Coastal Angler Magazine | May 2023 | Miami Edition

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RED SPRING USHERS IN

pring is one of my favorite seasons for shing. Fish are warming up and feeding aggressively, especially red sh. Red sh eagerly consume an array of baits this time of year, but there is one arti cial that sets itself apart from the others. Have you guessed it?

If you said, “gold spoon,” you were correct. When you look at the spoon it seems unimpressive, to be honest. However, that is the beauty of it all; we, as anglers, overcomplicate shing. Sometimes all you need is an awkward piece of gold metal to shake the skunk.

WHAT

It combines pro le, color and vibration, which play on the three signi cant senses most game sh use when feeding. e shape might resemble a crab, a small sh or a wounded shrimp, and the unique wobble lets sh know it’s an easy target. Gold spoons are great for beginners and avid anglers alike, they can be rigged weedless, and they are easy to cast. One of my go-to spoons for red sh is the FishLab Bio-Spoon.

RIGGING A SPOON

Rigging is simple; attach a 20- to 30-pound uorocarbon or mono lament leader directly to the spoon. I attach a snap swivel directly to the spoon to prevent line twists. A 1/4-ounce spoon is usually an excellent choice, especially when the bait is smaller. Remember to match the hatch in

terms of size. Pair the spoon with a 7 or 7 1/2-foot medium fast spinning rod and 15-pound braid. My preferred setup is the Okuma ITX 4000 paired with an Okuma SRT spinning rod.

Spoons can produce sh in various conditions, but there are situations when it shines. Along weed lines, mangroves or similar structures should be your rst targets, as this is where red sh congregate. Remember, reds travel in groups, so work an area thoroughly for consistent action. Repeated casts to the exact location or the same retrieval path will o en produce multiple sh.

Gold spoons are best suited for stained or dark water. In cleaner water, the same techniques can be used with a silver spoon. e shape of the spoon and hook guard combine to allow the lure to bounce o obstructions like weeds, mangroves, oyster beds or rocks where other lures might be lost.

Erratic action is the key to the spoon’s success. Many anglers cast and pause, allowing the spoon to utter. If you do not get a hit right o the bat, you have two options for the retrieve. A steady retrieve, varying speed based on conditions, will o en draw sh out and even right to the boat. Others prefer to add a twitch to their retrieve, feeling it increases the motion. Try each or mix it up based on what the sh respond to. Be bold, and try new techniques. Be sure to pick up a Salty Scales Performance shing shirt, stay protected, and remain comfortable on the water.

Capt. Joshua Taylor is a Tampa guide and founder of Salty Scales Performance Fishing Gear. Check them out at www.saltyscales.com.

MAKES THE GOLD SPOON UNIQUE?

HOW TO FISH A SPOON

By Capt. Joshua Taylor

FINALLY, BACK TO GROUPER FISHING

There was a time in my life that we took certain things for granted. For example, No limits and/or seasons on speckled trout, drum, ounder and especially GROUPER! I never thought I would say the two words “grouper” and “season” in the same sentence. Never mind, I’m just venting because I prefer bottom shing and light lining above all other styles of o shore shing.

I went through this last year about this time, but I’ll do it again for those folks who might have missed it. is is the way I start every location we anchor on, or post up with the Rhodan.

NOTE: We take two boxes of quid on every trip, and we typically have live pin sh from the marina also.

I typically have three or four folks with me every trip. We start by ring down whole squid on the jig. Meanwhile, I’m on the sabiki jigging up whatever is on the bottom below us. I don’t care what is coming up on the whole squid, as this is not the main focus. e real objective is to set a nice ‘chum slick” on the bottom to attract the sh you’re really shing for. A er 4 or 5 rounds of the whole frozen squid, we will re down live pin sh or whatever I’ve jigged up on the sabiki. e other advantage of shing a live pin sh, grass grunt, sailors’ choice or whatever you can jig up, is it eliminates the trash bites. In addition to eliminating the trash bites from small snapper, seabass and other “undesirables,” it’s like physcological warfare, as the gags, scamps and reds cannot digest all that is going on here. To them it appears like the pin sh, grass grunts etc, think the live baits were running around picking up squid pieces, and the squid or crab jigs have caught them and the live bait is struggling to get away. BAM!!! e bite happens. is, my friends, is the di erence between “bottom shing” and GROUPER shing.

Another bait that’s a dead ringer for a grouper bite is a butter ied

bait. e butter ied bait on the bottom basically does the same thing as the squid. e small snapper and other smaller sh will hammer the lets until the grouper have had enough of it. You will feel the small sh biting it constantly, but then all of a sudden the small “pecking” bites will stop. Get ready, and don’t move it… the grouper has moved in and everyone else has to leave, because it’s time for the real bite!

Enough about the bottom. I will occasionally troll for a LITTLE WHILE, but this would be to accomplish two things at once. Catch a sh or two, but also to locate the best part of any given ledge with lots of bait and sh on the bottom. As soon as we locate the bait, reel in the troll baits and get to work! Everything you catch trolling, you can catch on the light line while you’re grouper shing. Tuna, dolphin and wahoo are idiots for a big fat (live) greenie, sardine, cigar minnow or goggle eye out back behind the boat in the current.

All the best shing,

Check out more from Tim Barefoot at barefootcatsandtackle.com

Tim Barefoot

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By TAM Sta

Where Southern Stripers run

WhereSouthern Stripers run WhereSouthern Stripers run WhereSouthern Stripers run

species that crosses their path.

It is a good time to be a river angler. Here are three excellent destinations for river-run striped bass in the South.

• Saluda River: Columbia, South Carolina

In spring and summer, scads of striped bass make the 60-mile run up the Congaree River from the Santee-Cooper Lakes southeast of Columbia, S.C. By late summer, most of those sh pile into the Saluda River, which is a short, 10-mile-long tributary that’s fed with cold water from the dam at Lake Murray. August is the heart of the Saluda season, when 100- sh days of 2- to 5-pound stripers are possible. Fish heavier than 20 pounds are a possibility, but this shery sees a lot of pressure and the water is normally very clear. e big ones spook easily and become nicky late in the season.

• Etowah River: Cartersville, Georgia

On Georgia’s Etowah River, the sh are spread out over about 50 miles of river, so covering water is the name of the game. Anglers should expect to do a lot of casting to each shoal and piece of wood cover where stripers might lie in ambush.

