Water LIFE Oct 2016 by Water LIFE magazine

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Charlotte Harbor, Lemon Bay, Venice, Estero, 10,000 Islands and the Gulf

The Don Ball School of Fishing

October 2016

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Screwed Again page 11

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ENVIRONMENT

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SomeoneĘźs gotta do it page 7

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OCTOBER 2016

Tune in to Radio Fishinʼ anytime! Talk shows with Fishinʼ Frank @ FishinFranks.com

eMail letters and photos to: WaterLIFE@comcast.net

Some Things Never Change To Michael Heller Publisher, Water LIFE

Sir; I picked up your magazine at Bass Pro the other day while looking for a few Wahoo lures. Your editorial brought back memories.

Years ago, my wife and I traveled to Punta Gorda, intent on buying a lot to build our retirement home. We were following a large tractor trailer. In those days the rentals still had the name of the rental car company on the front of the vehicle. We were traveling at the speed limit a safe distance away from the truck when a police car screamed by from the opposite direction. The police car did a Hollywood chase u- turn, smoking tires and all. On came the lights and he pulled me over, gave me a ticket for speeding. Near as I can figure he had seen my rental car plate and decided to welcome me to Punta Gorda. I paid the ticket in town, left and never returned. I guess some things never change. Perhaps what is needed is a federal or state investigation. Looks to me like there is plenty of information to work with. Good luck in your quest for justice. Ed Shuttleworth Bonita Springs

An Open Letter to the FWC

To: Kipp Frohlich, FWC Division of Habitat and Species Conservation, Subject: Proposed Critical Wildlife Areas

Kipp Based on my attendance of the public workshop on Sanibel, my review of the proposed CWA's in our area, and our conversations, I have the following comments. It is clearly in the best interest of our recreational boating community to have a variety of fish and wildlife in and around our waterways. For many boaters it defines their purpose for on the water recreation, which can include fishing, sightseeing, and nature observations. It is important that we preserve and protect nesting bird colonies as a natural resource. Our concern is the basis for the closure of areas open and available to our boating, and more specifically, our fishing public. As with most governmental designations, once established, they are unlikely to be rescinded. In addition, there tends to be momentum gained with land restrictions that seem to foster additional closures. We see this at the national level with Wilderness designations by both executive order and congressional action, and not always in locations that warrant the exclusion of the general public.

To secure the support of the marine industries the FWC will have to provide some additional information on the following items: What are the nesting numbers for the selected islands? What makes these islands so unique and different from other islands in Pine Island Sound that they should warrant closure? The criteria for defining a "disturbance" needs to be better explained. While there is literature that describes how human disturbance affects the nesting habits of avian species, it would be better to provide specific examples and frequency of occurrence to warrant the closure of the area. Is there a middle ground between open access and complete closure? Can we develop some limitations that start with limiting access versus closing off access? For example nomotor zones or trolling motor zone designations around the islands? If we are going to be restricting access to the islands, I would suggest posting the areas with buoys versus fixed pilings and signage. Buoys pose less of a hazard to navigation than fixed posts. We will continue to monitor the actions of the FWC relative to establishing the CWA's. We anticipate receiving more detailed analysis of the need for the closures. Hans Wilson, SW Florida Marine Industries Assn.

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Contributing Editors:

Photography: ASA1000.com Senior Editor: Capt. Ron Blago Baitshop Commentary: Fishinʼ Frank Peace River: Capt. David Stephens Punta Gorda: Capt. Chuck Eichner Venice: Glen Ballinger Estero: Capt. Joe Angius Everglades City: Capt. Charlie Phillips Diving: Adam Wilson Kayaking: Bob Fraser Sea Grant: Capt. Betty Staugler Beach Fishing: Mallory Herzog Pier Fishing: Bobby Vitalis Delicious Seafood: Nicloe Coudal

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Txt us ur fish: Love this months issue I saw y'all were doing a baby fish section figured I'd send y'all the Baby grouper caught on a Sabiki rig Robert Nichols.

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C h ec k A r o u n d - s e e w h er e l o ca l a d v e r t i s e r s a r e p u t t i n g t h e i r h a r d e a r n e d d o l l a r s

CWA PLAN IS FOR THE BIRDS OCTOBER 2016

Commentary By Michael Heller Water LIFE editor The State wants to take water polluted with fertilizer, pesticides and sewage from Lake Okeechobee and send it south into the pristine Everglades National Monument. And at the same time, the state (through its Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) is moving forward with their initiative to protect birds by making more areas off limits to humans. Is there some environmental equilibrium they are trying to achieve? The off limits areas are designated Critical Wildlife Areas (CWA) and according to a recent press release from the FWC “the public has been largely supportive of the CWA idea.” CWAs are established by the FWC under a Florida Administrative Code rule to protect important wildlife concentrations from human disturbance during critical periods of their life cycles, such as breeding, feeding or migration. But not everyone thinks this is such a good idea as presented. In a letter to the FWC from the SW Florida Marine Industries Association, the writer expresses concerns (the full letter is on the facing page) saying “it would be better to provide specific examples and frequency of occurrence.....” Examples and science, that’s what I want too, not more “Trust Us” to solve a problem that may not even exist. The issue is not about protecting

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wildlife, I’m all for that, it’s about how the protection is thrust upon us poor, unprotected, humans. I’ve known the Deputy Division Director for the FWC’s Division of Habitat and Species Conservation, Kipp Frohlich, since the early days of the manatee issue. Back then it was Kipp who told me “boaters were not the biggest problem threatening manatees, but boaters were the easiest part of the equation to control.” At least he was honest, but because of that kind of thinking boaters got many of the unnecessary Slow Speed, No Access, No Fishing zones that we have today, even though the manatee population grew ten fold! Frohlich’s name was on a press release I received last month about the proposed CWAs. I have no reason to believe his thinking has changed. I’m sure he still favors the easy route. According to FWC Chairman Brian Yablonski, “Narrowly tailored and discreet CWA designations will help with reproduction and recruitment for significant bird species on our threatened list.” He called the approach “high-octane, quiet conservation,” but hasn’t said whether CWAs for other species might follow. There are currently 20 CWAs around Florida with 10 additional sites now up for consideration. Three of the new sites are in Pine Island Sound and three are in Estero Bay. These are islands you won’t be able to go to, or fish around....ever again.

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BOCA GRANDE ISLAND, I made this photograph some time around 1996 or 1997. The L shaped Phosphate Dock is at the back right. It still had its top on it. Back then you could sneak out and catch a goliath standing up. Phosphate shipments had stopped, but oil tankers still unloaded oil for the FPL power plant in Fort Myers. The oil was stored and then shipped by shallow water barge down the ICW. Today the big oil tanks are gone.

