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Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events PHOTO COURTESY OF CRYSTAL LAFOSSE VOLUME 23 â&#x20AC;¢ ISSUE 271

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EDITOR IN CHIEF : Ben Martin • camads@coastalanglermagazine.com VICE PRESIDENT : Tracy Patterson • tracy@coastalanglermagazine.com ART DIRECTOR : Rebecca Snowden • graphics@coastalanglermagazine.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR : Nick Carter • editorial@coastalanglermagazine.com WEBMASTER : Dmitriy Pislyagin • webmaster@coastalanglermagazine.com ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: Corporate Headquarters info@coastalanglermagazine.com • 888-800-9794

FLORIDA

BIG BEND : Mike McNamara • (850) 510-7919 • captmike@coastalanglermagazine.com BREVARD : David String • (321) 684-5888 • dstring@coastalanglermagazine.com DAYTONA/NEW SMYRNA BEACH : Don Meadows • (321) 436-5895 • donm@coastalanglermagazine.com FLORIDA KEYS : Cliff Lumpkin • (305) 849-9093 • cliff@coastalanglermagazine.com FORT LAUDERDALE : Gene Dyer • (954) 680-3900 • gene@coastalanglermagazine.com FORT MYERS : Nadeen Welch • (239) 595-8265 • nwelch@coastalanglermagazine.com GREATER MIAMI : Scott Deal • (561) 945-6999 • scott@coastalanglermagazine.com Monica Isaza-Deal • (561) 945-8899 • monica@coastalanglermagazine.com GREATER ORLANDO : Phillip & Giselle Wolf • (407) 790-9515 • phillip@coastalanglermagazine.com LAKELAND & SUMTER : Mary Brasher • (352) 598-4219 • maryf@coastalanglermagazine.com NAPLES : Nadeen Welch • (239) 595-8265 • nwelch@coastalanglermagazine.com NC FLORIDA/NATURE COAST : Cary & Lynn Crutchfield • (352) 372-4237 • crutch@coastalanglermagazine.com NE FLORIDA : Danny Patrick • (904) 742-4696 • danny@coastalanglermagazine.com PANAMA CITY/FORGOTTEN COAST : Randy Cnota • (229) 834-7880 • randyc@coastalanglermagazine.com PALM BEACH COUNTY : Barbara Ryan • (561) 373-8040 • barbara@coastalanglermagazine.com SARASOTA : Phil Prevoir • (239) 257-4684 • pprevoir@coastalanglermagazine.com TAMPA BAY : Chuck Atkins • (239) 464-5153 • chuck@coastalanglermagazine.com TREASURE COAST : Misti & Gary Guertin • (772) 285-6850 • treasurecoast@coastalanglermagazine.com flahama@coastalanglermagazine.com

MARINE-GRADE BOAT COVERS

T-Tops

SOUTHEAST

ATLANTA/SW GEORGIA : Bob & Brenda Rice • (706) 614-8231 • bobr@theanglermagazine.com CHARLESTON : Jane A. Redden • (205) 725-9616 • jane@coastalanglermagazine.com Sam Buckareff • (843) 607-8629 • sam@coastalanglermagazine.com CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT : Mark & Haley Alberghini • (704) 651-1934 • mark@theanglermagazine.com MYRTLE BEACH : Mike Masiero • (732) 674-3019 • mmasiero@coastalanglermagazine.com TIDEWATER/OUTER BANKS : John Tiger • (757) 707-9654 • john.tiger@coastalanglermagazine.com Laura Seitz • (757) 707-9655 • laura@coastalanglermagazine.com UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA : Gregg Thompson • (864) 542-3112 • gregg@theanglermagazine.com WESTERN NC : Debra & Joe Woody • (828) 775-9663 • woody@theanglermagazine.com WILMINGTON/MOREHEAD : Kenny Ritter • (910) 550-9094 • kenny@coastalanglermagazine.com

Chairs & Seats

NORTHEAST BOSTON : George Regan • (617) 488-2842 • boston@coastalanglermagazine.com LONG ISLAND : Lisa & Michael Danforth • (203) 321-7635 • lisad@coastalanglermagazine.com CONNECTICUT / RHODE ISLAND : Lisa & Michael Danforth • (203) 321-7635 lisad@coastalanglermagazine.com

GULF COAST

GALVESTON/MATAGORDA/UPPER COAST : Chanci & David Mowry • (713) 446-7395 • chancim@coastalanglermagazine.com • davidm@coastalanglermagazine.com MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST : Adam Nelson • (228) 627-5903 • anelson@coastalanglermagazine.com Toby Nelson • (228) 623-1761 • tnelson@coastalanglermagazine.com NEW ORLEANS : Dr. Dave Dunaway • (225) 400-8156 • nola@coastalanglermagazine.com

GREAT LAKES

UPSTATE NEW YORK : Frank Geremski • (518) 898-6484 • frankie@theanglermagazine.com WEST MICHIGAN : Phil Belsito • (616) 957-1714 • phil@theanglermagazine.com

INTERNATIONAL BAHAMAS : Misti & Gary Guertin • (772) 285-6850 • treasurecoast@coastalanglermagazine.com flahama@coastalanglermagazine.com PUERTO RICO/VIRGIN ISLANDS : Ace Bassue • (407) 285-9453 • ace@coastalanglermagazine.com COSTA RICA : Mike Erickson • (561) 262-2242 • mike@coastalanglermagazine.com © 2017. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Disclaimer: Coastal Angler Magazine / The Angler Magazine will not be held liable for injuries incurred while partaking in activities described herein, or for claims made against products or services provided by advertisers.

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no pressure

Gulf Grouper By CAM Staff

rystal LaFosse fishes a lot. She’s traveled to destination fisheries around the world. Everywhere she’s been has its own allure, but she said when it comes to catching fish, nowhere compares to Louisiana’s Gulf Coast. What would you expect to hear from a Louisiana girl? Cajun Tackle in Lake Charles, La. is the family business, which Crystal operates with her brother and her parents. She is the founder and director of the Salty Catch Fishing Rodeo in Lake Charles and director of the Tuna & Swordfish Challenge at Hurricane Hole in Grand Isle, La. Even with so much fishing in her work life, she relishes the opportunity to launch out of Lake Charles with family, friends and her 6-year-old son Cardyn. Despite the excellent inshore opportunities nearby in the maze of waterways and Calcasieu Lake, Crystal’s favorite destination is well over 100 miles out in the Gulf in grouper water. West Louisiana doesn’t enjoy the same proximity to deep water as destinations to the east. With runs inside 50 miles out of Venice or Grand Isle, anglers flock to the deep-water rigs and rock bottom where the edge of the Continental Shelf provides dramatic depth changes. Out of Lake Charles, it’s a 110- to 130-mile run to reach the 200-foot depths and prime grouper territory. However, those willing to make longer runs will find bottom that hasn’t already been picked clean by other anglers. “Most people don’t come here to target grouper because the run offshore is so far,” Crystal said, “but that also makes it good because the area is not over-fished.” Yellowedge, gag, and strawberry grouper are some of Crystal’s personal favorites, but she said it’s always fun when the rod tip bends over and you really don’t know what you’re bringing up. Regardless of the species, grouper are some of the best eating fish in the sea, and loading the box with delicious fish is half the fun. “There’s nothing better than cranking in a huge Warsaw grouper. That’s just the best!” she said. The challenge of strapping on a harness and battling a big Warsaw is enough to test anyone’s strength and endurance. Reeling up a 200-plus-pounder is on Crystal’s to-do list. “Typically the big grouper hang on the up-current side of the rigs in 200 to 250 feet of water,” Crystal said. “Bottom fishing, you’re looking for rock or reef formations, drop offs and drastic water depth changes. Usually anything over 200 feet is good grouper territory.” For Crystal, “anything over 200 feet” is sometimes 500 feet or deeper, when you never know what’s going to come up on the end of the line. Her rigs account for the dark waters at these depths with lights that mimic the bioluminescence of squid and attract grouper. “There are several ways to deep drop, and grouper rigs can be made with one to five hooks, ” she said. “Typically when you’re targeting a big warsaw, it’s with an 18/0 or 20/0 circle hook rig with glowing lights, a 3- to 5-pound weight and live bait around the oil rigs. I make my own three-hook rigs using 8/0 or 10/0 circle hooks, glow in the dark squid, lights, and topped with dead squid bait… You can use the 3-5 hook rigs around structure or just bottom fishing on rock piles. “The glow squid are from Offshore Angler, Fathom Offshore, and many other brands. The LED deep-drop lights range in colors of blue,

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red, green or disco, and there are many different brands from Offshore Angler or Lindgren-Pitman, which we have a selection of at Cajun Tackle,” she continued. “These lights and glow squid attract the grouper in the deep dark water. The squid are put on just above the hook, so when you add your bait it’s glowing right above it. The light is added about a foot above the rig and attached with a snap swivel or rubber band.” As much as anything, heading offshore is an opportunity to explore. Crystal said she and her friends all have the same standard coordinates marked on their electronics, but everyone has their favorites, and she’s had a few trips when they ran up on new bottom that turned out to be great. “We have spent time seeking out new numbers to mark, and that just keeps it interesting,” she said. “Keeping the depthfinder on while running from spot to spot, paying attention to any changes in depth and bottom, you can really find some good spots. The ocean is such a wonderful place, and there are so many new things to explore. I think that’s what keeps me coming back. Every trip is different and special in its own way.” When she’s not fishing, Crystal LaFosse can be found working the shop at Cajun Tackle in Lake Charles, La. After a successful second-annual Salty Catch Fishing Rodeo in July, the Tuna & Swordfish Challenge is coming up Sept. 28-Oct. 1 at Hurricane Hole Resort and Marina in Grand Isle. Follow Crystal’s adventures on Instagram @crystallafosse.

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Mountain Lakes Are Calling

By Nick Carter eering into clear-green water from the casting deck, frantic movement is the first thing to catch your eye. As a morning fog evaporates, rolling mountains rise up all around and the sun breaks through to reveal small groups of blueback herring. They dart back and forth, skittering near the surface to evade or confuse predators below. Then it happens. It starts with a few scattered topwater hits and intensifies. By the time you look up from impaling the nose of a blueback from the bait tank, there is an acre of water boiling. Big hybrid bass herd herring around the cove. The trolling motor whirrs to keep you in casting range. For the next few hours the action came in flurries, with multiple anglers battling through double and triple hook-ups whenever baits encountered a school of hungry hybrids. Some fish came on multiple downlines arrayed in rod holders. The most exciting takes

were on the pitch rods, lightweight rigs kept ready for surfacing fish. Either way, the key to drawing strikes was a lively bait, and this is the style of fishing you’ll experience with Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service. They fish the gorgeous mountain lakes on both sides of the Georgia, North Carolina border. This trip was on Lake Chatuge, a 7,200-acre impoundment of the Hiawassee River that stretches 13 miles from Hayesville, N.C. south to Hiawassee, Ga. The lake is known for big spotted and hybrid bass. If you’ve never battled a hybrid approaching double digits on light tackle, it makes reeling in a 10-pound largemouth seem comparable to fighting a wet shoe. The same could be said for most of the species guides Shane Goebel and Darren Hughes pursue. Big Ol’ Fish concentrates on three lakes in the region and plans trips based on where the current bite is best. Southwest of Chatuge, Lake Nottely is a 4,200-acre impoundment of the Nottely River. Its primary draw is trophy striped bass. Stripers from 20 to 40 pounds show up regularly on this reservoir outside Blairsville, Ga. The elusive 50-plus-pounder is what everyone seeks, and very lucky anglers just might find it trolling bluebacks, big gizzard shad or trout. Those who prefer counting fish to weighing them will find fast action on Lake Hiwassee near Murphy, N.C. It is a 6,000-acre reservoir in the same drainage, which for some reason is spelled differently in North Carolina. Lake Hiwassee features breathtaking cliff formations and spectacular fishing for smallmouths that reach 6 pounds and larger, as well as big walleye and striper. Over a couple action-packed trips with Darren and Shane on their The Angler Magazine-wrapped Carolina Skiff, one couldn’t help ask why they don’t fish artificials when the bite gets so hot. Their answer, almost in unison, was: “Because we like catching lots of fish.” That sentiment is hard to argue with, but it’s worth noting that Darren owns Hughes General Store in Blairsville, the area’s primary purveyor of live baits. Rumor has it they make a mean biscuit. Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service can be found online at bigolfish.com. Call them at 828-361-2021.

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FOUL WEATHE ExOfficio Camino Convertible Pant-Short

Huk Next Level Kryptek All Weather Bib

Perfect storm, meet the perfect bib. Huk’s Next Level Bib is built to keep Mother Nature at bay. They start with a lightweight stretch 3-layer, waterproof 10,000mm/Breathable 5000g shell. It’s 100 percent waterproof and windproof, which keeps all the elements out while maintaining best-in-class breathability. All the seams are taped and zippers welded to keep them from leaking. Non-binding and high-stretch, the bib is exceptionally comfortable and gives the wearer a full range of motion. Zip side entry allows for easy on and off, and there’s a zip fly for… well, you know. Gear can be kept handy in a large waterproof tape-welded chest pocket or dual front-thigh bellowed cargo pockets. There’s an internal mesh chest pouch pocket for items you keep close to your heart. Articulated knees are reinforced for durability. Velcro side tabs attached to a rear belt system and boot hem zippers allow the wearer to completely customize the fit. Elastic Huk-branded shoulder straps also optimize comfort. With Huk’s Next Level Bib, there is no such thing as bad weather.

www.hukgear.com Dakine Caliber Jacket The Caliber Jacket is Dakine’s go anywhere, do anything rain jacket. The company’s most technical men’s everyday jacket, the Caliber is sure to become an everyday, lightweight layer for guys who enjoy any type of outdoor adventure. Don’t let the good-looking modern tailored fit fool you. This is a hard-core weatherproof jacket with a waterproof shell that features fully seam-sealed, breathable construction with waterproof zippers and a helmetcompatible cinch hood to keep moisture out. Mechanical stretch 2.5 Layer construction provides a 20K/20K rating, which means this outer layer provides a wide range of motion with superb waterproof breathability. Underarm pit zips provide added ventilation for temperature regulation. Anglers will appreciate bomb-proof zippers that will stand up to the roughest marine environments and the clean exterior, which limits linegrabbing and tangling potential. Notable fit features include an extended back hem, articulated sleeves and adjustable cuffs. An invisible zippered media chest pocket keeps your electronic gadgetry safe, dry and secure. Dakine is based in the windy and wet Pacific Northwest, and the Caliber jacket is designed to keep wearers comfortable and dry in just those conditions.

ExOfficio prides itself on high-performance apparel for travel and adventure, and their technical clothing might as well be custommade for anglers. Their Sol Cool line is designed for the sun, and the Camino Convertible Pant-Short is perfect to keep you comfortable whether you’re wetwading a mountain stream, casting from the deck of a bass boat or poling the Bermudian flats. The benefits of zip-off legs are obvious for anyone who has spent any time on the water, and UPF 50 sun protection is essential for long days in the sun. The jade-infused Nycott fabric with Teflon Shield+ is very durable, stands up to rough treatment and even feels cool to the touch. Silvadur anti-bacterial technology helps eliminate odor, so you’ll smell fresher when you come off the water. The Camino Convertible Pant-Short features two security zip cargo pockets, a cell phone pouch inside the right leg pocket, two security zip back pockets, zippered leg hems, full inseam gusset, contoured tricot-lined waistband and an indestructible button system. All lengths zip off to an 8.5-inch short. And weighing just 10.5 ounces, you might forget you’re wearing pants.

www.exofficio.com Xtratuf Legacy 2.0 Engineered to withstand the world’s toughest conditions, the Legacy 2.0 is a hardcore fishing boot 50 years in the making. The latest addition to XTRATUF’s iconic legacy collection features an advanced new outsole that surpasses the SRC slip resistance rating, a textured heel for easy on/off that won’t get caught in gill nets and a contoured toppling binding so it does not rub harshly against calves. Acid- and chemicalresistant uppers along with shin and bib guards keep fishermen protected while a Polyurethane insole ensures comfort for long days on deck. All boots within the Legacy collection are 100 percent waterproof with unique performance features. Each boot is made with XTRATUF’s signature triple dipping technique, which creates a seamless barrier that is highly resistant to many organic and inorganic acids, chemicals and contaminants. The latex neoprene is ozone resistant and is softer, lighter and far more pliable than ordinary rubber. Cushioned insoles with arch support help fight fatigue and stress on the legs and back. All XTRATUF Legacy boots come with a non-marking, slip-resistant Chevron outsole that provides unparalleled traction on any surface in the most extreme conditions.

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HER GEAR Sherpa Nilgiri Pant

If they’ll keep you comfortable in the Himalayas, they’ll keep you comfortable anywhere. Sherpa’s Nilgiris are the perfect soft-shell pant for any outdoor activity in cold conditions.

If there’s anyone who knows how to stay warm in bitter cold conditions, it’s waterfowlers, who view frigid temperatures as invitation to go out into the field. Heybo’s Delta Vest is designed to protect you from bitter winds on those cold-weather days. This classic-cut piece features Realtree Max 5 camo, a vertical zippered pocket on the left chest, and two lower zippered pockets. The Delta Vest is built to be worn in the field or as a casual piece. With a full zip front, the Delta Vest features 100 percent poly fleece to keep your core warm while allowing freedom of movement for your arms. Even in damp conditions, this moisture wicking garment will keep you warm. The Delta vest may have been designed for duck hunting, but any outdoorsman will appreciate the warmth and functionality of this versatile vest.

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Stretchy and quiet, Nilgiris keep you feeling warm, dry and comfortable even as you work up a sweat. They are made of a three-layer softshell laminate and lined with a light, soft fleece, so they provide breathable, durable, wind and water repellant shelter for your legs. They are also stretchy, which means moving in them feels unrestricted and effortless. Wear them with a base-layer or on their own to suit conditions.

