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Gimme Six Extended Protection promo is applicable to new Suzuki outboard motors from 25 to 300 HP in inventory which are sold and delivered to buyer between 10/01/16 and 12/31/16 in accordance with the promotion by a Participating Authorized Suzuki Marine dealer in the continental US and Alaska to a purchasing customer who resides in the continental US or Alaska. Customer should expect to receive an acknowledgement letter and full copy of contract including terms, conditions and wallet card from Suzuki Extended Protection within 90 days of purchase. If an acknowledgement letter is not received in time period stated, contact Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. – Marine Marketing via email: marinepromo@suz.com. The Gimme Six Promotion is available for pleasure use only, and is not redeemable for cash. Cash Rebates apply to qualifying purchases of select Suzuki outboards made between 10/01/16 and 12/31/16. For list of designated models, see participating Dealer or visit www.suzukimarine.com. Customer and participating Dealer must fill out the appropriate rebate form at time of sale. Customer will have the choice to either apply the cash rebate against the original dealer invoice (Suzuki will credit Dealer parts account) or have a check sent directly to the customer. There are no model substitutions, benefit substitutions, rain checks, or extensions. Suzuki reserves the right to change or cancel these promotions at any time without notice or obligation. * Financing offers available through Synchrony Retail Finance. As low as 5.99% APR financing for 60 months on new and unregistered Suzuki marine engines. Subject to credit approval. Not all buyers will qualify. Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on credit worthiness. $19.99/month per $1,000 financed for 60 months is based on 5.99% APR. Hypothetical figures used in calculation; your actual monthly payment may differ based on financing terms, credit tier qualification, accessories or other factors such as down payment and fees. Offer effective on new, unregistered Suzuki marine engines purchased from a participating authorized Suzuki dealer between 10/01/16 and 12/31/16.“Gimme Six”, the Suzuki “S” and model names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2016 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.

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More Of A World Traveler’s Top Fishing Destinations By Patrick Sebile

ast month in these pages, I laid out what in my opinion are the top-5 fishing destinations in the world. It was a list of the most impressive fisheries I have experienced in a career spent traveling to fish the most renowned waters on this planet. From southern Africa’s Atlantic coast to Scandanavia, Panama, Australia and Venice, Louisiana, those five destinations topped the list among the 64 countries where I have fished. But there are other destinations well worth mention as some of the top fisheries in the world. With this article I will touch on five more destinations I believe to be some of the best on the planet. • Florida, U.S.A: Choosing a whole state and calling it a destination might be a stretch. However, the variety of great fisheries offered by this peninsula is what makes it one of the best places in the world for anglers. With fantastic inshore and offshore fishing, seasonal highlights like the east coast mullet run and some of the best bass fishing anywhere, Florida’s patchwork of options make it a great place for fishing. • South Island, New Zealand: This place is as wild as wilderness can get. Fishing for trout in New Zealand streams with the backdrop that was the set from the “Lord of the Rings” movies has to be one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Also, the north island offers great saltwater fishing for humphead snapper and yellowtail amberjack, which is one of the meanest and most powerful fish that lives in the world’s oceans. • Lake Biwa, Japan: This 259-square-mile lake is surrounded with history as one of the oldest lakes in the world. It is filled with millions of ayu—a small trout-related fish—that turned out to be the major food for a population of largemouth bass. There are consistently more

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DECEMBER 2016

Photo Courtesy of Al Stewart Photography

big bass in Lake Biwa than anywhere else I know of. It is where the longtime IGFA All Tackle world record was tied just a few years ago with a bass that weighed 22-pounds, 5-ounces. • Ivory Coast, Africa: Years ago, I ran a lodge on the Ivory Coast, not far from the city of San Pedro, where Stuart Campbell used to come targeting record blue marlin. He succeeded a number of times. From April to June, my average day consisted of three to five fish in the 300- to 600-pound range. • Massachusetts, U.S.A.: I’m a striped bass addict, and fishing the shores of Massachusetts is a pilgrimage I must make on an annual basis, period! There’s nothing like fishing for striped bass when they’re blitzing bait on the shorelines of the northeastern states. Patrick Sebile is the owner and lure designer of Sebile Innovative Fishing (www.sebile.com).

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It’s the Honda of Outboards. Literally.

Quality, reliability, technology and fuel-efficiency have made Honda an automotive legend. You’ll find those same strengths in every Honda Marine outboard. Honda outboards deliver best-of-class features in models ranging from 2.3 to 250 hp. Many even share engine technology and components used in Honda vehicles like the Accord, Odyssey, Fit and Pilot — vehicles that have proven themselves over millions of miles. No wonder all Honda outboards are backed by the only 5-year manufacturer’s warranty in the industry. Power your boat with the brand that offers millions of miles of proven performance — Honda Marine.

Take Advantage Of 2.49% APR Financing On All New Honda Outboards Or 4.49% APR Financing On All New Honda Outboard Engines Or Boat/Motor Packages — Going On Now! To Find Your Nearest Authorized Honda Marine Dealer, Visit Our Website Now From Your QR-Enabled Phone, Or Go To ca.hondamarine.com *APR financing available on all new Honda outboard engines through American Honda Finance Corporation upon approved credit. 2.49% APR financing for 24 – 48 months, available to customers who qualify for the AHFC super preferred credit tier. Example for new Honda outboard engines: 2.49% APR for 36 months financing at $28.86 a month for every $1,000 financed. 3.49% APR for 60 months financing at $18.19 a month for every $1,000 financed. 3.49% APR for 84 months financing at $13.44 a month for every $1,000 financed. Offer good on any new and unregistered Honda outboard engine, with a minimum amount financed of $1,000 and a minimum monthly payment of $100. Check with participating dealers for complete details. Dealers set actual sales prices. For well-qualified buyers, not all buyers may qualify. Higher rates apply for different terms and/or buyers with lower credit rating. Lower rates may also be available. Offer valid through 01/03/17, on new and unregistered Honda outboard engines (2hp – 250hp) and only on approved credit by Honda Financial Services through participating dealers. Honda Financial Services’ standard credit criteria apply. **APR financing available on all new Honda outboard engines or packages (boat, motor and trailer, where Honda outboard engine is the main source of power) through American Honda Finance Corporation upon approved credit. 4.49% APR financing for 12 – 180 months (term and rate based on amount financed) available to customers who qualify for the AHFC Super Preferred credit tier. Example for new Honda outboard engines or packages: 4.49% APR for 84 months financing at $13.90 a month for every $1,000 financed. 4.49% APR for 144 months financing at $9.00 a month for every $1,000 financed. 4.49% APR for 180 months financing at $7.64 a month for every $1,000 financed. Offer good on any new and unregistered Honda outboard engine or package, with a minimum amount financed of $1,000 and a minimum monthly payment of $100. Check with participating dealers for complete details. Dealers set actual sales prices. For well-qualified buyers, not all buyers may qualify. Higher rates apply for different terms and/or buyers with lower credit rating. APR may be subject to dealer mark-up. Offer valid through 01/03/17, on new and unregistered Honda outboard engines or packages and only on approved credit by Honda Financial Services through participating dealers. Honda Financial Services’ standard credit criteria apply. ©2016 American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Always wear a personal flotation device while boating and read your owner’s manual. All Honda outboards meet EPA and CARB emission levels. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM DECEMBER 2016 NATIONAL 7

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INTERNATIONAL BAHAMAS : Misti & Gary Guertin • (772) 285-6850 • treasurecoast@coastalanglermagazine.com flahama@coastalanglermagazine.com COSTA RICA : Thomas Hauer, Jr. • (321) 445-1557 • thomash@coastalanglermagazine.com Thomas Hauer • tomh@coastalanglermagazine.com PUERTO RICO/VIRGIN ISLANDS : Ace Bassue • (407) 285-9453 • ace@coastalanglermagazine.com © 2016. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Disclaimer: Coastal Angler Magazine / The Angler Magazine will not be held liable for injuries incurred while partaking in activities described herein, or for claims made against products or services provided by advertisers.

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Editor’s Note: Each month, Coastal Angler Magazine and The Angler Magazine staff search our vast coverage area for photos that will grace our covers. With well over a million readers in diverse coastal and inland markets, our magazines strive for broad national appeal as well as local-level intelligence to put anglers on fish. The cover is different depending on which edition you, the reader, are holding. The following is a little information about this month’s covers.

COASTAL ANGLER MAGAZINE Eleuthera, Bahamas

FREE

This year’s December holiday editions of Coastal Angler Magazine feature an image Holiday of Gene Dyer and a 30-pound mahi caught GIFT while fishing aboard Uncle Tom Dyer’s GUIDE 55-foot Hatteras off Eleuthera, Bahamas. Dyer is Coastal Angler’s newest franchisee, having recently taken over the Fort Local Lauderdale franchise location. Gene comes to Coastal Angler as a former advertising sales executive for Florida Sport Fishing. Eleuthera is one of the long skinny Out Islands that make up the eastern edge of the Bahamian archipelago. It is a spectacular vacation destination with miles of pink sand beaches, and for anglers it is a renowned bonefish destination, noted for expansive and easily accessible flats. As evidenced by Dyer’s Mahi, Eleuthera is also a fantastic jumpingoff place for the reef, spearfishing and sport fishing the Bahamas are famous for. Excellent reefs such as Devil’s Backbone are teeming with snappers, groupers and amberjack. And with depths of thousands of feet a few miles offshore, anglers can take a quick boat ride and tangle with tuna, marlin, snapper, mahi-mahi, sailfish and some huge wahoo. Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events

VOLUME 22 • ISSUE 263

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THE ANGLER MAGAZINE Southeastern Mountain Trout

WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA EDITION

FREE

There is no better gift for a trout angler than the opportunity to cast to gorgeous fish in the streams of southern Appalachia. The cover image for our holiday editions of The Angler Holiday Magazine comes from the north Georgia GIFT GUIDE mountains, where Tommy Nicodemus caught this big rainbow trout from Noontootla Creek Local while fishing with guide Chuck Head of Unicoi Outfitters. Noontootla Creek is one of the best small trout streams in Georgia, and it feeds the larger Toccoa River, which boasts one the Southeast’s premier tailwater trout fisheries. Noontootla itself flows from high-headwaters through public land on Blue Ridge Wildlife Management Area, where it is a small stream offering wild brown and rainbow trout. For decades it has been managed under special regulations, which have produced a great, if sometimes challenging, fishery. Our cover fish was caught from an extensively managed private trophy stretch of Noontootla Creek called Noontootla Creek Farms. The image was captured by Jason Weldon. PHOTO COURTESY OF JASON WELDON

VOLUME 22 • ISSUE 263

F R A N C H I S E

Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events

FISHING WITH UNICOI OUTFITTERS

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inter means giant redfish on the fly. From Florida to Texas and up the east coast of the United States, giant redfish are a prime target species for many saltwater fly anglers. In my opinion, there is no finer wintertime saltwater species to sight fish a fly too. The fishing opportunities are endless, and the chance to hook a true giant heavier than 30 pounds is very likely. However, for the fly angler to be successful he/she must be able to make the cast. First Things First The first thing I suggest to anglers before they jump into saltwater fly fishing is to really learn how to cast a fly line to 40 feet quickly and accurately. We are often led to believe that if the angler can cast a long distance then he or she will be a successful fly angler. There is nothing further from the truth. I’ve seen wonderful fly casters become frustrated when sight casting to redfish. They are so focused on making a long cast that they miss the f ish-catching opportunities within 40 feet of their rod tip. Casting to redfish is more about accuracy and quickness than is distance. Learn The Double Haul Developing a solid double-haul is the foundation of a quick and accurate cast. Not only does the double-haul help with distance, if executed correctly, it reduces the number of backcasts the angler must make. It is well to remember that the more time the fly line is in the air, the less time the fly is on the water. The best way to learn the double haul is to find a grassy area like a park. Next, strip out 40 feet of fly line and make a forward cast, allowing the fly line to lie on the grass in front of you. Next, lower your rod tip to where it is touching the ground in front of you. Then, pick up the fly line and make a back cast, laying the line out behind you. This is the single haul. Next, pull the fly line off the grass behind you with your line hand while the fly rod is moving forward, and with the rod moving forward, pull the line down towards your belt line. As you feel the fly rod load while it bends on the forward cast, release the line from your line hand, allowing the fly line to shoot forward through the guides. This is the second haul of the double haul, an effective cast when long- distance casts are required, but also important for the short, quick accurate cast needed when fishing red fish. The Back Cast Is Important Much of your success in fly casting is dependent upon the development of a smooth back cast, that is the ability to cast 20 to 30 feet of line behind you whenever demanded. Remember the fly fisherman’s adage that “your forward cast is only as good as your back cast,” and a good cast is the “rule-of thumb” when casting flies to redfish. If a redfish appears behind you, simply make a forward cast. With your fly line on the water, simply pick up the line, and shoot it behind you. Retain eye contact with the redfish’s position. In next month’s column, Casting to Redfish Part Two, I will write about the importance of the repositioning cast and quick cast.

FLY FISHING

ON THE COVER

CASTING FOR THE REDFISH GAME: PART ONE

Follow Conway Bowman at www.conwybowman.com, on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

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DECEMBER 2016

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heck out these great gift ideas for the outdoor enthusiast on your holiday gift list. These local merchants are available to ensure your holiday gift giving satisfaction. We always try to encourage our readers to shop locally. It’s our community and we all benefit from supporting our local businesses. They’re here for us all year long and our personal convenience depends on their sustainability. Tell them Coastal Angler/The Angler Magazine sent you. By the way, if you see something here that you wish could be under the tree with your name on it, just take out a marker and circle it. Then leave this page open for your friends and family to see. Yes, crude but effective.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Coastal Angler/The Angler Magazine.

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FLORIDA

11/17/16 2:34 PM

Gifts for Anglers By Paul Lebowitz

lthough winter’s here, it won’t stay cold forever. The holiday season is a great opportunity to pick up a catch bag so your favorite kayak angler will be ready to go come springtime. Also known as soft cooler bags, they keep a catch fresh, out of the sun and stashed safely away from predators. Consider the following to make sure your investment is a good one. The most durable catch bags are constructed of vinyl-coated polyester. Look for at least a half-inch of closed cell foam insulation under the tough fish spine-resistant exterior. If the closures use zippers, they should have large teeth that can handle sand and sun. I prefer a YKK zipper. Kayak catch bags come in multiple sizes. Large bags in the 70-quart capacity range are about three feet long. They are suitable for big fish and are most often mounted atop a kayak’s deck, either on the bow or in the stern storage area. Therefore, it’s important these bags come outfitted with multiple tie-downs or attachment points so they can be safely secured. A quality large bag retails for $180-$200. Check out Hobie’s new Soft Cooler Bag as a good example of what to look for. If your kayak angler prefers to keep the deck clear, consider a medium-size catch bag in the 26-quart range. About two feet long, they fit inside the bow hatch of many kayaks. These bags should open from the top to make for easier access. They retail for $130-$150. Other desirable features include carrying handles, easy-access drain plugs, and integrated shock cords for storage of additional accessories.

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eventeen nautical miles south-southeast of Pensacola Pass and 86 feet beneath the ocean surface lies a small artificial reef that, until recently, didn’t mean much to anyone beyond the fish who lived there, the anglers who visited and those who deployed it 15 years ago. But now the reef, previously known as EE-3, has new meaning and a new name: Sgt. James Taylor Waldron Reef. A lionfish-hunting team was awarded the right to rename an artificial reef off the coast of northwest Florida after successfully removing more than 500 lionfish while participating in the Lionfish Panhandle Pilot Program. The reef was named in honor of team member Taylor “Curt” Waldron’s older brother and fellow comrade in arms. Sgt. Waldron was serving in Vietnam with the U.S. Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade when he was killed in

action, Sept. 13, 1970, at age 20. “After the Vietnam War was over, very few cared but me and my parents,” said Curt Waldron. “I wanted to do something more. The world has forgotten him; but they will look at that artificial reef name.” A total of 10 people or teams who participate in the Panhandle Pilot Program may qualify to rename an artificial reef. The program, which started in May 2016 and runs through May 19, 2017, also rewards divers with a tag that allows them to take an additional cobia or red grouper for every 100 lionfish removed off the coast of Escambia through Franklin counties. Waldron attributes success to his teammates Bill Parsons, Chip Burger, Huston Parsons and TJ Huff. He also acknowledged Steve Hemmert of MBT Diving, and boat captains Doug Hammock of H20 Below, Doug Pacitti of Six Shooter Charters and Andy Ross of Niuhi Dive Charters. During the annual Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day weekend, the team took a total of 133 fish out of the more than 8,000 lionfish that were removed off Pensacola that weekend. Between July 7 and July 15, they completed another 22 dives and removed 402 more lionfish. They hit their goal in August. “It really brings a sense of accomplishment that somebody you care about is going to be honored with a reef name,” Waldron said. “We were thrilled that the FWC offered this as an option. “Many years have passed since 1970, but I have never been confused by what the Marines taught me. I will be ‘always faithful’ to the memory of those that gave the ultimate sacrifice. This is meant to honor all of our service members living and dead.” Only four teams have qualified so far to name a reef in the Panhandle Pilot Program, and only one other reef has been officially claimed and named. The artificial reef now known as Moira the Mermaid’s Fish Condo is off Escambia County and was claimed by team members Bob Marshall, Brady Hale, George Riffe and Jennifer Day.

To learn more about the Panhandle Pilot Program and how you can get rewarded for your lionfish removals visit

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2 NORTH FLORIDA

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POMPANO MADNESS IN TAMPA BAY

VIMS Photo

he time of year to target pompano, those tasty hard-fighting little fellas, is after the first few hard cold fronts. We can keep somewhat of a handle on these guys all the way through April. But we always must remember that these guys need to be at least 11 inches to the fork to be legal. And the limit is six per person. When we get into a school of pompano the action can be really fast and furious, so we must measure correctly and keep an accurate head count. This really gets to be a challenge if we have more than just the two of us in the boat. There are many bridges that span Tampa Bay and the surrounding waters and this is a great place to look for pompano. Bridge pilings are great hangout spots to start fishing. But as the water cools down, the power plants inside the bay become our main target zones. Tampa has two hot water discharging plants on the eastern shore and one on the western side. Both can be awesome hangouts for pompano, redfish, snook and cobia. But we’re after pomps for now, and any of these other guys will simply be icing on the cake. We start with a 7-foot medium action spinning rod with a PENN 2500 series spinning reel spooled with 10- to 15-pound Spiderwire Stealth braid. To this we add a Berkley Trilene 100% flurocarbon leader of about 3 to 4 feet. Pompano see pretty well, so the fluorocarbon is very important. We just love the heavily scented Berkley Gulp! baits for pompano. There are all sorts of simple pompano jigs out there, but we feel the scent attraction gives us an edge. Pomps love bright colors such as pink and chartreuse and a smaller profile bait. So we rig the Gulp! 3-inch shrimp in a glow/chartruese, new penny/chartreuse or the 3-inch swimming mullet in the pink and chartreuse. We rig the baits on heavier jig heads, 3/8- to ½-ounce, also chartreuse or pink, because we want that bait bouncing off the

bottom, puffing up sand every time it hits. These fish are on the move and in our experience love fastmoving baits. We position the boat out in front of the hotwater discharge. We’re very safety conscience and a stay behind the off limits barriers. We start fan casting, letting the bait hit the bottom and bounce steadily back. Once we’ve hooked up, we Power-Pole down and keep fishing. Usually we will pick up more pomps in the area. We really like this simple tactic, and we catch lots of pomps and plenty of other fish as well. This is easy and great for the family, too. People tell us we’re crazy, but we like fried pompano.

