Coastal Angler Magazine | March 2023 | Volusia County Edition

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A MODERN-DAY TED WILLIAMS

By A. DeGruchy

Major League Baseball’s JD Martinez has garnered a lot of accolades, including three Silver Sluggers, a Hank Aaron Award and MLB Player of the Year. e man is a vetime All-Star! What some folks might not know about the former Boston Red Sox turned Los Angeles Dodger is he’s also an avid sherman.

Growing up in Miami, he o en escaped to sh the Florida Keys. rough the years, that passion never faded. He now lives in Islamorada and spends the o season shing with Capt. Brandon “ e Bean” Storin.

Capt. Bean grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and has vacationed every year in the Keys since he was 5 years old. He shed with Capt. Jimmy Willcox, who inspired a dream to become a backcountry guide. In 2021, e Bean ful lled his dream.

Together, JD and Capt. Bean have made memories while landing some awesome sh. eir rst trip in the Islamorada backcountry produced JD’s personal-best tripletail. It was JD’s rst time tripletailing, and they were sight-casting buoys. Just like hitting a 95-mph fastball, timing and execution are everything, and JD made the perfect cast when they spotted a stud tripletail. Several runs and exhales later, Bean swooped deep and netted the 20-plus-pound

beast. It was JD’s rst, and it is a personal best that will take some work to beat.

Another epic adventure took place during a sunset black n tuna mission. Capt. Bean knew ns, and they used light spinning tackle to make it more fun. It didn’t take more than a couple minutes for JD to get tight on a monster n. All you could hear was the reel screaming, and the rod was doubled over the whole ght. It was JD’s personal-

full-grown one to boot.

On their most recent adventure, Capt. Bean and JD were bottom shing for mutton snapper when an unexpected bite inhaled a whole ballyhoo. It ended up being an almost record-breaking yellowtail snapper, which at 29 inches was the sh of a lifetime. Gray’s taxidermy commemorated the yellowtail to add to JD’s mount collection, along with the aforementioned tripletail.

JD is a good angler, and he is not the rst Red Sox slugger to nd a shing home on Islamorada. Ted Williams, considered by many to be the greatest hitter of all time, played for the Sox from 1939-1960. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966, and he is also a member of the Fly Fishing Hall of Fame. Williams resided and shed in Islamorada for bone sh and tarpon with legendary Capt. Jimmy Albright. It is said he became as good an angler as any of the guides.

MLB and the Islamorada backcountry have a shared history. Capt. Bean and JD continue adding to the legends to this day.

Follow JD Martinez (@jdmartinez28) and Capt. Bean (@bnmbean) on Instagram. Some of their adventures are featured on YouTube at Bean Sport shing TV.

Noodling for Cat sh...what have I gotten myself into?

is past summer, I wanted to do something exciting and di erent with my friends for my “bachelorette” getaway. I always thought noodling would be a cool experience.

If you’re not familiar with noodling, it’s a technique anglers use to catch cat sh with their hands. In the lead-up to the spawn, cat sh nd holes in the banks where they will eventually lay and guard their eggs. It’s up to the angler to locate either a natural hole or a strategically placed box that a cat sh has decided to call home. e angler then sticks their hand into the hole, triggering the cat sh to chomp down on their hand and forearm. en, it’s a wrestling match to the surface.

e athead cat sh we pursued don’t have teeth, but they do grow large, with some sh reaching well over 50 pounds. It takes all your strength to get them out of their happy place and up to the surface to become sh celebrities.

Because it takes place during the spawn, this style of shing has become almost 100-percent catch-and-release for many noodlers. A er a few photos, sh are released safely to return to their holes and continue spawning duties.

When my two best friends and I le the familiar clear Florida waters for the beautiful state of Alabama, we had the goal to get one of these monster cats to bite... our arms. I’m not going to lie; I was a bit nervous getting on the boat. It was beautiful and peaceful on the river,

TO REMEMBER

By Deidra Thrappas

but the water is murky like chocolate milk and the banks are muddy. Shoes are highly recommended.

When I entered the water at our rst spot, it kind of hit me: “What have I gotten myself into?” But there was no turning back. Our guide located the wooden box he had planted earlier in the season and instructed me to hold my breath and lie on the bottom while slowly sliding my hand into the hole.

At rst there was nothing. en… WHAM! It was like a toothless gator grabbed me. I had been instructed to grab that sucker by its lower jaw with both hands and not to let go. So that’s what I did. A er a brief struggle, I had a dandy on the surface staring right at me! rough the day, we tried many holes, some empty and some with sh. Each time we stopped, the anticipation and excitement were the same as at the rst hole. It was a great experience, and I plan to go again soon. If you’ve ever thought of going noodling, I highly recommend it, 10/10.

e noodling season runs from midspring through the summer, depending on the location. Get online and nd a local guide for the area you’re interested in. Feel free to contact me with questions on Instagram @ get_outside_with_deidra or my husband, Capt. Jamie rappas @yellow_dawg_ shing.

Deidra and her husband Capt. Jamie rappas are co-publishers of the Volusia County, Fla. edition of Coastal Angler Magazine.

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A CHANGE OF PACE

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

Today we are going to cruise past the shallow South Texas ats, through the pass, and nd some nearshore rocks loaded with huge legal Texas red snapper! What a di erence a few miles and 68 feet of water can make.

I typically make a handful of trips to the short rigs or rocks o the Texas coast each summer for a change of scenery. On the calm summer days, the mosquito eet (smaller bay boats) breaks the jetties and heads out for kings, cobia and red snapper. ese shallow-water snapper are typically in the 16- to 20-foot range. ey are tasty none the less, but nothing like what you nd close to shore in winter, as I recently observed during my rst winter o shore trip. Recently, we were in between cold fronts and had our rst sunny day in more than a week. Several days of windy, cloudy, cold, rainy days had me longing for some sunny rays. When my brother called and asked if I wanted to join him and his neighbor for some Texas red snapper, I didn’t hesitate to say yes! e photos he sent of the previous trip’s catch were the icing on the cake. e forecast called for 2- to 3-foot seas—which turned out to be less—70degree sunny temps, and wind at 6 knots from the east. is was a one-day window.

