Coastal Angler Magazine | August 2020 | Treasure Coast Edition by Coastal Angler Magazine

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Big Baits, Lowcountry Big Grouper REDS PHOTO BY CAPT. JOHN RYAN • INSTAGRAM: @FILLETSHOWFISHING VOLUME 25 • ISSUE 305

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Sight Fishing Reds In The South Carolina Lowcountry

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By Nick Carter

oling his skiff through grass in shin-deep water, Capt. Josh Boyles was the first to spot a big redfish crashing bait about 100 yards away. The vast grass beds around Hilton Head, S.C. were inundated in an especially high tide, and we had been working them for a couple hours with limited success. Most of the limited success was blamed on a pair of trout anglers with little saltwater fly fishing experience. Boyles had already put us on a couple fish. We had botched both royally. Conditions seemed right, with plenty of water for reds to push into in search of crabs, but the fish weren’t showing themselves. And we needed to see fish in order to cast to them with one of Boyles’ Swamp Fox flies on an 8-weight fly rod. “I’m not going to lie. This is pretty slow,” Boyles said. “We should be seeing a half-dozen fish at once and trying to decide which one to go after.” With classic tailing redfish behavior, fish root around with their noses in the muck. On the other end, their tails wave above the surface like little beacons. Reds are not hard to find when they do what they’re supposed to. These fish were not cooperating. Instead of seeking tails, we were reduced to watching for unusual wakes and nervous water. Boyles hypothesized the fish might be eating baitfish or shrimp instead of crabs, which would account for their horizontal position in skinny water. As we poled slowly to where the fish was spotted in an open pool amid a sea of grass, I stripped line from the reel and onto the deck. There was no additional sign of the fish, but we had to check it out. The tide was beginning to turn out, and it would take all the fish with it. Boyles had earlier explained why tailing reds are great sport for fly rodders just getting into the saltwater game. Redfish are comfortable in the shallows, so they don’t spook easily. Also, they feed actively and opportunistically in the grass. If they see the fly, they will most likely eat it. When our redfish reappeared, it was right in front of the boat. So close that it made casting difficult. I saw it for a second, but Boyles could see it clear as day from the platform. He began barking instructions. “Two o’clock, about 15 feet out,” he said. “See the wake?” The fish was moving right to left across the bow. I made a timid first cast, which caught the wind and plopped down off target. “Pick it up! Do it again,” Boyles said, urgency entering his voice. “Play the wind. Put it in front of him.” The pressure was on, and the second cast was better. “Strip it… Strip it… Now stop!” Boyles instructed as he watched the action unfold. “Give it a little twitch.” He didn’t have to tell me to set the hook.

For com too the gre be we’

Al Tro tha imp dee pol clas The fish swirled. I jerked back hard with my line hand, the rod pointed right at the commotion. With a jolt, the redfish was on and streaking across the flat! Pound-for-pound, nothing pulls like a red, and this was a big one, spending its last season in the marsh before it would move offshore to join the rest of the big bulls. Capt. Josh Boyles is a veteran Lowcountry guide who offers local and international fishing experiences. Email him at joshboylesfishing@gmail.com or call (843) 816-2229.

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SiriusXM Fish Mapping: SERIOUS TOOLS FOR SERIOUS ANGLERS

hether it’s a weed line, a color change or a temperature break, success in the wide-open environs of offshore fishing depends on finding the features that hold baitfish and predators that hunt them. With this in mind, SiriusXM has developed a powerful new set of tools to help serious offshore anglers narrow the field of search and find fish more quickly and efficiently. Combined with SiriusXM Marine’s weather data, the company’s Fish Mapping service is so advanced it almost seems unfair. But when you’re competing for big tournament money or have a boatful of clients or friends to keep happy, any advantage is welcome. Real-time data and eight dedicated features pull together information captains need to save time and fuel in pursuit of the ocean’s biggest gamefish. All of it is marked directly on the boat’s display, making it easy to identify areas where fish are likely to be. Here’s a list of those fish-finding features: • Fishing Recommendations: Based on data-driven analysis from oceanographers, the service recommends hot areas for specific species overlaid on your chart. This tailored information is kept fresh with twice-weekly updates to keep you on the action as it evolves. It can be viewed in combination with Fish Mapping’s other features to help solve the puzzle. • Weed Lines: Vast drifting weed lines are always hotspots for hunting pelagics. They provide food and habitat for open-ocean baitfish and shrimp, which draws in the big-game species. Finding them can be tricky, though, since they are constantly moving. Fish Mapping’s Weed Line feature updates every 24 hours to display where weed lines have been sighted recently and where they are most likely to form. • Sea Height Anomalies: Areas where sea height is noticeably different from the surrounding water often indicate an upwelling, where nutrient-rich water pushes to the surface. These are favorable conditions that attract baitfish and gamefish. Using realtime radar and sea-surface models, experts analyze the data and identify upwelling areas every 24 hours. This feature can also be used to locate downwelling areas, so you won’t waste your time fishing nutrient-poor, unproductive water. • Surface Temperature Contours: Different species prefer different temperature ranges, and Fish Mapping’s easy-to-read temperature contour lines quickly and clearly illustrate water temperatures to home in on the ideal conditions for your target species. This feature updates with current temperature data every three hours. • Sea Surface Temperature Front Strength: There’s no need to spend hours running and searching for significant temperature variances between bodies of water. These “ocean fronts” are hunting grounds for big pelagics, which take advantage of concentrated nutrients and fish-movement barriers created by 6 NATIONAL

AUGUST 2020

precipitous temperature changes. Fish Mapping estimates the strength of these ocean fronts and updates them every 24 hours. There tends to be good fishing where temperature fronts and plankton fronts coincide. • 30 Meter Subsurface Temperatures: Surface temperature is not always a good indicator of what lies beneath, where pelagics do most of their hunting. This feature tracks water temps 30 meters below the surface and updates every 24 hours to help you find your target species’ preferred temperature range. • Plankton Concentration Contours: Baitfish feed on plankton; big fish feed on baitfish. It’s easy to understand why concentrations of plankton can lead the way to good fishing. Displayed with green contour lines on your multi-function display and updated every 24 hours, Fish Mapping makes quick work of locating productive water. • Plankton Front Strength: Strong plankton fronts offer good conditions for gamefish to hunt. Baitfish prefer nutrient-rich stained water. Gamefish prefer clear water where they can spot their prey. When the two conditions exist side-by-side and coincide with a temperature front, it presents optimal fishing conditions. The plankton front strength feature displays these conditions on your display and updates every 24 hours. With tools like these, it’s easy to see why SiriusXM’s Fish Mapping service gives serious offshore anglers a leg-up on open water. They even offer a one-month trial of the service because a test drive will prove how valuable their up-to-date, easy-to-access information is. For more information, visit www.siriusxm.com/FishMapping

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UNDER SEA THE

What It’s Like to Spearfish I

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and relaxed, and “becoming one with nature” will you be part of the tribe. This unlikely fraternity of ocean hunters is made up of men and women of all ages, races and socio-economic status. The only rules here are made by Mother Nature, and the only requirement is an unspoken bond with the ocean and a respect for its resources. Unlike our mostly predictable lives, every dive is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get. I’ve experienced a school of mantas flying by, a gentle whaleshark ambling along, a sunfish scratching itself on our anchor line. I’ve experienced the exhilaration of being accepted by a pod of wild dolphins. I’ve been bumped by a hammerhead and stared down by a menacing mako. I’ve endured jellyfish stings, sealice rashes, and a crab in my ear canal. The most thrilling sight of all—after paying your dues—is spotting your prey in the shadows.

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Th po we go du as oft

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“It of in to Sil Tr rea

By Sheri Daye

have a friend at work who is horrified by my spearfishing. He asks, “Why don’t you just buy fish at the market? Aren’t you scared of sharks? What’s it like?” I know spearfishing will never be his cup of tea, but I try to explain why it’s mine. The simple answer is it’s fun to jump into tropical water and choose a delicious fish for dinner. But the truth is those flat, warm, fishy days are few and far between. The truth is that weathermen are liars, visibility can turn ugly, and fish are unpredictable. The truth is that underwater hunting is hard work in an alien environment. One of many challenges is to become comfortable underwater—so comfortable that fish believe you belong there. Fish sense herkyjerky motions and aggression, which means you will never be able to stalk them unless you learn to control your movements, and more importantly, your emotions. You must also overcome the primal fear of becoming the hunted, which is ingrained in all of us. And, as a freediver, you must become adept enough to achieve decent breath hold times. Only after persevering, learning to be smooth

D 1

When hunting tunas, the sight of the yellow finlets speeding under you will make your heart thump. When hunting wahoos, the silver ghost appearing out of nowhere will take your breath away. The realization that your eye has caught the silhouette of a black grouper in the reef will send you into adrenalized stealth mode. Back at the dock, as you fillet your fish and watch the sun set, you feel a sense of accomplishment and relief to be back on solid ground. But you also feel a sense of longing to be back in the weightless, quiet, unpredictable, beautiful ocean. As cell phones begin to ring, traffic on the way home raises your blood pressure, and thoughts of work invade your brain, you begin to plan your next trip back to the soul-cleansing world beneath the sea. Sheri is a world-record holder, host of Speargun Hunter, and producer of “The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo” in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Follow “Sheri Daye” and “The Blue Wild” on Facebook and Instagram.

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Discovered! Unopened Bag of 138-Year-Old Morgan Silver Dollars Coin experts amazed by “Incredible Opportunity” The Morgan Silver Dollar is the most popular and iconic vintage U.S. coin. They were the Silver Dollars of the Wild West, going on countless untold adventures in dusty saddlebags across the nation. Finding a secret hoard of Morgans doesn’t happen often—and when it does, it’s a big deal. How big? Here’s numismatist, author and consultant to the Smithsonian® Jeff Garrett: “It’s very rare to find large quantities of Morgan Silver Dollars, especially in bags that have been sealed... to find several thousand Morgan Silver Dollars that are from the U.S. Treasury Hoards, still unopened, is really an incredible opportunity.” -Jeff Garrett

 Historic Morgan Silver Dollars  Minted in New Orleans  Struck and bagged in 1882  Unopened for 138 years  26.73 grams of 90% fine silver  Hefty 38.1 mm diameter  Certified Brilliant Uncirculated by NGC

 Certified “Great Southern

Treasury Hoard” pedigree

 Limit five coins per household Actual size is 38.1 mm

the southern gentleman by giving the coins the pedigree of the “Great Southern Treasury Hoard.”

But where did this unique hoard come from? Read on...

These gorgeous 1882-O Morgans are as bright and new as the day they were struck and bagged 138 years ago. Coins are graded on a 70-point scale, with those graded at least Mint State-60 (MS60) often referred to as “Brilliant Uncirculated” or BU. Of all 1882-O Morgans struck, LESS THAN 1% have earned a Mint State grade. This makes these unopened bags of 1882-O Morgans extremely rare, certified as being in BU condition—nearly unheard of for coins 138 years old.

Morgans from the New Orleans Mint

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The U.S. Treasury Hoard

Given the limited quantity of coins available from this historic hoard, we must set a strict limit of five coins per household. Call quickly to secure yours today as supplies are sure to sell out quickly!

In 1859, Nevada’s Comstock Lode was discovered, and soon its rich silver ore made its way across the nation, including to the fabled New Orleans Mint, the only U.S. Mint branch to have served under the U.S. government, the State of Louisiana and the Confederacy. In 1882, some of that silver was struck into Morgan Silver Dollars, each featuring the iconic “O” mint mark of the New Orleans Mint. Employees then placed the freshly struck coins into canvas bags... Fast-forward nearly 80 years. In the 1960s, the U.S. government opened its vaults and revealed a massive store of Morgan Silver Dollars—including full, unopened bags of “fresh” 1882-O Morgan Silver Dollars. A number of bags were secured by a child of the Great Depression—a southern gentleman whose upbringing showed him the value of hard assets like silver. He stashed the unopened bags of “fresh” Morgans away, and there they stayed...

The Great Southern Treasury Hoard

That is, until another 50 years later, when the man’s family finally decided to sell the coins—still in their unopened bags—which we secured, bag and all! We submitted the coins to respected third-party grading service Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC), and they agreed to honor

Regular 1882-O Morgans sell elsewhere for as much as $133, and that’s without the original brilliant shine these “fresh” 138-yearold coins have, without their special NGC hoard designation, and without their ability to tell their full, complete story from the Comstock Lode all the way to your collection.

1882-O Morgan Silver Dollar NGC Certified BU from the Great Southern Treasury Hoard — $99 ea.

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H Photo courtesy of FWC TrophyCatch.

James Wirtz caught this 10-pound, 6-ounce beast from an unnamed Florida lake on June 16.

Deep Summer’s Shallow-Water Option By CAM Staff

ere’s some advice for bass anglers sick of the summertime grind. Instead of dredging out deep ledges or dragging worms on offshore humps, go shallow and beat the banks. Yes. You read that right. In deep summer, bass that aren’t stacked up deep will scatter to seek out the best water conditions and feeding opportunities they can find. And while you probably shouldn’t throw all your tournamentday hopes into this pattern, which really is hit-or-miss, hitting it right can lead to some of the biggest largemouths of the summer. Wave action is a key to this pattern. On lakes with heavy boat traffic and on windy days, waves slamming into the banks oxygenate water. While water conditions across the rest of the lake are hot and stagnant this time of year, the shallows offer higher oxygen levels that attract baitfish and bass. By the same token, the backs of creeks with some current often offer better oxygen levels as well as cooler water. Vegetation oxygenates water, also, and provides shade from the stifling sun. Bait is another reason big fish will be up shallow. All of the bream species—the bluegills, shellcrackers, redbreasts and others—spawn during the full moons of summer. When they bed up in colonies, they do it in the shallows, often in just a couple feet of water. Bream beds are buffets for big largemouths, which hang just off the beds waiting on any strays small enough to fit in their mouths. Now, beating the banks all day looking for one big fish in the scorching August heat doesn’t sound like much fun. But that one kicker fish you need to bolster a tournament limit is not likely to be hanging out with all those 2-pounders suspended on a deep ledge. These are also great tactics for fun fishing, when you’ve got the luxury to only fish the comfortable morning and evening hours. In low light, a buzzbait burned around a bream bed or in the shadows of a blowdown can be just the thing to draw a reaction strike from a big girl lazing in the shallows. Running a spinnerbait, bladed jig or square-bill crankbait around and under shallow docks can be very productive. Resist the urge to slow down and pick apart cover with a jig or worm. Shallow fish will be scattered this time of year, so it makes sense to cover a lot of water. Hit all the stumps, grass, rocks and any other cover you encounter. Keep moving, but do it slowly and quietly. Keep your distance, and make long casts. Sound travels far and fish spook easily in the shallows.

