Coastal Angler Magazine | November 2023 | Treasure Coast Edition by Coastal Angler Magazine

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GATOR TROUT On the Fly

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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/CONTEST VOLUME 28 • ISSUE 344

PHOTO CREDIT: CAPT. GUS BRUGGER WELCOMETOSEBASTIAN.COM

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NOVEMBER 2023

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FOR NOVEMBER’S BOUNTY By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

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.

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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

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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Hunting On the Fly Gator Trout By Nick Carter

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

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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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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

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

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.

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How a Snook Regulation Got Changed op-ed

Snook are too valuable of a fish for us to overfish.

By Ed Killer

ometimes it’s not pretty, or easy, or even the best thing for everyone concerned, but that’s how the democratic process works. When you see it unfold before your eyes, it’s pretty remarkable. That was the case during the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at the Hutchinson Shores Resort in Jensen Beach Oct. 4. Before lunch the commission took up proposed changes to snook regulations. I’ll lay out what actually got changed later in this story.

One issue which received a lot of attention was the proposal for a 2-snook vessel limit statewide. How would that effect you? Well, say you and three family members went snook fishing on the family boat one day. You would all need: • A $17 per year saltwater fishing license • A $10 per year snook stamp So, the four of you pay the FWC $108 for the privilege of catching a snook. However, only two of you can

bring one home that day. It may not seem like a big deal to many of you, but this is one problem. Sure, two slot sized snook go a long way. Sure we already have 4-1/2 months of closed seasons and a 4-inch slot. The FWC science says snook are all right. They’re worried about habitat loss, degraded water quality and rising human population - I get it. But what is FWC doing to fix those? Instead of taking a fish away, how about making a moratorium on new snook stamp purchases? How about granting money for seagrass replantings? What about getting the Department of Environmental Protection to do its job? Seven speakers, mostly from Vero Beach and Sebastian, spoke to commissioners urging them to reconsider the 2-fish vessel limit. They said the snook population in their area is as good as it has ever been. Two fishing guides from Stuart spoke in favor of the limit to protect their businesses. They claim they have seen a decline in snook catches in Stuart. The commission, surprisingly, sided with the anglers. This time. But as soon as the snook stocks show a downturn, you can bet they’ll tighten rules. And they should. Snook are too valuable of a fish for us to overfish. Even if we love them.

PHOTO CREDIT: Ed Killer.

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NOVEMBER 2023

TREASURE COAST 1

TREASURE COAST NOVEMBER DAY 1W

TIME

5:10 AM 11:56 AM 5:41 PM 2TH 12:00 AM 5:59 AM 12:43 PM 6:33 PM 3F 12:48 AM 6:52 AM 1:33 PM 7:30 PM 4SA 1:41 AM 7:51 AM 2:27 PM 8:32 PM 5SU 1:39 AM 7:54 AM 2:23 PM 8:35 PM 6M 2:42 AM 8:55 AM 3:18 PM 9:31 PM 7TU 3:43 AM 9:51 AM 4:10 PM 10:20 PM 8W 4:39 AM 10:40 AM 4:57 PM 11:02 PM 9TH 5:29 AM 11:23 AM 5:40 PM 11:41 PM 10F 6:14 AM 12:04 PM 6:21 PM 11SA 12:17 AM 6:56 AM 12:43 PM 7:02 PM

HEIGHT 0.24 3 0.75 2.74 0.43 2.81 0.9 2.58 0.62 2.64 1.02 2.44 0.78 2.51 1.07 2.35 0.88 2.44 1.05 2.33 0.92 2.43 0.96 2.37 0.9 2.47 0.83 2.46 0.86 2.52 0.69 2.59 0.79 2.59 0.54 2.73 0.72 2.65 0.4 2.85 0.66 2.7

L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H

12SU 12:53 AM 7:38 AM 1:20 PM 7:41 PM 13M 1:30 AM 8:19 AM 1:59 PM 8:22 PM 14TU 2:09 AM 9:02 AM 2:38 PM 9:03 PM 15W 2:50 AM 9:47 AM 3:21 PM 9:47 PM 16TH 3:35 AM 10:34 AM 4:07 PM 10:35 PM 17F 4:25 AM 11:25 AM 5:00 PM 11:30 PM 18SA 5:21 AM 12:19 PM 6:01 PM 19SU 12:31 AM 6:25 AM 1:17 PM 7:07 PM 20M 1:38 AM 7:34 AM 2:18 PM 8:15 PM 21TU 2:47 AM 8:43 AM 3:18 PM 9:18 PM

0.28 2.94 0.61 2.72 0.19 2.99 0.59 2.73 0.13 3 0.59 2.71 0.11 2.97 0.62 2.68 0.13 2.91 0.66 2.63 0.19 2.83 0.7 2.58 0.28 2.75 0.71 2.54 0.38 2.69 0.66 2.54 0.45 2.67 0.54 2.6 0.47 2.69 0.37

