FREE @CAMTAMagazine FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE THEANGLERMAG.COM SEPTEMBER 2022VOLUME 27 • ISSUE 330 PHOTO CREDIT: BRETT CANNON COURTESY OF TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE LOCAL LAKE & RIVER FISHFREAKYREPORTS DROPSHOT BASSFOR LAKE OKEECHOBEE/LAKE ISTOKPOGA EDITION
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There are a few different styles of baits you can use on the drop shot, depending on what your fish are feeding on. This is what I usually base my bait and color choices off of. I usually throw a small finesse worm like the 13 Fishing Joy Stick Ultra Thin or a baitfish-style bait like the 13 Fishing Vertigo minnow. Both baits are small in size and can really pick up some bites when the fishing is tough.Bait color is important, but I like to keep things fairly simple. I typically throw a green pumpkin or a black-and-blue worm style bait. For the baitfish-style lure, I stick with whites or natural baitfish colors. Remember, you are trying to be as finesse as possible to trick a bass that’s not hungry into biting, so something simple and natural will excel. This technique has worked wonders for me all across the country. From down South in Florida all the way up to New York, bass eat this rig up everywhere. Next time you’re on the lake and the bite is tough, downsize your presentation and drag a drop shot around. It will pick up a few more bites.
The water can be a little warm this time of year, and it makes bass finicky. When the bite gets tough, a drop shot flat out gets bit. It catches fish everywhere I go, and every angler should have the technique in their arsenal.There are a few reasons a drop shot can out-perform other techniques this time of year. The first of these is because of how versatile you can be with it. I have thrown a drop shot around rock, wood, grass and even in completely open water. Smallmouth, largemouth and spotted bass will all pick up a drop-shot rig, so it’s a great option regardless of what part of the country you fish or what species you target.Another factor that makes this technique excel when other things aren’t working is it’s effective on heavily pressured and sluggish fish. Sometimes getting these fish to bite calls for light line and a smaller profile bait. The dropshot rig consists of a fluorocarbon leader leading to a hook of your choosing then, below the hook, about 12 inches of line tied to a drop shot weight on the end. This creates a rig that keeps your bait up off the bottom and drives finicky bass crazy.
You raise the flags of the fish just caught to show you weren’t skunked.
Hanapa‘a - Marlin Hanapa‘a - Ahi
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Drop Shot Gear: Picking the right setup for a drop shot doesn’t have to be too difficult. I like a rod around 7 foot with a medium or a medium heavy action like the 13 Fishing Omen Black 7’1M. Pair up a 3,000 sized reel with some 10lb. Seaguar Smackdown braid and a 10-lb. fluorocarbon leader. Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide. Check out his website www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com.at
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Agiant snook should be on every angler’s bucket list. They’re big, they’re strong and they’re aggressive. Southern Florida boasts the most prolific snook fisheries in the world, and Capt. Patrick Smith, of Swamp to Sea Guide Service, operates in the heart of one of the best. Swamp to Sea fishes throughout Palm Beach County up to Stuart, Fla. At times, the snook fishing can be so good that the prospect is almost mundane for Capt. Smith. “If I’ve got clients who want to catch the snook of a lifetime, we’ll go out to the inlet and let them catch one or two. Then we’ll go do something else,” he said. “It’s cool to check a big snook off the list, but light tackle is moreCapt.fun.”Smith’s nonchalance about catching snook 35 to 43 inches long and up to 25 pounds is an attitude geared toward conservation of a species he loves. When big females congregate in the inlets to spawn around the full moons of summer, they are easy targets for anglers armed with big live baits like perch and croakers.
Throughout the summer, snook are catch-and-release-only to protect spawning fish. On the Atlantic side, snook harvest opens Sept. 1, with a 28- to 32-inch slot limit. Capt. Smith said the spawning pattern lasts well into September most years, but the big females are over the slot and must be released, anyway. He is more concerned with the beatings these fish take all summer long. His solution is to limit the number of fish he targets and to gear up heavy. Smith fishes 10,000 size reels on 50- to 100-lb. rods. He runs 80-lb. braid to a 60-lb. fluorocarbon leader and locks down the drag. The weakest link is an 8/0 thin wire circle hook, which is easier on the fish but must be changed out Heavyfrequently.gear combats a big snook’s propensity for bulldogging into structure. It also shortens the length of the fight to lessen the likelihood of fish succumbing to exhaustion or sharks. Smith said these large spawners can be 25 years and older. He urged anglers to handle them carefully for release and never to hold them vertically by their mouths.Ifyou’re looking for a snook to eat, there’s plenty of opportunity for that also. Between the moons some of the snook spread out to the bridges, docks and deep holes. The smaller, slot-sized males become more interested in feeding. Also, the mullet run will kick in toward the end of September. When mullet schools show up, everything from the fish to the anglers switch over to chasing bait. Contact Capt. Patrick Smith through his website www.swamptosea.com.
By Nick Carter
Before the Transition
“They’re not smart fish. If they’re turned on, they’re going to eat. If they’re not, it may be five hours before they do,” he said. “But there’s going to be 30 to 40 minutes on the tide when those snook are eating. There’s not a lot of thought that goes into it. If one is interested, they all are.”
LURESTAILKNOCKINOFCOURTESYPHOTO
Although I prefer lures over bait, success rates lean toward live shrimp or finfish this time of year. Depending on conditions, these can be free-lined, Carolina rigged, or fished under a loud popping cork. A free-lined shrimp tossed near a granite jetty is a good bet on any day. Stepping away from the live version, cut mullet or shad can be winners for a big pull from a red, black drum or shark. A circle hook Carolina rigged on the bottom can entice those large predators to strike. This is a great method if you have kids aboard.
Although the temps are still high, you can have a successful day on the water if you modify your techniques. Remember to apply sunblock before you leave the dock, wear appropriate protective clothing and drink plenty of water. Stay safe and have fun!
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By Capt. Michael Okruhlik
Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures, Controlled Descent Lures, and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.
The Texas heat and drought are one for the record books and can make a day on the water unpleasant if you plan to stay much past noon, but there are some methods to help you be productive until things start to cool off. Many of the estuaries that were impacted by the floods are some of our deeper bay systems, and that is a good thing this time of year. Heading out early will greatly increase your odds and give you more time on the water while it is cool, relatively speaking. I have found these bays have been forgotten by some, and they’ve never been fished by those new to our sport, which makes for less crowds on the water. I target the deeper reefs in the upper stretches of the bay near the rivers. Locating new washouts can also pay off, and those are not on the maps or public knowledge, so doing a little recon before you head out on each trip can make for a more productive day.
8 NATIONAL SEPTEMBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
Work with what Mother Nature gives you. Here on the upper Texas coast, we’ve had about seven years of excessive rainfall which, in general terms, made some of our bays unfishable for most of that time. Due to excessive fresh water, those of us who like to fish where the tributaries enter into the bays had to seek new areas where the salinity levels were suitable for speckled trout. This year, things are back to normal, and we need to relearn old patterns and work with what Mother Nature is giving us.
As always, the jetties are a favorite. The high current and cooler Gulf water attract every fish species that swims in our bays and nearshore waters. It’s not uncommon to catch some offshore fish there as well; it happens every year.
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n September, with the famed mullet run in full swing, big bull redfish will be following schools of mullet and feeding heavily. It’s one of the best times of year to hook up with a bull red, and my favorite place to target them is in the Sebastian Inlet. Red drum, more commonly known as redfish, are a familiar species to most saltwater anglers. With beautiful coppercolored scales fading into a white belly, their distinctive mark is an eye spot at the base of the tail. Catching a red with multiple black spots is a true honor for many inshore and nearshore anglers. This eye spot is not merely a decoration, it also serves as a defense mechanism to confuse predators into thinking a redfish’s tail is its Reds can be found on the coasts of Mexico all the way to Cape Cod, Mass. Their habitats can vary widely due to redfish being euryhaline, which means they tolerate a wide range of salinity. Redfish are typically a nearshore species, meaning they can be found in estuaries, bays, mudflats, oyster beds and off of beaches. Young redfish prefer estuaries, where there is an abundance of prey as well as protection from larger predators. Once they reach about three years old, they tend to move off of the beaches into coastal areas. Once redfish reach maturity, at three or four years, they begin spawning. Their spawning season usually takes place from mid-August to mid-November; however, this may vary due to temperatures and other factors. Redfish usually congregate to spawn near or inside tidal inlets or fast-flowing water to ensure as many eggs as possible are fertilized. Males produce a drumming sound to attract females by contracting their muscles to vibrate their swim bladders. Females produce one-half to two million eggs per season. Most eggs do not make it to the safety of bay areas. During the mullet run, large schools of redfish follow migrating mullet. The easiest way to target these fish is to drop a live mullet below the main school of mullet. If you’re specifically targeting bull reds, you’ll want to give it a go at night. Drifting large chunks of ladyfish on an outgoing current will almost always produce a large fish. Occasionally, you will come across large schools of redfish feeding on the surface at the mouth of the inlet on an outgoing tide. When this occurs, use topwater plugs, swimbaits and large jigs. In the backcountry around the mangroves, gold spoons, live shrimp and small crabs work best.
The IGFA world record redfish weighed in at 94 lbs. 2 oz. It was caught off the North Carolina Outer Banks in 1984.
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Emily Rose Hanzlik holds 51 IGFA world records in various categories. She hails from West Palm Beach, where she has a part time Bowfin Guide Service as well as fishing classes for Jr. Anglers. Find her on Social Media @emilyhanzlikoutdoors.
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T hose looking for some new numbers to fish off Mexico Beach now have them thanks to CCA Florida, Duke Energy and the Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association. In May, the organizations teamed up to deploy four 38,000-pound and four 5,000-pound artificial reef modules off Mexico Beach. They are calling the new honeyhole “The Duke Energy/CCA Florida Reef.” The eight reef modules were deployed by Walter Marine at the prepermitted Sherman Site, an area known for attracting red and gray snappers, amberjack, king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, gag grouper and cobia. These specific reef structures, ranging in height from 8 to 25 feet, provide greater habit diversity while attracting fish and appealing to recreational anglers. The reef site is located offshore 11 miles west of Mexico Beach at approximately 29º 55.384, -85º 40.765.
“Improving and creating sustainable fisheries, coastal habitats and waterways is CCA Florida’s purpose,” CCA Florida Executive Director Brian Gorski said. “Today’s reef deployment is an extension of that commitment and also of our partnership with Duke Energy – signifying our mutual dedication to protecting Florida’s marine habitat for today and generations to come.”
