Coastal Angler Magazine | July 2023 | Northeast Florida Edition

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FISHING DEEP DROPS AS

By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

Sfrequent, and the pelagics are plentiful. is time of year, you can usually point your boat o shore and eventually run into the mecca. However, these sought-a er pelagic species are moving around through their migrations and nding them isn’t always guaranteed. Sometimes you just get unlucky running and gunning all day, on the hunt for birds, debris and weed lines. Whether you are out there with no signs of life or just can’t seem to get away from schools of undersized sh, it’s a good idea to have a backup plan to save the day and make the fuel bill worth it.

Having a deep-drop rig ready to go can save a day of o shore shing. Sword shing can be an epic day saver, but it takes quite a bit of time, gear and involvement to have a good chance. ere are a lot of opportunities for shing the bottom between the reef and the sword grounds.

With a set-up that can handle shing between 500 and 1,000 feet, you will have what you need to quickly pepper in some drops during your day, without spending too much time setting it up and packing it away. ere are a variety of edible aliens that can be targeted, or even snagged as bycatch, when shing in the deep, but pretty much all

onboard, in case you get hung on the bottom, or adjustments need to be made due to the current. Having the right weight is important, and it is pretty easy to tell a er a drop if you have put on too much or too little. I would recommend having 6-, 8- and 10-pound weights to make your adjustments with. ese leads can be extremely pricey, so look into some DIY methods if this is something you plan to get into.

Depending on what you want to target, there are a few variations you will want for your rigs. Utilizing 300-pound mono and sleeve swivels, space out up to ve hooks along the leader, making the drop-down leaders short enough that they won’t tangle with each other. Play around with di erent size hooks and spacing between them. If you aren’t sure what might be living on a newfound bottom spot, drop a rig with varied hook sizes, having the biggest on the bottom. It is also a good idea to a x a 6-inch, 50-pound breakaway leader to the lead to save the rest of your gear when you inevitably get hung up.

Searching for new bottom spots can be one of the most exciting parts about this type of shing. You might see ledges full of life on your machine, or you might see nothing at all, and still nd sh.

You can even look for changes in the waves on the surface that indicate depth uctuations on the bottom. Mark your spots whenever you get a bite, and start your own collection of o shore honey holes.

Sweet E’nuf Charters’ two-boat eet specializes in deep-dropping out of Marathon, Florida Keys. Call them at (504) 920-6342 to book your trip this summer. Follow Capt. Quinlyn on social media @captainquinlyn.

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THREE DESTINATIONS FOR

For many anglers, yellow n tuna settle right into the sweet-spot of the tuna shing world. ey’re bigger and stronger than black ns, while being far more approachable than giant blue ns. ey’re fast and strong, and they school up, sometimes crashing baits on the surface. ere’s so much to like about this tremendous game sh, and it doesn’t hurt that limits are relatively liberal in most places. Did we mention that yellow ns are made of the delicious meat known as ahi in sushi bars?

Here are three of the best destinations where you can test your strength against a few yellow ns. Win the battle, and you’ll eat like a king.

Venice, Louisiana:

One of the most consistent places in the world for catching yellow ns is out of Venice, e “Yellow n Capital of the World.” Tuna are a year-round possibility here in the Northern Gulf, where the Mississippi River produces rich currents and rip lines that roll out to hundreds of oil rigs and undersea mounts known as lumps.

Summertime brings better weather and calmer seas, when getting o shore more quickly and comfortably can reward anglers with mixed bags of mahi, wahoo, snapper and tuna in the 40 to 80-pound range. However, peak season for giant yellow ns is in winter, and triple-digit sh become the norm when the bite is hot. Fish heavier than 200 pounds are a de nite possibility.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico:

On Mexico’s Paci c Coast, where the landmass begins to curve east, Puerto Vallarta is positioned within range of some of the most proli c tuna grounds in the world. Outside of Banderas Bay, a series of islands and deep-sea banks draw in tuna like clockwork at certain times of year. ese are some of

By CAM Sta

yellow ns here, but shing is best from July through October, with a typical peak season of August and September. With runs of 36 to 125 miles to reach the shing grounds, anglers must commit to long days on the water or overnight trips. e rewards can be huge. A low-end average sh weighs 80 pounds out of Puerto Vallarta. Big ones weigh 350 pounds or more.

Outer Banks, North Carolina:

e Outer Banks get a lot of attention for giant blue n tuna that move through in the winter months, but yellow n tuna are around all year. With the Gulf Stream averaging 30 to 45 miles o shore and all the bottom structure on the Continental Shelf, large schools of yellow ns are frequently encountered along with many other pelagic favorites.

Unpredictable weather makes the deep winter months of January and February a crapshoot, which leaves October through December and March through June as prime time for catching yellow ns. ey run a little smaller here, with 25- to 65-pound sh being normal catches, but the action is usually fast once you nd them. Charters ll limits quickly, with doubles and triples coming tight when you troll through a school of them.

For more great destination shing, visit coastalanglermag.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPT. BLAKE RIGBY, TRIPLETAIL CHARTERS

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Muon but a Good Time!

By Astrid DeGruchy

There’s a wide variety of snapper species in the Florida Keys, including mangrove snappers, yellowtails and cuberas. However, the mutton snapper is a distinct and noteworthy member of this group. ey are a ton of fun to catch, delicious to eat, and they become easier to target in summer.

During the summer months, typically from May to September, mutton snappers spawn in large numbers, gathering in groups around reefs and wrecks to reproduce. Since these spawning aggregations are typically found in deeper waters, this makes conditions for ghting them more challenging and more fun. ese sh are renowned for their impressive power, strength and agility, so successfully reeling them up from deeper water requires good angling skills. Muttons make strong runs and sudden dives, so it’s important to have 20- to 30-pound test and a little heavier gear than you’d need for smaller mango or yellowtail snapper.

Landing a big deep-water mutton is a rewarding and exciting experience.

I caught my personal best mutton while shing with Capt. Brandon Storin, aka Capt. Bean. It was a 16.2-pounder on light tackle, and it was such a fun and challenging ght. Muttons will de nitely test your endurance. Even with heavier tackle, they will give you a ght to remember!

In fall and winter, muttons can also be caught in shallow waters, and this is also exceptionally fun. When conditions are right, a good inshore/backcountry guide can put you on a few of these skinny-water brawlers, along with the other species found in the backwaters of the Keys.

Mutton snapper make excellent table fare, but it’s important to remember that you should only keep what you plan to eat out of respect for the shery, especially when they aggregate to spawn. A fully grown mutton snapper could feed ve or six people, so keep that in mind when you’ve got a boat load of people throwing sh in the box.

If you want to experience and immerse yourself in the Mutton shery here in the Florida Keys, I recommend booking an o shore charter with Bud N’ Marys Marina.

Check out Capt. Bean’s inshore charters, visit

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ICAST 2023 HITS ORLANDO JULY 11-14

Planet’s Largest Sportfshing Show is the Can’t Miss Industry Event

ICAST 2023, the planet’s largest sport shing trade show, will invade Orlando July 11-14, lling the giant exhibit halls of the Orange County Convention Center with more than 600 companies showcasing all the latest and greatest in shing from all over the world.

Produced by the American Sport shing Association (ASA), the 66th annual ICAST promises to be bigger and better than ever. It is the epicenter of the sport shing world, where each year the trends in shing tackle, apparel and accessories are launched and countless valuable business connections are made.

“ICAST is the cornerstone of the global sport shing industry,” said ASA President Glenn Hughes. “ICAST is where connections are made that create business opportunities for our industry. It’s also where most new products make their debut into the shing marketplace.”

Each year, this is the one can’t-miss event of the season for everyone in the outdoors industry. From shing guides to retailers, media and exhibitors of shing-related products and services, it’s a one stop shop, where your business might nd its next big money-maker.

Coastal Angler and e Angler will be at ICAST in force. Look for our logo-emblazoned team members perusing the aisles in search of

the next big thing. Stop and ask us about special ICAST free giveaways and deals on advertising.

If you’ve got a message to share, we’ve got the vehicles to spread your story to hundreds of thousands of shing enthusiasts.

At its heart, ICAST is about the New Product Showcase, where the coming year’s hottest new

gear is debuted for the industry. From a eld of hundreds of new tools, tackle, lures, electronics, apparel and more, the following pages contain some of our favorite industry innovators right now.

For more information, go to www.icast shing.org.

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40th Annual N.S.F.A. Kingfish& Fishing Rodeo

By Terry D. Lacoss

Members of the Nassau Sport Fishing Association” have made some game changing, fish catching new rules for the upcoming “40th Annual Fernandina Beach Kingfish & Fishing Rodeo”. New tournament rules will give all tournament boats the same advantages, which eventually should attract more boats and larger cash and tournament prizes.

