Coastal Angler Magazine | April 2024 | Volusia County Edition

By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

KAYAK FISHING: RIDE THE AQUATIC SLEIGH

Whether your vessel options are limited or you just want to spice up your inshore fshing experience, fshing from a kayak should not be overlooked as a possibility. When done correctly, it is some of the most exciting fshing. It can also be modifed for the extreme, or an entirely leisure day on the water.

Kayaking is how I fell in love with fshing. Of all the diferent ways I have gone about it, I have enjoyed them all. From packing a lunch and fshing my way to an island for a picnic and a swim, to drifing backcountry mangroves other vessels cannot access, to cruising dock lights at night, or deploying in

1,300 feet of water seeking yellowfn tuna of of the oil rigs, kayak fshing is versatile with endless possibilities.

Tis type of fshing can be dangerous, and its especially important to know your limitations and be overly prepared. Currents and wind change quickly and afect your return trip. Make sure to check tides and weather before venturing or drifing too far. Paddling against the current while battling the extreme heat can put you in a bad situation very quickly. Make sure to have a small anchor onboard as well. Obviously, this will come in handy for fshing, and it can also provide an opportunity to rest if exhaustion is getting the best of you.

Decking out your rig for fshing is an art form, and there are many ways to go about it. Prioritize having a cooler attached to the back over all else. You do not want to get dehydrated out there. Aferall, you are the motor of the vessel, and should be well maintained just like any other motor.

Afx everything to your kayak with the expectation of getting fipped. Of course, do everything to keep yourself from that situation, but things happen. Use dry-storage bags, and clip everything to the kayak itself. Most kayaks are designed to make this a straightforward process.

Fishing artifcials will simplify your set up, but sometimes afer all the paddling, its nice to relax and toss out some live bait. A bait bucket on a rope with shrimp, that can be tossed out between paddles, should be all you need. For more extreme fshing, modify a PVC pipe with holes drilled into it to hold live baitfsh.

Use common sense and check local regulations. Protect yourself from the sun during the day, be properly lit at night, and stay out of high-trafc boating areas and channels. You are also required to carry a PFD and a sound producing device, such as a whistle.

Once you have hit the full safety checklist, go out there and experience the possibilities that kayak fshing has to ofer. Fishing from a kayak will intensify the tug even with smaller fsh you hook up to, so hang on and enjoy the aquatic sleigh ride.

Capt. Quinlyn Haddon guides with Sweet E’Nuf Charters out of Marathon, Fla. See Captainquinlyn.com, @captainquinlyn or call (504) 920-6342.

FR A NKEN-FISH ON THE FLY

Hybrid striped bass are the Franken-fsh of anglers’ dreams. Also known as wipers, sunshine bass and other names, they are hatchery-produced crossbreeds of white bass and striped bass. Tey are stocked into reservoirs across the country for angler enjoyment.

Central Georgia’s Lake Oconee is a hybrid hot spot. Georgia stocks hundreds of thousands of hybrids in the lake, and conventional anglers get afer them with live baits, jigging spoons, bucktails and trolling lures.

Capt. Wayne Moore, of Oconee on the Fly guide service, is probably the only guy you’ll see on Oconee waving a fy rod from his center console. While he admits conventional tactics are more efective, there are three situations when fy fshing is both productive and a boatload of fun.

Oconee is a 19,000-acre impoundment about an hour and a half drive east of Atlanta. Te lake backs up behind a pump-back dam that creates currents that are key to a good hybrid bite. Moore said there is ofen a good afernoon bite when the dam kicks on and hybrids move onto main-lake points to chase threadfn shad. Afer locating bait and fsh with electronics, Moore goes to work on them with 8-weight fy rods and intermediate sinktip lines. He fshes a cadence of fve short strips and a pause with a 2-inch long white/chartreuse Clouser on a 5-foot leader of 12- to 15-pound

fuorocarbon.

When the bite is hot, a good angler might boat 8 to 10 fsh, and 4- to 6-pound hybrids are not uncommon. “A 6-pound hybrid is going to fght like a 10-pound striper,” Moore said.

By Nick Carter

A fy rod is also fun for the mid-lake morning bite. When the water starts moving, hybrids herd shad to the surface and blow up on them in a frenzy. Te action only lasts an hour, but the bite is consistent for two or three weeks during the May shad spawn.

With thousands of newly hatched shad in the water, Cowen’s Somethin’ Else, and Cowen’s Coyote are Moore’s go-to fies. Henry Cowen is a legendary angler and fy tier who developed patterns specifcally for striped bass in Georgia waters. His fies work just as well on hybrids.

Night fshing under the lights is another situation when Moore would rather use a fy rod.

“We don’t have a lot of lit docks here, but the

ones that are lit will be covered with fsh,” he said. Casts must be precise, and the fghts are technical, so Moore reserves night trips for experienced fy fshers.

“You better have that 15-pound leader. A 6-pound hybrid will give you a run for your money,” he said. “Tey’ll run you right back under that dock.”

With the May schooling bite approaching, it’s worth making plans to visit Oconee now…or try these tactics on your local hybrid reservoir.

Contact Wayne Moore at (404) 317-9556 or wmoore1700@outlook.com and check out Oconee on the Fly at www.oconeeonthefy.com.

Cast Lures in a Mitzi Tournament

May 10th & 11th, 2024

Online Registration:

MothersDayDolphinTournament.com

Captain’s Meeting

The Island Fish Co.

Friday May 10th - 6pm to 7pm

Lines In: Saturday, May 11 - 7:30am

Lines Out: Saturday, May 11 - 3:30pm

Weigh-In

Curly’s Cofee

Saturday, May 11th - 3:30pm to 6pm

Awards Banquet

Marathon Yacht Club

Saturday, May 11th - 7pm

Sunday Honor Our Moms

Always in our Hearts JB!

18th Annual Mother’s Day Dolphin Tournament

An Angler TournamentAngler Entry Fee is a Donation

Catagories

Ladies, Junior (16 and under), Weekend Warrior and Pro Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd in all categories

Contact Chris Todd Young at 305-797-5779

Admin@HabitatMiddleKeys.org

Presented by

TROPHY BASS REGS IMPLEMENTED ON ORANGE AND LOCHLOOSA LAKES

Trophy bass fshing in Alachua County was already good. With recently approved regulations intended to grow trophy bass, many anglers and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are hoping it will get even better.

Orange Lake and Lochloosa Lake will both be managed under new regulations, which prohibit killing or possessing any black bass that is 20 inches or longer. Also, the new rules require the use of non-ofset circle hooks when fshing with natural baits longer than 3 inches in length. Te regulations are designed to allow trophy bass to remain in the lakes to grow larger and to minimize injury to fsh caught with natural baits. Bass ofen swallow live baits prior to the hook set, and circle hooks are designed so they are more likely than other hook styles to hook fsh in the lip, rather than in the gullet.

“Florida bass need to have the right genetics and waterbody conditions to grow for a long time,” said FWC Commissioner Gary Lester. “Orange Lake is unique, like in its fuctuations in water levels, that makes ideal conditions for bass to reach record sizes.”

Indeed, Orange Lake has established itself as one of the top trophy bass lakes in the state. It produces numerous 10-plus-pound largemouth bass every year, as documented by the Florida TrophyCatch program. Already in 2024, anglers have caught, released and reported eight 10-pluspounders to the program, and this fgure doesn’t include all the fsh caught by anglers who don’t participate in TrophyCatch. Te largest Orange Lake bass this year, so far, was a monster 13-pound, 4-ounce fsh caught by Luke Bolling on Feb. 15.

Lochloosa is not as much of a trophy bass factory as its sister lake, but it does pump out several 8- to 11-pounders for the Trophy Catch program each year. Both lakes are in Alachua County southwest of Gainesville.