In the spring, a number of islands in the Peace River attract wood storks that arrive to nest and have their young. We like to go there and drift back down the river, past the islands, motor off. I could be fishing, it wouldn’t matter. We don’t bother them. Stealth is part of fishing, fishermen don’t bother the birds. If anything the birds bother us! But it’s not that I want to fish around the bird islands. There is too much acidity in the water there. The point is: will the bird islands of the Peace River become CWAs too? In fact, are all bird islands potential CWAs? “Often our enthusiasm to see birds in large concentration is the very thing that causes the disturbance,” Yablonski said.

“These are Florida’s signature bird species. They are the great wildlife ambassadors of Florida and we owe them this small measure of protection.” Owe them? That’s pretty strong. We owe our Veterans timely health care, we don’t owe birds doodley squat. There are two things we should have learned by now about protected areas. Number one is, the areas we protect never get unprotected. And number two is: these areas become footholds for other causes, to protect (sawfish, oysters, goliath grouper, etc.) and then the boundaries expand and additional regulations follow. The final vote on the CWA issue is next month at the FWC hearing in St. Pete.

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Trash to Cash

OCTOBER 2016

a short history of redfish

By Fishin’ Frank Water LIFE Baitshop The fishing industry is cashing in on redfish, which got their popularity with Chef Paul Prudhomme, when he started the blackened fish craze. Soon after that the red drum was put on the endangered list and then we were not allowed to keep any reds at all. Red drum had become one of the highest priced food fish in the country. Before that, redfish were considered trash fish. One of my first fishing memories is going to Port Charlotte Beach and seeing a guy fishing with a pile of fish behind him. When I asked what they were he said something like “damn saltwater carp, not good for anything,” and “this place is infested with them.” The fish piled behind him were redfish. That was when no one cared, catching redfish then was like catching a bunch of catfish now. It took President George Bush who signed Executive Order 13449 in October of 2007, to provide gamefish status and protection for striped bass and red drum from commercial harvest in Federal waters. Why protect redfish not snook before the 2000s? Simple: MONEY. Ever ask yourself why is bass fishing so big? Also simple. Bass are in almost every state, so tackle companies can sell a lot of bass tackle. That is the same reason carp are such a big thing in Europe today. They are in almost every country there. Snook, in the US, on the other hand, are only south of Tampa. Snook are a South Florida phenomenon where as red drum are in all of the Gulf states and up the Atlantic Seaboard... much larger opportunity to make money selling tackle. So the lowly red drum/channel bass/ spot tail bass/ or redfish (call it any of them) became a super star in the saltwater fishing world - and you can find some in freshwater as well. Redfish laws have gone from no regulation to a ban on keeping any redfish at all, which lasted for a couple years. Then you could keep a redfish, but they had a season. The seasons for redfish were simple:

September photo by Capt. David Stephens

When snook was open, redfish was closed. And when snook was closed, redfish were open. That finally changed to what we have today where there is no closed season, but you are allowed to keep only one redfish per person per day. Now there is even talk, and so far only talk, about removing the slot limit from redfish - the fish could be anything over 18-inches. I am on the fence with this one. There is not a lot of difference if you take a smaller or larger red as far as the overall fish stock goes... gone is gone, but it would make more fish available to keep. Right now anything 27-inches or larger has to go back, so that idea would take more reds from the wild, which I guess is the problem. I myself would like to see the slot moved up the board to: 21 inches minimum up to 30 inches maximum. The reason for that is I like to eat redfish and there is not much meat on an 18-inch red. If you took a snook 27-inches and a redfish 27-inches the redfish would have almost half of the meat on the fillet that the snook had. Redfish have a big head and shoulders with a huge crusher plate in its mouth to smash crabs and oyster shells to get at the meat inside. That structure takes a lot of room in the front of a redfish, so the meat starts further back, after that big head. I should say here, not everybody thought redfish were trash fish. We had some of the most amazing older black women, who I am sorry to say have now almost all passed away, they knew how good the redfish was to eat and they taught their sons and daughters. They were way ahead of the curve. Frank@fishinfranks.com 941 625-3888

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What Itʼs All About

By Mallory Herzog Water LIFE Fishing It’s officially fall, although Florida doesn't seem to notice. Warm days and nights are keeping the fishing hot from the Harbor to the Gulf of Mexico. Near shore reef locations are full of life, Spanish mackerel are plentiful with the occasional king, as are the mangrove snapper. Threadfins and pinfish make great bait, cut squid has been working great too. See a bait school? Try casting a shiny artificial jig or spoon past the school and reeling though to catch the fish lurking below. Jacks, mackerel, bonito, small tuna and sharks have been chasing these schools along the beaches. Recently we were joined near shore by Wayne and his kids Mi-

randa and Lathan. They quickly hooked up to some jacks and Spanish mackerel. Dad, Wayne, caught a big remora on a piece of white bait.

These fish usually travel along side of larger fish sticking to them. The kids had a double hook up on black nose sharks, each getting up close and personal with their shark before release. Miranda even de-hooked her own shark, Lathan posed for a pic with Dad. After catching a few more jacks we threw one on the big rod and reel to see if there were any big goliath grouper or larger sharks around. It wasn't long before Miranda was hooked into a goliath! She did a great job keeping pressure on this fish and bringing it boat side for a quick photo. Inshore, Charlotte Harbor has been bending plenty of rods. Black drum around bridges and rocky structure will devour a piece of pinfish or crab. Redfish schools have now been spotted moving along the bars. This is the time of year to keep that top water or paddle tail tied on in case of an opportune moment. You can hold a redfish school near by with white bait thrown in their general direction. Did you just see a flash of silver? YUP those are our resident Harbor tarpon rolling around. Throw a larger threadfin or swim bait in their direction to grab their attention. SHARK TAGGING UPDATE :

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In April 2016 we tagged a few sharks near Boca Grande, one of our bull sharks has been recaptured. Chopper, the bull shark, swam all the way to Alabama! It was tagged by PHD student Megan McKinzie. She also added a satellite tag so they will be able to track that shark’s movement further! Recent data shows she stayed in and around Alabama until swimming back south. Hopefully this toothy critter checks back in with us soon. The full report is on their website http://grayfishtagresearch.org under their "recovery" section. You can contact Big Bully Outdoors for a charter trip with Mallory’s husband, Capt. Andrew Herzog. Call 941-661-9880 or visit BigBullyOutdoors.com

