Coastal Angler Magazine | October 2020 | Ft. Lauderdale Edition by Coastal Angler Magazine

FORT LAUDERDALE AREA EDITION

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FLATS FISHING INSIDE:

• Local Reports • Running of the Bulls • Fall Migrations PHOTO COURTESY OF GILLZ GEAR VOLUME 25 • ISSUE 307

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Four Destinations To Get Your

Flats Fishing Fix By CAM Staff

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALPHONSE FISHING COMPANY/WWW.ALPHONSE-ISLAND.COM

here’s no experience in fly fishing like standing on the deck of a skiff and watching for shadows that belie cruising fish. Sight casting saltwater flats is a pursuit that lies somewhere between biggame hunting and angling. For many anglers it is the ultimate expression of the sport. The following are four destinations that offer some of the best flats fishing in the world. Whether you seek the visceral thrill of leaping tarpon, the bone-jarring speed of giant trevally or the finesse and skill it takes to hook bonefish and permit, these places should be part of every angler’s bucket-list.

The Bahamas

No other island chain in the world has so completely associated itself with a single species of fish as the Bahamas. This 1,000-mile-long archipelago is bonefish heaven, and it has supported generations of famous fly fishing guides on more than 500 square miles of mostly hard-bottomed flats. There’s a reason the Bahamas are so famous for bonefishing. From Grand Bahama and the Abacos in the north all the way down to Long Island and Acklins in the south, there are more than 700 islands. Each little cay supports its own flats, which all offer perfect habitat for bones and perfect environs for fly fishing. Another great thing about bonefishing the Bahamas is easy access to the fishery. The islands are a quick hop from southern Florida, and every inhabited island has its own bonefish lodges. From swanky resorts to beachfront huts, there’s something for every type of angler, and the fishing is varied as well. Whether you seek the challenge of big wary fish or you’d rather have fun catching numbers, you’ll find it somewhere in the islands—and Bahamian guides are legendary for their skill and hospitality.

Seychelles

Out in the middle of the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa, the Seychelles are an

archipelago of 115 islands that offer some of the most remote and beautiful flats in the world. With a strictly managed fishery, the atolls of the Seychelles are teeming with fish, and the out islands offer flats that few anglers have ever seen. It’s one of the few remaining destinations where the fishing experience cannot be oversold. Bonefish are big, numerous and lightly pressured, so they will readily take a fly. But traveling anglers should go geared up for multiple other exciting flats inhabitants. From high-flying milkfish to powerful giant trevally, there’s really no place on the planet that offers such a diverse and exotic cast of characters. And you’ll be sight fishing for all of them, either wading or poling gorgeous shallow-water flats.

Belize

If permit are your passion, you’d be hard pressed to find a better place to chase them than Belize. This little English-speaking nation,

wedged in on the Caribbean between Mexico and Honduras, lays claim to what just might be the world’s best permit fishery. Belize is small. You could fit the entire country within Florida six times, and its population density is the lowest in all of Central America. These statistics explain the unspoiled nature of Belize’s forests, flats and beaches. Punta Gorda, on the southern coast, is the headliner destination for permit devotees. Yes, there are opportunities for tarpon, snook, bonefish and jacks, but the abundance and size of permit is astounding. Now, that abundance doesn’t make individual permit any easier to catch. It does, however, mean an angler will have numerous shots to get everything just right, which is a necessity when it comes to hooking permit on a fly.

The Florida Keys

No such list would be complete without mention of the Keys. The Florida Keys are the birthplace of backcountry fly fishing, and for decades the waters within the Gulf-side curve of this island chain have provided some of the best shallow-water fishing in the world. The more than 1,000-square-mile expanse of Florida Bay is a vast shelf lagoon, where bays, channels, flats and small islands exist in the mix of warm Gulf waters and freshwater seeping in from the Everglades. A skiff with a captain opens up a world of mud and grass flats to spot and cast to fish. Even an angler in a kayak could explore the mazes of mangrove islands. And there’s no telling what fish you might encounter. The summertime tarpon run is legendary. Bonefish and ever-difficult permit cruise the flats. Big snook and redfish are also potential sight-fishing targets. It’s a place where even big sharks have been known to take a fly. From the eastern United States, the Florida Keys are a no-hassle flats experience, and the fishing can be spectacular.

