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NOVEMBER 2023
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FOR NOVEMBER’S BOUNTY By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon
W
ith cold fronts rolling in and the slow season phasing out, November is a special month off the Keys. Crowds of sailfish begin to move up onto our reef, and a morning spent loading the cooler with yellowtail snapper transitions easily into a trophy fish hunt. Both can be targeted at the same time. Out on the reef, filling the boat with yellowtail takes care of the grocery hunt, and it’s also an opportunity to scoop some fresh ballyhoo. Once the cooler is full, the anchor is pulled and the sailfish hunt begins in the same area. This can lead to epic trips, with dinner and a show, all on a mere half day charter. Sitting on anchor on the reef should give the captain a reasonable assessment for the next steps to take into sailfishing for the remainder of the trip. Often, you will be able to see sailfish breaking the surface around you during the snapper fishing portion of the trip. You may see them either freejumping and putting on a show or pushing up schools of ballyhoo and spraying bait into the air, indicating their presence and appetite. If this obvious display isn’t present right away, there are two viable options to pursue the sailfish.
2 NATIONAL
NOVEMBER 2023
The captain may choose to push out to deeper water and bump troll live bait, or deploy the kite, which can be extremely productive. Alternatively, and easily the more exciting option, is to travel along the reef and look for them. As you cruise the reef looking for a sightcasting opportunity, there are a few indicators to be watchful of. First, it is possible to see the sailfish itself, but this is a little more tricky from deck-level. A sailfish in the water will appear very black and can often look like a trash bag. They can also be spotted free-jumping and cruising the tops of the waves. Looking for the fish directly is actually the least productive way to find them without a tower on the boat to scout from. The best way to find them is running and gunning. Cruising slowly while scouring the surface for bait sprays and diving frigates gives them away almost every time. When the frigates start getting down on the water or large schools of bait are spraying into the air, throttle down because it’s game on. Hauling butt over to
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the action and trying to get your bait out there before the fish eats another ballyhoo is one of the most exciting types of fishing there is. Even if you miss your shot, there’s a great chance you will see the fish. Nothing compares to the adrenaline of this type of hunt. With cooler temperatures pushing in, tourism is more focused on fishing charters. Last minute bookings become more difficult. So, if you’re planning a vacation to the Florida Keys, it is recommended to make a charter reservation beforehand. Happy hunting and Happy Thanksgiving from Sweet E’nuf Charters! Capt. Quinlyn Haddon and Sweet E’nuf Charters fish out of Marathon in the Florida Keys. Contact Capt. Haddon at (504) 920-6342 and follow her social accounts @CaptainQuinlyn.
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EuroNymphing By Nick Carter
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ove it or hate it, Euro nymphing is a style of fly fishing that is growing in popularity because it is so darn effective for catching numbers of trout. Naysayers might gripe about the technique having more in common with cane-pole fishing than fly fishing, but Euro nymphers are too busy netting fish to care. It is a combination of styles employed by European tournament anglers. At the most basic level, it is a simple way to fish nymphs without an indicator. The angler remains in constant loose contact with the fly and leads the drift with the rod. Bite detection is instant, hook sets are quick, and the angler has complete control over the depth and trajectory of the drift. Grant Hawse guides out of Fish Tales Outfitters in Franklin, N.C. He honed his nymphing skills as a member of the U.S. team at the World Youth Fly Fishing Championships in Spain and Slovenia in 2016 and 2017. Here are his tips for getting into Euro nymphing.
THE BASICS
Hawse said he visualizes a 3D grid in a run. He uses a series of short flick casts to drift his nymph over every inch of that grid vertically and horizontally. Depth is controlled by the angle of the rod, making it possible to present the fly on the nose of every fish in a run. Angles, posture and smooth line retrieve are important. Rapt attention to the slightest tick of a bite leads to lightning-fast hook sets. The technique might seem tedious to traditional fly fishers, but if the goal is to catch lots of fish, Euro nymphing has proven itself superior in most situations.
BE A GEAR HEAD
You’ll need new gear to Euro nymph efficiently. Rod: Long, light rods give you reach and sensitivity. Cortland’s Nymph Series rods are 10’ 6” and come in 2- to 4-weight models. THE TECHNIQUE Reel: The reel balances the rig. Hawse said Euro nymphing is an efficient way to cover a reel rated for line one step heavier than the every inch of the water in front of you. With very rod’s rating generally does the trick. Test this by little slack in the system, the angler has complete balancing the rod with two fingers as a fulcrum on the handle. control of the path and depth of the drift.
Line: Hawse suggested spooling up with floating fly line instead of expensive Euro nymphing line. The main line rarely leaves the reel when you’re nymphing, anyway, and if you want to throw dry flies you can switch out the leader. Leader: Here’s a basic leader: 10 feet of 8-lb. mono, 6 feet of 6-lb. mono, 6 feet of 4-lb. mono, 2 feet of 6x sighter, and 4 feet of 6x tippet. Sighter is brightly colored leader material that allows the angler to see where the line is and what it’s doing. Flies: Euro nymph rigs require heavier flies. Fish Tungsten heads or nymphs with lead tied into the body. Contact Fish Tales Outfitters through their website www.fishtaleswnc.com.
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NATIONAL 5
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ver wondered what the depth, bottom structure and composition look like off the end of your favorite jetty, bank, beach or fishing pier? Do you fish smaller waters or from a small boat or kayak and bulky, heavy and expensive electronics aren’t an option? Deeper has brought the advantage of sonar to the masses with portable and castable fishfinders that are perfect for whatever type fishing you do, whether it’s from the shore, from a kayak or small boat, or through a hole in the ice. Deeper PRO+ can be used anywhere to show you all the fish-holding structure and cover as well as the fish themselves. Paired with a free smartphone app, this small sonar unit is smaller than a tennis ball, weighs just 3.5 ounces and can be cast out 330 feet to report back sonar readings from two beams (15 and 55 degrees). It’s the ultimate insight into where you should—or should not—be fishing.
6 NATIONAL
NOVEMBER 2023
This extremely versatile little unit has up to six hours of battery life and connects to your smartphone via its own stable Wi-Fi signal, which provides a much stronger connection than Bluetooth. It’s durable, easy to use and comes with a two-year warranty. Deeper PRO+ pairs with the free Fish Deeper app which provides a crisp, clear display and many great features to help you catch more and bigger fish. With GPS, you can reel or troll the Deeper PRO+ around to create accurate depth and structure maps of your favorite fishery, log catches, mark spots and much more. All scans are saved in the cloud at no additional cost, and you can access them from all your devices. For boaters and kayakers, the Deeper Flexible Arm and Smartphone mount for boat/kayak turns your Smartphone into a convenient and stable display to monitor readings. Shore anglers will love
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Hunting On the Fly Gator Trout By Nick Carter
C
atching gator trout heavier than 5 or 6 pounds has more in common with hunting than it does with setting up on a drop and catching schoolie trout hand over fist. Add to that the challenge of hunting them with a fly, and success becomes that much sweeter. Capt. Gus Brugger knows that sweet feeling well. He’s a regular contributor the Treasure Coast edition of Coastal Angler Magazine who has been hounding inshore species with a fly rod for nearly 40 years. He was a full-time inshore guide on Florida’s storied Indian River Lagoon for 23 years and has a lot to share when it comes to catching monster trout on the fly. “It’s got to be all about stealth if you want to get a big seatrout on the fly,” he said. “Whether from a kayak, a boat, or just accessing areas from the bank, I always feel like you’re a lot better off wading.” The primary benefit of wading is stealth, and it also forces you to work areas thoroughly. Outsized trout are notoriously skittish and spook from hull slap, shadows and even fly line on the water. With your feet in the sand, you’re less obtrusive, and while you might not be able to cover water like you would from a boat, you can be meticulous. “Grid out pieces of open water, set up with the wind off your shoulder— so you’re not knocking yourself in the head,” Brugger said. “Cast, take two steps to the side, and then cast again. Wind helps, and a little chop on the water helps keep them from spooking.” Carefully picking apart potholes, ditches and depressions on a flat is the go-to tactic for most of the year, but cooler winter water temps bring exciting opportunities for fly anglers. Winter may be the best time to target giant trout. “In winter, gators act more like snook than trout,” Brugger said. Big trout push into the backwaters in search of deeper holes with more comfortable
8 NATIONAL
NOVEMBER 2023
water temperatures. This could be off a canal dock or in a trough of deep water along a mangrove bank. These comfort zones consolidate fish. While wading isn’t an option in several feet of muck on a canal bottom, a kayak or small skiff can get you in quietly. Brugger and his son have had great winter days at backwater holes in no-motor zones. As for gear, a 7- or 8-weight fly rod gives you the ability to throw big streamers and baitfish patterns. Brugger said they’ll eat a shrimp, but you’re better off throwing big mullet or menhaden imitations. Whether it’s a Clouser, Bendback, Polar Fiber Minnow, or some articulated monstrosity, Brugger fishes flies that are 6 inches and longer. Some days they want flashy white and chartreuse patterns. Other days they want something more natural. A clear intermediate sinking fly line is helpful for stealth and to get flies down into the strike zone. For more tips and tactics, visit coastalanglermag.com.
