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SUZUKI’S CLEAN OCEAN PROJECT If you’re going to claim to be “The Ultimate Outboard Motor,” you’d better do more than just build great engines. This is why, for the past 10 years, Suzuki has been committed to cleaning up the marine environment through voluntary “Clean Up The World” activities around the globe. Through the recently launched CLEAN OCEAN PROJECT, Suzuki Marine is committed to reducing the use of plastics in packaging materials to its consumers which has led to eliminating 2.3 tons of plastic waste annually. Suzuki is continually finding ways to reduce plastic waste while educating and informing the boating industry about this critical issue. This is only the beginning and Suzuki is pledging itself to the important cause of protecting our planet’s waters, coastal environments, and marine ecosystems for future generations to enjoy.
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5 YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY applies to qualifying purchases of Suzuki outboard motors sold and delivered to the retail purchaser, for pleasure (non-commercial) use only, from April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2022. See Suzuki Limited Warranty for additional details. Suzuki, the “S” logo, and Suzuki model and product names are Suzuki Trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2021 Suzuki Marine USA, LLC. All rights reserved.
tw Flo Ro season bites t of the “M favorit mid-F some uncom and it my fin spring Ro here, nutrie offsho 34’ Le a crew for ma Sailfish
S R E V I L E D H C A E PALM B
I
t was a good winter in the Atlantic off south Florida’s Palm Beach County. Capt. Austin Rowe said that bodes well for the spring season, when a convergence of several different bites typically makes for some of the best action of the year. “March, April and May are by far my favorite time of year around here,” he said in mid-February. “We’re already starting to see some blackfin tunas right now, which is kind of uncommon. It was a crazy-good winter for mahi, and it was a good for sailfish, as well. I’ve got my fingers crossed that the fish stick around for spring, and we can really put a hurting on them.” Rowe is a young captain who grew up fishing here, where the Gulf Stream sweeps warm nutrient-rich waters northward just a few miles offshore. He captains “Angler Management,” a 34’ Legend center console with twin 300s. With a crew of up to six clients, it is a perfect ride for making the short runs out of Singer Island’s Sailfish Marina quickly and comfortably.
By Nick Carter
“One of the really beautiful things about fishing around here is you don’t have to go very far to get to the fish,” he said. “A full tank of gas lasts a long time.” Most spring mornings start for clients with a run of just 3 or 4 miles out of the inlet with tanks pre-loaded with live threadfin herring and/or goggle eyes. Kite fishing is the preferred method in this part of the world, and that’s exactly what Rowe does when conditions are right. “I’m looking at water color, temperature and moving water. I’m also looking for bait,” Rowe said. “I’m a big fan of charts, and I study them religiously looking for eddies and things, but keeping your eyes open is the biggest thing when you’re out there. If you see live water, with birds diving, it’s probably time to pick up and go see what’s happening over there.” With kites—or drifting with flatlines when conditions call for them—you’re targeting anything that will eat live baits at the surface. That can produce some pretty exciting mixed bags.
“We see a lot of blackfin tunas. There should still be some sailfish around. The kingfish start to show up pretty thick this time of year, and there are also mahi,” Rowe said. “And don’t forget wahoo. Wahoo can get really good around the full moon in March.” If all else fails, or if his clients just want some more meat, the reef is just a couple miles from the kite-fishing grounds, and it’s usually no problem to load up a cooler full of snappers in short order. Big African Pompano also make regular appearances on the reef. Rowe said that by the end of the day, if his anglers aren’t too worn out, he’ll stop in the inlet and let them test their strength against some hard-pulling jack crevalle. You can pack a whole lot of fishing into a full day when you don’t have to run far to find fish. Check out Austin Rowe and Absolute Action Sportfishing Charters at absoluteactionfishing.com.
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NATIONAL 7
ventilation, you’ll conquer every battle, every day. GILLZ took its Pro Series UV Hoodie to the next level. They went one step further and provided anglers with a built-in mesh mask to go along with the 3-piece hood construction. Now, you’re able to keep your gear organized in one place for when that unexpected pull on the reel turns into a clash of strength. Brand new to this collection is the Pro Series Board Shorts. Made of recycled quickdry polyester, the 9-inch inseam gives you the freedom to move without worry, and the secure cellphone hip pocket keeps your devices safe from any damage. This time, Gillz introduces anglers to a new design feature: a no-sew fabrication. This means no chafing or irritation as you charge headfirst against the waves. The Contenders Series, delivers an amazing fit and feel for each and every angler. With the Contender Series Long-sleeve or Hoodie, you’re guaranteed to have 360-degree cooling and 170 GSM interlocking polyester that gives you perfect performance every single time. Moreover, you’re given an extended range of motion that allows every angler to move freely. When facing the unpredictable outdoors, GILLZ Gear and the new Spring 2022 who want Collection will give you the power to perform to face the at your best, no matter where you and Mother elements head-on. With our GILLZTEC proprietary fabric, Nature meet. With prices starting at $39.99, there’s 4-way stretch, and the ability to modify with something for every angler from the Atlantic to the shoulder shape, the Pro Series Long-Sleeves and Pacific and every waterway in between! Hoodies fit every angler to perfection. Plus, when Check out the Gillz Spring 2022 Collection you add on UPF 50+, ultra cooling, a single seam at gillz-gear.com. underarm mesh gusset, and complete 360-degree
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other Nature isn’t known for her gentle reputation. She’s known for how she changes the direction of the boat, how she pushes the wind into your skin and lets the sun beat down through clear skies. But, as you sail the rough waters or sit, breathing the fresh air, GILLZ Gear’s new Spring 2022 Collection is at your side for anything that’s thrown your way. Their Pro Series collection is for serious anglers
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MONSTER BASS ON
JURASSIC LAKE
I
t piques my interest when “Jurassic” appears in a nickname. So is the case with Jurassic Lake, a 10,000-acre reservoir in Fellsmere, Florida, officially known has Headwaters Lake. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) had a goal to turn Headwaters into a worldclass trophy bass fishery. By all accounts, they succeeded. Just a little over 10 years ago, this bassfishing mecca was farmlands, cattle pastures and orange groves. The St. Johns River Water Management District purchased the lands from Sun-Ag to build a reservoir intended to provide a water supply for surrounding communities and flood control for the St. Johns River. The FWC saw an opportunity and invested $1.35 million in bass fishing “enhancements.” Prior to the reservoir’s flooding in 2015, the FWC constructed fish habitat in the form of winding channels, dredge holes, flats, islands and more, with the goal of providing the optimum combination of structure, depth and spawning habitat. The FWC planted 15,000 bald cypress and red maple trees on the numerous islands, and they stocked over a million bass, bream and crappie. If there is a downside to Headwaters, it’s that there is so much awesome, fishy-looking habitat that it can be a little over whelming trying to figure out where to fish. Since August 2020, when the Headwaters Lake boat ramp opened, 103 trophy bass (bass eight pounds or larger) have been registered into FWC’s Trophy Catch program from Headwaters. Who knows how many other giants were caught that were never entered into Trophy Catch? The biggest registered catch is a 13-pound, 1-ounce monster caught by kayak angler Mary Kelly on January 24, 2022. Those are pretty impressive results for a reservoir that is not even seven years old. Jim Fallon, the Godfather of Headwaters,
10 NATIONAL
MARCH 2022
By Paul MacInnis
has probably fished these waters more than anybody. “I love this lake because of the design of the habitats, the natural beauty and all the great fishing,” said Fallon. You’ll find Fallon on the reservoir three to five times a week. He’s been fishing there since 2018, before the boat ramp opened, when he’d drag a kayak into the reservoir from the bank. Fallon says a competent bass angler should catch 15 to 40 bass on an average day with a decent shot at a trophy fish every trip. Fallon has caught almost 50 bass over eight pounds from Headwaters, including 13 in the double digits, all on artificial baits. The address for the Headwaters Lake boat ramp is 16245 Fellsmere Grade Road, Fellsmere, Fla. Headwaters is an hour and a half drive from Orlando, making it a great diversion on a central Florida vacation. The nearby city of Palm Bay has convenient hotels, many with bass boat friendly parking lots. An internet search will bring up several Headwaters guides who can put you on a bass of a lifetime. For more information, visit MyFWC.com.
