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VOLUME 29 • ISSUE 347
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F R A N C H I S E
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FEBRUARY 2024
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else, here are a few tips to help you hook and land more tripletail. • Cruise Carefully: Floating at the surface and doing its best to imitate a garbage bag, a tripletail is easy to spot once you develop an eye for it. Run a trap line on plane with a dedicated spotter and you can cover water quickly to locate “trips.” However, you’ll put fish down if you wake them too hard. Stay at least 30 feet off a trap line or channel markers while prospecting. When you spot a fish, give it a few minutes to settle and come back to the surface while you bring the boat around to approach with the trolling motor. A tripletail at ease on the surface is an easy fish to target. • Consider Your Eyewear: Obviously, polarized glasses are a must when sight fishing anything. The color of your lenses matters, too. It’s worth investing in a couple of good pairs so you can switch out according to conditions. Gray or blue works best in clear water. In dingy water, go with copper or rose lenses. • Stay Rigged and Ready: If you’re targeting trout, redfish or whatever, keep a tripletail rig on hand and keep an eye out for them when you’re running to a new spot. A good basic rig is a popping cork with a short 20-pound fluorocarbon leader of a foot or less and a 2/0 circle hook. Live shrimp is best, but if you’re fishing artificials, a DOA shrimp or a Gulp! shrimp or crab will also work. • On Approach: Come at your quarry from down-current and cast well past it so that your bait drifts back in front of its nose. If that cork starts to dance, give it a few seconds before coming tight. Tripletail have small, hard mouths and you want to be sure the fish has taken the bait. • Fish Small Baits: The reason a tripletail is hanging out on that marker is to eat the small crabs and shrimp that live there. They’re used to small food and have small mouths, which is why they’ll sometimes reject big shrimp. Pitch small or medium shrimp to them or small baitfish and lures no longer than about 2.5 inches. • Stick With Them: If a tripletail spooks or goes down, it usually isn’t going far. Try drifting an unweighted bait on a longer 4- or 5-foot leader that will get down deeper on a long drift past your structure. If that doesn’t work, t will soon be the time of year when everyone’s favorite oddball, the go hit your next mark and come back later. There’s a good chance the fish will tripletail, starts moving in closer to shore to hang out on structure or free- be sunbathing happily on the surface when you return. floating debris. Whether you actively sight fish them by running a line of traps and markers or if you just happen to see one while pursuing something For more tips and tricks, visit coastalanglermag.com.
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your veins. Then, bam! The tarpon puts on a show, soaring into the air with moves like no other. It’s a show that leaves even the most seasoned anglers wide-eyed. Those silver kings? They’re not just strong; they’re the rockstars of Islamorada. Now, let’s talk strategy. These tarpon are known for their spontaneity, so patience is your best friend. When it comes to bait, think live mullet or crabs–the kind of irresistible treats that tarpon just can’t resist. Toss your bait in front of where you think they could be, let it drift back in the current, and patiently watch the magic unfold. When your line starts to load, get ready for a ride. Keep that tension steady, brace yourself for some serious speed, and be prepared for tarpon acrobatics. It’s like a rollercoaster on water, and trust me, you’ll want to savor every twist and turn. When they jump, it’s important to bow your rod toward them to give them the slack so the hook doesn’t pull out. As you get closer to that leader touch or face grab, remember, gentle is the name of the game. Tarpon have delicate mouths, and going all WWE on them might end in heartbreak. If you’re going out with a guide, I recommend booking more than one day to give yourself better odds of landing a tarpon. So come late February through March, and the stage will be set for a front-row seat to Islamorada’s Silver King show. To book a charter, visit www.beansportfishing.com
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By Emily Hanzlik
Catch South Florida’s
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own in South Florida, the influx of exotic species is crazy. Most people know about peacock bass and snakeheads, but clown knifefish are a lesser-known exotic that are a blast to catch. You might see these fish rolling on the surface, but they’re tough to catch due to their intelligence. Clown knifefish are silver in color with black spots along their tail. These fish have a very unique shape that almost resembles the blade of a knife. Their faces are similar to snook or a tarpon, but they have a huge shoulder right behind their eyes.
4 FLORIDA
FEBRUARY 2024
These fish have a similar texture to freshwater trout, as they have micro scales and a slime coating that makes them smooth to the touch. A fun fact, since their anal fin and tail fin are conjoined, it allows them to undulate and actually swim backward. If you get one boat-side, watch as they back away from the net. Clown knives are native to southeast Asia. Their popularity as aquarium fish has led to their spread because they quickly outgrow most home aquariums and are released. These fish like warm water, and they are bimodal air-breathers, which means they surface to gulp air if the water is too stagnant. This makes them well-suited to the swamps, lakes, canals and backwater rivers of South Florida. Juveniles school together and hide in roots of plants. When they grow larger, they become solitary but still hunt from the cover of aquatic vegetation. Clown knifefish spawn in the spring. Research suggests they prefer three straight days of rain before laying and fertilizing eggs. When the time is right, the female lays eggs on a root or some other secure surface. The male then tends the eggs. Even after the eggs hatch, the male will guard the fry until they are large enough to be on their own. These fish are nocturnal. The best time to catch them is at night, or at dusk or dawn. When the sun is up, they seek refuge under structure or in thick mats of vegetation. Clown knifefish are aggressive ambush predators. If you walk canal banks at night, you can see their eyes glowing in the beam of a flashlight. I’ve found the fishing is always best after a rain, as it gets them frenzied. I use live bait like shiners or shad and freeline them near flowing pipes or in fast-moving canals. If knifefish are there, you’ll see them rolling on the surface. I use a small live bait hook on a 20-pound leader, since they do have sharp teeth. For artificials, a 2- to 3-inch white swimbait or a jig will work. An exciting option is to fish a white topwater frogs at night. Remember, when they get to the bank the fight isn’t over. They always come up to say hi, and then quickly back away into the darkness. The current IGFA all-tackle world record is 14-pound, 8-ounce fish caught from Florida’s Lake Ida in 2018 by Michael Donvito.
