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By Capt. Mike Weinhofer hen I arrived in Key West more than 30 years ago, there was a sign on the fence at the airport that said “Sportfishing Capital of the World.” At the time I had no idea how special Key West was as a fishing destination. It isn’t that it’s the best fishery for any one species. The opportunities here are endless. It has a lot to do with Key West’s location and topography. Key West is a tiny island 120 miles out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Gulf of Mexico on the other. It has shallow waters surrounding it to hold bait and deep water near to shore. It’s a very unique ecosystem. It’s a natural migration point for many species to feed and breed. Shallow flats surround Key West and serve as a breeding ground for bait and shallow-water trophy fish. The tarpon migration is world famous. Whether you want to fly fish or bait fish for tarpon, they are always willing to entertain. The shallow flats are also home to bonefish and permit, the hardest fish in the world to catch on a fly. But while the flats are loaded with fish, it’s not just the shallow water that mesmerizes. The call of bluewater seems to ring in everyone’s ears. Just 5 miles offshore on the Atlantic side lies the shallow-water reef. The reef is home to grouper, snapper and all types of tropical fish as well as myriad baitfish. The reef is also a congregation point for bluewater fish. The small ballyhoo and other baitfish attract larger and larger fish to the shallows. It is not uncommon in the winter months to watch sailfish chase ballyhoo in less than 15 feet of water. Just outside of the reef, the water drops to about 120 feet in 500 yards, and then there is an area called “The Bar.” It’s the old coral reef from when the water table was 40 feet lower. The Bar is about 200 yards wide and holds all kinds of fish. It shadows the reef for about 20 miles to the west. The west end of the bar is a magical place, with east-bound current upwelling on the end, bait feeds on pushed-up nutrients, and where bait congregates fish follow. Now for the offshore bluewater. “Woods Wall” is named after the man that discovered it, the famous Keys fisherman Norman Woods. At
W
make even more structure. So close to shore and holding such a variety of fish, it is a bluewater angler’s dream. Amazingly enough, we have not even touched on the fishing west or the north of Key West yet. To the west lie shallow flats and a string of islands that hold bait, tarpon, permit, sharks and many more species. Then, when you get about 20 miles west of Key West there is an island atoll call the Marquesas. It is a special place. Flats fishers come from all around the world to fish this little island. Many stories have been written about epic battles with tarpon and permit and what a magical place it is at sunrise, when anglers watch shallow-water fisheries come to life. Farther to the west are 10 or so wrecks in less than 15 feet of water. Fishing around these wrecks is like fishing in an aquarium. The water is crystal clear and bait is everywhere. Whether it is barracuda, permit, cobia or sharks, the wrecks are alive with activity. Another magical place 64 miles west of Key West is the Dry Tortugas, a group of small islands surrounded by shallow water and some of the best bottom fishing in the world. The Dry Tortugas is home to Fort Jefferson, a national park and a whole other ecosystem I could spend an entire article describing. To the north of Key West lies the Gulf of Mexico, a shallow basin for the nearshore that drops to about 100 feet in depth at 40 miles. The Gulf is loaded with wrecks that hold all kinds of bottom fish. Grouper, snapper and cobia fishing is a blast, as is the jewfish and shark fishing. Never mind fishing behind the shrimp boats for blackfin tuna, bonitas, cobia and other fish. And there are the radio towers that stand tall out in 80 to 120 feet of water that hold all kinds of bottom fishing opportunities as well as kingfish, amberjacks, sharks and cobia. In short Key West is not the best fishery for any one thing, it has it all. The topography makes it like no place else in the world to fish. Its unique layout allows us to hide from prevailing winds and make even the worst winds fishable. Quite often the hardest decision is which way to turn in the morning, left or right can make all the difference. It is one of the few places you can catch tarpon in the morning, sailfish in the mid day and dolphin or tuna in the afternoon. Everything is just so close, and there are just so many choices it makes each morning a debate. After 30 years, I still enjoy all the hard choices. Capt. Weinhofer runs charters on the Compass Rose. Visit www. KeyWestFloridaFishing.com or call 305-395-3474.
the edge of the continental shelf, the top of the wall is 800 feet deep with a shear drop to deeper than 1,800 feet in a mere 100 yards. The Gulf Stream slams into this shear face and makes rips and upwellings. If that weren’t enough, there are cracks in the wall that extend inshore to 8
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Fight the blues.
If nothing makes you happier than battling a billfish, you’ll find plenty to smile about in Key West. Minutes from shore you can go toe-to-toe with behemoth blue marlin, the greatest gamefish of them all. You can chase after tuna and dolphin, too. Wahoo! fla-keys.com/keywest 1.800.527.8539 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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ON THE COVER Editor’s Note:
Each month, Coastal Angler Magazine and The Angler Magazine staff search our vast coverage area for photos that will grace our covers. With well over a million readers in diverse coastal and inland markets, our magazines strive for broad national appeal as well as local-level intelligence to put anglers on fish. The cover is different depending on which edition you, the reader, are holding. The following is a little information about this month’s covers.
COASTAL ANGLER MAGAZINE Freeport, Bahamas Yellowfin
FREE
Sushi doesn’t come any fresher than it does Outdoor 32nd Annual on the deck of the Finster when yellowfin Palm Beach Apparel International Edition Boat Show tuna are pushing bait off of Freeport in the Bahamas. This month’s Coastal Angler Magazine cover photo, courtesy of Picture Perfect Charters, is of Capt. Pete Milisci with a nice tuna that has an imminent encounter Local with a fillet knife and some soy sauce. Team Finster is an offshore tournament team based out of Fort Myers, Fla. They fish sailfish tournaments on the east coast of Florida as well as some offshore stuff on the west coast. All that sounds fun, but so does their annual spring tuna outing across the Gulf Stream from Fort Lauderdale. It’s the kind of trip most occasional anglers dream of, and these guys do it pretty much every year when the yellowfin show up. They spend the better part of a week operating out of a condo in Port Lucaya, venturing out just 10 miles from the docks each day to chase birds and catch big tuna. They load coolers with mahi, blackfin and yellowfin tuna, and even the occasional mutton snapper caught from the dock while they are cleaning the day’s catch. What more could an angler ask for? March 23-26
WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS WANTED! The Best American Hooks & Weights For Better #Fishing
Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events
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THE ANGLER MAGAZINE Lake Erie, Smallmouth Bass
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Over the last decade or so, Lake Erie, the fourth largest of the Great Lakes, has really taken off Outdoor Apparel as one of the best smallmouth bass fisheries in Edition the world. This has been widely credited to the arrival of the invasive round goby, a bottomdwelling species that has become a staple in Local the diet of bass and other game fish. Biologists have reported impressive growth rates of smallmouth bass in Lake Erie since the gobies took hold there. The long-term impact these invasive fish will have is not completely understood, but for the meantime they are propping up a great fishery. The photo on the cover of this month’s editions of The Angler Magazine is of Kayla Culp, of Ridgeway, Ontario and a chunky bronzeback she caught while drop shotting soft plastics in Lake Erie’s East Basin. She mainly fishes the Canadian side of the lake, where bass season doesn’t begin until early summer. Anglers on the U.S. side of the lake also get to experience fishing through the stages of the spawn, which typically begin with a pre-spawn push to shallower water in April and run into June when the fish retreat back to the depths. The photo was taken by her boyfriend, fishing buddy and all-around lucky dude Matt Sirianni. Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events
VOLUME 22 • ISSUE 265
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APPAREL Product Review XTRATUF KRYPTEK ANKLE DECK BOOT Introducing the Kryptek Ankle Deck Boot from XTRATUF, a beloved fishing boot brand popular amongst recreational and commercial fisherman alike. XTRATUF boots are a gear staple of every man, woman and child in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest and beyond, not only for the protective properties that have made them must-have gear for boating, sailing and fishing enthusiasts, but as a fashion and trend statement around the world. This boot is a simple, wearable way to achieve a fashion-forward look in a truly iconic boot with significant brand heritage. New for spring 2017, XTRATUF and Kryptek, camouflage design innovators, are collaborating on a new deck boot collection that combines the technology of the popular XTRATUF Performance Ankle Deck Boot with sleek Kryptek camo designs, including the Yeti and Pontus patterns (MSRP $90). It features a 1mm Neoprene XpressCool bootie that surrounds the whole foot and ankle providing all day comfort. Like all XTRATUF footwear, the Kryptek Ankle Deck Boot is 100 percent waterproof, and it includes a boatload of performance features. • XpressCool lining to keep feet cool in warmer weather • Full-rubber, lightweight silhouettes • Slip-resistant chevron outsole • Pull-on tabs for easy on and off
WWW.XTRATUFBOOTS.COM
L.L. BEAN HYBRID FISHING SHIRT With a unique combination of fabrics, excellent ventilation and built-in sun protection, L.L. Bean’s Hybrid Fishing Shirt delivers unbeatable performance. This shirt is slightly fitted to provide on-thewater functionality while looking good. A relaxed fit through the chest and sleeve as well as stretchy knit upper arms with built-in articulation allow for a full range of motion when casting. A slightly slimmer waist keeps uneccesary fabric out of the way when you’re fishing. The Hybrid Fishing Shirt features a blend of woven and knit nylon and polyester with built-in UPF 50+ sun protection. It’s breathable, and a caped back for ventilation will keep you cool and comfortable during long days on the water. Polygiene treatment prevents the growth of odor causing bacteria to keep you from smelling worse than the fish you catch. L.L. Bean has designed a performance fishing shirt that looks as good as it performs on the water. Trim for attaching zingers and forceps and streamlined pockets for gear complete the package.
WWW.LLBEAN.COM
SCALESKINZ MULTIFUNCTIONAL HEADWEAR Capsmith Inc. is the No. 1 trusted source for fishing and outdoor enthusiasts with more than 32 years of experience in the headwear industry. Scaleskinz Multifunctional Headwear can be worn many different ways, and will attract all the right attention with colorful detail and sun protection. Scaleskinz feature a seamless tubular design that can be worn in 12 different ways, including a cap, scarf, facemask, headband, neck shade or shape it to fit your needs. This exclusive product offers maximum protection against sun, wind and rain. Scaleskinz are the perfect addition to retail stores that cater to fishing enthusiasts. Available designs include Dolphin, Tarpon, Marlin, Redfish and Bass. One Size Fits Most. For wholesale Scaleskinz inquiries, contact Capsmith Inc. at 1-800-228-3889, or buy online at www.ihatehats.com.
REEF CONTOURED CUSHIONED SANDALS
Reef has become the go-to purveyor of sandals that look as good as they feel on your feet. Their new Contoured Cushioned Sandals are so comfortable you might not even take them off to go to bed. These sandals feature molded rubber sponge footbeds, so you really are wearing pillows on the soles of your feet. Synthetic-nubuck-leather uppers are stylish and durable, and they are padded with jersey lining to feel super soft against your skin. Finally, these shoes are outfitted with anatomical arch support to keep you comfortable all day long, through any adventure. What more could you expect from a company that is world-renowned for making high-quality footwear for those who enjoy life on the water. Whether you’re headed offshore or to the tiki bar, Reef’s Contoured Cushioned Sandals will keep your feet looking as good as they feel.
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APPAREL Product Review PELAGIC BATTLE GLOVES Ever look at an old salt’s hands? Fishermen are right up there with mechanics for having the most abused hands out there. Pelagic, a company that designs clothing specifically for protecting anglers from the harsh marine environment, has the perfect solution for protecting your hands while they’re doing battle. Pelagic Battle Gloves give anglers an edge when fighting monsters of the deep. These heavy-duty “Sure Grip” fishing gloves are ideal for fishing heavy mono, braid or wire lines and are Kevlar reinforced for maximum protection from line cuts, blisters, sharp fins and teeth. Made with open fingertips for maximum dexterity and finger maneuverability, they protect your hands while allowing you to do the intricate work of rigging lines and baits and tying knots. These gloves increase angler endurance, yet are versatile enough to use for fish handling, bill grabbing, fish filleting, and many other offshore purposes. With Velcro security and stamped with the Pelagic deluxe logo, Battle Gloves are a must-have for any offshore adventure.
WWW.PELAGICGEAR.COM IN GOGS WE TRUST! The Kluch Signature Gog Tee features a simulated goggle eye portrait complete with $100 bill background and Kluch lettering. Available in a variety of styles, this shirt is built of a 100 percent ringspun cotton fabric for that true comfort fit. When it comes to sport fishing, having the right bait means everything! The “In Gogs We Trust” collection was inspired by those brutal days fishing tournaments and being down a release needing another bite to edge into first. After countless attempts of creating luck, teams turn to their wells in search of the best-looking bait to catapult them onto the podium. When all of a sudden the right short starts acting up and there he is!
BODY GLOVE 3T BAREFOOT WARRIOR
Many watersports require toe dexterity, and that’s where the Body Glove’s 3T Barefoot line of water shoes shines. Whether you’re a top athlete, a beginner, or somewhere in between, 3T Barefoot shoes are the perfect footwear for everything water. It doesn’t matter if it’s Stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking or just swimming off a rocky shore, the 3T Barefoot is up to the task. A patented three-toe design allows for dexterity in the toes that need it. A minimalist, neutral-balance foot bed allows for maximum ground feel while keeping your foot protected. Body Glove’s Integrated Drainage System (IDS) lets water drain out while preventing debris from entering the shoe. It can be worn either in or out of the water. Other features of the 3T Barefoot include adjustable shocklaces, easy slipon design, hybrid use for in or out of the water, zero heel lift, and the drainage system, which cools the foot with air circulation when out of water.
WWW.BODYGLOVE.COM OLUKAI PA‘A SANDALS
WWW.KLUCH.COM A good pair of sandals is as important to life on the water as a boat, maybe more important. The Hawaiian company OluKai knows this well, which is why they make footwear designed specifically for the ocean lifestyle. At the core of OluKai’s philosophy are quality, durability, comfort and craftsmanship, which means their sandals are crafted to perform and last. OluKai’s new PA‘A sandals were designed with on-the-water action in mind. Translated, PA‘A means secure in English, and these flip-flop-style kicks provide secure footing while battling fish from the deck of a boat or while scrambling out on a jetty to cast. They are fully adjustable on both straps with molded D-rings and micro hookand-loop to ensure a snug fit so the sandals won’t fall off your feet. Water resistant synthetic straps and soft, quick-drying jersey knit lining provide comfort in and out of the water. The footbed is crafted of anatomical, compression-molded EVA midsole with a brushed ICEVA drop-in. The outsole features a non-marking, wetgrip sticky rubber base enhanced with rubber pods for durability and maximum water traction. If you’re looking for a sandal that offers all-day comfort and secure footing in any situation, PA‘A sandals are about as good as it gets.
WICKED DRY & COOL PERFORMANCE SHIRTS Hook & Tackle, designers, manufacturers and distributors of authentic performance fishing apparel since 1963, introduces the new Wicked Dry & Cool collection. Designed with a breakthrough Wicked Dry & Cool proprietary fabric that wicks moisture while keeping you cool, the shirts feature radial sleeves for expansive arm movement. The extremely light yet durable fabrication offers UPF 50+ sun protection, quick dryness and odor resistance. Tested and proven to be the coolest shirts in the market, they are now available in four designs from sizes XS-3XL. For more information, contact Stan at srudman@sportailor.com or visit the site.
WWW.HOOKANDTACKLE.COM
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Lake Erie’s
Big Brown Bass L
By Nick Carter ake Erie boasts some of the best smallmouth bass fishing in the world. And over the nearly 10,000 square miles of surface area on this massive lake, the Eastern Basin offers some of the best habitat for bronzebacks. The Eastern Basin is the deepest part of the lake and is separated by a ridge that runs north to south from Long Point in Ontario, Canada to Erie, Pennsylvania. Buffalo New York sits on the eastern shore at the mouth of the Niagara River. Anglers visiting Niagara Falls would be foolish not to set aside a day for fishing the irregular near-shore topography that makes the Eastern Basin such a good fishery. Biologists see incredible growth rates from smallmouth in this area, and 5- to 7-pound fish are a regular occurrence. Kayla Culp, a teacher from Ridgeway, Ontario, has spent years patterning smallies on the Canadian side of the lake. In the Canadian waters of Erie, bass season is closed in spring to protect bedding fish. This is not the case for U.S. waters, where anglers take advantage of pre-spawn migrations as early as April. When the fish move up onto sand flats and chunk rock and into the bays and major tributaries in early spring, it is a time for bumping the bottom in 15 to 20 feet of water with spoons, tube jigs or blades. It can be a grind to find fish, but anglers who set up over a school will find plenty of action and potential for giant smallmouth bass. Lakewide, bed fishing is generally frowned upon. When the Canadian season opens in late June, smallmouth are typically feeding aggressively during their post-spawn transition to deeper water. Culp
said early summer is a fun time to fish the lake. Smallies will be on the weed edges, and they are susceptible to run-and-gun tactics or trolling with fast-moving lures like jerkbaits, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Location is everything when fish are spread out over so much water. Some enjoy drift fishing to find fish. Culp said to trust your fishfinder and cruise, looking for rock-to-sand transitions. This is especially important as fish move deeper. In summer, big smallies will hang around structure or transitions just off the bottom. The depth can go from 10 to 15 feet in early summer out to 30 feet as the water warms. This summer bite is Culp’s favorite of the year. She enjoys drop shotting soft plastics and tubes into schooled-up fish. When it’s on, 30 fish or more from 2 to 5 pounds and larger are a definite possibility. A natural approach is best in Erie’s clear waters. Dark colors like green and brown make up the majority of Culp’s soft-plastic arsenal. This makes sense. It fits the color scheme of the round goby. These little bottom dwellers invaded the lake in the mid 1990s, and smallies developed a taste for them. Biologists have estimated that gobies account for up to 75 percent of an Erie smallmouth’s diet. The goby invasion is widely credited for accelerated growth rates of smallmouth in the lake. For more bass fishing on Lake Erie, go to
CAMFRESHWATER.COM
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The Freeport Meat Run
Lorem ipsum
An Annual Trip Of A Lifetime By Nick Carter
By CAM Staff - Photos Courtesy of Picture Perfect Charters
F
or some anglers, the fishing trip of a lifetime is an annual event. Team Finster, out of Fort Myers, Fla., fishes top offshore tournaments, but one of the highlights of their fishing year is an annual spring meat trip that coincides with the arrival of big yellowfin tuna in the Bahamas. Team member Pete Milisci, who operates Picture Perfect Charters out of Fort Myers, feels it’s well worth hauling Team Captain Zac Carpenter’s 34’ SeaVee three hours across the peninsula to launch off Florida’s east coast near Fort Lauderdale. Big yellowfin move through in late April and early May, and five guys spend the better part of the week chasing birds and filling fish boxes. The trip starts with provisioning and bait. As charter captains, team members begin saving and freezing leftover bait from charter trips a month in advance because chumming is key. They prefer fishing live bait, so the livewell is loaded with pilchards and threadfins before they leave. Provisions and gear are crammed into every available hold before they set out on what should be a couple hour run in front of twin Mercury Verado 300s across the Gulf Stream to Carpenter’s condo in Port Lucaya, Freeport, Grand Bahama. The crossing always takes longer than it should. It’s difficult for a boatload of anglers to pass up fish along the way. “Last trip, we had all the fish boxes full before we even got there,” Milisci said. “We came upon a whole tree adrift with mahi all over it. They were good mahi, too, all gaffers.” It’s a good thing there’s an ice machine at the condo. Even when cleaning fish at the dock, there is opportunity to put more meat on ice. Milisci said tarpon and big mutton snapper appear to clean up the scraps. Cooked whole and fresh, those snapper are fine eating. The main event begins after checking in with customs and unloading. “The fishing is right out front. It’s within 10 miles,” Milisci said. “You lose sight of land, and you’re in ’em.” Tuna move constantly, and they move fast. Finding fish is a matter of finding birds on the radar. Huge groups of birds are typically found over bonito, so Team Finster is looking for smaller pockets of birds that are a giveaway for tuna. They never pass a frigatebird without checking it.
