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PELAGIC HUNTING TOOLS

DOWNSIZE FOR INSHORE ACTION VOLUME 27 • ISSUE 325

PHOTO COURTESY OF JUSTIN HOOVER IG: @REDFISHING321 / YOUTUBE: THE BACKWATER ANGLER

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SIGHT FISHING By Nick Carter

“It’s about as close to Florida as you can get. You’re nglers are drawn to SUPs for many reasons. For Justin Hoover, the allure immersed in the mangroves,” Hoover said. “Most of a paddleboard is the style of fishing it of the time I’m alone for 10 or 12 hours a day on a paddleboard because nobody can reach where I’m at. allows. Hoover is from Brevard County, Florida. The fish… they’ve never seen people. It makes it really For more than 30 years, he has explored easy for me, and it makes it really enjoyable.” Hoover only targets fish he sees and studies their the backwaters and flats of central Florida’s Atlantic coast, where big fish push into super body language before making a cast. He can tell by skinny water that’s inaccessible to conventional looking if a fish is likely to eat his lure, particularly redfish, which clamp down their fins and “snake” along boats. “There’s nothing else better. It’s literally the shoreline when they’re actively feeding. “I’m looking for wakes, pushes, busts on the hunting, almost by foot,” he said of his passion. “I draft 2 inches. It makes it easier to travel to places shoreline and tails. If I’m not seeing any of that or you can’t reach, especially those back areas where seeing something that gives me that feeling there could big redfish will go back and pretty much retire for be a fish in this pocket, I’m moving on,” he said. Covering water quickly is Hoover’s primary tactic. the rest of their life.” Hoover’s platform of choice is a LIVE He advised newcomers to the sport to keep moving. “Cover the ground. That’s the easiest way to catch Watersports L2Fish board. It is a 12-foot catamaranstyle SUP that is super quiet and stable. He is a fish,” he said. “Don’t get stuck in one spot on a certain minimalist in terms of gear, preferring to hit the group of fish. Just constantly keep moving. You’ll end water with just a pocket full of lures, three rods up finding that fish that’s going to bite.” His favorite targets are redfish, snook, tarpon and and a cooler that serves as a seat and dry storage. He does most of his fishing with a medium-light black drum. “When I go out, all of them are on the list,” Hoover spinning rod and also carries a heavy spinning rod in case he sees a really big fish as well as a fly said. “I’m going down the line. I’m going straight to rod for subtle presentations. The lures he fishes their house, knocking on the door and saying, ‘Hey, are are mostly ultra-realistic Chasebaits soft plastics. you hungry today?’ If not, then I’m moving on to the He rarely throws topwater because the water is next fish.” It sounds like a lot of fun. so shallow that fish can’t get an angle on surface baits. Check out Justin Hoover on Facebook, Instagram and watch his Youtube channel The Backwater Angler.

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Suzuki Unveils New V6 for Performance Boats S uzuki Marine previewed the new flagship of its SS (Sport Series) motors at the Bassmaster Classic in March. This new engine, the DF250SS V6 4-Stroke, is a high-performance outboard engineered to deliver extra kick for today’s performance-based boats. It is sized and designed for bass boats, bay boats and shallowwater applications. New for 2022, the DF250ATSS is the first SS Series outboard to feature compatibility with Suzuki’s state-of-the-art Suzuki Precision Control (SPC) electronic shift and throttle system that will integrate with Suzuki’s Digital Pro-Pedal Foot Throttle. Suzuki SS outboards were created to bring powerful hole shot, strong mid-range pull and great fuel economy to anglers and boaters. Now, by integrating with Suzuki’s proven SPC system, boaters can add crisp, responsive shifting, silky smooth acceleration and sports car-like operation to the mix. In addition to Suzuki’s SPC integration, the new DF250SS features a new lower unit gear case with an asymmetrically designed skeg. This new design slices through the water efficiently for improved performance, while providing enhanced steering stability. Inside this streamlined case are powerful gears for delivering plenty of low-end torque and the ability to swing a larger propeller.

More options include the newly updated intake system, the updated Thrust Mount system to reduce engine vibration and deliver stable operation under high loads, and a new line of Watergrip propellers designed to enhance overall performance. The new Suzuki Big-Block V6 engine design ensures that the DF250ATSS not only delivers exhilarating hole shot, but also eye-watering acceleration all the way to wide-open throttle. Today’s premium performance boats need to look as good as they perform, and the new DF250SS also includes a new revised cowling design that features additional louvers, upper cover grips and new updated “SS” graphics. Suzuki continues with the popular Matte Black color as well as Suzuki’s optional new White. It is available in 20” (L) and 25” (XL) shaft lengths to accommodate different boat styles. In addition to the new DF250ATSS model, Suzuki is also adding a new 115hp SS outboard for 2022. Suzuki’s new DF115SS outboard is ideal for smaller bass boats, aluminum fishing boats, flats skiffs and other vessels that need high performance with light weight. With this latest inline 4-cylinder model added to the line-up, Suzuki Marine now offers a range of high-performance SS Series outboards in 115hp, 200hp and 250hp.

Like all Suzuki 4-stroke outboards, these new SS Series models are backed by the company’s leading 5-Year Limited Factory Warranty, providing anglers with the ultimate in confidence and security. To learn more about the new 250hp and 115hp additions to Suzuki’s popular SS Series family— or the company’s complete line of technically advanced 4-stroke outboards from 2.5 to 350 horsepower — contact Suzuki Marine USA headquarters at (813) 687-7200 or visit www.suzukimarine.com.

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NATIONAL 7

BIG FISH Kayak Catch & Release

ou’ve done it! Thousands of casts, dozens of early alarms, countless cups of coffee, and now there’s a monster fish on the hook, and from your kayak, no less! It’s a feat to be proud of. However, if you plan on releasing that fish, your attention should soon turn to proper handling techniques, which ensure safety for you and the fish. A sprinkle of chaos is expected when bringing a big fish into a small, plastic boat, but a few easy steps can ensure the fish goes home safely.

1. Keep Them Wet! Regardless of species, once you’ve netted or attached lip-grips to a fish, keep them in the water as much as possible. This is always true if you need to set up a camera, grab pliers or lay out a measuring board, and it’s especially important in summer months, when release mortality increases due to warmer water. I prefer to use lip grips on bigger catches, since it mitigates the need to untangle a large, fired up fish from a net. Storing commonly used tools nearby is also key, particularly in a kayak where space is limited. Once you’re set up, it’s time for a photo or a measurement!

By Matt Stone

2. Holding Techniques If there’s one thing anglers universally love, it’s the “hero shot.” You know, the one where you and maybe your buddy grin widely while posing with a monster catch. I’m a big fan of hero shots, and of taking them properly. Handling the fish safely is key here, and that means keeping hands away from their gills, holding them horizontally and supporting their belly. Never weigh big fish vertically on a scale. This point is often debated in angling circles, and I respect both schools of thought, but I go with horizontal holds because I think the photos come out better. With length and girth measurements, you can figure out a rough weight, anyway. Now, smile big and grab that picture… and no straight-arming!

