Coastal Angler Magazine - August / North Central Florida

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NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST EDITION

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Marlin, Sails & Mahi!

Surf Expo in Orlando Sept. 5-8, 2018

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Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events PHOTO COURTESY OF JIMMY NELSON VOLUME 23 • ISSUE 282

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CEO / EDITOR IN CHIEF : Ben Martin • camads@coastalanglermagazine.com COO : Tracy Patterson • tracy@coastalanglermagazine.com ART DIRECTOR : Rebecca Snowden • graphics@coastalanglermagazine.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR : Nick Carter • editorial@coastalanglermagazine.com WEBMASTER : webmaster@coastalanglermagazine.com ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: Corporate Headquarters info@coastalanglermagazine.com • 888-800-9794

FLORIDA

BIG BEND : Mike McNamara • (850) 510-7919 • captmike@coastalanglermagazine.com BREVARD : Chris Milner • (321) 631-1001 • cmilner@coastalanglermagazine.com DAYTONA/NEW SMYRNA/DELAND : Amy Chibbaro • (386) 478-3812 • achibbaro@coastalanglermagazine.com Chris Chibbaro • (386) 478-9234 • cchibbaro@coastalanglermagazine.com FLORIDA KEYS : Cliff Lumpkin • (305) 849-9093 • cliff@coastalanglermagazine.com FORT LAUDERDALE : Gene Dyer • (954) 680-3900 • gene@coastalanglermagazine.com FORT MYERS : Nadeen Welch • (239) 595-8265 • nwelch@coastalanglermagazine.com GREATER ORLANDO : Phillip & Giselle Wolf • (407) 790-9515 • phillip@coastalanglermagazine.com GREATER MIAMI : Gene Dyer • (954) 680-3900 • gene@coastalanglermagazine.com LAKELAND & SUMTER : Mary Brasher • (352) 598-4219 • maryf@coastalanglermagazine.com NAPLES : Nadeen Welch • (239) 595-8265 • nwelch@coastalanglermagazine.com NC FLORIDA/NATURE COAST : Cary & Lynn Crutchfield • (352) 372-4237 • crutch@coastalanglermagazine.com NE FLORIDA : Danny Patrick • (904) 742-4696 • danny@coastalanglermagazine.com PANAMA CITY/FORGOTTEN COAST : Randy Cnota • (229) 834-7880 • randyc@coastalanglermagazine.com PALM BEACH COUNTY : Barbara Ryan • (561) 373-8040 • barbara@coastalanglermagazine.com SARASOTA : Phil Prevoir • (239) 257-4684 • pprevoir@coastalanglermagazine.com TAMPA BAY : Chuck Atkins • (239) 464-5153 • chuck@coastalanglermagazine.com TREASURE COAST : Misti & Gary Guertin • (772) 285-6850 • treasurecoast@coastalanglermagazine.com flahama@coastalanglermagazine.com

SOUTHEAST

ATLANTA : Bob & Brenda Rice • (706) 614-8231 • bobr@theanglermagazine.com CHARLESTON : Sam Buckareff • (843) 607-8629 • sam@coastalanglermagazine.com CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT : Doug Simmons • (704) 361-6189 • simmons@theanglermagazine.com Juli Simmons • (980) 333-7273 • simmons@theanglermagazine.com COLUMBIA/MIDLANDS : John Lux • (803) 807-6885 • jlux@theanglermagazine.com MYRTLE BEACH : Mike Masiero • (732) 674-3019 • mmasiero@coastalanglermagazine.com TIDEWATER/OUTER BANKS : John Tiger • (757) 707-9654 • john.tiger@coastalanglermagazine.com Laura Tiger • (757) 707-9655 • laura@coastalanglermagazine.com WESTERN NC : Debra & Joe Woody • (828) 775-9663 • woody@theanglermagazine.com WILMINGTON/MOREHEAD : Kenny Ritter • (910) 550-9094 • kenny@coastalanglermagazine.com

NORTHEAST BOSTON : George Regan • (617) 488-2842 • boston@coastalanglermagazine.com LONG ISLAND : Lisa & Michael Danforth • (203) 321-7635 • lisad@coastalanglermagazine.com CONNECTICUT/RHODE ISLAND : Lisa & Michael Danforth • (203) 321-7635 lisad@coastalanglermagazine.com

GULF COAST MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST : Adam Nelson • (228) 627-5903 • anelson@coastalanglermagazine.com Toby Nelson • (228) 623-1761 • tnelson@coastalanglermagazine.com ALABAMA/PENSACOLA : Paul Caruso • (239) 980-7738 • paul@coastalanglermagazine.com

GREAT LAKES WEST MICHIGAN : Phil Belsito • (616) 957-1714 • phil@theanglermagazine.com

INTERNATIONAL PUERTO RICO/VIRGIN ISLANDS : Ace Bassue • (407) 285-9453 • ace@coastalanglermagazine.com COSTA RICA : Mike Erickson • (561) 262-2242 • mike@coastalanglermagazine.com © 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Disclaimer: Coastal Angler Magazine / The Angler Magazine will not be held liable for injuries incurred while partaking in activities described herein, or for claims made against products or services provided by advertisers.

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Losing Count On The Clinch River By Nick Carter

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very now and then, there are magical days when all the variables align. It can seem almost too easy. The fish just eat what you’re throwing, and it’s glorious. Of course, these days happen more often for those who have a fishery dialed in. And for the rest of us who can’t be on the water daily to learn a river, the next best thing is to go with someone who can. That’s where Capt. Dane Law and Bill Stranahan, of Southeastern Anglers, stepped in during a recent trip on the Clinch River, northwest of Knoxville, Tenn. The Clinch is one of the Southeast’s

premier trout fisheries. It is a 13-mile tailwater fed by cold, oxygenated waters of Norris Dam. Tennessee stocks the river with rainbow and brown trout, and bank anglers line up near stocking points to pitch baits for a seven-fish limit. That’s all well and good, but for anglers in search of more than a fish dinner, the river is great because of all the trout that survive this initial onslaught. There is some natural reproduction in the river, and with a 14- to 20-inch protected length range and an allowance of one keeper fish longer than 20 inches, trout that reach the protected slot are free to grow. And they grow quickly. The Clinch has gained a reputation for being fickle and for requiring delicate presentation of tiny flies. “The Grinch or The Cinch,” is a clichéd phrase Bill related to me while launching his jet-powered G3 on a hot Tuesday morning in June. By mid-afternoon, it was difficult to imagine this river being stingy. Maybe a minute into our first drift, Dane hooked up with a gorgeous rainbow that pushed the upper end of that 20-inch slot. It was an indicator of good things to come. The action remained constant for the next five hours. We must have caught 30 or more trout, including four that measured 18 to 20 inches and a couple presumably larger fish that snapped the 6x tippet required to draw strikes. And it was simple fishing. Dane and Bill showed up armed to the teeth with 5- to 7-weight rods and reels, with everything from floating to 300-grain sinking lines. Their flies ran the gamut from tiny midges to big articulated streamers. On this day, the vast majority of their arsenal saw no action. The only thing we needed was Bill’s initial suggestion: a size 16 bead-head Prince Nymph dropped 5 feet beneath a foam hopper. Several times, Dane or Bill remarked that the river normally doesn’t fish this ridiculously well. But when it all comes together, there is nothing more fun than floating a river and losing count of the fish. Southeastern Anglers is a multi-state fly fishing outfitter. Check out all the trips they offer at www.southeasternanglers.com

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Destination: Fishing!

Using Technology For Rhode Island Stripers By Tom Schlichter

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t’s hard to find a place better suited for catching trophy striped bass than the waters surrounding Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay area. With a mix of rocky bottom, strong currents and tons of forage species in nearby ocean waters, plus miles of mud flats inside the bay, this stretch is loaded with big fish potential. Flippin Out Charters skipper BJ Silvia has mined these waters for more than 30 years. He’s boated hundreds of bass in the 40-pound class, plus five weighing 50 to 54 pounds… and he thinks the fishing here is on the verge of getting better! “The number of stripers coming through the ranks right now is amazing,” he said, “We’ve got plenty of cow bass, plus an unprecedented number of fish ranging from shorts to 20 pounds. If we protect the young year classes over the next few years, the potential is outstanding.”

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The shallow waters of Narragansett Bay receive a solid shot of big stripers each May, the 48-year old revealed. Those fish drop out of the Hudson River and spread across the mud flats, traveling in small wolf packs that most anglers target with random casting. Using the latest technology, however, gives Silvia a big edge. He’s hooked on side-scanning sonar to isolate the bass packs on the flats. “Any fishfinder can spot fish below the boat,” Silvia emphasized, “but my Humminbird Solix 15 scans the surrounding waters with super-clear images that push out several hundred feet. For the sharpest images, I set my system to scan within 100 feet. Once we spot these fish, we target them with big plugs like a Musky Mania Doc or topwater spooks. Last spring, the big bass were more spread out than usual, so my Solix proved a lifesaver. It helped get me on the fish quickly, which resulted in more fishing and less searching around.” Technology counts later in the summer as well, added Silvia. Once the stripers leave the shallows, they hold around bottom humps in ocean depths ranging from 20 to 50 feet during July and August. Here, the striper sharpie targets cows using live eels. He’ll fish one weightless rig, one with a small egg sinker, and a third with more weight based on drift speed. On tough days, he said, the biggest bass often prefer the lightest rigs. Focusing again on his technological edge, Silvia noted the bestknown striper spots see tremendous pressure, so he uses his Humminbird fishfinders (he also has a Solix 12 and Solix 10) to look for isolated pieces that don’t show up on the charts. “I use the auto-chart live feature to record them as way points,” he said. “That way, I’m hitting small spots others miss. These often hold the biggest fish.” Contact Silvia at Flippin Out Charters (Flippinoutcharters.com; 401-529-2267). To go it alone, tie-up or launch from Fort Adams State Park Newport, RI (www.dem.gov; 401-847-2400). For overnight accommodations, The Courtyard by Marriot, Middletown, RI (www. marriot.com; 401-849-8000) is reasonably priced and a five-minute drive from the water.

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America’s Boating Club Delivers Boating Education

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hen it comes to boating education, nothing beats getting out on the water with an instructor. Whether you are learning about the subtlety of throttle control while docking or decision making based on the rules of the road while underway, having a knowledgeable instructor to guide you is irreplaceable. A good source for on-the-water boater education is United States Power Squadrons – America’s Boating Club. Your local squadron will have a schedule of courses covering topics like boat safety equipment and procedures, basic vessel operation and controls, close quarters maneuvering, operating a boat on plane, docking, anchoring, emergency maneuvers and man overboard recovery, to name a few. To bolster your on-the-water training, America’s Boating Club has released digital assets designed to enhance boating education with the Digital Media Library and America’s Boating Channel. Funded by grants from the United States Coast Guard, United States Power Squadrons – America’s Boating Club’s Digital Media Library houses multiple formats of digital media focused on boating safety and boater education including videos, slideshows, images, animations, audio presentations and instructor’s manuals. Videos have also been made available through a YouTube channel, America’s Boating Channel, to allow users to stream video content online. Videos and animations cover a wide range of topics and are organized into sections like Planning, Departure, Underway and Arrival. Each video goes into more detail tackling subjects like life jackets, vessel inspections, steering basics, anchoring, man overboard, docking, mooring and shoreline landings. “In an ongoing effort to make boater education more accessible, we have turned to digital and online resources to disseminate the latest information,” said Gary Cheney, chief commander, United States Power Squadrons. “The mission of the United States Power Squadrons is to promote safe boating through education. By offering video assets through the Digital Media Library and America’s Boating Channel, we give

individuals access to vital boating information that they can view at home or on the go. It’s all part of making it easier than ever before to become a safer and more knowledgeable boater.” Providing original multimedia content instructors can use to enhance their classroom offerings, the Digital Media Library lets individuals view videos at home to reinforce what is learned in class. Videos provide an introduction to a range of boating topics, essential skills and etiquette. Links to “Learn More” at the end of each video promote further education. New content is added regularly. A new video series currently in production includes four videos on various aspects of life jackets, six on personal watercraft operation and one each on accident reporting, frequently asked questions about navigation rules, visual distress signals and mobile maritime service identities. Videos are also available in both English and Spanish. The Digital Media Library can be accessed at uspsdml.org/videos/. America’s Boating Channel can be found at americasboatingchannel.com/. Knowledge is key to a safe and enjoyable time on the water. United States Power Squadrons – America’s Boating Club, has the materials you need to enhance your education. Find your local squadron at www. americasboatingclub.org and sign up for a class today!