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When fish are found, the boat is maneuvered in front of the anticipated direction of the school’s travel. The engines drop into neutral and heavy chumming begins with a month’s worth of frozen baitfish. “The fish are on the surface. They’re coming up blasting baits, and the birds are diving on the bait they push up,” Milisci said. “Sometimes you’ll see fins coming up on your bait.” When fishing in a maelstrom of 10- to 15-pound blackfin tuna and yellowfins weighing 30 to well over 100-pounds, it’s important to fish heavy gear. There are also sharks mixed in, and they will leave nothing but a fish head at the first hint of blood in the water. Anglers must crank hard and fast with 60w and 80w Penn Internationals spooled with 200-pound-test mono and 200- to 300-pound leaders. Anglers either reel fish in from the rod holder with bent-butt rods or fight them with a belt. Tuna will eat dead bait, but the team prefers presenting pilchards and threads on a slack line until they run out of live bait. Milisci said the fish are smart enough to let a bait go if they feel the slightest amount of tension on the line, so that slack is important until a fish eats. Then it becomes a grueling race against the sharks. The reward is almost immediate when a fish hits the deck. Wasabi and soy sauce are kept on-hand, and knives go to work while the rod-man catches his breath. For more on Team Finster or to contact Zac Carpenter or Pete Milisci, see finsterfishing.com. To book an inshore trip with Milisci out of Fort Myers, go to www.pictureperfectcharters.com. For highlights from this Tuna catch, go to
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MARCH 2017
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Spawning Phase Will Play A Big Role In Conroe Bassmaster Classic
K
elly Jordon is not a weatherman. He can’t say for sure what the conditions will be when 52 of the world’s best anglers descend on Lake Conroe, an hour outside of Houston, Texas for the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, March 24-26. But as a Texas native and a 22-year veteran of the Bassmaster Tournament Trail, Jordon knows bass are likely to be in some phase of the spring spawn— and he said the angler who best identifies that phase is likely to be the winner of the event. “If I was going to guess—depending on what the weather does—I’d say we’ll be toward the final quarter of the spawn,” said Jordon. “There will still be some fish on the beds, but there will also be a lot of postspawn fish.” A spawn/postspawn scenario could provide a lot of options, and it could certainly lead to some giant fish being brought to the scales at the Houston Astros’ Minute Maid Park. Jordon said the bluegill will likely be coming up to spawn, and big bass can often be found feeding around bluegill beds. Male bass are also likely to be guarding recently hatched fry, and big females that are hungry from the spawn could be roaming the shallows. Though some bass are likely to still be on the beds, Jordon said he doesn’t expect sight fishing to be a dominant technique. “I don’t think somebody can win on sight fishing alone,” he said. “You’re likely to see several giant fish caught off beds or maybe a key 5-pounder at a time when someone really needs it. But I don’t think it’s something you’ll be able to totally hang your hat on.” As for the type of structure that’s likely to be most popular, Jordon said anglers will have their pick. “The water color will depend on how much rain we get and which part of the river you’re fishing,” he said. “The water way up on the upper end could be a lot more stained than the lower end. But when you get up there, you’ll find plenty of backwater stuff, some side creeks, some marinas, some residential
areas with canals, big gigantic flats—a little bit of everything.” The lower end of the lake could appeal to dock fishing specialists. “The lower half of the lake—if not more than half—is pretty much wall-to-wall boat docks and seawalls,” Jordon said. “Whether you want to fish shallow shoreline cover or deep shoreline Bassmaster Elite Series angler and cover, there’s tons of it Classic competitor Bradley Roy caught available. You can find this giant largemouth during pre-pracseawalls that may have tice on Lake Conroe. 10 feet of water around them. “You’ll find flat banks and deep banks. It’s a really dynamic place—and since we’ll be in the spring spawning season, the person who finds not only where the fish are, but where they’re headed, is going to be the one who’s in the best position to win.” With the phases of the spawn playing a major role and Conroe’s reputation for producing big bass, there’s a good chance there will be some 30-pound sacks brought to weigh-ins. For more on last years Bassmaster Classic, go to
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FLY FISHING
WADE FISHING ESSENTIALS
W
ade fishing is one of the most rewarding ways to target shallow-water fish like bonefish or redfish. However, there is more to wade fishing than just walking on a white sand flat or beach and casting to fish. To make the wade fishing experience more enjoyable, here are a few tips to help you make longer casts, protect your feet, blend into your environment, stay safe and catch more fish! Stripping Basket There is nothing more frustrating than fishing from the beach and having your fly line wrap and tangle around your legs and feet especially after you have made a perfect cast to a school of stripers, a corbina or surf perch. The simplest way to solve this problem is to invest in a stripping basket. Made from a variety of materials and available in many styles, a stripping basket will assist you in managing your line. Removing your concern for loose line will allow you more time to concentrate on improving your casting and distance. A stripping basket is not limited to beach fishing, either. More and more anglers are also accepting the value of the stripping basket on boats. A taller free-standing cousin to the wearable basket allows you to keep your line off the deck and avoid its many potential hang-ups including boat cleats, shoe laces, coolers and the other obstructions on a boat’s deck. Wading Footwear There are hundreds of different types of practical shoes for fishing. Select a shoe with high ankle support, a firm and solid toe and stiff arch support. Since you’ll be wading in a variety of bottom conditions from soft mud, soft sand, hard sand and even reefs or oyster beds, it’s a good idea to get a shoe that has a thick sole to prevent punctures. Blend In Blend into your environment. Match your clothes to your
surroundings. If you are fishing the beach, wear neutral colors like tan, light green or even brown. When fishing the flats, a light blue shirt, and stone-colored shirts or pants are your best choice. Also don’t overlook camouflage outfits when stalking spooky fish in shallow water. There are plenty of camo patterns on today’s market, and aside from looking good, wearing camouflage allows you to blend into the environment. Don’t Get Lost One of the worst fishing nightmares is becoming lost or disoriented on the ocean, on the flats or in a marsh’s maze. A handheld GPS can prevent this terrifying situation. Also, if you find an outstanding area where the fishing is red-hot, you can mark it in your GPS and return to the exact spot whenever you choose. Most GPS units contain moon phase and tidal information, which are keys to successful saltwater fly fishing.
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B
ass anglers use lipless crankbaits in many circumstances and ways. I believe it is not used enough for reds, trout, tarpon and snook. In fact, a lipless crankbait is one of the most effective baits to catch fish in shallow water, and it’s definitively one of those I use often. And I’m not alone. When Louisiana’s famous Team Broussard was at the very top of their tournament career a few years ago, “Cajun” Phil and Capt. Kevin had many wins including the Redfish Cup and Team of the Year titles. The secret weapon they were hiding from media and competitors alike was a Flatt Shadd 50 snagless. That small, compact, lipless crankbait puts out vibrations that travel far through the water, catching the predator’s attention as if it was of a much larger bait. The quick, side-to-side motion also creates a lot of flash, adding visual attraction. When I was the Mepps spinner designer 20 years ago, I worked closely with scientists who had an understanding of the factors that attract predatory fish. The type of vibration and its volume were key. Both with inline spinners and lipless crankbaits, moving a significant amount of water is essential for creating signals that are much larger than many other types of baits. This is why baits with spinning blades and those that emit vibrations commonly catch large fish, even when the lures are small. Often, a predatory fish is first alerted to a potential meal by its lateral line, a natural radar. These small baits fool the fish into thinking it is chasing down much larger and more significant prey. How do you use a lipless crankbait best when you’re on the flats or casting close to the mangroves? If it is deep enough, you can cast and burn it or slow roll it to offer consistent action and cover lots of water as a search bait. This is the main way I use a lipless bait when targeting tarpon or large channel bass (red drum) in main inlets, estuaries and anywhere there is enough depth and preferably some current. But for the true, shallow inshore and backcountry fishing, I use them as I would a soft jerkbait rigged on a jig head. I twitch-twitch-pause and yo-yo it. The great thing with a vibrating bait is every time you pull on the rod, you can feel the bait reacting. Action can be constant when fish are aggressive, but for cold water or finicky fish, don’t hesitate to let the lure pause on the ground for a few seconds here and there. You might be surprised to find the majority of bites happen on the drop, or even when the lure is lying motionless. Fish can be so hungry for it that they swallow it in a snap, resulting more than you can imagine in hook sets deep within the fish’s mouth. If you haven’t thrown a small lipless crankbait around in the shallows, give it a try. You might be pleasantly surprised. Patrick Sebile is the owner and lure designer of Sebile Innovative Fishing (www.sebile.com).
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For tips and techniques on fishing with lipless crankbait, go to
CAMSALTWATER.COM
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2/14/17 1:45 PM
FLORIDA
Why Just By Tom Karrow
Bonefish?
“While Pursuing bonesfish, many anglers overlook the boxfish.”
A
s a bonefish researcher in the Bahamas, I often hear “bonefish” anglers saying they only cast to bonefish while fishing the flats. Somehow this statement is supposed to elevate their angling prowess, but to me, these people are really missing out on fun and great learning opportunities. While bonefish seem to dominate the species that anglers pursue, there are a host of other fascinating creatures that inhabit similar ecosystems, each utterly fantastic to catch. If you are rigged for bonefish, do not hesitate to throw at a barracuda, jack or other fish you encounter. I often carry a larger fly for predators like barracuda and to quickly attach it, I simply use the hook of my bonefish fly through the eye of the larger fly to provide me with a quick tie, which can just as easily be removed. Species like jack and barracuda both offer great sport and are usually readily available. Look for barracuda in ambush locations, over dark patches, deep holes or cuts and remember to use wire or you will lose flies, lures or bait. I often blind cast into suspect areas, and the reward often outweighs these minor efforts! Tube flies or lures commonly fool barracudas, but I have caught them on just about everything, including bonefish flies. In addition to permit, jack and barracuda, mutton snapper, triggerfish, jacks, boxfish, puffer fish, needlefish and many other potential quarry roam the flats. Most bonefish anglers overlook these fish, but in pursuing them, anglers increase their chances of bending their rod. Fights from many of these species rival or even surpass those of a bonefish, and many times these species fill the emptiness in flats void of bonefish. They can be just as finicky or more so than bonefish and make great camera fare. Many of these species tail like bonefish, cruise behind rays like bonefish, and they can be as selective as bonefish or even more so. Triggerfish, pufferfish and boxfish have tiny mouths that require tiny flies on strong hooks and
usually a slow deliberate retrieve. These fish have tough mouths with loads of teeth perfect for grazing on coral; hooks must be sharp and strong. I have many times fought triggerfish for some time only to have the fly fall from their mouth as they come to hand. An interesting fact I have learned from several elder guides I have interviewed is that triggerfish are great table fare and their skin is highly abrasive. In days gone by, the skin of triggerfish was dried and used for scrubbing floors and general cleaning in many family island communities. For more on the research I have been undertaking in the Bahamas or to contact me, visit tomkarrow.wix.com/bahamas-guide-tek. Thanks to Coastal Angler Magazine for continued support of this research along with Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, The University of the Bahamas and BFFIA.
BluewaterSFC_half_pg_Mar2017 FOR PRINT.qxp_Layout 1 1/18/17 8:06 PM Page 1
For more about Tom Karrows work, go to
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Cool Water Wading
T
he water is still cool but the fishing can be hot. Strap on your waders and head for the Indian River Lagoon. Drainage from Okeechobee has stopped since fall, the water is clear and there are signs the grass might start coming back. North of Fort Pierce inlet has already shown signs of growth. Look for areas of rock kelp growing north near the first Vero Bridge. Early spring means pompano. They will be cruising the lagoon on deep-water edges for the next month and will take a 4-inch C.A.L. jig or smaller pompano jigs. Look for pompano skipping in the water. If you scare one to the surface, there will be more. Make sure to keep your jig bumping the bottom, which will also entice redfish and trout that like a slow presentation. Use a jig of 1/8-ounce or heavier. It’ll help keep your presentation on the bottom. Cool water also means bluefish and mackerel. Both are line cutters with sharp teeth. They school up and cruise the shorelines. Both like fast presentations and hit near the top. Move the jig quickly in areas with bait. Make sure you use pliers and keep your fingers out
of their mouths. As the water warms into the mid-70s, big snook start biting. In the spring, big females head for shallow water on the shoreline of the lagoon. Instead of catching 18- to 23-inch male snook, you’ll run into some over-slot females. You’ll find snook around the mangroves during high tide and around structure like walls and docks. Look for them to go shallow when the sun is up. Look for bait and try the St. Lucie River. The South Fork is good for numbers, and 10 snook a day is not unusual. Trout have been hard to find. Look to sandy points on the east side of the lagoon in the Stuart area. Higher tides are best. There are some trout in the Vero area if you wade the west side at Wilcox Road. High outgoing is best. The Moorings area is good on the east side if you can get access. Fishing for jack and ladyfish has continued to be excellent, and 20-jack days are typical. Jacks are schooling inside the sandbar. If you get a strike, you’ll probably get two more and catch one. The lagoon and river jacks have been averaging 1 to 3 pounds. They are very aggressive. I recently caught a jack when my lure was out of the water. Here’s a trick for fishing in high wind. If you have to fish in a crosswind, there’ll be a big bow in your line, and you’ll lose touch with your lure. Keep your rod tip down an inch or two above the water. Your line will be in the water except for a few feet at the rod tip. When your line’s in the water, the wind can’t bow it. For info on the Stuart Rod & Reel Club, call 336-414-3440. For more wade fishing in the Indian River Lagoon, go to
ANGLERSLIFE.CO
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Stuart, located in Martin County, is known as the Sailfish Capital of the World. Sitting on the most biodiverse estuary in the Northern Hemisphere, and the northernmost point of the South Florida Reef, Martin County is home to 100 artificial reef systems and over 800 species of fish. Its climate, waterways and natural environment make it a mecca for fishermen and nautical explorers year-round. An array of unique shops, fine restaurants, great golf courses and quiet beaches make a day ashore fun, too. Inshore, offshore, salt water or fresh, head out for an adventure and reel in the memories.
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Amazing 13,000 Mile Journey
A
male mako shark named Hell’s Bay has broken a record, traveling more than 13,000 miles, equal to over half-way around the planet, in 600 days. It is the longest track ever in the Atlantic Ocean by a mako shark tagged by researchers in Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU) Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI). “We’ve had some of our tagged makos take some pretty interesting tracks over the years, but this one swims above the rest,” said Mahmood Shivji, a professor at NSU and the director of GHRI. “Having Hell’s Bay report for as long as he has is fantastic because we’re able to really get a detailed look at mako migration behavior over a good amount of time. He was like the Energizer bunny—he kept going and going and going, and luckily did not get captured like many of our other sharks.” The 600-day track of Hell’s Bay mako can be seen at: nova.edu/ sharktracking (select Project 3). Hell’s Bay was tagged in May 2015 off the coast of Ocean City, Md. In the first year, Hell’s Bay traveled north along the east coast and then returned close to the tagging site. Hell’s Bay spent 2016 hanging around the coast of Maryland and taking jaunts throughout the Atlantic traveling east of Nova Scotia to just south of Bermuda before returning to Ocean City. In 2017, it repeated a similar path closer to the coast. Hell’s Bay showed clear seasonal patterns to its movements, spending the winter and early spring far offshore, and the rest of the year on or close to the continental shelf. The closest relative to the white shark, makos are the cheetahs of the shark species. As the fastest shark species, makos can swim up to 60 mph. The tags are funded by the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF), a not-for-profit organization that conducts scientific research and hosts educational programs aimed at conserving the marine environment. “These satellite tags allow us to follow sharks in near-real time,” said
Greg Jacoski, executive director of the GHOF. “Understanding where these animals travel and the habitat that they use is the first step to better conserving the species.” Hell’s Bay was named after Hell’s Bay Boatworks, a boat manufacturer based in Titusville, Fla. The tag was sponsored by Capt. Chris Peterson, who owns Hell’s Bay Boatworks. A new GHRI study has just reported that 22 percent of the makos that have been satellite tagged were caught or killed by commercial or recreation fishermen. Shivji indicated that worldwide, sharks are being killed off in unimaginable numbers – some estimates say between 70100 million sharks per year. Clearly, that is not a sustainable level of removal, since many shark species, including makos, reproduce at low rates. For more information about the GHOF and GHRI, visit www. guyharvey.com. To see Hell’s Bay’s journey as well as other sharks tagged by GHRI researchers, visit nova.edu/sharktracking. For more about tracking Mako Sharks, go to
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s of March 1, it’s open season in all state waters for Florida’s favorite inshore fish: snook. On the Atlantic side, recreational snook season opened Feb. 1 in Florida’s Atlantic and inland waters from the Miami-Dade/Monroe County line north, including Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River. In the Atlantic, anglers may keep one snook per day that is not less than 28 or more than 32 inches total length, which is measured from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed while the fish is lying on its side. A snook permit is required to keep snook, along with a saltwater fishing license, unless the angler is exempt from the license requirements. The harvest of snook in all of Florida’s Gulf of Mexico state waters, including Everglades National Park and all of Monroe County opened March 1. The limit on the Gulf side is one fish per angler, per day that is not less than 28 or more than 33 inches total length. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) encourages anglers to use moderation when determining whether or not to take a snook home. Researchers ask anglers who harvest the fish to save their filleted carcasses and provide them to the FWC by dropping them off at a participating bait and tackle store. For a county-by-county list, go to MyFWC.com/Research and click on “Saltwater,” “Snook” under the heading “Saltwater Fish,” and “Snook Anglers Asked to Help with Research.”
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NAVICO ELECTRONICS CONNECTED GLOBALLY International marine electronics company, Navico, is bringing global connectivity to its GoFree product suite, providing boaters, fleet managers and service technicians the ability to monitor, log, transmit and report important vessel information in real-time around the globe. This upgrade is made possible through Vodafone’s Internet of Things Technology (IoT). With Vodafone’s global network and Global IoT SIM, Navico’s GoFree Track and GoFree Vessel products will be connected across the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions for all types of marine vessels including local boats or cargo ships traveling internationally. With the connectivity, GoFree Track, an affordable hardware system, can track critical vessel information like engine hours, battery status, oil pressure, coolant temperature, fuel consumption and more. By tracking these on-board assets, boaters can instantly access details of potential mechanical problems and share them with technicians to service the specific area in need. Vodafone’s IoT technology allows GoFree Track to monitor bilge levels and alarms letting boaters know if the vessel is taking on water and allowing them to react accordingly, as well as notifying them when there is loss of shore power, which can drain batteries and potentially damage onboard systems that are running. All data collected is transmitted back to the GoFree Vessel online module for immediate viewing, giving consumers better access and control over vessel details. GoFree Vessel allows users to play back different boating trips to share with friends or service partners. GoFree Track is offered with a variety of communication options including the Track-WiFi or Track-CellFi, which leverages Vodafone’s Global SIM to connect users to 2G or 3G networks throughout the world.
