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Fishing Friends RECORDBREAKING CATCHES

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By Capt. Ryan Palmer

ahoo are some of the fastest fish in the ocean. Built for speed with large tails and torpedo shaped bodies, they can accelerate rapidly and turn on a dime. Wahoo can be solitary fish or found in large schools, depending on conditions, time of year and moon phases. Known for their excellent table fare and awesome fighting ability, anglers travel to South Florida and The Bahamas from all over the world to target them. They have razor sharp teeth and their jaws are hinged like scissors, so landing one on mono is always an exhilarating feat. They can be caught year round, but during the winter months they are found in far better numbers and sizes, especially around the new and full moons. There are several ways to catch them, including high-speed trolling, planer fishing, vertical jigging and live bait. High-speed trolling for wahoo could well be the most exciting method to catch them. There’s nothing like hearing the clicker of an 80 wide reel scream while you’re doing 17 knots. In some cases, you will have multiple hook ups with multiple drags going off. Talk about heart racing! I’ll go over my normal high-speed spread, but keep in mind everyone has their favorite way of doing things. I run a three-line spread. I fish two electric reels and a 50W Shimano Talica. My first electric is set at 80 feet from the boat with a 48-ounce cable-rigged cigar lead. To that I have 25 feet of 400-pound mono shock leader, which is then connected to my lure. The next electric is set at 150 feet from the boat with a 32-ounce cigar lead and the same shock leader. Last is my shotgun Talica with a 24-ounce cigar lead and the same shock leader. I have about 25 different lures from different manufacturers in many colors, shapes and sizes. All of my lures are rigged on 480-pound cable with either single or double hook sets. I start my spread with an assortment of colors. If I get more than one bite on a particular color, I will change the others to that or similar colors. High speed trolling is done in both South Florida and the Bahamas. I used to think that it

was pointless in South Florida, but over the last few years I have been more successful catching them, and the fish I’ve been catching are better sized fish than the wahoo I’ve caught while planer fishing. On a trip just after a winter full moon, we caught a double header off Pompano Beach. Each fish was in the 40-pound range. When high speed trolling, the optimum speed is between 15 and 20 knots, and we fish a zigzag pattern between 120 and 300 feet of water. There are a couple reasons for the zigzag. One is to mimic baitfish coming in or going out during tidal changes, and the other is that during your turns your baits will slow down and fall slightly before accelerating again. This is when you get most of your bites. Keeping an eye on your chart plotter is key, because you can generally mark the schools in the upper portion of the water column. High speed trolling is great if you want to specifically target wahoo, as there are only a few species that eat at that kind of speed. Planer fishing is just as fun and doesn’t burn nearly as much fuel. I like to run two planers consisting of a #4 and a #8 planer with either a drone spoon or a bonita strip behind a Sea Witch. Colors, sizes and shapes all vary, but once I find what color they like I switch them over. The drone spoon is a time-tested and proven method. The flash and vibration of the spoon cutting through the water gets their attention. I prefer 3.5-inch blue drone spoon behind a #8 Old Salty planer. I run about 60 to 100 feet of 60-pound mono between my planer and bait. While pulling planers down deep, I also pull a couple surface baits. Anything from a bonita strip behind a chugger-style lure to a rigged ballyhoo on wire behind an Islander will work. If you have outriggers, you can spread two baits wide and run a shotgun with a cigar-weighted rigged ballyhoo. I

planer fish the same areas as I high speed, but my speeds will be much slower at 6 to 11 knots. Lots of wahoo tournaments have been won fishing at slower trolling speeds, so don’t rule out a jumbo just because you’re not highspeeding. Live baiting wahoo is less common because you are either bump trolling or drifting goggle eyes or other live baits. You are not covering as much ground. Live baits rigged on light wire or titanium are my first choice, with fluorocarbon being second, due only to a wahoo’s super sharp teeth. I’ve caught several wahoo on vertical jigs. About 90 percent of those have come way offshore under some type of flotsam. I prefer a simple 2-ounce diamond Jig. All the wahoo I’ve caught on vertical jigs have been less than 10 pounds. Wahoo as table fare is in my top five, maybe even top three. I’ve often said that if you have cooked it, it’s already burnt. Do yourself a favor and try some wahoo sashimi! Capt. Ryan Palmer Family Jewell Fishing Charters 954-882-2631

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Friends&Fishing By Jim Parks

here are a multitude of pleasures and benefits to fishing. The beauty of the environment, the challenge, the relaxation, the simple joy of being outside, the fish caught and the big ones that got away are all among the reasons we fish. Intertwined are the relationships created during outings. Like many others, there are times when I would rather be on the water alone. One particular period of my life, I was working full time while going to night school working on my master’s degree. I had no time. Recognizing this, my wife all but demanded I go fishing. Entering the creek that morning, I was mentally exhausted. I perhaps fished 30 minutes before I wound up lying on a rock with the sun in my face. The sound of the creek and my feet in the cool water washed away a lot of stress. At other times, I’ve found the solitude allows me to commune amidst the creation with its creator. After all, even Jesus knew the merits of hanging out with fishermen. To quote Norman MacLean in A River Runs Through It, “And we were left to assume, as my younger brother Paul and I did… that all firstclass fishermen on the Sea of Galilee were flyfishermen... and that John, the favorite, was a dry fly-fisherman.” Over the decades, I’ve been blessed to meet hundreds of like-minded sportsmen. Some, I’d rather forget! However, looking back over fourplus decades, I cannot help but reminisce over what fishing friendships have meant. If you were fortunate to begin fishing young, you had at least one mentor. If you had a father or grandfather who took you on early fishing trips, hopefully you realize how blessed you were 6 NATIONAL

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and will joyfully pass that blessing to the next generation. Having no fishermen in my family tree, I adapted. Like-minded friends of my own age, aka the “Three Amigos,” myself, Keith and Steve, as well as their fathers and grandfathers, helped me along the way. Though my father didn’t fish, he worked in a textile mill alongside more than a few fishermen with whom I came into contact. Among them were the late Don Kirk, author of several books on fly fishing, and the late, great fly tyer Kirk Jenkins. To this day, the memory is burned in my mind of my father’s co-worker Charlie Murrell tying flies with me while camped on Forney Creek in the Smoky Mountains. I was 14 years old. Along the way, they and others taught me wading, casting and reading water, always instilling an interest and knowledge of the history of and respect for the locations where I trod as a young fisherman. Growing older meant adulthood; college, career and marriage entered the scene. Still, at least one of the Three Amigos besides myself has kept fishing, and we still get together when life permits. As we grow older and hopefully better in our pursuit, we’re sometimes blessed to invest in the future of our sport by sharing with the next generation. We instill in them an appreciation for the beauty and opportunity of wading in the crystal clear streams while sharing the history passed down to us. Those opportunities make us better fishermen. In teaching, we are forced to consider the intricate, basic skills of the sport, which over time can become blurred by repetition. As my mentors did with me, I am careful to not “over-coach.” This allows the student to make and learn from their

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mistakes. How awesome to be part of their first catch and to share in that accomplishment. If we’re lucky, at some point we are blessed to come into contact with equally experienced fishermen with whom we just click. The best fishing buddies possess a similar interest in locales and styles, but are different enough that we still learn from one another. The best fishing buddies become those who can finish your sentence, agree on the best places to fish, offer insight we didn’t consider and share learned tidbits, making both that much better. An additional bonus are those friends who are willing to take those crazy adventures such as night trips, remote bushwhacking treks and just downright crazy ideas for which they’ll catch it from their spouse when they eventually return home, well past curfew. I remember as kids how we were competitive. We even had the unofficial “Virgil Ward Award” for whoever landed the largest fish that day. Over time, a point is reached when you get just as much joy in watching a friend ply a hole for that big ol’ brown. Sometimes it’s a tag-team approach, with a spotter directing casts to a trophy fish. We realize as much excitement in our friend’s success as if it were our own, if not more! Lately, I’ve been stepping back… just a little… to give my buddy the first crack at a good run. Watching an artist at work, regardless of the canvas, is a joy. When that person is using all the combined skills of a stealthy approach, with the fly you both agree is best, making that cast in just the right spot and setting that hook, it’s like watching yourself from a distance. In that moment, you are just as elated to share and witness the moment. That moment is when you realize having a fishing buddy is priceless.

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PROPOSAL TO SLASH DOLPHIN LIMITS IN HALF

he Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is looking at slashing the recreational dolphin limit in half, from 60 to 30 fish per vessel and from 10 to 5 fish per person in Florida state waters, citing a decrease in number and size of fish caught in recent years off South Florida and the Florida Keys. At its meeting in December, FWC reviewed a draft proposal that would amend the regulations in state waters. The call for action reportedly came from southeast Florida and Keys charter captains, and it follows pending regulations changes approved by the federal South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) in June. The SAFMC ruling reduced the dolphin recreational limit from 60 to 54 fish per vessel for Atlantic federal waters along the entire east coast of the United States. The ruling is pending approval by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. FWC strongly advocated for larger reductions in federal waters as a precautionary measure. That push was blocked by North Carolina representatives, who would only support the smaller reduction. Part of FWC’s interest for proactive management is increased international engagement concerning the highly migratory species. Dolphin off the east coast of the U.S. are part of the Atlantic-Caribbean stock, which extends from New England to the

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Caribbean coast of South America. The status of the stock is currently unknown, according to FWC’s draft proposal, and a traditional stock assessment is unlikely due to unknowns within the fishery, which include international harvest and the absence of fishery-independent monitoring. Warming surface temperatures in the Atlantic are also of concern to FWC because of a welldocumented preference of the species for a temperature range between 66 and 84 degrees. Catch-rate data indicates a tight link to water temperature, and those rates peak at 75 degrees. “Because of this temperature preference, warming ocean waters and other environmental changes could contribute to shifts in dolphin distribution and influence migration routes,” reads the proposal. “Reports of more frequent encounters with dolphin in the northeastern U.S. and a growing directed recreational fishery there illustrate the northward distribution shift for this species. “Similarly, fewer encounters with dolphin in SE Florida and the Keys could be linked to warming sea surface temperatures. Anecdotal reports from SE Florida and the Keys also indicate a change in timing of arrival of large dolphin, which may indicate changes in movement patterns as water temperature increases.”

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Dolphin harvest off the east coast of Florida has fallen precipitously since 2015, according to FWC’s data. In that same data, approximately 90 percent of the harvest in the last 10 years came from federal waters. A final public hearing for the proposed rule would be held at FWC’s March 2022 meeting. For more information, see myfwc.com.

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DreamCatching By Zach Harvey

the

FINER POINTS of FISHING AFAR

s we head into winter fishing show season, many start shopping for good charters to fish in the coming season. The following points should save you some headaches.

Know Thyself The best thing to ensure a successful trip is to take a hard look at yourself and your crew—your experience, ages, skill levels and general disposition. Rough out your group’s hopes for the trip: Is the gear type of utmost import? Are you five old college friends for whom the trip’s fish tally comes after talking and laughing? Are you hoping to take home a load of fillets? There’s a possibility a port’s highliner—the guy who mohawks the fish every trip— could be the worst guy in town given your group’s criteria for success.