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FISH & FISHING

Hunting Sharks

MARK SOSIN

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ost anglers go out of their way to avoid hooking a shark. In their minds, anyone who actually hunts sharks doesn’t know much about fishing and has his priorities mixed up. They reason that these toothy critters don’t put up much of a battle. With sharks of any size and particularly in relatively shallow water, you’re going to have to crank the engine and chase them with the boat. Two of the toughest and most memorable battles I have ever endured involved sharks that pounced on a fish I had almost landed. In the first instance, I was leading a relatively small wahoo to the boat so we could release it. Suddenly, an oversized mako shark ate half of that fish in one bite and inadvertently got itself hooked. We chased that mako forever, and I put every ounce of pressure on it that I could until my arms and shoulders turned numb from the pain. During all that time, we hadn’t even slowed the shark down. Finally, in desperation, I purposely broke the shark off. The second battle took place over Pinas Reef in Panama, where I was getting close to landing a 250-pound black marlin. That’s when some unseen creature devoured the marlin in three bites. It took over an hour before I could bring that shark alongside the boat. It had to weigh at least 1,500 pounds and was half as long as the boat. That, by the way, was the biggest fish I’ve ever caught. Whenever and wherever you fish, keep a rod rigged and ready for sharks. It should have an abrasion leader about 10

feet long and 12 to 18 inches of single-strand wire between the abrasion leader and the hook. A circle hook should be your first choice because its hooking ratio is higher than any other type. And remember that you don’t have to set it. Unless you are only trolling, you want to be able to cast a bait in front of a cruising shark and retrieve it on the surface or close to it. A balao or a strip of natural bait should do the job. Casting to a cruising shark is exciting sport, but in areas that boast plenty of sharks, you can also anchor the boat and chum them with chunks of natural bait. You’ll need a quick release on the anchor, because a hooked shark will take off at considerable speed. Keep in mind that sharks on the flats or in relatively shallow water can be easily spooked, so your cast has to be on target. The bait should ease in front of the shark and appear as if it is getting away. Sharks do not have a bony skeleton like other fishes. They can literally turn their head and bite their tail, and their body is extremely strong. The best policy for any shark and particularly those of size is to keep them in the water and don’t bring them aboard the boat or try to handle them like other fishes. And, every shark has teeth, so be careful. If you’ve never hunted sharks, this is a good time to try. You’re going to be amazed at the battle they put up and how many times you have to follow them with the boat. Catching sharks can be exciting for anglers of any age, but if you take youngsters fishing, they’ll talk about catching it forever. Don’t pass up the opportunity to expand your fishing horizons.

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Center s Sheri Daye

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ogfish – it’s an ugly name for a pretty fish. It’s also one of the most delicious species in the world. I know some seafood shops that store hogfish fillets behind the counter and bring it out only for special customers. I’ve had chefs beg me for hogfish once they found out I was into spearfishing. One chef wrote, “Not even for fresh broiled flounder could you pry my cold, dead hands off a hogfish fillet.” Some describe it as the perfect combination of flavor and texture because they are “sweeter than grouper, flakier than mahi, and as rich as scallops.” Their unique flavor is due to their diet of small crabs, shrimp and seashells, which translates into moist, white, tasty meat. Hogfish use their elongated snouts to root around in the sand for food, like a hog. Due to this tendency of searching with nose in the sand, it is very uncommon to catch them by hook and line, although it is possible to bait them with shrimp. Hogfish are sometimes thought of as nature’s gift to spearfishers, especially for beginners, because they are relatively abundant, relatively easy to spear, and such a prized catch. Hogfish can live up to 11 years, and they all start out as females. Upon reaching about 3 years and 14 inches, they transform into males with harem groups of females dominated by a larger male. Juveniles are pale pink and attain a deep dark band spanning from the snout to the first dorsal spine as they mature and turn into males. Maximum size is about 24 pounds. They can be found on rocky bottoms, ledges and reefs throughout the western Atlantic, from North Carolina and Bermuda, south to the Gulf of Mexico and the northern coast of South America. They are very common in Florida and the Bahamas and can be

found in shallow waters, ranging from 10-100 feet. Assuming you are in the right place to find them, here are some spearfishing tips: 1) Bag/size limits ensure a healthy stock and protect it from overfishing, so respect the local laws. 2) Look on reefs and especially on sand edges for bigger hogfish. 3) They are not difficult to spear, so take your time, be selective, and don’t take long shots. 4) They are abundant in the Bahamas. This is a good fish to practice your slinging/polespearing skills. Only take the shot if you are sure you can land it. 5) If you are not seeing any, try Sheri Daye displays a stirring up the bottom and make a world-record hogfish. sand cloud. If there are any in the vicinity, they will come to investigate. 6) Do not take advantage of their nature. Take one for dinner, and respect them for the beautiful experience and the delicious meal. Sheri is a world-record holder, host of Speargun Hunter, and producer of “The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo” in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Follow “Sheri Daye” and “The Blue Wild” on Facebook and Instagram.

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FLORIDA

By Andy Flack, Canvas Designers Inc. ell, all the boats have packed up and headed out from Old Bahama Bay to their homes. What a fantastic tournament. Congratulations to all the winners and everyone who came out and braved what has become the normal weather pattern of the Winner’s Circle Tournament. Winding up its 19th year, Winner’s Circle Charities has surpassed $2 million in funds distributed to worthwhile charities. The charity partnership that started it all—The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, in the name of Brett Weinstein, will never be forgotten. Other leaders in the community have come on board to partner with Mike in his efforts. Rob Thomson of Waterfront Properties and Steve Moynihan of HMY Yachts are now co-hosts of the Winner’s Circle Charities Fishing Tournament with Mike as well. This year’s charity partners were Richard David Kann Melanoma Foundation, Waterfront Ways and Marine Industry Education Foundation. All of them were extremely grateful for the record-breaking year on the fundraising side. The fishing was also phenomenal. The tournament had record-breaking weights in all three categories tuna, dolphin and wahoo. One boat caught a billfish slam—white, blue and a sail. The new Lady Angler category saw Debi Cantor, of Waterfront 1, take the tuna and Lynne Henderson take the dolphin trophies home. On the leaderboard, the winners caught tournament record-breaking fish. The top three boats were: No. 1-MR. LTD, a 70’ Viking, took home Grand Champion honors with a total TDW weight of 237.8 pounds, which included

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a 115.2-pound tuna as well as a 99-pound wahoo, both tourney records. No. 2-Honky Tonk, a 42’ Invincible, took second place with a total TDW weight of 117.2 pounds. No. 3-Plum Krazy, a 41’ Bahama, rounded out the top three with a total TDW Weight of 94.1 pounds, which included a 63.3-pound dolphin, another tourney record. The tournament committee and our charities would like to thank all the anglers and sponsors. Without their support and generosity, this tournament and gala would not be possible. Visit www.winnerscirclecharities.org to keep up to date and watch for next year’s events.

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Get to know the local customs.

By Sean Hascup • Photo by James Ferrera

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The beautiful seaside community of Martin County, Florida, is thrilled to welcome the new U.S. Customs Facility to Witham Field. The facility will serve marine and aviation needs, providing efficient, streamlined customs processing alongside the customized aviation services of Atlantic Aviation and Stuart Jet Center. And, of course, just around the corner is the naturally quaint beauty of Southeast Florida’s hidden gem, just begging to be explored.

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lease take a seat. I’m going to prepare you for a freedive. Concentrate on your heart rate, listening carefully to your breathing (you want to hear it), and get your breathing cycles in sync. Start with slow inhales… even slower concentrated exhales. Try filling your belly with your inhales, not your chest, keeping your shoulders low. Relax your neck, legs, arms, back and the rest of your body. Once your breathing feels relaxed and in sync, close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Do four breathing cycles as explained above before slowly opening your eyes. Once you have opened your eyes, keep up the relaxed breathing, it should be easier to have your cycles in sync now. Now I’m going to show you a simple cycle for a longer breath hold. See if you can hold your breath for the rest of the article after you combine what you have focused on from above with the next breathing cycle below; it should feel more natural to you by now. Are You Ready? If you’re not feeling comfortable, don’t worry. That is normal. See how long you can last, but don’t push it. If at any time you start feel uncomfortable or are just ready to breathe, do it! Follow This Cycle: Inhale... Slow Exhale... Inhale... Slow Exhale... Inhale… Slight Hold... Exhale... Inhale... Hold... Read! Slowly roll and break below the ocean’s surface, with wide leg kicks bringing you down to the sea floor. As you descend, you can feel your body compress as the ocean hugs you in. You gently land on the bottom, concealing yourself behind a sea fan. Your wetsuit acts as camouflage, blending in with the surroundings. Grabbing onto rocks, you slowly pull yourself across the bottom next to corals teeming with life. As you approach the ledge, you spot a sleeping sea turtle on the edge of the reef, its arms folded in and its eyes resting. When you get closer, you see how detailed its ornate shell is. You lie in the sand a few feet from your new friend. As you stare in awe, it begins to feel your presence. Opening its eyes slowly, it looks you right in the soul and gives a slight roll, as to say, “Good morning pal, what the heck are you doing here?” Then it slips away from the reef as it carves effortlessly into the sea. You realize the moment is fading, and you must return to the surface. Inhale... Slight Hold... Exhale... Inhale… Slight Hold... Exhale... Inhale... Relax. High fives to your freedive buddy, who was close by watching your dive. What an epic experience! And that was only the first dive of the day! Sean Hascup is a spearfishing and travel guide at Hascup Hunts International. See his advantures online at www.SpearfishingGuides.com, Facebook.com/HascupHuntsInternational and Instagram.com/Blood_Sweat_And_Spears. Email him at HascupHunts@Gmail.com.

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By CAM Staff

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4

t wasn’t all that long ago that the public of perception anglers evoked images of old men in floppy brown hats. That’s no longer the case. It’s cool to fish these days, and the gear and apparel associated with the sport have seeped into the wider market of coastal life. Likewise, crossover into fishing from surf sports, diving and other recreational pursuits has created a marketplace driven more by the overall saltwater lifestyle than any particular sport. The recognition of this evolution is what led Surf Expo to unveil a new Bluewater inshore and offshore fishing category at its twice-a-year trade shows. “You look at Instagram and see surf brands on guys fishing offshore. There are inshore anglers wearing Rip Curl and Billabong,” said Surf

The show features more than 2,500 booths of apparel and hardgoods and a full line-up of special events, including fashion shows, awards ceremonies, education and demos. Average buyer and exhibitor turnout exceeds 28,600 attendees per show. The main attractions at Surf Expo have always been the hard goods, the powerboats and surfboards, kayaks, kite boards, wakesurf boards and SUPs. Everyone has seen the transition of traditional paddlesports into angling over the last decade. The rapid emergence of fishing kayaks and SUPs has proven to be much more than a flash in the pan. The soft products, the apparel and accessories, go along with the hard goods. Andres said an outfitter could fill the whole store, front to

Expo sales manager Kenneth Andres. “The same is going on with the surfers. Those guys are out there in Pelagic and Fish Hippie. We are the pivot point… you can see all of this crossover at Surf Expo. ” The largest and longest-running board sports and beach/resort lifestyle show on the planet welcomed fishing to the cool kids’ table in January 2018. Their Bluewater debut included 15 fishing exhibitors with some heavy-hitting brands like Salt Life, Heybo Outdoors, Hell’s Bay Boatworks, Hooked Soul, Bimini Bay and Calcutta Outdoors. Feedback from buyers and exhibitors was overwhelmingly positive, and the Bluewater category is growing headed into Surf Expo’s Sept. 6-8 show at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. “We offer the opportunity for buyers to see the latest in trends for hard and soft goods in coastal life,” said Andres. “With our confluence from southern California, the Pacific Northwest, the Caribbean, Central and South America, the Northeast and the Southeast, this is a trend-setting show. “We’re trying to get the word out to retailers. We’re inviting outfitters to come check it out,” Andres continued. “We want fishing and boating retailers and marinas to come to the show and put product that’s going to sell into their stores. And if they’re not ready to buy, they can at least see these trends for themselves.”

back by attending Surf Expo. He said these soft goods are where a lot of the aforementioned crossover is going on. The vacation industry, with the buying power of hotels, resorts and cruise lines, is outfitting shops with the trends they see at Surf Expo. And above it all, Surf Expo is a pure, trade-only event, which eliminates the hubbub and beef-jerky hawkers of open-to-the-public trade shows. Intentionally held during retail down time—the September and January restocking periods for outdoor-sports retailers—it is a marketplace to get business done in a laid-back atmosphere. “When people come to the Surf Expo for the first time, they notice the relaxed, cool atmosphere. It’s that lifestyle we all buy into, and there are a lot of beautiful people at a surf show,” said Andres. “It’s just a great place to be if you’re in the water sports industry. If you’ve got a shop, come check it out for yourself.” The September Surf Expo kicks off with a “BBQ & Bluegrass” demo day sponsored by Costa from noon to 5 p.m. on Sept. 5. Buyers and media are invited to Turkey Lake at Bill Fredrick Park in Orlando to demo boats and products and to eat while listening to live music from the Blue Cypress Bluegrass Band.