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pring boat shows really are easy as 1- 2- 3! Current Productions is bringing their unique twist to the boat show for three major boating markets. Current Productions has been producing successful marine events for 20-plus years. They are proud to kick off spring with The Southeast US Boat Show. This major event has been anchoring the spring boating schedule for many years, and that means it has evolved and improved beyond just acres of boats on display on land and in a marina filled with boats and yachts. Current Productions now puts what they have learned into the form of a very fun and cool twist on all three of their spring events. Jimmy Hill, show producer, explained that bringing the fun to the waterfront with a big music and seafood festival onsite at the same time as the boat show is the key to their success. Separating the commerce
area and treating the fun festivals as a major feature inside the shows works to make Current Production events that much better. Jacksonville, Fla. has been home to the region’s largest event, The Southeast US Boat Show, scheduled for April 21-23, and featuring The Oyster Jam Music Festival. It has become a huge deal with thousands of folks out on the riverfront jamming out to great live music, amazing food and the best boat deals around. Central Florida has always been its own boating hot spot, so it only made sense that the Daytona and Orlando boat dealers are gearing up for their own in-water, major boating expo—the Florida Boat Show and Dock Jam, the regions biggest boating event to be held May 19-21 at Halifax Harbor Marina and Grounds. The event features everything: boating, yachting, including all the accessories, and fun. But, don’t forget the music and seafood festival in an awesome setting right on the water at the best marina around. This event quickly established itself as the marine industries’ favorite for Central Florida and is expected to grow with more dealers and the bigger focus on the regions amazing seafood. It’s a must attend event for anyone in the area. The third event is the one that has everyone talking in the Panhandle this year—The Florida Panhandle Boat Show to be hosted at the City Marina in downtown Panama City this June 16-18. Locals know that this is the perfect weekend to catch the bulk of the boating community as they gather to enjoy the beautiful emerald waters of this part of Florida. The festival is live on the pier at the City Marina downtown. The boating industry is excited to bring the best deals to the best venue for the best show in the Panhandle. Activities and fun will center around the water and include great music on stage and the area’s best seafood vendors. The kids will enjoy the pier-side fishing experience, and there are seminars for the whole crew. For more information on all of these awesome events, visit currentproductions.us. For more about these great events, go to
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Attention Advertising Sales Reps Have you ever wondered what it would be like to own the media company that you were selling advertising for? Ever considered how different your life would be if you didn’t have to hand over the bulk of your sales revenue to your employer? Have you ever thought about how much easier your sales job could be if you didn’t have to beg your sales manager for every little extra thing that you wanted to give your customer? Ever wondered what it would be like to control your own time? You don’t have to wonder anymore. Coastal Angler and its freshwater component The Angler Magazine are offering magazine franchises throughout the continental U.S. and abroad. Now, you can be the publisher and completely control the advertising department of your magazine. After nine years of franchising this magazine and with 42 current locations, we can say with confidence that these home-based magazine locations can be opened in nearly any location with a minimum population base of 500,000 and an active angling community. We have also identified our ideal candidate as being someone with previous media sales experience. Male or female, success in this endeavor is gauged more on advertising sales than fishing prowess.
Michigan Offers $1 Mil To Stop Asian Carp
If you are a current or former media advertising sales rep, you owe it to yourself to check out our franchise opportunities. For more information, call 888-800-9794 or email info@ coastalanglermagazine.com.
Photo by Jason Jenkins
T
he Michigan Department of Natural Resources has put out a global call to the public, offering $1 million for the best proposal to stop invasive Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes. These carp are the ones everyone knows from videos of big fish jumping in the air when startled by passing boats. They are fast-growing filter feeders that can reach weights up to 100 pounds, and they are highly prolific, producing as many as a million eggs. They have the potential to disrupt entire ecosystems, and have been called an immediate and grave biological threat to the Great Lakes. Currently, silver and bighead carp are backed up in Chicago waterways just 10 miles from Lake Michigan at three electric barriers. Despite these barriers and rotenone treatments, which kill all fish species in an area, environmental DNA testing suggests that some silver and bighead carp have made it past the barriers toward Lake Michigan. Researchers predict bighead and silver carp pose a significant threat to disrupt the food chain that supports the native fish of the Great Lakes, such as walleye, yellow perch and lake whitefish. Such a disruption may result in diminished recreational and commercial fishing opportunities. The Associated Press reports that the federal government recently approved $42 million to prevent these carp from reaching the Great Lakes. If you are the one with the million-dollar idea that will stop the scourge, submit proposals at www.michigan.gov.
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Media Sales Representatives wanted immediately for fishing magazine franchisee opportunity. Must have 2 to 5 years media sales experience. Dependable transporation, a love of the outdoors and a good solid work ethic. Type A’s welcome.
For Information Contact Editor in Chief Ben Martin at 888-800-7974 or email at camads@coastalanglermagazine.com
2/14/17 5:02 PM
COASTAL ANGLER Treasure Coast edition Co-Publishers Gary and Misti Guertin
Suit, Mathy Win BCFA February Tourney
A
field of 41 teams and 82 anglers fished in the Backcountry Fishing Association's second tournament of the 2017 season on February 5. Anglers were graced with ideal weather conditions to chase after Indian River Lagoon snook, trout and redfish with artificial lures for cash prizes. The team of Zack Suit and Chris Mathy won first place and $720 for the combined weight of a 6.71-pound snook and a 1.14-pound trout. Kyle Kaufmann and Brandon Goldstein took second place and $435 for a 5.63-pound redfish. The red also earned the biggest redfish Calcutta of $170. Third place and $290 was claimed by Max McKinley and Eric Lion with a 3.26-pound redfish and a
Zack Suit and Chris Mathy, first place winners. PHOTO CREDITS: Backcounty Fishing Association.
1.95-pound trout. Fourth place went to Cross Fischer and Ryan Harris with a 3.86-pound redfish. Fifth place went to Matthew Graham and Jeremiah Johnson with a 3.09-pound trout and 3.18-pound redfish. They also collected $150 for the biggest trout Calcutta. The Backcountry Fishing Association is an artificial lure only tournament series which will wind up with a two-day Classic in October for the chance to win a 14foot Billfish Boatworks skiff, motor and trailer. The next tournament is scheduled for March 4.
SAVE MONEY IN YOUR OWN BACK YARD!
For more information, visit Backcountry Fishing Association on Facebook.
www.geico.com/treasurecoast (772) 905-3311 3970 NW Federal Hwy. Jensen Beach Kyle Kaufmann and Brandon Goldstein took second place with this 5.63-pound redfish.
Max McKinley and Eric Lion, third place winners. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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MARCH 2017
TREASURE COAST 1
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Florida Fish and Wildlife
FWC
Disposing of fishing line and tackle appropriately can reduce the risk of wildlife entanglement and help protect coastal habitats.
news updates
Fishing line and tackle disposal: It’s about more than just monofilament By Jill Christoferson
F
ishing is a key component of the Florida lifestyle as well as the state’s economy. But fishing line and other fishing tackle frequently enter Florida’s aquatic systems as a result of incidental snags or improper disposal. When left in the aquatic environment, fishing line and tackle create potential traps for unsuspecting wildlife that can become entangled and snared, leading to injury and death. Monofilament is the most common type of fishing line, however, modern advances have produced several other varieties with higher tensile strength, reduced visibility and greater abrasion resistance. These newer, non-monofilament lines, such as braid and fluorocarbon, are fairly popular but not all of them can be recycled like monofilament fishing line, and they are commonly disposed of improperly.
How you can help
To help reduce the negative environmental impacts from improper disposal of all fishing line and tackle, anglers can follow these general guidelines: • Check line frequently for frays that may break easily.
• Don’t leave bait unattended since pelicans, herons and other birds may attempt to take the bait from the line, which may result in entanglements. • Cast away from trees, utility lines, wildlife and areas where line may get caught. • If you see improperly discarded fishing line while you are out, pick it up and stow it to be disposed of later. Anglers can purchase or make their own fishing line storage bins to keep with them while they are fishing so that line can be stored securely and out of the way. Products such as the Monomaster and Line Snatcher are designed to help anglers store their unwanted fishing line; however, homemade versions can also be made by cutting an “X” in the lid of something as simple as a tennis ball container or coffee can.
Monofilament recycling
Once on shore, monofilament and fluorocarbon line can be recycled in designated bins found at most boat ramps, piers and tackle shops. However, anglers should not use these bins to discard any other type of fishing line or leader material such as braid or wire. Also, the bins should not be used to discard any type of tackle, such as hooks, lures or soft plastics, which
PHOTO CREDIT: FWC.
can injure other anglers discarding their fishing line or the individuals who empty the bins for recycling. You can learn how to make your own External Website monofilament recycling bin by visiting our FWC Saltwater Fishing YouTube External Website channel or by participating in the statewide Monofilament Recovery & Recycling Program. For more information on the statewide Monofilament Recovery & Recycling Program, External Website visit MRRP.MyFWC.com.
Disposing of non-monofilament
In addition to properly securing and recycling monofilament and fluorocarbon line, it is important to ensure that non-monofilament line and other tackle are disposed of appropriately. To discard nonmonofilament line, such as braid or wire, cut the line into 12-inch or smaller pieces and place into a covered trash receptacle. Line placed in trash receptacles without lids can blow out into the environment or entangle wildlife that are foraging
in the open trash receptacle. When disposing of other tackle, such as hooks and lures, it is important to clip off sharp points to avoid injuring humans and wildlife that may come in contact with the discarded tackle. As part of the “Pitch It” campaign, soft plastic baits with the hook or jig head removed can be discarded in special program containers that are separate from monofilament recycling bins. Learn more about soft bait disposal and the “Pitch It” campaign External Website by visiting Pledgetopitchit. org. Remember, disposing of fishing line and tackle appropriately can reduce the risk of wildlife entanglement and help protect coastal habitats. For more information about bird entanglement and how to unhook a bird, visit MyFWC.com/Unhook. To report entanglement of protected species, such as manatees and marine turtles, call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922 (FWCC) or dial *FWC on a cellphone.
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Artificial Reef Update:
Use of Natural Resources in Economic Development T
he St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program welcomes the return of two events that are important in raising awareness of the coastal resources of St. Lucie County and the Treasure Coast. The second annual Wesley’s Island Pig Roast will be held at the Sailfish Brewing Company in Downtown Fort Pierce on Saturday March 25th to help raise funds for the non-profit, MMPS Environmental (MMPS), which has adopted the island and hopes to take
students to the island for educational field trips. The Fort Pierce Oyster Festival (http://www.ftpierceoysterfest.com/) also returns to downtown Fort Pierce on Saturday, April 1st, and Sunday, April 2nd. The Oyster Festival is a chance for residents and visitors alike to visit vendors, listen to live music, eat different oyster and other seafood dishes, have fun, and help oyster
SEE REEF............................ PAGE 13
Christa Stone, Chris Dzadovsky, and Mark Music planting a 12-foot gumbo limbo tree. PHOTO CREDITS: St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program.
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SHE, WHO FISHES By Christina Weber
Believing, Breaking Boundaries...
It's All the Little Steps!
M
arch is Women’s History Month and in honor of the ladies I want to spoil you. I want to inspire small achievements with boundaries to be broken. I want to break down my process to show that anyone can conquer it. You have what it takes; sometimes you just need someone to show you. Fishing can be very overwhelming and there’s honestly so much to learn. Following a few simple steps will really help you break out and start fishing like you've been wanting to. Something I run into daily is how did I build a fishing career. How do I do it alone? I think sometimes my fearless heart might under play how scared I really am. I’ve talked about the truths we as ladies face in tournament fishing. I’ve talked about getting out on the water on your own and how to do it safely. I’m going to revisit some of those lessons. Remind us all there’s bravery buried deep inside.
Step one is simply believing that you can. I know it always sounds much easier than the broke down process. In today’s world, I truly feel that opportunity is much easier presented if you’re willing to look. As long as you can believe in yourself then you’ll always find a way. I’m on the water at weird hours, weird ramps, weird places and not a second of it doesn't scare me. It’s the experience and confidence that I’ve built over years that allows me to make it look easy. You need to allow yourself to feel vulnerable in those areas so you can learn. Get out with folks that make you feel comfortable, those who will teach you something. Take it slow, there’s no reason to rush around. Step two, write it down. What are the things you want to learn or improve on? Fishing is constantly changing and evolving. There’s no right or wrong way to do anything. Especially when you're living in a state where we have more species than we
Hobie Pro Angler Christina releases a nice redfish. PHOTO COURTESY of Christina Weber.
know what to do with. If you start to log your questions and concerns this makes it much easier to accomplish. There’s no forgetting or wondering, especially if you attend a last minute seminar. Step three, which is the second most important step, get out and fish. You cannot immerse yourself without great sacrifice. Without pushing yourself and dragging yourself out of the house. Excuses are easy, but excusing those excuses is not. Having a good day casting and learning doesn't take a professional. Everyone has to start somewhere someday. There’s no better time than now. You can always start by walking the beach to slowly build confidence. You can sit in front of the television and tie knots. It’s all the little steps that bring me where I’m at. I don't know everything and I don't have all the
answers. I get out there and scare myself, ask questions, allow myself to be vulnerable and fish my heart out. Don’t not try though because it’s tough. That’s what this month represents. Women making bold brave changes. Christina Weber is a born and raised South Florida fisherman utilizing the fishing capital to the full extent. For her, kayak fishing happened by accident when she wanted to venture into uncharted waters that she couldn’t reach by motor boat. Over time, she realized that a kayak could take her anywhere, and fish freshwater, saltwater, inshore and offshore all from her Hobie Outback. Christina has been competing in tournaments for over 10 years. For more on Christina, visit www.christinaweberfishing.com.
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fishing forecasts
martin county inshore nearshore
Capt. John Young Bites On Guide Service (772) 708-3593 snoooky12@yahoo.com
M
arch is a good month for redfish along the inside dock lines on the west side of the Indian River. D.O.A. Shrimp and Paddle Tail Grubs work great casting parallel to the docks and flipping under the planks. Work it slow, with consistent twitches. More bait will be showing up on the flats so pay attention to nervous water. Big trout love top water plugs at first light, any walk
A
s March rolls in, I feel like we can safely say winter is behind us. Those two brutal days when the lows hit the mid-40s were over before I could even find my jacket, but don't fret. The last few years we have seen excellent dolphin fishing during March and that's following mild winters like this one, so I can only hope that tradition holds and fish tacos it is. But to be totally honest, I am a little worried about the mahi fishing this month. Anyways. When targeting dolphin, look for color changes, weed lines and temperature breaks usually from 120 feet of water and out. Also, keep an eye out for frigates, birds picking, flying fish getting pushed and any type of floating or suspended debris. During these spring and summer days, fishing a down bait can sometimes be the lucky ticket. I fish mine on a Cannon 10 TS, which has a cycle mode that triggers lazy fish. I
Isaiah and Gavin having fun catching sheepshead around the mangroves with their dad, Dana, and Capt. John Young. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. John Young.
the dog style plug has the potential of getting slammed. Work the deeper edges of the flats with D.O.A. jigs for trout and reds. The submerged islands east of
the channel in the Indian River are a good stopping point to target pompano. The edges of these Islands tend to be deeper, which attract the pompano. The Florida whip retrieve
martin county offshore
to see what's down there. You'd be amazed on the variety of fish you can catch on those jigs. There are a ton of great spots to try from 30 to 175 feet. If you don't have a waterproof chart # 36 by Capt. Bill Shuda, you're missing out on some wonderful local knowledge and a bunch of great bottom and bait spots. March is also the kickoff month to our yellowfin tuna fishing. Running towards the Canaveral buoy, following the EEZ and using your radar to mark birds is a great way to encounter big schools of yellowfin tuna, a blue marlin, dolphin, and the occasional wahoo. But with how it blows in March it's hard to schedule those trips in advance since they are so weather dependent. Whatever it is you decide to do this month I hope you're fishing trip is Off The Chain and looking forward to getting out there with you soon.
Capt. Scott Fawcett
Off the Chain Fishing Charters (772) 285-1055 fishscottyf@bellsouth.net offthechainfishing.com
find this extremely helpful especially around the full moon. Even though you may be targeting dolphin, it's a good idea to fish wire on this bait since wahoo are a likely encounter as well. March is also a great month for bottom fishing. Target various snapper, triggerfish, porgies, seabass and cobia using anything from sardines and squid, to cut bait, to live bait or even jigs. RonZ jigs come in various sizes and colors and they are a great way get to the bottom fast
3009 S.E. Monroe St. Stuart, Florida 34997 GUIDE SERVICE
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3009 S.E. Monroe St. Stuart, Florida 34997
Since 1980 Service from Melbourne to West Palm Beach
3009 S.E. Monroe St. Stuart, Florida 34997
3009 S.E. Monroe St. Stuart, Florida 34997
3009(772) S.E. Monroe St. 708-3593 Stuart, Florida 34997 • Inshore, Light Offshore
1/2 Day Trips aboard a Custom 19’ Flats Boat
• Day or Night • St. Lucie & Indian River • License & Equipment Provided
Snook • Trout • Redfish • Tarpon • Kingfish
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PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Scott Fawcett.
Snook, Trout, Redfish!
USCG License & Insured
Stuart, Florida 34997
The King family last March with snapper, mahi, and blackfin to eat and a sail for the memory. "Dinner and a show!"
Capt. Joe’s River Charters
Capt. John Young
Mention code CAM0331 for your Coastal Angler Discount Mention this ad forS.E. a CAM discount 3009 Monroe St.
using yellow or pink jigs will work fine. Structure is the key component for snook fishing in the St. Lucie River. Bridges, docks, seawalls and mangrove points will all hold snook. The Super Spook and Skitterwalk will get their attention with short quick twitches around structure. A jig and shrimp combo dropped around the bridge pilings with moving water is a good way to start your day. Thump. Set-up. Game on. Tight drags are a must for this style of fishing. The sheepshead bite has been excellent around the St. Lucie Inlet and docks. Dead or live shrimp on a jig head will do the trick. Drift the inlet but pay attention to anchored boaters, have the courtesy to not get too close. Cobia are showing up on the inside wrecks and reefs this month and will eat cobia jigs or live bait. Keep the waterways clean and wear your Costas.
Ft. Pierce, FL www.captjoeward.com
772-461-1335 772-201-5770
MARCH 2017
TREASURE COAST 5
3009 ad S.E. Monroe St. Mention this for a CAM discount Stuart, Florida 34997St. 3009 S.E. Monroe
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Stuart, Florida 34997
2/12/17 8:20 PM
fishing forecasts
Ryan found a nice jack while fishing the Indian River recently.
south indian river lagoon
Capt. Charlie Conner
Capt. Charlie’s Fish Tales Charters (772) 284-3852 captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com www.fishtalescharter.com
M
arch has arrived on the Treasure Coast and, traditionally, we can expect windy conditions along with some rain clouds most days. It might dictate where and when you can get on the water, but at least we aren't cutting holes in the ice to fish! Water temperatures will continue to rise and the fish will be actively feeding on the flats. Winter was a little cooler and windier for us in February. March brings the transition into spring and things will warm up again. Take advantage of the good days and get out fishing soon! As the sun warms up the water again, look for fish to travel into the shallows to feed. Trout will continue to be most prevalent in the deeper grass flats in two to four feet of water. Those anglers using live shrimp on popping corks, Deadly Combos, C.A.L. jerk baits and top water will
PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Charlie Conner.
have the best chance at hooking up with a trout. I like to fish the edges of the shallows where the water drops off to these depths. You can find trout in four to six feet of water and they will move onto the shallower flats to let the sun warm them as the day goes on. Depending on weather conditions, there are many areas to fish. Round Island, Bear Point and Harbor Branch are always popular to fish in March. Redfish will get more active this month and you can find some tailing on the flats in early mornings. Top water, D.O.A. shrimp, C.A.L. grub tails or gold spoons are good choices for finding a spot tail on the flats. Don't forget to fish around the mangroves also. So far this winter,
there has continued to be a good redfish population around the river and the fishing has been fantastic for them. I tend to like the east side of the river for redfish, but you can find them on the west side also. Work your baits slowly along the bottom for best results. This has been a good winter to allow us to enjoy a terrific redfish bite around the docks and mangroves with nice sized slot fish. Learn to read the water so you don’t miss what is happening around you. Anglers will continue to target snook around the inlets, docks and bridges on the Treasure Coast. Live bait always works best, but feather jigs, TerrorEyz and D.O.A. Bait Busters can also get you hooked up. Most of the action will be at night
the fishing strategies of offshore anglers during this month. The days of March are historically one Capt. Rocky Carbia of the better periods of the year for targeting and catching cobia, Safari I east of our St. Lucie Inlet. Schools Pirates Cove Resort and Marina of migrating cobia (pushing down 4307 SE Bayview St. Port Salerno from northern environs) will Reservations: (772) 334-4411 stream through our local offshore Safari-1.com waters and visit the reef system from depths of 40 to 180 feet of isions of cobia will dominate water. Martin County's artificial the daydreams, as well as reefs in 50 to 65 feet of water have
especially become favorite haunts for hungry "cobes" and will be found throughout the water column over top of these reef structures. While the Sand Pile will be most angler's first go to spot for cobia fishing, artificial structures that make up the Donaldson Reef will be high on the honey hole list for cobia anglers to try. The Cement Barge, the Owl Barge, and the Clifton Perry Memorial Reef (just to name a few) are all famous for attracting cobia and are excellent options for fishing, especially when the more popular spots become crowded (for a complete list of Artificial Reef sites go to martinreefs.com). Live baits of all flavors will yield the best results for provoking a cobia strike— greenies, sardines, blue runners, and grunts—will be the best of live bait offerings, while using 30-to 50-pound mainline tackle and 50to 80-pound terminal tackle with a 5 to 7/0 hook. Along with live bait, cobia enthusiasts need to supply themselves with an assortment of jigs, which can be cast or dropped in front of cobes while sight fishing. Lead head jigs of four-ounces in
deep sea
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MARCH 2017
Sunday 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Adults $60; Children $50
with best results on the high ends of the tides. As the water warms up around the area, the snook action will liven up also. Those fishing the flats can also find snook feeding early or late in the day. Fish the mangroves during the rest of the day. There has been a very good juvenile snook population on the flats this year. Top water, twitch baits, TerrorEyz or C.A.L. jerk baits can do the trick in March on the flats. The pompano bite has been better this year with the cooler weather bringing them into the area. Whiting, bluefish and pompano will be hanging around the beaches this month. The inlet will be holding Spanish mackerel, jacks and bluefish. Jack crevalle and ladyfish continue to haunt the river and provide fun catch for all. Bridges should give up catches of sand perch, sheepshead and black drum on live or dead shrimp. Spring is just around the corner on the Treasure Coast. Take some time to check all your equipment now and be ready as the weather improves to get out on the water. Make sure your reels are in good working order. Check your rods for broken or cracked tips and guides. How old is that line? Get ready now on some of these windy days ahead, so you will be ready to head out to the water soon. As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby...it's an ADVENTURE!! Good fishing and be safe.