3. Respect and Revive Properly reviving big catches is important. It ensures continuity of strong genetics, allows a future angler a chance at the same fish, and it simply feels good knowing you’ve encountered an incredible animal and returned it home safely. Face the fish into current, open its mouth, and if possible, pedal or paddle your kayak to get water flowing over their gills. Revival can take anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. A fish is ready to go when it raises its dorsal spines and lightly clamps onto your hand, or straight up kicks off and swims away like a rocket. If you don’t already emphasize this process, I encourage you to not only take revival time, but to enjoy it! Thank the fish, watch them swim off and get casting again! Everyone should have a process for catch-and-release fishing. Above all, if you plan on releasing a fish, show it respect and reverence for the experience it has given you. Matt Stone is a teacher from Chester, Conn. and a pro staffer for Old Town and Daiwa as well as a member of the Black Hall Outfitters Fishing Team. Check him out on Instagram @sunrisekayakfishing.

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NATIONAL 9

YAMAHA 210 FSH

here’s something unmistakably cool about the iconic design of center console boats. They are the sports utility vehicle of the boating world. Yamaha’s 210 FSH center console boats are a modern take on the classic center console design, focusing on greater versatility made possible by Yamaha’s patented jet-drive technology. Unlike other center console brands with outboard motors that dominate the stern, the 210’s dual engines and driveline are housed in the hull underneath the captain’s leaning post, providing a true 360-degree experience perfect for fishing. And because no outboard motor lower units are protruding under the boat, the shallow draft can get you in and out of places that other center console boats can’t access. These boats include all the features fishing enthusiasts require as well as family features perfect for an entire day out on the water to include watersports, swimming and lounging – all in the same boat and at a competitive price starting under $46,000. The 210 FSH is available in two variations, the 210 FSH Deluxe and 210 FSH Sport. The 210 FSH Deluxe comes with wiring for dual batteries, stainless steel rub-rail, head compartment curtain, a trolling motor mount, and premium seating/cushions. The 210 FSH Sport comes with Deluxe features and the addition of a custom T-top. Both models come with Yamaha’s award-winning TR-1 High Output marine engines. Located under the starboard bow seat is an insulated fish locker, and there is a dedicated locker for a full-size Danforth anchor. There is more storage below the port bow seat, in the sole, and inside two large consoles. In front of the helm console is more seating, and the console lifts to reveal an extra deep, large storage area that can also serve as a changing room or a head compartment. The helm is thoughtfully designed with convenient access to all boat control switches, a locking glove box, and an open area to flush mount electronics such as a fishfinder, a GPS unit and other marine electronics. The 210 FSH comes equipped with Yamaha’s 4.3-inch Connext Touchscreen Display, which is NMEA compatible to send vital engine information to third-party electronics. The transom area on the FSH Series is unlike any other center console

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SPECIFICATIONS Yamaha 210 FSH LENGTH: 21’ 3” WEIGHT: 3,003 lbs. BEAM: 8’ 6” DRAFT: 17” DEADRISE: 20 degree SEATING CAPACITY: 10 FUEL CAPACITY: 50 Gallons boat on the market. Since the engine and drive train are mounted in the hull, the entire back of the boat is open for unobstructed casting, towing and enjoying activities at the stern. Moreover, the boat’s leaning post is convertible and can be flipped back toward the helm for added comfort and versatility. The 210 FSH features Yamaha’s signature two-tier swim platform that sits low at the water’s edge. A retractable stern ladder makes reboarding after swimming a breeze. The transom also includes a tow eye for watersports. And like all Yamaha boats, the 210 FSH features Yamaha’s patented clean-out ports that allow for removing debris from the jet pump without having to get in the water or swim under the boat. VISIT WWW.YAMAHABOATS.COM TO LEARN MORE.

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NATIONAL 11

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GO HOG WILD

By Will Schmidt

t wasn’t that long ago when we all thought the only way to get hogfish was to take a plunge with a spear gun. Now-a-days, it’s considered one of the most action-packed trips you can take, albeit a lot of the action is weeding through the plethora of other fish that come to the party.

Despite decades of thinking hook-and-line hogfishing was impossible, they are actually easy to catch. Tackle requirements are very modest; medium spinning tackle is plenty stout. Rigging is simple, too, a knocker rig with a 2-ounce egg sinker and a #4 circle hook is all you need. No swivel is needed to separate the sinker and hook, as you want your bait right on the bottom. Let the sinker slide all the way to the hook. Hog Balls can be deadly as well, but remember when using natural bait a circle hook is a must (it’s the law). Other than that, you’ll need plenty of shrimp, 4 to 5 dozen per person. Hogfish tend to hang out in areas with plenty of grunts, triggerfish and small grouper, which all seem to be much quicker to eat than hogfish. You’ll need to weed through their friends to get to your hogfish dinner. The good news is, all the other fish lead to an action-packed adventure perfect for kids and impatient anglers, alike. Many people use whole shrimp, but I’ve found half shrimp are equally effective and help the bait go further. Finding hogfish is not that difficult either. They like good hard bottom, especially areas with sea fans and nice ledges. You’ll need to start in at least 35 feet, and I’ve had great trips all the way out to 100 feet and deeper. If you don’t already have a few spots in your arsenal, mapping software like Garmin’s Navionics Vision+ can help you find good places to start. You can even use it on a tablet to scout spots from your couch before you go. Once you are there, if the action isn’t almost immediate, move to the next spot. These fish tend to hang out around hungry schools of buddies. The fun really starts once hogfish join the party. They are hard fighters and unlike the others that tend to just pull straight down, hogs will run side to side and are a blast on light tackle. Best of all, hogfish make great table fare and taste similar to snapper, which they are often misclassified as. They are actually a species of wrasse. It is important to be careful handling undersized fish. Hogfish are hermaphrodites. All of them are females until they reach a certain size and maturity when some become males. Since smaller fish are crucial to reproduction, they should be handled gingerly to give them the best chance at survival. Will Schmidt is a seasoned tournament angler who has been writing about fishing from more than two decades. For a great hogfish trip, contact Capt. Troy Leaf at Sureelfishing.com.

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College Scouts Witness Stellar High School Fishing on “The Big O”

his spring marked the launch of a much-anticipated partnership between NSR Fishing and Florida BASS Nation at the South Trail and Spring Trail events at Lake Okeechobee. The mission for NSR (National Scouting Report) is simple. NSR Fishing is building a database of qualified high school anglers for use by college coaches across the country. Florida produces some of the best talent in tournament bass fishing, and NSR scouts were excited to get out on the “Big O” to identify young anglers showcasing their skills and knowledge of the lake. National Scouting Report CEO Rusty Rigney was honored to be the keynote speaker for the Florida BASS Nation pre-tournament meeting. Glenn Cale, Florida BASS Nation Director, said as he introduced Rigney: “NSR has been working with athletes and their families in traditional sports for over 40 years. Now, they are here to see what you Florida anglers are all about.” Rigney detailed the full NSR program with the anglers and their families. He told them: “We are looking for the best anglers in the state of Florida. It’s not just about wins and finishes, it’s about becoming the complete angler that can bring real value to a collegiate program.” Saturday, Feb. 12 set up perfect with bluebird skies and more than 170 South Trail anglers hitting the water. NSR scouts were out filming and evaluating many teams in the points race for the year, but there was also a lot of buzz about a few teams that had large bags of fish. At weigh-ins, Connor Swindle and Max Lofton of the Hendry County HS Bassmasters placed third with 20.15 pounds. Michael John Teate jr. and Evan Newell of Mid Florida Youth Anglers finished second with 21.88 pounds.

bl Drew Pitts and Luke Romesburg of the Tampa Bay Jr Bass Club stole the show and took home first place with a giant five-bass limit of 32.18 pounds. Sunday welcomed another 170-plus boats for the Spring Trail tournament. NSR scouts were anxious to get on the water to see how young anglers would adjust to higher winds and rain that were moving in early Sunday. Many predicted lower weights. However, six high school anglers from the Okeechobee Brahmans team proved everyone wrong, taking the top three spots. Joshua King and Hunter Daniels brought in the heaviest sack of the day with 30.35 pounds. Behind them were Lane Davis and Korbyn Lewes with 24.81 pounds. Third place went to Rafe Sexton and Hillary Martin with 23.16 pounds. With two 30-plus-pound bags of fish and many over 20, several Florida high school anglers made a case to be considered NSR 5 Star Anglers. NSR Fishing’s search for the best anglers in the country continues over the next couple months with scouts heading to legendary fisheries like Lake Guntersville, Lake Seminole and Lake Palestine, where more of the best anglers in the country will show off their skills.