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By Randy Cnota

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esidents of Eastpoint, Fla., in Franklin County, suffered a devastating loss in the early morning hours of Sunday, June 23. More than 30 homes were destroyed when a prescribed burn raged out of control and ravaged this small town. The widespread fire moved rapidly, giving residents mere moments to escape with their lives. An estimated 200 people are now displaced as a result of this tragedy. Many lost all that they owned. It’s a hard life in Eastpoint. Most residents are seafood workers who perform the grueling task of tilling the bays for oysters. The bay system, which has for so many years produced the world’s best

oysters and allowed this community to thrive, has been plagued with disasters. Over recent years, floods, the oil spill and water-control disputes have overwhelmed this small town, making the hard living on the sea even harder. Many had to choose between paying for insurance and putting food on the table, which has made the impact of this fire all the worse. The people of this and neighboring communities have come together to help as best they can, but even this resilient bunch have been dealt a blow that seems insurmountable. Day by day, however, they go on about the business of helping each other clean-up, rebuild and get back to work. These folks are some of the toughest, kindest and hardest-working people you’ll ever meet. Perhaps there’s a reason for the many tests they’ve faced, but for now it’s plainly obvious that Eastpoint could use some help. Whether you’re an oyster-eating angler like me who appreciates what small towns like this offer our society, or if you’re just moved by the human impact of this event, your help would be greatly appreciated by so many. The Franklin Co. Sheriff ’s Office is spearheading relief efforts to assist with housing, clothing, food and even boats so these folks can get to work. The campaign has gained momentum, and we ask that you help keep it going. If you’d like to contribute, go to their Gofundme site or mail your contribution to the Franklin County Sheriff ’s Office 270 SR 65 Eastpoint, FL 32328 made payable to FCSO charity fund. For more information, contact Ginger Coulter at (850) 670-8500. Randy “C-Note” Cnota is co-publisher of the Panama City/ Forgotten Coast edition of Coastal Angler Magazine and owner of C-note Charters in Panama City, Fla. Check him out at cnotcharters.com. To donate towards the gofundme.com account, go to

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By CAM Staff

A

ny surgeon or taxidermist will tell you the best tool for cutting flesh is a scalpel. And that’s where knife-maker Havalon got its start. Their parent company, Havel’s, is a medical device company that supplies scalpels for surgical use. When the idea arose to bring the same incredibly sharp blades to the outdoors, it gave tools to outdoorsmen that are more precise than any hunting or fillet knife ever invented. The first Havalon Piranta was a blade modeled after an autopsy scalpel that folded into a sturdy handle. It offered all sorts of outdoorsmen the benefits of an ultra-sharp scalpel blade in the form of a pocketknife. But the blade itself was not built to handle the rigors of everyday use. That’s when Havalon began tinkering to find the best combination of sharpness and strength. The resulting innovation has made Havalon one of the top-selling knife companies in the country and the leader in the hunting industry. “We have always felt—that a sharp blade does not need to be

used with any excessive force,” said Havalon Marketing Director Ryan Cull. “This is still a core belief of our company, but we know there is a segment of consumers that want to have sturdier blades.” The need for a sturdier blade that retains Havalon-level sharpness launched the Talon project. Designers set out to create a knife handle that accommodates an entire collection of different ultra-sharp blade styles. With a 3-inch serrated blade, a 3-inch gut hook combo blade and fillet blades of 5, 7 and 9 inches, it is the only knife you’ll ever need at the cutting board or skinning pole. This all-in-one precision cutting tool was three years in the making. Designing a handle mechanism to swap out blades quickly and easily was achieved with the ingeniously simple push-button Quik Change II system. Finding the sweet spot between scalpel sharp and durable was the next step, and the blades also needed to be tailored to their particular uses. Through more tinkering and testing, Havalon landed on AUS-8 steel—the gold standard—which offers the best combination of edge retention and strength. Thickness and shapes of the different blades were custom designed. Fillet knives require flexibility; gut hooks do not. Each blade type was carefully considered and rigorously tested to achieve optimal performance for its intended use. The final result is a single knife kit that outperforms a whole cutlery set of traditional knives. Extreme sharpness is something Havalon users have come to expect with blades intended for replacement when they lose their edge. Talon blades are different. They are scalpel sharp, yet they are strong enough to be resharpened. “So long as users don’t pry on the blades with extreme force or damage them in some other unforeseeable way, they should be able to go years without buying replacements,” said Cull. “The versatility of the blade styles along with the strength and sharpness of the blades make the Talon one of the most innovative products to come out in the industry in years.” To see all the features of the Talon and all of Havalon’s other scalpel-sharp knives, go to www.havalon.com.

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By Chris Beardsley

I

love fishing the Gulf of Mexico, and I spend most of my time there throwing bait into the surf or bays looking for redfish, pompano and trout. I’ve caught more than my share of those species, and I’ve also caught buckets of whiting, black drum, sheepshead, ladyfish, sharks and even a couple spadefish, to name a few. I’m confident in my tackle and techniques, but one fish has always alluded me: the flounder. Oh sure, they’re everywhere, I’m told. Just hook a piece of squid, clam or shrimp on a hook and you’ll get one. Really? With such uncomplicated instructions, I must be doing something wrong. Granted, I don’t usually target them, but since I’m typically catching many other species that share the same diet, why

not a flounder? The odds just seemed too incredible not stumble upon one or two! That changed this year. Soaking a piece of shrimp on a pompano rig (i.e. drop rig), the fish that had alluded me for all these years was finally hauled from the surf and directly into my cooler. It was a joyous event including fireworks and a tickertape parade—all imagined, of course, but you get the idea. With my newfound skill and desire to catch another, fresh bait was rigged and put out to soak. After a whole minute of not getting a bite, I grabbed another rod and tied on a red ¼-ounce standup jig head with a 3-inch white paddletail. My rod of choice was a 7 ½-foot, medium-action with 30-pound braid and a 2-foot, 15-pound-test fluorocarbon leader. At first blush, that combination might seem a bit heavy, and others might opt for lighter gear. I’ve found that the thinner diameter and thread-like nature of the braid makes casting light baits a breeze, and the fluoro virtually disappears beneath the waves. My first few casts produced nothing, and then I remembered an article I’d read years ago about retrieval techniques when fishing flounder. It suggested that if you think you’re retrieving too slow, go even slower and don’t set the hook right away but instead wait just a touch before doing so. This is the same technique used for catching walleyes in the north, and, just like walleye fishing, I decided to add an occasional hop to my retrieve. As it turned out, the drop rig with shrimp was a fluke (pun intended). On the other hand, a red or chartreuse jig head coupled with a Berkley white or a Bass Assassin Chicken on a Chain swimbait was no joke. The white body and red jig head punched the ticket for the flatties, whereas trout loved the Chicken on a Chain and chartreuse combination; including a nice gator trout measuring right at 24 inches. Presentation was critical, and targeting these tasty flatfish finally paid off. The slow drag and hop retrieve made all the difference, and though I haven’t crowned myself the Flounder King yet, a t-shirt might be in the works.

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FWC Photo

T

he Florida Lionfish Challenge had removed more 6,500 lionfish from Florida waters as of early July. The program, which rewards lionfish harvesters with prizes for killing these destructive invasive fish, had registered 525 lionfish hunters for 2018 and awarded prizes like cash, coolers, spearfishing gear and GoPro cameras. Qualified participants who submit 25 lionfish, for recreational anglers, or 25 pounds of lionfish, for commercial, are entered into drawings for prizes including: 4-foot JBL pole spear, Dive Rite surface marker tube, Lionator pole spear prize pack, Enriched Air Diver Class from Narked Scuba, and Color-Dive Lenses from Customatic Optics. They also received an allowance to take an extra spiny lobster during the July 25-26 mini-season. Tagged lionfish were a new component to the program this year and included cash prizes up to $5,000. Lionfish were tagged at 50 public artificial reefs across the state between the depths of 80-120 feet, and as of early July 47 of them had been removed, 42 from the Gulf and five from the Atlantic. Learn more about the Florida Lionfish Challenge at MyFWC.com/ Lionfish.

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he International Game Fish Association (IGFA) recently announced the winner of their 2017-2018 Great Marlin Race. The competition was won by a blue marlin that swam more than 5,000 nautical miles after being satellite tagged during the Bermuda Triple Crown Billfish Championship on July 21, 2017. The winning billfish swam an estimated 5,089 nautical miles from Bermuda to about 600 nm northeast of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. It is the longest distance ever recorded by an IGMR-tagged blue marlin in Bermuda. “Congratulations to tag sponsor Mike Verzaleno whose generosity allowed us to track the incredible journey of the winning billfish,” said IGFA President Nehl Horton. “Strong support from recreational anglers is the key to the success of this innovative, citizen-science conservation initiative.” The Great Marlin Race is a partnership between IGFA and Stanford University that pairs recreational anglers with cutting-edge science to learn more about the biology of marlin and how they utilize the open ocean. The goal of the program is to deploy 50 pop-up archival tags in marlin at billfish tournaments around the world each year. Since 2011, more than 350 satellite tags have been placed on billfish during IGMR tagging events. In the 2017-2018 race season, 58 tags were deployed on 31 blue marlin, 18 black marlin and nine striped marlin in seven countries. Marlin tagged in Bermuda during the 2015, 2016 and 2017 Triple Crown Billfish Championship tournaments swam a total of 16,464 nm. The winning fish accounts for 16 percent of this distance.

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CA_HMY

By Michael Okruhlik • Photo courtesy of Controlled Descent Lures.

A

s you and I are looking for comfort during the summer heat, so are the fish. Deeper water and stronger currents are two ingredients that can help locate seatrout during the dog days of summer. Let’s cover a few types of areas and methods that will help increase your catch. Deep water of shipping lanes can be extremely productive this time of the year. Some of these channels can be up to 50 feet deep. The spoil islands neighboring these deep-water trenches will be much cooler and offer some comfort for speckled trout and its prey.

In Texas, I fish areas with this structure in both the upper and lower coast, but I approach them a little differently. These tactics work where I fish, and trout are looking for the same things wherever they live: comfortable water conditions and a food source. Seek out similar conditions where you fish, and you are likely to find trout. In Galveston Bay, when fishing the Houston Ship Channel, I fish from a boat. I like to target oyster reefs and spoil islands near the ship channel. Trout will hold in water depths of a few feet down to about 15 feet over the reefs. Looking for slicks in these areas is a good way to pinpoint the location of the trout. Most of the time, these fish will be biting near or on the bottom. When targeting the deeper shell, be prepared to have a wide range of jighead sizes up to ¾-ounce depending on the strength of the current. Also, be prepared to lose a few to the shell. In most instances, if you are not touching the shell with your lure you will not catch the fish, so don’t be afraid to lose a jig or two. While fishing channels with large tanker traffic, always be aware of your surroundings. These tankers can create massive waves that only a surfer would love. If you’re not diligent and attentive, these walls of rolling whitewater could easily swamp or capsize your craft. On the lower Texas coast, I prefer to wade fish the shallow grass-covered spoils and flats adjacent to the Intracoastal Waterway. Here you can get by with much lighter tackle and even weightless rigs. Searching for slicks is still a good way to locate trout along this deeper stretch of cooler water. I like to find spoils with breaks or guts in them, as the fish will congregate around these depressions. Another tip is to focus on areas of broken grass rather than solid grass flats. Whichever method you choose, remember the deeper water keeps the temps more desirable and the ship traffic creates an artificial current which can be a plus when the tides are not swift enough. Enjoy your time on the water, be safe, and take a kid fishing! Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Controlled Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

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ave an opinion on shore-based shark fishing? Now is the time to share. FWC is gathering public input on shore-based shark fishing with workshops that will help determine future management of the fishery. Workshops start at 6 p.m. local time: • Aug. 6: Panama City, Gulf Coast State College, Photo courtesy of Chris Beardsley The Russell C. Holley and Herbert P. Holley Language and Literature Building, Sarzin Lecture Hall, 5230 W. U.S. Highway 98. • Aug. 7: Pensacola, Sanders Beach-Corinne Jones Resource Center – Parks & Recreation Department, 913 S. I St. • Aug. 20: South Daytona, Piggotte Community Center, Reception Hall Room, 504 Big Tree Road. • Aug. 21: Jacksonville, Jacksonville University, J. Henry Gooding Building – Swisher Auditorium, 2800 University Blvd. N. • Aug. 27: Melbourne Beach, Melbourne Beach Community Center, 509 Ocean Ave. • Aug. 28: West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Department of Planning, Zoning & Building – The Vista Center, 2300 N. Jog Road. • Aug. 29: Miami, Miami City Hall – Commission Main Chambers, 3500 Pan American Drive. • Aug. 30: Key Colony Beach, City Hall, 600 W. Ocean Drive. Comments may also be submitted online at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments. Additional details and updates to these meetings will be posted at MyFWC.com/Fishing (click on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Rulemaking” and “Workshops.”)

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AUGUST

W

ith the arrival of August, our busy lives, get even busier. Gator hunting season starts Aug. 15th, and as I am sure you know, Cary is a Gator Hunt Guide. If you won the opportunity to purchase tags, and need help, call us. See page 7. This month’s recipe, Crunchy Green Salad with Shrimp and Citrus Dressing, is very easy, perfect for a summer dinner and special enough for guests. (Shrimp makes anything special!) See page 2 for new advertiser, Marine and Lumber Supply Store, LLC. They are located east of Cross City, on US 19/98. They have all your scalloping supplies, and right on your way to our coastal towns, and that’s where the scallops are! As well as marine accessories, they carry lumber and seawall needs. Ask for Carly. See page 18 for new advertiser Helmsman Boat Works, a custom boat builder in Lake City. Chad Hubert will build you a boat, one-of-a-kind, just for you. Also on page 18, Outdoor Expo, at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion in Ocala, sponsored by K Country and WIND-FM. Admission is FREE. On Page 9, see the Plantation Redfish Classic, tournament in Crystal River. How about that $500.00 prize? Mid-September, and weather should be a bit cooler. In the North Florida sleeve, see Salty Secret, RV Park and boat rental in Steinhatchee. If you have not been scalloping yet this year, you have all of August, and into September to get your share of these yummy morsels. If you need help, contact one of our guides. Most importantly, let our guides/writers know how much you enjoy reading their columns. They really appreciate your calls and emails, and they would love to take you fishing. Send me your catch-photos. I will use them on a space available basis. Enjoy what’s left of summer, and pray for no hurricanes.

