Water LIFE May 2020

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People are FISHING! 100+ photos inside!

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Brad from Coldwater Ont. Canada with a 31-inch red grouper. on a live pinfish

New personal best snook 38 inches super stoked angler name Logan earwood

Ron Smits from Bokeelia holding Dave Stewartʼs Tarpon. Dave is from Cape Coral and this was his first Tarpon. Caught in Pine Iisland Sound on a ladyfish.

the big tarpon are here!

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

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Mark Brown with 159 lb tarpon caught in Charlotte Harbor with Capt. Bryan Ball

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Water LIFE inc. waterlife@comcast.net www.WaterlifeMagazine.com Ellen Heller Publisher Michael Heller Editor

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Contributing Editors:

Photography: ASA1000.com Senior Editor: Capt. Ron Blago Baitshop: Fishinʼ Frank Upper Harbor: Cameron Parson Peace River: Capt. Dave Stephens Punta Gorda: Allan Wilson Estero: Capt. Joe Angius Everglades: Capt. Charlie Phillips Sailing: Fran Burstein Pier Fishing: Bobby Vitalis Diving: Adam Wilson From the Ponds: Nicholas J

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SUNSEEKER RESORT PROGRESS REPORT

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Construction shut down not because the Governor ordered it, but because they wanted to.

According to one of the Sunseeker spokes-people, ʻit will be at least one yearʼ before Sunseeker re-starts. Their website says they are returning all deposits. So I ask: What about those six big cranes? We have an active hurricane season coming. Will the County require the cranes to come down soon? Who will secure the site? Has Charlotte County even thought about this?

Sunseeker is a project of the Allegiant Air company. Last month the Trump administration reached an agreement with major airlines over the terms of a $25 billion bailout to prop up the airline industry after the pandemic. The Treasury Department said that 10 Airlines, including Allegiant Air, would participate in the bail out.

As of yet, there are no plans to bail out the hotel industry and the Sunseeker project would probably not qualify for a bail out any way, since they summarilly fired their help and probably put a number of local building contractors out of business.

Before the panSome of the grounded Allegiant livery at Punta Gorda. demic the TSA We counted 7 planes. Security wouldnʼt let us get any closer. screened nearly 2.3 million passengers. Last month that number dropped to just under 150,000. Thatʼs a 95-percent decrease... and Allegiant already carried serious debt, before the covid virus started. The Sunseeker project now must be one of Allegiantʼs lesser concerns. Payments on planes are coming due, as is, what Market analysts called a ʻloomingʼ 1.5 Billion debt package.

Without the airline, there is no business model for Sunseeker. People arenʼt going to come here on their own. We have no beach! Plus, airline crews throughout the industry are asking the government to restrict vacation travel. Masks are now required on some flights. None of this is condusive to air travel rebounding quickly. Allegiant is screwed. Sunseeker will sit unfinished.

Like the Murdock Village boondoggle, I fear Charlotte County could be saddled with the unfinished Sunseeker project for years to come. Allegiant may still wind up flipping this property (my original prediction ;-)), but this time it wont be a flip for a profit, it will be a flip for survival.

Eventually a buyer might appear and want to turn the unfinished shell into condos – that wouldnʼt be so bad, except since Sunseeker was supposed to be a hotel and Charlotte County granted Sunseeker an exemption for the number of required parking spaces. So now if the project goes condo, there isnʼt enough parking! The County needs to come up with a plan forward, immediately. We canʼt leave it up to Allegiant. Their focus is no longer on Sunseeker. – MH

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To Water LIFE Just a bit of commentary, we are from rural Missouri and have been “stuck” here due to the covid situation. We are grateful to be here (Boca) and feel safe. Fishing and boating have been our way of social distancing. Great family times on the water that we will never forget. Iʼve been reading your publication for years and enjoy it. Thanks and take care! Ed notes: ;-)

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The Fish Factories are Coming On the Line

Commentary By Capt. Ron Blago Water LIFE Senior Staff There is a permit request to the Environmental Protection Agency to approve the first ever commercial fish farm in the Gulf of Mexico. The proposed fish farm is to be located 45 miles west of Venice in 130ft depth. The project called Velella Epsilon involves suspending large fish pens, called Aquapods 45 feet below the surface that are secured to the bottom by a large concrete anchoring system. In the pens will be over 20,000 Almaco Jack fingerlings. The fish will be fed commercial fish pellets and it is hoped that the fish will reach 4 to 5 pounds in 12 months.

