Coastal Angler Magazine | January 2019 | Miami by Coastal Angler Magazine

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Deep-Drop

Grouper Destination:

Los Suenos,

Costa Rica PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL L. GRANT VOLUME 23 â&#x20AC;¢ ISSUE 287

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O P P O R T U N I T I E S

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JANUARY 2019

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By Team Three Buoys

Photos by Michael Grant

hile mystic grouper can be caught year-round in the Bahamas, the winter months are our favorite time of year. Whenever a weather window presents itself, we point our bow east across the Florida Straights in search of these deep-water bottom dwellers. Mystics are one of the lesser-known grouper species, simply because anglers don’t fish deep enough to target them. Like all grouper, they are excellent to eat and usually weigh from 15 to 50 pounds, although they can grow much larger. It takes special gear to fish the 800- to 1,200-foot depths where we find mystics. Armed with Shimano Tiagra 80 WAs and Shimano Tiagra 50 WAs equipped with Hooker Electric Autostop drives, we string up 65- to 100-pound Power Pro braid on Crafty One Custom’s Deep Drop Rods. We begin by paying close attention to our Humminbird Solix sonar with CHIRP HD digital technology to locate bottom structure. We look for cones, holes, drop-offs, ledges and deep-water ridges. Once viable structure is located, we position the boat above it with engines out of gear to judge how wind and current will manipulate our drift. Then the

boat is repositioned up-current from the structure and the deep-drop rigs are readied. When targeting mystics, we use our www.ThreeBuoysFishing.com grouper deep-drop rigs made with three 8/0 VMC 3x Circle Hooks on 100-pound branch lines off of 12 feet of 150-pound main line. For bait, we prefer fresh-cut 8-inch strips of dolphin, tuna, wahoo or barracuda. Many deep-drop anglers claim, “no light, no bite,” but our experience has proven that, especially with mystics, we catch more and bigger fish without lights. We deploy two rods on opposite sides of the boat. Lead weights in the 10-pound range are the rule of thumb, but weight can be adjusted to the current. After the weights hit bottom, the reels are left in freespool to lay the rigs straight down on the bottom. The engines should be used to decrease the boat’s drift to a standstill, if possible. If the boat drifts, let out line to keep the rigs on bottom. When the rod tip bumps and shakes, resist the urge to lock up the drag and retrieve line. Wait a minute or two for additional fish to sense the commotion. They’ll often eat the remaining baits. When it’s time to strike, lift the reel’s drag to strike (pre-set to 20 pounds of drag) and slowly start your retrieve. Big mystic grouper put up quite a fight at first, and you might even think you’ve hung bottom. Be patient and slowly gain as must line as possible. When fish are about halfway up, their air bladders expand and create lift. They will begin to float your rig up to the surface. For more tips and tactics on deep-dropping and the tackle and rigs to get tight, see www.threebuoysfishing.com. Also, keep up with all of the offshore action @ Team Three Buoys on Facebook and Instagram.

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Finding bait becomes more important than at any other time of year. Goebel likes to get out well before dawn in search of shad or herring flickering near the surface, especially when a big moon keeps baitfish active all night. Diving birds are also a dead giveaway. They are likely feeding on baitfish pushed by stripers from below. “A lot of times if there’s bait there, I won’t even worry about marking fish on the graph,” Goebel said. “I’ll just put out my lines and start fishing where the bait is.”

By Nick Carter

here aren’t many anglers willing to endure the frigid early morning temperatures of winter on a large reservoir. But for those who can handle a little discomfort, right now is the best time of year to hook up with the striper of a lifetime. Around the Southeast, in reservoirs where striped bass were introduced, falling water temperatures spur changes in behavior that make the largest fish in the lake susceptible to anglers. Those 30- to 50-pounders are feeding up right now. They’re storing up reserves that will take them through the spring spawn. “It’s trophy striper season,” said Shane Goebel, of Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service. “The bigger fish are participating a little better. This time of year, we start going after those big ol’ hogs that are chasing the big baits.” The large summer schools broke up months ago. Stripers are spread out and on the move, following baitfish into the creek mouths and up into the backs of the creeks. Big fish move shallow when water temps hit the mid to low 50s on the lakes Goebel guides in the mountains of north Georgia and western North Carolina. It might take some searching to find them, but the rewards can be huge.

Because the stripers are continually moving with the bait, covering water is crucial. Goebel said to troll as many baits in as wide a spread as you can handle. Herring are great on lakes where they are present, but this time of year you should also work some big gizzard shad or trout into the spread. Sometimes it takes a big mouthful to convince big fish to eat. Goebel runs baits 30 to 40 feet behind planer boards. He’ll drop freelines 100 to 150 feet behind the boat. If the area where he finds bait isn’t too shallow, he’ll put a little bit of weight ahead of the baits on the inside boards to cover more water vertically. He slow trolls at about half a mile per hour. This is a pattern Goebel fishes all the way into May, when stripers have moved into a pre-spawn phase. It might not produce the numbers of fish that downlining into summer mega-schools will, but the fish are generally a lot bigger than those 5- to 10-pound summer schoolies. If catching an enormous striper sounds like fun, zip up your parka and get out on the lake. It’s trophy striper season. Check out Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service at bigolfish.com.