Starting in April, they run some 75 miles upriver from Alabama’s Lake Weiss to a lowhead dam downstream of Georgia’s Lake Allatoona. e sh are constantly on the move and the idea is to intercept them. Anglers might hook up with sh from 4 pounds on up to 20 pounds and larger.

• Hiwassee River: Reliance, Tennessee

e Hiwassee is more of a quality than quantity shery. Anglers are called on to sh hard for just a few bites, but those bites come from sh that o en weigh 20, 30, even 40 pounds or more.

In the South, the striped bass runs of spring and summer bring some of the most exciting shing of the year for those who prefer to sh rivers. Landlocked striped bass are as large and powerful as any sh in freshwater, and for most of the year they are only available to big-lake anglers who troll or downline live baits.

at all changes in spring. e rst groups of striper migrate into the rivers on spawning runs. In many locations, this spring run is followed by a larger summertime push, when pods of striped bass move up into cooler, more oxygenated waters. Sometimes they pile up below dams, and sometimes they patrol surprisingly skinny waters in wolf packs, gobbling up any prey

Most years, the wide, shoal-broken river around Reliance loads up with striped bass from July into September. ese are big-river sh that run some 50-miles upstream from the Tennessee River at Lake Chickamauga. ey revel in cold, oxygenated water that ows down the mountains from Apalachia Lake on the North Carolina/Tennessee border.

ey hold in the same holes and shoals every year to feed heavily on skipjack herring, gizzard shad and the stocked trout Tennessee puts in the river for anglers.

For more information, go to coastalanglermagazine.com.

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By Emily Rose Hanzlik

SPRING MEANS IT’S TIME FOR TUNA

With spring settled in, the seas are becoming more shable, and more options are available. When I was little, this is the time of year when we would start catching little tunnies o the pier. At the time they were my favorite, but now that I’m older and know a few friends with boats, spring has come to mean tuna, black n tuna in particular. We catch other species of tuna, but black ns are the most abundant here o Florida.

Black n tuna are smaller than other tuna species like yellow n or blue n. Black ns we catch usually weigh between 10 and 30 pounds, and they rarely reach 30 pounds. Yellow n tuna have bright yellow on their lateral line, while black ns have a bronze, almost black line. Also, a black n’s nlets are more of a dark bronze color with white tips compared to yellow n, which have yellow nlets. Another tell is their second dorsal n, which is not elongated like other species of tunas.

Black n tuna and every other tuna use ram ventilation, meaning they must be constantly moving. During this movement, water is forced through the mouth and over the gills to supply oxygen to the blood. ey are constantly moving and highly migratory.

Black n tuna range all over the western Atlantic Ocean, from Massachusetts to Brazil. Within these areas, tuna stay more o shore in depths of 70 feet or deeper. ey prefer water temperatures between 70 and 75 degrees. is results in the tuna arriving in Florida in late spring and staying into fall, when water temperatures are optimal for them.

Black ns spawn throughout the summer. ey broadcast spawn in current, and their fry will live within oating debris elds until they get large enough to survive in the open.

To catch black n tuna, many captains will dri sh over 170 to 270 feet of water. A current that dri s the boat at about 2 knots is about as fast as you want to go, and a sea anchor can be useful in slowing the dri . Live baits such as sardines, thread n herring and others work well on the dri . Deploy some freelines as well as some weighted rigs to take baits down and cover the water column.

Jigging a spoon around reefs and rock piles is another fun and e ective way to catch black ns. Tuna will readily take a 4- or 5-inch spoon weighing 2 or 3 ounces.

Black n tuna are good to eat, and you’re allowed two per person or 10 per vessel. e IGFA all-tackle record for black n tuna is 49.06 pounds, caught out o Marathon, Fla. in 2006.

Emily Rose Hanzlik holds 62 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 on social media @emilyhanzlikoutdoors.

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Orange Lake Produces Giants

It’s been a slow year for truly giant largemouth bass in Florida. e FWC’s TrophyCatch program, which recognizes and promotes catch and release of big bass, has only registered two 13-plus-pounders this TrophyCatch season. Both sh were caught southeast of Gainesville, at Orange Lake.

Largemouths must weigh more than 13 pounds to

reach TrophyCatch Hall of Fame status. TrophyCatch season 11 began back on Oct. 1, 2022, and the veri ed Hall of Fame bass wasn’t caught until Feb. 3. at monster sh, caught at Orange Lake by Michael Matthews, weighed 13-pounds, 8-ounces. It is the largest sh entered into the program so far for the season, which ends on Sept. 30, 2023.

Apparently, Orange Lake bass were fat and full of eggs in February. e second Hall of Fame bass of the season was caught on Feb. 25 by Anthony Holland during a Big Bend Bass Club tournament at Orange Lake. You can bet Holland got a check a er bringing his giant 13-pound, 3-ounce bass to the scales.

Both Hall of Fame sh were released back into Orange Lake, and both of their weights will count for Orange Lake in the ongoing Battle of the Lakes between Orange Lake and Headwaters/Fellsmere. At the end of season 11, whichever shery has the most registered weight will win, and all the anglers who submitted sh for the winning lake will be entered into a prize drawing.

TrophyCatch also awards many other prizes to participants, including a fully rigged bass boat that will be awarded by drawing at the end of the season.

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Anthony Holland caught a 13.3-pound bass during an Orange Lake tournament on Feb. 25.

The largest bass of the TrophyCatch season was caught at Orange Lake on Feb. 3 by Michael Matthews.

Here One Day, Gone the Next TARPON

By Nick Carter

Just a er daybreak, we bobbed in an anchored ski looking out over a wide, shallow bay. Capt. Scott Burgess sat on the poling platform smoking a cigar and drinking co ee. Jesse Trevathan stood on the casting deck. He wasn’t casting. With line stripped out into the decal-littered stripping bucket in front of him, he held his y—a locally tied (FC)2 Renegade—in his le hand and his rod in his right. He just watched. We all watched, eyes focused on a large patch of sand o the bow that stood out from the grassy bottom around it.

We were looking for tarpon cruising the shallows on their annual westward migration along the Gulf Coast. In this sweet spot on Florida’s Forgotten Coast, they show up in May and are gone by August. e action peaks in June and July, and their massive silver bodies would show clearly in contrast to the sandy bottom.

“ ey follow paths, the same paths, year a er year,” said Burgess. “It’s based on the topography of the bottom as they move in with the tide.”

He had positioned the boat with the bow facing a ridge that rose from 7 feet up to 3 feet deep. When tarpon move in, the tops of such ridges are too shallow for them to cross. e big sh are channeled into the shallows in search of pogies, crabs and other delicacies.

