The Angler Magazine | May 2022 | Lake Okeechobee/Lake Istokpoga Edition

LAKE OKEECHOBEE/LAKE ISTOKPOGA EDITION

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The Workingman’s Drum

By CAM Staff

Young angler Hayes Grinnell did battle with this big black drum while fishing the Texas coast with Slinging Mullet Guide Service and Get Em Guide Service.

I

n some circles, black drum don’t get the respect they deserve. Maybe it’s their appearance? With weird chin barbells and a humped head, they hug the bottom, looking like the hunchbacked cousins of the sleeker redfish inshore anglers adore.

Or maybe it’s their reluctance to take a lure?

Black drum feed primarily by scent, and while you might catch one slinging a spoon, targeting them requires bait, which is more effort than plug and paddletail aficionados are willing to put forth.

However, for anglers who aren’t too prissy to get their hands dirty, black drum have a whole lot to offer. They are the workingman’s drum, found nearshore and inshore throughout the Gulf of Mexico and up the Atlantic seaboard to New England.

Black drum pull hard, with powerful bulldogging runs regardless of size. And they grow quite large, reaching weights well over 100 pounds. On top of that, they provide consistent action in a wide range of areas where they can be caught. Shore-bound anglers can target them from docks, bridges, jetties and piers, where drum hunt crustaceans around structure. Surf anglers often connect with them on quartered blue crabs cast outside the breakers. From a boat, passes and inlets are prime feeding grounds as is nearshore structure.

Shallow-water anglers find younger specimens way up in the estuaries tailing like redfish for fiddler crabs in tidal creeks.

Their movements are seasonal, but as long as you’ve got bait, you can pursue black drum pretty much anywhere you choose. Like most fish, they bite best on a moving tide, when your bait’s scent disperses over a wide area. They’ll eat halved blue crabs, whole fiddler crabs or mud crabs with backs cracked to let a little scent out, and also live or dead shrimp or fresh cut bait. On the northern end of their range, anglers add clams, mussels and blood worms to the array of baits a drum will eat. As long as your bait is on the bottom and smelling like food, it’s likely to draw the attention of a drum.

Rigging and gear are pretty simple. A classic Carolina rig with just enough weight to keep the bait on bottom will get the job done in most situations.

Up in the creeks, where you’ll be doing more casting and maybe even sight fishing, baits can be fished on a jighead or even a simple hook with a split shot.

Tackle in the 20-pound class is a good starting point, and it’s wise to beef up to pull big drum off structure. They do get big. The IGFA world record, caught in 1975 off Delaware, weighed 113 pounds, 1 ounce. Fish in the 40- to 50-pound range are regular catches across the drum’s range.

Those big fish aren’t good to eat, though. The meat is often full of worms by the time fish reach weights heavier than about 15 pounds. Smaller drum are excellent table fare.

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IT’S GROUPER TIME AGAIN!

By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

M

ay is finally here, opening grouper season for fishermen on the Atlantic Coast.

For the past several months of the season closure, charter captains in the Florida Keys have been boasting incredible throw-back grouper catches.

The reopening of this species enriches each fishing trip with an extra opportunity for a great fighting fish, which is also excellent tablefare.

Grouper fishing can easily be peppered into a day of fishing by dropping a bottom rig down while yellowtail fishing, trolling lures or stopping offshore to deep-drop for snowy grouper while on the mahi hunt.

While the fishery in the Keys may not be famous for its bottom fishing, there is no reason it shouldn’t be. Red, black and gag grouper are plentiful and close to land.

Snowy grouper aren’t too far either, and can be reasonably reliable to target.

Snowy grouper are found within 1,000 feet, and can be targeted with electric or hand-crank set ups. Electric reels are advisable when mahi season is in full swing, as to make quick work of the one-per-boat limit of snowy grouper.

The trek offshore for a single fish might seem like a waste of time, but there is a little more to it. Snowy grouper can get quite large and yield impressively sized, excellent tasting fillets. There

are also the welcomed bycatches of rosies, barrelfish and tilefish while deep dropping in these areas.

Furthermore, there should be ample opportunities for mahi fishing on the way to and from the spot.

Another reason the electric reel is preferable is an 8-pound weight should be used to keep your bait on the bottom in the heavy current. Keep your weight as close to the bottom as you can and utilize a chicken rig, with multiple hooks along the leader, baited with just about anything. Continuously recheck the bottom to make sure it hasn’t gotten away from you, and bring a spare weight or two, as it isn’t overly difficult to lose one while fishing this way.

Targeting red, black and gag grouper on the reef can be a little different than typical grouper fishing on the west coast of Florida. Heavy weights can easily get snagged on the rocky bottom in the heavy current, potentially making inexperience quite expensive in terms of lost tackle. There are also plenty of smaller reef fish waiting to pick apart your bait. Over-baiting can be a good tactic, but the most reliable way to bypass these conditions, is to simply freeline a live bait on a jighead.

After breaking client’s hearts by releasing trophy grouper throughout the closed season, we are thrilled to be able to add these tasty critters to the icebox yet again.

Right now is an excellent time to visit the Florida Keys and enjoy our full fishery.

Capt. Quinlyn Haddon guides with Blue Magic Charters out of Marathon, Fla.

LURES

CASTING FAR: THE DYNAMICS OF LONG DISTANCE LURES

PATRICK SEBILE

I

’ve enjoyed fishing from the shore since I was a teen angler, and one thing that became obvious to me very quickly was there are numerous situations when casts are a tad bit short to reach targeted fish in specific situations.

This is a constant truism when fishing from the bank, the beach, a pier or jetty, but it also applies to boat anglers. Quick, long casts are often required for fastmoving fish like tuna. Long casts are also useful when it’s necessary to keep the boat away from reefs, boulders and breakers for safety or to avoid spooking fish.

Long ago, I began making sure to always have lures in my possession that

were especially efficient for reaching out long distances. These lures sometimes trade realistic swimming action for distance, yet there are also a few that find a balance between great range and great action.

When you read the packaging of a saltwater lure, and especially a surffishing lure, it often mentions how good the lure is for longdistance casts— or how good it is supposed to be. The problem is, there is no scale. There is no quantifiable reference for comparing lures that honestly presents the real numbers of yards any given lure will deliver. Marketing promises do not

always translate into real performance.

To make things more complex, there is theoretical and real distance. A lure that casts great on a parking lot with no breeze can turn into a disaster when casting into an onshore breeze at night, which are conditions many serious fishermen face in the surf.

There’s no magic, and what makes some lures reach farther distances than others is a mix between their concept, their balance and, to a certain extent, the gear used to throw them when the goal is to reach a little bit farther than other anglers.

This conversation is all about the physics that translates to longer casting distance for better fishing results. The key points that will help you pick the proper lures to do the job are shape, buoyancy, the position of weight on the lure, the total weight and sometimes extra appendages, such as side wings that really help a lure fly as far as possible.

These elements are just a primer to a discussion on lures designed for distance.

Next month, I plan to go in-depth on ways you can select lures that will truly help you cast super-long distances to reach fish other lures cannot. Arming yourself with a longcasting arsenal gives you an edge in catching fish, simply because you’ll be able put a lure in front of them.

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Legendary angler Patrick Sebile is a world record holder and an award-winning designer of innovative lures and fishing gear. Check out his creations at abandofanglers.com.

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Shiner Fishing for Giant Florida

LARGEMOUTHS

B

ass tournament anglers get excited about 20-pound five-fish limits, and a 30-pound tournament sack is a lifetime achievement for most. It takes a little bit more to impress hawg hunter Sean Rush.

Rush makes a living guiding clients to trophy largemouth bass, mostly on Rodman Reservoir in north Florida. The best five fish haul his boat has seen weighed 61 pounds, 9 ounces. Think about that. That’s a more than 12-pound average.

Rush said it was the best fishing day he’s ever witnessed, with two fish well over 13 pounds and the smallest of the five weighing a measly 11 pounds, 1 ounce. Most bass anglers across the country spend a lifetime seeking out a single 10-pound-plus largemouth. Rush’s anglers did five lifetime’s worth of trophy catching in a single day on April 26 of 2021.

“And we probably lost between three and six fish that were that big or bigger,” Rush added after rattling off the astounding statistics. “Those guys were from New Jersey. They had never done any Florida shiner fishing before. I told them it was all downhill from there.”

The downhill slide, however, is not too steep.

Even a decent day using Rush’s techniques on Rodman produces results that would impress just about anyone. When it comes to catching big largemouths, he’s got several advantages over your average angler.

Location is a big factor. Rodman is a 9,500acre giant bass factory. It is a 15-mile long stump field with a deep river channel running down the middle of it and the matted vegetation Florida

By Nick Carter

fisheries are known for. In more than three decades guiding, Rush said his clients have boated close to 1,000 bass better than 10 pounds. He landed 73 10-plus-pounders last year alone and has overseen the landing of eight fish on FWC’s TrophyCatch Hall of Fame list, which is for fish heavier than 13 pounds. He does 95 percent of his trips on Rodman.

“If fishing is good, we commonly catch 30 to 60 fish a day,” he said. “The average size at Rodman is pretty solid. Usually we’ll have fish in the 8- to 10-pound class on the top end of that range.”

Tactics are everything when it comes to catching fish like that. Live bait provides a huge advantage over the lures tournament anglers must fish. Rush fishes exclusively with live, wildcaught shiners, which he keeps lively in a huge bait tank on his custom-built, 22-foot Prodigy Razor. The tournament guys can keep their fiberglass glitter rockets. Rush’s sturdy aluminum boat is rigged out for the style of fishing he does, and it’s powered by a 150 hp Mercury with a power-assisted hand tiller.

The tackle is also sturdy. Rush pairs heavy duty Daiwa 300 Lexa baitcasting reels with super heavy 7 ½- and 8-foot rods he said are essentially musky rods. He fishes straight 20-pound Berkley Big Game in green, which is thin enough for low visibility and strong enough to get the job done.

He hooks his shiners through the tail above the anal fin with 3/0, 4/0 or 5/0 Eagle Claw 84s, which

are standard J hooks with a slight offset.

In a typical spread, his anglers will work shiners under bobbers set 3 to 5 feet deep, and he’ll throw out one or two shiners on freelines to swim up under the vegetation. For big fish, he prefers shiners 7 to 9 inches long.

Rush’s big-fish reputation has gotten around, so he stays booked 300-plus days a year. His favorite time of year is fall, before the December through February spawn.

“It’s prespawn, the fishing pressure is lower and the fish are feeding up that time of year,” he said. “The fish are also big then. They look like gorillas.”

