Coastal Angler Magazine | October 2023 | Miami Edition

Watauga River

Home of world class fishing on the beautiful Watauga Lake, rugged Doe River and designated trophy trout stream, Watauga River PLAN

Watauga Lake

Doe River

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By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

AN

GAME PLAN FOR

ARTIFICIALS INSHORE

October is one of my favorite months to fish, and the dwindling traffic on the bays is just a small reason why. September may have been a record hot month for a lot of us, but the transition of the seasons is more than just the temperature for wildlife. The length of the days play a big part in the fish transitions for the season. Although October opens several new opportunities for anglers, I am going to give you an insight as to how I plan to catch them.

The marsh should be full of life and hold an

abundant amount of the big three: trout, redfish and flounder. It will not be uncommon to find all three in the same location gorging themselves on last spring’s hatch of shrimp and finfish. I will predominantly throw smaller soft plastics in the 3.25-inch size. I like a durable lure because the action can be fast and furious, and I don’t want to waste time changing out lures after one or two fish and miss my opportunity for more. I lean toward paddletails because I can work them faster, cover more water, and the added

vibration will draw strikes since these fish will be aggressive. The cover type and water depth will determine if I rig them weedless or on a jig head. Either method is acceptable, just adapt to the structure.

I prefer to fish outgoing tides in these areas. Generally, an outgoing tide produces a better bite and concentrates fish in smaller areas where I can target them. These pinch points can be mouths of drains, bayous, pinch points within a bayou or a bend. Those are the more obvious ones, but don’t overlook points extending into a bay or cuts through a reef. The points of islands or reefs can also increase the flow of current congregating the fish in an area.

Here are some retrieves I like to use for each of these three species in October. Keep in mind none of the fish read this article, so you will catch others on these retrieves. In general, reds will hit a lure on a steady retrieve, trout like the erratic twitch-twitch, and flounder react well to my lure darting along the bottom. When darting my lure along the bottom, I hold my rod tip down or sideways to the water and give it firm twitches. I make sure to keep my lure on the bottom and not bouncing it up and down like I would for trout. I want to disturb the bottom to get their attention.

As we all know, all fish will eat any retrieve, but if you are not catching the species you want, try a different action before you change the lure. Enjoy the cooler weather and take a kid fishing, I know I will do both!

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

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®

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Jetty Fishing:

TIPS ON BECOMING A ROCK JOCKEY

The presence of life was obvious long before we reached the jetty. On an outgoing tide, dingy water rushed through the channel cut from the bay to the ocean. It flushed with a brown plume that carried the detritus of marsh decay.

Diving birds were the first sign we were in the right place at the right time. As we got closer, other anglers came into view. There were a couple of boats jockeying for position off the end of the jetty, another trolled the rip farther offshore, and the beach brigade was set up fishing that corner pocket where current flowing down the shore piled up against the rocks.

Pods of pogies flickered and darted, harassed by gulls from above and by redfish, trout, small sharks and who knows what else from below. Blue crabs skittered around doing cleanup duty just outside a light surf.

With all this life, catching fish shouldn’t be a problem, right? Well, if you talk to any veteran of

By Nick Carter

the rocks, they’ll tell you putting in the time to learn a particular jetty is the key to success. Every jetty has its own peculiarities, its best times and tides, its hidden holes and mixing currents.

Here are a few tips to help flatten the learning curve at a new jetty.

1) Start in the Rocks: The food chain of a jetty is created by the stuff pushed against the rocks. The rocks also create current breaks and hidey holes where predators lay in ambush for baitfish, shrimp and crabs that feed on the buildup of organic matter. Start your search close to the rocks. Work quickly but meticulously to pick a jetty apart. You can’t see everything that’s going on under the surface, but with experience, the sweet spots will become evident.

2) Make Friends with the Old Guy: In the scenario above, it was our first time to this jetty, and we went straight in with a cast net to scoop up pogies. It seemed obvious to match the hatch, and we caught some fish… mostly stingrays

and catfish. As we clambered all over the jetty in search of the magic combination of factors to produce a more exciting catch, an old man posted up in a beach chair came tight with an enormous bull red. After helping him land the fish and jawing with him a while, he gave up a secret. He’d been fishing the jetty for years, and big reds and tarpon at this spot are suckers for half a fresh blue crab fished on the bottom. Because jetties draw anglers as well as fish, being friendly or just watching can lead to solid local knowledge.

3) Find the Current Seams: Fish where fast and slack current meet. Predators hang in the slack and wait as a conveyer belt of food is swept past them. Conversely, baitfish also seek refuge and stack up where there is current shade. Either situation makes these areas high probability targets for anglers.

For more fishing tips, go to coastalanglermag.com.

PHOTO CREDIT: WAYNE CROSS

PHOTO CREDIT: DON SHETTERLY

PHOTO CREDIT: SHANE TROTTIER

GAR CAUGHT ON 6-LB. TEST!

A283-pound alligator gar caught at Sam Rayburn Lake in Texas is set to break a 72-year-old IGFA alltackle world record. Here’s the kicker: It was landed with 6-pound-test line!

Kentucky angler Art Weston teamed up with Texas Capt. Kirk Kirkland on Sept. 2, in search of lineclass records. Weston is an IGFA record breaker who already has numerous lineclass records for alligator gar and other species. It was the first day of a week-long booking aboard Capt. Kirkland’s The Garfish Enterprise, and they hooked and landed what Kirkland called “the Holy Grail of the fishing world.”

Sam Rayburn Lake is the largest reservoir in Texas at 114,000 acres. It’s an impoundment of the Angelina River near the Louisiana border north of Jasper, Texas. According to a report on FoxWeather.com, Kirkland told Weston of an area on the lake with a sandy, snag-free bottom that would suit light line tactics well. The guide also told Weston there might not be many fish in the area, but they were obviously going for quality over quantity.

Before the pending world record showed up on the scene, the pair caught two other monster alligator gar, including a 169-pounder. When they came tight with the

largest alligator gar caught in nearly three-quarters of a century, it took about three hours, remarkable skill and more than a little bit of luck to land the fish on such light line.

“Lots of blood, sweat and tears (and broken line) went into this achievement,” Kirkland wrote on Facebook. “Angler and world record Chaser Art Weston and I did what no other alligator gar angler has been able to accomplish in 72 years.... catch a fish bigger than the all-tackle world record set so many years ago on the bank of the Rio Grande River.”

The existing all-tackle world record weighed 279 pounds. It was caught by Bill Valverde from the Rio Grande in 1951.

“We both had a look of shock when the scale just kept going higher and higher,” Kirkland said. The gar weighed 283 pounds on camera. It measured 100 inches long, with a 48-inch girth. After taking measurements, the giant fish was released alive.

To read the entire FoxWeather report, go to https://www.foxweather.com/lifestyle/world-recordalligator-gar-texas-sam-rayburn-lake

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By Emily Hanzlik

Emily Hanzlik shows one of her more recent records, a 23-pound longnose gar caught on 8-pound test.

area? Living in Florida, I knew bow n were available to me, so that’s where I started. On the IGFA website, you can search speci c species and see the current records for di erent categories. Here you’ll see the all-tackle, alltackle length, conventional female and male, y male and female, junior male and female, and smallfry categories.

For the junior category, you must be 16 or younger. However, if you are a junior you can submit a record for the adult category. All-tackle length is a newer division that requires a special measuring device from the IGFA, so keep that in mind if you want to try for a length record.

Read the rules regarding the category you are shing for. I cannot stress this enough. Many simple mistakes happen, and it is not worth having a record rejected. e rules are in the record book and on the website. IGFA rules can be complicated and include restrictions on things like the lengths of leaders. Your record quest will be much less frustrating if you know the rules and sh accordingly.

Let’s discuss tools you’ll need to record records. I prefer the Rapala Mini 50-lb. scale, which needs to be certi ed. e easiest way to certify your scale is to ship it to IGFA. ey will certify it for you.

LEARNING TO

Break RECORDS

Some people sh for the meat, in tournaments, or simply for fun. I take a di erent approach. I seek out world records.

e International Game Fish Association (IGFA) keeps track of every record ever caught on rod and reel. I’ve been tracking down these records for more than six years, and here’s a little insight into the process.