The popular Fernandina Beach fishing tournament will once again be held from the Oasis, Fernandina Harbor Marina, which is located at the foot of historic Centre St. Tournament dates are set for August 12th and 13th. A mandatory “Captain’s” meeting will be held on Friday, August 11th beginning at 7:00 pm. If your team is not pre-registered, teams can register from 3:00 – 8:00 pm. Page-1

The big rule change for the upcoming tournament limits tournament waters where small boats will be able to compete against the larger fishing boats. All fishing must be done in the designated water including a north boundary of latitude 31°20´N (Altamaha Sound) and a southern boundary of latitude, (Matanzas Inlet). The east boundary will be no further than 3 nautical miles from the beach.

There is no check out. Tournament boats can launch anytime but may not put any lines in the water until 6:30 am. Tournament hours are from 6:30 am until 5:00 pm. Live bait may not be purchased, which is also a new regulation. Fishing teams may catch their own live baits beginning at 5:00 am and during tournament hours with hooks or a cast net.

A photo must be taken of your kingfish as soon as it is caught with the official issued boat number and the beach in the background. Photos must be sent via text to NSFA at (770) 355-1387. All photos become the property of Nassau Sport Fishing Association. Tournament boats must check in at the Fernandina Harbor Marina beginning at 2:00 pm and be in line by 5:00 pm.

Awards will include “Lady Angler”, 16 years and older for the largest kingfish. Lady anglers must be on the boat when the fish is caught. Youth angler prizes will be for young fishermen 15 years old and younger, boy or girl. Youth anglers must also be on the boat when the fish is caught.

There also will be an inshore tournament for the largest redfish, seatrout, flounder, and sheepshead as well as a prize for the redfish with the most spots. Depending on the number of boats that enter this year’s event, the boat that weighs the largest kingfish will take home $10,000.00 in cold cash for 110 paid entries. The more entries the bigger the payout.

“Our event has always been a hometown fishing tournament, but we are looking forward to expanding the participants this year” NSFA President Shawn Arnold said. “We are extremely proud that through donations we were able donate $18,000.00 to local youth scholarships this year”.

Team James Powell weighed in the largest kingfish during last year’s event weighing 51.30 lbs. which was a new tournament record! Without saying the productive waters surrounding Amelia Island have produced winning size king mackerel during the many years of competitive kingfish tournaments.

This event is also sanctioned by the Southern Kingfish Association. The Fernandina Beach Kingfish Tournament is part of SKA Division V which also includes upcoming tournament the “Ancient City Kingfish Challenge”, 7-13-23, The Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament” 7-17-23 and the “Fernandina Beach Kingfish Tournament & Rodeo”, 8-11-23. SKA teams will also have an opportunity to win both cash and prizes in both the SKA tournament and the Fernandina Beach Kingfish Tournament. For more information for the Southern Kingfish Association, go to www.fishska.com.

For information for the Nassau Sport Fishing Association, www.nsfarodeo.com

Saturday, AUGUST 11 - 12, 2023

The Fernandina Beach Fishing Rodeo will continue it’s Division V Southern Kingfish Association tournament tradition while again offering a more family oriented tournament with four species of offshore and four species of backwater game fish targeted for cash awards. www.nsfafish.net/rodeo

NSFA Scholarships

By Nassau Fishing Club

One of the missions of the Nassau Sport Fishing Association is to help support the community in Nassau County, Florida. Helping local high school seniors attend college is one of the ways NSFA provides community support.

The primary fundraiser for these scholarships is the annual Kingfish Tournament and Fishing Rodeo, which is held every August. The club also runs a food booth at the annual Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival in Fernandina Beach the first weekend of May.

Any graduating high school senior residing in Nassau County can apply for an NSFA scholarship. Applications need to include high school GPA and accomplishments, an essay, references, and evidence of financial need.

Many years ago, NSFA started with a scholarship of $1,000 given to one local student. Recognizing the rising cost of college and the burden of student debt, by 2017 the club was providing a total of $6,000 to three students.

This year, a total of $18,000 in scholarships will be awarded, making the NSFA one of the largest sources of scholarships in Nassau County. Three students will receive an NSFA scholarship of $4,000. In addition, three merit scholarships for $2,000 will be awarded, funded by donations from individual members with matching funds from the club.

Friday, AUGUST 11, 2023

3:00 PM Registration Opens

8:00 PM Registration Closes

Saturday, AUGUST 12, 2023

6:30 AM Fishing Opens

2:00 PM Weigh-In Opens

5:00 PM Weigh-In Line Closes

Bad Weather Date: Sunday, August 13, 2023

PRIZE SCHEDULE

KINGFISH DIVISION : 1st Place $10,000

Single Engine Boat, Lady Angler and Youth Angler:

1st Prize $1200; 2nd Prize $400

(Based on 110 paid boats with 80% payout.)

Early Bird Entry is $250 thru July 31st, then $350 thruAugust 10th, then $400 on site. Division 5 North Florida

RODEO DIVISION : 4 Species Paid

1st Place - $1300; 2nd Place - $700 Flounder, Sea Trout, Sheepshead, Redfish

(Based on 100 paid boats with 80% payout.)

The 2023 scholarship winners and their families have been invited to the club’s June monthly outdoor social when the checks will be presented.

The NSFA, founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization created to develop and promote saltwater fishing in Nassau County while adhering to state, federal and local regulations; to encourage compliance with rules of water safety by club members and the general public; and to promote youth-related community activities. For more information about NSFA membership, meetings or activities, visit www.nsfafish.net..

For information for the Nassau Sport Fishing Association, www.nsfarodeo.com

Early Bird Entry is $100 thru July 31st, then $150 thru August 10th, then $175 on site.

Shawn Arnold (NSFA President) and Brad Reese (NSFA Scholarship Chairman) with some of the 2022 winners.

Kingsland, GA

Fishing Report & Forecast Mayport

By Capt. Kirk Waltz

The weather at the conclusion of the final few weeks of May made for a near perfect scenario of what would think was a Fall front. The bait stacked up on the areas beaches bringing all the big predators in hunt for all this wealth of fresh food. Both north and south of the St. John’s River jetties big pods of menhaden were available and boom we get this highly unusual weather condition. Temperatures dropped into fall type weather and buddy it blew hard for two separate weeks in two fronts. This situation brought a lot of cool dirty water in and pushed the striking fish out off the beach. I believe it made for some interesting fishing in June but, I believe it will help our fishery for July.

The big rocks will continue to hold decent numbers of oversized reds, jacks, and sharks. Tarpon will really start to show in good numbers this month too. Run outside of the rocks net a few baits and bring them back to the rocks for some hot action. Depending on the size of the baits a jig from 1/4oz to ½ oz will prove to suffice but bigger baits need more weight to get them down. When that is the case I will use a 1oz knocker rig. My knocker rigs consist of a 30-40lb 18in piece of fluorocarbon attached to the PowerPro braid, typically 30lb, with a uniknot then slide a ½ to 1oz egg sinker on tying a stout 3x to 4x No#1 short shank live bait hook to the end . This extra weight gets those baits down deep and allows for the sinker to slide up off the hook some. A great rig for pitching around the rocks. Work the high outgoing tide for the best results.

The bait pods on the beach can also be a great way to start a day of fishing. Look for tarpon, huge jacks, sharks, and bull reds to hang around these pods early and late in the day. I have caught many during the peak heat of the day so stay alert for schools being busted. Just a few years ago while chasing bait pods on Amelia Island with fellow anglers Roger Walker and Clay Philips we netted bait almost side by side to slow troll the party grounds for striking fish. I made the jump offshore

and was 4 miles off the beach when they called me on the radio and said perhaps I needed to turn around. Nothing else was said to me but knowing these guys as expert anglers I flipped around quickly to enjoy non-stop kingfish action in 15-20ft of water literally right on the sand as kings fed on the pogies in shallow water. All we did is drift and these 20lb fish went crazy feeding on the baits as we just eased them off the sides of the boat.

The kings, jacks, little tunny, and even tarpon will feed along the areas beaches this month so grab some baits and slow troll the SE Hole, Redtops, And Nassau sound for some near shore fun. A Shimano Torium 30 HG with a 7ft Talavera BW spooled with 25lb Berkley Premium Spec high Vis green is my go to rig coupled with a short length of 7strand braided wire and two 3x no#6 treble hooks in bronze or silver for best results. I like to troll from 35ft to 50ft of water in a zig zag east to west pattern.

