Product: FLSUN PubDate: 11-09-2007
NB
11-09-2007
Zone: NB
Edition: 1
Page: SPRT@9
User: cldavis Time: 11-08-2007
22:32 Color: C K Y M
C-11
WATERFRONTS FISHING TRENDS LAKE OKEECHOBEE Bass anglers were catching fish in the rim canal using live shiners and Gambler Giggy Sticks. Bass in the Kissimmee River were biting live shiners, lipless crankbaits and Carolina-rigged plastic baits. Speckled perch were biting live minnows in the river and in Indian Prairie Canal. The lake level was 10.35 feet.
NB • Friday, November 9, 2007 • SUN-SENTINEL.COM • SOUTH FLORIDA • 11C
By Staff Writer Steve Waters
DUCK DAYDREAMS DUCK DETAILS
FRESHWATER/EVERGLADES Largemouth bass were biting this week in the Lake Ida chain of lakes. Chris Randolph and Robert Hutzman of New York caught 22 bass up to 7 pounds using Gambler Aces and Giggy Heads on Thursday morning in Lake Ida and the canals to the north. Fishing in the canals south of Ida on Wednesday, Jerry Wesson and Ron Miner of Chicago caught 17 bass up to 6 pounds using Aces. Mostly small bass were biting at Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in the canals, although fish up to 5 pounds were caught on the flats. Bass up to 3 pounds were biting topwater plugs and plastic worms in the canals along Alligator Alley west of mile marker 41.
REGULATIONS Season: The 2007-08 duck season is Nov. 17-25 and Dec. 8-Jan. 27. The Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days for children under 16 are Feb. 2-3. Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset. Bag limit: Six ducks per hunter per day. The daily limit shall consist of no more than one black duck; one mottled duck (Florida mallard); one fulvous whistling duck; one pintail; two canvasbacks; two redheads; two wood ducks; two scaup (bluebills); four scoters; and four mallards (no more than two hens). All other species of duck (except harlequin ducks) may be taken up to the six-duck daily limit. Possession limit: Two days’ bag limit. Information: Call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission South regional office at 561-625-5122 or visit www.myfwc.com/duck.
FLORIDA BAY/10,000 ISLANDS Capt. Brian Sanders of Davie, who fishes out of Chokoloskee Island, said windy weather dirtied the water, the bait disappeared and fishing has been “really slow.” Forced to fish in the backcountry this week, Sanders said his anglers caught a few small snook and some small redfish. Some nice sea trout have been biting, but the season closed Nov. 1.
WHERE TO HUNT
GOLD COAST OFFSHORE “Fishing this week hasn’t been great, but it’s been fairly consistent,” said Capt. Steve Souther of Fort Lauderdale charter boat Marlin My Darlin, noting that some nice-sized schoolie dolphin were biting from the reef line out to 500 feet. “If there’s a current edge in there, that’s not a bad place to try them.” Souther said sailfish were moving through inside and outside the reef. Just look for ballyhoo showering and birds diving on the bait. A lot of the sailfish weigh only 15-25 pounds, but there were a few bigger fish mixed in. Fishing for kingfish has been slow, but Souther’s customers did catch a king over 30 pounds Thursday. Capt. Wayne Conn of the Reward party boat fleet at Miami Beach Marina said anglers were catching kingfish, schoolie dolphin and sailfish in 110-140 feet off Government Cut. Yellowtail snapper and small keeper mutton snapper were biting. Fishing during the daytime for swordfish has been excellent.
PIERS Too much freshwater at Juno Beach Pier has limited anglers to catches of catfish and sharks this week. Deerfield Beach Pier had some Spanish mackerel, kingfish, bar jacks, bluefish at night and small snapper. Pompano Beach Pier had some mutton snapper, bluefish and a couple of mackerel Thursday. Anglin’s Pier had mackerel and jacks all week, quite a few snapper, a few bluefish and a cobia of more than 50 pounds. Dania Beach Pier had mackerel, a couple of snook, blue runners and snapper.
THE KEYS Yellowtail snapper were biting on the reefs and kingfish were biting on the outside edge of the reefs. Blackfin tuna were still biting at the humps. Spanish mackerel were starting to show up in Florida Bay on the outskirts of Everglades National Park and in the Gulf of Mexico from Marathon to Key West.