First, you need a starting place. What species can you target in your

Most IGFA records are line-class records, which means you’ll o en be shing light lines, and the line must be approved by IGFA, meaning it breaks at the speci c pound test. I like Ande tournament line because it breaks at the correct poundage.

Once all your ducks are in a row, you can target the sh you’ve planned for. is is going to take a lot of time and patience, but eventually putting in time pays o . When you eventually catch a sh that looks big enough to break the current record, there are steps you must take. For the all-tackle length record, you need a photo of the sh on the IGFA measuring device and a photo of the angler with the sh and rod. For the other records, you need photos of the girth, length, weight, and the sh and angler.

e main thing to remember is to have patience and enjoy the process. Breaking records isn’t easy, so just keep trying!

Emily Rose Hanzlik holds over 60 IGFA world records in various categories. She hails from West Palm Beach, where she has a part time Bow n Guide Service as well as shing classes for Jr. Anglers. Find her @emilyhanzlikoutdoors.

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A SINGLE TEAM STICKS 648 LIONFISH AT TWO-DAY DERBY

Divers put a hurting on invasive lion sh on Sept. 8 and 9 at the 14th annual REEF Florida Keys Lion sh Derby. A record 1,898 lion sh were collected, and a single team set another tournament record by bringing 648 of the nasty critters back to the docks.

Team Forever Young, led by Capt. Tony Young, of Forever Young Spear shing, really put in the work and won the “Most Lion sh” division of the tourney. With team members Jason Vogan, Billy Moscatello and Luke Rankin, this is the third time Forever Young has set a new tournament record for total catch.

Overall, 22 teams of divers competed at the event, and $7,000 in cash and prizes were awarded to teams that brought in the most, largest and smallest lion sh. e “Most Lion sh” category included the competitive Apex Predators division and the Reef Defenders division for casual lion sh hunters. Forever Young obviously won the Apex Predators division. Volitans nished second with 291 lion sh, and Team Trash placed third with 101 lion sh.

In the Reef Defenders division, Men of Science won rst place with 156 lion sh. Sea Venom Creations brought in 128 lion sh for second place, Barnacles won third place with 121 lion sh.

Competition was close in the largest and smallest lion sh categories. Barnacles won rst place in the “Largest Lion sh” category with a 16.85inch lion sh. Men of Science’s second place sh measured 16.57 inches, and Forever Young took third with a 16.34-inch sh.

e smallest sh of the derby was 2.36 inches and was collected live by ZooKeeper. Team Will 2 Spear won second place with a 2.83-incher, and Tequila Little Time brought in a 2.99-inch sh, also live, to take third. e two live lion sh will be part of an educational exhibit at the REEF Campus.

In case you been under a rock, lion sh are native to the Indo-Paci c and are highly invasive and detrimental to native marine life on our coasts. Events like REEF’s derbies are held all along the Florida coast to both raise awareness of the problem and to cut down on lion sh numbers.

“Lion sh derbies show how a community can come together to support ocean conservation while combating invasive species. It’s so exciting that our teams set a new Florida Keys record of 1,898 invasive lion sh removed. We are very thankful to all of the derby participants, event volunteers, and everyone who attended and helped make the Florida Keys Lion sh Derby & Festival such a great success,” said Alli Candelmo, Ph.D., REEF Conservation Science Manager.

For more information about REEF Lion sh Derbies, visit www.REEF.org/lion sh-derbies.

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ing FOR A CAUSE

By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Fishing for charitable causes has become a growing venue for bringing together our love of the sport and helping those in need.

e duality of empowerment and peace that shing brings helps people who have struggled. From easing post-traumatic stress disorder, recovering from physical trauma, mental and social disorders, to helping troubled youths nd redirection, shing can easily be classi ed as therapeutic. No matter what cause is important to you, there is likely a shing tournament dedicated to it.

Fishing tournaments have been put together by donations solely to get certain groups on the water to participate, such as events for veterans and

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pediatric cancer patients. ese events create incredible opportunities for people who truly need them, and they are a great way to donate and help share the therapeutic power of shing.

e other style of charitable shing tournaments are ones you can participate in yourself, and proudly take a minor hit on your winning payout, knowing you are donating to a good cause. While the rst type is extremely sel ess and noble, let’s face it, everybody needs a little shing therapy in their life. O en, the shing tournaments where you participate provide opportunities to people a ected by the cause, and you will be joined by the people you are there helping, as well. is is easily one of the best excuses to sh, and way more fun than simply signing a check.

In honor of breast cancer awareness month, the ladies of the world would like to o cially turn your attention to the boobies. at’s right, you’re invited to look.

Breast cancer a ects one in eight women. Although this type of cancer is rare in men, it has a higher mortality rate due to late detection, and that is a part of the awareness this month is dedicated to.

ankfully, with advancements in awareness and detection, survivability of this diagnosis has increased exponentially. Many survivors turn to shing for recovery, both physically and emotionally.

If you nd yourself in Pompano Beach Oct. 5-7, e Pink Ladies Breast Cancer Foundation invites you to sh their multi-species, 2nd Annual Cureament shing tournament. Founder, and cancer survivor, Carolyn Stash, has put together a non-pro t tournament for breast cancer awareness and fundraising for a cure. She has worked her ta-tas o to attract sponsors and has put together exciting prizes and ra e items for this year’s tournament. Among the list is a one-of-a-kind, pink, 9-foot Reef Runner, with a trailer and a 9hp motor, and shing charters, including one from yours truly, at Sweet E’nuf Charters out of Marathon, Florida Keys.

Fish alongside erce breast cancer survivors and their dedicated supporters. If you miss this year, mark your calendars for next year. Contact Carolyn Stash at (954) 465-3743 and visit their website at www.pinkladiesbreastcancerfoundation.org to get involved.

Call Capt. Quinlyn Haddon, of Sweet E’nuf Charters, Marathon, Florida Keys at (504) 920-6342.

GATOR HUNTERS

BAG 900-POUNDER

A900-pound, 13-foot-long alligator caught on Aug. 25 might be the second largest gator in Florida history, and it’s by far the largest gator we’ve heard about so far this alligator season.

Capt. Kevin Brotz, of Get Bit Outdoors, guided clients Carson Gore and Darren Field to the giant gator on an Orlando area lake, according to Outdoor Life. It took close to four hours to subdue the beast.

“Honestly, my rst concern was safety, because we were in a smaller boat, and then you add a gator whose head is this big,” Brotz said as he spread his arms wide in a CNN video interview. “All he has to do is turn, and we’re in trouble.”

“I laid down in the front of the boat and said I have to lay down until we get back,” Gore told CNN. “I thought I was going to die. at thing was huge.” At one point during the battle, the gator leapt 3 or 4 feet out of the water right next to the boat. Brotz told Outdoor Life it was like being eye-to-eye with a T-Rex.

e statewide alligator season runs Aug. 15- Nov. 1. Hunters are required to apply for and obtain a limited entry permits each season. For information go to MyFWC.com.

Watch video of the team ghting the gator on Field & Stream’s YouTube channel.

Wahoo Pre-Game

by Captain Greg Hutch, Contributing Writer

As South Florida fall finally approaches, and temperatures plummet into the high 80s, long range fishermen are gearing up for one of the most aggressive fish in the ocean. The WAHOO! Although these fish can be caught year-round in the tropics, October seems to be the kick-off to our fall/winter season. You can expect larger numbers of fish, along with bigger fish in the 40 to 80 pound range. Anglers will target these fish anywhere from 100 feet to 400 feet of water. Steep vertical ledges, underwater high-rises, rips, color changes and floating debris that hold bait, will almost always hold Wahoo this time of year. The preferred method for targeting Wahoo is trolling. High-speed trolling is one of the more popular methods. I believe it is a misconception that we high-speed troll for Wahoo because they are a fast and furious fish. The reality is you can catch a variety of species high-speed trolling. We have snagged marlin, tuna, big mahi and wahoo all at fast speeds. The high-speed method leans more towards covering a lot of ground in a short amount of time to locate fish. This also makes for an insane reaction bite! We like to troll a two-rod spread. One rod per side out of angled rod holders. Staggering the baits at 400 feet and 200 feet behind the boat.

Our tackle set up consists of: 50w Penn Internationals Lined with 80lb Braid. 7’ Winthrop adjust butt rods. A 64 oz. and a 32 oz. in-line trolling weight. 50 foot shock cords with 300 lb. mono, and 400 lb. black snap swivels on either end. Just about any flashy colors will work when it comes to lures. We prefer cable rigged, double hookset torpedo lures. Pink/blue, pink/white, blue/white, black/orange, and black/purple are some of our favorites.