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teamed blue crabs seasoned with J.O. No.2 or a custom blend that J.O. manufactures is the flavor people experience at crab establishments all over. Most people credit this crab house seasoning to another product but J.O. has been the crab houses’ seasoning of choice since 1945. J.O. Spice, started by J.O. (James Ozzle) Strigle and his wife Dot in Baltimore City in 1945, is celebrating its 75th Anniversary. A native of Tangier Island, Va., J.O. Strigle brought the seafood spice blend he created in his kitchen on the island to Maryland. Jane McPhaul, J.O.’s daughter took over operations of the family business in the late eighties while her son, Don Ports, was serving in the Marine Corps. In 1990 Don joined his mother in the family business with a vision to expand. In the summer of 1991 Don met his spice girl, Ginger, with the pick up line, “you’re destined to be mine; you’re named for a spice,” said J.O. Spice Company president Don Ports to wife Ginger Ports the moment they met. Twenty eight years later, Don and Ginger- alongside their children Brittany, Tyler and Bethany, are continuing the family traditions of quality seasonings, spices, and more at reasonable prices at their Halethorpe based J.O. Spice Company. “We can provide crab houses everything they need for the crab eating experience, minus the crabs”, Don says. The company added crab boxes, crab paper, bushel baskets, crab knives, crab mallets and a variety of other items to their offerings. “We purchased our first laser engraver and that opened the door to the retail gift world and personalized options,” Don says. J.O. specializes in custom blended seasonings for pizza companies, pit beef stands, butchers, potato chip companies and more. We are more than seafood seasonings. “My children, the fourth generation, and our amazing team work side-by-side to make all of this happen,” Ginger says. “At J.O., we are all family who enjoy working with so many other family businesses. We are blessed.” Please visit us at jospices.com.

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AUGUST 2020

FLORIDA 3

By John Saporito

How To

Beat

The

Pressure

lorida is home to some of the best and most diverse fishing on earth. The state also offers unmatched access to its fisheries. But with easy access comes a great challenge: fishing pressure. Fishing pressure results when

a population of fish is overexposed to fishing activity. Fish are capable learners with strong survival instincts; they become progressively more difficult to fool and catch as they experience our repeated attempts to capture them. Since they

pass their survival prowess on to their offspring, subsequent generations are empowered to avoid capture. Therefore, every fisherman should learn to cope with this obstacle so they may enjoy a lifetime of productive fishing regardless of how the future of Florida’s fisheries unfolds. While the less-traveled offshore waters may not show the effects of fishing pressure, the most accessible waterways in the state certainly do. This impacts many of our favorite gamefish, including inshore icons such as tarpon, snook, redfish and sea trout. The state gamefish, largemouth bass, is also subject to immense pressure. Fortunately, there are steps every angler can take to ensure even the wariest gamefish can be tempted to strike. The first is to use stealth when stalking your target species. The best way to avoid spooking fish is to not alert them to your presence in the first place. When fish know you’re there, they instantly become more difficult to catch. Be careful with every move, whether wading, walking a shoreline or positioning a boat. When you find fish that won’t bite, consider making a move. The problem for most fishermen is they prefer to fish easily accessible locations. The easier the access, the higher the pressure, and this shows

in how fish react to baits. Seek out locations that are more difficult to get to. Give yourself some space, and the results will speak for themselves. If you find fish that won’t bite and decide not to move, a good alternative would be to show them a finesse approach. Downsize lures and baits, cast quietly, and eliminate components of the rig a fish may find intimidating. A final remedy for fishing pressure is simply to fish off times. A dozen or more fishermen in the area around you is not ideal, neither are boat motors, jet skis and loud radios. By fishing the times when others are least likely to be on the water—think late at night and very early morning—you give yourself a tremendous advantage. While graveyard shifts might not be as relaxing as sitting on a beach chair in the afternoon sun, the fishing is likely to be more productive. Although fishing pressure is a growing problem, it presents an opportunity for anglers willing to take the steps to prepare for it. With a little know-how and proper execution, you can keep your rod bent on any of Florida’s fabled waterways. John Saporito is a lifelong fisherman and student of the seas.Visit him online at guerillaangling.com.

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FLORIDA 5

Paul Kolacia, of Rock Grass Fishing Charters, reports good things out of Homosassa

Bay Scallop Reports A

Mixed Bag

arly scallop season reports were mixed and across the board up and down Florida’s west coast. While poor weather and murky water led to reports of dismal results for many scallopers, others crowed of quick limits for those in the know.

More like diving than hunting Easter eggs, going deep seemed to be the key in most areas early on. With plentiful scallops reported in 10 to 15 feet of water, many casual scallopers were left scratching their heads. Meanwhile, those willing to work for

Dive iNTO

them were filling buckets. It’s worth noting that charter captains who are on the water daily seemed to have an edge on the rest of the crowds. These early results might bode well for late-season trips, as unfound scallops remain in the water. With a few storms from the southwest to push them in shallower, the tasty bivalves should be much easier to find. Pasco County’s short, July 17-26 season came and went after presstime, but the remainder of the scalloping zones will be open this month. The zone including Franklin, Wakulla and northwest Taylor counties remains open through Sept. 24, and there have been several good reports from St. Marks. The Levy, Citrus and Hernando counties zone also closes Sept. 24. Early reports from Hernando Beach, Homosassa and Crystal River were discouraging early on, but things seemed to be picking up nicely in mid-July. The zone off Dixie County and the remainder of Taylor County is open through Labor Day, and reports out of Steinhatchee went from bad to pretty good within a few days in mid-July. Everyone’s waiting eagerly for the Aug. 16 opening at St. Joseph Bay. FWC’s scallop-count numbers were off the charts for St. Joe last

year, and although the release of the 2020 counts has been delayed by COVID-19, it stands to reason there should be good numbers there. Bag and vessel limits are 2 gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat per person, with a maximum of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell or a 1/2 gallon (4 pints) bay scallop meat per vessel. Vessel limits do not allow an individual to exceed their personal bag limit. When scalloping in open water, divers should stay within 300 feet of a properly displayed divers-down flag or device, and within 100 feet of a properly displayed divers-down flag or device if on a river, inlet or navigation channel. Boat operators traveling within 300 feet of a diversdown flag or device in open water or within 100 feet of one on a river, inlet or navigational channel must slow to idle speed. For more information, visit MyFWC.com/Boating/Regulations and click on “Divers-down Warning Devices.” Help FWC’s scallop researchers by completing an online survey at svy.mk/ bayscallops. Harvesters can indicate where they harvested scallops, how many they collected and how long it took to harvest them. Participants can email BayScallops@MyFWC.com to ask questions or send additional information.

SCallop Season Come experience Scallop season in Crystal River and Homosassa. Be a part of the tradition that creates memories of a lifetime with family and friends. discovercrystalriverfl.com/scalloping

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AUGUST 2020

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FLORIDA 7

A Perfect Day Out Of

PANAMA CITY By John Saporito

he rod slammed down. I hit the lever to engage the electric reel. It growled and started winching up something big from the bottom 175 feet below. The rod twitched and bounced as it pulled in line. Then the monster from the bottom almost stopped the electric reel. The rod bent for all it was worth. The reel stopped, and the line broke. We were all speechless. I was fishing with my friend Andrew and new friends Darrel, Brent and Gene. We were 52 miles out of Panama City Beach on Andrew’s 43-foot Yellowfin. It was one of those nearly perfect days, with the smoothest water I’ve seen in a long time. It was the first time Darrel had ever been fishing, and it was Brent’s first deep sea trip. On the way out to deep water, we saw a float and circled back to find a school of small mahi mahi hanging around it. I occasionally forget things when loading the boat, which is hard to believe because I keep everything but the kitchen sink on the boat. Well, somehow 14 rods seemed like enough. Trouble was, all the spinning setups were left behind. “Well, this is going to be tough, but we can catch these mahi with bait casters,” Andrew said. He rigged one up with a small hook and weight and cast it out. He handed it to Darrel, who hooked his first fish ever. He was all smiles when that mahi came over the rail. I remembered

8 FLORIDA

AUGUST 2020

by Gary Turner

my first bluegill I caught with my dad years ago. I know how good Darrel felt. At the first drop, we rigged rods with 8/0 Owner Circle hooks and 1.5-ounce weights. Soon we were catching all kinds of fish off the bottom: some red snapper, black grouper and some really nice trigger fish. Brent hooked one fish that put up a real fight. He was making ground, when all of a sudden it yanked hard enough to pull Brent to the rail. Then the line lost all its resistance. There was still weight, but no fight. As it neared the top in the clear blue water, you could see the head of a nice red grouper sheared in half by a big shark. As we continued our day, we moved around, dropped some live pinfish and caught more snappers, and groupers. We encountered a grass line with a bunch of mahi on it and caught a few small ones before I had a big bull break off right at the boat. I know I had the kid-who-dropped-hisice-cream look on my face. The last spot was the big fish bottom. Live baits were put down and the bite was on. We all got a shot at some big fish in this spot, but they kept breaking us off. The two electric reels gave it their best shot, but to no avail. You really couldn’t ask for a better day with friends on the water. Contact Gary Turner at gary@purgeright.com.

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Cool Off With A

SUMMER WADE

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

ade fishing comes natural to me. It’s the preferred method of inshore fishing where I grew up on the Texas Gulf Coast. And for those willing to give it a try, it’s a great way to catch fish wherever the bottom composition allows. Wading is a great way to catch fish all year long, and it is a perfect way to keep cool and catch fish during the dog days of August. It also puts you in tune with your surroundings, the bottom contour and structure, and gives you the ability to stealthily cover an area more efficiently. Here are some guidelines I follow on a hot August morning: I start early, and I’m in the water before safe light. Starting under the cover of darkness gives you an edge. Tossing a topwater lure tight to the shoreline is my go-to method. There is nothing more exhilarating than a blow up under the cover of darkness, and amplify that by 10 when the lure is near you! I start out near the shore and fan cast in all directions to thoroughly cover 180 degrees around me. Start with short casts and gradually increase

Photo courtesy of Knockin Tail Lures.

your distance when entering a new area. If you start by casting as far as you can and catch a fish, you will ruin any opportunity of getting a strike from the fish that were between you and the end of that long cast. This is truer in a skinny-water environment than in deeper water. I like to change my retrieve every few casts to see if a particular cadence outperforms others. My cadence is also determined by the type of fish I am targeting. Trout and reds have no problem hitting a lure on the pause, but snook will shy away from a motionless plug. As the sun begins to rise, I might or might not change my lure. For bass anglers, keep in mind that while bass might be less eager to hit topwater during a high sun, saltwater fish do not appear to mind. If they are still eating on top, I will not switch, but if

a change is required, I tie on a 4-inch swimbait and continue fan casting toward the shore. If the bites are not there, I ease out a little deeper. Depending on depth, work from the bottom to the top on alternating casts until the fish are located. To cover new water on my wade back, I zigzag from shallow to deep. This allows me to cover a wider variety of structure and bottom contour while hitting any repeat areas from a different angle. This can often be productive, depending on how the fish position themselves in relation to the structure. Be safe and take a kid fishing, even wade fishing. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures, Controlled Descent Lures, and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

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FLORIDA 9

Motorized Kayak Wins

2020 ICAST BEST OF SHOW

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t goes without saying that an online 2020 ICAST was very different from the bustling mega-show that has descended on Orlando in recent years. That said, one of the show’s highlights—The New Product Showcase— matched well with the new virus-inspired online format. The world’s top brands and most innovative creators rolled out their latest and greatest, and there’s some cool new gear out there. The coveted Best of Show award went to Johnson Outdoors Watercraft for their Old Town Sportsman Autopilot. It is a kayak purpose built for an electric motor. A short-shaft trolling motor with 45 pounds of thrust is seated through the deck in front of the angler. It is controlled with a wireless remote. Among other cool features, GPS-anchoring with the Autopilot is new to the world of kayak fishing. Here’s a rundown of the ICAST category award winners: • Boating Accessories – Minn Kota Raptor Shallow Water Anchor. • Giftware – Garmin quatix® 6X Solar watch • Footwear – Under Armour Micro G Kilchis • Eyewear – Costa Del Mar Ferg • Women’s Lifestyle Apparel – Simms Women’s Challenger Jacket and Bib • Men’s Lifestyle Apparel – AFTCO Saba Recycled Seam-Free Boardshorts • Warm Weather Technical Apparel – AFTCO Diffuse Air-o Mesh Fishing Shorts • Cold Weather Technical Apparel – AFTCO Reaper Windproof 3-layer Softshell Jacket • Coolers — YETI Roadie 24 • Electronics – Humminbird Coastmaster Charts • Cutlery, Pliers, Tools – Line Cutterz Dual Hybrid Micro Scissor • Fly Fishing Accessory – Frabill Floating Trout Net • Fishing Accessory – ATC Tsuka Handle System • Kids’ Tackle – Abu Garcia Gen Ike EZ Cast Baitcast Combo • Terminal Tackle – Rapala VMC Crossover Rings • Tackle Management – Plano EDGE FLEX • Ice Fishing – Rapala STRIKEMASTER LITHIUM 24V • Fishing Line - Berkley FluoroShield • Freshwater Soft Lure – A Band of Anglers Hyperlastics Dartprop Pro SK • Freshwater Hard Lure – Z-Man Chatterbait Jackhammer Stealthblade • Saltwater Soft Lure – 13 Fishing The Mullet • Saltwater Hard Lure – Shimano SP Orca 150 Flash Boost, Blue Sardine color • Fly Fishing Rod – Hardy Zane Pro • Freshwater Rod – St. Croix Legend Xtreme spinning • Saltwater Rod – St. Croix Mojo Inshore • Rod & Reel Combo – Abu Garcia Virtual Casting Combo • Fly Reel – Hardy Ultradisc UDLA Reel • Freshwater Reel – Shimano Vanford 2500 Spinning Reel • Saltwater Reel – PENN Battle III Reels 10 FLORIDA

AUGUST 2020

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FLORIDA 11

Photo courtesy of Texas Sharelunker.

This 8.5-pounder caught by Hunter Manning came from Texas’ Sam Rayburn Lake, which ranked as the seventh best bass lake of the decade.

