Coastal Angler Magazine | August 2023 | Palm Beach & Fort Lauderdale Edition

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By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

Athe cooler waters of great depths, deep-water grouper are some of the better tasting sh in the ocean. of deep-water grouper we target o coast of the Florida Keys are snowy grouper and yellowedge grouper. ey are found in depths of 400 to 1,000 feet.

Yellowedge are open year-round, and they can be a little di cult to nd. ey congregate in localized areas in depths between 600 and 800 feet. You might nd snowies and tile sh where you nd yellowedges, but this is not true the other way around. When you nd an area with yellowedge grouper, mark it, save it, and do not over sh it. Keep your harvest light, and this honey-hole will produce for you again in the future.

When making a deep-dropping rig, use larger hooks on the top and bottom of a ve-hook rig. Mustad 11/0 circle hooks provide excellent hookup ratios for this kind of shing. A x larger baits on these hooks, with the bottom intended for yellowedge, and the top intended for snowy grouper. Pepper in smaller ones in the middle for tile sh.

e nice part about dropping ve hooks is you can play with a variety and see what works. e best

to do what it is made to do.

Bait selection can vary greatly, so use anything and everything. I use chunks of fresh sh, with skin that will stay on the hook longer, for my top and bottom hooks, and squid in the middle. At least one hook should have some greasy, oily, stinky squid for deep dropping.

When it comes to catching deep-water species such as grouper, tile sh, barrel sh and rosies, you don’t need to break the bank to get a reliable electric set-up. e lower priced reels can handle these and can be paired with a rod and stacked with line on a budget of $1,000 to $2,000. I don’t recommend buying these used, as everything electronic on the water has a shelf life, and you never know how they were cared for previously.

With mahi-mahi still prevalent in o shore waters, and with snowy grouper still in season, the timing is perfect to hunt yellowedge grouper. If you aren’t interested in the trial and error of searching the depths of the vast ocean by yourself, Sweet

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PHOTO COURTESY OF SWEET E’ NUF CHARTERS.

BILL DANCE SIGNATURE LAKES to Solidify Tennessee as the Heart of Fishing in the Southeast

Bill Dance Signature Lakes will connect the world’s most-loved angler with some of Tennessee’s most excellent natural resources – its lakes. is program is intended to make Tennessee a best-in-class destination for anglers worldwide.

With the new initiative’s goal to improve and enhance Tennessee lakes, increase visitation and honor Dance’s legacy, Tennessee will invest $15 million in improvements above and below the water at 18 lakes that bear shing legend Dance’s stamp of approval. Tennesseans will bene t from increased stocking, habitat and sheries management and improved access for shing and boating. e collaborative e ort between Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee State Parks and Tennessee Department of Tourist Development seeks to solidify Tennessee as the heart of shing in the southeast and drive economic activity across the state.

“I’m unbelievably humbled and excited to be involved in such a helpful project that will bene t so many people and our natural resources in my great home state of Tennessee,” said Bill Dance. “You can bet your favorite lure this project will have a ripple e ect for a mighty long time, not only giving the weekend sherman but tournament anglers a wonderful shery as well, thanks to the great state of Tennessee and my friends at TWRA.”

Bill Dance Signature Lakes touches 39 counties, including 22 at-risk or economically distressed counties, and is an essential step in helping those communities create new revenue streams through increased visitation. Fishing generates $1.2 billion in economic impact annually and supports 7,480 jobs across the state.

Bill Dance Signature Lakes includes nine large reservoirs with a proven track record for quality shing for a variety of sh. In partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority, reservoirs will receive new or upgraded best-inclass ramps to improve public access for both recreational and tournament anglers. Each of the 18 lakes will see such above-water upgrades as courtesy docks, ample parking, additional access points, shing piers and signage, to name a few. Several smaller lakes, many which are located within Tennessee State Parks, will be managed intensively by TWRA for Bill Dance approved family shing with regular stocking to ensure the best chance for success.

Projects are slated to begin in 2022 and near completion by the fall of 2024. For more information, see www.tnvacation.com.

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GETS THE FISH

When the low for the month is 82 degrees and the highs average 100, we have to make some modi cations to our lifestyles… and so do the sh. Let’s cover a few opportunities to take advantage of as we try to entice a bite this summer.

In the past I have written about some night shing techniques, but I realize that is not for everyone. However, optimizing your time on the water when the temperatures are at their coolest is imperative.

Water and air temps should be at their coolest just before dawn, and that is prime time to be chunking and winding. I like to be casting at least 30 minutes before the rising sun. I recommend locating an area that will have ample tidal ow. is obviously encourages the sh to feed, and it also helps keep the temperature lower. Pair the moving tide with some structure like shells or deeper water adjacent to a shallow at, and you should be in business. e area obviously needs to be holding bait, also.

Topwater lures are always fun and a popular

choice before and at sunrise in August. Once that bite slows, it’s time to bounce the bottom with some plastics. I try to not specify jighead weight if I am not covering a speci c location because it depends on tide, depth and a score of other variables. I would position myself to cast toward the shallows and bring my lure down the drop o . is is a good method to locate sh and cover di erent depths. Fish could be shallow early and fall o the edge as the sun rises. I also like to vary my retrieve speed, and don’t be afraid to work your lure very slowly ticking the bottom structure. Fish in warm water can become lethargic just as they do in cold water. Another time to hit the water is a er a summer rain. Take advantage of these showers, which cool

the water temps. ese periods can be short-lived depending on the extent and duration of the rain event. Heavy lighting tends to slow the bite a er the storm moves on, so I am not a big fan of shing a er a lightning storm.

I hope these tips can help you catch a few more sh this summer and stay out of the heat. Another bene t of shing early and heading home is you have the rest of the day to do other things. Wear your sun block, stay hydrated, and have a fun summer on the water!

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

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®

FIND THE BAIT, FIND THE FISH

Tim Barefoot

August is a pre-transition month, when we’re at the end of summer, and just before the true transition months of September and October. e shing can be hot as a recracker if you pay attention to the bait. is is a pre-staging month for the bait and the bottom sh, as well. Huge schools of cigar minnows and sardines will start their annual migration toward inshore waters for spawning, waiting for the fall and winter.

When o shore bottom shing, I’m looking for large stacks of beeliners as well as cigs and sardines. is is where you nd the sh. Period. Many years ago when I was commercial shing, we would stay for days at a time looking for grouper and snapper. We concentrated on the bait as much as the structure. If you found these two together (bait on a ledge), so much the better, but we o en found sh on slick, at, sand bottom on stacks of bait. We’d anchor on these big stacks of bait and go to work. If the bait school moved, so did the sh… and so did we! We’d y the anchor and move around until we found them again. It was just like magic, with instant bites on the bottom. is is the reason I keep saying, nd the bait, nd the sh. It doesn’t matter where these big stacks of bait go, the sh will follow.

With late summer water temperatures, pelagics like the tunas, wahoo and dolphin are scattered all over the nearshore waters due to the hot water. e water temperatures on the beach will be close to the water temps in the Gulf Stream by now, and the sh will follow bait wherever it goes. In August and September, some unsuspecting king mackerel sherman always catches a stud wahoo trolling live bait on some nearshore stack of bait. I remember wrestling a yellow n for more than an hour on lightweight king mackerel tackle just 10 miles o the

beach. We were bottom shing and had a live cigar minnow out on the light line. Eventually, I lost the ght due to a swivel that couldn’t take it anymore. Ha! Neither could I.