When we pulled up to a small set of rocks, there were two other boats there and four rods were doubled over! One of the boats was doing a bag check, and I watched him tossing and counting 15- to 20-pound snapper into the cooler. His count ended at 14, two shy of his limit… and they had two on the line. Keep in mind, at this time my personnel best snapper was about 8 pounds, and everything I was seeing was more than twice that size. e anticipation was high as I waited for the trolling motor to lock in.

Once the trolling motor settled into place, we pinned chunks of squid onto bottom rigs weighted with 8 to 12 ounces of lead and the fun began! It became a bit chaotic with doubles on while trying to coax a 20-pound snapper into an oversized net while still trying to catch one yourself.

It is hard to beat the drag zinging of a king mackerel or the Mack Truck power of a cobia during the calm days of late summer, but I might have to switch my snapper season from summer to winter! When the smallest winter ones are twice the size of your largest summer catch, it’s an easy switch.

Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures® and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®

It’s Pompano Time in South Florida!

Pompano have already begun to show up here on South Florida’s east coast, and the bite will only get better as we move deeper into spring.

Temperature drives the movements of these tasty little jacks. ey prefer 70- to 80-degree water temps, they travel in schools and feed on mollusks and crustaceans in inlets and o sandy beaches. ese are some of the reasons pompano are a favorite target of shore-based anglers. Once you nd them, you are in for a world of fun.

Florida pompano, like permit, are in the jack family. ey have a strong resemblance to each other, so it’s important to be able to tell them apart. Size is a dead giveaway when you’re dealing with mature specimens, as pompano rarely grow larger than 6 pounds and permit regularly reach weights of up to 40 pounds. Pompano and juvenile permit, however, have a similar appearance. e most noticeable di erence is a permit’s larger, humped forehead. Pompano also tend to be more yellow throughout their body, while permit only have yellow on their bellies near their anal ns.

Anytime from March into the beginning of September, pompano move o shore to broadcast spawn. Since they already travel in schools, this is spontaneous, and they head back inshore when they are done. Prime time to sh for them here is April and May, and you’ll nd them along sandy beaches as well as around oyster and seagrass beds. Pompano seem to enjoy water with more current,

which has that milky look.

Pompano migrate seasonally to stay in their preferred water temperatures, and they have been found as far north as Massachusetts. ey move north or farther o shore to nd cooler water in deep summer. ey come back south in fall to prepare for the spring mating season. Local movements also happen due to tides and other conditions. ey are either in an area or they are not, and they move to nd waters where they can feed comfortably. A er strong storms, our sandbars tend to change, which will also change where pompano are feeding.

By Emily Rose Hanzlik

Pompano are very spirited ghters on light tackle. Small jigs in yellow or chartreuse are commonly used with great success. Beach anglers use long surf rods and chicken rigs baited with shrimp, clams, crab knuckles and sand eas. Sand eas are the preferred bait. Many anglers take it a step further by adding a piece of arti cial bait, such as Fishbites, to the natural baits. is is especially e ective when other sh peck o natural bait quickly. It ensures something stays on the hook, as most of these arti cial baits are very durable. ese arti cial baits can also be added to jigs for scent.

Emily Rose Hanzlik holds 56 IGFA world records in various categories. She hails from West Palm Beach, where she has a part time Bow n Guide Service as well as shing classes for Jr. Anglers. Find her on social media @emilyhanzlikoutdoors.

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BLADED JIGS TIPS FROM A PRO

TYLER WOOLCOTT

Let’s talk a bait that works absolutely everywhere. e bladed jig, also called a chatterbait, is one of the most versatile baits you can tie on the end of your line. It’s one of my all-time favorites. From Florida to New York, in any season, this bait catches them.

ere are hundreds of situations that make me want to sling a chatterbait. I always keep one tied on because it’s so versatile. Whether it’s grass, rocks, docks, wood or open water, there isn’t a situation where this bait doesn’t work.

Use a chatterbait as a search bait and cover some water. If there is a hungry bass around and you match your color to the forage they are feeding on, you will get them to bite. Unless the water you are shing is extremely muddy, matching color to the forage species is important. In cold water, where bass are feeding on red and orange craw sh, tie on a bright red or orange bladed jig. If you are in the south and bass are feeding on bluegill or shiners, stick to natural colors like a green pumpkin or some kind of gold and silver. e only time I throw

a bright white or chartreuse chatterbait is in extremely stained water, where I need the bait to stand out. Always match the hatch!

I live in Florida, and our spawning season is earlier than most. By the time you read this, most of our sh will be nished spawning. Farther north, they’ll just be getting started. A chatterbait is deadly when bass are staged up before, during and a er the spawn. e chattering blade drives these sh crazy. It’s a sh call. row it around in a staging area and you will have a very good day on the water.

ere isn’t a wrong way to use it. With the many colors, weights and size options, there is a match for the style of shing you want to do. From northern smallmouths to giant South Florida largemouths, every bass will eat a bladed jig. Like any bait, a chatterbait will perform best when matched with the right gear. I like a medium-heavy, moderate-action rod. You don’t want to set the hook as much as you want to reel into the sh when they eat the bait. Treat it like a bait with treble hooks. e 13 Fishing Omen Black 7’4mhm is absolutely perfect for this application. I pair a 7:5:1 gear ratio Concept A 13 Fishing reel and 15- to 20-pound Seaguar AbrazX. Hope this shing tip nds you well and puts more sh in your boat. Don’t hesitate to contact me on social media with any questions.

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

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Triple Threat Throwdown to Ra e O Loaded Fishing Kayak

Florida’s saltwater angler recognition program, Catch a Florida Memory, is sweetening the pot this year by o ering anglers a shot at winning a fully loaded shing kayak.

