Coastal Angler Magazine | July 2021 | Northeast Florida Edition

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GULF STREAM

MAHI

Three Days For Atlantic Snapper PHOTO BY CAPT. BLAKE RIGBY COURTESY OF TRIPLETAIL CHARTERS WWW.TRIPLETAILCHARTERS.COM VOLUME 26 • ISSUE 316

GROUPER

GAME CHANGER

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM

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O P P O R T U N I T I E S

A V A I L A B L E

W O R L D W I D E

JULY 2021

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n the era of the coronavirus, outdoor recreation has become an important survival tool. Last year, the boating industry saw a record number of new boat owners. Both new boaters and seasoned boaters changed their habits to social distance while making the most of their love for the recreational outlet.

According to a survey of 3,500 boaters by Sea Tow Services International, this trend is expected to continue into the 2021 summer season.

Pandemic-influenced boating behavior: • 52 percent of boaters surveyed anticipate their boating activity to increase this summer compared to last.

• 20 percent cite the pandemic as the reason for extending their boating season again in 2021.

• 24 percent plan to vacation on/by boat (versus other forms of travel) because of the pandemic.

• 35 percent plan to use their boat primarily for cruising near their home.

• 16 percent upgraded to a larger boat in 2020 or plan to do so in 2021.

• 52 percent plan to use their boat primarily for fishing (65 percent inshore/30 percent offshore/5 percent freshwater).

• 30 percent have found it more difficult to find dockage and/or marina space.

“Our member survey has typically been a very strong indicator for seasonal recreational boating trends,” said Kristen Frohnhoefer, President of Sea Tow. “Last year, Sea Tow saw a 34 percent increase in requests for on-water assistance in the summer of 2020, and our nationwide network of captains are anticipating another busy season for 2021.”

With the sale of a record number of new boats in over a decade and an influx of new boaters, Sea Tow noted that in 2020 owners of new boats were 142 percent more likely to need ungrounding services, 108 percent more likely to need fuel delivered to them and 11.2 percent more likely to need a battery jump. Alternately, new boat owners are 22 percent less likely to need a tow.

“These numbers are very interesting,” Frohnhoefer said, “They reflect the fact that new boaters are not yet familiar with things like shifting sandbars and hard to navigate channels, or how to manage their fuel, like their more seasoned counterparts–which is getting them into trouble and causing them to call us for assistance. But likewise, these stats demonstrate what we’ve been saying all along—that when it comes to new boats, on-water assistance typically is needed due to user error, not mechanical failure, as newer boats and engines are more reliable than ever before.”

With the number of new boaters recreating on the water, the need for boating education has never been more important. Sixty-nine percent of boaters surveyed are looking for more advice on local navigational assistance, mishap prevention and general boating basics.

“2021 is sure to be another banner year for boating,” said Frohnhoefer, “We’ll find out real soon if these trends for recreational boating activity are in fact here to stay.”

For more on Sea Tow, visit www.seatow.com.

4 NATIONAL

JULY 2021

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The handle is made from genuine natural bone, and features decorative wood spacers and a hand-carved motif of two overlapping feathers— a reminder for you to respect and connect with the natural world.

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TIPS TO DIAL IN RIVER-RUN BASS S

By Nick Carter

triped bass don’t stay in the same place long. Huge spring runs up the Atlantic Coast and into freshwater rivers to spawn is natural behavior for stripers. Even fish trapped by dams in inland reservoir systems retain a strong urge to move.

Across the east, wherever reservoir striped bass exist, the movement begins as a spring spawning run. Fish push out of the lakes and as far up creeks and rivers as they can go. This spring run is followed by a larger summer migration, when stripers pile into the rivers seeking more comfortable water conditions.

Here are a few tips from the pros for dialing in river-run stripers.

• Make Shots Count: “Fish good water, and fish it well,” said Bill Stranahan.

Stranahan guides with Southeastern Anglers, and the striper run on Tennessee’s Hiwassee River is a summertime staple. Fishing the Hiwassee run is like deer hunting. You’re fishing hard for a few bites from monster fish that get up into the 40-pound range.

“Look for good structure, whether its wood, shoals or rock faces,” Stranahan said. “When you’re on that good structure, don’t rush it. You can spook ’em with a bad throw, so take your time and make good shots.”

Whether you’re throwing streamers with a fly rod or swimbaits with conventional gear, Stranahan warned against locking into the big bait, big fish theory.

“We all know stripers will chase down big 6-, 7-, 8-, 9-inch skipjack and gizzard shad, but don’t forget your smaller baits,” he said. “A lot of their forage base is 4 inches or less. There’s a time and a place for fishing small stuff.”

• Fish it All: Rob “Mustache” Smith, of The Fish Hawk in Atlanta, has guided the Chattahoochee River striper run for two decades or more. He knows all the hotspots where there are always fish. He also knows those spots

PHOTO COURTESY OF GARNER REID

get a ton of pressure.

Smith said to slow down and fish all the likely structure instead of rushing to areas where you’ve caught fish before.

“If you’re on the river, fish everything,” he said. “Those fish are constantly moving, and you’d be surprised at the fish you’re passing when you’re rushing to get to that one little area. Fish it all, and fish it like you expect a fish on every cast.”

• Move Some Water: “When they’re in the river, those fish are laid up in ambush,” said Garner Reid, who made his name guiding fly fishers to big Georgia stripers on the Etowah River. “You’re drawing reaction strikes, and what triggers them is a fly that looks like it’s wounded or fleeing.”

Reid said it’s easy to get sloppy with the retrieve when you’re blind casting all day. He reminds anglers that it takes an aggressive presentation to move some water, cause a little commotion and trigger a striped bass’s predatory instinct.

“Use the current and the swing to enhance your strip,” he said. “Make that fly hunt for you.”

Visit Southeastern Anglers at www.southeasternanglers.com. See The Fish Hawk website at thefishhawk.com. Call Garner Reid at (770) 866-0301.

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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

JULY 2021

NATIONAL 7

THREE CLUES TO

Mahi Mahi

By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

M

ahi fishing can be tricky in some places and times of year. They congregate under floating material adrift in the current, leaving them with no fixed address within an area of greatly variable depths.

If you are fortunate enough to be able to target dolphinfish along the Gulf Stream this summer, you are in the right place at the right time. You shouldn’t have much trouble filling your cooler and even maxing out on the generous daily bag limit of this species.

Head out to target mahi with a full tank of fuel.

Assume you will have to run far and wide to find them, but hope to get lucky along the way. Recruit everyone on board to remain on the look out for the three telltale mahi hangouts: weeds, birds and floaters.

Weeds can be productive whether they are formed tightly in a line, or even a tight patch.

Birds can be a great sign of actively feeding fish at the surface, but they can also just be birds being birds.

Learn to read them properly to avoid wasting time.

A group of circling birds or diving birds is what you want to look for, and the more the better. Sometimes, a bird that’s on fish will flicker in the sun, reflecting the sunlight in a sporadic pattern as it moves its body to stay on top of something it has spotted under the surface. Circling frigate birds are always a good sign.

If you see one even attempt a dive, start trolling immediately.

Floaters can be anything floating in the water, from debris to sea turtles. When you find floaters in open water, it doesn’t take long to feel out if it is productive or not.

If you happen to see all three of these goldmines come together, with birds diving around debris sucked to a weedline, troll the ever loving shi…mano out of it.

When trolling for mahi, you won’t need to run more than four lines. Troll two small lures long, ideally on the outriggers, to draw in smaller dolphin. Troll one medium lure or ballyhoo at mid-length, and one large lure close.

Dolphinfish have the mentality of a toddler. When you reel one to the boat, leave the fish in the water, put your rod in the rod holder, and cast out behind the hooked fish. The school should have followed your mahi to the boat, and with their mahi-see, mahi-do mentality, they’ll all want to partake in snack time.

Continue hooking mahi and leave them in the water until you run out of available rods to cast.

Start by putting one fish in the boat, but don’t take the second out of the water until the first rod has gone back out and hooked another fish. Try switching from live bait to chunk bait to keep them eating. If they don’t slam a bait as soon as it hits the water, try twitching the bait. Even a completely healthy and well-presented live bait sometimes isn’t as enticing as one that’s getting yanked away from them.

