Coastal Angler Magazine | August 2022 | Lakeland & Sumter Edition

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FOLLOW THE BAIT FOR NEARSHORE WAHOO

T

Tim Barefoot

his is the time of year when water temperatures allow pelagics like wahoo, dolphin and tuna to show up right on the beach… so to speak. I live in North Carolina, and every year there are stud wahoo caught “right on the beach.” Here “right on the beach” is the 20to 25-mile area off the beach.

For some folks in Florida, “right on the beach” might be that first sea buoy right out of the inlet.

In late summer, we have a monolithic water temperature from the Gulf Stream to the beach in the mid 80s. That allows wahoo to follow huge schools of bait wherever they go. This is what we call the beginning of the end… the end of summer. The cigar minnows and sardines come nearshore, and the wahoo follow them as far in as they are comfortable with the water depth, which is usually not much less than 75 or 80 feet. They will eat whatever they want, including live menhaden or cigs pulled around by king mackerel fishermen.

We call it the beginning to the end of summer, but it’s also the beginning of a wonderful time of year for me… fall and winter. The cigs and sardines come in. The pelagics follow them for a month or so

until the water starts to cool in mid September. Then the magic happens.

When cooling water runs off the wahoo, the gags show up in numbers.

It’s all a very beautiful dance. Let’s enjoy every step along the way.

I keep talking about the nearshore activity of the cigs and sardines, but the offshore schools are also getting bigger now, and this draws the attention of everything from pelagics to bottom fish. All the grouper and big snappers shadow these schools wherever they go. This is why it’s so important to “find the bait.” Cigs and sardines are not the only thing I’m looking for offshore. I like to find a big stack of beeliners. Wherever you find a big stack of beeliners, you can bet your bottom dollar there are grouper and big snapper directly under them and wahoo and kings around them.

August is also a month to consider spending the night offshore. Yes, there are late afternoon thunderstorms that pop up, but overall weather patterns are consistent, and you can fish for days, back to back. Leave in the early afternoon, get where you are going and get acclimated to the setting sun. Anchor up on a pretty piece of bottom and bait, and turn on the lights.

This is a “National Geographic moment.” The minnows and squid come to the light, so you can easily load up the livewell before the daylight bite starts.

I will close with this: We lost a fishing pioneer and legend last month with Mark Sosin’s passing. Our thoughts, prayers and celebrations go out to his family.

See more from Tim Barefoot at barefootcatsandtackle.com.

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LIVE BAIT AND ARTIFICIAL TACTICS FOR

J

upiter, Fla. is a worldrenowned fishery. In the summertime it’s known for hot inshore snook. Offshore produces an epic sailfish, kingfish, tuna and pelagic bite. There are always fish willing to eat.

One of my favorite bites is for springtime blackfin tuna.

From March through May, jumbo blackfins migrate down the east coast of Florida. It is not uncommon to catch them anywhere from 20 to 35 pounds. From their deliciousness on the table to their long powerful runs, blackfin tuna are one of my favorite offshore fish to target. They are sure to send you to the tackle shop to get your reels serviced after a productive day of fishing.

Blackfin tuna are excellent hunters. Often, they work together to ambush schools of baitfish. They are equipped with massive eyeballs, which are designed for pitch black and low-light conditions. They spend a majority of their time down deep feeding on squid. However, at dawn and dusk, the tunas move higher in the water column to feed near the surface. Be on the lookout for frigates and disturbance on the water’s surface. It’s not uncommon to see them exploding and flying out of the water on a bait ball. I keep an easily accessible casting rod, with a plug or weighted feather jig tied on, for this scenario or in case a school of mahi shows up.

Blackfin tuna will often hold to areas with bottom topography like humps, reefs and wrecks. You can find success drifting over areas like these with live bait. Live sardines, pilchards, threadfins and gogs will all work. I prefer live sardines. For me, they have been the most productive bait.

Chumming is important to bring blackfins higher in the water column. Chunk up pilchards and throw a few pieces out at the bow, mid and stern every couple of minutes. The best chum is live chum. Small- to medium-sized pilchards are your best bet.

I throat-hook a sardine and send it out on a free line. The bait will swim down on its own, and you should keep some tension on it. I also drop a live bait on a down rod and wait for the bite as I drift along.

Blackfins’ excellent eyesight means they can be leader shy, so I often run a 40- to 50-pound fluorocarbon leader, but will go as light as 30 pounds. A triplehook rig for freelining or a single 4/0 or 5/0 circle hook depending

By Ryan Izquierdo on the size of the bait is my hook preference.

You can also catch them kite fishing, trolling feathers/spoons, with ballyhoo rigs, cedar plugs, planer fishing, vertical jigging and slow-pitch.

Second to live bait, slow-pitch jigging is a fun and effective way to catch tunas when the hot mid-day sun pushes them down deep. My go to jig is a Jyg Pro 240 Gram strike jig. I like to jig anywhere from 200 to 350 feet. Send it down to the bottom over active areas and work your rod up high and let the jig flutter back down. You can change the pace and tempo of your jigging until you find what works. Don’t be surprised to get hit as you are burning the jig back to the surface.

I hope these tuna tips bring you success and dinner to share with your close friends and family. Keep on fishing!

Check out Ryan Izquierdo’s adventures on his YouTube channel: Ryan Iz Fishing.