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APPROACHING THE
TRANSITION
A
By Capt. Michael Okruhlik
s I type this article in early February, the temperature is 38 and the forecasted lows across the Texas coast will dip into the mid to upper twenties for a few nights. This should place larger seatrout into full-blown winter mode, which is a great thing. It might not be so cold where you fish, but similar patterns should exist wherever there are big trout. Predicting movements and habits is always easier when the seasons are typical. This tells me where I should start in early March versus where I should fish later in the month. In early March, I look for shallow areas with irregular soft mud and grass bottoms. I particularly like these areas adjacent to deeper water, as the night temps will still cool flats to less favorable temps for large trout. The term “deeper” will be different for each area. So, as you plan your trip, you should focus on deeper pockets in relation to the overall area. Early in the month, I will stick to a larger profile lure
like a 5-inch paddletail. The trout will still be feeding on mature mullet, and the 5-inch swimbait is a great imitation. These lures are versatile, and they are ideal due to the finicky nature of trout during the transition from winter to spring. A slow roll can be deadly when trout move onto a flat to warm and feed. Depending on the conditions, a slow roll just under the surface that creates a slight ripple can trigger an aggressive strike. If the bait is down, I will slow roll the lure in the mid to lower water portion of the water column. The versatility of these lures also allows them to be jigged and twitched; however, I prefer to do that in a little deeper water. As the water temps rise later in the month, fish become more difficult to pattern. Although high temps warm the water faster, persistent cool fronts still chill the waters, and the wind shifts can wreak havoc on the pattern. It keeps fish and anglers confused. During this part of the season, I tend to move often, not devoting too much time to a location or pattern. Changing things up often until you find them is more effective than banging it out in a spot like I would do in early March. Lures to choose from are wide open here. Small and large soft plastics in the twitch or paddletail style can all be effective. Topwaters and slow sinking hard baits can also produce. Keep moving and changing lure styles, sizes, colors and action until you find the bite. Don’t forget to take a kid fishing. You will be surprised what they can teach you when they put the electronics down. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures, Controlled Descent Lures, and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.
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THE ALTERNATIVE TO BUYING A NEW BOAT
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GULF COUNCIL MULLING LIMIT CUTS for Kings, AJs and Gags
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he Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council met virtually in January to make decisions that will affect Gulf anglers. The council is the regional authority charged with managing fisheries in federal waters of the Gulf. Here’s a brief overview of what was decided.
R
Vermilion Snapper After hearing a summary of public comments and recommendations from its Reef Fish Advisory Panel, the Gulf Council took final action to South Atlantic Council is expected to take final action in March meeting. increase the vermilion snapper overfishing limit, acceptable biological The Gulf Council is expected to take final action in April. catch, and annual catch limit. The most recent stock assessment determined Greater Amberjack the stock is not overfished nor experiencing overfishing. This change will The most recent assessment shows that greater amberjack is both increase the total annual catch limit, but it will not change the daily catch overfished and experiencing overfishing, and that recent average recruitment limit of 10 fish. is lower than it has ever been. The Council’s Scientific and Statistical King Mackerel Committee recommended new overfishing limit and acceptable biological A recent update stock assessment for king mackerel determined that catch recommendations for greater amberjack. These recommendations king mackerel is not overfished or experiencing overfishing. However, the require a significant decrease in harvest. spawning stock biomass was found to be below the biomass necessary to Gag Grouper achieve maximum sustainable yield. The most recent gag grouper stock assessment determined that the stock The Gulf Council must work with the South Atlantic Council on actions for this highly migratory fish, and both are still considering options. They is overfished and experiencing overfishing. Additionally, the assessment have both removed alternatives that would reduce the recreational and identified there is a low proportion of males in the gag grouper population commercial minimum size limit for Atlantic king mackerel and will retain (less than 2%), which impacts the stock’s ability to reproduce. The Council is obligated to end overfishing and develop a rebuilding plan the 24-inch minimum size limit. Also, they both opted to allow for the retention of cut-off/damaged Atlantic migratory group king mackerel caught for gag grouper, and initiated the development of a plan amendment to revise under the recreational bag limit that comply with minimum size limits. The catch limits, accountability measures, and other management measures. • STEEL BUILDING • SALE • PRE-ENGINEERED BUILDINGS • SAVE • STEEL BUILDING • SALE • CARPORTS • SAVE • CALL NOW • SPECIALS • SALE • STEEL BUILDING • SALE •
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Catch High Season For Marlin in the Bahamas
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f a big blue marlin is on your bucket list, there’s no better time to visit The Bahamas than over the next few months, when high season for billfish brings giant pelagics to the deep blue waters off the islands. Bahamian waters are the birthplace of big-game sportfishing. Back in the 1930s, the world was introduced to adventure like no other when anglers like Ernest Hemingway and Michael Lerner did battle with giant marlin and big bluefin tuna off Bimini. The fishing is still ridiculously good. Marlin season in the Bahamas begins in March or April, when the white marlin arrive, and by June or July things get into full swing when big blue marlin show up. They come in numbers to feed off the islands, and PHOTO COURTESY OF The Out Islands Bahamas throughout summer it is not unusual to have days with multiple bites on the same trip. In recent years, far-flung destinations like Africa and Australia might have come to the forefront as the best places to tie into granders (blue marlin that weigh in excess of 1,000 pounds). Yet, The Bahamas remain one of, if not the best place, in the world to actually catch blue marlin. It’s worth noting that the Out Islands of The Bahamas are a quick and easy trip for anglers in the eastern U.S. White and blue marlin are the marquee species when trolling off The Bahamas, and there’s also a good chance other highly sought after gamefish will crash into the spread. When the outrigger snaps, you might be reeling in wahoo, tuna or mahi for dinner. Check out all the action the Out Islands of The Bahamas have to offer at www.myoutislands.com.
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FLORIDA 9
Largemouth Bass: Florida’s Gift to the World
F
lorida is the land of sunshine and hurricanes. If you stopped random people on the street in any other location in the world and asked them what first comes to mind about Florida, most would offer something about places like Daytona Beach, Disney World or the beaches of Miami. Florida is also the second largest producer of beef in the U.S., and of course Florida oranges and Indian River grapefruit. If that person you stopped fishes, they would likely talk about the Florida Keys, tarpon, or any of the other sought-after saltwater fish. But, for the freshwater angler, Lake Okeechobee largemouth bass are what dreams are made of. “Lake O” needs no introduction for those familiar with the bass fishing world. Black bass in Florida have a long and storied history. Bass anglers across the country can thank Florida and those early fishery managers who had the foresight to protect largemouth bass. The early years of the 20th century saw bass population depleted due to their importance as a food source and no regulations. As a result, the 1926 Black Bass Act was passed to restrict interstate commerce of bass and allowed states to designate them as a gamefish. These restrictions and future
By Rex Hannon
regulations limited commercial harvest and sale and increased their value as a sport fish. By mid-century, large reservoirs across the U.S. were built to accommodate the growing need for electric power. These were prime locations for bass stocking and management programs. Today, largemouth bass have been successfully exported worldwide. The economic impact is impressive; bass fishing is a $60 billion industry. Today’s Florida offers the best bass fishing on the planet. Lake Okeechobee is considered the pinnacle here, but trophy fish can be found in the countless lakes, ponds and canals that are readily available to any angler almost everywhere in the state. There is no need to travel to exotic locations or plan a vacation around fishing for monster largemouths. With a little research and some scouting, you can find them in your hometown, and often in your own neighborhood. Florida largemouth bass are a hardy species, and you can target them in a wide range of habitat and water qualities. I have caught largemouths and snook in the same canals and ponds. This speaks to the adaptability of both species. There has never been a better time to be an angler. Anglers today have access to many species
that in the past would have required a trip to far away and exotic locations. Native Florida bass have not only become a sought-after species for sport, they are an economic generator for future generations. There are anglers worldwide who dream of fishing Florida for a trophy bass of a lifetime. Whether you’re an avid angler or just someone who wets a line when time permits, today’s Florida offers something for everyone.
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MARCH 2022
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MARCH 2022
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COASTAL ANGLER North Central Florida/Nature Coast
MARCH 2022 EDITION
Find Your Outdoors Here!