With the trap set, there was nothing to do but wait and talk. Trevathan said tarpon spawn on the new and full moons of summer. For days they evacuate the ats and head o shore.

“I’ve been out here right before the full moon, and I literally saw hundreds of tarpon. ey were doing nothing but chasing tail. ey were

daisy chaining all over the place,” Trevathan said. “I went back on the moon, and they were gone.”

e daisy chaining Trevathan mentioned, in which sh group up and swim in circles nose to tail, is thought by some to be pre-spawn behavior, a sort of courtship dance. But no spawning takes place during these events. For the most part, scientists don’t really know why tarpon do what they do.

Trevathan and Burgess both have their theories about the movements of these giants. What they know for sure is tarpon show up each summer on the ats and in the passes. Clean water is needed to see them. Seeing them is necessary to present the y. e cast must lead them, but not too much, and the retrieve must intercept the sh at the right angle to incite a strike.

If the sh eats, it takes a hard strip set to drive the hook into a tarpon’s bony mouth. How hard? “As hard as you can,” said Burgess. Even if all goes according to plan, Burgess admitted there’s a less than 50 percent chance of steering a large tarpon boat-side. e power and aerial display of a hooked tarpon are legendary. Sadly, we did not witness it that day.

As the tide turned, the murky water became more dingy. Late in the morning, the call was made to move in search of red sh.

A week later, Burgess sent a text message with an attached photo. It showed a big tarpon, which he estimated to be 135 to 140 pounds, tailthrashing the water just o the tip of his 12-weight rod, which was broken in half.

“40 min ght with a broken rod… she pulled me 2 miles from my anchor.” e text read.

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Grouper Season is finally here!

by Raymond Munoz, Capt. Jax

May rst is the opening day of grouper season. A day that anglers have been waiting for, for 5 months. Normally the wind would be blowing 30 mph but this year we caught a break on our opening trip. We started the day super early looking for bait. In fact we spent about 2 hours catching horse pilchards. en we spent another hour catching fresh ballyhoo. We caught 160 pieces.

At 10 am we set up on our rst spot, some hard bottom in two hundred feet of water. We like to sh these big grouper with 30 to 50 size conventional reels lled to the top with 60 lb. braid. e rig is a 16/24 oz bank sinker, depending on the current and dept. We use 30-40 of 80 lb. mono leader tipped with the last 6-8 with 80 lb. uorocarbon. e hook is a 7/0 or 8/0 circle hook. We drop this straight down and leave it on the bottom.  We sh with two set-ups at one time.   en we’ll put back a couple live pilchards on at line spinners.

My friends and I have been doing this trip for 20 years now and this particular day was an alltime weird bite. Every time we put a ballyhoo down, we would get hit right away but it would be an instant cut o . is happened to us about 30 times before we got the rst real sh to the surface.  It was worth the trouble; the rst sh was a monster red grouper. Behind it we saw a big shark following it but didn’t attack. We thought we had just gotten lucky. e second real bite was a big mutton. Another shark followed the sh all the way to the boat but didn’t take the sh either. is happened with all the sh we caught.

Behind the at line we saw a n out of the water, chasing something behind the boat. A few seconds later, boom! e big live pilchard got slammed. It was a small shark. At this moment we gured out that the sharks didn’t want big sh, they wanted ballyhoo and pilchards, which was a great thing! We had a great day overall, catching two black n tuna, 34 lbs., and 28 lbs. We caught several big muttons up to 16 lbs. and the red grouper was 14 lbs. e winner for the day was a monster black grouper, weighing 38 lbs.

If anyone would like to experience this type of shing contact my good friend Captain Mike Millz at M and M charters (786) 525-9269.

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FRESHWATER

by Captain Mike Tojdowski

Spring is upon us and so is the amazing shing that South Florida has to o er. All freshwater target species are very active during the month of May. Following the largemouth bass spawn, they will begin to start feeding heavily again, and will be much more active. Ultra-aggressive peacock bass, which will be escorting their fry, make an easy target. Both tarpon and snook can be targeted with much more success with the spring showers which will move more water through the system, and therefore cause sh feeding in the currents to be even more active.

Water levels in the Everglades and urban waterways will be at their peak levels allowing anglers and sh alike to access areas otherwise unreachable during the dryer months. Flowing water throughout the system will be like a needed cleansing. Plus, the higher rate of ow will move bait sh all the way from Lake Okeechobee through the network of lakes and canals to the ocean levy limits. is will give you an opportunity to cast net your own bait or at least see what local baits are around so you can match the hatch with arti cial. is is the best time of year to target huge largemouth bass in the Everglades with big baits.

I nd some of the best arti cials to target largemouth bass are spinner baits with purple & watermelon color skirts or Senko worms, 5-6 inches in length in pearl white, cinnamon, and lemon yellow paired, with a bullet weight and swivel setup. In addition, large live baits over 6 inches work like magic in the Everglades for monster largemouth this month.

Peacock bass still love their shiners and poppers this time of year. You can get them to go airborne while striking your baits if you work them correctly.

Tarpon and snook will strike live mullet and pin sh on or around the bridges and Flare hawk jigs a er dark in moving water towards the pilings.

May’s expected rain showers will have the freshwater sh in our city red up with owing water and deeper pockets bringing the sh closer to shore allowing anglers to target them more easily from land and allowing boats to access many more areas in the Everglades otherwise untouchable during the dryer months.

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Call/Text 305-998-3375

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

The FishermanTraveling

by Capt. Bouncer Smith

My shing opportunities were pretty lean over the last months. In midMarch I did have a good day learning to sh rubber worms for bass in Central Florida. Mike Arnoldy is a master at catching bass and a great teacher. Early April was a treat for me. One ursday I had my rst ever chance to sh with long-time friend Chip Sheehan. His charter boat, Chips Ahoy, sails out of Two Georges Marina in Boynton Beach Florida. With a crew of Captains, Nick Cardella and Fast Eddie and charter guests Ari and Danny we headed out to kite sh. By morning’s end Ari, Danny and even I had caught sail sh and added a king sh for dinner.

e next day I joined Captain Abie Raymond and his clients, my old friends Ben and Dominic. We had a taxing day. Our rst sh was a king sh eaten by a porpoise. Our next sh was a barracuda bit in half by a shark.

Finally, we caught a couple black n tuna and a bonita. e bad luck came back with missing a 100 pound class yellow n tuna and a sail sh.