CALENDAR Saturday: Honda Weekly Fisherman presented by Boat Owners Warehouse, 7-8 a.m., WQAM (560-AM). Saturday: Fishing Headquarters Live, 8-9 a.m., ESPN Radio 760. Today and Sunday: 27th annual Key West World Championship offshore powerboat race. Visit www.superboat.com. Tuesday: IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum School of Sport Fishing class on urban fishing in Fort Lauderdale, 7-10 p.m. Visit www.igfa.org/schoolofsportfishing.asp or call David Matagiese at 954-924-4247 or Veronica Woods at 954-924-4309. Tuesday-Wednesday: The Sailfish Cup, featuring a first-place prize of $100,000, out of Miami Beach Marina. Entry fee $8,900 plus tax per boat. Visit www.sailfishcup.com. Wednesday: Southeast Swordfish Club meeting, 7 p.m., Lighthouse Point Yacht and Racquet Club, 2701 NE 42nd St., Lighthouse Point. Visit www.swordfishclub.org. Nov. 17: Plantation Flotilla 38, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, oneday boating safety class, 8 a.m., FAU SeaTech Campus, 101 North Beach Road, Dania Beach. Call Ron Albert at 954-915-0667. Nov. 17-18: Bass Busters Classic, Lake Okeechobee out of Clewiston. Visit www.bassbustersflorida.com. Nov. 18: Bass’n Fools 25th annual Giblets and Gravy team bass tournament, Everglades Holiday Park. Preregister at BJ’s Bait and Tackle, 201 SW 125th Ave., Plantation. Call Mark Escobar at 954-475-0248 or send e-mail to Leo DeVega at Leo@bassnfools.com. Nov. 20: Palm Beach Chapter of Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing meeting, 6:30 p.m., Lantana Ale & Sports Bar, 308 N. Dixie Highway, Lantana. Call 561-965-4629. Nov. 23: City of Hollywood full moon kayak tour of West Lake, 6:30-8:30 p.m., ages 14 and up, cost $35, Holland Park, Hollywood. Call Marcy Decker at 954-967-4644 or Colleen Gibbs at 954-328-5231. Nov. 28: West Palm Beach Fishing Club offshore meeting, 7 p.m., 201 Fifth St., West Palm Beach. Capt. Bouncer Smith discusses bottom fishing in South Florida. Call 561-832-6780 or visit www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org. Dec. 1: City of Hollywood kayak for beginners, 9-11 a.m., ages 15 and up, cost $35, Holland Park, Hollywood. Call Marcy Decker at 954-967-4644 or Colleen Gibbs at 954-328-5231.
ANOTHER MEMORABLE MORNING: For Jose Vidal, duck hunting is about camaraderie, whether with family, friends or his black Labrador retriever Bailey. This hunt yielded a drake pintail. Photo courtesy Jose Vidal
Hunters eagerly await opening morning with thoughts on memorable past hunts. Florida’s duck season opens Nov. 17, and to diehard waterfowlers it can’t get here soon enough. They look forward to going into the Everglades before dawn, standing in the water and, as the first rays of the rising sun peek over the horizon, having ducks try to land in their decoy spread. “There’s absolutely nothing better than a decoying duck,” Jason Maret said. “For me, what I like about duck hunting is the camaraderie you have with the people you meet, the preparation and just being dedicated to getting up early and doing what you love.” The time spent with others in a duck blind is a big part of hunting ducks. Unlike hunting deer, which is usually a solitary pursuit, hunting ducks almost always involves two or more hunters. When the birds are working, hunters work together to maximize their chances of getting a shot. When the ducks aren’t flying, conversation is often about past hunts. “Probably the biggest thing that appeals to me about duck hunting is just the memories that I have,” Jose “Pepi” Vidal said. “I’ve been hunting since I was 5 years old with my father. He used to take me and my brother to Lake Trafford and we’d camp every weekend and hunt out of his 12-foot johnboat. Whenever I hunt, it brings back those memories. “I wouldn’t trade for anything the memories that I have and the friendships I’ve made while duck hunting.” The first chance to make new memories is during the first phase of the 60-day season, which is Nov. 17-25. The second phase is Dec. 8-Jan. 27. Vidal, 36, of Miami, takes off from work the week of the first phase so he can hunt every day. The first two days he’ll be hunting out of his airboat in the Everglades with his brother and
his father, who is 60. “He took us and did everything. Now it’s the other way around. We take him hunting,” Vidal said. Maret, 33, of Sunrise, started hunting ducks about five years ago. His first hunt was with his friend Eddie Wheeler out of Everglades Holiday
“Do your scouting. You can’t just go out there blind. If you don’t know where the ducks are at, it’s going to be tough.” Hunter Jose Vidal
Park. “We shot our limit of ringers,” Maret said. “If I remember right, I don’t think I hit a single duck.” But Maret was hooked. Now he hunts ducks all over the country — he recently returned from hunting ducks, geese and pheasants in North Dakota — but the Everglades and ring-necked ducks remain among his favorites. What he likes best is to find a spot where the ringers come right into his decoys. “I’ll take two ducks decoying versus a limit of ducks pass shooting,” Maret said. “I’m not a real numbers guy, I’m a quality guy. I rather shoot one or two ducks in a spot I scouted and with my friends rather than shoot a limit pass-shooting at an STA with two people I don’t really care for.” Maret often hunts with Brian Sanders of Davie in the Everglades and occasionally at the stormwater treatment areas. Maret, who used to captain private sportfishing boats and Sanders, who guides anglers out of Chokoloskee Island, used to occasionally fish together. “Basically all the people I know