How project Velella Epsilon started is a real interesting story, involving commercial, nonprofit and government regulatory agencies. In 2017 a company called Kampachi Worldwide Holdings (now known as Ocean Era) received a grant of $139,474 from the University of Florida, Sea Grant program for a pilot project to start a fish farm in the Gulf of Mexico. In the same year Mote Marine launched a new study on how to farm Almaco Jack. The statement they issued was: “Mote scientists hope to help the aquaculture industry produce healthy juvenile Almaco Jack.” Remember that Mote is a commercial enterprise and none of these people are doing this out of the goodness of their heart.

all dimensions are in meters

MAY 2020

You would think that getting approval for the first offshore fish farm in the Gulf of Mexico would require a lot of permits from a lot of government agencies that have control over the Gulf of Mexico, but Kampachi Farms got a federal judge in Louisiana to remove the Surface view. It is unknown how these structures will be illuminated at night or if anglers and divers Army Corps of Engineers, the will be kept a distance away. The effects of hurriNOAA and the Gulf Marine Fishcanes on the fish farms is also not clear. eries Council from having any reguthe project begins. Kampachi Farms says latory authority over this pilot project.

Since it is in federal waters the State will that because this is a “pilot” project they do not need a full environmental impact have no control and because they will be study. Sarasota BCC has sent a letter to working out of Port Manatee, Sarasota the U.S. EPA in opposition to the plan County will have no control. All the perbecause of red tide concerns. mits will come from the U.S. EPA. This puts Mote Marine in the position In February there was a public meetof having their bread buttered on both ing at Mote to discuss the project. Did I sides. mention that Kampachi Farms has listed On one side, they are the leading reMote as a “stakeholder” in the project? ceiver of government money to study red Mote will be providing the Almaco Jack tide and on the other side, they are profingerlings for the fish farm.

Most of the public at the meeting were viding the brood stock for the fish farms that may help increase the growth of red not in favor of the project. The EPA has tide. received over 9,000 comments on the I’m sure Mote will find a way to keep project, mostly from environmental orthe money and protect their sterling repuganizations, and they have some serious tation. The smart money is betting that concerns. project Velella Epsilon will get their perThey describe these fish pens as esmit and if successful we will see the birth sentially being floating feedlots in open of mega fish factories in the Gulf of water, full of excessive fish feed and Mexico. At least it’s not offshore oil fecal matter.

Environmentalists are asking for a full drilling. scale environmental impact study before

Captronb@juno.com

Kidsʼ Summer-long VIRUS FREE Fishing Tournament Water LIFE $1Bill Challenge is ON! IF

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The Challenge is to catch some nice fish this summer and to learn a few new things about local fishing in 4 videos from Water LIFE and Fishinʼ Frank

When you sign up we give you a number. You write that on the back of a $1Bill. That $1Bill must be visible in every picture of every fish you submit.

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Logan Karol, Carp

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ʼ Kids nt name r u o T rs s Shirt competito l l for a ed with d inclu p ign u $15 s

To kick this yearʼs event off, Fishinʼ Frank has paid the entry fee for each child who has their picture in the magazine this month! These kids are them!! You guys sign up for a penny!

We use Pay Pal on the sign up, so just donate one cent and weʼll txt you your angler number!

Olivia Wright DeSimone, 5 years old, quarantine fishing at the mouth of Alligator Creek caught this sea trout

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John McCullough age 9 Punta Gorda, snook all day in Charlotte Harbor

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Little Brayson caught him a little snapper off the dock.

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James Raschiotto Reardin.

Deerfield Beach king mackerel

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Lydia Zobrist.

Spanish mackerel. Unassisted on the Trembley Reef.

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Rollie Sporer, Gag grouper

Michael Ribas with a nice snook out of Port Charlotte.

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CHARLOTTE HARBOR:

By Capt. David Stephens Water LIFE Charlotte Harbor

It’s not very often that things look like there going to line up to be great. Well this spring was one of those times. We had great weather that started in mid February, actually our coldest weather was in March. The bait fish was thick in the Harbor.

Our snook bite was turning on to the point we was getting shots at trophy fish almost daily. It was looking like a stars and moon kind of Spring.

Well folks when things appear to be too good, it normally is. Was it the weather that changed? Did all the fish just stop eating? Nope we had a global pandemic that crippled our Country. I was booked everyday till mid May when things started going crazy. I was so excited that it appeared the bait was good enough right in

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Snook are more than OK!

the upper Harbor. I was starting do double book a majority of my days. I wasn’t going to have to be worried if I would have enough bait for two trips.

Then, in a very short period of time, I went from a full calendar to chilling on the couch 3- to 4-days a week. I’m not blaming my clients by any means for having to cancel when your stuck on lockdown and can’t leave your state.

But I’m lucky enough to have some local clients that kept fishing with me. The fishing was great this

spring, we put the smack down on some big snook.

