Coastal Angler Magazine | October 2023 | Palm Beach & Ft. Lauderdale Edition

Watauga River

Home of world class fishing on the beautiful Watauga Lake, rugged Doe River and designated trophy trout stream, Watauga River PLAN

Watauga Lake

Doe River

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By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

AN

GAME PLAN FOR

ARTIFICIALS INSHORE

October is one of my favorite months to fish, and the dwindling traffic on the bays is just a small reason why. September may have been a record hot month for a lot of us, but the transition of the seasons is more than just the temperature for wildlife. The length of the days play a big part in the fish transitions for the season. Although October opens several new opportunities for anglers, I am going to give you an insight as to how I plan to catch them.

The marsh should be full of life and hold an

abundant amount of the big three: trout, redfish and flounder. It will not be uncommon to find all three in the same location gorging themselves on last spring’s hatch of shrimp and finfish. I will predominantly throw smaller soft plastics in the 3.25-inch size. I like a durable lure because the action can be fast and furious, and I don’t want to waste time changing out lures after one or two fish and miss my opportunity for more. I lean toward paddletails because I can work them faster, cover more water, and the added

vibration will draw strikes since these fish will be aggressive. The cover type and water depth will determine if I rig them weedless or on a jig head. Either method is acceptable, just adapt to the structure.

I prefer to fish outgoing tides in these areas. Generally, an outgoing tide produces a better bite and concentrates fish in smaller areas where I can target them. These pinch points can be mouths of drains, bayous, pinch points within a bayou or a bend. Those are the more obvious ones, but don’t overlook points extending into a bay or cuts through a reef. The points of islands or reefs can also increase the flow of current congregating the fish in an area.

Here are some retrieves I like to use for each of these three species in October. Keep in mind none of the fish read this article, so you will catch others on these retrieves. In general, reds will hit a lure on a steady retrieve, trout like the erratic twitch-twitch, and flounder react well to my lure darting along the bottom. When darting my lure along the bottom, I hold my rod tip down or sideways to the water and give it firm twitches. I make sure to keep my lure on the bottom and not bouncing it up and down like I would for trout. I want to disturb the bottom to get their attention.

As we all know, all fish will eat any retrieve, but if you are not catching the species you want, try a different action before you change the lure. Enjoy the cooler weather and take a kid fishing, I know I will do both!

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

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®

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Jetty Fishing:

TIPS ON BECOMING A ROCK JOCKEY

The presence of life was obvious long before we reached the jetty. On an outgoing tide, dingy water rushed through the channel cut from the bay to the ocean. It flushed with a brown plume that carried the detritus of marsh decay.

Diving birds were the first sign we were in the right place at the right time. As we got closer, other anglers came into view. There were a couple of boats jockeying for position off the end of the jetty, another trolled the rip farther offshore, and the beach brigade was set up fishing that corner pocket where current flowing down the shore piled up against the rocks.

Pods of pogies flickered and darted, harassed by gulls from above and by redfish, trout, small sharks and who knows what else from below. Blue crabs skittered around doing cleanup duty just outside a light surf.

With all this life, catching fish shouldn’t be a problem, right? Well, if you talk to any veteran of

By Nick Carter

the rocks, they’ll tell you putting in the time to learn a particular jetty is the key to success. Every jetty has its own peculiarities, its best times and tides, its hidden holes and mixing currents.

Here are a few tips to help flatten the learning curve at a new jetty.

1) Start in the Rocks: The food chain of a jetty is created by the stuff pushed against the rocks. The rocks also create current breaks and hidey holes where predators lay in ambush for baitfish, shrimp and crabs that feed on the buildup of organic matter. Start your search close to the rocks. Work quickly but meticulously to pick a jetty apart. You can’t see everything that’s going on under the surface, but with experience, the sweet spots will become evident.

2) Make Friends with the Old Guy: In the scenario above, it was our first time to this jetty, and we went straight in with a cast net to scoop up pogies. It seemed obvious to match the hatch, and we caught some fish… mostly stingrays

and catfish. As we clambered all over the jetty in search of the magic combination of factors to produce a more exciting catch, an old man posted up in a beach chair came tight with an enormous bull red. After helping him land the fish and jawing with him a while, he gave up a secret. He’d been fishing the jetty for years, and big reds and tarpon at this spot are suckers for half a fresh blue crab fished on the bottom. Because jetties draw anglers as well as fish, being friendly or just watching can lead to solid local knowledge.

3) Find the Current Seams: Fish where fast and slack current meet. Predators hang in the slack and wait as a conveyer belt of food is swept past them. Conversely, baitfish also seek refuge and stack up where there is current shade. Either situation makes these areas high probability targets for anglers.

For more fishing tips, go to coastalanglermag.com.

PHOTO CREDIT: WAYNE CROSS

PHOTO CREDIT: DON SHETTERLY

PHOTO CREDIT: SHANE TROTTIER

GAR CAUGHT ON 6-LB. TEST!

A283-pound alligator gar caught at Sam Rayburn Lake in Texas is set to break a 72-year-old IGFA alltackle world record. Here’s the kicker: It was landed with 6-pound-test line!

Kentucky angler Art Weston teamed up with Texas Capt. Kirk Kirkland on Sept. 2, in search of lineclass records. Weston is an IGFA record breaker who already has numerous lineclass records for alligator gar and other species. It was the first day of a week-long booking aboard Capt. Kirkland’s The Garfish Enterprise, and they hooked and landed what Kirkland called “the Holy Grail of the fishing world.”

Sam Rayburn Lake is the largest reservoir in Texas at 114,000 acres. It’s an impoundment of the Angelina River near the Louisiana border north of Jasper, Texas. According to a report on FoxWeather.com, Kirkland told Weston of an area on the lake with a sandy, snag-free bottom that would suit light line tactics well. The guide also told Weston there might not be many fish in the area, but they were obviously going for quality over quantity.

Before the pending world record showed up on the scene, the pair caught two other monster alligator gar, including a 169-pounder. When they came tight with the

largest alligator gar caught in nearly three-quarters of a century, it took about three hours, remarkable skill and more than a little bit of luck to land the fish on such light line.

“Lots of blood, sweat and tears (and broken line) went into this achievement,” Kirkland wrote on Facebook. “Angler and world record Chaser Art Weston and I did what no other alligator gar angler has been able to accomplish in 72 years.... catch a fish bigger than the all-tackle world record set so many years ago on the bank of the Rio Grande River.”

The existing all-tackle world record weighed 279 pounds. It was caught by Bill Valverde from the Rio Grande in 1951.

“We both had a look of shock when the scale just kept going higher and higher,” Kirkland said. The gar weighed 283 pounds on camera. It measured 100 inches long, with a 48-inch girth. After taking measurements, the giant fish was released alive.

To read the entire FoxWeather report, go to https://www.foxweather.com/lifestyle/world-recordalligator-gar-texas-sam-rayburn-lake

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By Emily Hanzlik

Emily Hanzlik shows one of her more recent records, a 23-pound longnose gar caught on 8-pound test.

area? Living in Florida, I knew bow n were available to me, so that’s where I started. On the IGFA website, you can search speci c species and see the current records for di erent categories. Here you’ll see the all-tackle, alltackle length, conventional female and male, y male and female, junior male and female, and smallfry categories.

For the junior category, you must be 16 or younger. However, if you are a junior you can submit a record for the adult category. All-tackle length is a newer division that requires a special measuring device from the IGFA, so keep that in mind if you want to try for a length record.

Read the rules regarding the category you are shing for. I cannot stress this enough. Many simple mistakes happen, and it is not worth having a record rejected. e rules are in the record book and on the website. IGFA rules can be complicated and include restrictions on things like the lengths of leaders. Your record quest will be much less frustrating if you know the rules and sh accordingly.