The cobia daydream came true for this lucky fishing couple aboard the Safari 1. PHOTO CREDIT: Safari 1 Deep Sea Fishing.
weight will be the most effective for throwing to a cruising cobia. So, in March, post up on one of Martin County's many near coastal reef sites and make your cobia daydream come true.
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2/12/17 8:20 PM
st. lucie county inshore
Capt. Joe Ward
Capt. Joe’s River Charters (772) 201-5770 or (772) 461-1335 CWard11605@aol.com captjoeward.com
T
he inshore fishing should be red hot this month with plenty of snook action around the turning basin and the north and south bridges. Live baits like a greenie, pilchards or pinfish fished on the bottom with a 2-ounce weight and 24-inches of 40-pound fluorocarbon
leader and a 5/0 live bait hook will be the set up to use. In the Fort Pierce Inlet, look for plenty of action with the bluefish, Spanish mackerel and big jacks. These fish will be following the schools of bait fish as they move in and out the Fort Pierce inlet with the tide. Just look for the birds diving on the baits and you will find the fish. Try fishing with spoons, Gotcha Jigs or just about anything shiny and even free lining a live shrimp or a live bait. Fish the baits on a 1/0 live bait hook and a short piece of 7-pound wire for your leader. The bottom fishing for sheepshead and black drum should be good around just about any structure in the river. Your best bet for these fish
st. lucie county offshore
Capt. Danny Markowski
LottaBull Fishing Charters (772) 370-8329 lottabull4@bellsouth.net lottabullfishingcharters.com
M
arch is here and the cobia will be too. With cooling water temperatures that have moved into our area, cobia will also be coming into the waters off the Treasure Coast. When the weather allows and you can get outside the inlets, it is a great time to target cobia. Cobia is an awesome fighting fish and one of the best tasting fish in the ocean. These fish will be found from just off the beach on out to 80 to 90 feet depths. There are various ways to find cobia. They follow manta rays, swim behind turtles, and swim with sharks or with bait schools. On days with westerly winds, or if there are days with light to no wind, you will be able to sight fish cobia. Look for manta rays or turtles and cast
Scott caught this nice wintertime mahi in 220 feet of water out of Fort Pierce inlet. The mahi ate a ballyhoo trolled along a current edge. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Danny Markowski.
behind them to see if there are any cobia following them. I recommend having someone stand at the highest point on the boat (that is safe) to be your lookout for these fish. I like to have some live bait, if possible, in the water as I am searching for the manta rays. There could always be a chance for a cobia to be away from the manta rays and find your bait to his preference. You can run the beach on calmer days looking for schools of sharks. When sharks are found, scan the area to see if any cobia can be seen mixed in with the sharks. Whether
Salroterbs &CBaiitty Ch
Capt. Carl Torresson USCG Licensed Captain
@slobcity
will be live shrimp, fiddler crabs or clams fished on a #2 long shank hook, 1-ounce weight and 12- to 18-inches of fluorocarbon leader. The redfish and trout should still be on the deeper side of the flats and in the deeper cuts between the islands. Try using a live shrimp trout and crabs for the redfish. You can fish the bottom the same way using a popping cork, 18-inches of 20-pound fluorocarbon leader and a #2 Kahle hook. There should be a good number of pompano in the river to the south of the south bridge and up on the flats. The best bait will be sand fleas but they will take a small live shrimp and use a pompano jig. you locate a cobia or not, cast a 2 to 2.5-ounce jig, preferably with a tail on it, or an eel like jig past the school of sharks and work it back to the boat. This will catch the attention of any cobia, since eels are a favorite food of cobia. Cobia will check out the jig and many times hit it. If they don’t eat the jig, they will often follow it back to the boat. In this instance, have another rod ready and rigged with live bait or a whole squid to toss at the cobia to entice it to eat. Cobia can also be caught while bottom fishing. They are a curious fish. They will swim right up to your boat to check it out. While bottom fishing, always have a rod rigged with a bait or jig in case a cobia shows up and always keep an eye on the water. I recommend using a 7-foot rod with a good backbone. The length of the rod will help on casting a lure farther to the fish and the backbone will help for the fight. I would recommend a 6000 to 8000 sized reel spooled with at least 30-pound braid and a 50-pound leader with a 6/0 live bait or circle hook. On our coast, cobia can range up to 50 to 60 pounds and the chance of a bigger
John Gilson with a croaker. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Joe Ward.
one is always there. You will want tackle to handle the big one that may be around. When you catch a cobia and get it boatside, if you are not sure that it is legal size, it is best to use a net to land it so you can release the fish unharmed if it is too short. Also, if at all possible, use a net to land even a legal fish, it will be just a little bit more calm when landed. Be careful after landing these fish because they are powerful, they can destroy anything and everything in the cockpit. The best bet is to get them on ice in the cooler or fishbox and the lid locked down as soon as possible. Also, be careful of the spines on a cobia’s back between the heads and dorsal fin. They are very sharp and covered with bacteria from the slime and can cause a painful puncture through your skin. On your days on the water that cobia can’t be found, the bottom bite will still be on. A variety of snapper, seabass and porgy will be looking for a meal. Head out to a reef or wreck and drop a cut bait or squid to the bottom for a day of fun. Remember to review your size and bag limits. Have fun and tight lines!
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Call (772) 370-8329
Email Lottabull4@bellsouth.net E-mail: slobcityinc@gmail.com
www.lottabullfishingcharters.com COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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MARCH 2017
TREASURE COAST 7
2/12/17 8:20 PM
fishing forecasts
sebastian inshore
Capt. Gus Brugger
Pattern Setter Charters (772) 360-6787 www.WelcomeToSebastian.com
M
arch is the beginning of the spring season in the Sebastian area. The list of readily available gamefish species expands to include leftover winter migrants, resident species and the first of the warm water species arriving from their wintering grounds to take advantage of the abundant food sources of the Indian River Lagoon. With this many types of fish and fishing available it’s no wonder why the Sebastian area is a popular springtime destination for fishermen and families. Serious anglers can target trophy size snook or attempt to take their first tarpon on fly in the morning and be enjoying family time with the wife and kids catching a variety of species on nearly every cast the same afternoon. There are
four distinct inshore fishing venues in the Sebastian Area; let’s see what the four offer in March. Sebastian River – The Sebastian River is a great springtime fishery. The mild winter we had this year should have snook and tarpon fishing in full swing in March. The warm weather has kept a good number of juvenile tarpon active in its south fork as well as a fair number of snook throughout the system. Schools of good sized jack crevalle will begin to cruise the Sebastian River as they migrate into the area from southern wintering grounds. The Sebastian River will continue to be a refuge for anglers on windy days, and THE place to target snook and tarpon any day. Indian River Lagoon – Trout and redfish are the main target of lagoon anglers in March. From the backwaters to the spoil islands along the Intracoastal Waterway, trout of all sizes can keep anglers busy. Redfish and snook are also widespread, but will generally stay close to shoreline cover. A four-inch D.O.A. C.A.L. jerk-bait on an eighth-ounce head is a great all around lure to target everything that swims in the lagoon in March. Live shrimp fished below a small float will be hard to beat under the right conditions or if you find a
Fishing the sebastian area? Catch ! sh! More Fi
BAIT UP @
Mon - Sat 6aM-6PM Sun 6aM-4PM
Dr. Dave Todd with a 44-inch Sebastian River snook taken on a live mullet. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Gus Brugger.
concentration of fish. Wade fishing will give anglers an edge in the low clear waters of the springtime lagoon. There will always be action fishing for ladyfish, jacks, blues and small trout around islands, drop-offs, and the channels behind Sebastian Inlet. Sebastian Inlet – Sebastian Inlet has continued to produce snook and redfish throughout the winter. The February opening of snook season can be uneventful in our area because water temps are generally below the comfort zone for snook, but not this year. The warm weather
sebastian area offshore
Capt. Bill Stewart
Rogue Wave Fishing Charters (772) 388-2950 roguewavefishing@gmail.com www.roguewavefishing.com
T
(772) 228-6040 • LIVELY SHRIMP • FRESH oFFSHoRE BaIt • SaLt-CLaM...Hot nEW BaIt! • tERMInaL taCKLE, RodS, REELS, REPaIRS & MoRE! • E-Z trailer Parking, near Boat Ramps • Friendly, Knowledgable Staff
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807 IndIan RIveR dR. SebaStIan, FL 32958
Located across the street from Mulligan’s Restaurant and Sebastian Municipal Yacht Club, directly across from the Sebastian V/C boat ramp, Channel Marker R “68”
MARCH 2017
he dolphin bite is the big news this month! Off shore in Sebastian, as early as mid-February, the dolphin started coming in. We only hope that this March is anything like last year. Most people think that summer is the best time for dolphin, but wait until you experience a truly fantastic day on the water in March outside the Sebastian Inlet. Keep an eye out on the marine forecast. Several days of east winds will stack up multiple weed lines. Stop and gather up some live bait on your way offshore. Trust me the live bait can make the difference between a good day and a great day. Quite often as you bring in one or two fish you've hooked, while trolling, others will follow them right up to the boat. That's when those live baits come into play. You've got to have a handful of spinning rods rigged and ready to go. Use 60-pound leader with a good size circle hook. The circle hook ensures a good chance of a live release
and massive numbers of snook in and around Sebastian Inlet this year resulted in great early season snook action both day and night. Live shrimp are the bait of choice during the spring season as snook and other predators key in on the shrimp that are running out the inlet. Slot and oversized redfish have also been taking advantage of the crustacean buffet at the inlet. The recovery of the snook population in the Sebastian area since the freezes of 2010 is astounding, and shows the results of proper fisheries management. Near Shore Atlantic – The waters from the beach on out a few miles can be very productive in March if the winds allow boaters and surf fishermen the opportunity to fish them. Surf fishermen target pompano, bluefish and mackerel as these species being their northern migration. Boaters can do the same and keep an eye out for cruising cobia and large schools of doubledigit jack crevalle. Sharks, bonita and king mackerel can also join the beach party in late march. Take advantage of Florida’s early spring and get the family out on the water. Tight lines.
of any fish you wish to release. As you troll along you may see fish that just won't hit anything, but stop the boat and toss a live bait in their direction. It's a reaction bite we're hoping for. When the bait tries to get away, the dolphin can't resist it and now you have a fish on, that otherwise would have let your trolling baits slide right by. As usual, look for weed lines, rips and temperature breaks. The dolphin will most likely be caught in depths starting from 120 foot on out. The kingfish bite remains red hot and strangely enough this species are not often caught in deeper water, like the dolphin. In fact, the inshore bar, in 60 foot, has been the hot spot for over two months. Get yourself some live blue runners or threadfins and slow troll them up and down the bar until you get a fish and then circle that spot until it fizzles out and then go find them again. The bottom bite has been pretty good as well. We've seen some of the biggest lane snappers coming in that I've ever seen. They like smaller hooks baited with strips of squid. The mangrove bite remains strong and we are seeing some very impressive mutton snappers. A smaller live bait with a really long fluorocarbon leader works best for the muttons which have been holding on the 90 foot reefs.
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2/12/17 8:20 PM
okeechobee
CAM Staff
W
e are excited to announce and welcome Capt. Nate Shellen, a second-generation Okeechobee fishing guide, as our new Lake Okeechobee fishing forecaster. You’ll see his forecast here next month. Capt. Nate has fished Lake Okeechobee since he was a young boy, learning from his father, Capt. Michael Shellen. Capt. Nathan’s time on the water since boyhood has given him first-hand knowledge on the seasonal patterns of bass and how best to catch them. Capt. Nate has quickly developed a loyal clientele since joining his dad at Shellen Guide Service. His innate ability to find fish for his clients has earned him the title of Okeechobee’s top young guide. Aside from fishing, Nate enjoys spending his spare time
with his wife Kristi and his children Emma and Ethan. At press time, Capt. Nate and Capt. Mike told us Lake Okeechobee fishing action was on fire, with anglers catching big numbers of bass. Wild shiners have been producing trophy sized fish in the 7- to 10-pound range, and the region’s warm stable weather has kept water temperatures in the 60s to low 70s, which has kept the fish feeding daily. Lake hotspots continue to include the outside edges of Grassy Island, which is producing bass on senkos and chatter baits. Tin House Cove is holding fish inside the grass line and on the outside edges. A top water bait worked slowly around the cover edges should draw strikes early. When the wind is too strong to fish the outside edge, Horse Island has been productive holding fish in and around the trails that cut through the Kissimmee Grass. This time of year, a black 10-inch worm
boatless
Capt. Chris Sharp
Beachwalker Guide Service (772) 475 8412 beachwalker32@gmail.com www.facebook.com/ BeachwalkerGuideService
Jack crevalle caught off Walton Rocks Beach with a Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow. PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Sharp.
M
arch will be a month of change. With the warmer weather, tarpon will be starting to show up around inlets and bridges. Snook fishing will be hot on the beach and getting there early will make the whole difference of catching and not. If it rains a lot during the month, go to the St. Lucie Locks to see if the water is running. If so, the snook bite will be great. I always use plugs from YoZuri but you can catch them on soft baits and jigs. Best location bets are Walton Rocks and St. Lucie Locks. Huge jack crevalle will be in the river but most will be caught on
We welcome Capt. Nate Shellen as our newest fishing forecast contributor. Catch his Lake Okeechobee fishing forecast in next month’s magazine.
PHOTO SUPPLIED by Capt. Nate Shellen.
or a black/blue senko worked slowly through the cover will beckon the bites. Capt. Mike reminds us, “Patience and determination are the key.”
Check out Capt. Nate and Shellen Guide Service at www. okeechobeebassfishing.com and on Facebook at Okeechobee Bass Fishing.
Inlet, the hands down best place to have a chance at catching these big fish. Pinfish, pigfish and mullet work great, but jigs, plugs and soft rubber baits also work great with
moving tide. Get there early because crowds are crazy, and fish the south side of the inlet on the beach for some great action. Tight lines!
the beaches. They start to spawn offshore and you catch these big boys on topwater plugs, spoons and even dead bait. Look for incoming tide to fish and they will be at your feet. Best location to go to is hands down Walton Rocks Beach. This beach has a great reef and has the outflow from the powerplant. Bluefish will be making their last showing and they will be hungry. Cut bait and spoons will work great and fish high tide. Best place to fish is Hobe Sound Beach and get there early and walk about 100 yards to the left and look where the reef comes close to the beach. Tarpon fishing will start to get good and there is no better place than the Roosevelt Bridge in Stuart and using threadfin as bait can’t be beat. Fishing night time will give you a better chance to get on these fish. Fish moving tide and where there are lights. Use heavy gear 65-pound braid or more, and number 9 circle hook tied to 80-pound leader. Redfish will be good too with little ones around the flats from the west side of river to the east side. Bull redfish will be at the Sebastian COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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MARCH 2017
TREASURE COAST 9
2/12/17 8:20 PM
diving forecast
Steve Wood
Deep Six Watersports - Stuart (772) 288-3999 Stuart (772) 562-2883 Vero Steve.wood@deepsix.com www.deepsixintl.com
A
bove the surface, divers should expect weather conditions to become increasingly more favorable as the frequent cold fronts of winter begin to subside. More opportunities to head offshore should allow divers to make the most of the last few weeks of lobster season before it closes at the end of March. Offshore conditions are quite predictable this time of year provided an eye is kept to the wind. Strong northerly winds during the winter months should begin to fade allowing water to clear in a few days. So far, this year has been dry with minimal rain and very little freshwater runoff from local canals so visibility on the Treasure Coast has been quite good! Passing fronts may churn the shallow water close to shore but after a few days of calm conditions this turbidity settles down and clear water returns. On an incoming tide, clear water is reaching far inshore to the
Largest COSTA dealer on the Treasure Coast
Stuart sandbar. Snorkeling can be quite good here along the mangroves and some of the deep edges of the spoil islands just south of the Stuart Causeway. Hunters should check fishing regulations before heading out since many seasons and size limits have recently changed. Mutton, amberjack and hogfish all have new sizes and/or seasons that have been recently modified that divers should be aware of; additionally, rules for federal and state waters differ. Please refer to MYFWC.com for more information to stay on top of changing limits. March is the last chance lobster hunters have to catch dinner before the season closes at the end of the month. Many have found success off local beaches in shallow water with big bugs over six-pounds being caught recently. This time of year, divers may notice an increase in the number of egg-bearing female lobsters since the breeding season starts soon. The bright orange eggs are easy to spot but are sometimes overlooked so divers are wise to double check the underside of the tail for eggs. Pregnant female lobsters are easy to identify also since they usually keep their tail curled up, protecting the eggs underneath. Care should be taken to avoid unnecessary damage to females during capture to increase their chances of survival and release of their offspring. For a complete list of beach dive sites on the Treasure Coast, email steve.wood@ deepsix.com.
A sample of the “bugs” waiting for you off the beaches of the Treasure Coast! This nearly six-pounder was taken on a beach dive off of Ft. Pierce. PHOTO CREDIT: James Renie.
We have sWim suits for aLL! Deep Six DiVe & WaterSportS
www.deepsix.com 10 TREASURE COAST
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MARCH 2017
VERO BEACH • 772-562-2883 STUART • 772-692-2747 416 21st St., Vero Beach, FL 32960 2525 NW Federal Hwy., Stuart, FL 34994 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
2/12/17 8:20 PM
4903 SE Dixie Hwy. Stuart, FL 34997 (772) 220-3287 (EATS) www.prawnbroker.com
“On the Water at the Manatee Pocket” Open Daily for Lunch & Dinner • Happy Hour: Mon - Fri 3-7pm Sun-Thurs 11:30am-10pm • Fri & Sat 11:30am-11pm
Crow’s Nest
The Most Interesting Shop...Ever!! We Buy or Consign Your Fishing, Boating & Nautical Treasures...
