Water LIFE July 2016

Water L I F E Charlotte Harbor, Lemon Bay, Venice, Estero, 10,000 Islands and the Gulf

The Don Ball School of Fishing

July 2016

txt us ur fish pix!

see page 4

True Black Grouper OFFSHORE Page 16

Tarpon and Snook Page 6

Like a snook stamp, is a GROUPER-SNAPPER STAMP in our future?

Page 20

Keepingʼ Kids Happy Page 9

Oyster Reef Progress Update Page 11

www.WaterlifeMagazine.com

FREE!

PAGE

2

EMAIL:

WATERLIFE@COMCAST.NET

JULY 2016

JULY 2016

ONLINE EVERY MONTH @

WWW.WATERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM

PAGE 3

PAGE

4

EMAIL:

WATERLIFE@COMCAST.NET

JULY 2016

Tune in to Radio Fishinʼ anytime!

Talk shows with Fishinʼ Frank @ FishinFranks.com

eMail letters and photos to: WaterLIFE@comcast.net

About Txting us Pictures:

txt to: 941 457 1316

NO Fish-Kill Freezer-Fills

We said: Txt Us Ur Fish and we got this picture and the following text:

store this number in your phone!

We like Fresh Fish so please donʼt send old photos.

We like the First Catch so donʼt send us fish if you are also sending the same fish to another publication, like for instance, the Charlotte Sun ;-(

Know the Bag Limit One or two photos is all weʼll probably have room for.

Bigger is Better, higher resolution is best. Please donʼt adjust, crop or sharpen your pictures, let us do that if necessary.

Preston Olson and crew aboard a sailboat going for American red snapper and yellowtail over the weekend. Boca Grande.

No towels! Hold ʻem with wet hands and please hold big fish horizontally.

Editor notes: Sailors? Thatʼs a lot of fish for a sailboat.... two fish for a weekend on a sailboat is a lot! And if these guys were really sailors theyʼd all be drinking beer!

Send Where? Txt them to

941-457-1316

and be sure to include your name and type of fish (txt only, voice calls cannot be answered)

You can also eMail pictures to: waterlife@comcast.net

Best Picture Wins You donʼt really win anything, but if itʼs a better picture of a bigger fish or something cool or unusual, it has a very good chance of getting into the magazine or even onto the cover!

Water LIFE inc. waterlife@comcast.net www.WaterlifeMagazine.com

Michael & Ellen Heller Publishers

(941) 766-8180

217 Bangsberg Rd. Port Charlotte, FL 33952

Independant - Not affiliated with any other publication!

Vol XV No 7 © 2016

NO PART of this publication (printed or electronic) may be copied, reproduced or reused without specific written permission from the publishers (and thatʼs never happened!).

Contributing Editors:

Photography: ASA1000.com Senior Editor: Capt. Ron Blago Baitshop Commentary: Fishinʼ Frank Peace River: Capt. David Stephens Punta Gorda: Capt. Chuck Eichner Venice: Glen Ballinger Estero: Capt. Joe Angius Everglades City: Capt. Charlie Phillips Diving: Adam Wilson Kayaking: Bob Fraser Sea Grant: Capt. Betty Staugler Beach Fishing: Mallory Herzog Pier Fishing: Bobby Vitalis

Bryce,Tyler and Aiden headed out of Boca Grande for some fishing.

We like kids on-the-water pictures!

Fishing Captain Wanted

Are you a full time captain? Have you been at it for more than 5 years?

Do you like teaching kids about Fishing?

The Water LIFE magazine Don Ball School of Fishing has an opening for a teacher this fall. This is a paid position. For more information please eMail waterlife@comcast.net

On the Cover:

Thanks to Glen Ballinger for eMailing this monthʼs cover photo of Rick Hill from Brooksville Florida and his 34pound true black grouper.

For more offshore see page 20

“I GOT CALLS FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE FROM MY AD LAST SUMMER” ADVERTISE HERE!

$99 per month!

Water LIFEʼs 1/8 page ad (this size)

still just

call 941-766-8180

LEONARD AT TOP NOTCH CANVAS

“... A LOT MORE CALLS FROM YOUR PUBLICATION THAN FROM ... THAT OTHER WATER PUBLICATION”

The effective & economical month-long advertising solution

4- C O L O R is always FREE WE areTHE WAY to reach people who love the WATER!

www.waterlifemagazine.com in print - online - and always FREE

TOM AT THE BOAT HOUSE “ADVERTISING WITH YOU IS A NO BRAINER! IT WORKS FOR US”

Free on your Device too!

C h e ck A r o u n d - s e e w h er e l o ca l a d v e r t i s e r s a r e p u t t i n g t h e i r h a r d e a r n e d d o l l a r s

JULY 2016

ONLINE EVERY MONTH @

TACKLE BOX VIDEOS: our Virtual Evolution

By Michael Heller Water LIFE editor My old friend Lenny used to say “Get By In July,” he was from Miami, he knew about the heat and the rain.

But when most people around these parts are slowing down and rolling with the humidity of the season, we are gearing up for another year of our Don Ball School of Fishing. This will be year 15, and although the classes won’t start until late September we begin preparations, starting this month.

Every September, when we start signing up students, there are kids who want to attend our program but for one reason or another are unable to. There are home-schooled kids and kids with intermural sports or band practice, kids whose parents work and can’t get them to an evening class, and so on.

Soon, I hope, things will change.

We have applied to the Charlotte Community Foundation for a grant which would allow us to put together a virtual version of our Don Ball School of Fishing and make it available online.

The virtual Don Ball classes will be on our website and on You Tube, so anyone will be able to audit the course and it will be free.

I am also going to make the course available to a test class of 6th and 7th grade students who will receive free rods and reels and tackle, much like

the in-school Don Ball students. The first year will be a pilot program, then, if we have continued funding, we will open it up to more students.

Now if you’re a kid thinking: cool, I don’t have to go to the after school classes, I can just sign up online and get the free stuff ... please think again.

I wasn’t born yesterday. Online students will have to work harder than the in-class students to get their equipment and there will be online tests they will have to pass!

The make up of the virtual class will be videos of local captains talking about specific local fishing-subjects, interspersed with local Go-Pro style footage of fishing action. (If you are one of those people who shoots a lot of Go-Pro action fishing and you’d like to share some of that footage with our kids, please call me at 766-8180.

The learning will be fun and exciting and if we make this program successful locally we will offer it in other coastal communities around the State and Capt. Charlie Phillips, president of the Florida Guides Assn., has indicated they might want to be part of that.

The grant we applied for will go towards production and fishing equipment, but to field a full class of online students our program still needs additional support from the community.

Can we count on you? Call me!

WWW.WATERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM

13 year old Joseph Stinson from Nokomis caught this 11-pound largemouth bass in Sarasota on a flipping jig.

PAGE 5

My 20 pound cobia was 36-inches - caught this weekend. It was a great catch!

Chrissy Marie Mosley.

Txt Us Ur Fish Pix - Thank You, Everyone!

Looking back at all the spectacular fish you guys are catching only reinforces my belief that Charlotte County is really missing the boat when it comes to promoting fishing as the single biggest thing that brings people here, and keeps people here, year after year. – Thank You!