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By Richard Matteson

April Surf Fishing on the Treasure Coast

pril is windy and will be the last good month of fishing for many of the winter fish like pompano, mackerel and bluefish, before they move north. Some of these fish, especially bluefish, will remain but in relatively small numbers. Pompano can be caught all month on the beach with orange fish bites and sand fleas. In the Indian River Lagoon, try jigging from the bridges with pompano jigs (chartreuse or hot pink) on moving tides. I’ve also caught random pompano in the lagoon on ¼-ounce jigs with a 4-inch tail (white). Permit have also been caught on the beach on small crabs, fish bites or large sand fleas. Both permit and pompano are usually 50 to 70 yards offshore. The mackerel bite is still good on the beach early in the morning and when bait is present. The early morning bite is in the trough around the close breakers. Small spoons (1-ounce silver crocodile or gold Johnson spoons) with treble hooks seem to work best, but the fish will hit any lure retrieved quickly near the surface. The mackerel are still in the Peck’s Lake area, where you need to fish from a boat. The bluefish bite has been sporadic with fish chasing bait. The bluefish bite has been best in early morning or when bait is present. Some large snook are being caught in deeper water of the St. Lucie River both North and South forks, at the Crossroads and around deep piers and bridges. Large Tomahawk jigs and live or cut bait fished early in the morning, at dusk or at night work the best. There are still some snook on the beach, but rarely. April is a month you can harvest one snook between the 28”- 32” slot. Trout are scattered in the lagoon and can be caught on jigs and topwater lures like a Skitterwalk or Zara Spook on warm afternoons. The best trout areas are north from the power plant to the Vero Beach flats. The flounder bite is still good on small jigs and live bait on the flats and around the bridges. Some redfish have been caught on jigs tipped with live shrimp from the power plant north. It’s best to target mangroves on high tide in the afternoon. As usual, there are scattered schools of ladyfish and jacks cruising the beaches. Some nice jacks in the 5- to10-pound range have been taken on jigs and shallow-running crankbaits. The ladyfish and jack bite has been good when bait is present. Remember, see the birds, find the bait, catch the fish! Richard Matteson is a long-time contributor to Coastal Angler Magazine who is dedicated to Stuart Rod and Reel Club. Contact him at (336) 414-3440.

6 FLORIDA

APRIL 2022

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C MLF PRO MATT STEFAN AND MUD HOLE CUSTOM TACKLE JOIN FORCES

ud Hole Custom Tackle, the world leader in rod building and custom tackle crafting, and Matt Stefan, established Major League Fishing professional and custom rod builder, have agreed to an exclusive sponsorship for the 2022 MLF season. “On the water and off, Matt Stefan is a true professional and has really established himself as one of Major League Fishing’s top contenders,” said Steve Sweeney, Managing Director of Marketing & Communications at Mud Hole Custom Tackle. “The fact that Matt has proven great success on the water with his own custom-built rods makes him an ideal angler to promote our core business. We are so pleased to grow our relationship with Matt and we look forward to an amazing 2022 season.” Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Matt Stefan is a 7-time FLW Forrest Wood Cup/MLF Title Championship qualifier with three top 10 placements in MLF competition and over $500,000 in career earnings. When not tackling largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass on the tour with his custom-built rods, Matt enjoys following the stock market and fishing for fun with his wife and two sons in their hometown of Junction City, WI. “I’m really excited about collaborating with the Mud Hole team and taking our relationship to the next level,” said Stefan. “I’ve been building custom rods with Mud Hole, MHX and CRB for years and have enjoyed incremental success every season. I’m looking forward to sharing my passion for professional fishing and for custom rod building with anglers everywhere.” For more information, visit mudhole.com.

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“Supporting CFOA Marine Foundation”

Bloom Wins BFL on the Harris Chain of Lakes By CAM Staff

Our Club would like to extend a huge thank you to all the anglers who supported our recent fundraiser tournament out of Boat Tree Marina on the St Johns River in Sanford. We set a new record number of boats - 57 fishing teams, plus a record setting crowd for the weigh-in. We broke the record of huge 5 bass limits to the scales, and a new record for largest 5 Bass limit at over 33.50 pounds! One more record, the Big-Bass was over 9 lbs. This event was our largest of all time. The money raised will help fund tournament entry costs, travel, lodging, fuel, etc. for the Junior Anglers Club and those teams that will be traveling to the National High School Tournament this summer in Alabama. By now we have all turned our clocks ahead 1 hour and I hope we are enjoying one more hour of day light to fish. These longer days and extended evening sunlight will help to warm up our waterways. Bass fishing has been exceptional in recent weeks. The spawn is just starting to fade with the full moon in March. Most post spawn fish will head out to deeper water in hopes of finding bait fish. There have been some shad spawns seen lately in the Harris Chain. The bream and shell cracker will start to spawn in a few weeks too. As the water warms up, get out early and maybe in the later evenings and try flipping or pitching a senko around lily pads, dollar pads, buggy whips, or reeds. A swim jig works well too in this same vegetation.

Joey Bloom of Winter Springs, FL won the re-scheduled Bass Fishing League event on the Harris Chain of Lakes with a 5 bass limit weighing 22 pounds 7 ounces. Due to having one deceased bass, Bloom got a 4-ounce penalty - he ended up in a tie with Devin Vandalen of Umatilla, FL. The pair split the money for first and second and both ended up with forty-five hundred bucks for their efforts. Bloom who has had lots of success on the Harris Chain over the last two years, weighed in a 29 pound plus bag last year in a team event fishing with his partner from high school fishing with Seminole Junior Anglers. Bloom is an Alumni of the local Seminole Junior Anglers high school program. Joey and his and fishing partner had several Top 10 finishes in the years he fished the SJA tournaments. Joey Bloom is also fishing the MLF Toyota Series. He is fresh off a Top 50 finish at the recent event on Lake Okeechobee. This is his first year fishing the Toyota Series and to compete and get a check fishing against some of the best anglers in the southeast is quite a feat for this young professional bass angler. There were 260 boats in that event and less than 6 pounds separated 30 anglers between 20th and 50th place. When talking to Joey about his recent win he said, “My success is mostly because I’ve learned to use fish finder electronics and I’m actually able to recognize hard shell bottom and see the fish I’m targeting.” Bloom caught his winning bag fishing off-shore shell-bars with hard bottom and scattered grass on a 13 Fishing Bubble Butt worm and the old stand-by a lipless crankbait. He mentioned that it was great to win his first event on a lake where he has had a lot of previous success and to have his family and support group there at the weigh-in. His next event in a BFL will be back on Lake Okeechobee then to the next Toyota Series event in North Carolina on Santee-Cooper Lakes. Congrats to Bloom for his first win and we wish him the best of luck in his upcoming events.