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Fish Near the Bait

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By Capt. Chuck Eichner Water LIFE Inshore Southwest Florida is the place to be in October, if you are a fisherman. If you have bait on your line you are going to catch something regardless of where you fish! This is the only month of year that the majority of migratory fish are within a short boat ride. The usual snook, redfish and trout are here in big numbers, but kingfish, bonita, grouper, mackerel and cobia are all here too. And the list grows if you add bluefish, pompano, flounder, sheepshead and……..they are all here right now. The reason for this is simple, baitfish are everywhere and gamefish follow their food source... plus nature’s shorter days signal cooler weather ahead with less forage food. Recently, prior to heading offshore for grouper, we drift-fished for bait just off the beach. For a mile we drifted and caught countless pinfish, threadfins, blue runners and others. That’s a long stretch of baitfish on the bottom! On this particular day we rode past huge schools of herring on the surface to drop lines in 80 feet of water for grouper. Plenty were caught, but all undersize. One large remora was the most interesting catch. Storms ran us in early, but as we passed the bait pods we saw earlier in the day we saw a small boat anchored in the middle of the bait. His rod bent double as he fought out a nice cobia, then a bonita and others. We watched and wondered why we spent 50 gallons of gas chasing fish 30 miles out when plenty of fish were right off the beaches. Next day, we went right off the beach, sabiki’d threadfin herring and drifted. We hooked many monster kingfish and bonita’s this day, all within sight of land. Our tarpon tackle was not tough enough for the kingfish and we never landed even one! The simple recipe was fishing near bait. Dropping back into the Harbor on another day we observed tiny glass minnows in huge sheets just about everywhere. Add to that schools of small threadfins and pilchards and it made bait-catching easy. Setting up on shallow grass beds on high tides we found redfish and snook not far from the bait. Charlotte Harbor is more mysterious looking right now than usual. The water is black and tannic stained from the river run-offs. You can’t see the bottom in two-feet as a result of excessive rains and, for the most part, the gamefish will not give themselves away. They are not always blasting on the surface now. This time of year confidence and patience will lead to your best fish catching, so remember the simple recipe: Fish near the bait! Capt. Chuck Eichner operates Action Flats Backcountry Charters He can be reached at 941-628-8040

Pod of bait behind the boat

OCTOBER 2016

Start of Some of the Best Fshing of the Year

By Capt. Charlie Phillips Water LIFE / Everglades City What a solid month this has been down here in my slice of paradise! After coming thru the scorching heat of July and August, last month I finally felt the smallest little hints of falls arrival to the The rainstorms are not every day like clockwork, I felt a little less humidity for the slightest little window one particular morning this past month, the baits all over the area and the fish have been getting hungry!! This is the start of some of the best fishing of the year, in my humble opinion. As fall approaches the Everglades, Mother Nature will be telling our finned friends that it’s time to start getting that layer of fur going for the upcoming winter. The inshore fishing has been strong this month. From the humble mangrove snapper to the mighty silver king, all are active and feeding and ready to tug on your line. On the inshore side, I have been doing very well on redfish thru the area. Working the front keys with bars and or timber and undercut banks with live shrimp on a popping cork or fresh cut ladyfish chunks on a circle hook has been a great option lately. The fish are schooling up more with slot fish to over slot fish being more common than the little rat reds. This should continue into October and my advice would be to start looking thru the area and not just on the Gulf side islands. As the water cools down, the fish will start working back in those shallow bays where they will spend the winter months. Snook fishing has been outstanding lately as well, though I have to admit as soon as the season opened I seem to be catching more shorts then slots. All part of the game I guess!! I have been mostly fishing artificals with my clients, using Bass Assassin Jig heads and curly tail grubs or top waters and suspending hard baits. Worked around the obvious ambush spots with good flow will usually do the trick. Just like the redfish, the snook are working their way to the back over the next several weeks, so don’t be focused on just the front islands, especially if we have some cooler weather start pushing thru in October. Mangrove snapper fishing has been outstanding for me the past few weeks and for those looking for

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10,000 Islands / Everglades City

Clockwise from the top left: Mr Watkins from Ohio with his first redfish. 2. My wife Laura and I with her first ever Gator we got off West Okeechobee with our friend and fellow FGA Capt. Dave Smith of Gator Raiderz guide service. Laura drew tags this year and Capt. Dave took us out and we were successful in harvesting this 11'3" giant. What an experience and honor!! 3. Ms Noemi from Naples with her first Red Grouper 4. My view each morning at the Rod and Gun in Everglades City

a tasty meal I don’t think there is anything finer. A 1/0 circle hook with a live shrimp or a little buck tail jig tipped with shrimp are all you need. Gonna go thru shorts to get there, but over slot fish are around and more than happy to eat your bait if you can get it past the small ones. Five per person with a 10-inch minimum make for a fine fine dinner. Offshore I have been taking advantage of the calmer wind days and targeting the big red grouper in the area. A 6 or 7/0 circle with a repurposed grunt head or fillet does a fine job on my boat. Simply send it back down, tighten the drag as much as possible and work like heck to get him off the bottom when he eats your offering. Lots of shorts, but some good quality fish are in the area right now. The wrecks and towers will continue to have solid catches of permit and cobia with more on the way as they migrate back south. Keeping a live crab handy is always worth the effort for those fast shots that may present themselves while you’re out for the day. Y’all have a great time out there this month. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if I can Class Schedule online be of help or service and be safe. bkfts.com We will see you on the water.

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Capt. Charlie Phillips: 863-517-1829 e-mail: hopefishing@hotmail.com Web: hopefishing.com

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School of Nice Reds

By Capt. David Stephens Water LIFE Charlotte Harbor I have noticed the mornings are a little cooler – well at least till midday, then that Florida sun takes over showing why we are the Sun-Shine State. One thing we can count on this time of year is the redfish. Soon the summer storms should start giving us a break, allowing the waters to begin to clear up. Lately, on the Harbor, I have begun to notice large schools of mullet on the bars. Most people, when they see a large school of mullet, they see a fish that will not take a hook. Well that is correct, these guys are vegetarians. But what you do need to know is this time of year, locating mullet can mean locating feeding redfish. As the mullet move down the flats they stir up all the small bait, crabs and shrimp that other fish feed on. A week ago I had a trip planned with a buddy I grew up with. He no longer lives in Florida so he wanted

his daughter Chelsea to experience fishing on the Harbor for her 16th birthday. The day before they had spent most of the day driving from Alabama. I went out early that morning for bait so they could sleep in. After filling the live well, I made a call and picked them up at Ponce. We hit a couple spots trying to catch some snook. A fish that normally I’m pretty confident in. But nothing, so I suggested let’s make a run to look for some better moving water. We crossed the Harbor to a shoreline that also had a big bar about 50- yards behind us. Still the same scenario, the snook just were not feeding. But sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.