6 FLORIDA SEPTEMBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
“Duke Energy Florida recognizes the importance of environmental stewardship and the economic benefit it provides to the communities we serve,” Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president said. “We are proud to invest in CCA Florida’s work with the Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association to bring this new artificial reef to Mexico Beach, a win for marine life, local anglers and outdoor enthusiasts along Florida’s West Coast.”
New Artificial Reef Deployed Off Mexico Beach
Since 2018, CCA Florida and Duke Energy have released more than 110,000 redfish along Florida’s Gulf Coast in effort to relieve the declining population. The Duke Energy/CCA Florida Reef deployment is an expansion of its collaboration and symbolizes its continued dedication to enhancing Florida’s marine habitat and expanding fishing opportunities for local anglers.
For more information, go to ccaflorida.org.
Artificial reefs initiate the development of natural, thriving habitats for various species of fish, invertebrates, and other marine life, such as smaller organisms that are vital food sources for other marine species, with the overall goal to create an ever-evolving ecosystem while enhancing fisheries and improving water quality.
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The only problem is the kings are there too. You may like to catch kings, and I apologize for that last sentence, but if I catch a king, it’s accidental. A lot of folks don’t even consider fishing at night, and certainly not fishing the light line at night, but it can be extremely effective for wahoo and kings. The first wahoo I ever caught from an anchored boat was at night, and it was a heck of an experience. We saw the fish swim under the lights, and I quickly put out a live beeliner. The beeliner swam away from the boat, and just as he got to the dark water, we saw the bite. I was instantly addicted to this style of bottom fishing and light lining versus just trolling for wahoo, tuna and dolphin. Dolphin will not eat at night, normally, but the night bite for tuna can be good. The stack of beeliners is the main thing I’m looking for as a good starting point for a place to fish. Gags and scamps will definitely go with the food (beeliners) until the beginning or middle of October. Then the gags will leave the beeliners to migrate inshore in search of cigs and sardines and to spawn. For more information, see www.barefootcatsandtackle.com.
8 FLORIDA SEPTEMBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM2 LOCATION JUNE 2020 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
Tim Barefoot
E verything offshore will start to notice when water temps drop a little at the end of the month, and even more obvious will be shorter daylight hours. All the fish we pursue will start thinking about one of three things: spawning, gorging to fatten up for winter or migrating back south. I’m most concerned with the grouper/snapper complex and the wahoo, so this puts my fishing in overdrive for the next few months. Groupers and snappers will be hot as a firecracker until after Christmas. Wahoo fishing will be at the peak by then as well. Another species I like to stay tuned into are the beeliners (vermillion snapper). When you stay in touch with these guys, you pretty much stay in touch with everything, because everything out there loves to eat a beeliner. The full moon is going to be on Saturday, Sept. 10. This will be a good time to spend the night at the break and have the livewell full to fish just before dawn. Beeliners will chew hard during this full moon, and the bite will shut down as soon as the moon disappears on the western horizon. If you can keep the bright lights going all night, the squid and the biggest, fattest beeliners will be readily available for the taking. When you have these two things gathered up in mass, you definitely have the wahoo and grouper there also. This is a good reason to keep the light line out with a fresh squid or a Boston mackerel just past where the light disappears into the dark water.
THE CHANGE WILL BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER
The South Atlantic fishery seems to be in a situation similar to what the Gulf fishery faced a few years ago. Following years of ridiculously short red snapper seasons to rebuild the stock, anglers on the water report red snapper so thick that it’s the only species they can catch. These fish must be released, despite the high likelihood they will succumb to pressure-related injuries. Ultimately these discards count against fishermen.
“Now, on top of a short red snapper season, it is our understanding that there are discussions about broad area or season closures of all bottom fishing to stop red snapper encounters altogether,” reads the letter. “This decision would be crippling economically for our states that rely heavily on our coastal Legislatorseconomy.”havecalled on NOAA to hold off on area closure consideration until data from the ongoing South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count can be considered. Results of this study, which began in 2021, are expected by 2025.
It’s worth noting that last year’s data from a similar study, the Gulf of Mexico Great Red Snapper Count, indicated there were up to three times as many red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico as the numbers federal managers were using to make management decisions. On that note, Gulf legislators are not pleased with how “more accurate” state data is being calibrated into the “fundamentally flawed” MRIP data that federal managers have used to set regulations for years. The “data calibration framework” included within proposed rule changes would result in reductions of the state annual catch limit for some states and increases for others. State annual catch limits would increase for Florida and Louisiana by 100,000 and 50,000 pounds, respectively. Texas’ limit would remain the same, while Alabama and Mississippi’s limits would decrease by 586,000 and 95,000 pounds, respectively.Theproposal would also increase the overall red snapper overfishing limit from 15.5 million pounds to 25.6 million, while increasing the acceptable biological catch from 15.1 million to 15.4 million. That might sound pretty good for anglers; however, legislators pointed out that this would reduce allowable catch from 97 percent to 60 percent of the sustainable limit.
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM SEPTEMBER 2022 FLORIDA 9
“By requiring the states to calibrate their more accurate—and NMFS certified—catch data to an outdated and fundamentally flawed MRIP, NMFS has failed to find an effective solution and is not making decisions based on the best available science while refusing to appropriately integrate the new data,” reads a letter from legislators. For more information on the continued political wrangling over red snapper, visit coastalanglermag.com.
The Red Snapper Battles Continue ALL REAPER RODS FEATURE THE www.americantackle.us BRAND FEARTHEREAPER AS WELL AS OTHER AMERICAN TACKLE COMPONENTS FOR ONE OF THE MOST DURABLE RODS ON THE MARKET WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/REAPERRODS
Here we go again. The hubbub over federal management of red snapper seems never ending. Most recently, Southeastern legislators penned a letter asking NOAA to suspend consideration of area closures in the South Atlantic. Meanwhile, legislators from states on the Gulf of Mexico are pushing back against new proposed federal regulations. Both groups contend the federal government is not using “the best available science” in management decisions.
10 FLORIDA SEPTEMBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM2 LOCATION JUNE 2020 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
W e’ve talked a lot in this column over the last few months about lures that help achieve long-distance casts. Now, I’d like to cover the rest of the equipment that will help you cast farther and reach more fish.The first key element is the rod. When it comes to casting for distance, you want a fast-action rod. This is true if you are a surf angler, a boat angler targeting fast-moving tuna, or an inshore angler targeting shallow-water reds and trout that are easy to spook. The more flexible your rod is, the less momentum it will impart to the lure. Make sure your blank is stiff. Rod blanks come with a lure weight range. Most of the time the optimal lure weight for casting distance is between 1/2 and 2/3 of the weight the rod is rated for. So, for a 2- to 6-ounce rod rating, the best weight for long casts is typically 3 to 4 ounces. A rod rated for 3/8 to 1 ½ ounces usually casts farthest with a 3/4 to 1 ounce lure. Choose a rod that matches the lures you’ll be throwing. The rod handle is also a big deal when it comes to distance. For a spinning rod, you want the length of a forearm, plus a fist, between the reel seat and the butt of the rod. Length gives you leverage, but you don’t want it to be too long. For surf-casting rods, about 1 ½ times the length of your forearm seemsHigh-qualitybest. guides also make a big difference in how far you can cast. Typically you’re going to have to spend more for quality guides, but consider it an investment that results in consistently longer casts.
Proper guide placement makes a difference, as well. On some rods, the first guide is too close to the reel and/or the legs holding the rod to the blank are too short. This creates an angle at which the line hits the guide and adds drag to the line and lure. This simple detail can reduce casting distance as much as 10 percent. If you find a rod you really like, but the first guide is not seated properly, consider moving the guide. On the reel side, I prefer a slightly conic spool that dumps and winds line evenly. That is pretty much all you need from a reel dedicated to long distance. For line, stick to braid for its smaller diameter. I prefer braid with a smooth finish without coating. When distance is what matters most, do not hesitate to drop 25 to 50 percent lighter line than what you would normally use. For example, 40-lb. braid is common when surf fishing for striped bass. If you need longer casts to reach the fish, it is worth dropping to 30or even 20-lb. test. If you’re using a heavy lure, tie in a shock head 50 to 100 percent stronger to absorb the impact of the cast.
Legendary angler Patrick Sebile is a world record holder and an award-winning designer of innovative lures and fishing gear.Check out his creations at abandofanglers.com.
LURES PATRICK SEBILE ROD, REEL AND LINE FOR DISTANCE
the last few months about lures that help achieve longdistance casts. Now, I’d like to cover the rest of the equipment that will help you cast farther and reach more fish.
The blade is full tang, meaning it doesn’t stop at the handle but extends to the length of the grip for the ultimate in strength. The blade is made from 420 surgical steel, famed for its sharpness and its resistance to corrosion.
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The handle is made from genuine natural bone, and features decorative wood spacers and a hand-carved motif of two overlapping feathers— a reminder for you to respect and connect with the natural world. This fusion of substance and style can garner a high price tag out in the marketplace. In fact, we found full tang, stainless steel blades with bone handles in excess of $2,000. Well, that won’t cut it around here. We have mastered the hunt for the best deal, and in turn pass the spoils on to our customers. But we don’t stop there. While supplies last, we’ll include a pair of $99 8x21 power compact binoculars and a genuine leather sheath FREE when you purchase the Huntsman Blade. Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Feel the knife in your hands, wear it on your hip, inspect the impeccable craftsmanship. If you don’t feel like we cut you a fair deal, send it back within
The first key element is the rod. When it comes to casting for distance, you want a fast-action rod. This is true if you are a surf angler, a boat angler targeting fast-moving tuna, or an inshore angler targeting shallow-water reds and trout that are easy to spook. The more flexible your rod is, the less momentum it will impart to the lure. Make sure your blank is stiff. Rod blanks come with a lure weight range. Most of the time the optimal lure weight for casting distance is between 1/2 and 2/3 it to be too long. For surf-casting rods, about 1 ½ times the length of your forearm seems best. High-quality guides also make a big difference in how far you can cast. Typically you’re going to have to spend more for quality guides, but consider it an investment that results in consistently longer casts. Proper guide placement makes a difference, as well. On some rods, the first guide is too close to the reel and/or the legs holding the rod to the blank are too short. This creates an angle at which the line hits the guide and adds drag to the line and lure. This simple detail can reduce casting distance as much as 10 percent. If you find a rod you really like, but the first guide is not seated properly, consider moving the guide. On the reel side, I prefer a slightly conic spool that dumps and winds line evenly. That is pretty much all you need from a reel dedicated to long distance. For line, stick to braid for its smaller diameter. I prefer braid with a smooth finish without coating. When distance is what matters most, do not hesitate to drop 25 to 50 percent lighter line than what you would normally use. For example, 40-lb. braid is common when surf fishing for striped bass. If you need longer casts to reach the fish, it is worth dropping to 30- or even 20-lb. test. If you’re using a heavy lure, tie in a shock head 50 to 100 award-winning designer of innovative lures and fishing gear. Check out his creations at abandofanglers.com. The very best hunting knives possess a perfect balance of form and function. They’re carefully constructed from fine materials, but also have that little something extra to connect the owner with nature.