Mahi will eat nearly anything, especially if you know how to taunt them properly. One of the biggest challenges in catching them is trolling through weeds.

Weeds that cling to your lures is a pain to manage on the deck, while constantly clearing lines, and you also miss a lot of opportunities to catch fish. All lures catch weeds, the determining factor is whether they shed those weeds. Deep diving lures that never breach the surface are not your friend in this situation.

Lightweight, squid-skirted lures do an excellent job of popping out of the water when bogged down with weeds. Most times, they clear themselves of weeds.

Blue Magic Charters makes their own 3D-printed lures designed to troll in weeds. Visit them in Marathon, Fla., and ask us about their DR. BUBBLES lures.

Capt. Quinlyn Haddon fishes with Blue Magic Charters in Marathon, Fla. Contact her at (504) 920-6342 and visit CaptainQuinlyn.com.

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As your eyes scan the endless horizon of blue on blue, you’re rewarded with a school of dolphins making their way across the sea. There’s no denying their signature shape as they leap from the water. If you don’t see anything else extraordinary the rest of the day, you can take solace knowing you’ve witnessed one of nature’s most playful and intelligent creatures in their natural habitat.

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RHODAN: TOTAL GAME CHANGER FOR GROUPER

Tim Barefoot

T

here was a time—not too long ago— when only a select few would consistently come home with grouper, and not just “bottom fish.” There were several reasons for this. First and foremost, not everyone wanted to learn and spend the energy it took to learn to anchor. Anchoring accurately is an art form not mastered by all, but when mastered, it is the gateway to consistently catching grouper.

Rhodan trolling motors, with their GPS Anchor systems, have made it so anyone can have a shot at catching grouper and not just all the other species down on the bottom. It’s one thing to have a trolling motor with “Spot Lock” that will hold position in a small bay boat, but Rhodan made the tool for serious offshore

boats to sit on the same place without using the anchor. Partner this Rhodan with a couple 36 volt lithium deep-cycle batteries, like Dakota, Ionic or Lithium Pros on a battery switch, and you have the tools it takes to score.

Rhodan is just one aspect of what it takes to go grouper fishing, and not just “bottom fishing.” The way I set the dinner table for a grouper on every ledge is to have everyone on the boat sending down whole squid on the first five or six drops. I don’t care what they’re catching during this “chumming exercise,” because chumming is exactly what we’re doing.

We’re getting one spot on the bottom chummed up with little pieces of squid swirling around.

The smell and sound of an ongoing feeding

frenzy draws in the top of the food chain in no time at all.

This is the point when we start to grouper fish. Yes, I’ve caught a lot of grouper on the whole squid, also, but this part of the routine is strictly to get the party started. Once it’s going, we drop live baits that none of the grunts, pinkies or sea bass can fit in their mouths.

The smaller fish just hang out looking at these bigger baits and hoping for scraps.

This is when grouper see four or five live baits on the bottom attached to Squid or Crab Decoy Jigs. To them, it’s a no-brainer. The sight of a grass grunt, pinfish or sailor’s choice struggling against the weight of the jig is more than a grouper can understand. They are hardwired to eat these fish that eat their eggs. The live bait and Decoy Jig combo gets the bite because a struggling bait is a “gimme.”

Also, while you’ve got those grouper lines on the bottom, don’t forget to send a light out near the surface. Bait it with a live or frozen bait to catch pelagics like kingfish, dolphin, wahoo or tuna that happen to be swimming past.

What does this all have to do with the Rhodan? Well, Rhodan’s powerful and precise GPS anchoring eliminates drift without all the aggravation and hard work of anchoring. Let Rhodan change your game by allowing you to concentrate on the fish while it keeps the boat in place!

See more from Capt. Tim Barefoot, of Barefoot Cats and Tackle, at barefootcatsandtackle.com.

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LIFE IS A BEACH S

By Richard L. Matteson

The

In

Weeds G3 Sportsman 1810

argassum is a brown seaweed with berry-like bladders that at times covers the beaches and is washed into the lagoon around the inlets.

Recent fishing at the beach has proven difficult because of the large mats of sargassum. Piles of sargassum are dumped on the beach at high tide and those same piles are pulled back into the ocean with the next high tide.

The good thing is baitfish like to hang around sargassum—it protects them from predator fish. Sometimes the fishing is better with sargassum in the water. Conventional crocodile silver spoons with treble hooks do not work at all; they get hung up and you drag seaweed in on every cast. All your conventional crankbaits with treble hooks won’t work either. What to do?

You simply have to fish lures with single hooks and use weedless spoons.

The Johnson 3-inch weedless spoon is a regular bass and redfish lure. If you want to spice it up, use a pork rind or plastic trailer. This is a deadly lure for any saltwater fish. I like gold, but silver works too.

Yo-Zuri makes crankbaits with a single hook, and you can also take off the front hook and put a weedless hook on the back of any crankbait. This might affect the action and takes some tinkering, but it keeps you from catching so many weeds.

My favorite lure is a DOA 3/16-ounce jig with a 4-inch shad tail.

Surprisingly, unless you fish it deep or hit a large mat of seaweeds, the jigs do not get hung up much. I just caught a nice snook in the weeds this week by popping the jig off the bottom. Sure, you’ll get hung up sometimes, but the jigs can be fished near the surface and usually come up clean.

Try a topwater. Now is the time for great topwater action. Most of the time you can maneuver your topwater lures around the weed masses. If it’s bad, just take off the front treble hook and replace the back hook with a single hook. You can use a weedless hook, but it’s usually not necessary. You won’t have many weed problems with topwater, anyway. I like Skitter Walks in trout color and gold Zara Spooks.

Lots of Sargassum on the beach? No problem. Switch to weedless or single hooks and catch the big ones feeding on the bait in the weeds.

Richard L. Matteson Jr., of the Stuart Rod and Reel Club, is a regular contrinutor to Coastal Angler Magazine. Call him at (336) 414-3440.

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n just the second week of this year’s STAR competition, CCA Florida has named the first verified winner in the CCA Florida STAR West Marine Tagged Redfish Division. After catching his tagged redfish, Ken Clarke, of Fort Pierce, selected a prize package from Contender Boats and Yamaha Outboards valued at more than $80,000.

It will be awarded to him during the STAR Awards ceremony on Oct. 9 in Crystal River.

A CCA Florida STAR registrant and CCA Florida member, Clarke caught the 20-inch redfish while fishing from a dock with live shrimp near St. Lucie Village on June 10. Clarke immediately notified the organization to begin the verification process.

“I read the rules and knew I needed to follow them. Only after I submitted my catch through the STAR app, did the real excitement begin to set in,” Clarke said. “I’m still in shock and incredibly fortunate to be the first registered angler to win.

I can’t wait to take out my new Contender 2200 Sport with 200HP Yamaha motor on the water.”

This year, 160 West Marine Tagged Redfish were released across Florida’s coastal waters on average four per coastal county with Brevard, Charlotte and Citrus counties being Destination Counties with eight tagged fish each. Remaining prizes in the division include a Pathfinder 2200 TRS with Minn Kota trolling motor, Humminbird

electronics and a Spyder FX19 Vapor all powered

by Yamaha. Additionally, STAR’s other tagged division, the Tigress Outriggers & Gear Tagged Dolphin Division, will award $10,000 to the first registrant to catch a tagged dolphin.

Unlike traditional fishing competitions, CCA Florida STAR presented by Yamaha focuses on conservation and offers $500,000 in prizes and scholarships during the 101-day event. As a “catchphoto-release” competition, STAR’s smart phone app eliminates the requirement for anglers to harvest or capture and transport fish.

“Our state’s fisheries are here for everyone’s enjoyment, and CCA Florida understands that smart fishing can help restore, preserve and improve marine habitats and water quality for today and tomorrow,” said CCA Florida STAR Director Leiza Fitzgerald. “Implementing a catchphoto-release competition is just one way to continue fulfilling our organization’s mission and protect our coastal waterways.”

STAR is also focused on youth participation, with its Youth Scholarship Division presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors offering more than $100,000 in scholarships. Youth anglers (ages 6-17) can register for free with a current CCA Florida youth membership. Prizes for the first two youth anglers in the West Marine Tagged Redfish Division include a Salt Marsh Skiff 1656 powered

with a Yamaha 40 HP motor and trailer, and the first registered youth angler who catches one of 20 tagged dolphin (mahi mahi) is eligible to win a $10,000 scholarship in the Tigress Outrigger & Gear Tagged Dolphin Division.