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

AUGUST 2018 EDITION

Find Your Outdoors Here! North Central Florida Nature Coast Staff SALES

Cary Crutchfield

EDITING & PRODUCTION Lynn Crutchfield

DISTRIBUTION Rosa Crisman

GRAPHIC ARTS & DESIGN Kathleen Stemley

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dr. Kevin McCarthy Bruce Butler John Freeze Noel Kuhn Capt. Jason Clark Capt. Dan Clymer Capt. Tommy Derringer Capt. Stacy Horak Capt. Jimbo Keith Capt. Pat McGriff Capt. Clay Shidler Capt. Brian Smith Capt. Dan Smith Capt. Craig Spitznogle

CONTACT INFORMATION

crutch@coastalanglermagazine.com 352-372-4237 www.CoastalAnglerMag.com/NC-Florida

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Tide Charts Local Fishing Forecasts Monthly Recipe

Photo by: Suwannee River Water Management District

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STA-SEA’S NATURE COAST ADVENTURES

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TIDES • North Central Florida Time Height

1W

2Th 3F

4Sa

5Su

6M

7Tu 8W

5:23 AM 11:25 AM 5:08 PM 11:41 PM 5:55 AM 12:10 PM 5:57 PM 12:19 AM 6:31 AM 1:04 PM 6:59 PM 1:03 AM 7:16 AM 2:09 PM 8:20 PM 1:59 AM 8:11 AM 3:27 PM 9:54 PM 3:10 AM 9:17 AM 4:48 PM 11:24 PM 4:28 AM 10:25 AM 5:58 PM 12:37 AM 5:40 AM 11:29 AM 6:58 PM

3.7 1.3 3.9 0.6 3.8 1.2 3.6 0.9 3.8 1.1 3.3 1.2 3.8 1.0 3.1 1.6 3.8 0.9 3.0 1.9 3.9 0.6 3.1 2.0 4.1 0.2 3.3 2.0 4.3 -0.2

HERNANDO BEACH

AUGUST 2018

9Th

Time Height

1:33 AM 6:42 AM 12:28 PM 7:49 PM 10F 2:20 AM 7:35 AM 1:22 PM 8:37 PM 11Sa 3:01 AM 8:25 AM 2:14 PM 9:20 PM 12Su 3:38 AM 9:12 AM 3:04 PM 10:01 PM 13M 4:13 AM 9:59 AM 3:53 PM 10:40 PM 14Tu 4:46 AM 10:45 AM 4:42 PM 11:17 PM 15W 5:19 AM 11:33 AM 5:33 PM 11:53 PM 16Th 5:54 AM 12:24 PM 6:28 PM

3.5 1.8 4.5 -0.4 3.6 1.6 4.7 -0.5 3.7 1.4 4.8 -0.5 3.7 1.2 4.7 -0.2 3.8 1.0 4.5 0.1 3.8 0.9 4.2 0.5 3.8 0.8 3.9 0.9 3.8 0.9 3.5

KINGS BAY

High Tide -20 min Low Tide 58 min

High Tide 2 hrs, 20 min Low Tide 3 hrs, 7 min

CRYSTAL RIVER

WITHLACOOCHEE ENT

High Tide 36 min Low Tide 1 hr, 30 min

High Tide 7 min Low Tide 55 min

CEDAR KEY

Time Height

17F

18Sa

19Su

20M

21Tu 22W

23Th

24F

12:31 AM 6:32 AM 1:21 PM 7:33 PM 1:12 AM 7:18 AM 2:29 PM 8:53 PM 2:04 AM 8:14 AM 3:50 PM 10:26 PM 3:13 AM 9:21 AM 5:10 PM 11:48 PM 4:31 AM 10:29 AM 6:13 PM 12:44 AM 5:39 AM 11:31 AM 7:00 PM 1:25 AM 6:33 AM 12:22 PM 7:38 PM 1:59 AM 7:18 AM 1:07 PM 8:12 PM

Time Height

25Sa 2:29 AM 7:58 AM 1:47 PM 8:42 PM 26Su 2:56 AM 8:35 AM 2:25 PM 9:11 PM 27M 3:22 AM 9:11 AM 3:01 PM 9:39 PM 28Tu 3:47 AM 9:47 AM 3:38 PM 10:08 PM 29W 4:11 AM 10:23 AM 4:16 PM 10:38 PM 30Th 4:37 AM 11:01 AM 4:57 PM 11:11 PM 31F 5:07 AM 11:43 AM 5:45 PM 11:47 PM

3.5 1.4 4.2 0.2 3.6 1.2 4.2 0.3 3.7 1.1 4.2 0.3 3.7 1.0 4.1 0.5 3.8 0.9 4.0 0.6 3.9 0.8 3.8 0.9 3.9 0.7 3.6 1.1

HOMOSASSA RIVER ENT

HORSESHOE BEACH

SUWANNEE ENT

STEINHATCHEE RIVER ENT

High Tide 4 hr, 30 min Low Tide 5 hr, 41 min High Tide 6 min Low Tide 18 min

2 NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST

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1.2 3.8 0.9 3.1 1.6 3.8 1.0 2.8 1.9 3.7 1.0 2.8 2.1 3.7 0.8 2.9 2.1 3.7 0.6 3.1 2.0 3.9 0.4 3.2 1.8 4.0 0.3 3.4 1.6 4.2 0.2

High Tide 12 min Low Tide 20 min

High Tide 2 min Low Tide 0 min

AUGUST 2018

uly-the month I look forward to all year. “Why?” you ask? “ICAST!” Just in case you are not familiar with it, I will try and describe it. Remember your first trip to Disney World as a child? For me, it is exactly like that! I walked up the steps of the convention center and the first thing I saw was a sign that read, “Great Fishing Starts Here". My heart started racing as I walked down the stairs and saw rows and rows of everything I’ve ever dreamed of getting my hands on! From lures, to boats, and absolutely everything in between. The actual reason for ICAST is to showcase new products and get the heads-up on all the latest technology in the industry. That’s not what I saw. I saw a huge playground. They have huge aquariums with bass in them, and there are casting ponds. I even reeled in a huge amberjack that I fought for 20 minutes, on a video game. For the record, it was very realistic and I was exhausted. I learned to fly-fish from a world record-holding master fly fisherman. Where else can you go to fly-fish, reel in an amberjack, throw a lure in a pond to see how they swim, and see a live demo of the latest and greatest electronics? Nowhere that I know of. ICAST is an outstanding venue for new products and it’s not just for the big companies. It’s a great way for smaller companies to exhibit their products to thousands of people. You honestly cannot see the entire show in a day. I had an incredible time and even got to hang out with some celebrities such as Bill Dance, Captain Wild Bill from Deadliest Catch, Bruce from Swamp People, Tyler and TJ from Photo credit to Wicked Tuna and even the legendary Robert McClinnis Guy Harvey. Somebody pinch me. I must be dreaming. (Editor’s note: ICAST is a trade show, for the trade only. It is not open to the public.) ICAST holds a bass tournament every year on their opening day. I decided to fish it with my very talented friend, Melissa Young, as team What-

The-Fin. We were paired with a media rep from Ladies Lets go Fishing, and little did we know, she was the founder and CEO, Betty Bauman, “Woman of the Year” in Sport Fishing, “Top 21 Most Influential Marine Industry Leaders in the 21st Century,” and one of “The Top Women in American Boating. The woman is a legend. We had a blast and all three of us caught some great fish. We placed 11th with 15 lbs. 15 oz., and were also the very first all woman’s fishing team to fish the ICAST cup. Melissa and I were honored to fish with such an iconic, groundbreaking female. Until next year, “Goodbye ICAST”. I most certainly will miss you. Fishing with Captain Stacy 352-553-3604 Facebook CaptainStacy Horak Instagram captain_stacyhorakfishing Email freeinajeep@gmail.com www.fishingwithcaptainstacy.com

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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FLORIDA WATERWAYS

Lemon Sharks

A

s August brings with it the annual scary episodes of “Shark Week,” we ought to take a look at a shark found in Florida waters, that does not usually attack humans, but which has greatly helped scientists who study the species: the lemon shark. The species (Negaprion brevirostris in Latin) can grow to more than ten feet in length, likes our shallow warm waters, and usually travels in packs, for protection from larger fish. Its yellow color, which makes it almost invisible when swimming over a sandy bottom, gave the fish its name. The International Shark Attack File, housed at the University of Florida, lists relatively few unprovoked lemon shark attacks, and the few listed were not fatal. That particular species has a flat head, broad snout, and a second dorsal fin similar in size to the first one. Lemon sharks detect their prey by using what are called electroreceptors in their heads, receptors that can detect electrical pulses emitted by prey. Such receptors By Kevin McCarthy can easily function even in the dark of night. The wide distribution of the sharks, as indicated by the blue lines on the map here, ranges from the Atlantic to the Pacific, especially in coral reefs, river mouths, and shallow-water mangroves. They prefer salt water, especially along the continental shelves, and live near rocky or sandy bottoms. Commercial and recreational fishermen target the lemon shark for its meat, fins, and skin, but over-fishing has led to a decline in the numbers of such sharks. Scientists can trace them back over three hundred million years, but they are under increasing threats and are some of the hundred million sharks killed in the world each year, many of them in the despicable practice of shark finning: the process of slicing off the shark’s fin for sale to those who want shark-fin soup. Those doing the shark finning will then dump the still-living shark back into the ocean to face certain, painful death by other predators. Builders of golf courses have sometimes destroyed mangroves, where the sharks are often found. Scientists at the University of Miami, especially Samuel Gruber, have done much research into lemon sharks, particularly in the western Bahamas, where Prof. Gruber has set up the Bimini Biological Field Station. That shark research station, in existence since 1990, has given scientists much knowledge about an important species of shark, lemon shark Florida fishermen may encounter such Upper teeth of a sharks in subtropical shallow waters down to about 300 feet, and also in the coral reefs and mangroves around our shores, but seldom if ever in our freshwater streams.

A lemon shark

for lemon sharks

Distribution map

Lemon shark with rem

oras clinging to it

A lemon shark can be fier ce looking

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

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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AUGUST 2018

a aquarium on shark in a Tamp A close-up of a lem NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST 3

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$19,995 2018 Xpress XP18CC 70HP YAMAHA Aluminum Trailer

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* Image represents the Model. Model pictured may differ from available on site, which includes but is not limited to color, options, & rigging. 4 NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST AUGUST 2018thoseCOASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM ** Prices on all Models are subject to change without notice. Prices do not included tax, title or dealer prep.

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CRYSTAL RIVER

SEAFOOD AT ITS BEST!

Early Starts and Late Finishes

$1 OFF Fresh Clam Strips Basket or Appetizer 50¢ OFF Cup of New England Clam Chowder $1 OFF Bowl of New England Clam Chowder EAT IN • TAKE OUT Closed 7364 W. Grover Cleveland 2315 N. Sunshine Path Homosassa, FL 34446 Sunday and Crystal River, FL 34429

352-628-9588

A

ugust is one of the hottest months of the year, but a little bit of planning can help you beat the heat, while still enjoying some quality fishing. The redfish bite can actually be at its peak this time of year. Large schools of spawning reds will gather around areas such the spoil banks, and St. Marin’s Keys. Although these two areas are only a few miles apart, the way you target these fish is completely different. The spoil banks are best fished with live shrimp or cut bait with a live bait hook on the bottom, near the rocks that provide structure for the big redfish. The St. Martin Keys can only be fished at high tide, and there, the best way to target the redfish is to free-line live

shrimp and pinfish into the schools of mullet near the points of the islands, while watching to see if you can spot any cruising schools of fish. In either case, the best fishing will be early in the morning and late in the evening, which is good news for anglers who don’t want to bake under the mid-day sun. The scalloping will continue to be good through August with the area from Gomez Rocks to the Homosassa bird rack, being one of the best places to find scallops. The deeper areas will continue to produce the best scallops, with 3 to 6 feet of water being the best. Capt. Clay Shidler ClayShidler@Yahoo.com

Monday

352-795-9081

River Coast Realty, Inc 352-302-3114 • Fax 352-447-0001 84 Highway 40 West Inglis, Florida 34449 sunnyp45@bellsouth.net www.Yankeetownwaterfront.com Amazing waterfront home, situated on 4.36 acres, right on the Withlacoochee River. Enjoy Gulf access, great fishing, with tons of options for entertaining both family and friends. Home offers too many options to list. Property includes your very own cove, dock (w/water & power), upper and side decks, tiki bar, outdoor vintage tub w/shower, your very own “basement”. A very unique, must see property! 60 Young Drive MLS#774776 $549,000.

Tyler Suess 16-pound gag grouper

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AUGUST 2018

NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST 5

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SUWANNEE Motel and Campground Accommodations

www.BillsFishCamp.com

63 219th St. Suwannee, Florida • 352-542-7086

H

Dixie Salvage Auto & Truck Parts Foreign & Domestic Scott Ambrose 21214 S.E. Hwy-19 Old Town, FL 32680

352-498-7000 1-800-226-7077 Fax 352-498-8012

DixieAutoSAlvAge@bellSouth.net www.DixieSAlvAge.net

ey everyone, I hope y'all are all beating this heat. The bite has been tough, to say the least, but we are still getting on some good trout and reds. A strong moving tide and cut bait under a popping cork has been working wonders for the red bite. If you are looking for some heavy trout action, deeper water is a great start. Find some 6 to10 foot spots on the flats, and jig the bottom with shrimp, or your go-to artificial bait. Switch up speeds and depth, and pay attention to when they start to bite. Now let's talk scalloping. Man, it has been on fire, I have yet to have a day without limiting out, and they are some healthy scallops this year. If you have yet to try it, you are missing out! It's fun for the whole family, or fun with a group of friends. So, don't wait, cause September comes quick, and that means the end of the season for us here. Now, I would like to take a moment and talk about a new fishing app I have discovered called drophook fishing app. If you don't have it, get it. They host

online tournaments with amazing prizes and all you need to enter in any tournament is a ruler and a $2 dollar catch card, that they sell on their site along with other products. To put it in simple terms, this app is Instagram for fishing. It has a lot to offer with a wide range of neat features. So be sure to check it out and you can follow me as well @ intheslotfishing. Well guys and gals stay hydrated out there and wear plenty of sunscreen and until next time, stay safe. Capt. Jason Clark In The Slot Fishing www.intheslotfishing.com Capt.jasonclark@gmail.com 352-639-3209

(352) 493-0878 Fax (352) 493-0879

Val’s Complete Auto Repair Inc. MV#:60926

15 NW 1st Avenue - P.O. Box 1205 Chiefland, FL 32644

6 NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST

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AUGUST 2018

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STEINHATCHEE Time for Reef Donkeys and Florida Snapper

R

ed snapper, for-hire, season, June 1 -July 21, couldn't have been any better, unless the fish jumped in the boat. It was limittrips every time, plus gag groupers and kingfish and/or cobia. However, in August, red snapper is closed, yet amberjack opens, so the best bet is to target AJ's, one per person limit. Go to high relief waypoints, you can find on the internet, and best bait is fresh caught live-bait! If you are stupid, and don't stop and catch freshly caught, live-bait toss jigs. When the reef-donkeys are onnnn, have fun and pitch huge top-water plugs with the treble hooks replaced with a single J hook on the rear. It is a hoot to watch a shoal, twenty-pound fish, scrabble to take the top-water lure.