Cary & Lynn Crutchfield
North Central Florida Nature Coast Staff
ALACHUA, MARION, COLUMBIA, GILCHRIST, BRADFORD, DIXIE, LEVY, CITRUS
Cary Crutchfield
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US
W
ith this March 2022 issue, (our 121st) we begin our ELEVENTH year bringing the world’s greatest FREE fishing magazine to North Central Florida and the Nature Coast. We began March 2012, with NO publishing experience, and really no clue what we were getting ourselves into. Even though we are not young, we are smart and we could learn. We were going to succeed no matter what, and we have! When we began, we were print only. Now we are on the web, and we have videos. Interested? Call me and I will tell you all about the videos. Dr. Kevin McCarthy has been writing for us since our first issue. Every month he brings us something new and fresh. “Kevin, you are a treasure, and you are much appreciated!” See page 3 for FLORIDA WATERWAYS. I also want to acknowledge and thank Capt. Tommy Derringer and Capt. Pat McGriff. Capt. Derringer (ST. AUGUSTINE page 16) joined us April 2012 and Capt. McGriff (KEATON BEACH page 9) joined us May 2012. Noel Kuhn (SURF & PIER page 16) joined us soon after. I’m sorry; I can’t find the exact date. “WOW! We so much appreciate your loyalty and dedication!” New advertising partner this month Suwannee Gables Motel and Marina. See page 2. They are located on US 19-98, on the Suwannee River, just north of the Fanning Springs Bridge. They offer convenient lodging for a visit to the Suwannee with your boat. See page 6 for the Cedar Key Historical Society Museum. I’ve been to Cedar Key about a gazillion times and finally walked into the museum for the first time last month. Stop by the next time you visit Cedar Key. Tell Anna I sent you. This month’s recipe, on page 2, Shrimp and Grouper Cheeks with Creamed Spinach and Rice Pilaf, is another in-house creation. Try it; you’ll love it. As we begin our eleventh year of publication, we first want to thank the wonderful folks at our Coastal Angler Corporate office for their ongoing support and assistance. We send a really big thank you to our family of franchise owners across the country for their generous sharing of advice, photos, articles and sometimes just an understanding and sympathetic ear. Thank you to our advertisers and distribution locations. Thank you to our writers for giving of their time and knowledge to provide us with timely forecasts and articles. Thank you to Kathleen, our graphic artist. You see her beautiful work on every page. Thank you to Rosa, our distribution assistant, helping us to get the magazines to our pick-up locations and into your hands. Last, but certainly not least, thank you to YOU, our reader. If you stop reading our magazine, we are out of business in a hurry. Covid finally found our family. Our unvaccinated adorable four-yearold granddaughter, apparently caught it at day care and shared it with her vaccinated parents. All were really sick for a few days, but all are much better now. If you aren’t vaccinated, it isn’t too late. Think about the unvaccinated four-year-olds and younger. You could save a young life. Lynn Crutchfield Co-Publisher Coastal Angler Magazine of North Central Florida/Nature Coast
SALES
EDITING & PRODUCTION Lynn Crutchfield
DISTRIBUTION Rosa Crisman
GRAPHIC ARTS & DESIGN Kathleen Stemley
WEB DESIGN Kristi Williams
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dr. Kevin McCarthy Noel Kuhn Capt. Katie Jo Davis Capt. Tommy Derringer Capt. Jonathan Hamilton Capt. James Kerr Capt. Tony Johns Capt. Pat McGriff Capt. Brent Woodard
CONTACT INFORMATION
crutch@coastalanglermagazine.com 352-542-0356 www.CoastalAnglerMag.com/NC-Florida
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Tide Charts Local Fishing Forecasts Monthly Recipe
Photo by: Suwannee River Water Management District
SHEET PAN SHRIMP AND GROUPER CHEEKS
WITH CREAMED SPINACH AND WILD/ WHITE RICE PILAF
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Al
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where Florid
By Thank you to The Crab Plant for the shrimp and grouper. Visit their Fresh Seafood Market or enjoy Cooked Seafood to go. You are welcome to sit at their table and view 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, Fri-Sat 10:00-8:00. 201 NW 5th St. Crystal River 352-795-4700.
TIDES • North Central Florida Time Height
1Tu
2W
3Th
4F
5Sa
6Su
7M
8Tu
12:07 AM 7:20 AM 1:44 PM 7:07 PM 1:01 AM 7:58 AM 2:12 PM 7:52 PM 1:49 AM 8:32 AM 2:38 PM 8:34 PM 2:33 AM 9:03 AM 3:03 PM 9:14 PM 3:15 AM 9:32 AM 3:28 PM 9:54 PM 3:58 AM 10:00 AM 3:54 PM 10:35 PM 4:42 AM 10:27 AM 4:22 PM 11:16 PM 5:29 AM 10:55 AM 4:53 PM
3.8 -0.8 2.9 0.7 3.8 -0.7 3.0 0.4 3.8 -0.5 3.1 0.1 3.7 -0.2 3.2 0.0 3.4 0.1 3.3 -0.1 3.2 0.4 3.4 -0.1 2.9 0.7 3.4 0.0 2.6 1.0 3.4
HERNANDO BEACH
MARCH 2022
9W
Time Height
12:02 AM 6:24 AM 11:25 AM 5:29 PM 10Th 1:00 AM 7:42 AM 12:04 PM 6:15 PM 11F 2:17 AM 9:30 AM 1:17 PM 7:23 PM 12Sa 3:43 AM 10:57 AM 3:04 PM 8:55 PM 13Su 5:52 AM 12:50 PM 5:25 PM 11:14 PM 14M 6:45 AM 1:26 PM 6:27 PM 15Tu 12:17 AM 7:27 AM 1:55 PM 7:16 PM 16W 1:08 AM 8:03 AM 2:21 PM 7:59 PM
0.1 2.3 1.3 3.3 0.3 2.1 1.6 3.1 0.4 2.0 1.8 3.0 0.3 2.2 1.8 2.9 0.1 2.4 1.7 3.1 0.0 2.6 1.4 3.3 -0.2 2.8 1.1 3.5 -0.2 3.0 0.8
KINGS BAY
High Tide -20 min Low Tide 58 min
High Tide 2 hrs, 20 min Low Tide 3 hrs, 7 min
CRYSTAL RIVER
WITHLACOOCHEE ENT
High Tide 36 min Low Tide 1 hr, 30 min
High Tide 7 min Low Tide 55 min
CEDAR KEY
Time Height
17Th 1:54 AM 8:36 AM 2:45 PM 8:38 PM 18F 2:36 AM 9:08 AM 3:08 PM 9:16 PM 19Sa 3:18 AM 9:40 AM 3:32 PM 9:56 PM 20Su 4:02 AM 10:12 AM 3:59 PM 10:38 PM 21M 4:49 AM 10:45 AM 4:29 PM 11:23 PM 22Tu 5:42 AM 11:20 AM 5:03 PM 23W 12:14 AM 6:41 AM 11:56 AM 5:44 PM 24Th 1:13 AM 7:55 AM 12:40 PM 6:33 PM
3.6 -0.2 3.1 0.4 3.7 -0.1 3.3 0.2 3.7 0.1 3.4 -0.1 3.5 0.3 3.6 -0.3 3.3 0.6 3.7 -0.4 3.1 0.9 3.8 -0.4 2.7 1.3 3.8 -0.3 2.4 1.6 3.7
26Sa
27Su
29Tu
30W
31Th
COOKING DIRECTIONS
Time Height
25F
28M
Lynn Crutchfield, Co-Publisher Coastal Angler Magazine of North Central Florida
2:27 AM 9:40 AM 1:46 PM 7:39 PM 3:56 AM 11:21 AM 3:27 PM 9:13 PM 5:19 AM 12:22 PM 4:59 PM 10:51 PM 6:23 AM 1:02 PM 6:10 PM 12:08 AM 7:14 AM 1:34 PM 7:07 PM 1:09 AM 7:55 AM 2:02 PM 7:55 PM 2:00 AM 8:29 AM 2:28 PM 8:37 PM
-0.1 2.3 1.9 3.5 0.0 2.4 1.9 3.3 -0.1 2.6 1.7 3.4 -0.2 2.8 1.3 3.5 -0.2 3.0 0.8 3.7 -0.1 3.2 0.4 3.7 0.1 3.4 0.1
HOMOSASSA RIVER ENT
HORSESHOE BEACH
SUWANNEE ENT
STEINHATCHEE RIVER ENT
High Tide 4 hr, 30 min Low Tide 5 hr, 41 min High Tide 6 min Low Tide 18 min
2 NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST
High Tide 12 min Low Tide 20 min
High Tide 2 min Low Tide 0 min
MARCH 2022
INGREDIENTS
Cook equal amounts wild • Jumbo Shrimp (five per and white rice, as per number serving) of servings. Set aside. Melt a • Grouper Cheeks (five per couple tablespoons butter in small serving) saucepan and sauté celery and • Butter onion until tender. Mix in the two • Salt and Pepper rices, salt to taste and keep warm. • Grated Parmesan If using fresh spinach, remove • Panko Crumbs stems, rinse, place in large sauté • Spinach (9 oz. bag of pan. Cook on medium until fresh or pkg. of frozen) spinach is wilted, add salt to • Cream Cheese taste. (If using frozen, cook as per • Wild and White Rice package directions.) Add about • Celery one stalk diced four tablespoons cream cheese, • Green Onion four sliced and gently mix in with spinach. • Minced parsley for Thin with milk if it gets too thick. garnish Keep warm. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line sheet pan with foil. Put a couple tablespoons butter on pan and stick in oven for a couple of minutes until butter melts. (Don’t let it burn!) Remove pan from oven. Place shrimp and grouper cheeks on pan and turn each over so that both sides are coated with a bit of butter. Season all with salt and pepper, sprinkle heavily with grated Parmesan and Panko. Bake for four to five minutes, until Panko is lightly browned. Serve with creamed spinach and rice pilaf. Garnish with minced parsley. Another impressive seafood dish, and very quick and easy!