New Okuma ECS Custom rods are designed for the harsh environment east coast fishermen face daily. They are constructed with a hybrid 24ton carbon and e-glass blank that features Okuma’s UFR-II: Ultimate Flex Reinforcement rod tip technology for the ultimate in lifting power. With spinning, casting and trolling rods, the new ECS Custom series will adorn the back of your boat nicely. There are two spinning rods in the lineup with a 6’ Heavy and 6’6” Medium Heavy. Three casting rods for live bait and bottom fishing come in 6’ Heavy, 6’6” X-Heavy and 7’ Medium actions. There are also two trolling configurations. Two rods feature Roller Stripper and Roller Tip. These rods come in a 6’4” Medium Heavy and 6’ Heavy action. The other two trolling rods feature all roller guides and are both 6’ Heavy and X-Heavy actions. With the brute strength and drag-ripping speed anglers see on the east coast, Okuma went with only high-end components on the ECS Custom rods. All spinning and casting rods feature ALPS deep press 316-grade stainless steel guide frames with zirconium inserts. Models with All Roller Guides feature ALPS RX Series Rollers as well as Sea Guide Neptune Adjustable Rod Butts. All ECS Custom rods feature machined aluminum, anodized rod gimbals. For more information on ECS Custom Rods please visit your local retailer.
ECS CUSTOM RODS
Okuma’s new Salina spinning reels are lightweight, ready for battle, and designed for inshore and offshore duty. These reels are constructed of Okuma’s LITECAST body material which is 15 percent lighter than die cast aluminum. They are built for everything from light inshore to heavy offshore, and they’re perfect for high-speed vertical jigging or all-day casting.The Salina features a 6HPB +1RB corrosion-resistant stainless-steel ball bearing system with a full grease pack and waterproof seals. Salina’s Hybrid Carbonite and Japanese felt Dual Force Drag system puts out over 33 pounds of drag. With Okuma’s HDGII: High-Density Main Gear and precision machine cut brass pinion gear, you will get a smooth retrieve cast after cast. Okuma also uses a machined aluminum, screw-in handle arm with a machined aluminum twotone anodized ball handle knob. The three larger size reels feature a manual bail trip Therefunction.aresix models of Salina. The 4,000, 5,000 and 6,000 size reels feature high-speed 5.8:1 gear ratios. The 8,000, 10,000 and 14,000 size reels feature standard gear ratios of 5.4:1. All models have an interchangeable screw-in handle system that can be changed from left to right-hand retrieve. For more information on Salina Spinning reels, visit your local retailer.
OKUMA
12 FLORIDA SEPTEMBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
SPINNINGSALINAREEL OKUMAFISHINGUSA.COM
Don Norton Publisher Tamara Kopp Graphics Tangie Neff Sales Terri Lee Sales Robert Fromhartz Senior Writer Carolyn Olson Distribution Mallory McNally Distribution Amy Norton Distribution Chris Norton Technical Director FEATUREDSTAFF IN THIS ISSUE CONTACT US (863)Don273-4998Norton don@theanglermagazine.comdonorton13@gmail.com We want to hear from our readers! Reach out to us with your feedback, fishing adventures, and pictures! opportunitiesAdvertisingavailable! Contact us today for information and pricing. SERVING HARDEE, HIGHLANDS, OKEECHOBEE, DESOTO, GLADES AND HENDRY COUNTIES LAKE ISTOKPOGA & LAKE OKEECHOBEE EDITION PG 2 Boca Granda Pass, Charlotte Harbor, Flats – Capt. Dave Stephens PG 4 Lake Okeechobee Report and Forecast – Capt. Angie Douthit PG 6 Ranger Bass Boats – Don Norton PG 8 Ask Sara – Sara Menendez PG 10 Angler Profile – James Dyer PG 12 Angler Boat of the Month – Jay Madden PG 14 O-Sea-D Rod Company – Don Norton PG 15 How Fishing Changed My Life – Part 2 – James Reed PG 16 September Bass Tournaments PG 21 Girls on the Water – JP Dean and Paige Person PG 23 Let’s Talk Hooks – Steve Daniel PG 24 Guide Trip from Hell – Don Norton PG 26 Bass Tournament Results – James Reed PG 28 Brianna Barnes and her 11’ 2” Gator – Don Norton WelcometoourSeptemberissueoftheAnglerMagazine.First,I'dliketowelcomesomeournewadvertiserstothemagazine,JohnO'Sullivan,AlanJayFord,AutoOptions,GroomingbyRachelandLakeandLandRealtyofHighlands,Inc.OurfeaturearticlethismonthisaboutRangerBoats,andtheincrediblemanbehindtheirphenomenalgrowth,ForrestWood.EverybodyknowsJamesDyer.HeisourAngleroftheMonth. And,a HendrysupportingBoatnewbassfishingguideJayMaddenintroduceshisPhoenixBassBoatastheoftheMonth.We'realsointroducingBrianSagnella,ownerofO-Sea-DCustomRodsandReelRepair,righthereinSebring,Florida.Hopeyouenjoythismonth'sissue.Pickupacopyatoneofour250businessesinHardee,Highlands,Okeechobee,DeSoto,GladesorCounties.Anddon'tforgettotelladvertisers,yousawtheiradintheAnglerMagazine.DonNortonPublisher The Angler Magazine is a is a proud member of Sebring Chamber of Commerce Lake Placid Chamber of Commerce Okeechobee Chamber of Commerce Clewiston Chamber of commerce
Licensed Sales Representative THE OAK CENTER 126 Dal Hall Blvd. Lake Placid, FL 33852 786-213-3948 I offer Medicare Advantage Plans, Medicare Supplement Plans, and Prescription Drug Plans Boca Granda Pass, Charlotte Harbor, and the Flats REPORT & FORECAST Capt. Dave Stephens'
2 OKEECHOBEE SEPTEMBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM Turning 65 or new to Medicare? Are you new to the area? Don’t wait. If you’re new to Medicare, call me today. I’m happy to meet with you to answer questions you may have about Medicare Health Plans.
—Capt.
Seems like this summer's rainy season is a far cry. This is the reason why I have decided to open my column talking about rain. I have fished Charlotte Harbor my entire life, and our rain amount for the year is way down. Our ecosystem thrives on a balance of saltwater, that depends on our summer rain falls. This year our summer rain has not made its grand entrance. I hope by the time my readers, read this we are complaining about to much rain. Our ecosystem is very diverse and unique, it requires a balance of freshwater mixed with salt. A large majority of our fish require higher salinity levels. While some of our fish require a mixture of salt and fresh. We spend certain months that are considered our dry months. This time of the year normally happens during the Winter. As we move into Spring we start seeing rains moving into our area. The closer we get to Summer AKA Hurricane season we have more abundant rain amounts. Well, this year we have not had the rains that our fishery require. As waters warm from the winter, the old stagnate grass and algae form and can be rather stinky. If you have been around some of the local creek mouths you have seen and smelled it. This is due in part to the lack of rain. When mother nature sends us a large amount of rain, she is doing our harbor a great justice. I'm sure if you have spent some time on the harbor you have seen this. Well folks this has been happening for years, we just need mother nature to send us the rains to flush our harbor clean. Even though we have been dealing with some not-so-great water, our fishery finds a way to thrive. Over the past few weeks, we have kept our clients very happy. We have caught more snook and snapper than you can count. The trout fishery has been a little slow, which is normal for summer. The key to finding feeding fish, is finding good clean water. I hope by the time this column is read, that we have had a large amount of rain. Enough to flush out the negative waters, and welcome the new oxygenated water. Dave Stephens
Colleen McNally
www.backbayxtremes.com | 941-916-5769
The guide trips that I’ve been taking have been for bass and bream and in the early morning hours to about noon or so. I’ve been fishing the river and the lake both depending on what customers prefer and what has been producing the better quality and quantity at that time.
I’ve been seeing some bass schooling activity while out on the lake but it doesn’t last long and they are not schooled up in mass quantities like I’ve seen over the years of fishing the lake but that doesn’t mean that they are not there. Keep your eyes and ears alert for schooling up in the shallows around bream beds, in the middle around thicker grassier areas and on the grass edges near open water.
4 OKEECHOBEE SEPTEMBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM PARADISE REAL ESTATE INTERNATIONAL Lake REPORTOkeechobee&FORECAST Capt. Angie Douthit’s
The Tin House area has been really good for the bream bite as well about 20 yards in from the outside grass edges. I prefer using live crickets vs. small red worms only because I don’t want Mayan cichlids or catfish. The cichlids and catfish will bite crickets but for me it seems not as good as a worm. Areas to try for bass and bream are: Buckhead Ridge pole; 1st-3rd point in scattered but grouped up areas; Tin House; around Indian Prairie canal and some scattered areas towards Horse Island. Some outside areas around the Monkey box (north side) and a few spotted areas around Dupree Bar AND Whidden’s Pass to Brice Fine area on the Shoal. To book your fun-filled and productive time fishing the lake and/or river call me at 863-228-7263 or log onto my website www.southfloridabassfishing. com. I customize each trip to my customers fishing skills/level, and what’s biting best. I give fishing lessons, share some history of Lake Okeechobee and we get to see some pretty awesome things out on the water such as Manatee’s; Eagles; Ducks and some beautiful lake scenery. A big Thank You to all my Sponsors: Toho Marine, St. Cloud, Fl., Mercury Marine; Real Magic; Tru-Turn hooks; Lews; G-Loomis; Gill; Maui Jim; BnM Poles; Gene Larew; Pradco Brands; Mega Strike; Mid-South Tackle; Big Bite; Buff USA and Bullet Weights. To book your fun-filled and productive time fishing the lake and/ or river call me at 863-228-7263 or log onto my website www. southfloridabassfishing.com. I customize each trip to my customers fishing skills/level, and what’s biting best. I give fishing lessons, share some history of Lake Okeechobee and we get to see some pretty awesome things out on the water such as Manatee’s, Eagles, Ducks and some beautiful lake scenery. you to my sponsors! MARINE,
If you’re fishing the lake for bass, the Tin House area and Whidden’s Pass to Brice Fine on the Shoal has been the hotter areas to fish lately. I keep a worm/senko rod handy along with a swim bait/swim jig and top water rods on the deck and a rattle trap/spinner bait rod rigged for windier mornings and possible schooling activity. About 3-4 rods on the deck pretty much covers it and by keeping it simple and fishing slow can make the difference between a good day/morning and a great day/morning of fishing the big O.