Tese regulations changes support FWC’s eforts to grow larger trophy

bass across the state and allow bass in these lakes to reach their maximum growth potential.

12-year-old Luke Bolling caught this 13-plus-pound Orange Lake bass in February.

FOR THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON

In my years of fshing the Indian River Lagoon, some of my best fshing has been wading.

Tere’s nothing like being in the water with the fsh. It provides advantages you don’t have in a boat. Wading is the most silent and efective way to fsh shallow water. Tere are lots of places you can access the lagoon, and all of them have fsh.

WADERS : You need a pair of chest waders because of the changing water quality, and you can get a good pair for less than $100. Waders protect you from underwater obstacles as well as cold or dirty water. In Florida, neoprene waders are too hot for most of the year. I prefer vinyl waders. If it’s cold, you can wear jogging pants under them.

Waders come with boots attached or sof shoe, which require rubber boots to wear over them. Make sure you don’t get the boot size too small. Wading boots can be very uncomfortable if they are too tight. Wear socks and get a larger boot.

GEAR: I recommend a good spinning reel with a 9- or 10-foot rod for longer casting. I use braided line because it’s strong and the smaller diameter of the line is better for casting. I use 6to 10-pound braid most of the time with 2-foot fuorocarbon leader. I use a 25-pound leader but have used 20- to 40-pound leaders in diferent situations. Carry extra leaders and lures in case your line breaks.

My main lures are search lures for making lots of casts and covering wide areas of water quickly. My favorite lure is a ¼-ounce jig with a sof-plastic body. I use D.O.A. jigs with a chartreuse head rigged with a pearl white paddletail (D.O.A. Shad Tail). It swims but is not erratic, and it’s easy for fsh to locate by sight and vibration. Te other search lures I use are shallow-running crankbaits (Yo-Zuri Inshore in pearl white), topwater lures (Skitterwalk/Zara Spook or Chug Plug), and spoons (Johnson silver or gold). Te jig covers shallow and deep water and can be skipped under piers and mangroves.

WIND: Too much wind, and it’s too hard to fsh. Not enough wind, and the fsh are hard to catch. It’s easier to fsh with the wind at your back because you can cast farther. To get the right wind, you can fsh either the east side or the west side of the lagoon. Most of the time there is an easterly wind. If it’s too windy, fsh around the Stuart bridges, which almost completely block the wind.

LOCATIONS: I wade the southern Indian River Lagoon from Sebastian to Jupiter, mostly between Fort Pierce and Stuart. Here are my favorite spots:

West Side—Walton Road (intersection with Indian River Rd) and Walton Scrub; Midway Road and Old Fort Park in Fort Pierce; and both Stuart Bridges.

April Fishing Forecast:

There’s still a pompano bite on the beaches and in the lagoon. Jig from the bridges or wade while fan casting with jigs. Look for birds and bait to fnd bluefsh, jacks and ladyfsh. Snook will still be deep, but on warm days they will run the beach from the inlets and be around the deeper piers in the lagoon. Redfsh are around the deeper piers.

East Side—Bear Point then Blind Creek in Fort Pierce; North and South Herman’s Bay in St. Lucie; and both Stuart Bridges.

Richard L. Matteson is a long-time contributor to Coastal Angler Magazine who reports for the Stuart Rod and Reel Club.

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COASTAL ANGLER VOLUSIA COUNTY

franchise owners

Jamie & Deidra Thrappas

Contributing Writers :

Marco PoMPano

Freak on the Beach

386-212-4838

caPt. JaMie thraPPas

Ponce Inlet and Backwaters

www.YellowDawgFishing.com

caPt. Michael savedow Edgewater Backcountry www.EdgewaterRiverGuide.com

caPt. Bryn adaMs

Central St. Johns River www.highlandparkfishcamp.com

caPt. evan sanders

Sol Fishing with the Captain & Kids www.SolFishing.com

Blake aBBey Kayaking @kayakkingcharters

skye Burkhardt Inshore Adventures @BrassyAngler87

for advertising inquiries, call Jamie at 386.366.3424 or email volusia@coastalanglerMagazine.com

5am to 5pm sunday - 5am to 3 pm

salt and freshwater live bait

(Sorry, that was a flashback).

Now, on to the catch.

Because of the Covid virus, I remember how a few years ago when I was fishing, they allowed me to sit on the beach. Non-fishermen weren’t allowed to sit! The beach patrol would actually force you to move or leave the beach.

People would say, “You’re not a fisherman, you just want to sit on the beach for a while.”

Now, everyone was mad because of that: Because they weren’t allowed to sit they had to keep moving like a herd, no stopping.

But the ordinance said, if you were a fisherman on the beach you could sit.  I don’t sit too much anyway.

Nothing lasts long. Soon that year, the beach was open: Everyone could sit.

Winter in Florida. This year is turning out to be a real Winter by Florida standards. Temperature regularly in the 40s and 50s plus the windchill factor, makes for a cold day of fishing on the beach, if it’s even possible.

By me in Wilbur By the Sea, the water temperature got too low for the fish to stick around. For the last half of this month, the fish have basically been gone. So when I went out this morning, I didn’t expect much. But it was beautiful: Cold, clear, windy, with cold water, and blue skies.

I cast my oldest rod, which I call Pompano Pat not too far out.

I went to my second rod put on the sand fleas, and Pompano Pat started talking to me loud and clear.  Ya, mon!

The fish was attacking my pole and shaking its head an awful lot. I thought it must be red fish, because that’s what they do.

If you never had a red fish shake at the end of the line, you don’t know what you’re missing.

They shake their head a lot once you catch them, and sure enough after about five minutes of him running hard and taking line he submarined onto the beach, digging his snout in the whole way, but he didn’t come off.

I had him good, with a circle hook right in the corner of the jaw. I have written about red drum (red fish) before and they sound like a drum and do make some of the loudest sounds of any fish in the ocean, but there are hundreds of fish that emanate sounds.

But they say you can really only hear the red drum above the water. To keep a red drum, it has to be at least 18 inches to 27 inches in the slot. Also, the reds that we get surf fishing seem to be the most pristine, clean and bright ones there are.

So for now with the cold water here the pompano have gone south, or somewhere, because they are not here.

But I will wait until the water warms up.  They’ll show up again.

Right now, it’s the end of a beautiful day. Cold and windy. Still time for a nice hot shower, put on Bob Marley and the Wailers in honor of his new movie, ‘One Love’. (Doesn’t that sound nice!)

Now, me and this red drum are heading to the smoker.

Marco poMpano

Surf Fishing Guide

Marcopompano@gmail.com

(386) 212-4838

Wilbur by the Sea

Free Admission for Kids Begins April 1st!

Free Admission for Kids Begins April 1st!

Bring your ‘mini Meg’ to explore the Megalodon exhibit at MOAS throughout April!

Bring your ‘mini Meg’ to explore the Megalodon exhibit at MOAS throughout April!

Children (17 and under) get in for FREE with one paid *adult admission.

Children (17 and under) get in for FREE with one paid *adult admission.

Mini Meg Month is made possible through the generosity of Gale Lemerand and Jill Simpkins.

Mini Meg Month is made possible through the generosity of Gale Lemerand and Jill Simpkins. r h y 2 4

*Up to 10 children FREE with one paid adult admission. Offer is only valid April 1 - April 30, 2024. For larger groups and organizations, email groupinfo@moas.org to book your date.

Open through July 21, 2024

Enter the world of Megalodon!

Enter the world of Megalodon!

Experience a full-scale sculptural replica of the 60-foot-long apex predator, and explore the life of this fantastic ancient creature.

Experience a full-scale sculptural replica of the 60-foot-long apex predator, and explore the life of this fantastic ancient creature.