L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L

22W

3:55 AM 9:47 AM 4:16 PM 10:16 PM 23TH 4:57 AM 10:45 AM 5:11 PM 11:08 PM 24F 5:54 AM 11:39 AM 6:03 PM 11:58 PM 25SA 6:46 AM 12:29 PM 6:52 PM 26SU 12:45 AM 7:34 AM 1:16 PM 7:38 PM 27M 1:31 AM 8:20 AM 2:01 PM 8:23 PM 28TU 2:16 AM 9:04 AM 2:46 PM 9:07 PM 29W 3:01 AM 9:48 AM 3:31 PM 9:50 PM 30TH 3:45 AM 10:31 AM 4:16 PM 10:34 PM

2.71 0.45 2.73 0.17 2.85 0.4 2.77 0 2.98 0.35 2.81 -0.13 3.06 0.31 2.83 -0.2 3.09 0.3 2.82 -0.2 3.06 0.33 2.77 -0.15 2.98 0.39 2.69 -0.05 2.85 0.47 2.59 0.09 2.71 0.56 2.46

SEBASTIAN (INLET)

VERO (OCEAN)

FORT PIERCE

TIME OFFSET High Tide -48 min Low Tide -24 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide .93 feet Low Tide 1.0 foot

TIME OFFSET High Tide -55 min Low Tide -35 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide 1.45 feet Low Tide 1.36 feet

TIME OFFSET High Tide -31 min Low Tide -18 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide 1.14 feet Low Tide 1.50 feet

JENSEN BEACH (INDIAN RIVER)

ST. LUCIE INLET

JUPITER INLET

TIME OFFSET High Tide +55 Low Tide +1 hr; 42 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide 1 foot Low Tide .50 feet

TIME OFFSET High Tide -10 min Low Tide -9 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide 1.08 feet Low Tide 1.42 feet

TIME OFFSET High Tide +2 hrs; 17 min Low Tide +3 hrs; 4 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide .48 feet Low Tide .92 feet

2 TREASURE COAST

NOVEMBER 2023

H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H

PHOTO CREDIT: St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program.

COASTAL ANGLER

Barge prior to deployment.

St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program:

BLAKE CHARRON FOUNDATION TRAIL

nce again, the St. Luce County Artificial Reef Program has received funding from others to create additional recreational destinations for boaters on the Treasure Coast and to help perpetuate fish stocks in the region. Over the last 18 years, the program has made 72 artificial reef deployments resulting in 60 new recreational destinations. The latest reef was deployed with a generous donation from the Blake Charron Foundation and joins three other 500-ton concrete reefs deployed with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission funding in the same area. The design of this reef was conceived to complement other reefs deployed on the Lee E. Harris Memorial Site. Other secondary concrete reefs deployed on this site have been deployed in piles of either 500, 1,000 or 1,500 tons. Using data collected from earlier reefs, three of the four reefs deployed in this area were deployed in a straight line between two of the FishAmerica Foundation reefs. Due to weather conditions, the fourth deployment occurred roughly 200 yards north of the other reefs. The reefs were designed so that they can be driftfished or dived easily. Providing juvenile fish habitat is also important in the deployment of these reefs. In addition to the linear footprint of these reefs, some objects from each of the four deployments will fall outside the main pile. On shallower reefs, fish like juvenile black grouper will be attracted to outlying objects. On deeper reefs, juveniles of species such as snowy

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grouper and juvenile scamp have recruited to scattered concrete. Producing areas where larval fish can settle and grow into juvenile fish is an important step in replenishing adult fishes harvested from the main piles. Subject to confirmation by postdeployment dives, the new reefs were deployed:

• April 22 - 27°31.3652’N, 80°11.1431’W • May 2 - 27°31.2525’N, 80°11.1295’W • May 10 - 27°31.2393’N, 80°11.1427’W • September - 27°31.2671’N, 80°11.1188’W

The reefs consist of a variety of structures such as drainage structures from American Concrete Industries and building footers from the H.D. King power plant. Volunteers are needed to fish and dive these reefs and to provide information on their experiences on the new line of reefs. This will provide information for future reefs to be built in the area including (1) shape and size of reefs to be deployed, (2) the types of fish that can be found on these reefs, and (3) orientation of the reefs with respect to each other. Tech divers Dani Claeyssens and Derek Ferguson shot a video of the A.A. Hendry Reef (ex-MY Time) deployed on July 15, 2023. They have given permission for the video to be shared on the County’s artificial reef website (https://www.stlucieco.gov/ departments-and-services/publicworks/artificial-reef-program) which shows the location and depth of the reef, orientation of the vessel, and use of the A.A. Hendry reef by both

SEE REEF.......................................PAGE 9

PAGE 9

FISHING FORECASTS

LAKE OKEECHOBEE

Capt. Nate Shellen Shellen Guide Service Okeechobee Bass Fishing Guides/Charters (863) 357-0892 sjmike7@aol.com OkeechobeeBassFishing.com Headwatersfishingguide.com

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 16 feet 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

