Coastal Angler Magazine | June 2024 | Palm Beach & Ft. Lauderdale Area Edition

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PUBLISH YOUR OWN FISHING MAGAZINE

Swordfshing is great any time of the year, but during summer you can justify the fuel burn to get where they live. It’s nearly impossible to run that far ofshore in June and not come across diving birds indicative of mahi or tuna. With minimal efort, this can be a nice score to put something in the box if you don’t have luck with the swords. It is normal to get skunked while swordfshing, and I don’t recommend going if you can’t accept that possibility. Te best way to go into it is to be fully prepared for both a fsh of a lifetime or to just chill with friends. Make no mistake, when you do land one of these beasts, it’s some of the most exciting fshing you can experience, and it’s worth the skunk risk.

Although you don’t have to run as far, the same consolation prize applies to heading out for tilefsh, snowy and yellowedge grouper, queen snapper, barrelfsh and rosies. Mahi fshing to, from and during deep-dropping rounds out a trip nicely.

Be prepared for mahi when heading ofshore in summer. Keep at least four rods designated for working a school and more for trolling. J hooks are a must for these head-shaking, sky-rocketing, fippy-fappy, squirm-fsh, but just about any line and bait will do. Tese tasty little dummies aren’t picky and would strike a banana peel if you jigged it right. Tat said, the speed of the bait is a variable you might have to adapt to. Teir toddler mentality kicks in when you try to take a bait away from them, encouraging them to strike something they just turned their nose up at. If you get hit when reeling in your bait, open your bail and give them a chance to eat.

If you get excited about fsh with pointy faces, be prepared for a marlin encounter this time of year. I keep rigged ballyhoo in a trolling spread and a pitch rod set up. Marlin aren’t overly common here, but when you see one, you want to be prepared for more than to simply wave and think, “that was neat.”

SBy Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

SUMMERTIME’S BACK, BABY!

ummer in the Keys, albeit hotter than the devil’s you-know-where, is one of the best times to be on the water. With more calm days, open seasons for most species, and mahi peppering ofshore waters, this is the time of year to boogie out and hunt for whatever tickles your fancy.

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and

of our

Marlin enjoy a mahi snack as much as we do and will pop up unexpectedly while mahi fshing. If you have a large live bait, toss that sucker out. If not, a mahi from the box will do in a pinch. Give her time to eat, hang on and enjoy the ride.

Mahi season is already of to a great start for both size and numbers. Come on down and fll your coolers!

Capt. Quinlyn Haddon; Sweet e’nuf charters, marathon, Florida Keys; @captainquinlyn; captainquinlyn.com; (504) 920-6342.

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FISH THE GREATER JACKSONVILLE KINGFISH TOURNEY JULY 13-20!

The “Grandaddy of all Kingfsh Tournaments” will get the First Coast buzzing July 13-20, as the 44th annual Greater Jacksonville Kingfsh Tournament presented by VyStar Credit Union hosts a full week of tournaments with more than $500,000 in cash and prizes.

Te competition kicks of July 13 with the Kingfsh Kick Of Beach Tournament, in which competitors are limited to state waters within 3 miles of shore. Tis event evens the odds for the smaller boats to haul in the largest kingfsh of the day and collect the $50,000 cash prize.

Fishing for the General Tournament begins Friday morning, July 19. Tis cornerstone event pays out to 20 places for both large fsh and aggregate. First place for largest fsh of the tournament will be awarded a Contender 28T with twin 200 Yamaha outboards, an Ameritrail Trailer and a custom T-top and leaning post by Custom Marine. Tis boat package is valued at more than $225,000.

Junior anglers have a shot at a 16foot boat with a 15 hp Yamaha, and the Junior Ofshore Tournament pays out to 25 places. Te Ladies Division pays out to 10 places.

cold beverages, hot food and vendors. Awards Day on Saturday, July 20 is all about celebration, with Kids Zone activities, rafes and seminars.

For inshore anglers, the popular Redfsh Tournament fshes on Saturday, July 20 with payouts of more than $12,000.

Jacksonville Marine Charities is the operating arm of the event, and it supports non-profts throughout the state. Recently, Child Cancer Fund, the Down Syndrome Association and the Child Guidance Center have beneftted from the organization, which also supports other local charity fshing events like Te Premier Trout, Flounder Pounder, Wounded Heroes on the Water and others.

For complete details, visit king fshtournament.com.

All the boats and fsh coming to the docks at Jim King Park and Boat Ramp at Sisters Creek Park in Jacksonville creates a festival atmosphere. Te

Trout are Eating Your Nymph More than You Realize

Alarge trout rising to a high-riding dry fy is one of life’s true pleasures. It’s pretty darn easy to see. Te fy is bouncing happily along the surface, and with a splash it’s gone.

On the other hand, that same fat rainbow trout sucking in a nymph 6 feet down in a dark run may not be as obvious. When you’re nymphing, speed is of the essence. In a second, that fsh will expel the fy. Tere are a bunch of diferent strike indicators designed to help you see the sometimes-faint signal of a hit. Some work well, some break, some slide, and some just suck.

I love yarn indicators for their sensitivity and the plastic air-flled bobbers for ease of use. Both styles rigged up the leader about twice the depth of the water you’re fshing help you detect the strike. Any hesitation, dive or shif in direction of your indicator might be a hit.

I tell clients, if they think a fsh might even be breathing on the fy to set the hook! You get a heck of a lot more strikes than you think you do when nymph fshing. Any slack between your indicator and fy allows a fsh eat and spit your nymph out, and sometimes go completely undetected.

At close range, high-stick or Czech-nymphing techniques work great. No indicator is needed, as diferent colored lines or coiled-line indicators that straighten when a fsh takes are the deal. A lot of the time, the trout is felt when it takes the fy, or you will see the line suddenly stop. Tis method is deadly in experienced hands.

Another method of strike indication is the use of a big dry fy as the

indicator. Usually, a piece of fuorocarbon tippet is tied to the hook and a nymph or two hang underneath. Tis is a good when the fsh might spook if a plastic bobber crashes on their heads. A buggy looking dry fy is a lot less scary.

Another cool way to catch trout on subsurface fies is to watch them eat it. I call this ninja fshing! You’ll need the sun at your back or directly overhead. Start by locating a particular fsh, and then tie on a brightly colored fy that stands out and is easy to see. Cast upstream of the fsh, and let it drif down to the fsh. Sometimes a fy bounced right into their face will get a refex strike. Tis is a good way to learn how fsh react to fies and how currents afect your ofering. If you are in a pool with several fsh, you might be amazed at how many fsh take a swipe at it. You will then realize how many strikes you’ve been missing.

David Hulsey is a North Georgia-based guide and fy fshing instructor. Call him at (770) 639-4001 and visit Hulsey Fly Fishing at hulsey fy fshing.com.

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As an authorized service and repower center for many brands including Yamaha, Volvo, Suzuki, Mercury, Evinrude and Cox Diesel, your needs will be covered. With a huge inventory of parts, they’ll likely have what you’re looking for. Advanced has also catalogued an inventory of over 5,000 used parts in case what you are looking for is no longer available or you can’t fnd it anywhere else.