California’s Clear Lake Named

BEST BASS LAKE OF THE DECADE

ince 2012, Bassmaster Magazine has released an entertaining annual ranking of the country’s best bass fisheries based on data compiled from various sources. With COVID-19 making this year’s data hard to come by, Bassmaster decided to look back and pull together a list of the best bass lakes of the decade. California’s Clear Lake was the surprising pick for Best Bass Lake of the Decade. While considered a West Coast powerhouse, Clear Lake has never topped the Best Bass Lakes list until this year. However, in the past decade, California’s largest natural lake has also never ranked below tenth in the country and has been the top-ranked Western fishery for the past three years. Anglers can expect to consistently catch big bass in a fishery where an average bass weighs more than 5 pounds. In fact, a bass over 16 pounds was landed at Clear Lake last year. Combine that production with a pristine setting in California’s wine country, and you have a bucket-list fishing destination. Alabama’s Lake Guntersville, home of the 2020 Bassmaster Classic, took the No. 2 spot, matching its 2019 rank. Like Clear Lake, the Big G has never been named the Best Bass Lake in the nation, but it is rarely out of contention. Guntersville is known for breathtaking scenery and easy access, but big fish swim there as well. Most big-bass prizes are awarded to fish topping the 8-pound mark, with 10-plus-pounders taking center stage on occasion. True giants call third-place fishery, Lake Erie, home. While most of the tournament data comes out of Buffalo, N.Y., anglers can expect smallies in the 6-pound range anywhere along the shoreline, which includes New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Michigan’s Lake St. Clair, where you can catch the smallmouth of a lifetime, is in the fourth spot. Rounding out the remainder of the Top 10 lakes are California’s Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta at fifth; Toledo Bend, on the Louisiana/Texas border, at sixth; Texas’ Sam Rayburn Reservoir at seventh; Texas’ Falcon Lake at eighth; Idaho’s Lake Coeur d’Alene at ninth; and Florida’s Lake Okeechobee at tenth. The rankings identify the Top 25 lakes in the nation based on headto-head comparisons. As for bragging rights on which state has the most fisheries in the all-decade rankings, that title goes to Michigan with seven lakes. Right behind the “Great Lake State,” there is a three-way tie with California, Florida and Texas each placing six lakes on the list. See www.bassmaster.com for the complete list of the Best Bass Lakes Of The Decade. 12 FLORIDA

AUGUST 2020

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Indiantown Chamber Hosts Inaugural Kids Fishing Tourney

PHOTOS PROVIDED by Indiantown Chamber of Commerce.

he Indiantown Chamber of Commerce held its inaugural Kid’s Fishing Tournament on Saturday, June 20, for children 5 to 15 years. After weeks of delay due to the COVID-19 lockdown, the day finally arrived and the smiles on the children’s faces were self-evident, they could hardly wait to get out of their cars, all 85 of them! The afternoon prior to the tournament, a dark cloud-filling sky raised concerns whether the weather would disappoint, but it didn’t, the day dawned sunny, and stayed that way all day.

Happy smiles on theses anglers that participated in the Indiantown Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural Kid’s Fishing Tournament.

As the youth arrived, instructions included social distancing. With the lake being so large, distancing was not an issue. Catch and release instructions on ‘how to’ were supplied by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). And, the youth listened intently on

how to measure their catches, as it was how they could win prizes and the tournament. Lake Annie was the scene for the event. Because the lake is on private property (owned by Clyde and Nancy Dawson of Indiantown) it’s never fished, resulting in all the children catching bass, crappie and bluegill. Goodie bags, along with sunshirts, caps, lures, pens, vouchers and other items were given to participants, and all enjoyed hotdogs and drinks. With safety as a priority, FWC shared some great advice: 1. A fishing rod length from your neighbor makes a great measure of maintaining the 6-foot social distancing space on the shore. 2. When walking back and forth to your fishing spot, hold your fishing rod vertically (up-and-down) instead of straight out so you don’t poke or hook anyone. Always walk, don’t run with your rod. 3. Look behind you every time you cast—you never know when someone might walk up. 4. Use a pair of pliers to bend down the barb on your hook. This makes it easier to quickly unhook the fish and release it in good health. It also makes it easier to unhook you or your fishing buddy just in case an accident happens! Florida is one of the great fishing capitals of the world, with fresh and saltwater fishing. A team from Anglers For Lake Okeechobee (AFLO) were on hand to help the children; they are a community fishing group of anglers, marina owners, boat owners and fishing guides dedicated to protecting Lake Okeechobee. AFLO was founded with the mission of advocating for the ‘Lake O’ region by focusing on

solutions to improve water quality in lakes, estuaries and rivers, they also recognize it’s going to take long-term effort. The Indiantown Chamber of Commerce promises there will be future kids fishing tournaments and added, “The parents and guardians had such a good time, that now they want an adults fishing tournament.” To learn more, visit indiantownchamber.com.

Look what I caught!

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TREASURE COAST 1

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Due to the effects of COVID-19, prize package mailings are taking longer than normal. While package mailings have resumed, significant delays are expected over the next few months. Anglers are still encouraged to submit catches and enjoy getting out on the water. Earn rewards for various achievements while targeting a diversity of species and reducing fishing pressure on the most commonly sought-after catches. PHOTO COURTESY of Catch A Florida Memory. • Saltwater Fish Life List: Can you catch all 70 species? • Saltwater Reel Big Fish: Recognition for extraordinary-sized catches. • Saltwater Grand Slams: Earn rewards for catching three specific fish in 24 hours. Join the Triple Threat Club and earn even more prizes (including a long sleeve performance fishing shirt and more) by participating in all three programs. Anglers must qualify for each of the three programs to be eligible. FWC also manages the Florida Saltwater Fishing Records program. Link for more information: CatchaFloridaMemory.com

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The 2020 Lionfish Challenge rewards lionfish harvesters with prizes for submitting lionfish. Participants who remove the most lionfish in the recreational and commercial categories by Sept. 7 (Labor Day) will be crowned the 2020 Recreational Lionfish King/Queen and the Commercial Champion. Register today or learn more about the program at FWCReefRangers.com.

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AUGUST 2020

TREASURE COAST 3

FISHING FORECASTS

James Bourassa with a hefty red snapper aboard Off The Chain during the four-day season.

MARTIN COUNTY OFFSHORE

Capt. Scott Fawcett Off the Chain Fishing Charters (772) 285-1055 fishscottyf@bellsouth.net offthechainfishing.com

ack to school, end of summer sails! August is bait month, threadfins, pilchards, mullet and a couple left behind minnows will be schooling heavily off our coast this month. Schools of tarpon and snook along the beaches, mahi under the weed lines, kings over the reef, and sails finning on top. It’s what my dreams are made of! Over the last ten years the month of August has gone from one of my least favorite to one of my most favorite. Easy Bahamas crossings, lobster season, calm seas and good action make this a great time to get the family and beginners on the water. I like to focus along the shore

and reef lines this month, except for when we’re looking for pieces of float or big weed lines while on swordfish trips. The Gulf Stream waters can get extremely hot this time of year so fishing the edge of the cooler water and using a downrigger to fish the thermocline works great. I use a Cannon Optimum 10 TS and know the cycle mode helps trigger bites from lazy fish on hot summer days. It also lets me cover a little more of the water column until I figure out which depth is working best.

Bottom fishing continues to be great this month and for a more detailed report check out Capt. Rocky’s report. August is also a great time of year for routine maintenance and any upgrades that you’ve been thinking of. Lindsey Marine and Yamaha Outboards are offering some incredible deals and incentives right now, and if you happen to be looking for a boat I can help. I hope your next fishing trip is Off The Chain!

Cal Sticher, aboard Off the Chain, getting ready to release Keith Campbell’s first ever Atlantic sailfish. Congratulations Keith! PHOTO CREDITS: Capt. Scott Fawcett.

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AUGUST 2020

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MARTIN COUNTY INSHORE NEARSHORE

Capt. Giles Murphy Stuart Angler Bait & Tackle (772) 288–1219 Fishing Charters (772) 475 - 4857 www.stuartangler.com giles@stuartangler.com

he bait has been insane this summer! Plenty of pilchards and greenies have been easy sabiki baits to catch at Bull Shark Barge three miles south of the St. Lucie Inlet. While out there, you can always cast a lure or fly for a bonito or drop

MARTIN COUNTY DEEP SEA

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he August ocean will roll out an inviting liquid carpet for offshore enthusiasts this month. Snapper fishing will be the goto strategy for near coastal “meat hunters” as many local species of snapper, including lane, vermilion, mangrove (gray), and mutton will be engaged in their yearly spawning period. These snapper and the salty groceries they represent, will populate an expansive swath of Martin County’s reef system from 50 to 180 feet of water, allowing captains and anglers to dial in a daily fishing strategy that best fits individual desires and abilities. Depths of 55 to 95 feet of water

a bonito for a goliath grouper. Endless schools of minnows have been showing up and down the beaches. These minnows attract lots of fish such as snook, tarpon, bluefish, and endless jacks. Some great lures to throw on along the beach are spoons, Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnows, and Giles~Jigs. We should start seeing the mulletrun begin towards the end of August. These massive schools of finger mullet three-to seveninches long cruise down the beach shorelines, like the minnow schools we just experienced. Simply drive your boat out of the St. Lucie Inlet and cruise north or south along the beach looking for that nervous dark water with birds diving. Your best chance to find tarpon will be the focal point for most snapper fishing and will allow anglers to catch representatives from all four categories of snapper mentioned above. “Snapper Grand Slams” will be a highly achievable feat during offshore bottom fishing outings this month, as these representatives of the snapper family co-exist at similar reef sites and will fall prey to similar baits and tackle presentations. All varieties of cut bait, including squid, bonito, sardines, and ballyhoo (to name a few), will result in snapper catching success. Chicken rigs and single hook, straight leader rigs will suffice for bait delivery options to these tasty bottom dwellers. Large cut baits and live baits presented at the end of longer (20 to 70 feet) straight leaders will produce a snapper bite from larger representatives of the mutton and mangrove species at these same reef locations. (For local GPS coordinates for Martin County’s Artificial Reef sites, go to martinreefs.com). Besides a flavorful selection of snapper as fish targets, anglers will

Bridge and North Fork. Again, your best chance for tarpon is early morning when they seem most hungry. Cast netting mullet can be easy with a 3/8-inch or 1/2inch mesh cast net, bigger diameter the better. Before sunrise, the mullet will school up on the shallow flats to hide where big fish can’t swim. The islands around Sewall’s Point Pat caught a nice snook at the inlet and Sailfish Flats are some casting mud minnows with Capt. Giles. good areas to try. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Giles Murphy. There has been lots of feeding on them is usually early sailfish and small dolphin caught morning 5:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. As trolling and live baiting at the the mullet run continues, the mullet “Culverts” about 3.5 miles out just will move inshore cruising back in past the “Sand Pile.” The flashy the St. Lucie and Indian Rivers. We ribbon dredges by Fish Razr are a find lots of snook, tarpon, and big great way to draw fish into your boat jacks chasing mullet at the Ten-Cent and they are easy to use.

August will be a “Snapper Trappin’” month.

PHOTO CREDIT: Safari 1.

continue to be able to catch and keep grouper this month. Grouper will also be found alongside schools of spawning snapper at these some reef outcroppings, making a bottom fishing strategy for a day’s outing, a highly desirable option. As in all summer months, fishing

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AUGUST 2020

TREASURE COAST 5

SOUTH INDIAN RIVER LAGOON

Capt. Charlie Conner Capt. Charlie’s Fish Tales Charters (772) 284-3852 captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com www.fishtalescharter.com

ith things still in chaos from the COVID-19, who knows what will happen the rest of the year. The dog days of August have arrived on the Treasure Coast and rest assured it will be HOT! Make sure you take the usual precautions

of sunscreen and hydration when outside this time of year. Lobster season will be the most anticipated event this month and it will certainly not be the usual start this year. Look for afternoon thunderstorms and plan your fishing for early mornings or late evenings for best results. Enjoy fishing in August! Redfish, trout, and snapper will be the best opportunities this month. Get your favorite top water lures ready for some good trout action on the flats. Follow up with a D.O.A. C.A.L. jerk bait as the sun rises on a light jig head. Water quality has been good so far this year and you can find plenty of grass flats to fish. Harbor Branch, Queen’s Cove and Bear Point have all been productive so far this year. Look for snapper and redfish around

docks and mangroves. Live bait or a D.O.A. Shrimp can help you find a nice slot redfish in August. It has been a good summer for redfish already. Watch for tarpon moving into the river along with many other species. Look around the turning basin for the tarpon action with live bait or a D.O.A. TerrorEyz. Snook will be active around the jetties and bridges. Channel edges will be active with snapper and sheepshead. The glass minnow schools will be moving into the area this month and it will bring a host of hungry predators chasing them. Lots of exciting action awaits Treasure Coast anglers this month! Remember, as always, fishing is not just another hobby, it’s an ADVENTURE! Good fishing!

FORT PIERCE DEEP SEA

Capt. Cole Hazellief Lady Chris Charters (772) 971-7179 TheLadyChris.com

oodbye July, hello August! To catch the big one, anglers must be ready and willing to endure the unrelenting August sunshine. Promises of slob -size catches of grey and mutton snapper, mahi, king mackerel, cobia, grouper served with a side of lobster will provide the needed motivation to endure the high-summer heat. Bounteous baitfish and turtle hatchlings promise that the snapper bite will stay red hot, with a wide variety of brawny snappers peeling line off reels all throughout August. Thermoclines, or cold water upwellings, will play a part in the fishing scheme toward the end of

Snapper buffet! Great catches on board The Lady Chris. PHOTO CREDITS: Lady Chris Charters.

summer, causing changes in the bottom fishing bite. These upwellings of highly nutrient water poses both positive and negative effects. The positive is that the cold water pushes the cobia to the surface, which is for great targeting and

catching these magnificent fish. The opposite is true for the snapper bite. The cold water can cause snappers to exhibit a “lock jaw” type attitude and chase them off their home reef in search of warmer habitats. Thankfully, we have learned a few

Eva with a nice upper slot redfish caught while fishing along the mangroves in Fort Pierce. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Charlie Connor.

tricks over the years to entice the snappers to bite. Live bait is a treat that even the most frigid snapper can’t resist, so rig your sabiki and pack your cast net! Taking all things into consideration, August will be a filled with great catches. Safety is key as social distancing has increased boat traffic on our waters, docks, and ramps, as many of us are taking advantage of our boats for the first time in a long time. In addition, lobster season draws in many crustacean crazed divers, so keep a close eye out for dive flags. Take some time to brush up on the General Boating Rules, check the forecast, remember to hydrate yourself as the intense sun and heat can drain you both mentally and physically. For those who wish to cast of without a hassle, we welcome you on board The Lady Chris to enjoy some of the best fishing on the Treasure Coast! Tight lines and good vibes!