The STAR competition includes 17 divisions and 12 species, and most winners are determined by random drawing, giving anglers of all ages and skill levels the opportunity to win. Registration is $40 for current CCA Florida members or $75 for non-members.

Because every fish could be a winner!

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All others add $35 for one year membership.

• Prizes for Additional Non-Tagged Non Species Snook, Trout, Redfish, Grouper, Kingfish, Dolphin, Tarpon & Lionfish

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Serving Up More.

Fishing Report & Forecast Mayport

By Capt. Kirk Waltz

T

he heat is here and to no surprise. June was a rollercoaster of a month with kings on the beach for the first of the month and then wham we get a Northeaster of all things. The front changed the landscape quickly. True to form I believe July is going to be a great month. Look for bait to continue to hold on the area beaches and build on the offshore stuff. The menhaden schools on the beach will hold tarpon, sharks, big jacks, cobia, and kingfish. The early bird in these scenarios will get the first offerings. Grab a few baits on the edges of a big school and work back into the school quietly. I like a medium heavy spinning rod like the Shimano Saragosa 10000 spinning reel and a Jigging rod (7Ft) with 60lb braid. A 2ft leader of 80lb fluorocarbon and a stout hook completes the rig. I will sometimes pin a small float to this and pitch back into the bait with fresh live bait. Hook the pogies in the nose or dorsal and see which is most effective. If no strikes occur try putting a 2oz egg sinker above the leader to get it to the bottom. If nothing happens right in the school try backing away a few hundred yards and slow troll bait east and west in a zig zag pattern. I remember an instance just last summer when with a charter I ran to Amelia Island to get bait with a charter along side of Roger Walker and Clay Philips in their boat. After catching bait and flipping into the pods with no luck I took off to the party grounds.

Minutes later the radio barked with a call from the boys that maybe I should turn around. I flipped the boat back to the beach and in minutes was rewarded with countless hookups on 14-20lb kings for a solid hour in 15-22ft of water!

The offshore party grounds should be on fire this month with bait and predators stacking up on the reefs and wrecks. Look for schools of baitfish to mount on these spots. Jig a few up with either a no# 6 or 8 Sabiki rig and slow troll them or drop them down. Kings, cudas, AJ’s, sharks, cobia, sailfish, and Bonita will be on the prowl. Drop them on 2 NORTHEAST FLORIDA

JULY 2021

the bottom and grouper, snapper, triggers, and sea bass will take these offerings quickly.

Look for shrimp boats as you come out of the inlet. The boats are havens for sharks, jacks, and tarpon this time of the year. Scoop a dead croaker off the water or toss a live pogie in and hang on. Big bruisers are typically in the mix and can be real handfuls. I suggest big rods, reels, and line to make it a fair fight. When doing this please be mindful these guys are working and gave them some room.

The big rocks should have a lot of action on the high outgoing clear water tides. Look for reds, trout, tarpon, and sharks to feed on live pogies, greenies, and mullet. Catch a few and pin them to a 3/8oz heavy jig and pitch them around the stones. As the water warms I like the clean water for better results. Shrimp do work this time of year but will catch a lot of small bait stealers too!

Lastly, the month will hold some good action on bull reds. The big bruisers popped in during the cold water flush we had a few weeks ago and continue to be around. Cut blue crab, cut ladyfish steaks, and live pogies are the best bet soaked on the bottom in 32-42 ft of water. Look for them from the Coast Guard Base to Dames point on the edges of the St. John’s River. Big rods and stout tackle should be deployed to reduce stress on these ancient warriors. The last of the falling tides seem to be the best bet.

Get out and fish. Remember you can’t catch them from the couch Listen to the Outdoors Show each Saturday morning and get the areas fishing reports, tides, and weather on 1010am or 92.5fm from 7am to 10am. For info on fishing trips go to www.Enterprisefishingcharters. com or www.Outdoorsshow.com

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uly is an exciting time of year.

More summer tournaments than you can count, afternoon thunderstorms, hot days on the water, and hopefully as much fishing as you can handle.

Last month we had an amazing meeting on June 3rd. It was the club’s 62nd birthday and Club Presidents Day. Not only was the BBQ and Low Country Boil delicious we also enjoyed listening to the stories of some of the past presidents. Laughing and sharing the tales of what has brought us all together for the past 62 years. The stories ranged from rods going over the gunnels to boats going off the highway and everything in between. June 15th we had Mera Maps out to show us what they have been up to with their old map and cartography reproductions.

If you weren’t there check them out on Facebook or Instagram @ meramaps Watch your emails. We have been having members looking for crew to get offshore and fish with

them. If you aren’t getting emails send us a message and check to see if your membership is up to date.

Upcoming Events: July 8th: the meeting will be a Kingfish Workshop.

July 22nd: NO Club Meeting. The GJKT is happening and we have many members participating.

Monthly Club Tournaments: TBD we will release dates through emails and social media.

Check out our website to keep up with upcoming events, schedules, or any changes @ JaxFish.com Our meetings are on the first and third Thursday of each month.

Due to Covid guidelines have relaxed so we are meeting back indoors. Feel free to wear a mask we would just to see you there. We are open to the public so we would love to have you at a meeting even if you are not a member.

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Fishing Report & Forecast Flagler Inshore

By Captain Chris Herrera

T

arpon are being targeted on our beaches and inshore waters all summer long. Along the beaches look for pogie pods with rolling and crashing Tarpon, approach by trolling motor and pitch a live pogy on the outskirts of the school, other alternatives is to fish

the shrimp boats after they dump their by catch. For inshore Tarpon a live back hooked mullet or select shrimp with a Daiichi D18Z wide gap octopus hook will do the job. Look for rolling Tarpon and pitch live mullet or shrimp a few feet in front and hold on. Best places to fish are residential canals, Matanzas Inlet or the Tomoka Basin for juvenile tarpon. Afternoon thunderstorms will normally trigger Tarpon feeding frenzies before the skies open up.

Kingfish will be on the near shore wrecks and beaches, slow trolling (1.5mph) a pogy will attract smoker kings. Look for bait pods in 3560ft. of water and troll around the bait for hook ups.

Starting early in the morning or just before sunset is your best bet for the dog days of summer when targeting redfish on the flats. Toss your favorite topwater plug during low light conditions then switch to live or cut bait (lady fish, crab or mullet) and soak baits along grass banks that are holding bait or soak baits around oyster beds on the higher tides.

Flounder are still targeted on the flats during higher tides and creeks during low tides with live mud minnows pinned on a jig head slowly bounced or dragged across the bottom. If you can’t make it to the shallows, pitch baits around docks closer to the inlet for flatties.

Fish the last of outgoing and first of incoming tide at Matanzas inlet targeting deeper drop-off ledges, deep water rock/ hard bottom.

Capt. Chris Herrera Serving Flagler Beach, Palm Coast, St. Augustine www.palmcoastfishing.com 386-503-6338

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he Nassau 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.

Our SKA sanctioned and 38th Annual Kingfish Tournament and Fishing Rodeo has been approved by the City of Fernandina Beach as one of only 5 city sponsored events in 2021. The tournament will be held on Saturday 31-July. If you or your company are interested in becoming a sponsor for this event, please contact us at Info@nsfafish. net. Our early bird registration page is up. If you plan to fish this event with us, sign up online at https://www.nsfafish.net/rodeo and save a few bucks. We also have Small Boat, Lady Angler, and Youth awards. Captains meeting is Friday night 30-July. If you are not fishing the tournament, we would

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still love to have you stop by our tent at the end of Centre St. We will have refreshments, a silent auction, tournament merchandise, and refreshments available both Friday evening and all afternoon Saturday.

Anglers compete for top 3 weighted fish in each category.

Different species are targeted in each of our 5 annual “seasons”. Our Summer season will be underway 1 July running through the month of August with Kingfish, Trout, and Whiting as our target species.

We have added an annual prize for the angler who weighs the most variety of our targeted species this year. Now, they don’t all have to be the largest to qualify for a prize.

So weigh them in.