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FLORIDA WATERWAYS Alligators
H
aving lived in Florida for over fifty years, I have learned a lot about the mascot of the school where I spent my career: the University of Florida. From my office near the middle of campus, I could see a wire pen that housed a live ten-foot-long gator, a feisty animal that finally had to be moved to By Kevin McCarthy a nearby lake after inebriated fans from other schools actually jumped into the pen and tried to paint that gator in their own school colors. I learned, for example, that gators, which are in the crocodilian family, have not changed much in appearance for the past eighty million years. Although not quite as old as turtles and tortoises, the gators roamed our waterways during the time of the dinosaurs. Once, when I was in the Everglades, I got to hold a gator with its mouth taped shut. The Seminole Indian who handed me the gator invited me to join him in wrestling an untaped gator, but I politely declined. The Everglades actually has some crocodiles, which can survive in salt water, unlike the American alligator. It is difficult to see the crocs as they shy away from humans. I once obtained a permit from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission which allowed me, with our hunting guide, Cary Crutchfield, and my older son, to harvest/hunt gators. We captured two twelve-foot-long gators, each weighing over 500 pounds. Such a harvesting program, which kills between 6,000 and 7,000 gators each year, is necessary because of the remarkable come-back that the threatened species once experienced. Tourists and local residents used to
A gator with a fish he caught The author holding a gator in the Everglades
Uneasy companions
The author pointing to a 12-foot-long gator he helped catch
shoot gators from the safety of large boats along our rivers in the 19th century. But today, tourists prefer to visit alligator farms to see dozens of the reptiles and to learn more about them. Visitors can also sometimes see trainers wrestle the gators. Several years ago, I remember seeing an ad in a newspaper that sought more intrepid souls to join the fraternity of alligator wrestlers. I think the game parks had for some reason run short of such wrestlers. So, if you are looking for a job and want some adventures, you might consider that line of work. Anyway, having worked at a school with a gator for a mascot and waved a threatening arm in what is called a “Gator Chomp,” I’ve come to believe that such a denizen of the swamp is much more intimidating than a Blue Hen or Slug or even a Bulldog. Kevin McCarthy, the author of Alligator Tales 1998 - (available at amazon.com), can be reached at ceyhankevin@gmail.com.
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MARCH 2022
Shooting gators from a large boat
The author’s book
NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST 3
KATIE JO’S NATURE COAST ADVENTURES
M
arch is here, and that means one thing: snook season has arrived and those of us on Florida's Nature Coast are super excited! We are located as far north as the snook population can survive during the winter months. With our spring fed rivers, thousands of snook gather in the spring heads to stay warm during the cold months, and gradually make their way to our Gulf coastline, as the water temperatures warm for the spring season. Our pristine, clear Gulf waters allow us to target snook during the open season. My ideal artificial set-up for the clear water is the DOA glow jerk shad on a 1/16-ounce mission fishing jig head. With a fast action retrieve, I cast these along the fastmoving current, along islands of mangroves and oyster bars. As for live bait, sabiki white bait out near channel markers or structure are almost irresistible to these tasty fish. Other live bait options are finger mullet and large mud minnows. I use a float with a 3-foot, 30 lb. fluorocarbon leader and 3/0 circle hook and allow the baits to swim
freely along the same mangrove and oyster bar points and cuts. I make long casts to these spots to avoid the possibility of being seen by the fish. Often if the snook can see me, they won't eat. The snook slot limit on Florida's Nature Coast is 28 to 33 inches. Remember to always practice good catch and release tactics when handling these fish. It is highly recommended to never hold them by the lip or in a vertical position. Captain Katie Jo Davis www.fishcrystalriverflorida.com 772-882-8932 KD OUTDOORS FISHING CHARTERS
ENGLISH.BRAD@YAHOO.COM 24304 NW 182ND AVE. HIGH SPRINGS, FL 32643 4 NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST
MARCH 2022
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MARCH 2022
NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST 5
Discover the Vast History of
The Cedar Keys
THE CEDAR KEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
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Like us on Facebook! We will cook your catch. We serve fresh local Cedar Key oysters and clams. Try our delicious Gator. We get it directly from the Gator Man himself.
Located Downtown 609 2nd Street
Happy Hour Monday-Friday 3pm-7pm 2-4-1 Wells 1/2 Price Wine $2.50 Bud Light, Miller Lite, Yuengling
352-543-5549 OPEN THURSDAY - SUNDAY
ADULTS $3.00 KIDS FREE
PRIVATE TOURS AVAILABLE 2022 Presenting Sponsor
Official Entry Form
BOAT ENTRY FEE: Includes 2 Tech Shirts, 2 Free Beer
Tickets, 2 free door prize tickets, & One Goodie Bucket per boat ____ $150 per boat by 03.18.22 (Earlybird Entry) ____ Homosassa Slam Opt In-$25 per boat (pays $500 cash)
Charitable Partner
27th Annual CCBA Family Fishing Tournament April 23 & 24, 2022 MacRae’s of Homosassa (352) 628-2602
2022
1st
2nd
3rd
TROUT
$5,000
$1,500
$750
REDFISH
$4,000
$1,500
$750
REDFISH MOST SPOTS JACK CREVALLE
$500
$300
None
$150
$50
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*Based on 150 paid boat entries
2022 Sponsors
Two tech shirts included (list sizes below included shirts also SXL Sizes are first come, first serve, be specific) ___S ___M ___L ___XL ___2XL ___3XL I, the undersigned, have voluntarily agreed to participate as a captain on a vessel in the 2022 CCBA Annual Family Fishing Tournament. I hereby accept all risk to myself and all persons aboard my vessel, thereby re-leasing the Citrus County Building Alliance (CCBA) and MacRae’s of Homosassa, and any affiliated officers, directors, sponsors, employees, and volunteers from any liability, losses, or expenses, arising from any claims, including but not limited to; personal injury and/or death and damage or destruction of property, that may arise in connection with participation in this fishing tournament. CAPTAIN: _________________________________________________ (please print)
SIGNATURE: ______________________________________________ ADDRESS: ________________________________________________ CITY: ____________________________________ ZIP: ____________ DATE: _____________ PHONE: (_____)________________________ Email: ____________________________________________________ Angler FULL Names (without Captain) Please print clearly
_________________________ ________________________ Boat Name__________________________________________ FL Vessel # ____________Emerg # ON BOAT ______________ Mail w/check to 1196 S Lecanto Hwy, Lecanto FL 34461 or register online at www.CitrusBuilders.com
For info call (352) 746-9028
6 NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST
MARCH 2022
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H
HORSESHOE BEACH
H
ope everybody had a good Valentine’s Day and hope you’re also ready for a fishing report for my favorite month of the year. March is my favorite month for many, many reasons. Reason one, it’s my birthday month. Reason number two is the start of turkey season and three, the fishing becomes awesome! Turkey season is my favorite season of the year and fortunately/unfortunately, it collides with my busy season for fishing. But I’m not going to complain when I get to do what I love just as much. March is actually one of the months for which you don’t need my help. If you do what I always tell you to do, with all the techniques I’ve talked about, you should be in the fish. Hopefully, if it’s a warm one, we will start to see bait, pelagics, and the start of some migratory fish toward the end of the month. It will have to be pretty warm for all that stuff to happen. If it’s cool like February, it’ll be redfish and trout as usual. The beginning of March is a great time to get all of your tackle and boat gear ready for the busy season, and don’t forget, that stuff is more important than the actual finding of the fish. Well guys, whether March takes you to the turkey woods or to the Gulf of Mexico, I hope wherever it is, you stay safe, healthy and succeed. Don’t hesitate to call with bookings; you’re definitely going to want to call ahead if you have a specific date in mind. Until next time, keep it Reel Native!
SIGNS BANNERS Copies Fax
Forms Letterhead We also offer apparel and promotional items. Envelopes Business Cards Brochures Newsletters & More Invitations Come see us at our new location between Wedding & Graduation McDonalds and NAPA - 1517 North Young Blvd.
