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EDITOR : Nick Carter • editorial@coastalanglermagazine.com WEBMASTER : Dmitriy Pislyagin • webmaster@coastalanglermagazine.com ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: Corporate Headquarters info@coastalanglermagazine.com • 888-800-9794 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 • (407) 960-2340 • donm@coastalanglermagazine.com FLORIDA KEYS : Ed Gocher • (305) 587-9101 • ed@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 Flaitz • (352) 598-4219 • maryf@coastalanglermagazine.com NAPLES : Mike Weber • (414) 531-4172 • mikew@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 OKEECHOBEE : Ken Gabryel • (863) 532-3671 • keng@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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Catching Winter Cobia In The Keys By John Steinhorst
F
ebruary through April offers some of the most productive fishing of the year in the Florida Keys. An amazing variety of migratory fish species travel to the Keys as cold water temperatures push them south in the Gulf of Mexico and on the east coast. The most convenient place to base a Keys fishing adventure is directly out of Marathon, which comfortably rests in the middle of this tropical island chain. Marathon encompasses a unique collection of islands, creating the ideal boating and family destination with access to both ocean and gulf waters but far enough from the crowded streets of Key West. Capt. Chris Morrison, a 20-year Keys veteran who guides out of Marathon, enjoys hooking excited anglers up with these hungry migrating species, which include record-breaking cobia, king and Spanish mackerel, trophy sailfish and several species of jacks. Versatility is the name of the game, and options are abundant. Most often the best plan is to just decide where you want to fish, from the immense Gulf or blue ocean waters to the many reefs and wrecks surrounding the islands. Then be ready for anything when you get there. There are several techniques that work for each species, and Morrison utilizes a wide variety to keep his 8
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Temple Fork Outfitters’ Gary Loomis Inshore boat, although cobia sometimes swim with bull sharks and rays. Start drifting live shrimp back Series rods bending and his clients smiling. Live bait and jigs are most productive to with light monofilament leader and small hooks, ensure positive results. Pinfish and live shrimp and you are bound to get action from one of are among the easiest to obtain, since most local several species of snapper. If you start getting bit bait shops carry them. Deep jigs, such as butterfly off clean, add a piece of leader wire and you will types, and ¼- to 1-ounce bucktails are essential likely get hooked into a cero or king mackerel. to carry in your arsenal. For catching cobia, If you decide to fish the bay or gulf side of the present the pinfish on ocean-side wrecks and Keys island chain, you might want to anchor reefs as well as Gulf waters from 15 to 100 feet in 10 to 15 feet of water and hang that chum using the same rig for grouper down deep. Limit bag for landing Spanish mackerel. Head out to is one per person with a 33-inch size minimum. deeper Gulf waters and expect more cobia, king On sunny days, Morrison likes to spot cobia mackerel, and goliath and gag grouper. The with his polarized sunglasses from the tower of wintertime fishing action in the Florida Keys will his SeaVee boat above the reef line or in blue be sure to heat up your reel. If you need an expert light-tackle fishing water when a color change edge is present. When you see a cobia on the surface, cast the bait in guide, Capt. Chris Morrison has guided anglers front with no weight and at least 60-pound to more than 100 world records and received monofilament leader. Wire is usually necessary a Lifetime Achievement Award from the on your jigs as king, Spanish, and cero mackerel International Game Fishing Association. Visit are numerous throughout these prime fishing www.captchris.com for more info. grounds. John Steinhorst has contributed to many If you do not have a guide, the reef line on the ocean side from 25 to 40 feet is a good place publications during the last 20 years and can to start. Anchor and hang a chum bag over the be contacted at www.JohnSteinhorst.wix.com/ IslandMedia. side with ground-up frozen baitfish. Chum brings the For more Cobia fishing in the Keys, go to party to the back of your COASTALANGLERSALTWATER.COM
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Captain Fantastic.
How have so many of Marathon’s light-tackle guides achieved super-hero status? Because whether it’s tailers in the shallows, migrating tarpon out front or snook and redfish out back, our professional captains come to the rescue by putting you onto some amazing angling action. fla-keys.com/marathon 1.800.262.7284 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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RodsandReels Product Review AVET REELS SXJ 6/4 RAPTOR Since 1999, Avet Reels has been bringing to the market revolutionary reel designs that set the standard for performance. Their innovative SXJ 6/4 Raptor lever drag casting reel features Avet’s patented dual carbon fiber drag system, which produces twice the drag of the original Avet reels. The powerful system features adjustable strike pre-set and a strike stop button to prevent accidental advancement. The reel’s one-piece frame is precision machined 6061 T-6 marine grade aluminum with stainless steel components and is anodized for superior corrosion resistance. An offset machined handle arm reduces center-line profile and cranking wobble and is capped with a comfortable soft-touch handle knob. The two-speed transmission has a user-friendly shifting mechanism. Avet’s silent dog and gear anti-reverse system and M.C. Cast adjustable magnetic anti-backlash cast control system, both patented, are some of the most innovative and reliable in the industry. The SXJ 6/4 Raptor has nine stainless ball bearings, an alarm clicker and a light, narrow spool designed for optimal jig casting efficiency and less line leveling on the retrieve. It’s proudly made in the U.S.A.
CANYON REELS EX-80 TWO SPEED TROLLING REEL In case you hadn’t heard, Canyon Reels has redesigned its powerful EX-80 Two Speed Trolling Reel to give anglers the edge when pulling spreads for huge fish. The original EX-80 was extensively tested and matched up very well against the giants off the Northeast coast. When the captains made suggestions, Canyon listened, and the result is an even better EX-80, which features multiple upgrades that make it smoother, and easier to use. The EX-80 is a monster reel. It boasts a max drag of 105 pounds at strike and more than 155 pounds at full drag. A pre-set feature allows for accurate drag settings with an easy one-touch shifter. Upgrades include additional harness lugs that provide better balance control, an all new double drag system for drag runs that are even smoother than the original, and an oversized T-bar handle for additional cranking power. Several other improvements have also been made to increase the durability of this already remarkable reel. The end result is an incredibly smooth and user-friendly reel with the power to stop any fish in the ocean.
WWW.AVETREELS.NET
WWW.CANYONREELS.COM
ENIGMA HPT TITANIUM CASTING RODS
JP ROSS BEAVER MEADOW
Enigma Fishing is raising the bar on performance, while lowering the price point. Every aspect of their HPT Titanium Casting Rods were designed with extreme attention to detail. These high-performance tournament level rods are designed with premium, ultra-light Japanese Toray Carbon proprietary blend blanks. The HPT rods were designed and tested with input from professional anglers such as three-time Bassmaster Elite Series Angler of the Year, Aaron Martens. Enigma Fishing has customized and precision balanced each individual HPT rod to be ultra functional, exceptionally beautiful and tailored to exacting actions and specifications demanded by today’s tournament anglers. All rods feature premium American Tackle components, including the multiaward winning MicroWave Line Control System, which increases casting distance and accuracy. The blank-through reel seats offer finger-to-blank contact for unparalleled sensitivity and incredible ergonomics and palmable comfort, while further reducing weight as well. Premium cork grips balance out each rod perfectly! Enigma Fishing’s new HPT series features a sleek black rod blank, cork handles, stylish purple wraps and chrome accents. Delivering technique-specific performance second-to-none, the all-new HPT series raises the bar for all others!
WWW.ENIGMAFISHING.COM
MUD HOLE TURNKEY INSHORE ROD KIT
The JP Ross Beaver Meadow is a fly rod meticulously designed to fish the beaver dams and plunge pools of small trout streams where an 11-inch fish is a trophy. That’s not to say this rod can’t handle an 18-inch brown on big water, but blue lines are where it shines. It is a short, sensitive rod with the feel needed for the gentlest of nibbles but enough power to reach out 50-plus feet with a hopper-dropper rig. The Beaver Meadow is available in a 5’ 2/3-weight, two-piece and a 6’6” 2/3-weight four-piece for fishing small streams with wet flies and dry flies. The 6’6” also has the ability to cast medium weighted streamers. The 7’6” 4-weight four-piece, the 7’9” 3-weight fourPhoto by Draper White piece, and the 8’0” 5-weight four-piece all have the shorter length required for tight quarters but the backbone to land larger fish and cast streamers and multi-fly rigs. JP Ross rods are custom-made by hand in Upstate New York. Each rod is made to order, so the details are exquisite, and components can be customized from the grip and reel seat to the guides and thread color. The Technology used to achieve this awesome balance of sensitivity and power is breakthrough technology, the joining of carbon fiber and fiberglass that JP Ross calls Carbon Silica Hybrid interface. It makes a beautiful casting and wonderfully sensitive rod.
WWW.JPROSSFLYRODS.COM
Mud Hole Custom Tackle is offering amazing value with its inshore fishing rod building kit. This turnkey kit includes everything you need to build your own custom inshore trout and redfish fishing rod. The kit features the extremely popular and versatile SJ842 rod blank. This 7’0” medium-light power rod features a fast action for throwing soft plastics and topwater lures at wary flats fish. Along with the blank, the kit includes a matched guide set, handle kit and everything from the CRB Wrapper, a CRB rod dryer and ProPaste and ProKote Rod Finish along with all the tools needed to build your own custom rod. This is a great set for the avid fisherman who wants to take his or her fishing to the next level. To get started custom building your own high quality rod, visit www.mudhole.com and check out all our Turn Key Kit options or simply Google: Mud Hole Turnkey.
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RodsandReels Product Review OKUMA KOMODO SS BAITCAST REELS
The original Komodo 350 size baitcast reel has been the recipient of tremendous accolades. It is considered an extremely tough reel and an excellent value. For 2017, the Komodo family welcomes the Komodo SS, featuring a new 450 size and stainless steel drive system. The Komodo SS is built around a heavy-duty stainless steel main gear, pinion gear, drive shaft and spool shaft to deliver an internal foundation of unrelenting strength and corrosion-resistance. Komodo SS reels use rigid, machined aluminum frame and spool, aluminum side plates, high-output Carbonite drag system capable of a maximum drag output of 30 pounds, and updated 6-pin Velocity Cast Control System. Performance features include six or seven (depending upon size) stainless steel High Performance Bearings, plus roller bearing, for outstanding corrosionresistance. The synchronized level-wind system does not disengage for casting, which allows it to maintain alignment at all times and eliminated drag pressure spikes when using braided lines. Bait clickers are standard on all models. The Komodo SS series includes two sizes, 350 and 450. The 350 size includes a 6.4:1 gear ratio and maximum drag output of 25 pounds. There are four models in the 350 size. The 450-size Komodo is available in a 6.3:1 gear ratio and a hyperfast 7.1:1 ratio. Komodo SS series baitcast reels are covered by the Okuma 3-Year Limited Warranty.
WWW.OKUMAFISHING.COM
UGLY STIK BIGWATER SERIES Ugly Stik has refreshed its iconic Bigwater series with all-new Ugly Tuff saltwater guides and an updated look. Beginning with Ugly Tech construction, the Bigwater series maintains the toughness for which all Ugly Stiks are known. One-piece Ugly Tuff stainless steel guides eliminate insert pop-outs and provide durability and corrosion resistance for those harsh saltwater applications. The Bigwater series retains the traditional Ugly Stik Clear Tip design for more strength at the tip of the rod. Comfortable EVA handles and conventional reel seats give anglers a non-slip, comfortable grip no matter the conditions. The fly, standup, downrigger/dipsy diver, surf, spinning and casting models have also been upgraded to include a standard seven-year limited warranty. Four Bigwater spinning combos and two trolling combos for downrigger applications are also available. The combos feature a graphite spinning reel, available in sizes 50, 60 and 70, and have a durable aluminum spool. The reel featured on the Bigwater downrigger combos is a size 30 line counter round reel with a metal handle and power knob.
PENN SLAMMER III The Penn Slammer III, which won Best of Show in the saltwater reel category at iCast 2016, is the reintroduction of the heavy-duty reel that has become trusted by charter captains around the world. Slammer III reels feature a new IPX6 Sealed System, which keeps water out of the gear box and drag system in heavy spray and sea conditions. An updated Slammer Drag System now utilizes a proprietary Dura-Drag material. With the computer-controlled CNC gear technology system, the precision brass main, pinion and oscillation gears are individually machined for exact tolerances to provide the smoothest operation. Eight models of the Slammer III are available, ranging in size from 3500 to 10500 models. Gear ratios range from 6.2:1 with 37 inches of line retrieve on the smaller reels to 4.2:1 with 43 inches of line retrieve on the largest. Maximum drags start at 30lbs in the smaller models and run to 60lbs on the largest. The oversized reel handle grip gives the angler added control during the fight. The 3500 Slammer III is the smallest of the family weighing 13.9oz while the 10500 weighs 43.1oz.
WWW.PENNFISHING.COM
DANCO BAIT STIK Danco’s Bait Stik is the original rod and reel combo developed specifically for catching bait with a sabiki rig, and it is still the best. The rod in this combo is 7’3” and features two-piece construction with an extra-hard phenolic tip for superior strength and extreme sensitivity. Comfortable EVA grips and a gimbal butt with cover means anglers will be yanking bait from the water with ease. Anyone who has ever tried to store a sabiki rigs knows the frustration of attempting to keep them from becoming a tangled mess. With the Bait Stik, that is not a problem. While not in use, the sabiki rig can be safely and conveniently stored inside the rod, which is a huge plus. The combo comes with either a casting or spinning reel. The spinning reel comes with an anodized aluminum spool, a graphite body and rotor and an oversized eggshaped knob. The casting reel has an aluminum body and side covers, brass gearing and a star drag. Catching bait has never been so easy. When the bait tank is full, rinse everything down with fresh water, store the sabiki rig in the rod and forget about it. Look for the Danco Bait Stik in your tackle store.
WWW.SHAKESPEARE-FISHING.COM
OCEAN 2 RIVER TOURNAMENT COMBO
ZEBCO BIG CAT SERIES Zebco is launching an impressive offering of beefedup rods and reels called “Big Cat” to accommodate serious value-minded anglers who passionately pursue catfish. The spincast reels are built with a titanium nitride plated stainless steel spinnerhead to add durability and reduce friction. Big Cat XT conventional-style reels will likely be the top pick for the most avid trophy hunters from the Mississippi River to Santee Cooper and all waters in between. Two conventional reels will be offered. The Big Cat XT 30 conventional trolling reel will hold 455 yards of 30-pound test. The Big Cat XT 350 round baitcasting reel holds 200 yards of 20-pound test. Worth noting is that a headlamp handy for nighttime catfishing will be free to consumers who purchase rods and reels within the very affordable Big Cat and Big Cat XT series.
WWW.ZEBCO.COM
Ocean 2 River (O2R) Tournament spinning combos are designed to perform to the exacting standards of serious tournament anglers while standing up to the grueling conditions and treatment offered up by hard-core fishermen in the marine environment. The IM-7 fast action graphite rods come with Seaguide Atlas Performance aluminum oxide guides, comfortable cork split grips and a graphite reel seat with a cork inlay and cushioned stainless steel hoods. These rods combine strength with sensitivity and excellent casting power. They are available in medium and medium heavy weights to suit a range of line and lure weights. The reels feature a solid aluminum frame, graphite side covers and rotor and a double anodized aluminum spool to stand up to the saltwater environment. A 5.1:1 gear ratio is suitable for fishing a wide range of lures all day long without wearing out the angler’s wrists and hands. Stainless ball bearings and a comfortable oversized T-knob provide for longer casts, smoother drag runs and comfort while fighting fish. Look for the O2R combo and other fine Danco products in your tackle store.
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ON THE COVER
RHODAN INTRODUCES 72” SHAFT GPS GUIDED TROLLING MOTOR
Editor’s Note:
Each month, Coastal Angler Magazine and The Angler Magazine staff search our vast coverage area for photos that will grace our covers. With well over a million readers in diverse coastal and inland markets, our magazines strive for broad national appeal as well as local-level intelligence to put anglers on fish. The cover is different depending on which edition you, the reader, are holding. The following is a little information about this month’s covers.
COASTAL ANGLER MAGAZINE The Florida Keys, Marathon
FREE
BIG BEND EDITION
The February edition of Coastal Angler Magazine features a cover image of Capt. James Platt with a 35-pound cobia he landed onboard a SeaVee boat about 10 miles out from Marathon’s Tarpon Creek Marina on the ocean side of the Florida Keys. The photo was provided by Capt. Chris Morrison of Keys Light Tackle Fishing Charters, who Local was fishing with Platt when they caught a limit of cobia, along with king mackerel, mangrove snapper and grouper. Morrison uses medium-heavy, Gary Loomis-designed Inshore Series rods from Temple Fork Outfitters along with 30-pound test Cortland Master Braid line to handle cobia and many species he targets in winter months. Home to the world-famous Seven Mile Bridge, Marathon is a group of tropical islands perfectly situated in the middle of the Florida Keys island chain. This ideal boating and family destination offers easy access to the Atlantic Ocean, Florida Bay, Everglades and Gulf of Mexico waters for an amazing diversity. Wintertime in the Florida Keys means anglers see large numbers of migratory fish such as cobia, king and Spanish mackerel, wahoo, sailfish and blackfin tuna pushed down from colder northern waters. Marathon is an excellent destination to base your Keys vacation for an unforgettable adventure. See writer John Steinhorst’s article on winter and early spring fishing out of Marathon in this month’s issue. Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events
VOLUME 22 • ISSUE 265
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THE ANGLER MAGAZINE Ice Fishing On Golden Pond, New Hampshire
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA EDITION
FREE
This month’s cover image for The Angler Magazine was taken by Chuck Fritz on the ice at Squam Lake in Holderness, New Hampshire. Old Timers might remember the 1981 movie “On Golden Pond.” It was filmed on Squam Lake, and the most interesting storyline in the film had to be the cantankerous Local character Norman’s obsession with catching a humongous rainbow trout named Walter. Squam Lake looks a lot different with a layer of ice over it than it does in the movie, which was shot in the summer. The fishing is still good, though. Just ask Tim Moore, the ice fishing guide who was photographed for the cover with a pretty yellow perch he caught through a hole in the ice. The ice fishing season on Squam and nearby Lake Winnipesaukee generally runs from January through March each year, and anglers target giant white perch and lake trout as well as smallmouth bass, crappie, sunfish and yellow perch. If there’s anyone out there who knows where Walter is hiding after all these years, it has to be Tim. See Tim’s story inside this months issue and check out his website at www.timmooreoutdoors.com. Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events
VOLUME 22 • ISSUE 264
F R A N C H I S E
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MERCURY MARINE’S VESSELVIEW MOBILE AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD
M
ercury Marine’s VesselView Mobile app is now available for free download on the App Store and Google Play in North America. Available for iOS and Android mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets, the VesselView Mobile app instantly provides users access to their boat’s SmartCraft digital data in the palm of their hand. The product recently won a prestigious IBEX innovation award. The VesselView Mobile module, which is needed to fully utilize the app, is available for purchase at participating Mercury Marine dealers, from the VesselView Mobile app or on www.vesselviewmobile.com. The product is compatible with all Mercury SmartCraftcapable engines built since 2003. One module supports single through quad engine applications. SmartCraft is a fully integrated suite of digital technologies, including marine gauges, sensors, vessel systems and computercontrolled features, giving users a higher level of control over their boat’s propulsion and electrical systems. Now, with Mercury Marine’s VesselView Mobile, users can see SmartCraft engine data right on the screen of their mobile device. The app also includes useful new features such as Fuel Information, Maintenance Reminders, Mapping, Performance Summary, and Fault Code Diagnostics. VesselView Mobile makes preparing for and spending a day on the water easier, safer 14
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and more enjoyable by letting users perform the following functions from their mobile device: • Connect to the SmartCraft data network in your boat from your iOS or Android mobile device via BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy 4.0) • See SmartCraft engine parameters like engine hours, fuel burn, water temperature, battery voltage, RPM, etc. (parameters available are specific to each engine family). • Get fault code diagnostic information so you know and understand if that fault is something to be addressed when you return to the dock, or is more urgent. • Fuel Management provides accurate fuel usage data along with fuel remaining plus indicates time and distance to empty when the user enters fuel added via the app. • Locate your nearest Mercury Marine dealer • Get points of interest information for your body of water, including fuel and restaurant locations, and more • Record a moment on the water for future reference • Access checklists associated with your boating lifestyle • Get maintenance reminders and access historical maintenance information logs. Mercury Marine’s VesselView Mobile app also provides users with a Web-based account that gives them and their preferred dealer app and module will be on display at the 2017 an even deeper connection to their boat. The Miami International Boat Show.