NSFA meets 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month at Kraft Athletic Club on Amelia Island. Join us on 28-July for our next monthly social gathering. If interested in joining, please visit our website at NSFAFISH.NET or stop by one of our meetings.

JULY 2021

NORTHEAST FLORIDA 7

Florida Realtors® Fights for the Environment in Tallahassee and Right in Your Back

I

f there’s one thing Realtors in Florida understand quite well it’s the timeless allure of a beautiful home on the shores of a sandy beach or the banks of crystal-clear natural springs.

It’s that allure that makes Florida so attractive to out-of-state buyers, who dream of spending weekends sunning on some of the best beaches in the world, paddleboarding a nearby river or hiking along a pristine freshwater spring with the hopes of spying a manatee or two.

While our members understand that although Florida must continue to develop its communities and the industries that support them, we also understand that it can’t be growth at any cost.

In its more than 100-year history, Florida Realtors® has been a leading voice to protect our state’s waterways. In the past decade alone, Florida Realtors PAC-supported lawmakers have allocated billions of dollars toward environmental projects that renourish our beaches, clean our springs, preserve the Everglades and fight the negative impacts of red tide.

“Florida Realtors has made it a top priority to advocate for preserving and protecting Florida’s water resources. Florida’s a destination to live, work and play because of our beautiful waterways and beachlines,” said Florida Realtors 2021 President Cheryl Lambert. “We’ve conducted studies tying home values to water quality, urged lawmakers to prioritize funding, and launched the largest statewide clean-up Florida waters event in 2020.”

But it’s not just political lip service. Realtors know that sometimes, the best way to make something happen is to get your hands dirty and do it yourself.

This July, for the second year in a row, Realtors will fan out across their communities, descending lakes, rivers, springs and beaches around the

state with a singular goal: to clean and protect our precious and vital waterways.

The event, Florida Realtors Clean Up Florida Waters, is organized by local Realtor associations, Florida Realtors district vice presidents, local Young Professional Networks as well as individual brokerages and Realtor members.

We hope you will get involved.

Contact your local board of Realtors for clean-up events in your area. Better yet, if you are really passionate about Florida’s waterways, why not create a local event yourself? Steps to set up an event, find sponsors and capture attendance can all be found at floridarealtors.org/ cleanwater2021.

“Florida Realtors acknowledges that cleaning up Florida’s waters goes beyond litter,” Lambert said. “Floridians can help us effect real change by electing champions for clean water. Sometimes you have to look upstream, to solve the problem.”

Our investment of time, advocacy and joint cleanup efforts seek to preserve our natural resources and ensure our state’s natural wonders stay, well, full of wonder.

FLAGLER SPORTFISHING CLUB

By Chris Christian

T

WE ARE GROWING 2021 is going to be a new and exciting year. Mark Feagle and Cheryl Knoy have joined forces at Watson Realty Corp., Orange Park, and created The West Bank Group. Our expansion comes with the vision to better service our customers and our community with the legendary quality service you deserve and have come to expect from Watson Realty Corp. Purchase or sell a home with The West Bank Group and we will contribute $400 towards your closing costs or give you a FREE fishing trip with our preferred captains.

If you need real estate services in the Orange Park area, give either Cheryl or Mark a call today!

Mark Feagle | 904.607.1139 Cheryl Knoy | 812.343.9072 MFeagle.WatsonRealtyCorp.com | CKnoy.WatsonRealtyCorp.com MFeagle@WatsonRealtyCorp.com | CKnoy@WatsonRealtyCorp.com

he Flagler Sportfishing Club will be having its monthly meeting at the VFW on Tuesday, July 6th; The meeting will feature the Topic of Fishing at Night with Captain Kevin Duckworth of Niteline Charters educating us on the ins’ and outs’ of Night Fishing.

This is in preparation for our Club Overnight Tournament in July.

There will be Ice Cream for the members who come to the meeting.

Red Snapper Season has been announced for July 9-11 and the Club will have a Tournament based on your catch so see the website for details. The Club teams up with the Litter Gitter each month and they have Trips on the 1st Tuesday of every month at 10am until 12 noon sign up if interested.

Upcoming Events: Monthly Club Meeting – July 6th, VFW, Old Kings Road, Palm Coast Free Club Overnight Tournament

8 NORTHEAST FLORIDA

JULY 2021

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– July 16th and 17th – Weigh-in at Bings Landing Free Club Red Snapper Tournament – July 9-11 https://flaglersportfishing.com more information on all the activity Club Litter Gitter Trips – 1st Tuesday of every month – July 6th – Sign Up on the web Join the Flagler Sportfishing Club www.flaglersportfishing.com Join now and get 3 free months. flaglersportfishing.com/become-anew-member/ .

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Fishing Report & Forecast Sisters Creek

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By Capt. Tony Bozzella

he hot months are here! The redfishing can be good if you get out early when you have low morning tides, you can get on a backing red. Usually, summer mornings are very calm with good conditions.

As the morning progresses, the sea breezes pick up, sun gets high & hot, fishing afternoons can start to slow. I like to be done by lunch.

If you fish the hot afternoons, deeper water is your best bet or fishing the bait pods along the beach, where sunshine helps to see the bait. Also if you want to leave around on something heavy, sharks beside the shrimp boats is a sure hookup!! If you fish high water in the morning, that’s where float fishing over structure or drifting a grass line can be productive. Also, I like to lure fish with top waters or diving

lipped baits. Any mullet or pogie imitation is a good bet. Many times the mornings are very active. It’s not uncommon to have a mix of reds, trout, jacks , lady fish, & mangrove snapper. Fun!!! Another time the fish get active is the evening when the sun is low. The bite can turn on at this time again. Many anglers often complain of no trout this time of year. Night fishing dock lights can produce big number catches. A shrimp on a hook tossed by the edges of the lights can really get the job done. Also, my logs show big bull redfish start to cruise the channel edges. A fish finder rig with heavier tackle and a piece of ladyfish or crab can be a ticket. Often the breeders can be 25-45 lbs. Be careful these big fish need help returning to the bottom.

Boat them quickly and get them back in the water so we don’t have a lot of bellies floating in the river! I like a 40 lb leader, and circle or J hooks both work well. If you have kids or inexperienced anglers, circle hooks work great. Just leave the rod in the holder and the reds will hook themselves. Sometimes currents can be alittle tuff, so have enough lead and pick your times of tide. I have caught them on all tides. You have to see when the fish want to eat & make note of that tide, so you can set up when the bite is hot. Until next time, get out & fish.

Capt. Tony Bozzella / TBS JIGS www.tonybozzella.com 904 651 0182

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Fishing Report Pier and Surf By: Noel Kuhn

T

he summer sun sure is hot in July. That is why I go to the beach very early or very late. Now that our water temperature is well above 80, almost all Pompano are summering in the cooler waters of North Carolina. Most of the big Whiting are also seeking cooler water offshore or in the deep inlet waters. Now is the time when I start targeting Trout, Tarpon, Permit and Snook.

When after Permit I use a sinker slider rig with a three foot long 40 pound fluorocarbon leader. Using a loop knot, I tie a 4/0 to 7/0 Owner MUTU light circle hook. The hook size depends upon my bait size. The smaller size is for jumbo sand fleas.

The larger are for Calico crabs or small Blue crabs. Every year there are a few of these 20 pound plus bruisers caught in the surf here in N E Florida.

In recent years, large Snook have been showing up in our surf line.

For these linesiders I use the same rig as above but the bait is totally different. Small Croakers and Whiting work best for these predators. I catch these baits in the surf with sabiki rigs or small circle hooks tipped with shrimp flavored Fishbites. You do not need to cast long distance either. These Snook like to feed right along the first drop off.

To beat the heat, consider night fishing. We have very good conditions on the nights of July 22, 23 and 24. On these nights, three important things happen very close together. Sundown, Moon rise, and high tide.

When you set up, keep in mind these tides are HUGE around this full moon. High tide is almost six feet. So high impact beaches like SPVB, Vilano, Hammock and Flagler are good choices.

Tryanny and oppression will not be tolerated! Enjoy your free and public beaches on the 4th of July! Remember that our freedom did not come for free. See you on the sand!

Noel Kuhn Surf fishing guide and long distance casting coach.

