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SPRING
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WANT TO BE A CHARTER CAPTAIN?
GIANT TREVALLY
MAR 21-24 • PBBOATSHOW.COM PHOTO COURTESY OF TOMMY MIANO
VOLUME 29 • ISSUE 348
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MARCH 2024
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PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®.
KEEN SENSES
ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
By Capt. Michael Okruhlik
I
t is always important to pay attention to our surroundings as we go through life, and fishing is no exception. How many of you have been fishing without any action and find yourself daydreaming and going through the motions until you feel the tug on your line? Suddenly you are frantically trying to remember the cadence of your retrieve to duplicate the action, but you are dreaming of fish instead of trying to catch them. Well, in this article and the accompanying video for The Angler Video Magazine, I will go over a specific situation when paying attention paid off, and you can see it and hear me talk through it on the video. I will also share some wisdom from two incredible Texas guides whom I was fortunate enough to spend a few hours with on the topic of targeting big trout. While wading in knee-deep water that
4 NATIONAL
MARCH 2024
was about 61 degrees, I could see a few mullet jumping in their casual mullet way. It was enough to keep me interested in the area. The bottom had undulating depth with grass and scattered potholes, or sand pockets for those not familiar with the term. I was throwing a slowsinking soft-plastic jerkbait, letting it slowly sink between twitches where the sand and grass met. With a cast in mid-air, I saw a mullet do an abnormal flip. It was distinct from the norm of the day and not as if it were being chased, but different, nonetheless. I burned my lure back in and made a cast just beyond where the mullet flipped. When my lure paused near the area, a nice redfish slammed my soft plastic. Had I not been paying attention and blew it off as just another mullet jumping, I would not have caught that fish and a few more in the general area. Since we cannot always have a bird’s eye view,
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we need to utilize the birds’ eyes. Here are a few tips I picked up on during a conversation with guides. Birds do not always need to be feeding to point us to fish. There are subtle hints, such as a head turn of a gliding pelican. They don’t turn their head for no reason; they saw something. Maybe they saw a huge trout and kept soaring because it was too big for them to eat. Also, watch the lines birds are relating too. They may not dive, bait may not flee from the shadow, but they are flying that line for a reason, and maybe you should work your way toward the area. Pay attention on the water and in conversation with old salts. You might need to read between the lines, but the answers are there. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures®, and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®.
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JACK CREVALLE: BATTLE THE BULLIES OF THE REEF
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ometimes called the “poor man’s giant trevally,” jack crevalle will strike a surface lure or bait aggressively, and once hooked, engage the angler in a slugfest they won’t soon forget. Jacks are world-class fighters. These fish are perfect for small-boat anglers because they frequent inshore and nearshore waters. They can be caught in bays, inlets, canals and off reefs, where they target schooling baitfish. These fish are perfect for light spinning gear or a fly rod, as they will readily take any fast-retrieved bait imitation. They frequently show up in bays and estuaries following migratory baitfish like mullet. Strong current that concentrates bait is usually best, and you’ll find them at the mouths of the inlets on a strong outgoing tide. Any nearshore reef close to an inlet that has “nervous water” – a sure sign of bait schools—is prime territory for jacks. A 7-foot medium-action spinning rod equipped with a 6000 sized spinning reel and spooled with 40-pound braid is a prime tool for fighting these fish. I like a fluorocarbon leader in the 50-pound range for abrasion resistance. These fish are not leader shy. Jacks school up in large groups of juvenile fish under 10 pounds. The larger 20-plus-pound fish usually hunt in pairs. While a
By Mark Ambert
5000-class rod and reel setup will handle the smaller fish, a larger setup will be better for anything over 20 pounds. Pro-Tip: If you tangle with one of the larger fish, get a second bait or lure in the water for a double hook-up! Live bait and chum will usually find the biggest fish. Any local seasonal bait such as herring, pilchards, sardines or mullet will do the trick. For maximum fun factor, a topwater lure or fly stripped fast can’t be beat. I usually locate a school of feeding fish first then break out the fly or topwater spinning gear for sport. A 9- or 10-weight fly rod setup with an intermediate line is optimal. When fly fishing, a popper, Deceiver, Clouser or any streamer pattern will work. I use flies that cast easily and in colorful patterns to attract the fish. With spinning gear, any noisy or splashy plug such as a 3- to 4-inch Storm Chug Bug is ideal. I also use a 4-inch Heddon Zara Spook in white with a walk-the-dog retrieve. Watching this lure get knocked out of the water and eaten is worth the
price of admission. For sub-surface action, the Rapala X-Rap size 10 in Ghost finish can’t be beat. The initial run of a big jack is spectacular, with ever shortened runs to follow. Using lighter gear, you might have to chase bigger fish down, so be prepared to move. Once a fish is spent, I usually use a net or tail grab the fish boatside for a quick picture and safe release, as these fish have limited food quality. Now head out your local inlet and target these plentiful and eager sluggers. They will not disappoint. Find Mark Ambert on Instagram @marksgonefishing_™; Email: marksgonefishing25@gmail.com.
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MARCH 2024
NATIONAL 7
DO YOU WANT TO BE A CHARTER CAPTAIN? By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon
I
went fishing while on Florida vacation about a decade ago. After returning home to Canada for two months, I drove back to pursue a career in the industry. I had zero experience, no connections, and less than half a clue on where to begin. For those with a similar dream, here’s what I learned. First, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been a weekend warrior. If you want to be a captain, be a deckhand first. You don’t know what you don’t know, and working for someone fishing the waters you plan to guide provides all kinds of information. Every fishery has its own etiquette and unspoken guidelines. Community is crucial, and paying your dues and earning respect goes a long way. Captains communicate about fishing on the water, and often, we are each other’s first responders. This same-team mentality is nearly currency. Beginning as a deckhand is difficult. Nobody wants to train you, yet you must be trainable. On your own time, practice skills like knot tying, bait rigging and net throwing. Veteran fishermen are usually happy to flex knowledge to those who ask for help humbly. No matter what you learn, be ready to have a captain you work for tell you it’s wrong. Adapt, and learn things their way. The expectations of deckhands are high, and everything on board will be their fault. You are expected to arrive early, stay late, come in on days off, anticipate your captain and clients wants, and do it on minimum salary. The biggest issue with new deckhands is they sometimes don’t show up. Finding a replacement at 6 a.m. is nearly impossible, and it affects the productivity of a charter. Being a fisherman takes a special kind of person. If can fish six days a week and still want to go out for fun on your day off, this job
may be for you. If you’re on the boat watching the clock, you won’t last long. Showing up to the dock consistently is a great way to make connections and get work. If you can’t find work, show up an hour before local charters head out. Walk the dock and ask if anyone had a no-show deckhand. If you do this consistently and pass out your number, eventually someone will call you. They will see you have the dedication to show up. Deckhands are also required to be on a drug consortium. Sign up and keep your paper with you. Lastly, if you hold a captain’s license and are working as a deckhand, make sure your “captain” has one too. You do not want to be held liable for someone else’s mistakes. Protect your future in the industry. If this is something you want to do, I highly recommend going for it. In 10 years, I have never regretted it or lost the smile it puts on my face. Capt. Quinlyn Haddon guides with Sweet E’Nuf Charters, Marathon, Florida Keys. Captainquinlyn.com; @captainquinlyn; (504) 920-6342.