Keep a good eye on the recorder and any surface activity around structure. You know the areas that hold the big schools of cigs and sardines. Keep going back to these places now and into September. is is where you’ll nd what you’re looking for.

I’ve always been a bait freak. Now that I’ve seen more than just a few cycles of what happens through the seasons, I’m better able to see the big picture. Bait moves around for speci c reasons during di erent seasons. Whatever you are shing for requires food to keep them in a place. So… nd the bait, nd the sh.

For more from Capt. Tim Barefoot, check out Barefootcatsandtackle.com.

A nice scamp caught o a big stack of beeliners.

CATCH LATE SUMMER TRIPLETAIL SOAKING IN THE SUN

By Emily Hanzlik

In late summer, the humidity is crazy and the heat wants to take you down. e shing can slow down during this time; however, chilling in the sun is a lifestyle for some sh species.

e tripletail is one of the strangest sh in the ocean. Tripletail are usually dark brown with some lighter shades mixed around, and they can sometimes be yellow, depending on their area. ese sh don’t have a typical body structure. Instead, they have a at almond-shaped body and get their name from the appearance of having three tails, which is an adaptation of enlarged lobes on the posterior ns. ey usually don’t grow any larger than 15 pounds and typically range from 20-30 inches. For their size, they put up a heck of a ght.

Many tagging studies have been done on these sh to track their migrations. However, science has yet to gure it all out. e idea is they move north to south, then back up the coast going no further than Georgia. In the Gulf, they make it as far as Texas. e timing of their movements appears to be random, but it probably depends on currents, since they don’t free swim much.

Sometime during the summer months, tripletail will oat o shore to breed. Like most,

they broadcast spawn, with females producing anywhere from 4 to 8 million eggs. ey can spawn every three to ve days.

When these sh aren’t o shore spawning, they typically hang near lots of structure. You might spot them oating near crab buoys, mangroves, oating leaves and poles in the water. Tripletail are known for mimicking and blending in with their surroundings. is makes it especially di cult while shing to spot these creatures. However, it gives them amazing bene t, since their prey is also hiding in these places. Tripletail usually prey on shrimp, sh and small crabs.

ere are many di erent ways to target tripletail. Since they aren’t big swimmers, you’ll normally nd them oating around with seaweed or next to buoys. You can pitch baits, like live shrimp, to target them. Usually, you’ll want to use a small live bait hook without a weight to get a natural dri in front of them. If live bait isn’t your style, you can also use small jigs or swimbaits to grab their attention. Another great way is y shing. Here, you’ll want a y that mimics a small shrimp or bait sh. When targeting them, make sure to nd which end is their face. en try to dri your o ering in front of their nose.

e current IGFA all-tackle world record is

42 pounds. It was caught in South Africa in 1989.

Emily Rose Hanzlik holds 62 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 on social media @emilyhanzlikoutdoors.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMY LOCKHART

Let’s grow with Florida together.

Palm Beach and Fort l auderdale a reaS

By Mark Ambert

By now everyone knows my passion for mahi fishing. Such an amazing quarry and should be the state fish! I wish we had tighter regulations as this popular species is also delicious and has found its’s way onto every restaurant’s “daily special’s” menu - every single day. The shear popularity of this species means we need to pay very close attention to the potential for overharvesting. Every charter boat captain and sport angler I’ve spoken to throughout the state have acknowledged the dwindling stocks. The question is why. While there are many mitigating circumstances one factor looms large.

There are accounts of long lining for these fish and in state waters. A typical longline is eleven miles long and can have as many as 1,100 large, baited J-hooks that attract and catch targeted migratory fish. No species can long endure this kind of fishing pressure and we have witnessed the results. A drastic decline in recreational catches up and down the Florida coast.

This from the Miami Herald explains a lot. Mahi are dwindling and Keys charter boat captains agree why. By David

Goodhue

10/07/22

An undated photo shows large mahi caught and brought back to the Post Card Inn Marina in Islamorada. The fish was caught aboard the Early Bird Fishing Charters. Miami Herald File Jon Reynolds, a Florida Keys charter boat fishing captain, opened up a plastic trash bag Thursday night during a meeting with federal regulators and pulled out a huge ball of thick monofilament line that’s used to target en-masse mahi mahi, also commonly known as dolphinfish. He removed the discarded line by hand from the ocean during a recent outing on his Drop Back charter boat, which he operates out of Islamorada. “To even have this in a fishery anymore in 2022, this is disgraceful — to even do this to the ocean,” Reynolds told National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials at the meeting. “Our customers are sickened by the fact that our country is even allowing this gear to be deployed into the water. I mean, this is absolutely insane.”

CONTi N ued ON page 8 >>

The amazing mahi and everyone’s favorite quarry! With sound federal policies mahi fishing will be insured for the enjoyment of future generations.

fishing the Palm Beaches

August will bring light south and southeast winds and calm seas to South Florida. The air temps in the upper 80’s and low-90’s with humidity making it feel like 100-105 degrees and afternoon thunderstorms is what August will surely bring. What does this mean for fishing?

Offshore fishing is generally slow in south Florida during the warm summer months, but there is certainly opportunity! I suggest you get out there early before the hot sun sends the fish down deep. Mahi are typically on the small side in August, but if you search for those weed lines and debris up to 20 miles out you can still catch dinner on most days. This is the time for all the small boat owners to take advantage of calm seas and keep running out

Fishing Forecast

with

dar C izzle

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

www.youtube.com/DarcizzleOffshore

searching for fish and covering water. Closer to shore, there should be a decent king bite but be sure you target them in the early morning.  Using live goggle eyes on a “kingfish rig” or trolling spoons will do the trick to catch kings. Bonita are thick and should remain so through

www.USHarbors.com

August, they are lots of fun on light tackle, but if you are not a fan of this fish simply save them up for bait, chunks and strips—they usually get scarce as soon as you need them!

August also brings the best wahoo bite, especially around the full moons. We like to regular troll with, our trolling baits include a bonito strip under a pink sea witch, a split-tail double-hook rigged mullet (with or without the Sea Witch) and the always popular ballyhoo under a blue/white or black/red Ilander Lure.  Don’t forget to do some bottom fishing before you go in, the snapper bite should be good, and you can catch dinner.

Inshore and at the inlets it’s snook spawn time! Live baits such as pilchards, greenies, sardines and croakers will catch snook at the

Beautiful keeper black grouper that was caught in season. Always pay attention to regulations in your waters!

inlets. Be certain to go fishing when the water/current is moving fast as this gets the bait moving so plan your trip accordingly. Snook fishing is a lot of fun and does not take a lot of gas, money or time.  Of course, next month we will all be looking for the start of the annual mullet run of bait fish, it’s a very exciting time both inshore and along the beach.

south county

inshore & Freshwater

Fishing Forecast with

Cap T. paT ri C k Smi T h

or me, August can be a challenging month in the saltwater for everything except one species, giant snook. Whether it’s walking the beach, looking for them in the surf, dropping big baits at the inlets and bridges, or even fishing dock lights for little guys – snook will be plentiful. Out on the beach the key is really finding bait. If you can find sandy key pilchards or regular pilchards there will most likely be snook very close. Early in the morning, light colored top waters worked in the trough can sometimes get a pretty awesome bite. A few other lures that work are silver spoons, crystal minnows, and a white bucktail jig. In the inlets, responding fish

will be piled up and easy targets. Dropping a live croaker, perch, or grunt will most likely get you an instant bite if you’re in the right spot. Be sure to use heavy tackle and get those fish in the boat quickly before the sharks get them or they get too fatigued as they wrap up their spawning. Dock light flyfishing can be excellent this time of year. Small white flies somewhat drifted with the current should get you hooked up quickly.