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Emily Rose Hanzlik holds 62 IGFA world records in various categories. Find her on social media @emilyhanzlikoutdoors.
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Living Life by the Buoy By: Caitlyn Gatrell
W
inter fishing is nothing short of an adventure. As the cool temperatures start to creep in, some species come out to play, including the Tripletail. This tough-fighting creature is on many anglers’ bucket lists, and tons of eager fishermen target them daily during the cooler months. If you’re not too familiar with the Tripletail, here’s a little breakdown. They got their name because of the not one, but three tails they have. This is what gives them their reputation, as their tails help them powerfully swim and fight back against predators and fishermen. They spend most of their time floating around near or offshore objects, especially buoys. Targeting Tripletail in the winter is exciting, but it can be hard to navigate, especially for anglers with smaller flats boats. Owning a smaller flats boat, my crew and I will wait for calm conditions before we head out there because in our area, we typically have to head a couple miles out to see some Tripletail. We learned our lesson a long time ago when we tried to go out there in choppy conditions. Let’s just say during the winter, when the water is splashing on you, it is freezing! On a calm day, we ride out for a couple of miles until we start to see a long line of buoys. Our technique is to slowly troll along them to see if we can spot any Tripletail hiding below. Once we get our eyes on a fish, we use our preferred bait of live shrimp, and cast nearby, letting it drift towards them. If there’s an outgoing or incoming tide, the drifting trick works even smoother. As soon as we catch their attention, they aggressively lung at our bait. For the smaller ones, the battle is tough but quick. The larger ones of course put up a stronger fight, but you just have to fight strategically, avoiding tangling with objects, and keep the tension balanced. They will give you all they have as they try their best to get away. Sometimes they win, but usually even if they get away, they end up biting again. One time we even had one come back three times! Like other smaller saltwater species, you may get them to the boat, but it can be a challenge getting them in. Tripletail have been known to shake off the hook even at the boat, so don’t celebrate until you get them in! They do have sharp gill plates, so you have to watch your fingers too. If we have one available, we’ll use a net to scoop them up. After snapping a couple photos and getting a measurement on them, we throw them back and get ready to catch the next one. For those of you getting on the water soon, I wish you good luck! And for those who have just learned about Tripletail, I wish you tight lines the next time you try to target one! FACEBOOK.COM/CAMNAPLES/ | FEBRUARY 2024 | NAPLES 1
Memories are Made in the Mangroves By: Capt. Tim Ramsey
I
remember my first foray into the backcountry. I was 17 or 18, and my parents found a place they liked in Naples. I was a New Jersey fisherman, versed in the art of drifting, bottom fishing, surf fishing, and soaking worms in the lakes for bass and pickerel. Hey, it was the early eighties, what was I going to do? There I was, in southwest Florida, hearing tale of people catching fish I had never seen, so we had to check it out. A friend of my father’s knew a local guide, so dad hooked it up. One morning way before sunrise, we went down the beat-up two-lane road designated State Road 951, and met Kevin, our guide at the boat ramp on the road to Marco Island. In the dark, I could see the boat, an 18-foot Hewes with wide, low gunwales and a Yamaha two stroke I thought was too big for it. Kevin refused any offer of help launching the boat and soon we were on our way. Twilight peeked over the horizon as we made out way down the canal beside the road, and Kevin told us about the plan for the morning. His lingo was new to me. He spoke of Marco River. I thought rivers were fresh water, but this was a saltwater river that led to more saltwater. Then he mentioned “passes,” that led to the Gulf. Back home, we had an inlet that led from the bay to the ocean. I found you could talk for hours on the inlets verses passes issue. Kevin spoke of getting bait, catching jacks, looking for snook, of mangrove canals and casting to roots. I was in. The first thing we did was go out in front of a small mangrove island that stretched from Big Marco to Hurricane Pass, the southern tip of Keewaydin Island. It was beautiful and all new to me. Kevin said the tide was still a bit low (or high, I can’t remember) so he handed my father, brother, and I a rod with a red and white bucktail tied to it. He showed us how to tip the jig with a small piece of shrimp and got us casting near the river markers. Soon, we were catching jacks and ladyfish. Kevin took the time to show us the fish and explain why the jacks grunted before throwing all of them back. He even taught me how to tie an Albright and a Loop knot. After that, the guide raised the engine and used a transommounted trolling motor to push the boat down the beach in front of the mangrove island where he threw a cast net from the bow for bait. He pulled in what he called “whitebait,” the Florida name for the Scaled Sardine, walked along the wide gunwale of the flats skiff and put them in a well at the back of the boat. I was digging this so hard I could have
caught jacks and cast net bait all day, but we had other things to do. We ran back inside Marco River, turned left, and found our way to the front of the mangrove forest behind Isles of Capri. After changing the lines to bare hooks and showing us how to attach the small baitfish, Kevin had us cast as close to the trees as possible as he stood casually at the back of the boat, He leaned against the poling platform, using one bare foot to adjust the trolling motor. He monitored his three charter guests as we maneuvered down the bank, seeming like a guide, host, teacher, and guru all in one. Unseen fish swiped our baits, and there he was handing us new ones or taking fish off the hook before asking. I got my first look at snappers and catfish, and more jacks. I was in heaven. Or so I thought. A short while later we entered the backwater canals behind Isles of Capri. It was mesmerizing. A dolphin swam by. A raccoon crossed the canal. A tarpon blew up on bait near a turn in the creek. Then after some time feeding my bait to mystery fish and Kevin deftly maneuvering a few times to remove our hooks from tree branches, I caught my first snook. It was small, but so what? Now I was in heaven. I was sure of it. Kevin took the time to show me the snook’s sharp gill plates, the lateral line and how he could make the fish stop moving by laying it over his hand, and how to hold it by the lip. Then he explained reviving it and releasing it. Awesome. As we moved through the canal, my brother hooked into something that took his bait and headed for the mangroves. He was on the back of the boat, rearing back, rod bent nearly double, but the fish didn’t care. Kevin tightened his drag, but it was no use. Straight into the roots. Seconds later, the line broke, and that was it. My brother looked at me and suffice it to say, excuse the pun, but we were both hooked. We ended out day back at the boat ramp where my father gave Kevin a hundred-dollar tip, we thanked him and bid him farewell. Years later, I learned Kevin died from leukemia. He showed me the ropes. He planted in me the love for the backcountry I still have, and I never got to thank him for it. Four boats and thousands of hours later, after teaching my son and my wife to fish in the same areas and catching everything the place has to offer, the urge to get lost in the mangroves is still strong. Thanks Kevin. By the way, I still use the Albright knot and the loop knot. Just like you taught me.
