OUTDOORS

20 THE SUN OUTDOORS MAY 4, 2022

Reel Time on the Road: River of painted rocks

Reel Time

RUSTY CHINNIS

The river’s edge was garlanded with the lime green blush of early spring. Maples, oaks and sourwood trees lined the banks, punctuated with the blossoms of flowering dogwoods, eastern redbud and flame azaleas. The Creek Indians aptly named the river Chattahoochee, or river of painted rocks, a reference to the many colorful stones and rock outcroppings that occur in and along the banks of the river.

Wes McElroy paddled the raft through the shallow rapids, periodically dropping the anchor so Jimmy Harris and I could explore deep pockets on the river’s bottom, where we worked flies and small jigs for shoal bass. This species of bass was only first described as a new species in 1999, having formerly been considered a redeye bass or a subspecies of the redeye bass. Resembling a smallmouth or spotted bass, shoal bass are found predominately in the Chattahoochee, Flint and upper reaches of the Apalachicola rivers, also known as the AFC Drainage, that begins in the mountains of north Georgia and ends in the Gulf of Mexico.

This was my second time exploring this part of the river about 20 miles below the town of Helen, Georgia, where McElroy manages and runs trips for Unicoi Outfitters, north Georgia’s premier fly shop. For many years I had fished the waters near the shop’s private waters on the Chattahoochee for trout. When I inquired about a new experience, McElroy encouraged me to try shoal bass fishing. I did my first trip with him in the fall of 2020, and although we hooked and lost several fish, the action was less than spectacular. When I asked him about shoal bass on my recent trip, he encouraged me to try again. According to McElroy, the bass are preparing to spawn in late April and are easier to target in the areas they congregate prior to the spring ritual. Over the years I have developed a friendship with Harris, Unicoi Outfitters co-owner, and invited him to join us on the float.

We launched McElroy’s inflatable raft at the Route 115 bridge southeast of Cleveland, Georgia, for a five-hour float to the pullout, where the Duncan Bridge crosses the Chattahoochee. After dropping me off with the raft, McElroy took his truck to the takeout, where he met Harris. The two then returned and we slid the raft down a steep embankment to the river’s edge. This trip, we were rewarded with multiple shoal bass on fly and spin tackle and one of the most scenic float trips I have ever taken. The productive fishing was interspersed with slower-moving, less-productive sections of “frog water,” where McElroy encouraged us to sit back and enjoy the scenery.

It took me a few missed strikes to get the hang of hooking these elusive bass, as our guide coached me to feel for the tap, tap of a bite before setting the hook when the pressure was consistent. While not every section of the river produced fish, the ones we caught were “quality” fish, several ranging between 20 and 21 inches. In a run between two pools, I hooked a fish that peeled line off the reel in a number of hard surges, atypical of the more dogged fight of the shoal bass. As it turned out, I had hooked into one of the hard-fighting striped bass that also inhabit these waters. Over the course of the afternoon, we caught and landed numerous bass and had several doubles. This had been an excellent reintroduction to a completely different kind of fishing experience and I eagerly await a rematch.

McElroy can be reached at Unicoi Outfitters at 706-878-3083, and by visiting their website at www. unicoioutfitters.com. If you’re looking for a great day on the waters of North Georgia, whether you're seeking trout, stripers or shoal bass, the guides at Unicoi Outfitters can feed your passion.

RUSTY CHINNIS | SUN

WES MCELROY | SUBMITTED Left, Jimmy Harris, co-owner of Unicoi Outfitters, prepares to release a 20-plus inch shoal bass as Wes McElroy looks on. Right, a hard-fighting striper was a pleasant surprise for Rusty Chinnis on the float trip.

Summer-like conditions signal offshore trips

CAPTAIN DAVE WHITE

The winds have subsided and we seem to be entering our summertime trends here on Anna Maria Island. East winds in the morning and then switching from the west in the afternoons. These conditions make for some stellar offshore fishing trips.

The FWC just announced American red snapper dates for 2022. Charter captains with federal permits will see the season open on June 1 and extend until Aug. 18. For recreational anglers, the dates are as follows: June 17 to July 31; Oct. 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, and 23; Nov. 11, 12, 13, 25, 26 and 27.

We here at Anna Maria Charters have been doing a bit of everything lately. Lots of offshore fishing, with cobia, blackfin tuna, red grouper, mangrove snapper, yellowtail snapper, and African pompano being the main targets.