It’s prime time to catch a giant snook like this 42” that Danny pulled out last week.

unior Angler Team

By Christopher Sprague

Hello anglers,

The summertime seas have never been so beautiful and at the same time so hot. We did do a trip to the Bahamas this past month and I have to say the trip was an absolute blast! We took the hundred- and eighty-mile journey to Marsh Harbor with some friends to relax and get a little bit of fishing in. It was about a 5-and-a-half-hour trip over, so the first day we spent mainly relaxing at the hotel. The next day we did a little deep dropping and exploring. We went to a variety of stops and lagoons and once we were finished, we headed offshore to get some yelloweye and queen snapper. We ended up loading up on silky snapper which were some of the best tasting fish that I have had! The next day we went out spearfishing with my dad’s friends, Andrew and Roman, who are local Bahamians. Roman is a year older than me and he was a commercial fisherman/spearfisherman in his past years. The two of them are some of the nicest and most fun people and they put us right on some good diving spots. The first spot we checked out was a wreck that was extremely beautiful, but it held no good fish, so we moved on. At the next spot we were welcomed with the sight of a nice Nassau grouper. Roman let me take a shot at it but I missed. I was so angry at myself because I still hadn’t shot a nice grouper, but luckily, he followed it to a hole and got it. Not long after that we found a nice hog and I wasn’t going to miss this time; I made sure I had a good shot and was pleased to get a shot through the gills. I could have dove for hours, but we had to go in because the rest of the group was waiting to hit up the sandbar. The next day we tried looking for dolphin and ran about 30 miles offshore but could not find a single bird, so we resorted to ole faithful and went deep dropping. We ended up getting a bunch of snappers and had some great dinner to bring home. It was the trip of a lifetime and is something I will never forget!

The freshwater fishing will have its moments, but overall, it will probably be tough. After an hour or two of sunshine the water temperatures are already in the low 90s. My suggestion would be to get out early with live bait if you can find it and fish the docks while beating the heat that August brings.

Good luck out there!

Big peacocks like this one are a staple of the summer, they love the heat!

FMo from South Dakota got lucky and was able to get this fish out of the docks.

For the past three decades the West Palm Beach Fishing Club’s charitable affiliate, the Palm Beach County Fishing Foundation (PBCFF), has been introducing area youth to fishing through its Kid’s Fishing Day program. It’s more than just a day on the water, it’s a first-time offshore adventure for many of the kids involved. The PBCFF’s 35th annual program ran for 6 days earlier this summer with more than 200 kids participating and well over 14,000 since its inception.

Kid’s Fishing Day targets children throughout Palm Beach County who don’t normally have the opportunity or means to experience saltwater fishing aboard a big boat. It’s hard to understand the importance of the unique marine environment without getting out on the water. Sea turtles, flying fish, sharks and other sea life were a sight to see for the wide-eyed young participants. Sardines and fresh cut squid produced yellowtail snapper, trigger fish, muttons and other species for the kids to wind on while drift fishing; some were even lucky enough to catch their first fish. Kid’s Fishing Day continues to broaden children’s horizons as they experience what makes Palm Beach County so special. Not only do participants walk away with fishing know-how and a new rod & reel combo, they hopefully also leave more invested in our saltwater resources.

This is truly a community program and a special thank you goes out to the presenting sponsor, The Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County, and of course the many businesses and individuals who supported this heartwarming event. A special acknowledgement also goes out to the dedicated volunteers who gave up their time to help with this meaningful cause and the crews on the Living On Island Time and Miss Blue Heron for taking the kids offshore on an adventure they’re surely not to forget. There’s something special about taking kids fishing.

By Tom ‘Buzz’ Bzura managing director West palm Beach Fishing Club

This year marked the 14th annual Sailfish Marina Big Dog Fat Cat KDW Shootout. It was amazing from beginning to end, as once again, the Captains’ meeting and awards dinner were all so well run. It was great to see the local support of sponsors and vendors like Contender Boats and many others. We could not do this without our committee, volunteers, and so many more who did an impeccable job putting much time into this yearly event. This year 233 boats participated, Second Chance Puppies and Kittens Rescue helped more 15 dogs find their fur-ever homes, and BDFC is hoping to surpass the $30,000 that they were able to donate to charity last year. Congrats to Miss Michele Fishing Team and Contender Boats for weighing a tournament record 88lb. wahoo; from that, they won $5,000 in cash, $10,500 in Humminbird Electronics and Cannon Downriggers, and a Pure Lure clothing package. Thank you to everyone else who placed, and all who participated to make this such a successful event!

Grand Prize Winner: Miss Michele Fishing Team with 88-pound wahoo.

KAYAK Fishing Forecast

with

Cap T. B ria N N elli

772-201-5899 • Brian@tckayakfishing.com

• tckayakfishing.com

Inshore

Snook fishing should be your target this month. Fishing dock lights and bridge shadow lines at night are a great way to catch one and avoid the heat of the day. If daylight is more your thing try fishing seawalls and docks with good water currents. Launching at Sawfish Park in Jupiter will allow you to access some good areas. Don’t overlook fishing the beach for snook as well as tarpon. Get out early and launch at places like the south side of Jupiter Inlet. Fish the beach south and look for rolling fish and snook in the surf.

Offshore

Fishing offshore should produce plenty of bonita, kingfish, tuna, sailfish, and some wahoo in the mix. Slow trolling a live bait like a goggle eye or pilchard will be your best bet. Try trolling 80-250 feet of water looking for weed lines or current breaks along reefs and ledges.  Check out Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for all the latest adventures my clients and I get into.

CONTi N ued F r O m page 1 Ma HI D e CLIN

Reynolds, who also heads a conservation group called South Atlantic Fishing Environmentalists, or SAFE, said an 11-mile-long pelagic longline can have as many as 1,100 large J hooks that snare the bright blue and yellow migratory fish, which are increasingly popular at restaurants, fish markets and grocery stores across the country. And, it’s because of this practice that Reynolds and other charter captains, as well as recreational anglers, say they are seeing fewer mahi out in the ocean, and the ones they are catching are much smaller than these multi-generational fishermen have been used to catching throughout their lives. “We’re acting like this is ‘Unsolved Mysteries.’ We all know this,” Reynolds said. “You can’t go hunting deer with machine guns.” The federal government allows commercial anglers to lay 32 nautical miles of line at a time. Reynolds said there are 70 longline vessels currently targeting mahi, most based in northern Florida and North Carolina. He said longliners have recently begun targeting mahi in Puerto Rico. Representatives from the Bluewater Fishermen’s Association, the trade group representing longliners, could not be reached for comment. The purpose of the meeting, hosted by NOAA and the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council at the Florida Keys History & Discovery Center at the Islander Resort, was so federal regulators could receive input from the charter sector on future rules to maintain a healthy fishery.

The roughly 30 captains and mates in attendance were in agreement on two things: Their catch is way down and long-lining is to blame. “This fishery has gone from healthy to almost nonexistent in 36 months; that’s the life span of a fish,” said Larry Wren, owner of First Choice Charters in Islamorada. This is bad for business, and for the environment, they say. Keys anglers are still catching plenty of smaller dolphin. But missing from the fishery, they say, are sustainable numbers of larger “gaffer” dolphin that start around 20 pounds and grow up to seven feet and 88 pounds. Mahi live up to five

years and can start reproducing at four to five months old, according to NOAA.

