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TARGETING REDFISH During the Mullet Migration
By Skye Burkhardt
• TACKLE: I mainly fish inshore, so light tackle is the way for me. However, it’s important to be prepared to switch up depending on the size and species of game fish present.
Keep up with Skye Burkhardt on Facebook Inshore Adventures with Skye and on @brassyangler87.Instagram
The mullet run doesn’t have an official start or end date. Large schools of mullet—some the size of three football fields—move south as temperatures cool. Tarpon, sharks, kingfish and redfish are just some of the gamefish that move with these pods. Most years the fishing is on fire in October and November.
It’s heartbreaking to see breeder fish floating due to carelessness or lack of knowledge. Hauling a big redfish up vertically onto a bridge or pier, dragging it over the rocks on a jetty or tossing it back from up high severely limits its chance of survival. Get a pier net to fish from a bridge or pier, and do everything in your power to ensure the healthy release of your fish.
This time of year, any artificial that resembles a mullet will do the trick. I like Vudu Mullet Swimbaits, Rapala X-raps, Bomber Lures Mullets,
In the backcountry, I like a light- to mediumaction 2000 size spinning set-up to fish 10-pound leaders and 3/0 circle hooks. I prefer Mustad hooks and tie them on with a simple loop knot. I use an FG knot to connect my leader to a braided main line. This creates a true free-line, without the added weight of a swivel.
The rigging is pretty much the same if I need to beef up for larger catches. With a 2500-size setup, I’ll fish 15- to 20-pound leader. I’ll bump that up to 25- to 30-pound test on 3000-size gear for bigger fish.
• BAIT: Obviously, mullet is the bait to use this time of the year. Full-grown mullet are great for shark and tarpon fishing. I prefer freelining finger-sized mullet, because pretty much everything eats them.
Atlantic Coast of Florida experiences one of the planet’s great migrations each fall. When millions of mullet push south in giant schools toward spawning grounds off the southern end of the state, it presents an exciting prospect for fishing. It’s an event anglers anticipate all year long.
Free-lining sounds simple, but where you choose to fish and what you’re targeting will play a role in the set-up and rig you should use.
• ARTIFICIALS: This backcountry lady angler enjoys sight fishing and scouting Mosquito Lagoon and the marshes of the Tomoka Basin along Florida’s central Atlantic Coast. I’ll target bull reds in the inlets, but I spend most days targeting snook, tarpon and slot reds in the backcountry. This style of fishing is perfect for throwing artificials on light tackle.
The
To fish with the mullet, I just follow the pods, cast to the outside of the school and open the bail to let the bait swim. When you hit it right, you can hook-up on nearly every cast, with the species changing from one cast to the next. Big gamefish tend to seek out isolated or injured mullet, which is exactly what your bait is.
Landing a bull red this time of the year is easy. With the mullet running, simply free-line a mullet or drop one on a weighted rig to land a trophy! Before you experience the drag-pulling run, you should know how to properly handle and release your fish.
• REDFISH REGULATIONS: Florida recently adopted new management plan for redfish. There are now varied regulations across nine different zones. Anglers need to understand those regulations because they’re intended to protect one of our iconic species in the face
Here are some tips for anglers to take advantage of the mullet run.
Most of the state now has a one-fishper-person daily limit in the 18- to 27inch slot. Some regions have a two-fishper-vessel possession limit and others have a four-fish-per-vessel possession limit. The Indian River Lagoon region is strictly catch-and-release only for redfish. For complete Florida redfish regulations, go
Handling them with care and releasing them safely is important to the future of our fisheries. The statewide slot limit from 18 and 27 inches is intended to protect the large fish, which are part of the spawning stock.
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Ahhhh, yeah! This is the time of plenty. Now is the time of year to have a community-sized fish stew to clear out all the vacuum-sealed stuff in the freezer. You’ve got to make some room for freezer-stuffing grouper, snapper and seabass.
BIG BOTTOM FISH ARE THE BOUNTY OF FALL
the possibilities of spawning. The same places will hold large seabass, as well. I love to eat grouper, but the way I grouper fish also produces large seabass, which I think are even better than grouper in texture andScampsflavor.
I
I also like to take pinfish from the marina as a “bird in hand” for bottom fishing. The beauty of putting a live sardine on a jig and sending it to the bottom is that EVERYTHING down there eats them. The beauty of sending a pinfish, grass grunt or sailors choice to the bottom is that everything down there would love to eat them, but can’t. They can’t get their mouths around the bigger baits, but the ones that can are the fish you want to catch. Go enjoy the bounty of the season!
For more information, go to Barefootcatsandtackle.com.
love spring and summer fishing, but let me say this loud and clear: I live for fall and winter fisheries!
Tim Barefoot
Hanapa
Starting this month, the larger gags will be so close in that it’ll shock you. Don’t run too far, or you’ll run over some of the biggest fish of the year. Go wherever you jig up your cigar minnows and sardines, and the gags will be right there. When you get a few baits in the well, it’s a good idea to have at least one person put a bait right back down.
After all, that is why the gags are there. They are eating the same baits that you’re catching. They come inshore to a place that holds bait, so all the smaller females have plenty to eat while they are discussing
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and snappers hold a special place in my heart. Starting right now, they should be going off! It’s time consuming to stop on the way out a jig up bait. However, a 15- or 20-minute bait stop could make the difference between a good day and a great day. When you find bait in numbers, it doesn’t take long to rack up. I like to keep a Sabiki angler on each side of the boat handing me baits to dehook into a bucket in the center of the boat. Once I get 20 or so baits in the bucket, I pour them into the livewell and repeat until there’s enough.
This is the time of year that can make even me look good. The large male gags have started staging up on nearshore structures, wrecks and traditional bait-holding bottom. The scamps and large snappers have started a transitional move to their deeper wintering grounds. Water temps will soon draw a line in the water that clearly shows you where to fish.
Once onshore you can take it a step further showing your fellow anglers your catch of the day wearing “slippahs” from Scott Hawaii.
Hanapa Marlin
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• Bait Chucker: Always derogatory term used by y shers to describe any other type of angler. “I think that bait chucker was jealous of my tweed cap.”
Share your favorite angler idioms with us on our Facebook page: Coastal Angler & e Angler Magazine.
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Leroy Jenkins: Derived from an Internet video game meme, this exclamation is used in kayak shing when you race ahead of your shing buddies to be the rst one on the water. “Y’all can keep mucking around on the boat ramp. I’m going shing! Leeeroooy Jenkiiins!”
Dink: Synonymous with peckerhead, a dink is a very small sh. “Look at this dink. It’s smaller than the plug it ate.”
Pellet Pig: Derogatory term for sh that reach large size because of a feeding program. “ at yahoo thought he caught a trophy, but those pellet pigs are trained to eat hooks.”
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Yahoo: Refers to anyone on the water other than the anglers in the group using the term. “We went to our honeyhole, but there were a bunch of yahoos already in it.”
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Easy Release: A sh that shakes the hook right at the boat. Counts as half a sh in informal shing competition. “Oh, well. Easy release. It was a little peckerhead, anyway.”
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presumably to stick in the mud on the bottom of the ocean. “Keep hauling sail sh in the boat for photos, and you’re going to keep throwing back mud darts. ”
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• Damn Carp: A sh caught by an angler that is any species other than the intended target. “I thought it was a big largemouth, but it’s just a damn carp.”
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Dreaded Frustrations: e downward spiral of being so ustered by your poor angling performance that you seemingly can’t do anything correctly. “I was slaying them until I hung my lure on the bottom. en I broke my rod tip trying to get it loose and the dreaded frustrations set in. I couldn’t do anything right the rest of the day.”
Reef Donkey: Derogatory term for greater amberjack. “We were dri ing baits for kings, but all we caught were reef donkeys.”
nglers have their own languages. We make up words or phrases to describe situations we frequently encounter on the water. Some of these phrases are quite amusing, and some are too colorful to be used in print. Like regional dialects, they vary from location to location and even from boat to boat. Without further ado, here are some of our favorite angler idioms.