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 The Yingling boys from Stuart put in some control the depth of your work landing both their personal best bait. We are still having bass in their first outing with Capt. Nate! good daily averages on PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Nate Shellen. shiners. Book a trip today are not playing along. Be sure to make make memories that last a check local sources or fishing reports lifetime. Crappie and bluegill fishing for the most up-to-date water level can also be productive in November. Tiny jigs and live minnows work well information. With the water temperatures for crappie, while small worms or cooling down, bass become more crickets are great for bluegill. Remember to adhere to all local active. Use spinnerbaits in chartreuse or shad colors to target largemouth fishing regulations, including bag bass around the grassy areas and and size limits, and practice catch edges of the lake. Slowly retrieve and release to preserve the lake’s the bait to mimic injured baitfish. fishery. November in Okeechobee Carolina rigged soft plastic worms offers fantastic fishing opportunities, in natural colors like green pumpkin so make sure to pack your gear or watermelon can effectively catch and enjoy a memorable angling bass in deeper water. Work these experience on this iconic Florida lures around submerged structures lake.

TREASURE COAST

COASTAL ANGLER PUBLISHER EMERITUS GARY GUERTIN PUBLISHER & EDITOR MISTI GUERTIN GRAPHIC DESIGN LAURA KELLY CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Capt. Gus Brugger Capt. Rocky Carbia Capt. Jonathan Earhart Capt. Scott Fawcett Capt. Scotty Gold Ed Killer Capt. Michael Mauri Brian Nelli Jim Oppenborn Capt. Bo Samuel Chris Beachwalker Sharp Capt. Nate Shellen Capt. Adam White Capt. Terry Wildey

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NOVEMBER 2023

TREASURE COAST 3

FISHING FORECASTS

MARTIN COUNTY OFFSHORE

Capt. Scott Fawcett Off the Chain Fishing Charters (772) 285-1055 offthechainfishing.com fishscottyf@bellsouth.net

all is officially here and the southern migration of fish is in full swing. With water temps creeping into the low 90s again this summer, anything with half a brain and a working tail was pushing north looking for cooler water. Now our coast is back to a tolerable and almost even desirable temperature for our target species and everything from sails, dolphin, wahoo, blackfin and more are making their way back down to the Treasure Coast. Dirty water and lack of current has been a factor the last month, so we are finding ourselves fishing out a little deeper than normal. While most of my fishing takes place over the 6- and 8-mile reefs and usually from 75-to-225 feet of water, this month and last we are spending more time in the 500-to-1000 foot range. Even though we’re fishing a different depth, we’re still looking for the same things. Obvious weed lines, current edges, color changes, pieces of float and bottom contour, anything different. A good

MARTIN COUNTY INSHORE NEARSHORE

Capt. Jonathan Earhart Chaos Fishing Charters (772) 341 – 2274 www.chaosfishigcharters.com jon@chaosfishigncharters.com

ovember is a great month on the Treasure Coast. Cooler water and air temps will trigger winter migratory fish such as pompano to move inshore and invade local sandy flats near Treasure Coast inlets. Jigging and drifting sand flats in two-to-six feet of water is a great way to target pompano, sheepshead, bonefish, ladyfish, jacks, and bluefish. When you find a school of fish, anchoring can be a wise choice. Fish chicken rigs or pompano rigs with sandflies for steady action. 4 TREASURE COAST

Bill and guests with a nice haul after fishing with Capt. Victor aboard our 32 Contender Off the Chain. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Scott Fawcett.

pair of polarized glasses is always important, that’s why we all wear Costa Del Mar 580 lenses. Sails deep on the dredge, fish tailing down sea, birds in the sun. Being able to see these things, capitalizing, and not missing opportunities makes all the difference in the day. Keep an eye out for large schools of mullet out there, also as the mullet

Also, shrimp fishing with fish finder rigs around the structure will also produce plenty of bites from sheepshead, blackdrum, snapper, flounder, redfish, and snook. A few resident tarpon will still be lingering around post mullet run. If you can find some larger mullet, fish near a deep channel edge for a shot at late season large tarpon action. Live bait fishing for snook with pilchards can produce good action on warm sunny days, but expect to soak a baitfish for longer periods of time to get the strikes. Nearshore fishing has been great for Spanish mackerel, bluefish, jacks, bonito, sharpnose sharks, and the occasional cobia. November is usually the start of the annual Spanish mackerel migration to Peck Lake. Fishing near Peck Lake south of the St. Lucie Inlet is where we can expect good action on the Spanish mackerel starting this time of year. Shiny lures with a fast retrieve will

NOVEMBER 2023

run, is still taking place. Everything is attracted to a school of bait the size of a basketball court. Whether you’re live baiting or trolling, right now I definitely recommend having a couple spinning rods ready to cast. Pieces of float, following fish, and even casting at tuna blowing up are all things that you should be ready for this time of year. We use the Off