Tarpon are starting to make an appearance in our area and we will be spending a lot of time inshore for these fish. Inshore, snook, redfish, trout, Spanish mackerel and sharks are being targeted for our anglers. We hope you get out and enjoy this weather! We’ve been waiting on it for a while!

CAPTAIN RICK GRASSETT

Tarpon fishing will take off during May as migratory fish arrive along our beaches. Also look for Spanish mackerel, tripletail, cobia and false albacore (little tunny) in the coastal Gulf. Snook will move into passes and the surf and reds and trout should feed heavily on shallow flats as baitfish become more plentiful. Trout, blues, Spanish mackerel and more should be good options on deep grass flats.

Resident tarpon are usually the first to show up as they make their way out of rivers and creeks. As migratory tarpon start to arrive this month, we should have schools of tarpon moving both north and south along our beaches. Early arriving tarpon may be more aggressive due to less fishing pressure early in the season. Set up in their line of travel and wait for tarpon schools to move past and cast a DOA Baitbuster, a 4” CAL Shad, a live crab or pinfish to them. Once you’ve seen the first school of fish, you can concentrate your efforts in that “lane” since other schools should be following the same route. When they aren’t showing well on the surface, a live bait under a float in their travel lane may score. I’ve also done well blind casting a DOA Baitbuster or Swimming Mullet when there wasn’t much showing on the surface. Be quiet and use your electric trolling motor sparingly. Even though your 4-stroke outboard sounds quiet, it is no substitute for an electric trolling motor. Give other anglers at least several hundred yards of space and keep in mind that fish can be moving either north or south, so setting up too close to

CAPTAIN DAVE WHITE | SUBMITTED Bobby Montgomery of Austin, Texas, and Captain David White, of Anna Maria Charters, show off a healthy red snapper that was released off of Anna Maria Island last week.

another angler may affect their flow of fish.

Fly anglers should do well with a variety of baitfish or crab fly patterns fished on floating or intermediate sink tip fly lines. Staking out or anchoring in shallow water on their travel route should result in some shots at fish. The best angle is a “head-on” shot, followed by a quartering shot. A perpendicular shot may work if it’s timed perfectly, although casting too far beyond their line of travel will usually spook them. I use a push pole with an occasional assist from a trolling motor if I need to adjust my position to make a cast.

Snook and reds remain closed to harvest south of State Road 64 in Manatee County on the west coast of Florida, south to the south bank of Gordon Pass in Collier County. Reds and snook are catch-and-release only in that zone until May 31. Spotted seatrout has reopened in that zone with a three-fishper-person, bag limit and a six-fish boat limit. Trout must be from 15”- 19” with one allowed per vessel over 19”. Full regulations and details can be viewed at https://myfwc.com/ .

Snook will be spawning this month so use tackle heavy enough to catch and release them promptly and handle them gently. Larger snook will mostly be females and should always be supported horizontally rather than hung vertically by the jaw. You’ll find them in passes and in the surf. They will also stage around docks and bridges close to passes. Casting CAL jigs with shad tails and jerk worms or DOA shrimp around docks and bridges close to passes should be effective. Small white flies, like my Grassett Snook Minnow, work well at night. One of the most fun ways to target snook is to walk the beach and cast CAL jigs, DOA Shrimp or flies to them in the surf.

This is one of my favorite months of the year. If battling a big tarpon isn’t for you, there will be plenty of action on both shallow and deep grass flats or in the coastal Gulf. I’ll be spending my time targeting tarpon in the coastal Gulf unless conditions won’t allow it. There is something about casting a fly to a giant fish in shallow water! Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, toxic spills and discharges, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!

With help from several partners, the city of Bradenton Beach planted seven sabal palm trees, three green buttonwood trees and 10 cocoplum shrubs.

BY JOE HENDRICKS

SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH – The city and its partners went all out for this year’s National Arbor Day celebration.

Prior to Friday morning’s Arbor Day ceremony, seven sabal palm trees, three green buttonwood trees and 10 horizontal cocoplum shrubs were planted in the unnamed, city-owned beachfront park across the street from city hall.

Ceremony attendees included members of the Florida Forest Service, the Manatee County Property Management Department, the Bradenton Beach City Commission and Community Redevelopment Agency, the Bradenton Beach Scenic WAVES Partnership Committee, the Anna Maria Island Garden Club, Keep Manatee Beautiful, Modern Woodmen of America and the University of Michigan Alumni Club of Sarasota and Manatee.

While standing in front of the new green buttonwoods, City Commissioner Marilyn Maro read aloud the city’s National Arbor Day proclamation.