No fishery can withstand this kind of pressure. And the use of J-hooks and these longlines in state waters is a recipe for disaster. I think it’s time recreational anglers and charter captains to make our collective voices heard. We need to let our state and local officials know the devastating impact this is having on our local marine environment and economy with regards to the mahi fishery. Please show up to every local fisheries management meeting and voice your concerns. We are already doing our “fair share” with enforced recreational bag limits and general good conservation. This style of fishing needs to stop, and it needs to stop now. And public awareness of the issues is key. Mahi are a highly migratory species in need of sound federal oversight. The federal government should also be mandating that all recreational limits be the same for the entire eastern seaboard based on sound policy decisions similar to Florida’s state regulations.

Not everything can be good news. But if we come together as a fishery we can and will make a positive difference. Do this and we can protect the future of this amazing fishery for generations to come.

It’s days like these that keep us coming back for more. We need to put our best effort into preserving this amazing fishery.

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Alot of people’s reaction to seeing a silencer in a dealer’s case is usually pure amazement. “ Is that a silencer!!?? I didn’t know that was legal. Can someone actually buy that?” Well, the answer to those questions is usually, yes. In some states you can’t own or purchase one, but in many you can, and Florida is one of those states.

The owning of a silencer or suppressor is controlled by the ATF under the NFA act. Under the NFA act, silencers, machine guns, and short barreled firearms fall under this policy. There are other weapons too, but the majority of ones purchased are the 3 types which have been mentioned.

Why would someone want a silencer? Or machine gun? Or short barreled rifle or shotgun? The silencer has gotten a very bad reputation thanks to Hollywood. It’s the “tool” of hitmen. The only purpose in one is to kill! Well, not really. The main use for a silencer is to bring the noise of a firearm down to safe levels for your ears. If you were to use your firearm inside your house for your protection it will be loud, really loud. Having a silencer on it will save your hearing after using it.

As far as using one in the field for hunting, it saves the report of the rifle from the hunter, it also doesn’t spook your next target nearly as much after the shot has been taken. In most countries where the use and ownership of firearms is legal, having a silencer for your firearm is almost mandatory. In fact, in the hunting spectrum it is considered noise pollution in those countries if not used. It’s only in the US that they are looked down upon.

Now getting one is a time-consuming process, unlike firearms, they are registered through the ATF. There is a tax stamp of $200 which needs to be paid for each one you purchase. Some companies that produce silencers have multi-use/multi-caliber models that can be swapped back and forth between firearms. The biggest drawback is the time the ATF takes to process your paperwork. It can take anywhere on average from 9 to 14 months to obtain your tax stamp to be able to take your silencer from the dealer home.

Silencers do have a place. They reduce the decibel level of shooting down to a safe range for your ears. On rifles, they tend to make them more accurate because they are controlling the pressure level of the round leaving the barrel better.

C hu C k papp

A Dead Air Primal Multi Caliber Silencer can be used on your 9mm pistol or .30 caliber hunting rifle.

South Florida Shooting Supply/Gun Shop, Boca

Palm Beach In &

Welcome to the Coastal Angler fishing report for West Palm Beach, Singer Island, Palm Beach Shores, and North Palm Beach. The bite the last couple of months has been a little off from the last few years. Warmer temperature to our north doesn’t help the fishing but expect things to pick up for the month of August. Offshore, the snapper bite will be on. Muttons will be hanging under the bonito schools waiting for a free meal to sink to the bottom. If you’re catching undersized fish, try fishing in deeper water; deeper means water from 150’ to 250’. Believe me, monster muttons live in the deep. You will need heavy lead and a long leader; I use 30’ of 60lb. to fool the big boys. The bait of choice is a strip of bonito. Remember, they are big because they are cautious. Also, if you’re looking for a trophy wahoo, try catching a live bonito and slow troll it with a stinger hook. Wahoo love to eat bonito (at least something likes to eat them).

If you’re looking to land a West Palm Beach Gladiator (aka swordfish), you will need to head east 15 miles. The mighty swordfish will be lurking deep below. Daytime swording is an option that not a lot of anglers are

jupiter inlet inshore Fishing Forecast

taking advantage of. Swordfishing is not hard, think of it as bottom fishing on a bigger scale, but it’s always a great idea to hire a pro to show you the ropes.

For you inshore anglers, the Palm Beach Inlet will still be holding plenty of tarpon, snook, and jacks. Light tackle is the way to go. Inlet fishing is all about tides, so plan your trips accordingly.

The weather plays also a major role in sportfishing. Storms can pop up fast and ruin your day so please take caution and beware. If you are looking for some pro tips, visit www.reelintensefishing.com for your next fishing charter.

August can hold red hot weather and fishing. School is back in session so the waterways will be less crowded, and drags will be screaming.

Local inlets are a great spot for snook action. When fishing the inlet, target moving water for best results. Live baits fished on the bottom are the best way to hook up with a snook. For all you artificial lure lovers, nothing beats catching a monster snook jigging the inlet. A D.O.A. C.A.L. 4-inch jerk bait in bayou tiger or Arkansas glow on a 3/8-ounce jig head triggers strikes. The key is to have the bait near the bottom and present a natural presentation. The snook range in size from 10 to 30 pounds.

Tarpon! Aka the silver king, has a best time to target of sunrise and sunset for best results. The tarpon can be seen rolling on the surface just off the beaches and inside local inlets. Inlets are a for sure prime location for tarpon. Fish the edge of the inlet with live baits free lined for best results. Usually, the first of incoming and outgoing are the best tides for tarpon. The average size of the tarpon is 15 to 80 pounds

with bigger fish found off the beaches.

The ICW is full of bait providing great action for anglers targeting a variety of species from snook, tarpon, jacks, and triple tail, and many other species. Docks and seawalls are the prime location for all the above species along with mangrove shorelines. The best times to fish are early morning and late afternoon due to cooler water temps. The middle of the day fishing can be brutal and very stagnant for anglers due to extremely high water temps.

Well, that is the fishing report for August, hope you all enjoyed, and remember, any day on the water is a good day. Tight lines!

Grayson with his first tarpon.

< Doubled up on dolphin.

The summer sailfish action has been epic!

Cameron with a tarpon boat side.

he dolphin are here and they are hungry. The smaller dolphin of June and July have grown from 3 to 5-pound fish, to 6 to 10 pounders, some even bigger; dolphin grow extremely fast. When dolphin reach this size, they break from the big schools and form up into smaller hunting packs made up of 8 to 10 fish. This makes for a lot more schools of dolphin around offshore and they are easier to find. These schools of dolphin gather nearby a seaweed line or other floating debris for protection and a place to find food. The secret to offshore dolphin fishing is territory coverage. The more territory you can troll your lures over, the more of a chance you have to run over some fish. It’s a big ocean out there offshore, almost a desert, until you find a floating piece of driftwood... an oasis in the middle of this saltwater desert, loaded with dolphin. When you find something good to fish next to make sure to pull some deep running lures by it too. Wahoo typically hang around floating debris offshore as well, but they stay much deeper and rarely come near the surface. Pulling a planer or downrigger bait by it will often yield a nice wahoo to compliment your catch.

Sportfishing closer in on the reefs is nearly nonstop action. Bonitos are everywhere on the reefs. They are so abundant that I actually have to try to avoid them sometimes to give the anglers a rest. Trolling the reef is great right now for bonito, kingfish, barracuda, wahoo, and even a rare sailfish. It’s not sailfish season yet, but there are always a handful of them caught in August. Wreck fishing is particularly good this month.  Black, snowy, and warsaw groupers are all being caught deep dropping around the wrecks. Amberjack, almaco jacks, and cobia will be showing up on these same wrecks and biting good on live bait. Out in 400 feet of water, just about everywhere, gray tilefish are all over the bottom. You can catch these by dropping a multi-hook rig, baited with squid, and catch them 3 at a time. There is a lot of variety out there this month. This is the last great month for action before we get into our fall big game fishing season, so get out there and catch some fish. Tight lines everyone!

