Coastal Angler Magazine | September 2023 | North Central Florida/Nature CoastEdition

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This is a hard time of year for most Southern trout anglers. Water temperatures are warm all over, and most of our trout shing has slowed way down or is just plain over for a bit.

Here in East Tennessee, we are currently bringing 5- and 6-weight y rods and dri shing topwater poppers for spotted and smallmouth bass on several local rivers. We are catching some nice sh, and we’re also catching very good numbers, all on top.

It’s like hopper shing, just on the warm-water side of things. e bass are happy and should be looking up for the remainder of the summer through October, depending on water ows and weather.

It’s a nice change of pace for a bit, with many sh being in the 15- to 16-inch range and averaging a pound and a half or two, with shots at larger sh on any given dri . Giant pumpkinseed bream will also come up and hammer a popper on occasion.

If you’re getting into the bassy side of things, I recommend 2x leaders, 5- and 6-weight rods and your favorite color poppers. e occasional pop and twitch is just a way to say hello to let them know it’s there and see who comes up.

If you want to catch some hard- ghting sh and have a fun day on the water, give us a call before it’s over.

Contact Hiawassee River Guides at (423) 208-8602. See their website at http://hiwasseeriverguides.blogspot.com/.

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

Fall Snook

AND THE MULLET MIGRATION

By Nick Carter

Fall is a ne time to be an angler on the Florida coast. e summer crowds dwindle as the summer heat begins to taper o , and snook season opens Sept. 1 ahead of the mullet run.

Capt. Adam White, of St. Lucie Flats Fishing on Florida’s Treasure Coast, said this time of year o ers good snook and tarpon shing in his area. Whether he’s shing bridges at night or inshore structure during the day, there are a lot of snook to be caught around Fort Pierce and a lot of places to catch them.

“From the beach to the inlet, the bridges at night and the seawalls during the day, there’s a lot

of di erent places to sh for them,” he said. “You’ll only get four or ve bites per spot, and if you don’t get a bite in 10 minutes or so, leave. I don’t let grass grow under my feet.”

Run-and-gun tactics make for fun shing, with spurts of activity between quick boat rides. Capt. White said he can’t guarantee a one- sh-perperson snook limit because the 28- to 32-inch slot is a small window, but he said anglers can expect consistent action from under-slot snook or a shot at a big over-slot sh.

Inshore, White likes light (up to 15-pound)

spinning rigs for pitching live baits to currentswept structure, such as mangrove islands, spoil bars and docks. Snook are strong, and a decent one will take you for a ride on light tackle.

e best shot at a big snook is out in the inlet, where White will anchor up and drop baits to the bottom in hopes of just three or four bites over the course of a trip. e payo might be a snook in the 35- to 38-inch range with an outside shot at a 40-incher. ese sh might weigh 15 to 20-plus pounds.

Live bait is the best bet, and snook will eat whatever is available at the time. Live mullet or croakers are White’s preferred baits, and he doesn’t shy away from using bigger 5- to 8-inch baits, which even small snook will hammer.

Anglers who prefer arti cials will nd good action at night at the bridges. White suggested lipped-plugs like the Bomber Windcheater, which has a good mullet-like pro le in the 4 ½-inch size. Another great lure is the locally made so -plastic umper Shrimp. Rig one on a jig head with enough weight to get it down and work it slowly across the bottom.

As for the annual mullet run, when predators hound millions of mullet pushing south to spawning grounds o south Florida, White said he likes the front end of the migration. O St. Lucie County, the shing is best around the second week of September, when mullet begin trickling into the shery. Once the migration is full-blown, there are so many bait sh in the water that it’s hard to get sh to notice your bait.

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chinook are Running in the Pacific Northwest

By Nick Carter

Right now, there’s a migration gearing up in the Paci c Northwest. Chinook salmon are staged to push up out of the cold Paci c and into the inlets and coastal rivers of Washington, Oregon and Northern California. Just like they do in the famed Alaskan runs, big king salmon are making a nal return to the spawning grounds where they hatched to begin the next generation before they die.

With his father, Trevor Pelland, has shed these runs on the Hoh and Sol Duk rivers of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula since he was 8 or 9 years old. His dad was doing it before him. It’s an annual event with a time window that runs from August through December, depending on the particular drainage along this long stretch of coastline. e allure is large, hard ghting sh that are delicious seared, grilled or smoked. It’s a shing tradition that existed since long before Europeans arrived on the continent.

Fall runs are famous in places like the Columbia, the rivers that feed Tillamook Bay and others. Chinook push into the main stems and larger tributaries of many coastal rivers and as far up them as the water will allow. Pelland said backtrolling plugs tempts these big sh in the rivers. He’s caught 20-, 30- and 40-pound kings,

which proves it works.

In Oregon, District Fish Biologist Robert Bradley has watched these runs dwindle in recent years. He said the sheries are still worthwhile and draw anglers from all over, but that size and numbers of sh have been falling since at least 2015, due to ocean and environmental conditions. He said the projections for this fall are well below average.

“ e draw is the size of the sh,” he said. “Historically, you could see 60- and 70-pounders, but you could still reasonably expect to catch a 20or 30-pound sh. An average is probably 10 to 15 pounds.”

e states have been hatching and releasing chinook salmon smolt for decades to coincide with the natural progression of sh moving out to sea. Bradley said chinook spend one to ve years growing up in the Paci c o British Columbia and Alaska. e hatchery sh and wild sh return with similar survival rates, but not many of the stocked sh spawn with the wild group. He said most hatchery sh return to the hatchery.

e stocking does give anglers something else to sh for. Hatchery reared chinook have clipped adipose ns and don’t count toward a wild sh limit in most sheries. e seasons and regulations can be confusing and vary widely

from place to place and year to year, but one wild chinook per person, per day is the norm. Check the regulations before you go or hire a guide who knows.

e runs ramp up when fall rains spur the sh to push upriver into the current, Bradley said. In some places, the coho salmon and chinook runs coincide. Make plans now, because runs on most rivers peak in mid-October.

For up-to-date information on Oregon’s salmon sheries, go to myodfw.com.

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BOWFIN An Overlooked Adversary:

By Emily Hanzlik

sh to introduce me to shing with light lines in search of line-class records. With bursts of energy and jumps during the ght, landing them takes a bit of skill.