Know Your Quarry, Ask Questions Understand the logistical realities, timing issues, and if there’s a viable

fishery underway. One of the biggest problems fishermen encounter in destination fishing is pride prevents us from asking what we view as “googan” questions. We end up trying to convince our would-be hosts that we know what we’re doing and forget to ask the questions that might make that so. Ask the stupid question. If you’ve been hoping to land X species of X size your entire life, flush out as much detail as possible about the fishery: Are there certain windows of timing for the best fishing? Is tide stage a major factor? Every species and every region is full of caveats and idiosyncrasies. Full-time chartermen must fish as many days as they can book. You can’t expect to get straight answers to all your timing questions. You can, however, zero in on an area’s better tackle shops to fill in blanks. The quest for reliable intel is something you’ll have to patchwork together.

Policies and Parting Advice As you zero in on a decision, there are other considerations. Do not base boat choice on price first and foremost. Charter fishing is not cheap, but a well-executed trip with a top captain can make your dream trip a reality. Be sure, however, to get a clear breakdown on the boat’s weather cancellation, deposit, rescheduling and trip-downgrade policies to be sure all in your crew have clear expectations. Ask detailed questions about the boat’s policies on fishing gear and whether you may target more than one species during a trip. Wherever you fish, whoever takes you and whatever you target, consider: Any seasoned crew will know, inside five minutes, the real extent of your experience. Everything works better if you check your ego at the dock.

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JANUARY 2022

FLORIDA 7

IGFA APPROVES NEW WORLD RECORDS T Carmody’s Southern Bluefin Tuna

he International Game Fish Association (IGFA), headquartered in Dania Beach, Fla., is the worldwide authority on record fish. The organization maintains a massive database of catches for almost any species you can think of and in numerous different categories. Every few months, IGFA releases a handful of recently approved new records. Here are some of the most impressive fish approved by IGFA this fall:

On July 1, 2021, Carl Carmody was fishing out of Hick’s Bay, New Zealand, when he landed the fish of a lifetime. This 355-pound, 6-ounce southern bluefin tuna is the second largest ever caught, weighing just 14 pounds shy of the current IGFA All-Tackle World Record. Carl was fishing aboard the Doctors Orders captained by Blake Sheridan when this fish struck a trolled lure. The impressive tuna earned Carl the IGFA Men’s 130-lb. Line Class World Record for the species.

Triana’s Sockeye Salmon Dennis Triana returned from an August trip to Alaska with a handful of records, including this 66-centimeter sockeye salmon that he landed on Aug. 14, 2021 to set the IGFA All-Tackle Length Record for the species. Dennis was fishing unguided on the Russian River in Alaska when the salmon struck a jig.

Sherbovich’s Arctic Char

Williams’ Chinook Salmon Bailey Williams was fishing with her husband on the Salmon River in Pulaski, New York on Sept. 12, 2021, when she landed this 12-pound, 12-ounce Chinook salmon. With this fish Bailey set the IGFA Women’s 2-kg (4-lb) Tippet Class World Record for the species. This beautiful salmon took an egg pattern on an 8-weight and was landed after a brief fight.

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On July 28, 2021, Ilya Sherbovich landed this beautiful 25-pound, 11-ounce Arctic char to set the IGFA Men’s 20-lb. Tippet Class World Record. Ilya was fishing the remote Taymyr Peninsula in northern Russia when he landed this amazing fish. The Taymyr Peninsula is located north of the Arctic circle, and is only accessible via helicopter. Ilya netted this colorful char after a seven-minute fight and released the fish after recording the proper documentation.

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

Welcome

to the january issue of the Angler Magazine

Featured in this issue

Pg 2 Angler Profile

Valerie Morrell

Pg 4 Just Add Water

Don Norton Pg 8 Back In The Day Capt. Steve Daniel Pg 9 SW FL Freshwater Report & Forecast Capt. Debbie Hanson Pg 10 Lake Okeechobee Report Capt Angie Douthit Pg 12 Boca Granda Pass, Charlotte Harbor and the Flats Capt. Dave Stephens Pg 13 Kayak Report & Forecast Capt. Brian Nelli Pg 14-15 It’s Time to get Nasty Capt. Norman Lee Pg 16-17 Electrofishing on Lake Istokpoga Sara Menendez Pg 21 Introducing Capt. DJ Timms Pg 23 Lake Placid Feed and Western Wear Pg 24-25 The Other Side of Mikey Balzz Pg 26-27 The Greatest Fisherman in the World Pg 30 Hike the Florida Trail Robert Fromhartz

staff

Don Norton Natalie Lopez Amy Norton Chris Norton

Publisher Graphics Distribution Technical Director

elcome to the January issue of the Angler Magazine – Okeechobee Edition. We have some pretty interesting and exciting articles in this month’s issue, as well as some new advertisers. For those of you who have been reading our last few issues, you may recall we are now covering six counties, Hardee, Highlands, Okeechobee, DeSoto, Glades and Hendry. In the past few Don Norton issues, we have listed all the business locations where you can Publisher find copies of the magazine, but with these two new counties, we have well over 200 locations set up as distribution points. Far too many to list them all. Check out our Angler Profile this month on Valerie Morrell. A fairly new resident of Sebring, Florida, Valerie will be checking out our lakes and continuing to build her guide business. Ever wonder what happens when the FWC does their shocking in our lakes? Read Sara Menendez’s article on their recent electrofishing on Lake Istokpoga. This issue has more articles than any of our previous editions and we’re really proud of our contributing writers. Now, if we could just find some more advertisers………….

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!

don@theanglermagazine.com

The Angler Profile

or Valerie Morrell, her earliest recollections of fishing go back to some of her earliest memories in Huntington, West Virginia, when she was 5 or 6 years old. She would often visit her grandparents, spending the weekend with them and she and her grandfather, Mack, would watch the all-star lineup on Saturday morning television of their favorite fishing stars.

Starting off with Bill Dance, then Jimmy Houston and finally Roland Martin, they would then set out for the nearest fishin’ hole where Grandpa Mack would teach her how to cast, bait her hook and take a fish off. She loved the time they spent together and the bond they shared with fishing. At one point, her grandfather entered her in a children’s fishing tournament, where the children fished from the bank and she won every category. With encouragement from her grandfather, she ended up giving all but two of her trophies away to the other children. This was a life lesson in kindness. Then in 1989, her grandfather passed away and Valerie’s interest in fishing faded. Her

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Valerie Morrell

grandfather had fostered her interest in dirt bikes growing up. Within a few years of his death, she bought her first crotch rocket, took a racing course, and fell in love with racing and speed. Racing became a way of life until the year 2000, when she almost lost her life in a very bad motorcycle accident. Recovery was painful and long, but after months of rehabilitation she began to recover. By 2002, she moved to Florida, where she renewed her interest in fishing. She moved to a property with a nice little pond and bought a spinning outfit. It became her favorite way to unwind after work. Bored on a vacation in 2012, she bought a Black Max combo at Dick’s to keep her busy. This brought back happy memories of fishing with her grandfather, who had bought her her first baitcaster when she was 10 or 11 years old. Soon she was catching bass in every body of water she could find. It wasn’t long before she caught an eight pounder in Walsingham Reservoir in Largo, Florida. Catching that trophy-sized bass, she also caught a little bass fever, leading her to purchase her first boat, a Bass Tracker with a 25 hp motor. That gave her the opportunity to move from the land to the water, and more importantly, reminded her that she had the innate ability to find and catch really big bass. Pretty soon, she was calling Lake Tarpon her home lake. For those of you who have never fished Lake Tarpon, it can get really nasty when the wind picks up, and it was just a matter of time before Valerie found herself in a dangerous situation in the small craft. That’s when she decided to get a bigger boat. She purchased a Ranger R80 in 2014, which allowed her to move into competitive fishing situations. Her first tournament was on Lake Toho, where she had never fished. She took a respectable 5th place against seasoned anglers in an 8-hour derby where plenty of fish were weighed in. She began fishing tournaments on Lake Tarpon and noticed those winning money had Power-Poles. Adding them to her Ranger

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By Don Norton

was a game-changer. She established herself as a fierce competitor, winning many tournaments and setting records on the body of water. In 2016, she married Crystal Polk and the two of them settled down into a comfortable pace, fishing local tournaments on Lake Tarpon as well as other central Florida lakes. Valerie is also a very talented electrician and electronics expert. After many years of board level cell phone repairs, she transitioned in 2016 to repairing reels and providing electrical wiring services for other boaters. I asked Valerie if she had a funny story and she told me about coming out of one of her shoulder surgeries and not listening to the doctor, immediately walked out to the edge of the lake where she began casting with her left arm. Fortunately / unfortunately, a car wreck had already forced her to learn to cast with either arm. On her first cast, a huge bass struck her lure and for the first time she realized she was standing on a 4 ½ foot seawall. Struggling to bring the fish in, she managed to hoist the wallhanger up and over the seawall. Her biggest bass was an 11.3-pound bass that she actually caught at one of the local golf course ponds. In April of this year, she and Crystal moved to Sebring, Florida where she plans to fish some of the local and regional tournaments as well as begin to rebuild her bass fishing guide service. Her current boat is a 2018 Blazer 625 Pro Elite with a 250 Evinrude G2 outboard motor, two Power Poles, Ghost electric motor, two Lowrance HDS 12 and one HDS16 depth finders, and an ActiveTarget. Valerie's sponsors include Lowrance, Power-Pole, SPRO / Gamakatsu, 13 Fishing, Bass Boat Technologies, Fish Bomb, THMarine, and Aqua-Vu.

orton

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Just Add Water : Bass Tournaments By Don “Red” Norton

n 2021, I celebrated my 50th year anniversary of fishing bass tournaments. That’s a long time, and a lot of tourneys. During that time, I’ve met some incredible anglers, many of them are still competing, and others, like myself, think about fishing tournaments. I’ve been fortunate to win a few tournaments over the years, but I’ve lost far more than I’ve ever won. It was never about the trophies or plaques, or even the money, but knowing you found em’, you caught em’ and you weighed em’ in! I’m a current member of the FLW, the ABA, the Xtreme Bass Series, USA Bassin and BSBT, (most tournament anglers know what the initials stand for) and yet I’ve only fished one tournament this year. When I became a member of each organization I fully planned to fish all their events. The desire is there, but I just can’t seem to get motivated. I’d like to think, reminiscent of Toby Keith’s hit song, “I’m not as good as I once was, but I’m as good once, as I ever was,” but the truth is, I just don’t have the desire or the stamina required to get up at 4am and fish for eight or nine hours in whatever nasty heat/cold, wind and rain Mother Nature might throw at us. Now, I know a lot of guys older than me that are still fishing the different “alphabet” tournament trails, and I applaud their efforts. But as much as I love to fish, and to compete, my desire to show up for many of these events has greatly diminished. So, I’m proposing that someone start up a new tournament trail for some of us older anglers, like me, that’s consistent with our current values. We could name the club, “Consistent Reminders of our Angling Past” or CRAP!