The offshore party grounds were really great in June and I think that pattern will continue into July. Grab some bait off the beach or jig sardines, cigar minnows or scad from the local wrecks and reefs. A number 6 Sabiki is my favored rig. Kings, jacks, cobia, cudas, sailfish, tunny and sharks should be plentiful. Slow troll and when the troll slows down drop a few to the bottom for snapper, grouper, seabass, grunts, and triggers for some fast action.

* Please forgive us for the June Capt Kirk report. it was mishandled and was not the correct report. We are very fortunate to have a talented writer and fisherman like Capt Kirk in our publication. Our accept sincere apologies

For more fishing tips listen to the Outdoorshow radio program on 1010am or 92.5fm every Saturday from 7am to 10am. He can be reached at 904.241.7560 or 904.626.1128 or go to www. enterprisefishingcharters.com

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Fishing Report & Forecast Nassau Sound

By Capt. Tony Bozzella

Definitelyhot weather fishing, again you will hear me talk about early and late to beat the heat, unless you are fishing offshore. As a rule of thumb, when the mid to late morning sea breezes start to blow, it’s time to run the beach and fish bait pods, or if pulling on a strong fish you cast a bait behind the shrimp boats and hook sharks and occasional tarpon. Not good for table fare. In the mornings if the tide is low, pole the boat quiet looking for backing fish. The standard methods will work. TBS jig & shrimp combo in 1/161/4 oz best. Always use the lightest and least terminal tackle on your line. Less is better! If the tide is high or rising, and you are outside the window of redfish, I like to throw lures for trout and many other species. There are more fish in general in the hot months. Mangrove snapper is a great seasonal fish, that are easy to catch and delicious to eat. Again, a lightest, TBS, Jig, and a piece of shrimp and

you will know within minutes if they are in the spot. I’d like to fish around structure for them as they live in areas with rocks structure or any other things matching. You can keep 5 per harvester, / 10 inch min.  Flounder should be doing better as the season moves fwd. Jig and live mudminnow or finger mullet worked in areas with structure is best. Moving water preferably. Drag your bait on bottom, staying in tune & waiting for the “thump”. Give it afew seconds & set the hook. Have a net ready as flounder come off the hook easily.  Trout will be in the mix, However, the better bite has been coming deeper  on float & jig & bait combos. Last July, I had Angler Will Felner with an over 30 inch 8lb trout!! We caught him early morning, low light, incoming cool water. However, anglers that fish the evenings around sundown into the night at dock lights will do best. A live or DOA shrimp, can be a good bait. Through just to the edge of the shadow, stay in tune with the bait so you feel all what’s happening & know when the bite happens. Often to much slack can get in the anglers line and when the bite comes, and he’s unaware ? If lures are your bait of choice, hit points getting divided by incoming tide that hold bait can be a great spot. I like to throw up current far, and work the lure back with the tide as fish face into the current waiting for a tasty morsel!! July can produce a variety of fish this way. Sometimes a spot might be holding jacks, ladyfish, Bluefish, Redfish, snook and many other species that come along with the warm water fishing. Ok, get out & enjoy fishing, still a couple months to hunting season!!

Fishing Report & Forecast St. Augustine Inshore

By Capt. Tommy Derringer

It’sbeach time baby! Right now, along our beaches, just outside the surf, there are pogies (menhaden) getting chased, thrashed, and eaten by one of many predatory fish that roam our waters this time of year. Tarpon, kingfish, huge jacks and sharks are just some of the monster sea creatures waiting for you to hook into for the fight of your life! A great all-around rig to catch just about all those fish is to put a live pogy on a circle hook and cast just around the edges of the pods. Getting an early start will also increase your chances of hooking up along the beach as the feeding frenzy tends to taper off as it heats up and the sun gets higher in the sky.

By now tarpon should be thick along the beach gorging themselves on the pogys, but another fun way to catch the silver king in our region is to hunt them behind the shrimp boats. Summertime brings the shrimp boats within a mile or so of the beach. Look for the boats that have birds hanging around, as those are the ones getting ready to or just recently dumped their by-catch overboard. Approach the shrimp boats from behind and be very aware

of any rigging they may have in the water. It’s as simple as going slow and looking at what’s feeding on the by-catch. Net a few of the floating fish and use them for bait. When you see a tarpon gulping down bycatch just toss your bait in the chum line and hold on. If you don’t see any tarpon you’re sure to see a ton of big sharks and they will definitely put a bend in the rod.

Inshore, the best bite will be early from first light to about 9am when things start to heat up. When it gets hot the fish will slow down and not be nearly as aggressive. At first light a top-water really can’t be beat this time of year as redfish and trout will be willing to give serious chase and devour a Berkley J-Walker plug. Once the sun gets up a bit, you’ll want to change to something sub-surface like the Saltwater Assassin paddle tail. I like to rig them on a 1/8 oz. or ¼ oz. jighead to help keep the bait down where the fish will be. The deeper creek holes will be a good bet once the heat of the day sets in. A live mud minnow or shrimp pegged to a jighead will also work well when fishing deeper.

With the murky “Summer” water settling in it’s a great time to use some baits with either scent, flash, or noise makers in them. One of the offerings from Fishbites under a popping cork is a no-brainer for this time of year as it cover the scent and the noise. A gold spoon or spinner bait is also a good choice when searching for redfish on a higher tide in murky water. They give off plenty of flash and the thump from the spoon or spinner blade can call a fish in in the murkiest of waters.

Capt.

WHY GRADY?

SNOOK SWIMBAIT SMACKDOWN

Inearly summer, Miami angler Chris Hueston heads to the Everglades in search of huge Snook. Hueston puts a lot of faith in the LIVETARGET Scaled Sardine Swimbait.

“I take that lure with me anywhere I go,” Hueston proudly states. “If I don’t have at least half a dozen, I’ll find some more before I go out.

From Louisiana to Texas, to Jacksonville, to my home waters in South Florida, that lure dominates.

“If I had one lure to take with me anywhere in Florida, it would be the 3-1/2-inch, 1-ounce LIVETARGET Scaled Sardine swimbait. It’s the perfect size unless the baitfish are really large, then I’ll use the 4-inch, 1-ounce size.”

Hueston said he finds warm-season snook along deep mangrove edges, points, passes, and Gulf of Mexico beaches — the key ingredient — water flow.

“There’s gotta be current,” Hueston stated. “I like outside points or passes, flow-throughs, jetties, and oyster bars.”

This requirement is simple — feeding opportunities. Snook are sight feeders, so the more baitfish, shrimp, and crabs move through the target zone, the more active these predators become.

“I like the first hour of the falling tide until the last hour of the outgoing cycle and then the same (in reverse) with the incoming tide,” Hueston said.

“You have about a 4-hour window on the outgoing and another 4-hour window on the incoming, so in a full day, you’ll have 8 hours of (optimum water movement).”

“This is an easy bait to fish, even in windy conditions,” Hueston said. “Youcast it out, slowly retrieve it and let that oscillator tail do all the work for you.

“From a novice to a pro, you take someone out and give them this bait, and they find it’s easy to catch fish, so they gain a lot of confidence.”

Often, Hueston will throw his swimbait near a mangrove shoreline and watch snook run out and flash on it. When this aggressive display fails to connect, he’ll throw his bait up to the mangrove edge, dead stick it and let it fall. On the descent, he said, that active tail motion typically triggers the fish to eat what they mistake for wounded prey.

For optimal bite response, Hueston offers this advice: “When you get hit, wait for a second, then slow roll the hook set, instead of immediately jerking the bait. Feel the bite, let him get it, then set the hook.

Fishing Report & Forecast Fernandina / Amelia Island

By Terry D. Lacoss

Saltwater fishermen will be targeting fast swimming, sky rocketing king mackerel during the entire month of July along with competing in the popular “43rd Annual Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament”. First place is valued at $160,000.00 which includes a 25-foot Contender fishing boat powered with twin Yamaha 150 outboards and an Ameri Trail boat trailer.

Tournament winning kingfish will be targeted along the beaches of Amelia Island and at both fishy inlets, included the St. Mary’s and Nassau inlets. Look for the best action to come during the last of the in-coming and the first of the out-going tides when water clarity is best. Here, seasoned king mackerel fishermen will be targeting the mouths of both inlets while slow trolling with large baits including mullet, cutlass fish, blue runners and more.

During the hard running tides, some of the best king mackerel fishing will come while slow trolling both live and dead baits at the clean sides of the tide lines, located just off from these popular fishing inlets.

However, some of the best kingfish action can come while anchoring up your saltwater fishing boat just off from the deep edges of both inlets and chumming with both ground and pieces of freshly netted menhaden.

Also keep in mind that rarely schools of menhaden may not be located due to recent changes in the weather. Here it is important to have a backup plan!