• Mud Dart: A bill sh that dies when released and sinks nose down,
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• Bucket Sitter: Sometimes derogatory term for someone who shes bait from the shore. “Look at those bucket sitters over there sitting on their buckets and drowning worms.”
Bank of Despair: e opposite of honeyhole, this is an area known for not producing sh. “Man, I wasted three hours over there pounding away on the bank of despair.”
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With a blunt snout and downturned mouth, red sh are designed for rooting. ey aren’t wellequipped for attacking prey on the surface, but they certainly display thrilling surface strikes as they
track a topwater lure and overtake the o ering a er several failed attempts.
e 31-mile-long Banana River is an isolated lagoon. Here, marsh and mangrove ecosystems ourish in a complex landscape where there is uniquely no tidal ow. ere are no freshwater tributaries, no saltwater inlets, and the only outlet to the Atlantic Ocean is through a lock at Port Canaveral.ACocoa Beach local who has been guiding
Shimano’s Current Sniper topwater baits o er anglers a lure for every scenario. e Current Sniper Walk 110F Silent is a walking bait that lacks internal rattles and excels in calm conditions. e Current Sniper Walk Hi-Pitch emits a high-pitch rattle for rougher water.
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“We can sight during all hours of the day and in all weather conditions, but since red sh are focused on feeding early and late in the day this is when you will encounter the most cooperative topwater bite. With overcast conditions the topwater shing can stay strong throughout the day,” said Le.
the Indian River Lagoon for years, G. Loomis ambassador Capt. Willy Le can’t help but reminisce of the days when the Banana River was brimming with seagrass.
Le shes topwaters with a size 4000 Stradic CI4+ with a 7’6” G. Loomis GCX Inshore spinning rod with medium power and extra fast action. is set-up casts heavy topwater lures well and o ers excellent control for walking the dog.
Since these reds aren’t tailing, spotting them means you’re looking for wakes. Mature red sh push wider wakes at a steady pace in a straight line. Mullet make those darting V-shaped wakes.
“ is at right here was so lush, the grass was thick as could be. But with water quality issues fueling massive seagrass die-o s, miles of underwater vegetation have been reduced to barren sand ats. ere are still giant red sh, though they’ve changed behavior and where they would once tail and search out the sea oor, they now just cruise around looking for bait sh,” re ected Le.
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Anglers imparting the appropriate snap of the rod tip can mimic distressed bait sh on the surface, but it’s important to choose a lure with proper action for the conditions. When the Banana River becomes moderately choppy, loud topwater lures draw in predators. On calm days, it is better to sh a quieter walking lure.
Once a red sh is spotted, it’s important to be patient and accurate. Nothing will spook a red sh faster than an improperly placed bait falling from the sky.
Throw Topwater BANANA RIVER REDS
When you’re casting into the wind, you should also adjust the way you cast. In long-casting lingo, I use the term “banner” to refer to the section of line between the rod tip and the lure. You should limit the banner when you’re shing in wind. Instead of using an overhand cast, try a sidearm cast, which limits the lure’s exposure to the wind.
A long banner also reduces your control of the lure once it hits the water. A line belly in the water pulls your lure sideways on retrieve. You also won’t be in direct contact with the lure. is a ects the lure’s action, and you might also miss bites.
LURESLONG-CASTINGINTHEWIND
PATRICK SEBILE
On a beach, with the lure on the sand, allow a banner of 50 to 70 percent of the rod’s length. is shorter banner limits the size of the belly in the line when you cast. e larger the line belly is, the more casting energy is taken from the lure’s ight, resulting in reduced distance.
Typically, a long-distance model weighs 30 to 100 percent more than a oating one of similar dimensions. If a oating lure weighs 2 ounces, a similar sized distance-dedicated lure will weigh 3 to 4 ounces. at’s really a big deal, especially in wind.
Water conditions are another factor worth consideration. Big waves, whitewater and strong currents limit your control. ese conditions are also o en the best conditions for sh to bite. When you cast, engage the reel before the lure hits the water and reel up slack. is gives you a straighter line for better control of the lure, better swimming action and more direct contact with the lure. When you can feel the lure, you can feel the bite and ultimately increase your hook-setting ratio.
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If the wind is full force into your face, this adds drag on the lure and line during a cast. A high-density lure cuts through wind more e ciently than a oating lure. Everyone loves shing topwaters, but in windy conditions they are not the best choice. A denser lure always casts farther than a oating lure.
Again, we all love to sh topwater, but distance-dedicated lures are in many cases the better option. In windy conditions with breaking waves and ripping currents, I de nitely prefer a 3-ounce plug or a 4-ounce darter over a topwater, which weighs half as much.
the past few months, we’ve discussed almost everything concerning long-distance lures. We’ve touched on elements an angler can control such as lure choice and the proper rod, reel and line con guration. Now I want to discuss the uncontrollable elements of weather and water conditions. ey play a big role in how far you are able to cast and how e ectively you can sh a lure.
Give it an honest try. I’m sure you’ll be convinced that distance lures are superior to lighter models of similar dimensions in many situations.
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uring the mullet run on Florida’s east coast, plenty of blacktip sharks cruise past our beaches with huge schools of bait. Even if you plan to sh for blacktips outside of mullet-run season, you are still in luck. Finding a blacktip shark de nitely isn’t an issue due to a large and growing population of these big sharks.
shing in strong current, simply walk down the beach as the bait dri s. On days when they are hanging out too far for casting, swim a live bait out. Blue runners, jack crevalle and palometa work well for this.
Before blacktips begin migrating for the mating season, they will actually be in gendersegregated schools that come together only for mating. Blacktips tend to be separated due to the male’s highly aggressive drive towards the females, which could result in serious injury.
e most productive way to catch blacktips is to use a 6- to 8-inch chunk of whatever fresh sh you have. Toss it out without a weight. If you are
ese sharks are viviparous, meaning the pups develop inside the female’s body, unlike other sharks that lay egg sacks. Most pups will be le in shallow nurseries due to the high amount of prey and few predators, which increases their chances of survival.Fishing for blacktip sharks is fairly easy; however, there are days when they can be nicky. Paying attention to speci cs can increase your number of bites. On clear-water days, sharks tend to stay just on the backside of the last sandbar. On milky water days, they can literally be at your feet as they patrol up and down the rst drop.eyde nitely will eat dead bait, but will hit live and fresh-dead bait without hesitation.
Blacktip sharks can be found year-round in the Atlantic from Virginia through Florida. ey have been known to migrate up to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. ough they do prefer more tropical temperatures, a little cold won’t deter them from their mission. Blacktips are de nitely not picky when it comes to hunting grounds. ey can be found in bays, estuaries, coral reefs and mouths of rivers.
Photo courtesy of Je Tomalo
D
I personally use a 5/0 extra strong circle hook with 2 feet of wire leader attached to 5 feet of 80-lb. test. e largest IGFA recorded blacktip shark weighed in at 270 pounds, 9 ounces. It was caught out of Malindi Bay, Kenya in 1984.
Normally, blacktips leave Florida in the
Emily Rose Hanzlik holds 51 IGFA world records in various categories. She hails from West Palm Beach, where she has a part time Bow n Guide Service as well as shing classes for Jr. Anglers. Find her on Social Media @emilyhanzlikoutdoors.
spring to travel up the coast to Georgia and the Carolinas to mate in summer. Blacktips participate in internal fertilization, meaning that each female is separately impregnated, which will then result in 4 to 11 pups every two years.
On slow days when the bite is dead and you’re catching nothing but cat sh, swim one out or cut into chunks. If there are any blacktips around, they will eat it. A lot of anglers use huge hooks and long wire leaders, which will require you to get a shore-based shark shing permit to legally sh for sharks in Florida.
By Emily Rose Hanzlik
BLACKTIPSCATCHING fromBeachthe
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM OCTOBER 2022 FLORIDA 11
ere is no minimum size or bag limit for tilapia. e FWC encourages anglers to catch and eat them like any other invasive species. e white akey meat is mild, and wild-caught tilapia are superior to the farm-raised tilapia sold in grocery stores.