Here’s a few suggestions for the rules

1. You have to be old. Age is relevant. If you’re not at least 70, you’re probably not in as bad a shape physically as most of us.

2. You have to be overweight and in constant arthritic pain. This is a must, since anyone that’s actually in good shape would embarrass the rest of us.

3. Membership card is your Medicare card. This is the most expensive card you’ll ever carry. Most of us have paid for it for the last 50+ years.

4. Start times for the tournament should be around 10 in the morning. By then, most of us are up, we’ve eaten

breakfast and we’ve taken care of business. Of course, there will be those of you who want to remind us that we’d be missing “the early bite”. But, we’d be catching the early afternoon bite! 5. The temperature has to be between 70 and 75 degrees. Let’s face it, we’ve all had to deal with sunburns and skin cancer. The local dermatologists are now being invited to Thanksgiving Dinner. 6. Winds need to be 5 to 10 mph. or less. Of course, we all know that windier conditions are actually better for fishing, but calmer waters are easier to cast a lure. 7. Tournaments would end by 2pm. For most of us, this gives us a plenty of time to get home for a short nap and still make dinner at 5:30. 8. Tournament fees would be $20.00 or 1% of your social security, whichever is greater. 9. No trophies or plaques would be awarded. At our age, trophies and plaques aren’t as meaningful as a good ham sandwich. 10. First place would receive a $25.00 gift card to Golden Corral, or one year’s membership in AARP. 11. Big Bass award would be a box of jelly donuts from Walmart, or your choice of a 6-pak of Ensure, or SlimFast. 12. Tournaments would be held three times a year; on Veterans Day, November 11th; Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, December 7th and New Years Day, January 1st. Because we’re all veterans and patriots and we’re thankful we made it another year! 4 OKEECHOBEE

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Editor’s

note:

Don Norton, often referred to as “Red”, is a semi-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. He is also the Publisher of The Angler Magazine – Okeechobee Edition LLC. Don lives in Golf Hammock with his wife Lexie.

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january 2022

OKEECHOBEE 7

Steve Daniel

The Voice of Okeechobee Fishing Steve Daniel • 239.560.2704 • 863.885.2230

Back in the day

ishing 30 + years ago here on the big O was much simpler than it is today, simply because there just wasn’t as much stuff to choose from. Thirty years-ago, if I had six rods laying on the deck this is what I would have tied to the lines. A top water Bagley bang-o-lure, a silver blue back rattle-trap, a Stanley chartreuse and white with gold blades spinner bait, maybe a lunker lure buzz bait, a gold Johnson silver minnow weed less spoon with a white skirt, last but not least a traditional Okeechobee worm rig, 3/16 weight, 3/0 straight shank worm hook, and a 7inch, red shad worm. Now why not use these tried and proven lures today? They will absolutely catch bass on the Big O, but these lures have been lost in time. The problem, I’m not sure it is a real problem, but there is just so much stuff to choose from. If you are new to bass fishing, and you decide to make a trip to your local bass pro shop and start wandering down the aisles in the bass section it won’t be long before your head starts to spin. As you have noticed when I listed my lure selections, I started in the open water and worked toward the heaviest cover, with the weed less spoon, with the exception of the worm which will work most anywhere. Remember to pick the lures that are the most efficient for the cover you are targeting. These old lures will still catch bass today, but there are so many new and improved lures and some of them look more real than a real minnow.

This tip will make it a little simpler, stick with a company that has lures from the hard baits to a good selection of soft baits, like Berkley or Strike King. All these companies have lures designed by the best pros in the world and these companies would not have lures their pros are not using. The bottom line is there are no magic lures like the ones you see on TV infomercials, and there are no rights or wrongs in fishing. Pick the lures that best suits the water and don’t be afraid to go back in time and pick up a Johnson Weedless spoon, I’m pretty sure that the bass in lake Okeechobee haven’t seen them in a while. Doug Hannon, the Bass Professor, said many times on my radio show that fish aren’t intelligent but everything they learn has to do with their survival and when they are seeing a lot of the same lures every day, show them something they haven’t seen in a while. You might be surprised at the outcome. 8 OKEECHOBEE

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Captain Debbie Hanson’s

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show h their show at the

Southwest Florida Freshwater Report & Forecast Capt. Debbie Hanson shefishes2.com @shefishes2

e saw windy conditions and cool evening temperatures in the 50’s across Southwest Florida toward the end of November, but we’re seeing a positive trend of stable warm weather this week and clients are bringing some nice catches to the boat on our trips. While 15 mph winds are back in the forecast for next week, daytime temperatures should hold in the mid to low 80’s right up until the full moon on the 18th. Stable temperatures leading up to our next full moon should equate to some darn good fishing for those who choose to opt outside in lieu of the holiday hustle and bustle. Inland lake and canal temperatures have currently warmed back up around 70-75 degrees. This warm-up, following the dip in water temperatures toward the end of November, has cued largemouth bass to start following shad, shiners, and other baitfish into our shallower water depths. Provided we have stable water temperatures for at least a week, the males will begin looking for nesting sites and females will move in from deeper water. Look around outside vegetation edges, find hard bottom (shell or gravel), and focus on areas that are 5-feet deep or less. Use spinnerbaits or crankbaits to match the hatch and cover more water. Now that our annual influx of seasonal visitors is on the rise, I’m getting more questions about targeting peacock bass here on the west coast of Florida. While it can still be done, it does become more challenging to get this species to chew during the winter months on this side of the state. The reason for this is that the preferred feeding water temperature range for peacock bass is between 74°F – 84°F, but as the water temperature lingers

closer to the lower end of this range (or even lower), peacock bass become less active and feed less often. In addition, they often head toward deeper waters that are more insulated from consecutive cold fronts. The fishing on this coast for peacock bass starts to get good again toward the middle of March and generally stays consistent through October. On the southeast coast (Miami-Dade and Broward counties), the freshwater lakes and canal systems receive the warming benefits of the Biscayne Aquifer. The Biscayne Aquifer allows warmer water to seep into the canals, which provides continuous warming and higher water temperatures for peacock bass, but it doesn’t extend into Collier or Lee Counties. If you have a specific species that you’d like to target, ask your guide which time of year or conditions are best and then plan your trip accordingly. Tight lines all and happy New Year!

Debbie Hanson is an award-winning outdoor writer and freshwater fishing guide living in Southwest Florida. Hanson’s written work has appeared in publications such as Salt Water Sportsman Magazine, BoatUS Magazine, and USA Today Hunt & Fish Magazine. To learn more about her work, visit shefishes2.com or follow her on Instagram @shefishes2.

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january 2022

OKEECHOBEE 9

Capt. Angie Douthit ’s

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

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ishing Lake Okeechobee has been somewhat steady for both bass and crappie bite. The water level has remained a little bit higher than this time last year making some areas to get to the fish a little tougher, knowing the lake and how to access these types of areas is key to sometimes more and bigger bites. When fishing for bass lately it’s been a mixture of using live-bait (wild shiners) and artificial lures. The artificial lures that have been producing bites are worms; slow-working top water lures, swim jigs/baits; rattle traps/spinner baits on the outside edges mainly; flipping/ pitching into isolated grass clumps near pre-spawn lake locations. Lure colors are: June bug; Red bug; Watermelon/Red; White; Black/Blue and Crawdad color patterns. For the Crappie trips, I solely use tube jigs or something very similar and fish the crappie off the beds in certain areas of the lake. This type if fishing for Crappie is fun and productive. You get to see different parts of the lake, take in the beautiful scenery such as Manatees; Bald Eagles; Limpkins; Snail Kites and other wildlife that we are Blessed to enjoy! Crappie fishing and Bass fishing are found Sometimes within the same location throughout the Lake. Whether fishing Lake Okeechobee has always been on your bucket list or you’re a repeat yearly customer of mine, there is always something new/exciting to experience while fishing out on the big O. Areas that have been hot lately for Crappie has been the Grassy area (located North of the Kissimmee river); South-end of Kings Bar; Hendry Creek area; Kissimmee River along the river drop-off on both sides; some parts of Dupree Barr and Observation Shoal and a few areas within the Monkey Box area. Areas for Bass has been somewhat the same but have a look at the Indian Prairie/Tin House areas. Please be kind and courteous to your fellow boaters and be sure to prep your boat for launch prior to pulling up to the ramp then prepping for launch. To book your next bass and crappie fun day fishing Lake Okeechobee call me at 863-228-7263, I actually do answer the phone and call back in a very timely manner. If you’d like more information about a guide trip check out my website www. southfloridabassfishing.com I can accommodate group trips, give military discounts as well as oneperson discounts.

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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

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january 2022

OKEECHOBEE 11

Captain Dave Stephens

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

Tis The Season

appy Holidays to all the fine folk's that have come back to South West Florida. I hope you had an outstanding summer fishing your home waters. So far this late fall, we have had some fronts that have pushed down on us here on Charlotte Harbor. We normally don't experience water temps that drop below 70 degrees until January. Well, this year we have had some cooler than normal weather. I myself do not find this to be a bad thing. It just means that us as anglers need to adjust our technique. We need to adjust the species that we target, and how we fish for them. If our waters drop below 70, and stay on that decline. That means that our snook fishery is done until things begin to warm up. However, a fishery that thrives during our cooler weather is sea trout. When mother nature decides to throw us a curve ball, we move to deeper waters. Fortunately for us we have probably more manmade canals, other than Miami than any other place in Florida. We also are fortunate to have two rivers that flow into Charlotte Harbor. These areas are estuaries that our fish move to during cooler weather. Another big species of fish that benefits from South West Florida having a colder than normal winter? If you guessed sheep head, well you got it correct. These striped bait thieves are often confused with a freshwater drum that is caught up north. Well, the sheep heads that we target during the winter months are actually in the porgy family. They are a family of fish that feed heavily on crustaceans and hang around areas with heavy structure. Areas like old docks, seawalls with old rock riff raff are prime areas to locate these guys. During the winter months is the spawning season for these guys, so finding large schools can be easy, if you know where to look. The best advice I can give is don't be afraid to move. If you’re not getting bites, move on to the next location. Baits such as shrimp, and fiddler crabs work the best. I also recommend using a small-hook on light line, with just enough weight to keep contact with the bottom. These guys didn't get painted with black and white stripes for nothing, make sure you bring plenty bait. Winter time can be a great time to fish, you just need to adjust your approach. You also may need to slow down a bit. As our water cools down, our fish tend to slow down also. If you would like to enjoy some of South West Florida's finest fishing? Give us a call or send an email. All of our charters are private and customized to fit you and your party's needs.

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january 2022

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Brian Nelli’s Kayak Report & Forecast Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters 772-201-5899 www.tckayakfishing.com Brian@tckayakfishing.com

Dan with some nice Peacock Bass

Inshore

Chris with his first Sailfish

Here comes winter! Winds and cooler temps will keep you wet and cold in the kayak. A good pair of Frogg Toggs waders is highly recommended to keep you warm this coming month. Pompano, bluefish, jacks and spanish mackerel become more of the focus in January. I like to target areas near the inlets like the mouth of the Loxahatchee River in Jupiter and Sailfish Flats in Stuart. The deeper channels and sand flats make them ideal locations for the fish to swim in and out with the tides. Try working the edges of these channels with goofy jigs, small buck tails and DOA jerk baits.

