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VOLUME 26 • ISSUE 314
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F R A N C H I S E
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W O R L D W I D E
MAY 2021
Secrets of a Billionaire Revealed “Price is what you pay; value is what you get. Whether we’re talking about socks or stocks, I like buying quality merchandise when it is marked down.” — wisdom from the most successful investor of all time
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e’re going to let you in on a secret. Billionaires have billions because they know value is not increased by an inflated price. They avoid big name markups, and aren’t swayed by flashy advertising. When you look on their wrist you’ll find a classic timepiece, not a cry for attention–– because they know true value comes from keeping more money in their pocket. We agree with this thinking wholeheartedly. And, so do our two-and-a-half million clients. It’s time you got in on the secret too. The Jet-Setter Chronograph can go up against the best chronographs in the market, deliver more accuracy and style than the “luxury” brands, and all for far, far less. $1,150 is what the Jet-Setter Chronograph would cost you with nothing more than a different name on the face. With over two million timepieces sold (and counting), we know a thing or two about creating watches people love. The Jet-Setter Chronograph gives you what you need to master time and keeps the superfluous stuff out of the equation. A classic in the looks department and a stainless steel power tool of construction, this is all the watch you need. And, then some. Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Experience the Jet-Setter Chronograph for 30 days. If you’re not convinced you got excellence for less, send it back for a refund of the item price. Time is running out. Now CLIENTS LOVE that the secret’s out, we STAUER WATCHES… can’t guarantee this $29 chronograph will stick around long. Don’t overpay to be “The quality of their underwhelmed. Put a precision watches is equal to many chronograph on your wrist for that can go for ten times just $29 and laugh all the way the price or more.” to the bank. Call today! — Jeff from McKinney, TX
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Jackpot! Hoard of 1881-S Morgan Silver Dollars Found & Secured Mintage accounts for only 1.94% of all Morgan Silver Dollars Struck!
In 1859, Nevada’s Comstock Lode was discovered, and soon its rich silver ore made its way across the nation, including to the respected San Francisco Mint—the U.S. Mint branch known by collectors as the source of some of the finest U.S. coins ever struck. That includes the 1881 Morgan Silver Dollar, which exhibits crisp details, blazing luster, and the iconic “S” mint mark of the San Francisco Mint. Now you have the chance to add these historic, 90% pure U.S. silver coins to your collection!
Here’s the breakdown: in 1881, just 4.25% of the total Morgan series was struck. Less than half of those coins came from San Francisco. In the end, the 1881-S Morgan Silver Dollar accounts for just 1.94% of the entire series—and that’s before the mass meltings that have left so few coins for collectors to secure. And we can expect that even fewer of the survivors are of collector grade...
0
Y
.71 ear Pe s O rY l ea d r!)
$0
(MS63) condition by NGC/PCGS
Sealed in protective holder 1881-S accounts for just 1.94% of all Morgans Struck
Actual size is 38.1 mm
Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS)! Grading service varies. The condition of these coins are as though they were struck yesterday, despite being minted 140 years ago to circulate in commerce! And yet they have survived with a quality level of eye appeal that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
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Look elsewhere and you’ll find 1881-S Morgans in the same MS63 graded condition selling for as much as $159. But you won’t pay that here. For this special offer, we’re offering these collector-grade, 1881-S Morgan Silver Dollars for just $99 per coin. That’s 140 years of American history for just 71 cents per year!
1881-S Date
The Morgan Silver Dollar was struck from 1878 to 1904, and again in 1921. In the 100 years since, most of these beautiful U.S. Silver Dollars have been worn out or melted down for their silver. It’s estimated that as little as 15% of all Morgans struck exist today in any condition. Even fewer come from this particular mintage.
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Historic Morgan Silver Dollars Minted in San Francisco 1881 date 140 years old 26.73 grams of 90% fine silver Hefty 38.1 mm diameter Certified collector Mint State-63
The Morgan Silver Dollar is the most popular and iconic vintage U.S. coin. They were the Silver Dollars of the Wild West, going on countless untold adventures in dusty saddlebags across the nation. Finding a hoard of Morgans doesn’t happen often—and when it does, it’s a big deal. So when we came across a recent hoard of 549 Morgan Silver Dollars—all struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1881—it was like hitting the jackpot!
Morgans from the San Francisco Mint
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The 1881-S Silver 1881-S Morgan Morgan Dollar accounts 1.94% of the entire series for just 1.94% of all Morgans struck. Don’t miss out. Call 1-888-324-9125 and use the special offer code below to secure yours today while our limited supply lasts!
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Coins are graded on a 70-point scale, with a 70 representing perfection. Through hard work and diligence, the collector who first assembled this hoard managed to find 1881-S Morgans graded as quality Mint State-63 (MS63) condition by the world’s two leading third-party grading services, Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) or
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Find your
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OFFER DETAILS: Activate a new subscription to SiriusXM Marine Fish Mapping and receive your first month free (a $99.99 savings), plus get free activation (an additional $25 savings), for a combined savings of $124.99. Add SiriusXM Select radio package at the discount rate of $11.99/mo. Fees and taxes apply. A credit card is required on this offer. You must cancel during your free month to avoid being charged. At the beginning of your second month service will automatically renew thereafter every month and you will be charged at the then-current rates. Fees and taxes apply. Please see our Customer Agreement at siriusxm.com for complete terms and how to cancel, which includes calling us at 1-800-985-9200. All fees, content, and features are subject to change. This offer may not be combined with any other trial offers and may be modified or terminated at any time. Subscription and hardware sold separately. $100 Rebate from SiriusXM available through Dec 31, 2021 with hardware and subscription purchase, see Rebate Offer Details at siriusxm.com/fishmapping. © 2021 Sirius XM Radio Inc. SiriusXM and all related logos are trademarks of Sirius XM Radio Inc. and its respective subsidiaries. All rights reserved.
THE BASICS
By Michelle Dalton
Flying OF
Kites T
here’s something about kite fishing for big pelagic gamefish that gets me going. Flying kites presents baits with a natural appearance and allows you to cover lots of water for higher catch rates. Also, the technique provides the ultimate adrenaline rush, as you get to watch the strike happen. For those unfamiliar with kite fishing, let’s go over the basics. Captains consider everything from water color and clarity to baitfish and birds to determine where to start fishing. I like fishing edges, where water color turns green to a deep blue, usually somewhere in 100 to 300 feet of water. There are different kite designs for different wind velocities. Kites are typically launched and retrieved with electric reels. Launching kites is not a piece of cake, but with the right equipment, patience and steady winds, a beginner can practice and perfect the skill. Attached to your kite line are three release clips.
Each clip is assigned to a rod. An experienced crew will fish three live baits off one kite, with each reel’s line clipped to the main kite line. Although it seems like a potential tangled mess, it’s rather organized. For the bait lines, I use high-capacity baitcasting reels spooled with 20- or 30-pound monofilament. Attached to the mono, above the leader, there are a few terminal tackle items that make up your rigs.
First, a ceramic ring is attached to the kite line using release clips. Next, a neon float dangles in the sky above each bait to help track them from a distance. From there, a small egg sinker maintains the vertical drop that keeps baits at the surface. Finally, a bead separates the sinker from your leader. Your leader depends on the targeted species. For the toothy critters, I use an 18-inch wire leader connected to fluorocarbon with an Albright knot and a 7/0 live bait hook. For sailfish, I use 10 to 12 feet of 60-pound fluorocarbon leader with a 7/0 circle hook. By paying attention and adjusting the lines, the angler keeps the baits on the surface where they make the slight commotion predators find irresistible. The rigs suspend in air above the baits, completely out of sight of the fish. I prefer fishing goggle-eyes, threadfin herring and sardines. Healthy bait is far more likely to be eaten. Ahead of tournaments, my team and I spend weeks feeding and nurturing bait to keep it healthy. If you’re fortunate enough to hook a sailfish, don’t immediately clear the other lines. Sailfish often travel in groups. Leave those other baits in the water for a chance at additional bites. Traditionally, when winds start to die at the end of spring, the number of boats trolling offshore grows. However, kite fishing goes on year-round in South Florida. Even with very little wind, a kite will fly with the help of a helium balloon. Next time your friends want to troll around offshore, tell them to “go fly a kite!” Michelle Dalton books charters through her social media pages: @Bombchelle_fishing.
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on ply. ce mer ect ely. ng. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
MAY 2021
NATIONAL 7
Humbled
ON THE DAVIDSON By Nick Carter
T
he Davidson River in Brevard, N.C. is one of the most widely publicized trout streams in the Southeast. It’s a challenging fishery with beautiful water that holds some very nice fish. Part of the Davidson’s appeal, or its main drawback, is easy access. The river flows roadside through most its publicly accessible length. There is small water in the headwaters accessible only by foot, but for the most part it is a park-and-fish kind of place. On a gorgeous summer weekend, a buddy and I heeded advice from the guys at Davidson River Outfitters to join the dawn patrol. We arrived on
the river at first light to find a pod of big fish, maybe four or five in the 16- to 20-inch range, hovering near the bottom of a bellybutton-deep run. They were clearly visible in low summer flows. For the next hour, we worked the run together, one or the other of us making the same drift repeatedly as the other man tied on a new fly. It was a challenge that bordered on infuriating to see those trout, an occasional belly flash belying the fact that they were eating… just not what we offered. We tried everything, right down to a size 22 red midge pupa recommended at the fly shop. Finally, because we had tried everything else, I
tied on a white Woolly Bugger—another Davidson River staple. Just twitching it through the hole, a fish we had not previously seen streaked from the periphery to slam the streamer. Those big fish didn’t even flinch as I stripped in a pretty 11-inch brown. As I released the fish, an older gentleman waded down the side of the run. He glanced out at the pod of big fish still sitting on the bottom. “Wasn’t the one you were after, was it?” he asked. My response was to offer him a shot at the run. He declined. “Don’t want any part of it,” he grumbled. “Spent all afternoon yesterday standing right where you are.” That’s a snapshot of what fishing the catch-andrelease, fly fishing only section of the Davidson is like. The river is full of fish—and some big ones. It is also frequently full of anglers. The steady pressure makes trout wise. Of course, there’s always a guy who lights up Internet message boards with a photo of a big old bruiser. He’ll give advice like, “Use a little split-shot to get it down,” but I suspect there’s more to it. Pressured fish are on guard. Catching them requires perfect presentation of the perfect fly and also being in the right place at that right time. Arriving early, staying late and fishing hard makes it more likely you’ll be there when a 2-foot-long trout makes a mistake. This story is an abbreviated excerpt from the book “Flyfisher’s Guide to North Carolina & Georgia,” which includes maps and GPS coordinates to access points for all the region’s best trout fisheries. Purchase the book on Amazon or by contacting the author at nsc8957@gmail.com.