Tilapia… blue tilapia, to be exact, are one of more than a hundred species of cichlid native to the Middle East and Africa that are all called tilapia. is is similar to the way U.S. anglers refer to multiple species of sun sh as bream.
Perhaps a lesser-known draw to the Sunshine State are the exotic species that have taken hold here. ese are the non-native, sometimes invasive species that would otherwise require expensive travel for anglers to target. ey are here, so we might as well sh for them.
e Blue Tilapia is considered invasive to the United States. It was introduced to Florida in the 1960s by stocking and experimental studies by both private and state entities. Tilapia are here to stay and can be found in a wide variety of locations, from lakes and ponds scattered around the state to many freshwater and brackish rivers and streams. For anglers, canals found in almost every neighborhood can be shing paradise.
Exotic Species in Your Backyard:
By Rex Hannon
Blue Tilapia
is species is very fast growing for the rst few months, and then they settle in and grow to the 5-pound class by three to ve years of age. e Florida state record was caught by Pamela Henry, of Stuart, from of a dock on the St. Lucie River in 2011. e 9-pound, 6-ounce beast is also recognized by the IGFA as the all-tackle world record.
F
I’m sure everyone reading this can target blue tilapia within a short distance of home. ey are great ghters that stand toe-to-toe with any species of similar size.
e blue tilapia (Oreochromis aureus) is the most popular of the tilapia and the species most commonly found here in Florida. It is also a very important species in the sh-farming world due to its fast growth, salinity tolerance and the fact that it can be stocked densely. Tilapia have a long history. Farming of Nile tilapia goes back to ancient Egypt, and its importance is noted by the ancients using the sh as a symbol of rebirth.
waters o Key West to the many famous bass shermen that made Lake Okeechobee a destination for anglers from around the world, Florida has a rich angling history and amazing shing for everyone.
Rex Hannon is a regular contributor to Coastal Angler Magazine. See more from Rex at coastalanglermag.com.
It’s 8:17 p.m. Been out on the lake for hours. But there are more fsh in the water. And my LBP batteries are still going strong. Maybe One More Cast . . . the offcial battery of “One More Cast...” Visit lithiumbatterypower.com Or call us at 727-233-9831
Tilapia can be nicky eaters, which poses a puzzle for anglers. eir diet consists mainly of green algae, diatoms and small invertebrates. I have witnessed other anglers catching this species on corn, dog food, hot dogs and bread balls. I have caught good numbers and some very large examples with a y rod. I caught most of these sh on Clouser Minnows and other similar small bait sh patterns.
the line race across my finger, slamming the bail shut and getting ready to fight this fish. The intense scream of the drag and the sudden line pulling occurs right before that big jump out of the wa ter, as the tarpon emerg es. It really does get my heart racing and gets me so excited just watching the beauty of these fish as they jump incredible heights with great speed. It was around a 25-minute fight, with lots of run, lots of jumps, and lots of ex citement, getting this fish to the boat. Seeing this fish up close was so amazing, really getting to see the length on this girl! I knew from the first jump it was going to be my personal best but when I saw her up close it was even more of a confirmation. The best part for me, is giv ing them the revive they need. After a big kick showing she’s ready, I let go and watched her swim away, deeper in the water until I could no longer see her. Along with the celebration afterwards, and thanks to those that helped with all the teamwork, those moments are hard to forget, and allow me to see exactly what fishing is all about!
f anyone knows me well, they know there’s nothing I search for more during my opportu nities on the water than the silver king. These fish amaze me in many ways, and it is always an honor to get a hand on these beautiful creatures. Tarpon, known as the Megalops At lanticus, seem to find their ways in the backwater bays where we spend quite a lot of time in the Ten Thou sand Islands, while of course no se cret spots can be given out, we find them traveling amongst sections of mangrove islands, with deep cuts and plenty of strong currents. Add ing in a variety of bait fish, other fish species, as well as dolphins, sharks, turtles, manatees, stingrays, and even the occasional alligator, it is a prime spot to find these fish. My personal best tarpon was caught in a setting like this, on a strong outgoing tide, close to sunset, with an almost full moon. The intensity of the strong current ripping through the waters, pushing small branches and leaves around, and the variety of species making their way to the surface, trying to get a tasty meal, makes it all the more exciting. I remember specifically, I threw my live mullet into one of the deeper areas, where the current was moving quickly, keeping my bail open and finger slightly on the line, waiting for that thump. It didn’t take too long before I could feel
By: Caitlyn Gatrell
Personal Best Tarpon
I
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to shoot bigger and better fish? But you and your friends don’t have a boat, or an experience to find fish? Spearfishing charter boats are rare these days, but here’s what to look for to find a good one.
Want
SWFL Charter Spearfishing Boats
better & more comfortable. In the SW Gulf it takes about 12 naut. mi. to reach 45 ft. depths & 15 ft. visibility. Run 18-20nm is better about 60 ft. deep & 20-30 ft. vis. The best is 45 - 55nm
Lvalues.ookfor a 6-pack charter boat (6 pas sengers max.), with plus.&owner/captain/spearoanadiveinstructorisaLiveaboardsareeven
First avoid big slow boats packed with dive students or hook & lin ers… known as “cattle boats.” The Keys & SE FL are full with them, running 1/2 day AM trips close to a pass or inlet, so they can rush you back & pick up their double dipper - $$! 3/4 & full day trips are the best
“Cubera” is a 36 ft. x 13.5 ft. express sport fisherman 40 ft. LOA & carries 6 divers max. 3/4 & full day trips, or 4 divers for liveaboard trips Fridays - Sun days. I run out of Isles of Capri. (Just North of Marco Island.) But I’m repowering a 2nd time & hope to be up in spring 2023. See Off shoreNaples.com Capt Bill 239-269-5728 - 32’ Contender.
2 NAPLES | OCTOBER 2022 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/NAPLES/
By: Capt. Chad Carney
still about 120 ft. deep & possible 40-50 ft. visability. Boats need spray shields, sun & rain tops, & padded seating for every one. Space for gear bags, tanks & gun racks, a dive platform & ladder, & big fishMcoolers!ydive boat
https://www.deeperblue.com/beginners-guide-spearfishing/https://www.facebook.com/floridaskindiver/chad.carney@yahoo.com727-423-7775
FACEBOOK.COM/CAMNAPLES/ | OCTOBER 2022 | NAPLES 3 You Can Trust Your Local Mastry Suzuki RePower Center – It Simply Makes Sense REPOWER When you purchase a new Suzuki outboard from an authorized Mastry RePower Center you qualify to become a member of the Mastry Suzuki Owner’s Edge. Owners receive an identification card that provides them with important information about their Suzuki outboard motor as well as a passport to additional benefits during ownership. Members enjoy a detailed engine maintenance schedule, Mastry Suzuki RePower Trade Program and special pricing from Mastry Suzuki Partners. THE ALTERNATIVE TO BUYING A NEW BOAT When Considering A Repower, Consider These Factors: • Twin Screws Marine Service has decades of repower experience providing proper rigging, controls, propeller matching and in water testing • With a Mastry Suzuki RePower owners gain improved performance, less noise and greater reliability • Options that will fit most any budget, financing available • Mastry Suzuki RePower’s exclusive Owner’s Edge Program* • All Suzuki RePowers come with Suzuki’s 5-years of protection suzukirepower.com | 1-800-545-4574 *Get with the Program! With 13 Locations Across Florida There is a Mastry Suzuki RePower Center Near You In the Fort Myers area - Twin Screws Marine Service is your certified Mastry Suzuki RePower Center Twin Screws Marine Service 16257 S Tamiami Trail, Fort Myers, FL 33908 239-330-3387 Twin Screws Marine Service is Southwest Florida’s premiere service marine center and mobile marine service, located at 16257 South Tamiami Trail Suite B in Fort Myers, FL 33908. We offer 24/7 emergency mobile boat repair & factory certified marine service & repair. We are a Suzuki Marine Outboard RePower Center with Mastry Engine Center providing the best options, information and package pricing for excellent performance in repower. We offer Suzuki parts, accessories & warranty while offering full mobile marine troubleshooting and repair services to all of Southwest Florida. At Twin Screws Marine Service, you can expect the best! We have all of the credentials you expect and should require when selecting a company to service your boat. When you think of boat repair, maintenance or Suzuki RePower, Twin Screws Marine Service is the best choice!