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

11:34 AM

OCTOBER 2020

NATIONAL 5

FOUR TIPS FOR

very river is its own enclosed ecosystem. The specifics rarely translate from one fishery to the next when it comes to trout fishing. But there’s at least one thing you can count on when the first cold fronts roll in and autumn leaves color the banks of our mountain trout streams: the fishing will be good. The small window between hot summer and cold winter is a trout’s opportunity to fatten up for the lean months. But nature is not kind. Fall does not bring massive hatches of meaty mayflies like spring. Feeding opportunities can be sparse, which forces trout to be opportunistic. It is advantageous for anglers. Here are some general guidelines to remember when you’re fishing for trout in fall: 1) Conditions: Although water temperatures are cooling, levels remain low and clear in most streams. This makes trout wary. Wade stealthily and use longer, thinner leaders to avoid spooking fish.

all F TROUT By CAM Staff

2) Meat Theory: Trout pack on weight in fall, particularly brown trout, which are also fueling up for the spawn. Consider fishing larger flies than you normally would to give them a mouthful they can’t refuse. Streamers target the largest, most aggressive fish in a run. Large articulated streamers might seem outlandish, but they’re the deal if you’re willing to sacrifice numbers for size. Use a loop knot to tie streamers to tippet, it’ll give your fly more

PHOTO BY NICK CARTER

action, and consider an intermediate sinking line or a sink-tip to get your streamers down. Fluorocarbon leaders are also a good idea for stripping big streamers or drifting heavy stonefly nymphs through deep holes. Fluorocarbon sinks, and its abrasion resistance helps your rig stand up to the rock and wood you’ll encounter. 3) Spawning Browns: Brown trout run upstream to spawn this time of year. That means big browns show up in places you wouldn’t normally expect. Go ahead and fish the deep undercut at the tail-out of a pool, but look to the head of the run, too. There might be a giant butterbelly up in the riffles getting ready to move up the creek.

4) Dry Flies: If you just have to fish a dry fly, most of the topwater action will go on in the afternoon and evening. Terrestrials that carried fish through the summer are still a primary food source until the first hard frost. Be sure to carry hoppers, beetles and ants. Some areas see hatches of October Caddis, also called Autumn Sedge. These big orange bugs are mostly nocturnal, but trout will be looking for them. Other than that, most fall insect life is small. Blue-winged olives and midges are what trout rise to when cool weather settles in. Bring your box of size 18-24 BWOs and Griffith’s Gnats. Try fishing them behind a large, high-floating attractor pattern so you can track those tiny flies on the water.

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The Mystery of Silver Bullion A coin’s value is often tied to its rarity. One way to determine a coin’s rarity is by its mint mark—a small letter indicating where a coin was struck. Since Silver Eagles are almost always produced solely in West Point, the coins don’t feature one of these mint marks. But this year’s Silver

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BULL REDFISH On theFly I

By CAM Staff

t’s a special time of year for anglers who specialize in redfish on fly tackle. For the next couple of months, bull reds from the Carolinas to the Texas Gulf Coast will be on the move. Invigorated by cooling waters and the spawn, they run inshore to stack up in the passes and along the beaches. They’ll even push up into the marshes to feed with their smaller cousins. It’s the time of year to trade your 7-weight fly rod for a 9-weight, because the chance of hooking into a 20- to 40-pound redfish is better now than at any other time. In the South Carolina Lowcountry, big reds are herding adult shrimp on shallow mud flats. In the world famous Louisiana bayous, bulls are visible cruising and crunching crabs on the bottom. All along the Gulf and southern Atlantic coasts, anglers seek diving birds with binoculars. The schools of hungry redfish pushing baitfish from beneath are primed and ready to eat a fly. Those new to saltwater fly fishing will find that redfish are a very good place to start. Although the pursuit requires some stealth in terms of boat handling or wading, the fish are not leader shy and rarely spook at errant casts or line hitting the water. These are not wary bonefish that run from shadows. Catching red drum does require quick, accurate casts, but this time of year generally provides anglers with numerous shots at fish. One of the great thing about reds is they are aggressive and opportunistic feeders. Fly selection is a matter of matching the predominant forage where