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Snook fishing during this transition is very much dependent on the weather. A warming spell pushes snook out faster toward the passes and bays, while a cooling trend will slow them down. A cold snap will absolutely shut the bite down. If it breaks cold and clear the morning of your planned fishing trip, you’re better off targeting trout and reds. While snook are moving out, big schools of scaled sardines and threadfin herring start to show up close to shore. These baitfish, also known as whitebait or pilchard and greenbacks, respectively, become the favorite food source for snook as well as many other gamefish. When water temps reach the mid-70s, a snook’s metabolism ramps up and they’ll eat anything from crabs and shrimp to mullet, but a lively sardine or herring freelined on a 2/0 circle hook is as close to a sure thing as you’re going to get. Generally, these baitfish are also pretty easy to find this time of year. Where you find the bait is where you’ll find snook. Look at a map and draw a line between a known wintering hole and the passes where snook spawn in summer. In spring, they will be somewhere along this line, staged up and feeding on structure. Snook are ambush predators and prefer to hang in the slack water while the tide sweeps food in front of them. By CAM Staff On the beginning of an incoming or outgoing tide, look to the docks, bridges, points, channel swings, mangroves, oyster bars and anything else that provides a little current shade adjacent to faster water. River mouths are a good place to start your search. If there are greenies or whitebait present, there’s a very good chance a school of snook will be there feeding on them. Want to know for sure? Use a chum bat to sling a double handful of disoriented greenies where you think snook might be. If they’re there, you’ll know it in a hurry. Fresh live bait is the easiest way to catch fish, but the spring feed-up also provides lots of opportunity for anglers throwing artificials. If you’re someone who prefers to skip the hassle of catching and keeping bait, you can absolutely get the job done with a baitfish or shrimp imitation. Topwaters, soft-plastic paddletails, soft-plastic shrimp, twitchbaits, plugs and bucktails nook are hungry when they break out of the winter doldrums and go will all get bit. A couple benefits to artificials is you can use them to cover lots on the move this time of year. As spring temperatures begin to stabilize, of water quickly to find fish and they can be skipped up under mangroves they push progressively farther out of their backwater holes, and their and docks. migration intersects with the arrival of spring baitfish schools. It’s a recipe For more tips and tactics, go to coastalanglermag.com. for an aggressive feed-up ahead of the summer spawn.
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Every year, just after the New Year, American shad move from the northern states south. This year, my dad and I went to central Florida to see if we could find some shad making their way up a river. Unfortunately, after hours of constant jigging with light tackle and tiny jigs and a couple miles of paddling a tandem kayak, the shad were a bust. We decided to take a lunch break with lines out for a catfish or bowfin. We soaked baits for about an hour without even a nibble. At this point, I was more than a little disappointed after driving three hours without even a bite to show for it. Don’t get me wrong, the scenery was beautiful, but I was determined to catch something! I started jigging again as my dad slowly paddled us back to the truck. About a quarter of the way back, I got a bite, a cute little 10-inch largemouth. Despite the size, I was satisfied; I had beaten the skunk. I continued jigging until we were about halfway back, where this narrow part of the river opened wider. I made a “last cast” and had decided to call it quits. As I cranked my jig straight in, I was surprised when it got thumped! I laughed and told my dad we had been doing it wrong all day. To test the theory, I tossed my jig out and again just cranked it in. About two feet from the kayak, a huge swirl appeared where my jig was, and 4-pound line started By Emily Hanzlik ripping off my ultralight. My dad paddled to keep the fish a manageable distance from the kayak while also maneuvering defensively to place the kayak between the fish and the vegetation. After an extremely stressful nearly 20-minute fight, we netted a beautiful, 7-pound-plus Florida sunshine bass. I frantically checked the FWC website for the state record, which weighed 16 pounds, 3 ounces. However, I knew I had one more hope for a record. I checked IGFA and was more than pleased to find the women’s 4-pound-test record was a 5-pound fish. If approved, this will be my first record that was not targeted. When you’re hunting records, it’s key to be prepared. No matter where we go, I keep my certified Rapala scale and my tape measure in a glasses container in whatever bag we have that day. The other key is to make sure you always have accurate line on your reel. I use tournament Ande line so I don’t have to worry about my line over-testing. Other than that, it’s just the f you’ve read my column, you know that catching IGFA record fish is what luck of getting that big one. I love to do. I’ve caught more than 60 of them, and people frequently ask Emily Rose Hanzlik has caught more than 60 IGFA world records which is my favorite. It’s tough to pick, but the following recent record in various categories. Find her on social media @emilyhanzlikoutdoors. is at the top.
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Contributing Writers : Marco PoMPano Freak on the Beach 386-212-4838 caPt. JaMie thraPPas Ponce Inlet and Backwaters www.YellowDawgFishing.com caPt. Michael savedow Edgewater Backcountry www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com caPt. Bryn adaMs Central St. Johns River www.highlandparkfishcamp.com caPt. evan sanders Sol Fishing with the Captain & Kids www.SolFishing.com Blake aBBey Kayaking @kayakkingcharters caPt. reeF Fly Fishing 386-679-6997 skye Burkhardt Inshore Adventures @BrassyAngler87
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inter time fishing at its best! Okay, it’s a little cold out here, a little wet and windy. Don’t tell that to the fish because they’re hungry. Fish also have to eat. I’m the same way in the winter: I eat a little more comfort food. I think that’s what the pompano think. The sand fleas are comfort food. Ya, mon! So this is the time you feel it at the end of the day, (hypothermia) but a really hot shower helps. I’m out here hiding behind the ruined walls of hurricane Ian, tucked in nicely. It’s a great place to spy on my rods. The water got a little colder, and the pompano stayed anyway. In between catching some really beautiful slot redfish, whiting and black drum. I have my gotkas on (Yiddish for long underwear). I can roll them up easy. You have to dress warm, many layers, at least three hoodies and a windbreaker. You can just peel those things off if the wind dies. I’m looking down the beach right now and I see one, no, two poles going off. One bending one way, one bending the other. Which way should I go? I’ll grab the up straight pole which means the fish is swimming in, giving me a helping hand. I mean fin. It releases the tension on the line. It’s a game of ‘catch up.’ Put it on giddy up. I’m reeling this one in as quick as I can. It’s flopping on the beach! Done deal, on to the next. This one’s starting to bamba and taking line. I love it! It’s going to make its run to me right onto the beach. The daily double! Ya, mon! Just when I think I’m finished the big bend happens. It’s a monster I’ll just call it the big one. after a few minutes. I’m beat, but the fish is in my bucket. These are called Florida pompano even though they come from Massachusetts all the way down to the Caribbean. They’re also known as sunfish, common pompano and surf jacks. They live about 3 to 4 yrs. The limit is 6 a day per person. When we are targeting pompano, we are using crab knuckles, sand fleas and Live clam. and for hooks I use 2s. circle As you can see, pompano have a bluish silver with yellow color and a big forked tail. They need to be 11 inches to the fork and can be as big as 27 inches. They like the warm waters from 65° to 89°. They migrate South in the Fall and come back up North in the Summer. They are a member of the Jack family. If you’ve been following my articles, you know that they are delicious smoked, grilled, baked, as ceviche, or fish cakes. I’ll put it to you this way: They taste good. They have no teeth and no scales. They are perfect to cook, whole, grilled, or fillet. My friend Tommy loves them as a Parmesan. tonight, though, I’m gonna (the big one) bake it with some onions, cilantro, lime, and fresh sliced jalapeños in the oven. At 420°. For 1/2 hour. If you have time and want to watch some great video, tune in to YouTube Local Legends, volume one and two (Marco Pompano). Hopefully you’ll get some fun and good information out of it. It’s a video made by Blake Abbie and Daniel Presley in conjunction with Coastal Angler magazine. We had a lot of laughs and some ceviche Tommy just arrived to filet. The German steel is sharpened and as far as these fish caught today some sushi and wasabi right on the filet table… The coals are hot the ska beats are playing the old skatalites the days coming to a close the sunsetting so me and these pompano are headed to the smoker. Marco poMpano Surf Fishing Guide Marcopompano@gmail.com (386) 212-4838 Wilbur by the Sea
2 Palm VOLUSIA Beach MARCH & Fort2024 lauderdale COASTALANGLERMAG.COM areas march 2024• THEANGLERMAG.COM COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
Enter the world of Megalodon! Experience a full-scale sculptural replica of the 60-foot-long apex predator, and explore the life of this fantastic ancient creature.
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The Megalodon exhibit was produced by the Florida Museum of Natural History with support from the National Science Foundation.