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Core Concepts Make
Ice Fishing Easier By Tim Moore
S
pending hours on a frozen lake isn’t easy. Your body works overtime just to stay warm. Then, add the activity level that often accompanies ice fishing, such as drilling or chiseling holes and chasing tip up flags, and it can be downright exhausting. The degree of difficulty extreme cold temperatures add to fishing is what keeps most people from trying ice fishing. While there is a ton of gear designed to make ice fishing easier, core concepts, such as efficiency and mobility go a long way to make ice fishing easy enough for even the most warm blooded people. When you strengthen your core muscles with exercise, you train the rest of your 16
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muscles to work in harmony, which leads to better balance and stability. The same can be said for ice fishing. Exercising core concepts on a regular basis not only improves technique and lure control, but ice fishing actually becomes easier. The hottest new lures and trending techniques might catch a few fish, but they do little to improve your ability as an angler, especially when everything is frozen. Efficiency is arguably the foundation of any core. A highly efficient ice angler accomplishes more tasks in a shorter amount of time, and therefore catches more fish. Being efficient means eliminating unnecessary steps. Fewer steps means more time fishing, and more time fishing means more fish caught. Every second you spend with your line out of the water is time spent not catching fish. Efficiency begins off the ice. There are many things you can do before you leave your house that will make you more efficient. Start by leaving equipment and lures you won’t need at home. If you’re going fishing for panfish and you have larger rods mixed in with panfish rods, you will have extra gear to deal with on the ice. It doesn’t seem like a big deal until you’re fishing in subzero temperatures and the rods you need get tangled with the rods you don’t need. Rigging multiple rods with different lures before you leave your house will also reduce steps on the ice. Then you can cycle through pre-rigged rods rather than tie new jigs in the cold, wind or snow. Have you ever seen the deck of a tournament bass angler’s boat? They have many rods rigged with different lures so they don’t have to re-tie while they are fishing. The same goes for ice fishing, especially when it’s freezing out. The work you do at home pays off on the ice, but there is more you can do while fishing to make things easier, such as putting gear back in its place when you’re not using it. Then when you want to move you have less equipment to put away. Sometimes we are so
excited to get fishing that we tend to lay gear on the ice when we are done using it rather than put it back where it belongs. By the time we decide to move there is gear all over the place, which makes moving harder. The Godfather of modern ice fishing Dave Genz always says, “If it’s easy you’ll do it.” Focus on ways to make everything easier and you will be more productive. The little things add up. Just as backpackers try to shave ounces off their packs to make hiking easier, successful ice anglers are always trying to shave off unnecessary tasks to make fishing easier. The equipment you use also contributes to your efficiency. A Vexilar sonar flasher removes a lot of the guesswork. Figuring out if there are fish under you and their depth could take hours without a flasher. A sonar flasher is easy to use. It will instantly show you the entire water column including the bottom, your jig, and anything else that shows up under you, such as a fish. All in real time! Clam Outdoors makes a number of items specifically designed to make certain tasks easier on the ice. Prices range from a few dollars into the $1,000 range. The simple lowcost products often make a big difference. The Clam Can allows you to carry bait in your pocket. Not a big thing, but it makes a huge difference when it’s cold. Rod Slicks keep ice rods from getting tangled, and Fish Trap shelters get you out of the cold quickly and allow you to move around easier. The parts all have a sum that equals success. Mobility is another important core element of ice fishing. Mobility allows you to cover more water, which allows you to put your lure in front of more fish. Think of ice fishing the same way you do when open water fishing. We rarely head out onto the water and cast in the same spot over and over again. Ice fishing is no different. Every hole you drill is a cast. Make more casts and you’ll catch more fish. If you make a lot of casts in an area and don’t catch anything, move to another area and repeat. Give yourself a time limit, and don’t stay in the same area if you’re not catching fish. Ice Fishing doesn’t have to be cold and difficult. Core concepts that make ice fishing easier also make it more fun. Establish a routine and it will become second nature. By constantly thinking of ways to strengthen your core, you make ice fishing easier. Before you know it, you will be catching more fish than ever before. And who doesn’t love catching more fish? Tim Moore is a full-time licensed fishing guide in New Hampshire. He owns Tim Moore Outdoors and the New England Ice Fishing Academy. For more information visit www. TimMooreOutdoors.com. For more Tim Moore, go to
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12/15/16 1:24 PM
FLORIDA
ENJOY THE MIAMI BOAT SHOW’S ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE
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or those seeking ultimate enjoyment at one of the world’s largest and greatest boat shows, the VIP Experience is the hot ticket for the 2017 Progressive Insurance Miami International Boat Show Feb. 16-20. In its second year at the iconic Miami Marine Stadium Park & Basin, the show will offer more boats, large yachts, marine product debuts, transportation options, dining and fun than ever before. There will be excitement for everyone, but those who prefer more of an upscale experience should treat themselves to the VIP Experience. With ticket packages ranging from $70 to $100 per day, guests will enjoy exclusive access to
the VIP Lounge aboard a 111-foot luxury yacht docked at Pier 9 among more than 100 of the biggest and most extravagant motor, cruising and super yachts ever displayed at the show. The VIP Experience includes upscale dining and beverage service, live music daily, an air conditioned indoor lounge, an open sky deck with stunning views, private restrooms, complimentary Wi-Fi and an array of complimentary services and luxury product displays. All of this comes on top of what the Progressive Insurance Miami International Boat Show is recognized for: a worldclass boat-show experience for more than 100,000 attendees and exhibitors. This year’s show will be the best ever. Organizers anticipate more than 1,300 new boats on display with more new model debuts than ever before. What’s more, the number of boats in-water is expanding to an estimated 550 boats and yachts— all located in the show’s state-of-the-art marina. From sport fishing boats and high performance boats, to personal watercraft and wake sport boats, family cruisers and luxury yachts, there is something for every lifestyle. The show will also once again offer sea trials, where shoppers can take boats out for a spin. This year, more boat exhibitors will participate, giving boat buyers a chance to test-drive a number of options. And be sure to come hungry and thirsty. A highlight of the 2017 show is an enhanced food and beverage program featuring more than 150 options ranging from luxe to casual fare. Whether you choose to come by water taxi, shuttle bus or car, the show offers seamless transportation to and from the show as well as ample and convenient parking options. Show hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day of the show. Regular admission packages range from $25 to $100 for multiple days, and children younger than 15 are free. For more information, go to www.MiamiBoatShow.com. To learn more about last years boat show, go to
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AN AUTUMN SAIL STORY By Michael Landress
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e blasted through the Boynton Inlet on the first full day of fall and set lines in 33 fathoms near one of the many reefs just a short pelican’s glide offshore. It was ramp-to-reef in minutes for the five of us, Capt. Chris Lemieux, Carson, Jeff, Mike and his father-in-law, Joe. It’s one of the many perks we enjoy fishing out of Boynton Beach, also known as the Gateway to the Gulf Stream. Our goal this day was modest, to catch and release Florida’s premier game fish for our senior angler, Joe. During his 84 years, Joe had never battled a sailfish. Unfortunately, any hope of doing so on the reef was quickly trammeled by a school of ravenous rainbow runners that pillaged our lively baits at an astonishing rate. A relative of the greater amberjack, rainbows are feisty on hook and line, but offered no food value for the men of this vainglorious crew. We decided to run farther offshore into deeper water to hunt the harlequin green and yellow denizens of the deep—dolphin! After a short run on a flat
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sea, we arrived at a large patch of pelagic weed drifting in 800 feet of 86-degree water. Baitfish soon rained down upon the blue water after being violently wacked from a cozy dip net by the well-placed palm of our determined captain. After a few minutes, it became evident this seemingly perfect, floating asylum harbored zilch predators. Then, a dark silhouette suddenly appeared against the morning glare 50 feet from the bow of the Conch Cruiser. Shark or marlin I thought. “Sail, sail, sail!” we screamed like school boys. It was Florida’s fish, the sleek marauder that we sought earlier on the reef. As she laggardly cruised on the surface with sail raised, Chris pitched a live threadfin herring a few feet in front of her… a perfect cast. Enticed by the presentation, she gobbled the bait and the fight was on. Lit-up and furiously angry, she raced across the ocean at warp speed. Chris barked for Joe to take the rod, and the grizzled angler complied. After 20 arduous minutes, first mate Carson captured leader and the billfish was free. Underwater GOPRO footage indicated a successful release as her large symmetrical tail propelled her into the depths. There is no photographic evidence of Joe’s multiple naps later that day, but more importantly a fine and weary man was able to complete one of the items on his (chum) bucket list: dueling an autumn sail! For a great sailfish catch fight, go to
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and deep drop fishing for yelloweye snapper, blackfin snapper, queen snapper and mystic grouper. Even when the east winds are howling in the spring and summer months, comfortable fishing conditions exist on the leeward side of the island. When the wind lays down, The Bridge is a short 16-mile run from the marina. The Bridge runs from the southern tip of Eleuthera to the northern tip of Little San Salvador. It’s a 9-mile underwater ledge that averages depths of 200 feet between the two islands with drop offs to 800 feet on the Exuma Sound side and 3,000 feet on the Atlantic Ocean side. Big wahoo, dolphin and yellowfin tuna can be expected here, and you never know when a blue marlin will show up in your spread. The resort offers world class accommodations in the form of 14 two-story, luxury villas with views of both the sunrise and sunset. There is also a well-stocked ship’s store, a new waterfront restaurant, bar and swimming pool. The marina is a state-of-the-art, Blue Flag awarded facility with average depths of 12 to 14 feet that is flushed on every tide making the waters crystal clear. All slips have 30 and 50 amp power and water with dockage for vessels up to 200 feet. There’s a full fuel dock with both gasoline and diesel. Pump out services are also available. Getting here is relatively easy, as there are several carriers with daily flights to and from Nassau. From Nassau, it’s a very short flight to Rock Sound, which is just 30 miles from the cape. Both Bahamas Air and Pineapple Air offer service to and from Rock Sound several days a week. Watermakers Air offers direct service from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport to and from Rock Sound four times per week. From Rock sound, a cab ride will cost you about $70. There are also car rentals available. The Stuart Sailfish Club, in its 75th year, has announced a Flotilla to Cape Eleuthera for May 5 to May 14. Fifteen member boats have already signed up. If you would like to participate in the Flotilla to the cape, you must be a member of the club. Family memberships are available for just $200. For more information, visit the club’s website at www.stuartsailfishclub.com. For more information on the Cape Eleuthera Resort and Marina, go to www. capeeleuthera.com.
ESCAPE TO THE CAPE
T
hose living in South Florida are fortunate to have Bimini and West End, Grand Bahama a short boat ride from the shoreline. But there’s an undiscovered jewel of the Out Islands within reach for those looking for something more. Just 56 miles southeast of Nassau, lies the Cape Eleuthera Resort and Marina. From bonefish on the flats to blue marlin on The Bridge, this special place is no less than paradise. Just outside the marina in the Exuma Sound, you will find some of the best yellowtail snapper fishing on the planet, consistent gaffer dolphin action
For more fishing at Cape Eleuthera Resort and Marina, go to
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SWIMMING WITH SHARKS
can systematically decimate their food sources by feeding so much in one area that they permanently impact the ability of that food source to regenerate. Sharks act as a regulatory body in these instances through their mere presence. Just by having a shark around, fish and other animals are forced to expand their hunting or grazing grounds and seek out food over larger areas, where their impact will be less dramatic. Sharks play such an integral role to the health of marine ecosystems that studies have found a decline in their populations results in a correlating decline of many commercially significant fish species, including those, like tuna, that are a favorite on our dinner plates. Without sharks in our local waters, we would not be able to enjoy the wide variety of fish species and marine animals that we take for granted. As anglers, there are easy ways to “fish friendly” Photo by Melissa Johnson • A scuba diver watches as two when it comes to sharks. If you’re fishing from shore, try Lemon Sharks swim by on a local reef. to keep the shark in water as you release it so they can maintain a constant flow of water through their gills. If very February at Pura Vida Divers, we dedicate a month to it’s hard to remove a hook from the shark, it’s better to cut the line than shedding light onto one of our favorite, but often overlooked, marine animals: sharks. As scuba divers and nature enthusiasts, we spend more time exerting yourself and stressing the animal. Using non-stainless circle hooks helps lower the longevity of the hook rely on this keystone species to help hold in place the precious balance of underwater, which is beneficial to hammerheads and other species that life that allows our coral reef systems to thrive. Sharks are an easy scapegoat, portrayed by films and most media as are particularly susceptible to exhaustion during catch and release. Helping preserve shark populations is one step towards ensuring aggressive predators. In reality, sharks play an important role policing and that the activities and ecosystems we enjoy today remain healthy for even strengthening the populations of their prey. Sharks are opportunistic predators that feed on old, weakened or generations to come. If you’re interested in learning more about sharks or conservation sick fish. This in turn ensures that only the healthiest members of a fish population reproduce, overall strengthening a species gene pool. efforts, we invite you to join us on Friday, Feb. 24 for a fascinating Similarly, by targeting prey made weaker by disease, sharks help prevent presentation by Angela Smith of Shark Team One. The event will be hosted at Pura Vida Divers, and details can be found on our website at the rapid spreading of that disease through a school. If fish or other marine species thrive without a predatory threat, they www.puravidadivers.com.
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Stuart, located in Martin County, is known as the Sailfish Capital of the World. Sitting on the most biodiverse estuary in the Northern Hemisphere, and the northernmost point of the South Florida Reef, Martin County is home to 100 artificial reef systems and over 800 species of fish. Its climate, waterways and natural environment 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, salt water or fresh, head out for an adventure and reel in the memories.
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FEBRUARY 2017
FLORIDA
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1/18/17 10:18 AM
Center sp By Richard L. Matteson Jr. Stuart Rod & Reel Club Staff
Don’t Chase Rust, Protect Your Gear! Save your Fishing Rods, Reels, Tackle Boxes & Especially your Boat!
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ading puts you in the water with the fish. You are now part of their element, and this gives you an advantage over a noisy boat with a motor or trolling motor and anglers bumping around on it. As a wader you can silently fish under piers and under mangrove branches where boats can’t go or even approach without spooking the fish. Winds and Tide When you wade the lagoon, you need to know the tide and the wind. You don’t want to fish during a slack tide, and you might not want to fish if it’s too windy. You might want to fish out of the wind or with the wind at your back. The tide determines if you fish shallow or deep as well as where the fish are.
Finding Fish As you enter the water, start looking for signs of bait and fish activity. Look for birds on the water or over the water. Use search lures like C.A.L. jigs that can be cast and retrieved quickly and cover a lot of water area. Use heavier jigs in windy conditions. Move quickly without making noise. Vary the speed of retrieve. Fast retrieves in the top of the water column catch ladyfish, jacks and snook, but you might miss trout, redfish and flounder. When you find fish, slow down and fish the area carefully.
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Areas To Wade The South Indian River Lagoon The South Indian River area I fish stretches from Vero Beach to Stuart. The Bridges: Fort Pierce has two bridges. The north bridge has a boat ramp on the east side from which you can wade, and there’s an area across the bridge from Little Jim’s on either side of the second boat ramp. The south Fort Pierce bridge has an area on the east side that stretches to the inlet. South of the bridge on the west side is a fishing area. In Stuart, the north bridge (Jensen Causeway) can be waded on either side and the same is true of the south Stuart bridge (Earnest Lyons). There are two bridges on the St. Lucie River, but they are hard to access for waders. The Shoreline: My favorite wading areas are Walton Road (Port St. Lucie), Walton Scrub, Midway (Ft. Pierce), and Wilcox Road (Vero Beach). On the east side there’s Herman’s Bay (PSL) and Bear Point (Ft. Pierce). Be Respectful Remember the pier owners have the access rights to their piers and don’t want waders parking along the pier areas without permission because it blocks their view of the lagoon. Happy wading! For more wading in the Indian River Lagoon, go to
CAMINSHORE.COM
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1/18/17 10:18 AM
Chasing Big Bulls In BC By Cam Sigler Jr.