I’d like to share the recent success our team of Thomas Wright and Carter Burdette had on Lake Okeechobee last month. They earned a top 10 finish in their last tournament with nearly 15 lbs. each day. They earned some valuable National and State points. Your Seminole Junior Anglers squad is still leading the Club of Year points race for Florida Bass Nation High School. We can’t do any of this without the help and support of our community partners, volunteers, and captains. A big thank you to all who helps these high school student anglers. We are always looking for donations towards our travel, lodging, and fuel costs. We are a 5013C corporation. If you know of a high school student who wants to fish or you’d like to help sponsor our club, please don’t hesitate to ask how you can help. Call me, Dave DiMauro – Club Director, 407-353-4575.

6 ORLANDO

APRIL 2022

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

Bass bass eased Devin econd fforts. e last event Junior nglers everal

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holes. Target the dropoff when you find the shad deep. In the lakes, find old bass beds and throw a Carolina rig. Fish will move in on these beds likely for the last time this year around the full and new moons. After these moon phases the bass Largemouth bass and black will be hungry and eating. crappie are nearing the end of their spawning season – but Crappie will be taken by jigging don’t be sad; schooling bass, near bridge pilings, or around sunshine bass, big catfish and the many sunken trees left stringers full of bluegill are from the hurricanes avoiding us waiting for anglers’ timely placed of late. Catfish – the big cats spawn is triggered by big rains. offerings. Two to three days following a Shad schools are moving back heavy rain, you can find them into the lakes, and the schooling ready to take a piece of peeled bass are feeding heavily on fresh shrimp in any deep river them. Rattle Traps and jerk bend or near creek mouths. bait soft plastics will work well in Alas, stripers (sunshine bass deeper water. Look for raining here in the St. Johns) are schools of shad (or minnows) back. Use shad imitations or near creek mouths, or where live shiners along the channel the river enters and exits edges between the I-4 Bridge Monroe, Harney, and Jessup. and downtown Sanford for Dropoffs near river bends will striper fun. Watch for insect hold schools of bass waiting hatches on the river then break for the current to push bait up. out the fly rod. Poppers and When you can’t see the shad on floating bugs will entice bass top, you can sometimes locate and bluegill for sure. them with your fishfinder in deep

Springtime weather makes the fishing hot on the Harris Chain of lakes. All species have been happy and willing to eat if you spend some time on the water. Bass and crappie are entering into the final stages of their annual spawning cycles with the next full or new moon and the shellcracker and bluegill just beginning to arrive in the shallows. Let’s start with the specks. The lakes that are producing good crappie numbers and sizes would be Beauclair, and Dora. Don’t be afraid to fish the mouth of Dead River on the Eustis side as well. Minnows fished with a jig in about 3-5ft of water is going to be the key or naked minnow under a cork. Most of the big female bass have spawned and are moving their way back to deeper water and will be looking for a good meal. Look for hard shell bottom areas close to canals, points with a

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

drop off and deep water close by. Try fishing a Lipless crankbait (Booyah Knocker Copper Shiner) or a Carolina rig with a trick worm a little off the shoreline. Looking for edges of the eel grass or patches of hydrillia will be the key. We have started to hear that the U Vibe bite is happening, and those who aren’t familiar with a Zoom U Vibe, you really need to. South end of Little Lake Harris, and the Howie Bridge have been great secondary points for those post spawn bass. Ok last we will get to the newcomers to the shorelines, shellcracker and bluegills. These feisty fighters of the Harris Chain love them some yellow/red worms and grass shrimp. When it comes to easy fishing this is where it is at. Bring a kid with a cane pole, cork, and a hook to some lily pads and take a big inhale through your nostril. If it smells like some fish loving is going on, then you are in the right spot. Other tells are oil in the water. Once you do find them dip your bait into an opening and hold on. Dead River, Haines Creek, Cracker Cove, and Green Cove will give you the best chance. Good Luck this month, and remember take a kid fishing. APRIL 2022

ORLANDO 7

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April is year t fishing a little 2021. out pa to find reefs w becau holdin haunts of acti swivel hold b Heavie lead. work b beasts to spin a tang to tou than w if you it’s th proper back.

April is here, and this is the time of year to brush off your Mahi-Mahi fishing tackle. Hopefully we see a little better run than we did in 2021. Anglers will need to venture out past the normal 70’-90’ reefs to find their action as the shallower reefs will slow to a crawl. No worries because the deeper waters will be holding fish! The usual amberjack haunts will have their fair share of action. Use live bait on a 3-way swivel with the appropriate weight to hold bottom with the current below. Heavier tide will require heavier lead. Croakers, spots, and grunts work best for these arm shredding beasts. Bunkers do work but tend to spin in heavy current and cause a tangle or the jacks just won’t want to touch it because they’re smarter than we think. Don’t be surprised if you catch a few groupers as well it’s their spawning season. Use proper care when releasing them back. (Circle hooks only)

Dorado fishing (mahi-mahi). It can be the time of your life, or you could question yourself on why you bought a $100k boat or just filled your friend’s boat with $800 of fuel. Last year we just never got the full run. Those more adventurous that went to the other side came back in with huge hauls which means they just never crossed over to the western wall. Look for the usual. Temperature breaks, weed lines, color changes, and mass quantities of flying fish. Blind trolling works in a pinch but you’re just spinning your wheels. I can’t stress enough to follow the food chain! As far as what baits and skirts. I personally think it doesn’t matter. I like all natural, so I run all naked baits. Every now and then I’ll send a chugger back to make some noise, but my success rate is much higher on naked ballyhoo. Use teasers, dredges, bowling pins, anything to create a bait school effect. Let’s cross our fingers for a good April dolphin run! Good luck out there and make it happen.

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April 2022 Time

2Sa

3Su

and use soft plastics and jigs in deeper water, 2 to 3 feet, mid-day. Remember, April is one of the months when sea trout are egg laden for the spawn, so it’s very important to handle and release the larger females with extreme As we transition from spring care. into summer changing conditions equate to a larger On the St Johns River, diversity of species available. largemouth and sunshine bass action will be heating Off the beach, look for the up. Look for schooling bass at arrival of bait pods, Atlantic first light feeding on threadfin menhaden, and gamesters shad from the Osteen Bridge like large jack crevalle, to Lake Harney. A good way tarpon and kingfish in close to locate these schooling to the beach shadowing fish is to look for white them. Also, there still should pelicans and other wading be some cobia in the mix, birds congregating along so always keep a rod rigged the shoreline. When in the with a one ounce bucktail feeding mode, these fish will ready to cast at a moment’s take most swim plugs, and notice. small live shiners. When fishing the lagoon flats Good luck and good fishing, in April, fish early morning and late evening with your favorite top water plugs for great trout and redfish action

5Tu

7Th

9Sa

Miami, Government Cut

Height

3:07 AM -0.2 9:36 AM 2.6 3:25 PM -0.4 10:03 PM 2.7 3:49 AM -0.1 10:14 AM 2.5 4:04 PM -0.4 10:42 PM 2.6 4:29 AM 0.0 10:50 AM 2.4 4:43 PM -0.3 11:20 PM 2.5 5:08 AM 0.1 11:25 AM 2.3 5:21 PM -0.2 11:59 PM 2.4 5:47 AM 0.3 12:02 PM 2.2 6:00 PM 0.0 12:38 AM 2.3 6:27 AM 0.4 12:40 PM 2.1 6:43 PM 0.2 1:21 AM 2.1 7:12 AM 0.5 1:22 PM 2.0 7:31 PM 0.3 2:10 AM 2.0 8:05 AM 0.7 2:12 PM 1.9 8:27 PM 0.4 3:06 AM 1.9 9:08 AM 0.7 3:13 PM 1.8 9:31 PM 0.4