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SATURDAY, MARCH 23 10AM-3PM CRUISE TO THE SEVEN SEAS SUNDAY, MARCH 24 12PM-2PM MOVIE IN THE PLANETARIUM FINDING NEMO 3PM-5PM MOVIE IN THE PLANETARIUM FINDING NEMO
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THURSDAY, MARCH 28 11AM-12PM OCEAN STAGE SHOW 11AM-12PM OCEAN STAGE SHOW
TUESDAY, MARCH 26 11AM-12PM STORY TIME & COLORING 1PM-2PM MARINE DISCOVERY CENTER TALK
FRIDAY, MARCH 29 11AM-12PM CHILDREN’S SHARK BINGO! 2PM-3PM SHARK CRAFT
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27 11AM-12PM SHARK TEETH DIG 2PM-3PM JELLY FISH CRAFT
SATURDAY, MARCH 30 10AM-5PM SHARK WEEK FESTIVAL
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DOCTOR WAGNER IS A CHIROPRACTIC PHYSICIAN AT UNTANGLING CAR CRASH KNOTS & SNAGS (386) 888-8888
PO
with the
Captain KiDS
C
aptain & The Kids strives to always promote youth anglers both at the local level as well as nationally through our “Youth Angler Program.” If it was not for passing down techniques, traditions, and the love for the water, it would slowly fade away. It is our mission to always instill conservation and ethical fishing to our youth! We are proud to announce that we have added a “Youth” Tee shirt collection to help support Captain & The Kids Youth Angler Program. This new collection features fun and vibrant designs that all youth anglers will enjoy! Featured in the picture is Lilah, Rebecca, Braxton, and Ryder! These four youth anglers live, breathe, and love anything and everything that involves the water! Besides the love they all have for fishing, tubing, wakeboarding; they are all top scholars at school! Capt. Evan & and Capt. Adam started the Youth Angler Program after finding out how many kids in the New Smyrna Beach area had never been fishing, never been on a boat, and was born and raised in the area. Since that day Capt. Evan & Capt. Adam strive to getting more and more youth anglers on the water each and every year! Sol Fishing will do everything possible to make every young man or ladies fishing dreams come true. It does not matter if the kids want to go offshore or inshore, Sol Fishing will target whichever species they want to catch. Some of the most recent species that the youth anglers have been wanting to target are red snapper, lane snapper, cobia, amberjack, sharks, barracuda, redfish, and snook.
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PONCE INLET & BACKWATERS FORECAST
M
arch is always a fun month but it can certainly be a roller coaster of a month when it comes to any kind of weather consistency. This will make for fun trips and frustrating ones but I have had the best days on subpar weather conditions. I expect the Sheepshead bite to continue at the inlet and I will spend a great deal of the month focused on getting some stud fish to be had! For the kids this time of the year there are usually a ton of small sharks called sandbar sharks that fill the river and are super fun to play with using light tackle. These sharks are protected so please don’t keep them but man they can fight and keep the kids busy for hours! When the wind from the remaining fronts push through I will spend a lot of my time hiding in the creeks. There will be a lot of fun lower slot or under slot reds and black drum actively feeding as the days warm up. No matter the weather, March can be a super fun month to get out and fish. So, get those rods out and get ready for your spring fishing adventures.
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capT. JaMiE ThrappaS Yellow Dawg Fishing www.yellowdawgfishing.com (386) 366-3424
EDGEWATER BACKCOUNTRY FORECAST
R
ising water temperatures during March signals the northward migration of all sorts of both inshore and offshore fish along the Atlantic coast. Bait fish such as mullet, sardines, pilchards, glass minnows, game fish being jack crevalle, ladyfish, bluefish, black drum, tarpon, spanish mackerel, and pompano are among the inshore species that swim back north in spring. Schools of jacks, blues, and ladies come through the ICW during early spring making for fast action with these hard fighting, catch and release game fish. Early morning you can see surface striking activity along the intracoastal or old channel in Edgewater. This is fish attacking spring run shrimp or glass minnows to get in on the action cast a shrimp, baitfish, artificial imitation, or fly in the busting fish for a fast hook up. Mackerel or trout can also be caught in this surface activity. Look for diving birds or surface strikes, the fish may not always be visible on top, they can be stacked up down deep on channel edges, shoreline drop-offs, points, and creek mouths with good current flow. We will hope for a good spring shrimp run this year, every fish big and small swimming in our inshore waters eats shrimp. So you can’t go wrong using them for bait. Select size hooked through the trimmed tail for a long cast to sight fished reds and trout in skinny water. Use regular size shrimp free lined or with a small split shot on the drop offs and in holes for mixed bag action. Also throw them at surface feeding fish in the channel, on the bottom in black drum spots, or at the Ponce
south seatrout are the main target species. Go to bait a simple free lined live shrimp or try small size artificials. Fly fishing can be great at the dock lights with a shrimp imitation. Redfish, seatrout, and sheepshead patterns can stay in winter patterns during March as the water is still cool. Lagoon redfish stay schooled with chilly water and become more scattered after water warms a little. Stay shallow, fish the flats, oyster bars, shell bars, and sloughs, fish select size tail hooked live shrimp, live finger mullet, mud minnows, and scented soft plastics. Quality trout in the same places and tactics as for reds, with schools of smaller trout usually in deeper water. Try drop offs, holes, and channel edges with Inlet jetties. Small live or peeled frozen shrimp for light colored swimming tail jigs being the good sheepshead on dock and bridge pilings. Peeled shrimp are great for surf fishing. Night time dock lure choice here. light fishing will improve this month with rising water temps and shrimp on the move riding the outgoing tide. Lighted docks on both sides of capT. MichaEl SaVEDow Ponce Inlet, into the ICW at New Smyrna, and Edgewater River Guide around the bridges south into Edgewater and Oak EdgewaterRiverGuide.com Hill can be very fishy. A flowing tide is a must, (386) 689-3781 with outgoing always a good choice. Closer to the inlet may hold more bluefish and jacks, as you go Edgewater Backcountry Black Drum for Eva
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- Live Bait vs Artificial - Cast Net Throwing March - Knot Tying 23 & 24 - Fish Identification - Catch & Release Techniques - Swag Bag ( Tshirt , Stickers & more ) - VIP discount Card for Yellow Dawg To sign up, Bait and Tackle contact Capt. Jamie - Lunch , Snacks , & Drinks COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM march 2024 Palm Beach &366-3424 Fort lauderdale areas 9 (386)
Sandbar shark or bull shark? T he sandbar shark is often misidentified as the bull shark. Both shark species attain a large size, have large pectoral fins, and have a large dorsal fin that is placed well forward on the body over the pectoral fins. Both species occur in the same waters of the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. Juvenile sandbar sharks are plentiful around NE Florida inlet backwaters in late winter and early spring. So, what is the most certain way to distinguish the sandbar shark from the bull shark? First, look for the presence of an interdorsal ridge between the 1st and 2nd dorsal fins. The sandbar shark will have a distinct ridge on its back. The bull shark does not have the ridge. Second, look at where the 2nd dorsal fin originates relative to the anal fin. The sandbar shark has a 2nd dorsal fin whose origin is directly over the origin of the anal fin. The bull shark has a 2nd dorsal fin whose origin id forward of the origin of the anal fin. Third, look at the color of the anal fin. It is all white on the sandbar shark but black tipped on the bull shark. Why is it important to know the difference? The sandbar shark was the primary target of the U.S. commercial shark fishery because of its large size and fins and its excellent quality for table fare. Scientists have determined that populations of sandbar sharks have been fished down to the point that special conservation measures needed to be applied to the species. The National Marine Fisheries Service has severely limited the commercial harvest of the sandbar shark and placed the species on the recreational fishery Prohibited Species list. Many states, including Florida, have followed suit and now prohibit the harvest of the sandbar shark from within state’s waters.