2 NAPLES | FEBRUARY 2024 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/NAPLES/
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5 BED 4 1/2 BATH * 3,219 SqFt Luxury Finishes include Cambria Stone Quartz, Coretec Luxury Flooring, Travertine Entry Way, and Hand Thrown Pool Pavers Price Includes Dock, Pool, and Landscaping. Professionally Decorated.
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TheNewHomeSpot.com FACEBOOK.COM/CAMNAPLES/ | FEBRUARY 2024 | NAPLES 5
Perfect Time of Year
W
ell, another month has gone by here in Southwest Florida, and the fishing continues to be great! The weather has remained typical for this time of year, and some of our wintertime staples have showed up in good numbers. The wind has been sporadic, but the seas have been manageable, so we haven’t had to take too many days off due to weather related issues. It is a great time of year with mild temperatures making for great days out on the water! The bite has been good pretty much across the board. Up and down the coast there are massive schools of pilchards, threadfins, and other batfishes drawing in predators. From shore to a few miles off we have been catching sharks, little tunny, large jack crevalle and a variety of other predatory fish. Still waiting on the massive schools of kingfish, but they should be here soon. By venturing out to some of the nearshore wrecks and reefs, we’ve had some stellar days limiting out on cobia, snapper, grouper and more. Gag grouper have still been active over the course of the last month since the water temperature has held relatively steady. Although their season is closed, they are still a lot of fun to catch and will definitely put a bend in your rod. Cobia have still been popping up all over the place. This past month we caught them
By: Capt. Billy Norris on every type of bottom imaginable, from reef to wreck to live bottom. To increase your odds of running across cobia, chum heavily and use a variety of bait presentations. I like to have at least three different setups going, a high line, bottom rig, and something mid-range. This way, if they do wander towards your boat, they will be presented with something regardless of where they are in the water column. Snapper and sheepshead have also made an appearance. Again, heavy chumming will bring them up into your chum line, and drifting baits towards them using "yellowtail crusher” jigs and long, fluorocarbon leaders are your best bet. Permit are here as well, with some solid fish being brought on board. If you luck out and get a flat enough day, you can sight fish them by spotting their sickle-shaped fins protruding from the water. And, of course, a local favorite, tripletail, are here! Fishing has been great this past month and we are looking forward to a great bite over the next several months. The weather is great, the water is pristine, and the fish are biting so call today to book your trip with Pale Horse Fishing Charters!
6 NAPLES | FEBRUARY 2024 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/NAPLES/
Pale Horse FC | palehorsefishingcharters.com | 239-285-7710
FACEBOOK.COM/CAMNAPLES/ | FEBRUARY 2024 | NAPLES 7
MARCO ISLAND
3125 Bayshore Dr., Naples, FL 34112 239.417.0141 www.USHarbors.com
February/2024 • 25°58’N 81°44’W
Marco, Big Marco River, FL - Feb 2024 High
Date
www.USHarbors.com
February/2024 • 26°8’N 81°48’W
Naples, FL - Feb 2024
Low
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
Thu
5:19
1.7
5:08
2.0
11:02
0.7
2
Fri
6:37
1.6
5:41
2.0
12:06
0.3
11:41A
3
Sat
8:00
1.5
6:29
2.1
1:13
0.2
12:35
4
Sun
9:38
1.5
7:34
2.2
2:23
0.0
5
Mon
10:55
1.6
8:49
2.4
3:30
6
Tue
11:41
1.7
9:56
2.6
7
Wed
12:18P
1.8
10:53
8
Thu
12:54P
1.9
9
Fri
10
Sat
12:38
11
Sun
12
ft
High
Date
Rise
Set
Moon
7:09
6:11
1
1.0
7:09
6:11
1.2
7:08
6:12
1:46
1.4
7:08
-0.3
3:01
1.4
4:28
-0.5
4:03
2.8
5:19
-0.8
11:46
3.0
6:07
1:28
2.0
3.1
2:02
1:31
3.0
Mon
2:24
13
Tue
14
Low
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
Thu
4:17