Bow n are similar in appearance to non-native snakeheads; however, they are brown in color. ese sh can also be tinted green or red, depending on their region. Bow n have a long dorsal n that extends more than half the length of their back and a long cylindrical body to burrow in the mud. eir tails are rounded, and just before the tail is a red and black eyespot that serves to confuse predators. An average bow n weighs between 5 and 7 pounds; however, they can grow up to 21 pounds.

Bow n prefer the hottest and muckiest water they can nd. ey thrive in water with dense plant life, which helps them stalk prey and nd hiding spots. e Everglades o er plenty of bow n habitat, and they love swampy backwaters of bayous and canals.

In oxygen-poor, shallow, standing water, bow n can breathe air from the surface. ey have extra blood vessels in their swim bladder, which acts almost like a human lung.

ere are many ways to go about shing for bow n. e most common method is to cast dead bait, like bluegills or sardines, and wait. Usually, no weight is needed since they live where there is little current. Just match the size of your hook to the size of the bait.

I also enjoy throwing lures for bow n, and frogs and swimbaits will grab their attention. Savage Gear makes great bluegill and frog imitations. Fish lures around and on top of vegetation to draw bow n out. O en, you’ll be surprised by other species like bass, gar and cat sh.

Bow n, also known as mud an overlooked native species that freshwater anglers owe it to themselves to take a closer look at. From sight to just leaving out a dead bait, bow game and will always put up a fun, strong Bow n were the seeking out IGFA records at the age of 12, and I have 10 current bow n records in the book. ey were an amazing

My personal favorite method for bow n is sight casting with a y rod. ey prefer slow-sinking white ies that you can drop right on their faces. I like to kayak into extremely shallow areas. Most of the time, they sit in the silt or in the weeds. ey don’t spook easily, so you can mess around with them and convince them to bite.

e IGFA all-tackle world record bow n weighed 21 pounds, 8 ounces. It was caught in South Carolina in 1980.

Emily Rose Hanzlik holds 62 IGFA world records in various categories. She hails from West Palm Beach, where she has a part time Bow n Guide Service as well as shing classes for Jr. Anglers. Find her on social media @emilyhanzlikoutdoors.

SAVE

Snappin’ SupperUp

By Astrid DeGruchy

The Florida Keys attract anglers from around the world. While there are many species exciting sport sh, a variety of snappers are particularly popular because of their abundance, striking colors, thrilling ghts and delectable taste. Here’s a quick look at some Keys favorites.

1) Yellowtail Snapper: At the top the list is the iconic yellowtail snapper. Renowned for their vibrant yellow tails, these snappers live on reefs and wrecks. Catching one can be exhilarating on lighter tackle, as they are speedy and tenacious ghters. When grilled or fried, their delicate, aky meat is a culinary delight that perfectly embodies the taste of the Keys.

2) Mangrove Snapper: e well-loved mangrove snapper is a prized

catch in the Keys. With cool colorings and a distinctive dark stripe across their eyes, these snappers are known for a willingness to strike various baits. Anglers who venture into the shallower water in pursuit of mangs are rewarded with erce battles and the satisfaction of landing a delectable dinner. ese can be found in the backcountry and o shore areas.

3) Mutton Snapper: Mutton snapper hold a special place in the hearts of anglers. Residing around deeper wrecks and reefs, these snappers are highly sought a er for remarkable size and avorful meat. eir pink-like coloration, coupled with a distinct black spot they use as a false eye, adds to their allure. Anglers o en recount tales of adrenaline-pumping battles while trying to reel in a trophy-sized mutton.

4) Lane Snapper: Lane snapper are lively and energetic. With brilliant reddish hues and striking yellow lines along their bodies, these snappers captivate the eyes as well as the shing rod. Lane snapper are voracious eaters, making them eager participants for anglers. ey might be small, but their sweet and tender meat brings joy to every sh lover’s palate.

5) Cubera Snapper: e cubera snapper aka, “El Diablo,” awaits in deeper waters surrounding the Keys. Occasionally caught in excess of 100 pounds, they are the largest snapper species in this part of the world. Anglers targeting cubera snapper should employ heavy tackle and stout gear to overcome the intense ghts these brutes o er. Landing a trophy-sized cubera is a feat that will test your strength and your gear.

Whether you’re shing for the acrobatic yellowtail, maneuvering through the backcountry for cra y mangrove snapper, or testing your strength and skill against the mighty cubera, the opportunities for unforgettable shing experiences are endless in the Keys.

Tune in to the latest episode of Bean Sport shing TV on YouTube.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BEAN SPORTFISHING

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Three Florida Bass Fisheries Named Top 10 in the Nation

Each year, Bassmaster Magazine releases its list of the Top-100 bass lakes in the nation. For 2023, Florida landed three lakes in the top-10 of this prestigious list. For anyone who bass shes, it comes as no surprise that the Sunshine State annually ranks as one of the top largemouth states in the entire country.

Bassmaster is the o cial publication of B.A.S.S., which is an enormous tournament organization with branches that hold bass tournaments and tournament series all over the nation. To compile the Top-100 list, editors scour tournament data from the last 12 months and mine data from state wildlife agency programs like Florida’s TrophyCatch.

O.H. Ivie Lake in Texas was named the best bass lake of the year for the second year in a row thanks to an almost unbelievable string of giant bass that have come from this Colorado River impoundment. An incredible 15 bass heavier than 13 pounds came from O.H. Ivie and were registered with the Texas Sharelunker program over the last year. e largest was a 17.03-pound monster.

Texas grows big bass, and so does Florida. Coming in at No. 5 on the list, Fellsmere (Headwaters), Stick Marsh and Kenansville Lake, were grouped into a single shery. Fellsmere led the

way with an awesome 73 largemouths heavier than 8 pounds reported to TrophyCatch over the last year. Fellsmere’s largest was an 11-pound, 8-ounce sh. Stick Marsh, which has been drawn down for habitat enhancements and is kayak only, produced two TrophyCatch sh, including a 9-pound, 6-ounce sh. Kenansville pitched in with seven 8-plus pounders, including a 13-pound, 10-ouncer.