Bull shark
Sandbar Shark
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www.USHarbors.com
Ponce De Leon Inlet South, FL - Mar 2024 High
Date
AM
ft
Low PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
5:56
0.4
5:46
0.2
6:46
6:24
1
Fri
11:40
2.3
2
Sat
12:20
2.8
12:24
2.1
6:51
0.5
6:37
0.2
6:45
6:25
3
Sun
1:14
2.8
1:19
2.1
7:48
0.6
7:34
0.2
6:44
6:26
4
Mon
2:23
2.8
2:32
2.1
8:50
0.5
8:36
0.1
6:43
6:26
5
Tue
3:38
2.9
3:50
2.2
9:55
0.5
9:43
-0.1
6:42
6:27
Moon
www.USHarbors.com
Ormond Beach, Halifax River, FL - Mar 2024 High
Date
Low
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
1
Fri
3:13
0.6
3:33
0.5
10:37
0.3
10:33
0.2
6:47
6:25
2
Sat
3:54
0.6
4:17
0.5
11:29
0.4
11:23
0.2
6:46
6:25
3
Sun
4:44
0.6
5:10
0.5
12:31
0.5
6:45
6:26
4
Mon
5:48
0.6
6:15
0.5
12:25
0.2
1:36
0.4
6:44
6:27
5
Tue
7:02
0.6
7:26
0.5
1:33
0.2
2:40
0.3
6:43
6:27
6
Wed
8:15
0.7
8:35
0.6
2:40
0.1
3:41
0.2
6:42
6:28
7
Thu
9:20
0.7
9:38
0.6
3:46
-0.1
4:39
0.0
6:40
6:29
8
Fri
10:17
0.7
10:34
0.7
4:49
-0.3
5:33
-0.2
6:39
6:29
9
Sat
11:09
0.8
11:27
0.7
5:47
-0.4
6:22
-0.4
6:38
6:30
12:59
0.8
7:41
-0.6
8:09
-0.5
7:37
7:31
6
Wed
4:42
3.1
4:54
2.4
10:55
0.3
10:48
-0.3
6:41
6:28
7
Thu
5:37
3.4
5:51
2.7
11:49
0.1
11:49
-0.5
6:40
6:28
8
Fri
6:29
3.5
6:45
3.0
12:39
-0.2
6:39
6:29
9
Sat
7:20
3.6
7:39
3.3
12:46
-0.6
1:26
-0.4
6:38
6:29
10
Sun
9:09
3.6
9:30
3.6
1:41
-0.7
3:11
-0.6
7:36
7:30
10
Sun
11
Mon
9:57
3.5
10:20
3.7
3:34
-0.7
3:55
-0.6
7:35
7:31
11
Mon
1:19
0.8
1:49
0.8
8:32
-0.6
8:55
-0.6
7:36
7:31
12
Tue
10:45
3.3
11:10
3.7
4:27
-0.6
4:39
-0.6
7:34
7:31
12
Tue
2:10
0.8
2:38
0.7
9:23
-0.5
9:41
-0.5
7:35
7:32
13
Wed
11:33
3.1
5:22
-0.4
5:27
-0.4
7:33
7:32
13
Wed
3:01
0.8
3:27
0.7
10:15
-0.4
10:28
-0.4
7:34
7:32
14
Thu
12:02
3.6
12:24
2.8
6:22
-0.2
6:20
-0.3
7:32
7:32
14
Thu
3:52
0.8
4:16
0.7
11:08
-0.2
11:18
-0.2
7:32
7:33
15
Fri
12:56
3.5
1:18
2.6
7:25
0.0
7:18
-0.1
7:31
7:33
15
Fri
4:43
0.7
5:07
0.6
12:06
0.1
7:31
7:34
16
Sat
1:53
3.2
2:17
2.4
8:27
0.2
8:17
0.1
7:30
7:34
16
Sat
5:38
0.7
6:02
0.6
12:12
0.0
1:08
0.2
7:30
7:34
17
Sun
2:56
3.0
3:23
2.3
9:28
0.4
9:17
0.2
7:28
7:34
17
Sun
6:37
0.6
7:03
0.5
1:12
0.2
2:12
0.4
7:29
7:35
18
Mon
4:05
2.9
4:30
2.3
10:30
0.5
10:20
0.3
7:27
7:35
18
Mon
7:41
0.6
8:07
0.5
2:16
0.3
3:14
0.4
7:28
7:35
19
Tue
5:09
2.9
5:30
2.4
11:29
0.5
11:21
0.3
7:26
7:35
19
Tue
8:44
0.6
9:09
0.5
3:18
0.3
4:11
0.4
7:27
7:36
20
Wed
6:02
2.9
6:20
2.5
12:20
0.4
7:25
7:36
20
Wed
9:42
0.6
10:04
0.6
4:17
0.3
5:03
0.4
7:25
7:37
21
Thu
6:48
2.9
7:06
2.6
12:16
0.3
1:04
0.3
7:24
7:37
21
Thu
10:32
0.6
10:53
0.6
5:12
0.3
5:50
0.3
7:24
7:37
22
Fri
7:29
3.0
7:49
2.8
1:05
0.2
1:43
0.2
7:22
7:37
22
Fri
11:15
0.6
11:36
0.6
6:03
0.2
6:32
0.2
7:23
7:38
23
Sat
8:09
3.0
8:30
2.9
1:49
0.1
2:17
0.2
7:21
7:38
23
Sat
11:55
0.7
6:48
0.1
7:09
0.1
7:22
7:38
24
Sun
8:47
2.9
9:09
3.0
2:30
0.1
2:48
0.1
7:20
7:38
24
Sun
12:15
0.7
12:32
0.7
7:29
0.1
7:43
0.1
7:21
7:39
25
Mon
9:23
2.9
9:45
3.1
3:09
0.1
3:18
0.1
7:19
7:39
25
Mon
12:52
0.7
1:08
0.7
8:06
0.0
8:14
0.1
7:19
7:39
26
Tue
9:58
2.8
10:20
3.2
3:46
0.1
3:46
0.1
7:18
7:39
26
Tue
1:27
0.7
1:43
0.6
8:42
0.1
8:45
0.1
7:18
7:40
27
Wed
10:31
2.7
10:53
3.2
4:22
0.2
4:15
0.1
7:17
7:40
27
Wed
2:01
0.7
2:18
0.6
9:17
0.1
9:15
0.1
7:17
7:41
28
Thu
11:04
2.5
11:28
3.1
5:00
0.3
4:46
0.2
7:15
7:41
28
Thu
2:35
0.7
2:53
0.6
9:53
0.2
9:47
0.1
7:16
7:41
29
Fri
11:38
2.4
5:43
0.4
5:23
0.2
7:14
7:41
29
Fri
3:08
0.7
3:29
0.6
10:31
0.3
10:22
0.2
7:15
7:42
30
Sat
12:07
3.1
12:17
2.3
6:33
0.5
6:09
0.3
7:13
7:42
30
Sat
3:45
0.7
4:08
0.6
11:13
0.3
11:04
0.2
7:14
7:42
31
Sun
12:52
3.1
1:04
2.3
7:29
0.6
7:07
0.3
7:12
7:42
31
Sun
4:28
0.7
4:54
0.6
12:04P
0.4
11:56
0.3
7:12
7:43
Moon
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kayak rentals • kayak guided fishing tours • kayak guided sightseeing tours • guided back country fishing charters 12 Palm VOLUSIA Beach MARCH & Fort2024 lauderdale COASTALANGLERMAG.COM areas march 2024• THEANGLERMAG.COM COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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The Fishin’ Hole Difference Off Shore & In Shore Tackle Live & Frozen Bait Expert Rod & Reel Repair ANGLERS CLOTHING
hIGh BRIDGE FORECAST arch is a super fun month up here. Getting back in the flats and sight fishing redfish in schools is probably one of my favorite things to do. The best part is while most everywhere else will be windy and exposed, then there’s the channels and flats up here in Ormond where you can tuck in and get a sunburn and a fish on the toughest days! I find most of my fish this
time of year in the in the middle of the flats huddled up. As the tides change transition channels from one flat to another will also hold fish including juvenile snook which are a blast to catch. The bridges will still have plenty of slot snook, you just have to time your tide switches. Come up and see us at the shop, we will point you in the right direction! SALTWATER PRO SHOP
thefishinholeinc@gmail.com
450 N. Beach Street Downtown Daytona Beach
386-252-9804
capT. JaMiE ThrappaS
Yellow Dawg Bait & Tackle 35 High Bridge Road • Ormond by the sea Instagram: @yellow_dawg_bait_and_tackle Facebook: Yellow Dawg Bait & Tackle 386-278-6208
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Millie’s south S.Beach Atlantic Avenue Shores, FL 32118 3218 Daytona S. 3218 Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach Shores Millie’s North S.Ave, Atlantic Avenue 32118 Daytona Beach Shores, FL 3218 S. 3218 Atlantic Daytona Beach Shores 386-275-1492 3218 S. Atlantic Avenue 330 S. Atlantic Ave, Ormond Beach Hours: Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118 •