“I will always bring along a few light tackle spinning outfits when catching beach whiting, yellowmouth trout, bluefish and croakers with small pieces of fresh shrimp and squid,” Benny Hendrix said. “Without saying, some of the largest kingfish that we have caught aboard my sport fishing boat “Heavy Hitter” have been caught when there has been a lack of schooling bait fish. I believe summer kings do not have the opportunity to capture an easy meal and are more apt to eat a single live bait fished right on the surface and just off the beaches of the southern portion of Amelia Island”.

The month of July will also find excellent fishing for

cobia, redfish, shark, black drum, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and a variety of sharks.

Both the north and south St. Mary’s jetties will be teeming with game fish including flounder, sheepshead, black drum, sheepshead, and keeper size redfish. A popular fishing tactic includes drifting a live shrimp under a “Popping” cork close to low areas of the jetty rocks where there is a “Runout”. Runouts provide a constant flow of forage foods for all the above-mentioned game fish.

Other popular live baits include finger mullet, pinfish, mud minnows, and small menhaden. Barbing any one of these live baits right through the bottom of the mouth and out through the top of the head with a ¼ ounce led head jig and retrieving slowly along the bottom is also a deadly jetty fishing technique as well.

While drifting live baits under a popping cork, or working with led head jig, medium light spinning gear is your best choice. Filling your spinning reel with fifteen-pound braided fishing line is key, which provides for a non-stretch, excellent hookset. Strong braided fishing line will also help fishermen keep their hooked fish from powering swimming into a nearby snag as well.

I prefer to attach my led head directly to the braided fishing line using a uni-knot, especially when fishing under and close to barnacle clad boat pilings. When fishing in open waters, attach a two-to three-foot length of fifteen-pound fluorocarbon shock leader to the business end of your shock leader using back-to-back, uni-knots.

Offshore fishing will hold excellent fishing action for schooling king mackerel, cobia, and bonito. Bottom fishing will also be excellent for black sea bass, snapper, grouper, flounder, and sheepshead. Some of the best action will come from FA, FB, and FC fish havens, which are within fifteen miles from shore.

Be sure and bring along several Sabki multiple feathered bait catcher hooks for deep jigging live cigar minnows for bottom fishing live baits.

Some of the best beach fishing will come at the southern portion of Amelia Island while fishing with live sand fleas, or super fresh local shrimp. Pompano and whiting headline the action during the month of July.

Sea trout weighing to eight pounds will be running in the backwaters of Amelia Island along with redfish and flounder. Fishing with live shrimp under a popping cork during the last few hours of the incoming and first few hours of the falling tides are best.

For more information and charters, call Amelia Angler Outfitters (904) 261-2870, or visit www.ameliaangler.com

A SALES AND SERVICE DEALERSHIP

Nassau Sport Fishing Association -Kingfish time!

TheNassau Sport Fishing Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to develop and promote saltwater fishing in the Nassau County area while adhering to state, federal and local regulations, to encourage compliance with rules of water safety by club members and the general public, and to promote youth related community activities.

Once again, it is Kingfish tournament time in NE Florida. NSFA is proud to be hosting the SKA Division 5 Fernandina Beach Kingfish Tournament and Fishing Rodeo. There are some changes to the format this year. NSFA will be establishing an Eastern Boundary 3 miles from the coast. With this boundary established, the kingfish tournament will be a single division as single engine and multiple engine craft have equal opportunity to catch the winning fish. Another change will be to eliminate the purchase of live bait. All live bait intended for kingfish must be caught by the anglers on the day of the tournament. The final major change to the tournament will be in the Rodeo division. Since the eastern boundary has been established, the rodeo division will eliminate the offshore species and focus on Redfish, Flounder, Trout, and Sheepshead. This will also increase the prize amounts for these targeted species. Please see our website for early bird registration and review the rules for more details. Find us at NSFAFISH.NET/RODEO.

Until the tournament, fishing around Nassau county is on the upswing. Offshore: Not much has been happening in the near shore waters. We do have pogies around and cigar minnows/bait has shown

up around the wrecks and ledges. Why the kings are not here is anyone’s guess. Cobia should be around too. Kings are being caught off the Jax Beach pier so they should be following those pogie pods. Backwater: Some positive reports on flounder taking mud minnows off Ft. Clinch and Egan’s creek. That is a good sign. It is still big trout time and if you can catch the first of the morning top water action, that is a good way to land big/keeper trout. The reds just keep moving with some nice catches at the jetties and around most docks and feeder creeks. Surf/South End: The water has been milky which is affecting the bite, except for catfish. However, with very little rain and high tides gone, the water should be clearing up. When it does, look for pomps at American Beach and along many spots on our beaches. The guys are getting some nice flounder on finger mullet too on the South end.

NSFA meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month at Kraft Athletic Club on Amelia Island. Join us 26-July for our monthly social gathering. If interested in joining, please visit our website at NSFAFISH. NET or stop by one of our meetings.

As always, Stay Safe, healthy, and we will see you on the water!

Authorized Key West Dealer

Authorized Release Dealer

Fishing Report & Forecast St. Augustine Offshore

By Capt. Robert Johnson

Summertime

It’s that time of year. Time to put away the trolling gear and break out the bottom tackle. The only question is what do you want to target? We are blessed in NE FL to have great fishing for a variety of bottom fish. Let’s start with the snapper family. The most common species other than the forbidden and plentiful Red Snapper is Vermillion. Locally called bee liners, red eyes or verms, they can be caught anywhere from 80 feet on out to the shelf edge. Many are caught on the traditional double rigs using cut squid as bait. If you would like to target the larger vermillion, try using lighter tackle and a single rig and fish your bait off the bottom up in the column. If Grey Snapper (locally called mangos) are your target longer lighter leaders will do the trick. Cut grunt or a live Spanish sardine will get plenty of bites. Use just enough weight to get to the bottom. The key to being successful at bottom fishing is proper anchoring. Make sure you are up tide in front of where you want to fish. Mutton Snapper are becoming more common in our waters and some are very nice sized ones especially in 140 to 170 ft depth. 10 to 15 lbs Muttons are common in the deeper depth. And we do catch a few large YellowTail Snapper. They seem to be mixed in with the Bliners in 150 to 180 ft depth.

Always keep a drift line and live bait ready for the occasional Cobia that will swim up to the boat to check you out. Being prepared is key. If you don’t have a live bait option a jig will do the trick as well. If its grouper or Amberjack you’re after, then heavier tackle and larger bait is the way to go. I use 100# leader around 10 feet long, a Penn 114h reel on a stiff rod. Even though it’s a little on the warm side the fishing can be hot as well.

The Fisheries council met recently about amendment 35. We are lucky to have a 2 day snapper season this year because the future for having a recreational season going forward looks bleak. Us fishermen know there are plenty of snapper and I believe we have more Red Snapper offshore in our local waters than has been in 40 years. Unfortunately common since is not a factor in the decisions being made about our fishery. I wish I had better news, so go out and enjoy our 2 day season while we still can.

“Let’s Go Fishing” Captain Robert Johnson (904)540-2628

Jodielynncharters.com

Jlfishing@bellsouth.net

Smith’s Insulated Fish and Bait Bags

Whether chasing cobia or wahoo, all anglers share two common needs: live bait must be frisky, and fish harvested for the table must be kept cold. Smith’s Consumer Products – the Edge Experts since 1886 – addresses both of these needs with a full lineup of heavy-duty, insulated fish and bait bags..

Each of Smith’s insulated bait and fish bags is built for long-term performance in both fresh- and saltwater. Every bag is constructed from heavy-duty, washable, marine-grade tarpaulin both inside and out, enclosing a half-inch of dense, closed-cell insulation that keeps the cold in – and the heat out. Non-corrosive zippers and pulls promote durability and long life, while integrated drain ports keep your catch fresh and ready for action at the cleaning table. Adjustable shoulder straps or multiple sets of handles make it easy to carry bags loaded with bait or fresh fish. Select one of four different insulated bait and fish bags based on your needs – and the size of your catch.

The Smith’s Insulated 36-inch Bait and Fish Bag has a capacity of 50 quarts. This insulated bag also includes a universal aerator mounting loop and a leak-resistant hose port. Measuring 36 inches x 18 inches with a 10-inch gusseted, sit-flat bottom. MSRP $199.99

The Smith’s Insulated 48-inch Bait and Fish Bag has a 130-quart capacity insulated bag and features two sets of center padded handles with two large end handles for up to a four-person carry when fully loaded – perfect for hauling heavy catches. integrated drain port. Measuring 48 inches x 26 inches with a 10-inch, gusseted, sit-flat bottom and includes a portable drain port. MSRP $299.99.