Fishing Forecast with Freshwater

Cap T. J O h NNy S Ta B ile

This summer has been brutally hot, and you usually would associate that with bad fishing, but in South Florida, it doesn’t matter one bit. Exotic fish such as snakeheads, clown knifefish, cichlids, and peacock bass all originate from subtropical climates. I personally have caught these exotic fish in 95° water alongside native species such as largemouth bass and bluegills.

Warm water fishing is great, but it is tough to fish with store-bought shiners. These shiners require cold water to stay alive, and if you don’t take the time to acclimate them properly, they will die in about 5 seconds. I recommend catching your own bait, like shad, cichlids, bluegill, wild golden shiners, etc. These wild-caught species will last much longer on the hook and frequently will result in the biggest fish.

Summertime fishing also offers lots of rain. Fishing culverts with moving

water is the ticket to success, especially if you can catch some of your own live bait. If you can’t catch live bait matching the hatch, artificial is the second-best thing. I often will throw a small wild shiner-colored jerk bait, and I will throw it at many of my land-based spots and especially when I’m running around trying new spots. When fishing by boat, I always have a variety of baits rigged up, from a topwater frog to a walking bait to a chatter bait and everything in between, depending on the situation I’m fishing in. Go out and set your mind on one goal and then work through the rest.

This month I will focus on snakehead fishing more than anything because of the amount of rain we are getting. I have found that snakeheads bite best in the rain when small animals and reptiles are moving about, such as lizards, worms, and frogs. Throwing an imitation of any of these will result in snakehead action. I prefer a topwater frog because who doesn’t love a topwater blowup.

You can’t catch them from the couch, so get out there and have some fun!

Cap T. ST eve pur S er

Everglades national park fishing with

FloridaFlatsFishingAdventure.com

• (954) 687-5848

FloridaFlatsFishingAdventures@gmail.com

Two Guides are Better than One

Several times a year, Florida Flats Fishing Adventures and Tailing the Tides captains go out to explore, talk, and trade knowledge about the Glades, and of course fish. With years of experience and time on the water this is the unfair advantage to always stay ahead of what’s going on, as things change weekly and covering miles of waterways gets tricky. Today, combined knowledge produced 14 slot reds released and multiple snook from 17 to 30 inches and 6 tarpon hookups.

Forecast Lake OkeechObee with

Greetings, anglers! Here’s your fishing report for the beautiful Lake Okeechobee during the month of August 2023. As always, we’ll cover the latest lake levels and recommended lures to help you have a successful fishing excursion.

Currently, Lake Okeechobee is experiencing high water levels due to extreme rain in the north Kissimmee River basin and the lake is hovering around 14.85 feet. The water clarity is good, providing favorable conditions for boating and fishing activities. However, it’s essential to keep an eye on weather forecasts and potential rainstorms, as they can impact water levels.

August is a fantastic month for bass fishing on Lake Okeechobee. The warm waters and abundant vegetation make it an ideal time to target largemouth bass. Here are some recommended lures and techniques to maximize your chances of landing a big one:

1. Topwater: In the early morning and late evening, try using topwater lures such as buzzbaits, frogs, and poppers. These lures create enticing surface action, attracting bass that are actively feeding.

2. Soft Plastic Worms: As the sun rises and temperatures increase, switch to soft plastic worms rigged Texas-style or wacky-style. Choose colors that mimic the local forage, such as green pumpkin or watermelon red. Cast near weed edges, submerged structures, and

Captain Steve and Captain Brett talked fishing, videos, and social media. How do we get ahead? The answer is to catch more, get great pictures, and have great experiences. That’s what we aim for.

Recently we hit 4 big areas in Flamingo and that’s about a 10th of the areas we fish. We can go at least 10 days and go to different spots each day as there is so much water to cover. Producing a great experience is work for us and we love doing it; we love having memories that last a lifetime and the Everglades gives us and the customers just that.

lily pads, and work them slowly to entice strikes.

3. Spinnerbaits: When fishing in open water or around grassy areas, spinnerbaits are highly effective. Opt for 3/8 to 1/2-ounce sizes in chartreuse or white. Retrieve at a moderate speed, allowing the blades to vibrate and trigger aggressive strikes.

4. Swimbaits: Large swimbaits, around 6 to 8 inches in length, can be effective for targeting trophy-sized bass. Fish them near drop-offs, submerged trees, and weed lines. A slow, steady retrieve imitating a wounded baitfish often entices strikes.

Remember, always adapt your lures and techniques based on the current conditions and the behavior of the fish. Pay attention to their feeding patterns, and weather, and adjust accordingly. Tight lines, and may you reel in the catch of a lifetime!

Sal Aquino and his son caught tons of nice bass on their trip In June including this monster!

10-year-old Ian Paguaga reeled in this beautiful mahi mahi.

Kenan and Murat

Bob Badgley with a nice tuna caught on a ballyhoo, out of Hillsboro Inlet.

Corbin Brown landed this big snook.

FLORIDA’S WATERS NEED YOUR HELP!

Anglers, your help is needed: Florida’s waters are in serious trouble.

Even a partial list of facts demonstrates the broad failure of Florida’s environmental regulatory system to protect our waters.

• Red tides have increased dramatically in frequency, duration and intensity.

• South Florida is bracing for yet another summer of massive blue-green algae blooms.

• Nearly a million acres of estuaries and 9,000 miles of rivers and streams are contaminated with fecal bacteria.

• Seagrass beds are on the brink of a death spiral.

• Eighty percent of our 1,000 springs are polluted.

• No state has lost more acres of wetlands.

• No state has more acres of polluted lake water. When it comes to our polluted waters, the buck stops with the state. Florida waters su er because our state government permits pollution and environmental degradation through its actions and inactions.

e primary problem is special interests, such as big agriculture, big development and big mining, which wield undue in uence over legislators and thus environmental policy. It’s pro t over public interest.

In 2020, looking to clean up their polluted waterways themselves, an astounding 89 percent of Orange County voters approved a Right to Clean Water/Rights of Nature charter amendment.

e state legislature swi ly took that right away by preempting the authority of local governments statewide from passing such laws. If you want proof that a rights-based approach to protecting our waters would be e ective, it’s right there.

at preemption le Floridians with only one viable course of action: amend our state constitution to give all Floridians a fundamental right to clean and healthy waters, a right beyond the reach of legislators. e amendment is indefeasible and self-executing; it can’t be annulled or compromised by the legislature.

is fundamental right would be on par with other fundamental rights such as the right to free speech and the right to bear arms.

Given how critical clean water is to Floridians, we merit this right. We need this right. With it enshrined in our constitution, we can hold state government accountable when it permits pollution and degradation of our waters and aquatic ecosystems.

To get on the 2024 ballot, 891,589 signed and approved petitions are needed by Nov. 30, 2023.

Go to FloridaRightToCleanWater.org to read the full text of the amendment. Browse the FAQs. Note the growing list of over 150 organizations and businesses supporting this amendment.

CONSTITUTIONAL

Learn that this right doesn’t mean your neighbor can sue you for fertilizing your lawn, or that there will be a proliferation of lawsuits. It means our government must provide real remedies for polluted waterways. en, if you are a registered Florida voter, print out, sign, and mail the petition. Get family and friends to do the same.