I don't concentrate much on Florida snapper or sea bass fishing, unless requested. Less than fifty pounds of such miscellaneous catch is normally enough to satisfy. However, under current ridiculous regulations, one must adapt and pursue another species of fish. Thankfully, they are abundant. Florida snapper (aka grunt), and sea-bass, are prolific over any hard bottom from 30 to 50 feet. The best bait is squid strips or cut bait. Use trout gear, rigged with a knocker rig, for the most fun. It is always great fun and eats Brian Smith | BIG BEND CHARTERS www.BigBendCharters.com CaptBrian@bellsouth.net 877.852.3474 | 352.210.3050

CARY CRUTCHFIELD ALLIGATOR GUIDE FLORIDA CRACKER ALLIGATOR, INC.

Guiding State Permitted Hunts in Central & North Florida

352.372.4237

Gator8Crutch@aol.com Your permit or mine Gator Season - Aug 15 thru Oct 31 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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AUGUST 2018

NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST 7

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Marine Sporting Goods, Inc. 386-752-2500 www.mcduffiemarine.com 1866 West US 90, Lake City, FL

Servicing the North Florida area for over 60 years. | www.McDuffieMarine.com

8 NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST

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AUGUST 2018

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7/17/18 5:13 PM


BAIT & TACKLE IN NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA

44 TACKLE CO. 3177 E Gulf to Lake Inverness, FL 34453 352.726.6100 • www.44Tackle.com ALACHUA FARM AND LUMBER 114101 NW 145th Ave. Alachua, FL 32616 386-462-3003 www.AlachuaFarmandLumber.com CEDAR KEY MARINA 12780 SR 24 PO Box 744 Cedar Key, FL 32625 352-543-6148 www.CedarKeyMarina.net CEDAR KEY PADDLING 12293 SR 24 Cedar Key, FL 32625 352-665-1276 Dan_Gator@Yahoo.com

DW&D BAIT HOUSE 12831 Whiddon Ave Cedar Key, FL 352-543-6109 • 352-222-9383 MCDUFFIE MARINE 1866 West US 90 Lake City, FL 32055 386.752.2500 www.mcduffiemarine.com OCKLAWAHA BAIT & TACKLE 13600 East CR 25 Ocklawaha, FL 32179 352-816-5853 THE MARINA IN HORSESHOE BEACH 362 3rd Street Horseshoe Beach, FL 32648 352-498-5405 www.TheMarinainHorseshoeBeach.com WIGGLERS BAIT & TACKLE 14499 East Hwy 40 Silver Springs, FL 34488 352.625.1156 AnneReynolds06ar@gmail.com

YOUR BAIT & TACKLE SHOP HERE Call Lynn at 352-372-4237

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Scallops Mastroberti Clan

Kolton Hunt with uncle Wildman and a nice cobia, caught off Steinhatchee AUGUST 2018

NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST 9

7/17/18 5:13 PM


SUWANNEE RIVER/CEDAR KEY

H

ey Folks, I sure hope you’re staying cool enough this time of year, because it’s sure hot outside. The water temp is getting hotter, and so is the fishing. The speckled trout bite has really picked up the last couple weeks. The flats that have a little hard bottom, or better known as spotty bottom, seems to be producing them best. If you have a calm enough day, the deeper flats in 8 to10 feet of water, are also loaded with fish. If you’re fishing in 3 to 5 feet of water, the B52 cork rigged with a Saltwater Assassin Jig beneath it, is working great. On the deeper flats, throw just a plain jig. The redfish have also picked up this month. We are still using cut mullet, fished around the oyster bars. Artificial lures are also working pretty good. On the low water, I like to throw top water lures like the Rapala skitter walk. On the high water, I like to throw a ¾ oz. gold spoon.

420 Dock Street Cedar Key, FL 32625 352-543-5142

With all the scallopers out this time of year, make sure you either get to the boat ramp early, or be patient. Remember, most of these people don’t get their boats out but a few times of year, so they might be a little slower than us seasoned fisherman. It never hurts to offer a helping hand if you someone struggling. Well folks, I hope you make it out on the water to enjoy what God has made for us. Capt.Jimbo Keith FishCedarKey.com Saltwater Assassin Fishing Charters 352-535-5083

steamerscedarkey.com info@steamerscedarkey.com Like us on Facebook! We will cook your catch. We serve fresh local Cedar Key oysters and clams. Try our delicious Gator. We get it directly from the Gator Man himself.

Happy Hour Monday-Friday 3pm-7pm 2-4-1 Wells 1/2 Price Wine $2.50 Bud Light, Miller Lite, Yuengling

10 NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST

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AUGUST 2018

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7/17/18 5:13 PM


CEDAR KEY PADDLING

SIGNS BANNERS

H

ello everybody! Holy smokes is it HOT outside. Be safe and drink lots of water while fishing in Cedar Key. We have a pretty decent bite so far this summer, with a wide range of species caught. Unfortunately for you scallop lovers, Cedar Key is not looking like a great place to find any decent numbers, but hopefully next year. I am having lots of success with the trout on our grass flats, with pearl colored plastics, and do not throw back all those ladyfish. They are a great reddish bait, along with mullet. A nice chunk of either in one of our easy to find local hiding spots, and you are liable to land that big ol red you have been dreaming about. We are seeing less snook this summer, probably due to the winter we actually had, but there are still a few here and there.

Copies Fax

Forms Letterhead We also offer apparel and promotional items. Envelopes Business Cards Brochures Newsletters & More Invitations Located in Chiefland Shopping Center Wedding & Graduation 208 N Main Street, Chiefland, FL 32626

School is about to start back up, so get those kids out of the house, and get them fishing at least once before they have homework to do. That's about it for this time. We have been doing charters once and twice a day and I am gonna go find a little air conditioning and a cold drink. Don't hesitate to swing by the shop for all of the latest tips and tricks to help you reach your fishing goals! Capt. Daniel Cedar Key Paddling 352-665-1276 Dan_Gator@yahoo.com

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AUGUST 2018

NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST 11

7/17/18 5:13 PM


INGLIS/YANKEETOWN

Available in 17', 20', 22' and 24'

12 NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA/NATURE COAST

CAM_NCFL_0818.indd 12

AUGUST 2018

T

he dog days are here. It is hot before the sun even comes up. You need to plan your trips accordingly to be successful this time of year, more so than others, safety being number one. Make sure if you plan to spend any time on the water, to bring plenty to drink with you, stay hydrated. Sunscreen and Chap Stick is another must for me. You don’t want one day of fun to turn into a week of misery. The redfish and snook will be doing most of their feeding first thing in

the morning, or late in the afternoon. I will always start my morning with a top-water bait of some kind. This time of year, I like to throw the bigger mirrolure baits, like the she dog or top dog. These are great redfish and snook baits. Make sure, that if the plug you are using doesn’t have a swivel on it, to tie a loop knot to get the most action out of the bait. I will concentrate on the outer bars and spoil islands with deeper water close by. This will normally have good moving water and should be a degree or two cooler, and that will make a big difference in the number of fish there. The triple tail can still be found around mats of floating grass or crab trap buoys. These are fun to catch on fly, or live shrimp is just about a guarantee. With the water temps in the 90’s, the trout are going to be buried deep. I like to concentrate on the 5-foot zone and use a zman trout trick eye jig head to put these guys in the boat. Once the sun has gotten up high in the sky, the nice thing about this time of year, is that you can take a little boat ride just south, and let the air conditioner blow on you for a little bit, and jump in and grab some scallops in Crystal River. It’s a great way to cool off, and another item to take to the house to cook up. Until next month, have fun, be safe and take your kids fishing. Also, if you are interested in a tarpon trip in St. Petersburg, let me know, because we are in full swing down there, and the bite has been hot. Remember to stop in and get everything you need for your day on the water from Mr. Jim at Captain’s Cove Outfitters; he might even give up one or two of my secret baits. Capt. Craig Spitznogle www.floridaflatscharterco.com Florida Flats Charter Company (352)445-4978

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7/17/18 5:13 PM


TALES FROM THE TUPPERWARE NAVY

CENTRAL FLORIDA INLAND

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ell, forest fishers, we wished for rain last year; and our wishes dang sure came true. Mother Nature seems to be on the same track this year, and I hope everyone stays safe during the ongoing hurricane season. Bass anglers need to keep covering water during these summer months. Bass are plenty ready to strike a lure, but they're spread out around shaded areas. Keep moving and casting soft plastics until you find a good one. Note: "Drains" (rain run-off) are also key spots when they're flowing. When I get a strike or spook a bass, I try to back away from that spot; then come back with a quiet approach. Smaller baits will help get a "reaction strike", instead of a “reaction spook”. I like to use junior swim baits while I'm moving, then switch to a pitching craw (1/4oz) when I go back to a fish. If you're a fish-fry lover, then catfish are on the menu right now. Channel cats are the tastiest type, and last summer we saw a giant 38 pounder come to the scales! Most cats will be in the 3-5 pound range, which is plenty to eat, and a lot of fun to catch. Set out multiple rods, rigged with chicken liver or wiggler worms, and keep an eye on your lines. The dams at Rodman and Moss Bluff are prime spots for shoreside fishers, while boaters have the entire Ocklawaha and St. Johns River to find their honey holes. Tip: Start with the swirling river "eddies". The shrimp run on the St. John's starts at the end of this month. The Palatka bridge area is where most people throw their cast-nets, but shrimp make it all the way down to Lake George. The limit is one 5-gallon bucket per vessel. Hybrid stripers, bass, and other

species will school up on the shrimp pods. Look for topwater blow-ups and diving birds along the main river channel. Rattle-traps, shrimp imitators, and swim baits produce fish on every cast when thrown into a feeding frenzy. There's plenty of good options to choose from right now. Keeping an eye on the weather is the key to success. No one wants to fish in a storm, but the moments right before, and right after, can be legendary. John Freeze Kayak and Shoreside Fishing Tours 352-216-5798 Swampsurf@embarqmail.com

elcome back Yak fans! This month, I achieved a milestone in my relationship with Coastal Angler Magazine. This month, marks my 10th August, writing my tales and stories I've shared with you. Sooo, in honer of this (less than) momentous occasion, I decided to share with you my very first article from Aug. 2009. You may read this article, and tell me if I've improved over the years! I never thought I would be writing this column all these years. Thanks for your feedback and support, and thanks to CAM for giving me the venue for my musings. MY FIRST STORY Hi everyone, and welcome to the world of kayaking. The kayak, originally invented by the natives of Alaska, has become a true revolution in boating. Having purchased my first kayak in 1981, I have seen them become an APV, (all purpose vehicle). Whether you are hitting the surf, running rapids, or taking a slow trip down the river, the kayak in its different models, can do it all. And best of all, in our tight economy - no gas - a true eco-friendly craft, that leaves little or no footprint on the habitat or environment, preserving our natural heritage for future generations to come! The kayak has evolved from a structure of whale bone and seal skin, to spaceage carbon fiber, Kevlar, fiberglass and

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the virtually indestructible roto-molded plastic - the Tupperware Navy has truly arrived. Why a kayak? With a price range from as little as a couple of hundred dollars to $5,000.00, there is a “yak” for every use and budget. From a boat trip with kids to watch the manatees and eagles, that flourish on the Nature Coast, or a fishing trip sneaking up on reds in the shallow water of our bays and inlets, these boats will let you go places and see more than any craft on the market. And probably the best thing about a kayak, is that most only weigh, in the neighborhood of 60 to 70 pounds, so you can throw them on top of almost any vehicle, (I even once saw one loaded on top of a bicycle)! Throw a couple of straps over it, and you are on your way; no expensive trailer (although they make some nice ones) or fancy rack. (Thule and others do make some outstanding racks). I once told my buddy at the kayak shop, and he had one of the nicest racks I’d ever seen, and that was the first - and last time I ever said that! Well it’s time to hit the water for this month. Next month we’ll cover what boat is right for you. Bruce Butler | "Stumbling Gypsy" (352) 428-5347 Bruce@IndianBayOutfitters.com Web: www.IndianBayOutfitters.com

August 2017, I shared with you, photos of our miracle baby granddaughter, Secelia, born last July. We celebrated her first birthday this July, and this photo shows her enjoying the tricycle that Cary and I gave her. She is laughing with delight! It’s a little big, but she will grow into it. (I’m a proud grandmother and I just couldn’t resist sharing this photo.) AUGUST 2018