I know this sounds like a fishing story, which it is, but it’s a true one. As we were getting ready to change spots a boat idled by us, being courteous. He must have stirred things up just right. Randy looked over at me and said did you see that? A school of redfish had the water boiling. We trolled over into position, I threw out a few chummers, and it was on. We sat on the edge of that bar for over an hour. Chelsea, Randy and I caught fish till we couldn’t catch another one. All I could do was laugh at her, and say happy birthday, baby girl! I played it off like I planned it that way, when actually that kind angler that idled by had done us a favor.

OCTOBER 2016

The sun was getting high and the wind was nowhere to be found. We had lost count of how many fish we caught, so we decided to go for a boat ride and cool down. We trolling-motored-out so as not to spook the fish for the next angler, ran back across the Harbor, and then I finally got on some snook. It’s always good to spend the day on the water with great people that you don’t get to see as often as you would like. If you would like to experience some of South West Florida’s finest fishing give us a call, or send us an email. All of our charters are private and customized to fit you and your party’s needs. Capt. Dave Stephens www.backbayxtremes.com 941-916-5769

OCTOBER 2016

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Playing the System

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On The Line

With Capt. Ron Blago Water LIFE Senior Staff

The good folks at the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) seem to be ready to begin another attack on the Federal Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Back in 2011, this non -profit; which brings in about $14 million annually in donations, and pays its executive director an annual salary of around $188,754, filed petitions to add over 700 new species to the ESA. This flooded the system so badly that the ESA pretty much ground to a halt. The way it is supposed to work is the FWS has 90 days to review any petition and come up with a management plan for each species. If the FWC can't meet that time line, then the non-profit can go back to court and ask that the FWC compensate them for their legal fees, which I understand are pretty substantial. Things got so chaotic for both sides that they agreed to a settlement where by the CBD agreed not to file any new petitions until 2017. The CBD brags about adding more than 360 species under the ESA and it looks like they will be trying to increase that number again starting next year. This points out a major problem with the ESA. It's what I call the Hotel California Syndrome; like the song says, you can

check in any time you want, but you can never leave. It’s easy to get a species on the list but it’s almost impossible to get one taken off. There are now 1230 species on the U.S. ESA list; 498 animals and 732 plants. We now have over 50-percent of all the endangered species in the world right here in the United States. Since the ESA was passed in 1973, only 37 species have been taken off the list although 19 of those have been pulled off during Obama’s administration. As an old sea captain, I have pondered this problem and feel that I have now

STUMP PASS DEAD

Bad news for the Stump Pass project. Requests for bids to begin work on the dredging of the pass and the building of the jetty have come in way over budget. The county had anticipated a cost of approximately $2.5 million with a completion date in the second quarter of 2017. The lowest bid received was $5.5 million. County officials are now scrambling to find additional sources of funds and then to re-bid the project. They hope to have the details worked out by January 2017.

come up with a solution. As any boat owner knows, if your boat is at capacity and you want another person on board somebody has to get off the boat. Why not do the same thing for the ESA? Let's freeze the number of species on the endangered species list at the current number. If someone wants to add a new species to the list they have to select a species to take off the list. This is not as crazy as it may seem; currently there are 30 species that are proposed for delisting from the ESA, including the humpback whale, the gray wolf, the grizzly bear and

There are a number of factors that seem to keep the Stump Pass project from moving forward. You can't work during turtle nesting season. It was planned to start dredging the pass after the season ended October 31. Even if the County works out the financial details, there may not be enough time to finish the project before turtle nesting season begins again May 1. There are only a handful of dredging companies that can do this type of project. All of them have more work than they can handle. The county had hoped that one of these companies could do Stump Pass when they were already in the area doing other

of course the Florida manatee. So if the CBD wants to add one of their favorite species to the list like the Florida Keys Mole Skink or the Florida Ichetucknee Siltsnail, all they have to do is to work with other environmental groups to pick a species to kick off the list. That way the environmental groups can work together to decide what gets on and what gets off the list, and if, for some reason, they can't agree on what to do, they can always sue each other. That way they will pay each other’s legal fees and leave us taxpayers Captronb@juno.com out of it.

projects. Their hopes fell through. Delays in receiving the required permits; especially from the Army Corps of Engineers, really impacted the schedule. Now, long term delays could jeopardize the existing funding already committed by Federal and State sources. Some people are looking at the delay in the Stump Pass project as an opportunity to combine it with the existing Manasota Key Beach Renourishment Plan, in the hope that this would improve the chances of obtaining additional government funds. That idea will push the dredging of Stump Pass many years into the future. - Capt. Ron

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OCTOBER 2016

ReaderÊ¼s photos Txt Us Ur Fish Pix!

Brian Gauss, Englewood Aaron Legare. 33-inch snook caught from a kayak on a pinfish in North Charlotte Harbor on 13 Sept Here's my fish! Good ole red, 39-inches, 15-pounds, Victoria Smith Name: Rocco / fish: red fish

Caught by greg in Stump Pass

Josh Rab, 27-inch red fish, south jetty

30-pound ki G

Travis Becker, 22-pound gag, in 156 ft of water, off of Boca Grande.

FISH PIX!

f r o m Wa t e r L I F E m a g a z i n e

41-inch snook caught by Dick Doster's 15 year old grandson George, on 9/4/16 in Charlotte Harbor

Bill Curtiss with 26-inch redfish

Ellen Zane's f tour

see

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FISH PIX!

f r o m Wa t e r L I F E m a g a z i n e

Arlene Ferreira. Location was at Pirates Cove

Scotty reel'n em in at his favorite place.... #hugebass

Robert Kerns Punta Gorda Florida...... caught this behind our house in the canals black drum fish

Five year old Chrissy waiting on a fish, any fish, she say's. Fishing in Boca

Above: Aaron Russell black drum Thank you! Love reading. Can you add my buddy too?! (Below) We had a blast catching these all day. Mike Peet, Black Drum

Raven Ali, redfish

ingfish caught last week in Boca Grande. John Perkins

first entry in CCA FLORIDA Star rnament, a 24 inch Red

Corey Casagranda, redfish

Caught today commercial boat ramp Pine Island. 28.5 inches snook. Biggest I have ever caught. Mike Perkins

Richard, redfish, Bokeelia channels

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FISH PIX!

f r o m Wa t e r L I F E m a g a z i n e

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Editorʼs Request

Txt Us Ur Fish Pix What You Need To Know :

Please provide

We like Fresh Fish so please donʼt send old photos.

YOUR NAME

and FISH TYPE with each

No information provided

Know the Bag Limit

One or two photos is all weʼll probably have room for.

Bigger is Better, higher resolution is best. Please donʼt adjust, crop or sharpen your pictures, let us do that, if necessary.