“Trees can reduce the erosion of our precious topsoil, cut heating and cooling costs, moderate the temperature, clean the air, produce oxygen and provide habitat for wildlife. Trees are a renewable resource giving us paper, wood for our homes, fuel for our fires and countless other wood products. Trees in our city increase property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas and beautify our community. Trees, wherever they are planted, are a source of joy and spiritual renewal. We urge all citizens to plant trees to promote the well-being of present and future generations and to enhance our community.”

Scenic WAVES Chairwoman Ingrid McClellan said, “Today is the 105th anniversary of Arbor Day and the 11th anniversary of Bradenton Beach being a Tree City USA. We chose this park because it is on the Bradenton Beach Scenic Highway (Gulf Drive), is right across from city hall, and is frequently used by people coming to and from the beach.”

McClellan said Scenic WAVES and AMI Garden Club member Shawn Mayers designed the plantings that will create a nicer aesthetic view for the park, provide more shade and prevent erosion.

McClellan thanked the Florida Forest Service, Manatee County, the Anna Maria Garden Club and Modern Woodmen of America for donating the trees and Keep Manatee Beautiful for donating the cocoplum shrubs.

McClellan said planting costs totaled $3,200 and the Bradenton Beach CRA donated an additional $1,500 to install the drip line irrigation system that’s connected to the BeachHouse restaurant’s irrigation system at no ongoing additional cost to the city. Click said on behalf of Manatee County.

“The garden club makes it part of their plan to help beautify the communities on the Island. We are pleased this year to participate in the Arbor Day celebration for Bradenton Beach,” AMI Garden Club member Gerry Mills said.

“I love how enthusiastic Bradenton Beach is to continually make their area beautiful, not only for their visitors, but also the people who call this home,” Keep Manatee Beautiful Executive Director Jennifer Hoffman said.

Modern Woodmen of America member Bob McDuffie Jr. said he’s been involved with tree plantings from Charlotte County to Manatee County for so long that some of those previously planted trees have now matured into full-fledged shade trees.

“It’s a great privilege to plant trees and see the difference we’re making. When I’m dead and gone, the trees will still be here,” McDuffie said.

Representing the Florida Forest Service, Richard Larsen said, “Happy Arbor Day. We have the green buttonwoods. They’ll provide great shade when they’re mature and they do a great job with carbon sequestration. They are salt-tolerant and love full sun, like many of our residents. We also have the horizontal cocoplums. They’re a very ancient species. They’ll add a nice ground cover and they have an edible berry that benefits a lot of wildlife. And then we have the sabal palmetto, the state tree of Florida. It’s very tolerant to high winds and feels at home on the beach. Everyone came together with the preparation and implementation and this park looks beautiful. Thank you all.”

In honor of the 11-year anniversary, the group then walked across the street to pose for a photo by the Tree City USA sign at city hall.

Members from several local, county and state agencies and organizations were on hand for Friday’s Arbor Day ceremony.

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

CITY OF ANNA MARIA | SUBMITTED Richard Larsen, Jennifer Hoffman, Ingrid McClellan, Deanie Sebring, Carol Carter and Dan Murphy planted a Simpson Stopper tree at City Pier Park Friday afternoon.

Anna Maria celebrates Arbor Day

In recognition of National Arbor Day, the city of Anna Maria planted a Simpson Stopper tree at City Pier Park. The tree, planted on April 29, is one of several Simpson Stoppers planted in the park over the years at the recommendation of the late Michael Miller, whose landscaping designs can be found throughout Anna Maria Island, according to City Commission Chair Carol Carter.

“It’s the 13th successive year we have observed Arbor Day in the city of Anna Maria,” Carter said.

Friday’s ceremony included Mayor Dan Murphy reading aloud the city’s Arbor Day proclamation. Ceremony attendees included representatives from the Florida Forest

CITY OF ANNA MARIA | SUBMITTED Mayor Dan Murphy proclaimed Friday as National Arbor Day in the city of Anna Maria.

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Increase planned for fire assessment rate

Rates are potentially increasing by 4% for property owners in WMFR’s district.

BY KRISTIN SWAIN

SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com

BRADENTON – West Manatee Fire Rescue’s board of commissioners is making plans for the next fiscal year, including considering raising rates for property owners.

Commissioners met on April 19 for a budget work session to see what shape the district’s finances are in at the mid-point of the fiscal year. Another talking point was making financial plans for the coming year, which have to be finalized ahead of the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year.