The North Face Men’s Venture 2 Jacket The Venture 2 Jacket is an unlined, packable, weatherproof rain jacket that is perfect for year-round use. Whether you’re in the backcountry of the Florida Keys or the Blue Ridge Mountains, this lightweight, waterproof and windproof jacket will be there to protect you from the elements when you need it.

The Three-layer softshell laminate is highly breathable and wind- and water-proof. A gusseted crotch accommodates a full and natural range of motion. Three zip pockets—two hand and one thigh—keep essentials handy. Long, twoway, ankle zippers allow for venting and easy on and off over boots. An integrated, adjustable belt customizes the fit, and there are no seams on top of the knees to chafe or cause discomfort. These pants are functional enough to keep you happy in the harshest conditions and comfortable enough to wear around the house.

www. sherpaadventuregear. co.uk Under Armour Storm Surge The Storm Surge is exactly the lightweight rain jacket one would expect from Under Armour, a company devoted to designing high-performance apparel. Unbelievably lightweight and packable, the Storm Surge is a jacket that is easy to keep on-hand, whether in a pack or stowed in a box, which means it is the jacket that will be there when those pop-up thunderstorms roll over the water. UA’s Storm technology has created a shell that is 100 percent waterproof, with fully taped seams to keep the wearer dry in wet weather. And this piece of gear does not sacrifice breathability. A 10K/10K rating means the Storm Surge has found a good balance between keeping water out while allowing airflow For those warm, humid days, when some rain jackets just leave you wet with sweat instead of rain, on-demand zip vents under the arms provide additional breathability to keep the wearer cool and dry. On cool mornings, windproof materials and construction block out the breeze with 2.5 layer bonded fabric and a durable, smooth exterior. The Storm Surge has a loose, fuller cut for complete comfort and a full range of motion. Adjustable cuffs and a bungee hem keep moisture from creeping in, while zippered hand pockets keep gear safe.

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Heybo Delta Vest-Max 5

The North Face’s DryVent 2.5L technology utilizes a polyurethane coating that is remarkably waterproof, breathable and durable to create a jacket for active pursuits where light weight and packability are essential. An inner layer finished with dry touch print helps raise the fabric from the skin for comfort and to enable quick transfer of vapor to the outside. The Venture 2 also packs up small into its own pocket. In short, wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, this jacket is designed to be there to keep you dry and comfortable. A relaxed fit and adjustable hood provide a full range of motion as well as room for extra layers, hats or helmets. Pit-zip venting increases breathability. Hand pockets are covered and zippered to store gear safe and dry. Adjustable Velcro cuff tabs keep water from running down your arm while casting, and a hem cinch-cord stops wetness from coming in from below. With a durable yet breathable ripstop exterior, it is likely the wearer will never need to use The North Face’s legendary lifetime warranty.

www.northface.com HammerHead Mahi Mahi Ahi Gloves The HammerHead Dentex, Mahi Mahi Ahi gloves are protection on “rear-knuckle” steroids! Hammerhead has taken its best-selling red Dentex cutresistant gloves and added a thick coat of “EKP” or Enhanced Knuckle Protection to create the perfect gloves for spearfishing and lobstering. Dentex gloves were already the No. 1 best-selling protective gloves for warm water. Made from special UHMW ANSI Level 5 fabrics, they are light, flexible and offer incredible cut and puncture resistant protection up to 15 times stronger than steel. With chemical- and heat-resistant Nitrile Grip coating, you’ll never lose your grip on pole spears, rocks, fillet knives, lobster snares or with any application where extra grip is desired. With the addition of EKP, Hammerhead has brought a new and improved glove to the marketplace that offers complete protection for the front as well as the back of your hands and especially your knuckles.

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What’s It Like to Live in a Log Cabin?

By Ben Martin • Editor in Chief

View time-lapsed video at www.blueridgelogcabins.net As an outdoor enthusiast, I’m naturally drawn to the aesthetic charm of log cabins. I have enjoyed numerous stays and vacations in log cabins over the years. Living in one on a long term or even potentially permanent basis is an intriguing thought for me. With that question in mind, I set out to speak with individuals who have taken that step, just to get their honest opinions, before I make the leap to a log cabin as my permanent residence. My first call was to Mark Alberghini, our Charlotte, North Carolina co-publisher. He and his family have been living in a log cabin for more than 20 years. According to Mark, returning to his cabin after a stressfilled day in the publishing business offers an immediate calming effect. He went on to say that living in a log cabin has left him less interested in vacations than at any other time in his life. His now-grown daughters tell him they are always pleased to return to the log cabin for holidays and family events, and that it seems to have created a deeper sense of tradition than many of their friends who live in conventional homes seem to experience.

I then contacted several Blue Ridge Log Cabin homeowners to see how they compared the experience of log cabin living to conventional homes. Jerry and Carol Clark, who recently moved into their Blue Ridge Log Cabin, said the experience of returning to their log home is much more enjoyable than that of their previous conventional homes. Blue Ridge Log Cabin owner and high school principle Charlie Burry informed us that, “As a high school principle, I value regular downtime away from the pressures of my job.” In that regard, Mr. Burry went on to say, “My wife and I greatly enjoy the peace and relaxation afforded by log-home living verses a conventional home.” Jim Austin, another Blue Ridge Log Cabin owner, commented, “several years ago we decided to change our lifestyle and head out of the hustle and bustle of city life and settle for the quiet and serene country life. We found the perfect wooded location in the foothills of the Appalachians, complete with a little stream running through it. These past five years have been fantastic. We couldn’t have picked a better location or company to build our home. We absolutely love the quietness of the woods in which deer and turkey abound. The sound of our little creek in the morning mist seems heaven sent. Perfect setting, perfect cabin. We love it and wouldn’t change cabin living for the world.” Throughout the numerous interviews that were conducted, the response was always the same. Those homeowners who had changed from a conventional home to a log cabin unanimously agreed, the feeling of contentment, relaxation and satisfaction with the log home was far superior to that of their conventional home. Had this little research project been a survey, it would have seemed artificially skewed. Rarely will you find 100 percent of your survey group in agreement on nearly any subject. In this inquiry, every single person, without exception, agreed that they would never trade log-home living for a conventional home. That’s what it’s like to live in a log cabin.

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he Islands of he Bahamas are like paradise for a boater! The best time to go is when some event is happening and with a shallow-draft boat to really enjoy all the gorgeous islands. There is no better time than during the July Regatta Time in the Abacos. It is one party after another, moving from island to island. I have made this journey close to a dozen times on various vessels. This year we took my wave-piercing catamaran, the 33’ SkeeterCat. Selection of guests for a long trip like this is very important. Never take a first-time boater, even if he or she is a friend. A portable freezer is a great option for longer trips. We borrowed a friend’s Engel 43-quart unit that uses 2.5 amps at 12volts and maintained it with a 65-watt solar panel. We cooked all our meals onboard and had gourmet dinners of filet mignon, barbecue chicken and fresh grouper and mutton snapper we caught. We took off from Palm City, Fla. and crossed the Gulf Stream in 15to 18-knot headwinds. It was a bit bouncy. We checked in at West End on Grand Bahama at lunchtime. After clearing customs, we ran down to Mangrove Cay Island, where we had a nice refreshing swim in crystal

clear water. We covered 130 miles that day. Next day, we made it to Hope Town and joined the party in Hope Town Inn. They had music, dancing, food and the most spectacular view of the open Atlantic. We anchored in the sound before following the racing fleet from Hope Town to Guana Cay, Treasure Cay and Green Turtle Cay. Some of our friends were racing, so we were the “chase boat.” After each race, there was a party with live entertainment and trophy presentation with the sponsored free bar. There is a lay day between each race to recuperate and sail to the next island. On these lay days, we took excursions to visit other local high spots and snorkeled at Pelican Coral Park, Elbow Cay and Manjack Cay, where some friendly stingrays and a nurse sharks come up to you expecting to be fed. Feeding them is a no-no. We ran down to Little Harbor to visit Pete’s Pub & Gallery and see some fantastic bronze art by Pete Johnston and other artisans. The entrance to the harbor at low tide is 2.5 feet, and the docks were full, except near the beach. A dock in very shallow water was just perfect for the beachable SkeeterCat. The ultimate sponsored party was on the last day of the Regatta at Fiddle Cay, called “Cheeseburger in Paradise.” More than 3,000 people and probably over 500 boats made this the biggest sandbar party ever. They served free hamburgers, rum drinks and cold beer. After two weeks of fun, we had to return to reality. Our return trip was uneventful, with flat seas and smooth running. We tried high speed trolling, but all I ended up with was losing two nice lures. The weather was perfect. The parties were fantastic. There were great food, great friends, great diving, and the boat ran perfectly. It was truly an adventure in paradise. Tom Mestrits designed and built the SkeeterCat 33 Power Catamaran. For more information on the SkeeterCat 33, see the ad in this magazine or go to www.StuartYachtSales.com under “Power Boats For Sale.” For more on the ‘Cheeseburger in Paradise’ event, go to

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Team Murderized, out of Grand Bahama, took top team honors in last year’s tournament with 11 fish weighing a total of 292.5 pounds, to take home $15,000 in cash winnings.

imini Big Game Club Resort and Marina, host to some of The Bahamas’ most legendary fishing tournaments, is pleased to announce that Wahoo Smackdown IX will take place Nov. 9-12. The ever-popular and authentic Bahamian offshore tournament, led by longtime Bimini Big Game Club dockmaster, Capt. Robbie Smith, has drawn thousands of anglers to the island since its inception and has become an annual tradition for many. With more than 50 record-setting catches from the waters that surround the island, Bimini has earned its title of Sport Fishing Capital of the World and, come winter, is considered a prime location for wahoo due to its position in the Gulf Stream.

Wahoo Smackdown IX is slated to kick off Nov. 9 with a captain’s meeting and conclude on Nov. 12 with an awards gala. Registration fee is $1,500 per boat and includes four anglers, tournament shirts and entry to social events. Additional anglers (over four) are $250 each. Extra social tickets are $150 each. Total payout is $25,000 based on 25 registered boats. Registration fee is 100 percent refundable if the tournament is canceled due to weather. A $300 instant credit will be issued for entries that book both hotel and boat slip for a minimum of a four consecutive nights. The $300 credit can be used in the restaurant or applied to the total resort bill. Sponsors include American Beverage Marketers www.masterofmixes.com as the Title Sponsor, Bahamian Brewery and Beverage (Sands) www.bahamianbrewery.com, artist David Dunleavy www. dunleavyart.com and Tropic Ocean Airways www.flytropic.com. To register, please visit www.wahoosmackdown.net. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Beth Watson at BWatson@biggameclubbimini.com or (954) 462-3400. Bimini Big Game Club Resort & Marina, in Alice Town, Bimini, The Bahamas, is a popular, internationally-regarded boutique Out Island resort less than 50 miles from south Florida. The property features 51 guest rooms & suites, a 75-slip full-service marina, a dive center with daily dives, rental equipment, a variety of scuba diving lessons and specialty training courses and a freshwater swimming pool. The Big Game Bar & Grill is the most popular restaurant in Bimini, serving American and Bahamian cuisine with all-day dining from a second-floor vantage point overlooking the marina and bonefish flats of Alice Town. Bimini is known for world class beaches, fishing and diving and is a family-friendly destination with many on-the-water activities, including kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkeling and boating. For more information on the Big Game Club Resort & Marina, go to www.biggameclubbimini.com.

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here is a pretty little waterway in St. Petersburg, Fla., called Frenchman’s Creek that boaters and fishermen have been frequenting for years. Those who have been there might wonder who the “Frenchman” was who was memorialized in the creek’s name. If those boaters and fishermen are bird lovers, they will not be pleased to learn that the namesake of the creek was a really despicable bird hunter named Jean Chevelier.

fashions in their hats. The Frenchman also somehow got his name on Chevelier Bay in the Ten Thousand Islands, very near to Watson’s Place on the southwestern coast of the state and near where the famous Loren “Totch” Brown lived and hunted. Chevelier and his cronies wantonly killed thousands of roseate spoonbills, egrets, herons and hawks. Thank goodness conservationists like Marjory

His real name was Alfred Lechevelier (nicknamed Jean Chevelier for some unknown reason), and he bought the Maximo Point in St. Petersburg, a picturesque point that is now the site of Maximo Park. Michael Grunwald, in a really good book about an important source of water in Florida, “The Swamp,” 2007, called Chevelier “Florida’s most notorious plumer.” And Jack Davis, in his recently published book, “The Gulf: The Making of an American Sea” (2017), noted that “the healthiest spot on earth was anything but that for birds” after Chevelier arrived in the 1880s. The Frenchman, who apparently came from Montreal or Paris, tried and almost succeeded in wiping out the plumed birds of St. Petersburg and the Everglades before sending on the feathers and sometimes the complete dead bodies of thousands, maybe millions, of birds to milliners in New York and Europe so that women in the late 19th and early 20th centuries could have the latest

Stoneman Douglas and even Harriet Beecher Stowe helped stop the mass killing of the birds. The Tamiami Trail was built by the Chevelier Corporation, also named after one of the worst hunters that ever came to the state. The 1958 movie entitled “Wind across the Everglades” had Burl Ives portray the plume hunter. It’s interesting how such a pleasant-sounding French name, Chevelier, has a sordid history behind it. Anyway, those who fish Frenchman’s Creek might not be pleased at the origin of the name, but they would surely be happy to know that the “Journal of the American Medical Association” in 1885 named Maximo Point the “healthiest place… of any portion of Florida.” I have not had the privilege of fishing in the creek, but my son, who lives nearby, likes the park and the creek. Kevin McCarthy, the award-winning author of “South Florida Waterways” (2013 - available at amazon. com for $7), can be reached at ceyhankevin@gmail.com.

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he Andrew “Red” Harris Foundation breathed new life into south Florida’s marine ecosystems with a massive artificial reef deployment about a mile and a half offshore of the Jupiter Inlet in August. The $500,000 deployment is the largest ever conducted by a private foundation on Florida’s east coast. While the sheer size of this deployment is impressive, what makes this project unique is the design of the artificial reef modules, as they mimic natural reefs. Additionally, these reef modules cause scouring along the ocean floor, which exposes bedrock and aids in the recruitment of algae, soft corals and sponges. The modules weigh 4 tons each, and 134 of them were deployed on Aug. 9 along with 1,000 tons of boulders. ENGEL, the leader in AC/DC fridges and freezers, high performance roto-molded coolers, vacuum insulated drinkware, outdoor adventure gear and soft-sided coolers, and No Shoes Reefs—a joint venture of ENGEL and Kenny Chesney’s No Shoes Nation—participated in the historic deployment. The venture was partly funded by dollars raised by No Shoes Reefs, which donates a portion of the sales of No Shoes Nation-branded products to building artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean and surrounding rivers and waterways. “Anyone who lives in south Florida enjoys our magnificent waterways, ” said Paul Kabalin, CEO of ENGEL Coolers. “Because ENGEL calls south Florida our home, we feel passionate about protecting our coral reefs, and creating new reefs, which are vital for so many marine species and for the protection of our shores. The No Shoes Reefs brand and associated products exist solely to ensure organizations like the Andrew “Red” Harris Foundation can continue restoring, creating and deploying reef modules to ensure our ecosystems thrive. We are very excited to have played an integral role in this recent record-breaking deployment, which will undoubtedly breathe new life into our fragile marine habitats.” ENGEL Coolers Vice President, Mike Dixon, who serves as a board member for the South East Florida Coral Reef Initiative (SEFCRI), is very passionate about ENGEL’s role in reef creation and preservation. “Partnering with the Andrew “Red” Harris Foundation represented the most immediate and impactful opportunity to aid the SEFCRI (www.southeastfloridareefs.net) region,” Dixon explained. “This large coral reef tract in southeast Florida is lesser known compared to the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and faces significant challenges, water quality issues, and sedimentation threats from beach “nourishment” and port expansions being primary among them. Placing this material in this ideal location allows for both the artificial and natural elements to aggregate reef life and allow a vibrant ecosystem to take shape where there previously was barren sand.” For more information about No Shoes Reefs, or to purchase a limited edition No Shoes Reefs shirt or hat, visit noshoesreefs.org. The t-shirts and hats feature the No Shoes Reefs logo, as well as the No Shoes Nation skull and cross bones. Close to 40 percent of the proceeds from sales of these items goes to support the reefs. Look for future No Shoes Reefs products from ENGEL in the future.

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time law awards any responder a percentage of the value of the vessel, if, for instance, there is potential the boat could sink. Here are some quick tips to avoid being taken advantage of.

By Terry Gibson • Photo by Ines Hegedus-Garcia/flickr

have needed an on-the-water tow three times over the last five years. Each of my experiences with maritime towing services has been prompt and professional. I believe that’s what most boaters find when caught in a bad situation. That’s why I was shocked when a friend who is a maritime attorney told me several horror stories of people being taken advantage of by price-gouging towing and salvage companies. After calling dozens of guides, fishing clubs and boating clubs, I realized that price gouging occurs more than rarely, and that few boat owners understand even the basics of towing and salvage law. There is a gap in consumer protections that incentivizes some maritime salvage and towing services to take advantage of boat owners experiencing trouble on the water. Unscrupulous salvers swoop in to help, but then leave boat owners with outrageous bills, which are often based on the value of the boat, not the service performed. With tactics that range from claiming simple assistance as a “salvage” job to embracing deceptive marketing practices, operators prey on unsuspecting boaters with surprise charges and questionable practices. Again, while most marine salvers are honest, hard-working folks, mari-

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1. Be prepared: The best way to avoid needing to call for help is to be prepared before you head out. Ensure your boat is properly maintained. Make sure you have enough fuel. Leave emergency communication lines open. Stay well stocked with a hand pump and other emergency tools. As an added measure, you can also take advantage of a free vessel safety check from the U.S. Coast Guard. A specialist will check out your boat and provide safety tips and recommendations, free of charge. 2. Read your contracts: Many boaters have memberships with companies that provide emergency services. Some insurance policies even cover membership for these services, reimburse boat owners for expenses and pay salvage claims. It’s important to review those contracts and know what a policy covers—and what it does not cover. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, because that knowledge may save thousands of dollars down the line. 3. Beware of “salvage” claims: If your boat experiences an emergency, you may get an offer of help from another vessel or a maritime salvage and towing company. Before you accept assistance, always try to negotiate a fixed fee. This will eliminate the possibility of pricing uncertainty or a costly “salvage” claim. It may seem like common sense, but remember what really matters during an emergency. Minor mechanical issues can be resolved, but when things start to get out of hand, call for help sooner than later. Be prepared with proper safety equipment, because you never know when you might need it. When it comes to on-the-water assistance, information is the most important tool to avoid being taken advantage of. A basic understanding of maritime towing and salvage law helps boat owners make informed decisions when emergency strikes. Terry Gibson is an outdoor journalist, conservation and consumer-protection advocate based in Jensen Beach, Fla. He has served in a many editorial capacities for leading fishing media.