The Chain circle hook rods made by Blackfin while trolling or live baiting but they also make spinning rods too. I like the Carbon E series for both inshore and offshore applications. They cast well, are super sensitive and have a lot of backbone for lifting heavy fish. We catch everything from kings, sails and dolphin on them to snook, jacks and tarpon, they are great all-around rods. One of the most important aspects of your trolling or live bait spread are your teasers. Fishing without them is like duck hunting without decoys. Sure, you might get a few, but without a doubt, a good teaser will increase your opportunities by tenfold. We pull our dredges from Cannon down riggers, they have many options which help set out, clear, and optimize opportunities. They are also Bluetooth compatible so I can control them from anywhere on the boat from a phone or my HumminBird Apex units which are some of the best depth finders and fish sonars I’ve ever used. While this is one of my favorite times of year to fish, it can be a little on the choppy side. A good pair of bibs and boots made by Grundens goes a long way this time of year and whether you’re catching or not, they will definitely make your day a whole lot better being dry and comfortable. Whatever you decide to target this month, I hope your next trip is Off The Chain! Looking forward to seeing you out there. Please give us a call at (772) 285-1055.

Preston Downs with a nice nearshore cobia caught on a Rapala SubWalk. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Jonathan Earhart.

get plenty of bites. We can also expect some nearshore cobia action along the beach and near local reefs and wrecks. Large cobia jigs work great

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and or live baitfish on a small weight. Finding schools of migrating rays or schools of sharks will usually produce good cobia action. Tight lines!

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MARTIN COUNTY DEEP SEA

Capt. Rocky Carbia Safari I Deep Sea Fishing Pirates Cove Resort and Marina 4307 SE Bayview St. Port Salerno Reservations: (772) 334-4411 www.safari1deepseafishing.com

ovember’s weather machine will be on a setting of “frequent blow cycle”. This cycle will include fresh breezes of 15 to 20 knots that will accompany the first bona fide cold fronts that will begin to sweep across our peninsula and become the key component in shaping the offshore fishing playing field. “The wind is what makes the waves,” and strong velocity winds from the northwest, north and northeast will post up as frontal sessions that can “blow” for many days in a row, making for rough and choppy ocean conditions during this month. Consequently, there will be many days that will just not be fishable or will be prohibitive for small boat owners. Anglers must especially pay attention to offshore weather forecasts to identify favorable weather windows that will allow for safe offshore fishing excursions during November’s varied weather menu.

Despite the potential for choppy conditions this month, there will be favorable stretches of user-friendly days that will allow deep sea anglers to head east of the St. Lucie Inlet and fish the expansive and diverse reef ecosystem in our offshore backyard. Bottom fishing strategies will rule these days, as many species of snapper will have solidly populated the reefs from 50 to 150 feet of water. Lane snapper will be the most abundant, especially in near coastal depths of 50 to 60 feet of water. Lane snapper can be found around most types of “bottom” and will be best caught by deploying cut baits tight to the reef structure. Keeper to medium size mutton snapper will be found on the

Salty rewards in the form of many species of fish will grace the Safari 1 angers of November.

same reef sites and fall to similarly presented baits (use longer leaders, with baits presented just away from the reef structure to catch the larger muttons). Grouper will also be a favorite target species for anglers this month, as the “open season” on these bottom brawlers continues through November. November’s winds will be a double-edged sword for the near coastal ocean, as they tend to create unfishable days due to heavy seas, but these choppy and churning waves will also have the potential to help oxygenate the water column, making for a more active fish population.

PHOTOS CREDIT: Safari 1.

Watch the weather in November and plan offshore fishing trips carefully as open weather windows will present anglers with bountiful, salty rewards.

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NOVEMBER 2023

TREASURE COAST 5

FISHING FORECASTS

ST. LUCIE COUNTY OFFSHORE

Capt. Bo Samuel Pullin Drag Charters (772) 971-6661 facebook.com/Pullin-Drag-Charters catainbofishing@gmail.com

e are looking for cooler weather and cooler waters here on the Treasure Coast now that November is officially here. A few recent cool fronts, along with the fall migration, have seen an increase in sailfish, kings, and mahi in our area so now is a perfect time to head out the beautiful Fort Pierce Inlet for some quality offshore fishing. November typically brings some windy days too, usually from the northeast kicking up the seas, so keep an eye out for those “weather windows” and take advantage of our great fall fishing. Cooler water temps get the snapper excited so expect some aggressive action when targeting mutton and mangrove snapper. Bottom fishing is definitely the ticket these days with

Tim Ditullio with a stellar mutton on a recent charter with Capt. Bo. PHOTO CREDIT: Pullin Drag Charters.

nice size mangroves and big muttons being caught on the 50-to-90-foot reefs. Be sure to keep your bait on bottom and as always, current plays a big part in just how much weight you need. Live shrimp and cut bait work best for your snapper success. I also recommend keeping a flat line out when bottom fishing on the chance of hooking a nice sail or cruisin’ mahi. Plus, I keep a pitch rod handy as well for that possible chance at a keeper cobia.