We found a little luck at the end scoring a couple 8 pound mahi under a frigate bird. My April shing isn’t over yet. you will have to sit on the edge of your seat to nd out if I had good luck or bad. Fishing is always great! e catching isn’t always as good.

May is without a doubt my favorite month to sh. Sail sh are crowding into southern waters to school up for spawning reasons. is means lots of sh and some real big females included. I weighed and released a 97 pounder for a junior angler years ago and over the years we caught and released several bigger sail sh in May. Look for these sh on the very edge of the North-bound current, and if it’s too strong don’t be surprised to nd the sail sh just into the green water. ese sail sh don’t want to ght all that current.

Black n tuna reach their peak in May as well. Chum and they will come. It is great if you can ll your live wells with live pilchards, but if that’s not an option, then chum with chunks of pilchards, herring or sardines. Bait as many kite lines as you can handle with any live bait. Mullet are o en available migrating north and they are deadly kite baits.

We have preached for years that once daylight savings time arrived that you can catch more sh from 5-9PM than you can catch from 9-5 all day.

Anchor or spot lock near a wreck in 90 to 150 feet of water and hang on. A perfect spread is two kites with a couple baits suspended from each, a couple atlines, a mid-bait and one or two bottom baits. e expected species include sail sh, tuna, king sh, a late season cobia, mutton snapper, grouper, big jack crevalle, amberjack and unfortunately too many hammerhead sharks a er your kite baits. Be sure to bring a live well full of pilchards or similar sized baits or a 25 at of sardines to chop in chunks to chum. It’s not how much chum, but how consistent you chum that brings the sh. If everybody forgets chunking to ght sh the chum line gets broken, and you lose the best e ect of chunking.

Yes! Grouper season and hog sh seasons have opened. Shrimp on the bottom can catch the hogs from 15 to 200 feet of water. Black and gag groupers prefer live baits or big dead baits up current from wrecks. Cmor charts will show the undercut areas of wreck and sharp outlines. at’s where the groupers live. Mutton snappers will be gathered to spawn on locations along the reefs and around wrecks. Fresh or live ballyhoo are a great bait as well as a variety of other live baits. Sword sh action should be very good and there is a good chance of nding mahi while you are o shore or on the edge.

Inshore tarpon will be thick and good-sized shrimp, crabs and tarpon will be the preferred baits. Sunset, moonrise, and early and late stages of the tide are the best times. Snook will start gathering in and around inlets and beachfront structure. Incoming tides early or late in the day are great for working lures along the ledge that forms along the beaches. Don’t cast out but cast parallel to the beach ledge with swimming plugs, so plastics, or ies.

If you are shing only a few times a year, make all your days fall in May. It’s the BEST!!!

Capt Bouncer Smith 305-439-2475

FLAMINGO

by NestorAlvisa

This time of year my time in Flamingo is spent targeting snook on the beaches along Cape Sable and on up the coast. One of my favorite things to do when shing around Cape Sable is using my MinnKota Ulterra trolling motor to slowly work the shorelines looking for the snook cruising along the shorelines. It’s a lot of fun seeing a big snook or several, either laid up or slowly cruising along the shoreline. Site shing is a blast. You can watch the sh chase down and hit whatever lure you tossed at them.

I like to use lures like white jerk baits, top water plugs like a skitter walk or even swim baits for this type of shing. When cruising up the coast I’ll look for points with moving water and I’ll either toss jerk baits, swim baits, a live pin sh under a bobber, or I’ll put the pin sh on the bottom using a knocker rig.

On calm days you’ll also nd me cruising outside the park boundaries shing crab buoys for tripletail. Once spotted a shrimp under a small bobber will always do the trick!

Fishing the Gulf wrecks and rock piles during this time is also a lot of fun as they produce a lot of permit. When targeting these sh we try to slowly dri to them or work our way very quietly with our trolling motor towards them. Once in casting distance a free-lined crab or a crab on a weighted hook depending on depth and current will do the job.

Nestor Alvisa

HookedOnFlamingo.com

@hooked_on_ amingo_charters

786.387.2443

INSHORE

by Capt. Abie Raymond

May shing in Biscayne Bay is what we dream about all year. Permit, tarpon, and screaming drag in the bright beautiful daylight. Look for big tarpon rolling in any of the inlets or along the shore close to the inlets. Permit will nd YOU while you’re tarpon shing. Fish with a live crab for bait. Hook the crab in the shoulder and drill your hook back and forth gently from the bottom of his shell towards the top in the shoulder with the least amount of legs remaining. If both sides of crab have same amount of legs, it doesn’t matter. Get your crabs in any bait shop. Rig a heavy-braid spinner with an 8-15 foot 40 lb. uorocarbon leader. Attach the leader to your braided mainline (30-50 lb braid) with a uni-uni knot connection. en slide on a small round bead. Slide on a sliding bobber such as an R&R kite oat in orange color for ease of visibility, then another bead. Cut a #64 runner band in half. On either side of your beads tie on a half of the rubber band with a double half hitch. Finish it with an in-line medium wire circle hook appropriately sized to match the crab. I like a VMC tournament circle in 7/0-8/0. e cork will slide as it is held with only two half rubber bands. When you spot a school of rolling tarpon, bait your crab (drill it gently with the hook) then slide the cork 6-8 Ft above the braid to keep the crab from getting to the bottom and hiding or getting snagged. Most likely these schools will be in water 10-20 deep. Try to present your crab by dri ing it WITH the tide. Go catch some big Tarpon and Permit.

GO HARD AND GOOD LUCK,

Captain Abie Raymond

Hey!As you visit or patronize any of our advertisers… please mention that you saw them in their local

La Temporada de mero está aquí

by Raymond Muniz, Capt. Jax

El primero de mayo es el día de apertura de la temporada de mero; un día que los pescadores han estado esperando durante 5 meses. Normalmente el viento soplaba 30 millas por hora (mph), pero este año tuvimos un respiro en nuestro viaje de apertura. Empezamos el día muy temprano en busca de cebo, de hecho, pasamos dos horas pescando sardinas. Luego pasamos otra hora pescando ballyhoo fresco y obtuvimos unas 160 piezas.

A las 10 de la mañana nos instalamos en nuestro primer punto, un fondo duro en doscientos pies de agua. Nos gusta pescar estos grandes meros con carretes convencionales de tamaño 30 a 50, llenos hasta arriba de trenza de 60 libras. El aparejo es una plomada de banco de 16/24 onzas, dependiendo de la corriente y la profundidad. Utilizamos un líder mono con punta de 6-8 pies con 80 lb de uorocarbono; mientras que el anzuelo es un anzuelo circular 7/0 u 8/0. Lo lanzamos directamente hacia abajo y lo dejamos en el fondo. Pescamos con dos montajes a la vez y luego volvemos a poner un par de sardinas vivas en cucharillas de línea plana.

