Coastal Angler Magazine | May 2023 | Treasure Coast Edition

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RED SPRING USHERS IN

pring is one of my favorite seasons for shing. Fish are warming up and feeding aggressively, especially red sh. Red sh eagerly consume an array of baits this time of year, but there is one arti cial that sets itself apart from the others. Have you guessed it?

If you said, “gold spoon,” you were correct. When you look at the spoon it seems unimpressive, to be honest. However, that is the beauty of it all; we, as anglers, overcomplicate shing. Sometimes all you need is an awkward piece of gold metal to shake the skunk.

WHAT

It combines pro le, color and vibration, which play on the three signi cant senses most game sh use when feeding. e shape might resemble a crab, a small sh or a wounded shrimp, and the unique wobble lets sh know it’s an easy target. Gold spoons are great for beginners and avid anglers alike, they can be rigged weedless, and they are easy to cast. One of my go-to spoons for red sh is the FishLab Bio-Spoon.

RIGGING A SPOON

Rigging is simple; attach a 20- to 30-pound uorocarbon or mono lament leader directly to the spoon. I attach a snap swivel directly to the spoon to prevent line twists. A 1/4-ounce spoon is usually an excellent choice, especially when the bait is smaller. Remember to match the hatch in

terms of size. Pair the spoon with a 7 or 7 1/2-foot medium fast spinning rod and 15-pound braid. My preferred setup is the Okuma ITX 4000 paired with an Okuma SRT spinning rod.

Spoons can produce sh in various conditions, but there are situations when it shines. Along weed lines, mangroves or similar structures should be your rst targets, as this is where red sh congregate. Remember, reds travel in groups, so work an area thoroughly for consistent action. Repeated casts to the exact location or the same retrieval path will o en produce multiple sh.

Gold spoons are best suited for stained or dark water. In cleaner water, the same techniques can be used with a silver spoon. e shape of the spoon and hook guard combine to allow the lure to bounce o obstructions like weeds, mangroves, oyster beds or rocks where other lures might be lost.

Erratic action is the key to the spoon’s success. Many anglers cast and pause, allowing the spoon to utter. If you do not get a hit right o the bat, you have two options for the retrieve. A steady retrieve, varying speed based on conditions, will o en draw sh out and even right to the boat. Others prefer to add a twitch to their retrieve, feeling it increases the motion. Try each or mix it up based on what the sh respond to. Be bold, and try new techniques. Be sure to pick up a Salty Scales Performance shing shirt, stay protected, and remain comfortable on the water.

Capt. Joshua Taylor is a Tampa guide and founder of Salty Scales Performance Fishing Gear. Check them out at www.saltyscales.com.

MAKES THE GOLD SPOON UNIQUE?

HOW TO FISH A SPOON

By Capt. Joshua Taylor

FINALLY, BACK TO GROUPER FISHING

There was a time in my life that we took certain things for granted. For example, No limits and/or seasons on speckled trout, drum, ounder and especially GROUPER! I never thought I would say the two words “grouper” and “season” in the same sentence. Never mind, I’m just venting because I prefer bottom shing and light lining above all other styles of o shore shing.

I went through this last year about this time, but I’ll do it again for those folks who might have missed it. is is the way I start every location we anchor on, or post up with the Rhodan.

NOTE: We take two boxes of quid on every trip, and we typically have live pin sh from the marina also.

I typically have three or four folks with me every trip. We start by ring down whole squid on the jig. Meanwhile, I’m on the sabiki jigging up whatever is on the bottom below us. I don’t care what is coming up on the whole squid, as this is not the main focus. e real objective is to set a nice ‘chum slick” on the bottom to attract the sh you’re really shing for. A er 4 or 5 rounds of the whole frozen squid, we will re down live pin sh or whatever I’ve jigged up on the sabiki. e other advantage of shing a live pin sh, grass grunt, sailors’ choice or whatever you can jig up, is it eliminates the trash bites. In addition to eliminating the trash bites from small snapper, seabass and other “undesirables,” it’s like physcological warfare, as the gags, scamps and reds cannot digest all that is going on here. To them it appears like the pin sh, grass grunts etc, think the live baits were running around picking up squid pieces, and the squid or crab jigs have caught them and the live bait is struggling to get away. BAM!!! e bite happens. is, my friends, is the di erence between “bottom shing” and GROUPER shing.

Another bait that’s a dead ringer for a grouper bite is a butter ied

bait. e butter ied bait on the bottom basically does the same thing as the squid. e small snapper and other smaller sh will hammer the lets until the grouper have had enough of it. You will feel the small sh biting it constantly, but then all of a sudden the small “pecking” bites will stop. Get ready, and don’t move it… the grouper has moved in and everyone else has to leave, because it’s time for the real bite!

Enough about the bottom. I will occasionally troll for a LITTLE WHILE, but this would be to accomplish two things at once. Catch a sh or two, but also to locate the best part of any given ledge with lots of bait and sh on the bottom. As soon as we locate the bait, reel in the troll baits and get to work! Everything you catch trolling, you can catch on the light line while you’re grouper shing. Tuna, dolphin and wahoo are idiots for a big fat (live) greenie, sardine, cigar minnow or goggle eye out back behind the boat in the current.

All the best shing,

Check out more from Tim Barefoot at barefootcatsandtackle.com

Tim Barefoot

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By TAM Sta

Where Southern Stripers run

WhereSouthern Stripers run WhereSouthern Stripers run WhereSouthern Stripers run

species that crosses their path.

It is a good time to be a river angler. Here are three excellent destinations for river-run striped bass in the South.

• Saluda River: Columbia, South Carolina

In spring and summer, scads of striped bass make the 60-mile run up the Congaree River from the Santee-Cooper Lakes southeast of Columbia, S.C. By late summer, most of those sh pile into the Saluda River, which is a short, 10-mile-long tributary that’s fed with cold water from the dam at Lake Murray. August is the heart of the Saluda season, when 100- sh days of 2- to 5-pound stripers are possible. Fish heavier than 20 pounds are a possibility, but this shery sees a lot of pressure and the water is normally very clear. e big ones spook easily and become nicky late in the season.

• Etowah River: Cartersville, Georgia

On Georgia’s Etowah River, the sh are spread out over about 50 miles of river, so covering water is the name of the game. Anglers should expect to do a lot of casting to each shoal and piece of wood cover where stripers might lie in ambush.

Starting in April, they run some 75 miles upriver from Alabama’s Lake Weiss to a lowhead dam downstream of Georgia’s Lake Allatoona. e sh are constantly on the move and the idea is to intercept them. Anglers might hook up with sh from 4 pounds on up to 20 pounds and larger.

• Hiwassee River: Reliance, Tennessee

e Hiwassee is more of a quality than quantity shery. Anglers are called on to sh hard for just a few bites, but those bites come from sh that o en weigh 20, 30, even 40 pounds or more.

In the South, the striped bass runs of spring and summer bring some of the most exciting shing of the year for those who prefer to sh rivers. Landlocked striped bass are as large and powerful as any sh in freshwater, and for most of the year they are only available to big-lake anglers who troll or downline live baits.

at all changes in spring. e rst groups of striper migrate into the rivers on spawning runs. In many locations, this spring run is followed by a larger summertime push, when pods of striped bass move up into cooler, more oxygenated waters. Sometimes they pile up below dams, and sometimes they patrol surprisingly skinny waters in wolf packs, gobbling up any prey

Most years, the wide, shoal-broken river around Reliance loads up with striped bass from July into September. ese are big-river sh that run some 50-miles upstream from the Tennessee River at Lake Chickamauga. ey revel in cold, oxygenated water that ows down the mountains from Apalachia Lake on the North Carolina/Tennessee border.

ey hold in the same holes and shoals every year to feed heavily on skipjack herring, gizzard shad and the stocked trout Tennessee puts in the river for anglers.

For more information, go to coastalanglermagazine.com.

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By Emily Rose Hanzlik

SPRING MEANS IT’S TIME FOR TUNA

With spring settled in, the seas are becoming more shable, and more options are available. When I was little, this is the time of year when we would start catching little tunnies o the pier. At the time they were my favorite, but now that I’m older and know a few friends with boats, spring has come to mean tuna, black n tuna in particular. We catch other species of tuna, but black ns are the most abundant here o Florida.

Black n tuna are smaller than other tuna species like yellow n or blue n. Black ns we catch usually weigh between 10 and 30 pounds, and they rarely reach 30 pounds. Yellow n tuna have bright yellow on their lateral line, while black ns have a bronze, almost black line. Also, a black n’s nlets are more of a dark bronze color with white tips compared to yellow n, which have yellow nlets. Another tell is their second dorsal n, which is not elongated like other species of tunas.

Black n tuna and every other tuna use ram ventilation, meaning they must be constantly moving. During this movement, water is forced through the mouth and over the gills to supply oxygen to the blood. ey are constantly moving and highly migratory.

Black n tuna range all over the western Atlantic Ocean, from Massachusetts to Brazil. Within these areas, tuna stay more o shore in depths of 70 feet or deeper. ey prefer water temperatures between 70 and 75 degrees. is results in the tuna arriving in Florida in late spring and staying into fall, when water temperatures are optimal for them.

Black ns spawn throughout the summer. ey broadcast spawn in current, and their fry will live within oating debris elds until they get large enough to survive in the open.

To catch black n tuna, many captains will dri sh over 170 to 270 feet of water. A current that dri s the boat at about 2 knots is about as fast as you want to go, and a sea anchor can be useful in slowing the dri . Live baits such as sardines, thread n herring and others work well on the dri . Deploy some freelines as well as some weighted rigs to take baits down and cover the water column.

Jigging a spoon around reefs and rock piles is another fun and e ective way to catch black ns. Tuna will readily take a 4- or 5-inch spoon weighing 2 or 3 ounces.

Black n tuna are good to eat, and you’re allowed two per person or 10 per vessel. e IGFA all-tackle record for black n tuna is 49.06 pounds, caught out o Marathon, Fla. in 2006.

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.

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Orange Lake Produces Giants

It’s been a slow year for truly giant largemouth bass in Florida. e FWC’s TrophyCatch program, which recognizes and promotes catch and release of big bass, has only registered two 13-plus-pounders this TrophyCatch season. Both sh were caught southeast of Gainesville, at Orange Lake.

Largemouths must weigh more than 13 pounds to

reach TrophyCatch Hall of Fame status. TrophyCatch season 11 began back on Oct. 1, 2022, and the veri ed Hall of Fame bass wasn’t caught until Feb. 3. at monster sh, caught at Orange Lake by Michael Matthews, weighed 13-pounds, 8-ounces. It is the largest sh entered into the program so far for the season, which ends on Sept. 30, 2023.

Apparently, Orange Lake bass were fat and full of eggs in February. e second Hall of Fame bass of the season was caught on Feb. 25 by Anthony Holland during a Big Bend Bass Club tournament at Orange Lake. You can bet Holland got a check a er bringing his giant 13-pound, 3-ounce bass to the scales.

Both Hall of Fame sh were released back into Orange Lake, and both of their weights will count for Orange Lake in the ongoing Battle of the Lakes between Orange Lake and Headwaters/Fellsmere. At the end of season 11, whichever shery has the most registered weight will win, and all the anglers who submitted sh for the winning lake will be entered into a prize drawing.

TrophyCatch also awards many other prizes to participants, including a fully rigged bass boat that will be awarded by drawing at the end of the season.

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Anthony Holland caught a 13.3-pound bass during an Orange Lake tournament on Feb. 25.

The largest bass of the TrophyCatch season was caught at Orange Lake on Feb. 3 by Michael Matthews.

Here One Day, Gone the Next TARPON

By Nick Carter

Just a er daybreak, we bobbed in an anchored ski looking out over a wide, shallow bay. Capt. Scott Burgess sat on the poling platform smoking a cigar and drinking co ee. Jesse Trevathan stood on the casting deck. He wasn’t casting. With line stripped out into the decal-littered stripping bucket in front of him, he held his y—a locally tied (FC)2 Renegade—in his le hand and his rod in his right. He just watched. We all watched, eyes focused on a large patch of sand o the bow that stood out from the grassy bottom around it.

We were looking for tarpon cruising the shallows on their annual westward migration along the Gulf Coast. In this sweet spot on Florida’s Forgotten Coast, they show up in May and are gone by August. e action peaks in June and July, and their massive silver bodies would show clearly in contrast to the sandy bottom.

“ ey follow paths, the same paths, year a er year,” said Burgess. “It’s based on the topography of the bottom as they move in with the tide.”

He had positioned the boat with the bow facing a ridge that rose from 7 feet up to 3 feet deep. When tarpon move in, the tops of such ridges are too shallow for them to cross. e big sh are channeled into the shallows in search of pogies, crabs and other delicacies.

With the trap set, there was nothing to do but wait and talk. Trevathan said tarpon spawn on the new and full moons of summer. For days they evacuate the ats and head o shore.

“I’ve been out here right before the full moon, and I literally saw hundreds of tarpon. ey were doing nothing but chasing tail. ey were

daisy chaining all over the place,” Trevathan said. “I went back on the moon, and they were gone.”

e daisy chaining Trevathan mentioned, in which sh group up and swim in circles nose to tail, is thought by some to be pre-spawn behavior, a sort of courtship dance. But no spawning takes place during these events. For the most part, scientists don’t really know why tarpon do what they do.

Trevathan and Burgess both have their theories about the movements of these giants. What they know for sure is tarpon show up each summer on the ats and in the passes. Clean water is needed to see them. Seeing them is necessary to present the y. e cast must lead them, but not too much, and the retrieve must intercept the sh at the right angle to incite a strike.

If the sh eats, it takes a hard strip set to drive the hook into a tarpon’s bony mouth. How hard? “As hard as you can,” said Burgess. Even if all goes according to plan, Burgess admitted there’s a less than 50 percent chance of steering a large tarpon boat-side. e power and aerial display of a hooked tarpon are legendary. Sadly, we did not witness it that day.

As the tide turned, the murky water became more dingy. Late in the morning, the call was made to move in search of red sh.

A week later, Burgess sent a text message with an attached photo. It showed a big tarpon, which he estimated to be 135 to 140 pounds, tailthrashing the water just o the tip of his 12-weight rod, which was broken in half.