10Su

11M

12Tu

13W

14Th

15F

16Sa

17Su

18M

Time

Height

4:09 AM 1.9 10:13 AM 0.7 4:21 PM 1.8 10:34 PM 0.4 5:11 AM 2.0 11:11 AM 0.6 5:27 PM 1.9 11:30 PM 0.3 6:06 AM 2.1 12:01 PM 0.4 6:26 PM 2.1 12:21 AM 0.2 6:55 AM 2.2 12:46 PM 0.2 7:18 PM 2.3 1:07 AM 0.1 7:40 AM 2.3 1:27 PM 0.0 8:06 PM 2.5 1:51 AM 0.0 8:23 AM 2.5 2:08 PM -0.2 8:52 PM 2.7 2:34 AM -0.1 9:05 AM 2.5 2:50 PM -0.4 9:37 PM 2.8 3:18 AM -0.1 9:47 AM 2.6 3:33 PM -0.5 10:23 PM 2.8 4:03 AM -0.1 10:31 AM 2.6 4:19 PM -0.5 11:11 PM 2.8

Po nce de Leo n Inlet Hig h Ti de -11 m in ute s Lo w Ti de +19 m in ute s

(Approximate Times)

19Tu

20W

21Th

22F

23Sa

24Su

25M

26Tu

27W

Time

Height

4:50 AM 0.0 11:18 AM 2.5 5:08 PM -0.5 12:01 AM 2.7 5:41 AM 0.1 12:08 PM 2.5 6:01 PM -0.4 12:55 AM 2.6 6:37 AM 0.2 1:03 PM 2.4 7:01 PM -0.2 1:54 AM 2.5 7:40 AM 0.3 2:06 PM 2.3 8:08 PM -0.1 2:58 AM 2.4 8:50 AM 0.3 3:15 PM 2.2 9:19 PM 0.0 4:04 AM 2.3 10:00 AM 0.3 4:27 PM 2.2 10:28 PM 0.1 5:09 AM 2.3 11:04 AM 0.2 5:36 PM 2.3 11:30 PM 0.1 6:08 AM 2.4 12:00 PM 0.1 6:37 PM 2.4 12:26 AM 0.1 6:59 AM 2.4 12:50 PM -0.1 7:30 PM 2.5

Time

Height

28Th 1:16 AM 0.0 7:45 AM 2.5 1:35 PM -0.2 8:16 PM 2.6 29F 2:01 AM 0.0 8:27 AM 2.5 2:17 PM -0.3 8:59 PM 2.7 30Sa 2:43 AM 0.1 9:06 AM 2.5 2:56 PM -0.3 9:38 PM 2.7 1S 3:17 AM 3.4 8:53 AM 1.2 2:33 PM 3.9 9:34 PM -0.3 2M 3:56 AM 3.3 9:23 AM 1.4 3:00 PM 3.9 10:08 PM -0.3 3Tu 4:36 AM 3.2 9:54 AM 1.5 3:28 PM 3.9 10:43 PM -0.2 4W 5:17 AM 3.1 10:26 AM 1.6 3:59 PM 3.9 11:19 PM -0.1 5Th 5:59 AM 3.0 11:01 AM 1.7 4:33 PM 3.8 11:58 PM 0.1

Ft. Pie rce Inlet, S. Jetty Hig h Ti de -31 m in ute s Lo w Ti de -18 m in utes

Po nce Inlet, Halifax Rive r Hig h Ti de +5 m in ute s Lo w Ti de +33 m in ute s

Jensen Beach Hig h Ti de +2 ho u r s, 17 m in ute s Lo w Ti de +3 ho u r s, 4 m in ute s

Po rt Canave ral (Tr i dent Pie r) Daily Pre dictio ns

Sewell Pt Hig h Ti de Lo w Ti de

Patr ick Air Fo rce Base Hig h Ti de -1 ho u r, 4 m in ute Lo w Ti de -38 m in ute s

Ju pite r Inlet, S.Jetty Hig h Ti de -10 m in ute s Lo w Ti de -9 m in ute s

Sebastian Inlet Br i dg e Hig h Ti de -48 m in ute s Lo w Ti de -24 m in ute s

Po rt Eve rgla de s - Tu r n in g Basin Hig h Ti de -31 m in ute s Lo w Ti de -13 m in ute s

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APRIL 2022

+1 ho u r s, 13 m in ute s +2 ho u r s, 9 m in ute s

ORLANDO 11

Tuesday April 5, 12, 19, 26 - 5pm till dusk, Jolly Gator Bass Tournament Series, every Tuesday evening plus one Saturday per month until the Classic in August. Cost is $40 per event, 2 anglers per team. Teams that finish in the Top 10 in points or win an event and fish at least 21 events will qualify for the end of year Classic. Some of the best river anglers in the area fish this Bass Series. The staff of Orlando Coastal Angler Magazine are the official weighmasters for this fun tournament series. Come out and join us for the weekly weigh-ins. All Tuesday events start at 5pm till dusk, Saturday events (1 per month) are safe light till 2pm. Launch ramp at CS Lee Park next to Jolly Gator Fish Camp on SR 46 east of Sanford at the St. Johns River Bridge. For questions or more info contact Jim “Squirt” Chaudoin at 407432-2822 or Phil Wolf with Coastal Angler Magazine at 407-790-9515. Saturday April 9- Safe light until 2pm, Jolly Gator Bass Saturday, every Tuesday evening plus one Saturday per month until the Classic in August. Cost is $40 per event, 2 anglers per team. Saturday events (1 per month) are safe-light till 2pm. Launch ramp at CS Lee Park next to Jolly Gator Fish Camp on SR 46 east of Sanford at St. Johns River Bridge. For questions or more info contact Jim “Squirt” Chaudoin at 407432-2822 or Phil Wolf with Coastal Angler Magazine at 407-790-9515.

CCA members and guests for an evening to celebrate & support Florida’s Marine Resources and conservation projects. Open Bar, dinner, raffle prizes and a great live Auction! For info or tickets to the event visit www.ccaflorida.org or email Mtuckus@ccaflorida.org, or call Mandy Tuckus at 407854-7002 ext.101. Friday, Saturday, Sunday May 6, 7, 15 – 11th Annual Central Florida Shootout – Sign up now! Captain’s Party on Friday evening hosted by Space Coast Harley Davidson from 5:30pm until 8:30 pm. Anglers may begin fishing 9:00 pm on Friday, May 6, 2022, with scales open at Noon Saturday May 7, all boats must check-in by 5:00 pm. Two separate weigh-in locations - North Brevard County’s Sunrise Marina at Port Canaveral and South Brevard County’s Captain Hirams on the Indian River in Sebastian. Awards Ceremony & Raffle Ticket Drawings for the $70K Avid Boat on May 15th at Grills Riverside in Melbourne from 11:30 am till 2:30 pm. Over $20K in Cash and prizes will be awarded for 10 different species inshore and offshore, plus prizes for lady and junior anglers. Visit www.centralfloridashootout. com to buy tickets and register to fish.