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DECEMBER 2016

NORTH FLORIDA 3

11/17/16 12:25 PM

FISH ON A PLAQUE

hen someone dies, their friends may commemorate their life and deeds with a memorial service, an obituary in the local newspaper, maybe even a few chosen words on the person’s gravestone. Some people have even done similar commemorations for an animal like a famous racehorse (think Secretariat) or even a gorilla (think King Kong). But what about a fish? Have there ever been any honors paid to a lowly fish? Yes, in fact, there has been at least one fish which was honored. The small village of Blockley, England has a modest house visited by many people over the years, not to see the garden or antiques, but to see a wooden memorial to a beloved trout that lived over 160 years ago. In 1855, a young man carved the plaque to a fish that his father had tamed. The plaque, reproduced here says the following: “In Memory of the old fish./ Under the soil/the old fish do lie/20 years he lived/and then did die./He was so tame/you understand/he would come and/eat out of our hand/Died April the 20th 1855/Aged 20 years” The fact that there were funeral directors in the family of the man who tamed the trout, William Keyte, may have explained the unusual flight of fancy. But no one can

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GULF COAST

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t can be tough to keep up with all the acronyms involved in and created by the aftermath of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. TIGs (Trustee Implementation Groups) sprouted to assess damages and then decide how to spend the money recovered for restoration projects. The Open Ocean Trustee Implementation Group is one of those TIGs. Its responsibilities are for projects designed to benefit pelagic species and deep-water habitats. In 2017, the group is implementing an interesting project aimed at restoring pelagic fish to the Gulf of Mexico. Many Gulf oceanic fish, eggs, and larvae were injured by the oil and chemicals used for cleanup. Species injured include pelagic (or open-ocean) fish such as tuna, billfish, sharks and mackerel. The Open Ocean TIG is working with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to help restore these fish populations by reducing fishing mortality. This will allow fish to grow and reproduce, helping support healthier populations of fish throughout the Gulf. The project will establish a temporary, voluntary, six-month repose period each year of the project, which is expected to last

five to 10 years. During this repose period, participating vessel owners will refrain from pelagic longline fishing and will be financially compensated to offset their potential loss in revenue. To help offset economic impacts of the repose, participants will be encouraged to fish for yellowfin tuna and swordfish using alternative gear. These gear types have been shown to result in low levels of bycatch and bycatch mortality. This will also provide an opportunity to study and improve the efficiency of alternative fishing gear over time. The project is tailored to restore resources impacted by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill and does not affect existing management practices or regulations. The project will be launched as a pilot, with a four-month repose period starting March 1, 2017. Interested pelagic longline vessel owners can learn more about this project or contact Kristin Byler at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for more information. This is the first direct fish restoration project to be implemented by the Open Ocean TIG. An additional $380 million has been allocated for future fish and water column restoration projects.

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GULF COAST 1

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By Tobin Strickland • Photo by Kyle Johnson ill warm water temperatures reduce winter big trout catches? It’s a question that many are beginning to wonder. “Is it cold enough yet? Have the big trout moved to the mud?” These are some of the questions I’ve been hearing. The answer is… Well, it depends. In shallow-water big trout haunts, we’ve found that the big fish move there much earlier than what we once thought, some will even stay all year in the right conditions. The fish are there for more than just the mud. As Capt. Steve Soule has said, “They are there for protection, food, and solitude.” Many of the places they frequent have formed mud on the bottom due to the layout, more so than for the mud. Depth also affords trout with similar protection, and with depth the water temperature swings are more subdued giving fish a more stable environment. With depth, there is no need for the stabilizing effect that mud also offers. In the end, I don’t think the warmer conditions will reduce the catches of seasoned big trout anglers, unless you are in south Florida, where the cold is required to move the trout into the bays. We will need to be ready as the conditions change along the way with each passing cold front, even if they remain weak. Warmer weather will allow many of the fish to stay shallow, but who knows, we may still get a winter yet.

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2 GULF COAST

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new boat show is coming to Pier Park in Panama City Beach next March. Wheels Up Events, LLC, a well-known local promoter of high-end fishing tournaments and unique family-orientated boat shows, recently announced plans to host the first Emerald Coast Boat & Lifestyle Show at Aaron Bessant Park March 3-5. The new show will feature boat displays from all major manufacturers representing the latest in boats of all types from the highly popular personal kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, to small trailerable cruisers, high-performance center-consoles and runabouts as well as active outdoor lifestyle accessories. Featuring marine and outdoor lifestyle exhibits of all types along with seminars and live entertainment, the event will be much more than just a boat show. Iconic brands such as Sea Ray, Everglades, Boston Whaler, Sea Hunt and more have already registered to display their latest models at the event. Additionally, the show will display bicycles, electric carts, fitness products and the latest in outdoor gear. Today’s boats are incredibly technologically advanced with features such as active dynamic positioning and gyro stabilization now available in smaller vessels along with advanced drive systems and excellent fuel economy. Kayaks and SUPs also have benefitted from lighter, stronger materials and innovative drive systems. From Crab Island to Shell Island and St. George Island, the new Emerald Coast Boat & Lifestyle Show caters to today’s outdoor active lifestyle family. Given the show’s unique location immediately adjacent to the immensely popular Pier Park, and the associated exciting amenities all within walking distance of the beach, the Emerald Coast Boat & Lifestyle Show is sure to become a breakout hit during Panama City Beach’s 2017 Spring Break Season. For more information, visit GulfBoatShow.com or contact Chris Miller at 850-348-1498 or Chris@CMMMarinas.com.

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DESTIN REPORT By: Peter Wright Jr. December is here, but don’t let the cool weather fool you, the fish are still biting. Whether you’re fishing inshore or offshore, you’ll have ample opportunity to target many different species all month long. One of my favorite species to target this month is flounder. The fish are wrapping up their migration out of the bay and into the gulf where they will spawn. This is one of the best times all year to really catch some good numbers of fish. A lot of times people will give up on the fish after Thanksgiving, but I’ve caught them all the way through January. The fish will hold up on the near shore wrecks, in 30-70ft of water. I try and find live bait if possible and finger mullet and bull minnows are the best. Use a short leader, 18”, and small 1/0-2/0 circle hook. Depending on what the current is doing, you’ll want to use anywhere between 4-6oz of lead. Try and anchor up on top of the wreck or just off of it and fish right on the bottom. If you decide to go fishing out towards the edge, make sure and stock up with plenty of pinfish, ruby lips, grunts, etc to target grouper. Remember gag grouper closes December 31st, and there are plenty of other grouper you can catch. Your best way to catch bait is to set a trap. If we get some really cold weather, try setting your trap in deeper water, 15-20ft, and you’ll end up catching more bait. For other types of fin baits, buy a few large sabiki rigs

and tip the hooks with squid. If you get over the top of any of the public inshore wrecks and use this setup, you should be able to catch all you need. If you’re looking to have a good time and just catch some fish to release, there has been tons of small amberjacks and of course plenty of snapper on the majority of wrecks in 50-80ft of water. If you can catch a calm day, try heading out to the spots and anchoring up current of them and start chumming. Within a few minutes you’ll have fish up in the water right underneath the boat. This time of year the fish are less pressured, even on the public wrecks, and are very hungry. I typically use light tackle and soft plastic baits. It’s a total blast and you don’t have to be an expert by any means to use this type of tactic and be successful.

The Florida Game and Wildlife celebrates the removal of more than 111,000 lionfish! Shortly after announcing the removal of more than 100,000 lionfish from Florida waters, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), at the Nov. 17 meeting in St. Petersburg, presented a custommade, mounted metal lionfish trophy to the FWC’s first-ever Lionfish King, David Garrett. “Thanks to David and the tireless efforts of divers across the state, we are able to celebrate the removal of an amazing 111,000 lionfish so far this year; 37,000 of which were removed via recreational efforts,” said FWC Chairman Brian Yablonski. “This far exceeds our initial goal of 25,000 lionfish removed between May 2016 and May 2017 and we look forward to seeing what we can do to continue our battle against the invasive lionfish population.” Garrett, of Volusia County, achieved the honor after removing a total of 3,324 lionfish during the 4.5-month long

Lionfish Challenge. “Every lionfish removed is a benefit to the native fish and ecosystem,” said Garrett, a Professional Association of Diving Instructors scuba instructor and retired Army major who also sells a lot of his catch commercially and runs a nonprofit lionfish removal organization. He will be featured on the cover of the January 2017 Saltwater Regulations Publication and will also receive a lifetime saltwater fishing license for his efforts. Of the 111,000 lionfish reported removed since May, 16,609 were from the Lionfish Challenge program alone. The Lionfish Challenge rewarded divers who removed 50 or more lionfish with incentives including a commemorative coin; a T-shirt; an additional spiny lobster per person, per day during the 2016 two-day sport season; and entry into a raffle where they had the chance to win prizes such as Neritic pole spears, Zookeeper lionfish containment units, fuel cards, fishing licenses and dive tank refills. A total of 95 people participated in the program from across Florida and the southeastern United States. About half of the lionfish submitted to the Lionfish Challenge were also submitted to the Panhandle Pilot Program, which rewards divers for removing 100 or more lionfish from waters off Escambia through Franklin counties. This program will continue through May 19, 2017, or until all 130 cobia and red grouper tags allotted to this program are awarded. The first 10 persons or teams to remove 500 lionfish also qualify to name an artificial reef.

Peter Wright Jr The Ships Chandler 646 E. Hwy 98 Destin, FL 32541 850-837-9306

FWC crowns Lionfish King!