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HOMOSASSA

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t’s redfish time, and even though it’s toasty hot out there; the red fish are waiting. Concentrate your efforts on the outer mangrove keys; spoil islands and fish around the major moon phases. The last couple hours of the incoming tide are hard to beat, and remember, a stealthy approach helps with success. Push pole or trolling motor, up to a likely spot, anchor down and position yourself up- tide. Locate points with a hard lime stone bottom, and plenty of mullet activity. Free-line a live pinfish, or for a sure hook-up, try a fresh piece of cut mullet, or my favorite, cut lizard fish (Yes, try it, it works great). For those who prefer artificials, a 1/4oz gold spoon or a DOA C.A.L. jerkbait in the glow or new penny color rigged weedless is ideal for casting along the rocky structure. For plenty of action and mixed bag catches, the deep grass patches west of the “Foul Area”, in 8 to 12 feet of water, are always a summer time hot spot. To

locate these deeper grass beds, let the sun get up a little, and run with the sun at your back. Look for the dark and light spots on the bottom. This “spotty” bottom (which is approximately 5 to 10 miles offshore) is the most productive area to target trout during the hot summer months. Flounder, black sea bass, Spanish mackerel, cobia and the list goes on, are all possibilities on any given day. Most of the steady gag grouper action has been starting in 40 feet on out. Surprisingly, some good reports of trolling-up some gags have been coming in. If you’re bottom fishing and it’s a bit slow, definitely, give it a try; plus, it will keep you a bit cool on the dog days of summer. Also, some good red grouper are finally being caught for those of you who have numbers 70 feet on out. Give them a try. I always do very well on mangrove snapper this time of year, especially around the full moon. The mangrove snapper congregate to spawn around all the offshore structures, and some real quality fish can be caught as well. You can chum to get them in a feeding mood and free-line or use a light a jig head as possible, with a live shrimp for success. As always, feel fee to contact me with any other questions about the area. Good fishing! Capt. Dan Clymer | 352.418.2160 | www.crystalriver-fishing.com

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CRUNCHY GREEN SALAD WITH SHRIMP AND CITRUS DRESSING

Thank you to The Crab Plant for the shrimp. Visit their Fresh Seafood Market or enjoy Cooked Seafood to go. You are welcome to sit at their table and view beautiful Kings Bay while you enjoy your delicious, freshly prepared meal, watching manatees, dolphins, pelicans and boats. Or, you can carry it home; your choice. Open Tues-Thurs 10:00-5:30, Fri-Sat 10:00-8:00. 201 NW 5th St. Crystal River 352-795-4700.

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

INGREDIENTS

SERVES 2

• 1 Garlic Clove

• Salt and Pepper

• 2 Tablespoons fresh Parsley

• ¼ Cup Garlic-Butter Croutons, coarsely crushed

• 2 Tablespoons fresh Green Onions • 1 Lemon, zested and juiced • 1 Orange, zested, peeled and cut into segments • 4 Tablespoons frozen Orange Juice Concentrate • 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

• ¼ Cup roasted Pistachios, or Almonds, coarsely crushed • Salad Greens of your choice, I choose Spring Mix • ¼ Cup shaved Parmesan Cheese • 1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar

• 10 to 12 Shrimp, (largest available) peeled and deveined

COOKING DIRECTIONS 1. Chop garlic, parsley and onions. Zest lemon and orange. Combine in medium bowl: garlic, parsley, onions, lemon zest, orange zest, 1 tablespoon oil, 2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and a tablespoon of water. Add shrimp, set aside for about 30 minutes, mixing several times. 2. For dressing, mix 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar. Blend well. I put in a small bottle and gave it a good shake. 3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. For ease of clean-up, line a flat, oven proof pan with foil. I use a broiler pan. Place shrimp on pan, including all the yummy marinate ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes. While shrimp are cooking, place salad greens on plates and drizzle dressing over greens. Sprinkle crushed croutons, crushed nuts and Parmesan over greens. Place cooked shrimp (5 to 6 per plate) over greens and garnish with orange segments.

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KEATON BEACH

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Jimmy Davis with a great 22-inch trout July 10, 2018

rout fishing has been great, despite water temps in the mid 80’s, and when there is a breeze, the reds have been cooperative as well. My last two charters produced limits of both trout and reds, with an outstanding limit of 15 trout, weighing a whopping 33.7 lbs. for Sammy Rogers and Ricky Davis of Cochran, Ga. on July 10th. (Today is July 14th) We also had three reds with the largest, a 27-inch fish for Sammy. We also released a 29-inch red. We continue to catch our fish on live pinfish, rigged up on 32 inches of 30-pound test TrikFish clear mono leaders under Back Bay Thunders. August will hold great trout fishing as well, as long as you choose the days with a good range of tide, and are lucky enough to have a good breeze to move some water, create a drift and keep you from parboiling out there. Choose smaller baits and work a tighter circle with your Cajuns and Back Bays. Demand strikes in less than 30 seconds, then reel in, and move that bait to another spot. “Less is more” in hot weather, as trout will move shorter distances to conserve energy in the hot water. Also, there are more large predators around in the summer, so trout become reticent to chase your baits down. The darker tannicstained water to the north has been the ticket, and while it has begun to clear up some in places, I still look for the darker water. Top-water is pretty much out of the question in August, unless you can catch a day with an East wind on an outgoing tide early in the A.M. The floating grass is so thick in places, I must move just to be able to get a bait in the water, and “Pop”

Sammy Rogers of Cochran, Ga. with a 27-inch redfish; July 10, 2018

the Back Bay. It certainly restricts, if not prohibits, the use of plugs {with treble hooks} from being a viable choice. Better to try an un-weighted fluke worked on the surface, if you just have to see them come up to take the bait. Assassin’s 7-inch Shad in Alewife pattern is perfect for this style of fishing, and will get through the grass. Me/I, will stay with the tried and true pinfish and pigfish under Back Bays, to produce limits on board my One More Cast charters. We get a rush when the cork goes down, and another one when you set the hook. Haven’t jumped or even seen a tarpon all summer, which is very strange for me? I can’t understand why I wouldn’t have seen a one? Also, have had very few sharks caught, and when we lose a rig, it is to a blue of late. Meanwhile, Let's Go Fishing! Pat McGriff dba One More Cast guide service for 28 years! www.onemorecast.net onemorecast@gtcom.net 850.838.7541

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ST. AUGUSTINE

SURF & PIER

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he mullet are here! The mullet are here! That is right folks. It is the long-awaited mullet run 2018. This is the most exciting time to be a surf fisherman in Northeast Florida. Literally, millions of mullet leave the safety of the ICW and creeks, to venture out into the open water of the Atlantic Ocean. What happens then can be awe inspiring. When the predators move in to munch down on these hapless bait fish, the show is awesome. My favorite time to fish it is at sunrise. This is the time when all mullet lovers come to breakfast. I do indeed mean ALL the predators. From jack crevalle, seatrout, Spanish, bluefish, flounder, ladyfish, sharks, to tarpon! The gear for success is fairly simple. A cast net and five-gallon bucket is a must. Some people also use a flow through bait holder that they stake off in the surf. I am really picky when it comes to keeping my mullet lively, so I use a ten gallon round Igloo cooler. Then I add a bait saver air bubbler. This set up keeps them cool and aerated. I only use two rigs during the mullet run. The first is a double dropper tied out of 50-pound mono, tipped with 5/0 to 7/0 circle hooks. The second, is a fish finder/sinker slider rig tied out of 100 pound mono. I use the same 5/0 to 7/0 hook size. 100 pound

may seem like overkill, but it isn’t. All species from ladyfish to tarpon will not shy away when that mullet is wiggling on the end of the hook. I also like to add a red or fluorescent orange float in front of the hook. The last tarpon (see picture) that I landed was on this rig. If you are targeting tarpon, you need to “use enough gun!” I like a reel big enough to hold 400 yards of 30-pound test. This is also the best time of year to land a world class bonnet head. Remember, the world record is 28 pounds. During August in the past few years, my customers have landed scores of 20 to 26 lb. crab eaters. These “shovelheads” love to eat calico crabs, blue crabs, stone crabs, and mantis shrimp. The best way to target them, is with the above 100lb fish finder, tipped with a half of a blue crab. Remember the saying “We are what we eat.”? Well, that is the reason that the bonnet head is delicious on the dinner table. Bon appetit! Noel Kuhn 43 years of surf fishing experience Surf fishing guide and long distance casting coach. Founding member of Florida Surf Casters club. 904-945-0660 www.TheSurfAngler.com

ome really exciting fishing happens over the next couple of months here in Northeast Florida. From sight fishing for tailing redfish in the grass, to huge jumping tarpon behind the shrimp boats. It’s about to get fun! Something unique happens this time of year in our region, and it makes for some of the coolest visuals in fishing. Flood tides will occur around the full and new moons, allowing redfish, drum, and sheepshead to access areas of the marsh that they usually can’t get to. Theses areas are lush with fiddler crabs and the fish know it. They will be crawling on their bellies and tailing like crazy in the grass, looking to fatten up on those crabs. There really isn’t any secret to finding the areas that will hold tailing fish. You just need to go out there on the highest tides, and look for yourself. Bring an old pair of sneakers, or better yet, some wading boots. Probably the most effective way to catch the tailers is to park the boat at the edge of the flat, and get out and wade after them. You don’t need a super skinny water skiff to get in on the action. I like to toss a soft plastic Saltwater Assassin paddle tail, rigged on a wide gap weedless hook. That hook will work with any soft plastic, and help keep the grass off you lure. Lead the fish by as much as possible, and let the lure drop right in front of the fish. Sometimes, they are really into feeding on the bottom, and it’s hard to get them to look up. When that’s the case, I’ll insert a small glass rattle into the soft plastic, and sometimes that will do the trick. This is also a great time to bust out the fly rod. Some of the best takes I’ve ever seen have come on the long rod, using a crab fly in the flooded grass.

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The flounder have been pretty steady all summer, and there should be a good number of them around all the area inlets. Finger mullet rigged on a jighead or fish-finder rig, then bounced along the jetty rocks, will be the preferred flatty catching method. Also, don’t overlook those small “drains” in the creeks on the last hour or so on the outgoing tide. The late summer beach fishing should be going strong and the tarpon will be behind the shrimp boats and on the pogy pods. The shrimpers have been at it all summer, but this time of year can be really good for the tarpon behind the boats. Wait for the shrimpers to dump their by-catch, and just keep an eye out for the tarpon that will come up. The sharks will usually be on the feed first, but stick around a bit and see if a tarpon or two will show up. When you see the fish, you want just your live or dead bait out in front of him, and hold on. While almost any other time you encounter tarpon, they can be very picky, but when behind the shrimp boats, they are usually in the mood to eat. The tarpon that are on the bait pods will be feeding early in the AM, and then again after the afternoon thunderstorms. Net a few pogys and free-line them around the pods. You can also add a little weight, and try to fish under the pod. No matter how we’re fishing for them, I like to use the same rig. I prefer a 7/0-10/0 VMC circle hook with a 60 to 80-pound leader, connected to a 40-pound braided mainline. Just remember to bow to the king! Capt. Tommy Derringer www.InshoreAdventures.net 904-377-3734

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KEVIN MCCARTHY

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aving recently toured the impressive ruins of Rome’s early port, Ostia, on the coast of Italy, I marveled at the use of mosaics to advertise different vendors and stalls, even the occupations of home owners. The ancient port is on the Tyrrhenian Sea, which is part of the Mediterranean. Its location near the mouth of the Tiber River made it a busy seaport in ancient times as ships from many Mediterranean nations unloaded goods there and took on much cargo for transport elsewhere. The fact that Rome was 20 miles up the Tiber from Ostia protected Rome from raiders for centuries. Dating back to hundreds of years B.C., the ancient port has been well preserved and is, in fact, still being studied by archaeologists. As one wanders through the well-laid-out and well-described streets, something that one can do in several hours of leisurely walking, one will see a large theater, a forum, two-story houses of merchants and ordinary citizens, a 20-hole public latrine, and dozens of black-and-white mosaics. One can easily imagine how ancient Romans lived there over 2,000 years ago. Because of the silting up of the Tiber and an

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outward expansion of the coastline, the town has long been abandoned and now lies about two miles from the sea. But one can still see in the Baths of Neptune, a mosaic of Neptune riding in a chariot pulled by mythological seahorses. Other mosaics of interest to readers of this publication, i.e. those who want to know more about nautical themes and different kinds of fish, include sea nymphs and tritons, which were mermen. Town merchants would also display on the pavement outside their shops mosaics of their products, ships, marine supplies, goods imported and for sale, all a form of ancient advertising. And, while many mosaics have been taken off to the safe, environmentally controlled museums of Italy, enough remain to delight the visitor. Also, because Ostia is a halfhour train ride from the center of Rome, far fewer tourists make the trip, leaving the site relatively peaceful. One can easily guess what life was like in Ostia a long time ago and see how important the life of the sea, especially fish, was to the merchants who lived and worked there. The pictures of sea creatures, ships, and fishing activities are so remarkably well preserved that they look as if they were made in the recent past. Most surprising of all, perhaps, are the pictures of elephants, boars and tigers, indicating that the owner of that office was one who imported wild beasts for use in the Roman Colosseum. One can almost hear the din of sailors, rope-makers, storehouse managers, and vendors filling the air with a cacophony of sounds in different languages. If you ever get the chance to get out of Rome and visit Ostia, you will marvel at the mosaics and well-preserved ruins. Kevin McCarthy, the award-winning author of “The Galata Bridge in Istanbul: An Illustrated History” (2016 - available at amazon.com for $7), can be reached at ceyhankevin@gmail.com.