LET US SHOW YOU HOW TO
BUILD YOUR OWN RODS
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he very best hunting knives possess a perfect balance of form and function. They’re carefully constructed from fine materials, but also have that little something extra to connect the owner with nature. If you’re on the hunt for a knife that combines impeccable craftsmanship with a sense of wonder, the $79 Huntsman Blade is the trophy you’re looking for. The blade is full tang, meaning it doesn’t stop at the handle but extends to the length of the grip for the ultimate in strength. The blade is made from 420 surgical steel, famed for its sharpness and its resistance to corrosion. The handle is made from genuine natural bone, and features decorative wood spacers and a hand-carved motif of two overlapping feathers— a reminder for you to respect and connect with the natural world. This fusion of substance and style can garner a high price tag out in the marketplace. In fact, we found full tang, stainless steel blades with bone handles in excess of $2,000. Well, that won’t cut it around here. We have mastered the hunt for the best deal, and in turn pass the spoils on to our customers. But we don’t stop there. While supplies last, we’ll include a pair of $99 8x21 power compact binoculars and a genuine leather sheath FREE when you purchase the Huntsman Blade. Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Feel the knife in your hands, wear it on your hip, inspect the impeccable craftsmanship. If you don’t feel like we cut you a fair deal, send it back within 30 days for a complete refund of the item price. Limited Reserves. A deal like this won’t last long. We have only 1120 Huntsman Blades for this ad only. Don’t let this BONUS! Call today and beauty slip through your fingers. Call today! you’ll also receive this
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“Rooted” GET
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he Everglades is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. This jungle-like paradise provides crucial habitat for numerous rare and endangered species like manatees, American crocodiles and Florida panthers. It is a truly amazing land and seascape, and it’s home to an awesome angling experience like no other: an encounter with the “Silver King,” one of Nature’s most acrobatic and striking underwater wonders. Tarpon (Megalops), in brief, are like an enormous silver bullet. They are powerful, explosive and acrobatic fighters, with the stamina of an Energizer bunny. Due to their tolerance of a wide range of water salinity, tarpon swim the canals and ponds of south Florida. I’ve caught juveniles in freshwater ponds, so I’ve sampled the pure power of the species. But catching a true behemoth has long been on my bucket list. To achieve this, I traveled to Flamingo, the southernmost headquarters of Everglades National Park, in Monroe County, Fla. There I met Sam Root, an exceptionally knowledgeable Miami-based
By Rosemary J. White
IN THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES
fisherman and media personality who has traveled the world to test his fishing skills. I’ve admired Root’s media work, and have been fortunate to collaborate with him through companies like Mustad, Savage Gear and many TV platforms. On this trip, we set out to test the Savage Gear Pulse Tail Mullet and Pulse Tail Ballyhoo. These swimbaits are engineered to look and move like the baitfish they resemble, and are molded with Savage Gear’s pulse tail. The tail has a patent-pending split rear kicker that allows realistic swimming action fast or slow. The bait also features “line-through” rigging that allows the soft-plastic bait to slide up the line during the fight, giving the fish less leverage to throw the hook. With the aerial tendencies of tarpon, this is a pretty good feature to have. We launched out of Everglades National Park quickly to avoid being air lifted from the ramp by mosquitoes. The scenery was breathtaking. Winding through the narrow canals was like trekking through the Amazon. We arrived at our spot with the moon to the west and the sunrise to the east, both simultaneously visible. That was unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
The action began immediately! We hooked multiple tarpon and got a first-hand perspective of why the line-through technology is helpful. An unobstructed fight, both from the lack of structure and the lack of a lure in the fish’s mouth makes for a pure battle of strength and endurance, on both sides of the rod. The acrobatics and sheer power of these fish as they launched into the air was mind blowing. At one point, it was all I could do to hold on as Root engaged the motor in pursuit of a monster tarpon with the reel screaming in my hands. After we exhausted ourselves—and several fish—we headed into the preserve canals to sightsee. We were ecstatic to get a glimpse of the American crocodile. The Everglades is the only place on Earth where both alligators and crocodiles coexist. When Root said it was time to “call it,” I cringed. I could have gotten lost for days fishing in the unparalleled landscape. The Everglades is a mix of different habitats including freshwater, brackish and salt, an angler’s paradise. I longed for more time to explore.
For more information on Savage Gear and their products, Sam does instructional “how to” videos on his Instagram @scssam. Follow Rosemary White @roasty194 for her fishing adventures that feature destinations throughout Florida and @daryn.white.fishing for photography.
Bow and pray.
Tarpon season in The Florida Keys is all about timing, skill and luck of the draw. Hook up and be ready to bow to the king. Stay tight and pray all those hours in the gym weren’t for naught. Whether you come just for thrills or to top your personal best, don’t miss the opportunity to experience true piscatorial bliss. fla-keys.com 1.800.fla.keys For the latest protocols on health & safety in The Florida Keys, please visit our website.
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SHRIMP: THE BAIT OF ALL BAITS
4) Shrimp (weedless, or as it comes out of the package) without a jig head I can go anywhere there are shrimp and catch trout, drum, snook and more with a very small tackle box. It’s the universal bait. My favorite is just the shrimp on the Barefoot Jig without a cork, but under the fixed and sliding cork is sometimes just the ticket. You can use the sliding cork Tim Barefoot around docks and snags at an irresistibly slow speed. The reason it works ears ago, I was obsessed with live bait of all kinds. I kept livewells so well is the jig head is balanced and will maintain a perfect horizontal with mullet, shrimp, pinfish and cigar minnows. I spent a lot of position with or without a cork. time tending to bait and battling the otters at the marina. My inshore bait of choice was the live shrimp… hands down. Live mullets will get the bite, no question, but the shrimp is simply irresistible. I would spend hours and hours catching, housing and feeding bait. I was just about at the end of my inshore live bait road when along came the DOA shrimp. I love everything about that soft plastic shrimp body. It’s pretty tough, looks just like a real shrimp and can be made to work in every single situation including depth, grass/roots and current when used with the correct hardware. I have to admit there are times when I may catch a few more fish with live shrimp, but I can carry my entire inshore tackle The key is to make the shrimp look like a real shrimp. box now in just a few small trays of jig heads, DOA shrimp A live shrimp does not move around stern- or bow-heavy. colors and a bottle of Pro Cure shrimp scent. It’s extremely A live shrimp moves thru the water slowly in a perfectly easy to just plug a DOA body on the jig, apply a liberal horizontal position. Just look at them in the livewell or at a amount of Pro Cure shrimp scent on the legs and underside, tackle shop that sells live shrimp. That’s the reason the DOA and start fishing. I have so much faith in this combination. catches so many fish: it swims horizontally. It’s just a given; they will eat it when properly presented. The weedless version of this shrimp can be extremely I could write several pages of this article regarding the effective for fish tailing in the grass or around mangrove different applications, but I’ll be brief. roots. This is one reason to keep one rigged and ready and I keep four rods rigged with shrimp: always moving around quietly. For videos of these variations, 1) Shrimp body on a 3/8-ounce Barefoot Jig. visit my website and click on “videos” 2) Shrimp under a fixed cork about 20 inches deep on a 3/8 oz. Barefoot Jig. For more from Capt. Tim Barefoot, visit 3) Shrimp under a sliding cork on a 3/8-ounce barefootcatsandtackle.com. Barefoot Jig (to suspend over shell beds).
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Summer-Long, Statewide Fishing Competition Launches May 29 C CA Florida, the state’s leading marine fisheries conservation, education and advocacy organization, will begin the seventh-annual CCA Florida STAR competition May 29. The summer-long event invites anglers and non-anglers to participate and win prizes valued at $500,000, including boats, motors, scholarships and more. Launched in 2015, Florida STAR focuses on conservation with its catch, photo and release format, conservation division and unique garbage division. Additionally, STAR is driven by its smartphone app, which allows participants to upload competition photos, eliminating the requirement to harvest or transport fish. “In the past six years, it’s been amazing to see STAR participants catch more fish, practice catch and release and support recovery efforts—all to conserve and enhance our state’s coastal waters and marine resources.” CCA Florida STAR Director Leiza Fitzgerald said. “But, what’s been just as exciting, is awarding more than $1.2 million in prizes, including $600,000 in youth scholarships, to the thousands of STAR registrants.” 2021 STAR features 17 divisions targeting 12 inshore and offshore species. STAR’s signature divisions include the West Marine STAR Tagged redfish, and prizes in this division are a Contender Boats 22 Sport, Pathfinder Boats 2200 TRS and Spyder 19FX Vapor all powered by Yamaha Outboards. For the first two youth anglers who win this division, prizes include two Salt Marsh Skiff 1656 tiller boats powered with Yamaha Outboards, trailers, Minn Kota trolling motors and Humminbird electronics. The other signature division, the Tigress Outrigger & Gear Tagged Dolphin Division, offers one winner a $10,000 cash prize or scholarship to the STAR registrant and CCA Florida member who catches the first
tagged dolphin. Dolphin are captured, tagged and released off the Florida Keys by the Dolphin Research program implemented by the Beyond Our Shores foundation. With a focus on inclusion of anglers of all skill levels, every fish an angler catches counts in STAR’s Power Pole Conservation Division. This division makes each participant a citizen biologist by documenting catches in the app with data to be utilized in research. Engagement of youth is another priority of STAR, and CCA Florida youth members (ages 6 to 17) can participate in the competition for free. Kids are encouraged to submit entries in the Youth Scholarship Division presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors for an opportunity to win one of 12 scholarships with a total value of $100,000. Youth may also garner community service hours by gathering trash and disposing of it properly in the Costa Kick Plastic Trash Division or even win a new boat, motor and trailer by catching a West Marine tagged redfish. Other divisions include ladies, kayak, guides and more. Since most division winners are determined by a random drawing, it is about submitting qualifying entries for an opportunity to be drawn as a winner. Registration is open throughout the competition and ends Sept. 6. To register for STAR 2021 or receive additional information on divisions, prizes and more, visit ccaflstar.com or Facebook.