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FLORIDA 3
THE OFF SEASON IS SO ON!
fall and winter great, but also the fact that there are fewer tourists around. That means when you go fishing in popular areas, you won’t have to fight for the best spots. Plus, lots of resorts and hotels offer off-season rates, so you can save money and get more value for your dollar. A lot of species are in migration patterns during these months, so you can expect a wide variety of fish. Many of the fish that migrate south when ocean temps begin cooling eventually park themselves off the Keys. If you’re trying to go offshore, blackfin tuna and sailfish become more plentiful this time of year. Blackfins are delicious, and sailfish offer a battle you won’t forget when they come up out of the water tailwalking. Various mackerel and snapper species are usually available for the taking around this time, as well, and that’s usually action-packed. In the backcountry, there are jumbo snook, tarpon and permit. These classic backcountry game fish will definitely give you a fight to remember. So, whether you prefer fishing in the backcountry or in open water, you’re guaranteed to have a blast and reel in some great catches. The offseason months are really the best time to visit. The water is calm, there are lots of fish species to catch, the scenery is breathtaking, and you can count on local guides to help you out. Book your trip, take advantage of the offseason rates, and embark on an unforgettable fishing adventure in the stunning Florida Keys!
By Astrid DeGruchy
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f you love fishing, you’ve gotta check out the Florida Keys during the off season. While most people visit from March to June, anglers in the know go during the offseason, from August through December. Not only does the temperature drop comfortably, but the hotels are more affordable and the fishing is amazing. It’s not just the cooler temperatures that makes
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NOVEMBER 2023
NEW SNOOK MANAGEMENT BEGINS JAN. 1
B
eginning Jan. 1, the way Florida manages its snook fisheries will change dramatically. At its October meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved new management regions and regulations for snook in state waters. These regulations will establish nine new snook management regions and establish open seasons as well as bag and slot limits for each region. This will allow FWC staff to monitor snook fisheries in each region independently and annually to adjust regulations regionally, similar to the way redfish are managed. “Through innovative management strategies like this, which allow us to be agile in our response to concerns, we are ensuring that Florida’s future generations of anglers will have access to this iconic fishery,” said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto. Here’s a breakdown of the regions and regulations for next year: Panhandle, Big Bend, Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay Open Season: March – April, September – November Bag limit: one fish Slot limit: 28-33 inches Charlotte Harbor, Southwest Open Season: March – April, October – November Bag Limit: one fish Slot Limit: 28-33 inches Southeast, Indian River Lagoon, Northeast Open Season: February – May, September – Dec. 14 Bag Limit: one fish Slot Limit: 28-32 inches For more information, including the October 2023 Commission meeting presentation, visit MyFWC.com/Commission.
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale AreaS
One Big Fish
2023 november
Is All It Takes By Tom “Buzz” Bzura
Yellowfin’s 43.4-pound wahoo.
O
The Whisky Business crew with their first fish of the series at Sailfish Marina.
^ Mike Ferrara (right) and Terry II’s 79.8-pound wahoo.
Heavy Hitter’s offshore with a nice wahoo. >>
ver 80 boats registered for the West Palm Beach Fishing Club’s 2023 Full Moon Wahoo Series. In previous years, you had to post a fish in each leg of the 3-part series to beat the competitive fleet’s aggregate weights. It’s challenging to be consistent and catch a fish each moon, but if you’ve ever hooked a really big fish, you know it’s almost equally as challenging to successfully land a fish of this caliber. Teams were only eligible to weigh one fish per moon, and it only took one big fish to win it all. WPBFC member Mike Ferrara and team Terry II made the most of their bites in the series landing their only wahoo, a monster 79.8-pound fish, in the first leg of the series back in July. They caught this impressive fish on a live goggle eye fishing out of Jupiter Inlet with Captain George LaBonte. This was the single heaviest wahoo ever weighed in the history of the tournament. Their lone wahoo held up all summer long and Terry II walked away as the 2023 Series Champions! Team Yellowfin and Team Whisky Business both entered the final fishing day in September with a solid 40+ pound wahoo already posted from the previous legs of the series. Both teams made it interesting by bringing another fish to the scale at Sailfish Marina that final moon. Yellowfin’s second fish of the series weighed 23-pounds which brought their aggregate to 66.4-pounds, good enough for a 2nd place series finish overall. If you’re already familiar with the Wahoo Series from past years, you know this crew is dialed in. Team Yellowfin has won the series twice previously, in 2018 and 2021. Whisky Business’ second fish weighed 16.8-pounds and brought them to a 3rd place series finish with a 59.2-pound aggregate. Fishing for wahoo in the summertime around the full moons is a local favorite. Whether it be trolling leads and planers, or live baiting at first light, the bite has proven to be productive. Thank you to all the Club boats who go on the water and participated in the 7th annual Full Moon Wahoo Series! By Tom ‘Buzz’ Bzura Managing Director West Palm Beach Fishing Club 561-832-6780
For advertising or other inquiries, call 917.612.8275 or email us at ilene@coastalanglermagazine.com
f i s h i n g the h e s c a e B m l Pa T
he “mullet run” should be drawing to a close right around the beginning of November. There was plenty of mullet in and around Ft. Pierce, Stuart, Jupiter, and Boynton Beach during early September to early October. There should still be bull sharks, snook, and tarpon crushing the remaining schools, so this is your last call to get out and enjoy the hot inshore bite. Follow the mullet for excellent snook and tarpon fishing inshore and along the beach. If tarpon and snook are biting, you can catch them on a live mullet using a circle hook or any number of swimming baits and “flair hawks”. I caught my first fish on a flair hawk last month and it was a very satisfying feeling. November should start bringing sailfish, wahoo, and bigger-sized
Fishing
Forecast
with
Darcizzle Please be sure to check out my YouTube Channel “Darcizzle Offshore” for fishing videos every week!
www.youtube.com/DarcizzleOffshore
mahi mahi into the area. In the Palm Beaches it’s most popular to kite fish with live bait for these pelagic fish, but slow trolling live baits works nearly as well. Dead-bait trolling for sails will also land you plenty of mahi. If it’s calm, head offshore and find some floating debris or other
Upper slot (aka keeper) snook, I caught during the mullet run! Snook & tarpon were crushing bait pods & the first bait I casted out was thumped by this beautiful specimen.
structure that holds bait that the mahi feed on. November weather will mean more northerly winds and cooler drier weather which translates into rougher seas. If it’s rougher stay close and troll those ballyhoo for sails and mahi from 80-300 feet or deeper depending on water conditions. Closer to shore and on the bottom, fishing has been excellent! The fall run of Spanish mackerels should also be starting up. They will be present in good numbers and are so much fun to catch on light tackle. The party boats are coming in with a good number of yellowtails and even more mutton snappers. Even mahi mahi have been caught shallow recently, presumably chasing mullet closer to shore than normal. There have been a decent number of kings landed as well,
however bigger kingfish have been missing from the Palm Beaches for several weeks. The drift boats typically use a triple-hook rig with a whole dead sardine as bait. This is a great yet simple fishing method and will catch you plenty of fish; I have caught a sailfish in the past with this simple rig so don’t count it out when you just want to relax on the water.