Mis amigos y yo llevamos 20 años haciendo esta excursión, pero este día en particular fue un día raro. Cada vez que lanzábamos un ballyhoo, recibíamos un golpe de inmediato, pero se cortaba al instante. Esto nos ocurrió unas 30 veces antes de que consiguiéramos sacar a la super cie el primer pez de verdad. Dicho pez era un mero rojo monstruoso y detrás vimos un gran tiburón que lo seguía pero no atacó. Pensamos que habíamos tenido suerte, sin embargo, la segunda picada se trató de un mero realmente grande. Otro tiburón siguió al pez hasta el barco, pero tampoco se lo llevó. Esto sucedió con todos los peces que capturamos.

Detrás de la línea plana vimos una aleta fuera del agua, persiguiendo algo detrás del barco. Unos segundos después, ¡bum! La gran sardina viva fue golpeada. Era un pequeño tiburón. En ese momento nos dimos cuenta de que los tiburones no querían peces grandes, sino ballyhoo y sardinas. Tuvimos un gran día en general, la captura de dos atunes de aleta negra de 34 y 28 libras; así como varios chuchos grandes de hasta 16 lbs; y el mero rojo que pesó 14 lbs. El ganador del día fue un mero negro monstruoso, que pesó 38 libras.

Si alguien quiere experimentar este tipo de pesca, puede ponerse en contacto con mi buen amigo el capitán Mike Millz en M and M charters (786) 525-9269.

Captain Jax Bait and Tackle

490c E 4th Ave, Hialeah, FL 33010 • 786.300.5362

@captainjaxmiami

Enganchado a FLAMINGO

by NestorAlvisa

En esta época del año paso mi tiempo en Flamingo, buscando róbalos en las playas a lo largo del Cabo Sable y en la costa. Una de mis cosas favoritas para hacer, cuando pesco alrededor de Cabo Sabe, es usar mi motor de curricán MinnKota Ulterra para trabajar lentamente en busca de los róbalos que nadan a lo largo de las costas. Es muy divertido ver un gran robalo (o varios), ya sea acostado o nadando perezosamente a lo largo de los litorales. La pesca en este lugar es increíble, dado que puedes ver a los peces perseguir y golpear cualquier señuelo que les lances.

Para este tipo de pesca me gusta utilizar cebos como los jerk baits blancos, los top water plugs, los skitter walk o incluso los swim baits. Cuando navego por la costa, busco puntos con agua en movimiento y lanzo estos señuelos junto con un pin sh vivo, bajo un corcho de pesca o en el fondo con un gancho rig.

En los días de calma también me podrán encontrar fuera de los límites del parque, pescando en las boyas cangrejeras. Una vez localizada, una gamba bajo uno pequeño corcho de pesca siempre funciona.

Pescar en los pecios del Golfo y en las pilas de rocas durante esta época también es muy divertido, ya que producen muchas palometas. Cuando nos dirigimos a estos peces, intentamos acercarnos lentamente o movernos hacia ellos en silencio con nuestro motor de curricán. Una vez que estemos en la distancia correcta, un cangrejo de línea libre o un cangrejo en un gancho lastrado, en función de la profundidad y la corriente, va a hacer el trabajo.

Nestor Alvisa

@hooked_on_ amingo_charters

Hooked On Flamingo Charters

786.387.2443

Capitáns Mike Tojdowski

Llamada / Texto: 305-998-3375

Síguenos en Urban Legends Fishing Charters

Facebook / Instagram @Urbanlegends shing

www.ULFish.com

AGUA DULCE

by Capitán Mike Tojdowski

La primavera ha llegado y también lo ha hecho la increíble temporada de pesca que el sur de Florida tiene para ofrecer, pues todas las especies de agua dulce están muy activas durante el mes de mayo. Tras el desove de la lubina, comenzarán a alimentarse de nuevo y estarán mucho más activas; los pavones ultra agresivos, que escoltarán a sus alevines, son un objetivo fácil; y tanto el sábalo como el róbalo se pueden pescar con mucho más éxito con las lluvias de primavera, que moverán más agua a través del sistema y, por lo tanto, harán que los peces que se alimentan en las corrientes estén aún más enérgicos.

El nivel del agua en los Everglades y las vías uviales urbanas alcanzará su máximo nivel, lo que permitirá a pescadores y peces acceder a zonas inaccesibles durante los meses más secos. El ujo de agua por todo el sistema será como una limpieza necesaria; además, el aumento del caudal desplazará a los peces de cebo desde el lago Okeechobee a través de la red de lagos y canales hasta los límites del océano. Esto le dará la oportunidad de lanzar su propia red de cebo o, al menos, observar que cebos locales están alrededor para que así pueda imitarlos con opciones arti ciales. Esta es la mejor época del año para pescar grandes lubinas con cebos grandes.

Me parece que algunos de los mejores cebos arti ciales para apuntar a la lubina son los spinner con faldas de color púrpura y sandía, o gusanos Senko de 5-6 pulgadas de longitud en blanco perla, canela, limón y amarillo emparejado, con un peso de bala y la con guración giratoria. Adicionalmente, grandes cebos vivos, con más de 6 pulgadas, funcionan como magia en los Everglades para atrapar a la hambrienta lubina este mes.

Los pavones todavía aman los señuelos como poppers y shiners en esta época del año, así que si los trabaja correctamente, puede conseguir que salten en el aire mientras golpean los cebos. Por otro lado, el sábalo y róbalo irán tras un salmonete vivo y pin sh, ya sea dentro o alrededor de los puentes; se recomienda usar las plantillas de halcón Flare (Flare hawk jigs) después del anochecer, con el agua en movimiento hacia los pilotes.

Las lluvias que se esperan en mayo harán que los peces de agua dulce de nuestra ciudad se enciendan con el agua corriente y las bolsas más profundas, que acercarán a los peces a la orilla, lo que permitirá a los pescadores pescarlos más fácilmente desde tierra y a los barcos acceder a muchas más zonas de los Everglades, que de otro modo serían intocables durante los meses más secos.

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.