“40 min ght with a broken rod… she pulled me 2 miles from my anchor.” e text read.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF SKINNY SITUATION CHARTERS

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Sebastian Blue Water Open Set For June 3

The 29th Annual Sebastian Exchange Club Foundation Blue Water Open Charity Offshore Fishing Tournament is in the final planning stages. Tournament headquarters will be at Capt. Hiram’s Resort on Indian River Drive in Sebastian. The festivities begin on Friday, June 2, 5 p.m. with registration, the captain’s meeting, raffles, 50/50, and much more. A trip valued at $5,000 is up for grabs. Enter the contest in person Friday, June 2 or online at www.bluewateropen. com. Saturday, June 3 is tournament fishing day.

Over the past 28 years, the Exchange Club of Sebastian has raised over $929,000 through this tournament. All the proceeds go to non-profit organizations whose goals are to prevent child abuse, support youth, and make a difference in the community. Some of the organizations that have benefitted from this event are Youth Guidance Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Center, Boys and Girls Club, Nana’s House, Guardians for New Futures, Veterans Counsel, Roseland Ecumenical Food Pantry, Community Policing Unit, and Shiloh Youth Ranch.

There is $21,000 up for grabs for those fishing the tournament, with 31 opportunities of winning some of the purse. The main board and bonus board fish categories are dolphin, kingfish, tilefish, and grouper. Additionally, $1,000 payouts for the biggest amberjack and wahoo, $1,500 for the biggest swordfish and top boat pays $2,500. There’s also the Capt. William Charles Memorial Catchin’ and Cookin’ Award for $1,000 to the largest board grouper. And prizes for top lady angler and top junior angler.

All boats must be registered in person on Friday night between 5 and 7 p.m. The captain’s meeting begins at approximately 6 p.m. Boats can leave

inlet, but no lines in the water before 6 a.m. Saturday morning. Weigh-in is 2-5 p.m. Boats must check-in with the committee boat near ICW marker 66 inside Sebastian Inlet promptly by 5 p.m. to weigh fish. More details are available at www. bluewateropen.com.

The Sebastian Exchange Club is actively looking for sponsors for the event. Besides lots of exposure during the tournament, sponsors will receive a boat entry and be invited to the VIP Party on Friday night, held exclusively for tournament sponsors. Drinks and appetizers are included. If interested in helping the cause of preventing child abuse and fostering youth activities, please contact Eva Chapman at (772) 300-2156 or visit www.bluewateropen.com.

The Sebastian Exchange Club has been an active part of our community since 1982. If interested in working to prevent child abuse, foster youth, encourage Americanism or just promote good citizenship in the community, consider attending a noontime luncheon at Capt. Hiram’s any Wednesday, except the first Wednesday of each month.

Registration, rules, payouts and more information can be found at www.bluewateropen.com.

PHOTO CREDIT: Sebastian Exchange Club Foundation.

Last year’s $1500 “bonus” swordfish caught aboard Real Estate 2 with Capt. Justin Kessler. In the photo are Roy, Justin, Jesse and Will.

What do the ratings mean?

POOR day basically means the fish will either steal all your bait or will not even touch your line. FAIR day means that you catch one or two fish but you will have to work hard to do so.

GOOD day means that you will catch enough fish to feel gratified. BEST day means that you will catch something almost every time you cast your line in the water.

LEFT: Potential ship for reefing offshore.

BELOW: Delivery of ACIP drainage structures.

St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program:

The St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program has collected enough concrete materials for its upcoming deployments this summer and will be applying for grant funding to deploy another 1,500 tons of concrete in 2024. At least 2,500 tons of high quality, clean secondary concrete have been collected and stockpiled at Harbour Pointe Park. To create diversity in reef size, three 500-ton reefs will be deployed near the FishAmerica Foundation reefs on the. Lee E. Harris Memorial Site. The FishAmerica Foundation reefs vary in size and type of materials. FishAmerica Foundation

reefs consist of (1) a 65 foot DMC barge, plus 500 tons of secondary concrete reef; (2) a 1,000-ton secondary concrete reef, and (3) a 500-ton secondary concrete reef. The three reefs deployed this year will all be 500-ton secondary concrete reefs deployed in a line between FishAmerica Foundation reefs one and three. The reefs will be separated from each other by approximately 25 feet and will be used to test the effects of producing sand/hardbottom ecotones on fish assemblages. Materials already collected include concrete building foundations from the Henry King

power plant delivered by Audubon Development. The plant operated from 1912 until 2008 and in 1963 was named after a past superintendent of the plant. Approximately 1,500 tons of the plant’s building foundation will be used to create cryptic habitat for small bottom fish, which will become forage for larger predator species like mutton snapper and gag grouper. The small fish will be lured from the reef’s crevices during monitoring by cameras containing chum.

Subject to permitting, large

FORECASTS FISHING

MARTIN COUNTY OFFSHORE

Capt. Scott Fawcett

Off the Chain Fishing Charters (772) 285-1055

offthechainfishing.com

fishscottyf@bellsouth.net

Earlysummer has always been a favorite time of year for me while growing up fishing off the Treasure Coast. Schools out, the seas are calm, the bait is here, and the fishing is usually pretty great. Aside from grouper season opening back up this month, May has historically been the month to catch big dolphin, wahoo and even marlin out here. The Hill, The Peanut, The Pinnacles, Loran Tower ledge, and Juno ledge are all good places to focus. I’m hoping this year will follow suit as the leading edge of the sargassum island makes its presence known as it slowly approaches. If it’s as bad as I’ve heard it is, fishing may get very difficult the next few months.

Troll ballyhoo rigged on J hooks, naked or skirted along weed lines and current rips using light to medium tackle. Have a small spinning rod with a jig on it handy to pick off schoolie mahi, this is a good time of year to bring a fly rod too if you’re into that. When you come across a nice school of mahi it’s sometimes hard to not beat up on them. It takes a good bit of self-control to leave them chewing and move on to the next spot, but it will return itself ten-times if everyone started to selfregulate. Please fish responsibly and don’t take advantage of the fishery

when opportunities like this arise. We are actually practicing a one female mahi per angler rule aboard Off The Chain for now, hopefully it helps a little.

May is one of those months where you should fish a down rod. Whether you’re trolling or live baiting, a down rod or deep bait this time of year as the water warms works wonders. Start out with a loose drag because you will catch many sails, dolphin, and kings on this bait and a tight drag at first will encourage pulled hooks.

May also offers great swordfishing and nice weather windows making Bahamas trips and long rage trips a possibility. Yellowfin tuna, blue marlin and gaffer dolphin are

migrating their way to the north right now and venturing a little further offshore than normal can pay off big.

Whichever style of fishing you decide to do this May, I hope your next trip is Off the Chain!

Good luck and hope to see you out there. Please give me a call to set up a trip.

Grouper season opens back up this month.

PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Scott Fawcett/Off the Chain.

Capt. Jonathan Earhart

Chaos Fishing Charters (772) 341 – 2274

www.chaosfishigcharters.com

jon@chaosfishigncharters.com

May is a great month to target keeper snook in the Indian River near our St. Lucie Inlet. As the fish gear up for the summer spawn, this means larger snook will be plentiful.

Live bait fishing can be some of the season’s best early morning and late evening. Typically pilchards, greenies, sardines, and croakers will be your bait of choice for slot size

MARTIN COUNTY DEEP SEA

Capt. Rocky Carbia

Safari I Deep Sea Fishing

Pirates Cove Resort and Marina

Reservations: (772) 334-4411

Safari-1.com

Offshore anglers of the Treasure Coast will focus on the lower levels of the water column this month. The catch and keep season for grouper will open on the first day of May, ending a four-month closed season on these tasty bottom brawlers. Near-coastal anglers will break out their heavy tackle and target the many species of grouper that inhabit the wrecks and reefs, east of Stuart. Gag, red, black, and scamp groupers are some of the most prevalent species of the family that will be found just offshore of the St. Lucie Inlet.

The naturally occurring coral reef

snook or larger.

Big jacks are still plentiful in the river and can be upwards of 40 pounds this month. Expect an occasional redfish in the mix. I suggest adding a pinch weight to a live baitfish rig to increase your odds of catching a redfish. Again, fishing near structure and moving water will be key to success.

Nearshore fishing has been great for kingfish, snapper, cobia, jacks, permit, tarpon, sailfish, and even the occasional mahi. Tarpon fishing can be a blast for sight fisherman who are willing to run close to the beach north and south looking for rolling schools of tarpon. Sight fishing is best very early in the morning and closer to sunset. Live mullet or live crabs work great. If the tarpon are feeding on glass minnows, fly fisherman will have the upper hand with similar

size and shape fly patterns.

Fishing around bait schools in 20-to-60 feet of water will be your best method of approach with a live baitfish near edges of large baitfish schools for pelagics off the beaches.

Bottom fishing around nearshore reefs and wrecks with chicken rigs and or long leader rigs with a live sardine will yield plenty of mutton, lane, grey, and cubera snapper. Tight lines!

decision making when positioning one’s boat over top of a grouper honey hole. Heavy tackle will be a necessity for steering a big grouper to one`s floating platform—4/0 to 6/0 reels spooled with heavy braid of 100- to 200-pound test and terminal tackle to match the main line will yield the most successful end results.

line in depths of 110 to 160 feet of water, generally known to locals as the “8 Mile Reef”, will be the go-tozone for dialing in successful grouper fishing. Deploying live baits from an

anchored or drifting boat will produce the best results for “Grouper Digging”. The velocity of the horizontal flow or current and bottom temperatures are the main variables for strategy

Grouper species can also be found and targeted in shallower depths, especially on reef structures in 70 to 80 feet of water that comprise the natural reef line known as the “6 Mile Reef”. Natural coral ledges east and north of Jensen Beach in these depths, historically are home to large gag and red grouper, and will be hot spots for grouper grocery getters. While bottom fishing at these depths, anglers will also be pleasantly surprised to get attached to jumbo mutton and mangrove snapper, reef mates that live right alongside the grouper family.

May will provide a toasty background of exciting bottom fishing for the offshore anglers of the Treasure Coast.

For Reservations Call (772) 334-4411

Canadian Bill with an over slot snook using a live pilchard throat hooked with a 4/0 BKK circle hook and 50-pound Tsunami fluorocarbon leader.

PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Jonathan Earhart.

Safari 1 bottom fishing will highlight the days of May.

PHOTO CREDIT: Safari 1.

Capt. Bo Samuel

Pullin Drag Charters

(772) 971-6661

facebook.com/Pullin-Drag-Charters

catainbofishing@gmail.com

What can I say about May???

It’s time to go for grouper! With the winds and cold behind us, anglers along the Treasure Coast can expect some great days on the water this month. Typically, calmer sunny days are more prevalent which means plenty of opportunities to fish inshore and offshore. May also brings milder temperatures which translates to more bait in the area and the bigger fish that follow. To sum it up...fair weather has arrived, snapper fishing is on fire, kings and mahi are moving in, and Florida grouper season begins!

While plenty of grouper were hooked in April, they had to be returned to the blue. Now with grouper season being the main attraction, eager anglers are targeting keeper grouper in the hopes of landing a prize fish on deck for delicious grouper fillets on the table later. It’s important to have the right bait for successful grouper fishing and I prefer live croakers, pilchards, threadfins, or grunts. Use enough weight to hold bottom

depending on the current. I find we get a lot of grouper bites while snapper fishing the shallower reefs so you don’t have to go past 120 foot or so. Gag, black, red, and scamp are some grouper species we target on reefs and wrecks straight out the Fort Pierce Inlet.

The mangrove, mutton, and red snapper bite has been stellar and should only get better throughout May. Fish the bottom in 60 - 90 feet using the smallest weight possible with a 40 pound fluorocarbon leader and a size 4 UltraPoint circle hook. Sardines, cigar minnows, and grunts, cut or live, are my baits of choice.

May is also a terrific time to troll for large kingfish and mahi as they make their way back up the beach, particularly around 90 - 120 feet of water. The best action comes from live baiting with pilchards or threadfins around weed lines and edges of color changes, where mahi like to congregate. Be looking for multiple mahi together as you troll since mahi are schooling fish and when you see one, there’s usually more. Once you’re in a hungry school, be prepared for some amazing nonstop action. I always keep a pitch rod ready to throw at any mahi I see hiding under a weed line or floating debris. They just might hit that if not taking the trolling bait. Throw to any cobia you spot near the surface, too. “Brown bomber” battles can be epic, not to mention they’re a

top favorite for taste.

If you’re looking for some actionpacked time on the water, this is the perfect month of the year for making salty memories. Pullin Drag can help

plan your next custom, fishing trip to enjoy adventure on our beautiful local waters and fish on your dining room table. Black, red, or gag, let’s go Pullin Drag!

Capt. Adam White

St. Lucie Flats Fishing Charters (609) 820-6257

www.stlucieflatsfishing.com

Summer is almost upon us. It’s good to see so many friends and new friends out in the boat. The heat of summer will be here soon. Water temperatures are on the rise. We actually enjoyed some spring weather in April. Look for May to provide lots of fishing action around the Treasure Coast!

Snook fishing will be good this month with night or early morning the best times to fish. The season will close May 31st. Inlets, bridges, seawalls and docks are all great places to target snook. In the early hours the fish will be laid up shallow transitioning to deeper water as the sun gets higher. This is a great time to target snook with surface lures.

Skitterwalks, jumping minnows, and Zara Spooks are all great options for topwater action when targeting snook.

The bridges, docks, and channel markers will all hold good numbers of snapper as the water temps start to warm into the 80s. Live shrimp on a knocker rig will keep the rods bent all day. Live mojarra’s or frozen sardines will cut the number of bites in half but the size of your fish will be much bigger. Along with the river there will be good snapper action on the shallow reefs just outside our inlet in 15-to-30 feet of water.

Mackerel have been coming in with the tides. Fish bridges and docks for sheepshead, snapper and drum. Jacks and ladyfish will be just about everywhere creating havoc all over the river. Beaches will produce whiting and croakers with catches of Spanish mackerel and bluefish along with some pompano. Tarpon will begin their trek into the river. May is a great month to fish the Treasure Coast!

Capt. Bo holding a grouper duo, gag and black.