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ack in 2014, I went north of the Canadian border to fish for bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout with Gordon Silverthorne, who owns the Kootenay Fly Shop in Fernie, British Columbia. This area west of Calgary is littered with good waters. I have taken large groups up to fish the Elk and surrounding rivers with him. It was on these trips that I found myself focused on catching bull trout. Big bulls on a fly became my quest. I had caught many, up to nine in a day, but had yet to break the 27-inch mark. Bull trout are in the char family with brook trout and Dolly Varden. They range from northern parts of California and Nevada in the south to the Northern Territories of Canada and East to Montana and Alberta. They can grow in excess of 40 inches long and to weights heavier than 30 pounds. They migrate up and down systems based on food sources and into feeder creeks to spawn. They typically inhabit waters that stay under 59 degrees and are one of the most sensitive of the chars, requiring pristine waters to thrive. They are recognized as endangered in most states and protected in most systems in the provinces. A bull trout of 12 pounds might be 10 years old. I was back in Fernie in 2015 chasing trout with a few friends. As usual, we had good fishing for beautiful cutthroats, but I was chasing bulls. We spent a few days on the Elk River and caught a few bulls longer than 20 inches, but not in great numbers. My attention turned to a small pristine river south of Fernie called the Wigwam. In the past I had sent anglers from my groups there, but because of limited daily access, I had not fished it myself. Access is difficult. From the parking area, it’s 800 feet down to the river. It’s a hang-onto-trees steep. It reminded me of some streams I guided in Alaska, cold and clear enough to see pebbles 20 feet deep. The first hole was full of bull trout. After many casts, I landed one longer than 30 inches. As a group, we
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caught many cutts that averaged about 16 inches and juvenile bulls of the 19-inch variety. In conversation, Gordon spoke of the nearby Kootenay River bull trout fishery and about setting up an operation there. The Kootenay is a glacial-fed river formed by runoff and feeder streams primarily out of Kootenay National Park above Cranbrook, Canada. I told him to count me in for an expedition that fall. It didn’t happen because of a landslide in the river’s headwaters that blew the river out for an entire season. It’s tough to fish a fly without visibility. Because of water levels and clarity, the window for fly fishing the Kootenay is about six weeks in fall, if you are lucky. I finally got my chance to fish it in late October of 2016. Author Tom Boyd, who is writing a book on all the char species, and I made the 6-hour drive north from my second home in Washington to a tent camp Gordon and big-game outfitter Eric Grinnell had erected on the river. The camp was great, complete with a stove in every tent and a generator for lights. It was located a good distance between put-in points, and we saw only four other boats over three days. The four of us had a terrific time. We saw a few deer on the river and kept an eye out for grizzly and black bears but saw no evidence of them. I did wake one night to the sound of wolves howling in the distance. Water levels dropped over the three days we fished, and the water cleared even more. The weather was clear and cold. The fishing is primarily from 16-foot boats with outboard jet pumps. The river is braided and skinny in places, so the driver must pay attention. It is glacial fed and there are quarter-mile log jams on the banks. When this river is running 15 feet above the level we fished at, it must be roaring. This is a 7- to 9-weight show with sink tips. I have caught many bulls dead drifting a rabbit strip or synthetic-based fly that swims with this method. This trip, stripping seemed to work the best. We
were on the tail end of the kokanee salmon spawn. Once spawned out, these landlocked sockeye salmon float downriver, and the bull trout key on the spent fish. So we threw lots of 10-inch flies. Bull trout are very aggressive and opportunistic. They have to be in these systems. Bulls can move daily, but once we found them in a section they readily took most flies we threw. Bull trout, like many trout, like structure. Snags, logs, and big rocks in the river often hold them. I caught the biggest fish of our trip on the last cast of the last day in a tail out. It topped 29 inches and took a crawfish pattern I tie for smallmouth. We caught a few juvenile bulls in the 19-inch range and a few cutthroat, but our average bull trout was about 23 inches. I saw a few fish that were clearly bigger than our biggest catch. My guess is there are bulls in the Kootenay pushing the 40-inch mark. The largest we heard of on a fly weighed about 30 pounds. The bull trout fishery in the U.S. and Canada is fragile. I suggest chasing them sooner than later. If you decide to fish the Kootenay next fall, look for the guy holding up the 35-inch fish. Hopefully that’s me, as I will keep going back. For information or to set up a trip, contact Gordon Silverthorne at info@kootenayflyshop.com.
For more Bull Trout Fishing in BC, go to
FISHORDIE.CO
1/18/17 2:08 PM
A WINTER WADE
By Capt. Michael Okruhlik • Photo Courtesy of My Coast Outdoors
A FLY FISHING
s we idled away from the dock on a mild mid-winter morning, we all anticipated that telltale thump of a solid wintertime trout. Although the fall and winter weather had been mild, the big trout had already started finding their way to the normal winter feeding areas where we hoped to intercept them. Armed with slow-sinking soft plastics, we were confident we would be giving our cameras a workout on this trip. As we quietly drifted into our first and what would be our only stop of the day, we noticed a lone angler had beat us to our target area. Showing him the
CHOOSING A SALTWATER FLY ROD
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hoosing the right fly rod is a personal choice. There are so many rods and various rod actions (fast, moderate, tip flex, full flex, slow etc.) that selecting a rod can be very confusing. It’s confusing to me, and I live a breathe this stuff! Rod Length: 9 feet or Shorter? In most saltwater fly fishing situations the 9-foot rod is standard. It provides enough length to keep a back cast off the water, to pick up fly line off the water to redirect a cast and is the best option for making longer casts. However, in recent years many companies have developed wonderful fly rods that are much shorter and can cast with the best 9-footers on the market. The new short rods are 7 to 8 feet in length and have a moderate (slow) action. The combination of a shorter rod and slower action make these rods a deadly tool when casting larger flies and poppers at close range. Fly fishing for redfish, baby tarpon or other fish that hold tight to cover does not require long casts. And when making short cast, the short rod is a more accurate tool. The Grip And Feel Find a fly rod that feels good while you’re holding it. The feel can be the difference between casting the rod well and not. I have picked up some very high-end rods with grips that felt like tree trunks. I believe a grip with a narrower diameter is best because it allows you to feel the rod load much better. Rod Guides The guides on a fly rod are an important part of the overall
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courtesy he deserved, we anchored up short of the sweet spot and made our first wade out deeper. We pecked away at some mediumsized specks and kept an eye on the lone angler who we felt had the upper hand based on location. We watched him land one trout before he boarded his skiff and slowly idled out of the area. Although we had more action in deeper water than he had up shallow, we still decided to ease into our original planned area as the rising sun increased the water temp on the shallow flat. As the sun rose higher in the sky, the baitfish became more active and helped fine tune our target areas to cast. The water here was shin deep and clear with the bottom structure composed of soft mud with abundant grass and potholes. Using a white, slow-sinking paddle shad, I was slowly swimming it across the flat, pausing to let it slowly descend, and then I’d continue the retrieve and repeat. On one pause, I felt that telltale solid thump and then listened to the drag scream after the hookset. They were here! This was our first solid fish of the day, a thick-shoulder 6-pound trout. After a quick photo and release, we continued to ease down the shoreline sight casting to potholes or mullet. The next strike was hit and run, with the fish staying low and burning drag. After spinning me around a few times, I landed a solid upper-slot red. After several hours on this wade, I finally saw what I had been looking for, fleeing mullet at the edge of a pothole. A few cranks of the reel handle and I was hooked up. Not what I anticipated, but it was a medium-sized trout. I made a second cast to the same pothole, reeled my lure to the far edge and as soon as it paused it was inhaled! This trout sent foaming water sailing through the air while shaking her massive head. She tail walked four times before I had her close enough to verify her true size. The icing on the cake, an 8-pound trout in clear shin-deep water on a south Texas grass flat. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Controlled Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com. For more wading in the Texas winter waters, go to
PEACEFULWATERS.CO performance. Many rods today are equipped with flexible snake guides, better known as REC Recoil guides, that are lighter than standard snake guides. These REC guides allow the rod to flex between the stripping guides’ footings for a more efficient transfer of energy during the cast. These REC guides add to the rod’s casting performance, creating greater line speed. Another added bonus to these REC guides is they will bend and not break if bumped on a boat rail. Rod Action Rod actions vary greatly. It’s kind of comparing apples and oranges. Some anglers prefer a fast action; some prefer a moderate action. There are benefits to both, but for the beginning or intermediate fly angler, a moderate action rod is the best choice. A moderate action rod will cover a wide spectrum of casting situations and is easier to cast and cast efficiently into a stiff wind. These rods also load a fly line using more of the fly rods taper, making it easier for the angler to feel the rod load. You can always purchase a fast action rod down the road as your skills progress. Rod Balance So, now that you have picked out that perfect saltwater stick, ask yourself… How does it feel in my hand? Is the rod tip heavy? Is the rod butt heavy? Does the rod feel too heavy overall? Too light? These are all question that need to be answered. The best rod is the one that feels well balanced from tip to butt. Balance the rod on your index finger at the top of the full wells grip. A well-balanced rod will balance evenly on your index finger. This is a fly rod’s sweet spot. It will be the optimum place for the thumb of your casting hand every time you cast.
For More Fly Fishing with Bowman, go to
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1/18/17 2:08 PM
W H A T ’ S
T R E N D I N G
OKEECHOBEE
SERVING OKEECHOBEE, HIGHLANDS, GLADES, AND HENDRY COUNTIES Welcome to the February issue of the Okeechobee edition of Coastal Angler Magazine. With winter in full swing in the northern reaches of our country, it sure feels good to be here in south central Florida. For us Floridians, February is chockful of outdoor activities. From county fairs and art and craft festivals, to elite professional bass tournaments there is something for just about everyone. The key to enjoying Florida during this time of year is to just set aside some time in our busy lives to get outside and enjoy the best of what Florida has to offer. For those fishing the local waters, February should provide consistent fishing both for specks and bass. December and January were warm months and it took some time for the water temperatures to drop but by February temperatures should be cooler and the fish should be behaving in a more seasonal pattern. Successful fishermen will be paying particular attention to the lunar cycles as well as passing cold fronts. Though cold fronts can energize the crappy bite they can give our local bass population a case of lock jaw. When this happens patience, persistence, and accurate casting is required for the metabolism of our local bass slows down in cold water and you’ll need to present your baits right in front of the bass’s nose to get then to strike. Also sight fishing in the shallows for spawning bass will be weather dependent but provide good opportunities for trophy bass when they are in. For inshore fishermen, February 1st marks the opening of Snook season in the Atlantic Zone and Lake Okeechobee falls within the Atlantic Zone. The Atlantic slot remains not less than 28-inches in total length, tail pinched, or more than 32-inches in total length with a daily bag limit of one fish per day. You’ll also need a saltwater license and a Snook stamp to harvest a Snook. For west coasters, continued on page 2
Florida Speckled Perch Season By CAM Okeechobee Staff
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he start of the 2017 calendar year is still fresh and already the 2017 Speckled Perch Season is making headlines. Two weeks into the New Year and reports are coming in from Lake Okeechobee and Highlands County of large 2 to 2.5 lb slabs being boated on a regular basis. Next to largemouth bass, Speckled Perch (Specks), also known as Black Crappie, are Florida’s second most sought after freshwater game fish. With northern lakes frozen during this time of year, legions of Crappie fishermen make their annual pilgrimage to central Florida lakes for these feisty yet tasteful panfish. Whether it’s the receding high water from last year’s El Nino event, or the arrival of the first cold fronts of the 2017 winter season, Specks summering in the open waters of Lake Okeechobee are showing up along the shorelines and they are big and aggressive. Specks are known to be fickle eaters but this year some of the bigger Specks are taking large artificial lures that are typically used by bass fishermen as experienced by Captain Steve Daniel catching Specks on a Bomber Long A jerk bait in the Harney Pond area of Lake Okeechobee. Speck fishing on area lakes is a year round activity. During the summer months Specks usually spend most of their time in the deeper, open waters of the lake chasing schooling baitfish. During this time the best way to catch Specks is to use your electronic fish finders and troll known Crappie hang-outs in search of schools of bait fish. Once you locate the baitfish, drop a buoy to mark your location and then drop and anchor or drift the area with minnowtipped jigs to target the Specks feeding on the school of baitfish. Here the use of spider rigs will greatly aid in pin pointing the location of the Specks. The technique of spider-rigging is the deployment of multiple rods set around your boat to cover the maximum amount of surface area your boat drifts through. To further improve its effectiveness, use a variety of colored jigs set at different depths to zero in on where the Specks are feeding and what color they fancy that day. Specks are notorious for being color selective and a hot color today may not buy you a bite tomorrow. Drift or reset you anchor as
Capt Steve w-speck on Jerk Bait
the baitfish move and if the bite stops, pick up and move to another location to acquire another school. Depending on the weather, starting in November, open water Specks will begin to migrate to just outside the grassy shoreline and begin their prespawn period. Here you’ll find them holding in channels, structured points and the deeper submerged grasses. Like most fish, the pre-spawn period is a time to bulk up and store the energy needed for the spawn. During the pre-spawn the Specks are extra sensitive to the weather patterns. Falling barometers and dropping water temperatures from strong cold fronts will drive them back offshore but only to return when conditions moderate. During this period, locating the depth at which the Crappie are feeding is vital. Here again the deployment of spider rigs will aid in the location and feeding pattern of the Specks. Being in shallower water also opens up your fishing options. Don’t be afraid to use ultra-light tackle and artificial lures such as; small minnow like black and silver Rapalas, inline spinners, beetle spins, Colorado bladed spinners and curly tailed grubs. Besides being able to cover a lot of water, catching a feisty Crappie on 4-lb test ultra-light is just fun. Just be mindful of their membrane tissue mouths, they are soft and tear easily so don’t horse the fish and have a landing net at the ready. They are called ‘paper-mouths’ for a reason.
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OKEECHOBEE 1
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FISHING REPORT
BY CAPTAIN EDDIE PERRY | LAKE OKEECHOBEE – NORTH END
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ass fishing on the north end of The Big ‘O’ has been up and down, just like the weather. Cooler water temperatures and windy days have made for some tough days, but this is Okeechobee, where on any given day the fish are biting somewhere. On the days where we have had cold fronts bringing water temperature down, the Kissimmee River has produced good numbers and big fish up towards the 11 pound range. When temperatures drop, deep water ledges and points are just what the doctor ordered. Carolina rigged worms and deep diving crank baits are great baits to try on cold days. Live shiner fishing in deep water when the water is cold is usually very good. Put a shiner right on the bottom and wait for a bite just like you would if you were fishing with a float. The only difference is instead of watching a bobber you’ll need to watch your line. If you see your line jumping around you can bet your shiner just saw something that he does not want to see. Deep water areas on the north end of the lake are the Kissimmee River, Government Cut, and the Rim Canal. All of these places have rock ledges and underwater humps that will hold fish. In the Rim Canal, stick to the lake side of the canal where the shoreline break is usually quicker (deeper) and where there is more vegetation to provide shelter for the bass. Remember that a good fish finder is very handy when fishing deeper water, a good graph is a must have when locating structure in these areas. When the weather is nice and you can get out into the lake, Grassy Island, Kings Bar, and Tin House Cove have been very good areas to fish. But remember, if the water temperature drops from a cold front the bite can be very tough, so head toward deeper water. Winter also brings plenty of windy days which raises the primary question, where to fish in higher winds. Areas inside of Eagle Bay and Cody’s Cove can protect you from the wind and produce some nice bass. One of the keys
Welcome
to being successful on the Big ‘O’ is to master the use of wind in your fishing. Whether winter or summer, learning to look for wind drive current that drives bait fish through channels and trails can greatly increase your rate of success. The Speck fishing continues to improve as we move farther into winter and closer to spring. Indian Prairie, Horse Island and Third Point have produced good limits of Specks on jigs and minnows and fisherman that are drifting out in front of Taylor Creek are catching limits as well. Chartreuse and white jigs and lime green jigs have been very productive but always have a good assortment of colors and sizes when you go. Over the recent weeks, the Specks have been running quite large, reports of 2 to 2.5 lb slabs are Big O 6-lber w-Ed Perry quite common. Be sure and stop by Garrard’s Bait and Tackle for all your fishing needs, live or artificial bait they have it. Good Fishin Capt. Eddie Perry Capt. Eddie Perry is a 5th generation Floridian and owner of Okeechobee Adventures Guide Service. He has fished the Big ‘O’ since he was a little boy and has professionally guided on the lake since 1996. There isn’t much that he hasn’t seen on the lake. He can be reached by telephone at (863) 763-7722, web www.OkeechobeeAdventures.com, Facebook.com/OkeechobeeAdventures, or at Garrard’s Bait and Tackle.
