Guy Harvey Magazine — Winter 2014

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CONTENTS

WINTER 2014

SUNKEN TREASURE

26

33

SUNKEN TREASURE The use of artifcial reefs to build fsh habitat has been a

40

26

CATCH THE BOAT Orange Beach, Alabama, hosts the Gulf Coast’s largest charter feet.

conservation success story repeated all around the country for

It’s a testament to the area’s incredible natural resources and a group

nearly 50 years, but nowhere has reef building been more prolifc

of highly invested local captains. These owner/operators have a

or proftable than of the coast of Alabama. Here, fshing has been

reputation for putting customers on the fsh and protecting the

built one car body, reef ball and ship hull at a time.

waters they call home.

BY FRED GARTH

BY WILLIAM BEAUREGARD ROBERTS

READY TO SNAP Red snapper are booming in the Gulf of Mexico, but

44

SUSTAINABLE SUCCESS Bon Secour Fisheries has been serving up Gulf Coast seafood—

management—at least for recreational fshing—has been a total

especially oysters—for more than 100 years. Along the way, the

bust. As the fsh have thrived, fshing has died, thanks to a bad

Nelson family has not only built a thriving business, they’ve helped

system and unreliable catch data. The latest in the red snapper saga

pioneer a strong tradition of conservation within commercial fshing.

is a huge push for change.

BY DANNY THORNTON

BY DARYL CARSON

PHOTO PORTFOLIO

46

DEPARTMENTS

16 18

Great Gains in the Gulf Building habitat has been at the core of success for

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Tastes of the South Six top chefs—all from the South—share their favorite

fshing in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

recipes using fresh Gulf seafood.

BY DR. GUY HARVEY

BY GHM STAFF

Exclusive Content Online Our website is full of new and exciting features. Use these QR codes to fnd some of our favorite parts of GuyHarveyMagazine.com.

80

Hooked on Redneck Aquaculture Structure holds fsh. Lights attract fsh. Lights on structure—like putting a reef under your dock for better fshing at night—now that’s just pure magic.

BY FRED GARTH

20

Marlin Mayhem This issue, everything is big—big blue marlin are caught of Alabama, a big check funds conservation in South Carolina and the biggest group to date of student researchers receives Guy Harvey scholarships.

BY GHM STAFF

48

Jon Hauge Alabama native, portrait photographer and kayak fshing fanatic Jon Hauge turns his lens toward the water.

As you will quickly notice, much of this issue is dedicated to the fertile fshing waters of Alabama as part of GHM’s post-oil spill coverage of the health of the Gulf of Mexico. So enjoy reading about “Sweet Home Alabama, where the skies are so blue…” For more information or recipes visit eatalabamaseafood.com

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CONTENTS

WINTER 2014

Fly a Kite

54

DOCK BUZZ

Artificial Intelligence The frst artifcial reefs were probably shipwrecks, but in

60

60

GEARHEADS

Fly a Kite Kite fshing is all about stealthy bait presentation. The

the modern world, we’ve learned that not all reefs are

right gear can bring success on everything from monster

created equal.

sailfsh to skittish redfsh, and the latest kites let you fsh

BY NICK HONACHEFSKY

in almost any wind.

BY JEFF DENNIS

56

BACKLASH

Chris Blankenship Alabama native and marine law enforcement veteran Chris Blankenship is now director of the state’s Marine Resource Division. It’s a job he loves…almost as much as fshing with

64

FEATURE

Panamanian Fight Club Our man goes south, to Panama, and discovers that the rumors of a fshing Shangri-La are well founded. The fshing is

his kids and trolling for big kings.

to be believed, and it can all be had in comfort and style.

BY CA STAFF

BY OZZY DELGADO

Complete is our “magazine within the magazine,” dedicated Complete Angler Angler (CA) (CA) is our “magazine within the magazine,” dedicated to delivering access to to experts, thethe latest to hard-core hard-core fshing fshing enthusiasts enthusiasts & and delivering access experts, in fshing gear, and hottest fshingfshing spots spots on theon planet. latest in fshing gearthe and the hottest the planet.

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Lost Key Publishing Editor-in-Chief Fred Garth Managing Editor Daryl Carson Editor, Complete Angler Nick Honachefsky Copy Editor Kerrie Allen Art Director & Layout Design Leslie Ward Director of Sales & Advertising Ozzy Delgado Marketing Director John Guidroz Circulation Director Paitra Prim Accounting Karen Belser Internet Guru Jenny Lee Contributing Editors Dr. Guy Harvey, Paitra Prim, Danny Thornton Contributors Jef Dennis, Jon Hauge, Lila Harris, Niki Lim, William Beauregard Roberts, Merry Smith, Dorothy Zimmerman Editorial Advisory Board Dr. Guy Harvey, Chad Henderson, Bill Shedd, Dr. Mahmood Shivji, Steve Stock, Harvey Taulien, David Wilkinson

WE RECYCLE:

We’re proud that Guy Harvey Magazine is printed on

recycled paper. However, using recycled paper is just the frst step. Finding an environmentally-friendly printer is even more important. That’s why this magazine is printed at Publishers Press in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. Publishers Press recycles more than 50 million pounds of paper and paper products each year, which saves 10 million gallons of oil, 35,000 trees, and 14 million

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certifcation by the Sustainable Green Printing (SGP) Partnership.

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GUY HARVEY MAGAZINE, Issue 14, Winter 2014. GHM is published four times per year (quarterly) for $24.95 per year by Lost Key Publishing, LLC, 7166 Sharp Reef Road, Pensacola, Florida 32507. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Guy Harvey Magazine, PO Box 34075, Pensacola, Florida 32507. No part of this magazine can be reproduced without express written permission from Lost Key Publishing. Occasionally, we may make all or part of our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that ofer products and/or services that may interest you.

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CONTRIBUTOR’S PROFILE JON HAUGE Jon Hauge is a portrait and freelance photographer who lives in Baldwin County, Alabama. He is a graduate of the University of South Alabama and has lived in the Mobile area all his life. Jon is a self-taught photographer who has contributed to the Mobile Register, Mobile Bay Magazine and other news agencies.

Inshore fshing from a kayak is a favorite activity, especially when the speckled trout bite is on. He can be seen throughout the Mobile Delta on his kayak fshing and taking pictures of the abundant wildlife on the Alabama Gulf Coast, although he does go into hibernation mode during the winter months. Those winter months are spent following SEC football and watching the bald eagles at the Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama. See his work at jonimages.com.

CHRIS BLANKENSHIP Chris Blankenship is a native son of Alabama, spending his youth on and around the waters of Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Some of his earliest jobs—working on charter boats and for commercial fshing boats—helped cement a deep appreciation for the marine environment and the incredible fshery found along the Gulf Coast. Chris graduated from the University of South Alabama in Mobile and spent 17 years of his early career working on the water as an enforcement ofcer for the agency he now oversees. Named to his current post in 2011, Chris is deeply involved in managing the state’s marine resources, both by overseeing enforcement and also helping to write regulations as a member of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. When not protecting the resource, he still loves to enjoy it— trolling for Spanish and king mackerel with his kids and coaxing great favors out of gulf seafood.

GUY TALK

GREAT GAINS IN THE GULF In the Cayman Islands, where I live, the fsh habitat is abundant. Crystal-clear

reefs. With only a 60-mile shoreline,

Caribbean water with miles of coral reefs provides a home to everything from

Alabama has had to be creative. Many

sea anemones to lobsters to grouper and other reef fsh. Patrolling the outer

of the original artifcial reefs were

perimeter of those reefs are wahoo, marlin, sharks and a host of schooling fsh. The

single cars or a pile of tires. Just drop a

marine ecosystem in the Caymans and other tropical outposts around the world

Ford or Chevy overboard and, presto,

is a perfect exhibition of nature’s balance—something that man could not and

a reef is born. Time and research on

should not try to improve upon.

the efectiveness of artifcial reefs has

Other areas of the world, such as the northern Gulf of Mexico, aren’t quite so

produced smarter fsh homes that don’t

fortunate. Sure, there are a few ancient, rocky outcroppings scattered about, but

rust and break apart (see article on

for the most part, the bottom topography in the Gulf is a massive desert—just

page 34). Other popular artifcial reefs

hundreds and hundreds of miles of fat, sandy bottom. We all know, of course, that

are formed on large, sunken ships as

GUY HARVEY, PhD

there’s a lot of oil and gas under that unassuming sand. Because of that, states

well as giant spans of concrete left to fall

is an internationally-acclaimed

like Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama have built hundreds of oil wells

to the ocean foor after bridge removal

artist, fsherman, scientist, and

ofshore. The downside of that are super tragedies like Deepwater Horizon. The

and reconstruction.

world traveler, who devotes

upside (besides providing energy, jobs and a huge revenue stream for the states)

The end game of this record number

much of his time and money

is that they become vibrant reefs. Obviously, they’re not as picturesque as the

of reefs Alabama has deployed is an

Caribbean coral reefs where many of my painting subjects live, but for the average

equally explosive population in the red

fsh, rigs are as perfect a habitat as man can provide.

snapper fshery. Where there once were very few snapper, there are now hundreds

Everyone is well aware of the incredible diving and fshing those rigs ofer.

toward ocean conservation.

of thousands of these prized and delicious gamefsh supporting a sustainable

However, fewer know about the 17,000-plus artifcial reefs that Alabama has built

recreational and commercial fshery. It’s a testament to man’s ability to manage an

over the past four decades, making it the number-one state in the U.S. for artifcial

ecosystem efectively rather than destroy it, like what has happened to some of

my beloved coral reefs around the world.

Over the years, many individuals and groups have contributed to Alabama’s ofshore management. Since 1971, a guiding infuence has come from the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, a marine laboratory that encompasses marine science education and research, coastal zone management policy and educating the public through the Estuarium, their local aquarium. Located on the eastern tip of Dauphin Island, a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico, the lab is surrounded

by Mobile Bay, Mississippi Sound and the waters of the Gulf, making it perfectly situated for a wide range of marine science activity. Dr. Bob Shipp and Dr. George Crozier, two legends in the Gulf of Mexico’s marine science community, have kept their fngers on the pulse for more than fve decades. Again, it’s an example of stakeholders working in unison to achieve a common goal. Without the science community, the regulatory groups wouldn’t have a clue how to manage.

And without proper management, the fshery could collapse.

Our oceans still face many problems: shark fnning, coastal pollution, longliners, poaching and the list goes on. But when everything works properly and a fshery grows (and stays) healthy, we all win.

CHECK OUT THE LATEST AT .com Conservation NOAA Fisheries unveils two new smartphone apps to assist citizens reporting sick, injured or dead marine mammals, and to help identify and view marine mammals responsibly in the wild.

For recipes and everything Alabama seafoood related, visit eatalabamaseafood.com

Guy Harvey, Inc Homestead-Miami Speedway’s Driving for a Cause and Guy Harvey have selected the winner of a specially-outftted NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car.

Top Chefs Learn how to make delicious grilled cobia

Fishing Gear The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management

from one of Alabama’s own James Beard

Council removed the requirement to have and

Award-winning chefs, Chris Hastings of

use a venting tool in Gulf federal waters earlier

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this year.

Marlin Mayhem

BY GHM STAFF

Alabama’s newest billfsh tournament turns into a record-setting weekend.

Known for incredible fshing, the northern Gulf of Mexico’s reputation for billfsh action was cemented this past summer when a new tournament produced multiple record-setting fsh and gave Gulf Coast anglers a show they won’t soon forget.

In just its second year, the Blue Marlin Grand Championship at The Wharf in Orange Beach, Alabama,

Weigh-in was a magical time at the Blue Marlin Grand Championship this summer in Orange Beach, Alabama.

produced three blues that were all north of 700 lbs.,

The tournament saw the state record for blue marlin broken twice in one night. Photo: Mark Worden.

and the top two fsh, weighed within hours of each other, both broke the 24-year-old Alabama state record of 779 lbs.

The action started early. On the frst night, fve

In all, teams in the 50-boat tournament were competing for more than $1 million in cash prizes and the drama was intense. In late evening of the

As the big blue was hoisted, the announcement was made, “The new Alabama state record…789.8 lbs.!”

A crowd of about 5,000 cheered as the crew

marlin that were caught all met the tournament’s

inaugural tournament day, the crew of the Rising

celebrated in a shower of beer suds. Another blue

101” minimum length. Those are big numbers for the

Sons brought in their frst fsh—a stunning blue

weighed in at 452 lbs. and then word came of the

Northern Gulf. First to the dock was the Whoo Dat.

marlin. The Louisiana-based boat was fshing about

night’s fnal fsh. The Reel Fire was headed to the dock

Angelo Depaola’s 105.5” blue marlin weighed 426.2

130 miles to the southwest from Orange Beach when

with a fsh measuring over 120”. Everyone knew that

lbs., and would have won the previous weekend’s

their marlin hit and put up a two-hour fght. Angler

the new state record might not be enough to win

tournament in nearby Pensacola. It would end up

Jeremy Powers worked the rod and the crew had to

the day.

being the “smallest” blue registered.

dump the leader twice before getting the fsh aboard.

When Reel Fire arrived, the dock crew strained to

hoist the fsh. Length was confrmed at 125” and then the weight was announced at 845.8 lbs.

“It was an awesome bite! We saw the whole thing,” said Captain Mike Roberto. “I never would have guessed it would take seven hours to catch the fsh.”

On the second night of the tournament, Laurie McVay from Reel Addiction brought in the third 700-plus lb. blue marlin of the tournament at 722.2 lbs. The fnal leader board read 845.8, 789.8 and 722.2—huge numbers for any tournament.

The tournament’s catch-and-release component accounted for another 38 billfsh over two-and-a-half days of fshing, including 12 blues, 23 whites and three sailfsh or unidentifed billfsh. It was a recordsetting weekend that might be hard to beat. At least until next year.

—Thanks to Jim Cox for contributions to this story.

Left: Fifty boats participated in the second-year tournament, competing for more than $1 million in cash prizes. Photo: Mark Worden.

Funding Knowledge

Guy Harvey scholarships support a record eight student researchers in 2013–14.

BY DOROTHY ZIMMERMAN A record eight graduate students at universities in Florida have received Guy Harvey scholarships to study fsheries science and policy in the marine waters of Florida and the Bahamas. The research of these aspiring marine scientists will help advance what we know about such important species as tarpon, grouper, snapper, king mackerel, sharks and the invasive lionfsh.

The new fellows were selected from the largest-ever pool of scholarship applicants—52 in all—and will receive $5,000 scholarships to support their respective academic projects.

Among this year’s winners is Bob Ellis at Florida State, who became fascinated with what he calls the “prairie dogs” of Florida Bay, red grouper, one of the state’s most commercially important species. Red grouper burrow in and clean out solution holes—small versions of sinkholes— on the bay foor and, in turn, create habitat for a broad community of other important characters like snapper and the spiny lobster. Ellis’s research attempts Hi--I’m Mark Nichols, fishing finatic first,

to unravel numerous questions that

and owner of DOA Lures second. I design lures because of my

resource managers have about how these

love of fishing...certainly not to get rich. My inspirations for designs come from time on the water, not time in the office. I could be (monetarily) wealthier by hanging out at DOA World Headquarters,

excavations infuence marine ecosystems

Alexis Segal

across the Gulf of Mexico, particularly when they depend on species that are

copying other manufacturers’

so valuable to commercial and

products and sending

recreational fshermen.

my designs

Bob Ellis

In addition to species-specifc

outside the U.S.

research, some scholarships fund other

to be produced;

areas of conservation work. In a frst-of-

however,

its-kind, one of this year’s awards will be split by a team of two law students from

that would just not be me--

the University of Florida who are responding to inquiries from the Bahamian government, Ocean Crest Alliance and other partners to explore the creation of a marine managed area of Long Island, Bahamas. Alexis Segal and Caitlin

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Pomerance will use their Guy Harvey award to travel to Long Island to lead the community meetings to collect and analyze the needs and wants of local residents, particularly the subsistence fshermen, to better manage and protect Long Island’s vital fsheries.