The Megalodon exhibit was produced by the Florida Museum of Natural History with support from the National Science Foundation.

The Megalodon exhibit was produced by the Florida Museum of Natural History with support from the National Science Foundation.

Fishing Captain Directory

Hire these professionals for a guaranteed g OOD FISHIN’ time!

reel harMony

fishing charters

Capt Marty Goldys

Call for a 5 star Fishing Experience

Inshore • Snook • Redfish

Tarpon • Flounder

386-679-0317

www.reelharmonyfishing.com

reelharmonyfishingcharters@gmail.com

new legacy fishing charters

Capt Marshal Wallot

Nearshore and Inshore Fishing

Trophy Redfish & Black Drum

Tarpon • Snook & More

386-214-9595

www.newlegacyfishing.com

marshalwallot007@gmail.com

yellow dawg fishing charters

Capt JaMie thrappas

Offshore • Inshore • Back Country If it swims we catch it!

386-366-3424

www.yellowdawgfishing.com

striPPin liPs fishing charters

Capt dave Caruthers

Offshore and Nearshore

Fishing Trips Year Round

Wahoo • Snapper • Grouper

Tuna • Snook • Redfish

386-383-9881

www.strippinlipscharters.com

dcaruthers50@gmail.com

coastline charters

Capt kevin Gill

Ponce Inlet

Snook • Redfish

Flounder • Triple Tail

386-222-2805

www.fishponce.com

Instagram @fishponce

Facebook @Coastline Charters

Pole dancer fishin’ charters

Pole dancer fishin’ charters

Capt Jeff patterson

Capt Jeff patterson

Inshore & Nearshore Fishing

Inshore & Nearshore Fishing

Daytona Beach

Daytona Beach

Redfish • Snook • Triple Tail • Trout

Redfish • Snook • Triple Tail • Trout

386-451-4992

386-451-4992

www.smallboatbigfish.com

www.smallboatbigfish.com

captainpatterson@yahoo.com

captainpatterson@yahoo.com

knot racing charters

Knot racing charters

Capt MiChael ChapMan

Capt MiChael ChapMan

Offshore & Near Shore Charters

Grouper • Snapper • Triggerfish

Grouper • Snapper • Triggerfish

Flounder • Redfish

Flounder • Redfish

386-576-6889

386-576-6889

www.knotracing.com

www.knotracing.com

Knotracingcharters@gmail.com

Knotracingcharters@gmail.com

caught uP fishing charters

caught uP fishing charters

Capt Bruno iMBrunone

Capt Bruno iMBrunone

Inshore and Offshore Fishing New Smyrna Beach

Inshore and Offshore Fishing New Smyrna Beach

Snook • Redfish • Tarpon • Cobia Snapper • Flounder

Snook • Redfish • Tarpon • Cobia Snapper • Flounder

386-689-7409

386-689-7409

www.caughtupfishingcharters.com

www.caughtupfishingcharters.com

caughtupfishingcharters@yahoo.com

caughtupfishingcharters@yahoo.com

reef wrecKer charters

rare Breed charters

Capt John “JJ” ellis

Capt daniel levesque

Offshore and Near Shore Fishing

Offshore / Nearshore

Charters “ Year Round”

Wahoo • Mahi • Blackfin • Tuna

Snapper • Grouper • Shark Trips

Redfish • Snook • Cobia

• Kingfish • Snapper • Cobia • Sharks

386-341-0793

386-402-3957

www.RareBreedCharters.com

www.reefwrecker.com

johnjellis1996@gmail.com

driftwood charters

driftwood

Capt Jarrod

Capt Jarrod tuttle

Inshore/Nearshore/Offshore

Inshore/Nearshore/Offshore

Seasonal Wahoo, Swordfish, Tuna, Deepdrop trips

Seasonal Wahoo, Swordfish, Tuna, Deepdrop trips

386-295-7908

386-295-7908

Capttutt@gmail.com

Capttutt@gmail.com

www.Gofishponce.com

www.Gofishponce.com

Captain & The Kids strives to always promote youth anglers both at the local level as well as nationally through our “Youth Angler Program.” If it was not for passing down techniques, traditions, and the love for the water, it would slowly fade away. It is our mission to always instill conservation and ethical fishing to our youth!

This month we are showcasing Sarah Forness, who is a Youth Angler from the New Smyrna Beach area! Sarah takes every chance she can get to be out on the water whether its cruising to the local island or to go fishing! Her latest adventure took her to Los Suenos which is located in Costa Rica. Local fisherman Capt. Dana of Hoo’s Your Daddy Sport Fishing took Sarah and her family out to target a variety of species. They were welcomed by calm seas and sunny blue skies as they headed out to their first spot. It did not take long before they hooked into a school of Yellow Fin Tuna! After catching twelve tuna they switched gears to target other species while trolling. Sarah then hooked and reeled in two sailfish which she said both put up an awesome fight! She said her favorite part of reeling in the sailfish was how much they jumped!

Capt. Evan & and Capt. Adam started the Youth Angler Program after finding out how many kids in the New Smyrna Beach area had never been fishing, never been on a boat, and was born and raised in the area. Since that day Capt. Evan & Capt. Adam strive to getting more and more youth anglers on the water each and every year! Sol Fishing will do everything possible to make every young man or ladies fishing dreams come true. It does not matter if the kids want to go offshore or inshore, Sol Fishing will target whichever species they want to catch. Some of the most recent species that the youth anglers have been wanting to target are red snapper, lane snapper, cobia, amberjack, sharks, barracuda, redfish, and snook.

Captain & The Kids program is made possible by all of our retailers who stock Sol Fishing gear such as our hats, decals, shirts, and other apparel. Stop by New Smyrna Beach Outfitters, Outriggers, Yellow Dawg Bait and Tackle, Donald’s Bait & Tackle, 38 Live Bait, E & J Bait & Tackle, Sunglass Cabana, Shades of New Smyrna Beach, Boaters Exchange, and Pedego of NSB to get your Sol Fishing gear to help support Captain & The Kids! Sol Fishing’s amazing sponsors Daiichi Hooks, Powerpole, Fitzgerald Fishing, Navico, Florida Marine Tracks / ISLA Mapping, Seadek Marine, Custom Marine Volusia, and Castaway Customs also play a huge roll in the program!

PONCE INLET & BACKWATERS FORECAST

The inlet is fun in April and the bite will be good, spring seems to be when everything wakes up as the water warms up. The Inlet will be busy, especially the weekends, but if you can get on them early you can do well. Sheepshead should still be chewing early in the month, limiting out quickly should be easy. Rig with bottom type jig heads like reef donkey or bottom sweeper jigs. I like about a 1-2 ounce jig depending on the current. I also catch a good amount of solid slot and over slot reds this time of the year on tide changes. Mullet, blue crab, and pin fish seem to work well for me in the spring. Even using big buck tails with a swim bait will produce fish when you see them all schooled up. April can be good along the beach as well. There will be cobia moving north, on the right days look for the large rays and you should be able to find fish. These rays get hit hard so don’t go running and gunning or you’re just going to push them down. Also keep your eye open for triple tail on any floating bout or debris, I’ve even gotten some stud fish free floating. Lastly keep your eye open for schools of Spanish mackerel. Fun to catch and actually really good table fare! As always if you see us on the water say hello and get out there and catch ‘em up!!