For more from Kevin McCarthy, go to

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n July, NOAA Fisheries announced a 50 percent reduction of the recreational mutton snapper bag limit for the Gulf of Mexico. The new regulations went into effect July 23. The recreational bag limit decreased from 10 mutton snapper per angler per day within the 10-snapper aggregate bag limit to 5 mutton snapper per angler per day within the 10-snapper aggregate bag limit. Minimum size limits were increased from 16 inches to 18 inches total length. The reduction was justified by a 2015 population assessment, which indicated mutton snapper are not experiencing overfishing and are not overfished, but that the adult population is smaller than was previously estimated. The reduction was deemed necessary to ensure overfishing does not occur. The new size limit also applies to the commercial sector, which will be affected by an annual catch limit reduction, as well. The annual catch limits for mutton snapper during 2018-2020 will be decreased from 203,000 pounds whole weight to: 134,424 pounds whole weight in 2018; 139,292 pounds whole weight in 2019; and 143,694 pounds whole weight in 2020 and subsequent years. The commercial minimum size limit for gag grouper was also increased from 22 to 24 inches total length to be consistent with recreational fisheries.

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FLORIDA

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By Patrick Morrow From left, Tommy Holms, owner of Outcast Bait & Tackle, Kent Creel, and STAR winning angler Andrew Brown.

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n July, a Panhandle angler won big in the state’s largest family-friendly fishing competition. CCA Florida STAR, presented by Yamaha, awarded Andrew Brown, of Pensacola, a $79,000 prize package for a tagged redfish he caught while wading Santa Rosa Bay. If you fish and haven’t yet registered for CCA Florida STAR, you could be missing out on the chance to win some huge prize packages. “Andrew is a perfect example of how it’s done,” said STAR Director Leiza Fitzgerald. “It was his first chance of the year to get on the

water after some health issues, and he made sure his membership was current and that he was registered for STAR. He shared that he was not going fishing without being registered.” Brown has been a CCA Florida member since 2015 and registered for and participated in STAR each year since the event’s inception. After catching his STAR-tagged redfish (tag #522), Brown met with CCA Florida representatives for verification on July 8 at Outcast Bait and Tackle in Pensacola. He chose a prize package that included a Contender Boats 22 Sport with a 200 HP Yamaha and a Rolls Axle Trailer. While the Tagged Redfish Division is the event’s most publicized division, with remaining prizes including a Conley Buick GMC Sierra Pickup or one of several Yamaha-powered boat packages from Hewes Boats, Carolina Skiff and Cottonmouth Boats, the event has 17 divisions and many opportunities to win, with most divisions determined by random drawing of all anglers who submit catch photos. Anglers of all ages and skill levels have opportunities to win, and kids ages 6-17 can register for free with their current ($10) CCA Florida youth membership. Registration is $40 for current CCA Florida members, or $75 for non-members, which includes CCA Florida membership. STAR runs through Labor Day, and anglers are encouraged to fish hard while there’s still a chance to get in on some awesome remaining prizes. “We’ve had 16 tagged redfish caught this season, but only two winners, simply because anglers weren’t registered and didn’t think it could happen to them,” said Brian Gorski, CCA Florida Executive Director. “And it’s not just about the tagged redfish, though prizes in that division are amazing, but there are so many ways for anglers to win in STAR, you just have to register.” All entries must be photographed with the official 2018 CCA Florida Measuring Device, which is available free of charge at various locations throughout the state, including all Florida West Marine stores, the preferred distribution location. For a full listing of measuring device locations, visit ccaflstar.com. For more information on STAR, or to register, visit ccaflstar.com.

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Take A Kid

By Cory Gurman

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ummer is a popular time for families to take time out of their daily routines and travel near and far. Whether you are exploring new destinations or visiting relatives, there will most likely be fishing opportunities wherever you are going. Disney World in Florida, for example, has long been an icon for families who seek adventure in amusement parks; roller coasters, wet and wild rides, parades and dining all come together within this massive compound. What most people who visit these parks don’t realize is that this massive compound is dotted with hundreds of ponds that are well stocked with fish, most notably bass. You may fish on your own from the many access points or hire a guide for an awesome side adventure. This summer, I had the opportunity to travel to Panama and

visit friends as well as to tour the country. While Panama has an abundance of historic sites to visit, it’s also surrounded by both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, which made it easy to take a few days to sample their incredible fishing. My dad and I chose to chase the elusive rooster fish off the pacific coast, and we joined up with Capt. Dave Murphy in the small town of Boca Chica, Panama. Capt. Dave is formerly from the U.S. (Fla. Keys) and now owns and operates Reel Inn In Panama as a fishing guide service. Rooster fish inhabit the shallower waters of the Pacific, mostly around the rock outcroppings that protrude from the ocean floor. Our day started by filling the livewell with large blue runners we caught on sabikis. We headed to the first fishing spot and set two live baits out behind the boat. As we slow trolled the blue runners around this large rock outcropping, it became apparent just how far away from my home waters I was. The natural beauty of the Pacific Ocean is stunning. Within 40 minutes, line began to peel off one of the TLD 20s. After letting it eat for several seconds, I came tight on the fish and the rod doubled over. This fish had the tenacity of an amberjack and the running speed of a kingfish. After a long 20 minute battle, I landed a 50-plus-pound rooster fish. It was awesome! Two more days of fishing produced a total of four rooster fish and an experience of a lifetime. Capt. Dave Murphy provided lodging with first class service and a top-notch fishing experience. He can be reached through his website reelinninpanama.com. Cory Gurman is a student at Ponte Vedra High School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Besides reveling in the great outdoors, Cory enjoys spending time with his three golden retrievers and rooting for the Atlanta Braves. Follow him on Instagram @fishhunter1119.

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FLY FISHING

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t’s summertime, and that means mako sharks on the fly in southern California! If you ever get a chance to try it, mako sharks are the premier summertime gamefish off our coast, and being able to sight fish a fly to them is an experience like no other in fly fishing. Here are some suggestions on tackle and flies to get you into the Mako shark game. Rods The fly rod used when mako shark fishing is more a fish fighting tool rather than a casting tool. Fly rods in the 12- to 15-weight range are what I recommend. These rods easily cast a large fly and have enough lifting power to fight a mako shark from deep water. For larger makos, I use one-piece custom rods that are 7 ½ feet to 8 feet in length and can cast a fly to 30 feet quickly and accurately. They are great fish-fighting tools, especially for makos in to 200- to 400-pound range. Reel The drag system must be able to apply at least 18 pounds of drag pressure at its maximum setting. Most fly reels used in the saltwater these days are designed to apply up to 20 pounds of drag pressure. The reason you want a reel to have this amount of drag pressure is to be able to apply maximum pressure on the fish when it is swimming away from the boat and during the final moments of the fight. You want to be able to “lock down” on the mako and hold it at the boat so you can get a quick release. If the drag is too light (not enough drag pressure), you will never get the mako to the boat. Line retrieval The rate at which the fly line can be retrieved depends on the size of the reel’s arbor. The larger the arbor, the more line you can retrieve in one revolution of the fly reel spool. I recommend using the largest arbor reel possible. Many fly reel companies make reels with large ar-

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bors specifically for big saltwater gamefish like makos, tuna and marlin. Flies The flies I use for mako sharks are large-profiled flies with a foam popper head. These flies are typically 8 to 12 inches long and tied on plastic tubing. I prefer tube flies because they are able to slide up and down the steel leader, saving the fly from getting eaten up by the shark. My hook size varies from 6/0 to very large 10/0. As for fly colors, red/orange combo is what I like best. This color combo is easy to see in tough lighting conditions. However, I will have one rig with a different color fly. The reason I do this is if the mako gets turned off by the red/orange color combo, a change in fly color can get the mako to react to a different color fly. Now go catch some Makos on the fly!!

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WC is reminding Florida anglers of its three Saltwater Angler Recognition programs. Anglers of all ages and skill levels can earn prizes such as certificates, shirts, hats, rods and reels, dehooking tools, rubber-coated nets and more. Successful anglers receive recognition in Florida Saltwater Recreational Fishing Regulations booklets and on the Club Members page of CatchaFloridaMemory.com, plus the chance to win monthly raffle prizes courtesy of generous program partners. Catch a Florida Memory programs also promote fisheries conservation. In addition to decreasing pressure on the most sought-after species, the photo entry process encourages catch and release and responsible fish handling. Saltwater Life List Similar to a birding life list, this program challenges anglers to track their progress at catching 71 different species of saltwater fish. Anglers who catch at least 10 different Life List species can join the Saltwater Fish Life List 10-Fish Club and receive additional prizes for 30, 50 and all 71 fish on the list. Saltwater Reel Big Fish Memorialize your Saltwater Reel Big Fish by submitting a photo of you with your catch and a photo of the fish over a measuring device. This program includes 30 different species in both adult and youth categories. Saltwater Grand Slams FWC has nine different Saltwater Grand Slams that award anglers for catching three specified fish within a 24-hour period. From the Inshore Grand Slam consisting of red drum, spotted seatrout and flounder to the Florida Grand Slam of permit, tarpon and bonefish, these challenges make you work to increase your fishing skills. Learn more about Catch a Florida Memory programs at CatchaFloridaMemory.com.

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ou don’t have to quit fishing just because it’s hot. You just have to fish at night rather than during the day. Oh yeah – and leave a light on. August is the perfect month to catch white bass, crappie and hybrid bass under lights. Young-of-the-year shad, the primary forage in many reservoirs, are just getting to “bite size” and sport fish are busy filling their bellies. To catch fish under the lights, anchor your boat in a strategic location just before dark. Your best bets are over a deep brushpile or artificial structure, creek channel ledge or mudflat. Once the sun sets, set out lanterns, floating lights or submersible halogen lights, and wait. What happens is a natural phenomenon of the aquatic food chain. The light attracts microscopic zooplankton, which attracts minnows and shad. When the lights have congregated a large school of shad, the predators show up below. Drop a jig or live bait down, and you’re in business. It might take a trip or two to become accustomed to fishing at night, and there are safety considerations to keep in mind. Once the sun sets, your boat needs to have navigation lights on. Wear your lifejacket and become familiar with the area before it gets dark. Go slow and use a hand-held spotlight to locate shorelines or obstacles while under power. Check out the July/August 2018 issue of Kansas Wildlife and Parks Magazine (ksoutdoors.com/Services/Publications/Magazine).

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lorida bass anglers might feel snubbed by the recent release of Bassmaster Magazine’s 2018 list of the country’s 100 best bass lakes. I mean, come on, don’t the editors at Bassmaster look at social media? The giant largemouth bass being caught from places like lakes Kingsley, Tohopekaliga and Istokpoga have to count for something. Run a search on the Florida TrophyCatch website, fisheries like the Ocklawaha Area waterways are producing scads of huge largemouth bass. Yet not a single Florida Mike Sabock caught this 10-pound, fishery made the top-10 of Bassmaster’s rankings, 6-ounce largemouth from Lake Hernando in July. Photo courtesy of while Michigan’s Lake St. www.TrophyCatchFlorida.com. Clair and Mille Lacs Lake in Minnesota ranked fourth and fifth, respectively. Are they trying to tell us bass fishing is better in Michigan or Minnesota, where the growing season is a fraction of what it is here in the sunshine state? In all of Minnesota, no one has ever caught a bass that weighed more than 9 pounds. The Minnesota state record largemouth, which has stood since 2005, weighed 8 pounds, 15 ounces. In Florida, a fish that size might not even warrant a photo. For decades, fisheries biologists across the country have been trying to ramp up bass fisheries in their states by introducing Florida-strain genetics. It’s all so they can give their anglers fishing almost as good as what we have in Florida. Texas is a shining example of what intensive management with Florida-strain fish can do for fisheries in producing big fish. When it comes to rankings, it all depends on how fisheries are judged. Bassmaster’s list might be better described as the nation’s best tournament bass lakes. Using statistics gathered from tournaments as well as from state biologists, ranking decisions were made by a panel, which undoubtedly needed to consider geographic distribution for the sake of their publication’s public perception. Looking at the statistics, it’s hard to argue against national rankings for lakes like Texas’ No. 1-ranked Sam Rayburn or Tennessee’s No. 2-ranked Chickamauga Lake. Those places are on fire right now. They are producing 40-pound, five-fish tournament sacks. But for raw numbers of truly big bass—those weighing more than 10 pounds—Florida must be right up there at the top of the list with California. The bone thrown to our Florida fisheries was a ranking as the No. 3 state for total number of fisheries to make the top 100. Florida ranked third behind No. 1 Texas and No. 2 California. Seven Florida fisheries ranked in the top 25 for bass lakes in the Southeast. They were: No. 4 Okeechobee, No. 5 Tohopekaliga, No. 7 Istokpoga, No. 10 Seminole, No. 11 Rodman Reservoir, No. 18 Harris Chain, and No. 24 Kenansville Reservoir. Here we’re considering decent-sized impoundments, which makes sense. But when considering Florida bass fishing as a whole, it’s important to realize the state is a web of connecting waterways that offer the right conditions for growing big bass. Overall, it can be argued that Florida has better bass fishing than any other state in the country. Where else could one catch a 14-pound largemouth from a backyard drainage ditch?