Thank
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TOHO
The water conditions for Lake Okeechobee have been really good. I’m seeing quite a few areas that have eel grass, hydrilla and am hopeful that the shrimp grass comes back which is much needed to help keep the bottom from coming apart creating mucky looking water when storms hit.
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Every now and then I go out with my dog and fish for crappie out in the lake just for a change of pace, the specks are biting, it’s just that the bite is slow and cannot be in any hurry when getting them to bite which is normal for this time of year. Some people are crappie fishing around the bridge pilings and up the river by the weir; I prefer the lake because of the better scenery and less of a sighting of another boat close by.
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Continued on page 27 RANGER BASS BOATS
By Don Norton
In The Beginning (Excerpts from Steve Roth’sHigharticle)school sweethearts, Forrest and Nina forged a bond early in life that continued throughout their lives. Both came from backgrounds of simple beginnings and lots of hard work. They applied what they
In an article written by Steve Roth on June 11th, 2003, he stated “Wood is emphatic in his belief that the employees at Ranger have led to it becoming a world-renowned boat manufacturer with a reputation for unmatched quality and service. A large percentage of workers at Ranger were local residents who started out 10, 20 or even 30 years ago and never went away.
I’ve owned seven Rangers in my fishing lifetime, most recently a 2021 Ranger Z520L that I purchased at Toho Marine in St. Cloud, Florida. I’ve owned a number of other boats, including Skeeter, Ebbtide and Arrowglass, dating all the way back to 1968, but in my humble opinion, none of them have ever compared to a Ranger. I had the opportunity to meet Forrest Wood, the founder of Ranger Boats, and I was immediately impressed with the man. I had heard that he was “the real deal,” and “the genuine article” and I have to admit, those were understatements. He was in fact, a man of vision, who was able to transform a small boat-building company into one of America’s greatest success stories.
Ranger Boats Inc., originally based in Flippin, Arkansas, celebrates its 54th anniversary in 2022, and the tall, slender man with the signature cowboy hat said he had a very simple formula when he founded the company in 1968.
Today, if you enter a bass tournament or you come to the weigh-in as a spectator, the wide variety of bass boats may surprise you. Some, like Ranger Bass Boats have been around for a long time, while others have entered the marketplace in just the last few years. But they all share one thing in common, they are designed to be the ultimate bass machines.
6 OKEECHOBEE SEPTEMBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
Anyone who is closely associated with Ranger Boats will quickly point to Wood and his wife, Nina, as the cornerstones of the company whose name anglers proudly display on their boats, shirts, trucks and just about anywhere else you can slap a Ranger logo.
"We were just able to hire a lot of good ol' country folk who had the right work ethic and pride in what they were doing," Wood said. "They were good employees. Loyal employees. Men and women who were intelligent and able to figure things out."
"We actually just treated people right," Wood said. "An oversimplification of success in business is to identify what people want, let them know you have it and then treat them right after the sale."
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Shellcracker versus bluegill?
The he Legend of Lake Istokpoga Queenie she beat the
Bluegill and shellcracker (more scientifically called redear sunfish, but shellcracker is way cooler) are other popular sport fisheries in Florida. Their peak seasons are in summer months, typically from April-August, although it will vary by waterbody and where you’re fishing in the state. On Lake Istokpoga, the bluegill populations have remained relatively steady and relatively abundant. During our collectedabundanttheconsistentlyedition),inthatinformationelectrofishingcommunityfall(moreoncanbefoundtheAugust2022bluegillareoneoftopthreemostspeciesduringour survey. We typically see all size classes of bluegill in our samples too, which is a great sign of the stability of the fishery. Juvenile bluegill are important to see because that means recruitment from the following year was successful, as well as they are good forage for largemouth bass. Redears are also in good abundance in our fall community electrofishing sampling as well. Their populations are slightly more variable than bluegill, so redears are not always extremely abundant, but still remain stable to where there does not appear to be declines in the Lakethataresurveysourshowspeciesthinksurvey?duringbluegillWhatfishery.aboutandredearcreelYouwouldthatthesewouldupwellincreelanglersincetherealotofpeoplefishforthem.Istokpogaisa good fishery for these two species and usually boasts high catch rates in our creel surveys. However, Lake Istokpoga creel surveys only running from October-June, so we don’t really capture the entirety of peak bluegill and redear season. This means it’s difficult to truly get an accurate estimate for targeted effort and number of fish caught for these two fish species in a given year. But, during those few months of data collection, we can see how numbers for those two fish compare during other creel seasons. From looking at the trends, anglers tend to target bluegill more than they target redear, but those that target redears are also fairly successful in catching that species. All in all, the bluegill and redear populations are relatively stable on Lake Istokpoga and provide for good summer fishing. Get out there and try your luck! If you have any comments on any information related in this article, please reach out to Sara Menendez at sara.menendez@myfwc.com.
8 OKEECHOBEE SEPTEMBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
The odds were more than a million to one - but
—
ASK SARA
odds to become a legend. — Dedicated to my brother Bill who inspired me to write the story, but didn’t live long enough to read it. YOURORDERCOPYTODAY! $19.99, plus $3.95 postage Check, Money Order or Credit Cards Accepted Contact Don Norton 863-273-4998 | donorton13@gmail.com You can pick up a copy of Queenie at the following locations: Marine & Tackle Warehouse, 4601 Southside Blvd, Sebring Lake Placid Feed & Western Wear, 417 US 27S, Lake Placid The Grateful Hearts Boutique, 113 Circle Park Drive, Sebring A Bass Fishing Guide and Tournament Angler, Don Norton’s knowledge and passion for Lake Istokpoga rings true in this story.
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“Fishing was our whole world back then,” James said, and “it wasn’t unusual for Dad to take us out of school for a fishing trip”.
James
Continued on page 18
and open bass tournaments, winning a fair share of them.
James loves to tell everyone the story of fishing with his dad, who was credited with bringing jig fishing to south Florida. He said when they were growing up, his dad would fish with a jig while he had the boy’s fish with different plastic worms. Watching his dad catch more fish on the jig, James would complain and his dad would say “we need to use different baits to see what they’re hitting on”.
Angler ProfileThe
By Don Norton
The old saying, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” couldn’t be more appropriate than when you speak of James Dyer. His father, Corbin Dyer Sr. was probably the best bass fisherman to ever come out of this area. And James, as well as his brother learned from the master.
10 OKEECHOBEE SEPTEMBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
Corbin Dyer is credited in BassMaster Magazine with being one of the first pros to win tournaments on Lake Okeechobee using a jig. After fishing all over the Midwest, when he was 31 years old, he moved to Florida and began fishing for Florida strain largemouth. For the next 20 years, he fished hundreds of bass tournaments. Twice, Dyer
Growing up in Hollis Hills, Kentucky, James not only learned about bass fishing, but hanging around his father’s boat-building company, Bass Hawk Boats, he learned a thing or two about bass boats. By the time he was 18 years old, he began fishing more and more club “Fishing was our whole world back then, it wasn’t unusual for Dad to take us out of school for a fishing trip”.
James started fishing at a very early age, and by the time he was 15 years old, in 1983, he fished his first bass tournament.
Developed to target fish holding tight to bottom structure, the Megabass Dark Sleeper offers overwhelming realism and an enticing action like only Megabass swimbaits can. Fitted with a low center of gravity weight, which allows it to deliver a stealthy, lifelike presentation as a bottom bouncing swimbait, it also features a soft fin material that is molded entirely around the top hook and instantly collapses when a fish strikes to ensure solid hooksets. The fin guarded hook also allows the Dark Sleeper to penetrate through gnarly cover and deflect potential snags. Made from ultra-tough yet soft plastic that gives it the ability to withstand a tremendous amount of abuse, its supple paddle tail provides a very natural kicking action as well - even at slow crawling retrieve speeds - as it moves in and out of heavy cover to induce strikes from the most wary of fish. Available in one-of-a-kind airbrushed paintjobs, the Megabass Dark Sleeper is definitely a swimbait that should be in every angler’s arsenal.
DarkMegabassSleeper
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM SEPTEMBER 2022 OKEECHOBEE 11
Owned by Jay Madden ANGLER Boat ofthe Month If you'd like your boat featured in the Angler Magazine's "Boat of the Month" please submit your pictures and information to The Angler Magazine at donorton13@gmail.com or don@theanglermagazine.com. 2019 Phoenix 721 Pro XP. 21', Mercury 250 Pro VS, V8 Four Stroke. Dual Console. Lowrance Live 12 on the front and the console. Padded front deck. Minn Kota Ultrex 112, 36 volt Trolling Motor. Lithium batteries. Upgraded trailer and rims. Power Poles. Four bank charging system. Hydraulic Jack Plate. Two 47 gallon livewells. Hot Foot.
14 OKEECHOBEE SEPTEMBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
O-SEA-D Rod Company
Brian’s been building custom rods and repairing fishing rods since 1989, when his mom, Carol Vanacore bought him his first rod-wrapping machine.
conventional rod builders, Brian’s more of an artist, creating artwork on the fishing rod that is truly unique. So, the next time you go shopping for a one-of-a-kind custom built fishing rod, or you have reels that need to be repaired, give him a call at 863-414-7225.
Born in Connecticut, Brian moved to Lighthouse Point in southwest Florida when he was only a year old. Growing up in the Ft. Lauderdale/Deerfield Beach area, he hung around Walkers Bait and Tackle until Charley Walker finally hired him at the age of 14. Charley taught him how to build rods and in the process, he also learned how to do reel repair. He moved to Sebring in 2011. If you don’t make the connection to the name, O-Sea-D Rod Company, Brian is fanatical about detail. If his rods aren’t perfect in every way, he’ll strip them down and rebuild them to his highest standards.
By Don Norton
Looking for a Custom-Built Fishing Rod? Or maybe you’ve got a broken rod sitting in the corner of your garage that used to be your favorite, but now that it’s broken or a guide is bad, you’ve stopped using it? You need to give Brian Sagnella a call at 863-414-7225.
Brian can build any type of fishing rod, both freshwater as well as saltwater. And he can clean and repair any type of fishingUnlikereel.
