone under, and the bow reached for the sky before slipping away. The boat sank in seconds. By the time we got to the scene, most of the flotsam had been carried away by the currents. We rescued the spearfishermen, one Pelican case and a fish bag. We ended our trip and took the spearfishers back to the dock. Their wallets and keys sank offshore, so they called Plaquemines Parish Sheriff ’s Office to get into their truck. The deputy ran their names, and one of them had an outstanding warrant. He was taken to jail for the weekend. It was a rough day for those guys, but it could have been much worse. Fishing offshore oil rigs provides a false sense of security. You are still very much offshore even though you are near a structure. The crew on those rigs are not lifeguards and are not paying attention to you. Considering how quickly the debris dispersed and how unfished that rig was, those fellas were very lucky we were there that day. Capt. Quinlyn Haddon guides with Sweet E’nuf Charters, out of Marathon, Florida Keys. Contact her at (504) 920-6342, captainquinlyn.com or @captainquinlyn.
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ON AMERICA’S HOTTEST BIG BASS LAKE By Nick Carter
I
f a truly giant largemouth bass is on your bucket list, make plans to visit O.H. Ivie Lake in Texas over the next few months. Last year, this 19,000acre impoundment of the Colorado River burst onto the scene as the hottest big bass lake in the nation. A string of 17 monster largemouths from January through April kept O.H. Ivie in the headlines, and 10 of them were caught in February. And when we say monster, we’re not talking about 8- to 10-pounders, we’re talking about 13-plus-pound behemoths. According to data from Toyota ShareLunker, Texas’ trophy bass recognition and breeding program, February is the time to catch a giant at this central Texas reservoir. Bass are at their heaviest and most aggressive ahead of the spawn, when they are fat, feeding and full of eggs. Last February’s incredible streak was highlighted by an enormous 17.03-pounder that is the lake record and the eighth largest bass ever caught in Texas. Jason Conn caught it on Feb. 13, 2023, and he said the fish was even heavier before it started regurgitating shad in his livewell. Moving into March and April last year, the trophy bass statistics were still pretty amazing—with 34 fish heavier than 8 pounds—but the giant fish tapered off. Five 13-plus-pounders were caught during those two months, and then no one registered another one until November, when Shawn Strength caught a 16.65-pound monster. The totals for 2023 were 75 fish heavier than 8 pounds and 18 heavier than 13 pounds. The true total is potentially much more impressive, because these statistics include only the fish anglers bothered to register with ShareLunker. So, why has the productivity of O.H. Ivie largemouth bass fishing exploded
over the last three or four years? According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, intensive stocking of bass with Florida-strain genetics is the secret ingredient. Florida strain genetics produce larger, faster-growing fish than the native-northern strain genetics in the system. Part of the mission of the ShareLunker program is to breed trophy fish, and they do this by using 13-plus-pounders caught by anglers in their breeding program. It is estimated 75 to 85 percent of the bass in O.H. Ivie possess those Florida genetics. On top of that, weather played a role in the lake’s rise. Following a prolonged drought, heavy rain in the fall of 2018 raised water levels by more than 30 feet. “It gave these bass pretty much unlimited food and space to grow,” said a ShareLunker representative, “and they just grew like crazy.” Stay tuned. It’ll be interesting to see what America’s hottest big bass lake produces over the next four months, especially with all the added angler attention that comes with a bright hot spotlight.
The Return of a
See more on last year’s incredible fishing at O.H. Ivie at coastalanglermag.com.
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