1.7
4:06
2.2
9:31
0.8
11:25
0.3
7:10
6:11
2
Fri
5:43
1.5
4:33
2.2
9:39
1.0
7:09
6:11
3
Sat
7:19
1.4
5:17
2.2
12:37
0.2
9:49A
1.3
7:09
6:12
6:13
4
Sun
6:25
2.2
1:43
-0.1
7:08
6:13
7:07
6:14
5
Mon
11:18
1.6
7:48
2.4
2:44
-0.4
2:15
1.6
7:08
6:14
1.3
7:07
6:14
6
Tue
11:22
1.8
9:02
2.6
3:39
-0.7
3:24
1.5
7:07
6:14
4:55
1.1
7:06
6:15
7
Wed
11:47
1.9
10:00
2.8
4:28
-1.0
4:18
1.3
7:07
6:15
-0.9
5:43
0.9
7:05
6:16
8
Thu
12:15P
2.1
10:50
3.0
5:14
-1.1
5:05
1.1
7:06
6:16
6:52
-1.0
6:33
0.7
7:05
6:16
9
Fri
12:44P
2.2
11:38
3.1
5:57
-1.1
5:51
0.8
7:05
6:17
2.1
7:36
-0.9
7:25
0.5
7:04
6:17
10
Sat
1:14
2.3
6:40
-1.0
6:39
0.5
7:05
6:17
2:36
2.2
8:17
-0.7
8:16
0.2
7:03
6:18
11
Sun
12:28
3.1
1:45
2.3
7:22
-0.8
7:28
0.2
7:04
6:18
2.8
3:10
2.3
8:56
-0.4
9:08
0.0
7:03
6:18
12
Mon
1:24
2.9
2:15
2.4
8:02
-0.4
8:18
0.0
7:03
6:19
3:20
2.5
3:44
2.4
9:34
0.0
10:03
-0.1
7:02
6:19
13
Tue
2:23
2.6
2:47
2.5
8:40
0.1
9:12
-0.1
7:03
6:19
Wed
4:21
2.2
4:22
2.4
10:12
0.4
11:05
-0.2
7:01
6:20
14
Wed
3:27
2.2
3:20
2.5
9:18
0.5
10:13
-0.2
7:02
6:20
15
Thu
5:34
1.8
5:06
2.4
10:54
0.8
7:01
6:20
15
Thu
4:41
1.8
3:59
2.5
9:56
0.9
11:24
-0.2
7:01
6:21
16
Fri
6:55
1.6
5:59
2.4
12:13
-0.2
11:43A
1.1
7:00
6:21
16
Fri
6:14
1.5
4:53
2.4
10:42
1.3
7:00
6:21
17
Sat
8:45
1.5
7:01
2.3
1:25
-0.2
12:47
1.3
6:59
6:22
17
Sat
6:10
2.3
12:40
-0.2
7:00
6:22
18
Sun
10:53
1.6
8:11
2.3
2:41
-0.2
2:04
1.4
6:58
6:22
18
Sun
11:21
1.7
7:32
2.3
1:51
-0.3
1:45
1.6
6:59
6:23
19
Mon
11:39
1.7
9:22
2.4
3:52
-0.3
3:20
1.3
6:57
6:23
19
Mon
11:50
1.8
8:48
2.3
2:56
-0.4
3:00
1.5
6:58
6:23
20
Tue
12:10P
1.7
10:22
2.5
4:47
-0.4
4:19
1.2
6:57
6:24
20
Tue
12:12P
1.9
9:48
2.5
3:51
-0.5
3:58
1.3
6:57
6:24
21
Wed
12:32P
1.8
11:12
2.6
5:32
-0.4
5:06
1.0
6:56
6:24
21
Wed
12:16P
1.9
10:33
2.6
4:35
-0.5
4:42
1.2
6:56
6:24
22
Thu
12:52P
1.8
11:55
2.6
6:11
-0.4
5:48
0.8
6:55
6:25
22
Thu
12:11P
2.0
11:11
2.6
5:14
-0.5
5:20
1.0
6:55
6:25
23
Fri
1:15
1.9
6:47
-0.4
6:28
0.7
6:54
6:25
23
Fri
12:20P
2.1
11:45
2.6
5:49
-0.4
5:55
0.8
6:55
6:26
24
Sat
12:36
2.6
1:39
2.0
7:20
-0.3
7:08
0.5
6:53
6:26
24
Sat
12:38
2.2
6:22
-0.3
6:29
0.6
6:54
6:26
25
Sun
1:15
2.6
2:04
2.0
7:51
-0.2
7:46
0.4
6:52
6:27
25
Sun
12:19
2.6
1:01
2.3
6:54
-0.2
7:03
0.5
6:53
6:27
26
Mon
1:55
2.5
2:29
2.1
8:21
0.0
8:23
0.3
6:51
6:27
26
Mon
12:54
2.5
1:25
2.4
7:23
0.0
7:37
0.3
6:52
6:27
27
Tue
2:34
2.3
2:51
2.1
8:49
0.2
9:00
0.2
6:51
6:28
27
Tue
1:30
2.4
1:47
2.4
7:49
0.3
8:12
0.2
6:51
6:28
28
Wed
3:14
2.2
3:09
2.1
9:16
0.5
9:39
0.1
6:50
6:28
28
Wed
2:10
2.2
2:06
2.4
8:11
0.5
8:51
0.2
6:50
6:29
29
Thu
4:00
2.0
3:23
2.1
9:41
0.7
10:23
0.1
6:49
6:29
29
Thu
2:54
2.0
2:22
2.4
8:26
0.8
9:35
0.1
6:49
6:29
1
PM
9148 Bonita Beach Rd., Bonita Springs, FL 34135 239.262.2940
NAPLES
8 NAPLES | FEBRUARY 2024 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/NAPLES/
Moon
WIGGINS PASS
10871 Kelly Rd Ft Myers, FL 33908 239.267.6857
1150 Hamilton Lane Chokoloskee, FL 34138 239-695-2414
EVERGLADES
www.USHarbors.com
February/2024 • 26°17’N 81°49’W High
Date
www.USHarbors.com
February/2024 • 25°51’N 81°23’W
Wiggins Pass, Cocohatchee River, FL - Feb 2024
Everglades City, FL - Feb 2024
Low
High
Date
Low
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
Thu
6:42
1.7
6:31
2.2
1:42
0.3
12:57
0.4
7:08
6:09
2
Fri
8:08
1.4
6:58
2.1
2:51
0.2
1:05
0.6
7:07
6:10
3
Sat
9:44
1.4
7:42
2.2
4:03
0.1
1:15
0.7
7:07
6:11
6:13
4
Sun
8:50
2.2
5:09
-0.1
7:06
6:12
7:08
6:13
5
Mon
1:43P
1.6
10:13
2.3
6:10
-0.2
5:41
0.9
7:06
6:12
1.1
7:07
6:14
6
Tue
1:47P
1.8
11:27
2.6
7:05
-0.4
6:50
0.9
7:05
6:13
5:17
1.0
7:07
6:15
7
Wed
2:12
1.9
7:54
-0.5
7:44
0.8
7:04
6:14
-0.8
6:04
0.8
7:06
6:16
8
Thu
12:25
2.8
2:40
2.0
8:40
-0.6
8:31
0.6
7:04
6:14
6:56
-0.8
6:50
0.6
7:06
6:16
9
Fri
1:15
3.0
3:09
2.1
9:23
-0.7
9:17
0.5
7:03
6:15
1.7
7:39
-0.7
7:38
0.4
7:05
6:17
10
Sat
2:03
3.1
3:39
2.2
10:06
-0.6
10:05
0.3
7:03
6:16
2:29
1.8
8:21
-0.6
8:27
0.2
7:04
6:18
11
Sun
2:53
3.0
4:10
2.3
10:48
-0.4
10:54
0.1
7:02
6:17
2.2
2:59
1.9
9:01
-0.3
9:17
0.0
7:04
6:18
12
Mon
3:49
2.8
4:40
2.4