Orange Lake weighed in at No. 8 in the top-10 list. is should come as no surprise if you are a regular Coastal Angler/ e Angler reader. Orange Lake has been in the headlines a lot recently, with four 13-plus-pounders including a giant 14-pound, 1-ounce sh that to-date is the largest Florida bass of the year. Orange Lake produced 50 TrophyCatch sh heavier than 8 pounds over the last 12 months. Seventeen of those were heavier than 10 pounds.

e “Big O” slid into the No. 10 spot of the best bass lakes in the nation. is historic heavyweight has solidly rebounded as one of the country’s best bass sheries. Okeechobee’s Roland Martin Marine Center Series events have produced some astounding sacks for tournament anglers. In June, Coastal Angler/ e Angler reported on a singleday event that produced 20 30-pound ve- sh limits. It took 36.82 to win, and a 29-pound sack

didn’t even crack the top 25. ose are some of, if not the best, tournament numbers we’ve ever heard of.

To see the entire list, visit www.bassmaster.com.

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MORE DAYS ADDED TO FALL GULF SNAPPER SEASON

Adding to the previously announced fall season, Florida anglers will get an additional 17 days to harvest red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico this fall. e additional harvest dates will be every Friday through Sunday in September, Labor Day and anksgiving Day. is is on top of the previously announced season, and brings the 2023 season to a total of 87 days, the longest combined season since the state assumed management of Gulf red snapper.

“

e Gulf red snapper season brings anglers from across the country to enjoy this recreational opportunity,” said FWC Executive Director Roger Young. “Being able to extend the season 17 days will allow additional access and opportunities to all who want to experience the Fishing Capital of the World.”

ose shing from private recreational vessels in state and federal waters of the Gulf and charter

vessels without a federal reef sh permit that are limited to shing in state waters, will be able to participate in the 2023 Gulf red snapper season. e fall season now includes every Friday–Sunday throughout the months of September, October and November as well as Labor Day and anksgiving Day. See the updated fall season dates below:

• September 1–4 (Friday–Monday of Labor Day Weekend)

• September 8–10

• September 15–17

• September 22–24

• September 29–October 1

• October 6–8

• October 13–15

• October 20–22

• October 27–29

• November 3–5

• November 10–12

( Veterans Day Weekend)

• November 17–19

• November 23–26

( Thanksgiving Weekend)

For more information, go to MyFWC.com.

North Central Florida/Nature Coast

Cary & Lynn Crutchfield

ALACHUA, MARION, COLUMBIA, GILCHRIST, BRADFORD, DIXIE, LEVY, CITRUS

SEPTEMBER

In1985 my business partner and I won a trip to Hawaii. We stayed three nights on Waikiki and four nights in Maui, specifically Lahaina. We walked on Front Street, shopped in the shops and ate in a restaurant. If I could have figured out a way, I would have never left Maui. I don’t have words to describe how I feel when I see those images and think about the people of Maui. I can’t even imagine a fire moving faster than I can drive! I can’t imagine losing everything. Pray for Maui and help if you can.

Welcome September, and the beginning of my favorite season, Fall. I can’t wait to turn the A/C off and open my French doors.

This month’s yummy recipe, Garlicky Shrimp over Wild Rice is another Crutchfield family favorite and works just as well with chicken, scallops, lobster and even pork. What’s not love? See page 2.

Thank you, John Freeze for the beautiful scenic photos this page.

With Fall, comes time for your flu shot, and be sure to get the Covid booster. We older folks need to also check with our providers about the RSV vaccine. Stay smart, stay well and stay alive!

Lynn Crutchfield Co-Publisher Coastal Angler Magazine of North Central Florida/Nature Coast

Cary

Rosa Crisman

GRAPHIC ARTS & DESIGN

Kathleen Stemley

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Noel Kuhn

Dr. Kevin McCarthy

Capt. Jason Clark

Capt. Katie Jo Davis

Capt. Tommy Derringer

Capt. Andrew Fagan

Capt. Jonathan Hamilton

Capt. Tony Johns

Capt. Pat McGriff

Capt. Brent Woodward CONTACT

352-542-0356

Photo by: Suwannee River Water Management District

GARLICKY SHRIMP

OVER WILD RICE FOR TWO

DIRECTIONS

INGREDIENTS

• Cooked white rice, 1 serving

COOKING DIRECTIONS

• Cooked wild rice, 1 serving

• ½ stick butter (about)

• 4 to 6 (depending on size) green onions minced

• 2 large cloves garlic minced

• 3 tablespoons minced parsley

• 12 large jumbo shrimp

• Salt and pepper

• 2 tablespoons white wine

Cook rice according to directions, mix together and keep warm. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in your largest non-stick skillet. (I use a 12 inch.) Add minced onion and cook over med heat until soft. Push to outside edges of pan, add more butter. When butter sizzles, add shrimp to pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook a couple minutes, flip and add minced garlic and half the parsley. Cook for about two more minutes. Divide rice between two plates and place shrimp over rice. Add any remaining butter to skillet and add wine. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly and spoon over shrimp. Don’t leave any of the yummy onions or garlic in the pan! Garnish with the remainder of the minced parsley.

I served with fresh snow peas. I have used this same recipe with scallops and chicken.

Lynn Crutchfield, Co-Publisher Coastal Angler Magazine of North Central Florida

beautiful Kings Bay while you enjoy your delicious, freshly prepared meal, watching manatees, dolphins, pelicans and boats. Or, you can carry it home; your choice. Open Tues-Thurs 10:00-5:30, FriSat 10:00-8:00. 201 NW 5th St. Crystal River 352-795-4700.

Thank you to The Crab Plant for the shrimp. Visit their Fresh Seafood Market or enjoy Cooked Seafood to go. You are welcome to sit at their table and view

Bats Around our Waterways FLORIDA WATERWAYS

Many people consider bats really annoying and maybe even a bit dangerous, but bats in fact, are valuable in controlling flies, especially around water. Now researchers have found that bats have potentially other very useful traits.

For example, a report this past May found that bats have a protein that gives them long life and the ability to avoid certain viruses. Such a finding, could help scientists tell us how to live longer and even avoid certain diseases like SARS, EBOLA, and ZIKA.

By Kevin McCarthy

Living in Gainesville gives us access to the world’s largest occupied bat houses. The structures contain various species, including the Brazilian and Mexican free-tailed bat and some Southeastern bats. There may be as many as 500,000 bats in those houses. We have to put up with some humor directed at us, e.g. “What do you do for fun in Gainesville?” “We visit our two bat houses and watch the egress of thousands of bats around dusk every day.”