When deploying your baits, maintain a steady speed of about 7 knots keeping the boat straight to avoid crossing lines. With drag clickers engaged to avoid backlash, deploy your long bait first (400 ft.) followed by your short bait (200 ft.). We like to use about 20 pounds of drag. Once the drags are set, you can start picking up speed. Anywhere from 9 knots up to 14 knots or even faster. Find that “sweet spot.” Every boat handles differently at various speeds. Begin making gradual S-Curves. This keeps the baits out of the white water and more visible to the fish. We try to zigzag in and out over edges and drop off’s, working in shallow and back out deep.

In the event of a strike, keep the boat moving! A lot of fish are lost due to backing off the throttle. Maintain trolling speed for 30 seconds. This helps with the hook-set and also entices other Wahoo to possibly strike the other bait. Make sure to mark the location of the strike so you can work back over that spot again. Wahoo are schooling fish. If there’s one there’s more!

Once you’re hooked up, make sure to clear the second bait. You can slowly back off the throttle but keep the boat in gear to maintain a tight line. Try to drag the fish offshore to avoid sharks. We will put the boat into a slight turn to avoid dragging the fish into the motors. When the in-line weight appears be ready with the gaff. A good mate can manage leadering and gaffing a fish on their own. -But we highly recommend you have one angler on the leader, and one on the gaff. Go for a headshot! You don’t want an angry, pissed off “Hoo” in the cockpit while you’re standing there in your reef sandals.

Whether you are fishing out front or willing to shoot across the Bahamas, October can produce some nice fish. Low light conditions are best and fishing around the full moon is even better. Do some research before you cross to the Bahamas. It’s no secret where some of the best Wahoo Fishing is done.

Tight Lines and Good Luck,

Captain Greg Hutchisson

www.hutchtouchfishing.com

IG @hutchtouchfishing

FB The Hutch Touch 786-320-4743

FRESH/ BRACKiSH

by Captains Mike Tojdowski

Peacock bass, snook, tarpon, midas, mayans, zebra tilapia, jaguar cichlids or even huge schools of lady fish and jack crevalle are just a few of the fish we can target in our local Miami fresh - brackish waterways. All will be much more active during the month of October. With autumn’s changing leaves or Miami’s lack thereof, the prospect of our first cold snap will begin a chain of reactions that will improve freshwater fishing dramatically. The cooler temps are an angler’s best friend and will trigger more active feeding throughout the day as fish begin to transition from the lean summer months, to bulking up for the future spawning season that is to come.

You’ll still want to target these fish in areas with moving water or structure they can hide in. Live bait is our favorite choice. When unavailable you’ll want to match the hatch. The first three fish on the list above being our main targets to fish for by client request. We have the best success pursuing them with larger 3-4 inch baits whether it’s golden shiners or crank baits. Making long casts, allowing your bait time to pause / sink before retrieving them with an erratic motion and offset crank speed is key.

When fishing from a boat or land it’s ideal to cast as far as possible for the best element of surprise. Sometimes this means going down in line weight / test pounds or even reel class for more accurate finesse. Our preferred line of choice is Yo-zuri Super braid as it offers little to no memory and thinner diameter versus monofilament. It is also highly abrasion resistant, helping reduce brake offs on trees and other submerged items. Braided line will allow you to make longer more accurate casts without having to go down in line tensile strength. Since braided line is colored we always add a 2-3 foot section of clear fluorocarbon leader to the end of our braid for superior strength and invisible bait presentation.

This will increase your element of stealth. We can’t tell you how many times we’ve spotted big fish and have just gotten too close. Seeing that big bruiser cruise on out of there and ghost all our best efforts to get them to feed is disappointing. Once you dial your casting efforts in and improve your overall accuracy, your hook up percentage will also increase helping you to land more fish. If you are wanting to learn more on how to better your skill as a fisherman or just want to get on the water and check some exotics species off your bucket list, reach out and let us put you on the big ones.

Captains Mike Tojdowski Urban Legends Fishing Charters

Call/Text 305-998-3375

Facebook / Instagram @Urbanlegendsfishing or check out our website ULFish.com

The FishermanTraveling

by Capt. Bouncer Smith

THERE’S HOPE!

At this writing they had snow in Utah and it was 30 degrees in Yellowstone. Traditionally by the end of October it will be a little cooler in South Florida. Well, at least lower humidity and rain. The best news is the fall migrations that are causing excitement in our fishing. Bait and gamefish are moving South encouraged by shorter days and cooler temperatures North of here. Even tropical storms influence these migrations by inspiring Northeast winds. There should still be bait schools moving down the coast. Of course, mullet are the most obvious, but to me the ballyhoo migration can be just as exciting. These ballyhoo attract sailfish, mahi, bonitos and a variety of reef fish. When you head out for mahi, you can’t ignore frigate birds diving a mile from shore in 20 or 30 feet of water. Showers of ballyhoo will thrill the brain and heart of any angler as these baitfish are running from good sized mahi and sailfish. You need 20 pound spinning outfits rigged with 50 pound mono or fluorocarbon leaders and 7/0 light wire circle hooks. You must have ballyhoo to cast to these bait showers, and live ballyhoo are best. On the reef, mutton snapper, grouper, yellow jacks, cero mackerel, jack crevalle and huge yellowtails shower the ballyhoo. Trolling shallow reefs with rigged ballyhoo behind small planers or cigar leads will frequently bring great action in 12 to 50 feet of water. After a slow summer for keeper mahi, let’s hope that the mahi will be of better size and frequency this month. Floating debris will still put you on fish, but most mahi this time of year are usually caught under frigate birds. Make sure that you don’t get sucked into the bad habit of chasing those birds against the current while trolling for long periods of time. Wind in those baits, run around in front of the birds and put your baits out ahead of the frigates and mahi. While you are offshore chasing mahi, you might want to stop a little before moonrise or moon set and make a drop for swordfish. You can find the time of that moon schedule on several different apps. Swordfish are migrating south for the winter, so any day can be a good day for swordfish action and a moonrise or moon set is almost always to get a bite from any species of fish. Inshore, cooler nights will produce cooler water, will produce better action in shallow water. Look for much better action with sea trout on upper Biscayne Bay flats and better bonefish action on South end flats. There should be more pilchards around for bait.

For great early morning action work surface lures fast along seawalls and jack crevalle may produce exciting strikes and tough fights. When I was in high school, we would have great debates about what October date would produce the first Spanish mackerel run on Newport Pier. October 20th was usually pretty close. Not all the fishing action will be on the water this month. Don’t miss the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and the important fund raising events by the IGFA, Billfish Foundation, Guy Harvey Foundation and several others that take place during the boat show. I look forward to seeing you at these events and on the water in October.

Capt Bouncer Smith

305-439-2475

captbouncer@bellsouth.net

BeachFishing

by Raymond Munoz, Capt. Jax

October is my favorite time of the year! No more 100-degree days! No more can’t find bait fish. No more water too hot to fish from land. No more jet skies running around crashing into people. -But the best part about October is the MULLET RUN!

The mullet migration here in Miami happens late in September and runs through the end of October. If you are on the hunt for big snook, jack or tarpon, a big juicy mullet will be your best bait during the run. How to catch them while beach fishing… The best way is with a cast net, but sometimes the mullet are too far off the beach to net. That’s when I’ll set up a 2 treble hook chicken rig with a 2-ounce pyramid sinker at the end. I cast it into the mullet pod and start setting hook and reeling trying to snag mullet. Once the well is full, my go to, is a fish finder rig. It’s a sliding 2 oz sinker, then a swivel to 40 lb. fluorocarbon leader and a 6/0 circle hook.

A lot of people like free lining the mullet but if you do that, your mullet will be swimming with two million plus other mullet. If you put a sinker on it, your mullet will be all alone on the bottom. Without the protection of the school there is a much better chance yours will get hit. My favorite weather to fish the run is a NE 10-15 mph wind. I go into the water waist deep, toss my bait out and just wait. Nothing is more relaxing than fishing the mullet run on a late afternoon watching the sun go down and just hoping you get that last thump before sunset. If you don’t have a cast net or just want to go fish without worrying about catching bait, Captain Jax bait and tackle in Hialeah has you covered! During this time of year we stay pretty stocked up with live mullet and all your tackle needs.