FISH STORIES ARE MADE
ADD WATER
OKEECHOBEEOKEECHOBEE,INFLORIDA!COUNTYTOURISM
By Don "Red" Norton Just
OKEECHOBEEOKEECHOBEE,INFLORIDA!COUNTYTOURISM
www.visitokeechobeecounty.com(863)763-3959
Earlier I wrote about my experience when a fishing trip kept me from learning about an assignment change and the consequential direction it made to my career in my military career. But there’s a second time that fishing changed my life’s direction as well. I had just returned from years living outside the continental U.S. and had moved into a house in Palm Beach County. Since I was unfamiliar with the area, I volunteered at FWC to learn more about the local environment, with an emphasis on fishing. My predominant task was to go to the Everglades and do an angler survey of people fishing in the area’s canals. It was interesting, plus I learned a lot about both the Everglades and Florida fishing. Then, looking for better opportunities, I moved to Lake Placid, with a nice house on Lake Istokpoga. One day I was fishing on the lake and the FWC creel surveyor came by to ask what I had caught so far. As we finished the conversation, I mentioned my previous volunteer status and asked if there were local volunteer opportunities to do the same thing. Her reply – “We don’t use volunteers here, it’s a paid position. I’m moving at the end of the season and here’s who you call.” That contact and subsequent phone call started a 20-year relationship – some of it paid, some of it unpaid – with Highlands County lakes and fishing.Apparently, the moral to the story is, to maximize life’s opportunities, go fishing as often as possible.
HOW CHANGEDFISHINGMYLIFEPART2-BYJIMREED-ATRUESTORY
www.visitokeechobeecounty.com(863)763-3959
FISH STORIES ARE MADE
Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022 Istokpoga Park 2:00 PM Cracker Boys weigh-in 150 Anglers
Prepared Saturday, July 9, 2022
TOURNAMENTBASSSCHEDULE 2022
Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022 Istokpoga Park 2:00 PM Bay Area Bassmasters weigh-in 80 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.
Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022 Istokpoga Park 2:15 PM Indian River Bass Anglers weigh-in 30 Anglers
Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022 LaBelle Public Ramp (Wayside Park) 2:30 PM LEE COUNTY BASS ANGLERS weigh-in 60 Anglers CLAY, LAKE Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022 Lake Clay Drive East 1:00 PM South Florida Bass Club weigh-in 20 AnglersSide ISTOKPOGA, LAKE Sunday, Sept. 4, 2022 Istokpoga Park 2:00 PM Xtreme bass series weigh-in 60 Anglers
August
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16 OKEECHOBEE SEPTEMBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM CALOOSAHATCHEERIVER
A silhouette of James is on the April 2000 BassMaster Magazine cover, after a reader wrote to the magazine to recognize him for his assistance when they were traveling through Sebring. James is married to Patty Dyer, from Michigan. They’ve been married for eight years. With five kids, 3 boys and 2 girls, 2 step-sons, 14 grandchildren and a recently adopted, 5-year-old grandson named Lucas Wayne, James stays plenty busy. His plans in 2022 are to partner up with Gary Wilt to fish the Big Show Tournaments beginning in October of this year.
James estimates that he has caught hundreds of bass over 10 pounds, and even more over the 8–9-pound mark. But the biggest bass he’s ever seen was actually caught by his partner, Gary Niemi who boated a bass weighing 13.1 pounds on their digital scale. When they returned to the boat ramp and retrieved the monster bass from the livewell, it had upchucked a huge, partially digested catfish into the livewell. When they weighed the bass, it had lost one pound. It weighed 12.1.
Continued from page 10
finishing in 5th place and almost winning the Jerry Ryan tournaments on Lake Okeechobee with Gary Niemi, where they could have won a brand new, fully rigged bass Winningboat. isn’t new to James. Some of his classic and open wins over the years include the Xtreme Classic with Gary; the Lake Placid Ridge Club Classic with his dad in 2000; the Tampa Pro Bass Championship on Lake Istokpoga with Brian Reed and the Lake Placid Chamber of Commerce tournament in which he and Scott Fitinger not only won but also had big bass. Like most tournament anglers, he didn’t win them all. One of his favorite stories is about fishing the Roland Martin tournament where the entry fee was $300.00. Try as they might, all they could catch were small bass. Towards the end of the tournament, with only an hour or so left, James recalled that the team with the lowest weight would win their entry fee back. With nothing to lose, they began culling backwards, catching small fish after small fish until they brought their catch to the weigh-in, and the five bass weighed 4.06 pounds. They won $300.00.
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20 OKEECHOBEE SEPTEMBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM 2356 sq ft | 4 Bd/2 Bth 2 fully screened porches | Private well Panoramic view of the 27,000+ acre Lake Istokpoga Upgrades include keypad entry, tankless water heater, crown molding, custom paint, and brand-new luxury vinyl plank flooring. More Added Bonuses include, a Utility Shed with electric, professional full size pool table, chairs, New bedroom furniture, Pre-paid Lake Vegetation Control & Lawn Maintenance for ALL of 2022. Over $15K of extras!! Owner will also give an additional $5K credit at closing for dock modifications. Highlands County Lake Placid’s Lake Istokpoga Windy Point 1.25 ACRE PRIVATE LAKEFRONT with only one visible neighbor This property boasts towering cypress trees and is abundant with wildlife. No other lake front property even comes close! Lake and Land Realty of Highlands, Inc. Jeanne Butler Wheeler 124 E. Interlake Blvd. | Lake Placid, FL 33852 Office: 863-659-4777 | Mobile: 863-202-4444 Lake27,000+viewPanoramicoftheacreIstokpoga Roofs • Decks • Windows • Siding Finished Carpentry • Interior and Exterior Doors Blue Board • Wall Board • Painting Interior and Exterior Kitchens • Bathrooms • Tiling and much more. Fully Licensed and Insured • FREE Estimates Madden & Son Home Improvements CELL (978) 877-1231 Capt. Corky Neff Corky & Tangies Bass Fishing Tours Largemouth BassPeacock 606-584-0144Bass Capt. Dave Stephens Back Bay Extreme Fishing Snook, Tarpon, 941-916-5769Redfish Capt. Don Hatcher Don Hatcher Fishing Largemouth863-655-0265Bass Capt. Don Norton REDS Bass Fishing Guide Service Largemouth863-273-4998Bass Capt. Jay Madden Phoenix Bass Fishing Guide Service Largemouth978-877-1231Bass Capt. Joe Gruny Marine & Tackle Warehouse Largemouth Bass - Peacock 561-827-5668Bass Capt. Remo Beaver Remo and Mark Beaver Fishing Largemouth863-655-0820Bass Capt. Steve Daniel The Voice of Lake Okeechobee Fishing Largemouth239-560-2704Bass Capt. Tangie Neff Poga Boats Crappie, Bluegill & Bass 937-217-8076 Capt. Valery Morrell Morrell Fishing Adventures Largemouth863-633-7335Bass Capt. Angie Douthit South Florida Bass Fishing Bass, Crappie, Bream, Fingerling Catfish 863-655-0820 GUIDEFISHINGLOCALSERVICES
While summer has been a great time for Paige and I to hone our skills for the upcoming season, I am 100 % sure that if anyone in this whole world asked us right now what the best part of our summer was we’d both answer ICAST! One of our sponsors- Marine Tackle Warehouse provided Paige and I had the opportunity of a lifetime to attend ICAST…we really did not understand what to expect. We had the opportunity to meet some of the biggest fishing legends like Mr. Bill Dance! I mean, do I really need to explain this one it’s BILL DANCE - the King of Bass Fishing. However, Mrs. Leiza Fitzgerald was probably my favorite introduction from ICAST. For those of you who don't know Mrs. Leiza, she is a well-known female angler who specializes in Red Fish. Not only did she give us some fishing tips, she also gave us some great advice- focus on being the best angler you can be and not to worry about what others have to say. Hard work pays off and speaks volumes! We also were able to stop by and visit with our sponsors at Bass Assassin to talk about the newest and my favorite lure, the WooPah Craw. Smith Optics had so many great options in Ladies glasses, Paige and I are looking forward to using them in our upcoming season. We can’t wait to go back to ICAST in 2023. Thanks, Marine Tackle Warehouse for such a great opportunity. Stay tuned in October for our article about our first Highlands County Anglers Tournament and BASS Nation, we can’t wait for the 2022-23 season to begin.
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM SEPTEMBER 2022 OKEECHOBEE 21 BRANDON’S BAITS & BUGS BRANDON’S JIGS 2630 W. Seville Drive, Avon Park, FL 33825 • 863-247-6778 Brandon Bennett - Owner & Designer 863.633.7335 floridatrophybassguide.com | vmorrellfishing@gmail.com@morrellfishing
girlsonthewater
DeanJP &PaigePerson
• Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Butter an 8×8 bak ing dish, or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
• 1 cup light brown sugar
Directions
Recipe ofthe Month
• 3/4 cup old fashioned oats 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Ingredients •
•
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, diced into small cubes
• pinch of kosher salt
•
• Spread topping over apples in baking dish, and gently pat to even it out. Bake 40-50 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.
This easy apple crisp is made the old fashioned way like Grandma used to make, and is perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and salted caramel sauce! 6 golden delicious apples, peeled and chopped (other varieties can be used, can also be sliced)
• In a separate mixing bowl, add topping ingredients (brown sugar, oats, flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, salt, and diced cold butter). Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the oat mixture, using a slight downward twisting motion, until mixture resembled pea-sized crumbs. Alternatively, you can use two forks or even your hands to cut butter into the mixture.
• In a mixing bowl, add chopped apples, granulated sugar, 3/4 tsp of the cinnamon and lemon juice. Stir to combine, then transfer to prepared baking dish.
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• Ser ve warm and enjoy!