Florida waters depend upon it, and we all depend upon clean water.

Visit FloridaRightToCleanWater.org for more ways you can help make a di erence.

Ballot Title:

Ballot Summary:

Amendment Information

Right to Clean and Healthy Waters

This amendment creates a fundamental right to clean and healthy waters. The amendment may be used to sue State executive agencies for harm or threatened harm to Florida’s waters, which include aquatic ecosystems. This amendment defines terms, identifies affected constitutional provisions in Article IV governing the executive branch, provides for civil action enforcement, allows attorney’s and expert witness fees to prevailing plaintiffs, and provides equitable remedies including restoration of waters.

See separate document for the full text of the proposed constitutional amendment.

04/22/2022 2202 Date Approved Serial Number

Sponsor's Information (Return all completed petition forms to the address below.) Name: Address:

FloridaRighttoCleanWater.org

13300 South Cleveland Avenue Suite 56 Fort Myers, FL 33907

Voter's Information

I am a registered voter of Florida and hereby petition the Secretary of State to place the above proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution on the ballot in the general election.

Address

Update my voter registration record to this address. (check box)

Petition Circulator's Information

This Petition form is only to be collected by a volunteer or directly by the voter him or herself.

A paid petition circulator must use the DS-DE 155B version of the form. Forms for paid petition circulators can be obtained from the Division's Paid Petition Circulator website. Visit https://dos.elections.myflorida.com/InitiativePetitions/ for more information.

Attention

• This form becomes a public record once filed with the Supervisor of Elections.

• It is a first degree misdemeanor to knowingly sign the same petition more than once. [§104.185, F.S.]

• An improperly completed form will not be validated.

DS-DE 155A (10-2021) R1S-2.009, Fla. Admin. Code

THROW A WACKY RIG TO GET BIT!

TYLER WOOLCOTT

Have you ever heard the saying, “going catching, not shing?”

Well, there’s a technique that will help you do just that. More than any other bait I can think of, a wacky rig gets bit at any time, under any conditions. If you haven’t heard of a wacky rig, it’s simply a Senko-style bait with a hook through the very center of the worm.

ere are a few reasons this bait outperforms many others when it comes to getting bites. First o , it is versatile when it comes to areas where you can throw it. I wacky rig with a weedless hook, which allows me to pretty much put this bait anywhere. Hayabusa makes an awesome hook called the Wacky Fluoro Guard that is completely weedless and helps you sh through cover. What kind of cover? e options are endless. Docks, grass, wood and rocks are some of the places I’ll throw a wacky rig.

I use a spinning rod with a wacky rig, which allows easier casts, especially when skipping the bait under cover most people can’t reach. A wacky rig skips extremely well, and this lets you reach sh that might never have seen a bait before. e natural falling shimmy action of the Senko drives sh absolutely crazy. It will catch bass when nothing else seems to be working.

For colors, I like green pumpkin or some type of brown when the water is clear. If there’s some stain to the water, I use a darker color like junebug or redbug to help it stand out. In muddy water, the silhouette of a darker bait is what the bass pick up on.

Typically, the slower you sh a wacky rig, the better. I throw it or skip it under and around cover and then let it sink for a few seconds. A lot of times, bass will eat it on the initial fall. If not, I give it a few small twitches or a pull of the rod to cover some area. Repeat this process a few times until your bait leaves the strike zone. If there is a sh around, it will bite.

Wacky Rig Gear

A spinning rod is ideal for this technique. I like a shorter rod for more accurate casts and skips. e 13 Fishing Defy 7’1” medium is an awesome rod for a wacky rig, and it’s super a ordable. Pair it with your favorite 2000 or 3000 size reel, and spool up with 10-pound Seaguar Smackdown braid. I use a uorocarbon leader to help keep the line visibility down. A 10- to 15-pound leader works, depending on the type of cover I am targeting. Seaguar Abrazx is an awesome uorocarbon line that I use for most of my spinning rod leaders.

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

Surf Expo, the premier watersports and coastal lifestyle tradeshow, enhances the buying experience for both watersports and out tter retailers with the debut of its new Shoreline o ering during the Sept. 7-9, 2023 edition.

Shoreline at Surf Expo will feature products dedicated to technical apparel, equipment and gear any enthusiast needs to transition from a day on the water to stretching out on land.

“From the trails to the lakes and beyond, Shoreline at Surf Expo supports the natural evolution of the waterman’s lifestyle with gear, apparel and accessories that will take consumers from coastal shoreline activities into camping, hiking, climbing and other recreational activities found along rivers and lakes,” said Roy Turner, Emerald SVP and Surf Expo Show Director.

Shoreline is positioned to become the hub for industry-leading retailers and brands focusing on shing, boating, wakeboarding, technical apparel, outerwear, camping, watersports hardgoods as well as essential gear and accessories.

e newest oor category complements Surf Expo’s extensive product o erings—Surf, Skate, Paddle and Bluewater—by targeting the business associated with outdoor amenities and recreation found in lake towns across the country.

Eric Marvin, founder of Elakai Outdoor, is exhibiting outdoor games within the new Shoreline category. Some games include cornhole, bocce ball, croquet and more. While this is Marvin’s rst year participating at Surf Expo, he knows it will be the right t for his business.

“Our products can be used on the beach, by the lake or near the ocean. Exhibiting at Surf Expo is a natural t for who we are as a business and what the Shoreline category is all about,” said Marvin.

Shoreline will also create a seamless connection with Surf Expo’s Bluewater category, which showcases notable inshore and o shore apparel and accessory products ranging from lifestyle and technical apparel to footwear, outerwear, sportswear, T-shirts, sunglasses and much more.

“Blending the inshore and o shore worlds under Surf Expo’s one roof exposes buyers and sellers to this growing crossover market within the coastal lifestyle industry,” added Turner.

SHORELINE & BLUEWATER EXHIBITING BRANDS INCLUDE:

Ronix Wake/ Radar Skis, Columbia OCS, MANG, Hest, Bimini Bay Out tters, Burnside Sierra Paci c Apparel, Elakai, Fahlo, HEST, Kracken Adventure Bikes, Intracoastal Waterway, Kanga Coolers, Lowtides Ocean Product, Line + Cleat, Pirani, Preston 1947 by Ebinger Brothers, Promo & More, Sunski, Sunburn Drink, e Grateful Diver, XTRATUF, Welly Bottle, and ZEP-PRO.

Summer-Long Fishing Competition Engages Youth Anglers

CCA Florida’s summer-long STAR shing competition o ers anglers a shot at more than $500,000 in prizes, with $100,000 in youth scholarships and invites anglers of all ages and skill levels to walk away with prizes from new boats to scholarships and more.

“Since we launched STAR in Florida, we’ve seen anglers catch more, release more, support the recovery of our state’s marine resources and walk away with new boats, scholarships and amazing new gear at the same time,” said STAR Director Leiza Fitzgerald. “Since the start of the competition, we’ve awarded anglers with over $2 million in prizes, including $800,000 in scholarships and two new ski s to youth anglers across the state.”

e 2023 STAR competition ends Sept. 4 and includes 15 divisions targeting 12 species both inshore and o shore. Awesome boat, motor, trailer packages and cash prizes and more will be awarded for di erent divisions.

STAR and its scholarship partners also provide tremendous incentives to engage youth in shing and conservation. For only a $10 New Tide Membership, youth ages 6 to 17 can enjoy free registration in STAR and participate to win boats, scholarships, other great prizes and earn community service hours.