The remaining Guy Harvey scholars for 2013–14 are: Amber Ferguson—investigating prey capture biomechanics, anatomy and bite force in the king mackerel, one of the most sought-after recreational fsh.

Kristin Kopperud

Arianne Leary

Johanna Imhof Arianne Leary—investigating the long-term efects from the Deepwater Johanna Imhof—studying the potential mercury contamination of deep sea sharks in the northern Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Kristin Kopperud—building new knowledge about the fundamental

Horizon oil spill and its efects on valuable Gulf of Mexico fsh species, such as small sharks and red snapper.

Since the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation and Florida Sea Grant created

properties of visual systems in fsh, which may one day yield important

the scholarship program in 2010, $84,000 in scholarships has been given to 19

practical applications for human health, as well as the conservation of tarpon,

students at Florida universities. A panel of faculty members selects winners, and

bonefsh and sharks.

this year’s winning students come from Florida State University, the University of

Tyler Sloan—examining how water temperature may afect the feeding performance and behavior of diferent life stages of the invasive lionfsh.

South Florida, Florida Institute of Technology, the University of North Florida and the University of Florida.

S.C. Lottery Tickets Land a Conservation Jackpot

BY JEFF DENNIS GHM INSIDER Earlier this year, Dr. Guy Harvey followed up on the success of his Florida lottery tickets by loaning his signature artwork to the South Carolina Education Lottery. The result was a big win for conservation.

A limited time scratch-of ticket for $5 a play helped to generate a whopping $226,000 for conservation projects in the Palmetto State.

As part of the program, Dr. Harvey traveled to the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston on October 5, 2013, and awarded a $75,000 donation toward a new touch tank exhibit for sharks. Set for completion in the spring of 2014, the shark exhibit will help educate the public on how the ocean’s top-tier predators are also in need of conservation eforts.

“Sharks are becoming less perceived as predators, and the touch tank will help to reinforce that,” said Harvey. Another step citizens can take is to join the new Hammerhead Nation found on www.GuyHarvey.com, where marine conservation is a cornerstone.

Other recipients of the Guy Harvey lottery funds include the

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Left: Guy Harvey scratch-of tickets paid of big in South Carolina in 2013. The program raised almost a quarter-million dollars for conservation, including a $75,000 grant to the South Carolina Aquarium. Photo: Jef Dennis.

Coastal Conservation Association of South Carolina, the Harry Hampton Fun and the Dolphinfsh Research Program.

“There is no greater gamefsh than the dolphin,” said Harvey. “Mahi entertain anglers when they jump and fght. And from an artistic point of view, they look amazing and are a pleasure to paint.”

Scott Whitaker is the CCA executive director in South Carolina, and is their longest-tenured state director in the nation. Upon receipt of $75,000 in funds from the Guy Harvey Lottery game, CCA’s work on behalf of fsh habitat will continue.

“Oyster restoration projects up and down the coast are set to expand thanks to this funding,” said Whitaker. “In general, this money helps us be on solid ground heading into our 2014 conservation calendar, and we are very grateful.”

South Carolinians embrace their coastal heritage when it comes to loggerhead sea turtles or to nesting shore birds like the oystercatcher. Recreational anglers and shrimpers are coming to realize that the bounty of seafood served up by the estuary is by no means limitless. The conservation groups that Guy Harvey supports with lottery funds will help future generations of saltwater enthusiasts guard the sustainability of the ocean.

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Sunken Teasure

BY FRED GARTH

Alabama is making the most of its small slice of coastal waters with an aggressive—and awesomely productive—artifcial reef program.

The LuLu, a 270-ft. cargo ship, was put down in 110 feet of water this summer and is the latest large vessel to be added to Alabama’s reef zone. Right: The Lulu slipping beneath the waves. Photos: Orange Beach, Alabama.

A

rtifcial reefs are not a new concept.

Ancient fshermen knew that even a pile of rocks would attract fsh to feed their tribe.

In Japan, fshermen have been building artifcial reefs for centuries and they are considered private property. Poaching a reef in Japan is considered the same as sneaking into your neighbor’s garden and stealing tomatoes off the vine. Here, we try to hide our private reefs by keeping GPS numbers in a little black book under lock and key. But if someone happens to stumble upon your favorite spot, well, that’s just bad luck for you.

In the U.S., the artifcial reef boom ramped up after 1984, when Congress

Mexico coast, this is especially true for gamefsh species such as snapper,

passed the National Fishing Enhancement Act, which encouraged states

grouper, triggerfsh and others that are perfectly suited to underwater

to construct artifcial reefs. Since then, the reef rush has continued to

structure. Consider the red snapper. Its population in the northern Gulf

accelerate. In the early days of American-based artifcial reefs, myriad

continues to grow faster than Taylor Swift’s bank account.

scientifc studies were done, which asked one simple question: do reefs

In the 1980s, I did a lot of scuba diving in the Gulf. We kept a 22-ft.

create more fsh or do they simply aggregate the fsh that were already

boat in Orange Beach, Alabama, and had a list of several hundred public

swimming around looking for a place to settle down? While there is still

and private reefs we’d hit within 15 miles of shore. I still have the list and

some debate, the overwhelming evidence is that artifcial reefs provide

like to look at the notes next to certain numbers like, “20-lb. grouper!” or

habitat for fsh populations to fourish. Along the northern Gulf of

“Big shark!” or “No big fsh—try next summer.” We spearfshed like wild

Baitfsh swim around a pyramid reef in the Gulf.

Scrap car bodies were some of the frst artifcial reefs. Here, a group is

Photo: Walter Marine.

stacked on a barge, ready to slide of into the water. Photo: Walter Marine.

Opposite: The “Reefmaker” of Walter Marine deploys pyramid-shaped artifcial reefs into the Gulf of Mexico. These reefs have Florida limestone embedded in them to mimic natural reef habitat. Photo: Walter Marine. Right: Bridge rubble has been widely used to build reefs of Alabama. Divers dubbed this site “Little Rome” because large, vertical columns are a reminder of ancient ruins. Photo: Lila Harris, Aquatic Soul Photography.

men and always brought back a load of amberjack, snapper, grouper, triggerfsh and the occasional lobster. Back then, Alabama was on a mission to build the nation’s most extensive network of reefs. They dropped Army tanks, tugboats, ships, school buses, hundreds of cars and just about anything that would make a good home for a fsh. Of course, anything with hydrocarbons, like gas tanks, brake lines and so forth, were removed before they were dropped into the deep. Then, in 1989, a new bridge was built at Alabama’s Perdido Pass and the old bridge was tagged to become a reef extravaganza.

(As a side note, we made a night dive under the old Perdido Pass bridge a few weeks before it was removed and were freaked out to see that many of the massive cement pilings had been eroded so much that we could swim underneath them. Car and truck trafc moved along above us unaware that only a few rods of rebar seemed to be holding the bridge up.)

Fortunately, the bridge was deconstructed before it collapsed. Also, Alabama had the wisdom and foresight to remove the bridge in giant chunks to make some humongous reefs. Today, almost 25 years later, those reefs are still extremely productive and are part of more than 17,000 man-made reefs of of Alabama’s coast. Even though the state has about 60 miles of Gulf-front coastline, it has more artifcial reefs than any other state in the union, including Florida.

One of our favorites sites to dive was a place we named Little Rome (it still exists) because the old concrete bridge pilings I’d once swam under were dropped into the sandy bottom in 90-ft. water in such a way that the rebar stuck into the sand. This allowed the 60-ft.-long pilings to stand erect even though they were tilted and cracked with big chunks scattered along the ground like the ancient ruins of Rome. Since most dive sites in the Gulf only have a relief of 10 to 20 feet, it was nice to be able to ascend up those pilings to within sight of the surface. Plus, they held a lot of nice fsh.

Fishing Alabama’s reef system is pretty simple. All you need is a decent boat

100 feet of water can be eerie, like falling through outer space, because you can’t see the sandy bottom or the reef when visibility is 25 to 50 feet. Occasionally, the

with a GPS and a depth sounder. You zip ofshore to the latitude and longitude

blue gulfstream water moves in and visibility might jump to more than 100 feet,

intersection, and then you slowly circle the area until you see a big red and

but, for the most part, as the diver is pulling down the anchor line, he’s staring into

yellow hump on your bottom machine. Then you fsh. Experienced captains can

a blue-green void, hoping and praying that some structure will appear.

decipher the colors and shapes and pretty much tell you whether a fshing spot

It takes a skillful captain to hook the anchor within 50 feet of the reef.

will produce good fsh and what kind of fsh to expect. Even a beginning boater

Currents and wind move the boat as the anchor is falling. Then an anchor will

just learning how to punch numbers into his GPS and set the gain on the depth

drag before it catches. On more dives than I like to admit we got to the sandy

sounder can have a lot of success…if the spot has fsh. Some well known reefs can

bottom and all we could see was more sand in all directions. We call that a moon

get fshed out during the peak fshing season, but there are so many reefs it’s just

walk because without an artifcial reef to explore, the bottom of the Gulf is one

a matter of moving to the next one until you fnd the fsh.

big, fshless moonscape.

Scuba diving these reefs is a completely diferent animal. Descending in 60 to

While Alabama is the nation’s undisputed champion of man-made reefs, the

Just one day after its sinking, the LuLu was already attracting fsh, including this nicely-sized red snapper. Left from top: Artifcial reefs support fsh of every size—from behemoth goliath grouper (top) to vermillion snapper (locally called mingo or beeliners; middle) to bait fsh (opposite). Photos: Lila Harris, Aquatic Soul Photography.

recalls. “I wasn’t sure what to do with it and a captain

making materials morphed into more durable and

cars out and make reefs out of them.”

permanent structures.

Walter was skeptical.

David Walter Reef Maker If they gave out world records for building artifcial reefs (and by golly they should), the winner, by a long

Over the years, cars went out of vogue and reef

friend of mine, Earl Grifths, told me I should haul old

“It sounded like a crazy idea. I didn’t think

“In the early days, we experimented with diferent designs until we settled on a structure with

anybody would pay me to haul old cars out there. But

limestone rocks. Our customers expected to catch

I told Earl that I’d convert the boat if he could get me

a lot of fsh from each reef, so we made the largest

20 cars and pay me $100 per car to dump them. The

artifcial reef in the US.”

next day Earl called and he had 40 cars.”

And so began Reefmakers long career of building

These days, Walter is still hired by sport fshermen, but his primary clients are governments.

margin would be Alabama seafarer David Walter.

reefs along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts. It

“We’re building a lot of snorkeling reefs for cities and

Over the course of three decades, Walter and his

became so popular for fshermen to have their own

counties. We put 40 structures of of Pensacola Beach

company, Walter’s Marine/Reefmaker, has put down

private car or school bus reef that Walter’s business

and now they want more. The fshermen, divers and

more than 35,000 artifcial reefs.

took of like a king mackerel hitting a spinning rod.

snorkelers love them.”

“Back in 1984, when the oil business had crashed, I bought an old 42-ft. work boat for $2500,” Walter

“At one point, I had a year-and-a-half waiting list,” Walter said. “We just couldn’t build them fast enough.”

Walter’s company was the obvious choice to put down the Lulu. It was their 13th ship to deploy.

state continues to press for more. This past summer,

65

N

a 270-ft. ex-cargo ship was dropped in about 110 feet

Mobile 4

E

W

163

S

(and her restaurant) went down with tremendous

10

Choctaw Pass Reef

of water. The Lulu, named after Jimmy Bufett’s sister

98

Brookley Hole

4 +$)!

where they served us fried chicken and beer, or what

Bender Austal Reef

10

we call breakfast in L.A. (Lower Alabama). They even

Upper Bay Barge

193

hired legendary southern rock band, Wet Willie, and set

4 %,$*+!

Battles Wharf

them up on a barge next to the ship to play some old

59

Zundel’s Reef

193

Bayou la Batre 188

M o

300 boats showed up full of locals to watch the Lulu go down and wiggle to Wet Willie tunes. In Bamaland, any occasion is appropriate for having a party.

With more reefs than any other state, a growing

y Ba li e b

Shrimpboat

Boykin Reef

Mississippi Sound

population of fsh to catch, a vibrant charter boat feet

D auphin Island

Rockpile Ross Point

Legacy Platforms

Mobile Bay

EXMOB 76A Ft. Morgan Barge

ga Ft. Mor

and easy access to ofshore artifcial reefs, Alabama

know, once Alabama takes over the top spot, it takes

Far ewell Buoy

some kind of miracle to knock them of of that throne.

30° 03.00’ • 87° 59.50’ •

HUGH SWINGLE GENERAL PERMIT AREA

2 88 9° ° 0 55 2. .00 50 ’ ’

•

• 29° 55.00’ 87° 55.50’

ex

ico

DON KELLEY NORTH GENERAL PERMIT AREA

• ’ 10 3. 0’ ° 4 6.0 9 4 2 ° 87

SA

29° 45.20’ • 88° 02.00’

FE TY I FA AY RW

TY FE SA AY W IR FA

29° 35.50’ 88° 01.50’ •

TATUM - WINN SOUTH GENERAL PERMIT AREA

• ’ 10 ’ 4. 00 ° 2 1.

29 8° 0 8

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• 29° 55.00’ 87° 47.25 ’ • 29° 52.00’ 87° 47.00’

TATUM - WINN NORTH GENERAL PERMIT AREA

Alabama’s designated reef zone is made up of multiple permit areas covering some 1,200-sq.-mi.

Additional reefs, especially those made from oyster shells, have also been placed within Mobile Bay.

’ 50 ’ 3. 30 ° 0 32.

0 • 3 87°

o

29° 55.00’ 88° 07.00’ •

ico

Y IRWA

f

’• 20 7. 50’ ° 4 6.

29 7° 4 8

Alabama’s Artifcial Reefs

’ 20 2. 0’ ° 0 2.7 30 7° 5 8

Perdido Pass

lf

30° 03.00’ 88° 07.00’ •

TY FA

Gu

Planned

es

Shor

ex of M f l Gu

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Existing Reefs Gas Platform Reefs

Gulf

180

n

Ono Island

Bayou St. John

Bon Secour Reef Shellbank Reef

can proudly claim to be Number One. And as fans of the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide football team

*'!3 4

%-$ %0!, Reef

EXMOB 63AB

EXMOB 62AA

98

1

Ba y

and “Grits Ain’t Groceries.” That had to be some kind of world record for a band playing that far ofshore. About

98

P. Grey Cane, Jr. Reef

Denton Reef

90

10

Pe rd ido

favorites like “Keep on Smilin’,” “The Country Side of Life”

90

Dell Williamson Reef

fanfare 17 miles ofshore. I was on the 80-ft. press boat

SCALE - MILES

10

29° 29.00’ 87° 45.00’ • 29° 26.40’ 87° 44.90’ • • 29 87 ° 2 °5 5 0. .50 20 ’ ’

DON KELLEY SOUTH GENERAL PERMIT AREA

• 29° 34.00’ 87° 32.30’

• 29° 29.20’ 87° 32.30’

• 29° 16.60’ 87° 32.30’

Map: Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Marine Resources Division

y d a e R

p a Sn RSON

A RYL C

BY DA

Gulf of Mexico fshermen are seeing more red snapper than they have in a long time, but a broken management system is also making them see red of another kind.