I’m sure those bats do a good job in eating their share of mosquitoes and other flying insects. Scientists tell us that the insectivores can eat their body-weight in insects each night. Nursing bat mothers may even eat twice their normal amount of insects each night. The species, which use echolocation to locate their prey, can actually range as much as 25 miles from their bat house and return each morning before dawn.

We have no vampire bats in Florida. The bats, which are in the Chiroptera order, have a bone structure that resembles that of a human hand. The state has thirteen of the 1,300 bat species in the world. And they sure can fly fast. Think of our expression: “Like a bat out of hell.”

Bat poop, called guano, is valuable as a fertilizer, because it contains so much potassium, phosphate, and nitrogen. Organic

farmers particularly like it, and it is becoming more commercially available all the time.

Sugar Loaf Key used to have a bat house, until Hurricane Irma blew it down in 2017, but apparently – when it stood – the bats that were put there did not like it and flew away.

Some bats like to live in caves, but – because Florida does not have many caves – they may live under bridges and in abandoned buildings. Enterprising environmentalists can build their own shelters/bat houses for the animals or buy some at garden stores. One can even download plans from the internet. Be sure to buy those structures that are geared to local bats.

Bats can be a boon to tourism. Each night thousands of tourists visit in Austin, Texas the largest urban colony of Mexican freetailed bats in the country. More importantly, scientists tell us that the colony of some 1,500,000 bats eats over 10,000 pounds of insects.

So, the next time you’re fishing or boating around dusk and see swarms of bats, think about the mosquitoes they’ll be eating that night.

Kevin McCarthy, the author of “North Florida Waterways” 2013 (available at amazon.com), can be reached at ceyhankevin@gmail.com.

Bats taking off at dusk

The two bat houses on the UF campus

The Mexican free-tailed bat

Sugar Loaf Key bat house

A hanging night bat

Close-up of a Mexican free-tailed bat

Whew--the

heat sure is warm this summer! Lots of sweat dripping, water drinking and fish catching going on along Florida’s Nature Coast! Hopefully September will bring some east winds and begin to cool not only the air but the water temperatures!

September 1st is opening day of gag grouper season as well as snook season! This is something many of us guides and recreational anglers are looking forward to. The gag grouper will stay in the deeper waters until we begin to have cooler water temperatures, which range anywhere from 20 to 60 feet and beyond for the bigger boats. My focus will be in the 30 to 50 foot range, where these fish haven’t been targeted much in the past few months. I typically use live pinfish on the bottom or dead herring.

As for snook, this is the time they begin their journey back into shallower water after spawning for the last four months. They come in thick and hungry. I like to use a Rapala Xrap XRT-10 on the new moving tide along the rocky ledges and oyster bars. Their lateral line enjoys the vibration of these lures that the snook cannot resist.

Lastly, it’s big bull redfish time! September is a blast to fish the west points of islands all along the Nature

Coast. These fish are schooled and super hungry! Once you locate the school, you can enjoy catching them for a couple of hours. Mud minnows are my favorite way to catch these big fish.

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-Wedding & Graduation

Hey anglers, I do hope y'all have been enjoying this summer. Here in Cedar Key, we are staying busy as ever and the fishing has been solid enough to keep a lot of people happy.

Here lately, the redfish and snook bite has been absolutely amazing. It's been as simple as chunking cut bait out around the bars and waiting on the big girls to swim on by.

They've been so active that tides haven't made too much of a difference either. My clients have been catching them on all tide swings, and that's made for some great trips.

Our go-to baits for the last month has been cut mullet, spoons, and variety on c&m custom bait paddle tails. So get out here, and start your day off around any of these amazing keys, and get ready for an amazing time.

Until next month, stay safe out there.

Capt. Jason Clark

In The Slot Fishing Charters

352-639-3209

www.intheslotfishing.com

Come see us at our new location between McDonalds and NAPA - 1517 North Young Blvd.

SUWANNEE

It was an international day when I had a family on board who are originally from Israel. Kobi, Guy and Eli. While the fishing was not that good, everyone had a great day!

September is a transition month; as the days are getting shorter, the average daytime temps will be dropping. These two things are major indicators to the wild critters who roam the lands and swim in the waters, that Fall is right around the corner!

If you look closely, you will begin to notice changes in the feeding patterns of animal. Primarily, you will notice that they will be feeding more often and for longer periods. This is a response to their internal clocks, signaling them that winter is on the way! You will also notice fish schooling up more often and in larger schools, as this makes them more efficient in catching their prey! This is really true for the speckled trout, who have just completed the final segment of their annual summer spawning season and are looking to fatten up before Winter.

If speckled trout is your preferred species, then the Autumn/Fall season is a great time for you! At the beginning of September with water temps in the mid 80s, the trout will still be hanging close to the deeper, cooler water.

The offshore grass flats like the "Spotty Bottom" and the scattered grass to the North, are great trout locations (weather permitting) this time of the year. A bonus when fishing out there, are the pelagic species that will be starting their migration South, including Spanish and king mackerel, along with cobia and quite a few sharks!

When fishing out there you can drift or anchor up. While chumming is not very popular in my area, it can be a big plus out there, especially if you anchor up! I like to use a ⅜ or ½ ounce jighead out in this deeper water (8 to 14 feet) paired up with FishBites Fight Club Lure 5 inch Dirty Boxer. I catch more fish on the lighter colors like Hammer Fist and Haymaker. If you are looking

for a bait to float back in your chum slick, I will use a weighted worm hook, 1/16 ounce and the same Fight Club Lures free lined back with the chum.

The redfish, just like the speckled trout know that Winter is coming and likewise will be feeding more often and for longer periods. In September with bait everywhere, finding the right bunch of bait will be critical! I will use a search bait like the ole tried n true Gold Spoon, and a variety of topwater plugs when "prospecting" a school of bait. When I want to add scent to my presentation, I will switch to a vibrating jig or inline spinner bait, paired with the FishBites Fight Club Dirty Boxer 5 inch curly tail, I use all eight colors. It just depends on conditions.

Don't forget to use a stout leader when fishing inshore; each year we are catching more snook and larger snook!

Until next time be safe and Catchemup!