MAYO: Ideal para la pesca de sábalos y palometas

by Capitán Abie Raymond

La pesca de mayo en la Bahía de Biscayne es lo que soñamos todo el año: las palometas, los sábalos y el divertido arrastre en la hermosa luz de un día brillante. Este momento es ideal para buscar grandes sábalos, que estarán rodando en cualquiera de las ensenadas o a lo largo de la orilla cerca de estas. La palometa, en cambio, le encontrará a USTED mientras pesca el sábalo.

Pesque con un cangrejo vivo como cebo; enganchelo en el hombro y perfore su anzuelo, hacia adelante y hacia atrás, suavemente desde la parte inferior de su caparazón hacia la parte superior en el hombro, con la menor cantidad de patas restantes y si ambos lados del cangrejo tienen la misma cantidad de patas, no importa. Consígalos en cualquier tienda de cebos. Ahora, después de esto, monte una cucharilla de trenzado grueso con un bajo de línea de uorocarbono de 8-15 pies y 40 libras; sujete el bajo de línea a la línea principal trenzada (trenza de 30-50 lb) con un nudo uni. A continuación, coloque una pequeña perla redonda, un corcho deslizante (como un otador de cometa R&R de color naranja para facilitar la visibilidad) y otra perla. Corte una cinta corredera del nº 64 por la mitad y, a cada lado de sus cuentas, ate una mitad de la goma elástica con un doble medio nudo. Termine con un anzuelo circular de alambre mediano en línea del tamaño adecuado para el cangrejo.

A mí me gusta un VMC tournament circle del 7/0-8/0, pues el corcho se deslizará al estar sujeto sólo con dos medias gomas.

Cuando vea un banco de sábalos rodando, cebe el cangrejo (pínchelo suavemente con el anzuelo) y luego deslice el corcho 6-8 pies por encima de la trenza, para evitar que el cangrejo llegue al fondo y se esconda o se enganche. Lo más probable es que estos bancos estén en aguas de 10-20 pies de profundidad. Trate de presentar su cangrejo a la deriva con la marea.

No dude y aproveche para pescar algunos grandes sábalos y palometas. ¡Buena suerte!

Capitán Abie Raymond

305.775.5197

@abie_raymond

www.gohard shing.com

Let’s grow with Florida together.

Confessions of a Fishaholic, by Thatch Maguire, is a hilarious and irreverent look at one man’s quest to catch fish in spite of life’s annoying interferences. You’ll travel with this awkward adventurer as he risks home and health to pursue his passion for fishing...regardless of the consequences. Anglers of all expertise levels will immediately identify with why his addiction is incurable. This book defines the blurred line between passion and obsession.

REDFISH ON DRUGS

Last year, results of a threeyear study indicated a shocking presence of drugs found in bone sh of the Florida Keys. It comes as little surprise that Florida International University (FIU) and Bone sh & Tarpon Trust (BTT) have recently completed a year-long study that also discovered pharmaceutical contaminants in the blood and other tissues of red sh in Florida waters.

“ e results underscore the urgent need to modernize Florida’s wastewater treatment systems,” said BTT President and CEO Jim McDu e. “Humanbased contaminants like these pose a signi cant threat to Florida’s recreational shery, which has an annual economic impact of $13.9 billion and directly supports more than 120,000 jobs.”

Scientists and volunteer guides and anglers sampled red sh in nine of Florida’s most important estuaries: Pensacola, Apalachicola, Cedar Key, Tampa Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Florida Bay, Northern Indian River Lagoon (IRL), St. Augustine and Jacksonville.

Similar to results of the previous bone sh study, pharmaceuticals were found in all of the estuaries sampled, with an average number of 2.1 drugs per sh and a maximum of ve. Only seven out of the 113 sampled sh had zero drugs in their system. On average, 25.7 percent of the sh exceeded a level of pharmaceuticals considered safe, which equates to one-third of the therapeutic levels in humans.

“ ese studies of bone sh and red sh are the rst to document the concerning presence of pharmaceuticals in species that are important to Florida’s recreational sheries,” said Dr. Jennifer Rehage, FIU professor and the study’s lead researcher. “Given the impacts of many of these pharmaceuticals on other sh species and the types of pharmaceuticals found, we are concerned about the role pharmaceuticals play in the health of our sheries. We will continue this work to get more answers to these concerning questions.”

Cardiovascular medications, opioid pain relievers and psychoactive medications were most commonly detected. e antiarrhythmic medication ecainide and the opioid pain reliever tramadol were detected in over 50 percent of the red sh. e antipsychotic medication upentixol was detected above safe levels in one in ve of the red sh samples. ese are very concerning levels of exposure for red sh.

Approximately ve billion prescriptions are lled each year in the U.S., yet there are no environmental regulations for the production nor disposal of pharmaceuticals worldwide. Pharmaceutical contaminants originate most o en from human wastewater and are not su ciently removed by conventional water treatment. ey remain active at low doses, can be released constantly, and exposure can a ect all aspects of sh behavior, with negative consequences for their reproduction and survival. Pharmaceutical contaminants have been shown to a ect all aspects of the life of sh, including their feeding, activity, sociability, and migratory behavior.

“Florida is a leader in addressing water quality issues and wastewater infrastructure, including converting septic systems to sewage treatment,” said Kellie Ralston, BTT’s Vice President for Conservation and Public Policy. “ e results of this study indicate that there are additional opportunities for improvement by retro tting existing wastewater treatment plants with innovative technologies, like ozone treatment, to remove pharmaceuticals and requiring such technology on new wastewater facilities.”

For more information, go to www.bone shtarpontrust.org.

Maguire’s frst work is a compelling, fast read. His style is like a mix of Hemingway with a sardonic blend of Hunter S. Thompson. I couldn’t put it down...

Ben Martin Editor in Chief Coastal Angler Magazine

ENJOY BATTLING

THE SCOURGE OF LIONFISH

The ninth annual Lion sh Festival is slated for May 20-21 at AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar and HarborWalk Village in Destin, Fla. is outdoor event is free, open to the public and will feature family-friendly activities, art, diving and marine conservation booths, live music, llet demonstrations, and the world’s largest lion sh tournament, the Emerald Coast Open.

TOURNAMENT DETAILS

e Emerald Coast Open will run May 1920 and include categories for most lion sh, largest lion sh and smallest lion sh with nearly $100,000 worth of prizes up for grabs. For o cial tournament rules and registration instructions, visit EmeraldCoastOpen. com.