Here’s some spring pics from a recent trip with the Woodrow family visiting from Illinois!

capT. JaMiE ThrappaS

EDGEWATER BACKCOUNTRY FORECAST

April is a transitional month for East Central Florida intracoastal and near shore fishing. Water temperature is rising as we head towards summer, we will be hoping for a good shrimp run which is a plus for spring catching in Edgewater Backcountry and Mosquito Lagoon. Every fish swimming in coastal waters eats shrimp, to target the different species of fish choose the types of locations and techniques for each fish. For redfish in the backcountry stick mainly to shallow water flats, shorelines, drop off edges, and oyster bars. School size seatrout go to deeper drop offs and points with a current break. Snook, sheepshead, and snapper hang around structure like docks, bridges, jetties, backwaters drop offs, and points. Jack crevalle, bluefish, and ladyfish like open water with bait and a flowing current. On the lagoon’s shallow flats, sight fish schooling redfish and black drum, look for pushing wakes and tailing fish. Larger seatrout also spread over the flats and off the edges. Use as light a leader & weight as possible where ever you are fishing to produce the most bites with a natural presentation. Throw artificials like DOA and gulp shrimp, or other soft plastics to match the hatch. Of course fly fishermen can’t go wrong with shrimp patterns. With an outgoing tide still running at sunrise, fish the ICW and the “old channel” first thing early morning. You may see fish striking the surface with flipping shrimp trying to escape. Most likely fish here will be trout, jacks, ladies, or blues. Fish free lined shrimp, soft

28” Black Drum Edgewater Backcountry

plastic imitation or fly right into the action. This is the perfect scenario for fun sight fishing by spin fishers & fly casters. It does not last long, after the sun is up a bit, the action will slow on the surface, then time to go deeper with your baits. With the spring run of bait fish also still in the area such as glass minnows, pilchards, and mullet keep an open mind and try different baits and lures. With warming water temperatures of spring, dock light fishing will be getting good again. A free lined shrimp drifted right through the circle of light is

the go to bait, but small size soft plastics, and a shrimp fly for you flyfishers works as well. Outgoing tide can be best with shrimp movement on the falling. But incoming can also produce with a good flow, expect seatrout, snook, jacks, blues, ladyfish, or a surprise catch. The Ponce Inlet jetties can be very fishy in the spring, flounder are one of the main attractions on the New Smyrna side. The flat fish have been deep offshore during winter spawning on the bottom of the ocean, they return to inshore waters with many stopping to feed at the jetty rocks. Fish as close to the rocks as possible, best baits are lip hooked small size live finger mullet and mud minnows, with live shrimp and jigs second choice. Black drum, redfish, sheepshead, mangrove snapper, pompano, and whiting are also possible catches on shrimp around the rocks. Jack crevalle, blues, and spanish mackerel can be great fun on gotcha Lures worked fast off the jetty during times of clear ocean water.

capT.

1 day on boat with guide/1 day on kayak with guide

1 Day on boat with guide

1 Day on kayak with guide

Ages 11-17 (some exceptions may apply)

Flagler Sportfishing Club

28th Annual Spring Classic Tournament

Benefitting:

Over $5000 in Cash Prizes! (based on 100 paid anglers)

Silent Auction, Registration, & Raffles: Thursday, April 18th, 2024 @5:30pm (Prior to Captain's Meeting)

Mandatory Capt. Meeting: April 18th, 7:00pm, Social Club of Palm Coast, 51 Old Kings Rd N

Tournament Check-Out: Saturday, April 20th 7am - 8am, Bing's Landing, under 100 bridge, High Bridge

Weigh-In Time: Saturday, April 20th 3pm - 4:30pm, Bing's Landing; South Pavilion, 5862 N. Ocean Shore Blvd. Palm Coast

Entry Fee: $75 per Angler, includes 1 raffle ticket FSC Members receive $5 off entry fee

Late Entry after April 13th $85 (non-member), $80 (member)

Junior Anglers Under 12: Free with paid angler

Species Tournament

Trout (19"max), Redfish, Flounder

Cash Prizes per Species

1st - $550

2nd - $400 3rd - $300 4th - $200

Plus $350 Flagler Slam: Total weight of Trout, Redfish, Flounder & Black Drum

Member Special: $200 for Redfish with most spots

Flagler Sportfishing Club will be participating in the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) STAR Program. Any Angler who donates LIVE Redfish at the weigh-in will receive 1 raffle ticket to the $200 drawing.

In case of No Flagler Slam: a raffle will be held using the boat numbers assigned at the Capt. Meeting. Number drawn wins the $350. (Boat numbers must be returned)

For more info contact: Tim Miller (386) 237-7026, tdtmiller@yahoo.com

Entry forms available: flaglersportfishingclub.com Fish may be brought to weigh-in by car or boat. Please, no outside alcoholic beverages permitted on Social Club's premise

hIGh BRIDGE FORECAST

F450

386-252-9804

ishing has been a roller coaster coming out of March. Plenty of really good days in the back catching reds and snook mixed in with those random days I’m left just scratching my head. As the spring comes along and the water warms up, I expect the fish to get aggressive, especially the spring snook bite. Live bait like select shrimp and croakers will produce fish in the back creeks, look for ambush points, and in the main river the docks at night should be on fire!! The redfish should also be ready to chase artificial bait, so get your top waters ready for the early morning and then switch over to paddle tails as the day moves on! Live shrimp and mud minnows being free lined or on a cork in the back country will also produce. On the beach the pompano and whiting have been chewing, come on up and get away from the crowds to the south! Swing by the shop, Yellow Dawg Bait & Tackle 35 high bridge road in Ormond Beach and we will get you pointed in the right direction!

capT. JaMiE ThrappaS

Yellow Dawg Bait & Tackle

35 High Bridge Road • Ormond by the sea

Instagram: @yellow_dawg_bait_and_tackle

Facebook: Yellow Dawg Bait & Tackle

386-278-6208

BRAG BOARD

Want

Chris Bailey

Jason Lacroix

JJ Tondo

Travis Rothwell

With A Menu

Locally Owned With A Chef Inspired Menu

Locally Owned With A Chef Inspired Menu

Locally Owned With A Chef Inspired Menu

Locally Owned With A Chef Inspired Menu

Millie’s offers fresh LOCAL seafood, meat and produce.

Millie’s offers fresh LOCAL seafood, meat and produce.

Millie’s offers fresh LOCAL seafood, meat and produce.

Millie’s south

3218 S. Atlantic Avenue

With A Menu seafood

3218 S. Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach Shores 386-275-1492

Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118

Millie’s offers fresh LOCAL seafood, meat and produce.

3218 S. Atlantic Avenue

Millie’s south

386-275-1492

Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118

3218 S. Atlantic Avenue

Shores 386-275-1492

Millie’s North

3218 S. Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach Shores 386-275-1492

386-275-1492

Hours:

Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118

3218 S. Atlantic Avenue

330 S. Atlantic Ave, Ormond Beach 386-238-9756

Monday 11am-9pm • Tuesday closed

386-275-1492

Hours:

Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118

Millie’s North

Wednesday - Saturday 11am-9pm

386-275-1492

Monday 11am-9pm • Tuesday closed

Hours:

Sunday 9am-9pm

330 S. Atlantic Ave, Ormond Beach 386-238-9756

Wednesday - Saturday 11am-9pm

Monday: 11am - 9pm tuesday: Closed

Monday 11am-9pm • Tuesday closed

Wednesday - sat: 11am - 9pm

Hours:

Sunday 9am-9pm

sunday: 8am - 9pm

Wednesday - Saturday 11am-9pm

Monday 11am-9pm • Tuesday closed

Monday: 11am - 9pm tuesday: Closed

Sunday 9am-9pm

Wednesday - sat: 11am - 9pm

Wednesday - Saturday 11am-9pm

Monday: 11am - 9pm tuesday: Closed

sunday: 8am - 9pm

Sunday 9am-9pm

Wednesday - sat: 11am - 9pm sunday: 8am - 9pm

-80.961620

CENTRAL ST. JOhNS RIvER FORECAST

April is a fantastic month for fishing here on the central St. Johns River. Largemouth bass and Speckled Perch are nearing the end of their spawning season, but that leaves room for schooling bass, sunshine bass and pan fish to come into play. For panfish, the best method is to pitch live crickets against shoreline cover and tree tops. But, depending on the moon phase, you can also fish live worms on the bottom, targeting shell beds. If you prefer artificial lures verse live bait, you can also throw beetlespins, spinners, and small lures against that same shoreline cover.