Late spring and summer are also good, once fish settle back into normal patterns after the spawn. Most of the year he targets them around floating mats of vegetation and deep river bends.

The exception is during the spawn, when bass push up on the flats. Rush does not bed fish, though.

He’ll set up on mats near known spawning flats and try to catch big females staging.

One more thing: don’t call Rush if you want to eat bass or have a trophy mounted. Rodman is managed under regular Florida regulations— which allow five fish, with one fish longer than 16 inches—but Rush’s trips are catch-and-release.

“I’m up front and honest about it on the phone,” he said. “If they even talk like they want to keep one, I just won’t take them.”

Contact Capt. Sean Rush and Trophy Bass Expeditions of Central Florida through the website at www.floridatrophybass.com.

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Monster Blue Cat Smashes Mississippi Record

By CAM Staff

T

he Mississippi River near Natchez, Miss. has a history of producing giant blue cats. The most recent monster catfish, caught on April 7, weighed 131 pounds and absolutely crushed the existing state rod-and-reel state record.

Eugene Cronley, of Brandon, Mississippi, had just set up in a 90-foot-deep hole downstream of Natchez. About five minutes after making his first cast, the big fish took the cut skipjack he was using as bait, according to a report in the Mississippi Clarion Ledger.

“He hit the rod and started pulling drag,”

Cronley told the Clarion Ledger. “We had to untie the boat and float down the river.

“I couldn’t move him. I’d pull on him and take in a foot of line and he’d pull and take 10 feet. I just sat there like I was hung up.”

After a 40-minute fight on 30-pound line, the angler’s exhaustion made hauling the fish into the boat a chore. Cronley has caught 50-pound fish from the area before, and he didn’t

realize exactly how big this fish was until he put eyes on it. Then, it was time to start looking for a certified scale with the capacity to weigh such an enormous fish.

Cronley’s fish waited on ice for three days before he was able to get a certified weight. Fish lose weight when they are out of the water. The Clarion Ledger reported that the fish had an initial weight of 138 pounds on uncertified scales. Even out of the water for three days, Cronley’s blue cat shattered the previous rod-and-reel state record of 95 pounds, caught from the Mississippi near Natchez in 2009. In 1997, a 101-pound Mississippi trophy record blue catfish was caught in the same stretch of river.

The IGFA all-tackle world record for blue catfish is 143 pounds. It was caught from Kerr Lake, Buggs Island, Virginia in 2011.

Cronley’s catch, if certified by IGFA, would possibly be a new 30-pound line class record. The 30-pound line class record stands at 111 pounds. It was caught in 1996 from Wheeler Reservoir in Alabama.

For more Mississippi fishing records, visit mdwfp.com.

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Permit Monitoring Funded for Western Dry Rocks

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PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVE POWELL

ast year, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), initiated an annual total fishing closure from April through July at a popular fishing location off Key West known as Western Dry Rocks. Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) recently announced a $600,000 investment to monitor the effectiveness of the closure in protecting spawning permit.

Western Dry Rocks is an area of reef and rock about 10 miles southwest of Key West that hosts large spawning aggregations of permit and various snapper and grouper species each year. Its proximity to Key West and the dependable nature of the fishery make it a popular spot for bountiful half-day trips.

The intent of the closure, which bans fishing in a 1 square-mile area from April through July for seven years, is to protect populations of several species

by allowing them to spawn unmolested by anglers. Permit, yellowtail snapper, mutton snapper and gray snapper are all known to aggregate at Western Dry Rocks from April through July. These spawning aggregations, along with the swirling currents that sweep past Western Dry Rocks are thought to play a role in the distribution of fish eggs and larvae throughout the Florida Keys and up the Atlantic coast of southern Florida.

BTT’s investment will fund a monitoring program for three years.

“We can’t overstate the importance of this analysis for fisheries management and how appreciative we are to our partners at Bonefish & Tarpon Trust,” said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto. “Working together on this important research initiative helps to ensure Florida’s status as the Fishing Capital of the World.”

FWC is requiring updates on regulation effectiveness at three, five and seven years, with a sunset clause at seven years if the closure is not meeting expectations.

BTT scientists expect the spawning-season closure will have positive impacts on the behavior of permit at Western Dry Rocks, resulting in more relaxed schooling behaviors and enabling spawning fish to remain at the site longer. BTT will work with collaborators from previous permit research projects to test these predictions by comparing data collected at Western Dry Rocks (WDR) with data from other known permit spawning locations where fishing is allowed.

“The monitoring will build on datasets that measured depredation, spawning permit aggregation characteristics, and permit spawning migrations at key spawning sites prior to the closure,” said Dr. Ross Boucek, BTT Florida Keys Initiative Manager. “By studying permit at WDR and comparing the WDR data to information gathered at other permit spawning sites that aren’t protected, we’ll be able to assess the effectiveness of a spawning season closure at WDR as a management tool.”

The monitoring program will utilize acoustic telemetry, sonar technology and laser-mount underwater cameras to monitor permit spawning behaviors, estimate permit abundance and estimate permit size. The program will also employ methods previously used at WDR to determine rates of depredation at spawning locations that are still fished.

For more information, visit myFWC.com.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF FWC TROPHYCATCH

PINK-TAGGED BASS OFFER BIG MONEY

T

here’s a whole lot of gift-card money out there for the lucky anglers who catch one of 10 pink-tagged largemouth bass that were distributed around Florida waters this spring.

To celebrate the tenth season of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) TrophyCatch program, biologists stocked 10 trophysized largemouth bass with bright pink tags into 10 different freshwater fisheries. Each angler who catches and documents a pink-tagged bass will score a $5,000 gift card to Bass Pro Shops, $1,000 to shop at AFTCO, and secure a chance to win an additional $10,000.

“Our freshwater biologists tagged 10 huge bass across the state – just about everyone is within a day-trip’s distance to fish for one of these tagged bass from a boat, kayak or even the bank. Now comes the fun part for anglers!” said TrophyCatch Director KP Clements. “Get out there and catch one! Tag, you’re it!”

FWC’s TrophyCatch program is a valuable tool for freshwater fisheries research and management. It provides reward incentives to encourage anglers to catch, release and report trophy-sized (weighing 8 pounds or more) largemouth bass in Florida. The program develops public-private partnerships to protect trophy bass, promote fishing and support fisheries conservation programs. TrophyCatch anglers with approved bass receive rewards from program partners while FWC biologists learn more about producing and sustaining the best trophy bass fishery in the world.

Here’s a list of the waters where pink-tagged bass are swimming: • Newnans Lake, Alachua County • Lake George, Putnam/Volusia counties • Lake Talquin, Gadsden/Leon counties • Lake Walk-in-Water, Polk County • Tenoroc Fish Management Area, Polk County • Lake Trafford, Collier County • Lake Istokpoga, Highlands County • Lake Griffin, Lake/Orange counties • Lake Rousseau, Levy/Citrus counties • Johns Lake, Orange County For more information, visit www.trophycatchflorida.com.

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ecently, federal fisheries managers approved cuts to cobia harvest in federal waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. At the May 4 meeting of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, FWC staff will recommend regulations for state waters that are consistent with the new federal regulations.

The proposed rule would: • Increase the minimum size limit from 33 to 36 inches fork length in all state waters.

• Reduce the commercial bag limit from two to one fish per harvester, per day for Atlantic state waters.

• Reduce the recreational and commercial vessel limit from six to two fish per vessel, per day for Atlantic State waters.

These regulations changes were spurred by a recent stock assessment that shows cobia are undergoing overfishing. According to the proposal, a substantial portion of Florida’s cobia harvest comes from state waters. Staff is recommending the commission adopt these new regulations without further hearing.

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Summer-Long Statewide Fishing Competition Launches May 28 F or the first time in the history of Florida STAR, CCA Florida, will launch the annual STAR competition presented by Yamaha with a Title sponsor. CCA Florida STAR is proud to announce West Marine as the Title sponsor of the 2022 competition.

West Marine began its support of the STAR competition in 2016 and each year has stepped up to a greater level of sponsorship. For 2022, West Marine has chosen to title the competition in order to increase awareness of the company’s commitment to the conservation of our fisheries resources for future viability which is so important to the future of its business.

The West Marine CCA Florida STAR competition kicks off on May 28, the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. The 101-day, summerlong event invites anglers and non-anglers to participate and win their share of prizes valued at almost $500,000, including boats, motors, scholarships and more.

Launched in 2015, STAR focuses on conservation with its technology-based, catch-photo-release format. STAR’s dedicated smartphone app promotes the proper handling of species and allows participants to upload competition photos, eliminating the requirement to harvest or capture and transport fish. CCA Florida also uses data collected from the app to educate the public on the importance of protecting Florida’s marine resources. This

10 FLORIDA

MAY 2022

important data is also available to other conservation organizations and universities for use in their studies on conservation, habitat and stock assessments.

“In the past seven years, it’s been amazing to see STAR participants support conservation by embracing the catch-photo format and picking up garbage during the annual competition” CCA Florida STAR Director Leiza Fitzgerald said. “Even more exciting is the participation of over 7,000 registrants annually and awarding more than $2.1 million in prizes, with $700,000 specifically awarded in youth scholarships.”

The 2022 STAR competition is comprised of 17 divisions targeting 12 inshore and offshore species plus the cleanup of trash. STAR’s signature Tagged Redfish Division offers winners the choice of a Contender Boats 22 Sport, Pathfinder Boats 2200 TRS or Spyder Boats FX19 Vapor, all powered by Yamaha Outboards. For the first two youth anglers who win this division, prizes include two tiller boats powered with Yamaha Outboards, trailers, Minn Kota trolling motors and Humminbird electronics.

The best opportunity to catch this year’s tagged redfish will be in Brevard, Citrus and Charlotte counties, STAR’s 2022 Destination Counties which each have eight tagged redfish in their coastal waters. There will be on average four STAR tagged redfish in every other coastal county of Florida for a total of nearly 170 released

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

tagged fish. There is one tagged fish that is worth $50,000 cash. This special tag is sponsored by Alta Equipment Company.

For offshore anglers, the Tigress Outriggers and Gear Tagged Dolphin Division offers one winner a $10,000 cash prize. The first STAR registrant and CCA Florida member who catches one of the tagged dolphin will win. These dolphin will be tagged and released in the coastal waters of Florida for STAR by the Dolphin Research program implemented by the Beyond Our Shores foundation.