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“FWC approves historic plan to conserve imperiled species” The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is moving forward with a groundbreaking attempt to achieve conservation success with dozens of imperiled species throughout the state. At its meeting in St. Petersburg, the FWC approved the Imperiled Species Management Plan, a capstone on five years of work developing the plan, and over a decade of revising the listing process. In the plan, the details of conserving each of Florida’s 57 imperiled species are coupled with the broader approach of restoring habitats and addressing other large-scale issues essential to the long-term survival of multiple fish and wildlife species. “Our charismatic species get a lot of attention, but the animals covered by this Imperiled Species Management Plan need attention too,” said Commissioner Chuck Roberts. “All of these species are very important to long-term resource management here in Florida.” After adopting a new conservation model in 2010 that requires a management plan for imperiled species, the FWC embarked upon a process of collaboration with stakeholders and the public. Three drafts of the plan were presented for review, generating hundreds of comments on each draft, and leading to changes in the plan. Experts from outside the FWC also participated in Biological Status Reviews that evaluated which fish and wildlife species should be designated as imperiled. “The Imperiled Species Management Plan addresses a diversity of imperiled species, from the reddish egret to the Florida bog frog, Barbour’s map turtle and bluenose shiner,” said Brad Gruver, who leads the agency’s Species Conservation Planning section. “In the past, we successfully used management plans for individual species like the bald eagle and manatee. With this plan, we take into account what imperiled species have in common, such as the need for us to improve what we know about them and to better coordinate how we manage multiple species.” While the biologists who developed this 10-year plan are responsible for its implementation, the public is encouraged to step into key roles. Citizen-scientists can volunteer to help survey wildlife and collect data. Private landowners can conserve imperiled species on their property. Schools, businesses, organizations and individuals can become informal educators on imperiled wildlife. “We have been involved in the effort to revise Florida’s imperiled species listing process and management system since the very beginning,” said Elizabeth Fleming, Senior Florida Representative, Defenders of Wildlife. “We are extremely pleased to see the adoption of a comprehensive imperiled species management plan and associated rules. Now the important work of implementing these important conservation measures can begin.” Important things to know about the Imperiled Species Management Plan: It includes one-page summaries for each species, including a map of its range in Florida and online links to Species Action

Plans. The 49 Species Action Plans contain specific conservation goals, objectives and actions for all 57-imperiled species. It also has Integrated Conservation Strategies that benefit multiple species and their habitats, and focus implementation of the plan on areas and issues that yield the greatest conservation benefit for the greatest number of species. It highlights conservation success with 15 species that are being removed from the list of imperiled species but are still being monitored and conserved under the plan. What are the 57 fish and wildlife species in the plan? Eight mammals: Big Cypress fox squirrel, eastern chipmunk*, Everglades mink, Florida mouse*, Homosassa shrew, Sanibel rice rat, Sherman’s fox squirrel and Sherman’s short-tailed shrew. Twenty-one birds: American oystercatcher, black skimmer, brown pelican*, Florida burrowing owl, Florida Sandhill crane, least tern, limpkin*, little blue heron, Marian’s marsh wren, osprey (Monroe County population), reddish egret, roseate spoonbill, Scott’s seaside sparrow, snowy egret*, snowy plover, southeastern American kestrel, tricolored heron, Wakulla seaside sparrow, white ibis*, white-crowned pigeon and Worthington’s marsh wren. Twelve reptiles: alligator snapping turtle, Barbour’s map turtle, Florida brown snake (Lower Keys population), Florida Keys mole skink, Florida pine snake, Key ringneck snake, peninsula ribbon snake* (Lower Keys population), red rat snake* (Lower Keys population), rim rock crowned snake, short-tailed snake, striped mud turtle* (Lower Keys population) and Suwannee Cooter*. Four amphibians: Florida bog frog, Georgia blind salamander; gopher frog* and Pine Barrens treefrog*. Nine fish: blackmouth shiner, bluenose shiner, crystal darter, harlequin darter, Lake Eustis pupfish*, key silverside, mangrove rivulus*, saltmarsh topminnow and southeastern tessellated darter. Three invertebrates: Black Creek crayfish, Florida tree snail* and Santa Fe crayfish As to the listing status of all the plan’s 57 species, 14 were listed as state Threatened prior to the plan and will remain listed as state Threatened; 23 will change listing from Species of Special Concern to state Threatened; five will remain Species of Special Concern; and 15 will be removed from the imperiled species list (* indicates a species coming off the imperiled list but still being conserved).

Rule changes associated with implementing the plan are anticipated to take effect in December 2016.

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DESTIN EAST PASS TIDE CHART Day Time 2016/12/01 2016/12/02 2016/12/03 2016/12/04 2016/12/05 2016/12/06 2016/12/07 08:41 PM 0.32 H 2016/12/08 2016/12/09 2016/12/10 2016/12/11 Sun 2016/12/12 2016/12/13 2016/12/14 2016/12/15 2016/12/16 2016/12/17 2016/12/18 2016/12/19 2016/12/20

Hgt Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed

Time Hgt 09:01 AM -0.09 L 09:45 AM -0.1 L 10:25 AM -0.1 L 11:00 AM -0.09 L 12:24 AM 0.6 H 01:00 AM 0.51 H 01:26 AM 0.4 H

Time Hgt 10:35 PM 0.7 H 11:10 PM 0.68 H 11:47 PM 0.65 H 11:29 AM -0.07 L 11:50 AM -0.03 L 12:00 PM 0.02 L

Thu 11:45 AM 0.08 L 07:30 PM 0.36 H Fri 03:43 AM 0.08 L 07:14 PM 0.45 H Sat 04:25 AM -0.01 L 07:24 PM 0.55 H 05:16 AM -0.09 L 07:51 PM 0.64 H Mon 06:11 AM -0.16 L 08:29 PM 0.7 H Tue 07:10 AM -0.2 L 09:13 PM 0.74 H Wed 08:10 AM -0.22 L 10:00 PM 0.75 H Thu 09:07 AM -0.22 L 10:47 PM 0.72 H Fri 09:58 AM -0.2 L 11:32 PM 0.65 H Sat 10:39 AM -0.16 L Sun 12:11 AM 0.56 H 11:06 AM -0.11 L Mon 12:39 AM 0.45 H 11:16 AM -0.05 L Tue 12:31 AM 0.33 H 11:02 AM 0.0 L

08:17 PM 0.27 H 2016/12/21 2016/12/22 2016/12/23 2016/12/24 2016/12/25 2016/12/26 2016/12/27 2016/12/28 2016/12/29 2016/12/30 2016/12/31

Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

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10:18 AM 0.03 L 08:15 AM 0.03 L 05:14 AM -0.02 L 05:21 AM -0.07 L 05:48 AM -0.11 L 06:21 AM -0.14 L 06:59 AM -0.16 L 07:37 AM -0.18 L 08:15 AM -0.19 L 08:50 AM -0.19 L 09:21 AM -0.19 L

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07:00 PM 0.32 H 06:43 PM 0.38 H 06:50 PM 0.44 H 07:09 PM 0.5 H 07:35 PM 0.53 H 08:07 PM 0.56 H 08:41 PM 0.58 H 09:16 PM 0.6 H 09:53 PM 0.6 H 10:29 PM 0.59 H 11:05 PM 0.55 H

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VENICE OFFSHORE REPORT By: Captain Brett Ryan

The past two months have been awesome offshore. We have been fishing the shrimp boats with very good results most days. There is nothing like hand feeding 150 plus pound Yellowfin Tuna right next to the boat. This year has been a bit late in almost every aspect of offshore fishing. Chances are we will have an exceptional December fishery. The Wahoo bite should be in full swing this December. The most intense fishing for these species will be six days before and after the full moon. As January approaches, I hope to get my revenge on the shark species. We should

start to see the almighty Mako sharks make their appearance. Mako is the best eating of the shark family, the meat is similar to swordfish. It is often found served in restaurants as a substitute for swordfish. Opening weekend we did well on ducks. The aerial survey of Southeastern Louisiana had a count of almost 2 million ducks in the area! Hunting the fronts should still be productive though. Looking forward to lots of ducks and Wahoo this December. Happy Holiday's to everyone. Good luck and stay safe out there. Plaquemines Parish | Venice, Louisiana Capt. Brett Ryan Venice, La 504-231-1842 www.captainbrettryan.com

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SANDESTIN REPORT By: Captain Sid Little This time of year the bridges in Choctawhatchee Bay produce nice redfish, sheepshead and black drum. Try dropping live shrimp on Carolina rigs or bouncing a gulp along the bridge spans. It definitely helps to hold up and work a span then move on to covered areas and find which span is holding fish. Anchoring up current works too, but you will find more fish working an area and moving on. As far as tackle goes, your 10 and 12 lb. test rods will do fine here. Have extra leaders tied up because you will be losing a few to the oysters on the pilings. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not working the bridges then try some of the deeper docks you fish in the 6-12 ft. range, a lot of the fish tend to hold up around the deeper docks this time of year. Choctawhatchee River will be holding nice speckled trout, redfish, flounder, striped bass and largemouth bass up in the river and near the mouths of the river. A good shad imitation crankbait or Rat-L-Trap will do the trick. Jigging will produce some nice fish and should put you in contact with some nice flounder as well. A live finger Mullet will definitely do the job if you know where to find them this time of year. Rig the mullet up though the top side of his mouth and out the nostril. Once you have it set the way you want it, you can easily cast them a short distance away from you and then free line them so that they swim naturally in the currents where the fish are feeding.

will be full of Flounder and can be caught on Carolina rigs or by jigging with finger mullet, s m a l l pinfish and bull minnows. Large redfish should be patrolling the beach from up in the surf to out of the bar. Look for the birds working or look for individuals and pitch a white feather jig or a live shrimp to get a bite. Approach these schools slow, you do not want to spook them. These redfish should also be on your inshore gulf spots on out to 100 feet. Remember to vent the reds that come out of deeper water they always need a little help getting back down.

Captain Sid Little ph: 850-699-2286 850-246-5874

Out in the gulf most inshore wrecks, those in 70- 80 ft. of water,

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Planning your next financial journey?