Rigged out with an accessory package from Yak Attack, this Bona de SS127 series kayak is a shing machine. It will be ra ed o to one lucky member of Catch a Florida Memory’s Triple reat Club a er a season-long event billed as the Triple reat rowdown. Only members of the Triple reat Club who are recognized with a Catch a Florida Memory achievement between now and Sept. 5 will be eligible for the ra e.

Triple Threat Club

Triple reat Club status is awarded to anglers who have quali ed for recognition in all three of the following Catch a Florida Memory programs. Once an angler enters the Triple reat Club, they are a member for life. ey receive a dry- t performance shing shirt and entry into Triple reat Club opportunities like the Triple reat rowdown.

• A Saltwater Grand Slam consists of catching three speci ed species within a 24-

hour time period. ere are nine di erent grand slam categories for di erent saltwater species in di erent habitats.

• Saltwater Reel Big Fish recognition is for anglers who catch one exceptionally large specimen from a list of 30 di erent species with pre-determined qualifying length.

• e Saltwater Fish Life List 10 Fish Club is for anglers who have caught 10 di erent species of saltwater sh from the Catch a Florida Memory Life List of 70 species.

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Eligible anglers must qualify for a recognition between now and Sept. 5, 2023 and be a member of the Triple reat Club at the time of the drawing. Eligible recognitions include a Grand Slam, a Reel Big Fish recognition, or a Life List recognition. Each angler will receive only one entry into the Triple reat rowdown ra e.

For more information and to submit catches, go to catcha oridamemory.com.

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This month, for the rst time in more than 30 years, a few Florida anglers will have the opportunity to harvest a goliath grouper. e limited and highly regulated season runs from March 1 through May 31, and you’re out of luck if you don’t already have a state-issued Goliath Grouper Harvest Permit.

Just 200 non-transferable permits were issued by lottery a er the application period back in October 2022. is spring, permit holders will hit the water in search of a very expensive sh sandwich. On top of a $10 fee to enter the lottery, anglers selected for a permit paid $150 for Florida residents and $500 for non-residents for the chance to harvest a single sh.

“No way. Not interested at all,” said one angler from the Florida Keys when asked if they hoped to get a permit. “I guess there’s some novelty in eating a sh that no one is supposed to have tasted for 30 years, and it might make sense if they let you keep a big one, but it’s hardly worth my time to chase a 10-pound grouper.”

e slot limit for the one sh allowed per permit holder is 24 to 36 inches. Fish above or below that slot must be released immediately. Anglers with goliath tags will be intentionally shing for juveniles rather than the enormous 8-foot-long, 800-pound monsters that lurk around shallow, nearshore structure.

is highly regulated and extremely limited harvest seems to be the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) way of testing the waters. Harvest of goliath grouper was completely banned in 1990 a er the population collapsed due to over shing and the loss of mangrove habitat required by juveniles of the species. Since then, the population has rebounded and abundance continues to increase. Removal of just 200 sh from the population, and no more than 50 sh from Everglades National Park, will not hinder rebuilding, according to an FWC presentation on the shery.

Additionally, goliath grouper may not be harvested from federal waters or from the waters of Martin County, including the St. Lucie River and its tributaries, south through the Atlantic coast of Monroe County and Dry Tortugas National Park.

Goliath grouper harvest will also allow FWC to collect important data for a species about which there is plenty to learn. Upon catching their one goliath, tag holders must immediately apply their tag to the lower jawbone of the sh and report their catch online within 24 hours. Even if they don’t catch a sh, tag holders must report that a er the season ends. Some permitted anglers will be required to provide a biological sample of their sh for genetic testing.

For more information, go to myfwc.com.

NEW BRICK PAVER SIDEWALKS THROUGHOUT!

COASTAL ANGLER VOLUSIA

franchise Owners

Jamie & Deidra Thrappas

For Advertising opportunities

Contact us @ 386-366-3424 volusia@coastalanglerrmagazine.com

Contributing Writers :

Freak on the Beach

Marco Pompano

Capt. Jamie Thrappas Yellow Dawg Fishing yellowdawgfishing.com

Capt. Barry fishingguidedaytonabeach.com

Capt. Michael Savedow 386-689-3781

Cap. Evan Sanders solfishing.com

It’s just one of those days: Good vibrations, little wind, no current. I just got back from Guatemala last night. I couldn’t wait to set up this morning - on the beach, surf fishing. Some people say the water is too cold, the fish went South. But my rod started to Bamba full tilt with a big stud Pompano. A big bend, it took some line, ran, and then flopped up on the beach! 18 inches to the tail (on crab knuckles).

A quality fish, what a way to start the day!

The good news is how green and clear the water is. There hasn’t been a lot of current, and the ocean is back to its form, providing us with some great fishing days. The cooler weather is upon us, but the water is staying warmish, 60° to 65°.

Getting three beautiful stud pompanos a day is a great way to go through the end of this run.

It’s cold and windy today. I have my legs wrapped up in a thick old towel (like grandma) trying to stay out of the wind. It’s a late season this year, probably due to the hurricanes, Nicole and Ian. There are still no beach ramps being worked on in our area, and only two access points: the ramp on Toronita and a beach ramp by Jerry’s Pizza down in Ponce - and that’s it.

The storms have really devastated our area and there’s a race on to get the sea walls put back up before more Nor’Easters or hurricanes hit this area. Lots of trucks, plows, cranes, back hoes and earth moving equipment run up and down the beach. You have to keep totally aware of what’s going on.

It’s now the next day. It’s very windy, still. Right now, it’s morning and I’m out here. It’s a beautiful windy day. The wind is from the northwest and the ocean is flattening, but moving. I’m hugging a wall, sitting in front, in the sun. Ya, mon!

Well, now the rod just did a bomba. It didn’t take, so I’ll cast it back in the same spot. Ya, mon! It hit! A nice run and a good catch: pompano.

I’m heading home from the edge of the ocean, and start over again, just like Stick Figure says. These fish are heading to the smoker and so am I.