Let’s discuss tools you’ll need to record records. I prefer the Rapala Mini 50-lb. scale, which needs to be certi ed. e easiest way to certify your scale is to ship it to IGFA. ey will certify it for you.

LEARNING TO

Break RECORDS

Some people sh for the meat, in tournaments, or simply for fun. I take a di erent approach. I seek out world records.

e International Game Fish Association (IGFA) keeps track of every record ever caught on rod and reel. I’ve been tracking down these records for more than six years, and here’s a little insight into the process.

First, you need a starting place. What species can you target in your

Most IGFA records are line-class records, which means you’ll o en be shing light lines, and the line must be approved by IGFA, meaning it breaks at the speci c pound test. I like Ande tournament line because it breaks at the correct poundage.

Once all your ducks are in a row, you can target the sh you’ve planned for. is is going to take a lot of time and patience, but eventually putting in time pays o . When you eventually catch a sh that looks big enough to break the current record, there are steps you must take. For the all-tackle length record, you need a photo of the sh on the IGFA measuring device and a photo of the angler with the sh and rod. For the other records, you need photos of the girth, length, weight, and the sh and angler.

e main thing to remember is to have patience and enjoy the process. Breaking records isn’t easy, so just keep trying!

Emily Rose Hanzlik holds over 60 IGFA world records in various categories. She hails from West Palm Beach, where she has a part time Bow n Guide Service as well as shing classes for Jr. Anglers. Find her @emilyhanzlikoutdoors.

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A SINGLE TEAM STICKS 648 LIONFISH AT TWO-DAY DERBY

Divers put a hurting on invasive lion sh on Sept. 8 and 9 at the 14th annual REEF Florida Keys Lion sh Derby. A record 1,898 lion sh were collected, and a single team set another tournament record by bringing 648 of the nasty critters back to the docks.

Team Forever Young, led by Capt. Tony Young, of Forever Young Spear shing, really put in the work and won the “Most Lion sh” division of the tourney. With team members Jason Vogan, Billy Moscatello and Luke Rankin, this is the third time Forever Young has set a new tournament record for total catch.

Overall, 22 teams of divers competed at the event, and $7,000 in cash and prizes were awarded to teams that brought in the most, largest and smallest lion sh. e “Most Lion sh” category included the competitive Apex Predators division and the Reef Defenders division for casual lion sh hunters. Forever Young obviously won the Apex Predators division. Volitans nished second with 291 lion sh, and Team Trash placed third with 101 lion sh.

In the Reef Defenders division, Men of Science won rst place with 156 lion sh. Sea Venom Creations brought in 128 lion sh for second place, Barnacles won third place with 121 lion sh.

Competition was close in the largest and smallest lion sh categories. Barnacles won rst place in the “Largest Lion sh” category with a 16.85inch lion sh. Men of Science’s second place sh measured 16.57 inches, and Forever Young took third with a 16.34-inch sh.

e smallest sh of the derby was 2.36 inches and was collected live by ZooKeeper. Team Will 2 Spear won second place with a 2.83-incher, and Tequila Little Time brought in a 2.99-inch sh, also live, to take third. e two live lion sh will be part of an educational exhibit at the REEF Campus.

In case you been under a rock, lion sh are native to the Indo-Paci c and are highly invasive and detrimental to native marine life on our coasts. Events like REEF’s derbies are held all along the Florida coast to both raise awareness of the problem and to cut down on lion sh numbers.

“Lion sh derbies show how a community can come together to support ocean conservation while combating invasive species. It’s so exciting that our teams set a new Florida Keys record of 1,898 invasive lion sh removed. We are very thankful to all of the derby participants, event volunteers, and everyone who attended and helped make the Florida Keys Lion sh Derby & Festival such a great success,” said Alli Candelmo, Ph.D., REEF Conservation Science Manager.

For more information about REEF Lion sh Derbies, visit www.REEF.org/lion sh-derbies.

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ing FOR A CAUSE

By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Fishing for charitable causes has become a growing venue for bringing together our love of the sport and helping those in need.

e duality of empowerment and peace that shing brings helps people who have struggled. From easing post-traumatic stress disorder, recovering from physical trauma, mental and social disorders, to helping troubled youths nd redirection, shing can easily be classi ed as therapeutic. No matter what cause is important to you, there is likely a shing tournament dedicated to it.

Fishing tournaments have been put together by donations solely to get certain groups on the water to participate, such as events for veterans and

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pediatric cancer patients. ese events create incredible opportunities for people who truly need them, and they are a great way to donate and help share the therapeutic power of shing.

e other style of charitable shing tournaments are ones you can participate in yourself, and proudly take a minor hit on your winning payout, knowing you are donating to a good cause. While the rst type is extremely sel ess and noble, let’s face it, everybody needs a little shing therapy in their life. O en, the shing tournaments where you participate provide opportunities to people a ected by the cause, and you will be joined by the people you are there helping, as well. is is easily one of the best excuses to sh, and way more fun than simply signing a check.

In honor of breast cancer awareness month, the ladies of the world would like to o cially turn your attention to the boobies. at’s right, you’re invited to look.

Breast cancer a ects one in eight women. Although this type of cancer is rare in men, it has a higher mortality rate due to late detection, and that is a part of the awareness this month is dedicated to.

ankfully, with advancements in awareness and detection, survivability of this diagnosis has increased exponentially. Many survivors turn to shing for recovery, both physically and emotionally.

If you nd yourself in Pompano Beach Oct. 5-7, e Pink Ladies Breast Cancer Foundation invites you to sh their multi-species, 2nd Annual Cureament shing tournament. Founder, and cancer survivor, Carolyn Stash, has put together a non-pro t tournament for breast cancer awareness and fundraising for a cure. She has worked her ta-tas o to attract sponsors and has put together exciting prizes and ra e items for this year’s tournament. Among the list is a one-of-a-kind, pink, 9-foot Reef Runner, with a trailer and a 9hp motor, and shing charters, including one from yours truly, at Sweet E’nuf Charters out of Marathon, Florida Keys.

Fish alongside erce breast cancer survivors and their dedicated supporters. If you miss this year, mark your calendars for next year. Contact Carolyn Stash at (954) 465-3743 and visit their website at www.pinkladiesbreastcancerfoundation.org to get involved.

Call Capt. Quinlyn Haddon, of Sweet E’nuf Charters, Marathon, Florida Keys at (504) 920-6342.

GATOR HUNTERS

BAG 900-POUNDER

A900-pound, 13-foot-long alligator caught on Aug. 25 might be the second largest gator in Florida history, and it’s by far the largest gator we’ve heard about so far this alligator season.

Capt. Kevin Brotz, of Get Bit Outdoors, guided clients Carson Gore and Darren Field to the giant gator on an Orlando area lake, according to Outdoor Life. It took close to four hours to subdue the beast.

“Honestly, my rst concern was safety, because we were in a smaller boat, and then you add a gator whose head is this big,” Brotz said as he spread his arms wide in a CNN video interview. “All he has to do is turn, and we’re in trouble.”

“I laid down in the front of the boat and said I have to lay down until we get back,” Gore told CNN. “I thought I was going to die. at thing was huge.” At one point during the battle, the gator leapt 3 or 4 feet out of the water right next to the boat. Brotz told Outdoor Life it was like being eye-to-eye with a T-Rex.

e statewide alligator season runs Aug. 15- Nov. 1. Hunters are required to apply for and obtain a limited entry permits each season. For information go to MyFWC.com.

Watch video of the team ghting the gator on Field & Stream’s YouTube channel.

Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS)

For over 6 decades, FLIBS has been an essential gathering for boating enthusiasts, marine industry professionals, and all those with an affinity for the industry. Since then, FLIBS has evolved into an unrivaled event, historically drawing in over 100,000 attendees and displaying an astonishing array of vessels—from opulent superyachts to cutting-edge personal boats. Throughout its history, FLIBS has played a crucial role in shaping the boating industry, facilitating networking opportunities, and bolstering Fort Lauderdale’s reputation as the “Yachting Capital of the World.”