904-945-0660 www.TheSurfAngler.com

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Fishing Report & Forecast St. Augustine Inshore

By Capt. Tommy Derringer

I

t’s summertime so… it’s time to get to the beach! On most days this time of year along our beaches just outside the surf, there are big pods of pogys (menhaden) getting chased, thrashed, and eaten by one of many predatory fish that roam our waters. 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 the aforementioned fish is to peg a live pogy on a medium to large circle hook and cast just around the edges of the pods. Getting an early start is a great idea as the bite tends to taper off as 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. Late summer 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 bycatch overboard.

Approach the 12 NORTHEAST FLORIDA

JULY 2021

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 taking a look 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 by-catch 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 as things tend to get a little too hot during the day and the fish will sit lower in the water column. 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 smash a properly presented plug. Once the sun gets up a bit, you’ll want to change to something sub-surface like the Saltwater Assassin Lil Boss 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. A live mud minnow or shrimp pegged to a jighead will also work well when fishing deeper.

The water will be at its murkiest over the next couple of months and there are a few ways to get a fish’s attention even on the “dirtiest” of days.

A couple old faithful rigs are the popping cork and the gold spoon. I like to rig a popping cork with about 1’ of leader under it with a scented soft plastic or live bait. This is many NE Florida anglers’ go-to rig for high tide summer fishing for redfish, trout, and flounder. The popping noise will attract fish from a good distance. The gold spoon is also great this time of year as it puts off a lot of vibration that allows fish to find it even in the murkiest of waters.. it’s old school but the fish don’t mind that at all! .

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Capt. Tommy Derringer 904-377-3734 • www.InshoreAdventures.net

Fishing Report St. Johns River By: Richard Hamilton

J

uly is when Mullet fishing heats up. More quantity and better sized. But as the temps warm, so does the activity. So grab some worms a cane pole and go to the stands bridge on the east side and do not forget some chum and go at it.

Next up will be the Shrimp.They're starting to show up, but you've got to be willing to work at it. Using a sonar you can see the shrimp near the edges of the river channel at the drop offs in the middle of the day. At night they come to shallow water near grassy banks. Thats where you can bait them with fishmeal and mud. If if goes like last year, we'll all be happy with the outcome. But as you know, every year is new and different, some years are better than others, so give it a try. Working the piers or from your boat and go to it.

The Reds will be starting to get really active, especially with the amount of food available to them. Crabs, shrimp and finger mullet will be foods of choice. shell areas out of the channel are great places for redfish now. So try shallow early in the day and work your way deep, as it gets brighter in the day. So go!

Croakers will be starting to heat up. They'll be hanging around the mile markers. Eighteen is a good starting point. They really like bait shrimp on the bottom. Also, night crawlers are a good bait. But remember the Yellow Mouth will be hanging out near them and when you use a cut croaker, your catch ratio as the Trout usually goes up. Strip them and give it a try. You may be surprised at the results. So go at it.

The Flounder bite will be available, usually around the Doctor's Inlet area. Around docks with plastic or smallish shiners work. Remember they really like to eat so when you find one, you may be able to work a few out of the same area. So go!

Now Bream Fish is becoming really predictable. You work weeds and around docks with crickets and you'll be rewarded with a nice batch of

bluegill. Also fun to catch and really tasty.

So if you're so inclined, give it a go! You can use fly rod poppers in creek near pads and catch them also. Bottom fishing with a glob of wigglers will probably allow you to obtain a nice mess, so go at it.

Catfish will start to pick up in the evenings. Baits of choice will be cut bait or night crawlers. You can also work the drop offs to maybe obtain a nice whisker fillet.

Blue fish will be okay to good. You can catch with shrimp and work under docks and do well. Also working the deep points and humps works well, especially with lipless crank baits. So if you have the time, then give it a try.

Striper will be active early morning or evening or during those really days weather wise. The best bets are shrimp, shiners, or a wide variety of lures. Such as plastic grubs or minnow imitations, working around the bridge piling on the Buckman or Shands bridges is a good bet. Also up the deeper creeks if the boat traffic will let you. So just go and have fun and enjoy.

Well, that's about if for now. So 'til next time, keep your line wet and your lure movin'.--Richard.

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The Northeast Florida Marlin Association

T

he Billfish bite has been solid this year in NE Florida where our Northeast Florida Marlin Association members logged in 38 Billfish before the beginning of June, including: 24-Sailfish, 8-Marlin, and 6-Swordfish! Those catches were logged in to our new NEFMA app by nine of our general members in twenty-one fishing trips between January 1 and May 31. That total would have been even higher if a few of the other 130 days of the spring were fishable, but that is how it goes in Northeast Florida.

We are not short on great fishing here in NE Florida, we are short on great days to go fishing. Fortunately, the Marlin Club members are the best prepared to take advantage of the days we are given.

The Billfish bite will certainly slow down a bit in July and August as the water warms and the migration carries the bait and the Billfish away temporarily, but they will be back in the fall, guaranteed. The summer usually offers boat owners and their 16 NORTHEAST FLORIDA

families many more fishable days and the opportunities to find plenty of other species including: Dolphin, Tuna, Kingfish, Cobia and the occasional summer sailfish. Those fish plus the abundant bottom fish in our region make the summertime trips worthwhile, particularly with children, family, and friends.

The key to summertime success is finding good water clarity and temperatures then offering a good well-placed bait. If trolling doesn’t produce, a few hours of bottom fishing can save the day.

In the fall the Northeast Florida Marlin Association will continue the traditional El Pescado fishing tournament and several other members events and tournaments.

See the brand new website WWW. nefma.com for calendar, club and tournament information and download the NEFMA APP from REEL TIME Apps to register for membership and follow the tournament feed

JULY 2021

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T

he time has come! In just a few short days, anglers and boats from up and down the East Coast will flock to St. Augustine to take on The Challenge!

On July 8 - 11, 2021 Ancient City Game Fish Association will host its annual Challenge Tournaments at Northeast Florida Marlin Club in Camachee Cove Marina with three divisions; Kingfish, Backwater and Junior Angler. Registered anglers and boats will fish throughout the weekend for a chance to win a portion of our new prize structure, over $50,000 in cash and prizes! Our largest payout amount yet!

Festivities start at 5pm on Thursday with our Junior Angler registration, informational fishing clinic and captains meeting. Sponsored by A to Z Roofing and Waterproofing, the Junior Anglers fish in three age groups; “small fry” - ages 8 and under, “junior” - ages 9 to 16 and “senior” - ages 16 to 18. Redfish and/or Kingfish are the targeted species and the largest fish in each species and age group will be eligible for prizes at the awards ceremony on Friday at 3:30pm. There

will also be a special guest appearance from a certain “pink” friend at this family friendly event. The first 175 kids can register for FREE and all participating Jr Anglers will receive a medal compliments of Big Boys Play Toys!

The real party starts on Friday at 4pm with registration for the Kingfish and Backwater Challenge, sponsored

by Waylen Bay Marine. Registrants and spectators will enjoy live music by local favorite Paper City Hustlers, vendor booths, food, cash bar, and an amazing raffle. The captain’s meeting will begin around 7:00pm. Fishing days for these challenges are Saturday and Sunday. Anglers will fish inshore in the Backwater Challenge or offshore in the Kingfish Challenge. Weigh-in times on Saturday are from 3-5pm and 2-4pm on Sunday. Cost to enter is $100 per angler for Backwater and $350 for the Kingfish Challenge. Calcutta options will be available. Registration is open now Erin Johnson Club President

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Fishing Report & Forecast Fernandina / Amelia Island

By Terry D. Lacoss

J

uly is by far one of the better fishing months at Amelia Island, Florida.

Heading the list is the fast-striking king mackerel showcased by the high visibility Nassau Sport Fishing Association’s “38th Annual Fernandina beach Fishing Rodeo”. The dates of this highly competitive event are July 30-31, 2021. The popular event is being held one more at newly renovated Fernandina Beach Harbor Marina.

The big event is sanctioned by the Southern Kingfish Association as part of their 2021 Tournament Trail national championship series.

There is a Kingfish Division, inshore, and offshore divisions as well for a wide variety of game fish that showcase Northeast Florida fishing waters.

Every entrant can fish one, or both divisions. For more information, please visit www.nsfafish.net.