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FISHING FORECASTS

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ST. LUCIE COUNTY INSHORE

Capt. Joe Ward Capt. Joe’s River Charters (772) 201-5770 or (772) 461-1335 CWard11605@aol.com

he inshore fishing should be red hot for trout and redfish on the flats both to the north and south in the river. First light and just before dark will be the best times. For the trout try using live baits like a pilchard or a pigfish and fish them under a popping cork. Also try an artificial bait like a D.O.A. Bait Buster or some other top water bait. Use the natural colored baits. Later in the morning, fish a little deeper and use a live shrimp. For

the redfish you will want to try the same baits along with a gold spoon. Fish the docks along both north and south Indian River Drive and around any mangroves. The snapper bite should continue to be good along the channel edges and around the local bridges. Try using a live shrimp on a 2-foot leader of 20-pound fluorocarbon, a ½-ounce weight and a #2 hook. The catch and release snook action should be good in the Fort Pierce Inlet when fishing with live baits. Remember to fish the baits on the bottom in the inlet or free line them up around the rocks. The whiting bite should remain steady in the surf. Use a piece of fresh dead shrimp. You may also get a few pompano.

PHOTO CREDITS: Capt. Joe Ward.

just enough weight to get your bait to the bottom. I prefer a 4-to-5 feet piece of 30-pound fluorocarbon leader; it is thinner than mono line and more abrasive resistant. I prefer a 2-3-O-size hook to not be seen. Braid main line is preferred by most for bottom fishing as it helps you feel lighter bites and does not stretch. To beat the heat, fishing at night

ST. LUCIE COUNTY OFFSHORE

Capt. Danny Markowski LottaBull Fishing Charters (772) 370-8329 lottabull4@bellsouth.net lottabullfishingcharters.com

ugust has arrived and will bring very warm temperatures, both in the air and on the surface of the Atlantic waters. Bottom fishing will be the way to go to get the most rod bending action but keep a lookout for a nice cobia that might be lurking around your boat or under a turtle. Usually the bottom temperatures will still be cooler in the deeper depths which can push the cobia to the surface. This time of year is a great time for catching a lot of bottom species such as trigger fish, sea bass and a variety of snapper. There are numerous areas to target these bottom species off the Treasure Coast from the beach to 150-foot depths and beyond. If you are new to the area and don’t know where these areas are, I would suggest going to a local tackle shop to buy a fishing chart and talking to the employees to find out the depths people have been catching and what bait has been successful. Also be sure to pick up the latest fishing regulations for size and quantity limits for the area you are fishing. Be sure to vent the fish if you are fishing in deeper waters before releasing any non-keepers. When on the water, look for structure on the bottom, if there is

Buddy Mock (left) with a American red snapper he caught, and his wife, Rose, with her strawberry grouper. Both fish were caught on a charter with S&K Fisheries while staying at the Dockside Marina and Resort.

is a great thing and it is also harder for the fish to see your tackle. Please remember August is the start of lobster season so please keep your distance from divers and hopefully they will respect your area as well. There is a lot of ocean out there for all of us. Get out on the water, catch some fish, have fun and be careful!

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Next Tournament These kingfish were caught by Capt. Danny on a fun fishing Father’s Day trip out of the Fort Pierce Inlet. They ate live pilchards trolled at a slow speed over reefs in 70 feet. PHOTO COURTESY of Capt. Danny Markowski.

bait marking on the structure that is a plus. Anchor up near the area and get to catching. Bottom species will eat almost any live or cut bait that is offered to them such as sardines, squid and chunked grunt. Trigger fish, lane snapper and mangrove snapper will be relatively close to the structure. Mutton snapper will be a bit away from the structure waiting in the sand. The terminal tackles you use to present your bait will be the most important. You will want to use

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AUGUST 2020

TREASURE COAST 7

FISHING FORECASTS

SEBASTIAN INSHORE

Capt. Gus Brugger Pattern Setter Charters (772) 360-6787 www.WelcomeToSebastian.com

SEBASTIAN RIVER – The north

fork of the Sebastian River is usually the place to look for tarpon in the early morning and evening. Flies, plugs, D.O.A. Root Beer TerrorEyz and finger mullet when they become available will all catch these backwater tarpon. Snook of all sizes will be available throughout the Sebastian River. The docks and bridges of the lower river will be good bets both day and night. Plugs, jigs, D.O.A Shrimp and live mullet will draw strikes.

INDIAN RIVER LAGOON – Trout and redfish are available early and late for anglers using topwater plugs and jerk baits on the flats. Find where the baitfish are concentrated, and the predators won’t be far away. Live pigfish, jigs and suspending plugs will

catch trout in deeper pockets and drop-offs throughout the day. Better numbers of snook in the lagoon has made fishing around docks and shorelines a great way to bend a rod this summer. Skipping D.O.A. Shrimp and jerkbaits under cover will produce violent strikes from linesiders of all sizes. You may also find a fair number of trout, redfish and mangrove snapper in the same areas taking advantage of the shade. Residential canals are excellent places to look for juvenile tarpon and snook.

SEBASTIAN

INLET

–

Spawning snook will be stacked on top of one another at Sebastian Inlet this month. Fishing outgoing tides with live baits including croakers, pigfish, greenies, pinfish and shrimp will be the key to daytime inlet action. Night fishing can also be great, whether you drift through the bridge with live bait, or cast plugs, bucktails or soft plastic swimbaits from the rocks. Catch and release is the law until September 1, so please handle the snook with

of the rip at the mouth of the inlet. When the crabs decide to catch a ride on the outgoing tides, big reds and permit can be seen slurping them off the surface along the rip created by the outgoing tide as it pushes into the ocean. Topwater plugs, poppers, crab flies and live crabs properly placed will do the trick.

NEAR SHORE ATLANTIC – August should find king

mackerel, bonito, and the occasional cobia within a few miles of the beach as long as the ocean remains calm and clean. Tarpon will also be a possibility over the reefs just off the beach weather permitting. As mullet and other baitfish begin their southern trek late in the month, the nearshore Dillan McElveen landed this 48-pound can come alive. Big tarpon, cobia on spinning tackle. The fight lasted king and Spanish mackerel, 38 minutes from the time it ate his live sharks, snook, jacks, and the bait outside of Sebastian Inlet. like, all chase the bait south. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Gus Brugger. The mullet schools tend to care. Bull reds will take up feeding stay within surf casting distance of positions throughout the inlet on the beach, so surfcasting for fish outgoing tides. Live and cut bait can weighing in the double- and even be effective for reds along the edge triple-digits is possible.

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SEBASTIAN AREA OFFSHORE

Capt. Randy Lang Sebastian Gypsy Fishing Charters Email: gypsycharters@gmail.com www.sebastianfishingcharter.com

August holds lots of promise for the offshore angler out of Sebastian. Flat seas in the morning make for some comfortable fishing before the thunderstorms come calling. Often times in August we have a good amount of cobia in our waters. They will swarm around high relief in 60-to-90 feet especially if there are big bull sharks around. They’ll be conspicuous on sonar up in the water column and are often accompanied by amberjack. Drop a livie or a jig down to the proper depth and hang on! A freelined frozen bait with just enough weight to get it down, will get’er done too. When the cold-water upwelling comes in, it can drive the cobes in close and near the surface for some great august sight fishing action. Look for them around bait pods or subtle weed lines. Look for some good mangrove

snapper fishing around the full moon early in the month. Chum the water and bring those big mammas to the surface. There’s nothing more fun than hooking a 5- to 10-pound mangrove near the surface on a spinning rod and trying to stop him from making it to the bottom. Use 25-pound flourocarbon and a #1 hook during the daylight hours. Chumming them up at nighttime is the most effective way to fill up the box with them. They are much less leader shy when it’s dark so, heavier line can be used. Once again, this month, small boats can get into some good action within five miles of shore. Kingfish are the best bet, but mahi, sails, and other pelagic will come in shallow especially when the water is blue and the bait is thick. Working around the bait schools with live greenies is the best way to hook into a quality fish. It’s a great time to run out to the Gulf Stream and troll. Mahi, sailfish, blackfin tuna, and wahoo will all be on the hit list. Try skipping naked ballyhoo on those dead calm days for more strikes. When the bite slows, try deep dropping for tilefish to top off the fish box. You’ll need an electric reel and a special “chicken rig” to fish the 650-foot-plus depths

Chris from Georgia, with an assist from his buddy Randy, battled this stud blackfin tuna to the boat on a medium spinning outfit. It took a frozen sardine drifted at mid-depth while bottom fishing in 90 feet. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Randy Lang.

for these tasty devils. Watch for the shrimp boats offloading by-catch out on the edge of the Gulf Stream. The blackfin tuna will be mixed in with the bonito and are a blast on spinning tackle. Just chum and chunk some cut bait out there with a hidden hook. Remember that lobster season

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AUGUST 2020

TREASURE COAST 9

FISHING FORECASTS

FROM THE SHORE

Jayson Arman That's R-Man Land Based Fishing Services (772) 530-8080 thatsrman4677@gmail.com

Anthony Taddeo with a solid beach tarpon caught using No Live Bait Needed swimbaits.

PHOTOS COURTESY of Jayson Arman.

and based fishing in August can be HOT! Getting out early in the morning and walking the beach can be very exciting. Strolling out onto the beach and seeing birds and pods

of bait can be fun and frustrating all at the same time. “Matching the hatch” is a fishing term for using what is there at the time. Some days there will be

minnows, some days greenies and then later into the summer and fall there will be finger mullet. Bringing a assortment of artificial lures will be the key to success. No Live Bait Needed Swimbaits will be a great option and down-sizing to a 1/8-ounce glass minnow jig will be thing you should be carrying. Also have two different types of combos will make it easier to throw these different size baits. My recommendation is something like a Tsunami carbon-shield 7-foot 6-inch spinning rod with 10-pound braid for the lighter tackle and a 9-foot heavier action spinning combo for bigger tarpon, sharks and big jacks. Afternoon thunderstorms

can also sometimes trigger some extremely exciting fishing. With good action in the river, it will be important to have some wind and bait at your favorite spots. Sometimes in August it is brutally hot until you get a sea breeze. Having the sea breeze, normally in the afternoon, can make for a more comfortable experience. Getting out at night and doing some bridge fishing will also be something to consider. Enjoy every experience and always try to remember to learn something every time you are on the water. Call me anytime if you are interested in booking a trip, and good luck on your next adventure!

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KAYAK FISHING FORECAST

Brian Nelli Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters (772) 201-5899 Brian@tckayakfishing.com www.tckayakfishing.com

INSHORE: Fishing will be good if you can get out before the midday heat. The flats are still holding good amounts of bait including mullet and glass minnows. Finding and fishing the outside edges of these schools will produce multiple species. Snook fishing the inlets and bridges near them are a great option. Try using a D.O.A. TerrorEyz bounced near the bottom around the inlet. If you want to avoid the heat of the day, get out at night and fish the shadow lines of the bridges with a mullet imitation. OFFSHORE: Kingfish and sailfish

will be the most common catches during this month. Sharks and false albacore are a sure thing if

PHOTO CREDIT: Brian Nelli.

you are looking to bend a rod. The wahoo bite should always be on your mind throughout the summer. Fishing three to four days before and after the full moon is usually

best. I prefer running baits on a downrigger anywhere from 60-to80 feet below surface for a wahoo bite. Check us out Pushin’ Water

Kayak Charters on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for all the latest adventures my clients and I get into. See you on the water!

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AUGUST 2020

TREASURE COAST 11

WE H EVERY YOU NEE A GREAT THE W

FISHING FORECASTS

LAKE OKEECHOBEE

Capt. Nate Shellen Shellen Guide Service (863) 357-0892 OkeechobeeBassFishing.com sjmike7@aol.com

ake Okeechobee continues to churn out great catches of bass, for those anglers who get on the water at first light. The first several hours of each morning is a golden time, bass are actively chasing baitfish in and around the Kissimmee grass exploding on the bait pods that are attempting to feed and hide in the thick cover. A shad look-alike topwater bait worked tight to the cover will draw vicious strikes from bass as they aggressively attack anything they perceive as part of the food chain. Spinnerbaits and swim jigs thrown deep into the grass on heavy braided line are the only bait you may need on some morning, particularly if there is a little cloud cover. Gold blades, silver

putting a whipping on blades or copper blades the other non-believing they all have a place anglers in the boat. and time for catching It is very important bass. The skirt colors to have confidence in we use vary from white, whatever bait you are white/blue, white/ using, fishing it without chartreuse, gold and purpose and confidence even solid black, they does not work. It can be all work. Depending difficult to target exactly on the thickness of the what the bass are eating grass, a more heavily at this time, many times weighted bait may be though just being aware necessary in order to of what the fish are get the bait to sink into eating right now can the grass, 3/8-ounce to lead you in a direction 1/2-ounce will handle that will reward your most situations. efforts with great There are many catches of bass. There anglers who love fishing are numerous tackle with plastics, rubber shops around the lake worms, and the like. and the guys behind The sheer numbers, the counter receive a types and styles of Preston Deutsch lot of input into what is plastics these days are and his dad, both working and what areas staggering. Tackle shops from Georgia, came are putting out bass, ask can’t begin to carry down to catch this some simple questions all of the variations of Okeechobee giant and the results may colors and styles that on a spinner-bait on surprise you. It’s very are available from a an early beautiful difficult these days to myriad of different morning! keep your fishing both companies. Yet many PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Nathan Shellen. simple and productive, anglers get stuck fishing the same color or type of worm from the frozen North pulls out at times going back to square one that worked for them before. I have an obscure piece of plastic and can be all that is needed to get you been guilty of this until a customer proceeds to catch bass after bass, mojo going.

A Day On The Lake Is Never Wasted! Visit Okeechobee, Florida www.visitokeechobeecounty.com (863) 763-3959

12 TREASURE COAST

AUGUST 2020

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DIVING FORECAST

Steve Wood Deep Six Watersports - Stuart (772) 288-3999 Stuart (772) 562-2883 Vero Steve.wood@deepsix.com www.deepsixintl.com

Scuba diving is the best social distancing activity hands-down.

ut on the reef and under the surface is about the best place to enjoy what Florida has to offer while still maintaining distance. Luckily, August on the Treasure Coast is an exciting time of year to be in the water because lobster season is back and grouper and hogfish seasons continue to remain open. This summer has been great for exploring nearshore waters and beach diving spots thanks to weeks of clear water and calm conditions. Snorkeling around high tide is always best for clearest water nearshore and generally, you should be able to see the reef while standing on the beach wearing polarized sunglasses. If visibility is poor, the reef will be obscured. Offshore, clean water can also indicate strong currents due to

PHOTO CREDIT: Brent Barnes.

the proximity to the Gulf Stream. For this reason, drift diving is the way to go and it’s important captains and divers review some important details before jumping in. Carrying a float ball is a critical part of the process and knowing what to do if the float line snaps or the ball gets pulled under while a diver is hooked off to the bottom can help everyone get back on board safely. Large capacity reels for more scope, handheld grappling hooks to hold the bottom and a two-buoy system are all great ways to handle heavy current. Large, rigid float balls with more volume tend to stay on the surface better than small Styrofoam styles used by snorkelers.