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November 2023
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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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south county inshore & freshwater
Fishing Forecast with Capt. Patrick Smith
www.swamptosea.com • 561-503-0848
H
ope everyone had a great mullet run with lots of big fish caught. As we head into November and cool fronts start to roll in, it’s a great time to switch over to crustaceans in the inshore/ nearshore fishery. Depending on how the weather starts to roll in, we will start to see a push of black drum, bluefish, Jamie got hooked into this sheepshead, and pompano. nice size tarpon. The easiest way to get hooked up with these fish would be a whole fresh shrimp or chunk of shrimp right on the bottom. I like to do some artificial type fishing, so a white bucktail with some procure shrimp gel scent is one of my main go-to’s. I like this rig because I don’t have to retip the jig after every bite, just put a little more scent on the bucktail once in a while. There should be plenty of action along the beaches, working the bucktails in the trough and near shore. Try casting a silver spoon about as far
Kayak
as you can and cranking it back, this is known to yield jacks, ladyfish, and some nice bluefish. Of course, the normal characters like small tarpon and snook will be in tight schools around docks and bridges. Usually if you find one, there are others to be caught also. This time of the year when it comes to flyfishing, I Madeline caught this upper slot snook like to use a six or eight during the mullet run. It was released to weight with a full sink and fight another day. a small clouser and bump the bottom. The number of different species that I will catch in one day is awesome. Like always, the sized rod that I use is going to be determined by the amount of wind I am dealing with, not so much the size of the fish. Just about everything I hook can be handled on a six weight. When it comes to the freshwater fishing, the bite should be incredible as November is one of the prime months for catching large numbers of peacock bass and largemouth. As the water cools down, focus on deeper areas with structure as the fish will be schooling and feeding together. A live bait with a split shot or any type of deep diving crank bait should get you hooked up. I would suggest the same type of set up when it comes to The giant peacocks have been slide tackle full sink line, clouser, or eating just about everything weighted bait fish pattern. Good luck out there! that hits the water lately.
Yours truly with a sailfish.
Freshwater
Fishing Forecast with
surface using a downrigger of rubber band and egg weight attached to your line. The egg weight will break away when the bait is struck, and you are free to fight the fish. Peacock bass and clown knifefish will be chewing this month. Prop baits will work well for peacock along shallow edges. Try twentypound 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 mid water column and below by adding a pinch weight to your leader and get that bait in their face.
Capt. brian nelli
772-201-5899 • Brian@tckayakfishing.com • tckayakfishing.com
Shantell with a good clown knifefish.
Inshore
November will be the start of the winter species push. Look for pompano, Spanish mackerel, and bluefish to start to show up along the beach with our first few cold fronts. Fish for pompano along channel edges of your favorite inlet. Pompano jigs, D.O.A. Lures 2.75-inch shrimp, and a good ole bucktail jig are a few of my favorite lures.
Offshore
Brian and friend with a good double of snook. 4 Palm Beach & Fort Lauderdale Areas
November has been good to me with wahoo and mahi mahi. We typically get good numbers more than size this time of year on the mahi. If you can still find mullet around, I love using them for mahi drifting in 180-300 feet of water. I like to bump up my bait size for the wahoo and slow troll goggle eyes and blue runners in 90-250 feet of water. Try trolling one bait up top on the surface and one at 40-80 feet below the November 2023
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
SATURDAY DECEMBER 2 2023
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The Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County will once again light up the Intracoastal Waterway this holiday season for the 29th Annual Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade. Bring new, unwrapped toys to any viewing location. A “toy fleet” of boats from TowBoatU.S., Sea Tow and other volunteers traveling along the parade route will make dockside pickups during the parade. Just wave a flashlight when you see a boat with a flashing amber beacon and/or Toys for Tots signage.
nd and weight nd you
will be k well wentying in et onto hiners. ow by nd get
PARADE BEGINS AT 6PM & ARRIVES IN JUPITER AT APPROXIMATELY 8PM
FOR DETAILS VISIT:
Follow us on Instagram @palmbeachboatparade & Facebook @pbboatparade
fish.
NORTH PALM BEACH TO THE JUPITER LIGHTHOUSE FREE BOAT ENTRY $10,000 IN CASH & PRIZES!
palmbeachboatparade.com BENEFITING
#1 FOR TODAY’S R&B AND THROWBACKS
MANATEE SEASON KICKOFF EVENT
ECO ToURISM with Chris Thalmann
MANATEE LAGOON
Aqua Adventure Tours, Inc. • 561-635-6899 • www.aquaadventuretours.com
Saturday, November 18 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
N
ovember is here and so is an excellent opportunity to get outdoors and learn a little about one of Palm Beach County’s true treasures - Lake Worth Lagoon! Lagoonfest is a free, family-friendly festival that celebrates the history, ecology, and recreational fun that Lake Worth Lagoon brings to Palm Beach County. The festival is scheduled for November 4th in downtown West Palm Beach. Aqua Adventure Tours will once again be hosting FREE 45-minute boat tours for the public as part of the festival. Tours will be narrated by Palm Beach County’s Environmental Resource Management staff. They’re a fantastic way to get an up-close look at habitat restoration efforts on the Lagoon and understand why this waterway is so very special! The ERM narrators are the same folks who design and manage these surprisingly complex restoration projects. If you’re really into nature, these tours are a great chance to hear from experts who can help answer your questions about wildlife on the lagoon. Many projects are still under construction, yet birds, fish and other aquatic creatures are already calling these brand-new areas home. Several bird species are even using the new habitats to nest and raise their young! This is our 5th year with Lagoonfest and it’s one of our favorite community events. The festival draws several thousand people each year, and our free tours fill up fast. If you’d like to join us, be sure to get to the festival early to sign up! You’ll find us on the West Palm Beach City Docks, right across Flagler Drive from Clematis Street and E.R. Bradley’s Saloon. Signups are dockside and day-of only, no advance signups. You can find more info on Lagoonfest at www.lagoonfest.com. Visit Aqua Adventure Tours Facebook page at www. facebook.com/aquaadventuretours for updates on exact tour times and departure location. If you’re unable to ride along with us this year, be sure to check out the rest of the festival. There’s always plenty to see and do, with free kayaking, the Kid’s Zone, lawn games, sampling local foods and drinks, live bird releases, a variety of eco-minded exhibitor booths, arts and crafts, even the West Palm Greenmarket. Hope to see you on the water and at Lagoonfest! 6 Palm Beach & Fort Lauderdale Areas
November 2023
FREE - Face painting, scavenger hunts, outdoor games and more.