As an international event, FLIBS attracts attendees and exhibitors from all corners of the globe. Its role as a marketplace for buyers and sellers elevates the global marine industry, fostering sales and collaborations. From boat builders to marine equipment manufacturers, the show generates a flurry of economic activity, stimulating industries catering to recreational boating.

Navigating New Waters: What to Expect at FLIBS 2023

As FLIBS prepares to celebrate its 64th anniversary, taking place from October 25th to October 29th, the 2023 show promises an unparalleled experience, combining cherished traditions with innovative offerings.

“FLIBS 2023 invites attendees to immerse themselves in a sensory voyage, where cutting-edge design, state-of-the-art technology, and sustainable initiatives converge to redefine the future of boating,” said Andrew Doole, President of U.S. Boat Shows with Informa Markets, who produces the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. “With a legacy spanning over 6 decades, FLIBS continues to set new CONTi N ued ON pag e 8 >>

The

stands as an anchor of maritime history, leading the industry as an engine of economic prosperity, and innovation in the world of boating and marine leisure.

Sailfish season is here, and it has started off with a bang! The sailfish this season are biting voraciously as we are already catching numbers that we usually don’t see until the middle of winter. Kite fishing on the blue/green color change, just a mile offshore, is all but a sure thing for sailfish. This is a great time of year for big game action, with just about every trip catching one or more sailfish 6-8 feet in length. Sailfish are the most sought-after gamefish in the ocean, and people come from all around the world to take place in the great sailfishing that we have off the Fort Lauderdale coast. These sailfish migrate in a stretch of water, between 100-250 feet deep, that we call “Sailfish Alley”. Pop the kites in this zone with some lively goggle eyes and get ready for action. Kite fishing is a method of live baiting by suspending your baits from kites, keeping them suspended directly on the top of the water struggling, making fish in distress vibrations. It’s a very effective way to catch sailfish and other top-water gamefish. When you are kite fishing, you can also catch tuna, dolphin, kingfish, and big game sharks. All these species will be biting this month and can be caught out there.

Wreck fishing, a technique of fishing where we drop live or dead baits to the bottom next to a shipwreck, also makes for good action this time of year. Warsaw grouper, one of the biggest groupers we catch in Fort Lauderdale, are stacking up and making home around shipwrecks and bottom structures. Warsaw groupers average upwards of 50 pounds, much larger than most groupers average. Black grouper, amberjack, and cobia are other bottom fish that you may catch wreck fishing in October. Just a little further offshore, shark fishing can be good this month for some of the most exotic sharks we catch out here, thresher and mako sharks. Last year, we caught two of the biggest thresher sharks I have ever seen in October. There’s a great variety of fish to be caught this month, some of our biggest fish all year. I truly love our local sailfish season! Tight lines and good fishing!!

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Everglades national park fishing with

Fall has arrived and nothing is better than getting out on the water while the heat is bearable, and the fish continue to be very active. Hopefully, the storms will slow down a bit. The morning bite with tides in your favor will produce the most action. Low outgoing tides on the coast or incoming tides on the flats is usually a good choice. While working the backwater, look for downed trees or mangrove coves, and if no luck, look deep down the creeks. As the fish move, try to figure out patterns that work for you. Write it all down; conditions, time, and date to help you become the best flats water angler. Recently, Rick, Zalina, and Britney went out with Florida Flats Fishing Adventures and caught some snook, reds, and a small shark that was released. We fish mostly artificials with spinning rods, but if you’re not great at casting and request live bait, we are happy to get you hooked up that way too. Come out and enjoy the Everglades National Park where you will never be disappointed! By the way, if you happen to be visiting the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, book a local night trip with us from 8P-12A, experience the great views and get hooked up with some snook and tarpon.

The great outdoors has known one caliber of rifle as being the king for years. What is the best choice in a rifle’s caliber for hunting? It is a topic of great debate, interest, opinions, and there have been countless articles published on the subject. That caliber of course is the 30/06 Springfield. Like many calibers that have found their way onto the outdoor scene, it began as a military service round. There is no denying how successful it has been; it is one of the top calibers listed by the Boone and Crockett Club. The king may no longer be the king, and its dethroning of being the most popular hunting caliber in America may be under way. Many experts, authors, professional hunters, and shooters are no longer calling the 30/06 Springfield “the best all around” and are now labeling it as a top “big game only” choice; they are right.

New calibers have entered the market over the last 50 years. The industry has seen the biggest improvement in bullet technology. The bullets, or projectiles (the part that contacts your target), have now become much more advanced. New construction, better materials, higher velocities, better expansion, and penetration have led the way in advances that were only imagined a few decades ago.

Smaller calibers that give less recoil make shooting that rifle easier. Less recoil means better rounds on target. The 30/06 does pack a good punch in a modern-day bolt action hunting rifle, making it harder for a lot of hunters and shooters to shoot well. A more accurate shot is what your desired outcome should be. Having this in mind, the better bullets available will make taking game more humane with quicker effects to the animal. A well-placed shot from a 243 is much better than an ill placed shot from a 30/06.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with buying that 30/06, especially if you are looking for that one and only hunting rifle option. But, if you are only going to be hunting in the south or midwest, then that 30/06 might be a little much. A smaller caliber like a 270win, a 7mm/08, a 243win, or something along those lines could be a better option.

Is the 30/06 still the king of American hunting rifles? Probably. Should you consider buying that 30/06 as the one and only hunting rifle if you are going to only have one? Probably, but do some research. Look at some ballistics of other hunting rounds, look up some articles on hunting rifles, and think about where and what you will be hunting. You may pick something that you may not have originally given any thought to, and it will serve your needs better. If elk, moose, and big bears are not in your hunting future, then there are better options in the deer, hog, black bear, mule deer, and antelope categories, for you to check out.

The 30/06 Springfield - king of modern-day hunting rifles, but is it time for a change?

South Florida Shooting Supply/ Gun Shop, Boca

Pompano Beach (Hillsboro Inlet), FL - Oct 2023

Fishing Forecast with Freshwater

Fall fishing is off the charts! It’s peak time, especially for Florida exotics. The water cools down a bit, and everything is in a feeding frenzy, preparing for winter. The peacock bass bite is the best I’ve seen this year so far, with large numbers daily. The Everglades is picking up slowly despite the large amounts of rain we’ve experienced. I expect the Alligator Alley canals will be better closer to winter this year.

If you’re NOT fishing Bait Finesse System (BFS), then what are you doing out there? BFS is ultralight fishing using a bait-caster. It’s more efficient than using a spinning rod, and you get fewer line twists while gaining more control over your smaller presentation. This Japanese technique is gaining popularity throughout the US and is deadly when fishing for peacocks and other cichlids locally. A great starter combo would be a Shimano Curado BFS on a Curado light casting rod. It’s a lot of fun, especially when you hook into a big one!

Snakeheads continue to be some of the most challenging exotic fish to catch in Florida and one of the most talked about invasive species. There is a misconception that you must kill every snakehead caught, but I can assure you it’s okay to release them back into the same body of water you caught

them in. They have an established population, and I hate to break it to you, but killing a few every time you go out doesn’t help. Instead of worrying about them, I have gone in a completely different direction and started to dial in my fishing techniques and spots for them. My favorite is a topwater frog used at first light, overcast days, and evenings. I had my best day catching them this month, getting over 35 bites, and bringing about half of them boatside. It was like nothing I’ve ever seen! The frog I like to use is made by American Snakehead Customs and is called the Frog King.