Recreational red snapper management in the Gulf of Mexico is a big mess, and everybody knows it. From marine science research veterans to charter boat captains to the guy that fshes every weekend from his 19-ft. Cape Horn, we all know something is very wrong.

Thankfully, this problem begins with some good news. By all accounts, red snapper are fourishing in the Gulf of Mexico. In fact, to hear most recreational and charter boat fshermen tell it, they are nearly a plague. You can hardly bottom fsh and catch anything else. The size of the fsh being caught has increased as well. Ten years ago, the average fsh was 3 lbs. Now it’s 7 lbs. More signifcantly, the commercial catch has been growing, and the stock assessments (government speak for number of fsh) based on commercial landings are very positive.

Red snapper is the poster-child for bottom fshing in the northern Gulf, and records indicate average catch size has more than doubled in just 10 years. Photo: Walter Marine.

In September of this year, the Monterrey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch folks,

That’s the good news. The

who have as much infuence over seafood consumption as Miley Cyrus does over

bad news is that recreational

questionable dance moves, recognized this positive trend in the fshery. They

fshing management is a bit of a

upgraded the rating of Gulf red snapper from “Avoid” (meaning, if you eat this,

joke with a bad punch line. Many

you’re a horrible person) to “Good Alternative.” People of conscience can now

would even say it’s an insult to

order Gulf of Mexico red snapper at a restaurant or buy it from a seafood market

the word “management.” Rather

without incurring the stigma normally reserved for those who club baby fur seals.

than operating from an IFQ, the

For the fshing industry, and for everyone who buys seafood in a restaurant or

recreational sector is allotted a

store, this is wonderful news.

certain number of pounds of red snapper

But the commercial red snapper catch and the recreational snapper catch are

Dr. Bob Shipp—Gulf snapper guru.

each year that must be caught during a limited season. In recent years, that meant

as diferent as Jay-Z and Tim McGraw. Commercial guys operate on what’s called an

one month of fshing for red snapper and a two-fsh per day bag limit. Seems

IFQ, or Individual Fishing Quota. That means they are allotted a certain number of

straightforward enough until you try to track thousands of recreational fshermen

pounds of fsh to be caught during the year. Essentially, they can catch it whenever

and what they caught. Catch totals are collected by doing phone surveys, posting

and however they like. This system carries many benefts. Commercial guys can fsh

people (“monitors”) at the docks to conduct interviews with fshermen and other

all year, make money all year, and decide to stay home and be safe when the Gulf

equally inadequate methods. This limited data is then plugged into some very

looks like a washing machine set to “agitate.” There’s always tomorrow.

complex mathematical models that also weigh a whole range of other factors

Commercial boats also have very strict reporting regulations. They turn in catch numbers on a near daily basis, so it’s easy for government types to keep track of how many fsh are being harvested, their relative size and the areas

(more on that in a minute) and the result is how many pounds of fsh have been harvested in a given recreational season.

“Last year, a huge glitch was discovered,” says Dr. Robert Shipp, former

where they are caught. All this makes tracking and managing the commercial red

chair of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, the governing body

snapper fshery fairly straightforward.

responsible for managing red snapper. “In past years, the monitors at the docks

Snapper season drives ofshore fshing in Orange Beach, Alabama and many other Gulf Coast ports. A typical summer weekend can see thousands of boaters on the water. Photo: Orange Beach, Alabama, www.OrangeBeach.ws.

were knocking of at 3pm. But

the catch limit faster and faster each year. This is further exacerbated by the fact that

a new data collection system

the catch limit is counted in pounds and average fsh size has doubled, so catching

approved by Congress now has

the limit automatically means catching fewer fsh. The result of all of this is that

monitors staying later in the

following the old rules requires shortening the fshing season so the catch limit is

day. When they stayed until 5

not exceeded.

or 5:30, landings skyrocketed.”

The result, says Shipp, is

Now, with the revelation that the last 10 to 15 years of numbers are completely unreliable because of poor data collection methods (monitors leaving

Tom Steber—President

that data from previous years is

the docks at 3pm instead of staying until later in the day), it means the stock

Orange Beach Fishing Association.

now wildly in doubt. “They don’t

assessment process has to start from scratch. And even though it seems quite

know what to do with the last 10

obvious to everyone involved—even the pelicans on the docks—that snapper

to 15 years of data because they know it’s all wrong. When they came in with these

numbers are growing, there’s no way to scientifcally justify an increase in catch

numbers, it meant that the quota for that year had already been exceeded.”

limits because it can’t be backed up with hard numbers.

This new revelation is likely to compound the problems of the current trend

This trend seems unbelievable to most anglers, and the reality of more fsh

in recreational management. As red snapper numbers have been increasing,

but less fshing is hard on everyone, yet what’s at stake is far more than just a nice

season length and bag limits have been shortening. This is counter-intuitive, and

recreational activity enjoyed by a few fshermen. There is a huge economic impact

maddeningly frustrating to fshermen. Essentially, because people are obeying the

as well.

rules and the stock is doing well, as a reward, we all get to fsh less. But the problem

“We ran 200 trips out of here last weekend,” says Tom Steber, manager of

comes from the fact that it takes a long time (about three years) for researchers

Zeke’s Marina in Orange Beach, Alabama. “That’s more than all the trips we ran for

to conduct a full-blown stock assessment—a necessary step before increasing

the last two months.”

fshing limits. So, while new research is being conducted, the old rules must still be enforced. Meanwhile, since snapper numbers are going up, fshermen are reaching

Zeke’s is home to a good portion of the Orange Beach charter feet, which is the largest such feet on the Gulf Coast. I visited with Tom in mid-October, just

Just in from a day on the charter boats, this group of anglers shows of some big red snapper, grouper and a mixed bag of other fsh—a typical haul when snapper season is open. Photo: Orange Beach, Alabama, www.OrangeBeach.ws.

after a special, two-week snapper season closed. He was happy for the boon in

driver. It is directly related to occupancy rates at hotels, to receipt totals in

business, but he also made it clear that charter fshing in the 10-plus months that

restaurants and to gas sales at service stations—all the things that are part of a

don’t host a snapper season is a far cry from what it used to be.

normal tourist economy.

“Our captains have really had to adapt,” says Steber, who is also the president of the local charter association. “Where we have lost business is from the corporate sector…from companies coming from Mobile or Birmingham and

The Red Tide of History For local fshermen, snapper fshing is equally important. In fact, it’s a deeply

treating their employees or clients to some time on the water. Instead, now, we

ingrained part of the culture, especially in Southern Alabama and along the

cater much more to a family experience, where people are not fshing to fll up

Florida Panhandle. People here never talk about “deep sea fshing.” Sure, those

coolers, but fshing purely for fun. We’re also fshing more for other species like

words are on a few billboards targeting tourists, but that’s not what the locals

dolphin and king.”

do. Here, people go “snapper fshing,” as in, “I went snapper fshing and caught a

The other point that Steber makes is that cramming the majority of snapper fshing into one, 28-day season in July is a real killer for getting the most out

nice grouper.”

And it’s been this way for about 150 years. Pensacola, stuck out on the

of the region’s tourism business during the rest of the year. The Gulf Coast,

western end of the Florida Panhandle, is a city that used to be known as the red

especially the section from Gulf Shores to Orange Beach, Alabama, is a Mecca

snapper capital of the world. And they meant it. Because of the snapper fshery,

for visitors from all over the Southeast. And, when the weather is good, fshing

there was a time when Pensacola’s port was the busiest in the nation, even more

is popular the majority of the year. If snapper season was open during Memorial

so than New York.

Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving—not to mention during other local events such as

When you examine the power brokers who dominated Florida’s Panhandle in

the annual Shrimp Festival and multiple music festivals—charter boats could be

the early 1900s, the leading role goes to a Mr. R. Snapper. His supporting cast was

full and running virtually all the time. A short snapper season both reduces the

a group of entrepreneurial humans who capitalized on the legions of red snapper

overall tourist draw and it keeps businesses from maximizing their profts when

that were landing in Pensacola, as well as in nearby Mobile and New Orleans. If

tourists are present. The bottom line is that snapper season is a huge economic

you review history books of the region, two men you’ll run across frequently are

The exact date is unknown, but this 19th century photo shows fshermen taking their catch of red snapper into Mobile, Alabama. Photo: USA Archives.

movers and shakers E.E. Saunders and Andrew Warren. These two fellows are

northern Gulf and sailing as far south at Campeche Bay, of the western coast

described in historical records as “very thoughtful and skillful businessmen, as well

of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula. By 1910, a majority of the commercial fshing

as imaginative marketers.” Translation: they were the rich guys in town—the “Big

feet was traveling to Mexican waters to fnd red snapper. In fact, by 1955, it was

Fish,” if you will pardon the pun.

well documented that 75% of the snapper coming into Pensacola and 50% of

Saunders and Warren promoted snapper, as well as grouper, in cans before StarKist ever packed its frst tuna in a tin. Warren even published a special cookbook to prepare fsh from “The Red Snapper Capital of the World.” Back then,

the snapper coming into other Florida west coast ports, were all from Mexico’s Campeche fshing grounds.

This history lesson is important because those historical catch fgures have

the Gulf was a wild west of sorts and the fsh came in like fruit falling from a

helped skew present management practices. Management goals—how many fsh

tree. This period of snapper prolifcness (though that’s not even a real word) is a

we think there should be so we can maximize the resource while still sustaining

fascinating history. It’s also relevant to today’s fsherman, because it still infuences

the population—are based on a number of diferent factors. These include,

how we manage snapper fshing.

among other things, historical catch data, the biology of the fsh and its ability to

They used huge sailing “smacks,” some of which were up to 200 ft. long, to go

reproduce, and on achieving a healthy age structure in the population—having a

out for a month or more and return with their live wells full of red snapper. Some

certain percentage of young fsh, adolescent fsh and mature adults, etc. But the

say the ships were called "smacks" because of the sounds of water sloshing around

underlying premise of tracking historical catches assumes you’re still managing

in their live wells. Using this method, ships would go out and fsh and bring in up

the same habitat. Yet today’s snapper regulations do not cover Mexican waters,

to 6,000 lbs. of snapper at a time. This fgure tripled later on with the availability of

just the 200-mile exclusive economic zone that extends from the U.S. coastline. So

ice, allowing ships to chill their catch down while still at sea. Commercial landings

just like having bad catch data, having skewed historical records has contributed

peaked at the turn of the 20th century, with more than 6 million pounds of tasty

to the debacle that we call “red snapper management.”

red snap-daddy’s coming in through Gulf of Mexico ports.

Habitat Sweet Habitat

It was a grand time, but red snapper were being fshed hard. Even as early as 1887, we have historical documentation of smacks moving out of the

Our history lesson is not quite fnished. In the 1940s, the Gulf of Mexico

began to change in a big way with the beginning of gas and oil exploration. This

and Florida as well. Although it has the smallest section of Gulf of Mexico coastline,

started, of course, in the western Gulf, namely of of Texas and Louisiana. Today,

Alabama has the region’s most prolifc artifcial reef program. In addition to some

tens of thousands of active and retired oil rigs dot the underwater landscape in

oil and gas structures, partnerships between fshermen, the state and outside

the Gulf. Fishermen know these structures as serious fsh habitat—most of them

organizations have created a 1,200-sq.-mi. reef zone with more than 17,000 reefs.

packed tighter than a senior living center in Palm Springs. In areas that used to be

These structures include everything from scuttled ships to concrete “reef balls”

relatively barren expanses of sand bottom, rigs support healthy populations of

and discarded bridge rubble. Shipp and his teams have regularly conducted fsh

creatures from every level of the underwater food chain.

surveys, including video surveys, on select structures of Alabama coastlines. He

“You can’t underestimate the sea change in habitat that came in the 1940s

has also conducted sonar sweeps to document the number of artifcial structures

with the introduction of oil drilling,” says Dr. Shipp, who has spent three decades

still in place after years under the surface. His fndings have backed up what

studying Gulf reef fsh and is a past chairman of the Department of Marine Science

fshermen on the water have been saying for a long time…the snapper are

at the University of South Alabama. In a research paper published in 2009, Dr.

everywhere. In fact, Shipp believes that recreational red snapper fshing could go

Shipp documented the growth in red snapper catch totals in the western Gulf

from one month to six months with a two-fsh limit. He says if that kind of fshing

from an annual average of less than a million pounds through the frst half of the

was allowed, and limited to waters above 20 fathoms (120 feet), there would be

century to about 4 million pounds in the year 2000. Peak catches came in the late

little danger of hurting snapper stocks over a three-year period. That idea is part

1970s at almost 6 million pounds. Dr. Shipp attributes this sustained growth to

of a “straw man” proposal he is publicizing to help kick-start a discussion on a new

habitat increase.

overall approach to snapper management.

“One of the problems we have today is that our current models don’t account for this massive increase in artifcial habitat,” says Shipp. He and others have been petitioning the Gulf Fishery Management Council to do just that. Research has

Ready to Fight Bad data, an inefcient system of limited seasons, a skewed historical

established that habitat creation does not just “collect” fsh and concentrate them

precedent and a fawed view of the Gulf’s fsh habitat are all taking their toll on

at one site, but it actually allows for a larger population of fsh.

snapper management. Added to this are human nature and the naturally slow

This is signifcant not just for Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, but for Alabama

moving wheels of government bureaucracy. But angst and anger among all

parties has brought about some change.

snapper fshing between recreational and commercial groups. Currently, the split

At the time of this writing, multiple bills and proposals are being kicked

is nearly even. But recreational and charter fshermen, along with their allies, are

around, both in Congress and in the various legislatures of the states along the

seeking a greater piece of the pie. Their argument is that current allocations are

Gulf. There is a growing push to see control of the red snapper fshery taken away

based on skewed catch data from the 1980s, and if a new allotment were made

from the National Marine Fisheries Service and given to the states to manage

on present data, recreational guys would get a bigger share of the limited red

however they see ft. In 2014, a partial move along these lines is already set to take

snapper quota.

place. Each state will be allowed to manage its share of the yearly snapper quota, though the quota itself will still be determined by the National Marine Fisheries

Understandably, this move does not have commercial fshermen very excited.

They are making money. Snapper sells for a good price, and with the recent

Service. For many, this is a move in the right direction, but still does not go far enough. Captain Steber, in Orange Beach, believes that the states need full control if recreational fshing, as we know it, is to survive along the Gulf.

“I am hopeful that something good

change in recognition from the seafood industry of

…Shipp believes that recreational red snapper fishing could go from one month to six months with a two-fish limit…

can happen. Honestly, I think that the

the health of red snapper stocks, demand should continue to rise. If their current quota is cut, without limits being raised, they are going to feel a real economic crunch. They are also warning, through a new marketing campaign called “Share the Gulf” (www.sharethegulf.org), that such a move could limit access to red snapper in seafood markets and

recreational fshing groups, such as CCA and others, will have to come together

restaurants around the country. Many also have concerns that at the state level

and sue the Feds for control. I think everybody fnally feels pushed back in a

there is not the expertise or manpower to efectively manage commercial fshing.

corner enough to fght.”

To thicken the plot, there’s also a move among recreational fshermen to bring

Some experts, like Dr. Shipp, have suggested leaving commercial fshing under Federal management and just moving recreational fshing to state control, although

more immediate change. U.S. Senator David Vitter, from Louisiana, has proposed

no one can agree what that control should look like. The one thing everyone does

legislation that would force the NMFS to reexamine the current split of red

know is that change is coming. For most, it can’t come fast enough.

Catch the boat

More than 80 charter boats operate out of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores,

Alabama. The majority are six-pack boats, like the Getaway, and fish everything from bull reds to blue marlin. Photo: Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau.