Offshore anglers shouldn’t leave the dock without Smith’s Insulated 60-inch Bait and Fish Bag. This masterpiece of bait- and fish-hauling engineering has a gargantuan 205-quart capacity, making it perfect for

moving snapper, grouper, wahoo, and even smaller tuna to the cleaning station. Four heavy-duty grab handles – including two center padded handles and two large end handles – allow for a four-person carry when the bag is fully loaded with ice and the catch of the day. This magnum fish bag measures 60 inches x 30 inches and has a 12-inch, gusseted, sitflat bottom to keep it standing upright in the boat or truck – and next to the cleaning table. MSRP of $349.99.

TIDE CHART - July

GET UNDER THE SARGASSUM TO THE FISH

Tim Barefoot

We are seeing a heavy line of sargassum right now. Here’s how to make the best of it.

Along with grass comes sh. We’re having a great dolphin year, with some nice yellow ns and wahoo in the mix. e grass is a wonderful thing if you know how to take advantage of it.

It’s a well-known fact that the surface trolling bite slows as the sun rises to the 10 to 11 a.m. position. is is the reason to get baits down where the sh are, rather than continuing to troll surface baits while the one “meat stick”—the deep planer rod—gets all the bites. Tuna and wahoo don’t wear Maui Jims. When the sun penetrates deeper into the water, they simply go lower in the water column.

And… who says you have to be moving at 6-8 knots to get bites? Why not slow down and put several lines down where the sh are? It can result in steady, sometimes multiple hook ups. ere are several ways to accomplish this. You can use downriggers with release clips, use heavier trolling lures that fall when you occasionally take the boat out of gear, or use planer lures coupled with a slower speed to get baits down.

For example, a beautiful swimming (frozen) squid or ballyhoo on the downrigger is a ringer for the wahoo and tuna bite. An arti cial squid with an attached natural bait on a planer jig head or a deepdiving plug will also get bites. In addition these choices, a spread of slow-trolled live baits down deep is the ultimate o ering. We have several videos detailing the options listed above on our website.

With all the sargassum grass this year, this may be an especially attractive alternative to the standard 7 knots. When you’re constantly “shaggin’ grass,” you’re not as e ective, and it’s not good for moral when

deck hands ght more grass than sh. If you slow troll down a nice weed line with beautiful baits down deep in the strike zone, chances of getting bites are much better than shaggin’ grass at normal speed. Find structure and bait near a weed line and you’ll have the scenario for success. With or without structure or marking bait, the weed line is home to all types of life. We’ve cleaned yellow n tuna with a double handful of le sh in their stomachs the size of a quarter and smaller, along with small bit of grass.

If the weeds are not too scattered, troll as normal to nd the sh. When the sun gets up, slow down and concentrate on the areas you had bites earlier. Remember that the weeds are moving, along with everything that lives and feeds around the mats. Keep an eye out for other items oating in the grass mats to help keep up with your relative location.

For more from Tim Barefoot, go to barefootcatsandtackle.com.

CATCHING PEANUTS In ye Wxds

By Emily Hanzlik

As I write this, the largest mass of sargassum ever recorded is making its way to the Florida coast. For months, forecasters have been bemoaning the mess this 5,000-mile-long weed patch will make on our beaches, but I’m looking forward to what it brings.

Prey species live in the seaweed, and predators congregate around these weed lines. ere are going to be many di erent species of sh moving in closer than we usually get. Many anglers will enjoy chasing the larger predators; however, it’s fun to catch what we call peanuts, which are the small er dolphin sh that school up around the weeds.

e most distinguishing feature of dolphin sh is the bright neon green, yellow and blue coloration throughout their entire body. Dolphin have a long slender body, and the peanuts are typically 2 to 3 feet, with weights from 5 to 15 pounds. Dolphin get much larger than this, but the big ones don’t exhibit the same schooling behavior.

An amazing feature about dolphin sh is their dorsal n, which starts at the skull and continues all the way to the tail. To determine gender, male dolphin will have a more pronounced forehead, which almost becomes vertical with a 90-degree angle. Unlike most species of sh, the males tend to be larger than the females and are known as “bulls.”

Dolphin inhabit subtropical and tropical waters throughout the entire world. ey live o shore in the 70- to 300-foot depths. eir spawning season runs from April until August, as long as the water is warm enough. Dolphin broadcast spawn in current to ensure a higher rate of fertilization. Once the young hatch, they take shelter in sargassum patches or oating debris, which also provides a source of food since other juvenile sh will be hiding there also.

Fish in the big schools hanging around sargassum patches will usually be on the smaller side. So, you’ll want to use smaller baits like pilchards or thread ns and free swim them around the weeds. You might see a school of dolphin swarming your bait and ghting over it. eir bright colors and darting movements make them easy to spot.

Another option is to use small bucktail jigs or even 3-inch swimbaits. You can grab their attention by working lures like injured bait sh, and this is a great way to lure them out from under the debris.

While shing these patches, a great way to target larger sh is to sink a larger bait below the school. Larger dolphin and wahoo o en feed on peanut dolphin. It is illegal to use peanut dolphin as bait, but you could use ballyhoo, blue runner or even large thread ns.

e IGFA all-tackle world record dolphin weighed 87 pounds. It was caught by Manuel Salazar in the Papagayo Gulf in 1976.

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.

Re-Discover Old Florida Waterfront Charm

RED GROUPER TO CLOSE IN GULF FEDERAL WATERS

NOAA Fisheries has announced that a closure to recreational harvest of red grouper in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico will begin on July 21 and continue through the rest of 2023.

The

Perfect Vacation Getaway for Fishing, Boating & Outdoor Enthusiasts

e closure was spurred by landings information, which indicates the 2023 recreational annual catch target of 1,840,000 pounds gutted weight is projected to be met on July 20.

During the recreational closure, the bag and possession limit are zero for red grouper in or from federal waters of the Gulf. e prohibition on possession of Gulf red grouper also applies in Gulf state waters for a vessel issued a valid federal charter vessel/ headboat permit for Gulf reef sh.

If red grouper recreational landings exceed the annual catch limit (ACL) in a given year, the length of that following year’s recreational shing season will be reduced to ensure the recreational ACT is not exceeded in that following year.

For more information, visit www. sheries.noaa.gov.

Nestled on six lush tropical acres of pristine waterfront directly on the Indian River Lagoon, take a step back in time to experience the very best of Old Florida charm with modern conveniences and services to make your stay truly memorable and unforgettable.

• FULLY FURNISHED 3 ROOM COTTAGES WITH FULLY EQUIPPED KITCHENS

Kingfsh Lodge includes a wide screenTV and bar for small gatherings

Sailfsh House features a wide covered wrap-around porch for larger groups

• Boat Trailer Parking on site w/ Water and Power

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• Laundry, BBQ Grilles and FREE use of our Kayaks

3011 N. Indian River Dr., Ft. Pierce, FL 34946 www.indianriverlagoonwaterfrontcottages.com Reservations and Information: (772) 349-2206

PAVER SIDEWALKS THROUGHOUT!

CHIPOLA STOCKED WITH NATIVE SHOAL BASS

In 2018, when Hurricane Michael bowled over the Florida Panhandle, it decimated the shoal bass population in the Chipola River. e Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission estimates the population was depleted by 90 percent.

FWC is raising and stocking shoal bass to replenish stocks of this rare and native black bass. In May, 7,800 hatchery-raised shoal bass ngerlings were released into the river. is is the second consecutive year shoal bass were raised at the Blackwater Fisheries Research and Development Center near Holt, Fla. and then released into the Chipola River to enhance the wild population.

Shoal bass are one of four of Florida’s native black bass species, and this e ort marks the second time genetically pure shoal bass have been successfully raised at an FWC sh hatchery. Shoal bass are also a Florida Species of Greatest Conservation Need, which refers to native animals whose populations are of concern and are at risk or declining. e goal of raising and releasing these sh is to enhance the wild population to help maintain genetic purity and aid in the long-term conservation of this unique species of Florida black bass.

e Chipola River originates just north of Marianna, owing south for 95 miles through Jackson, Calhoun and Gulf counties where it joins the Apalachicola River. Currently, a catch-and-release-only regulation is in e ect for shoal bass on the Chipola River and its tributaries. Any shoal bass that are caught must be released alive immediately and possession is prohibited.

For more information, visit MyFWC/Freshwater.