Offshore January is considered one of the best months to target sailfish. As always winter months are very weather dependent. There are typically only a handful of days during this month that the weather will allow you to get in the ocean without dumping you and your gear in the process. Choose your days wisely and be sure to have all safety equipment on board. Sailfish prefer smaller baits like smaller goggle eyes and pilchards. Kingfish will still be around, scattered Mahi and wahoo could make an appearance in the kayak.

Freshwater Depending on how could it gets the peacock bass should be hungry. Live baits like shiners and shad will be the best bet. Clown knifefish, largemouth and sunshine bass will make their way to deeper water as the temps drop. Try fishing the deeper holes with baits near the bottom for best results. Check us out Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for all the latest adventures my clients and I get into. See you on the water!

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january 2022

OKEECHOBEE 13

it's time to get Capt. Norman Lee

NASTY

Clients on a Guide trip with Norman Lee Fishing holding 5 giants caught on Da Big Nasty V-1

k folks, how many of us have ever dreamed of having that one bait that you can grab from your tackle box and just know, the fish of a life time is just one cast away. But wait!! Not only will it catch you giant bass but it won’t eliminate your numbers as well. I’m here to tell you, those dreams have now come to fruition in the form of the nastiest, big fish bait ever to hit the shelves. You guessed it boys and girls, “DA Big Nasty”, a 14.25” Ribbon Tail giant slayer by Bruiser Baits. In order for us to discuss this once in a life time bait, we have to go back in time to the mid-1990’s. The year was 1995 and I just joined my first bass club. Just like many clubs of today, we fished many different types of lakes, from Lake Okeechobee to Lake Istokpoga. There were many more of the typical Florida type of waters but there were two lakes on the schedule, year after year, that were a little different. Lake June and Lake Childs (better known to the locals as Lake Placid). These were two deeper, bowl shaped bodies of water that had different types of structure that was a little on the uncommon side for most Florida fisherman at that time. You see, there was only a hand full of anglers that would fish off shore with any kind of success. Being new to the competitive side of the sport, I was always thinking of ways that I might be able to gain an advantage on my more

14 OKEECHOBEE

january 2022

experienced competition. If I really focused and honed in on how to be successful off-shore, and how to be able to read the bottom to know how the fish were setting up and why. Ok, here’s a fun fact about the 90’s. Side Imaging, Down Imaging, Front View, Live Scope, 360, they didn’t exist. WHAT!!! If you happened to have a flasher on your boat, you were a hot stud on the water back then. After experimenting with a lot of different rigs, I came to the conclusion that the Carolina Rig was my most successful one. One problem though, even at that time, it was a fairly common way to fish deep water structure. There must be a way to alter this rig and make it a little different but possibly even more productive. I thought to myself, what if I mess around with the leader length. The experimentation began, two rods at a time, one of which had the common 20” leader that most anglers use. The other rod started with a 3’, then a 4’ and then 5’ and kept increasing by 1’ increments every couple of hours, every day, for a couple weeks. What I found was for every increase in length, the bite ratio percentage over the common Carolina rig would increase. For example, using a 7’ leader was an astonishing 8 / 2 fish catch ratio over the common 20” rig. Ok, now that we have our leader set in

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Pahokee Marina/Campground - Boat ramp, boat rentals, marina, Ritta South Island Bay camping, bank & pier fishing, cabin rentals, water, restrooms, pool 8 Paul Rardin Park Free - Boat ramp, bank fishing, picnic shelters with Lake 10 Harbor tables & grills, water, restrooms, scenic viewpoint Some monster bass caught during a guide trip with Norman Lee Fishing all on Da Big Nasty 9 Slim’s Fish Camp - Guide services, bait & tackle, RV & camping, marina Dial, owner of Bruiser Baits said it best, “we never envisioned Da stone, let’s talk about choosing the proper weight. 19 John 13 SteveMoore Stretch Park was Freeno- Boat bank fishing, you either used Big & Dam Free Nasty to beHaven fishedLock in this manner”. Back in the day there suchramp, thing as tungsten, I couldn’t wait to get out and drop this bait over the side and see if it lead or brass. Now remember, we didn’t have the electronics back then like picnic shelters with tables & grills, water, restrooms, Bankto&dopierwhat fishing (south catch side ofbigg’ river)ens and guess what, not only the I thought, everyone’s accustomed to using today. If I was to use a heavier weight then was going first time out but the second cast I ever you really needed to get down, it might keep me more in tune with what 14 Old Sportsmans Village Free - made in deep water with this bait, it scenic viewpoint, play area, dump station type of bottom I was fishing. After a while, I got so I could tell whether I was was smoked by a 7 pounder. After all the years of dialing in and fine tuning, I call the NLF Carolina Rig, there was finally the perfect bait for the fishing bed, sand, woodFree or soft 11 shell Clewiston City Park - Boatbottom ramps,just by the different ways the what Boat ramp, bank fishing, picnic tables perfect rig. weight would be knocking or digging into the bottom. And, if that’s not things just keep getting better. The 17 Today, if you see me on the water, I’ll never have less than a 3/4 once 15 Fisheating bank fishing, picnic shelters with tables Creekgood Freeenough, - Boat ramp, weight only to increase the size for windier conditions. A Carolina Rig is beginning of 2021, Bruiser Bait added two new Nasty’s to the family, Da V-2fishing now in a 10” and 14”. What sets the V-2 apart is the “WOW” made with your scenic weight, followed by a bead, swivel, leader and hook. When Big Nasty & grills, viewpoint bank fishing a clear body of water, you should always use fluorocarbon as your factor of the uniquely designed ribbed tail that has mind-blowing water 12 line. 16 Harneywith displacement, bestRecreation swimmingArea action leader today’s it’s all about the Tungsten Weight. AlvinWith Ward ParkCarolina Free - BoatRig,ramp, bank Pondthe Canal Freeyou - will ever see in a big 18 The way this rig is designed to work is all about the disturbance that ribbon-tail worm. This bait has produced so many big stringers of bass to 19 we ramps, have lost on the number. your weight the bottom plus tables the knocking and clacking of the date that & piercreates fishing,onpicnic shelters with Boat bankcount fishing, picnicactual shelters with bead as it bangs back and forth. Now-a-days, instead of having to use lead or brass, we’re usingwater, tungsten, a denser, Da Big Nasty was inspired by Legends of the Florida Everglades because & grills, restrooms, playharder area material that has a better sound tables & grills, water, restrooms, raised scenic and a lot smaller in size than its lead and brass counterparts. we truly believe BIG BAITS = BIG BASS!!! Now we’re getting to the good stuff, the bait. One thing everyone has viewing platform to realize about fishing Lake Placid is that the bass like big baits. Now I’m not only talking about the giant bass that roam the depths of Placid but the smaller fish as well. As I was getting myself keyed in on the little intricacies of fishing the Carolina Rig, I came to one conclusion. Fish on that lake love big baits. When Da Big Nasty was introduced by Bruiser Baits several years ago, my eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. I just knew, this was the bait I’ve been searching for since the early years back in the 90’s. When this super worm was still in the thought process by its creator Michael RV Lendl, the vision was •toCabin create arentals bait that would mimic a small eel sites rentals • Boat rentals or snake roams the Florida no one had ever Baitthat & Tackle Shop • Everglades Tavern •but Live Music Satenvisioned & Sun how this bait was about to pet takeand bass fishing to a whole other level. Family, motorcycle friendly Lendl’s vision began 25 years ago when he heard about legendary South Florida anglers suchConners as Jim Coleman, John Pate, Aymon 9500 SW Hwy, Okeechobee, FL Wilcox and Kevin Thomas making their own baits with huge success. After it was all 12 Noon 8:00pm 10:00am 10:00pm saidMon-Thur and done, Lendl came–up with the• Fri-Sun perfect big bass bait.–Its versatility was unbelievable. You could swim it weightless, Texas Rig, pitch it, cast it, bounce it, but of course, my favorite, the Carolina Rig. It turned heads at I-cast in Orlando even making headlines in the Bass Master Magazine.

Bay

january 2022

OKEECHOBEE 15

Bott

South

Dyess D bank fis Indian Okee-T marina, shelters

(772) 597-4455 www.JandSFishCamp.net

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By Sara Menendez

Using boat electrofishing to understand fisheries populations on Lake Istokpoga

here are a variety of ways that fisheries biologists assess fish populations within a given waterbody. One method is by boat electrofishing. An electrofishing boat is one that is equipped with a generator and has the ability to put electrical currents into the water at varying voltages, amperages and pulses depending on the water chemistry. This is the most common method Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) biologists sample fish populations. When running, the electrofishing boat puts electrical currents into the water to generate a six-foot electrical field around the boat. When fish are in that electrical field, they become stunned and often float to the surface, allowing biologists on board to easily net and transfer them to a live well on the boat. Fish are weighed and length is recorded before being returned back to the water alive. Electrofishing is an important sampling technique to adequately sample the fisheries in a waterbody. FWC biologists normally perform two electrofishing events yearly on selected waterbodies, like Lake Istokpoga. In the springtime, sampling events take place early in the year to specifically target largemouth bass populations. Springtime sampling ensures that the largemouth bass have pushed up into shallow marsh vegetation to spawn, which makes them easier to collect. During fall months, FWC biologists will perform electrofishing to sample the entire fish community. Fish are counted, measured, and weighed to estimate their abundance. This means capturing all fish – like small mosquitofish and shad populations to the largest game and non-game fish like bluegill and bowfin, respectively. Each sampling event provides fisheries biologists with data to best understand how the fishery is doing. All electrofishing sampling events are performed under standardized sampling procedures so that the data can be comparable year after year and even compared to other waterbodies throughout the state. On Lake Istokpoga, spring largemouth bass electrofishing sampling for 2021 showed an increased number of bass caught compared to the previous four years. There were 195 individuals that were caught, which was an increase from 190 individuals sampled in the 2020 and 180 individuals that were sampled in 2019. Biologists use length data collected to create a length-frequency graph for largemouth bass which helps them look at what size fish were caught. This is important for fisheries biologists because it shows the proportion of fish sizes that are in the population. The length-frequency graph for the 2021 largemouth bass sample show that the largemouth bass populations for Lake Istokpoga are healthy. There are smaller individuals (fish less than 10 inches) to show good reproductive success from the previous year. The majority of the bass caught in the electrofishing sample are in the 12-16 inch size class. Finally, there are few older individuals (fish larger than 24 inches), which are the older, larger females. After performing standardized electrofishing sampling, FWC biologists will often target areas around Lake Istokpoga that are historically known to

have trophy-sized largemouth bass. A trophy bass is any bass that weighs over eight pounds. If a largemouth bass over eight pounds is captured during sampling, FWC biologists will put a trophy tag on it – this is an external tag that if the fish is recaptured, the angler should cut off the tag, call the phone number listed, and claim a cash prize. The angler should also submit the catch to FWC’s TrophyCatch program as well! During 2021 electrofishing sampling, FWC biologists tagged 12 fish over eight pounds! The largest was 10.4 pounds.