Captain Brent Woodard Reel Native Fishing Charters ReelNativeFishing.com 352-284-5514 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
MARCH 2022
NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST 7
8 NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST
MARCH 2022
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HOMOSASSA
KEATON BEACH
Y
eah, last year, by the middle of March, we were kicking it and catching fish like crazy. Our weather has been cooler this year, but that just means fewer fish were taken over this winter, so I look forward to a great March at Keaton Beach. Once water temps stabilize and we hold 60 degrees overnight, it will be ON! Trout will readily take soft plastic like Assassin Sea Shads, Elite Shiners, and 5-inch shads, both bounced and rigged under an Original Cajun Thunder. Trout should be ready to eat live pinfish rigged under a Back Bay Thunder as well. Look for trout to be most active in 3 to 5 feet of water, while some larger fish will still be found in 2 to 3 feet, striking Topwater stick baits and lipped jerkbaits. Reds will be coming out of the creeks and staging near bars and troughs at creek mouths. Larger Mid-March 2021 we were already redfish will migrate from the kicking butt! South and come through our area mid-month, thru the first couple Captain Dan Clymer 1979-2022 or at least by the last of the month. weeks in April. Weedless spoons from the creeks, rivers and offshore, On January 28th, we lost a fishing The Mackerel will hit Clark Spoons continue to be the easiest way to once the water temps start rising. legend. Capt. Dan Clymer was not both trolled and cast while rigged find reds in March, with the Flats These big fish will get on the rock piles only one of the best all-time guides on up the old MacDonald’s Straw Rig Intruder spoons in 1/2-ounce Gold (yellow bottom areas) on the last bit of the Nature Coast, but one of my best way; just substitute the size 0 AND and Copper, my favorites. Try a the incoming tides. The key is waiting friends. Dan was one of a kind, always 00 Clark Spoon for the MacDonald’s Thunder-Spin (jig spinner) if you for the right amount of water to where smiling and treating everyone the same. straw. Cobia? Well, you never know, haven’t mastered spoon fishing they feel comfortable. Nose hooked Dan was a leader in the fishing industry but 70 degrees usually signals the yet. Remember, if you don’t bump 5-inch DOA Cal jerk baits on a 3/0 and well respected across the state, and first ling caught at Keaton--on the (and feel) the bottom every four J hook is the bait of choice. Twitch, he was just a fishy dude. He truly loved flats--that is. or five turns of the reel handle, twitch pause is the technique. Red to fish. It was once said by a fellow you are reeling too FAST. Bow to fish, and snook will also be moving guide that, “Dan never worked a day Meanwhile, Let's Go Fishing! your strikes for more hook-ups on more to the outside. Live pin fish are in his life after he became a full-time Pat McGriff dba One More Cast guide weedless spoons and jig spinners. deadly for both. guide.” and that was a true statement. service for 30 years! I expect to see bait schools and Near shore rock piles in the 6-toHe truly loved what he did, whether it www.onemorecast.net Spanish show up by mid-March, 8-foot range are always productive was grouper, trout, snook or tarpon, onemorecast@gtcom.net | cell: 850.838.7541 in March. Spanish mackerel, grunts, Dan made it happen. Dan taught me, snapper along with trout will be and a lot of other guides in our area, around rock structure. Shrimp on a jig how to not only be good guides, but to head will produce bites if you’re on the be good people. He was a leader and anchor. MirrOLure Lil Johns on a jig a role model to many. Dan was loved head if you’re drifting the rocky areas. and respected by everyone. I got the I like the watermelon red flake or glow honor of taking his position here with this time of the year. Make sure you the Coastal Angler a short time ago. I allow your bait to get to the bottom. A was so honored that he asked me to fill lot of times I see anglers fishing these in for him. It meant the world to me. jigs too fast in deeper water, which He wrote this HOMOSASSA report for makes the bait rise to the surface, and six and a half years. He was so proud to does not allow the bait to get in the write for the Costal Angler. I won’t write right zone. another fishing report for the rest of my days without thinking of my good friend Remember our time here is short. Capt. Dan Clymer. I will miss talking Spend the time we do have here with shop with him at the end of the day, or the people who we love and care about. on the shore lunch island. It won’t be the Memories are what we make, not what same without him around. Love you, we buy. Get out on the water and create and I will miss you Bud. memories with the people you care about. Capt. Stump arch is one of my favorite Jonathan Hamilton months for big trout in Homosassa. Trout should start 352-403-2073 transitioning back out onto to the flats www.captainjhamilton.com and wearing shorts to do it (Aaron and Lindie Lou Griner of Alapaha, Ga.) 3/13/21
M
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MARCH 2022
NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST 9
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W
Doug with a nice 7 lb. sheepshead.
hat’s up guys and gals? Another month here, and March is a good one for so many reasons. The first couple weeks of March, we are still prone to getting a few cold fronts and cooler weather, so we will start off with nearshore. Nearshore, the sheepshead bite remains steady with a great season thus far, and many, many big fish taken by a few lucky anglers. Any rockpile, wreck, reef, or deep hole this time of year, tends to have a great congregation of sheepshead gathering and spawning. A live shrimp on a fish finder rig with a 1 oz. weight and a 2/0 circle hook with 20 lb. fluorocarbon, is my go-to rig for these guys. I recommend keeping 3 to 5 fish per person, as they are a hassle to clean. Any more will just be frozen, and they don’t freeze well. The fish in the 14-to-19-inch range tend to taste better with cleaner looking meat as well. So, if you want to practice what we practice, let those 20 inches plus fish go, as they are the breeders. We need them to do their job for us so we can catch sheepshead next year! Inshore this month is the opening of snook season! With the cooler water temperatures, I would recommend looking for these guys in the deeper cuts and creeks and rivers, until it warms up substantially. Remember to handle these guys with care and watch them swim away, if they aren’t in that magic slot that makes it legal for us to keep ‘em. The redfish bite remains excellent and has thus far all winter, and now into our spring months. We’ve been able to locate schools of well over 100 fish, and catch them with everything but a bare hook! The choice artificial baits this time of year is an aqua dream genuine gold spoon or a 4-inch paddle tail, made by slayer lures in any natural pattern. (I prefer pinfish.) If you don’t want to cast the lures, a big healthy Captains Cove shrimp will do the trick, or a big fat Captains Cove mudminnow
Tyler with a fat 31-inch redfish.
John with a healthy overslot red in the backcountry.
A pair of fine sheepshead nearshore in 15 feet of water.
under a small float, always entices a strike! Here at Captains Cove in Inglis, we have all methods of fishing tackle that I mention, and a great staff to help you make a decision, and help you select what you need for your next day on the water. Andrew Fagan Ebb Tide Guide Service @capt_redfishdrew
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MARCH 2022
NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST 11
CRYSTAL RIVER
H
ello from Crystal River; hope everyone has been out fishing and enjoying the water. March is a great time to be out fishing. With the warmer weather that’s fast approaching, it really fires up the fishing. This time of year, the trout fishing is really good. The trout who moved into the creeks and the shallow water, trying to stay warm when the temps were low, have now moved out. When targeting them, I look for baitfish and hard bottom with rock grass. Also, I like to fish the lower tide; it concentrates the fish. I’ll use hard baits; Mirrordines are a good choice. The reds have been awesome. While targeting them I look for bait on the islands and creeks, and I like to fish the beginning of the incoming tide, and follow the tide to stay in shallow water. Another good tactic to catching reds is sight fishing. I like a slower incoming tide, and really take my time trolling and looking for fish. It can be really productive. For tackle, I’ll use 1/16 jig tipped with a fresh live shrimp, or even gulp a shrimp. Live pins are
also a good bait. Snook Fishing has gotten better. The snook slowly start the transition from the inside, to moving back to the outside, with the warmer weather. When targeting snook, I look for good moving tidal flow on points and I prefer to use artificial baits. Anything that’s a fast twitch bait with sporadic action usually gets a bite. Hope everyone has great month of fishing. Capt. James Kerr 352-362-6893 Citrusfishingchaters.com
12 NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST
MARCH 2022
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It was a cold blustery day, but we still managed a few good fish! Dylan is here visiting his grandparents Phil n Becky who moved to Suwannee from North Texas a couple years ago.
T
he one thing you can say about March, is that the weather can be very unpredictable! We can experience high temps in the low 80s, as well as the 60s, and the wind, well, that can be the big unknown, variable! The main thing I monitor is water temps, and have found that the fish become much more active when the water temp approaches 65 degrees F. Now that doesn’t mean that you can’t catch fish when the water is cooler, the key is to fish when the water is warming up. After a cold front has pushed through, and the winds have dropped, we can experience “bluebird skies” with bright sunny days. It’s during these conditions that you need to focus on shallow water, preferably with a dark bottom. These waters warm up fast between 10 am and 3 pm, and are great areas to locate fish! You notice I said “locate”, then the challenge is to catch them! In the shallow water, the fish are spookier, and you can push them off if you’re not careful. The good thing is that the fish really don’t want to leave the warmer water and will generally give you a couple of opportunities to present a bait to them! Spooky fish, means you need to be able to make extra-long casts and present a bait that hopefully doesn’t spook the fish. Most years, by the middle of March, we will have water temps on the flats close to, or maybe above 65 degrees. The bait fish will become much more abundant at these temps, thus the predator fish like the spotted seatrout will be there looking to fatten up after the winter months. For the trout, if you are looking to catch the bigger fish, you will want to use bigger baits. For big trout baits, I like the MirrOlure She Dog, the big trout around the Lower
This might not be monster but it’s Dylan’s first Florida redfish. Later in the day he did land a nice 18.5-inch Lower Suwannee River red!