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VENICE INSHORE REPORT By: Captain Owen Langridge

It’s Christmas, duck hunting, deer hunting, hog hunting, all of these happen in December in South Plaquemines Parish. You might think with all of these activities that fishing would take a back seat. On the contrary, December is probably our best month for fishing. All of the above kind of takes the pressure off of our fin fish, and they are predictable and easy to catch. Behind Buras, watch the weather. Cold fronts will blow the water out of the marsh. The second day after a front pushes through is usually the best. The trout will be in their winter pattern. This means they will hide in the deep holes when it’s cold and come out on the adjacent flats to feed when the sun warms the water; that’s when I’ll be throwing my favorite imitation shrimp under a cork. Make sure your cork makes plenty of noise and be patient. Old “yellow” mouth will find you. If the shrimp doesn’t work, try an imitation minnow. Reds will be in the area, also, but closer to the bank. They like to hide along the grass lines and attack their prey from ambush. So

give them an easy meal close to the grass. I like market bait under the same “noisy” cork. Redfish can smell and the smell of fresh shrimp will have him pulling your cork under. You’ll catch plenty of reds for the grill. Downriver will be gangbusters! The low River and the cool weather has moved the trout into the River system. You can find them in the spillways, the passes, and the River herself. I like a “Gulp” minnow on a 3/8 or ½ once jig head bounced slowly on the bottom. Look for “humps” in the River in 15 to 25 feet of water and you’ll find the trout. If you run out of Gulp try an LSU cacahoe on the same jig. If you want flounder or reds then tip the LSU with a little piece of shrimp. The Bulls will be patrolling the rock jetties along the mouths of most of the main passes. A 3/8 jig with market bait is all that’s needed. Fish it slowly along the rocks and hold on. Big Momma is gonna find you and give you the fight of your life.

Yes, December is Christmas time down here in Venice. The great December fishing will be my Christmas Present! Capt. Owen Langridge Big “O” Charters L.L.C. 225 978 1136 www.bigocharters.com

PERDIDO KEY FISHING REPORT The warmer than normal Fall temperatures have made for some great days on the water. With thousands of Redfish getting ready for their annual spawn in the waters surrounding Perdido Key the fishing inshore is as good as it gets. If you would like to get a child interested in the outdoors, there is not a better time!!!! Trout fishing in the backwaters is on fire as well with limits being caught on most trips. Be sure to come see the friendly staff at Grays Tackle if you need advice on where to go or the best bait’s to use. Utilizing next month this is Captain Bill wishing you Tight Lines and Screaming Drags

Lost Bay Guide Service Capt. Bill Willis 850-748-5076 www.lostbayfishing.com

¨You only live once but if you do it right once is enough.”

Guide Service

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THE NEGLECTED BOAT TRAILER

rowing up in a family boat business, my father would often say, the most neglected piece of boating equipment is the boat trailer. And without it, the boat would never get to the water. And each season, I’d watch customers purchase new electronics, fishing gear, cleaners/wax, etc. for the boat, yet bypass the trailer equipment aisle. When offered a free trailer inspection, you’d often hear, “I hardly used it last season” or “It’s good for another year”. I often wonder as I see a boat and trailer abandoned on the roadside, if that owner said the same thing. Most modern boat 12 EMERALD COAST

By: CAM Staff bearings need to stay full of grease. Trailer tires need to be inspected for tread wear and separation before each use, as well as properly inflation, including the spare. Periodically check the torque on the lug nuts as well. Boat trailers equipped with trailer brakes need to be checked for brake shoe wear. Check the runners and trailers are built from rollers on the trailer for galvanized steel or breaks or cracks and, aluminum to prevent if necessary, replace rusting. Trailers consist with new equipment. of a frame, axles, Broken rollers or runners bearings, hubs, tires, can cause problems runners, rollers, winch, launching and loading lights, and sometimes the boat and may damage brakes. Each piece of the the hull. trailer is important and Check to see the winch needs inspection. is in proper working The bearings and hubs order. If the strap or the are packed with grease to cable is worn or frayed, reduce friction. Heat can replace it. build up in the bearings at highway speeds, which causes grease breakdown. Water from submersions can also flush grease from the bearings. As grease breaks down, heat is increased resulting in the bearing locking to the spindle, ruining the hub, and possibly the axle. To prevent bearing lock-up,

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The final step in trailer maintenance is checking all running and brake lights. Make sure all bulbs are burning. Replace blown bulbs immediately. Most trailer light assemblies are not water tight, so always unplug trailer lights before launching or loading. Bulbs get hot when the brakes are applied, and if they are suddenly cooled by water, a blown bulb may occur. Unplugging the pigtail can save the brake light bulbs. Your boat trailer very important and routine maintenance can prevent a serious accident or a wrecked outing. If you aren’t comfortable checking your trailer, than contact a local dealer who offers free trailer inspections.

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11/17/16 11:23 PM

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

t’s December. I’m ready for some winter wade fishing, and I am sure you are, too. Now the question, is our equipment ready? The last thing I want to happen… again, is to be waist deep in 45-degree water and 40-degree air temp and realize my waders have sprung a leak. Let’s go over a few things to prevent this. First, I start with storage last spring. I store all of my waders and jackets in a clim at e - c ont ro l l e d environment. I also make sure to hang them up to avoid items getting tossed on top of them. Photo courtesy of My Coast Outdoors. Well in advance of my first trip, I will do a thorough into spending substantially more spection in search of pin holes and abrasions. The money for what I felt was the best method I have found for this same product. I heard reviews is to turn my waders inside out, that the others were warmer etc., grab a spotlight and head for a but I just didn’t see it since they dark room. I shine the spotlight are both fairly thin and breathinside and look for any light able. Once I tried a pair of the shining through. In the event I spot a hole, I will circle that more expensive brands, I was area with a permanent marker. hooked! It was a night and day Once identified, I then use the difference in the feel, comfort appropriate patch adhesive for and warmth. Not to mention the my waders and make the neces- more expensive ones typically sary repair. After this, I like to fill come with some type of warranthem with water as a secondary ty. Although I have not had any problems to find out first-hand, check. Now, when it comes to the I hear customer service is top type of equipment to buy, there notch if something does fail. As I mentioned, both price are endless options from economical to expensive. There are points will work, but there is two trains of thought here, and something to be said for buying over my career I have subscribed quality when it comes to winter to both. I used to purchase the wade fishing gear. So whatever more economical products, and your preference, always take the for the most part they served me time to check your equipment well, but I have had those occa- prior to that first wade in search sional uncomfortable long, wet of those winter trophy speckled and cold days. My thought pro- trout. cess was I could buy 6 to 10 pairs Capt. Michael Okruhlik is of these waders or buy one pair of the expensive ones. The 6 to the inventor of Controlled De10 might last me a lifetime. It was scent Lures and the owner of hard for me to see the benefits www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

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It’s Time For The States To Manage Reef Fish

he election is over, and now there’s a chance for Congress and the states to get together and do something that makes sense to almost all of us who fish in the Gulf of Mexico. This would be bi-partisan and a win-win for all of us except perhaps a few on the fringe who would like to see all fishing halted. The states need to take total control of all management of reef fishes in the Gulf of Mexico. Reef fishes are generally non migratory. Some make seasonal movements or migratory aggregations, but never the long treks undertaken by coastal pelagics like mackerels and cobia. The reef dwellers are not that different from the state-managed species like flounders and spotted sea trout. State management measures similar to those used for these state species would work equally well for the reef species. Habitats off the different states differ greatly, providing major differences in population dynamics of reef species. Off Alabama, for example, thousands of artificial structures provide ideal habitat for red snapper. The population there is such that I have repeatedly speculated Alabama could have a six-month red snapper season with a two fish bag limit, and it wouldn’t make a dent in the population. This is based on my 30-year study of red snapper there. And off the other Gulf states, habitats vary. The petroleum platforms off Louisiana and Texas support very healthy populations, which could easily handle a much-extended season. And even within a state’s boundaries, there are marked differences. The Florida panhandle habitats vary greatly from those off the west Florida peninsula shelf, supporting alternative management. Different habitats with variable population characteristics should be managed with regulations that are tailored to these differences. These fisheries would be better managed by individual states rather than the federal government.

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I served on the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council for 18 years, and served as its chair three times. The council members and staff are hamstrung by certain provisions of the Magnuson Act, which governs stocks in federal waters. While the Act has resulted in many benefits, there are two major problems: stocks must be managed on a quota and in most cases stocks must be managed as a single unit. By mandating a quota, the Act disallows innovative options, such as closed areas in lieu of a quota. Also, determining a quota requires a stock assessment, and as we all know, stock assessments are expensive, slow in coming, and notoriously subject to major revisions. Of course the mandate that stocks be managed as a single unit precludes the differential habitat considerations described above. Another problem with federal oversight has to do with effort. Until a few years ago, effort was determined by the MRFSS (Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey). This program was so “fatally flawed” that it had to be replaced by what is known as MRIP (Marine Recreational Information Program). Alas, the two programs had such conflicting results that the Council and National Marine Fisheries Service are still trying to untangle the flawed data. In addition, the states are developing their own effort data programs, far more sophisticated than the MRIP program. It has been suggested that the Gulf states don’t have the resources to gather and interpret the data necessary to make sound scientific decisions. Not true! The states are currently generating enough data to do a far more effective job of localized management. Think of the economic benefit to the states of having a longer season. Are we in for a three-day snapper season in 2017? Isn’t the system broken? Doesn’t it make sense that the states manage? Dr. Bob Shipp is professor emeritus of marine science at the university of South Alabama and author of Dr. Bob Shipp’s Guide to Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico, available at: bobshipp.com.

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By Tobin Strickland • Photo by Kyle Johnson

ill warm water temperatures reduce winter big trout catches? It’s a question that many are beginning to wonder. “Is it cold enough yet? Have the big trout moved to the mud?” These are some of the questions I’ve been hearing. The answer is… Well, it depends. In shallow-water big trout haunts, we’ve found that the big fish move there much earlier than what we once thought, some will even stay all year in the right conditions. The fish are there for more than just the mud. As Capt. Steve Soule has said, “They are there for protection, food, and solitude.” Many of the places they frequent have formed mud on the bottom due to the layout, more so than for the mud. Depth also affords trout with similar protection, and with depth the water temperature swings are more subdued giving fish a more stable environment. With depth, there is no need for the stabilizing effect that mud also offers. In the end, I don’t think the warmer conditions will reduce the catches of seasoned big trout anglers, unless you are in south Florida, where the cold is required to move the trout into the bays. We will need to be ready as the conditions change along the way with each passing cold front, even if they remain weak. Warmer weather will allow many of the fish to stay shallow, but who knows, we may still get a winter yet. Tobin created TroutSupport.com - Tech Support for Speckled Trout and Redfish anglers.