Steamy hot summer days also heats up beach fishing action where large schools of menhaden are a big attraction for summer tarpon, wide shouldered jack crevalle, sharks, cobia and the speedy king mackerel at both fishy inlets, the Nassau and St. Mary’s inlets. Beach fishing

can also provide hot summer fishing action where Spanish mackerel, menhaden and mullet are numerous. Simply look for diving sea birds and those clumsy pelicans!

First order of business includes cast netting enough menhaden to fill a 120-quart cooler with freshly netted menhaden. Next fill your boat’s live well with 30 to 50 live menhaden, being careful to weed out the smaller menhaden while using the larger more attractive menhaden for live baits.

Twenty-to-thirty-pound, class kingfish tackle includes a threefoot section of #3 coffee colored piano wire leader is employed with a four-inch section of #4 stinger wire is haywire wrapped to a #4-4x treble hook. The treble hook is barbed in the back of the menhaden and a small orange float is attached to the main fishing line to keep the menhaden close to the surface. With an early morning light southwest wind, set up a drift just 50-yards offshore of the largest concentrations of menhaden while chumming with cut pieces of menhaden. Two “Flat Line” kingfish rods are then rigged with two live baits fished some 100120 from your drifting boat.

Finally, two 30 to 40-pound fishing rods and reels are rigged with a six-foot section of 80-pound monofilament leader and a 7/0 circle hook.

Live whiting and croaker are caught while fishing on the bottom with a small piece of shrimp then nose hooked and set out 30 to 40-yards behind your drifting boat. Two or three small floats are also attached to the main line to keep the live baits right on the surface.

This deadly chum/drifting technique typically lures kingfish and cobia to the long drop back live menhaden baits and tarpon and shark to the close in live whiting and croaker baits.

The best beach fishing action arrives early in the morning and late in the evening while fishing with live sand fleas, or fresh shrimp. Expect to catch pompano, whiting, blues, red and black drum. Sea trout will be running during the last few hours of the in-coming tide while casting a clear plastic curly tail with silver glitter when rigged to a red ¼ ounce jig head. Some of the best areas of the beach include the footsteps of historic Fort Clinch, American Beach and the southern tip of Amelia Island where a set of rock jetties hold ambushing game fish.

Seasoned beach fishermen will bring along a sand flea net while sifting through the wet sand for these extremely productive surf fishing baits.

Sea trout action in the backwaters of Amelia Island is excellent during the early morning and late afternoon hours, particularly when there is a flooding tide. Look for schooling mullet over a shallow oyster laden flat to produce the best speck action while drifting a live finger mullet under a small float. Casting a Zara Spook, or Storm “Chug Bug” in the chrome and blue color pattern is a deadly back country fishing tactic, producing heart stopping strikes right on the surface!

Redfish will be tailing in flooded spartina marshes during the last hour of the flood tide and the first hour of the falling tide. Work a white Berkley Gulp shrimp rigged to a 1/8th ounce led head jig slowly in potholes where tailing reds are foraging.

Many Northeast Florida freshwater fishermen overlook casting for largemouth bass in the many small lakes, ponds, and freshwater rivers during the heat of the summer. However, if you get on the water early in the morning, or late in the evening, freshwater fishing can be the best of the year. Casting a dark colors swimming plastic worm, or surface plug will also produce better than average size largemouth bass and exciting surface strikes too!.

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

18 NORTHEAST FLORIDA

JULY 2021

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ANCIENT CITY GAME FISH ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES IT’S ANNUAL CHALLENGE TOURNAMENTS

By CAM Staff

S

T. AUGUSTINE, Florida (June 11, 2021) – The Ancient City Game Fish Association will host its annual Challenge Tournaments in St. Augustine on July 8, 9, 10, and 11, 2021 at Northeast Florida Marlin Club in Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor with three divisions; Kingfish, Backwater and Junior Angler. Registered anglers and boats will fish throughout the weekend for a chance to win a portion of a new prize structure, over $50,000 in cash and prizes!

Tournament highlights include: • Kid’s Night on July 8th starts at 5pm with registration, fishing clinic, hotdog party, captain’s meeting and raffle.

• Jr Angler tournament fishing on Friday, July 9th.

• Backwater and Kingfish Captain’s Meeting on July 9th from 5-7pm with food, cash bar, vendors, live music, raffle and more!

• Two days of fishing on Saturday, July 10th and Sunday, July 11th.

• Over $50,000 in Cash and Prizes.

• Multiple Calcutta’s and divisions for more chances to win.

“We are thrilled for the opportunity to host our beloved, long-standing fishing tournament in 2021,” said Erin Johnson, Tournament Director. “We have made even more changes to continue to improve each year. One significant change is our prize structure, we are paying out more money than ever before. The top kingfish boat will walk away with a $20,000 cash prize which is the most money we’ve ever offered! We’ve been blessed with amazing sponsors year after year that have made it possible for us to continue to put on this family-friendly event in our community for the past 20+ years!”

Hours and Entry: Tournament begins with kid’s night on Thursday, July 8th at 5pm and ends on Sunday, July 11th with awards at approximately 6pm . Entry is $25 for Jr Angler, $100 for Backwater and $350 for Kingfish.

For more information and complete details, visit acgfachallenge.com.

About ACGFA: ACGFA was founded in 1958. We are a family oriented group who enjoys fishing and good fellowship.

The purpose of the ACGFA is to promote the sport of fishing in our area, to be a leading force in improving fishing grounds and facilities, and continue to promote conservation of our local waters.

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Fishing Report & Forecast St. Augustine Offshore

By Capt. Robert Johnson

Summer Snappers

ready for the Amberjack, Pompano, and Cobia that are sure to show up. On recent trips our anglers have been rewarded with Mangrove, Amberjack, Vermillion, Pompano and Cobia.

Red Snapper season is July 9th,10th and11th. We need to let our voices be heard by our elected officials. Tell them they need to get this Red Snapper regulation fixed. We all know we have a healthy red Snapper fishery and they need to get us more days to catch them. Email Senator Rick Scott, Congressman John Rutherford, Senator Marco Rubio…They need to be flooded with emails….

On the trolling scene King Mackerel fishing has picked up and live bait fisherman have been rewarded with some nice fish. In 21 fathoms there are areas holding schools of blue runners. Find those schools and you’re in the money.

Mangrove snapper fishing has been as good as it gets. The larger ledges and wrecks in 100’ – 145’ is target areas. Light tackle in the 20 to 30-pound class is the tackle of choice. Use just enough weight to get your bait falling towards the bottom.

Mutton Snapper are becoming more abundant this summer. 120 to 180 ft in sandy areas work best. Vermillion snapper, Triggerfish, Red porgy, and African Pompano have been available as well. Cut squid on the bottom is the way to go for smaller fish. Keep a jig rod

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Sportfishing Industry Calls on Congress to Support Conservation and Access ASA President Glenn Hughes testifies before Senate subcommitte

A

lexandria, VA – June 16, 2021 – Over the past year, there has been a significant increase in participation and demand for outdoor recreation, which has created challenges and opportunities for the recreational fishing and the broader outdoor recreation industries.

Yesterday, the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Tourism, Trade, and Export Promotion, held a hearing to examine the state of outdoor tourism and the recreation industry, including the impacts of COVID-19 on businesses and communities.

ASA President Glenn Hughes testifies on behalf of recreational fishing during the Senate subcommittee meeting on outdoor recreation.

American Sportfishing Association (ASA) President Glenn Hughes provided testimony on the contributions that anglers and the sportfishing and boating industries have on our nation’s economy as well as highlighting several important bills including the pending reauthorization of the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund and its importance to our nation’s natural resources.

The Trust Fund, which is supported by the federal manufacturers excise taxes on fishing equipment, motorboat fuel, import duties and more, funds state-based programs for sportfish conservation and habitat restoration, infrastructure for boating access and education for anglers and boaters.

Through this excise tax, combined with a similar excise tax on firearms and ammunition, over the decades, more than $65 billion has been distributed to state natural resource agencies for fish and wildlife conservation.

ASA President Glenn Hughes, left, with Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.)

during the subcommittee meeting in Washington, D.C. “During the pandemic, Americans turned to fishing and other outdoor activities in numbers not seen in recent years,” said Hughes. “Research sponsored by the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation showed that the number of anglers increased from 50 million to 55 million in 2020.”