Official Results - 13th Annual Shad and Crappie Derby Shad Adult Champion - Jeff Harden 17.25” Crappie Adult Champion - Lucas Carter 15.758” Shad Junior Champion - Grace Harden 16.75” Crappie Junior Champion - Brandon Cordero 14.25” November Big Fish Winners Crappie - Alan Johnson 15.25” December Big Fish Winners Crappie Rick Hacker 15.75” Shad Mark Muth 16.5” January Big Fish Winners Crappie Lucas Carter 15.758” Shad William Gordon 17.0” February Big Fish Winners Crappie Jim Daniels 15.0” Shad Jeff Harden 17.25”

If you have an event or meeting you would like included in the “What’s Hitting Around Town” column, send your details to: Phil Wolf phillip@ coastalanglermagazine. com. Deadline for inclusion Thursday April 22 – 6 pm is the 10th of the preceding till 10:30 pm, CCA Orlando month. 23rd Annual BBQ & Auction to be hosted at Hangar 15 Orlando on Livingston St. Orlando, at the Orlando Executive Airport. Join the 12 ORLANDO

APRIL 2022

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ORLANDO 13

Spring has sprung, and we are solidly on the back side of what can only be described as another mild winter. Sure, we had some cold days, but freezing temperatures never really graced the coast for any duration and that means we are in for another year of amazing snook fishing for everyone. Snook are a subtropical/tropical comfort zone fish. This makes them extremely susceptible to cold temperatures that we haven’t seen in 10 years. Water temp below 54 degrees can cold stun the snook and if those cold waters persist for too long it can kill these awesome fish renowned for the hardfought battles. Warmer winters have allowed this gamefish to flourish in the waters around East Central Florida and their structure orientating habits have made them less effected by habitat changes in the lagoon areas. The snook tend to hold around and under structure like docks, shorelines and mangroves spending very little time in the vast shallow open waters. This presents both a benefit and a downfall for anglers looking to test their skills on a snook. The benefit being that an understanding of where this species wants to spend much of its time helps you focus on areas that have high potential for success. The downside of fishing this structure is that snook have an almost unnatural ability to break your heart by finding a perfect sharp spot to break your line. Their situational awareness is unprecedented! It almost feels like they know how and exactly where they are going to break you off before they even look at your bait. This combination of having to fish very close or even under the sharp barnacle encrusted cover and the sheer power of this fish, coupled with a razor-sharp gill plate makes you wonder if you even have a chance. I almost think we will hear of them shooting venom to disable adversaries next. Snook have a varied diet and feed on everything from shrimp to the smallest minnows, and every bait in between. Typically, I find that positioning of your artificial, live bait, or even fly offering is much more important than any specific “bait”. Being able to fish and cast as close to and even under structure will make you successful in the snook game. I have always enjoyed them as one of my primary fishing conquests for my clients and myself from Spring to Fall.

It already feels like spring on the Kissimmee Chain. The bass are spawning just like they should be. As the water temps warm, the bass are spawning out in deeper water up to 5 feet deep. Target good sandy spawning areas; put the trolling motor down and start hunting for beds. The key is to go right back to where you were catching bass in early February and just move out until you see the beds. Polarized glasses are a must. Open water hydrilla patches are holding good numbers of bass that have already spawned. Bait of choice is live wild shiners for big bass. Artificial baits of choice will be rattle traps chrome and black back; plastic baits in white, watermelon, and June bug have been working well.

Fishing the lake in March was a blast - customers caught personal best big bass and record numbers of big crappie. The fun and productive days will continue through April and into May as the big red ears (shell crackers) and bluegill move into the shallows for their spawn which is typically April through the summer months. Fishing in April is typically bass in transition - time to think about fishing deeper water like the river and canals with deep crank baits, Carolina rigs, big jigs and worms worked around the ledges and dropoffs. April is also a good time to throw swim baits and frogs worked around lily pads and other areas where the bream has moved in for the spawn. Fishing the outside grass edges with rattle traps, spinner baits and top water lures. Your basic color patterns are June bug; black/ blue; white; shad and bream colors 14 ORLANDO

APRIL 2022

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Folks are still catching good numbers of crappie. In shallow water the crappies are now making their way out to open water. Fish the pads and reeds that are clean with no hydrilla. Minnows on a gold hook work best in 3 feet of water around full and new moons. At the end of March start looking for shell cracker beds in 2 feet of water. Sandy areas are best. The bluegill will also start spawning on the full moons when the water temps are warming. Another good place to look will be the canals where there is running water. Walk along the banks and look down to find beds on the edges. Keep an eye open, sometimes the bedding fish might be there just for a few days and then disappear. A good pair of polarized sunglasses are as important as the fishing rods you use.

will work. If you plan to bream fish, live red worms and crickets rigged on ultra-light spinning gear like the Lews Wally Marshall Speed Shooter 6.0 and 6.5 rod/reel combo tipped with 6 lb. mono line, small split shot weight and hook and you’re ready for some action. If you like fingerling catfish, think about booking a trip the first week of May…it’s a good time to catch them in the river and you’ll also catch bluegill and shell crackers as well. Areas to try are parts of the Monkey box and Observation Shoal; around Dyess ditch, the point of Horse and on up towards Tin house, certain smaller areas in Kings bar and Grassy and over on the east side such as Hendry creek. To book your next fun-filled and productive day fishing Lake Okeechobee call 863-228-7263 or check out Angie’s website with upto-date customers and their catches, hotel info, rates and etc. Have a group of people? No problem, I can accommodate with multiple boats. My sponsors are Toho Marine; Mercury Marine; Lews; G-Loomis; Bullet Weights; Maui Jim; Gill; Real Magic; Mega Strike; Mid-South Tackle and BnM Poles.

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ORLANDO 15

with his 1st Bass 2 1/2 yr old Cameron Ledesma by himself! ht caug d, pon from private

ham, recent Anthony Courtney and Sean Cunning draiser with Fun h Bas s Bas ler winners of the Jr Ang at 9.06 day the of s Bas Big ding 33.50 lbs inclu CONGRATS!

John McCutchan, one of several huge Black Drum caught just north of Port Canaveral

Bill Thompson with a huge bass from private lake fishing with Capt Mo from American Tackle

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ORLANDO 16

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPT. QUINLYN HADDON

Mahi-Mahi Cuts Explained I

By CAM Staff

f you’re an offshore angler in Florida, you likely already know the state is cutting in half the recreational limits for dolphin in Atlantic state waters. The changes, effective May 1, slash the recreational daily bag limit from 10 to 5 fish per person and the vessel limit from 60 to 30 fish per vessel. The simple reason given in FWC’s press releases is that anglers in the Keys and the state’s analyses have both witnessed fewer and smaller dolphin in recent years. FWC’s presentation from the most recent commission meeting tells a

deeper story. First off, mahi are extremely important to recreational fisheries off south Florida and the Keys, and Florida recreational landings have fallen dramatically, according to FWC data. In the 1990s, the recreational fishery experienced several peaks between 20 and 30 million pounds per year. Since 2010, the highest year for landings came in at about 15 million pounds in 2015. Between 2016 and 2020, that number never topped 10 million pounds, and in 2020 it slipped below 5 million. Those are pretty scary numbers with an abrupt downward swing for a species that is short-lived, fast growing and should repopulate quickly. The kicker is, no one really knows the status of Atlantic dolphin stocks because they are highly migratory and distributed from New England to the Caribbean coast of South America. International harvest is an unknown factor. Dolphin are very sensitive to water temperatures, and warming oceans are offered as a potential explanation for Florida anglers seeing fewer dolphin. Meanwhile, recreational dolphin trips and anecdotal reports of success are increasing off the Mid-Atlantic and New England. The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, which manages federal waters of the Atlantic off the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida, reduced the recreational dolphin limit from 60 to 54 fish per vessel in June 2021. Florida advocated strongly for deeper cuts as a precaution; however, North Carolina is apparently reveling in its improving mahi fishery and would only agree to the 54 fish per vessel reduction. Part of Florida’s push is proactive management for the fishery, which would include increased international engagement to get a better idea of what is actually going on. This year’s dramatic cut in recreational limits for state waters might, however, be little more than a gesture. Over the last decade, about 90 percent of the recreational catch off Florida has come from federal waters. There aren’t many anglers catching mahi in state waters, but it’s worth noting that Florida anglers and charter operations have shown ample support for these cuts. Perhaps the fishery will see self-imposed restrictions on the part of anglers in federal waters. If you’re wondering why no one is screaming about commercial anglers in this issue, it’s because commercial harvest in U.S. waters of the Atlantic has made up only about 5 percent of landings over the last 30 years.