who like to hunt are all avid fishermen,” Sanders said. “There’s a lot of strategy involved with duck hunting. It kind of goes hand in hand with fishing. Plus, after eight months of hot weather, it’s a good change of pace to get out in the cool weather and hunt.” Maret, Sanders and Vidal have been scouting for ducks to get a general idea of where they’ll be come opening day. Recent cold fronts should push even more ducks into South Florida, which bodes well for the opener. But you can’t expect to simply go out in the ’Glades on opening day and have ducks land in your decoys. “Do your scouting,” Vidal said. “You can’t just go out there blind. If you don’t know where the ducks are at, it’s going to be tough. There’s too much water out there. After every hunt, if I’m not in a hurry, I’ll scout some more.” When the ducks are using an area, you want to be set up correctly. To Maret and Vidal, that means hiding your boat in a clump of vegetation and getting in the water. “I always hunt in the water,” Vidal said. “Some people don’t do this because they’re scared to get in the water with the alligators. “I found one of the biggest advantages is to get as far away from the boat as possible and hide yourself in one of the clumps of sawgrass. You’ve got to really hide yourself.” Maret makes sure he chooses a clump where the sun will be at his back and he’s positioned so that when he shoots ducks, they fall in open water in front of him, rather than in the sawgrass. “That’s what separates people coming back with a story rather than a limit of ducks,” Maret said. Steve Waters can be reached at swaters@sun-sentinel.com
Lake Okeechobee: Always has ducks, but low water levels will limit most of the hunting to those with airboats or those who drive their johnboats down canals, then get out and hike through the vegetation to get to an open pothole. South Florida: Lots of waterfowlers hunt west of the L-67A Canal that runs from Everglades Holiday Park to Tamiami Trail. You can also hunt in the Everglades north and south of Alligator Alley, north and south of Sawgrass Recreation Park and in Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. To hunt Loxahatchee, you must have a refuge hunting permit, which is available free from the refuge by calling 561-732-3684. Four stormwater treatment areas: Open to hunting one day a week. All four are open for scouting Saturday and on Dec. 1. The times are 6-8 a.m. at STA 5 in Hendry County, 9-11 a.m. at STA 3/4 just north of the BrowardPalm Beach county line, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at STA 2 (across U.S. Highway 27 from STA 3/4) and 2-4 p.m. at STA 1-West, west of Wellington. Hunting is by permit only, but walk-ins are allowed if permit holders don’t show up by 5 a.m. for morning hunts and by 1 p.m. for afternoon hunts.
GEARING UP On viedo: If you’re not yet in the mood to hunt ducks, then watch the Hunter’s Specialties DVD Take ’Em 9, which features two hours of duck and goose hunts. Floating gun case: The best way to transport your shotgun to the duck blind is with a Hunter’s Specialties (www.hunterspec.com) floating gun case. I use one and it really floats, so if you drop the gun case in the water, your gun doesn’t disappear. Carrying case: Put the rest of your stuff in a RedHead Deluxe Convertible Blind Bag, which is available at Bass Pro Shops. It comes with a padded shoulder strap, carrying handles, a detachable side bag, built-in sunglass case, hard rubber bottom and roomy interior.
OUTDOORS NOTEBOOK Park meeting: The Broward County Parks and Recreation Division has a public participation forum from 7-10 p.m. Wednesday at the Chairman’s Club at BankAtlantic Center (north side of building, next to north box office) in Sunrise. The meeting is the public’s opportunity to provide suggestions, voice concerns and ask questions about the recreational needs at Everglades Holiday Park. Call Sheryl Dickey at 954-467-6822 or send e-mail to sdickey@dickeyinc.com. Okeechobee meetings: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has two public meetings on proposed changes in the size limits for bass and speckled perch in Lake Okeechobee. The meetings are 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Office, 525 Ridgelawn Road, Clewiston and 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Okeechobee Civic Center, 1750 U.S. Highway 90 North, Okeechobee. The current 13- to 18-inch slot limit for bass would be replaced with an 18-inch minimum size limit. The FWC would institute a 10-inch minimum size limit for specks. If adopted, the rule changes would take effect July 1, 2008. Long-line research: NOAA Fisheries Service seeks public comment on an environmental assessment to conduct research with a limited number of long-line boats in two areas of the southeast Atlantic Ocean that have been closed to longlining since 2001. Because these areas have been closed, the agency does not have baseline data
on how effective several newly introduced fishing measures, such as specific circle hooks and baits, designed to reduce the unintended catch of sea turtles and other non-target species would be in portions of the East Florida coast and Charlestown Bump areas. The proposed research would be conducted under strict scientific protocols using a limited number of vessels (approximately two) with 100 percent observer coverage. Comments will be accepted until Nov. 20. Read the environmental assessment online at www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/ breaking_news.htm. Mail comments to Chris Rilling, NOAA Fisheries, 1315 EastWest Highway, Silver Spring, MD, 20910. Boat show: The 35th Fort Myers Boat Show, featuring more than 700 boats,
runs through Sunday at Harborside Convention Center and the Fort Myers City Yacht Basin. Show hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. today and Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $9, free for kids under 12. Call 239-656-7083 or visit www.fortmyersboatshow.com. Outdoors contest: The North Face’s web site devoted to sport and adventure — www.exploreepic.com — is holding a contest called Get Out!, which is designed to get people involved in the outdoors. Participants will have the chance to win prizes ranging from camping, hiking and biking packages to T-shirts by posting photos of themselves participating in four of 17 activities from now until Dec. 15.