Captain Jax Bait and Tackle

490c E 4th Ave, Hialeah, FL 33010

@captainjaxmiami

786.300.5362

OFFSHORE/INSHORE

October gets me JUICED. October is the transition into fall fishing for us. In modern history, October is the best month for dolphin fish, and it’s usually excellent for a wide variety of fish inshore. Usually, October brings the first hard winds and waves, the ballyhoo and the mullet know that these winds mean, MOVE IT SOUTH! Ravenous, nice sized mahi, sailfish, blackfin and skipjack tuna will be harassing schools of ballyhoo from the first reef all the way out to the center of the gulfstream. Inshore, hungry snook, tarpon, jacks, and sharks will be sending schools of mullet airborne along the beach, bay, and all inland waters.

Time to tell ya’ how to catch them Offshore. MATCH THE HATCH. Offshore, fish live ballyhoo. Catch them first, grab a mooring ball on the first or second reef and hang a chum bag. When the ballyhoo come up, catch them with a hoop net or my method, small mesh 10 foot cast net. Smaller mesh won’t beat up the ballyhoo like large mesh nets. A 10 foot 1/4 inch stretch cast net is ideal. Fish 20 lb spin tackle so you can drift AND cast at the schools of ballyhoo when you see them get chased into the air. Fish 20 lb mono main line with a 15 foot wind on leader. I connect the main line to leader with a bimini twist and a no name knot. Tie on a 6/0 or 7/0 Mustad inline light wire circle hook. Hook the ballyhoo on in the apex of the bottom jaw (center lower lip). Set up your drift in 90-250 ft of water and let out one ballyhoo about 75 ft behind the boat. Fish the other ballyhoo down about 60-80 feet with an appropriate sinker to keep it down. Everything will eat these live ballyhoo from snapper to sailfish.

Inshore, the mullet run will bring all kinds of critters. DON’T Match the Hatch. Yes, I said DON’T fish mullet in the mullet run. Fish live pilchards, buck tail jigs, small-lipped plugs, top waters, but not mullet. This is because in my experience here, fishing mullet during the mullet run is like feeding you a Thanksgiving dinner an hour AFTER your Thanksgiving dinner. If you fish smaller baits like pilchards, sardines or shrimp, you will catch the critters that already gorged on mullet AND the critters swimming with the mullet schools. There are A TON of fish that migrate with mullet that aren’t eating them. They use them for safety in numbers at the time of year when they need to migrate as well. Pitch your live pilchards, shrimp, sardines on jig heads under the mullet schools. Make sure they sink to the bottom of the schools. This is where those fish will be. Jacks, snook, tarpon, mackerel, pompano, ladyfish, snapper, grouper, and even drum will be incognito under these schools. Fish braid spinners with 3 ft of 30 lb. fluorocarbon leader and the appropriate jighead for the size of your bait.

Captain Abie Raymond

305.775.5197 • @abie_raymond • www.gohardfishing.com

by Capt. Abie Raymond

CATCH OF THE DAY FROM SEA TO SIZZLE

Make steak the catch of the day with a celebratory stop at Ruth's Chris. After a day on the water, join us for signature sizzle, hand-crafted cocktails and legendary hospitality.

NORTH FLORIDACENTRAL FLORIDA

PONTE VEDRA BEACH 814 A1A N., Suite 103 Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082 904-285-0014

JACKSONVILLE  1201 Riverplace Blvd. DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Jacksonville, FL 32207 904-396-6200

ORLANDO 7501 W. Sand Lake Rd. Orlando, FL 32819 407-226-3900

WINTER PARK 480 N. Orlando Ave. Suite 100B Winter Park, FL 32789 407-622-2444

LAKE MARY 80 Colonial Center Pkwy. Lake Mary, FL 32746 407-804-8220

SOUTH FLORIDA

TAMPA 1700 N. Westshore Blvd. Tampa, FL 33607 813-282-1118

ST. PETERSBURG 131 2nd Ave. N. St. Petersburg, FL 33701 727-821-4139

SARASOTA 6700 S. Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 34231 941-924-9442

WEST PALM BEACH 651 Okeechobee Blvd. West Palm Beach, FL 33401 561-514-3544

BOCA RATON 225 NE Mizner Blvd., Suite 100 Boca Raton, FL 33432 561-392-6746

BONITA SPRINGS 23151 Village Shops Way Suite 101, Coconut Point Mall Bonita Springs, FL 33928 239-948-8888

FORT LAUDERDALE 2525 N. Federal Hwy Fort Lauderdale, FL 33305 954-565-2338

AVENTURA 2980 NE 207th St. Aventura, FL 33180 305-912-1266

CORAL GABLES 2320 Salzedo St. Coral Gables, FL 33134 305-461-8360

OCTUBRE: mejor clima = mejor actividad

by Capitáns Mike Tojdowski

Pavones, róbalos, sábalos, midas, mayas, cíclidos cebra y jaguar o incluso enormes cardúmenes de júreles y macabíes son sólo algunos de los peces que podemos pescar en nuestras aguas dulces y saladas de Miami. Con el cambio de las hojas del otoño o la falta de ellas en Miami, la perspectiva de nuestra primera ola de frío iniciará una cadena de reacciones que mejorarán drásticamente la pesca en agua dulce, por lo que todos estos especímenes estarán mucho más activos durante el mes de octubre. Las temperaturas más frías son el mejor amigo de un pescador y desencadenará la alimentación más activa durante todo el día a medida que los peces comienzan la transición de los meses de verano para prepararse ante la futura temporada de desove que está por venir.

Es recomendable buscar a estos peces en zonas con agua en movimiento o en estructuras donde puedan esconderse. El cebo vivo es nuestra opción favorita y, cuando no esté disponible, deberá coincidir con la eclosión. Los tres primeros peces de la lista anterior son nuestros principales objetivos de pesca a petición del cliente y tenemos el mejor éxito persiguiéndolos con cebos más grandes de 3-4 pulgadas, ya sea con Golden shiners o señuelos crankbait. La clave es hacer lances largos, dar tiempo a que el cebo se detenga o se hunda antes de recuperarlo con un movimiento errático y una velocidad de manivela compensada.

Cuando se pesca desde embarcación o desde tierra, lo ideal es lanzar lo más lejos posible para sorprender al pez. A veces esto significa bajar el peso de la línea (libras) de prueba o incluso la clase de carrete para una delicadeza más precisa. Nuestro sedal preferido es el trenzado Yo-zuri Super, ya que ofrece poca o ninguna memoria y un diámetro más fino que el monofilamento. También es muy resistente a la abrasión, lo que ayuda a reducir las roturas en árboles y otros objetos sumergidos; la línea trenzada le permitirá realizar lances más largos y precisos sin tener que reducir la resistencia a la tracción de la línea. Dado que esta línea es de color, siempre añadimos una sección de 2-3 pies de líder de fluorocarbono transparente, al final de nuestro trenzado, para una mayor resistencia y una presentación invisible del cebo.

Todo se centra en aumentar el elemento sorpresa. Es difícil calcular cuántas veces hemos visto peces grandes y nos hemos acercado demasiado, lo que lleva a la decepción de ver cómo ese pez gordo se aleja de nosotros sin que podamos hacer nada para detenerlo. Una vez que usted domine la técnica de casting y mejore su exactitud total, el porcentaje del enganche también aumentará y logrará atrapar más pescados.

Si desea aprender más sobre cómo mejorar su habilidad como pescador o simplemente quiere entrar en el agua e ir por algunas especies exóticas de su lista, contáctenos y lo llevaremos por el botín.