Fall fish community electrofishing sampling was conducted on Lake Istokpoga in October 2021. The data is still being analyzed for this year, but observations from FWC biologists indicate that there were no major concerns with how the fish community appeared and once analyzed, the data should be pretty typical of what it has been in previous years. There was even a largemouth bass weighing 8.91 pounds that was caught near Long Island on the south end of the lake.

Biologists can look at fish community electrofishing data in a variety of ways. For example, biologists can compare the abundance of one fish species to another species. Data from the 2020 fall fish community electrofishing sampling on Lake Istokpoga shows there were four species that made up the majority of all fish collected. These species were threadfin shad, bluegill, largemouth bass, and mosquitofish. Biologists can compare these top four most abundant species to those in previous years to see how similar the fish community has remained over a long period of time. With fall fish community data, biologists can also look at the forage populations for major game fish. For the past five years Lake Istokpoga has seen sporadic number of shiners collected and numbers seem to be on the decline. However, there has been an increased number of threadfin shad collected around the lake. Data from 2018-2020 fall fish community electrofishing show that there have been over 10,000 individual threadfin shad collected. Threadfin shad are a pelagic, open water species of forage that is well liked by fish such as largemouth bass and black crappie. Finally, fall fish community sampling can be used to understand how exotic species are interacting on Lake Istokpoga. The lake currently has blue tilapia, Mayan cichlids, and vermiculated sailfin catfish (also known as Plecos). Numbers of these exotic species have remained relatively stable throughout the years and FWC biologists have no concern that exotic fish are outcompeting the native fish species on the lake. While electrofishing is just one of the fish sampling techniques that fisheries biologists use, it is important to use multiple methods of data collection like creel (angler) surveys and crappie trawls, to get a more robust representation of how the fisheries are doing. Looking at long-term trends over multiple years can provide insight into naturally occurring cyclic trends the fisheries can experience. For more questions on fishing on Lake Istokpoga, please contact Sara Menendez at Sara.Menendez@myfwc.com. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

january 2022

OKEECHOBEE 17

Bass Tournament Schedule

january 2022

Lake Alfred

Evers Lake

■ Sunday, January 16, 2022 Lake Alfred Public Ramp 12:00 PM Country Boy's Fishing LLC weigh-in, with 60 Anglers

■ Sunday, January 16, 2022 Jiggs Landing County Boat Ramp 3:15 PM Mr B's weigh-in, with 28 Anglers

Lake Arbuckle

Lake Hamilton

■ Saturday, January 8, 2022 Lake Arbuckle Public Ramp 3:00 PM SMC Bass Club weigh-in, with 70 Anglers

■ Sunday, January 2, 2022 County Ramp Hyw 27 12:00 PM Country Boy's Fishing LLC weigh-in, with 60 Anglers

Lake Ariana

Lake Istokpoga

■ Saturday, January 1, 2022 City Ramp 1:30 PM Happy Hookers weigh-in, with 40 Anglers

■ Saturday, January 8, 2022 Istokpoga Park 3:00 PM AMERICAN BASS ANGLERS weigh-in, with 30 Anglers

Crooked Lake

■ Sunday, January 9, 2022 Istokpoga Park 2:00 PM Highlander Tournament Trail weigh-in, with 100 Anglers

■ Saturday, January 8, 2022 Little Crooked County Ramp 2:00 PM The Fishing Misfits weigh-in, with 80 Anglers

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■ Saturday, January 15, 2022 Istokpoga Park 2:00 PM The Big Show Bass Tournaments weigh-in, with 160 Anglers Windy Point Boat Ramp 3:00 PM Dixie Country Bass Club weigh-in, with 60 Anglers ■ Sunday, January 16, 2022 Windy Point Boat Ramp 3:00 PM THE VENICE BASS CLUB weigh-in, with 60 Anglers ■ Saturday, January 22, 2022 Istokpoga Park 3:00 PM AMERICAN BASS ANGLERS weigh-in, with 30 Anglers

Lake June in Winter ■ Wednesday, January 5, 2022 H.L. Bishop Ramp 1:00 PM usabassin weigh-in, with 20 Anglers

■ Sunday, January 16, 2022 H.L. Bishop Ramp 2:30 PM LEE COUNTY BASS ANGLERS weigh-in, with 50 Anglers

Kissimmee Chain ■ Saturday, January 22, 2022 Colemans Landing 2:00 PM Cracker Boys weigh-in, with 150 Anglers ■ Sunday, January 23, 2022 Camp Mack Resort 3:00 PM Xtreme Bass Series weigh-in, with 60 Anglers ■ Saturday, January 29, 2022 Camp Mack Resort 5:30 PM skyline winter tour weigh-in, with 30 Anglers ■ Sunday, January 30, 2022 Camp Mack Resort 5:30 PM skyline winter tour weigh-in, with 30 Anglers

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january 2022

OKEECHOBEE 19

Lake Kissimmee

Lake Placid

■ Saturday, January 8, 2022 Grape Hammock 2:00 PM lone fishing club weigh-in, with 16 Anglers

■ Sunday, January 9, 2022 Public Ramp / Placid View Drive 3:00 PM usabassin weigh-in, with 20 Anglers

Marion, Lake ■ Saturday, January 15, 2022 Bannon's Fish Camp 3:15 PM Zephyrhills Bass Club weigh-in, with 40 Anglers

Lake Okeechobee ■ Saturday, January 8, 2022 Harney Pond Canal Boat Ramp 3:00 PM Outcasts Bass Club weigh-in, with 66 Anglers ■ Sunday, January 9, 2022 Harney Pond Canal Boat Ramp 3:00 PM Outcasts Bass Club weigh-in, with 66 Anglers ■ Saturday, January 22, 2022 Roland & Mary Ann Martin's Marina 5:00 PM American Bass Anglers Open Series weigh-in, with 400 Anglers

Lake Parker ■ Sunday, January 30, 2022 Lake Parker Park Boat Ramp 12:00 PM Country Boy's Fishing LLC weigh-in, with 60 Anglers

■ Wednesday, January 19, 2022 Public Ramp / Placid View Drive 1:00 PM usabassin weigh-in, with 20 Anglers

Lake Trafford ■ Sunday, January 9, 2022 County Ramp 3:15 PM South florida Elite Team Series weigh-in, with 60 Anglers

Winter Haven Chain ■ Sunday, January 9, 2022 Old Lake Ship Ramp 2:00 PM Lake Wales Po Boys Bass Club weigh-in, with 48 Anglers Old Lake Ship Ramp 3:00 PM Winter Haven Lunker Lovers weigh-in, with 48 Anglers ■ Sunday, January 16, 2022 Lake Shipp Park 3:00 PM Xtreme Bass Series weigh-in, with 50 Anglers ■ Saturday, January 22, 2022 William G. Roe Park 2:00 PM St. Pete Pro Bass weigh-in, with 30 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.

20 OKEECHOBEE

january 2022

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

Introducing Captain DJ Timms

ey all, my name is Captain DJ Timms. I just wanted to introduce myself and tell y’all a little about me. I am a full-time guide on Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston Florida. I grew up here in South Florida where my dad and grandpa started taking me fishing at a young age. In 2011 I joined the Marines where I ended up stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. During my military career I was fortunate enough to fish many different lakes from South Carolina to Virginia with most of those lakes being in North Carolina. I learned a lot about tidal fishing

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

and even fishing extremely clear water which I never had a chance of learning here in South Florida. I feel those experiences have made me an overall better fisherman. I moved back to South Florida in July of 2018 with dreams of becoming a fulltime guide. I currently guide on Lake Okeechobee for trophy sized largemouth. I also guide on Lake Ida, Lake Osbourne and the Everglades for Peacock Bass and other exotic fish. Looking forward to next month’s article. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook at DJTIMMSFISHING.

Captain DJ Timms DJ Timms Fishing Fishing: Lake Okeechobee, Lake Ida, Lake Osbourne, Florida Everglades Ph: 910-546-2688 www.djtimmsfishing.com january 2022

OKEECHOBEE 21

The Road to Better Hearing and Maybe Better Fishing too.

CELEBRATE

50 YEARS

OF BUSINESS WITH US!

ake Placid Feed & Western Wear (aka the Feed Store) is a family owned and operated home town store with a wide variety of merchandise. After 50 years, the Feed Store still offers something for everyone. Convenient location, easy access, plentiful parking, friendly service and complimentary gift-wrapping are a few benefits of shopping at the Feed Store. Bob and Marie Oxer began serving Lake Placid in 1971 in the back corner of the local Red & White Grocery. With 50 years of highway expansion, population increase, community growth and more, the Feed Store also grew and now occupies the entire building. As folks continued to ask for items unavailable in the local community, Bob and Marie responded. The family tradition continues under the second generation of Karl and Nancy Davis. We are more than a Feed Store. We are part of our local community, helping customers any way we can for 50 years! If you have not checked us out recently, you might be surprised by what you find. Besides the high quality animal feed, traditional western hats, boots, jeans, and animal supplies, you will discover moccasins, leather belts,and even suspenders. Need a gift? We have unique belt buckles, stunning jewelry, beautiful garden flags and many American made items, such as Case pocket knives. You can find merchandise for people, pets, plants and critters. Our antiques and collectibles are fun to wander thru, and you may enjoy the vintage signs, country crafts and our section of gently used books. Be sure to view our Country Corner filled with 50 years of memories. Whether you've been visiting for 50 years or you arrive for the first time, we would love to appreciate you. We started as a family business serving a small community, but have come to realize that we are a small business serving a big family. Come help us finish the 50th and begin the 51st year!