VisitManateeLagoon.com 561-MAN-ATEE (626-2833)
www.USHarbors.com
Boynton Beach, Lake Worth, FL - Nov 2023 High
Date
Low
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
1
Wed
12:19
3.1
1:01
3.2
7:17
0.3
7:48
0.8
7:27
6:40
2
Thu
1:05
2.9
1:48
3.0
8:06
0.5
8:40
1.0
7:28
6:39
3
Fri
1:53
2.7
2:38
2.8
8:59
0.7
9:37
1.1
7:28
6:39
4
Sat
2:46
2.6
3:32
2.7
9:58
0.8
10:39
1.1
7:29
6:38
5
Sun
2:44
2.5
3:28
2.6
10:01
0.9
10:42
1.1
6:30
5:37
6
Mon
3:47
2.5
4:23
2.6
11:02
1.0
11:38
1.0
6:30
5:37
7
Tue
4:48
2.5
5:15
2.6
11:58
1.0
6:31
5:36
8
Wed
5:44
2.6
6:02
2.7
12:27
0.9
12:47
0.9
6:32
5:36
9
Thu
6:34
2.7
6:45
2.7
1:09
0.7
1:30
0.8
6:32
5:35
10
Fri
7:19
2.9
7:26
2.8
1:48
0.6
2:11
0.8
6:33
5:35
11
Sat
8:01
3.0
8:07
2.9
2:24
0.4
2:50
0.7
6:34
5:34
12
Sun
8:43
3.1
8:46
2.9
3:00
0.3
3:27
0.7
6:35
5:34
13
Mon
9:24
3.2
9:27
2.9
3:37
0.2
4:06
0.6
6:35
5:33
14
Tue
10:07
3.2
10:08
2.9
4:16
0.1
4:45
0.6
6:36
5:33
15
Wed
10:52
3.1
10:52
2.8
4:57
0.1
5:28
0.7
6:37
5:33
16
Thu
11:39
3.1
11:40
2.8
5:42
0.1
6:14
0.7
6:37
5:32
17
Fri
12:30
3.0
6:32
0.2
7:07
0.7
6:38
5:32
18
Sat
12:35
2.7
1:24
2.9
7:28
0.3
8:08
0.8
6:39
5:32
19
Sun
1:36
2.7
2:22
2.9
8:32
0.4
9:14
0.7
6:40
5:31
20
Mon
2:43
2.7
3:23
2.8
9:41
0.5
10:22
0.6
6:40
5:31
21
Tue
3:52
2.8
4:23
2.8
10:50
0.5
11:25
0.4
6:41
5:31
22
Wed
5:00
2.9
5:21
2.9
11:54
0.5
6:42
5:31
23
Thu
6:02
3.0
6:16
2.9
12:23
0.2
12:52
0.4
6:42
5:30
24
Fri
6:59
3.2
7:08
3.0
1:15
0.0
1:46
0.4
6:43
5:30
25
Sat
7:51
3.2
7:57
3.0
2:05
-0.1
2:36
0.3
6:44
5:30
26
Sun
8:39
3.3
8:43
3.0
2:52
-0.2
3:23
0.3
6:45
5:30
27
Mon
9:25
3.2
9:28
2.9
3:38
-0.2
4:08
0.4
6:45
5:30
28
Tue
10:09
3.2
10:12
2.9
4:23
-0.2
4:53
0.4
6:46
5:30
29
Wed
10:53
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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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november 2023
Palm Beach & Fort Lauderdale Areas 7
jupiter inlet inshore Fishing Forecast with Capt. Craig Korczynski
PhlatsInshoreFishing.com • (561) 644-4371 • Visit us on Facebook & Instagram John with a snook ready for release.
John and his son with a pair of tarpon.
Carter with a tarpon ready for release.
H
appy Thanksgiving! November starts to bring cooler comfortable weather. Water temperatures will start to cool down and predator fish begin to push into back bays, canals, and coves. Snook fishing in Jupiter and Palm Beach will provide anglers steady action along seawalls, mangroves shorelines, and channel edges. Sight fishing on the flats is another option for those who enjoy watching the bite. A D.O.A. C.A.L. 3” Shad or D.O.A. 3” Shrimp presented in the right spot gets the drag screaming. Fall weather drives tarpon into back bays and canals offering excellent fishing for the silver king. Tarpon are prevalent inside the ICW, mangrove shorelines, docks, and deep passes. Live shrimp drifted with the tide is the best bait, as other baits like mullet, pinfish, and greenies work as well. Artificial enthusiasts, the deeper passes offer plenty of shots on D.O.A. Bait Busters or D.O.A. C.A.L. 3” Shad Tail. Tarpon this time of year range from 10 to 60 pounds. November offers great action for big jack crevalle on the ICW. Jacks will pounce on Rapala Skitter Walks or live bait in the vicinity of seawalls, docks, or open water flats. The jacks are schooling fish averaging 5 to 25 pounds. Battling jacks on light tackle or fly is something an angler will never forget, come experience the tussle yourself. Well, that is the fishing report for the Palm Beach and Jupiter area. I hope you all enjoyed. Get out there and get hooked up. Tight Lines!
Palm Beach In & Offshore Fishing Forecast with Capt. Weston Russell
Capt. Weston Russell • www.reelintensefishing.com •561-310-2690
W
elcome to the November Coastal Angler Magazine fishing report for Palm Beach. With a chill in the air will come great fishing. Last year there was a good dolphin bite offshore, and I expect the same for this year. Migrating fish will be swimming the deep water weed lines south for the winter. Trolling small lures work great, but live bait is king. Look for floating trash embedded in the seaweed. This type of stuff holds fish and if you do a pass by with a troll, it might be a good idea to turn around and throw Mullet run snapper bites in November. some live bait at it. Good luck! For the inshore anglers, the mullet run will be coming to an end, but there will still be some great opportunities. Check out the Palm Beach Inlet and the beaches north and south of it. If you find any mullet, there will be predators lurking below. Sharks, jumbo jacks, and hard fighting snook will be among some of those predators. This is epic fishing on light tackle. First thing to do is get some mullet in the well, and make sure you fish those mullet on the outside of the schools. Don’t let your bait get lost in the thousands of mullet swimming for their lives. Tight lines! Bottom anglers will experience great snapper fishing with the mullet run. These baits are perfect to drop down live to the reef. We landed so many 10lb. plus sized fish this way last year. The shallow reefs will produce. The snapper know the mullet run is going on and they’re swimming to the shallows to feast. Light lead and small hooks will fool the shyest ones of the bunch. Remember that big fish get big because they are shy and cautious. Now, go get out there and catch a big one!
8 Palm Beach & Fort Lauderdale Areas
November 2023
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Success! I said, “let’s go to lunch and call it a day”. I asked Neil if he was hungry and then he disclosed to me that he ate a banana for breakfast! Neil knows not to bring bananas on the boat (it’s bad luck), but it didn’t occur to him that the curse would remain in effect with it digesting in his stomach. Myth confirmed or was it bad luck? He should’ve brought his lucky rabbit foot!!! Keith Lozott The Fishing Realtor
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www.USHarbors.com COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM Palm Beach, FL - Nov 2023
8 PALM BEACH COUNTY NOV. 2021 Jupiter Inlet, south jetty, FL - Nov 2023 High
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Sailngat50%pasengercap citysopleasecal for es rvations. Indivdualuseonly.Subject omin. Limtedseatingfordistancing.Boatserilzedbefore verytrip.
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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
november 2023
Palm Beach & Fort Lauderdale Areas 9
of line is needed as these fish make short powerful runs, but a quality drag system is a must. My reel was spooled with 80lb braid and a top shot of 100lb mono. The mono acts as a “shock absorber” during those incredibly powerful runs. A quality leader can be purchased from your local tackle shop, as I got mine from the experts at By Mark Ambert Fishing Headquarters in Jupiter Florida. They will also advise you on whether your gear is “goliath ready” and on proper setup. If your gear is not up to the task, I strongly suggest you have them set you up the appropriate outfit. I make all my hooks “catch and release” ready by removing the barbs. I use oversized size 24/0 hooks as they are easy to grab by hand and slide out of the fish’s mouth. I also bench test the drag setting on my reel before usage. Nothing gets It’s important to apply enough your heart pressure to slow down that first pounding run for freedom. I am not a like the sight proponent of just “locking down the drag” as things will definitely of your first go awry. The only way to know goliath! how much drag pressure you actually have is by using a hand scale and bench testing your drag Another fish off our bucket list and this one settings accordingly. Properly set, mine is now so has been on my mind since forever. Can you say tight that it’s almost impossible for me to pull any “goliath?” Just the name says it all! What they line off the reel. During the fight the reel got hot lack in speed and endurance they more than as hell but held together. These fish are insanely make up for in size and brute strength. These fish strong, and a quality 2-speed reel is a must. Have are beasts! I had high hopes for an intense battle multiple leaders on hand in case you get broken and my expectations were fully met. Encounters off. Now get ready with local knowledge and with these fish are won or lost within the first target a nearshore reef. few minutes in a test of gear and skills against raw power and determination that is absolutely insane. Both gear and First and foremost – a word about angler must be conservation. These giants have been on the up to the task endangered species list for quite some time and of that first rightfully so. Under strict conservation they have incredible run made a remarkable comeback even though they or things will are very slow to mature. Please handle them definitely go awry. with the respect and care they deserve – they are beautiful fish.