Apple Crisp
WhereDiscoverYou God’s Love First Baptist ChurchofLorida P.O. Box 267 1927 Blessings Ave. Lorida, FL 33857-0267 863 - 655 - 1878 | fbclorida@embarqmail.com www.fbclorida.org WednesdaySunday Bible Study — 9:00 am (for all ages) Morning Worship — 10:30 am Evening Worship — 6:30 pm Child care provided Children’s Service — 6:00 pm Bible Study & Prayer - 6:30 pm Jesus said, “Come,” so do we.Come and find the peace thisworld does not have. Come and find the forgiveness of sins.Come and receive the gift of salvation by grace.Just come and see if Jesus won’t give you real life. Can
• 1 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon, divided 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
One the biggest mistakes the weekend angler makes is not having the right hooks on their lures. I’ve learned over the years the hard way about matching my hooks to the lures I’m using. Hooks are something we can talk about for hours so I’m going to give you my recommendation on hooks you should be using on your crank baits. When the EWG treble hooks came on the market several years ago I thought they were the best thing since sliced bread. While fishing a practice day in Texas I was using a fat square bill on some schooling bass and I was troubled because I was losing about half of the bass I hooked with the EWG hooks. I knew something was wrong so I quickly changed the hooks to the same size in a round bend hook and everything changed. I started catching almost ever bass that hit my lure. I learned very quickly that on a thin bait such as my jerk baits that the EWG hooks worked much better than a round bend. Trial and error is the only way to figure these things out so my recommendation to you is to use round bend hooks on fat baits and EWG hooks on thin baits. When you know you have everything as perfect as you can your confidence level is great. When I was tournament fishing for a living I knew that every bass that bit my lure was going to be in the boat because I was controlling of all the things that I had control of. Steve Daniel | 239.560.2704 • 863.885.2230
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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM SEPTEMBER 2022 OKEECHOBEE 23 • Guaranteed $3,000 First Place • Safe Light to 3 p.m. • Field limited to 150 boats • 1 Place paid for every five (5) boats • $80.00 ENTRY FEE/Boat/Team • 100% Paid Back • 5 fish limit • .25 lb. dead fish penalty • Big Fish 100% Pay Back • No Size Limit • Questions? Call Carmen:954 543 2337 Refuse to Sink is a local nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote mental health education and awareness and suicide prevention. For more information, call or email Abby Garcia p: 863 233 9973 email: abby@refusetosink.org www.refusetosink.org JD Moss Sgt. Max VanD’Huynslager September 10, 2022 Catfish Fry 11 2 at Elks Lodge Donation: $15 each Donation:TicketsRaffle$5 each or 5 for $20 Logo Tervis Cup with DonationLid $20 Logo Sport Tek Shirt (Color :Carolina Blue) Sizes:Youth xsmall to 3 XL Donation$25 Day will include Blessing of the Boats, Color Guard, and Entertainment
Steve Daniel LET’S TALK HOOKS The Voice FishingOkeechobeeof
Guide Trip from HELL
The 150 Mercury tried, and eventually, feeling more like a tugboat, the Skeeter rose up and planed off. No-one breathed easier than me as we headed a short distance to an area I knew well that had produced a couple of lunkers earlier in the “Whattyaweek.gotto eat,” Billy Joe bellowed, as I shut down the motor and moved towards the front of the boat.
At the time, I was fishing out of an 18’ Skeeter bass boat. My first thought was they were going to sink my boat! I couldn’t remember for sure, but I think the plate on the inside of the gunnel warned not to exceed 575 pounds. We easily exceeded that number without even adding in my skinny little 190 pounds. It wasn’t easy, but we finally got both brothers safely into the boat, but I couldn’t help but groan as I watched the Skeeter sink a few inches with the first brother, and then a few more once they were both in. Bobby Joe, who had to be pushing close to 400 pounds sat squarely in the middle seat, while I put his brother on the front deck, opposite the driver’s seat. As I started up the old Mercury outboard, with the boat tilting to the starboard side, I said a little prayer as I pushed the throttle forward, questioning whether we could even get up on plane.
24 OKEECHOBEE SEPTEMBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
“We’re gonna die,” Bobby Joe wailed, as he fumbled with the life jacket I’d handed each of them to put on. The jackets were both extra-large, and I’d never had a problem with customers fitting into them before.
First of all, I want to assure any potential future clients, and definitely clients from the past that I would never actually use “real” names in a story like this, but rather “made-up” names.
“We’re hungry now,” they both chimed in as they reached for a sandwich and a Mycoke.wife, bless her soul, has always made sandwiches for my guide trips. Two sandwiches for me, and two each for my clients, along with some chips and Icookies.watched in horror as they each wolfed down three sandwiches, a dozen cookies and a six-pack of cokes.
I looked down and there was a solid three inches of water where Bobby Joe’s feet used to be.
“We’re takin’ on water,” he bellowed, as both brothers looked on in horror at the water pouring into the bottom of the boat.
“Those were pretty good sandwiches,” Bobby Joe said, as he wrestled with Billy Joe over the last bag of chips. As I lowered the electric motor into the water, preparing to get the boys fishing, Billy Joe let out a howl as he raised his feet up, off the deck of the boat.
As a bass fishing guide for the last 25 or 30 years, I’ve had some strange things happen and some pretty weird clients in my boat over the years, but this particular trip was unforgettable.
By Don “Red” Norton
“Damn, I must have forgotten to put the plug in,” I yelled, as I frantically raced to the back of the boat. The bilge pumps were working, but the water was coming in faster than it was going out. It was up to five inches, when I decided to take the boat in shallower where I could get out of the boat and put the plug back in.
“I can’t get it zipped up,” Billy Joe cried out in terror, “and I can’t swim!” I didn’t say it, but I thought to myself what you’re probably thinking, “he oughtaThefloat!”water was now almost to the front deck, and both brothers were worried about saving their wallets, and their cash.
“Hold em’ up over your heads guys,” I motioned, as I climbed over the side of the boat into 2 feet of water. Circling around to the rear of the Skeeter, I felt for the plug, which
Where should I start?
Extending his hand, Bobby Joe said “you must be Red! I’m Bobby Joe and this here’s my little brother, Billy Joe,” he boomed in a giant’s voice. He grabbed my hand with what could have easily been a catcher’s mitt and almost lifted me off the ground as he shook my hand. Both brothers were well past 300 pounds, and Bobby Joe stood at least six inches taller than his little brother, who stood an inch or two taller than me.
“There’s some sandwiches and chips in the cooler, but you might want to hold off a couple hours till lunchtime. You can get pretty hungry out here fishing all day,” I said, pretty much to myself.
One of my earliest trips was on Lake Okeechobee with two brothers. The Williamson’s, were in Orlando for the week with their families and they’d quickly grown tired of Disneyland and the long lines. One of the brothers, Bobby Joe saw my bass fishing guide ad somewhere and had cut it out, saving it for a day like today. We agreed to meet at the Okee-Tantie parking lot around 5:30 the next morning.Leaving my house at 4am with a jug of coffee and a fresh pack of smokes, I made short order of the hour-long drive. I actually prefer to be early on my trips, giving me time to unstrap the boat and make sure everything is ready to go. In the dark, I heard someone yell “Red,” and as I turned around I saw two of the biggest men I think I’ve ever seen walking towards me.
So, let me start with what motivated me to write this column. For those of you who read my Wednesday column, I wrote about my collection of B.A.S.S. magazines and in the process, happened to come across one of Don Wirth’s monthly articles covering the antics of Harry and Charlie. Specifically, the April 1996 Harry and Charlie story titled Guide Trips from Hell. My story is different, but in many ways similar to what all fishing guides endure as we attempt to combine our hobby with a money-making venture.
Twenty minutes later, the bilge pumps did their job and most of the water was pumped out. The boat actually came up off the bottom as the wind began to push us closer to a small, sandy land mass surrounded by reeds. Eyeballing the land, Billy Joe asked if I had any toilet paper on board. Carefully stepping out of the boat into the shallow, sandy shoreline, he quickly disappeared into the thicket of vegetation.
normally is attached to the boat with a small chain. It was gone.
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As I picked up one of the rods that he’d stepped on, I couldn’t help but notice that it, along with the other three that were laying side by side on the deck, were now broken into two or three pieces.
At this point, the boat was resting uneasily in the sand, as the two brothers fought with life-jackets 3 sizes too small, keeping one hand high in the air with their “Whatwallets.dowedo now, Captain,” the one of the giants asked, as he gave up trying to fasten the life jacket.
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A week later, I got a notice from the bank. The check bounced.
“I was just doin’ my business when I looked around and this big ole’ gator was coming right up behind me. It literally scared the crap out of me,” Billy Joe said as he tried to calm down.
“How about one of these,” Billy Joe suggested, as he handed me a cheap cigar, wrapped in plastic. “Ya know, that might just work,” I thought as I maneuvered back around to the rear of the boat. The cigar was exactly the right size, and with a little bit of force, slid neatly into the drain hole. As long as the plastic didn’t leak, we were in business.
“Looks like our day is about over fellas,” I said as I held up one of the broken“Norods.sweat captain, we were gettin’ hungry anyway,” the giants responded in unison.Cranking up the outboard, I headed for home as I watched the water slowly rise in the bottom of the boat, questioning if we’d make it, as I watched pieces of tobacco floating in the swirling water. We made it back in safely and I was able to get the boat loaded up on the trailer, when Bobby Joe walked over and handed me a check and announced that they were giving me a $100.00 bonus for the trip.
“Well, it appears the boat plus is gone, so I’m gonna have to stick something up there to keep the water from coming in,” I replied as I shuffled along the sand to the starboard side of the boat.
“We didn’t get much fishin’ in, but it was fun anyway,” Bobby Joe said as he extended his catchers mitt. We shook hands and wished each other well as they climbed into their Ford pick-up and drove away. I could only think back on the last few hours and laugh. What a trip it had been.
Within minutes, we heard a blood-curdling scream as Billy Joe, shorts around his ankles and a fully unzipped life vest exposing his hairy, bear-like chest came crashing towards us with a 10-foot alligator not far behind. Bobby Joe reached out and grabbed his brothers’ hand and with one solid jerk, pulled him on-board. The gator appeared to be amused, as he stopped to watch, grinning back at us.
While most tournament reports are good information, there are always a few that have internal errors. (Haven’t you ever sent an email with a missing attachment, or hit “Reply to All” when you wanted to tell one person something?)
How good is a lake’s biology? There are several measures that can be used – water chemistry, plant maps, angler surveys, public opinion and other parameters come to mind. But there’s nothing like asking the people who are using the lake. For that reason, bass tournament directors provide a report on the results of their tournament. It’s only fair – they have permission to temporarily hold on to fish that exceed the normal fishing regulations, provided they return their fish, live, to the lake where caught. Those reports are then available to FWC biologists working on that lake. The term for this civic involvement is “citizen-science”, in which the public provides data that is used for evaluation. There are other examples – Lakewatch water samples comes to mind. One concern is that the person using the data is separated from the collector, so a data error may not be evident until after the “send” button has been pushed, and then it’s too late to correct. So, to properly use tournament data, each line of data that a director sends needs to be evaluated. Otherwise, something as simple as a misplaced decimal point can have a big impact on the results.