Grouper will also be a favorite target species on the area reefs as open season continues until the end of December, except for gag. FWC just issued a new executive order that closed recreational harvest of gag grouper in Atlantic state waters, as well as federal waters, on October 23rd. We’re told the gag population is experiencing overfishing and this is part of the new rebuilding plan. Trolling is a great way to target mahi. Start at about 80-to-90 feet

of water and look for weedlines, floating debris, as well as color and temperature changes. Diving birds and flying fish may also indicate mahi in the area. Be looking for multiple mahi together as you troll since mahi are schooling fish, and when you see one, there’s usually more. Your best chance for a successful mahi trip is naked or skirted ballyhoo but be prepared for sailfish action, too, since they follow the same bait. If conditions aren’t favorable for long trips offshore, look for Spanish mackerel closer to shore and just outside the inlet. These schooling fish can be seen right on the surface eating bait and jumping out of the water providing a good fight for anglers of all ages. They are excellent fish to put on the smoker. We have so much to be thankful for here on the Treasure Coast with family and fishing right at the top of the list. Hope you all “Shop Small” this season and support your local bait and tackle shops like DeBrooks Fishing Corner and my home base of Little Jim Bait & Tackle. I have it on good authority that gift certificates for fishing charters are always a top gift for avid anglers and Pullin Drag has ‘em! Wishing everyone a very happy Thanksgiving and feeling grateful to keep Pullin Drag!

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NOVEMBER 2023

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ST. LUCIE COUNTY INSHORE

Capt. Adam White St. Lucie Flats Fishing Charters (609) 820-6257 www.stlucieflatsfishing.com

his year has been rolling by, I can’t believe we are in November already. It was another hot summer, and I’m sure we all are ready for things to start cooling down for the winter. Water temps have been on a steady decline and fishing has been starting to heat up. The wind will be a player more days than it won’t this month so plan your trips accordingly. Get out and enjoy the some of the great opportunities that the Indian River has to offer. Trout fishing has been exceptional for several weeks and I feel it needs an honorable mention this month. Twenty to 30 fish trips haven’t been

uncommon with some fish going into the low 20-inch range. We have been focusing on North Vero, Wabasso, and South Sebastian. Working spoil islands, mangrove points, and 2-to-4 of depth on shallow flats associated with the points. We have only been using lures on these trips. Our top producers have been the 3.25 and 3.5 Vudu shrimp, D.O.A. C.A.L.s, and HH split tails. Our trout fishery has been poor to terrible for the past few years so PLEASE handle these fish with care, and practice catch and release. The pompano fishing will start to improve for the beach anglers and river anglers throughout November. Once the water temps start to drop below 80, we should see quite a few fish push through the area. Sandfleas, Goofy jigs, and clams are all great baits to target these hard fighting tasty fish. Spanish mackerel will also start to fill in as the month progresses. Depending on your

Capt. Charlie Conner caught this great over slot snook on a jumping minnow while we were out “trout fishing.” PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Adam White.

inlet look for them around Peck Lake or Vero Cove. Chumming with glass minnows or cut sardines will keep the school around your boat. Clark spoons and Gulfstream Flash Minnows are two of my top producers when targeting Spanish.

ST. LUCIE COUNTY DEEP SEA

Capt. Scotty Gold Miss Fort Pierce Fishing (772) 766-0191 fortpiercefishing.com

s November is upon us, so is the full weather and the “cold fronts” tend to move through the region. With this the ocean temperatures will take a slight drop and snapper another tasty bottom fish will tend to school up. When this occurs, fishing tends to heat up and it’s a perfect time for new anglers, as well as experienced anglers to be able to catch a good amount of quality fish to enjoy for a meal. Fish will school up from 50 to 90 feet of water to which you will not need very heavy tackle to catch them. Use a hook dropper rig, a.k.a.

772-569-2723 North Location: 1803 90TH AVE VERO BEACH, FL 32966

PHOTO CREDIT: Miss Fort Pierce Fishing.

“chicken rig,” with a long-shank 2/0 or 3/0 Olshansky type “bait hooks” with small strips of cut, squid or freshly cut bait. I prefer using grunt strips, as they stay on the hook very well, are scented with oils, and seem

to be a preferred bait. You’ll be targeting lane, vermilion, mangroves, and mutton snapper, as well as porgies and triggerfish. Mutton and mangrove snappers will continue to hit the traditional rigs

With most of our hectic schedules we can’t always pick “the best” days to get out on the water. Formulate a good plan to make the most of the time when you do have an opportunity to get out and stretch your line.

with either live cut or grunt plugs for bait, as well as sardines or ballyhoo. Finally, you have a final opportunity to catch a grouper until the season closes during the spawning season beginning January 1. Grouper will be found on deeper reef areas in depths of 120 to 220 feet of water. As the water chills, king mackerel, cobia, and mahi will be caught on top water baits live or dead. Look around the reef areas and around floating debris. The Miss Fort Pierce continues operating on a full day schedule, leaving the dock at 7 a.m. and by reservation only, with never any crowding and a fully air condition cabin. We are also available for private charters. To make your reservation, visit our website at fortpiercefishing. com. Be safe out there. We look forward to meeting you on board.