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

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FREEDIVER SPEARS WORLD RECORD CUBERA SNAPPER A massive 137-pound Atlantic cubera snapper speared by a Texas freediver in early June was heavier than the existing IGFA all-tackle world record as well as the Texas state record. It will not, however, qualify for either record because of the method used to catch it.

Who cares?

The diver, Braden Sherron, a student at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, can rest assured that his monster cubera is one of the largest of its species ever caught by any method. It will likely be the new International Underwater Spearfishing Association’s world record. If approved, it will replace a 122.4-pound fish shot in 2006 off the coast of Brazil.

According to a Field & Stream story on the catch, Sherron first encountered the giant snapper while freediving a Gulf of Mexico oil rig about 60 miles out of Port Aransas, Texas. He did not take his shot at the time because he was not equipped to handle such a large fish. A week later, on June 3, he returned to the rig with heavier gear, dove to about 55 feet and put a dart into the fish. Luckily, the cubera wrapped the trailing line up in the oil rig, which kept the fish from diving. While the fish fought itself, Sherron returned to the surface to wait 10 minutes before diving down to secure

By CAM Staff

his prize with two more shots.

When Sherron brought his fish back to the scales at Fisherman’s Wharf in Port Aransas, it began making the rounds on social media almost immediately. It truly is an enormous fish, which outweighs the existing IGFA record—a 2007 Louisiana fish that weighed 124 pounds, 12 ounces—by more than 10 pounds. Sherron’s fish also outweighs the Texas state rod-and-reel record of 131 pounds. The only larger cubera snapper research was able to turn up was a 151-pound monster that’s listed as an “other methods” catch by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. That fish, caught by handline out of Port Mansfiled in 1984, weighed 151 pounds.

The thing is, none of these other anglers were holding their breath when they caught their fish.

Sherron’s catch is absolutely one for the record books.

“I would equate it to shooting a 200-plusinch whitetail deer on public land,” he told Field & Stream. “It’s one of those things that happens once in a lifetime, and you can’t believe it when it does.”

Check out video of Braden Sherron’s spearfishing on his Youtube channel: https://bit.ly/3yKm8EP

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August is the Best Month for

GIANT SNOOK

By Emily Rose Hanzlik

A

ugust offers the best chance for anglers to catch a 40-inch-plus snook in Florida waters. With a majority of snook returning from offshore spawning grounds, the big girls will feed up to recover from the rigors of the spawn.

Right now is a good time to catch them.

Snook are widespread, but their range is limited by temperature intolerance. They are found throughout the Caribbean on the Atlantic and Pacific sides, including most of Florida.

Due to their limited cold tolerance, Snook avoid temperatures below 60 degrees.

There are 12 species of snook that can be found in just about any body of water within their range.

Snook can be caught all year long. In winter they prefer shallow flats and deep holes in bay areas. As water temperatures rise, they move out to offshore structure to spawn.

When snook are not spawning, they move inshore and travel upstream. Since snook are euryhaline, meaning they can live in a wide range of salinity, they travel upstream into brackish and freshwater areas. Snook have a special osmoregulation feature that allows them

to control the water content inside their bodies to maintain the same salinity as the outside water.

Snook spawning takes place between April and October with peak around June and July. During this time, females and males move into higher salinity locations where they broadcast spawn with the females releasing eggs into the water column and the males fertilizing them. One female snook can release up to 1.5 million eggs each spawn. All of the hatchlings are born as males and transition to females when they reach between 12 and 35 inches in length. They are protandrous hermaphrodites, meaning the males change to females as they age.

Some of the best places to locate big girls in large numbers this time of year are at the mouths of inlets, bridges and piers. Heavier tackle is preferred, since you will most likely be fishing heavy structure. Some of the best baits for really big fish include croaker, mojarra, snapper, needlefish and southern sennet.

It is best practice, if you do land a big fish, to release the fish safely back into the water using a

SU

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The largest IGFA-recorded common snook weighed 53 pounds, 10 ounces. It was caught from Costa Rica.

Emily Rose Hanzlik holds 51 IGFA world records in various categories. She hails from West Palm Beach, where she has a part time Bowfin Guide Service as well as fishing classes for Jr. Anglers. Find her on Social Media @emilyhanzlikoutdoors.

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Florida Overhauls Redfish Regs

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• Prohibit captain and crew from retaining a bag limit of redfish when on a for-hire trip.

• Reduce the off-the-water transport limit from six to four fish per person.

• Reduce the vessel limit in each of the management regions to be: »» Panhandle, Big Bend, Northeast: four fish. »» Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Southwest, Southeast: two fish. »» Allow only catch-and-release fishing for redfish in the Indian River Lagoon region. »» Set the bag limit to one fish in the Panhandle, Big Bend, Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Southwest, Southeast and Northeast regions.

“With this new forward-thinking management approach, we’re trying to do what’s best for this fishery. This agency is committed to working proactively to conserve the redfish

fishery in Florida for future generations while balancing stakeholder interests,” said FWC Commissioner Steven Hudson.

The changes to redfish management regions and regulations, as part of FWC’s new management approach, will better capture regional differences and improve angler satisfaction. The new management approach includes annual reviews of the redfish fishery For more information, including the July 2022 Commission and redfish regulations may be changed each meeting presentation, visit MyFWC.com/Commission year in response to the reviews. and click on “Commission Meetings.”