April is no doubt one of my favorite months to Bass fish. We will see lots of schooling bass this month, and keep a lookout for pods of threadfin shad hitting the top of the water’s surface. A Largemouth Bass cannot resist these bait fish and it is the perfect opportunity to throw your artificial baits right in the middle of the action. For late afternoon Bass fishing, try throwing a dark colored plastic worm around lily pad groups.

with Skye adventures

It is that time of the year again, spring has sprung and we are starting to feel the warmer weather.

Which means you Will start To See Tarpon!

These prehistoric fish are migrating in from our inlets.  You should start to see them at your local bridges, in corners, cuts, creeks, canals, rivers, and flats. When targeting Tarpon there is a lot to take consideration such as moon phases, tides, and baits to use. Tarpon also known as The Silver King is one of the strongest and smartest of fish! when fishing for Tarpon you want to be sure to have the proper rig set, where there are juveniles you will find 5ft plus so you want to be ready for that hit and not miss.

I am an angler that uses light tackle and prefer leader to braid, one of my favorite knots being the Fg knot (the Fg knot is a quality knot with pressure test proven to withstand the most amount of pressure of all Fishing knots). It is sure to not leave you disappointed! Topping or well I should say ending my rig with a basic loop knot with my hook. As for Tarpon I tend to beef up my rig to at least 30/40 lb leader.

When and hoW To’S

Moon phases play a huge role in the bite! I find that fishing a few days before and after (not full moon). But a few days before, and after to be the most productive fishing trips. Did last week fishing trip not turn out the best? Where the fish not biting? Did you go home with no story to share with friends and family of the fish you reeled in, it happens to us all so don’t get discouraged. The fish may be there and just not biting, this is where fishing the tide comes in play, base your trips on fishing the change of tides. This is when the bite turns on and a huge part of my success on the water. I have and do spend many nights and days on the water just studying the waters tides and bite. I find that the bite is on fire during our last, and first hour of the tight switching. For myself, I plan my trips around these tide changes for the best results and fish the last hour of the incoming through the first hour of the outgoing tide leaving with a successful fishing trip.

So, are you starting to see Tarpon? I have started seeing Tarpon rolling under local bridges

and new Smyrna Beach in flats throughout the Tomoka basin and in the river traveling in small schools on the East Coast. I Target Tarpon under bridges, causeways in nsb, in the muck flats of the Basin in Ormond beach and simply anywhere I may be paddling or cruising by in yak driving or on foot and come across them rolling!

BaiTS

Let’s talk Baits! Depending on where a fish for tarpon plays a huge factor and what baits I am using. A tarpon instinct is strong. You want a perfect presentation having your bait moving naturally in the current otherwise they won’t bite Tarpon are nocturnal feeders however, this doesn’t mean they will not bite during the day. I catch mini tarpon, all hours of the day and night depending on the location and the bait and rig I am using. I tend to fish for Tarpon under bridges and dock lights. I do so in the nighttime hours with great success!  Depending on the angler or fishermen you are from live to artificials or both. With that being said, if you are using live bait, I recommend select jumbo shrimp or small quarter size blue crabs.

I tend to either clip the corner tip of the crab or removing the top shell to release scent and hooking through its back knuckle to ensure a solid hook set. I find that tarpon tend to ride the current on the drop off. I anchor up in the shallow side of the river and free line my bait allowing it to flow naturally with the current. Also, small bait fish, such as pin fish and finger mullets are also to a tarpon liking. I am an artificial Slinger and my go to is NLBN again depending on location that plays a roll on which NLBN I am pitching from deep waters with a 8” smoked mullet on a BKK hook or 8” purple haze paddle tail on a Tuna jig head at brides or in flats and under docks pitching a 3” paddle twisted tea paddle tail jig. You can’t go wrong with any of their baits and you have the ability to mix and match for what suits your fishing need from weedless to weighted hooks jig head ozs and the color and design that suites where and what you are fishing for!  Any bait or catching questions always feel free to shoot me a message on instagram at brassyangler87 or Facebook at Inshore Adventures With Skye.

I am a lady kayak angler. However, you could

find me walking a shoreline, wadding the flats, and possibly making a cast off the skiff or pitching baits under bridges and docks. However most likely you will find me in my kayak paddling from rivers to flats. My greatest Fishing experiences was while working mangrove lines in the river

Fun tarpon Facts

• Tarpon have been swimming in our ocean since prehistoric times

• Tarpon can reach out to 8 feet and weigh up to 280 pounds lbs give or take

• The oldest tarpon is 63 years old

• The tarpon “rolls” to meet its oxygen needs

• Find Tarpon in bodies of salt and freshwater

Dolphin & Manatee tours

Boat Rentals

Parasail rides

Guided Jet Ski Tours

Ponce Inlet WatersPorts

(386) 405 - 3445

PonceinletWaterSports.com

4958 S. Peninsula Dr. Ponce Inlet, FL

Daytona Beach ParasaIl (386) 547 - 6067

DaytonaParasail.com

4936 S. Peninsula Dr. Ponce Inlet, FL

Ponce Inlet Jet skI tours

(386) 872 - 1157

PonceinletJetSki.com

4936 S. Peninsula Dr. Ponce Inlet, FL

KAYAKING SPECIAL FORECAST

Spring time is here! For me this means I tie on a top water spook and hit the Tomoka River! There’s nothing better than landing giant snook on topwater as the sun is rising. Today I launched my kayak at the Tomoka Boat Club located at 1001 US-1 Ormond Beach Florida 32174. This launch site provides access to some of the greatest snook and red drum fishing in the area. There is a $5 launch fee but it’s definitely worth it to be able to start casting immediately when you get on the water. The brackish water also gives you an opportunity to catch largemouth bass as well as bowfin. The lure I like to use is the Heddon Spook Jr. in the bone color with a feather on the back treble hook. When I fish a topwater lure one technique I really like to do is called “walking the dog” To get any surface bait to walk is to hit slack line, not the lure. Once cast, snug up the line and then pull of 1/4 rod’s length of line. Take short snappy strokes with the rod tip always maintaining slack line between the rod and lure. A bit of practice and you will have it dialed in. Slack line is the secret. When they are really chewing, you can work your bait fast with more erratic snaps and get bites that will look like a toilet bowl flushing on the surface. If the fish are a little less aggressive, you can pause the lure more frequently and sometimes they will crush it on a long pause. I like to use 20lb monofilament or fluorocarbon. The water in the Tomoka River is brown so I’ve never had an issue with going with fish being sight sensitive if you choose to go heavier with your tackle.

Another fun fact about this particular location is that the River grille on the Tomoka is a very short paddle away so you can stop and have lunch in between catching your fish! If you don’t like fishing with artificial bait, I would recommend live shrimp or cast net some live mullet. I’ve also caught snook fish with live bluegill in this area. It’s the most wonderful time of the year!!! get out there and get on em!

BlakE aBBEy

Kayak King Charters

916-476-1403

@kayakkingcharters

Lagoon Watermen Alliance began with a group of concerned stakeholders who for years had advocated for resolving the lagoons pollution issues. As we have accessed the current level of progress being made by both Brevard and Volusia, we have been pleased to find that most of the actions we wanted to see are taking place, are planned and funded, or better yet completed! We found three sources of funding contributing to this success: Brevard’s Save Our Indian River Lagoon plan, Volusia’s Mosquito Lagoon Reasonable Assurance Plan, and $100 million annually from the states Indian River Lagoon Protection Plan that is split between projects throughout the lagoons counties. The state funding is not guaranteed each year though so it important to ensure our state politicians are fulfilling this commitment.