Captain Tony Johns | 352-221-2510

www.lowersuwanneriverfishing.com

Instagram: captaintonyjohns Facebook: Lower Suwannee River Fishing Adventures

Christine Jones from the St Pete area of FL. This nice overslot red, ate a FishBites Fight Club Dirty Boxer 5-inch curly tail under a Popping Cork.

18-foot Laser, tunnel V hull design, with hydraulic steering, customized for GATOR HUNTING. Includes electric gator winch and single axel trailer. The center hold is insulated with foam and will accommodate three 12-foot gators plus ice. (Cary is retiring from gator hunting and selling his gator boat.)

(Motor and gator not included)

Last month was a scorcher, so let’s hope for an early Fall and cool down this year (Probably a pipe dream but maybe Mother Nature will be nice!). It's that time again, school is back in session, redfish will be schooling up as well this month. Not the flats fish, but the giant deep water "Bull" redfish, will be stacked at the inlets and other deep-water spots. Fish around the slack tides at the inlets for the best results. I like to use a fish-finder rig with at least a 60 lb. leader and a 5/0 to 7/0 circle hook. One major key to hooking up is to keep your bait on the bottom. This usually means using at least 6 ounces of weight and up to even 10 plus ounces depending on the current flow. Some favorite baits are pogies (live or halved), medium to large sized mullet (also live or halved), and halved blue crabs. Just remember to take the time to revive these big fish as they are our breeders and the more baby reds around the better!

Late summer and fall brings one of the most unique and exciting ways to catch redfish to the First Coast. We will have some great "flood" tides this month and the reds will be up in the grass tailing away. We had a few last month and the redfish were in the grass munching away at some little crabs. You can use a trolling motor to scout out the best grass flats but wading or poling your boat is usually the most effective way to

catch the tailing reds. Start looking for the fish before the tide gets too high (usually at least an hour or two before the high tide depending on how high it will get). Small, scented baits like those made by Fishbites will work great in the grass. Rig your lure weedless on a Saltwater Assassin swim bait hook and try to present it well in front of or past the fish and then slowly drag it towards him. A direct hit to a tailing red will usually send him darting off the flat like an outof-control torpedo. Sometimes they are so focused on finding food that they seem to never look up to find your lure. That's when a small glass rattle inserted into your soft plastic will do wonders to get their attention. This is also a great time to test your fly rod skills. I like to use a small shrimp or crab pattern and again attach a small rattle to the fly.

September brings us some great fishing behind the shrimp boats, and the mullet run should be in full swing as well. Look for tarpon, sharks, jacks, etc. to be feeding on all the madness that the mullet run, and shrimp boat bycatch brings. This summer's beach fishing, especially for tarpon, has been great with big numbers of fish and just some monster size ones as well. This month should have the tarpon and sharks lining up behind the shrimp boats to get their feed on. You can really "sight-fish" for the tarpon when this happens. They will be gulping down the by-catch dumped by the shrimpers, just put your bait in front of the silver king and hold on! You can also search along the beach and in the inlets for pods of big mullet migrating to the south. Just look for the pods that are getting harassed by tarpon and freeline a mullet or toss an R&R tackle line through swimbait around and through those pods. I bet there’s a huge tarpon just waiting to thump the line!

Capt. Tommy Derringer www.InshoreAdventures.net

904-377-3734

The mullet are coming! The mullet are coming! The mullet run has begun! For those of you unfamiliar with this once-a-year spectacle, let me explain. Every year when it is time to reproduce, all of the mullet pour out of our inlets and hang a right when they hit the ocean. All of them are headed to South Florida to start the life cycle again. What does this mean for us? Only the most exciting time of the year to surf fish. With thousands of them right in front of your feet, they are easy to cast net. Next ,I will describe many ways to fish this great bait.

The first technique is on a double dropper rig, anchored to the bottom with a sputnik style sinker. I tie these with 50 lb. mono filament, and finish them off with 5/0 owner MUTU circle hooks. If the mullet are big, I cut them into chunks about golf ball size. The smaller ones, approximately 3 inches, I hook on live by putting the hook in the mouth and out through the head. This rig gets hit by almost everything including tarpon, sharks, bluefish, ladyfish, redfish, trout, Spanish, and Jack Cravalle!

To more specifically target flounder, trout and redfish, let us downsize and bait up with only live small mullet in the three to six inch range. Smaller hooks in the

1/0 to 3/0 range are easier on the bait, so they will last longer. The rigging is called a sinker slider rig, or a fish finder rig. I like tying the sinker right on the main line then attaching a small swivel. Next, is your leader, in which I use 30 lb. fluorocarbon. The sinker size varies depending on the surf conditions. Two to four ounce is what I use. The flat tear-drop shape ones, do not roll which is very helpful in the surf.

If you want to target tarpon, it is a one rod highly mobile adventure. 7/0 Trokar circle hook. 80 lb. flourcarbon leader 3 feet long. This is called free lining, and you want the biggest mullet you can net. Hook this big bait right behind the anal fin and gently toss him back into the surf. Then, just walk wherever that big mullet takes you. Since you cannot back down the boat on him, be sure you have enough line to stop these behemoths of the surf. I use a Penn 8500 Spinfisher packed full of 50lb. braid. Let the screaming drags begin!

Noel Kuhn

43 years of surf fishing experience, surf fishing guide and long distance casting coach. Founding member of Florida Surf Casters club. 904-945-0660 www.TheSurfAngler.com

September is the beginning of the downhill slide of fall fishing, with the nights getting longer, the water temperatures will start to drop. With that being said, that will fire up the beginning of our fall fishing. I can’t wait! This August has been a very unseasonably warm dry August. We need some change..

Red fishing will be fired up in September. We still have some big schools around the outside rocky points from Chaz point all the way to the spoil banks. Look for mullet activity on the incoming tides. While cut bait seems to work this time of the year (mullet, lady fish, or lizard fish) I like to throw spoons or live pin fish. Early on the in tide, look for these schools to float in with the tide. I have had some of my best red fishing in September.

Trout will start moving inshore from the deeper grass that they like to go to in the hotter months. Once these fish move in-shore, I like to throw cork rigs (DOA oval cork with 24 inch to 30 inch of 30 lb. fluorocarbon matched with a chartreuse 1/16oz jig head).