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• Tuesday 11am-9pm closed Monday 386-238-9756 11am-9pm Wednesday - Saturday Wednesday - sat: 11am - 9pm Sunday Hours: •9am-9pm Monday 11am-9pm Tuesday closed sunday: 8am 9pm 11am-9pm Wednesday Saturday Sunday11am 9am-9pm Monday: - 9pm • Tuesday closed Monday 11am-9pm Wednesday Saturday 11am-9pm tuesday: Closed Sunday 9am-9pm Monday: 11am - 9pm Wednesday sat: 11am11am-9pm - 9pm Wednesday --Saturday tuesday: Closed Sunday 9am-9pm sunday:- sat: 8am 11am - 9pm- 9pm Wednesday Sunday 9am-9pm sunday: 8am - 9pm
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CENTRAL ST. JOhNS RIvER FORECAST
• • • •
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ebruary was a great month for fishing on the St. Johns River for Speckled Perch and we hope it will continue into March. This year has brought a lot of limits and we have seen a lot of fish over 2 pounds. We’ve had two productive methods so far this season, trolling in Lake Woodruff and vertical jigging depending on the moon phase. Artificial jigs have been the best bait, but live minnows come in at a close second. Around the full moon, fish will retreat to shallow water for spawning. When they do move to shallow water, vertical jigging and cork and jigging along the banks and tree tops will work best. March will be another good month for targeting big bass. This time of year, wild river shiners are the most popular method for bass fishing. As most anglers know, bass fishing has been slow this season. We are starting to see some improvements and are hopeful for a productive spring season. Artificial lures like Spinner baits and top water can still be productive depending on weather conditions however April will be a better month for artificial baits. Highland Park Fish Camp offers free fishing maps and will highlight your best fishing locations. You can also give us a call any day for an up to date fishing report. 1-800-525-3477 capT. Bryn aDaMS
Highland Park Fish Camp 1-800-525-3477
www.highlandparkfishcamp.com
16 Palm VOLUSIA Beach MARCH & Fort2024 lauderdale COASTALANGLERMAG.COM areas march 2024• THEANGLERMAG.COM COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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fLY fIShING FORECAST DOn’T pASS On ThE BASS
A
s winter slowly comes to an end. Our excuses about it being too cold, and too windy end with it! Time to shake some rust off your cast and fine-tune that strip set before you start chasing your PBs this summer.. A great way to get back into fighting shape is by targeting our local bass. Whether it’s the pond down the street or launching at Highland Park Fish Camp and hitting up Lake George and the connecting St. John’s River. The bass spawn is here. Although Florida has a large spawning season ranging from south Florida to the panhandle. Central Florida’s spawn usually peaks between March and April. As the water temps start to rise, you’ll see A lot of those bigger females move into shallower water. If you’re new to fly fishing or maybe even just fly curious. The spawn is the best way to learn and build your confidence. These fish will be in 2-3FT of water, easy to see, and often willing to give you multiple opportunities for a chance to set that hook. Start looking around Lilly pads and grassy areas around the shore. These bass are willing to eat just about anything you throw in front of them. Top water flies like frogs and gurglers are without a doubt the most addictive. Any small to mediumsized baitfish pattern will get the job done. Bass on beds. I know we’re almost all guilty of targeting fish on beds, especially in our youth.
However, I highly recommend not targeting these fish. Bedded Bass are already stressed from the spawn and are now on full-time guard duty defending their beds from predators. The majority of the strikes encountered from bedded bass aren’t due to eating or hunger. It’s a show of aggression as they protect their eggs and fry. If you do catch one; try to release them as soon as possible. It doesn’t take long for bluegill and other panfish to sweep in and eat her eggs. As anglers, we need as many of those eggs to hatch as possible, especially when combating threats from invasive species like cichlids and tilapia.
Lastly, I’d like to personally invite each of you to the International Fly Fishing Film Festival on March 9th, 2024 at the Marine Discovery Center. Presented by Tailer Trash Fly Fishing Benefiting Marine Discovery Center. Tickets are $15 per person- and available on the IF4 website. The parking lot opens at 3:00 PM for a tailgate party. Films start approximately 30 minutes after sunset. This event is open to everyone! Bring your friends and family out for some awesome food and entertainment as we locals raise money for the Marine Discovery Center. All money raised goes back into our home waters. Hope to see you there. Fly Nights Calendar: Old City fly shop 3/14 st Aug Harry Goods 3/14 & 3/28
capT. rEEF
Captain Reef’s Guide Service Instagram: Captain Reef’s guide service 386-679-6997
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM MARCH 2024 VOLUSIA COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM march 2024 Palm Beach & Fort lauderdale areas 17
No Job too big or too small Residential and Commercial Services including: - Land Clearing and Site Development - Asphalt paving ,milling services, and material by the load. - Concrete - foundations , slabs, driveways, and commercial services - Demolition & Site Cleanup - Fill and Compaction - Bobcat & Excavator services including pond digging - Landscape and irrigation services including sod installs and tree trimming.