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TIPS FROM A PRO

BRANDON LESTER

finished sixth in the recent Bassmaster Elite Series event on Lake Champlain in New York and Vermont using a fairly new technique called the “Ned rig” and a dropshot. The Ned has been out for a couple of years now, but I just picked it up and started fishing it this past spring. I haven’t put it down since, and I can assure you the Ned is here to stay. When I first saw it, I wondered under what circumstance would it be any better than a shaky head or a drop shot. Let me explain it like this: A mechanic has a whole box full of tools. Some of those tools can serve multiple purposes, but there will always be one tool that does each job the best. The Ned rig is a tool you better have in your bass fishing box. The Ned rig really shines when fish are on a clean bottom in pretty clear water. The rig itself is basically a mushroomstyle jighead with an exposed hook. The exposed hook makes it tough to use in cover. Start by looking for banks or flats where the bottom is fairly clean with some isolated targets that hold fish. These objects could be mooring buoys, big rocks, stumps, or really anything for the fish to get around. Although the Ned is a fairly slow way to fish, you can still cover water once you figure out the targets the fish are holding on. I’ve also had success fishing the Ned on bluff-type banks in the winter and early spring. This is especially good on lakes with smallmouth or spotted bass, but I’ve caught all three species on this rig. The way I fish the Ned is simple. All you do is let it fall to the bottom on a slack

line. Watch your line as it’s falling, as sometimes they will grab it on the fall. Once the bait hits the bottom, tighten your line and shake your rod tip. All you’re doing is shaking the bait in place, not moving it forward. Once you’ve shaken it, move the bait toward you a foot or two and do the same thing. Most of your bites will come on the initial fall or the first or second time you shake it, so don’t waste too much time on a cast. Many times you won’t feel the bite, so it is

important to use a line you can see to detect a fish swimming off with the bait. The right rod, reel, line, jighead and bait are the key to making this technique work. I start with an MHXEPS81-MLXF rod that is 6’9” in length and medium-light action. I like a pretty soft rod so I can throw that light jighead a long way. Use a good quality 2500-size spinning reel filled with 10-lb. Vicious Hi-Vis yellow braid for your main line with a 6- to 8-foot leader of 8-lb. Vicious Pro Elite fluorocarbon. I use the new Mustad Grip Pin Ned jigheads. I mostly between a 1/8-ounce, but they are made up to 1/4 ounce with 1/0, 2/0 or 3/0 hooks. I use an X-Zone Lures True Center Stick cut in half for almost all of my Ned-rigging.

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By Capt. Randy Cnota

his year, anglers heading out of C-Quarters Marina in Carrabelle, Fla. to catch the winning kingfish were met with challenging weather and high seas. On Sunday, storms rolled through the area making it extremely hard for smaller boats to reach the fertile fishing grounds. The winning team was “BillCollector.” Capt. Page Pitman, of Crawfordville, Fla., steered his 34’ Hydra Sport Custom to victory by concentrating his efforts on finding the right live bait and presenting it in the right manner. His son Gage Pitman hauled in the 47-pound smoker king for the win. No doubt, dad was proud! Capt. Pitman offered few details about how the winning fish was caught, but he recommends anglers try different techniques for bagging giant kings... hmmm? Avery Anderson won the youth division with a 10.3-pound king, and Kate Clark with Team Barnes Capital Group won the ladies division. Rob Grabemann of the Leukemia Research Foundation noted that, thanks in part to this event, new technology has rounded the corner in the treatment of leukemia, and they’re closer to a cure than ever before. Donations to the foundation totaled $50,000 for this year’s event, bringing the total to more than $915,000 raised over the Shootout’s history. The $1M goal is well within reach. The good people that plan, conduct and support this event continue their hard work and commitment in preparation for next year’s event to be held Aug. 3-5, 2018.

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C-Quarters Marina Carrabelle, FL

ABOVE: First-place team “Bill Collector” with their winning 47-pound king. Team members were Todd and Jessica Welch, Gage Pitman, David Bramblett and Page Pitman. Top right: Kingfish Shootout’s Youth Division winner was Avery Anderson, of Register, Ga., with his 10.3-pound king.

Come out to compete, spectate or help support this event in any way you can. You’ll be glad you did. It’s a great time, a great cause and it all happens in a beautiful place. Let’s go fishing for a cure! For more info, visit www.c-quartersmarina. com or call (850) 697-8400.

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Pura Vida Divers guide Katie Sandidge poses next to a goliath grouper during the aggregation in this image captured by Walt Stearns.

n the blue void of water beneath the sea, a large shadow looms in the distance. As you approach, the outline of a sunken ship begins to appear. Lurking under the bow is a large mass of dense, dark fish bodies. Thick-lipped, dark brown or gray goliath grouper swim about, heavy tail fins swaying side to side. Every year, goliath grouper begin aggregating on the wrecks and reefs offshore of Palm Beach County. They school in the dozens, their hulking bodies congregating under ledges or swimming languidly through the water past ogling divers. These huge fish sometimes make a dramatic appearance, emerging out of a school of flashing silver baitfish, their side fins rippling, large mouths gaping open and slowly closing again. While our reefs are home to a few “resident” goliath grouper that are spotted consistently throughout the year, one by one more and more of

these fish begin arriving as summer starts to fade away into fall. Goliaths begin arriving as early as July, and are only here for a short period of time, often leaving as the last days of September tick away. Since 1990, goliath grouper have been considered a protected species, with regulations in place that outlaw their harvest from both state and federal waters. Before that time, their massive size made them a prized trophy fish. Although goliath populations used to abound throughout south Florida waters, overfishing took a huge toll on their numbers, dwindling the species down to alarmingly low numbers. Over nearly three decades since then, goliath grouper populations have made a healthy return. Aggregations now draw hundreds of the species to south Florida waters, with groups spread out in globs along the reef line. The goliath grouper aggregation provides an exciting event for both local divers and tourists, who will travel from all corners of the earth to dive with these majestic fish. They are a favorite of photographers, with wide-angle images of the hulking fish sitting amongst a mass of small silver fish gracing the pages of dive and travel magazines around the world. Goliath grouper are unique animals, moving through the water with the grace of a ballerina and the breadth of a linebacker. Individually or en masse, these fish are a sight to behold, and their arrival each year signals an excitement amongst the dive community similar to the cheer of school holidays among children. If you have never dove with a goliath grouper, this is the time of year to experience a dive unlike anything you have encountered before. Pura Vida Divers is running charters specifically to see goliath grouper aggregations throughout the month of September, on both reefs and wreck sites along the coast of Singer Island and Palm Beach. If you have questions about goliath grouper, aggregation times, or how you can help protect this important species, call Pura Vida Divers at 561-840-8750. Make reservations to go diving with these majestic animals by visiting their website at www.PuraVidaDivers.com.

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Lure Makers Create New offerings By Tobin Strickland • Photo Courtesy of KWiggler.com

ust when you thought you’d seen it all before, something unique shows up in fishing lures that solves a problem that frustrates you on the water. I recently saw a question on an online forum that asked if rod, reel and lure markets were oversaturated. One answer in that thread stated: “while many are making the same old thing, there are new creative solutions to be found for questions that just haven’t been solved intricately enough.” There just hasn’t been a time like today for creative lure makers to solve an angler’s problems and provide some really high-quality offerings. Using 3D modeling, computer graphics, and good ol’ American spirit, modern-day lure makers have the ability to make more sophisticated offerings that get closer to what the angler actually wants and needs. I’ve been around some Texas lure makers that are knocking it out of the park making new or improved lures that really solve key issues. Marker54.com’s Hard Shrimp has one of the best and most realistic shrimp actions I’ve seen. And the Controlled Decent Lure from MyCoastOutdoors.com is a foam-filled soft plastic that gives the angler complete control of depth in the water column. KWigglers.com’s new Willow Tail offers a new shape for a hydrodynamic flapping tail. And TroutSupport.com offers a long-casting, walk-the-dog weedless soft plastic. There hasn’t been a better time to make a new bait, and the industry only benefits from creativity. Throw a couple of these innovative baits in your bag to try out; they might become your new favorites.

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8/16/17 10:33 AM

By Patrick Sebile

t’s the perfect time of year for energized tuna, the tarpon of a lifetime or a big fat striper. What these fish and a few others have in common is they swallow prey whole. They do not bite it like a wahoo, barracuda or bluefish. That means the whole baitfish is getting sucked into a bucket-wide mouth. The same thing happens to the lure you’ll be using. Most hard baits have two or three treble hooks. The problem with this setup is large fish and lengthy fights can cause those tiny hooks to open up or tear from a fish’s lip. We all know this loss hurts. The bigger the fish, the worse it hurts and the more likely it is to happen. I came up with a solution for this scenario several years ago while targeting giant tarpon on the west coast of Africa. I adapted my hard baits to use a single large hook. It resulted in the successful landing of more big fish than with the original hardware. Both regular J hooks and circle hooks can be used. With a J hook there is a need to set the hook as usual. With a circle hook, the angler should just keep cranking and allow the fish’s run to set the hook. Circle hooks work well, they usually hook a fish in the jaw and they rarely pull out. The drawback is not everyone is accustomed to circle hooks, and learning the technique when a big fish bites can result in heartbreak. To optimize this modification, I recommend lures that are sinking or fast sinking, as their balance won’t be altered too much by the removal of the treble hooks. Some floating or suspending lures also work well with this rig. Some might think this alteration would result in missed bites… and this is true. But the fish missed are typically small ones, or toothy critters like bluefish and ’cudas. In the middle of the night when I’m fishing for striped bass, it generally makes me happy to miss the chompers that peck at a lure’s tail. When the fish I’m targeting shows up, one that’s capable of swallowing the whole bait, the hook-set is typically solid, and with a much larger hook secured in the jaw. This gives the angler the ability to horse the fish, and it also makes unhooking a lot less dangerous. Here’s how I alter to my hard baits when pursuing powerful fish: • Pick up your favorite lure, a heavy-duty barrel swivel, a big J hook or circle hook and a bag of skirt collars. • Remove the treble hooks and their split rings. Keep or add a nose split ring. • Run the hook point through one eye of the swivel. There must be some wiggle room, but not too much. • Slide a skirt collar over the barb. This will secure the lure on the hook. • Attach the nose split ring to the swivel’s other eye. That’s it. Now the lure is ready to hook and do battle with larger, more powerful fish. Patrick Sebile is the owner and lure designer of Sebile Innovative Fishing (www.sebile.com).

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e all know about finding and fishing areas where we see signs of “active bait.” Or, do we? The importance of bait in the area we are fishing has been drilled into our heads for decades, and with good reason. However, it is easy to get caught up in the “active” or “visible” aspect of the equation, and that can cost us some missed opportunities. On one particular fishing trip, I was kayaking in 2 to 3 feet of clear water. The area was a mix of three different types of sea grass, and the bottom was mostly firm with some softer areas and potholes. During the time I was fishing, I only saw three mullet casually flip over the course of several hours. Most fishermen would have left this area in a hurry due to the lack of active or visual surface bait activity. The thing about bait, is just because we don’t see it or see signs of it doesn’t mean it is not there. What I noticed that kept me in this area is that from time to time I would see several pinfish follow my soft plastic paddletail back to the kayak. This was the key that let me know there was bait in the area that increased the probability of larger predator fish also being there and feeding. When the pinfish would follow the smaller paddletail, it was like fishing with live bait without actually using it. There is no doubt in my mind that the school of bait helped attract the trout and reds to my lure. Although several other kayaks and boats came into the area, they all left after a few minutes. Not seeing what they wanted, they just burned by and didn’t stop. By following the subtle signs and sticking to the area, I was able to keep a limit of reds, release many more, and I caught and released a 28-inch trout. Not a bad day for not seeing any “active” bait. The next time you are on the water, peer a little deeper and have the patience to notice more than just the surface activity, or the lack of.

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik • Photo courtesy of Controlled Descent Lures.

Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Controlled Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

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Rookie Atkins Wins

Forrest Wood Cup

n Sunday, Aug. 13—the final day of the FLW Tour’s Forrest Wood Cup, on South Carolina’s Lake Murray—rookie Justin Atkins, of Florence, Ala., weighed in a 22-pound, 1-ounce limit to win the championship event. Atkins’ five-fish limit was the heaviest sack ever weighed in the 22year history of the Forrest Wood Cup. Over three days, Atkins weighed in 15 fish totaling 59 pounds, 4 ounces to edge out second-place pro Travis Fox, of Rogers, Ark., by 2 pounds, 9 ounces to win the $300,000 cash prize. The tournament featured 53 of the top bass anglers in the world competing for professional bass-fishing’s world championship. “When I say I feel like this is what I’m meant to do, I don’t mean that in any kind of arrogant way,” said Atkins, who became just the third angler to win the Forrest Wood Cup in their rookie season. “I just went out on a limb of faith this year. I didn’t have the money to fish the full tour when I started. I had enough money to fish about four events, and I was hoping I would make it. I felt like God had a plan, and that’s what I was supposed to be doing. I just went out there and fished, and today signed off that I was supposed to be there.” Atkins targeted cane piles throughout the week and the fat blueback herring-eating largemouths that hung around them. He estimated that he had about 60 to 80 waypoints on cane piles he liked, and most of the piles topped out about 8 to 10 feet below the surface, rising up from about 20 or 22 feet deep. The fresher and “bushier” the pile was, the more fish were in it. “I caught every fish that I weighed in this week on an Ima Little Stick 135 in chrome,” Atkins said. “I fished them on a 7:1 gear ratio Abu Garcia reel with 30-pound-test braid and a 7-foot, 5-inch mediumheavy composite rod. I think the key was being consistent and sticking with the topwater bait. My Humminbird electronics really played a role helping me find the brush and the cane piles. Other guys weren’t able to graph them, but my Humminbird could. “I still feel like I’m in a dream and going to wake up soon,” Atkins went on to say. “To come out on top and win this tournament really just solidifies that I can fish at this level and I’m supposed to be here. I’m already excited to get the season started next year on Lake Okeechobee.”

pros Sunday. Six of the final 10 anglers weighed in five-bass limits. The 2017 Forrest Wood Cup at Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina, was hosted by the Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board. Total attendance for the three-day event was 68,315 fishing fans. FLW and Visit Hot Springs announced Saturday that Hot Springs, Arkansas, will be hosting the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing, Aug. 10-12, 2018, on Lake Ouachita. This event marks the fourth time that the Forrest Wood Cup, the sport’s richest prize, has visited Lake Ouachita. Television coverage of the 2017 Forrest Wood Cup will premiere in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) Sept. 27 from Noon -1 p.m. EDT. For a full schedule of events, complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the FLW Tour on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

The top 10 pros at the 2017 Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Murray finished: 1st: Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala., 15 bass, 59-4, $300,000 2nd: Travis Fox, Rogers, Ark., 15 bass, 56-11, $60,000 3rd: Brandon Cobb, Greenwood, S.C., 14 bass, 54-10, $50,000 4th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 15 bass, 51-15, $37,500 5th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 15 bass, 51-3, $30,000 6th: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 15 bass, 46-11, $24,000 7th: Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., 15 bass, 43-3, $23,000 8th: Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla., 14 bass, 41-4, $22,000 9th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 12 bass, 34-2, $21,000 10th: Aaron Britt, Yuba City, Calif., 11 bass, 31-9, $20,000 Full results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com Overall, there were 41 bass weighing 140 pounds, 5 ounces caught by

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COASTAL ANGLER Treasure Coast edition Co-Publishers Gary and Misti Guertin

Saltwater Sisters 32nd Annual Tourney to Benefit Local Breast Cancer Patients

n October 13th and 14th, the Stuart Sailfish Club will hold its 32nd annual Lady Angler Tournament, Saltwater Sisters, at Pirate’s Cove Resort and Marina. Proceeds from the event will support breast cancer patients, organizations and research, and benefit Friends in Pink and Winsor Community Angels. Friends in Pink supports breast cancer patients who need assistance with medical expenses and Windsor Community Angels pays for free mammograms for Treasure Coast residents. “This event is for everyone, not just those who wish to fish,” says tournament chairperson Margaret Dyer. “Saltwater Sisters is a chance for the girls to enjoy a party atmosphere with music, dancing and a team costume contest on Friday night.” For the fourth year in a row, Margaret Dyer is chairing this tournament that is so close to her heart as a breast cancer survivor. “A diagnosis of breast cancer, I can tell you, is frightening” she says. “I am so grateful to now consider myself a survivor that it just made sense that I use my passion for fishing with the Saltwater Sister tournament to help other women and men that are being assisted by Friends in Pink and Windsor Community Angels during the most difficult time, diagnosis and treatment.” No boat? No problem. With many lady anglers last year indicating they would like to fish but don’t necessarily have access to a boat, this year Saltwater Sisters commissioned the Safari 1 to take them fishing. Lady anglers are welcome to form teams (and participate in the costume contest) or fish individually from Safari 1. They will each be provided with rods and reels and bait by Safari 1 but they are welcome to use their own equipment too. To help raise money for the two charities the tournament is supporting, Saltwater Sisters is raffling off a Street Legal Ready Club Precedent Golf Cart that is tricked out with 14-inch custom wheels, a 6 Double A-arm lift kit, and LED glow underbody lighting. The golf cart is valued at $6500 and tickets will be sold for $20 each or 6 for $100. The drawing will be held on October 14th and winners need not be present to win. You can follow Saltwater Sisters at www.Facebook.com/SWSfish. For more information, golf cart raffle tickets or to register online, visiti SaltwaterSisters.com or call the Stuart Sailfish Club office at (772) 286-9373.