you’re fishing, but generally they will eat most anything that runs away. Crab, spoon, shrimp and baitfish patterns all work, and the local fly shop will clue you in to the top producers. These flies are frequently tied in highly visible colors with flash and rattles. The key is put your fly in front of a redfish and then get its attention. You have to provide action for the fish to take notice, and seeing a fish react to your bait is extremely exciting. It’s one of the things that make reds on a fly so much fun, even for veterans of the mud flats. As a rule, you’ll want to keep the fly moving with short, quick strips. Let sinking flies bounce on the bottom to kick up mud. Whether it’s a waking dorsal fin, the violent parting of marsh grass or a shadow streaking across the bottom, you’ll know it when a big redfish homes in on your fly. At that point, you can slow it down, but keep that bait twitching. Let the rattles, flash and undulating feathers do their work. Strip-set hard on the take and PHOTOS BY NICK CARTER let the fish put a bow in the rod before giving another jolt to make sure the hook is home. You’ll soon realize why you needed a large arbor reel with a smooth drag and 100 yards of backing. A 20-pound bull red is going to seriously test a 9-foot leader tapered from 40 down to 15 or 20 pounds. It’s the kind of struggle that’ll bring you back for more.

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FREE-FALL U.S.A. The Rebel Series from the Last Frontier to the Southernmost Point

PHOTO BY PAUL PLASCJAK

he Rebel series’ reputation for being the ultimate Alaskan anchoring machine precedes itself. Churning out ultra-thin dyneema cord at impressive free-fall speeds in the North Pacific from Oregon to Alaska, the “Alaskan-tough” anchoring solution is not isolated to the rugged beauty of America’s last frontier where it was made most famous; its true free-fall capabilities are utilized for charter businesses and recreational boaters who set sail from the extreme north of Fairbanks all the way down to the southernmost islands of the Florida Keys. One example rests in Paul Plascjak, who splits his time between Maryland and Florida. No stranger to boating, the retiree docks his 1985 Bertram 30 Flybridge Cruiser at his Key Colony Beach residence where the Rebel EZ-5 drum anchor winch is comfortably perched on the bow of the 31-foot vessel. “All of us old guys with bad backs are sick and tired of all the old piece of crap windlasses that we have had to repair and cuss at all these years,” Plascjak said. “We just want to go fishing and keep the kids safe!” Proudly nestled at the front of the bow, the complete stainless steel anchor winch simply requires a two-second push from the helm or wireless remote. Gravity does the rest! Paul’s installation consists of 230’ of ⅝” rope combined with a homemade rock anchor. He says that the Rebel EZ-5 could “easily take another 60’ to 70’ of line,” if needed. It’s no wonder Paul’s neighbors are absolutely “envious” of the ease of use Paul experiences when they inspect the “beautiful” jam-free, time-saving anchoring installation. “A friend across the canal was hammering on his windlass last night trying to get it to grip the chain,” Plascjak emphasized in a summer e-mail to the

E-Z Anchor Puller team. “I loudly expounded on the virtues of your reliable drum winch with the free-fall capability [and] it’s looking prettier to the neighbors every day!” The Rebel’s spool design and internal spring around it’s drive shaft provides constant pressure on the braking plate, so Paul never has to worry about rope backlash or tangling while his Rebel churns out the anchor, rope and chain combination down to the seabed. Paul says E-Z Anchor Puller has greatly improved his recreational experiences and that the manufacturing company makes safe boating and fishing in the Florida Keys possible. Paul’s personal installation is right in the ballpark of the 2020 manual recommendation for rope and chain configuration: the EZ-5 is conservatively rated for 275’ of ⅝” rope plus an additional 20’ of ⅜” chain by the company.