We typically don’t see big numbers of largemouth anymore since the introduction of peacocks in South Florida; however, in the Fall, they come out of hiding to bulk up for the pre-spawn. This will be your time to bring out the Senko and chatter baits. I prefer my Senko to be Wacky rigged for shallow suspended fish and the chatter bait as more of a search bait. If you use a chatter bait, don’t forget the second most important part is having a good trailer for it.

This is an excellent time of the year to take your kids out fishing. Make sure you have some good spots and bring two types of bait. Recently, I was lucky enough to take Christopher out on his first fishing trip. He caught plenty of peacocks and cichlids of all kinds. I had red worms and live shiners for this trip, which played out perfectly. We did 90 minutes, and it was the perfect amount of time. A quick trip that’s full of action is ideal for young anglers.

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Make steak the catch of the day with a celebratory stop at Ruth's Chris. After a day on the water, join us for signature sizzle, hand-crafted cocktails and legendary hospitality.

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CATCH OF THE DAY CATCH OF THE DAY FROM SEA TO SIZZLE

Deep Drop ADDiction

by mark amber t

The r ee L

Piscifun is no stranger to manufacturing reels and with a name like “The Kraken” I had high expectations for this product; I was not disappointed. The Kraken X is a moderately priced electric reel that uses the same proven Japanese motor technology as many of its competitors. Desirable features include an allaluminum body, high strength copper and stainless gears, and a proven carbon fiber system with 33-pound max-drag that I would unexpectedly put to the test. It is sized for near shore reef systems in the 200’ to 800’ plus depth ranges and can handle most bottom species found at those depths. This includes many tasty critters with names like rosie, snowy and strawberry grouper, yellow eyed snapper, and tilefish. I spooled up with Fins ultra-thin diameter braid and found this combination more than adequate for this style of fishing. I use an IONIC 12V 50Ah battery for electric power that is both light weight and will last a weekends worth of fishing.

many species can be targeted off our near-shore reef systems including this beautiful snowy and tasty

The L IN e

I was recently introduced to Fins Braid by Captain Eric Rietwyk of Jupiter Florida. According to Capt. Eric “This made in the USA line has the highest strength to diameter ratio in the braid market and will revolutionize fishing”. FINS 40G is a nine-strand composite braid that comes in multiple sizes but the one I was most interested in was the 6-pound mono equivalent. This braid has a tensile breaking strength of 45-pound test. This most closely matched the recommended specifications of 45-pound braid for this reel but added a lot more capacity. Although substantially thinner, this braid maintains its strength and integrity thru a proprietary formula.

The r o D

you never know what is on the end of a deep drop, and in this case, a world class fighter that put this gear to the test.

Piscifun, Coastal Fishing Company and Fins Braid — a winning combination.

Igot my first taste for deep drop fishing on my recent trip to West End Bahamas and instantly got hit with the addiction. Deep dropping can be very productive and is just plain FUN! However, I didn’t want to go “all-in” on equipment as electric reel fishing can be quite expensive and I wasn’t yet interested in deep dropping for heavyweights like swordfish. As luck would have it my interest coincided with the release of a new electric reel that seemed appropriately designed and priced for my needs called the Kraken X.

The use of heavy weights typically in the 4 to 6-pound range to deal with strong currents and at significant depths requires a rod with plenty of backbone. You must also have a soft enough tip to see the bites while drifting in a strong current. This combination of features is an absolute must. I have a relationship designing and testing product for Coastal Fishing Company, so the rod choice was easy. Their Shorty Bent Butt with Pac Bay Rollers and Swivel Tip is both lightweight and bulletproof. It has a sensitive enough tip but with plenty of lifting power that mated perfect with the Kraken electric reel. Loaded with 40G Fins braid and with an 80-pound mono wind-on leader, I had the perfect lightweight outfit for deep dropping.

So how did this combination perform? I’ve fished the heck out of it and am happy to say it performed flawlessly and with weights up to 8-pounds. Not only did I catch a cooler full of tasty eats, but I was also able to get a live bait down to 280 feet and tangle with the ultimate slugger — an amberjack in the 40-pound class. Anyone who has tackled one of these fish knows the reputation. They’re not called “reef donkeys” for nothing! I can happily report that this reel made short work of one of the hardest fighting fish that swims and without heating up or momentarily shutting down — a common issue with electric reels when they are over-taxed.

I can heartily recommend this combo.  Piscifun reel — Coastal rod — and Fins Braid is an excellent segue into the exciting world of deep dropping. Now get out there and get some!

mark ambert, iG @marksgonefishing_™

author – avid outdoorsman, sportswriter, and photographer. Contact marksgonefishing25@gmail.com

Gear used:

piscifun – affordable fishing reels. https://www.piscifun.com/

fiNs braids – american braided fishing lines. https://www.finsfishing.com/ Coastal fishing Company - products created by anglers. https://www.coastalfishing.com/

vermillion.

Fishing the deep can be both fun and rewarding. With the right gear, your fishing options multiply.

ECO TOURISM

with Chris Thalmann

After 20+ years living in South Florida, my wife and I have finally started to think of ourselves as “locals”. We love it here as much as the day we moved in! But we’re not Florida natives.

She’s a mid-Atlantic girl and I grew up near the Canadian line in northern NY state.

So even now - well into our Florida adventure - October brings back memories of foggy fall mornings and chilly evenings. Of roasting oysters around campfires and winterizing everything in sight before the snow flies. And the leaves - the unimaginably vibrant colors that are everywhere!

Our fall season here in South Florida is very different of course. We love it - but our warm, sunny days tend to blend together and lull us into a sense of timelessness. Many years, April, May, and June feel just like July, August, and September.

October is different, a bridge between the heat of summer and the changes that lie ahead. Up north, those changes can be very abrupt, almost like flipping a switch. Here on the edge of the tropics, seasonal change is more subtle, halting, almost tentative.

The sun doesn’t rise quite so high in the sky this time of year. Daylight is just a tiny bit shorter each week. And our southerly summer winds are gradually giving way to northerlies, making outdoor time anywhere west of the ocean enjoyable again!

The cold fronts marching south may not pack the same punch here in Palm Beach as elsewhere, but our seasons are changing. Already, least terns, swallowtail kites, and other summer birds have flown south to spend their winters in Central and South America.

Fall mullet runs are underway and we’ll soon see Florida’s official marine mammal - manatees - arriving to enjoy our warm winter weather and water. Other species - people included - have started their annual migrations too. It looks to be yet another busy winter season for us locally!

Before things get too crazy-crowded around town, why not take some time this month to get outdoors and explore? If you’re looking for something fun to do with friends or family, Palm Beach County has an entire slate of outdoor activities planned for this fall. Many are centered around learning about wildlife and nature through a variety of outdoor experiences.

There’s lots to choose from - guided hikes and kayaking, trail runs, birdwatching, kids fishing clinics, nature photography workshops, and more. All are open to the public and many are free!

Check out the following website and click on ‘Upcoming Events’ to learn more: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/pbc-dept-of-environmentalresources-mgmt-erm-11041382410

Happy exploring - hope to see you on the water!

fishing the Palm Beaches

After enjoying flat, calm seas and windless days during our summer months, it’s finally time to say goodbye. The water temperatures will gradually be decreasing and slowly adjusting to the norms for the fall/winter months ahead. The falling sea temperatures trigger the natural instincts of the remarkable and renowned mullet run. The migrating mullet travel south along the Atlantic coast to the southern point of Florida, where they head offshore to breed and feed on grasses and algae. So, what does this mean? Every type of predator fish will be munching on mullet! As mullet migrate, they stay in large schools, making them irresistible to all predators including most pelagic fish. Immense amounts of mullet can be found throughout the ICW and in the surf, just look for big black masses in the water along

Fishing Forecast

with

da R C izzle

Please be sure to check out my YouTube Channel “Darcizzle Offshore” for fishing videos every week!

www.youtube.com/DarcizzleOffshore

the beach. Early mornings and late evenings are the best times to sneak up on a school of mullet and cast net your share of live bait.