Like many things in the past, this soon will also pass. Hopefully it won’t be long before we get the allclear sign. Maybe it will have happened by the time you read this. Who knows?

Tarpon have been moving in the Harbor for a few weeks now. It might just be me, but it seems like when the poons show up the wind blows like crazy.

My wife Rach really likes to go out for tarpon, it seems like every time our schedules cooperate the wind is kicking pretty solid.

For the most part, the Harbor seems pretty healthy. I’m sure a couple weeks ago y’all seen the black algae floating. I saw some pretty interesting posts on facebook about it. Don’t worry, it’s not sewage, or toxic spill. It’s just bottom algae that died from the warm waters and floated to the top. Then the sea breeze blew it to the east side and into the canals.

I’m sure by the time your reading this it’s decayed back into the water. I just hope the oxygen levels down at the bottom stay up.

Well folks, everyone stay safe, I look forward to seeing everyone soon. You don’t realize how much you miss stopping by your favorite bar for a cold drink after a long day on the water. Hopefully soon our country will start getting back to normal.

If you would like to experience some of Charlotte Harbor’s finest fishing, call or send me an email. All of our charters are private and customized to fit your needs.

Capt. Dave Stephens, 941-916-5769 backbayxtremes.com

Favorite Fish

MAY 2020

Last month we asked for your favorite fish photos. We got two! Thanks!! .... so much for that idea! - Ed

Favorite Fish Bob Perry caught this 8.4 # largemouth bass in Port Charlotte.

FISH PIX! Water LIFE magazine

Favorite Fish Trying to catch the elusive silver king and caught this beauty instead (24-inch Black Tip off Sanibel) what a great day of fishing!

Rebecca Lynn from Cape Coral.

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Report from the Ponds:

Something is not Right

By Nicholas J Water LIFE Bass Addict The last few years I have been pond fishing almost everyday for trophy largemouths in hopes of hooking the one and it's been fantastic fishing, not to mention the countless pond monsters I have hooked and released. When the spawn cycle kicks in, I could hook a trophy bass on any cast, in almost every pond I fish.

I am very fortunate to have access to 25 premium ponds to fish for bass with great water quality, vegetation and plenty of bait fish and they are loaded with endless trophy largemouths.

I am very in tune with bass behavior, their patterns, translations and cycles and always by the middle of March going into April the spawning cycle kicks in.

For me, it’s the non stop action of hooking trophy bass almost every other day, while in search of my next personal best. It became typical for me, which has spoiled me for sure, over the years.....lol But something is not right this year. At this usually magical time, I am not seeing and hooking the quantity and quality of bass I am use to in the ponds I fish. For the very first time, pond after pond after pond, I am saying to myself: Where are the fish?

The banks seem so scarce with beds and bedding mamas instead of being plentiful as usual, what could be the cause?

Something is not right. my Floating Frog Well, one thing for sure, is the weather pattern we have been in for the last few months is definitely effecting the bass behavior and the bite. I am sure bass are being suppressed, still, to a certain point. I have been hooking a lot of 19- to -21-inch bass that are way under weight for this time of year.

Temperature wise, we are on track to this being the second hottest year on record and possibly the hottest year on record, come this December. We are going to have the " lil Nino" effect us this year with more constant hot windy weather and the Gulf water temperatures are above normal already, with higher hurricane activity predicted for this season. Florida is already having high drought areas. You can tell by the fast dropping pond levels, and that will effect the cycle and

My April 5, trophy fatback pond monster

bite untill they stabilize. The barometric pressure is still going up and down constantly, and that’s not helping with the bite either. We are still having 20-degree overnight temperature changes once in awhile and that also effects the bite. We have feel like temps in the 100s already and it's only the beginning of spring. My latest therm-depth reading showed water temps by the bank at 3-to 6-feet deep at 90 degrees and at 15-feet the temp is 86 degrees. That 4- degrees difference will have the bass suspend a little deeper, for more comfort.

I confirmed this using my i-bobber fish sonar.

You attach the ibobber sonar fish finder to your pole set-up and cast it out.

With the ibobber app on my phone, I was able to see the graph where the big bass were hanging out and they were at the bottom down around 11the Horny Toad to 15-feet below the surface. The smaller bass were out there too, but hanging 2-to 3-feet below the surface. I was working different baits off the bottom with weedless hooks without much luck, but as I retrieved my line back in they would follow the bait up

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to the bank. I would pause the bait and they would pick it up then I would hook and reel them in and that's been pretty much the pattern for the past month.