STAR is a family-friendly competition, and CCA Florida youth members (ages 6 to 17) can participate for free. Kids are encouraged to submit entries in the Youth Scholarship Division presented by Realtree Fishing for an opportunity to win one of 12 scholarships totaling $100,000.

Other divisions include ladies, kayak, conservation, guides and many more. Since most division winners are determined by a random drawing, it is not about catching the biggest fish.

Any size fish can win.

Registration is open throughout the competition, but anglers who register before May 28 will be entered in the Engel Early Bird Drawings for weekly prizes.

To register for STAR 2022 or receive additional information on divisions, prizes and more, visit ccaflstar.com or Facebook.

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Serving Hardee, Highlands, Okeechobee, Desoto, Glades and Hendry Counties

Lake Istokpoga & Lake Okeechobee Edition

Welcome

to the MAY issue of the Angler Magazine

Featured in this issue

Refuse to Sink In The Beginning there was Bagley Wednesday Night Tournaments Lake Okeechobee Report & Forecast Pg 10 Boca Granda Pg 11 The Florida Trail Pg 12 Angler Profile Capt. Angie Douthit Pg 15 Just Add Water Bruiser Baits Okeechobee Tournament Pg 17 Angler Boat of the Month Pg 23 This has probably never happened to you

Pg 2 Pg 4 Pg 7 Pg 8

staff

Don Norton Natalie Lopez Tangie Neff Amy Norton Robert Fromhartz Carolyn Olsen Mallory McNally Chris Norton

Publisher Graphics Sales Distribution Distribution Distribution Distribution Technical Director

W

elcome to summer in South Florida and the June edition of the Angler Magazine - Lake Istokpoga/Lake Okeechobee edition.

You may have noticed our own Capt. Debbie Hanson is on the cover of this months magazine.

She is a contributing writer as well as a fishing guide.

And check out our Angler Profile on Capt Angie Don Norton Douthit. She's had a remarkable career.

Publisher Bruiser Baits held it's second FREE tournament on Lake Okeechobee. The results are covered in detail inside.

And finally, just wanted to thank Pete Ruiz for sending in pictures of folks he runs in to when he taking the daily creel counts for the FWC. He was supposed to be in the April issue.

contact us

We want to hear from our readers!

Reach out to us with your feedback, fishing adventures, and pictures!

Don Norton

(863) 273-4998

Advertising opportunities available!

Contact us today for information and pricing.

don@theanglermagazine.com donorton13@gmail.com

end:

Refuse to Sink, Inc. Refuse to Sink, Inc. 1504 Marianela Manor, Lake Placid, FL 33852

R

Fishing for mental health 1504 Marianela Manor, Lake Placid, FL 33852

efuse to Sink is heading into 2022 in nature. And as mentioned in last month’s RTS Dear Friend: showing signs of growth and significant article research suggests that exposing children returns on positive investments to outdoor activities and settings at greater rates We would like to thank you for taking a moment of your valuable time to consider this towards our goals for improving comes with long term benefits and may promote communication.

This letter comes as a part greaterwell-being effort to raise awareness of aadulthood. critical at higher well into mental health outcomes in our lakeside andof a mental and underrepresented issuedevelopments facing not only local but also one that continues to forcommunity green!! heartland communities. New forour Go plague at successful large. We launch are a newly formed nonprofit born from circumstances of our Refuse to our Sinknation include on our with mutual survivorshipthat of suicide losses of our beloved familyConnect members. We areothers. reachingReducing out to website development is currently underway, is destigmatize credited with a newly you forredesigned support ofRTS our logo, work ongoing on behalfgrowing of this public health social crisis inisolation an effort to increasing mental health wellness footprint our illness, social media presence, and anincreased access mental in health educate, and provide to services in underserved and outcomes and lowered levels of established year’s Sink rural areasdate likefor ourthis Glades andRefuse Hendrytocommunities. bass fishing memorial tournament to be held on depression and anxiety. Connection is not Lake O for September 10th, 2022. Refuse to Sink only a fundamental human need, but it is also Refuse Sink, Inc. a healing journey mother wading unimaginable loss sourcethrough of pleasure that produces was also to delighted bybegan recentasengagement with ofa asignificant when on February 23, 2018, her son JD Moss, a young man with a bright and infectious smile contentment which humans have relied upon our lakeside communities at Clewiston’s Sugar lost his long waged, battle mental health JD left days. testimony for his loved sinceconditions. man’s earliest Connecting with Festival this past March.silent We had the with opportunity feel good brain chemicals and themany world.

Amongand these was aatmessage foundreleases in JD’s bible, his handwritten prayerlike to ones engage with residents visitors the others identified the love hormone.

Robert annual festival anduse distributed information on JDoxytocin, that God might him to help others. While faced inner battlesaswith his mental health that C. Froemke, neuroscientist whowas studies wellness suicide prevention.

Theshy community he wasand silent about, he was not about his faith; he made PhD, publicahis profession and engagement encouraging and productive in oxytocin at New York University offers this baptized inwas Christ. on the science of connection “Most current many ways.

With many positive things on the horizon, neuroscientific studies of oxytocin indicate that 26,Sink 2019, Sgt.help Maxbut VanD’Huynslager, a 17-year law enforcement officer withhappier the doesn’t just always make people weOn at January Refuse to can’t feel hopeful oxytocin Highlands County Sheriff’s arrived for a scheduled shift, drove a remote location in his or more pro-social ortowilling to bond.

Rather, and optimistic for our futureOffice, and those of our district and ended his life.

Max had no prior mental health diagnosis and showed no outward oxytocin seems to act like a volume dial, turning heartland communities. Stopping to reflect amplifying brainof 13 activity to onsigns our of little nonprofit’s growth crisis in the days leadingweuphave to hisalso death.up He and left behind a spouse years,related an eightwhateverchurch someone is already experiencing.

This spent somedaughter, time reflecting things that we an as extended year-old manyon family members, family, and many friends and translatesantoentire an enhanced experience theserved world individuals inspired along of thegrief way.throughout colleagues.

Max’s have deathlearned sent waves community whereofhe and whatever activities we are engaging in. A Many of these are basic and simple truths found faithfully for more than a decade and exemplified the growing crisis of police suicide, which in the fundamental makings of resiliency. They word of advice here, however be choosy on your outpaces all line of duty deaths annually, highlighting a nationwide crisis of untreated stress, are long established and time-tested truths that selection in this activity. Research suggest we injury, and lack mental health support in public safetymost professions. become like in our behaviors and attitudes robust people haveofused to overcome challenges the 5 people we spend the most time with. Good throughout the years. These ideas center on a Maxon and JD did not through know each otherself-care in life. There is no question that the intersection their reason to stay in good company!

There areof many focus better living greater ways totestimonies connect with othersthe thattragedies can serveofdual with anand emphasis connection and community lives storiesonare tied inextricably to their personal of faith, their purposesbyintheir yoursurviving life and family be both positive loved and that is so and integral to the vitality of ouroflakeside deaths the unique experiences loss experienced members, and heartland areas. These suggestions include growth inspiring. For example, a running club ones and friends. insights that are also well researched and backed or health or fitness group can serve the needed by mental health scholars. Many are also daily of both physical and mental wellness. Helping life habits used by our Refuse to Sink team that out with a local church, community event or have proven quality of life enhancing results and nonprofit can promote feelings of wellness via tangible benefits in overcoming hardships such connection and serving a basic human desire for as those encountered in grieving and surviving finding purpose. That’s good company! traumatic loss. Here are six suggestions to To that point, Find a sense of improve your wellness and overall resiliency: purpose! Searching for a way to make a difference or an impact?

Spend more time outdoors.

Volunteerism may be your place. If If you haven’t already gathered, we highly encourage outside engagement this doesn’t sound like a good fit there are other in activities for the purpose of ways to make meaning which way be more subtle combating the effects of stress and negative subtle and low key and may be right close to emotional states. Research backs the positive home for you. Consider the ways you already mental health effects of spending time natural contribute to your community or the lives of settings so think big and small on this one. Try others. If you are a parent, have you taken the eating a meal outdoors on a beautiful day (we still time to think about how much of a significant have pleasant morning and evening temps that influence you are in your home? Children need come with beautiful sunrises and sunsets as well.) reliable and stable and HEALTHY caregivers.

A walk, a bike ride, a boat ride, dockside fishing, They literally can’t do it without you. Reflecting or just coffee on the patio. Nearly any daily activity on the aspects of what you provide in the lives of can be enhanced by including a natural setting others and the roles you feel can transform your and as such they can boost the mental health mindset and inspire you to do more of those benefits. Whatever you are recovering from good things. Take nothing for granted here, if you healing is bound to be promoted by time spent ever start a sentence with “I’m only a” (fill in the

2.

uld like to thank you for taking a moment of your valuable time to consider this nication. This letter comes as a part of a greater effort to raise awareness of a critical derrepresented issue facing not only our local community but also one that continues to blank) or “I’m just a” (fill the blank). Replace our nation at large. We are a newly formed nonprofit born from circumstances ofinour them with “I fill important roles in these ways..”, “takingreaching care of my home and to children makes a survivorship of suicide losses of our beloved family members. We are out lasting impact on my family.” Remember if you are to a part of a larger anything (family, church, support of our work on behalf of this public health crisis in an effort destigmatize community, group) you matter. Finding purpose help you by encouraging you to take the best health illness, educate, and provide increased access to services incan underserved and care of you so that you can do more. eas like our Glades and Hendry communities.

4.

Shut down negative thoughts.

The most researched and most effective forms of therapy in the world rely primarily on reducing negative thoughts by way of interrupting, challenging, and replacing negative thoughts. These concepts are so simple that they are often overlooked by many. This can result in sometimes falling into the trap of feeling powerlessness over our situations or our lives. While technically its true that many circumstances are beyond our control what is very much within our span of control is how we decide we will manage our own thoughts. In fact, there may be no place where we have more control. So, here’s the fine print on this concept. It’s going to involve letting go of many of your unhelpful ideas, nonproductive thoughts, and in some cases predispositions towards defense mechanisms that we may over rely on. This can feel like a challenge because often we think our negativity can protect us from later disappointments. While this can be true in some cases at the same time it will come at a great cost. That cost is optimism and peacefulness.