I have the best success with the MirrOLure Lil Johns in glow or

watermelon flake. Look for the yellow bottom areas outside Chaz point and St. Martin Keys. The foul area can still produce decent bites as well. September is the beginning of the fall season for trout, and it should only get better from here!

Grouper season will be opening on September 1st this year and the bite should fire up for us near shore guys!! Throwing plugs or trolling is definitely a sought after technique on the Nature Coast, however the floating grass can be problematic, so with that being an issue, I would resort to cut bait or live pin fish. While you’re out there, the snapper, grunt and mackerel action should be good. So make sure to carry plenty of live shrimp.

I enjoy this time of the year. We still will have some warm days, but you know it’s going to get better. I hope everyone can find some time to get out and enjoy the water.

As always Stay safe.

-Stump

Capt. Jonathan Hamilton www.stumpnation.us 352-424-3260

Summer is starting to wind down, but the inshore bite is about to explode!!

Inshore, we have big schools of redfish and snook on all of the outer points and oyster bars, feeding on small live mullet or pinfish. Artificial wise, it’s hard to beat a Slayer inc paddletail in the bounty hunter or pinfish color this time of year. Topwater has been productive early morning the rapala skitterwalk in gold and black seems to be a crowd favorite.

Offshore, it’s grouper time! The long-awaited season is upon us with grouper normally being inside of 30 feet in great numbers this time of year. Anchor over hard bottom and fish heavy tackle with live pinfish, or troll rapala 20 and 30 feet diving plugs, past the rock and snatch them from the hangout.

Capt. Andrew Fagan Instagram : Capt_redfishdrew EBB TIDE CHARTERS

We continue to have phenomenally great fishing, despite the HOT weather and high Gulf temperatures.

Last week, I had limits of trout to 22 inches, and we caught keeper reds as well, as a 33 inch red for Casey Spurlock of Alapaha, Ga. on Saturday, and then on Sunday, a 36 inch red for Higinio Reyes of Tifton. We are fishing surprisingly shallow for July and August (today is 8/14/23) and on my last two charters, we never saw four feet of water and mostly were in less than three and a half feet. Yes, we are fishing with live pinfish under Back Bay Thunders, but the floating grass is so bad you can hardly fish

artificials unless they are rigged up under an Original Cajun Thunder, due to the flotilla of grass.

Our reds are mixed in with the trout and are schooling up a little better on the falling tide, than the rise?

September should hold the same patterns, as I doubt it will cool down any, although it would be greatly appreciated if it did.

Meanwhile, Let's Go Fishing!

Pat McGriff dba One More Cast guide service for 30 years!

www.onemorecast.net

onemorecast@gtcom.net cell: 850.838.7541

Heyguys, Hope everybody is staying cool and I’m optimistic that this is the hottest it will be. Fishing has actually been better than I ever expected it to be and scallops are still going strong.

We’ve been leaning on the redfish pretty hard, or at least I have. And I’m finding them scattered absolutely everywhere, in creek mouths, flats and even deep in the creeks. I think that’s because there is bait everywhere, and I mean everywhere! I’ve been using finger mullet. I’ve come to learn that this time of the year, if you cast a finger mullet up on a bar and it’s not gone within five minutes., there’s not a redfish there.

Trout are still hit and miss and are scattered on the flats as well. I expect the trout fishing to really show out in about two months.

Still plenty of snook and tarpon around as well, which are two of the best fighting fish inshore. So, if you want a shot at one of them, give us a call.

We are starting to ramp up for hunting season as well, so I just want to remind everybody that we offer more opportunities then just fishing. We do hog

hunts dove hunts and duck hunts. Unfortunately, we have sold out of the deer hunts that were available. Hope to see y’all out there soon, and until next time, Keep it Reel Native!

Captain Brent Woodard

Reel Native Fishing Charters

ReelNativeFishing.com

352-284-5514

Osciel Leyva of Tifton Ga.with a nice 21 inch trout taken August 6th

Higinio Reyes also of Tifton with his first-ever redfish, a 36 inch slob.

Sergio Reyes with his first-ever red as well

Summer’s End CAN BE

THE BEST!

With summer tourism starting to slow down, this month can be one of the better times to visit the Florida Keys. As demand for accommodations drop, so do prices around the Keys. Wait times are less, and charters have more availability for last-minute travelers.

Provided that the hurricanes are playing nice, September o ers a nice opportunity to hit the end of mahi season, or to enjoy a reef that’s less crowded than normal.

All the snapper shes are red up this time of year, but the most notable are the mangrove snapper. Mangrove snapper are spawning and there are epic catching days to be had before and a er the full moon. Knocker rigs or jig heads will snipe them o the bottom with just about any bait. Small live pin sh and ballyhoo are very e ective. When using dead ballyhoo, the whole bait can be dropped, or cut in half. Break the beak o and hook through the head side, or cut the tail o ever so slightly, and hook them through that cut, making sure the hook loops around the spine.

By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

Sword shing is another great option right now. ere are still mahi to be found on your way to and from the swordgrounds, but not so many that you feel obligated to stop on every cluster of red-up diving birds. Fishing for sword sh can be a large undertaking for time, tackle and fuel, with a high skunk-out risk rate involved, so it’s always nice to have the chance at some other species along the way. Unlike in the middle of summer, when the ocean is alive with feasting mahi, you can actually make it out there without stopping every mile along the way.

Snowy grouper is closed, but deep dropping o shore is still a viable way to ll the cooler with rosies, tile sh, yellowedge grouper and barrel sh.

As we transition into the autumn shing season, many factors are at play for predicting our shery this month. Call a local captain to nd out the latest report, and come visit the Keys during the cheapest travel month of the year!

Capt. Quinlyn Haddon shes with Sweet E’Nuf Charters out of Marathon, Florida Keys. Contact her at (504) 920-6342, check out her website Quinlynhaddon.com and her social @captainquinlyn.

WORLD RECORD TROUT

CAUGHT IN PONTE VEDRA

A10-pound, 10-ounce seatrout caught in Ponte Vedra was recently certi ed as a new IGFA men’s 20-lb. tippet class world record.

e gator trout was caught on the Dr. Jay Wright on March 23.

Wright was shing with guide Matt Chipper eld of Chip’s Coastal Charters when the big girl ate a bait sh pattern. e sh was documented and weighed on IGFA certi ed scales to ll the world record category, which was previously vacant.