26 OKEECHOBEE SEPTEMBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM Grooming byRachel Puppy’s First Haircut THIS CERTIFICATE IS WHO____________________________PRESENTEDTOWASABRAVEBOY/GIRLWHILEGETTINGGROOMEDFORTHEFIRSTTIMEON______________________________SIGNATUREOFGROOMER Hair Sample Does your dog need a haircut? How about their nails? Or how about a spa day? Text for an 863-214-3334appointment
Examples: While trying to develop a report on tournament results, I found several reports that said they had zero participants who caught zero fish – undoubtedly a tournament director who cancelled his tournament but hadn’t cancelled his permit. In another case a tournament report showed their largest bass was 6080.00 lbs. (That must have been a decimal point error, because their winning bag was 13.81 lbs with no fish over 8 Thislbs.)isa long way of saying that I’ve taken a close look at the tournament director-submitted data provided by FWC for one day tournaments, eliminated the suspect data, and then looked at how bass tournaments on Lake Istokpoga and Lake Okeechobee have fared over the years. The summary answer is – “Not Bad!” Here are the yearly results from bass tournament on Istokpoga and Okeechobee, with Walk n Water’s information added for comparison. For Okeechobee, in 12 of the 13 years at least one tournament had a one-day winning weight of over 30 lbs. For Istokpoga, in 10 of the 13 years that data has been available at least one tournament had a winning weight of over 30 lbs for one day. (In 2013, both lakes had a winning weight of over 38 lbs for a 5-fishThesebag!)are equally impressive results when you look at the tournament information for heaviest fish. For Istokpoga, in all thirteen years at least one tournament weighed in a fish that weighed 10 pounds or more. Okeechobee’s record is similar, just missing that mark in one year when the heaviest tournament fish was just a few ounces short of the 10-pound mark. For Lake Istokpoga, it’s significant that some of the best results have been in the past year, which may indicate the Lake Istokpoga Habitat Management Plan is encouraging better fishing results. In any case, the data shows that Florida is still one of the best places to search for big bass. Thanks to FWC’s Sara Menendez for providing access to the tournament data.
Bass Tournament Results
BY JAMES REED
In 1970, Ranger manufactured 1,200 boats that sold for $1,000 each, complete with lights and steering. Demand was high, and orders were streaming in.
"The reason the pros liked our boats is because we custom-built them," Wood said. "We would build the inside configuration however somebody wanted it. We were fishermen ourselves, and we pretty much understood what people wanted."
On May 4, 1971, one of the most infamous fires in Flippin history burned down the Ranger Boats factory. A static spark of electricity or electrical shock ignited acetone, and the fire quickly spread throughout the building. Forrest and a friend were able to get inside the building and salvage 60 boat orders from inside a metal desk. What happened next has become part of the Ranger legend. Bound and determined to keep his 60 employees on the payroll, Forrest nailed a phone to a tree near the ruins of the plant and began to conduct business while friends helped clean up the rubble. With a lot of determination and perseverance from all the employees, they were building boats again exactly 40 days and nights after the disaster struck. Those 60 orders would be filled.
It didn't take Forrest and his team long to become proficient at waxing the molds after that.
"We wanted to make the best possible product," Wood said. "We weren't
"You just sanded the wood, got it real clean, catalyze the resin, put the cloth on, saturated it, and it adhered to the wood," he said. "In fact, fiberglass will adhere to just about anything it comes in contact with unless (that item) is waxed properly. One of the first boats we ever made, we didn't get the mold waxed very good, and it adhered to the mold, and we spent several days getting it released."
Continued on page 29 learned young in life to a business partnership that began with jobs such as raising cattle, doing building and bridge construction, and operating a very successful fishing guide service on Bull Shoals Lake, the White River and Crooked Creek. It was that guide service that eventually led Forrest and Nina into the boatbuilding business. While they were able to book several float trips during the spring and summer, things would get pretty tough in the wintertime. As Forrest describes it, in order to keep his good guides on the payroll during the winter, they started building some plywood john boats. He knew of a man in town who was covering plywood boats with fiberglass to keep them from leaking, so Forrest thought he would go talk to the gentleman and learn how to do the same thing.
Forrest said that they really just started out making what he described as a "lake boat." But it so happened that it was the time when bass tournaments were starting up in earnest in the Southeast. He decided to attend one of the tournaments on Greers Ferry Lake to see if anyone was interested in buying boats from him.
"It was the first one I had ever gone to," Wood said. "Some friends and I went to fish the tournament, and I ended up selling a boat or two." One of those boats he sold was to Bill Dance, who went on to become a legend on the pro-fishing circuit. In 1968, Forrest and Nina Wood began Ranger Boats. Forrest had chosen the name Ranger because he felt it was a good, strong name, just like the Texas Rangers and the Army Rangers. The first six boats were built in what is now the local fire house in downtown Flippin. Manufacturing was then moved to an unoccupied dance hall on the edge of town that had been known as the Silver Star.
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM SEPTEMBER 2022 OKEECHOBEE 27 Continued from page 6
Even though there were a lot of hurdles to cross, including a tornado and growing debt, business began to flourish for Ranger Boats in the early to mid-1970s. Not by coincidence, that was the same time Wood began fishing the fast-growing Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS) tournament circuit. Even though he proved to be a respectable angler, qualifying for the Bassmasters Classic in 1971 and 1979, he was there to display and sell boats.
A lot of the pro anglers would sit down with Forrest and draw the design of the boat they wanted on the nearest piece of paper. Many times, he would end up going back to the factory with a sketch on a napkin in one hand and an order in the other. His employees knew what to do after that.
Brianna uses a Shimano Triton Mark 1 conventional reel and an 8’ Gator Rod that was passed down to her by her grandfather. Using a weighted treble hook, she casts beyond the gator and reels back in slowly. Once contact is made, she has little time to react and set the hook. We scope out the gators from the bed of my truck with high powered binoculars during the day, night vision and red lights during the night. Then once we spot one, we jump out of the truck bed and run on the opposite side of the bank so we don’t spook the gator. Then, we cast about 2-4 feet over their backs, reel in until we feel resistance and immediately set the hook. We then start the hour-long fight and get multiple lines on the gator in case one pops. Once on the bank we use the bang stick to humanely dispatch the gator. We use every inch of the gator from head to tail by sharing/giving away the meat, using the hide for custom knife sheaths and making head mounts.
BARNES
By Don Norton
2” GATOR
The question that comes to my mind is “how does she do it.”
Her grandfather, Melvin Morris – United States Army Special Forces during the Vietnam War was also the recipient of our nations highest honor, The Medal of Honor. So, it’s no wonder, 25-year-old Brianna, who is a firefighter/EMT, is pretty passionate about fishing and hunting alligators.
Capt. Simon Gator Barnes
Brianna grew up on Cape Canaveral Jetty and started fishing when she was only five, sharing the passion with her dad and grandfather. Her father, Simon Barnes is a retired Palm Beach County Sheriff’s office captain who carried the nickname, Gator, in his first police department because they would call him to help wrestle down nuisance alligators they’d run across during their shifts.
ANDBRIANNABARNESHER11’
Melvin Morris Medal of Honor Recipient
Imagine hooking into a 483-pound alligator with a fishing rod, and actually getting it to shore. That’s exactly what Brianna (BB) Barnes did when she and her friends landed this 11-foot beast in Clewiston on opening day last year.
28 OKEECHOBEE SEPTEMBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
Don “Red” Norton has been a professional bass fishing guide for the last 25 years on Lake Istokpoga, and other lakes in 863-273-4998BookYourTripTODAY
Ranger hallmark is attention to detail, including early additions like carpeting and running rod racks. Over the years, the decks of the boats have been raised and widened to provide more room and to allow for the extended use of certain fishing techniques. There have also been special designs developed to better accommodate fishing equipment like depth finders and trolling motors. Heavy-duty 6-gauge trolling-motor wire was also added to increase efficiency.
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– Randy Hopper, President, Ranger Boats Forrest Wood and Randy Hopper
Continued from page 27
Innovations such as the revolutionary molded fiberglass stringer system; molding the liner of the boat interior in one piece and gluing the consoles in afterwards; creating a VS engine setback design to provide better engine performance; a power distributing transom with integral fiberglass gussets and flotation tanks; and a fluid-driven steering system that has made cable steering almost obsolete are Ranger hallmarks.
His boat is a 2021 Ranger Z520 L, with a 250 h.p. Mercury outboard motor. He provides state-of-the-art equipment, artificial lures and safety equipment .
From the moment that Forrest Wood fished his first bass tournament, Ranger Boats was all about fishing. With safety of the boater in mind, Ranger led the way to new U.S. Coast Guard Flotation Standards in 1972. In 1973, Forrest's aerated livewell was patented and eventually became standard on RangerAnotherboats.
Ranger Bass Boats of today are nothing like the boats from the 1970’s or 1980’s. As the years passed, innovations and even greater attention to detail made Ranger Boats the best-selling bass boat in America, and the number one choice of many bass fishing professionals.Editor's Note: Surrounded by his loving family, Forrest L. Wood, 87, of Flippin, Arkansas, passed peacefully into eternity on January 25, 2020.
One of the key concepts Ranger has kept in the design of its boats through the years is what has been termed as a "one-piece feel." This has been achieved by using foam as the primary flotation material and inserting it into almost every cavity of the boat. The foam is a very strong and rigid material but very lightweight.
interested in making something that anyone would buy. We were interested in the top of the market. You get that by making a quality product." In the early '70s, most bass boats were very narrow and straight with a somewhat flat bottom. But the design engineers at Ranger figured out that a V-shaped hull and wider beam would provide for a much better ride and a lot more room for fishermen to move around inside the boats. As the overall design of the boats changed, so did the size. The boats got bigger and bigger. Ranger was the first fishing boat builder to factory rig outboards.
"The deck and hull are permanently foamed together to create that one-piece feel," Hopper said. "It's not like most other competitors, where you could actually take the deck off the boats. Once ours is together it stays that way. The advantage of that is when you are crossing waves on a lake, you don't have that resonant sound like a bass drum that comes from two independent parts. It's a boat that moves together all in one piece."
“I vividly remember riding in my first Ranger boat. We put an engine on it and took it to the lake. It was quite an experience for me, and I never forgot it. Sitting in a boat, watching it hit the waves and feeling vibrations – you get a real feel for the boat, and there is no substitute for that.”
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We are now in our 75th year and working hard for our community and customers! 8:26c Thank you to all of our customers for your business! We are now in our 75th year and fourth generation of family working hard for our community and customers!