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Captain

Captain & The Kids took a break from being on the water and found themselves as runway models! We had the honor of participating in the South East Volusia Chamber of Commerce Business Expo “Red Carpet Runway” event. Youth Anglers Miranda, Macy, Ben, Ellie, and Anna all showed off the latest and greatest gear by Sol Fishing and had the opportunity to talk about Youth Fishing in our local area.

What is Sol Fishing’s “Captain & The Kids” youth angler program?

Capt. Evan Sanders and Capt. Adam Coniglio owners of Sol Fishing takes anywhere between 150 and 200 youth anglers out fishing free of charge every year! Youth anglers must be between the ages of 5 to 17 years old and are allowed to be accompanied by one of their parents for the trip.

Capt. Evan & Capt. Adam started the “Captain & The Kids” Youth Angler Program after finding out how many kids born and raised in the New Smyrna Beach area had never been fishing and had never been on a boat. 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.

Millie’s South 3218 S Atlantic Ave Daytona Beach Shores 386-275-1492

Millie’s North 330 S Atlantic Ave ormond Beach 386-238-9756

TOMOKA FORECAST

March brings warm water and fewer fronts; all a sign of good fishing. With the season changing the fish migration begins. The Tarpon, black drum, blue fish, jack crevalle, and pompano just to name a few will be moving north in Volusia County joining our reds, trout, and Snook. How good the fishing becomes is predicated on the shrimp population. With the loss of our seagrass we are at the mercy of the fish gods to help develop the shrimp. Look for the Tarpon in the middle of the river and a good fish rig is a popping with a mullet free lined down river. Snook, redfish and trout will be cruising the grass banks in the river and the basin. Free line big shrimp and mullet along the edge and the dock posts. As for artificial lures I like Zman’s 3 inch paddle tail in chartreuse, white and root beer colors and in a hard bait I like the SS minnow 3 inch.

Look for mullet schools lumping out of the water and cast any floating lure or spoon and reel fast in front of the school or in the middle because the fish chasing will most likely be jacks. Night fishing under the bridges in the intracoastal using crabs or large shrimp can yield some big drum. Can’t wait They are building my new boat a Caymas 26 so if you see me on the water let me know how you like it!

CAPT. BARRy ENglEhARDT

Fish With Captain Barry fishwithcaptainbarry.com

(386) 871-8500

Millie’s North opens in ormond!

For years now the ormond community has been asking the owners of Millie’s Restaurant to come north, and now it has happened! In early February, Millie’s North has opened at 330 S Atlantic Ave, in ormond Beach. owners Chris & Amy Chibbaro have brought their concept of “Community based dining” to the lovely beach town of ormond. In an interview with the owners they explained that community based dining means that the restaurant does not belong to the owners, but rather it belongs to the community. Both Chris & Amy repeatedly stated that they take feedback directly from their customers on everything from style of service and décor, all the way up to menu items and ingredients.

Now we can’t write an article on Millie’s and not talk about their fresh seafood. Millie’s claims to simply have the freshest and best seafood around. That is not to say that their land-based options are excellent also, but they really hang their hat on fresh local seafood. owner Chris Chibbaro said, “We are just so proud to live in this community and we want to showcase everything we have to offer here. Not only do we have incredible local farmers like the Tomazins, Flethcers, and others, but we also have some of the hardest working fishermen around. We were always upset in the past seeing imported fish on local menus around here, so we decided to change that.” They put a lot of love into their food and it has gained them some national acclaim. Just in the past 2 years Yelp has named Millie’s one of the top 100 restaurants in Florida, and also put them on the list of the top 25 seafood restaurants in the nation. All that attention gained the eye of celebrity chef Guy Fierri, who filmed an episode of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives (air date September 16th 2022). Millie’s is definitely a destination to put on your bucket list.

Millie’s is open for lunch and dinner 6 days a week (closed on Mondays) and reservations are not necessary yet, but always recommended. If this location gets as busy as their first locale, reservations will definitely be needed for dinner.

EDGEWATER BACKCOUNTRY FORECAST

Rising 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 can see surface striking activity along the intracoastal or old channel in Edgewater, fish attacking spring run shrimp or glass minnows, 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, not always 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,

regular size shrimp free lined or with a small split shot on the drop offs and in holes for mixed bag action, throw them at surface feeding fish in the channel, on the bottom in black drum spots, and at the Ponce Inlet jetties, small live or peeled frozen for sheepshead on dock and bridge pilings, great for surf fishing with peeled shrimp. Night time dock 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 Ponce Inlet, into the ICW at New Smyrna, around the bridges, south into Edgewater and oak Hill can be very fishy, a flowing tide is a must, with outgoing always a good choice. Closer to the inlet may hold more bluefish and jacks, as you go south seatrout 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 and 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, light colored swimming tail jigs good lure choice here.

Black Drum are a regular Edgewater Backcountry catch in holes and channels.

GuyFieri

tackle shop

Meet the Captain

New Legacy Fishing Charters

Capt. Marshal Wallot

Capt. Marshall Wallot owns and operates New Legacy Fishing Charters in beautiful Port orange, FL. Marshall is a Florida native, has over 25+ years experience fishing Volusia County’s vast waterways and there isn’t a style of fishing that he is not familiar with. In his free time the captain loves to spend time outdoors with his wife and two daughters, which also love fishing and hanging out at their local beaches. Capt. Marshall specializes in Nearshore (less than 3 miles from land in the ocean) and Inshore fishing. Marshall’s favorite species of fish to target include: Snook, Redfish, Tarpon, Tripletail, Flounder, Snapper and Black Drum. If possible, he generally prefers to fish very early in the morning or in the evening time as fishing is usually better and there is less boat traffic. This allows the captain to maximize the experience for his customers. The vessel used to operate his charters is a 22’ Tidewater Carolina Bay Boat, powered with a 225hp 4-stroke Suzuki engine. The boat is spacious and a very stable fishing platform with tons of storage, the latest technology and safety equipment. All charters start the same way. Customers are greeted by a smiling and friendly captain, Marshall’s top priorities are always safety, customer satisfaction and giving people what they pay for. When anglers arrive at a fishing destination, the boat gets organized so customers can move around freely, Marshall then gives thorough step by step instructions of how they with be fishing, species being targeted, baits hooks, handles catches and also teach techniquest to optimize success. Catch and release of fish is always appreciated, if a customer does decide to harvest fish for dinner and the fall within correct regulation, Capt. Wallot will prepare, photograph, clean the fish and bag them to the customers liking. If you want to book a memorable experience with Capt. Marshall Wallot, you can reach him at 386 - 214 -9595 or simply visit NewLegacyFishing.com.