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By Tom Schlichter

Capt. Carlos Arguedas (left) shows off a huge cubera snapper caught aboard the Los Suenos charter vessel, Wingman, with Lindor Jimenez. Photo courtesy of Wingman Charters, Los Suenos, Costa Rica.

Los Suenos roosterfish come big aboard Capt. Carlos Arguedas’ charter vessel, Wingman. Photo courtesy of Wingman Charters, Los Suenos, Costa Rica.

f Costa Rica isn’t already on your bucket list, it should be. Famous for both inshore and offshore fishing, it’s also a country with incredible biodiversity and exciting eco-tourism opportunities. In short, there’s something for every sportsman and adventure seeker here. From a fishing perspective, the west coast of this Central American country is most favored with several significant cities and ports including Jaco, Quepos and, of course, Golfito. It’s Los Suenos, however, where

my wife, Felicia and I found outstanding action on a trip last April. We worked the inshore grounds, catching huge roosterfish, rainbow runners, grouper, jacks and even mahi. We also decked a big cubera snapper. Of course, we did have an edge. Coastal Angler’s very own Costa Rica inshore reporter Capt. Carlos Arguedas and his first-mate son, Christopher, were our charter crew. “This really is a terrific place to fish,” said Arguedas, “We have access to a lot of different spots ranging from very close to the marina to 50 miles away. The roosterfish action is unbelievable here but we also catch big cubera snapper, amberjack, groupers and huge red snappers, too.” Arguedas loves to take clients for roosterfish because they fight so hard, are found close to port, and grow big. He’s had a 90-pounder grace his deck. For these, he’ll slow troll live baits like blue runners, herring, sardines or bonita. All of these baits, impaled on size 8 circle hooks, also attract other large predators; so you never know what to expect when the rod doubles over. “Roosterfish are very impressive when you first see them,” said Arguedas. “They are exotic-looking with big dorsal rays, a huge mouth and striped flanks. They are stunning to see for the first time. They are also exceptionally strong. Fight a 20-pounder and you’ll think you have a 40-pounder at the end of the line. They jump, too, and shake their head, so remember to lower your rod tip when that fish comes up or you’ll tear the hook free.” Among the other big fish that hit the deck for Arguedas’ crew on a regular basis are goliath grouper that can top 400 pounds. These are targeted around local reefs. If you want to run offshore, sailfish, tuna and marlin abound within 10 miles of port. Dorado, sometimes topping 30 pounds, can be tempted within sight of the coast. Costa Rica’s tropical climate makes it a year-round destination. Most travelers prefer to visit during the dry season, which runs from December through April, but you’ll find lighter crowds and lower travel prices during the “green” or rainy season from May to November. Whenever you visit, it really helps to work with a travel pro that deals frequently with Costa Rica to customize a trip here. Blue Water Sportfishing Charters (http://bluewatersportfishingcharters.com) specializes in setting up trips to Los Suenos. They can put you in the right place at the right time for the fish you want to catch, sights you want to see or adventures you want to experience. They’ll also book you with Capt. Carlos—or you can contact him yourself at www.wingmancr.com.

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he first time I saw someone spearfishing, I was intrigued and wondered out loud how hard it would be to load a speargun. A friend heard me and said, “I’m sure you can do it. It’s probably more about technique than brute strength.” He was right. It’s not uncommon to struggle to load your first speargun, and you might suspect they made the bands too short. If you give it some time and use the right technique, it will become easy. First, some safety tips: 1) Never load a speargun out of the water. 2) Keep the safety on until you intend to shoot a fish. 3) Even with the safety on, treat it like a loaded weapon, never let the tip point at anyone. 4) Use tip protectors when not in use, so you don’t scratch anything. Some spearguns are loaded by resting the butt of the gun on your hip and pulling the bands toward the shaft notches. Others are loaded by resting the butt high on the middle of the chest and pulling the bands toward your sternum. Hip-loading spearguns are commonly used by scuba divers, as chest loading can be difficult when wearing a buoyancy compensator vest. Freedivers are less constricted by gear, so they normally use chest-loading spearguns. These have longer range because the shaft tabs sit closer to the butt of the gun. Now, some loading tips: 1) Wear gloves and wetsuit to prevent slips, scrapes or bruising. Some wetsuits have a loading pad built into the chest. 2) Don’t look down and hunch over when loading the bands. Push forward with your chest and pull the band swiftly with your arms, so the shaft tabs are pushed forward to meet the incoming

band. 3) Use a loading tab (if using a wood gun). This simple device makes things much easier by allowing you to first hip load the band to the loading tab and then raise the butt to your chest for the final pull. Although it’s a two-step process, it can be done quickly and will feel much easier. 4) If your bands are still too hard to load, use three longer bands. 5) Work out, lift weights, work on core and upper body. Try bench presses, seated rows, bent over rows, pushups and pull-ups. Bands and dumbbells can be incorporated into your workout routine, whether at the gym or home. If you want to see a band loading video, check out Coastal Angler online. And remember—you can accomplish anything you set your mind to! Sheri is a world-record holder, host of “Speargun Hunter,” and producer of The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Follow “Sheri Daye” and “The Blue Wild” on Facebook and Instagram.