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NATIONAL 11

THE BASICS FOR

A BETTER DAY

OFFSHORE By CAM Staff

PHOTO COURTESY OF FISHINGNOSARA.COM

he habits you bring to the boat can be as important as all the gear and knowledge in the world when it comes to catching fish. Whether you’re the guy with a new boat just figuring it out or a seasoned tournament captain whose main duty is to shout at the crew, developing good routines and fishing with the right mindset leads to better days on the water.

Here are a few tips that might help:

Get Organized. We all know the gear guy who loads everything and the kitchen sink in the boat. We’ve also been with this same guy when the last 8/0 circle hook breaks off in a big gag grouper. He’s got a fresh pack of 4/0 hooks under the seat from the last time he went scamp fishing with sardines, but that just won’t do for the big pinfish in the baitwell. You’re left looking in the cup holders for an appropriate hook while the fish are down there waiting to be caught. Keeping your tackle—and all your other gear—well organized makes you a better angler because you’ll have what you need when you need it. Not only will your tackle remain rust free longer in waterproof storage boxes with compartments, these handy trays tell you at a glance when you need to restock the items you use most. Be Prepared. Pre-rig leaders and ready the gear you plan to use the night before a trip. Check the latest reports, gather local intel, follow the weather and use a service like Sirius XM’s Fish Mapping to keep up with what’s going on before you leave the dock. Having a plan puts you on the fish quicker so you’ll be there when the bite turns on. But offshore fishing is also about adapting to circumstances on the water. The best anglers recognize and react to opportunities as they arise. This requires planning for what might happen on top of what is expected. Make sure you’ve got rigs, tackle and lures handy for when bottom fishing becomes chasing birds. Keep It Simple. Whether you’re trolling or sinking baits, know the limits of your crew. More lines in the water does not always equate to more fish on the deck. It takes an experienced and aware bunch of anglers to deploy and man complicated trolling spreads. Even a simple drop can come confusing when there are multiple fish on the line and unmanned rigs on the rails. One of the best ways to have an enjoyable and productive day on the water is to spend less time untangling snarls and more time fishing. Knowing how to avoid aggravation and wasted time is a skill in itself, and the first step is to keep it simple.

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FLORIDA 3

EMILY HANZLIK

By CAM Staff

MEET A 15-YEAR-OLD WITH MULTIPLE WORLD RECORDS W

Q: How much do you fish?

Q: What’s your process for going after a record? A: First, it depends on what time a year it is and what is biting. Then I’ll look at the records for that species and target the lightest fish weight of all the line classes for that species. Then I move to the next lightest and work my way up until I have them all. I currently hold all the female line class records for bowfin.

Q: How did you get involved in the quest for IGFA world records? A: I got involved in the quest from my dad. He’s lived in Florida his whole life and has fished for records for many years. He has been unable to secure any for himself. I already had a head start since he’s been hunting down records for years and already knows all the good spots.

4 FLORIDA

OCTOBER 2020

A: I fish two days during the week and one during the weekend. I would fish more, but school is in the way. When I go fishing after school, it’s normally the little freshwater canals around the house, or we try hurrying to the beach for a few hours.

Q: Do you enjoy any other sports/ activities or are you just an outright fishing fanatic? A: I really love anything involving the outdoors; everything is just so calming. When I can’t get outside, I am inside playing video games, anything from Modern Warfare to Sims 4.

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Emily Hanzlik’s latest pending world record is a women’s line class record for this 35-pound, 6-oz. jack crevalle.