During the work session, Chief Ben Rigney said all of the district’s finances were about where they needed to be at the halfway point for the fiscal year. A review of the finances showed that 91.52% of the district’s budgeted income had been received, with only $687,533 outstanding of $8,222,287 in planned revenue. Expenses, including worker salaries, were at 56.47% in April, with $3,579,020 left to spend before the fiscal year end of a planned $8,222,287 in expenses for a break-even budget.

With that in mind, along with planned salary increases for the district’s personnel and the addition of a new training officer, Rigney proposed that commissioners vote to increase assessment rates for the coming year by 4%.

If adopted during the May board meeting, the 4% increase would push WMFR’s assessment revenue up to $8,196,469 from $7,881,220 in the current fiscal year, a difference of $315,249.

WMFR’s assessments are determined by the size of the building on a property, so the assessed value of a home or commercial building, as determined by the Manatee County Property Appraiser’s office, does not factor into how the district’s rates are calculated.

With the 4% increase, residential property owners could expect to see their base rate increase from $203.35 to $211.48. An additional $0.1247 per square foot over 1,000 square feet also would be assessed. For a 2,000-square-foot home, the assessment rate would be $336.22, an increase of $12.94 over the 2021-22 fiscal year.

Commercial property owners within the district would also see a 4% increase, pushing the base rate up to $525.59 from $505.38. With a $0.2276 rate addition per square foot over 1,000, a 2,000-square-foot commercial building would have a total assessment rate of $753.19, a $28.96 increase over the current year.

The proposed rate hike will cover an increase in costs and help build reserves to pay for large purchases, such as a new fire truck. It will also help pay off the district’s debt for the Station 1 rebuild on 63rd Street, which occurred a few years ago. In several years, commissioners also will have the option to raise rates to the maximum allowable amount. For the coming 2022-23 fiscal year, the maximum allowed increase would be 6.78%, according to the personal income growth number for the year. Commissioners showed no interest in increasing rates to the maximum allowable amount, though Commissioner Al Robinson asked Rigney to bring back a resolution to consider at the May meeting that would have no increase to taxpayers.

While Rigney said it was possible to not increase assessment rates at all, it would significantly deplete the district’s reserves, potentially resulting in higher increases for property owners in future years.

Commissioners will consider and vote on a 4% increase and zero increase during their May 17 meeting.

KRISTIN SWAIN | SUN WMFR’s board of commissioners listen to a budget proposal for the 2022-23 fiscal year from district staff.

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FEELING GOOD ABOUT CELEBRATING MOTHER’S DAY

Sister restaurants the Sandbar, Beach House and Mar Vista partner with the Gulf Coast Oyster Recycle & Restoration Project ter and clam shells to help restore the local coastal marine environment. According to Robert Baugh of the Chiles Group, owners of the three restaurants, “ultimately, we will take what is normally discarded and use it in a manner that is most conducive to the growth and development of new oyster grounds in the surrounding local waters.” The program has reached an impressive milestone surpassing 60,000 pounds of oyster, clam and mussel shells collected from the three Chiles Group restaurants.

Environmentally conscious choices can have a big impact. Skip the straw and reduce waste that can litter the Gulf of Mexico. Choose restaurants that feature locally sourced seafood as often as possible for the impact to the region for jobs. And from the has been wild caught or farmed with both health of the oceans as top priorities. With Mother’s Day this week— one of the most celebrated holidays and one of the busiest days for restaurants around the globe—the Sandbar and Beach House on Anna Maria Island and Mar Vista on Longboat Key are excellent choices for families that not only care about Mom but also care about Mother Nature. The blueberry cheesecake pictured below is a favorite at the waterfront restaurants and a perfect ending to a fresh dinner with Mom.

Some say every day is Mother’s Day and every day is Earth Day. When choosing the Sandbar, Beach House, and Mar Vista, feel good about celebrating Mom and Mother Nature.

The Anna Maria Island Privateers invite everyone to bring their bike, Jeep, party bus or cool car to join in their Shiprek Poker Run on Sunday, May 15. Registration begins at 9 a.m. at Peggy’s Corral. The ride begins at 10:30 a.m. with the first stop at the Fraternal Order of Eagles #2756. The second stop is Compass at Margaritaville, then it’s off to Tarpon Bay Grill & Tiki Bar with the final stop at the Palmetto Moose #2117, which will also hold the afterparty. The first hand is $20 and additional hands will be $10. First place wins a treasure chest of spirits valued at $450, second place wins a $200 Visa gift card and third place wins a fistful of gift cards from local food and beverage venues valued at $150. For more information, visit amiprivateers. org or call Maz at 941-650-8673. The Privateers are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with proceeds going to the Shipwreck Scholarship Fund.

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