Hughes further noted, “More anglers led to more fishing license sales. On average, state license sales increased by 14%, generating more than $750 million in license fees which goes toward fisheries conservation.”

In his concluding remarks, Hughes emphasized, “With so much increased demand for recreational fishing, and outdoor recreation in general, Congress plays a critical role in ensuring Americans have access to public lands and waters. We ask that you recognize the value of anglers and all outdoor recreation and build upon recently enacted legislation such as the Great American Outdoors Act and America’s Conservation Enhancement by reauthorizing Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund the that will support natural resource conservation and outdoor recreation access.”

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JULY 2021

NORTHEAST FLORIDA 23

TIDE CHART - JULY

Mayport Degaussing Structure 30.3967° N, 81.3950° W Date Day Time 01 Thu 02:10 AM 4.58 H 02 Fri 03:03 AM 4.32 H 03 Sat 03:57 AM 4.11 H 04 Sun 04:52 AM 3.97 H 05 Mon 05:44 AM 3.90 H 06 Tue 12:31 AM 0.70 L 07 Wed 01:17 AM 0.53 L 08 Thu 02:00 AM 0.36 L 09 Fri 02:40 AM 0.23 L 10 Sat 03:19 AM 0.15 L 11 Sun 03:58 AM 0.11 L 12 Mon 04:37 AM 0.10 L 13 Tue 05:18 AM 0.10 L 14 Wed 06:02 AM 0.09 L 15 Thu 12:36 AM 5.04 H 16 Fri 01:25 AM 4.92 H 17 Sat 02:18 AM 4.77 H 18 Sun 03:16 AM 4.62 H 19 Mon 04:17 AM 4.51 H 20 Tue 05:19 AM 4.47 H 21 Wed 12:16 AM -0.19 L 22 Thu 01:13 AM -0.41 L 23 Fri 02:06 AM -0.57 L 24 Sat 02:57 AM -0.65 L 25 Sun 03:45 AM -0.63 L 26 Mon 04:33 AM -0.52 L 27 Tue 05:21 AM -0.34 L 28 Wed 06:09 AM -0.13 L 29 Thu 12:45 AM 4.80 H 30 Fri 01:32 AM 4.53 H 31 Sat 02:22 AM 4.29 H

Hgt 08:27 09:15 10:03 10:50 11:37 06:33 07:19 08:03 08:44 09:25 10:06 10:49 11:33 12:20 06:49 07:39 08:31 09:24 10:20 11:18 06:20 07:17 08:11 09:03 09:55 10:46 11:36 12:26 06:57 07:46 08:34

Time AM 0.05 L AM 0.17 L AM 0.26 L AM 0.31 L AM 0.32 L AM 3.88 H AM 3.89 H AM 3.91 H AM 3.93 H AM 3.95 H AM 4.00 H AM 4.09 H AM 4.22 H PM 4.41 H AM 0.05 L AM -0.01 L AM -0.10 L AM -0.20 L AM -0.32 L AM -0.47 L AM 4.49 H AM 4.55 H AM 4.62 H AM 4.67 H AM 4.70 H AM 4.71 H AM 4.71 H PM 4.71 H AM 0.10 L AM 0.31 L AM 0.50 L

Hgt 02:47 03:43 04:36 05:26 06:12 12:23 01:08 01:51 02:31 03:11 03:51 04:33 05:20 06:13 01:09 02:02 02:58 03:57 04:58 05:57 12:15 01:12 02:06 02:58 03:50 04:42 05:35 06:31 01:15 02:05 02:57

Approximate Correction Times Palm Valley ICW: H: +2:20 L: +2:00 +/- for Other regional Locations JAX Beach: H: -:29 L: -:20 Bings Landing: H: +2:57 L: +2:44

Time Hgt PM 4.55 H PM 4.62 H PM 4.69 H PM 4.78 H PM 4.86 H PM 0.28 L PM 0.22 L PM 0.14 L PM 0.09 L PM 0.08 L PM 0.11 L PM 0.20 L PM 0.31 L PM 0.41 L PM 4.64 H PM 4.87 H PM 5.11 H PM 5.33 H PM 5.54 H PM 5.72 H PM -0.63 L PM -0.79 L PM -0.88 L PM -0.85 L PM -0.67 L PM -0.37 L PM 0.01 L PM 0.40 L PM 4.72 H PM 4.72 H PM 4.73 H

St. Augustine Beach: H: -:07 L: -:15 St. A City Dock: H: -:04 L: +:09

09:00 09:57 10:51 11:42

Time PM 0.73 PM 0.86 PM 0.90 PM 0.83

Hgt L L L L

06:55 07:37 08:19 09:00 09:41 10:23 11:06 11:50

PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM

4.95 5.02 5.09 5.14 5.17 5.18 5.17 5.12

H H H H H H H H

07:12 08:13 09:15 10:17 11:17

PM PM PM PM PM

0.47 0.47 0.38 0.23 0.03

L L L L L

06:55 07:50 08:43 09:34 10:23 11:12 11:59

PM PM PM PM PM PM PM

5.87 5.95 5.94 5.83 5.64 5.39 5.10

H H H H H H H

07:28 PM 0.74 L 08:24 PM 1.00 L 09:19 PM 1.16 L

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It’s Bay Scallop Season!

W ith most of the regions for bay scallops opening to harvest this month, Gulf Coast divers are hoping for the weather and clear water that pushes these tasty bivalves shallow and makes them visible.

• Fenholloway-Suwannee River Zone: The season opened early, on June 15, for the Fenholloway-Suwannee River Zone, where preseason scouting trips were already reporting scads of scallops in shallow grass at Steinhatchee. Bag limits for this zone change as the season progresses,

so pay attention to the dates.

From June 15-30, the per-person limit is 1 gallon whole or 1 cup shucked. The vessel limit is 5 gallons whole or two pints shucked.

From July 1-Labor Day, the per-person limit is 2 gallons whole or 1 pint shucked. The vessel limit is 10 gallons whole or 1/2 gallon (4 pints) shucked.

• Franklin-NW Taylor County Zone: Open July 1-Sept. 24. The per-person limit is 2 gallons whole or 1 pint shucked. The vessel limit is 10 gallons whole or ½ gallon (4 pints) shucked.

• Levy, Citrus, Hernando County Zone: Open July 1-Sept. 24. The per-person limit is 2 gallons whole or 1 pint shucked. The vessel limit is 10 gallons whole or ½ gallon (4 pints) shucked.

• Gulf County Zone: Open Aug. 16-Sept. 24.

The per-person limit is 2 gallons whole or 1 pint shucked. The vessel limit is 10 gallons whole or ½ gallon (4 pints) shucked.

• Pasco County Zone: Open for a 10-day season beginning the third Friday in July, which is July 16 this year. The per-person limit is 2 gallons whole or 1 pint shucked. The vessel limit is 10 gallons whole or ½ gallon (4 pints) shucked.

For more information, including regulations pertaining to boating and diving safely, go to myfwc.com.

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New Artificial Reef Off St. George Island

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ype in the coordinates; a new artificial reef will be deployed off St. George Island and Apalachicola later this summer.

Franklin County commissioners recently awarded the contract to construct and deploy 35 offshore artificial reef modules within a site named the Buddy Ward Memorial Artificial Reef in memory of longtime seafood industry advocate and businessman Olan “Buddy” Ward.

The Ward memorial site is located within state waters and in sight of St George Island, approximately 8 nautical miles offshore of Apalachicola in about 40 feet of water. The project is expected to be complete by summer.

The Ward reef joins more than 60 artificial reefs already located offshore from the Franklin County shoreline. These fish hotels stretch from Alligator Point to Apalachicola and are responsible for providing valuable habitat for hundreds of fish species that migrate through the region. Once deployed, the Ward reef GPS coordinates will be available online, along with other existing reef coordinates, through the AARA website www.apalachicolareef.org.

For more information on fishing Franklin County, visit Floridasforgottencoast.com.

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TRIPLETAIL AND TARPON

By CAM Staff

S

ummertime is tripletail and tarpon time along Florida’s Forgotten Coast. Each summer, these two species invade inshore fisheries in numbers. They stick around for a while and add spice and size to fisheries normally known for redfish and seatrout.