11:28
-0.2
11:44
0.0
7:01
6:17
3:07
2.0
3:31
1.9
9:39
0.0
10:11
-0.1
7:03
6:19
13
Tue
4:48
2.6
5:12
2.5
12:06
0.0
7:01
6:18
Wed
4:11
1.7
4:04
1.9
10:17
0.4
11:12
-0.1
7:02
6:20
14
Wed
5:52
2.2
5:45
2.5
12:38
-0.1
12:44
0.3
7:00
6:19
15
Thu
5:25
1.4
4:43
1.9
10:55
0.7
7:01
6:20
15
Thu
7:06
1.8
6:24
2.4
1:39
-0.1
1:22
0.5
6:59
6:19
16
Fri
6:58
1.2
5:37
1.8
12:23
-0.1
7:01
6:21
16
Fri
8:39
1.5
7:18
2.4
2:50
-0.1
2:08
0.7
6:58
6:20
17
Sat
6:54
1.8
1:39
-0.2
7:00
6:22
17
Sat
1:06P
1.6
8:35
2.3
4:06
-0.1
3:41
0.9
6:58
6:20
18
Sun
12:05P
1.3
8:16
1.8
2:50
-0.2
2:44
1.2
6:59
6:22
18
Sun
1:46P
1.7
9:57
2.3
5:17
-0.2
5:11
0.9
6:57
6:21
19
Mon
12:34P
1.4
9:32
1.8
3:55
-0.3
3:59
1.1
6:58
6:23
19
Mon
2:15P
1.8
11:13
2.3
6:22
-0.2
6:26
0.9
6:56
6:22
20
Tue
12:56P
1.5
10:32
1.9
4:50
-0.3
4:57
1.0
6:57
6:24
20
Tue
2:37
1.9
7:17
-0.3
7:24
0.8
6:55
6:22
21
Wed
1:00P
1.5
11:17
2.0
5:34
-0.4
5:41
0.8
6:56
6:24
21
Wed
12:13
2.4
2:41
1.9
8:01
-0.3
8:08
0.7
6:54
6:23
22
Thu
12:55P
1.5
11:55
2.0
6:13
-0.4
6:19
0.7
6:56
6:25
22
Thu
12:58
2.5
2:36
2.0
8:40
-0.3
8:46
0.6
6:54
6:24
23
Fri
1:04
1.6
6:48
-0.3
6:54
0.6
6:55
6:26
23
Fri
1:36
2.6
2:45
2.1
9:15
-0.2
9:21
0.5
6:53
6:24
24
Sat
12:29
2.0
1:22
1.7
7:21
-0.2
7:28
0.5
6:54
6:26
24
Sat
2:10
2.6
3:03
2.2
9:48
-0.2
9:55
0.4
6:52
6:25
25
Sun
1:03
2.0
1:45
1.8
7:53
-0.1
8:02
0.3
6:53
6:27
25
Sun
2:44
2.6
3:26
2.3
10:20
-0.1
10:29
0.3
6:51
6:25
26
Mon
1:38
1.9
2:09
1.8
8:22
0.0
8:36
0.2
6:52
6:27
26
Mon
3:19
2.5
3:50
2.4
10:49
0.0
11:03
0.2
6:50
6:26
27
Tue
2:14
1.8
2:31
1.9
8:48
0.2
9:11
0.2
6:51
6:28
27
Tue
3:55
2.3
4:12
2.4
11:15
0.2
11:38
0.1
6:49
6:26
28
Wed
2:54
1.7
2:50
1.8
9:10
0.4
9:50
0.1
6:50
6:28
28
Wed
4:35
2.2
4:31
2.4
11:37
0.3
6:48
6:27
29
Thu
3:38
1.5
3:06
1.8
9:25
0.6
10:34
0.1
6:49
6:29
29
Thu
5:19
1.9
4:47
2.4
12:17
0.1
6:47
6:28
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
Rise
Set
Thu
5:01
1.3
4:50
1.7
10:30
0.6
7:10
6:11
1
2
Fri
6:27
1.1
5:17
1.7
12:24
0.2
10:38A
3
Sat
8:03
1.1
6:01
1.7
1:36
0.1
10:48A
0.8
7:10
6:11
0.9
7:09
6:12
4
Sun
7:09
1.7
2:42
-0.1
7:09
5
Mon
12:02P
1.3
8:32
1.8
3:43
-0.3
3:14
1.1
6
Tue
12:06P
1.4
9:46
2.0
4:38
-0.5
4:23
7
Wed
12:31P
1.5
10:44
2.2
5:27
-0.7
8
Thu
12:59P
1.6
11:34
2.3
6:13
9
Fri
1:28
1.7
10
Sat
12:22
2.4
1:58
11
Sun
1:12
2.4
12
Mon
2:08
13
Tue
14
1
PM
11:41A
ft
0.9
Moon
11:52A
0.4
Moon
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Bonita Springs (239) 992-0169
East Naples (239) 775-2150
Naples (239) 262-2940
Founders Square (239) 387-1958
Golden Gate Marco Island (239) 455-3400 (239) 642-7444
FACEBOOK.COM/CAMNAPLES/ | FEBRUARY 2024 | NAPLES 9
6-5050
Just Another Mahi Monday W By: Jessica Harris
ith the new year finally here, came new goals. Fishing goals that is. Between bucket list fish in Panama to trips to Costa Rica, I am so excited for what’s in store. At the end of this month, I will be making my way to the beautiful Puerto Rico to fish their blue waters. Three days on the boat and lots of fish to catch. I cannot wait to share that story! With that being said, as we welcome February, the days may be a little colder, but the fish are always biting. As always, the tasty mahi mahi never fails to fill the cooler. Besides being a fun catch, I love, love, love, cooking what I catch! Especially mahi mahi. There are so many tasty ways to do it. My favorite has to be fish tacos or fried, or fish dip, or baked with coconut rice, anyways, I could go on and on. The photos above were taken in Fort Pierce on the Summer Girl and in Fort Lauderdale on the Goodhit. The South Florida fishing always delivers a good mahi mahi bite for me. Fish dip