Advanced ofers services such as routine maintenance, custom electronics, trolling motor and power-pole installation. Tey don’t stop there. Rewiring your boat, gauge and switch panel replacements, steering, canvas and Sea-Deck are also in their arsenal. Almost anything you can think of, they can handle including cutting custom dash panels with their computerized CNC router.

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By A. deGruchy

SCHOOLING PERMIT ON THE WRECKS

Permit schools have been sighted in the Florida Keys over the past couple of months, and June marks the fnal stretch of their journey. Tese elusive permit are wrapping up their ‘spring break’ routine and are heading to some of our ofshore wrecks to spawn.

Tis time of year can be great for permit, because they school up and provide ample opportunity for hook-ups. Pursuing a permit takes strategy and stamina, since these fsh are known for putting up a serious battle. Any angler who is interested in trying to land one of these

prized sportfsh needs to know what they are signing up for.

When fshing for permit on ofshore wrecks in Islamorada, we usually target schools around wreck sites like the Eagle in June. Tese wrecks are typically on the ocean side in deeper waters, ranging from about 30 to 100 feet deep.

For tackle, we typically use 6500 combos with fuorocarbon leaders and circle hooks. Spotting and sight-casting to permit is usually the goto method. Tis means looking for glimpses of fashing silver just below the surface. Permit love

crabs, and they have great eyesight. fcial crabs like the Savage Gear 3D Crab are very realistic, and they are ective and cost-friendly. However, it’s tough to beat a live blue crab for permit bait. Hook them through the shell to keep them lively. Let the crab swim freely to drif into the school of permit and prepare for action. ght, fne-tuning the drag is crucial with permit because overpowering them won’t do the trick. You want the drag set just right, enough to make progress when reeling in, but allowing the permit to run… and it will run.

Permit are one of the most sought-afer sportfsh in the Keys because they’re notorious for their incredible strength. Anyone who’s ever hooked one can tell you that they’re strong enough to make even the toughest angler break a sweat. Once you do land your frst permit, it is a moment you’ll never forget.

While they are a ton of fun, permit aren’t known as a particularly desirable food fsh. Catch and release is the way to go because they play a crucial role in our ecosystem, and releasing them safely helps ensure we’ll have permit to play with in the future. Land them as quickly as you can. Handle them gently for a quick release to minimize stress and ensure the fshery thrives.

Many times while permit fshing, we encounter exciting bycatch like other jack species, grouper and snapper. It’s all about the thrill of the catch in these beautiful waters of the Florida Keys.

To book a permit charter, visit www.beansportfshing.com.

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A 9-Year-Old’s First For-Real Fishing Trip

Remember the frst time you went fshing for real? For many of us, the earliest trips elicit memories of a blue plastic container of red wigglers, a red-and-white plastic bobber and the ripe muddy fsh smell of an active bluegill bed. But that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about the frst time you went fshing for real.

Maybe it was the year you were fnally allowed on the annual charter trip? Or perhaps it was the long-planned bass fshing weekend with Grandpa? Whatever it was, the person who took you decided you were ready to grow beyond the pushbutton-reel stage of fshing. It was on that trip when you became one of the crew instead of the kid who stayed home with mom.

Remember gathering your gear in anticipation? Remember waking up throughout the night and checking the clock to make sure you didn’t sleep through the alarm?

Jackson Willer, 9, of Melbourne, Fla., recently experienced his frst for-real fshing trip. Really, Jackson has fshed most of his life. His frst fsh was a jack crevalle caught with his Pop-Pop, Chris Willer, and his Mimi, Joann Willer, when he was 3 years old. But the Willer men are saltwater people, and when Jackson’s older cousin Ryan Willer, 21, told him to be ready early the next morning because they were going fshing, it was something new and exciting… his frst trip as one of the boys.

In the morning, before Ryan and Jackson lef for Sebastian Inlet, Pop-Pop pulled a special surprise from the back of his truck. He handed the 9-year-old a Penn 450SS mounted on an Ugly Stik. With freshwater wash downs and occasional cleaning, these vintage reels spin smoothly for decades. Chris (aka Pop-Pop) had been fshing this one since he bought it in the 1980s.

“I’m going to take care of it for as long as I possibly can,” said Jackson

on receiving the gif. “It feels really special. He was the one that taught me how to use a shing rod and all that stuf.”

So…armed with the rod and reel and a tank of live shrimp, Jackson and Ryan fshing for “I thought, there he goes. He’s running with the pack now. He doesn’t need us anymore,” said Joann (aka Mimi).

It wasn’t exactly a jam-up day on the water, but that’s fshing, and Jackson had fun.

“First I caught a redfsh, and then I caught a snook,” Jackson said. “It was pretty fun trying to reel it in and everything. It was hard and it was fun.” Jackson also said he doesn’t know when the next trip is, but he’s excited.

And that’s the whole point. Even if it’s just another day on the water for you, remember that the kid you’re taking was likely lying awake last night seeing visions of monster fsh and epic drag-peeling battles.

If you’ve got a great fshing story to tell, email us at editorial@coastalanglermagazine.com.

By mark ambert

MahiMania

The high-flying mahi –Florida’s Favorite Fish!

The mahi mahi are here and so nice they named it twice! The passion is real, but we all know — mahi fishing isn’t what it used to be. The mahi have finally shown in decent numbers to make the diligent angler successful. So how does that translate to real world tactics. Here are some useful tips to keep you in the game as the fishing season heads into full swing.

The massive schools so common off the coast of Florida years ago are gone, replaced by smaller schools of mostly juvenile fish. These schools see a tremendous amount of fishing pressure as they travel along the east coast. They are no longer easy to hold alongside the boat by leaving one hooked in the water. Nor will they eat just about anything. The savvy angler must adapt to these new conditions and find a way to put as many fish in the boat as possible when a school shows up. The reality is you may not see another school the rest of the day.

Gear — The most critical component for a successful transition to a full cooler is being ready to capitalize on the bite when that green swarm shows up unexpectedly and is all around the boat. Now is the time to have your act together. Have extra rods pre-rigged with an assortment of baits and jigs ready to be deployed at a moments notice. This holds true whether you are trolling or drift fishing.

When you sight a school of cruising fish, get two different baits in the water immediately. One live bait and one dead squid bait or small ballyhoo. Have one person ready to deploy fresh cut chum immediately to keep the school’s attention. Once a fish is hooked and under control, put the rod in someone’s hands or a holder and deploy a second bait. Repeat this process until you have multiple anglers hooked up to fish then

start to boat them leaving the smallest in the water until the school has moved on. I’ve had as many as six mahi circling the boat waiting their turn to be landed – all while fishing solo. The only exception is when the fish are large enough to gaff. In that situation cast a second bait close to the hooked fish and target the cow or bull that may be following.

Pr O Ti P – when a nice fish is hooked there is usually a second nearby. Don’t wait to see it. Get a live bait in the water as close as possible to the one on the hook and hang on!

Bai T — the second most critical element to a successful day is having an assortment of live and fresh cut bait. Live bait choices in my order of preference include sardines, pilchards, smaller goggle eyes, or whatever local white baits that may be available. Fresh dead “pitch baits” include squid and ballyhoo. Never leave your port of call without fresh squid. The best kind is California Calamari Squid in the blue box. You get what you pay for, as cheaper squid is not as effective.

I use a Mustad Double J-hook rig for a never miss, instant hookup.

Chum – “if you chum, they will come.” A quality chum slick is a must when mahi fishing. I prefer to cut my own using the leftover live baits from the previous trip supplemented with fresh frozen. Don’t overfeed! Deploy just enough to create a steady stream of bait. When mahi are around the boat, frozen glass minnows can’t be beat in getting their attention!

Palm Beach and Fort lauderdale areaS

Rigged and ready live baits and jigs like these from Rapala are critical for multiple hookups.

fishing the Palm Beaches

With summer on our minds, it is hard to believe we are halfway thru 2024! The water temperatures will be gradually rising another two degrees to an average of 82.6⁰F. During this month, wind speeds should become fairly consistent with calm to moderate easterly breezes the majority of the time. Anglers, please be sure to take heed of Mother Nature and pay attention to afternoon thunderstorms. Late afternoon thunderstorms build and creep up on you quickly if you’re not paying attention. I would suggest getting an early start if you decide to head offshore to find mahi mahi. If you are the first to find an offshore weedline it can make a huge difference as to what lands in your fish box at the end of the day.

Bottom dwellers such as groupers, yellowtails, mangroves,

Fishing Forecast

dar C izzle

Please be sure to check out my YouTube Channel “Darcizzle Offshore” for fishing videos every week! www.youtube.com/DarcizzleOffshore

and muttons will continue to be plentiful. Blackfin tuna ranging from 20-30lbs are in our area too, confirmed by numerous local fishing reports; everyone is catching jumbo blackfin! Sailfish are also a likely catch, which are still around in smaller resident

www.USHarbors.com Boca Raton, Lake Boca Raton, FL - Jun 2024

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5:37 0.0 6:25 8:13

9 Sun 11:56 2.1 6:21 0.4 6:22 0.1 6:25 8:13

10 Mon 12:40 2.4 12:45 2.1 7:05 0.4 7:07 0.2 6:25 8:14 11 Tue 1:24 2.3 1:35 2.0 7:50 0.4 7:54 0.3 6:25 8:14

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Gaffer sized mahi.

numbers. Bonito, aka false albacore, will make a grand appearance this month and will be thick in numbers around the reef in 80 to 150 feet of water all the way from Boynton Beach to the Juno ledges; this is a great fish to fight on light tackle. They are loads of fun for the kids to catch and provide great excitement for a family outing offshore. I use bonita for chunk bait and I make bonita strips.

Throughout the month of June, we should continue to have a substantial and constant bite offshore. The dolphin bite should continue to be red hot during the month from Boca Raton, Palm Beach, and Jupiter. If you’re on the hunt for that elusive, hefty bull dolphin, here is a MUST-read tip for you! Birds are an important factor when you’re offshore, majority of the time they are over bait, debris, and pelagics. Lone frigates are often

found following sizable pelagic fish that pushed bait to the surface. However, if the birds are facing into the direction of the current and hovering over a small area, they are over large dolphins. This is because larger dolphin face into the current preying on bait and small fish moving with the stream. But, if the birds are circling and moving upstream with the current, they are over schoolies. Small dolphins feed and move with the current because they are not strong enough to fight the stream. This method works very well and 9 out of 10 times you will know what you’re dealing with before you get to them!

TOWING

south county

iN shore & Fre shwater

Fishing Forecast with

Here’s your inshore & freshwater forecast for June. I’ve found that the best way to write this is to give you a play by play of a normal 4 to 6 hour day for me; so that’s what I’ll do. In the saltwater, I’ll almost always plan to start with a somewhat quick bait hunt. Whether it’s for my light tackle spin anglers or smaller bait chumming to get the fly anglers action; it’s always worth spending a little time on it. Once that’s done, I will normally head straight east as far as 1000 feet of water to check for mahi. This time of the year there should definitely be some around. Last year, most of the mahi were undersized so keep that in mind when you’re putting fish in the cooler and when you’re handling them. This is a great time to put a dehooker tool to use. Using one will prevent the smaller guys from getting too beaten up and they can have a chance to grow larger. After a couple hours, unless it’s amazing, I will head back to the

Aledge in 140 feet and try to find bonita, kingfish, and any other kind of predators that might be around. One thing that is guaranteed is that the sharks will be bad as usual so think of them when it comes to tackle selection. Fight the fish as hard and fast as you can and get them in the boat, otherwise you may end up feeding the sharks. The third part of the morning, I usually make the decision of whether I’m going to head all the way inshore and fish for snook and tarpon or stop on a shallower reef for yellowtails; both are excellent choices in June. For yellowtail, carefully pick a

ECO ToURISM

with Chris Thalmann

s we edge into the start of summer, it’s hard to believe that some species of wildlife are already prepping for their seasonal migrations southward. I’m not talking about “snowbirds” calling to arrange their car carriers - although that’ll be happening soon enough.

I’m talking about least terns!

These cute little birds arrive in the spring here in Florida and usually stay until August or September, before flying to South America for the winter. It’s a huge journey for the smallest of our tern species, and one that requires a lot of effort and energy.

They get all that energy by feeding on small fish in coastal waters. Least terns are acrobatic flyers, and you’ll often see them zooming between fishing locations, or flutter-hovering in place while searching for fish to eat. Once locked on, they dive headfirst to catch their next meal. In between meals, you can spot them sitting on top of pilings and markers.

Dave, Marlin, Angel, and Andrew proved that you don’t need to be on a boat to catch awesome fish. This big tarpon ate their crab on the beach while they were permit fishing.

place to anchor up, throw a chum bag out, and see what shows up behind the boat. Snook will start to really pile up around bridges and inlets for spawning. Try to be conservation minded and remember that they are there for a reason and the less we bother them the better. I usually try to catch one big one per person and then go onto something else. You don’t want sharks eating them and you don’t want to disrupt the spawn either.

In the freshwater Lake Ida Chain, all the usual suspects will be ready and willing to eat. I usually see a little slow down in the largemouth bass fishing in June, but the peacocks, snakeheads, and clown knifefish will still be around and should offer top-notch fishing. This can also be a great time to downsize to some ultralight tackle. The Mayan cichlids and Vieja cichlids have been growing quite a bit and put up an awesome fight on ultralight tackle.

Good luck out there!

camouflage skills make it hard to see their nests from even a few feet away, and makes it possible for them to nest in wide-open areas like this.

Least terns will fiercely defend their nests and young from other birds, raccoons, foxes, even people. And while they were forced for many generations to nest on flat gravel rooftops once their original habitats were destroyed, Palm Beach County and several cooperative partners have been gradually restoring coastal nesting habitats for these and other shorebirds.

More difficult to spot are their nests and their hatchlings. Least terns don’t build nests of twigs and sticks. Instead, they scrape out a little area the size of an iPhone on rocky beaches and then lay tiny eggs among the sand, pebbles, rocks, and shells. Their incredible

It’s a long-term effort that’s starting to pay off, and least terns have successfully nested at restoration sites on Lake Worth Lagoon in the last few years. Many of this season’s hatchlings are already figuring out how to fly and feed in advance of their long journeys south this fall.

If you see markers marking nest habitat, please do not go ashore or walk through these areas. They may look like bare, rocky shorelines to us. But least terns, oystercatchers, and other shorebirds rely on these rare, restored habitats to nest and raise their young.

Please enjoy these little birds from a distance - with luck, we’ll continue seeing more each year! Hope to see you on the water!

Paul had a clown knife as his main target, and we checked it off.

Dave and Danny from California caught this awesome black tip shark on the beach.

Juvenile goliath groupers are becoming a common catch and make for an epic fight on light tackle.

Boynton Beach FireFighterS FiShing tournament and chili cook oFF

By david abhau

The 18th Annual Boynton Beach Firefighters Fishing Tournament and Chili Cook Off was held at Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park. Sunny skies and a light east wind made for tight lines for the 67 boats and captains that competed in this year’s event. The KDW tournament brought in some big fish this year with the 1st Place Kingfish (41.2 lbs.) going to “Friggin’ Florida”, 1st Place Wahoo (18.31 lbs.) going to “The Office”, 1st place Dolphin (18.0 lbs.) going to “Martha Ann”, Lady Angler going to “Bait and Weight” with a 30.91lbs. kingfish, and the Mystery Fish going to “High Life” reeling in a 23.2 lbs. blackfin tuna. It wasn’t all about fishing though as the chili teams forged some tough competition for the judges, with the IAFF Local 1891 coming out as the victor. Families enjoyed bounce houses, axe throwing, and some amazing raffles to round out the day. Big thanks to all the vendors, volunteers, and friends that came out, making this another great year.

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1st Place Dolphin.

1st Place Kingfish.

1st Place Wahoo.

1st Place Lady Angler.

1st Place Mystery Fish.

ROADTRIPFISHING

By Keith Lozott Contributing Writer

Typically, I don’t believe in superstitions, but a er a recent shing trip with my buddy Neil, I may be a believer!!! e morning started slow; I caught a small snapper and small snook. Neil was in skunk mode, so we decided to try a spoil island where I’ve caught some trout, snook, and a gag grouper on a prior trip. To our dismay it was dead as well. Just as we were about to exit stage le , Neil was working a topwater lure back to the boat when what appeared to be a large bull shark came up from the bottom and tried to hammer the lure. Unbelievably it totally missed the lure and disappeared. It was impressive to witness such a big specimen of a sh take a swipe at the lure.

ROADTRIPFISHING Buddy Banana Kibosh

By Keith Lozott Contributing Writer

A er the “Shark Week” experience, we continued to struggle so I decided to implement Plan C and move from the east side of the Indian River to the west side. I’ve had some nice shing on the west side with trout, reds, and snook. We made our way across the river stopping at another spoil island only to be greeted with a jack attack. I landed several jacks and Neil hooked one that got o . His skunk was still intact but with jacks around I gured that would change. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

Typically, I don’t believe in superstitions, but a er a recent shing trip with my buddy Neil, I may be a believer!!! e morning started slow; I caught a small snapper and small snook. Neil was in skunk mode, so we decided to try a spoil island where I’ve caught some trout, snook, and a gag grouper on a prior trip. To our dismay it was dead as well. Just as we were about to exit stage le , Neil was working a topwater lure back to the boat when what appeared to be a large bull shark came up from the bottom and tried to hammer the lure. Unbelievably it totally missed the lure and disappeared. It was impressive to witness such a big specimen of a sh take a swipe at the lure.

We used the trolling motor to quietly make our way towards the mangroves hoping to get a glimpse of a red, snook, trout, ounder, or any inshore species willing to bite. As we approached the shore, we noticed another bull shark working the shore and of course I had to make a cast or two at him, but he had no interest in my o ering. We kept working the shore and nally it happened for Neil!!! He made a long cast and almost as soon as the lure hit the water, he was on with a nice sh, but we couldn’t see what it was. He started gaining ground getting it closer; enjoying the ght and then it happened! e sh came unbuttoned and at this point I was like dude, what did you do in a previous life to deserve this??? We made our way toward a dock that I know holds snook. I made a long cast and right then I was hooked up with a huge sh. It was a big snook; I got her to the boat, revived her, and released her to ght another day. Success! I said, “let’s go to lunch and call it a day”. I asked Neil if he was hungry and then he disclosed to me that he ate a banana for breakfast! Neil knows not to bring bananas on the boat (it’s bad luck), but it didn’t occur to him that the curse would remain in e ect with it digesting in his stomach. Myth con rmed or was it bad luck? He should’ve brought his lucky rabbit foot!!!

A er the “Shark Week” experience, we continued to struggle so I decided to implement Plan C and move from the east side of the Indian River to the west side. I’ve had some nice shing on the west side with trout, reds, and snook. We made our way across the river stopping at another spoil island only to be greeted with a jack attack. I landed several jacks and Neil hooked one that got o . His skunk was still intact but with jacks around I gured that would change. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

We used the trolling motor to quietly make our way towards the mangroves hoping to get a glimpse of a red, snook, trout, ounder, or any inshore species willing to bite. As we approached the shore, we noticed another bull shark working the shore and of course I had to make a cast or two at him, but he had no interest in my o ering. We kept working the shore and nally it happened for Neil!!! He made a long cast and almost as soon as the lure hit the water, he was on with a nice sh, but we couldn’t see what it was. He started gaining ground getting it closer; enjoying the ght and then it happened! e sh came unbuttoned and at this point I was like dude, what did you do in a previous life to deserve this??? We made our way toward a dock that I know holds snook. I made a long cast and right then I was hooked up with a huge sh. It was a big snook; I got her to the boat, revived her, and released her to ght another day.

Success! I said, “let’s go to lunch and call it a day”. I asked Neil if he was hungry and then he disclosed to me that he ate a banana for breakfast! Neil knows not to bring bananas on the boat (it’s bad luck), but it didn’t occur to him that the curse would remain in e ect with it digesting in his stomach. Myth con rmed or was it bad luck? He should’ve brought his lucky rabbit foot!!!

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Keith Lozott The Fishing Realtor

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Sailing two trips daily, 7 – days a week! 8am – Noon • 1pm - 5pm (Tuesdays 1-7pm) Night trips – Wednesday & Friday 6pm – 10pm seasonally – call for more info. Plenty of free PArking very close to the boAt! give us a try and see what everybody is raving about! We put the “FUN” back into drift boat fishing! so sit back, relax you’re on island time!

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Palm Beach In & OffshOre Fishing Forecast with

Welcome to the Coastal Angler Magazine fishing report for the month of June! Expect calm mornings and stormy afternoons with a chance for a trophy. June is a great month to catch a monster kingfish off the Juno ledge. These schooling kings will be in the 30lb. class range and are going to be looking to eat live bait only. I suggest a goggle eye on a stinger wire rig to maximize your chances of landing that fish. Along the ledge, with the kings, will be the men in the grey (aka - sharks). If you start to get eaten off on the ledge, try to push offshore into the 200 ft. depth range and this will also increase your chances of catching a nice blackfin tuna. If you’re a reef angler, June holds even more great opportunities for you. Mutton snapper, yellowtail snapper, and groupers will be cruising the reef looking for their next meal. A fresh sardine works wonders on snappers, but I believe the fresh squid will be what lands you the grouper. If you’re looking for the dolphin fish, you should head offshore to do some exploring. Look for floating seaweed or anything manmade that happens to be floating out there. Fish will be holding around these floating structures. Don’t just pull up on the floating trash, have a Daiwa spinning outfit ready to cast. These fish will also spook easily. If you get into a small school of dolphin, don’t be afraid to drop down a butterfly jig beneath the schools to try and catch a wahoo. There’s a good chance wahoo are lurking below these schools looking for an opportunity to strike your dolphin. There will still be some chances for sailfish migrating to the north for the summer. Please be aware that the month of June can hold severe weather in the afternoons; pay attention to the skies and get yourself back to land and safety way before the lightning strikes. Remember - you can’t catch ‘em from the couch! Thank you for taking the time to read this and good luck out there.

Work hard to get as many in the boat as possible when the green hoard appears.

Pr O Ti P - if you are actively chumming with chunks, free-spool the same size piece and type of bait back along the chum slick with a hook in it. Mahi will often lock in and sit back just out of sight eating your cut bait. Now get out on the water with some confidence that if you do find a nice school of mahi, you have a chance at filling the cooler at the legal catch limit.

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jupiter inlet inshore Fishing Forecast

JUNE 29 -JULY 28

A four week fishing tournament designed for children 5-17.

Summer has arrived! June offers fantastic fishing near inlets, beaches, spillways, and the Intracoastal; these areas will all offer a plethora of species to target.

The inlets and beaches are great areas to target snook as they begin to spawn. Live baits and D.O.A. 3” Shad Tails in pearl and figi chix are excellent choices for snook. Beaches will be holding schools of snook and a Rapala X-Rap in ghost is a great bait to entice these linesiders. Be sure to check the tides and locate good current for best areas to hook up with snook.

For those anglers targeting tarpon, you can expect fantastic action along the beaches and inside the inlets too. Tarpon can be seen rolling on the surface early in the morning as the sun is rising. D.O.A. Bait Busters and D.O.A. 5” Swimbaits in pearl and greenback, teamed up with

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a ½ ounce jig head, get the silver kings chewing. Be sure to work in front of tarpon pods leading the fish, this helps to not spook the tarpon pod. Do this and you will get your drag screaming!

The docks, seawalls, and drop-offs will hold plenty of fish for anglers. Snook, tarpon, jacks, drum, and tripletail can all be targeted. Whether spin or fly fishing there are predators roaming the waters looking for a meal. Fly fishing is a blast and can be taught to novice anglers, whether it’s a 1-pound jack or a 20-pound tarpon, anglers can experience the thrill of fly fishing. Capt. Craig will make it easy for any angler. Give it a shot, freshwater to saltwater, you will be hooked.

Well, that is the fishing report, hope you all enjoyed. Remember, you can’t catch them from the couch, so get out there and get hooked up. Tight lines!

Paul with a snook ready for release.

Sean with a black drum. Noah with a lunker bass.

Fishing Forecast with Freshwater

Ca PT. J O h NNy S Ta B ile

South Florida Fishing Charters • (954) 440-5200 • sflfishingcharters.com

Summertime is the opportunity for big fish. Contrary to popular belief, summertime is one of the best times to fish for everything South Florida has to offer.

This is the time of year when peacocks will be off their beds and ready to ambush any small prey within their vicinity. I’ve been preaching the Shimano Zumverno Jerkbait, and I will continue to as I just upped my “artificial PB” (Personal Best) to a 6lb. peacock bass. I found this big male, blind casting a sandy bank. Peacock bass are in the cichlid family and prefer sitting over sand or rocks than in eelgrass. If artificial isn’t your game, live shiners do the trick every time. On Lake Ida, this time of the year, we are averaging 30 to 40 fish in 4 hours, with many days catching over 50 peacocks. The kids being out of school, should get in on the action too. Live bait is great to keep the action going, while peacock bass are usually found with other cichlids, such as Mayans and oscars, which will happily eat red wiggler worms found at just about any tackle shop in town.

Other exotics -

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Ca PT. ST e ve P ur S er

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ASnakeheads and clown knifefish are also active throughout the summer. Snakeheads in particular are one of my favorite fish to target year-round; however, the summertime is really special and when I catch them the best. For snakehead fishing, it’s all about finding good cover, shaded areas, and good casting. Most of the time, I cast onto the land or bank to not make a loud splash and then just work a topwater frog into the water. If there’s a snakehead in the area you casted your frog, you should expect a blowup. Sometimes, they will miss the frog so re-cast as quickly as possible. Sometimes it doesn’t come together, but when it does, it’s amazing. Snakeheads are in the smaller canals and usually tucked up under the shade if available; they are ambush predators, so make sure to work all the best-looking areas.

Clown knifefish, usually found at the bottom of deeper canals during the day and at night, usually suspended mid-water column. Clowns are nocturnal but feed during the day. I have recently reeled them in on artificial using a Z-Man StreakZ or scented Jerk-Shad 5” on a Texas Eye Jig head. This combo works incredibly well. The technique is simple, I drag and bounce it along the bottom. Another great way to find clown knifes is to spot them rolling on the surface, they come up for a gulp of air and then right back to the bottom. Clown knifefish also move around quite a bit, so keep moving if you don’t catch one.

nglers from all over come to sunny South Florida not only looking to catch fish, but to catch fish they don’t usually catch at home. The fish they are targeting are usually snook or peacock bass. The snook and peacock bass only survive in the lower part of Florida due to the warm weather year-round opposed to the cold weather the rest of the U.S. receives. Therefore, anglers travel here to try and hook up with the prime catch and to talk about the experience. Snook can be caught on the beaches, in the Intracoastal, in brackish water, and occasionally in freshwater. Peacock bass are only found in freshwater. You can catch both species on artificial baits, flys when flyfishing, and live bait. Both species are very aggressive and will attack small baits as they pass by an area where they are feeding. I like fishing fallen trees, bushes, and debris on edges for snook in the backcountry. Snook will hang out around these areas to protect themselves from predators like sharks and porpoises. Snook like to grab the bait and go back to their hiding spot. Peacock bass will swim freely most of the time, near rocky shorelines and open waters, not fearing many predators besides the angler. The month of June is here and what to expect is great action from both of these species. Get out early as the storms in the afternoon usually roll in cutting your day down or go after the storms into the sunset. Pictured is Larry, as he had a great trip with us in Flamingo, 28 miles inland. He hooked up with over 20 tarpon and got on this 33-inch snook. Tristen also took a trip with us recently but in much different weather conditions. That day offered higher winds after a front and not the greatest tides, but after searching about 8 different spots, we finally found a bunch of snook.

Tristen with a snook.

Larry and his 33 inch snook.

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Pompano

KayaK Fishing Forecast

Inshore

June is one of the better times of year in South Florida. Snook, tarpon, and jacks will be looking for mullet pattern baits like Super Spooks, large swimbaits, and jerk baits. If you are finding mullet in the area you are fishing, whip out a Super Spook or large swim bait. If you are finding glass minnows, use a D.O.A. Jerk Bait or Shad Tail. Mangroves, docks, and seawalls with current nearby will be the places to target. Launching the kayak at places like Johnathan D. MacArthur State Park and Snook

coast. Trolling live goggle eyes, pilchards, and blue runners will put fish in the fish bag. Don’t be afraid to fish shallow during this time of year; your range should be 60 to 180 feet of water.

Freshwater

Warmer weather means the clown knifefish will be more cooperative. Use shiners or shad along weed edges near deeper water. Peacock bass and largemouth will be heading towards their beds to spawn if they have not already. Look to sight fish the bass along the banks and docks. Throwing a small jig or D.O.A. Shrimp in their bed to annoy them will get them to bite.

Islands will give you access to some great areas to target snook, tarpon, and jacks. You should also still be able to find some tripletail in the rivers and lagoon. Focus your attention around floating objects and channel markers.

Offshore

June is typically great for blackfin tuna. These fish can be taken on live bait as well as trolling plugs and dropping vertical jigs. During this time, mahi will also be in larger numbers and closer to shore. Large kingfish will be making their way to their spring/summer areas off of our

Paul with a giant clown knifefish.

Greg with a nice blackfin tuna.

Dan with a good peacock bass.

June is the month for dolphin fishing offshore. The big dolphin of the spring are starting to fade away, but the new schools of mahi-mahi are forming up offshore and making their way up our coast. The June dolphin are the smaller sized dolphin, 3 to 5 pound fish or “schoolies” as we call them. They don’t last too long out there swimming around by themselves, so they school up into big congregations of fish, sometimes as many as hundreds of fish in a single school. They can be tough to find out there, as they are always moving around, and it is a very big ocean. The majority of the fish this time of year are 10-14 miles offshore. I like to run out about 10 miles offshore and start trolling. For mahi-mahi, you just have to put in your miles ‘til you find something. Keep a constant eye out for weedlines, current edges, slicks (which could indicate blood and fish oils rising to the top from fish feeding), flying fish getting chased up by something other than the boat, any kind of birds especially frigates, and any kind of debris you find floating. Finding something to fish to and covering a lot of ground is the key to finding dolphin schools. Find one school, and you can load the box with fish! When you find your school of fish, pull out the 20-pound spinning tackle and bail them. Keep one dolphin hooked up in the water out there and the whole school of fish will stay nearby so that you can bail them on the light gear.

Dolphin fishing is fun in the summer months, especially June, but you do need a full 8-hour charter to get a real shot at this. If you only have a half day to go fishing, stay on the reef and go trolling for bonitos and kingfish. The action is great trolling the reef, you’ll hardly ever not be hooked up. To catch the bigger kingfish, blackfin tuna, and wahoo on the reef, slow trolling live baits is very effective, especially from the downrigger. The bigger fish seem to stay deeper in the summertime, perhaps to stay in the cooler water column. The downrigger can put a live bait right in front of their face, an offer they can’t refuse. Wreck fishing can also be fun this month with black groupers biting well on the 80260 ft. deep shipwrecks. Also, barracuda, jacks, mutton snappers, and sometimes cobia will take a bait this month; try fishing live baits around the wrecks. Good luck out there fishing everyone. Tight lines!

the 29th annual lantana FiShing derBy Wraps Up with Exciting Wins

The 29th Annual Lantana Fishing Derby concluded with a flourish, leaving anglers and spectators alike with lasting memories of thrilling catches and friendly competition. This year’s derby saw an impressive turnout, with plenty of winners to celebrate.

Among the standout winners were Raymond Devine, who clinched First Place in the Kingfish category, Mike Genovese, securing First Place  Dolphin, and David Trigg, taking First Place Wahoo.

The three-day event kicked off in style with the Captains Party, generously catered by Chick-Fil-A of Lantana. Attendees enjoyed live music, engaging raffles, and an abundance of prizes, setting the stage for the excitement to come.

The main event unfolded, with 45 boats setting sail and returning to the Old Key Lime House for the crucial weigh-in by 3:30 PM. The atmosphere was electric as participants eagerly awaited the results of their endeavors.

The festivities culminated in the Awards Party, where cash prizes and coveted trophies were bestowed upon the deserving winners.

AJ’S Grill in Lantana provided delectable catering, while attendees enjoyed more music, raffles, and heartfelt congratulations all around.

For those who missed out on this year’s derby, fear not! Mark your calendars for May 2, 2025, when the 30th Annual Lantana Fishing Derby promises even more excitement and unforgettable moments.

With another successful derby in the books, the Greater Lantana Chamber looks forward to continuing this beloved tradition for years to come.

the Florida outdoor exPo

The Florida Outdoor Expo has done it again! AllSports Productions recently wrapped up the largest sportsman show in the history of Florida.

The South Florida Fairgrounds saw an influx of hunters, anglers, families, and every sportsman in between. Attendees were captivated by dock-diving dogs, swine races, daily BBQ competitions, and elite level archers as they battled it out until Sunday at the annual 3D archery competition.

Vendors were very pleased as attendees visited the expo, but wanted to stay for the next big event.

Bobby from Buck Run Hunting Lodge stated, “We do more business in these 3 days than we do at the 9 day shows out west.” With a 20% increase in attendees compared to last year, this statement is a prime testimonial of the buzz this South Florida event is creating.

We Kick Brass quickly saw what this show was going to entail within the first few hours Friday afternoon and doubled their booth space overnight to get ready for more customers to come Saturday and Sunday.

Director of AllSports Productions, Mike Allen, and his team have created a show that highlights what it means to be an outdoorsman in every genre and wrapped it into one amazing weekend.

The 5th Annual Florida Outdoor Expo will be May 2-4, 2025, and they looked forward to seeing you all there.

BRAGBOARD

This beautiful 35 lb. kingfish caught by 11-year-old Silas Kerr while on the Lady K drift boat. He won the biggest fish pool!

Jackson with a sweet snook he reeled in while visiting Bonita Springs.

Chris with a big warsaw grouper caught off Ft. Lauderdale while dropping a giant live bait on a deep wreck, definitely a rare treasure!

Patrick Reeder with a nice wahoo caught trolling off Port Everglades.

9-year-old Daniel from Wellington caught his first peacock bass.

Don Braswell caught these 2 nice mahi on his birthday trolling out of Hillsboro Inlet.

Dan with a nice bass caught in Boynton on a topwater.

Ivan Corretjer landed this beautiful 20 lb. wahoo off Singer Island on a ballyhoo with skirt.

2024 CCA FLORIDA STAR: WINNING IS EASIER THAN EVER!

CCA Florida STAR presented by Yamaha launched into year-10 on Memorial Day weekend! For 100 days, this unique fshing competition will award more than $500,000 in prizes and scholarships.

CCA Florida, the state’s leading marine fsheries conservation, habitat restoration, education and advocacy organization, holds the annual event to create awareness for conservation and support the protection and enhancement of Florida’s marine habitat.

Tis year, participating in STAR is easier than ever. Te competition has eight divisions including Tagged Redfsh Division, Tagged Dolphin Division, an Inshore and Ofshore Division, Native Watercraf Kayak Division, Realtree Youth Scholarship Division, Power Pole Conservation Division and Costa Kick Plastic Trash Division, and there are more than $500,000 in prizes and scholarships available!

“We are excited to kick of Florida’s largest family friendly saltwater

fshing competition for the tenth year,” STAR Director Leiza Fitzgerald said. “Tis year, it is easier than ever to participate in STAR because we have simplifed the competition to give anglers and non-anglers the chance to win big. Since 2015, we have given away more than $4 million in prizes, including $900,000 in college scholarships, and we can’t wait to do it again!”

STAR’s signature Tagged Redfsh Division presented by TH Marine ofers fve adult winners the choice of a Contender Boats 22 Sport, Dek Kat Boats 27 Flatz Kat, Spyder Boats FX19, Micro Draf Ski package that includes a Sea-Doo Fish Pro Trophy and a CanAm Defender. Each boat is powered by Yamaha and equipped with an Infnity trailer. For the frst two youth anglers, prizes include a tiller boat powered by Yamaha, a trailer, a Minn Kota trolling motor and Humminbird electronics.

In total, there are more than 160 prize-winning tagged red of Florida’s coastal counties. Citrus and Charlotte counties, STAR’s 2024 Destination Counties, ofer the best shot at a prize-winning received twice as many tagged reds as the other counties.

Te STAR competition also focuses on conservation with its CatchPhoto-Release format and smartphone app. STAR’s Trash Division has set the bar for other fshing tournaments to implement conservation-friendly alternatives.

All STAR entries must be photographed with the o Florida Measuring Device, which is available free of charge at locations throughout the state, including all Florida West Marine stores.

Te CCA Florida STAR competition presented by Yamaha has a division for everyone. Now with only eight divisions, plus ALL saltwater species included in the event and most winners determined by random drawing, anglers of all ages and skill levels can fsh from anywhere in Florida’s saltwater and have greater opportunities to win.

Registration is $40 for current CCA Florida members or $80 for nonmembers, which includes CCA Florida membership. Kids ages 6-17 can register for free with their current ($10) CCA Florida youth membership.

To register, visit ccafstar.com today!

888-POUND BLUEFIN CAUGHT OFF DESTIN!

In case you haven’t seen it yet, this enormous 888-pound bluefn tuna caught in late April out of Destin just might be the largest bluefn ever caught of Florida. It was brought to the docks at Boshamps Seafood and Oyster House on Destin Harbor, and although the fsh won’t qualify as a state record because landing it was a team efort, no one in Destin really seems to care. It’s a catch worth celebrating.

According to Te Destin Log, Capt. George Gill was piloting the Flat Dangerous on its frst Gulf of Mexico trip on Wednesday, April 24. About 68 miles out of Destin, the new 80-foot Viking encountered a massive school of surfacefeeding bluefns while the crew was fshing for bait.

With just four baits onboard, some small yellowfn, skipjack and blackfn, the captain gave chase, and the crew tossed baits into the school of bluefns. Tey lost three big fsh in short order, but the fsh of a lifetime for boatowner Warren Williamson, of Alabama, came tight on the fourth and fnal bait.

Te fsh died about an hour into the fght, and it was a team efort to haul it to the surface over the next four hours with 100-pound main line, 150-pound braid and 400-pound leader.

Te fsh measured 110 inches in length and weighed 888 pounds. Tat’s a heck of a fsh to break in a new boat!

Te existing state record, caught by Rick Whitley out of Destin in 2017, weighed 826.5 pounds. Another would-be new record was caught in 2022, also out of Destin by a team of anglers sharing time on the rod. Tat fsh weighed 832 pounds. Te Gulf of Mexico bluefn tuna record stands at 1,152 pounds. Tat fsh, caught of Louisiana in 2003, is the largest fsh caught by rod and reel in state history.

PHOTOS BY ANNE HINZE

CCW Petitions Big Sugar Over Everglades Restoration

Captains For Clean Water (CCW), a non-proft organized by fshing guides, is petitioning Big Sugar to drop its lawsuit seeking access to irrigation water from the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir.

Te EEA reservoir, which is currently under construction, is the centerpiece of Everglades restoration projects designed to provide relief from devastating Lake Okeechobee discharges and restore the fow of freshwater south, as nature intended, through the Everglades to Florida Bay.

Big Sugar, made up of sugar producers United States Sugar Corporation, Okeelanta Corporation (Florida Crystals) and Te Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, claims farming interests in South Florida were promised water access by the federal government. Last year a federal judge threw out the case brought by Big Sugar, and this recent lawsuit is in the appeals process, with no projected timeline.

Explanation of the CCW petition reads: “If Big Sugar wins, they could push to use the EAA Reservoir as their personal taxpayer-funded water supply, upending years of restoration progress and sealing the fate of Florida’s future to include more damaging discharges, more toxic algae blooms, and more economic and environmental peril. It could also set a dangerous precedent, forcing Everglades Restoration projects to prioritize Big Sugar’s interests and replace their historical water supply over benefts to South Florida’s waters— regardless of how and when Sugar lost water supply since December 2000.”

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HIT-AND-RUN GROUPER

Tim Barefoot

I’ve long been a proponent of chumming up a place on the bottom with squid and then feeding grouper a big live bait.

However, afer the last few trips, I’m starting to rethink this tactic because of the number of sharks we’ve been catching.

I’ve never seen as many sharks as we are seeing right now. Te bottom is covered with them, and the top layer of the water column is full of them. Tis past trip, we put out fve Spanish mackerel on light lines hoping for a wahoo bite. We caught fve sharks almost instantly. One of these bites was the biggest tiger shark I’ve ever seen. It was at least 12 feet long and 2 feet wide across the head. Te rest of them were standard 6- to 9-footers; it takes a toll on you to get them to the boat for dehooking.

apart to create a lot of smell down on the bottom. Ten I drop live pinfsh or small snappers to the grouper drawn in by the “chum.”

Lately, I’ve resorted to dropping big, pretty live baits frst to see if we can get a few grouper bites before the taxman arrives, and it’s become a matter of WHEN rather than IF he shows up. It’s “hit-and-run” fshing. We pull up on a nice mark with pinfsh and grunts already rigged on the jig. I hit the spot lock on the Rhodan and drop in for a few good bites. When the sharks show up, we just move up or down the ledge. Lather, rinse and repeat as ofen as needed. Granted, we haven’t boated as many of the smaller snappers or seabass for the cooler, but we’ve caught some beautiful grouper with this “hitand-run” style of bottom banging. Te wahoo are diferent story. We quit putting the light line out due to the instant shark bite. I’ve got to fgure something out for that. From now until the end of October or the frst of November, wahoo will be everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Tey will come inside the edge of the Gulf Stream following big stacks of bait. As usual, some king mackerel fsherman will catch a 100-pounder on a live menhaden in less than 100 feet of water while chasing a tournamentgrade kingfsh.

Between all the American red snappers—which we aren’t allowed to keep—and all the sharks, we’ve been run of of several square miles of bottom lately. Tankfully, we’ve found some of the grouper we’re looking for, but I’m seriously rethinking the “chumming” part of the tactics I usually employ. Normally, I begin on a spot by dropping whole squid on jigs, which the smaller fsh pick

I said all that to say this: We’re going to take more pinfsh and less squid to catch “hit-and-run” grouper. Someone please educate me on a bait that will not catch a red snapper!

For more info on the jigs and bait, check out Tim Barefoot’s YouTube channel and website, barefootcatsandtackle.com.

C-HAWK MITZI SKIFF: & Two Brands, One Philosophy

In the boating world, brand loyalty is earned. Over years, boater experiences with vessels— good and bad, on and of the water—are what build the reputations of boats. It might, or might not, come as a surprise that two brands that have garnered sterling reputations in the industry for functionality and dependability are manufactured by the same builder.

C-Hawk and Mitzi Skif are both built in the U.S.A. with the same philosophy that simplicity leads to vessels that are easier and more afordable to operate and maintain. A simple, well-designed and well-built boat, comes with less hassle, leaving more time to spend on the water. Especially among anglers, this philosophy has built large followings for both brands among people who are more interested in fshing and boating than they are in pampering their pretty boats.

“We build a keep-it-simple-stupid boat. If you want something you can sof scrub at the end of the day and put it away, you’re my guy,” said Brad Grubbs, the owner and manufacturer of C-Hawk and Mitzi Skif. “We set out to make boats that are afordable to operate and afordable to own, and the philosophy has worked.”

Mitzi Skiff

Although Mitzi Skif originated in the 1990s for a singular purpose, the same philosophy for simplicity applies. Fly fshing the fats drove Tom Mitzlaf to design a skif with quiet maneuverability, extremely shallow draf and a clean deck layout to make him a better fsherman. It was simple by necessity, and it revolutionized the industry.

Tree decades later, Mitzi’s line of 15’, 16’and 17’ skifs achieves those purposes exceptionally well, and they have led the way with innovations that make them the fats boats other boat builders imitate. A Mitzi does everything the pricier skifs do, yet they are afordable enough for any angler to own and operate.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fx it,” Grubbs quipped. Mitzi builds skifs for anglers more interested in fshing than in spending a lot of money.

Te 15’ remains a purpose-built fats boat for one or two anglers to sneak up on wary fsh in super-skinny water. Te 17’ models are more multi-purpose. Tey can fsh three anglers, and while they are primarily a fats boat, they perform admirably as bay boats with a modifed V-hull and an 11-degree deadrise at transom to reduce hull slap. Rolled gunnels knock down spray for an exceptionally dry ride.

Tey are solid and durable for long years of heavy use, and from hideaway pushpole holders to fush-mount hardware, Mitzi delivers clean and stable casting decks designed specifcally for hard-core anglers. www.mitziskifs.com

C-Hawk Boats

C-Hawk has been around since the mid1970s and ofers lines of bombproof 16’ to 29’ center consoles and 22’ to 29’ sport cabins that were originally developed for commercial applications. C-Hawks remain widely used commercially, and many recreational

boaters also see the value in a vessel that’s built to take a beating.

“Really, we just took a commercial-duty boat and put a little lipstick on it,” Grubbs said. “ Te boat is as tough as it ever was. It’s been the same boat for nearly 50 years.”

At their core, C-Hawks are hardcore workhorses, and the center console models have become popular with charter captains because they are built to withstand hard use for years of trouble-free boating. Grubbs pointed to C-Hawk’s 25 CC as a great example of what the brand has become. It’s an extremely stable fshing platform that drafs just 12 inches, and with a 300 horsepower max it’ll take you anywhere you need to go from skinny water to light ofshore duty. What’s more, it’s infnitely customizable from the factory.

“We can mix and match consoles, fsh boxes, full transoms, cut transoms, bare hulls… you name it,” Grubbs said. “ Tere are some recreational guys adding towers and sight fshing for cobia, and such. Everything we do is built around keep it simple, keep it efcient, keep it easy to maintain, keep it cost efective to own and operate. Tey are all unique… no cookie cutter trailer queens here. Te 25 is a great example of what C-Hawk is.” www.chawkboats.net

Every month, I provide tips to help make you a better angler. Tis month’s tip is one of the most important. With so many tackle and gear options on the market these days, staying organized on the water is difcult. Here are a few things I do that make me a more efcient angler because I know exactly where to go when looking for the right tool for the job.

Storage options vary depending on the type of fshing you do. I’m going to stick to bass fshing, but don’t be afraid to alter these tips to your style of fshing.

When storing baits, hooks, line and gear, your No. 1 enemy is moisture. Keeping your tools dry should be a priority because it keeps hooks sharp and everything else rust-free. I store almost everything in waterproof boxes or bags. Tese storage options might be a little more expensive up-front, but when compared to losing a whole box of lures or hooks to rust, your investment will pay for itself many times over.Another good trick I’ve learned is to use DampRid moisture absorbers. Here in Florida, where humidity is high and temperatures fuctuate, condensation builds up in boat compartments. Te best thing to do is to take your tackle out of the boat and move it inside, but this is not an option if you fsh a lot and have a lot of gear. DampRid containers help keep everything safe and dry by absorbing moisture from the air in your boat’s storage compartments.

Now let’s talk about organization. If you’re a bass angler, you have a ton of sof plastics in diferent styles and colors as well as packs of hooks, jigs and weights to fsh them. I use plastic Sterlite containers with latches to store my bags of sof plastics. You can buy them at Walmart. I organize my baits by the type of sof plastic they are, and I label each container. On the water, this makes it easy grab the style of bait I’m looking for. Also, before I leave the house, labels make it easy to load what I think I’ll need for the day and remove what I don’t.

On the hook side of organization, one mistake people make when organizing hooks is to take them out of the original packaging to place them in compartment boxes. Tis is a huge mistake. Hook packs are clearly labeled by size and style, which allows you to quickly identify them on the water. Also, hook packs are designed to keep hooks sharp, untangled and dry. You can store your hooks in a box, but you should leave them in their original packaging.

Hopefully, these tips help you be more efcient on the water and save you some money by protecting your investments.

Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide. Check out his website at www.tylerwoolcottfshing.com.

TYLER WOOLCOTT

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