By: Capt. Billy Norris
Transitioning Into Fall
As we move into autumn, the weath er, and in turn the water, will begin to cool off a bit. Although we won’t see our wintertime staples like kingfish and sheepshead quite yet, this time of year does provide some excellent angling Fishingopportunities!thispast month has been on fire! Both the backwater and nearshore waters have provided consistent action and have kept rods bent. In the back water, snook, redfish and trout have been eagerly taking baits. Due to the extremely hot weather, the bite has been best either first thing in the morning, or right before sunset. During the heat of the day, you can still target fish but look for them in deeper holes, channels, or any where there is shade and moving water. The backwater bite has also been great at night. Fishing dock lights and passes has resulted in many great nights catching snook, tarpon and sharks. Nearshore has also been stellar. The main stars over the past few months have been permit, cobia and mangrove snapper. Schools of permit or cobia have been present all over our nearshore wrecks the past few months and have made some lifetime memories for many of our customers. In addition, the mangrove snapper bite has been cra zy-good, with limiting out on fish from 16-24 inches not being uncom mon. Cobia are less picky when it comes to tackle, so beefed up rods with 50-60 lb. leader is our go to. However, permit and snapper are much more leader-shy, so 6 ft. of 25-30 lb. fluorocarbon is my tried-
and-true method. As far as baits, we have been leaving the dock loaded up with a variety of baits including crabs, threadfins, pinfish and frozen sardines/ threads. Due to the wide variety of fish eating right now, you are never sure what you are going to run into so bring ing a selection of different baits is a wise Falldecision.isabsolutely my favorite time to fish here in Southwest Florida. In ad dition to the weather beginning to cool down a bit, the wide array of angling opportunities that we are presented with is amazing! Over the next few months, I expect to see a continued cobia presence in the area, with permit hanging around as well. Snapper should also a staple during these months. There is also a good chance that we will get our fall migration of tarpon as they begin to travel through our coastal wa ters in preparation for wintertime. In the backwater, fall means big breeding snook in the passes, and redfish all over the place on the flats and estuaries. In the backwater use either pilchards or pinfish for best results. Now is a great time to get on the water and get some quality fishing time before the snowbirds return. Whatever type of fishing you’re looking to do, give us a call at Pale Horse Fishing Charters and we’ll get you out on the water to catch ‘em up!
4 NAPLES | OCTOBER 2022 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/NAPLES/
Pale
Horse FC | palehorsefishingcharters.com | 239-285-7710
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where water is moving. Current can be caused by tidal flow, wind, or funnel areas. Bait plays a huge role in figuring out a pattern, usually if there is a bait presence there will be predators around. Other factors that affect a pattern are water levels, water temperature, seasonal trends and water clarity to name a few. Most of the time when I can put together a solid pattern it will hold throughout the fishing trip. I can cover water or run to specific areas and catch fish. There are times when the pattern may change while I’m fishing, usually because the tide is changing. There are times where the pattern totally changes and I may need to figure out something else or call it a day. Many days I never really figure out a pattern, I cover water and I catch a fish here and there. I consider myself a pattern fisherman, figuring out the puzzle each trip can be a challenge but so rewarding when I put the puzzle together. Have a plan and take mental notes as you fish. Many times, one bite can be the clue that keys you into a great day of fishing. Good luck and keep casting.
By: Joe Sheaffer
What’s the Pattern?
Joe,
where or how are you catching fish? That question comes up quite often. I usually have no problem sharing information that I have learned from the last few fishing trips. That information can be helpful but many times it probably doesn’t help all that much. Fishing in tidal waters creates changing conditions daily if not hourly. Many times, I may have a great day of fishing, go back the next day and it is totally different and much tougher. Fishing reports can definitely be helpful but most of the time each day presents different conditions and challenges. My goal every day that I spend fishing is to figure out a pattern that will produce a consistent bite. Some days there isn’t much to figure out, the fish are biting, and it seems the fish will bite any thing. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen that often at least for me. Most days I have a plan on how I will figure out a pattern that will help me have a suc cessful day on the water. I usually will start with cur rent flow, looking for areas