Summerʼs Variety Show PAGE

6

By Mallory Herzog Water LIFE Fishing Summer fishing can be great if you know where to look. We are lucky this year, so far, with great water temperature as we cruise into July. During these warmer months I love spending my time in the Gulf of Mexico. Our natural and artificial wrecks hold some pretty great catches.

The Stockslager family joined us for a day of near shore fun. We started the day with some barracuda and small shark. A few feet away from our boat we saw some fish on the surface crashing in the bait schools. We knew permit have been in the area and threw a crab out.

These coastal fish inhabit tropical grass and sand flats, near reefs and wrecks.

This member of the jack family can reach 40-inches and 50-pounds! Within a few minutes, Chris was hooked up on his first permit! These fish give a strong fight, but personally, I don’t think they are very tasty. The angler tagged and released his catch, we hope it gets hooked again in the future.

What is the craziest catch you've caught using a "cuda tube"?! This is a lure that is made out of tubing and is brightly colored. Barracuda LOVE them and it’s a blast using them to hook up on a few. On a recent near shore trip, Alex

EMAIL:

WATERLIFE@COMCAST.NET

hooked up on the 2500 reel. That fish was OUTTA here, dumping nearly the entire reel. Alex won though, and on 15-pound line! Catching up to this fish and getting it boat side we discovered it wasn't a barracuda but a HUGE king mackerel that was on the end of his line. That was one to take home for the smoker. We didn't weigh his catch, but estimated it at well over 40-pounds. But no picture.

Tarpon are still here, spreading out, schooling on our local beaches. Smaller numbers of fish are in these schools, but they have been eating. These are late sea-

son fish, they know what you are up to by now, so try to set up quietly on schooledup fish. If you have side-scan, take advantage of it. Look for the signature donut shape to show up, those are happy fish.

Sunset and evening hours have been a great bite. Inshore, pinfish have been the go-to for redfish through the Boca Grande/ Placida area.

One client recaptured a snook tagged with us on a previous charter months before. This juvenile snook originally was 19 inches in April 2016 and upon recapture grew nearly two inches. This was our first recapture for Gray Fish Tag Research.

I hope for many more.

JULY 2016

You can contact Big Bully Outdoors Charters for a trip with Mallory’s husband, Capt. Andrew Herzog. Call 941-661-9880 or visit BigBullyOutdoors.com

JULY 2016

ONLINE EVERY MONTH @

WWW.WATERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM

PAGE 7

PAGE

8

EMAIL:

WATERLIFE@COMCAST.NET

JULY 2016

10,000 Islands / Everglades City

great. I prefer it over wire.

I also learned to tie good knots vs crimp, as I don’t always have crimpers when Tackle is easy, I use an 8/0ish good qual- I am inshore fishing – ity, NON STAINLESS hook, tied with a again, it works but it takes 300-pound floruo leader, to a big swivel, some practice. For bait, I to my mainline. Non-stainless hooks typically use a humble catwill rot out fast when you are cut off, so fish, sail or hardhead, eithat’s a no brainer. The flouro leader ther one will work. Cut works well as most of our inshore sharks them off behind the dorsal fin and one fish equals two baits.

Free lined into the current with no weight, it usually doesn’t take long for someone to find it.

Offshore we have had some great grouper catches this month. Both red and gag grouper.

The snapper bite has been strong around the same live bottom areas My wife Laura with one of several big red grouper we took we are catching those trolling plugs – always a blast catching them like this! reds on. Still some permit and cobia runcan’t/won’t cut it at all. I figured this one ning around right now too. Keep a jig out targeting the big goliaths offshore – handy to pitch quickly to the curious we would routinely hook and catch the cobia that swims up to the boat while big bull sharks on that leader out there. your bottom fishing.

So I brought it inshore and it works

opportunities have abounded

By Capt. Charlie Phillips Water LIFE / Everglades City What a month it has been down here in the swamp. Our fishing has finally gotten back in the real swing of things and opportunities have abounded both inshore and offshore for all of our popular species.

Inshore, we have had some great snook action on the outside points with good tidal flow, and in the deeper channels. A baitwell full of pilchards and you’re in the game. Snook are an ambush predator, so just remember they are staged looking into the current waiting for the tide flow to flush their next meal by their hiding spot. Cast your baits trying to make sure to be in the strike zone of where a snook might be lying in wait.

We have also been using a lot of artificial baits, both hard baits and plastics, they all produce.

Speckled trout fishing has been on fire down in the grassy areas of Everglades National Park. Popping corks with live shrimp or a scented soft plastic are all you need to get started. You are going to pick thru some shorts to get your limits. Make sure to treat them well, wet your hands before touching them and get them back in the water as gently and quickly as possible. Remember, these are tomorrows slot fish.

For those that like the toothy opponents, the Everglades have a big variety of sharks to choose from right now. I had customers this month that only wanted to fish for sharks on multiple day trips and while not the norm for our area, we are always happy to oblige.

Inshore we have some great fighters; blacktips, lemons, bulls, nurse and of course bonnets. I look for sharks in one of two places, the deeper cuts with good flow that spill onto a big shallow bay or on the drop off edges of the grass flats.

Mike from St Peteʼs tripletail

Jim from Wisconsinʼs drum

Kevin from Wisconsinʼs gag

As we come into July, it’s gonna’ be HOT!! Be careful out there, drink plenty of fluid and keep a close eye to the sky.

Many times the strong storms will build inland and get pushed out in the afternoon - then the only way to get home is to go right thru them and it’s not fun. Be safe and we will see ya’ll out there.

Capt. Charlie Phillips: 863-517-1829 e-mail: hopefishing@hotmail.com Web: hopefishing.com

Tom Lyons and daughter Lexie with one of many snappers

JULY 2016

ONLINE EVERY MONTH @

WWW.WATERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM

Charlotte Harbor’s Great Fishing

By Capt. David Stephens Water LIFE Charlotte Harbor As a kid growing up on the Peace River, summer was my favorite time of year. School was out and I could spend every day fishing. Looking back, I didn’t really care what I caught. It didn’t have to be a certain species, the size didn’t really matter. The only thing that mattered was that my rod had a bend in it.

A good buddy of mine that I did some tournament fishing with called me. He had his boy, Justice, in town for a couple

weeks and wanted to get him on the water. So we set up a date – we planned to try for some juvenile tarpon, after that we would just see where the day went.

On the days leading up I had some really good success in some of the residential canals, however tarpon being tarpon, on the day we went out we had a tough bite. We managed to jump one and had a couple more hits. At one point we had a little juvenile bull shark hanging around the boat. We just about lost all interest in the tarpon and were focused on that shark.

The boy managed to finally get a hook in him and got him to the boat. At that point, after seeing how excited he was, I decided to change things up. I had been doing well on some snook on a shoreline. They where not very big, well at least not the day before. So we decided to move over there and try something different.

We pulled up, and tossed out a few chum baits. It didn’t take long for Justice to have a 30-inch snook to the boat. So I baited him back up and as soon as the bait hit the water, Fish On again! Then, Snap!

The line broke. I grabbed another rod, bait hits the water, Fish On again. This time he managed to bring a 33-inch snook to the boat.

We sat on that shore line for an hour laughing and catching fish. I had so much fun watching and listening to him scream, ‘Oh My God Another Giant Snook!’ I’m not sure exactly the total number of fish he caught that day, however I do know it’s a memory he will carry for a very long time.