25K LIONFISH REMOVED

During the 2023 Emerald Coast Open, 144 competing divers removed 24,699 invasive lion sh from the Gulf of Mexico. With support from Yamaha Rightwaters as well as many local, national and international conservation-minded organizations, the annual event set records for largest lion sh ( ve times) as well as the number of lion sh caught in both the pre-tournament and main tournament.

e mitigation of aquatic invasive species is one of the four pillars of the Yamaha Rightwaters mission,” said Martin Peters, Director, External A airs, Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit. “ e Emerald Coast Open helps foster healthy marine environments in the Gulf while educating the public about the damage a large lion sh population can cause. Yamaha Rightwaters will continue to support this tournament and applauds the e ort to help the Gulf of Mexico thrive as a strong shery.” sh prey on more than 167 di erent native sh species and can reduce some reef sh populations by up to 90 percent. ey are capable of eating sh two-thirds their size, and one lion sh can consume roughly 20 sh in a half hour.

“Since its inception in 2019, the Emerald Coast Open helped remove more than 72,000 total lion sh from Gulf waters,” said Alex Fogg, Coastal Resource Manager, Destin – Fort Walton Beach and Emerald Coast Open Organizer. “ e tournament not only yields immediate results and improvement within our sheries, it also demonstrates that catching lion sh is fun – and they are tasty! We’re glad to have the support of Yamaha Rightwaters and look forward to developing our relationship as we begin to plan for the 2024 tournament.”

To learn more about the Emerald Coast Open, visit emeraldcoastopen.com.

MAKE THE MOST OF

ATLANTIC SNAPPER DATES

By CAM Sta

On the Gulf side, Florida anglers are looking at a pretty solid red snapper season this year, with summer dates from June 16 through July 31 and additional fall dates to pursue one of the South’s favorite game sh.

It’s a di erent story over on the East Coast. With the way the federal government has regulated snapper shing in the Atlantic over the years, anglers have come to count themselves lucky if there’s any Atlantic snapper season at all. is year’s allowance of two days—July 14-15— for recreational snapper harvest in the South Atlantic has anglers looking for ways to make the most of it.

From all reports, there are scads of red snapper out there. Catching the per-person limit of one sh should not be a problem. e key to a productive day that’s worth the gas is planning. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of the red snapper rally.

Load the Boat: With a limit of one sh per person, it’s time to load the boat with as many people as it will comfortably and safely hold so that you can ll the sh box with as many snapper as you are allowed. is is your two-day opportunity to ll the freezer with delicious sh. So, the more people you bring, the more sh you get to bring home. is is a great time to take kids. Kids love to sh, and they also take up less room in the boat.

Go With a Plan and a Backup Plan: For two days, it’ll seem like everyone with a boat is parked over every wreck and reef in the Atlantic. Get to the ramp early, and plan to be patient, because there will be a bunch of anglers with the same idea. Know where you hope to start the morning, but have several back-ups in case your honey hole doesn’t pan out. When you get there, if your graph doesn’t light up with life, don’t waste your time. Keep moving until you nd bait and sh.

Fish Big: With a one- sh limit, and no size limit, it pays to target the biggest sh down there. Fish live baits that are big enough to get past the smaller snapper down to 20-pounders. It wouldn’t hurt anyone’s feelings if a big grouper took the bait, either. is also limits the number of small sh you’ll give a case of barotrauma, which is a good thing.

Remember, use of a dehooking tool is required. ere is also a requirement for the use of non-stainless steel hooks. In waters North of 28-degrees N. latitude, the use of non-o set, non-stainless steel circle hooks is required when shing for snapper grouper species. A descending device is also required on board all vessels and must be readily available for use (attached to at least 16 ounces of weight and at least 60 feet of line).

For more tips, go to coastalanglermag.com.

CONNECT LINE TO LINE WITH THE DOUBLE UNI KNOT

With excellent strength for line-to-line connections, the double uni is a go-to knot for connecting main lines to leaders. It is a quick and easy knot to tie, unlike some of the other line-to-line knots, so it’s a great option for on-thewater applications. Furthermore, it is very good for connecting di erent line types and diameters securely, which makes it the best knot for mono-to-mono or mono-to- uoro connections.

It’s also a good option to secure braid to uoro, and while it might not have the strength of the FG knot for this application, the double uni is much easier to tie and will save you some headache in real-world situations.

A disadvantage to the double uni knot is it’s a little bulky. Although it is an inline knot that keeps everything running in the right direction, the bump it creates at the connection and the two tag ends pointing in either direction can interfere with casting performance. e knot can cause some friction going through the guides. e double uni, however, is perfect for rigs where your leader will remain outside your rod tip. It’s also the right choice when casting distance and accuracy are not primary concerns. In most real-world scenarios, it will not inhibit casting ability enough that you’ll even notice.

For more tips, tricks and knots, visit usangler.com.

FISHING CLUB WINS MUD HOLE CUSTOM ROD CLASS

By completing conservation projects, the Chambers High School shing team recently earned a private, in-person custom rod building class with Mud Hole Custom Tackle. ey were the winning team in FWC’s School Fishing Club Conservation Project Competition and completed six projects including cleaning up and building mono lament recycling bins for their local waterbodies to win the grand prize.

All student anglers participating in the FWC’s 2022-23 School Fishing Club Program were required to complete at least one conservation project to qualify for funding associated with the program. Prizes were o ered by Mud Hole, Toad sh and Pure Fishing to encourage teams to complete multiple conservation initiatives. e competition awarded points per club participation in a variety of conservation-minded activities aimed at reducing the impacts of plastic pollution.

“Congratulations to these young anglers for their dedication to conservation,” said Tom Graef, FWC’s Freshwater Fisheries director. “ ey are making a di erence by leading the way for the next generation of anglers with these creative conservation projects.”

Punta Gorda Middle School won the second-place prize, and A. Crawford Mosley High School won the third-place prize.

“Supporting youth education is so important to our mission at Mud Hole Custom Tackle,” said Anthony Youmans, Mud Hole’s Education Program Director. “We’re honored to contribute the grand prize in this year’s competition and are always supportive of FWC’s e orts to lead conservation projects here in Florida, our home state.”

Mud Hole Custom Tackle, based in Oviedo, is the world’s largest supplier of rod building and tackle cra ing goods and instruction. From rod building

and repairing, to y tying and lure building, Mud Hole is the leading e-retailer and mail order supplier to hobbyists, small manufacturers and large OEMs, worldwide. O ering a superior shopping experience at mudhole.com, rapid ful llment, stellar customer service, and world class online content and instruction, Mud Hole Custom Tackle is the trusted source for the rod building and tackle cra ing community.

FWC’s School Fishing Club Program welcomed 38 new and 14 returning student angling clubs in Florida to the program last year, supported by the Division of Marine Fisheries Management, the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management, and the Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network. e clubs committed to complete the provided FWC curriculum and at least one conservation project. Club mentors provided support and hands-on training in knot tying and shing gear assembly, as well as assistance with the clubs’ local events to increase student anglers’ con dence in the sport of shing. Information about the 2023-24 School Fishing Club Program will be announced later this summer.

For more information, visit MyFWC.com/SFC.

CCA FLORIDA STAR:

THERE’S STILL TIME TO REGISTER AND WIN!

The 2023 CCA Florida STAR competition presented by Yamaha kicked o Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. Four STAR tagged red sh have already been recaptured, but what you won’t believe is that none of the anglers were CCA members and registered in the competition. ose four anglers missed out on their chance at some awesome boats and packages, and that means all the boats and packages are still available.

Registration for the summer-long competition is open until Sept. 4 and invites CCA members, non-members, anglers and non-anglers to take a shot at winning their share of prizes valued at more than $500,000 including boats, motors, electronics, tackle, scholarships and more. is event is about the shery winning, too. Participants become citizen biologists and citizen garbologists by submitting photos of their catch or garbage collected during the competition in the STAR app. In order to win, participants must take their entry photo on the 2023 CCA Florida STAR o cial measuring device, which can be picked up for free in any West Marine store or one of the many other STAR distribution locations throughout Florida. Find them listed on the STAR website.

“Every year we have lots of tagged red sh recaptured by unregistered anglers who are not members. We hope that this year, with more prizes, we will see more winners,” said CCA Florida STAR Director, Leiza Fitzgerald. “ e youth participation has been heartwarming, and to date STAR has awarded $800,000 in youth scholarships, plus in 2021 two youth anglers won a boat motor and trailer package that consisted of a 16-foot ski , 25hp Yamaha, Minn Kota Trolling motor and trailer. Every year there are over 100 winners In the STAR competition. Get registered and you could be one of them.”

e CCA Florida STAR competition presented by Yamaha has a division for everyone, from the non-angler to the experienced angler. It is comprised of 15 divisions targeting 12 inshore and o shore species, plus the Kick Plastic Trash Division presented by Papa’s Pilar which encourages cleanup of trash from Florida’s coastal waters. STAR’s signature Tagged Red sh Division o ers seven winners, ve adults and two youth, the choice of a Contender Boats 22 Sport, Path nder Boats 2200 TRS and a Carolina Ski 162 JLS. STAR has additional new Tagged Red sh sponsors with Dek Kat Boats o ering a 27 Flatz Kat and Sea Doo and Can-am o ering a fun package of a Trophy Fishing Sea Doo and the Can-am Defender. Each boat will be powered by a Yamaha, the competitions presenting sponsor. Be the rst winning tagged red sh angler for your choice of all these packages as your prize.