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f you are in the market for a new flats boat, the 2022 Hydrastepp 18’ might just be the boat you’re looking for.

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a pair of 9” Simrad flush-mounted monitors for fish-finder/ GPS and supports all the normal gauges: tachometer, waterpressure, temperature, gas and speed by GPS. They are all linked to the motor and fuel system, which is very cool! A 29-gallon gas tank allows this boat to make long runs thanks to the super high-efficiency hull design.

On a recent test ride of the new 2022 demo model Hydrastepp 18’, the boat was equipped with a 150 hp Mercury Pro XS, a 30” pitch Mercury 4 blade prop, three-quarters of a tank of gas, a Motorguide 24 volt trolling motor, 50 pounds of gear in the front compartment, three batteries and two adults. The boat’s performance was outstanding! It gets on a plane in 2.5 seconds with little effort. Top speed with load is 65 mph at 5,800 rpm, while getting 5 miles per gallon. Fuel consumption at 30 mph and 3,050 rpm was 7 miles to the gallon (best), allowing over 200 miles to the tank! To say this vessel is super-efficient is an understatement.

I’ve ridden in just about every flats boat on the market. This Hydrastepp 18’ outperforms all of them by far. If you are in the market for a flats boat, give Steve a call to schedule a test ride for yourself, and place your order for the new face of flats boats! Tell them that you read about them in Coastal Angler Magazine!

Phil Wolf is co-publisher of the Orlando edition of Coastal Angler Magazine. Check out HydraStepp boats at hydrastepp.com.

Are you looking for a little stability in your life right now?

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Call us at 407-718-6695

www.HYDRASTEPP.com 12 FLORIDA

AUGUST 2022

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AUGUST 2022

POLK & SUMTER 1

“RED” HOT FISHING

A

ugust ushers in a few good things in regards to the fishing and on the water scene.

Scallop season is at mid point in August with it ending on September 25. You still have plenty of time, so if interested give me a holler to set up a date for some good family fun. The harvesting of the bi-valve mollusks has been good and should continue until its closure. Besides getting good limits, we’re also collecting some nice quality size ones this year.

The trout fishing along the Nature Coast is good in August if you especially get out early. The water temps are holding in the high 80’s and low 90’s which can have a lethargic effect on these fish. You’ll have the best luck playing the “dawn patrol”, because that’s the coolest part of the whole day and the trout are more apt to come out and cooperate.

Get in the shallow, 2’-5’ grass flats, (far away from all the scallopers) to set up your drift and you should be fine.

First thing out of the gate if the floating grass isn’t too bad, utilize your favorite topwater plugs like skitterwalks, top dogs, zara-spooks, or chug bugs.

If the grass is bad, or later on in the morning switch to your jigs, pinfish or shrimp under Cajun-thunder popping corks.

However, the big picture this month is the redfishing! Peak spawn is usually the new moon of August. They school up thicker and the big boys come in from offshore. It should continue to be good into the Fall as long as the water doesn’t get below around 80 degrees. The reds aren’t affected as much with the hot water temps as some other species.

Be tossing your spoons, weedless jerkbaits, and topwaters at cuts, passes, and points in and around the many mangrove islands that dot the coast.

Captain Rick Burns can be contacted at 352-201-6111 • www.reelburns.com

KISSIMMEE CHAIN FISHING FORECOAST

M

any changes are in store for the next few months at best these changes are going to present a number of challenges to local anglers. At last our State and Federal agencies have seen fit to stop sending the Kissimmee Chain water south. Lake levels are on the rise at last.

Lake Rosalie and Lake Walk in Water are at normal pool. The rest of the Chain will rise at a much slower rate. As water levels rise, expect the shad and the bream to move closer to the shoreline cover. For Bass casting a fluke or a toad into the Kissimmee grass or standard pads should produce some explosive strikes. Shallow diving shad, colored crank baits casted into the cuts and along the grass peaks should produce arm jerking results. Running water is always good this time of year for big Bass. Casting lipless or shallow diving crankbaits in the early morning and the creek mouths can be an eye opening experience. As the creek water can be as much as 15 degrees cooler than the lake temperature, dead sticking a senko or working a top'r in the shaded outside bends of the creeks will really trick the trigger of the creek bass. The cooler running water gives these creek bass a really nasty disposition. Beware of the water moccasin and yellow clides in these creeks, they also have a nasty dispoistion. Changes in the Kissimmee River are also forthcoming. Water levels should slowlyy start to fall over the next few months. Look for the Bass and Bream to leave the backwater floughs and move into the main channels.

Flipping a crawl or deadsticking a senko in the past in the main channel is always good. Adjust the color of your bait to the clarity of the water. Darker colors for cloudy water and lighter colors for clear water. June bug and green pumpkin are always great choices when water clarity is borderline. Shallow diving crankbaits and topwater hard baits are good choices beyond the second lock. The Winter Haven Chain has been really good this year for Bass fishing.

Flipping a 1/2oz. blackblue jig and a crawl in the Kissimmee grass will produce numbers and size. Casting a frog or senko into the flatpads won't produce a lot of bites but when you get one you better be ready!