I finally feel confident enough to write about tarpon. Over the last couple weeks the number of bigger fish in the Harbor has been increasing. We have been having very good success catching them, also. I have been having my best bite in the morning while the winds are calm. It’s much easier to locate rolling fish at that time too. Threadfins have been getting bites for me, however a good buddy of mine did well with crabs, so it’s up to you what to choose and on some mornings I have had to do a little

PAGE 9

looking. If you’re not happy with an area don’t be afraid to take a boat ride and keep your eyes out for free jumpers. These tarpon are fish that will clear the water!

If you would like to experience some of South West Florida’s finest fishing give us a call, or send us a email. All of our charters are private and customized to fit you and your party’s needs. Capt. Dave Stephens www.backbayxtremes.com 941-916-5769

New Plan for Saving Manatees PAGE

10

On The Line

EMAIL:

WATERLIFE@COMCAST.NET

With Capt. Ron Blago Water LIFE Senior Staff

Over the many years I have lived in Charlotte County I've learned a thing or two about how things work around here. If you have a controversial plan or project you want to get approved, you try to get it done during the summer when most of our citizens are out of town or on vacation. This year is no different.

For the last five years a local Manatee Protection Committee has been working with State officials, trying to get Charlotte County to sign on to a State run Manatee Protection Plan (MPP). Recently the committee released a 141 page plan that they want Charlotte County to approve. I have read it twice and I have a lot of serious problems with the plan.

In 1988, then Governor Bob Martinez ordered that 13 counties have their own state approved MPPs which were “A county-specific management plan developed, approved and used by Federal, State and local governments to ensure the long term protection of manatees and their habitat within the confines of the county boundaries.”

This approach was put in place at the height of what I call the Manatee Hysteria Period, when officials were trying to make us believe the manatee was on the verge of extinction. Because of local opposition, it took the state until 2007 to get those 13 counties to come up with a state approved plan. Charlotte County is one of them.

So how have these MPPs worked out so far? Manatee slow zones, rules, regulations and taxpayer dollars spent on management increased. A look at the data shows that in the 13 counties, total manatee deaths have also in-

creased, as have deaths due to watercraft. So based on those results, providing improved protection for the manatee gets a failing grade.

One of the glaring defects of Charlotte County’s proposed new plan is a failure to acknowledge the manatee population has been growing at an accelerating rate. The first statewide manatee population synoptic survey was conducted in 1991. It found 1,267 manatees statewide.

The latest survey, in 2016, found 6,250 manatees. That's a 400-percent increase! I would think that would be a significantly influental factor to consider in a MPP. Another problem is with the time-line they used for their data – 1976 to 2010. Data collected before the first synoptic survey in 1991 is not at all reliable, it falls under the category of SWAG (scientific wild-ass guess) and that can not be used to make any intelligent future plans.

The report says they used the best data available; so

JULY 2016

why did they not include the most current data available, that from 2011 – 2016? I think I have an answer. During that period there were 2,451 reported mortalities, mostly due to red tide and cold stress, including the all time record of 830 manatee deaths in 2013. And at the same time watercraft related deaths, as a percentage of total deaths, dropped to 16.23-percent, that is well below the long term statewide average of 22-percent. Why is any data that shows an increasing number of manatees alive and a decreasing percentage of deaths from watercraft not important enough to include?

Who is going to pay for this new plan? Taxpayers of course, but what group of taxpayers?

The plan proposes to get funding from the West Coast Inland Navigational District, that is money currently helping pay for Stump Pass improvements and helping to pay to keep our waters navigable and safe. The new plan also wants money from the State and local Boater Improvement Funds which comes out of our boat registration fees. The answer is, once again, Let The Boaters Pay. The scariest part of all this is that if Charlotte County approves this plan they can't back out of it, no matter what happens in the future. This wording is directly from the proposal; “State or Federal delisting of the manatee in no way affect the enforcement of this plan.” These are all things for the County Commissioners to consider before they turn over control of our County waterways to a bunch of non-elected bureaucrats.

Captronb@juno.com

CANVAS & UPHOLSTERY

JULY 2016

ONLINE EVERY MONTH @

Oyster Reefs Update

WWW.WATERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM

PAGE 11

The Only Sign of Growth is in the Nature Conservancyʼs Arrogance Commentary By Michael Heller Water LIFE editor Sea Grant Agent Betty Staugler’s column usually appears here. This month she’s been sidelined and here’s why.

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) constructed 3 small oyster reefs in the Peace River, off the Harbor Walk, at Punta Gorda, in September of 2015. When the reefs were put in, Fran Perchick, the PR person at TNC, told me the reefs would be monitored every six months. In June it was 9 months and we still hadn’t heard anything, so I asked Betty to see what she could find out and write about it for her July column. Betty knows mollusks.

asked tough questions about the costs and expenditures for building and monitoring those reefs, and now I probably had more tough questions which could detract from their big press release with the city.

So here’s what I know. Betty and I walked out into the river. We talked and I took some pictures. You draw your own conclusions. Only time will tell.

It was low tide, the water was still

Mud and algae covers the oyster mats

Initial construction, Sept 3, 2015

Betty talked to some biologists at TNC that she knows and a few days later Betty and I went down to the river to see the reefs for ourselves – it was all pretty normal journalism reporting. That afternoon I received the following eMail from Betty: Michael, FYI… I received a voice message from Fran Perchick while we were over at the restoration site. She indicated the information Laura discussed with me is embargoed. I called Fran back and apparently this embargo is an agreement they have with the City (of Punta Gorda) and the other project partners.

Their communications plan is to issue a press release along with the City and partners in mid-July to share their story, data and results collected to date with the media. She asked me not to run a story until then. I’ve never actually heard of information being embargoed, but in my Sea Grant capacity I am obligated to honor their request. Fran indicated she was very willing to provide information, photos, etc. for developing an original story for publication after the media release.

I called Ms. Perchick at TNC. She wouldn’t tell me who was behind the embargo idea, saying only “it was part of an agreement they had with the City of Punta Gorda.”

That response from the million-member strong Nature Conservancy, a world wide group whose motto is “We carry out our work with a deep commitment to accountability and transparency,” was unacceptable and I believe it came because I

about 18-inches deep. The 16-inch square plastic mats that 1200 volunteers so carefully zip tied thousands of old oyster shells onto, one at a time, and then carefully arranged into a 12x36 foot ‘reef’ .... they appeared to be covered with algae and river mud. The ‘control box’(where they would sample) was mud filled. Betty told me if oyster spats (babies) floated by, they could still attach and grow on top of those shells that were not yet fully sunk in silt. We did not see any spats. “TNC has

Barnacles are growing but no oysters spats

had some successful oyster restoration projects,” Betty said.

In a presentation made to the Punta Gorda Boater’s Alliance on May 19, TNC claimed that the reefs at Punta Gorda have resulted in 100,000 to 200,000 newly settled oysters. Betty and I walked along the project site. In order not to interact with their study we picked up our oyster shells from outside the marked boundary. “All I see are a lot of small barnacles growing.

This area, clearly, has been submerged for some time,” Betty said.