BY WILLIAM BEAUREGARD ROBERTS

Orange Beach, Alabama, is a small beach town with a reputation for big fshing and a dedicated group of captains that keep their customers on the bite.

Simple fact: Alabama claims a mere fve percent of the U.S. coastline for the Gulf of Mexico, but in Orange Beach, it has the largest charter boat feet of any single port along the coast from Texas to Tampa. The Orange Beach Fishing Association represents the bulk of charter boats in the area and boasts more than 80 vessels. Most of these are six-pack boats catering to bottom fshing—especially for red snapper—but there also is a strong contingent of inshore fshing guides and larger multi-passenger vessels. And while red snapper is the popular target species, it is not the only game in town. King mackerel, cobia, redfsh, tripletail, dolphin, tuna, wahoo and marlin are all brought to the docks throughout the year.

Multi-passenger boats are great for large groups, and experienced captains know how to deliver fshing action. The 65-ft. Emerald Spirit is certifed for up to 50 passengers and ofers bottom fshing, trolling, overnight trips and tournament fshing. Photo: Orange Beach, Alabama, www.OrangeBeach.ws.

the bay and compliment the natural drop-ofs, grass beds and channels that fshermen frequent with great success.

These rich inland waters are matched ofshore by more than 17,000 artifcial structures put down in a 1,200-sq.-mi. designated reef zone. It is, by far, the largest collection of artifcial reefs anywhere along the Gulf and does not even include structure provided by the state’s oil and gas industry. The reef zone is also a great example of how fshermen in the state have really helped themselves.

Fueling Alabama’s coastal fshing is a wonderful confuence of geography, good

For years, says Tom Steber, head of the OBFA, the charter boats docked at Zeke’s

water and an entire generation of conservation-minded anglers. Mobile Bay

Marina (one of the busiest in Orange Beach) were required to put down between

covers 400 sq. mi., and with the fve major rivers that feed into it, helps create

fve and 10 reefs every year.

the fourth largest estuary in the country. It sustains the base of a massive aquatic food chain, with the brackish waters and marshes of the bay providing a home for shrimp, crabs, mussels and baitfsh. It also serves as a nursery for a wide

“We knew that building habitat would build the fshery,” says Steber. “So it was incredibly important.”

And, of course, things have not slowed down. In addition to the sinking of the

range of recreationally important species and is home to big redfsh and healthy

LuLu, a 271-ft. freighter last year, Steber says there are plans to sink two more ships

populations of founder, speckled trout and white trout. A series of oyster reefs,

over the next three years.

deployed years ago by the state, are still maintained and create fsh habitat in

Beyond the reef zone, Alabama’s coast is well within shot of some great

Left: With more than 17,000 artifcial reefs in the area, fshing opportunities abound and captains can tailor trips to fsh for specifc species, whether bottom fshing or trolling. Photo: Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau.

chasing speckled trout and redfsh,” says Brewer. “We love having a good king mackerel run and, of course, red snapper season is always slammed. After that, grouper opens up.”

For ofshore fshing, Brewer acknowledges that snapper season is the busiest time of year, but when snapper season closes, the fshing doesn’t stop…it’s just diferent. “We really diversify, going after triggerfsh, bee liners, amberjack. We’ve also been catching wahoo this year. It’s extra work to put out the high-speed trolling gear on our run out, but it pays of. You’re not going to catch deepwater formations. The “Nipple,” a drop-of along the Gulf’s continental shelf, is a hot spot for serious blue-water action. Last year, the 24-year-old state record for blue

anything with your tackle in the boat.”

Brewer also says that as much as he loves to catch fsh, his real passion is

marlin was broken twice in one weekend with fsh of 789 and 846 lbs. Tuna, white

seeing someone else catch their frst fsh, especially kids. Family-oriented fshing

marlin, blue marlin and sailfsh are all on the menu for those who venture ofshore.

is a big part of the business and it’s where they see the most return customers. It’s

Bringing your own boat to the region is easy enough, and many anglers love the challenge and opportunities that it provides. But for many visitors, booking a charter trip is the smartest way to hook up. Anglers can also tailor their trip.

a trend attested to by other captains and points to the reality that fshing is a big draw for families visiting the area.

Of course, tourism drives the majority of charter boat fshing. Frank Ford,

Looking to take home a cooler full of meat? Get some buddies together and

of Island Time Charters, runs inshore trips and says only 1–2% of his business

schedule a six-pack during the summer snapper season. Want to hone your

comes from local anglers. The reason? Ford fgures that most have their own boat.

fyfshing skills? There are veteran inshore guides who can both put you on the

Regardless, he understands what visitors are looking for, because until eight years

fsh and teach you how to fsh. Looking for blue water glory? Charter a boat and

ago, he used to be one.

fsh one of the annual billfsh tournaments.

Charter boats have been running out of Orange Beach at least since the 1960s.

A veteran freshwater angler and guide, Ford spent several years regularly coming down from his home upstate to fsh the area. He chartered boats until

Back then, the focus was more on trolling for Spanish mackerel and bluefsh rather

eventually buying a 23-ft. center console for fshing anytime he could. In 2000, he

than tapping an abundance of snapper. Still, the area earned a strong reputation

spent nearly three weeks fshing the rigs out of Dauphin Island and then discovered

for great fshing and good captains, and that has never changed. Today, the

the backwater of Perdido Bay and Old River areas accessible from Orange Beach.

majority of charter boats are owner/operator businesses, many with deep roots in

“I got tired of dragging my boat back and forth, and fnally bought a [house]

the area. And there is a strong conservation ethic that runs through the feet. “Hey,

down here,” says Ford. “We just fell in love with the place.” He and his wife opened

this is our water,” says Steber. “This is how we make a living. We all want to protect

Island Time Charters and started running inshore fshing trips. His specialty is

it and see it thrive.”

guiding customers to big red fsh.

Personal investment, both in the area’s natural resources and in the sport, is

“They pull hard and put big grins on faces,” says Ford about his favorite species.

typifed in captains like Alex Brewer. His company, Pleasure Island Charters, runs

“I like fall for both the bulls and the keepers. November and December have always

two boats: a 38-ft. Topaz, the Miss Carli, for ofshore fshing and a 22-ft. Sea Hunt,

been fabulous for the bull reds out of the beach. When we get a northern wind, you

Game On, for inshore. The Miss Carli is named for Brewer’s daughter, tragically

can catch them on a plug or bucktail jig. This time of the year, I’m all over the redfsh.”

killed in an auto accident at the age of 17. The boat was purchased, reftted and

The common denominator between Brewer, Ford and Orange Beach charter

named to honor a girl who loved to fsh with her family. For Brewer, there is a lot of

captains is a passion for fshing paired with a genuine enjoyment of helping

pride in fshing.

others fnd success on the water. And since they fsh in a place with rich, natural

“When I get repeat business, I know I’m doing my job,” he says. “We start putting people on sheepshead in late February, early March, and then we start

resources, a healthy fshery and an unparalleled history of building reefs, that passion appears to have plenty of fuel for the future.

SUSTAINABLE SUCCESS

BY DANNY THORNTON

Tucked into the southeast corner of Mobile Ba e that has been on the frontlines of catching and conserving Gulf seafood for more than a century.

If you’re an old fart like me, you remember when the only limit on fshing was the

But we’ve learned over the centuries that Homo sapiens have an uncanny knack

size of your cooler. These days, catch and release, sustainability, and conservation

for decimating other species. Thankfully, we’re becoming almost equally as

have replaced catch it, clean it and freeze it. Although there may be less to eat

talented at restoring endangered animal populations—especially tasty ones that

in the fridge, there should be more fsh to catch in the sea. At least that’s the

we love to hunt and eat.

theory—a necessary sacrifce unless we want our children and grandchildren to consider chicken nuggets the fresh catch of the day.

The modern conservation movement is not new. It really sprouted in the late

Ironically, early marine conservation eforts were fostered by some of the very groups (such as commercial fshermen) who were pressuring the resource.

Forward-thinking fshing companies realized they would be out of business

1800s and early 1900s, led by the likes of our 26th president, Teddy Roosevelt, and

quickly if they didn’t manage the fsheries that kept their doors open and

Sierra Club founder John Muir, and articulated by author Henry David Thoreau,

provided fsh to restaurants, grocery stores and seafood shops.

who wrote about man’s bond with nature in his classic book Walden. They

“When my great grandfather, Frank Nelson, started Bon Secour Fisheries, he

spawned a new culture of thinking, but it caught on slowly in ocean management.

would have never imagined the degree to which oysters, shrimp or fsh are now

Marine conservation was almost a foreign concept back then. Giant marlin, tuna

regulated,” said Chris Nelson, who now runs the family business in the biscuits

and swordfsh were prolifc. Massive schools of salmon, mackerel and cod were

and gravy community of Bon Secour, Alabama, along with his brothers John and

easy pickings. Few believed that man could overfsh the vastness of the oceans.

David. “Obviously, a lot has changed in the last 100 years.”

The Nellie Meta, the pride of Bon Secour Fisheries, opened in 1896 and, today, processes some fve million oysters a year. Photo: Bon Secour. Opposite: Oysters are the gems of Gulf seafood. Today, oysters are still gathered by using large tongs and working from small boats, the same basic method used for more than a century. Photos: ASMC.

Frank Nelson, a Danish immigrant with a hankering for fresh seafood (and getting the hell out of Denmark),

primary goal of creating strong, sustainable fsheries.

But, it’s fair to say that visionaries in the commercial

opened his small oyster house in 1896 and shared his

fshing industry were early adopters of sustainability.

love of the grayish shellfsh with others. Back then,

For example, one of the frst conservation eforts in the

Frank used an 80-ft. sailing schooner, the Nellie Meta,

Gulf of Mexico was spearheaded by the commercial

to dredge and take oysters to market in Mobile. Later,

industry when shrimpers realized they needed to

he bought the Mary Etta, a 46-ft. sailing vessel, which

protect a critical shrimp nursery in the southern Gulf.

later was rigged out with a small engine and became

“Bon Secour Fisheries was one of the frst members

one of the frst shrimp boats in the region. As the

of the Southeastern Fisheries Association,” Nelson said.

years passed, the business grew, new generations of

“This was the group that led the charge to protect the

Nelsons carried on the family tradition and seafood

Tortugas shrimp nursery grounds back in the 1970s

became a more popular component of the American

before it became popular to manage a resource. It was

diet. Now, Bon Secour Fisheries operates a sprawling

somewhat controversial within the association and SFA

30,000-sq.-ft. seafood processing plant, a feet of boats

lost membership over that whole movement. But it

DID YOU KNOW?

and an impressive collection of 15 refrigerated trucks

needed to be done. The SFA was able to bring about the

delivering seafood all over the nation. Remnants of the

regulations to allow enforcement of a closed nursery

Most oyster afcionados partake in the slippery

hull of the Mary Etta, long since retired and weathered

zone. Today, more than 40 years later, it’s still a vibrant

treat during months with an “R” in them—

by time and hurricanes, still sit proudly next to John Ray

area for harvesting local shrimp.”

basically September through April. Cooler water

Nelson’s (the grandson of Frank) home in Bon Secour as

creates a frmer, tastier oyster with less risk of

a reminder of a simpler time gone by.

INSTANT REEFS

John Andrew and John Ray Nelson.

bacteria that grow during the heat of summer.

During Mary Etta’s heyday, recreational angling was

When the artifcial reef craze took of in the late 1970s

a fraction of what it is today. And, it was mostly about

and early 1980s, Bon Secour Fisheries, and other shrimp

hook it and cook it (and freeze it). I recall fshing with

companies dependent on shrimping of the Alabama

my dad and catching 50 or 60 Spanish mackerel on

Coast, proposed a 1,200-sq.-mi. reef zone of of Alabama’s

many summer mornings to feed an army of siblings,

coast that would be designated for sportfshing and

cousins and moochy neighbors. We weren’t concerned

diving reefs. Chris’s older brother, John Andrew Nelson,

about overfshing, and anglers weren’t organized into

is the president of the family-owned company and is a

action groups. They didn’t need to be.

hard-core sport fsherman and diver. “We ofered the reef

“It really wasn’t until restrictions started getting put in

zone solution so that there would be a separate place

place on recreationally important species like red snapper

for reef building while making sure shrimpers wouldn’t

that CCA and other groups started getting involved and

foul their nets on old washing machines, tires and any

wanting a place at the table,” Nelson said. “And rightfully

number of things out there,” he said.

so. They should have a strong voice. But, the truth is,

The plan worked. Sort of.

Oyster shucking, still done by hand, requires the

sport fshermen came to the party later than commercial

right tools and the right touch to stay safe.

fshermen. My father was a charter member of the Gulf

Andrew, “our boats would still pull up registered

States Marine Fisheries Commission right after it was

materials that were fve or 10 miles or more outside of

chartered in the 1960s. That was the management entity

the designated area. We knew there was no way they

in the Gulf until the Magnuson Act was passed in 1976.”

had been moved that far by storms.”

Even though recreational fshing organizations were

“Even though the reef zone is huge,” said John

And therein is a perfect example of the difculty

late-comers, their memberships have exploded and

law enforcement faces when having to patrol vast

their accomplishments have been astounding. Everyone

areas of water. It’s simply impossible to make sure

from the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) to

everyone is following the rules. And while school

the Bonefsh & Tarpon Trust to the Guy Harvey Ocean

buses, old boats, cars and rusted out appliances have

Foundation and dozens of other non-proft groups

proven to make great reefs for attracting fsh, they

lobby on behalf of sport fshermen every day, with a

come with their own set of problems.

Bon Secour Fisheries has been a pioneer in conservation, especially in the shrimp industry. It helped promote early eforts to protect shrimping grounds in the Gulf in the 1970s. Photo left: ASMC.

“Eventually, we came to an agreement over more sensible materials, such as

wishful thinking by a businessman/sports fsherman. It’s been proven countless

concrete reefs and pyramids, rather than old car bodies or washing machines that

times with species on land and sea. In fact, the very critter that began Bon Secour

break apart and end up in our nets,” John Andrew said. “We learned that the best,

Fisheries—the humble oyster—is a perfect example of a species long managed

long-term solution is to build a reef that will stay put and won’t break up over time.”

that we are still enjoying. Today, Nelson Brand Oysters are sold in more than 20

THE ODD COUPLE

states at a clip of fve million pounds per year. A staf of 30 oyster shuckers pop

It’s no secret that the marriage between commercial and recreational fshermen

and the other on the sharp blade in their hand. All told, they’re shucking and ship-

has been rocky, to say the least. Anglers get upset that commercial companies fsh

ping more than 30 million oysters annually!

legally all year (based on catch quotas), whereas recreational fshermen have short

open thousands of oysters each day—all by hand—keeping one eye on quality

This success has come from both smart management and innovation. Over

fshing seasons as well as bag limits. The battle over who gets what has raged for

the years, as water quality issues pressured naturally grown oysters, Chris and his

years. However, the tide may be changing.

team developed unique techniques to grow oysters of the bottom. Some growers

“The commercial industry lives on the same resource as recreational industry

in the Gulf region are using that technology successfully and expansion looks

and the charter boat guys do,” Chris Nelson said. “The bottom line is that it’s in

promising. But most oysters are still pulled from the bottom using tongs as it’s

everyone’s best interest to work toward the common goal of sustainability.”

been done for years. And, from the looks of the activity at Bon Secour Fisheries,

Working together seems to be a recurring theme these days. Part of the reason is that a new, common enemy has begun to emerge, like a bad neighbor moving in next door and strengthening a failing marriage.

“We’re getting more agreement because of the third party that’s sitting at the table now that is beginning to work against both commercial and recreational sectors, and that is the extreme environmental NGOs [non-government

more and more people are enjoying the homely, but delicious, oyster.