Mornings and evening bite action is good.... the midday, not so much. the Sticko Right now the Stickos, Crack Craw, Swimbaits and ragetail Anaconda both working great at getting strikes still, but if you want try something a little different (but effective and fun to work through the water) try the Zoom Horny Toad (water red pearl color). With different weight jigs you can either work the top, mid or bottom water levels and the Horny Toad moves effortlessly through the water with great leg Swimbait that lunkers smack flutter action a lunker can't resist.

Even though it was one of my toughest months I ever had, at this time of year I still hooked quite a few fish and a handful of lunkers. My Trophy Largemouth Pond Monster of the month was hooked on April 5 at 8 am on the first cast with the Booyah Popping frog in a pond off the green I haven't been to in three years. It was a major bass blow up on the frog and a good fight.

I reeled it in no problem, did the Happy Dance snapped some quick pics and released it back in to live and fight another day. It was a solid 23-inch lunker female just a little shy of the magic number in weight. It will be a morning I will never forget. I have seen three bass in three different ponds averaging 25-to 26-inches.

They are veterans of evading my hook and line, but someday they won't be so lucky......lol I am really hoping that we get some real positive changes in the upcoming weeks with the weather and bass action. Weather dictates the spawning cycle and it’s possible that it's just a slow start and just like a light switch it will go from off to on in an instant. And when it does, be ready to hook your next personal best, so please enjoy life to the fullest and get out and hook one!

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Not Since Jaws.....

By Fisnin’ Frank Water LIFE Baitshop Sharks have become one of the most popular fish to catch in Florida. Sharks have not gotten this much attention since Jaws.

And catch and release shark fishing is pushing tarpon as the number one past time, tarpon are beautiful and seeing a 150-pound fish jump 6-feet out of the water is awesome, but outside of a busted finger or nose (tarpon break a lot of noses when people are trying to release them and the fish lunges resulting in a tarpon head-but to a human face) The tarpon always wins, but if you want to talk primal and scary we have to talk sharks.

Not only is it unreal to catch a 300 maybe 600 pound critter, it is an adrenaline rush, And then you try to get the hook out – remember the head butt thing? Well, think about getting head butted or maybe French kissed by an 8 foot bull shark with a mouth full of razors.

But how to get to that point, of having a shark to release? Well, first off, the new laws require circle hooks... which is stupid, in my opinion.

But let’s get into it.

The first mistake most people make is they use hooks and bait that are too big.

Yes, for many of the black tips and sharp

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nose sharks a 4/0 hook is more than good.

I am talking about sharks less than 5-foot long.

And the rods and reels they use are way too big. First, the mouth of an average black tip is an opening about (without really extending) 3-inches high and 4inches wide. So lets say you are using a 6 inch chunk of bait you would get lots of hits, but few, if any, hook-ups. So if you are getting hits, but no sharks make your hook, leader and bait much smaller... let’s say closer to a golf ball size rather than a tennis ball size. And a 10- to 20-pound class spinning reel with a 3- or 4000- size reel with 20-pound braided line or 12pound mono is more than good. And for leader, I use 40-ish-pound steel. Remember this is for sharks less than 5-foot.

Now I always have one line, my first line out, with a float or bobber... and the bait about 3 ½ feet below the float so I can cast it. That is my back right rood holder and it cover near the surface.

My second line is a free line, no weight or float. The weight of the leader, hook and bait is enough to take the bait close to the bottom. The reason a free line works is the tide.

With normal tide flow, the bait goes to the bottom and then the water/tide pressure against the line will lift the bait off

the bottom and then allow it to settle again. Picture a bull whip; as the whip is lifted, it curls up like a wave, which will lift the tip of the whip and the water will do the same thing to your line and bait, so it is not just sitting on the bottom.

If the tide is very slow I will put that bait under a float, about 1-foot off the bottom. So in 14-foot of water, I set the float at 12-foot. Now of course you cannot cast this, so just set it off the side of the boat and feed the line out to get it 80 feet away from the boat.

Now both of these lines so far are smaller rigs with light duty spinning tackle. If I want to put out another line I up size a bit with 12/0 or larger hooks and 100-pound test steel leader or more and big chunks of bait – the size of two fists or more. On the line here, which is 50-pound test or more, (on heavy rods), I place a heavy sinker so I can cast them out at a 45-degree angle to the side and back of the boat, so they stay away from my other lines.

You will most times get hit on the smaller lines with smaller baits first, but after the smaller lines quit getting hit wait about 20 minutes, those big lines are going to start screaming out.

The main predator of small sharks is BIG SHARKS. Once the smaller sharks start feeding and fighting on your line, that gets the attention of the big sharks and when they show up, the small ones

MAY 2020

FISH PIX! Water LIFE magazine

Nine foot hammer off Boca Grande last month Matt Armstrong

haul their soon-to-be-eaten butts out of there and, oh yeah, there’s your bait.