Oyster spats need the right salinity to attach and grow. This has been a very wet year and the Peace River has been running very high so there has been mostly fresh water. The river brought with it all the silt and mud. Maybe things can still change.

Capt. Betty Staugler is out standing in the oyster field

We walked back to shore and up the Multi-Use-Walkway to the runoff-settlement area, reentered the river and walked to another oyster site. This one is made of submerged mesh bags of oyster shells.

They need oyster shells or other shells with the right calcium to attract the spats.

The bags weren’t as sunk-in-the mud as the oyster mats at the other site, but there was nothing we saw growing. No spats.

“Oysters grow pretty rapidly,” Betty told me on our walk back. I later read that nine months would be more than enough time to start seeing them, they would be dark one-inch splotches by then. We didn’t see any. Maybe oyster spats will latch on soon, or maybe someone will surreptitiously ‘seed’ some oysters there. It’s

hard to trust people who embargo information for their own ends.

Things are changing around Charlotte Harbor. There is more “We know what’s Best for You” coming from the environmental front again. The National Estuary Program has drafted a new management plan for Charlotte Harbor and there will be a new NEP Director with perspectives unknown. There is pressure for Charlotte County to give up its own successful manatee plan and adopt a State plan.

A dozen more oyster sites are planned and I believe no-wake zones will accompany all of them. Watch the Bayshore Pier area, Alligator Bay, Hog Island and the East side by Pirate Harbor and Burnt Store. They are on the map.

PAGE

12

EMAIL:

WATERLIFE@COMCAST.NET

ReaderĘźs photos

JULY 2016

Txt Us Ur Fish Pix!

Mike DeFranco caught and released this 31 inch cobia.

Charlotte Harbor, east side.

Elaine Bretts caught this 22-inch mangrove snapper off shore, on the Island Sun with Capt. Jim Hoffman

May 31st Jason Patterson of Nashville TN. fishing with Capt. Ryan McGee

Jordan Richey Amber jack

Mayan cichlid, caught from PG drainage ditch on ultralight tackle.

Jigs and Beetle Spins. Mike Gussin

Clint Norris, Charlotte Harbor redfish, last week of May.

Snook on the beach, fishing at Captiva at 4am on Memorial Day. Martha Trujillo

Red Durand, nice trout off Boca, still too important to catch only once - limit your kill don't kill your limit

John with a Myakka bass

JULY 2016

ONLINE EVERY MONTH @

WWW.WATERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM

PAGE 13

see page 4

Austin Biederwolf, redfish in Matlacha Pass

Jack Crevalle caught from our PGI dock, May 29.

Zara Spook. Mike Gussin

T.J. Oakes; Snook, caught on an artificial around Gordon Pass.

Here is Christian VanDerVeer my stepson with a monster AJ. It was just short of 60 inches and about 80 pounds. He was using a Penn Battle 6000 spinning rod!

Christian just graduated from Venice High with a 4.5 gpa and was defensive football player of the year.

He will be attending Florida Institute of Technology in August on a full scholarship! He's come a long way from the little squirt Capt. Bart Marx and I took fishing in the 2010 Water LIFE Kids Cup Tournament Adam Wilson

Brenda Scott caught this 32-inch red fishing a Sanibel dock

John with a muddy Myakka Snook

My name is Justin Miante, this snook was a 38-inch, 24-pound female, caught on Siesta Key, surf Fishing before a storm front hit.

PAGE

14

Estero Bay:

EMAIL:

WATERLIFE@COMCAST.NET

Fishing Nights to Beat the Heat

By Captain Joe Angius Water LIFE Estero Bay Summer weather patterns are in full swing, which means sunny days followed by evening thunderstorms. For an estuary like Estero Bay it is important to understand what these conditions can do to our fishery.

The most influential player in our

equation of summer weather patterns is rain. With high volumes of freshwater entering Estero Bay through the five major river systems, it can be difficult to locate healthy brackish water that holds active fish.

When conditions like this occur, I focus a lot of my attention toward juvenile backwater tarpon. Backwater tarpon can be found virtually anywhere in Estero Bay during the summer months.

Catching them can be difficult, but there are various baits, lures, and flies that can be tossed in front of them that will trigger a strike.

On charters, my favorite live bait to use for these finicky tarpon are whitebaits, threadfins, and pinfish. I find that if you free line one of these baits on a 2/0 Owner circle hook along a mangrove edge or into a deep hole, the tarpon can’t resist.

If the school of fish are scattered and out of range, don’t be afraid to use a popping cork or float.

Allow the corks to drift

into the school and wait patiently for the cork to completely submerge.

Another approach to the juvenile tarpon is artificial lures and flies. My go-to lure is a Flats HQ jerkbait, white in color on a 3/0 Owner weighted 1/8oz bass hook.

There are plenty of other options such as the Rapala X-Rap or Mirr-o-lure Mirrodine, but the Flats HQ jerkbait has never failed me and always triggers a strike.

When I take fly fishermen out to fish for them, I’ll always suggest using flies that I’ve tied. Some of my favorite patterns are crab, shrimp, deceiver style, and top-water gurglers. While using artificial baits, remember that it takes patience and a cast with minimal room for error.

Finding the inshore game fish in Estero Bay around this time should not be the difficult part, it is the finding of active and feeding fish that poses the hardship. Tides are more important than ever due to what they are bringing in and carrying out of Estero Bay. The outgoing tide will move out the freshwater from the rivers and the incoming tide will flush in good quality water high in salinity.

You may run out to your favorite bait spot only to find dark brown brackish water that has moved your bait offshore.

Be sure to have a backup plan for when bait is almost impossible to get.

As days get hotter and you’re trying to beat the heat, understand that the fish are doing the same. Explore different fishing techniques for lethargic fish. One of my favorite types of fishing, that I offer as a service in the summer time, is night fishing for snook and tarpon. The cool summer nights of Florida are a great way to spend your time fishing and it always pays

JULY 2016

off. If you do decide to take on this endeavor, don’t forget to pack bug spray or to wear long sleeves. There are trade-offs in the sport of fishing and with night fishing there are no exceptions.

Captain Joe Angius Speakeasyfishing.com (727) 234-3171

JULY 2016

ONLINE EVERY MONTH @

ReaderĘźs photos

Joseph Eubanks with a 31"snook

My name is Will Woodruff, I'm on holiday, from my job in Indonesia, visiting my parents in Nokomis. Very inexperienced angler and so was happy to catch a few fighting bonito off Delray beach with some friends in June. Fish on!

Eric Frank , mutton snapper caught 6/4 at Big Pine Key

WWW.WATERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM

Txt Us Ur Fish Pix!

Paul Swetkoff wrestles a Harbor tarpon

Jack from Venice LA with a Jack

PAGE 15

see page 4

Joe Gallo, Ft Desoto Park, Father's Day snook

Jason Troyano with a Snook

Hi! I caught snook in Charlotte Harbor Cynthia Timmer

My daughter 10 year old daughter Rylee landed this 10lb 6oz Snook at Boca Grande Pass, but we sent her picture to another publication before seeing your rules, but here is me with the fish before releasing it. Thanks.

Send it to us anyway! we said, and he wrote back: Absolutely, your resolution is a lot better and your print too!