Recognizing that we can’t control everything and that sometimes bad things will happen but remembering that we are resilient and have survived 100% of the days we’ve encountered so far frees us to be in the moment and accepting of life’s ups and downs with less anxiety. Taking greater control over our negative thoughts can help us to stop ruminating on perceived and real losses and prior bad experiences. From there we can reframe these thoughts with more neutral,

to Sink, Inc. began as a healing journey of a mother wading through unimaginable loss n February 23, 2018, her son JD Moss, a young man with a bright and infectious smile long waged, silent battle with mental health conditions. JD left testimony for his loved d the world. Among these was a message found in JD’s bible, his handwritten prayer d might use him to help others. While JD faced inner battles with his mental health that silent about, he was not shy about his faith; he made public his profession and was d in Christ.

3.

ary 26, 2019, Sgt. Max VanD’Huynslager, a 17-year law enforcement officer with the ds County Sheriff’s Office, arrived for a scheduled shift, drove to a remote location in his and ended his life. Max had no prior mental health diagnosis and showed no outward crisis in the days leading up to his death. He left behind a spouse of 13 years, an eightd daughter, many family members, an extended church family, and many friends and ues. Max’s death sent waves of grief throughout an entire community where he served y for more than a decade and exemplified the growing crisis of police suicide, which es all line of duty deaths annually, highlighting a nationwide crisis of untreated stress, nd lack of mental health support in public safety professions.

CONTINUED on page 6 >>

1.

2 OKEECHOBEE may other 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM d JD did not know each in life. There is no question that the intersection of their d stories are tied inextricably to their personal testimonies of faith, the tragedies of their and the unique experiences of loss experienced by their surviving family members, loved

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IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS BAGLEY

S

ometimes I look back at the beginning of my fishing carrier just to reflect on the outcomes of certain events, and something that would jump out at me was the influence of the name Bagley. I thing every tournament angler over the age of 50 has accumulated many Bagley baits from the original square bill the B3,the DKB1 and DKB3 to one of the very first really good diving baits the DB3. These are all balsa wood lures and it was the balsa wood that made these lures fish more efficiently in and around shallow wood. The B3 has won many bassmasters events when the bass were in very shallow water where there was a lot of wood involved because of its ability to climb over and around logs and stumps without getting hung up. Some of my best wins on the FLW tour came on some of these old Bagley lures, the most notable was the very first FLW championship

way back in 1996 on lake Sinclair in Georgia.

The lure was the old diving killer B 2, DKB2 in 09 colors. 09 was yellow with black back and orange belly. Because of utube you can watch some of these old events, go to utube and 1996 FLW championship and watch me take the win from at the time the greatest crank bait angler in the world. Lots of memories about Bagley over the years. To this day my favorite top water lure is the old Bagley bang-o-lure, the reason I like this bait so much is you get that jerk bait shimmy and the swooshing sound that those big Okeechobee bass just can’t resist. The old lures that were much fatter make a better sound than the newest bang-o-lures so if you have some of these older baits treasure them. The color of these baits didn’t seem to matter much it was the action and the sound that mattered the most.

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Don’t wait. If you’re new to Medicare, call me today.

4 OKEECHOBEE

may 2022

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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Thank you to all of our customers for your business!

Thank you to all of our customers for your business!

We are now in our 75th year and We are generation now in our 75th year and fourth of family Thank you to all of our fourth generation family working hard for ourofcommunity working hard foryour our community customers for business! and customers! and customers!

We are now in our 75th year and fourth generation of family working hard for our community and customers!

8:26c

8:26c

CONTINUED from Refuse to Sink >>

First Baptist Church

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Where You Discover God’s Love

less distressing thoughts. We get the challenge in this idea; some losses are incredibly painful.

So much so that no thought reframe lessens the hurt. They still just hurt. To this we offer, it is true that nothing changes some things but there is always more to be grateful for even in the face of our deepest hurts. For this writer personally, I choose gratitude for every single moment of my lost loved one’s life, the legacy of that life, the life ahead of me that offers me multiple daily opportunities to share hope and optimism in lieu of tragedy, and the many other blessings of my life that are too vast to include here. I encourage you to consider the same in your life.

5.

Sunday

Bible Study — 9:00 am (for all ages) Morning Worship — 10:30 am Child care provided

Wednesday

Evening Worship — 6:30 pm Wedneday Warriors — 6:00 pm (During school year only) Bible Study & Prayer - 6:30 pm

Jesus said, “Come,” so do we.Come and find the peace this world does not have. Come and find the forgiveness of sins.

Come and receive the gift of salvation by grace.

Just come and see if Jesus won’t give you real life.

P.O. Box 267 1927 Blessings Ave. Lorida, FL 33857-0267 863 - 655 - 1878 | fbc@embarqmail.com

www.fbclorida.org

Prioritize your own physical and emotional wellbeing.

Let’s establish one thing first: Selfcare is never selfish. It is a necessary part of a healthy balanced life. Consider prioritizing your care as an investment that benefits others too. Humans share a common connection that ensures we affect each other.

This is especially true of emotions. Have you ever noticed that when you engage with someone who is angry, you leave the interaction feeling different? Or when you see another who is sad or grieving you experience a small amount of this feeling yourself? Can you think of someone who always has a positive emotional impact on you? Emotional contagion really can be a thing and people are highly susceptible to it. Consider this as just one more motivator to take better care of your emotional states throughout each day. You have more influence than you think! Bringing your healthy emotional state to interactions with others has benefits for all involved. So do the things that bring joy, uplift, and don’t forget relaxation! Others will thank you for it.

6.

Accept help when you need it.

Pride has no place in ensuring your own wellness. There is no disputing that self-care and wellness are areas of personal accountability. As much as others care for you only you know when you need to ask for help and only you can reach out. We have included two links as resources. If you are seeking someone to talk to about a mental health condition (https://psychologytoday. com) maintains a list of license professionals by location. And as always if you are struggling with crisis the National Prevention Suicide Lifeline 1-(800) 273-8255 can be reached 24/7, 365 days per year. Please know that nothing has to reach a crisis point. Adopting wellness strategies like these that are proactive can have life altering effects so don’t wait. Do something today to benefit your own health.

We wanted to share some of these tips with our readers and followers because after all enhancing life outcomes is our mission.

They are simple and basic strategies for increasing happiness and decreasing negative impacts of stress over time and we hope you find them beneficial and inspiring. As always, we wish you health and wellness.

nk >>

Gary Newsome & Mike Foster 18.4 lbs Winter Haven Chain.

Wednesday Night Open Tournaments

By Ly Nguyen

A

little known but fairly long-standing tradition in Highlands County has restarted. With the changing of the time comes daylight later into the day and opportunities to fish. The Highlands Bass Anglers tournament trail has started the Wednesday Evening Open Tournaments in Highlands County. These are an open tournament (no memberships are needed to participate and anyone can fish) with 100 percent payout (All monies taken during registration are paid to the winners). Many of the rules are adapted from the various forms of the Wednesday evening derby series over the years such as the winner picks the next weeks lake and shortened tournament run times. These events provide a nice midweek break and quick opportunity to catch a wall hanger. Check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/highlandsbassanglers to find out what lake each week as well as results and pictures from previous events.

This month our club takes to the waters of Lake Toho and finishes up the northern swing of our trail. Starting next month our club will be exclusively on Lake Okeechobee or Highlands County for the remainder of our season.

William Freeman & Marcus Devries 13.4 lbs Lake Jackson.

In club news, the event for April was on the Winter Haven Chain of Lakes.

First place:

Gary Newsome and Mike Foster- 18 pounds 4 ounces

Second place:

Joe Conley and Rodney Rodriguez- 17 pounds 10 ounces

Third place:

Brandon George and Geoff Balog- 15 pounds 11 ounces

Fill a Limit Fishing Fourth: Austin Spurlock- 14 pounds 8 ounces.

Norman Riggles & Ly Nguyen 17.6 plus Big Bass 8.15.

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

may 2022

OKEECHOBEE 7

Capt. Angie Douthit ’s Lake Okeechobee Report & Forecast Capt. Angie Douthit 863-228-7263 www.southfloridabassfishing.com

FISH STORIES ARE MAD E IN OK EECH OBEE, FLORIDA!

Thank you to my sponsors! without them I Couldn't be as productive and accommodating!

OK EEC HOBEE COUNTY TO URIS M

Caymas boats (Toho Marine located in St. Cloud, Fl) Mercury Marine • LewS • G-Loomis • Maui Jim Gill Bullet Weights • BnM Poles (Bucks Ultra-Light jig poles and BMR1 reels) Mid-South Tackle • Mega Strike Gene Larew • Pradco Brands

FISH STORIES ARE MAD E IN OKEECH OBEE, FLORIDA! OK EECH OBEE COUN TY TO U RIS M

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www.visitokeechobeecounty.com (863) 763-3959 8 OKEECHOBEE

may 2022

L

ake Okeechobee’s water level is slowly coming down, typical for this time of year so be careful when out on the lake. Boat running trails that were accessible have become very shallow and some parts of the lake have rock. April is a good time to start looking/fishing in the deeper water areas like Canals, deep holes (down south) and the River on the north end. Typically, the bream will move up to the edges to spawn. This can produce several situations for fun fishing…using light spinning tackle to catch the bream and moving baits for bass like top water and shallow/mid running crank baits. Most of my customers prefer fishing the lake vs. a Canal or River but when the water level keeps get lower and the bite picks up in these areas, it makes for a fun-day and safer, boating wise. Just recently a few bass tournaments were won fishing the Kissimmee River. The River has drop-offs; ledges and some really good rock to fish in certain areas. This type of fishing is great for brushing up/fine tuning certain styles of fishing such as Carolina Rigs; Deep Crank baits; Jigs/big worms up ledges and just going along the edge throwing top water. Color patterns to stick with are Crawdad; Bluegill and Shad for Crank baits; Junebug/Redbug/White for plastics and Bluegill/Shad colors for top water. For bream fishing, areas that are producing bites have been certain spots along the Shoal area; points of the Monkey box; around Dyess Ditch; Point of Horse; some spots around Dupree Bar, Indian Prairie and Tin house; 1-2 point (around Buckhead Ridge area); Hendry Creek and some areas down around J &S (somewhat close to the lock area). For bait, live red worms and crickets rigged on ultra light tackle with 6 lb stren mono tipped with a small bobber, split shot and hook works very well. For bass fishing areas, pretty much the same as for the Bream areas I just mentioned. If you’re wanting to brush up on your deep water fishing skills and/or fish for bream, try the River. Not sure where to start or what to do, book you’re fun-filled and educational trip by calling me at 863-228-7263 or check out my website for up-to-date customers and their catches; hotel into; past fishing reports and etc.