Suwannee River really like it! Remember #releaseover20 March is also the time of the year that sheepshead will begin their annual spawning season, along this area of Florida’s Nature Coast. Schools of sheepshead can be found around the nearshore reefs and channel makers, and offshore on the rocks and artificial reefs in 20 to 40 feet of water. Most anglers in my area use shrimp or fiddler crabs, fished on a jig head or with a J hook. I started using the FishBites Fight Club baits last year and had good success with them and the FishBites Fish n Strips. I like to fish them on a jig head or 1/0-2/0 bait keeper hook. This is also the month that the redfish bite fires off! Resident fish will be pulling out of the Lower Suwannee River and deeper creeks of the Estuary. They will be on the prowl around the mouth of the river and coastal creeks, eating anything they can catch! Until next time, be safe and Catchemup! Captain Tony Johns | 352-221-2510 www.lowersuwanneriverfishing.com Instagram: captaintonyjohns Facebook: Lower Suwannee River Fishing Adventures or Captain Tony Johns
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14 NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST
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e’re coming up on some of the best fishing of the year! The weather is just about as good as it gets as well, over the next couple of months. With air temps averaging in the 70s and water temps on the rise, you can be sure of one thing in Northeast Florida--the fishing is going off! Flats will still have clear water (If it stays cool enough.) finger mullet will be invading the ICW, and just about all our inshore game fish will be hungry and waiting to give you the thrill of your life. Redfish will continue to school on the flats and in the creeks during the spring. If the water doesn’t warm up too quickly, we can expect to have clear, sight-fishable conditions, which is my favorite way to catch them! A calm sunny day in March is every Northeast Florida angler’s dream come true. These types of conditions make for great sight-fishing opportunities and will also have the reds up on the flats looking for a meal. My favorite sight-fishing setup for the reds is the Saltwater Assassin Elite Shiner paddle tail rigged on either a ¼ or 1/8-ounce jighead or weedless hook. It seems to have the right amount of action to get the redfish’s attention and it’s small enough that it doesn’t make a big splash when it hits the water. One thing I’m constantly reminding my clients to do when we see a laid-up redfish (school or single) is cast well past the fish, and then reel the lure to him. By doing this you’ll have less chance of spooking him and have a second or two to decide which side of the fish you want your lure to swim by. As the water starts to get murky as it warms up, I will switch up my lure to something a little bigger/ noisier like the “Lil Boss” paddle tail from Saltwater Assassin or a topwater plug if we’re fishing lower-light
SURF & PIER
conditions. Speaking of top-water plugs, the trout bite will also be heating up over the next couple of months. March and April have always been the months when we catch the biggest trout of the year on my boat. Top-water and suspending plugs will be the go-to lures for big trout. A live finger mullet is also hard to beat. Look for deep drops adjacent to flats and creeks on a dropping tide. These areas will have a ton of baitfish funneling off, and the trout will stage up waiting to chow down. If the plugs aren’t working for you, a live shrimp under a cork or mud minnow pegged to a jighead can work wonders for finicky trout. Can’t get off work early enough to get on the water? Well, the night fishing for trout around the docks can be all time during the spring. Just look for the brightest dock light, make sure the water is moving and you’re sure to find some hungry fish. Cobia is another fish that comes to mind as things start to warm up a bit. The last couple of years were lackluster, but hopefully this year we’ll see more manta rays and more fish. When the water temp gets in the upper 60s, that’s a good time to start thinking about getting off the beach to take a look. I know everybody loves to eat cobia but maybe consider letting a few of those “bigguns” go, so the population can come back... I think everybody can agree that we miss the great cobia fishing we had not too long ago. Be sure to check out our Daily Fishing Reports @ www.InshoreAdventures.net
M
arch is the month for the biggest pompano of the year. The only other month that rivals it is November. Why? They tolerate the cold water better. In March they are headed north. They have wintered in South Florida all the way down to West Palm Beach. Those of us who love to chase them in January and February, usually fish between Melbourne and Jupiter. However, now we are gladly awaiting their return. When our surf temperature reaches 63 degrees and stays there for a few days, its game on! They will first show up in Flagler Beach and then onto Crescent Beach. That is where I caught my first 6 lb. pomp! I call these first to arrive, the scouts. These scouts are always bigger fish and rarely need to be measured to see if they are 11 inches to the fork. In these chilly waters, live sand fleas are hard to come by. Therefore, my go-to baits are live clams and blue crab knuckles. Both of these are proven baits when it comes to matching the hatch. They are donax
clams, calico or spotted crabs and sand fleas. These baits are equally effective on whiting, redfish, and black drum. The big whiting have been on fire in February, because they tolerate water temperature much colder than pompano can. The best catches have been coming from Marineland south to Ormond Beach. Fresh dead shrimp have been producing whiting up to 20 inches and two pounds! Double dropper pompano rigs and fish finder/ sinker slider rigs have both proven effective. Small hooks and small pieces of shrimp will fill your cooler quicker. These warmer spring days will not last forever, so get out and enjoy some sand between your toes. 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
Capt. Tommy Derringer www.InshoreAdventures.net 904-377-3734
16 NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST
MARCH 2022
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’d heard good things, so on a recent Sunday morning I drove to Pompano to see all the work the city has done to improve the pier and the surrounding area. I was pleasantly surprised by how tasteful and inviting the results are so far. Originally constructed in the early 1960s, the newly titled Fisher Family Pier now sports an up-to-date entrance comfortably showcased between two attractive oceanfront restaurants. The whole waterfront area has been rebranded as the Pompano Beach Fishing Village. There’s a new visitor center and a six-story parking garage a short walk away on Pier Street (NE 2nd Avenue). Streetscape improvements along
By James P. Goss
Pompano Beach Boulevard include a bricked boardwalk, contemporary streetlights, and other eye-catching design elements. The centerpiece continues to be the pier, revamped to resemble a fish: a pompano, of course. At the pier’s eastern end, the rounded shape of the fish’s head features a mouth and an eye gazing southeast. In addition to new wood decking and railings, there are fish prep areas and built-in metal fishing rod holders. Blue sail awnings fly overhead. Artists’ renderings of tropical fish— kingfish, bluefin tuna, false albacore, pinfish, bottlenose dolphin, hammerhead sharks—pop up between the railings. As I wandered the pier, a fisherman adjusting
his lure told me, “I usually get here around seven in the morning and leave around nine. I got here late today. If I catch anything, I’ll be lucky.” As all anglers know, good fishing depends on a variety of fickle factors in addition to the time of day… or night. These include weather (cold fronts, prevailing winds), tides and currents, species’ particular habits and migration patterns. Clear or murky water plays a role, as do reef features and ocean floor contours. Ocean health depends on a delicate balance: an adequate supply of nutrients, minimal pollution and species diversity—including the presence of apex predators like sharks. Another angler had a line in near a small school of needlefish. Hoping to attract Spanish mackerel, he used a Got-Cha lure. He confided, “They like clear water when the air temperature is a little bit chilly.” Over the many years he’s fished the Pompano pier, he’s caught a lot of snapper and hooked three types of sharks: blacktip, reef and nurse. But he hasn’t seen too many pompano around lately. “They don’t like a city named after them,” he joked. In a more serious tone, he wondered about the effects of all the recent construction. To help address this type of environmental concern, contractors added structures to the ocean floor to augment the existing reef. Still, the fisherman said many popular South Florida fishing spots, including the Pompano Beach pier, are getting “fished out.” The challenge of maintaining adequate stocks of fish is an ongoing concern the world over. Along with millions of dollars spent on physical upgrades to the pier itself, habitat work will hopefully ensure the fish keep showing up.
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THE
’HOOS
ARE STILL OUT THERE By CAM Staff
16 FLORIDA
MARCH 2022
W
ahoo are a favorite fish of any angler who has ever been hooked up to one. They are incredibly fast, sleek and powerful. The initial blistering run is enough to hook anyone. With line pouring off the reel, instinct begs you to stanch the flow. Just hold on. The fight is predictable. After that run, the fish will most likely turn back to the boat, shaking its head to throw the hook. Then it’s a sprint to pick up line. In the boat, the beauty of the fish will amaze you. Perfectly camouflaged in blue water, a wahoo’s silvery belly gives way to a dark blue back with undulating cobalt blue bars falling vertically down its sides. If you can look past that weird toothy beak, it is a gorgeous fish. Photos never do it justice, as the color fades as soon as you take them from the water. What doesn’t fade is the excitement this species brings to the table. They are mackerel, but they don’t taste like it. Wahoo meat is snow white, firm and has a mild taste sometimes compared to albacore. It’s a tremendous sportfish that travels in loose schools and sometimes feeds in packs. Find one and you’ll likely find several hanging and feeding near blue water structure. They move and feed with the bait, migrating to stay in the water temps they prefer, 70 degrees and higher. Wahoo are notoriously unpredictable. They are streaky feeders, and might not eat unless time of day, tides and moon phases align just right. Late winter is the best time to catch them off northeast Florida, when they will be feeding on the ledges with a bite that sometimes lasts into April. Expect decent numbers of fish from 35 to 60 pounds, and every year a few fish show up heavier than 80 pounds. Down in South Florida, wahoo can be found on the edge of the Gulf Stream, with peak fishing occurring late spring through summer. During that same time period, anglers in the Keys will be targeting smaller wahoo, averaging 25 pounds, on floating debris. But arguably the best wahoo fishing in this part of the world is the Bahamas. Here there is a shot at triple-digit fish, and good numbers of fish in the 40-pound range are the norm. Winter is best from the northern Bahamas around the Abacos and farther south, around the San Salvador humps. In the Gulf, wahoo season is also in winter, but winter brings with it foul weather. Early spring is a favorite time of many captains because the fish are still around and you can actually get to them. They’ll be hunting in packs and following baitfish. There’s a good chance at some 30- to 50-pounders this time of year, and 80- or 90-pound fish are not unheard of.