TIP: Anglers following the schools on the beach should cast out a live mullet towards the outside of the school and have your reel in the

Beautiful mutton snapper caught bottom fishing, used a dead ballyhoo as bait.

free line position. You should hook the mullet in the mouth or behind the dorsal fin to create tension and force the mullet to swim away from your boat and towards the school. If you cast the bait in the middle of the school, you have a much lower chance of catching the fish following the schools. Using this method, you will catch snook, tarpon, bluefish, jacks, redfish, barracudas, blacktip and spinner sharks, even kingfish, within a couple hundred yards off the surf.

The wind will be blowing this month, so it’s time for you to dig through your stowed fishing gear and pull out the trident kite rod to do some kite fishing! Dolphin, kingfish, tuna, and wahoo can all be landed on the kite this time of the year. Plus, kite fishing brings an element of surprise, and you never know which species is going to eat your kite bait next. Keep in mind,

mullet is an excellent bait to use while kite fishing. Also, an abundant number of wahoo will still be here throughout the month and you still have a good opportunity to catch one whether you are high-speeding, kite fishing, slow trolling, or regular trolling. Good luck and get out there when the mullet run is in full swing- it’s a BLAST!

inshore & Freshwater Fishing Forecast with

Cap T. paTR i C k s mi T h

bottom both shallow and deep. It’s a good idea to check docks and structure also. For leader, 30-pound is usually perfect but if the water gets super clear 15 to 20-pound mono will do.

In the freshwater, the bite should be absolutely crazy as all spawning activity has ceased, and the fish will be focused on

ummer is over and its finally time for a change of seasons. Cold fronts should start rolling in anytime and that means some migrational push of species we haven’t seen since last winter. There should still be plenty of mullet around and all the predators that come along with them like snook, tarpon, and jacks. This is the time of the year though where I really like to downsize my tackle and get into light jigging, artificials, and fishing shrimp. The setup is really pretty simple. A 7 1/2-foot white tackle rod with a 2500 sized reel, spooled up with 8-pound test. My main targets will be mackerel, pompano, permit, and drum with tons of other species mixed in. Some simple choices when it comes to lures would be a silver or gold spoon, Doc’s Goofy Jig, or even a white bucktail tipped with something like shrimp or even fish bites. You are going to want to cover a lot of ground fishing. Try slow hops off the

nothing but feeding. Keep an eye out for surface activity early in the morning, and if you really focus on it, you will most likely be rewarded with sunshine bass, and possibly largemouth bass. My focus would be on wider canals and humps in the main lake as the fish tend to school up this time of the year. The more action that’s happening, the more aggressive and competitive they get with each other.

the whole time.

Catching tarpon on the fly was the goal and Jason got it done.

I tend to start out with a topwater fly or walking lure at sunrise, and then switch over to jerk baits and crank baits as the sun comes up.  For fly fishing, I will be throwing a six or seven weight with an intermediate or sinking line and a white and green Clouser. It’s not unusual to find all the lake’s available species feeding in one spot. We have plenty of days in the fall that we don’t need to move the boat for hours.

This family had an absolute blast on the lake, rods were bent over

Tally Walker landed this beautiful Lake Worth Lagoon linesider.

SLarry Wood secured the fish tacos with this nice mahi.

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KayaK Fishing Forecast

with

Cap T. b R ia N N elli

772-201-5899 • Brian@tckayakfishing.com • tckayakfishing.com

Inshore

There should still be the tail end of the mullet run going on during October. Look for most of the bait to be pushed into the Intracoastal. Snook will have mostly started to move back into the rivers and Intracoastal as well. The best baits will be live mullet and artificial lures that imitate a mullet. Try a D.O.A. Bait Buster or a Yo-Zuri Topknock lure to entice a bite.

Offshore

Bottom fishing for mutton snapper and yellowtail snapper should remain good. Try using a leader in the 20-foot range tied to a Carolina rig or knocker rig depending on your drift. Finger mullet will work well along with dead sardines or any other frozen bait you can get your hands on. Sailfish, mahi, and kingfish will be around and looking to eat mullet, goggle eyes, and blue runners. If you’re looking to hit these pelagic fish, look to slow troll, the normal 90 to 200-feet of water.

Freshwater

Peacock bass and clown knifefish will be chewing this month. Prop baits will work well for peacocks along shallow edges. Try 20-pound leader and a 2/0 circle hook casting in and around structure and weed lines to get onto a few clowns with finger mullet and shiners. Look to fish the mid-water column and below by adding a pinch weight to your leader and get that bait in their faces.

Ed with a nice sailfish.

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jupiter inlet inshore Fishing Forecast

Cap T. C R ai G kOR C zyN ski

with

October is spooktacular! Let’s go spook some fish. Cool fronts approaching from the north drive cooler water and bait south for the fall. The change in weather triggers fish to move into channels, canals, and along mangrove lined areas.

The snook fishing will be excellent as mullet schools roam our local waters. Seawalls, docks, and bridges are great areas to target snook. A Rapala Skitter Walk in pearl or a D.O.A. Bait Buster in black back/pearl are both great choices. As water temperatures decrease, snook migrate into back canals and bays creating great sight fishing opportunities for anglers.

Tarpon aka “Silver King” will be abundant in our local waters this time of year. Schools of tarpon flood into back bays and deeper cuts in search of bait schools. Tarpon in the early morning and late afternoon can be seen

Palm Beach In & OffshOre Fishing Forecast with

Welcome to the saltwater fishing report for Palm Beach, FL. October is an exciting time for anglers as the waters are warm, and there is a wide variety of fish species to target. Here’s an overview of what you can expect when fishing in Palm Beach during the month of October.

Inshore fishing: The inshore waters of Palm Beach are teeming with action. The mangrove-lined estuaries, flats, and channels provide excellent opportunities to catch a variety of species.

Snook: Remains excellent in October as these powerful fish are often found near bridges, docks, and mangrove shorelines. Live bait such as pilchards or shrimp, as well as artificial lures like soft plastic jigs and topwater plugs, can be effective.

Tarpon: October is a prime month for targeting this fish in Palm Beach. These thrilling fish can be found near bridges, inlets, and along the beaches. Live bait such as mullet or crabs, as well as large artificial lures, are often used to entice a tarpon bite.

Offshore fishing: Palm Beach during October offers excellent opportunities to target a variety of pelagic and reef species. Here are some popular targets:

Mahi-mahi (dorado): These fish are abundant offshore during October. Look for floating debris, sargassum weed lines, and current edges, as they attract these colorful fish. Trolling with ballyhoo, skirted lures, or casting

rolling on the surface offering sight casting opportunities for anglers. D.O.A. Bait Buster Shallow Runner in holographic/black back and glow gold/rush belly is an awesome artificial bait for tarpon. If artificial lures are not your choice, live mullet or greenies free lined with the tide will be an excellent way for anglers to get hooked up.

The Intracoastal waters from Jupiter to Palm Beach offer a plethora of species to target. Jacks, sheepshead, sharks, tripletail, mackerel, ladyfish, and even the pesky bluefish are prevalent all through our local area. Find structure or bait schools and the predator fish will be there ready to eat. Well, that is the fishing report for October, hope you all enjoyed. Remember, you can’t catch them from the couch, so get out there and get hooked up. Tight Lines!

with live bait can yield good results.

Wahoo: Known for their speed and aggressive strikes. They can be found near offshore reefs, ledges, and dropoffs. High-speed trolling with lures or rigged ballyhoo is a popular method to target these fish.

Sailfish: Palm Beach is renowned for its sailfish population. These acrobatic fish can be found patrolling the offshore waters. Live bait such as pilchards or goggle eyes, as well as trolled lures, are commonly used to entice a sailfish bite.