is also a staple recipe to have for your mahi mahi. Works well for a hosting dish, appetizer for a football game, again, the list goes on. Did I mention that it’s yummy every time? Because it really never gets old no matter how you cook it and your guests will always enjoy it. You will definitely impress them bringing this beautiful fish to dinner. Back to the photos. In Lauderdale, that cold front had them biting like crazy. I was also able to tag and release one which is something I enjoy doing any chance I can. In Fort Pierce, those fish were all that were biting. I was trolling for sooo long for the wahoo bite but wasn’t happening. And as I always say, the mahi mahi didn’t let me down once again. It’s also a fun catch for kids, too. My son loves the schoolies, they’re just his size. So happy fishing, happy cooking and have a wonderful month!
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Earl Horecky caught this beautiful redfish in the Bokeelia mangroves w/ live shrimp.
g some showin water! r e h is the erry F Capt. T good time on a s friend
Joel Buntin's (L) snook on a gold spoon w/ Earl Horecky.
Capt. T im Jon e smiles on face s is putting s @Ma Fishing Charte tlacha rs!
Pale Horse Fishing Charters Had a good year with their guests. Yuriy Ilczyszyn, 15yo, from Cape Coral landed a 45lb wahoo out of Lighthouse Point in the Atlantic Ocean.
Caleb Louth (L) & 49.5” cobia with Brent Louth (R) & 48.5” cobia, 60 miles offshore Sarasota.
Ron Mil ler
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Photos submitted Courtesy of Coastal Angler Readers and Contributing Writers Submit pics to: camswfl@gmail.com or text to 239.595.8265
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Fish Methodically When the Bite Slows PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®.
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recently had a stretch of tough fishing days that called for a thorough covering of a cove to find what I was looking for. Over the next few paragraphs, I’ll cover what changes I made that saved the day, and I think you will see the logic in my decision and possibly implement this method when you find yourself in a slow-bite situation. Keep in mind, I typically don’t have the patience to utilize this approach, as it is very methodical, leaving no stone unturned, so to speak, but it can and did pay off. During a normal wade, I only target the sweet zones, but when they are not there or not feeding, I map out a deliberate path where I cover every inch of the area, twice. Depending on whether I start from the shore or from offshore via a boat or kayak, I will choose a direction to wade. For this example, let’s say I walked in and started from the bank. I will slowly walk out to the maximum depth I want to fish casting to my right, left and straight ahead. I vary my retrieve speed, depth and action throughout until I find what the fish are looking for. Once I reach the farthest point I want to cover, I make a 90-degree turn and walk about the distance of a long cast as I continue casting right, left, and straight ahead. Once I reach that point, I turn another 90 degrees and head back toward the shore repeating the same casting process. One direction will be covering the same water I just fished but from a different angle. At times, this can make a difference and entice the bite, depending on how they are staged on the structure or the direction they are swimming through the area. Once my cast has reached the shore, I may decide to change lure size or type. Once again, I turn 90 degrees and repeat the process. During a tough bite, you need to pull out all the stops. This is not the time to be stuck in a rut of what typically works or what your favorite fishing style may be. It’s important to change your retrieve style and speed. Don’t let a slow bite convince you that inactive fish will only eat a slowly presented lure. Many times, a faster erratic retrieve is what gets them to strike. Cover the gamut and see what works. I rarely use this method, as it is tedious. However, if I have high confidence in the area and the fish are inactive or possibly deeper or shallower than I anticipated, working methodically has paid off, and I learn something new each time it does. Take a kid, and even a tough day of catching will still be a good day of fishing.