So enjoy the smaller sharks on the light snook/ redfish rods - that is when they are fun, but have your big rods with big baits waiting for the mack daddy, monster, kick your butt, oh my stomach hurts, sharks to show up.

Fishin’ Frank 625-3888 Fishin@Franks.com

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• Best Pr ic es and Com plet e Fit m ent Ser vi ce

• B o a t L i f t C a p a b i l i t i e s - E n s u r e P r o p e r F i t m e n t , C o r r e c t To n g u e W e i g h t , E a s e O f L o a d i n g •

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SHARKING: Your Choice This Month

By Capt. John Brossard Water LIFE Shark Fishing Whether you want a small blacktip or a bonnet-head to eat or want to wrestle with a giant hammerhead. It's your choice this month. The fish are here for the catching.

On the Shark Chaser lately, I basically ask my party what they want, a 2- footer to eat, or do you want your back to be sore the next day? The water temps are up and so is the fishing.

As usual, the best time to go is early in the am and late afternoon, before sunset. The fishing is pretty good all day also, if you go to the right areas.

As in snook fishing, there are areas that hold fish day and night, but they will feed better early and late due to the bright sun in the middle of the day.

People are catching sandbar, hammers and big lemon sharks off the beaches of Sanibel and Ft Myers Beach on a regular basis.

The bonnet-heads and black tips are just off the beaches and the monsters are just past them on the near shore reefs.

The bait has been plenty-full from catfish, blue runners to nice jack crevalle.

Chop them in half for a smaller shark or just cut the tail off, give them a little slice in the belly and your off to a good start.

Chumming is optional this time of year because the water is so alive with action.

Get on the water where and when you can and are allowed, the fishing is great!

Until next month, enjoy the beautiful area we live in! Tight line and may the big one not get away !!

Capt John Brossard 239-777-9279

sharkchaserfl@ gmail.com

sharkchasercharters.com

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FISH PIX! f fr ro om m W Wa at te er r L L II F FE E m ma ag ga az z ii n ne e

35 inch Snook on Live Pinfish.

(John, the Snook King, Slattery) Love your Magazine !

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from Water LIFE magazine

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from Water LIFE magazine

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Dick Fontaine peacock bass caught on South 41 right over the Dade County Line

Kristy and Steve Carey of Lake Suzy

Bart Besaw from Green Bay Wi . Was quarantined on the Tarpon boat ! He went two for three on cut bait near Sanibel island.

Ron Briggs. Monster snook on live shiner Redfish Pass, Captiva

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from Water LIFE magazine

Captain Greyshark

Barbara Brock caught and released this nice size snook in Charlotte Harbor

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Brent Watson mangrove snapper

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READERʼS PHOTOS Send us ur fish pix! Weʼll use ʻem!! see page 5

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Lila Bragg Cape Coral, catching some bass

FISH PIX! f fr ro om m W Wa at te er r L L II F FE E m ma ag ga az z ii n ne e

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Mike Clever 22 inch Red grouper

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Peacocks heating up...Capt Fred Gowdy Golden Gate canals

Joe Sheaffer with a nice Gasparilla redfish

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Brad Zobrist trolling a x-rap 25 off of Boca Grande today.

Both fish today 3/28. Thanks.

We enjoy the magazine.

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from Water LIFE magazine

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27.5-inches at Shell Creek Mike Perkins

Todd Balsinger with a pair of nice red grouper!

Reid Lawson from Kettering Ohio fishing with his grandparents in the Myakka River catch and release 35-inch Bull Red

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MAY 2020

READERʼS PHOTOS Send us ur fish pix! Weʼll use ʻem!! see page 3

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The Ole Slim Jim proving you can still catch a decent Red grouper within 9 miles, during Corona Virus

from Water LIFE magazine

Jean Guy with a nice Bonita out of Stump Pass

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Gary Reger with Red snapper released off Englewood

Paige and Todd with her 29-inch red grouper !

Fisher Morris out of Naples, with Capt. Clayton

Lydia Z. caught a bonnet head shark on her own near Gasparilla Island.

Snapped her birthday present in half. I pulled it in by hand for her. Lol. She didnʼt know whether to cry or scream in enjoyment!

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Olivia, 5 and her dad, Tom caught this small king mackerel in Charlotte Harbor

This is Bailey and Jonah from Greencastle Indiana with a 27inch and a 23-inch snook from Shell Creek

I live in polk County and I like you guys. My son caught a nice Bass and i just wanted to share it with you – *thx!