In an Instagram post, Chipper eld said he and Wright had been pursuing the record sh for ve years and gave the measurements for the huge ycaught trout. It was 30 inches long with a 17-inch girth. A er documenting, the big breeder female was carefully released.

“Catching a speckled trout of this size is special on any tackle. But doing this on y… it’s HARD,” wrote Chipper eld. “It requires discipline, patience and skill. Guiding “ e Doc” to this sh is a moment that I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

Wright is no stranger to the record books. He holds several IGFA y tackle world records for seatrout. Along with this most recent 20-pound tippet record, he also holds the 12- and 2-pound tippet class world records for seatrout. His 2-pound tippet record was a 9-pound trout caught from Mosquito Lagoon in 2018. His 12-pound tippet record weighed 11 pounds, 8 ounces and was caught o Fort Pierce in 2007.

For more record sh, go to igfa.org.

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By Capt. Michael Okruhlik FLOUNDER

September is a new beginning of sorts when it comes to saltwater shing on the Gulf Coast. First, it is somewhat cooler, although some of our visiting northern neighbors might not agree. Many anglers nd themselves torn between other passions and obligations, some of which include school in session, weekend sporting events, dove and deer hunting, and the list goes on. ese activities thin the herd of boats on the water and opens the bays back up for those of us who focus all of our free time on the water.

is is de nitely noticeable at the boat ramp the rst weekend a er Labor Day, and I can’t wait!

Less boat tra c means shing the mouths of bayou drains is wide open. I avoid these areas for safety reasons when there’s heavy boat tra c. I just don’t like boats driving over my lines or waking me, which is what happens if you sh in a boat lane during peak season. I like drains in back lakes this time of the year, because they hold “the big three”: trout, red sh and ounder.

I will speci cally target ounder in these areas in September and early October. Since the spring migration, these tasty morsels have been working their way as far back in the marsh as they could get. With autumn around the corner, they start to congregate in these drains. Outside of the fall run, many anglers do not target these ground huggers. With the pressure light,

the ounder bite can be lights out for those who know where and how to target them. part is you might not see another boat all day!

An outgoing tide is optimal to stake out one of these drains. e tide carries bait out of the deeper bayou and adjacent marsh grass and sends it on a deadly path with hungry ounder fattening up for their winter spawn. When the bite is on, it is not uncommon to see ounder breaking free of the water’s surface chasing a meal. e time I witnessed this years ago, it took me awhile to gure out what was jumping. I will never forget that day!

Paddletail so plastics are my go-to in this situation. I like bright colors such as white lightning, chartreuse with glitter, or pearl with a chartreuse tail in a 4-inch or 3.25-inch bait. Keep the lure twitching along the bottom. Quick jerks with the rod tip pointing down activates the tail vibration and kicks up clouds of mud, which really grabs their attention. A so plastic with a tail rattle adds an extra attractant.

Get a jump start on your ounder x before the rst cold front and the long lines of anglers targeting them during the fall run.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®

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

Hanapa‘a - Mahi

Hanapa‘a - Ono

Hanapa‘a - Ahi

Hanapa‘a - Marlin

Fish flags inspired by Sun Dot Marine Flags.

@fishflags

why get towing?

THEY KNOW FALL IS COMING

Tim Barefoot

Fish know fall is coming because of the reduction of daylight minutes in a day. e shorter days make a lot of species start a whole new pattern of activities. For example, the grouper complex will start the process of moving into traditional spawning areas. at migration mirrors the cigar minnows, sardines and squid. I’ve always said this and will say it again: Find the bait, nd the sh!

e cigs and sardines form large schools that attract a number of predators including kings and sail sh on the surface, and the big snappers and grouper will be on them as well. e shortened daylight hours become obvious during the middle of this month, when it triggers the “feed” to fatten up for winter and the spawn. Go to the traditional areas you’ve found bait in the past, and that’s a great place to start shing.

Another thing I’ve said in the past is: don’t go to a Chinese restaurant and order a pizza, meaning don’t drop baits that are foreign to sh that are working a school of cigs and sardines. Always have a couple boxes of frozen cigs and/ or sardines just in case you can’t nd the

bait. At least you’ll have bait that “matches the hatch” of what they normally eat.

I try to stay on the sabiki catching baits while everyone else on the boat is shing with grass grunts, sailors choice, cigs/sardines, etc. If you get on a big knot of cigs or sardines, it might be helpful to have two people on the sabiki lling the livewell. e best bait of all is whatever is there. Just put it right back down.

is is also the time of year to nd squid inshore, mixed in with cigs and sardines. If you have a live squid for bait, its life expectancy is under 10 seconds once it touches the bottom on a jig. It’s an instant bite, just like several other baits mentioned above.

e only problem I have with the live or frozen minnows is everything on the bottom will give them a whack, and you wind up catching a lot more snapper and smaller bass than if you use a larger live bait. We almost always have live pin sh from the marina that eliminate most of the trash bites. If you have a larger pin sh, grass grunt or sailor’s choice on the jig, nothing but larger bass, grouper, jacks and big snapper can put it in their mouth. I like to speci cally target grouper by putting the larger live baits down on the jig that eliminate the undesirable bites. Of course, this is a very attractive bait to the sharks, also. Every now and then you have to pay the “tax man” in a grey suit, but that’s just the chance I take. Check out some of the rigging and shing videos on the website or on youtube to see what I’m talking about.

See more from Tim Barefoot at Barefootcatsandtackle.com.

ALASKA STATE RECORD OUTWEIGHS WORLD RECORD

Alaska’s new state record shortraker rock sh was caught in late July. On uncerti ed scales at a remote shing lodge, it weighed 48 pounds, which would have crushed the existing IGFA world record by about 4 pounds. e angler, charter guide Keith DeGra , however, chose to preserve the meat by bleeding the sh instead of waiting to get an o cial weight on certi ed scales.

Days later, when DeGra nally got a certi ed weight in front of an Alaska Game and Fish representative, the sh weighed 42.4 pounds, which was good enough to set a new Alaska state record.

“It feels like the biggest accomplishment of my shing career,” DeGra said. “ is species takes time and dedication to drop down to such huge depths, and I spent a whole lot of hours and reeled miles of line trying to break this record, and it nally came to fruition.”