Bucket List Brawler
the Mighty
Goliath Grouper!
Conservation efforts include… • Knowing and adhering to all state and federal regulations regarding these fish. • Having a descending device and venting tool onboard and ready to use as needed. • Removal of all barbs on your hook for safe and easy release. • And please – do everything possible to facilitate a quick release. I’ve done a ton of reading and talking with captains before making multiple trips locally in an effort to catch one these incredible fish. Here is what I discovered: A stout 6’ rod with roller guides and bent butt is definitely needed. I chose one from Coastal Fishing Company that was more than up to the task and paired it with my reliable Shimano Beastmaster 20/30 conventional reel. Not a lot 10 Palm Beach & Fort Lauderdale Areas
If ever there was a fish worthy of a centerfold this one is it!
slammed that chum bag like it was caviar. Game on!!! It is critical in the early stage of the fight to stay clear of any obstructions on the reef. I prefer to let the boat fight the fish and not use standup tackle as the amount of drag pressure can easily exert enough force to pull an angler overboard. I put the rod in a holder along the gunnel and towards the bow of the boat furthest from the motors. In this position I can see both the angler and the line and monitor the direction of the fish. This enabled me to properly maneuver the boat throughout the intense battle. This is key to keeping them out of the reef and cutting you off. It worked like a charm! A word of caution – make sure your rod holder is properly thru bolted, preferably with a plate underneath. A large fish can put tremendous pressure on the holder potentially tearing it from the gunnel. These fish make an awesome first run to get back to the reef or structure and almost nothing can stop them. We had to do some slick boat handling to keep ours from cutting us off. Our 400lb leader was pretty chewed up but it held long enough for us to maneuver him towards open water. High fives and a few pictures and this monster fish was on his way no worse for wear. After successfully catching then releasing my first goliath grouper, I learned fishing still brings out the kid in me! We ended the day jigging some tuna and a beast of an amberjack. A day I won’t ever forget! Gear Used: FINS Braids – American braided fishing lines https://www.finsfishing.com/
Game day is finally here and what a rush! I set out with my fishing brother Stephen Leo and headed for one of the local reefs. The excitement is palpable as we set up for our first drift. I use only the amount of weight needed to get to the bottom. I had no bait for my first attempt, so I dropped a frozen chum bag full of smelly chunks secured with a tie wrap to the hook. These fish are truly ravenous and will eat just about anything. I then proceeded to jig it up and down a bit farther from the reef to draw one out. A goliath came running like the dinner bell was rung and November 2023
Coastal Fishing Company -- Products created by fishermen https://www.coastalfishing.com/ Fishing Headquarters fishingheadquarters.net Info Mark Ambert, IG @marksgonefishing_™ Author – Avid outdoorsman, sportswriter, and photographer. Contact marksgonefishing25@gmail.com
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Freshwaterwith Fishing Forecast Capt. Johnny Stabile
South Florida Fishing Charters • (954) 440-5200 • sflfishingcharters.com
M
y favorite month of the year! November is not only when we Floridians see our first few days under 90° but also when peacock bass transition from summer to fall patterns. Fall fishing, in general, is a magical time, especially for exotics in South Florida. Peacocks are extra aggressive in preparations for winter and pre-spawn; they will happily take an assortment of artificial lures, my favorite being topwater and jerk-baits. I have preached jerk bait fishing on my fishing reports in the past, and honestly, not much beats it. Power fishing is the only way I’ll fish some days, even if that means I don’t catch as many. If you find yourself in a slow fishing situation, then you need to check out this new fishing technique. Bait Finesse System, or BFS, is a technique from Japan that I have been using since I first got my hands on it. Essentially, it’s ultralight fishing but replacing your small spinning reel with a BFS bait caster. It is the most fun you can have catching 2-3 lb. fish on artificial. I primarily use 6-8 lb. straight fluorocarbon with no leader. I have caught fish as big as 5 lbs., and it’s exhilarating. It allows you to throw a much
smaller profile, which is great for more pressured areas. One other thing to add is I have recently picked up the drop-shot rig and throwing it on BFS as a perfect match. It’s an incredibly efficient way to catch multiple species, from largemouth bass to Mayan cichlids and everything in between. Fishing a new area? Try throwing a drop-shot. More exotic species fishing for this month, clown knifefish and snakeheads, have been very active from Broward canals to the Lake Ida chain in Palm Beach. They are at opposing ends of the spectrum where the clown knifefish is a bottom feeder, and the snakeheads mostly eat on the surface or just subsurface. I mostly throw a weedless frog for snakeheads, but I have found myself new types of lures in the spinner bait and buzz bait category. The buzz bait is something I have overlooked for years, but it is incredibly effective, it’s loud and obnoxious, but it certainly gets the fish’s attention! If you don’t want to do all the work in finding fish or have some family in town and want to impress them, take them on a charter with me, and I will sure show them a fantastic time.
Everglades
national park fishing with
Capt. steve purser
FloridaFlatsFishingAdventures.com • (954) 687-5848 FloridaFlatsFishingAdventures@gmail.com
T
he power of sunrise and sunset with the tide in your favor will produce quality fish. When scheduling a guided trip, if you are flexible, try asking your guide what day he or she thinks the sunrise or sunset matches up with the perfect tide and you’ll usually get your money’s worth. Getting out early before the sun comes up gives me an unfair advantage as low light levels matched with a good tide helps as snook and other fish seem to be more active. High sun, a clear sky, or wind can produce less overall action most of the time but not always. If you’re fishing consistently and doing poorly, there could be many reasons you’re not catching fish. Try reading books on the certain type of fish you’re targeting and learn all about that fish and their habits. Make sure you know that the species actually swims in the area you’re fishing. Next, figure out tides, sun and moon phases, wind, and temperature, and you will be more successful. Reach out to a guide, take a trip, and ask questions while fishing and learn from their experiences. Why waste years trying to figure out what you can learn in one day, as most guides can tell you the years that they have put in. I can personally tell you that there are certain places I will no longer waste hours trying to catch fish. Good luck to all of you on your journey to becoming a better angler. I’d like to dedicate this article to my good friend Charlie Brown who passed away a few years ago pictured with me. He lived and loved like there was no tomorrow. Enjoy every day and tight lines always!