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FISHING FORECASTS

SEBASTIAN INLET – The inlet

SEBASTIAN INSHORE

Capt. Gus Brugger Pattern Setter Charters (772) 360-6787 www.WelcomeToSebastian.com

ovember is historically one of the best months for inshore anglers in the Sebastian area. This is due to the variety of species that are present in good numbers. The moderate water temperatures of the Indian River Lagoon are favorable for both resident and migratory gamefish species allowing anglers the opportunity to target a larger variety of species. Tarpon, flounder, snook, pompano, seatrout, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, redfish and more can be found in and around Sebastian in November.

SEBASTIAN RIVER – Snook

numbers will continue to increase in the Sebastian River as linesiders instinctively work their way into the backwater winter refuges. Tarpon fishing will continue unless a cold front drops water temps into the 60s.

Topwater plugs fished in shallow backwater bays, along mangroves and oyster bars are an exciting way to search for a variety of lagoon species in November. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Gus Brugger.

Sharp and prolonged cold fronts, if they occur, will push a variety of species into the deeper warmer waters of the Sebastian River; including seatrout, ladyfish jacks and even pompano.

INDIAN RIVER LAGOON – The upper 60s to low 70s water temps expected in the lagoon this time of year are favorable for all the indigenous lagoon species and will also usher in the appearance of

migratory species such as bluefish, flounder and pompano. Anglers can fish their way as far back as they can get into the backwaters of the lagoon where they will find redfish, seatrout and snook willing to strike top water plugs, D.O.A. jerk baits, and live shrimp and finger mullet. Fish jigs, small plugs or live shrimp around the spoil islands to keep your rod bent with a mixed bag including trout, reds, ladyfish, bluefish and pompano. Seatrout are closed to

will continue to yield snook and redfish to live bait anglers both day and night. Pigfish, pinfish, croakers and shrimp are the best baits for inlet snook fishermen. After dark large bucktails and plugs take their share of snook. The big news for November at Sebastian Inlet is usually the flounder run. The first good cold front in November signals anglers that it’s flounder time. The harvest of flounder on the Atlantic side of the state is closed from Oct.15 through Nov. 30. If you want to try and catch a trophy flounder to get a picture, live mullet and mud minnows are excellent baits, and jigs will also do the trick for flounders of all sizes.

NEARSHORE ATLANTIC – There

will be calm days in the late fall, and when the opportunity arises it is worth a ride out the inlet to take a look up or down the beach. Pelicans diving will give away the location of schools of mullet and greenies which could and should be shadowed by tarpon, sharks and big jacks. Diving terns are usually associated with schools of glass minnows, a staple of the Spanish mackerel that are passing by on their southerly migration. Tight lines!

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occasional wahoo or dolphin around rips, temperature changes and weed lines. This will be good news for anyone who got new trolling gear and are itching to drag some ballyhoo. Capt. Terry Wildey The bottom structure from 160Big Easy Fishing Charters to-260 feet should have good numbers (772) 538 - 1072 of amberjack. There is always a good captwildey@bellsouth.net backup if the trolling bite is slow is to www.bigeasyfishingcharters.com catch some live baits, thread fins, blue runners or grunts to drop a big rod f the cold fronts start pushing down for an amberjack. AKA: Reef down like some Novembers, we Donkey! will see our usual push of Spanish mackerel from the beach out to 60 feet of water. Clark spoons and small feather jigs work great, always watch the sky for birds as well as for surface action since they’ll be feeding as they move south. Cooler water should move some fish into the 60 foot reefs. Live bait slow trolled on the surface around structure should produce some king mackerel as well as a few cobia. It’s good to keep a spinning rod with a cobia jig ready just in case. Cobia are curious Steve Bauch creatures that will often pop up with a nice when you stop over a piece of mutton structure. The 80- and 90-foot snapper. reef should produce some good PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Terry Wildey. catches of lane snapper, trigger It’ been an amazing year for good fish, and mutton snapper on the bottom. Also, good chance for kings weather. I’m hoping November gives and cobia. I don’t expect to see the big us more of the same. As always support your local cold fronts we’ll see in December and January but just a slight cool down tackle shops, that’s where we buy our will change our water temps enough bait and tackle. They typically know what’s biting and what we’re catching to move some fish. Offshore we will start to see some it on. “Fish on, gotta go!” sailfish action a few blackfin tuna,

SEBASTIAN AREA OFFSHORE

NOVEMBER FISHING CONDITIONS November 1

greater amberjack and gray snapper. This video also shows the survival of most of the coral recruitment modules placed on the reef. Deepwater corals like ivory tree have been documented growing on the Muliphen and Tug Lesley Lee reefs. Fish assemblages on the most recent concrete reefs, deployed at 55foot depths, are likely to include black seabass, blue runners, goliath grouper, snook, tomtates and various snapper species. Yellowtail snapper and cobia

To learn more about the St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program efforts to create additional recreational destinations or to learn about the program’s other projects to create fish habitat, contact Jim Oppenborn at (772) 462-1713 or oppenbornj@stlucieco.org.