DeGra caught the sh from Prince William Sound on July 28 with his ancée and some friends from a rented boat. DeGra was shing 1,000 feet deep with a conventional (non-electric) Avet 2-speed 30/2 reel, a custombuilt Adventurous Custom rod built by Derwood Roberts, 3-pounds of weight, 80-pound braid and a circle hook baited with salmon and herring. e previous Alaska state record shortraker rock sh weighed 39.1 pounds. It was caught by Henry Liebman in 2013. e IGFA all tackle world record weighed 44.1 pounds. It was caught in 2017 by Angelo Sciubba at Cross Sound, Alaska, but it’s not recognized in the Alaska Game and Fish list. For more information, see www.adfg.alaska.gov.

Industry leader Dometic is o ering a “new turn” on steering for a whole new category of cable-steered boats that have o been overlooked when it comes to driving innovation.

Designed to integrate with a boat’s existing SeaStar cable steering system, new Xtreme Power Assist (XPA) steering provides smooth, e ortless electric power steering for a range of boats with single outboard motors from 90 to 200 hp. is makes it ideal for smaller ats boats, center consoles, shallow water open ski s and other coastal shing vessels that currently use mechanical steering.

Dometic’s XPA mounts easily to all outboard brands and works with all types of SeaStar mechanical steering (including rack and rotary,

need to replace the existing steering. Installing XPA requires only simple wiring and can be done by DIY boaters in about 30 minutes.

Once XPA is installed, the steering cable only turns the power assist unit—while an advanced electric steering actuator moves the engine load. is eliminates steering torque through the wheel and provides smooth, nearly e ortless steering at any speed.

While an ideal upgrade, this new system is being adopted by top boat builders as a factory standard feature or optional upgrade on new boats.

MOBILE BAY

ARE EASY PICKINGS

right, shrimp, crabs, ounder and more oat to the surface in the shallows, where people just scoop them up.

In one of his weekly columns, David Rainer, with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources explained these uncommon events: e event starts with an incoming tide with very warm, still water, followed by organic load that creates a situation that depletes the oxygen in the water. O en, jubilees follow an a ernoon rain shower and an easterly or northeasterly wind. e Mobile Bay National Estuary Program explains that phytoplankton also contributes to this phenomenon by consuming oxygen near the surface of the water. When the easterly breeze starts blowing, this creates a water current that causes the oxygen-poor water to migrate toward the shore. is has a corralling e ect, herding the bottom-dwelling species into the shallows. ere those species become so lethargic that people can just pick them up. ese events usually lasts two to three hours.

Because they are short lived and rare, jubilees are a source of excitement for some Mobile Bay families who send word out to friends and loved ones to drop what they’re doing and go collect some seafood. However, Rainer warned in his column that a jubilee is not a free-for-all. Normal size and creel limits remain in e ect during the phenomenon. Alabama Marine Resources Division Director Scott Bannon said most species survive to swim or scuttle away when dissolved oxygen levels return to more normal levels.

or most folks, a jubilee is an anniversary celebration, or maybe it’s a ambe dessert made with cherries. For people in the know on the Eastern Shore of Alabama’s Mobile Bay, a jubilee is a natural phenomenon that leads to ridiculously easy seafood. When weather, water and tidal conditions occasionally align just

In case you were wondering whether Mobile Bay’s jubilees are the result of climate change or pollution, know that they have a very long history going back to a time when bells would ring to sound the jubilee because locals were dependent on seafood to feed their families.

“Nowadays, it’s more of an interesting phenomenon that occurs in only two places in the world, Mobile Bay and Tokyo Bay in Japan,” Bannon said.

August and September are the best months to encounter an Alabama jubilee, but it’s not the kind of thing you can predict. You just have to be there and hope to encounter it… or have friends in the know on social media.

For more information, see Rainer’s detailed article on jubilees at www.outdooralabama.com.

ADCNR PHOTOS BY DAVID RAINER

Re-Discover Old Florida Waterfront Charm

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TYLER WOOLCOTT

If you aren’t familiar with it, a Carolina rig is when you put a bullet weight and then a bead on your line and then tie a swivel to the end. To the swivel, I use about a 2-foot section of leader and then a worm hook to put a bait on. is rig gets deep, and the leader with a weightless bait provides a more subtle presentation than a traditional Texas rig.

Obviously, you want to drag this rig around some sort of cover that bass are attracted to. I use it everywhere from Southern largemouth in deep grass to deep smallmouth on rock up north. With the weight clicking against the bead and the free action of the bait, this old-school rig still dominates a lot of tournaments to this day.

ere are two presentations I go for when choosing a so plastic to Carolina rig. I like either a bait sh or a craw sh. If the available forage is bait sh, I use a uke-style bait in a natural bait sh color. If the bass are eating craw sh, I like a Zoom Speed Craw or a Strike King Menace grub in green pumpkin or some type of brown or orange color. ese two baits have a lot of action and small bodies to keep the bait streamlined while dragging. My go-to hook is a 4/0 Hayabusa WRM956 wide gap.

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eptember is supposed to be the beginning of fall, but the reality— at least in the South—is the month is just a continuation of summer. Bass can be pretty tricky, but there are ways to target sh in cooler, deeper water. Dragging a Carolina rig is one of my favorites.You can play around with the size of the weight and the diameter of your leader line. In shallower 5- to 10-foot depths, a lighter weight can help your bait look more natural. I’d suggest ¼ to ½ ounce in that depth range. If you’re shing deeper water in 15 to 30 feet, shing a heavier ¾ to 1 ounce weight gets you down more quickly and allows you to cover bottom more e ectively.

I like the leader between my swivel and hook to be lighter than my main line because it’s less visible to the sh and allows better bait action. If I’m shing 15-pound mainline, I’ll use a 10- to 12-pound leader.

Carolina Rig Gear:

When using this rig, making long casts to cover water is a must, and being able to hook a sh at the end of a long cast is critical. For these reasons, I use a pretty long rod. My go to is a 13 Fishing 7’6” MH Omen Black Casting rod.

You’ll also need to pick line up fast with the reel to remove slack on the take. I use a 13 Fishing Concept A 8:3:1 reel, which eats up line quickly. Spool this reel with 15-pound Seaguar uorocarbon, and grab a small spool of 10- or 12-pound line for leaders.

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

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TIPS FROM A PRO

DRAG A CAROLINA RIG

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