PHOTO COURTESY of Capt. Bo Samuel.

PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Adam White.

Charlie with a nice redfish caught on a Skitter Walk.

SEBASTIAN RIVER – May is the best month for tarpon and snook in the Sebastian River. Snook of all sizes can be found around docks and shoreline cover throughout the system. The docks between the railroad and US 1 bridges can hold some giant snook both day and night in May. Large live mullet at dawn and dusk can be exciting and skipping D.O.A. shrimp under the docks is certainly worthwhile when the sun is high. Tarpon from 5 to 50 pounds will generally be found in both forks of the river above the railroad bridge with the larger fish often favoring the north fork. Casting D.O.A. TerrorEyz, MirrOdine plugs and flies to rolling fish is great sport. Live mullet can also produce exciting surface strikes throughout the river.

INDIAN RIVER LAGOON – Snook will be utilizing the shoreline cover of the lagoon to set up ambushes for passing mullet and other baitfish. Any docks, mangrove overhangs and fallen trees warrant a cast with a jerkbait or D.O.A. shrimp. You may also encounter redfish and gator trout in these traditionally snooky areas. If you can find a school of bait on a shallow flat, preferably with grass coverage, larger trout and some redfish may be close by. Topwater and suspending plugs and weighted and unweighted jerkbaits will do the trick. The spoil island drop-offs will be good areas to look for action. Schoolie trout, jacks, ladyfish, a stray pompano and even some big snook can be found around many of the islands.

SEBASTIAN INLET – Daytime anglers using live croakers, pinfish, greenies and mojarra around the tips of the jetties and rip rap areas of the inlet should find snook willing to bite. Fishing plugs and bucktails from the shoreline, jetties and catwalks at night is also a productive and popular way to catch a Sebastian inlet snook. May 31st marks the end of the snook season. Keep an eye out for small crabs drifting out with the tide as the

bull reds and the occasional permit won’t be far away.

NEAR SHORE ATLANTIC – Glass minnows and the predators that feed on them generally make an appearance in the late spring and early summer. It can be a true blitz with Spanish mackerel and bonito clearing the water chasing glass

minnows while tarpon, kingfish, jacks and sharks lurk underneath. Fishing the nearshore waters of the Atlantic in May offers a great opportunity to find and catch a variety of species including tarpon and sharks weighing into the triple digits.

Get out and enjoy this exciting time of the year!

PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Gus Brugger.

SEBASTIAN AREA OFFSHORE

Capt. Terry Wildey

Big Easy Fishing Charters

(772) 538 - 1072

captwildey@bellsouth.net www.bigeasyfishingcharters.com

It’sgrouper time! It’s been four months since the season closed but May first is the opening of grouper season. So up your gear.

I would recommend an 80-pound main line and leader. A #8 circle hook and enough lead to hold bottom for the depth and current your in. I like either a live grunt, pin fish, big pilchards or croaker for live bait. And pogies for dead bait.

Best areas will be rock piles and ledges in 60 feet, 90 feet, 160 feet, and 240 feet. Remember some time the best fishing is on some of the smallest marks of fish, on some of the smallest pieces of bottom. There should be some good trolling too. Look for that rip where there’s a temperature and color change, if there’s a weed line with flying fish or bait, then work it

cause that’s where they should be. I usually start looking in the 120 feet area but you may have to run out to 160, 240 or even 600 feet. Ballyhoo trolled with or without a lure will produce bites. It’s always good to have a few live baits pilchards or herring in case you see a picky one.

Always have a bait rigged on wire run either on a down rigger or cigar lead. This will target that wahoo and is pretty good at enticing a dolphin bite in that middle day time when the bite seems to slow down or stop. For all of you fishing the reefs in the 60 feet and 90 feet, expect some good action if you can sneak them by the sharks. There should be good numbers of mangrove snapper, triggerfish, lane snapper and remember with the sharks there will be cobia.

As always be courteous to your fellow angler, you never know when you’ll need a tow. Support your local tackle shops. We’re lucky to have them. If you don’t have access to a network of fisherman, then join a fishing club. I recommend Sebastian Fishing Club--90 plus members, now that’s a network!

“Fish On Gotta Go!”

John Romano with a gag grouper on the Big Easy.

PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Terry Wildey.

KAYAK FISHING FORECAST

Brian Nelli

Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters

(772) 201-5899

Brian@tckayakfishing.com

www.tckayakfishing.com

INSHORE: May is one of the best times of year in South Florida. More and more bait will start to move into the river to supply fish with plenty to eat. Snook, tarpon, trout, jacks and reds will be looking for mullet pattern baits like Super Spooks, large swimbaits and jerk baits. If you find mullet in the area you are fishing, whip out a Super Spook or large swim bait. If you are finding glass minnows use a D.O.A. jerk bait or shad tail. Mangroves, docks and seawalls with current nearby will be the places to target. Launching the kayak at places like Johnathan D. MacArthur State Park and Snook Islands will give you access to some great areas to target snook, tarpon and jacks.

OFFSHORE: May starts the run of bigger blackfin tuna off our coast. Common are 20-30 pounders and they can be taken on live bait as well as trolling plugs and vertical jigs. During this time mahi will also be in larger numbers and closer to shore. Kingfish will be making their way to their spring/summer areas off our coast. Trolling live goggle eyes, pilchards and blue runners will put fish in the fish bag. Don’t be afraid to fish shallow during this time of year, especially off Palm Beach and Jupiter. Your range should be in 60180 feet of water.

FRESHWATER: Warmer weather means the clown knifefish will be more cooperative. Peacock bass and largemouth will be heading towards their beds to spawn if they have not already. Look to sight fish the bass along the banks and docks. Throwing a small jig or D.O.A. shrimp in their bed to annoy them will get them to bite.

Check us out Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for all the latest adventures my clients and I get into.

See you on the water!

PHOTOS CREDIT: Brian Nelli.

Bill with a nice peacock bass.

Ed with a weehoo.

FROM THE SHORE

Chris Beachwalker Sharp

(772) 320 8611

beachwalkerfish@gmail.com

kicks off the best time to catch fish from land. This will run all the way until December. Tarpon lovers will have a chance to catch these silver kings from the shore and you will have a lot of opportunities to do so. The best places will be the inlets with the moving water right before sunrise and at night. I like throwing plugs with the treble hooks taken out and putting on #5 circle hooks. Throw the plug into the water and slowly reel it back in with a jerk motion. My favorite colors are purple, black and silver.

Bridges are excellent. The Roosevelt Bridge holds a lot of tarpon at night. Landing them can be very difficult but they are there in numbers. Using soft swim baits in a mullet color or purple with a one-ounce jig head will get the bite. Along the beaches,

look for bait. Walton Rocks beach is my number one place to find them.

Snook season ends after May so if you want to get a keeper, look for the spillways after it rains. This will produce a lot of fish in the slot limit. You can use plugs, soft swim baits or live bait to get the bite.

If wade fishing is your thing, go up to the power lines and docks on the west side in Fort Pierce. Fishing there will be good for trout, snook, jacks and some redfish. You can’t beat shrimp under a popping cork thrown right under the docks.

I hope you have a great time fishing. If you like to book a trip, you can contact me at beachwalkerfish@ gmail.com.