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No Fishy Fish If we canʼt tell that it's a real catch, if you are not in the picture, it may not make it to print. No information provided

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Be sure to include (at least) your name and type of fish (txt only, voice calls cannot be answered) You may also eMail pictures to: waterlife@comcast.net

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OCTOBER 2016

Readerʼs photos

Best Picture Wins You donʼt really win anything, but if itʼs a better picture of a bigger fish or something very cool or unusual, it has an excellent chance of getting into the magazine or maybe even onto the cover! Ana Holaway, Winter Haven, caught black drum at the Boca bridge

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All Rights ARE YOURS Except for publishing pictures when you send them, we claim no rights or liabilities for your pictures what so ever.

OCTOBER 2016

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Txt Us Ur Fish Pix! see page 14

Aaron Legare, 27-inch redfish, caught Sept 7, fishing near Alligator Creek.

FISH PIX!

f r o m Wa t e r L I F E m a g a z i n e

II'm a local fisherman in the Lemon Bay area in Englewood. I caught this tonight on 20pound braid and a Yozuri I would love to be in the magazine if you guys would like to put this in the magazine! Unfortunately I didn't get a true length or weight but she was definitely an over slot. Love your articles, by the way.

Robert Francois Jr. 30-inch snook caught in Cape Coral

First keeper snook of the season! Andy & Chrissy Marie and a Myakka River Tarpon too

Florida pompano caught in Matlacha by Alex Radzik.

PAGE 15

Tyler Degraff with a huge cuda

Lisa Moreland John Turner. SW Cape Coral canal bass

Small tarpon caught by John Carpenter in an glewood canal.

En-

Jake Gabbett, Sanibel snook

Cpt. Dave Patton from Fort Myers topped off a SLAM (snook, redfish, trout) with a nice 25 inch Gag grouper. All done before noon on a great day fishing out of Bokeelia! Fish on! Thank you for providing us anglers with a great magazine!

echinoderms PAGE

By Capt. Betty Staugler Water Life / Sea Grant What group of invertebrate species shares these three distinctive features? 1) A body with five-part symmetry; 2) an internal skeleton made of calcium carbonate; and 3) a water vascular system of fluid-filled vessels that manifests to the outer surface as structures called tube feet. Stumped? Here are a few more clues. This group of species are entirely marine, and they lack a head, heart, brain and eyes. They have separate sexes but it’s generally impossible to tell them apart based on their outward appearance. And, they can regenerate body parts. These awesome creatures can only be echinoderms. In Greek, echino means spiny, and derma refers to skin, and these spiny-skinned creatures comprise sea urchins, sea cucumbers, feather stars, sea stars, and brittle stars. Echinoderms have an ancient lineage that dates back at least 600 million years. Today, at least 6,500 species are recognized within six living classes which are highlighted below. Sea Stars: (about 1,800 species) Also known as starfish, consist of a central disk and five or more projecting arms. Sea

stars may be predators; scavengers; deposit feeders (ingest mud and extract food particles; or suspension feeders (extract prey and food particles from the water). Some sea stars give ‘going out to dinner’ a whole new meaning in that they have the ability to extrude their stomach into very small gaps to consume prey. Brittle Stars and Basket Stars: (~2,000 species) they owe their name to their ability to voluntarily break their arms, which they do to avoid predation. They also are able to cast off their central disk, discarding their stomach, gonads, and other tissues, AND then regenerate these parts in two weeks to two months. Basket stars are not often seen. They resemble brittle stars but with branching

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arms. Feather Stars: (~700 species) they have five or more (usually at least 10) arms that are feathery in appearance. These ‘feathers’ are called pinnules and serve as food-gathering organs. Feather stars typically feed at night and are seldom seen, hence no photo! Sea Urchins: (~900 species) Sea urchins can be ‘regular’ like the round spiny ones we typically see, or ‘irregular’ like our sand dollars and sea biscuits. Regular urchins and sand dollars are herbivores and have five triangular shaped teeth for grinding called the Aristotle’s lantern. Sea biscuits are detritivores. They eat sediments and extract their food from it. Urchins are host to a wide variety of parasites and beneficial organisms. Bizarre and kind of gross, one species of

crab lives only in the rectum of sea urchins. Sea Cucumbers: (~1,200 species) are so absolutely awesome! Their mouth is surrounded by 10-30 feeding tentacles, which are actually modified tube feet. Sea cucumber have the ability to eject a toxic sticky substance when threatened. They can also eject their intestines and other organs, which they do to confuse predators. These organs are quickly regenerated. Last but not least, the the fairly recently discovered Sea Daisies, with 2 known living species, they appear to live exclusively on pieces of wood on the deep sea floor. Want to collect echinoderms in Florida? Know the rules! Generally if it’s dead it’s fair game, although not always in state and federal parks. If it’s alive, echinoderms fall under FWC’s Marine Life regulations. Collection of some species, like the cushion sea star is prohibited. For other species, there is a bag limit. In all cases a valid saltwater fishing license is required. And, in Lee County all harvest of echinoderms is prohibited and in Manatee County only two per person per day may be harvested. Capt. Betty Staugler, Florida Sea Grant Agent. UF/IFAS Extension Charlotte County (941) 764-4346

Far Left: A Banded-Arm Brittle star Top Right: A Sea Star, a cushion star (aka Bahama starfish) Above: this Urchin is a variegated Sea Urchin showing the Aristotle's lantern Above Right: the Florida Sea Cucumber. Right: A Red Spiny Sea Star. Also called Conical Spined Sea Star.

OCTOBER 2016

Estero Bay:

By Captain Joe Angius Water LIFE Estero Bay Redfish are one of the most sought after and popular inshore fish species in Florida. Juvenile redfish will inhabit shallow bays, creeks, rivers, and passes, but once large enough they find their way offshore. October becomes a special month for redfish because this is the time where water temperatures begin to cool down, bait is plentiful on the flats, and large schools dominate these flats. Now that conditions have stabilized, Estero Bay will hold large numbers of redfish and schools can be hunted on our grass flats. Red October is in full swing and can be one of the best months for fishing for redfish. An array of baits and lures can be used to catch these fish, but some will work better than others. Bait selection will be based on where exactly you are fishing. The early morning backwater topwater bite has been exceptional, with redfish and snook crushing large walk-the-dog style lures. Don’t be afraid to throw a large topwater along the mangroves. These redfish are in an aggressive feeding mode and want to stock up on calories. Later in the morning and afternoons I would recommend using live shrimp, pilchards, and pinfish or cut ladyfish, threadfin, mullet, and crabs on mangrove edges and oyster bars. Out on the grass flats in search of these large schools of fish, my go-to bait would be a cut pinfish. One of my favorite tides to fish for redfish is an outgoing tide. With knowledge of where the large number of redfish are located, patience, and a low tide an angler will find themselves face to face with tailing redfish. Fishing for a shallow water tailing redfish is an experience that can’t be explained. At times it can become frus-