BLACK IS THE NEW RED

PAGE

16

Red snapper season arrived in June and Captain Joe Miller knows where they are in the Gulf of Mexico.

On a recent trip out of Venice Inlet, he anchored 50 feet from a ledge more than 60 miles offshore. “I know they are here” he said and he was correct.

Within minutes everyone on board was hooked into keeper size red snapper. But on his third drop, Rick Hall, from Brooksville Florida, encountered a different species. His fish darted for the ledge, but Rick placed his thumb on the spool and manages to slow the strong swimmer just before it could find refuge in the rocks. After several long runs Rick brought in the 34 pound black grouper shown above.

Offshore charters with Captain Joe Miller can be arranged at (941) 237-8050

Matt Liss, with one of the red snappers

EMAIL:

WATERLIFE@COMCAST.NET

JULY 2016

OFFSHORE with Glen Ballinger

The Cobia Brothers

This spring, two brothers, Kyle and Ryan, from Venice Florida, had their first fishing adventure in Venice Louisiana. Capt. Chad from VooDoo Fishing Charters had put the brothers and their friends on tuna, and 8 nice yellowfin were already in the fish box.

Capt. Chad moved to an area known for red snapper since the season for those hard fighting and tasty fish had just opened. A few snapper joined the tuna in the box and the commotion around the boat drew the attention of some cobia.

As a large cobia swam past the bow, Ryan was able to hook-up using

a piece of cut bait. Ryan won the battle and Cap. Chad gaffed the cobia and tossed it in the box. Seeing another cobia, Kyle put his rod in a holder with his just retrieved jig dangling in the water. Kyle tossed a cut bait at the curious fish, however the cobia ignored the cut bait and instead swam over to the dangling jig and grabbed it. Kyle grabbed that rod from its holder and wrestled his first ever cobia to within gaffing distance.

The newly dubbed “Cobia Brothers” had a day on the water they will never forget.

Offshore charters with VooDoo can be arranged at (504) 920-3474

JUST LISTED!

Punta Gorda

UNDER CONTRACT!

Punta Gorda Isles

Call the Captain! Deep Water Sailboat

Big Seawall! Fantastic building lot with oversize seawall at end of cul-de-sac. Access to Ponce Inlet and Alligator Creek. List $179,900

JUST LISTED!

Call the Captain! Executive Style Home On 1/2 Acre Near Marina! Huge Pool/Deck, 2 Masters, Cathedral Ceilings, 2400sfAir, 3 Car Garage, Chef Kitchen, Located in secluded spot close to town! $339,000

Call the Captain! FAST HARBOR SAILBOAT ACCESSHuge Lot- Beautiful Neighborhood! Exceptional sailboat waterfront lot with 100 feet of seawall, deep water and near immediate access to Alligator Creek ! $249,000

HUGE BASIN VIEW

FAST HARBOR ACCESS

Burnt Store Isles

Pirate Harbor

Call the Captain! 105 Feet of Seawall and Large Basin View! This oversize lot will accommodate a large home with a big garage! Beautiful homes and close to town! $254,900

Burnt Store Isles

Call the Captain! Five Minutes To Open Harbor- No Bridges! Perfect lot priced right in an island style neighborhood. Fisherman, nature lovers and kayakers don't want to miss this opportunity! $127,500

SOLD!

Deep Creek

Call the Captain!

Gorgeous Florida Style Home on Large Double Lot! Beautiful 4/2/2 pool home, built in 1987, 2200sfAir perfect for the growing family in quiet neighborhood! Sold $239,900

JULY 2016

ONLINE EVERY MONTH @

WWW.WATERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM

Black Drum: Monster fish to play with

By Fishin’ Frank Water LIFE Baitshop With the rain and the river running hard, filling the Harbor with freshwater, there are plenty of tarpon to go chasing after. The redfish have come out of hiding with good numbers on both the east and west sides of the Harbor, but big fish is what I am thinking. Let's face it, summer time thunder storms are a regular thing, and the wind is blowing hard one day and then OK the next. Planning a trip out into the Harbor is sometimes kind of iffy. So what other big fish can you find in sheltered waters? The monster fish, black drum ...and what a great fish it is.

The black drum has whiskers like the old man of the sea and it likes to hang out back in the canals and around the bridges. Just a month ago there were schools of thousands of these drum from 15 pounds to 60 pounds – the average fish in the school was about 40 pounds. Now the big spawn is mostly over and the black drum are in their summer homes. The I-75 bridge and the 41-Bridges both have a bunch of black drum around their pilings now.

The other places which are full of black drum are the bridges in the P.G.I. canal system. For some reason there are many, many more black drum on the Punta Gorda side of the river than on the Port Charlotte side, probably because the water is deeper and there are fewer openings to the canals in P.G.I., so the water moves faster and stronger going in or out than the canals over in Port Charlotte. I think that is the larger reason there are so many more drum in P.G.I. Black drum are not fussy eaters .. until they are, that is. Think of it this way: if you like, say, Italian food, do you stop at every Italian restaurant you see? No of course not, some times you are just not hungry or maybe you would like just a burger instead. I am sure fish are the

same way. I may like to eat something, just not every day or all day long.

So when would be the best time to be there, when the drum would be eating? I would say half way through a tide, that is when the strongest water movement is and everything is getting stirred up. That’s is your best chance for a good time catching instead of a good day just fishing.

What is the best bait for black drum? No 1 is blue crabs that is the best. I normally cut the crab in half to get more of the smell out in the water. But if there is a bunch of drum they will eat crabs whole.

A black drum has a large crusher plate in the rear of its mouth and can smash a blue crab flat in a couple thumps, making it easier for them to swallow.

Crabs are not the only bait which works well on the black drum. They will eat shrimp, and they may be live or dead, drum don't care, and they will also eat cut fish. I have not done well on whole fish when trying to catch black drum, cut pieces seem to work much better.

The main thing when fishing for black drum on a dayto-day basis, is that it is bottom fishing. The whiskers on the drums lower jaw are there as taste buds, so to speak, or extra smelling devices. Black drum use their whiskers the same way a catfish does, to find food, so something laying on the bottom will get their attention, and if it stinks a bit, so much the better.

Black drum as a rule are not leader-shy, so using a 50 pound test leader is most often OK and even though the fish weigh, on average 40-pounds, they may often be caught on 15-pound test line. It takes time, don't be in a hurry or start tightening your drag, the drag is there as a pressure relief for when the fish pulls too hard. Take it easy and you can land this fish.

I should say that I have had black drum on at the 41-Bridge and they have come to the surface with one big head shake and snapped 50-pound test line like it was sewing thread.

When fighting a black drum it is steady pressure that wins the fight, a big sudden jerk or lots of fast pulling will tell the fish to do the same thing. This fish is muscles. Big head, big shoulders and a huge tail to really put the pressure to you when the fight is on.

PAGE 17

Txt Us Ur Fish! Pat Murphy caught this

healthy black drum last month, fishing with his daughter Shawna at her secret black drum spot ! Third of the week!

So find a canal with a road bridge over it and just toss on the bottom with a 40-pound mono leader about 3-feet long, with enough weight to keep it there (I would say 1 to 4 ounces) and with a 4/0 to 7/0 hook and a chunk of fish the size of your hand or a couple shrimp tails, or (best bet) a half of a blue crab.