COASTAL ANGLER TREASURE COAST

MAY

PHOTO COURTESY of Chris Sharp.

By

Of Your Fly Cast!

Finally, after the winter months we are back in our big fish sight fishing season. Being out on the water and getting to experience this mayhem makes me feel alive but, it’s very challenging when you have customers in the boat who struggle to cast. Like in any other sport, it is important to practice regularly so that you are prepared for your fish of a lifetime. I’m always happy to teach my customers but it just takes time away from the fishing.

Here are a few pointers I’d like to share:

1. Don’t get overexcited and don’t fall apart when your guide gets you in front of big fish.

2. Do not break your wrist and drop the tip of the rod while casting.

3. Do not overpower and/or rush your cast

4. Don’t let your line go too early and don’t move your hands together in your final forward cast.

5. Don’t shoot your line to the sky but to the water where the fish are!

6. Practice your cast and accuracy, single and double haul, shooting the line and guiding your fly line with your line hand while shooting the line, and rod angles while casting.

7. Wind is a great teacher! Learn how to cast in all different wind directions and angles.

Good luck to all of you fly gals and fly guys out there! I love seeing more and more of us.

PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Michael Mauri.

fish traps will be used to capture and tag fish like mutton snapper and gag to determine each species contribution to the fish fauna on St. Lucie County artificial reefs. Anecdotal evidence suggests that gag, once plentiful offshore St. Lucie County, may be replaced by mutton snapper. In 2022, monitoring by Ecological Associates using a 360 o drop camera revealed a small school (~20) of mutton snapper on one of the County’s artificial reefs.

Materials have already started to be delivered for St. Lucie County’s next artificial reef. The County has applied for funding from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to create a 1,500-ton secondary concrete reef in the Lee E. Harris artificial reef site. If this funding is obtained it will help to build the large reef to test whether this reef can provide ecological benefits (i.e. spawning, larval settlement) that are provided by large natural reefs.

Other materials used will include large drainage structures delivered by American Concrete Industries, Precast. Light poles from the Fort Pierce Utilities Authority will be cantilevered over these structures to

provide high profile habitat for pelagic fishes like kingfish and permit.

Most of the funding for artificial reefing offshore St. Lucie County has come from grants from the FWC. The County also is planning to reef another large vessel offshore St. Lucie County and Cathy Townsend, chair of the St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners, has already discussed reefing this vessel with the FWC. Both the County and the State will play important parts in deploying this ship. This vessel, like other boats before it, will be cleaned according to State and Federal standards. Photos of the cleanup of the ship will be sent to the United States Army Corps of Engineers, United States Coast Guard (USCG), United States Environmental Protection Agency, and FWC for their comment and approval. Pending approval of the USCG and Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the vessel will spend a short period of time in Fort Pierce prior to being deployed.

For more information on the St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program, contact Jim Oppenborn, St. Lucie County Coastal Resources Coordinator, at oppenbornj@ stlucieco.org or (772) 462-1713.

Chris Giuffrida, Southern

Fishing Crew, said the problem isn’t hooking up to the fish, it’s all the obstacles after you do—sharks, goliath grouper, porpoises, barracuda—seems like we all want the same fish!

Capt. Cody Baker, You’re On Fishing Charters, ran out with the boys and Josh landed a nice smoker king. Jumped off a sail, caught some kings and some snapper.

Rosa

caught her first wahoo trolling artificial lures out the St. Lucie inlet. The wahoo bite happened in 220 feet of water during April’s full moon.

a 3-inch white paddletail.

PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Cody Baker.

Cannon Arnold catching bass on spring break.

PHOTO CREDIT: Cherlyn Arnold.

Fortune

PHOTO COURTESY of Chris.

Jacob Benosky with his first snook, caught on

PHOTO TAKEN by a kind man on the dock.

Juice Jambu caught this goliath grouper in the Indian River. @fishingwith_juice.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jorge Jambu.

Fox

PHOTO CREDIT: Leonard Fox.

Pamela Butterworth with a nice mahi caught northeast of the St. Lucie Inlet in 120 feet of water while trolling a skirted ballyhoo.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jim Butterworth.

Let’s grow with Florida together.

Confessions of a Fishaholic, by Thatch Maguire, is a hilarious and irreverent look at one man’s quest to catch fish in spite of life’s annoying interferences. You’ll travel with this awkward adventurer as he risks home and health to pursue his passion for fishing...regardless of the consequences. Anglers of all expertise levels will immediately identify with why his addiction is incurable. This book defines the blurred line between passion and obsession.

REDFISH ON DRUGS

Last year, results of a threeyear study indicated a shocking presence of drugs found in bone sh of the Florida Keys. It comes as little surprise that Florida International University (FIU) and Bone sh & Tarpon Trust (BTT) have recently completed a year-long study that also discovered pharmaceutical contaminants in the blood and other tissues of red sh in Florida waters.

“ e results underscore the urgent need to modernize Florida’s wastewater treatment systems,” said BTT President and CEO Jim McDu e. “Humanbased contaminants like these pose a signi cant threat to Florida’s recreational shery, which has an annual economic impact of $13.9 billion and directly supports more than 120,000 jobs.”

Scientists and volunteer guides and anglers sampled red sh in nine of Florida’s most important estuaries: Pensacola, Apalachicola, Cedar Key, Tampa Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Florida Bay, Northern Indian River Lagoon (IRL), St. Augustine and Jacksonville.

Similar to results of the previous bone sh study, pharmaceuticals were found in all of the estuaries sampled, with an average number of 2.1 drugs per sh and a maximum of ve. Only seven out of the 113 sampled sh had zero drugs in their system. On average, 25.7 percent of the sh exceeded a level of pharmaceuticals considered safe, which equates to one-third of the therapeutic levels in humans.

“ ese studies of bone sh and red sh are the rst to document the concerning presence of pharmaceuticals in species that are important to Florida’s recreational sheries,” said Dr. Jennifer Rehage, FIU professor and the study’s lead researcher. “Given the impacts of many of these pharmaceuticals on other sh species and the types of pharmaceuticals found, we are concerned about the role pharmaceuticals play in the health of our sheries. We will continue this work to get more answers to these concerning questions.”

Cardiovascular medications, opioid pain relievers and psychoactive medications were most commonly detected. e antiarrhythmic medication ecainide and the opioid pain reliever tramadol were detected in over 50 percent of the red sh. e antipsychotic medication upentixol was detected above safe levels in one in ve of the red sh samples. ese are very concerning levels of exposure for red sh.

Approximately ve billion prescriptions are lled each year in the U.S., yet there are no environmental regulations for the production nor disposal of pharmaceuticals worldwide. Pharmaceutical contaminants originate most o en from human wastewater and are not su ciently removed by conventional water treatment. ey remain active at low doses, can be released constantly, and exposure can a ect all aspects of sh behavior, with negative consequences for their reproduction and survival. Pharmaceutical contaminants have been shown to a ect all aspects of the life of sh, including their feeding, activity, sociability, and migratory behavior.

“Florida is a leader in addressing water quality issues and wastewater infrastructure, including converting septic systems to sewage treatment,” said Kellie Ralston, BTT’s Vice President for Conservation and Public Policy. “ e results of this study indicate that there are additional opportunities for improvement by retro tting existing wastewater treatment plants with innovative technologies, like ozone treatment, to remove pharmaceuticals and requiring such technology on new wastewater facilities.”