A scene from last year’s Saltwater Sisters Lady Angler Tournament. PHOTO CREDIT: Stuart Sailfish Club. PHOTO CREDITS: X

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Florida Fish and Wildlife

FWC

news updates

Team Costume Contest Friday Night!

Lady Angler Tournament Supporting Friends in Pink

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REGULATIONS

October

Sailfish

Snook season reopens September 1, 2017 Snook is managed by two regions in Florida: Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. Regulations apply in state and adjacent federal waters. No commercial harvest or sale of snook is permitted. License Requirements: Snook permit and recreational fishing license. Allowable Gear: Hook and line only.

Snook Factoids

• There are five different species of snook that inhabit Florida waters: common snook, small-scale fat snook, large-scale fat snook, swordspine snook, and tarpon snook. • The most abundant of the five species, the common snook, was once designated as a species of special concern in Florida. Among other causes, good management and conservation measures have led to removal of this designation. The common snook will be the focus for the rest of this list. • Snook are also known as robalo, linesiders, and sergeant fish. In the past, they were known as "soapfish" when some sections of the "soapy" tasting skin were left on the fillets due to poor cleaning practices. • Snook can tolerate a wide range of salinity and may be found in fresh water. However, they are extremely sensitive to temperature and a strong, fast moving cold front through an area containing snook may claim many lives due to the rapid drop in water temperature. • Long term tagging research has been carried out over the past several years and has proven to be a valuable tool in helping to understand the life history of snook. • Snook are protandric hermaphrodites and change sex from male to female.

Cherlyn Arnold caught this 28-inch snook along the mangroves in Vero Beach.

The actual cause of the change is not known, but current research may provide an answer. • Snook are known as "ambush feeders" meaning that they'll surprise attack their prey as it swims or moves into range. This occurs especially at the mouths of inlets where currents play a role while the snook waits in hiding behind bridge pilings, rocks, or other submerged structures. • Besides preying on small fish, snook also feed on shrimp, crabs, and mollusks. • Snook are very popular with recreational anglers due to their strong fighting spirit and mild, delicate flavor.

STATE RECORDS FOR COMMON SNOOK

Conventional Tackle: 44 lb, 3 oz, Ft. Myers: Robert De Cosmo, 4/25/1984 Fly Fishing Tackle: 30 lb, 4 oz, Chokoloskee: Rex Garrett, 4/23/1993

Atlantic (state and adjacent federal waters)

2 TREASURE COAST

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SEPTEMBER 2017

Gulf of Mexico, Monroe County, and Everglades National Park (state and adjacent federal waters)

Closed Harvest Season

December 15 - January 31; June 1 - August 31

December 1 - end of February; May 1 - August 31

Size Limit

Not less than 28” total length (TL) or more than 32” TL

Bag Limit

1 per harvester per day

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8/14/17 2:37 PM

PHOTO CREDIT: Backcountry Fishing Association.

Loraé Simpson and Zach Foltz with a couple of redfish caught in the August tournament.

PHOTO CREDIT: Lewis Arnold.

h snook each.

Treasure Coast Snook A Palooza Kick-Off September 22

Simpson/Foltz win BCFA August Tourney

oraé Simpson and Zach Foltz took the first-place spot in the August series of the Backcountry Fishing Association’s 2017 season with a 1.21-pound trout and 7.74-pound redfish, taking home $415. The duo currently holds the biggest trout (6.29-pounds) and redfish (7.74-pounds) of the season. For more information, visit Backcountry Fishing Association on Facebook.

he inaugural Treasure Coast Snook A Palooza, an eight-day tournament where the largest snook wins, kicks off Friday, September 22, 2017, 6:30 p.m. at The Pelican Café, in downtown Stuart. Tournament co-directors Steve Brust and Erick Thompson are launching the new tournament, which allows anglers to fish on land or by kayak or boat. It is a photo catch release tournament, requiring fish measurement with a ruler under the fish or on a bump board. Fish must be caught on rod and reel with live bait or lure. There are no boundary limitations. All fish entries must be sent in from the email address used for registration at the captains meeting. Entry fee is $30 and the cash payout based on 130 entries is $1500 for first place, $750 for second and $350 for third. Ladies and youth sub-categories will be available for

an additional $10 entry fee to each group. The sub-category payout will be 100-percent of sub-category entry fees. The tournament ends October 1, 2017. “Ten dollars of every entry will go to our benefitting charity, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer,” said Brust. “There is no early tournament registration and all participants must attend the captains meeting on September 22 to go over the rules, photo and measuring requirements and to receive tournament identification tags.” The Pelican Café is located at 321 S.W. Flagler Avenue in downtown Stuart, directly under the south side of the Roosevelt Bridge. For more information or to help sponsor the event, visit the Snook A Palooza Facebook page or email TreasureCoastSnookapalooza@ gmail.com.

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SEPTEMBER 2017

TREASURE COAST 3

8/14/17 2:37 PM

fishing forecasts

martin county offshore

Capt. Scott Fawcett

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

fter a hotter than normal July and August, I think the worst of the summer heat is behind us and that should only improve things as a whole. A better than average summer sailfish bite put smiles on all of our faces this August, especially since the mahi never really showed up this summer during June or July. As the water starts to cool back down, expect the sailfish bite to slow a little bit before they start showing back up at the end of the month and the beginning of October, but there should still be pretty good action on kings, bonito, blackfin and a scattered dolphin. This month is still a preferred live baiting month with sardines,

greenies and small blue runners or goggle eyes as the bait of choice. We've been using the Sabiki rigs from R&R Tackle and notice a huge difference in how much better they've been working. A more natural flash, and better fluorocarbon leader teamed with more hooks and a longer rig have us finished catching bait 50-percent faster. As it get rougher, I will increase my leader size on my live baits but still keep fishing 15-to20 clear line and the same 5/0, 6/0 and 7/0 Mustad ultra-point hooks matched up to the size of the bait. This is also a good time of year to target king mackerel along the reefs and bait schools. A light leader connected to a short piece of #6 wire to a pair of small 3X Mustad treble hooks should put some steaks on your grill and fill your smoker in no time. Bottom fishing should be picking up as the month progresses with mutton snappper, gag grouper and sea bass being the target species. Anything from squid, to cut bait, to live bait will work well on them when you're in the right spot. Depths from 75-to-175 feet seem to be the best. But obviously shallower or deeper payoff at times too. This time of year, there is also always the

Enjoying some steady amberjack action, with a few lane snapper. Carson with the fish and Alex in the back with a full drag holding on for dear life. PHOTO CREDIT: Off The Chain Fishing Charters.

chance of seeing a free-swimming cobia too. It's a good idea to have a nice Blackfin casting rod with a RonZ jig on it to take advantage of when that curious fish swims up on you. Green and pink are my favorite

colors, but they all work. Whatever it is you decide to target this September, I wish you the best of luck and I hope your trip is "Off The Chain" looking forward to fishing with you soon.

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martin county inshore nearshore

Capt. John Young Bites On Guide Service (772) 708-3593 snoooky12@yahoo.com

lot of hardcore snook anglers have been waiting for this month to arrive so they can target their favorite species. The bite has been good at all the Treasure Coast bridges at night with two- to oneand-a-half ounce jigs. Fish the last half of the outgoing tide or first of

the incoming tide for best bites. A slow steady retrieve just off the bottom is the trick. You will lose jigs, so bring extras. The St. Lucie River will be holding a lot of big snook, which cannot resist a live mullet fished under the docks and seawalls. There is no doubt that a big topwater plug zig zagging down the middle of the canals or mangrove points won’t get their attention. Many snook over 40-inches are caught on topwater, so it’s best to switch out the hooks for stronger gauge and to be ready when the opportunity strikes. Mullet schools are showing up and the tarpon and big jacks will be blasting through the bait fish. Free line a live mullet on the outside

schools of bait or drop a big mullet head on the bottom for some action. In the Indian River, the trout fishing will pick up with the presence of more bait. Big trout love topwater, so work the flats and mangrove shorelines with ‘walk the dog’ style plugs and chuggers. Redfish are hanging around the older docks and on the flats. Flip the docks with D.O.A. C.A.L. jigs for the redfish; work the area with stealth and move on to the next dock. Keep the waterways clean and wear your Costa del Mar sunglasses to see the fish.

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eptember will be a diverse collection of naturally occurring offshore events, which will set weather transitions into motion and ultimately shape this month’s near coastal ocean. September’s offshore playing field east of Stuart will be propelled by the dynamics of what is usually the peak of the tropical (hurricane) season, changes in the physical tilt of the Earth in relation to the sun (the fall equinox), and the resultant movement of fish due to these forces. Baitfish will begin to arrive in the near coastal zone this month, as cooler water temperatures to the north will activate their southbound migration. Large schools of mullet will appear

Many species of bottom and surface fish will avail themselves to the near coastal anglers of Martin County. A bountiful collection of salty groceries pictured here from aboard the Safari 1. PHOTO CREDIT: Safari 1 Deep Sea Fishing.

miraculously like clockwork during this period and tow with them a wide variety of pelagic predators, like Spanish and king mackerel and cobia, just to name a few. Vermilion snapper will be a top target species this month and

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will continue to congregate in large schools during the final phase of their spawning period. Also known as beeliners, these tasty members of the snapper family of fish, will best be found around high-profile reef structures in 80-to-150 feet east of

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Steve Filippini with a nice snook, fishing live bait with Capt. John Young. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. John Young.

the St. Lucie Inlet. Beeliners tend to suspend or hover 10-to-20 feet above the reef, so it’s important to present one’s bait-up and off the bottom with a dozen turns of the reel or so. Multiple hook “chicken rigs” help to enhance deployment of the baits above the reef structure in this manner. All types of cut-bait will provide a high rate of capture success when dialing in vermilion snapper. Other species of snapper will be “reef mates” along with the beeliners—mutton, mangrove (gray), and yellowtail snapper can be found side by side each other. Anglers will be able to deploy a variety of different strategies during any one outing on a particular reef site and have the opportunity to catch a diverse collection of snapper. Many flavors of reef visiting fish will inhabit the reef system offshore of Martin County this month, including grouper, cobia, amberjacks, triggerfish, sea bass, and porgies. With this in mind, anglers should have a well-stocked tackle box and an assortment of rod/reel combos to promote the fish catching success during the days of September.

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SEPTEMBER 2017

TREASURE COAST 5

8/14/17 2:37 PM

fishing forecasts

south indian river lagoon

Capt. Charlie Conner

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

eptember is always an exciting month to fish along the Treasure Coast. Anglers eagerly await the arrival of the annual fall mullet run. The beaches and rivers will be filled with mullet and you can find lots of predators following the bait this month. Look for tarpon, snook, jacks, bluefish and many other species feeding on the mullet. Top water and suspending lures work fantastic. Try a D.O.A. Baitbuster or Big Fish lure while fishing around the large schools of mullet. It's a great time to fish early mornings along the beach. The fish will be cornering the bait along the surf and action can be fun and exciting. Snook season opens again on

Jim caught and released this 36-inch snook recently while fishing the Indian River in Fort Pierce. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Charlie Conner.

September 1st. Anglers have been patiently awaiting the chance at keeping a slot fish for dinner. A few things to keep in mind while you are anxiously getting ready for the start of the season are making sure your license and snook permit are not outdated. Know the slot size, which is 28-inches to 32-inches and a 1 fish per day limit. Check your rods, reels and fishing line. Don’t lose that keeper fish because of something that you could have avoided by a little preparation. Remember that there will be lots of anglers heading out the first several days of the season. Have fun and be safe! You will be able to find some redfish schools this month as they gather up to head out to the ocean. Look around the shallow sandy flats

for them to be feeding. D.O.A. 2 ¾-inch shrimp or C.A.L. jerk baits can coax them into biting. Trout will continue to bite around the usual flats like Bear Point, Harbor Branch and Round Island. Deadly Combos fished on the edges of the bait schools will find some action with trout and other species. Snapper can be found along channel edges and around structure. Sheepshead, drum and snapper can be caught on the

catwalks of the bridges. Live or dead shrimp will find these fish. September Tip: Fish the bait schools! It's easy to spot the bait this time of year. If you don't find bait around your favorite fishing spot, you will most likely not find many fish there. Move around if you need to do so to find active bait. Fish love this time of year and they are out there gorging themselves on the bait in anticipation of the coming winter months. Try a C.A.L. Airhead or D.O.A. Bait Buster around the mullet schools. Early mornings can be exciting on the flats. You can find big fish in shallow water around the bait pods. It has been a long hot summer and finally temperatures will begin to mellow out and water temperatures will get back to normal. It's a great time of year to be fishing! Remember, fishing is not just another hobby, it's an ADVENTURE! Good fishing and be safe!

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ishing in Fort Pierce has been incredible. The beautiful weather paired up with boxes brimming with snapper made for “Life in Paradise”. Additionally, kingfish have been making their mark as we have been catching them regularly in double digits. The excellent fishing conditions made August A-plus in our book, and we predict that September will be as productive as the previous months. Bottom fishing continues to be the main focus and anglers are catching some nice sized mangrove and mutton snappers. The high quality and quantity of snapper will continue and we predict to see mahi-mahi and kings caught in gracious numbers as well. We have seen an increase in keeper vermillion and lane snapper, which makes for a tasty addition to the bag. September shows potential to get a little gusty and slight to moderate wind increases are probable. A little wind does help to cool things down on deck and offers a change to the fishing scene. The snapper bite will continue to be good in shallower waters until these fronts start to push in and the chase is back on. September will also feature the

John and Marc with a pretty mahi PHOTO CREDIT: Lady Chris Charters.

annual fall mullet run. The run is a spectacular sight to observe as the ocean comes alive and is teeming with wildlife. This annual event stretches along the beaches and river on the Treasure Coast as great amounts of mullet congregate. Though we are dedicated to offshore fishing, we find great enjoyment in catching snook and are looking forward to the season opening September 1st. Keep an eye on the weather patterns and changing conditions to find the most favorable fishing adventures. With the snapper bite still raging and the kingfish, cobia and mahi cruising it's hard not to be excited about September. We look forward to seeing you out on the water. Tight lines and good vibes!

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8/14/17 2:38 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

EJ Dolan and Chad Painter limited out on lobster and snapper the first day of mini season.

ith the summer coming to an end, the fishing should start improving for inshore anglers. September, as you well know, is the start of snook season and it should be good with plenty of action coming from places like the Fort Pierce Inlet, the local bridges and the grass flats. For the inlet and bridges, try a

st. lucie county offshore

Capt. Danny Markowski

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

eptember has arrived and the bigger kingfish will be arriving on their journey to the south. Kingfish are a great fish to target for some good rod bending action and blistering runs. These fish will be found from just off the beach around the bait schools to the 80- to 90-foot depths in our Treasure Coast waters. When the waters warm again from the August cold water upwelling, it will be time to find the bait schools of pilchards and greenies off the beach. For the first couple of hours in the morning, kingfish, big and small, lurk around these schools of bait. Kingfish are very toothy fish so you will want to have your baits rigged with a wire leader and a “stinger rig.” For a stinger rig, you will attach your

PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Joe Ward.

live pinfish, pigfish or a white bait and fish it on the bottom. It will take a heavy weight in the inlet: 6- to 8-ounces, a 40-pound fluorocarbon leader about 3-feet long and a good 5/0 hook. Around the bridges, use

the same set up but use a light weight: 1- to 2-ounces. Free lining the abovementioned baits on the flats and around the docks will be your best bet. If it is trout you are looking for, try places like Bear Point, Queen's

main hook in the nose of your live bait with another short piece of wire from the main hook to a treble hook in the mid-section or near the tail of your bait. Kingfish hardly ever eat the whole bait on the first strike so two hooks on the bait will increase your chances for a hookup. This being said, a light drag is essential because a lot of times a kingfish will get foul hooked and a light drag with steady pressure will keep from pulling the hook out. Once you catch some bait, hook a bait or two up and slow troll the live bait around the edges of the bait schools. If the bait schools are around structure, this will increase your chances of hooking up a smoker kingfish. As the day goes on, the majority of the kingfish will move to deeper waters. Anywhere out to 80 feet will be a good area to find kingfish. Look for kingfish around structure and ledges. When heading out to the deeper depths, try to have a variety of live baits such as pilchards, greenies and big blue runners to put in your trolling spread. If you are running out of live bait, don’t have live bait or would prefer a faster trolling speed, kingfish will hit shiny spoons like the

drone spoon and big lipped lures. I would still recommend using a wire leader on lures. As with any lure or live bait trolling for kingfish, cover the water column from the surface to down deep by using a down rigger, if available, or a planer. Big kingfish put up a great fight, are a great trophy and are tasty smoked, or smoked and made into fish smack. Smaller kingfish put up a good fight, but are the better size for grilling or broiling. If you look online you can find a lot of different recipes for various ways of cooking this fish. If the weather and seas this month allow, another rod bending idea is to head out to the deeper waters early and look for the shrimp boats that will anchor up in 150 feet depths and beyond. This draws the black fin tuna and skipjack tuna. The shrimpers do this early in the morning so you should be heading offshore before sunup for your best chance at catching some of these tuna. When targeting these fish, I like to troll small feathers or small squid daisy chains way back behind the boat and troll at 6 to 9 knots down current of the shrimp boat. An HMS permit is required to

Cove or the flats to the north of Harbor Branch. The tackle is simple, a live shrimp fished on a #6 Kahle hook or under a popping cork. The redfish bite should still be good for anglers fishing around the mangroves on the high tide. Try a piece of ladyfish or a crab on a 2/0 hook with a 20-pound fluorocarbon leader and a small split shot, which should be plenty of weight. Snapper should still be active along the channel edges both to the north and south in the Intracoastal. Use a live shrimp or a small white bait and a small bottom rig with a #2 hook and a 1/2 to 1-ounce weight with a 15- to 20-pound fluorocarbon leader. Make sure the leader is at least three-feet long; the longer the better.