Because every fish could be a winner!
CATCH. PHOTO. RELEASE. WIN. MAY 29 TO SEPTEMBER 6 CCA Florida STAR is the largest family-friendly saltwater fishing competition in Florida, and it’s unlike traditional fishing tournaments.
• $500,000 in Prizes & Scholarships
• West Marine Tagged Redfish Prizes Include Boat, Motor & Trailer Packages • 1st Tagged Tigress Dolphin/Mahi Mahi Wins $10,000 cash • 101 days of fishing $40 entry for current CCA members. All others add $35 for one year membership.
• Prizes for Additional Non-Tagged Non Species Snook, Trout, Redfish, Grouper, Kingfish, Dolphin, Tarpon & Lionfish
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BISCAYNE LEGENDS TOURNEY SLATED
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or the first time in decades, there’s an old-school inshore grand slam tournament slated for South Florida. The first Herman Lucerne Biscayne Legends Classic, presented by Hell’s Bay Boatworks, will launch on Biscayne Bay July 7-8 thanks to The Herman Lucerne Memorial Foundation and Bonefish & Tarpon Trust. Twenty-five teams will compete in an exciting one-day contest, chasing bonefish, permit and tarpon in what is perhaps the greatest urban inshore fishery on earth. Registration is open now, and space is limited.
To register, visit www.hermanlucernememorial.com/biscayne-legends-classic/.
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It’s Tarpon Time in the Florida Keys By: Capt. Greg Poland
T
his is honestly is my favorite time of year to be a fishing guide! I caught my first tarpon at age 10 and have been fishing for them every time the weather is right ever since. Last year, when we were all closed down for the pandemic, I had the opportunity to fish a few times a week with my good buddy Capt. Randy Towe Capt. Greg Poland 305.393.3327 | gregpoland.com and a few other local Captains and I have to say we had the best time catching a few fish and talking about how we Instagram: gregpoland got into this crazy business and how much we loved fishing. Although it was great to pull on a few silver kings, we all missed the anglers who have become our friends and so happy they are back out on the water with us this year. Facebook: Fishing in the Florida Keys with Capt. Greg Poland The season has been great on my boat this year and have had some really nice fish caught and released. My setup for tarpon fishing is a 7ft rod with 25bl mono and a 60lb fluorocarbon leader of 10ft attached to a circle hook, you can add a bobber or not depending on the conditions. If you are looking to learn how to catch a tarpon give me a call and let’s get out for a 1/2-day charter, if tarpon are not what you are looking to catch gregpolandphotography.com we can catch you dinner! When the gregpolandstudios.com weather is just right, I have the opportunity to be fishing out on the patch reefs for yellowtail and recently have caught a beautiful cuberra snapper while fishing on one of the deeper ledges on the Atlantic side. I have some great dates still available for this season if you would like to get out on the water.
— Contact Capt. Greg at 305.393.3327 or email at gregpoland@icloud.com FACEBOOK.COM/CAMFLORIDAKEYS
MAY 2021
FLORIDA KEYS 1
Fishing and the NFL By: Capt. Armando Alejo
O
n a recent charter we had the pleasure of fishing with a group of retired NFL football players. Among them, retired NFL lineman, Tom Andrews and his two college teammates; Jim Norris and Greg Kastman. On this day, we hopped aboard the 2300 HPS and headed out of the famed Flamingo Everglades area in Homestead, FL. My attention was drawn immediately to all their stories. I enjoyed listening to their amazing college and NFL stories and also noticed how the camaraderie still exists between these long-time teammates. We enjoyed our trip South from Flamingo and we took in some amazing South Florida weather on our way to our fishing stops for the day. We came to our first stop and got on a good speckled trout bite with Greg leading the way with a nice over slot trout that he fought and landed like a true Glades Angler! We worked hard throughout the day, then made a good run North to end our day deep in the Everglades backcountry. On our last stop, Jim and I worked together where we put some fresh baits on the bottom, and it sure did pay off! Jim hooked and landed a nice Everglades Redfish to close our charter. Join us today to get in on a good Flamingo Everglades bite!
— Fish with us: Call Capt. Armando at 305-778-5342 or visit us at www.a2charters.com, we are a FIVE-STAR rated service and guide.
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MAY 2021
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Friends of the Pelicans
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ven if you take precautionary steps to avoid it, sometimes you might hook a bird by accident. That’s when it’s important to remember—don’t cut the line and let the bird fly away with it attached. This will lead to entanglement, resulting in death of that bird and possibly others as well. Instead, follow these simple steps to unhook the bird: Reel. Remove. Release.
How else can you help a seabird or wading bird?
1. Wear safety glasses and enlist a partner for help. 2. Reel the bird in slowly and lift it from the water using a hoop net. Even a large pelican weighs only 4-8 pounds 3. Grasp the bird by the head just behind the eyes and fold the wings against the body. For pelicans, hold the beak, keeping the mouth slightly open so it can breathe. Cover the bird’s head with a cloth to keep it calm. 4. Never pull the hook out but carefully push the end through the skin, cut off the barb and back the hook out using pliers or clippers. If the bird is entangled, remove all line. 5. Release the bird (if healthy) by placing it on the ground near the water and allowing it to take off. 6. If the bird has swallowed the hook or is severely injured, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator from the list at MyFWC.com/unhook. 4 FLORIDA KEYS
MAY 2021
1. Don’t feed the birds, which teaches them to approach where they are more likely to be hooked. 2. Dispose of filleted bones where birds can’t get them—in a trash can with lid or at home. Bones of a filleted fish will become lodged in or tear throats, stomachs and intestines leading to the death of that bird . 3. Cover bait buckets and take unused bait home. 4. Dispose of fishing line in a monofilament recycling bin or cut into small pieces and place in the trash. 5. Don’t leave your line unattended. 6. Cast carefully to avoid hooking a bird in flight or being snared on trees, bridge pilings etc. 7. Help others learn what to do when they accidentally hook a bird. It’s pretty easy, once you know how. 8. Sponsored by Friends of the Pelicans, Inc. More detailed information can be found at facebook.com/ friendsofthepelicans. — Photos by Carol Cassels
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/FLORIDA-KEYS
May b Fo fishing snowy next s for sno til the forwar it will ing, th in the mahi m Al catchi radica month get m in the by mid shore straigh fish f month ing i consis tration dolph rest o great lookin mahi t It target and w are. Pe world enced a lifeti offsho
—Y MM
May brings change to fishing in the Florida Keys By: Capt. Bruce Andersen
S
pring is in full bloom, the temperatures are getting hot, and summer is right around the corner. The beautiful royal Poinciana trees along US1 are turning fiery red, and for me that always signals the beginning of dolphin season in the Florida Keys. The month of May brings a lot of changes to fishing on the offshore side of the keys. For one thing, several fisheries open up including shallow water grouper fishing for black, gag, and red grouper. On May 1st, deep drop fishing for snowy grouper and blue line tilefish all open and will remain open for the next several months. The season will remain open until the end of August for snowy grouper and tilefish. The shallow water grouper will stay open until the new year. After releasing these fish all winter and spring, I’m looking forward to putting a few in the fish box now that they are open. As great as it will be to start keeping some grouper and getting in on the deep drop fishing, the biggest change for most boats heading offshore will be the increase in the quantity of dolphin or mahi mahi offshore. Although we’ve been catching mahi offshore sporadically for the last few months, the fishing should get much more consistent in the next few weeks and by mid-May most of the offshore boats will be headed straight offshore to dolphin fish for the next several months. The offshore fishing in May traditionally consists of a higher concentration of bigger “slammer” dolphin in our area than the rest of the season so, it’s a great time to head offshore looking for that trophy mahi to put on the wall! It can definitely be argued that mahi are the most popular species to target offshore of the Florida Keys. They’re great eating and fun to catch and with their beautiful tropical colors, it’s no wonder how popular they are. People come from all over the country and in some cases all over the world to get in on this fishery. We’ve got entire fleets of professional experienced charter boat crews ready to take you out for the fishing experience of a lifetime. Watch out for those trees blooming along the highway and head offshore to get in on the action!