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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Captain Dave Stephens

Boca Granda Pass, Charlotte Harbor, and the Flats Report & Forecast Capt. Dave Stephens www.backbayxtremes.com 941-916-5769

Baits Of The Water

T

here are many different types of natural baits that are popular among the anglers and many opinions on what is the best. The choices range from live Sardines to cut bait. I am going to try to help you with the what, when and where of natural bait fishing. Water temperature and times of the year play a huge part in bait selection along with what species of fish you are targeting. By far the most popular are Scaled Sardines, AKA (Pilchards or White Bait). Sardines can be found from spring till fall on most flats. The preferred method of catching these little guys is to anchor up and chum them to the boat and cast net them. Once you have located some bait on the flats you want to position yourself so the tide takes the chum to the bait. I highly recommend this method even though some people try to run up on

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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

the schools and throw their nets. They get a few, but only break up the schools and make it more difficult for them.

If you have made any trips across the harbor I’m sure you have noticed the big schools of bait. These are most likely Thread-fin Herring, and look very similar to sardines how ever they will not come to chum. Pinfish is also a very popular bait during the summer months, also during the hotter months some will use cut bait such as Ladyfish, Mullet and Sardines. This type of fishing is commonly called dead sticking and requires a more patient approach. Cast nets come in many lengths, weights and mesh sizes. On the flats I would recommend 8-10 foot net with a mesh size of 3/8 or ¼ inch depending on the size of bait. Out in the deeper water you need a heavy net with a slight larger mesh size that will sink faster. Any local tackle shop can help you with the net that best fits your needs.

Win

Region 6 Eastern Panhandle Winquepin St./CR255 to Apalachicola River This section is a 192-mile hike

By Robert Fromhartz

The

Florida Trail

Florida’s panhandle offers beautiful hiking experiences along the Gulf of Mexico. You’ll pass pine fringed estuaries and have long walks along sparkling sands. The panhandle is known for it’s “hills”, where hikers are challenged to traverse steep ravines, along narrow foot paths. The Florida Trails highest points are on this section. See a host of colorful wildflowers, including terrestrial orchids and pitcher plants.

Mile 9.6 has a commercial campground and resort. If you still haven’t picked up a copy of the Florida Trail Data Book, now would be a good time to order it. This section is filled with road walks. There is a junction at mile 42.9 with a 0.8 blue blazed trail to a campsite.

Mile 54.3 has a camp on the Aucilla River. You’ll pass JR’s Aucilla River store at mile 64.8. At mile 68 you will enter St. Marks NWR. Entry requires a permit. Mile 94 you’ll pass Wakulla River campsite.

Mile 133.8 is the start (and deepest part) of the Bradwell Bay Swamp Tromp. Mile 155.8 has camping available in a small field. Bonnet Pond campsite at mile 171.6. This section ends at mile 192 as you cross the Apalachicola River on a highway bridge.

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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

may 2022

OKEECHOBEE 11

The Angler Profile

Angie Douthit

By Don Norton

A

fellow Buckeye, Angie grew up on the outskirts of a city in Northeast Ohio called, New Philadelphia.

When Angie was in her early teens and into her early twenties she was a horse girl, joining the local 4-H club and showing her Quarter Horses travelling and showing every weekend. You could say Angie has always had a competitive spirit. After attending the local branch of Kent State, completing her two-year Science degree she moved a little farther north to Akron where she took classes at the University of Akron. While attending school and working, putting herself through College she had the opportunity to escape for a long weekend during a harsh winter in 1999 and joined her Male friend who lived in Palm Beach, Florida for a much needed break. Fishing on Lake Okeechobee was a great idea and was fun ! In 2000, Angie took a Spring break vacation and decided to go fishing again on Lake Okeechobee. She contacted the same guide as the previous year, Chet Douthit and booked a 3-day bass fishing trip. While fishing and having fun, Chet invited Angie to come back for a personal visit…and the rest was history as they say. They were married in 2001 just prior to Chet’s 8th visit/participation to the Bassmaster Classic. Angie started her fishing career by joining the local bass club in Clewiston, Florida. The first year, she earned Sportsman of the Year award and Angler of Year the following year. As Angie fished, learned the lake and took advice from her Husband Chet, she was well on her way through hard work and dedication to become a fishing guide and in three short years in 2004 she started her fishing guide career. 2004 was not only the start of Angie’s guide career but an opportunity to participate as one of 50 contestants, a combination of 30 Anglers from Canada and 20 Anglers from the United States to compete in a 10-day reality-based TV. show that was geared around bass fishing. Chet and Angie were both picked to compete. Of all 50 Anglers chosen by a hand full of people within the fishing/film industry from both Canada and the U.S., Angie was the least experienced Angler and dubbed, the black-sheep because she had only just started fishing just 3 years prior. Angie won the first-day’s competition and went on to win the event. The winnings was $50,000 and a pilot for your own TV. show. Angie knew then that having your own show and travelling wasn’t for her…she loved guiding and putting smiles on people’s faces as a Captain/Guide. In 2005, she had the opportunity to fish and compete in the Women’s Bass master tour where she represented Stratos boats as a Pro Team member. Angie fished the trail for the four short years the the trail lasted and consistently finished in the top ten. She enjoyed meeting fellow female Anglers with the same passion for fishing and fished some very beautiful bodies of water throughout our Country.

In 2006 Angie was asked to film a day on the water with a Company based in Europe with two Anglers, called the “Travelling fishing show” and a few years later, filmed another show called “Captains Tales” based on the East Coast of Florida. Angie also had other opportunities for several TV. skits for her sponsor’s product. In 2009 Angie and Chet parted Divorced and she moved to the North-end of the lake to the city of Okeechobee where she continued her guide service and expanded not only guiding for bass (live-bait and artificial lures) but crappie, bream and fingerling catfish as well. In 2018, Angie had been guiding for over 15 years but also worked at the local Home Depot in Okeechobee from 2012-2017 four-five eve’s a week usually 5-10 pm after her fishing trips. In 2018 the very first hardback, all color book was published, highlighting only 50 Women in the Country to be featured in the book. Some Women chosen are outdoor writers, Captains, Guides and etc., each with their own unique 4-6 page bio on how they all got their start in the fishing industry. Angie stood out/ was picked for several reasons…she didn’t grow up fishing, she learned a Professional and Successful trade in 3 short years, from winning the firstever reality based TV. show geared around fishing, to being a top consistent contender fishing the Women’s Bassmaster Tour, filming shows, featured in the Bassmaster magazine throughout her competitive days of fishing 12 OKEECHOBEE

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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

the trail and being a successful Guide gaining repeat customers/business in her first as a Captain/Guide and some of which have the opportunity to come back year after year to be guided by Angie. Angie was hand-picked because of how she got her start into fishing and how quickly she rose to the challenge to become very successful both as a Fishing Guide, Professional Angler who gained both paying Sponsors, securing/ renewing a new boat Sponsor as a pro team member. The Author of the book, Steve Katner an Avid Fly Angler who lives in Ft. Lauderdale was given the opportunity to help hand-pick the 50 women then was given the 18 month process to interview these Women. In Angie’s exact words as to why she was chosen to be in the book and on the Cover….Steve, the author dubbed Angie as his “Your my zero to hero”…you go from knowing nothing about fishing, running a boat, winning a reality show, competing in tournaments around the Country in 3 short years….who does that !!! Angie’s most recent publication was in the Florida Sportsman magazine the month of February, 2022 where she talks about fishing Lake Okeechobee, bass and crappie and general knowledge

orton

CONTINUED on page 18 >>

Get Towing Before You Get Going SPECIAL OFFER > UNLIMITED TOWING JUST $99 (NORMALLY $165)

When you need a tow, Capt. Chris Day and crew of TowBoatU.S. Lake Okeechobee have your back!

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

may 2022

OKEECHOBEE 13

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ADD WATER

By Don "Red" Norton

Bruiser Baits FREE Bass Tournament

1st Place - Dalton Rayburn & Will Cohick 22.11 lbs

on Okeechobee

O

— Results ­—

n March 20th, 2022, sixty-seven teams showed up to fish the Bruiser Baits second event on Lake Okeechobee.

The teams were met with cloudy skies, a north wind blowing upwards of 13 mph by noon and warmer than average temperatures in the low 80’s. A typical Florida day on the water!

This was the second FREE event, hosted by Bruiser Baits. There was no entry fee to fish the tournament, but anglers were required to fish with only baits made by Bruiser. But anglers were far from limited in their choices.

The Bruiser Baits that won the top spots were Red Shad, Crazy Craw, MacDaddy Craw, Avenger-hybrid, New Bullet Speed Worm, Slimmer Swimmer Swim Jig, Super Swimmer Swim Jig and the Big Stick 6” worm.

Bass Addiction lures scoring winning weights were Bootylicious Craw Swim Jig and the PP Tracer Swim Bait Swim Jig. Steve Dial, President of Bruiser Baits was very pleased with the turnout. “This is the second FREE event we’ve held this year, the first on Lake Istokpoga, and we may run a Kayak or 2-manno big motor only Tournament on North Lake Okeechobee yet this year.”

I asked about his plans for next year and he said there will definitely be two major FREE events, once again on Lake Istokpoga and Lake Okeechobee.

187 bass were weighed in and 32 teams weighed in their five-fish limit. Big bass for the tournament was 7.5-pound lunker, followed closely by a 7.4 and a 7.26.

First Place went to the team of Dalton Rayburn and Will Cohick with 5 five bass weighing 22.11 pounds. Second Place honors went to the team of Dave Bradford and Steve Burke with 5 bass weighing 19.79 pounds and the third largest bass of the day at 7.26 pounds. Third Place went to the team of David Mathis and Amanda Mathis with 5 bass weighing 19.73 pounds.

Coming in Fourth Place with 5 bass weighing 19.22 pounds was the team of Justin Mahon and Jeff Miller, who also weighed in the second largest bass of the day at 7.4 pounds. Fifth Place team was William Bennion and Dave Buckholdt with 5 bass weighing 18.69 pounds.

Big Bass of the day went to Brandon Nodal

and Denes Szakacs, who also finished in Eighth Place with 15.67 pounds and a 7.5-pound bass The top fifteen teams were awarded cash prizes of over $5000.00, as well as merchandise and prizes equaling that much or more.

Sponsoring stores were Roland Martin Marine Center, Fastbreak, Okeechobee Headquarters and Lakeport Quickstop.

Steve was quick to thank all the sponsors who donated to the tournament and grateful for their participation. “We guaranteed a payout of $4000.00, but thanks to our many sponsors, we actually paid out over $5000.00 in cash and at least another $5000.00 to $7000.00 in merchandise.”