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he Dry Tortugas are a group of seven small islands 67 miles west of Key West. Encompassed within a 100-acre national park, the islands are best known for Fort Jefferson, a 19th century brick fort on a tiny island in the middle of the ocean. The history of the Dry Tortugas is pretty amazing, and so is the fishing. Fort Jefferson was built to protect the busiest shipping lanes between the Gulf Coast and the eastern seaboard. During the civil war, the fort was used by the Union army to disrupt shipping to confederate forces. During that same period, the fort was also used as a prison. The most famous prisoner held at the fort was Dr. Samuel Mudd, who mended John Wilkes Booth’s leg. In 1874, the army abandoned the fort and it was used solely as a coaling station for resupply. The Dry Tortugas received their name because there was no water on the island and the turtles prevalent on the beach made a good food source. The fort itself was never finished completely, but it is a testament to determination. All the building materials needed to build the fort were brought down by barge. The scope of it doesn’t hit you until you sit in the archways of the fort and think back in history of them hauling 14 million bricks 70 miles from Key West and roughly 200 miles from the mainland out in the middle of the ocean. Those arches of bricks often are made of six different angles meeting together to make the complex ceiling. A walk around the fort and climbing the walls is a must for anyone traveling to Dry Tortuga. Plan on just relaxing and watching the sunset from inside the fort. For anglers, the true magic happens when you go fishing off Fort Jefferson. The waters surrounding the fort are crystal clear. Often, when fishing in 30 or 40 feet of water you can watch groupers swim out of a hole and eat your bait. Whether you decide to fish K Buoy on the north side of the fort for yellowtails, East Key for groupers and mutton, or the south side of the fort for big groupers or kings, it is magical. The fishing at the fort is like going back 30 years in time and catching fish of yester-year. When you see a boat come back from the fort with its catch, you can tell where they have been without even asking. The fish are larger and more 14 FLORIDA

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colorful, and there’s just more of them. I think the remoteness of the fort has kept the fishing pristine. You know the king fishing at the fort is amazing when you see tournament teams run hundreds of miles to catch a fish there to win a tournament. I think there have been more winning kingfish caught at the fort than any place else, but the fort is known for its bottom fishing. Whether you decide to bottom fish on the Atlantic side of the fort or the Gulf of Mexico on the north side, be ready for some awesome action. On the Atlantic side, you can anchor down and chum up the yellowtails on the reef edge or drift fish the different drops. These drops are bottom contours that often only change by a couple of feet, but those edges hold myriad fish. The 204 drop or the 250 drop edges are loaded with fish, but you have to use the right tackle. I prefer braid when bottom fishing. The difference with braid when you are fishing deep is it takes half the weight to get down, and you can feel exactly what is going on with your bait. The amount of weight will vary every day, you want to make sure you have enough weight to hold bottom; you do not want your line scoping out away from the boat. When the line scopes out, you have to put more and more line out to find the bottom. Ideally, you want your bait a foot off the bottom. If you scope out, you also have a great tendency to hang the bottom. It can often be hard to get the feel for it for new anglers. Bait options are endless, whether you fish live bait (pinfish, pilchards, mullet) or dead bait, there is a time for each. There are days when they only want dead bait like bonita strips, ballyhoo or squid, and they will out fish live 10 to one. Then sometimes jigs with tails or ballyhoo are the secret. The best advice I can give is take it all: dead bait, live bait and artificials. It is a long way to the nearest tackle shop. Don’t be afraid to try different things at different locations. When it comes to jigs, I prefer white and everything from 1-ounce to 10-once. The current can be still, or it could be flying along at 3 knots. For I like to drift fish at the fort. There is so much bottom to cover and so many places I

want to get to that I rarely anchor. A perfect drift for me is 1 1/2 to 2 knots. If there is no current, typically there are no fish. Different times of day are better in different areas. I believe the fish migrate during the day from south to north or vice versa depending on where you are. When you setup a drift over a migration, you will know it instantly by the constant action. When you look at a chart of the Dry Tortugas, your imagination runs wild with all the great bottom contours to fish and different spots that just look fishy. Be mindful of the closed areas and restricted areas around the fort; the fines are expensive. The best part of fishing the Dry Tortugas is exploring a new fishery that is so widespread and alive with fish. You can expect to come home with stories and photos of a lifetime. So take the time to go down West and experience history. Visit the Dry Tortugas web page for more information (www.nps.gov/drto/index.htm). Contact Capt. Mike Weinhoffer and Key West Florida Fishing through their website www. Keywestfloridafishing.com or call 305-395-3474.

More Fishing in the Dry Tortugas, go to

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By Tom Warnke

he gift of peak experiences happens to all of us. Sometimes we set them up, and sometimes they’re gifts from heaven. We all do our best to orchestrate memorable experiences. For me, a common denominator has been the ocean. Diving, surfing, sailing and fishing are all included. During the 18 years I handled sales and marketing at Costa Del Mar Sunglasses, I was fortunate to witness blue marlin tournaments in St. Thomas, the first Redbone tournament in Islamorada and good times at the Sailfish Marina with the West Palm Beach Fishing Club. Another thread has been the fishing/surfing connection. Having an affinity for the ocean is common to people who fish, and for surfers. Ben Hartig, longtime member of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, was one of the most revered surfers at Reef Road in Palm Beach. Nobody dropped in on Ben Hartig. Bill Holmes, who manufactured legendary “Holmesy Surfboards” in Juno Beach, also had the woodworking talents to do custom interiors for Rybovich Boat Company for many years. The late Ted James started Fox Surfboards in Palm Beach County in 1968 while he was catching monster tarpon and snook in the area, and later fished the Outer Banks of North Carolina while manufacturing Fox Surfboards and Sailboards there. Mark Castlow of Fort Pierce started Atlantis Surfboards in the 1960s, and then moved into manufacturing world class Maverick flats boats and Dragonfly Boatworks today. Ralph Boynton, long time Lake Worth pier surfer, won the West Palm Beach Fishing Club’s annual Nora Award for the heaviest snook three times, and holds the 50-year record at 42.08 lbs. Kristy Murphy grew up fishing and diving in the Bahamas before moving to Jupiter. She was so good in the water she could free dive 30 feet, spear a grouper and grab a lobster with the same breath. Kristy went on to win the Women’s World Longboard Championships in big waves. One of the world’s best big-wave surfers, Mark Healy, often free dives 100 feet deep as a volunteer to tag sharks for conservation. The historic Sea Mist drift fishing boat out of Boynton Inlet has had two of the best local surf-

ers as long time captains: Burt Garnsey and Charlie Brown. And don’t forget our own Florida fishing guides/writers Capt. Mike Holliday and Capt. Rodney Smith, both also hooked on surfing. Holmesy Surfboards, Fox Surfboards and Kristy Murphy are all featured in the grand opening of the new Surfing Museum in the Lake Park Arts District on Dec. 9. The Surfing History Museum recently moved from Delray Beach to Lake Park at 738 Park Avenue and the grand opening includes the premier of the new surfing film Ted James with a gift from the ocean, “Dream Steeple.” The museum a 41.75-pound snook, circa 1967. showcases the 100-year history Photo by Ralph Boynton. of surfing in Florida. We hope to see you there, and “talk story” about peak experiences and gifts from the ocean. Tom Warnke is a Trustee and Historian for the Palm Beach County Surfing History Project. Email Tom at trwarnke@hotmail.com or click on surfhistoryproject.org for additional info.

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f there is a point at which the world of art and the world of sport fishing came together, it can be found in fly tying. If you take a brief moment to scour the internet for videos on tying different types of flies anglers have developed, you’ll see that making flies is in a class all of its own when it comes to our world of fishing. Taking time to use natural or synthetic materials and making them look like something that will fool the wary eye of an elusive sport fish like bonefish or tarpon is a challenge to both our creativity and our knowledge as fishermen. However, learning to become a successful fly tyer can be one the most rewarding experiences in your fishing adventures, and it will force you to heighten your awareness of what your quarry is looking for. But let’s face it, it can be intimidating when you see pictures of some of the masterpiece flies that have been developed by more experienced tyers. Believe it or not, with only a few simple materials, some hooks, a vice, a bobbin, and tying thread, you can begin making quality flies all on your own in a very short amount of time. For the beginning fly tyer planning to fish fresh or saltwater in Florida, there are five flies I feel are not only very effective, but

are also very simple to begin tying on your own. Woolly Buggers, Clouser Minnows, Lefty’s Deceiver, gurglers, and polar fiber minnows are all flies that are a simple and effective launching pad for the beginning tyer. For the Woolly Bugger, you’ll need chenille, marabou and rooster neck hackle. The Clouser Minnow only requires two different colors of buck tail, painted dumbbell eyes and some Flashabou. Lefty’s Deceivers require matching (or varying if you choose) colors of rooster saddle and buck tail, along with some Flashabou and maybe a little paint to make the eyes. A simple gurgler only requires some marabou, chenille and foam, and for a polar fiber minnow, you only need one color of polar fiber, some fish eyes, and five-minute epoxy. For in depth instructions on all five of these flies, there are some great Youtube channels like Fly Fish Food, In The Riffle, or Tight Lines Video that offer great instructional videos for any one of these five flies and a multitude of other fantastic fly patterns. So as a fellow angler, I challenge you to head down to your nearest fly shop, pick up some of these materials and begin not only making your own flies, but catching fish on flies that you made! Good luck and tight lines.