Evening

November 21

BEST

Morning

November 2

BEST

Evening

November 22

POOR

Morning

November 3

BEST

Evening

November 23

POOR

Morning

November 4

POOR

Evening

November 24

GOOD

Morning

November 5

POOR

Morning

November 25

GOOD

Morning

November 6

FAIR

Morning

November 26

FAIR

Morning

November 7

FAIR

Morning

November 27

FAIR

Evening

November 8

FAIR

Morning

November 28

FAIR

Evening

November 9

POOR

Morning

November 29

BEST

Evening

November 10

POOR

Morning

November 30

BEST

Evening

November 11

FAIR

Morning

November 12

FAIR

Morning

November 13

POOR

Evening

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.

November 14

POOR

Evening

November 15

POOR

Evening

November 16

FAIR

Evening

November 17

FAIR

Evening

November 18

GOOD

Evening

November 19

GOOD

Evening

November 20

BEST

Morning

SOURCE: The Old Farmers’ 2023 Almanac

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FISHING FORECASTS

FROM THE SHORE

Chris Beachwalker Sharp (772) 320 8611 beachwalkerfish@gmail.com

CALM-SEAS STAY CHARGED UP

ovember rolls in with cooler weather which equals pompano, Spanish mackerel and trout. Snook fishing with still be hot with the last part of the mullet run. Look for snook around the bridges and docks. Can’t beat wade fishing for snook along boat docks with a live shrimp and popping cork. Look for the docks north of the power lines and the flats of Herman’s Bay. Pompano guys, look for when the temperature drops and stays that way for a period of time. My favorite place is either Bob Graham or Hobe Sound Public beach . Sand fleas are number one bait. The power strips

Janet Crockett with a snook caught on live mullet. PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Sharp.

work great too, just get past the second troth to get bites. For trout and redfish, look on the flats near Little Mud and Big Mud Creek near the power plant. On the west side from Walton Road north, I still like a shrimp under a popping cork, near docks. Another good area is flats with grass. Have a Happy Thanksgiving. Tight lines. away when bait it struck and you are free to fight the fish.

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KAYAK FISHING FORECAST

Brian Nelli Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters (772) 201-5899 Brian@tckayakfishing.com www.tckayakfishing.com

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” shrimp and a good ole bucktail jig are a few of my favorite lures.

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OFFSHORE: 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 180-to-300 foot of water. I like to bump up my bait size for the wahoo and slow troll goggle eyes and blue runners 90-to-250 foot of water. Try trolling one bait up top on the surface and one 40-to-80 feet below the surface using a downrigger of rubber band and egg weight attached to your line. The egg weight will break

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Peacock bass and clown knifefish will be chewing this month. PHOTO CREDIT: Brian Nelli.

FRESHWATER: Peacock bass and

clown knifefish will be chewing this month. Prop baits will work well for peacock along shallow edges. Try 20-pound leader and a 2/0 circle hook casting in and around structure and weed lines to get onto a few clowns with finger mullet and shiners. Look to fish mid water column and below by adding a pinch weight to your leader and get that bait in their face. Check out Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok for all the latest adventures my clients and I get into.

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BARGE HITS FENDER OF TRAIN BRIDGE, INTERRUPTS BOAT TRAFFIC By Ed Killer

barge pushing through the channel of the railroad bridge across the St. Lucie River collided with the fender on the southwest corner around 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 30, according to Martin County Sheriff ’s Office. To be cautious until a full inspection was completed on the following Monday, Brightline passenger rail service announced the bridge would be closed in the down position for the remainder of Saturday. Boats requiring more than six feet of overhead clearance were not allowed to pass through the channel at the bridge. Several boats were stranded on either side of the bridge until Sunday. Brightline did continue to run

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passenger trains between Orlando and South Florida that day and the next week without interruption. Several commenters on Facebook noticed that the bridge was locked down to allow train service to continue instead of up to serve boaters. The weather during the entire weekend was very rainy and not really conducive to boating anyway, helping to alleviate the traffic. It was unknown what barge company collided with the fender, where it was going, what is was transporting or where it was from. The barge did park in the channel under the 65-foot high Roosevelt Bridge through Sunday, however. Rumors spreading on

Damaged railroad bridge fender. PHOTO CREDIT: Ed Killer.

Facebook that the barge was carrying equipment for the train companies were false. The barge had nothing to do with the train company construction, a Brightline spokesperson told me. Also, it should be noted, the bridge fenders on both side of the drawbridge opening have been

struck many times by barge traffic long before the passenger train service was announced. The fenders are there to keep barges from wiping out the bridge. There is no word, as of the writing of this story, when the fender will be repaired, by what company or how much it will cost.