“The future of oysters is great,” Chris said. “The demand for local seafood keeps increasing and you can’t get more local than a shellfsh grown in your backyard.

Restaurants are serving them in record numbers and more and more chefs are using them in their seafood recipes.”

“It’s also getting popular to get oysters from diferent regions like

organizations],” Chris Nelson said. “Their perspective is that the only way to really

Apalachicola, Texas, and even the Pacifc Northwest, open a bottle of wine and

make sure the resource is protected is to close it to all fshing. Those kinds of

make it a tasting experience. Each region produces diferent favors, like cheeses

extremes hurt everybody, even though that seems to be their goal.”

or wines from diferent vineyards.”

John Andrew agrees. “There has to be a balance rather than just a

Surely, when Frank Nelson started selling oysters 117 years ago, he never

preservation, reservation, resource-frst attitude. Of course, we have to protect

thought they would be so chic. But today, oysters are making people smile just

the resource, but just shutting it down is not management. And what we need is

like they did then. And the Nelson family is still doing the same thing they have

wise-use management.”

always done. Through all of the decades of navigating business challenges,

YOU ARE WHAT YOU ARE AND YOU AIN’T WHAT YOU AIN’T

government regulations, economic downturns, conservation eforts and having a

John’s point about managing the resource over pure protectionism is not just

the resources and an oyster knife close at hand.

top priority of selling safe seafood, the Nelsons have never lost sight of their roots.

They continue to work hard, keeping their fnger on the pulse of the market and

A speckled trout is caught at the Zundel’s Reef in Point Clear, Alabama. Zundel’s Reef is part of the artifcial reef program established by the Alabama Department of Conservation.

The trout apparently survived an attack, as a good portion of its back near the dorsal fn is missing. Right: A foggy December morning as fshermen try their luck on the Apalachee River in the Mobile Delta.

a photo portfolio

JON HAUGE

Above: A young boy throws a castnet at the Fairhope Municipal Pier. Opposite top: A great blue heron catches fsh in a bayou at the Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Opposite bottom: Mullet school in shallow water during a jubilee in Point Clear, Alabama.

Tarpon, Islamorada. Opposite: Sunset view from Bud N Mary’s Marina, Islamorada.

A boat leaves the mouth of Weeks Bay and heads out to Mobile Bay on an April evening. Top right: A speckeld trout caught near Mullet Point in Mobile Bay. Bottom right: A redfsh fashes the eye spot on its tail as it puts up a fght after getting caught in Fish River. (Fish River leads into Weeks Bay and eventually to Mobile Bay.)

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 9 WINTER 2014

Photo: Jose Acosta

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE • BIG FISH • PANAMANIAN FIGHT CLUB • FLY A KITE

BY EDITOR NICK HONACHEFSKY

Artifcial Intelligence

Choosing the right structure for man-made reefs.

“Build it and they will come.” We can thank Kevin Costner’s fick Field of Dreams

Durability—resistance to deterioration and breakup; and Compatibility—

for populating that bit of pop culture wisdom, yet it’s a sentiment that rings true

maximizing fshing benefts. Reefs can be constructed and formed from raw

in many circumstances. Maybe not for actually attracting the spirits of baseball

building materials, like concrete reef balls, or large objects can still be deployed.

legends past to a cornfeld, but it does work with fsh. If you build habitat in a

Over the years, the latter have come in all shapes and sizes, including army tanks,

watery wasteland, like the expansive, sandy bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, it will

subway cars, airplanes, tanker ships and rubble from demolished bridges.

attract fsh almost instantly.

Artifcial reef programs have sprung up in coastal states all across the nation

The upside to large vessels, like ships or subway cars, is size and, usually, durability. But cleaning these vessels before they go in the water has also

and have fostered incredible benefts, both for recreational and commercial

become a highly regulated process. At frst blush, it may sound simple to strip

fshing opportunities. Studies have shown that habitat creation can lead to an

an old ship hull and prep it for sinking, but there are all kinds of materials to

actual increase in fsh stocks, but there has been a learning curve when it comes

deal with: oils, fuel, lead-based paints, asbestos insulation and the list goes on.

to creating efective and durable reefs. As early as the 1960s, states such as

Some years ago, a group of Redbird subway cars was deployed of New Jersey

Alabama began deploying old automobiles. The car bodies attracted fsh, but also

and Delaware. Detractors of the project cited the supposed environmental

proved quick to break up and were easily pushed around by storms. Some cars

concerns of small levels of asbestos in the glue used to secure the foor panels

and other smaller items also began to show up in commercial trawling gear—not

and in the insulation material in the walls, but it was determined to be non-

good. It soon became obvious that bigger and heavier were better. By the 1970s, a

friable asbestos bound in epoxy, and not a signifcant environmental threat.

major push to sink mothballed ship hulls got underway. Again, Alabama was one

So, the Redbirds went down, but they still didn’t work out as well as hoped. The

of the early recipients and began deploying Liberty ships—derelict cargo vessels

subway cars were expected to have a life expectancy of 25 to 30 years, but the

from WWII. With an expected lifespan of 50–80 years, these and other vessels are

sidewalls and roofs were collapsing within 10 years—not due to the corrosion

still providing productive habitat for anglers all along the Gulf Coast.

of the stainless steel material, but from a combination of wave fexing and the

Today, the process of reef deployment is governed at both the federal and state levels. NOAA’s National Artifcial Reef Program requires that structures be

method and materials used to connect the walls together in the frst place. It was a live-and-learn experience.

evaluated by four criteria: Function—the overall design of a structure in relation

Fortunately, the art and science of reef creation has made real progress. In

to promoting marine growth; Stability—the underwater movement of structure;

2004, the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission published Guidelines for Marine

Artifcial Reef Materials, which efectively details the pros and cons of certain

however, Hurricane Andrew scattered many large, steel ships 300 to 2,300 feet

structures to be used in artifcial reefs. Other coastal states, like New Jersey, have

away from their original place of deployment. Wooden- and fberglass-hulled

done the same. We’ve come a long way from the “old days” of deploying concrete-

vessels are not dense enough to stay in place on the sea foor and are quickly torn

flled automobile or truck tires bound together with wire. Tire units provided

apart and scattered by storms.

great habitat for fsh and lobsters to hide, but the rubber tires outlasted the wire

Oil platforms — Stable enough to withstand storm surges and

used to bind them together, and old tires soon started showing up in places they

provide marine growth up the entire water column, platforms just need to be

never should…sometimes hundreds of miles away! The bottom line is artifcial

cleared to an appropriate depth for safe navigation of vessels.

reefs make great fshing habitat, but whether a public project or putting down a

Tanks and military vehicles — Within four to fve years,

“private” structure, it pays to be smart about what is deployed. Following is a list of

thick vegetation mats grow on the metal, colonizing up to 5,000 mussels in a

popular reef materials and their pros and cons.

square foot. Heavy-duty hardware stands up to storm surges, and some units have

Bridge rubble — Acceptable demolition debris includes concrete, brick, stone, glass and heavy gauge steel. Unacceptable are materials of low density that can be swept away, such as corrugated sheet metal, aluminum and

nearly a 100-year life span. The downside is there are fewer portholes or cavities for fsh to move in and out.

Reef balls — Hard substrate perfect for life to cling to, these

plaster. Debris must be free of foatables: wood, plastic and containers. The bigger

concrete structures can be designed for specifc applications or sites, and they

the pieces, the better.

are easy to deploy.

Subway cars — Roof or sidewalls with no support or inferior connectors collapse, but the spacious windows and doors provide myriad openings for fsh to swim freely.

Ships — Steel-hulled vessels are durable with a 50- to 80-year life span, providing a virtual condominium for fsh. They resist most hurricane surges,

Automobiles — Car bodies have a short life span (up to 5 years), are laborious to clean and are easily moved by storms.

Appliances, aka “white goods” — Usually no good, as the surface material is slippery and harder for marine growth to cling to and items are easily moved around by storm surges.

Big Fish Chris Blankenship

BY CA STAFF

In 2011, Chris Blankenship was appointed director of the Alabama Marine Resources Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. That’s a heck of a title to squeeze onto a business card, but it means Chris is in the middle of all things seafood. More specifcally, it entails balancing a number of different goals, some of which might seem to confict with each other. Chris is tasked with promoting the sustainability of Alabama’s fshery. That means being part of the state and federal process of writing and enforcing fshing regulations.

A native Alabamian and avid fsherman, he’s also passionate about expanding fshing opportunities—like increasing red snapper limits. And, he’s been tasked by the governor to help promote Alabama seafood, maximizing the economic impact of recreational and commercial fshing in the state.

CA: Chris, with all of this, do you still get to go fshing for fun? What’s your favorite species and tackle for a day on the water?

beaches. My absolute favorite is fishing around the gas platforms for big king mackerel. I love to hear the drag zing out on the Diawa spinning reels my dad gave me. The big kings in Alabama are plentiful all summer and make for some really exciting and tiring fishing trips. Last Fourth of

CB: I love to fish, but I do not get to go as much as I would

July weekend, my son and I caught and released over 70

like. I stay pretty busy working to manage and promote

kings at a rig within five miles of Dauphin Island. I finally

the fisheries in Alabama, but over the last year, I have made

had to take all the lines out of the water so we could eat

myself set aside time to fish with my family. When I do get

and drink some PowerAde before we passed out. It was

to go, I love to catch mackerel. I like trolling for Spanish

non-stop action. It does not get much better than that! The

mackerel with my kids. The fish are easy for my youngest

red snapper fishing off Alabama is also so great that it has

daughter to reel in and there is usually plenty of action

been easy to get a limit when the fishery is open. I try to go

with Spanish, ladyfish and blue runners along the coastal

fishing as often as I can during snapper season.

CA: Alabama has a relatively small slice of the Gulf’s coastline but a very prolifc fshery. What makes the state’s coastal waters unique?

months, and pelagics like Spanish and king mackerel

to communicate with them efectively. I always

during the summer.

respected them for the hard work they did to make a

The Alabama Marine Resources Division strives

living and provide seafood for consumers. Sometimes

to continue expanding and diversifying our artifcial

we had to issue citations to protect the resource, but

reef and fshery habitat enhancement program. We

I always tried to be fair. I think the fshermen knew

recently partnered with other governmental and

I was doing my job but in a fair and professional

private organizations to sink a 270-ft. ship to increase

manner. I still strive to be fair and professional in all

fshing and diving opportunities. We have partnered

my dealings as director, just like I did when I was a

CB: The Mobile Bay watershed is the sixth largest

with the Coastal Conservation Association to build

young, new ofcer. In the feld, I could also see how

in the nation by area and at 62,000-cubic-feet-per-

four new inshore reefs over the last two years. I hope

certain management measures afected fshermen

second, it has the fourth largest freshwater infow on

to continue with the partnership to make our great

and their families. Resource management does not

the North American continent. The Mobile River Delta

fshing even better.

take place in a vacuum. Decisions I make now have

is also the second largest river delta in the country.

We have also just completed a new 23,000-sq.-ft.

real impacts on people, as well as the stocks. I try to

All those nutrient-rich waters mixing with saltwater in

fsh hatchery in Gulf Shores. We have 35 ponds and

think about who is impacted every time we make a

our state produce some of the best shrimp, crab and

two saltwater pipelines. With this new hatchery, we

fsheries management decision.

fsh production anywhere on the coast.

plan to produce millions of fsh to add back into the

Alabama also has taken a leadership role in the

ecosystem. The more fsh we produce through the

nation in the creation of fshery habitat. We have

hatchery and habitat enhancement, the more fsh

enhanced our oyster reefs to not only increase oyster

there are to be sustainably harvested.

production but also to increase habitat for fsh, shrimp and crabs. We have built dozens of inshore

CA: Our readers know that one of the big challenges in managing species like red snapper is the amount of time it takes to collect and process data for stock assessments. Is that process improving?

caught red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico. We do this

CA: You spent 17 years of your career as a marine enforcement offcer. How has that impacted your approach to your current job?

with only about 5% of the coastline. Our great reef

CB: The conservation enforcement ofcer job is the

Marine Fisheries Service data collection program.

fshing is attributed to our artifcial reef program.

best job in conservation. Besides the fact that you

It is now called MRIP, but was formally the MRFSS

(Editor’s Note: See story page 26) Alabama has the

are on a boat every day or night, you get to interact

program. The program may be okay for detecting

largest artifcial reef program in the country with

with the fsheries and the fshermen on a daily basis.

over 1,200 sq.-mi. of permitted reef area. We have

I like to be on the water and I like to talk to people,

placed thousands of structures in this area, which

so it was the perfect job for me! As an ofcer, I saw

has created the best red snapper fshing anywhere

the fsheries up close every day. I could see when

in the world. Reefs are made of many materials,

a fshery was in trouble or when it was fourishing.

including over 100 Abrams military tanks, over 1,000

Most importantly, I talked with the recreational

concrete pyramids, ships, barges, concrete bridge

and commercial fshermen, as well as the seafood

rubble, metal bridge spans, decommissioned oil and

processors every day. I would listen to the fshermen

gas platforms, culverts and concrete pipe, old voting

as we checked the boats and they talked about what

machines and many other items. We have recently

they were seeing on the water. I built a relationship

created two new large reef areas within three miles

with them that has translated well into my current

of the shoreline. These new, near-shore reef areas will

position. When you work alone in a boat at night and

allow greater access to smaller vessels and should

check fshermen, and at times write them citations

produce great catches of sheepshead in the winter

and confscate their gear, you had better be able

artifcial reefs and added aggregate material adjacent to gas platforms. This has increased the recreational opportunities in our inside waters.

What most people may not know is that Alabama historically lands about 30–35% of the recreationally-

CB: We defnitely need more data on red snapper.

Traditionally, we have worked under the National

Chris fishing with his kids.

state allow more fshing without jeopardizing sustainability?

can really eat a lot of small fsh on the reefs. We are concerned. Alabama Marine Resources has been working with local dive shops to increase awareness

CB: It is defnitely a balancing act. We create habitat

of the presence of lionfsh and to encourage divers

to increase fsh production and fshing opportunities,

to harvest any lionfsh they see. We also have a

but at the same time, we want to make sure our fsh

task force of divers from both our fsheries and

stocks are healthy. As the United States’s population

enforcement sections that are making dives to track

increases, so do the number of fshermen. In

the abundance of lionfsh on our reefs. While on

Alabama, we strive to provide access to the fsheries,

these dives, the team also removes any lionfsh they

Promoting Alabama Gulf Seafood—hard but tasty

while at the same time managing them sustainably

see. The dives are funded under a grant program and

work. Photo: ASMC.

for the future. We monitor the catch of what is landed

the funds have been exhausted. We are now seeking

in Alabama both commercially and recreationally. We

funding to expand the program. The key is getting

long-term trends, but it has not been very efective

have a Fisheries Assessment and Monitoring Program

the public involved. In order to help motivate the

at being used in a short season fshery like red

that has been efect for over 35 years. This program

public to harvest lionfsh, we have partnered with

snapper. The Alabama Marine Resources Division

shows trends in juvenile abundance of fsh, shrimp,

local chefs to cook lionfsh and show how tasty they

plans to implement an additional data collection

crabs and oysters. We also do age composition

are when prepared correctly. We have one chef in

system for red snapper in 2014. This new system will

studies on a continuing basis to see changes in the

particular, Chris Sherrill, who is a master at preparing

allow us to capture a truer picture of what is being

fsheries. We do all this, as well as other research,

these dangerous, but tasty, creatures.

harvested and landed recreationally in Alabama. It

to ensure that we are managing our fsheries for

will be more labor intensive and will cost us money

long-term sustainability. When we see a fsh stock

that is already is short supply, but getting the

is declining, we take precautionary measures to be

correct information is vital. It means too much to

proactive in our management. For instance, after

our citizens and our fshery. We must have the best,

looking at trends in the sheepshead fshery, we

most accurate information to manage this fshery to

noticed a slight change that caused us to take some

its full potential.

action. We instituted a minimum size and bag limit

CA: What’s the one thing you wish recreational anglers understood or better put into practice when they’re on the water?

to ensure that this fsh was not over-exploited. The

CB: Catch and release fshing. I love to eat fsh, and

better stock data from the artifcial reefs and other

sheepshead stock is not in trouble, but with the

I keep some when I go, but it is not necessary to

fshery independent data to feed into the stock

increased pressure on this species, due to restrictive

fll up the box every time you go out. Big bull reds

assessment. The more data we can collect about

seasons on other fsh species, we felt it was prudent

are not that great to eat, but they produce a lot of

the relative abundance of red snapper and the age

to take action before it was in crisis.

eggs—so do big trout. It would be great for the

Not only do we need better catch data, we need

composition in the entire Gulf, the more accurate

fshery if more people enjoyed the experience of

the stock assessment will be. We have a ways to go

fshing while at the same time letting a few go back.

to have the information to best manage the red snapper fshery. All the Gulf states and the National Marine Fisheries Service are working to improve the data collection and stock assessments to get the information to manage this world-class fshery.