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ome February, Miami becomes the hot spot for hundreds of thousands looking to escape the winter blues, and the place to be for a host of high-profile events, including the Progressive Insurance Miami International Boat Show. As one of the most attended and influential boating events in the world with an economic impact of $854 million, the iconic Miami Boat Show draws more than 100,000 people to the Magic City annually and provides an island oasis to enjoy the boating lifestyle. The 2019 Miami Boat Show, cruising into Miami Marine Stadium Park and Basin Feb. 14-18, promises an experience for buyers and dreamers alike, showcasing thousands of the newest boats and sail-

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he action in northwest Costa Rica has once again been off the charts as FishingNosara celebrates its 10th season of charter fishing. All five boats are in the water and scoring big for their clients, with 51 trips logged in November. Big dorados are the staple catch this time of year, but it was a welcome surprise to see swarms of billfish in the mix. The team nabbed 12 marlin releases, 24 sailfish releases, 217 dorados, and five roosterfish releases. One of these roosters was a nearworld-record at 72 pounds. On Nov. 19, Capt. Alex on the Harvester posted the best trip of the month with Terry and Julie Edwards’ group. They loaded up the trophy case with excellent releases. A 300-plus-pound blue marlin was the headliner of the trip for these Texas anglers, and shortly after that battle, the 32-foot mega panga nabbed a wonderful sailfish release. Team Edwards came inshore to finish the day, and saved the best for last… that massive 72-pound roosterfish.

The IGFA All-Tackle Record for roosterfish is 114 pounds, and the second-place fish is 85 pounds. This fish caught by the Harvester wasn’t far off the second place catch. Most impressively, the above-mentioned IGFA record catches were posted in 1960 and 1954 respectively. This size of roosterfish has not been seen in more than five decades. On the same day, other members of Julie Edwards’ family had a big time on the 32-foot Discoverer with a blue marlin release of their own. Capt. Carlos estimated this fish at 250 pounds upon release. Also in November, FishingNosara Hall of Famer Bill Harris took to the 28-foot bar-room brawler Explorer and opened up her season with a billfish grand slam! A big blue marlin was the highlight of the morning, and it was followed by a late-day striped marlin. Bill nabbed the first marlin, and Mark Scott scored the second. A nice Pacific sailfish caught by Diane Turner completed the grand slam for these Tampa, Fla.based anglers. They didn’t go home empty handed, either, thanks to five big tasty dorado catches spread throughout the day. On the Discoverer, the team of Eli Bedran, Andrew Lipps, Kelsey Harry and Laurie Harry report a fantastic blue marlin release, the first of the year for the big battleship, plus six lovely dorados. John Purdy, John Van Diver, Mike Pickelsimer and Dale McElroy fished in early November and reported 11 sweet dorados on ice. The Harvester has been itching for action, and found what she was looking for as these monsters topped out at 60 pounds. The action was so hot that Capt. Alex chose to release the biggest cows so as not to hurt the stocks. Naturally, we have full reports of all these catches and more archived at Blog.FishingNosara.com, including videos. January and February will be super-busy and the spring months are already filling up fast. Get your plans together so we can secure your fishing adventure with FishingNosara, some of the best sportfishing in Costa Rica.

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oel’s Distributing in south Florida has reached a milestone—40 years in business. Not many operations can make that claim, and so a look down memory lane seems appropriate. Tom Noel, aka Paddleboat Tom, moved to Florida from Michigan in 1979. He closed his grocery store, loaded a pickup truck with three paddleboats, his wife Joy, two sons, a daughter and the family dog and headed south. Tom set up shop in his garage in their Lake Clarke Shores home. After a few years, Joy put her foot down and insisted that he find a warehouse. Tom rented a space next to their current location, just off Forest Hill Blvd in West Palm Beach. A couple of years later he bought the 3,000 square-foot warehouse. Tom’s sons Rob and Tom are also involved with the business. Noel’s Distributing sells safety equipment, fire extinguishers, flares, rope, anchors and a warehouse full of other boating supplies to their clients, predominately in the Keys, along the east coast and in central Florida. They will ship anywhere. Many of their clients search them out for their custom rope splicing and then discover the realm of equipment they carry. If you are looking for anything marine related, it’s worth a phone call. They are generally a better value than the larger chain stores. Tom and his sons are very thankful for their longtime clients. Check out Noel’s Distributing at noeldistributing.com or give them a call at (561) 585-2387.

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FLORIDA

12/13/18 7/12/18 10:49 12:25AM PM

Team Who’s Your Daddy took first at Wahoo Smackdown X with 16 fish that weighed a total of 231.5 pounds.