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FLORIDA 17
OKEECHOBEE SHORTCUT CLOSED FOR REPAIRS
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oaters making the trip between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico via the shortcut through Lake Okeechobee will be forced to take the long way around for the next couple months. The St. Lucie Lock and Dam was closed and dewatered for maintenance Jan. 4. The “Okeechobee shortcut” is expected to re-open by April. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District also announced temporary closure of some recreational facilities at the St. Lucie Lock and Dam. The St. Lucie Visitor Center, lock observation decks and the St. Lucie North Recreation Area will be closed until the project is complete. The St. Lucie South Campground will remain open. “The safety of our employees, volunteers and visitors remains our top priority. Equipment and materials are currently being staged at the St. Lucie Lock and Dam in preparation for the upcoming dewatering operation and lock repairs,” said Tammy Cleveland, deputy chief of the South Florida Operations. “We know that the St. Lucie Lock and Dam is a very popular recreational area for the local community and visitors. This the first major maintenance to be performed on this lock in 26 years, and we apologize for any inconvenience during this temporary closure.” According to Ed Killer, with Treasure Coast Newspapers, closure of the Okeechobee shortcut creates a roughly 320-mile detour around Florida’s southern tip for mariners travelling between the Atlantic and the Gulf. Last year, more than 3,000 boats passed through the St. Lucie Lock. For more information, visit: www.saj.usace.army.mil/VisitorCenters/.
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ere’s a reminder, special regulations are in effect for inshore fisheries in a chunk of Florida’s west coast due to red tides. The following regulations apply for all state waters south of State Road 64 in Manatee County, including Palma Sola Bay through Gordon Pass in Collier County, but not including the Braden River or any tributaries of the Manatee River. Snook: Catch and release only through May 31, 2022. Redfish: Catch and release only through May 31, 2022. Spotted Seatrout: Six-fish recreational vessel limit. Commercial harvesters will also be held to the recreational three-fish bag and six-fish vessel limits. For more information, go to MyFWC.com.
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To Introduce You to Spring in the Keys
T
he transition into spring can be unpredictable, as it brings dramatic changes to the fishery and obeys no written calendar. Migration, water temperatures and spawning create unique variables this time of year. As the exchange of targeted species swings from winter to spring, each day can be an opportunity to pioneer the new season. The fishery can change overnight in the coming weeks, and you never know when you will stumble across an abundance of fish that haven’t been seen in months. The Florida Keys, this month, will see more permit, cobia and pompano, while also welcoming the start of our world-class tarpon fishery. During the seasonal transition, there will be an overlap, when iconic spring species, such as permit and tarpon, will be chewing along with the sailfish that favor the shallow reefs in winter. Permit harvest season closes in the Keys at the end of March. Although the permit is respected as a game fish, and socially encouraged to be released, it does yield fillets of decent size and of excellent tablefare. Targeting permit can be a little more of a challenge than your average “send-out-the-shrimp” fishing. Whether you are sight casting to a school of them or floating a crab over a wreck, their bite is a
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little bit different than most fish. For a drag-screaming, hard-fighting fish, such as the mighty permit, one might expect them to crush the bait with force. However, permit can suck a hook clean, like a ninja cowfish, without drawing much attention. Learning their bite, especially when freelining in heavy current, can take a bit of practice, but it is absolutely worth the investment. Targeting this species offers a little extra for the angler who has it all. They definitely aren’t top of the beginner’s list, but they absolutely should be top of the bucket list. Crabs are king for permit fishing. Hook a crab on the edge of its shell, avoiding any interference with its back two legs, the swimmerets, so that it can move naturally in the water. Sight casting can be productive with a crab on a jighead, but if you just want to soak a crab over a wreck while fishing for other species, skip the jighead and affix a float up the leader. Put the float as far up the leader as you can stand to have it for casting, and I mean the standing-on-the-bow, swinging-the-momentum-like-you’re-fly fishing kind of casting. Combat different current scenarios by adding split-shot to the leader.
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No matter what time of year, the Florida Keys always have an incredible fishery. Each day can produce once-in-a-lifetime sightings of epic species. It is worth noting that regardless of weather, season, time of day, bananas on the boat, or a small zombie apocalypse, the snapper are always snapping! Quinlyn Haddon captains boats with Blue Magic Charters, in Marathon, Florida. Call her at (504) 920-6342 and check her out on social media @captainquinlyn.
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Cast away.
If you were to make a movie about being marooned on an island with the world’s greatest fishing, The Florida Keys & Key West would have a starring role. Because from the Gulf Stream to the Dry Tortugas to the Everglades backcountry, the fishing in The Keys can only be described as epic. Final scene? You’re back on dry land, with live music, waterfront dining and a luxury suite. Roll credits. fla-keys.com 1.800.fla.keys
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The U.S. Mint Just Struck Morgan Silver Dollars for the First Time in 100 Years!
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t’s been more than 100 years since the last Morgan Silver Dollar was struck for circulation. With a well-earned reputation as the coin that helped build the Wild West, preferred by cowboys, ranchers, outlaws as the “hard currency” they wanted in their saddle bags, the Morgan is one of the most revered, most-collected vintage U.S. Silver Dollars ever. Struck in 90% silver from 1878 to 1904, then again in 1921, these silver dollars came to be known by the name of their designer, George T. Morgan. They were also nicknamed “cartwheels” because of their large weight and size.
Celebrating the 100th Anniversary with Legal Tender Morgans
Honoring the 100th anniversary of the last year the Morgan Silver Dollar was minted, the U.S. Mint struck five different versions in 2021, paying tribute to each of the mints that struck the coin. The coins here honor the historic New Orleans Mint, a U.S. Mint branch from 1838–1861 and again from 1879–1909. These coins, featuring an “O” privy mark, a small differentiating mark, were struck in Philadelphia since the New Orleans Mint no longer exists. These beautiful coins are differO PRIVY MARK ent than the originals for two reasons. First,
they’re struck in 99.9% fine silver instead of the 90% silver/10% copper of the originals. And second, these Morgans were struck using modern technology, serving to highlight the details of the iconic design even more than the originals.
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MARCH IS THE TURN-AROUND MONTH
The early part of the month will feature very cold water temps around the inlets and river mouths, and keep the trout, drum (redfish) and flounder a little on the sluggish side, but that doesn’t seem to bother the shad, rock and cats. As a matter of fact, it kicks them into overdrive. It’s not water temperature so much as it is the length of daylight in the beginning of the month, but water temps do come into play by the end Tim Barefoot of March. The end of March will see the big spawning female speckled trout his has been a winter for the books, with cold temps, constant wind and sometimes too much rain keeping us arriving at the inlets and river mouths, and the drum bite will be on from the offshore grounds weekend after weekend. In light of fire. This is the time of year when you stand to catch an egg-filled gator trout, but for goodness sakes, take some this, let’s talk about some of the things that brought a lot of good photos and dimensions/weight us to the dance, the anadromous fish that are coming home and let her go do her spawn. This can be in the month of March. the time of year for some great topwater/ If you live on the East Coast, white and hickory shad, popping cork trout and drum bites. striped bass and sturgeon are coming back to the place There are bites, then there are topwater they were born to spawn. March is traditionally a very bites. It’s exciting fishing to say the least. windy month, so on the days we can’t get offshore, there is March will also produce tuna, a safe haven up in the river for some entertainment. Truly, dolphin and wahoo when you can get some of the best to them. The wind will keep us inside memories I have a lot during March, but whenever the were made up seas lay down enough to get offshore, the river. While go for it. This can be the time to catch a not the best stud wahoo and numbers of tuna. Find table fare, white a temperature break and/or the bait, and and hickory you’ll find the wahoo and tuna. They are shad are right on the move and chewing. up there at I don’t care what the wind is doing, I the top of the can always find somewhere to get a bite entertainment and grin in this turn-around month we list. Other fish call March. that have always been at the top See more from Capt. Tim Barefoot of my favorite spring entertainment list are striped bass (rock) and blue at barefootcatsandtackle.com catfish. They come back to the upper reaches of the river to spawn in and rigandjig.com. large numbers.
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Whether you take your boat out to the lake or the ocean, your 4-stroke outboard needs ECSTAR Suzuki Semi-Synthetic Engine Oil so it can run long and strong. ECSTAR features special additives that protect the engine in harsh salt and fresh water environments, advanced detergents that keep engine parts clean, and viscosity index improvements that help the engine start in cold conditions. No matter where your next boat ride takes you, go confidently with ECSTAR.