Q: Any crazy stories to go along with your record catches? A: The best story has to be the 7-pound, 12-ounce largemouth bass I caught on 12-pound test. My grandfather had just passed, and my dad received a bunch of old tackle, including a vintage Johnny Rattler by Rhoden, still in the box. Not wanting to sell it and not being much of a collector, my dad decided to open it and let me give it a try. It was a bass magnet. After a few trips of landing lots of nice bass on it, I landed that beauty, and it is still my biggest today. After posting a picture of it on my social media @emilhanzlikoutdoors, I was contacted by the son of Mr. Rhoden, who saw it. I now consider him a friend.

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hen she was a toddler, 15-year-old Emily Hanzlik showed an unusual interest in fishing the freshwater canals of West Palm Beach. With encouragement from her family and a father who enjoys taking her, that early interest developed into a full-blown quest about three years ago. Today, Emily is a sophomore at Seminole Ridge High School with an impressive 29 IGFA world records, 20 of which are currently standing. A 35-pound, 6-ounce jack crevalle she recently landed from the beach while shark fishing stands to set a new women’s line class world record. If it’s approved, she’ll have 30 world records to her name, and she’s barely even getting started. It’s safe to say Emily is one heck of a young angler. The following is a question and answer session about her quest for world records.

Q: Of your 29—soon to be 30—IGFA records, what’s your favorite? A: I would say this jack record. I’ve always wanted an official women’s line class record in saltwater. But I don’t really think about it as records. I just go to enjoy fishing and get records along the way… but the bigger the better.

Q: Which record are you gunning for next? A: The next record I am shooting for would have to be blacktip shark. I can’t really get started on that until the mullet get here, but once they show up, it is game on! Q: What is your dream fishing trip? A: I would go back to Costa Rica. The country is so beautiful, and the people are so friendly. Not only is it an amazing place, the fishing is even better. I definitely need to go back and try for the roosterfish record on 2-pound test. Q: Anything else you want to say to the other anglers reading this? A: As the need for more support for conservation grows, so does the importance of educating and engaging all of the new anglers of all ages in our sport. While you are out there enjoying the sport, take time and educate new anglers. Teach them how to tie a knot, rig a bait, properly release a fish, etc. Let’s help them enjoy it too. The more anglers we retain, the better we all will be long term.

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FLORIDA FLATHEAD RECORD FALLS AGAIN

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t’s pretty safe to say that Yellow River is the hot spot for big Florida flatheads. For the second time in a little over a year, the Panhandle river has produced a new state-record flathead catfish. This time the record fell to a fish that weighed nearly 70 pounds. Lavon Nowling, of Santa Rosa County, has fished the Yellow River for as long as he can remember. He’s caught plenty of big catfish, but none came close to the size of the monster that recently picked up his live bait. Weighing in at 69.9 pounds and measuring a little longer than 4 feet with a girth of more than 3 feet, Nowling’s fish barely edged out the previous record, a 69.3-pounder caught last year from the Yellow River by Marvin Griffin. “I’ve caught some good ones before this fish, but none of them were more than 54 pounds,” said Nowling. “I’ve been fishing since I was old enough to hold a pole and have been fishing on Yellow River as long as I can remember.” Nowling took his catch to the FWC’s Blackwater Hatchery near Holt, where biologists weighed it on a certified scale. “I’ve been deep sea fishing to creek fishing and I never expected to catch a state-record fish,” said Nowling. “That day I was fishing for channel catfish, and can’t believe I caught a huge flathead. I was in the right place at the right time.” Flathead catfish are a nonnative fish found in many northwest Florida Panhandle river systems. Flatheads prefer long, slow-flowing, moderately turbid rivers. Their solitary lifestyle makes them more difficult to catch than other catfish. Flatheads are also generally more predatory than other catfish species. While blue and channel catfish are typically caught with cutbait, adult flatheads feed primarily on live fish, crawfish, freshwater clams and mussels. It wouldn’t be too surprising to see the Florida flathead record fall again. Although giants like Nowling’s are rare, flatheads do grow much larger than 70 pounds. The world record was caught from Elk City Reservoir in Kansas in 1998. It weighed a staggering 123 pounds. To properly certify a new freshwater Florida state record, an FWC employee must witness its weighing on a certified scale and a biologist must identify the species. Anglers can check the current state records at BigCatchFlorida.com by clicking on “State Record,” and should notify the nearest FWC regional office if they believe they have caught a record fish. Contact information for FWC regional offices can be found at MyFWC.com/ Contact by clicking on “Contact Regional Offices.”