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Paul Stebing from North Port with catch and release amberjack

Butch Duncan, red grouper, 4 man limit, fishing with Capt Mike !! Boca Pass!!

MAY 2020

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Everglades & 10,000 Islands - Good

By Capt. Charlie Phillips Water LIFE / Everglades City Just like for all of you, April has been a trying month for us at Hope Fishing Adventures. Being honest, I haven’t fished but just a few times these past 30 days and all of those were on personal trips, not charters.

The trips I had cancelled, and as is to be expected, the phone’s not ringing to fill the empty spots.

Charter captains aren’t alone in this, of course, as it impacts all sectors and all walks of life. I am afraid we will see changes in our communities after this event has passed as those that couldn’t hold on close shop and others that are able to find a foothold try to get a start.

It’s the circle of life and while not fair or fun, it is just the shakes you must deal with. One of my favorite movies has a line I always remember, “sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you”. Pretty true statement for April of 2020.

Enough of all that! While I haven’t fished too much on trips, I did get out to social distance and see what was biting. We have been hot, having had several days of record heat and that has sure gotten the summer migrations off and moving quickly this year.

I have seen several of my guide friends successfully targeting the tarpon migrations with some large silver kings coming boat side. My buddy

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Fishing, but Business is Slow

Capt. Joe Cass of joesnook.com has been targeting tarpon as well as everything else that swims this month, and with great success.

My backwater guide friend Capt. Joe Garcia of southerngladescharters.com has

photo: Capt. Joe Garcia

done well in the creeks and skinny water areas targeting the smaller tarpon, big redfish and snook.

The trout bite has been on as well, with great speckled trout being targeted around the grass areas, outside bars on the high tides and offshore around the rockpiles. The latter mentioned place is somewhere I like to target trout as I find them to be larger and cleaner fish.

Using a shrimp -tipped bucktail, we search around the rocks until we locate them and then we effectively target them in that general area.

Crab traps are out for about another week or two so last chance for a while to target tripletail on the floats. These fish are still here when the traps are pulled, it just can be more of a challenge to find them. Any piece of flotsam that I see warrants a look while

Photo: Capt Joe Cass

traversing the shallow waters as I move down the outside islands.

Often tripletail inshore be lighter colored than the ones you are used to seeing in the cleaner waters offshore, so if you see something that doesn’t look just right, go check it out. I spot plenty of big permit as well, cruising these inshore waters while on the hunt for tripletail, though being honest, I am often on top of them when spotted, but we will stick around a bit, targeting them with live shrimp and crabs on floats, and we are successful about 50percent of the time.

Y’all be safe out there!

Capt. Charlie Phillips, President, Florida Guides Assn.

Owner/Captain, Hope Fishing Adventures Everglades City, Florida hopefishing.com 863-517-1829

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Tom from North Port with catch and release Amberjack

Tim (Tip) Cline Bass

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READERʼS PHOTOS Send us ur fish pix! Weʼll use ʻem!! see page 5

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Mike Navakas, keeper grouper caught west of Fort Myers Beach.

from Water LIFE magazine

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Lydia has been practicing her casting on the beach. Finally paid off with a nice whiting on the north end of Boca

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Tim (Tip) Cline 9 and 1/2 pound red grouper, 27-inches

Good Tripletail a few good snook and and some gator trout. Blake Beerbower and his son Shane with Capt. Scotty

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Good day on the water with my wife Mary Roe, stud snook and lots of nice spots. Capt. Scotty Roe.

Felix Gomez red grouper

from Water LIFE magazine

My first king!!!45-inches trolling a 6-inch spoon out around the reefs in 44-feet of water. Love this sport. Tom Amrhein

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from Water LIFE magazine

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Humberto with a little black from Water LIFE magazine

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Greyson Social distancing

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Ron Briggs and Charlie Briggs.

Bonita offshore Captiva

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Dusty Helton Rotonda west 11-inch bluegill

IF

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Estero Bay: Maintenance MAY 2020

By Capt. Joe Angius Water LIFE Estero A client’s safety and comfort is always on the forefront of my mind when it comes to having a successful day out on the water. At least twice a year, there is a thorough checklist of items that needs to get completed to minimize the chance of issues occurring. Lower unit oil, water impellor, spark plugs, fuel lines, livewell hoses, bilge pumps, electrical connections, battery storage and health, steering components, throttle cables, gel coat cracks, and fire extinguisher checks are a fraction of what my checklist is compiled of. This isn’t to mention all of the work that gets done to the trailer or the vehicle that tows the boat. The behind-the-scenes of every charter captain most likely looks like this and is the most forgotten aspect of our

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job. Making the time is often challenging, but recently we’ve been given time to properly maintain our tools with no excuses.