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trating, where there will be five to ten fish tailing, but not one wants to eat what you have to offer. All of that frustration can come to an end when one fish finally hones in on your bait. Everything around you disappears and all of your worries on land drifts away. It’s just you and the fish. You watch patiently as the redfish eats your bait, your line becomes tight, and you set the hook on a redfish that was sitting in inches of water. As much fun as a school of redfish can be, there is nothing like sight casting a redfish. Throughout the month there will be plenty of opportunities for other inshore fish species as well. Juvenile tarpon will still dominate the creeks and backwaters

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of Estero, where the larger ones will find their way on our beaches. Snook will be moving off the beaches and back into creek mouths looking for easy meals after a summer spawn. Speckled sea trout can be found in our passes and on our grass flats with good moving water. Look for “signs of life” while fishing and move toward the areas that seem productive. Be aware of boating rules and regulations to ensure a safe and enjoyable fishing experience. If you are interested in

PAGE 17

hunting for tailing or schooling redfish, please contact me in advance for the most productive tides. Captain Joe Angius (727)-234-3171 Speakeasyfishing.com Speakeasyfishing@gmail.com

Redfish in Charlotte Harbor PAGE

By Bob Fraser Water LIFE Kayaking A friend of mine called last week to invite me out on his boat to fish for redfish in Charlotte Harbor. Almost all my fishing is from a kayak, but sometimes a friend will take me out on their boat. It’s a nice change up from a kayak. One big advantage of fishing from a boat is that you can cover more ground to locate the fish. Fishing from a kayak I can cover a couple of miles to find fish, especially when I have a charter. Most of my clients are new to kayaking, so I tend not to take them very far. I can usually put my clients on some fish without paddling too far. A big advantage fishing from a kayak is that I can go where boats can't, so it’s more quiet and peaceful. It also gives you a different perspective fishing at water level versus being in a boat. The day I went out with my friend on his boat we traveled less than a mile from his dock to find some redfish. A few days ago he caught three reds and thought they would hang around the same area for a

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while. We got to the spot about 8 a.m. and on his first cast, he had a redfish. Twenty minutes later I caught my keeper of 24inches. It was “blackened redfish” for dinner that night. Where we fished wasn’t too far from a place I could launch my kayak, so a few days later I went out by myself to see if the redfish were still hanging around. I had live shrimp, chunks of ladyfish and an assortment of artificial baits. I tried Mirrorlures, topwater, and soft plastic baits, but the reds didn’t want anything to do with my artificials. Usually, the ladyfish chunks will pro-

duce a redfish if they are around. Most fishermen call ladyfish chunks “redfish candy” because they like it so much. When I catch ladyfish, I keep them for bait. I cut them in 1-inch chunks and keep them in baggies in my freezer for future trips. I caught two redfish and lost a third one in less than 2 hours using live shrimp; they didn’t bite on the ladyfish chunks

OCTOBER 2016

that day. My biggest red was 24-inches. If you would like to experience catching fish from a kayak, give me a call. Most of my clients are new to kayak fishing, and they always enjoy the adventure, ...and they catch fish. Bob Fraser 941-916-8303 www.bobmfraser.com Speaker & Author, Business & Marketing Consultant

AQUATICA: OCTOBER 2016

By Michael Heller Water LIFE Editor We drove over to lake Okeechobee last Sunday, I wanted to see how high the water was. In a column a couple of months ago I said I thought the high water from the lake might be drained to the south, around Lake Harbor, which is east of Clewiston. I had looked at it on Google Earth but I had not been out there for a while. Our first stop was at Clewiston where fairly fresh pilings, driven in at the north end of a lakefront park showed a watermark left when the lake was a foot higher, this past JanuaryFebruary, when too much unseasonable winter rain brought the lake’s level to 16-feet five inches. That sparked the massive releases this past spring. According to the Army Corps of Engineers (they control the lake level), if the lake was to reach 19 feet, the dyke at the south end would be in danger of failing. The failure could come from hydrostatic pressure underneath. High lake management (discharge) kicks in at 16.7 feet, but16-feet makes them very nervous, so for the last few years they have been reinforcing the dyke’s lower spots around the south end of the lake and trying

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Trip to Lake Okeechobee

to keep the level around 14 feet. The lake was at 15.7-feet as we went to press. One tropical storm could change everything. South of Lake Harbor there are sugar cane fields and a few farm houses. If the dyke failed here, south would be where the water went. I took some pictures of a new flood control facility with several weirs that is under construction. There was a long new wall of sheet-piling behind it, rising above the lake. The Army Corps isn’t taking any chances. In the aerial view from Google Earth, you can see where the water wants to go... where it has gone forever, south through the cane fields and out towards the Gulf. There has been water

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moving in that direction for a thousand years. Today the sugar cane fields and Alligator Alley have changed that flow. Worse yet, we have paved and mined a large portion of the center of our state, so the water-flows coming into the lake are now more concentrated. Couple all this with long periods of increased rainfall in Central Florida and you have what we have today: Too much water – much of it is polluted with agricultural chemicals and effluent – and no good place to put it.

PAGE 19

Top left: The lake, just outside of Clewistown. Bottom Left: Water marks on an iron beam show where the water was this past January when the lake was at 16.5 feet and they released water into the Caloosahatchee and St John Rivers. Above: Florida as seen from space. Lake Harbor is at the top of the arrow. Below: The new flood control facility under construction along Hwy 27, near Lake Harbor.

Jan-Feb 2016

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OCTOBER 2016

Sometimes Unsubstanciated, But Often True

NEW FISHIN FRANKS AT NEWEST INGMAN MARINE Fishinʼ Frank now has TWO locations: The original at 4425D Tamiami Trail Port Charlotte and a second location at Ingman Marineʼs newest store located at 4531 N. Cleveland Ave in North Fort Myers.

sea turtles in the Gasparilla area. The Light will be relit following the end of turtle nesting season, November 1st,

HOW MUCH DID THIS COST? Vision of The Fjords, a futuristic carbon fiber

DONʼT LOOK AT THIS PHOTO Taiwan's defense ministry said on Wednesday it is asking Google to blur satellite images showing what experts say ap-

pear to be new military installations on Itu Aba, Taipei's sole holding in the disputed South China Sea.