LIONFISH RESTAURANT WEEK

Sample lion sh at one of Destin–Fort Walton Beach’s featured restaurants during the Emerald Coast Open Lion sh Restaurant Week. Local chefs will highlight lion sh in unique dishes in the week leading up to the event to help bring awareness to the lion sh invasion in the Gulf of Mexico.

Schedule:

• e Boathouse Landing, Valparaiso – May 12

• e Harbor Tavern – May 13

• Dewey Destin’s Harborside – May 14

• Crab Trap Destin – May 15

• La Paz – May 16

• Harbor Docks – May 17

• Brotula’s Seafood House & Steamer – May 18

• AJ’s Seafood & Oyster Bar– May 20

LIONFISH CHALLENGE

e 2023 Lion sh Challenge is a summer-long tournament open to everyone and completely free to enter. Participants in last year’s Challenge reached a signi cant milestone of over 1 million lion sh harvested from Florida waters since the program began in 2014! Visit FWCReefRangers. com to register for the Lion sh Challenge.

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HARVEST CLOSED INSIDE SPECIAL PERMIT ZONE

The permit spawning season closure inside the Special Permit Zone (SPZ) began April 1. Regular permit regulations in the SPZ will reopen Aug. 1.

is closure area includes all state and federal waters south of Cape Sable on the Gulf coast and south of Cape Florida on the Atlantic coast including all of the Florida Keys and Biscayne Bay south of Rickenbacker Causeway.

During the open season, regulations within the SPZ allow a daily bag limit of one permit, with a vessel limit of two permit and a minimum size of 22 inches fork length.

For more information, go to MyFWC.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BONEFISH & TARPON TRUST

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BAROTRAUMA TOOLS NOW REQUIRED IN STATE WATERS

Anglers shing from a vessel targeting reef sh in Florida state waters are now required to have on board a descending device or venting tool that is rigged and ready for use. is new regulation went into e ect April 1, and also requires use of a descending device or venting tool if a sh exhibits signs of barotrauma prior to release.

e FWC approved this rule to increase survival of released reef sh, a top priority management issue in both the Gulf of Mexico and south Atlantic. As reef sh are reeled up from depth, they can su er pressure related injuries known as barotrauma. ese injuries include the stomach protruding out of the mouth, bulging eyes, bloated belly, distended intestines and inability to swim down independently. If not treated correctly, barotrauma can be lethal to sh.

“Florida’s anglers have always played an important role in the health of our sheries and the proper use of barotrauma mitigation tools is just one way anglers continue helping to conserve Florida’s sheries for current and future generations,” said FWC’s Jessica McCawley. “ is new rule not only improves survival of released reef sh but also provides anglers the exibility of choosing the best tool that ts their situation on the water.”

For more information, go to MyFWC.com.

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YOUR KID COULD CATCH A WORLD RECORD

Would your kid be proud to set a new world record?

Of course they would, and right now is a great time for kids to catch a world record thanks to the International Game Fish Association’s new length-record category for young anglers. e category is intended to promote catch-and-release by making it possible to measure a sh for world-record consideration without killing it, and right now there 169 vacant species just waiting for anglers under 16 years old to set a new world record.

e new IGFA All-Tackle Length Junior category follows the same rules and regulations as the current All-Tackle Length record categories. e All-Tackle Length Junior category will have one record available for each eligible species, with no di erentiation made for the angler’s gender, which is consistent with current All-Tackle Length and All-Tackle Length Fly record categories. Vacancies exist for all eligible species of the All-Tackle Length record category and will follow the same minimum length requirements already established.

“By introducing the All-Tackle Length Junior category, we hope to inspire the next generation of anglers to get out and sh, while promoting ethical and sustainable shing practices,” said IGFA President Jason Schratwieser. “Fishing is a fantastic way to connect with the outdoors, and we believe that by engaging young people with this sport, we can inspire the next generation of stewards of our oceans, lakes, and rivers and help ensure the long-term health and vitality of our aquatic resources.”

With children and teenagers increasingly disconnected from the outdoors, the IGFA hopes to inspire a new wave of young anglers who are passionate about the sport and its role in connecting people to nature.

For more information, go to www.igfa.org.

PHOTO COURTESY OF IGFA.

Alexandra Hall caught this 63-pound blue cat sh from Virginia’s James River to set IGFA 20-pound line class and female junior world records for the species.

FROG FISHING FOR VERY HUNGRY BASS TIPS FROM A PRO

TYLER WOOLCOTT

Across the country, bass are either in their post spawn patterns right now or they will be soon. ere is a plethora of ways to catch these bass, but my all-time favorite for getting bit and drawing in a big one is a hollow body popping frog.

A popping frog can be used as an incredible search bait, and you can duplicate many di erent bait sh depending on where you throw it and what color you tie on. ere are many di erent options out there. I try to duplicate the bait sh forage in the particular lake I’m shing. Sometimes I use a frog to imitate a bluegill, and sometimes I throw a shad color pattern. 13 Fishing makes an incredible popping frog that comes with a stout hook and a wide variety of colors for any scenario.

When I throw a frog as a search bait, I work it faster than most. Cover as much water as possible until you put a pattern together on what exactly the sh are focusing on. at’s the magic of a frog; you can literally throw it around everything! Docks, lay downs, grass and open water are just a few of the targets I look for. Once you locate a group of sh or put a pattern together, slow down and pick them o a little slower. I have noticed sometimes there isn’t a “too fast” while working a popping frog.

A couple things I look for this time of year are bass guarding fry and also sh roaming the banks feeding on bluegill. is is very predictable and an awesome way to catch big ones. Typically, if you know a few areas where the sh previously spawned, these patterns will occur in the same areas. I throw a bluegill pattern popping frog because bluegill chase bass fry, and that drives bass crazy.

Another pattern to watch for is a shad spawn. is occurs in the mornings and evenings and can lead to a bunch of sh in a hurry. Look

for birds feeding on banks while running down the lake. Find the birds and you nd the bait! A white popping frog or a bait sh color is typically my choice in this situation.

A popping frog can work all year long, but it really drives post spawn sh crazy. Who doesn’t like catching sh on a topwater with heavy line and a heavy rod?

Frog Fishing Gear

Heavy gear is needed for setting those big frog hooks and shing around heavy cover. I sh a 13 Fishing 7’4H Omen Black rod paired with a Concept A 8.3 reel spooled up with Seaguar 50-pound Smackdown braid. is setup allows you to get sh out of heavy cover and into the boat!