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18 Palm VOLUSIA Beach MARCH & Fort2024 lauderdale COASTALANGLERMAG.COM areas march 2024• THEANGLERMAG.COM COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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KAYAKING SpECIAL FORECAST
T
he past few weeks have been pretty wild. I decided to enter the Hobie Bass Open Series on the Harris Chain of lakes on January 27th28th. The entry fee for this tournament was $300 and there were 154 people who entered from all over the country. Even Bass Pro Elite Series Champion Carl Jocumson was entered in this tournament for his first ever national kayak tournament. To say I was a little intimidated would be an understatement, but I decided to take the leap of faith and charge it. I went to Lake Yale and pre-fished the Wednesday prior to the tournament and found some fish in the middle of the lake schooling up. I was throwing a white z-man chatter bait and pulling it thru the hydrilla which seemed to be the ticket for landing large numbers of 14-16 inch fish. This lake is absolutely beautiful and I highly recommend anyone who is looking for a fun day out on the water to check it out. I decided to check out another location on Thursday which was the McDonald canal that leads to Lake Apopka. I spent most of the day flipping a Watermelon red Senko paired with a 1/2 screw lock bullet weight. This time of year around a full moon I found lots of quality fish pushing up to spawn in the canal. I spent a lot of time peddling on my Old Town salty pdl 120 and covered around 6-7 miles of water to finally find the location I wanted to fish for the tournament. One thing I tried to do was be careful not to over fish an area where I got a couple bites because I needed my fish to bite on Saturday and Sunday. When Saturday finally came, I made an hour and a half strike straight to where I wanted to fish and spent all day in that area. I picked it apart and was able to finish day one in 3rd place. Heading into day 2, the weather completely changed and the wind was absolutely shredding, so I mixed it up a little bit and went with a heavier weight and a larger Senko. As day 2 came to an end, I finished with 199 inches total with my 10 fish limit and solidified first place, winning me $7,000! It was just an overall incredible experience and I met so many great people. The thing I really want to encourage anyone who reads my articles to do is just give it a go. If you want to get into kayak tournament fishing a good place to start is by downloading the “Tourny X” app and
“Fishing Chaos” app. There you will be able to find a tournament in your area and all the information you’ll need to get started. After I got my feet wet, I decided to join the FKBT (Florida Kayak Bass Trail) and did another event on the chain on February 10th. This was a smaller group of all local guys and girls that were very helpful in getting me started and answered all my questions in the online captains meeting prior to event. I weighed in 82 inches in this event and finished 3rd place. The style of fishing in both events was all across the board so I would say to just submit to your own process and do what works for you. Find something you are confident with and charge it! If you are new to kayaking and want to just meet people who kayak fish this a great way to expedite that process. The overall vibe of the kayak community is very friendly and helpful. If you are looking for a kayak that will be suitable for tournaments you can check out Travel Country located at 1101 E Altamonte Dr, Altamonte Springs, FL 32701. I have a stock Old Town Salty pdl 120 straight off the shelf so the barrier to entry is highly accessible. You will see people with lots of cool trolling motors and tv screens on their kayaks which is totally awesome, but I’m proof that it’s not absolutely necessary to be competitive. If you love kayaking and you love fishing, I highly recommend putting yourself out there and forcing yourself to fish some new water against some great anglers. Also, I want to give a shout out to Kayak Bass Nation for the incredible job they are doing promoting this sport. I’ll drop a link to their website and YouTube channel below. The Harris Chain of lakes is lit up right now so even if you want to just explore and do some fishing this is the time! I’ll be running a kids camp all summer at Yellow Dawg Bait and Tackle on Highbridge Road, so if you have kids that want to get in a kayak and do some fishing, make sure to call Captain Jamie and get ‘em signed up! 386-366-3424 Tight Lines! BlakE aBBEy
Kayak King Charters 916-476-1403 @kayakkingcharters
20 Palm VOLUSIA Beach MARCH & Fort2024 lauderdale COASTALANGLERMAG.COM areas march 2024• THEANGLERMAG.COM COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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Palm Beach & Fort lauderdale areas 21
vol. 3
W
e had the opportunity to go fishing with mother and son duo, Sam Itani and Rafica Mohammad. They are truly masters at their craft when it comes to targeting Sheepshead and catching big ones. They make it look easy. With a combined 80 years of experience between them, these local legends are something to behold. Q-How did you get into fishing? Sam-As a little kid we used to go on family outings. That’s all we really did was fish and go on picnics at Tomoka Park or anywhere here locally in the Daytona area. Q-How long have you been fishing? Rafica- All my life. I fished in my country, in Lebanon. I fished there with my dad. I’ve been fishing maybe 50 or 60 years. Q-How long have you been fishing in Volusia County? Rafica- We moved here 48 years ago, so I would say I’ve been fishing in this area for 40 years. Q-Is the fishing different here than in Lebanon? Rafica- Yes it’s different. They have some kind of fish here that they don’t have there, and there’s some kind of fish they have there that they don’t have here. Q-Who’s your biggest influence when it comes to fishing? Sam-You know growing up, I was always into television fishing, you know like bass fisherman. But mom used to take us fishing all the time and I got my fishing tenacity from Mom. She’ll go on a day like this, you know, it’s cold, it’s windy. People are sitting inside and they want a hot chocolate and Mom’s calling me saying “Hey, lets go fishing!” Q-What do you love about fishing? Sam-The pure love of the hunt and the outdoors. The beauty and diversity of the water. I always say no two days on the water are the same. Fishing to me is a source of comfort and serenity, when things go as planned, of course. There are just so many positives I can think of. Even when things don’t go as planned, I still love it. I just recently caught a big Sheepshead that I had to hand-line in because of an equipment failure. It was massive. 24” I got it in the boat and weighed it and put it on my measuring board and the fish flipped off and got away. I loved every minute of it. Q-What is your favorite part about fishing? Rafica- I like eating them. But I really like fishing, even if I don’t eat them. I like it. I try to fish as much as possible. When I’m not fishing, I’m thinking about fishing. I will fish in all types of weather. Even if it’s very windy and cold, I like to be out there.
Local Legends pays homage to the hardcore fisherman and anglers who have put in the work in their local waters. Q-What is your favorite species to target? Sam-I love Sheepshead fishing, PERIOD. What I really like about Sheepshead fishing is that it’s a subtle game, you know? It’s a subtle bite game. If you don’t got the right equipment, you’ll never really feel a big one. The big ones are always there, you just don’t always seem ‘em. I really love the challenge of hanging a big one and pulling it out of the hole. Q-Whats your favorite fish to catch? Rafica- Everything. But I l mostly like to catch Sheepshead and Black Drum. Q-Whats the biggest Sheepshead you’ve ever caught? Rafica- 10 lb Sheepshead Q-Can you give any tips on how to land some Sheepshead in our area? Rafica- Just make sure you use fresh bait. They like fresh bait because when the bait spends too much time in the water, it loses its taste and scent. You have to keep them interested. Q-What is your most memorable fish story and do you have any fish stories that didn’t end well? Sam-I was fishing in the inlet about 20 years ago. Me and a friend of mine hooked the same fish in the mouth while bottom-fishing. A big argument ensued about who’s fish it was. Me and that guy never went fishing together again! Q-Are you involved in any conservation or preservation of our fishery? Sam-I advocate responsible management of our natural resources. I have personally seen the rivers become more abundant since the net bans. I think the net bans are important and all regulations that give species the chance to survive. I try to stay 100% natural resource conscious. Keep the water clean, please. I teach my children respect for the water and wildlife. Q-Do you have any final tips for fishing in our area? Sam-Ive been fishing a long time locally, so I know this area well and have been very successful. Just pay attention to current and tide. I recommend spending as much time floating on our beautiful waters as possible and I encourage everyone to seek the salt water therapy. Tight lines!
Make sure you go check out the Local Legends Youtube Channel and our Instagram for in-depth interviews and epic fishing footage with each of our legends. Youtube: @_localLegends_ Instagram: @_locallegends_
22 Palm VOLUSIA Beach MARCH & Fort2024 lauderdale COASTALANGLERMAG.COM areas march 2024• THEANGLERMAG.COM COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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adventures with Skye - THE KAYAK ANGLER Kayak angling sure has become very popular in the fishing industry! A simple and sufficient way for us anglers to launch and get out on the water. Dodging those busy boat ramps giving us the freedom to pull off and launch down small canals, creeks, pull off dirt roads, and push through hidden marsh gems with little to no traffic. Kayaking is a great way to get out for some fresh air whether it is fishing the flats or an eco tour through the marsh enjoying some exercise and becoming one with nature. Yak fishing is all about the adventure! Being out there scouting new areas and finding new honey holes. Fishing from your kayak gets you back into those skinny waters skimming across only inches deep across those grassy flats, marshes, narrow creeks, canals, and getting into spots only skiffs can dream of. - THE RIGHT KAYAK Finding the right kayak for yourself and your fishing needs can be a little tough! There are so many questions to ask, sit-on top or sit in yak? What is the best brand to start with? Am I fishing out of this vessel or just to adventure or maybe both! Which is suitable for my height and weight? Will I be standing to sight cast, maybe a wider deck would be best, there are so many questions and possibilities. My best advice is to do as much research as possible, read reviews, compare brands and gather knowledge of their features and specs before making a purchase. Watch YouTube videos, read reviews for insight from other anglers who fish and paddle similar to what you explore and target the same species doing the same type of fishing you do. Me, I personally prefer a sit-on kayak! Allows me to sit higher and see more in depth of the water. I also find it much easier to maneuver and stand up easier when in between sight fishing and paddling to a new location/ spot. If you are paddling a longer distance, I would recommend a longer in
length, narrower yak. This will help with speed and tracking faster through the water and making it easier crossing large bodies of water. My personal brand of choice and preference is a Feel Free Kayak! After spending countless days, hours, even years paddling on the water and through any weather conditions, traveling near or far, fishing or just a paddle. I’ve put in the work finding what I believe to be the best kayak, hands down. I scout and fish the waters in a Feel Free Dorado v2 equipped with a pedal drive system that is tipping a little over 12ft in length, lightweight and a deck I can sit or stand to sight my catch! It covers all the specs and exactly what I look for and need to make my trips a smooth sail! Feel Free Kayaks has multiple yaks to fit your needs from embarking long journeys through flats to fish or tracking rivers to simply enjoy nature in comfort. Each model offers different unique features to accommodate your needs, take it from an outdoors fishing and nature pro, I just know! As I understand a lot would think to blend with nature and go with earth tones such as green and camouflage, take it from me I too am guilty of that. However, the fish don’t care what color your kayak is and they won’t see it. I do recommend going for the brighter colors that will allow boaters to stay a safe distance and other kayaks to see you from afar to not come up on your fishing and blow your spot. And well I’d say a brighter color yak can make for a better looking colorful fish photo. -ACCESSORIESTime to deck out your Kayak, one of my favorite things is accessorizing my yak! You want to be sure to have all the proper accessories, especially if you are the kayak fishermen. Railblaza is where I go to find all my kayak accessory needs! Basics such as an anchor, tether, rod holders, and a storage system for tackle and tools. If you are using live bait and your kayak does not have a live well in it such as the feel free kayaks do have to offer, a small cooler is the route I would go. It is insulated and regulates water temp keeping your bait alive much longer, especially while out in Florida’s hot summer temperatures. While fishing the skinny water and sighting in Redfish (is what I specialize in) a push pole or anchor pole can be your best accessory to help you scout and approach schools while keeping you stealthy! Even with a pedal drive I always break down and carry a paddle just in case, and for safety purposes I see it almost like a kill switch for us kayakers! You can also pair it with your push pole to anchor up for those anglers who like to beach up and wade out keeping your vessel in place. I highly recommend a visibility Flag light kit for those early morning hours and late evenings traveling back. That way others can see you and most importantly always be sure to wear or carry a life vest, safety first!