FLORIDA

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ahoo Smackdown X, hosted by the historic Bimini Big Game Club Resort and Marina on Nov. 8-12, saw 23 boats competing for more than $25,000 in cash and prizes. Out of the 23 competing boats, 22 teams landed fish, bringing 152 wahoo to the scales in the process. Team Who’s Your Daddy took top team honors with 16 fish weighing a total of 231.5 pounds and took home $15,000 in cash winnings. Second place was Team Blitzsea, which earned $7,500 in cash for their 21 fish and a total catch weight of 206.4 pounds. Team Murderize, out of Freeport, Grand Bahama, finished third, taking home $2,500 in cash winnings for a catch of 11 fish with a total catch weight of 193.6 pounds. Team Little Giant caught the largest wahoo of the tournament at 50.7 pounds. Tournament festivities included live local entertainment nightly, a cocktail reception poolside for the captains’ meeting, a cookout on day one of the tournament, and a closing awards party on the great lawn, featuring a buffet, live entertainment and a full open bar. Sponsors for this year’s tournament include American Beverage Marketers (www.masterofmixes.com) as the Title Sponsor, Bahamian Brewery and Beverage (Sands), artist David Dunleavy, Tropic Ocean Airways, Caza Offshore, Live Wire Tackle, Flanigan’s, CS Custom Lures and Bimini Big Game Club. With more than 50-record-setting catches in the waters around the island, Bimini has often been referred to as the Sport Fishing Capital of the World. The Big Game Club opened for business in 1947. Owner Neville Stewart saw the promise and allure of fishing and personally developed and encouraged tournaments. He sold his interest to Bacardi, which over 30 years grew the tradition with many memorable tournaments. The current owners, the Southern California-based Hankey Group, put the iconic fishing resort back in play in 2010 and are completing a multi-million-dollar renovation, that includes numerous capital improvements to the rooms, restaurant and lounge, landscaping, new pool and a renovated 75 slip marina, including docks and seawall.

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ric Anderson, a senior environmental analyst with the Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management, recently received the 2018 Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership Melissa Laser Award. The award recognizes individuals who demonstrate exemplary support of fish habitat conservation. Since 2007, Anderson has led the design, construction, monitoring and management of 10 large-scale estuarine habitat restoration projects in Lake Worth Lagoon. His work has focused on restoration of seagrass and mangrove habitats by creating in-water habitat islands. The Grassy Flats project, endorsed by ACFHP in 2012, exemplifies Anderson’s talents in managing all of the challenges of a successful restoration project. Grassy Flats is a 12-acre, $3.7 million seagrass, mangrove, oyster and tidal marsh restoration project that included multiple partners and grants. The project employed innovative construction methods, including use of a “sand-shooter” to compact and bury accumulated benthic muck. Monitoring of fish, wildlife and vegetation two years after the completion of the project shows it is successfully providing habitat and being utilized by a diverse suite of native fish and wildlife. The Grassy Flats project has proved to be resilient, successfully withstanding the impacts of Hurricane Irma in 2017. Anderson is currently developing two large-scale projects that will create additional mangrove and seagrass habitats similar to Grassy Flats. Palm Beach County has earned a reputation of excellence in estuarine restoration, largely due to Anderson’s hard work and dedication.

Cuda Bowl

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12/13/18 10:07 AM

An octopus emerges, half hidden, from a pipe at Blue Heron Bridge. Photo by John Liddington.

By John Liddington or too many years I divided my Florida diving between the Keys and the caves. I saw the space between them on the map as no-man’s land, to be covered at maximum speed in minimum time. Five years ago, that changed. I dropped in to the Pura Vida Divers shop to find out about local diving. I learned that for divers PBC stands not for Palm Beach County, but rather Palm Beach currents. Singer Island is where the Gulf Stream makes its closest approach to the United States. This means their offshore dives are drift dives. In addition to describing many of their boat sites, Pura Vida said I

SOUTH FLORIDA

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should check out the Blue Heron Bridge. Jackpot! The Blue Heron Bridge, which connects Singer Island to the mainland, is a marine-life melting pot. Angelfish, batfish, bonefish, dolphinfish, frogfish, jawfish, lizardfish, needlefish, parrotfish—if it has fish in its name, you will probably find it there. Phil Foster Park, at the eastern end of the bridge, is the perfect spot to look for them. The waters off its beach contain a variety of micro-habitats that offer all those fish homes and feeding grounds. Sand and sea grass holds garden eels, stargazers, jawfish, batfish, flying gurnards and invertebrates like horseshoe crabs, mantis shrimp and sea stars. An 800-foot snorkeling trail, with concrete reefs and three concrete shark statues, runs parallel to the shore. Here you can find reef fish, such as grunts, porkfish, angelfish and parrotfish, along with arrow crabs and banded coral shrimp. The bridge pilings have built up heavy encrustations of sponge, soft coral and hydroids. Spadefish, adult angelfish and morays like this environment, and you might see spotted eagle rays or even a manatee. Of course, there is no shortage of human debris. If it’s big enough to squeeze inside, you’ll probably find something, especially blennies and octopus, calling it home. Getting in the water requires planning. Most of the south side of the park is beach where divers can enter the water. Stay on the surface while in the designated swimming area. Dive flags are required. Of course there has to be one thing to keep it from being perfect— remember Palm Beach currents? The lagoon’s water rises and falls with the tides, and all that water goes under the bridge. Because of strong currents, the most comfortable diving and best visibility comes in a window between about a half-hour before and after slack high tide. I’ve been back to the Blue Heron Bridge many times over the five years since Pura Vida Divers turned me on to it. Shortly after my first dive there, Sport Diver Magazine listed the Bridge as one of the 50 top dives in the world. I couldn’t agree more.

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12/13/18 10:07 AM

SO OU

Covering All of MIAMI-DADE County...Offshore, INSHORE & Freshwater!