At the conclusion of the competition, scholarship winners will be determined by a random drawing of all eligible photo entries.

Registered youth anglers may submit one photo a day of their sh on the 2023 STAR O cial STAR measuring device of the following species: lady sh, jack crevalle, sheepshead, snapper, snook, spotted seatrout, red sh, tarpon, grouper, dolphin or king sh.

e STAR Youth Scholarship Division presented by Realtree Fishing, o ers $100,000 in scholarships: two $25,000 scholarships presented by Realtree Fishing and e Slade Kerr Family and 10

$5,000 scholarships. is year Academy Sports + Outdoors, Florida Cracker Tournaments, e Plantation Inn Red sh Classic, Sodium Fishing Gear and Millers Boating Center join Coastal Conservation Association Florida, Southeast Environmental Solutions, Florida Sports Coast, Florida Sport shing Association, Phillips & Jordan and Tailin Toads Apparel as partners in presenting the $5,000 scholarships for 2023.

e Tagged Red sh Division Youth Prizes include two ski s, complete with Minn Kota trolling motors and Humminbird electronics and powered with Yamaha Outboards sitting on a trailer. e Tagged Dolphin Division o ers a $10,000 scholarship if the rst tagged dolphin is caught by a New Tide member.

Youth anglers also have another wonderful opportunity in the Costa Kick Plastic Trash Division presented by Papa’s Pilar. Youth participants can pick up garbage from the water or a shoreline during the competition and get rewarded. ey must submit a photo of the 5-gallon buckets full of trash for a shot at a $1,500 prize package, Kahuna Wagon, sunglasses certi cate and other great prizes. For every 5-gallon bucket of garbage a STAR Youth participant submits, they will also be provided with 30 minutes of community service hours.

For a full list of divisions, visit cca star.com.

For more information on STAR, or to register, visit the Facebook page or cca star.com.

By TAM Sta

CRAPPIE TIPS for Deep Summer

Spring is long gone and so are the quick limits of shallow-water crappie. at doesn’t mean you can’t go load the cooler with some slabs for a sh fry; it just means you’ll have to work a little harder. Here are a few tips to help you catch crappie when the weather and water are hot.

Trust the Electronics: Sonar is your best friend when crappie move deep. You might know where good brush and structure are on your lake, but you won’t know where the schools of crappie are until you spot them on the graph. Use side-scan to look under docks and around points, ledges, ditches and creek and river channels. Don’t even bother wetting a line until you’ve located sh with your electronics.

Find the Shade: Crappie don’t like the sun, and deepwater docks or piers can be the mother lode on bright days. Even underwater structure like ledges, humps and creek channels provide shade. Pay attention to the location of the sun, and then start searching the side of a given piece of structure that will provide some shade.

Go Early: ere’s no sense baking in the sun for a few sh when you can load the boat in just a few hours before and a er daybreak. Boat tra c and water temps are both lower in the morning, which means crappie and the small bait sh they feed on will be most active. In the morning, crappie move shallower up on the humps and ledges to chase bait. ey are more likely to bite when they are actively feeding.

Troll the Humps: O shore humps that top out at 15 feet or deeper will hold crappie this time of year. ey’re even better when there’s brush on them. Early and late, or if there is some dam-generated current, the sh will move

up to feed on these humps. ey suspend o the sides when the sun is high or the water is still. Slowly pull a spread of jigs or small, deep-diving crankbaits or spoons over and around humps where you’ve located sh. Pay close attention to how deep your lures are getting and add weight if you need to get them deeper.

Shoot Docks: Main-lake docks with 15 or more feet of water under them are comfortable places for crappie to hang out when the water is warm. Shoot lightweight jigs as far under these docks as you can, and let them sink slowly to the bottom before beginning a steady retrieve. If there are sh under a dock, they usually won’t let that jig hit the bottom.

Drown a Minnow: A school of crappie suspended o structure at 15 or 25 feet over a 40-foot bottom can be a frustrating scenario. You see them on your electronics, but they are slow to bite. Try dropping a live minnow down there where you’re marking sh. en just let it sit. e bites will be light, so pay attention.

PHOTOS BY NICK CARTER

Re-Discover Old Florida Waterfront Charm

The Perfect Vacation Getaway for Fishing, Boating & Outdoor Enthusiasts

n a dark, muggy morning, we eased into Campo’s Marina in Shell Beach, Louisiana.

By Gary Turner

We picked up 150 live shrimp for our rst day, and every morning began the same way for the rest of the week.

5 a.m., and it would be getting light at 5:30.For some of us— Dewayne and Blake Pro t, Darrel and I—this was the rst time we had been to Shell Beach in search of giant red sh,

Nestled on six lush tropical acres of pristine waterfront directly on the Indian River Lagoon, take a step back in time to experience the very best of Old Florida charm with modern conveniences and services to make your stay truly memorable and unforgettable.

• FULLY FURNISHED 3 ROOM COTTAGES WITH FULLY EQUIPPED KITCHENS

Kingfsh Lodge includes a wide screenTV and bar for small gatherings

Sailfsh House features a wide covered wrap-around porch for larger groups

• Boat Trailer Parking on site w/ Water and Power

• 250 Foot Dock w/ Covered Area

• FREE Ice / FREE Guest Dockage

• Cable TV, Hi-Speed Internet

Cover NEW

• 2 miles to the Ft. Pierce Inlet

• 12 miles to the Gulf Stream

Your

Insurance

• Laundry, BBQ Grilles and FREE use of our Kayaks

NIGHTLY • WEEKLY • MONTHLY • SEASONAL RATES

3011 N. Indian River Dr., Ft. Pierce, FL 34946 www.indianriverlagoonwaterfrontcottages.com

massive sheepshead and gator trout. Touted as the “Best Inshore Fishing in the World,” Shell Beach did not disappoint! e red sh shing was incredible! We hooked some giants, some we never even saw!

We shed spinning gear and 17- to 20-pound line with 2/0 circle hooks baited with either live shrimp or chunks of fresh blue crab. We also used two di erent techniques. Some of us popped a Cajun under cork. I used a Carolina rig, with the weight on my line, then a barrel swivel and an 18-inch leader terminating in my 2/0 BKK circle hook with a live shrimp.

Now… back to the sh we never saw! We shed some ats right where the tall marsh grass met the canals. e water was usually less than a foot deep. We would cast right next to the grass and wait for sh that were cruising this edge in search of food. en it was on! Your line would cut a wake as the sh ran for deep water and peeled drag. ese sh used any structure or rocks they could nd to break o . Even when they ran to deep water, they just kept going. We broke several lines before deciding to pull up anchor and chase the next big one.

at worked well, so we started chasing down lots of big red sh. Blake hooked one with the popping cork that broke him o . Later, we spotted the cork in the shallows and eased up to try to net it. Just as we got to it, the sh took o and was never seen again.

e days were hot, in the low to mid 90s with pop-up thunderstorms every day. One day we even spotted two waterspouts. We did our best to dodge all that, but we did get wet a few times. e last 30 minutes of daylight were always the most productive. We shed rock walls and hooked up several big red sh each evening. Mixed in with the red sh were some giant sheepshead that fell for the same tactics as the reds. Blue crabs are everywhere. You can catch them with a long-handle dip net or rod and reel.

Shell Beach is in St. Bernard Parish on the Gulf Outlet Canal near Lake Borgne, just 30 minutes from New Orleans. We plan on going back next year.

Check out Gary Turner’s YouTube channel @FishingMagicWithGary.

O

NORSE BY NORSEWEST?

