10 minute read

South Daytona KIDS

Fishing Tournament

•APRIL 15, 2023•9am-2pm

Location: Reed Canal Park

919 Reed Canal Rd, South Daytona

Presented By:

• Fishing contest for ages 3-16 years.

First 100 Kids get a chum bucket filled with goodies!

• 1st.-3rd. Place in each age group 3-5 yrs, 6-8 yrs, 9-12 yrs, 13-16 yrs.

•All children must be accompanied by an adult.

• Free Rods & Reels will also be given out children only (while supplies last!)

• Catch & Release from Reed Canal Park

• Education: Fish ID, Knot Tying, Casting Techniques, and much more!

• Sharks Up Close & Personal! A hands on experience with Eric Sander

• Mobile 3D Archery Range (You get to shoot bows & arrows)

• Breakfast snacks, drinks & lunch will be provided bring your equipment, chair, blanket etc...

• Pre-Registration is appreciated as the first 100 will get Chum Buckets.

• EVERYBODY IS A WINNER!!

Ace Enterprises, LLC, along with its owners and employees strive for customer satisfaction and they guarantee excellent workmanship. Ace Enterprises has extensive experience with scheduling and management of various projects, including small residential remodeling to million dollar restorations of highrise condominiums. They take great pride in all of their projects to run efficiently, and professionally.

North Causeway Marine New Smyrna’s Favorite Family Owned Marina. North Causeway Marine is one of Central Florida’s oldest family owned & operated marina. Their mission is to help you make the most of your time on the water! They are committed to providing fast, friendly service, honest answers and reasonable rates. They stand behind the quality of their work and have earned a solid reputation in the marine community over the years.

Their success has allowed them to continually expand their business to serve you even better. They offer a wide variety of services to keep your boat in tip-top shape. From routine maintenance and repairs to re-power, rigging, electronics, detailing and much more, they will have you back on the water in no time.

Blackwelder Pump & Irrigation has been locally owned and operated since 1996 in Volusia County. They service both commercial and residential water wells, pump systems and stations, water treatment equipment, irrigation and sprinkler systems, water features and fountains. If it moves water they service it.

Marine Custom Solutions they are mechanics, designers, engineers, carpenters, drafters, electricians and craftsmen with decades of marine design and manufacturing experience. The projects they undertake are all backed by decades of combined experience. They are highly motivated, certified and accredited individuals, who yearn to apply their skills and talents for anything you may envision. Let them make your dreams and visions come true.

Boat and Yacht Masters of Florida

They are Central Florida’s premier boat and yacht management company. They have extensive experience on sailing and power vessels and know what it takes to maintain and protect your investment with quality products, procedures and superior customer service.

We service both commercial and residential water wells, pump systems and stations, water treatment equipment, irrigation and sprinkler systems, water features and fountains.

C&C Pavers and More, LLC

Let us Pave the Way...

Brick, Marble and Travertine Pavers

Cultured Stone/Veneer Installation

Landscape Design/Installation

Tree/Palm Removal

Erosion Control

Retaining Walls and More...

South Daytona Kids Fishing Tournament

Entry Form and Rules • April 15, 2023 • 9am-2pm

Parent/Guardian Phone_______________________________________________________

Please Print

•All participants must follow rules, times and locations.

•All children must be accompanied by an adult.

•All anglers must follow state and federal rules and regulations.

•All fish must be caught on rod, reel and line.

•Each angler can only win one place.

•All entrants must have entry form filled out, and all entry forms must be signed by parent/guardian. Contact Desiree’ Harbster 386-478-3725 or fishandhuntday@gmail.com

Participants in this contest enter at their own risk. City of South Daytona, Southern States Fishn’ & Huntn’ Magazine it’s officials, members and employee’s shall not be liable for and hereby disclaim any and all legal liability for any and all losses or damages of any kind suffered by any participants, entrants, anglers, their guest and companions, which may occur during the event. Parent/Guardian

• Fishing contest for ages 3-16 years. First 100 Kids gets a chum bucket filled with goodies!

• Free Rods & Reels will also be given out children only (while supplies last!)

• All children must be accompany by an adult.

• Catch & Release from Reed Canal Park 919 Reed Canal Rd, South Daytona

• Education: Fish ID, Knot Tying, Casting Techniques, and much more!

• Sharks Up Close & Personal! A hands on experience with Eric Sander (Councilman of SD)

• Mobile 3D Archery Range by Gobbler’s Lodge (You get to shoot bows & arrows)

• Breakfast snacks, drinks & lunch will be provided bring your equipment, chair, blanket etc...

• Pre-Registration is appreciated drop off locations will be with the South Daytona Police Department located at 1672 S. Ridgewood Ave. South Daytona or Surplus Unlimited 613 W. International Speedway Blvd. Daytona Beach. They can also be mailed to

SSFHMagazine P.O. Box 290002 Port Orange, Fl. 32129

Tightline Anchor Inc. was founded in 2018 by friends and business partners, Thomas Langton and Greg Linton. They have since added another member to their team Farouk Dhanidina. The diverse team at Tightline is passionate about the outdoors and providing high performance and long-lasting anchoring tools to the small watercraft market. They have been growing alongside an explosive kayak fishing market but have found their 3.5lb K5 grapnel anchor meets the needs of other classes of watercraft owners including Jon Boats, Dinghies, Belly Boats, Jet Ski’s and Skiffs.

Tightline has begun to be recognized by kayak anglers that demand quality and invest in gear that makes their time on the water more efficient and most importantly, safer. An anchor for any vessel can be seen as the equivalent of brakes on your SUV and professionals understand that the right tool for the job is critical.

Tightline’s reputation has been forged in listening to customer feedback and implementing improvements in their anchor designs in what they describe as ANCHOR EVOLUTION. The current K5 is the result of 9 product iterations and hundreds of hours of field testing. Furthermore, Tightline is owned by the people customers talk to on the phone and through email correspondence, a rarity in today's marketplace.

Tightline stands behind their products and offers a lifetime warranty to the original owner ensuring the customer will have their anchor repaired or replaced in a timely manner. We understand the research and development team at Tightline is gearing up for a spring product launch that will enhance the fishing experience for those that frequent river locations. We’re excited to see Tightline continue to innovate and contribute to making time spent on the water safer and more fun!

For more information, please visit TIGHTLINEANCHOR. COM or call 281-881-7987

By: Capt Lynda Hawkins

Leading the charge on handling bull redfish

Everyone likes catching big fish. They put up a great fight, come with serious bragging rights, look super cool in a profile pic and, if harvested, they can feed lots of friends and family. Bull redfish are just one example of a popular saltwater species that have anglers chasing “the big one” for their next fish tale. While there is no doubt that monster reds have rightfully earned their place in the big leagues, any redfish angler worth their salt will tell you that an important part of any trip catching bull reds is the release.

Florida regulations require that redfish over 27 inches be released. The intent of this regulation is to protect larger fish (redfish don’t usually spawn until they get larger than 27 inches). Larger fish also produce higher quality and larger numbers of eggs and sperm.

This is why doing everything you can to help larger fish survive after release is so important. It’s also important to remember that just because a fish swims away doesn’t always mean it will survive. Taking steps to ensure that the fish is in good condition upon release means it has a better chance of surviving long-term to the next spawn. Use these tips to help your next bull red, or any other fish you release, survive to fight another day:

• Keep large fish in the water to reduce stress or injury to the fish.

• Use tackle that is large enough to bring the species you are targeting in quickly, reducing the chance of exhaustion.

• Always revive fish showing signs of exhaustion by allowing a consistent flow of water through the mouth and over the gills. Use a “figure eight motion” if you are fishing from a stationary location.

• Do not gaff a fish unless you intend to harvest it.

• Keep fingers out of the eyes and gills.

• Use a descending device or venting tool on fish with signs of barotrauma (bloated belly, stomach projecting from the mouth, protruding intestines, bulging eyes).

If you must remove fish from the water:

• Get them back in the water as soon as possible.

• Always hold them horizontally and support their weight with two hands.

• Use wet hands when handling, never a towel or other cloth that can remove their protective slime.

• Do not drag them over rocks, the gunnel of a boat, the side of a dock or pier, or any other rough surface.

Fishing from bridges or piers:

• Only bring fish onto the pier or bridge if you intend to harvest.

• Only target large fish from bridges or piers if you have specialized gear (pier nets or slings) to support their full body, bringing up large fish without proper gear or allowing them to freefall large distances can cause injury and increase mortality.

• If you cannot properly lift the fish, cut the line as close to the fish as possible before releasing it back into the water. (This may mean walking this fish to the shore if fishing from a pier.)