Local fish guru Scott Moore with an

pompano

Daniel Presley with

PONCE INLET & BACKWATERS FORECAST

March means the start of nice weather is upon us. While we will still have a few cold days with a north or north east wind we will start to see multiple warmer days in a row. on the chillier days I will focus on sheepshead and black drum as I have been doing most of the winter months. They will be spawning and they will be hefty this time of the year. Structures like bridges , piers and rocks near the inlet will be the ticket to getting some of these tasty fish. on warmer days I will focus in the back country up north in the county near ormond at our shop in the High Bridge area for redfish. As the day warms these fish will be in flats feeding and sunning. They will tend to be schooled up and as you move around whether from shore , in a kayak or paddle board , or a skiff you will see these fish pushing water or even blowing up on bait. This type of fishing is by far my favorite, I love the spot and stalk aspect of it. As you spend more time doing this you will learn the difference between a school of mullet pushing water vs redfish, the redfish are more like submarines and will even sometimes make a wake. Soft plastics are my go to for this such as NLBN , Zman , Gulp, or Voodoo. Hard baits like topwaters by mirrolure or even suspended baits will work , I tend to use these earlier in the morning and then transition to soft plastics as the day goes on. It’s a numbers game and all about accurate casting and covering water, you want to be ahead of the fish and swim your bait right past their nose if you can. I’ve caught some of my best fish blind casting in the direction the school was headed. LAstly as the water temps start to warm I will focus on catching snook. The day time bite will be good but my favorite way of fishing for these fish is at nite in the dock lites. We will be offering more charters this year for this type of fishing so if you want to learn how it works give us a call. My technique for this is usually free lining live shrimp or bait fish such as pinfish or croaks through the light or on the edge of the light line. don’t necessarily focus on being right in the light , the bigger fish will be hiding in the shadows. There’s nothing like getting wacked by an upper or over slot snook when you least expect it. Give us a call if you’d like to get out there and experience these types of fishing techniques for yourself. As always have fun and if you see us on the water say hello!

Holds 3rd Annual Fishing Swap Meet

The Halifax Sport Fishing Club will be hosting the 3rd Annual Fishing Swap Meet on Saturday, March 18, 2023. The meet will begin at 9:00 am and run until 4:00 pm at the HSFC clubhouse. New and used fishing, diving, boating equipment and nautical related items will be offered for sale by various vendors and private individuals.

If you would like to set up, a vendor table is only $25 per table. Tables are going quickly. Lunch will be available for purchase.

For more information contact Randy Beardsley, president a president@hsfc.com or 386 - 804 - 0352 or Mary Ann White, vice-president at vicepresident@hsfc. com or 386 - 527 - 2291. The clubhouse is located at 3431 S. Ridgewood Ave., Port orange.

Ormond Beach, Halifax River, FL - Mar 2023

The Halifax Sport Fishing Club’s March 16th seminar will feature George Poveromo. George is well-known as the producer and host of the immensely popular Salt Water Sportsman National Seminar Series, the nation’s longest-running and most successful educational course on recreational marine fishing techniques. Now into its 35th consecutive year, the National Seminar Series is an institution in the saltwater sport fishing community. The tour visits eight major cities annually, and has educated over 140,000 anglers since its inception in 1988. As of 2022, the National Seminar Series evolved into a 13-episode, nationally-televised series. Most notably, George is the producer and host of the immensely popular, nationally-televised series - George Poveromo’s World of Saltwater Fishing. George teaches viewers how to catch a wide variety of game fish, from exotic species like blue marlin and bonefish to regional favorites such as dolphin, wahoo, tuna, king mackerel, striped bass, grouper, snapper, bluefish, redfish, flounder and numerous others.

George is a life member of the Florida Coastal Conservation Association, serving as their offshore Fishing Spokesperson. He’s also on the board of Fish Florida, a non-profit organization which helps people, especially children, learn about fishing and Florida’s environment via proceeds from the sale fot eh state’s specialty sailfish auto license plate. George is a Sout Florida native and University of Miami graduate. He maes his home in Parkland, Florida.

Doors open at 6:30PM, a brief business meeting at 7:00PM, and the seminar at 7:30PM at 3431 S. Ridgewood Avenue, Port orange. All seminars are free and open to the public. For more information on go to the H.S.F.C. website. Facebook or Contact Wil Evans, Programs Director at (386) 566 - 0601 or online at programs@hsfc.com

George Poveromo

2023 Offshore Tournaments

22nd Annual Offshore Challenge

aPril 20th – 23, 2023

$10,000.00 1st Place (based on 40 Boats)

$ 400.00 entry

early Bird entry $ 325.00 (before midnight April 15, 2023)

Thousands of dollars and great prizes up for grabs for the biggest Mahi, Wahoo and Kingfish !

35th Annual Lady Angler Tournament

June 3, 2023

$10,000.00 1st Place (based on 40 Boats) $ 400.00 entry

early Bird entry $ 325.00 (before midnight May 27th, 2023)

Thousands of dollars and great prizes up for grabs for the biggest Cow + Bull Mahi Combo !