In Volusia, the Mosquito Lagoon Reasonable Assurance Plan is making progress with all the projects scheduled in the first 5 years already being completed ahead of schedule such as the gabordy and Ariel canal stormwater projects, and some projects that were scheduled for the second 5 years of the plan such as converting 280 homes from septic to sewer in Indian Harbor Estates already being completed as well. In addition, the states proposed Volusia funding of $27 million will go to three Volusia projects: $12.7m towards the Advanced Wastewater Treatment Upgrade and Expansion Project in Oak Hill, $7.5m for the Silver Sands 471 tank Septic-to-Sewer Project near New Smyrna Beach city limits, $7.1m and the Edgewater Wetland Park Reuse Project to redirect up to 3 million gallons a day of effluent away from the lagoon.

In Brevard, the Save Our Indian River Lagoon plan continues to make progress in addressing the most pressing nutrient loading issues. Projects include 7 Wastewater treatment facility upgrades targeting 74,000lbs per year of nitrogen with 3 completed, 269 stormwater projects targeting a whopping 250,000lbs of nitrogen each year with 43 completed, and septic to sewer for close to 5,000 homes eventually removing 115,000lbs of nitrogen annually. In addition, Brevard County could receive $36m this year in state funding for 10 projects with an additional $18.6m going towards 3 separate city projects in Brevard. This additional funding will convert more than 1,750 additional homes from septic to sewer reducing 30,000lbs of nitrogen annually.

So how does this progress translate into what we see on the lagoon? As lagoon anglers noticed in 2023, we saw a shockingly encouraging recovery of sea grass in Mosquito Lagoon. Clearer water than we have seen in 10 years in the entire Mosquito Lagoon led to strong grass growth from Oak Hill all the way to NASA. This growth covered at least 60-70% of the historic grass flats with dense coverage and grass canopy height. We did suffer a setback in fall of 2023 with annual high water levels and high temperature fueled algal blooms causing all grass beds in the Oak Hill area as well as roughly 50% of the new growth we saw in the middle and south sections of Mosquito Lagoon to recede. The good news is that the other 50% of the new growth we saw actually survived through winter, a major milestone in sea grass recovery. Those areas that did suffer loss appear poised to once again grow good coverage as we enter the 2024 growing season, which we will be closely monitoring. These positive signs, the most positive we have seen since the lagoons collapse began, are strong evidence that the recovery efforts of Brevard and Volusia are paying off. These are the results we have been fighting for, and this is a clear sign that now more than ever we should continue to drive efforts and funding to protect the lagoons progress and ensure its health and full recovery in the years to come.

This good news doesn’t mean all problems are solved of course. Do you see a problem facing the lagoon that isn’t being addressed? Let LWA know about it. We are always looking for ways to help the lagoon and issues to address.

Capt. Billy Rotne  Ponce Inlet Charters

Let them find your business while they are getting hooked up with advise in their favorite fishing publication, coastal angler Magazine volusia edition!

We put out 10,000 Print Magazines per month in Volusia County each month and we have another 29,000 e-mail subscribers to our e-magazine just here in Volusia!

Thats a lot of people who love fishing and need what your business has to offer!

volusia Edition call, text, or eMail to get your Business soMe Bites today!

Capt Jamie 386-366-3424

volusia@coastalanglermagazine.com

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WIN A LOADED ’YAK IN FWC’S TRIPLE THREAT THROWDOWN

The second season of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Triple Treat Trowdown runs from March 1 to Sept. 29, and Triple Treat Club members have a chance to win an awesome fshing kayak bundle valued at more than $4,500.

779.770.2100

Te Trowdown is a part of FWC’s Catch a Florida Memory, which is intended to enhance and increase participation in saltwater fshing. Te Triple Treat Club is for anglers who have achieved all three of Catch a Florida Memory’s recognition programs: Saltwater Grand Slam, Saltwater Reel Big Fish and Saltwater Life List 10 Fish Club. Anglers who reach Triple Treat Club status will be entered into a drawing for the kayak bundle afer the Trowdown season ends on Sept. 29. Anglers who are already in the Triple Treat Club will receive a drawing entry for each new recognition they earn during the challenge period.

“Building of of last year’s successful season, we are excited to announce Season 2 of Catch a Florida Memory’s Triple Treat Trowdown with an even bigger prize from our generous sponsors,” said Jessica McCawley, director of Marine Fisheries Management. “We encourage anglers to get out on the water, make Florida memories and help conserve fsheries by targeting a diversity of species.”

One lucky angler will be randomly drawn to win a top-of-the-line kayak fshing bundle valued at over $4,500. Tis bundle includes a Bonafde P127 kayak, a premium Mustad fshing gear bundle and kayak safety kit. Te award is made possible by Bonafde, Mustad and Russ Vorhis Insurance AgencyState Farm.

Find out how to qualify for the drawing at CatchaFloridaMemory.com.

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SPRING fiSHING CLASSIC EVENT SAVE UP TO $4,000

SPRING fiSHING CLASSIC EVENT SAVE UP TO $4,000

ENDS MARCH 27TH, 2024

ENDS MARCH 27TH, 2024

FLORIDA LITHIUM: BEST-IN-CLASS BATTERIES AND SERVICE

While working for his father’s transformer company, Deltona Transformers, in the 80s, Mike Prelec Sr. identifed an opportunity to provide a smarter battery charging solution to the bass fshing industry. Subsequently, Mike Sr. and the engineers at Deltran designed and built the global brand Deltran BatteryTender®, a leader in battery chargers and accessories.

Fast forward 40 years, and Mike Sr. parlayed his experience with electronics to test and scrutinize a new generation of high-quality, fast-charging lithium batteries. Mike established a central Florida test lab and began ordering samples from several overseas manufacturers. Even the platinumtier manufacturers provided varying quality in components, cells, boards and overall inconsistent construction. Several years later, with a select group of top-tier vendors, Florida Lithium was launched to provide bestin-class deep cycle-dual purpose (800 cranking amps) LifePO4 batteries that meet or exceed all Mercury requirements for lithium batteries. Today, Florida Lithium’s product line ranges from 12V, 36V and 48V batteries, providing versatile options for cranking, house electronics, or trolling motor applications. Teir DeLand warehouse is available for pickups Monday through Friday (by appointment only), and they ofer shipping nationwide. Florida Lithium also provides batteries and accessories to marine dealers, boat builders and marine service/repair shops throughout the Southeast.

Tere is no doubt you can fnd cheap lithium batteries on Amazon or other marketplaces, but when push comes to shove, some of those poorly constructed batteries will fail, leaving you with a very expensive paperweight and the inability to get anyone (stateside) on the phone. Florida Lithium’s customer support team actually speaks English, and in the event you reach their voicemail, a member of the team will respond in a timely manner.

Florida Lithium is proud to provide Florida-based customer service and technical support, coupled with a no-nonsense fx, repair or replace warranty. Lead-acid batteries are quickly becoming a thing of the past. If you are looking for a powerful, lightweight and reliable battery upgrade, Florida Lithium has you covered. Teir team is made up of Florida-based boaters and fsherman, and they understand what’s required to maximize your on-the-water experience.

By Scott Goodman

Custom Spliced Dock Lines & Anchor Rodes

Jimmy Johnson Dishes on quEst foR tHE RINg

Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring Championship Fishing Week is an annual South Florida event that is renowned for a guaranteed milliondollar-plus purse. It’s the largest guaranteed prize for fshing in the world, so far as we are aware. Te “real prize” is the chance for one team to win diamond-studded Super Bowl-caliber rings that rival any awarded by the NFL.