12 Palm Beach & Fort Lauderdale Areas
November 2023
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Port Everglades, ICWW, FL - Nov 2023 High
Date
Low Moon
www.USHarbors.com
Pompano Beach (Hillsboro Inlet), FL - Nov 2023 High
Date
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
11:39
3.4
11:46
3.0
5:02
0.4
5:43
0.9
7:28
6:40
1
Wed
Low
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
11:33
3.4
11:37
3.1
5:10
0.3
5:41
0.9
7:28
6:39
1
Wed
2
Thu
12:27
3.2
5:51
0.6
6:35
1.0
7:28
6:39
2
Thu
12:20
3.1
5:59
0.5
6:33
1.1
7:28
6:39
3
Fri
12:36
2.8
1:17
3.0
6:45
0.8
7:32
1.1
7:29
6:38
3
Fri
12:25
2.9
1:10
3.0
6:52
0.8
7:30
1.2
7:29
6:38
4
Sat
1:30
2.7
2:12
2.9
7:43
0.9
8:32
1.2
7:29
6:38
4
Sat
1:18
2.7
2:04
2.8
7:51
0.9
8:32
1.3
7:30
6:37
5
Sun
1:30
2.6
2:10
2.8
7:44
1.0
8:30
1.2
6:30
5:37
5
Sun
1:16
2.6
2:00
2.7
7:54
1.1
8:35
1.3
6:30
5:37
6
Mon
2:35
2.6
3:07
2.8
8:43
1.1
9:22
1.1
6:31
5:36
6
Mon
2:19
2.6
2:55
2.7
8:55
1.1
9:31
1.2
6:31
5:36
7
Tue
3:36
2.7
3:59
2.8
9:38
1.0
10:10
1.0
6:31
5:36
7
Tue
3:20
2.7
3:47
2.8
9:51
1.1
10:20
1.0
6:32
5:35
8
Wed
4:29
2.8
4:44
2.8
10:29
1.0
10:52
0.9
6:32
5:35
8
Wed
4:16
2.8
4:34
2.8
10:40
1.0
11:02
0.8
6:32
5:35
9
Thu
5:15
3.0
5:25
2.9
11:16
0.9
11:32
0.7
6:33
5:35
9
Thu
5:06
2.9
5:17
2.9
11:23
1.0
11:41
0.7
6:33
5:34
10
Fri
5:57
3.1
6:03
2.9
11:59
0.9
6:34
5:34
10
Fri
5:51
3.1
5:58
3.0
12:04
0.9
6:34
5:34
11
Sat
6:37
3.2
6:41
3.0
12:09
0.6
12:39
0.8
6:34
5:34
11
Sat
6:33
3.2
6:39
3.0
12:17
0.5
12:43
0.8
6:34
5:33
12
Sun
7:16
3.3
7:18
3.0
12:46
0.4
1:17
0.7
6:35
5:33
12
Sun
7:15
3.3
7:18
3.0
12:53
0.3
1:20
0.7
6:35
5:33
13
Mon
7:56
3.4
7:56
3.0
1:23
0.3
1:56
0.7
6:36
5:33
13
Mon
7:56
3.4
7:59
3.1
1:30
0.2
1:59
0.7
6:36
5:32
14
Tue
8:37
3.4
8:36
3.0
2:02
0.3
2:36
0.7
6:36
5:32
14
Tue
8:39
3.4
8:40
3.0
2:09
0.2
2:38
0.7
6:37
5:32
15
Wed
9:21
3.4
9:20
2.9
2:43
0.2
3:18
0.7
6:37
5:32
15
Wed
9:24
3.3
9:24
3.0
2:50
0.1
3:21
0.7
6:37
5:32
16
Thu
10:07
3.3
10:08
2.9
3:27
0.3
4:05
0.8
6:38
5:32
16
Thu
10:11
3.3
10:12
3.0
3:35
0.2
4:07
0.8
6:38
5:31
17
Fri
10:57
3.3
11:01
2.9
4:17
0.3
4:58
0.8
6:39
5:31
17
Fri
11:02
3.2
11:07
2.9
4:25
0.2
5:00
0.8
6:39
5:31
18
Sat
11:51
3.2
5:14
0.4
5:57
0.8
6:39
5:31
18
Sat
11:56
3.1
5:21
0.3
6:01
0.9
6:39
5:31
19
Sun
12:02
2.8
12:50
3.1
6:18
0.5
7:01
0.8
6:40
5:31
19
Sun
12:08
2.9
12:54
3.0
6:25
0.5
7:07
0.8
6:40
5:30
20
Mon
1:12
2.8
1:53
3.0
7:26
0.6
8:05
0.7
6:41
5:30
20
Mon
1:15
2.8
1:55
3.0
7:34
0.5
8:15
0.7
6:41
5:30
21
Tue
2:26
2.9
2:57
3.0
8:34
0.6
9:07
0.5
6:41
5:30
21
Tue
2:24
2.9
2:55
3.0
8:43
0.6
9:18
0.4
6:42
5:30
22
Wed
3:37
3.0
3:57
3.0
9:39
0.6
10:04
0.3
6:42
5:30
22
Wed
3:32
3.0
3:53
3.1
9:47
0.5
10:16
0.2
6:42
5:29
23
Thu
4:39
3.2
4:53
3.1
10:41
0.5
10:59
0.2
6:43
5:30
23
Thu
4:34
3.2
4:48
3.1
10:45
0.5
11:08
0.0
6:43
5:29
24
Fri
5:35
3.4
5:44
3.1
11:38
0.5
11:50
0.0
6:44
5:30
24
Fri
5:31
3.3
5:40
3.2
11:39
0.4
11:58
-0.2
6:44
5:29
25
Sat
6:26
3.5
6:33
3.1
12:31
0.4
6:44
5:29
25
Sat
6:23
3.4
6:29
3.2
12:29
0.4
6:45
5:29
26
Sun
7:14
3.5
7:20
3.1
12:39
0.0
1:19
0.4
6:45
5:29
26
Sun
7:11
3.5
7:15
3.2
12:45
-0.2
1:16
0.4
6:45
5:29
27
Mon
8:00
3.5
8:06
3.0
1:25
-0.1
2:04
0.4
6:46
5:29
27
Mon
7:57
3.4
8:00
3.1
1:31
-0.2
2:01
0.4
6:46
5:29
28
Tue
8:45
3.4
8:51
2.9
2:10
0.0
2:48
0.5
6:47
5:29
28
Tue
8:41
3.3
8:44
3.0
2:16
-0.2
2:46
0.5
6:47
5:29
29
Wed
9:29
3.3
9:35
2.8
2:53
0.1
3:31
0.6
6:47
5:29
29
Wed
9:25
3.2
9:27
2.9
3:01
-0.1
3:31
0.6
6:48
5:29
30
Thu
10:13
3.1
10:20
2.7
3:37
0.2
4:16
0.7
6:48
5:29
30
Thu
10:08
3.0
10:11
2.8
3:45
0.1
4:16
0.7
6:48
5:29
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
november 2023
Moon
Palm Beach & Fort Lauderdale Areas 13
Lake Okeechobee
Forecast
with
Capt. nate shellen
Shellen Guide Service • (863) 357-0892 • sjmike7@aol.com www.OkeechobeeBassFishing.com
The Yingling boys from Stuart put in some work with these big bass! Both landed their PB in their first outing with Capt. Nate!
ThE #1 chOIcE FOR spRAy-ON
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November 2023
IVING
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• bEDLINERs • bED cOvERs • sTEpbARs • T-TOps • FUEL TANKs • ENgINE bRAcKETs • JEEps DUsTLEss sANDbLAsTINg
A
s November arrives in Okeechobee, Florida, anglers can look forward to some exciting fishing opportunities on the “Big O.” The water levels in Lake Okeechobee during this time of year can vary, but typically, they are slightly lower than during the wetter summer months, making for ideal fishing conditions. The water level is at over 16ft. above sea level right now in Lake Okeechobee which typically ranges from 12 to 14 feet above sea level for this time of year. These higher water levels concentrate fish in specific areas, which can improve or diminish your chances if the fish are not playing along. Be sure to check local sources or fishing reports for the most up-to-date water level information. With the water temperatures cooling down, bass become more active. Use spinnerbaits in chartreuse or shad colors to target largemouth bass around the grassy areas and edges of the lake. Slowly retrieve the bait to mimic injured baitfish. Carolina rigged soft plastic worms in natural colors like green pumpkin or watermelon can effectively catch bass in deeper water. Work these lures around submerged structures like humps, ledges, and brush piles. As the water cools, bass tend to move to deeper water. Medium to deep diving crankbaits in shad or crawfish patterns can entice them. Cast near drop-offs and submerged vegetation. Live shiner fishing is popular year-round on Lake Okeechobee. Live shiners can be used to target trophy-sized bass. Use a slip bobber setup to control the depth of your bait. We are still having good daily averages on shiners. Book a trip today make memories that last a lifetime. Crappie and bluegill fishing can also be productive in November. Tiny jigs and live minnows work well for crappie, while small worms or crickets are great for bluegill. Remember to adhere to all local fishing regulations, including bag and size limits, and practice catch and release to preserve the lake’s fishery. November in Okeechobee offers fantastic fishing opportunities, so make sure to pack your gear and enjoy a memorable angling experience on this iconic Florida lake.