3rd Annual King Fish Tournament

July 29, 2023

$5000.00 1st Place (based on 40 Boats) $250.00 entry

early Bird entry $ 225.00 (before midnight July 22, 2023)

Thousands of dollars and great prizes up for grabs for the biggest King Fish caught in State Waters Only ! (Inside 3 Miles)

For More information go to www.hsfc.com or follow us on Facebook Halifax Sport Fishing Club or email us at Tournaments@HSFC.com

Let’s grow with Florida together.

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n cold, rainy, winter days, when most shermen are happy to stay home dreaming of better weather, a few die-hards gear up and get on the water. In the Southeast, bad weather is striper weather, my friend, and just the thought of hooking a 15- or 20-pound striped bass is enough to keep you warm on the inside.

Atlantic striped bass get all the attention up north. Blitzing linesiders are a prize of inshore and nearshore recreational sheries from the Carolinas up through the mid-Atlantic and New England. But they are down here in the south, too, and not just the landlocked stripers stocked in reservoirs by the states. My home base is Jacksonville, Fla., and although red sh and trout are the staple inshore species here, there are striper populations in coastal rivers like the St. Johns, Nassau and St. Marys.

I, however, was lured by reports a little farther north in Georgia, where rivers like the Satilla and Altamaha are producing big-time striper each front that rolls through. Stripers prefer low-light conditions and colder water temps, so overcast, rainy and cold days are the best days.

the rocks in order to navigate over the shallow sand and mud bars of the river. Georgia’s sounds and rivers are littered with piles of ballast rocks, many of which are sh magnets. We shed the point for a good 20 minutes with no

shed several spots with only a sh and speckled trout to keep our attention. We shy-looking downed timber and carefully navigated beneath a low bridge, where nd sh on the outgoing

Georgia On My Mind STRIPERS

By Danny Patrick

He was correct. Jones hooked up with a nice 6-pound hybrid striped bass on his rst cast near the bridge. Hybrids are a hatchery-produced cross between striped bass and white bass. ey are unable to reproduce and are an excellent sport sh with the aggression of white bass and some of the size of a striper. ese hybrids came from the Georgia DNR hatchery at Richmond Hill, Ga.

I was giddy about the cold, foggy drizzle at 6:30 a.m. when I met guide Drew Jones at the Two-Way Fish Camp on the Altamaha near Darien, Ga. Jones runs charters in the area, and he’s caught more than 300 stripers up to 14 pounds for clients this season. ey’ve had some 30- and 40- sh days, and this felt like a perfect striper day!

All I had to do was get in the boat with my gear and a thermos of hot co ee. Jones was waiting for me with his Carolina ski in the water and a livewell full of gorgeous local live shrimp. As we motored o in the mist through creeks and the winding river, he told me a little about the shing.

Stripers are constantly on the move, and they hunt in packs. Jones dri shes live shrimp on oat rigs to locate concentrations of sh. en he switches to arti cial lures. Slow-sinking stick baits and bucktail jigs with so -plastic tails both work great.

Between Brunswick and Darien, Ga., the Altamaha system is a maze of creeks and tributaries. We stopped at the mouth of a creek on the Darien River, not far from downtown Darien. e tide was still coming in but slowing near the end of the high tide. Jones said to cast shrimp out in front a point where the current split to create a back eddy of slower ow. He said this was one of his favorite striper spots. It was an old ballast pile, where sailing ships from the 1800s dumped ballast weight from their hulls a er crossing the ocean from Europe. ey used hundreds, if not thousands, of 10- to 20-pound round rocks to stabilize their ships during the crossing and then dumped

Jones said he catches true stripers and hybrids together, and that sometimes aggressive stripers move in and take over when he’s catching trout. I threw to the same spot Jones caught his sh and immediately hooked and boated a 4-pound hybrid. e bite was on! We saw them busting nger mullet and had one come unbuttoned right at the boat. But then, as is sometimes the case with stripers, it ended as suddenly as it had begun. anchor and went back to the creek mouth where we started. Now the tide was running out swi ly. We caught several trout and a couple more hybrids before we headed back to the docks.

As we ran past downtown Darien, I saw remnants of old buildings from the 1800s and thought of the history. is was a major port during the early rise of the United States. Cotton and rice from slave plantations were shipped out of Darien, and old-growth cypress trees were logged way up the Altamaha. Loggers would cut trees close to the river and then ra them together in units of dozens of massive logs, which were oated down to the coastal sawmills with men riding the ra s.

Darien is a quiet town now, but it was a truly a bustling place then. It is beautiful with old live oaks and Spanish moss, and history bu s will not be disappointed. If you want to change up your shing and explore a special place, give Jones a call. He can hook you up…

Capt. Drew Jones can be contacted at (912) 242-2502.

BECOME AN FWC SCALLOP-SITTER

If you’re a scalloper looking for a way to get involved in making more of the bivalves we all love, FWC has put a call out for “scallop-sitters” in the Florida Panhandle. e Scallop-Sitter program is available for volunteers in St. Joseph Bay, St. Andrew Bay and St. George Sound, and it is intended to increase scallop populations and reintroduce them to suitable areas from which they have disappeared.

Scallop-sitters volunteer to maintain cages with up to 50 bay scallops from June through January. On a monthly basis, volunteers check, count and clean their cages and scallops. Each volunteer will receive a cage, a bucket of scallops, tools to maintain cages, instructional materials and some fun giveaways.

To register as a scallop-sitter, you must meet the following requirements:

• Have no FWC violations on your record

• Live near St. Andrew Bay, St. Joseph Bay or St. George Sound

• Have access to the bay: via private dock, boat, or kayak

• Register through the UF Pace platform before May 25, 2023

• Watch virtual training video following registration and complete the program pre-survey

For more information, go to MyFWC.com or email bayscallops@myfwc.com.

By Will Schmidt

If you don’t already troll for grouper or if you’re looking for ways to improve your success rate, here are some things to consider while we wait for the seasons for our most popular species to re-open.

Large-lipped and big-pro le plugs are deadly, but many anglers struggle with getting lures into the strike zone. Many think if they are shing in 30 feet of water they need a plug that dives 30 feet, but that’s not always the case. Maximum dive depths are with everything optimum: speed, amount of line out and rigging.