Then kick back and wait. When the drum hits it is often slowly moving away from you. If you set the hook and then just hold for a while you stand a very good chance of landing the fish.

Have fun with the drum. If it is a very big fish, when the water is hot, like now, there are often a bunch of parasites in the meat. So for the summer black drum should only be catch and release fishing. Once the water cools down you can go after your black drum dinner. The meat is wonderful, white, flakey, and solid, it’s excellent eating, just wait for the water to get back in the low 70s or colder.

Frank@fishinFranks.com 941-625-3888

PAGE

18

EMAIL:

Venice Jetty for Snook

By Bobby Vitalas Water LIFE Pier Fishing The snook fishing is good at the Venice south jetty right now. I caught this snook in the early morning hours. Snook fishing is out of season in July, so you have to put them back into the water. When casting, I like using artificial lures. This lure that I am using is very effective there at the south jetty. So far I have caught 7 snook on this lure. It is the Berkley Gulp saltwater 3-inch in shrimp color (root beer gold/chartreuse). It comes in a six pack. The good thing about Berkely Gulp is its scent.

The jig head I am using for the artificial shrimp is the D.O.A C.A.L short shank 3/8 ounce with a chartreuse head. Sometimes the water can get really rough. Then, I will go to a 1/2 ounce weight, but most of the time, when the water is calm, I use the 3/8 ounce weight.

If you want to use bait for snook at the jetty, try using live shrimp.

The hook size to use is from 2/0 to 3/0 - Owner or Gamagatsu circle hooks. And, I suggest you use the smallest sinker as possible.

When spin casting with artificial lures, I use 30-pound test SUFIX ADVANCE SUPER LINE (BRAIDED), color (green) as my main line. For my leader line, I use no less than 3 feet of 25-pound test Sufix invisline 100 percent Fluorocarbon leader line. When tying your leader line to the jig head, I suggest you use the RAPALA knot because it will create more action out of the jig. However, when using artificial lures, it does take some practice.

So, have a great time fishing!

WATERLIFE@COMCAST.NET

By Bob Fraser Water LIFE kayaking I have lived in Florida for over 50 years so that you would think by now I would know not to trust the accuracy of the weather report.

Last Friday I cancelled a guided trip because the forecast called for 80-percent chance of rain and winds 15to 25-mph. I called the client and said we need to reschedule. I woke up Friday morning to blue skies and light wind – go figure?

After about an hour I didn’t see any rain clouds in the distance so I told my son, who happened to be off that day, let’s go fishing. We loaded up the kayaks and went to the Gasparilla Sound. The wind was blowing pretty good by the time we got to the launch site. It wasn’t blowing 25 mph as the weatherman predicted but it was probably a steady 15. The sky remained clear while we were fishing, no rain.

Our choice of bait for the day was suspending Mirrorlures. We caught a decent size trout for dinner, should have had two for dinner, but I let one get away at the kayak. We also caught several smaller ones that were released. My son also caught a 17-inch grouper in 4 feet of

JULY 2016

Kayak Fishing Blackburn Point

water; it was released unharmed.

Lesson learned last week don’t call off a fishing trip until the morning of the trip.

On another trip, to Blackburn Point, I took out an experienced kayak fisherman from Atlanta.

We launched about an hour after sunrise. I didn’t have to give him any instructions on kayaking, but I did talk to him about the grass flats and looking for spotty bottom (sandy areas in grass).

He was a very experienced fly fisherman and he tried that

for about two hours without a bite. He said he did see a redfish follow his fly for a short distance before it darted off.

It was a calm day, so I tried a Spook Jr. topwater plug for the first 45 minutes without a strike.

For another two hours, he fished with a spinning rod and reel. We used live shrimp under a popping cork and Zman soft plastics. No takers on the soft plastic, but we caught some trout on the shrimp. My client also caught a few catfish along with the trout.

I managed a couple of fish on a suspending Mirrorlure.

We caught some fish and enjoyed a beautiful day on the water.

Bob Fraser guides kayaking trips. He can be reached at 941916-8303

Don Ball School of Fishing

THANK YOU!

to our 2016 Sponsors

There is still time for YOU to become a sponsor too, and WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!

941-766-8180

941-743-7435

941-815-1758

941-625-1535

941-255-1555 941-637-3800

941-769-3222

941-639-8721

941-743-5299

941-979-9010

941-637-8383

954-927-8361

To become a sponsor and see your name here next month, visit www.waterlifemagazine.com 100% of the money goes to the kids!

JULY 2016

ONLINE EVERY MONTH @

Big Fish Are Everywhere

By Capt. Chuck Eichner Water LIFE Inshore At the end of last month I rode through Boca Grande Pass and only saw a handful of boats on the last of an outgoing tide. This is typically the best tide to catch tarpon and the tarpon boats were gone. For me, this was the signal of great fishing ahead for tarpon….. that’s right tarpon. And for that fact, big fish in general.

Common belief is that tarpon leave the Pass after months of frolicking and then go offshore to spawn.

Sounds good to me, but there are still plenty of tarpon that come and go from the Harbor and beaches. They are hungry and not harassed by other anglers and they are often reckless in taking your bait. The earlier you fish the better chance you will have spotting them on the calm.

July means warm water, 90-degree water on the flats and beaches is not uncommon. The warm water means elevated metabolism’s for all fish and as migratory baitfish swarm the Harbor all fish go into a feeding frenzy on a daily basis. For anglers, there is a lot of competition from all the baitfish swimming around, but a partially injured bait is what they look for, an easy catch.

This the month I often catch the biggest snook, tarpon and redfish inshore, but offshore it’s the same story

for red grouper and snapper; big fish!

To be successful you have to catch bait, that is typically the hardest part of the day. Full time captains are set up on the bait holes as the sun comes up at 6:00 am. That’s an early start, but the bigger bait appears early on the flats, after that the micro-baits will be seen in swarms.

The threadfins that tarpon and snook like are great at running from a cast net in the bright sun, but at dawn they don’t see the net coming.

With tarpon swimming around the Harbor threadfins are the easiest bait to fill the well with. The problem with threadies is the catfish are here in swarms and often you cannot keep them off your bait. About the only tarpon bait that is easy to catch and use is the hardhead catfish. Use the tail end of the catfish with an 8/0 hook, 80-pound test and soak them on the bottom at anchor. Their relatives won’t eat them and tarpon love them.

If you hook-and-line ladyfish you might also be in business, but they usually disappear this month!

Generally, I try to bring threadfins, pinfish, ladyfish and catfish when fishing around the harbor. It is a lot of work filling the well, but with these 4 baits you can target just about anything.

Redfish will school up this month and threadfins fished live or cut work

WWW.WATERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM

great as do pinfish for reds. Big snook will munch these two baits as well!

Sometimes threadfins are hard to catch. Here are a couple of pointers to help you. First, you need a net with 5/8” mesh so it sinks fast. With so much bait of different sizes around you need to have 3 different nets aboard: 1/4”, 3/8” and 5/8”.

Secondly, these baitfish will run from any motor noise. Different schools have different personalities.

Some schools are skittish and some will swim right up to your boat so try different schools and always have a sabiki rig ready in case you can’t net them.

This month, patience, perseverance and a super early start should put “Miller Time” around noon with something really good to talk about!