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F L O R I D A

DIVING THE DANNY MCCAULEY MEMORIAL REEF

These are fitting adornment for the ship that will become the Danny McCauley Memorial Reef. Within minutes, the Danny traveled 75 feet to the bottom. Everything went smoothly. Back at the surface, divers are already suiting up to check things out and recover the GoPro cameras mounted on board to record the sinking. (See the footage at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nly97M2kwT8). The old derelict settling into the sand is far from pretty. The ship, gutted and opened up to make it diver-friendly, is covered in rust and peeling paint. But the sea will change that. Although the process of assimilation is slow, it begins immediately. Fish take up occupancy. Unseen, tiny sessile organisms land on its surfaces to lay the foundations for the carpet of life that will eventually engulf the wreck. The Danny’s makeover starts. Today, as wrecks go, the Danny is in its prime. After seven years, divers will find its structure now softened by sponges, sea anemones and gorgonians. Goliath groupers reside in its recesses. It now belongs to the sea. The interior, so carefully prepared for safe diving, still entices divers with easy and safe exploration. Wheelhouse, cabin and below-deck areas are readily accessed, and you are never out of sight of daylight. Divers will find plenty to occupy themselves on the Danny—checking out its two unique crosses and boldly lettered stern, cruising its interior spaces, and stalking goliath groupers. Staying on the wreck also offers the benefit of shelter from the current that is usually running there. However, there’s a second attraction nearby. Just a short distance away lies Andrea’s Reef. This small artificial reef, created in 2016, is definitely worth a visit. Where else are you going to find a 60,000-pound concrete mermaid? Need another reason to dive the Danny? Location. It’s less than two miles north of the Palm Beach inlet, close to the middle of the standard Palm Beach County dive sites. On a two-tank charter trip, you can easily reach a variety of The stern leaves no doubt you’re diving the Danny McCauley Memorial Reef. interesting wrecks or reefs with a reasonable run during your surface interval. If you don’t have nitrox certification yet, a PADI Enriched Air Diver t was Feb. 22, 2013. Exactly a year earlier, Danny McCauley, a West Palm specialty course is worth the investment. Like much of Palm Beach diving, Beach teenager, died in a car accident. Now, a 110-foot tugboat—formerly the Danny is at a depth where nitrox can significantly boost your noknown as Pocahontas—slips beneath the waves. It has a new name, decompression bottom time. “DANNY,” spelled out in bold, iron letters welded across its stern. Give Pura Vida Divers a call at (561) 840-8750 to check out The ship bears two crosses—a simple one with the inscription “RIP DLM” upcoming trips or to look into an enriched air course. mounted above the cabin, and a Celtic cross on the roof of the wheelhouse.

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FROM THE

PUBLISHER

ctober has always been one of my favorite months to fish here in South Florida. We are past the dog days of summer which means water temperatures will begin to cool and fishing should dramatically improve inshore and offshore. By the time this issue hits the street, the inshore bite should be on fire with the mullet run in full swing. This is great news for all of the snook and tarpon guys out there. Our local beaches will provide prime opportunities as the mullet make their way south towards Miami. The inlets should be filled with non stop action too, especially on the tide changes. Don’t forget about targeting big jack crevalle around docks and seawalls as they can’t resist a live mullet. Offshore, there should be plenty of dolphin around as there have been good numbers of fish over the last few weeks. The wahoo bite should be really good a few days before and after the new and full moons, especially on the outgoing tides. Sailfish action will be picking up too and will only get better over the next several months. Night fishing for yellowtail and mangrove snapper should also be outstanding. Remember that if you chum, they will come! On another note, be sure to get out and vote on Tuesday, November 3rd. Besides the Presidential election there are many other races that are just as important. I urge you to take the time to educate yourself on the candidates and issues so you can make informed decisions. Get out there and vote. It’s your voice and it counts. Keep reelin,