Daniel caught this 30-pound kingfish out of Fort Pierce Inlet. The fish ate a live threadfin trolled in 70 feet of water. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Danny Markowski.

keep all tuna except black fin tuna. For more information regarding the HMS permits please visit the National Marine Fisheries Service online at https://hmspermits.noaa. gov/default.asp. Please know and abide by the state and federal regulations for the fish you are targeting. Catch ‘em up!!

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fishing forecasts

sebastian inshore

Capt. Gus Brugger

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

eptember has always signified the beginning of the inshore fishing season to me. May through August can no doubt still be fishy months in Sebastian, but the variety of options and the windows of opportunity to pursue them are much more specific than the rest of the year. The cooling water temps, brought about by shorter day lengths, tropical rains and the associated cloud cover, expand the bite windows of most inshore species in the late summer. The arrival of hordes of yearling silver mullet and the gamefish that shadow them is a welcome change to the summer status quo for both fish and fishermen in Sebastian. Snook

sebastian area offshore

Capt. Randy Lang

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

eptember offshore of Sebastian is a transition month. Yes, it’s still hot but the days are getting shorter and the mullet run really gets under way. When the mullet show, it will really get things going along the beaches. Schools of big tarpon will pound on

the catching will pick up are again in season as of within the confines of the September 1st and can be lagoon. These factors, in caught from the beaches my opinion and in order of to the backwaters. Atlantic importance are the mullet zone rules apply, with run, water level and water one snook overall length temperature. The arrival between 28- and 32-inches of the migrating masses of allowed per angler per day. three- to five-inch mullet While snook rightfully is critical to the fishing in garner the limelight in the Indian River Lagoon September, they are not the in September. Flats that only gamefish available to seemed to be barren of Sebastian Area anglers, so life, suddenly produce all I’ll break down each venue day topwater action when available in the Sebastian the mullet show up. This area and discuss what to action is more likely to expect in the late summer/ occur if water levels are early fall season. up, water temps are down Sebastian River and the mullet, gamefish – The tarpon and snook and fishermen have action in the Sebastian Mason Johnson with a access to the shallowest River will pick up by leaps nice Sebastian Inlet snook backwater grass and and bounds as the schools that hit a bucktail fished mud flats. All types of of finger mullet make from the north jetty. artificials and live finger their way into the estuary. mullet fished wherever Live finger mullet, D.O.A. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Gus Brugger. pods of mullet are found shrimp, C.A.L. jerk baits, will draw strikes from anything with as well as suspending and topwater when fishing the Sebastian River. MirrOlures, are excellent ways to Indian River Lagoon a mouth. Snook will ambush bait target tarpon and snook throughout – There are a few factors that will around shoreline structure including the day and night. Pay attention to control when, and to what extent the major and minor solunar periods the fishing and more importantly SEE SEBASTIAN INSHORE........ PAGE 10

the big schools of mullet giving their location away. Be prepared to cover some ground to find them. Pitch a big mullet into the melee, using an 8/0 circle hook and 8 feet of 60-to80-pound mono leader. Blacktip and spinner sharks are good sport in these same pods of mullet. The speed and acrobatics of these gamesters rivals a tarpon. The same tarpon rig will work for them and you can use a big piece of blue fish or other fresh bait. Use a couple feet of wire leader if you want to eliminate some cut offs. Let the shark eat the bait for a good while before getting tight with the circle hook. The mullet will also bring the big kings in along the beach.

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SEPTEMBER 2017

Try slow trolling and drifting some mullet in that 30 to 40 feet range for the big smokers. A king rig with #4 wire and #3 hook with a stout treble hook trailer will do the trick. Trolling a couple heavy duty lipped plugs will catch a variety of fish in this range too including big jacks, barracuda and cobia. Snook can be in this same area way up in the surf. Throw a live mullet or your favorite snook plug in there. A long casting fishing outfit is useful here. Be careful of the breaking waves. They can pop up unexpectedly when a set of swells move in. Well offshore watch out for shrimp boats in the 130-foot range. Throughout the day and especially early, these boats will hold bonito, blackfin tuna and even pods of cobia. Chumming with chunks of cut bait will often get things going. Have a jig ready for the cobes. Trolling in this same area is a good idea. A small dark feather fished way back is a good way to pick up the blackfins. Sailfish and dolphin will be around too. Last September was hot on select offshore reefs in the 40- to 90-foot range for amberjack and cobia. Drift along and work a buck tail fast, or drag a live threadfin. A jig tipped with frozen sardine is not bad either. Kingfish will be mixed into the party sometimes. If you mark some fish up in the water column, try anchoring

Eric was happy when this sweet blackfin tuna came in the boat. Caught in September trolling a feather way back, in 130 feet of water on the Reef Gypsy. PHOTO CREDIT: Sebastian Gypsy Fishing Charters.

and chumming them up. Throw a livie or a jig when they appear behind the boat. Try the closer in reefs when the cold water upwelling is in effect. Mangrove and mutton snapper will be caught by anglers that downsize their tackle. Try some fluorocarbon, small hook and live shrimp in close and get out early in the morning for these weary fish. Look out for free swimming cobia around bait pods in that 40- to 60-foot range. Sometimes stopping around the bait pods and working a jig for a few minutes will pay off. Best of luck out there, and remember to take advantage of those nice calm September days before the winds of October start blowing.

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8/14/17 2:38 PM

OKEECHOBEE NORTH END

Capt. Nathan M. Shellen Okeechobee Bass Guide Service (772) 501-6886 Okeechobeebassfishing.com sjmike7@aol.com

he great fishing continues on Lake Okeechobee. This year we have caught record numbers of big bass, as well as huge daily catch numbers. The lake level is at 13 feet for now and each summer so far, we have seen low levels around 11 feet or lower. In the past we have experienced many great years of pan fishing. This year so far, we have seen some of the best summertime catches of shellcracker. Of course, the big bluegill are caught in the same areas as the shellcracker, but anyone that has eaten freshly caught and fried shellcracker filets knows exactly what I am talking about. The tremendous run of shellcracker started on the full moon in March and has continued each moon phase up through August. How long it will continue remains to be seen. With the water level in the 12- to 13-foot range, the pan fish

stayed mostly to the outside edges of the vegetation, some even fanning spawning beds well out into the lake, where the water is still only 2 to 3 feet. The primary baits have been grass shrimp, red worms and crickets. Many anglers target and catch large numbers of bluegill on a fly rod and popping bug when they are in such shallow water. Bass fishing tournament anglers have found that it takes five bass that weigh 25- to 30-pounds to win a tournament on the lake. The numbers of quality sized bass in the 5- to 10-pound range in the lake right now are amazing, and these bass are growing each season just getting bigger and fatter. During the summer months, we try to get onto the water before sunup to take advantage of schooling action that takes place along the outside grass lines. Bass can be seen and heard blasting baitfish, such as shad and shiners, in the cover and sometimes well out into the lake. When they are schooling on bait, a spinner tossed well back into the grass and worked toward the outside edge can present heart stopping action. Some mornings we catch between 8 and 12 bass and the action ends quickly, other days we may catch 20 to 30 in the first couple

This year we have caught record numbers of big bass, like this one, as well as huge daily catch numbers. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Nathan Shellen.

of hours. The catching can end in a second and there is no rhyme or reason but the sun rising higher into the sky is certainly one of the reasons. Once they quit eating the spinner bait, we switch to soft plastics, flukes, speed worms and Senkos being an important part of our tactics. Those anglers who want to target only large bass very often will opt to flip and pitch matted vegetation or thick clumps of bulrush with a creature style bait. There are lots of styles, configurations and colors of creature style baits, some use a jig with a trailer, others uses a punch skirt, heavy tungsten, and creature baits.

There really aren’t any “secrets”. The best anglers in the world are those who spend their time on the water constantly, dissecting depth and cover changes, water temperature changes, like a surgeon, taking advantage of every possible angle to get the most out of each area that may hold fish. Many people, however, tend to stay in an area that is not producing for them, especially if they have caught bass there before; know when to move and be decisive about your game plan, are all keys to success. Until the next report good luck, tight lines, and Bucket Lips. I hope to see everyone on the water!

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fishing forecasts

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ait and more bait, this is what South Florida is all about during the fall mullet run. Millions of mullet make their way down the coast of Florida. This is peak time for the angler that has no boat. Snook are coming off the spawn and are hungry. Big female snook are feeding on mullet and fattening up for the winter. Snook season is open; to get a keeper will be hard with so many big fish around. First thing in the morning is always best to get these fish to feed. Night time being the best time. Beach, bridges and wading give you a chance to catch a lot of snook. During the mullet run, I like to use all artificial lures. Plugs like the Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow will get you hooked every time. Tarpon will be sky rocketing in the bait schools of mullet. The best bet to get hooked up is to fish outside the school. Tarpon will be right outside of the school of bait. They will be feeding on the bait that is right outside of the bait ball. This is where you need to focus on your

Dan Ziegler with a nice snook caught off the beach. PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Sharp.

lure or bait to get hooked up. I like to use a Diawa SP Minnow that casts far and gives the right flash to get a strike. I use 60-pound mono leader tied to 65-pound braided line with a spinning rod and reel to cast right in front of these big fish. Jacks will be big and will come in packs and they can be caught off the beach or along the river. Big ones to 30-or-40-pounds are not uncommon. Use big nasty chuggers that get the fish excited to strike. These fish are strong and don't know the word quit. They make great fish for kids of all ages. Sharks will eat anything in their path, so if you like to catch blacktip sharks, this is a great time of year too. They will be trying to eat the school of jacks that are feeding close to shore. So, catch a jack, use it live or cut up, and hold on. Steel leader tied to 65-pound braid will get the job done. Have a great fall mullet run!

SEBASTIAN INSHORE........ FROM PAGE 8 consistent success, but with snook dock and mangroves, while trout and reds stalk the flats and spoil islands for a finger mullet meal. Topwater and suspending plugs, such as Super Spook Jr.’s and Catch 2000 Jr.’s. are very productive this time of year. D.O.A. jerk baits and shads will get you through just about any late summer situation in the central lagoon. Sebastian Inlet – Sebastian Inlet will be will be the destination of anglers from near and far come September 1 with the opening of the snook season. The snook will be stacked up in the inlet and some years the oversize reds outnumber the snook in September. Live croakers, pigfish, shrimp and finger mullet will all get the attention of predators at the inlet. The tips of the jetties, the channel east of A1A and the north and south shorelines west of A1A will hold snook. Daytime snook fishing has historically required live bait for

numbers up, more and more local anglers are reporting daytime success with D.O.A. Shrimp and jerk baits. After dark, live bait is still preferred by anglers drifting the channel under the A1A Bridge, but trolling diving plugs has become a no hassle way to put a snook in the box lately. Shore bound anglers predominantly throw one- to two-ounce bucktails, and various diving plugs after dark. Near Shore Atlantic – When weather conditions are favorable, the waters within two miles of the beach between Melbourne and Fort Pierce can be explosive in September. Snook, tarpon, reds, blues, Spanish mackerel, cobia, tripletail, sharks, jacks, and flounder all follow the migrating mullet southward. Fish live mullet, plugs, spoon, and shad tailed jigs, to name a few, from the beach or a boat to take advantage of some of the best fishing of the year.

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diving forecast

Steve Wood

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

ummertime dive conditions should hold through the month of September as fall approaches, provided tropical activity remains low. Beneath the surface annual events such as the goliath grouper migration and the potential for jellyfish to show up will keep divers alert and on their toes throughout the month. Hurricane season reaches its peak during September and divers should pay attention to the forecast for changing weather. Storms far out to sea may have minimal effect on land but these systems can drastically change the landscape beneath the surface. Large swells generated from tropical storms may shift huge amounts of sand or move wrecks into new positions allowing divers to explore fresh territory. After the

seas calm down, diving can be really good after a storm since new reefs maybe uncovered after, along with grouper, lobster and large whelk and helmet conch shells scattered over the reef. The Georges Valentine wreck that sits just a few hundred yards offshore of the House of Refuge is a great example of how a dive site may be affected by tropical activity. As sand shifts with each swell, water depths on the wreck maybe as deep as 20 feet or as shallow at 10 feet, depending on the time of year. During the fall, our area plays host to the largest gathering of goliath grouper in the world. As most boaters are aware, most artificial structures in our area have year-round resident populations but during the annual aggregation 30 or 40 individuals on a single wreck are common. Divers can count on these underwater giants to arrive in early September and hang around reefs and wrecks for a month or more. Special trips are organized by local dive operators to take advantage of this unique spectacle and divers are encouraged to bring cameras to document their encounters. Considered to be a must-dive by many this time of year, locations such as the Evans Crary Bridge rubble or David-T in Stuart, the Esso Bonaire of Jupiter or the new Ana Cecilia

In the fall, our offshore waters play host to the world's largest gathering of goliath grouper--a must-dive experience. PHOTO CREDIT: FWC/Angela Collins.

Wreck in West Palm are hot spots for experiences available nowhere else in the world. Another common animal divers may encounter this time of year are jellyfish. Every year, large pink moon jellies drift past area beaches providing an uncomfortable reminder of how the ocean is constantly changing. Concentrations of jellies are usually light and easy to avoid but thick plumes have been reported in years past. Divers can avoid being stung by wearing exposure protection such as wetsuits, hoods and gloves and paying close attention while ascending and descending since jellies usually hang in the upper part of the water

column. First aid kits should include vinegar, anti-itch creams or sprays and Benadryl in case of contact with these guys. Another helpful trick when having to ascend through a layer of jellies is to purge a regulator to release a large burst of bubbles. The rising bubbles will punch a hole through the layer and allow divers to come up unscathed. Locals know lobster season is open and many of the egg-bearing females that were passed over last moth may have had time to drop their eggs. This means that there can still be plenty of big lobsters caught in shallow water near shore. Grab a camera, lobster snare and join the action!

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Birds on Safari

Dave with a kayak sailfish.

PHOTO CREDIT: Brian Nelli.

flat line will work to lure them in. Finally, blackfin and skipjack tuna will come through in small schools. Look to target them with smaller vertical jigs and trolling feathers. Check us out Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for all the latest adventures my clients and I get into. See you on the water!

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INSHORE — Fishing early or late in the day is still the key through September. The flats and inlets are holding large amounts of glass minnows. Using lures to imitate these baits will be your best bet. Fishing the inlets, docks and bridges will continue to be a great option. Try using a D.O.A. Terror Eyz or jerk bait bounced near the bottom around the inlet. Fishing the shadow lines on the bridges at night with a mullet imitation will work great as well. One of my favorite bridges is the Lake Worth Bridge right next to Snook Islands. They have a nice kayak launch on the north side to make access to the bridge quick and easy. On the flats work the mangroves around high tide with a bait that can be skipped up under the overhanging branches. These fish will be up in there deep getting out of the heat of the day.

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owing a boat is a huge responsibility. Here are five “quick tips” to make sure that you do it safely. 1. Check tire pressure make sure it's at the recommended PSI. 2. Check for wear, feel the tread around the tire surface on the inside and the outside for any cupping. 3. Make an attempt to wiggle or move the top of the tire in and out by grabbing it at the points of 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock, and pull then push to feel for movement. This will tell you if the bearings are tight or need service. 4. Lights. Plug the trailer into your vehicle, check your lights by turning on your four -way flashers and your headlights. If you have a bad bulb, address it. If you have no lights, bring the trailer in to be serviced, 5. Winch. Please be sure your strap or cable are in good condition. This could be the difference of a good day versus a very bad one. Personally, I prefer straps; they are much less likely to cause injury if they break.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Sandi Abraham.

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Offshore — September has always been a great month for wahoo in the kayak. Concentrate on live baiting large goggle eyes deeper in the water column. The best time of the month will be a few days before and after the full moon. Kingfish will still be around and will most likely be staying in that 10-to-15pound range. Sailfish will remain good through the month. Smaller goggle eyes and blue runners on a

PHOTO CREDIT: Sandi Abraham.

Outdoor Women’s Group Discovering Florida’s Beautiful Outdoors

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A recent Outdoor Women's Group kayaking trip.

he Outdoor Women’s Group (OWG) is a casual social group comprised of women of all ages who live along the Treasure Coast and enjoy outdoor activities. The group celebrates its one-year anniversary in October and invites other like-minded-outdoor ladies to join them for a variety of adventures, such as kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing, bicycling, sailing, sea turtle walks, and snorkeling to name a few. “The emphasis is on our beautiful outdoors—most activities are not too strenuous. All are welcome—this is a safe and fun way to enjoy our area’s natural resources,” said OWG founder Patricia Strutz. Upcoming adventures include fishing, a full-moon bike ride, hiking, and goat yoga— yes, that’s doing yoga while baby goats frolic around and on top of you! The group meets a couple times a month and members take turns planning and organizing events. There are no membership fee or dues. Members cover their individual costs for outings, and often carpool to outings when possible. you’ll

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September 23

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September 26

POOR

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September 27

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September 7

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September 28

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September 8

FAIR

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September 29

FAIR

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September 9

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September 30

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September 10

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POOR

Evening

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September 14

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September 19

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For more information, email Strutz at pstrutz1@yahoo.com or call (715) 891-1173.

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

SEPTEMBER 2017

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Visit the Best Kept Secret in Martin County! THE HISTORIC...