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By CAM Staff • Photo courtesy of www.BoldContentVideo.com

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he advantage of a bird’s eye view is undeniable. From the stilt fishermen of Sri Lanka to the tuna towers on modern fishing boats, anglers have always sought an elevated view into the water. Drones are the latest tool fishermen have adopted to see farther and deeper. Drones in fishing are still relatively new and evolving, but there is already evidence it is a piece of gear worth packing in the tackle box. The first and most obvious use for video-equipped drones is reconnaissance. With technology that allows real-time viewing, it is possible to see farther out and deeper than ever before. A drone can cover more water looking for fish, bait, color changes and structure. Shore-bound or wading anglers have the ability to scout water they would have never seen before. Imagine the advantage of flying a shoreline, over a flat or even up a creek before approaching it. From the air and with moderately clear water, it is possible to eliminate unproductive water, identify likely structure and even spot individual fish or pods of bait. With just a few minutes of flying time, wading anglers or those fishing from kayaks can gather the kind of information that would require days of exploration without a drone. Even from a boat, the extended visual range gives you an advantage. Ever watch fish scatter at the sound of your motor? Using a drone to scout alerts you to the presence of fish, so you’ll know to ease up on them. Anyone who has seen videos of the guy battling bream with a hook-and-line equipped drone will recognize catching fish with a drone is nothing more than a gimmick at the moment. However, surf fishermen are effectively using drones to deliver baits much farther out than the length of a cast. Flying cut bait past the breakers is quicker and easier than paddling it out with a surfboard. And on freshwater reservoirs, bank-bound fishermen could deliver live herring to a distant river channel. This bait delivery system requires the use of a drone with the ability to carry a significant payload. The line is attached to a release clip suspended beneath the drone. With the reel on free spool, the angler flies the bait out before engaging the reel to provide tension to release the bait. There are already drone-specific release clips available, and outrigger clips and kite clips also do the job. The most important link in the system is the drone, though. You don’t want to fish with a cheap beginner’s model. For scouting, you’ll need a good camera and viewing screen. Payload-carrying capability is a must for bait delivery. With either function, extended battery life, stable hovering and the ability to fly in wind are necessary. Expect to spend at least $400 with the understanding that it is possible you’ll end up losing it in the depths. That could get expensive pretty quickly, but it’s peanuts compared to the cost of a boat.

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Bassmaster Ranks Rayburn The Best Bass Lake In The Country B.A.S.S. Photo

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fter three years hovering in the Top 5 of Bassmaster Magazine’s 100 Best Bass Lakes rankings, Texas’ Sam Rayburn Reservoir finally took the crown as the best bass lake in the nation for 2018. Consistent production of heavy five-fish tournament limits and the potential for giant bass made this 114,500-acre reservoir northeast of Houston tops in the country this year. Rayburn started showing out in 2015, when it climbed to fifth in the rankings. In 2016 it jumped to fourth. And last year, Rayburn was the bridesmaid, sitting in second place. But, Rayburn is a bridesmaid no more, and for the first time captures the title. “Although there were some pretty spectacular numbers being produced from other lakes this year, Rayburn was a clear No. 1,” said James Hall, editor of Bassmaster Magazine. “While some lakes were boasting of a single 30-pound, five-bass limit being caught, Rayburn was spitting them out in rapid succession. And to top it off, a 40.28-pound limit was recorded in June.”

Countless limits of solid fish aren’t the only thing special about this lake. “When it comes to double-digit bass, Rayburn also seems to top the list this year,” Hall continued. “Three 10-pounders were weighed in during a one-day February derby. Plus, a 12.05 and a 13.06 were landed here in March. The lake is simply on fire right now.” The process to create the rankings takes about three months to complete. Data is received from state fisheries agencies across the U.S. This is coupled with catch data collected from dozens of tournament organizations from the past 12 months. After the numbers are crunched, a panel from the bass fishing industry debates the strength of the lakes to settle on the final rankings. The rankings identify the Top 10 lakes in the nation regardless of location, as well as the Top 25 lakes in four geographical divisions. “By dividing the Top 100 into four regions, anglers have perspective on fisheries nearby,” Hall explained. Tennessee’s Chickamauga Lake, which took the No. 2 slot this year, made a strong argument for No. 1, as it also produced 40-plus-pound limits this spring, two of them exceeding 42 pounds. Although this 36,240-acre fishery hasn’t produced quite as many big fish as Rayburn, there were two bass over 10 pounds recorded since February. The biggest weighed 11.21 pounds. California’s Clear Lake landed the No. 3 position on the strength of its production of big largemouth. Michigan’s Lake St. Clair climbed from ninth last year to the fourth in 2018, while Minnesota’s Mille Lacs Lake (last years’ No. 1 fishery) fell to No. 5. The remainder of the nation’s Top 10 are: sixth, Santee Cooper lakes (Marion/Moultrie), South Carolina; seventh, Diamond Valley Lake, California.; eighth, Thousand Islands (St. Lawrence River), New York; ninth, Lake Guntersville, Alabama; 10th, Falcon Lake, Texas. When it comes to bragging rights for the state with the most lakes to make the Top 100 list, Texas wins with 12. California boasts eight fisheries within the rankings, while Florida has the third most with seven. Complete rankings can be found in Bassmaster.com photo galleries.

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TIPS FROM A PRO

BEAT THE HEAT WITH NIGHT FISHING

BRANDON LESTER he dog days have arrived, and the lake is crowded with recreational boat traffic. The best fishing to be had during summer is after the sun goes

T

down. Around my home in Tennessee, most all of our club-level tournaments go to nighttime hours this time of year. Let’s talk about why the nighttime bite is so good, what to look for and baits that work well at night. First and foremost, if you’ve never spent a night out cruising your local lake, I think you’ll find it is the most quiet and peaceful fishing you will ever do. It’s like the whole world is asleep, and you have free rein of the lake. Baitfish often become more active at night, and the water cools just enough to get fish to come to the shallows and feed. Bass are a lot like us in that 100-degree temperatures make them want to find somewhere cool to just hang out. Their feeding windows become shorter this time of year, and mostly occur after dark. When looking for night fishing hotspots, think high percentage areas where you know bass live and feed. Keep in mind that they can’t see as well at night, so they must rely on their lateral lines to find food. Start at lighted boat docks, boat ramps, brushpiles

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WITH THE BEST & BRIGHTEST UNDERWATER LIGHTS! and points. When you find a good spot, revisit that place several times during the night because it will probably hold multiple fish. Also, don’t be afraid to fish places you wouldn’t dare fish during the day because of too much boat traffic, such as boat ramps and marinas. At night, when these places calm down, fish pull up and feed around them. You don’t need any specific gear for night fishing if you can get used to the fact that you can’t see your line. Many night fishermen use the exact same gear at night as they do during the day. Around my home lake, we fish clear blue fluorescent line at night and attach a black light to the side of the boat to see the line with ease. It helps. There’s nothing more fun than watching that line jump in the black light and knowing your bait just got hammered. Just about any bait that will catch a bass in the day will also catch one at night. The No. 1 key is to slow down. A fish’s strike zone shrinks at night because they can’t see as well. Slowing down helps put the odds in your favor. Some of my favorite baits are Texas-rigged worms (fished on an MHX NEPS 86HF), from small straight tail worms like the X-Xone Fat Finesse Worm all the way up to 11- and 12-inch worms, and even creature baits. Another great option at night is a spinnerbait. I usually throw a 3/8-ounce Kinkee Baits spinnerbait (fished on an MHX NEPS 86MHF) with a single No. 5 Colorado blade in black and blue color. The thin wire of this bait really lets it thump.

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Fish for Hungry Trout at Hunger Games Site in Western North Carolina

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uPont State Recreational Forest in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Hendersonville, North Carolina, provides not only a scenic setting for trout fishing, but also a unique one. The delayed harvest waters of Little River flow through undisturbed mountains and over several notable waterfalls. Those same waters were immortalized on Hollywood’s silver screen as the backdrop for the exploits of Katniss Everdeen in the original Hunger Games movie. Movie buffs who wet a line on Little River in the DuPont Forest will no doubt recognize Triple Falls, which played a prominent role in multiple scenes in the movie. But there is good news for anglers: spending time on this stretch of Little River does not involve the life or death struggle it did in Hunger Games. Everyone is expected to come out alive. Many anglers also come out happy as this 1.8-mile stretch of Little River is stocked annually with a combination of 7,750 brook, rainbow and brown trout. North Carolina Wildlife regulations require a valid fishing license and the delayed harvest designation means it is single-hook artificial lures only with no harvesting of fish from Oct. 1 through the

first Friday in June. Starting the first Saturday in June and continuing through Sept. 30, there are no bait restrictions and a creel limit of seven trout per day with no minimum length on trout harvested. Because DuPont is a state recreational forest, there is ample parking in both the Hooker Falls Access Area and the High Falls Access Areas, with wide, easy-to-navigate trails to many of the key fishing spots. One downside to fishing this stretch of Little River is the popularity of the trails and waterfalls with those who do not fish. Expect plenty of hikers and sightseers, especially on nice weekends. And when the fishing is done, Hendersonville provides plenty of options for outdoor exploring, listening to live music, sipping craft beverages and enjoying great meals. The town’s main street has a serpentine shape surrounded by pedestrian-friendly sidewalks punctuated by planting beds, park benches and outdoor dining. The abundance of orchards makes Henderson County an ideal location for hard cider fans. Three cideries offer tasting rooms: Flat Rock Ciderworks on Main Street, Bold Rock Hard Cider in Mills River and Appalachian Ridge Artisan Ciders in a 1940s-era barn-turned-cidery. Another craft beverage experience is the East Coast location of Sierra Nevada Brewery, considered the Taj Mahal of craft breweries in the eastern U.S.

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“ Rainy Season ” Action Rages Out Of Playa Garza, Costa Rica By Craig Sutton

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he five-boat FishingNosara team logged 78 trips last month, and I’m stoked to announce that the marlin are here in northern Costa Rica, as our “second high season” is in full effect. The 32-foot Harvester led the charge for our Playa Garza-based fleet, with Capt. Alex going on a crazy run of marlin and sailfish releases over four days between June 9 and June 12. Jeff Broome scored the fish of a lifetime with Capt. Alex on June 10 with a black marlin weighing well over 450 pounds. The next day, Broome posted the trip of the year, to date. First off was a true double sailfish release. After the safe release of both fish, they added a third sailfish for good measure. Another monster came calling, as the Harvester reported another massive marlin release, the second

in two days. It was amazing work by Capt. Alex, Mate Wilson, and this group of Florida anglers. Here’s what Broome had to say: “Just wanted to say an enthusiastic THANK YOU for the incredible trip we had thanks to your team. In three days, we got three Marlin—two blues and a massive black—three sailfish, a huge dorado and a good deal more tuna and mahi! “Thanks to Capt. Alex and his hard-working deckhand Wilson, I was able to cross marlin off my bucket list of fish to catch. Definitely a dream for me, and I know I speak for all the guys in our group that it was definitely the fishing trip of a lifetime! “You could tell how passionate Alex was about fishing. His favorite thing to say after we brought in a catch was, ‘Let’s get another one!’” “Pura Vida!”-Jeff Broome The next day, Capt. Alex and FishingNosara Hall of Famer Chuck Harris scored another marlin release. That’s four monsters in four days. It was a truly legendary run for the Harvester. Meanwhile, Lila Weirich brought a big group of folks from Texas down in early June, so many that they need both the 32-foot Wanderer and Discoverer to hold them all. In addition to having a big time all week, these Lone Star anglers scored some fillets big as Texas. Monster mahi-mahi were abundant, and meaty yellowfin tunas added variety to the fillet bag With all the other fishing operations in Costa Rica on the hill for the summer, we have attracted adventurous anglers from all over the Pacific Coast, as well. Scott Burke drove in three hours from Tamarindo at 3 a.m., fished a full day, and went back the same day. The odyssey proved worthwhile, as the group reported three great sailfish releases. Shea Ralph is another journeyman angler who came from Jaco to Nosara, covering 140 miles on land in order to reach Costa Rica’s closest bluewater. They hooked up multiple sailfish and proved once again that the fish eat every day, even during the so-called “rainy season.”

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Teen Breaks Wyoming Green Sunfish Record

“J

Photo courtesy of Wyoming Game & Fish

ust one more cast, please,” Chris Castleman, 14, pleaded several times the evening of June 7. On the very last of the “just one more” casts, Chris hooked a new Wyoming state record green sunfish on a worm and bobber. He and his dad, Allen, knew the fish was much bigger than the panfish they’d been catching that evening at Bryan Stock Trail Pond in Casper. The next morning, the fish weighed 1-pound, 4-ounces on certified scales. It measured 12.25 inches long with an 11-inch girth. It was officially identified as a green sunfish by Fisheries Supervisor Matt Hahn, the state record form was filled out and a new record was on the books. The fish resoundingly beat the former state record caught at the Lovell Ponds in July 2010 by nearly 6 ounces. The world record weighed 2 pound, 2 ounces and was caught in Stockton Lake near Springfield, Missouri in June 1971. “This was a one in a thousand, maybe even one in 10,000 fish,” Hahn said about the frequency of a fish this size in the Wyoming green sunfish population. The green sunfish is native to middle America from the Great Lakes to Texas and as far west as Nebraska. It was introduced to Wyoming primarily as forage for bass, but also because it generally cooperates with warm-water anglers.

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SeaStar Solutions offers Optimus 360 joystick docking and control system for Mercury Verado six-cylinder digital throttle and shift outboards. Now, owners of Verado outboards can enjoy the benefits of Optimus 360 joystick control technology for close quarter maneuvering as well as Optimus EPS (Electronic Power Steering), SeaStation GPS Anchoring and SeaWays Autopilot capabilities. The full Optimus 360 system has been designed to integrate seamlessly with Verado outboards. A specially-designed SmartStick sensor and magnet fit on the existing Verado hydraulic steering cylinder for a clean, unobtrusive install. Importantly, the sensor assembly does not affect existing clearances for tilt and trim in the transom area. Optimus 360 for Verado is available on new boats or can be retrofitted on existing vessels by select boat builders or an authorized Optimus installing dealer. Retrofit installation requires removes of the factory helm, hoses and power assist pump and replacement with the Optimus electronic helm, Optimus hydraulic pump and hoses, NMEA 2000 harnesses and CANtrak display. SeaStation and SeaWays systems require the additional installation of a GPS compass sensor and software update. For information on Optimus 360 for Verado outboards or for the name of an installing dealer, visit www.seastarsolutions.com.

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