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Come on ... Admit It!
sportfishing
Forecast Capt. Rod Roydhouse
New Lattitude Sportfishing • (954) 707-2147 • www.NewLattitude.com
S
h c t a n W t a C t u o Yo One of These! Daily Fishing Trips out of Fort Lauderdale
Starting at
ONLY 5son 6 $ r e p r pe
ailfish season is in full swing, and the bite is going off. The cold fronts this month will be really getting the sailfish stirred up out here. The best bite will be going on just outside the reef, 100-150 feet of water... a little track of water known as “Sailfish Alley”. Trolling rigged ballyhoo or slow trolling live baits works well for sails, but the undisputed most productive way
to catch sailfish is by kite fishing. Kite fishing is exciting because when the sailfish comes up to take the bait, it has to chase the bait around on the top of the water and you get to see it all. With half the sailfish’s body out of the water and his dorsal fin erect as he frantically chases the bait, the bite sequence is incredible to watch. It’s no wonder that sailfish are the world’s most sought-after game fish. You can catch just about any gamefish by kite fishing as bull dolphin, tuna, kingfish, barracuda, sharks, and even wahoo will take a kite bait. Offshore, there will be some pretty awesome action going on too. Scattered schools of mahi-mahi, mostly schoolie sized, are biting when trolling along the weedlines formed up anywhere from 4-10 miles offshore; a couple of bigger bull dolphins will also be around. Keep a sharp lookout for floating debris and/or frigate birds circling low to the water. Recently, our boat the Mary B III caught two white marlins on offshore trips. Daytime deep dropping for swordfish is getting really good. More than a few really big swordfish have already been caught this season and the bite shouldn’t be slowing down at all. Daytime swordfishing is a relatively new technique of fishing for swordfish
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754-214-7863
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by dropping baits down to the bottom, 1100 feet deep where the swords lay during the daylight hours. The bigger swords, 200-400 pounders, seem to bite better during the day than the night. There will be some exotic big gamefish around now as well. Tight lines everyone! november 2023
Palm Beach & Fort Lauderdale Areas 15
B O A G A R R D B
Sheldon Socket landed a nice clown knife and a peacock.
Kelly Armstrong was ba nk fishing on Lake Ida when he caught this be auty on a shiner.
Ron Shenker reeled in this 27-pound king in the Boynton Inlet on Living on Island Time.
d fishing inside the Father and daughter, Jeff and Ashley George, enjoye snook. iful beaut Jupiter Inlet and caught these
Janice Socket with a pa
Big Al, Lonnie, Shawn, and Rob had quite a productive
16 Palm Beach & Fort Lauderdale Areas
day!
November 2023
ir of peacocks.
Bragging is good! Send us your catch photos with details: Who, When, Where, With What, etc. to ilene@CoastalAnglerMagazine.com
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ONE BIG FISH! 80-Pound ’Hoo Wins Summer-Long Series
O
ne big fish won this summer’s West Palm Beach Fishing Club’s Full Moon Wahoo Series. A single monster 79.8-pound ’hoo caught in July gave Mike Ferrara and team Terry II the heaviest aggregate weight across the three-event series. Although several teams edged closer with weights piling up thanks to several fish caught over the three dates, none were able to catch up with Terry II’s huge fish. The Full Moon Wahoo Series is a cool tournament, with single-day events held on Saturdays near the full moons of summer. This year’s dates were July 29, Aug. 26 and Sept. 30. Wahoo are the only target species, and only club members can register teams. Cash is awarded to the top boats for each fishing day. The Overall Series Champion with the heaviest overall aggregate weight is crowned after the final event. Entering the final moon on Sept. 30, Team Yellowfin and Team Whisky Business were chasing Terry II. Both teams came in with solid 40-pluspounders from previous events, and they both weighed fish on the final moon. Yellowfin’s second fish of the series weighed 23 pounds, which brought their aggregate to 66.4 pounds, good enough for a second-place series finish. Whisky Business’ fish weighed 16.8 pounds and brought them to a third-place series finish with a 59.2-pound aggregate. More than 80 boats fished at least one moon of the series. Check out the West Palm Beach Fishing Club at westpalmbeachfishingclub.org.
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NOVEMBER 2023
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SHEEPSHEAD
By Emily Hanzlik
Carry Anglers Through the Cold Months
D
uring these colder months, many people focus on the end of the mullet run or the bluefish that are starting to move in. However, there are other options. One of my favorites is sheepshead. This flakey white-meat fish should be a staple in your winter diet. Sheepshead are sometimes called convicts because of the black and white bars they wear like a jumpsuit. This contrasting coloration helps when sight fishing for them because you can see those bright stripes hugging closely to the structure. Sheepshead typically weigh 3 to 5 pounds, but outsized specimens grow into double digits. The larger the fish, the longer its spines: be careful of the dorsal fin when handling sheepshead. They will tense up and flare their spines trying to escape. Sheepshead inhabit almost all coastal Atlantic waters, from Nova Scotia to Brazil and throughout the Gulf of Mexico. Sheepshead tolerate a wide range of salinity, and spend most of the year inshore and even inland in more brackish water. They love structure because that’s where the crustaceans they feed on live. You’ll find them on docks, bridges, jetties, seawalls, and in the absence of man-made structure, you’ll find them on rock or hard bottom. Sheepshead move out into deeper nearshore waters to spawn in late winter to early spring but return quickly. Sheepsheads are molluscivores meaning they only
eat crustaceans. Things such as oysters, mussels, barnacles, crabs and shrimp make up their diet. To crush all that shell, they have human-like teeth and thick back molars, enabling them to crush their prey. During the crushing process, they push water through their gills and leave their mouth slightly open to eject shell pieces, leaving only the meat for them to consume. Their odd feeding behavior makes them tricky to catch with a hook and line. They love fiddler crabs, and you can find live fiddlers at a bait shop or along rock piles. You can also pick oysters off pilings and crack them open to use the meat as bait. Some anglers use a rake or hammer to scrape barnacles off pilings to chum the water. As for artificials, crappie jigs or flathead jigs are good options. With a fly rod, you can use white Clouser Minnows or shrimp flies. Fish bridges, inlets and piers, and get as close to the pilings or structure as possible. Since they crush their prey and spit out the rest, you’ll want to use small but strong J hooks, and set the hook as soon as they inhale the bait. Relatively heavy line is necessary to avoid being frayed off in all that structure. I wouldn’t use anything lighter than 12-pound-test. The IGFA all-tackle world record for sheepshead is an enormous 21-pound, 4-ounce fish caught in New Orleans by Wayne Desselle in 1982.
Emily Rose Hanzlik holds 62 IGFA world records in various categories. She hails from West Palm Beach, where she has a part time Bowfin Guide Service as well as fishing classes for Jr. Anglers. Find her on social media @emilyhanzlikoutdoors.
GREAT FISHING!