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International Rod Building Competition Judges the Finest Rods in the World

he International Rod Building Challenge is a truly international competition, with builders from all over the world crafting some of the finest custom fishing rods on the planet. This year’s competition, judged in March in Oviedo, Fla., was the largest competition on record. More than 80 mystery blanks were sent out all over the world to North American builders as well as builders in Europe, South America and Asia. All the competitors returned their completed rods to be initially judged at International Custom Rod Building Expo by a panel of 30 judges to choose the top 10. The top 10 were then taken back to American Tackle Headquarters, where an elite panel of judges from custom rod builders, media, trade and anglers graded each rod. With such a high caliber of builders, it was amazing to see all the different styles and builds all based on the same blank. “It was incredible to see so many different interpretations on what the American Tackle Co. mystery blank could be used for,” said Don Morse of American Tackle Co. This year’s winner was Danny Thomson, of

North Carolina. His amazing custom rod build incorporated his love for duck hunting as well as fishing. Second place went to Hoove Brieuc, of Belgium, with his diode and cooper build. Third place was awarded to Gary Allner, of the United Kingdom, with his ultra-shift chameleon painted rod. The winner, Danny Thomson, said this about his build: “You may have heard of an Eastern North Carolina tragedy that recently occurred,

where four youth duck hunters and four adults went down in a plane crash. All eight lives were lost. Even though this rod was inspired and built before this tragedy, it is my intent to dedicate this rod to the #DownEastStrong community and raise awareness to help fund this unfortunate event.” For more photos of these exceptional custom rods, see the April issue of The Angler Video Magazine available at www.vidmag.com.

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BROWARD CLEANUP NETS 20 TONS OF TRASH

he Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF) organized the 45th annual Broward County Waterway Cleanup on March 5. Presented by the Florida Inland Navigational District (F.I.N.D.), this annual cleanup is Broward’s largest and longest-running environmental event and began in the 1970s. This year, more than 1,100 volunteers gathered at more than 35 sites throughout Broward County to clean up waterways, parks and communities. Participants took part in the event by land and boat. In total, more than 20 tons of trash was cleaned up across the county. Some of the more unique items cleaned up included two cars, a boat, a guitar and a large gold chain. To thank volunteers, MIASF hosted its Trash Bash, the annual postevent celebration, at the Lauderdale Small Boat Club. This party gathers all volunteers, ranging in ages from 2 to 87, to celebrate with food and drinks, live music and raffles. “While taking care of our environment is a priority 365 days a year, it is exciting to bring the community together on this one day with the mission of cleaning our waterways,” said MIASF Vice President, Lori Wheeler, “This event creates the impact it does because of all of our incredibly passionate volunteers. It’s amazing to see the community come together, year after year, for a cause bigger than ourselves.”

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Cash Prizes For Adults Entry Fee $200 Advance

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RULES MEETING & COOKOUT

May 6th, 6 - 9 PM at Tavernier Creek Marina Dinner at 6 PM (free to anglers - non-anglers welcome)

Live Music • Cash, Gas & Other Prizes • Silent Auction

Rules Meeting at 7:30 PM

Info: Brandy Smith at 407-223-5528 | Rebecca Bohnstedt at 305-393-4026 | Jaime Snyder at 305-587-9152 | Tom Sheahan at 305-393-3709

Entry forms available on website: www.NickSheahan.com

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Screamin’ Reels Tournament June 24-26 • Islamorada, FL

Go fishing & win in the Florida Keys! Only $89 per person to enter. Charter fishing additional for Saturday & Sunday. Ladies, fish Saturday & Sunday, inshore or offshore, on charter boats or your own boat! Win prizes! Perfect for beginners or those who don’t fish a lot. Kickoff is Friday, June 24th. They will team you with others. No experience or boat necessary!

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The Flint River: N AT I V E F I S H I N T H E I R N AT I V E W AT E R S By Nick Carter

he fight didn’t last long, maybe a couple of minutes, but it was exciting. Between bulldog runs, the fish broke the surface and walked on water, shaking its head in anger. When Kent Edmonds steered the fish out of the current and brought it to hand, a broad grin broke across the man’s face. He lifted a chunky shoal bass for appraisal before release. It was a decent fish, maybe 14 inches. Still, on a 6-weight fly rod, the strength of the fight rivaled that of a largemouth twice its size. Shoal bass are aggressive and pugnacious. They are an intriguing sport fish native to just one Southeastern river system.

Shoal Bass Fishing for “shoalies” is so much fun. They exhibit the aggression of any black bass, yet their preferred habitat is the swift-water shoals other bass avoid. Like trout, they hover in eddies and dart out to grab prey adrift in the current. They readily attack topwater lures and flies and grow to record weights approaching 9 pounds. Anglers regularly catch 2- to 5-pound shoal bass, and the largest fish reach lengths up to 24 inches. A new Georgia record was caught from the Chattahoochee River near Columbus, Ga. in December. It weighed 8 pounds, 5 ounces. The IGFA world record was an 8-pound, 12-ounce monster caught from Florida’s Apalachicola River. With all that going for it, the relative anonymity of shoal bass is due to geography. There is only one small slice of the world where they exist. The species is native 14 NATIONAL

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to the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin, which drains portions of Georgia and Alabama down to the Gulf of Mexico through the Florida panhandle. They are a very cool fish that would be in serious trouble if not for one stretch of Georgia river. Extensive damming has turned ACF River Basin into a series of reservoirs. Shoal bass still exist in pockets across the entire drainage, but habitat alterations have allowed non-natives like spotted and smallmouth bass to out-compete and interbreed with shoal bass. The upper Flint River is the largest remaining stretch of unaltered native shoal bass habitat. It is arguably the best shoal bass fishery in the world.

The Flint River Edmonds has guided fly fishers on the Flint for about 30 years, and while he won’t admit it, he’s largely responsible for the river’s sterling reputation as a fishery. In rural Upson County, Ga., the Flint is like a snapshot back in time. It twists through pine forests of the middle Georgia countryside, undammed for some 220 miles. There’s a sweet spot for fly fishers in the middle of this long run at a geologic formation known as the Fall Line. The Fall Line is the coastline of an ancient sea that cuts a 20-mile-wide swath of rapid elevation loss across the region. For the Flint, the Fall Line features a 45-mile stretch of river with shoal-broken habitat perfect for wading anglers and shoal bass. Contact Kent Edmonds through his website www.flyfishga.com.

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t was a perfect late autumn day in the northern Rockies. Not a cloud in the sky, and just enough cool in the air to stir up nostalgic memories of my trip into the backwoods. This year, though, was different. I was going it solo. My two buddies, pleading work responsibilities, backed out at the last minute. So, armed with my trusty knife, I set out for adventure.