CA: Increasing fshing opportunities is great for anglers (we love to fsh) and it’s good for the economy, but how can the

CA: Fishermen are hearing more about invasive species, such as tiger shrimp and lionfsh. What has the impact been to Alabama waters and how is the state responding?

Like I mentioned earlier, my son and I caught over 70 kings—we kept two that swallowed the hook.

The catching and spending time outside with my son was the great part.

The second thing I wish people did more of is to take their kids fshing. It is so important to get those kids out on the water and replace the game

CB: In Alabama, we are monitoring the presence of

controller or cell phone in their hand with a rod and

both tiger shrimp and lionfsh. We have only seen a

reel. That time with them cannot be replaced. It will

few dozen tiger shrimp over the last several years,

also teach them a skill that will help them in life. I

but the lionfsh population is exploding. We do not

have three teens. They can drive me crazy, but when

know the long-term efects, but I will say that lionfsh

we are fshing together, all seems well with the world.

Fly a Kite to Fool the Fish

BY JEFF DENNIS GHM INSIDER

GEARHEADS :

From offshore to inshore, kite fshing techniques can put bait away from the boat and closer to skittish prey.

Both casual anglers and toughened tournament types know that fying a kite can be an effective way to draw a strike. Kite fshing allows the bait to be further behind or out to the side of the boat, which cranks up the stealth factor in your bait presentation and can give anglers a real edge in catching wary fsh. Sails, tuna and even redfsh have long been taking baits under kites for those anglers who have these tricks in their tackle box.

Kite fshing is generally used for live baits, so the bait must

anglers will watch for its tell tale signs. If the foat begins

be kept on the water’s surface or near the top of the water

circling or bobbing up and down in the air, then it’s very likely

column. If it is out of the water too much, then, obviously, the

that something is after the bait.

live bait will die. The technique is similar to a trolley rig used

Bait rigging is important, too. A blue runner or goggle

when targeting kingfsh from a pier. The rig positions the bait

eye needs to be swimming true in order to draw a strike, so

high, keeping it under the watchful eye of the angler. If a

consider using a bridle rig on kite baits. This allows the fshing

shark approaches, it’s easy to snatch the bait out of the water

line to attach to the top of the bait, rather than in the mouth

for a moment.

area. Typically, attached to a 7-0’ circle hook is a leader of

Of course, while trolling for sails or tuna, one might not be

60-lb. test that is 15 to 20 feet in length. That leader attaches

able to view their bait, but kite fshermen have that all fgured

to a swivel that connects to your fshing line. Above that

out. They attach a weighted foat to their fshing line above

swivel comes the kite rigging, which includes an egg sinker,

the water, using the same variety that is popular for inshore

the inverted foat set and a ceramic ring. The kite fshing reel

trout fshing. This is known as the foat set, and ofshore

is generally spooled with 20-lb. mono line, which ofers less

Kite fshing gear has evolved to give anglers great options for bait presentation in almost any type of weather. Photo: Jef Dennis.

wind resistance than thicker lines. A pro tip would be to run a double-line where the egg sinker slides. Braided line is stronger, but if it comes into contact

with the heavy wind conditions.

What if there is no wind? Kite fshermen have devised a plan for fat, calm

with any mono lines that are being fshed, there’s a danger that the braid will

conditions, too, by employing a helium balloon to get their baits in position. In

cut the mono.

all kite fshing, the speed of the boat plays a role, and in many cases, the use of a

One kite reel can fsh up to three kites by rigging three diferent sized barrel

sea anchor keeps the ultra slow pace that goes well with kite fshing. When using

swivels onto your spool about 50 yards apart. Rig three kite clips onto your

a chum slick and a sea anchor, a kite fshing rig allows one to position baits closer

fshing line and the magic happens when the smaller barrel swivels slide though

to the end of your scent trail where newly arriving fsh are coming in hot and

the corresponding holes on the kite clips. Running your lines through these clips

hungry for action.

keeps your lines spaced apart evenly. To steer each airborne kite, simply attach weight to the side of the kite in the direction that you want it to fy.

A standard kite for the average angler is designed to fy in light winds from

Kite fshing for sailfsh in Florida is very popular and occurs all year long. In the Carolinas, anglers treasure the kite for its ability to fsh a bait way back so that wary tuna will be in their mixed bag. Some die-hard kite anglers have even

5 to 15 mph. Think it can get too windy to kite fsh? Nonsense. Specialty kites

fgured out that a kite is the best way to reach redfsh in winter that are otherwise

exist for gustier days, and they are designed to have lower line tensions and

holding tight in skinny and clear waters in order to warm up. Dangling bait from

maintain position with few adjustments. These specialty kites have holes in them

a kite can be both accurate and sneaky at the same time, which is the kind of

that let the wind pass through, and the number and size of the holes correspond

tactic that helps smart anglers stay successful.

Bob Lewis Bob Lewis Kites come in four colors and are available for various wind speeds from extra light, light, medium, heavy and extra heavy. The Gale Force Wind kite is for die-hard fshermen or tournament days when the wind is blowing 30 mph or more. The extra strong struts and eight holes help digest the wind and keep the bait in the target zone on the water’s surface. www.LewisSportFishing.com.

Frenzy Fishing Frenzy Fishing Kites have a high-visibility, quick-dry fabric that is well known on the tournament trail. The carbon fber spars are easy to work with as you insert the struts, and the adjustable bridle provides a quick setup. It comes in a crush-proof plastic tube, which provides for convenient storage and travel. www.FrenzyTackle.com.

AFTCO Aftco Kites are becoming more popular as the familiar tackle brand keeps producing quality gear. This kite is constructed of waterproof, rip-stop nylon sailcloth that fies great when wet and resists mildew when stored. Interchangeable spars allow adjustment for any variable in wind speeds. www.Aftco.com.

Tigress

Kite fshing is a classic strategy for skittish

The Tigress Hi-Performance Bite ofers 100% carbon graphite

sailfsh. Photo: Jef Dennis.

spars that are both durable and ultra-lightweight. Also available from Tigress is a full line of kite clips, ceramic rings and triple rod holders. www.TigressOutriggers.com.

Daiwa Daiwa Dendoh Tanacom Bull reels ofer what anglers need for kite fshing. The reel delivers plenty of power to reel in the kite while you worry about fghting the fsh. The winding arm is redundant, but a “necessary luxury” since no one wants to hand-line a kite back to the boat. A digital readout keeps track of how much line is out. www.Daiwa.com.

Eval A sea anchor can help to steady the drift of the boat during kite fshing, and the Eval anchor is made of reinforced PVC fabric and has tough nylon belts. www.NauticeExpo.com.

Panamanian Fight Club

BY OZZY DELGADO PHOTOS BY JOSE ACOSTA

The fshing is a 10, the service is fve-star and there’s not one good reason to miss out on fshing Panama’s Pacifc coast.

Ozzy Delgado, left, with Captain Antonio “Chombo” Isaza and mate Maicol Rios celebrate with a beautiful Pacifc blue marlin—a frst for Delgado.

Panama, the skinny strip of land where the Americas meet, is known for its

It’s their country, so I fgure they can defne it however they want. And after our

bustling economy, awesome natural wonders, international banking and a great

experience, I’m a believer.

salsa singer named Ruben Blades. Oh, and there’s a canal or something, too. But

Our trip begins with the fight into Panama City (the capital city) where

among fshermen, Panama is best known for monster yellowfn tuna, hoss cubera

everyone with a window seat gets a good look at the ships waiting to go through

snapper, roosterfsh, and enough blue and black marlin that you sometimes

the canal. I admit it is pretty cool. I wonder if there are some monster snook in

have to use a stick to beat them back from jumping in the boat. It’s the latter that

there. Maybe that’s another TV show. As we exit the plane, we get our frst taste of

excites me about a recent invitation to the Panama Big Game Fishing Club.

the “VIP” travel treatment being provided by our new friends at PBGFC. “Welcome

Our cover story for getting in is that we will be flming a TV show with Captain

to Panama,” says a dude holding an iPad with our names on it. He leads us through

Diego Toiran, who hosts the Spanish-language fshing series Pescado en los

the airport to a VIP lounge where we hang out to wait our turn with customs.

Cayos. My job is to cover the expedition for GHM. We do both (you’re reading this,

Once that’s done, we’re of in a limo to the Veneto Hotel & Casino where we stay

aren’t you?), but I am just geeked about going to a place known for having an

the night before catching an in-country fight and heading to the Club itself.

obscene number of record-breaking fsh. Some linguists have doubts, but most Panamanians agree that the word “Panama” actually means “abundance of fsh.”

The Veneto is a Wyndham Grand Hotel. It’s in Panama City’s business and fnancial district and ofers all the modern amenities that high-rolling travellers

expect—a spa, sauna, ftness center, a Vegas-style casino and some seriously good eats. Their New York Steakhouse restaurant gets my vote, but there’s a top-notch sushi lounge, too. The Veneto caters to fshermen traveling in and out of the country, and their chef will even cook your catch.

Our fight the next day is an afternoon departure, so our host, Ms. Corcio, arranges a quick tour of Panama City. Our frst stop is Mercado De Mariscos (Panama City Fish Market), a swanky joint where we sample some awesome ceviche, a national favorite.

Our tour also includes a stop at the Panama Canal. It’s a major tourist attraction and well worth a visit if you’ve never been. This engineering marvel accounts for a huge chunk of Panama’s annual GDP. Some call it the “the eighth wonder of the world.”

We wrap up the sightseeing and catch the fight from Panama

Top: Captain Diego Toiran with a Pacifc rock snapper. Below: Delgado shows of a monster cubera

City to David, a quick 35-minute hop to the west end of the country.

snapper. This species has made a comeback since local captains agreed to protect it through catch

Victor Archbold, general manager of PBGFC, is there to pick us up.

and release fshing.

So far, the trip has been pleasant, but we’ve been in the country for 24 hours and I haven’t wet a line yet. I am starting to get the sweats. I ask Victor about the bite.

“Ozzy, it’s been slow all week,” he says. I can feel panic starting to creep in, but I push it back. We are in Panama, after all, and I decide to keep a positive vibe and just enjoy things as they came.

Forty-fve minutes later, we arrive in Boca Chica where we board a boat to cross the river to the club. It’s dark now, but getting on the boat makes it feel like we’re fnally in fshing paradise. And whatever qualms I had about the poor fshing report are being soothed by the sheer luxury of the resort. Within 15 minutes of hitting the dock, we enjoy our frst beverage, toast a great week to come, and are ushered to a fve-star dinner. It also doesn’t hurt that the dining room is decorated wall to wall with pictures of past catches, trophysize mounts and a big-screen TV playing videos of guests battling monster fsh. Jose Acosta, our cameraman and the third member of our team, looks at me over dinner and says, “Ozzy, everything is going to be fne.” I drift of to sleep that night hoping for the best.

Fishing happens early at the Club. Our wake-up call is at 5:30 a.m., but the staf is kind enough to supply lots of cofee. “Gentlemen, you will

marlin and giant yellowfn. We load up on bait and then make our run to Isla

be fshing with Chombo today.” This is good news. Fishing with one of Panama’s

Montuosa in the Gulf of Chiriquí. It’s about 60 miles from the coast and sits just of

best captains holds a lot of promise for the day. The Club’s fshing feet consists of

the famous Hannibal Bank. Even before we get too close to the island, the fshing

Carolina Classics and Bertram sportfshing boats, and they are armed to the teeth

turns on. We see humpback whales breaching and porpoises are all over us—pods

with

that number in the hundreds. I feel like I’m in a Discovery Channel special. Ever the

top-of-the-line gear—no need to bring your own tackle. After breakfast, we

vigilant captain, Chombo snaps us back into reality and tells us to get ready for

fnally hit the water.

some action.

A typical day here starts with catching live bonito, which are like candy for

We run to the front of the porpoise pods and cast in some live bait. Bam! We

These beautiful volcanic islands host the most vibrant marine habitats in the Pacifc Ocean. hook up instantly. Diego’s reel starts screaming, and so does mine. We soon gaf

power-drift them close to the island in search of marlin. We work the baits and

a nice pair of tunas in the 40–60 lb. range and then hit the throttle to reposition

wait. Not long after, a shout comes from the helm. “The porpoises are coming!”

for round two. We run with the porpoises and at the right time, pitch the bait in

We pull in the baits and begin racing with the pods in a repeat of the frst day.

front of them again. We catch more fsh and the pace is sometimes frantic. All the

As soon as we cast in again, my reel starts screaming. “Ozzy, that one is not

commotion starts to attract some other boats to the area, but it isn’t a problem.

a small tuna,” warns Chombo. Anyone who has tangoed with a big tuna knows

We have a great crew that keeps us on the fsh and there are plenty of those to go

their incredible power. I fght this one in stand-up gear with a conventional

around. After an amazing day of rod-bending action and sore muscles, it is time

30-class reel. After close to an hour, we get the fsh alongside and put the gaf in

to head back to the lodge. The ride in is a great opportunity to chat with Captain

it. I am feeling proud. It’s the largest yellowfn I’ve ever boated. All the tuna we

Antonio “Chombo” Isaza and our mate, Maicol Rios. Great captains and crews are

catch are in the 100–120 lb. range, and even the cameraman, Jose, lands his frst

not always known for being warm and charming, but that is not the case here. The

big yellowfn.

camaraderie on the boat is easy, and more like old friends fshing together.