Submitted By: Captain Dave Ochs Kissimmee Chain Fishing (863) 241-1831 • Back Water Fishing Kissimmee • Lake Wales 2 POLK & SUMTER

AUGUST 2022

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50 Homosassa Area 1-Capt. Rick Burns 352-201-6111 8975 W. Halls River Rd • Homosassa, FL 34448 www.RealBurns.com Lake Panasoffkee 2- Pana Vista Lodge 352-793-2061 3417 Co Rd 421• Lake Panasoffkee, FL 33538 www.panavistalodge.com 3- Catfish Johnnys 863-793-2083 2396 N County Rd 470 • Lake Panasoffkee, FL 33538 www.CatfishJohnnyRestaurant.com 4- Big Bass Grill Lakefront Restaurant and Marina 352-793-8150 965 Co Rd 439 • Lake Panasoffkee, FL 33538 www.bigbassgrill.com Bushnell Area 5- Sumter Realty 352-793-3202 239 N Main St • Bushnell FL 33513 Agent Evan Merritt

6- Canada Meds 352-569-1484 512 N Main St • Bushnell, FL 33513-5112 7- ParGas 352-793-1982 1452 W C 48, Bushnell, FL 33513 www.pargas.com 8- Papaw’s Country Store 352-793-1080 8271 W C-48 • Bushnell, Fl 33513 Deli, Groceries, Beer, Live Bait, Tackle, LP Gas Follow us on Facebook Webster Area 9- Scenic Sumter Heritage Byway, Inc. 352-267-8801 P.O. Box 6 • Webster, FL 33597 www.sumterbyway.com/ sumterbyway@gmail.com 10- Webster Hardware & Farm Supply Ace 352-793-4831 120 N. Market Blvd. • Webster, FL 33597 www.WebsterFarmSupply.com

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POLK & SUMTER 5

Lakeland Area 1- Big Fish Bait & Tackle 863-815-9492 6908 US Hwy 98 North• Lakeland FL 33809 Lakeland Area wwww.CentralFloridaAngling.com 1- Big Fish Bait & Tackle 863-815-9492

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6908 US2-Champs Hwy 98 North • Lakeland FL 33809 Sports Grill 863-647-5900 wwww.CentralFloridaAngling.com 6645 S. Florida Ave• Lakeland, FL 33813

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3-Phillips Bait & Tackle 863-666-2248 4-Phillips Bait & Tackle 863-666-2248 3780 US-92 • Lakeland, FL 33801 3780 US-92• Lakeland, FL 33801 www.CentralFloridaTrollingMotor.com

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4-Stone’s Bait & Tackle 863-940-4898 5-Stone's Bait & Tackle 863-940-4898 2049 E 2049 Edgewood Drive • Lakeland, FL 33803 E Edgewood Drive• Lakeland, FL 33803

20. Sw 326 FL

5-North Lakeland Outfitters 863-608-1513 6-North Lakeland Outdoors 863-608-1513 848 W Daughtery Road •Road Lakeland, FL 33389 848 W Daughtery • Lakeland, FL 33389

21- Br 2131 F www.fi LA

Winter Haven Area Auburndale Area 6. Caribbean Bait & Tackle 863-292-9755 7- Action Watersports 863-967-4148 1004 N402 Lake Howard Winter Haven, FL 33880 Progress RdDr, • Auburndale, FL 33823

22- Cap Lake W

www.ActionWatersports.net

CENTRAL FLORIDA REGION FORECAST

I

n case you may not have gotten the news flash about the weather here in Central Florida, it’s a little warm! Thankfully, the early morning bass fishing bite is equally as hot. We’re into the rainy season so for now that is keeping the lakes from boiling and getting too hot.

It is simply a matter of getting out early and “listening” to the fish. I’d like to remind our readers that we have early-bird 2.5 hour trips at a discounted rate for rips on both out of Camp Mack and in Winter Haven. This allows people to get out and enjoy the incredible bass fishing that we are world famous for and still get back to the hotel or condo mid-morning and make it to the parks, beaches, or anything else the family wants to do for the rest of the day.

Starting with the Winter Haven South Chain and many of the smaller lakes around town our approach each day depends upon the moon phase and nighttime weather conditions. A new moon and/or cloudy skies equal an excellent early morning topwater bite and conversely a clear full moon means fishing deeper and slower. For either situation you’ll rarely find me fishing shallower than 10’-12’ on most lakes and many times I’ll be out in 20’-30’ throwing a Pop-R. Having a handful of baits to cover all your bases is easy and you don’t need 38 rods on the deck to accomplish this feat. If you have a Pop-R, fluke, 3”-4” 1/4oz swimbait or grub (does anyone besides me fish these anymore?!), and a deep diving jerkbait or crankbait you’re all set for ac-tion. I always prefer natural lighter colors in the spring-fed lakes with good visibility, whites/ pearls, watermelon reds, smoke, and I carry char-treuse for an overcast lowlight morning. You can look at the solunar cal-endars but you’ll know what the fish are doing just looking out from the ramp when you launch.

Moving over to Guy Harvey Outpost’s Camp Mack on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes we’re facing a whole different world. Out here in Olde World Florida I like starting offshore over scattered shell beds with hydrilla or eel grass nearby. Ninety-nine percent of the time I’m starting with top-water but carry a couple totally different options. I have a bigger black & gold Spook and a regular white Pop-R and will mix it up until I know the fish are chasing shad or shiners, and sometimes it’s a mix and both work equally well. Get your black & blue flipping baits ready for the pads and grass once the sun gets up higher after 0930-1000.