MARCH FISHING CONDITIONS March 1
POOR
Evening
March 22
GOOD
Morning
March 2
FAIR
Evening
March 23
GOOD
Morning
March 3
FAIR
Evening
March 24
GOOD
Morning
March 4
POOR
Evening
March 25
GOOD
Morning
March 5
POOR
Morning
March 26
GOOD
Morning
March 6
BEST
Morning
March 27
POOR
Evening
March 7
BEST
Morning
March 28
POOR
Evening
March 8
POOR
Morning
March 29
POOR
Evening
March 9
FAIR
Morning
March 30
POOR
Evening
March 10
GOOD
Morning
March 31
POOR
Evening
March 11
GOOD
Morning
March 12
GOOD
Evening
March 13
FAIR
Evening
March 14
FAIR
Evening
March 15
BEST
Evening
March 16
GOOD
Evening
March 17
POOR
Evening
March 18
POOR
Evening
March 19
POOR
Evening
March 20
FAIR
Morning
March 21
FAIR
Morning
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’ 2017 Almanac
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Thomas albanese licensed Yacht broker (772) 521-8271
e-m: Thomas@unitedyacht.com
MARCH 2017
TREASURE COAST 11
2/12/17 8:20 PM
Can’t Catch Fish from the Couch By Benton Parrott, 2016 Hobie Fishing Top Gun
PHOTO CREDIT: Benton Parrott.
I
t is Tuesday night. I am already planning for the weekend with fellow Hobie team member Ryan McNeal. We are watching radar and wind reports from South Florida to Texas in search of some decent fishing conditions. We’re willing to travel far and wide to find them. Northeast Florida is going to give us AND the best chance. Now it’s just a
ATCH
RELIEF
Discover how much fun you’ll Discover how much fun you’ll have with Hobie. have with Hobie.
AND
® PoweredPowered by Hobie’s patented by Hobie’s patentedMirageDrive, MirageDrive,® ®® 13 leaves the Hobie Mirage Revolution the Hobie Mirage Revolution 13 leaves your hands free to your hands free to fish and has everything fish and has everything you need to maximize angling experience. you needyour to maximize Discover how much fun you’ll your angling experience.
RELIEF RELIEF CATCH
Rigging • gEAR have with Hobie.
KayaKS & CanoeS
AND
RELIEF
®
the Hobie Mirage Revolution® 13 leaves your hands free to fish and has everything you need to maximize your angling experience.
Powered by Hobie’s patented MirageDrive,® the Hobie Mirage Revolution® 13 leaves your hands free to fish and has everything you need to maximize hobiefishing.com your angling experience.
Located on the St. Lucie River at
7647 Lost River Rd. Stuart, FL 34997 Sales • Rentals • Rigging • Tours
Sales • Rentals • Rigging • Tours hobiefishing.com Kayaks, Canoes, Bikes
(772) 223-1500
Kayaks, Canoes, Bikes www.southriveroutfitters.com
Located on the St. Lucie River at www.southriveroutfitters.com 7647 Lost River Rd, Stuart, FL 34997 LocatedTueSday on thehobiefishing.com Lucie River (772) 223-1500 at -St. FRiday SaTuRday 7647 Lost River Rd, Stuart,Saturday-Sunday 9 amWednesday-Friday to 4 pm 9FL am34997 to 5 pm am to 4:00 pm 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (772)9:00 223-1500
www.southriveroutfitters.com Wednesday-Friday www.hobiefishing.com 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Saturday-Sunday 9:00 am tohobiefishing.com 5:00 pm
Discount Mini Storage
BOAT & RV STORAGE • SECURITY FENCE
WE SELL: INSURANCE, BOXES & LOCKS FRIENDLY MANAGERS • ALL GROUNDFOR FLOOR FRIENDLY MANAGERS • TRUCK AVAILABLE NEW UNITS MOVE-IN’S CONVENIENT WEEKEND HOURS ALL GROUND FLOOR UNITS • CONVENIENT WEEKEND HOURS AUTHORIZED UHAUL DEALER CALL TODAY FOR OUR MONTHLY MOVE IN SPECIALS CALL TODAY FOR OUR MONTHLY MOVE IN SPECIALS
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772-299-1288 772-299-1288
North Location:1803 180390TH 90TH AVENUE AVENUE ••VERO FL FL 32966 North Location: VEROBEACH BEACH 32966 South ST••STUART STUARTFLFL34997 34997 SouthLocation: Location:2601 2601 SE SE MIAMI MIAMI ST 12 TREASURE COAST
377_Treasure_Coast_FINAL.indd 12
A beautiful Florida sunrise greets us as we pedal out. A short while later I’m standing and making drifts in my Mirage® Outback when the water turns brown. A mixture of redfish and black drum take off from under me, stirring up the mud. There are so many I can feel them hitting my hull as they pass underneath. I spot a couple moving
SaleS RentalS
CATCH CATCH AND
matter of getting up and executing. We meet up in Navarre after work on Thursday night, double check our gear and head out for the five-hour drive. We arrive at 3 a.m. only to find the gates at the state park don’t open until 4. We catch a quick nap in our trucks. Groggy but excited for what Discover how much fun you’ll the day holds we make our way out have with Hobie. on the water. Powered by Hobie’s patented MirageDrive,
away. With a solid cast in front I get a taker. The large black drum (shown with me in photo) drags me all over until I get it landed safely. Ryan and I stop to take a quick picture before releasing it, then head back after the school. We catch a few slot reds from it, a couple of trout, and another black drum. As the day progresses so does the wind. Reluctantly we call it and drive back towards the panhandle of Florida to regroup. We wake up early and decide to drive over to Alabama to fish in my old back yard. It proves to be a great decision. The tide is just starting to fall in the creeks as we arrive, pulling the bait out with it. We anchor off the mouth of the creeks and watch fish busting the bait down the grass line. We join in, slow rolling soft plastics down the creek. The redfish can’t get enough. We have nonstop hook-ups all afternoon on our artificial baits. We have a blast catching and releasing over 20 reds and find a couple of nice trout on the way in. Hobie Kayaks are easy to travel with. We just strap them down in the back of the trucks and go. There is no excuse not to get out and explore new waterways, finding adventure. Remember, you can’t catch fish if you’re sitting on the couch.
MARCH 2017
KAYAK FISHING forecast
Brian Nelli
Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters (772) 201-5899 Brian@tckayakfishing.com www.tckayakfishing.com
INSHORE — Spring is in the air.
We have had a much drier start to the year and clean water has been much easier to find. Snook, redfish and trout will still be along mangroves and in between docks. Focus your time on points in the mangrove line and docks with the most current. Throwing D.O.A. shad tails and jerk baits will work well matching the hatch of glass minnows in the water.
Offshore — Fishing will start
to pick up this month with larger kingfish and more mahi swimming through. The sailfish bite will continue to be good as well. Cobia in March has always been good for us. These fish will start to move from the beach to the reef line. Fishing Jupiter
Brad with his first clown knifefish.
PHOTO CREDIT: Brian Nelli.
to Delray Beach reefs bouncing the bottom with jigs, sardines and pilchards are your best bets. Put your time in and you should find a few.
FRESHWATER — The last few cold
fronts slowed things down a bit, but the peacock bass, largemouth and clown knifefish are still biting. Live shiners and or shad are your best bets. All three of these fish will be looking for deeper water when the water temps get colder. Find the right depth and you will find the fish. Check us out Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for all the latest adventures my clients and I get into.
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
2/12/17 8:20 PM
REEF...........................FROM PAGE 3 reefs! The festival benefits the nonprofit Sea-Life Habitat Improvement Project (SHIP) and oyster restoration in St. Lucie County. In the first four years of the Festival, 2,800 gallons of oyster shell have been collected from oysters served. This shell was stored at the County’s Harbour Pointe Park for three months, enclosed in fourgallon mesh bags, and then deployed in the Indian River Lagoon. Both events bring attention to local non-profits that have environmental concerns and both events celebrate the ecological vitality of the Treasure Coast. MMPS is dedicated to scientific research and Wesley’s Island restoration. As the most visible island for boats entering the County from the Atlantic Ocean, it is in the economic interest of the County to maintain the island’s allure to both humans and wildlife. The County’s Environmental Resources Department (ERD) has helped volunteers replant native coastal grasses and gumbo limbo branches. More than half of the branches have already re-sprouted. ERD will plant a diverse tree community from trees currently at its native tree nursery but must wait until the approach of the rainy season. Wesley’s Island is designated a bird conservation island but has attracted both residents and visitors. In addition to area residents, the island has attracted visitors from other areas of Florida and from as far away as Kentucky. Birds found on the island include herons, least terns, roseate spoonbills, white pelicans and great horned owls. It is hoped that maintaining and enhancing the island’s native habitats will ensure continued use by birds while retaining the island’s appeal to human visitors.
Deploying large ships as artificial reefs also has both scientific and economic interests. SHIP is developing partnerships to clean and deploy a large vessel as an artificial reef offshore the Treasure Coast. Although there is an environmental impetus for deploying large vessels (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has granted funding to Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute to research how fish are using large vessel reefs offshore St. Lucie County) there is also an economic impetus for deploying ships as artificial reefs. One Panhandle-area study estimated a $131 return for every $1 invested in reef construction in that region. A large, historic naval vessel would bring in watermen during the summer months during the slow tourism season. The nexus of the Pig Roast and the Oyster Festival is the deployment of an oyster reef on the northwestern shoreline of Wesley’s Island. Oyster shell collected at this year’s festival will be used to construct an oyster reef that will reduce erosion of the island, provide fish habitat, and possibly create a salt marsh. This oyster reef will provide foraging habitat for birds such as wood storks, American oystercatchers, four species of terns, three species of herons, three species of gulls, two species of plovers, great egrets, and mallard ducks. For more information on St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program volunteer opportunities with MMPS or SHIP, contact Jim Oppenborn, St. Lucie County Coastal Resources Coordinator, at (772) 462-1713 or oppenbornj@stlucieco.org.
From River to Ocean, We’ve Got Your Boating Needs Covered! March Special Mention This Ad To
Receive 25% OFF Any Boutique Item Scan the code to follow us on Facebook and to see the latest news, Brag Board photos, shing reports, contest offerings and more! No QR code scanner? No problem! Hook up with us on Facebook at TreasureCoastCoastalAngler.
www.lewismarine.com Email: stuart@lewismarine.com Phone: (877) 777-7141 Fax: (772) 220-4529 Website:
TREASURE COAST
Address: 3385
Open 6 days a week!
SE Dixie Highway, Stuart
For Service Supreme Visit Lewis Marine
Robert J. Skidmore, Sr. Scholarship Fund The Robert J. Skidmore, Sr. Scholarship is for college-bound high school seniors pursuing a career involved with the marine industries. Administered by the Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast (MIATC), this scholarship was named to honor Robert J. Skidmore, Sr., who passed in 2004. Mr. Skidmore became a member of MIATC in 1988 when he moved to the Treasure Coast. He served on the association’s board in 1989 and served as president in 1993 and 1994. He had a love for the marine industry and treasured those who had high work ethics. Each year local artist Dan Mackin donates a Giclee for the association to raffle to benefit the fund. The drawing is held in June at the association’s Annual Dinner.
Alternative Spring Breakers from Plymouth State University removing non-native vegetation.
To purchase tickets or make a donation to the fund, please contact the MIATC offices at 772-692-7599.
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
377_Treasure_Coast_FINAL.indd 13
MARCH 2017
TREASURE COAST 13
2/12/17 8:20 PM
Visit the Best Kept Secret in Martin County! THE HISTORIC...
Jumpst a rt Weeken Your d With
ART ON THE DOCK
Thursda y Eve 6 PM to nings 9 PM
& Gallery
On THE waTERfROnT In PORT SalERnO
Come by Boat or Car and Stroll our “Boardwalk” or as it Danuta’s Den is known, the “PocketWalk” to get a Danuta Rothschild 772-233-6020 danutastudio@yahoo.com feel for this Unique Artists’ Community. www.danutastudio.com Elizabeth Esther Kelly Browse the quality, handmade art; Weaving Studio Gallery 845-443-3665 enjoy delicious treats, fresh smoothies, elizabeth@gatewaytotibet.com www.gatewaytotibet.com craft beers and eclectic wines at The Clay Space Gail Kosowski Twisted Craft & Creamery; or take 561-762-4527 gailnaomi14@gmail.com an exciting boat ride or ghost tour! Originals Art Studio Byron Pence 772-341-5678 bymijuno@yahoo.com www.originalsartstudio.com
Aya Fiber Studio Art to Wear Boutique and School of Textile Arts
Suzanne Connor 336-693-4606 suzanne@ayafiberstudio.com www.ayafiberstudio.com
Cristina de la Vega Studio 772-233-6020 cmdelavega@gmail.com www.cristinadelavega.com
Havana Artist Boutique Raida Disbrow 954-464-1360 raidisbrow@aol.com www.havanabeads.etsy.com
Virginia Breault Art Studio 339-203-1637 VirginiaBreault@gmail.com
377_Treasure_Coast_FINAL.indd 14
PoCKeT HoPPeR BoAT RIDeS
(772) 919–5911
www.pockethopperinc.com The Historic Fish House Art Center is located on the Manatee Pocket waterfront in the historic fishing village of Port Salerno, just 5 miles south of downtown Stuart. It sits at the end of Salerno Road, east of Dixie Highway (A1A).
4745 SE Desoto Ave | Port Salerno
www.fishhouseartcenter.com @fishhouseartcenter
2/12/17 8:20 PM
!
ur h
CK
gs
ar it a y. t; s, e ke r!
WHATSUP! By Jennifer Hoard
Paddle Vero Beach:
What You Need to Know V
ero Beach has many great kayaking and standup paddle board (SUP) spots. Here’s just a few of our favorites on the Indian River Lagoon. North of downtown Vero Beach is Wabasso Causeway Park, an easy fifteen-minute drive up U.S. 1 from downtown Vero Beach. The causeway connects the mainland to Orchid Island, which offers great kayaking and paddling for most wind conditions. There are spots to easily launch your kayak or paddle board on each end of the bridge, and it is possible to protect yourself from the wind, no matter what direction it's headed. There is plenty of parking, even if you launch near the boat ramp, and also nicely maintained restroom facilities. If you paddle south on the west side of the Indian River, you’ll be in relatively shallow water. The water is plenty deep for kayaks
and paddle boards, but not for most motor boats. Thus, a lot of marine life and aquatic birds hang out in this area. It’s common to see turtles popping their head out of the water and manatee cruising through the area. Next on the list is MacWilliam Park, which is on the northeast side of the Merrill P. Barber Bridge and popular with the locals. Parallel park your vehicle at the launch, unload your gear, then park nearby. Restroom facilities were recently built near the baseball diamond, just a short walk away from the launch site. Another plus, you will quickly arrive at the Intracoastal from this launch site. On the north side of the Barber Bridge is a manatee zone. This means slower speeds for motorized vessels and smaller boat wake for paddlers and kayakers to endure. There are also a lot of small mangrove islands that dolphin and
There are many cut-throughs that are too shallow for boats that make great nature observation paddles. PHOTO COURTESY of Sea SUP Go.
manatee are often seen swimming around. There are a few narrow cuts and skinny water between the islands, which makes kayaks and paddle boards the perfect fishing vessels. The islands also provide wind protection. Last, but certainly not least, is Round Island State Park, located seven and half miles south of the 17th Street bridge on A1A. Round Island West, or Riverside, has become a natural sanctuary for manatee. You are almost sure to see manatee and stingrays. The launch site is one of the best in the area. You can drive your vehicle right up to the water and unload. The launch itself has a sandy bottom, which is nice on the feet, and water gradually gets deeper. There’s ample parking and clean
restroom facilities. Again, there’s lots of protection from the wind among the mangrove islands and a lot of shallow water. While fishing is not allowed within the park, it is an easy paddle out of the park to the Intracoastal, or across the river for redfish and trout. Jennifer Hoard and her husband, Barrett, are the owners of Sea Sup Go Paddle & Surf Company, conveniently located in Vero Beach, offers kayak and paddle board tours at each location. Tours can be customized to fit your needs and interests. Kayak and paddle board delivery is also an option for those who prefer self-guided tours. To learn more, call the shop at (772) 217-8708 or visit www.SeaSupGo.com.
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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
377_Treasure_Coast_FINAL.indd 15
MARCH 2017
TREASURE COAST 15
2/12/17 8:20 PM
WIND, WATER & WAVES By Capt. Bill Swezey
K
The Two Biggest Misconceptions in Kiteboarding
iteboarding started to grow as an extreme water sport in the early 2000s and in recent years has gained immense popularity with people even outside the watersports community. In the early years of kiteboarding, equipment was crude and safety systems were slim to none. The sport started to become infamous with the help of online videos showing people flying into buildings or getting lofted uncontrollably into the air due to poor safety designs and inadequate instruction in the sport. Since then kiteboarding has come a very long way in terms of equipment design, safety, and professional instruction. However, despite the relatively safe track record of the sport in the past five to ten years there are still misconceptions that exist. One of the most common
questions that come from people inquiring about learning to kiteboard is “How strong do you have to be?” This is an understandable concern because from the beach it appears as if riders are solely gripping the bar in front of them and being pulled by the kite. If this were the case, it would definitely require immense upper body and grip strength to hold onto the bar. Actually, the grip on the bar is very light. As a rider gets going they can even let go with one hand and control the bar with a light grip from the other. This is possible because almost all of the pull from the kite is coming through a harness that the rider is wearing around their hips or waist. The bar is only there to steer and sheet the kite in and out adding a little more or less power through the harness. The pressure is so little
on the bar that virtually anyone could hold it without a problem. Strength is necessary in kiteboarding, but not a lot, and in a much different way. For someone to be successful in the sport, they need to have satisfactory core and leg strength. The only reason for this is to keep their core and legs engaged as the kite pulls them up onto the board. A good way to think about this is to imagine someone is sitting in the sand with legs relatively straight. If someone were to give them a hand to get up they should have enough strength to keep their core tight and dig their heels down into the sand as they get pulled off the ground. The other misconception in kiteboarding is about safety. A lot of people are concerned that they will get lifted or dragged involuntarily. A small drag through the water is possible and probable when learning the sport but it is enormously easy to let go of any power in an instant. There are three stages to this and they should be practiced with a professional instructor. The first is to just let go of the bar. This sheets out the trailing edge of the kite and “dumps” any wind it is holding. If that does not work and there is still too much power, one can pull their
primary release. This is usually a red or orange “knob” directly in front of the kiter that easily slides out and releases the “chicken loop”. Once the primarily release is pulled the kite “flags out” and is only attached to the rider by one line and their leash versus four lines. There should be absolutely no power left in the kite at this point. If for some reason there is still power in the kite, the rider can simply pull their “leash release” and completely detach the kite and lines. These three stages can be done easily in less than two seconds after a few practice attempts and once our students understand and practice their releases they become very confident that they can handle discarding any power if they need to. Misconceptions still exist however; equipment design and safety have come a very long way since the start of kiteboarding. Almost anyone, with proper instruction and basic core strength, can try and enjoy this immensely rewarding sport. For more information, contact Capt. Bill Swezey or Jeremy Lund, lead instructor/owner of New Wave Kiteboarding, Stuart, FL. (561) 633-9362 NewWaveKiteboarding.com
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3050 SE DixiE Hwy. Stuart, FL 34997
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(At the intersection of Indian Street and Dixie Hwy.)
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SEA PRO 248 BAy BOAT
sales@legacymarine.com
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See US At the PAlm BeAch BoAt Show mArch 23rd – 26th 16 TREASURE COAST
377_Treasure_Coast_FINAL.indd 16
MARCH 2017
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
2/12/17 8:20 PM
COOK YOUR CATCH!
Lionfish a L’orange INGREDIENTS:
COOK:
• Lionfish fillets (allow at least ¾ lb per person) • Flour or yellow corn meal • Eggs • Sea salt • Oil (Vegetable, Canola etc) • Juice oranges (1 per serving) • Limes • Tortuga Rum (or a suitable substitute will do…) • Ice cubes
1. Using tongs, dip lionfish chunks into eggs and then into the flour. 2. Place gently into heated oil separated by at least 1/2“, turning over once, cook until golden brown on each side, careful not to over-cook. 3. Drain cooked chunks on a paper towel and sprinkle sea salt atop. 4. Just prior to serving, squeeze generous portions of orange juice over them all and serve right away. Have a few orange wedges and more sea salt handy on the table. 5. By now, if you have not already poured yourself some good rum over ice with a slice of lime…you are really missing out!