Bottom fishing: Enthusiasts can target a variety of reef species such as snapper, grouper, and amberjack. Live or cut bait, as well as vertical jigs, are effective methods to entice bites.

*Important reminders*: Make sure to familiarize yourself with local fishing regulations and obtain the necessary permits or licenses before heading out. Check weather and sea conditions before planning your trip. Safety should always be a top priority. Remember to practice catch-andrelease for vulnerable or protected species to help preserve the fishery for future generations. We wish you tight lines and an unforgettable fishing experience!

These boys were ready to wrangle a bull!

Andrew with a silver king.

Curt with a tarpon as his daughter admires.

Kids love fishing in October.

Let’s grow with Florida together.

CRANKBAITS KAYAKS &

By Coty Perry

Tricks You

Didn’t Know You Needed to Know

Although kayak anglers use the same lures as bank and boat anglers, we o en must adjust our approach. One lure I’ve found myself using di erently while bass shing from a kayak is the crankbait. I love throwing a crankbait, but a challenge to shing one in a kayak is the drag created by the lure. Fishing kayaks are much lighter than bass boats, so your kayak moves toward the lure as you retrieve it. Learning to control the yak was a signi cant adjustment I made when

transitioning to shing a crankbait from a kayak. I now steer my yak while reeling a crankbait instead of picking up a paddle. All I do is point my rod tip in the opposite direction I want to go. When my rod tip points to the le , my kayak dri s to the right and vice versa. To go straight, I point my rod tip straight ahead.

Speaking of the rod, I use a shorter rod, mainly because I sh areas with a lot of overhanging trees, and shorter rods transport easier in my rod box on my trailer and kayak. I also use a higher-speed reel than bank and bass boat anglers because I’m losing speed as the kayak dri s towards my crankbait. So, instead of a 6:1, I use an 8:1 or 7:1 gear ratio.

I spool up with braided line and use a 3- to 5-foot, 12- to 17-pound test uorocarbon leader. e length and strength depend on water clarity and how deep I sh.

More than likely, I have a squarebill crankbait tied on while shing shallow, which is a majority of the time. However, I will tie a deep-diving crankbait during the summer.

Where to Fish a Crankbait in a Yak

Crankbaits have a lot of bene ts, but they also have limitations. A lipless crankbait can be shed in the grass, especially along the edge of the grass, but most of the time, I sh crankbaits along rocky or riprap banks and over the tops of brushpiles.

I want my lure hitting every rock on the retrieve back because this o en triggers a bite. e same holds true for shing around laydowns and brushpiles. I don’t want to get snagged, but I’ve gotten so many bites a er bumping into submerged limbs.

Fishing in these two areas has helped me catch loads of bass on a crankbait, plus a few cat sh.

When to Fish a Crankbait in a Kayak

I sh a crankbait year-round. However, I change the style. In the cooler months, I tend to break out a lipless crankbait the most. As the water warms, I switch to a squarebill, and once I’m sure the sh have moved to deeper water, I’ll tie on a deep-diving crankbait during the hottest times of the year.

Coty Perry is a third-generation angler, who has a lot of experience on the water and loves sharing what he knows on anglers.com.

By Will Schmidt

RELEASING FISH THE RIGHT WAY

With so many species closed to harvest, releasing sh properly is more important than ever as we need these sh to thrive and spawn. ere are some very simple rules to follow that will help ensure the vitality of a released sh.

First and foremost, keep them wet. A sh out of water is going through a major amount of stress. is is especially true a er a long ght. It’s like running a race and then having to hold your breath. e best-case scenario is to use a dehooker that allows you to release the sh without ever taking it out of the water. Long pliers or dehookers that slide down the line and allow you to ip the sh o work great. If you do need to li the sh, work fast and get the sh back in the water before it stops dripping water. When taking pictures, keep the sh in the water until you are completely ready. Also consider a more creative angle other than the traditional hero pose so the sh stays in the water. e way you handle the sh out of water makes a huge di erence. Keeping them wet also preserves the vital slime on the sh which is crucial. Make sure your hands are wet. Avoid putting sh on dry surfaces. Rough dry surfaces like boat decks and rocks remove much of the vital slime from a sh. Never use a dry towel to handle a sh; that can be the kiss of death. Using a rubber net versus a nylon net also greatly reduces the amount of slime removed.

Bottom shing in deep water creates another issue, barotrauma, or the expansion of gas inside a sh as it ascends from the deep. You know the bulging stomach and eyes. Descending devices are easy ways to ensure sh su ering barotrauma make it safely back to the bottom. ey are required by law now in many areas for many species. While venting tools work well, most people do not use them properly and o en don’t have the proper tool. Ice picks are not proper devices.

Lip clamps and inverted hook style release techniques are simple and work great. Here’s a bonus: if you visit Return ‘Em Right (https://returnemright. org), you can get the equipment you need for free. It’s a $100 value.

Have a rod rigged and ready with your descending device so you get the sh back in the water and down as quickly as possible. I’ve also found that the using a lighter weight than provided by Return ‘Em Right is much easier to retrieve and works on smaller snapper and such. at said, with many grouper out of season, make sure you keep a heavier weight with you for when you get a big one.

Helping sh survive being caught today is the key to having sh to catch tomorrow.

Will Schmidt is a seasoned tournament angler who has been writing about shing from more than two decades.

Hurricane Season

Be

STICK MARSH FILLS UP FOR FALL FISHING

One of Florida’s premier bass sheries, known as Stick Marsh or Farm 13, is re lling and should become a better shery thanks to a large-scale habitat restoration conducted by FWC and the St. Johns River Water Management District.

e reservoir, which straddles Brevard and Indian River counties, was drawn down by 4 feet in February to stimulate submersed plant growth and re-establish native emergent vegetation, which should improve habitat for sh and wildlife. FWC sta planted the southern portion of the reservoir with native aquatic plants, including 131,000 bulrush and 40,000 spatterdock plants at a total cost of $400,000. Plants were installed across the waterbody going east-west to provide a natural wave break for the shallow southern end.

Custom Spliced Dock Lines & Anchor Rodes

Two tree islands form a Critical Wildlife Area within the reservoir, which provides nesting and roosting habitat for imperiled waterbirds, including roseate spoonbills and tricolored herons. e lower water levels created by the drawdown bene ted waterbirds by increasing foraging habitat and concentrating prey. Water levels will be allowed to slowly rise with rainfall and by now should be back within the normal range.

ree Forks Conservation Area to the north also underwent a drawdown. ree Forks Reservoir will be back within normal range before Stick Marsh/ Farm 13.

e St. Johns Water Management Area boat ramp at Stick Marsh/Farm 13 and the omas O. Lawton Recreation Area boat ramp at ree Forks Conservation Area remain accessible. Be aware that shallower water continues to create underwater hazards.

For more information, visit MyFWC.com.

SHRIMP: THE KING OF BAITS

Tim Barefoot

In the Atlantic, mature white shrimp go on the move in fall and transition to tighter fall and winter homes in the ocean.

ere are only a few sh that do not actively seek out white shrimp this time of year. For almost all the sh we seek to catch, it’s the ultimate bait.

At one point in my life, I spent an incredible amount of time cast netting and storing white shrimp (green tails) for trout shing in October, November and December. e biggest problem with shrimp as bait is all the trash bites from pin sh and all the other little snappers. Snook and tarpon will de nitely key on a big pretty shrimp, but keeping the trash o of them is di cult. Everything down there will give a shrimp a whack and at least take a few legs or the tail o is is the reason I went the arti cial route years ago when it comes to shrimp.

ere is nothing, I mean NOTHING, more e ective on inshore species than a live shrimp with a 6/0 - 8/0 circle hook under a sliding cork or freelined. With that said, I’ve taken the path of least resistance and now sh a DOA Shrimp on a jig head. It gets the bite, and I don’t spend hours messing with live bait or netting it on the morning of the trip.