PAGE 19

If you look closely you will see this fish has a sore jaw.

When dehooking we found another hook inside the fishes mouth with a tag end hanging out. I could tell by the scum on the tag end it had been there a while. We removed the extra hook and ours with no problem.

$2 off any haircut!

Capt. Chuck Eichner operates Action Flats Backcountry Charters and can be reached at 941-628-8040.

PAGE

20

EMAIL:

Mangrove Snapper with Peach & Peppadew Salsa

WATERLIFE@COMCAST.NET

By Nicole Coudal Water LIFE Delicious!

My love affair with sweet piquante peppers (branded as “Peppadews”) started about five years ago. I bought a package at the supermarket deli because they looked interesting and I thought they’d make a nice addition to an olive/cheese platter I was making. How could I have known that I would fall in love with these sweet, mildly spicy little gems, the size of a cherry tomato and the color of a maraschino cherry? If you haven’t tried them yet, pick some up at your local supermarket or deli - they’re wonderful.

My friends and I recently limited out on beautiful American Red Snapper during an offshore fishing trip, but we also nabbed an 11-pound Mangrove Snapper!

Like all varieties in the Snapper family, Mangrove is truly delicious in just about any preparation, and it’s known for its light, sweet and flaky flesh. For this dish, I simply pan-seared the fish and topped it with a fresh salsa made with tasty Peppadews and sweet, ripe peaches -- a perfect complement to this delicious fish.

Enjoy!

P.S. if you're feeling adventurous and want to make something fun (and tasty) to top the dish, thinly slice some flour tortillas and toss the pieces into some hot olive oil until they’re crispy :)

Grouper Snapper Stamp

JULY 2016

INGREDIENTS Salsa: 6-8 sweet piquante peppers (Peppadew), chopped 1 large ripe peach, peeled and chopped 1/2 lime, juiced 1 Tb. flat leaf parsley, chopped 1 Tb. red onion, chopped 1 Tb. celery, chopped pinch kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper Fish: 2 (6-8 oz) Mangrove Snapper fillets (or other light, white fish) pinch kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper 1 Tb. olive oil 1 Tb. unsalted butter INSTRUCTIONS

Combine salsa ingredients in a small bowl then refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat a non-stick skillet to medium/high and add butter and olive oil.

Sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper then place in hot pan.

Cook about 2 minutes, then flip (edges should be crispy). Reduce heat to medium, then cook another 2 minutes on the other side.

Remove from pan and top with salsa.

Please check out www.MyDeliciousBlog.com for more tasty recipes like this. Nicole Coudal

is an avid fishing gal who hails from New England but has lived in SW Florida for 25 years.

MyDeliciousBlog.com showcases her "coastal inspired" cuisine using fresh, seasonal ingredients, from sea to land.

If you like Nicole’s food column, please vote for Nicole’s MyDeliciousBlog in the annual SaveurMagazine blog awards: http://www.saveur.com/blog-awards-2016nominate

will the Gulf be next?

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Councilʼs proposed comprehensive management approach includes options to reduce discards by establishing a federal private recreational snapper grouper fishing season, allowing a limited recreational bag limit for red snapper during the season, use of descending devices and venting tools, changes to size limits, and limiting the number of hooks allowed. The approach also includes requirements for a federal recreational snapper grouper stamp. The Council voted to address options for a limited entry program for the for-hire sector in a separate amendment.

JULY 2016

SCUTTLEBUTT ONLINE EVERY MONTH @

WWW.WATERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM

PAGE 21

Sometimes Unsubstanciated, But Often True

MANATEE ZONE ENFORCEMENT FROM THE AIR FWC Lieutenant Frantz,and other officers participated in a joint Manatee Zone Enforcement detail with US Fish and Wildlife Service Agents during the Memorial Day weekend. Officers patrolled north Charlotte County and observed violations by both air and sea.

During the three-day weekend, approximately 50 citations and 75 warnings were issued by both agencies. Along with the Manatee Zone Enforcement detail, the officers also issued approximately 8 citations and 25 warnings for boating safety and licensing violations. They also responded to multiple fight/disturbance calls on the water throughout the weekend FUTURE IS CLOSE Rolls Royce and its partners in the Advanced Autonomous Waterborne Applications (AAWA) initiative released a white paper on their vision for the future of computercontrolled merchant vessels – and they believe that we will see the first such ship by the end of

the decade. "Autonomous shipping is the future of the maritime industry,” they said.

HED UP... DOWN UNDER The Navy has developed the Divers Augmented Vision Display,

a high-resolution, see-through head-up display, embedded directly inside a diving helmet.

MINT ASIAN CUISINE is brand New in Punta Gorda, in the same shopping center as Elenaʼs, next to the Medicine Shop. Mint is the ownerʼs name. She is from Burma. Sheʼs the real deal. We will soon be ʻregulars.ʼ

THATS My FWC Officers responded to a boating accident involving a vessel and an unknown submerged object in the Caloosahatchee River. The entire outboard had fallen off the transom and into the water. The engine sat on the bottom of the river still connected to the fuel lines and wiring harness. Since the motor was in waist-deep water, the two officers waded into the water and, with the assistance of a volunteer firefighter on scene, were able to put the 125 horse power outboard motor on the deck of the vessel.

erator had tried to conceal. The vessel operaCLOSURE A Charlotte County circuit court tors, who were clearly not expecting to be injudge ordered Gary Ingman and the owners of spected so far from shore, were charged with the Professional Tarpon Tournament Series to multiple criminal fisheries violations. pay nearly $7,000 in attorney's fees, court costs and other expenses to Save the Tarpon SALTWATER ECONOMIC STATS CommerInc. The order comes three years after Ingman cial and recreational saltwater fishing in the and his Silver King Entertainment LLC unsuc- United States generated more than $214 billion cessfully sued for $500,000 in lost sponsorship in sales and supported 1.83 million jobs in and other revenues. The tournament was 2014, according to a new economic report released by NOAA. Saltwater angling sales inbased around a now-illegal tarpon-jig. creased 4 percent from 2013, generating $61 . billion in 2014 and supporting 439,000 jobs.

TOO EASY Officers working in Boca Grande enforcing tarpon regulations observed someone fishing with an ilWith 27,000 cars passing at 50 mph every legal jig. It is illegal to fish with a day, we think there will be accidents here lure that the bait and weight hangs lower than the hook. After speaking with the individual and checking his history the officers educated the man and issued a warning.

NOT FAR ENOUGH Officers stopped a vessel for a fisheries inspection approximately 25 miles southwest of Big Carlos Pass. As they approached the vessel, the operator was seen removing something from a fillet table and throwing it under the transom gunwale. During the inspection, the officers found eight undersized red grouper. They also found a red grouper fillet under the transom gunwale, apparently what the op-

US 41 North

Park Access

How did this sharp turn off a main artery get by FL D.O.T? Charlotte County simply approved its own plans.

NICE PARK, NOT SO NICE ACCESS The new park (we call it Power Pole Park) on the NE side of the US-41 Bridge is only accessible from the northbound lane of the bridge. There is parking for 63 cars, but if you live in Port Charlotte you have to drive south over the Bridge to Punta Gorda and then circle back north to get there.