In addition to the 4 stores that helped sponsor the event along with Bruiser Baits and Bass Addiction, other sponsors included Kistler Rods, Jim Vines Aviation SR, USA Battery-PU, Marc Lundgren, Skeleton Optics, Fishers Jigs, F.A.L – Chalupa, Fin-Addict – Rocky Barnard, Waterbull Jigs/Vector, Vexan Weigh Bags, KOTG, Corky and Tangies Bass Fishing Guide Service, BNB, Rolands Martins Tackle Shop and Craw Dawg Jigs.

Everyone who fished the tournament came away a winner.

Steve wanted to offer his special thanks to his wife Amber, son Devon and Daughter-in-Law Hannah who assisted in running the tournament.

“They were a huge help,” he said.

Bruiser Baits is quickly becoming one of the best fishing tackle companies out there, and Steve isn’t done yet. “We’ve got some new things on the table that we’ll be introducing in the future,” he stated.

Like many fishermen, I have a box full of Bruiser Baits, but it wasn’t till I fished with Corky Neff, a bass fishing guide on Lake Istokpoga, that I saw just how effective they truly are. I’ve always been a “died -in-the-wool” fan of Gary Yamamoto’s Senko. But after witnessing Corky’s success with the Bruiser 6” Big Stick plastic worm, black with a blue tip, I’m a believer!

After fishing with Corky, I went to a couple of fishing tackle shops locally and they were sold out, so I went to the Bruiser Baits website and ordered them direct. I bought an assortment of baits, but I took advantage of the great price for buying the 100 count bags of the 6” Big Stick.

2nd Place - Dave Bradford & Steve Burke 19.79 lbs

3rd Place - David Mathis & Amon Wilcox 19.73 lbs

4th Place - Justin Mahon & Jeff Miller 19.22 lbs

5th Place - William Bennion & David Buckholdt 18.69 lbs

Check out their website at BruiserBaits. com., and find out why everybody’s switching to Bruiser Baits! *Editor’s note: Don Norton, often referred to as “Red”, is a retired bass fishing guide, custom rod builder and tournament bass fisherman. He was the owner of two local fishing tackle stores, REDS in Avon Park and REDS II in Sebring, and in addition to previously writing for Highlands Today the NEWS-SUN and the Coastal Angler, he also taught evening classes at the South Florida State College in Avon Park on bass fishing techniques and custom rod building. Don lives in Golf Hammock with his wife Lexie.

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

may 2022

OKEECHOBEE 15

Angler

Boat of the Month Ranger Z521 — ­ 300 Merc

Owned by

Larry Vinson

L

arry Vinson, a local bass fisherman and bass tournament angler spent a great deal of time looking for “just the right boat.”

He looked for several months, not only in Florida, but in lots of other states as well. When he finally found what he was looking for, he ended up going all the way to Minnesota to pick it up.

Trying to find a 21’ Ranger, a Z520L bass boat for sale is tough. Especially if you want all the extra’s included in this boat.

This is Larry’s 5th and last Ranger, and he’s planning on keeping it a long time.

“I figured if this is the last boat I’ll ever have, it was worth it to go all the way to Minnesota to get it. This beautiful Ranger includes a dual console; Mercury 300 Pro XS outboard motor; a Lowrance HDS16 live at the console and another HDS12 live at bow; a 36v Lowrance Ghost trolling motor; dual 8' Blade Power Poles; Hotfoot; and a factory installed radio.

How fast will it go? “I had it up to 70 mph a couple of times but that’s really fast! I’m more of a 60’s guy.”

If you'd like your boat featured in the Angler Magazine's "Boat of the Month" please submit your pictures and information to The Angler Magazine at donorton13@gmail.com or don@theanglermagazine.com.

CONTINUED from Angie Douthit >>

of the lake. Angie was thrilled to get a call from Capt. Debbie Hanson to come into the Studio for a Podcast the first of February for the ESPN affiliate station 98.1. Captain Angie also has been writing fishing reports for years and submitting them to the Coastal Angler magazine within the Orlando area and just recently the Okeechobee area and the Tampa Tribune online version. Captain Angie truly loves being a fishing guide whether its bass, bream, crappie, fishing lessons, she enjoys putting smiles on people’s faces as they land the big bass or crappie of a lifetime. Captain Angie has 5 Trophy Catch Program submissions for 2022, five of them are Customers and big bass and Angie has one submission herself, a 6.8 lb blue tilapia caught on 6 lb line while jigging for crappie. Captain Angie’s guide service is based out of the North-end, the city of Okeechobee and she offers her clients a full range of fishing opportunities and can accommodate group trips. Knowing the seasonality of the lake, she is not only able to put clients on “what’s biting now” but offers pertinent information about the history of Lake Okeechobee while enjoying the beautiful scenery that Okeechobee is only known for. Angie’s biggest bass to-date is just over 13 lbs. caught on a top water lure, which is one of her favorite lures to throw. Angie has gained a new boat sponsor, Caymas, the new Earl Bentz boat company and Joe Clements, Owner of Toho Marine located in St. Cloud, Florida. The boat is 21.5 ft long rigged with a Mercury 250 XS, one of her Sponsors and she looks to have a wrap on the boat displaying her website…www.southfloridabassfishing. com So if you’re interested in fishing with one of the top Captain’s on Lake Okeechobee, give Captain Angie a call at 863-228-7263 or check out her website www.southfloridabassfishing.com where you’ll find up-to-date client pictures with their catches, current fishing reports, hotel info, pricing and etc. Angie welcomes all walks-of-life Angler’s ranging from kids to grandparents !! Fishing is something we all need to embrace and appreciate the beauty and nature God has given us.

“We guarantee our bait will catch fish... or die trying” Fishbone Tackle llc

1451 US 27 S, Lake Placid Behind Rodney’s Marathon Gas Station Open 6am - 6pm 7 days a week (863) 531-3699

On The Water with Pete Ruiz

Pete Ruiz, FWC Creel Checker

18 OKEECHOBEE

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MAY 2022

Bass Tournament Schedule

Lake June in Winter 3605 Sebring Parkway Sebring, Florida 33870 863 - 402 - 4605 sdunn298@gmail.com www.FlippinOutSalon.com

Shannon Crivello

Salon owner - Cosmetologist

Lake Istokpoga ■ Sunday, May 1, 2022 Hendersons Fish Camp 12:15 PM BassinFools weigh-in, with 12 Anglers Istokpoga Park 2:15 PM Tampa Pro Bass weigh-in, with 120 Anglers Istokpoga Park 3:15 PM Xtreme bass series weigh-in, with 60 Anglers ■ Sunday, May 15, 2022 Windy Point Boat Ramp 2:30 PM LEE COUNTY BASS ANGLERS weigh-in, with 50 Anglers

Jimmy G’s

Just down the street from Istokpoga Park.

Stop in and see us!

20 OKEECHOBEE

■ Saturday, May 21, 2022 H.L. Bishop Ramp 3:00 PM BASS N BAOTS weigh-in, with 28 Anglers

Lake Okeechobee ■ Saturday, May 7, 2022 Harney Pond Canal Boat Ramp 3:00 PM South Florida Bass Club weigh-in, with 25 Anglers Roland & Mary Ann Martin's Marina 3:00 PM Roland Martin Marine Center Series weigh-in, with 400 Anglers ■ Saturday, May 14, 2022 Okee-Tantie Campground & Marina 3:00 PM Bay area Bassmasters weigh-in, with 90 Anglers

• BBQ Chicken • BBQ Ribs • BBQ Pork • Chicken Salad • Pulled pork • Rotisserie Chicken • Sliced pork • Baked Beans • Cole Slaw

863-655-1084

1807 US Hwy 98, Lorida, Florida

may 2022

■ Sunday, May 15, 2022 Public S. side of Ball Park 2:00 PM Highlander Tournament Trail weigh-in, with 60 Anglers

 

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

M

Peace River ■ Sunday, May 1, 2022 Lettuce Lake Park 3:00 PM POOR BOYS BASS FISHING TOURNAMENT weigh-in, with 45 Anglers

Motorcycles are our passion!

Lake Placid

863.946.2002

■ Sunday, May 8, 2022 Public Ramp / Placid View Drive 3:15 PM South florida Elite Team Series weigh-in, with 60 Anglers

www.legendmoto.net info@legendmoto.net

1100 N US HWY 27 Moore Haven FL 33471

Roland & Mary Ann Martin's Marina 3:00 PM BASS BUSTERS weigh-in, with 200 Anglers Scott Driver Park 5:00 PM American Bass Anglers - Open Series weigh-in, with 400 Anglers

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Matt’s Barbershop

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■ Saturday, May 21, 2022 Clewiston City Park 2:00 PM Beeline Bass Busters weigh-in, with 28 Anglers

Tournament directors have until the day before their tournament to schedule or make changes to their tournament exemption. This exemption allows the tournament participants to have an exemption from fish length limits, but not bag limits, while participating in the tournament. All fish are required to be handled as stipulated in the permit, while doing everything possible to ensure a live release. Any dead fish are normally provided to a charity, such as a homeless shelter.

More information about black (largemouth) bass fishing tournament exemptions can be found here: https://myfwc.com/license/freshwater/bass-tournament/ Many of the bass tournaments are coordinated through local fishing clubs. Reach out to the group specified for additional information. Weigh-ins are typically open to the public.

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This Has Probably Never Happened to You

I

took the Ranger Bass Boat to Lake Lotela Saturday, to do the water testing for the FWC, something I do monthly, and figured I’d do a little fishing while I was there.

I backed the boat down the ramp into the water, unhooked the front clasp, started the motor and put the big 250 Merc in reverse. I gave it some gas but the boat didn’t move. I thought maybe it was just stuck to the carpeted two-by-fours on the trailer, but no matter how much gas I gave the engine, the boat wouldn’t budge.

Then I realized I’d forgotten to take the trailer straps off. I’d removed the Power Pole sleeves, but somehow had forgotten to unhook the boat from the trailer.

Frustrated, and a little angry at myself, I got out, raised the trim on the outboard and got back in the truck and pulled the boat up and out of the water. Sure enough, the straps were still tightly bound.

Unstrapping both straps, I got back in the truck and proceeded to back the boat into the water for the second time.

I watched in the rear-view mirror as the boat and trailer went down the grade and into the water.

The boat slipped effortlessly off the trailer. And it kept going.

Then it hit me! I had unstrapped the boat in the front and forgot to reconnect it when I pulled it out of the water!