— You can reach Captain Bruce Andersen at Capt. Easy Charters, MM 85, call 305.360.2120 or email at: captbrucekey@comcast.net
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TIDE CHART KEY LARGO
www.USHarbors.com
Key Largo, South Sound, FL - May 2021 MAY 2021 High
Date
Low
TIDE CHART ISLAMORADA
www.USHarbors.com
Islamorada, Florida Bay, FL - May 2021 MAY 2021 High
Date
Low
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
Sat
3:16
0.4
2:07
0.7
8:51
0.2
10:54
-0.1
6:45
7:53
2
Sun
4:23
0.3
3:09
0.7
9:47
0.2
6:44
7:54
3
Mon
5:38
0.3
4:25
0.6
12:03
-0.1
11:01A
0.2
6:43
7:54
7:54
4
Tue
6:48
0.4
5:53
0.6
1:13
0.0
12:32
0.2
6:43
7:55
6:39
7:55
5
Wed
7:44
0.4
7:18
0.5
2:14
0.0
2:02
0.2
6:42
7:55
0.1
6:38
7:55
6
Thu
8:26
0.5
8:27
0.5
3:04
0.1
3:15
0.1
6:41
7:56
2:16
0.1
6:37
7:56
7
Fri
9:00
0.5
9:23
0.5
3:45
0.1
4:12
0.1
6:41
7:56
0.1
2:58
0.0
6:37
7:56
8
Sat
9:28
0.6
10:09
0.5
4:20
0.1
5:00
0.0
6:40
7:57
3:23
0.1
3:37
0.0
6:36
7:57
9
Sun
9:54
0.6
10:49
0.5
4:51
0.1
5:42
0.0
6:40
7:57
1.6
4:02
0.1
4:14
-0.1
6:36
7:57
10
Mon
10:19
0.6
11:27
0.5
5:22
0.1
6:20
-0.1
6:39
7:58
10:04
1.6
4:40
0.1
4:50
-0.1
6:35
7:58
11
Tue
10:45
0.7
5:51
0.1
6:56
-0.1
6:38
7:58
1.5
10:41
1.6
5:16
0.2
5:24
-0.1
6:34
7:58
12
Wed
12:04
0.4
11:13A
0.7
6:20
0.2
7:31
-0.1
6:38
7:59
10:43
1.5
11:19
1.6
5:51
0.2
5:58
0.0
6:34
7:59
13
Thu
12:41
0.4
11:44A
0.7
6:48
0.2
8:08
-0.1
6:37
7:59
Fri
11:20
1.4
11:57
1.6
6:26
0.2
6:33
0.0
6:33
7:59
14
Fri
1:21
0.4
12:17
0.6
7:17
0.2
8:47
-0.1
6:37
8:00
15
Sat
11:58
1.4
7:02
0.3
7:10
0.0
6:33
8:00
15
Sat
2:04
0.4
12:53
0.6
7:48
0.2
9:30
-0.1
6:36
8:01
16
Sun
12:38
1.5
12:39
1.4
7:41
0.3
7:52
0.1
6:32
8:01
16
Sun
2:53
0.4
1:33
0.6
8:22
0.2
10:18
-0.1
6:36
8:01
17
Mon
1:22
1.5
1:25
1.3
8:26
0.3
8:40
0.1
6:32
8:01
17
Mon
3:49
0.3
2:20
0.6
9:05
0.2
11:13
0.0
6:35
8:02
18
Tue
2:10
1.4
2:18
1.3
9:19
0.3
9:36
0.2
6:31
8:02
18
Tue
4:50
0.3
3:17
0.6
10:04
0.3
6:35
8:02
19
Wed
3:02
1.4
3:19
1.3
10:19
0.3
10:40
0.2
6:31
8:02
19
Wed
5:49
0.4
4:29
0.6
12:10
0.0
11:26A
0.3
6:35
8:03
20
Thu
3:57
1.4
4:25
1.4
11:21
0.2
11:46
0.2
6:31
8:03
20
Thu
6:39
0.4
5:52
0.5
1:06
0.0
12:56
0.2
6:34
8:03
21
Fri
4:55
1.5
5:31
1.5
12:20
0.1
6:30
8:03
21
Fri
7:20
0.5
7:16
0.5
1:57
0.0
2:15
0.2
6:34
8:04
22
Sat
5:52
1.5
6:34
1.6
12:48
0.1
1:16
-0.1
6:30
8:04
22
Sat
7:57
0.6
8:31
0.5
2:43
0.1
3:21
0.0
6:33
8:04
23
Sun
6:48
1.6
7:32
1.7
1:47
0.0
2:10
-0.2
6:29
8:04
23
Sun
8:34
0.6
9:37
0.5
3:25
0.1
4:19
-0.1
6:33
8:05
24
Mon
7:42
1.7
8:27
1.9
2:42
0.0
3:02
-0.3
6:29
8:05
24
Mon
9:12
0.7
10:36
0.5
4:07
0.1
5:13
-0.2
6:33
8:05
25
Tue
8:35
1.7
9:20
1.9
3:35
-0.1
3:53
-0.4
6:29
8:05
25
Tue
9:52
0.8
11:31
0.5
4:47
0.1
6:06
-0.2
6:32
8:06
26
Wed
9:27
1.8
10:12
2.0
4:26
-0.1
4:45
-0.5
6:29
8:06
26
Wed
10:35
0.8
5:29
0.1
6:58
-0.3
6:32
8:06
27
Thu
10:19
1.8
11:03
1.9
5:18
-0.1
5:37
-0.4
6:28
8:06
27
Thu
12:24
0.4
11:21A
0.8
6:11
0.1
7:50
-0.3
6:32
8:07
28
Fri
11:12
1.7
11:55
1.9
6:11
-0.1
6:31
-0.4
6:28
8:07
28
Fri
1:15
0.4
12:10
0.8
6:56
0.1
8:44
-0.2
6:32
8:07
29
Sat
12:06
1.7
7:05
0.0
7:26
-0.3
6:28
8:07
29
Sat
2:07
0.4
1:02
0.8
7:44
0.1
9:40
-0.2
6:32
8:08
30
Sun
12:48
1.8
1:01
1.6
8:02
0.0
8:24
-0.2
6:28
8:08
30
Sun
3:01
0.3
1:58
0.7
8:37
0.1
10:37
-0.1
6:31
8:08
31
Mon
1:42
1.7
1:59
1.5
9:02
0.1
9:25
0.0
6:27
8:08
31
Mon
3:58
0.3
2:58
0.7
9:40
0.2
11:35
-0.1
6:31
8:08
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
Sat
1:05
1.8
1:16
1.6
8:17
0.1
8:41
-0.2
6:42
7:53
1
2
Sun
2:02
1.7
2:16
1.5
9:19
0.1
9:45
0.0
6:41
7:53
3
Mon
3:03
1.6
3:21
1.5
10:26
0.2
10:53
0.1
6:40
7:54
4
Tue
4:06
1.5
4:30
1.4
11:32
0.2
11:59
0.1
6:39
5
Wed
5:08
1.5
5:36
1.4
12:34
0.2
6
Thu
6:05
1.5
6:35
1.5
12:59
0.1
1:28
7
Fri
6:55
1.5
7:26
1.5
1:52
0.2
8
Sat
7:39
1.5
8:10
1.6
2:40
9
Sun
8:19
1.5
8:50
1.6
10
Mon
8:56
1.5
9:28
11
Tue
9:32
1.5
12
Wed
10:07
13
Thu
14
1
8 FLORIDA KEYS
MAY 2021
Moon
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/FLORIDA-KEYS
Moon
TIDE CHART KEY COLONY BEACH
Key Colony Beach, FL - May 2021 MAY
2021
High
Date
www.USHarbors.com
Low
TIDE CHART KEY WEST
High
Date
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
Moon
Sat
1:17
1.4
12:53
2.1
6:32
0.2
7:46
-0.4
6:47
7:55
1
2
Sun
2:17
1.3
1:54
1.9
7:32
0.3
8:51
-0.2
6:46
7:55
3
Mon
3:23
1.2
3:03
1.8
8:42
0.4
9:58
-0.1
6:45
7:56
4
Tue
4:34
1.3
4:19
1.7
9:58
0.4
11:01
0.0
6:45
5
Wed
5:39
1.4
5:36
1.6
11:12
0.4
11:57
0.1
6
Thu
6:30
1.5
6:42
1.6
12:16
7
Fri
7:10
1.6
7:36
1.6
12:43
0.2
8
Sat
7:43
1.7
8:21
1.6
1:24
9
Sun
8:14
1.8
9:00
1.6
10
Mon
8:46
1.9
9:37
11
Tue
9:19
1.9
12
Wed
9:53
13
Thu
14
www.USHarbors.com
MAY 2021
Key West, FL - May 2021
Low
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
Sat
2:37
0.9
1:28
2.0
6:44
0.4
8:47
-0.4
6:50
7:58
2
Sun
3:44
0.9
2:30
1.8
7:40
0.5
9:56
-0.2
6:49
7:58
3
Mon
4:59
0.9
3:46
1.6
8:54
0.6
11:06
0.0
6:49
7:59
7:56
4
Tue
6:09
1.0
5:14
1.5
10:25
0.6
6:48
7:59
6:44
7:57
5
Wed
7:05
1.1
6:39
1.4
12:07
0.1
11:55A
0.5
6:47
8:00
0.2
6:43
7:57
6
Thu
7:47
1.3
7:48
1.4
12:57
0.2
1:08
0.4
6:47
8:00
1:09
0.1
6:43
7:58
7
Fri
8:21
1.4
8:44
1.4
1:38
0.2
2:05
0.2
6:46
8:01
0.2
1:55
0.0
6:42
7:58
8
Sat
8:49
1.6
9:30
1.3
2:13
0.3
2:53
0.1
6:45
8:01
2:00
0.2
2:36
-0.1
6:41
7:59
9
Sun
9:15
1.7
10:10
1.3
2:44
0.3
3:35
-0.1
6:45
8:02
1.6
2:35
0.2
3:14
-0.2
6:41
7:59
10
Mon
9:40
1.7
10:48
1.3
3:15
0.4
4:13
-0.2
6:44
8:02
10:14
1.5
3:08
0.3
3:50
-0.3
6:40
8:00
11
Tue
10:06
1.8
11:25
1.2
3:44
0.4
4:49
-0.3
6:44
8:03
1.9
10:51
1.5
3:41
0.3
4:26
-0.3
6:40
8:00
12
Wed
10:34
1.8
4:13
0.4
5:24
-0.3
6:43
8:03
10:28
1.9
11:30
1.4
4:14
0.3
5:03
-0.3
6:39
8:01
13
Thu
12:02
1.1
11:05A
1.8
4:41
0.5
6:01
-0.3
6:43
8:04
Fri
11:04
1.9
4:47
0.3
5:42
-0.3
6:39
8:01
14
Fri
12:42
1.1
11:38A
1.8
5:10
0.5
6:40
-0.3
6:42
8:04
15
Sat
12:12
1.3
11:42A
1.8
5:22
0.4
6:23
-0.2
6:38
8:02
15
Sat
1:25
1.0
12:14
1.7
5:41
0.5
7:23
-0.2
6:42
8:05
16
Sun
12:56
1.3
12:23
1.8
5:59
0.4
7:09
-0.1
6:38
8:02
16
Sun
2:14
0.9
12:54
1.7
6:15
0.6
8:11
-0.2
6:41
8:05
17
Mon
1:45
1.2
1:09
1.7
6:44
0.5
8:00
-0.1
6:37
8:03
17
Mon
3:10
0.9
1:41
1.6
6:58
0.6
9:06
-0.1
6:41
8:06
18
Tue
2:37
1.2
2:04
1.7
7:41
0.5
8:56
0.0
6:37
8:03
18
Tue
4:11
0.9
2:38
1.6
7:57
0.7
10:03
0.0
6:40
8:06
19
Wed
3:32
1.3
3:08
1.6
8:51
0.5
9:53
0.1
6:36
8:04
19
Wed
5:10
1.0
3:50
1.5
9:19
0.7
10:59
0.1
6:40
8:07
20
Thu
4:26
1.4
4:19
1.6
10:04
0.4
10:49
0.1
6:36
8:04
20
Thu
6:00
1.1
5:13
1.4
10:49
0.6
11:50
0.1
6:40
8:07
21
Fri
5:17
1.5
5:31
1.6
11:13
0.2
11:41
0.1
6:36
8:05
21
Fri
6:41
1.3
6:37
1.4
12:08
0.4
6:39
8:08
22
Sat
6:05
1.7
6:39
1.7
12:15
0.0
6:35
8:05
22
Sat
7:18
1.5
7:52
1.4
12:36
0.2
1:14
0.1
6:39
8:08
23
Sun
6:51
1.9
7:42
1.7
12:31
0.1
1:12
-0.3
6:35
8:06
23
Sun
7:55
1.7
8:58
1.4
1:18
0.2
2:12
-0.2
6:38
8:09
24
Mon
7:36
2.1
8:39
1.7
1:19
0.1
2:06
-0.6
6:35
8:06
24
Mon
8:33
1.9
9:57
1.3
2:00
0.3
3:06
-0.4
6:38
8:09
25
Tue
8:23
2.3
9:34
1.7
2:06
0.1
2:59
-0.8
6:34
8:07
25
Tue
9:13
2.1
10:52
1.2
2:40
0.3
3:59
-0.7
6:38
8:10
26
Wed
9:11
2.4
10:26
1.6
2:53
0.0
3:51
-0.9
6:34