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Andrew “Red” Harris No Shoes Reef off Jupiter Inlet Grows to 1800’ Long with Most Recent Deployment O

n August 9, 2017, the largest artificial reef deployment of its kind by a private foundation on Florida’s east coast occurred extending an underwater nursery for sea life and a destination for divers. The Andrew “Red” Harris Foundation deployment of 134 fourton artificial reef modules and 1,000 tons of boulders, partly funded by dollars raised by No Shoes Reefs, a joint venture by ENGEL Coolers and Kenny Chesney’s No Shoes Nation that donates a portion of the sales of No Shoes Nation-branded products to building artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean, and surrounding rivers and waterways, extended the Andrew Harris No Shows Reef to an 1,800-long reef. The Andrew ‘Red’ Harris Reef (Lat. 26.9658, Long. -80.0592, depth 40 ft.) began in August 2015 with the deployment of 40 concrete

reef modules designed to look like Bahamian coral heads in memory of Andrew Harris. Andrew, 26, an avid angler and diver was struck and killed by a boat June 8, 2014, while snorkeling near DuBois Park in Jupiter. Andrew’s family and friends formed the Andrew “Red” Harris Foundation to honor his memory and assure he is not forgotten. They believe the best way to do so is by helping to insure the long-term health and vibrancy of our local ocean by building artificial reefs in the waters where he loved to dive and fish off northern Palm Beach County. More information about the foundation can be found at www. andrewredharrisfoundation.org. In August 2016, a 100-module deployment comprised of 50 pyramids, 35 blown-cement “coral head” structures and 15 concrete block structures were deployed by

Now over 1800 feet long, the Andrew 'Red' Harris No Shoes Reef is providing a home for an abundance of life.

PHOTO COURTESY of Andrew "Red" Harris Foundation.

the the Andrew ‘Red’ Harris Reef Foundation to create the Andrew Harris No Shoes Reef (Lat. 26.9617, Long. -80.0536, depth 55 ft.). This most recent deployment extends the Andrew Harris No Shoes Reef to a total of 300 boulders stacked 16-feet high in a depth of 59 feet at the bottom and 43 feet at the top. Flat boulders, which came from a mine in Port Mayaca, were placed to create open caverns for fish to hide in. The $500,000 deployment took place 1.5 miles offshore of the Jupiter Inlet. Boulders were dropped on August 2nd and August 5th and the reef module deployment began on August 9th. While the sheer size of this deployment is impressive, what makes these modules unique is the design as they mimic natural reefs.

Additionally, these reef modules cause scouring along the ocean floor, which exposes bedrock and aids in the recruitment of algae, soft corals and sponges, an important factor to help battle harmful biological disturbances (such as algae blooms, coral beaching, and disease outbreaks) that impact the northern third of the Florida Reef Tract from the St. Lucie Inlet to the Florida Keys. For more information about the Andrew ‘Red’ Harris Foundation, visit www.andrewredharrisfoundation. org. For more information on the No Shoes Reefs, visit www.noshoesreefs. org. For more information on artificial reefs in Palm Beach county, visit http://discover.pbcgov.org/erm/ Pages/Artificial-Reef-Map.aspx.

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St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Update:

Oyster and Living Reefs to the Rescue T

he Indian River Lagoon Estuary Council has awarded the St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program a grant to construct oyster reefs/living shorelines at the outfall to the Indian Hills Stormwater Treatment Area (STA) on South Indian River Drive. Large stormwater discharges from this outfall alternatively scour seagrasses or cover the area surrounding the outfall with sediments. Starting in September, volunteers will start constructing oyster modules for construction of a 678-squarefoot oyster reef. The oyster reef will be deployed in rows parallel to the shoreline to help protect the shoreline from scouring of seagrass beds and will also act to reduce buildup of sediments which are not removed by the STA. This oyster reef will create one last component of the stormwater treatment train to polish the water prior to its release into the Indian River Lagoon, disperse water more evenly as it exits the 60-inch outfall, and will provide habitat for invertebrates and birds. This project is designed to increase the resiliency and sustainability of the Indian River Lagoon while also benefitting infrastructure (Indian River Drive) by stabilizing the shoreline. Indian River Drive has been the subject of closures after the hurricanes of 2004 and storm events afterward. A living shoreline along Indian River Drive will help reduce erosion of unconsolidated sediments while providing benefits to fish and wildlife. Stormwater treatment along South Indian River Drive is also important to the resiliency of the Indian River Lagoon. The 23-acre Indian Hills STA is designed to

remove pollutants from the 1,242acre Virginia Avenue stormwater basin before the stormwater is discharged into the lagoon. Similarly, St. Lucie County is planning a stormwater baffle box/ oyster reef/living shoreline at Old Fort Park along Indian River Drive. The 48-inch stormwater outfall at Old Fort Park delivers stormwater from the 216-acre Georgia Avenue basin into the Indian River Lagoon. This basin contains stormwater runoff from a mixture of land uses including residential, urban road (U.S. Highway 1), and a golf course. Baffle boxes are large concrete boxes that remove nutrients and other pollutants from the stormwater before it is released into the Lagoon. Baffle boxes can be used when there isn’t enough space for a large STA but their installation requires the permission of the property owner where they are to be placed. The Old Fort Park project will show property owners what a baffle box/ oyster reef/living shoreline looks like in hopes of obtaining permission to install additional baffle box/ oyster reef/living shorelines along Indian River Drive. As more funding becomes available and as more of the homeowners become informed about this vital program, St. Lucie County hopes to partner with the Florida Oceanographic Society and the Ocean Research and Conservation Association to create more living shorelines, protecting Indian River Drive from erosion while preventing contaminants from entering the Indian River Lagoon. The area has already been inspected by County personnel for potential oyster reef placement; however, the County will need to

Indian Hills Oyster Reef Project Area. PHOTO CREDIT: St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program.

obtain permits for any oyster reef prior to working in coastal waters. These permits are necessary for all oyster reef construction to ensure that biological resources, such as seagrasses, are not harmed by oyster module placement.

For more information on the St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program or restoration of oyster reefs in St. Lucie County, contact Jim Oppenborn, St. Lucie County Coastal Resources Coordinator, at (772) 462-1713 or oppenbornj@stlucieco.org.

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The Advantages to a Versatile Fishing Boat By Capt. Chase Cornell / Indian River Fishing Company

he Treasure Coast is home to some of the most prolific fishing in the entire State of Florida. Summertime is without question the time of year for anglers fishing from smaller craft to get out on the Atlantic and experience some of the wonderful fisheries available just off the beaches. A versatile, well-equipped boat and some preparation will allow you to access some phenomenal fishing. My boat is a 1998 21-foot Maverick Master Angler. The amount of fishing options with this specific boat are profound. I can tackle anything from laid up snook and redfish on shallow mangrove lines, to tailing sailfish on

the edge of the reef 12 miles offshore. Having a boat that is set up to target a wide variety of species allows me to not only provide my clients with a wide array of different fishing experiences, but it also allows me to make adjustments during a day of fishing when the game plan does not pan out. Selecting a boat that allows you Black rope insert installed to access a multitude of fisheries will and side console tackle allow you more enjoyment on the storage locker installed. water. The 21 Master Angler (MA) PHOTOS CREDIT: Capt. Chase Cornell. was designed to fish in rougher water where smaller, more technical boats, which is now arguably one of The 21 MA adorns three livewells skiffs steer clear. The 21 MA was the the most popular vessels on the water that are fed by a sea chest, two giant predecessor to the Pathfinder line of in the state today. gunnel rod lockers, four massive

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The proper trak lok ensures a watertight hatch and protects valuables like safety gear.

finer details if you buy used, because updates and repairs add up quick. My biggest goal with the Maverick was to tackle these jobs on my own. Some of the improvements I have made to the boat include adding all new “trim lok” to my hatches. The 21 MA has ten deck hatches. When I purchased the boat, some of the hatches were sagging, some had the wrong type of trim lok and others had none at all. Installing the correct, padded trim lok and tightening all hinges allows my hatches to close smoothly and softly. When there are leery gamefish around the boat, it is important that hatches do not slam! I also replaced all of the hatch pulls on my boat. I did this by purchasing beveled and polished circular, aluminum plates with predrilled holes through the center of each plate. I then removed the plastic, half-moon tabs that would pinch your finger and make you want to drop the hatch, and drilled out a one-inch hole. I then centered the aluminum plates directly over the one-inch cut out, through bolted the aluminum plates and put on pull-style aluminum rings with a key chain catch on the opposite side. This not only makes all the deck hatches uniform, but functional for any level of angler that comes onboard. Perhaps the biggest cosmetic improvement I made to the boat was changing out the rope rub rail insert. When I purchased the boat it had a white, three-strand rope that was chewed up and stained. I pulled out the old rope and put in a new, black, mega braid rope that is not only much higher quality, but also has a significant improvement in appearance. Along with the rub rail insert, I also added a new Edson Comfort Grip Wheel, new Yamaha binnacle and key switch and a new Garmin GPS/FF combo to better improve the operation of the boat. Whether you purchase a new boat or buy used, it is important to get something that fits your specific needs and fishery. If you purchase used, do your due diligence. Bring a mechanic with you, open every hatch, turn on the pump, open the bilge and leave no stone unturned. You have to be able to evaluate the costs associated with bringing the boat to the level to fit your fishing standard before you buy it or you will quickly find yourself in over your head. There is no question that a versatile boat will help you catch more fish.

storage areas, a 63-gallon fuel cell, and a wide, stable platform with 360 degrees of fishability. On a day of fishing you can find anything from an 8-weight fly rod to a 6/0 Senator spooled with 200-pound braided line in my rod lockers. I carry spinning rods, kite rods, fly rods, bottom rods, gaffs and a landing net and everything has a home below deck. I simply pull up to a spot and grab the rods we are going to need for that specific situation. So much of fishing is having the right rod rigged for a specific moment in time. You just can never know for certain when you will come across a big floating tripletail or cobia. On the bow of my boat is a 60-inch 24-volt Minn Kota iPilot trolling motor. The iPilot is my favorite feature on my boat. The ability to operate the trolling motor via remote control anywhere on the boat allows me to focus on keeping my clients fishing instead of on the bow of the boat operating a hand control trolling motor. Furthermore, I use the spot lock GPS feature on the trolling motor for everything from snook and permit fishing, to bait fishing and bottom fishing. I am simply tickled by how well this electric motor works. The ability to drive over a bottom spot in 110 feet of water, mark the best show of fish on the Garmin and then simply drop the trolling motor in the water and hit the anchor feature has made bottom fishing extremely enjoyable. Over the last several months my father and I have worked hard to improve some of the operational features of my boat. These types of improvements may not be flashy, Chase lives in Vero Beach and loves to but they will improve the overall fish and write about his adventures. functionality and fishability of a Read more of his fishing escapades used boat. You want to consider the at bitepress.wordpress.com.

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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.

PHOTO CREDIT: Leonard Bryant Photography.

THE EDGE OF POSSIBILITY

Weigh-in fun from last year’s tournament.

ChaseN’Tailz

By Summer Warren, Director of ChaseN’Tailz Fishing Tournament

208CC POWERED BY

hat makes ChaseN’Tailz Fishing Tournament one of the largest, most anticipated of the year? Anyone that has ever fished it knows it is an anglers’ tournament; one catering to each team member, sponsor and volunteer to create the best experience and memories. Anglers enjoy two pre-parties with dinner and prizes. The Captains Meeting is catered by Tommy Bahama with quality swag filled captains’ buckets and performance tournament shirts along with prizes for having your boat number. An awards ceremony is catered by Calaveras Cantina with a waterslide, dunk tank, music, car show, vendors, drinks, more boat number prizes and prizes for trash fish at one of the most beautiful venues - Harbourside Place. Our host hotel is again the Wyndham Grand located on site with rooms for teams, sponsors and volunteers for $99. Last year’s tournament exceeded all expectations with 116 teams, a full moon and over $40,000 donated to charity. Teams traveled from

North Carolina and the Keys and have already registered again this year. ChaseN’Tailz is enjoyed by the entire family and has something for everyone. We are very excited about this year’s tournament and thank our teams, sponsors, volunteers and supporters because without them our son’s legacy does not live on to help other children. It’s true what they say, “They save the best for last.” Tight lines! The 4th annual C h a s e N ’ Ta i l z KDW Fishing Tournament, held in memory of Chase Warren, takes place September 9, 2017. Eligible species are kingfish, dolphin, wahoo, bonito and snapper. Registration, $300 per boat, is open until 6 p.m., Thursday, September 7, when the Captains’ Meeting begins on the roof top of Harbourside Place, Jupiter. Tournament proceeds will be donated to the Children’s Gaucher Research Fund, Live Like Jake and Freedom Waters Foundation. For more information on the tournament or to register, visit www.chasentailz.com.

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1F 5:19 AM 11:31 AM 6:06 PM 2SA 12:00 AM 6:15 AM 12:18 PM 6:56 PM 3SU 12:46 AM 7:06 AM 1:02 PM 7:41 PM 4M 1:28 AM 7:54 AM 1:44 PM 8:24 PM 5TU 2:07 AM 8:39 AM 2:24 PM 9:05 PM 6W 2:46 AM 9:22 AM 3:05 PM 9:46 PM 7TH 3:26 AM 10:06 AM 3:46 PM 10:26 PM 8F 4:06 AM 10:51 AM 4:28 PM 11:08 PM 9SA 4:50 AM 11:37 AM 5:14 PM 11:51 PM 10SU 5:37 AM 12:26 PM 6:04 PM 11M 12:39 AM 6:29 AM 1:19 PM 7:00 PM

height 2.27 0.55 2.41 0.78 2.37 0.47 2.53 0.68 2.49 0.38 2.66 0.55 2.63 0.29 2.78 0.42 2.76 0.22 2.87 0.3 2.87 0.18 2.93 0.2 2.95 0.18 2.96 0.12 3 0.22 2.94 0.09 3 0.3 2.9 0.1 2.96 0.41 2.83 0.15 2.9 0.53

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 L

12TU 1:31 AM 7:27 AM 2:19 PM 8:02 PM 13W 2:31 AM 8:33 AM 3:23 PM 9:11 PM 14TH 3:38 AM 9:41 AM 4:30 PM 10:19 PM 15F 4:47 AM 10:48 AM 5:36 PM 11:22 PM 16SA 5:54 AM 11:49 AM 6:35 PM 17SU 12:20 AM 6:54 AM 12:45 PM 7:29 PM 18M 1:13 AM 7:49 AM 1:37 PM 8:17 PM 19TU 2:01 AM 8:38 AM 2:25 PM 9:02 PM 20W 2:47 AM 9:24 AM 3:10 PM 9:44 PM 21TH 3:30 AM 10:08 AM 3:53 PM 10:24 PM

2.76 0.22 2.83 0.64 2.7 0.28 2.78 0.68 2.68 0.3 2.79 0.66 2.72 0.28 2.86 0.56 2.83 0.22 2.96 0.43 2.96 0.17 3.06 0.3 3.08 0.13 3.13 0.2 3.16 0.13 3.16 0.14 3.19 0.18 3.14 0.14 3.17 0.28 3.07

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

22F 4:12 AM 10:49 AM 4:36 PM 11:03 PM 23SA 4:54 AM 11:30 AM 5:18 PM 11:41 PM 24SU 5:35 AM 12:11 PM 6:00 PM 25M 12:20 AM 6:18 AM 12:54 PM 6:45 PM 26TU 1:02 AM 7:05 AM 1:39 PM 7:35 PM 27W 1:48 AM 7:57 AM 2:30 PM 8:31 PM 28TH 2:40 AM 8:55 AM 3:27 PM 9:32 PM 29F 3:40 AM 9:55 AM 4:26 PM 10:30 PM 30SA 4:42 AM 10:51 AM 5:23 PM 11:23 PM

0.18 3.1 0.4 2.97 0.28 3 0.55 2.84 0.41 2.87 0.71 2.71 0.55 2.73 0.87 2.58 0.69 2.61 1 2.48 0.8 2.52 1.09 2.41 0.87 2.48 1.11 2.39 0.88 2.5 1.06 2.44 0.83 2.58 0.95

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

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Trailer ParTs & service

SEPTEMBER 2017

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Stuart Sailfish Club Bimini Bash:

he Stuart Sailfish Club was Bahamas bound once again, this time to Bimini August 4-7, 2017. The group stayed at Bimini Sands Resort on South Bimini, enjoyed dinners poolside, snorkeling the Sapona, lobstering and fishing, a dinner at Resorts World Casino on North Bimini, and a bonfire with a full moon to boot. In late spring, the club held its annual Member’s Tournament in South Eleuthera. To learn more about membership and upcoming events and tournaments, visit www.stuartsailfishclub.com.

PHOTOS COURTESY of Stuart Sailfish Club membership.

A Great Family Weekend CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP, LEFT: Snorkeling the Sapona; Rosy, Melissa and Leonard Fox catching up the lobster in Bimini; Flotilla dinner poolside at Bimini Sands; Lobster is what is for dinner!