Establishing an emergency recall system (like revving the engines three times) and agreeing when to activate professional search and rescue in the event of separation are all good practices. Divers should carry signal devices with them in the water like inflatable safety sausages, signal mirrors and whistles. Many locals who skipped the rush of mini season may time their first dive trip in August to coincide with opening weekend of lobster season. Since grouper and hogfish seasons are both open, buddy teams may consider each taking a different role on the dive to increase the odds of success and not to get too overloaded

Lobster season is back in August! PHOTO CREDIT: Valerijs Novickis.

with equipment. For example, one diver has lobster and lionfish supplies and the other carries the speargun and fish stringer. This way, each diver has a narrow objective, the other can lend help as needed and both can focus on being good at only one or two activities yet still have all options covered.

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AUGUST 2020

TREASURE COAST 13

Fly Fishing Corner

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SUMMER

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hank goodness I have fly fishing, otherwise I would lose my mind! Isn’t it insane how the world has changed over the last five or six months? No, don’t worry, I’m not going to start, the media is already full of it. Instead, let’s lighten up a little and talk about my absolute favorite fly fishery during my favorite time of the year, summer sight fishing. Can it get any better? Dang! Sight fishing for big snook and tarpon! Just to see these big fish following or chasing your fly makes you shake and when you hook up it is a feeling you can’t even describe. As much as I love walking and fishing the beaches, most days I spend in my boat with my customers. The running and gunning makes it easier to cover more water and find fish. In fly fishing, it is crucial to be at the right spot at the right time.

No matter what you think and how good the spot might be, if there is no action or nothing happening, move on. Find the right spot which can be related to: tide (current, water level), bait, light, structure, temperature, oxygen. Finding the right spot usually includes the right fish that are active and want to “play”. Take your time and pick your shot. Look for the fish coming towards you, present the fly in a way that the fish can discover it and that you move the fly away upon stripping. Get out there have fun and make it happen! Share our passion and our amazing fishery here on the Treasure Coast. Capt. Michael Mauri www.mauriflyfishing.com michael@mauriflyfishing.com (772) 485-3321

PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Michael Mauri.

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Ed Mlotkievics visiting from Orlando with a nice sight-fished Stuart snook.

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14 TREASURE COAST

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ENGELMANNS PULL OFF FIRST-PLACE FINISH IN JULY BCFA TOURNAMENT T

he Backcountry Fishing Association’s July tournament took place on the Fourth of July. It was another hot summer day and 31 boats checked in and 17 boats checked out. A total of seven redfish and 13 trout were brought to the scale. Father and son, Kyle and Rich Engelmann pulled off a first-place finish with a 6.97-pound trout and a 3.19-pound redfish, for a total weight of 10.16 pounds earning a nice payout of $581.25. The team also won the trout Calcutta earning an additional $210. David Young took second place with a 2.83-pound trout and a 4.20-pound redfish, a total weight of 7.03 pounds, earning $348.75. Mason Urso and Mark Treling caught a redfish weighing in at 6.47-pounds, putting them in third place and earning $232.50, plus an additional $220 for the redfish Calcutta. Zach Foltz and his alternate,

Backcountry Fishing Association

ABOVE, LEFT: First-place father and son team, Kyle and Rich Engelmann;. ABOVE, RIGHT: Second-place finisher David Young.

Fort Pierce, FL fiancée Lorae’ Simpson, took fourth place with a 5.79-pound redfish earning points. Lorae’ also earned herself the title Lady Angler for the July tournament and received a Danco pliers gift set, which included a crankshaft aluminum plier, 4-inch bait knife, a 7-inch fillet knife and knife sharpener. Justin Carnes and alternate Bill Halladay took fifth with a 5.34-pound trout, earning points. The Backcountry Fishing Association is a nine-month circuit, which runs from January through

PHOTO CREDITS: Backcountry Fishing Association.

September, finishing with its twoday Classic in October, where the top five teams will compete on day two for a grand prize and cash. Teams must fish in at least five tournaments to be eligible to fish the Classic. The artificial lure only tournament gives two-person teams and solo anglers monthly opportunities to win cash and earn points. Redfish, trout and snook (seasonal) are the qualified species. Anglers attempt to bring one

legal fish of each species to the scales for weigh in and live release. Membership fees are $25 for the year. To enter the tournament each month, the fee is $60 per team. The next tournament will be on Saturday, Sept. 5 with the captain’s meeting being held on Friday, Sept. 4.

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TREASURE COAST 15

TREASURE COAST CASTERS RECAPS

TREASURE COAST CASTERS ANNUAL FISH OFF DETERMINES NEW TCC OF THE YEAR

reasure Coast Casters (TCC) held its annual Fish Off for the Treasure Coast Caster of the Year on June 27, and after all fish were weighed and points totaled, Kendrick Forlifer became the TCC of the Year! Anglers met early and bright of the ‘fish off ’ at 6 a.m. to receive their fish list for the day. Although 12 species were on the list, the fish of the day was mangrove snapper with all anglers hauling in at least one. Just one-ounce separated first and second place, and weigh-in placement separated second and third place.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS 1st Place / Treasure Coast Caster of the Year: Kendrick Forlifer, Okeechobee H.S. - 40 points

2nd Place: Josh Richter, Ft. Pierce Central - 40 points 3rd Place: Nicholas Rosario, Ft. Pierce Central - 40 points Along with his trophy, Kendrick Forlifer received a bait bucket filled with fishing items, a $25 Bass Pro gift card donated by longtime TCC volunteers, Pat and Gwen, a $50 Fishing Center gift card donated by Clint Walker owner of the Fishing Center, as well as a $75 West Marine gift card, a custom wrapped rod donated by JF Custom Rods, and an inshore freshwater charter for two donated by S&K Fisheries. Besides a trophy, second place angler Jeff Richter received a bait bucket filled with fishing items, a $25 Bass Pro gift card (also donated by Pat and Gwen), a $50 Fishing Center gift card donated by Clint Walker owner of the Fishing Center, as well as a $50 West Marine gift card, and a rod and reel combo donated by Capt. Joe’s Bait & Tackle. Third place angler Nicholas Rosario was also awarded a trophy, a bait bucket filled with fishing items, a $25 Bass Pro gift card (donated by Pat and

Jeff Richter, Kendrick Forlifer, and Nicholas Rosario. PHOTO CREDIT: Treasure Coast Casters.

Gwen) and a $50 West Marine gift card. Special mention to past Treasure Coast Casters for attending the weigh in, Michael Rochedieu, Savannah Ward, and Andrew Evens—the outgoing TCC of the Year, who also helped with awards at the weigh in. Tournament organizers Cammie and Capt. Joe Ward were determined to complete the 2019-2020 TCC year with the annual Fish Off tournament after canceling several monthly tournaments due to COVID-19. Future inshore tournaments will be announced when known. Treasure Coast Casters offers experiences that educate young anglers on the importance of marine conservation, while maintaining a sustainable and healthy estuary and marine environment. The all-volunteer non-profit offers two fishing tournament divisions, a Junior Division for youth 5-11, and a Senior Division for youth 12-18. There is no cost to join or to fish a tournament. Anglers bring their own bait and fishing gear. For the latest tournament news and updates, follow the Treasure Coast Casters Facebook page. Cammie and Capt. Joe Ward www.treasurecoastcasters.org (772) 201-5773

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AUGUST Tide Chart Sponsored by:

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1901 US HIGHWAY 1 VERO BEACH, FL 772.234.9300 DAY

t Casters.

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nglers inable -profit 5-11, fish a Coast

1SA 2SU 3M 4TU 5W 6TH 7F 8SA 9SU 10M

TIME 1:00 AM 7:27 AM 1:21 PM 8:13 PM 1:51 AM 8:19 AM 2:11 PM 9:00 PM 2:39 AM 9:07 AM 2:57 PM 9:43 PM 3:25 AM 9:52 AM 3:42 PM 10:23 PM 4:08 AM 10:34 AM 4:24 PM 11:01 PM 4:49 AM 11:15 AM 5:05 PM 11:38 PM 5:30 AM 11:55 AM 5:45 PM 12:14 AM 6:10 AM 12:36 PM 6:26 PM 12:50 AM 6:51 AM 1:19 PM 7:09 PM 1:29 AM 7:34 AM 2:04 PM 7:56 PM

HEIGHT 0.27 2.44 -0.23 2.63 0.22 2.49 -0.22 2.66 0.18 2.52 -0.19 2.66 0.16 2.52 -0.12 2.64 0.16 2.5 -0.02 2.58 0.18 2.46 0.1 2.51 0.21 2.4 0.24 2.42 0.27 2.33 0.39 2.33 0.33 2.26 0.53 2.24 0.38 2.19 0.65

L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L

11TU 2:11 AM 8:22 AM 2:55 PM 8:49 PM 12W 2:59 AM 9:14 AM 3:52 PM 9:46 PM 13TH 3:54 AM 10:10 AM 4:52 PM 10:44 PM 14F 4:54 AM 11:06 AM 5:53 PM 11:39 PM 15SA 5:55 AM 11:59 AM 6:49 PM 16SU 12:31 AM 6:53 AM 12:50 PM 7:41 PM 17M 1:20 AM 7:47 AM 1:38 PM 8:29 PM 18TU 2:07 AM 8:39 AM 2:27 PM 9:16 PM 19W 2:54 AM 9:29 AM 3:14 PM 10:01 PM 20TH 3:41 AM 10:19 AM 4:03 PM 10:46 PM

2.15 0.43 2.15 0.74 2.1 0.44 2.15 0.78 2.08 0.41 2.19 0.76 2.11 0.33 2.29 0.69 2.2 0.21 2.43 0.58 2.34 0.07 2.59 0.43 2.5 -0.06 2.75 0.27 2.67 -0.16 2.88 0.1 2.82 -0.21 2.96 -0.03 2.93 -0.2 3

H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H

21F 4:29 AM 11:09 AM 4:52 PM 11:32 PM 22SA 5:18 AM 12:01 PM 5:44 PM 23SU 12:19 AM 6:11 AM 12:54 PM 6:39 PM 24M 1:09 AM 7:07 AM 1:51 PM 7:38 PM 25TU 2:04 AM 8:07 AM 2:53 PM 8:42 PM 26W 3:04 AM 9:11 AM 3:58 PM 9:48 PM 27TH 4:08 AM 10:16 AM 5:05 PM 10:52 PM 28F 5:15 AM 11:19 AM 6:08 PM 11:52 PM 29SA 6:18 AM 12:16 PM 7:05 PM 30SU 12:47 AM 7:15 AM 1:08 PM 7:54 PM 31M 1:35 AM 8:04 AM 1:55 PM 8:38 PM

-0.13 2.99 -0.12 2.98 -0.17 2.98 0.02 2.91 -0.14 2.92 0.18 2.8 -0.08 2.83 0.36 2.68 0.02 2.72 0.5 2.57 0.1 2.64 0.59 2.5 0.16 2.62 0.62 2.5 0.18 2.64 0.59 2.54 0.17 2.69 0.54 2.61 0.16 2.75 0.47 2.68 0.16 2.79

SEBASTIAN (INLET)

VERO (OCEAN)

FORT PIERCE

TIME OFFSET High Tide -48 min Low Tide -24 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide .93 feet Low Tide 1.0 foot

TIME OFFSET High Tide -55 min Low Tide -35 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide 1.45 feet Low Tide 1.36 feet

TIME OFFSET High Tide -31 min Low Tide -18 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide 1.14 feet Low Tide 1.50 feet

JENSEN BEACH (INDIAN RIVER)

ST. LUCIE INLET

JUPITER INLET

TIME OFFSET High Tide +55 Low Tide +1 hr; 42 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide 1 foot Low Tide .50 feet

TIME OFFSET High Tide -10 min Low Tide -9 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide 1.08 feet Low Tide 1.42 feet

TIME OFFSET High Tide +2 hrs; 17 min Low Tide +3 hrs; 4 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide .48 feet Low Tide .92 feet

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AUGUST 2020

TREASURE COAST 17

PHOTO CREDITS: St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program.

LARGEST SELECTION OF FIREARMS ON THE TREASURE COAST

Project area at 13th Street Bridge.

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MOORE’S CREEK PROJECT UPDATE

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AUGUST 2020

he cleanup of Moore’s Creek continues. A priority of the St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program is to clean waters entering the lagoon. Program volunteers have started another project to improve water quality and fish habitat at the 13th Street Bridge. The 10th and 13th Street bridges over Moore’s Creek are easily accessible and shallow water underneath the bridges make ideal locations for volunteer work. The 13th Street project area, like the 10th Street project area has a firm compact bottom covered by a thin layer of muck. The oyster shell modules volunteers deployed at 10th Street helped to create a current that scoured the muck, revealing a sand bottom where submerged aquatic vegetation like tapegrass can be planted. Tapegrass is an excellent fish habitat and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has already started planting tapegrass in Moore’s Creek near 7th Street. The organic muck sediments covering the sand bottom result from vegetation like floating water lettuce decomposing and sinking to the creek bed where they consume oxygen, reducing available habitat for fish. Over the last year volunteers have developed techniques to harvest the water lettuce, preventing it from covering the 10th Street project area Other shared similarities between the 13th and 10th Street projects are that both are narrow

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

ABOVE: Moore’s Creek East of 13th Street. BELOW: Exposure of Creek Substrate East of 13th Street after Removal of Muck.

and shallow. The 13th Street area is rockier, however with large boulders protruding above the muck. The creek widens to the east of 13th Street and volunteers have installed oyster modules to capture water lettuce before it floats downstream. Volunteer efforts aid the comprehensive efforts of the City of Fort Pierce to maintain the creek. The city collects water lettuce from the creek and can modulate water level through a series of water

contro levels variab organi nutrie Pre inorga the lag fish h lettuce have p storm treatin herbic contai oil a pestic upland chemi before Vo filter Creek chemi runoff not re and ca Pierce with City g the filt help f Natur of Am

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K TE

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control structures. Lowering water levels mimics the natural seasonal variability, helping oxidize the organic sediments and reducing nutrients entering the lagoon. Preventing both organic and inorganic pollutants from entering the lagoon is essential in preserving fish habitat. Harvesting of water lettuce and changing water levels have permitted the city to maintain stormwater conveyance without treating the water lettuce with herbicide. Stormwater runoff containing sediments, nutrients, oil and grease from roadways, pesticides and herbicides from uplands properties, and other chemicals also needs to be treated before entering the lagoon. Volunteers hope to create a small filter marsh along part of Moore’s Creek to help remove some of the chemicals delivered by stormwater runoff. Any constructed marsh must not reduce stormwater conveyance and cannot hinder the City of Fort Pierce’s ability to access the creek with its maintenance boat. If the City grants permission to construct the filter marsh, volunteers will seek help from the FWC, Florida Master Naturalists, and the Boy Scouts of America to design and install

the marsh. Christa Stone, a local radio personality, is coordinating volunteer efforts and has already recruited local residents to help with various aspects of this project. To learn more about Moore’s Creek volunteer efforts, contact Christa Stone at christa@mytcmedia.com or (772) 361-3614. For information on the artificial reef program, contact Jim Oppenborn, St. Lucie County Coastal Resources Coordinator, at oppenbornj@stlucieco.org or (772) 462-1713.