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8 NAPLES | OCTOBER 2022 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/NAPLES/ MARCONAPLES ISLAND October/2022 • 25°58’N 81°44’W October/2022 • 26°8’N 81°48’W 3125 Bayshore Dr., Naples, FL 239.417.014134112 9148 Bonita Beach Rd., Bonita Springs, FL 34135 239.262.2940 www.USHarbors.com Marco, Big Marco River, FL - Oct 2022 Date High Low AM ft PM ft AM ft PM ft Rise Set Moon 1 Sat 4:16 3.1 7:15 2.2 12:06P 0.2 11:21 1.9 7:18 7:14 2 Sun 5:06 3.0 8:41 2.2 1:21 0.2 7:18 7:13 3 Mon 6:37 2.9 10:14 2.3 12:49 2.0 2:37 0.3 7:19 7:12 4 Tue 8:18 2.9 11:08 2.4 2:26 2.0 3:50 0.2 7:19 7:11 5 Wed 9:42 3.0 11:42 2.5 3:47 1.7 4:51 0.2 7:19 7:10 6 Thu 10:54 3.1 4:53 1.4 5:41 0.2 7:20 7:09 7 Fri 12:12 2.7 11:54A 3.2 5:46 1.1 6:24 0.3 7:20 7:08 8 Sat 12:42 2.8 12:47 3.2 6:33 0.7 7:03 0.5 7:21 7:07 9 Sun 1:12 3.0 1:38 3.2 7:18 0.4 7:41 0.7 7:21 7:06 10 Mon 1:43 3.1 2:26 3.0 8:02 0.2 8:17 0.9 7:22 7:05 11 Tue 2:14 3.1 3:13 2.9 8:45 0.1 8:53 1.2 7:22 7:04 12 Wed 2:43 3.1 4:00 2.7 9:26 0.1 9:27 1.4 7:23 7:03 13 Thu 3:12 3.0 4:49 2.5 10:08 0.1 10:01 1.6 7:23 7:02 14 Fri 3:38 2.9 5:46 2.3 10:53 0.3 10:36 1.8 7:24 7:01 15 Sat 4:04 2.8 6:55 2.2 11:45 0.5 11:19 1.9 7:24 7:00 16 Sun 4:37 2.7 8:13 2.1 12:50 0.6 7:25 6:59 17 Mon 5:53 2.5 9:49 2.1 12:32 2.0 1:59 0.7 7:25 6:58 18 Tue 7:42 2.5 10:42 2.2 1:58 2.0 3:07 0.7 7:26 6:57 19 Wed 8:59 2.5 11:06 2.3 3:13 1.8 4:06 0.6 7:26 6:56 20 Thu 10:07 2.6 11:29 2.5 4:14 1.6 4:53 0.6 7:27 6:55 21 Fri 11:04 2.7 11:54 2.6 5:03 1.3 5:33 0.6 7:27 6:55 22 Sat 11:53 2.9 5:44 1.0 6:09 0.7 7:28 6:54 23 Sun 12:20 2.8 12:40 2.9 6:23 0.6 6:43 0.8 7:29 6:53 24 Mon 12:46 2.9 1:26 3.0 7:02 0.3 7:17 0.9 7:29 6:52 25 Tue 1:13 3.0 2:13 2.9 7:43 0.1 7:52 1.1 7:30 6:51 26 Wed 1:39 3.1 3:02 2.8 8:25 -0.1 8:27 1.3 7:30 6:50 27 Thu 2:07 3.2 3:53 2.7 9:10 -0.3 9:03 1.5 7:31 6:50 28 Fri 2:38 3.3 4:49 2.5 9:58 -0.3 9:39 1.7 7:32 6:49 29 Sat 3:14 3.2 5:55 2.3 10:52 -0.2 10:21 1.8 7:32 6:48 30 Sun 3:59 3.1 7:11 2.2 11:55 0.0 11:21 1.9 7:33 6:47 31 Mon 5:01 3.0 8:26 2.2 1:06 0.1 7:33 6:47 www.USHarbors.com Naples, FL - Oct 2022 Date High Low AM ft PM ft AM ft PM ft Rise Set Moon 1 Sat 3:07 3.2 6:30 2.4 11:15 0.3 10:20 2.1 7:18 7:15 2 Sun 4:00 3.1 8:06 2.4 12:33 0.4 7:18 7:14 3 Mon 5:25 3.0 9:51 2.5 12:10 2.3 1:50 0.4 7:19 7:12 4 Tue 7:41 3.0 10:41 2.6 1:59 2.2 2:57 0.4 7:19 7:11 5 Wed 9:09 3.2 11:07 2.7 3:11 1.9 3:57 0.4 7:20 7:10 6 Thu 10:20 3.3 11:30 2.9 4:10 1.6 4:49 0.4 7:20 7:09 7 Fri 11:17 3.4 11:53 3.0 5:01 1.2 5:34 0.6 7:21 7:08 8 Sat 12:05 3.5 5:46 0.8 6:15 0.8 7:21 7:07 9 Sun 12:16 3.1 12:48 3.4 6:30 0.5 6:54 1.0 7:22 7:06 10 Mon 12:39 3.2 1:30 3.2 7:12 0.3 7:31 1.2 7:22 7:05 11 Tue 1:03 3.3 2:14 3.1 7:54 0.2 8:06 1.4 7:23 7:04 12 Wed 1:28 3.2 3:00 2.9 8:36 0.2 8:40 1.6 7:23 7:03 13 Thu 1:54 3.2 3:49 2.7 9:19 0.2 9:12 1.8 7:24 7:02 14 Fri 2:22 3.0 4:46 2.5 10:05 0.4 9:38 2.0 7:24 7:01 15 Sat 2:55 2.9 5:55 2.4 10:58 0.5 9:35 2.1 7:25 7:00 16 Sun 3:39 2.7 7:12 2.3 12:04P 0.7 11:01 2.3 7:25 6:59 17 Mon 5:40 2.6 8:28 2.4 1:15 0.8 7:26 6:58 18 Tue 7:22 2.6 9:28 2.5 1:56 2.2 2:19 0.8 7:26 6:57 19 Wed 8:34 2.7 10:05 2.6 3:00 2.0 3:14 0.8 7:27 6:56 20 Thu 9:37 2.8 10:34 2.7 3:46 1.8 4:01 0.8 7:27 6:56 21 Fri 10:29 2.9 11:01 2.9 4:26 1.5 4:42 0.8 7:28 6:55 22 Sat 11:14 3.0 11:25 3.0 5:02 1.1 5:20 0.9 7:28 6:54 23 Sun 11:54 3.1 11:48 3.1 5:37 0.8 5:54 1.0 7:29 6:53 24 Mon 12:32 3.1 6:13 0.4 6:28 1.1 7:30 6:52 25 Tue 12:07 3.2 1:14 3.1 6:51 0.1 7:02 1.3 7:30 6:51 26 Wed 12:26 3.3 2:01 3.0 7:32 -0.1 7:37 1.4 7:31 6:51 27 Thu 12:48 3.4 2:57 2.8 8:18 -0.3 8:13 1.6 7:31 6:50 28 Fri 1:17 3.4 4:01 2.6 9:07 -0.3 8:51 1.8 7:32 6:49 29 Sat 1:54 3.3 5:14 2.5 10:00 -0.2 9:33 2.0 7:33 6:48 30 Sun 2:43 3.2 6:35 2.4 11:02 0.0 10:35 2.1 7:33 6:47 31 Mon 3:48 3.0 7:51 2.4 12:14 0.2 7:34 6:47
FACEBOOK.COM/CAMNAPLES/ | OCTOBER 2022 | NAPLES 9 EVERGLADES October/2022 • 25°51’N 81°23’W 1150 Hamilton Lane Chokoloskee, FL 239-695-241434138 October/2022 • 26°17’N 81°49’W WIGGINS PASS 15881 Chief Ct., Ft. Myers, FL 239.489.088433912 UPGRADE YOUR GRILLING GAME Bonita Springs (239) 992-0169 East Naples (239) 775-2150 (239)Naples262-2940 Golden Gate (239) 455-3400 Marco Island (239) 642-7444 For More Information Visit SunshineAce.com www.USHarbors.com Wiggins Pass, Cocohatchee River, FL - Oct 2022 Date High Low AM ft PM ft AM ft PM ft Rise Set Moon 1 Sat 3:51 2.5 7:14 1.9 12:14P 0.2 11:19 1.5 7:18 7:15 2 Sun 4:44 2.4 8:50 1.8 1:32 0.3 7:19 7:14 3 Mon 6:09 2.3 10:35 1.9 1:09 1.7 2:49 0.3 7:19 7:12 4 Tue 8:25 2.3 11:25 2.0 2:58 1.6 3:56 0.3 7:19 7:11 5 Wed 9:53 2.4 11:51 2.1 4:10 1.4 4:56 0.3 7:20 7:10 6 Thu 11:04 2.6 5:09 1.1 5:48 0.3 7:20 7:09 7 Fri 12:14 2.2 12:01 2.6 6:00 0.9 6:33 0.4 7:21 7:08 8 Sat 12:37 2.3 12:49 2.7 6:45 0.6 7:14 0.6 7:21 7:07 9 Sun 1:00 2.4 1:32 2.6 7:29 0.4 7:53 0.7 7:22 7:06 10 Mon 1:23 2.5 2:14 2.5 8:11 0.2 8:30 0.9 7:22 7:05 11 Tue 1:47 2.5 2:58 2.4 8:53 0.1 9:05 1.0 7:23 7:04 12 Wed 2:12 2.5 3:44 2.2 9:35 0.1 9:39 1.2 7:23 7:03 13 Thu 2:38 2.4 4:33 2.0 10:18 0.2 10:11 1.3 7:24 7:02 14 Fri 3:06 2.3 5:30 1.9 11:04 0.3 10:37 1.5 7:24 7:01 15 Sat 3:39 2.2 6:39 1.8 11:57 0.4 10:34 1.6 7:25 7:00 16 Sun 4:23 2.1 7:56 1.8 1:03P 0.5 10:24 1.6 7:25 6:59 17 Mon 6:24 2.0 9:12 1.8 2:14 0.6 7:26 6:58 18 Tue 8:06 2.0 10:12 1.9 2:55 1.6 3:18 0.6 7:26 6:57 19 Wed 9:18 2.0 10:49 2.0 3:59 1.5 4:13 0.6 7:27 6:56 20 Thu 10:21 2.1 11:18 2.1 4:45 1.3 5:00 0.6 7:28 6:55 21 Fri 11:13 2.2 11:45 2.2 5:25 1.1 5:41 0.6 7:28 6:55 22 Sat 11:58 2.3 6:01 0.8 6:19 0.7 7:29 6:54 23 Sun 12:09 2.3 12:38 2.4 6:36 0.6 6:53 0.7 7:29 6:53 24 Mon 12:32 2.4 1:16 2.4 7:12 0.3 7:27 0.8 7:30 6:52 25 Tue 12:51 2.5 1:58 2.4 7:50 0.1 8:01 0.9 7:30 6:51 26 Wed 1:10 2.5 2:45 2.3 8:31 -0.1 8:36 1.1 7:31 6:50 27 Thu 1:32 2.6 3:41 2.2 9:17 -0.2 9:12 1.2 7:32 6:50 28 Fri 2:01 2.6 4:45 2.0 10:06 -0.2 9:50 1.3 7:32 6:49 29 Sat 2:38 2.6 5:58 1.9 10:59 -0.2 10:32 1.4 7:33 6:48 30 Sun 3:27 2.5 7:19 1.8 12:01P 0.0 11:34 1.5 7:33 6:47 31 Mon 4:32 2.3 8:35 1.8 1:13 0.1 7:34 6:47 www.USHarbors.com Everglades City, FL - Oct 2022 Date High Low AM ft PM ft AM ft PM ft Rise Set Moon 1 Sat 5:32 3.2 8:55 2.4 1:11 1.1 2:41 0.2 7:16 7:13 2 Sun 6:25 3.1 10:31 2.4 1:46 1.2 3:59 0.2 7:17 7:12 3 Mon 7:50 3.0 3:36 1.3 5:16 0.2 7:17 7:11 4 Tue 12:16 2.4 10:06A 3.0 5:25 1.2 6:23 0.2 7:18 7:10 5 Wed 1:06 2.6 11:34A 3.1 6:37 1.1 7:23 0.2 7:18 7:09 6 Thu 1:32 2.7 12:45 3.3 7:36 0.9 8:15 0.3 7:19 7:08 7 Fri 1:55 2.8 1:42 3.4 8:27 0.7 9:00 0.3 7:19 7:07 8 Sat 2:18 3.0 2:30 3.4 9:12 0.5 9:41 0.4 7:19 7:06 9 Sun 2:41 3.1 3:13 3.4 9:56 0.3 10:20 0.6 7:20 7:05 10 Mon 3:04 3.2 3:55 3.2 10:38 0.2 10:57 0.7 7:20 7:04 11 Tue 3:28 3.2 4:39 3.0 11:20 0.1 11:32 0.8 7:21 7:03 12 Wed 3:53 3.2 5:25 2.8 12:02 0.1 7:21 7:02 13 Thu 4:19 3.1 6:14 2.6 12:06 0.9 12:45 0.1 7:22 7:01 14 Fri 4:47 3.0 7:11 2.5 12:38 1.0 1:31 0.2 7:22 7:00 15 Sat 5:20 2.9 8:20 2.3 1:04 1.1 2:24 0.3 7:23 6:59 16 Sun 6:04 2.7 9:37 2.3 1:01 1.2 3:30 0.4 7:23 6:58 17 Mon 8:05 2.6 10:53 2.3 12:51 1.3 4:41 0.4 7:24 6:57 18 Tue 9:47 2.6 11:53 2.4 5:22 1.2 5:45 0.5 7:24 6:56 19 Wed 10:59 2.6 6:26 1.1 6:40 0.5 7:25 6:55 20 Thu 12:30 2.6 12:02 2.8 7:12 1.0 7:27 0.5 7:25 6:54 21 Fri 12:59 2.7 12:54 2.9 7:52 0.8 8:08 0.5 7:26 6:53 22 Sat 1:26 2.8 1:39 3.0 8:28 0.6 8:46 0.5 7:27 6:52 23 Sun 1:50 3.0 2:19 3.1 9:03 0.5 9:20 0.6 7:27 6:52 24 Mon 2:13 3.1 2:57 3.1 9:39 0.3 9:54 0.6 7:28 6:51 25 Tue 2:32 3.2 3:39 3.1 10:17 0.1 10:28 0.7 7:28 6:50 26 Wed 2:51 3.3 4:26 3.0 10:58 -0.1 11:03 0.8 7:29 6:49 27 Thu 3:13 3.3 5:22 2.8 11:44 -0.2 11:39 0.9 7:29 6:48 28 Fri 3:42 3.3 6:26 2.6 12:33 -0.2 7:30 6:48 29 Sat 4:19 3.3 7:39 2.4 12:17 1.0 1:26 -0.1 7:31 6:47 30 Sun 5:08 3.2 9:00 2.4 12:59 1.1 2:28 0.0 7:31 6:46 31 Mon 6:13 3.0 10:16 2.4 2:01 1.2 3:40 0.1 7:32 6:45
10 NAPLES | OCTOBER 2022 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/NAPLES/
FACEBOOK.COM/CAMNAPLES/ | OCTOBER 2022 | NAPLES 11 World-Class FISHERMAN'S PARADISE Snook, Tarpon, Redfish, Sharks...Plus, Eco tours, Air boat and Swamp Buggy tours...Shelling, Dolphins, beautiful sunsets and more! Boat Ramp Fishing OffshoreChartersFishing Fish Cleaning Station Marina & Store Recreation Center Liar's Bench Pavilion Fire Pit & BBQ Grills Watercraft RentalsWi-Fi Book Online or Call: Visit our www.CoveCommunities.comwebsite COZY CABIN RENTALS - RV & TENT CAMPING 239-522-8220 1150 Hamilton Lane, Chokoloskee, FL 34138
Life
I get the fish alongside then realize my lack of preparation. Worst time for it. Tarpon gloves in the bag inside the hatch. Fish gripper in side the leaning post. Long handle de-hooker in the rod holder on the other side of the console. Pliers too. Nobody to hold the rod. After a scramble to assemble these items, I get the bright idea to take a picture, all while still holding the rod. While punching in my stupid passcode, the phone squirted out of my sweaty mitts and miraculously didn’t go overboard but landed on the deck with a thud. I managed to get the gloves on, but then grabbed the tarpon’s lower lip, thumb inside, rookie mistake. The fish rolled and thrashed, my thumb made an au dible “pop,” and a searing jolt of pain shot up my arm. At that exact moment, besides thinking people nearby were quite entertained by the novice before them, my urge to blurt an expletive was met by the sight of a dolphin jumping out of the water some distance away. For some reason, I said “I know,” out loud. I knew what to set out, how to pre pare, and how to land fish, but I forgot it all and just skipped to step ten. My mistake. Plus, who tarpon fishes alone?
By: Capt. Tim Ramsey
On the way in, there were people on jet skis harassing dolphins, the tours with their Carolina Skiffs purposely pushing wakes to get them to jump, and the resident dolphins doing their thing. Close to the marina the boat pushed forward at about 1200 rpms. I thought I heard someone creak my name again and spun around to see a dolphin just past the apex of his jump in my little wake, head turning down toward the water. It was like saying “now off with you.” Or maybe it saw my regression and was making sure I got in okay? Flipper and Alfa need not worry, my “Day of the Dolphin” was over. Understanding both Murphy and irony, although I’ve done all this all before, will probably do it all again, aching thumb and all. I’ll still go out alone but do things a bit differently. See you out there.
R ight out of the gate, dolphins near the ma rina and close to the channel. Quick stop by the FWC to once again tell me to wait until fully between the markers to get on a plane because simpletons have been running into dolphins in the area. In the back country, more dol phins. One surfaced so close when he blew out, it was so pronounced thought he might be calling me a “poof,” as the Brits might say. Then came the group that kicked a big muddy “U” shaped arc around a school of mullet near a mangrove island and took turns zooming in to pick them off one by one. Then I heard one of them say “Fa.” Yep, just like in the movie, where the one named “Alfa” learned to speak, sort of. Well, maybe I heard it. The day was so hot, humid, and bright I ex pected the African Queen to come around the corner at any moment (Amazon jungle reference), and I contemplated the possibility of wear ing my Costas on top of my Smiths. Since my rising body temperature was making my heart pound, it was time to stop throwing a bucktail under the trees and get out in the open.
just go to my GPS numbers and throw but went down the beach, didn’t raise the engine, and tried to throw over the top of the deployed trolling motor. It wasn’t pret ty. During this Chinese fire drill, I heard someone say my name in a creaking, high pitch. I looked over and there was a dolphin looking at me. It was the first time since topwater bluefishing outside Big Marco years ago that one had just sat near the boat waiting for something. How ever, in my regressive, overheated mental state I said, “shut up,” then ignored it. I eventually abandoned thoughts of live bait fishing and tookAoff.short while later, my regression hit an ironic new level. After go ing old school with my Bomber Long-A out at the mud hole, I locked into a tarpon of about fifty pounds. There I was, standing on the bow of the Skeeter, fighting the fish, oddly not getting the customary cheers from other anglers when it jumped. I figured they must be newbies or skunked guides with the eyes of irritable customers on them. Little did I know I was once-again the newbie.