After an action-packed day on the water (this is slow fshing???), down time

When you hear about the fshing here, you start to wonder if it’s all true. What makes this place so fertile and full of fsh? The answer is awesome, underwater

for the evening is all about recharging. We lounge around in the infnity pool,

geography. The Gulf of Panama is a unique environment, fed by the nutrient-

snack on passion fruit-infused wahoo ceviche and hang out at the wet bar,

rich waters of the Humboldt Current, also known as the Peru Current. This large

watching video footage from the day’s trip on a huge fat-screen. Oh, and the

upwelling supports an extraordinary abundance of marine life. Nutrient-rich water

grilled wahoo with pesto dinner, topped with crumbled apple pie and pistachio

creates a strong base for the food chain, starting with microscopic plankton and

ice cream sends my taste buds into a frenzy. The Club knows how to entertain.

baitfsh and moving all the way up to the big-boy gamefsh. It’s like a massive,

Our second day on the water, we arrive at the remote Isla Montuosa, and to

well-stocked aquarium.

our liking we are the only boat around. The bad news is there is no surface action

After wearing ourselves out on tuna for two days straight, we decide on day

as before. Captain Chombo improvises and decides to rig some live bonitos and

three to change things up a little and target some inshore species. Just a short ride

The Club The Panama Big Game Fishing Club is ideally situated on the country’s southwest coast, and owner Mark Charman is a founding member of the Panama Marine Resource Foundation—a group dedicated to creating a sustainable marine environment in Panama. The Club hosts visitors year-round. The best

from the Club lays

got a giant Cubera snapper hanging on my line, wanting to run into the rocks. The

time to pursue billfsh is from December to April.

a string of lush, but

captain keeps repositioning the boat to help keep the fsh clear. It is coordinated

Giant yellowfn tuna are most plentiful in the spring.

largely uninhabited,

chaos, but we land the fsh. Chombo estimates its weight at 40–45 lbs. before we

That said, the best time to fsh Panama is simply

islands. As we

release it back into the water. “Captains in all the resorts got together and made

whenever you can, as the bite is always on. Guests are

approach, I start

a decision to release all Cubera snapper,” he tells me. “We need to protect the

pampered and accommodations include all the must-

replaying scenes

ecosystem and this fsh is vulnerable.”

haves of modern life. Villas include large, fat-screen

from the Jurassic

Smart TVs, Wi-Fi service, cofeemakers, a mini bar and

Park movies in my

a lifetime—11 diferent species and the sore muscles to go with it. That night,

much more. Dining is a fve-star culinary experience,

mind. “Islas Secas!”

getting ready for dinner, I sit down with Captain Chombo to discuss the plan for the

and the staf ofers warm, personal service. For its

shouts Chombo.

next day. “We are going to concentrate on your marlin,” he tells me. “Forget about

combination of red-hot fshing, strong conservation

We slow-drift a

With three days of non-stop action, it’s turning out to be the fshing trip of

any other species; let’s go after your fsh.” He sounds confdent and it’s contagious.

ethic and outstanding service, the Panama Big Game

pair of live baits just

In the morning, we head out to the acclaimed Hannibal Bank. It’s known for

Fishing Club has earned the Guy Harvey Magazine’s

15–20 yards from

spectacular marlin fshing with many blacks and blues caught here each year. The

Editor’s Choice Award for #1 Boutique Fishing Resort

the island. I ask what

most productive tactic is bridling live bonitos, though trolling is also a solid option.

in Central America.

species of fsh roam

The bank sits along the edge of the Pacifc continental shelf and goes from a depth

these waters. I’m

of 120 feet to more than 3,000 feet within a span of just three miles. With tuna

shocked to hear that

tubes flled with fresh bonitos, we’re ready for battle. Maicol drops a pair of baits

not only roosterfsh, but Cubera snapper are prevalent. Mahi, wahoo and other

into the depths and within fve minutes, the reel explodes into action. Everyone

gamefsh come in very close to shore, too. “You could be 10 yards from the rocks

works to bring in the other lines and I strap into the fghting chair. And just as fast

and the depth could be 40 feet and then move another 10 yards and down you

as it starts, it is over. The hook pulls free. “It was a black marlin,” confrms Chombo.

go to 100-plus feet,” explains Maicol, our mate.

Not long after we arrive, Chombo shouts, “Fish on!” It’s a roosterfsh and

Undeterred, we opt to change to artifcial baits and work the area. Trolling for marlin can be boring, but being surrounded by beautiful landscapes does make it

it’s reeled in by my friend Diego. Ten minutes later my reel gets a hit, but my

better. Several hours pass with no luck. Everyone is gets lethargic and I start to doze.

roosterfsh spits the hook. Captain Chombo takes us to another place and Maicol

Suddenly, I hear Maicol shout, “Adelante, adelante!” It’s Spanish for “move forward!”

hands me a spinner with a top-water popper. “Cast around that rock protruding out of the water,” he says. I hook up and this fght turns into an awkward ballet. I’ve

Before I know it, I’m in the chair again. The rod is bent to the point I think it is going to break. In front of me is an unbelievable sight: a massive, beautiful fsh

Above: Delgado and Jose Acosta display a pair of bruiser Yellowfn tuna. Right: Drag-screaming Pacifc Blue trevally before release. Map Data: US Dept of State Geographer, Image Landsat, Data SIO, NOAA, U.S. Navy, NGA, GEBCO.

begins to greyhound in the distance and strip line at a rapid pace. About 30 minutes into the fght, Maicol asks me if I want water. I grunt out a desperate

Panama City

“Yes!” My mouth is dry, my back is tightening up and all I can think is, “Please don’t pull the hook.”

Finally, the fsh is boat-side and Maicol secures the leader. It is a great

David

moment and a great feeling. For the record, I don’t cry. But something fies in my eye and I have to get it out. Just for a second.

We release the beautiful blue marlin. The crew estimates a weight of 400 lbs. I’ve been a fshing freak my entire life and this is a personal frst. My time in the chair is just under an hour. I’m still reliving and enjoying every minute.

Special thanks to owner Mark Charman (Mr. “C”), Sherri Wilson and the staf of the Panama Big Game Fishing Club.

Boca Chica

MEET THE CHEF

TASTES OF THE GULF

BY GHM STAFF

Even the most skeptical non-southerner will delight in dishes where notorious traditions like grits, turnip greens and black-eye peas are combined with fresh gulf seafood by creative chefs around Alabama.

Here, we highlight a few top chefs and restaurants including some famous ones like Jimmy BuffettÕs sister, Lulu, and ex-Miami Dolphin and Alabama football legend, Bob Baumhower.

Lucy Bufet LULU’S & LUCY B. GOODE GULF SHORES, ALABAMA

Mahi Sof Taco with Chipotle Cream Sauce 4 (8-oz.) Fresh mahi-mahi fsh fllets 4T

Olive oil, divided

Lucy, or “LuLu” as she is also known, is a cook whose

2T

LuLu’s Chipotle Taco Seasoning

credentials are validated every year by the more

1½ C

Cuban Black Beans (see recipe)

than 750,000 patrons who frequent her upscale

1C

Shredded sharp cheddar cheese

dive. Her Alabama roots include a love of seafood

1C

Shredded Monterey jack cheese

and the heart of a storyteller. With both her wit and

1C

Shredded white cabbage

food, Lucy loves to tell good tales. Her now-famous

1C

Shredded purple cabbage

restaurant began in 1998, perched on the edge of

12

Corn tortillas, 6”

Weeks Bay in Baldwin County. It was no more than

1

Fresh lime, cut into wedges

a burger joint and bait shop, but delicious food and Lucy’s innate sense of hospitality quickly earned

Chipotle Cream Sauce (see recipe) LuLu’s Sassy Salsa (see recipe)

it a devoted following among locals. In 2005, the

Preheat oven to 300°F. Coat fsh with 2 tbsp olive

restaurant relocated to Gulf Shores. Forced to move

oil and seasoning and set aside. Warm black beans.

because of an expired lease on state lands, the little

Combine cheese in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix

restaurant—along with everything else that could be

cabbages. Wrap tortillas in foil and warm in oven for

taken—was literally loaded on a barge and moved to a new spot on the Intercoastal Waterway. Today, LuLu’s is

10 minutes. In a large cast iron or heavy skillet, heat

a major draw for tourists and locals alike and is a strong supporter of the community. Lucy continues to pride

remaining 2 T of olive oil over medium heat until it

herself on combining great food with a truly unique Alabama experience.

sizzles. Gently place fllets in skillet. Cook on one side

for 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully turn fllets and continue

¼- ½ C LuLu’s Clearly Crazy Hot Sauce or

cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes or until fsh is

white vinegar

2C

Sour cream

In a food processor, combine chipotle peppers,

cooked through. (If you can easily insert a toothpick

Pick through beans for debris. Soak beans overnight

lime juice, lemon juice, salt, cumin and seasoning.

into the fsh, it is done.) Remove from the heat and

and drain. Rinse well. In a Dutch oven, cover beans

Blend until peppers are pureed. Add the sour cream

chop into bite-sized pieces. To assemble taco, top

with 7 cups water and boil over medium-high heat.

and blend thoroughly until smooth. Refrigerate and

warm tortillas with fsh, black beans, cheese and

In a heavy sauté pan, heat olive oil. Add ham, onions,

serve chilled.

cabbage. Drizzle with Chipotle Cream Sauce and f

bell pepper, celery, and whole jalapeno and sauté

old in half. Serve with LuLu’s Sassy Salsa and fresh

until slightly tender. Season with 1 tsp salt and ½

lime wedges.

tsp pepper. Add mixture to beans. Add bay leaves,

1 (28-oz. can)Diced tomatoes, undrained

cumin, coriander and oregano. Stir in the remaining

2

Jalapeños, seeds removed

½ tsp salt and remaining ½ tsp pepper. Cook at a

2 tsp

Rose’s lime juice Finely chopped cilantro leaves

Cuban Black Beans

Lulu’s Sassy Salsa

1 lb.

Dry black beans

slow boil for at least 1½ hours. Stir beans often,

2 tsp

7C

Water

making sure they don’t stick to the bottom of the pot.

2 cloves Garlic, crushed

2T

Extra virgin olive oil

As the beans cook down, add a little more water if

½C

Finely chopped yellow onions

1C

Diced ham

necessary. Just before serving, remove jalapeño and

1 tsp

Ground cumin

1

Medium onion, chopped

add pepper sauce or white vinegar. Stir well.

1 tsp

Salt

1

Green pepper, chopped

1 tsp

Sugar

2 ribs

Celery, chopped

1

Jalapeño (whole), optional

Chipotle Cream Sauce Makes 2 cups

Place tomatoes with their juice in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a couple of times until slightly

1½ tsp Salt, divided

4 to 5

Whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

chunky. Transfer tomatoes to a large glass bowl.

1 tsp

Pepper, divided

1T

Freshly squeezed lime juice

Place jalapenos and lime juice in the bowl of a

2

Bay leaves

1 tsp

Freshly squeezed lemon juice

food processor. Process until pureed and add the

2 tsp

Cumin

½ tsp

Salt

tomatoes. Add cilantro, garlic, onions, cumin, sat, and

1 tsp

Coriander

¼ tsp

Ground cumin

sugar to the tomatoes. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate

½ tsp

Oregano

¼ tsp

LuLu’s Chipotle Taco Seasoning

for at least 2 hours before serving.

For these and more recipes visit eatalabamaseafood.com

Chris Hastings HOT AND HOT FISH CLUB BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

In 1991, Chris Hastings moved to Birmingham, Alabama, with the goal of opening a new restaurant. It was the next step in a growing culinary career that had taken Hastings from his home in the Carolinas to the kitchen of the Ritz Carlton in Atlanta to San Francisco’s legendary Lake Creek Inn. Along the way, Chef Hastings’s passion for southern favors was infuenced by traditional European cuisine and the emerging farm-to-table movement, with its emphasis on locally-sourced and ultra-fresh ingredients. By 1995, he opened the Hot and Hot Fish Club, ofering contemporary American cuisine with southern infuences and supporting the work of local artisans. Hastings has become an active member and fervent advocate for the Alabama Seafood Commission.

In February 2012, he competed in the Food Network’s Iron Chef: America, besting Chef Bobby Flay in “Battle: Sausage.” That same year, Chef Hastings was recognized by the James Beard Foundation as “Best Chef in the South.”

Grouper with Tomato, Avocado and Sherrill Grilled Vidalia Onions with Basil-Lime Chris FLORABAMA YACHT CLUB Vinaigrette PERDIDO KEY, FLORIDA Serves 6 2

Large Vidalia onions, sliced 1” thick (about 5 or 6 slices each)

Even as a Boy Scout, and later as an Eagle

¼C

Olive oil

Scout, Alabama native Chris Sherrill

1T

Kosher salt, divided

knew he wanted to cook. Some of his

2½ T Freshly ground black pepper, divided

earliest creations included wild game

4

Large Heirloom tomatoes (ripe), cored and sliced 1” thick

cooked over a campfre. His passion and

4

Haas avocados (ripe), halved, peeled, seeded and sliced ½” thick

skills were recognized in 1995 when he

2/3

Chifonade of fresh basil leaves

entered The National High School Recipe

1C

C

Fresh lime juice

Contest sponsored by Johnson & Wales

1C

Extra virgin olive oil

University. Sherrill’s dish of Fruit Stufed Quail with Orange Cranberry Sauce

6

Grouper fllets (6 oz. each)

was Alabama’s winning recipe. It also awarded him a scholarship to the culinary

3C

Fresh arugula

school and launched his career. Most recently, Chef Sherrill was selected to cook

Preheat the grill to high heat (400°F to 450°F). Arrange the onion slices on a baking

for the 2012 Olympics in London, where he and a team of chefs from the Gulf

sheet and brush lightly with the olive oil. Season onions lightly with ½ tsp of the salt

Coast brought the region’s rich culinary tradition to London to cook for American

and ½ tsp of the pepper. Grill the onion slices for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or

Olympians and their families. Other accomplishments include winner of the 2012

until tender, sweet and slightly charred. Transfer the grilled slices to a mixing bowl

Alabama Festival of Flavors, and People’s Choice Award at the 2013 Perdido Key

and separate the rings. Add the tomato and avocado slices to the onion rings and

Wine and Arts Festival. Chef Sherrill also recently opened his third new restaurant,

set aside.

the FloraBama Yacht Club, in Perdido Key, Florida.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the lime juice, extra virgin olive oil and chopped basil. Toss the vinaigrette with the grilled onion mixture and season the salad with 1 tsp of the salt and ½ tsp of the pepper. Allow the salad to marinate at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Season fsh fllets on both sides with the remaining 1½ tsp of salt and 1½ tsp of pepper. Place the fllets on the hot grill and cook for 6 to 7 minutes or until the fllets begin to pull away and loosen from the grill rack. Turn and cook an additional 4 to 5 minutes or until the fllets are golden brown and cooked through.

Flounder Jubilee Sautéed founder and grilled shrimp over fried spinach, with a red pepper and soybean mousse

Soybean Mousse

Remove the fllets from the heat

1C

Fresh shelled soybeans

and keep warm until ready to serve.

½C

Sour cream

Arrange one marinated tomato slice in

¼C

Extra virgin olive oil

the center of each of six dinner plates.

1

Roasted red pepper

Using a slotted spoon, place onion and

3T

Chipotle Tabasco

avocado slices on top of the tomatoes.

Salt, to taste

Top each salad with a second

Rinse soybeans well and cover with double water. Salt water slightly. Bring to

marinated tomato slice. Spoon several

a full boil then gently simmer beans for 10 minutes. Drain and cool. Roast red

tablespoons of the vinaigrette over

pepper over high heat, charring the skin. Allow pepper to steam, wrapped tightly

and around each salad. Arrange the

in a pan. In a food processor, combine the beans and pepper and blend well. Add

grilled grouper fllets on top of each

the Tabasco. Add a pinch of salt. In pulse mode, blend the sour cream into the

salad. Toss the arugula in the mixing

soybean mixture. Set mousse into cooler.

bowl with the remaining vinaigrette.

Frie d Spin ach

Top each fsh fllet with a small mound of the arugula. Serve immediately.