RUN LONG. RUN CLEAN. RUN STRONG.
Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-Approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. Suzuki, the Suzuki “S” ECSTAR and Suzuki model and product names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. © 2021 Suzuki Marine USA, LLC.
14 NATIONAL
MARCH 2022
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NATIONAL 15
PHOTO BY SEIGO SAITO/B.A.S.S.
At Hartwell, Stage is Set for 2022 Bassmaster Classic By TAM Staff
F
or months the field has been set for the big show. From March 4-6, some of the world’s top professional bass anglers will fish South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell, vying for a championship in the 2022 Bassmaster Classic. Upstate South Carolina will play host to the field of 55 professional anglers as well as hordes of fans, who will attend daily weigh-ins at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville and morning takeoffs at Green Pond Landing & Event Center, near Anderson. The annual Bassmaster
Classic Outdoors Expo will take place each day at the Greenville Convention Center. As for the fishing, Hartwell is familiar to the anglers. The 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk will mark the fourth time the tournament has been held on the 56,000-acre reservoir. The fishery is renowned for excellent spotted and largemouth bass fishing. Early March is typically a transition period on upstate lakes, when bass begin moving up in preparation for the spawn. Weather will have
SPRINGTIME FISHING...
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everything to do with how successful anglers will fish. The two normal patterns that set up that time of year are either a deeper bite on ditches and points in 30 to 60 feet of water, or a shallower bite when bass move up into the 5- to 20-foot range to stage next to the spawning flats. The prespawn bite can provide excellent numbers of fish as well as some solid size, which could potentially produce fast action and heavy sacks for Classic competitors. Lake Hartwell’s bass eat a lot of blueback herring, and Hartwell tournaments are responsible for the rise of the underspin as popular bass lure. If the fish are deep, it’s likely underspins, shaky heads and football jigs will see a lot of time in the water. If fish are shallow, jerkbaits, jigs and red crankbaits are Hartwell staples. Each of the three previous Classics have provided action-packed finishes. In 2008, Texas pro Alton Jones Sr. went into the final day with little more than a pound lead, but managed to hold off the rest of the field and claim his only Classic trophy. In 2015, when temperatures dipped as low as 9 degrees, hometown favorite Casey Ashley, of South Carolina, came from behind on the final day to win his only title. Then in 2018, young Alabama pro Jordan Lee jumped from sixth place on the final day to win his second-straight Classic. Fans turned out in droves for all three visits, creating an electric atmosphere for the weigh-ins and packing the Expo all three days. For information on fishing Upcountry South Carolina, visit FishUpcountrySC.com.
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Notes from the field:
BERN NOTICE O
n paper, I was in Switzerland to ski the Alps and eat my weight in fondue. According to some, I was actually there to keep an eye out for Karloff, a rival spy who’d been attempting to rip off a Swiss bank. Walking through Bern’s picturesque Old City, passing Einstein’s house,
have Texas y with ged to s only atures avorite from y title. n Lee to win out in lectric ng the
I noticed that I was being followed by a dark figure in a trench coat. No matter how I zigged and zagged through the old cobblestone streets, I couldn’t shake him. Finally, I turned a corner and quickly ducked into an old watch shop. The place looked like it had been there for ages, as did the shopkeeper. Taking me for a customer, the shopkeeper began giving me the full story on why Swiss-made watches are renowned the world over. In 1971, he said, rules were established mandating that any timepiece bearing the “Swiss-made” hallmark must have its mechanics, casing and final inspection take place in Switzerland. Swiss watches are built to last several lifetimes. I smiled, because I knew only Stauer can build Swiss-made watches without it costing a fortune. Now you can also enjoy the precision and accuracy of a Swiss-made sports watch with a moveable bezel. Introducing the Pride of Bern Watch, a timepiece built to keep pace with the underworld of spies. The first time we offered this watch it sold out in TWO DAYS. Finally back in stock after six months, supplies of this quality Swiss-made timepiece are still limited. Get your hands on it before we run out again!
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“A Swiss-made watch at this quality under $200 is an unbeliveable value!” — George Thomas Rendered in black and gold with a precision Swiss movement and a date complication at 3 o’clock, this watch is a steal of a deal that Karloff would love to get his hands on. — Jack B. Watch Specifications: • Precision Swiss movement • Stainless steel caseback and bracelet • 43 mm case diameter • Date magnifier lens at 3 o’clock • Water resistant to 3 ATM • Fits wrists to 8"
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rom humble beginnings in a home office five years ago, GaugeSaver has flourished on word-of-mouth and happy customers. The company has found great, hardworking friends to help the business grow, and a year ago expanded into a commercial property at 5049 Hwy 17-S in Green Cove Springs, Fla. They fixed up a 1,500-square-foot building for a main office and technician space, and recently constructed a 2,500-square-foot rigging shop. The plan is to grow into this space and offer electronic installs, repairs, etc. Happy customers are the key to GaugeSaver’s growth. Eric Clayton and his wife Tammy believe in their service so much that they both left 25-plus-year IT careers to grow the brand. They now do more than just gauge restorations. They remanufacture replacement parts for Yamaha, Mercury and Suzuki gauges. They restore LCDs for many devices and most major manufacturers including Garmin, Raymarine, Furuno, Simrad, iCOM, Volvo, Honda, Humminbird, SeaDoo, Kawasaki, and more. They can restore almost anything that has an LCD. This includes VHFS, Chartplotters, AutoPilots, Jet Skis and Side-By-Sides. GaugeSaver can even replace LCD assemblies with aftermarket or OEM parts to keep electronics out of landfills. GaugeSaver was founded to extend the lifespan of electronics and save people money. Every week they are learning new ways to do so. They offer Dealer Discounts for friends in the industry. Check out Gaugesaver.com (or drop by and meet the shop dog, Jeb) to see if WWW.GAUGESAVER.COM GaugeSaver can save you money!
18 NATIONAL
MARCH 2022
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Unlimited Fishing Range NEW Sea Eagle® PaddleSki™ 437ps
With the new inflatable PaddleSki™ 473ps kayak you can go 17 mph with a 6 hp outboard and motor 70 miles on just a 3 gallon tank of gas. That means this unique catamaran kayak can get you to fishing spots that no other fishing kayak can get to! And when you get there, you can fish in ways no other fishing kayak can...you can stand up and cast with the sure knowledge that you are stable and safe. You can sit for hours fishing on the swivel seat and enjoy 360° views in total comfort.
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DEXTER SURGE ACTUATORS
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exter’s complete line of surge actuators are highly engineered, easy to use, and go through rigorous testing to ensure that you get to your destination safely. Available in capacities from 6,600 lbs. to 20,000 lbs. in both disc brake and drum brake varieties, Dexter surge actuators provide smooth and powerful operation. All you need to do is replace the trailer’s standard tongue coupler with a surge actuator and add hydraulic brake end units. The “surge” or “push” of the trailer toward the tow vehicle during deceleration automatically synchronizes the trailer brakes with the tow vehicle brakes. As the trailer pushes against the tow vehicle, the actuator compresses and applies force to its master cylinder, which supplies hydraulic pressure to the trailer’s brakes. As a trusted leader in the Marine Industry, Dexter also outfitted its surge actuators with corrosion-resistant rollers and bushings to create smoother movements and added longevity. Tow with WWW.DEXTERAXLE.COM confidence – Demand Dexter!
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MARCH 2022
NATIONAL 21
WILD SALMON THREATENED BY INTERBREEDING WITH FARMED FISH
I
nterbreeding between farmed salmon and wild populations in Norway is changing the lifecycle of wild salmon, according to a report from the website Phys.org. Researchers with the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research and Rådgivende Biologer studied scale growth patterns in thousands of salmon taken from rivers in Norway from 2010 to 2017. They looked at the impact of escaped farmed salmon breeding with wild salmon by collecting scales from 6,900 adult wild Atlantic salmon in 105 Norwegian rivers. The researchers conducted genetic tests on the scales to learn the genetic history of the fish. The researchers found that both farmed salmon and wild salmon with farmed ancestry mature and age at a faster rate and return to rivers earlier to spawn. It was hypothesized this accelerated maturation process puts salmon at a higher risk of predation because they venture into saltwater earlier, when they are less likely to evade capture by sharks and halibut. Prior studies have indicated that salmon with farmed ancestry are less afraid of predators. The study suggests interbreeding of farmed and wild salmon will result in reductions in wild populations, which has already been observed in some areas. To read the entire report, see phys.org
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22 NATIONAL
MARCH 2022
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FOR REEL
GOOD FISHING Visit Upcountry South Carolina Stop by the South Carolina Lakes booth at the Bassmaster Classic Expo, March 4-6, 2022 at the Greenville Convention Center.
Perfectly Seasoned FishUpcountrySC.com
864-233-2690
Lake Hartwell, host of the 2008, 2015, 2018, and 2022 Academy Sports & Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk