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Inside: Paddlesports Review
SUP FISHING TIPS
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www.CoastalAnglerMag.com/Contest PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC J. MCDONALD VOLUME 23 • ISSUE 290
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Big Fish And Little Plastic Boats By Nick Carter; Photos by Eric McDonald
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hese guys stole a chapter out of “The Old Man and the Sea.” While fishing a 2014 kayak tournament in the Bahamas, angler Matt Eckert had an adventure of epic proportions. He hooked into a 500-pound blue marlin while sitting on the deck of a little plastic boat. It dragged him 32 miles over an 11-hour fight. Eckert admits he was unbelievably lucky to get his hands on the leader, making it an official catch before the fish continued having its way with him. “I grabbed the leader with my hand, and it was like a bomb went off next to me. It almost spooled me 10 hours into the fight,” Eckert said. “The only reason I was able to get the leader was he made a big airplane turn and swam right by me.” That’s about as extreme as fishing gets. The kayak trips Eckert and his partner Eric McDonald guide out of Boynton Beach, Fla., might seem tame in comparison. But there aren’t many who would consider catching sailfish from a kayak to be tame. Deep Blue Kayak Fishing offers standard inshore and freshwater trips, but they specialize in taking groups of up to six anglers off the beach in rigged-out peddle-drive Hobie kayaks to chase big pelagics. They don’t use motherships or support boats. Their location on the southeast coast of Florida is one of the only places in the world where their style of fishing is possible. At times, the Gulf Stream swings in as close as 8 miles off the beach and brings with it fishing that would normally require long runs offshore. “When the east wind picks up, it brings everything in,” said McDonald. “It brings in the grass and the baitfish, which brings in the pelagics.” Deep Blue doesn’t force clients on an 8-mile death-peddle out to the Gulf Stream. Less than a half-mile off the beach, the reef tops out at about 45 feet and drops precipitously into 100-foot depths on the backside. Within sight of shore, they drift with the current and slowly peddle-troll live baits from the reef out into 200-foot depths and back. Each kayak pulls a single bait on a kingfish-style rig, and six anglers working together can pull a pretty impressive spread. The fish are impressive, too. “We’re so close to the Gulf Stream, you never know what you’re going to get,” said McDonald. “It seems like everyone wants a billfish, and sailfish are our most common catch. It’s sailfish from October into maybe June. Then the rest of the year it’s big king mackerel.” A smoker king or 65-pound sailfish will take a kayak angler on a
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serious sleigh ride. The typical fight stretches out over 3 or 4 miles of water and lasts anywhere from 45 minutes to two hours. “We usually start out trying to get a sailfish first thing in the morning. Then you’re trolling looking for meat,” McDonald said. “A good day would consist of a sailfish and three or four more meat fish.” Kingfish, blackfin tuna, wahoo, mahi-mahi, grouper, snapper and cobia are some of the species that regularly find a spot in the deck-mounted fish bags. Because of a kayak’s limited range, Deep Blue stays in contact with the local charter fleet to share intel, and word of a good grass line might call for a trek out into 400-foot depths in search of mahi. But what kayaks lack in range they make up for in stealth. McDonald said they are sometimes able to peddle over and through bait balls and schooling fish that an outboard would definitely spook. “We just look like another piece of debris floating out there,” he said. “We get a lot of sea turtles that come check us out, and a lot of times mahi will be right under the boat.” Because of the physical nature of kayak fishing, Deep Blue limits its trips to five hours on the water. Depending on the wind and currents, a five-hour drift can take you 20 miles or more from where you put in. But they won’t make you peddle all the way back to the put-in. With a series of different take-out points, the end of a trip is usually a straight shot back to shore, hopefully in a kayak loaded down with fresh fish. Check out Deep Blue Kayak Fishing Charters at deepbluekayakfishing.com or give them a call at (561) 350-8764.
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Putting In The Time:The Man Behind The Design By Ryan Drygas
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evin Hawkins, owner of Kaku Kayaks, is not your typical kayak manufacturer. He’s a fisherman who tests and uses his own product and has made a living doing what he loves. In the quiet beachfront town of Tarpon Springs, Fla. Kaku Kayaks was born out of the idea of “life on the water.” Initially, Hawkins took up kayaking to get into springs, go scalloping, spearfishing and basic exercise. He fell in love with the ease of use, the peace of the water and the idea that you can pick-up and drop-in anywhere and take off to parts unknown. What started as a hobby turned into a passion, and an idea was born. At the time, Hawkins also had an interest in mountain biking, so in 2007 he started an outfitter shop to combine his two favorite outdoor activities. As time went on, Hawkins realized the products
he was selling weren’t holding up to his idea of a true paddle-craft, so he made the decision to stop reselling and focus on inventing. The idea was there, the knowledge was out there, all he had to do was find a way to put it all together. Hawkins spent five years working in other fields and saving money. All the while, he was learning the trade of roto-molding, studying different plastics, shaping, design and everything else he could possibly absorb about creating the perfect paddle-craft. Hawkins slowly made his dream become a reality by piecing together his company one step at a time. Eventually, the time came for Kaku Kayak to step out into the world of kayak angling. In late 2014, Hawkins took a crosscountry trip and tested his paddle-craft in every condition of water you can think of. From Florida to Texas, Hawkins fished rivers, creeks, lakes, inlets, offshore oil rigs and everything else in between. When he posted photos showcasing the Kahuna on social media, he knew he was onto something special. The Kahuna just might be the ultimate fishing SUP, designed, tested and tweaked by a hardcore fisherman. The response flooded in, with comments like: “Where can I get that?” and “That looks like a fisherman’s dream.” Requests for the Kahuna were not in short supply. Hawkins’ dream had become a reality, but he knew his inventing days weren’t over. The success of the Kahuna led to the birth of the Wahoo, a kayak fisherman’s dream. Designed to be simplistic yet fully capable of top-of-the-line rigging, the Wahoo will cut through the water like a downhill train. People from all over the country were noticing the unique design of the paddle-crafts coming out of Kaku Kayak. Still, Hawkins knew he could do more. The blended idea of the Kahuna and Wahoo brought forth one of today’s most sought-after paddle-crafts. The Voodoo is a combination of Kayak and SUP, a design that is a perfect mix of balance, comfort and mobility. We can only imagine what is going to come out of Kaku Kayak in the future! Check out Kaku Kayak at kakukayak.com.
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BOAT REVIEW NuCanoe Frontier 12
The NuCanoe Frontier 12 is an incredible fishing platform. Just spend a few minutes fishing on the Frontier 12, and you’ll be hooked. First thing you’ll notice is that, unlike other kayaks, it has a very clean deck with a lot of open space. There’s not a lot to get in your way, and there’s no limit to how you can set it up and outfit it. Solo or tandem, rigged up or stripped down, paddle, trolling motor or outboard, the options are unlimited. You’ll be blown away by the Frontier 12’s stability. It’s unlike any canoe or kayak you’ve been in before. You feel completely comfortable whether seated or standing. Your movements barely affect how it rides on the water. So, when it comes time to cast and fight a fish, you’re not even thinking about being in a kayak, you’re just locked in to the battle! Adding an outboard to the Frontier 12 is an ideal solution for anglers who want a great fishing experience but don’t want to spend a lot of time paddling. The Honda 2.3hp outboard moves the Frontier 12 at a very nice clip and is surprisingly easy to control. Whether you are going 500 feet or 5 miles, the outboard will get you to where you want to be quickly and comfortably. Then kill the motor, grab your rod, stand up and enjoy your unlimited fishing experience.
Learn more + find your local NuCanoe dealer at www.nucanoe.com | 888.226.6310
www.nucanoe.com
“The most attractive option for boat and SUP storage.” -Cabin Life, June 2015
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Paddlesports| 1. Log Kayak Rack
Looking for a way to store your kayaks, canoes or paddleboards? You’d be hard-pressed to find a sturdier, more convenient or better-looking solution than a Log Kayak Rack. Individually constructed in the U.S.A. from weather-resistant white cedar, Log Kayak Racks are extremely strong and durable. They’re built to hold heavy loads and provide many years of service. They are available with capacity for two to eight boats, and racks can also be customized to meet your specific needs. Need a place off the ground to store a paddleboat, rowboat or any hand-launched vessel? Give Log Kayak Rack a call. They’ll custom design a rack for you. Well-considered design makes lifting boats in and out of the rack easy. Locking down boats is a cinch with standard cable locks. Racks can be bolted to a dock or anchored to the ground, and there are even Log Kayak Racks designed to hang on the wall. Visit their website to see what Log Kayak Rack has to offer, then give them a call at (715) 543-2006 to discuss the best solution for safely storing your fleet of kayaks, canoes and paddleboards.
Product Reviews
1.
LogKayakRack.com
2. 2019 Hobie Mirage Outback
For more than a decade, Hobie’s Mirage Outback has peddled along without any major redesigns. With a kayak this close to perfection, there hasn’t been a need. However, for 2019, Hobie has taken the world’s best-selling pedaldrive kayak and made it even better. The 2019 Mirage Outback is a fishing machine built to handle any trip, from pond prowling to offshore expeditions. An extra-wide deck offers an improved and more stable casting platform and vantage point for sight fishing. The revolutionary Guardian Transducer Shield protects your vision below. The new Vantage CTW seat is roomier and more comfortable. Four molded-in rod holders, multiple deluxe H-Track mounts and numerous high-capacity storage compartments ensure all your gear is at your fingertips. Powered by the MirageDrive 180 with ARC Cranks + Turbo Fins, this vessel is versatile, fast, quiet and nimble. It now features the Kick-Up Rudder system with dual steering.
3.
Hobie.com
3. Kaku Voodoo
Kaku Voodoo The all-new Kaku Voodoo is the ultimate sight-casting paddle craft. This authentic fishing paddle craft has a unique look and performance. It’s part kayak, part paddleboard, with some micro skiff qualities. The Kaku Voodoo is like a personal deck yak. It has incredible stability, while maintaining good paddling efficiency. The performance of this paddle craft is lifted to an even higher level with the included Voodoo Chair, which is unlike anything on the market today. The Voodoo Chair has a beefy aluminum structure, a perfect amount of cushion, and off-the-charts utility, giving the paddler a high and low seating position, leaning chair,
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as well as a standing platform, without having to adjust anything. It’s mounted securely on 30-inch aluminum tracks, allowing for trimming as necessary. Top it all off with great storage and five Micro Powerpole mounts, which allow for multiple or single Powerpoles while also offering motor mounting. Check out the Voodoo’s higher-level capabilities today.
KakuKayak.com
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2. 4. Watershed Goforth Duffel
A dry bag is a necessity when you’re fishing from a kayak, canoe or SUP. Watershed’s Goforth is a darn good one. Step on it, stand on it or stomp around on it, no matter what you do, it won’t leak. The Goforth is a dry bag with mobility and versatility in mind. It features low-profile lash points along with a 2” nylon removable waist belt to make it ideal for on-the-go water enthusiasts. From the incredibly strong Airtight ZipDry closure to the 420 denier Cordura nylon ripstop fabric coated with polyurethane, it’s hard to know what to love most about the Goforth. Ideal for fishing, boating or just messing about on the water, this madein-the-U.S.A. duffel also features rugged carrying handles and multiple compression straps. Plus, it looks great on! Specs: Dimensions Rolled - 9”x16”x7.25” Capacity Rolled - 640 cu in (10.5L) Opening Size - 13” Weight - 1.5 lbs.
Drybags.com
5. Salt Marsh Skiffs Savanna
The new Savanna from Salt Marsh Skiffs is a kayak/skiff hybrid that offers a kayak’s ease of use with the capability to handle more diverse conditions and loads. Designed to handle two full size adults, it has a self-bailing cockpit fully loaded. The overall length of 14’ is long enough to accommodate 4 fly rods. The beam is 40” at the waterline, offering great stability that makes it a great fishing platform. The Savanna can be paddled, rowed, poled or powered depending on the need. It can putt around with a lightweight 2.5hp outboard or go long distance at up to 21mph with a 9.9hp engine. Perhaps the most intriguing option is the 3hp electric engine capable of cruising at 3mph with a range of up to 12-miles. For short bursts, the electric can reach speeds close to 6mph. The Savanna is right at home in rougher water and heavy boat traffic with a 14” free board. It can be easily be equipped for a variety of uses with the many accessories available from the kayak fishing world. If you’re ready to move up from a kayak and expand your horizons without the complexity and expense of a full-size skiff, the Savanna deserves a look.
SaltMarshSkiffs.com
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DeFoe Slams Door On Hometown Bassmaster Classic Victory B.A.S.S. photo by Andy Crawford
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or decades, it seemed almost impossible for an angler to win the Bassmaster Classic in his home state. Now it’s happened four times in six years. On the final day of the Classic March 17, Tennessee pro Ott DeFoe, of Knoxville, caught five bass that weighed 18 pounds, 14 ounces to win the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing and the $300,000 prize. The event was held on the Tennessee River in Knoxville. DeFoe’s three-day total weight of 49-3
helped him slip past second-place angler Jacob Wheeler at the weighin before a raucous home crowd at the University of Tennessee’s Thompson-Boling Arena. The world-championship bass tournament drew a record attendance of 153,809. “This is a dream come true—a dream I’ve had since I was a 9-yearold kid,” said DeFoe. “When we came over here and did the walkthrough the day before the tournament, I actually imagined hearing my name after the words ‘Bassmaster Classic champion.’ “For it to happen now… I just keep thinking I’m gonna wake up.” DeFoe lives in Knoxville—and since few others in the 52-angler field had much experience on the tournament waters of Fort Loudon and Tellico lakes—he was one of the obvious favorites coming into the event. But things didn’t go smoothly for him all three days. After catching 20 pounds during Friday’s opening round, DeFoe caught five bass that weighed just 10-5 Saturday—and he said that tough day might have been the best thing that could have happened. “If I would have had a good Day 2—if I’d had even 14 or 15 pounds—I might have been totally committed to what I was doing,” DeFoe said. “…But the fact that it just didn’t work for me, that caused me to just scrap it all. I just
went fishing today, and that’s exactly what I needed to do.” DeFoe spent Day 1 far from the shoreline fishing shallow tips of points. His primary bait was a Storm Arashi Vibe lipless crankbait in the “rusty craw” pattern, which he doctored with orange, red and black Sharpies. On the second day, DeFoe switched to shallow boat docks when a strong north wind interfered with his pattern. His bait of choice around the docks—a 3/8-ounce bladed jig— helped him land three of his five keepers on Day 2. He used the bladed jig again Sunday but moved to the outside wall of a marina after a conversation with Keith Poche, a Classic competitor who failed to make the cut for Championship Sunday. On the water Sunday, after boating one of the bass that helped seal the victory, Defoe said he was going to give Poche a big old bear hug.
Bassmaster Classic Top-10 1. Ott Defoe, 49-3, $302,500 2. Jacob Wheeler, 45-3, $52,500 3. Jesse Wiggins, 43-14, $40,000 4. Michael Iaconelli, 42-9, $30,000 5. Mark Daniels Jr., 41-12, $26,250 6. Brandon Lester, 40-5, $22,000 7. Wesley Strader, 39-8, $21,500 8. Edwin Evers, 39-7, $22,250 9. Dean Rojas, 35-6, $20,500 10. Brandon Palaniuk, 34-15, $20,000
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT Unsinkable Polarized Mirror Sunglasses
KING KRACKEN Outdoor Clothing Co..
Unsinkable brings a lot more to the table than just being unsinkable. Their premium polarized glasses feature lenses made from a proprietary lens material called Polyamide, which has the optics of glass combined with the lightweight feel of polycarbonate, resulting in crystal-clear vision. New for 2019, Unsinkable’s lineup now offers blue and green mirror polarized lenses, providing another level of sun glare protection. These lenses reflect glare from every possible angle and offer super crisp, saturated, color acuity. A proprietary blue light barrier filters harmful blue light, allowing colors to blast, and a hydrophobic coating protects against salt, sweat and smudges. Other features include anti-scratch coating, 100 percent UV protection, they are BPA free, and boast injected and decentered optics. All Unsinkable glasses are lightweight and impact resistant, and provide 10 percent visual light transmittance (VLT). Blue mirror lenses are available in six wrap sunglass styles, ideal for blocking out glare while searching out signs of baitfish or gamefish. Blue mirrors are best suited for bright sunlight conditions and are an excellent choice for offshore and coastal fishing and boating. Green mirror lenses are available in four wrap sunglass styles, which reflect glare from every possible angle. They are best suited for variable light conditions and an excellent choice for anyone who spends a lot of time fishing or boating inshore waters or freshwater. Unsinkable Polarized Sunglasses will never sink, but in case they do float away, you are covered by Unsinkable’s groundbreaking Lifetime plus Loss warranty. The MSRP on the new Unsinkable premium polarized mirror sunglasses is $159. To checkout their complete lineup of products, go to https://unsinkablepolarized.com/.
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Center sp ie Vaine By Jeram
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tand up paddling covers a wide variety of activities. From the casual cruise on a calm lake to adrenaline fueled wave surfing. But I’ve found myself spending more time on my stand up paddleboard (SUP) with a fishing rod. Two good friends, Chris Hollingsworth and Ken Hoeve, opened my eyes to world of SUP fishing. Hearing their stories, seeing the fish they caught and the ear-to-ear smiles are what inspired me. I grew up on a small New England lake, where I spent countless hours fishing. But I never really thought about fishing from an SUP… until speaking with Chris and Ken. Besides hearing the stories and seeing the fun times, the biggest appeal of SUP fishing is its simplicity. All you need is a board, a paddle and a fishing rod. Whether you’re an angler who wants to try fishing from an SUP or a paddler interested in fishing, here are some tips for getting into SUP fishing.
• What’s the right board? These days, manufacturers make fishing-specific boards that make fishing from an SUP easier. They are awesome, but they’re not absolutely necessary for someone just getting started. The most important thing is to find a board you can comfortably paddle without falling in. My general rule is a board over 30 inches wide and longer than 10 feet. It will have the stability to stand and fish, while remaining portable. If you’re concerned about falling in or losing your fishing gear, use a tether to tie it off to your board. Don’t tie gear to your person, it could hinder your ability to swim if you do fall in. • Where and when to go? Like any outdoor activity, and probably more so, weather is crucial. With an SUP, calm days are definitely better. Wind and rough conditions make it challenging, which eliminates the fun factor. Smaller bodies of water are a great place to start, as they are more protected from wind and do not have a lot of boat traffic. For these reasons, I prefer freshwater lakes. But a little experience on a board opens up a whole world of inshore action on saltwater. An SUP is a great, elevated platform to fish from during a calm day along the mangroves or up in the backwaters. • What to bring? For beginners, it’s best to keep it simple. I started SUP fishing 18
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with one spinning rod, pre-rigged with a single tried-and-true lure. It limited my catch, but having just one option allows you to enjoy time on the water without fussing with gear. Again, experience will guide preferences, but starting simple can save a lot of headaches. Of course the safety rules of SUP still apply. You’ll need a paddle leash and a lifejacket. • What to fish for? I really enjoy bass fishing, but some of my most fun days were with my nephews catching perch. Other people seek out trout in rivers and saltwater fish like snook, seatrout and redfish. If it can be caught from a boat, it can be caught from atop an SUP. Head out on the water, take a few casts and see what you think. If it develops into a passion, you might find yourself paddling a board that resembles a fully rigged fishing skiff.
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FLORIDA
By Capt. Michael Mauri Giovanni Marcozzi with a nice jack crevalle caught on a 7/0 popper.
B
orn and raised in Germany, I have traveled and worked throughout all of Europe. As a fly fishing guide, I have spent a lot of time in exotic places and have seen a plethora of different fisheries. However, nothing even comes close to the consistency of the fishery we have here in Florida. Long story short, I love Florida, especially the Treasure Coast. With the variety of species and the opportunities to catch them, it’s like being a kid in a candy store. Our neighbor, George Sawley, also happens to build one of the highest
quality skiffs on the market, Chittum. Last week I was lucky enough to go on a test run of their new 21’ Islamorada. I got to chase cobia that were following huge manta rays. I ended up landing a nice one on a popper off the back of a ray. This was an amazing experience! A few days later, I had a client, Todd from California, in my boat. We were chasing big jack crevalle along the beaches when a blacktip shark showed up. Todd landed him on a new fly pattern Capt. Michael Mauri with a pretty cobia that was I picked up at the Atlanta trailing huge manta rays when it ate a popper. Fly Fishing Show last month. As soon as that fish took the fly, it took off and made several jumps through a long battle. The aggression and power when this shark took the fly was mind blowing. Catching big jack crevalle on popper is one of my all-time favorite things to do in the spring. The number and size of these fish is very impressive. It reminds me of my days fishing for giant trevally in the Maldives. In my opinion, there is little difference in these two species. Recently, my German friend Giovanni headed out with me in search of these giant jacks. It didn’t take long until we spotted the first school. I slowly got the boat in position to set him up for the first cast. The 7/0 popper hit the water, and BAM, fish on! The battle was hard and brutal even for a 12-weight rod. Giovanni landed two more before we headed home out of pure exhaustion. What a great day! If you live on the Treasure Coast or anywhere in Florida and you fish, consider yourself lucky. For more info about Mauri Fly Fishing, contact Capt. Michael Mauri at (772) 485 3321.
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By Tom Fucigna Jr. Paddlers assemble in Bimini in preparation for the 80-mile Crossing For A Cure to Lake Worth Beach, Fla. Jimmy Buffett has signed on as an advisor to the board of Piper’s Angels Foundation.
A CF Warrior Joe Mitchell, who kayaked from Bimini to Florida, defines the Crossing For A Cure credo of “Bold in the Face of Fear.”
Lake Worth Beach, Fla. is the Crossing For A Cure Landing site. You can volunteer or sponsor a paddler in any amount.
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hoy paddlers! Are you ready to embark on a great adventure, for a good cause, with a wonderful crew? The Crossing For A Cure would love to welcome you aboard. This year’s journey from Bimini to Florida, scheduled for June 15, is open to stand up or prone boards, surf skis, outrigger canoes and dories, with a potential of $100,000 in cash purses for the competitive categories. You can paddle as a solo or relay competitor, or as part of a recreational relay team. One-hundred paddlers made the crossing last June, and more than 160, including many first-timers, have registered so far this year. All paddlers are accompanied by support boats and team members from the midnight launch in Bimini to the celebratory landing at Lake Worth Beach. Everyone is invited to prepare for the crossing by participating in our mentoring and training programs, and everyone involved contributes to raising awareness and funds to assist cystic fibrosis patients and their families. Crossing For A Cure organizer Travis Suit’s inspiration for his first crossing, in 2013, is his daughter Piper, who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when she was 4 years old. “CF” is a
progressive, genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time (www.pipersangels. org). When Travis learned that salt can help alleviate the symptoms of CF, he immersed Piper in saltwater activities and became inspired to create an ocean-based event that could help CF patients everywhere. Thus was born the Crossing For A Cure and the Piper’s Angels Foundation. We are proud to announce that Jimmy Buffett has recently signed on as an advisor to the board of Piper’s Angels Foundation. The ranks of “Piper’s Angels” now include hundreds of inspired paddlers, dedicated volunteers and generous sponsors who work together to support and improve the lives of families in the CF community by raising awareness, offering life-expanding activities, providing urgent financial support and funding critical research. The only thing missing is YOU! Follow the adventure and learn how the foundation’s “Salt Supply” program is connecting saltwater-based vendors and guides with CF patients. For information, go to https://www. crossingforacure.com/ or https:// www.facebook.com/CrossingForACure/.
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RETURNS TO FORT LAUDERDALE APRIL 27–28
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he twelfth-annual Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo, an action-packed watersports expo for ocean lovers of all ages, returns to the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center April 27-28. Produced by Sheri Daye, a spearfishing world record holder, The Blue Wild is south Florida’s premier ocean adventure expo, which features one of the most diverse and passionate crowds of exhibitors, speakers and attendees. Daye originally conceived the event as a fundraiser for Twin Palms, a center for developmentally disabled adults her brother attends in Boca Raton, Fla. She transformed her passion for freediving and created a must-attend educational and entertaining event where attendees can learn the latest techniques, shop cool products and socialize with like-minded ocean lovers. Spanning 65,000 square feet, the two-day, indoor event attracts 5,000 attendees and over 150 exhibitors who specialize in fishing and spearfishing, scuba and freediving, surfing and paddle boarding, marine art, underwater photo and video, adventure travel, beach apparel, boats, personal watercraft and more. Daily educational seminars and workshops are scheduled throughout the weekend and taught by world-class experts and celebrity-speakers like TV/movie personality Manny Puig; Chris Gillette, underwater photographer and GatorBoy; Vinnie LaSorsa, fisherman and captain for Jimmy Buffet; Ryan Myers, National Spearfishing Champion; Dr. Daryl Wong, expert spearo and custom speargun builder, and many other personalities. Topics include fishing stories, travel advice, freediving instruction, photography tips, fish filleting demos, speargun
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rigging, knot-tying and more. The popular Kids Zone offers free face painting, art classes and crab races – something for the whole family. “The Blue Wild is known for its high-energy crowds and fun vibe,” said Sheri Daye. “This show is like a big party for ocean lovers, and we attract a diverse crowd of locals, visitors, experts and exhibitors from all over the world who flock to Fort Lauderdale for its desirable and central location.” Returning exhibitors include Austin’s Diving Center, Bass Pro, Big Dog Tackle, Chaos Fishing, Contender Boats, Divers Direct, PADI, Papa’s Pilar Rum, Reef Photo and Video, Wong Spearguns and many more. The Expo is pleased to welcome new exhibitors such as Fishing Nosara, Pompano Beach Marine Center/Grady White Boats, Riva Motorsports, Surf World, Sea Tow Fort Lauderdale and Tropic Star Lodge. The show is sponsored by Flanigan’s Seafood Bar and Grill which has its roots in south Florida and likes to promote the same ideals as the Expo—family fun and saltwater adventure. Entry is $20 at the door (children 12 and under are free) and includes a free goodie bag (while supplies last) and free entry to the Saturday night After-Party which takes place in the second-floor VIP lounge. Visit TheBlueWild.com or check out a video from last year https:// youtu.be/Rx45HhDGTRs.
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By Tom Schlichter Capt. Bobbi Brady shows off a nice seatrout taken from Deadman Bay with Florida Saltwater Flats Fishing Charters. The skipper and her husband, Capt. Mark Brady, also run charters for scallops.
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he Steinhatchee River is off the beaten track. That’s what makes it worth visiting, according to Capt. Bobbi Brady. She and her husband, Capt. Mark Brady, run Florida Saltwater Flats Fishing Charters (https://floridasaltwaterflats.com), based a couple hours north of Tampa in Florida’s Big Bend region. “We get some boating traffic here during scallop season, but otherwise it’s pretty quiet so our fish don’t get beat up,” said Brady. “Mostly we’ll target seatrout and redfish, with a few flounder mixed in to sweeten the pot. Virtually all our fishing is done on shallow flats
at the mouth of the Steinhatchee River and out in Deadman Bay. Because there isn’t much development around here, the water is crystal clear. That keeps our sea grass safe, which brings in a lot of smaller baits that lure bigger predators.” Head out with either Brady and you’ll probably spend most of your time casting in 16 inches of water or less. Both trout and reds like to stack up in small depressions, troughs and holes, where they’ll feed aggressively on dropping tides. “Most of the redfish will measure 22 inches and larger,” noted Brady, “and the trout can push the tape to 27 inches, especially in February, March and April. To get to them, though, you’ll need to cut across the shallows. I have a 2200 STL Bluewave flats boat that clears 8 inches. That gives me a serious edge because I can access spots others can’t reach.” Private boaters can get in on the action without going too shallow. There is generally a pretty good bite right in the Steinhatchee River itself, although the fish there don’t run quite as big as on Deadman Bay. There’s also plenty of water to probe just off the flats. Grab some shrimp or cut bait and you should have no trouble hooking up. In terms of artificials, twitchbaits really excel in this area. According to Brady, most places will have 7 inches of sea grass on the bottom, then another 7 inches of water to the surface. Work a suspending twitchbait just above the tops of the weeds and you are going to score. Her favorite twitchbait is a Livetarget suspending Scaled Sardine in Amber Ghost. “That’s the one lure I can’t live without,” she explained. “It approximates the abundant pinfish we have and the predators just go and get it. Retrieve it with a couple of short, sharp twitches followed by a pause. It’s absolutely deadly.” If you’d like to try your luck on the Steinhatchee River and Deadman Bay, there are several launch ramps in the area. Brady recommends Good Times Marina (www.goodtimesmotelandmarina. com), which has overnight accommodations, a slip to go with each room, plus a great restaurant that will cook and serve your catch.
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“REEL LUCKY” 52’ 1989 HATTERAS CALL GREG HUNT: 561.926.8017
“BRIAN’S SONG” 50’ 1988 LYDIA CALL SCOTT LEVIN: 772.263.1208
“THRESHER” 43’ 2004 CABO CALL DAVE BERARD, SR: 772.341.3669
“IN PURSUIT” 42’ 2015 HYDRA-SPORTS CALL DOUG DONOHUE: 954.914.4303
“EXCA GATOR” 42’ 2003 LIBERTY CALL MARK MITCHELL: 407.435.6982
“TOUGH CATCH” 40’ 1996 GAMEFISHERMAN CALL GLENN CLYATT: 786.258.2434
“GOOD GRIEF TOO” 39’ 2016 ROBIN SMITH CALL DAVE MEYER: 561.722.1047
“BLUE SKY” 39’ 2010 VENTURE CALL BOBBY DAMAS: 305.308.0730
“NOLE IN ONE” 39’ 2012 YELLOWFIN CALL MARK MITCHELL: 407.435.6982
“FOUR SUNS” 36’ 2007 YELLOWFIN CALL TIM GREDICK: 843.607.7256
“THE OTHER LINE” 35’ 2009 CALYBER CALL SCOTT LEVIN: 772.263.1208
“TRIPLE THREAT” 35’ 2009 EVERGLADES CALL CHRIS VACCHIO: 772.263.0547
“CHRISTOPHER” 35’ 2007 SCOPINICH CALL LUKE DAVIS: 561.310.7450
“RESILIENT” 35’ 2004 EGG HARBOR CALL MARK MITCHELL: 407.435.6982
“OSHIN DOSHIN” 31’ 2005 INTREPID CALL LUKE DAVIS: 561.310.7450
28’ 1988 WELLCRAFT ALL CHRIS VACCHIO: 772.263.0547
“BARNACLE” 25’ 1969 BERTRAM CALL LUKE DAVIS: 561.310.7450
“WEEKEND AGENDA” 25’ 2014 SEA HUNT CALL BRIAN KOMER: 305.304.1015
2 CENTRAL FLORIDA
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COASTAL ANGLER Treasure Coast edition Serving outdoors enthusiasts in Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties.
Arnold and Damon Take First-Place in BCFA March Tourney
T
he Backcountry Fishing Association’s third tournament of the 2019 season, held on March. 2, and fished out of Little Jim Fish Camp in Fort Pierce, had a turnout of 41boats, beautiful weather and a total of 30 trout and 18 redfish brought to the scale. Lewis Arnold and Chris Damon took first-place, bringing to the scale a 5.28-pound redfish and a 2.35-pound trout, for a total weight of 7.63-pounds. The pair walked away with a check for $732. TJ Kiefer fished the tournament solo and brought to the scale a 3.10-pound trout and a 4.50-pound redfish, for a combined weight of
TJ Kiefer took second-place and the trout Calcutta.
Backcountry Fishing Association Fort Pierce, FL
7.60-pounds, putting him in second-place and earning him $440. He also won the trout Calcutta, which added another $200 to his winnings. Matt Canestrari and his alternate took third-place bringing to the scale a 2.89-pound trout and a 4.59-pound redfish for a combined weight of 7.48-pounds, earning them a check for $293. Monty Peters and his alternate placed fourth with a 1.99-pound trout and a 5.36-pound redfish, bringing their total weight to 7.35-pounds. The duo also took the redfish Calcutta bringing home an extra $210. Solo angler Zach Foltz landed himself in fifth-place with a 1.99-pound trout and a 4.87-pound redfish. His total bag weighed 6.86-pounds. The Backcountry Fishing Association tournament is a ninemonth circuit which runs from January through September, with a two-day Classic in October. The artificial lure only tournament gives two-person teams and solo anglers the opportunity to win cash and gain points. Redfish, trout and snook (seasonal) are the qualified species. Anglers attempt to bring one legal fish of each species to the scales for weigh in and live release.
Lewis Arnold and Chris Damon with their first-place fish. PHOTO CREDITS: Backcounty Fishing Association.
Teams must participate in at least highest accumulated points from the five tournaments to be eligible to fish season are given a bye from day one. the Classic which is a two-day event. The top five eligible teams with the SEE BCFA.................................... PAGE 19
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Florida Fish and Wildlife
FWC
news updates
New Shark Fishing Regulations go into effect July 1 At its February meeting in (FWC) approved changes to shark Gainesville, the Florida Fish and fishing regulations, including Wildlife Conservation Commission management changes for the shorebased shark fishery. Some minor changes to the original proposal were also made, as noted below. These rules are intended to increase survival of released sharks, improve information gathering for the fishery and address some of the public safety concerns related to the fishery. The rule changes go into effect July 1, 2019, and include: • Creating a mandatory, no-cost, annual shore-based shark fishing permit. (CHANGE: This permit will be required for all shore-based shark anglers age 16 and older, including those 65 and older who are normally exempt from needing a fishing license.) • CHANGE: Requiring those under 16 to take the educational
requirement associated with the permit unless they are fishing with an adult who already holds the permit. • Prohibiting chumming when fishing for any species from the beach. • Requiring immediate release of prohibited shark species when fishing from the shore. (CHANGE: Requiring anglers to cut the leader,
line or hook to prevent delaying release of prohibited species). • Requiring that prohibited shark species remain in the water (when fishing from shore or from a vessel). • Requiring the use of non-offset, non-stainless-steel circle hooks to target or harvest sharks when using live or dead natural bait (when fishing from shore and from a vessel).
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APRIL FISHING CONDITIONS Approved rule changes for shark fishing go into effect July 1, 2019. PHOTO CREDITS: FWC.
• Requiring the possession/use of a device capable of quickly cutting the leader or hook when targeting sharks (when fishing from shore or a vessel). • Defining beach, chumming and shore-based shark fisher (CHANGE: includes changes to how shore-based shark fisher is defined). • Cleaning up and updating the current rule language.
April 1
BEST
Morning
April 21
FAIR
Evening
April 2
BEST
Morning
April 22
FAIR
Evening
April 3
BEST
Morning
April 23
FAIR
Evening
April 4
POOR
Morning
April 24
FAIR
Evening
April 5
POOR
Evening
April 25
FAIR
Evening
April 6
POOR
Evening
April 26
GOOD
Morning
April 7
POOR
Evening
April 27
GOOD
Morning
April 8
POOR
Evening
April 28
BEST
Morning
April 9
POOR
Evening
April 29
BEST
Morning
April 10
BEST
Evening
April 30
BEST
Morning
April 11
BEST
Evening
April 12
BEST
Morning
April 13
POOR
Morning
April 14
POOR
Morning
April 15
FAIR
Morning
April 16
GOOD
Morning
April 17
FAIR
Morning
April 18
FAIR
Morning
April 19
BEST
Evening
April 20
BEST
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. SOURCE: The Old Farmers’ 2018Almanac
Treasure CoasT
COASTAL ANGLER PUBLISHERS Gary & Misti Guertin SALES Gary Guertin EDITOR/DIGITAL CONTENT Misti Guertin GRAPHIC DESIGN Laura KeLLy CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jayson arman Capt. Gus Brugger Capt. rocky Carbia Capt. Charlie Conner Capt. scott Fawcett Capt.’s Cole & Zach Hazelief Capt. randy Lang Jeremy Lund Capt. Danny Markowski Capt. Michael Mauri Capt. Giles Murphy Brian nelli Jim Oppenborn Cammie Ward Capt. Joe Ward steve Wood
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3/17/19 4:41 AM
fishing forecasts
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 Safari-1.com
G
olden rays of April sunshine will frame a picturesque near coastal ocean that will yield fishy grocery trophies of many springtime colors for offshore anglers. Despite springtime warmth, April can still be a month with many windy days. Strong, fresh breezes from the east and southeast can frequently rough up the offshore playing field making for choppy fishing days along the reef line. As user-friendly weather windows open, saltwater anglers will have "meat hunting" mindset as they venture offshore. Snapper, cobia, mahi, and king mackerel will all be at the top of the hit list for offshore grocery getters. Vermillion snapper will begin their several month
All varieties of cut baits, especially squid, will catch vermilion snapper (affectionately known as “beeliners”). Multiple hook chicken rigs or high/low rigs made of 50-pound monofilament with 3/0 to 5/0 hooks will snag these tasty bottom fish that tend to suspend 15 to 30 feet above the base of most reef structures. Mutton, mangrove, and lane snapper will be found at similar reef sites, along with the beeliners. These other species of snapper are typically found closer to the very bottom or bases of the reef structure and can be caught on dead or cut baits, as well as live baits. Large mutton snapper will also begin to show up this month along the outer contours of the southern reef line in 70 to 80 feet of water. Use 35 to 75 feet of 80-pound mono leaders after the sinker to best get attached to a jumbo mutton. Fairly consistent cobia action will continue through April with larger representatives of the species visiting local reef zones in 60 to 100 feet of water. Live grunts presented on a bottom rig will be the secret to success in landing a Colorful salty grocery trophies will land on fish box ice in April, big “cobe” this month. So, in April, like this phosphorescent mahi caught aboard the Safari 1. prepare for saltwater versatility with PHOTO CREDIT: Safari 1. a well-stocked tackle box, a flexible spawning period in April and will be and artificial reef sites in 70 to 150 strategy and in doing so, fully enjoy the golden days of April. found in large numbers on natural feet of water.
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martin county inshore nearshore
Capt. Giles Murphy Stuart Angler Bait & Tackle (772) 288–1219 Fishing Charters (772) 475 - 4857 www.stuartangler.com giles@stuartangler.com
T
he weather is warming back up, and with it comes baitfish feeding frenzies found along the coast and back in the river. Big jack cravelle can be found chasing bait just outside the inlet and inshore near Hell’s Gate and the Ten-Cent Bridge. We mostly use flies and lures with fast retrieves.
Poppers are my favorite. Diving birds can always act as a “fish finder” when looking for fish. The pilchard baitfish are showing up more every day jumping in schools near the flats and causeways. We’ve also caught lots of six-inch bunker baitfish inside Manatee Pocket before daylight. The greenies are at the Sandpile and Bullshark barge for catching on sabiki rigs. We’ve seen some tarpon early morning at the inlet rolling with an incoming tide, but there are also countless sharks competing for bait. The sharks may also be the reason lots of pompano have been showing up inshore, to get away from them. But April is always a great month to fish the flats and jig the bridges for pompano. It’s been a great year for triple tail caught along channel markers and crab trap buoys in the
Indian River. We are still catching snook back in the South Fork casting D.O.A. jigs and Giles Jigs along mangrove shorelines. April is a great month to try the Sandpile, barge wrecks, and other near-shore spots for cobia. The big rays can be cruising the coast as well with cobia under them. We should see less windy conditions as the weather gets warmer allowing smaller vessels to get outside the inlet. Snook should start moving towards the inlet to spawn during the summer months. They always like to use the Ten-Cent Bridge as a “rest stop” when migrating to or from the inlet during the spring and fall. There are many ways to fish that bridge, but the snook are always down on the bottom. Therefore, diving baitfish work best. If using artificials, cast
martin county offshore
Capt. Scott Fawcett
Off the Chain Fishing Charters (772) 285-1055 fishscottyf@bellsouth.net offthechainfishing.com
A
pril is here and none too soon. This is the time of year I look forward to since I primarily fish out of a center console. Calmer seas and great fishing for the next few months should keep us all pretty happy. April traditionally kicks off our dolphin season. Mahi-mahi...the fish so nice, they named it twice! Couple that with a late sailfish and blackfin tuna bite this March and we could be set up for a banner spring. Trolling and live baiting both work well this time off year and I encourage being ready for both. Whichever you decide to do, I definitely recommend a teaser or
The Cuttler family a few weeks back with a great catch of blackfin tuna and sailfish on a three-quarter day charter aboard Off The Chain. Happy 16th birthday Sara! PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Scott Fawcett.
two, to help attract the fish. Strike Point strip teasers and Fish Down Sea rubber shad dredges work great while you’re live baiting, and shad or shad/mullet/ballyhoo dredges work better when you’re trolling a little
faster. I pull my dredge teasers from Cannon 10TS downriggers. They’re a single unit that keep everything out of the way, pull your teasers at a great angle and offer auto deploy and retrieve along with a cycling mode.
Birds on Safari
Joe caught this snook in the South Fork casting a "Giles Jig." PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Giles Murphy.
up current, and retrieve down with the current to keep your lure on the bottom. Some good lures for this are D.O.A. TerrorEyz, Storm Swim Shads, and First Light Jigs.
This prospects your teasers backand-forth all day long triggering lazier fish to bite. As the water warms up, pulling teasers and baits down deep makes a huge difference. I still use my outriggers to pull my squid chains, and I recently got the Rupp 22-foot carbon fiber riggers which offer a much stiffer, wider spread along with pivoting pulleys. They are a game changer. Cobia, permit, jack, snook and more will all be cruising the beaches, nearshore wrecks and reefs in April. Grab a Waterproof Chart #36 by Capt. Bill Shuda at any local shop to get some of the best spots. Be ready with a jig, lure or crab to take advantage of these opportunities. Blackfin Rods makes a great 8-foot light/medium casting rod that I pair with a FinNor Bait Teaser spooled with 20-pound braid for these occasions, they’re perfect for everything. I look forward to seeing you out there this April, and I hope your next trip is Off The Chain.
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south indian river lagoon
Capt. Charlie Conner
Capt. Charlie’s Fish Tales Charters (772) 284-3852 captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com www.fishtalescharter.com
A
pril is here on the Treasure Coast and brings spring conditions to the area. Mild temperatures and windy days will be the norm this month. Fishing will be very productive as bait fills the river and the fish are hungry. It has been a mild winter and I am always excited to
welcome spring back again. The grass flats will be active with trout and redfish. I love using a D.O.A. Deadly Combo in April to locate the fish. There will also be pompano cruising the deeper flats. Doc’s Goofy Jigs are great pompano lures when they are in the river. Mackerel, bluefish and jacks will be plentiful around the inlets and channels this month. Small shiny lures will find you some action. April will bring lots of opportunities to the area. Snook fishing will continue to be good this month. Inlets, bridges and sea walls can give you a good chance at catching a slot fish. D.O.A. Bait Busters, feather jigs, live pilchards or pinfish are all excellent choices for snook fishing. There are many great areas to fish so plan on getting some fishing in this month. Bridges will continue to hold sheephead, jacks, bluefish and some
black drum. The sheepshead were in early and many have already left the river. The warmer water this year has progressed things earlier than normal, but there are still plenty of fish to be caught. Docks will hold the same fish and an excellent chance at hooking up with a redfish. The surf will hold whiting, pompano and a host of other fish feeding on the bait schools along the beaches. April is the first month that fish can enjoy all the many baitfish schools and they will be feeding heavily on the schools around the flats. With the mild winter, the water temperatures have remained mild and will be warming up more this month. Expect lots of action all around the area and enjoy fishing in April. As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby, it's an ADVENTURE! Good fishing and be safe.
Fort Pierce Deep Sea
Capt.'s Cole and Zach Hazellief Lady Chris Charters (772) 971-7179 TheLadyChris.com
A
pril showers bring mongo mangroves and ear-to-ear smiles on anglers faces. This month’s starlight is the grey snapper. April mangos are big. Really big. Especially here in Fort Pierce and we will catch and see many caught this month. The waters will become that crystal clear fish utopia and the weather is spectacular as we put the windy winter in the rear view and openly embrace that springtime feeling. While mangroves are a staple for the bottom fisherman, as anglers we love to catch them all and we will have an easy time catching mahi as the
Resident fish stalker Jon Hodur showing off his mongo mangrove snapper. April will shower us with these “size large” snapper. PHOTO CREDIT: Lady Chris Charters.
spring mahi run is on. This time of year, mangrove snapper are coming into their prime. Fishing in 70 feet equipped with a 4/0, a stiff bottom rod, 30-to-50pound mono will do the trick. Now
the questions is, can you outsmart a hook shy, dump-truck sized snapper? A twitch on the line, rod tip moved, that's when the fun begins. Once hooked up with a grey snapper, it takes off with a strong run. Then
Tim caught and released this nice black drum while enjoying a morning fishing with Emily. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Charlie Conner.
you are faced with the obstacle of structure. Mangroves prefer jagged, dense reefs and wrecks, perfect for breaking an angler’s line. These already intense fighters seem to have an at home playing field advantage. Once up off the reef and safe from structural break offs, be prepared for a bulldogging battle back to the boat. Also, remember that these fish are smart and too many break offs can cause the bite to shut down. This is exactly what makes the grey snapper one of our personal favorite fish to target and catch. Anchored up you can still take advantage of the mahi bite that will be heating up this month. While bottom fishing you are sending a delicious chum slick through the waters attracting and luring mahi to the boat. Take advantage of the best of both worlds and some dolphin to your icebox. We are looking forward to April and all the fish that will be caught. Tight lines and good vibes!
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fishing forecasts
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st. lucie county offshore
Capt. Danny Markowski
LottaBull Fishing Charters (772) 370-8329 lottabull4@bellsouth.net lottabullfishingcharters.com
A
pril is here and the spring mahi run begins! This is the time of year when the cooler water temperatures will start receding back to the north and mahi will be starting to come through the area from the south. Mahi are always in the water off the Treasure Coast, but with the fish working their way north, there will be even more and bigger fish in the area. There will be a lot of fish caught in the 30-to-40pound range and some upwards to the 50-pound range. There is even a chance to catch a few fish in the 60-pound range. Mahi are a great fish to catch with their spectacular aerial display of jumps and beautiful colors, a few in the fish box will make for a great day. To end a day of catching, the mahi will make a great dinner!
chances of hooking up, this will When heading offshore look like a bait ball on the move. always have live bait, if possible, After getting a mahi to the and fresh rigged ballyhoo. Start boat, always leave it in the water your search for mahi by trolling for a few seconds to see if there in the 75-to-80-foot range and are any followers. If more mahi head out towards deeper depths are around the boat, start using until you can find the mahi. chunk bait or squid to entice To begin, troll ballyhoo, naked them to bite. The bigger mahi and skirted, at 5 to 8 knots, in usually will only have one or order to cover more ground. two fish that will follow, but While trolling look for weed smaller ones can have many. Be lines, rips, color changes and aware of the rules, regulations, floating debris. While looking, limits and current lengths prior always have your trolling baits to fishing. If you run into a in the water, mahi will often large school of mahi there are stray from their cover and can usually some smaller mahi that be caught in the open water. will not be legal length and Always keep a live bait rigged should be released back to the on a pitch rod. We leave enough water as soon as possible. loose line to leave the pitch Preferred tackle would bait in the live well so it can be be 30-pound set-ups with grabbed and pitched the instant 30-pound mono. The mono we see school of mahi (or any line is best used for trolling to other fish such as a cobia under absorb any stretch from a hooka turtle). up while the boat is moving. When cover is found, I like If using ballyhoo, you can use to switch to live baits trolled at up to 80-pound leader due to idle speed. Mahi seem to prefer Josh holding a 25-pound mahi caught faster trolling speeds since it lively bait. If by chance you find in 150 feet out of the Fort Pierce Inlet won’t be seen as easily. If you the mahi but they won’t eat on LottaBull Fishing Charters. are using live bait, 50-pound your bait, try catching whatever mono leader is quite sufficient kind of bait is under or around PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Danny Markowski. and less visible. This is a great the weed line or cover and use that bait since chances are the mahi for mahi, a colorful or shiny dredge time to find the bigger mahi. So, get are eating those baits. While fishing behind the boat will enhance your out there and hook’em up!
st. lucie county inshore
Capt. Joe Ward
Capt. Joe’s River Charters (772) 201-5770 or (772) 461-1335 CWard11605@aol.com
Cary Drake with a catch and release snook caught at the Dockside Marina and Resort. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Joe Ward.
L
ook for a good snapper bite along the channel edges around the full moon. Try a live shrimp fished on a #2 hook and a half-ounce weight. I like a 20-pound fluorocarbon leader and about 24-inches long. Places like the North Bridge, Harbor Branch to the north and south of the South Bridge should produce some nice fish for a dinner. As the water warms up, the trout bite should be good at places like Bear Point, Round Island or the Midway Road area. Live pilchards will be your
best choice and free line them using a 4/0 or 5/0 Kahle hook and a 20- to 30-pound leader. If it is redfish you are looking for, then the flats and mangroves around Jack Island will be your best place and hard to beat. Try a live shrimp, small crab or a piece of cut ladyfish and fish it under a popping cork. The snook fishing should also be red hot around the Fort Pierce Inlet when using live pilchards, pinfish or a select live shrimp. Fish these baits around the lighted docks at night or drifting the Fort Piece Inlet on the tide changes. The bottom fishing for black drum, sheepshead and croakers will be good for anglers using a live shrimp on a bottom rig and fish around the area bridges or rock piles. Along the beaches the pompano bite should improve. Try using a pompano rig with a sand flea or clam.
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fishing forecasts
Sebastian Inlet anglers are hopeful that April's warming waters will fire up the snook and redfish.
sebastian inshore
Capt. Gus Brugger
Pattern Setter Charters (772) 360-6787 www.WelcomeToSebastian.com
A
pril is always a well-rounded month for anglers in the Sebastian area. It is my personal favorite month for achieving the inshore slam of trout, redfish, snook and tarpon. From the upper reaches of the Sebastian River to the Gulf Stream, anglers will have plenty of options and opportunities to stretch their string around Sebastian this month.
Sebastian River – Snook, tarpon and big bull sharks are available in good numbers in the Sebastian River in April. Whether you prefer to fly cast to rolling tarpon in the jungle like setting of the upper south fork or sit and soak a 12-inch live mullet on a grouper rod off the U.S. 1 Bridge, you will probably
PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Gus Brugger.
catch something picture worthy this month. D.O.A. shrimp and TerrorEyz jigs, MirrOLures and live mullet will catch just about everything you can encounter in the Sebastian River. Throw to rolling tarpon in both forks of the river and work the docks and shoreline cover for snook. Bull sharks can be caught on live and dead baits in the lower river between the railroad and U.S. 1 bridges, a little patience and a bit of chum will help.
shallow backwater flats to the deeper open basins, residential canals to the spoil islands, there should be some species of fish willing to cooperate with anglers. The techniques used to catch just about all the species can be as simple as live shrimp below a float, bouncing a D.O.A. jig or working a suspending or topwater plug. Whether you fish from shore, wading or in a boat you have a good chance of making a memory this time of year.
than the past few winters. This is being reflected in the early season snook fishing around Sebastian Inlet. Water temps have stayed in the 60s this winter and in turn, snook fishing has been very spotty. This may be good news for April anglers, as warming waters will undoubtedly spark the snook to stack up and feed at the inlet. According to Sebastian Inlet guide Eric Metcalf of Attitude Adjustment Charters, the dredging of the sand trap in the south west corner of the inlet has correlated to increased redfish numbers in past years so with dredging currently going on he is hopeful big redfish will show up with the spring warm up.
Near
Shore
Atlantic
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Anything can be feeding along the beaches in April. The waters within a couple miles of the beach can boil with schools of Spanish mackerel and jumbo-sized jack crevalle. Bluefish are schooled up just outside the breakers. Big tarpon, cobia, king mackerel, bonito and spinner sharks can be pursued by kayak fishermen launching from the beach. Jigs and spoons catch the Spanish and blues, while live baits, plugs and swimIndian River Lagoon – April’s Sebastian Inlet – While baits get the attention of the larger list of available species is the most the weather this winter was not predators. Tight lines. extensive of the year. From the exceptionally cold, it was cooler
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sebastian area offshore
Capt. Randy Lang
Sebastian Gypsy Fishing Charters Email: gypsycharters@gmail.com www.sebastianfishingcharter.com
A
pril can be a great time to dolphin fish out of Sebastian. As in previous years, expect a big push of quality mahi sometime this month. The fish don’t seem to be as finicky this early in the season, so finding them is the key. Try the usual tactics of trolling north/ south along weed lines anywhere from 120 feet on out. Baitfish on the surface or on the sonar in these depths is definitely worth a try. The edge of the Gulf Stream is always a good bet, and usually falls around that 180 feet to 220 feet range. Oh, and try a small bubbler placed way back to pick up that weary blackfin tuna, and a subsurface “wahoo” bait will pay off occasionally too. So, don’t wait too long to dust off that trolling gear, you may miss the best bight of the season! Cobia will still be around this month. The bulk of the migrating
away is a prerequisite. fish will be moved north but April is a great month for there are always stragglers bottom fishing. Spend some and resident fish. Investigate time catching live bait in the any flotsam in the 50-tomorning to catch the bigger 90-foot range for cobia and quality fish. Have your tripletail. I always carry a sabiki rod ready and watch mid-heavy spinning rod the surface and your sonar with a cobia lure and a light for signs of bait. Stopping for spinning rod rigged with a a few minutes to test those small bucktail or bare hook “blobs” on the sonar can be for tripletail. When you run well worth the time spent. across these fish, there will Even just a few baits will pay be no time for rigging, so off when you see the big fish be prepared. Tripletail will on the reef, and you can’t seldom refuse a well-placed get a bite. Try anchoring piece of shrimp on a #1 on some “lively” patches hook. Try a Cajun Thunder rather than the big ledges style floater with a two-foot in the 70-to-90-foot range. leader. This will allow you Sometimes the subtle spots to cast from longer distance produce better fish. When and prevent spooking the there are no sharks around, fish. The clicking of the toss a chum block out while floater will attract the triple bottom fishing. Keep an eye tail’s attention. out for mangrove snapper April marks the Sam Houston of Sebastian caught this rising to the chum especially beginning of tuna fishing tasty cobia, along with several others, by around the full moon phase. for some longer-range boats working the 90-foot bottom with a medium Freeline a small bait on a that are willing to make the bucktail jig tipped with bait. He enjoys 1/0 hook back in the chum 60-plus mile run. If you are using medium and light spinning gear. line to catch these Sebastian new to this type of fishing, monsters. Stopping the do your homework before PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Randy Lang. 8-to-10 pounders from attempting such a trip. Or better yet, seek advice from a local, safety precautions for this type of reaching the rocks is a great seasoned tuna angler. There is much adventure. A quality radar capable challenge on medium spinning gear. Best of luck out there! to learn about tactics and additional of marking feeding birds from miles
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mullet or croaker and hold on tight! With throwing the lures, I would recommend beefing up my tackle to 20-pounds or 30-pounds with a heavier 7-foot 6-inch rod and reel. The flats on the Indian River Lagoon will start showing improvement with schools of mullet and other bait fish showing up in very good numbers. Look for big jacks, snook and redfish pounding these schools of bait at sunrise and
fishing forecasts
FROM THE SHORE
Jayson Arman
That's R-Man Land Based Fishing Services (772) 530-8080 thatsrman4677@gmail.com
I
f you are looking for snook and flounder. April is your month to get out on the water. You will find good numbers of snook and flounder at local jetties, such as Fort Pierce and Sebastian inlets. Fishing around some of these jetties will make you go through a lot of tackle, but it will be well worth it when you catch that 5-pound flounder or that 30-inch snook. It will be pretty hard to beat a live shrimp on a T&A quarterounce jig head. Preferred color would be burgundy red. And always using lighter tackle such as a 7-foot 6-inch Tsunami Airwave rod with 10-pound braid so you can feel them really thump the shrimp. Like I said before don't be afraid to get
Local angler fishing with Jayson Arman, of That's R-Man Land Based Fishing Charters, caught this beautiful Indian River flounder that came home for dinner. This fish was caught using a Bass Assassin Sea Shad in the Panhandle Moon color. PHOTO CREDIT: Jason Arman.
a couple snags. Both of these fish like living around structure so you almost want to lose some tackle just so you know you are in a good area. If you want to target some of the bigger flounder and snook I would recommend throwing a Live Target
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sunset. As long as there is good moving water, there will be some pretty insane action. Having a top water plug and a Bass Assassin 5-inch Die Dapper in the Sun Gill or Electric Chicken color will be a must to have tied on. This is Jayson Arman signing off for now. Good luck on your next adventure and always try to learn something when you are on the water.
year offshore. Tuna and mahi should be starting to show up in full force. Pilchards and goggle eyes will be your best live bait options. Don’t be KAYAK FISHING afraid to troll your favorite diving plug as well. These lures work well forecast this time of year. Vertical jigging 230-350 feet will also produce Brian Nelli blackfin tuna and bonito. If you are Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters looking for a place to launch your (772) 201-5899 kayak, check out one of the many Brian@tckayakfishing.com county parks along the coast. The www.tckayakfishing.com fishing grounds off our coast are anywhere from 1-to-3 miles. Look INSHORE — April will bring a to work the 90-to-200 foot depths good glass minnow run and a small while trolling your lures or live bait. mullet run through our waterway. The Jupiter area will have some good FRESHWATER — Peacock bass, snook and jack crevalle action. Use clown knifefish and largemouth bass large mullet for the big girls. Smaller will all be fired up this time of year. baits, like D.O.A. jerk baits, will pick Try launching your kayak at John up the under-slot snook and smaller Prince Park and fishing structure jacks. A great place to launch the like bridges and docks for all three kayak is Sawfish Bay Park in Jupiter. species. Live baits like shad and This launch will give you access shiners will be best, but artificial to some great seawalls and docks. jerk baits and rattle traps will also April also brings tripletail into our work. river system. Look to target crab Check us out Pushin’ Water trap buoys and channel markers Kayak Charters on Facebook, with live shrimp to bring in these Instagram and YouTube for all the tasty fish. latest adventures my clients and I get into. See you on the water! Offshore — Love this time of
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APRIL 2019
PHOTO CREDIT: Brian Nelli.
Shoppes At Market Place
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
3/17/19 4:41 AM
Fly Fishing Corner By Capt. Michael Mauri
Always Have a
I
Plan B
n 1997, I made the best decision of my life, to become a fly-fishing guide. More than 20 years later I still love every second of it. Most of my clients and friends express their jealousy because I get to spend over 200 days a year on the water. However, it’s still work and sometimes really hard work. When I do have a day off, guess what I do? If you guessed fishing, you guessed correctly. Although I always check the tide, waves and weather in advance, it can change by the time I arrive. A few days ago, I was fired up to run the beaches with my boat and see what options I had. I made it through the inlet but turned around because of the rough sea. I decided to head back and explore the flats. The tide just started to come in so it was perfect timing. I snuck on the flats with just my fly rod, some tippet, pliers and a handful
of flies. There is no better feeling than wading barefoot slowly in the sand and searching for fish by sight. The first fish I came across was a redfish, but I was already too close, and I spooked him. I stood still for a while when I saw a few fish coming in. I couldn’t actually see the fish but I saw the very gentle moving waves. One cast a few feet in front of them, wait and strip - strip and fish on! A few minutes later I landed a beautiful pompano on my six-weight glass rod. What a fantastic experience in a perfect situation. Although my initial plan got derailed, my backup plan proved to be the right decision. What a fantastic day!
Having a plan “B” can pay nice dividends!
Capt. Michael Mauri www.mauriflyfishing.com michael@mauriflyfishing.com (772) 485-3321 PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Michael Mauri.
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APRIL 2019
TREASURE COAST 11
3/17/19 4:41 AM
diving forecast
Steve Wood
Deep Six Watersports - Stuart (772) 288-3999 Stuart (772) 562-2883 Vero Steve.wood@deepsix.com www.deepsixintl.com
A
pril marks the return of sea turtles in large numbers to south Florida and as spring gets underway divers should expect to see an increase in sightings on area reefs as water temperatures warm up. Hunters should know lobster season closed April 1 and grouper and hogfish seasons continue to be closed through the end of the month. Florida coastal waters are home to five different species of marine sea turtles that divers have the opportunity to encounter while underwater. Loggerheads, hawksbill, and green turtles are relatively common, whereas leatherback and Kemp’s Riddley are a rare treat. This time of year, mated pairs of loggerheads are frequently seen on the surface and once begun, mating
can last for several hours. This leaves them vulnerable to passing boat traffic. Care should be taken to avoid disturbing breeding activities. All Florida sea turtles are protected by the endangered species act making it illegal to harass or otherwise interfere with their normal behavior. Many consider it a violation to impede their direction of travel underwater. Divers are encouraged to report sightings of tagged hawksbill to the Florida Hawksbill Project (floridahawksbills.com) to aid ongoing research. Small silver tags are located on the back of the front flippers, near the ‘armpit’ area. Although grouper and hogfish are still closed until May 1, many divers are reporting them both in big numbers around natural and artificial structure in March. Scouting missions ahead of opening season are a great way to determine which spots maybe productive and which spots are not so as not to waste time once the seasons open. Hogfish season has only been in effect for a few years and with the decreased bag limit and increased size, their numbers have really rebounded well and lots of big alphas are being seen. Hunters should consider targeting snappers, cobia, triggerfish and amberjacks for smoked fish dip this
April marks the return of sea turtles in large numbers to south Florida and as spring gets underway divers should expect to see an increase in sightings on area reefs as water temperatures warm up.
PHOTO CREDIT: Deep Six Dive & Watersports.
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time of year. Each of these can easily be found in the coastal waters off the Treasure Coast and make great table fare, although landing one is easier said than done. Big mutton and dog snapper are notoriously smart and hard to approach, so many hunters will load spearguns on the way down and be ready when they hit the bottom. A diver may only have a few seconds to make a shot before the fish hide into structure or scatter out in the sand and being ready will help make the most of a short opportunity. A good flashlight comes in handy too when fish duck into holes. Cobia and amberjacks are usually out in the open but still are a tough fish to land since the minimum size limits are 28-inches and 33-inches respectively. Divers who chance a shot on a big one should exercise caution since
entanglement is a real hazard and a strong fish can dislodge a mask or knock a regulator out of a diver’s mouth. Staying clear of shooting lines and being aware where buddies are can lower the risk of being wrapped up or a fish getting away. Teamwork really helps.
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APRIL 2019
TREASURE COAST 13
3/17/19 4:41 AM
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14 TREASURE COAST
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3/17/19 4:41 AM
Stuart Sailfish Club, St. Lucie Chamber Partnership Turning Up the Heat on May Tournament Calendar Get ready for some red-hot fishing tournament action this approaching May. The Stuart Sailfish Club and the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce have partnered up to offer anglers the opportunity to fish both the Stuart Sailfish Club’s 2nd annual KDW Fishing Tournament and the Chamber’s 23rd annual Fishing Frenzy on Saturday, May 11.
St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce and Geico Treasure Coast present the 23rd Annual Fishing Frenzy in Conjunction with Stuart Sailfish Club’s 2nd Annual KDW Fishing Tournament
T
he St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce will host its 23rd annual Fishing Frenzy and Festival, presented by Geico Treasure Coast, on May 10-11, 2019 at Causeway Cove Marina in Fort Pierce. And, this year, the Chamber is partnering with Stuart Sailfish Club’s 2nd annual KDW Fishing Tournament. The tournaments will be held simultaneously, allowing competitors to win double the prizes by registering in both tournaments. Also new this year, participants of either/both tournaments are permitted to leave out of the Fort Pierce, St. Lucie, and Jupiter inlets. In the Fishing Frenzy tournament, $16,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded for first, second, third and fourth places, including $10,000 prize for the heaviest dolphin (based on the number of registered boats). In addition, the Fishing Frenzy tournament will award prizes for Lady and Junior Angler. Cash prizes for the KDW Tournament are up to $10,000 (based on the number of registered boats). The KDW Tournament will include first, second and third places, Dealer Shoot-Out, KDW Slam Aggregate and Largest Blackfin Catch. All captains are required to attend a captain’s briefing depending upon which tournament they’ve
entered. Those participating in the KDW Tournament are required to attend the captain’s briefing and check in on Friday, May 10, at 6 p.m. at Sailfish Marina in Stuart. Those participating in the Fishing Frenzy and Festival are required to attend the festival kick-off/captain’s briefing scheduled at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 10, at Causeway Cove Marina in Fort Pierce. Note: those registered in both tournaments are required to attend the festival kick-off/captain’s briefing on Friday, May 10, at 7 p.m., at Causeway Cove Marina in Fort Pierce. The Fishing Frenzy and Festival offers two days of fun for the whole family. Food, music, trivia contests, prizes, and a kid zone is sure to entertain everyone. Festival admission is free and open to the public. The festival kicks off Friday, May 10, and runs from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Fishing tournament weigh-ins of kingfish, dolphin and wahoo for the KDW tournament, and strictly dolphin for the Fishing Frenzy tournament will occur Saturday, May 11 from 2-5 p.m.. For those competing in both tournaments or for Fishing Frenzy only participants, weigh-ins will be conducted at Causeway Cove Marina in Fort Pierce. For KDW Tournament participants
only, weigh-ins will be conducted at Sailfish Marina in Stuart. Festival vendor and food truck space is available for $100 ($75 for St. Lucie County Chamber members) for both days of the Festival. Fishing Frenzy tournament boat entry fee is $250 before May 1 and $275 after May 1. Contact Causeway Cove Marina at (772) 242-3552 for information on trailer parking, dock space, and RV sites for the tournament and festival. To register for the Fishing Frenzy tournament, as a festival vendor or food truck, or for additional sponsorship information, call the Chamber at (772) 595-9999 or visit www.StLucieChamber.org. Registration for the KDW Tournament is $275 before May 4 for four anglers and includes a free raffle ticket for a chance to win a Suzuki 4hp motor. On May 4, the registration fee increases to $325. Additional anglers are $75 each. Membership in the Stuart Sailfish Club is not required to participate. Sponsorship and vendor table opportunities are available. For KDW Tournament registration, sponsorship or vendor information, call (772) 286-9373/Fax (772) 286-0415 or email Cheryl Bragg at sailfish@stuartsailfishclub.com. Visit www.StuartSailfishClub.com or Facebook/Stuart Sailfish Club. “We’re very excited to work
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in conjunction with the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce to make the process easier and faster by offering participants the choice of where they can check out,” said Charlie Conigliaro, Stuart Sailfish Club President. “We had a great turn-out last year but expect an even bigger roster of boats this year with the increase in payout and being able to fish out of all three area inlets.” ABOUT ST. LUCIE COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE The Unified Chamber of St. Lucie County is an organization of business owners working together to help grow their business through advocacy, education and exposure. ABOUT THE STUART SAILFISH CLUB The Stuart Sailfish Club located in Stuart, Florida, the "Sailfish Capital of the World". They were formed over 78 years ago and incorporated in January of 1941. They are one of the oldest sport fishing clubs in the United States, formed for the purpose of promoting the conservation of game fish and encouraging visitors to fish in Martin County waters. The Stuart Sailfish club is chartered as a 501©3 organization. They currently have over 350 members with over 200 boats in the member fleet. Membership is open to the public and all boaters, as well as those who do not own boats or do not fish, are welcome to join.
APRIL 2019
TREASURE COAST 15
3/17/19 4:42 AM
Indian Hills STA Oyster Reef Deployment of the Indian Hills Stormwater Treatment Area (STA) Oyster Reef was completed in March. On March 9, volunteers from the St. Lucie County Oyster Reef Program
deployed another 550 modules in 12 separate reefs (4 deep reefs, 8 shallow reefs). The deeper reefs are intended to provide habitat for creatures such as oysters, mussels, crabs, and shrimp while it is hoped that the shallower reefs help stabilize sands to prevent covering of seagrasses. All of the reefs will provide forage
for shorebirds that inhabit the area. On March 12, volunteers deployed another 200 modules and the reefs were finally finished on March 16 with volunteers placing the last 200 modules. The Indian Hills STA Oyster Reef was designed to improve fish habitat in the Indian River Lagoon. Part of
this improvement is designed to promote seagrass regeneration along Indian River Drive. Older residents can remember when seagrasses flourished along Indian River Drive. Now the areas of the Indian River Lagoon next to stormwater outfalls are little more than sandbars. Seagrasses have flourished around many, but not all, of the St. Lucie County oyster reefs. On March 12, 2019, a small sprig of shoalgrass (Halodule wrightii) was found washed up along the shoreline and
PHOTO CREDITS: St. Lucie Coastal Resources.
St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program Update
ABOVE: In early March, this small sprig of shoalgrass (Halodule wrightii) was found washed up along the shoreline. It was planted near one of the oyster reefs. LEFT: The new oyster reefs have already started attracting and stabilizing sediments into shoals.
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16 TREASURE COAST
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3/17/19 4:42 AM
Have you been injured on a boat? PHOTO CREDITS: St. Lucie Coastal Resources.
When other people or entities are to blame for injury on a boat or in car accidents, the injured party may have the ability to hold the responsible parties accountable for their negligence by filing personal injury lawsuits against them.
Call Capt. Jonathon T. Eberst, ESQ. A family visiting the Treasure Coast from Wisconsin check out the Voici Bernadette’s ship’s wheel on display at the Manatee Visitor Center.
or visit our office today
101 SE Martin Luther King Blvd. Stuart, FL 34994 (772) CALL-JON • jeberst@eberstlaw.com
WWW.EbErSTlaW.Com
was planted near one of the oyster reefs. Natural recruitment of this seagrass is hoped to start a cascade of water quality improvements in the area. Along with increased water quality in the area, there will be increased habitat for small crabs and shrimp. These organisms provide forage for many shorebirds, including the great blue heron (Ardea herodias), great egret (Ardea alba), and American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliates), all of which have been seen on St. Lucie County oyster reefs. Birds foraging on oyster reefs will eventually lead to bird guano which may help fertilize developing seagrass beds. It is hoped that oyster reefs along the shoreline of the Indian River Lagoon can help stabilize the shoreline, preventing sediments that have been deposited through the stormwater outfalls from shifting onto seagrass beds that may recruit to the area. With high waves and currents, unconsolidated sediments can wash into the Lagoon. Even if the sediments do not cover seagrasses entirely, if they get washed into the water column, they can increase turbidity, reducing the light necessary for seagrasses to photosynthesize. The new oyster reefs have already started attracting and stabilizing sediments into shoals. The permit for the Indian Hills oyster reef calls for the installation of subtidal artificial reef modules. Ecosystems juvenile fish habitat modules, manufactured locally by the County’s artificial reef contractor, McCulley Marine Services, will create additional habitat for many species of fish that develop into
juveniles before leaving for St. Lucie County’s offshore artificial reef sites. These modules will also create refuge for juvenile invertebrates such as lobster (Panulirus argus) and stone crab (Menippe mercenaria).
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undraising for the deployment of the Voici Bernadette continues. The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of Florida and the Music City Chapter of the CCA have teamed up to become involved in fundraising efforts. The CCA is auctioning memorabilia salvaged from the Voici Bernadette and on display locally at several of its annual chapter meetings around the state. MMPS fundraising efforts continued with a photo shoot of The Parisian Hostess on the ship, continued sales of memorial plaques, and confirmation of grant funding from a large outdoors corporation. Team Frapper has visited the ship in search or places to attach its lionfish attracting device. Keeping this vessel relatively clear of the invasive lionfish will be an important part of maintaining the ecological and recreation roles of this new reef. For more information on the St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program, or to volunteer to create oyster reefs in St. Lucie County, or obtain more details/volunteer on the deployment of the Voici Bernadette, contact Jim Oppenborn, St. Lucie County Coastal Resources Coordinator, at (772) 462-1713 or oppenbornj@stlucieco.org.
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TREASURE COAST 17
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APRIL Day
Time
1M 2TU 3W 4TH 5F 6SA 7SU 8M 9TU 10W
12:29 AM 7:03 AM 12:55 PM 7:18 PM 1:14 AM 7:44 AM 1:36 PM 8:02 PM 1:54 AM 8:23 AM 2:13 PM 8:43 PM 2:31 AM 9:00 AM 2:47 PM 9:22 PM 3:07 AM 9:36 AM 3:21 PM 10:00 PM 3:42 AM 10:12 AM 3:55 PM 10:39 PM 4:18 AM 10:49 AM 4:30 PM 11:19 PM 4:55 AM 11:26 AM 5:09 PM 12:01 AM 5:36 AM 12:06 PM 5:52 PM 12:47 AM 6:23 AM 12:51 PM 6:43 PM
height 0.2 2.1 0.29 2.11 0.14 2.2 0.17 2.23 0.08 2.29 0.05 2.35 0.04 2.36 -0.04 2.44 0.01 2.39 -0.12 2.5 0.02 2.39 -0.17 2.52 0.05 2.36 -0.19 2.51 0.1 2.31 -0.18 2.46 0.18 2.25 -0.15 2.4 0.26 2.19 -0.09
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
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2.32 0.34 2.14 -0.02 2.27 0.38 2.12 0.02 2.26 0.34 2.16 0 2.31 0.21 2.29 -0.07 2.43 0.02 2.47 -0.16 2.56 -0.2 2.67 -0.25 2.69 -0.39 2.83 -0.3 2.77 -0.53 2.94 -0.31 2.8 -0.59 2.97 -0.27 2.76 -0.56 2.92
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
21SU 4:23 AM 10:49 AM 4:41 PM 11:24 PM 22M 5:10 AM 11:33 AM 5:27 PM 23TU 12:09 AM 5:58 AM 12:18 PM 6:16 PM 24W 12:56 AM 6:48 AM 1:04 PM 7:07 PM 25TH 1:44 AM 7:42 AM 1:54 PM 8:03 PM 26F 2:36 AM 8:40 AM 2:49 PM 9:03 PM 27SA 3:32 AM 9:41 AM 3:50 PM 10:03 PM 28SU 4:29 AM 10:39 AM 4:52 PM 11:00 PM 29M 5:24 AM 11:30 AM 5:50 PM 11:51 PM 30TU 6:14 AM 12:16 PM 6:42 PM
-0.17 2.67 -0.46 2.79 -0.03 2.53 -0.31 2.63 0.14 2.38 -0.12 2.44 0.3 2.21 0.08 2.26 0.45 2.07 0.24 2.12 0.54 1.96 0.36 2.03 0.57 1.92 0.42 2 0.53 1.94 0.42 2.04 0.43 2.02 0.38 2.11 0.31 2.15
Sebastian (Inlet)
Vero (Ocean) 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 -48 min Low Tide -24 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide .93 feet Low Tide 1.0 foot
Located in Publix Plaza (772) 283-9002 878 SW Federal Hwy. www.surfcentralsurfshop.com Stuart, FL 34994
11TH 1:39 AM 7:18 AM 1:45 PM 7:43 PM 12F 2:38 AM 8:22 AM 2:49 PM 8:51 PM 13SA 3:44 AM 9:33 AM 4:01 PM 10:02 PM 14SU 4:51 AM 10:41 AM 5:13 PM 11:09 PM 16M 5:54 AM 11:43 AM 6:19 PM 16TU 12:10 AM 6:51 AM 12:39 PM 7:19 PM 17W 1:06 AM 7:44 AM 1:31 PM 8:13 PM 18TH 1:59 AM 8:33 AM 2:20 PM 9:04 PM 19F 2:48 AM 9:20 AM 3:08 PM 9:52 PM 20SA 3:36 AM 10:05 AM 3:54 PM 10:38 PM
TIME OFFSET High Tide +2 hrs; 17 min Low Tide +3 hrs; 4 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide .48 feet Low Tide .92 feet
TIME OFFSET High Tide +55 Low Tide +1 hr; 42 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide 1 foot Low Tide .50 feet
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
Fort Pierce
TIME OFFSET High Tide -10 min Low Tide -9 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide 1.08 feet Low Tide 1.42 feet
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3/17/19 4:42 AM
Matt Canestrari and his alternate took third-place.
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night before (Friday, April 5) at Little Jim Fish Camp.
The remaining eligible teams compete on an elimination basis the first day, For more information, call (772) where only the top five teams of day 882-8721 or visit the Backcountry one progress to day two to compete Fishing Association on Facebook. against the season point leaders for the grand prize and cash for the top four teams. Membership fees are $25 for the year. To enter the tournament each month, the fee is $60 per team. The fourth tournament of the series takes place on Monty Peters and his alternate angler took Saturday, April 6, with fourth-place, along with the redfish Calcutta. a captain’s meeting the
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Home of Garmin on the Treasure Coast
| APRIL 2019
TREASURE COAST 19
3/17/19 4:42 AM
TREASURE COAST CASTERS RECAPS
T
Evans and Rochedieu Take First-Place in TCC February Inshore Tournament
reasure Coast Casters (TCC) held its sixth Senior Division inshore tournament of the 2018-19 season on Feb. 17, 2019. Beautiful weather greeted the anglers, however, a live shrimp shortage meant changing tactics, and despite frozen shrimp and the use of artificials, anglers rose to the challenge and fish were brought to the scale to weigh. Andrew Evans took first-place in the High School Division and Michael Rochedieu took the first-place spot in the Middle School Division. Brothers Joshua and Jeffrey Richter reported a good trout bite, but their Andrew Evans, Michael Rochedieu, catches ranged a half-inch short. Nick and Zack Sines reported catches of 2.31-pound sheepshead. 2.75-pound sheepshead. PHOTO CREDITS: Treasure Coast Casters. mangrove snapper, blue runners, lane snapper and a few other species, and like the Richter’s, their catches were too small to count. Andrew Evans caught two sheepshead, one weighing in at 2.31-pounds, along with two Target Live Bait Lure, as well as other fishing items. mangrove snapper and a trout. Michael Rochedieu caught two sheepshead, “A big thank you to Capt. John Smith of Florida Airboat Excursions for one weighing in at 2.75-pounds, and a large bluefish. the trip he hosted to our Casters the eve of the tournament. We learned a lot about the marsh animals, their habits and the native vegetation”, shared Middle School Division RESULTS tournament co-chair Cammie Ward. • 1st Place: Michael Rochedieu - St. Anastasia - 40 points Treasure Coast Casters offers experiences that educate young anglers on the importance of marine conservation, while maintaining a sustainable • 2nd & 3rd Place: No fish weighed and healthy estuary and marine environment. The all-volunteer non-profit High School Division RESULTS offers two fishing tournament divisions, a Junior Division for youth 5-11, • 1st Place: Andrew Evans - John Carroll - 80 points and a Senior Division for youth 12-18. There is no cost to join or to fish a tournament. Anglers bring their own bait and fishing gear. • 2nd & 3rd Place: No fish weighed For the latest tournament news and updates, follow the Treasure Coast Biggest fish of the tournament, a 2.75-pound sheepshead, was caught Casters Facebook page. by Michael Rochedieu, which earned him a trophy, and a rod and reel Cammie and Capt. Joe Ward combo donated by the Fishing Center. www.treasurecoastcasters.org Both first-place winners received trophies and prize bags containing a (772) 201-5773
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PHOTO CREDIT: FWC/Karen Parker.
Royal terns standing over their chicks.
FWC reminds the public:
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Nesting Waterbirds Need Room to Breed
ive waterbirds room to breed this nesting season. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Audubon Florida are reminding boaters and beachgoers to watch out for nesting birds. “It is very important to limit the disturbance of nesting waterbirds,” said FWC biologist Nancy Douglass. “When these birds are forced to leave their nests, their eggs and chicks are left vulnerable to heat and predators. By respectfully sharing our beaches and waterways with these birds, people can help ensure their survival.” Shorebirds and seabirds build shallow nests out of sand and shells on beaches in spring and summer, and eggs and chicks are difficult to see. Shorebird nests, eggs and chicks are well-camouflaged and can easily be missed and even stepped on unless people know to look out for them. The snowy plover, least tern, black skimmer, American oystercatcher and Wilson’s plover are several of Florida’s beachnesting bird species facing conservation challenges. Wading birds, such as herons and egrets, and pelicans are also nesting now. They typically nest in mangroves and on tree islands around the state. Nesting waterbirds can be easily disturbed if people approach too closely. Such disturbance can cause birds to abandon their nesting sites, exposing eggs and chicks to predators, sun exposure and other harm. “With last year’s double-whammy of red tide and Hurricane Michael, coastal-nesting birds could be facing a challenging 2019,” said Julie Wraithmell, Executive Director of Audubon 22 TREASURE COAST
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Florida. “Beachgoers and boaters can do their part by respecting posted areas—giving the birds some breeding room.” The FWC has established Critical Wildlife Areas to protect congregations of one or more species of wildlife from human disturbance during critical life activities such as nesting, feeding or migration. People can help keep nesting birds safe by keeping their distance from CWAs and other areas where birds are nesting or raising young. In addition to observing the marked-off areas around CWAs, people can also help by following a few simple steps while enjoying the beach this season: • Keep your distance from birds, on the beach or on the water. If birds become agitated or leave their nests, you are too close. A general rule is to stay at least 300 feet from a nest. Birds calling out loudly and dive-bombing are signals for you to back off. • Respect posted areas. Avoid entering any area marked with signs for nesting birds and use designated walkways when possible. • Never intentionally force birds to fly or run. This causes them to use energy needed for nesting, and eggs and chicks may be left vulnerable to the sun’s heat or predators. Teach children not to chase shorebirds and seabirds and kindly ask fellow beachgoers to do the same. Shorebirds and seabirds outside of posted areas may be feeding or resting and need to do so without disturbance. • It is best to not take pets to the beach, but if you do, keep them leashed and avoid shorebird and seabird nesting areas. Pets are not permitted on many beaches, including state parks, so always
check and be respectful of these rules when preparing for a day at the beach. • Keep the beach clean and do not feed wildlife. Food scraps attract predators, such as raccoons and crows, which can prey on shorebird eggs and chicks. Litter on beaches can entangle birds and other wildlife. • Spread the word. If you see people disturbing nesting birds, gently let them know how their actions may hurt the birds’ survival. If they continue to disturb nesting birds, report it to the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922), #FWC or *FWC on a cellphone or by texting Tip@ MyFWC.com. You may also report nests that are not posted to our Wildlife Alert Program. Interested in doing more to protect nesting coastal birds? Email flconservation@audubon.org for opportunities to chaperone vulnerable baby birds with Audubon at a beach near you or visit FL.Audubon.org and scroll over the “Conservation” tab at the top, then click on “Coastal Conservation” and “Coastal Bird Stewardship." For more information, go to MyFWC.com/ Shorebirds and download the “Share the Beach with Beach-Nesting Birds” brochure. Or go to the Florida Shorebird Alliance website at FLShorebirdAlliance.org to learn more about how to participate in shorebird and seabird conservation efforts. For more information about Florida’s CWAs, visit MyFWC.com/CWA.
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PHOTO CREDIT: FWC/Karen Parker.
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For more information contact the Stuart Sailfish Club Foundation at Sailfish@StuartSailfishClub.com or call (772) 286-9373. Follow us on Facebook or visit our website at www.StuartSailfishClub.com Mailing address: P.O. Box 1498, Port Salerno, FL 34992 • Physical address: 3867 SE Evans Terrace, Stuart, FL 34997 The Stuart Sailfish Club Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization formed for the purpose of promoting the conservation of game fish and encouraging visitors to fish in Martin County waters. Membership is open to the public and all boaters, as well as those who do not own boats or do not fish. 24 TREASURE COAST APRIL 2019 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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COOK YOUR CATCH!
Florida Snapper and Shrimp Scampi
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INGREDIENTS: • 4 (6-ounce) Florida snapper fillets • 1/2 pound medium Florida shrimp, peeled and deveined • 4 cloves garlic, minced • 3 shallots, minced • 1 tablespoon capers • 1 tablespoon pimentos, diced • 1/2 cup white wine • 1/2 cup bottled clam juice • 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced • 12 ounces vermicelli or angel hair pasta, cooked • 3 tablespoons olive oil • 3 tablespoons butter Sea salt, to taste
Directions: Heat the oil and butter in a large sauté pan. Add garlic and shallots
and sauté for 2 minutes over low heat, stirring often. Raise heat to medium, add capers, pimentos, wine, clam juice and pepper; simmer for 2 minutes. Add fillets and simmer over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes. Add shrimp, spreading them evenly over the skillet; simmer for 3 minutes until fillets and shrimp are cooked through. Stir in parsley; add salt to taste. Place fillets and shrimp on pasta on individual plates. Spoon scampi sauce over all and serve.
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Gone Coastal How Florida’s saltwater fishing management boundaries came to be By Amanda Nalley
W
hen you are on a boat, it’s hard to imagine boundaries. The sea is the sea. Wave after wave, it all looks the same. Above-water landmarks are few and far between. There are no signs that say, “now entering federal waters.” Regulatory boundaries are sometimes hard to fathom. In Florida, one of the biggest fishery management boundaries is that
between state waters, where the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) makes the regulations, and federal waters, which are mostly managed by federal fishery councils and NOAA Fisheries with input from
FWC. Sometimes regulations are the same in both state and federal waters, but not always, which is why it is important to know there is a line, and where that line is. Florida is the only state where that boundary shifts depending
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on which coast you are on. State waters in the Atlantic extend out to 3 nautical miles, while in the Gulf they extend out to 9 nautical miles. But why, as many people ask? How did this come to be? State boundaries in open waters of the United States first began to be defined in the 1940s, mainly due to concerns about rights for oil beneath submerged lands. In a 1947 case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against California saying the federal government possessed rights in all submerged lands of the Pacific seaward of the low-water mark. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled similarly against Louisiana and Texas. Congress reacted by creating the Submerged Lands Act of 1953. This act declared that states owned the submerged lands, and the natural resources within, out
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State & Federal Waters Map. SOURCE: FWC.
REASONS TO ADVERTISE IN
to three geographic miles. The act included a provision that a state’s boundary could be extended if it was beyond three geographic miles from the coast prior to when statehood was achieved. Florida immediately asserted their boundary went beyond 3 geographic miles before it achieved statehood in 1845 and that Congress approved its boundary when Florida was readmitted into the Union after the Civil War. The claim did not make it to the Supreme Court until 1960, where it was proven that Article I of Florida’s Constitution (1868), which was approved by Congress, described the boundary off Florida’s Gulf Coast as “three leagues from mainland.” Florida’s Atlantic coast boundary was settled at 3 geographic miles from shore. One nautical league is equal to 3 nautical miles, therefore the “three leagues from mainland” is equal to the 9 nautical miles we manage in the Gulf today. For fishery management purposes, federal waters extend from where state waters end out to about 200 nautical miles (less so in areas where our waters butt up against other country’s waters such as in the Caribbean). Federal waters are also known as the Exclusive Economic Zone or EEZ. For more on the history of this nation’s boundaries, visit NauticalCharts.NOAA.gov/ d at a / u s - m ar it i me - l i m it s - and boundaries.html. For those interested in measurements, while we use nautical miles today, you may have noted that the original language used geographic miles. There’s really not much of a difference between the two. A geographic mile is slightly longer than a nautical mile (a geographic mile is 6,087.08 feet and a nautical mile is 6.076.11549 feet), but the difference between 9 geographic
miles and 9 nautical miles is less than 100 feet. Another interesting tidbit comes from the creation of the 3-mile limit itself, which sources say stems from how far a cannon ball could reach when fired from land. It is also said that, due to the earth’s curvature, 3 nautical miles is how far it is to the horizon. For fisheries management, we’ve created many additional boundaries throughout the years. We have species-specific management zones for fish such as red drum, and FWC manages some species in both state and federal waters. We take into account many different aspects when creating these boundaries, including differences in fish populations, fishing practices and stakeholder needs. There may not be signage, but it’s always important to know where you are. State/federal boundary lines are marked as the natural resource line on NOAA nautical charts and these lines are also preloaded on most marine GPS units. Need a map? Check out our maps page at MyFWC.com/Marine by clicking on “Recreational Regulations” and “Fisheries Maps.” Have a question about marine fisheries regulations? Want to know more about catch and release? We are here for you. Send your questions, photos and fishing tales to Saltwater@ MyFWC.com. Make sure your photo meets our photo requirements by visiting MyFWC.com/Fishing and clicking on “Saltwater” and “Submit a Photograph” under “Get Involved.” Don’t forget to record all of your catches on the iAngler phone app or at www.snookfoundation.org/data. html. And learn how to submit your catches and get rewarded through our Saltwater Angler Recognition Programs at CatchaFloridaMemory. com.
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Email your information ality and high-qu rger) (500KB or la @ easurecoast photos to tr e.com. lerMagazin CoastalAng
Lewis Arnold and his daughter Lyla with a snook, just a little shy from being a keeper, caught in Vero Beach. Photo CREDIT: Cherlyn Arnold.
Kevin Scharbach, with a 10-pound largemouth bass caught in Palm City. Photo CREDIT: Shannon Logue (@fish_inaround).
Tristan Gardner and John Stewart, with John’s 36-inch snook, caught night-fishing at the Jupiter Inlet on a LIVETARGET pilchard. Photo CREDIT: John Woodard.
Michael Collazo with a stud seatrout caught in Fort Pierce using a Van Staal VR50 spooled with FINS fishing 40g braid, St. Croix Rods and the D.O.A. Texas Croaker Paddletail with a T&A JIGS squatch jig. PHOTO CREDIT: Nick Collazo.
Ken Stanton and Leonard Fox with a 40-pound bull dolphin caught in February off Fort Pierce inlet trolling ballyhoo in 250 feet of water. Ken fought the fish for over a half-hour, first gaffing opportunity was missed, but fish sounded and the duo capitalized on the second chance. Ken’s mother-inlaw, Eileen, passed that same morning at the age of 93. Ken and Leonard credit her for the epic catch.
Mike Sierotowicz caught this wahoo off of Stuart in 350 feet of water in mid-March. Photo SUPPLIED by Mike Sierotowicz.
Photo SUPPLIED by Leonard Fox.
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In February 2018, Mike Klopfer caught this 11-pound, 14-ounce largemouth from Lake June-In-Winter.
ith a series of reservoirs draining into Okeechobee to the southeast, Highlands County, Fla. is a hotspot for recreational bass anglers seeking big largemouths on waters that are a little smaller than the “Big O.” Lake Istokpoga may be the most well known, with more than 100 bass heavier than 8 pounds registered with Florida’s TrophyCatch program since 2015. The largest was a giant 13-pound, 14-ounce bass caught by Adrian Echols in June of 2018. Keep in mind that these statistics reflect only fish caught and then registered with the state. To the west, across U.S. 27 from Istokpoga, lakes June-in-Winter and Placid are smaller in size with 3,000 to 4,000 surface acres of water, but they are both fisheries with very good potential for trophy bass. Placid also boasts more than 100 largemouths registered at heavier than 8 pounds with TrophyCatch. More than 30 of those were 10-pound-plus lunkers. June-In-Winter might not have the numbers of Istokpoga or Placid, but it is still a big bass factory. TrophyCatch shows about 50 8-plus-pounders registered with the program. The largest was an 11-pound, 14-ounce beast caught by Mike Klopfer in February of 2018. It topped a list of 10 fish heavier than 10 pounds caught there since 2015.
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World-Class Fishing For The Working Class By Craig Sutton
F
ebruary 2019 was one of the busiest months is the history of FishingNosara. Our five-boat team ran 119 charter trips, and we’re stoked to report big catches and big smiles! The 32-foot flagship Wanderer led the pack with 29 trips… in a month that only had 28 days. With multiple double-half days and only two days off, Master Capt. William cemented his legacy as the most active captain in all of Central America. Capt. Carlos on the big battleship Discoverer was also burning the candle at both ends with 24 trips run. Clients reported excellent bluewater action, highlighted by a sweet double sailfish release. Check blog.fishingnosara.com for tons of great photos of all of our catches. The pangas Harvester, Explorer and Adventurer continued to blitz the bluewater beasties with a combined 65 trips and lots of amazing scores, including a bucket-list caliber roosterfish released by angler Jack Herzlinger and Capt. Fico.
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Even though the fishing in Costa Rica is world-class, FishingNosara is celebrating 10 years of serving anglers from the working-class. We never set out to serve multi-millionaires, but instead provide authentic Costa Rica fishing experiences for regular folks. A great example of this mentality is our 27-foot super panga Explorer. Launched in 2011, this barroom brawler proves that you don’t need a big boat to catch big fish. We started with a basic panga-style hull and bolted on all the top-notch sportfishing tools (tuna tubes, split consoles, radar arch, Humminbird xD bottom machine, Yamaha outboard), then loaded her up with Shimano Tiagras and Penn International reels. Last month, the Explorer had a banner day on Feb. 3, with angler Brendan Champagne and his group nabbing a wide variety of species. A 40-pound roosterfish release headlined a day that also included a super sailfish release. Then the barroom brawler headed to the meat market. The first fillets in the basket came from several nice dorados, and later in the afternoon it was yellowfin tuna time. Adding to the fillet diversity was an awesome cubera snapper. Five major species caught on a $650 8-hour trip. I challenge anyone to provide better bang-for-your-buck fishing than is offered by the 27-foot super panga. Excluding marlin, this trip featured pretty much every major species in our fishery. It was all in a day’s work for Capt. Fico, Mate Elias, and the versatile Explorer. April is shaping up to be busy, with lots of trips already scheduled and more to come. We expect the fishing to stay strong as we barrel into the 2019 Ship of Fools tournament in the beginning of April. The white-hot summer action is already booking up, with limited availability remaining for the insane June-August bite. If you have been reading this report for a while and waiting for the right time to visit, stop reading and call ASAP at 904-591-2161 so we can make your fishing dreams a reality.
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ER ionS tEd!! Old Florida Waterfront Charm Re-Discovered M SUMERvat accEp The Perfect Vacation Getaway for Fishing, Boating and Outdoor Enthusiasts RESw BEing no
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cil determined that the buffer between the catch limit and catch target could be reduced to 9 percent. If all that sounds too complicated, what it means is NOAA has loosened the harvest regulations on Gulf red snapper. The total 15.1 million pounds catch limit is allocated with 51 percent going to the commercial sector and 49 percent going to the recreational sector. The recreational sector is further divided among a private component, which is allotted 57.7 percent of the recreational total and a federal for-hire component, which is allowed 42.3 percent.
NOAA Increases Catch Limits For Gulf Red Snapper
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Seasons & Limits Bag limit is two per person, with a 16-inch minimum length. Federal Permitted For-Hire Season: June 1-Aug. 2.
ith 2018 assessments indicating that red snapper are not being overfished in the Gulf of Mexico, NOAA Fisheries published a final rule to increase commercial and recreational catch limits and recreational annual catch targets for red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico. The rule also reduces the stock annual catch limit for west Florida hogfish. Both parts of the rule will go into effect April 4. The Gulf states are responsible for setting their own private red snapper seasons. Commercial and recreational red snapper catch levels and targets will be increased by more than 1 million pounds. Catch targets are levels below the catch limits that account for management uncertainty. For the recreational sector, catch targets were developed to reduce the likelihood that the recreational sector exceeds its catch limit. The red snapper recreational fishing seasons are projected to harvest the catch targets. Initially, catch targets were set for the recreational sector and its components at 20 percent below the catch limit. Because the federal for-hire component has never exceeded its catch target, the Gulf Coun-
States set their own seasons for private anglers. Florida—June 11-July 12, a fall season will be considered if quota is available. Alabama— Fridays through Sundays, June 1-July 28, including Thursday, July 4. Mississippi— May 24-Sept. 2, with a mid-season July 8-July 28 closure. Louisiana—TBD. Texas—Year-round in state waters. Hogfish The 2018 assessment for west Florida hogfish produced catch levels that were lower than projections from the previous assessment. Although the new west Florida hogfish catch limits are lower, the Gulf Council did not recommend any further management action because landings in recent years have not exceeded the catch limit and the minimum size limit was recently increased from 12 to 14 inches fork length, which should reduce harvest. The rule allows for increases in 2020 and 2021.
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CR Electronics’ new next-generation ResQLink Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) is the latest evolution of the world’s best-selling PLB. Incorporating first-hand feedback from survivors who activated the beacons in emergencies, the new ResQLink 400 and ResQLink View PLBs introduce user-friendly design innovations and enhanced functionality to provide a range of adventurers with a trusted and affordable link to rescue in a life-threatening situation. The ResQLink View with Optical Display Technology provides even more peace of mind to outdoor enthusiasts. The screen displays all the beacon’s operational activities, including GPS coordinates, operating instructions, usage tips, transmission bursts, as well as battery power. Compact, lightweight and easy to carry, the new ResQLink beacons feature a protected activation button located away from the test button, multiple wearable mounting options including a belt clip and oral inflation clip for easy access in an emergency, and an easier-to-release anten-
na enclosure. All the new design changes were suggested by members of the ACR Electronics SurvivorClub free beacon replacement program. The PLBs also include a new infra-red strobe light in addition to the ultra-bright strobe light to assist rescue crews using night vision. Made in the U.S.A. and approved by the FCC, the new PLBs offer the same exceptional power and reliability expected from ACR products. ResQLink PLBs utilize three integrated signal technologies—GPS positioning (Galileo and GPS GNSS), a powerful 406 MHz signal, and 121.5 MHz homing capability—to quickly and accurately relay the user’s position to a worldwide network of search and rescue satellites at the push of a button. Using the next-gen network, anyone activating a ResQLink PLB can expect their beacon to be located within 100 meters (328 feet), 95 percent of the time, within five minutes of the distress signal. The ResQLink series does not require any subscription but must be registered with the country’s national authority. Optional subscriptions for testing are available via ACR’s patented 406Link.com technology. Mikele D’Arcangelo, Vice President of Global Marketing and Product Management for ACR Electronics, said: “A personal locator beacon is a vital part of any safety kit for boaters, hikers, climbers, hunters, snowmobilers and all outdoor enthusiasts. As safety and survival specialists, ACR Electronics has been at the forefront of beacon technology and we will continue to innovate and listen to feedback so that our customers can always rely on our devices in an emergency.” Featuring built-in buoyancy, the ResQLink PLBs have an operating life that exceeds 24 hours. Ideal for carrying in a pocket, backpack or attaching to a life jacket, the ResQLink View PLB weighs just 151g, while the non-display ResQLink 400 weighs 148g. Both measure 4.52 (L) x 2.03 (W) x 1.49 in (D). ACR is also introducing the option of new ResQLink Skins. Different styles, including a “camouflage” version will be available for users to apply to their beacons while still meeting regulatory color requirements. The new ACR ResQLink 400 PLB is available for $299.99. The ACR ResQLink View PLB is available for $349.99. For more information, go to www.acrartex.com.
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Reel in the memories. Sitting on the most biodiverse estuary in the Northern Hemisphere, Martin County is a fisherman’s paradise. Ocean, lake and river ecosystems are home to more than 800 species of fish, from the ever-popular sailfish and snook to largemouth bass and perch. Forget your gear? Visit one of
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arch 9 was a magical day fishing out of St. Augustine aboard the 62’ Viking, Free Spool. Led by Capt. Ryan Leary, the team caught and released 43 sailfish to set a single-day record for St. Augustine Inlet. They caught all their sails about 45 miles ESE of St. Augustine. (Above) Joining the captain on the deck of the Free Spool beneath 43 flying release flags are: owner and angler Rob Rowe and mates Justin Roe, Chris Pakerinen (AKA CPak!), and angler Dalton Hegdus.
Martin’s many bait and tackle shops or outdoor retailers. Inshore, offshore, saltwater or fresh, head out for an adventure and reel in the memories.
DiscoverMartin.com 22
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B NPS photo by Yasmeen Smalley
illed as the biggest lionfish tournament in history, the 2019 Emerald Coast Open will be held in conjunction with FWC’s Lionfish Removal & Awareness Day Festival in May. The tournament kicks off May 16 with a mandatory 7 p.m. captain’s meeting at AJ’s Seafood & Oyster Bar in Destin, Fla. Harvest days will be Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 17-19, with the weigh-in scales closing at 11 a.m. on May 19. Cash, gear and other prizes will be awarded in Most Lionfish, Largest Lionfish and Smallest Lionfish categories. Northwest Florida has the highest concentration of invasive lionfish in the world, and spearfishing is currently the primary means of controlling them. Lionfish pose a significant threat to native wildlife, and tournaments such as this one promote awareness of the problem while also increasing har-
vest of these invaders. Since Feb. 1, teams of lionfish hunters have been competing in a pre-tournament and had killed more than 1,000 lionfish leading up to the main event in May. But there are still plenty of lionfish out there on the reefs. Registration is $100 per participant, with teams consisting of up to four individuals. FWC’s Lionfish Removal & Awareness Day Festival is May 18-19 at AJ’s and HarborWalk Village in Destin. The Festival will be held 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Bring your friends and family for an amazing festival and learn about lionfish, taste lionfish and check out lionfish products. There will be many family-friendly activities including art, diving and marine conservation booths. Learn how to safely fillet a lionfish and try a lionfish dish at a local restaurant. Have fun listening to live music and watching the tournament weigh-in and awards. Learn why lionfish are such a big problem and what you can do to help! For more information go to emeraldcoastopen.com and follow the Lionfish Removal & Awareness Day Festival on Facebook.
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Tim Barefoot
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here are several ways to make this double tackle, but one simple knot makes a wonderful, heavy-duty presentation. Some folks refer to this as a “high/low rig,” and you can call it anything you want, but for the sake of this article I’ll just call it a “double tackle.” To start with, consider the fish you are targeting and choose the correct size fluorocarbon for the leader. You can tie this knot in almost any size fluoro up to 80- or 100-pound. A rig like this is extremely effective on quite a few species and gets a lot of “reaction strikes” due to the multiple offerings presented and the erratic action of the baits. Using a heavier jig on the bottom keeps the lighter jig, streamer fly or unweighted soft plastic in place. It’s less likely to foul and makes the action more erratic, which draws the instinct strikes. The darting action resembles a scared or confused baitfish, which is irresistible to predatory fish, and the trailing bait is an easy target. These are the baitfish they have been programmed to eat since birth. It makes perfect sense, as they exert less energy to catch disoriented baitfish than those swimming perfectly in open water. There are two primary considerations when choosing the poundage of the fluoro leader material, water clarity and quarry. After choosing the correct size jigs and fluoro, it’s time to determine the lengths of the two legs of the rig. I start with about a 4- or 5-foot length of leader and make a 10- to 12-inch diameter loop in the center of the leader. This is typical for smaller inshore or freshwater fish, but can be made larger and longer for larger fish and jigs for a variety of offshore fish. Next, make eight turns with one of the tag ends through the 1-foot diameter loop. Find the center wrap of the tag end and separate it large enough to pass the 1-foot diameter loop back through (as shown in the photo).
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At this point, hook the 1-foot diameter loop onto something that allows you to pull all three legs of the tackle together with equal pressure and lubricant (saliva). Now, pull the two tag ends HARD as well as the loop to secure the knot down tight. Clip one of the two sides of the loop (shown in photo) and this makes the second leg of the “double tackle.” This might sound complicated, but it’s actually quite simple. For a detailed video, visit the website and the watch the video named “Double Tackle” Check out Tim’s website at www.barefootcatsandtackle.com.
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Shot Placement Sheri Daye
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hen you watch experienced spearos, you will notice they are relaxed in the water, they don’t take long shots, and they make it look easy. You will also notice they have a high percentage of kill shots. That is because they are disciplined and practice good shot placement. Perfect shot placement means you achieve a kill shot, also called “stoning the fish.” In other words, the fish is instantly put to sleep, lifeless as a stone. There’s a multitude of reasons to strive for this shot. For one, a kill shot is the most efficient and humane way to dispatch a fish. With a head shot, the fillets will be in better shape, with no holes, blood marks, or chance of bacteria entering the meat (from a gut shot). Also, the fish does not have a chance to struggle and bend your shaft, or worse yet, to get off the shaft. There are added safety benefits to stoning a fish. You will avoid ringing the dinner bell for sharks attracted to a struggling fish. Also, a live fish has the potential of tangling on the bottom or around you, so a dead fish makes for a much quicker and safer extraction. Finally, if you quietly put the fish to sleep, you won’t spook other fish in the surrounding area, giving you and your buddy a chance at more fish. To stone a fish, the shaft needs to hit the brain or spine. The ideal shot is a quartering shot from above and behind, hitting the spot where the lateral line meets the brain. This sweet spot is at the top of the gills and behind the eyes. Of course, the closer you can get to the fish, the higher the likelihood of proper shot placement.
Here’s more tips for achieving kill shots while spearfishing: 1. Refine your diving/stalking technique so you can get closer to fish without spooking them. 2. Don’t rush the shot, take your time and try to get a more accurate shot.
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3. Buy a good quality speargun and make sure your shafts/floppers are in good shape (not bent). 4. Practice hitting an underwater target, such as a weighted foam fish or net. Try shooting from different distances so you know your range versus accuracy. Don’t take “iffy” shots. 5. Take the time to study fish anatomy and examine them at the Sheri Daye fillet table. shows what good shot There are excepplacement tions to the rule. For on cubera example, when taking snapper looks a long shot on a spooky fish with a narrow like. body, such as a wahoo, you might want to aim for “center mass.” Otherwise, take the time to learn one of the most fundamental rules of spearfishing—that is, good shot placement! Sheri is a world-record holder, host of Speargun Hunter, and producer of “The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo” in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Follow “Sheri Daye” and “The Blue Wild” on Facebook and Instagram.
For more Sheri Daye go to,
CAMSPEARFISHING.COM
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FROM SHIP TO SHORE
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The new Havalon® TalonTM Quik-Change IITM Multi-Blade Cutlery System brings together nearly 40 years of expertise in the surgical field and decades of quality time spent out in open waters. This innovative platform features a variety of reliable add-on blades designed to make clean work of the dirty work all the way from ship to shore. NATIONAL
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SEA EAGLE SUPCAT 10 SeaEagle took the concept of an SUP and created a whole new type of inflatable fishing craft that is extremely versatile for anglers on the go. With two rock-solid inflatable side pontoons, The SUPCat10 is an incredibly stable platform to stand and fish or paddle from. For those who prefer to move faster, it can be equipped with either an electric or small gas outboard and reach speeds up to 8mph. From the trunk of your car to the water, the SUPCat10 sets up easily in less than 10 minutes. With the Wheels Up/Wheels Down feature, it’s possible to cart your boat and all your gear down to the water, flip the wheels into an upright position and paddle or motor away. Features include: Four Scotty gear mounts, two Scotty rod holders, nonslip EVA foam deck pads, 360-degree swivel seat, built-in fish rulers, multiple D-ring attachment points, removable rear motor mount and four grab handles. It’s an exceptional little fishing boat no matter how you choose to propel it.
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Sailfish Boats’ new flagship center console, the 360CC, is the largest, most feature-rich boat in the Sailfish family. The 360CC is on the leading-edge of center console design. Like all Sailfish Boats, the 360CC features Sailfish’s unique Variable Degree Stepped (VDS) Hull design, offering a smooth, stable ride, even in rough seas. Their exclusive VDS Hull features three distinct running surfaces. The first section is a 24-degree dead rise that cuts through the water. This is the most aggressive angle used in the fishing boat segment. The second section is 23 degrees, and it provides lift and allows air under the hull, producing a softer ride with less friction for better performance and fuel economy. This lift allows you to reach the same speed without requiring as much horsepower as other boats. The third section is 22 degrees, and it provides stability needed for slow trolling or stopped positions. The hull and deck are both reinforced with Kevlar and carbon fiber, and built using the SailTech foam-filled fiberglass stringer system and SailTech composite full length transom. Sailfish has been expertly engineering center consoles, dual consoles, walkarounds and bay boats for nearly 40 years. They range from 19’ to 36’. With reliable outboard power from Yamaha or Mercury, and their exclusive VDS hull design, the Sailfish 360CC delivers a smooth, safe ride, even in the roughest offshore water. The all-new 360CC Center Console is a fitting addition to the Sailfish lineup. It epitomizes the Sailfish legacy of building high quality and expertly engineered boats that are fishing focused and family friendly.
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A rarity in its class, the 360CC is built using three-piece construction and cored hull sides, providing a rigid platform that allows for maximum cockpit space with abundant, built-in under-gunwale storage. Onboard, you will find an amazing array of innovative features and options, including a built-into-the-hardtop articulating cockpit shade, pressurized circulating bait wells, vented sunroof, and a spacious captain’s berth.
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TIPS FROM A PRO
EXPERIENCE THE
TIPS FROM A PRO
FRESHWATER Why Do Hooked Fish Get Off?
B
BRANDON LESTER
ass get away for two basic reasons: the hook coming out of their mouth and line failure. If you can keep those from happening, you’ll land the fish. Sounds simple right? Well, it is and it isn’t. To keep these from happening, you’ve got to have the right combination of hook, line and rod… and then you must use them all properly. Let’s start with the hookset. If the hook isn’t properly buried into the fish’s jaw, it is obviously easier for it to come out. The hookset is predominately a factor of the right hook paired with the right fishing rod. You generally want to use the biggest, sturdiest hook and the heaviest power (basically its stiffness) rod the particular technique and lure will allow. And you’ve got to learn to set the hook as hard as your equipment will allow you. Watch the hooksets of pro anglers on the Bassmaster television show. We do not mess around. The hookset is powerful and fast. The biggest challenge with matching hook and rod power is learning how big you can go with your equipment and still present the bait properly. You’ll get more bites using smaller hooks and lighter line, so you can’t always use the heaviest equipment. Pay close attention to the bait and lure weights that rods are rated for. I
build all my rods with blanks and supplies from Mud Hole Custom Tackle (www.MudHole.com). All of their blanks come with that information included. Winn Grips are a must on all my rods, as they ensure a proper grip on the rod for that big hookset. A good quality hook is one that penetrates a fish’s mouth and stays there until you get your hands on the fish. The sharper the hook, the better it penetrates into the fish’s mouth. Once there, the hook has to be strong enough to not “flex” or open up. A flexing hook takes pressure off the bass and allows him to pull off during the fight. A lot of baits come with cheap hooks that will flex even on the first fish. Lesser-quality hooks will often become dull very quickly, too. Not all hooks are made the same. Mustad is the world’s No. 1 hook seller, and it’s No. 1 for a reason. Fortunately for us bass anglers, years ago Denny Brauer and Kevin VanDam got together with Mustad’s engineers and designers to create the basic hooks needed specifically for bass. Mustad hasn’t stopped improving the line of hooks either. The Big Bite worm hook is a hook I helped them develop. In many countries, they don’t use a separate term for “fish hook.” They simply call it a “Mustad.” In a future article, we’ll discuss fighting the fish and the importance of choosing the right fishing line. Until then, go fishing and work on that hookset!
For more on Lester visit,
FISHINGMAGAZINE.FISHING
M
35 PM
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You own a boat because you love spending time on the water. Choose the outboard that allows you to make the most of it. Honda’s legendary reliability, durability, ease-of-maintenance, and powerful performance keep you going strong.
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*At participating dealers only. Qualifying retail customers may receive instant savings off the selling price of a Honda powered boat package or Honda Marine engine(s) sold for repower. This promotion is limited to new Honda Marine 40 HP through 250 HP outboard engines, 2014 and newer models, sold and delivered between January 3, 2019 and June 3, 2019 and registered by the Dealer in accordance with American Honda Motor Co., Inc.’s sales registration requirements. Only Honda Marine outboard engines sold for personal use qualify for this promotion. Fleet, commercial & government sales are ineligible. Engines sold under special pricing / promotions including (but not limited to) demo and tournament fisherman engines are also excluded. Honda Marine reserves the right to modify, amend, cancel or revoke, in whole or in part, this promotion at any time without prior notice. © 2019 American Honda Co., Inc. Always wear a personal flotation device while boating and read your owner’s manual. All Honda outboards meet EPA and CARB emission levels. 28 NATIONAL I APRIL 2019Motor I COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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MARK SOSIN There is a lesson to be learned. Shortly before he vaulted to stardom on the largemouth bass tournament trail countless years ago, Rick Clunn discovered that he spent so much time searching for magical techniques and secret lures that he almost lost sight of the basics. When he paused to reflect, he realized there were no curealls or panaceas that applied to any type of fishing. The answer centered on a more simplified approach. It suddenly became apparent that almost all bass tournaments were won by somebody who used a spinnerbait, plastic worm or a crankbait. It didn’t matter where the contest was held, who fished it and won, or what time of year it happened to be. Armed with that valuable bit of information, Rick decided to change his own fishing style and substitute simplicity for the complex techniques he clung to in the past. It occurred to him that if he learned to fish these basic lures with equal skill, he should be able to catch fish anywhere. Some of us have a tendency to insist on making fishing much more complicated than it actually is. If fish were that hard to catch, few of us would ever be successful. Impatience and lack of confidence force many anglers to search frantically for solutions that just don’t exist. These fishermen would do better if they learned one or two techniques thoroughly.
JOIN *
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Certainly, there will be times when their basic method does not produce, but over the long run they will catch more fish. My late father never heard of Rick Clunn, nor did he ever fish competitively for anything. Over many years, he fished for countless species in freshwater and salt, always limiting his approach to a few basic lures or some simple bait. When he finally retired and moved to Florida, his lure of choice was a small, yellow bucktail which he could fish better than anyone I ever met. His tackle box became the two side pockets on his jacket. A handful of bucktails were in his right-hand pocket and some leader material in his left pocket. There’s one other facet to Dad’s thinking worth following. He always insisted that the law of averages held the key to success. Those who insist on specializing on a particular species of fish or seek one of an extra large size are missing out on a lot of fun. All you have to do is keep casting and catching. The law of averages will eventually produce trophy fish for you as well as species that seem important. If you’ve been seeking a way to catch more fish on every outing, try this simplified approach that worked for Rick Clunn and my father. Many of the leading anglers of our time depend on it, and it just might turn the trick for you.
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By Capt. Michael Okruhlik Photo courtesy of Controlled Descent Lures
H
ave you ever wondered why your buddy fishing next to you is catching more fish when you are both using the same lure? Chances are it has to do with the way he’s retrieving his lure that entices fish to strike. What is the first thing you do when the fish are not biting? Most people immediately change lures. If that doesn’t work, the next step is usually to move locations, only to work the lure the same way when it clearly was not producing. You must try working a lure several different ways before ruling it out as ineffective. Here is an example. One chilly morning I was throwing a Controlled Descent Jerk Shad set to sink very slowly. It had a rattle in it. Since the water was in the mid 50s, I concentrated on an area that was 3 or 4 feet deep with a soft silty bottom. I started out keeping my lure near the bottom and working my rod parallel to the water. The lure was basically suspending 6- to 18-inches off the bottom with a side-to-side motion. This is a proven technique in similar situations; however, I didn’t get a strike. After some time covering the area with that technique, I changed my retrieve and worked the same area with the same lure. I started to twitch my lure slowly to the surface, almost as if it was climbing stairs, but very slowly. Since this lure had an extremely slow sink rate, it would almost suspend when paused after
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“climbing a few steps.” Once the lure reached the surface, I would let it slowly sink back to the bottom and repeat. I started to catch solid trout up to 6 pounds when the lure would almost reach the surface. Later that day, I fished a different spot with similar conditions. I was working the lure the same way that had produced earlier, and I was getting some very light bites once the lure would reach the bottom. The fish would pick up the lure and swim off, or at times they would swim toward me and I never really felt the strike. I landed a couple but missed and lost many more. Since they were definitely on the bottom and not really aggressive toward the slow-moving lure, I changed it up. Since I had a rattle, I started vigorously shaking my rod tip to make the lure rattle and twitch on the bottom without a lot of forward motion. This was most likely stirring up some silt, as well. This erratic action enticed the trout into a more instinctive strike. I began getting very aggressive strikes and landed every fish that hit. I never changed lure color, style or weight all day. Had I simply switched lures like most people do and worked them the same way as I started, I might not have caught anything. Try changing your retrieve before tying another knot. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Controlled Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.
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3/18/19 3/1/1911:19 3:10AM PM
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