GENE DYER

Editor & Publisher Coastal Angler Fort Lauderdale fortlauderdale@coastalanglermagazine.com (954) 680-3900

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FORECASTS

SPORT

FISHING

he long, hot summer is coming to an end and the autumn fish are beginning to move through. October marks the beginning of the sailfish season here in Fort Lauderdale. One of the most sought after gamefish in the world, sailfish have put South Florida on the map as a world class fishing destination. From October through February, multitudes of sailfish will migrate along our coastline, concentrated heavily in depths from 100 to 200 feet. Kite fishing along this water column, which we call 'Sailfish Alley', provides really good chances at catching sailfish during the next few months. We're already starting to catch our first few sails of the season.

DRIFT

FISHING

really like drift fishing the reefs this time of year. The action is great and there is such a variety of fish biting this season. Kingfish are biting pretty good on the morning trips, along with some bonito, yellowtail snapper and red grouper. The kingfish seem to slack way off during the afternoons, so we've been heading out to deeper waters during the later hours of the day. Deep dropping for vermillion snappers has provided some great action for us. The vermillion snapper have been big, fat ones with some reaching 5 pounds. Mutton snappers are biting really well on our afternoon trips too and also very nice sized between 8 and 10 pounders.

Offshore fishing is finally picking up. We've had a slow summer on dolphin, but some recent good catches offshore have me starting to think that dolphin fishing is about to get really good. Our last offshore trip brought in a pair of 25 pounders, plus a dozen schoolie size dolphin and 3 wahoo, all caught together as a triple header. Cobia and some slob warsaw grouper are also biting around the 200 to 300 foot deep shipwrecks. There will be some monster game fish biting throughout the next few months. This time of year provides some real opportunities to catch a giant. Tight lines everyone.

Big amberjack caught by this lady angler while fishing with New Lattitude Sportfishing.

CAPT. NICK COLOSI New Lattitude Sportfishing (954) 707-2147 www.NewLattitude.com

The night bite is really good for yellowtails in October. On the night trips, we always anchor up and chum. If you have a good feel for the bite, you can catch your limit on yellowtails on most any night. A lot of the tails we're catching are 1 to 2 pounders, but mixed in, we'll also catch our biggest flag yellowtails of the year during the next couple months. Cobias are starting to bite with some regularity. They are all over the reefs and wrecks this season with most fish between 20 and 40 pounds. Cobia are great eating and really fun to catch. It's always exciting to throw one of them in the boat. Good luck to everyone fishing out there. Sea ya on the water.

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Lucky angler with a tasty African pompano caught aboard the Catch My Drift.

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BY CAPT. RYAN PALMER he use of planers has been around for decades. I can remember my father using them on his charter boat back in the late 1970’s out of the Castaways docks. Back then most captains would pull them using wire lines. Fast forward forty years and the wire line is no longer needed thanks to small diameter braided lines. There are many ways to fish with planers and I’ll cover the two mostly used techniques but before that I’ll go over what tackle is needed. Pulling planers can put serious pressure on tackle, so your average trolling combo may not cut it. You can use anything from a 4/0 Penn Senator to a 50W or even an electric reel. The ideal rod would be a 6 to 7 foot heavy rod with a roller tip. Braided line is key in order to trip and reset your planer and since there’s no stretch, it will get the planer deeper into the water column. Star drags are ok but a lever drag system works better when using a larger planer or when