8:07
26
Wed
9:56
2.2
11:45
1.2
3:22
0.3
4:51
-0.8
6:38
8:10
27
Thu
10:00
2.4
11:17
1.5
3:40
0.0
4:43
-0.9
6:34
8:08
27
Thu
10:42
2.2
4:04
0.3
5:43
-0.8
6:37
8:11
28
Fri
10:51
2.4
4:29
0.1
5:36
-0.8
6:34
8:08
28
Fri
12:36
1.1
11:31A
2.2
4:49
0.3
6:37
-0.7
6:37
8:11
29
Sat
12:08
1.4
11:44A
2.3
5:21
0.1
6:31
-0.6
6:33
8:09
29
Sat
1:28
1.0
12:23
2.1
5:37
0.4
7:33
-0.5
6:37
8:11
30
Sun
1:00
1.4
12:40
2.1
6:16
0.2
7:27
-0.4
6:33
8:09
30
Sun
2:22
0.9
1:19
2.0
6:30
0.4
8:30
-0.3
6:37
8:12
31
Mon
1:55
1.3
1:38
1.9
7:17
0.3
8:25
-0.2
6:33
8:10
31
Mon
3:19
0.9
2:19
1.8
7:33
0.5
9:28
-0.1
6:37
8:12
1
Moon
The Heat Is Coming - Get Under the Shade!
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MAY 2021
FLORIDA KEYS 9
Dolphin and tarpon and grouper! Oh my! By: Capt. Chris Johnson
We w
M
ay is a most bountiful time of year for fishing in the Marathon area. Let’s start on the reef, where May 1 heralds the opening of grouper season. Black, gag and red grouper will hit the docks in great numbers this month. Black grouper is typically the primary target for anglers on the reef. They’re found in the same areas we fish for yellowtail snapper, which are beginning their spawn. Of the three primary grouper varieties, blacks are probably the toughest, so heavy tackle is necessary to land them. The SeaSquared captains use Penn Torque Lever Drag reels in the 30-pound class, matched with a 30- to 50-pound Star conventional rod. On the reef, our leaders are typically 60-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon, matched to an 8/0 Owner AKI hook. The grouper are big so, naturally, the baits are big. Grunts, bluerunners with their tails trimmed and legal-size snappers, preferably 12- to 14-inch yellowtails. These baits usually don’t last long when dropped to the bottom in 50 to 70 feet of water. 10 FLORIDA KEYS
MAY 2021
The Atlantic wrecks also hold large black grouper plus gags at 20-plus pounds and good size reds going 10 to 15 pounds. Use the same setup and baits here as you would on the reef. As for the snapper action on the reef, the primary players are yellowtail and mangrove. This is the best time of year to get your biggest flag yellowtail, with fish upward of six pounds and more hitting the docks on a regular basis. Again, the deeper areas in 60 to 100 feet are most consistent for the flags. You may also find mangrove snapper mixed in. These are also forming their annual congregation on the reef, and most are large, mature fish in the four- to seven-pound category. The action on the wrecks also heats up in May, with lots of mutton snapper, amberjack, African pompano and, as mentioned above, grouper. Pinfish, pilchards or live ballyhoo are the preferred baits for all but the grouper. We’re still catching permit up to 30 pounds on the artificial reefs. Use small crabs on a jighead. Offshore, the dolphin (mahi mahi) bite kicks into gear steadily at this point. You can expect larger fish this month, with the smaller schoolies arriving in June. Now is the time for the gaffers and slammers. Look for birds, especially frigates, working the water surface or weed lines to indicate the presence of the dolphin. The usual assortment of lures and rigged ballyhoo do the trick. The true reason for the season is found nearshore around the bridges. This is where we fish for tarpon, the Silver King, and they’re at the peak of their run during May. On an average fourThe preferred baits vary bridge-tohour outing, you’ll see a couple hundred tarbridge, with mullet and pinfish the pon rolling, and the choice at Long Key and Seven Mile, chances of landing the fish of a lifetime are while Bahia Honda is all about crabs. very good. In the Marathon area, we have the Long Key Bridge, the Seven Mile Bridge and Bahia Honda Bridge. The preferred baits vary bridge-to-bridge, with mullet and pinfish the choice at Long Key and Seven Mile, while Bahia Honda is all about crabs. Talk to your local tackle shop to see what the tarpon are biting best and what rigs to use.
— Capt. Chris Johnson specializes in offshore, reef/wreck, gulf/bay, sailfish, shark and tarpon fishing with SeaSquared Charters, docked at Faro Blanco Resort and Yacht Club in Marathon. You can reach him at 305-743-5305, http://SeaSquaredCharters.com. For daily fishing reports with pictures, please click over to http://Facebook.com/MarathonFishing. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/FLORIDA-KEYS
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MAY 2021
FLORIDA KEYS 11
Captain Joel’s Fishin’ Holes
Y
By: Capt. Joel Brandenburg
O
ne of my favorite places to fish are The Marathon Humps located 25 miles south of Marathon Florida Keys, is an underwater mountain range. Sections of the humps drop as deep as almost 2000ft and the highest peak of the humps is 488ft deep. The reason the Marathon Humps is such a desirable place to fish is because it holds year-round blackfin tuna and skippers which makes it very reliable. Also, the Humps provide a variety of gamefish such as marlin, wahoo, mahi, amber jack, swordfish, wreck fish, snowy grouper, queen snapper, black bellied rosies, grey tile fish, golden tile fish, shark and barracuda. Another cool thing about the Marathon Humps is the 25-mile trip out to the humps. Most of the time while we are journeying out we high speed troll for wahoo or stop to fish under diving birds or next to weed lines. Sometimes on the way out we find floaters, which are objects floating to troll past or cast at. Many times, by the time we get to the humps we already have a cooler full of gamefish. Another neat thing about the humps is all of the deep drop spots in and around the humps. We like to deep drop with our electric reels on a slack or slackish tide so as to keep our long lines straight up and down. On the way to the humps and on the way back home from the humps we are looking for four things in this order:
#2 Weed lines - Weed lines and weed islands can be organized or scattered. They can be sea weed or sargasm weeds. Some weed lines and weed islands have trash in them or they are clean with no trash. The ideal weed line or weed island to find and fish is organized sargasm with a lot of trash in it. #3 Floaters - Floaters we have found is a bucket, a cooler, wood pallet,
crab buoys with ropes, an air plane wing, Cuban raft, log, plastic, furniture, tire, etc. Anytime you find a floater, that floater is like an oasis in the desert. Baitfish gather under the floating object for shelter and gamefish hang around picking bait off. #4 Look for boats that have already found what you’re looking for. “Monkey see Monkey do”. I always try to stay a football field or more away from another offshore boat, but I can remember several trips where I couldn’t find anything, no birds, no weeds, no floaters and saw a boat hanging around 2 miles away and trolled towards it and ended up finding fish.