For more information, go to www.bone shtarpontrust.org.

Maguire’s frst work is a compelling, fast read. His style is like a mix of Hemingway with a sardonic blend of Hunter S. Thompson. I couldn’t put it down...

Ben Martin Editor in Chief Coastal Angler Magazine

ENJOY BATTLING

THE SCOURGE OF LIONFISH

The ninth annual Lion sh Festival is slated for May 20-21 at AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar and HarborWalk Village in Destin, Fla. is outdoor event is free, open to the public and will feature family-friendly activities, art, diving and marine conservation booths, live music, llet demonstrations, and the world’s largest lion sh tournament, the Emerald Coast Open.

TOURNAMENT DETAILS

e Emerald Coast Open will run May 1920 and include categories for most lion sh, largest lion sh and smallest lion sh with nearly $100,000 worth of prizes up for grabs. For o cial tournament rules and registration instructions, visit EmeraldCoastOpen. com.

LIONFISH RESTAURANT WEEK

Sample lion sh at one of Destin–Fort Walton Beach’s featured restaurants during the Emerald Coast Open Lion sh Restaurant Week. Local chefs will highlight lion sh in unique dishes in the week leading up to the event to help bring awareness to the lion sh invasion in the Gulf of Mexico.

Schedule:

• e Boathouse Landing, Valparaiso – May 12

• e Harbor Tavern – May 13

• Dewey Destin’s Harborside – May 14

• Crab Trap Destin – May 15

• La Paz – May 16

• Harbor Docks – May 17

• Brotula’s Seafood House & Steamer – May 18

• AJ’s Seafood & Oyster Bar– May 20

LIONFISH CHALLENGE

e 2023 Lion sh Challenge is a summer-long tournament open to everyone and completely free to enter. Participants in last year’s Challenge reached a signi cant milestone of over 1 million lion sh harvested from Florida waters since the program began in 2014! Visit FWCReefRangers. com to register for the Lion sh Challenge.

Tesoro spinning reels feature a carbonite high-output DFD drag system with Cal’s drag grease that puts out over 55-pounds of fsh stopping power. Built with strength and protection in mind, Tesoro features an IPX-7 full-body waterproof design and proprietary ALUMILITE body, side plate and rotor. With an interchangeable screw-in handle system and fve models from 8000 to 20000 size, Tesoro spinning reels are sure to complement any big game saltwater arsenal.

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CENTRAL FLORIDA’S PREMIER FLOATING DOCK SYSTEM

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HARVEST CLOSED INSIDE SPECIAL PERMIT ZONE

The permit spawning season closure inside the Special Permit Zone (SPZ) began April 1. Regular permit regulations in the SPZ will reopen Aug. 1.

is closure area includes all state and federal waters south of Cape Sable on the Gulf coast and south of Cape Florida on the Atlantic coast including all of the Florida Keys and Biscayne Bay south of Rickenbacker Causeway.

During the open season, regulations within the SPZ allow a daily bag limit of one permit, with a vessel limit of two permit and a minimum size of 22 inches fork length.

For more information, go to MyFWC.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BONEFISH & TARPON TRUST

Re-Discover Old Florida Waterfront Charm

The Perfect Vacation Getaway for Fishing, Boating & Outdoor Enthusiasts

BAROTRAUMA TOOLS NOW REQUIRED IN STATE WATERS

Anglers shing from a vessel targeting reef sh in Florida state waters are now required to have on board a descending device or venting tool that is rigged and ready for use. is new regulation went into e ect April 1, and also requires use of a descending device or venting tool if a sh exhibits signs of barotrauma prior to release.

e FWC approved this rule to increase survival of released reef sh, a top priority management issue in both the Gulf of Mexico and south Atlantic. As reef sh are reeled up from depth, they can su er pressure related injuries known as barotrauma. ese injuries include the stomach protruding out of the mouth, bulging eyes, bloated belly, distended intestines and inability to swim down independently. If not treated correctly, barotrauma can be lethal to sh.

“Florida’s anglers have always played an important role in the health of our sheries and the proper use of barotrauma mitigation tools is just one way anglers continue helping to conserve Florida’s sheries for current and future generations,” said FWC’s Jessica McCawley. “ is new rule not only improves survival of released reef sh but also provides anglers the exibility of choosing the best tool that ts their situation on the water.”

For more information, go to MyFWC.com.

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

• 2 miles to the Ft. Pierce Inlet

• 12 miles to the Gulf Stream

• Laundry, BBQ Grilles and FREE use of our Kayaks

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

Reservations and Information: (772) 349-2206

FLORIDA SEA GRANT PHOTO

YOUR KID COULD CATCH A WORLD RECORD

Would your kid be proud to set a new world record?

Of course they would, and right now is a great time for kids to catch a world record thanks to the International Game Fish Association’s new length-record category for young anglers. e category is intended to promote catch-and-release by making it possible to measure a sh for world-record consideration without killing it, and right now there 169 vacant species just waiting for anglers under 16 years old to set a new world record.

e new IGFA All-Tackle Length Junior category follows the same rules and regulations as the current All-Tackle Length record categories. e All-Tackle Length Junior category will have one record available for each eligible species, with no di erentiation made for the angler’s gender, which is consistent with current All-Tackle Length and All-Tackle Length Fly record categories. Vacancies exist for all eligible species of the All-Tackle Length record category and will follow the same minimum length requirements already established.

“By introducing the All-Tackle Length Junior category, we hope to inspire the next generation of anglers to get out and sh, while promoting ethical and sustainable shing practices,” said IGFA President Jason Schratwieser. “Fishing is a fantastic way to connect with the outdoors, and we believe that by engaging young people with this sport, we can inspire the next generation of stewards of our oceans, lakes, and rivers and help ensure the long-term health and vitality of our aquatic resources.”

With children and teenagers increasingly disconnected from the outdoors, the IGFA hopes to inspire a new wave of young anglers who are passionate about the sport and its role in connecting people to nature.

For more information, go to www.igfa.org.

PHOTO COURTESY OF IGFA.

Alexandra Hall caught this 63-pound blue cat sh from Virginia’s James River to set IGFA 20-pound line class and female junior world records for the species.

FROG FISHING FOR VERY HUNGRY BASS TIPS FROM A PRO

TYLER WOOLCOTT

Across the country, bass are either in their post spawn patterns right now or they will be soon. ere is a plethora of ways to catch these bass, but my all-time favorite for getting bit and drawing in a big one is a hollow body popping frog.

A popping frog can be used as an incredible search bait, and you can duplicate many di erent bait sh depending on where you throw it and what color you tie on. ere are many di erent options out there. I try to duplicate the bait sh forage in the particular lake I’m shing. Sometimes I use a frog to imitate a bluegill, and sometimes I throw a shad color pattern. 13 Fishing makes an incredible popping frog that comes with a stout hook and a wide variety of colors for any scenario.