AUGUST FISHING CONDITIONS August 1

GOOD

Morning

August 21

POOR

Evening

August 2

BEST

Morning

August 22

POOR

Evening

August 3

BEST

Evening

August 23

GOOD

Evening

August 4

BEST

Evening

August 24

GOOD

Evening

August 5

BEST

Evening

August 25

POOR

Morning

August 6

BEST

Evening

August 26

POOR

Morning

August 7

POOR

Evening

August 27

FAIR

Morning

August 8

POOR

Evening

August 28

POOR

Morning

August 9

FAIR

Evening

August 29

GOOD

Morning

August 10

FAIR

Evening

August 30

BEST

Morning

August 11

FAIR

Morning

August 31

BEST

Morning

August 12

POOR

Morning

August 13

POOR

Morning

August 14

BEST

Morning

August 15

BEST

Morning

August 16

GOOD

Morning

August 17

POOR

Morning

August 18

POOR

Evening

August 19

POOR

Evening

August 20

POOR

Evening

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

What do the ratings mean? POOR day basically means the fish will either steal all your bait or will not even touch your line. FAIR day means that you catch one or two fish but you will have to work hard to do so. GOOD day means that you will catch enough fish to feel gratified. BEST day means that you will catch something almost every time you cast your line in the water. SOURCE: The Old Farmers’ 2020Almanac

AUGUST 2020

TREASURE COAST 19

Share Yooutor Brag Phere! H

Landry Riffe, 8, caught this pompano, his biggest fish to date, on a live shrimp while fishing on the Indian River out of Sebastian. PHOTO CREDIT: Mike Connett.

Email your information ality and high-qu rger) (500KB or la @ easurecoast photos to tr e.com. lerMagazin CoastalAng

Stuart resident Nick Siwik caught this 31-pound, 46-inch snook under a dock in the Manatee Pocket.

Melissa Fox caught a flying fish while pitching a lure to some small mahi-mahi. It is extremely rare to catch a flying fish on a rod! PHOTO CREDIT: Leonard Fox.

PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Rocky Carbia.

This 4.5-pound flounder was caught on a D.O.A. Shrimp by Kathy Harllee around some docks in the Indian River Lagoon fishing with Jason Arman of That’s R-Man Land Based Fishing Services. PHOTO CREDIT: Jason Arman.

Savanah, 6, and her dad Todd Taylor Jr., put a limit of nice mutton on deck in early July. PHOTO CREDIT: Todd Taylor Jr.

Father and daughter, Mike Connett and Michelle Riffe, had fun catching up the sheepshead using live shrimp around the mouth of a small feeder creek in Sebastian’s Indian River mangroves. PHOTO CREDIT: Elena Connett.

Sawyer Herbst and Capt. Jon Earhart, Chaos Fishing Adventures, pulled in a sailfish offshore Stuart. PHOTO PROVIDED by Justin Castellano.

Fire up the smoker! Skyler and Grayson Kopelakis hooked up this smoker kingfish fishing out of Fort Pierce. PHOTO CREDIT: Kristina Kopelakis.

Cherlyn Arnold caught this trout using a No Live Bait Lil’ Mullet. PHOTO CREDIT: Lewis Arnold.

Andrew Simpson with a 36.25-inch red snapper caught 20 miles offshore of Sebastian Inlet on squid, fishing with Bill Russell. The biggest ever caught on Bill’s boat. Snapper was deflated an sent back to be caught another day.

Brian Rose with his personal best 9.1-pound bass caught on a Zoom Horny Toad in a Port St. Lucie pond. PHOTO COURTESY of Brian Rose.

PHOTO CREDIT: William Russell.

Justin Castellano reeled in a 32-inch snook off the St. Lucie Inlet using live bait while fishing with Capt. Steve of Native Fishing Charters.

Capt. Cole Hazellief of Lady Chris Charters with a nice blackfin. He says the summertime tuna bite is hot!

PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Steve Bologna.

PHOTO CREDIT: Lady Chris Charters.

Caught on a black and blue Rage Bug while jigging the heavy grass cover on Garcia Lake, Elena Connett caught this 6-pound 8-ounce black bass, her personal best. PHOTO CREDIT: Mike Connett.

Stuart Sailfish Club Foundation Hosts 3rd Annual KDW Fishing Shoot Out Tournament

ith everything that the pandemic has thrown at tournament organizers this year, the Stuart Sailfish Club still managed to have a successful fishing tournament on June 20, abiding by social distancing, as awards were announced on social media. This year’s KDW Shootout, the third annual, hosted by the Stuart Sailfish Club Foundation helped benefit the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast, a local not-for-profit organization that was founded in 1955 and is the only open access, no kill animal welfare organization operating in Martin County. With tournament participants help, a check for $1,537 was given to the Humane Society.

The traditional Friday night kickoff party, which is typically held during final registration, nor the traditional awards banquet, could be held this year. However, awards were given virtually and a record number of boats fished the tournament. Weigh-in was held at Sailfish Marina

Presentation of KDW fundraising to Humane Society of the Treasure Coast (HSTC), Courtney Zanetti, Frank Valente of HSTC, Capt. Greg Moore and Richard Shoup committee chairment for the KDW and board members. PHOTO CREDIT: Stuart Sailfish Club.

in Stuart and the boats were spaced out nicely to keep to social distancing guidelines. Stuart Sailfish Club president, Charlie Conigliaro added, “A special thank you to our tournament and

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

TOP LADY ANGER ($150): Shannon Wood on “Perfect Drift” 4.0-pound dolphin and one sailfish release. DOLPHIN: First place ($750): Brycen Williamson on “Ocean Outlaw 2” (Seavee) 6.8 lbs. Second place ($425): John MacDaniel on “Out of Sight” 4.6-pounds (by time); Third place ($225): Chris Cook on “Lost Boys” 4.6-pounds. KINGFISH: First place ($750): Mark Perrice on “Lost Boys” 26.6-pounds; Second place ($425): Jeff Fabbri on “Next Time” 24.4-pounds; Third place ($225): William Fairnington on “Ocean Outlaw 2” (Seahunter) 8.2-pounds.

club sponsors, Shurhold Industries, Pelagic of Stuart, Ted Glasrud Associates, and Fogel Capital Management. Thank you to all our volunteers, participants, The Humane Society of the Treasure Coast volunteers, Sailfish Marina and members who helped make this tournament a big success!” For more information on the KDW Fishing Tournament, visit www.StuartSailfishClub.com/ tournaments or visit the club’s Facebook page: www.facebook. com/stuartsailfish club. The Stuart Sailfish Club Foundation is a 501(c)3, not for profit organization.

TCBA 34th Annual Fishing Tournament Reeled Them In

fleet of 73 offshore boats and 7 inshore teams entered the Treasure Coast Builders Association’s (TCBA) 34th annual event and weighed in a total 74 catches including a 33.35-pound kingfish, lots of dolphin, snapper and grouper. No one weighed in the elusive wahoo this year. The inshore “Catch, Photo & Release” division winner was Mark Williams and team and took top honors with a combined total of 41 inches of snook and red fish. The tournament was based out of Pirates Cove Marina and Resort in Port Salerno and the anglers had calm seas for most of the day with some heavy rain following them into the weigh station. Tournament organizers thank all the sponsors, including SPS The Builders Store, Tide Tamer Boat Lifts and Port St. Lucie Properties. The tournament committee was able to pay out full prize money of more than $15,000 to 22 TREASURE COAST

first, second and third place winners in each category. A silent auction raised funds for the TCBA Charitable Fund Scholarship programs. Some of the notable auction items included a Yeti Tundra hard cooler filled with goodies donated by Stuart Plumbing, six fishing rods donated by Black Fin Rods, and a 65-inch smart TV from Mari Huff C.P.A. P.A. A weekend vacation package was also donated by The Porch Factory, along with more than 40 door prizes for the captains donated by TCBA members. “Tournament co-chairs, Mari Huff CPA PA and Kelly Johnson of RV Johnson Insurance, their entire committee, our volunteers, and sponsors, all helped make the tournament a great event. Thank you to all and congratulations to all of the winners!” remarked TCBA executive director Maddie Williams.

AUGUST 2020

Jake Borgerding and his team from Jensen Beach Fishing Charters caught kingfish, snapper and grouper totaling 28.03 pounds to win the grand slam division. His 10.93-pound grouper also took first place for total winnings of $2,360. PHOTO CREDIT: Wibada Photo.

Partial tournament proceeds construction industry. benefit the TCBA Charitable Fund, which provides scholarships For more information call the to local students for college or TCBA office at (772) 336-8222, technical training programs in the (772) 562-8222 or (863) 467-2007.

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A Captain’s Thoughts on The Tax Man” TAXED FISH COUNT TOO! By Capt. Scott Fawcett

ith refunds showing up in the bank this August, I would like to take a little time to discuss “taxes”. It is no secret that the significant shark population along with their aggressive behavior has gotten truly out of hand on the Treasure Coast and entire eastern seaboard over recent years. Tales of ten tuna “taxed” to catch

ers

da Photo.

he 22, 2007.

three, recreational fisherman and professional guides feeding cobia after cobia to the trained bull sharks just so a single angler can “catch/ boat” a limit of one. Permit are facing the same dilemma. Snapper, grouper and amberjacks being eaten by ferocious sandbar sharks and Goliaths. I understand how disheartening it is to lose a quality fish to a shark or Goliath and as much as we want that snapper for dinner and to conquer that next big

fish that bites, there comes a time when captains and anglers need to accept defeat and move on. Once you’re pegged on a spot rarely does the problem get better. Yes, the heart of the problem are the sharks, but as responsible anglers. please do not keep feeding them! I come from a long line of hunters and sportsman. I come from a time when you took the time to find the animal, you took your shot, and if for some reason you

op-ed

could not locate that animal or, if the coyotes or other predators got to it first, that was still your tag for the season, period…end of story! I believe that the vast majority of fishermen (and fisherwomen) pride themselves on their ethics and morals. I am hoping that maybe, just maybe, some anglers are just not realizing how detrimental this is to the fishery! Moral of the story, Taxed Fish Count Too.

PHOTO CREDITS: Capt. Scott Fawcett.

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CCA Florida Showcases Successful HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECT

ast month, Coastal Conservation Association Florida (CCA Florida) joined U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt for a special event commemorating the success of its Fantasy Island habitat restoration project in Tampa Bay. The onetime eroding Fantasy Island, located in Hillsborough Bay near the mouth of Alafia River, suffered severe destruction due to heavy traffic from the nearby ship channel. In an effort to restore lost habitat to the bay, prevent further erosion and improve water quality, CCA Florida the Building Conservation Trust (BCT) – the national habitat program of CCA – and Tampa Bay Watch joined forces to launch the restoration project in 2016. “The Fantasy Island project is not just about habitat restoration, but habitat innovation through use of innovative design and science-backed data,” CCA Florida Chairman JD Dickenson said. “In collaboration with our partners, our work has enriched the ecological system for oysters, birds and fisheries while improving water quality and increasing opportunities for Florida’s anglers” To kick off the project, more than 1,000 oyster domes and 40 tons of fossilized oyster shells were placed in two feet of water to allow low and high tide exposure. The development of a thriving oyster reef stabilized 700 feet of the island’s southern shoreline. Today, planted spartina grass has spread to stabilize the sand, and the placed reef balls and oyster domes are now covered with new oyster growth. Additionally, the island has become home to various species of fish and sea life, and white ibises can be found nesting on almost every tree. CCA Florida and BCT secured $50,000 of the necessary $150,000 for the project.

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he Florida mini-season for spiny lobster opened July 29 and 30, bringing out the usual horde of divers looking to get a first crack at lobsters that have been unmolested since April. Chances are the reefs will be crowded with divers again during the first part of the general season, which opens Aug. 6, but the crowds usually taper off as the more easily accessible lobsters are snatched up. Veteran divers will tell you the best way to fill your 6-bug limit with lobsters much bigger than the 3-inch carapace length limit is to find an isolated rock pile away from the larger, more well-known reefs. A small structure in a vast expanse of flat sandy bottom consolidates spiny lobsters and makes them easy to catch. These isolated areas are also less likely to have been picked over by other divers. The Atlantic Coast, from the Keys up to about Jupiter typically offers the best visibility and accessibility to an abundance of spiny lobsters. Although they can be found all the way up to the ledges off Jacksonville Beach, catching lobsters in northeast Florida involves deeper dives and limited visibility. For more information and complete regulations for Florida’s 2020 lobster season, go to myfwc.com.

14 FLORIDA

AUGUST 2020

Florida FWC Seeks Assistance in

LAKE MANAGEMENT PLANS

ere’s your chance to be more involved in the management of your favorite Florida fisheries. FWC has launched a new Lake Management Plans webpage designed to strengthen communication and encourage stakeholders to become more involved with the management plan process. The FWC’s lake management plans focus on the management of a system’s fish, wildlife and habitat. They are intended to guide the successful management of fish and wildlife on these systems for their long-term wellbeing and the benefit of people. The FWC is committed to designing these plans using stakeholder input and feedback to help guide management activities on individual lakes. Input from the public is vital to the success of these projects. The FWC is actively gathering input on each PHOTO COURTESY OF EXPERIENCE KISSIMMEE plan through multiple methods to ensure stakeholders can be involved in the development of management goals and objectives. The FWC is currently developing lake management plans for the Harris Chain of Lakes, the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes and Lake Okeechobee. If you would like to get involved in this planning effort, select the lake in which you’re interested, click the “Get Involved” button and send us your information. Check the webpages for information on the progress of the plans and for completed management plans. For general waterbody information, fishing forecasts, virtual tours, plant control operation schedules and annual workplans, boat ramp information and more, visit the “What’s Happening on My Lake” website at MyFWC.com/Lake.

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You Can Catch ’Em, But...