I watched in absolute shock as the boat just kept going and going and going. I must have backed it in faster than normal, and now all I could do was watch as the Ranger headed out into the lake.

For days, all we’ve had are 20 mph winds, but not this day! No, today there was almost no wind, and what wind was blowing, was not blowing in towards shore, but parallel to shore.

I parked the truck and watched as the boat only seemed to drift farther out and away from the ramp.

I looked around for other boats, but there were none in sight.

As I watched the boat drift further away, I tried to remember if I’d ever done this before. I couldn’t remember a similar incident, although I have done some pretty stupid things over the years.

As I stood there, the homeowners who lived next door to the ramp came over, Bob and D. “I’d go get your boat if I could,

After retrieving the boat!

but my boats not running right now,” Bob said. “I’ve lived here 22 years and this happens all the time,” he went on to say, “But usually I can retrieve the boat.”

As we silently looked out over the glassy surface together, the boat did seem to be moving in the general direction of his beach.

I was thinking to myself, I could probably swim out to it. It couldn’t have been more than a 100 – 150 yards out, when Bob (the neighbor) said, “You know, last year, some old feller tried to swim out to his boat, and he damned near drowned.

He was around 70, and he just panicked! We had to call 911,” he stated matter-of-factly.

After hearing that and reminding myself that I’ll be 74 this year, and I had a heart attack five years ago, I decided it probably made more sense to wait for the boat to drift in.

As we walked down Bob’s beach, he was telling me about a four-foot chain-link fence he put in years ago, when the lake was down, and now it ran right into the lake. The end of the fence was completely underwater.

It was beginning to look like the Ranger might just drift into the fence.

As it got closer, I decided it was time to take action. Placing my phone, wallet and watch on the sandy beach, I waded out to the end of the four-foot fence and waited.

The water was warm, around 80 degrees. And there were shiners everywhere.

Within a few minutes, the rear of the Ranger finally came into reach.

As I grabbed the side rails, I silently thanked God for not blowing the boat across the lake and slowly walked it back to shore.

When I got home and told my wife about it, she said, “Maybe the Ranger just wanted to go fishing without you.”

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FWC CONSIDERS STATEWIDE REDFISH MANAGEMENT CHANGES

A

t the May 4 meeting of the Florida Wildlife Resources Commission, staff plans to propose several changes that will alter the way redfish are managed statewide. This initial presentation is a first step that seeks to obtain approval to publish the proposed rule changes and begin public workshops for stakeholder engagement.

Here are the proposed rule changes: • Modify the redfish management regions • Prohibit captain and crew from retaining a bag limit during for-hire trips • Reduce the off-the-water transport limit from 6 to 4 fish per person • Increase the bag limit for the Big Bend region from 1 to 2 fish per person • Reduce the 8-fish vessel limit in each of the proposed management regions: » Panhandle, Big Bend, Northeast: 4 fish » Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Southwest, Southeast: 2 fish • Only allow catch-and-release fishing for redfish in the Indian River Lagoon region Along with altering bag limits, these rule changes would allow FWC to utilize smaller regional units and annual reviews to evaluate redfish fisheries using six metrics: habitat, harmful

Figure 1. Proposed redfish management regions.

algal blooms, escapement, relative abundance, fishing effort and stakeholder feedback.

A summary of the proposed changes reads: “Anglers primarily target redfish inshore, so an angler’s redfish fishing experience is closely linked to local environmental conditions as well as local fishing effort. Given this link and stakeholder feedback in support of a new management approach, the FWC is using a new approach that incorporates a holistic review of ecological and human factors. Applying the new approach, staff

evaluated the nine proposed management regions (at left) and prepared the first Annual Reviews.”

Jumping out ahead of the proposal, CCA Florida has issued a call to its members to oppose the increase in bag limits from one fish to two in the new, smaller Big Bend region, which would stretch from Wakulla County to Pasco County. The current region covers this area, but also includes Escambia County. CCA Florida commended FWC for its other management redfish management efforts.

These rule changes will be introduced at the May 4 FWC meeting beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center in Gainesville. The meeting is open to the public.

For more information, see the “Commission Meetings” link at MyFWC.com.

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The 2022 Central Florida Shootout features a weekend of fun, from the Captain’s Party to the Awards Ceremony & Angler Ticket Drawing. OVER $20,000 in cash prizes will be paid out for the Tournament!

Award categories include 10 different species, a general entry category, as well as entry categories for Lady Anglers and Juniors. You can also purchase tickets ($50) for a chance to win a brand new 2022 Avid Magnum w/Yamaha VF250 V MAX SHO, aluminum trailer, and T-Top VALUED AT $70,000. Winner will be drawn at the Awards Ceremony. You do not have to fish in the tournament to participate in the drawing.

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LIONFISH REMOVAL EVENTS MAY 8-15 M ay is Lionfish month in Florida. In a continuing effort to raise awareness and combat this invasive pest that populates Florida reefs, there’s a host of activities centered around Destin this month.

The 2022 Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day Festival will be held May 14-15 at HarborWalk Willage in Destin. The two-day festival includes lionfish tastings, fillet demonstrations, conservation and art booths, an interactive Kids’ Zone and more.

For more information on the festival, go to FWCReefRangers.com.

The Emerald Coast Open, the largest lionfish tournament in the world, will be held in conjunction with the Lionfish Festival. With big cash prizes as well as tens of thousands of dollars in gear prizes, divers will compete for most, largest and smallest lionfish. There will also be raffles for gear. Pre-tournament runs through May 12. The tournament will be held May 13-14. Final weigh ins will be held at AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar in Destin at 11 a.m. on May 15. Registration is $100 at emeraldcoastopen.com.

May 8-14 also brings on Emerald Coast Open Restaurant Week, when the chefs of Destin-Fort Walton Beach’s featured 18 FLORIDA

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restaurants will highlight lionfish in unique and delicious dishes.

Here’s the daily line-up of featured restaurants: DEWEY DESTIN’S - MAY 8 CRAB TRAP DESTIN - MAY 9 HARBOR DOCKS - MAY 10 LA PAZ - MAY 11 BROTULAS - MAY 12 AJ’S SEAFOOD & OYSTER BAR - MAY 14

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he Florida Fish and Wildlife Conser vation Commission will seek final approval for regulations changes to facilitate management for trophy largemouth bass at Fellsmere Water Management Area, also known as Headwaters Lake, in Indian River County.

Fellsmere, which was designed to become a trophy bass fishery when it was impounded more than a decade ago, is already renowned as a trophy bass fishery. It is believed custom regulations will help the fishery grow bass 15 pounds and larger.

Special regulations for Fellsmere would include catch and release of all largemouth bass and circle hook requirements when fishing live bait greater than 3 inches in length.

These measures were previously approved at the December 2021 meeting of the commission. FWC staff will request final approval at the May 4 meeting of the commission in Gainesville.

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REPORT YOUR COBIA CATCH

I

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPT. CEFUS MCRAE

f you catch a Florida cobia, scientists want to know. FWC is researching reproduction and movement of cobia in Florida waters, and anglers are being asked to help by reporting their cobia catches through September.

Cobia along Florida’s coasts have been fitted with conventional dart tags and surgically implanted with acoustic transmitters. Data collected by acoustic receivers along the coasts allows researchers to track cobia movements and learn more about the spawning migrations of the Gulf and Atlantic stocks.

Scientists are also working with the public to sample the reproductive organs of harvested cobia. This data will allow scientists to determine if and where cobia are spawning along Florida’s coasts.

If you catch a cobia from now until September, call (561) 882-5975 to arrange for a biologist to meet you and get a $50 reward. Fish must be kept whole or filleted with the carcass and organs intact on ice.

If you catch a tagged cobia: • For the purpose of this study, harvest of tagged cobia is discouraged.

• Photograph the tag.

• Record the tag number, fork length, date and general location of catch.

• Release the fish in good condition with tags still intact.Call (561) 8825975 to report the cobia and get a reward and shirt.

Releasing tagged cobia will allow researchers to continue gathering valuable data.

If you harvest a tagged cobia: • Report all information listed above for tagged cobia.

• Return both the internal acoustic transmitter and plastic dart tags to: Attn: Jim Whittington Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Tequesta Field Laboratory 19100 SE Federal Hwy. Tequesta, FL 33469 The internal acoustic transmitter can be found implanted just inside the body cavity on the underside of the fish. This will provide valuable information to researchers.

E-mail questions to Joy.Young@MyFWC.com or Jim.Whittington@MyFWC.com.

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n Illinois angler broke the Missouri state record for paddlefish in March. He snagged a 140-pound, 10-ounce paddlefish at Lake of the Ozarks. It beat out the previous record— set in 2015 at Table Rock Lake—by just one ounce.

Record-breaking angler Jim Dain, of Pittsfield, Ill., was on a family fishing trip and almost decided not to take the boat out because of shifting weather conditions the day he caught his monster fish.

“The forecast was calling for storms, and then it changed to no rain, so we went out, but it just kept getting colder,” Dain said. “We weren’t having much luck, but decided to fish for another hour. So we took another turn, and that’s when the drag on the reel started. It felt like a tree was on the line!”

Paddlefish are an interesting target for anglers because they are filter feeders and will not take lures or baited hooks. The most popular method for catching them is to troll large, un-baited treble hooks to cover water and hopefully snag one.

“We got 16 one-gallon bags of meat out of this catch,” laughed Dain.

“We’ve fried it, grilled it and made paddlefish tacos the other night. We’ll be having paddlefish for a while!”

Missouri’s paddlefish seasons run March 15-April 30 on its major paddlefish snagging waters: Lake of the Ozarks, Table Rock Lake, Truman Lake and their tributaries. There is a minimum length limit of 32 inches.

The paddlefish season for the Mississippi River is March 15 through May 15 with a fall season of Sept. 15 through Dec. 15.

For more information, see the Missouri DNR website at dnr.mo.gov.

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MAY 2022

FLEXIBLE LIMIT

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PROPOSED FOR MAKOS

OAA Fisheries has proposed establishment of a flexible retention limit for shortfin mako sharks with a default limit of zero in commercial and recreational highly migratory fisheries.

This measure follows a 2021 approval to ban mako shark harvest in the North Atlantic in 2022 and 2023 in a decision handed down by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).

ICCAT’s juridiction is over highly migratory species, like sharks, which cross international boundaries.