The main thing to remember about the Marathon Humps is concentrate on the 488 ft peak. Always going to find a lot of good current. 6 knots while trolling seems to be best. When you are trolling into the current slow down, #1 Birds- “Bird is the word”! The bigger the bird the better, with frigate and away from the current speed up. Other than trolling at the Humps we birds also called man o war birds or sea birds are at the top of the bird food like to use live bait and chum a lot with pilchards. We also like to go vertical chain. When you see a frigate bird offshore its mandatory to troll or cast jigging too. The Marathon Humps is a magical fishing hole. Try it sometime! under it. The bottom of the food chain are the small white birds that kind of look like sparrows. We call them “gas birds” because people spend so much — To fish with Captain Joel Brandenburg of Ana banana Fishing gas money chasing them around. When you see birds diving and moving Co., call or text him at 305.395.4212 or 813.267.4401 or visit quickly across the water they are following tuna, but when you see the birds www.marathonfloridakeysfishingcharters.com or stop by picking on one spot a lot of times it’s mahi. at 11699 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 12 FLORIDA KEYS
MAY 2021
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Tarpon Fishing by Captain Billy Norris
T
arpon are one of the most sought-after gamefish in the world. Drag screaming runs combined with aerial acrobatics make them a challenging fight for even the most skilled anglers. Whether it’s stalking them on shallow grass flats, chasing schools down the white sugar sand beaches, or targeting fish in current swept passes, tarpon fishing is one of the most addictive types of fishing Florida has to offer. In this article I will go over a few tips and tricks to help you improve your abilities when attempting to best the silver king. Tarpon can be found in nearly every coastal aquatic environment in Florida. They inhabit reefs and wrecks, beaches, grass flats, estuaries and can even be found in freshwater lakes and ponds. Due to their wide-ranging habitats, your fishing style will change depending on where you’re fishing. First, your gear and tackle have to be topnotch. Tarpon are one fish that will absolutely put your equipment to the test. If you have junk reels, frays in your line, cheap leader, or discount hooks, you will get whipped by these bruiser fish. Go over your setups from top to bottom and make sure that everything you are using is up to par. I prefer to use reels in the 60-80 range. Personally, I use Penn Slammer 7500 reels. The beefier reels are able to put the screws to the fish and the larger spools allow you to carry a lot more line. A medium-heavy rod is also a big help when fighting tarpon. I use 7’ medium action Star Rods. Now-a-days, it would be a challenge to find a professional captain who does not use braided line when tarpon fishing. I spool my reels with 50-pound braid, but you can also up it to 80 if you’re targeting bigger fish. Tarpon can be extremely picky when it comes to both baits and rigs. Fluorocarbon is an absolute must when it comes to your leaders. Depending on the water quality, you may have to switch pound test if the fish are leader shy. 7’ of 80-pound Yozuri pink fluorocarbon is where I typically start, but will bump down to 50 pound if the water is very clear. Everyone has 14 FLORIDA KEYS
MAY 2021
their own preference of hooks, but I prefer either 8/0 Owner SSW Circles, or 6/0 Mustad Ultra Point Demon Circle hooks. Believe it or not, tarpon will pretty much eat anything that lives in the ocean. I have caught them on cut bait, threadfins, crabs, pilchards, pinfish, discarded fish carcasses…literally almost everything. However, this does not mean that you can just use anything. Although they will consume a variety of baits, they are extremely picky and are notorious for getting dialed in on one specific type of prey. For example, when I’m fishing for tarpon in Marathon, I target two passes, Bahia Honda and the 7-Mile Bridge. Both passes are right next to each other, but at Bahia Honda the fish will only eat crabs and at 7-Mile they want mullet. It doesn’t seem to make any sense why two different schools so close to one another won’t eat the same things, but it is reality. Even the size of crabs that the fish will eat changes daily. Some days they will want small crabs and other days larger ones. Crabs can be caught, but if you are purchasing them the cost can add up quickly. On average they retail for about $4-5 apiece, and on a day long tarpon trip I like to have at least 40 crabs of varying sizes. A good rule of thumb is you want crabs that are approximately the same width (across the carapace) as three of your fingers. Whether I’m using crabs, mullet, threadfins, etc., I will almost always freeline the bait, with the exception of sometimes using a cork to suspend the bait if needed. Being successful at hooking up tarpon comes from time put in on the water daily to figure out what they are eating at that particular time. Now your gear and equipment are ready, you’re livewell is loaded with bait, and it’s time to get hooked up! The most crucial part of landing tarpon is understanding how to fight them. They are notorious for throwing the hook when they make their world-famous jumps. You will consistently hear guides refer to “flying” x amount of tarpon. For example, when talking about the day of fishing you will hear me say something like “flew 5 landed 2”. This means that we hooked up with five fish but only got two boat side. Only landing a small percentage of hooked fish is not uncommon, but the more practice you get, the more you will land. Finally, you have to bow. Everyone who has even a slight bit of familiarity with tarpon has heard the old expression “bow to the king”. That means when the fish jumps, drop your rod tip. I actually tell my customers to stab the tip of the rod quickly into the water when they first see the fish rise to jump. This action puts slack in the line and will reduce breakoffs or the hook being pulled. Tarpon fishing is without a doubt one of the most challenging and addictive types of fishing in the world. Hopefully this article helped to answer some of your questions surrounding the silver king, and will help you to get out on the water and start landing some tarpon!
— Captain Billy Norris is owner and operator of Pale Horse Fishing
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/FLORIDA-KEYS
Charters. He guides the Southwest Florida area, and also operates tarpon charters out of Marathon in the Florida Keys. You can contact him at (239)285-7710, or visit his website at www.PaleHorseFishingCharters.com.
•
•
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Circles, arpon em on …literust use remely ey. For es, Baother, t mullose to f crabs bs and g them ce, and zes. A width s, muleption sful at ure out
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FLORIDA KEYS 15
Florida Keys
Susan Hoelscher of Texas catches her first big barracuda on a top water lure while fishing with Capt. Brent Mandrell of Ree l Maverick Charters.
caught this beautiful The Bouncher Group in Attraction 2, run cow mahi aboard Ma tcliffe and first mate by Captain Aaron Su ly did they take it Cole DeLeon. Not on y also are getting a the t bu home for dinner, Gray Taxidermy. memorable mount by
Kylah McQ uaig check ing stone cr with dad D ab traps erek on a b eautiful Ke ys day!
First mate Lance Doire, of Main Attraction Sportfishing Charters, hold s a trophy golden tilefish. In the rack behind him are dolphin, blackfin tuna , a barrelfish and wahoo. What a catch by Captain Marty and crew.
with a from Chicago Paul Lisewski with ng hi fis r snappe nice yellowtail rs te ar Ch Capt. Easy
Mark Busch, of Cleveland , Ohio, out fishing on Main One with Captain Ma rty Lewis, catching and releasing a full-grown per mit.
If you have a catch to brag about send your picture and caption to: flkeys@coastalanglermagazine.com
ISLAMORADA LLGF
SCREAMIN’ REELS TOURNAMENT SLATED FOR JUNE 11-13
W
omen, men and teens are invited to a non-intimidating Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing Screamin’ Reels tournament with education June 11-13 in Islamorada. Hosted by the nonprofit Ladies Let’s Go Fishing Foundation, the tournament kicks off on Friday with a presentation on offshore fishing and conservation, plus a meet and greet from 6-8 p.m. at The Tavernier Elks Club. Saturday and Sunday is fishing, learning on the water and friendly angler competition for inshore and offshore species, departing from Whale Harbor Marina, Islamorada. Participants can fish from their own boats or
charters supplied by the organization. Prizes will be awarded to individual anglers, including Penn combos, art prints and other fishing items, presented on Sunday upon the return of boats at Whale Harbor. Prizes for inshore and offshore species and releases include Heaviest Fish Overall, Offshore Billfish Release, Party Boat award, Junior Angler, Longest Inshore Fish, Wild Card prizes and more. This tournament offers easy rules and is perfect for novice anglers. Charter boats fill quickly, so early registration is encouraged. Registration is $89 early entry, $99 regular per adult angler, $45 for teens and includes about $20 in gifts. Featured on national network television and more, the series is supported by major partners including Recreational Fishing and Boating Foundation, Take Me Fishing, Vamos a Pescar, Mercury, Magic Tilt trailers, Shearwater Boats, Power-Pole, Penn, TACO Metals, Lowrance and Fish Florida. Largest Annual Sponsors are Freedom Boat Club, ICOM, CCA Florida STAR, Bob’s Machine Shop, AFTCO, Costa, Smith Optics, Frogg Toggs, Hubbards Marina, Star Brite and Future Angler Foundation. Local sponsors are Breezy Palms, Jeanne Towne of Fidelity Real Estate and the Monroe County Tourist Development Council. Annual and class-specific contributors are listed on the website. 2021 LLGF event plans with fishing offered schedule includes: • May 15-16: Gulf Coast Inshore Saltwater Weekend Seminar • June 11-13: Keys Fishing Learning on the Water Inshore/ Offshore • Oct. 15-17: Keys Saltwater Weekend Seminar Inshore/Offshore • Nov. 20-21: St. Augustine Surf Fishing Academy Bimini Bahamas boat trip, Virtual meetings and more TBA For more information, go to www.ladiesletsgofishing.com and www.facebook.com/ladiesletsgofishing.
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Only $89 per person to enter. Charter fishing additional for Saturday & Sunday. Can't make it? Check out the LLGF’s Fishing Fever Tournament on October 15-17, with full-day instructional & hands-on seminar on Saturday! Fishing Friday & Sunday.