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Reflecting on this, we must s a fly-fishing guide, I find great joy in helping my recognize that other species may clients explore the beauty face similar challenges if we don’t of shallow water fly-fishing from change our ways. Clean water and my skiff. I personally cherish these healthy seagrass beds are essential, moments, as escaping the more crowded and overfished areas provides a welcome respite. Fishing in the serene flats and along mangrove shorelines is an art I’ve come to appreciate over the years, and I embrace this style of fly fishing when the right clients seek it. The natural diversity of fish that Mother Nature offers us here along the Treasure Coast is nothing short of spectacular. Most days out on the water, you have the privilege to carefully select your shots. However, when it comes to pursuing redfish and trout, our home waters in Stuart have faced significant challenges When it comes to pursuing redfish and in recent years. I have a trout, our home waters in Stuart have faced deep love for fishing these significant challenges in recent years. species, and to continue PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Michael Mauri. doing so, I’ve had to expand my fishing grounds. It’s an as is responsible fish handling and extra hour in the truck to reach sustainable fishing practices. It’s a these areas, but there’s simply no call to action we all need to consider other option. Our local waters in seriously. the southern end of the Indian River Lagoon no longer support a robust Capt. Michael Mauri population of trout and redfish, www.mauriflyfishing.com making it crucial to seek out better michael@mauriflyfishing.com opportunities. (772) 485-3321

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NOVEMBER UPDATE

Shifting Environmental Baselines

By Jim Moir, Executive Director

lorida struggles to accommodate more than a thousand new residents a day. Many residents of the state, both long term and new, don’t know or understand the natural history of the place they now live. This is not a unique peculiarity to Florida, it is a fairly common phenomenon around the world in the fast-paced culture in which we live. But it does present a problem for how administrations attempt to communicate regulations or intended protections for the environment to the public. We will probably not get to the point where there is universal

agreement or even a common perception of the condition of our state’s natural resources, much less why it got this way or how to fix it. Where I live on the Indian River Lagoon there is a fairly common consensus that the lagoon isn’t as healthy as it once was. Opinions vary widely about why it is unhealthy, how it got that way or what to do about it. Researchers, historians, and well-informed citizens collectively comprehend much of this but how to effectively communicate it to residents new and old is somewhat It’s time to protect the Indian River Lagoon and the elusive. near shore reef with National Park status. Telling the story of Florida’s real PHOTO COURTESY of Indian RiverKeeper. estate development Ponzi schemes or how the landscaping of Florida probably won’t convince the players profit margin in terraforming the has damaged the natural ecology to change their behaviors. The state is still too great. An example

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of misunderstanding the complex problem is like - the ole timer telling the kid that “you should have seen how many fish we used to catch here” and the kid interprets that as “the fishing here is pretty good compared with over there” so the old guy probably doesn’t know what he’s talking about. People naturally consider current conditions to be normal and generally optimal. When something seems to be abundant, beautiful or suites our needs we subjectively conclude our management strategies have made it so and we double down on them. This is called shifting environmental baselines. Timelines are tricky and people are naturally impatient. People generally relate to a fairly compressed perception of the passage of time relative to geological or biological evolutionary scales. I recently engaged in a conversation about rain runoff and local salinity levels and the biodiversity of the St. Lucie Estuary, where it was observed that Indian River Lagoon must have been “very fresh” before the inlet was dredged and probably had a different flora and fauna. My friend correctly concluded that the inlet provided an opportunity to exchange water and wildlife with

the Atlantic Ocean consequently the local biodiversity exploded. So, the 1892 opening of the inlet was a boon for the economy. But in the last 10000 years there have been many inlets that have opened and closed and the assemblage of life in the lagoon has fluctuated. The thing is, we are now in a different era. Climate is no longer a predictable stable feature of the world we live in. Change is likely to be much accelerated. Likely our perceptions of normal ecological baselines will shift even more rapidly as local extinctions occur and other species fill those niches. How we relate to abundance or depletion will depend on how we flexibly adapt our resource management strategies and how we perceive our natural systems. Our resilience depends on our attitude. I love the natural beauty and the sublime mystery of my local Lagoon. I propose we protect it by creating the Indian River Lagoon and Reef Tract National Park. If you are a business owner and would like to learn more about the benefits of supporting Indian Riverkeeper, email Exec. Director Jim Moir at IndianRiverKeeperFL@ gmail.com or call (772) 341-4953.

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J.J. Klarmann with a big tarpon caught in Fort Pierce on live mullet with a Penn Fierce 5000 spinner with 25-pound braid and a 50-pound leader. PHOTO COURTESY of J.J. Klarmann.

Eric Perle caught this 55-pound dolphin about 10 miles east of Pushbutton Hill on a single hook, small ballyhoo with a green and chartreuse skirt.

Gavin Dyall, 6, with his first keeper pompano of the fall season. PHOTO CREDIT: Benjamin Dyall.

PHOTO COURTESY of Eric Perle.

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Shannon Logue caught this 39-inch snook on a finger size mullet in the St. Lucie River. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. James Cronk.

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Kailani Birdsall with a goliath grouper caught at the Jensen Beach Causeway. PHOTO CREDIT: Monica Beiharz.

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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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SHEEPSHEAD

By Emily Hanzlik

Carry Anglers Through the Cold Months

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.

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FLY FISHING FOR BASS

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

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.

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

To see more from Tim Barefoot, go to barefootcatsandtackle.com. NOVEMBER 2023

NATIONAL 13

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!

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