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trolling at a faster speed. The lever works best because you can quickly back the drag off when you first notice a strike. This increases your catch rate by lowering the chance of ripping the hook out early. This can be done with a star drag, just not as fast. I get asked a lot about trolling speed and my answer is always to look at your baits and let them tell you what’s working. This isn’t as easy when planer fishing. My preferred speed is anywhere from 7 to 12 knots. Current, sea state and planer size will be the biggest factors. I like to fish a #4 and a #8 Old Salty. I’ll deploy my #4 first and fish it the furthest from the boat, anywhere from 150 to 300 feet back. The larger #8 planer gets fished short, just behind the prop wash. Keep in mind that the farther back planer is, the deeper in the column it will run. This also applies to speed, the faster you go the deeper it goes. Next up are the ways to rig your planer.

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The first way is the older way and probably preferred method by most commercial and charter operations. This is the “fixed” or “inline” planer method. Your mainline braid is tied to a heavy duty ball bearing snap swivel, which is attached directly to the front planer ring. From there I use 60 to 100 feet of 60 pound mono and add 6 to 9 feet of 60 pound fluorocarbon using a small ball bearing swivel. The newer way is the “bridle” planer. The use of the bridle planer allows you to remove the planer and reel everything I described that is tied to the back of the planer onto the reel. I prefer this method for my charter customers because they get to fight the fish the whole way, not just reel the planer in and watch me do the rest. This is also nice for storage since you don’t need several yo-yo spools to keep your rigs when not in use. There are many baits you can use. Drone spoons in several colors and sizes but my favorite is a blue 3 1/2 inch drone. I recommend pulling that behind your larger planer as it will trip the #4 easily. You can also pull Bonita strips covered with any array of different skirt colors, shapes and sizes. A rigged mullet or ballyhoo with a skirt can be a wahoo killer!

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ayak Anglers from around the country came to Pompano Beach to fish the 2020 Summer Slam Tournament put on by EKFT. This year was different from all the rest not just because it's EKFT’s 10th year, but because COVID-19 had shut down just about every event since April. EKFT already had to cancel Summer Slam part 1 that was scheduled for May and cancelling the whole series was not an option in the minds of our committee. With many changes and all the COVID-19 rules put in place, EKFT successfully put on the Summer Slam on August 27th in Pompano Beach. Many anglers pre fished the day before the tournament and saw many wahoo caught. Two were caught from kayaks. The moon and tide looked just right for the next day. Unfortunately, there were no wahoo caught on tournament day, but the weigh in was still very solid with nice kingfish and even a huge 33.7 pound African pompano caught by Mauricio Giosa as he was heading in. Most anglers in the top 7 had two kingfish which made the weigh in a close one. Boca Raton angler Zachary Revolinski ended up winning the tournament with 2 kingfish equaling 34.17 pounds taking home $7,500.00 from Yakgear and Turbo USA. Zack was fighting

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BY JOE HECTOR

the current most of the day. He caught his first king early around 10:30 in the morning. Zack said he was shocked he won with so many experienced kayak anglers competing but that's also what makes the Summer Slam so great. Anyone can win. Zack caught his second kingfish around midday. Right after he landed his second fish he was heading in and not taking any chances. The current was so strong that most anglers had to fish shallow so they would make it back to the weigh in on time. Mauricio Giosa came in second place with his African pompano caught shallow in 30 feet of water. He took home a Nautical Ventures Hobie Outback. Alejandro Duberti came in third with two kingfish (29.72lbs) and won a Nautical Ventures 2020 Hobie Revo. Alejandro also won the kingfish Calcutta taking home $1,600.00 with his 20.75 pound kingfish. Rounding out the top seven winners were Jon Venarchick (28.72lbs) in fourth place and last year’s ring winner, Shaun Roles (23.22lbs) in fifth place. Ricardo Rodriguez won sixth place with (22.68lbs) and New Jersey kayak angler Scott Demarco (21.27lbs) finished seventh. For more on Extreme Kayak Fishing Inc. please visit www. extremekayakfishing.com.

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