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CCA FLORIDA STAR STREAMLINED FOR 2024
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CA Florida STAR presented by Yamaha, boasts amazing prizes, is the largest familyfriendly saltwater fishing competition in Florida and it begins May 25. A unique combination of conservation, data collection and education, plus prizes and scholarships valued at over $500,000, makes CCA Florida STAR the state’s not-to-miss-summer-long fishing competition. No other fishing tournament in Florida has the ability to engage participants
of all ages and experience levels, and even nonanglers can win, just by collecting trash and debris. Heading into the tenth year, CCA Florida STAR presented by Yamaha has made it easier than ever to participate. The summer long fishing competition encourages thousands of anglers of all ages to fish with a purpose – conservation and winning. STAR is simplifying the competition to make it easier for participants to enter their catches
and win big. It’s not just about anglers winning but helping the fishery win too. Florida STAR focuses on conservation with its technology-based, CPR format and dedicated smartphone app. This format promotes the proper handling of species and allows participants who, at the time of their catch are members of CCA and registered in STAR to upload photos of their catch for an entry in the competition. STAR has set the bar for other fishing tournaments to follow by implementing conservation friendly alternatives, such as a trash division and conservation division with rewards of some really big prizes. The CCA Florida STAR competition presented by Yamaha has a division for everyone, from the non-angler to the experienced angler and targets inshore and offshore species. For the 2024 competition, CCA Florida STAR will once again offer over $500,000 in prizes and scholarships but has pared down the number of divisions to make participation simpler. STAR will offer a Tagged Redfish Division, Tagged Dolphin Division, an Inshore and Offshore Division, Native Watercraft Kayak Division, Realtree Youth Scholarship Division, Power Pole Conservation Division and Costa Kick Plastic Trash Division. With so many ways to win amazing prizes and help protect our marine resources, now is the time to get registered and make fishing in Florida more rewarding this summer. For more information on STAR, become a member and register, call 844-387-7827 or visit their Facebook page and ccaflstar.com.
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LIFE IS A BEACH
By Richard L. Matteson
COOL WATER SNOOK&THE MARCH FISHING FORECAST
I
t’s not like summer, but there are still snook on the beach here on the Treasure Coast. I caught a 21-incher a few days ago in the surf and released it. My main artificial rig is a 4-inch DOA pearl white paddletail on a chartreuse 3/8-ounce DOA jighead. Snook are looking for warmer water, so they’ll be around inlets and bridges where the water is deeper. Sometimes they run the beach because the ocean is better for them than the shallow water in the lagoon. Some large snook are being caught in deeper water of the St. Lucie, both North and South Forks, Crossroads and around deep piers and bridges as well as around deep water in both the St. Lucie and Ft. Pierce inlets. Large jigs and live or cut bait fished early morning, at dusk or at night work best. Live 6-inch croaker seem to be the preferred live bait. This month, you can harvest one snook in the 28- to 32-inch slot here in the IRL Zone. March is windy and will be the last good month for many of the winter fish like pompano, mackerel and bluefish. Some fish, especially bluefish, will remain, but the numbers are relatively small. Pompano can be caught on the beach with orange fish bites and sand fleas. In the lagoon, try jigging from bridges with pompano jigs on moving tides.
Chartreuse or hot pink are good colors. Permit have been caught on the beach on small crabs, fish bites or large sand fleas. Both permit and pompano are 50 to 70 yards offshore. The mackerel bite is good on the beach early in the morning when bait is present. This bite is in the trough around the close breakers. Small spoons like silver 1-ounce Krocodiles or gold Johnson spoons with treble hooks work best, but they will hit any lure retrieved quickly near the surface. There are mackerel still in the Peck’s Lake area where you’ll need a boat. The bluefish bite has been sporadic with fish chasing bait in early morning or when bait is present. Trout are scattered in the lagoon and can be caught on jigs and topwaters like Skitterwalks and Zara Spooks on warm afternoons. The best trout areas are north from the power plant to the Vero Beach flats. The flounder bite is still good on small the 5- to 10-pound range have been taken on jigs jigs and live bait on the flats and around the bridges. and shallow-running crankbaits. Some redfish have been caught on jigs tipped Remember, see the birds, find the bait, catch with live shrimp from the power plant north. the fish! Target mangroves on high tide in the afternoon or Richard L. Matteson Jr. is a long-time Coastal mangroves with deep water. As usual, there are scattered schools of ladyfish Angler contributor and staff writer for Stuart Rod & Reel Club. Contact him at (336) 414-3440. and jacks cruising the beaches. Some nice jacks in
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TIPS FROM A PRO
ISOLATED TARGETS FOR BIG BASS
TYLER WOOLCOTT
A
round the country, spring is either here or it is rapidly approaching. There is an amazing tip I want to share to improve your chances for catching big bass this time of year. In spring, bass flood into shallower areas of any lake. Whether that be a bank, pocket or a flat shallow area, they move shallow to start their transition and get ready to do their thing. They use any type of readily available cover to stage up and then eventually spawn. This takes a lot of the guesswork out of the search for where your next bite may come from. What I look for is isolated cover and structure. Types of cover that I look for differentiate from state to state and lake to lake, but the general concept is always the same. The more isolated the better! For instance, here in Florida, anything from a couple lily pads or a very small patch of vertical grass sticking up away from most of the other cover is the ideal spot for a big one to be sitting. In other areas of the country, it could be a single rock, a piece of wood or any kind of debris or cover that looks out of place. Shallow brushpiles near a spawning area that you find with your electronics are also an awesome thing to look for. Some of my biggest spring bass have come from something so obvious that most anglers
go right past it. Fish also often replenish on these places very quickly, so don’t overlook visiting the same piece of structure multiple times in a single day. One of my favorite things to do is cast to isolated lily pads. There could be two tiny little pads out in the middle of a flat on their own, and I might catch multiple fish off the same two pads by revisiting them throughout the day. I often pick apart these objects by dragging something slowly by or through the structure. Typically, a wacky-rigged weightless Senko or a very lightly weighted Texas-rigged stick bait are my go-to lures. When in Southern states that have some stain to the water, I stick with darker colors like blacks and blues or junebug. When the water is clear, I’ll go with more natural colors like a green pumpkin. You can keep your gear pretty simple, but remember you’re fishing around structure fish can wrap you around and break you off. Use heavier line. Try stepping up your leader size to 12- to 15-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon on a spinning rod, and use 15- to 20-pound when throwing a Texas rig on a baitcaster. The 13 have fun and be safe on the water. Fishing Defy series of rods are awesome and Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament affordable. I use the 7’6” MH for baitcasting angler and guide. Check out his website at rods and the 7’1” MH for spinning. www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com. Good luck out there this spring and always
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MARCH 2024
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DECEMBER GIVEAWAY WINNER ZIPPING AROUND WITH HER NEW OUTBOARD
ENTER TO WIN!