Capt. Scotty Taylor 855-FL-GUIDE (855-354-8433) TMCGuideService.com Capt. Scott is the Senior Pro Guide at Camp Mack, a Guy Harvey Marina, Lodge, and RV Resort and is the Official Guide for VisitCentralFlorida.org

6 POLK & SUMTER

AUGUST 2022

7-Capt. Scott Taylor 855-354-8433 Adventures 863-559-4480 Official 8-Overdue Guide for VisitCentralFlorida.org & Camp Mack’s River Resort Auburndale, FL 33823 Scott@TMCGuideService.com WinterInc. Haven Area 8-Hillman Motors 863-967-4628 9. Caribbean Bait & •Tackle 863-292-9755 2701 Havendale Blvd.

NW Winter Haven FL 33881 1004 N Lake Howard Dr, Winter Haven, FL 33880 www.hillmanmotors.net 10-Capt.

Scott Taylor 855-354-8433 9- Marine Supply of Winter Haven 863-297-7003 Official Guide for VisitCentralFlorida.org & Camp Mack's River Resort 1700 3rd St SW • Winter Haven, FL 33880 Scott@TMCGuideService.com www.MarineSupplyBoats.com

23- G 15520 www.G

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25. M 2035 S www.m

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10- Millers 2701Fiberglass Havendale 863-551-1551 Blvd. NW• Winter Haven FL 33881 www.hillmanmotors.net 1505 Lake Shipp Dr, Winter Haven, FL 33880 www.facebook.com/Millers-Fiberglass-Repair-157407427716301

26- Er 250 S. www.E 37

1700 3rd St SW • Winter Haven, FL 33880 Lake Alfred Area www.MarineSupplyBoats.com 11-Ron's Tackle Box, LLC 863-956-4990 380 S. Lake Shore Way • Lake863-551-1551 Alfred, FL 33850 13- Millers Fiberglass www.ronstacklebox.com 1505 Lake Shipp Dr, Winter Haven, FL 33880

27-Fly Capt B 6499 G www.C

12- Marine Supply of Winter Haven 863-297-7003

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Haines City Area 12- Hoppy’s Marine 863-439-7616 14- Polk Tractor 863-967-0651 3450 Havendale Blvd NW• Winter Haven, FL 33881 31499 Highway 27 • Haines City, FL 33844 www.PolkTractorco.com www.HoppysMarine.com

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15-RKY Seafood 863-294-2300 Lake Wales Area 175Ella’s Ave AProduce NW • Winter Haven, FL 33880 13. Sweet 863-223-8775 326 FL-60, Lake Wales,Guide FL 33853 16-Sweetwater Service 863-837-7028 336 Magnolia Ave• Winter Haven, FL 33880

14. Bridgemasters 863-676-1009 2131 FL-60 • Lake Wales, FL 33898 www.fishermanscandystore.com

15. Captain Dave Och's Backwater Fishing Adventures 863-455-6886 • Lake Wales, FL 33538

155 Web

16. Guy HarveyCamp Mack Lodge, Marina & RV Resort 863-696-1108 • 14900 Camp Mack Rd • Lake Wales, FL 33898 www.Guy HarveyCampMack.com Frost Proof Area 26- Erwine’s Marine 863-635-4492 250 S. Scenic Hwy • Frostproof, FL 33843 www.ErwinesMarine.com Placida Area 27-Fly Em High Charters 863-224-1418 Capt Bobby Woodard 6499 Gasparilla Rd • Placida, FL 33946 www.Captain-Bobby.com 14 POLK 5 SUMTER I FEBRUARY 2022

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22- Capt Dave Och's Backwater Fishing Adventure 863-455-6886 Lake Wales, Fl 33538 23- Gary's Boating Center 863-638-0537 15520 Highway 27• Lake Wales, FL 33859 www.GarysBoating.com

Dundee Cypress Golf and Country Club

24-Guy Harvey Camp Mack Lodge, Marina & RV Resort Cleveland 863-696-1108 98 Heights Golf 14900 Campand Mack Rd• Lake Wales, FL 33898 Country Club www.GuyHarveyCampMack.com

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25. Music Realty 863-676-2788 Highland City 2035 State Rd. 60E• Lake Wales, FL 338998 Lakeland Highlands www.musicrealtyinc.com

27

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POLK & SUMTER 7

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Tame the Beast with Okuma’s Silver Slayer T

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A Full tapered cork butt with Fuji gimbal and spinning reel seat

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here is nothing like the sight of a monster tarpon as it sails through the air trying to shake your hook. Your hands begin to sweat profusely and your triceps suddenly tense up as you buckle down to try and gain control over its wild acrobatics. Will you get that fish back to the boat? That’s the question we all think about at that very moment.