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RE/MAX Crown Realty 1603 US Highway 1, Sebastian, FL 32958 Phone: (772) 360-6787 Email: captaingusrealtor@gmail.com www.WelcomeToSebastian.com Check Out Sebastian & Vero Beach, Exit 156 off I-95 22 TREASURE COAST

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SEAFAN Bleach Watch: T

How You Can Help

impacts to corals by using mooring buoys instead of anchoring directly on or near a reef. • Eliminate marine debris and pollution. Pump out your sewage only at marina pump-out stations and dispose of trash in designated areas. • If you dive or snorkel, don’t touch! Avoid kicking or touching

Treasure Coast Tournaments & Events SEPTEMBER 2, 2017 Backcountry Fishing Association September Tournament Little Jim Bait and Tackle 601 North Causeway, Fort Pierce, FL For more information, call (772) 370-1055

SEPTEMBER 9, 2017

SOURCE: SEAFAN/FDEP.

he Florida Reef Tract spans 358 miles and contributes $6.3 billion to the local economy and supports 71,000 jobs. Despite these benefits, southeast Florida’s coral reefs are facing many global and local threats such as warming waters, ocean acidification, poor water quality, physical impacts and coral disease and bleaching. However, there are many things you can do to help. Even small changes can help protect coral reefs and keep them healthy, such as reducing plastic waste, recycling, conserving water, and volunteering. Other ways you can help Florida’s reefs is through citizen science. The Southeast Florida Action Network (SEAFAN) is a reporting and response system designed to improve the protection and management of southeast Florida’s coral reefs by enhancing marine debris clean-up efforts, increasing response to reef injuries, and providing early detection of potentially harmful biological disturbances. Everyone can contribute to the network by being our eyes and ears on the reef. Report anything unusual, including marine debris, vessel groundings, anchor damage, invasive species, harmful algal blooms, fish disease and fish kills, discolored water, coral disease and bleaching. There is no special training needed; just report what, when, and where the incident was observed by calling 866-770-SEFL (7335) or online at www.SEAFAN. net. Other ways you can help to protect the reefs: • Use navigational charts to locate reefs. Use Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Coral Reef Conservation Program map on the ESRI ArcGIS mobile app to find a sandy spot for anchoring. • Tie up to mooring buoys or anchor in sand. Boaters, divers and snorkelers can reduce physical

ChaseN’Tailz KDW Fishing Tournament

Harbourside Place, Jupiter, FL

For more information, visit www.chasentailz.com

SEPTEMBER 22, 2017 Treasure Coast Snook A Palooza Tournament

The Pelican Café, 321 SW Flagler Avenue, Stuart, FL For more information, email TreasureCoastSnookapalooza@gmail.com

SEPTEMBER 29-30, 2017 Michael Shields Memorial Inshore Open River Palm Cottages and Fish Camp Southeast Florida Reef Tract.

the corals. Disturbed sediments can smother and kill corals, so take care to stay off the bottom and avoid kicking up the sand. • Follow fishing regulations and reduce the amount of fishing gear that gets into the ocean. Fish and marine invertebrates, like lobster, crabs and shrimp, are integral to maintaining healthy reef ecosystems. Learn and observe fishing regulations, seasonal closures and bag limits.

For more information, visit www.fishforthekids.org

OCTOBER 7, 2017 Backcountry Fishing Association Classic Finale Little Jim Bait and Tackle 601 North Causeway, Fort Pierce, FL For more information, call (772) 370-1055

OCTOBER 13-14, 2017 SaltWater Sisters Lady Angler Tournament Pirate’s Cove Resort & Marina 4307 SE Bayview Street, Stuart, FL

For more information, call (772) 286-9373 or visit StuartSailfishClub.com

NOVEMBER 9-12, 2017 Wahoo Smackdown IX Bimini Big Game Club Bimini, Bahamas

For more information, visit www.BigGameClubBimini.com To view more tournaments and events, or to submit an item for the Coastal Angler Magazine calendar, visit

www.camtreasurecoast.com

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BOARD

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

Jones Weiger (left) and friend Jake Debien, both from Palm City, 12 miles off Islamorada fishing with Grandpa, getting ready to release this dolphin so it can grow up to be a really big one. Photo credit: Caaren Weiger.

Lewis Arnold snagged these two triple-tail in Fort Pierce while out fishing with the family. Photo credit: Cherlyn Arnold.

Steve Hodgins is kind of jacked after catching this frisky kingfish freelining a live grunt on a 90-foot reef out of Sebastian. Pictured with his daughter Emily and Andrew on the Reef Gypsy. Photo credit: Sebastian Gypsy Fishing Charters.

Aaron Dodd with a 9.5-pound snapper he got on the second day of mini season. Photo credit: Capt. Joe Ward.

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This trio, Joey, 10, Jadah, 10, and Ryan 7, landed 4 kings, 4 cobia, a mahi, and a barracuda fishing out of the Fort Pierce Inlet. Photo CREDIT: Sonia DeStafney.

Tina and Dana Nicholls with a 70-pound wahoo caught trolling in 135 feet of water off of Sebastian. This monster hit a soft lure and took about 20 minutes to get to the gaff. Photo SUPPLIED by Dana Nicholls.

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8/16/17 10:33 AM

Photo by Carol Cassels

ven if you take precautionary steps to avoid it, sometimes you might hook a bird by accident. That’s when it’s important to remember—don’t cut the line and let the bird fly away with it attached. This can lead to entanglement, resulting in death of that bird and possibly others as well. Instead, follow these simple steps to unhook the bird: Reel. Remove. Release. 1. Wear safety glasses and enlist a partner for help. 2. Reel the bird in slowly and lift it from the water using a hoop net. 3. Grasp the bird by the head just behind the eyes and fold the wings against the body. For pelicans, hold the beak, keeping the mouth slightly open so it can breathe. Cover the bird’s head with a cloth to keep it calm. 4. Remove the barb and hook from the bird using pliers or clippers. If the bird is entangled, remove all line. 5. Release the bird (if healthy) by placing it on the ground near the water and allowing it to take off. 6. If the bird has swallowed the hook or is severely injured, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator from the list at MyFWC. com/unhook. How else can you help a seabird or wading bird? 1. Don’t feed the birds, which teaches them to approach where they are more likely to be hooked. 2. Dispose of filleted bones where birds can’t get them—in a trash can with lid or at home. Bones of a filleted fish can tear throats, stomachs and intestines. 3. Cover bait buckets and take unused bait home. 4. Dispose of fishing line in a monofilament recycling bin or cut into small pieces and place in the trash. 5. Don’t leave your line unattended. 6. Cast carefully to avoid being snared on trees, bridge piles, power lines or obstacles. 7. Help others learn what to do when they accidentally hook a bird. It’s pretty easy, once you know how. More detailed information can be found at myfwc.com/unhook.

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FISH & FISHING

MARK SOSIN

never understood it. An angler hooks an unseen denizen of the deep that puts up an incredible battle before it is finally brought to boatside. When the fish is visible and the species can be identified, total disappointment masks the fisherman’s face. It doesn’t happen to be a desired species. Never mind the excitement and thrill of fighting it or the anticipation that it is going to be a highly prized catch. All that is forgotten. Instead, the person on the rod is almost apologetic for wasting time with this pathetic inhabitant. Sharks fall in this category. The thought of targeting these toothy critters makes too many anglers turn up their noses. Particularly in shallow water, sharks are capable of powerful performances with exceptionally long runs thrown in. In many situations, you have to follow them with a boat to avoid having them strip all the line off the reel. And, they are particularly challenging on tackle matched to the occasion. People ask me about the biggest fish I ever caught. It was a shark that weighed at least 1,500 pounds and ate a 250-pound black marlin in three bites. Fishing in Panama for black marlin, I caught a 350-pound mako shark that was reportedly the seventh one ever caught on Pinas Reef up to that time. It put up a better battle than a black marlin. At certain times of the year, schools of sharks tend to migrate close to the beaches along different parts of the coastlines. Tether a live bait to a hook, and the distress vibrations emanating from every frantic tailbeat radiate through the water with the authority of a bullhorn. Predators home in on this ringing of the dinner bell like a crew of half-starved lumberjacks. Toss a live bait along the fringes of the school, and you’re about to yell “fish on.” For the relatively light tackle enthusiast, you can enjoy exciting shark fishing on the slightly deeper flats or by chumming sharks in water depths from 6 to 12 feet where a tidal current is flowing. On

the flats, a live bait is a better choice, but you can cast a whole, dead bait in front of a cruising shark and elicit a strike. The presentation should be the same as if you were casting to a gamefish. Make sure the bait gets in front of the fish and is moving away from its jaws. If you are going to chum sharks, anchor the boat in the current and start tossing pieces of dead bait. As you chum, float a couple of live baits back there and just hold them a reasonable distance astern. This is a situation when you can use sporting tackle, but make sure the reel holds a full spool of line. You’ll need a fluorocarbon or monofilament abrasion leader of a few feet with a foot or two of single-strand wire at the end. If you pass up the opportunity to hook and battle sharks, you’re missing out on an exciting challenge. Sharks have accounted for some of my best fishing memories, and I know they can become memorable moments for you.

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By Capt. Randy Cnota By Patrick Morrow

s you pull onto the side of the road, you see mullet being chased by predators in the skinny waters of St. George Sound. You can’t help but grin because you know this area is inaccessible to most boats, and you’ll likely have it all to yourself. Redfish, trout, flounder, jack crevalle, pompano and so many more species are yours for the taking once you’ve settled into your kayak and floated away from land. There are more than 40 canoe/kayak launches in and around Franklin County, Fla. Most are found within Tate’s Hell State Forest or the Apalachicola National Forest.

The freedom kayaking offers anglers in this area is a refreshing alternative to motorized boating, and the amount of accessible waters seems endless. From the Carrabelle River to St. Vincent Sound, to include the Apalachicola River, Apalachicola Bay, St. George Sound and East Bay, these diverse ecosystems where fresh and salt waters meet create a kayak fisherman’s paradise. Slip your ’yak into Scipio Creek at the mouth of The Apalachicola River, paddle up the marsh and catch bass, trout and reds all in the same trip. Throw it in the Gulf of Mexico off of St. George Island and bag some pompano for the table; you can do both in the same day! You don’t have to be an expert kayaker to enjoy a day gliding across these pristine waters to cast for world-class fish or simply take in the amazing scenery; you don’t even have to own one. Places like Island Outfitters and Journeys have them for rent. Advice on how to catch what’s biting is always free, and they have all the gear you need for a successful day of fishing or just paddling. The fall version of the Apalachicola Paddle Jam festival will be held Oct. 6-8 in Apalachicola and on St. George Island. This threeday festival celebrates the Forgotten Coast through paddlesports, music and food, with events happening at various locations in Apalachicola and St. George Island. The highlight of the event will be an attempt by paddlers to break the world record for the largest floating kayak raft. For those with a competitive fishing edge, there will be a kayak fishing tournament. This event promises to be huge fun! If you’ve never experienced the peace and joy that kayaking can bring, add this to your bucket list and give it a go. There’s a reason this sport is growing so rapidly… it’s a blast, and this area is a kayaker’s paradise! Franklin County features multiple kayak and boat rental options. For a complete list of rentals, charters and supplies, visit

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SEPTEMBER 2017

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8/16/17 12:15 PM

By CAM Staff

he excitement is evident in Capt. Dallas Hopper’s voice when he starts rattling off the options for fall out of Key Largo. Coming off tremendous summer days with huge numbers of mahi-mahi, things begin to change up a little in September. The mahi are still there for the taking, but there are a few other bites that kick off this time of year. Dallas runs Fantastic II Charters with his father Capt. Justin Hopper. And while tourist traffic begins to fall off this time of year, the fishing only gets better. The weather in the keys is still gorgeous, and the seas are typically calm. Even beneath the surface, currents tend to drop off a little in early fall, which makes it one of the best times to head offshore to do some deep dropping. Out of Key Largo, it’s only about a 13-mile run to reach deep-water ledges from 300 to 600 feet deep. Using electric reels, or hand cranks for Airline_Ad_CoastalAngler_8-1-14_Layout 8/1/14 1:14 1 those who want to test their mettle,1 dropping baitPM to Page the bottom is a fun way to load the boxes with delicious fish for the dinner table. The regular

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targets are porgi, vermillion snapper, yellow eye snapper and big snowy grouper. It’s a regular stop on Fantastic II trips when clients want to fill a cooler. “It can be red hot,” Dallas said. “When you’ve marked the fish, the rig barely has time to hit the bottom.” Blackfin tuna are another staple the Fantastic II counts on this time of year. They begin showing up in September on the humps and ledges as well as on the edges of the reefs in 200 to 400 feet of water. “They are an all-around great fish,” Dallas said. They taste good, they fight hard and they’re easy to catch.” Some days trolling big spreads of small lures on light tackle can lead to unbelievable action. Other days the best tactic is to drift and chum them up on the humps. These hard-fighting fish range from 2-pound footballs up to powerful 40-pounders, so anglers are often surprised to find themselves in epic battles on light tackle. Another surprise that might show up in mid to late September is wahoo. When trolling, the Fantastic II likes to pull a varied the spread that will tempt any fish that might be in the area. A ballyhoo on wire with a trolling weight is the ticket for picking up any wahoo that might be lurking. There’s nothing like a big ’hoo to make a good day great… except maybe sailfish showering bait. “It’s not uncommon to run into them crashing ballyhoo on the edge of the reef when we’re headed in or headed out,” Dallas said. Obviously a sight like that calls for an immediate change of plans. The sails show up like clockwork in mid to late September, and the bite gets better as the fall progresses. The Fantastic II guarantees fish. Find them online at charterkeylargo. com, or call 305-514-0211.

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8/16/17 12:16 PM

See grown men cry.

From gill-rattling, fly-dispatching brawls in the backcountry to hook-straightening tugs of war offshore, Key Largo will put your spirit and your line to the test. And with tuna, mahi-mahi and muttons ocean side and cagey tarpon, permit and snook in Florida Bay and the Everglades, your fish rag just might turn into a crying towel. fla-keys.com/keylargo 1.800.822.1088 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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SEPTEMBER 2017

FLORIDA

8/16/17 12:16 PM

Make reel memories.

By Chris Beardsley

Stuart, located in Martin County, is known as the Sailfish Capital of the World. Sitting on the most biodiverse estuary in the Northern Hemisphere, Martin County is home to 100 artificial reef systems and over 800 species of fish. Its climate, waterways, natural environment and opportunity for diverse catches 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, saltwater or fresh, head out for an adventure and reel in the memories.

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he spotted seatrout goes by many names including speckled trout, speckled, gator or just speck. Regardless of its colloquial tag, it can be found along the Atlantic coast and throughout the Gulf of Mexico. Interestingly, spotted or speckled seatrout belong to the drum family and can be caught in the same general areas as their red and black cousins. Additionally, their willingness to hit on a variety of baits and the fact that they are excellent table fare makes the speckled trout a fan favorite. Just like their redfish relatives, speckled trout love flashy lures, but live shrimp rank high on the list of baits. Late spring and early summer, a Carolina or drop rig with a live shrimp or grunt is a simple and effective method for catching them in the surf, bays and estuaries. As summer progresses and water temperatures rise, lures and shrimp are still great but best fished during early morning hours. When the bite becomes less predictable, sometimes a complete change of tactics is required. A Doc’s Goofy Jig or similar offering can be productive, albeit a bit unorthodox. And just like fishing for pompano, I’ve found that tipping the jig with a shrimp head or tail and bouncing it off the bottom will coax even the most finicky fish into biting. Late summer, which includes September in most places seatrout live, requires a change in tactics once again, as warm water temperatures drive fish into deeper pockets. Look for holes or deeper ledges in the grass flats, and don’t overlook the drop-offs past the sandbars in the surf. A lazily retrieved gold spoon or Gotcha worked around shell beds will certainly catch fish, but keeping your lures away from the magnetic pull of the sharpest oysters is always the trick. When fishing spoons, the key is to reel just fast enough to make it wobble, then let it sink and bounce it off the bottom to kick up a little sand. Adding some action to your retrieve mimics a wounded baitfish or virtually anything edible that should probably be eaten. This is where a live shrimp or DOA suspended below a popping cork or float really shines. Use just enough weight that will allow the shrimp to swim or drift naturally. Ultimately, the fish will be where they are most comfortable. Fishing the flats during early morning hours is your best option, while targeting the deeper water edges later will be more productive. Getting into these areas undetected can make all the difference. Stealth is critical in the shallows, and a kayak allows you access to very skinny water virtually undetected. Additionally, a kayak is a slick addition to your fishing arsenal and is a fun way to get into areas where others might not venture. If you’re looking to try kayak fishing, a great place to start is Island Outfitters (www.sgioutfitters.com) on St. George Island, Fla. They are an authorized Hobie dealer with over 40 years experience with the gear, tackle and expertise to get you started.

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8/16/17 12:16 PM

By Patrick Sebile

easons roll through one after another in the nature’s cycle. When we are in winter, we are thinking and wishing for the summer to come. Looking forward, dreaming ahead, planning for the next fishing season or for another trip in our beloved golden hole. The hot days of summer offer action in and out of the water, with holidays and vacations for many. Much has been said and written, and countless songs celebrate the summer. Indeed, summer is nice and I enjoy it, but it is just the precursor for what truly is the very best fishing season of the year, for many fish species, in many areas, in both freshwater and saltwater across North America. That season is now. Starting in September, going strong through October and into November, we anglers experience

the core of the core, the heart of the heart, of the fishing season. For many fish species, fall is the time to eat heavily and get fat to prepare for the sparse winter to come, because right after winter comes the spawning season for most. While cold winter water might lead to lethargy for some species, those that spawn in spring require the energy reserves to produce eggs and sperm. This takes a lot energy, so they must feed heavily in the fall, and take every opportunity to fill their stomachs. It’s a fantastic opportunity for anglers to cast lures or bait to fish that are more concerned with their next snack than anything else. In my homewaters on the Florida shoreline, snook and tarpon will be feeding ravenously on scads of mullet during the famous mullet run. At the same time, walleye will be raiding schools of minnows along the shorelines of a lake in Wisconsin. In Texas, largemouth bass will be ready for any chance to swallow a crawdad lurking around logs in a reservoir. Fat stripers will boil on bunker in their fleeing dance somewhere between the mainland and Cuttyhunk Island in Massachusetts, and calico bass will be involved in a mass killing baitfish along the California kelp lines. And this list could go on and on for countless species and fisheries across the continent. If I were able to build a year for fishing on my own terms, I would make six months just like September, six months like October, and I would add in a glimpse of November. I know this doesn’t add up to 12 months, but let me just dream. My perfect fishing year would mean it would now and forever be the best time of year. But enough of that, I need to take my hands from this keyboard and grab my rods. I suggest you do the same. The short window that is the best time of year has already begun.

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SEPTEMBER 2017

FLORIDA

8/16/17 12:16 PM

FWC Photo

ach summer, biologists assess bay scallop populations along the Gulf coast of Florida, in open and closed recreational harvest areas from Pine Island Sound to St. Andrews Bay through adult population surveys. Scientists look at long-term trends in the abundance of scallops and present those findings to the Division of Marine Fisheries Management. Tracking the bay scallop population long term can be particularly tricky. With limited time to cover all of the state’s bay scallop habitats, molluscan fisheries biologists with the FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute are turning to other people who know a thing or two about scallops: recreational harvesters. Information they provide will be compiled to complement the researchers’ annual population data. If you’re a recreational harvester, become a citizen scientist by filling out the online abundance survey found at myfwc.com.