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FISH TOPWATER TO LOCATE SPAWNERS
Shallow flats adjacent to deeper water are preferred spawning grounds, and a topwater is one of my favorite ways to cover water and locate productive areas. Whether it be a frog, walking bait, prop bait or buzzbait doesn’t matter. Pick your confidence lure and chuck it around to see if you can get some bites. Typically, a bass on a bed will show itself TYLER WOOLCOTT to some form of topwater, even if it doesn’t actually eat it. They might eat it, or they might just wake behind it or swirl on it. Curiosity and his time of year, in some parts of the country and especially in the South, bass are about to start transitioning to protectiveness of the area typically gets the best of them this time of year, and a topwater is an awesome way to move up on beds and spawn. cover a lot of water to find productive Whether you’re fishing from shore in areas. a pond or by boat in a big lake, this Once you’ve located some fish, time of year is prime time for making slow down with something like a memories because the biggest fish wacky worm to pick up some of the in the lake become more visible and other fish in the area. Typically, bass more vulnerable to anglers. prefer to spawn next to some sort As the bass spawn rolls northward of cover or structure, so keep this with warming temperatures over the in mind. They will use grass, trees, next few months, keep the following docks, rocks, sand, or pretty much tips in mind. For the most part, I do anything hard to make a bed for their the same things, whether I’m fishing eggs. Find a shallow area with plenty for big Southern largemouths or of objects you can cast to, and there’s smallmouths up north. In a nutshell, a good chance bass will be around it I’ll fish through areas fairly quickly in some stage of the spawn. until I find some aggressive fish and The biggest bass I’ve ever caught then slow down and pick them apart was during the spawn in 2013. It with something slower. This is when weighed 13 pounds, 1 ounce and is I can also look for beds with my eyes pictured here. Get out there and find to sight fish. some big egg-laden females over the The spawn is triggered by a few key factors. Major moon phases, whether it be a full moon or a new next few months, and there’s decent chance you’ll get to take a photo moon, along with a general warming weather trend are the triggers for with your new personal best. bass to move up and start their spawn. Staying on top of these factors will Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide. tell you when fish are likely to be moving shallow at your lake. Then you Check out his website at www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com. can go find them and put them in the boat.
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BLITZING BASS INVADE
EARLY SEASON ESTUARIES By Nick Carter
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triped bass are king along the crags and marshes of the Massachusetts North Shore, and each year around the first week of May something very interesting takes place. They call it the early season in this stretch of coastline north of Boston, and it can bring on some of the fastest action of the year. All the baitfish—the herring, the sand eels, the silversides and bunker— push into the estuaries in search of warmer water temperatures. Big schools of striped bass move in with them. It leads to classic bass blitzes, when pods of stripers push bait up to boil on the surface as birds hammer them from above.
You can bet Matt Zimmerman, owner of Back Eddy Charters out of Beverly, Mass., will be there in the middle of the melee standing in the water waving a stick in the air. “I fly fish pretty much everywhere for everything, but it’s better early season,” he said. “You can use a slower presentation, mimic smaller baits, and cover the water column a lot better with a fly.” Historically, the pattern produced 40-fish days of smaller 14- to 26-inch stripers, known as “schoolies.” However, recent years have seen an uptick in larger 26- to 30-inch fish in the early season. “That’s great for fishing, but it’s not a great sign for the fishery,” Zimmerman said. If you haven’t heard, fisheries managers are scrambling to prop up Atlantic striper populations. Since 2019, striper reproduction on the Eastern Seaboard has been dismal due to weather conditions. Emergency action reduced the recreational limit to one fish in a slot limit from 28 to 31 inches, and more restrictive measures may be on the horizon. “The regs? I’m all catch and release, so it hasn’t impacted me too much,” Zimmerman said. “They’re trying to get the stocks up, but most of what we’re seeing is slot fish and up.” That’s not necessarily the case in the early season, which Zimmerman said is a time when you can just park the truck and wade in. “Most of the time I fish from a boat,” he said. “But early season, when there’s lots of fish in the river, it’s easier and you can catch more fish wading from shore.” Zimmerman fishes 5- to 8-weight rods and leaders of straight 20- or 30-pound monofilament. Intermediate sinking lines allow for good depth control, and a handful of Clousers and Deceivers are all you need. Zimmerman suggested 4- to 6-inch patterns and colors of green/white, yellow/white and gray/white. The fishing is best on the last three hours of an outgoing tide or the first couple hours of an incoming tide, when the bait moves around and incites feeding activity. This river bite is Zimmerman’s go-to pattern for about a month, after which he’ll move out to the beaches and rocky islands, where huge stripers herd bait and slam 6- to 8-inch Hollow Fleyes. Find Matt Zimmerman on Instagram @backeddycharters.
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arly in my career, I fished out of Venice, Louisiana. On off days, we fished inshore and roadside, which produced incredible catches like bull reds, 100-pound alligator gar and 70-pound blue cats. It was nothing to complain about, but my heart is always offshore. The offshore fishing off Venice is topnotch for yellowfin tuna, wahoo, marlin and swordfish, but the gas bill was too much for me to get out there as anything but crew. One evening, I was invited on an offshore trip and was told I got to plan the route. I ecstatically hit my Hilton’s offshore report to check the salinity chart and decided to hit an overlooked rig called Moxie. We headed out the next morning, caught bait and arrived at the rig. This rig sits in shallower waters and is a bit off the path for rig hopping, so it is often passed by. I was surprised to see another boat when we arrived. The bottom machine lit up with giant marks, and we tossed out our baits. I was running the deck and focused on the back of the boat, but I kept hearing the captain comment on the other boat. It seemed like they were diving, but they didn’t have a dive flag up. I heard him say the boat looked to be sitting
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low in the water. All of a sudden, Capt. Travis Mayeux started screaming, “LINES IN, LINES IN!” I was reeling everything up as quickly as I could when he pushed the boat to full throttle. I wasn’t sure what was going on until I had the lines secured and I turned around. The motors of the other boat had gone under, and the bow reached for the sky before slipping away. The boat sank in seconds. By the time we got to the scene, most of the flotsam had been carried away by the currents. We rescued the spearfishermen, one Pelican case and a fish bag. We ended our trip and took the spearfishers back to the dock. Their wallets and keys sank offshore, so they called Plaquemines Parish Sheriff ’s Office to get into their truck. The deputy ran their names, and one of them had an outstanding warrant. He was taken to jail for the weekend. It was a rough day for those guys, but it could have been much worse. Fishing offshore oil rigs provides a false sense of security. You are still very much offshore even though you are near a structure. The crew on those rigs are not lifeguards and are not paying attention to you. Considering how quickly the debris dispersed and how unfished that rig was, those fellas were very lucky we were there that day. Capt. Quinlyn Haddon guides with Sweet E’nuf Charters, out of Marathon, Florida Keys. Contact her at (504) 920-6342, captainquinlyn.com or @captainquinlyn.
