Gone Fishin’

Pro anglers’ message to the novices

Gone fishin’

Summer time means fishing in Florida, inland or offshore

BY CARLTON REESE

Long before the state of Florida became famous for golf links or cartoon mice, sportsmen enjoyed a veritable paradise of fisheries in its coastal waters and inland lakes and rivers – and thankfully still do. Perhaps Ernest Hemingway made the state synonymous with big-game angling and helped nurture Florida’s reputation as the “Fishing Capital of the World,” but that only describes a small part of its allure.

For much of the population born and raised as Floridians, nary a molecule of oxygen can work its way to the lungs without the accompanying sulphury smell wedded to the coastal regions. The same can be said for those addicted to the humming sound of an outboard motor or the dewy chill felt in the early morning as a ghostly fog rests quietly on the still, glass surface of a lake.

With a bloated populace of newbies and first generationers, Florida is home to many who aren’t exactly Floridians. You want to be a Floridian? Then, you had better become familiar with some certain terms. Anyone who can’t tell you what the “flats” are, is likely more familiar with the corner of Waveland and Sheffield than anything that

could be classified as Floridian. One who has no experience tying a uni knot need not even pretend to be local.

With over 7,700 lakes and 2,276 miles of shoreline, not to mention nearly 11,000 miles of rivers, the state of Florida makes it impossible for one to call this place home and not carry at least a rudimentary knowledge of piscine matters. With that in mind, it’s important for those new arrivals to the Sunshine State to take to the water, drop in a line and at least do so in a way that allows them to blend in.

What better way to do so than heeding the advice of some local professionals who make their living pulling fish out of the local waterways. Heeding these tips can fool anyone into thinking you may have grown up commuting on Carolina Skiffs as opposed to musty L trains.

Saltwater

Fishing in the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic off Florida’s coast, one is more than likely to set his sights on grouper. Most true Floridians would agree that grouper is the best tasting fish and is also fun to catch, making it an unofficial state fish of sorts.

Capt. Miranda Adams can attest to the draw of grouper. She grew up in Ocala and has fished the local lakes and coastal waters her whole life. She now takes charters onto those lakes and out of Crystal River into the Gulf and has a few insights she would like to share.

“June 1st is when grouper (season) opens up,” Miranda says. “We have one of the best inshore grouper fisheries there is.”

Of course, when saltwater fishing, the options are nearly endless. In the Gulf waters around Crystal River, mangroves are plentiful and that means the great-tasting snapper among others. Here, the mangroves and the tides are key.

“When I’m going for the big redfish or snook, I kind of look for the mangroves this time of year,” Adams said. “When the water starts heating up, they start pushing out into the mangrove. They’re eating live bait like pinfish, mud minnows, even shrimp.”

Robbie Crosnoe and his son Brantley with three fresh bass catches

Recognizing where bass tend to hang out is important, and for that, look no further than grass lines, lily pad fields or any matted vegetation such as hydrilla or floating pennywort grass.

Photo by LeeAnna Crosnoe

Captain Miranda Adams

Photo by Ralph Demilio

TIDE CHARTS AND MOON PHASES During incoming tide, Adams recommends you cast your line as close to the mangroves as possible, “because they’re just waiting there to eat everything that’s in there.” And during outgoing tide, you want to cast just a few feet off the mangroves as everything is being pulled out. “They’re just sitting there like in a feeding trough, just attacking everything that pops out.”

Of course, during a full moon, “you have the highest highs and the lowest lows” in terms of the tides and this is important to when the fish feed, which is mainly during high tide and low tide.

“For whatever reason, the day before a full moon you throw a shrimp on anything and a mangrove snapper will get it,” Adams said.

DROPPING OR TROLLING? Adams has no preference for dropping a line or trolling, saying it depends on the wind. When the water is choppy, that is a good time to find an underwater structure and drop a line, and that’s where you will most likely haul in a big grouper.

“If I have somebody that’s more of a laid back person or it’s really hot and the wind’s laid down,” Adams says, “I have no problem trolling. We’ll be cruising, hanging out with friends and I’ll keep an eye on the rods, and it’s more social.”

When trolling, Adams runs Manns Plugs like the Stretch Magnum and has also enjoyed a lot of success with the Rapala Firetiger crankbait.

SHARKS ON THE MENU? Adams claims to have many clients during the summer hoping to catch sharks.

“A lot of people from up north want to see ‘Jaws,’” Adams claims. “They just want to see a big shark and take a picture with it.”

In the gulf waters, one will generally come across nurse sharks, black tips, tigers and hammerheads. For Adams, it’s the hammerheads that incite the most fear – they average 13 feet in length and have been known to approach 20 feet.

“Everyone thinks about great whites and tigers and how crazy they are, but hammerheads have some bad attitudes,” she said. “They don’t care, and they’re very smart.”

Adams even recalls a recent client haul-

ing in a 4½-foot black tip shark, which when about to be brought into the boat was devoured by an enormous hammerhead.

“It was uncomfortably large and uncomfortably close,” Adams recalls. “It came up from the bottom of the boat where I couldn’t see him and ate half the black tip out of my hand.”

Freshwater

When it comes to freshwater fishing, bass is king. In fact, the large-mouth bass is Florida’s official state freshwater fish. And who better to ask for tips on catching bass than someone who has competed in Major League Fishing for 15 years?

Robbie Crosnoe is a Citrus County native who is currently seventh in the MLF Southern Toyota Series and will compete in the Phoenix All-American in Hot Springs, Arkansas, June 2-4. When it comes to pulling out the biggest lunkers from our local lakes and rivers, Crosnoe knows more than a thing or two, and he has some simple advice that even the novice angler can use to success.

WHERE TO LOCATE THE FISH According to Crosnoe, recognizing where bass tend to hang out is important, and for that, look no further than grass lines, lily pad fields or any matted vegetation such as hydrilla or floating pennywort grass. Especially as the summer nears, bass are looking for the shade provided by these elements.

There are several techniques used in fishing these areas, but find them and you are likely to find a large bass.

“The pennywort floats on the water and grows so fast it makes a mat that’s basically shade,” Crosnoe said. “That’s my go-to, 100 percent any time I go to a lake anywhere across the country. That’s where I’ve won almost all my money.”

Crosnoe’s favorite technique for fishing in the matted floating vegetation is called “flipping,” in which heavy line is used to quietly toss the bait into the middle of that shady patch. The bait goes down to the bottom then lifted back up again so it can return a second time to the bottom. If there isn’t a hit, you reel it in and try it again. Flipping actually describes the two-handed technique of throwing the lure underhand so it lands softly and accurately.

“I might get only 14 bites a day, but that’s how you catch your big ones, especially in the summer when it’s so hot,” he said.

Flipping may be more for the expert angler, but Crosnoe has some advice for the novice – use a topwater lure such as a Zoom Horny Toad. “It’s very easy to fish and blows bubbles across the surface.”

He also recommends a weightless worm, such as a Senko, which is “the best bait still used by most every pro in the country.”

When your boat is open water and the fish are hiding under vegetation, Crosnoe prefers a Reaction Innovation Beaver-style bait, which mimics a small baitfish such as bluegill.

Robbie Crosnoe

Photo courtesy of Robbie Crosnoe

LIVE BAIT Of course, one would never see a professional bass angler throwing out a live shiner with a bobber, but Crosnoe embraces the idea for the novice.

“It’s the best way for novice anglers to catch giant bass,” he says. One would use the live shiners the same way one would the artificial lures: throwing them up toward the matted or submerged grass. Bluegill, bream and shiners are perfect live bait for this type of fishing, but Crosnoe said, “A shiner would be the best way in the state of Florida to catch a 10-pounder for a novice angler.”

WHICH BODIES OF WATER In Marion County, Crosnoe has an affinity for Lake Rousseau in the summer. There, he

Captain Miranda Adams cleaning a catch

During incoming tide, Adams recommends you cast your line as close to the mangroves as possible, “because they’re just waiting there to eat everything that’s in there.”

says he would incorporate his flipping stick all day and never use anything else. Lake Weir also has his attention due to it being surrounded by Kissimmee grass and deep water brush piles.

“You basically throw a Senko or a worm on – very simple fishing,” he said. “One of the best patterns on Lake Weir is finding brush piles and basically throwing a crank bait out over them or a 10-inch Ribbontail worm.”

IN GENERAL “Freshwater is more about food sources and times of year,” Crosnoe said. One of the bass’ main food sources is bluegill, so if you know when and where they are spawning, you will likely find some big bass there as well.

Right now, shellcrackers are spawning and may provide a fun and tasty respite from chasing the big bass. Crosnoe recommends a bobber and a cricket or wigglers to haul in shellcrackers.

“They’re probably my favorite freshwater fish to eat,” Crosnoe said. “They spawn by the thousands and sometimes they’re so thick you can smell them.”

Florida is home to some of the best saltwater and freshwater angling there is and familiarizing yourself, even in the most rudimentary ways, can make you more of a genuine local. If not, it can at least help you fool someone in conversation.

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