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january 2022

OKEECHOBEE 23

The Other Side

Mikey Balzz

By Don Norton

had the opportunity to talk to Mike Meisenheimer, (aka Mikey Balzz) the other day in the hopes of catching up with him on some of his most recent fishing video’s. Like a number of bass fishermen, I look forward to watching his latest YouTube video’s, catching bass or providing tips and recommendations on the proper equipment and/ or tackle to use. As we talked, I began to realize that bass fishing and making videos isn’t necessarily his full-time job. In fact, the YouTube videos are more of a sideline for him as he pursues his real career in Social Media Management. If you’re like me, you’re probably scratching your head and asking, “what the heck is social media management”? In an attempt to educate me, Mike explained in detail exactly what it means. For starters, Mike creates campaigns to bring brand or product awareness through the use of content and video production. This involves drone shots, setting up and taking pictures and video, editing the pictures and video and integrating the client’s message to complete

the campaign, by creating learning campaigns to engage users and help them become more successful at things they enjoy, like fishing. In addition, Mike is involved in the scheduling and posting of content to social media, administering Facebook and Instagram advertisements, editing pictures and videos of products as well as informational videos and YouTube episodes. In a nutshell, Mike makes stuff or facilitates the creation and dissemination of content to highlight lifestyles, brands, and personalities in the outdoor industry. In other words, he doesn’t just spend all day fishing for bass. I met Mike years ago when I fished against him in a couple of bass tournaments on Lake June and Lake Placid. He was a fierce competitor, often winning many of the tournaments he entered. I don’t remember when I first started watching his videos on YouTube, but I soon became a loyal follower and like most bass fishermen, never really gave it too much thought about the work involved and the skill it takes to film and edit a

fishing video, and make it interesting enough for people to want to watch it. So, a few years ago, I bought a couple Go-Pro cameras, a drone and an extension for mounting the camera in my Ranger and I set out to make my own videos. I picked the perfect day for filming, light wind, blue sky and calm waters. Setting up didn’t take long. I mounted one camera on the light post and another angled just off the windshield. Then I turned them on and started fishing. After an hour of casting and no fish, I decided to check both cameras to make sure they were filming at the right angle. Apparently, I did something wrong, since neither camera was actually on and filming. Checking my little booklet to make sure I was turning them on correctly, I finally got both of them turned on and went back to fishing. Two more hours went by and again, not a single strike. I checked the cameras again. This time they were working properly and I had two glorious hours of my back and side, casting and reeling, casting and reeling. Pretty boring stuff. So, I decided to try the drone. Now I had at

least tried it a few times in my backyard and it was pretty simple, so I set it up and sent it off into space. I watched as it went higher and higher, and higher and higher….. and suddenly, it was gone. I tried moving the toggle in every direction, but somehow the drone had disappeared. I was quickly becoming disillusioned with making my own video. Turning the two cameras back on and returning to the front of the boat, I fished for another hour and finally caught a small bass. The wind had picked up and a storm was coming in from the South, so I decided to call it a day. Downloading the video on my computer was pretty easy, and I was excited to see what I had on tape. The video was very clear and although most of the 3 hours was a repetitive picture of me casting and reeling, the real disappointment came when I actually caught a fish and due to the angle, all you could really see was me turning to the side and raising my rod. Somehow the video missed the fish. To make a long story short, although I have since done a little better filming a fishing trip, I now have a great respect for guys like Mike who can position their cameras, control their drone, catch a few fish, speak loud enough to be heard, edit everything they’ve taped and end up with an interesting video that is both entertaining and educational. I may not completely understand what Mike does, but he’s very good at it!

N E P O

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Fresh from the Farm Organic Produce! Tables will be setup outside the store front Saturdays from 10am to 2pm

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

january 2022

OKEECHOBEE 25

The

Greatest Fisherman in the World!

By Don Norton

t’s been almost 50 years since I had the opportunity to represent one of the greatest fishermen in the world. I only spent one summer putting on fishing seminars and selling products, But what I learned in that time period was priceless. Working with his two prodigies, Don Dickson and Mike Ferencek, we held “sold out” seminars weekly in Akron Ohio. Not as well known today as he once was, he’s often referred to as the Father of Structure Fishing. In my opinion, he is the best fisherman who ever lived.

About Buck Perry He is not a man who fishes in fancy clothes or from a plush, highpowered boat. If you ever met him on the water you would hardly know him because he wears no patches and doesn't display fancy decals that boast his accomplishments. He never won a fishing tournament because he never fished in one. He doesn't have a TV show or a radio program, or a newspaper column. But Buck Perry has the keen, analytical mind of a fisherman trained in scientific principles, and who constantly asks "why?" and then seeks out the answer. Buck put his genius to work in the study of fishing, and today millions of anglers owe him thanks and tribute for his concept of structure fishing. Like a research scientist working quietly behind the scenes, Buck fished waters across North America and beyond to solve fishing problems. He answered many of the where, what, and why's of fishing. He is the true Father of Structure Fishing.

The Beginning ... On July 10, 1915, Hickory, North Carolina recorded the birth of a son, Elwood L. to Robert M. Perry and Ollie Jones Perry. Robert M. Perry was a general contractor in Catawba County and a man who loved to fish. He soon discovered that little Elwood loved to fish too, and the two became inseparable fishing companions. He also quickly learned that little Elwood had an unusual mind that delved deeply into solving problems and was always asking "why?" In March of 1928, Robert 26 OKEECHOBEE

and Elwood were fishing a large Carolina-mountain reservoir. By today's standards it was a virgin lake in every respect. It was loaded with fish, had no pollution, no other fishermen were on the lake, and water skiers had not yet been invented. The weather was clear, cool, and beautiful, with a refreshing breeze. But the fish weren't biting. Little Elwood startled his father with the comment, "You know, Dad, the deep water is the home of the fish." Dad just sort of rolled his eyes at his son and made another cast inches away from a half-submerged tree root. Several days later on the same water, again with no fish, Elwood startled his dad with, "Not only is the deep water the home of the fish, but they move on PATHS toward the shallow water. How far they come and how long they stay is controlled by the weather and water conditions. Dad, we're not only fishing wrong, we're fishing in the wrong place." This time dad did more than just roll his eyes. "If you don't stop making those crazy statements, I'm going to throw you in the lake!" Later, Elwood would explain that he had been hearing the opinions of the so-called "fishing experts" and that no two were ever alike. Since there were so many different ideas floating around as to what made a fish tick, none of which would stand up to any scientific scrutiny, it was likely that none of them were right. That day Elwood decided he would have to make his own study of fishing, and he vowed never to say anything about fish or fishing that he had not personally observed. Elwood had been looking into the water for a long time. Some days he would see scads of fish swimming around, but most of the time he saw very few or none at all. Since the fish were not very often in the shallow water, and they could not swim up into the woods and hide behind a tree, they obviously had to be someplace else. That place had to be deep water. He also noticed that he would always see fish in the same shallow area, and would never see them in certain other shallow areas. Therefore the fish must be following

january 2022

some sort of path that led them to specific shallow water areas. Some days they showed up, other days not. It was logical that since all other animals reacted to weather conditions, why should fish be any different just because they lived underwater? Since most fisherman were facing the shoreline to do their fishing, it became obvious that most of the time, most of the fish in the lake had to be behind them in deeper water. These were startling thoughts for a lad of only 13! As Elwood grew, he gravitated into the study of science, math, chemistry and physics and graduated from Lenoir Rhyne College at Hickory, NC. He went on to graduate work at North Carolina State University. He had earned high school and college letters in baseball and football, but science was his love. Fishing was his passion. In 1938, Elwood married Marjorie Stetzer, known affectionately to him as "Bud," and only her death from cancer 40 years later separated them. To his friends and associates, he was known simply as "Buck." Hundreds of thousands of fishermen, the ones who studied fishing, would ultimately come to know his name as a great teacher of fishing. Buck Perry taught high school physics and math in Hickory, NC and became an instructor in mechanical engineering at North Carolina State. During World War II he taught Diesel Engineering to Navy officers. In 1945 he joined the U.S. Army Transportation Corps and went to Europe in as a Lieutenant Colonel where he supervised the unloading and assembly of barges.

The Spoonplug Takes Form ... To find where the fish were and at what depth, trolling was the only efficient way to eliminate large

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expanses of water. Since no lure existed that would stay at a fixed depth regardless of speed of presentations, Buck had to invent one. Armed with tin snips and a pair of pliers he cut and shaped pieces metal until he had developed a lure that would do the job. Some say it resembled a shoe horn on which a horse had stepped. After he found the right size, shape and weight, he painted them in various colors. The lure was a cross between a spoon and a plug, so he named it "Spoonplug." A Spoonplug was designed to find fish and make them strike. It was unique then, and remains unique today because it will run at a very specific depth regardless of how fast it is trolled or retrieved. Since a Spoonplug looked so weird, many thought that the concept of Spoonplugging was trolling Spoonplugs at high speed. Spoonplugging is the search for knowledge about fish, their habits, and how to successfully catch them. And Spoonplugs caught fish from the start. At high speed on the troll or walking bottom on the cast. As proof of the Spoonplug's ability to catch non-feeding fish, Buck would dip a Spoonplug in gasoline and then go right out and catch a fish with it. His lure, presented at the proper depth and the proper speed provoked a strike, gasoline odor or not. The fishing equipment at the time was largely unsuitable for use in efficient trolling. Fishing lines, designed for spinning equipment would bellow or "bow" out, stretching significantly when trolled. So, Buck invented a trolling line that had no stretch. He added marks of color every 10 yards so fishermen would know exactly how much line they let out on any given trolling pass. He called it "No-Bo" line."

Knowledge is the Key ... Buck expanded fishing knowledge to take advantage of underwater features the fish used in their movements throughout a lake, stream, or river. Buck used hydrographic maps to determine the most likely places to begin the search for fish in strange waters. He was the first to proclaim the cold front as the major obstacle to catching fish. He defined "structure" as a place on the bottom where a visible or pronounced change occurs, a bottom feature that is different from the surrounding

bottom area. It could be a substrate change from soft to hard, or a change from shallow to deep, or a change from weedy to clear. Before electronic depth sounders became available, Buck would map a lake by trolling Spoonplugs at precise depths, eliminating unproductive water to find the specific areas fish used in their day to day lives, regardless of the weather, the season, or the fish's feeding mood. Today, fishermen and anglers around the world are fortunate. They do not have to research the basics of fish behavior. They do not need to worry on how to fish a specific fishing situation, or wonder if the fish will bite today.

Leaving A Legacy... Over the years, Buck put his knowledge on paper. First, he wrote "Spoonplugging ... Your Guide To Lunker Catches." This was followed by Buck's 9 volume Home Study Course that gives additional details on how to fish a variety of fishing situations regardless of the game species sought, or the type of water being fished.

Today, a core of dedicated Spoonpluggers make up the Spoonpluggers of America (SOA). SOA brings together Spoonpluggers from all areas as a means to fellowship, teach, perpetuate and keep pure the teachings of Buck Perry, which have now been proven for over 50 years.

And The Story Continues ... Buck Perry started the modern era of freshwater sportfishing. He is the Father of Structure Fishing. And, his teachings continue today to quietly refine the art and science of using fish knowledge to catch more fish. Of learning, regardless of the situation, how to be in the right place, at the right time, fishing in the right manner. Buck passed away in 2005 at the age of 90. The National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame enshrined Buck Perry, giving him their highest honor and the most prestigious award in all fishing in 2008. -Adapted from the previously published, "He Started The Modern Era of Fishing" written by George Pazik, then Editor and Publisher of Fishing Facts magazine. Copyright 1997. All rights reserved.

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OKEECHOBEE 27

Peacock Bass Fishing Anyone?

Mark Rose

By Don Norton

f you’re planning a trip to South Florida this winter, you might want to plan a Peacock Bass fishing trip. Many of the bass fishing guides offer trips to catch this South American bass, but Captain Mark Rose has had some great Peacock Bass trips as evidenced by the pictures of Mark and Rusty Carroll.