Te event’s namesake is, of course, legendary Hall of Fame football coach Jimmy Johnson, who is now a fxture in the South Florida fshing community. I had a chance to sit down with Coach to pick his brain about the tournament.

Johnson grew up on the Gulf Coast of Texas and loved saltwater from the get-go. “Daddy had a little14 foot wooden boat in Galveston,” he recalled. Johnson fshed as a child and developed a passion during his time as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

“I liked to get out in the boat early and fsh by myself,” he said. “I found fshing to be so peaceful as opposed to the stress of coaching pro football. I just love it. I have caught and released fve blue marlin by myself… but my favorite fsh is the wahoo because they just scream. I’ll fast troll with lures or slow troll with a ballyhoo and a cigar weight.”

Coach Johnson’s tournament started as a local Florida Keys event.

“Well, it started as a small tournament in the Keys centered around my restaurant, Jimmy Johnson’s Big Chill,” he said. “Since bringing on the crew at Fish Hard Events, it has become the enormous experience it is today.”

Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring Championship Fishing Week, or JJFISHWEEK, includes the main event, the two-day Catch & Release ‘Quest for the Ring’ Championship, featuring a $1 million guaranteed purse; JJ’s National Sportfsh Tournament, for the meat fsh afcionados; and the inviteonly Hard Rock Invitational.

Tis year’s JJFISHWEEK concluded March 9 with an awards ceremony at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. Coveted championship rings were awarded to Owner Sandra MacMillan, Capt. John Louis Dudas and Team Sandman, aboard a 63-foot Spencer, which earned them a cool $300,000. Tis marks Sandman’s third championship, having clinched the title in 2018 and 2020.

Obviously, the money and fshing are big-time, but Johnson likes how the event engages the fshing community and gives back. Tis year’s event raised more than $100,000 for the CI Foundation, which will be gifed to its charitable benefciaries.

“I love the people that it brings together,” he said. “We also have a number of charities that we support. My son has the Tranquil Shores Foundation, which is a drug and alcohol abuse center. He’s got a foundation for people who can’t aford treatment.”

Te next stop for Jimmy Johnson’s Quest for the Ring is an inaugural Atlantic City, New Jersey tournament July 14-20. Next year’s Florida event is slated for March 4-8, 2025. For more information JJFishWeek.com.

Scott Goodman is Co-publisher of Coastal Angler Magazine/Miami.

WORK THE EDGES FOR

SPRING INSHORE ACTION

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

As the seasons change, so should your fshing locations and tactics. In my quest to target larger trout and reds, I modify my approach slightly versus what I have been doing for the past three or four months. However, depending on the weather, spring can be a tricky time to fnd solid and repeatable patterns. With the water temperature swings, the fsh begin to move from winter to spring areas. But a slight cold front will send them right back to their winter patterns, and it will keep you on your toes.

Te frst major transition is from mud to a frmer sand bottom. In my area, the prominent structure will still be grass, but the base sediment will change. If your area structure is shell or rocks, you will still want to fnd harder sand. According to biologists, the primary reason for this is the winter forage, primarily mullet, fnd their food source in the mud during the colder months. We all know fsh follow the bait, and that is why we target trout and reds on sofer bottoms in the winter. As the water warms, the next generation of perch shrimp and other species hatch and will be found in structure with a frm bottom. In my area, that will be grass.

Now that we know where to fsh, let’s cover the how. In spring, staying tight to the cover is important. It is imperative for juvenile forage to stay in tight schools and intermingled in the structure for survival. Keeping your lure near the grass, shell, or wherever you are fshing will be critical to success. I target the borders where sand and grass meet. Each area will vary depending on if it is predominantly sand or grass. If it is mostly grass, I concentrate my eforts casting into the grass and working my lure into the sand, paying attention to the edge and giving the fsh time to fnd my lure at that intersection. On the other hand, if it is mostly sand, I will target the grass patches and once again the edge.

Spring allows us to utilize a wide range of lures. Sof plastics danced along the bottom or topwaters skated across the surface can both be efective, depending on the mood of the fsh. Tis will be determined by water temp and the passing of late-season cool fronts.

Whatever lure you decide to use, concentrate on the edges of the available cover to increase your odds of having a productive day. As always, take a kid fshing; you just might learn something.

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

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES ®

FISHING THE SECOND SHIFT

Spring is one of my favorite times of year for many species on the inshore menu, including red drum, snook and trout. I usually fsh at night for several reasons including my “day job,” which keeps me occupied for a vast majority of daylight hours. I guess I could become a weekend warrior, but I’ve noticed the best weather typically doesn’t occur on weekends. Tere’s an old saying that goes something like this: “You know what happens afer two days of really crappy weather?”

“MONDAY!”

All joking aside, I believe the best bite for older, wiser, heavily pressured fsh is at night. Tey’re a little more at ease afer the sun goes down and the boat trafc lets up. Tis is when the big girls let their guard down and come back into shallower water to feed. Wherever you fnd shrimp and small mullet along the edges is a good place to take advantage of aggressively feeding redfsh, trout or snook afer dark. Te patterns are similar for all of them.

Just before dark is a good time to get situated to the rising or falling tide and the water clarity, which might be afected by

frequent rains this time of year. Get used to your surroundings and how fast the current is running. Keep the lights low, and allow your night vision to kick in as darkness settles.

Music on the boat is fun, but this is a situation when you’ll want to be quiet. Don’t play the radio loud or stomp around on the deck. Close your coolers and hatches quietly. Try not to talk are laugh too loud. Sound travels extremely well in the water, and when the rest of the world is quiet, the noise you make is even more startling to the fsh.

I don’t even use “spot lock” on the trolling motor at night in shallow water. I think fsh have learned to associate the sound of trolling motors with the presence of a boats and humans… just saying. Make your own choice here.

Color selection is a very important at night. Dark colors, especially with shrimp lures, work better at night, especially when there is a bright moon. It might sound crazy, but dark colors are silhouetted by the moonlight and are easier for fsh to see. Dark brown, purple and black can be extremely hot on nights with a full or nearly full moon.

I’m partial to shrimp imitations, and a lot of times I’ll suspend one under a glowin-the-dark cork for night fshing. Tat cork carries it along perfectly with the current and you can keep your eyes on where your bait is, which is one of the difculties of fshing at night.

If you’re like me and have a job that keeps you occupied during the day, consider fshing the second shif. You might be pleasantly surprised.

See more from Tim Barefoot at barefootcatsandtackle.com.

Tim Barefoot

By A. deGruchy

CHASING BACKCOUNTRY COBIA in the Keys

Cobia are robust, daring, and always up for a challenge. You know you’re in for some fun when you spot them cruising near the surface, sometimes in pairs or groups, hounding baitfsh like a wolfpack or drawn in by curiosity at the action around your boat. If you’re geared up and ready for them, a little fnesse will have you luring them in like a pro.

Location is key. When fshing for cobia in the backcountry here in the Florida Keys, we look for them to be around structures, wrecks and foating debris, ofen roaming the same areas in groups. Tey’re not pickiest eaters. Pitch a live bait out in front of them, and they’ll usually eat it, and we’ve also had great success with a Savage Gear RTF 3D Shrimp.

Te action when using these Savage Gear shrimps is a hard jerking lif, then letting your shrimp fall, mimicking a shrimp’s natural actions. For the battle, the optimal gear is at least a 4500 reel, but you really don’t need more than a 6500, and we always trust our Penn Authority and pair it with a medium/medium-light Carnage III Rod for maximum control and power.