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

Coastal Angler and The Angler Magazine, Suzuki Marine and Sea Eagle have come together to offer readers a shot at this Sea Eagle FishSkiff 16 paired with a Suzuki DF4 outboard that’ll take you wherever the fsh are. The FishSkiff 16 is an infatable fshing boat that is lightweight, sturdy, stable and extremely packable. It rolls up small enough to ft in the trunk of a car and quickly infates into a fshing machine. Powered by Suzuki’s four-stroke DF4A, you’ll have to hold on to your hat as you scream over the fats. Designed for effciency and performance and portability, the DF4A provides all the speed and acceleration you can handle. It’s lightweight and can be attached or removed with ease.

40-POUND PIKE BREAKS IDAHO RECORD!

BLACK SEA BASS OPEN YEAR-ROUND IN SOUTH ATLANTIC

Black sea bass o en y under the radar for anglers o the coast of the Southeast. Perhaps it’s because their size and numbers are thickest in the middle of winter, when it’s not as pleasant to be on the water? Or maybe it’s because they don’t grow as a large as the other grouper species that inhabit our wrecks and reefs?

This 40.76-pound northern pike is a new Idaho state record. It beat the existing 13-year-old record by a little more than half a pound.

Avid pike sherman omas Francis landed the monster sh on March 21 from Hayden Lake in northern Idaho. e sh was more than 4 feet long, with an o cial length of 49 inches and an impressive girth of 26.5 inches.

Francis told Idaho Fish and Game he speci cally targets big pike almost every day. In late March, ice still ringed the banks at Hayden Lake, so Francis was casting his lure up to the edge of the ice.

“When my lure hit the water, I let it sink all the way to the bottom,” he said. “As soon as my lure hit the bottom, I felt her hit. I sh with 80-poundtest line, and she almost immediately started peeling drag, a lot of it.

“She pinned herself to the bottom and just kept going, peeling drag the whole time,” he continued. “I knew that wasn’t normal, and I could tell it was something special.”

e IGFA all-tackle world record northern pike was caught in Germany in 1986. It weighed 55 pounds, 1-ounce.

For more information, go to https://idfg.idaho.gov

Whatever the reason, there’s no denying that black sea bass are some of the tastiest critters in the ocean, and anchoring over a wreck or reef teeming with them can ll a cooler in short order. Just ask the folks up in New England, where the species is a highly sought a er target of anglers.

NOAA recently announced that recreational harvest of black sea bass will again be open year-round for the 2023-2024 season in federal waters of the South Atlantic, south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. So, sharpen the hooks on your chicken rigs and go collect some meat.

NOAA Fisheries has projected that the 2023-2024 recreational catch limit of 366,510 pounds whole weight will not be met. e season in federal waters will run from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024. Seasons in state waters vary, so be sure to check state regulations where you plan to sh. In federal waters of the Atlantic, south of 35 deg 15.0321’ N, there is a seven sh per person bag limit with a 13-inch minimum size limit.

A descending device is required on board all vessels shing for or possessing snapper and grouper species in federal waters of the South Atlantic. e descending device must be readily available for use and attached to at least 16 ounces of weight and at least 60 feet of line. For more information, go to coastalanglermag.com.

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STILL TIME FOR A TROPHY TROUT

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

If you are big trout enthusiast like me, you know there is still some time le if you haven’t had your ll over the past ve months. December through a portion of May is when I set my eyes on catching a personnel best speckled trout. With the full moon on May 3 this year, I feel the entire month will hold promise to land one full of eggs before the rst full moon in June. May is also a little more enjoyable, too, so sit back and let me tell you why.

Most anglers in Texas think about big trout mid-December through early April, and when the waders come o they change their focus. Fortunately, not all the big girls have dropped their eggs yet and will still hold them into May. It gives us the opportunity for a heavy trout to take a big smiling photo with.

Speaking of taking the waders o , wading in May is typically warm and enjoyable even if the sh don’t cooperate. e pleasant temperatures are more appealing than dreary, cold, winter days, and they also allow me to sh the way I prefer. At times in winter, we must slow down our presentation and this can become a little monotonous; however, targeting big trout in the warmth of May allows us to work the lure more aggressively.

ere is not much more exciting than a topwater explosion, and spring is one of my favorite times to utilize this tactic for trophy trout. May is also a great time to throw other lures. Traditional slow-sinking and suspending lures also work wonders this time of year.

As most of you know, I am a paddletail fanatic! is month, I’ll give several sizes a shot at getting inhaled by a huge yellow mouth. ese large predators will take 3-, 4- and 5-inch lures this time of year. As their bodies warm with the water, they become as aggressive as they will be all year, so adding some rattling sound to your tails can really get the sh active.

I seek out areas of grass ats in knee- to waist-deep water. Finding a at with a drain from a small lake or creek will work wonders for concentrating sh over adjacent shallow grass. A depression along such a at is another area you should target. When choosing a at with these criteria, areas of potholes are a plus over a solid grass- lled at.

I hope these tips help you get your PB trout on your last chance of the year to nd one lled with eggs. Take a kid shing. ey like big trout too. And be safe. May is the uno cial start of summer, and inexperienced boaters will be on the water.

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

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®

KAYAKER LANDS

102-POUND PADDLEFISH

An angler got a little more than he bargained for in early April while shing for walleye in the Upper White River in northwestern Arkansas. Fishing 12-pound-test line and a 3-inch-long crankbait, Robert Murphy accidentally snagged a 102-pound paddle sh and spent the next hour battling the sh from his kayak.

In April, the Upper White experiences spring runs of several species into the riverine sections of Beaver Lake, including white bass, walleye and paddle sh. Paddle sh, also known as spoonbill, are a large zooplankton eating species. ey won’t chase lures or live bait, so anglers typically “snag” them during Arkansas’ paddle sh snagging season. e daily limit is two sh per person.

Murphy might not have intended to snag a paddle sh, but that’s exactly what he did. According to Outdoor Life, Murphy was throwing a 3-inch Berkley Flicker Shad for walleye when he saw a big sh on his sonar. inking it was a big striped bass or a gar, he ran his 10- to 12-foot-diving plug through the area and hooked his river monster in the top of the tail.

Anyone who has ever foul-hoked a sh knows how hard they ght when you can’t turn their head. Well, Murphy spent the next hour battling the beast from his kayak as it pulled him up and down the river. A er he nally hauled it into his kayak and brought it to shore, he weighed and measured the sh. With a length of 71.5 inches, it was nearly 6 feet long, and at 102 pounds, it was shy of the 118-pound, 9-ounce state record that was caught from Beaver Lake in 2020.

For more information, see www.agfc.com.