I packed it up after that and decided to run back in. On the way, I got stopped again by the FWC, this time for the third time in three days by the same guy who was surprised I used his first name greeting him. He claimed I was “coming in from offshore” and wanted to see if I had any fish on board. Just like the two days prior, I invited him to come aboard and take a look, but he declined, only wanting me to open the big livewell in the stern I rarely use. As I held the hatch open, “poof,” a dolphin surfaced nearby. I said to myself “yeah, three in a row” like my powers of telepathy were working with Mr. Bottlenose.
12 NAPLES | OCTOBER 2022 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/NAPLES/
The Day of the Dolphin
I’ve never been a huge fan of fishing alone. Not sure exactly why, but I’ve always considered it a social or team activity. Taking people fishing is what I’ve always done, but with my son off working on his career and my wife in Panama caring for her mother (we could fix that situation. Think “Aunt Sadie”), I had occasion to hit the water alone.
Cathartic is not a word I would use for the experience. I’m not one to cry or prone to outbursts of rage (blurting problem notwithstand ing), nor was it puri fying, cleansing, or enlightening. Truth be told, it may have been a bit regressing, if not outright frustrating. And now, some con text.The movie “Day of the Dolphin” came out back in 1973. It featured George C. Scott as a scientist who taught two dolphins some basic words, only to have those animals taken by bad people and used in an attempt to plant explosives under the presidential yacht. Cool, right? Maybe not. Here’s why.
Out front I went down the beach and threw the cast net for the first time in about two years. I regressed to the point where my third biggest pet-peeve (re-learning something you already knew) popped up. I kept my shirt, watch, wedding ring, and trolling motor remote on, didn’t
is full of little iro nies. Take for instance, Flipper, the eponymous movie star of the sixties (I got to use the word “eponymous,” but not really). You see, Flip per was actually five dolphins, with one, named Mitzie, the lead “actor. She is buried at the Dolphin Research Center in Marathon with a full-sized dolphin replica as a headstone. This might make her the second most famous aquatic mammal celebrity behind Duke Kahanamoku. Odd ly, researchers say she died of a heart attack and would have lived far longer than her 13 years if she was not held captive. Kind of like my Aunt Sadie. Went in the nursing home and boom, gone, but what sort of digression is this?
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FACEBOOK.COM/CAMNAPLES/ | OCTOBER 2022 | NAPLES 15
Greg Goodliff w/ a big 39” black drum from Charlotte Harbor!
Klayton Palmer w/ a BIG LM bass in Cape Coral.
Karen Theis used a frozen sardine from Cattle Cock Bait to catch this 41” whopper!
Amber w/ a beautiful red near Lovers Key on a live shrimp.
Andy w/ a nice juvenileEstero Bay tarpon, w/ Capt.Fred Gowdy.
Rico Ramirez w/ a beautifulsnook at D&D Bait & Tacklein Matlacha.
Bud Welch w/ a big cuda caught out of Englewood.
Rich Sarni caught this 30” beauty off Marco Island.
Submit pics to: camswfl@gmail.com or text to 239.595.8265 Photos submitted Courtesy of Coastal Angler Readers and Contributing Writers
Alicia landed this monster w/ Capt. Tom in Bradenton.
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Star-studded grouper are a species that inhabits the eastern Paci c Ocean from Southern California down to e previous all-tackle world record was a 31-pounder caught by Chris Wheaton out of Loreto, Mexico.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON RECORD FISH, VISIT IGFA.ORG.
Caught on the Same Trip!
14 FLORIDA OCTOBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
Both sh were caught slow-pitch jigging with JYG Pro jigs.
TWO RECORDWORLDGROUPER
oastal Angler Magazine contributor Ryan Izquierdo was on a really hot bite on April 28 while shing out of San Carlos in Sonora, Mexico. e boat he was on landed not one, but two IGFA all-tackle world records for star-studded grouper. With just a fraction of a kilogram separating the weights of the two sh, IGFA recently named them both a tie for the all-tackle world record.
Izquierdo’s sh weighed 15.38 kilograms, which is 33 pounds, 14.5 ounces and some change. On the same trip, Robert Navarro boated another star-studded grouper that weighed 15.51 kilograms, or 34 pounds, 3 ounces and some change. Both sh will be recorded as all-tackle world records in the books.
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TEXAS CATCHESANGLERSTRIKING LEOPARDREDFISH
e angler, Ryan Hernandez, caught his “leopard” red sh while shing with Capt. Danny Alvarez in the Upper Laguna Madre near Corpus Christi, Texas on Aug. 27. Hernandez said the sh had more than 300 spots per Leopardside. red sh are rare, but they do show up from time to time. Fisheries biologists believe this rare color pattern is caused by both parents having a recessive pigmentation trait. e wild coloration leaves the o spring particularly susceptible to predation early in its life. Not only is it rare for a leopard red sh to be hatched, it’s rare for them to reach catchable size.According to SaltWater Sportsman, Hernandez kept his leopard red sh to have it mounted. It’ll make a heck of a conversation piece.
ed sh have black spots. Some of them have several black spots. is red sh caught on the Texas Gulf Coast had so many black spots that it doesn’t even look like a red sh.
R
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For more weird catches, go to coastalanglermag.com.
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hen it comes to snook shing with lures, I typically see the same color patterns and lure styles displayed in the jaws of caught sh as the angler proudly presents their catch to the camera. I’d like to share some new colors and lures that I have found to be very e ective when targeting solid-lined trophies.Let’s start with what you might already know. Feather jigs are popular among those who pursue line-siders. Some may tip their jig with a grub of some sort, while others take the simple approach of feathers, lead and a sharp hook. More o en than not, when I see these jigs pinned in the jaws of magni cent sh, the colors are typically white, red, chartreuse or a combination of all three. I don’t typically throw a feather jig, but when I do I prefer to tip it with a paddletail to give it extra vibration. Find one with a rattling tail, and you just increased your odds of hooking up!
CATCH BIG SNOOK
Photo courtesy of Knockin Tail Lures
My other tip involves a color I haven’t seen pictured with many, if any, snook other than those anglers in my circle. e color is in the orange family with gold glitter and a chartreuse tail. is little gem has produced numerous snook over the years. I sh this color in a 5-inch paddletail lure, typically on a heavier jighead. I like a heavy head because I burn these swimbaits through the water.
By Capt. Michael Okruhlik
I hope this new look at snook shing helps you catch your next e theme here is sound attracts sh. So, tie on some noisy lures and get hooked up!
Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin’ Tail Lures, Controlled Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.
W
Here’s my disclaimer: I invented Knockin Tail Lures. e paddletail I use for snook is the Knockin Tail Lure in the Halloween is lure, like the Rat-L-Trap, has a built-in rattle. Trust me,
Now for methods you may not have tried while targeting snook. Let’s visit our friends in the freshwater aisle and pull out an old favorite: the Rat-L-Trap! Pick up a few of these in chrome and blue, buy some stout saltwater-grade treble hooks, stainless steel split rings, and you’re set. ese noisy, rattling hard baits drive big snook crazy. I sh these on a fast and steady retrieve. e simplicity, in itself, is enticing. Among the advantages are the castability of these lures, their bullet-proof construction, and best of all there is not much skill required in this tactic. Simply cast and reel at a fast pace and hold on tight. When a hungry, or mad snook nails a Trap as you burn it through salty water, they will try their best to take the lure and the rod from your hands. ere is nothing like a 40-inch snook hammering a fast-moving Rat-L-Trap!
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stone crab season opens Oct. 15 and runs through May 1. e minimum claw size is 2 7/8 inches, and recreational harvesters may take a daily bag limit of 1 gallon of claws per person or 2 gallons of claws per vessel, whichever is less.
For more information, go to myfwc.com.
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Recreational harvesters age 16 and older who plan to use traps are required to complete an annual no-cost trap registration at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com. rough this process, they will obtain trap registration numbers that must be included on each trap along with the owners name and address.
20 FLORIDA OCTOBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM STONE CRAB HARVEST
Recreational
Trapping is the most e cient method of collecting the legal limit. Each harvester is allowed ve traps. ey may be baited and placed in the water as early as Oct. 5, but traps may not be pulled and claws may not be harvested until the Oct. 15 season opener.
Diving and snorkeling for stone crabs is also popular. Look for crushed shells in front of holes in the rocks or reef where a stone crab has been feeding. Use a tickle stick with angle of less than 90 degrees to pull them out of the hole and grab them by the claws with gloved hands.
OPENS OCTOBER
Whether diving or trapping, it is illegal to harvest claws from eggbearing females. It is permitted to take both claws if they are of legal length, but most people choose to take just one so the crab is le with something to feed and defend itself with.
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Congratulations to Sam Winton of omasville, Ga. for winning a Suzuki DF2.5 Portable Outboard Motor from Coastal Angler Magazine and Suzuki Marine. Winton picked up his prize on Labor Day Weekend from Southeastern Marine and Repair in Douglas, Ga. When Winton arrived at the dealership, Kevin Stone presented Winton with a huge winning check and his outboard.
When Sam returned home he used his new outboard right away and was pleasantly surprised by how well it worked with his boat. ank you to over 10,000 people who entered the contest. We've got some more great prizes every month on CoastalAnglerMag.com, so please keep checking back for more!
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Catch Amazing Action on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula
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Second only to the Kenai’s fishing is the scenery. There is a majestic feel to this area. The views are beautiful, there is amazing wildlife and tons of stuff to see. We saw it all as we drove all over the place chasing fish.
Last, but not least, we fished Skilak Lake, which feeds the Kenai River from the center of the peninsula. This was my favorite place to fish. It is as beautiful as it is full of fish. We stayed 18 days in Alaska and spent our 17th on Skilak, where we slayed the fish. We landed and released more than 100 reds, silvers and trout that day! It was a great note to end our trip.
Twice, we traveled northeast by van to Hope, Alaska, where we fished for pinks in Resurrection Creek. They were so thick that we stayed busy catching and releasing them after we all caught our limits. On our second trip to Resurrection, we went in search of silvers but they had not arrived yet, so we caught pinks
again. It was so fun!
If you ever get the chance to fish the Kenai Peninsula, you will love it. Get a group of friends, do some research and go. Fish with a guide or on your own. There are so many options and so many fish that it’s hard not to have an amazing adventure.
By Gary Turner
We also fished from a boat on the Kenai River, where anchored to deploy small Kwikfish. These lures settle into the current near the bottom and vibrate. Fish swimming upstream see them and attack. Unlike the red salmon, which aren’t interested in eating, the pink (humpback) and silver (coho) salmon jumped all over this setup.
Our lodging was in Soldotna, near the mouth of the Kenai River on Cook Inlet. That’s where we fished the Kenai River for red (sockeye) salmon. The famous king salmon season closed before we arrived this year, or we would have been fishing for them. We “flossed” for reds, which is a technique used in rivers to catch salmon that are more interested in their spawning run than they are in feeding. Basically, you use a weighted leader. As pods of fish swim upstream, the line threads an open mouth and you snag the fish when the hook pulls tight. This was combat-style fishing. We stood a rod’s length from other anglers, and it was mayhem when someone hooked up.
Gary Turner is a long-time contributor to The Angler Magazine. Contact him at gary@purgeright.com.
laska’s Kenai Peninsula is a world-renowned fishery, known for all of its salmon runs, of which the Kenai River king salmon run is the most famous. The saltwater fishing out of Homer, Deep Creek and Seward are also amazing. I’ve been to Alaska fishing several times, and this year I fished the fresh and the salt with five friends who were all on their first trip. Here’s a quick look at what we did in freshwater. I’ll write about our saltwater adventures in the future.
We also ventured south from Soldotna to the Kasilof River and caught salmon and trout. We crossed the peninsula to Seward and fished the Resurrection River for silvers, pinks and dog (chum) salmon. The river was full of fish, so we fished until it was too dark to see the bears and called it a day at midnight.
On a big tailwater, McCrickard gears up with 250-grain sinking line and runs a short 3-foot leader of 0x tippet. If the water is dingy, he’ll fish 3 feet of straight 20-pound monofilament.
While the females become preoccupied with cutting nests, called redds, on shallow gravel bars in moving water, the males put on bright colors to
FOR AGGRESSIVE FALL BROWN TROUT
L
The timing is different on every piece of water, but October is thought to be the peak of pre-spawn behavior for most streams and rivers. Since big browns are more aggressive than they are at any other time of year, anglers who target them should fish aggressively.
“If I have that fish that’s two feet or larger, I’m feeling really confident having that fish on 20-pound as opposed to having it on 2x,” he said.
By Nick Carter
Nick Carter is author of “Flyfisher’s Guide to North Carolina & Georgia.” It is available on Amazon or by contacting the author at nsc8957@gmail.com.
12 NATIONAL OCTOBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
Across the East, brown trout spawn in a window that runs from midSeptember into December. Males and females of the species leave their summer lies to strike out upstream in search of spawning habitat. They are on the move and more visible to anglers than at any other time of year.
advertise their suitability as mates. The big boys spar with each other for the opportunity to fertilize eggs. They become ornery, and are cocked to lash out at anything that catches their eye.
Alex McCrickard has a go-big or go-home attitude when it comes to fall browns. He’s a former fly fishing guide and the current aquatic education coordinator for the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. As the days grow shorter, McCrickard breaks out his heavy 6- and 7-weight rods to sling big streamers.Onsmaller streams, he’ll fish floating line with a 9-foot leader that tapers down to no lighter than 2x tippet. The long leader allows a weighted streamer to get down in the water column, and 2x has a breaking strength of about 10 pounds. It’s more than enough to handle the 14- to 20-inchers you might encounter in a creek or stream.
On large or small water, pre-spawn browns will hit bigger flies than you’d think they would. This could be a 2- to 3-inch-long Woolly Bugger on a mountain stream or a 6-inch-long articulated pattern on a big river. Either way, it’s a game of covering water persistently and presenting the fly to as many fish as possible.
AggressiveTactics
ust and jealousy make males of many species do stupid things they wouldn’t normally do. This is true for humans and whitetail deer, and it’s also true for brown trout, which grow aggressive this time of year as they gear up for the spawn.
“A productive day is relative. When you’re throwing a 10-foot 7-weight and a 250-grain full sinking line with 3 feet of 20-lb. monofilament, you’re not really going for numbers anymore,” said McCrickard. “You’re looking for one, maybe two fish. You kind of have to go out there with the mentality of, ‘I might get skunked today, but I might catch my best fish of the year… or the best fish I’ve caught in the last five years.’”
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HAND-CRANKS 504
IGFA all-tackle world record swordfish weighed 1,182 pounds. It was caught off the coast of Chile in 1953 by Louis Marron.
Two hours later, the big fish was boatside. They roped its tail and used the T-top as a pulley to bring it onboard. It measured 104 inches fork length and had a 53-inch girth.
For more information, visit deq.nc.gov.
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8-ounce swordfish caught 55 miles off Morehead City, North Carolina was recently certified as a new state record.
A504-pound,
“He’s one of those old-school guys,” Brandon Carney said of his father for an article in the Raleigh News & Observer. “His arm might be hanging off, but he won’t let you know it. After about 30 minutes, it rose to about 20 feet below the surface and we could see how big it was.”
ANGLER POUND RECORD SWORDFISH
Carney’s swordfish crushed the previous state record by more than 60 pounds. The old record of 441 pounds had stood since 1979. The thing is, if they had hauled it in with the electric reel, it would not have qualified for the record.The
The angler, 59-year-old Cary Carney, was fishing aboard the 32-foot Willow B, which was captained by his son Brandon Carney. They were fishing in about 1,300 feet of water on Aug. 21, when the big broadbill ate a strip of albacore belly. They had the fish on an electric Diawa MP3000 reel, but a blown fuse rendered it inoperable. Carney buckled down and cranked the fish in by hand on 65-pound test line.
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From exemplary fishing for striped bass, or a trophy largemouth bass, to our hiking trails and water activities, along with scenic outdoors where you can catch a glimpse of white tail deer and gators, Berkeley County has activities to fit all visitors and families.
Berkeley County is a wonderland for outdoor enthusiasts, sports buffs, adventure seekers, and water lovers.
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