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SOUTH FLORIDA’S EXOTIC
ALIEN FISH By Ryan Izquierdo
@RYAN_IZQ
T
UIERDO PH
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he clown knifefish looks like guide, of Swamp to Sea Guide Service, in south it escaped from a mad scientist’s Florida to talk about his history with this amazing laboratory. Originally from tropical species. Here’s what he wrote: “I remember over 25 years ago when my mom Asia, it is one of the non-native species that have taken hold in Florida waters. With its would drive me around to the local tackle shops long knife-shaped body and black spots, it is a so I could speak with shop hands and check for beautiful species that anglers from all over the new pictures on the wall. On occasion, we would see a Polaroid tacked up with a giant silver alien world travel to target in south Florida. Clown knifefish are powerful and agile. fish with black dots all over it. When you asked They offer explosive thrashing jumps similar the guy at the counter what they caught it on, to tarpon, and are nearly impossible for most the response was always the same: a Gambler anglers to land without a net. I caught my first red shad worm, because that’s all you fished if clown knifefish when I moved to Palm Beach you weren’t using live bluegill. County 10 years ago. My biggest clown knifefish weighed more than 12 pounds. I caught it while fishing with my buddy Capt. Bill Lepree. It ate the last shad in the livewell as we were eating Publix subs. After some drag screaming runs, it got wrapped around bridge pilings and broke the line as it swam backward into the net. I once made a “Catch & Cook “Everything has made a Clown Knifefish” Youtube video. complete rebound since then. We’ve Let’s just say they’re not as tasty as learned to catch them consistently they are fun to catch. on bait, artificials and even a few on Any of the ponds and canals fly. I’ve managed to build a successful connected to Lake Ida in Palm guide business with clients calling Beach County are good places to from around the world to target target clown knifefish. I use light clown knife fish. fluorocarbon line, a small octopus Capt. Patrick Smith holds the world-record 14.5-pound clown “In 2018, I was lucky to have a hook and live shiners, shad or knife fish for Michael Donvito, the client who caught it. client catch the current IGFA record bluegill. They can also be caught PHOTO COURTESY OF SWAMP TO SEA GUIDE SERVICE. at 14.5 pounds. I’m sure that record on artificials and fly. Small white “It took another 15 years or so before I will fall any day, as we are seeing some absolute swimbaits, bladed baits and small hair jigs all work, and you’ll likely catch peacock and finally got my hands on a real clown myself. giants out there.” largemouth bass, along with many other exotic Unfortunately, it was during the freeze of 2010, Follow Ryan Izquierdo on Youtube when the canals were full of dead ones, along species when targeting clown knife fish. (RyanIzFishing) and Instagram @ryan_izquierdo I reached out to my buddy Capt. Patrick with dead peacock bass, shad and just about to check out his fishing adventures. Smith, a world-record holding clown knifefish everything else.
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FLORIDA 17
GET SET FOR A
Summer Diving OF
By John Lidington
S
ummer is just around the corner. As temperature and humidity climb and seas calm, the best place to be is underwater! Now is the time to prepare, so your diving plans can proceed smoothly when the season gets hot. When do your tanks’ VIPs expire? If it’s during the busy summer season, schedule a VIP now. What about their hydro dates? Again, if the date is near, do it now. Hydrostatic testing will usually take them out of commission for several days. Don’t be without them when you really want to be diving. While you’re checking them, put fresh o-ring in the regulator seats, too. When was your regulator last overhauled? If it has been more than a year or 100 dives, it’s time for an annual service. But even with regular maintenance, problems can still occur when salt crystals, corrosion or plain old grit get where they shouldn’t be. If your regulator is still within a year from the last service, some simple checks will help catch developing problems now, before they impact your summer diving. Mount your regulator onto a tank, turn the air on, then off. Tank pressure should read constant for at least an hour. If it falls, air is leaking from the system and you need to do a careful bubble check of the regulator and all hoses to locate the problem. With air still off, gently inhale through each second stage mouthpiece. If they don’t hold vacuum, there’s an exhaust valve problem. Don’t forget your BCD. Exhaust valves and dump valves can get stuck when sitting idle for a while and may sometimes tear when used. After checking all those valves, inflate your BCD fully. Will it stay fully inflated overnight? If not, more thorough servicing is needed. Okay, your gear is set. But are you ready to dive? Summer is the best time for visiting Palm Beach County’s wrecks, reefs, turtles and Goliath groupers. That means drift diving. If you are new to drift diving, or want to refresh your skills, join Pura Vida Divers for a one-day PADI Drift Diver course. This class is scheduled every Saturday in May. Students will complete an independent online e-learning component, then do a classroom review before heading out for a two-tank dive to put skills into practice. On Sundays, follow up with the PADI Delayed Surface Marker Buoy Diver course. This one-day course covers the advantages and techniques to deploy your surface marker buoy (or “safety sausage”) on a line from depth. During busy summer boat traffic, a surface indicator is essential as divers begin their ascent. Both courses can be completed in one weekend. Contact Pura Vida Divers at (561) 840-8750, or visit www.puravidadivers.com.
18 FLORIDA
MAY 2021
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MAY 2021
OYSTER REEF DEPLOYED IN CHARLOTTE HARBOR
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ater quality, marine fisheries and recreational angling are set to get a boost after two dump truck loads of oyster shells were deployed in Turtle Bay in Charlotte Harbor last month. CCA Florida partnered with Ingman Marine, Abbott Construction, Lee Reefs, SanibelCaptiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF), Capt. Jay Withers, Placida Point LLC, Clermont Oyster Bar and Lake County Solid Waste Division to make the project a reality. Abbott Construction hauled dried-out oyster shells from CCA Florida’s Oyster Recycling Program in Astatula to a staging area in Placida. The materials were loaded on a barge and deployed in Turtle Bay at a pre-permitted location. “This is a unique partnership involving a huge amount of support from the community as well as our sponsors and members,” CCA Florida COO Adam Miller said. “With all the water quality issues Charlotte Harbor is facing, it is important to partner together and do what we can to help restore the water quality, seagrasses and marine life.” The oyster shells, donated by Clermont Oyster Bar, are dried for six months to kill potential pathogens and will, over time, form a new oyster reef. “With an estimated 85 percent loss of oyster reefs worldwide, efforts for restoration must be made a priority all around the state, ” said CCA Florida Director of Habitat and Environmental Restoration Frank Gidus. In the near future, SCCF and Lee Reefs plan to deploy fossilized shell at the same site to serve as a host structure for new oyster growth. Oyster reefs filter pollutants, reduce turbidity and create habitat for a variety of marine species.
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THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE BITE Berkley Saltwater Gulp! Continues to Outshine Live Bait for Coastal Anglers
A
ll along the coast, as the highways near the busiest launch ramps, the bait shop signs announcing what’s for sale reinforce what most anglers already know: natural bait does a good job of catching fish. Live baitfish and live shrimp are almost always on the bait shop menu as they present the most natural food source. But even the frozen slabs of baitfish and chunks of cut bait that are also widely sold—baits which have no action to them whatsoever—are eaten by saltwater species if presented the right way. But why? The answer is simple, as it all pertains to one of the most misunderstood senses in fish biology: a fish’s sense of smell. It’s this sense of smell that inspired the development of Berkley Saltwater
Gulp!, the line of baits that has transformed saltwater fishing with their effectiveness, ease of use and value. For as effective as live or cut bait can be in saltwater fishing, it’s far from the perfect solution. Live bait can be very expensive and difficult to keep alive. Unused bait becomes a treat for pushy pelicans or gets dumped into the water. Presented with a problem, the scientists at Berkley set out to find a solution. Fish smell on the parts-per-billion level, the equivalent of a single drop of water in an Olympicsized swimming pool. This powerful sense of smell is extremely important to a fish’s ability to feed. Fish rely upon their sense of smell because they live in an aquatic environment filled with particles
and debris that can look like food. Their noses tell fish the difference between food and other organic compounds. Berkley scientists set out to make the first artificial bait that really appealed to a fish’s sense of smell. The first step was getting scent to disperse from a soft bait. While fish attractants and scents are nothing new, all of the competitive versions were oil-based. And just like the old adage reminds us, oil and water don’t mix. An oil-based scent that is smelly to a human has no effectiveness on fish since it is not soluble in water. That’s why Gulp! scents are water-based. The water-based scent formula, now known as Berkley Gulp! and which has since become synonymous with saltwater fishing across the country, caught more fish than live bait in headto-head tests. This scent, combined with the proprietary material used in Berkley Gulp! baits, disperses scent 400 times more effectively than any other soft bait, meaning it creates a scent field that is easily detected by fish and which continues to expand as the bait is retrieved. “I started really using Gulp! in about 2007, a few years after it came out,” said Capt. Jot Owens, who operates out of Wrightsville Beach, N.C., where he specializes in putting his clients on big redfish, flounder and other species. “And from the first year I started fishing with Gulp!, we were catching more and bigger flounder than we had ever caught before—and we were fishing in the same areas we had always been fishing. I don’t
know what the magic formula is, but it really wakes fish up.” Capt. Owens said he prefers Berkley Saltwater Gulp! for a host of species, but especially for redfish and flounder. His go-to set up for flounder varies slightly depending on whether he’s fishing inshore or farther out. The set up consists of a 6-inch Saltwater Gulp! Jerk Shad (Chartreuse/Pepper/ Neon or Firetiger) on a 3/8-ounce long-shank jig head. Because Gulp! baits are wet inside and out, they can come unrigged, so Capt. Owens relies on a Berkley Fusion19 jig that has lead lips and a wire hook to keep his Jerk Shad rigged properly. When fishing inshore, he uses a medium-fast Fenwick HMG Inshore paired with a Size 2500 or 3000 PENN Battle III DX spinning reel, which is spooled with 15-pound braid and a 30-pound fluorocarbon leader. Farther out, he will increase the line size to a 20-pound braid mainline and a 40-pound fluorocarbon leader spooled onto a Size 3500 PENN Spinfisher. “Just make sure the bait is bouncing on bottom; I’m typically jigging with the rod tip pretty high,” Capt. Owens said. “It’s not that you won’t get bit dragging it on the bottom, but the bait is more effective bouncing up and down.” For redfish, Capt. Owens has his clients using 3- or 4-inch Gulp! Shrimp (Sugar Spice Glow or Chartreuse) on a 1/8- or 1/4-ounce jig head, increasing the weight of the jig based on fishing depth and current. The rest of his redfish set up is similar to that of his inshore rig for flounder:
medium-fast Fenwick HMG Inshore paired with a Size 2500 or 3000 PENN Battle III DX spinning reel, which is spooled with 15-pound braid and a 30-pound fluorocarbon leader. “The best retrieve is a hop-hop; let it sit for a second or two then give it another hop-hop,” Capt. Owens said. “Redfish are really bottom feeders, so they’ll almost always hit it on the drop or while it’s sitting on bottom for the brief pause. The way the Berkley Saltwater Gulp! Shrimp is putting out scent, redfish pick it up with the same excitement as they would a hunk of cut bait even though it’s not moving.”
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Troll and Watch Bottom for Spring Grouper By CAM Staff
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t’s a lot more fun to fill fish boxes when the various Gulf and Atlantic grouper seasons open in spring. These days, advances in electronics have made finding good grouper bottom easier than ever. There is, however, a trade-off. In the good old days, captains precisely timed their courses out of the pass in hopes of coming off throttle near a fish-producing rock pile. Before GPS and sonar, the best indicators of productive bottom were boats already there and catching fish. Successful anglers even welcomed new PHOTO COURTESY OF CRYSTAL LAFOSSE boats to the party, reasoning that more baits in the water served to excite fish into feeding. In case you didn’t notice, that’s not the way things work any more. Now any yahoo with a boat can plug coordinates into their navigation system and sleepwalk straight to a ledge or wreck. Community holes and artificial reefs are crowded and sometimes picked clean of fish. To avoid this, a good set of numbers is a jealously guarded secret. Camaraderie on the open sea is officially a thing of the past when picking up and moving off productive bottom is a logical step to avoid being marked in the mapping system of a passing vessel. We’ve traded open sharing of information for technological advancements the old salts couldn’t have dreamed of. With advanced radar, sonar, mapping and GPS, it’s up to the angler to spend time on the water to locate their own magic numbers. With grouper seasons opening in state and federal waters off the southern states, most species have finished with the peak of spawning. They have begun moving to deeper water and are hungry to feed-up and regain what was lost to the rigors of the spawn. However, grouper are also spread out more thinly right now than they are when they group up on deep-water structure in summer. You might not have to run as far to reach productive bottom, but you will likely have to do more spot-hopping to fill the boxes. It’s a good time of year to troll. Some fish will still be shallow enough to target with deep-diving lures. Using planers and downriggers, it’s possible to get lures down to 60 feet or deeper, and some very deep-diving plugs can get down to 40 feet on their own with the right braided line. This allows you to cover ground on and around those ledge coordinates you have marked. It’s a throwback to the olds days, when trolling up a grouper was the method for finding an area to stop and drop baits. If you keep an eye on the bottom machine, you might even spot a small formation you didn’t know was there. These small blips are the honeyholes that produce when the larger reefs and structure succumb to constant fishing pressure. Don’t care for boat rides and watching rods? Traditional bottom fishing may still be the best method. Check your shallower coordinates as you head out this time of year. Many boats ride right over good structure on the way to their deeper summer spots. Reefs or rocks as shallow as 40 feet will hold fish before they head out to their mid-summer haunts. Just be sure to drop some chum down upstream of the structure to bring them out of their hidey-holes. See your state’s saltwater fishing regulations to determine which species of grouper are open for harvest where you fish.
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NATIONAL 17
On the Swordfish Ledge
off Marathon
By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon
I
f you’ve ever been swordfishing out of Marathon, Fla., chances are you were deep dropping the same area I was in April, when the U.S. Coast Guard ticketed us for fishing in Bahamian waters. Dropping for swordfish is exhausting. Staring mindlessly at one single rod tip, it’s easy to lose your mind questioning if every other wave was a bite. It is also possible to spend an entire day doing the crazy-eyed swordfish rod stare and never get a nibble. During a slow drift along the ledge in 1,800 feet of water, our luck finally changed. A flock of diving terns approached and crossed behind the
boat. We opened bails on the flat lines and let pinfish swim toward the commotion. Immediately we hooked up and stole a school of mahi from under the birds. With four mahi hooked up along the port side, we had just begun the assembly line from hook to killbox when we were informed the U.S. Coast Guard was about to board our boat. Approaching from starboard to accommodate our fishing, three “Coasties” boarded to conduct a routine safety check. After about half an hour with our official guests on board, we finished with the school of mahi and decided to reel up the sword line. We activated the electric reel, and— distracted by our visitors—it took a moment to
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realize we were hooked up. The Coasties were going to have to put a pin in it. “Hang on fellas; we’re hooked up!” For the next half hour, we didn’t hear a word from our visitors. As the fish began to surface, the line scoped out underneath the Coast Guard cutter raft. We radioed asking them to move. After a lot of chaos and tight boat maneuvering, we landed the 150-pound swordfish with the Coast Guard on board. They even took the catch photos. It was all high fives and celebration until they asked us for our Bahamian fishing licenses and informed us we were illegally fishing in the Bahamian Exclusive Economic Zone. Later on, extensive research by Steve Steenstra, owner of Blue Magic Charters, revealed the Bahamian EEZ line runs about 24 miles from land, straight across the U.S. sword ledge. None of us, not even our GPS mapping knew about this line. A law enacted some 40 years ago had just been enforced for the first time. We were the first vessel cited. As I understand it, after visiting the Coast Guard Station in Key West, the EEZ line was drawn straight down the middle by default. Now that they’re enforcing it, recreational swordfishing from the Keys is threatened, along with the livelihoods it supports. As the situation unfolds, it would be wise to stay up to date before venturing offshore from the Keys. Capt. Quinlyn Haddon and Blue Magic Charters are following this situation closely. Contact her at (504) 920-6342 or through Instagram @CaptainQuinlyn and @BlueMagicCharters.
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ach spring, inshore anglers are greeted with big winds, big tides and small baitfish. There is no time where the size of your lure can make or break your trip more than the spring season. With the abundance of small baitfish in the water, it can be difficult to get the attention of your target species, especially when you are fishing with artificial lures. It is also very common to find gamefish gorging themselves on tiny glass minnows. This is routinely evident when you land a fish and they spit up these miniature meals. As anglers, we have two obstacles here: the sheer amount of forage in the water competing with your lure and the small size of the lure required. What I have found to be the most successful tactic is to use the smallest lure I can cast and appropriately present to the fish. Both hard and soft lures can be effective. Another key to success is color. I prefer a white-and-silver combination that closely matches the natural forage. I like to fish these lures on the edge of large bait balls when possible. I try to keep my lure on the edge or under the school to let the fish focus on a single target rather than a large mass.
By Capt. Michael Okruhlik
Using a slow-sinking lure is an advantage at this time of the year. A lure that will suspend or slow-sink is ideal. This allows the predator time to target your lure, and it also gives the appearance of a wounded baitfish, which is always a plus. When the bait is this thick, your lure needs to stand out, but you still need to match the forage in size and color. The use of tandem rigs allows for a couple of advantages. Casting two smaller lures could equal the weight of one of your typical offerings. This allows you to cast farther and still have the appropriate size lure. Rigging two small silver spoons with white bucktails is a great combination when fishing glass minnow schools. I also like to use a small floater/ diver with a small spoon trailer. The diving action in conjunction with the added weight of the spoon is a unique combination of action to entice strikes. Downsizing your lure presentation in spring can definitely up-size your catch. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures, Controlled Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.
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“For Me, It’s a Fishing Tool”
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“T
he easiest way I can explain ‘boat position’: if you’re at the baseball game, you’re either playing—which is fishing—or you’re watching the game, which means you’re not…” Capt. Mickey Brelsford decided he’d rather be in the game than on the sidelines, so installing the Rebel EZ-5 became a no-brainer after researching product information and helpful documents on the company website, then calling the drum anchor winch plate design that allows the drum to free-spool when the manufacturer’s technical support team for additional pointers. clutch plate is disengaged. To get that “ good, solid anchoring In the past, using a windlass yielded poor retrieval results position,” press and hold the “raise/power up” side of the and left no room for customization, like adding special button for about five seconds: this will cause the clutch plate to attachments or splicing rope and chain. Now, Capt. Brelsford once again rotate, but this time clamping down on the drum says his Rebel free-fall unit is the perfect fishing tool, providing and holding the boat at anchor. him a “good, solid anchoring position.” “Once I deploy my anchor and it goes into a free-fall, it’s “I don’t know how many times I’ve been on boats where straight down to the bottom as quick as it can go…” Brelsford [the line is] hanging up, snarling, getting knotted up in the said. “And then, once I set the anchor, I can free-line out as windlass or shredding line.” Brelsford said. much anchor rode as I need: that’s what I call ‘boat position’.” A retired policeman, Capt. Brelsford enjoys his time fishing As an added bonus, the Rebel drum anchor winch is near the coast of St. James City, Fla. on his 37-foot “Nostalgic compatible with an E-Z Anchor Puller wireless long-range Lady”: a 1981 Hatteras Sportfish that carries 300 feet of ⅝-inch remote, which controls your drum anchor winch from rope and 20 feet of heavy-duty chain. After adding a pulpit to anywhere on the boat. Capt. Brelsford purchased his on the his vessel, Capt. Brelsford used to pull up all his rope by hand, wasting time company website, ezanchorpuller.com. and energy on multiple retrieval and deployment attempts as he tried to find “This [unit] here—don’t worry about it—it just rolls right on and keeps on the perfect “boat position.” rollin’. That’s what it is: E-Z!” Unlike E-Z Anchor Puller Mfg. Co’s two direct drive series (the Hero To learn more, call 1-800-800-1640 or visit ezanchorpuller.com. and Patriot series), the Rebel drum anchor winch has a clutch and friction
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