continued from page 1
and that includes the spillways west of Lake Okeechobee, you’ll have to wait for the March 1st opening. Local hunters will find deer season closed throughout the state with the exception of Zone B, which is a section of Polk County and neighboring counties bordered by State Road 60 to the south and State Road 50 to the north, State Rd 441 to the east and I-75 to the west, and Zone D which is in the NW panhandle area. The good news is that Spring Turkey is just around the corner and will begin in early March and then there is always hog hunting. February brings fair-goers ample opportunity for exciting rides and plenty of fair foods to sample. There are no less than eight county fairs in our area along with a handful of local festivals so now is the time to get your fill of cotton candy and taste the latest in deep fried creations. February also marks the peak of birding season so hikers, campers, canoeists and kayakers keep your binoculars and cameras at the ready for a glimpse of the many birds wintering in our area. Winter in south central Florida is the time of year to enjoy the great outdoors, so take advantage of this time and build some memories for your family and yourself. Ken Gabryel Co-Publisher Coastal Angler Magazine - Okeechobee 2 OKEECHOBEE
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FEBRUARY 2017
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1/16/17 8:54 PM
FISHING REPORT
BY CAPTAIN MARK KING | LAKE OKEECHOBEE - SOUTH END
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re you ready to get out of the cold snowy north and catch some bass? Well then Lake Okeechobee is the place to be to get out of the cold and catch some giant bass and enjoy some warm sun. The bass are on the move toward spawning areas and we have been catching some really nice big bass here on the big lake. It will only get better as we move into February and March. It has been a really good season so far here on Okeechobee and it seems to be getting better almost daily. We have had a couple of cold fronts that slowed fishing down for a day or two but then we are right back to catching them good. The water level is around fourteen feet above sea level and in my opinion that is just about right for this time of the year. I have been fishing from up around Cochran’s Pass to Pelican Bay with the wind being the deciding factor as to where I go. The main concentration of bass still seem to be on that outside grass line close to open water. When the wind really blows, moving back in until you find clean water will help you locate the fish. The bass on the outsides are fresh bass moving in off the main lake headed toward traditional spawning areas so be ready for this bite to start happening. The bite on wild shiners has been crazy on most days and five dozen shiners usually only last for three to four hours and then it is off to catch some on artificial lures. The bite on artificial lures has picked up some as more and more bass move in to spawning areas throughout most of the lake. The Gambler Ace stick bait has been my choice for soft plastic lures and a lipless crankbait has been my choice for hard baits. We should start getting a good bite pitching craw type baits into reed heads soon and that is one of my favorite ways to catch big bass. The Gambler Why Not is my choice of baits to fish this way. For all my northern friends be sure and come armed to catch and get these Lake Okeechobee bass out of the heavy grass. I prefer a heavy action rod and braided line at least in that fifty pound test range. I have been testing some TFO rods in the Pacemaker line and they are definitely the stick to get the job done here on Okeechobee. The crappie bite has been pretty good from the reports I have been getting and areas north of Uncle Joe’s cut, around Bird Island, and the rim canal have been the areas that have been producing here on the south end
Speckled Perch continued from page 1
Starting in mid-January through March, Specks begin to move into the grasses and bulrushes to spawn. The period around the full moon will be the best time of the month for the full moon drives the females to the beds. This makes the days immediately after the full moon a great time to catch your limit. Crappie are free spawners, that is they prefer not to make tradition beds. The females lay their eggs in and around grass and on top of the roots of floating leafed plants such as lilies and spatterdock. The male follows up after the female to fertilize the eggs after which the female departs the site while the male remains behind to protect the brood. Generally the females will leave the spawning area and return to pre-spawning sites while males will patrol the nesting areas. Those males remaining behind are generally not in a feeding mood. They are there to protect the eggs from predators so they will be looking to kill or wound predatory baitfish. This makes their initial strike a strong fierce bite so you’ll need to be ready to set the hook, otherwise Poppa Crappie will spit out what he thinks he’s killed and going looking for another enemy of the nest. Fishing the grasses and lilies for Specks requires stealth. Approach these areas slowly and the use of extra-long Crappie poles will come in handy. If you can, stay outside the edges and reach out with the extra length of your rod and drop your jig and-or minnow into the open areas. Whether you use a float or free line the offering is up to you but the float will enable you to preset your depth so
of the lake. Jigging and minnows are both working. Now is the time to be on Lake Okeechobee catching bass, we do catch bass year round but now through May is the best chance to catch that once in a lifetime fish. Couple of tips for out of state boaters new to Okeechobee. We have a lot of boat trails in the grass and I would like to stress they are boat trails not fishing trails. Fishing in these trails is a good way to get run over and we don’t want to see anyone get hurt here. The other thing is courtesy among fishermen; treat everyone like you would want to be treated and I think we all will get along just fine out there on the water. Until next report good luck, tight lines, and I hope to see everyone on the water soon. Capt. Mark King Captain Mark King is a full time guide and tournament angler guiding out of the world famous Roland Martin’s Marina and Resort in Clewiston Florida and also in the Florida Keys out of Marathon area. Mark is an IGFA Certified Captain, active member of the Florida Guide Association and the Florida Outdoor Writers Association. Mark can be contacted to book a guide trip, seminars, personal appearances, test rides in his Evinrude powered Ranger, or to fish a tournament with him at 863-6770983 or at www.markkingfishing.com and www.tarponinthekeys.com your bait is not lying on the bottom. If you don’t get an immediate bite, slowly jig your line to attract a little more attention. After a few minutes without a bite, pick up you bait and move it to the next opening. Also keep in mind that there are Specks, probably males, still patrolling the outside edges of the grass so make sure you cover these areas as well. Specks like to feed on insects, so those areas infested with flying insects are prime Speck areas. Just arm yourself with bug spray and mosquito netted hats to prevent yourself from become the bait. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after the application of any bug sprays and sunscreens. There has been a lot said about the fickle nature in which Specks feed. You talk to one angler on the north end of the lake and he’ll tell you they are taking peanut butter and jelly colored jigs while just a few miles away they are taking jigs with chartreuse heads and white bodies. The best way to cover your bases is to have a plastic organizer filled with a wide selection of local colors and weights. Conditions change on the lake and having a diverse selection of jigs will help you match the water and feeding conditions. The only way to prepare yourself for matching the hatch is to visit a variety of local bait and tackle shops and ask. Find a shop tying their own Crappie jigs and you’ll be golden. Winter Speck fishing in central Florida can be fast and furious. There is no better time to introduce a young child to the sport of fishing then when there is plenty of action and you’ll be rewarded with a bunch of laughter, smiles, and a stringer of tasty fish. The kid will have fun too so take the time and take a kid fishing.
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Winter Time Fishing On The Big ‘O’ By: Capt. Steve Daniel “The Voice of Lake Okeechobee Fishing”
the world couldn’t even catch one 12 inch bass. This lesson learned many years ago turned me into an angler that is not afraid of cold water and even though Florida bass don’t like it, when it’s cold you can still make some of them hit your lures. Here are a couple of tips that are working on the Big ‘O’ right now. When you are fishing around the spawning areas on these cold Debs studio days, use a jerk bait that will float up when you stop it so you can work it around the submerged grass. A suspending bait might work better but it stays hung up in the grass and Capt. Steve Daniel e are always looking for excuses for why we didn’t catch fish and is not very efficient. Keep the floating jerk bait up where you can see it this time of year the cold water is at the top of the list. I think this and hang on, you will get some bites. is the best topic for me to talk about because both of my FLW tour wins For more information on the fishing Okeechobee catch HOOKED UP involved air temperatures below or near the 32 degrees freezing point. WITH STEVE & DEB the voice of Okeechobee fishing Friday’s 1,7am Here is what you hear from most anglers, slow down and use smaller 4pm & Saturday & Sunday 10am east, www.RenoViolaOutdoors.com. baits. This is the opposite of what I’ve learned over the years. Saturdays 100.9fm, wokc.com, & Sunday 100.5fm wafcamfm.com 5am Let me go back in time to a mega bass tournament on the Harris Chain east, for more information visit www.OkeechobeeProSteveDaniel.com. of Lakes many years ago. The weather was warm the first three days of the event with highs in the 80s. I was fishing a Bagley DB3 crank bait in the deep pads and was catching big bass and I was in second place going into the last two days at Little Lake Harris. Well what happened with the weather was a real shock to me. The lows the night before the finals dropped into the mid-20s. Water temperatures dropped 15 degrees in one night and we were fishing in snowmobile suits, far from the shorts and t-shirts the day before. I guess you are wondering how I did, well I didn’t catch a single bass the last two days and out of the top 10 anglers that made the finals I was 10th. The lessons I learned from that event made me one of the best anglers in the world when it came to fishing in very cold weather. It’s also the reason I won those two FLW events on Lake Okeechobee when the weather was so cold. Jim Bitter won that mega bass event by fishing a Bomber Long A jerk bait. I used the jerk bait to win both of the FLW events here on the Big ‘O’. Now why will a bass hit a big bait fished very fast when the water is very cold and they are not feeding? The answer is simple, a bass is a cold blooded predator and it’s the nature of all predators, even cold blooded ones, to clean up any injured prey. It‘s how nature works. Nothing in your tackle box looks more injured than a jerk bait fished properly. There are a couple of things you still need to make them strike the jerk bait. You need clear water so they can see the bait. If you’re fishing in dingy water the bass can’t see the bait so they have less reaction to it. You also need to present it properly, just cranking it in will not work. You need to finesse the bait to make it appear injured. Now I’m not saying you’ll go out and use this technique during a cold front and catch 100 bass, but you will catch some and in cold weather conditions you usually don’t need a heavy bag to win. I think when I won the FLW event here in Okeechobee in 2000 I had only 13lbs a day, but it was more than anyone else in the event and I got a lot of bites when some of the best anglers in
W
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10 John Stretch Park Free - Boat ramp, bank fishing, picnic shelters with tables & grills, water, restrooms, scenic viewpoint, play area, dump station 11 Clewiston City Park Free - Boat ramps, bank fishing, picnic shelters with tables & grills, scenic viewpoint 12 Alvin Ward Park Free - Boat ramp, bank & pier fishing, picnic shelters with tables & grills, water, restrooms, play area 13 Moore Haven Lock & Dam Free - Bank & pier fishing (south side of river) 14 Old Sportsmans Village Free - Boat ramp, bank fishing, picnic tables 15 Fisheating Creek Free - Boat ramp, bank fishing 16 Harney Pond Canal Recreation Area Free - Boat ramps, bank fishing, picnic shelters with tables & grills, water, restrooms, raised scenic viewing platform 17 Dyess Ditch Canal (Bare Beach) Free - Boat ramps, bank fishing 18 Indian Prairie Canal Free - Boat ramp, bank fishing
LAKE OKEECHOBEE
19 Okee-Tantie Recreation Area - C. Scott Driver Park - Boat ramp, marina, bank fishing, bait, fishing license, guide service, ice, picnic shelters with tables & grills, water, showers, camping
R A M PS
Jaycee Park Free - Boat ramp, bank & pier fishing, water, scenic viewpoint, picnic tables 2 Nubbin Slough Free - Bank fishing, scenic viewpoint 3 Henry Creek Free - Boat ramp, bank fishing 4 Chancy Bay Free - Boat ramp, bank fishing, equestrian access 5 Port Mayaca North Free - Boat ramp, bank fishing, scenic viewpoint Port Mayaca South Free - Bank fishing, scenic viewpoint 6 Canal Point Picnic Area Free - Boat ramp, bank fishing, picnic shelters with tables & grills
98
to Arcadia
70
Taylor
1 e me sim Kis
2 Go v
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15A
Buckhead Ridge
2nd Point
Ca
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17
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Iron Stake Hole
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Monkey Box
tio Moonshine Bay
en C ana l re H av
441
Moo
6
Old
Turner’s Cove
Gator Hole
720
Be
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Road
Ritta Island
South Bay
Bo
Torry Island
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9
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80
Hooker Highway
W
Ca
441
to West Palm Beach
Belle Glade
nal
St.
N
Botto
27/80
441
715
North New River Canal
Lake Harbor
8
Pass
NW 1st Avenue
Moore Haven Lock & Dam Free Bank & pier fishing (south side of river) 14 Old Sportsmans Village Free Boat ramp, bank fishing, picnic tables 15 Fisheating Creek Free - Boat ramp, bank fishing 16 Harney Pond Canal Recreation Area Free Boat ramps, bank fishing, picnic shelters with tables & grills, water, restrooms, raised scenic viewing platform
Morgan
Bay
12
The
’s nie
11
11 Clewiston
West
Kreamer Pelican Bay Island
East Wall
10
13
m
Glades Airport Coot Bay
Win
19
Pahokee Marina/Campground - Boat ramp, boat rentals, marina, camping, bank & pier fishing, cabin rentals, water, restrooms, pool Paul Rardin Park Free - Boat ramp, bank fishing, picnic shelters with tables & grills, water, restrooms, scenic viewpoint Slim’s Fish Camp - Guide services, bait & tackle, RV & camping, marina John Stretch Park Free - Boat ramp, bank fishing, picnic shelters with tables & grills, water, restrooms, scenic viewpoint, play area, dump station Clewiston City Park Free - Boat ramps, bank fishing, picnic shelters with tables & grills, scenic viewpoint Alvin Ward Park Free - Boat ramp, bank & pier fishing, picnic shelters with tables & grills, water, restrooms, play area
27/80
tP al
The Water Tank West Wall
Industrial Canal
9
80
717
Pahokee
al
to LaBelle
ross Rocky Reef
The Vee Grass Island
27
7
Iron C
Joe Moore Hole Mayaca Cut
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98
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Moore Haven
Observation Island
Mi
13 12
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Canal Point
Blue Hole
720
8
Sand Cut
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76
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LAKE OKEECHOBEE
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78
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5
Whidden Pass
Dynamite Pass
7
441
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4
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14
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Chancy Bay
Horse Island
Bird Island
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710
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Fisheating Bay
ut
Fisheating Creek
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King’s Bar Shoal
3rd Point Tin House Cove
rm ar o ve Bech W Co Big ea B Pond Canal Recreation Area
Dyess Ditch Cana
15
Calo
15B
721
Lakeport Fisheating Creek
27
3
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18
Harney
to Sebring
441
Hog Island
l na Ca
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16
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Eagle Bay Island
19
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710
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78
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441
Brighton Indian Reservation
Ha
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1
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80
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17 18 19
Dyess Ditch Canal (Bare Beach) Free - Boat ramps, bank fishing Indian Prairie Canal Free - Boat ramp, bank fishing Okee-Tantie Recreation Area - C. Scott Driver Park - Boat ramp, marina, bank fishing, bait, fishing license, guide service, ice, picnic shelters with tables & grills, water, showers, camping
RV sites rentals • Cabin rentals • Boat rentals Bait & Tackle Shop • Tavern • Live Music Sat & Sun Family, pet and motorcycle friendly 9500 SW Conners Hwy, Okeechobee, FL Mon-Thur 12 Noon – 8:00pm • Fri-Sun 10:00am – 10:00pm
(772) 597-4455 www.JandSFishCamp.net
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HIGHLANDS LAKE PROFILE LAKE ISTOKPOGA | BY GEOFF BALOG
L
ake Istokpoga is the largest lake in Highlands County and the fifth largest freshwater lake in Florida. The lake has gained of reputation of holding large numbers of trophy size bass and large crappie. Situated in southeastern Highlands County, its northern border lies just south of U.S. Hwy 98 and east of U.S. Hwy 27. Covering approximately 26,762 acres the lake has a surface area of over 43.75 square miles yet its average depth is only 4-feet deep with a maximum depth of only 10feet. It belongs to the Kissimmee River water shed and is fed from the west by Josephine Creek and Arbuckle Creek to the north. Two eastern canals discharge waters that eventually feed into Lake Okeechobee via the Kissimmee River as well as supply water for the Indian Prairie Canal and the Harney Pond Canal systems. Along the banks of the lake you’ll find pockets of residential communities as well as several fishing camps. However the vast majority of the shoreline remains agricultural and undeveloped. In the center of the lake there are five islands. Grass Island is a small outcropping of grass in the northern portion, Big Island is in the center of the lake, Bumble Bee Island is in the middle of the southwest corner and Long Island is to the west of Bumble Bee. Various trails and channels sub-divide Big Island and Bumble Bee Island into smaller outcroppings of land and emergent vegetation stands. There are numerous boat ramps along the shoreline. Some are associated with residential communities, some with the local fish camps, one marina and five public boat ramps of which two are in county parks. The northern park boat ramp is in Istokpoga Park and is accessed from U.S. Hwy 98 in Lorida, FL. It has two double lanes providing launching for four boats, plenty of dock space, and paved parking for 45 boat trailers. The southern park boat ramp is in Windy Point Park located off of County Road 621 in Lake Placid, FL. This ramp has two single lanes with a floating dock and paved parking for 73 trailers. During the height of the season, you are likely to find multiple fishing tournaments being run simultaneously out of both parks along with a large number of recreational fishermen. What makes Istokpoga such a great fishery is its vegetation. Similar to Lake Okeechobee, there is a wide variety of plants that provide home for bass, panfish and baitfish. Some of the varieties include; bulrush, cattails,
Big ‘O’ Teen Anglers, Inc. 2017 Schedule Event 2: February 18th Event 3: March 25th Event 4: April 29th
TOURNAMENTS Event 5: May 27th Event 6: June 24th Event 7: July 29th
Event 8: August 26th Event 9: Sept 30th Classic: Oct 28 & 29
All tournaments launch out of Okee-Tantie until further notice New members, Volunteers, and Boat Captains WELCOMED Contact Billy Ellerbee for details (863) 697-8764 6 OKEECHOBEE
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pencil grass, Kissimmee grass, American Lilies, hyacinth, pepper grass, eel grass, coontail and hydrilla. There are also stands of moss filled Cypress trees along the shoreline which makes for southern style scenery and fishing. With all this vegetation, Lake Istokpoga is heavily monitored and under weed control management programs through the FWC. Spraying of invasive plants is aggressive and often keep the fish on the move. With all this area and vegetation, you’ll find a large variety of fish, including trophy sized bass, crappie, bluegill, shell crackers, bream, pickerel, catfish, bowfin, gars and plenty of baitfish. You’ll also notice there are a large number of alligators in this lake. Being a shallow water lake, the lake’s color is usually stained to muddy which allows the use of heavy braided lines and big baits. Depending on the cover you’re fishing, you’ll have a wide selection of baits to choose from including; spinner baits, buzz baits, top water frogs, propeller baits, swimbaits, crank baits, rattle traps, swim jigs and big worms. Most trophy bass seekers will concentrate on flipping the shorelines with big jigs, creature baits, and big worms. Due to the water’s stained nature, black & blue, Junebug and dark reds are the most popular colors. When water is flowing into the lake from Josephine or Arbuckle creeks, or out of the lake via the spillways, the additional current will attract a large variety of fish. Typically the peak of the bass spawn occurs from January to March. During this period look for cleaner water with added depth and a hard bottom. Areas protected by wind and wave action will provide bedding bass shelter from the elements. Though Lake Istokpoga has yet to register a Hall of Fame class bass (13+ lbs) in the FWC Trophy Catch Program, there have been over seventy entries of Trophy Class fish which are bass between 10 – 12.99 lbs. As a result, Lake Istokpoga earns Bassmaster’s number two spot for the best bass lake in Florida and the number six slot in the Southeast Region. Since the lake is shallow, water conditions can change quickly due to windy conditions and storms. Not only will this have you searching more areas for clean water, it’s also something you need to be aware of when on the water. Wave heights can pick up quickly during stormy conditions so keep an eye on the weather. Quickly changing water conditions can also make this a tough lake to fish, one day the bass bite is on fire and the next day the fish moved to more favorable conditions. Lake Istokpoga is also a great crappie-speck fishery. Winter is typically the best time of year to catch crappie with the deep water areas east of Big Island and west of Long Island being the preferred areas. Here drifting over the deeper holes with live minnows, jigs tipped with minnows and beetlespins produce well. As spring rolls around, the specks will move into the bulrush and spatterdock along the shoreline to spawn. During this period, drifting slowly through the vegetation with crappie jigs will work. Lake Istokpoga is a great fishery for our area. Whether you’re fishing for trophy bass or slab sized specks, if you live in the area or just visiting, this is a lake you should get to know. Good luck and see ya on the water Geoff
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Canal Recreation Area Free - Boat ramps, bank fishing, picnic shelters with tables & grills, water, restrooms, raised scenic viewing platform
anal (Bare Beach) Free - Boat ramps, bank fishing Canal Free - Boat ramp, bank fishing
ecreation Area - C. Scott Driver Park - Boat ramp, marina, bank fishing, bait, fishing license, guide service, ice, picnic shelters with tables & grills, water, showers, camping
HIGHLANDS LAKE MAP TROUT DAMON
ADELAIDE CHILTON OLIVIA LILLIAN EAGLE POND
64
64
PYTHIAS PIONEER
BYRD
SILVER LELIA
DUCK DEER
FOX ISIS VIOLA VERONA
TULANE ANOKA
LOTELA GLENADA
ANGELO
LITTLE LAKE BONNET BONNET LITTLE RED WATER BASKET
SEBRING
ARBUCKLE CREEK ROAD
DINNER 17
LUCAS
SEBRING
JACKSON 17A
LITTLE JACKSON
27
RED BEACH
CHARLOTTE
BLUE CHRISTY
WOLF
823
17
HUCKLEBERRY
EDILA
GRASSY POND
MUD
COUNTERFEIT
LETTA
LOST SUBMARINE
ARBUCKLE CREEK
AVON PARK
DENTON GRANADA
AVON PARK BOMBING RANGE
98
RUTH
66
LYNN
JOESPHINE
JOSEPHINE CREEK
17
HILL
HARRY
PERSIMMON REDWATER FRANCIS
CARRIE
NELLIE APRHORPE SIMMONS
HENRY
BLUE
621
JUNE IN WINTER LACHARD SIRENA
CREWS
LAKE PLACID
ISTOKPOGA
821
CLAY SADDLE BAGS HUNTLEY
LOST
AUGUST
MIRRIR
MCCOY
29
PEARL GRASSY
PLACID DIANE
LITTLE GRASSY
29
BUCK 70
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HIGHLANDS FISHING REPORT BY LY NGUYEN | HIGHLANDS COUNTY
H
ello from the Highlands! This is an exciting time of year in our area. Many of the local clubs are starting or have begun their new seasons. Over the next month, anglers will have the best opportunity to find and catch large bass. Bass spawn in Florida from about late November through April, but the heaviest spawning activity takes place from mid-February into March. During this period, bass will lurk near the shallows especially in areas protected from the wind. Locally, the fish prefer areas with submerged grasses and a sandy bottom. Look around the shallows for circular depressions with fish holding in them. While smaller male bass will be more abundant around spawning beds, some beds will be holding females. Once you have found a spawning bed, back away and cast a tube, a fluke or a worm past the bed. Slowly retrieve the bait until its right in the middle of the bed. If the fish does not hit right away, slightly work the tip of your fishing rod to gently move the lure. Repeat
Marty O’Hora & Adam Todd - Istokpoga
this process until the fish hits or your bait leaves the bed. In these situations you need to be more patient than the fish. It can be very frustrating but more often than not, persistence will pay off and she will bite. Keep in mind that the water clarity of the lake you are fishing is very important. The more stained the water is, the harder it will be to see and find the beds. The clearer the water the farther away you’ll see them, but they can also see you better and they will spook easily. This makes shallow water anchoring systems a big advantage in
clear lakes like Lake Jackson, June, or Placid. If you’re drifting across bedding areas, having a shiner or two hanging out the back of your boat isn’t a bad ideal either so long as your reel is secured or set to a light drag so that as your boat drifts one way and the bass swims off with your bait in the opposite direction that your pole doesn’t go overboard and follow Mr. Bass Generally in the colder months you may need to slow down your retrieve and in some cases downsize your baits. Slowing down your retrieve gives time to watch the area for any of those bass beds you should be targeting. During this time of year, it’s not uncommon for an angler to look down and see a bass mere feet from the boat, so always pay attention to the surroundings. These are the days of the year where the catch rate might be small but each bite could be a trophy. Crappie reports have been very good and the height of the season is still coming. I personally watched a trio in a pontoon boat around Grassy Island on Lake Istokpoga catch a half
dozen in 20 minutes and all were in the pound and a half class or bigger. Use jigs or live minnows. Don’t be afraid to try different colors and different depths until you find what works. Right now all the local Highlands lakes are producing so you should find plenty of action no matter which lake you choose. This is the time of the year that I recommend re-spooling your reels and checking knots twice. No matter what your style of fishing is, remember this is spawning season in Florida. A big fish is just one cast away and I bet you know someone somewhere who lost a trophy fish due to line or knot fatigue. Finally, the Highlands Bass Anglers Tournament Trail will still be accepting new members until March 3rd, feel free to contact us for questions or to sign-up at 863-381-2310. The last tournament was held on Lake Istokpoga and the team of Marty O’Hare and Adam Todd took 1st Place honors with a 3-fish limit bag weight of 12.0 lbs. Until Next month - tight lines Ly
Area Fishing Guides Capt. Mark King Reel Dreams Fishing: Bass, Lake ‘O’, Florida Keys Live bait & Artificial Clewiston, FL Ph: (863) 677-0983 www.MarkKingFishing.com
Capt. Eddie Perry Fishing: Bass & Panfish Lake ‘O’ Live Bait & Artificial Okeechobee, FL Ph: (863) 763-7722 www.OkeechobeeAdventures. FloridaBoyArt.com/
Capt. Dave Stephens Back Bay Xtremes Charters Fishing: Snook, Tarpon, Redfish Peace River - Port Charlotte Ph: (941) 916-5769 web www.BackBayXtremes.com
Capt. Steve Daniel Steve Daniel Guide Service Fishing: Bass Lake Okeechobee Live Bait & Artificial Clewiston, FL Ph: (863) 885-2230 www.OkeechobeeProSteveDaniel. com
Capt. Brian Nelli TC Kayak Fishing Fishing: Palm Beach Kayaking Palm Beach, FL Ph: (772) 201-5899 www.TCKayakFishing.com
Capt. Chris Chesley World Wide Charter Fishing: Bass, Lake ‘O’ Hunting: Ducks, Lake ‘O’ Lakeport, FL Ph: (863) 946-2736 www.CaptChris-Okeechobee.com
Tony with bass 8 OKEECHOBEE
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Special selection
LURE OF THE MONTH
REACTION INNOVATIONS SWEET BEAVER By: CAM Okeechobee Staff
F
ebruary on the Big ‘O’ means changing weather patterns. One day it’s sunny and 80-degrees and the following morning you wake up to the 40’s. Like people, bass don’t like temperature extremes and when they do occur bass will break away from their spawning activities and seek shelter and more stable conditions. This usually means the nearest deep water pad of lilies or bed of hydrilla. So to entice these bass to strike we choose Reaction Innovation’s Sweet Beaver™ soft plastic bait along with a sturdy 1 ½ to 2 ounce skirted jig to pry these fish out of this thick cover. The Sweet Beaver ™ is a tough and compact bait that moves a lot of water and provides plenty of action. The Sweet Beaver ™ features forward facing ribs that create pressure waves that let bass know there is something moving nearby and a textured body creates a feel that bass love to inhale. The centerline is recessed for better hook penetration but the nose of the bait is thick enough to hold your hook without tearing on every fish. The long flat beaver tail is textured on the flat surfaces and along the edge, and its tail can be split for a twin tail look. In addition to a great flipping bait, the Sweet Beaver ™ can be used Texas or Carolina rigged or as a trailer on your favorite spinner bait. The Sweet Beaver™ is available in three sizes, a 3.50-inch, a 4.20 inch and a double wide series and there are plenty of colors to match the water and sunlight conditions. But for the Big ‘O’ dark colors seem to do the best.
FISHING REPORT BY CAPTAIN BRIAN NELLI | PALM BEACH KAYAK
Atlantic Coast Inshore
February is a good time to target a lot of different species. From pompano, jacks and sheepheads around deeper cuts to snook, reds, flounder and trout along the mangroves and structure. Launching at Snook Island in Jordan’s first Sailfish w-Brian Nelli Lake Worth gets you close to some great structure for snook. During the winter the water is a lot colder than most of the year. When fishing the flats around mangroves, hit the water a little later in the day and target sand holes and areas with dark mud. These spots will warm quicker than surrounding areas and should be holding fish. Remember snook season opens February 1.
Atlantic Coast Offshore
The cobia will start to move into the beaches following around the rays, sharks and turtles. I like to have a DOA Swimming Mullet ready to pitch to them when spotted. Sailfish, small kings, wahoo and dolphin will also still be frequent catches in February. Look for these four to be found from 90-120 feet chasing goggle eyes and blue runners. If live bait is not an option, look to try an artificial trolling lure like SeaLime Lures. These baits have great life like action to entice the bite. Check us out Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for all the latest adventures my clients and I get into. See you on the water! Brian Nelli | 772-201-5899 Brian@tckayakfishing.com | www.tckayakfishing.com Planning on heading to the Lake Okeechobee this weekend, check-out our website for the latest fishing reports. We contact bait & tackle shops from around the lake and nearby communities for what’s hot and what’s not.
See you on the Lake VISIT US!
on facebook www.facebook.com/Okeechobee Coastal Angler Magazine www.CoastalAnglerMag.com/Okeechobee
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FISHING REPORT
SECRETS OF CHARLOTTE HARBOR, FT MYERS | BY FISHN’ FRANKS
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oys and girls of Fish World, lots of great things are happening here in the waters of southwest Florida, big-huge things. Goliath Grouper, a.k.a. “Jew” Fish, are biting in the canals and in the passes. These monster fish can reach 8 feet long and weigh 700 to 800 pounds, and they are cooperating nicely. Goliath Grouper are one of the local species of grouper which grow up in the shallow water of the mangrove trees then as they get larger move out into the Gulf to live. It wasn’t too many years ago we first started finding-catching in our canals small grouper looking fish with some less than 6 inches long. These fish were brown with spots varying from dark brown, red, or maybe even yellowish in color. It took quite a while to figure out what type of grouper they were for this was just before the internet came along and back then you had to use dial up. I’ll let your parents explain that one. Eventually I found a book where I learned that those round caudal and pectoral fins of the Goliath make its I.D. possible. Another identifying feature of Goliaths is that it has two sets of dorsal fins and the first set of fins are shorter than the second set of fins. We would later learn that Goliaths like many Gulf species spawn in the summer months near offshore wrecks, rock ledges and isolated reef patches. After the eggs hatch the young migrate into Goliath Grouper our inshore canals and mangrove swamps where they begin to grow. Typically males begin to spawn at 5-6 years of age whereas females require another year or two and begin to spawn at 6-7 years of age. Adult Goliaths are known to reach 40 years of age and some are thought to live beyond 50-years and possibly up to 100 years old. Young Goliaths will stay within the inshore creeks and canal systems until they reach about 4-ft in length and weigh 40-50 lbs. After that it’s time for them to move out into the passes and other deep water areas. Boca Grande Pass is the preferred pass and the old phosphate dock has lots of heavy cover for them. Goliaths are pretty lazy and prefer to stay close to home where they can hide and picked up food as it passes them. Rarely do you find these grouper in open water areas with sandy bottoms. In the canals, the difference between fishing for Snook and Goliath Grouper is the time you spend soaking your bait under the docks. Both fish like to live under docks and near structure but Snook are predatory in nature so they will seek out and ambush their prey while Goliaths are lazier and will meander and scavenge for their food. So if your fishing for a grouper, flatten the barb of your hook, these are catch and release only fish, secure a chuck of mullet or ladyfish to the hook, and throw it underneath the dock towards the middle and let it sit there and soak. If a Goliath is nearby, he will find it. Out by the phosphate dock at Boca Pass the technique is a bit different. You’ll need a boat to get there and the outside of the pilings or the large round tie-up bumpers is where you’ll find the big boys. To be successful here you’ll need to beef up you tackle and use a 2 or 3 pound fish with a 13/0 circle hook or larger with 200 pound test mono leader. Depending on the current sometimes you’ll need up to a 10 ounce sinker slid onto the line before the hook to keep your bait near the bottom. Then you’ll need a big rod like a Bill Fisher in the 80 to130 pound class and an International 50 Big Game Reel with 100-lb mono on it. 10 OKEECHOBEE
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Being that you’re targeting a monster fish, this will be a team effort. The angler needs to be at the bow of the boat and the operator of the boat needs to put the nose of the boat up close to the dock. Drop the bait to the bottom and as soon as the angler feels the fish bite the boat operator has to put it in reverse and pull the fish away from the piling into open water. This has to happen before the fish figures out what you are trying to do and he decides to pull back. It’s important that the driver of the boat never leaves the helm for there is little time to react. If the Goliath gets back into its lair, it’s over. If you can, have a backup person helping the angler to hold on tight for a pissed-off 300-lb fish is going to have some real fight in him. So if you’re lucky to get the grouper away from its home then it’s a simple matter of who can pull the hardest for the longest period of time. If the person operating the boat and the person on the rod work together you should be successful. This is a team effort and not a case of the angler gets all the glory and the boat operator gets yelled at if the fish gets back into the pilings. So remember to congratulate the boat operator and any other supporting cast members and include them in that prize photo. I just thought I’d share one of the more unusual possibilities here in North Fort Myers and a secret of Charlotte Harbor. Good Luck Fishin’ Frank Charlotte Harbor Secrets is written by Fishin’ Franks, located at 4425-D Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte, FL and 14531 N. Cleveland Ave, Ft Myers, FL. We may not always be politically correct, but you can be guaranteed that, we will write it as how we see it! If you plan on visiting just remember, “This ain’t no Boutique, this is a Fishin’ store!” We can reached by telephone (941) 625-3888 or on the web at http://www.FishinFranks.com
WWW.COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/okeechobee • THEANGLERMAG.COM
1/16/17 8:54 PM
BY CAPT. DAVE STEPHENS | PEACE RIVER - PORT CHARLOTTE
SeaTrout w-Capt Dave Stephens
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ell fellow anglers Mother Nature has brought us some cool weather that has dropped the water temperatures. Don’t worry, Charlotte Harbor still has plenty of great fishing. The last couple of weeks we have changed up our approach and have been putting a lot of fish to the boat. Shrimp and soft plastics have been the baits of choice, and the fish have been responding well to them. The trout have begun to school up with the cooler waters. The biggest issue we face is the swing in temperatures. For a few days we might see a high in the low 60’s and then see highs in the upper 70’s for a week. Locating fish after those cooler days may take a little time. Water cools from the surface down, so starting deeper is the best choice. After a front passes fish will move to the deeper water to stay warm. On those nice sunny Florida days look to the shallower flats. Shrimp has been the bait of choice on the cooler days. When I have been fishing water depths over four feet, a shrimp on a jig head has been the big producer. My personal choice is a 1/8oz chartreuse jig. Honestly I believe whatever color you like will work. As the water warms, I start changing things up. Soft plastics and shrimp under a popping cork has been doing great. The warmer water moves trout in the shallower water and they become more active. Z-Man’s Minnow-z have been very productive during these times. Over the grass the darker patterns are working well. Lighter colors have been doing well over sandy bottoms. The Redfish bite has been doing well in the deeper cuts in the mangroves. Most of these fish have been running under the 18” minimum length, but the numbers have been good. The bars and pot holes along the mangroves have been holding bigger fish. Shrimp has been the bait of choice. I have been fishing them on a jig head on the bottom. Low incoming tide seems to be when the reds have been most active. The Sheephead are also beginning to school up. Winter time is when they spawn, so this is the time for big sheep’s. Big structure is the key for these guys, docks and rocky walls will be holding good numbers of fish. Look for the oldest crustiest structure you can find, and they will be there. If your local tackle shop has fiddler crabs, get a few dozen. I highly recommend getting more than you think you might need. Sheephead are masters at picking your hook clean. A small circle hook with enough weight to hold the bottom will work. Don’t let the cooler weather keep you off the water, we have plenty of fish to keep you busy. If you would like to experience some of southwest Florida’s finest fishing, give us a call or send an email. All of our charters are private too fit you and your party’s needs. Capt. Dave Stephens | 941-916-5769 | www.backbayxtremes.com
SPECIES SPOTLIGHT
FISHING REPORT
GREEN SUNFISH By CAM Okeechobee Staff
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ith the partnering of FWC and Fishbrain to track the distribution of fifteen non-native species within Florida waters, as a member of this list we have chosen to spotlight the Green Sunfish this month. The Green Sunfish is a member of the sunfish family and is native to the central plains of the United States from the western Appalachians to the east side of the Rockies. They are found in the Great Lakes area and have recently entered some waters in the Florida panhandle and the counties through the Big Bend. The Green Sunfish, like Warmouths, have a large mouth and a heavy, black bass body shape. The body is dark green, almost blue, dorsally, fading to lighter green on the sides with yellow or white on the belly. Faint vertical bars can be sometimes present on their sides. Some scales may have a turquoise spot. Green Sunfish are very versatile and can tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions and are very competitive ecologically with other fish in the sunfish family. Green sunfish are prolific breeders and can quickly over populate a small pond or waterway, and as such they are on FWC’s Prohibited Species List. In Florida the Green Sunfish prefers slow moving backwaters, lakes, ponds and areas with moderate to poor water conditions. They hold to structures such as submerged rocks, tree limbs and vegetation that provides cover. These sunfish can grow to 12-inches in length and weigh 2.5 lbs though over population generally restricts their size. Similar to other sunfish they’ll feed on insects, crayfish, snails, small baitfish, earth worms and similar baits. Being aggressive feeders you can also catch they on light tackle with inline spinners, beetle spins, jig heads, etc. As for table fare, if you catch one of reasonable size, they’ll have white sweet meat similar to most members of the sunfish family. Being a non-native species there are no limits on harvesting these fish.
IF YOU ADVERTISED HERE 10,000 READERS WOULD HAVE SEEN YOUR AD. Contact Ken Gabryel • 863.532.3671 keng@coastalanglermagazine.com for more information
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TROPHY CATCH
& BIG CATCH
ANGLER RECOGNITION PROGRAMS
Big Catch Award Levels Trophy Catch: • Specialist 3 Easy Steps • Master Angler • Photo with weight visible on scale and entire bass body visible • Elite Angler • For Details Visit: • Bass must be released www.MYFWC.com/BigCatch • Submit entry to TrophyCatchFlorida.com Earn rewards for release trophy catch!
NEW 2017 Leader Geoffrey Wells 13.25 lbs., Osceola County
Carlos Rivero Jr, Butterfly Peacock, 8-lbs., Broward pond,
Dale Kelly, Black Crappie 15.5 in 2.625 lbs., Orange Lake
David Baldwin, Butterfly Peacock, 4.94 lbs., Lake Osborne
Morgan Coffey, Bowfin 4.625 lbs., Rodman Reservior
Notable catches
Top (L to R): Kyle Rose, 11.375 lbs., Lake Istokpoga Eric Harris, 10.94 lbs., Lake Placid
Bottom (L to R): Eric Harris, 10.75 lbs., Highlands Pond Dan Echols, 10.375 lbs., Lake Istokpoga Sam Goguen, 10.06 lbs., Lake Okeechobee 12 OKEECHOBEE
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Tim Hutton, Longnose Gar 22.56 lbs., Lake Sampson WWW.COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/okeechobee • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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Board
BRAG
Garland Wilmoth, warmouth-1lbs, Waltn Cty Pond
Top row, left to right: Brian Coulter 9.68 lbs., Lake Hunter Corey Ash 8.125 lbs., Lake Hancock Second row, left to right: Joe Teagarden 10.0 lbs., Lake Okeechobee John Szymialis Bass 7.44 & 6.5 lbs., Lake Istokpoga John Mende Black Crappie, 14.5-in Lake Istokpoga
Be sure to submit your Brag Board pictures to pics@okeechobeecam.com
Third row, left to right: Judy K 24-in Lake Marsa Mende, Black Crappie 14.5-in, 2.0 lbs., Lake Istokpoga Kyle Rose, 9.687 lbs., Lake Istokpoga Capt Steve Daniel, Big O, Specks
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TOURNAMENTS, CLAYS, AND GUNS FEBRUARY 1 Lake Placid Weekday Tournament Trail Venue: Lake Glenada City: Avon Park
FEBRUARY 3 Lake Placid Weekday Tournament Trail City: Lake Placid Lake Placid
FEBRUARY 4
Heartland Bass Anglers Club Venue: Lake Istokpoga City: Lake Placid www.facebook.com/HeartlandBassAnglers Ft Myers Gun Show Venue: Lee Civic Center City: Ft Myers www.FloridaGunShows.com Sponsor: Florida Gun Shows Great American Lake Wales Gun Show Venue: National Guard Armory City: Lake Wales www.GreatAmericanPromotionsllc.com Sponsor: Great American Promotions
FEBRUARY 5
BASS Nation ProAm South Q-1 Venue: Lake Okeechobee Ramp: Roland & MaryAnn Martin’s City: Clewiston www.FloridaFederationNation.com Ft Myers Gun Show Venue: Lee Civic Center City: Ft Myers www.FloridaGunShows.com Sponsor: Florida Gun Shows
Great American Lake Wales Gun Show Venue: National Guard Armory City: Lake Wales www.GreatAmericanPromotionsllc.com Sponsor: Great American Promotions
FEBRUARY 6
Lake Placid Weekday Tournament Trail Venue: Dinner Lake City: Sebring Sebring
FEBRUARY 8
Lake Placid Weekday Tournament Trail Venue: Lake June in Winter City: Lake Placid
Long Shoot 50cal Venue: Okeechobee shooting Sports City: Okeechobee www.OKShooting.com
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FEBRUARY 10 Lake Placid Weekday Tournament Trail Venue: Lake Jackson City: Sebring
FEBRUARY 11
West Coast Couples Venue: Crooked Lake Ramp: Bob’s Landing City: Babson Park www.WestCoastCouples.com
Xtreme Bass Series Venue: Crooked Lake Ramp: Bob’s Landing City: Babson Park www.XtremeFishingSeries.com
Glock League Venue: Okeechobee Shooting Sports City: Okeechobee www.OKShooting.com West Palm Beach Gun & Knife Show Venue: South Florida Fairgrounds City: West Palm Beach www.FLGunShows.com Sponsor: Sport Show Specialists Lake Placid Weekday Tournament Trail Venue: Lake Huntley City: Lake Placid
FEBRUARY 15
Lake Placid Weekday Tournament Trail Venue: Lake Clay City: Lake Placid 2017 Gator Cup Venue: Quail Creek Plantation City: Okeechobee www.QuailCreekPlantation.com
FEBRUARY 2017
Highlands Bass Angler Tournament Trail Venue: Walk-in Water City: Frost Proof www.facebook.com/highlandsbassangler
West Palm Beach Gun & Knife Show Venue: South Florida Fairgrounds City: West Palm Beach www.FLGunShows.com Sponsor: Sport Show Specialists
FEBRUARY 13
Lake Placid Weekday Tournament Trail Venue: Lake Francis City: Lake Placid
FEBRUARY 18
Ft Myers Florida Sportsman Expo Venue: Lee Civic Center City: Ft Myers www.FloridaSportsman.com/expo Sponsor: Florida Sportsman
Ft Myers Florida Sportsman Expo Venue: Lee Civic Center City: Ft Myers www.FloridaSportsman.com/expo Sponsor: Florida Sportsman
FEBRUARY 17
2017 Gator Cup Venue: Quail Creek Plantation City: Okeechobee www.QuailCreekPlantation.com
Everglade Bassmasters of South Florida Venue: Lake Okeechobee City: Belle Glade www.EvergladesBassmasters.com
FEBRUARY 12
FEBRUARY 16 2017 Gator Cup Venue: Quail Creek Plantation City: Okeechobee www.QuailCreekPlantation.com
Heartland Bass Anglers Club Venue: Lake Clay City: Lake Placid www.facebook.com/Sponsor: HeartlandBassAnglers
Lake Placid Weekday Tournament Trail Venue: Lake Placid City: Lake Placid
FEBRUARY 23
Great American Avon Park Gun Show Venue: National Guard Armory City: Avon Park www.GreatAmericanPromotionsllc.com Sponsor: Great American Promotions
BASS Nation ProAm South Q-2 Venue: Lake Okeechobee Ramp: C Scott Driver Park City: Okeechobee www.FloridaFederationNation.com
FEBRUARY 22
Big ‘O’ Teen Anglers Venue: Lake Okeechobee Ramp: Okee Tantie City: Okeechobee
Lake Placid Team Trail Venue: Lake Walk-in-Water Ramp: Public Boat Ramp City: Lake Wales
2017 Gator Cup Venue: Quail Creek Plantation City: Okeechobee www.QuailCreekPlantation.com Lake Placid Weekday Tournament Trail Venue: Lake Glenada City: Avon Park
ABA Ram Open Series FL South Venue: Lake Okeechobee Ramp: C Scott Driver Park City: Okeechobee www.RamOpenSeries.com
FEBRUARY 19
Great American Avon Park Gun Show Venue: National Guard Armory City: Avon Park www.GreatAmericanPromotionsllc.com Sponsor: Great American Promotions
FEBRUARY 20
2017 Gator Cup Venue: Quail Creek Plantation City: Okeechobee www.QuailCreekPlantation.com
Be sure to submit tournament results and pictures to pics@okeechobeecam.com
Bassmaster Elite Series Venue: Lake Okeechobee Ramp: C Scott Driver Park City: Okeechobee www.Bassmaster.com/bassmasterelite-lake-okeechobee
FEBRUARY 24 Bassmaster Elite Series Venue: Lake Okeechobee Ramp: C Scott Driver Park City: Okeechobee www.Bassmaster.com/bassmasterelite-lake-okeechobee
Lake Placid Weekday Tournament Trail Venue: Dinner Lake City: Sebring
FEBRUARY 25 Outcasts Bass Club Venue: Lake Istokpoga Ramp: Istokpoga Park City: Lorida www.OutCastsBassClub.net
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Bassmaster Elite Series Venue: Lake Okeechobee Ramp: C Scott Driver Park City: Okeechobee www.Bassmaster.com/bassmasterelite-lake-okeechobee
FEBRUARY 26 Bassmaster Elite Series Venue: Lake Okeechobee Ramp: C Scott Driver Park City: Okeechobee www.Bassmaster.com/bassmasterelite-lake-okeechobee
FEBRUARY 27 Lake Placid Weekday Tournament Trail Venue: Lake June in Winter City: Lake Placid
MARCH 1 Lake Placid Weekday Tournament Trail Venue: Lake Jackson City: Sebring
MARCH 3
Lake Placid Weekday Tournament Trail Venue: Lake Huntley City: Lake Placid
MARCH 4
Heartland Bass Anglers Club Venue: Lake Placid City: Lake Placid www.facebook.com/ HeartlandBassAnglers
MARCH 6
Lake Placid Weekday Tournament Trail Venue: Lake Clay City: Lake Placid
MARCH 8
West Coast Couples Venue: Lake Istokpoga Ramp: Istokpoga Park City: Lorida www.WestCoastCouples.com
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COMMUNITY EVENTS FEBRUARY 1-5
FEBRUARY 18
Charlotte County Fair Venue: Charlotte County Fairgrounds City: Port Charlotte www.TheCharlotteCountyFair.com
12th Annual Tractor Drive Through the Groves Venue: Flywheeler Park City: Fort Meade www.FloridaFlywheelers.org
FEBRUARY 1-4
FEBRUARY 19
DeSoto County Fair and Livestock Show City: Arcadia www.DeSotoCountyfair.org
Brighton Field Day Festival & Rodeo Venue: Fred Smith Rodeo Arena City: Okeechobee www.RezRodeo.com
FEBRUARY 2-5 Rio de la Paz Festival & Art of the River Venue: South FL State College City: Arcadia www.facebook.com/ArtOfTheRiver
FEBRUARY 4 Lake Placid Arts & Craft Country Fair Venue: DeVane Park City: Lake Placid www.VisitHighlandsCounty.com
FEBRUARY 5 Lake Placid Arts & Craft Country Fair Venue: DeVane Park City: Lake Placid www.VisitHighlandsCounty.com
FEBRUARY 9-20 Florida State Fair Venue: FL State Fairgrounds City: Tampa www.FloridaStateFair.com
Be sure to submit community events to info@okeechobeecam.com Taste of Okeechobee Venue: Flagler Park City: Okeechobee www.okeechobeemainstreet.org Palm Beach Marine Flea Market Venue: South Florida Fairgrounds City: West Palm Beach www.FLNauticalFleaMarket.com Taste of Okeechobee Venue: Flagler Park City: Okeechobee www.OkeechobeeMainStreet.org Sponsor: Okeechobee Main Street
FEBRUARY 12 Palm Beach Marine Flea Market Venue: South Florida Fairgrounds City: West Palm Beach www.FLNauticalFleaMarket.com
FEBRUARY 16-20
FEBRUARY 9
Miami Boat Show Sebring Food Truck Venue: Miami Marine Stadium Invasion Venue: Highlands County Fairgrounds City: Miami www.MiamiBoatShow.com City: Sebring www.DowntownSebring.org
FEBRUARY 10-18 Hendry County Fair Venue: Hendry County Fairgrounds City: Clewiston www.HendryCountyFair.com
FEBRUARY 10-18
FEBRUARY 17
Brighton Field Day Festival & Rodeo Venue: Fred Smith Rodeo Arena City: Okeechobee www.RezRodeo.com
FEBRUARY 22-25 25th Annual Antique Engine & Tractor Show Venue: Flywheeler Park City: Fort Meade www.FloridaFlywheelers.org
FEB. 23-MARCH 5 Southwest FL & Lee County Fair Venue: Lee Civic Center City: Ft Myers www.SWFLCFair.com
FEB. 24-MARCH 5 St Lucie County Fair Venue: St Lucie County Fairgrounds City: Fort Pierce www.StLucieCountyFair.org
FEBRUARY 24 Swamp Cabbage Festival Venue: Barron Park City: LaBelle www.SwampCabbageFestival.org
FEBRUARY 25 Swamp Cabbage Festival Venue: Barron Park City: LaBelle www.SwampCabbageFestival.org The Battle of Okeechobee Reenactment Venue: Okeechobee Battlefield State Park City: Okeechobee www.OkeechobeeBattlefield.com
FEBRUARY 26 Daytona 500 Venue: Daytona International Speedway City: Daytona Beach www.DaytonaInternationalSpeedway.com The Battle of Okeechobee Reenactment Venue: Okeechobee Battlefield State Park City: Okeechobee www.OkeechobeeBattlefield.com
FEB. 27-MARCH 2 Chalo Nikta Fair City: Moore Haven www.ChaloNitka.com
MARCH 2-12 Florida Strawberry Festival City: Plant City www.FLStrawberryFestival.com Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival Venue: Sunshine Grove City: Okeechobee www.OkeechobeeFest.com
MARCH 3 Chalo Nikta Festival & Rodeo Venue: Bronson Arena City: Moore Haven www.ChaloNitka.com
MARCH 4 Chalo Nikta Festival & Rodeo Venue: Bronson Arena City: Moore Haven www.ChaloNitka.com
MARCH 11 Speckled Perch Festival Venue: Flagler Park City: Okeechobee www.okeechobeemainstreet.org
MARCH 12 Speckled Perch Festival Venue: Flagler Park City: Okeechobee www.okeechobeemainstreet.org
FEBRUARY 18
Brighton Field Day Festival Highlands County Fair Venue: Highlands County Fairgrounds & Rodeo Venue: Fred Smith Rodeo Arena City: Sebring City: Okeechobee www.HCFair.net www.RezRodeo.com
FEBRUARY 11
Roaring Twenties Arts & Craft Festival Venue: Downtown Sebring City: Sebring www.DowntownSebring.org 16 OKEECHOBEE
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FEBRUARY 18-20 Hardee County Fair Venue: Civic Center City: Wauchula www.HardeeCountyFair.org
FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/okeechobee • THEANGLERMAG.COM
1/16/17 8:54 PM
okeechobee
COASTAL ANGLER
FRANCHISE FOR SALE
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY:
This Fishing and Hunting Resource for the Okeechobee Area Includes Okeechobee, Highlands, Glades, and Hendry Counties.
The Okeechobee Franchise of Coastal Angler Magazine Is For Sale n
Do you enjoy fishing and the great outdoors? n Are you a self-starter? n Have you ever wanted to be your own boss? The Lake Okeechobee franchise of Coastal Angler Magazine is for sale. This great magazine allows you to meet and work with some of the best professional anglers in the area as well as great local business people. A successful franchise owner has an outgoing personality, likes to meet and help others and is a self-starter. Past advertising and outside sales experience is preferred but not required. Some financial commitments are required and you should have some general knowledge of business. Most people will ask, why is this business for sale? Simply put, I’m preparing to start up another franchise outside the state of Florida and need to turn this franchise over to a new owner. If interested, please contact Ken Gabryel at (863) 532-3671 or KenG@CoastalAnglerMagazine.com. Serious inquiries only. Ken Gabryel Editor/owner, Coastal Angler Magazine - Okeechobee
Coastal Angler Magazine is a FREE, Local Publication for All Outdoor Enthusiasts.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT Ken Gabryel • 863.532.3671 keng@coastalanglermagazine.com
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INDUSTRY NEWS
COURTS PROTECT BOATING ON FISHEATING CREEK
DEC 21, 2016 In the continuing battle over boating access to Fisheating Creek, a Dec 21st ruling by Circuit Judge Charles Dodson granted a motion for the temporary injunction against the State of Florida Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) in its capacity as staff to the Trustees, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). In the complaint filed by the Environmental Confederation of Southwest FL (ECSF) and Save Our Creeks (SOC), at issue was the backfilling of a two mile portion of the creek in an environmental sensitive area known as Cowbone Marsh which was damaged during a July 2010 project to remove aquatic vegetation in order to maintain safe navigation on the creek. Cowbone Marsh is a 5,500 acre peat marsh located 8 miles NW of Lakeport and 6 miles SE of Palmdale and is part of the 18,272 acre Fisheating Creek WMA and the larger 41,000 acre conservation easement along the creek. During the vegetation removal process the machinery used, a device known as a cookie cutter, not only removed the vegetation but also dug up part of the creek’s river bottom making the channel deeper which increased the flow draining out of the marsh. During the project the Army Corps of Engineers issued a cease and desist order and referred the matter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which regulates discharges out of U.S. wetlands. The EPA ordered corrective action which eventually led to the FWC to issue a permit to backfill the area in question with clean sand and return the channel to its natural state. The ECSF challenged the permit to backfill the section of riverbed stating that the effort would lead to a decrease in the navigability of the creek. In the Dec 21 ruling the court ruled in favor of the ECSF and established a safe navigable waterway on this portion of the creek to be a channel at least 25-feet wide and 3-4 feet deep to allow for safe passage of small motorboats. Whether the overall health of the Cowbone Marsh will be adversely impacted by this channelization and increase in discharge will require careful monitoring by the State. It remains to be seen if this is the end of this long running court battle.
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RANGER BOATS SET TO DEBUT NEW PONTOON LINE DECEMBER 22ND, 2016
Ranger Boats is introducing a new line of pontoon boats for 2017 called Reata by Ranger, which will consist of three fish models and four cruise models. The line pulls from Ranger’s Reata series of fish-andplay designs. “With so much versatility and comfort, we’ve seen the pontoon segment attract more and more families each year,” Ranger Boats product development director Lance Newton said in a statement. “We’re excited to offer these customers a product paired with the same craftsmanship and attention to detail we put in all Ranger designs, as well as the long list of 5-Star advantages that come with it.” The three fish models are the 200F, 220F and 223F; the four cruise models are the 200C, 220C, 223C and 243C. Both series include triple-tube models with 26-inch diameter logs, complete with lifting strakes. Amenities include powder-coated pontoon logs, premium vinyl flooring, fiberglass consoles, automotiveinspired dash designs and fully wrapped custom upholstery. All models also feature wheelchair-accessible interior swinging gates, phone management systems and thicker, extended side panels. The fish models feature aerated live wells, Lowrance Hook 5 electronics and rod storage and are pre-wired for the installation of trolling motors available from Minn Kota and Motorguide. A fishing station with tool and rod holders, a lockable 7-foot, 6-inch rod box with organizer and multiple live wells are also available, depending upon the model. The cruise models sport full-width swim platforms, storage, custom upholstery, a stowable changing enclosure, LED lighting throughout and port and starboard bow lounges. The cruise models sport full-width swim platforms, storage, custom upholstery, a stowable changing enclosure, LED lighting throughout, port and starboard bow lounges, a stowable table, 12V and USB outlets, a Kicker stereo with Bluetooth input and built-in LED navigation lights and docking lights. Each Reata by Ranger model is available with the choice of a factory-rigged Mercury, Evinrude or Yamaha outboard and comes in several color packages.
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1/16/17 8:54 PM
FISHBRAIN APP TO HELP FLORIDA FWC TRACK NON-NATIVE FISH
JANUARY 6, 2017 The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) plans to crowdsource data on nonnative freshwater fish species in Florida by partnering with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and Fishbrain – the world’s largest app and social network for anglers. The FWC has provided a list of nonnative species of interest in the Sunshine State, which will equip Fishbrain’s users with the necessary information to log sightings of these species when they come across them. Florida is the pilot state to use Fishbrain technology in order to help land managers better understand the extent and impact of nonnative aquatic species. Following the Florida campaign, Fishbrain and the Service hope to build on the pilot project in other areas of the country through partnerships with state conservation organizations. With a better understanding of the extent of these species in the environment, resource managers will be able to develop effective tools designed to monitor nonnative species and prevent them from further damaging the biodiversity of ecosystems across the nation. The Fishbrain app allows users to log catches by recording the location, time, species and a picture of their catch. Starting Dec. 20, the FWC will invite the 250,000 Florida-based users of the Fishbrain app to log catches of 15 different types of nonnative fish in the Florida ecosystem. The FWC promotes the consumptive use of these exotic fish instead of releasing them back into the wild. The list on nonnative fish to be track include; Rio Grande cichlid, Jack Dempsey, blackchin tilapia, bullseye snakehead, clown knifefish, jaguar guapote, Mayan cichlid, spotted tilapia, Nile tilapia, banded cichlid, common carp, pacu, flathead catfish, blue catfish and green sunfish. This list was compiled by FWC biologists. More information on each species can be found at Fishbrain.com and MyFWC.com/nonnatives. “Anglers come face-to-face with the natural world on a daily basis, and so their hobby relies on maintaining a respectful, sustainable balance with nature. Many of our users are highly aware of the threat to biodiversity posed by invasive species, and so are eager to involve themselves in projects such as this,” said Johan Attby, CEO of Fishbrain. “As the success of our previous conservation initiatives has shown, our users are vigilant, industrious and passionate when it comes to helping protect the ecological balance. We look forward to the success of the project in Florida, before hopefully rolling it out in other states across the country.” Florida, often dubbed “Fishing Capital of the World,’ is Fishbrain’s biggest market with over 250,000 users. Fishbrain has nearly 3 million users worldwide, with over half of them from the United States. “We are excited to be working with Fishbrain to provide information to anglers about Florida’s nonnative fish species,” said Sarah Funck, FWC’s nonnative fish and wildlife program coordinator. “Information we receive from this large user group will help our efforts to document and manage these species throughout the state.” The Fishbrain app is available for download at the Apple Store or Google Play. For more information about nonnative fish and other nonnative species in Florida, visit MyFWC.com/Nonnative. WWW.COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/okeechobee • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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FAREWELL
For those loyal readers, advertisers, and contributors who have been supporting this magazine over the past two and half years, it is with regret that this will be my last issue as co-editor of this publication. It has been a pleasure providing you with timely and informative insight into our local fishing scene. With a little luck a new owner will be found who will be able to take over the reins and continue to provide you with news and reports from our local fishing resources. For the short term, you will still be able to find your local fishing reports and solunar tables on our website at www.CoastalAnglerMag.com/okeechobee and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/coastalanglermagazineokeechobee). It’s been a blast and see you on the water. Ken Gabryel CAM Okeechobee
Lake Okeechobee Conditions Avg Trending Precipitation: 2.39 Below Day Temp (F): 76 Above Night Temp (F): 52 Above Full Moon Name: Full Snow Moon Current Last Year Avg Trending Lake Level (ft): 14.21 14.71 15.17 Falling For Coastal Tides, visit http://www.saltwatertides.com
Solunar Table February 2017 Date Day Feb 1 Wed 2 Thur 3 Fri 4 Sat 5 Sun 6 Mon 7 Tues 8 Wed 9 Thur 10 Fri 11 Sat 12 Sun 13 Mon 14 Tues 15 Wed 16 Thur 17 Fri 18 Sat 19 Sun 20 Mon 21 Tues 22 Wed 23 Thur 24 Fri 25 Sat 26 Sun 27 Mon 28 Tues
Minor Major Minor Major Sun Sun Moon Moon Moon Moon Reflect AM AM PM PM Rise Set Rise Set Max Up Down % Phase 8:55 2:43 9:20 3:08 7:08 6:04 10:15a 10:49p 4:30p 4:05a 26% 9:51 3:38 10:16 4:03 7:08 6:04 10:56a 11:50p 5:21p 4:55a 36% 10:46 4:33 11:12 4:59 7:07 6:05 11:39a No Moon 6:13p 5:47a 48% 11:40 5:26 — 5:53 7:06 6:06 12:24p 12:52a 7:07p 6:40a 59% 12:05 6:19 12:33 6:47 7:06 6:07 1:14p 1:55a 8:04p 7:36a 70% 12:57 7:11 1:26 7:40 7:05 6:08 2:07p 2:57a 9:02p 8:33a 80% 1:49 8:03 2:18 8:33 7:05 6:08 3:04p 3:58a 10:00p 9:31a 88% 2:41 8:55 3:10 9:24 7:04 6:09 4:04p 4:56a 10:58p 10:30a 95% 3:34 9:48 4:02 10:16 7:03 6:10 5:06p 5:50a 11:54p 11:27a 99% 4:27 10:40 4:54 11:07 7:03 6:11 6:07p 6:39a No Moon 12:21p 100% 5:20 11:33 5:46 — 7:02 6:11 7:07p 7:24a 12:48a 1:14p 99% 6:13 12:01 6:37 12:25 7:01 6:12 8:04p 8:06a 1:39a 2:03p 96% 7:05 12:54 7:29 1:17 7:00 6:13 8:59p 8:45a 2:27a 2:50p 91% 7:57 1:46 8:19 2:08 7:00 6:14 9:53p 9:21a 3:13a 3:35p 84% 8:47 2:36 9:09 2:58 6:59 6:14 10:46p 9:57a 3:57a 4:19p 76% 9:36 3:25 9:58 3:47 6:58 6:15 11:37p 10:33a 4:41a 5:03p 67% 10:23 4:12 10:45 4:34 6:57 6:16 No Moon 11:09a 5:25a 5:47p 58% 11:09 4:58 11:32 5:20 6:57 6:16 12:29a 11:48a 6:10a 6:32p 49% 11:54 5:43 — 6:06 6:56 6:17 1:20a 12:28p 6:55a 7:18p 39% 12:15 6:27 12:39 6:51 6:55 6:18 2:10a 1:12p 7:42a 8:06p 30% 12:59 7:11 1:23 7:35 6:54 6:19 3:00a 2:00p 8:30a 8:55p 22% 1:43 7:55 2:08 8:20 6:53 6:19 3:50a 2:51p 9:20a 9:45p 14% 2:27 8:40 2:53 9:05 6:52 6:20 4:37a 3:45p 10:10a 10:36p 8% 3:13 9:26 3:39 9:51 6:51 6:20 5:24a 4:42p 11:01a 11:27p 3% 4:00 10:13 4:26 10:39 6:50 6:21 6:08a 5:40p 11:52a No Moon 1% 4:50 11:03 5:15 11:28 6:49 6:22 6:51a 6:40p 12:43p 12:18a 0% 5:42 11:25 6:07 — 6:48 6:22 7:33a 7:40p 1:34p 1:09a 2% 6:36 12:23 7:01 12:49 6:47 6:23 8:14a 8:41p 2:25p 2:00a 7%
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WWW.COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/okeechobee • THEANGLERMAG.COM
1/16/17 8:54 PM
IT'S BOAT SHOW TIME! www.
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A DREAM WEDDING
By CAM Staff
From left, Capt. Kevin Rose and Capt. Judy Helmey officiated and witnessed the wedding of Erin Bodnar and Casey Maday, of Des Moines, Iowa, aboard the Miss Judy Too before catching a pile of fish for the reception.
L
ove and the smell of sheepshead were in the air on Jan. 6 aboard the Miss Judy Too out of Savannah, Ga. It was a dream wedding for bride Erin Bodnar and groom Casey Maday, of Des Moines, Iowa. The couple got hitched while bobbing over an artificial reef off the coast of Georgia with captains from Miss Judy Charters officiating and witnessing the event. “It was a grand day for a wedding and fishing,” wrote Capt. Judy Helmey in a special edition of her weekly fishing report. She added that it was a, “one fiddler one fish kind of a catching deal.” And it’s a good thing the bite was so hot. After the ceremony, the newlyweds and the crew burned through 267 fiddler crabs to boat this mixed bag of sheepshead and black drum. They were on a mission, because fish is on the menu for the couple’s wedding reception back in Iowa.
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Marsh Harbour, Abaco features its share of quaint resorts, including the Abaco Beach Resort and Boat Harbour Marina the Sandpiper Inn and Cottage and Four Winds Cottages. Treasure Cay boasts the luxury Treasure Cay Beach, Marina and Golf Resort, a highend spot frequented by celebrities. Out on the flats, the water is still, a perfect mirror reflecting the cloudy sky. It is a gorgeous day to bonefish. Albury maneuvers through the flats like only a native could. He swerves through tightly packed mangroves at breakneck speeds until we reach the spot. At that moment, he cuts the engine and begins poling the boat. I sit at the bow, rod in hand with shrimp for bait. Albury surveys the waters and points out a bonefish at my two-o’clock. I cast my line but miss. “Throw it out again,” Albury says. I cast again and reel it in just enough. Suddenly, a splash on the surface and a tight line tell me the fish has the bait. We fight for a moment until I reel him to the edge of the boat. Albury grabs him and turns him on his back sending the fish into a catatonic state. There is excitement onboard. As we surveyed for another catch, I explained to Albury that my father is a bonefish guide in Crooked Island. “I love fishing,” I say to him. “You know if you love fishing once you hook a fish,” Albury says. “If that doesn’t excite you, nothing will.” Interested fishermen can reach Jody at jodysbonefishing.com.
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e set out on a small boat shortly after 8 a.m. on a warm Wednesday morning. For Jody Albury, this is just another day of bonefishing in Abaco, Bahamas. He’s been a professional guide for 10 years, but an avid fisherman since he was a boy. Jody, a quiet yet jovial Abaconian, has serviced fishing enthusiast from the around the world. He quit his day job to make a living doing what he loves, bonefishing. Abaco, one of the 700 islands of The Bahamas, is regarded as one of the world’s premier destinations for bonefishing. Thousands of anglers descend on the Abacos during the winter months in search of the elusive gray ghost. The island and its cays are in the northeast Bahamas 91 miles northeast of Nassau, Bahamas, a 20-minute plane ride, and 120 miles from Miami or an hour plane ride with flights from American Eagle and Silver Airways, to name a few. The Abacos are made up of nearly a dozen cays. Unlike most other islands in The Bahamas, visitors can take a ferry to the various cays including Hope Town, Green Turtle Cay and Great Guana Cay. Some rent yachts or other boats and sail the cays themselves. My first stop in Abaco was Hope Town with its scenic beaches and historic candy striped lighthouse. Hope Town features a small community where most everyone moves around by golf cart or bicycle. The island is quiet yet filled with life, hotels, small properties and bed and breakfasts. The architecture features colonial design, a lingering tradition from the Loyalists who settled in the Abacos centuries ago. Hope Town fuses rustic charm with modern advances. It’s easy to sit on a hammock under two palm trees and watch Netflix.
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SWEET STICKS:
RODS FOR KAYAK FISHING
By Paul Lebowitz
I
n nearly 20 years of kayak fishing, I’ve seen the boats radically change. These days they are purpose-built for angling, and much more stable and forgiving. On the other hand, the thinking on what makes a good kayak rod has scarcely evolved. There’s been little need. For most applications, off-the-shelf gear made for the general fishing market works fine. A standard bass or flats quiver will suit you well whether you’re fishing from a ’yak, a powerboat or the shore, although the adjustable butt of Manley Rods’ offerings is a nice feature. It’s only when you get to big game that the need for specialized kayak sticks is magnified. Let’s cover the big exception: the rod tip. When landing a fish from a kayak, you’d do well to have some glass for shock absorption. High-sticking is almost inevitable. Most big game kayak anglers fight their fish while sitting. An intermediate length butt is an advantage, something on the order of 12 to 13 inches, about 2 to 4 inches shorter than normal. That’s just right for tucking into your belly while seated. A strong backbone is a plus for easier fish management, particularly when the battle is in its closing stages. Rod length is a matter of preference. It’s nice to have enough reach to get the tip around the bow, but it isn’t strictly necessary. If you’re hooked up and you point your rod tip at the bow, the fish will pull the kayak around to face it.
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1/18/17 10:18 AM
COOL WATER SUSPENDERS
water, but they will still have an eye on what’s going on, as a prey in their stomach is still necessary to fuel them. What I like to do is fish slowly, twitching suspending baits once or twice between long pauses. And sometimes these pauses are truly long pauses. I’ve found that’s one thing most people have a hard time doing. Most are unable to pass the two or three second mark without feeling the need to twitch their bait again. When I’m on a spot that’s worth it, or if I catch a By Patrick Sebile glimpse of a nice fish, I will hold my suspending Stick Shadd still for up to 30 seconds. It might feel like an eternity; it might feel worthless, but some of my best inshore catches came on such long, 15- to 30-second pauses. I keep the rod tip down close to the water, and I don’t rely on feeling a bite. I leave a little slack in my line, no more than 6 or 8 inches, and watch the line very closely. Most of the time the bite is just a tiny tap that is hard to feel but very easy to see on the line. If the line moves just an inch or two, that’s it. Set the hook without delay. You might be surprised at the trophy fish you’ll catch with such minimal action. Another technique that produces well for me on cold water is simply to cast and retrieve my suspending twitch bait super slowly. I sometimes retrieve it so slowly that it This nice trout was caught in Vero Beach, Fla. on a suspending Stick Shadd 114 using won’t even have any side-to-side action at all. Yep, you very minimal action and long pauses. read that right. Just the lure moving through the water straight ahead and slowly is the right presentation on o matter where you are in North America, winter brings cold winds some days. In cold water it will often out-produce the and sore throats to all. And the effect is even more brutal on fish than typical action-packed movement of this type of bait. men. Immersed in the water, in an unstable environment that changes It may seem surprising, but it’s efficient. In both cases, a suspending bait quickly, they have no choice but to exist the best they can where they are. is key, as well as the patience and confidence to resist working it too quickly There’s no option for fish to go on a cruise in the Bahamas to tan their or erratically. scales in the tropical sun. And the shallow-water inhabitants feel the impact Patrick Sebile is the owner and lure designer of Sebile Innovative Fishing even more than the deep-water ones, given that the skinny depth they live (www.sebile.com). in can drop in temperature sharply. Their behavior can turn sluggish, but For more tips on cold water fishing, go to they still need to feed. It is therefore crucial to adjust the lure’s action to their temperature-driven mood. Airline_Ad_CoastalAngler_8-1-14_Layout 1 8/1/14 1:14 PM Page 1 Seatrout and redfish will dive into grass to limit their exposure to colder
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By Brandon Tourigny Brandon Tourigny with an Everglades bass caught on a Lefty’s Deceiver.
O
f all the different methods of fishing, fly fishing has a reputation for being one of the more overpriced methods for landing fish. With all of the extremely high-end rod and reel brands in the fly fishing world, it can be a little disheartening for those trying to get started. As a broke college student who has to also buy food, gas and textbooks, purchasing the newest Sage rod and Tibor reel just wasn’t in the budget for me. Since not fly fishing wasn’t an option, I had to find ways to get quality gear at a more reasonable price. Here are a few brands I personally like that have proven to be affordable and reliable pieces of equipment for me. Temple Fork Outfitters produces some fine rods for the money. With all their rods ranging from under $100 to around $450 for their most expensive rod, it’s not hard to find a rod in their line that fits your budget. A rod I highly recommend is the TFO Mangrove. This rod comes in sizes from a 4 weight all the way up to a 12 weight, costing anywhere from $250 to $300. Another thing TFO has going for them is their no-nonsense lifetime warranty. A good warranty is something a lot of fly rod makers provide, and it is an important consideration because rods break. For reels, the best deal I’ve seen are actually some of the off-brand reels found on Amazon and produced by brands like Piscifun or WetFly. The thing about fly reels is you don’t need them to cast. Until you get a fish on and need a smooth drag or to pick up line quickly, all they do is store line. If your targets are panfish, small bass or seatrout, it’s likely you will seldom even need a reel except to hold your line. On the other hand, if you expect to do battle with bonefish, tarpon or redfish, a good reel becomes very important. Although they don’t carry the prestige of the American-made reel companies, reels like the Piscifun Sword are made from 100 percent CNC machined aluminum, and based on my experience and the testimony of other fly fishermen, these reels hold up considerably well. When you also factor in that most of these reels come in under $100, it’s hard to find a reason to not at least give these reels a try. If you are a stickler for only buying American products, I would suggest taking a look at the Waterworks-Lamson Liquid and Remix which both come in at $160 or less and are both assembled in Lamson’s factory in Idaho. At the end of the day, fish don’t care how shiny or expensive your equipment is. The only thing that matters is if you can present a fly to them in a manner realistic enough for them to eat it. So, if you’ve been hit by this incurable disease called fly fishing but can’t afford the high prices, there’s no need to fear thanks to affordable and highperforming rods and reels
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UNDER THE SEA
r spread SPEARGUN SELECTION
S
SHERI DAYE
peargun selection is one of the most hotly debated topics on spearfishing forums. Fortunately, there are many great brands nowadays – such as Wong, AB Biller, Riffe, Hammerhead, Cressi, SEAC, Mares, Rob Allen, Koah, Mako, JBL and more. Over the last century, spearfishing equipment has evolved from very simple muscle-powered slings and polespears, made with wood and rubber bands, to the modern-day spearguns equipped with a trigger mechanism and more exotic materials. Interestingly, slings and polespear are making a comeback—but that’s a topic for another month—so let’s concentrate on how to select a modern-day speargun. If you walk into your local dive shop, you will notice there are two main categories of band-powered spearguns: the American style, usually recognized by the wood stock, and the Eurogun, which has a tubular shaped barrel and a rear handle. The Eurogun originated in Europe where most spearfishing is freedive-only, fairly deep, and for small, easily spooked fish. Hence these spearguns have a low-profile, streamlined design and thinner shafts. If you are diving in similar conditions, the Eurogun style might be for you. On the other hand, if you want a sturdy, durable and easy-to-load gun that will handle bigger fish, you might lean toward the American/wood-style gun. This is also the style used for big powerful tuna guns, because they can be ballasted and accommodate up to six bands. There’s also a hybrid design, which incorporates the best elements of both with wood stock in the back and a carbon fiber tube in the front. Once you’ve chosen between styles, the next question is length. Most Eurogun sizes are 90 to 160 centimeters, and most American guns are between 36 and 65 inches. So, with the conversion from centimeters to inches, they have pretty much the same length range. If you are diving in low visibility or hunting in rocks like they have in California or Rhode Island, you would choose a shorter gun. If you are hunting spooky fish in clear waters like mutton snappers in Florida, you would opt for a longer gun. If you are just getting started and expect to dive in variable visibility, 130 centimeters or 50 inches would be a good medium length for an all-around reef gun.
Sheri Daye hunts with a Wong Hybrid Speargun. Photo by Joe Marino.
Here are some additional tips: 1) Join a local spearfishing club and learn from the more experienced people. Observe what equipment they use and ask for advice. 22) Shop at a dive store that caters to spearfishing. They carry more choices and have experienced personnel to help you choose. These include Austin’s in Miami; Florida Freedivers in Palm Beach; James & Josephs in San Diego, Calif.; Freedive Shop in Sacramento, Calif. and more. 3) Check out the custom-gun builders. There are some high-quality builders who will work with you directly, give you advice, and design it to your specs—such as Wong Spearguns from Hawaii or Sea Sniper from California. Most importantly, you should pick a style that suits you and the conditions you dive in. Chances are you will get hooked and add more spearguns to your arsenal in the future! Follow “Sheri Daye” & “The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo” April 22-23, 2017 – Ft. Lauderdale - Instagram and Facebook.
For more Sheri Daye, go to
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TIPS FROM A PRO
FRESHWATER THE REBIRTH OF 8- TO 10FOOT BASS RODS BRANDON LESTER
E
ver since I can remember, there has been a rule in B.A.S.S. tournaments barring the use of rods longer than 8 feet. To my knowledge, it is because Dee Thomas and other Californians were using 10-foot and longer rods for “flipping” when the technique was first invented. Evidently the powersthat-be back then didn’t like this new way of fishing, so they banned the use of long rods. At the conclusion of 2016, B.A.S.S. decided to change this rule and allow us to use any rod up to 10 feet in length. Bass fishing has evolved
they fight. The extra rod length will help keep the line tight during the fight, giving the fish less opportunity to escape. For the small wooden crankbaits, the longer rod gives control over how deep the bait dives. Hold the rod tip up, and the bait dives shallower. Stick a couple feet of the blank in the water, and it runs deeper. Add longer casting distance and you will be hitting depths never before achieved with some baits. A longer rod will also be beneficial for flipping and pitching. We all know what
tremendously in the past several years, and there is no doubt this rule change will be another big breakthrough. Will long rods become the norm in everyone’s boat? I don’t think so, but I believe these rods will have a time and place in bass fishing. I have been busy building and testing a few of these longer rods with the guys at Mud Hole Custom Tackle. We’ve made encouraging findings. The first long rod I built is a 8’6” medium power spinning rod. I wanted a rod to cast small, wooden crankbaits on light line for more distance. I also wanted this rod to act as a drop shot rod for open-water smallmouth fishing. Although I don’t see myself using this rod all the time for drop shotting, imagine a scenario where you are casting a drop shot in current and need that extra length to control the way the line drifts. Also, anyone who has ever fought a river smallmouth knows how hard
happens when we set the hook on a 12-inch bass with a 7’6” rod, well imagine what will happen when you set the hook on one with a 9-foot flipping stick. We’ll be jerking 3-pounders out of the thickest cover! When that 10-pounder bites, she might not be the one that got away anymore. There might be cases where a long flipping rod is more efficient, as well. The technique of flipping, as it was done originally, by stripping line through the guides and never using the reel, will probably come back to light because we can now use a rod long enough put a bait where it needs to go. I will be building a long flipping stick before the elite series heads to Lake Okeechobee. What better place to try it out than the land of the giants? Keep tabs on 8-foot-plus rod building by visiting www. MudHole.com, and hit me up on Facebook with any questions.
Get more tips from Lester at
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I am often asked when is the best time to plant fruiting plants. My answer is usually the same; the best time is 20 years ago or today. The second best time to plant is during the winter months. Plants are dormant, and can be easily shipped and planted with no stress on the plant because there is not a lot of maintenance once the plant or tree has been planted. Simply dig a good hole, water thoroughly
at planting, and take the rest of the winter off. Even though there are no signs of growth above ground, the root systems will have time to get adjusted to their new location and begin to initiate new root growth. There are plenty of advantages of growing your own edibles. First of all, you know what has been done over the course of the growing season from a chemical stand point. Second, the fruit just taste
better coming out of your home orchard versus buying fruit from the grocers that have little to no flavors. Thirdly, it is good for your soul and you will feel more connected to the environment and nature. Whether it is an apple tree, muscadine vine or a blueberry bush; now is the time to plant. Let’s Grow Together. Greg Ison, Ison’s Nursery and Vineyards, 800733-0324, www.isons.com
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ackle geeks have climbed high rungs of reel optimization for decades. Their basic game remains the same today: super-tune fishing reels by adding premium components and applying best cleaning and maintenance practices. But better materials and technology have elevated expectations of what fishing reels can be made to do. Russ Lane, who has earned six appearances in the Bassmaster Classic, took his habitual tackle tinkering to high-tech heights several seasons back. Lane today replaces standard reel parts with premium components that extend reel life and enable spools to spin at dazzling RPMs. What’s the fisherman’s takeaway after these reel transformations? The clearest advantages are longer casting distances, better control, heightened casting accuracy, and improved feel and sensitivity. Some premium reel components—strikingly colorful multi-textured reel knobs and anodized star drags and cast control caps, for example—can practically turn reels into showpieces, too. “Fishermen can’t believe what custom components can add to a reel’s capability,” said Noah Arroyo, owner of Off the Hook Reels. “And some fishermen are just as attracted to the unique colors and finishes you can bring to a reel and the rich look of premium parts.” Consider replacing standard reel parts with these upgrades: • Ceramic bearings – Ceramic bearings or ceramic hybrid bearings (the latter feature ceramic balls in a stainless steel or plastic cage) can elevate reel performance dramatically. Ceramic bearings can range up to 60 percent lighter than stainless steel bearings. They generate less heat and lower vibration levels, too, reducing friction as the spool revolves. Spool RPMs may climb dramatically, extending casting distance and improving accuracy by reducing the effort required to execute a cast. They also possess five times the life expectancy of stainless steel bearings. The one downside is that they produce a very audible hum, a turn-off to some anglers. HawgTech promotes its ABEC-7 hybrid bearings in nylon cages as allowing “a more free spinning bearing that also runs quieter.” • Carbon Fiber Reel Handles – Lightweight carbon fiber reel arms are
the most common reel upgrade. The difference in weight and sensitivity from conventional reel handles is discernible. They also give a sleek, skeletal look to the reel. • Winn Reel Knobs – Reel knobs made from Winn’s patented WinnDry polymer deliver the same all-weather “tacky” feel and security that Winn grips bring to fishing rods. “The Winn knobs available from HawgTech are so good, your grip never slips even when hands are wet or coated with fish slime,” said Arroyo. Two of Lew’s Best of Show awards at ICAST 2016 featured fishing reels with Winn reel knobs. HawgTech offers these knobs in several bold colors. • Anodized Aluminum Star Drags, Cast Control Caps – Colorful anodized aluminum can give a reel an “auto show” glow. You can go with matching or complementary color options for star drag controls, cast control caps and related parts. Maintenance steps: Of course, flashy parts alone won’t optimize reel performance. Make sure the internal workings of your reel are flawlessly cleaned and lubricated, too. “You have to optimize everything when you super-tune. Polish and clean ends and shafts and pinion gears,” said Arroyo. “When you do and then add your ceramic bearings and premium parts, you really end up with a great piece of machinery.”
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TAUTEN LINEWELDER Sick of having to learn and tie complex knots? The Tauten LineWelder creates a weld that is actually stronger than any knot. The device creates a “sleeve” of thermoplastic polymer around both ends of a looped line, holding the loop in place without bending or weakening the line. Knots weaken the line, and most lines’ strengths are rated with a knot, so using a Tauten LineWelder in place of tying a knot lets you get a connection that’s stronger than the advertised strength of most lines! The process is quick, easy, consistent and doesn’t require you to tie complicated knots. It’s perfect for new fishermen or veteran anglers who don’t want to bother with finicky knot tying. Just loop the line in the device, pull it taut and push the button to create a weld. This device can help fishermen who don’t want to tie complicated knots by removing the need entirely and allowing anglers to focus on the sport they love. The LineWelder works best on 10- to 12-pound-test monofilament nylon and fluorocarbon lines and 10- to 50-pound-test braided lines. Using an experimental technique, it can even join braided lines with monofilament nylon or fluorocarbon leaders to eliminate the need for a swivel. Accessories to weld a wider variety of lines are currently in development and will be available in the future. Visit tauten.com for more information and to see videos of the LineWelder in action. The Tauten customer service staff is always eager to answer any questions, so don’t hesitate to contact them.
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UR-Cut
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DEXTER UR-CUT FILLET KNIFE Dexter UR-Cut Fillet knives are the only fillet knives that allow you to custom mold the handle to your hand. UR-Cut provides the ultimate in comfort and control and is virtually non-slip in your hand. It’s simple and takes only minutes to customize UR-Cut to fit your hand. First, grip the handle and determine your grip position, paying attention to your thumb position. Dip and completely submerge the handle in boiling water for 2 minutes. Make sure the pot is deep enough so the handle does not contact the bottom or the sides of the pot. Then dip in cold water for 1 second, grip, squeeze, and hold the handle for 10 seconds. Dip back in cold water for 10 seconds and let cool. You now have a custom fillet knife, molded to fit your hand. Just like other Dexter knives, UR-Cut features the same legendary DEXTSTEEL blade, with super-sharp edges that are easy to re-sharpen and have just-right flexibility. UR-Cut fillet knives are made in the U.S.A. and are available in 6”, 7” and 8” lengths. Available at your local and online retailer. For more information and to view all Dexter fishing knives visit dexteroutdoors.com.
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FISH & FISHING
A DIFFERENT APPROACH MARK SOSIN
A
small sign on the corner of my attorney’s desk warns his clients to “Assume Nothing.” That caveat is just as valid on the water as it is in the practice of law. If an angler does not start catching fish within minutes of arriving at a spot, he begins to assume that his quarry must be elsewhere. The assumption, of course, is that he has chosen the right bait or lure and presented it in a natural and appealing manner to a fish that is ready to eat. A fish’s behavioral patterns, honed over eons, follow very specific guidelines with few deviations. Anything that differs from the norm instinctively alerts a fish that something may be amiss and it thinks of its own safety first. Regardless of size, a predator does not expect to be charged or attacked by its prey no matter how small the prey is in relation to the predator. That’s why a 3-inch fly made of feathers can spook a 100-pound fish. And remember that fish do not feed constantly for a variety of reasons. Most species use tidal currents, water flow, or the neck of a funnel to their advantage as they search for food. They either hold facing the current, swim against the flow, or work across it. Whenever you present a bait or lure, it should be upcurrent from where you expect the fish to be so that your offering appears to go with the flow. That tenet even applies when you are casting to a cruising fish. The more natural the presentation, the better the chance of a strike. Your quarry automatically measures energy tradeoff. The idea is to exploit each situation so they will expend the least amount of energy for the value received. That translates into the fact that they frequently refuse to chase a bait or lure very far before turning away. An ambush feeder merely wants to dart out, grab its prey and return to its lair. Bottom denizens follow a similar practice. If your offering isn’t close to the sea floor, it’s difficult to get them to swim toward the surface to get it. Successful bottom bouncing starts upcurrent and allows the bait to drag along in the productive zone. Once it sweeps above the quarry, the potential for getting a strike diminishes rapidly. Water temperature enters the energy tradeoff equation. In cold or even cool water, fish react sluggishly because the water temperature slows down their metabolism. It might even force them out of their usual lair in search of warmer water. In those situations, choose baits or lures that are easy for a fish to catch and slow down the retrieve or the trolling speed. And remember, in cooler water it takes fish longer to digest food so they feed less frequently. Those who catch fish consistently study and comprehend the basics of feeding strategy. You can be sure that the behavioral patterns of each species are not about to change. That puts the onus on you to modify your tactics until you uncover the combination that works. Before you abandon a spot because you think it doesn’t hold fish, make sure you have explored the full gamut of options. If you do make any assumptions, convince yourself that a fish is looking at your bait or lure right now. The results might surprise you.
For More Mark Sosin Visit
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NEW INTERLUX MICRON WA BOAT PAINT Micron WA (Water-Activated) is the newest addition to the AkzoNobel’s Interlux industry leading Micron Technology product range. It is a showcase antifouling paint that offers long-lasting, multi-seasonal protection in a water-based formulation. Micron WA combines powerful antifouling performance while reducing impact on the environment, leaving a smooth, clean hull. This paint is ideal for cruise, power and sailboats and suitable for all waters. Using a novel paint technology called Water Activated Matrix, Micron WA delivers a crisp, vibrant color and uniform appearance to provide a striking, attractive finish, while at the same time efficiently releasing the active ingredients to deliver powerful antifouling performance. More information is available at: www.yachtpaint.com/usa/diy/ products/antifouling/micron-wa.aspx
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7
ITEM 68496/61363 68497/61360 68498/61359
$ 99
Customer Rating
Includes hook, mirror, magnet accessories, and video-out cable.
2.4" COLOR LCD DIGITAL INSPECTION CAMERA ITEM 61839 62359 shown
Customer Rating
$15.99
SUPER COUPON
SAVE $135 $ 99
79
comp at
LIMIT 6 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 6/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.
94
$
SUPER COUPON
$84
99
11999 $179
comp at
LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 6/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.
700+ Stores Nationwide
SUPER COUPON
SUPER COUPON
SAVE 66%
$599 $899
Customer Rating
$
comp at
LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 6/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.
Customer Rating
ITEM 63056/63057/60405/63094 63150/61524/62322/90984 shown
$205.75
SUPER COUPON
$
SAVE 77%
$6999
10" SLIDING COMPOUND 72" x 80" MOVING BLANKET MITER SAW ITEM 69505/62418/66537 shown SAVE ITEM 61971 61972 98199 shown
SUPER COUPON 4 PIECE 1" x 15 FT. RATCHETING TIE DOWNS
SUPER COUPON
SUPER COUPON
comp at
LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 6/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.
LIMIT 1 - Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or prior purchase. Coupon good at our stores, HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Offer good while supplies last. Shipping & Handling charges may apply if not picked up in-store. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 6/1/17. Limit one FREE GIFT coupon per customer per day.
SUPER COUPON
SUPER COUPON
Customer Rating
VALUE
LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 6/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.
comp at
ITEM 63100
4
$ 97
SUPER COUPON
SUPER COUPON
12 VOLT MAGNETIC TOWING LIGHT KIT
SAVE 71%
ANY PURCHASE 3-1/2" SUPER BRIGHT NINE LED ALUMINUM FLASHLIGHT
WITH
ITEM 69111 62522/62573 69052 shown
Limit 1 coupon per customer per day. Save 20% on any 1 item purchased. *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or any of the following items or brands: Inside Track Club membership, Extended Service Plan, gift card, open box item, 3 day Parking Lot Sale item, compressors, floor jacks, saw mills, storage cabinets, chests or carts, trailers, trenchers, welders, Admiral, Bauer, CoverPro, Daytona, Earthquake, Hercules, Jupiter, Lynxx, Poulan, Predator, StormCat, Tailgator, Viking, Vulcan. Not valid on prior purchases. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 6/1/17.
SUPER COUPON Customer Rating
FREE
ANY SINGLE ITEM
LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 6/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.
1/2" ELECTRIC IMPACT WRENCH
SUPER COUPON
SUPER COUPON
Customer Rating
$8499
LIMIT 7 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 6/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.
comp at
$34.95
SUPER COUPON Customer Rating Weighs 73 lbs.
185 99 $
20"
94 $269.99
comp at
reight.com or by calling our stores or HarborF t or coupon or prior LIMIT 5 - Good at used with other discoun with original receipt. 800-423-2567. Cannot be from original purchase be purchases after 30 dayss last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must day. Offer good while supplie 6/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per presented. Valid through
• HarborFreight.com • 800-423-2567
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
11
® RAPID PUMP 3 TON LOW PROFILE HEAVY DUTY STEEL • FLOOR JACK SAVE
SUPER COUPON
comp at
99 $7 99
LIMIT 7 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 6/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.
ITEM 61282 shown $ 61253/62326
$17.97
SUPER COUPON
At Harbor Freight Tools, the “comp at” price means that the same item or a similar functioning item was advertised for sale at or above the "comp at" price by another retailer in the U.S. within the past 180 days. Prices advertised by others may vary by location. No other meaning of "comp at" should be implied. For more information, go to HarborFreight.com or see store associate.
FEBRUARY 2017
NATIONAL
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1/17/17 12:54 PM 1/10/17 5:21 PM
34
NATIONAL
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FEBRUARY 2017
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
1/17/17 12:54 PM
PENNFISHING.COM
LET THE BATTLE BEGIN The Slammer is back! Featuring a full metal body and rotor, IPX6 sealed gear box and spool design, a full Brass CNC Gear system,
COMMON CVRS_0217.indd 3
and a smooth yet powerful Dura Drag System. The Slammer is not only back…. it’s better than ever before.
1/16/17 3:39 PM
COMMON CVRS_0217.indd 4
1/16/17 3:39 PM