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or more than 50 years, the Islamorada Sailfish Tournament has kicked off the renowned triple-crown Florida Keys Gold Cup Sailfish Championship Series. This year’s tournament dates are Thursday through Sunday, Dec. 1-4. The all-release challenge, a primary fundraiser for the Islamorada Charter Boat Association, allows an unlimited number of anglers per vessel to participate. Tournament events are to be headquartered at the Whale Harbor Inn and Marina complex, located at mile marker 83 in Islamorada, and open with pre-registration and a kickoff banquet Thursday, Dec. 1. Fishing is scheduled Friday through Sunday, Dec. 2-4, with an awards ceremony Sunday. Entry fees after Nov. 15 are $750 and $650, respectively. The junior angler entry fee is $250 regardless of entry date. Specially priced Islamorada lodging rates are available for the weekend event. The second event in the Gold Cup Series is the Cheeca Lodge Presidential Sailfish Tournament set for Jan. 19-21, 2017. The third is the Islamorada Fishing Club Sailfish Tournament scheduled Jan. 25-26, 2017, when the series culminates and the overall Gold Cup champions are crowned. For registration and information go to islamoradasailfishtournament. com/ or contact Dianne Harbaugh 305-522-4868.

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y earliest introduction to the Bahamas was Andros, and I really feel at home when I go back. Although I am blessed to have traveled throughout the Bahamas for my ongoing research of bonefish and the bonefishing industry, it was my initial angling trip to Andros that created ties to the Bahamas that draw me back. This, the largest and most sparsely developed of the Bahamian islands, offers some of the best fishing in the world. Andros is truncated by extensive, deep and vital oceanic creeks referred to as bights that act as fish highways, transporting rich nutrients from region to region and tremendous numbers of fish. North Andros, separated from Mangrove Cay by the north bight, extends roughly from Bering Point all the way north to the Joulters. Like the rest of Andros, a single road on the eastern fringe allows for travel from north to south. The western side of Andros is largely undeveloped, is challenging to reach and is now the largest Marine Protected Area in the Bahamas. Bering Point can be considered an epicenter of bonefishing on Andros and in the Bahamas for that matter. This small fishing community lies on the southeastern tip of Andros, south of Fresh Creek one of the largest settlements on Andros, and just south of the AUTEC naval base. Bering Point is home to many long-time lodges and some of the best-known guides in the world. Guides like Ivan Neymour, Charlie Smith, and Rupert Leadon started guiding anglers in the 40s and 50s, working to develop a premier bonefishing destination. Indeed, the flats of Andros are unriveled in their sheer size and many areas on the west side of Andros remain relatively untouched. Anglers visiting north Andros have a wide array of accommodations to choose from and while I was conducting interviews in the area, I stayed at the Andros Island Bonefish Club, founded by local legend Rupert Leadon, who passed in 2012. Although I was unable to interview Rupert for my research, I met and interviewed many of his family members. Through conversing with family and community members, it is very clear how much Mr. Leadon helped the local economy. Like the Leadon family, many guides working in Andros are descended from guiding greats, those men who ventured into a new industry receiving little credit for their tremendous efforts, until now. Flats within easy wading from Bering Point are extensive and varied. Anglers should have wading boots and larger flies for deeper water and larger fish. Double-digit bonefish are common in Andros. Fish the tides, look for moving water, look for places that get less pressure and do not be afraid to wade deep for big fish... however, watch for sharks. You can bet that if you find good bonefishing, you will also find sharks. Be wary of sharks while releasing bonefish, and reduce the potential for predation of your released bonefish. Do this by using adequate rods, reels and lines, by reducing fight time, by eliminating handling and using barbless hooks. “Keep ’em wet.” If you have to have a photo, consider waterproof cameras for interesting perspectives of you and your fish. North Andros is very interesting geographically. The south by Bering Point is sub-tropical. In the north, starting roughly near Stafford Creek, where the beautiful Stafford Creek Lodge is located, are extensive pine forests and some agriculture creating a significant change from the south. Bonefish angling is available all along the eastern shores, and creeks are great places to start. Car rentals are readily available from local airports and adventuresome anglers can reap great rewards for getting off the proverbial beaten path. Some creek 20 FLORIDA

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systems are extensive, and as with all of Andros, traveling to the west side requires a boat and expert local knowledge... a guide. The northern tip of Andros is known as the Joulters, recently hit hard by Hurricane Matthew. Local guide Phillip Rolle graciously showed me some of the Joulters, and I can genuinely say the habitat is rich and the fishing is amazing. Miles and miles of hard white sandy bottom flats welcome anglers venturing to the area. I get the impression less angling pressure has permitted the continued health of local fish stocks. Huge schools of large fish move through countless cuts, bars and shoals, making the need for a guide critical. Given the size of the Joulters and all of Andros for that matter, finding fish is a daunting task; local guides who fish every day will greatly improve your odds of catching fish. Although the fishing on Andros is outstanding, there is much to do for non-anglers or on days away from the flats. Many blue holes dot the landscape, fantastic diving and snorkelling are easy to access, world-class birding and ecotours are available, and a rich culture including festivals like Crab Fest make for a great trip. For much more on this research please visit: http://tomkarrow.wixsite.com/ bahamas-guide-tek. Tom Karrow is a doctoral researcher evaluating the sustainability of the Bahamas bonefishing industry through accessing local guide knowledge and history. Tom works in conjunction with Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, The University of the Bahamas and the Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association. Research is funded in part through partnerships with Nautilus Reels, R.L.Winston Fly Rods, FishPond, 12 Weight, Costa and World Angling.

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After fighting a little traffic the next morning, I pulled back behind Bill’s House to his dock and there was Bill loading some rods and a cooler into what I could tell from a distance from its distinctive bow flare was a Sailfish, but the more modern profile and the hard-top frame integrated into the console were attractive new additions. “Get aboard,” he said, beaming with pride. “Just got it over the weekend.” He filled me in on all the details. The 236CC was a brand new Sailfish model, in fact this was number seven. “They’ve taken the best of your boat and added a lot of new innovations,” he explained, while starting to show me around the boat. “He really thought this one through, from the keel up – it’s got form and function.” I could see many of the old standards features from my old Sailfish – deep gunwales, built-in transom bait well, well-laid-out console, big fish boxes in he bow. However, there was plenty of “new” in this new model. “Look how they handled the transom seating,” Bill said, pointing to a fold-up seat attached to the transom. “And the whole thing lifts up to give you easy access to the bilge.” He then pointed to the leaning post lifted up the cushion on the passenger’s side and said, “look at this, a second live well build into the leaning post.” He also pointed out the tackle storage and stowable bait station built into the leaning post before getting behind the helm, tapping on the passenger seat and telling me to get ready to go. “I’ve put about 15 hours on the motor since Saturday,” Bill explained, “I could have gotten it with a 200 or 300 Yamaha, but I went with the 250.” “It runs 47 mph wide open,” Bill boasted. “And like all Sailfish’s, the VDS hull cuts into the water and the ride is real smooth.” As I said earlier, I have been running a Sailfish for the past seven years, and one thing that I have always appreciated is the way she handles in rough water. I have to admit, I was jealous of Bill and I spent most of the trip calculating what I could get for trading in my 218CC and what color my new 236CC would be.

CONNER’S NUTTER BUTTER Most fishermen will tell you they have a favorite color when it comes to specific fly patterns or lures. As a general rule, especially with streamers, it’s a good idea to have a range of colors to cycle through until you find what the fish are keyed in on. The Nutter Butter is a great pattern that falls toward the natural color palette, featuring mostly tans and browns and natural material like coyote fur. Something I have noticed is these subtle colors can draw a strike when brighter colors will not, making streamers like the Nutter Butter a staple for any streamer fisher’s box. In addition to color, the action and profile of the Nutter Butter are perfectly suited to drawing strikes from predatory fish. This fly really dances underwater. Rear Hook Hook: Gamakatsu B10S Size 2 Tail: Tan Extra Select Craft Fur Body: Tan Ice Dub Hackle: Polar Chenille Olive Copper UV Collar: Coyote Fur in a dubbing loop Front Hook Articulation: Senyo’s Intruder Wire and 2 6mm beads Hook: Gamakatsu B10S Size 1/0 Rattle: Hareline Plastic Rattle Medium Tail: Tan Craft Fur Body: Tan Ice Dub Hackle: Polar Chenille Olive Copper UV Collar: Coyote Fur in a dubbing loop Head: Brown Laser Dub Over Tan Eyes: 8mm CCG Eyes Tempt Head: CCG Flex

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ucts, and for the most part they served me well, but I have had those occasional uncomfortable long, wet and cold days. My thought process was I could buy 6 to 10 pairs of these waders or buy one pair of the expensive ones. The 6 to 10 might last me a lifetime. It was hard for me to see the benefits to spending substantially more money for what I felt was the same product. I heard reviews that the others were warmer etc., but I just didn’t see it since they are both fairly thin and breathable. Once I tried a pair of the more expensive brands, I was hooked! It was a night and day difference in the feel, comfort and warmth. Not to mention the more expensive ones typically come with some type of warranty. Although I have not had any problems to find out first-hand, I hear customer service is top notch if something does fail. As I mentioned, both price points will work, but there is something to be said for buying quality when it comes to winter wade fishing gear. So whatever your preference, always take the time to check your equipment prior to that first wade in search of those winter trophy speckled trout. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Controlled Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