You Can’t Keep ‘Em! Y

ou might not be allowed to keep snook through the summer months, but that doesn’t mean you can’t catch them. And right now is a good time to target large snook. In fact, this catch-and-release period may be one of the best times for serious anglers to land a fish worthy of a photo to hang on the wall. In summer, snook are in the spawning mood. They can be caught in the surf, often very close to the shore, and also around inlets and ports leading to the open ocean. They’ll move in and out with the moon phases through about September, but they don’t generally move too far. If you’ve got a good area for snook during the fall mullet run, chances are the snook will be nearby during the summer months. For the same reason, the best surf locations will be near a pass. Typically a 15-pound snook is enough to make most anglers very happy. But this is the time of year is when 20- to 25-pounders are caught, and a 40-pounder is not out of the question. The Florida state record snook was caught out of Fort Myers in 1984 and weighed 44-pounds, 3-ounces. But with no way to certify a weight during the summer because fish must be released, there’s no telling how many have topped that mark in the more than three decades since it was caught. Many anglers chase snook with artificials, as they are a fish that will readily jump on jerkbaits, spoons, soft plastics, topwater plugs or flies while they are not spawning. However, bait can be and fisherman’s best friend when

targeting truly big fish. Snook will eat any small fish as well as live shrimp and crabs. Pilchards and other schooling baitfish make for good chum and bait. But if you’re specifically after the fish of a lifetime, sink a big hung of cut bait to the bottom. Large mullet heads and ladyfish heads are known for producing trophy-size snook. Morning, evening and night will be

the best times to fish, as snook are notoriously nocturnal. Sure, 20-inch snook caught in the backcountry on flies or soft-plastic shrimp are a ton of fun, and you can do that through the fall and winter. But summertime is your best opportunity to land a snook that’ll make your jaw drop and your reel scream. So get your hands stinky with some real bait and catch the fish of a lifetime. Just be sure to take care with the fish and revive it well before release. Those big snook are responsible for making the next generation of fish for us to catch.

JET

Yo 16 FLORIDA

AUGUST 2020

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By Peter Cammann

n over 30 years fishing the flats at Luquillo, Puerto Rico, two of the funniest people I met there were Reggie and Manny, a couple of pals from New Jersey on their first visit to the island. I had waded a few yards from shore, keeping my legs covered with water, so as to stay cool and was having a great time catching and releasing cero mackerel, which are related to Spanish macks. As Reggie and Manny walked by, I hooked into one and promptly lost it. “I told you it looked like he was catching fish!” said Reggie. “So, where’s the fish?” Manny asked. “Out in the water, where it belongs,” I replied. “Smart-ass!” Manny shot back as Reggie laughed. Thus, we became friends. The first thing my new pals wanted to know was whether there was a reasonable chance I might catch something while they watched. I explained that the rate of an angler’s success was directly related to the number of fish in the water, divided by the number of people taking note of what the angler was doing, divided again by the probability that the angler in question may well have caught the last fish he was apt to encounter for the rest of the day, which in itself was damn near a sure thing. “That bad?” Reggie marveled. There was always a chance, I offered. “Maybe we might be able to get you to give us one for dinner?” Manny asked hopefully. Now saddled with an audience that expected to be fed, I began to feel the pressure. I got two hits and lost them both at the strike. Another fish took me into a weed bed about 70 feet out before it snapped off. Dinner was beginning to resemble an abstract concept. Still, Reggie was optimistic and he urged me on. I believe I might have eventually met with some success, but for Manny’s query a few minutes later. “Hey, Pete! You mind if I take a dip? It’s getting hot watching you.” Manny waded into the channel I was fishing and submerged. He came back to the surface with a smile on his face. He bobbed about in the water, contemplating the clear blue liquid and feeling it cool him down. He paddled about for 10 minutes before climbing out onto the beach. “We done here?” he asked. “I dunno,” Reggie remarked. “Are we, Peter?” They looked at me with a mixture of expectation and mild disappointment. After all, I had offered the vague promise of a fish dinner, delayed their swimming hour while they waited patiently for it, and then failed to deliver. If I had possessed a conscience, I might have felt awful about it and offered some kind of apology, which I believe my new friends would have graciously accepted, if only out of pity. Instead, we looked out on the ocean wondering where the fish had got to and laughed like hell. Peter Cammann has written fishing stories for magazines and newspapers for over 30 years. He is the author of three books: Fishing Vermont’s Streams and Lakes, Ultralight Spin Fishing and a novel titled SlipNot, all of which are available on amazon.com.

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AUGUST 2020

FLORIDA 17

MARK SOSIN

GUCKEN MEMORIAL REEF

Photo courtesy of Swordfish Sportfishing

FISH & FISHING

HOOK ‘EM UP

DEPLOYED OFF ANNA MARINA

pair of pliers can help you land more fish than you have in the past. Most anglers ignore the logic of that statement, preferring to follow the same rut in the road that they have in the past. The process is simple. All you do is use pliers to mash the barb on the hook or hooks. One squeeze with those pliers and you have dramatically improved your chances of hooking the next fish that picks up the bait or attacks your lure. Historians tell us that barbs were put on hooks originally to keep the bait from falling off. Conservationists recommend barbless hooks or at least hooks where the barb has been flattened to help prevent injury to a fish that will be released. That’s a valid reason, but a much more compelling one centers on the fact that your ratio of hookups will begin to soar, particularly with species whose mouths are lined with piscatorial equivalent of cinder blocks. There’s more to the story. Serious anglers choose their hooks carefully, opting for light wire rather than the stout stuff that could lift a truck out of a ditch. The finer the wire, the easier it penetrates. Huskier hooks with oversized barbs bore wider holes in a fish’s jaw, sometimes falling out regardless of how tight the line may be. Climb out of the trench of tradition and take a hard look at the hook sizes you presently use. Smaller hooks prove more effective than larger ones in terms of hooking and holding a fish. It’s a gambler’s bet that you’re using hooks that are way too big for the task at hand. Remember that bigger or heavier wire does not mean better. An itinerant philosopher of questionable fame and barely a wisp of glory insists that whatever most people believe to be true will probably prove false. Try his thinking on these statements. 1) Fish straighten light wire hooks easily. 2) It takes a big hook to catch a big fish. 3) Without a barb you’ll never land a fish. 4) If you use big bait, you need a big hook. 5) The more hooks you have on a lure, the better your chances for a hookup. Let me share two examples: An extremely successful captain with whom I have fished for years uses very small hooks with live bait on the offshore grounds. His hooks have a shank of just less than an inch and a gap of a half-inch. The fish he lands on those tiny hooks would amaze you. A captain with whom I fished in Costa Rica uses small hooks for billfish. The first thing he does is mash the barbs on his hooks. Then, he sharpens every hook and triangulates the point. If you had a chance to fish with him, the first thing you would do when you got home, is buy a pair of pliers.

For more from Mark Sosin, visit

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18 FLORIDA

AUGUST 2020

fter three years in the making, the Sean Gucken Memorial Reef was recently deployed just 5 miles off Anna Maria in west Florida. CCA Florida spearheaded the reef project, in an effort to honor its late member who unexpectedly passed away in 2017. Sean Gucken, of St. Petersburg, a revered angler, free diver and spearfisherman, was also a devout advocate for protecting Florida’s waters and marine resources. The deployment is a tribute to his passion, and the Gucken Reef will continue his legacy by helping create new fisheries and habitats. The concrete was deployed on the Manatee County “Bridge Reef,” a pre-permitted artificial reef site roughly a quarter mile square. The concrete reefing materials were donated by Port Manatee and Westra Construction. The Bridge Reef is located west of Anna Maria Island, 27º°30 55.44 / 82º 49 1.56 central point. A separate memorial module for Gucken will be deployed on the Bridge Reef in a private ceremony later this year. Thanks go out to partners Yamaha Outboards and Building Conservation Trust (BCT) for supporting this project and continuing Sean’s legacy.

LIONFISH CHALLENGE ENDS ON LABOR DAY

ime is running out to register and compete in the 2020 Lionfish Challenge. The Lionfish Challenge is an incentive program that rewards harvesters for their lionfish removals. The Challenge is open now and will run through Labor Day, Sept. 7. Register online at FWCReefRangers.com at any time. With a tiered system, everybody can be a winner. The participant who harvests the most lionfish will be crowned the Lionfish King/Queen. There are two categories: recreational (number of lionfish) and commercial (pounds of lionfish). Participants with an active Saltwater Products License and lionfish sales within the last year will automatically be included in the commercial category. The recreational category is open to all divers who do not have a SPL. The more removals, the more prizes you win. To qualify for the Challenge, harvesters must collect 20 lionfish (recreational) or 20 pounds of lionfish (commercial). Once those initial lionfish have been submitted, the participant will receive a commemorative 2020 Lionfish Challenge Coin and Dri-Fit long sleeve T-shirt. Recreational – the first 20 lionfish must be submitted to the FWC Lionfish Team via photo of all lionfish laid out so they can be counted. The photo must include the harvester’s name, date of harvest (shown on phone or dive computer) and their signature. After the qualifying tier has been met, the harvester must submit their lionfish tails with their information (harvester name, date of harvest and signature) to a verified checkpoint. A 2020 FWC Lionfish Challenge Submission form must be filled out and sent to Lionfish@MyFWC.com. Commercial – catches are submitted via electronic trip tickets. The trip tickets must include the harvester’s name, date of harvest, amount harvested (pounds) and the harvester’s signature.

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Diving with Endangered Sawfish By Tonya Wiley, Havenworth Coastal Conservation

Sweat THE SMALL STUFF

Life is a Beach!

By Richard Matteson – Stuart Rod and Reel Club

es, summer surf casting on the beach is about big snook and tarpon. Perhaps overlooked are the smallest table fare on the beach, whiting and croaker, which average 10 to 12 inches in length and weigh less than a pound. Their meat is white and very tasty, and if you catch enough of them you’ve got a fine fish dinner. I always keep a bag of whiting and croaker in my refrigerator and add to it as I go. Whiting and croaker are mostly bottom feeders unless they encounter schools of glass minnows, which they follow and blast on the top or corral along the shoreline. Standard techniques for catching them involve sand fleas, live shrimp, cut bait and dead shrimp fished on double rigs with small hooks. You can also use ¼-ounce jig tipped with shrimp. I prefer to use standard jigs (3/8 to ½ ounce) with a 2- or 3-inch plastic body. I shorten the 4-inch D.O.A. paddletails so they are 2 ½ inches long. The trick is to bounce the bait on the bottom and to jerk it near the top. Sometimes they’ll miss, and you’ll snag them around the mouth. Whiting and croaker are Sometimes they’ll take the jig in their often overlooked when mouths. When there’s baitfish and fishing the beach. they’re feeding, it’s easy to catch a dozen fish in a few minutes. Whiting and croaker are an unrestricted species, which means an angler can harvest 100 pounds of fish and there’s no size limit. Smaller fish are harder to fillet. On light tackle and a spinning reel and thin rod, a 1-pound whiting can put up a fight. They are pretty strong for their size. Because of their small mouths, they flip off jig hooks. The bite to hook-up ratio isn’t great. So, if the big fish are not hitting, try fishing the bottom for croaker and whiting. For information about the Stuart Rod and Reel Club, visit our website www.stuartrodadnreel.com. 20 FLORIDA

AUGUST 2020

he population of smalltooth sawfish in the United States experienced a dramatic decline during the 20th century due to overfishing, habitat loss, and the species’ limited reproductive potential. Given the decline, smalltooth sawfish were listed as “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act in 2003. The ultimate goal of the listing is to recover the population to the point that it no longer needs the protections; therefore, NOAA Fisheries convened the U.S. Smalltooth Sawfish Recovery Implementation Team to develop and implement a plan to recover the U.S smalltooth sawfish population. One of the best ways to track the effectiveness of ongoing management and conservation efforts is to collect information about sawfish encounters from divers, fishers and others. Because of their countless hours in the water, we are seeking to partner with the diving community to collect information about their sawfish sightings. Our team developed the guidelines below to inform divers about how to safely and legally enjoy encounters with sawfish: • Keep your distance • Avoid disturbing sawfish • Never chase, feed, or touch them • Share information about encounters Divers should note that advertising expeditions aimed at encountering endangered smalltooth sawfish can be considered “targeting,” which is a violation of the ESA. Therefore, it is strongly urged that the following conservation messaging be included in all advertisements and social media posts regarding sawfish interactions underwater: Sawfish are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Help protect this critically endangered species by following NOAA Fisheries viewing guidelines available at www. SawfishRecovery.org. Share sawfish observations by visiting www.SawfishRecovery.org, calling 1-844-4SAWFISH, and/or emailing sawfish@myfwc.com.

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lso known as the “gray snapper” and to many locals as “mangoes,” the mangrove snapper derives its name given its abundance in Florida’s mangroves. Anglers can find mangoes around shoreline structure year-round. Although larger individuals of the species (14-plus inches) venture offshore once matured, they return to inshore waters from June to September to spawn. Weighing up to 10 pounds as adults, they can be found under docks, along rock lines and bridges all over the Florida coast. With delicious white meat and as a highly sustainable seafood option because of their abundance, mangrove snappers make great table fare. From a boat or from shore, night fishing is the best way to catch mangrove snappers. Cooler waters and darkness result in more aggressive fish. I prefer spinning tackle for chasing mangoes. A 6- to 7-foot medium-light action spinning rod outfitted with a medium spinning reel is a common setup. Use 10- to 20-pound-test braid. The abrasion resistance is necessary because big mangrove snappers are known for bulldogging runs directly to rocks, oyster-covered pilings and other structure. The limited stretch of braid also allows for better sensitivity to bites. A 7- to 10-foot 20- to 30-pound fluorocarbon leader is also key. Mangrove snappers have excellent eyesight, so a tough, low visibility leader can often be a necessity depending on the amount of moonlight when fishing. The additional abrasion-resistance of fluoro as compared to mono can often mean the difference between an unsuccessful trip and one resulting in several offshoresize keepers. In terms of bait, live shrimp or sardines are often the preferred snapper fare, and mangroves can typically be spotted swimming toward the surface to ambush these prey. However, if live bait is unattainable, large cut chunks of pilchards, mullet, ballyhoo or even squid will suffice. A simple fluorocarbon leader tied to a weightless size 1 hook serves as the best low-profile method of naturally presenting bait. A knocker rig is a good second option when fishing waters exceeding 10 feet. When searching for potential structure, look for pilings, bridges and docks with protective cover such as rocks. Mangroves also prefer some current. Some particularly good places to look are jetties close to inlets, which commonly hold large schools of snapper. As ambush predators, mangrove snappers tuck tight to cover and wait for whatever prey might swim by in the current. After locating good structure, cast your bait a few yards up-current, letting the bait drift naturally toward areas where snappers are believed to be hiding. When a mango bites, be patient. They frequently carry a bait back toward cover before swallowing it. After setting the hook, anglers should put pressure on them quickly, as larger snappers take advantage of structures to sever fishing lines.

