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Fall's Topwater Bonanza No-Pressure Grouper
Local
Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events PHOTO COURTESY OF CRYSTAL LAFOSSE VOLUME 23 • ISSUE 271
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EDITOR IN CHIEF : Ben Martin • camads@coastalanglermagazine.com VICE PRESIDENT : Tracy Patterson • tracy@coastalanglermagazine.com ART DIRECTOR : Rebecca Snowden • graphics@coastalanglermagazine.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR : Nick Carter • editorial@coastalanglermagazine.com WEBMASTER : Dmitriy Pislyagin • webmaster@coastalanglermagazine.com ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: Corporate Headquarters info@coastalanglermagazine.com • 888-800-9794
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BIG BEND : Mike McNamara • (850) 510-7919 • captmike@coastalanglermagazine.com BREVARD : David String • (321) 684-5888 • dstring@coastalanglermagazine.com DAYTONA/NEW SMYRNA BEACH : Don Meadows • (321) 436-5895 • donm@coastalanglermagazine.com FLORIDA KEYS : Cliff Lumpkin • (305) 849-9093 • cliff@coastalanglermagazine.com FORT LAUDERDALE : Gene Dyer • (954) 680-3900 • gene@coastalanglermagazine.com FORT MYERS : Nadeen Welch • (239) 595-8265 • nwelch@coastalanglermagazine.com GREATER MIAMI : Scott Deal • (561) 945-6999 • scott@coastalanglermagazine.com Monica Isaza-Deal • (561) 945-8899 • monica@coastalanglermagazine.com GREATER ORLANDO : Phillip & Giselle Wolf • (407) 790-9515 • phillip@coastalanglermagazine.com LAKELAND & SUMTER : Mary Brasher • (352) 598-4219 • maryf@coastalanglermagazine.com NAPLES : Nadeen Welch • (239) 595-8265 • nwelch@coastalanglermagazine.com NC FLORIDA/NATURE COAST : Cary & Lynn Crutchfield • (352) 372-4237 • crutch@coastalanglermagazine.com NE FLORIDA : Danny Patrick • (904) 742-4696 • danny@coastalanglermagazine.com PANAMA CITY/FORGOTTEN COAST : Randy Cnota • (229) 834-7880 • randyc@coastalanglermagazine.com PALM BEACH COUNTY : Barbara Ryan • (561) 373-8040 • barbara@coastalanglermagazine.com SARASOTA : Phil Prevoir • (239) 257-4684 • pprevoir@coastalanglermagazine.com TAMPA BAY : Chuck Atkins • (239) 464-5153 • chuck@coastalanglermagazine.com TREASURE COAST : Misti & Gary Guertin • (772) 285-6850 • treasurecoast@coastalanglermagazine.com flahama@coastalanglermagazine.com
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INTERNATIONAL BAHAMAS : Misti & Gary Guertin • (772) 285-6850 • treasurecoast@coastalanglermagazine.com flahama@coastalanglermagazine.com PUERTO RICO/VIRGIN ISLANDS : Ace Bassue • (407) 285-9453 • ace@coastalanglermagazine.com COSTA RICA : Mike Erickson • (561) 262-2242 • mike@coastalanglermagazine.com © 2017. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Disclaimer: Coastal Angler Magazine / The Angler Magazine will not be held liable for injuries incurred while partaking in activities described herein, or for claims made against products or services provided by advertisers.
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no pressure
Gulf Grouper By CAM Staff
C
rystal LaFosse fishes a lot. She’s traveled to destination fisheries around the world. Everywhere she’s been has its own allure, but she said when it comes to catching fish, nowhere compares to Louisiana’s Gulf Coast. What would you expect to hear from a Louisiana girl? Cajun Tackle in Lake Charles, La. is the family business, which Crystal operates with her brother and her parents. She is the founder and director of the Salty Catch Fishing Rodeo in Lake Charles and director of the Tuna & Swordfish Challenge at Hurricane Hole in Grand Isle, La. Even with so much fishing in her work life, she relishes the opportunity to launch out of Lake Charles with family, friends and her 6-year-old son Cardyn. Despite the excellent inshore opportunities nearby in the maze of waterways and Calcasieu Lake, Crystal’s favorite destination is well over 100 miles out in the Gulf in grouper water. West Louisiana doesn’t enjoy the same proximity to deep water as destinations to the east. With runs inside 50 miles out of Venice or Grand Isle, anglers flock to the deep-water rigs and rock bottom where the edge of the Continental Shelf provides dramatic depth changes. Out of Lake Charles, it’s a 110- to 130-mile run to reach the 200-foot depths and prime grouper territory. However, those willing to make longer runs will find bottom that hasn’t already been picked clean by other anglers. “Most people don’t come here to target grouper because the run offshore is so far,” Crystal said, “but that also makes it good because the area is not over-fished.” Yellowedge, gag, and strawberry grouper are some of Crystal’s personal favorites, but she said it’s always fun when the rod tip bends over and you really don’t know what you’re bringing up. Regardless of the species, grouper are some of the best eating fish in the sea, and loading the box with delicious fish is half the fun. “There’s nothing better than cranking in a huge Warsaw grouper. That’s just the best!” she said. The challenge of strapping on a harness and battling a big Warsaw is enough to test anyone’s strength and endurance. Reeling up a 200-plus-pounder is on Crystal’s to-do list. “Typically the big grouper hang on the up-current side of the rigs in 200 to 250 feet of water,” Crystal said. “Bottom fishing, you’re looking for rock or reef formations, drop offs and drastic water depth changes. Usually anything over 200 feet is good grouper territory.” For Crystal, “anything over 200 feet” is sometimes 500 feet or deeper, when you never know what’s going to come up on the end of the line. Her rigs account for the dark waters at these depths with lights that mimic the bioluminescence of squid and attract grouper. “There are several ways to deep drop, and grouper rigs can be made with one to five hooks, ” she said. “Typically when you’re targeting a big warsaw, it’s with an 18/0 or 20/0 circle hook rig with glowing lights, a 3- to 5-pound weight and live bait around the oil rigs. I make my own three-hook rigs using 8/0 or 10/0 circle hooks, glow in the dark squid, lights, and topped with dead squid bait… You can use the 3-5 hook rigs around structure or just bottom fishing on rock piles. “The glow squid are from Offshore Angler, Fathom Offshore, and many other brands. The LED deep-drop lights range in colors of blue,
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red, green or disco, and there are many different brands from Offshore Angler or Lindgren-Pitman, which we have a selection of at Cajun Tackle,” she continued. “These lights and glow squid attract the grouper in the deep dark water. The squid are put on just above the hook, so when you add your bait it’s glowing right above it. The light is added about a foot above the rig and attached with a snap swivel or rubber band.” As much as anything, heading offshore is an opportunity to explore. Crystal said she and her friends all have the same standard coordinates marked on their electronics, but everyone has their favorites, and she’s had a few trips when they ran up on new bottom that turned out to be great. “We have spent time seeking out new numbers to mark, and that just keeps it interesting,” she said. “Keeping the depthfinder on while running from spot to spot, paying attention to any changes in depth and bottom, you can really find some good spots. The ocean is such a wonderful place, and there are so many new things to explore. I think that’s what keeps me coming back. Every trip is different and special in its own way.” When she’s not fishing, Crystal LaFosse can be found working the shop at Cajun Tackle in Lake Charles, La. After a successful second-annual Salty Catch Fishing Rodeo in July, the Tuna & Swordfish Challenge is coming up Sept. 28-Oct. 1 at Hurricane Hole Resort and Marina in Grand Isle. Follow Crystal’s adventures on Instagram @crystallafosse.
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Mountain Lakes Are Calling
By Nick Carter eering into clear-green water from the casting deck, frantic movement is the first thing to catch your eye. As a morning fog evaporates, rolling mountains rise up all around and the sun breaks through to reveal small groups of blueback herring. They dart back and forth, skittering near the surface to evade or confuse predators below. Then it happens. It starts with a few scattered topwater hits and intensifies. By the time you look up from impaling the nose of a blueback from the bait tank, there is an acre of water boiling. Big hybrid bass herd herring around the cove. The trolling motor whirrs to keep you in casting range. For the next few hours the action came in flurries, with multiple anglers battling through double and triple hook-ups whenever baits encountered a school of hungry hybrids. Some fish came on multiple downlines arrayed in rod holders. The most exciting takes
P
were on the pitch rods, lightweight rigs kept ready for surfacing fish. Either way, the key to drawing strikes was a lively bait, and this is the style of fishing you’ll experience with Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service. They fish the gorgeous mountain lakes on both sides of the Georgia, North Carolina border. This trip was on Lake Chatuge, a 7,200-acre impoundment of the Hiawassee River that stretches 13 miles from Hayesville, N.C. south to Hiawassee, Ga. The lake is known for big spotted and hybrid bass. If you’ve never battled a hybrid approaching double digits on light tackle, it makes reeling in a 10-pound largemouth seem comparable to fighting a wet shoe. The same could be said for most of the species guides Shane Goebel and Darren Hughes pursue. Big Ol’ Fish concentrates on three lakes in the region and plans trips based on where the current bite is best. Southwest of Chatuge, Lake Nottely is a 4,200-acre impoundment of the Nottely River. Its primary draw is trophy striped bass. Stripers from 20 to 40 pounds show up regularly on this reservoir outside Blairsville, Ga. The elusive 50-plus-pounder is what everyone seeks, and very lucky anglers just might find it trolling bluebacks, big gizzard shad or trout. Those who prefer counting fish to weighing them will find fast action on Lake Hiwassee near Murphy, N.C. It is a 6,000-acre reservoir in the same drainage, which for some reason is spelled differently in North Carolina. Lake Hiwassee features breathtaking cliff formations and spectacular fishing for smallmouths that reach 6 pounds and larger, as well as big walleye and striper. Over a couple action-packed trips with Darren and Shane on their The Angler Magazine-wrapped Carolina Skiff, one couldn’t help ask why they don’t fish artificials when the bite gets so hot. Their answer, almost in unison, was: “Because we like catching lots of fish.” That sentiment is hard to argue with, but it’s worth noting that Darren owns Hughes General Store in Blairsville, the area’s primary purveyor of live baits. Rumor has it they make a mean biscuit. Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service can be found online at bigolfish.com. Call them at 828-361-2021.
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Micron : Generations of Innovation ®
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All trademarks mentioned are owned by, or licensed to, the AkzoNobel group of companies. © AkzoNobel 2017.
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FOUL WEATHE ExOfficio Camino Convertible Pant-Short
Huk Next Level Kryptek All Weather Bib
Perfect storm, meet the perfect bib. Huk’s Next Level Bib is built to keep Mother Nature at bay. They start with a lightweight stretch 3-layer, waterproof 10,000mm/Breathable 5000g shell. It’s 100 percent waterproof and windproof, which keeps all the elements out while maintaining best-in-class breathability. All the seams are taped and zippers welded to keep them from leaking. Non-binding and high-stretch, the bib is exceptionally comfortable and gives the wearer a full range of motion. Zip side entry allows for easy on and off, and there’s a zip fly for… well, you know. Gear can be kept handy in a large waterproof tape-welded chest pocket or dual front-thigh bellowed cargo pockets. There’s an internal mesh chest pouch pocket for items you keep close to your heart. Articulated knees are reinforced for durability. Velcro side tabs attached to a rear belt system and boot hem zippers allow the wearer to completely customize the fit. Elastic Huk-branded shoulder straps also optimize comfort. With Huk’s Next Level Bib, there is no such thing as bad weather.
www.hukgear.com Dakine Caliber Jacket The Caliber Jacket is Dakine’s go anywhere, do anything rain jacket. The company’s most technical men’s everyday jacket, the Caliber is sure to become an everyday, lightweight layer for guys who enjoy any type of outdoor adventure. Don’t let the good-looking modern tailored fit fool you. This is a hard-core weatherproof jacket with a waterproof shell that features fully seam-sealed, breathable construction with waterproof zippers and a helmetcompatible cinch hood to keep moisture out. Mechanical stretch 2.5 Layer construction provides a 20K/20K rating, which means this outer layer provides a wide range of motion with superb waterproof breathability. Underarm pit zips provide added ventilation for temperature regulation. Anglers will appreciate bomb-proof zippers that will stand up to the roughest marine environments and the clean exterior, which limits linegrabbing and tangling potential. Notable fit features include an extended back hem, articulated sleeves and adjustable cuffs. An invisible zippered media chest pocket keeps your electronic gadgetry safe, dry and secure. Dakine is based in the windy and wet Pacific Northwest, and the Caliber jacket is designed to keep wearers comfortable and dry in just those conditions.
ExOfficio prides itself on high-performance apparel for travel and adventure, and their technical clothing might as well be custommade for anglers. Their Sol Cool line is designed for the sun, and the Camino Convertible Pant-Short is perfect to keep you comfortable whether you’re wetwading a mountain stream, casting from the deck of a bass boat or poling the Bermudian flats. The benefits of zip-off legs are obvious for anyone who has spent any time on the water, and UPF 50 sun protection is essential for long days in the sun. The jade-infused Nycott fabric with Teflon Shield+ is very durable, stands up to rough treatment and even feels cool to the touch. Silvadur anti-bacterial technology helps eliminate odor, so you’ll smell fresher when you come off the water. The Camino Convertible Pant-Short features two security zip cargo pockets, a cell phone pouch inside the right leg pocket, two security zip back pockets, zippered leg hems, full inseam gusset, contoured tricot-lined waistband and an indestructible button system. All lengths zip off to an 8.5-inch short. And weighing just 10.5 ounces, you might forget you’re wearing pants.
www.exofficio.com Xtratuf Legacy 2.0 Engineered to withstand the world’s toughest conditions, the Legacy 2.0 is a hardcore fishing boot 50 years in the making. The latest addition to XTRATUF’s iconic legacy collection features an advanced new outsole that surpasses the SRC slip resistance rating, a textured heel for easy on/off that won’t get caught in gill nets and a contoured toppling binding so it does not rub harshly against calves. Acid- and chemicalresistant uppers along with shin and bib guards keep fishermen protected while a Polyurethane insole ensures comfort for long days on deck. All boots within the Legacy collection are 100 percent waterproof with unique performance features. Each boot is made with XTRATUF’s signature triple dipping technique, which creates a seamless barrier that is highly resistant to many organic and inorganic acids, chemicals and contaminants. The latex neoprene is ozone resistant and is softer, lighter and far more pliable than ordinary rubber. Cushioned insoles with arch support help fight fatigue and stress on the legs and back. All XTRATUF Legacy boots come with a non-marking, slip-resistant Chevron outsole that provides unparalleled traction on any surface in the most extreme conditions.
www.xtratufboots.com
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HER GEAR Sherpa Nilgiri Pant
If they’ll keep you comfortable in the Himalayas, they’ll keep you comfortable anywhere. Sherpa’s Nilgiris are the perfect soft-shell pant for any outdoor activity in cold conditions.
If there’s anyone who knows how to stay warm in bitter cold conditions, it’s waterfowlers, who view frigid temperatures as invitation to go out into the field. Heybo’s Delta Vest is designed to protect you from bitter winds on those cold-weather days. This classic-cut piece features Realtree Max 5 camo, a vertical zippered pocket on the left chest, and two lower zippered pockets. The Delta Vest is built to be worn in the field or as a casual piece. With a full zip front, the Delta Vest features 100 percent poly fleece to keep your core warm while allowing freedom of movement for your arms. Even in damp conditions, this moisture wicking garment will keep you warm. The Delta vest may have been designed for duck hunting, but any outdoorsman will appreciate the warmth and functionality of this versatile vest.
www.heybooutdoors.com
Stretchy and quiet, Nilgiris keep you feeling warm, dry and comfortable even as you work up a sweat. They are made of a three-layer softshell laminate and lined with a light, soft fleece, so they provide breathable, durable, wind and water repellant shelter for your legs. They are also stretchy, which means moving in them feels unrestricted and effortless. Wear them with a base-layer or on their own to suit conditions.
The North Face Men’s Venture 2 Jacket The Venture 2 Jacket is an unlined, packable, weatherproof rain jacket that is perfect for year-round use. Whether you’re in the backcountry of the Florida Keys or the Blue Ridge Mountains, this lightweight, waterproof and windproof jacket will be there to protect you from the elements when you need it.
The Three-layer softshell laminate is highly breathable and wind- and water-proof. A gusseted crotch accommodates a full and natural range of motion. Three zip pockets—two hand and one thigh—keep essentials handy. Long, twoway, ankle zippers allow for venting and easy on and off over boots. An integrated, adjustable belt customizes the fit, and there are no seams on top of the knees to chafe or cause discomfort. These pants are functional enough to keep you happy in the harshest conditions and comfortable enough to wear around the house.
www. sherpaadventuregear. co.uk Under Armour Storm Surge The Storm Surge is exactly the lightweight rain jacket one would expect from Under Armour, a company devoted to designing high-performance apparel. Unbelievably lightweight and packable, the Storm Surge is a jacket that is easy to keep on-hand, whether in a pack or stowed in a box, which means it is the jacket that will be there when those pop-up thunderstorms roll over the water. UA’s Storm technology has created a shell that is 100 percent waterproof, with fully taped seams to keep the wearer dry in wet weather. And this piece of gear does not sacrifice breathability. A 10K/10K rating means the Storm Surge has found a good balance between keeping water out while allowing airflow For those warm, humid days, when some rain jackets just leave you wet with sweat instead of rain, on-demand zip vents under the arms provide additional breathability to keep the wearer cool and dry. On cool mornings, windproof materials and construction block out the breeze with 2.5 layer bonded fabric and a durable, smooth exterior. The Storm Surge has a loose, fuller cut for complete comfort and a full range of motion. Adjustable cuffs and a bungee hem keep moisture from creeping in, while zippered hand pockets keep gear safe.
www.underarmour.com
Heybo Delta Vest-Max 5
The North Face’s DryVent 2.5L technology utilizes a polyurethane coating that is remarkably waterproof, breathable and durable to create a jacket for active pursuits where light weight and packability are essential. An inner layer finished with dry touch print helps raise the fabric from the skin for comfort and to enable quick transfer of vapor to the outside. The Venture 2 also packs up small into its own pocket. In short, wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, this jacket is designed to be there to keep you dry and comfortable. A relaxed fit and adjustable hood provide a full range of motion as well as room for extra layers, hats or helmets. Pit-zip venting increases breathability. Hand pockets are covered and zippered to store gear safe and dry. Adjustable Velcro cuff tabs keep water from running down your arm while casting, and a hem cinch-cord stops wetness from coming in from below. With a durable yet breathable ripstop exterior, it is likely the wearer will never need to use The North Face’s legendary lifetime warranty.
www.northface.com HammerHead Mahi Mahi Ahi Gloves The HammerHead Dentex, Mahi Mahi Ahi gloves are protection on “rear-knuckle” steroids! Hammerhead has taken its best-selling red Dentex cutresistant gloves and added a thick coat of “EKP” or Enhanced Knuckle Protection to create the perfect gloves for spearfishing and lobstering. Dentex gloves were already the No. 1 best-selling protective gloves for warm water. Made from special UHMW ANSI Level 5 fabrics, they are light, flexible and offer incredible cut and puncture resistant protection up to 15 times stronger than steel. With chemical- and heat-resistant Nitrile Grip coating, you’ll never lose your grip on pole spears, rocks, fillet knives, lobster snares or with any application where extra grip is desired. With the addition of EKP, Hammerhead has brought a new and improved glove to the marketplace that offers complete protection for the front as well as the back of your hands and especially your knuckles.
www.hammerheadspearguns.com COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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What’s It Like to Live in a Log Cabin?
By Ben Martin • Editor in Chief
View time-lapsed video at www.blueridgelogcabins.net As an outdoor enthusiast, I’m naturally drawn to the aesthetic charm of log cabins. I have enjoyed numerous stays and vacations in log cabins over the years. Living in one on a long term or even potentially permanent basis is an intriguing thought for me. With that question in mind, I set out to speak with individuals who have taken that step, just to get their honest opinions, before I make the leap to a log cabin as my permanent residence. My first call was to Mark Alberghini, our Charlotte, North Carolina co-publisher. He and his family have been living in a log cabin for more than 20 years. According to Mark, returning to his cabin after a stressfilled day in the publishing business offers an immediate calming effect. He went on to say that living in a log cabin has left him less interested in vacations than at any other time in his life. His now-grown daughters tell him they are always pleased to return to the log cabin for holidays and family events, and that it seems to have created a deeper sense of tradition than many of their friends who live in conventional homes seem to experience.
I then contacted several Blue Ridge Log Cabin homeowners to see how they compared the experience of log cabin living to conventional homes. Jerry and Carol Clark, who recently moved into their Blue Ridge Log Cabin, said the experience of returning to their log home is much more enjoyable than that of their previous conventional homes. Blue Ridge Log Cabin owner and high school principle Charlie Burry informed us that, “As a high school principle, I value regular downtime away from the pressures of my job.” In that regard, Mr. Burry went on to say, “My wife and I greatly enjoy the peace and relaxation afforded by log-home living verses a conventional home.” Jim Austin, another Blue Ridge Log Cabin owner, commented, “several years ago we decided to change our lifestyle and head out of the hustle and bustle of city life and settle for the quiet and serene country life. We found the perfect wooded location in the foothills of the Appalachians, complete with a little stream running through it. These past five years have been fantastic. We couldn’t have picked a better location or company to build our home. We absolutely love the quietness of the woods in which deer and turkey abound. The sound of our little creek in the morning mist seems heaven sent. Perfect setting, perfect cabin. We love it and wouldn’t change cabin living for the world.” Throughout the numerous interviews that were conducted, the response was always the same. Those homeowners who had changed from a conventional home to a log cabin unanimously agreed, the feeling of contentment, relaxation and satisfaction with the log home was far superior to that of their conventional home. Had this little research project been a survey, it would have seemed artificially skewed. Rarely will you find 100 percent of your survey group in agreement on nearly any subject. In this inquiry, every single person, without exception, agreed that they would never trade log-home living for a conventional home. That’s what it’s like to live in a log cabin.
NATIONALI SEPTEMBER I SEPTEMBER 2017I COASTALANGLERMAG.COM I COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM 12 12 NATIONAL 2017 • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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FLORIDA
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he Islands of he Bahamas are like paradise for a boater! The best time to go is when some event is happening and with a shallow-draft boat to really enjoy all the gorgeous islands. There is no better time than during the July Regatta Time in the Abacos. It is one party after another, moving from island to island. I have made this journey close to a dozen times on various vessels. This year we took my wave-piercing catamaran, the 33’ SkeeterCat. Selection of guests for a long trip like this is very important. Never take a first-time boater, even if he or she is a friend. A portable freezer is a great option for longer trips. We borrowed a friend’s Engel 43-quart unit that uses 2.5 amps at 12volts and maintained it with a 65-watt solar panel. We cooked all our meals onboard and had gourmet dinners of filet mignon, barbecue chicken and fresh grouper and mutton snapper we caught. We took off from Palm City, Fla. and crossed the Gulf Stream in 15to 18-knot headwinds. It was a bit bouncy. We checked in at West End on Grand Bahama at lunchtime. After clearing customs, we ran down to Mangrove Cay Island, where we had a nice refreshing swim in crystal
clear water. We covered 130 miles that day. Next day, we made it to Hope Town and joined the party in Hope Town Inn. They had music, dancing, food and the most spectacular view of the open Atlantic. We anchored in the sound before following the racing fleet from Hope Town to Guana Cay, Treasure Cay and Green Turtle Cay. Some of our friends were racing, so we were the “chase boat.” After each race, there was a party with live entertainment and trophy presentation with the sponsored free bar. There is a lay day between each race to recuperate and sail to the next island. On these lay days, we took excursions to visit other local high spots and snorkeled at Pelican Coral Park, Elbow Cay and Manjack Cay, where some friendly stingrays and a nurse sharks come up to you expecting to be fed. Feeding them is a no-no. We ran down to Little Harbor to visit Pete’s Pub & Gallery and see some fantastic bronze art by Pete Johnston and other artisans. The entrance to the harbor at low tide is 2.5 feet, and the docks were full, except near the beach. A dock in very shallow water was just perfect for the beachable SkeeterCat. The ultimate sponsored party was on the last day of the Regatta at Fiddle Cay, called “Cheeseburger in Paradise.” More than 3,000 people and probably over 500 boats made this the biggest sandbar party ever. They served free hamburgers, rum drinks and cold beer. After two weeks of fun, we had to return to reality. Our return trip was uneventful, with flat seas and smooth running. We tried high speed trolling, but all I ended up with was losing two nice lures. The weather was perfect. The parties were fantastic. There were great food, great friends, great diving, and the boat ran perfectly. It was truly an adventure in paradise. Tom Mestrits designed and built the SkeeterCat 33 Power Catamaran. For more information on the SkeeterCat 33, see the ad in this magazine or go to www.StuartYachtSales.com under “Power Boats For Sale.” For more on the ‘Cheeseburger in Paradise’ event, go to
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Team Murderized, out of Grand Bahama, took top team honors in last year’s tournament with 11 fish weighing a total of 292.5 pounds, to take home $15,000 in cash winnings.
B
imini Big Game Club Resort and Marina, host to some of The Bahamas’ most legendary fishing tournaments, is pleased to announce that Wahoo Smackdown IX will take place Nov. 9-12. The ever-popular and authentic Bahamian offshore tournament, led by longtime Bimini Big Game Club dockmaster, Capt. Robbie Smith, has drawn thousands of anglers to the island since its inception and has become an annual tradition for many. With more than 50 record-setting catches from the waters that surround the island, Bimini has earned its title of Sport Fishing Capital of the World and, come winter, is considered a prime location for wahoo due to its position in the Gulf Stream.
Wahoo Smackdown IX is slated to kick off Nov. 9 with a captain’s meeting and conclude on Nov. 12 with an awards gala. Registration fee is $1,500 per boat and includes four anglers, tournament shirts and entry to social events. Additional anglers (over four) are $250 each. Extra social tickets are $150 each. Total payout is $25,000 based on 25 registered boats. Registration fee is 100 percent refundable if the tournament is canceled due to weather. A $300 instant credit will be issued for entries that book both hotel and boat slip for a minimum of a four consecutive nights. The $300 credit can be used in the restaurant or applied to the total resort bill. Sponsors include American Beverage Marketers www.masterofmixes.com as the Title Sponsor, Bahamian Brewery and Beverage (Sands) www.bahamianbrewery.com, artist David Dunleavy www. dunleavyart.com and Tropic Ocean Airways www.flytropic.com. To register, please visit www.wahoosmackdown.net. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Beth Watson at BWatson@biggameclubbimini.com or (954) 462-3400. Bimini Big Game Club Resort & Marina, in Alice Town, Bimini, The Bahamas, is a popular, internationally-regarded boutique Out Island resort less than 50 miles from south Florida. The property features 51 guest rooms & suites, a 75-slip full-service marina, a dive center with daily dives, rental equipment, a variety of scuba diving lessons and specialty training courses and a freshwater swimming pool. The Big Game Bar & Grill is the most popular restaurant in Bimini, serving American and Bahamian cuisine with all-day dining from a second-floor vantage point overlooking the marina and bonefish flats of Alice Town. Bimini is known for world class beaches, fishing and diving and is a family-friendly destination with many on-the-water activities, including kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkeling and boating. For more information on the Big Game Club Resort & Marina, go to www.biggameclubbimini.com.
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T
here is a pretty little waterway in St. Petersburg, Fla., called Frenchman’s Creek that boaters and fishermen have been frequenting for years. Those who have been there might wonder who the “Frenchman” was who was memorialized in the creek’s name. If those boaters and fishermen are bird lovers, they will not be pleased to learn that the namesake of the creek was a really despicable bird hunter named Jean Chevelier.
fashions in their hats. The Frenchman also somehow got his name on Chevelier Bay in the Ten Thousand Islands, very near to Watson’s Place on the southwestern coast of the state and near where the famous Loren “Totch” Brown lived and hunted. Chevelier and his cronies wantonly killed thousands of roseate spoonbills, egrets, herons and hawks. Thank goodness conservationists like Marjory
His real name was Alfred Lechevelier (nicknamed Jean Chevelier for some unknown reason), and he bought the Maximo Point in St. Petersburg, a picturesque point that is now the site of Maximo Park. Michael Grunwald, in a really good book about an important source of water in Florida, “The Swamp,” 2007, called Chevelier “Florida’s most notorious plumer.” And Jack Davis, in his recently published book, “The Gulf: The Making of an American Sea” (2017), noted that “the healthiest spot on earth was anything but that for birds” after Chevelier arrived in the 1880s. The Frenchman, who apparently came from Montreal or Paris, tried and almost succeeded in wiping out the plumed birds of St. Petersburg and the Everglades before sending on the feathers and sometimes the complete dead bodies of thousands, maybe millions, of birds to milliners in New York and Europe so that women in the late 19th and early 20th centuries could have the latest
Stoneman Douglas and even Harriet Beecher Stowe helped stop the mass killing of the birds. The Tamiami Trail was built by the Chevelier Corporation, also named after one of the worst hunters that ever came to the state. The 1958 movie entitled “Wind across the Everglades” had Burl Ives portray the plume hunter. It’s interesting how such a pleasant-sounding French name, Chevelier, has a sordid history behind it. Anyway, those who fish Frenchman’s Creek might not be pleased at the origin of the name, but they would surely be happy to know that the “Journal of the American Medical Association” in 1885 named Maximo Point the “healthiest place… of any portion of Florida.” I have not had the privilege of fishing in the creek, but my son, who lives nearby, likes the park and the creek. Kevin McCarthy, the award-winning author of “South Florida Waterways” (2013 - available at amazon. com for $7), can be reached at ceyhankevin@gmail.com.
For more on Kevin McCarthy, go to
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he Andrew “Red” Harris Foundation breathed new life into south Florida’s marine ecosystems with a massive artificial reef deployment about a mile and a half offshore of the Jupiter Inlet in August. The $500,000 deployment is the largest ever conducted by a private foundation on Florida’s east coast. While the sheer size of this deployment is impressive, what makes this project unique is the design of the artificial reef modules, as they mimic natural reefs. Additionally, these reef modules cause scouring along the ocean floor, which exposes bedrock and aids in the recruitment of algae, soft corals and sponges. The modules weigh 4 tons each, and 134 of them were deployed on Aug. 9 along with 1,000 tons of boulders. ENGEL, the leader in AC/DC fridges and freezers, high performance roto-molded coolers, vacuum insulated drinkware, outdoor adventure gear and soft-sided coolers, and No Shoes Reefs—a joint venture of ENGEL and Kenny Chesney’s No Shoes Nation—participated in the historic deployment. The venture was partly funded by dollars raised by No Shoes Reefs, which donates a portion of the sales of No Shoes Nation-branded products to building artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean and surrounding rivers and waterways. “Anyone who lives in south Florida enjoys our magnificent waterways, ” said Paul Kabalin, CEO of ENGEL Coolers. “Because ENGEL calls south Florida our home, we feel passionate about protecting our coral reefs, and creating new reefs, which are vital for so many marine species and for the protection of our shores. The No Shoes Reefs brand and associated products exist solely to ensure organizations like the Andrew “Red” Harris Foundation can continue restoring, creating and deploying reef modules to ensure our ecosystems thrive. We are very excited to have played an integral role in this recent record-breaking deployment, which will undoubtedly breathe new life into our fragile marine habitats.” ENGEL Coolers Vice President, Mike Dixon, who serves as a board member for the South East Florida Coral Reef Initiative (SEFCRI), is very passionate about ENGEL’s role in reef creation and preservation. “Partnering with the Andrew “Red” Harris Foundation represented the most immediate and impactful opportunity to aid the SEFCRI (www.southeastfloridareefs.net) region,” Dixon explained. “This large coral reef tract in southeast Florida is lesser known compared to the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and faces significant challenges, water quality issues, and sedimentation threats from beach “nourishment” and port expansions being primary among them. Placing this material in this ideal location allows for both the artificial and natural elements to aggregate reef life and allow a vibrant ecosystem to take shape where there previously was barren sand.” For more information about No Shoes Reefs, or to purchase a limited edition No Shoes Reefs shirt or hat, visit noshoesreefs.org. The t-shirts and hats feature the No Shoes Reefs logo, as well as the No Shoes Nation skull and cross bones. Close to 40 percent of the proceeds from sales of these items goes to support the reefs. Look for future No Shoes Reefs products from ENGEL in the future.
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By Terry Gibson • Photo by Ines Hegedus-Garcia/flickr
I
have needed an on-the-water tow three times over the last five years. Each of my experiences with maritime towing services has been prompt and professional. I believe that’s what most boaters find when caught in a bad situation. That’s why I was shocked when a friend who is a maritime attorney told me several horror stories of people being taken advantage of by price-gouging towing and salvage companies. After calling dozens of guides, fishing clubs and boating clubs, I realized that price gouging occurs more than rarely, and that few boat owners understand even the basics of towing and salvage law. There is a gap in consumer protections that incentivizes some maritime salvage and towing services to take advantage of boat owners experiencing trouble on the water. Unscrupulous salvers swoop in to help, but then leave boat owners with outrageous bills, which are often based on the value of the boat, not the service performed. With tactics that range from claiming simple assistance as a “salvage” job to embracing deceptive marketing practices, operators prey on unsuspecting boaters with surprise charges and questionable practices. Again, while most marine salvers are honest, hard-working folks, mari-
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1. Be prepared: The best way to avoid needing to call for help is to be prepared before you head out. Ensure your boat is properly maintained. Make sure you have enough fuel. Leave emergency communication lines open. Stay well stocked with a hand pump and other emergency tools. As an added measure, you can also take advantage of a free vessel safety check from the U.S. Coast Guard. A specialist will check out your boat and provide safety tips and recommendations, free of charge. 2. Read your contracts: Many boaters have memberships with companies that provide emergency services. Some insurance policies even cover membership for these services, reimburse boat owners for expenses and pay salvage claims. It’s important to review those contracts and know what a policy covers—and what it does not cover. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, because that knowledge may save thousands of dollars down the line. 3. Beware of “salvage” claims: If your boat experiences an emergency, you may get an offer of help from another vessel or a maritime salvage and towing company. Before you accept assistance, always try to negotiate a fixed fee. This will eliminate the possibility of pricing uncertainty or a costly “salvage” claim. It may seem like common sense, but remember what really matters during an emergency. Minor mechanical issues can be resolved, but when things start to get out of hand, call for help sooner than later. Be prepared with proper safety equipment, because you never know when you might need it. When it comes to on-the-water assistance, information is the most important tool to avoid being taken advantage of. A basic understanding of maritime towing and salvage law helps boat owners make informed decisions when emergency strikes. Terry Gibson is an outdoor journalist, conservation and consumer-protection advocate based in Jensen Beach, Fla. He has served in a many editorial capacities for leading fishing media.
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TIPS FROM A PRO
I
BRANDON LESTER
finished sixth in the recent Bassmaster Elite Series event on Lake Champlain in New York and Vermont using a fairly new technique called the “Ned rig” and a dropshot. The Ned has been out for a couple of years now, but I just picked it up and started fishing it this past spring. I haven’t put it down since, and I can assure you the Ned is here to stay. When I first saw it, I wondered under what circumstance would it be any better than a shaky head or a drop shot. Let me explain it like this: A mechanic has a whole box full of tools. Some of those tools can serve multiple purposes, but there will always be one tool that does each job the best. The Ned rig is a tool you better have in your bass fishing box. The Ned rig really shines when fish are on a clean bottom in pretty clear water. The rig itself is basically a mushroomstyle jighead with an exposed hook. The exposed hook makes it tough to use in cover. Start by looking for banks or flats where the bottom is fairly clean with some isolated targets that hold fish. These objects could be mooring buoys, big rocks, stumps, or really anything for the fish to get around. Although the Ned is a fairly slow way to fish, you can still cover water once you figure out the targets the fish are holding on. I’ve also had success fishing the Ned on bluff-type banks in the winter and early spring. This is especially good on lakes with smallmouth or spotted bass, but I’ve caught all three species on this rig. The way I fish the Ned is simple. All you do is let it fall to the bottom on a slack
line. Watch your line as it’s falling, as sometimes they will grab it on the fall. Once the bait hits the bottom, tighten your line and shake your rod tip. All you’re doing is shaking the bait in place, not moving it forward. Once you’ve shaken it, move the bait toward you a foot or two and do the same thing. Most of your bites will come on the initial fall or the first or second time you shake it, so don’t waste too much time on a cast. Many times you won’t feel the bite, so it is
important to use a line you can see to detect a fish swimming off with the bait. The right rod, reel, line, jighead and bait are the key to making this technique work. I start with an MHXEPS81-MLXF rod that is 6’9” in length and medium-light action. I like a pretty soft rod so I can throw that light jighead a long way. Use a good quality 2500-size spinning reel filled with 10-lb. Vicious Hi-Vis yellow braid for your main line with a 6- to 8-foot leader of 8-lb. Vicious Pro Elite fluorocarbon. I use the new Mustad Grip Pin Ned jigheads. I mostly between a 1/8-ounce, but they are made up to 1/4 ounce with 1/0, 2/0 or 3/0 hooks. I use an X-Zone Lures True Center Stick cut in half for almost all of my Ned-rigging.
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By Capt. Randy Cnota
T
his year, anglers heading out of C-Quarters Marina in Carrabelle, Fla. to catch the winning kingfish were met with challenging weather and high seas. On Sunday, storms rolled through the area making it extremely hard for smaller boats to reach the fertile fishing grounds. The winning team was “BillCollector.” Capt. Page Pitman, of Crawfordville, Fla., steered his 34’ Hydra Sport Custom to victory by concentrating his efforts on finding the right live bait and presenting it in the right manner. His son Gage Pitman hauled in the 47-pound smoker king for the win. No doubt, dad was proud! Capt. Pitman offered few details about how the winning fish was caught, but he recommends anglers try different techniques for bagging giant kings... hmmm? Avery Anderson won the youth division with a 10.3-pound king, and Kate Clark with Team Barnes Capital Group won the ladies division. Rob Grabemann of the Leukemia Research Foundation noted that, thanks in part to this event, new technology has rounded the corner in the treatment of leukemia, and they’re closer to a cure than ever before. Donations to the foundation totaled $50,000 for this year’s event, bringing the total to more than $915,000 raised over the Shootout’s history. The $1M goal is well within reach. The good people that plan, conduct and support this event continue their hard work and commitment in preparation for next year’s event to be held Aug. 3-5, 2018.
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C-Quarters Marina Carrabelle, FL
ABOVE: First-place team “Bill Collector” with their winning 47-pound king. Team members were Todd and Jessica Welch, Gage Pitman, David Bramblett and Page Pitman. Top right: Kingfish Shootout’s Youth Division winner was Avery Anderson, of Register, Ga., with his 10.3-pound king.
Come out to compete, spectate or help support this event in any way you can. You’ll be glad you did. It’s a great time, a great cause and it all happens in a beautiful place. Let’s go fishing for a cure! For more info, visit www.c-quartersmarina. com or call (850) 697-8400.
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8/16/17 12:15 PM
By Patrick Sebile
I
t’s the perfect time of year for energized tuna, the tarpon of a lifetime or a big fat striper. What these fish and a few others have in common is they swallow prey whole. They do not bite it like a wahoo, barracuda or bluefish. That means the whole baitfish is getting sucked into a bucket-wide mouth. The same thing happens to the lure you’ll be using. Most hard baits have two or three treble hooks. The problem with this setup is large fish and lengthy fights can cause those tiny hooks to open up or tear from a fish’s lip. We all know this loss hurts. The bigger the fish, the worse it hurts and the more likely it is to happen. I came up with a solution for this scenario several years ago while targeting giant tarpon on the west coast of Africa. I adapted my hard baits to use a single large hook. It resulted in the successful landing of more big fish than with the original hardware. Both regular J hooks and circle hooks can be used. With a J hook there is a need to set the hook as usual. With a circle hook, the angler
should just keep cranking and allow the fish’s run to set the hook. Circle hooks work well, they usually hook a fish in the jaw and they rarely pull out. The drawback is not everyone is accustomed to circle hooks, and learning the technique when a big fish bites can result in heartbreak. To optimize this modification, I recommend lures that are sinking or fast sinking, as their balance won’t be altered too much by the removal of the treble hooks. Some floating or suspending lures also work well with this rig. Some might think this alteration would result in missed bites… and this is true. But the fish missed are typically small ones, or toothy critters like bluefish and ’cudas. In the middle of the night when I’m fishing for striped bass, it generally makes me happy to miss the chompers that peck at a lure’s tail. When the fish I’m targeting shows up, one that’s capable of swallowing the whole bait, the hook-set is typically solid, and with a much larger hook secured in the jaw. This gives the angler the ability to horse the fish, and it also makes unhooking a lot less dangerous. Here’s how I alter to my hard baits when pursuing powerful fish: • Pick up your favorite lure, a heavy-duty barrel swivel, a big J hook or circle hook and a bag of skirt collars. • Remove the treble hooks and their split rings. Keep or add a nose split ring. • Run the hook point through one eye of the swivel. There must be some wiggle room, but not too much. • Slide a skirt collar over the barb. This will secure the lure on the hook. • Attach the nose split ring to the swivel’s other eye. That’s it. Now the lure is ready to hook and do battle with larger, more powerful fish. Patrick Sebile is the owner and lure designer of Sebile Innovative Fishing (www.sebile.com).
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By Erika Zambello
M
onitoring Coordinator Brandy Foley stood at the Pilcher Park boat ramp, watching clouds gather over the Choctawhatchee Bay. She and other Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA) staff had just finished another day of measuring seagrass abundance and escaped the water just before a summer storm unleashed wind and rain across the horizon. Throughout the morning and into the afternoon, three of them hopped in and out of the boat at each study site, pulling on snorkels and masks to dive into shallow water and take stock of the bay’s seagrass. Throughout the year, the CBA team will complete close to 40 seagrass survey sites. Seagrasses form a critical component of life in the Choctawhatchee Bay and throughout Florida. They are a direct food source for sea turtles and crabs, provide habitat and protection for juvenile sport fish species, like sheepshead and redfish, while increasing water clarity and dissolved
oxygen content. Seagrasses reduce shoreline erosion, current, and wave intensity. In fact, 70 percent of Florida fishery species spend at least part of their lives in the safety of seagrass beds. “Not only are these seagrass beds important to the organisms that use it as a source of habitat, protection and nutrients, but seagrass beds are critical to our local economy. With Destin holding the largest fishing fleet in one port in North America, the health of our local bay and seagrass beds form the pinnacle of our local success,” Foley explained. Unfortunately, the bay has been losing seagrass since sporadic measurement began in the 1950s. Seagrass needs clear water to capture the sun’s energy for photosynthesis, and cloudy water due to sediment runoff or nutrient-caused algal blooms can kill them. Boats driving through seagrass beds can rip out the stems, creating long prop scars visible from the air. A report conducted between CBA and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI), estimates that in 2007 seagrass in the Choctawhatchee Bay had decreased by 55 percent. Foley and her team continue to monitor the seagrass trends, while her partners at CBA take aim at reducing pollution and sedimentation that threaten seagrasses. July found Restoration Coordinator Rachel Gwin hipdeep in Alaqua Bayou, building an oyster reef to reduce shoreline erosion. Near Destin, Education Coordinator Brittany Tate worked with a group of students from the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast. On hands and knees, the kids planted smooth cordgrass into burlap bags full of soil, future components of a living shoreline along Mattie Kelly Park. Once these salt marsh grasses take root, they will provide additional habitat while reducing pollution and sediment runoff. CBA is not alone in its efforts. Eglin Air Force Base—the largest landowner in the region—has undertaken ambitious restoration projects on their property, from road paving and shoreline vegetation plantings to stream stabilization. All their efforts have combined to reduce erosion and pollution runoff into the bay. Throughout the heat of the summer and into October, Foley and her team will continue their surveys. In an effort to update seagrass estimates in the Choctawhatchee Bay, CBA works closely with the FWRI to collect extensive data on seagrass, water quality and sediment, part of a larger Florida Panhandle-wide estuary seagrass study. The more seagrass we as a community can help recover, the healthier our Choctawhatchee Bay will become!
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E dition Highlights & Business Spotlight Page 2 Photo Of The Month Contest Winner Page 6 Tournament & Events Page 8 Bass Assasins of Polk County Lakeland Jr. Bassmasters
Page 10-11 Map Page Page 12-17 Local Business Page 24 Find Us Here
Welcome: The Living Water Cruises Polk & Sumter Edition Staff: Sales, Editing & Production- Mary Brasher Graphic Arts & Design - PPP Graphic Design Distribution - Mary & Larry Brasher, Joyce & Capt Dave Ochs Media Mgr - Patrick Powers Contributing Writers - Capt Keith Mixon, Jim Veal Jr, Capt Dave Ochs, Ron Schelfo, Capt. Scott Taylor, Capt Eddie Perry, Capt Rick Burns, Chris O’Byrne, Capt Bobby Woodard, Hunter Towery FaceBook -CoastalAnglerMagazineLakelandVicinity • Twitter - @camlakeland • Instagram- camlakeland • Youtube- CAM Sumpter Lakeland
Each month I will bring you the latest and best knowledge for you to put to good use. I also invite you to share my passion for this area and if you would like to become a contributing writer contact us. You can read our magazine online anytime or sign up for a free digital subscription. Just visit our website and never miss an issue! CoastalAnglerMag.com. 1 POLK & SUMTER
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INDIAN RIVER LAGOON FISHING FORECAST During the month of September, anglers can expect to experience some good fishing throughout our region. A wide variety of game fish will continue to provide plenty of reel screaming action with the right approach. To begin with, anglers will want to get an early start. During this time of year, fish such as redfish and trout will be most active during low light conditions. When targeting redfish, anglers might want to use the preferred method of catching reds which is sight casting. Anglers will find that calm conditions at first light are ideal. A hungry red can put up a good fight on light tackle. Typically, these fish are not picky when it comes to eating. Live shrimp, fresh cut bait (mullet or ladyfish), gold spoons, or even scented jerk baits will all work well. Now the hard part, anglers will want to cast their lure in front of the fish to increase ones chances of hooking up with a quality red. Many of these reds can be caught along channel drop offs, old boat docks, or even the flats. Once you are hooked up be prepared to hold on tight. Many of these reds will measure within the legal slot size limit of 18 to 27 inches with an occasional larger fish. 2 POLK & SUMTER
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When targeting trout, anglers will want to use small top water lures that mimic small bait fish or even scented jerk baits such as Bass Assassin 4 inch Saltwater Sea Shad (Electric Chicken). These two types of baits are a great way to make long accurate cast to a targeted area along the flats. To do this, anglers will want to use the right equipment which consists of a 7 foot medium action spinning reel combo equipped with 20 pound test braided line and mono leader. During this time of year, some of these trout will measure over 20 inches long. Oh yea, I almost forgot. SNOOK season has reopened. Have you have never caught a “line Sider” that measured 30 plus inches? If not, than you put it on your bucket list. Snook are known to be ambush feeders. They like to feed near bridge pilings, docks, rocks, and other submerged structures. They can also be caught in saltwater, freshwater, or even brackish water. Many of these snook will feed on shrimp, crabs, baitfish (pinfish or mullet) or a variety of scented jerk baits. One of the best times to target these hard fighting fish is to fish during low light conditions or structure that is lit up at night. Submitted By: Capt. Keith Mixon Mixin' Work With Play Fishing Charters ww.mixinworkwithplay.com 321-212-8484
SEPTEMBER 2017
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LAKE ALFRED / AUBURNDALE / WINTER HAVEN
RON’S TACKLE BOX SUMMER BASS TOURNAMENTS (Every Thursday Night 6:30 – 9:00 PM April through October) For More Info: CALL RON (863) 956-4990
FISHING FORECAST Surprisingly, it has been a very good summer for Blue Gills and Shell Crackers, especially on Lakes Rochelle and Haines in Lake Alfred. We are still getting reports of good size fish and lots of limits being brought in. The bait of choice is Live Crickets. If you haven’t tried using a Fly Rod . . Give it a try. This seems to be working very well around our area at this time. It’s always a great time for Bass fishing!! Even though it’s been very hot lately, our Bass fishing reports from the North and South Winter Haven Chains are still coming in strong. Fishing deep during the hot daytime hours using a Booyah Lipless Crank Bait in Royal Color or a Bass Assassin Swim Bait should work well for you. For best results during the evening hours swim your bait along the shoreline in 2-3 feet of water. This past month we’ve seen a good number of 6-8 lb Bass and also many in the 2-3 lb range, as shown in the photo of father/son team, Javi & Robert Garcia, at a recent RTB Weekly Tournament. Our 19th season of Ron’s Tackle Box Weekly Bass Tournaments is now in full swing!! Weekly registration is $30.00 per boat (1 or 2 man) and the tournaments run from 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM each Thursday through the end of October. Prizes are awarded for BIG BASS and 1st, 2nd, 3rd Place categories. The location each week is not revealed until Thursday mornings and is announced in Del Milligan’s column in “The Ledger”, our Web Site, “Like & Follow” us on FB, or you can call Ron at (863) 956-4990. All around great fun . . Come out and join us!! Ron’s Tackle Box is again the proud host of the 3rd Annual Bass Assassin/Power Pole “Promotional” Tournament, Saturday, September 30th on Lake Shipp in Winter Haven. This year’s tournament is Bigger and Better than before!! Guaranteed Prizes of $2500 1st Place ~ $500 2nd Place ~ $500 BIG BASS. One lucky angler will win a Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor and other special give-aways will be offered that day. This is the tournament you won’t want to miss!! Go to our web site to “Click & Print” information and registration form. If you have additional questions . . call Ron at (863) 956-4990.
OUR 19th SEASON has BEGUN . . Here’s our “JULY” Winners!! July 6th Tournament: (21) Boats on Lake Ariana Big Bass – Sarah McKenzie (5 lb/1 oz) 1st Place – Sean Morgan & Cody Oshman (13 lb/10 oz) Total 2nd Place – Mark Murphy & Chandler Cornelius (11 lb/8 oz) Total 3rd Place – Mike Coffee & Jackson Williams (10 lb/4 oz) Total July 13th Tournament: (27) Boats on Lake Rochelle Big Bass – Rick Combee (7 lb/12 oz) 1st Place – Tyler Banniza & Hunter Dowdy (12 lb/3 oz) Total 2nd Place – Rick Combee & Brooke Shock (11 lb/13 oz)Total 3rd Place – Scott & James Sponaugle (10 lb/3 oz) Total July 20th Tournament: (19) Boats on Lake Shipp (Stormy) Big Bass – Robert Garcia (8 lb/8 oz) 1st Place – Javi & Robert Garcia (18 lb/10oz) Total 2nd Place – Colten Grant & Hagan Dowdy (13 lb/13 oz) Total 3rd Place – Mark Murphy & Jeremy Scarborough (11 lb/0 oz) Total July 27th Tournament: (22) Boats on Lake Ariana Big Bass – Fuzzy Flores (5 lb/4 oz) 1st Place – Sean Morgan & Cody Oshman (11 lb/9.50 oz) Total 2nd Place –Steve Ackley & Donny Murphy (11 lb/9.25 oz) Total 3rd Place – Mark Murphy & Chandler Cornelius (11 lb/7 oz) Total
Submitted By: Ron Schelfo Owner RON’S TACKLE BOX, LLC 380 S. Lake Shore Way • Lake Alfred, FL 33850 863-956-4990 • www.ronstacklebox.com Check us out on FaceBook and “LIKE” our page. “Catch” my Weekly Fishing Report every Saturday (6-8 AM) on WFLA 970 AM
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SOME LIKE IT HOT
St. Petersburg Tides - Sept. 2017 HIGH
DATE
1 Fri 2 Sat 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
16 Sat 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
AM
ft
1:10 10:49 1:47 11:49 2:13 2:34 2:50 3:07 3:25 3:47 4:14 4:46 5:24 6:10 7:09 8:26 12:40 9:58 1:19 11:22 1:48 2:11 2:32 2:50 3:08 3:27 3:50 4:16 4:47
1.7 2.4 1.8 2.4 1.8 1.9 1.9 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 1.8 2.5 1.8 2.6 1.9 1.9 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.5
LOW PM
ft
AM
ft
SUN PM
ft
RISE
4:31 1.6 6:38 0.4 7:08 7:51 5:36 1.5 7:22 0.4 7:09 7:50 12:39 1:23 2:04 2:44 3:26 4:12 5:03 6:03 7:20 9:08 11:22
2.5 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.4 2.3 2.1 1.8 1.7 1.7
6:26 7:09 7:48 8:27 9:08 9:52 10:41 11:38
1.4 1.3 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5
12:01 12:41 1:43 3:27
1.4 1.5 1.7 1.7
7:59 8:31 9:00 9:28 9:57 10:26 10:56 11:27 12:44 2:03 3:31 4:54 6:02
0.3 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.3
7:09 7:10 7:10 7:10 7:11 7:11 7:12 7:12 7:13 7:13 7:14 7:14 7:15
7:16 7:16 7:16 7:17 7:17 7:18 7:18 7:19 7:19
26 Tue 5:24 2.4 8:28 1.7
0.3 0.4 0.6 0.8 0.9 1.1 1.2 1.3 0.5 1.5 0.6
27 28 29 30
2:29 3:45 4:53 5:49
0.6 0.6 0.6 0.5
7:20 7:21 7:21 7:22
Wed Thu Fri Sat
6:11 7:14 8:41 12:21 10:13
7:49 7:48 7:47 7:46 7:44 7:43 7:42 7:41 7:40 7:39 7:37 7:36 7:35
5:01 1.6 6:56 0.3 7:15 7:34 7:40 8:17 8:48 9:14 9:39 10:02 10:27 10:53 12:17 11:24 1:18
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon
SET
12:30 1:26 2:15 3:00 3:42 4:23 5:07 5:58 7:01
2.6 2.6 2.6 2.5 2.4 2.2 2.1 1.9 1.8
6:12 7:07 7:55 8:38 9:19 9:59 10:41 11:26
1.4 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.5
2.4 10:20 1.7 12:02 1.6 2.3 11:40 1.8 1:04 1.7 2.2 2:47 1.7 1.9 4:23 1.6 2.2
7:33 7:32 7:30 7:29 7:28 7:27 7:26 7:25 7:23
The month of September brings in a few different “hot” things along our Nature Coast area: Namely, the weather and the fishing. We are rounding third base on our scalloping season which ends September 25th. I still have some good dates left, so come on and take advantage of what has been an absolutely incredible Left to right, Allison an Stacy from Ft Pierce with half their catch of scallops from Homosassa. season thus far for collecting the fine eating, bi-valve mollusks. I have a few hot spots marked on my GPS that is away from the fleet, and we’ve been getting our limits in about 2-1/2 hours. Another item that naturally doesn’t surprise anybody that’s lived in Florida long enough is we’re in the peak of hurricane. Let’s hope we get lucky and avoid any major bullets.
The Polk family with some of their scallop haul. L-r, Greg, Kayla, Sabrina and Mary.
Yet another “HOT” item besides the weather and scalloping is, the very best time for red fishing which is from now through the Fall barring any cold fronts that would drop the water temp below 80. And it already looks to be a good one. We started catching most of our reds at the very end of August, and they’re still schooling in the shallows along our many mangrove islands Morgan Brasher 6 yrs old, and outer keys that line our coast. This Colton Brasher 7, & Addison Brasher is some of their favorite time of the year 6, with some of their haul of scallops. because of the spawning ritual and the many hordes of baitfish schools for them to indulge on. Most of the popular artificial’s like weedless jerkbaits, spoons, and topwater plugs will oblige. Also, one of the very best “bait and wait” offerings is fresh cut ladyfish. So, if you happen to boat one while trout fishing, save it and use a good chunk of it when the tides turn and you go hunt for the reds.
7:20 7:22 7:21 7:20 7:19 7:18
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Submitted By: Capt. Rick Burns Reel Burns Charters www.reelburns.com Homosassafishingguide.com 352-201-6111
SEPTEMBER 2017
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Your Polk & Sumter Tournament News & Community Events 9/2-3 Lakeland Bassmasters Team Trail Tournament on Lake 9/15 26th Annual Chamber Golf Tournament 12-5 Omni Orlando Okeechobee out of Harney Pond Resort at Champions Gate www.myauburndale.com 9/2 Xtreme Bass Series Tournament on the Winter Haven Chain out of 9/16 Bass Assassin’s of Polk County Tournament on Lake Istokpoga out New Shipp Ramp xbsmike@verizon.net of Windy Point Contact Alex Handley (808)778-2954 9/2, 9/17 Catfish Creek Sporting Clays NSCA Registered Shoot 8-3 9/16 Cypress Gardens Water Ski Show FREE Lake Siver catfishcreeksportingclays.com/ 9/19 Scenic Sumter Highway Biway Corridor Meeting 11:00 am 9/9 Lakeland Jr Bassmasters Tournament on Lake Parker out of the Park Wildwood Community Center Ramp Contact Martin Bozeman (863)640-8349 9/23 Bartow Ford FREE Entry Tournament on the Winter Haven Chain 9/9-10 Mid-Sr Four Ball Championship (North) World Woods Golf out of Shipp Park Club-Pine Barrens Course Brooksville (352)796-5500 9/24 Polk County Sporting Clays NSCA Registered Shoot 8-3 9/10 Xtreme Bass Series Tournament on the Kissimmee Chain out of Camp Mack xbsmike@verizon.net 9/30 7th Annual Curing Cancer Charity Challenge Golf Tournament Providence Golf & CC Davenport Contact Wayne Fellows, Inc (863)4229/10 Lunker Lovers Bass Tournament on Lake Okeechobee out of Okee- 8752x258 tantie 9/30 Ron’s Tackle Box hosts the 3rd Annual Promotional Bass Tournament 9/10 Lakeland Bassmasters Draw Tournament on Lake Toho out of Safe daylight to 1:00pm (863)956-4990 www.ronstacklebox.com Southport Contact Martin Bozeman (863)640-8349 9/13 WPCV & Window World Concert for Kids to benefit St.Jude Children’s Research Hospital at the RP Funding Center YouKey Theatre. 7:30-9:00 (888)397-0100 or www.rpfundingcenter.com
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CENTRAL FLORIDA FRESHWATER FLY FISHING REPORT FlyFishing Success In The Heat Of Summer Best Time: Morning Surface Temp: 86f Clarity: Slightly Tannic-24” Tip: The topwater bite has been on early. Frogs, Poppers, or Divers pick you preference they all have there place. I prefer to throw a popper in windier conditions and a slider or diver on the calmer days. The face of the topwater fly determines how much commotion it will make so consider this when selecting a pattern to tie on. The color in my opinion should contrast with the sky, so a dark overcast day should be matched with a bright colored popper, then on a sunny day a dark popper. Unless you see the fish feeding on a specific food source then match the hatch. Then as soon as the sun peaks over the trees and begins to rise, switch to subsurface fly patterns and target the isolated grass mats, docks, or whatever structure you find that offers shade. The fish will be stacked in these areas when the air temp goes up. Ideally these spots have a sand bottom as this has been an important factor all summer long for the bass and panfish. After the rain the bass have been more active and are schooling up and busting on shad. Targeting these active bass is best done with a small white streamer such as a Bead Chain Clouser. These fish can be difficult to catch because there is so much bait in the water (it is easy for your fly to be lost in the chaos) so keep working the school and it will pay off. Topwater on these fish also work well since it attracts their attention. Look for moving water as this will congregate the bass and panfish in one area that is easier to fish as opposed to deeper offshore structure. Small Spiders, Sprogs, and Grasshoppers have been killer on the Bluegill. Swimming a small nymph to mimic a small baitfish has been working if the Bluegill will follow your topwater but won’t commit to eating it. The Bluegill have been cooperating so when the bass bite slows target the Bluegill to keep the line tight until the bass start to feed again. Techniques: Find the moving water and take advantage of the concentration of fish. Getting out early is key to avoid the heat, bugs, and other boaters. Topwater early and fishing the shade during the afternoon will provide the best results. If they miss your topwater fly then immediately smack it down right where they missed and usually they’ll hit again. Or tie on a small trailer nymph behind your topwater if they are still following your fly. Hunter Towery Peace Creek Guide Service 863-837-7028
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PANA VISTA LODGE FISHING REPORT The water came up quite a bit in August and the bass fishing was good. The top water action was really good with a lot of 2 to 3 lb. and an occasional 6 plus pounder Fish. Pop-N-Images Zara Spook Jr’s and rapala’s produced some really nice fish. The bluegill action was good last month as well. September best bets: With th e water quality and oxygen levels being real good for this time of year, I expect the bass fishing to continue on. Plastic baits in the Watermelon Red and Christmas colors will be productive as well as spinner baits and buzz baits. The grass is far enough
below the surface to really take advantage of them as well as top water plugs. Worms and crickets will work well for the panfish in the lake but I would also try throwing a beetle spin in the creeks and Outlet for some nice stump knockers and red bellies. Just beat the heat and try some early morning and late evening fishing. Submitted By: Jim Veal Jr. Pana Vista Lodge Lake Panasoffkee, Fl. 352-793-2061
Ron Buey Lakeland BassMasters Tournament Okeechobee 7/15/17 8lb Caught on Zoom Ol' Monster
Next Tournament: September 9- 10, 2017 Harris ChainFlorida B.A.S.S Nation State and National Qualifier 2018 National Championships
8 POLK & SUMTER
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1-Capt. Keith Mixon 321-212-8484 290 Marine Harbor Dr. • Merritt Island, FL 32953 www.MixinWorkWithPlay.com
22- Old Salt Marine 863-802-0543 1916 Us Hwy 98 •North Lakeland, FL 33805 www.OldSaltMarine.com
2-Capt. Rick Burns 352-201-6111 8975 W. Halls River Rd • Homosassa, FL 34448 www.RealBurns.com
23- Off The Wall Adventures 863-709-9253 2055 Shepherd Rd. • Lakeland, FL 33811 www.OffTheWallAdventures.com
3-Capt. Shawn Ralulerson 863-860-8502 CaptShawnFishing.com
24- Erwine’s Marine 863-635-4492 250 S. Scenic Hwy • Frostproof, FL 33843
4-Capt. Eddie Perry 863-763-7722 4375 US Highway 441 N • Okeechobee, FL 34972 OkeechobeeAdventures.FloridaBoyArt.com 5-Capt. Scott Taylor 855-354-8433 238 Towhee Rd • Winter Haven, Florida 33881 TMCGuideService.com
www.ErwinesMarine.com
25- FantaSea 863-668-8012 3405 US Hwy 98 South • Lakeland, FL 33803 www.FantaSeaMarine.com 26- Grape Hammock 863-692-1500 1400 Grape Hammock Rd, • Lake Wales, FL 33898 www.GrapeHammock.com
6-Overdue Adventures 863-559-4480 518 Main Street • Auburndale, FL 33823
27- Action Watersports 863-967-4148 402 Progress Rd • Auburndale, FL 33823 www.ActionWatersports.net
7-Sky Powersports 863-676-2245 20769 US Hwy 27 • Lake Wales FL 33853 www.SkyPowersportsLakeWales.com
28- Marine Supply of Winter Haven 863-297-7003 1700 3rd St SW • Winter Haven, FL 33880 www.MarineSupplyBoats.com
8-Champs Sports Grill 863-647-5900 6645 S. Florida Ave • Lakeland, FL 33803 www.ChampsToGo.com
29- Hoppy’s Marine 863-439-7616 31499 Highway 27 • Haines City, FL 33844 www.HoppysMarine.com
9-Stone’s Bait & Tackle 863-940-4898 2049 E Edgewood Drive • Lakeland, FL 33803 10-Hurricane’s Grill& Wings 863-324-5157 6370 Cypress Gardens Blvd • Winter Haven, FL 33884 www.HurricaneWings.com 11-Harry’s Old Place 863-324-0301 3751 Cypress Gardens Road •Winter Haven, FL 33884 www.HarrysOldPlace.com
30- Gary’s Boating Center 863-638-0537 15520 Highway 27 • Lake Wales, FL 33859 www.GarysBoating.com 32- Polk Tractor 863-967-0651 3450 Havendale Blvd NW • Winter Haven, FL 33881 www.PolkTractorco.com
12-Hurricane’s Handi Mart 863-537-1300 5401 Hwy 60 E. • Bartow, FL 33830
33- Spurlows 863-635-0240 30 E. Wall St. • Frostproof, FL 33843 SpurlowsOutdoorOutfitters.com
13-Camp Mack 863-696-1108 14900 Camp Mack Rd • Lake Wales, FL 33898 www.CampMack.com
34- RYK Seafood 863-294-2300 175 Ave A NW • Winter Haven, FL 33881 www.RKYSeafood.com
14-Bridgemasters 863-676-1009 2131 FL-60 • Lake Wales, FL 33898 www.Bridge-Masters.com
35- Interstate Battery 863-666-8787
15-Catfish Johnnys 863-793-2083 2396 N County Rd 470 • Lake Panasoffkee, FL 33538 www.CatfishJohnnyRestaurant.com
36- Jeffords Airboats 863-956-3030
16-A Cut Above Polish Shop 863-444-1078 529 East State Rd. 44 • Wildwood, FL 34785 www.ACutAbovePolishShop.com
37- Cypress Inlet 855-449-7666 2600 W Lake Eloise Dr • Winter Haven, FL 33884 www.cypressinlet.com
17-Phillips Bait & Tackle 863-666-2248 3780 US-92 • Lakeland, FL 33801 www.CentralFloridaTrollingMotor.com
38- Millers Fiberglass 863-551-1551 1505 Lake Shipp Dr, Winter Haven, FL 33880 www.facebook.com/Millers-Fiberglass-Repair-157407427716301
18-Chilton Signs 863-438-0880 28597 Hwy 27 North • Dundee, FL 33838 www.ChiltonSigns.com
39- Big Fish Bait & Tackle 863-815-9492
19-Chilton Signs 863-337-6272 3237 Hwy 98 South • Lakeland, FL 33803 www.ChiltonSigns.com 20-Ron’s Tackle Box,LLC 863-956-4990 380 S. Lake Shore Way • Lake Alfred, FL 33850 www.ronstacklebox.com
2855 US Hwy 92E • Lakeland, FL 33801 www.InterstateBatteries.com 1850 Hwy 92W • Winter Haven, FL 33881
6908 US Hwy 98 North • Lakeland FL 33809 wwww.CentralFloridaAngling.com
40- Whirly Bait 352-443-0245 Lake Panasoffkee FL 33538 www.whirlybait.com
21-Fly Em High Charters 863-224-1418 Capt Bobby Woodard 6499 Gasparilla Rd • Placida, FL 33946 www.Captain-Bobby.com
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Boat/Personal Watercraft/Canoe/Kayak/SUP Dealers Manufacturers/ New & Consignment Sales/Realtors Hoppy’s Marine 31499 Hwy 27 • Haines City, FL 33844 863-439-7616 www.HoppysMarine.com We Sell & Service Most Major Brand Boats Tracker - Minn•Kota - Nitro - Power Pole Sun Tracker
Gary’s Boating Center 15520 Hwy 27 • Lake Wales, FL 33859 863-638-0537 • 863-638-0527 Fax www.GarysBoating.com
Serving Sumter County For 45 Years Commercial Acreage Residential
www.livingwatercruises.com 863-268-0577
On The Beautiful Winter Haven Chain of Lakes Visit our website for available cruise options, pricing, coupons and discounts. Gift cards available! Open Monday-Saturday 8-8, Sunday 11:30-8. All tours depart in Winter Haven. Departure location is assigned at time of booking.
Marine Supply of Winter Haven 717 6th Street SW • 1491 3rd SW (Sales) Winter Haven, FL 33880 863-293-1156 www.MarineSupplyBoats.com
Old Salt Marine 1916 Us Hwy 98 North • Lakeland, FL 33805 9003 E. St Rd. 44 •Wildwood, FL 34785 Ph: 863-802-0543 • Fax: 863-688-3954 See all our models on www.OldSaltMarine.com
EVAN MERRITT Cell 352-603-1578 352-793-3202 352-793-3201 Fax: 352-793-5201
The Living Water Pontoon Boat Cruises
Carolina Skiff - Mercury & Yamaha Outboards Hewitt Boat Lifts & Dock Systems
Fully Certified Yamaha, Mercury & Evinrude Technicians. Boat Acc. & Engine Parts - High & Dry Storage - Boat Detailing - Gasoline At Our Docks. Full Line of Yeti Products, Pontoon Rentals
Sumter Realty, Inc P.O. Box 681 • 239 N. Main Street Bushnell, Fl 33513
Erwine’s Marine 250 S. Scenic Hwy • Frostproof, FL 33843 863-635-4492 www.ErwinesMarine.com Come in to check out our new line of Lowe's Jon Boats
Yamaha - Evinrude - Mercury - MerCruiser Volvo Penta - Avalon - Magic Tilt - Exide Technologies Power-Pole - Teleflex Marine Starcraft Marine - Engel Coolers & Tumblers
Pana Vista Lodge 3417 Co Rd 421 • Lake Panasoffkee, FL 33538 352-793-2061 www.panavistalodge.com
Sea Ark - Salty Boats - Stumpnocker - Polar Kraft -Misty Harbor Pontoons - Sea Born Boats. Outboard Motors - Evinrude - Yamaha - Suzuki.
Cottages - Rv Camp Ground Hook-Ups - Camping - Boat Sales & Service. JohnsonEvinrude Motors Sales & Service. Boat Rentals Pontoon Rentals - Licenses - Bait - Ice - Gas Ramp
Stumpnocker By Salty Boats 1916 Us Hwy 98 North • Lakeland, FL 33805 Ph: 352-748-1161 • Fax: 863-688-3954 See all our models on Stumpnockerboats.com
Jason Nix LLC State Certified Marine Contractor SCC131151894 Ph: 863-934-6218
From Flat Bottom Models For Shallow Water Fishing To The Semi-V Series For Skinny Water Fishing, You’ll Find The Perfect Boat From Stumpnocker.™
Floridas Choice for Marine Construction. Boathouses, Sea Walls, Docks
Taylor Made Charters & Guide Service Central Florida & Great Lakes Bass Fishing
Capt. Keith Mixon Mixin’ Work With Play Fishing Charters Capt. Scott Taylor www.mixinworkwithplay.com USCG Licensed Captian 321-212-8484 238 Towhee Rd • Winter Haven, FL 33881 TMCGuideService.com 855-354-8433 12 POLK & SUMTER SEPTEMBER 2017 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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Guns and Archery Shops, Skeet/Trap/Clay Rifle & Pistol Shooting Clubs and Training Skeet Imperial Polk Gun Club
Imperial Polk Gun Club Inc. 151 Race Pit Road • Winter Haven, FL 33880 863-206-0602 www.imperialpolkgunclub.com
Gator Busters 11451 Schaefer Lane Lake Wales Fl 33898 (407)729-6686 www.gatorbusters.com
Hours: W& S 9-1pm, R- 6-10pm, Sun. 1-5pm 5 Skeet Fields - 7 Trap Fields - 60 RV Hookups Clubhouse w/AC, TV - Bathroom & Shower Kitchen Facilities - Trap & Skeet in Sunny Winter Haven Florida!
Chuck Simmons FWC Licensed Trapper
Lakeland Rifle & Pistol Club 2000 Lasso Lane • Lakeland Fl 33801 863-665-0092 lakelandgunclub.com Private and safe shooting facility with membership open to the public. COME TO OUR GUN SHOW AT THE LAKELAND CENTER SEPTEMBER 17th -18th!
Polk County Trap & Skeet
吀䔀一伀刀伀䌀
Polk County Trap & Skeet 150 Spirit Lake Rd • Winter Haven, FL 33880 863-299-4853 Hours: W&S- 9-5pm, R- 6-10pm, Sun 1-5pm Open To The Public Trap & Skeet Club
Shoot Straight
230 N Lake Parker Ave • Lakeland Fl 33801 (863)937-8021 Hours: M-S 10-9, Sun 11-7 Gunsmithing, Concealed Weapon Course, Firearms Training, Range Membership. We are the largest gun store chain and dealer in Florida, which means better selection, more choice, expert service, and your best shot at the best price!
Leadfeather Guns & Archery
410 Overlook Drive WH Fl 33884 863-875-8989 leadfeatherguns&archery.com Hours: M-R 10-7 F& S 10-8, Sun 12-6 Indoor Climate Controlled Gun & Archery Range, Training Classes, Online Store, Gunsmith Services, Grand Inventory of Firearms, Archery Equipment & Lot Of Accesories.
Tenoroc Shooting Sports & Training 3755 Tenoroc Mine Rd • Lakeland Fl 33805 863-666-2500
Spurlows Outdoor Outfitters Archery ProShop 30
Hours: MRF- 9-5, SS 8-5 Our mission is to provide you with everything necessary to safely engage in firearms training, recreational shooting, hunting and self defense shooting activities.
2009-2015 Hoyt Dealer Of The Year! FREE Set up, Tune & Range Time with Purchase of New Bow Indoor Range Bows (All Major Makes & Models) Arrows-Strings-Crossbows, Apparel-Bowfishing Accessories, Largest Selection of Arrows & Broadheads We accept all major credit cards.
Polk Sporting Clays 2000 Lasso Lane • Lakeland Fl 33801 863-698-0677 www.polksportingclays.com.
Adventures Archery Lakeland 2332 E Edgewood Drive • Lakeland, FL 33803 863-450-2914
NSCA Tournament Club Only.
Catfish Creek Sporting Clays
5000 Firetower Rd • Hanes City, FL 33844 863-588-0298 www.catfishsportingclays.com
E Wall St Frostproof Fl 33843 863-635-0240 SpurlowsOutdoorOutfitters.com
“Your Adventure Begins Here”
Alligators Unlimited Airboat Nature Tours Captain John Wathey 14400 Reese Dr. • Lake Wales, Fl 33898 airboatnaturetours.com
Hours: Tues -Sun 9-5 Our Airboats are the “Real Deal” not 20+ 20 Fully Automated Stations, Golf Cart Rentals, passenger Air-Busses! This guarantees your Gun Rentals, Ammunition, Instructors and a Full Retail Shop, Banquet Halls, Six-bedroom Villas, EVERGLADES AIRBOAT TOUR to be Hotel Rooms, Conference Rooms, Onsite Culiand powerful! COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COMpersonal SEPTEMBER 2017 POLK & SUMTER 13 nary Team. Groups from 15 to 1,000. CAM Sept 2017.indd 13
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Boat Improvement/Service Repair Center Replacement Parts Millers Fiberglass
1505 S Lake Shipp Dr •Winter Haven, Fl 33880 863-551-1551 Bobby.mfr@gmail.com www.MillersFG.com www.facebook.com/Millers-FiberglassRepair-157407427716301
**FREE ESTIMATES** A Cut Above Polish Shop
529 E State Rd 44 • Wildwood, FL 34785 352-303-0294 3014 TV Road • Florence, SC 29501 352-303-9877 4538 Hwy 43 • Joplin Missouri 64804 417-781-2398 www.ACutAbovePolishShop.com Polish Semi-Trucks (Including Small Fleets!) - Boats Rv’s - Buses - Motorcycles & Vehicles.
You cand find the Whirly Bait at these local stores: Basswater Tackle Shop, Panasoffkee Hardware and Pana Vista Lodge in Lake Panasoffkee. At the Angler’s Tackle Shack in Bushnell and Brookers Bait & Tackle in Leesburg. Please call: (352)443-0245 for dealer inquiries. You Can Get The Whirly Bait In Any Military & Sport Team Colors!
Central Florida Trolling Motor Sales & Repairs
COME CHECK OUT OUR NEW ROUNDABOUT BOATS!
3780 Hwy 92 East • Lakeland, FL 33801 863-666-2248 • Fax 863-667-0213 cftm3780@yahoo.com www.CentralFloridaTrollingMotor.com Check out our weekly specials on facebook! Factory Warranty Service for Minn-Kota Cannon Downriggers- Motor Guide
Interstate Batteries 2855 US Hwy 92 E• Lakeland Fl 33801 863-666-8787 www.InterstateBatteries.com Motorcycle - Cell Phone - Household Automotive - Commerical - Marine - RV General Public Welcome
Jefford’s Airboats 1850 Hwy 92W • Winter Haven Fl 33881 863-956-3030 Jefford’s Airboats
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Airboat Repair Shop
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Bait & Tackle Shops/Outfitters/Apparel Waters Edge Fish Camp 10730 Camp Mack Rd • Lake Wales FL 33898 (863)589-6295 Capt David Ochs (863)696-1411 Store www.watersedgefishcamp.com
Off The Wall Adventures & Outfitters 2055 Shepherd Rd. • Lakeland, FL 33811 863-709-9253 www.OffTheWallAdventures.com
Store, Fuel, Propane, Cabins, Bait Shop, Boat Rental, Boat Ramp
Scuba Diving Classes, Spearfishing Charters, Kayak Sales & Rentals. Dye - GoPro - Costa - Reef - Naui Worldwide Yeti Coolers
Bridgemasters 2131 Highway 60 E • Lake Wales, FL 33898 Phone: 863-676-1009 • Fax: 863-679-1638
Camp Mack
Fishing & Diving Charters
14900 Camp Mack Rd • Lake Wales, Fl 33898
863-696-1108 www.campmack.com
www.TheBridgmaster.com
Always Good Fishing - Airboat Nature Tours RV Camping - Trophy Bass Fishing - Cabin Rentals Liars Motel - Home Sales
Come In And Check Out Our HOT SUMMER SPECIALS! Phillips Bait & Tackle 3780 Hwy. 92E • Lakeland, FL 33801 863-666-2248 www.PhillipsTackle.com cftm3780@yahoo.com
Ron’s Tackle Box The Old Angler’s Antique Gallery 380 S. Lake Shore Way • Lake Alfred, FL 33850 863-956-4990 • Fax 863-956-2525 imareellady2@aol.com
Live Bait: Cricket - Worms - Minnows - Shiners. Full Line Of Tackle - Tackle Boxes - Rods & Reels
Live Bait & Tackle - Cast Nets - Sportswear Gifts & Decor Mon - Th 6AM - 6PM • Fri & Sat 6AM - 7PM
30% Off Some Apparel Follow us on Facebook & Instagram
Stones Bait & Tackle 2049 E Edgewood Drive • Lakeland, Fl 33803 863-940-4898 Instagram: Stones Outhouse Rod & Reel Repairs - Fishing Rods - Reels Tackle Apparel & Accesorries - Costa - Yeti Coolers St.Croix - G-Looomis - OluKai - Abu Garcia Shimano - NEW Exage & Talavera - Bruiser Baits GRT Jigs - Zoom - Gambler - Power Pole Breathe Like A Fish
Big Fish Bait & Tackle 6908 US Hwy 98 North • Lakeland Fl 33809 863-815-9492 wwww.CentralFloridaAngling.com Bob Woodard-Owner Live Bait- Rod & Reel Repairs
Waters Edge Fish Camp Capt Dave Ochs 10730 Camp Mack Rd • LakeWales, Fl 863-589-6295
Overdue Adventures FL. “Cracker” Fishing Style Family Fishing, Shore Lunches, Waterside Dining Snorkeling Trips, Scalloping Trips, Egmont Key Day Trips Capt. Daryl Brown First Mate: Joy Brown 518 Main Street • Auburndale, FL 33823 863-559-4480 Fly’Em High Charters
Scalloping Charter Capt. Rick Burns Reel Burns Charters Homosassafishingguide.com 352-201-6111 Manatee Charter
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Capt. Bobby Woodard www.Captain-Bobby.com 863-224-1418 USCG. Licensed Tarpon, Snook, Grouper
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Winners Circle Sportsbar & Grill
4215 S Florida Ave. • Lakeland, Fl 33813 863-644-9464 • WinnersCircleSportsBar.com
3437 S Florida Ave • Lakeland, FL 33803 863-644-8461 www.hooters.com
Mon-Th 11am-12pm • Fri-Sat 11am-2am Sun 12pm-12am
Hot Wings-Seafood-Appetizers-Fresh Salads Hearty Sandwiches-Signature Burgers-Ice Cold Beer-Specialty Drinks-Wines-Cocktails. BIGGER, BADDER, FLATTER SCREENS FOR FRONT ROW SEATS TO ALL THE GAMES!
HAPPY HOUR M-F 11am-7pm ORDER TO GO & DELIVERY Brewlands Bar & Billiards 5733 S Fl Ave Lakeland, Fl 33813 863-646-2600 24 Beers on Draft. Over 50 Bottled Craft & Import Beers. Full Liquor Bar .”Hand-picked” Wine List Great Beer-Superior TablesIncredible Atmosphere-FREE Billiard Lessons (on weekends)-Darts-20 Big Screen TV’sFantastic Food!
Gator’s Dockside
5147 US-98 • Lakeland, FL 33812 863-619-7619 www.gatorsdockside.com Happy Hour M-F 3-7 20% Off All Alcohol & Boneless Wings .Lunch Specials M-F 11-3 .Best Grilled Wings In Florida .First Class Sports Bar .Biggest Big Screens .Scrumptious Entrees, Sandwiches, Burgers, Wraps, Salads, Ribs, Unbelievable Desserts!
Hurricane Grill & Wings
Wing House
6370 Cypress Gardens Blvd Winter Haven, FL 33884 863-324-5157 www.HurricaneWings.com Offering 14 Seafood Entrees Try Our New Havanah Cuban Sandwich. Add Your Favorite Flavor To Any Menu Item Including Our Wings! Tropical Drinks • Ice Cold Drafts & Import Beers • Local Craft Beers • Wine
4515 S Florida Ave • Lakeland, FL 33813 863-646-0303 www.winghouse.com Monday All-You-Can-Eat Wings 5- Close . Fantasy Football Draft Parties. Bottomless Bonesless Wings Wednesdays .Open For Lunch & Dinner With A Full Service Bar, Wide Selection of Liquor Cocktails, Major Domestic,Imported & Specialty Beers, Your
House For All WWE PPV Events!
Champs Sports Grill 6645 Florida Ave S • Lakeland, FL 33813 863-647-5900 www.champstogo.com Cold Beer • Great Food • Good Times Family Fun • Best Wings In Town • Dine In or Take Out • 23 TV’S Featuring: Nascar NFL Sunday Ticket • SEC ESPN Network MLB • CBS College Sports • Big Ten Network
Somewhere Sports Bar & Grill 5688 Cypress Gardens Blvd. Winter Haven, Fl 33884 863-324-7524
Davenport’s Ale House
MoJo’s Wings, Burgers, Beer
1260 Posner Blvd • Davenport, FL 33837 863-420-8000 www.davensportsalehouse.com $.69 Wings All Day Every Monday • Kids Eat FREE Every Tuesday • Hospitality Night Every Wednesday 9-close 15% Off Tab!! All Day Every Day: $2 Wells • $3 Doubles • $2.50 Landshark & Amber Bock • $3 Shock Top • Bud • Bud Light • Mich Ultra • Miller Lt • Coors Lt Drafts • $4 Stella • Goose IPA $4 Wine
Mon-TH, SUN 11am-12pm FRI & SAT 11am-2pm Take Reservations, Walk-Ins Welcome, Good For Groups, Good For Kids, Take Out, Waiter Service, Outdoor Seating
Locally Owned & Operated EAT, DRINK & GET MOJO’D!
1853 E Memorial Blvd Lakeland Fl 33801 863-583-9119 M-TH, SUN 11am-11pm FRI & SAT 11am-12am Coldest Beer In Lakeland • Award Winning Wings 1/2# Ground Sirloin Burger • Indoor & Outdoor Bar Outdoor Patio • Best Daily Happy Hour • Great Daily Specials For Lunch & Dinner.
San Diegos Mexican Grill & Sport Bar Beef O’ Brady’s 102 W Polk St • Auburndale, FL 33823 1300 3rd St SW • Winter Haven, 33880 863-968-0010 863-268-6815 - facebook.com/House-ofwww.beefobradys.com Wings-1185199374843017/ NEW WINGS & THINGS - 6 Award Winning Draft Beer 2-4-1 All Day Everyday! Wings Paired With a Favorite Side, Pizza & House Margarita and Sangria Wing Wednesdays, Lighter Side Salads, Wraps & 2 For 1 3pm-7pm Everyday. “Bunless” Burgers, FREE Shareable Starter When Tuesday Wings $.79. You Join Team ‘O’ Brady’s! Kids Eat FREE Every Thursday 16 POLK & SUMTER SEPTEMBER 2017 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM With A Purchase Of An Adult Meal. CAM Sept 2017.indd 16
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More Young Anglers? A Brighter Future By: Chris O’Byrne
The Author and the Future
As I cast my fly, it is the summer of 2017 and many things are going on in the world beyond my pond. One circumstance gives me joy and hope; are there more young people fishing? Friends, neighbors, and some industry experts have mentioned the same observation. Moving past any debate and selfinterest, I ask, because so many young people are fishing, what else is happening? While they are studying the water to find fish, are young men and women breaking the pull of the flashing black screens? Are they learning the value of nature’s silence? While they are working to end a no fish day, are boys and girls leaving the entitlement culture? Are these strong individuals becoming self-reliance, developing true self esteem, and feeling safer away from the pseudo perfection of other activities? While they wander their neighborhoods and peruse online maps, are these outdoorspeople practicing direction-finding that might lead to a stronger understanding of the world? Are young anglers becoming fascinated by and protective of creation? Will they
do better in school? And work? When they are with fellow anglers are they valuing true relationships? The prolific angling author, Tom Rosenbauer recently mentioned the same observation, “I am optimistic because of all the young people, from high school age through college and beyond, getting into fly fishing.” If this movement is happening, our experiences, abilities, and resources can be used now for something bigger than our social media feeds. While these young men and women are striking out on their own fishing adventures, they are watching us, so we must model good citizenship of their communities, and solid husbandry of their fisheries. With the sure knowledge that these young people will soon be raising their own little anglers, we should take motivation for catch and release fishing combined with take only pictures, leave only footprints outings. Our safe driving should extend to neighborhood fishing holes. We are used to watching out for other vehicles around docks and ponds, but those kids walking and peddling come from different places. Each of us can also encourage young anglers by taking them on trips. And maybe we have some equipment that might better go to them. As anglers, we can agree that a brighter future will develop as each generation casts their lines next to us; let’s help that brighter future dawn. In the words of the gentlemanly conservationist Franc White, “Do yourself a favor, take a kid fishing.”
The magic is still there, dynamicarts.biz COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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CHARLOTTE HARBOR FISHING FORECAST Fishing is HOT!!
Capt. Justin Santillo of Linesided Charters with one of many stud mangrove snappers caught on a recent trip.
Man, it’s been hot out on the water this August! Fortunately, the fishing has been just as hot! There are so many options available to anglers right now. I’ve still been catching some tarpon when conditions have allowed. There is tarpon available for almost any angling style. We’ve caught tarpon on the beaches, passes and in Charlotte Harbor as well. For anglers fishing the Tampa Bay area it’s hard to beat the nighttime bite at the bay area bridges. The main bridge is of course the Sunshine Skyway but don’t be afraid to try your luck at the upper bay bridges as well. Tarpon like to cruise the shadow line looking for easy meals flowing through with the
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tide. The snook fishing continues to do well on the flats and beaches. I like fishing beaches near a pass. The snook will be in the sawsh channel created by the crashing waves. Favorite baits include live pinfish, grunts or white buck tail jigs. Scalloping in the Homosassa and Crystal River area is still going strong. Good reports have been coming from the 6-8 ft depth range. Snorkelers that are willing to explore off the beaten path are getting better results. The featured target this past month for many anglers has been mangrove snapper. The mangrove snapper both inshore and offshore are schooled up super thick for their summer time spawn. They have been biting really well on small whitebait, cut bait and shrimp. The trick is get them chummed up and balled up behind the boat and to use as light of tackle as possible. Most anglers prefer a really long 15-20 lb fluorocarbon leader in approximately 10-15 feet length. The attached picture is of my good friend Capt. Justin Santillo, Linesided Charters with one of many really nice stud Mangrove Snapper caught on a recent offshore trip. Looking forward to September I’m expecting more redfish to begin to show on the flats as well the snook to begin to transition from the beaches back towards their fall haunts.
SEPTEMBER 2017
Capt. Bobby Woodard www.Captain-Bobby.com 863-224-1418
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CENTRAL FLORIDA REGION FORECAST Normally I start each month’s article with a fun little introspective quip that kinda says something personal about me. Not this month. We are going straight to business. I’m proud, honored, and humbled to announce that we have formally signed with Camp Mack’s River Resort to be their professional bass fishing guide service. We will also continue to be the official guide service for VisitCentralFlorida.org in all capacities showcasing Polk County & Central Florida. Our shared focus on customErv T. and his son Erving from Maryland er/client services in fishing and featuring the beautiful natural wonders of Polk County have made all of these paths merge together as we share the same goals. We want every guest to have the best experience possible. Period. Now to the fishing in Winter Haven and the South Chain of Lakes: I’m loving watching our guests having a great time catching healthy big bass! We’ve had everyone from Poland and the UK, to Maryland & Mississippi, and across the Pacific Ocean, all leave with pictures of big fish smiles, plus memories that will last a lifetime. Now that we’ve had some rain and the lakes are filling up – and more
importantly keeping a little cooler! – these fish have new life to them. All of our trips are early morning launches getting to the fish just before the sun breaks the horizon. Our guests are really having fun catching bass on topwater baits, flukes, and senkos. I really focus on natural color patterns in the white/silver, watermelon reds, native shiner, etc. And speaking of rain and fresh water, the Kissimmee Chain water level has come back up, and just like in Winter Haven, the bass have really come to life. The water is still a little dirty but it should clear rather quickly if we get the current moving again. Our trips out there have been mostly shiner trips as of late but I fully believe that the frog/topwater/swimbait bite will be really picking up and only getting better as the month progresses. As I write this I’m already thinking about my trip tomorrow – which will be in the past – of throwing Spro frogs and Gambler EZ Swimmers though the jungle and seeing the big blow-ups! Aside from awesome fishing, Camp Mack’s River Resort has made some major improvements to their facilities, including a new pavilion, plus a huge brick patio and fire ring with benches and more. It is a perfect retreat for all vacationers, and any of us locals that want to get-away for a quick weekend. For anyone interested, the VisitCentralFlorida.org tourism board “Outpost” is on Hwy 27 just south of I4 in Davenport. You’ll find discounted theme park tickets, learn about all of the great dining, shopping, and local attractions that we have to offer, plus… see a GIANT bass in the pond out back brought in by yours truly.
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Submitted By: Capt. Scotty Taylor 855-354-8433 Scott@TMCGuideService.com
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KISSIMMEE CHAIN FISHING FORECAST Rising water levels and a drastic improvement in water clarity has really got the bass moving from open water to the shallows. For Captain Dave Ochs best results with 6lb bass taken on a Terminator black toad try a top on Lake Kissimmee in water hard scattered pads at sunrise. bait or scum frog in scattered pads in 1’-5’of water. Flukes will also work well in these areas. As the day heats up move to the grass lines 6’ or deeper and try slow rolling a 6”-10” ribbontail worm with a 1/4oz weight or flip the thickest pads you can find with a 4” craw and a 1/2 oz weight. For all you live bait bass anglers try casting small shiners or trolling shiners through scattered pads in the morning and trolling through cuts in the heavy pads in the afternoon. Special attention should be paid to Lake Hatchineha. Conditions on Lake Hatchineha are the best I’ve seen in many years by the time this forecast goes to print I expect this lake to be on fire, producing large trophy class bass. If you are thinking the summertime heat has your speck bite shut down, think again. At least on Lake Rosalie it’s game on for the night time bite. Limits on specks can be caught nightly 20 POLK & SUMTER
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and these specks are large.1 1/2 to 2lb specks in 14’ of water can be taken on minnows, and slip cork rig set at 9’-11’. The largest of these slabs was caught by Rob Anderson of Camp Mack Road at 2lb 14oz-very impressive for this time of year. Blue gill and shell crackers are peaking at this time on Lake Kissimmee and Lake Hatchineha. Look for this trend to continue over the next 2 months. Best places to fish on Lake Kissimmee are the grass lines on Brahms Island, Eagles Nest, Gobbler’s Ridge and Lemon Point. On Lake Hatchineha fish the buggy whip lines and patches of pepper grass. Crickets and worms will be your best bet. Submitted By: Capt Dave Ochs Waters Edge Fish Camp 10730 Camp Mack Rd Lake Wales, Fl 863-589-6295 Rob Anderson caught this monster slab 2lb 14oz on Lake Rosalie at night in 14' of water on a minnow and slip cork rig. Normally Rob likes them in the frying pan, but this one I got the feeling is going to be hanging on the wall.
SEPTEMBER 2017
Girls in Aviation Day
Sep 23, 2017 10:00 am - 1:00 pm On September 23, Women in Aviation Chapters from around the world will be celebrating Girls in Aviation Day and this year the Women in Aviation Heart of Florida Chapter will be bringing this celebration to Polk County, FL at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport. Girls will have the opportunity to: CONNECT with other girls and women who are excited about aviation! EXPLORE the opportunities for working in the aviation and aerospace industry! EXPERIENCE the high-flying fun aviation offers through hands on activities! We have already confirmed Draken International and ICON Aircraft for our Girls in Aviation Day and there is so much more to come! Don't miss out on this great opportunity of exploration, learning, and excitement of aviation and aerospace!
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Peanut Butter Cup S’moreo Bars Ingredients For the Oreo Base: 24 oreos , crushed 2 tbsp butter or coconut oil , melted 2 tbsp milk (any kind) For the toppings: 1/2 cup peanut butter, warmed 1/2 cup milk semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate 24 large marshmallows , halved (or ~2 cups mini marshmallows) 6 peanut butter cups , chopped (see notes) Instructions Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 8" square pan with foil or baking paper. Spray with oil (or use a pastry brush to brush the oil on). Set aside. To make the base: Combine the crushed oreos with the melted butter and milk. Scatter the mixture evenly into the lined pan and press down. Bake for 6 minutes. Once baked, immediately spread the warmed peanut butter over the oreo base. Evenly scatter the chocolate chips over the peanut butter. Completely cover with the halved marshmallows (or mini marshmallows), placing them cut side down. Place under a broiler for under 1 minute to toast the marshmallows (watch them closely!) - mine took around 30 seconds. Immediately scatter the chopped peanut butter cups over the marshmallow layer. Cut into 12 or 16 bars (ummm...I'd go with 16, these are like a sugar bomb).Serve warm topwithcinnamon.com/2013/01/peanut-butter-cup-smoreo-bars.html
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6. If the bird has swallowed the hook or is severely injured, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator from the list at MyFWC.com/unhook.
Photo by Carol Cassels
E
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 can 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. 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. 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. Remove the barb and hook from the bird 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.
How else can you help a seabird or wading bird? 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 can tear throats, stomachs and intestines. 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 being snared on trees, bridge piles, power lines or obstacles. 7. Help others learn what to do when they accidentally hook a bird. It’s pretty easy, once you know how. More detailed information can be found at myfwc.com/unhook.
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SHALLOW WATER PERFORMANCE
By Capt. Michael Okruhlik • Photo courtesy of Controlled Descent Lures.
W
e all know about finding and fishing areas where we see signs of “active bait.” Or, do we? The importance of bait in the area we are fishing has been drilled into our heads for decades, and with good reason. However, it is easy to get caught up in the “active” or “visible” aspect of the equation, and that can cost us some missed opportunities. On one particular fishing trip, I was kayaking in 2 to 3 feet of clear water. The area was a mix of three different types of sea grass, and the bottom was mostly firm with some softer areas and potholes. During the time I was fishing, I only saw three mullet casually flip over the course of several hours. Most fishermen would have left this area in a hurry due to the lack of active or visual surface bait activity. The thing about bait, is just because we don’t see it or see signs of it doesn’t mean it is not there. What I noticed that kept me in this area is that from time to time I would see several pinfish follow my soft plastic paddletail back to the kayak. This was the key that let me know there was bait in the area that increased the probability of larger predator fish also being there and feeding. When the pinfish would follow the smaller paddletail, it was like fishing with live bait without actually using it. There is no doubt in my mind that the school of bait helped attract the trout and reds to my lure. Although several other kayaks and boats came into the area, they all left after a few minutes. Not seeing what they wanted, they just burned by and didn’t stop. By following the subtle signs and sticking to the area, I was able to keep a limit of reds, release many more, and I caught and released a 28-inch trout. Not a bad day for not seeing any “active” bait. The next time you are on the water, peer a little deeper and have the patience to notice more than just the surface activity, or the lack of. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Controlled Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.
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FISH & FISHING
I
MARK SOSIN
never understood it. An angler hooks an unseen denizen of the deep that puts up an incredible battle before it is finally brought to boatside. When the fish is visible and the species can be identified, total disappointment masks the fisherman’s face. It doesn’t happen to be a desired species. Never mind the excitement and thrill of fighting it or the anticipation that it is going to be a highly prized catch. All that is forgotten. Instead, the person on the rod is almost apologetic for wasting time with this pathetic inhabitant. Sharks fall in this category. The thought of targeting these toothy critters makes too many anglers turn up their noses. Particularly in shallow water, sharks are capable of powerful performances with exceptionally long runs thrown in. In many situations, you have to follow them with a boat to avoid having them strip all the line off the reel. And, they are particularly challenging on tackle matched to the occasion. People ask me about the biggest fish I ever caught. It was a shark that weighed at least 1,500 pounds and ate a 250-pound black marlin in three bites. Fishing in Panama for black marlin, I caught a 350-pound mako shark that was reportedly the seventh one ever caught on Pinas Reef up to that time. It put up a better battle than a black marlin. At certain times of the year, schools of sharks tend to migrate close to the beaches along different parts of the coastlines. Tether a live bait to a hook, and the distress vibrations emanating from every frantic tailbeat radiate through the water with the authority of a bullhorn. Predators home in on this ringing of the dinner bell like a crew of half-starved lumberjacks. Toss a live bait along the fringes of the school, and you’re about to yell “fish on.” For the relatively light tackle enthusiast, you can enjoy exciting shark fishing on the slightly deeper flats or by chumming sharks in water depths from 6 to 12 feet where a tidal current is flowing. On
the flats, a live bait is a better choice, but you can cast a whole, dead bait in front of a cruising shark and elicit a strike. The presentation should be the same as if you were casting to a gamefish. Make sure the bait gets in front of the fish and is moving away from its jaws. If you are going to chum sharks, anchor the boat in the current and start tossing pieces of dead bait. As you chum, float a couple of live baits back there and just hold them a reasonable distance astern. This is a situation when you can use sporting tackle, but make sure the reel holds a full spool of line. You’ll need a fluorocarbon or monofilament abrasion leader of a few feet with a foot or two of single-strand wire at the end. If you pass up the opportunity to hook and battle sharks, you’re missing out on an exciting challenge. Sharks have accounted for some of my best fishing memories, and I know they can become memorable moments for you.
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By Capt. Randy Cnota By Patrick Morrow
A
s you pull onto the side of the road, you see mullet being chased by predators in the skinny waters of St. George Sound. You can’t help but grin because you know this area is inaccessible to most boats, and you’ll likely have it all to yourself. Redfish, trout, flounder, jack crevalle, pompano and so many more species are yours for the taking once you’ve settled into your kayak and floated away from land. There are more than 40 canoe/kayak launches in and around Franklin County, Fla. Most are found within Tate’s Hell State Forest or the Apalachicola National Forest.
The freedom kayaking offers anglers in this area is a refreshing alternative to motorized boating, and the amount of accessible waters seems endless. From the Carrabelle River to St. Vincent Sound, to include the Apalachicola River, Apalachicola Bay, St. George Sound and East Bay, these diverse ecosystems where fresh and salt waters meet create a kayak fisherman’s paradise. Slip your ’yak into Scipio Creek at the mouth of The Apalachicola River, paddle up the marsh and catch bass, trout and reds all in the same trip. Throw it in the Gulf of Mexico off of St. George Island and bag some pompano for the table; you can do both in the same day! You don’t have to be an expert kayaker to enjoy a day gliding across these pristine waters to cast for world-class fish or simply take in the amazing scenery; you don’t even have to own one. Places like Island Outfitters and Journeys have them for rent. Advice on how to catch what’s biting is always free, and they have all the gear you need for a successful day of fishing or just paddling. The fall version of the Apalachicola Paddle Jam festival will be held Oct. 6-8 in Apalachicola and on St. George Island. This threeday festival celebrates the Forgotten Coast through paddlesports, music and food, with events happening at various locations in Apalachicola and St. George Island. The highlight of the event will be an attempt by paddlers to break the world record for the largest floating kayak raft. For those with a competitive fishing edge, there will be a kayak fishing tournament. This event promises to be huge fun! If you’ve never experienced the peace and joy that kayaking can bring, add this to your bucket list and give it a go. There’s a reason this sport is growing so rapidly… it’s a blast, and this area is a kayaker’s paradise! Franklin County features multiple kayak and boat rental options. For a complete list of rentals, charters and supplies, visit
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By CAM Staff
T
he excitement is evident in Capt. Dallas Hopper’s voice when he starts rattling off the options for fall out of Key Largo. Coming off tremendous summer days with huge numbers of mahi-mahi, things begin to change up a little in September. The mahi are still there for the taking, but there are a few other bites that kick off this time of year. Dallas runs Fantastic II Charters with his father Capt. Justin Hopper. And while tourist traffic begins to fall off this time of year, the fishing only gets better. The weather in the keys is still gorgeous, and the seas are typically calm. Even beneath the surface, currents tend to drop off a little in early fall, which makes it one of the best times to head offshore to do some deep dropping. Out of Key Largo, it’s only about a 13-mile run to reach deep-water ledges from 300 to 600 feet deep. Using electric reels, or hand cranks for Airline_Ad_CoastalAngler_8-1-14_Layout 8/1/14 1:14 1 those who want to test their mettle,1 dropping baitPM to Page the bottom is a fun way to load the boxes with delicious fish for the dinner table. The regular
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targets are porgi, vermillion snapper, yellow eye snapper and big snowy grouper. It’s a regular stop on Fantastic II trips when clients want to fill a cooler. “It can be red hot,” Dallas said. “When you’ve marked the fish, the rig barely has time to hit the bottom.” Blackfin tuna are another staple the Fantastic II counts on this time of year. They begin showing up in September on the humps and ledges as well as on the edges of the reefs in 200 to 400 feet of water. “They are an all-around great fish,” Dallas said. They taste good, they fight hard and they’re easy to catch.” Some days trolling big spreads of small lures on light tackle can lead to unbelievable action. Other days the best tactic is to drift and chum them up on the humps. These hard-fighting fish range from 2-pound footballs up to powerful 40-pounders, so anglers are often surprised to find themselves in epic battles on light tackle. Another surprise that might show up in mid to late September is wahoo. When trolling, the Fantastic II likes to pull a varied the spread that will tempt any fish that might be in the area. A ballyhoo on wire with a trolling weight is the ticket for picking up any wahoo that might be lurking. There’s nothing like a big ’hoo to make a good day great… except maybe sailfish showering bait. “It’s not uncommon to run into them crashing ballyhoo on the edge of the reef when we’re headed in or headed out,” Dallas said. Obviously a sight like that calls for an immediate change of plans. The sails show up like clockwork in mid to late September, and the bite gets better as the fall progresses. The Fantastic II guarantees fish. Find them online at charterkeylargo. com, or call 305-514-0211.
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See grown men cry.
From gill-rattling, fly-dispatching brawls in the backcountry to hook-straightening tugs of war offshore, Key Largo will put your spirit and your line to the test. And with tuna, mahi-mahi and muttons ocean side and cagey tarpon, permit and snook in Florida Bay and the Everglades, your fish rag just might turn into a crying towel. fla-keys.com/keylargo 1.800.822.1088 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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MCTKL-2941 Coastal Angler LO1 • September 2017
SEPTEMBER 2017
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Make reel memories.
By Chris Beardsley
T
Stuart, located in Martin County, is known as the Sailfish Capital of the World. Sitting on the most biodiverse estuary in the Northern Hemisphere, Martin County is home to 100 artificial reef systems and over 800 species of fish. Its climate, waterways, natural environment and opportunity for diverse catches make it a mecca for fishermen and nautical explorers year-round. An array of unique shops, fine restaurants, great golf courses and quiet beaches make a day ashore fun, too. Inshore, offshore, saltwater or fresh, head out for an adventure and reel in the memories.
Plan your trip at discovermartin.com 18
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he spotted seatrout goes by many names including speckled trout, speckled, gator or just speck. Regardless of its colloquial tag, it can be found along the Atlantic coast and throughout the Gulf of Mexico. Interestingly, spotted or speckled seatrout belong to the drum family and can be caught in the same general areas as their red and black cousins. Additionally, their willingness to hit on a variety of baits and the fact that they are excellent table fare makes the speckled trout a fan favorite. Just like their redfish relatives, speckled trout love flashy lures, but live shrimp rank high on the list of baits. Late spring and early summer, a Carolina or drop rig with a live shrimp or grunt is a simple and effective method for catching them in the surf, bays and estuaries. As summer progresses and water temperatures rise, lures and shrimp are still great but best fished during early morning hours. When the bite becomes less predictable, sometimes a complete change of tactics is required. A Doc’s Goofy Jig or similar offering can be productive, albeit a bit unorthodox. And just like fishing for pompano, I’ve found that tipping the jig with a shrimp head or tail and bouncing it off the bottom will coax even the most finicky fish into biting. Late summer, which includes September in most places seatrout live, requires a change in tactics once again, as warm water temperatures drive fish into deeper pockets. Look for holes or deeper ledges in the grass flats, and don’t overlook the drop-offs past the sandbars in the surf. A lazily retrieved gold spoon or Gotcha worked around shell beds will certainly catch fish, but keeping your lures away from the magnetic pull of the sharpest oysters is always the trick. When fishing spoons, the key is to reel just fast enough to make it wobble, then let it sink and bounce it off the bottom to kick up a little sand. Adding some action to your retrieve mimics a wounded baitfish or virtually anything edible that should probably be eaten. This is where a live shrimp or DOA suspended below a popping cork or float really shines. Use just enough weight that will allow the shrimp to swim or drift naturally. Ultimately, the fish will be where they are most comfortable. Fishing the flats during early morning hours is your best option, while targeting the deeper water edges later will be more productive. Getting into these areas undetected can make all the difference. Stealth is critical in the shallows, and a kayak allows you access to very skinny water virtually undetected. Additionally, a kayak is a slick addition to your fishing arsenal and is a fun way to get into areas where others might not venture. If you’re looking to try kayak fishing, a great place to start is Island Outfitters (www.sgioutfitters.com) on St. George Island, Fla. They are an authorized Hobie dealer with over 40 years experience with the gear, tackle and expertise to get you started.
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
8/16/17 12:16 PM
By Patrick Sebile
S
easons roll through one after another in the nature’s cycle. When we are in winter, we are thinking and wishing for the summer to come. Looking forward, dreaming ahead, planning for the next fishing season or for another trip in our beloved golden hole. The hot days of summer offer action in and out of the water, with holidays and vacations for many. Much has been said and written, and countless songs celebrate the summer. Indeed, summer is nice and I enjoy it, but it is just the precursor for what truly is the very best fishing season of the year, for many fish species, in many areas, in both freshwater and saltwater across North America. That season is now. Starting in September, going strong through October and into November, we anglers experience
the core of the core, the heart of the heart, of the fishing season. For many fish species, fall is the time to eat heavily and get fat to prepare for the sparse winter to come, because right after winter comes the spawning season for most. While cold winter water might lead to lethargy for some species, those that spawn in spring require the energy reserves to produce eggs and sperm. This takes a lot energy, so they must feed heavily in the fall, and take every opportunity to fill their stomachs. It’s a fantastic opportunity for anglers to cast lures or bait to fish that are more concerned with their next snack than anything else. In my homewaters on the Florida shoreline, snook and tarpon will be feeding ravenously on scads of mullet during the famous mullet run. At the same time, walleye will be raiding schools of minnows along the shorelines of a lake in Wisconsin. In Texas, largemouth bass will be ready for any chance to swallow a crawdad lurking around logs in a reservoir. Fat stripers will boil on bunker in their fleeing dance somewhere between the mainland and Cuttyhunk Island in Massachusetts, and calico bass will be involved in a mass killing baitfish along the California kelp lines. And this list could go on and on for countless species and fisheries across the continent. If I were able to build a year for fishing on my own terms, I would make six months just like September, six months like October, and I would add in a glimpse of November. I know this doesn’t add up to 12 months, but let me just dream. My perfect fishing year would mean it would now and forever be the best time of year. But enough of that, I need to take my hands from this keyboard and grab my rods. I suggest you do the same. The short window that is the best time of year has already begun.
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SEPTEMBER 2017
FLORIDA
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FWC Photo
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ach summer, biologists assess bay scallop populations along the Gulf coast of Florida, in open and closed recreational harvest areas from Pine Island Sound to St. Andrews Bay through adult population surveys. Scientists look at long-term trends in the abundance of scallops and present those findings to the Division of Marine Fisheries Management. Tracking the bay scallop population long term can be particularly tricky. With limited time to cover all of the state’s bay scallop habitats, molluscan fisheries biologists with the FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute are turning to other people who know a thing or two about scallops: recreational harvesters. Information they provide will be compiled to complement the researchers’ annual population data. If you’re a recreational harvester, become a citizen scientist by filling out the online abundance survey found at myfwc.com.
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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
8/16/17 12:16 PM
By Steve Daniel
H
ow many times have you gotten up early to be the first boat on the lake, and then motor to your favorite spot in pitch darkness only to find the bass won’t even think about biting until daylight? Even if the fish don’t bite in the darkness, you still need to be there very early to catch as much of that early bite as possible. The same thing happens when you fish late in the evenings. The fish can be eating the paint off your baits, but when the sun is gone and the lake is in total darkness the bite stops just as abruptly as it started just before the sun went down. What is up with this? Is Okeechobee really that bad of a night-fishing lake. When I lived in Tennessee, we did a lot of night fishing in the summer, and it was great. Here on the Big O, the dif-
ference is we are usually fishing very shallow grassy water. In the daylight, all that grass is producing oxygen. When the light goes out, photosynthesis does not occur, and it seems just like the whole lake just goes to sleep. Now this is not to say that you can’t catch bass at night, but the shallow grassy areas are probably not the places you need to be fishing. The river or rim canals, or maybe the deep dynamite holes, might be a better option because these places don’t have all that grass pumping out oxygen all day long. Here is another observation: How many times have you been catching fish just before a storm and when the rains came the fish stopped biting? This has happened to me many times on Okeechobee, and I never really understood why. When I have a question that I don’t have the answer to, I go the experts. My friend Butch, who has done a lot of research on the effects of rainfall, asked me this, “just what is rain?” Rain is highly oxygenated water and is usually a lot colder than the water in the lake. When all this cold water falls in bucket loads on the warm lake water, it falls quickly to the bottom of the lake. Just what this does to the fish, I don’t know, the only thing I do know is the bite usually stops. There are a lot of things that we know and understand about our lakes and the fish we are trying to catch, but it is all the things we don’t know that make fishing the challenging sport it is. We never stop trying to figure out Mother Nature, but there will always be things we will never know. An Extremely successful professional bass tournament angler, Steve Daniel is a 30-plus-year veteran Okeechobee guide and the voice of Okeechobee fishing on WRVO Radio Network 1’s Hooked up with Steve and Deb. Check out the show at www.renoviolaoutdoors. com. Contact Steve at stevedaniel84@yahoo.com or 239-560-2704.
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SEPTEMBER 2017
FLORIDA
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Photo courtesy of Show Me The Fish Charters
T
he University of Florida’s Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences program has ongoing several research projects studying the seasonal pattern and rates of movement of greater amberjack in the Gulf of Mexico. Of particular interest is to determine the mixing rate of the Gulf stock with the South Atlantic stock, especially in known spawning areas off southern Florida. As a part of the study, greater amberjacks in the Gulf of Mexico are being tagged from southern Florida to the Louisiana coast. Fish are tagged on their left side with an external yellow anchor tag, and anglers are strongly encouraged to report the catch of any tagged fish. Information on the tags include a four-digit tag number as well as a web address and phone number to call and report catches. Information critical to the research is the date, time and location of capture. Exact GPS coordinates are very helpful, and to protect people’s honey holes, those numbers will not be released. Also important, to measure growth rate, is a fork length measurement accurate to 1/8 of an inch. Other helpful information the angler can collect is the weight and sex of the fish as well as the depth it was caught at, the gear that was used and the condition of the fish, particularly around the tag site. Information on fisheries and the movement of fish benefits fisheries managers as well as anglers. If you catch a tagged fish, take the time to jot down the information and report it.
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8/16/17 12:16 PM
Catch a Florida Memory With 10-Year-Old Katlyn Paul
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ummer might be coming to a close, but for 10-year-old Katlyn Paul, this summer was one she’ll never forget. Katlyn submitted 10 different species to the 71-species Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Saltwater Fish Life List, one of three of FWC’s Catch a Florida Memory Saltwater Recognition programs. This qualified her for the first tier of the Saltwater Fish Life List Club. Shortly after, she also submitted a gray triggerfish to the Saltwater Reel Big Fish program, becoming the first angler to qualify for this species. In recognition of her efforts, she received FWC Catch a Florida Memory prize packs including T-shirts and certificates for each achievement. She will also receive two entries into a quarterly raffle drawing for fishing gear such as rods, reels and landing nets. Katlyn’s love of the water runs deep, and working on her life list is more about the experience than the recognition. “It’s really cool to go out with friends and see what’s out there,” Katlyn said. “It’s fun to see the water react,” referring to the varying sea conditions and changes in water coloration of nearby St. Andrews Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Katlyn caught her first fish, a gag grouper, when she was just three, and she was hooked. Today, she is still going strong, enjoying quality time with her dad, Devin, and getting to explore the marine environment around her. She’s even expressed an interest in pursuing a career in marine biology, following her passion to explore the unknown creatures of the deep. The Saltwater Fish Life List was developed as one way to encourage anglers to target a diversity of species, and according to Devin, that’s exactly what the life list has done for his family. “We’re chasing species that we wouldn’t go for otherwise; species that I haven’t fished for in years,” he said. To date, Katlyn has crossed spotted seatrout, ladyfish, dolphinfish, black sea bass, gag grouper, gray snapper, red drum, red snapper, Spanish mackerel and hardhead catfish off of her life list. Since she submitted her 10-fish application to the Saltwater Angler Recognition Program, she has also added a lane snapper, greater amberjack and her Saltwater Reel Big Fish qualifying gray triggerfish to her list of accomplishments. Can you catch up with Katlyn? Join her in participating not only in the Saltwater Fish Life List Club program, but also the FWC’s two other Saltwater Angler Recognition programs: Saltwater Reel Big Fish, which celebrates memorable-sized catches, and Saltwater Grand Slams, which awards anglers for catching three different specified species within a 24-hour period. You can also keep track of Katlyn’s pursuits on the Catch a Florida Memory Facebook page, Facebook.com/CatchaFLMemory. For more information visit CatchaFloridaMemory.com. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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SEPTEMBER 2017
FLORIDA
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By CAM Staff
O
ver on the Suwannee River, there are so many sturgeon that boaters have to worry about colliding with them when they leap from the water. They are much more rare across the peninsula and farther south. That’s why Alex Gianniny, of Fort Pierce, was so surprised when he was called to identify another angler’s catch and found it was a big Atlantic Sturgeon. The fish was revived and released. Gianniny’s discovery happened last summer at Taylor Creek in Fort Pierce. This spring and summer, there have been at least a couple more sturgeon encounters in the same region. An angler caught and released one from the same Taylor Creek spillway in July. In April, a dead sturgeon washed up behind a home on the St. Lucie River in Palm City. Sturgeon are anadromous, which means they spend most of their time in saltwater and move into freshwater to spawn. They can live as long as 25 years and grow up to 300 pounds sucking up mollusks and other small bottom-dwelling critters. For this reason, sturgeon are rarely caught by anglers. They are encountered more frequently farther north but are very rare in south Florida. So, while catches of Atlantic sturgeon are rare, they do occur. Anglers should know that all three species of sturgeon in Florida—Gulf, Atlantic and shortnose—are protected from harvest by state and federal law. If you are lucky enough to accidentally catch one, enjoy the fight, but handle the fish with care and release it immediately.
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FRESHWATER
Spectacular Salmon Season is On! By Frank Geremski
L
ake Ontario consistently produces some of the best Great Lakes salmon catches, and this year’s fishing has been nothing short of spectacular. Significant early summer rains brought high water, which stimulated a feeding frenzy for giant king salmon. Recent summers have endured dry weather, low water and thinner salmon runs. Both lake and river health was questioned during these dry years, but cool and plentiful rains have done wonders for this fishery. It’s prime time to tangle with beasts that have been tipping the scales over 30 pounds! The experts are excited about lake and river conditions in New York’s Oswego County, holder of 12 New York state and world records. Bob Mallory is an expert on Lake Ontario and Oswego Harbor, where he pursues his passion for trout and salmon. Here are Bob’s thoughts on the 2017 Salmon Season: “Fishing in the lake out of the port of Oswego has Tom Fernandez of The continued to get better every Tailwater Lodge with a trophy week as the season has proearly season King Salmon! gressed. The number of fish being hooked and caught right now is nothing short of amazing and points to a great river season. Trolling in the lake with downriggers and Dipsy Divers with flashers and flies has been my go-to method. In low light conditions, white eChip flashers with A-Tom-Mik Hammer flies is producing. In overcast conditions, try greens; brighter days favor chrome and Mountain Dew colors. As fish get closer to the pier head, J-plugs will produce.” Tom Fernandez and the team at The Tailwater Lodge on New York’s Salmon River have developed a premier fishing resort. Huge salmon can attract a crowd when they blast up shallow runs and riffles on this picturesque river. The Tailwater’s 35 acres of private access solves that issue, and they provide a top-notch fishing concierge service. Tom is looking forward to an early salmon season with these words: “As the nights get colder in Altmar, we can only think about one thing, trophy king salmon exploding outside our back door in the Schoolhouse Pool. This year we are expecting the run to start earlier than we have seen in the past few years, with kings and cohos in the river system from September through October until we get deep into steelhead season. The high levels of Lake Ontario, the consistent good flow through the Salmon River and fish staging outside Oswego and Mexico Point have all the necessary ingredients for one heck of a salmon season. If I were looking for a time to experience the trophy fish on the Salmon River with thinner crowds, warmer temps and explosive fish, I would think about making the early run this year.” To truly experience the salmon spawning process and have a great adventure with the family, the Salmon River Fish Hatchery in Altmar, N.Y. will hold their annual open house Sept. 23, where you can view the complete spawning cycle. To learn more about Oswego County fishing, go to www.visitoswegocounty/fishing.com. Phil Belsito of The Angler Magazine of West Michigan said Lake Michigan fish are large and plentiful also. Go to www.theanglermag.com, then select Great Lakes Region for reports from both Lake Michigan and Lake Ontario.
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he quick answer to this question is “probably not.” The ideal lens for the visual rigors of hunting is an amber lens, sometimes referred to as a copper lens. Not to make this more complicated than it needs to be, but a green lens is sometimes referred to as a G-15 or gray lens. Depending on the time of day and sun coverage, the gray (green) lens may also be a preferred option for hunting. As a hunter, I prefer the low-light sensitive amber lens. The majority of my opportunities seem to come either during the early morning or late afternoon to dusk windows, when light enhancement is preferable to light dispersal. The requirements of your fishing sunglasses are starkly different than your hunting glasses. Looking deep into the water is directly in contrast to seeing long range with limited light. Selecting the perfect hunting sunglasses normally takes a bit of trial and error. My best advice when selecting a new pair of hunting sunglasses is to purchase them from a dealer with a liberal return policy. Finding your best fit and lens requires a little work, but once you find your perfect pair you will find that they improve and enhance your hunting experience. If you need any further advice on selecting your perfect hunting lens, always feel free to contact me or anyone here at Fowler’s. We know sunglasses. Fowler’s Pharmacy, 864-288-5905; 864-288-5920
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n late July, the attention of national news media turned briefly to a huge mako shark caught off the coast of New Jersey. The 12-foot-long, 926-pound shortfin mako outweighed the current state record by 70 pounds, but because the rod passed hands during the fight it will not be officially recognized as a new record. The big shark broke a rod in the fight to bring it aboard the 44-foot charter boat Jenny Lee, captained by Dave Bender. It happened during an overnight charter, drifting in 1,500 feet of water 100-miles out of Manasquan Inlet near the famous Hudson Canyon. Shortly after excitement began to fizzle over this great catch, information was released on a new tagging study that suggests shortfin mako sharks might be experiencing overfishing in the western North Atlantic. Researchers from Nova Southeastern University’s Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI), the University of Rhode Island and other colleagues followed 40 satellite-tagged sharks in real time and 12 of them, or 30 percent, were captured in fisheries. This information suggests the fishing mortality rates of shortfin mako sharks might be considerably higher than previously estimated using catches reported by fishermen, according to the press release. And despite their small sample size, researchers questioned the reliability of traditional data collection methods and expressed a serious concern over whether the current level of fishery catches for shortfin makos in the North Atlantic are sustainable.
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FLY FISHING
Lefty’s Deceiver By Carlos Hidalgo
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lthough he would deny it, Lefty Kreh is a legend. With great knowledge (he has authored or co-authored over 30 books and hundreds of magazine articles), boundless energy (he has performed countless lectures and casting demonstrations over the last 60+ years), down-home humor (a dumb person would “pick up a snake to kill a stick”), and showmanship (at casting demos, he finds a pretty woman and makes a cast that curls the fly line around her neck), Lefty has done more to popularize fly fishing than any other person in the last century. He has fished with Fidel Castro, Ted Williams and Ernest Hemmingway, but he hasn’t just witnessed fly fishing history, he has created it. His innovative fly casting techniques are used by millions of us today. Oh yeah, he also developed Lefty’s Deceiver, the best fly pattern ever devised. Lefty tied the first Deceiver during the late 1950s. He wanted a fly that was easy to cast, didn’t foul, looked like a baitfish and had great action in the water. The pattern can be easily described: a tail made up of several matching hackle or saddle feathers with a bucktail collar. Add flash material to either or both, eyes to
the head and some type of red material for the throat, as needed. The hook shank beneath the collar (the body) can be wrapped with the tying thread or a flashy material, like mylar tinsel or Diamond Braid. By the way, Lefty says the key to the pattern is to tie the collar at least as long as the rear of the hook, which keeps the hackle tail from wrapping around the hook. In appropriate sizes and colors, Lefty’s pattern has deceived just about every fish that swims, from four-inch bream to 400-pound billfish. Lefty’s Deceiver has even graced a U.S. Postal stamp. Lefty’s favorite Deceiver colors are chartreuse/white and yellow/ chartreuse. I tie them in many sizes and colors, and my favorite is tied in a Firetiger color scheme. This color works very well for many saltwater fish in sizes 1/0 to 3/0. It has also been very successful for me for peacock bass and largemouth bass in south Florida in size 2. I imagine smallies would jump all over it, too. Lefty’s Deceiver (Firetiger) Hook - Mustad 34007 or similar, size 2 to 3/0 Thread - fluorescent yellow Tail - two yellow and one yellow grizzly hackle on each side, topped with yellow Krystal Flash Body - yellow thread or Diamond Braid Collar - yellow bucktail with yellow Krystal flash and a small yellow grizzly hackle on each side, topped with green Krystal Flash and green bucktail Throat - orange bucktail, as long as the collar Head - fluorescent yellow, with painted orange/black eye, covered with five-minute epoxy Contact Carlos at cah6620@gmail.com to submit a pattern for consideration in this column or to order his book, “South Florida’s Peacock Bass.”
By John Rice
This is a simple tie and a very effective pattern for trout everywhere. Soft hackles are basically emerger patterns. They do not belong on the streambed like nymphs, so this fly should be dropped a foot or so off a nymph so it can suspend itself higher in the water column where an emerger belongs. Thread: 8/0 olive Abdomen: Olive goose biot Thorax: Tan superfine dubbing Hackle: Hungarian partridge Head: 8/0 Olive thread Hook: 1X long, size 18 Tiemco 3761 John Rice guides with Blackhawk Fly Fishing, which offers exceptional fishing for trophy trout in the north Georgia mountains. Contact john at jriceflyfishing@ gmail.com.
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UNDER THE SEA
before harvesting. Along with a closed mating season, this should keep the lobster population stable. 2. Mating season begins in the spring. Lobsters can be observed walking out of their holes in search of a mate, and males can be seen sparring for a lady’s affection. Mating season ends around August, here are a few good things about the fall season though egg-bearing females can be seen yearbesides cooler weather; one of them round. is the beginning of lobster season! 3. Males have proportionately larger legs and I dove with a commercial lobsterman for carapace, and females have a larger tail and extra a few years, and he was like a kid waiting pinchers on the abdomen to hold the eggs. for Santa. Teaming up with someone that Lobster tips from the master: knew where the good spots were gave me the 1. Let some air out of your BC, get your opportunity to spear some nice fish, but it buoyancy under control, and plant your knees in also gave me the opportunity to learn some the sand in front of the lobster. Your butt should tricks of the trade by watching a master not be up in the air! lobsterman at work. 2. Take your time and do not spook them. He First and foremost, you must learn said, “Lobsters are like cattle, you can herd them how to find lobsters. Fortunately, the same wherever you want, as long as you take your time.” territory that tends to hold fish life is also 3. The most common methods are the net good for lobstering. That is because life and tickle stick or looper, but there are some attracts life. When I was scuba diving beside interesting variations on the market now. Become Sheri Daye and Dave Earp display the results him and would see him approach an area of good at all of them, as some tools are better than of solid teamwork. the reef holding a school of fish fry, I knew others in certain situations. his senses were on high alert, and I’d start 4. When using a tickle stick, use aluminum looking for fish. Invariably, while he picked up instead of plastic. Lobsters do not respond as well a lobster or two, I would see a desirable fish. to plastic. Over the years, we honed the most efficient method for hunting as a 5. Be careful not to touch the antennas. Tap or nudge a lobster from buddy team. He focused on lobsters while I did all the spearfishing. He behind to move it into position and put the net over it. Measure the would tow the flag, which meant I could be faster and more streamlined carapace, check for eggs (by the way, extra skittish lobsters often have in the water while going after fish. We drifted with the current, parallel to eggs), then place in your catch bag, and enjoy your dinner! the reef, side-by-side. If he missed seeing a lobster, which was extremely Fall is in the air. Happy hunting! rare, I would bang my tank to alert him, and he would do the same with fish. Over the years, we became the best of friends and a formidable Sheri is a world-record holder, host of Speargun Hunter, and producer hunting team. of The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Follow Lobster fun facts: “Sheri Daye” and “The Blue Wild” on Facebook and Instagram. 1. Lobsters reach sexual maturity in two to three years when the carapace is a little longer than 3 inches. Florida law requires a carapace For more Sheri Daye, go to to be longer than 3 inches, thus allowing lobsters a chance to reproduce
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