ZUM ZUM ZUM The U.S. Navy's newest and most technologically advanced surface ship, the USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000)

departed Bath Iron Works last month on a three-month journey to its new homeport in San Diego. Crewed by 147 Sailors, Zumwalt is the lead ship of a class of next-generation multi-mission destroyers. Zumwalt will be formally commissioned during Fleet Week this month in Baltimore. LIGHTS OUT On September 29th, the Coast Guard temporarily extinguished the Gasparilla Light in an effort to prevent sea turtles from becoming disoriented. This is a temporary measure to protect endangered and nesting

tourist vessel operated by The Fjords DA, has won the coveted Ship of the Year 2016 award. The 130-foo long, 399passenger capacity hybrid craft, took the prize for its unique approach to sustainable, sensitive and high quality operations in the UNESCO World Heritage listed Nærøyfjord. ALSO NOT CHEAP The Norwegian explorer cruise line, Hurtigruten, has two new 140-meter (460-foot) hybrid expedi-

tion ships under construction. The decision to invest in hybrid technology is a milestone in Hurtigrutenʼs goal of sailing fully electric expeditionary ships in the Arctic and Antarctic.

BRING EM BACK ALIVE An FWC officer found two manatees in a roadside ditch that was flooded from Hurricane Hermine, and determined that it was impossible for them to make it back to open water.

BRING EM BACK FILLETED A new exception went into place last month in state waters, allowing anglers to possess

and land filleted dolphin, wahoo and reef fish that were caught in Bahamian waters. Similar allowances for dolphin and wahoo, as well as modifications to existing recreational regulations for reef fish managed as snappergrouper being brought back from the Bahamas by water went into effect in Atlantic federal waters in January. Following are the requirements: Skin must remain on the fillet (to aid in identification by law enforcement). Anglers must comply with Atlantic federal bag and vessel limits.

Two fillets count as one fish toward the bag limit.

Vessels must have valid Bahamian cruising and sport-fishing permits.

Passengers must possess a valid government passport with current Bahamian stamps and travel dates. Travel through state waters must be continuous and gear must remain stowed. Fishing gear that is appropriately stowed means terminal tackle, such as hooks, leaders, sinkers, etc., must be disconnected and stowed separately from the rod and reel. Fish landed under these exceptions cannot be sold.

DRE (not what you think) The operator indicated several signs of impairment and there were many empty alcohol containers on the vessel. After a field sobriety test on the operator he was placed under arrest. A breath alcohol test was conducted but results were below 0.08. BUT a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) was able to conduct further evaluation and concluded that the operator was under the influence of alcohol and drugs. The operator was then booked into the County Jail.

UNSINKABLE (U.S.A.)

In the photo above, two men stand on the crumpled bow of the aircraft carrier Independence. The Independence was commissioned in the middle of World War II and saw extensive action in the Pacific. In the Battle of Leyte Gulf, her aircraft were involved in the sinking of the Musashi, the heaviest battleship ever built. After the war, Independence was used as a target for the “Operation Crossroads” atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll. She was badly damaged and contaminated with radiation by the two blast tests, but she stayed afloat. Independence was brought back to San Francisco for study and then sunk in the deepest waters of Monterey Bay.

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Sriracha, Kaffir Lime & Ginger Shrimp

By Nicole Coudal Water LIFE Delicious!

Savory appetizers definitely whet your appetite for what’s to come for dinner, right?!? Shrimp especially offer so many options, which is why I always think of the scene from the movie "Forrest Gump" when Bubba lays out all the wonderful things you can do with shrimp: “. . . You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. There’s shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There’s pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That, that’s about it.” Yup, that’s about it, Bubba. Today I’m writing about shrimpkabobs that offer several layers of flavor to make each bite really special. Enter Sriracha sauce. . .one of the most treasured ingredients in my fridge, and one that definitely packs a punch. Combined with a little brown sugar, aromatic essential oils from Kaffir lime leaves, zingy garlic and ginger, this marinade becomes a magical sauce that bathes the little shrimp in pure wonderfulness. I skewered the marinated shrimp and placed them on a hot grill, but you can easily saute a pile of them in a hot, non-stick skillet on the stove or roast them in your oven. But the charring on the grill really makes them special. Just sayin’. . . Note: if you don’t have a Kaffir lime tree, you can find the leaves at your local Asian market in the frozen section. And if you still can’t find them, try fresh lemongrass OR lots of fresh lime zest.

1/4 c. Sriracha sauce 1/4 c. olive oil

1/4 c. packed brown sugar 2 Tb. rice vinegar

3-4 green onions, sliced thinly

~ 10 kaffir lime leaves, shredded (or 2 stalks fresh lemongrass, or 2 Tb. lime zest) 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated 1 clove garlic, peeled & minced

2 lbs. extra large shrimp (~26/30), shelled, but with tails Handful fresh cilantro, chopped Lime wedges

1. Combine Sriracha through garlic in a 1-gallon, sealable plastic bag and squish the bag to combine everything.

2. Place the prepared shrimp in the bag and mix to ensure all are coated; refrigerate at least 2 hours. 3. Remove from refrigerator and place shrimp on skewers (metal or bamboo).

4. Heat grill to high and put skewers on grate to cook first side about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium, cook another minute, then turn to cook other side about 2-3 minutes.

5. Remove from grill and sprinkle with chopped cilantro and lime juice before serving. editor notes** If you like nice heat, try the Badia Sriracha at Publix

Nicole Coudal is an avid fishing gal who hails from New England but has lived in SW Florida for 25 years. Her blog: MyDeliciousBlog.com showcases her "coastal inspired" cuisine using fresh, seasonal ingredients, from sea to land.

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PAGE 21

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OCTOBER 2016

October – Predictions and Suggestions

BackBay Xtremes Capt Dave Stephens www.backbayxtremes.com

941-916-5769

Fish With A Guide!

Youʼll catch more fish and youʼll learn something new, too!

Charlotte Harbor

Frank at Fishin’ Franks 941-625-3888

One thing to start with is a lack of ladyfish in the Harbor. Where did they go? The ladies are gone not only for recreational fishermen but also for commercial fishermen. None of the fish houses have any ladyfish right now. From what I am hearing, maybe there is spawning going on but I’m also hearing there is Red Tide off Englewood right now. Either way, they have departed for parts unknown. And that all kind of goes into play with tarpon fishing right now. Tarpon will be keyed in if you can find them a ladyfish. Between the mouth of Alligator Creek and the Reef you have an 80-percent chance of finding a tarpon. They are in the Upper Harbor, the Myakka and a little on the Peace River too. This year, tarpon went offshore and didn’t come back in for awhile, but the end of September they were back up into the Harbor. Problem is, they are not all over. There are four schools from Alligator Reef to Mangrove Point to the Deep Hole, it’s kind of a silver triangle, and at some time of the day they will be there. Those fish could be anywhere on that line, from the Pirate Harbor Hole to the Big Hole. If you don’t have ladyfish, the alternative for tarpon bait is chunks of mullet. I would think catfish tails would be good too, but no, right now many of the catfish are also gone. Maybe only 5-percent of the catfish are here now. We don’t know what happened with that either. The best alternative fresh bait for tarpon is crabs.... but crabs have to be presented right, either free lined or