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New Laws Should Curb Florida’s

By Terry Gibson

SEWAGE TREATMENT CRISIS

By John Saporito

on septic tanks and provides an infrastructure grant fund to lower costs for rate payers. In summary, the 111-page Clean Waterways Act provides: 1) new stormwater regulations that reduce nutrient loads; 2) upgrades to domestic wastewater infrastructure; 3) conversion of polluting septic tanks to municipal systems; 4) improved regulation of sewage biosolids application, as well as; 4) advancements in best management practices to reduce agriculture nutrient contributions. Senator Debbie Mayfield (R-Melbourne) Rep. The Clean Waterways Act Bobby Payne (R-Palatka) championed Clean Anglers are forced to live with billions of gallons Waterways. It passed unanimously. of sewage spills because local governments that The Environmental Accountability Act own wastewater utilities have raided the utilities’ revenues, called “Enterprise Funds,” to pay for The Environmental Accountability Act is the other government services instead of reinvesting in enforcement arm. Wastewater utilities viewed the infrastructure. By forcing each utility to provide the meager fines for spilling sewage as the cost of the Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection business. Environmental Accountability increases with plans for maintenance, repairs and upgrades, fines by 50 percent to $15,000 per day for sewage and an explanation of how they’ll pay for them, dumping and other point sources of pollution. the Clean Waterways Act should discourage such The fines may go into a trust fund that may only short-sighted behavior. be spent on repairs, upgrades and other efforts to Clean Waterways also makes it the DEP’s improve water quality. obligation to regulate septic tanks instead of the Rep. Randy Fine (R-Melbourne), and Senator Dept. of Health, which many critics accuse of Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota) championed the aiding and abetting the septic tank industry. It Environmental Accountability Act. It also passed strongly discourages new construction that relies unanimously. don’t have to tell anglers that Florida has a major poop problem. Aging, ailing wastewater infrastructure is major culprit that feeds harmful algal blooms and spreads fecal pathogens into an overwhelming majority of Florida waters. Septic tanks, which pollute by design, represent 30 percent of the state’s wastewater “infrastructure.” Thankfully, on June 30, Governor Ron DeSantis signed two pieces of legislation into law that will significantly reduce pollution and contamination in waters of the Fishing Capital of the World.

Federal Action Our organization has also worked on the federal level to increase funding for water infrastructure repairs and improvements. Congress significantly increased funding levels. There is also a great deal of bi-partisan support for Covid-19 stimulus packages that include massive funding for water infrastructure.

What You Can Do Reach out to your elected officials to express your concern about sewage pollution. The Clean Waterways Act and the Environmental Accountability Act will now go into the rulemaking process, where the “teeth” get applied, or not. Meanwhile, we need support on all levels of government to fix what is at a minimum a $16.5 billion problem in Florida. Jensen Beach-based Terry Gibson is the Government Affairs Director of the American Water Security Project. He is a veteran outdoor writer and has served in many editorial capacities at several fishing publications.

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eports are coming in from this summer’s big-game tournaments of some huge blue marlin topping the leaderboards. The largest we’ve heard of so far— 964 pounds— was a big meal shy of achieving grander status. There were also a couple of big fish caught in the Gulf of Mexico, one of which is a potential Alabama state record. The near-grander was caught July 4 in the Cape Verde Islands off Africa’s North Atlantic coast by La Onda Mila, captained by Marty Bates. The fish won $464,000 and the 2020 Blue Marlin World Cup, which is open in waters worldwide for a single day. Another qualifying entry in the Blue Marlin World Cup was 667.2-pound blue, caught by Done Deal and Capt. Jason Buck from the central Gulf of Mexico. Weighed at Cypress Cove Marina in Venice, Louisiana, Done Deals’ big fish earned $339,200 for the optional Big Blue Challenge consolation prize. It was a big payday for Done Deal. Their 667.2-pounder was also entered in the July 4 Gulf Cup, in which boats may fish out of any Gulf of Mexico port. Done Deal earned an additional $128,000 for its catch as the Gulf Cup champion.

The next day, July 5, Ginger Myers sat in the chair of the Fleur-de-lis and battled a huge 851.9-pound blue to submission during the 2020 MONGO Offshore Challenge. Weighed at Orange Beach Marina, the fish is a pending Alabama state record and it also puts Myers in position to claim the largest blue marlin ever caught by a woman from the Gulf of Mexico. She’ll have to wait for the results of the MONGO, as the tournament runs through Oct. 15.

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NEW ATLANTIC SNAPPER-GROUPER FISHING THE FLATS OR BAY? REQUIREMENTS

ew gear requirements required for anglers targeting snapper and grouper species went into effect July 15 for Atlantic waters from North Carolina through Florida. NOAA’s new regulations are designed to decrease mortality rates for released fish and require anglers to have a descending device on board and readily available while grouper or snapper fishing. The new rule also requires the use of non-offset, non-stainless steel hooks when fishing for snapper or grouper with hook-and-line gear and natural baits. More than 50 fish species fall under the umbrella of the snapper-grouper ‘complex,’ a diverse collection of offshore fish that are sought-after table fare and critical to a healthy ocean ecosystem. Some of the most commonly encountered snapper-grouper species are black seabass, vermilion snapper, triggerfish, red snapper, gag grouper and spadefish. Many snapper-grouper species live a long time, grow slowly, and reach maturity at a late age—all of which makes them vulnerable to overfishing and makes each adult fish valuable to the overall population. Because these fish are often pulled from deep waters, they’re at high risk of barotrauma, a potentially fatal condition that occurs when fish undergo rapid pressure changes. Barotrauma, often accompanied by bulging eyes and bloated stomachs, can be a death sentence for caught-and-released fish. Fortunately, barotrauma can be reversed through the use of a descending device, which helps anglers return fish to deep waters from which it was caught. Descending devices can range from sophisticated, commercially available instruments to a DIY weighted hook.

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GO GROUPER FISHING,

NOT JUST BOTTOM FISHING Tim Barefoot

t’s not a coincidence...people who go “grouper fishing” come home with grouper in the box. People who go “bottom fishing” might catch a grouper, but they are more likely to fill the cooler with grunts, pinkies and sea bass. If you’re dropping cut squid and minnows on a high-low (chicken rig), you’ll have plenty of action, but you are not fishing for grouper. In order to specifically target grouper, you have to put baits on the bottom, and tackle that will accommodate that bait, in order to eliminate the trash bites. I love to eat grunts, pinkies and sea bass as much as the next guy, but I specifically target the grouper bite with the size and kind of bait I use. From an anchored boat, I typically start everyone out with whole squid and minnows to get the party going on the bottom. This creates a “chum slick” and gets the fish all excited. After half a dozen drops of sacrificial baits each, we change over to larger live and butterflied baits. Wherever you fish, the best bait to use is the bait that is there. That’s why I stay on the sabiki while everyone else is sending down squid. I’m fishing for grass grunts and beeliners (vermillion snapper) to be used live or butterflied. Don’t think for a minute that a 12inch beeliner is too big to use as bait. It’s not. A foot-long butterflied beeliner is the perfect bait for a big grouper.

The idea is to use baits that grunts and pinkies can’t fit in their mouths. If they do eat it, it will take them a long time and a lot of small bites. The angler must be patient with big baits like this. You’ll feel a lot of little “tap, tap, taps,” and then all of a sudden the little fish will stop biting. When the nibbling stops, it’s time to get ready. A lull often signifies the arrival of a bigger fish. It’s getting ready to happen! Live grass grunts on a Decoy Jig are probably my go-to big gag grouper bait, but a big butterflied beeliner is just as good. In the past, when we had abundant and inexpensive bait like frozen cigar minnows and sardines in 5-pound boxes, it was easy to take a few boxes of minnows and a couple boxes of squid for these sacrificial “chum” baits. Now, we have to be more creative. I keep a pinfish trap fishing a few days before a trip and butterfly a large bag of the biggest pinfish. You can also sabiki or cast net larger pinfish on any wreck or fish-cleaning station with a little chum. Cast net a few dozen big turbo pogies (menhaden) as a back-up if you can’t find big pinfish. If you’re interested in catching big grouper, fish big baits on heavy-duty tackle, and be ready for the big bite! For a video on how to butterfly baits, see https://youtu.be/UzdxiTkjvHI.

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Finding Trout On

SUMMERTIME TAILWATERS

By CAM Staff

f you’re looking for a way to beat the summer heat, fishing a tailwater trout stream is an obvious choice. With predictable flows controlled by hydroelectric dams, these are waters where temperature and oxygen content remain relatively stable year round. For trout and angler alike, tailrace fisheries are an oasis in the deep summer heat. While life in all but the highest-elevation free-flowing streams is suffering from heat-induced lethargy, tailwater trout remain active and healthy. Whether it’s the White River in Arkansas, Maryland’s Gunpowder Falls or Georgia’s Toccoa River, there are some constants when it comes to fishing tactics in deep summer. No two rivers fish the same, but trout prefer similar conditions wherever they live. • Fish High — When cold water from the bottom of a deep reservoir is pulled through generation turbines under various methods of oxygenation, flows released below the dam offer excellent conditions for trout. This only extends so

far downstream, though. Summer heat and the sun warm the water, which is also robbed of its oxygen content in the absence of aerating shoals. For anglers on most tailwaters, this means the first few miles below the dam will be the best place to fish. • Fish The Morning — In the depths of winter, sleeping in and fishing the warmest part of the day is often recommended. The opposite is true in summer. Anglers and trout will be more comfortable in the early morning before the sun has had a chance to heat the shallows. Fish are more likely to be up and feeding when the sun is not cooking their backs. Get on the water at daybreak for a few hours of action and then go eat brunch.

• Fish The Shoals — Shoal-broken water has more oxygen. Trout seek out water with higher oxygen content, and their metabolisms also churn when there’s more oxygen in the system. Especially in low-light conditions, work the runs and pockets in the shoals to find actively feeding fish. • Fish The Holes — Find a good deep hole beneath a turbulent shoal and use plenty of weight to dredge the bottom. Deeper water is colder water. When water temps begin to rise, trout go deep. You might find a pod of hungry trout hugging the bottom, or you might find that one fish big enough to have the whole lie to herself.

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130 Piece Tool Kit with Case

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7/9/20 12:06 PM

Tears From A Volcano

Limited to the first 1600 orders from this ad only

Uniquely American stone ignites romance

n May 18, 1980, the once-slumbering Mount St. Helens erupted in the Pacific Northwest. It was the most impressive display of nature’s power in North America’s recorded history. But even more impressive is what emerged from the chaos... a spectacular new creation born of ancient minerals named Helenite. Its lush, vivid color and amazing story instantly captured the attention of jewelry connoisseurs worldwide. You can now have four carats of the world’s newest stone for an absolutely unbelievable price. Known as America’s emerald, Helenite makes it possible to give her a stone that’s brighter and has more fire than any emerald without paying the exorbitant price. In fact, this many carats of an emerald that looks this perfect and glows this green would cost you upwards of $80,000. Your more beautiful and much more affordable option features a perfect teardrop of Helenite set in gold-covered sterling silver suspended from a chain accented with even more verdant Helenite. Limited Reserves. As one of the largest EXCLUSIVE gemstone dealers in the world, we buy more carats of Helenite than anyone, which lets us give you a great price. However, this much gorgeous green Helenite Earrings for this price won’t last long. Don’t miss out. Helenite is only found in -a one section of Washington State, so with purchase of call today! Helenite Necklace Romance guaranteed or your money back. Experience the scintillating beauty of the Helenite Teardrop Necklace for 30 days and if she isn’t completely in love with it send it back for a full refund of the item price. You can even keep the stud earrings as our thank you for giving us a try.

4 carats of shimmering Helenite

FREE

$129 value-



“I love these pieces... it just glowed... so beautiful!” — S.S., Salem, OR

Helenite Teardrop Necklace (4 ¼ ctw) $299* ..... Only $129 +S&P Helenite Stud Earrings (1 ctw) ....................................... $129 +S&P

Helenite Set (5 ¼ ctw) $428* ...... Call-in price only $129 +S&P (Set includes necklace and stud earrings)

Call now and mention the offer code to receive FREE earrings.

1-800-333-2045 Offer Code HEN304-01

You must use the offer code to get our special price.

Stauer Rating of A+

14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. HEN304-01, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com Necklace enlarged to show luxurious color

* Special price only for customers using the offer code versus the price on Stauer.com without your offer code.

• 4 ¼ ctw of American Helenite and the Ultimate Diamond Alternative®, DiamondAura® — Gold-finished .925 sterling silver settings — 16" chain with 2" extender and lobster clasp

Stau e r … A f f or d the E x tr ao r di n a r y .®

Meet the Watch That Shook Up Switzerland A watch that revolutionized timekeeping at a price equally as radical.

Wear it today for only

$39

n the history of timepieces, few moments are more important than the creation of the world’s first Piezo timepiece. First released to the public in 1969, the watch turned the entire industry on its head, ushering in a new era of timekeeping. It’s this legacy that we’re honoring with the Timemaster Watch, available only through Stauer at a price only we can offer. Prior to Piezo watches, gravity-driven Swiss watches were the standard bearer of precision timekeeping. But all that changed when the first commercially available Piezo watch came onto the market. The result of ten years of research and development by some of the world’s top engineers, they discovered that when you squeeze a certain type of crystal, it generates a tiny electric current. And, if you pass electricity through the crystal, it vibrates at a precise frequency–exactly 32,768 times each second. When it came on the market, the Piezo watch was the most dependable timepiece available, accurate to 0.2 seconds per day. Today, it’s still considered a spectacular advance in electrical engineering. “It was like a magnum bullet shot at the most sensitive spot of the mechanical watch industry... Switzerland was terrified.” —Ariel Adams of A Blog to Watch. With the Timemaster we’ve set one of the world’s most important mechanical advances inside a decidedly masculine case. A handsome prodigy in rich leather and gold-finished stainless steel. The simplicity of the watch’s case belies an ornately detailed dial, which reflects the prestige of this timepiece. Call today to secure your own marvel of timekeeping history. Because we work directly with our own craftsman we’re able to offer the Timemaster at a fraction of the price that many Piezo watches cost. But a watch like this doesn’t come along every day. Call today before time runs out and they’re gone. Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Spend some time with this engineering masterpiece for one month. If you’re not convinced you got excellence for less, simply send it back within 30 days for a refund of the item price. But we’re betting this timekeeping pioneer is a keeper.

[

Timemaster Piezo Watch $299*

TAKE 8

Offer Code Price Only $39 + S&P Save $260 OFF IN 7% STA

NTLY!

1-800-333-2045

When you use

Your Insider Offer Code: TPW221-01 You must use the insider offer code to get our special price.

Stauer

® 14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. TPW221-01 Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com

*Discount is only for customers who use the offer code versus the listed original Stauer.com price.

Rating of A+

Stauer… Afford the Extraordinary.®

your

INSIDER OFFER CO DE

• Precision Piezo electric movement • Stainless steel caseback and crown • Cotswold® mineral crystal • Crocodile embossed leather strap fits wrists 6 ½"–8 ½" • Date window display • Water resistant to 3 ATM