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8/16/17 12:16 PM

By Steve Daniel

ow many times have you gotten up early to be the first boat on the lake, and then motor to your favorite spot in pitch darkness only to find the bass won’t even think about biting until daylight? Even if the fish don’t bite in the darkness, you still need to be there very early to catch as much of that early bite as possible. The same thing happens when you fish late in the evenings. The fish can be eating the paint off your baits, but when the sun is gone and the lake is in total darkness the bite stops just as abruptly as it started just before the sun went down. What is up with this? Is Okeechobee really that bad of a night-fishing lake. When I lived in Tennessee, we did a lot of night fishing in the summer, and it was great. Here on the Big O, the dif-

ference is we are usually fishing very shallow grassy water. In the daylight, all that grass is producing oxygen. When the light goes out, photosynthesis does not occur, and it seems just like the whole lake just goes to sleep. Now this is not to say that you can’t catch bass at night, but the shallow grassy areas are probably not the places you need to be fishing. The river or rim canals, or maybe the deep dynamite holes, might be a better option because these places don’t have all that grass pumping out oxygen all day long. Here is another observation: How many times have you been catching fish just before a storm and when the rains came the fish stopped biting? This has happened to me many times on Okeechobee, and I never really understood why. When I have a question that I don’t have the answer to, I go the experts. My friend Butch, who has done a lot of research on the effects of rainfall, asked me this, “just what is rain?” Rain is highly oxygenated water and is usually a lot colder than the water in the lake. When all this cold water falls in bucket loads on the warm lake water, it falls quickly to the bottom of the lake. Just what this does to the fish, I don’t know, the only thing I do know is the bite usually stops. There are a lot of things that we know and understand about our lakes and the fish we are trying to catch, but it is all the things we don’t know that make fishing the challenging sport it is. We never stop trying to figure out Mother Nature, but there will always be things we will never know. An Extremely successful professional bass tournament angler, Steve Daniel is a 30-plus-year veteran Okeechobee guide and the voice of Okeechobee fishing on WRVO Radio Network 1’s Hooked up with Steve and Deb. Check out the show at www.renoviolaoutdoors. com. Contact Steve at stevedaniel84@yahoo.com or 239-560-2704.

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SEPTEMBER 2017

FLORIDA

8/16/17 12:16 PM

Photo courtesy of Show Me The Fish Charters

he University of Florida’s Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences program has ongoing several research projects studying the seasonal pattern and rates of movement of greater amberjack in the Gulf of Mexico. Of particular interest is to determine the mixing rate of the Gulf stock with the South Atlantic stock, especially in known spawning areas off southern Florida. As a part of the study, greater amberjacks in the Gulf of Mexico are being tagged from southern Florida to the Louisiana coast. Fish are tagged on their left side with an external yellow anchor tag, and anglers are strongly encouraged to report the catch of any tagged fish. Information on the tags include a four-digit tag number as well as a web address and phone number to call and report catches. Information critical to the research is the date, time and location of capture. Exact GPS coordinates are very helpful, and to protect people’s honey holes, those numbers will not be released. Also important, to measure growth rate, is a fork length measurement accurate to 1/8 of an inch. Other helpful information the angler can collect is the weight and sex of the fish as well as the depth it was caught at, the gear that was used and the condition of the fish, particularly around the tag site. Information on fisheries and the movement of fish benefits fisheries managers as well as anglers. If you catch a tagged fish, take the time to jot down the information and report it.

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Catch a Florida Memory With 10-Year-Old Katlyn Paul

ummer might be coming to a close, but for 10-year-old Katlyn Paul, this summer was one she’ll never forget. Katlyn submitted 10 different species to the 71-species Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Saltwater Fish Life List, one of three of FWC’s Catch a Florida Memory Saltwater Recognition programs. This qualified her for the first tier of the Saltwater Fish Life List Club. Shortly after, she also submitted a gray triggerfish to the Saltwater Reel Big Fish program, becoming the first angler to qualify for this species. In recognition of her efforts, she received FWC Catch a Florida Memory prize packs including T-shirts and certificates for each achievement. She will also receive two entries into a quarterly raffle drawing for fishing gear such as rods, reels and landing nets. Katlyn’s love of the water runs deep, and working on her life list is more about the experience than the recognition. “It’s really cool to go out with friends and see what’s out there,” Katlyn said. “It’s fun to see the water react,” referring to the varying sea conditions and changes in water coloration of nearby St. Andrews Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Katlyn caught her first fish, a gag grouper, when she was just three, and she was hooked. Today, she is still going strong, enjoying quality time with her dad, Devin, and getting to explore the marine environment around her. She’s even expressed an interest in pursuing a career in marine biology, following her passion to explore the unknown creatures of the deep. The Saltwater Fish Life List was developed as one way to encourage anglers to target a diversity of species, and according to Devin, that’s exactly what the life list has done for his family. “We’re chasing species that we wouldn’t go for otherwise; species that I haven’t fished for in years,” he said. To date, Katlyn has crossed spotted seatrout, ladyfish, dolphinfish, black sea bass, gag grouper, gray snapper, red drum, red snapper, Spanish mackerel and hardhead catfish off of her life list. Since she submitted her 10-fish application to the Saltwater Angler Recognition Program, she has also added a lane snapper, greater amberjack and her Saltwater Reel Big Fish qualifying gray triggerfish to her list of accomplishments. Can you catch up with Katlyn? Join her in participating not only in the Saltwater Fish Life List Club program, but also the FWC’s two other Saltwater Angler Recognition programs: Saltwater Reel Big Fish, which celebrates memorable-sized catches, and Saltwater Grand Slams, which awards anglers for catching three different specified species within a 24-hour period. You can also keep track of Katlyn’s pursuits on the Catch a Florida Memory Facebook page, Facebook.com/CatchaFLMemory. For more information visit CatchaFloridaMemory.com. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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SEPTEMBER 2017

FLORIDA

8/16/17 12:16 PM

By CAM Staff

ver on the Suwannee River, there are so many sturgeon that boaters have to worry about colliding with them when they leap from the water. They are much more rare across the peninsula and farther south. That’s why Alex Gianniny, of Fort Pierce, was so surprised when he was called to identify another angler’s catch and found it was a big Atlantic Sturgeon. The fish was revived and released. Gianniny’s discovery happened last summer at Taylor Creek in Fort Pierce. This spring and summer, there have been at least a couple more sturgeon encounters in the same region. An angler caught and released one from the same Taylor Creek spillway in July. In April, a dead sturgeon washed up behind a home on the St. Lucie River in Palm City. Sturgeon are anadromous, which means they spend most of their time in saltwater and move into freshwater to spawn. They can live as long as 25 years and grow up to 300 pounds sucking up mollusks and other small bottom-dwelling critters. For this reason, sturgeon are rarely caught by anglers. They are encountered more frequently farther north but are very rare in south Florida. So, while catches of Atlantic sturgeon are rare, they do occur. Anglers should know that all three species of sturgeon in Florida—Gulf, Atlantic and shortnose—are protected from harvest by state and federal law. If you are lucky enough to accidentally catch one, enjoy the fight, but handle the fish with care and release it immediately.

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ake Ontario consistently produces some of the best Great Lakes salmon catches, and this year’s fishing has been nothing short of spectacular. Significant early summer rains brought high water, which stimulated a feeding frenzy for giant king salmon. Recent summers have endured dry weather, low water and thinner salmon runs. Both lake and river health was questioned during these dry years, but cool and plentiful rains have done wonders for this fishery. It’s prime time to tangle with beasts that have been tipping the scales over 30 pounds! The experts are excited about lake and river conditions in New York’s Oswego County, holder of 12 New York state and world records. Bob Mallory is an expert on Lake Ontario and Oswego Harbor, where he pursues his passion for trout and salmon. Here are Bob’s thoughts on the 2017 Salmon Season: “Fishing in the lake out of the port of Oswego has Tom Fernandez of The continued to get better every Tailwater Lodge with a trophy week as the season has proearly season King Salmon! gressed. The number of fish being hooked and caught right now is nothing short of amazing and points to a great river season. Trolling in the lake with downriggers and Dipsy Divers with flashers and flies has been my go-to method. In low light conditions, white eChip flashers with A-Tom-Mik Hammer flies is producing. In overcast conditions, try greens; brighter days favor chrome and Mountain Dew colors. As fish get closer to the pier head, J-plugs will produce.” Tom Fernandez and the team at The Tailwater Lodge on New York’s Salmon River have developed a premier fishing resort. Huge salmon can attract a crowd when they blast up shallow runs and riffles on this picturesque river. The Tailwater’s 35 acres of private access solves that issue, and they provide a top-notch fishing concierge service. Tom is looking forward to an early salmon season with these words: “As the nights get colder in Altmar, we can only think about one thing, trophy king salmon exploding outside our back door in the Schoolhouse Pool. This year we are expecting the run to start earlier than we have seen in the past few years, with kings and cohos in the river system from September through October until we get deep into steelhead season. The high levels of Lake Ontario, the consistent good flow through the Salmon River and fish staging outside Oswego and Mexico Point have all the necessary ingredients for one heck of a salmon season. If I were looking for a time to experience the trophy fish on the Salmon River with thinner crowds, warmer temps and explosive fish, I would think about making the early run this year.” To truly experience the salmon spawning process and have a great adventure with the family, the Salmon River Fish Hatchery in Altmar, N.Y. will hold their annual open house Sept. 23, where you can view the complete spawning cycle. To learn more about Oswego County fishing, go to www.visitoswegocounty/fishing.com. Phil Belsito of The Angler Magazine of West Michigan said Lake Michigan fish are large and plentiful also. Go to www.theanglermag.com, then select Great Lakes Region for reports from both Lake Michigan and Lake Ontario.

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he quick answer to this question is “probably not.” The ideal lens for the visual rigors of hunting is an amber lens, sometimes referred to as a copper lens. Not to make this more complicated than it needs to be, but a green lens is sometimes referred to as a G-15 or gray lens. Depending on the time of day and sun coverage, the gray (green) lens may also be a preferred option for hunting. As a hunter, I prefer the low-light sensitive amber lens. The majority of my opportunities seem to come either during the early morning or late afternoon to dusk windows, when light enhancement is preferable to light dispersal. The requirements of your fishing sunglasses are starkly different than your hunting glasses. Looking deep into the water is directly in contrast to seeing long range with limited light. Selecting the perfect hunting sunglasses normally takes a bit of trial and error. My best advice when selecting a new pair of hunting sunglasses is to purchase them from a dealer with a liberal return policy. Finding your best fit and lens requires a little work, but once you find your perfect pair you will find that they improve and enhance your hunting experience. If you need any further advice on selecting your perfect hunting lens, always feel free to contact me or anyone here at Fowler’s. We know sunglasses. Fowler’s Pharmacy, 864-288-5905; 864-288-5920

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Lefty’s Deceiver By Carlos Hidalgo

lthough he would deny it, Lefty Kreh is a legend. With great knowledge (he has authored or co-authored over 30 books and hundreds of magazine articles), boundless energy (he has performed countless lectures and casting demonstrations over the last 60+ years), down-home humor (a dumb person would “pick up a snake to kill a stick”), and showmanship (at casting demos, he finds a pretty woman and makes a cast that curls the fly line around her neck), Lefty has done more to popularize fly fishing than any other person in the last century. He has fished with Fidel Castro, Ted Williams and Ernest Hemmingway, but he hasn’t just witnessed fly fishing history, he has created it. His innovative fly casting techniques are used by millions of us today. Oh yeah, he also developed Lefty’s Deceiver, the best fly pattern ever devised. Lefty tied the first Deceiver during the late 1950s. He wanted a fly that was easy to cast, didn’t foul, looked like a baitfish and had great action in the water. The pattern can be easily described: a tail made up of several matching hackle or saddle feathers with a bucktail collar. Add flash material to either or both, eyes to

the head and some type of red material for the throat, as needed. The hook shank beneath the collar (the body) can be wrapped with the tying thread or a flashy material, like mylar tinsel or Diamond Braid. By the way, Lefty says the key to the pattern is to tie the collar at least as long as the rear of the hook, which keeps the hackle tail from wrapping around the hook. In appropriate sizes and colors, Lefty’s pattern has deceived just about every fish that swims, from four-inch bream to 400-pound billfish. Lefty’s Deceiver has even graced a U.S. Postal stamp. Lefty’s favorite Deceiver colors are chartreuse/white and yellow/ chartreuse. I tie them in many sizes and colors, and my favorite is tied in a Firetiger color scheme. This color works very well for many saltwater fish in sizes 1/0 to 3/0. It has also been very successful for me for peacock bass and largemouth bass in south Florida in size 2. I imagine smallies would jump all over it, too. Lefty’s Deceiver (Firetiger) Hook - Mustad 34007 or similar, size 2 to 3/0 Thread - fluorescent yellow Tail - two yellow and one yellow grizzly hackle on each side, topped with yellow Krystal Flash Body - yellow thread or Diamond Braid Collar - yellow bucktail with yellow Krystal flash and a small yellow grizzly hackle on each side, topped with green Krystal Flash and green bucktail Throat - orange bucktail, as long as the collar Head - fluorescent yellow, with painted orange/black eye, covered with five-minute epoxy Contact Carlos at cah6620@gmail.com to submit a pattern for consideration in this column or to order his book, “South Florida’s Peacock Bass.”

By John Rice

This is a simple tie and a very effective pattern for trout everywhere. Soft hackles are basically emerger patterns. They do not belong on the streambed like nymphs, so this fly should be dropped a foot or so off a nymph so it can suspend itself higher in the water column where an emerger belongs. Thread: 8/0 olive Abdomen: Olive goose biot Thorax: Tan superfine dubbing Hackle: Hungarian partridge Head: 8/0 Olive thread Hook: 1X long, size 18 Tiemco 3761 John Rice guides with Blackhawk Fly Fishing, which offers exceptional fishing for trophy trout in the north Georgia mountains. Contact john at jriceflyfishing@ gmail.com.

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before harvesting. Along with a closed mating season, this should keep the lobster population stable. 2. Mating season begins in the spring. Lobsters can be observed walking out of their holes in search of a mate, and males can be seen sparring for a lady’s affection. Mating season ends around August, here are a few good things about the fall season though egg-bearing females can be seen yearbesides cooler weather; one of them round. is the beginning of lobster season! 3. Males have proportionately larger legs and I dove with a commercial lobsterman for carapace, and females have a larger tail and extra a few years, and he was like a kid waiting pinchers on the abdomen to hold the eggs. for Santa. Teaming up with someone that Lobster tips from the master: knew where the good spots were gave me the 1. Let some air out of your BC, get your opportunity to spear some nice fish, but it buoyancy under control, and plant your knees in also gave me the opportunity to learn some the sand in front of the lobster. Your butt should tricks of the trade by watching a master not be up in the air! lobsterman at work. 2. Take your time and do not spook them. He First and foremost, you must learn said, “Lobsters are like cattle, you can herd them how to find lobsters. Fortunately, the same wherever you want, as long as you take your time.” territory that tends to hold fish life is also 3. The most common methods are the net good for lobstering. That is because life and tickle stick or looper, but there are some attracts life. When I was scuba diving beside interesting variations on the market now. Become Sheri Daye and Dave Earp display the results him and would see him approach an area of good at all of them, as some tools are better than of solid teamwork. the reef holding a school of fish fry, I knew others in certain situations. his senses were on high alert, and I’d start 4. When using a tickle stick, use aluminum looking for fish. Invariably, while he picked up instead of plastic. Lobsters do not respond as well a lobster or two, I would see a desirable fish. to plastic. Over the years, we honed the most efficient method for hunting as a 5. Be careful not to touch the antennas. Tap or nudge a lobster from buddy team. He focused on lobsters while I did all the spearfishing. He behind to move it into position and put the net over it. Measure the would tow the flag, which meant I could be faster and more streamlined carapace, check for eggs (by the way, extra skittish lobsters often have in the water while going after fish. We drifted with the current, parallel to eggs), then place in your catch bag, and enjoy your dinner! the reef, side-by-side. If he missed seeing a lobster, which was extremely Fall is in the air. Happy hunting! rare, I would bang my tank to alert him, and he would do the same with fish. Over the years, we became the best of friends and a formidable Sheri is a world-record holder, host of Speargun Hunter, and producer hunting team. of The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Follow Lobster fun facts: “Sheri Daye” and “The Blue Wild” on Facebook and Instagram. 1. Lobsters reach sexual maturity in two to three years when the carapace is a little longer than 3 inches. Florida law requires a carapace For more Sheri Daye, go to to be longer than 3 inches, thus allowing lobsters a chance to reproduce

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TackleDirect TDSSUT601MHSB custom rod: • Precision blend of graphite and fiberglass • Stainless steel frame, aluminum oxide turbo guides and tip top • Super tough solid tip construction • Textured shrink vinyl grip and graphite hooded reel seat • Tough epoxy double thread wraps • Machined aluminum ball gimbal

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SUZUKI DEALS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THREE SUZUKI DEALS FOR MORE SUMMER FUN

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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.

REPOWER FINANCE

Rates as low as 5.99% on new Suzuki outboards (OAC).*

For details and the name of your nearest participating Suzuki Marine dealer, visit www.suzukimarine.com 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 7/01/17 and 9/30/17 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 7/01/17 and 9/30/17. 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 AVAILABLE actual monthly payment may differ based on financing terms, credit tier qualification, accessories orAT other factors such as down payment and fees. Offer effective on new, unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors• purchased from a participating authorized Suzuki dealer between 7/01/17 and 9/30/17. “Gimme Six”,ANGLER the Suzuki “S” and model names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. Don’t STRIKE ZONE ACE HARDWARE • LOWER KEYS TACKLE • ARMED ANGLER • SALTWATER • BACKCOUNTRY COWBOY OUTFITTERS drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2017 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.

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