The effort of a good angler can be noticed through their gear. Not who has the prettiest and newest top-of-the-line gear, but who actually has gear that works and is effective. It’s imperative that all of your rods, reels, knots, and fishing line don’t fail, so every opportunity to catch a fish that comes by is not determined by luck.

Part of my yearly checklist is to rotate my reels by first inspecting them. If any of my reels show symptoms of a bad bearing or weak bail magnet, it gets numbered, boxed, and shipped to the manufacturer for maintenance. If it’s a simple cleaning and greasing that can fix the issue, then doing it yourself is the way to go.

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Replacing the line on your reels can get expensive, especially if you fish braid, but fishing is not cheap. I’ll change my line twice every year, but most anglers can get away with changing it every year or so. In the process of replacing fishing line, if one spool has extensive fraying, be sure to inspect the guides of the fishing rod. A chipped and cracked ceramic guide is often the cause of poor casting distance and makes the line prone to snapping while fighting a fish.

The reality is, if I were to discuss all aspects of the maintenance that goes into fishing, I could write a book, so aside from fixing the moving parts of fishing and boating, now is the chance to have a properly cleaned and waxed vessel. This holds true if you fish from a canoe, gheenoe, paddle board, or even if you wade fish, there has to be a vehicle that needs attending to. Cleaning and waxing a boat or vehicle is easiest in concept, but requires some of the most elbow grease.

This falls under the category of maintenance because without your tools being cleaned and waxed, issues like corrosion, barnacle build-up, and issues underneath your hull will go from bad to worse if left unattended. A clean boat emits pride in the things that we own and it’s the responsibility of the owner to not take this for granted.

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Times are changing, but the love for everything fishing remains. Fishing chose me and unfortunately, fishing likes money, so I’m an advocate for do-it-yourself projects. Typically the most expensive part of DIY is time. Utilize this gift of time wisely and remember that maintenance matters. It’s for the safety of you and others around you. Enjoy what Southwest Florida has to offer through boating and fishing responsibly.

SCUTTLEBUTT

Captain Joe Angius 727-234-3171 speakeasyfishing@gmail.com www.speakeasyfishing.com

Sometimes Unsubstanciated, But Often True

TARPON GET A BREAK The tarpon are here and they are getting a break because tarpon fishing is going to be down. Local traditional tarpon guides in Boca Grande are reporting many of their corporate customers, those who are the mainstay of the tarpon fishing business for them, are cancelling reservations. Inshore and offshore guides are reporting similar situations, but recreational fishing in general, especially freshwater, is gaining popularity. Some guides have filed for financial assistance, but those who have been working for cash only are now finding it difficult to verify their income.

SAD Officers assisted the Charlotte County Sheriffsʼ Office in a search and rescue effort at Shell Creek. An elderly male subject was reported missing the night before. Witnesses had observed the subject working around his vessel and dock. Officers searched several miles of the creek. K9s were utilized and alerted to a spot near the dock where the subject was last seen. The deceased subject was located by dive team members.

GO WHERE I WANT, TAKE WHAT I WANT FWC Officers conducted a vessel stop in Charlotte Harbor. The owner of the vessel was in possession of live whole stone crabs, undersized mangrove snapper and black sea bass. The owner of the vessel was given a notice to appear and appropriate warnings for undersized fish.

The view going through the new Buckleyʼs Pass inlet, from Alligator Creek to Punta Gorda Isles. The water moves well. This was not long after the inlet opened last month.

Since the Countyʼs Marine Advisory Committee sent the original funding request back to Punta Gorda for funding, the question now is: When the Pass gets shallow, who foots the bill for the dredging? The County or the City?

MULTIPLE CRIMINAL MANDATORY NOTICE TO APPEAR CITATIONS Officer observed a net spread out across the canal and saw two individuals get in a boat and begin to fish the net. The net was being used illegally as a stop net, an illegal gill/entangling net, and was over the maximum allowed 500 square footage for any net in state waters (850.5 ft).

The net was made with monofilament, which is also outlawed in Florida for this type of net. A resource inspection revealed multiple other criminal violations and major resource violations. One of

the individuals was given multiple criminal mandatory notice to appear citations and infraction citations. The net was seized as evidence.

ONLY TRYING TO HELP FWC Officers assisted FWC biologists in rescuing a manatee in a canal inside Matanzas Pass in Ft. Myers.

The manatee was suffering from cold shock and had white markings over its entire body.

The manatee was corralled using a patrol vessel and netted from shore by biologists. It was transported to the lab for medical treatment and observation of stress.... possibly induced during its capture!