Join more than 322,000 sharp people who collect stauer knives Well, what I found was a whole lot of trouble. As in 8 feet and 800-pounds of trouble in the form of a grizzly bear. Seems this grumpy fella was out looking for some adventure too. Mr. Grizzly saw me, stood up to his entire 8 feet of ferocity and let out a roar that made my blood turn to ice and my hair stand up. Unsnapping my leather sheath, I felt for my hefty, trusty knife and felt emboldened. I then showed the massive grizzly over 6 inches of 420 surgical grade stainless steel, raised my hands and yelled, "Whoa bear! Whoa bear!" I must have made my point, as he gave me an almost admiring grunt before turning tail and heading back into the woods. I was pretty shaken, but otherwise fine. Once the adrenaline high subsided, I decided I had some work to do back home too. That was more than enough adventure for one day. Our Grizzly Hunting Knife pays tribute to the call of the wild. Featuring stick-tang construction, you can feel confident in the

strength and durability of this knife. And the hand carved, natural bone handle ensures you won’t lose your grip even in the most dire of circumstances. I also made certain to give it a great price. After all, you should be able to get your point across without getting stuck with a high price. Make sure to act quickly. The Grizzly Hunting Knife has been such a hit that we’re having trouble keeping it in stock. Our first release of more than 1,200 SOLD OUT in TWO DAYS! After months of waiting on our artisans, we've finally gotten some knives back in stock. Only 1,337 are available at this price, and half of them have already sold! Knife Specifications: • Stick tang 420 surgical stainless steel blade; 7 ¼" blade; 12" overall • Hand carved natural brown and yellow bone handle • Brass hand guard, spacers and end cap • FREE genuine tooled leather sheath included (a $49 value!) The Grizzly Hunting Knife $249 $79* + S&P California residents please call 1-800-333-2045 regarding Proposition 65 regulations before purchasing this product. *Special price only for customers using the offer code.

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ver the years, Hooker Electric has a proven track record of dreaming up innovative new products to make fishing easier and more productive. Their Live Bait Tube Bucket is another instance of designers coming up with a simple yet effective solution for a problem many anglers face. The Hooker Electric Complete Portable Live Bait System keeps live baits frisky and ready for deployment all day long. This patent-pending live bait system uses an internal pump and simple plumbing to circulate water inside a tricked-out 5-gallon bucket. The water flows over tubes, where it is cooled and aerated, while air bubbles are bled off to assure baits remain lively and ready to fish for hours. The system is portable and comes preinstalled with 10-inch short tubes for smaller pre-hooked baits like gogs, threadfins, sardines, pilchards, hardtails, pogies and mullets. Optional 15-inch tubes keep larger pre-rigged Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, speedos, Boston/tinker mackerel and blue runners ready for action. All components are easily serviceable, and the tuna tubes are removable. The Hooker Electric bucket includes a non-skid grip base to eliminate spills and protect precious surfaces from scratches. The Hooker Electric portable live bait bucket system is designed for mobility. It can be used in fresh or saltwater. HOOKERELECTRIC.COM

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PELAGIC HUNTING WITH THE CORRECT TOOLS

Tim Barefoot

here are correct tools for any project, and we have to use our time wisely. First and foremost, I think water temperature is a key to finding the wahoo and tuna consistently. I know it costs a few bucks, but you can subscribe to some sites (not promoting any here) that will give you a very clear picture of where you can find a degree or two temperature break on the edge. Once you narrow down a distance and heading for the desired water temps, you then need to locate the bait. Granted, there are times when the fish will not be on the bait visible on the recorder or on the surface, but just oriented on structure and/or temperature break. This is when it gets down to visible and electronic hunting. There are electronics available that can locate individual and groups of birds at long distances. This is always a good thing to find. If you have a few birds working an area, chances are they are there because the bait is there. Again, I know this electronic equipment is costly, but it’s yet another tool that can narrow down the search for wahoo, tuna and dolphin.

Then there are tools we possess as humans such as good eyesight (good binoculars) and judgement. If you see a noticeable water color change, birds and/or fish feeding on the surface, weed lines and floating objects, chances are, you’ve found the correct general area. A lot of these floating objects will hold bait and fish, especially wahoo and dolphin. After narrowing down an area where the fish will likely be in due to temperature, depth, structure etc., this is when I prefer to high-speed troll. High-speed trolling is another tool to locate the fish, and not a tool to use all day! This is true for wahoo, especially. Once you get a bite, mark that location on the chart. Now it’s time to go back to that area and go to work on ’em. By this time of day, the sun is up pretty good, and the surface bite might slow down a little bit. Like I’ve always said, the fish don’t have Maui Jim’s shades, so they use depth to get the correct amount of light they want. They look up to see bait at, or near the surface like flyers, tinker, cigs and sardines. They also look down for the squid down deep. This is the reason the planer rod is typically the one that produces in the middle of the day. When the sun is high in the sky, it’s time to go deep with your baits. You can’t always catch them where you want to. You have to catch them where they are... down deep. Visit barefootcatsandtackle.com, and look for “featured video” or Coastal Angler Magazine to see the videos related to this article.

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ason Christie finally did it. In early March, he won the Bassmaster Classic on South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell and was named champion of the biggest event in tournament bass fishing. In two previous Classics, Christie has held the lead headed into the final day of the tournament, once with a more than 6-pound lead and once with a 4-pound lead. Both times he came up short. This year, he found himself tied for the lead with newcomer Kyle Welcher after Day 2. “Honestly, when I was sitting at the door waiting to come in and weigh my fish, I thought I had given it away again,” said Christie. “Stetson Blaylock had just weighed in a big bag, and Kyle Welcher used to be a professional poker player, so I knew he had more than what he was saying. “I knew it was gonna be close. I honestly thought there could be a tie, and that was scary for me because I didn’t have any fish left.” After Welcher weighed in and took over the “Hot Seat” from Stetson Blaylock, who had just weighed the largest bag of the tournament, Welcher and Christie stood side by side as the largest crowd in the event’s history cheered awaiting the final tally. On the stage, Christie’s five-bass limit of 17 pounds, 9 ounces was 5 ounces heavier than Welcher’s bag of 17 pounds 4 ounces. Known as one of the best power-fishermen in the world, Christie utilized a 5/8-ounce War Eagle Jiu-Jigsu Jig with a Yum Craw Chunk in green pumpkin/purple. He used a green pumpkin/orange jig until the final day when he switched to straight green pumpkin because he “banged all of the other ones off docks” until they were unusable. He caught most of his fish on the final day fishing shallow docks in 1 to 3 feet of depth in clearer water where most of the other angler were not fishing. He liked the heavier jig due to its faster rate of fall, which drew reaction strikes. Christie, who returned to the Bassmaster Elite Series a year ago after as short tenure with MLF Fishing, was looking hard for redemption in this year’s Classic. Maybe beginning tied on the final day took some of the pressure off, because the third time was a charm for Christie, who took home a $300,000 purse for his win that pushed his total career earnings to over $1,668,000. Welcher earned $50,000 for finishing second with 53-11, and Blaylock earned $47,000 in third place with 53-5, which includes a $7,000 bonus for his Sunday catch of 20-9 that ranked as the Rapala Monster Bag of the Week. South Carolina pro Brandon Cobb earned $2,500 for overall Berkley Big Bass of the Week with the 6-12 largemouth he caught on Day 2. Phil Wolf is the co-publisher of Coastal Angler Magazine’s Orlando edition.

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