Capitáns Mike Tojdowski

Llamada / Texto: 305-998-3375

Síguenos en Urban Legends Fishing Charter

Facebook / Instagram @Urbanlegendsfishing

www.ULFish.com

Pesca de otoño con ballyhoo y salmonetes

by Capitán Abie Raymond

Octubre es la transición a la pesca de otoño y, en la historia moderna, es el mejor mes para tanto para la pesca del delfín como para una amplia variedad de peces costeros. Por lo general, octubre trae los primeros vientos duros y las olas, lo que se traduce en un “¡muévelo al sur!” para los salmonetes y ballyhoo; los Mahi, pez vela, atún de aleta negra y barrilete estarán acosando a los bancos de ballyhoo desde el primer arrecife hasta el centro de la corriente del golfo. En la costa, róbalos, sábalos, jureles y tiburones hambrientos lanzarán los bancos de salmonetes por el aire a lo largo de la playa, la bahía y todas las aguas interiores. Ahora bien, ¿ cómo pescarlos en alta mar? Adaptándose a la eclosión. Pesque ballyhoo vivo; atrápelos primero, agarre una bola de amarre en el primer o segundo arrecife y cuelgue una bolsa de carnada. Cuando salga el ballyhoo, cójalo con una red de aro o con mi método, una red pequeña de 10 pies; las mallas pequeñas no golpean a los petos como las grandes. Lo ideal es una red elástica de 10 pies y 1/4 de pulgada. Utilice un equipo de spinning de 20 lb para poder ir a la deriva y lanzar a los bancos de ballyhoo cuando vea que se lanzan al aire, use también una línea principal de 20 lb con un bajo de línea de 15 pies. Conecte la línea principal al bajo de línea con un bimini twist y un nudo sin nombre, luego ate un anzuelo circular ligero Mustad inline del 6/0 o 7/0 y enganche el ballyhoo en el ápice de la mandíbula inferior (labio inferior central); colóquelo a 90-250 pies de profundidad y lance a unos 75 pies por detrás de la embarcación. Pesque el otro ballyhoo a unos 60-80 pies con una plomada adecuada para mantenerlo abajo. Todo tipo de peces, desde el pargo hasta el pez vela, comerán estos ballyhoo vivos. En la costa, la carrera de salmonetes traerá todo tipo de criaturas. NO pesque la eclosión. Sí, he dicho que NO pesque salmonetes durante la temporada y, en cambio, pesque sardinas vivas o use carnadas como buck tail jigs, top Waters o clavijas de agarre de labios pequeñas, pero nada de salmonetes. Esto se debe a mi experiencia aquí, pues la pesca de este pez durante la carrera es como si le dieran una cena de Acción de Gracias una hora después de que ya tuvo su cena de Acción de Gracias. Si pesca cebos más pequeños como sardinas o gambas, atrapará a las criaturas que ya se han alimentado de salmonetes y a las criaturas que nadan con los bancos. Hay MUCHOS peces que migran con los salmonetes y no se los comen ya que los utilizan para la seguridad, en números, en el momento del año en que también necesitan migrar.

Lance sus sardinas vivas, camarones o sardinas en cabezas de jig debajo de las escuelas de salmonete. Asegúrese de que se hunden hasta el fondo de los bancos, pues ahí es donde estarán los peces. Tarpones, róbalos, jureles, pámpanos, macabíes, pargos, meros e incluso las gallinetas estarán escondidas bajo estas escuelas. Pesque spinners trenzados con 3 pies de 30 lb. líder de fluorocarbono y use el jighead apropiado para el tamaño de su cebo.

Capitán Abie Raymond • 305.775.5197 • @abie_raymond • www.gohardfishing.com

CUANDO EL TRAYECTO ES

LA MITAD DE LA DIVERSIÓN

será tan maravilloso que le permitirá crear recuerdos que durarán por años.

La GARANTÍA LIMITADA DE 5 AÑOS se aplica a las compras de motores fueraborda Suzuki, vendidos y entregados al comprador minorista, únicamente para uso de placer (no comercial), desde el 1 de Abril de 2021 hasta el 30 de Junio de 2022. Ver la Garantía Limitada Suzuki para más detalles. Suzuki, el logotipo “S”, y los nombres de modelos y productos de Suzuki son marcas comerciales de Suzuki o ®. No navegue en estado de embriaguez o bajo el uso de sustancias. Lleve siempre un chaleco salvavidas aprobado por la USCG y lea el manual del propietario. Suzuki Marine USA, LLC. Todos los derechos reservados. 2022

Orgulloso Patrocinador de la Sección Española.

Otoño, calabazas y salmonetes

by Raymond Muniz, Capt. Jax

Octubre es mi época favorita del año. Se acabaron los días de 100 °F (37°C) y el agua demasiado caliente para pescar desde tierra o el no poder encontrar peces con cebo. No más motos acuáticas corriendo por ahí y chocando con la gente. Pero, aunque todo esto es increíble, lo mejor de octubre es la migración de los salmonetes.

La migración de salmonetes, aquí en Miami, ocurre a finales de septiembre y se extiende hasta finales de octubre. Si usted está a la caza de grandes róbalos, jureles o sábalos, un gran salmonete jugoso será su mejor cebo durante la carrera. ¿Cómo pescarlos en la playa? La mejor manera es con una red, pero a veces los salmonetes están demasiado lejos de la playa para pescarlos de esta forma. Cuando eso sucede, preparo un aparejo de 2 anzuelos triples con una plomada piramidal de 2 onzas en el extremo, lo lanzo a la manada de salmonetes y empiezo tanto a clavar el anzuelo como a carretear, intentando engancharlos. Una vez que el pozo está lleno, lo que uso es un aparejo buscador de peces. Se trata de una plomada deslizante de 2 onzas, luego un eslabón giratorio con un bajo de línea de fluorocarbono de 40 libras y un anzuelo circular del 6/0.

A mucha gente le gusta pescar el salmonete con sedal libre, pero si lo hace, su salmonete estará nadando con más de dos millones de otros salmonetes. En cambio, si le pone un plomo, el pez estará solo en el fondo y, sin la protección del banco, hay muchas más posibilidades de éxito.

Mi tiempo favorito para pescar en esta zona es un viento del NE de 10-15 mph. Me meto en el agua hasta la cintura, tiro el cebo y espero. No hay nada más relajante que pescar salmonetes al atardecer, viendo cómo se pone el sol y esperando a que llegue el último golpe antes de la puesta. Si usted no tiene una red o simplemente quiere ir a pescar sin preocuparse por la captura de cebo, el Captain Jax bait and tackle en Hialeah lo tiene cubierto. Durante esta época del año estamos bastante abastecidos con salmonete vivo y todas sus otras necesidades de aparejos.

Captain Jax Bait and Tackle 490c E 4th Ave, Hialeah, FL 33010

786.300.5362

@captainjaxmiami

Todo listo para la temporada de peto

by Capitán Greg Hutchisson

Amedida que el otoño del sur de Florida finalmente se acerca y las temperaturas caen en picada, los pescadores de largo alcance se preparan para uno de los peces más agresivos del océano: ¡El Peto! Aunque estos peces pueden ser capturados durante todo el año en los trópicos, octubre parece ser el pistoletazo de salida a nuestra temporada de otoño / invierno.

En general se puede esperar un mayor número de peces, con los especímenes más grandes en el rango de 40 a 80 libras. Los pescadores buscarán estos peces en cualquier lugar entre 100 y 400 pies de agua ya que los salientes verticales, las elevaciones bajo el agua, las olas, los cambios de color y los restos flotantes que retienen el cebo casi siempre albergan a los petos en esta época del año.

El método preferido para la pesca del peto es el curricán de alta velocidad. Actualmente existe un malentendido sobre que el peto un pez rápido y furioso, y por ello se usa el curricán de alta velocidad, pero la realidad es que se puede pescar una gran variedad de especies. Hemos pescado marlín, atún, dorados y peto de esta forma, pues el método de alta velocidad se inclina más por cubrir mucho terreno en poco tiempo para localizar peces. Esto también hace que la picada de reacción sea increíble. Nos gusta pescar con dos cañas: una caña por lado con portacañas en ángulo, escalonando los cebos a 400 pies y 200 pies detrás del barco.

Nuestro equipo consiste en: 50w Penn Internationals forrado con trenza de 80lb; cañas de 7’ Winthrop adjust butt; un 64 oz. y un 32 oz. de peso en línea de curricán; cuerdas de choque de 50 pies con 300 lb. Mono; y 400 lb. de snap swivels negro en cada extremo. Los señuelos pueden ser de cualquier color llamativo y nosotros preferimos los torpedo de doble anzuelo con cable. El rosa/azul, rosa/blanco, azul/blanco, negro/ naranja o negro/morado, que son algunos de nuestros favoritos.