4290 SE SALERNO RD www.thetwistedtuna.com (772) 600-7239 STUART FL 34997
U CALL…WE HAUL!!! Deliver Your Car or Boat with Ease and Convenience
Enjoy, Bon Appetit and feel REAL GOOD about eating a delicious invasive species!!
CoNtAC t US FoR A
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qUotE
Providing service anywhere in the State of Florida and the U.S. East Coast to New England PREP: 1. Cut lionfish fillets into chunks approx. 1½”-2” in size. 2. In your 1st bowl, whip several eggs. 3. In your 2nd bowl, pour some flour or corn meal. 4. Heat at least 1/4” oil in a large pan on med-high until you can get a strong “crackle” sound dripping in a small amount of the egg. 5. While oil heats, cut oranges in quarters and cut lime wedges.
Boat and Car Hauling • Boat trailer SaleS BoAt trAiLEr rEntAL Monday - Friday over 40 yearS experience LicenSed & inSured
Daily and Weekly Rates Available
3705 SE DixiE HWy. StUARt, FL 34997
(772) 919–1449
Email: Grinato@aol.com
www.transportflorida.com COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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9 aM - 5 pM Saturday 9 aM - 2 pM
MARCH 2017
TREASURE COAST 17
2/12/17 8:20 PM
34th Annual Vero Beach
Birds on Safari
Spring Boat Show
T
April 8-9, 2017
he long running Vero Beach Spring Boat Show, now in its 34th year, will be held Saturday, April 8th and Sunday, April 9th from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Riverside Park in Vero Beach. Riverside Park is located just west of Riverside Theatre and southeast of Barber Bridge in Vero Beach, off Route 60. Boat dealers, suppliers, and nautical related businesses will be displaying their products and services and will have staff available to answer questions and help you get out on the water! From stand-up paddleboards and kayaks, to deck boats and
1290 N.W. Federal Highway, Stuart (772) 692-0294 www.birdsonsafari.com
pontoon boats, shallow water skiffs and personal watercraft to offshore fishing machines and cruisers, marine accessories and services and nautical goodies. This show has it all. Finance and insurance representatives will be onsite to assist with questions you may have. Food and refreshments will be available. Parking and admission are absolutely FREE. For more information contact Laura at laura@veromarinecenter.com or (772) 562-7922.
Offshore Performance Marine New bOats tock In s sale n and o
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772-466-0100 • www.OffshorePerformanceMarine.com 18 TREASURE COAST
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MARCH 2017
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
2/12/17 8:20 PM
Treasure Coast Tournaments & Events MARCH 4, 2017 PHOTO CREDIT: Jim Albertson.
Backcountry Fishing Association Tournament
Little Jim Bait & Tackle, 601 North Cswy., Fort Pierce, FL For more information, call (772) 370-1055
Chapman School of Seamanship Nautical Garage Sale 4243 SE St. Lucie Boulevard, Stuart, FL For more information, call (772) 283-8130.
MARCH 9, 2017 Stuart Rod & Reel Fishing Club Meeting Quality Inn, 950 SE Federal Highway, Stuart, FL For more information, call (772) 210-5563
Port St. Lucie Anglers Club Meeting Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens, 2310 SE Westmoreland Blvd., Port St. Lucie, FL For more information, visit www.pslangler.com or call (772) 834-7599
An Abaco mahi-mahi caught aboard A Salt Weapon with Capt. Ira Key, and being held by mate Aaron Albury.
March 15, 2017 Fort Pierce Sportfishing Club Meeting
Fort Pierce Yacht Club, 700 N. Indian River Drive, Fort Pierce, FL
For more information, visit www.ftpiercesportfishingclub.com or call (772) 464-0423
MARCH 26-29, 2017 Hang ‘EM High Challenge
Hawk’s Nest Resort & Marina, Cat Island, Bahamas For more information, visit www.hawks-nest.com
APRIL 1-2, 2017 6th Annual Fort Pierce Oyster Festival
600 N. Indian River Drive, Fort Pierce, FL 34950 For more information, visit www.ftpierceoysterfest.com
APRIL 8-9, 2017 34th Annual Vero Beach Spring Boat Show Riverside Park, Vero Beach, FL
For more information, visit www.verobeachboatshow.com or call (772) 562-7922. To view more tournaments and events, or to submit an item for the Coastal Angler Magazine calendar, visit
www.camtreasurecoast.com
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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MARCH 2017
TREASURE COAST 19
2/12/17 8:20 PM
APRIL 8th & 9th
THE VERO BEACH 34th ANNUAL SPRING
COME SEE WHAT’S NEW FOR 2017!
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12 Royal Palm Pointe, Vero Beach 772-562-7922 • www.veromarine.com ELIGIBLE FOUR-STROKE OUTBOARDS †
3-YEAR LTD. WARRANTY + 2-YEAR Y.E.S.**
OR
DEALER CREDIT TOWARD THE PURCHASE OF GOODS/SERVICES
250-300 HP V6
Free! $2,300 value
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$1,500 based on MSRP
225 HP
Free! $1,800 value
or
$1,300 based on MSRP
200 HP
Free! $1,800 value
or
$1,000 based on MSRP
150-175 HP
Free! $1,125 value
or
$750 based on MSRP
115 HP
Free! $800 value
or
$500 based on MSRP
60-90 HP
Free! $725 value
or
$400 based on MSRP
30-50 HP
Free! $450 value
or
$300 based on MSRP
20-25 HP
Free! $330 value
or
$200 based on MSRP
8-15 HP
Free! $170 value
or
$150 based on MSRP
2.5-6 HP
Free! $170 value
or
$125 based on MSRP
OFFER VALID FROM JANUARY 1, 2017 – MARCH 31, 2017 See your authorized participating Yamaha Outboard Dealer today for details! Other restrictions and conditions may apply.
Award Winning Sales, Service and Waterfront Ships Store for Nearly 60 Years! 20 TREASURE COAST
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** Y.E.S. value based on M.S.R.P. † Applicable models may vary - Not applicable to new models introduced after December 1, 2016.
*PROGRAM TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Consumer benefit for purchasing a new (unused, not previously warranty registered) select eligible Yamaha 2.5 to 300 HP four-stroke outboard is a choice of either a 24-month Yamaha Extended Service contract (choice offered in Florida is a 24-month Yamaha Limited Warranty), or a credit based on MSRP toward the purchase of goods and/or services at the authorized participating dealer that sold the outboard, at no extra cost to consumer. NO BENEFIT SUBSTITUTIONS. To be eligible, outboards must also have been manufactured since January 2010. Promotion is only applicable from authorized participating Yamaha Outboard dealers in the USA, sold to purchasing consumers residing in the USA. Promotion is limited to available stock in dealer inventory that is sold, PDI completed, delivered and warranty registered on YMBS by the dealer in accordance with Yamaha’s Promotion and warranty registration requirements during applicable dates. Applicable models may vary. Any new models introduced after December 1, 2016 are NOT eligible for this Promotion. No model substitutions, benefit substitutions, extensions or rain checks will be allowed. Outboards sold or provided for commercial, camp, resort, rental, promotional/demo, government agency, competition, tournament or sponsorship use are not eligible. This promotion cannot be used in conjunction with any other Yamaha offer. Some exceptions may apply. See authorized participating Yamaha dealer for complete details. Yamaha reserves the right to change or cancel this Promotion at any time. Other restrictions and conditions may apply. REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal floatation device and protective gear.
© 2017 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.
YamahaOutboards.com
YAMAHA PROMOTION PROCESSING CENTER 10 Mauchly • Irvine, California • 92618 • 949-789-2965 • Fax: 949-789-0634
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COASTAL ANGLER Treasure Coast MARCH Day
Time
1W 3:54 AM 10:32 AM 4:17 PM 11:02 PM 2TH 4:42 AM 11:18 AM 5:06 PM 11:53 PM 3F 5:34 AM 12:07 PM 6:01 PM 4SA 12:49 AM 6:32 AM 1:02 PM 7:02 PM 5SU 1:50 AM 7:37 AM 2:04 PM 8:08 PM 6M 2:57 AM 8:46 AM 3:13 PM 9:17 PM 7TU 4:06 AM 9:53 AM 4:23 PM 10:22 PM 8W 5:11 AM 10:56 AM 5:28 PM 11:22 PM 9TH 6:09 AM 11:52 AM 6:26 PM 10F 12:16 AM 7:00 AM 12:43 PM 7:18 PM 11SA 1:05 AM 7:46 AM 1:29 PM 8:04 PM
Largest Selection on the Treasure Coast
height -0.41 2.5 -0.53 2.53 -0.31 2.43 -0.5 2.46 -0.17 2.34 -0.43 2.36 -0.03 2.23 -0.34 2.27 0.09 2.15 -0.28 2.22 0.14 2.11 -0.25 2.22 0.11 2.15 -0.27 2.29 0.02 2.25 -0.32 2.39 -0.09 2.36 -0.37 2.48 -0.21 2.47 -0.4 2.54 -0.3 2.53
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 H L H
12SU 1:51 AM 9:27 AM 3:13 PM 9:47 PM 13M 3:33 AM 10:06 AM 3:54 PM 10:27 PM 14TU 4:14 AM 10:43 AM 4:33 PM 11:06 PM 15W 4:54 AM 11:19 AM 5:12 PM 11:44 PM 16TH 5:33 AM 11:55 AM 5:50 PM 17F 12:23 AM 6:12 AM 12:31 PM 6:30 PM 18SA 1:04 AM 6:54 AM 1:11 PM 7:13 PM 19SU 1:48 AM 7:41 AM 1:55 PM 8:03 PM 20M 2:39 AM 8:35 AM 2:48 PM 9:00 PM 21TU 3:38 AM 9:37 AM 3:49 PM 10:02 PM
-0.39 2.55 -0.35 2.55 -0.34 2.52 -0.35 2.52 -0.25 2.45 -0.31 2.46 -0.13 2.36 -0.23 2.36 0.01 2.24 -0.12 2.25 0.16 2.12 0 2.13 0.3 2.01 0.12 2.01 0.43 1.9 0.22 1.93 0.52 1.83 0.28 1.89 0.55 1.81 0.28
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
22W 4:41 AM 10:38 AM 4:54 PM 11:01 PM 23TH 5:41 AM 11:34 AM 5:57 PM 11:55 PM 24F 6:36 AM 12:24 PM 6:54 PM 25SA 12:45 AM 7:26 AM 1:10 PM 7:45 PM 26SU 1:32 AM 8:12 AM 1:55 PM 8:34 PM 27M 2:18 AM 8:56 AM 2:39 PM 9:21 PM 28TU 3:03 AM 9:40 AM 3:23 PM 10:08 PM 29W 3:49 AM 10:25 AM 4:09 PM 10:56 PM 30TH 4:37 AM 11:11 AM 4:57 PM 11:46 PM 31F 5:26 AM 11:59 AM 5:49 PM
1.91 0.5 1.86 0.22 2.01 0.39 1.98 0.1 2.15 0.22 2.16 -0.03 2.31 0.02 2.36 -0.17 2.46 -0.19 2.55 -0.28 2.58 -0.37 2.71 -0.35 2.67 -0.51 2.81 -0.36 2.7 -0.59 2.85 -0.32 2.68 -0.59 2.81 -0.22 2.61 -0.51
Vero (Ocean) 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 +2 hrs; 17 min Low Tide +3 hrs; 4 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide .48 feet Low Tide .92 feet
TIME OFFSET High Tide +55 Low Tide +1 hr; 42 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide 1 foot Low Tide .50 feet
Fort Pierce
TIME OFFSET High Tide -10 min Low Tide -9 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide 1.08 feet Low Tide 1.42 feet
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Monday thru Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 8:00 a.m – 3:00 p.m.
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TREASURE COAST 21
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MARCH 2017
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2/12/17 8:21 PM
www.airtightcoolingheating.com
Licensed and insured LIC# CAC1818412
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Cedar Pointe Plaza 2621 SE Ocean Blvd. Stuart, FL 34996 772-214-2653
Marine Air Conditioning And Refrigeration Specialists Serving The Treasure Coast and the Palm Beaches Specializing in
Gravely ZT HD 44 Mower MSRP $5,470
$4,899 Honda EG2800i Portable Generator
MSRP $1,149.95
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Read owner’s manual before operating any power equipment
3326 SE Dixie Hwy, Stuart, FL 34997
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• Air Conditioning/Refrigeration Design • Fish and Bait Boxes • Freezers and Coolers • Plate Systems • Temperature Controls • Chilled Water Pumps • Manifolds • Refrigerant Piping • Custom Grills • Digital Controls
(772) 463-4669 Fax: (772) 463-7648 www.StuartLawnAndGarden.com www.TractorPartPros.com Email: thomas@stuartlawnandgarden.com
10302 S FEDERAL HWY #255 PORT ST. LUCIE, FL 34952
(772) 333–8163 email SteveK@airtightcoolingheating.com
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MARCH 2017
TREASURE COAST 23
2/12/17 8:21 PM
n a u J By Chase Cornell
W
hen I was no more than five years old my father took me to a family friend’s dock. He climbed into the water to wade along the edge of the mangroves with a cast net to collect live finger mullet for the day of fishing and left me on the dock with a pole and a bucket of live shrimp. I can distinctly remember standing on that dock. As I gazed down into the brackish water of the Indian River Lagoon, a large red fish appeared, slowly lumbering across the shallow shoreline towards the dock. To that point I had never sight fished anything, let alone an over slot redfish. The surge of adrenaline that overcame my body from spotting that beautiful fish before he spotted me is a feeling I will never forget. Somehow, I made a worthy cast and the bull red flared its gills and slurped down my shrimp. No sooner did I come tight and the fish bolted under the dock, snapping my line on the barnacle encrusted pilings with ease. In fishing, just as in life, we have the opportunity to learn our g re ate st lessons from our failures. The ability to learn from a mistake allows us to build ourselves back up and become better anglers and humans. My ego has a history of forcing my brain to think it is 24 TREASURE COAST
377_Treasure_Coast_FINAL.indd 24
okay to make the same mistake time and time again and losing a good fish is still is not easy for me. After I graduated college, I moved home and forged a friendship with a kid named Andrew. He was as passionate as I was about learning about offshore fishing. We spent a ton of time together on the water back in those days. We really have had some incredible fishing trips together, including winning the Bluewater Open out of his 22’ Pathfinder bay boat, catching the winning dolphin with less than an hour to spare before final weigh in. The more we fished together, the farther offshore our journeys took us. We struck up a goal to learn how to catch swordfish out of Fort Pierce. In recent years sword fishing has exploded in popularity throughout the state. We started by spending many nights on the sword grounds, including the night that Austin and Perry went missing out of Jupiter. We spoke to the Coast Guard that night and learned of the missing teens. It was a hollow feeling drifting on
MARCH 2017
t a h TAway! Got the Gulf Stream current that night. As time went on and the swordfish came over the rail, we wanted to try and catch a daytime swordfish. At the time, there was only one boat to my knowledge day timing out of Fort Pierce. So, just as I have always done, I tried to do all my own research, determine the best rig and apply my previous knowledge to a new fishery. Our first attempt consisted of a 150’ long wind on a leader, a concrete/pvc weight rigged with a 20-pound breakaway line and a split tail mullet for bait. We deployed the LP and rig in 1500’ of water and quickly realized there was a ton of current to deal with. Our rig was getting scoped out and there was no way for us to control it. Frustrated, and knowing we needed to go back to the drawing board, we started to bring the rig up. As the LP picked up line from a seemingly endless abyss, the line began to scope out and away from the boat. Something was on the other end. The scramble was on! The crew clamored about attempting to clear the flat line, and deck, as well as assemble the harpoon which none of us had ever even thrown. Along the way someone kicked the LP plug and shut off the power. In retrospect,
It took time, heartache, humility and a ton of persistence to catch that first daytime sword.
it did not matter because at the time we didn’t have a clue how to fight a big swordfish on an electric reel. We had the drag hammered down and we had the button smashed (DO NOT DO IT THAT WAY). Whatever was on the end of our line was flying up to the surface. Suddenly, not 300 feet from the boat, a massive swordfish broke the surface of the glassy water like a submarine. It literally even did that bounce when it broke the water like its ballast was adjusting. I cannot say how big this fish was, but to this day I have still not seen one remotely close to as big. At the time and in my mind it seemed like it was a big as the Pathfinder. It was the Juan. Tensions aboard the boat were running hotter than the #48 on the final lap of the Daytona 500. Again, we did not have a clue what we were doing. We stayed tight to the fish, basically driving circles around it, inching closer and closer to harpoon range. The big fish almost seemed like it was in a trance. As more wraps of the wind on leader went on the reel, we could see the 10/0 Mustad seated in the fish’s right pectoral fin. We had snagged it on the way up. We inched closer and closer. Andrew held the dart in his hand waiting to take
PHOTOS COURTESY of Chase Cornell.
The
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2/12/17 8:21 PM
ty!
GET ON BOARD
SEE IT LIVE
COME SEE THE BOSTON WHALER 420 OUTRAGE AT MARINEMAX STUART. MarineMax Stuart proudly carries Sea Ray, Scout, Boston Whaler, Galeon, Azimut, Harris Flotebote and Ocean Alexander.
PHOTOS COURTESY of Chase Cornell.
STO-STU-AD-70406 Coastal Angler Ad.indd 1
his first harpoon throw. About fifteen feet away from range, the giant fish surged at the sight of the boat, pulling the wind on leader off the reel. The leader did not come with a wax loop for us to attach the weight, so in a pinch, I tied one on. The fish pulled the wind on off the reel and the wax loop I tied earlier was too large for the top guide of the reel. The loop caught the tip of the rod, freezing the drag. The line made a whipping sound as the stainless hook pulled from the side of the fish and shot back towards the boat. We all stood in disbelief as the giant fish disappeared back to the depths and out of sight. We went an additional fifteen trips day timing without catching a swordfish. We did not even see another swordfish during those fifteen trips. We got bites, pulled hooks, changed our rigging tactics, learned to set drags, started fishing with lead weights, purchased a true daytime swordfish rod, and flat out endured some serious struggles. In October of 2015, I put the first daytime swordfish on the deck, a beautiful double marker that my
friend Travis and I landed together off Jupiter. However, I will not forget that first drop and giant fish that got away. Just the same, I will never forget that first redfish that eluded me on the dock as a boy. Today, it seems like a trip without a daytime swordfish is less common than a trip with a fish on the deck. However, it took time, heartache, humility and a ton of persistence to catch that first daytime sword. You have to stick to the regiment and it takes constant maintenance to make sure you avoid mistakes you have already made as well as the ones that are in the back of your mind that you have not made, but you know exist. I hope to one day see that swordfish again on the end of my line. If our paths never cross again that will be okay too. I am thankful every day for the fish I have caught, but I am perhaps most thankful for the ones that got away. Chase lives in Vero Beach and loves to fish and write about his adventures. Read more of his fishing escapades at bitepress.wordpress.com.
2/9/17 11:04 AM
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©2016. Sea Tow Services International, Inc. All rights reserved.
2370 SW Palm City Road, Stuart, Florida 34994 (888) 599-8345 www.marinemax.com/stuart
800-4-SEATOW
seatow.com
MARCH 2017
TREASURE COAST 25
2/12/17 8:21 PM
Family Fun!
Oysters, Seafood & More!
Arts & Crafts!
Live Music!
Help with our “Oyster Restoration Project” & save your shells! On the waterfront in downtown Fort Pierce
PHOTO CREDIT: Fort Pierce Oyster Festival.
