Water LIFE June 2015

Water LI FE Charlotte Harbor, Lemon Bay & the Gulf

The Don Ball School of Fishing

June 2015

pe od sha o g n i s shery i g “The fi riencin e p x e e ar s” and we succes g n i l g n a a lot of 2 page 2 Fishing

Horseshoe Crabs Upside Down?

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:

Report

Happy Campers page 14

Tarpon Tarpon Snook Page 8

No Survivors

page 5

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Tune in to Radio Fishinʼ anytime!

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Send letters and photos to: WaterLIFE@comcast.net

ly R l i S ME M n SU easo S

Are you a FISH KISSER?

Send us your great fish-kissing photo (it must be recent and please don’t send it to anyone else) You’ll see it here in Water LIFE magazine!

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Michael & Ellen Heller Publishers

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Independant - Not affiliated with any other publication Vol XIV No 6 © 2015

No part of this publication (printed or electronic) may be copied or reproduced without specific written permission from the publishers.

Contributing Editors:

waterlife@comcast.net please include your name other silly photos might also be considered!

Really...Michael You actually used Water Life to troll for an attorney! Wow...I am sure those who paid for advertising space just love sponsoring your use of their money to bring legal action against your water supplier. Oh, I get it...it is your football so you get to make the rules...and here I thought Water Life was about helping us to be responsible fisherman.

Brad Peebles Punta Gorda

Water LIFE inc.

Capt. David Stephens smooches a snook last month.

The snapper are coming in good now, he said when we talked fish-kissing. Ouch!

20th Annual Peace River Clean Up

June 7 & 8 from 9am to 2pm

Based from Nav-A-Gator Marina (but all River clean up efforts will be appreciated) Free use of kayaks (a limited number available) from Nav-A-Gator Marina Call 941-627-3474.

Photography: ASA1000.com Senior Editor: Capt. Ron Blago River and Shore: Fishinʼ Frank Charlotte Harbor: Capt. Billy Barton Diving: Adam Wilson Punta Gorda: Capt. Chuck Eichner Venice: Glen Ballinger Estero: Capt. Joe Angius Kayaking: WRITER STILL WANTED Sea Grant: Betty Staugler Offshore: Capt. Dan Cambern Offshore: Capt. Jim OʼBrien Beach Fishing: Mallory Herzog Circulation: MIke Ellen Office Dog: Molly Brown (in memorium)

COVER: Big Time Tarpon and Zack caught his big fish with Capt. Billy Barton. Story Page 8

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“Like a good day on the water”

ʻNo Survivorsʼ Sadly, itʼs a mindset JUNE 2015

By Michael Heller Water Life editor I am writing this from Jacksonville but fishing is no different up here. I’d been watching the tides every day when I went out to exercise and one day, when I had the time, when the tide looked right and solunar tables were littered with fish icons, I went.

Memorial Park is on the water and right around the corner from where I was staying. I had seen several shore anglers reel in (and keep) undersized redfish from there and I had heard of trout and croakers, but the park was mostly all social-fishermen, guys who would stand up a pole or two and sit down to eat some kind of snack.

Everyone fished with shrimp. Some brought their shrimp from the local bait shop while I had seen some others come from Publix, across the street, with shrimp.

My plan was to throw my trusty gold spoon and see what I could find, but I was not going to do it at the park.

A few weeks earlier I had scoped out the neighborhood on Google Earth and zoomed in on a dead end street where, when I drove by, I saw a new high rise was about to be built. And I saw some mullet. There was a big tree and the river was at a choke point with nice moving water.

That was going to be the spot. I got there for the last two hours of a falling tide.

I had the area all to myself.... for all of about 10 minutes.

First a guy in a pick up pulled over the curb and drove right up under the big tree. Then another fellow showed

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up with a lawn chair and finally an old lady with her daughter drove up and unloaded an armful of rods.

Everyone was rigged with big pyramid weights with an array of short plastic-coated steel leaders and big hooks.

I am throwing my gold spoon. I’ve got 15 pound yellow braid and a 20 pound leader. They are watching me like I am from another planet. I feel like I am, but I keep throwing. A half hour goes by, we make small talk. The guy in the chair shows me a picture of a 30 inch redfish he is holding. The big tree is in the background.

Then I get a bump and my line starts to move. I try to set the hook but my line goes limp. A second later the guy in the pick up hooks a fish. He reels it and asks me to get the net from his truck. As he reels it up to the seawall I see it is a jack, but before I get the net down to the water the fish splashes and is gone.

Then the guy in the lawn chair yells, “I got one too!”

He reels in his fish and it’s a jack too and this time we do net it. But the hook is hooked not in the fish, but in a loop on the end of length of green plastic coated leader, that is attached to a rusty hook in the jack’s mouth. There are several clusters of red plastic beads on the leader too.

We all had that fish. I figure I must have snagged that

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green leader, then the truck guy had the fish swim along his line and he got it, but it got off, and then the chair guy got his line in the loop and caught it.

I suggested we release the fish, I said it was a survivor.

I was going for my pliers to pull the rusty hook when the old lady reached down and took it. I was going to release it, I said, but she wrapped it in a plastic bag and threw it onto the floor of her car. “What? “ she asked, looking up at me, confused.

There was no sense in me answering her, she had her reasons I am sure. And the same goes for the argument about filling your freezer. Sure, maybe it’s legal, but I think, more often than not, it’s usually a waste.

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FISHING: An Old River Rat Might Just Know A Thing Or Two

By Capt. David Stephens Water LIFE Harbor The people that know me well, know I love fishing the north end of Charlotte Harbor and the Peace River. I have even heard the term River Rat a few times. Well I guess when you grow up in an area, home is where your heart is.

I’m often asked how far up river do the snook and tarpon go. My reply is normally simple, as far as they want. What most people don’t understand is snook and tarpon can live in conditions with zero salinity.

On most of my charters I use live bait.

The bait that I choose to use most are scaled sardines, also known around here as white bait or pilchards. These guys do require a certain amount of salinity so you can’t take them too far or too long upriver

in an open circulating livewell .... and those guys don’t really do very well without a lot of circulating water.

An incoming tide will bring more salt up the river and the opposite on an outgoing. The easiest way I can tell someone how far upriver you can go is to taste the water. I often taste the water when I get to a spot. If you can taste salt, you should be ok. The thing that makes the river non fishable with live sardines is rain. In the summer, when we get our summer rain, more fresh water will be pushing down the river. I try to explain to people it’s not so much the rain we get here, but the rain that falls north of us. The Peace River begins at Lake Hancock, and flows through several counties. I have seen years that we have a low rain fall and the mouth of the river will have salt.

If you are an artificial lure fisher person and feel adventurous, take a ride up beyond the Navagator. You might get lucky and get a Peace River slam. A snook, tarpon and a large mouth bass.