Al desplegar los cebos, mantenga una velocidad constante de unos 7 nudos y el barco recto para evitar que se crucen las líneas. Con los mandos de arrastre activados, para evitar holguras, despliegue primero el cebo largo (400 pies) seguido del corto (200 pies). Nos gusta usar unas 20 libras de arrastre y una vez ajustados puede empezar a aumentar la velocidad, desde 9 nudos hasta 14 nudos o incluso más rápido. Encuentre ese “punto dulce” de su barco, pues cada uno se comporta de forma diferente a distintas velocidades. Empiece a hacer curvas en S graduales, pues esto mantiene los cebos fuera del agua blanca y más visibles para los peces. Intentamos entrar y salir en zigzag por bordes y desniveles, trabajando en aguas poco profundas y volviendo a salir en aguas profundas.

En caso de picada, mantenga el barco en movimiento. Muchos peces se pierden por no acelerar, así que sostenga la velocidad de curricán durante 30 segundos. Esto ayuda a clavar el anzuelo y también atrae a más petos para que, posiblemente, piquen el otro cebo. Asegúrese de marcar el lugar de la picada para poder volver a trabajar en él, pues donde hay un peto o un banco de peces, seguramente habrán más.

Una vez enganchado, asegúrese de despejar el segundo cebo. Puede soltar lentamente el acelerador, pero mantenga la embarcación en marcha para conservar la línea tensa e intente arrastrar el pez mar adentro para evitar a los tiburones. Pondremos el barco en un ligero giro para evitar arrastrar al pez hacia los motores y cuando aparezca el peso en línea esté preparado con el garfio. Un buen compañero puede arreglárselas solo con el plomo y el garfio, pero le recomendamos encarecidamente que tenga un pescador en el líder y otro en el garfio. La clave es un disparo en la cabeza, pues no querrá a un pez enfadado y en la bañera mientras usted está ahí de pie con sus sandalias de arrecife.

Tanto si pesca en el frente, como si está dispuesto a disparar a través de las Bahamas, octubre puede producir algunos peces bonitos. Las condiciones de poca luz son las mejores y pescar alrededor de la luna llena es casi ideal. Finalmente, investigue un poco antes de cruzar a las Bahamas, no es ningún secreto donde se realiza la mejor pesca del peto.

¡Buena suerte!

Capitán Greg Hutchisson

www.hutchtouchfishing.com

IG @hutchtouchfishing

FB The Hutch Touch

786-320-4743

Let’s grow with Florida together.

CRANKBAITS KAYAKS &

By Coty Perry

Tricks You

Didn’t Know You Needed to Know

Although kayak anglers use the same lures as bank and boat anglers, we o en must adjust our approach. One lure I’ve found myself using di erently while bass shing from a kayak is the crankbait. I love throwing a crankbait, but a challenge to shing one in a kayak is the drag created by the lure. Fishing kayaks are much lighter than bass boats, so your kayak moves toward the lure as you retrieve it. Learning to control the yak was a signi cant adjustment I made when

transitioning to shing a crankbait from a kayak. I now steer my yak while reeling a crankbait instead of picking up a paddle. All I do is point my rod tip in the opposite direction I want to go. When my rod tip points to the le , my kayak dri s to the right and vice versa. To go straight, I point my rod tip straight ahead.

Speaking of the rod, I use a shorter rod, mainly because I sh areas with a lot of overhanging trees, and shorter rods transport easier in my rod box on my trailer and kayak. I also use a higher-speed reel than bank and bass boat anglers because I’m losing speed as the kayak dri s towards my crankbait. So, instead of a 6:1, I use an 8:1 or 7:1 gear ratio.

I spool up with braided line and use a 3- to 5-foot, 12- to 17-pound test uorocarbon leader. e length and strength depend on water clarity and how deep I sh.

More than likely, I have a squarebill crankbait tied on while shing shallow, which is a majority of the time. However, I will tie a deep-diving crankbait during the summer.

Where to Fish a Crankbait in a Yak

Crankbaits have a lot of bene ts, but they also have limitations. A lipless crankbait can be shed in the grass, especially along the edge of the grass, but most of the time, I sh crankbaits along rocky or riprap banks and over the tops of brushpiles.

I want my lure hitting every rock on the retrieve back because this o en triggers a bite. e same holds true for shing around laydowns and brushpiles. I don’t want to get snagged, but I’ve gotten so many bites a er bumping into submerged limbs.

Fishing in these two areas has helped me catch loads of bass on a crankbait, plus a few cat sh.

When to Fish a Crankbait in a Kayak

I sh a crankbait year-round. However, I change the style. In the cooler months, I tend to break out a lipless crankbait the most. As the water warms, I switch to a squarebill, and once I’m sure the sh have moved to deeper water, I’ll tie on a deep-diving crankbait during the hottest times of the year.

Coty Perry is a third-generation angler, who has a lot of experience on the water and loves sharing what he knows on anglers.com.

By Will Schmidt

RELEASING FISH THE RIGHT WAY

With so many species closed to harvest, releasing sh properly is more important than ever as we need these sh to thrive and spawn. ere are some very simple rules to follow that will help ensure the vitality of a released sh.

First and foremost, keep them wet. A sh out of water is going through a major amount of stress. is is especially true a er a long ght. It’s like running a race and then having to hold your breath. e best-case scenario is to use a dehooker that allows you to release the sh without ever taking it out of the water. Long pliers or dehookers that slide down the line and allow you to ip the sh o work great. If you do need to li the sh, work fast and get the sh back in the water before it stops dripping water. When taking pictures, keep the sh in the water until you are completely ready. Also consider a more creative angle other than the traditional hero pose so the sh stays in the water. e way you handle the sh out of water makes a huge di erence. Keeping them wet also preserves the vital slime on the sh which is crucial. Make sure your hands are wet. Avoid putting sh on dry surfaces. Rough dry surfaces like boat decks and rocks remove much of the vital slime from a sh. Never use a dry towel to handle a sh; that can be the kiss of death. Using a rubber net versus a nylon net also greatly reduces the amount of slime removed.

Bottom shing in deep water creates another issue, barotrauma, or the expansion of gas inside a sh as it ascends from the deep. You know the bulging stomach and eyes. Descending devices are easy ways to ensure sh su ering barotrauma make it safely back to the bottom. ey are required by law now in many areas for many species. While venting tools work well, most people do not use them properly and o en don’t have the proper tool. Ice picks are not proper devices.

Lip clamps and inverted hook style release techniques are simple and work great. Here’s a bonus: if you visit Return ‘Em Right (https://returnemright. org), you can get the equipment you need for free. It’s a $100 value.

Have a rod rigged and ready with your descending device so you get the sh back in the water and down as quickly as possible. I’ve also found that the using a lighter weight than provided by Return ‘Em Right is much easier to retrieve and works on smaller snapper and such. at said, with many grouper out of season, make sure you keep a heavier weight with you for when you get a big one.

Helping sh survive being caught today is the key to having sh to catch tomorrow.

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

Hurricane Season

Be

STICK MARSH FILLS UP FOR FALL FISHING

One of Florida’s premier bass sheries, known as Stick Marsh or Farm 13, is re lling and should become a better shery thanks to a large-scale habitat restoration conducted by FWC and the St. Johns River Water Management District.

e reservoir, which straddles Brevard and Indian River counties, was drawn down by 4 feet in February to stimulate submersed plant growth and re-establish native emergent vegetation, which should improve habitat for sh and wildlife. FWC sta planted the southern portion of the reservoir with native aquatic plants, including 131,000 bulrush and 40,000 spatterdock plants at a total cost of $400,000. Plants were installed across the waterbody going east-west to provide a natural wave break for the shallow southern end.

Custom Spliced Dock Lines & Anchor Rodes

Two tree islands form a Critical Wildlife Area within the reservoir, which provides nesting and roosting habitat for imperiled waterbirds, including roseate spoonbills and tricolored herons. e lower water levels created by the drawdown bene ted waterbirds by increasing foraging habitat and concentrating prey. Water levels will be allowed to slowly rise with rainfall and by now should be back within the normal range.

ree Forks Conservation Area to the north also underwent a drawdown. ree Forks Reservoir will be back within normal range before Stick Marsh/ Farm 13.

e St. Johns Water Management Area boat ramp at Stick Marsh/Farm 13 and the omas O. Lawton Recreation Area boat ramp at ree Forks Conservation Area remain accessible. Be aware that shallower water continues to create underwater hazards.