When I throw a frog as a search bait, I work it faster than most. Cover as much water as possible until you put a pattern together on what exactly the sh are focusing on. at’s the magic of a frog; you can literally throw it around everything! Docks, lay downs, grass and open water are just a few of the targets I look for. Once you locate a group of sh or put a pattern together, slow down and pick them o a little slower. I have noticed sometimes there isn’t a “too fast” while working a popping frog.

A couple things I look for this time of year are bass guarding fry and also sh roaming the banks feeding on bluegill. is is very predictable and an awesome way to catch big ones. Typically, if you know a few areas where the sh previously spawned, these patterns will occur in the same areas. I throw a bluegill pattern popping frog because bluegill chase bass fry, and that drives bass crazy.

Another pattern to watch for is a shad spawn. is occurs in the mornings and evenings and can lead to a bunch of sh in a hurry. Look

for birds feeding on banks while running down the lake. Find the birds and you nd the bait! A white popping frog or a bait sh color is typically my choice in this situation.

A popping frog can work all year long, but it really drives post spawn sh crazy. Who doesn’t like catching sh on a topwater with heavy line and a heavy rod?

Frog Fishing Gear

Heavy gear is needed for setting those big frog hooks and shing around heavy cover. I sh a 13 Fishing 7’4H Omen Black rod paired with a Concept A 8.3 reel spooled up with Seaguar 50-pound Smackdown braid. is setup allows you to get sh out of heavy cover and into the boat!

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

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40-POUND PIKE BREAKS IDAHO RECORD!

BLACK SEA BASS OPEN YEAR-ROUND IN SOUTH ATLANTIC

Black sea bass o en y under the radar for anglers o the coast of the Southeast. Perhaps it’s because their size and numbers are thickest in the middle of winter, when it’s not as pleasant to be on the water? Or maybe it’s because they don’t grow as a large as the other grouper species that inhabit our wrecks and reefs?

This 40.76-pound northern pike is a new Idaho state record. It beat the existing 13-year-old record by a little more than half a pound.

Avid pike sherman omas Francis landed the monster sh on March 21 from Hayden Lake in northern Idaho. e sh was more than 4 feet long, with an o cial length of 49 inches and an impressive girth of 26.5 inches.

Francis told Idaho Fish and Game he speci cally targets big pike almost every day. In late March, ice still ringed the banks at Hayden Lake, so Francis was casting his lure up to the edge of the ice.

“When my lure hit the water, I let it sink all the way to the bottom,” he said. “As soon as my lure hit the bottom, I felt her hit. I sh with 80-poundtest line, and she almost immediately started peeling drag, a lot of it.

“She pinned herself to the bottom and just kept going, peeling drag the whole time,” he continued. “I knew that wasn’t normal, and I could tell it was something special.”

e IGFA all-tackle world record northern pike was caught in Germany in 1986. It weighed 55 pounds, 1-ounce.

For more information, go to https://idfg.idaho.gov

Whatever the reason, there’s no denying that black sea bass are some of the tastiest critters in the ocean, and anchoring over a wreck or reef teeming with them can ll a cooler in short order. Just ask the folks up in New England, where the species is a highly sought a er target of anglers.

NOAA recently announced that recreational harvest of black sea bass will again be open year-round for the 2023-2024 season in federal waters of the South Atlantic, south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. So, sharpen the hooks on your chicken rigs and go collect some meat.

NOAA Fisheries has projected that the 2023-2024 recreational catch limit of 366,510 pounds whole weight will not be met. e season in federal waters will run from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024. Seasons in state waters vary, so be sure to check state regulations where you plan to sh. In federal waters of the Atlantic, south of 35 deg 15.0321’ N, there is a seven sh per person bag limit with a 13-inch minimum size limit.

A descending device is required on board all vessels shing for or possessing snapper and grouper species in federal waters of the South Atlantic. e descending device must be readily available for use and attached to at least 16 ounces of weight and at least 60 feet of line. For more information, go to coastalanglermag.com.

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STILL TIME FOR A TROPHY TROUT

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

If you are big trout enthusiast like me, you know there is still some time le if you haven’t had your ll over the past ve months. December through a portion of May is when I set my eyes on catching a personnel best speckled trout. With the full moon on May 3 this year, I feel the entire month will hold promise to land one full of eggs before the rst full moon in June. May is also a little more enjoyable, too, so sit back and let me tell you why.

Most anglers in Texas think about big trout mid-December through early April, and when the waders come o they change their focus. Fortunately, not all the big girls have dropped their eggs yet and will still hold them into May. It gives us the opportunity for a heavy trout to take a big smiling photo with.

Speaking of taking the waders o , wading in May is typically warm and enjoyable even if the sh don’t cooperate. e pleasant temperatures are more appealing than dreary, cold, winter days, and they also allow me to sh the way I prefer. At times in winter, we must slow down our presentation and this can become a little monotonous; however, targeting big trout in the warmth of May allows us to work the lure more aggressively.

ere is not much more exciting than a topwater explosion, and spring is one of my favorite times to utilize this tactic for trophy trout. May is also a great time to throw other lures. Traditional slow-sinking and suspending lures also work wonders this time of year.

As most of you know, I am a paddletail fanatic! is month, I’ll give several sizes a shot at getting inhaled by a huge yellow mouth. ese large predators will take 3-, 4- and 5-inch lures this time of year. As their bodies warm with the water, they become as aggressive as they will be all year, so adding some rattling sound to your tails can really get the sh active.

I seek out areas of grass ats in knee- to waist-deep water. Finding a at with a drain from a small lake or creek will work wonders for concentrating sh over adjacent shallow grass. A depression along such a at is another area you should target. When choosing a at with these criteria, areas of potholes are a plus over a solid grass- lled at.

I hope these tips help you get your PB trout on your last chance of the year to nd one lled with eggs. Take a kid shing. ey like big trout too. And be safe. May is the uno cial start of summer, and inexperienced boaters will be 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®

KAYAKER LANDS

102-POUND PADDLEFISH

An angler got a little more than he bargained for in early April while shing for walleye in the Upper White River in northwestern Arkansas. Fishing 12-pound-test line and a 3-inch-long crankbait, Robert Murphy accidentally snagged a 102-pound paddle sh and spent the next hour battling the sh from his kayak.

In April, the Upper White experiences spring runs of several species into the riverine sections of Beaver Lake, including white bass, walleye and paddle sh. Paddle sh, also known as spoonbill, are a large zooplankton eating species. ey won’t chase lures or live bait, so anglers typically “snag” them during Arkansas’ paddle sh snagging season. e daily limit is two sh per person.

Murphy might not have intended to snag a paddle sh, but that’s exactly what he did. According to Outdoor Life, Murphy was throwing a 3-inch Berkley Flicker Shad for walleye when he saw a big sh on his sonar. inking it was a big striped bass or a gar, he ran his 10- to 12-foot-diving plug through the area and hooked his river monster in the top of the tail.

Anyone who has ever foul-hoked a sh knows how hard they ght when you can’t turn their head. Well, Murphy spent the next hour battling the beast from his kayak as it pulled him up and down the river. A er he nally hauled it into his kayak and brought it to shore, he weighed and measured the sh. With a length of 71.5 inches, it was nearly 6 feet long, and at 102 pounds, it was shy of the 118-pound, 9-ounce state record that was caught from Beaver Lake in 2020.

For more information, see www.agfc.com.