Full of excitement, tarpon fishing is a bucket-list item for many fishermen, but it can also be extremely taxing on fishing gear for those who do it. If you’ve ever hooked up to a giant tarpon, 4 you understand that they are big and mean fighting machines. For that very reason, Okuma has worked to perfect a rod that is designed SILVER SLAYER TARPON RODS to allow anglers to - Specifically, designed rod blanks for Tarpon fishing - SeaGuide double locking Alien reel seat - Powerful and responsive 24-ton carbon rod blanks - Tapered cork fore and rear grip with rubber cork inlay go toe-to-toe with Silver Slayer specific models. The four models include a 7’ heavy, 7’ extra-heavy, - UFRII: Ultimate Flex Reinforced rod tip technology - Premium Fuji gimbal for support fighting big fish these beasts of 7’9” heavy and a 7’9” extra-heavy. These rods have the backbone to tarpon rodsby a Limited areLifetime - Fuji K-Concept deep press frames help reduce tangles - Silver Slayer rods are backed warranty - Silky smooth performance from Fuji FazLite guide inserts the salt. We built with powerful and really work your fish to the boat and feature a tapered cork fore and give you responsive 24-ton carbon full-rear grip design with a rubber cork inlay. the Silver SILVER SLAYER TARPON RODS With the brute strength that tarpon possess, Silver Slayer rods rod blanks that feature Okuma’s SLAY-S-701H-FG H MF 7' 0" 15 - 30 lbs 1/2 - 2 oz 12" 1-pcs 7 + Tip A Slayer have all the components to match. Each rod is designed with Fuji UFRII rod tip7"7" technology.

What’s SLAY-S-701XH-FG XH MF 7' 0" 20 - 50 lbs 3/4 - 3 oz 12" 1-pcs 7 + Tip A tarpon proprietary blends SLAY-S-791H-FG H MF 7'UFR-II? 9" 15 - 30 lbs This 1/2 - 2 oz 7" 13-1/2"process 1-pcs 7 + Tip AK-Concept deep press frames that help reduce tangles and line SLAY-S-791XH-FG XH MF 7' 9" 20 - 50 lbs 3/4 - 3 oz 7" 13-1/2" 1-pcs 7 + Tip rod! unidirectional fiber over 24-ton carbon in Atwist after all-day casting. Each of these guides holds firmly in place S = Spinning Model the extended tip section of the rod to increase a Fuji Faz-Lite guide insert for silky smooth performance. The rods lifting strength and power by as much as 400 also have a Sea Guide double locking Alien reel seat that keeps your in place. And while fighting percent. This technology provides for the ultimate in spinning reels firmly and comfortably Okuma | Product Catalog 2022 90 strength without sacrificing sensitivity so that you can feel your fish, the Silver Slayer rods all come standard with a premium Fuji gimbal for even the lightest of bites down deep.

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Leg

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Magaz in Boc M 7, 193 was in his fat conser writin Be indust Schoo Penns busine Unive U.S. N All the fishing So he beg to hav than 2 Aft his TV 27 yea M legacy of ang

Legendary Angler Mark Sosin Dies

T

he fishing world is mourning the death of Mark Sosin, a legendary fishing writer and television personality who was a long-time columnist for Coastal Angler Magazine. Sosin died on Thursday, June 30 in Boca Raton, Fla. He was 88 years old.

Mark Jessurun Sosin was born on July 7, 1933, in Highland Park, New Jersey. He was introduced to fishing at an early age by his father, whose tactics and dedication to conservation were frequent topics in Sosin’s writing.

Before making his way into the fishing industry, Sosin graduated from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and earned a master’s in business administration from New York University. He then spent four years in the U.S. Navy and after being discharged worked in several different positions.

All the while he fished and dreamed of earning a living from his passion for fishing.

Sosin’s long and illustrious career as a writer began in the 1960s, when he began writing magazine articles and books on fishing. Sosin is estimated to have written more than 3,000 magazine articles over his career and more than 20 books on fishing.

After moving to Boca Raton with his wife, Susan, in 1979, Sosin launched his TV show, “Mark Sosin’s Saltwater Journal,” in 1983. The program ran for 27 years.

Much of Sosin’s work was geared toward education and conservation. His legacy in the fishing industry is that of an educator who helped generations of anglers enter and improve in the sport we all love.

Go to www.coastalanglermagazine.com to read Mark Sosin’s columns for Coastal Angler Magazine.

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LURES

LURE APPENDAGES FOR LONGER CASTS

PATRICK SEBILE

W

hen it comes to lures designed for longdistance casting, some are built with appendages that truly help reach distances other lures can’t achieve. These appendages might be located inside or outside of the lure.

One popular appendage on minnow-style baits is a mass-transfer device. A weight located inside the lure moves to the tail when the lure is held vertically in the casting position, and once it hits the water the weight slides back to its original location for better swimming action. Typically, these lures are best when they use a magnetic mass transfer device. Some billed minnows use a heavy fixed weight in the tail and can achieve longer casts than mass-transfer lures. Either way, one thing is sure: minnows not built for distance do not cast as well as those designed for this purpose.

The external shape of a lure also plays a large part in the distance it is capable of reaching. Remember: a floating lure does not perform as well as a sinking or super-long-distance model because of its low density. Denser lures cast better as a rule of thumb, but they might not be best for catching fish because of where they swim in the water column or because they lack seductive action.

Appendages can help achieve the best of both worlds by providing

for long casts as well as swimming well at the desired depth. Side wings are an incredible advantage. They add water lift, which helps compensate for a heavier lure and generates great swimming motion. This is how some SK and SLD poppers and pencils can weigh 25 to 100 percent more than similar floating lures and still be able to be used on the surface. The added weight allows for significant increase in casting distance.