For more information, visit MyFWC.com.

SHRIMP: THE KING OF BAITS

Tim Barefoot

In the Atlantic, mature white shrimp go on the move in fall and transition to tighter fall and winter homes in the ocean.

ere are only a few sh that do not actively seek out white shrimp this time of year. For almost all the sh we seek to catch, it’s the ultimate bait.

At one point in my life, I spent an incredible amount of time cast netting and storing white shrimp (green tails) for trout shing in October, November and December. e biggest problem with shrimp as bait is all the trash bites from pin sh and all the other little snappers. Snook and tarpon will de nitely key on a big pretty shrimp, but keeping the trash o of them is di cult. Everything down there will give a shrimp a whack and at least take a few legs or the tail o is is the reason I went the arti cial route years ago when it comes to shrimp.

ere is nothing, I mean NOTHING, more e ective on inshore species than a live shrimp with a 6/0 - 8/0 circle hook under a sliding cork or freelined. With that said, I’ve taken the path of least resistance and now sh a DOA Shrimp on a jig head. It gets the bite, and I don’t spend hours messing with live bait or netting it on the morning of the trip.

I’m not saying catching live shrimp is a waste of time… it’s not, but with arti cials, I can show up with my entire tackle box in a small backpack full of tricks.

e hour or two at daylight in the morning, I prefer the “measles” color DOA because a shrimp’s legs and underbody are red in the dark and at rst light. When the sun gets up, I switch to the “near clear” color when the water is clear, but only if they stop eating the measles color. You can’t x what ain’t broke.

I mash the barb down on the jig hook. is way, when sh I don’t plan to eat come to the boat, I don’t have to touch the sh. Just grab the jig head and give a quick reverse motion. e hook comes right out. You can get back in the action, and the sh has a better chance of survival. e same jig and so plastic shrimp combo is extremely e ective shed under a xed cork at night. Make a long cast up-current around bridge pilings, docks or other structure. is is not the situation for a popping cork with all the beads and rattles. I like a nice quiet, heavy-duty cork that can be shed quietly or with quite a bit of noise. I stay in touch with the cork, and let the current dictate the speed of the retrieve. Any way you sh it, white shrimp reign supreme for inshore shing, especially in October and November.

To see more from Tim Barefoot, go to barefootcatsandtackle.com.

GO GET SOME GULF SNAPPER!

Florida’s extended fall Gulf of Mexico red snapper season is still going on. Gulf Anglers are taking advantage of some great shing, and there are still eight weekends in October and November to get in on the action.

e limit is two per person, per day with a 16-inch minimum size limit. e remaining 2023 dates available for harvest of red snapper in the Gulf are:

• October 6–8

• October 13–15

• October 20–22

• October 27–29

• November 3–5

• November 10–12 (Veterans DayWeekend)

• November 17–19

• November 23–26 (ThanksgivingWeekend)

Anglers pursuing red snapper in state or federal waters from a private recreational vessel, even those exempt from shing license requirements, must sign up as a State Reef Fish Angler (annual renewal required) at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.

For more information, go to MyFWC.com.

ATLANTIC BLUELINE HARVEST CLOSED

Prospects for loading the cooler bottom shing got a little slimmer when harvest of blueline tile sh closed in Atlantic state waters of Florida on Sept. 1. is closure is consistent with the closure in adjacent federal waters. Harvest will reopen May 1, 2024.

ese delicious bottom dwellers are frequently caught by anglers targeting deep-water groupers. ey inhabit 250- to 800-foot depths and their popularity as a game sh has risen in the last decade as restrictions on other species has led anglers to target them. ey came on the radar for federal sheries managers in 2014 and 2015, when blueline tile sh were determined to be over shed.

e regular season for blueline tile sh in Atlantic state waters is May 1 through Aug. 31. e daily limit is three sh within the aggregate limit for blueline tile sh and grouper.

For more information, visit MyFWC.com.

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COOK ISLANDS GRANDER CAUGHT SOLO FROM A 22-FOOT BOAT

Catching a grander is one of the most sought-after feats in sportfishing. Boats, crews and anglers enter rare air when they hook and land a 1,000-pound-plus marlin, and untold time and money are spent chasing the dream.

Fishing solo from a 22-foot boat, angler Arnold Pauro achieved his lifelong dream Aug. 25 when he hauled in a 1,128-pound blue marlin that is a new record for the Cook Islands. According to the Cook Island News, Pauro came tight with the huge blue fishing just 3 miles off the southern end of the island Rarotonga.

Rarotonga is the most populated of the Cook Islands, which is an archipelago nation out in the middle of the South Pacific northeast of New Zealand. Rarotonga is renowned for excellent flats fishing, especially for bonefish, and like many volcanic islands, the water drops into thousandfoot depths just a few miles offshore. This creates a situation where bluewater fishing is very accessible, even for anglers in smaller boats.

According to the Cook Island News, Pauro managed to subdue the giant fish solo in his small boat, Haurua, by keeping a short line. He first brought the fish boat-side after just 3 minutes, and then all hell broke loose. Arnold told the news outlet that the fish jumped 40 or 50 times and ran out of steam after about an hour and a half.

“I kept it to 50 metres of line, kept it short, I don’t like letting my marlin go,” he told the Cook Island News.

Arnold’s fish topped the Cook Island weight record of 1,045 pounds, which was set by angler Paku Poila in November 2020. The IGFA all-tackle world record for blue marlin was caught off Brazil in 1992. It weighed 1,402 pounds.

To read the original report, go to www.cookislandsnews.com.

Hanapa‘a - Mahi

Hanapa‘a - Ono

Hanapa‘a - Ahi

Hanapa‘a - Marlin

Fish flags inspired by Sun Dot Marine Flags.

@fishflags

For the third time in the last 13 years, serious flaws have been revealed in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) data collection programs for recreational fisheries. A recent pilot study conducted by NOAA itself and published in August found that estimates on angler effort might be overestimated by 30 to 40 percent.

These inflated estimates are important because they are part of the equation used to manage our fisheries. The data is used in stock assessments, and to estimate harvest numbers and recreational discard. By overestimating angler effort, catch data is also inflated, which means the data erroneously reflects a larger harvest by recreational anglers than actually exists.

In a nutshell, the pilot study found that the Marine Recreational Information Program’s Fishing Effort Survey is confusing to respondents, which led to “reporting errors” and “illogical responses.” NOAA said this survey, which is mailed to licensed saltwater anglers, “remains the best and sometimes the only available science for tracking relative year-to-year and long-term effort trends.”

The immediate reaction to this revelation from some outlets was a call to reduce restrictions on recreational anglers. The estimate means fewer fish were actually caught, which means there are more fish still in the water, right? Not so fast. This catch and effort data also figures into stock assessments. The inflated effort numbers translate to an overestimation in fish populations.

“The news of this significant overestimation has serious implications for all of our fisheries. Since every species is managed differently, the ramifications of this information cannot be quantified under a singular umbrella,” reads a

report from the American Saltwater Guides Association (ASGA). “It does not mean that because fishing effort is less than originally expected, there must be more fish to harvest. In fact, it will mean there needs to be a major re-calibration because effort is used to help determine stock size. If we have overestimated effort, we also overestimated the stock. We must go species by species to understand the best path for management moving forward. Now more than ever, we need to be precautionary in our management approach.”

NOAA has indicated it will initiate further studies into the findings of its pilot study, according to the ASGA report. Meanwhile, a group of marine conservation and recreational fishing organizations has ramped up its call to wrest control of recreational data collection from the federal government and turn it over to state agencies.

“Yet another major revision to the federal recreational data collection system is upon us, and it should bring a realization that NOAA is just not capable of doing this job,” said Ted Venker, conservation director of the Coastal Conservation Association. “At best we are looking at several more years of questionable revisions, recalculations, and recalibrations based on a suspect data system that has never proven it can produce accurate information. This is no way to manage a public resource. It would be irresponsible to continue down this road rather than exploring and supporting state-based options to better manage the recreational sector wherever feasible.”

HIGHWAY 17 SOUTH, GREEN COVE SPRINGS, FL 32043

31-INCH LIMIT ON ATLANTIC STRIPER EXTENDED

New Management Plan Delayed Until at Least January

Recreational anglers in Chesapeake Bay and along the Atlantic Coast must continue to release all striped bass longer than 31 inches after fisheries managers extended an emergency regulation that was set to expire on Oct. 28. The extension’s new expiration date is Oct. 28, 2024, which gives the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) more than a full year to grapple with a complex management plan intended to rebuild the coastwide striper population by 2029.