I’m not saying catching live shrimp is a waste of time… it’s not, but with arti cials, I can show up with my entire tackle box in a small backpack full of tricks.

e hour or two at daylight in the morning, I prefer the “measles” color DOA because a shrimp’s legs and underbody are red in the dark and at rst light. When the sun gets up, I switch to the “near clear” color when the water is clear, but only if they stop eating the measles color. You can’t x what ain’t broke.

I mash the barb down on the jig hook. is way, when sh I don’t plan to eat come to the boat, I don’t have to touch the sh. Just grab the jig head and give a quick reverse motion. e hook comes right out. You can get back in the action, and the sh has a better chance of survival. e same jig and so plastic shrimp combo is extremely e ective shed under a xed cork at night. Make a long cast up-current around bridge pilings, docks or other structure. is is not the situation for a popping cork with all the beads and rattles. I like a nice quiet, heavy-duty cork that can be shed quietly or with quite a bit of noise. I stay in touch with the cork, and let the current dictate the speed of the retrieve. Any way you sh it, white shrimp reign supreme for inshore shing, especially in October and November.

To see more from Tim Barefoot, go to barefootcatsandtackle.com.

GO GET SOME GULF SNAPPER!

Florida’s extended fall Gulf of Mexico red snapper season is still going on. Gulf Anglers are taking advantage of some great shing, and there are still eight weekends in October and November to get in on the action.

e limit is two per person, per day with a 16-inch minimum size limit. e remaining 2023 dates available for harvest of red snapper in the Gulf are:

• October 6–8

• October 13–15

• October 20–22

• October 27–29

• November 3–5

• November 10–12 (Veterans DayWeekend)

• November 17–19

• November 23–26 (ThanksgivingWeekend)

Anglers pursuing red snapper in state or federal waters from a private recreational vessel, even those exempt from shing license requirements, must sign up as a State Reef Fish Angler (annual renewal required) at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.

For more information, go to MyFWC.com.

ATLANTIC BLUELINE HARVEST CLOSED

Prospects for loading the cooler bottom shing got a little slimmer when harvest of blueline tile sh closed in Atlantic state waters of Florida on Sept. 1. is closure is consistent with the closure in adjacent federal waters. Harvest will reopen May 1, 2024.

ese delicious bottom dwellers are frequently caught by anglers targeting deep-water groupers. ey inhabit 250- to 800-foot depths and their popularity as a game sh has risen in the last decade as restrictions on other species has led anglers to target them. ey came on the radar for federal sheries managers in 2014 and 2015, when blueline tile sh were determined to be over shed.

e regular season for blueline tile sh in Atlantic state waters is May 1 through Aug. 31. e daily limit is three sh within the aggregate limit for blueline tile sh and grouper.

For more information, visit MyFWC.com.

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COOK ISLANDS GRANDER CAUGHT SOLO FROM A 22-FOOT BOAT

Catching a grander is one of the most sought-after feats in sportfishing. Boats, crews and anglers enter rare air when they hook and land a 1,000-pound-plus marlin, and untold time and money are spent chasing the dream.

Fishing solo from a 22-foot boat, angler Arnold Pauro achieved his lifelong dream Aug. 25 when he hauled in a 1,128-pound blue marlin that is a new record for the Cook Islands. According to the Cook Island News, Pauro came tight with the huge blue fishing just 3 miles off the southern end of the island Rarotonga.

Rarotonga is the most populated of the Cook Islands, which is an archipelago nation out in the middle of the South Pacific northeast of New Zealand. Rarotonga is renowned for excellent flats fishing, especially for bonefish, and like many volcanic islands, the water drops into thousandfoot depths just a few miles offshore. This creates a situation where bluewater fishing is very accessible, even for anglers in smaller boats.

According to the Cook Island News, Pauro managed to subdue the giant fish solo in his small boat, Haurua, by keeping a short line. He first brought the fish boat-side after just 3 minutes, and then all hell broke loose. Arnold told the news outlet that the fish jumped 40 or 50 times and ran out of steam after about an hour and a half.

“I kept it to 50 metres of line, kept it short, I don’t like letting my marlin go,” he told the Cook Island News.

Arnold’s fish topped the Cook Island weight record of 1,045 pounds, which was set by angler Paku Poila in November 2020. The IGFA all-tackle world record for blue marlin was caught off Brazil in 1992. It weighed 1,402 pounds.

To read the original report, go to www.cookislandsnews.com.

Hanapa‘a - Mahi

Hanapa‘a - Ono

Hanapa‘a - Ahi

Hanapa‘a - Marlin

Fish flags inspired by Sun Dot Marine Flags.

@fishflags

For the third time in the last 13 years, serious flaws have been revealed in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) data collection programs for recreational fisheries. A recent pilot study conducted by NOAA itself and published in August found that estimates on angler effort might be overestimated by 30 to 40 percent.

These inflated estimates are important because they are part of the equation used to manage our fisheries. The data is used in stock assessments, and to estimate harvest numbers and recreational discard. By overestimating angler effort, catch data is also inflated, which means the data erroneously reflects a larger harvest by recreational anglers than actually exists.

In a nutshell, the pilot study found that the Marine Recreational Information Program’s Fishing Effort Survey is confusing to respondents, which led to “reporting errors” and “illogical responses.” NOAA said this survey, which is mailed to licensed saltwater anglers, “remains the best and sometimes the only available science for tracking relative year-to-year and long-term effort trends.”

The immediate reaction to this revelation from some outlets was a call to reduce restrictions on recreational anglers. The estimate means fewer fish were actually caught, which means there are more fish still in the water, right? Not so fast. This catch and effort data also figures into stock assessments. The inflated effort numbers translate to an overestimation in fish populations.

“The news of this significant overestimation has serious implications for all of our fisheries. Since every species is managed differently, the ramifications of this information cannot be quantified under a singular umbrella,” reads a

report from the American Saltwater Guides Association (ASGA). “It does not mean that because fishing effort is less than originally expected, there must be more fish to harvest. In fact, it will mean there needs to be a major re-calibration because effort is used to help determine stock size. If we have overestimated effort, we also overestimated the stock. We must go species by species to understand the best path for management moving forward. Now more than ever, we need to be precautionary in our management approach.”

NOAA has indicated it will initiate further studies into the findings of its pilot study, according to the ASGA report. Meanwhile, a group of marine conservation and recreational fishing organizations has ramped up its call to wrest control of recreational data collection from the federal government and turn it over to state agencies.

“Yet another major revision to the federal recreational data collection system is upon us, and it should bring a realization that NOAA is just not capable of doing this job,” said Ted Venker, conservation director of the Coastal Conservation Association. “At best we are looking at several more years of questionable revisions, recalculations, and recalibrations based on a suspect data system that has never proven it can produce accurate information. This is no way to manage a public resource. It would be irresponsible to continue down this road rather than exploring and supporting state-based options to better manage the recreational sector wherever feasible.”

HIGHWAY 17 SOUTH, GREEN COVE SPRINGS, FL 32043

31-INCH LIMIT ON ATLANTIC STRIPER EXTENDED

New Management Plan Delayed Until at Least January

Recreational anglers in Chesapeake Bay and along the Atlantic Coast must continue to release all striped bass longer than 31 inches after fisheries managers extended an emergency regulation that was set to expire on Oct. 28. The extension’s new expiration date is Oct. 28, 2024, which gives the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) more than a full year to grapple with a complex management plan intended to rebuild the coastwide striper population by 2029.

The emergency measure was first implemented in May, after estimates showed recreational harvest nearly doubled in 2022 over 2021’s figures. At the time, projections plummeted from a 97 percent chance the stock would be rebuilt by 2029 to just a 15 percent.