Te most important thing to remember when hooking a cobia is to be ready, as it’s very common to spot “following” cobia. Tey ofen travel together and like to investigate what your hooked cobia is doing and eating. Tese “followers” can lead to an epic double header, but only if you have enough rods rigged and ready on the boat and hands to cast them.

Cobia are known for powerful runs, ofen scoping up and switching directions in a split second. Keep calm, adjust your drag, and let them exhaust themselves. Stay alert as you reel in your cobia, as they are known for sudden maneuvers, and will sometimes dart under the boat in a heartbeat. And the fght doesn’t end even afer you’ve gafed a cobia. Exercise caution when you bring them over the rail and onto the deck because they ofen cause havoc on the boat. It’s best to tire them out completely during the fght to minimize potential damage.

Since regulations frequently change with cobia, staying informed is important. One keeper cobia can feed a lot of people. Teir meat is known for its steak-like texture and delicate favor, perfect for a mouthwatering sear with butter and seasoning.

For the best shot at spotting a cobia, consider booking a full-day charter. Tis helps your chances to see one, and the timing should be pretty solid for in the upcoming weeks.

Book a charter at www.beansportfshing.com and follow their cobia adventures at “Bean Sportfshing TV” on YouTube.

PRE-SPAWN FISH

BREAK STATE RECORDS

Along with blooms on the trees and frogspawn in the ponds, the annual rites of spring include an uptick in anglers reporting heavyweight catches.

A spate of recent record catches marks the transition to longer days, warmer weather and spring-spawning species putting on weight. In Indiana, an angler caught a monster 8-pound, 4-ounce smallmouth bass that crushed the existing state record by a pound. In Kentucky and Georgia, two anglers boated big yellow perch. Te Kentucky perch set a new state record, while the Georgia fsh earned the angler a tie for the heaviest perch ever caught in the Peach State.

In Indiana, angler Rex Remington caught his big pre-spawn smallie on March 3 at Monroe Reservoir. Te fsh was weighed on certifed scales in the presence of Indiana DNR ofcials before being released. Te new record was adopted a couple weeks later and is listed at 8 pounds, 4 ounces, beating a record that had stood since 1992. Te all-tackle world record smallmouth weighed 11 pounds, 15 ounces. It was caught from Dale Hollow Lake, Tennessee in 1955.

Smaller, but no-less-impressive, Lynn Bumgardner caught his 1.58-pound Kentuckyrecord yellow perch at Lake Barkley on March 2. It beat the existing 1.44-pound record caught in 2010. He was trolling grubs for crappie and knew

he had a heavy fsh when it hit, but he didn’t realize it was a potential record perch until it surfaced. Te fsh was 14.25 inches long.

Tey must grow perch bigger in Georgia. On Feb. 18, Emerson Mulhall caught a huge 16-inchlong, 2-pound, 9-ounce yellow perch that tied the existing state record set in 2013. Mulhall, who usually bass fshes at north Georgia’s Lake Burton was initially confused, because the fsh he’d hooked didn’t fght like a bass. When he realized it was a perch, his father convinced him to get of the lake and go get it weighed on certifed scales.

Te all-tackle world record yellow perch is reported by IGFA to have weighed 4 pounds, 3 ounces. Tat fsh was caught in New Jersey in 1865.

For more record fsh, go to coastalanglermag.com.

TIPS FROM A PRO

HOW TO FIND AND TARGET THE POST-SPAWN FEED

In some parts of the country, the bass spawn is already coming to an end like it is down here in Florida. In others the post-spawn might not start up for another couple months. Regardless of your phase, this post-spawn fshing tip should help you dial in your fshery when the time is right for you.

One thing is the same for every fshery and every species of bass afer they spawn, they are hungry! Tis can create some awesome and fun fshing opportunities. Post-spawn bass have provided some of my best days on the water.

Typically, afer the largemouth bass spawn, there are other fsh that begin their spawn. I’m not a scientist, but I’m sure this has a lot to do with the specifc timing of why bass do their thing when they do. In most areas of the southern United States, bluegill and ofentimes shad start to spawn very shortly afer the bass fnish up. Afer a long couple weeks or months protecting eggs in the shallows, bass use every advantage they can to feed when these baitfsh group up, and this can make for some fun fshing.

Smallmouth bass and spotted bass in the post-spawn phase are very similar to largemouths when it comes to taking

advantage of bait schools. I have seen them group up and attack shad, perch and alewife schools and any other bait that is readily available. Typically, I do a lot of my searching for these things with my electronics and forward-facing sonar, which is a very helpful tool for learning fsh activity and seeing what’s going on under the surface of the water.

Most of the time you don’t necessarily need electronics. You can use clues visible to the naked eye to help you fnd this “feed” that is going on. Birds feeding on the water is an awesome sign of a feeding frenzy, and it’s one thing I always look for. Also, always keep your eyes peeled for fsh blowing up on the surface or shad fickering under the surface. Sometimes the very smallest clue can lead you to much larger picture. Birds standing on specifc banks, the sound of bluegill popping around vegetation, anything that clues you in to bait in the area usually means the bass aren’t very far away.

Hopefully this tip will help you when the fsh in your area get into the post-spawn feed. Find the bait, and you will fnd the bass!

I try to imitate the prevalent baitfsh with whatever kind of lure I’m throwing. For bluegill eaters, I will throw a frog or a swimjig in bluegill colors. For shad eaters, I will throw white or silver topwaters and crankbaits.

Always match the hatch if possible. Good luck out there this season, and tight lines!

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

TYLER WOOLCOTT

READY FOR

By Will Schmidt

RED GROUPER

With gag grouper closed until late summer for many of us, it is time to be out looking for red grouper to fll our tacos this spring and summer. Fortunately, they are aggressive eaters if you’re willing to make the extra efort to go to their feeding grounds. In general, to get to decentsized reds, you’ll need to head a bit farther out, with the best fshing being found in 80 feet or deeper, especially as the water warms. You are still looking for the same type of environment; Swiss cheese bottom, ledges and artifcial reefs can all hold good numbers of quality fsh.

Te tactics are the same and simple. Tey will eat dead or live bait in most cases. Tat said, I found a combination of the two to be the best bet. I like to start with “stinky bait.” Dropping some frozen squid or menhaden is a great way to get the bite going. Once the bite starts, which is usually quickly if they are around, I like to switch to palm-size live pinfsh to entice the bigger fsh. While dead bait and jigs will certainly get you keepers, the larger fsh are quicker to hit a live bait.

Rigs are simple. Circle hooks must be used with natural bait and 5/0 to 7/0 hooks will do the trick. I prefer to use about 2 feet of leader, then a swivel and my weight, and a knocker rig will also work. A minimum of 50-pound fuorocarbon leader is recommended, as they will run for a hole in the rocks once hooked. Keep a close eye on your leaders, as they tend to get chafed when the fshing is good.

Even though red grouper are typically smaller than gags, I still use my goto big grouper set up, as at these depths you could get a big gag or other sea monster. Fortunately, new lighter combos like the Accurate BV600 reel and 70H rod make a full day of fshing more fun and less fatiguing. Tese two-speed reels have a patented twin drag that will stop the hardiest of fsh, and with that winching power you can use a lighter more parabolic rods to handle the biggest of bottom fsh. Line is important too. Te lack of stretch in braid is a must for landing big grouper. A minimum of 65-pound test, and a metered braid like the Nomad Panderra 8x is great for knowing how close you are to the bottom. Moreover, these rods are sensitive enough to do double duty as trolling rods for kings, sails and mahi.

While they might not be quite as big as some of their cousins, red grouper are great table fare, and it is hard to turn down a grouper taco, no matter what variety it is.

Will Schmidt is a seasoned tournament angler who has been writing about fshing from more than two decades.

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