under a bobber. If you want redfish it’s on for oversized fish now. Boca Grande, Stump Pass, Captiva... we are hearing stories of schools going through now. Look between Burnt Store and Two Pine, or over at Jug Creek Shoal. The fish are moving down there, but these are oversized fish in the spawning mode and so far, it looks real good for the spawn. I think these fish will bunch up. We have a lot of blue crabs around, they will head to the Gulf and then come back in for crabs. This should be the time for the big ones. If you want slot redfish look on the east side and around the Myakka Cutoff. All of a sudden, ta-da!! Here they are!! The snook fishing is going as you’d expect ... and because it’s snook season, reports are of small snook in the potholes at Bokeelia and in the Pine Island Sound. The east side of the Harbor just has lots and lots of not-quitelegal snook too. The question is, where are we looking for the slot size fish? Seems to be not so much where, but when. Two hours before and two hours after sunset. Most of the piers seem to have legal snook at night, but when daytime comes those fish are gone. Trout fishing right now is at a low ebb. I’d say if you are looking for schooling fish to give the Spanish mackerel a shot instead of trout. You can look by the 41 bridge, but a lot of mackerel are along the beaches going in and out of the passes. From Sanibel up, they are within casting distance of the beach. Along with the macks you’re likely to find some straggler pompano and for the guys that just have to use a sinker no matter what, you guys have a decent shot at a flounder along the beaches now too. continued on facing page

Speak Easy Fishing Charters Captain Joe Angius USCG licensed & Insured Phone: (727)

234-3171

speakeasyfishing.com

speakeasyfishing@gmail.com

Family Fishing in Estero Bayfor sheepshead and trout with Capt. Joe Angius. Facing page, colorful trout.

FISH PIX! Capt. Roger Newton with a nice red with Zoli from MI and with a nice gag caught within 6 miles of shore also caught by Zoli.

f r o m Wa t e r L I F E m a g a z i n e

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OCTOBER 2016

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The BIG-4 TARPON Still around, feeding early in the morning

There are some flounder in the ICW too, around Boca and Gasparilla Pass and a little at Cape Haze, but more along the beaches. Shark activity is up. All of a sudden there has been a surge in people wanting to fish from the beach at night and more people are getting out to do the night shark thing. From the beaches up from Stump Pass down to Sanibel and Captiva, I am hearing about 10-foot lemon sharks.... which means 6-to 8-foot lemon sharks are really being caught out there. They look really big. Standing in the water at night and looking at a 6-foot shark, going to take the hook out, it looks like a 20-foot shark! This is a real good place for sharks this month. You can have an interesting evening with, bonnets and black tips, fishing for the smaller ones right now too. This month could be a King mackerel month. From Novak and Trembly Reefs all the way out to as far as you want to push your boat, there is tuna, mahi, wahoo,

Nice local bass. Bill ;-)

Lemon Bay - Placida Jim at Fishermen’s Edge 941-697-7595

Fish you can expect in

REDFISH A few big schools in the Harbor already

and permit. For some reason, in our section of the Gulf right now there are a lot of fish. Lately I’ve had a tremendous amount of questions about crappie. What’s going on with that? It’s still hot out. Some nights it’s been in the 70s but thats not cool enough to kick off the crappie activity... but I’m getting a lot of questions. Bass is doing well now too, it’s mostly about frogs and crank baits. Frogs in the a.m. In the evening the crank-baits – the bubble shaped lures – are popular.

Fishin has been reasonably good. There has been all sorts of action near shore. Spanish are coming in the Pass and are out along the beach. There are kings and quite a bit of jacks and ladyfish – a lot more ladyfish are around now. Guys are catching ladyfish on the beach where there are big bait pods. A friend took a small plane from Naples to Venice and he said all he could see was bait and birds diving. I’ve had guys catching some nice redfish, the guys were into schools of reds on the east side of Charlotte Harbor, along Alligator Creek. Some other guys said the reds they caught were along the

SNOOK Biggest in the canal systems. Slots at the ICW

West Wall. Not a big school, but some nice fish in the area. A lot of them were over the slot. The guys getting keepers were fishing in Lemon Bay, above the bridge. Snook fishing has been pretty spectacular. Guys are catching snook over the 40-inch mark, three or four guys have shown me pictures of their giants. And those fish are in different spots; some at El Jo trestle, the Phosphate Dock, up in Lemon Bay, by the bridges or at the piers. There are still a lot of scattered tarpon around Cayo Pelau and through the Harbor. You never know when you will have one explode up on you. Reel offshore fishing has been good for mangrove snapper and lane snapper. Red grouper has been good too, there have been scattered dolphins 16- to18miles out, a lot nicer fish further out. One guide told me he had nothing but good grouper trips. There are also some pompano around by Stump Pass in the slough that comes in from the Gulf, and in the channel by Little Gasparilla Pass where the new the new bridge is. Most have been caught on banana style or Silly Willy jigs. Kingfish are hot now. I can’t say how many swimming plugs I sold last week or how much 20pound line. The popular plug is the Xwrap Rapalla which looks like a real fish. This is the time of year for the kings, before the real cold fronts get here and murk up the weather.

Tarpon caught by West Wall Outfitters pro staff member Michael Lahn.

October

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SHARK 8-footers seems to be the average size!

You Canʼt Do This!

PAGE 23

Gulf Temps are mid 80s

they should be falling soon

95˚ 90˚ 85˚

This Lee County Sea Grant photo of a tiny goliath grouper was made before the regulation took effect

According to the FWC, goliath grouper, no matter the size, must be immediately returned to the water free, alive and unharmed. Photographs can be taken, but only during the active act of release. You canʼt hold a baby goliath up for a photo. Photographs or any other activities such as measuring the fish must not delay release in any way. Large goliath groupers should be left in the water during release. The skeletal structure of large goliath grouper cannot adequately support their weight out of the water without some type of damage. If a large goliath is brought on-board a vessel or out of the water, it is likely to sustain some form of internal injury and therefore be considered harvested. Removing smaller goliath groupers from the water to remove hooks is not necessarily a bad practice, but this process must be done with care, using proper fish handling techniques, returning the fish to the water as expeditiously as possible.

FISH PIX! f r o m Wa t e r L I F E m a g a z i n e

Txt us ur fish pix see page 11

Coby Leahey Fishing in Charlotte Harbor

80˚

75˚ 72˚ 70˚ 68˚ 50˚ 45˚

FISHING RIGHT NOW:

Oh Boy!

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EMAIL:

WATERLIFE@COMCAST.NET

OCTOBER 2016