NOAA’s Fisheries Effort Survey, which was found recently to have overestimated angler effort by 30 to 40 percent, is an important part of recreational harvest estimates. It also plays into stock assessments for the striped bass fishery.

However, scientists still believe striped bass reproduction has been down since 2015. The 2015 age class was strong, and those fish are now the larger fish in the population that contribute most to reproduction. The emergency measure was implemented to protect the larger breeding fish.

The Chesapeake Bay “Trophy” season, which has historically been an important fishery for bay anglers, is exempt from this emergency regulation. The short early May season in Maryland has allowed anglers to keep one fish longer than 35 inches per person. A press release from ASMFC warned anglers that this special season might change once the emergency measure is replaced by a management plan that is supposed to come from ASMFC’s Addendum II of the Atlantic Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan.

Addendum II is a complex document with a range of management options intended to rebuild the striped bass stock by the end of the decade. It was hoped Addendum II would be ready for implementation in October. After five hours of back and forth at an August commission meeting, the decision was made to delay action. Now, the earliest a new management plan can be implemented is January 2024.

“Moving the emergency action forward was an important stop-gap measure to balance fishing mortality in the recreational fishery,” said David Sikorski, a Maryland delegate to the ASMFC. “Unfortunately, the delay in advancing draft Addendum II leaves uncertainty in our ability to meet our rebuilding goals and reduce overall fishing mortality ahead of the 2024 fishing year. Between now and the October 2023 meeting, draft Addendum II will be updated and provided to the board and posted online.”

The 31-inch maximum emergency rule will remain in place until Oct. 28, 2024, or until it is replaced by restrictions in Addendum II.

For more information, go to http://www.asmfc.org/

SNELLING A HOOK

Snelling a hook is an age-old way of attaching it to your line. It is a technique that pre-dates the invention of hook eyes, when hooks only had flattened tops and snelling the hook was required to create a good connection to the line.

Thanks to hook eyes, this is no longer necessary, but a snell knot remains one of the best connections out there for simple line-to-hook connections. The knot’s ability to orient the point of the hook in the right direction for octopus and circle hooks makes it a go-to knot for live and cut bait fishing. You’ll get more solid hook sets when you snell circle hooks.

A snell knot is quick and easy to tie and it provides a strong connection. The only real disadvantage is the knot is on the shank of the hook, where it is vulnerable to the teeth of toothy critters. It’s probably not the best choice if you’re fishing for muskie or barracuda.

For more information, go to usangler.com.

HAVE

YOU CAUGHT A LENGTH-RECORD SMALLIE?

This gorgeous Colorado River smallmouth bass is a new IGFA alltackle world length record for the species.

The chunky smallmouth measured 53 centimeters (20 inches) on an official IGFA measuring device, which tied the fish for the length record with two other officially recognized smallies. Sarah Harris landed her big fish while night fishing on the Colorado River in Arizona. It slammed a topwater lure and was boated after a short fight. After snapping some photos, Harris released it safely.

Harris’s bass tied a smallmouth caught by William Brent Evans from Alabama’s Lake Guntersville in 2014 as well as one caught from Washington’s Osoyoos Lake by Shane Hoelzle in 2020.

The IGFA all-tackle world record smallmouth by weight is a longstanding 11-pound, 15-ounce mark that was set in 1955 by David Hayes at Dale Hollow Lake in Tennessee.

Hayes’s Dale Hollow fish is a record that might stand forever, but those length records can be beaten. While a 20-inch smallmouth is definitely a trophy fish, 20-plus inchers are caught pretty regularly. It’s a matter of time before someone with an official IGFA measuring device puts one in the boat. For more, go to IGFA.org.

SEARCH WITH A BLADED JIG

TYLER WOOLCOTT

This time of year, when bass are feeding up ahead of winter, it’s tough to beat a bladed jig—or Chatterbait—to find hungry fish.

In most cases, the Chatterbait is in my arsenal as a search bait to cover a ton of water. There isn’t a piece of cover that I can think of that I haven’t thrown it around with success. Docks, wood, grass, rocks, anywhere a bass might live and feed is a good place to throw it. Most of the time you can locate fish with this bait and then go back through the same area with something else and pick up some more bites. If there are hungry bass around and you present this bait in the right way, you will get a bite.

A lot of times I am trying to duplicate an injured baitfish with a Chatterbait, whether they be shad, shiners or bluegill. Whites, golds and green pumpkin colors are my go to baitfish imitators and are what I have tied on most of the time. If the water is dirty or when fish are feeding on crayfish, I’ll switch to a black and blue or even an orange or red color. Match a trailer bait of your choice on the back like a swimbait or a craw trailer, and you’ll be good to go.

Chatterbait bites are usually reaction strikes, so I vary the retrieve to create erratic action while keeping the lure in the strike zone. I do this by speeding up my retrieval speed and then pausing for a very short period of time and then resuming a normal retrieval rate. Believe it or not, there are way more fish that follow your bait and don’t commit than you think. A very small adjustment in the speed can make the difference and convince these fish to eat. A 3/8-oz. and a ½-oz. are pretty much the only two sizes I throw. This covers all different depth ranges from a foot of water down to 10 feet. Cover as much water as possible until you pin point a healthy population of feeding bass then slow down with a different bait that you can work slower.

Chatterbait Gear

A moderate-action rod makes a huge difference when it comes to keeping fish hooked up. The 13 Fishing Omen Black 7’4mhm is absolutely perfect for fishing a Chatterbait. I pair a 7:5:1 gear ratio Concept A 13 Fishing reel with this and spool it with 17-lb. Seaguar Abraz X. I throw some bigger line with this, as you are usually around some type of cover and are working the bait fairly fast, so they won’t get a chance to see your line anyway.

Hope this fishing tip will give you some confidence to try this technique, if you haven’t already. It flat out catches them. Good luck out there and tight lines!

Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide. Check out his website at www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com.

THROUGHOUT!

RECORD MAHI CAUGHT OFF WASHINGTON STATE

A20-pound mahi might not be surprising off the coasts of Florida or Mexico, but this 21-pound, 48-inch-long dolphinfish is a super rare catch off the coast of Washington State. It’s the largest one anyone’s ever caught there.

Angler Wade La Fontaine caught his state record mahi 42 miles out in the Pacific off the Washington coast on Aug. 25. He was on a charter trip with Capt. Keith Johnson aboard the Tunacious. They were trolling for tuna with plastic squid lures behind a spreader when the mahi hit.

Upon landing at the dock in Westport, Washington, the dolphinfish was checked by a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist, then weighed on a certified scale. After review, the record was certified on Aug. 30.

Dolphinfish are sporadically caught by recreational and commercial fishers targeting albacore tuna and other species off the Washington and Oregon coasts, including a handful recorded last year at the ports of Westport and Ilwaco and at least two this summer.

“Most mahi mahi caught off our coast are smaller fish in the 6- to 12-pound range,” read a WDFW press release. “La Fontaine’s fish — which was 48 inches long and 40 inches to the inside fork of the tail — was more reminiscent of large

dolphinfish caught in warmer waters off southern California, Mexico and Hawaii.”

The previous Washington state record weighed 16.27 pounds. It was caught by Albert DaSilva in 2013.

The charter reported 70-degree water temperature in the area where the fish was caught, which is warm, even for the warmer offshore currents, though not unprecedented especially during El Nino years, explained the release.

The Return of a

“I’m blessed beyond comprehension,” La Fontaine said. “I’ll be getting another tattoo of a mahi!”

Albacore tuna are the primary target for Pacific Northwest offshore anglers, with large schools of these “longfin tuna” abundant off the coast of northern California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia in the summer and early fall. Albacore are found in the blue water, a mass of warmer Sea Surface Temperature water typically found off the West Coast of North America during summer and fall, and off Southern California yearround.

For more information, go to https://wdfw.wa.gov/