Once again in 2023, we have the ALTA SUPER STAR tagged red sh swimming in Florida waters. If it is recaptured, the winner will receive $50,000 cash! For the rst two youth anglers who win in this division, prizes include a tiller boat powered with Yamaha outboard, trailer, Minn Kota trolling motor and Humminbird electronics.

Each of Florida’s coastal counties have on average four tagged red sh for a total of over 160 prize-winning sh. e best opportunity to catch one of this year’s tagged red sh will be in Citrus and Charlotte Counties, STAR’s 2023 Destination Counties, which each have eight tagged red sh in their coastal waters.

For the o shore anglers, the Tigress Outriggers and Gear Tagged Dolphin Division o ers one winner a $10,000 cash prize. e rst STAR registrant and CCA Florida member who catches a tagged dolphin will win. Twenty tagged dolphin (Mahi Mahi) were released for STAR in the lower Florida Keys.

STAR is a family-friendly competition, and CCA Florida youth members (ages 6 to 17) can participate for free. Kids are encouraged to submit entries in the Youth Scholarship Division presented by Realtree Fishing for an opportunity to win one of 12 scholarships totaling $100,000. Other divisions include the Power Pole Conservation Division, Bona de Kayak Division and Ladies Division as well as the Yamaha Guides which allows guides to participate when they are not on a charter for hire. Since most division winners are determined by a random drawing, it is not about catching the biggest sh, any size sh can win. Remember, it is very simple really, every sh you catch between now and Monday, Labor Day o ers the CCA member who is registered in STAR the opportunity to win their share of $500,000 in prizes and scholarships. You can’t win If you are not registered.

STAR is also a tool to gather catch data, it creates awareness for conservation, our sponsors and CCA Florida. Launched in 2015, the competition has set the bar for other shing tournaments to follow by implementing conservation-friendly alternatives such a catch-photorelease format and a trash division. Florida STAR focuses on conservation with its technology-based, CPR format and dedicated smartphone app which promotes the proper handling of species and allows participants who are members of CCA and registered in the competition to upload photos of their catch or trash buckets in the STAR competition and be rewarded for their e orts. CCA Florida also provides access to the data collected to other conservation organizations and universities to help educate the public and for use in their studies on conservation, habitat and stock assessments.

You can still register for STAR 2023. You have all summer and all the boats and packages are still available. To receive additional information on divisions, prizes and more, visit cca star.com or Facebook.

YET ANOTHER... ORANGE LAKE GIANT!

Put Orange Lake on your bass- shing itinerary for next spring. is 12,550-acre lake in Alachua County southeast of Gainesville is a springtime conveyor belt of big bass.

From February through April this year, 19 Orange Lake largemouths heavier than 10 pounds were reported to TrophyCatch, FWC’s big-bass recognition program.

Bass heavier than 13-pounds are given “Hall of Fame” status by TrophyCatch. Five 13-pluspounders have been caught statewide this year. Four of them came from Orange Lake, and three of those were caught in February.

e most recent one we’ve heard of was a sh caught back on Feb. 7 that just popped up on the TrophyCatch Facebook

Kelly

a giant 13-pound, 3-ounce monster swimming a

Man… that sounds like a lot of fun.

For more information, visit www.trophycatch orida.com.

page.

Taunton scored

Senko through the pads.

Score From the Shore in Calm Conditions

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

The surf can be bountiful and as easy as shing can be when the seas are calm. On a recent trip to the Gulf of Mexico’s calm shores, I was certain I was going to catch them at will. To the naked eye, conditions were as good as it gets, but many fellow anglers fell short of their dreams on this beautiful day. Here are some modi cations I made on the y that allowed me to come out ahead of most others.

is day provided us with glass-calm seas, clear water and bait everywhere, but one key ingredient was missing, substantial tide. What most of us focused on, including myself, were the calm conditions. is is always the draw for trout shing on the beachfront in Texas, and it is seldom the norm.

I did research the tide, and it was an early high

heading out, which, once again, seems perfect. However, the slope on the graph was a slow outgoing tide, not one that was going to trigger many bites on its own. Once I realized this and watched others leave empty handed, I decided to search for places that would encourage the slow outgoing current to increase in velocity. I sought out guts in the bars perpendicular to the shore. ese same guts have the potential to cause dangerous riptides, and they can also be the best place to sh. You typically see these guts by studying the waves, but with no waves I had to use my polarized glasses. ankfully, the water clarity made this an easy task. I drove along the beach looking for these, and once I spotted them, I stood on the back of my truck to increase my elevation to identify the best ones.

I’d found my pattern. Now the catching could begin! Keep in mind, as slow as the tide was moving, it did not create a dangerous situation

(always be cautious of rip tides on the beach), but it did speed up the current enough to trigger a good bite. I thoroughly worked all edges of these guts, nding most bites on the back side where the tide pulled bait from the shallow gut to the deeper second gut.

When the tide is slow, I like to try and get a reaction strike by throwing something a little di erent or working my lure erratically. On this day, I was throwing a rattling so -plastic paddletail. I also picked one with a bright green tail to stand out from the millions of bait sh traveling the rst and second guts. All of these tactics combined allowed me to salvage a day when most le with empty stringers.

e beachfront can be a great place to sh, and it’s fun for the kids. My boys enjoy wading beside me, and when the shing is over it’s time to play at the beach!

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®

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

By Capt. Lukas Brickweg

Alaska shing season started o with a bang for anglers visiting Ketchikan, Alaska. Halibut shing charters produced great catches of halibut, paci c cod, lingcod and rock sh. Salmon shing trips resulted in big king salmon while we awaited the arrival of silver salmon and pink salmon.

Early season typically is more inconsistent than the deep summer months of July, August and September. With that being said, our guests enjoyed better than average shing to start o the 2023 Alaska shing summer.

Fishing tours for cruise ship guests and y-in anglers spent the majority of May bottom shing. ese sheries consist of shing near and o shore waters for halibut, cod and rock sh. Deep-water jigging for halibut had guests reeling in keeper-sized halibut as well as oversized halibut ranging from 10 pounds to 120 pounds. ere’s nothing quite like the thrill of hooking into these deep sea dwellers, and the delicious white meat holds up well when frozen and shipped back home to the lower 48.

Halibut weren’t the only species caught during our halibut shing charters. Paci c cod were a staple while bottom shing for halibut. Cod were concentrated in large numbers on the sandy ats eating a variety of bottom rigs. Traditional halibut shing rigs with glow-in-the-dark squid and cut herring caught the majority of Paci c cod. We also found great success jigging for cod with metal jigs and so plastic swimbaits.

Following up halibut shing with rock sh and lingcod jigging made for a combination catch that had everyone smiling. We do this in shallower water with light tackle. While catching pelagic rock sh such as yellowtails and duskies, we also caught big lingcod. With such a phenomenal bottom shing area, you’re never quite sure what will grab the end of the line. Giant lingcod make a trophy catch for anyone visiting Alaskan waters.

King salmon shing opened June 1. Everyone rejoiced at the opportunity to pursue this iconic sh. Big king salmon catches came in throughout the entire southeast Alaska region. Ketchikan is known as the salmon capital of the world, and it didn’t disappoint. Herring Cove and Mountain Point were the rst areas to open up. is resulted in large numbers of anglers trolling for prized king salmon. As we look forward for the entirety of the region to open, these were the rst areas where big catches came in.

Over the next couple months, the shing will continue to heat up! Halibut will continue to show up in larger numbers as the water temperatures increase. In addition, the salmon shing will see a big burst of silver salmon and pink salmon to combine with the larger king salmon. It’s all happening now!

For more information, visit www.ketchikan shingtrips.com or call (907) 617-4717.

Most of the time the saying is true, bigger baits equal bigger sh! Although elephants eat peanuts, a big bait pro le is something big sh sometimes can’t resist whether you’re shing the open ocean or the Great Lakes. I’ve spent a lot of time in the last couple years experimenting with lures that are larger than what my previous comfort zone was for bass. It is pretty special to see what gets curious to come look at or bite these big baits.

ere are many di erent types of swimbaits on the market, but I’ll break them down into two styles to keep it simple. ere are hard, gliding-style swimbaits with treble hooks and there are so -body swimbaits. Each has a time and a place, and both attract some very big sh.