On this trip in December, Mark and Rusty Carroll caught and released over 80 Peacock Bass, (yep, that’s not a typo. 80 Peacock Bass) before lunch. The biggest, around 4 ½ pounds was a real beauty! Capt. Mark’s schedule is filling up, but he’s still got a few dates open.

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Hike

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By Bob Fromhartz

his month we will hike the Kissimmee River Section. This section begins where we ended last month after completing either the East or West Lake Okeechobee hike. The trail had historically run along the west side of the Kissimmee River. Recently over 50 miles of the trail have been rerouted to the East side of the river. You will be walking parallel to the river which has recently been restored to its former meandering path. The beauty of this section is unique. Views of the river give way to large oak hammocks including the Starvation Slough Cathedral. You will cross SR 78 to the east side of the Kissimmee River to begin and in 9.7 miles you’ll pass SR 70. At 16.6 miles you’ll reach Yates Marsh campsite and at 20.5 miles will be the Chandler Slough campsite. The trail reaches US 98 at mile 24.4 and the Micco Landing trailhead at 29.0. Oak Creek at mile 39.5 and

30 OKEECHOBEE

january 2022

Starvation Slough at 43.3 Permits are needed to camp in Chandler Slough, Micco Landing, Yates Marsh, Oak Creek, and Starvation Slough. You need permits to camp at these areas and permits can be obtained online from the South Florida Water Management District at www.sfwmd.gov/community-residents/recreation/ sul. Starvation Slough north campsite at mile 48.2 will lead to the south entrance to Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park. The park has a campground at mile 64 and you’ll exit the park at the parks north gate at mile 73.6. Mile 90 crosses the State Road 60 bridge across the Kissimmee River. This section ends at mile 112.5 at the junction of Prairie Lakes Road and CR 523. January is the month recommended by the Florida Trail Assn. to do the Florida Trail hike. Temperatures will be cooler with less rain and mosquitos. Enjoy your thru, section, or day hike.

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OKEECHOBEE 31

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n early December, I set out in search for large trout in an area known to hold these magnificent fish from December through early April. Under typical conditions, they can be found warming themselves by hovering over the mud/grass bottom in knee-deep water, which is also where I prefer to target them. However, on this particular day the temperature was at a near record high of 80 degrees! The trout had no reason to hang out in the hot mud, so I had to read the signs to catch the fish. Before launching my kayak, I stood high on the bluff and scanned the area. This shore runs north to south, and there was a slight south to southeast breeze. I didn’t see any slicks to alert me to feeding fish, nor did I see busting bait. I didn’t even see any lazily flipping mullet. What I did see were several pelicans drifting on the water several hundred yards out and two kayakers to the north. There were three separate groups of pelicans, and they were not near each other.

I launched the kayak and headed east, or straight out. I made a few cast in the shallow water, but the vegetation was too abundant to properly work my lure, and I didn’t see any bait. With the bowmount trolling motor, I was able to stand and look for visible signs of life while slowly moving forward. The water in this area was crystal clear, and if fish were present, they would be easy to locate. When I reached water with a little less grass, I decided to make short drifts and try my luck. Once a drift didn’t produce, I would head east again until I reached new water with a little more depth, and drift again. The wind would push me to the northwest and somewhat back toward the shore. I also noticed the other kayakers were moving around a lot. With that observation and the fact that I hadn’t had a bite, I concluded they were not catching either, and the fish were not shallow.

My next move was to head deeper toward the pelicans. As I mentioned earlier, there were three groups of them, and the one thing they had in common was their distance from the shore. I headed straight east until I was inline with them, but up-wind. Once I reached this area, I noticed baitfish in the water. They were not being chased, but they were present. The water was still very clear, and it was about 3 to 4 feet deep with a mix of grass and potholes. I began launching my 4-inch paddletail toward the potholes. Utilizing a steady retrieve and keeping my lure about midway in the water column, I received a vicious strike. After some tail-walking, I landed a nice 5-pound speckled trout. Not bad for the first fish of the day! I had to depart from my pregame plan and follow the signs to the fish. By following that pattern, I was fortunate enough to play catch and release with specks and reds the remainder of the day. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures, Controlled Descent Lures, and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

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ere’s a feel good story about anglers using a passion for fishing to do good in the world. Harrison Konsker and Maccabee Harman were avid anglers and high school students back in 2014 when they recognized the potential their angling success had to serve their South Florida community. On the water every weekend, they regularly filled bag limits, and decided the best use for all their fresh fish was to offer it those in need. They began reaching out to local food banks before taking the next step to form Fillet for Friends (FFF), a 501 (c) (3) non-profit whose mission is to reduce hunger and empower marginalized communities by working with local fishing and hunting communities and provide fish, wild game, education and community resources for the under-served. Since its inception, FFF has been feeding South Florida through a variety of methods. FFF regularly attends fishing tournaments across Florida to collect surplus fresh fish. A majority of their donations come from this process to help reduce waste and fill the plates of the hungry. They have developed a network of volunteers comprised of high school students with several chapters across Florida, and are in the process of expanding nationally. Aside from tournament donations, FFF makes it effortless for individual anglers across Florida to donate fish. Fishermen are able to contact FFF through a variety

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of outlets: Instagram Direct Messaging, email, texts and through their website. The fish are then picked up, filleted, packaged and delivered to food banks. All contributions are tax-deductible. The young philanthropists, who are now university students, have taken their organization to the next level. The team at Fillet for Friends has grown to 10 individuals, including Captain Bill Kelly, executive director of the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association. Last month, FFF was awarded a grant from Feeding South Florida to augment their efforts, which have provided thousands of pounds of fish to thousands of Florida families. For more information, check out www.filletforfriends.org and follow @filletforfriends on social media.

Gulf Descending Devices Requirement Begins in January

n Jan. 13, the federal requirement will go into effect for anglers fishing for reef fish species to have a descending device or venting tool rigged and ready to use in Gulf of Mexico federal waters. This requirement was part of the DESCEND Act of 2020, which was signed into law last January. It applies to commercial, for-hire and private recreational vessels. The intent is to reduce mortality caused by barotrauma on reef species, like red snapper. Barotrauma is an increase in internal gas pressure caused by the sudden changes in pressure that fish undergo when being reeled up from depths generally greater than 90 feet, though it can occur in shallower waters of 33 feet or more. Fish experiencing barotrauma have difficulty quickly swimming back to catch depth, often floating on the surface where they are vulnerable to attack by dolphins, sharks and birds. Descending devices are a weighted hook, lip clamp or box that will hold a fish as it is lowered to a sufficient depth to allow for recovery from barotrauma. A venting tool is a sharpened, hollow instrument that can penetrate a fish’s abdomen to release excess gas acquired as it was brought to the surface.

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Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show is Back for 2022

he Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show is gearing up for 2022 and the largest boat and yacht event in the world. The show returns to the Miami Beach Convention Center and four additional locations from Wednesday, Feb. 16 through Sunday, Feb. 20 over Presidents Day weekend for the premier boating extravaganza in South Florida. Produced by Informa Markets and owned by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show will be the first production of South Florida’s preeminent winter boat shows after joining forces earlier this year and combining the Miami Yacht Show, SuperYacht Miami and the Miami International Boat Show. The 2022 Miami event is the first boat show to be integrated with the Discover Boating brand, which is the North American lifestyle brand for boating aimed at attracting the next generation of boaters and engaging current boaters. “We are looking forward to delivering an unparalleled experience at the 2022 Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show,” said Andrew Doole, President of U.S. Boat Shows with Informa Markets, who produces the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show. “With our return to the Miami Beach Convention Center and alongside our partners at the National Marine Manufacturers Association, the 2022 boat show will be unlike any other winter boat show.” Historically, the Miami International Boat Show, the Miami Yacht Show and SuperYacht Miami have attracted more than 100,000 visitors from 35 countries to South Florida while generating an estimated $1.34 billion for the state. Bringing the events together offers numerous benefits for exhibitors, visitors and the greater boating community. The on-land portion of the event will take place at the newly reimagined Miami Beach Convention Center, while the featured in-water activities will be offered at One Herald Plaza, Sea Isle Marina, Museum Park Marina, and IGY Yacht Haven Grande at Island Gardens. The boat show will feature new elements such as the Boat Show Experience, which will be the ultimate boater’s destination, located outside the Miami Beach Convention Center. Guests will have access to the AquaZone presented by Nautical Ventures in addition to a collection of experiential boating lifestyle activations, live music entertainment and a marine accessory pavilion. Don’t miss the 2022 show! For more information about the 2022 Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show, visit www.miamiboatshow.com.

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Agencies Respond to Manatee Mortality Event

he U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), in cooperation with Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), are enhancing ongoing efforts to address the unusual manatee mortality event along Florida’s Atlantic coast. After thorough science, policy and legal reviews, and substantial coordination, the USFWS and FWC leadership recently approved the Unified Command establishing a Temporary Field Response Station at FPL’s Cape Canaveral Clean Energy Center in Brevard County. The Response Station will support several response operations already underway in the central Indian River Lagoon, such as manatee rescues, carcass recovery and limited field health assessments. In approving the Response Station, USFWS and FWC leadership also approved staff to conduct a short-term feeding trial, referred to by many as supplemental feeding. The goals of this limited, small-scale feeding trial are two-fold: 1) to reduce manatee mortality and 2) to reduce the number of animals in need of rescue, allowing the limited space in permitted critical care facilities to remain open for animals needing rehabilitation for other reasons. “We understand the importance of a timely response. Our agencies and Unified Command partners carefully considered all aspects of a short-term feeding trial,” said Shannon Estenoz, Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks. “It is critical we help manatees in the short term with actions that are compatible with their long-term wellbeing and resilience.” The Response Station is not a location for mobile veterinary care or rehabilitation. The Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership will continue to care for rescued animals at their federally permitted rehabilitation facilities. Unified Command partners still anticipate relatively high mortality along Florida’s Atlantic Coast during the winter of 2021-22 due to chronic effects of starvation from the loss of seagrass associated with poor water

quality within the Indian River Lagoon. Because this trial effort is a management action that has not been tried before, it is unknown how many manatees will visit the site or how much vegetation individual manatees will consume. The goal of this action is to reduce manatee mortality. It will not eliminate it. Beyond on-site support, FPL is substantially contributing to other manatee response operations by working with the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida to obtain an additional FWC rescue truck and provide on the ground assistance. “Environmental stewardship is a critical aspect of FPL’s continued efforts to deliver clean, reliable and affordable energy to its customers,” said Kate MacGregor, FPL vice president of environmental services. “For over 30 years, we have worked closely with state and federal agencies to ensure manatees are protected and we stand ready to support FWC and USFWS in their ongoing conservation efforts for this important species.” Report injured, distressed, or dead manatees to the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.

