PUTNAM COUNTY

According to Lorraine with BASS WORLD LODGE at 386-467-2267 Mark and TJ have been catching some nice bass using chrome and black crank baits and Rat L Traps. He has been catching several nice limits which of course he releases.

GEORGETOWN MARINA & LODGE at 386-467-2002 Nolan tells us they are catching some nice bream. Fishing has been good for the last two months. Shrimp are still being caught. To see pictures go to face book/Georgetown Marinia.com.

By Captain Lynda

ANGLER’S FAMILY RESORT at 352-489-2397 Owen tells us, around the edges of the hydrilla nice bass are being caught using shiners (the bigger shiner the better). Crappie season has started early this year and are being caught in the old phosphate pit using minnows and yellow jigs.

The recreational harvest of flounder in all Florida state and federal waters closed Oct. 15 and remain closed through Nov. 30, reopening Dec. 1. This closed season provides protection to flounder during prespawning aggregations, which ensures more fish can reproduce each year.

To learn more about flounder regulations, visit MyFWC.com/ Marine

By: Capt Lynda Hawkins

At its October meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved new management regions and regulations for snook in state waters following the final rule hearing. These regulations, which go into effect Jan. 1, 2024, will: Establish nine snook management regions. Establish open seasons as well as bag and slot limits for each region, which are detailed below:

Panhandle, Big Bend, Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay

Open season: March – April, September – November

Bag limit: one fish

Slot limit: 28-33 inches

Charlotte Harbor, Southwest

Open season: March–April

October– November

Bag limit: one fish

Slot limit: 28-33 inches

Southeast, Indian River Lagoon, Northeast

Open season: February–May

September – Dec. 14

Bag limit: one fish

Slot limit: 28-32 inches

As part of this new management approach, FWC staff intends to monitor and evaluate these regulations annually. To see the latest snook annual reviews, which provide a summary of the snook fishery status in each management region, visit MyFWC.com/Snook.

“Through innovative management strategies like this, which allow us to be agile in our response to concerns, we are ensuring that Florida’s future generations of anglers will have access to this iconic fishery,” said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto.

For more information, including the October 2023 Commission meeting presentation, visit MyFWC. com/Commission and click on “Commission Meetings.”

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FWC unveils 2023 Lionfish Challenge King and Commercial Champion, celebrating a record-breaking year

Lionfish King (First Place Recreational Division): Baye Beauford – 1,514 lionfish

Second Place Recreational Division: Dale Wolber – 1,145 lionfish.

Third Place Recreational Division: David Connerth - 773 lionfish.

Commercial Champion (First Place Commercial Division): Jerry Butler -1,208 pounds of lionfish.

Second Place Commercial Division: David Garrett - 744 pounds of lionfish.

Third Place Commercial Division: Alex Fogg - 516 pounds of lionfish.

Military Prize: Eric Larson - 591 lionfish.

FWC issues executive order to close recreational harvest of gag grouper in Atlantic state waters starting Oct. 23

At its October meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued an executive order to close recreational harvest of gag grouper in Atlantic state waters, including state waters of Monroe County. The 2023 recreational season for gag grouper in Atlantic state waters closed at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 23, consistent with the closure in adjacent federal waters. The 2024 Atlantic gag grouper recreational season will open at 12:01 a.m. on May 1, 2024, after the annual shallow water grouper spawning season closure.

Consistent state and federal recreational seasons for Atlantic gag grouper will help protect the gag grouper population and rebuild the fishery.

The Atlantic gag grouper stock is overfished and experiencing overfishing, and a new rebuilding plan for this stock was recently approved by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce.

For more information, including the October 2023 Commission meeting presentation, visit MyFWC. com/Commission and click on “Commission Meetings.”

For current recreational gag grouper regulations, visit MyFWC.com/ Marine and click on “Recreational Regulations,” “Reef Fish” and “Grouper.”