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TIPS FROM A PRO
FLY FISHING FOR BASS
F
ly fishing for bass can be extremely productive and really fun. Growing up fishing for saltwater and freshwater species, I was introduced to fly fishing by some friends and got extremely hooked. While presenting a fly to fish can sometimes be tricky, a fly is a much more natural looking presentation to a fish than an artificial lure is, and I have seen fish eat flies much better than normal lures many times. There are times when a fly rod just isn’t an option. Having fly line everywhere and stretching the line 50 or 100 feet behind you and whipping it forward probably isn’t best if you are fishing a bass tournament. But if you are fun fishing a lake by boat or fishing a pond or stream or river by foot, fly fishing can be a rewarding experience. Like I said before, a small natural-looking fly, whether it be a baitfish or a topwater fly, can produce more bites than normal lures in some circumstances. I realized how productive fly fishing for bass can be while fishing ponds around my house when I was younger. These ponds got hammered by people throwing lures with
I’m sure you could take a deep dive into all the different gear and fly selections for different scenarios, but I keep it simple. White and silver baitfish patterns work wonders when you strip TYLER WOOLCOTT the line with small movements to make them swim like a fleeing baitfish. Topwater poppers conventional bass gear, and are extremely fun because you get to watch the fishing could be pretty them come up and eat it. Fish it with the same tough. It really impressed me when I fished them with a fly rod because I action as a conventional popper. I can’t exactly teach you how to fly fish in this article; YouTube is a great place for that. My hope is this will spark someone’s interest. Coming from someone who has done pretty much every kind of fishing, fly fishing is something every angler should try. Targeting bass and similar-sized species calls for a 6- to 8-weight fly rod. You can fish sinking lines to get down deep, but I prefer a regular floating line to fish for bass that are feeding shallow. I like premade tapered leaders in the 10- to 12-pound range. Feel free to contact me on social media with any questions or do some research online. I hope this caught more fish than I did with conventional convinces someone to go out there to target gear. I assume the bass grew wary of seeing big bass with a fly rod. It’s really fun! worms and crankbaits. A tiny baitfish fly or a Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament tasty-looking, easy-to-eat topwater with natural angler and guide. Check out his website at movement got these fish more excited to eat www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com. than I had ever seen.
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n late September, NOAA Fisheries announced early closure dates for gag grouper in federal waters of the South Atlantic as well as the Gulf of Mexico. These closures came tight on the heels of a revelation that the data NOAA uses to manage these and other fisheries could be severely flawed. In the Gulf of Mexico, recreational harvest of gags was closed on Oct. 19. It called an early end to a season that had already been shortened on the front end. The normal season runs from June 1 through Nov. 10. However, this past spring, NOAA announced an interim measure to delay opening of gag grouper harvest to Sept. 1. Initially, three months of gag harvest were taken from recreational anglers, and now—with the early closure—the season was effectively cut from 162 days to just 48 days. In the South Atlantic, in federal waters off North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, NOAA called an early end to gag grouper harvest on Oct. 23. The recreational season was scheduled to run from May through December. This move shaved 69 days off the regular 215-day season at a time when charter captains rely on grouper to keep clients on the water. In both instances, NOAA said its projections of recreational catch and effort data indicate the recreational annual catch limits would be reached by the early closure dates, which is their justification for shutting down the fisheries. In an explanation that seems contradictory to reason, a NOAA statement blamed high harvest of Gulf gags on the already shortened season. “Preliminary reports indicate high catch rates of gag this year, in part because of changes in the start from June 1 to September 1,” the statement reads. If that doesn’t seem to make sense, neither do NOAA’s data collection surveys that are used to determine angler effort. In a pilot study conducted by NOAA itself, the surveys, which are mailed to licensed saltwater anglers, were found to be confusing and led to “illogical responses” and “reporting errors.” The study showed that the resulting angler effort data was overestimated by 30 to 40 percent. Angler effort is a factor used to determine total harvest, which means NOAA’s harvest data is likely significantly flawed. Perhaps more concerning than that is the idea that harvest data is used in stock assessments. Estimated populations of our favorite sport and table fish are also likely inflated. For the third time in the last 13 years, significant flaws have been revealed in NOAA data collection, and this is the data being used to manage our fisheries and the industries that rely on them. For more information, see coastalanglermag.com.
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GROUPER CLOSURE CATCHES ANGLERS OFF GUARD
A
Tim Barefoot
t what point do we say enough is enough? I’d say THE TIME IS NOW! NOAA has shut down our gag grouper fisheries based on inaccurate data, and coastal communities are hurting because of it. The recent grouper closures—in the South Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico— caught everyone by surprise. There was very little notice given to anglers, whether they be recreational, charter or commercial. Incomplete—at best—and more than likely completely erroneous data was used to shut down the livelihoods of fishermen at a crucial point in the year. The fall grouper bite is always the best. Many commercial anglers make a good portion of their annual income in fall and winter. Charter captains book trips specifically targeting grouper this time of year. This closure also adversely affects the entire coastal economy. There is an entire industry based around fall and winter bottom fishing, and this is a substantial financial hit for the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts. As a former commercial fisherman, I know this also screams of mental and physical stress. Anglers are forced to fish more and rougher days just to get some days in before the season closes. When the news of these October closures spread,
I got calls from upset charter and commercial captains. For brevity, I’ll share just a couple comments I heard from North Carolina captains. “I’m a 61-year-old man, and I’m out here humping it hard as I can to get these last few
days in before it all shuts down,” said commercial Capt. Joe Hifko. “This is gonna hurt… both in my wallet and in my shoulders. The data is completely skewed, and based off those numbers are huge extrapolations. This is what they are basing their decisions on?” Capt. Riley Adkins is feeling the sting of charter cancellations. “My primary income in fall and early winter is based around taking clients within 30 miles of
the beach to specifically target gag grouper. This puts us captains in a bind because we are already booked out to Dec. 31, which historically was the closing of our gag season,” said Capt. Adkins. “We are having to cancel charters due to the short-noticed announcement of our gag season closing. “My clients feel like it is a waste of their time and money to book a charter because we can’t keep gag grouper, and the seabass population is in decline due to the rise of the American red snapper, which you can’t harvest either,” he continued. “This closure is detrimental to captains who rely heavily on the gag quota to keep their heads above water in winter.” The last time we had a fisheries issue of this magnitude settled, it literally took an act of Congress. The Gulf red snapper debacle showed us you can’t trust a federal bureaucracy that uses obsolete—and frankly, lazy— methods to collect data. The technology exists, and we should be hiring talented researchers from our universities to go out and collect accurate data to be used in decision making. It’s time for the recreational anglers, commercial anglers, equipment manufacturers, and the seafood industry to get together and say enough is enough. I know it’s a tall order, but we are stronger united. As soon as you finish this article, call your senators and congressional representatives to make sure they know how you feel on this issue.
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To see more from Tim Barefoot, go to barefootcatsandtackle.com. NOVEMBER 2023
NATIONAL 13
I
SOLUNAR TIME!
’ve studied the solunar fishing timetables since I was a child. In the early years, these were the black, white, or striped fish images on my grandparents’ calendars and have evolved into more advanced illustrations depicting the moon phase, tide, time of day, and their effects. Some tables provide a simple one- to four-star rating of predicted fishing success. One day I was a believer, and the next I was a skeptic. I’ve played this tug of war over the years, and as I have become a more seasoned angler, I lean more toward the validity of these calculations in predicting the aggressiveness of fish and their desire to feed. Removing luck, which never hurts, it still boils down to angler skill, knowledge of the area and techniques for targeting desired species. However, over the years I have noticed better bites correlating with solunar feed times. I try not to move from one location to another during peak solunar feeding times. I’ll put myself in what I perceive to be the best spot in a general area during that time and hold tight. I save the running and exploring for non-bite windows, which make up a majority of the day. Each solunar feed cycle has a peak that is typically two hours or less, and there are usually two per day. On a recent trip with my two boys, we missed the first bite of the day due to other responsibilities. We launched the boat around 9 a.m., and the next bite was not until 1:30 p.m. We wanted to try some
By Capt. Michael Okruhlik
new spots, so we explored those first, and laid down some tracks for future reference. The fish were not active. As the morning moved on, I tried areas that had been holding nice fish recently. Once again, everything looked right, but we couldn’t get the bite. The boys were getting agitated and ready to leave, and I bought myself as much time as I could, while still trying to find the bite and waiting for the next feeding time. I headed toward the ramp to give them a cool breeze and to try a location with much deeper water, just hoping to find some activity. Unfortunately, the current was too strong in this area. I frantically studied the chart in an area about a half mile away so we could make one last move because the next solunar feed time was only minutes away. I chose our final location based on satellite imagery and little tribal knowledge, and we were off. I anchored the boat so my boys could cast downwind and fish the edge where grass met a large sandy area. They caught redfish and averaged one every six minutes for 70 minutes of the afternoon solunar feeding cycle. They doubled up twice! Take a kid fishing and tune into the solunar time!
PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®
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Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures®, and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.
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