600 N. Indian River Drive, Ft. Pierce, FL 34950 772-285-1646 ● info@FtPierceOysterFest.com
26 TREASURE COAST
377_Treasure_Coast_FINAL.indd 26
MARCH 2017
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2/12/17 8:21 PM
320CC POWERED BY
Awe Shucks!
It’s Time for the 6th Annual Ft. Pierce Oyster Festival R
evelers will find more than just pearls at the 6th Annual Fort Pierce Oyster Festival. This tasty two-day event held April 1st to 2nd along the Fort Pierce waterfront will feature marine eco exhibits, children’s activities at the Manatee Center, including the annual Great Coconut Float Race, art, music, vendors, cold beer and an array of oysters served both cooked and on the half shell. The festival, which boasted nearly 10,000 attendees last year, benefits Sea-Life Habitat Improvement Project, Inc. (aka SHIP). The proceeds aid in deploying a large Navy-type vessel as an artificial reef on the Treasure Coast. Per event coordinators, 800 gallons of oyster shells were donated to the St. Lucie County Oyster Reef Restoration Project last year. “If we serve all of the oysters that we have on order, that will be more than 15,000 oysters. That’s a lot of shucking,” says Andy Brady, president of SHIP. In addition to adding a second day, this year’s festival includes a new partnership with the Pirates of the Treasure Coast. Opportunities are available for sponsors, vendors and volunteers. Interested shuckers, servers and/or ticket takers, please apply. This is also
THE EDGE OF POSSIBILITY
a great way for high school students to earn community volunteer hours towards graduation requirements. Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 1 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 2. Event location is the Riverwalk Center/Veteran Memorial Park 600 N. Indian River Dr., Ft. Pierce, FL, 34950.
What is impossible is only impossible until it is not. We set out to build a boat that was not just unsinkable, but also one-of-a-kind; unmatched in safety, while delivering the beauty, versatility, and performance to inspire envy in all who behold it. We did it because we never want you to have to choose between the safety of your children and the adventure of a lifetime.
For more information, contact April Price (772) 285-1646 or Kathy Gilbert at POTTC Events (561) 792-9260 or visit the festival’s web site: www.FtPierceOysterFest.com.
PHOTO CREDIT: Fort Pierce Oyster Festival.
See us at the Palm Beach Show March 23-26
772-221-2105
Factory Authorized Service Center
4900 SE Federal Hwy. Stuart, FL 34997
Fort Pierce Oyster Festival shuckers, Kenny, Joe and Justin.
www.seagatemarine.com
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377_Treasure_Coast_FINAL.indd 27
MARCH 2017
TREASURE COAST 27
2/12/17 8:21 PM
BOARD
Share Yooutor Brag Phere! H
Email your information ality and high-qu rger) (500KB or la @ easurecoast photos to tr e.com. lerMagazin CoastalAng
Ryan Jackson with a nice bonefish caught on the Sailfish Flats in late January. “We ended this amazing day with 5 bonefish and 12 pompano!” Photo CREDIT: Jeremy Croxton.
Michael McFarlane with a snook caught at the North Bridge in Fort Pierce on live shrimp— a true fisherman!
Allyson Johann, 7, of Vero, caught this 3-foot long catfish all by herself in her backyard. Photo CREDIT: Chris Johann.
Photo credit: Kristina Kopelakis.
Makai Hill caught this 26-inch snook on his own, on his 8th birthday, free lining a shrimp. Photo CREDIT: Charlie Hill.
377_Treasure_Coast_FINAL.indd 28
Arlene with a nice redfish to start off a beautiful morning on the Treasure Coast! Photo CREDIT: Capt. Charlie Conner.
Bluefish caught on a Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow at Walton Rocks Beach. Photo CREDIT: Chris Sharp.
2/12/17 8:21 PM
IT'S BOAT SHOW TIME! www.
.com
www.MitziSkiffs.com
www.CHawkBoats.net
CALL FOR YOUR LOCAL DEALER
252-235-2461
Rod Actions for
Coastal Fishing By CAM Staff • Photo Courtesy of Matt Holder
B
roomstick. That’s what I started out coastal fishing with nearly 20 years ago. I had done quite well bass fishing with heavy-action rods growing up fishing freshwater lakes and ponds. When I began fishing saltwater bays, I was quite fond of my medium-heavy and heavy action broomsticks. Of course I was using them to ‘horse’ 8to 11-pound bass out of heavy cover and matted vegetation. Those actions are fine to start with in saltwater bays, but fishing for speckled trout and redfish in most bays doesn’t require bringing out the heavy artillery. In fact, going lighter and allowing today’s more precisely built fishing tools to do their job at the upper end of their limits is much more effective in catching more and bigger speckled trout, and they do fine on most slot and oversized reds up to almost 42 inches. Lately I have seen quite a few inquiries on the saltwater inshore boards asking “is this rod ok, or can I use that rod action for trout?” I thought I’d cover some rod actions that handle the bays, flats and marshes a little more like Craig Biggio handled a baseball bat. That guy was awesome in the field, didn’t swing a big bat but produced big results with consistency. That is what we are after. For saltwater inshore fishing with a casting rod and reel for speckled trout and redfish, the most used rod and action would be something in the realm of a 6’6” medium-power rod with a fast tip. It should be rated to throw lures weighing from 1/8 to 5/8-ounce. I regularly throw lures up to ¾-ounce, such as Super Spooks or other
CANGL_FIL1-FIL4.indd 3
large topwater plugs, on this specific rod rating. Line ratings will fall generally between 8- to 15-pound test. Each rod maker will have a little different variation on this, but they’ll be close to this range. This rod will cast a large variety of saltwater inshore lures ranging from soft plastics on 1/16-ounce lead or bismuth jig heads all the way to 3/4 or 1-ounce topwaters. Overall, it will function best and cast the longest with lure weights that fall within its rated specification. For example, one can certainly cast a ¾-ounce MirrOlure Paul Brown slow sinking FatBoy or Mirrodine XL on a rod that’s rated for 1/8 to 5/8-ounce, but I find that it may not cast as far since it’s slightly over-loading the blank. A fast-action tip will help mitigate some of the distance loss (and we’re just splitting hairs here) but it’s going to get the job done and allow you to fish with that one rod all day with just about any lure in the box. I recently switched over to Lew’s Inshore rod series with blanks that are specifically made for saltwater inshore anglers. I’m really liking them.
2/14/17 5:02 PM
B.A.S.S. Calls Anti-Lead Edict Anti-Fishing
O
n the day before President Barack Obama left office, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) issued an edict to ban lead fishing tackle and ammunition from hundreds of thousands of acres of land and water managed by that agency. Executed without stakeholder input, the controversial action has sparked outrage from fishing and hunting communities. B.A.S.S. joined with state fisheries management agencies and the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) in calling on the new administration and FWS to put a hold on the order. “This 11th hour order, just hours before the new administration was to take office, was an obvious attempt to push through an order that is part of the previous administration’s environmental agenda without full consultation among all the stakeholders,” said B.A.S.S. Conservation Director Gene Gilliland. Scott Gudes, ASA’s vice president of government affairs, added, “The sportfishing industry views this unilateral policy to ban lead fishing tackle, which was developed without any input from the industry, other angling organizations and state fish and wildlife agencies, as a complete disregard for the economic and social impact it will have on anglers and the recreational fishing industry.” Signed by FWS Director Dan Ash, Order No. 219 requires “the use of nontoxic ammunition and fishing tackle to the fullest extent practicable for all activities on service lands, waters and facilities.” Fortunately, action was taken by the new Trump administration that could hinder its effectiveness. A memorandum issued from the White House to departments and agencies announced a freeze on implementing new regulations, pending review. Still, individual jurisdictions within FWS might choose to enforce the rule. For years, environmentalists have attempted to gain a complete ban on lead ammunition and fishing tackle by filing lawsuits. They’ve done so, Gilliland said, “despite the lack of a clear connection in many cases of negative population-level impacts on fish and wildlife.” Their arguments have been rejected by the courts. At the same time, selective bans have been
CANGL_FIL1-FIL4.indd 4
implemented where research suggests a need for them, such as in some northern waters, where loons ingest lead shot. “In the limited instances where lead fishing tackle is demonstrated to harm local wildlife populations, the sportfishing industry supports actions to minimize or eliminate these impacts,” Gudes said. “However, unnecessary and sweeping bans such as this director’s order will do nothing to benefit wildlife populations and instead will penalize the nation’s 46 million anglers and hurt recreational fishing-dependent jobs.” If not rescinded, it also will damage the partnership between the federal agency and the states, according to Nick Wiley, president of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. “This action flies squarely in the face of a long and constructive tradition of states working in partnership with the service to effectively manage fish and wildlife resources,” he said. “The Association views this order as a breach of trust and deeply disappointing given that it was a complete surprise and there was no current dialogue or input from state fish and wildlife agencies prior to issuance. It does a disservice to hunters and anglers, the firearms and angling industries, and the many professionals on staff with the USFWS who desire a trusting and transparent relationship with their state partners.”
2/14/17 5:03 PM
Free Admission
Nautical Flea Market
Free Parking
Boat Show
BOATING & FISHING EXPO Saturday, April 22nd 9am -5pm 2145 U.S. Highway 1 Rockledge, FL 32955 1-888-935-8826
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FISHING SEMINARS ALL DAY
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Catch a Memory Radio Show Live Remote Capt. Jim Ross & Friends – FineLineFishingCharters.com Capt. Alex Gorichky – LocalLinesCharters.com Capt. Scott Lum – CentralFloridaCharters.com Capt. Lee Noga – LeeNoga.com
Keynote Speaker
Capt. Rick Murphy
Executive Producer of the Sportsman’s Adventures, Chevy Florida insider fishing report 12:30pm - 2:00pm
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“FIRST CLASS” 52’ 1988 HATTERAS CALL JERRY GILPIN: 772.359.5745
“CONNIE KAY” 50’ 1999 VIKING CALL TONY MAGGIO: 561.818.1442
“GOOD VIBRATIONS” 48’ 1998 OCEAN CALL BRIAN WEAVER: 561.308.0939
“ROLLING ROCK” 45’ 1969 HATTERAS CALL JIM HENSON: 206.949.1647
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“MARSHALL TIME” 38’ 1988 HATTERAS CALL MARK MITCHELL: 407.435.6982
“EVELYN” 37’ 2002 EGG HARBOR CALL CHRIS VACCHIO: 772.263.0547
“LADY IRISH” 36’ 2009 ALBEMARLE CALL SCOTT LEVIN: 772.263.1208
“FINTASIM” 35’ 2014 EVERGLADES CALL MIKE McCARTHY: 772.631.2838
“PANDEMONIUM” 34’ 1983 HINES FARLEY CALL JERRY GILPIN: 772.359.5745
“CHINA LADY” 33’ 2006 RAMPAGE CALL GREG HUNT: 561.926.8017
“FISH ON” 32’ 2004 ALBEMARLE CALL JERRY GILPIN: 772.359.5745
“LIQUID ASSETS” 32’ 2004 LUHRS CALL SCOTT LEVIN: 772.263.1208
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2/14/17 11:21 AM
Florida Trash Tour Begins March 25 at Cedar Key
T
Photo by Michael Pereckas
he Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) and Swamp Head Brewery are teaming up for the 2017 Florida Trash Tour, a series of tournament-style trash round ups that will award prizes in a number of different categories. Swamp Head will bring free beer! Throughout 2017, the tour will have several events all over the state to clean up Florida waters. The first stop is at Cedar Key on Saturday, March 25 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Registration is free, and so is food and beer at the after party. This is, however, a family friendly event, so sodas and water will be available for anyone under the age of 21. Those who need a place to stay should contact Cedar Key Cove Marina for discounts and availability at 352-543-6148. In each event, there will be divisions for boaters and walkers, so a boat is not necessary. Prizes will be awarded for the most trash collected. Other Tour Stop Dates: Titusville - April 22 Jacksonville - June 10 Steinhatchee - August 26 St. Augustine - November 4
For information, contact Caitlin Mitchell with CCA at cmitchell@ ccaflorida.org or 407-401-7677. To register online, go to the CCA Florida website at www.ccaflorida.org and find the event on the Airline_Ad_CoastalAngler_8-1-14_Layout 1 8/1/14 1:14 PM Page 1 “Calendar of Events” page.
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Will Florida Allow Goliath Grouper Harvest? FWC Photo
F
lorida Today is reporting that the mighty goliath grouper might soon be fair game for anglers in Florida. The topic spurred some heated discussion at the February Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) meeting in Crystal River. FWC staff members have begun the outreach for input that will help determine the future of management for the high-profile species and how a limited harvest might work. This data will be considered at the FWC meetings next fall or winter. Once known as jewfish, harvest of goliath grouper has been off limits for 27 years. Since catch data is important to research and population estimates, researchers have little data from which to assess populations. A strictly controlled and limited harvest of these huge grouper would help the FWC more accurately determine how many of them are actually out there. According to FLKeysNews.com, public input at the Crystal River meeting was varied. Diving interests spoke in opposition to harvest because of the huge fish’s attraction for divers. Recreational anglers spoke in favor of a limited harvest, saying the species is overpopulated in some areas and threatening stocks of other species.
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The Changing Face of the Indian River Lagoon Estuary By Zack Jud, Ph.D.
C
lear water! As I poled a Fort Pierce shoreline, I was thrilled to see last year’s environmental disaster had finally relaxed its grip. I had all but forgotten how exceptional the sight fishing can be without the ubiquitous green and brown water we’ve all slowly accepted as the new normal. I could see bottom for the first time in more than a year. Even better, I was seeing gamefish—a mix of snook, reds and trout that provided ample opportunity for a carefully placed cast. More important than what I saw was what I didn’t see. Seagrass was conspicuously absent from an area that was blanketed in green just a few years ago. With clear water comes the frightening realization that most of the Indian River Lagoon system is devoid of seagrass. Aside from a few ever-shrinking patches that I fished over in the Mosquito Lagoon this winter, I’ve been seeing nothing but bare bottom. Similar reports are rolling in from anglers throughout the system. An excited phone call about seagrass recovery from a friend who makes his living guiding on the Banana River turned out to be yet another letdown. From the bow of his skiff a few days later, it became apparent that the green carpet of “seagrass” was actually an aggressive species of bottom-dwelling Caulerpa algae—a seagrass lookalike that provides few benefits to our ecosystems. This shift from seagrass to macroalgae is occurring throughout the Indian River Lagoon system. It might have cascading consequences that go far beyond the gamefish we so deeply value. To make matters worse, the clear water we’re enjoying this winter has nothing to do with improved management practices. It has nothing to do with the dedicated efforts of concerned anglers and citizens. There were no hard-earned environmental victories for conservation groups, no
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game-changing environmental legislation. To the contrary, last year’s environmental catastrophe has resulted in little change to Florida’s troubled water infrastructure. Improving conditions in our estuaries are nothing more than Mother Nature giving us a few minutes to catch our breath in the corner before the inevitable round ahead. Unless substantial changes occur, Lake Okeechobee discharges and agricultural runoff in the southern Indian River Lagoon, along with septic tanks, sewage treatment plants and residential fertilizer use in the central and northern lagoon, will continue pushing the Indian River Lagoon–and its valuable sport fishery–to the brink of ecological collapse. Thankfully, there is some positive news to report. It seems our voices are finally being heard by a handful of legislators, and lawmakers are getting involved in meaningful discussions that might result in improved water quality for our estuaries and the Everglades. Most important to anglers is Florida Senate Bill 10, a law that if passed would facilitate water storage and filtration in the Everglades Agricultural Area south of Lake Okeechobee. By storing and cleaning Okeechobee’s polluted water using enormous filtration marshes, we can reduce harmful freshwater discharges to coastal areas, while simultaneously providing the Everglades with the water it desperately needs. No other single component of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) has this much potential to improve the health of Florida’s waters. Clear water? Don’t count on it lasting. The bottom of our estuary, now devoid of seagrasses and their stabilizing root systems, is easily stirred up by wind and waves. Human factors that led to last year’s algae blooms, fish kills and massive freshwater discharges are still in place. While our inshore waters may be clear right now, the next disaster is looming. Sure, there are still gamefish to be found, but not in the numbers we remember from even a few years ago. More concerning is the lack of bottom-dwelling prey species—the base of the estuarine food web. While midwater forage fish like mullet, anchovies and pilchards will probably remain abundant for a while, crabs, shrimp and pinfish—species that depend on healthy seagrass—are becoming as scarce as rocking horse manure. Without clean water, without sea grass, without forage species, without nursery habitats, the fishery we cherish may be taking its last gasps. Dr. Zack Jud is the director of education at Florida Oceanographic Society, a coastal ecologist, and a fly casting instructor. Contact him at zjud@ floridaocean.org. Check out the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center’s cool kids’ fishing programs at www.floridaocean.org.
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2/14/17 11:48 AM
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FLORIDA
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2/14/17 11:48 AM
Fishing Line And Tackle Disposal
F
ishing is a key component of the Florida lifestyle as well as the state’s economy. But fishing line and other fishing tackle frequently enter Florida’s aquatic systems creating potential traps for unsuspecting wildlife. Monofilament is the most common type of fishing line, however, modern advances have produced several other varieties with higher tensile strength, reduced visibility and greater abrasion resistance. While fluorocarbon can be recycled in the same manner as mono, braided line and wire leaders must be disposed of differently. Anglers can purchase or make their own fishing line storage bins to keep with them so that line can be stored securely and out of the way. Products such as the Monomaster and Line Snatcher help anglers store unwanted fishing line; however, homemade versions can be made by cutting an “X” in the lid of something as simple as a coffee can. Once on shore, mono and fluorocarbon line can be recycled in designated bins found at boat ramps, piers and tackle shops. Anglers should not use these bins to discard any other type of fishing line or leader material such as braid or wire. Also, the bins should not be used to discard tackle, such as hooks, lures or soft plastics. To discard non-monofilament line, such as braid or wire, cut the line into 12inch or smaller pieces and place into a covered trash receptacle. You can learn how to make your own monofilament recycling bin by visiting our FWC Saltwater Fishing YouTube channel. For more information on the statewide Monofilament Recovery & Recycling Program, visit MRRP.MyFWC.com. As part of the “Pitch It” campaign, soft plastic baits with the hook or jig head removed can be discarded in special program containers that are separate from monofilament recycling bins. Learn more about soft bait disposal and the “Pitch It” campaign by visiting Pledgetopitchit.org. For more on how to make a monofilament recycling bin, go to
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FLORIDA
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Not Just
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The perfect fishing knot is not a knot, but a weld!
By Brandon Tourigny
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et’s face it… the majority of us who hear the title “safety class” usually aren’t thrilled at the prospect of sitting through hours of cliché safety lectures. Boater safety classes are something a lot of us put up with to move forward with getting a boating license or captain’s license. We read about all the horror stories of boating Brandon Tourigny with a nice accidents but Crystal River trout. never think it could happen to us. For me, things like life jackets, up-to-date fire extinguishers, or proper flares were just things that seemed more like hassles to keep on-hand because I didn’t want to receive a ticket from the game warden. However, when the unexpected does happen, when the worst possible scenario unfolds before your eyes, there is no telling how much time you will have to react. How you react in these situations could very well be the difference of life and death. This past month a friend and I were given a rude awakening on the importance of emergency preparedness during a fishing trip into the heart of the Crystal River. After a long day of fishing through the backcountry, we experienced engine failure on our way back to the boat ramp at about 7:30 p.m. With wet clothes, dropping temperatures, howling winds, and only one working phone with 30 percent battery life, it would be an understatement to say that nothing was going our way. Thankfully this story has a happy ending since an unsung hero, who will remain nameless, went the extra mile to see us to safety. Had we been forced to stay the night on the boat, one thing could have become a serious risk for us, hypothermia. With the temperature supposed to drop into the 40s, we had no dry clothes, and hypothermia was a real threat. Emergency situations are actually very preventable if you take the effort to prepare for the worst. Situations such as being stranded due to engine failure, being stuck due to low tide, or a sinking vessel are why having a strong working knowledge of maritime law, safety and emergency preparedness are not something to be taken lightly. Also, the simple step of having an emergency bag containing fire starting materials, nonperishable foods, blankets or towels, some dry clothes and rain ponchos can very well mean the difference between a miserable or life threatening experience or just an inconvenient yet nonthreatening wait for help. When getting ready to go out on the boat to fish or just to enjoy the water, safety should never be taken lightly, because emergency situations can happen to anyone at any time. As a friend of mine’s father once told me, the smartest people don’t learn from experience but from the experiences of others. These are the people who go out more prepared the next time.