In the case of a 160mm (6 3/8”) pencil, the floating model weighs 2 ½ ounces, while the sinking model weighs 3 ¼ ounces. This weight increase translates into 50 percent longer casts. On the typical topwater retrieve, the sinking model does everything a floating one can. Actually, the walkthe-dog action is a bit superior, and it’s also possible to fish the heavier pencil like a swimbait with a slow steady retrieve. Those appendages provide great fish-catching action.

But there’s a catch. Sinking lures sink. When you need a lure that floats at rest, floating lures with pointy noses cast farther. The physics are simple. Any lure flying through the air generates turbulences in front of the lure, where the line attachment is.

This turbulence acts as a suction cup, dragging on the lure and diminishing casting energy. Like on a jet plane, a pointy nose helps limit this effect.

Floating lures with pointed noses consistently cast farther than floating lures with similar style and length.

Pay attention to these appendages next time you’re buying lures.

They will reward you when it comes to distance—and fish caught!

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CCA FLORIDA STAR AWARDS $80K RIG TO FLORIDA ANGLER

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n early July, CCA Florida, the state’s leading organization dedicated to marine fisheries conservation, education and advocacy, named and verified the first Tagged Redfish division winner in the 2022 West Marine CCA Florida STAR competition presented

by Yamaha. Jeff Moore, of Punta Gorda, selected a prize package from Pathfinder Boats and Yamaha Outboards valued at more than $80,000.

“I still cannot believe I landed a STAR 2022 Tagged Redfish and that it won me a new Pathfinder!” Moore said. “I almost released the fish when I noticed something on its back, which looked like a parasite, so I brought it back over the edge of my ’yak for a better look. You can understand my excitement when I realized it was a STAR tag. I knew I needed a photo on the measuring device to submit my catch through the STAR app and follow the rules to win. I was jazzed that I had registered for STAR. It is like an insurance policy for fishing; don’t fish without it because you could win a boat!”

This year, nearly 160 Tagged Redfish were released across Florida’s coastal waters, giving participants more opportunities to win. Remaining

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prizes in the Tagged Redfish Division include a Contender 22 Sport and a Spyder Vapor 19FX, all powered by Yamaha along with $50,000 cash from Alta Equipment Company. Additionally, STAR’s other tagged division, the Tigress Outriggers and Gear Tagged Dolphin Division, will award $10,000 to the first registrant who catches a tagged dolphin.

Unlike traditional fishing competitions, CCA Florida STAR focuses on conservation and offers $500,000 in prizes and scholarships during the 101-day event. Recognized as a “catch, photo and release” competition, STAR’s smart phone app eliminates the requirement for anglers to harvest or capture and transport fish.

“Not only is STAR about having fun and winning awesome prizes, but it is also dedicated to fishing smarter to help restore, preserve and improve Florida’s marine habitat and water quality,” CCA Florida STAR Director Leiza Fitzgerald said. “Implementing a catch-photo-release competition is just one way to continue fulfilling our organization’s mission and protect our coastal waterways.”

STAR is also focused on youth participation, with its Youth Scholarship Division presented by Realtree Fishing, offering $100,000 in scholarships.

Youth anglers (ages 6-17) can register for free with a current CCA Florida youth membership ($10) and are eligible for prizes in both tagged divisions.

Youth winners in the Tagged Redfish Division will be awarded a new boat with Humminbird Electronics, MinnKota trolling motor, Yamaha 40HP motor and trailer. Additionally, if the first registered angler to catch one of the 20 tagged dolphin (mahi mahi) is a youth, then he or she will win a $10,000 scholarship in the Tigress Outriggers and Gear Tagged Dolphin Division.

The STAR competition includes 17 divisions and 12 species and most winners are determined by a random drawing, giving anglers of all ages and skill levels the opportunity to win. Registration is $40 for current CCA Florida members or $75 for non-members.

For more information or to register for STAR, visit Facebook, Instagram or ccaflstar.com.

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By Will Schmidt

Your Grouper Grounds

F

inding new spots to fish has been one of the biggest issues facing us since… well, since fishing started. For years inshore fishermen have used satellite views to find points with cuts, oyster bars and other features that can be seen from above in the shallows. The good news is offshore anglers can now take advantage of similar imagery to make finding new spots feel like you’ve got it made in the shade.

High-definition relief shading like that in the new Garmin Navionics Vision+ package gives anglers insight into spots they would have never known about unless they just stumbled across them. There are countless examples of offshore spots where I’ve marked and caught fish without knowing that just a few hundred feet away were even better looking spots.

It’s hard to know every ridge or well-defined bottom feature, so getting a view of what is down there can be extremely beneficial. Of course, not all

spots that look good hold fish, but it’s a start.

Once you find something of interest, spot lock trolling motors make it easy to move and drop baits to see if anyone is home. For larger areas, such as long ridges, sometimes trolling makes a bit more sense to cover more ground.

When chasing bottom fish such as grouper, there are a few techniques that work well. Downriggers and planers with jig heads and large paddletail baits work well, but I find deep diving plugs to be even better. There are a host of deep divers out now that provide an accurate depth to which they will dive.

The Nomad DTX Minnow is one of my favorites. It is deadly on grouper and does double duty with its high-speed capability for chasing pelagic species as well. I also love the fact that they come rigged with single hooks versus treble hooks. The key is to just graze the sandy bottom next to the rocks to get the groupers’ attention. They have keen sight and will charge out quickly to grab a meal, and the bonus is you start with them already away from the rocks.