First, consider your speed. I use Nomad DTX Minnow lures, which are designed to run anywhere

from 20 to 50 feet at speeds of 2 to 12 knots. e plugs will dive deeper at the higher end of that speed range than the lower end. I usually run about 5 knots and can easily get a 40-foot plug down to 30 feet at that speed, but a 30-foot plug would likely be short of the bottom. e amount of line you have out also greatly a ects the depth your plug is running, and this is where many mistakes are made. Slower speeds equal a atter angle of descent, so more line is needed. e idea is to be so close to the bottom that you occasionally bounce o it. Watch your rod tip for signs of the lure bouncing o the bottom. You will likely nd you need more line than you think. Keep dropping back until you start hitting bottom. e downside of this is you will get snagged on the bottom occasionally. When you do, don’t just try to wrench it o the bottom, get back behind the lure and pull it o in the opposite direction. A plus to the DTX Minnow is the single hooks seem to come o the bottom easier than treble hooks.

e nal piece to the puzzle is your rigging. Pulling 8- to 9-inch lures, and handling the sh that smack them, means you need stout tackle. But heavier lines create drag in the water that will impede the lure’s ability to dive. Using braid is a huge plus, as the diameter is much smaller and creates less drag. To further streamline, I use crimps on my leader between my lure and a small (but strong) swivel. It’s a little thing, but knots on heavy leader can be bulky and add to the

Heavy drags as well as keeping the boat in gear helps pull the sh away from cover quickly. Large single hooks aid in keeping you connected as the bigger gaps decrease the possibility of ripping the plugs out of the sh. Trolling is fun way to catch grouper and it’s a great nd new spots, as you can cover a lot of ground.

Will Schmidt is a seasoned tournament angler who has been writing about shing for more than three decades. Check out Nomad Lures at nomadtackle.com.

“The renown of Italy’s jewelry, with its sensual beauty and extraordinary craftsmanship, is founded on the goldsmithing skills passed down through generations.” – The New York Times

Iguess I was a little bored. For the past hour, I’d been on the phone with Daniele, the head of my office in Italy, reviewing our latest purchases of Italian gold, Murano glass and Italian-made shoes and handbags.

“Daniele,” I said, “What is the hottest jewelry in Italy right now?” His reply? Woven gold bracelets studded with jewelry. He texted me some photos and I knew immediately that this was jewelry that Raffinato just had to have.

The best part about these bracelets? The price. Because of our longstanding connections in Arezzo, the mecca of Italian goldsmithing, we can offer both bracelets together for just $99, a fraction of the price you’ll pay anywhere else for similar jewelry. Order today. These bracelets are one of our hottest sellers this year, and with disruptions in the supply chain, we can only guarantee that we have 1,273 861 of these bracelets on hand for this ad.

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Experience Real Florida.

Located within two hours driving distance to all major attractions in central Florida, international airports and Florida’s beautiful beaches, Putnam County’s outdoor recreational choices are legendary. Between world class fishing, boating, hunting, cycling, hiking, golf, and more, Putnam County has it all. Whether you are seeking real Florida culture and heritage, recreation, or just relaxing in a small historic town, the residents and businesses of Putnam County invite you to Experience Real Florida visitputn

2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic Returns to the Tennessee River

The prestigious championship bass tournament—widely known as the “Super Bowl of Bass Fishing”—will be held March 24-26 in downtown Knoxville and on the University of Tennessee Campus.

e Bassmaster Classic pits 55 of the world’s best bass anglers against one another for the title of Bassmaster Classic Champion. e Classic is a catch-and-release event, with bass being returned to the shery under the supervision of the TWRA.

Daily takeo s will be from Volunteer Landing on the Tennessee River in downtown Knoxville each competition day, and weigh-ins will take place in the ompson-Boling Arena on the University of Tennessee campus. e fan-favorite Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo will be held Friday through Sunday, March 24-26 in the Knoxville Convention Center and the adjacent World’s Fair Exhibition Hall.

All activities and venues are free and open to the public. For more information, visit Bassmaster.com.

B.A.S.S. PHOTO

COLOMBIA: A GOLDEN ERA OF FISHING BEGINS

By Riley Love

Twenty years ago, I wrote an article on the Golden Age of Panama shing. Long have anglers waited for access to the salt and freshwater environments of Colombia.

In 2016, a lengthy peace process was negotiated and a nal agreement for a cease re and cessation of hostilities between the government and militias. In truth, there are still areas of the country to be avoided and cocaine production remains high, but the political and drug-crime environment has improved enough to move Colombia nearer the top of the target list for angling. e country’s upward trajectory with new tourism outstrips its neighbors. e latest three trips we’ve taken to the country have been completely safe.

Fishing the Amazon and Orinoco River basins are “peacock bass trips.” It is a stunning shery, where you routinely encounter fellow anglers from the far side of the world. From there, these trips can be divided into peacocks and “what else.” In Guyana it was giant arapaima. For the last Brazil trip, it was big wolf sh. is venture was to the Guaviare River, massive itself, a tributary to the mighty Orinoco. It is hard to understand the size of these watersheds until you see them yourself. Our quarry here was payara, the vampire sh.

e dichotomy of life in the tropics is the wet and dry seasons. During the time of rain, the rivers swell from their banks into dense rainforest. Sitting in your boat, you listen to peacock bass bust prey far back in cover where no cast can go. e shing season is re ned to those months when the rivers shrink back into their skeletal forms and sh are targeted in remaining aneurysmal pools. But the payara have a need for speed. ey stack up in current and mouths of tributaries where more water ows. ere is something about going a er speed freaks… it presses my buttons.

Alberto “Beto” Mejia is the young progenitor of FISH COLUMBIA. He has developed lodges here, on the Orinoco and on the Paci c coast at Punta Ardita, just inside the Panamanian border. He is a stone-cold payara y sherman. is lodge is more rustic, and you really feel away from it all.