Other tips:

• Correctly using a dehooking tool can help you quickly and easily remove hooks.

• Use single circle hooks that are nonstainless steel, non-offset and barbless.

• Do not fish when large predatory fish or sharks are in the area. If they show up, move to another fishing location.

• Encourage other anglers to adopt these practices too. Learn more at MyFWC. com/FishHandling.

So next time you’re out on the water and catch a bull red or any other big fish for your next great fish tale, remember that landing is only half the battle and a successful release ensures more monsters for generations to come.

Have a question about marine fisheries regulations, improving recreational data, catch and release or more? We are here for you. Send your questions, photos and fishing tales to Saltwater@ MyFWC.com. Make sure your image meets our photo requirements and handling guidelines by visiting MyFWC. com/Marine and clicking on “Submit a Photograph.” Learn how to submit your catches and get rewarded through our Saltwater Angler Recognition Programs at CatchaFloridaMemory.com.

210 Walnut Street Welaka, Fl. 32193 386-467-2628

We are an authorized sales & service center for SUZUKI engines.

The Halifax Sport Fishing Club is excited to welcome George Poveromo as the guest speaker March 16th.

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

George is a life member of the Florida Coastal Conservation Association, serving as their Offshore Fishing Spokesperson. He’s also on the board of Fish Florida, a non-profit organization which helps people, especially children, learn about fishing and Florida’s environment via proceeds from the sale of the state’s specialty sailfish auto license plate. George is a South Florida native and University of Miami graduate. He makes his home in Parkland, Florida. Doors open at 6:30 PM, a brief business meeting at 7:00 PM, and the seminar at 7:30 PM at 3431 S. Ridgewood Avenue, Port Orange.

All seminars are free and open to the public. For more information on go to the H.S.F.C. web site, Facebook or contact Wil Evans, Programs Director at (386) 566-0601 or online at programs@ hsfc.com.

Melissa Holley cauht her first Crappie ever. Typically they go pond hopping and catch Largemouth or Tilapia. They had the opportunity to go over to Lake Jessup and experience a totally different type of fishing experience. They were mostly looking for Crappie or Largemouth and was using live minnows with light weight tackle.

Bikers Welcome come join the fun!

Governor Ron DeSantis’ Framework for Freedom Budget

Governor Ron DeSantis released the proposed Fiscal 2023-2024 Framework for Freedom Budget, solidifying his commitment to support the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) mission to protect Florida’s natural resources. The budget is evidence of Governor DeSantis’ continued commitment to ensuring Florida’s natural resources will be abundant for future generations to enjoy. Included in the Governor’s proposed Framework for Freedom Budget are high-priority conservation items including eradication and control of pythons and other nonnative fish and wildlife species, enhanced protections for Florida’s manatees and sea turtles, statewide seagrass restoration support, and support for law enforcement.

“Since day one, Governor DeSantis has made conservation one of his top priorities, and we are grateful for his continued support,” said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto. “Because of his steadfast leadership, residents, visitors and future generations will enjoy Florida’s natural resources for years to come."

Budget highlights include:

$2.6 million in new funding for nonnative fish and wildlife eradication and control

$1.4 million for Burmese python population control and assessment

$16.9 million for 41 new law enforcement positions for patrol and investigation

$8.4 million for boating access and boating improvement projects

$11.1 million for habitat restoration initiatives

Approximately $750,000 for initiatives focused on maintaining Florida’s reputation as the Fishing Capital of the World

More than $900,000 for manatee population assessment and management enhancements

Over $750,000 for enhanced protections for Florida’s sea turtles

$600,000 for artificial reefs

$7.8 million for land management, acquisitions, and improvements

To learn more about the FWC and its programs, visit MyFWC.com.

WE FOUND THE PERFECT SPOT!

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) are collaborating on a large-scale habitat restoration project on the St. Johns Water Management Area, also known as Stick Marsh/Farm 13 in Brevard and Indian River counties.

A drawdown will be conducted from February-August 2023, where water will be released and the low water levels will stimulate growth of aquatic plants.

FWC’s Aquatic Habitat Conservation and Restoration Section will plant native aquatic plants, bulrush and spatterdock, during the drawdown in the southern portion of the reservoir. These plants provide habitat for fish and wildlife, and benefit the recreational users of this resource. Established plants will also create natural wave-breaks, protecting habitat from future storms.