The Forgotten Coast is a stretch of the Florida Panhandle from roughly St. Marks on Apalachee Bay to Mexico Beach, southeast of Panama City.

It’s about 130 miles of sparsely developed coastline that features an embarrassment of riches when it comes to inshore fishing. There are also great nearshore and offshore options, but the system of bays and barrier islands in this stretch of Gulf Coast is an inshore-angler’s playground.

Tripletail started showing up in the bays in May this year, and they should stick around through the summer. With their large, rounded anal and dorsal fins, these odd-looking and great-tasting fish have a peculiar habit of hanging near the surface around any sort of floating cover.

This makes them a ton of fun to target, as they can be sight fished around crab trap buoys, channel markers, drifting weed mats or really anything floating in the water.

Shrimp and baitfish are attracted to cover, and tripletail post up like another piece of rubbish to let food come to them. They can be spotted free-swimming, too, which is why it’s smart to take a closer look at anything floating in the bays. They range in size from 2 pounds to nearly 30 pounds on the Forgotten Coast. They’ll hit live baits, artificials and even flies.

Tarpon can be a little more difficult to target, but the rewards can be huge when you find them. With a westward migration up the Gulf Coast, giant tarpon show up in shallow bays from St. Marks to St. Joe starting after the first full moon of June and petering out in August most years. In early summer, fly anglers, armed with 11- and 12-weight rods, can be seen watching patiently from the decks of skiffs for pods of tarpon that move up into the shallow grass flats.

When they’re not shallow, big tarpon can be targeted in the passes and coves. In late summer, live pinfish or grunts under a float or even cut mullet on the bottom will test your tackle with tarpon that weigh in excess of 100 pounds.

For information on lodging and fishing on the Forgotten Coast, go to www.floridasforgottencoast.com.

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he worldwide industry leader in the manufacture of rack systems for transporting boards and kayaks has announced the launch of its new rack system for transporting floating mats, the FM Rack System.

This revolutionary new product was developed to provide a simple, quick and effective solution to the problem of securing floating mats when a vessel is underway.

With the most popular brands of floating mats reaching up to 18 feet in size, yacht captains and recreational boaters alike have long struggled to safely and securely transport their floating mats to and from their boating destinations.

The new FM Rack System by Manta Racks provides the solution to this safety problem by easily sliding into the rod holders on the gunwales or transom of a boat and locking down the rolled up, bulky mats quickly and effectively.

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Manta Racks is a top-tier manufacturer of recreational transportation rack systems with products designed, manufactured and assembled in the United States. The company’s primary products are the signature S2 Paddleboard Rack System, designed to safely and securely transport two SUPs; its B2 Wakeboard Rack System, designed to transport wake, knee, surf and kite boards; its L2K System, which transports Kayaks; and now the all-new FM Rack System, designed to safely secure floating mats. It’s the first ever of its kind to be offered to the boating industry.

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TIPS FROM A PRO

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COVERING WATER WITH A BLADED JIG

A

TYLER WOOLCOTT

s you approach a new lake or even one you have been to a thousand times, it’s always a good idea to throw a confidence bait you know will get bites. The bladed jig, aka chatterbait, is my confidence bait. It is extremely versatile and can be thrown around any type of cover. It allows you to cover a vast amount of water and locate bass that might take days to find with other tactics.

The market is flooded with different brands, sizes and colors of the bladed jig. I have experimented and found the Z-Man Jackhammer is the best performing bladed jig out there. In a variety of colors and sizes, they run perfectly out of the package every time. To me, it’s worth the expensive price tag.

Let’s talk about matching the chatterbait to natural forage.

Depending on the time of year and what kind of bait the bass are feeding on, there is a color to match the hatch. If shad is the prevalent forage, I stick to a white or a baitfish-color like pearl and silver with a silver blade. If its bluegill, you can get by with a green pumpkin or anything with some yellow and orange mixed in with a darker blade color.

Sometimes water color can play a factor in color choice, as well. If the water is very dirty, use a color that will stick out so fish can see it coming by. Something like a white and chartreuse with a white blade, for baitfish imitation, or even a bright orange with a black blade, for crawfish imitation, can do the trick.

Sizes and weights are important, as well.

Ranging from ¼ oz. up to 1.25 oz., the depth you are fishing should decide what you tie on. I typically start with a 3/8- or a ½-oz. jig, which allows me to cover water depths from 1 to 10 feet, depending on the retrieve. If I find some deeper cover, I will go a little heavier.

Attaching a trailer enhances the allure of a bladed jig. I try and match the color of the trailer to the color of the skirt. The type of trailer can be more complicated. When fish are aggressive, I use a swimbait-style trailer with a boot tail like the 13 Fishing Pleasure shad. When they want something more subtle, I use a twin-tail trailer like the 13 Fishing The Jerk.

When throwing a bladed jig, it’s important to have the correct gear. I use a 13 Fishing Omen Black Chatt-R-Crank rod paired with a 13 Fishing Concept A 6:8:1 reel. I spool up with 17-lb. Seaguar Abrazx line. This set up is perfect for the job!

All across the country, I rely on a chatterbait any time of year to put fish in the boat. Next time you hit the lake, tie on a chatterbait to cover some water.

Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide.

Check out his website at www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com.

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FEDS ALLOW THREE DAYS FOR ATLANTIC RED SNAPPER

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PHOTO COURTESY OF LARRY MCGUIRE/SHOW ME THE FISH CHARTERS

t hardly seems worth the boat ride to catch one red snapper per person, but if you happen to be out bottom fishing in federal waters of the Atlantic and catch one, there are three days this year when you’re allowed to keep it.

NOAA Fisheries Service, the federal entity tasked with setting seasons and limits, announced in early June that it will allow recreational harvest of red snapper on July 9, 10 and 11, 2021 in federal waters of the Atlantic (3-200 miles) off the coast of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

This year’s season is a day shorter than last year’s because anglers exceeded the total allowable catch last summer.

The bag limit is one per person, per day, with no minimum size limit.

Anglers are required to use dehooking tools to minimize damage when unhooking snapper and grouper species. A descending device is also required to be onboard and readily available for use.

Hook requirements north of 28º North Latitude, which is a line roughly between Vero Beach and Cape Canaveral, Fla. are for non-offset, nonstainless steel circle hooks. South of that line, anglers may use any style hook, as long as they are not made of stainless steel.

The season for the commercial sector opens July 12 and will remain open until Jan. 1, or until the annual catch limit is met. That occurred in about a month and a half last summer.

For more information, see www.fisheries.noaa.gov.

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STRIPES ARE BLITZING OFF MASSACHUSETTS

J

ack Murphy, of Lucky Jacks Fishing, said the season for striped bass started with a bang and is progressing well off the coast of New England.

“There have been and will be larger striped bass on pogie schools in Buzzards Bay,” he said. “The similar schools of striped bass will soon be harassing offshore pogie schools, and the resident striped bass will be moving into their nearshore haunts chasing mackerel and smashing lobsters.”

The offshore bite is where many of the monster 40-plus-pound stripers are caught each year. In low-light conditions, pods of big fish harass big schools of pogie found 5 to 10 miles offshore of Massachusetts, both north and south of Cape Cod. If you want to get in on the action, you need to make plans now.

Check out Lucky Jacks Fishing at www.luckyjacksfishing.com.

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TARPON NOW CATCH-AND-RELEASE IN NORTH CAROLINA

E

ffective immediately, tarpon fishing in North Carolina state waters is now catch-and-release only.

The new regulation was implemented after an appeal from North Carolina pier operators failed during the legislative review process. North Carolina now joins Florida as Atlantic states with no-keep regulations for the highly migratory species. Florida sells a permit that allows anglers seeking a state or world record to keep one tarpon for that purpose.

South Carolina has a limit of one tarpon per person per day with a 77-inch minimum length limit. Georgia allows angler to keep one tarpon per day with a 68-inch minimum length limit.

“Protecting this magnificent fish while it spends time in our North Carolina waters is a great move by the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Commission Board,” said Capt. Jot Owens, who is a guide and BTT Conservation Captain.

“Thank you to everyone who supported this amendment and a special thanks to the commission board members who voted in favor of this ruling.”

For more on North Carolina marine fisheries, visit http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/home.

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