Peacocks and payara take ies very well, both poppers and streamers. For the conventional sherman, it’s a chance to use multiple baits and techniques. Very large topwater prop baits and poppers, big minnows at multiple depths. e Dramatis personae includes numerous others- pacu, sardinata, also the opportunity for multiple species of cat sh, some in the 400-pound range. Uraima falls in Venezuela was a specialized lodge for payara. is is o the list as a destination for various sordid reasons. I have bagged them across the frontiers of South America. Most run 6 to 7 pounds, and a very good one about 15 pounds. e sh on Columbia’s Orinoco run twice that size. I believe this is the best payara lodge on the planet.

For more information, go to www. shcolombia.com. For more from Riley Love, go to rileylove.com and nd him on social media @rileyloveauthor.

FastTrack™Angler 385fta

The Fastest, Most Stable, Best Paddling Fishing Kayak

The in atable shing kayak is super rugged and ready to take on hooks, ns, and rocks. Tough, fast, portable, and built especially for anglers. The patented NeedleKnife™ keel cuts through the water so you can paddle or motor your way to your favorite spot quickly and easily. The Angler 385fta is 12’6” x 36” fully in ated and holds up to 2 people or 635 lbs. of people and gear. Packs down to 36” x 15” x 20” to t in a car trunk, SUV, RV, any small place. Various seating and trolling motor options are available.

console or tackle bag. You’ll nd other uses as necessity dictates.

Soft Baits: You’re throwing away money if you sh so plastics and don’t use super glue. Most so plastics are designed for action rather than durability. ey’re disposable, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get the most you can out of them.

If you’re shing a paddletail, grub, eel, worm or any so plastic on a jighead, a small drop of super glue will extend the life of that bait inde nitely. Secured to the jig, it will never slide down to the bend of the hook like a loose sock. To a lesser extent, this trick works for bare hooks, as well. Forget multiple sh, a so bait can last multiple trips when it’s glued in place— barring, of course, interactions with toothy sh.

When it comes to sh with teeth, there’s no way to avoid rips and tears in your so plastics. Even toothless sh will beat up a bait with extended use. Super glue repairs slices and gouges in so plastics. e rigidity of the repaired area will a ect the action of the lure, but this can be a trip saver when you’re down to the last in a bag of that one color sh are biting.

Hard Baits: With hard baits, super glue is for on-the-water repairs. If the lip on your crankbait gets loose, a tiny dab of glue will hold it tight and keep your lure swimming true. If the screw eye comes out of your favorite topwater or swimbait, gluing it back will render it stronger than it was to begin with. Super glue extends the life of expensive lures that would otherwise be headed for the trash.

By CAM Sta

SUPER GLUE BELONGS IN YOUR TACKLE BOX

Just like pliers or a good knife, super glue is an essential item in your shing kit. ere are numerous practical uses for this stu in shing, and it’s also a catch-all tool. It’s like liquid duct tape. When you have it, there’s no end to the situations when it comes in handy. Here are a few good reasons you should keep a tube of super glue in your

Knots: e debate is ongoing on whether super gluing knots increases their strength. Most folks who do it are in the “it can’t hurt camp.” However, there are a couple situations when it just makes sense. Coating line-to-line connections that frequently run through the guides smooths the knot and protects it from wear. With braided line, good knots, and the right knots, are crucial. Even so, braided line can cut itself when knots shi and tighten under stress. A drop of super glue keeps knots snug and secure.

Miscellaneous: Super glue can save the day when an eyelet or rod tip comes loose. It’ll also keep you on the water when you cut yourself chunking bait. Glue the wound shut and keep shing. Save the emergency room for later.

For more tips, go to coastalanglermag.com.

By Molly Kirk

GOLDEN BASS CAUGHT IN VIRGINIA

Virginia angler Jacob Moore was quite surprised when he reeled in this largemouth bass from the James River. Moore was expecting to catch a largemouth—he was targeting them. But he de nitely wasn’t expecting to catch a golden largemouth!

“I was out there practicing for a tournament, catching a bunch of sh,” said Moore, who works as an arborist and participates in local tournaments. “I was on the lower James near Chippokes [State Park]. When I hooked into that one, I thought I had a saltwater sh on at rst, but lo and behold, it was a largemouth! A very di erent largemouth, though. I haven’t seen anything like that before. I’ve seen bass with black spots, but I’d never seen an albino one.”

“Golden largemouth bass are extremely rare and most anglers have never seen them, let alone heard of them before,” said Alex McCrickard, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) Aquatic Education Coordinator. “ e sh is a product of a genetic mutation that alters the skin pigments called xanthism. Yellow pigmentation dominates in xanthism, as you can see in Moore’s golden largemouth.”

Moore measured the sh at 16 ½ inches, took a few photos, then returned it to the water.

For more information, go to dwr.virginia.gov.

TIES STATE RECORD

This big Georgia sheepshead tied a two-decade-old state record for the species a er weighing in at 14 pounds, 14.37 ounces.

e angler, Ben Golden III, of Midway, Ga., caught his sh near the Sunbury community outside of Midway on Feb. 3. e catch quali es as a tie with the existing record of 14-pounds, 14-ounces set by Ralph White, of Rincon, Ga., in 2002.

“To be honest, I’ve been telling folks it’s been my goal to catch a state record for 10 or 12 years,” said Golden, who grew up in Midway and has been shing the Georgia coast most of his life. “I’m excited to say that I did it.”

Sheepshead are common around 7 pounds but can easily be found up to 10 pounds. ey reach maturity around 3 to 4 years of age and primarily live inshore, o en near rocky areas, docks, bridges or arti cial reefs, or other areas with barnacles.

Between 2017 and 2021, NOAA Fisheries estimates that Georgia recreational anglers caught an average of 490,197 sheepshead each year, with an average of 262,457 being harvested.

For more information on the Georgia Saltwater Game Fish Records program, visit www.CoastalGaDNR.org/SaltwaterRecords.