NOAA’s flexible retention limit would fulfill ICCAT’s recommendation, while allowing flexibility if conditions change. During the fishing year, NOAA Fisheries could increase the shortfin mako shark retention limit from the default, or subsequently decrease the retention limit, for the commercial fishery, the recreational fishery, or both, based on regulatory criteria and retention allowed by ICCAT. Strict conservation measures have been on the table for mako sharks since 2017, when a stock assessment indicated the species was being overfished.

Annual take from both sides of the Atlantic ranged between 3,600 and 4,675 tons, mostly caught with commercial gear. ICCAT warned that catches must be kept below 1,000 tons to rebuild the population.

Off the U.S. east coast, Atlantic shortfin mako sharks are found from New England to Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Texas, and in the Caribbean Sea. For more details or to comment on the proposal, see www.fisheries.noaa.gov.

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t’s tarpon time, and as big fish flood the channels, bays, flats, beaches and passes up the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, every angler with a monster silver king on the bucket list hopes to get a piece of the biggest show on water. Most of the time, all they’ll get is the aerial show.

Whether it’s a thrown hook from a head-shaking leap, a sharp gill plate that cuts the line, or a big hammerhead that makes the line go slack, hooking a big tarpon is a lot easier than putting hands on one. Studies have shown less than 40 percent of hooked tarpon make it boatside to have their photo taken.

Here are a few tips to help you turn a hook-up into a great release photo.

TARPON FIGHTING TIPS

By CAM Staff

1) Bow to the King:

If you have any interest in tarpon at all, you’ve heard this one already, but let’s just get it out of the way for those who don’t know. When a tarpon jumps, stop reeling, drop your rod tip and point it at the fish. When the fish is doing all its head shaking and tailwalking, a slack line doesn’t provide as much leverage to throw the hook. When the fish lands, lift the rod tip back to about 45 degrees and reel quickly to take up the slack.

2) Predict the Jump: Watch the fish’s behavior and you can often predict when it will go airborne. A hard run usually culminates with a big jump.

Also, when you see the line angling up, it means the fish is headed to the surface. Pay attention and you won’t be caught off guard.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPT. JEFF MAGGIO

3) Go Hard on Them: Tarpon are big and powerful. If you don’t break their spirit quickly, they just might break yours. Use heavy tackle and do everything you can to get them in quickly. Use an anchor buoy to quickly unhook and chase fish down. This allows you to gain line and maintain the upper hand.

By adjusting the drag, you can let the fish tire itself out more quickly. Start with the drag lower in the early stages of the fight, when the fish is still making long powerful runs that can break the line. As it begins to tire from running and jumping, start ramping up the drag pressure and continue pumping and reeling. If you’re good enough, palming the reel allows you to manually control drag pressure without committing to a higher setting. This can save you if a fish has a sudden second wind.

Keep the heat on a big fish from start to finish. If it runs to the right, swing your rod to the left and vice versa. By keeping constant pressure against the direction the fish is trying to go, it is sometimes possible to convince them to give up.

4) Don’t Feed the Sharks: Sharks always seem to show up when there’s tarpon fishing going on, and it’s a pity so many big tarpon end up getting sharked on the end of a line. When sharks show up, ethical anglers pull lines up and move. Reeling in half a fish is worse than reeling in no fish at all. If a big shark shows up during the fight, clamp down on the drag and try to break the line.

For more, go to coastalanglermag.com.

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THE SCREEN TELLS ALL

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Tim Barefoot

s you should know by now if you read my articles or subscribe to my YouTube channel, I like to fish for everything with fins. From offshore in 300plus feet of water to creeks, there is one thing that makes us more effective now than we were years ago: electronics!

When I was very young, we went to the very first mark off the beach and loaded up on sea bass, gray trout (weakfish), flounder and whatever else would bite a crude chicken rig with cut mullet. Those days are gone. Now, we have evolved to using the most advanced electronics available to locate and stay on fish. We’ve got side imaging and live imaging technology, which is not (almost) cheating, to… screw it… It’s cheating, and I’m doing it.

I love a gag grouper like Peter loved the Lord, and I also like to fish for bass as well as drum, trout and snook. Electronics like side scan make me dangerous. They are the difference between being close to a good place on a ledge or wreck versus being ON THE SPOT. It’s now possible to see whether you’re close to a stack of baitfish or on it. The stack of bait is the key to catching instead of just soaking baits. Look for the giant stack of bait, because that is what holds

predators, bottom fish below and pelagics above.

For example: The video link at the end of this article as well as the blue photo on this page are a prime example of electronics telling us what’s below us and how deep. The marks near the bottom are African pompano and other bottom fish. The marks in the 100-foot range are blackfin tuna.

The other photo is of crappie in a creek. I was watching them in real time using Garmin LiveScope. Regardless if you’re fishing in 300 or 15 feet of water, having the correct electronics will make a huge difference.

We rely on our fishing instincts to catch fish. I’m a believer in the “cleanest” terminal tackle being the most effective tackle. The most important thing of all, though, is to position your boat on top of fish. For this, proper electronics have become essential.

Check out barefootcatsandtackle.com, and watch this video https://youtu.be/qGzW6QFZHKE on using electronics offshore.

m

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MAY 2022

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Making Memories M

ay is a great month to take or introduce a child to the sport of fishing. The summer crowds haven’t arrived, the weather is tolerable, and there should be a nice breeze to keep it comfortable.

If your child is already catching more than you, this is a great time to teach them some new techniques or how to use a new lure.

Jetties, piers or docks are great locations to target this month, and sheepshead can be an entertaining target for the beginner. They can be corporative, and a nice trophy for a child. At times, they can be easy to catch and will provide a solid fight for the saltiest of anglers. Sheepshead love structure. Focus your attention on the most barnacle-encrusted structure you can find. At times you can hear them munching on those barnacles! If it is legal in the area you are fishing, scraping barnacles off the structure is a great way to chum for sheepshead and really gets them fired up. Small live or fresh dead shrimp are great, readily available bait.

Small jacks, croaker, pinfish and whitting are also good options to give young anglers a strong tug and a good time. Once again, live and dead shrimp are a good choice to lure in these aggressive feeders.

Beach fronts, jetties and structure are good areas to target them.

If your child is up for a challenge and wants to learn something new, like my 11-year-old, May

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

is a good month to explore. With optimal water temperatures that keep fish aggressive, May is ideal.

My son and I were in our favorite local tackle shop one day, and he picked up a custom painted lure and showed it to me. The owner, Mike, had painted these and they are renowned for catching big trout.

My son had never fished one, but wanted to learn and catch a big one!

For a few weeks, every time my son walked into the lure room and saw the Corky hanging on the rack, he would say, “Dad let’s go fishing.” He wanted to use the lure from Mr. Mike and catch a big trout.

When we finally had a chance to hit the water, conditions were not ideal. We went to learn how to work the lure, if nothing else. My son did accomplish catching his first fish on a Corky. Even though it was not the big trout he planned on, it gave us a good laugh and memories that will last forever.

This photo shows his first fish on that style of lure… the first of many I am certain. Go grow up little pinfish. Hopefully the next time we meet you are in the belly of a big trout!

Take a kid fishing, leave the electronics at home, and everyone will have fun learning something from each other!

The Return of a

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES

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

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Offshore,

conversations. Satellite phones are an option but are cost prohibitive for most of us. Luckily, the satellite network has created a new choice with two-way texting devices like the Garmin inReach Mini, which I find offers a great mix of features, affordability, size and peace of mind.

All these devices require a subscription plan, but most are affordable and allow you to pause them during off seasons. There are several manufacturers and options on the market, and they have many different features. Some have built-in keypads for easy composition of messages, but that makes the size larger. Most will pair with your cell phone, making it simple to create and send messages. They all also have SOS buttons that send a distress message along with your location to a communication center.

Like EPIRBs and PLBs, they will continually transmit your location to

By Will Schmidt search and rescue, helping them to find you quickly. Unlike the others, you are notified when your SOS is received. You can also communicate the nature of your emergency and answer vital questions from rescuers via text. The small size and waterproof rating means you can clip these devices to a life vest and continue sending and receiving information should you need to abandon ship.

Furthermore, you can send non-emergency messages to check in with others. The inReach Mini allows you to create three preset messages that can be quickly sent and have unlimited sends on each of their data plans. This is a great feature for sending useful updates and non-emergency messages such as: “Just checking in, everything is fine.” Or “Everything is ok, but we are running late.”

Other features many of these devices offer are waypoint navigation, tracking and weather reports. If navigation features are of primary importance to you, a larger device with a bigger screen might suit you better. Since mine is a backup navigation device, the connection to my phone is sufficient. I can even pair my inReach with my chart plotters to quickly send and read messages while underway.

Whether you travel offshore, into the backwoods or to a remote island ith technology helping us get farther away from shore, it is lodge, if you want the ability to summon help or just check in at home when imperative that we have a reliable way to communicate with others. off the grid, these satellite devices offer great usability in an affordable easyIt’s not unheard of for people to take a bay boat 40 miles offshore to-use option. where VHF might not be heard. While Emergency Position Indicating Will Schmidt is a seasoned tournament angler who has been writing Radio Beacons (EPIRB) and Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) are a great about fishing from more than two decades. way to request assistance in an emergency, they lack the ability for two-way

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IT MIGHT JUST BE CRAZY ENOUGH TO WORK! Berkley played a pretty good gag for April fools that likely sent a group of very specialized anglers to the store looking for a product that doesn’t exist.

The company, which produces scented and flavored artificial baits, announced the release of the Berkley PowerBait Noodling Glove.

“Infused with PowerBait, this glove is designed to give noodlers a way to successfully wrangle catfish and give the fish a flavor so good, they’ll never let go,” read the press release.

Berkley went on to tell sportsmen the following: Originally designed to withstand the fight of giant catfish, the team at Berkley Labs quickly discovered that the PowerBait Noodling Glove can be effective on more than just catfish. Extensive field testing proved that the PowerBait Noodling Glove increased angler catch rates for bass, trout and other species. The team even tested the glove with local hunters and found it’s just as effective in luring white-tailed deer as it is in luring catfish. There is nothing that can’t be caught using the PowerBait Noodling Glove.

The Berkley PowerBait Noodling Glove may also get its time to shine on the bass tournament trails this year thanks to Berkley Pro Angler John Cox. Cox says, “The way I fish is very similar to noodlers; they go down the bank and look for holes. Well, I go down the bank looking for a 5 or 6 pounder either on a bed or chasing bluegill. So, when I heard about noodlers using the Berkley PowerBait Noodling Glove, I thought ‘Hey, this might work really well for me.’ Noodling is definitely not for just catfishing anymore.

That was a pretty good one, Berkley.

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