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FLORIDA 15

WORKING THE NIGHT SHIFT

Tim Barefoot

ears ago, before I had access to a boat slip at the marina, I frequently pulled the boat to work completely ready to drop in the water and go fish by 5 or 5:30 p.m. This time of year, when it gets dark at 5:30 in the afternoon, this was the only time I had to fish, but it wound up being the best time of the day/season to fish. My favorite nights are the full moons of winter. This is the time of year to catch some gator trout. With all the fishing pressure trout endure, some of the big girls may go completely nocturnal. I would be putting the boat in the water when everyone was taking out, and my constant question was, “Did you catch ’em today?” On quite a few occasions, I would get the answer, “We didn’t catch sheet.” That was the answer I was looking for. That meant they were going to eat after dark. You see, when a lot of boats are buzzing around and on top of them, it can put them in the “lockjaw” mode. Let it turn dark, when all the “day-timers” go home, and that’s when the numbers of bites and some of the big girls eat. NOTE: I can only talk so much smack… The biggest speck I’ve ever caught at night was 7.75 pounds, but I have caught some pretty impressive numbers. For example, one night we had 42 good ones. That was before there

16 FLORIDA

JANUARY 2022

was a limit, so my “limit” was when I had a cooler full. Back then I was selling them, so I didn’t have a problem keeping big numbers. One of the standout colors was chartreuse at night. This produced more bites than anything else, and that was what I was looking for. The more I fished the old faithful chartreuse MirrOlure, the more I loved it. But then we discovered the Rattle Trap. This was a complete game changer. Not only could you keep in touch with it, due to the resistance and vibration on the plug, but you could also cast it into the wind and a long distance. Now I have come full circle back to fishing what they really eat best of all… a shrimp. A soft plastic (DOA) shrimp on a jig head, the 3/8oz. Barefoot Jig. Primarily, I have been talking about speckled trout up to this point, but redfish and snook are especially good candidates for a night bite. All three of these species are programmed to eat a shrimp in the current. So, make the best out of the shortened daylight hours. Get in the boat after work and go fish the night shift. For more info on this jig head and D.O.A. shrimp combo, visit these websites: Barefootcatsandtackle.com or Rigandjig.com.

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Bassmaster Classic Returns to Hartwell T

he world’s most prestigious professional bass tournament is returning to the site of some of the best moments in the sport’s famed history. The 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk will be held at Lake Hartwell March 4-6. It is the fourth time the crowds and pageantry of the Classic have descended on Upstate South Carolina. Takeoffs will be conducted from Green Pond Landing & Event Center, while daily weigh-ins will be held at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. The annual Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo will take place at the Greenville Convention Center, both of which are in nearby Greenville. B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin said the organization is excited to once again visit a venue that has become the gold standard for professional bass fishing events. “Everything about Lake Hartwell and the city of Greenville make them the perfect setting for the Super Bowl of Professional Bass Fishing,” Akin said. “The Bassmaster Classic is not only a chance for the best anglers in the world to showcase their abilities, it’s an annual celebration of the sport itself. “Lake Hartwell provides the perfect site for amazing competition, and the city of Greenville provides the hotels, restaurants and other facilities you need for an event the size of the Classic.” Hartwell is a 56,000-acre man-made reservoir situated between Georgia and South Carolina and encompassing portions of the Savannah, Tugaloo and Seneca rivers. It features a vast array of habitat and a good population of both largemouth and spotted bass that are likely to be in the prespawn phase when the Classic competitors arrive.

“We are very excited for the opportunity to host the Bassmaster Classic once again on Lake Hartwell,” said Neil Paul, Executive Director of Visit Anderson. “The leadership of Anderson County has made a significant commitment to Green Pond Landing and the marketing efforts of Lake Hartwell, and we expect another record-breaking event with our teammates from Greenville. “Hosting our fourth Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell is significant to our community because no other fishery will have hosted more Bassmaster Classic events. Having hosted this great event in the past, we can speak first hand to the significant economic impact it will have on the upstate of South Carolina and the impact of residual tourism that will be felt in Anderson County for years to come.” The 2022 Classic will feature 55 qualifiers with berths earned through the Elite Series, the Opens, the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation circuit, the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops and the Bassmaster Team Championship, plus the defending Bassmaster Classic champion and winner of the final Elite Series event of the 2021 season. They will compete in the no-entry-fee event for their share of a whopping $1 million purse, with the champion earning $300,000. For more information, go to www.bassmaster.com.

DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO GET OUT ON THE WATER...

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THINKING ABOUT QUITTING BOATING? P erhaps your vessel needs a major repair. Maybe you sold your house and are moving away from the seashore. Maybe you are too busy to sell your boat, or you tried and found a lot of people didn’t have the resources to buy it, much less to move it. There are a lot of reasons people have for getting rid of an older boat, working or not. We want to let you know that you can trust Boat Angel Outreach Center. We here at Coastal Angler have seen them help thousands get rid of their unwanted boats and receive generous IRS1098 tax receipts for doing so. Did you know older, larger working boats can be donated for their fair market value? Did you know Boat Angel will walk you through the whole process, and most of the time even a boat that has been unused on your dock or in your backyard will be gone in less than 15 days? I’ve known the people at Boat Angel Outreach for more than a decade, and I can personally vouch that this charity is both caring and focused on helping kids. 100 percent of their funding is from the sale of donated boats. They currently fund projects on four continents and ceaselessly work to make this world a better place, especially for children. They have a courteous and diligent staff. They are experienced in solving logistical problems and multi-state title issues, all while achieving their goals of getting the donated vessels moved away quickly. So, if you’ve got a vessel that’s no longer

working, or you have decided to move on from boating, I strongly recommend you give this great organization a call or contact them through their website. When your donation is completed, just forward your receipt to your tax preparer. Who knows how much money your donation will put back in your pocket? We all know that an unused or nonworking boat is a drain on anyone’s finances. Fuel, maintenance bills, registration, insurance and slip fees are year-round expenses. Maybe it is finally

Donate A Boat or Car Today!

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time to move on. A friend of mine once asked, “What is better than being a boat owner?” “I don’t know, what?” I said. “A friend with a boat,” he replied, smiling. We all have friends with boats. Why not put the money saved into their gas tank and take a small fishing trip? Boat Angel Outreach Center; www.boatangel.org; EIN 42-1619552; 800-700-2628.

KEEP IT GENUINE PRECISION PROTECTION

Whether you take your boat out to the lake or the ocean, your 4-stroke outboard needs ECSTAR Suzuki Semi-Synthetic Engine Oil so it can run long and strong. ECSTAR features special additives that protect the engine in harsh salt and fresh water environments, advanced detergents that keep engine parts clean, and viscosity index improvements that help the engine start in cold conditions. No matter where your next boat ride takes you, go confidently with ECSTAR.

RUN LONG. RUN CLEAN. RUN STRONG.

Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-Approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. Suzuki, the Suzuki “S” ECSTAR and Suzuki model and product names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. © 2021 Suzuki Marine USA, LLC.

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Angler Lands Record Red Hind

North Carolina angler boated a new state record red hind off Cape Lookout in October, and it’s a record that’s likely to stand for a while. The fish weighed 7 pounds, 1.6 ounces and measured 21.5 inches in length with a 17.5-inch girth. The new state record holder, Matthew Parr, of Wilmington, N.C., was fishing with Capt. Charles Stewart Merritt of Salt Air Ventures. They were dropping cut bait on 80-poundtest line, probably looking for big grouper. The record breaker Parr hauled from the depths was less than 2-pounds off the IGFA all tackle world record, which stands at 9 pounds even and was caught by Eddie Vanmeter out of St. Marys, Ga. in July of 2019. Previously, North Carolina did not list a state record red hind but created the category after Parr applied for the state record. The Division of Marine Fisheries creates new state record categories for fish that are exceptionally large for North Carolina. Parr’s was exceptionally large for anywhere. Although red hind are known to grow up to 23 inches and exceed 10 pounds in weight, anglers rarely encounter them that large. The typical specimen brought over the rail measures about 16 inches. Red hind is a quality table fish that is important in Caribbean commercial fisheries. In the South Atlantic it is regulated within the three grouper aggregate recreational bag limit. It is also listed in the ShallowWater Grouper Complex, which means there is a closure for the species from January through April.

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Meet the Beauty in the Beast Discover this spectacular 6½-carat green treasure from Mount St. Helens!

or almost a hundred years it lay dormant. Silently building strength. At 10,000 feet high, it was truly a sleeping giant. Until May 18, 1980, when the beast awoke with violent force and revealed its greatest secret. Mount St. Helens erupted, sending up a 80,000-foot column of ash and smoke. From that chaos, something beautiful emerged… our spectacular Helenite Necklace.

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Helenite is produced from the heated volcanic rock of Mount St. Helens and the brilliant green creation has captured the eye of jewelry designers worldwide. Today you can wear this massive 6½-carat stunner for only $149! Make your emeralds jealous. Our Helenite Necklace puts the green stone center stage, with a faceted pear-cut set in .925 sterling silver finished in luxurious gold. The explosive origins of the stone are echoed in the flashes of light that radiate as the piece swings gracefully from its 18" luxurious gold-finished sterling silver chain. Today the volcano sits quiet, but this unique piece of American natural history continues to erupt with gorgeous green fire.

Necklace enlarged to show luxurious color.

Your satisfaction is guaranteed. Bring home the Helenite Necklace and see for yourself. If you are not completely blown away by the rare beauty of this exceptional stone, simply return the necklace within 30 days for a full refund of your purchase price. JEWELRY SPECS: - 6 ½ ctw Helenite in gold-finished sterling silver setting - 18" gold-finished sterling silver chain

Limited to the first 2200 orders from this ad only Helenite Necklace (6 ½ ctw) ................Only $149 +S&P Helenite Stud Earrings (1 ctw) ..................... $129 +S&P

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HOOKED ON™ A CLEAN OCEAN

CLEANING OUR OCEANS FOR A BETTER

TOMORROW

SUZUKI’S CLEAN OCEAN PROJECT If you’re going to claim to be “The Ultimate Outboard Motor,” you’d better do more than just build great engines. This is why, for the past 10 years, Suzuki has been committed to cleaning up the marine environment through voluntary “Clean Up The World” activities around the globe. Through the recently launched CLEAN OCEAN PROJECT, Suzuki Marine is committed to reducing the use of plastics in packaging materials to its consumers which has led to eliminating 2.3 tons of plastic waste annually. Suzuki is continually finding ways to reduce plastic waste while educating and informing the boating industry about this critical issue. This is only the beginning and Suzuki is pledging itself to the important cause of protecting our planet’s waters, coastal environments, and marine ecosystems for future generations to enjoy.

YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY

5 YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY applies to qualifying purchases of Suzuki outboard motors sold and delivered to the retail purchaser, for pleasure (non-commercial) use only, from April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2022. See Suzuki Limited Warranty for additional details. Suzuki, the “S” logo, and Suzuki model and product names are Suzuki Trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2021 Suzuki Marine USA, LLC. All rights reserved.

FOR REEL

GOOD FISHING Visit Upcountry South Carolina Stop by the South Carolina Lakes booth at the Bassmaster Classic Expo, March 4-6, 2022 at the Greenville Convention Center.

Perfectly Seasoned FishUpcountrySC.com

864-233-2690

Lake Hartwell, host of the 2008, 2015, 2018, and 2022 Academy Sports & Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk