Coastal Angler Magazine | July 2023 | Tampa Bay Edition

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FISHING DEEP DROPS AS

By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

Sfrequent, and the pelagics are plentiful. is time of year, you can usually point your boat o shore and eventually run into the mecca. However, these sought-a er pelagic species are moving around through their migrations and nding them isn’t always guaranteed. Sometimes you just get unlucky running and gunning all day, on the hunt for birds, debris and weed lines. Whether you are out there with no signs of life or just can’t seem to get away from schools of undersized sh, it’s a good idea to have a backup plan to save the day and make the fuel bill worth it.

Having a deep-drop rig ready to go can save a day of o shore shing. Sword shing can be an epic day saver, but it takes quite a bit of time, gear and involvement to have a good chance. ere are a lot of opportunities for shing the bottom between the reef and the sword grounds.

With a set-up that can handle shing between 500 and 1,000 feet, you will have what you need to quickly pepper in some drops during your day, without spending too much time setting it up and packing it away. ere are a variety of edible aliens that can be targeted, or even snagged as bycatch, when shing in the deep, but pretty much all

onboard, in case you get hung on the bottom, or adjustments need to be made due to the current. Having the right weight is important, and it is pretty easy to tell a er a drop if you have put on too much or too little. I would recommend having 6-, 8- and 10-pound weights to make your adjustments with. ese leads can be extremely pricey, so look into some DIY methods if this is something you plan to get into.

Depending on what you want to target, there are a few variations you will want for your rigs. Utilizing 300-pound mono and sleeve swivels, space out up to ve hooks along the leader, making the drop-down leaders short enough that they won’t tangle with each other. Play around with di erent size hooks and spacing between them. If you aren’t sure what might be living on a newfound bottom spot, drop a rig with varied hook sizes, having the biggest on the bottom. It is also a good idea to a x a 6-inch, 50-pound breakaway leader to the lead to save the rest of your gear when you inevitably get hung up.

Searching for new bottom spots can be one of the most exciting parts about this type of shing. You might see ledges full of life on your machine, or you might see nothing at all, and still nd sh.

You can even look for changes in the waves on the surface that indicate depth uctuations on the bottom. Mark your spots whenever you get a bite, and start your own collection of o shore honey holes.

Sweet E’nuf Charters’ two-boat eet specializes in deep-dropping out of Marathon, Florida Keys. Call them at (504) 920-6342 to book your trip this summer. Follow Capt. Quinlyn on social media @captainquinlyn.

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THREE DESTINATIONS FOR

For many anglers, yellow n tuna settle right into the sweet-spot of the tuna shing world. ey’re bigger and stronger than black ns, while being far more approachable than giant blue ns. ey’re fast and strong, and they school up, sometimes crashing baits on the surface. ere’s so much to like about this tremendous game sh, and it doesn’t hurt that limits are relatively liberal in most places. Did we mention that yellow ns are made of the delicious meat known as ahi in sushi bars?

Here are three of the best destinations where you can test your strength against a few yellow ns. Win the battle, and you’ll eat like a king.

Venice, Louisiana:

One of the most consistent places in the world for catching yellow ns is out of Venice, e “Yellow n Capital of the World.” Tuna are a year-round possibility here in the Northern Gulf, where the Mississippi River produces rich currents and rip lines that roll out to hundreds of oil rigs and undersea mounts known as lumps.

Summertime brings better weather and calmer seas, when getting o shore more quickly and comfortably can reward anglers with mixed bags of mahi, wahoo, snapper and tuna in the 40 to 80-pound range. However, peak season for giant yellow ns is in winter, and triple-digit sh become the norm when the bite is hot. Fish heavier than 200 pounds are a de nite possibility.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico:

On Mexico’s Paci c Coast, where the landmass begins to curve east, Puerto Vallarta is positioned within range of some of the most proli c tuna grounds in the world. Outside of Banderas Bay, a series of islands and deep-sea banks draw in tuna like clockwork at certain times of year. ese are some of

By CAM Sta

yellow ns here, but shing is best from July through October, with a typical peak season of August and September. With runs of 36 to 125 miles to reach the shing grounds, anglers must commit to long days on the water or overnight trips. e rewards can be huge. A low-end average sh weighs 80 pounds out of Puerto Vallarta. Big ones weigh 350 pounds or more.

Outer Banks, North Carolina:

e Outer Banks get a lot of attention for giant blue n tuna that move through in the winter months, but yellow n tuna are around all year. With the Gulf Stream averaging 30 to 45 miles o shore and all the bottom structure on the Continental Shelf, large schools of yellow ns are frequently encountered along with many other pelagic favorites.

Unpredictable weather makes the deep winter months of January and February a crapshoot, which leaves October through December and March through June as prime time for catching yellow ns. ey run a little smaller here, with 25- to 65-pound sh being normal catches, but the action is usually fast once you nd them. Charters ll limits quickly, with doubles and triples coming tight when you troll through a school of them.

For more great destination shing, visit coastalanglermag.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPT. BLAKE RIGBY, TRIPLETAIL CHARTERS

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Muon but a Good Time!

By Astrid DeGruchy

There’s a wide variety of snapper species in the Florida Keys, including mangrove snappers, yellowtails and cuberas. However, the mutton snapper is a distinct and noteworthy member of this group. ey are a ton of fun to catch, delicious to eat, and they become easier to target in summer.

During the summer months, typically from May to September, mutton snappers spawn in large numbers, gathering in groups around reefs and wrecks to reproduce. Since these spawning aggregations are typically found in deeper waters, this makes conditions for ghting them more challenging and more fun. ese sh are renowned for their impressive power, strength and agility, so successfully reeling them up from deeper water requires good angling skills. Muttons make strong runs and sudden dives, so it’s important to have 20- to 30-pound test and a little heavier gear than you’d need for smaller mango or yellowtail snapper.

Landing a big deep-water mutton is a rewarding and exciting experience.

I caught my personal best mutton while shing with Capt. Brandon Storin, aka Capt. Bean. It was a 16.2-pounder on light tackle, and it was such a fun and challenging ght. Muttons will de nitely test your endurance. Even with heavier tackle, they will give you a ght to remember!

In fall and winter, muttons can also be caught in shallow waters, and this is also exceptionally fun. When conditions are right, a good inshore/backcountry guide can put you on a few of these skinny-water brawlers, along with the other species found in the backwaters of the Keys.

Mutton snapper make excellent table fare, but it’s important to remember that you should only keep what you plan to eat out of respect for the shery, especially when they aggregate to spawn. A fully grown mutton snapper could feed ve or six people, so keep that in mind when you’ve got a boat load of people throwing sh in the box.

If you want to experience and immerse yourself in the Mutton shery here in the Florida Keys, I recommend booking an o shore charter with Bud N’ Marys Marina.

Check out Capt. Bean’s inshore charters, visit

beansport shing.com.

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ICAST 2023 HITS ORLANDO JULY 11-14

Planet’s Largest Sportfshing Show is the Can’t Miss Industry Event

ICAST 2023, the planet’s largest sport shing trade show, will invade Orlando July 11-14, lling the giant exhibit halls of the Orange County Convention Center with more than 600 companies showcasing all the latest and greatest in shing from all over the world.

Produced by the American Sport shing Association (ASA), the 66th annual ICAST promises to be bigger and better than ever. It is the epicenter of the sport shing world, where each year the trends in shing tackle, apparel and accessories are launched and countless valuable business connections are made.

“ICAST is the cornerstone of the global sport shing industry,” said ASA President Glenn Hughes. “ICAST is where connections are made that create business opportunities for our industry. It’s also where most new products make their debut into the shing marketplace.”

Each year, this is the one can’t-miss event of the season for everyone in the outdoors industry. From shing guides to retailers, media and exhibitors of shing-related products and services, it’s a one stop shop, where your business might nd its next big money-maker.

Coastal Angler and e Angler will be at ICAST in force. Look for our logo-emblazoned team members perusing the aisles in search of

the next big thing. Stop and ask us about special ICAST free giveaways and deals on advertising.

If you’ve got a message to share, we’ve got the vehicles to spread your story to hundreds of thousands of shing enthusiasts.

At its heart, ICAST is about the New Product Showcase, where the coming year’s hottest new

gear is debuted for the industry. From a eld of hundreds of new tools, tackle, lures, electronics, apparel and more, the following pages contain some of our favorite industry innovators right now.

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xpect good fishing this month, but good fishing has a price-heat. Everything will be biting this month, so plan your trips now and take advantage of good summertime fishing. Remember that these hot days can dehydrate you, often to a dangerous point. Most heat-related illnesses are preventable by keeping the body cool and avoiding dehydration. Remember to drink plenty of fluids. Water and sports drinks do well in rehydrating. However, remember that some fluids containing alcohol will impair your decision-making while imposing safety issues on yourself and others.

Snook fishing during the summer is almost a given. Any mangrove shoreline will hold snook, provided there is bait and structure, because a snook is an ambush feeder. They find many meals from the shady mangrove root system lining Tampa Bay. Rocky shores and sandy bars also hold plenty of snook. Early morning flats produce well on topwater lures, and greenbacks always produce.

Look for redfish around the flats of Tampa Bay. To find redfish, you must cover lots of water. Once you find them, they do not venture too far from the bait they are chasing. Bear in mind, as long as there’s food, there’s fish. Live greenbacks and dollar-size pinfish work well, and don’t forget the old standby--shrimp.

Trout fishing continues to remain strong through the summer along deep grass flats. Live shrimp and greenbacks under a popping cork fit the bill nicely.

BY: CAPT. WOODY GORE

EFree-lined shrimp in sandy potholes might produce larger fish and an occasional flounder.

Markers and sandy flats are good places for cobia this month. They frequent markers, especially those holding bait. They also cruise the flats following a giant ray. When fishing markers, keep a chum bag over the side.

Tarpon fishing continues this month. They are everywhere, from the beach to the bays. Large greenbacks, threadfins and crabs are abundant in the Bay, and tarpon love them.

Sheepshead, mackerel, kingfish, amber jacks, permit, grouper and snapper are doing well and will continue. Fishing around structure or one of the many fish attractors is an excellent place to start, or watch your bottom machine as you cruise. Tampa Bay has an excellent deep-water structure throughout, and you need to find it.

BY: CAPT. ANTHONY CORCELLA

The redfish have been on fire in the Tampa Bay area. Whether you’re throwing live bait or dead bait, these fish are eating everything in sight.  You’re not going to find them on the flats. They are hiding in the mangrove bushes deep in. Be sure to use a heavier leader like 30-pound test. Our choice of hook is going to be a

2/0 offset circle hook. We are using a 7-foot 6-inch medium heavy fishing rod with a 4000-size reel. This seems like the perfect combo to pull these fish out. The key to making this a perfect fishing day is to make sure you have a good strong tide--the key is water flow.

The Bay reefs are on fire right now with mangrove snapper and mackerel. I personally like using a knocker rig or Mission Fishin jighead with shrimp. Use the same style rod and reel as above with a 1-ounce egg sinker.

All the snook that we have been catching have been over 25 inches--lots of big dogs out there. Dead bait seems like the key for the bigger snook, as

the water is warmer. The snook are more sluggish. I hope these tips work out for you. If you have any questions, you could always call me. Captain

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Yellow-billed CUCKOO

By: Wes Tallyn

The Yellow-billed cuckoo is a Neo-tropical migrant bird that is common to Florida during the migration seasons. These birds travel North to their Summer grounds in much of the Eastern United States. The best time in the Spring to see them here on the West coast of Florida is in April and early May. During the Fall, they start their migration back South to their wintering grounds in Central America and the Caribbean Islands.

They are very skittish birds to see and, often, the first glimpse you see of the bird is it flying off and away from you. With a careful second approach, you can usually find them perched on a branch scanning the area for food.

Coastal areas are great places to find them. They love mangrove trees, sea grape trees and other undergrowth vegetation that provides cover.

Yellow-billed cuckoos are identified by their characteristic bill, which is mostly yellow with a bit of black on the top and tip of the bill. The rusty brownish tail feathers also help to identify the bird from other cuckoo species.

Their diet consists of insects, but they especially like caterpillars. Their secretive nature makes them quite difficult to photograph, at times, but some individuals are more approachable than others. So, if you see a flash of brown and white fly off quick, follow it carefully and you too could spot one of these awesome birds!

— Captain Wes Tallyn was raised in Florida and is a fisherman, birder, avid outdoorsman, photographer, and environmental scientist. Wes has a focus on conservation and education in the community and is the owner of Snook Jam Outdoors. You can find him on Instagram @snookjam or call 727-410-5853.

Catching Redfish Louisiana Style

is where we call home for three days each year. Colby Creppel, general manager and part owner, oversees the operation and is also a guide. Everything is supplied, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, guides, tackle and lodging. They have some of the best captains in the area and call this place home. All you need to bring is a cooler to take your fish home and, yes, purchase a fishing license for under $20. Before crossing the bridge into Barataria, you pass the small town of Jean Lafitte, named after the pirate himself. It’s a nice place to walk with friendly people, some small shops and a quaint museum with some of the local history.

Every year, we make our way to Louisiana to fish for redfish. But, not just anywhere. We like to do our filming in what I consider the real Louisiana not the commercialized areas that everybody goes to fish. We love the Barataria area for its history and culture.

Barataria Bay Louisiana was used in the early 19th century as a base for pirates and smugglers led by the pirate Jean Lafitte. The Bay is a notable source of shrimp, as well as, muskrat fur, natural gas and petroleum. It is located just outside New Orleans, close to the airport and just about a 10-hour drive from Tampa, Florida. Their daily bag limit is five redfish per day and 25 speckled trout per day. This is why Louisiana is called a sportsman paradise.

Our lodge is in Barataria on an island. Griffin Fishing Charters and Lodge

Here is where our adventure starts. On our first trip, I was surprised to see nothing but dead shrimp on board. Thinking the area is loaded with live shrimp, why are we using dead? Our guide said “you don’t need any when dead shrimp works great and there’s no hassle trying to keep them alive”. The shrimp are kept in a cooler sitting on top of ice. We used the same left-over shrimp for three days in a row with no problem.

Our Captain of choice each year is Capt. Gage Vincent running a 2400 Pathfinder boat rigged for bayou fishing. Our daily run to Lake Salvador, Rigolets, Bayou DuPont, Three Bayou Bay, Little Lake and Myrtle Grove takes anywhere from 20 to 35 minutes and, I can tell you from experience, its nonstop fishing for six hours. Our average day for the two of us is anywhere from 30 to 50 redfish per trip with some trout, sheepshead and puppy drum thrown in for fun.

There are three methods to catch these redfish. First, is using dead baits and your favorite cork. The guides and locals use the 4-Horsemen popping cork, a short leader about 30 inches long with a 3/0 circle hook and one nice

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BY: CAPT. SERGIO ATANES

big dead shrimp. We simply cast along the grassy shoreline popping the cork and making plenty of noise with it to get the attention of the redfish. There is nothing more exciting than watching the cork disappear and your drag singing its tune.

The second method is using artificial baits. The part I enjoy most is getting a big, beautiful redfish to eat something that is not natural to them. It’s not easy and takes patience, but the reward is knowing you did it your way. We use the Saltwater Assassin Shrimp on a 1/8-ounce jig head. The color of the jig head doesn’t matter as it is mostly to add some weight to the artificial bait.

The third method is using the same method as with a dead shrimp, but replace the dead shrimp with a Saltwater Assassin Shrimp under a popping cork.

I tried the same methods here in the Tampa Bay area using the popping cork and artificials with success but, to my surprise, the trout went wild on the flats. It also increased my flounder catch, or maybe it was luck.

Here in Tampa Bay, I used a combo rigged with a 4-Horsemen cork and a 30-pound fluorocarbon leader. The leader length should be about six inches shorter than the depth of water. The idea is to drift an area popping

the cork once, wait a few seconds and do it again. Once you get a strike, drop your Power Poles and work all around the boat. Start another drift when the bite quits.

Tackle:

• 4-Horsemen Float.

• Combo rig using artificial shrimp.

• Saltwater Assassin Shrimp Cocktail in light beer color.

• 761M-FG 7 ½ foot medium action rod like the Okuma SRT Inshore Elite rod.

• Helios 3000 Okuma reel.

• Fins 15-pound Windtamer braided line.

— Capt. Sergio Atanes is host of Florida West Coast Fishing Report on Facebook and YouTube every Monday night 7-8 p.m. live. He is also host to Aventuras De Pesca USA on national TV and Radio Show. reelfishing.com

Email: atanes@msn.com | Phone: 813-973-7132

St. Petersburg www.stpetefishingoutfitters.com

Photo

BY: CAPT. GEORGE HASTICK

Spanish Mackerel

July is an excellent month to target Spanish mackerel. They will be following the bait schools--anything from glass minnows, cigar minnows, scaled sardines and threadfin herring. They will be on the beaches, but they will also move up into Tampa Bay targeting any structure that holds bait. The structure can be any of the traditional things you might think of which would be bridges like the Skyway, Gandy and the Howard Franklin. The Howard Franklin might not hold them as well now due to the construction, but the others definitely will. Also, the artificial reefs and good rock-hard bottom areas will attract them. Other areas to look at will be the range and channel markers that are holding large schools of threadfin herring. Some of the overlooked spots for mackerel are the drop offs along the grass flats where it goes from 5 to 6 feet down to 8 to 10 feet or deeper. They will cruise the edges of these drop offs during moving currents and ambush baits from the deep. Shoals with good hard bottoms in the middle of deeper water are another good spot to check throughout the Summer for these drag-screaming toothy critters. Passes during good tidal movement will stack up the bait which, in turn, will attract a

Continued on page 15

If you are using a bucktail, I find that if it has white as the dominate color or all white, you get more strikes.

Feel the Power

tretching over 1,350 miles, Florida’s coastline is the second longest in the United States--only Alaska’s is longer. To many of this publication’s readers, that statistic immediately brings to mind the idea of vast fishing grounds. But one thing I’ve learned from over 30 years of fishing charters is that many don’t realize how diverse Florida’s fishing can be from region to region. Living my life solely on the Gulf coast, where bottom fishing for grouper, snapper and amberjack were the standard, my skill and expertise were centered around catching these species. Luckily, I was given some sound advice and came to understand that failing to expand my horizons as a fisherman would be such a waste, given all the amazing angling this state has to offer.

As we get older, many of us don’t take the time to learn new skills. We tend to stay within our comfort zones or even become stagnant-- much like the foul-smelling, mosquito-infested water many of us have come upon while fishing deep in the mangroves. There was a time when I felt myself falling into this rut. A close friend has always told me that, as humans, we should never stop growing and learning. I decided it was finally time to start listening.

With the tighter regulations on red grouper (set to close July 21st), amberjack (August 1 – October 31st), and gag grouper (September 1st – November 10th), the State of Florida helped give us the perfect excuse to go. The plan was to leave the dock, leave our familiar waters behind, and head south towards deeper water, big coral heads and in search of birds-- hopefully to replace our typical reds, mangos and mackerel with mahi, sailfish and cubera snapper.

The change in coastline would require a change in tactics. As a kid, sum

BY: CAPT. T J SHEA

Smers spent fishing with my dad had given me a solid base for this style of angling, but the techniques have certainly changed since then. I know wisdom comes from seeking advice, so I tapped into every industry resource available. The first step was to reach out to local captains, gathering as much as possible from their knowledge and experience in these areas. Armed with their best tips and a few suggestions for spots to target, I moved on to forums and articles focused on this type of fishing. What we found was a wealth of information to help us on this adventure. And, although we were lucky enough to be greeted with favorable weather, we were still able to put our Raymarine Cyclone Radar to good use finding birds. The fishing and diving did not disappoint, and we would have missed one great trip had we not decided to take the leap and try something a little different.

Whether you’re a Florida native, a regular visitor or just checking us out for the first time, you’ve already seen a portion of what this beautiful state has to offer. But, with 1,350 miles of coastline, there is likely so much more to experience. So, step out of the box, leave your comfort zone and see what’s waiting to be discovered.

— Capt. TJ Shea. Owner/Operator 2 Shea Fishing and Diving Charters. TJ has been exploring above and below the Gulf of Mexico since he was 8 years old. Contact us at 813-385-2169 and at info@fishanddivetampa.com

BLOB

THE GREAT SEAWEED TARGETS FLORIDA!

By: Capt. Don Stansell

By now, I believe everyone has seen this sensational story in the mass media outlets over the past few months. The “Blob” stretches from West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico and is known as the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt. Sargassum, a type of floating brown algae, had been predicted to be near or at record levels washing up on Florida beaches this summer.

When I hear the word sargassum, I don’t think of any “Blob” that is going to overtake Florida. I envision an Island Oasis for marine life in a vast desert-like environment of the open ocean. Most anglers dream of large schools of mahi circling down below drifting sargassum. This floating algae plays a critical role for many species of marine life including fish, crabs and shrimp. Juvenile hatchling sea turtles from nests located on both coasts of Florida find shelter and food amongst the sargassum seaweed. There are species like the sargassum fish

that have evolved incredible camouflage abilities to match their sargassum habitat. Unsuspecting prey like small fish and shrimp can be easily ambushed.

Like anything else, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. The University of South Florida’s Optical Oceanography Laboratory has been using satellite imagery to track and predict Sargassum seaweed blooms. They have called it the SaWS, or Sargassum Watch System. Due to the large amount of sargassum detected early this spring, it had been predicted to be a possible record year for sargassum seaweed blooms washing ashore. I believe the media had an easy time sensationalizing this narrative. Excess sargassum washing up on beaches does have a negative impact on people and marine life. There is a large economic burden on municipalities and countries throughout the Caribbean to rid their beaches of washed-up rotting sargassum that gives off hydrogen sulfide (rotting egg smell) and causes respiratory irritation in those who are sensitive to it. Water treatment facilities are also negatively impacted. The same nesting sea turtles that rely on floating sargassum for their young have trouble nesting on sargassum covered beaches. Sea turtle hatchlings have been documented failing to make it out of the sargassum covered nests and shores to open water. Decaying sargassum can deprive the shallows of oxygen and cause fish kills, as well.

There has not been an exact reason pinpointed for the increase in sargassum over the last number of years but, like the red tide and other harmful algal blooms, excess nutrients can fuel excessive growth. Excess nutrients from sources such as waste water, agriculture and fertilizers, to name a few are thought to be contributing factors.

The latest monthly bulletin by the Sargassum Watch System for May 31st shows a decrease by 15% in sargassum as compared to April. Such a decrease has never been recorded in the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt back to 2011. June predictions are for a likely continued decrease in sargassum in the Gulf of Mexico, the Keys and along the East Coast of Florida. The great sargassum “Blob” may be both a little fact and a little fiction. I guess time will tell.

— Capt. Don Stansell is a local marine biologist who is an avid outdoorsman, fisherman and conservationist. He enjoys educating people on our coastal and marine environments. His passion for the water and outdoors grew from being raised on the bayous of Slidell, LA and in the Chesapeake Bay area of Annapolis, MD. He has been in sunny Florida for just over 20 years and really enjoys the outdoors year around.

…a critical role for many species of marine life including fish, crabs and shrimp.

Continued

variety of species--especially mackerel this time of year.

There are times when you can go out and look for birds working the bait schools. Many times, it will be the mackerel pushing the bait to the surface. At times, you will see the mackerel coming out of the water free jumping after baits. Now, if you do not see surface hits that does not mean the mackerel are not there. They can be feeding down lower in the water column, so it is always worth it to cast a bait or spoon out and work the bait school. There are many artificial baits that mackerel love such as spoons that shine in the water from the sun along with jigs and bucktails. If you are using a bucktail, I find that if it has white as the dominate color or all white, you get more strikes. When working the artificial baits for the mackerel, do a countdown on your sink and try different depths and speeds until you start getting hits.

If you are getting bit off too often, a short piece of #2 or #3 wire about 8 inches long will fix the problem.

When rigging up for mackerel using live bait, I like about 3 to 4 feet of 30-pound test Seaguar fluorocarbon leader but, many times, regular leader will work fine. I like to use that with a long shanked #1 or 1/0 hook to get away from getting bit off too often. If you are getting bit off too often, a short piece of #2 or #3 wire about 8 inches long will fix the problem. I usually use wire when throwing lures, because I do not want to lose too many. I like to use a medium 8 to 17-pound rod with a fast taper for good casting and a flexible tip, so the hook doesn’t pull out on the blazing, drag screaming runs the mackerel are known for. Good luck and happy hunting.

FROG FLY FISHING A TAMPA BAY AREA TREAT

By Joshua W. Broer

The inshore bite has been very good for many species in Tampa Bay, so let’s start with Spanish mackerel. They can be found all over Tampa Bay around the markers and near the flats where there is a lot of bait around.

Are you a hardcore largemouth bass fisherman who loves the excitement of an explosive topwater bite? Maybe you’re a diehard saltwater angler who lives to see a big snook or gator trout crush a popper on the flats or up against the mangroves. Either way, fresh or salt, there’s nothing like the thrill of seeing an aggressive eat on top. If you’re into fly fishing, you’re likely no stranger to the adrenalin rush that comes with a hungry fish smashing a topwater presentation. Saltwater fly fishing in the Tampa Bay area has exploded over the past twenty years, but there’s another hidden gem that will appeal to topwater enthusiasts--largemouth bass fishing with a frog fly.

This may not be a surprise to veteran fly fishermen who fish the salt and sometimes hit the fresh in our area, or the seasoned rainbow trout angler who grew up out west or up north, but fly fishing for largemouth bass in the Tampa Bay area, using a frog fly in particular, can be exhilarating. One of the great things about living here is that there’s no shortage of bass fishing opportunities, and you don’t have to live on a large lake to catch a lunker. Some of the biggest bass we find come from small bodies of water including tiny backyard ponds, roadside spillways, and the numerous retention ponds that are spread out across our area. These are all great places to hit using the long rod and a frog fly.

My go-to fly rod of choice for this mission is a five weight, which is extremely versatile and can handle both large and small flies. If I’m scaling down my frog size, I’ll switch to a three or four weight. The majority of frog flies I use are size #10 - #6, but if I’m targeting bigger fish, I’ll tie on a larger #4 - #2. Some of my favorite flies are the: Freaky Frog, Swimming Frog, and my all-time favorite Messinger Frog. The Messinger frog, a deer hair pattern created by Joe Messinger in the 1920s, is irresistible to largemouth bass. When the bite is slow and I’m desperate for an eat, this is what I tie on.

When considering a body of water to fish for my next frog fly session, I look for two things--lily pads and duckweed. We all know that bass love to hide beneath lily pads and use them for cover to ambush passing meals, but duckweed is frog fishing gold. Whether fishing conventional artificial frogs with your baitcaster or whipping a frog fly across a thick

carpet of duckweed, if there are bass below, you’ll likely get a strike. I like to perform a series of quick, short strips of your fly line that make the frog jump, then long slow strips that make the frog swim.

The strike, or in the fly fishing world, the “eat” you’ll get, come two different ways. There’s the eat we all love when topwater fishing and that’s fish crushing the fly, sometimes sending it sailing into the air. The other eat is more subtle, in which the bass will surface just below the fly and suck it in. Whereas the other strike is more explosive and exciting, the softer take results in better hookups. A few of our local fly shops sell frog flies. If you cannot find them there, try online. My suggestion is to start out on the small side. Frog flies are often bulky and difficult to cast so the smaller the fly, the easier the cast. Shortening your leader can help, and a weed guard is a must. And don’t hesitate to hit those dirty little roadside ponds, where you just might find a lunker!

— Joshua Broer, a Tarpon Springs native, is the Facility Manager for the College of Arts & Sciences at USF. His specialties include flats and bass fishing, fly fishing, and sea kayaking. Reach him at joshua.broer@gmail.com.

GET UNDER THE SARGASSUM TO THE FISH

Tim Barefoot

We are seeing a heavy line of sargassum right now. Here’s how to make the best of it.

Along with grass comes sh. We’re having a great dolphin year, with some nice yellow ns and wahoo in the mix. e grass is a wonderful thing if you know how to take advantage of it.

It’s a well-known fact that the surface trolling bite slows as the sun rises to the 10 to 11 a.m. position. is is the reason to get baits down where the sh are, rather than continuing to troll surface baits while the one “meat stick”—the deep planer rod—gets all the bites. Tuna and wahoo don’t wear Maui Jims. When the sun penetrates deeper into the water, they simply go lower in the water column.

And… who says you have to be moving at 6-8 knots to get bites? Why not slow down and put several lines down where the sh are? It can result in steady, sometimes multiple hook ups. ere are several ways to accomplish this. You can use downriggers with release clips, use heavier trolling lures that fall when you occasionally take the boat out of gear, or use planer lures coupled with a slower speed to get baits down.

For example, a beautiful swimming (frozen) squid or ballyhoo on the downrigger is a ringer for the wahoo and tuna bite. An arti cial squid with an attached natural bait on a planer jig head or a deepdiving plug will also get bites. In addition these choices, a spread of slow-trolled live baits down deep is the ultimate o ering. We have several videos detailing the options listed above on our website.

With all the sargassum grass this year, this may be an especially attractive alternative to the standard 7 knots. When you’re constantly “shaggin’ grass,” you’re not as e ective, and it’s not good for moral when

deck hands ght more grass than sh. If you slow troll down a nice weed line with beautiful baits down deep in the strike zone, chances of getting bites are much better than shaggin’ grass at normal speed. Find structure and bait near a weed line and you’ll have the scenario for success. With or without structure or marking bait, the weed line is home to all types of life. We’ve cleaned yellow n tuna with a double handful of le sh in their stomachs the size of a quarter and smaller, along with small bit of grass.

If the weeds are not too scattered, troll as normal to nd the sh. When the sun gets up, slow down and concentrate on the areas you had bites earlier. Remember that the weeds are moving, along with everything that lives and feeds around the mats. Keep an eye out for other items oating in the grass mats to help keep up with your relative location.

For more from Tim Barefoot, go to barefootcatsandtackle.com.

CATCHING PEANUTS In ye Wxds

By Emily Hanzlik

As I write this, the largest mass of sargassum ever recorded is making its way to the Florida coast. For months, forecasters have been bemoaning the mess this 5,000-mile-long weed patch will make on our beaches, but I’m looking forward to what it brings.

Prey species live in the seaweed, and predators congregate around these weed lines. ere are going to be many di erent species of sh moving in closer than we usually get. Many anglers will enjoy chasing the larger predators; however, it’s fun to catch what we call peanuts, which are the small er dolphin sh that school up around the weeds.

e most distinguishing feature of dolphin sh is the bright neon green, yellow and blue coloration throughout their entire body. Dolphin have a long slender body, and the peanuts are typically 2 to 3 feet, with weights from 5 to 15 pounds. Dolphin get much larger than this, but the big ones don’t exhibit the same schooling behavior.

An amazing feature about dolphin sh is their dorsal n, which starts at the skull and continues all the way to the tail. To determine gender, male dolphin will have a more pronounced forehead, which almost becomes vertical with a 90-degree angle. Unlike most species of sh, the males tend to be larger than the females and are known as “bulls.”

Dolphin inhabit subtropical and tropical waters throughout the entire world. ey live o shore in the 70- to 300-foot depths. eir spawning season runs from April until August, as long as the water is warm enough. Dolphin broadcast spawn in current to ensure a higher rate of fertilization. Once the young hatch, they take shelter in sargassum patches or oating debris, which also provides a source of food since other juvenile sh will be hiding there also.

Fish in the big schools hanging around sargassum patches will usually be on the smaller side. So, you’ll want to use smaller baits like pilchards or thread ns and free swim them around the weeds. You might see a school of dolphin swarming your bait and ghting over it. eir bright colors and darting movements make them easy to spot.

Another option is to use small bucktail jigs or even 3-inch swimbaits. You can grab their attention by working lures like injured bait sh, and this is a great way to lure them out from under the debris.

While shing these patches, a great way to target larger sh is to sink a larger bait below the school. Larger dolphin and wahoo o en feed on peanut dolphin. It is illegal to use peanut dolphin as bait, but you could use ballyhoo, blue runner or even large thread ns.

e IGFA all-tackle world record dolphin weighed 87 pounds. It was caught by Manuel Salazar in the Papagayo Gulf in 1976.

Emily Rose Hanzlik holds 62 IGFA world records in various categories. She hails from West Palm Beach, where she has a part time Bow n Guide Service as well as shing classes for Jr. Anglers. Find her on social media @emilyhanzlikoutdoors.

Re-Discover Old Florida Waterfront Charm

RED GROUPER TO CLOSE IN GULF FEDERAL WATERS

NOAA Fisheries has announced that a closure to recreational harvest of red grouper in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico will begin on July 21 and continue through the rest of 2023.

The

Perfect Vacation Getaway for Fishing, Boating & Outdoor Enthusiasts

e closure was spurred by landings information, which indicates the 2023 recreational annual catch target of 1,840,000 pounds gutted weight is projected to be met on July 20.

During the recreational closure, the bag and possession limit are zero for red grouper in or from federal waters of the Gulf. e prohibition on possession of Gulf red grouper also applies in Gulf state waters for a vessel issued a valid federal charter vessel/ headboat permit for Gulf reef sh.

If red grouper recreational landings exceed the annual catch limit (ACL) in a given year, the length of that following year’s recreational shing season will be reduced to ensure the recreational ACT is not exceeded in that following year.

For more information, visit www. sheries.noaa.gov.

Nestled on six lush tropical acres of pristine waterfront directly on the Indian River Lagoon, take a step back in time to experience the very best of Old Florida charm with modern conveniences and services to make your stay truly memorable and unforgettable.

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Kingfsh Lodge includes a wide screenTV and bar for small gatherings

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3011 N. Indian River Dr., Ft. Pierce, FL 34946 www.indianriverlagoonwaterfrontcottages.com Reservations and Information: (772) 349-2206

PAVER SIDEWALKS THROUGHOUT!

CHIPOLA STOCKED WITH NATIVE SHOAL BASS

In 2018, when Hurricane Michael bowled over the Florida Panhandle, it decimated the shoal bass population in the Chipola River. e Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission estimates the population was depleted by 90 percent.

FWC is raising and stocking shoal bass to replenish stocks of this rare and native black bass. In May, 7,800 hatchery-raised shoal bass ngerlings were released into the river. is is the second consecutive year shoal bass were raised at the Blackwater Fisheries Research and Development Center near Holt, Fla. and then released into the Chipola River to enhance the wild population.

Shoal bass are one of four of Florida’s native black bass species, and this e ort marks the second time genetically pure shoal bass have been successfully raised at an FWC sh hatchery. Shoal bass are also a Florida Species of Greatest Conservation Need, which refers to native animals whose populations are of concern and are at risk or declining. e goal of raising and releasing these sh is to enhance the wild population to help maintain genetic purity and aid in the long-term conservation of this unique species of Florida black bass.

e Chipola River originates just north of Marianna, owing south for 95 miles through Jackson, Calhoun and Gulf counties where it joins the Apalachicola River. Currently, a catch-and-release-only regulation is in e ect for shoal bass on the Chipola River and its tributaries. Any shoal bass that are caught must be released alive immediately and possession is prohibited.

For more information, visit MyFWC/Freshwater.

25K LIONFISH REMOVED

During the 2023 Emerald Coast Open, 144 competing divers removed 24,699 invasive lion sh from the Gulf of Mexico. With support from Yamaha Rightwaters as well as many local, national and international conservation-minded organizations, the annual event set records for largest lion sh ( ve times) as well as the number of lion sh caught in both the pre-tournament and main tournament.

e mitigation of aquatic invasive species is one of the four pillars of the Yamaha Rightwaters mission,” said Martin Peters, Director, External A airs, Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit. “ e Emerald Coast Open helps foster healthy marine environments in the Gulf while educating the public about the damage a large lion sh population can cause. Yamaha Rightwaters will continue to support this tournament and applauds the e ort to help the Gulf of Mexico thrive as a strong shery.” sh prey on more than 167 di erent native sh species and can reduce some reef sh populations by up to 90 percent. ey are capable of eating sh two-thirds their size, and one lion sh can consume roughly 20 sh in a half hour.

“Since its inception in 2019, the Emerald Coast Open helped remove more than 72,000 total lion sh from Gulf waters,” said Alex Fogg, Coastal Resource Manager, Destin – Fort Walton Beach and Emerald Coast Open Organizer. “ e tournament not only yields immediate results and improvement within our sheries, it also demonstrates that catching lion sh is fun – and they are tasty! We’re glad to have the support of Yamaha Rightwaters and look forward to developing our relationship as we begin to plan for the 2024 tournament.”

To learn more about the Emerald Coast Open, visit emeraldcoastopen.com.

MAKE THE MOST OF

ATLANTIC SNAPPER DATES

By CAM Sta

On the Gulf side, Florida anglers are looking at a pretty solid red snapper season this year, with summer dates from June 16 through July 31 and additional fall dates to pursue one of the South’s favorite game sh.

It’s a di erent story over on the East Coast. With the way the federal government has regulated snapper shing in the Atlantic over the years, anglers have come to count themselves lucky if there’s any Atlantic snapper season at all. is year’s allowance of two days—July 14-15— for recreational snapper harvest in the South Atlantic has anglers looking for ways to make the most of it.

From all reports, there are scads of red snapper out there. Catching the per-person limit of one sh should not be a problem. e key to a productive day that’s worth the gas is planning. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of the red snapper rally.

Load the Boat: With a limit of one sh per person, it’s time to load the boat with as many people as it will comfortably and safely hold so that you can ll the sh box with as many snapper as you are allowed. is is your two-day opportunity to ll the freezer with delicious sh. So, the more people you bring, the more sh you get to bring home. is is a great time to take kids. Kids love to sh, and they also take up less room in the boat.

Go With a Plan and a Backup Plan: For two days, it’ll seem like everyone with a boat is parked over every wreck and reef in the Atlantic. Get to the ramp early, and plan to be patient, because there will be a bunch of anglers with the same idea. Know where you hope to start the morning, but have several back-ups in case your honey hole doesn’t pan out. When you get there, if your graph doesn’t light up with life, don’t waste your time. Keep moving until you nd bait and sh.

Fish Big: With a one- sh limit, and no size limit, it pays to target the biggest sh down there. Fish live baits that are big enough to get past the smaller snapper down to 20-pounders. It wouldn’t hurt anyone’s feelings if a big grouper took the bait, either. is also limits the number of small sh you’ll give a case of barotrauma, which is a good thing.

Remember, use of a dehooking tool is required. ere is also a requirement for the use of non-stainless steel hooks. In waters North of 28-degrees N. latitude, the use of non-o set, non-stainless steel circle hooks is required when shing for snapper grouper species. A descending device is also required on board all vessels and must be readily available for use (attached to at least 16 ounces of weight and at least 60 feet of line).

For more tips, go to coastalanglermag.com.

CONNECT LINE TO LINE WITH THE DOUBLE UNI KNOT

With excellent strength for line-to-line connections, the double uni is a go-to knot for connecting main lines to leaders. It is a quick and easy knot to tie, unlike some of the other line-to-line knots, so it’s a great option for on-thewater applications. Furthermore, it is very good for connecting di erent line types and diameters securely, which makes it the best knot for mono-to-mono or mono-to- uoro connections.

It’s also a good option to secure braid to uoro, and while it might not have the strength of the FG knot for this application, the double uni is much easier to tie and will save you some headache in real-world situations.

A disadvantage to the double uni knot is it’s a little bulky. Although it is an inline knot that keeps everything running in the right direction, the bump it creates at the connection and the two tag ends pointing in either direction can interfere with casting performance. e knot can cause some friction going through the guides. e double uni, however, is perfect for rigs where your leader will remain outside your rod tip. It’s also the right choice when casting distance and accuracy are not primary concerns. In most real-world scenarios, it will not inhibit casting ability enough that you’ll even notice.

For more tips, tricks and knots, visit usangler.com.

FISHING CLUB WINS MUD HOLE CUSTOM ROD CLASS

By completing conservation projects, the Chambers High School shing team recently earned a private, in-person custom rod building class with Mud Hole Custom Tackle. ey were the winning team in FWC’s School Fishing Club Conservation Project Competition and completed six projects including cleaning up and building mono lament recycling bins for their local waterbodies to win the grand prize.

All student anglers participating in the FWC’s 2022-23 School Fishing Club Program were required to complete at least one conservation project to qualify for funding associated with the program. Prizes were o ered by Mud Hole, Toad sh and Pure Fishing to encourage teams to complete multiple conservation initiatives. e competition awarded points per club participation in a variety of conservation-minded activities aimed at reducing the impacts of plastic pollution.

“Congratulations to these young anglers for their dedication to conservation,” said Tom Graef, FWC’s Freshwater Fisheries director. “ ey are making a di erence by leading the way for the next generation of anglers with these creative conservation projects.”

Punta Gorda Middle School won the second-place prize, and A. Crawford Mosley High School won the third-place prize.

“Supporting youth education is so important to our mission at Mud Hole Custom Tackle,” said Anthony Youmans, Mud Hole’s Education Program Director. “We’re honored to contribute the grand prize in this year’s competition and are always supportive of FWC’s e orts to lead conservation projects here in Florida, our home state.”

Mud Hole Custom Tackle, based in Oviedo, is the world’s largest supplier of rod building and tackle cra ing goods and instruction. From rod building

and repairing, to y tying and lure building, Mud Hole is the leading e-retailer and mail order supplier to hobbyists, small manufacturers and large OEMs, worldwide. O ering a superior shopping experience at mudhole.com, rapid ful llment, stellar customer service, and world class online content and instruction, Mud Hole Custom Tackle is the trusted source for the rod building and tackle cra ing community.

FWC’s School Fishing Club Program welcomed 38 new and 14 returning student angling clubs in Florida to the program last year, supported by the Division of Marine Fisheries Management, the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management, and the Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network. e clubs committed to complete the provided FWC curriculum and at least one conservation project. Club mentors provided support and hands-on training in knot tying and shing gear assembly, as well as assistance with the clubs’ local events to increase student anglers’ con dence in the sport of shing. Information about the 2023-24 School Fishing Club Program will be announced later this summer.

For more information, visit MyFWC.com/SFC.

CCA FLORIDA STAR:

THERE’S STILL TIME TO REGISTER AND WIN!

The 2023 CCA Florida STAR competition presented by Yamaha kicked o Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. Four STAR tagged red sh have already been recaptured, but what you won’t believe is that none of the anglers were CCA members and registered in the competition. ose four anglers missed out on their chance at some awesome boats and packages, and that means all the boats and packages are still available.

Registration for the summer-long competition is open until Sept. 4 and invites CCA members, non-members, anglers and non-anglers to take a shot at winning their share of prizes valued at more than $500,000 including boats, motors, electronics, tackle, scholarships and more. is event is about the shery winning, too. Participants become citizen biologists and citizen garbologists by submitting photos of their catch or garbage collected during the competition in the STAR app. In order to win, participants must take their entry photo on the 2023 CCA Florida STAR o cial measuring device, which can be picked up for free in any West Marine store or one of the many other STAR distribution locations throughout Florida. Find them listed on the STAR website.

“Every year we have lots of tagged red sh recaptured by unregistered anglers who are not members. We hope that this year, with more prizes, we will see more winners,” said CCA Florida STAR Director, Leiza Fitzgerald. “ e youth participation has been heartwarming, and to date STAR has awarded $800,000 in youth scholarships, plus in 2021 two youth anglers won a boat motor and trailer package that consisted of a 16-foot ski , 25hp Yamaha, Minn Kota Trolling motor and trailer. Every year there are over 100 winners In the STAR competition. Get registered and you could be one of them.”

e CCA Florida STAR competition presented by Yamaha has a division for everyone, from the non-angler to the experienced angler. It is comprised of 15 divisions targeting 12 inshore and o shore species, plus the Kick Plastic Trash Division presented by Papa’s Pilar which encourages cleanup of trash from Florida’s coastal waters. STAR’s signature Tagged Red sh Division o ers seven winners, ve adults and two youth, the choice of a Contender Boats 22 Sport, Path nder Boats 2200 TRS and a Carolina Ski 162 JLS. STAR has additional new Tagged Red sh sponsors with Dek Kat Boats o ering a 27 Flatz Kat and Sea Doo and Can-am o ering a fun package of a Trophy Fishing Sea Doo and the Can-am Defender. Each boat will be powered by a Yamaha, the competitions presenting sponsor. Be the rst winning tagged red sh angler for your choice of all these packages as your prize.

Once again in 2023, we have the ALTA SUPER STAR tagged red sh swimming in Florida waters. If it is recaptured, the winner will receive $50,000 cash! For the rst two youth anglers who win in this division, prizes include a tiller boat powered with Yamaha outboard, trailer, Minn Kota trolling motor and Humminbird electronics.

Each of Florida’s coastal counties have on average four tagged red sh for a total of over 160 prize-winning sh. e best opportunity to catch one of this year’s tagged red sh will be in Citrus and Charlotte Counties, STAR’s 2023 Destination Counties, which each have eight tagged red sh in their coastal waters.

For the o shore anglers, the Tigress Outriggers and Gear Tagged Dolphin Division o ers one winner a $10,000 cash prize. e rst STAR registrant and CCA Florida member who catches a tagged dolphin will win. Twenty tagged dolphin (Mahi Mahi) were released for STAR in the lower Florida Keys.

STAR is a family-friendly competition, and CCA Florida youth members (ages 6 to 17) can participate for free. Kids are encouraged to submit entries in the Youth Scholarship Division presented by Realtree Fishing for an opportunity to win one of 12 scholarships totaling $100,000. Other divisions include the Power Pole Conservation Division, Bona de Kayak Division and Ladies Division as well as the Yamaha Guides which allows guides to participate when they are not on a charter for hire. Since most division winners are determined by a random drawing, it is not about catching the biggest sh, any size sh can win. Remember, it is very simple really, every sh you catch between now and Monday, Labor Day o ers the CCA member who is registered in STAR the opportunity to win their share of $500,000 in prizes and scholarships. You can’t win If you are not registered.

STAR is also a tool to gather catch data, it creates awareness for conservation, our sponsors and CCA Florida. Launched in 2015, the competition has set the bar for other shing tournaments to follow by implementing conservation-friendly alternatives such a catch-photorelease format and a trash division. Florida STAR focuses on conservation with its technology-based, CPR format and dedicated smartphone app which promotes the proper handling of species and allows participants who are members of CCA and registered in the competition to upload photos of their catch or trash buckets in the STAR competition and be rewarded for their e orts. CCA Florida also provides access to the data collected to other conservation organizations and universities to help educate the public and for use in their studies on conservation, habitat and stock assessments.

You can still register for STAR 2023. You have all summer and all the boats and packages are still available. To receive additional information on divisions, prizes and more, visit cca star.com or Facebook.

YET ANOTHER... ORANGE LAKE GIANT!

Put Orange Lake on your bass- shing itinerary for next spring. is 12,550-acre lake in Alachua County southeast of Gainesville is a springtime conveyor belt of big bass.

From February through April this year, 19 Orange Lake largemouths heavier than 10 pounds were reported to TrophyCatch, FWC’s big-bass recognition program.

Bass heavier than 13-pounds are given “Hall of Fame” status by TrophyCatch. Five 13-pluspounders have been caught statewide this year. Four of them came from Orange Lake, and three of those were caught in February.

e most recent one we’ve heard of was a sh caught back on Feb. 7 that just popped up on the TrophyCatch Facebook

Kelly

a giant 13-pound, 3-ounce monster swimming a

Man… that sounds like a lot of fun.

For more information, visit www.trophycatch orida.com.

page.

Taunton scored

Senko through the pads.

Score From the Shore in Calm Conditions

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

The surf can be bountiful and as easy as shing can be when the seas are calm. On a recent trip to the Gulf of Mexico’s calm shores, I was certain I was going to catch them at will. To the naked eye, conditions were as good as it gets, but many fellow anglers fell short of their dreams on this beautiful day. Here are some modi cations I made on the y that allowed me to come out ahead of most others.

is day provided us with glass-calm seas, clear water and bait everywhere, but one key ingredient was missing, substantial tide. What most of us focused on, including myself, were the calm conditions. is is always the draw for trout shing on the beachfront in Texas, and it is seldom the norm.

I did research the tide, and it was an early high

heading out, which, once again, seems perfect. However, the slope on the graph was a slow outgoing tide, not one that was going to trigger many bites on its own. Once I realized this and watched others leave empty handed, I decided to search for places that would encourage the slow outgoing current to increase in velocity. I sought out guts in the bars perpendicular to the shore. ese same guts have the potential to cause dangerous riptides, and they can also be the best place to sh. You typically see these guts by studying the waves, but with no waves I had to use my polarized glasses. ankfully, the water clarity made this an easy task. I drove along the beach looking for these, and once I spotted them, I stood on the back of my truck to increase my elevation to identify the best ones.

I’d found my pattern. Now the catching could begin! Keep in mind, as slow as the tide was moving, it did not create a dangerous situation

(always be cautious of rip tides on the beach), but it did speed up the current enough to trigger a good bite. I thoroughly worked all edges of these guts, nding most bites on the back side where the tide pulled bait from the shallow gut to the deeper second gut.

When the tide is slow, I like to try and get a reaction strike by throwing something a little di erent or working my lure erratically. On this day, I was throwing a rattling so -plastic paddletail. I also picked one with a bright green tail to stand out from the millions of bait sh traveling the rst and second guts. All of these tactics combined allowed me to salvage a day when most le with empty stringers.

e beachfront can be a great place to sh, and it’s fun for the kids. My boys enjoy wading beside me, and when the shing is over it’s time to play at the beach!

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®

Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures® and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

By Capt. Lukas Brickweg

Alaska shing season started o with a bang for anglers visiting Ketchikan, Alaska. Halibut shing charters produced great catches of halibut, paci c cod, lingcod and rock sh. Salmon shing trips resulted in big king salmon while we awaited the arrival of silver salmon and pink salmon.

Early season typically is more inconsistent than the deep summer months of July, August and September. With that being said, our guests enjoyed better than average shing to start o the 2023 Alaska shing summer.

Fishing tours for cruise ship guests and y-in anglers spent the majority of May bottom shing. ese sheries consist of shing near and o shore waters for halibut, cod and rock sh. Deep-water jigging for halibut had guests reeling in keeper-sized halibut as well as oversized halibut ranging from 10 pounds to 120 pounds. ere’s nothing quite like the thrill of hooking into these deep sea dwellers, and the delicious white meat holds up well when frozen and shipped back home to the lower 48.

Halibut weren’t the only species caught during our halibut shing charters. Paci c cod were a staple while bottom shing for halibut. Cod were concentrated in large numbers on the sandy ats eating a variety of bottom rigs. Traditional halibut shing rigs with glow-in-the-dark squid and cut herring caught the majority of Paci c cod. We also found great success jigging for cod with metal jigs and so plastic swimbaits.

Following up halibut shing with rock sh and lingcod jigging made for a combination catch that had everyone smiling. We do this in shallower water with light tackle. While catching pelagic rock sh such as yellowtails and duskies, we also caught big lingcod. With such a phenomenal bottom shing area, you’re never quite sure what will grab the end of the line. Giant lingcod make a trophy catch for anyone visiting Alaskan waters.

King salmon shing opened June 1. Everyone rejoiced at the opportunity to pursue this iconic sh. Big king salmon catches came in throughout the entire southeast Alaska region. Ketchikan is known as the salmon capital of the world, and it didn’t disappoint. Herring Cove and Mountain Point were the rst areas to open up. is resulted in large numbers of anglers trolling for prized king salmon. As we look forward for the entirety of the region to open, these were the rst areas where big catches came in.

Over the next couple months, the shing will continue to heat up! Halibut will continue to show up in larger numbers as the water temperatures increase. In addition, the salmon shing will see a big burst of silver salmon and pink salmon to combine with the larger king salmon. It’s all happening now!

For more information, visit www.ketchikan shingtrips.com or call (907) 617-4717.

Most of the time the saying is true, bigger baits equal bigger sh! Although elephants eat peanuts, a big bait pro le is something big sh sometimes can’t resist whether you’re shing the open ocean or the Great Lakes. I’ve spent a lot of time in the last couple years experimenting with lures that are larger than what my previous comfort zone was for bass. It is pretty special to see what gets curious to come look at or bite these big baits.

ere are many di erent types of swimbaits on the market, but I’ll break them down into two styles to keep it simple. ere are hard, gliding-style swimbaits with treble hooks and there are so -body swimbaits. Each has a time and a place, and both attract some very big sh.

Depending on where you are in the country and the size of the forage in your lake, a normal meal for a bass is usually much bigger than you would think. Bass have huge mouths to accommodate large prey items. A two- or three-pounder has no problem at all swallowing a 6- to 8-inch bluegill whole. I’ve seen 10-plus-pounders eat gizzard shad up to 14 inches long! Trying to exactly duplicate the larger bait sh in your lake with a natural presentation is the key to drawing attention to your arti cial lure.

With hard swimbaits, my rst choice is a shad imitation. Most of the places I sh are full

of shad, and shad seem to be a favorite food source for bass.

THROW BIG BAITS FOR BIG BASS TIPS FROM A PRO

Crappie are another forage species people sometimes forget about. Lately, when throwing big baits

over deeper water, I’ve caught some big sh with crappie down in their throats.

With so swimbaits, I usually go to a bluegill imitation. I like so baits because they are more weedless, and you can creep them through the grass or along the bottom in places where bluegills live.

Big swimbaits can get mighty expensive. If you are just getting started with them, I would suggest sticking with the more a ordable baits that get good reviews until you get your con dence up. en you can dive into some of the larger, more customized lures.

Learning to sh big baits is best done by getting on the water and doing it. Just get out there and experiment with retrieves until you nd out what works. Of course, throwing giant lures requires special equipment. I like 13 Fishing’s a ordable Defy for a rod. It’s an 8-foot swimbait rod that handles most big lures with ease. I pair this with a 300 sized reel, like the 13 Fishing Concept A3 and some 20- to 25-pound Seaguar Abrazx.

I hope this article sparks someone’s interest to get out there and throw a big bait. Once I stepped out of my comfort zone, I discovered it to be one of the coolest and most fun ways to target big bass all year long. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me on social media if you have questions about these tactics or any others.

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

TYLER WOOLCOTT

RECORD WELS

really realized that I hooked a monster. Adrenaline started pumping hard and the fear of losing it almost sent me into a panic. I was alone, facing the biggest cat sh I ever seen in 23 years.

Italy’s River Po has done it again.

Last week, MADCAT pro sta er Alessandro Biancardi caught a 9-foot-long wels cat sh that will likely replace the IGFA world length record for the species. e monster wels measured 285 centimeters (9 feet, 4.2 inches) in length and stands to beat out the existing record by just 4 centimeters, or about an inch and a half.

Biancardi is a veteran cat sh angler who has targeted wels for more than two decades. He landed his potential new record a er a more than 40-minute battle while shing solo in an aluminum

jonboat.

e giant sh ate a so -plastic paddletail shed on a jighead.

“In silence, I approached the rst spot and a er few casts a powerful bite arrived. e sh stood still some seconds before starting a very complicated ght, between strong currents and a lot of submerged obstacles,” Biancardi wrote in a blog post. “I calmly managed to ght what I felt to be a prehistoric sh. I followed it for 40 endless minutes. When it surfaced for the rst time, I

“I tried gloving its mouth two or three times, but it was still too strong,” he wrote. “I decided to go in shallow water trying to land it from shore, and a er few tries, I managed to land it! I tied the sh to let him recover from the long ght then I suddenly realized that the boat was not anchored, and it was going away in the current. I was forced to have a swim to recover it with all my stu .”

Biancardi then called some friends from a nearby sh camp to come help him get a good measurement on the beast. A er taking measurements, the sh was released. Without a weight, it will not be considered for the all-tackle world record, which stands at 297 pounds, 9 ounces for a sh caught from the Po back in 2010.

For more, go to https://madcat- shing.com.

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IN SEARCH OF HAVASU’S WORLD RECORD REDEAR

By Gary Turner

The sun was just cresting the mountains and the moon was low in the west as Capt. Ron Ratlief, of Ron’s Fishing Guide Service, and I began shing for redear sun sh on Arizona’s Lake Havasu. is trip has been on my bucket list for years. I just never made the time, which is ridiculous considering Havasu is pretty much the Holy Land for bream shing.

Havasu is a large Colorado River reservoir on the Arizona/Colorado border. In recent years, the lake has produced a series of world-record redear sun sh, with the current mark standing at 6-pounds, 4-ounces. Havasu’s freakishly large redears are due to a plentiful food source of invasive mussels that have in ltrated the system. e lake also holds some enormous bluegills, which I came to nd out over two days shing with Ron and a third day with my buddy Zac Mickle.

You could feel it was going to be a hot one—over 100 degrees— as the cool morning air evaporated with the sun. A er all, Havasu is an oasis in the middle of a desert. We started the morning sight shing coves. Havasu’s water is as clear as the Keys, and I half expected to see bone sh swimming by. We searched several coves and saw lots of sh, including bluegills, carp, cat sh, giant gizzard shad, tilapia, green sun sh and small stripers, just

to name a few. We also found some redear sun our target species, but they were small, a pound or less, and we were looking for big ones!

We moved to plan B and headed to deeper water. Havasu has the most man-made attractors and brushpiles I’ve ever seen. might be a bunch in South Carolina’s Santee, but you would never see them. e crystal-clear water makes everything visible, and as the sun got higher, we could see even more. We saw structure clearly in 18 feet of water with large redears on it. I dropped a night crawler on a jig head down, and BAM! I had a good bite! We landed a nice redear heavier than two pounds and continued hitting deeper brush, where we saw some big ones and caught a thick 14-incher that was pushing 3 pounds. A er several other sh in the 1 to 1 ½-pound range, Ron suggested we move back to a cove for a few last casts before heading in.

In the cove, I got hammered by a good one, which upon landing was about the same size as the 2-pounder from earlier, but it looked more like a bluegill. I was thinking it might be a hybrid between the two species, which was later con rmed.

If you like bream, you need to check out Havasu. It is a beautiful lake in the desert with some giant redears and bluegills. I might not have

caught a world record this year, but I’ve already booked next year’s trip.

Check out Gary Turner’s shing adventures on his YouTube channel at youtube.com/ @FishingWithGary.

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ELEVATE YOUR CHUM!

By Capt. Judy Helmey

BLOTCHY BASS SYNDROME IS A VIRUS

Check out the crazy markings on this Pennsylvania bass!

Recently the American Fisheries Society Black Bass Conservation Committee (BBCC) posted photos of this striking, black-splotched largemouth bass on its Facebook page.

During the old days of chumming, lots of shermen used glitter in their chum, but we sure didn’t talk about it. Why? It was a serious sh-catching secret, and it works as well now as it ever did.

Of course, back then we hadn’t heard of microplastics. We didn’t equate those tiny ashy akes with pollution. Traditional glitter is made with aluminum and plastic, which is a really bad thing to be throwing in the water. ankfully, today there is biodegradable glitter made of plant cellulose. is more environmentally friendly product enables us to keep using our old tricks without doing harm to the ocean.

When you add biodegradable glitter to your chum, the oils coat

every single small piece of glitter. When it hits the water, each piece of glitter becomes sh attractant. As it slowly spreads through the water column, it catches sunlight and re ects it. e oil onboard each small piece of glitter leaves a trail that only a hungry smart sh would care to follow.

You might ask how do I know that glittering chum works? Well, when you start getting hits and landing sh, open the sh box and take a look. You know how glitter is. It gets everywhere and sticks to everything. Well, your sh box and the sh in it will be coated in glitter. Trust me.

Capt. Judy Helmey runs Miss Judy Charters o the Georgia coast. Check them out at missjudycharters.com.

e photos, by professional bass sherman Grae Buck, show his wife Jessica Buck holding a sh with melanosis. e post goes on to explain that this condition is when something a ects the pigment expression in the skin, turning it black. Termed blotchy bass syndrome, it has been found in black bass species in waterbodies across the United States with increasing frequency.

“While a truly melanistic sh would be all black, we more commonly see parts of the sh black, irregular blotches, spots, or ns,” the post reads. ese crazy colored sh show up from time to time, and previously it has been explained as a genetic mutation. In its explanation of this sh, however, BBCC pointed to research being conducted at the U.S.G.S. Eastern Ecological Science Center in West Virginia.

e research found that this blotchy skin condition is actually caused by a viral infection, an emerging novel adomavirus. Researchers have not pinned down a cause yet, but a U.S.G.S. report suggests higher incidences of blotchy bass syndrome in disturbed-water systems, with a potential link to chemicals. ere is currently broad ongoing research to try and determine the causes and e ects of this infection.

TheReturn of a

Follow the BBCC at www.facebook.com/AFS.Black.Bass.

Home of world class fishing on the beautiful Watauga Lake, rugged Doe River and designated trophy trout stream, Watauga River