Over the years, I have caught some fish up that way that just make you scratch your head. I was on a charter two weeks ago. I was fishing a shallow mangrove shore line that produces some really nice

snook and reds on a high tide. One of my clients hooked - what I assumed was a snook - since we had caught 6-to 8 already. Then all of a sudden, this thing we’re going to call it the ‘thing’ because we never saw it - ran out to the middle, almost spooling him. We cranked the drag down and got the thing to turn. Then all of a sudden again, it started coming in very easily. And when he got it to the boat, we saw he had a 24-inch remora.

I told him there is no way that fish was pulling like that. I have caught sawfish in this area in the past on a couple occasions, but never a remora. For the people that don’t know, remora have a suction cup on top of their heads. They suck on to larger

JUNE 2015

predator fish and feed on their scraps. I find it amazing how you never know what the day is going to bring when you set out for a day of fishing on Charlotte Harbor.

If you would like to experience some of Charlotte Harbors best fishing give me a call or send me an email. All of our charters are private and customized to fit you and your parties needs. Capt. Dave Stephens www.backbayxtremes.com 941-916-5769

JUNE 2015

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Tarpon and a Fine Snook by the Tail

By Capt. Billy Barton Water LIFE Inshore May was nothing short of an amazing month of fishing with numerous big, beautiful, silver kings to the boat and numerous firsts chopped off of the bucket lists of my regular customers. Many new and lasting memories were made and that is what the charter business is all about!

One particular fish with one particular party comes to mind.

I had a family of four, for a full day of fishing who were recommended by a friend at the PGI fishing club.

The mother, Debbie, called me prior to the trip to talk fishing. She inquired about tarpon, which is in full force right now. She was eager to put her son Zach (19) and her nephew Josh (14) on their first tarpon. I told her we could possibly make that happen and so in mid May we set out on our day of fishing!

We had an early start in order to catch the crack-ofdawn tarpon bite. I had a livewell full of perfect blue crabs for bait.

We made our way down towards Gasparilla Island

where I idled my boat along the beach in search of the right school of fish to start on. It took an hour or so to find them that morning, but once we found them it was exactly what we were all hoping for.

Over that first hour or so of fishing, the boys hooked up and jumped several tarpon, however none of them wanted to stay connected! But after a little bit of persistence, Debbie’s son Zach was hooked up and it was a good one! So after a 45-minute battle we had this approximately180-pound fish boatside and snapped a few pictures, then we set her free. Zach was finished! His fish had dragged the boat well over a mile and he was understandably pooped! Now it was time for Josh!

We made our way back to the school of fish and within minutes Josh was hooked up with a solid 120 pound fish that was extremely acrobatic! Josh did very well getting his fish boat side in about 30 minutes. The fish threw the hook at the boat, but they got some great video footage, so Josh and everyone else were beyond content, tired, and sweaty, to say the least!

JUNE 2015

I took us to a mangrove shoreline afterwards, where the boys could have some "easier and more relaxing fun" on light tackle. Tracy Westermoreland, 50, a family friend, was on board with the boys and Debbie that day.

He admitted he had little fishing experience, but decided he wanted to get in on the flats action. So it was his turn!

The boys caught several mid-size snook before Tracy hooked up a good one. For those of you who don't know, when you hook a big mama snook she knows exactly where to go, which is right back to some structure, where she feels like she can get away!

And that is exactly what this big girl did! She took Tracy right to the bushes in no time! I knew the line was going to snap if he continued to put pressure on the fish and instructed him to ease off.

Within seconds and before I could even think about it, I was off the boat and in the water chucking it to the bushes! I could see the fish thrashing in the brush and knew it was a good one!

This fish heard me coming so she did not stop trying to get free. I was a good 6-feet away from her when I saw the line snap. I could only imagine what they were

CANVAS & UPHOLSTERY

JUNE 2015

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Capt. Billy put a lot of people on the tarpon last month and for some, like Charlotte County Sea Grant Agent Betty Staugler (above) it was their first!

thinking on the boat at this point, but I continued to try and run her down! Seconds later I reached forward and grabbed a hold of her tail, tight! She struggled to try and get away, but by then I had her with two hands and I turned around with a huge grin and held the fish up high to show them.

Hootin’ and hollarin’ we were all in disbelief. I brought her back to the boat, we snapped a few pictures and took a quick measurement of 37-inches and over 15-pounds - a fish to be proud of for sure! I know it made Tracys' day and it made mine too. It was definitely a first for me and there wasn't anything attached to that fish when I got a hold of her. Two seconds later and she would have been gone.

Days like this are why I love what I do and I know I won't ever forget this trip nor will they. It's beyond gratifying - it’s not just fishing’, but a passion that runs deep and I know some of you out there can relate. Now I'm looking forward

to what the month of June will bring. I hope you guys are out there making memories too, that's what life is all about!

Capt. Billy Barton owns and operates Scales-n-Tails Fishing Charters. http://www.puntagordafishingcharter.com 941- 979-6140

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Fishing: Behind the TV Screen PAGE

caught inshore.

Many younger goliaths can spend as much as 5-6 years growing up in our mangroves. As they grow and get much larger they move out to reefs and structures such as docks and bridges.

We get to experience these powerful fish in our own back yard at Boca Grande. These fish live and travel though the Pass sticking to structure and shelves.

By Mallory Herzog Water LIFE Fishing

About a month ago we filmed with Gus Congemi from the TV show Live the Wild Life. We did bow fishing for sting rays on our local flats. This is something most hunters enjoy. We use stingrays for bait and hitting a ray with an arrow is better than coffee to wake you up in the morning. We also caught Gus his very first goliath grouper! He had fished for them previously but was unsuccessful due to the intense structure they like to hide in. If you've never heard of these awesome fish here is a little information about them as a species. Goliath Grouper are found all across SWFL. Their size and location vary. Many are found on reefs and wrecks. Smaller juveniles have even been

They range from 100to 500-pounds in this area, but can reach up to 800pounds and 8 feet in length.

The Florida IGFA record is 680-pounds for a goliath caught off Fernandina Beach in 1961.

Question is can you hold on? It takes some strength and luck to get them out of the intense structure. A great Captain helps too. You need to position your boat with the current to get the right drift.

Gus was ready for revenge on these fish. We showed him how we rigged the bait and how to operate the reel. The bait hit the water and instantly was inhaled by one of these beasts. This particular fish took him around about 5 pilings, zig zagging before breaking him off.

JUNE 2015

Take two was more successful. Fish number two was hooked and angry about it. Gus hung on and did a great job on the reel, pulling this fish away from the structure. Many anglers describe this experience as "reeling in a sunken car."

Nothing gets your adrenaline going faster than gaining on one of these dinosaurs and watching them surface, making huge splashes with their large paddle tail right next to the boat. You did it Gus! Your first Goliath Grouper.

Take nothing but pictures. We de-hook these guys next to the boat. Sometimes we can even remove other hooks left behind as well. These fish are opportunistic feeders, often stealing other fisherman's catches right off their hook,

and collecting some extra metal in the process! Harvest and possession has been prohibited in both Florida State and Federal waters since the 90s due to severe over fishing in the 70s and 80s. Listed as critically endangered by the IUCN ( International Union for Conservation of

Nature) Their numbers have greatly increased in recent years so now their population is once again thriving which is great for the fish and the angler.

Each grouper looks unique and has a distinct pattern.

You never know what you will find. I am thrilled we could show Gus around SWFL for the weekend and give him and incredible memory to last a lifetime. Stay tuned for airtime dates for our episode airing in 2016! http://www.livethewildlifetv.com

You can contact Big Bully Outdoors Charters for a trip with Mallory’s husband Captain Andrew. Call 941-661-9880 or go to BigBullyOutdoors.com

JUNE 2015

By Captain Joe Angius Water LIFE Estero Bay The back bay bite in Estero Bay has been very consistent this past month.

Large snook have been staging at creek mouths and feeding aggressively on shallow grass flats, getting ready to migrate toward the beaches for their spawn. Once quality bait begins to show up on our beaches, the summer-time female snook won’t be far behind. Redfish have been congregated around large oyster bars feeding on crabs and pinfish. It’s extremely important to find an area with clean water and signs of fish activity. The key is to anchor far off of an oyster bar or mangrove edge and wait to intercept feeding fish. So there’s plenty of fish out in Estero Bay but, where’s the bait?

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Every morning on my charters I will bring all of my good bait to a few backwater tarpon spots. It has been difficult landing a few of these fish, but hasn’t been a problem jumping them. Getting the hookup on picky backwater tarpon is a task in itself, but I owe success to having quality bait. Without having extra bait to chum, getting the fish riled up to chew would be nearly impossible. If you do come across a school of tarpon in the backbay, patience, silence, and persistence is going to be key to your success. Don’t get discouraged if there are 20 fish rolling next to the boat and you’re not getting one to even consider your bait. Try different baits and techniques such as, cut bait, free-lined baits, baits under corks, and different pound test leader line. This is a great time

White Bait – First you fish for your bait then you go fishing for your fish

Jenni Orcuttʼs Estero redfish caught on a live mud minnow

Finding quality bait in the bay has been difficult, but it can be done. White bait has been found on shallow grass flats with clean moving water. Chumming the bait up to you is the only way to catch a lot at one time. If the white bait decides it doesn’t want to show up, I would recommend looking around the sand or mud flats. Cast netting in the mud can get messy, but it will produce bait that catches the elusive fish of Estero. On the grass flats, use an 8-foot’ 3/8 mesh cast net. I prefer an 8-foot net because it is lighter and easier to load.

If you decide to look around the mud and sand flats for bait, an 8-foot 3/8” mesh net would work but, a 6-foot 3/8” mesh net will get the job done without leaving you exhausted.

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An upper slot redfish sight casted using pinfish

Capt. Joe and his father holding an overslot Estero Bay redfish caught on white bait.

T.J. with his first Estero Bay redfish caught on a white bait

to study the fish and see what makes them turn on.

Southwest Florida is a fisherman’s and fisherwoman’s paradise. Estero Bay in particular is an area where several techniques and ways to catch fish can be successful at once. Don’t limit yourself to one technique, take the risk, try new things; it will pay off. If the fishing becomes frustrating, then it becomes work and that’s one thing we want to stray away from.

Enjoy the fishery you are in, respect the rules and the boaters around you and don’t look past the little things we often take for granted.

Captain Joe Angius with a healthy backwater snook caught on a pinfish

Captain Joe Angius (727) 234-3171 Speakeasyfishing.com FlatsHQ.com Speakeasyfishing@gmail.com

C O M E E N JO Y TO U R S O F TH E M A R IN A A N D WATE R E X C U R S IO N S !

I King Fisher Fleet – one-hour narrated tours of Charlotte Harbor, departing at 11 am & 1 pm. Tickets $5.

Proceeds donated to Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center. Reservations Recommended: 941 639-0969 I Holidaze Boat Rentals – Complimentary Deck boat rides to learn hands-on boat operating.

Reservations: 941 575-3000

I Complimentary sailboat excursions (up to 4 in a group).

Reservations: 941 575-3000

I Live Radio Remote featuring Jeff Collins the Golden Hippo on Seaview Radio, 10 am - Noon

I Visit with marina related exhibitors including: Harbor Dragons Boat Paddlers, SeaTow, Punta Gorda Boat Club, Dept. of Environmental Protection, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Charlotte Harbor Sail & Power Squadron, Port Charlotte Yacht Club, Punta Gorda Sailing Center and more!

National Marina Day is presented in partnership with:

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JUNE 2015

Whatʼs up with those baby horseshoe crabs swimming upside down?

Capt. Ralph Lennon said that on numerous trips he has seen baby horseshoe crabs swimming upside down at the surface. He wanted to know why that would be. The photos are by Sherri, his wife.

By Capt. Betty Staugler Water LIFE Sea Grant

Recently, horseshoe crabs about 1-2 inches in size have been observed swimming upside down. I got a text from one of my friends who observed this asking “whatʼs up with this?”

Well it turns out horseshoe crabs do swim upside down or at an approximately 30 degree angle to the bottom; we just donʼt typically see it. So one would ask why in the world would an animal that is already awkwardly shaped for efficient movement in the water, choose to swim upside down? How could that possibly benefit them?

So first, why do horseshoe crabs swim at all? Scientists believe swimming may help distribute crabs to other areas. It may help them hurdle barriers that they canʼt climb over or around. Swimming might also help them escape from predators or waters with oxygen levels too low for continued survival.

Swimming for horseshoe crabs actually begins before the crab hatches. Digressing for a little life history, horseshoe crabs are the only marine arthropods (includes crabs, shrimp, lobsters, and barnacles) that fertilize eggs externally without brooding the eggs. They are also the only ones that migrate from offshore deep areas to the intertidal beach, where spawning occurs on the beach. The horseshoe crabs typically come onshore with a male attached to a female and a number of “satellite” males nearby. As the female deposits her eggs in a sand nest they are fertilized by the males.

Horseshoe crabs molt approximately eighteen times before they reach sexual maturity. The first three molts occur before

hatching. The fourth molt takes place at the time of hatching, about 4 weeks after the eggs were laid, and results in the first instar or trilobite larvae. Yes, trilobites, so cool! Only a couple millimeters in size, the trilobite larvae resembles the adult but without a telson, commonly called the tail.

Trilobites by the way are extinct arthropods…distant relatives of modern lobsters, horseshoe crabs and spiders. They existed for approximately 300 million years and occurred on every continent on Earth.

Back to swimming horseshoe crabs, scientists think swimming may be inherent, learned while an upside down embryo is still encased within its transparent egg. Theyʼve observed well-developed embryos turning somersaults, using both legs and their book gills (resembling pages of a book) to create movement. As such, it is not surprising to see newly

swim. It is thought that swimming is a way of dispersing the animals which makes sense since horseshoe crabs are not social animals. Swimming may also be a way of avoiding cannibalism which has

also been observed in the laboratory.

For smaller more buoyant horseshoe crabs, swimming also appears to be an alternative to turning over in the water using the telson. In the laboratory juveniles have been observed propelling themselves off the bottom in order to right themselves.

hatched larvae swimming awkwardly to the surface.

Approximately 6-8 days after hatching horseshoe crab larvae molt into the first juvenile instar. At 5 millimeters in length the juvenile fully resembles the adult but with a shorter telson. Juveniles are also known to swim as evidenced by the observer. In laboratory settings, crowded conditions stimulate juvenile horseshoe crabs to

As horseshoe crabs get larger they appear to swim less which is why we typically donʼt see them at the surface. A book written by several horseshoe crab experts indicated that in all of their field observations over the many years that they had only observed two adult horseshoe crabs swimming at the surface in open water and only once in the open ocean. Interestingly, the later was a horseshoe crab about one meter in length! A very big crab indeed.

This leads me to my last few tidbits about horseshoe crabs. Worldwide there are four species of horseshoe crabs.

Three occur in Southeast Asia (including the big one from above) and the fourth is found on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts from Maine to Mexico.

Horseshoe crabs date back almost 450 million years, 200 million years before dinosaurs existed and over this time their body form has changed very little. Itʼs worth noting that horseshoe crabs are not crabs at all.

They are really most closely related to spiders, scorpions and mites. Horseshoe crabs mature around ten years of age and live about 20 years.

Horseshoe crabs benefit humans in many ways: because their blue, copperbased blood clots in the presence of bacterial toxins, it is used to test intravenous drugs, vaccines, and other medical devices. Every year thousands of crabs are harvested, bled, and then returned to the water for this purpose. Also, much of what we know about the human eye can be credited to horseshoe crabs.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is trying to document nesting sites of horseshoe crabs from around the state with the publicʼs help. If you would like to find out how you can be involved, please visit: http://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/crustaceans/horseshoecrabs/documenting-beaches/

Capt. Betty Staugler Florida Sea Grant Agent UF/IFAS Extension Charlotte County (941) 764-4346 http://charlotte.ifas.ufl.edu www.flseagrant.org

JUNE 2015

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AQUATICA

Adam Wilson Water LIFE Underwater

The top photo is of a spotted cleaner shrimp living on his/her host, a Giant Caribbean anemone.

I took this photo last month on a natural limestone ledge offshore in 58 feet between Stump Pass and Gasparilla Pass. There are a lot of nice ledges in this area that are home to Giant Caribbean anemones. Not all anemones have cleaner shrimp, but I have seen as many as 4 on one anemone before. Whenever I find an anemone I check for shrimp. They are on the small side, less than an inch long, and they are fun to watch as they walk along waving their antennae, guiding fish in that need a cleaning from parasites.

The next photo is a typical sight now, I call it "Lion Fish on Ledge". I kill every one I see with my little pole spear, right after I take their picture! I then carefully remove their spines with my shears and shove them in my bag. They are delicious, very similar to hogfish, extremely white meat, flaky and sweet tasting. We removed 5 large ones from this one particular small spot.

The goliath grouper at the top right was under a barge that was sunk near the Palm Island ferry site in 60 feet. I think this barge has only been down for a little over a year but already it is crawling with life and it has an inordinate amount of mature goliath grouper.

A lionfish (above) and a dwarf-frogfish (antennarius-radiosus) (right) from a trip last month with Capt. Joe Miller out of Venice

DIVE REPORT.

There is still a little thermocline about 20 feet off the bottom, but it is mild (upper 70's) and a 3 mil wetsuit is sufficient. By the middle of June that thermocline should be gone, except in deep water (out past 100 feet). Vis is a little dirty on the bottom and will probably stay that way on the shallow reefs (inside 60 feet) through the summer.

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Three New Outfits

By Capt. Chuck Eichner Water LIFE Inshore Amazing is the response you get when you give 3 kids brand new fishing rods.

Grandsons, Jonah (4), Gavin (7) and Zachary (9) moved from Zebco 202 reels to nice lightweight Shakespeare spinning outfits rigged with 15# Power Pro line.

Instantly, they became very good with long casts, close calls with hooks wizzing through the air and spikey catfish off my dock.

Before their arrival from Baltimore, I ran out into the Harbor and cast netted a livewell full of frisky whitebait. On the dock I thought fishing was the first priority... but not. Kids find fascination in things I take for granted like “dock crabs” scurrying around pier pilings and lizards chasing bugs. But eventually, some nice casts were made and plenty of 23-inch snook came a calling along with sail and

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hardhead catfish. Four year old Jonah’s first snook pulled so hard I thought the new rod was going to be pulled out of his hand. He thought the snook pulling drag and jumping was funny and laughed the entire time he reeled. Laughter seemed to make sense to me, so when my fishing buds see me laughing when fish jump they can think I am acting like a little kid.

An hour before dark we ran out into the Harbor and dropped a few crab pots into the water hoping for a crab feast in a few days. With a little daylight left, Gavin asked to fish before we went in so I went to my favorite snook spot where I have literally caught hundreds of snook before. The bite started off slow and then Gavin’s cork dove deep and a tarpon blasted into the air. The tarpon leaped and pulled drag, but with surprising skill the fish was landed! More than half the length of this young angler this tarpon was a first and a first for this spot!

Shark seemed the logical choice for a family fishing outing the next day so we

anchored over a drop off in the Harbor and chopped up pilchards for chum. It did not take long before everyone was catching trout an unexpected bonus, nice ones averaging over 20 inches! Then a big shark hit a half of ladyfish on the bottom.

My son Brian could barely get the 5/0 heavy backcountry rod from its holder with drag screaming and rod buckling!

His enthusiasm was radiant as he never felt the power of a big shark before.

Meanwhile I wondered about breaking anchor and chasing the fish as we were losing lots of line. We were fishing with 67-pound hay-wire with 60 pound mono and a 5/0 circle hook with plenty of backing so Brian battled the monster, but only to have the braided line snap! Fishing continued to heat up with more shark hook-ups and break offs until the afternoon storms chased us home.

The next day off we went again for shark, but we were met with slow tides and a slow bite. To compensate we chummed heavier, chopping up baitfish

JUNE 2015

into small pieces and sprinkling them into the water. Kids find fascination in messing with baitfish in the livewell, using the washdown pump to keep the boat clean and using a baseball bat to pitch chum pieces into the water so I was bored long before them! Finally, after hours of fishing, the tide started and several small sharks blessed our lines before the storms chased us in again On the way in, Gavin wanted to check our crab traps, but after two days of sitting in prime blue-claw locations each trap had the shellfish welks in them, but no crabs.

A fine speckled trout dinner that night made up for the lack of crabs that Marylanders so strongly desire and all the talk was about fishing! Gavin asked if he could move down and his Mom said when you are 17 and have graduated from high school. I think the hook has been set for a lifelong love of Charlotte Harbor!

Capt. Chuck Eichner operates Action Flats Backcountry Charters and can be reached at 941-628-8040

JUNE 2015

BACK ISSUES @

STUMP PASS: The Fix Is In

On The Line

WORK TO BEGIN

IN

NOVEMBER

By Capt. Ron Blago Water LIFE Senior Staff

It really was a dark and stormy night back in 1995 when I first realized how important Stump Pass was to my health and financial security. I was coming back from a night time shark fishing charter and used my old Loran C to find the pass.

There I was with a boat full of customers trying to find a safe way home. There were no boats to follow, no red or green light to mark the channel, no markers at all, just total darkness so I used my depth finder and bumped along the bottom looking for the channel.

After about a half hour of high anxiety, praying that I didn't run aground or a large wave wouldn't crash over the stern and swamp us, I eventually turned the corner at Palm Island and made it back to the dock in one piece. Right then and there I swore that I would do everything I could to make sure that Stump Pass was properly marked, safe and navigable. That vow has taken me on a 20 year odyssey through politics, government agencies, fund raising and numerous speaking engagements. But I think I can now safely say I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I have been told by high level Charlotte County officials at a public meeting, that the actual work on the Stump Pass project will begin in November of this year. The first part of the project will be the building of a stone terminal groin (formally known as a jetty) on the north side of the pass. It is hoped that this solid structure will minimize the drifting of sand into the pass. This should help reduce the number of maintenance dredges that would be required over the next 10 years. Another portion of the project will be beach re-nourishment on both the South and North shorelines with the sand coming from the dredging of the pass and offshore borrow sites already located.

Both Palm Island and Manasota Key are in desperate need of this sand to restore their eroding shorelines.

I am 92.6% certain that the work will start on time, but there are always potential problems. Weather can be a major factor, after all it will still be hurricane

season and some unforseen last minute permitting could be required.

You would be amazed by the number of government agencies that have to sign off on this project. The bids for all the work has to be within the budget . There are very few dredging companies that can do this sort of work. Sometime they are not physically in our area or they have other work to do. The Stump Pass work is considered small compared to protects they usually work on. The biggest threat in my opinion is some last minute legal action by a special interest group who, for what ever reason, does not want the pass to be dredged.

Why is this time different from all the other attempts in the last 30 years to fix Stump Pass? Well, I am told that in the last few years there has been a change in attitude in Tallahassee, when it comes to working with local counties on these type of projects. In the past, we were told we couldn't have a jetty or put sand on the north side shoreline. Now they are willing to work with the locals to not only protect the environment, but also to consider boater safety issues and property owners rights.

Let's hope we get this project done before they go back to their old ways. If you want more information on the Stump Pass project go to the county web site www. charlottecountyfl.gov then go to projects and click on Stump Pass 10 Year Beach and Inlet Management Plan. http://myfwc.com/boating/anchoring-mooring

WWW.WATERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM

PAGE 15

16

YOU WILL REGISTER WITH THE STATE NOW! PAGE

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JUNE 2015

there will be no complaining!

Staff Report According to the FWC, red snapper is: a popular species that has a strong economic impact for many coastal communities throughout Florida. This is the motivation for their management strategy.

Now try and remember their rules, as stated by them: The 2015 season is now open and will run through July 12, closing July 13. This season will resume for all of Labor Day weekend (Sept. 5-7) and finish with Saturdays and Sundays throughout the rest of September and all of October, with the last day of harvest being Sunday, Nov. 1. This results in a 70-day recreational red snapper season in Gulf state waters.

And you better remember the following too: State waters in the Gulf are from shore to 9 nautical miles. So far it’s simple... but in Gulf federal waters this year, anglers fishing from private boats and anglers fishing from federally permitted for-hire vessels will have different season lengths. Federal waters will open June 1 for both groups and will remain open through June 10, closing June 11, for anglers fishing from private boats.

For federally permitted for-hire vessels, the season will remain open through July 14, closing July 15. If they want people to remember all this they better print it on something people take along fishing, like a bag of ice. Federal waters in the Gulf start at 9 nautical miles and extend out to about 200 nautical miles.

Now for the very worst idea: Anglers targeting red snapper in Gulf waters off Florida (excluding Monroe County and we don’t know why) from a private boat must now sign up for the Gulf Reef Fish Survey prior to fishing. Sign up at a tackle shop, retail store, or tax collector’s office; by calling 1-888-FISHFLORIDA (347-4567); or online at License.MyFWC.com.

We wonder how the tackle shops and retail stores are getting reimbursed for the time it takes them if they- do the paperwork.

Amberjack closes June 1 in Gulf state waters VENICE OFFSHORE

Last Monthʼs Fish

Top Two: A nice mangrove snapper Mike Carr brought back to Venice. Glen Ballinger. with an African Pompano caught flatlining a jig head with sardine on it in a chum slick, 45 miles offshore.

All other photos on this page are from trips last month out of Venice Inlet with Capt. Joe Miller, Offshore Gallore

JUNE 2015

By Fishin’ Frank Water LIFE Baitshop This is still a big question; should I use braided line or Mono? Monofilament line is a solid plastic line getting its name from a single or mono filament invented in 1938. But it was stiff and kinky and not until the mid 1960s it was made really usable to fish with. Braided line is a type of cloth and form of Kevlar, yes it is made with bullet-proof-vest thread and while not exactly Kevlar it’s close enough so let’s start with that.

Braided line is amazing because it allows you to fish with very heavy strength line that is so small you can cast 20 pound test with the ease of 8 pound mono. Yes, there is a difference between how thin a line is and the castablity of the line. Take 30-pound braided line, it is smaller than 12 pound mono, but when you throw it on a fishing rod it will cast the same distance as 12-pound mono. So 20-pound braid, while the size of 4-pound mono, will cast like 8-pound.

Braid line is more resistant to scraping against barnacles, so it wears better than mono. Monofilament line tends to twist when used on spinning reels and to get the twist out you would drag it behind the boat at a very slow speed. When twisted, mono looks a lot like wrought iron and when pulled through the water, the water will work out all of the twists in about 1 to 2 minutes. Braided line, when it gets twisted, just will not UN-twist when

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Time To Switch Lines?

Rob Gunnells with a shark-bit grouper ... does this count as half his limit ?

pulled through the water. Some of the twist will come out, but it takes 5 times longer to get all the twist out. Braided line, being cloth material, does not hold the shape, as will mono to help the water work the twist out. The good news is that it takes 5 times longer to have the twist in

$2 off any haircut!

braided line become a problem.

Braid is stronger than mono line.

That is what most people think but it is not really true.

Braided line has no give or stretch, so on a flat dead pull with no jerking it is very strong, but if you pull, then jerk Tiny diamater, 15-pound braid on braided line it will pop quite easily. This is the reason I use braided line when fishing against the mangroves or under docks, I use it because it breaks so easy. If you hang braided line in a tree branch a short sharp jerk of the line will pop the braid, while mono fishing line stretches so much it is very hard to break and often sends a high speed missile (the lure) back to the boat – the stretch acts like a sling shot. So contrary to people’s thinking, I use braided line so I can safely break it.

So if I am trolling, or really open water fishing, I still prefer mono as it gives/stretches when the fish hits, making it hard to break. A hint: if you are going to troll with braided, there is an equation.

With mono line, the fish hits, the line

PAGE 17

stretches, the rod bends the drag on the reel gives. When using braid to troll with there is no stretch, so set your drag at least 1/3 looser than you would with mono, so the fish will not break off.

Now mono line will get you more hits, the same way that Fluorocarbon leader will get you more hits than steel leader. So in open water I use mono to hook more fish because more fish means more fun.

Now what color line is the best? Not too many years ago it was simple; you had a choice of clear mono line or white mono line. Now there are tons of colors and lines with mixed colors. So which is best? They are all the best, but not all year. I had 8 rods and reels on the boat and each one had a different color line on it, no one color catches more fish than the other all year round. As the water color changes and the conditions change so will the color of your line.

I fish every once in a while with white bait and white bait swims around a lot.

Now with each rod a different color I know which white bait is swimming behind the boat, or is under the boat and all I have to say is ‘Hey, yellow reel up.’ When the lines were all one color everyone had to reel in to find out whose bait it was.

Tangles are easier to deal with when the lines are different colors as well. It’s much simpler to get yellow apart from green than green from green.

So there is no real down side to different colors other than we are not used to it.

Just to wrap this up, let me ask, what is the best brand of braided line? There is not a best one. They are all good, the trick is to find which one is the best for you, which brand of line cast good for you without throwing wind knots.

Some people will do better with one brand and some with another. So if a line works for you that means it is good. But it may not be the one for your fishing partner, how he casts, which rods and reel he has put together.

Whether you use bait or lures will also make a difference in which line is the best for you. So when a line company says we are the best, know that is impossible. It is only true if it works best for you.

Frank@fishinfranks.com 625-3888

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The Olʼ Fishnʼ Hole

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With Capt. Jim OʼBrien

Hey YA -ALL! I have to say the fish'n has been great offshore. The water temperature went down to 78 degrees then bounced right back up to 83 degrees.

Every place I have fished has been on fire. I have talked to a lot of fishermen this last month and they have been doing real good, most have been fishing lately.

They have been catching big mangs, lanes and yellow-tail snapper. They were chumming real heavy and they were using squid and live shrimp. They also said they started out using 15 pound fluorocarbon leader and when the bite quit they went down to 10 pound fluorocarbon and the bite started up again.

The red grouper are chewing excellent.

The BIG - UNS are out in 110 to 140 feet of water, they are eatin’ live pin fish, squirrel fish and grunts and also mullet.

Most of the guys I talked to haven't been catching a lot of gag grouper, they are not open yet anyway.

I was talking to Peter Hood in Saint Petersburg Fl. about the openings and closing of red and gag grouper. He said the red grouper went back to 2 per person and would not close like they usually do.

Also when the gags open July1, he said it looks like it may stay open, so keep your fingers crossed. I will take 2 fish per person any day if they keep the season open.

There are some big sharks in Boca Grande pass and in the Harbor. I talked with 2 shark fishermen. They said they have caught 3 big bull sharks and they were a little over 10 feet long. They are fishing for hammerheads now. I ask them if they got any huge hammerheads to get pictures of them and e-mail me some.

Cobia are hitting real good on the offshore wrecks most are coming up the chum lines. I always put a line out in back of the boat with a balloon half blown up with a pin fish on the other end.

AJ'S, greater amberjack, are hitting

real good on lively blue runners, a couple of the hot spots for BIG- UNS are D-9 and passed that, on to the House of Pain.

Guys are getting them from 40- to 70pounds.

My story for this month is I had the privilege of fishing with 3 good friends, Walter Jennings, Bob Speakman, Chuck Edmonsten last week and we decided to go hole hopping for the day and see what was bitting at the different spots we were targeting 40- to 48-miles out. Well as you can see from the pictures we caught red grouper from 24 inches to over 30 inches.

The big boys tipped in at 17 to 19 pounds.

I mean these guys have been eating good.

All of us had a ball. We didn't anchor up, we drifted every spot. I want to go back to them spots and anchor up and chum heavy, I think those spots are going to be dynamite. We also got a big snapper off these spots.

The neatest part of this whole trip was we had a visit from a warbalor or some are calling it a golden finch that

JUNE 2015

many of you have seen while fishing offshore. (editor notes: our bird expert says it is a spring Blackpoll Warbler) It is a very small bird, looks like a little sparrow and I mean he took control of the boat. He walked around the center console many, many times. He sat on every ones shoulder, he sat on every ones hat, he wasn't afraid of any one of us, but you had to keep looking down so you would not step on him. We set up a cap from a water bottle and filled it up with water and set it under the fighting chair in the shade and we set him down there to have nice cool drink and he drank and drank and drank.

I have had these little birds come to the boat many times, but none of them would let us pick them up like this one did. He stayed with us until we started back home.

It just goes to show, something different usually happens every time you go out!

That's all I have, now it’s time to get out of here so if you want to book an offshore charter with us give me a call at (941) 473 - 2150 AND REMEMBER, GET OUT AND SNORT SOME OF THAT CLEAN SALT AIR, C U Z IT’S GOOD FER YA ! ! !

JUNE 2015

BACK ISSUES @

Local Retailer Makes Significant Don Ball School Donation Michael Heller Pres. Charlotte Harbor Reef Association Our Don Ball School of Fishing is happy to report that last month we received a donation of 73 fishing rods from the local Walmart store in Punta Gorda. Thank you Walmart! I understand the rods were part of a national display and could not be resold. “The kids are going to love them,� Program Director Donna Ball said as she tried to figure out how to load 73 rods into her little car.

Luckily one of our board members, Capt.

Ralph Allen, was near by and able to provide his time and truck to pick up the rods and get them to our storage facility.

Classes in the Don Ball School of Fishing have been offered to 6th and 7th graders in the four Charlotte County middle schools every fall for the last 14 years.

For more information, go to our website www.waterlifemagazine/DonBall

Support Local Kids who are Learning about Local Fishing And the Local Environment At the Local Middel Schools

Donna Ball with the new rods

Donate to the Don Ball School of Fishing Use the pay pal button on the Waterlifemagazine.com website. Every little bit helps!

100% of your donation goes to the kids!

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PAGE 19

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20

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JUNE 2015

SCUTTLEBUTT

Sometimes

Survival Instinct The original report was that the adult male was seated at the rear of the vessel and while the vessel was underway and inbound, the other passengers realized he was no longer in the vessel. USCG vessel searching heard the adult male screaming for help and was able to get him safely aboard after he had tread water without a life jacket for approximately 6 hours.

T Bone Head FWC officers investigated a boating accident in Ski Alley involving two personal watercrafts (PWCʼs). The two PWCʼs were spraying each other with their wakes most of the morning until one of them caught a wake wrong and the PWC went bow into the side of the other PWC. There were no injuries, largely due to one of the operators jumping off at the last moment.FWC officer completed the acci-

Unsubstanciated,

dent report, charging the operator of the striking PWC.

But

Often

True

Miami Vice-Grip Two off duty FWC officers were traveling west bound on SW 328 Street in southern Miami-Dade County when they saw a commercial land scape dump truck parked on the side of the road, adjacent to a canal, and a man holding a rope that The search for Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 has turned up something was leading into the unexpected this week. Instead of the downed Boeing 777 Australian-led water. They then saw search teams were looking for, the salvage operation has uncovered a the man pulling on the previously uncharted 19th century shipwreck 13,000 feet beneath the rope attempting to pull oceanʼs surface. Futured imagery will be given to marine archeologists in up what was later identi- the hope of identifying the ship. fied as an 11ʼ alligator, help and together they were able to pull out of the water. Another subject ran to the alligator to shore. Both men were subsequently arrested.

This is jellyfish season on Floridasʼs north east coast. The beach at Mayport was littered with them when we were there last month.

Here a young boy with paddels designed for a beach ball game finds another use for them. This is whatʼs great - kids improvising and experiencing the outdoors.

Future network along U.S. East Coast Scientists are using a variety of buoys and autonomous underwater vehicles to record and archive sounds (editor notes: and God knows what else!) from marine mammals and fish species in the western North Atlantic through a new listening network known as the U.S. Northeast Passive Acoustic Sensing Network (NEPAN) which stretches from the northern Gulf of Maine to the New York Bight in the northwest Atlantic Ocean, NEPAN provides year-round,

long-term information on the presence and physical distribution of vocalizing whales, dolphins and porpoises and some fish species. (editor notes: Does anyone reading this believe all that money was spent to listen to fish?)

The archived and near-realtime data (editor again - yeah, we need real time data to listen to fish... uh huh) comes from recorders on various platforms ranging from fixed bottom mounted and surface buoys to mobile underwater vehicles and surface wave gliders. The data will be used by NOAA ʻand other federal agencies.ʼ the report says.

Singaporean company Horizon Energy Systems (HES) unveiled HYCOPTER in Atlanta (AUVSI 2015) last month. HYCOPTER is the world's first hydrogen fuel cell powered multi-rotor UAV, and is being readied for a record flight endurance of four hours, or around eight to 10 times the average flight duration of equivalent systems today.

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PGSC Spring Series Overview HOW SAILORS COMPETE JUNE 2015

By Peter Welch Water LIFE Sailing Punta Gorda Sailing Club is in its 40th year as a 501C organization. It was founded by sailors who wanted organized racing. There are many more activities now, but it is still the major race organizer on the Harbor with three race series of six races each. Racers can be win oriented or just need scheduled events to assure that they get out on the water. There is no winter allowed on the Harbor so Spring Series runs from January until May with six races at $8 each. A wide variety of boats from 20-feet up are rated for speed and their finish time adjusted accordingly to determine ranking in each race. A boat’s four best rankings are used to determine season’s rank. A boat’s ability to sail to its rating will vary with the boat design, weather and crew skills. Thus to win your class for the series it is best to participate in all six races. The capricious wind patterns on the Harbor amplify that: start to the left side because the wind was best there, then it stops and the right is best! Your two worst race results are deleted from the series score…. so race them all.

An unusually warm spring this year had wind from everywhere but the north until the last race on May 3. The second race was four miles from center Harbor to the fishing structure and return. The first race for Still Crazy it established a winning pattern in spinnaker class until race five when Soulshine prevailed by seven seconds. It was Fancy Free over Morgan in non spinnaker to begin the contest that would not be decided until race 5. It was the first race for DivaGorda and the beginning of consistent good results that would put them ahead of three boats with a first place finish in one race. Race 3 and 4 were contests of patience in light and spotty winds. Race 5 and 6 had great wind for fun on the Harbor no matter where you ranked in the results.

There is a picnic after each race. This is a good place for racers to decompress, and compare race strategy good or bad. And a good place for non-racers to see the friendly competitive spirit that keeps winners and “also ran’s” coming back. Try it! peter can be reached at: pwcboats@aol.com

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Last Race of Spring May 3

Results

Spinnaker Fleet 1st Still Crazy 2nd Soulshine 3rd Us2

Non Spinnaker Fleet 1st Morgan 2nd Fancy Free 3rd Rockinʼ Chair

Cruising Fleet 1st Diva Gorda 2nd Euphoria 3rd Panache

Top 3 Photos Fran Burstein

Photo Below: Dennis Peck

Little boat action in last monthʼs Hybiscus Cup - There are usually great small boat programs during the summer for kids on Charlotte Harbor

PAGE 21

Prepared for Anything?

By Capt. Dan Cambern Water LIFE Placida Offshore How many times have you been fishing and had an opportunity arise that you weren't prepared for? I'm talking about fishing for one species when all of a sudden something else swims by and all of a sudden A.D.D. kicks in and now I want to catch THAT fish instead. I know this has happened to me personally many, many times over the years and you'd think by now I would be ready for anything that swims. Well, truth is that you can't possibly be ready for everything all the time, but I've gotten better at it.

Now I'm going to elaborate on fishing offshore from a boat because that is the way I normally fish and have the most experience in. I also believe there is a better chance of being surprised by an unexpected visitor offshore because there are more species there. This is the reason I keep over 20 rod and reel combos on my boat. Over kill? Maybe, but I'm ready for almost anything.

Let's say, for instance, if you're out in your boat fishing on the bottom for grouper with a traditional boat rod and reel setup and a cobia swims up to your transom begging for a meal, what do you do? You should always have a pitch rod rigged and ready to go. I like to have a medium to heavy spinning rod with at least 50 # braid main line and a six ft. length of 60 to 80# mono or flourocarbon leader. I have 2 of these ready in my rod holders on my tower ready to go. One will always have a Spro or similar style buck-tail jig on it, while the other is rigged with a 6/0 to 7/0 circle hook to quickly put a live bait on. I also have similar rods rigged with a wire leader and stinger hook for Kingfish and other toothy predators.

Here's a story from a couple of years ago that I will never forget. We were fishing a charter group and had just set up on our last spot of the day to catch some more grouper. So, we're anchored up in 80 ft. of water about 20 miles off Boca Grande, I almost didn't put out my flat line bait because we had fished all day without a strike on it and it was almost time to go in but I put it out any way. I had a live cigar-minnow on a wire stinger rig swimming under a float about 20 yards behind us. All of a sudden the sound of braided line ripping through the rod guides and the pole bent straight out toward the back of the boat. I grabbed the rod out of the holder and handed it to one of my clients while yelling to the other guys to reel their lines in and clear the deck. Fish On! Next thing I see is a big sailfish jumping behind the boat trying to shake the hook out of his mouth. So now we have this nice sailfish hooked up and what do I see right swimming right behind the boat? A big mahi-mahi cruising by like nobody's business, so I grabbed the pitch rod with my trusty Spro jig and tossed it out in front of it. 2nd fish on! and we're still anchored up! Well, the sailfish went one way while the dolphin went the other and both fish went around the bow at least once and never got tangled in the anchor line! We got the dolphin to the boat first and put a gaff in her and put it in the ice box. She weighed 20 pounds on the boga-grip.The sailfish eventually gave up and we boated it, got a few quick pictures and released it to fight again another day.

Now that obviously doesn't happen every day, but we have caught dolphin and triple tail underneath a single floating crab trap using lighter spinning rods rigged with a small jig or just a small hook attached to 20 # leader which is also the same rigs I use for catching snapper when we get them chummed up behind the boat.

I also keep several rods rigged and ready for trolling, as well as a heavy duty rig set up for large sharks if someone on the boat wants a good workout.

Capt. Dan Cambern hammerheadcharters.com Hammerhead Charters (941) 625-6226 380-6226

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22

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JUNE 2015

June – Predictions and Suggestions

Charlotte Harbor

Frank at Fishin’ Franks 941- 625-3888

Fishing has been great, but when going fishing you got to watch the afternoon wind. As it gets warmer, the sea breeze gets stronger.

Up in the Harbor there is a good variety of fish. The tarpon are consistent in size but the sharks are from 18- inches to 12 feet! It’s just a huge variety of shark sizes and in amongst them, there are Spanish, catfish, jacks, pompano, bluefish and ladyfish just such a wide variety right now. One of the coolest things I

heard lately is while looking for tarpon bait, like ladyfish, pull a white Twitch Storm lure on one side of the boat and a 14 Bomber - the little one - black and shiny silver, on the other and you’ll see the ladyfish will only hit the black and silver lure while the mackerel that are there Hudson Wilds releasing a tarpon caught on a will only hit the white lure. It’s somemud minnow with a Penn Battle 3000 on a thing I never experienced but people are Johny Morris carbonite rod trying it and telling me there is no crossover what so ever. Mackerel on get wacked by a 26 inch cobia. I guess white, ladyfish on the black and silver. things could be worse!

Who knew?

Tarpon are kind of wishy-washy.

South, into the Harbor from Pirate Har- Some guys say they see them swarm out bor to Boca Grande, there is a good numto the Gulf when there is a lightning ber of cobia out there. Most are too small storm. Some other guys say no, but think to keep so I assume they were all hatched about it: maybe the older tarpon, 50 years in the last year. Out into the Gulf, towards or what ever, they might get smarter. Or Marys (reef) and the Power Poles, you get maybe its just their time to go out there. a few more but the vast majority are The morning bite is good on tarpon, small, in the high 20 inches, maybe 26, but the big problem is everything is trying but a lot of small cobia. A Power Bait eel to eat your tarpon bait. We’ve had some for an artificial will work for cobia, but luck with bobber jigging tarpon with crabs the 1/2 ounce gold spoon, they seem to hooked 5-to 6-feet below the bobber. like the Johnson Minnow, is the lure for Sharks and cats don’t key in on the crabs them. Live, a pinfish under a bobber. I’ve like that. And threadfins? - Pretty much heard many stories of guys fishing small everything eats them. crabs they paid $3 for, for tarpon, only to The snook-drift at Redfish Pass has

Greg Harris, tagged this big bull shark from shore and released it last month in the Big Hammer Challenge

started and it’s just incredible. Snook are in the mangroves. Turtle and Bull Bays really slowed down lately on snook.

The best snook fishing is on the beaches

Charters

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Capt. Jim OʼBrien USCG 50 ton license since 1985

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BackBay Xtremes Capt Dave Stephens www.backbayxtremes.com

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JUNE 2015

The BIG-4

TARPON Coming up from the south

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Fish to expect in

SNOOK Catch and release only look on/near the beaches

Still some nice redfish around

REPORT CONTINUED

Northeast Florida mullet rig.

Gold swivels and bacon, many hooks, a foot apart. And it works!

right now from Sanibel to Nokomis. There are big snook on the beaches right now.

The South end of the West Wall is slow and the north end is better. Seems to be more fish there than on the east side of the Harbor.

The weird part is, usually it stays so fresh there all year because of the River but now there might be food over there. Right now

BACKWATER Little Goliaths

Capt Joe Angius gave us these photos and others to go with his column about bait (see page 11) but this is more. This is what fishing is all about, finding a great, fighting fish that no one else targets!

WWW.WATERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM

PAGE 23

June

COBIA In the southern Harbor and near shore area

Gulf Temps are low 80s SHARKS Some very big, some very mean, all very hungry

there is no water coming down the Peace River, the water is not flowing at all and Shell Creek has a just trickle. It’s 1.1 feet on the Peace right now. So with a nice influx of salt way up the Harbor maybe there is a whole new feeding ground from the Radio Towers to Trout Creek on the west side.

There is a lot of algae decaying in the Harbor now. I expect a fish kill soon. High 80s, low oxygen, decaying algae and weeds sucking oxygen out of the water. Not good. The State has found there are 5 - to 10-minute periods in the water when there is almost zero oxygen level.... a few minutes is all it takes.

Redfish have come back on east side and at the north end of the West Wall. More reds are appearing further back among the islands, small pods, not big schools, but quite a few of them. Steady exploration is what it takes to find them. The bigger moves you make, the less fish you are going to catch. Move in small increments and you’ll find them. Use whitebait out in front to locate them, but fish with pinfish and shrimp to catch them. Right now the reds will blow up on white bait but they will swallow a shrimp. Tail hook the shrimp and don’t move it around much.

Let it sit on the bottom where the reds will come to eat them.

There are pompano out front of the bar on the west side.

Out in the Gulf it’s been crazy with blackfin tuna 10-to 20-miles, then past 20 you’ve got mahi dolphin, AJs and permit on a lot of the wrecks and still some king mackerel too. Red grouper are still really good with keeper red grouper at Venice jettys, yes red grouper from the jetty and not to say it can’t happen again this month.

Keep a grouper line out and get a pinfish down. There has been lane snapper and mangrove snapper along with grunts and porgys and some amazing vermillion snapper came from out about 20 miles.

If you are going to walk the beaches, there are flounder, whiting, small sharks and Spanish. In the middle of the day the snook slow down.

I think clear water is brighter and they can’t squint.

The Harbor is 3- or 4-degrees warmer

WARNING

Lemon Bay Very HOT - Very EARLY Jim at Fishermen’s Edge 697-7595

95˚ The FWC and the Coast Guard are checking the tarpon 90˚ fishermen every day. Some guys are still trying to use a 85˚ snagging type jig.

The style has changed and the FWC wants to see 80˚ your gear. They said they will be out there for the whole season. The ticket for illegal gear is $500.

72˚ They are catch70˚ ing the tarpon pretty good on the 68˚ beach, in the Harbor and in the Pass right now.

There was just a 50˚ hill-tide when all the crabs flushed out, that was pretty good acton for everybody. A lot of 45˚ the tarpon are in the deeper holes on the Pirate Harbor side right now.

There are lots of other fish to catch too. There are snook from El Jobean south and also along the passes and around the docks near the passes right now. A number of guys say there are keeper size cobia in the Harbor from the cutoff down the west side.

Redfish have slowed for a while in the Harbor but we’ve picked up some schools in Lemon Bay and guys are catching them pretty strong by Stump Pass.

Some mixed in whiting, flounder, Spanish, mangs and snapper, all good at the moment until the afternoon rains hit and the back country stuff migrates to the Gulf side.

The fishery is in good shape and we are experiencing a lot of angling success.

FISHING RIGHT NOW:

YIKES!

PAGE

24

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