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ishermen have been on an eternal quest for the perfect knot. This effort is futile because the line must bend to tie any knot, which always weakens the line, in many cases, substantially! Tauten has replaced the knot with a polymer line weld which results in virtually no loss in system strength. Instead of the line breaking at the weld, the line itself will fail first. Works on braid, mono or fluorocarbon Simply run line through lure/hook and back over device, push button and line is welded to itself in seconds Takes easily replaced and inexpensive polymer cartridges (up to 12 welds per) Device derived from one used by surgeons to tie surgical knots and is extremely durable, lightweight and it floats! Allows you to use smaller diameter line or increases the breaking strength of existing line No more failed knots!
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UNDER THE SEA
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by blending into the reef, and some just want SHERI DAYE to look cool. Ladies, if you’re looking for he popularity of spearfishing in the “skins” for the summer U.S. has grown significantly, and it in attractive patterns, has spawned product innovation and improvements—not only with spearguns, check out Slipins. You might not blend into but with associated dive apparel. Believe it the reef, but you will look amazing! 2) Gloves: There are more sizes, or not, how you dress can play an important thicknesses and features now. I’ve been part of the hunt. Here are some examples: 1) Wetsuits: It’s important for a hunter to diving in water so cold that I lost feeling be comfortable in the water. If you are cold in my hands and couldn’t feel the trigger. and shivering, if your suit is rubbing the I should have sprung for a thicker pair of back of your legs, if it feels too tight in the gloves when I traveled to California. With the popularity of polespearing, chest—you will not perform as effectively. In this regard, new wetsuits with open-cell there’s a need for gloves that make it easy to technology and newer materials have been hold a loaded polespear, so the grip is made a godsend. They are softer, stretchier and of nitrile or latex while the rest of the gloves thinner, yet they keep you warmer than the (back of hand and wrists) are a dynema/ old materials. A good wetsuit should feel Kevlar composition. The all-Kevlar gloves like a second skin and should not let water are useful for handling fish or lobsters. It’s in anywhere. The following brands are not uncommon to get cut by gill rakers when available at your local dive shop: Yazbeck, dispatching bigger fish. Wearing solid gloves will give you confidence when handling fish. Mares, Riffe, Omer, Cressi and more. Most spearfishing wetsuit brands now Check out Neritic and Akona, among others. 3) Booties: With the advent of long fins have both a men’s and women’s cut, resulting in a better fit. The new stretchy materials for spearfishing, it’s become more important are forgiving enough to fit most bodies. for the fin-pocket/bootie combination to Still not happy with the fit? No worries; form a good fit. An ill-fitting fin will greatly there are several affordable custom wetsuit reduce efficiency in the water. As with gloves, manufacturers who will tailor one to your there’s a greater variety of choices, and it’s important to try them on with the foot measurements. Try Oceanos or Elios. Another recent development is the pocket you plan to wear. Next time you go spearfishing, make wide variety of camouflage patterns. Some hunters believe it allows them to be stealthier sure you are dressed for success!
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TIPS FROM A PRO
FRESHWATER THE THINGS WE WEAR
O
BRANDON LESTER
utdoor apparel isn’t as much fun to talk about as how to catch big bass, but it’s important for those of us who spend a lot of time on a boat. I’m not sponsored by any clothing companies or anything like that, but I do know what I like. Let’s start with hoodies. You just can’t beat a quality hoodie for chilly mornings and running down the lake. Most of my sponsors have sent me a hoodie or two, but I have to say my all-time favorite one is from Raymarine. There’s something about the texture of the hoodie. It’s manufactured by
cover up from the sun as well. They keep me cool and really make a difference in how much energy I have after a long day on the water. I also like MHX’s lightweight hat as well as a trucker hat I have from Phoenix Boats. A rain suit is key for me too. Mud Hole was nice enough to send me one from Gill that really works well. They make good stuff. Raymarine sent one made by Stormr, and it is my favorite for cold weather. Mercury provided me one from Simms that is really nice, and it has held
Sport-Tek and is just extremely comfortable. It looks good too. For those cold mornings, I really like to have on a beanie, too. I have accumulated several from Mercury, and I really like theirs. Mercury’s are good quality and don’t shrink. I’ve had others that got loose and feel like they were going to fly off. Everything has to be tight when running at 70-plus mph. Buff USA makes good beanies, as well, and several other cold weather products I like. Most of us think of Buff for sun protection, but they perform in the cold too. Speaking of sun protection, I will indeed have a UV Buff around my neck 95 percent of the time. I also wear their gloves, and honestly it feels a little strange to not fish with gloves on anymore. As younger anglers, we’ve heard stories and seen pictures of sun-damaged skin. Most of us heed the warnings. I wear MHX sun shirts to
up very well. You can never have too many rain suits. You never know when you’ll need a backup for either yourself or someone fishing with you. To complete the look and feel, I like to wear lightweight, comfortable fishing shorts from Mercury. You see a ton of anglers wearing the Mercury shorts, so it was obviously a brilliant marketing move for them to send them to us. It just feels like “game day” when I have them on. Did I mention all this stuff is wrinkle free. Even our jerseys are wrinkle-free. I usually stay in hotels, and I’m thankful to be able to pull my gear out of the suitcase or out of a boat compartment and have it look good. Valley Fashions does a good job with our jerseys. That’s enough about clothing. Next month we will get back to fishing. If you ever have any topics you would like me to cover, hit me up on Facebook or Instagram.
Get more tips from Lester at
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FISH & FISHING
PRIORITIES
A
MARK SOSIN
nglers tend to reverse priorities. Instead of focusing on fishing an artificial effectively, they worry more about choosing some magical fly or lure guaranteed to produce a spectacular catch simply by being in the water. Success seldom happens that way. If you have confidence in your choice and believe it will work, it probably will, provided your presentation and retrieve are effective. The best bait in the box will bomb unless it looks realistic and natural to your quarry. Fishing an artificial is a mental game. It’s easy to be distracted and simply cast and retrieve without any purpose or thought behind each presentation. Every cast should be made to correctly cover a specific segment of water and effectively put an offering in front of a fish. Simple things can make a difference. Here are a couple of examples. I watched an angler cast a swimming plug with a lip into the shallows, crank the reel handle four to six times so the plug dove downward along the dropoff, pause for a moment until the plug began to rise, and then continue the retrieve. If you stood next to him and simply retrieved the plug without pausing so it could rise, you couldn’t buy a strike. Another time, a friend who had been a guide was fishing with me. He kept getting strikes on his lure, while I became more frustrated with every cast, and we were using the same artificial. I watched his every move and tried to duplicate it to no avail. Finally, I asked him what he was doing that was different than my retrieve. As he worked his lure, he kept vibrating his hand. It was too subtle to see. Vibrating his wrist caused his lure to flash underwater just like a real baitfish. That made all the difference. Finding a school of breaking fish on the surface stirs the soul and telegraphs the imminent success to every fiber in your body. The key is to keep the boat away from the school while moving up ahead of it. Casts should be made in front of the school when possible or
at least close to it so that the retrieve follows the basic path of the school. Assuming the school is moving north, you want your retrieve to cover the northeast or northwest quadrant. It should move in the general direction of the main body of fish. Not very often will a school member chase a lure going in a direction opposite that of the main body of fish. Retrieving an artificial must make it appear to the fish that it is trying to escape. If the predator senses that the lure is moving toward it, you can bet it will spook. Every cast should be carefully calculated to make the lure look realistic. If a fish fails to strike, vary the retrieve. And, in cooler water, don’t overlook a slower retrieve. Those anglers who set the standards fishing artificial baits make every cast count. Follow their lead and you should begin to catch more and more fish on artificial lures.
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TACKLE CORNER:
GETTING A FRESH HANDLE ON SPINNING RODS By Mike Pehanich
T
he topic of spinning tackle can be a lightning rod among fishermen. Opinions on it vary greatly across the angling spectrum. Some rely on spinning tackle and, literally, can’t fish without it. Some hate it and can hardly broach discussion of this “down-side” style of fishing without a snide aside (“a birdsnest waiting to happen”) or epithet challenging the user’s manhood (“fairy wand”). In recent years, effective finesse techniques in the bass world have taken the fire out of the debate, and a sober “it’sjust-a-tool” mentality has cleared a place for spinning in the arsenals of most serious anglers. Design Disadvantage Outside the realm of partisan debate, however, spinning tackle has remained open to at least one legitimate complaint. The design of most spinning rods compels the fishermen to grip the rod across the reel seat and straddle the reel stem, leaving the angler’s hand little or no grip security and comfort. The design leads to particular disadvantage when fighting big fish or fishing in adverse weather conditions, from snowstorms and freezing cold to tropical humidity and lightning bolts. Fortunately, solutions have come to the fore. Here are three options to answer the spinning rod conundrum. Hooded Reel Seat With Polymer Grip: Hooded reel seats,
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such as those in Fuji’s VSS series, are designed for a grip shaped to extend over the reel seat. The design provides palm support—grip comfort and security at the palm interface—even with fingers straddling the spinning reel stem. Fuji, through its exclusive American distributor Anglers Resource, introduced a proprietary set of Winn grips (WVSS1615, WVS17), tailored to fit precisely with two of its newest and most popular spinning reel seats and its Perfect Fit Trim. This combination of grip and reel seat adds ergonomic benefit and puts more of the hand into contact with the non-slip Winn grip polymer. Aero Comfort Finish Reel Seat: American Tackle offers a spinning reel seat with a topside extension that delivers palm support. Like hooded reel seats, the design provides ergonomic benefit by supporting the palm, but it is a hood-like portion of the reel seat rather than grip material that reaches up to meet the palm. The “comfort finish” reduces the degree of hand slippage. Mummy wrap: West Coast saltwater anglers were the first to overwrap spinning rod handles with Winn Superior Rod Wrap, a “skin” of patented Winn polymer, known for its tackiness in adverse weather conditions. The tape-like material is backed with a forgiving adhesive that wraps easily around rod handles. The “mummy wrap” approach adds a continuous wrap from rod butt to foregrip with the reel already in place. The mummy wrap straddles the reel stem over both ends of the reel foot. Palm and fingers have complete contact with the non-slip polymer covering the entire handle. Check out the spinning rods in your arsenal, and see if one of these solutions can add comfort and effectiveness to your fishing. Rod wraps are simple solutions. Check with a custom rod builder or rod repairmen about retrofitting spinning rods with a new grip or reel seat.
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EAGLE MARINE TRIO ROD HOLDER Eagle Marine’s new Trio Rod Holder conveniently stores three rods while only utilizing one rod holder in your boat’s gunnel. This setup is ideal for kite fishing or anytime when multiple rods will be used. All aluminum construction is bright dipped anodized to ensure many years of protection from the harsh marine environment. Custom soft PVC Liners help create a secure fit into the tapered rod holders that feature a welded cross pin. The Trio Rod Holder fits standard gunnel-mount rod holders. It features three 8 ½-inch tapered and flared rod holders with custom fitted white PVC liners. These rod holders are ideal for kite fishing or any time an angler needs to add more rods to a spread. For more information on this and all of Eagle Marine’s fine products, see www.eagleproducts.us/ eagle-marine/.
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R
ecreational anglers are again feeling the sting of federal regulations. NOAA Fisheries announced in late January that cobia harvest in federal waters of the Atlantic from Georgia through New York will be closed for the remainder of 2017. As recreational anglers continue to scream of arbitrary data being used to set catch limits and estimate annual landings, NOAA says the recreational landings of Atlantic migratory group cobia exceeded 1.3 million pounds, more than double the annual allowable catch for 2016. These numbers came despite a closure in federal waters for nearly half of 2016, which was spurred when catch data from 2015 indicated an even larger recreational catch of 1.55 million pounds. Federal waters begin outside of three miles in the Atlantic, and a large majority of the recreational cobia catch occurs within state waters when these brown bombers migrate to shore and northward in the warming waters of spring and summer. NOAA has predicted the annual catch limit will again be exceeded in 2017, as state marine fisheries managers refuse to fall into line with strict federal regulations. NOAA has said the federal closure will be reevaluated if state regulations change in 2017. This federal closure does not apply to cobia on the Atlantic coast of Florida, which are part of the Gulf of Mexico migratory group. It also does not change regulations for commercial anglers, who will still be allowed two cobia per day.
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ITEM 62443 68751 shown
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comp at 99 $28.83
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$6
$
LIMIT 8 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.
NAT_0317.indd 41
•
• No Gas Required
120 AMP FLUX WIRE WELDER
ITEM 61849/62719 Customer Rating 68887 shown
SUPER COUPON
99
750+ Stores Nationwide
$9
LIMIT 9 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.
SUPER COUPON
SAVE 65%
comp at
LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.
ITEM 63024 63025 shown
SUPER COUPON
$8999 $10999
99
comp at 99 $149.99
$8999
LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.
SAVE NOW
LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.
SUPER COUPON
3
SAVE 85%
3799 $106.34
SUPER COUPON
18 VOLT CORDLESS 3/8" DRILL/DRIVER WITH KEYLESS CHUCK SUPER COUPON
comp at
wn
ing rior ipt. be day.
SUPER COUPON
130 PIECE TOOL KIT WITH CASE
ITEM 69651 62868/62873 68239 shown
$13499
$
comp at
9
$ 99 $19.97
LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.
SUPER COUPON
SUPER COUPON
Blade sold separately.
• 1000 lb. capacity
LIMIT 1 - Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or prior purchase. Coupon good at our stores, HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Offer good while supplies last. Shipping & Handling charges may apply if not picked up in-store. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/1/17. Limit one FREE GIFT coupon per customer per day.
SAVE $204
ON
ON
$7
99
VALUE
SUPER COUPON
ITEM 61969/61970 69684 shown
62
ing rior ipt. be day.
SAVE $106
SAVE 59%
SUPER COUPON
Customer Rating
E
3
ITEM 60497/93888 shown 61899/62399/63095/63096 63098/63097
4
SUPER COUPON
E %
N
MOVER'S DOLLY
Customer Rating
$ 97
LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.
15
9
ANY PURCHASE
SUPER COUPON
3-1/2" SUPER BRIGHT NINE LED ALUMINUM FLASHLIGHT
KE
L T
10 FT. x 20 FT. PORTABLE CAR CANOPY
ITEM 63054/60728/69034/62858 shown
own
alling prior ceipt. be day.
FREE
SUPER COUPON ™
inal day.
SS RS
SUPER COUPON
SUPER COUPON
80 PIECE ROTARY TOOL KIT ITEM 97626 shown 68986/69451 63235/63292
$1699
Customer Rating
Includes one 18V NiCd battery and charger.
SAVE $ 65%
1999 $49 comp at
LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.
ITEM 69924 shown 62403/62862 Customer Rating
SUPER COUPON
6" VARIABLE SPEED DUAL ACTION POLISHER SAVE $95
SUPER COUPON comp at SAVE $ 99 71% $24.15
9
$
LIMIT 7 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.
SUPER COUPON
PORTABLE FISH FINDER ITEM 62675/94511 SAVE Customer Rating 46%
$
SUPER COUPON
$699
MULTI-USE TRANSFER PUMP
ITEM 62961/63144/61364 63591/66418 shown
SAVE 59%
$65
At Harbor Freight Tools, the “comp at” price means that the same item or a similar functioning item was advertised for sale at or above the "comp at" price by another retailer in the U.S. within the past 180 days. Prices advertised by others may vary by location. No other meaning of "comp at" should be implied. For more information, go to HarborFreight.com or see store associate.
HarborFreight.com • 800-423-2567 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
$149.99
SUPER COUPON
SUPER COUPON
LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.
comp at
LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.
3999 $3499
comp at
6999
$5499
Customer Rating
SUPER COUPON
6
$499
$ 99 comp at $12.39
LIMIT 7 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior from original purchase with original receipt. last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/1/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.
purchases after2017 30 days MARCH Offer good while supplies
NATIONAL
41
2/14/17 1:46 PM 2/13/17 10:14 AM
THIS YEAR, MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY DAY ON THE WATER
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE MATCHED BY EXCEPTIONAL VALUE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE SPECIAL BOAT SHOW OFFERS FROM SUZUKI MARINE
REPOWER FINANCE
Six Years of Protection at no extra charge on all new outboards 25 to 300 HP.
Cash Rebates on select models. See your dealer for details.
Rates as low as 5.99% on new outboards (OAC).*
Offers end March 31, 2017. See your participating Suzuki Marine dealer for details or visit www.suzukimarine.com.
42
Gimme Six Extended Protection promo is applicable to new Suzuki Outboard Motors from 25 to 300 HP in inventory which are sold and delivered to buyer between 01/01/17 and 3/31/17 in accordance with the promotion by a Participating Authorized Suzuki Marine dealer in the continental US and Alaska to a purchasing customer who resides in the continental US or Alaska. Customer should expect to receive an acknowledgement letter and full copy of contract including terms, conditions and wallet card from Suzuki Extended Protection within 90 days of purchase. If an acknowledgement letter is not received in time period stated, contact Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. – Marine Marketing via email: marinepromo@suz.com. The Gimme Six Promotion is available for pleasure use only, and is not redeemable for cash. Cash Rebates apply to qualifying purchases of select Suzuki Outboard Motors made between 01/01/17 and 3/31/17. For list of designated models, see participating Dealer or visit www.suzukimarine.com. Customer and participating Dealer must fill out the appropriate rebate form at time of sale. Customer will have the choice to either apply the cash rebate against the original dealer invoice (Suzuki will credit Dealer parts account) or have a check sent directly to the customer. There are no model substitutions, benefit substitutions, rain checks, or extensions. Suzuki reserves the right to change or cancel these promotions at any time without notice or obligation. * Financing offers available through Synchrony Retail Finance. As low as 5.99% APR financing for 60 months on new and unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors. Subject to credit approval. Not all buyers will qualify. Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on credit worthiness. $19.99/month per $1,000 financed for 60 months is based on 5.99% APR. Hypothetical figures used in calculation; your actual monthly payment may differ based on financing terms, credit tier qualification, accessories or other factors such as down payment and fees. Offer effective on new, unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors purchased from a participating authorized Suzuki dealer between 01/01/17 and 3/31/17.“Gimme Six”, the Suzuki “S” and model names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2017 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.
NATIONAL
NAT_0317.indd 42
SZ_Q1Promo_WIP.indd 1
MARCH 2017
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
2/14/17 1:46 PM
12/4/16 1:46 PM
SPIDERWIRE® STEALTH™
EXTREMELY STRONG EXTREMELY CASTABLE
GO THE DISTANCE WITH STEALTH SMOOTH 8 CARRIER TIGHT-WEAVE BRAID WITH A SUPER SMOOTH, SUPER THIN COATING FOR QUIET AND EFFORTLESS CASTING
SPIDERWIRE.COM COMMON CVRS_0317.indd 3
2/13/17 11:38 AM
WHATEVER THE SEA THROWS AT YOU, STAND YOUR GROUND. BUILT FOR ALASKA, FIT FOR EVERYONE XTRATUF boots have been proven and tested in the unforgiving Alaskan seas. Now, that same toughness is available in the XTRATUF Performance Deck Boot. With a non-marking, slip-resistant Chevron outsole, these 100% waterproof boots are as tough as the elements.
Kryptek Pontus Kryptek Yeti
www.xtratuf.com © 2017 Honeywell International Inc.
COMMON CVRS_0317.indd 4
INTRODUCING THE NEW KRYPTEK ANKLE DECK BOOT
2/13/17 11:38 AM