Just a few hundred feet away The great thing about using highfrom where the author has definition relief shading and trolling marked and caught grouper for grouper is you might have one is a massive ledge that holds even more fish. spot that quickly turns into four or five locations to drop baits in a relatively small area. Sometimes the spots are within a few hundred feet and sometimes farther. Regardless, this technology is a game-changer, and by covering new ground quickly it can make finding new productive spots much easier.

Will Schmidt is a seasoned tournament angler who has been writing about fishing from more than two decades.

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them carefully when dog-day temperatures peak. Fish are fighting for their lives with every ounce of their strength on the end of a line. The stress can kill them when water conditions are less than ideal. That, along with blazing hot sun on the back of the neck, is enough reason to strike out in search of a more appealing environment when it gets hot.

My 11-year-old son and I recently spent a couple days on the headwaters of North Carolina’s Nantahala River at a place called Standing Indian. Standing Indian Mountain tops out at close to 5,500 feet, and its slopes feed the river with plenty of cold water from numerous headwater branches. This area, upstream of the U.S. Forest Service’s Standing Indian Campground, is off of U.S. 64 west of Franklin, N.C. The Nantahala at Standing Indian bears little resemblance to the big whitewater river it becomes downstream near Bryson City. In its headwaters, there are about six miles of public water that might be 20 feet across in the wide spots. It’s a great little stream for folks who enjoy slinging dry flies on a four-weight fly rod for pretty little rainbow and brown trout.

The fishing wasn’t exactly stellar the two days my son and I fished in mid-June. There were thunderstorms each night, so the river was a little high and stained. My son is also new to a lightweight fly rod, and overhanging rhododendron and river birch are hardly easy terrain for a beginner. Still, we managed to catch numerous gorgeous rainbows slinging a dry-dropper rig with a small Pheasant Tail fished beneath a yellow Stimulator. There were little yellow Sally stoneflies in the air, so our selection of dry fly matched the hatch.

Good small-stream browns in the 14-inch range come from this stretch of water pretty regularly, but all we caught were rainbows with a couple measuring maybe 10 or 11 inches. That’s a pretty good fish in terms of little

By Nick Carter wild trout streams in the Southeast. We considered our mission accomplished returning to a riverside campsite each evening.

While my son might not be old enough to appreciate it, the cool mountain rout anglers have two options when it comes to deep summer. They can air and bedding down to the gurgle of the creek were the highlights of the trip. either hit tailwater fisheries, where dam-controlled flows provide stable The air temperature was easily 20 degrees cooler than back home, and I don’t year-round water temperatures, or they can seek out high-elevation know if I’ve ever slept better. headwaters, where both fish and angler find comfort in rhododendron-shaded For information, check out Nick Carter’s book “Flyfisher’s Guide to creeks with water conditions perennially perfect for little wild trout.

North Carolina & Georgia.” It’s available on Amazon or by Big fish and big hatches of tailrace trout fishing are certainly appealing. contacting the author at nsc8957@gmail.com.

However, anglers should play fish intended for release quickly and handle

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NATIONAL 13

TIPS FROM A PRO

SUMMERTIME BASS ON POPPERS

B

TYLER WOOLCOTT

ass are on the move in deep summer.

Throwing search baits, especially topwater, is one of the best and most fun ways to find groups of feeding fish. A style of lure that was created a long time ago but still works wonders today is an old-school topwater popper. You can throw this just about anywhere around rocks, grass, wood, docks and in open water to get bites.

When the weather gets hot and more people get on the water, getting fish to commit to a surface lure is sometimes almost impossible. What I like to do is put away the bigger topwaters like walking baits or Whopper Ploppers and take out a smaller Pop-Rstyle bait.

There are a few reasons this bait gets more bites in the right situations. The first is it’s smaller and quieter. A smaller profile and less noise is sometimes what these finicky fish want. I have seen many situations when throwing a big noisy topwater won’t get a single bite, but throwing a popper in the same area makes fish eat.

Another reason popper-style baits are very good is the speed at which you can work them. There are many topwaters that require highspeed retrieves.

With a popper, the slower you work it the more it drives them crazy. I vary my retrieve and see what the fish are feeling, but usually I’ll pop the bait subtly a few times and vary the action to make it look like a dying baitfish. Then I’ll let the bait sit for a few seconds before creating another movement. This absolutely drives them crazy.

One last reason poppers are deadly is that feathered rear treble hook. When fish are feeding on tiny baitfish or bugs, the feathered treble makes them bite. Sometimes even the small profile of the bait is still too big for them, but they come up and see the feathers and eat those instead.

Fishing the right rod and reel with a Pop-R makes a huge difference in landing fish. You want a rod with a good amount of bend because you don’t set the hook. Instead, you just reel into them. I use a 13 Fishing Defy Black 7’ cranking rod. For the reel, you want something that is able to cast a light lure as far as possible.

You also need one that will pick up the bait fast for another cast in case a fish misses or you spot surfacing fish. I use a 13 Fishing Concept with an 8:3 gear ratio. I spool it with 30- to 50-lb. Seaguar Smackdown Braid.

Next time you get on the water, pick up a popper style lure like a 13 Fishing Poppy McPop Face and see how deadly it can be in the summer months.

Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide.

Check out his website at www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com.

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