PAGE

22

EMAIL:

BackBay Xtremes Capt Dave Stephens www.backbayxtremes.com

941-916-5769

Fish With A Guide!

Youʼll catch more fish and youʼll learn something new, too!

WATERLIFE@COMCAST.NET

JULY 2016

July – Predictions and Suggestions

Charlotte Harbor

Frank at Fishin’ Franks 941-625-3888

Redfish are doing pretty good, we have been seeing quite a bit.

They came back through a tear in the time-space-continuum. Like last year when there were no redfish around and while everybody was wondering about them, they just came back. Same thing this year, none and then suddenly there are great numbers on the east side ... and the west side is a close second choice. We now have reds up on the Peace River and at the Myakka Cutoff. The largest reds around are still out in front of Bull and Turtle Bay. Cut bait is your number one bait, dead or partially dead and nasty stinky shrimp are number two. It’s gotta’ smell bad.

Down by Gasparilla and out by the Gulf, live shrimp are the bait, but up in the Harbor some kind of dead bait is the plan. Fish it on the bottom with a jig or just freeline it out. There is really no bad thing to do – just toss it out where the reds are. The thing the jig does is give you more tossing distance.

Snook is number two, literally.

They are scattered everywhere: out on the beaches, up in the rivers, there are just so many snook around. The largest numbers are at Two Pines and around Bull and Turtle Bay.... and along the lower part of the West side. They’re in the more salty areas down there. Maybe it has to do with spawning?

For snook it’s the same basic thing when it comes to bait. If you can find live bait and keep it alive you’re golden, but how do you keep them alive? With the heat and the

salinity changes, if you move from one spot to another they are going to die. More so for the threadfins but sardines too. So if you want to fish live bait, you have to fish where you catch your bait. With artificials for snook, probably the number one choice is the Rapala Ex- Adam Wilson was able to ambush this turtle before she headed back to the deep. “She wasn't shy at treme, but you have to all, she hung out at the surface and let me swim work them slow... that right up to her,” Adam said. Below: diving on an or a Storm Twitch. old shrimp boat wreck in 115 feet.

Out in the Gulf, Spanish mackerel and permit are both on the close-in reefs, three- to five-miles from shore.

One of the new tricks is trolling your normal lures and adding a rattle-trap to the array. I’m not exactly sure why it comes on, that way, but it is very productive. There are also There have been 60- to 80-pounders snapper, grunts, progys – tons of around the bridges, 80 and up in the bottom fish right now.

Harbor holes and in the Peace River There are keeper gags in Boca and Port Charlotte canals the baby Grande and Captiva Pass and then 5-to 50-pounders are there now. you have to go out to 60-to 80 feet Trout continues to be pretty of water to find them again. It’s angood. On the East side, up around other riddle happening... why? the 41-Bridge you’ll find silver Fishing tarpon, you have your trout. Jigs, live or dead shrimp, choice of tarpon places now. Boca doesn’t matter, trout are one of the and Captiva both have tarpon, but few things you can actually bobbertarpon are best along the beaches, fish right now. from Captiva to Venice. The nice At Alligator Creek there are a lot part is, they have also moved back of small sharks that came back up into the deep holes of Charlotte in the Harbor. I think they came Harbor and they are at the 41back in with the tarpon.

Bridges at night. Cape Coral, the Right now there is a lot of shark Caloosahatchee River, Matlacha activity. The river is starting to drop ...any place you have a bridge seems to have some tarpon at night.

Speak Easy Fishing Charters Captain Joe Angius USCG licensed & Insured Phone: (727)

234-3171

speakeasyfishing.com

speakeasyfishing@gmail.com

Tyler's first red grouper.

Bet heʼs got another one by now!

Tommy Tucker, off shore fishing Boca Grande and the Venice area

Lianna Hamsher with a snook almost as big as she is. This 33-incher was a little too heavy for her to hold up.

JULY 2016

ONLINE EVERY MONTH @

The BIG-4

almost a foot a day, so there is less fresh water... which means more sharks.

Black drum are around the Alligator Creek Reef, along with some nice snapper. At the I-75 and 41 -Bridges, at Ponce Park and Bass Inlet... if there is a canal with a car bridge over it, chances are there is a black drum sitting under it – in the Port Charlotte canals, a little less. I don’t know why, maybe it’s the dredging and deeper water in Punta Gorda. Cut blue crab is the best bet bait for black drum. Or fish a 4/0 or 5/0 hook with 4- to 5 shrimp on it. Use the bigger hook and load it up with bait, or try a chunk of squid and a shrimp tail on top. You want something enticing.

Lemon Bay - Placida Jim at Fishermen’s Edge 941-697-7595

People are attempting to fish but bait has been a problem. It’s tough getting pilchrads but shrimp has been good.

There’s been lots of mangrove

TARPON On the beach and in the Deep holes in the Harbor

snapper on the docks toward the Gulf. And a lot of catch and release snook. I have quite a few guys still getting nice pompano.

One guy said there were so many he could have thrown a net on them... but that’s illegal with only a recreational license.

Guys are catching bigger redfish, keepers, up around Lemon Bay Park at night by Bay Park Blvd. Mostly they are fishing with shrimp at night.

Throwing a cork with a shrimp catches nice trout. There have been redfish, and a lot of snook action as well.

Most guides around here try to avoid snook fishing (closed season) and if they do, they want to do it responsibly and let ‘em go alive. Big snook are in the passes and on the beach now too.

There is plenty of shark activity right now. Guys have seen all sorts of sharks; sand sharks, bulls, blacktips, there are sharks everywhere. If you have anything putting out signs of distress, the bull

More Readerʼs Fish Pix txt us UR fish pix!

Fish you can expect in

REDFISH More on the East Side, some on the West Side

July

WWW.WATERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM

SNOOK On the move and eating their way to the Gulf

sharks are going to be ripping the fish to shreds.

For sharks it doesn’t matter what you are fishing with. Some guys like whole bonita or whole mullet. Jacks and rays are big as are ladyfish. The bigger the bait the bigger the shark you’ll get.

Not as many tarpon in the Pass but not as many anglers now either.

With hardly any of the tournament activity this year the guys packed it up and went home.

Offshore fishing has been good.

Grouper and snapper and far offshore exotics like wahoo. Once you’re into blue water stuff like really nice dolphin and true black grouper. Everybody is using frozen bait like mackerel

SHARK following the tarpon into the Harbor

PAGE 23

Gulf Temps are high 80s Fishing is HOT. Stay Hydrated

95˚ 90˚ 85˚ 80˚

Aiden Herzog and friend

and cigar minnows and they are all chumming like mad-men out there, trying to catch those fish.

75˚ 72˚ 70˚ 68˚ 50˚ 45˚

see page 4

21-inches. 7-pounds 14oz. Blue Tilapia caught in a Cape Coral canal while kayak fishing on ultra-light gear. Thanks, Water LIFE, for continuously giving us this great magazine!! Jody Reed Editor says: thank YOU Jody!

Dylan Jordanʼs Stump Pass Inlet snook

Bob Perry shows a beautiful largemouth bass.

FISHING RIGHT NOW:

GREAT

Hello my name is Sean Sileno. I caught this snook near Burnt Store Marina.

PAGE

24

EMAIL:

WATERLIFE@COMCAST.NET

JULY 2016