The emergency measure was first implemented in May, after estimates showed recreational harvest nearly doubled in 2022 over 2021’s figures. At the time, projections plummeted from a 97 percent chance the stock would be rebuilt by 2029 to just a 15 percent.

NOAA’s Fisheries Effort Survey, which was found recently to have overestimated angler effort by 30 to 40 percent, is an important part of recreational harvest estimates. It also plays into stock assessments for the striped bass fishery.

However, scientists still believe striped bass reproduction has been down since 2015. The 2015 age class was strong, and those fish are now the larger fish in the population that contribute most to reproduction. The emergency measure was implemented to protect the larger breeding fish.

The Chesapeake Bay “Trophy” season, which has historically been an important fishery for bay anglers, is exempt from this emergency regulation. The short early May season in Maryland has allowed anglers to keep one fish longer than 35 inches per person. A press release from ASMFC warned anglers that this special season might change once the emergency measure is replaced by a management plan that is supposed to come from ASMFC’s Addendum II of the Atlantic Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan.

Addendum II is a complex document with a range of management options intended to rebuild the striped bass stock by the end of the decade. It was hoped Addendum II would be ready for implementation in October. After five hours of back and forth at an August commission meeting, the decision was made to delay action. Now, the earliest a new management plan can be implemented is January 2024.

“Moving the emergency action forward was an important stop-gap measure to balance fishing mortality in the recreational fishery,” said David Sikorski, a Maryland delegate to the ASMFC. “Unfortunately, the delay in advancing draft Addendum II leaves uncertainty in our ability to meet our rebuilding goals and reduce overall fishing mortality ahead of the 2024 fishing year. Between now and the October 2023 meeting, draft Addendum II will be updated and provided to the board and posted online.”

The 31-inch maximum emergency rule will remain in place until Oct. 28, 2024, or until it is replaced by restrictions in Addendum II.

For more information, go to http://www.asmfc.org/

SNELLING A HOOK

Snelling a hook is an age-old way of attaching it to your line. It is a technique that pre-dates the invention of hook eyes, when hooks only had flattened tops and snelling the hook was required to create a good connection to the line.

Thanks to hook eyes, this is no longer necessary, but a snell knot remains one of the best connections out there for simple line-to-hook connections. The knot’s ability to orient the point of the hook in the right direction for octopus and circle hooks makes it a go-to knot for live and cut bait fishing. You’ll get more solid hook sets when you snell circle hooks.

A snell knot is quick and easy to tie and it provides a strong connection. The only real disadvantage is the knot is on the shank of the hook, where it is vulnerable to the teeth of toothy critters. It’s probably not the best choice if you’re fishing for muskie or barracuda.

For more information, go to usangler.com.

HAVE

YOU CAUGHT A LENGTH-RECORD SMALLIE?

This gorgeous Colorado River smallmouth bass is a new IGFA alltackle world length record for the species.

The chunky smallmouth measured 53 centimeters (20 inches) on an official IGFA measuring device, which tied the fish for the length record with two other officially recognized smallies. Sarah Harris landed her big fish while night fishing on the Colorado River in Arizona. It slammed a topwater lure and was boated after a short fight. After snapping some photos, Harris released it safely.

Harris’s bass tied a smallmouth caught by William Brent Evans from Alabama’s Lake Guntersville in 2014 as well as one caught from Washington’s Osoyoos Lake by Shane Hoelzle in 2020.

The IGFA all-tackle world record smallmouth by weight is a longstanding 11-pound, 15-ounce mark that was set in 1955 by David Hayes at Dale Hollow Lake in Tennessee.

Hayes’s Dale Hollow fish is a record that might stand forever, but those length records can be beaten. While a 20-inch smallmouth is definitely a trophy fish, 20-plus inchers are caught pretty regularly. It’s a matter of time before someone with an official IGFA measuring device puts one in the boat. For more, go to IGFA.org.

SEARCH WITH A BLADED JIG

TYLER WOOLCOTT

This time of year, when bass are feeding up ahead of winter, it’s tough to beat a bladed jig—or Chatterbait—to find hungry fish.

In most cases, the Chatterbait is in my arsenal as a search bait to cover a ton of water. There isn’t a piece of cover that I can think of that I haven’t thrown it around with success. Docks, wood, grass, rocks, anywhere a bass might live and feed is a good place to throw it. Most of the time you can locate fish with this bait and then go back through the same area with something else and pick up some more bites. If there are hungry bass around and you present this bait in the right way, you will get a bite.

A lot of times I am trying to duplicate an injured baitfish with a Chatterbait, whether they be shad, shiners or bluegill. Whites, golds and green pumpkin colors are my go to baitfish imitators and are what I have tied on most of the time. If the water is dirty or when fish are feeding on crayfish, I’ll switch to a black and blue or even an orange or red color. Match a trailer bait of your choice on the back like a swimbait or a craw trailer, and you’ll be good to go.

Chatterbait bites are usually reaction strikes, so I vary the retrieve to create erratic action while keeping the lure in the strike zone. I do this by speeding up my retrieval speed and then pausing for a very short period of time and then resuming a normal retrieval rate. Believe it or not, there are way more fish that follow your bait and don’t commit than you think. A very small adjustment in the speed can make the difference and convince these fish to eat. A 3/8-oz. and a ½-oz. are pretty much the only two sizes I throw. This covers all different depth ranges from a foot of water down to 10 feet. Cover as much water as possible until you pin point a healthy population of feeding bass then slow down with a different bait that you can work slower.

Chatterbait Gear

A moderate-action rod makes a huge difference when it comes to keeping fish hooked up. The 13 Fishing Omen Black 7’4mhm is absolutely perfect for fishing a Chatterbait. I pair a 7:5:1 gear ratio Concept A 13 Fishing reel with this and spool it with 17-lb. Seaguar Abraz X. I throw some bigger line with this, as you are usually around some type of cover and are working the bait fairly fast, so they won’t get a chance to see your line anyway.

Hope this fishing tip will give you some confidence to try this technique, if you haven’t already. It flat out catches them. Good luck out there and tight lines!

Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide. Check out his website at www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com.

THROUGHOUT!

RECORD MAHI CAUGHT OFF WASHINGTON STATE

A20-pound mahi might not be surprising off the coasts of Florida or Mexico, but this 21-pound, 48-inch-long dolphinfish is a super rare catch off the coast of Washington State. It’s the largest one anyone’s ever caught there.

Angler Wade La Fontaine caught his state record mahi 42 miles out in the Pacific off the Washington coast on Aug. 25. He was on a charter trip with Capt. Keith Johnson aboard the Tunacious. They were trolling for tuna with plastic squid lures behind a spreader when the mahi hit.

Upon landing at the dock in Westport, Washington, the dolphinfish was checked by a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist, then weighed on a certified scale. After review, the record was certified on Aug. 30.

Dolphinfish are sporadically caught by recreational and commercial fishers targeting albacore tuna and other species off the Washington and Oregon coasts, including a handful recorded last year at the ports of Westport and Ilwaco and at least two this summer.

“Most mahi mahi caught off our coast are smaller fish in the 6- to 12-pound range,” read a WDFW press release. “La Fontaine’s fish — which was 48 inches long and 40 inches to the inside fork of the tail — was more reminiscent of large

dolphinfish caught in warmer waters off southern California, Mexico and Hawaii.”

The previous Washington state record weighed 16.27 pounds. It was caught by Albert DaSilva in 2013.

The charter reported 70-degree water temperature in the area where the fish was caught, which is warm, even for the warmer offshore currents, though not unprecedented especially during El Nino years, explained the release.

The Return of a

“I’m blessed beyond comprehension,” La Fontaine said. “I’ll be getting another tattoo of a mahi!”

Albacore tuna are the primary target for Pacific Northwest offshore anglers, with large schools of these “longfin tuna” abundant off the coast of northern California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia in the summer and early fall. Albacore are found in the blue water, a mass of warmer Sea Surface Temperature water typically found off the West Coast of North America during summer and fall, and off Southern California yearround.

For more information, go to https://wdfw.wa.gov/