Embrace your Scandinavian side with a 7" blade

If you looked out your window a thousand years ago and saw a fleet of Viking longships coming your way,you knew you were in trouble. For roughly two centuries, the Vikings voyaged, raided and pillaged wherever they pleased. As expert sailors and navigators, they reached as far from Scandinavia as Iran, Constantinople, North Africa and the New World in their quest to expand their kingdom.

A mini sword. Too organized and too aggressive, no one stood in a Viking’s way. That’s exactly the message that our Viking Blade sends. Crafted from Damascus steel with brass inlay, this 12" full-tang knife is essentially a mini sword. Paired with its hand-tooled leather sheath, this knife belongs in the collection of any avid aficionado.

Join more than 322,000 sharp people who collect stauer knives

The steel of legend. For centuries, a Damascus steel blade was instantly recognizable and commanded respect. Renowned for its sharp edge, beauty and resistance to shattering, Damascus steel was the stuff of legend. While the original process has been lost to the ages, modern bladesmiths have been able to re-create Damascus steel to create the best blades imaginable.

Sure to impress, naturally. Combining natural strength and natural wonder at a price that’s hard to beat, the Viking Blade is a study in Damascus steel that’s sure to impress. And should you ever find yourself facing a Viking horde, a flash of this knife will show that you’re not to be messed with.

Don’t delay: Order within the next week and we’ll offer this blade to you for just $99, a savings of $200! That’s the best bang for your buck we can possibly offer: our Stauer® Impossible Price. Get your hands on one of the fastest-selling knives in our company’s history today.

Knife Specifications:

• 12" overall length. 7" Damascus full-tang blade

•Includes genuine leather sheath

Viking Blade $299 $99* + S&P Save $200

California residents please call 1-800-333-2045 regarding Proposition 65 regulations before purchasing this product. *Special price only for customers using the offer code.

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“This knife is everything promised. Beautiful beyond comparison. And completely functional. Love it.”

— Gene, Auburn, WA

1-800-333-2045

Your Insider Offer Code: VGK168-01

99 Stauer®Impossible Price

Tennessee Angler Breaks His Own State Record

Aer a grueling 15-minute battle while shing solo, angler Micka Burkhart successfully netted and boated a 122-pound blue cat sh from Tennessee’s Cumberland River on June 28. e sh is a pending state record that should top the 118.7-pound record mark, which Burkhart set himself at Barkley Reservoir last September.

e whole ght can be viewed on a video posted to Burkhart’s YouTube channel, with the action climaxing as Burkhardt breathlessly pleads with the sh and promises to release it if he can just get it in the net.

Burkhart’s monster blue o cially weighed 122.3 pounds and measured 57.5 inches long, with a 42.25-inch girth. It ate a white bass head shed on 40-pound-test line. A er transporting the sh in a large livewell on his trailered boat to get o cial measurements, Burkhart returned to the Cumberland River and successfully released it back to the Stewart County stretch in northwest Tennessee near the Kentucky and Missouri borders. In a Facebook post, Burkhart reported that he also caught 69- and 72-pound blue cats on the same day. at’s a mighty ne day of shing.

e IGFA all-tackle world record blue cat sh weighed 143 pounds, even. It was caught from Kerr Lake, Virginia by Richard Nicholas Anderson in June of 2011.

The Return of a

To watch Burkhart catching the new state record, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ni4BPAaEng&t=1s

This Is How You Walk the Walk

Comfort and class go hand in hand with our Walking Stick Collection. Yours for ONLY $59 each!

They call walking the “perfect exercise.” It gets your heart pumping, clears your head and fills your lungs with fresh air. Not bad, but we found a way to make it even better. Before you take your next 10,000 steps, add a little strut to your stroll. Take a Stauer Walking Stick anywhere and I promise that you’ll feel like a conquering hero. Heads will turn. Doors will open. Its powers will astound you.

What’s the secret? Pure class. Our Stauer Walking Sticks are a tip of the top hat to turn-of-the-century tradition. Today these tributes to a gentleman’s power, prestige, and posture are fetching as much as $200,000 at auction. But only Stauer can deliver a modern version of these vintage classics that looks and feels as good as the original for $59 each!

Stauer Walking Stick Collection

A. Derbyshire $79* $59 +S&P Save $20

B. Earlsford $79* $59 +S&P Save $20

C. Knightsbridge $79* $59 +S&P Save $20

D. Hinwick Hare $79* $59 +S&P Save $20

E. Gentleman’s $79* $59 +S&P Save $20

• 36" long • Imported Eucalyptus wood

• Etched & sculpted solid brass handles with varying finishes

• Rubber tips • Supports up to 250 lbs.

• All models available in 40" height—call for details.

1-800-333-2045

PRAISE FOR STAUER WALKING STICKS

Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Experience the comfort and class of our exquisite Walking Sticks for 30 days. If you’re not feeling the power and prestige, simply send it back within 30 days for a refund of the item price. At Stauer, we walk the talk. Limited Edition. Only 500 each available for this ad only! These handcrafted beauties take months to craft and are running (not walking) out the door. So, take a step in the right direction. Call today!

“An excellent walking stick. Solid and elegant. Perfect for a night out. Well crafted.”

– J. from Pacific Grove, CA

Your Insider Offer Code: WSC286-01 You must use the insider offer code to get our special price.

14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. WSC286-01 Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com

*Discount is only for customers who use the offer code versus the listed original Stauer.com price.

Stauer… Afford the Extraordinary . ®

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A Time of Porpoise

Amemorable beach moment: You’re basking in the warm sun, toes in the sand, letting the gentle turn of the foam-capped waves lull you into a state of complete relaxation. As your eyes scan the endless horizon of blue on blue, you’re rewarded with a school of dolphins making their way across the sea.

There’s no denying their signature shape as they leap from the water. If you don’t see anything else extraordinary the rest of day, you can take solace knowing you’ve witnessed one of nature’s most playful and human-like creatures in their natural habitat.

Why not re-create that special moment with our Balinese Dolphin Pendant? We’ve captured two dolphins mid-jump in sterling silver crafted in the Balinese style. Tucked between these beloved sea mammals is a full carat of shimmering blue topaz. Made by some of Indonesia’s finest artisans, this pendant is an absolute steal at JUST $29! That’s what we call our Stauer IMPOSSIBLE PRICE!

Nothing captures the shimmering color of the ocean in the midday sun like blue topaz. With its sparkling, clear blue color and high reflective index, blue topaz is one of the world’s top-selling gemstones. The Gemological Institute of America lauds topaz for its hardness, noting that blue topaz is known for its intense color that’s better than aquamarine. With this special price, you can score quite the catch. Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. Enjoy the Balinese Dolphin Pendant for 30 days. If it doesn’t pass the test swimmingly, send it back for a full refund of the item price.

Limited reserves. This pendant is already one of our best sellers this year. A full carat of genuine blue topaz set in .925 sterling silver for this price is as rare as a dolphin sighting. We cannot guarantee availability for long. Call today! This offer is limited to the first 1,900 responders to this ad!

Jewelry Specifications:

• Made in Indonesia

• Blue topaz and .925 sterling silver

Balinese Dolphin Pendant (1 carat)

$299 $29* Save $270

*Special price only for customers using the offer code.

1-800-333-2045

Your Insider Offer Code: DNP141-01

Impossible PriceONLY

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What Stauer Clients Are Saying About Our Topaz

“Just lovely! Would recommend it as a purchase. Thank you STAUER.” — Mary L.

One carat of shimmering blue topaz set in sterling silver for  $29