Depending on where you are in the country and the size of the forage in your lake, a normal meal for a bass is usually much bigger than you would think. Bass have huge mouths to accommodate large prey items. A two- or three-pounder has no problem at all swallowing a 6- to 8-inch bluegill whole. I’ve seen 10-plus-pounders eat gizzard shad up to 14 inches long! Trying to exactly duplicate the larger bait sh in your lake with a natural presentation is the key to drawing attention to your arti cial lure.

With hard swimbaits, my rst choice is a shad imitation. Most of the places I sh are full

of shad, and shad seem to be a favorite food source for bass.

THROW BIG BAITS FOR BIG BASS TIPS FROM A PRO

Crappie are another forage species people sometimes forget about. Lately, when throwing big baits

over deeper water, I’ve caught some big sh with crappie down in their throats.

With so swimbaits, I usually go to a bluegill imitation. I like so baits because they are more weedless, and you can creep them through the grass or along the bottom in places where bluegills live.

Big swimbaits can get mighty expensive. If you are just getting started with them, I would suggest sticking with the more a ordable baits that get good reviews until you get your con dence up. en you can dive into some of the larger, more customized lures.

Learning to sh big baits is best done by getting on the water and doing it. Just get out there and experiment with retrieves until you nd out what works. Of course, throwing giant lures requires special equipment. I like 13 Fishing’s a ordable Defy for a rod. It’s an 8-foot swimbait rod that handles most big lures with ease. I pair this with a 300 sized reel, like the 13 Fishing Concept A3 and some 20- to 25-pound Seaguar Abrazx.

I hope this article sparks someone’s interest to get out there and throw a big bait. Once I stepped out of my comfort zone, I discovered it to be one of the coolest and most fun ways to target big bass all year long. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me on social media if you have questions about these tactics or any others.

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

TYLER WOOLCOTT

RECORD WELS

really realized that I hooked a monster. Adrenaline started pumping hard and the fear of losing it almost sent me into a panic. I was alone, facing the biggest cat sh I ever seen in 23 years.

Italy’s River Po has done it again.

Last week, MADCAT pro sta er Alessandro Biancardi caught a 9-foot-long wels cat sh that will likely replace the IGFA world length record for the species. e monster wels measured 285 centimeters (9 feet, 4.2 inches) in length and stands to beat out the existing record by just 4 centimeters, or about an inch and a half.

Biancardi is a veteran cat sh angler who has targeted wels for more than two decades. He landed his potential new record a er a more than 40-minute battle while shing solo in an aluminum

jonboat.

e giant sh ate a so -plastic paddletail shed on a jighead.

“In silence, I approached the rst spot and a er few casts a powerful bite arrived. e sh stood still some seconds before starting a very complicated ght, between strong currents and a lot of submerged obstacles,” Biancardi wrote in a blog post. “I calmly managed to ght what I felt to be a prehistoric sh. I followed it for 40 endless minutes. When it surfaced for the rst time, I

“I tried gloving its mouth two or three times, but it was still too strong,” he wrote. “I decided to go in shallow water trying to land it from shore, and a er few tries, I managed to land it! I tied the sh to let him recover from the long ght then I suddenly realized that the boat was not anchored, and it was going away in the current. I was forced to have a swim to recover it with all my stu .”

Biancardi then called some friends from a nearby sh camp to come help him get a good measurement on the beast. A er taking measurements, the sh was released. Without a weight, it will not be considered for the all-tackle world record, which stands at 297 pounds, 9 ounces for a sh caught from the Po back in 2010.

For more, go to https://madcat- shing.com.

ENTER TO WIN!

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IN SEARCH OF HAVASU’S WORLD RECORD REDEAR

By Gary Turner

The sun was just cresting the mountains and the moon was low in the west as Capt. Ron Ratlief, of Ron’s Fishing Guide Service, and I began shing for redear sun sh on Arizona’s Lake Havasu. is trip has been on my bucket list for years. I just never made the time, which is ridiculous considering Havasu is pretty much the Holy Land for bream shing.

Havasu is a large Colorado River reservoir on the Arizona/Colorado border. In recent years, the lake has produced a series of world-record redear sun sh, with the current mark standing at 6-pounds, 4-ounces. Havasu’s freakishly large redears are due to a plentiful food source of invasive mussels that have in ltrated the system. e lake also holds some enormous bluegills, which I came to nd out over two days shing with Ron and a third day with my buddy Zac Mickle.

You could feel it was going to be a hot one—over 100 degrees— as the cool morning air evaporated with the sun. A er all, Havasu is an oasis in the middle of a desert. We started the morning sight shing coves. Havasu’s water is as clear as the Keys, and I half expected to see bone sh swimming by. We searched several coves and saw lots of sh, including bluegills, carp, cat sh, giant gizzard shad, tilapia, green sun sh and small stripers, just

to name a few. We also found some redear sun our target species, but they were small, a pound or less, and we were looking for big ones!

We moved to plan B and headed to deeper water. Havasu has the most man-made attractors and brushpiles I’ve ever seen. might be a bunch in South Carolina’s Santee, but you would never see them. e crystal-clear water makes everything visible, and as the sun got higher, we could see even more. We saw structure clearly in 18 feet of water with large redears on it. I dropped a night crawler on a jig head down, and BAM! I had a good bite! We landed a nice redear heavier than two pounds and continued hitting deeper brush, where we saw some big ones and caught a thick 14-incher that was pushing 3 pounds. A er several other sh in the 1 to 1 ½-pound range, Ron suggested we move back to a cove for a few last casts before heading in.

In the cove, I got hammered by a good one, which upon landing was about the same size as the 2-pounder from earlier, but it looked more like a bluegill. I was thinking it might be a hybrid between the two species, which was later con rmed.

If you like bream, you need to check out Havasu. It is a beautiful lake in the desert with some giant redears and bluegills. I might not have

caught a world record this year, but I’ve already booked next year’s trip.

Check out Gary Turner’s shing adventures on his YouTube channel at youtube.com/ @FishingWithGary.

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ELEVATE YOUR CHUM!

By Capt. Judy Helmey

BLOTCHY BASS SYNDROME IS A VIRUS

Check out the crazy markings on this Pennsylvania bass!

Recently the American Fisheries Society Black Bass Conservation Committee (BBCC) posted photos of this striking, black-splotched largemouth bass on its Facebook page.

During the old days of chumming, lots of shermen used glitter in their chum, but we sure didn’t talk about it. Why? It was a serious sh-catching secret, and it works as well now as it ever did.

Of course, back then we hadn’t heard of microplastics. We didn’t equate those tiny ashy akes with pollution. Traditional glitter is made with aluminum and plastic, which is a really bad thing to be throwing in the water. ankfully, today there is biodegradable glitter made of plant cellulose. is more environmentally friendly product enables us to keep using our old tricks without doing harm to the ocean.

When you add biodegradable glitter to your chum, the oils coat

every single small piece of glitter. When it hits the water, each piece of glitter becomes sh attractant. As it slowly spreads through the water column, it catches sunlight and re ects it. e oil onboard each small piece of glitter leaves a trail that only a hungry smart sh would care to follow.

You might ask how do I know that glittering chum works? Well, when you start getting hits and landing sh, open the sh box and take a look. You know how glitter is. It gets everywhere and sticks to everything. Well, your sh box and the sh in it will be coated in glitter. Trust me.

Capt. Judy Helmey runs Miss Judy Charters o the Georgia coast. Check them out at missjudycharters.com.

e photos, by professional bass sherman Grae Buck, show his wife Jessica Buck holding a sh with melanosis. e post goes on to explain that this condition is when something a ects the pigment expression in the skin, turning it black. Termed blotchy bass syndrome, it has been found in black bass species in waterbodies across the United States with increasing frequency.

“While a truly melanistic sh would be all black, we more commonly see parts of the sh black, irregular blotches, spots, or ns,” the post reads. ese crazy colored sh show up from time to time, and previously it has been explained as a genetic mutation. In its explanation of this sh, however, BBCC pointed to research being conducted at the U.S.G.S. Eastern Ecological Science Center in West Virginia.

e research found that this blotchy skin condition is actually caused by a viral infection, an emerging novel adomavirus. Researchers have not pinned down a cause yet, but a U.S.G.S. report suggests higher incidences of blotchy bass syndrome in disturbed-water systems, with a potential link to chemicals. ere is currently broad ongoing research to try and determine the causes and e ects of this infection.

TheReturn of a

Follow the BBCC at www.facebook.com/AFS.Black.Bass.

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