GREATER MIAMI

IN THIS ISSUE:

Mission Fishin'

LOCAL Fishing Forecasts • Tide Charts • Brag Board For advertising or other inquiries, call (954) 680-3900 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM JANUARY 2019 GREATER MIAMI or email us at MIAMI@coastalanglermagazine.com 399_Miami_FINAL.indd 1

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fROM THE

Off to a fishing trip or out to the sandbar, come check us out. We have what you need!

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WEST ENTRANCE TO BLACK POINT MARINA

t 51 years old, I’ve learned a lot in my life. One of the things I have learned over the years is that life is precious. Each day is a gift and we must live each day to the fullest. Though I have been fishing since I was a young boy, it wasn’t until I was almost 30 years old that the world of offshore fishing became my passion. In 1999, I met Capt. Andy Grant when I was invited to tag along with my parents on a fishing trip in the Florida Keys. Like my dad, Andy was in the printing business. Unlike my dad, Andy had a passion for the ocean and offshore fishing. That day, as we left the dock, Capt. Andy instructed me to start mixing sand with the melted chum. I thought he was crazy and asked why he had me attending to the chore. He belly laughed and said, “Don’t worry, you’ll find out.” Later that day, I found out what sand balls were and we slayed the yellowtails. For the next 15 years, we fished together out of Bud N Mary’s Marina aboard his tricked out 31’ Ocean Master. He taught me pretty much everything I know about offshore fishing. All he wanted to do was go deep dropping, but eventually gave in and agreed to fish by the sailfish fleet and put me on my first sailfish. Andy passed away unexpectedly on December 5th, 2018. He was my friend and I will think of him each day that I fish for the rest of my life. Calm winds, following seas and big fish my friend. Rest in Peace. Keep reelin,

GENE DYER

Editor & Publisher Coastal Angler Fort Lauderdale fortlauderdale@coastalanglermagazine.com (954) 680-3900

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TIP of the Month Winter Migration Patterns So, the big debate. Do big fish like cooler water or dislike it? I do know that as our water temperatures fall, our big fish catching improves. The obvious situation is the southward migration of sailfish and mahi mahi. These fish are moving south as waters north of here drop below 75 degrees. If our offshore waters drop below 75 degrees, our mahi will disappear. The really tough part of this temperature induced migration is that if our weather goes back into the 80’s in January, as it has the last couple of years, then the sailfish move back north. This Nice mutton snapper caught aboard can spell a bad sailfish Bouncer’s Dusky 33. season until March when the sailfish come south again to spawn in the southern regions of the Gulf Stream. This same cold weather inspired migration is duplicated by the mature tarpon. They move south with the early cold fronts and move back north if the weather is warm in January and February. On the reefs the migration is deep to shallow. In the mid summer we look for bigger mutton snappers in 180 to 240 feet of water. By December we target good sized mutton snappers as shallow as 10 to 15 feet of water. Anchor or slow troll these shallow reefs using live ballyhoo for bait. Gag groupers move as far as into the bay with cooler weather and black grouper move up onto reefs as shallow as 10 to 15 feet to enjoy the cooler water and the ballyhoo that move south to escape colder waters up north. Near shore we will find those tarpon sharing their waters with Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, bluefish and blacktip sharks escaping that cold water up north. Get out there in your jacket and woolen hat and enjoy another positive effect of winter weather.

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JANUARY 2019

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SPORT

fISHING

ow that another year has come and gone, it is time to set goals for 2019. January can be a great time to get out on the water and start making good on your resolutions. Winter fishing usually revolves around fronts, so timing is everything. Although kite fishing for sailfish will get a lot of the attention, there are many other possibilities out on the water. Mahi, kingfish, cobia and even some wahoo are strong possibilities offshore. Most of these fish will fall prey to live or trolled baits. Closer to shore, spanish mackerel action will remain strong along the beach, channel markers and inlets. Finally, expect tarpon fishing to be good to excellent. Let’s take a closer look at some of these opportunities. Packs of hungry sailfish will be swimming south with each passing cold front. The best action will usually occur after the passing of a front creating brisk winds from the north or northeast. As previously stated, sails are suckers for a frisky live bait dangled from a kite. The best baits include goggle eyes, threadfin herring, blue runners, spanish sardines and big pilchards,

forecastS just to name a few. Using a kite allows the angler to keep most of the terminal tackle out of the water with only a couple feet of line under the surface. It is this presentation that makes hooking multiple fish at one time possible. Remember, you only want to fish as many lines as you can effectively manage. Just like sailfish, other species like mahi and kings will find this presentation irresistible. If kite fishing isn’t for you, flatlines will often get the job done. Another productive technique is to use a small party balloon to keep your bait near the surface. Flat line baits can also be weighted a bit when targeting kings or wahoo. Both species tend to feed a little deeper in the water column. The most important thing to remember is that nothing is written in stone and the only way to locate fish is to fish various depths from top to bottom. Also, it is important to use a trace of wire between the mono leader and your hook. Doing so will prevent cutoffs from toothy critters. Closer to shore, look for spanish mackerel to hang around inlets, channel markers, and beaches. Mackerel can provide great light tackle action for both novice and seasoned anglers. Live chumming can also fire them up to the point Time to fly some kites!

w b Smiles all around with a nice wahoo caught with Nomad Fishing Charters.

where they’ll pounce on artificials as well as flies. Known for their aggressive feeding style and long runs, these fish will test any anglers technique and are also a great way to introduce saltwater fishing to newbies. Finally, we can’t forget the silver king. Tarpon are one of the most sought after gamefish anywhere in the world. Anglers are often humbled by these powerful and acrobatic giants of the ocean. Few fish can compare to the sheer stamina exhibited by these prehistoric giants. During the winter months, tarpon can be found around bridges, inlets and beaches. Tarpon will congregate in moving water to feed on shrimp and crabs. If you are lucky enough to be out on a night when the shrimp are running, you may be in for the night of your life. During these periods, these fish will literally gorge themselves on shrimp creating non stop hookups. As you can see, January is full of possibilities. It is up to you to pick

your quarry depending on personal preference and schedule. Not only will the fishing be excellent, but you won’t be sweating bullets. Just remember to bundle up on those cold mornings and evenings. If you’re interested in getting in on the action just give us a call and we can make it happen. I’d like to take a moment to wish everyone, especially our military and first responders, a great New Year. Also, don’t forget to keep up with the latest reports, pictures and news by following me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YOUTUBE. FRIENDS AND SPONSORS: Mercury Marine, Bass Pro Shops, Offshore Angler, Costa Sunglasses, Taco Marine, Betts Tackle, Xtratuf, SeaDek, ACRARTEX, Aquatic Nutrition, Tigress, Baitmasters, and Cuda Brand. Tight Lines and Happy New Year,

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By ANTHONY DiGIULIAN

ishermen and women are known for telling big stories and for having big hearts. Nothing illustrates big heartedness more clearly than what the folks at MISSION FISHIN are up to here in South Florida. Founded in 2015 by Broward County residents Tony Davis, his wife Alison and R.J. Boyle, MISSION FISHIN was created with special needs children in mind. MISSION FISHIN partners with local fishermen and women, businesses, organizations and ordinary citizens, to provide special needs children, their families, caregivers and teachers, unforgettable experiences on and around the water fishing and boating. Tony and Alison Davis are the parents of three wonderful sons. Their youngest, 10 year old Joshua was born with Spastic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy, Cortical Vision Impairment, Epilepsy and Gut Motility Disorder. The Davisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and thousands of other families like them, face challenges that can at times be overwhelming. Mr. and Mrs. Davis and their other two sons, Austin and Christian, are enthusiastic about fishing and boating and wanted to find a way to include Joshua in their family fishing activities. A chance meeting with R.J. Boyle at his tackle shop in Lighthouse Point and his willingness to get Joshua on the water, led to the formation of what is now an official 501c3 organization that helps special needs children from all over South Florida enjoy what the Davisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experienced on that first fishing trip provided by R.J. for Josh. Time on the water can have an amazingly positive and powerful impact on these very special children. These experiences bring joy, hope and a sense of purpose and inclusion to those with special challenges. Experiences like this also bring a few hours of escape and relief from the endless emotional roller coaster, commitment and work required of their parents, caregivers and other family members. These experiences certainly bring joy to the children and their families, but also to the volunteers that make it all possible.

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F E B R U A R Y 6 - 9, 2019 Volunteering one’s time to helping children in need is the most satisfying and fulfilling experience a human being can have. Ask any of the amazing people that participate and they will tell you that there is no greater feeling of accomplishment than seeing the smiles and hearing the laughter of these amazing children, when catching or touching their first fish or simply feeling the wind blowing through their hair. These children are a great gift to all of us and they have the ability to teach, inspire and motivate. They give all the love they receive back to those who serve them, tenfold. MISSION FISHIN ended 2018 by providing more than 60 families with an experience of a lifetime, including two events during the first week of December. On Monday December 3rd, they hosted a land based fishing field trip at Hillsboro Inlet Park for nine children from the Varying Needs Program at Calvary Christian Academy. They then finished off the year with a boating and fishing excursion for 6 families out of Marina One in Deerfield Beach on Saturday December 8th. On both occasions, every child participating caught fish and learned something about the great outdoors. For some parents, it was the first time they saw their children smile and laugh in months. MISSION FISHIN is actively planning their 2019 events schedule and will be expanding their reach. They need deserving families, volunteers and donations to grow what has become a truly empowering organization. If you know a deserving family or child that would benefit from one of these experiences or if you would like to make a tax deductible donation, volunteer your boat, fishing skills or time to one or more of these outings, visit www.missionfishin. org or call Tony Davis at (954) 778–6684, Tony DiGiulian at (954) 895–6635, or R.J. Boyle Studio at (954) 420–5001.

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Fish or Fiction? By Michael Walrath

EVEN BLIND DOGS

n black glasses, wagging a long thin white cane, Scotty Jackson shuffled along Paris’ fashionable Champs Elysees. He confidently navigated the humped cobblestones, unable to see the beggars whose dirty hands silently swiped leftover bread. Instead he heard only the lively French conversation, the bustling table service and the jingling of bottles in tin buckets of ice. The air was rich with wine and warm brie cheese and Scotty smiled thankfully for the perfect images filling his mind’s eye. When Paris was replaced by the shrill bleating of his alarm clock, Scotty opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling of his Miami studio. Making a pot of coffee, he replayed the dream and the contentment he’d felt. How could it be, the less he saw the more he experienced? He dressed and collected his fly gear. The rod felt like a magic wand and he smiled as he waved it slowly back and forth. He thought only of catching his first bonefish. Scotty conjured the triumph of his recent first fish on fly, collected his confidence and took a long, deep breath. The new sun glowed pink on the rough trunks of the coconut palms as he approached the beach, eyes fixed on the glittering ocean. The morning sun filtered through the fronds, casting shadowed crosshatching on the cool white sand, but Scotty didn’t notice. His thoughts frantically looped facts and tips from a dozen bonefish articles. Seeing no signs, his mind wandered back to Paris as he subconsciously followed a cormorant’s low flight. At that instant, he was rewarded with a powerful lesson. Bonefish spooked, revealing themselves with frantic torpedo wakes under the passing sea bird.

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Scotty’s hands shook, and his tight neck ached as he made his first cast. Just as his tan shrimp pattern dipped below the surface, the line went taught. Unprepared for the quick strike, he clumsily lifted the rod instead of strip setting and the second he felt weight, it was gone. Rookie mistake. The school regrouped further offshore, easily located by their telltale swirls and tails tipping above the surface. Scotty licked his dry lips and waded their direction but before he was in range, they were gone. He peppered the area with a dozen casts. His shrimp pattern repeatedly slipped into the water and scurried along the bottom, untouched. When he reached the nearby turtle grass, Scotty stopped to change to an olive-colored shrimp pattern. Just as he finished, a huge forked tail rose from the water ten yards ahead. His eyes widened, jaw clenched and holding his breath, he started a back cast. Instantly the water around him erupted. A school of big bones had stealthily moved in but was gone in a flash. How did he not see them? Concentrate. He waded all morning, silently shuffling through the grass. The sun was higher now and sweat burned the corners of his eyes. Though lucky enough to throw to a few more tailing fish, Scotty’s intense concentration had taken its toll. His eyes ached, and his neck and shoulders throbbed with exhaustion. The beach would soon fill with splashing toddlers and well-oiled sunbathers, the shallows would warm, and the fish would disappear. He resigned to call it a morning. As he fished his way to shore, he finally stopped thinking. His casts became as rhythmic and natural as his

deep, calm breaths. He basked in the sheer beauty of the moment as he cast poetic, nearly perfect loops that rolled gracefully through the warm, salty breeze. Suddenly the line went taught. Scotty jerked a perfect strip set before lifting his rod high. He felt the pulsing weight of a heavy fish as the hook made solid purchase, then let the slack slip through his fingers until the fish was safely on the reel. The first two runs were powerful but short, and he feared it wasn’t a bonefish. When the fish showed silver, its size further dashed his hopes; far too big to be a bonefish and a bone half this size would have sent a hundred yards of line whistling through the guides. But as it came closer, Scotty gasped. It was a huge bonefish all right, the biggest he’d ever seen. The fish suddenly turned and exploded to the north, disappearing in seconds. The reel screamed and the deeply bowed rod pulsed up and down in unison with the volume of the whining drag. After an epic fight, Scotty gently lifted him from the water, gripped his lower lip with the clamp of his hand-scale and snapped a quick picture. His first bonefish on fly weighed 14.1 pounds, a monster by any standards and a potential record. The lesson learned from Scotty’s blissful trance being rewarded with the fish of a lifetime was far from lost on him. After kissing the top of its broad head, he gently returned the beautiful fish to the sea. As he rocked it back to life, Scotty was certain absolutely no one would believe him. But as he watched the fish swim away unharmed, he was even more certain he didn’t care.

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12/12/18 12:05 PM

KAYAK

fISHING

anuary is what created the Extreme Kayak Fishing name. This time of year the fronts start blowing through South Florida, creating excitement, cooler weather, waves and sailfish. Sailfish in January start coming through in big pods. Kayak anglers don’t need to go out far to find these awesome, acrobatic fish. I usually head out before or right after a cold front when the weather calms down and the surf is more accessible to launch offshore. I paddle or peddle out to 60 to 120 feet of water and zigzag in and out of those depths slow trolling a live gog or pilchard. Try slow trolling around the 3rd reef or some deeper wrecks for maximum sailfish action. Also look for free jumpers while trying to find your depth. Usually the pods are all in one depth. I take a 5 gallon bucket with a aerator and either a ½ dozen gogs or a dozen pilchards. My setup is simple for live baiting for sailfish. I use a Shimano Baitrunner with 30lb braid connected to a 40lb mono leader with a 3/0 circle hook. I usually tie line to line, but if you go with a swivel make sure it is tiny. The mahi mahi fishing in

SPEAR W

fISHING

ith grouper now out of season in South Florida, this is a good time to pick up a Hawaiian sling, which can reach wily snappers like mutton, cubera and yellowtail. They are some of the fastest bottom fish in the Atlantic and they know it! Early slings were nothing more than a short piece of wood, drilled to allow a spear shaft to pass through it, with a rubber band whipped tightly to it to propel the shaft towards a fish, much like a bow and arrow, but looking more like a slingshot. The beauty of slings is the range and accuracy that freeshafts provide. Snappers like the deep wrecks, of which Broward and Miami Dade have in spades and they make for challenging hunting. Another benefit of a freeshaft is that its safer, with no entanglement possible without shooting line.

forecastS Joe Hector caught this nice bull live baiting from his kayak.