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ON AMERICA’S HOTTEST BIG BASS LAKE By Nick Carter
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f a truly giant largemouth bass is on your bucket list, make plans to visit O.H. Ivie Lake in Texas over the next few months. Last year, this 19,000acre impoundment of the Colorado River burst onto the scene as the hottest big bass lake in the nation. A string of 17 monster largemouths from January through April kept O.H. Ivie in the headlines, and 10 of them were caught in February. And when we say monster, we’re not talking about 8- to 10-pounders, we’re talking about 13-plus-pound behemoths. According to data from Toyota ShareLunker, Texas’ trophy bass recognition and breeding program, February is the time to catch a giant at this central Texas reservoir. Bass are at their heaviest and most aggressive ahead of the spawn, when they are fat, feeding and full of eggs. Last February’s incredible streak was highlighted by an enormous 17.03-pounder that is the lake record and the eighth largest bass ever caught in Texas. Jason Conn caught it on Feb. 13, 2023, and he said the fish was even heavier before it started regurgitating shad in his livewell. Moving into March and April last year, the trophy bass statistics were still pretty amazing—with 34 fish heavier than 8 pounds—but the giant fish tapered off. Five 13-plus-pounders were caught during those two months, and then no one registered another one until November, when Shawn Strength caught a 16.65-pound monster. The totals for 2023 were 75 fish heavier than 8 pounds and 18 heavier than 13 pounds. The true total is potentially much more impressive, because these statistics include only the fish anglers bothered to register with ShareLunker. So, why has the productivity of O.H. Ivie largemouth bass fishing exploded
over the last three or four years? According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, intensive stocking of bass with Florida-strain genetics is the secret ingredient. Florida strain genetics produce larger, faster-growing fish than the native-northern strain genetics in the system. Part of the mission of the ShareLunker program is to breed trophy fish, and they do this by using 13-plus-pounders caught by anglers in their breeding program. It is estimated 75 to 85 percent of the bass in O.H. Ivie possess those Florida genetics. On top of that, weather played a role in the lake’s rise. Following a prolonged drought, heavy rain in the fall of 2018 raised water levels by more than 30 feet. “It gave these bass pretty much unlimited food and space to grow,” said a ShareLunker representative, “and they just grew like crazy.” Stay tuned. It’ll be interesting to see what America’s hottest big bass lake produces over the next four months, especially with all the added angler attention that comes with a bright hot spotlight.
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See more on last year’s incredible fishing at O.H. Ivie at coastalanglermag.com.
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Imposs ib Buy NO le Price W, pay
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No kidding. Only Stauer can give you 200 carats of genuine amethyst for NOTHING.
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ou may think you understood the concept of “priceless” jewelry. For years, “priceless” meant “astronomically expensive.” That is, until now ... Stauer smashes the luxury status quo with the release of our FREE* 200-Carat Lusso Amethyst Necklace. That’s right, we said FREE ... as in “priceless.” No charge.* ZERO dollars.* Call now and we’ll send you this impressive helping of genuine amethyst (independently appraised at $295) for FREE. We cut the price 100%. You only pay $24.95, our regular charge for shipping and processing. We’ll even pay you back with a $30 discount certificate –– that’s our Better Than Free Shipping!
A collection of purple perfection. Your Lusso Amethyst Necklace is a 200-carat symphony of smooth purple genuine gemstones. Each gemstone’s shape and translucence ignites the velvety, violet hues. The polished amethysts are hand-strung on double-knotted jeweler’s thread, and the stunning 18" necklace (with 2" extender) secures with a goldfinished lobster clasp. Too good to pass up. Too good to last long. Amethyst is one of the world’s most coveted gemstones and our supply is extremely limited. We can only offer such an outrageous deal for a short time every few years. Over 30,000 thrilled customers were lucky enough to get this promotion last time.
200 carats of pure luxury independently appraised at $295† ... yours FREE!* “This necklace is beautiful. I could not believe my eyes ... GREAT!”
We only have about 2,500 left in stock. Act now!
— Bonnie from Longs, SC
Necklace Specifications: • 200 ctw of genuine amethyst • Gold-finished spacers • 18" + 2" length necklace
FREE amethyst necklace limited to just the first 2,500 responders to this ad!
Lusso Amethyst Necklace: Lusso Amethyst Necklace (200 ctw) $249** FREE* *Pay only shipping & processing of $24.95. Special price only for customers using the offer code.
1-800-333-2045
Your Insider Offer Code: LAN510-05
* This offer is valid in the United States (and Puerto Rico) except in TX, FL, CO, OK, RI, NH, WV, OR, SC, VA, CA and ID. These state residents will be charged one cent ($.01) + shipping & processing for the item. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Offer subject to state and local regulations. Not valid with any other offers and only while supplies last. This offer is limited to one item per shipping address. ** Free is only for customers using the offer code versus the price on Stauer.com without your offer code. † For more information concerning the appraisal, visit www.stauer.com/appraisedvalues.asp.
Stauer, 14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. LAN510-05, Burnsville, MN 55337 www.stauer.com
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