A PAIR OF WILEY X SUNGLASSES THROUGH MARCH!
I
n December, Coastal Angler and Suzuki teamed up to award one lucky reader with an extra special Christmas gift as part of the magazine’s regular contest drawings. Jeanette Harkin, of Edgewater, Fla., is now the happy owner of small, but feature-rich Suzuki DF2.5 outboard, which she plans to use on the inshore fisheries around Smyrna Beach. “I was super excited when I found out that I won, because we’ve been wanting to get a nice trolling motor for a long time,” Jeanette said. “It was an extra special Christmas present from you guys! Thank you again!!!” The Suzuki DF 2.5 weighs just 30 pounds, and the smooth, quiet and dependable engine is a perfect fit for the 16-foot Gheenoe Jeanette plans to put it on. She goes out frequently after whitefish, redfish and blue crabs on the Intracoastal near her home, and this little rig will be perfect for zipping around on the flats and backwaters. Coastal Angler’s current Giveaway drawing is for two pairs of awesome Wiley X sunglasses. These high-performance and stylish glasses will be just in time for all your springtime outdoor adventures. Go to Coastalanglermag. com, click the “Contest” tab, enter the drawing, and you could be sporting some free new shades on the water this spring. To enter, go to coastalanglermag.com/contest.
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NATIONAL 11
WHERE THE SUWANNEE & STEINHATCHEE RIVERS MEET THE GULF OF MEXICO
PHOTO BY DAVID HAY JONES
GREAT FISHING!
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REDFISH TIP:
THE GARRETT REDFISH DRAG
H
ere’s a quick redfish tip from Capt. Garrett Ross, of Miss Judy Charters out of Savannah, Ga. “While using a traditional adjustable style cork, adjust depth to allow the live shrimp to sit directly on the bottom. This means that your cork will be laying completely over on its side. Now, when the cold-water redfish decides to take the bait in its mouth, you will not know until the cork stands up right and starts to make way. It is suggested to reel lightly tight and allow the circle hook to do its job of lip hooking your redfish!” Capt. Garrett’s reasoning for the Ethan Long, 13, with a nice redfish caught effectiveness of his while fishing with Capt. Garrett Ross. technique is that a redfish has plenty of time to eat the shrimp and begin to swim away before the angler holding the rod even knows the fish is there. It might sound counterintuitive, but circle hooks have a way of coming unbuttoned when there’s an over-eager angler holding the rod. For more from Capt. Judy Helmey, visit missjudycharters.com. 12 NATIONAL
MARCH 2024
E
very saltwater angler knows the frustration of losing their hardearned catch to sharks. With a hard thump, that big, feisty cobia or snapper stops fighting and all that’s left to haul over the rail is a head. Those delicious fillets were donated to the taxman, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Well, it seems the U.S. Congress is at least willing to take a look at the issue of shark depredation, which is a shark hammering a fish on the line before it can be landed. The SHARKED Act is a piece of legislation working its way through Congress right now with bipartisan support. The bill is just a first step toward mitigating shark interactions with anglers, both recreational and commercial, but it’s one of those rare occasions when legislators might just come together. According to the American Sportfishing Association, shark encounters are increasing on all U.S. coasts. The Magnuson-Stevens Act of 2007—the sweeping legislation that gave us the decades-long red snapper fiasco in the Gulf of Mexico—has been successful, maybe too successful, in rebuilding populations of many shark species that were previously reduced by fishing. In addition to being frustrating to anglers, there is concern that sharks are negatively impacting fisheries, and there is already talk among fisheries managers of stricter regulations on anglers intended to offset or avoid shark interactions. With support from several sportfishing and conservation organizations, the SHARKED Act unanimously passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives, and at presstime it was headed to the Senate and potentially to President Biden to be signed into law. It would direct NOAA Fisheries to develop a task force to study the issue of shark depredation. The task force would be tasked with improving coordination and communication across the fisheries management community to identify research priorities and funding opportunities and make a plan to reduce shark/angler interactions. We can only hope this future plan puts limitations on the taxman and not on anglers.
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GRAND LAKE TO HOST
2024 BASSMASTER CLASSIC T
he field is set, and the grandest spectacle in bass fishing will be renewed for the 54th time from March 22-24. This year’s Bassmaster Classic will be held on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, with weigh-ins and festivities in Tulsa, Okla. Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees has more than lived up to its name. The 46,500-acre fishery provided some of the grandest moments in the history
of the event when Classics were held there in 2013 and 2016. Now the picturesque reservoir in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains will add to that grand lore when it again plays host the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing. As with past Classics held in Tulsa, daily weigh-ins will be held at the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa, with the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo across the street at the Cox Business Convention Center. Daily takeoffs will be held about 90 miles away at the Wolf Creek Park and Boating Facility on Grand Lake. During the first Tulsa Classic in 2013, former Elite Series pro Cliff Pace of Mississippi claimed a wire-to-wire victory during a frigid event when icy precipitation tested the toughness of the 53-angler field. In 2016, local favorite Jason Christie led Days 1 and 2 and seemed poised to earn his first Classic trophy until fellow Oklahoma pro Edwin Evers caught a five-bass limit that weighed 29 pounds, 3 ounces to claim a dramatic come-frombehind win. “The Grand River Dam Authority is excited to see the Bassmaster Classic make its return to Grand Lake in 2024,” said GRDA President and CEO Dan Sullivan. “Not only will the event provide a tremendous economic benefit to the region but it will once again showcase Grand Lake to interested audiences across the country. “GRDA places a high priority on caring for the natural resources under its control, and being a three-time host of the Bassmaster Classic reinforces Grand’s reputation as one of the nation’s top fisheries. GRDA is excited to once again support the Bassmaster Classic, which is known as a premier event and competition for anglers.” On last year’s list of 100 Best Bass Lakes by Bassmaster Magazine, Grand Lake ranked 17th in the Central Division. That marks the 11th straight year that the fishery has ranked in the Top 100. The field will include 56 anglers competing for a $300,000 first-place prize and a total purse of over $1 million. “Since its inception, the Classic has been a tournament that changes lives,” said B.A.S.S. Vice President of Tournaments Chris Bowes. “The payday is great, sure. But the opportunity to refer to yourself as ‘Bassmaster Classic champion’ for the rest of your life — there’s no greater clout in our sport.”
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MARCH 2024
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Endless Adventure Awaits.
With more than 60,000 surface acres and 1,300 miles of shoreline, Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees is one of the largest outdoor destinations in Oklahoma. Located on the Grand River, the lake is hugely popular with boaters, fishermen, campers and anyone else who loves spending time in the great outdoors. Anglers are sure to have a blast searching for largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, channel catfish, bluegill and the rare paddlefish on Grand Lake waters. And Grand Lake’s shores are lined with so many unique attractions, shops, restaurants, state parks and casinos that seeing everything in one trip is next to impossible. There’s truly something for everyone to love in the Grand Lake Area!
HOME OF THE 2024 BASSMASTER CLASSIC! Discover all the fun things to see and do in the Grand Lake Area as well as places to stay, places to eat, festivals and more at
GrandLakeFun.com