January is also super hot, with winds blowing these beautiful fish into shallower depths, which is more accessible for us kayak anglers. Try fishing around the deep wrecks from 180 to 250 feet of water. Look for weed lines and color changes and try to stay along that line for that monster hit. In January, there should be some nice schools of 10 to 20 pounders around the weed lines. If you find a nice school of smaller dolphin try dropping a jig below the school for a nice wahoo surprise.

Slings are best for spearing bottom fish within a diver’s depth range and shot placement is the key to successful sling spearfishing. Around 2014 some slings were introduced that made a big difference in range and accuracy. Increasing band stretch by up to 11 inches is about a 33% improvement in power. More power can allow use of a shooting line, but lines create much drag, so the range is not also increased, but with the shaft tethered it reduces the chance of shaft loss. Some of these slings can mount reels, to allow a diver to surface to breathe, without losing the connection to the shaft and can shoot in water deeper than his/her depth range. Slings with reels can also be used to shoot pelagic fish that are not easily landed with freeshafts and shooting lines can be attached to float lines. Sounds amazing, but a shooting line creates some big disadvantages, like entanglement. Slings are too short to retain and

During the moons in January, I’ve caught some solid Wahoo around the inlets on an outgoing tide. I’ve caught them as shallow as 160 feet of water off the inlets. I always rig with 30lb braid to a 50lb mono leader to 8-10 inches of wire with a 3/0 to 4/0 J-hook and a very important stinger. Make sure when you rig your gog that there is slack on the stinger so that your bait swims freely. Get ready for the 2019 Sailfish Smackdown taking place in Pompano Beach January 12th

Joe Hector 954-895-4527 Extreme Kayak Fishing Inc. www.extremekayakfishing.com joe@extremekayakfishing.com

The King of Sling, Art Pinder.

release shooting lines and must be pulled off a reel first, then float nearby or held away by the diver. Time is greatly increased to get a fish off the shaft and shooting line and get ready for the next shot. It is highly recommended to seek out competent spearfishing instruction. Although less than perfect, new slings are helping

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and 13th. Join us for the kickoff party at Brus Room in Pompano Beach on January 11th from 5pm-8pm. Everyone is invited to take part in our HUGE raffle benefiting the Broward Children’s Center. To find out more about the tournament or raffle visit www. extremekayakfishing.com.

divers land some amazing fish, and new world records! By the way… Hawaiian slings are allowed while freediving in the Bahamas!

Capt. Chad Carney (727) 423-7775 www.floridaskindiver.com www.facebook.com/floridaskindiver chad.carney@yahoo.com

JANUARY 2019

GREATER MIAMI 9

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forecastS

FRESH

WATER

ope you all enjoyed your holidays!. A another year has past. Each one has been so special to me, not just because of my growth as a person and angler, but because of what I get to do. I am blessed to be able to give back and pay it forward through fishing. Over the past 11 years I have had the opportunity to share my fishing experiences through Bass Pro, IGFA, Boy and Girl Scouts, Fishing with America's Finest and Make a Wish Foundation. Recently, Make a Wish Foundation contacted me and asked if it would be possible to take a young man named Noah on a bass fishing trip. Noah is 18 and loves to hunt and fish. About a year ago, he was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and it has limited his ability to get around. He and his family came down from Georgia for a few days and we went out fishing.

Then it happened. It happened to me again. After all my years on the water, I was moved. Not by the movement of the boat or the water, but by Noah. I felt an instant connection with my fellow fisherman. After talking with him, I realized that this young man wanted to learn all about fishing.

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He wanted to learn all of the techniques for catching different species. He wanted to know how to fish different bodies of water. He wanted learn it all. What started out as a 6 hour guide trip turned into 10 plus hours of fishing, dinner and a life experience. In all my years of fishing, I never put so much value in each cast. I wanted to answer all of Noah's questions and put a huge dent in his bucket list. Noah smiled the entire day. He never once complained about the heat or his struggles. When the sun went down and the mosquitoes came out, he just kept casting. All he talked about was the next cast, the techniques, the fish he wanted to catch and the time that he had to do it. The next morning I reached out to his mom to see if he would like to go again. She said she didn't even have to ask him. I also reached out to some local junior anglers his age to join us. Shortly after the call we all spent the day fishing. He never stopped

fishing or talking about it. Noah caught over 50 fish, consisting of 5 different species during our two days of fishing and he did it with one arm. On these outings, I learned something too. How blessed we all are and what an amazing sport this is. I will never again complain about a bad day on the water. I've come to realize there is no such thing. Just ask Noah! At the end of the trip, I felt it was only fair to let Noah keep the rod and reel he did all the damage with. Fishing is so much more than just fishing. Till next time,tight lines and bent rods,

Capt. Neal Stark (954) 822-1481 Fishing with America’s Finest, Inc. 501(C)(3) Non-Profit Organization, FEIN #45-5494005

www.FishingwithAmericasFinest.org fwaforg@gmail.com American Everglades Guide, Inc. www.AmericanEvergladesGuide.com aeguideinc@gmail.com

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10 GREATER MIAMI

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JANUARY 2019

Morning & Sunset Trips Call For Availability

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(954) 650-1612 SAMCANFISH.COM

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