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New African Surf Rod Design Promises ‘Seven Seas’ Success By Mike Pehanich

he landscape is stark off Namibia’s South Atlantic Coast. Sands end in sea, and, well, that’s about all there is to see! But these coastal waters where Jeri Drake and wife Sue fish and train for international surf fishing competition are loaded with game species, including copper sharks (“bronzies”), spotted gully, cow sharks, blue rays, smooth hounds and many more. You might never make it to Africa to fish these waters, but the tackle and techniques that Jeri—a master rod builder, innovator, member of Namibian President’s fishing team, and owner of Excalibur Tackle (www. excalibur-tackle.com ) in the town of Henties Bay—takes to the surf could find application on your coastal waters, too. Fishing is serious sport along the “Skeleton Coast,” particularly for tournament anglers who, armed with long rods and a fighting belt, often wade out several hundred yards to sandbanks, routinely casting 6- to 7-once sinkers and bait 100 to 160 yards or more to reach hard-fighting game fish. Rod design for Jeri Drake, known simply as “Jeri” in southern African fishing circles, has evolved into 14-foot and longer rods. He has developed his own blanks for this style of fishing, with unique handles featuring short butt sections and long fore grips, the latter measuring around 28 inches. The essential difference to U.S. style blanks is a ‘faster’ action, as opposed to the usual ‘through’ action. Jeri employs the same “reel down” design—reel positioned relatively close to the fighting belt—with surf rods he builds for both “fixed spool” (spinning) reels and conventional reels. The long fore grips allow fishermen to change the fulcrum point while fighting the fish. The “reel down” design also makes it easier to master more powerful casting techniques and thus achieve better distances. Wading through troughs and casting and fighting fish in sea spray calls

for a non-slip rod grip material. Jeri crafts his rod handles individually, wrapping Winn Superior Rod Wrap (www.winngrips.com ) directly over the large butt section of the rod blank. The all-weather WinnDry polymer, which also wraps easily over existing cork or EVA grips with its tape-like backing, retains its tacky feel even when he’s immersed in sea spray. In lieu of finishing tape, Jeri terminates the ends of the rod wrap with thread wrap and a finishing coat. This prevents seawater, sand particles and any other substance to undermine the grip material by seeping in between the wrap and blank. It also gives the handle a more finished look. To protect the polymer material from wear and punishment where rod butt meets rod belt, Jeri places a woven carbon sleeve above the butt button. The base of the rod wrap starts above the sleeve. This keeps the polymer from contacting the rod portal of the belt. Adapt some of Jeri’s surf rod tips to the rods in your arsenal. You’ll be tipping your cap to the tackle innovations of the avid anglers of southern Africa!

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UNDER THE SEA

SPEARFISHING WORLD RECORDS SHERI DAYE

ost people have heard of IGFA (International Game Fish Association), which manages world records for fishermen. But have you heard of IUSA (International Underwater Spearfishing Association)? IUSA keeps track of spearfishing world records. Both were founded more than 65 years ago and have a rich history—and both pride themselves for providing a universal code of sporting ethics as well as record keeping. The IUSA rules are fairly simple: the fish must be taken while freediving and using a muscle-powered speargun, sling or polespear. The catch must be legal, unassisted and weighed on a certified scale. The application must include photos of the weighing, dimensions and witness information. The categories are: men and women, saltwater and freshwater, speargun and sling/polespear. In other words, a woman can have a record black grouper taken by polespear in the ocean; a man can have a record walleye taken by a speargun in a lake, and so forth. I was inspired a few years ago to see if I could get a world record yellowfin tuna. That led me to learn to hold my breath, educate myself on equipment, get in better shape, learn all about tunas, save money for trips and make friends with other bluewater hunters. Having that goal set many other activities in motion.

I was fortunate to achieve my goal with a 179-pound tuna in Mexico. While the catch itself was exciting, I now realize that it’s the hunt, not the catch—or as they say, “it’s the journey, not the destination.” The lessons learned, the new friends made along the way, the memories—that is what becomes most precious over time. If you’re interested in pursuing a world record, here’s some quick tips: 1. Go where the fish are! Investigate areas, charters, and recent catches. 2. Use the right tool for the job. For example, Wong guns are known for bluewater hunting, Hammerhead is known for slings/polespears, etc. 3. Know the rules in advance so you don’t unwittingly disqualify a record. They can be found on the IUSA website at www. iusarecords.com. 4. Pack a certified scale and tape measure in your dive bag. You never know when that special catch will take place! Chatillon scales are known for being accurate and “certifiable.” 5. Above all, be safe and have fun. Records are an enjoyable pursuit, but they don’t compare to your health and wellbeing. With a bit of persistence and some luck, you might be able to immortalize the fish of a lifetime by claiming a world record. Life is short, so get out and enjoy it! Follow “Sheri Daye” & “The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo” April 22-23, 2017 – Ft. Lauderdale - Instagram and Facebook.

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Team MHX finds Success in 2016

FLW Photo

ow does a team that collectively won over $425K in 2015 go out and improve? “Maintaining the incredible work ethic of our anglers while working directly with our team to continue to develop the best blanks out there,” said Bob McKamey who is The Man when it comes to rod building and managing the team. FLW Tour pro John Cox started off the year with a bang at Lake Okeechobee with a top-12 cut and valuable AOY points. John narrowly missed the Angler of the Year in 2015 but had and extra spark when starting out the new season. An interesting side note to that Okeechobee event was Brad Hallman from Norman, Oklahoma, who was flipping dense reed heads with a custom-built MHX-FS966. “We didn’t initially know Brad was using our blanks until after the win,” Bob said. Come to find out, one of the MHX Regional Staff members Brandon Mosley, who fishes the COSTA series built Hallman’s rods before the event. So with just one event down in the FLW Tour, MHX Blanks had accounted for over $100k, not a bad start. Less than a month later, the Elite Series was on the St. Johns River in Palatka, Fla., and MHX Pro Brandon Lester found himself in the Day 1 lead and newest Team Member Bradley Roy was not far behind. Although he relinquished the lead over the next few days, Brandon and Bradley finished in the Top 20 to earn valuable AOY Points and nice paydays. Not to be outdone, John Cox and the FLW Tour were on Lake Hartwell in South Carolina the very same weekend, and Cox had the lead in that event. Although he did not win wire to wire, he was at the top when the smoke cleared on Sunday. With a Top-12 in the first event and a win in the second event, it seemed Cox wasted no time getting back to his

2015 form. On the regional event side, team member Brandon Mosley maintained a hot hand through the Costa Series and made two out of three cuts while building his rods as well as Hallman’s out on the FLW Tour. As the FLW Tour and Elite Series went on throughout the year, Cox, Roy and Lester continued to produce all while building their own rods. Cox, the most notable, who builds lake-specific rods in his hotel room during practice also has fellow anglers coming to him to fix a tip-top or a guide in an emergency. As the 2016 Season comes to a close, MHX has had an incredible year with multiple titles, a FLW Cup Championship and even team members headed to the Classic for the first time in their careers. Keep an eye out for the MHX Team as 2017 Season begins in January. If you are looking to build your own fishing rods check out MHX Rods at www.fishmhx.com and Mud Hole Custom Tackle at www.MudHole.com.

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LIMIT 8 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 4/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

• HarborFreight.com • 800-423-2567

LIMIT 7 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 4/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

Customer Rating

R R 12 VOLT MAGNETIC PE ON PE ON SU UP Customer Rating TOWING LIGHT KIT SU UP CO CO

15999$395 $9999 $269.99 comp at

13999 $8499 SAVE 185

Tools sold

R PE ON SU UP CO • Weighs 73 lbs.

Limit 1 coupon per customer per day. Save 20% on any 1 item purchased. *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or any of the following items or brands: Inside Track Club membership, Extended Service Plan, gift card, open box item, 3 day Parking Lot Sale item, automotive lifts, compressors, floor jacks, saw mills, storage cabinets, chests or carts, trailers, trenchers, welders, Admiral, Badland, Bremen, CoverPro, Creekstone, Daytona, Diablo, Doyle, Drummond, Earthquake, Franklin, Hercules, Holt, Jupiter, Lynxx, Maddox, Portland, Predator, Quinn, StormCat, Union, Viking. Not valid on prior purchases. Nontransferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 4/1/17.

ITEM 93454/69054 shown 63395/62603 separately.

WOW SUPER COUPON

Customer Rating

OOD 60", 4 DRAWER HARDWENC WORKB H

SAVE $255

800-423-2567. Cannot or HarborFreight.com or by calling LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original be used with other discount Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original purchase with original receipt. through 4/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. coupon must be presented. Valid

ER N UP PO

Customer Rating

ITEM 69780 41005 shown

S U CO 1000 LB. CAPACITY SWING-BACK TRAILER JACK

SAVE 49%

comp at

2599 $39.94

$1999 $

On All Hand Tools

• 700+ Stores Nationwide • Lifetime Warranty

• 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed • Over 30 Million Satisfied Customers • No Hassle Return Policy

999 37 $1029.99

35999

comp at

ITEM 68784 shown 69387/62270/62744

Customer Rating

44", 13 DRAWER INDUSTRIAL QUALITY ROLLER CABINET

WOW SUPER COUPON

SAVE $670

• Weighs 245 lbs.

Customer Rating

• 5 mil thickness

SIZE MED LG X-LG

YOUR CHOICE

$15.99

$ 99 $7comp99at

ITEM 68496/61363 68497/61360 68498/61359

POWDER-FREE NITRILE GLOVES PACK OF 100

or by calling stores or HarborFreight.com or prior LIMIT 5 - Good at our other discount or coupon with used 800-423-2567. Cannot be from original purchase with original receipt. purchases after 30 days last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be er per day. Offer good while supplies Limit one coupon per custom presented. Valid through 4/1/17.

R PE ON SU UP CO

Item 68498 shown

SAVE 62%

WOW SUPER COUPON

comp at

3999

2999

E 130 PIECE TOOL KIT WITH CAS

ITEM 69331/63091/63248 68998 shown

$89.98

SAVE 66%

or by calling stores or HarborFreight.com LIMIT 4 - Good at our used with other discount or coupon or prior 800-423-2567. Cannot be from original purchase with original receipt. purchases after 30 days last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be er per day. Offer good while supplies Limit one coupon per custom presented. Valid through 4/1/17.

comp at

99 119$199

8499

ITEM 61971 61972 98199 shown

R 10" SLIDING COMPOUND PE ON Customer Rating MITER SAW SU UP CO

SAVE $114

NATIONAL

DECEMBER 2016

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

FRESHWATER

DECEMBER 2016

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM â&#x20AC;¢ THEANGLERMAG.COM

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