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Eight Tagged
The eight remaining pink-tagged bass are still swimming in the following Florida waterbodies: Lake George, Lake Talquin, Lake Walk-in-Water, Tenoroc Fish Management Area, Lake Trafford, Lake Istokpoga, Lake Rousseau and Johns Lake. With the 10-Tag promotion ending Sept. 30, FWC is dropping hints by way of online maps showing the area where each of the remaining bass were tagged. These new tagging maps of the remaining lakes could lead lucky anglers to the pink-taggedThroughbass.Florida bass telemetry and tagging studies, FWC biologists have found that where a largemouth bass is tagged and released can frequently coincide with where an angler catches the same bass weeks, months or even yearsDewlater.caught his 10-Tag bass within yards of where the fish was released with its pink tag in Lake Griffin. Of course, these hints come with a caveat: while bass can be predictable, there are many exceptions to their typical home range patterns and some bass are not homebodies at all. In contrast to Dew’s catch, the second reported 10-Tag bass caught by RJ Crawford in Newnans Lake was more than 3 miles from where it was tagged. These hints don’t eliminate water in which a 10-Tag bass might be found but should be treated as higher-probability areas. View each of the ranges on the maps located on the 10-Tag Celebration web page. For more information, go www.trophycatchflorida.com.to Bass Worth Thousands in Lakes
Still Swim
14 FLORIDA SEPTEMBER 2022 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
The first pink-tagged bass was caught by Florida angler Dale Dew from Lake Griffin on May 22. Florida angler RJ Crawford caught the second pink-tagged bass from Newnans Lake on June 11. Both anglers were awarded $5,000 Bass Pro gift cards and $1,000 AFTCO gift cards. They will also be entered in a drawing for an additional $10,000, which will be awarded at a ceremony this fall.
Florida
With a deadline of Sept. 30, eight tagged largemouths worth thousands of dollars are still swimming in Florida waters.In celebration of Season 10 of FWC’s TrophyCatch big bass program, FWC tagged 10 largemouth bass with bright pink tags in Florida lakes. Just two of those pink-tagged largemouths had been caught as of presstime, so eight are still out there waiting for anglers to catch them and collect thousands of dollars worth of gift cards.
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM SEPTEMBER 2022 FLORIDA 15
The Florida Sport Fish Restoration R3 Fishing Grant will award up to 40 high school fishing clubs or teams $500 to assist with club expenses and the purchase of fishing licenses or gear for participants. Participating clubs and teams will receive an updated educational curriculum comprised of lessons and activities on fisheries conservation and resource management, plus a chance to win prizes by completing the program’s Conservation Project.“The School Fishing Club program is an important program for teaching the next generation of anglers about ethical angling and conservation in Florida,” said Director of Marine Fisheries Management Jessica McCawley. “I look forward to seeing the hard work and creativity each club puts into their conservation project activities each year to help preserve the health and quality of aquatic habitats.”
B ack-to-school season is underway and Florida parents, teachers and school staff can apply for funding to support school fishing clubs for students. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) 2022-23 School Fishing Club Program, previously named the High School Fishing Program, offers school fishing clubs or teams the opportunity to apply for the Florida R3 Fishing Grant. The application period is open until Sept. 16. This grant program is focused on engaging youth anglers to ensure the future of fishing in Florida.
Apply for a Grant to Support School Fishing Clubs
The grant program is open to new or existing freshwater and/or saltwater fishing clubs or teams at public, private and charter schools throughout Florida. To be considered for the grant, school fishing clubs or teams must have a minimum of five members and be represented by a school faculty member or parent who will follow the provided instructor’s manual.Thedeadline for submitting applications is Sept. 16, 2022 at 5 p.m. The application can be found online at MyFWC.com/SFC by scrolling down to “Florida’s R3 Fishing Grant Program.” Applicants can complete the form online or download the application to submit by mail or e-mail. Submit the downloaded applications to R3Fishing@MyFWC.com or mail them to: FWC’s Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management Attn: School Fishing Club Program Grant 620 S. Meridian St., Tallahassee, FL 32399. The 2022-23 School Fishing Club Program is supported by partners including Mud Hole Custom Tackle, Pure Fishing, Coastal Conservation Association and Baitstick Fishing. For more information, contact Brandon Stys at Brandon.Stys@MyFWC.com.
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Bay scallop season is winding down along the west coast of Florida. In most zones it will continue well into September, so here are some tips to help you have fun on the water and maybe pick up a last-minute limit.
• Find Your Spot: The most common advice on finding a good scalloping area is to look for the boats. It’s good advice. The flotilla bearing diver-down flags is hard to miss when you find it. Be courteous, give everyone plenty of room and drive the boat slowly, keeping an eye out for swimmers.
• Clean Them Quickly: An alternative to keeping scallops alive is to just clean them right away. There should be at least one person in the boat at all times, and this person can clean the scallops while the rest of the team is searching. Scallops open up when they are put on ice, so chunk them in a cooler and clean them while you’re on the water. You can discard the shells into the bay.
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM SEPTEMBER 2022 FLORIDA 19
• Hunt the Slack Tides: Finding scallops is generally easiest on a slack tide during calm days when currents are minimal. When the water is still, seagrass stands up straight, and it’s easier to spot scallops at the base of the grass.•Look in the Sand: Pay attention to those sandy potholes on the grass flats. Scallops like grass, but they are easier to see against a sandy bottom. Many times, if you spot one on the sand, there will be several in the grass around it.
• Keep Them Alive: Storing scallops in a livewell is a great idea if you’ve got one. They can also be kept in a cooler of ice, but be careful to drain the freshwater out of the cooler as the ice melts because it will kill your scallops. You want them to be living right up until you clean them.
• Search in a Pattern: Some divers search in a grid by swimming a straight line out from the boat and then moving sideways 5 or 10 yards before returning to the boat in a straight line. This way you’ll always be looking at fresh bottom.
• Be Sure to Hydrate and keep yourself greased up with sunscreen. Also, know the seasons, limits and safety regulations for the area you’re scallop hunting.
For more information, including complete rules and regulations, go to MyFWC.com.
TIPS FOR BETTER SCALLOPING By CAM Staff Charters.FishingGrassRockofcourtesyPhoto
• Slow Down: If you find one scallop, slow down and search the area thoroughly. There’s usually another one nearby.
One trick to finding productive bottom is to pull a keen-eyed diver on a rope at idle speed. This will help cover water quickly, and once old eagle eye spots a few, you can put out the anchor.
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D epending on where you fish on Florida’s east coast, the mullet schools have either already arrived or they are on the way. Each fall, mullet flood down the coast in an enormous migration to their spawning grounds off south Florida. Along the way, they are assaulted by everything that eats fish. It’s a special time to be an angler. Here are some of the basics of fishing the mullet run to help you get in on the action.
Bait is Everywhere: Live bait is king when it comes to getting bit. A single good throw of the cast net should provide all the bait you need once you find a good school of mullet. Many anglers prefer fishing 5- to 8-inch mullet, because they’re small enough to cast and they’ll draw strikes from fish of all sizes. However, if big tarpon are pounding a bait school, some anglers swear a foot-long mullet catches bigger fish. Either way, freelined mullet are tough to beat. Gamefish look for isolated and injured baits on the outside of the school. Your mullet, hooked just behind the anal fin, will look like the perfect meal as it struggles to stay near the surface. For more on the mullet run, go to coastalanglermag.com.
schools of mullet as they move down the coast. These are perfect feeding areas for gamefish because they provide ambush points as well structure to herd mullet against. Loud and Proud: When it comes to fishing artificials, anything that resembles a mullet is likely to get slammed around actively feeding fish. The hard part is getting marauding fish to notice your lure among thousands of real mullet. This is the time to make a commotion. Early in the mornings, loud topwater plugs that pop, walk-the-dog and throw a lot of water around will get noticed. When the topwater bite slows, it’s time to break out sub-surface plugs, spoons or paddletails on jigheads. Cast around the edges of the bait pods, because gamefish often target baitfish that stray from the pod.
THE MULLET ARE COMING!
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Find the Bait: Giant schools of bait pull all of the gamefish out of their summer patterns. Tarpon, redfish, snook, jacks, flounder, sharks, Spanish mackerel, bluefish and more transition from whatever they were doing and begin tailing and herding mullet pods. The predatory fish move with their food source. As an angler, you’re wasting your time if you’re not on top of the action.From a boat or from the beach, keep moving until you see fishy looking water. It’s unmistakable when you witness mullet fleeing from leaping jacks and tarpon, but the action can sometimes be harder to spot. Wear your polarized shades, keep the sun at your back and look for diving birds and the ripples of nervous water. There will be gamefish wherever there are huge schools of bait. Also, stay current with mullet activity in your area by sharing information with other anglers and being a regular at the local bait shops.
Check the Pinch Points: Seawalls, rocky shorelines, jetties and any other structure that juts from the shore will consolidate and channel
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BLUEFIN SPAWN STUDIED OFF NORTHEASTERN U.S.
For as much as we do know about the ocean and the species we love to pursue as anglers, it’s amazing the things still left to be discovered. A scientific paper recently published in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences presents evidence that the Slope Sea off the northeastern coast of the United States is a major spawning ground for Atlantic bluefin tuna. The Slope Sea is an area of the Atlantic bounded to the north and west by the northeast United States Continental Shelf and to the south by the Gulf Stream. Science to this point had identified two populations of Atlantic bluefins. One returns to the Gulf of Mexico to spawn and another spawns in the Mediterranean Sea. A 2016 paper established the Slope Sea as a third spawning ground for the species, and this most recent research suggests the Slope Sea is a good place to be a larval bluefin. Researchers used plankton nets to collect larvae in the Slope Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. They compared larval growth in the two regions by studying larval otoliths, which are small bones found in the heads of tuna. Researchers also conducted larval transport simulations to estimate the movement of larvae floating in ocean currents forward and backward in time to evaluate the origin of the larvae. What they found was evidence that Slope Sea tuna larvae grow at a similar rate as those in the Gulf of Mexico. The paper notes that an additional spawning site likely offers resilience for the species in the face of harvest as well as climate change. For more information, read the research at cdnsciencepub.com.
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Florida angler John Kelly seems to have figured out how to catch big snook with a fly rod. According to the International Game Fish Association, Kelly caught this beautiful 88-centimeter (almost 35inch) snook with a crab pattern on the Indian River Lagoon on July 28. Snook longer than 40 inches are caught pretty regularly from Florida waters, so this one isn’t a true monster. However, IGFA said it could potentially set the all-tackle length fly world record for the species, replacing Kelly’s own record for an 86-centimeter snook he caught in early June. On top of that, Kelly submitted another application for a 91-centimeter snook he landed in early August. These potential records are currently pending and under review by IGFA. Records or not, it’s probably safe to say that Kelly has something figured out about targeting slob snook with fly tackle. For more information, go to igfa.org. a
SLOB SNOOK ON THE FLY Nestled on six lush tropical acres of pristine waterfront directly on the Indian River Lagoon, take