2C

Fresh leaf spinach or spring mix

Chef Steve Zucker ALOHA HOSPITALITY

Zucker is a graduate of Johnson & Wales in Providence,

LOXLEY, ALABAMA

Rhode Island. His frst executive chef position was for the legendary Louisiana Chef John Folse and he was named

Chef Zucker is the corporate chef for Bob Baumhower’s

one of the “Ten Chefs to Watch” by Esquire, and one of two

restaurant group, Aloha Hospitality. Aloha is the parent

“Great Young Chefs” from Southern Living. Chef Zucker and

company of three Alabama-based restaurant concepts,

Bob Baumhower have cooked together in Havana, Cuba,

Baumhower’s Restaurant, Compleat Angler and Wings

representing the State of Alabama and side by side cooking

U. Aloha’s frst restaurant opened over 30 years ago in

the Guinness Book of World Record’s largest pot of gumbo

Tuscaloosa and has grown to 14 restaurants throughout

with Chefs John Folse and Rick Tramonto at the game of the

the state of Alabama. Featuring Gulf seafood, and local

century in Tuscaloosa.

and fresh Alabama products whenever possible, Aloha restaurants have won many “best of” awards. Chef

Compleat West Indies Salad Makes 4 quarts

Fry in 350°F oil in fryer basket until very crisp.

Pecan-Smoked Oyster Aioli

4 lbs

Gulf lump crabmeat

Salt to taste. Allow spinach to drain on a cooling

3

Egg yolks

¼C

Fresh jalapeños

rack. Set aside.

½C

Louisiana Cold Pressed Pecan Oil

1 qt

Tomatoes

Fl ound er

1

Medium lemon, juiced

1C

Green peppers

14 drops Chipotle Tabasco

3C

Red onions

1 lb

Fresh Gulf of Mexico founder fllet

1T

Apple cider vinegar

2C

Celery

1 tsp

Cavender’s Greek seasoning

1 tsp

Dijon mustard

1T

Fresh garlic, minced

1T

Olive oil

1 clove Garlic

Julienne the onion and then cut the thin strips into a small

2

¼” dice. Cut remaining vegetables—jalapeños, celery, red

Cut the fllets into 4 oz. portions. Season with

Smoked oysters

Cavender’s very lightly on both sides. In a skillet

In a food processor, combine egg yolks, lemon

peppers and tomatoes—into a small dice and place all

on high heat, sear the fllets in the olive oil until

juice, Tabasco and vinegar. Blend until egg yolks

into a large mixing bowl. Add lump crabmeat after picking

rare to medium in doneness. Set aside on a

turn very light. Add the Dijon and garlic and

through it to remove any pieces of shell. Be careful not to

broiling plate.

blend again. Slowly drizzle the pecan oil, taking

break up the lumps. Place lime juice, vinegar, hot sauce,

care not to add too much at a time. Add the

cilantro, salt, and pepper in a separate mixing bowl and

oysters and blend again. Check for salt and set

whisk briskly while slowly adding salad oil. Next, whisk in

Fresh Gulf of Mexico shrimp,

aside.

the strained ice water (12 oz. of liquid) to complete the

peeled, deveined

Assembly:

vinaigrette. Pour vinaigrette mixture over the crab and diced

1T

Extra virgin olive oil

Preheat convection oven to high heat or broiler

vegetables. Mix well, but gently, trying not to break up the

2T

Clarifed butter

to high. Having already placed the seared

crabmeat. Place in a covered container and refrigerate for at

1 tsp

Granulated garlic

founder on a greased broiler plate, top the

least 24 hours. Serve with juice and saltine crackers.

½ tsp

Salt

founder with a fan of grilled shrimp. Drizzle the

½ tsp

Fine-ground black pepper

aioli over the founder. Place into hot oven or

Shrimp ½ lb

As you devein the shrimp, split them in half

under broiler until the aioli just begins to brown.

long-ways. Mix together salt, pepper and garlic.

As the founder cooks, place a dollop of soybean

Toss shrimp in olive oil and season. Chargrill

mousse in the center of four separate plates.

on high heat very quickly. Just as you are ready

Top the mousse with fried spinach. Remove

to remove shrimp, drizzle them with clarifed

the founder and place directly on top of the

butter, creating a fame. Remove from heat and

spinach. Garnish with a fne brunoise of chive,

set aside.

carrot and red bell pepper.

Chef Frank Stitt BOTTEGA, BOTTEGA CAFÉ, CHEZ FONFON,

Pickled Shrimp Serves 15 to 20 3 lbs

HIGHLANDS BAR AND GRILL BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

Small to medium shrimp, boiled (see note below), peeled

2

Medium onions, quartered and very thinly sliced

Frank Stitt’s fondness for southern ingredients comes

1 tsp Celery seeds

directly from his roots in rural Alabama. He grew up in

1C

Extra virgin olive oil

Cullman, a leading agricultural county in the northern

6

Garlic cloves, thinly sliced

part of the state. However, his culinary journey began

4

Lemons, thinly sliced

to really take shape in a much diferent place. He

14

Bay leaves

moved to San Francisco and, as a philosophy student,

1 tsp Fennel seeds

noticed that cookbooks were taking precedence

1 tsp Mustard seeds

over the works of Plato and Kierkegaard. He began to

4

hone his kitchen skills at various Bay area restaurants,

1 tsp Freshly ground white pepper

working with a number of renowned chefs, and later

1 tsp Coriander seeds

travels took him as far as France. Eventually, Stitt made

¼C

White wine vinegar

his way back south, and today he remains highly

½C

Fresh lemon juice

Dried hot chili peppers

committed to the ideals of sustainable agriculture. His own farm now provides chickens, eggs and produce

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss

for use in all of his restaurants. His fagship eatery, Highlands Bar and Grill, opened in 1982, and its menu

thoroughly. Pack everything into a large glass jar,

combines southern ingredients, such as stone ground grits and country ham, with French sauces and braises.

cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the favors

Highlands was an immediate success, and soon after, he opened Bottega (1988), Bottega Café (1990), and Chez

to come together. Serve as an hors d’oeuvre with

Fonfon (2000)—all in Birmingham. Stitt has authored two cookbooks and mentored many other chefs. His many

toothpicks and napkins.

accolades include the James Beard Foundation’s “Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America.” In 2009, he was inducted into the Alabama Academy of Honor, the most distinguished award given to an Alabamian.

NOTE: To cook shrimp, fll a large pot with water and add 1 onion (quartered), 1 celery stalk (chopped), 1 lemon (sliced) and 4 fat-leaf parsley sprigs. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Add a tablespoon of salt to the shrimp.

As soon as the water returns to a simmer, remove from the heat. The shrimp will have just begun to curl and have turned a bright pink. Do not allow the water to boil, or the shrimp will be tough. Drain (but do not rinse) the shrimp, or the favor will go right down the drain. Reserve the broth, if desired.

Allow the shrimp to cool.

SOURCE: Excerpted from Frank Stitt’s Southern Table by Frank Stitt, (Artisan Books).

Copyright© 2004.

Gregg Collier DIXIE FISH COMPANY

at his namesake restaurant, Chef Allen’s, and later the James Beard

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

Award winner Chef Susan Spicer. Gregg came back to work for the Brennan family and was eventually selected by Ralph Brennan to be the

Chef Gregg Collier inherited his love

executive chef of his fagship restaurant Red Fish Grill. While at Red Fish

of food and the restaurant business

Grill, Chef Collier supported a variety of charitable causes around New

from his father and grandfather.

Orleans, including serving as co-chair of the Share our Strengths beneft.

Growing up working in the family diner in Bloomington, Indiana, Collier knew at an early age that he had found his calling. After completing formal schooling at the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, Chef Greg found himself in New Orleans, where he worked side by side with some of the city’s most famous culinary talents and became saturated in a world of seafood. His tenure began at the award-winning Brennan Restaurant, Commander’s Palace, where he worked with Executive Chef Jamie Shannon. His experience there led to work with Chef Allen Susser

Crimson Shrimp & Grits Specialty Equipment: 3-qt. saucepot & sauté pan Serves 4 to 6 1T

Unsalted butter

1 oz

Unsalted butter for sautéing shrimp

2 oz

White wine to deglaze sauté pan

3 stalks Green onions, sliced thin for garnish In 3-qt. saucepot over medium-high heat, add butter

McEwen & Son Stone Ground Grits

Specialty Equipment: Saucepot Serves 8 to 10

and garlic. Let garlic cook until it begins to caramelize;

6C

Water

6 cloves Garlic

add onions, green peppers and celery. Let vegetables

6C

Milk

1

Onion, peeled, cored and diced

cook until translucent. Add tomato paste. Let cook

2 tsp

Salt

2

Green bell peppers, diced

2 minutes. Add tomatoes, parsley, thyme, white

1 tsp

Freshly ground black pepper

2 stalks Celery, diced

wine, crab stock, salt and black pepper. Simmer for

4T

Butter

2T

Tomato paste

approximately 20 minutes. Place shrimp in large

1½ C McEwen & Son Stone Ground White Grits

7

Tomatoes, cored and diced

bowl and season with salt, black pepper, paprika and

3T

Grated Parmesan cheese

3 sprigs Flat-leaf parsley, chopped

cayenne pepper. In a sauté pan over medium-high

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the

2 sprigs Thyme, chopped

heat, add butter and shrimp. Sauté shrimp until cooked

water, milk, salt, pepper and 2 T of the butter. Bring

1C

Dry white wine

about halfway. Deglaze the pan with white wine. Add

the liquid to a gentle boil. Stir in the grits. Cook for 1

2C

Crab stock

shrimp and wine to Creole saucepot. Let simmer until

hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, making

1 tsp

Kosher salt

shrimp are cooked through. Serve with grits.

sure not to scrape the bottom of the pan. NOTE: The

1 pinch Black pepper

NOTE: Shrimp may need to be sautéed in 2 or 3

grits will stick to the bottom of the pan. If the grits

32

Gulf shrimp (16/20), heads of and peeled

batches depending on the size of sauté pan. When

absorb all of the water, add additional hot water to

1 tsp

Kosher salt

cooking shrimp in batches, add the sautéed shrimp to

thin out the grits. Remove the pan from the heat

¼ tsp

Black pepper

the Creole sauce all at once as to avoid overcooking

and stir in the remaining 2 T of butter and cheese.

1 tsp

Paprika

the shrimp.

The grits can be served immediately or prepared in

¼ tsp

Cayenne pepper

advance and reheated.

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LAST CAST

HOOKED ON REDNECK AQUACULTURE I don’t live in Alabama. But I can see it from here. Literally.

fshing. He fgured $400 was a good investment to buy a

Just a half mile across the water is Ono Island, Alabama. My

little local knowledge. Unfortunately, the fsh weren’t biting

home is on Perdido Key, Florida. I can (and do) actually swim

that night, so the guide, who wanted a happy client, got

to Ono, right across the border between the two states.

drastic. “I usually don’t do this,” he told the doctor, “but I feel

Usually I take the boat.

bad about getting skunked, so I’m going to take you to my

Around here, people fsh a lot. The Gulf of Mexico is

favorite honey hole. I always catch fsh there.” Sure enough,

in our backyard, with everything from mullet to mackerel

as they pulled up to a long dock with a bright blue light

inshore, snapper to grouper midshore and tuna to blue

shining on the water, the fsh were hitting the surface and

marlin ofshore. The back bays are full of trout, redfsh, more

the doctor was getting excited. “This is it? This is your honey

mullet, tripletail, founder and the occasional run of tarpon.

hole?” he asked. “Sure is,” the smiling guide replied. “I told

We can even take the boat far enough upstream to catch

you. It’s guaranteed.” The doc looked at the guide and said, “I

bass in freshwater. Basically, it’s a cornucopia of fshing.

hate to tell you this, but this is my new house. I just paid you

One of our most popular fshing quests came about by

$400 to bring me fshing to my own dock.” True story.

FRED GARTH

accident. Some years ago, waterfront homeowners started

For the past 25 years, Fred D.

putting high-powered streetlights on their docks to ward of

someone would come up with waterproof lights that

Garth’s articles have appeared in

rascals who liked to steal small outboard engines while they

you can sink to the bottom and entice game fsh to come

numerous books, magazines and

were founder gigging late at night. Even if the foundering

investigate. I’m open to trying anything that will make a

newspapers around the world.

wasn’t too good, the motor gettin’ was always pretty steady.

fsh eat.

Read his blog at: GuyHarveyMagazine.com.

Then, folks noticed that fsh liked to gather around

We night-fshing goblins knew that inevitably

Above-water lights shine down on top of the fsh so you

the lights and a few inventive dudes began mounting

can see their color—the silver and black spots of a speckled

streetlights about three feet of the water. Now, as I sit

trout or the copper fash of a redfsh chasing bait. Fish

on my porch swing—no kidding, I actually have a porch

illuminated from below become watery shadows gliding in

swing—I can count a couple dozen lights on docks at Ono

and out of darkness. Sometimes they seem gigantic when

Island. Most are either yellow or blue. My quick estimation

they swim a few feet away from the light, kind of like a hand

is that the yellow light to blue light ratio is about 50/50—

puppet casting shadows on a distant wall. When a monster,

probably something to do with Auburn and Alabama fans.

two-foot-long shape chasing your lure turns out to be 10-in.

I’ve tossed many a DOA shrimp and Clouser minnow into

juvenile trout, that’s just wrong.

the yellow glow and blue glow and caught fsh. There is no color bias in my fshing.

Bottom line: lights work. Case in point: years back, a

Regardless of the nuances of blue, yellow, underwater, above-water, etc., the end result is that coastal residents have created what is essentially a bunch of personal

wealthy doctor from Montgomery bought a sprawling beach

aquaculture ponds. In a state known for agriculture, we

house on Ono and decided to hire a guide for some night

now have our own version of redneck aquaculture. I’ve seen

Artificial reefs aren’t just for open water. New column-style reefs designed for shallow water are being put under docks to improve their fish holding power. Photo: Walter Marine.

as many as 100 trout under some lights. That’ll supply a lot of fsh fries. In the

because I know how lucky I am to be “working” (as in writing this column) and be

20-mile radius of Ono Island, Perdido Bay, Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, there are

able to put my laptop aside, grab my fy rod and slip stealthily into my kayak for an

probably several thousand docks with lights making up one long, continuous fsh

instant fshing experience.

farm. My buddy and neighbor, Skipper, who is unmistakably from Alabama when you hear him speak, calls his “the aquarium.”

In this case, as I eased toward the light, trout were slapping the water every two or three seconds as they scarfed down glass minnows. My frst cast, slam! The

Of course, just because we “farm” trout and redfsh at the end of our docks

trick is to move away from the light as you retrieve the fsh because trout under

doesn’t mean we always catch them. Some argue that this is hardly “sport” fshing

lights are easily spooked. Fishing from a kayak helps. The second fsh took two

“...I just paid you $400 to bring me fshing to my own dock.”

and more like shooting

casts. Ho hum. On this night, I decided to catch and release, primarily because I

ducks in a barrel.

didn’t feel like cleaning fsh and there’s no reason to freeze the fllets when I can

However, sometimes,

pretty much catch it fresh anytime. Plus, those four fsh will grow and prosper so

dozens of trout will be

someone can catch them again. Now are you jealous?

mingling under a light in plain sight but won’t

There’s a lot of talk these days about aquaculture in this country because our appetite for fsh is increasing, yet we still import more than 80% of the seafood

bite. I’ve seen trout so fnicky that even dropping a live shrimp on their noses

we eat. Inland and coastal ponds have been raising catfsh and tilapia successfully

won’t interest them. Yet, on most nights, when the tide is running, they will bite.

for decades. Now, fsh farmers are having luck with pompano, cobia and even

Urgent update: I just heard a trout splash under Skipper’s light. I’m going in.

Stand by.

sturgeon (with the side beneft of caviar). In Gulf Shores, Alabama, multimillion dollar hatchery has recently been completed, which will release millions of fsh

One hour and four trout later:

into the gulf. So, the land of Roll Tide and War Eagle, is doing their part to create

Okay, so Skipper’s aquarium is fully functional. Please don’t be jealous,

sustainability one dock and one streetlight at a time.

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