TURTLE GETS E-TICKET RIDE FWC responded to a report of a sick or injured sea turtle in a canal behind a residence in Port Charlotte. He found a very sluggish Kempʼs Ridley sea turtle floating by the seawall. Using the homeownerʼs landing net, he pulled the turtle from the water and brought it to manatee research interns at the Fish and Wildlife Research Instituteʼs Port Charlotte lab. The interns took the turtle to MOTE Marine in Sarasota for evaluation and rehabilitation. The turtle was treated and released and is probably making itʼs way back to Port Charlotte now.

VIDEO PROSECUTION FWC Officers received video footage of a subject on the Ocklawaha River pulling commercial crab traps and stealing the crabs from them. The suspect was located and admitted to the molestation of the traps and theft of the product. The suspect was charged accordingly.

tankers (above) and cruise ships (below) sit idle offshore... waiting

FWC QUOTE OF THE MONTH .... ʻthe subject was last seen floating down the river hanging onto the side of the boat in distress.ʼ WE GET NOTHING The Southwest Florida Water Management District is launching a new Septic to Sewer initiative by providing more than $7 million in matching funds to Crystal River for five projects that help reduce the impact of septic tanks on the regionʼs five first-magnitude springs. Currently, 42-percent of Crystal River is on septic.

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from Water LIFE magazine

Becky Stephenson caught this 33-inch scamp grouper in 150' of water 60 miles west of the Gasparilla inlet.

Tennessee River smallmouth Capt. Fred Gowdy with Alex Carvell

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Steve with a nice snook

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Catch and release, 37-inch fatty, on live finger mullet, Charlotte harbor. - Jess

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Nice Estero Bay snook Capt Fred Gowdy

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Gary Brock self isolating with wifey, caught this really nice Black drum

from Water LIFE magazine

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Max Thurek with a 21-inch Jack by I-75 bridge, Port Charlotte.

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"The Dag"with a catch a release red snapper during a day out with the Slim Jim:)

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Holy Mackerel. Pete Tamburro caught in Charlotte Harbor.

from Water LIFE magazine

MAY 2020

IF

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Canʼt Trust MOSAIC

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PHOSPHATE MINING

very important SERVICE to the COMMUNITY but the Commentary By Tim Ritchie COMMUNITY SERVICE you provided has been tremenWater LIFE / March Against Mosaic dous, not just because of the BUSINESS but the GIVING On Thursday April 23, I was listening to iHeartRadio DONATIONS to schools, gardens or students... the list goes 1580am and heard the host introduce Heather Nedley From on and on. You guys are COMMUNITY orienated.

Mosaic Fertilizer. Then he asked this question #1: What (Answer) “Yes we are. does Mosaic do? (Answer) “Mine For our priority areas where Phosphate in Central Florida, turn it we INVEST we encourage into fertilizer and sell it to farmers.” our employees to VOLUNShe continued: “At times like this TEER as well. UNITED (Covid-19) our business is STILL WAY campaign we do as a RUNNING and going cause we’re Company that Match $Dolconsidered an ESSENTIAL INDUSlar for $Dollar per every TRY being able to provide nutrients to contribution an Mosaic emfarmers to be able to crow crops.” The ployee gives. Then in addiRadio Show Host replied ‘That's Fantion to that AGRICULTURE tastic!’ and FOOD related PARTQuestion #2: Mosaic has been NERSHIPS so in CHARaround for awhile? (Answer) Heather LOTTE COUNTY, FL we Nedley, Mosaic “Yes we have. As a work with: Harry Chapin company we’re about 15-years old, but new billboard, last month, in DeSoto Food Bank, United Way we actually... we are a merger between Charlotte County, and the two predecessor company's Cargill Fertilizer and IMC. CHNEP These two companies merged in 2004 to form Mosaic Fer(Charlotte Harbor National Estuary program, the peotilizer LLC. So somewhat of a young company, we have a ple who do the water quality tests for Charlotte Harbor) lot of knowledge. We have people who worked in the inThose are the kinda KEY PARTNERSHIPS that we have in dustry for us, who have worked for us 35 to 40 years. So CHARLOTTE COUNTY, where we INVEST $Dollars and the Industry in Central Florida has been around since the do things that would be beneficial for quality of life there. early 1900s.”

Reply from Radio Host: Of course, UNITED WAY Question #3: So, not only has Mosaic been providing a bragg's about you guys all the time! Everytime I talk with

READERʼS PHOTOS Send us ur fish pix! Weʼll use ʻem!! see page 3

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Angie and Dawn and the crew over there they love talking about MOSAIC and the PARTNERSHIP that you guys have. So it’s really worked out well for both sides.

Heather Nedley: “Yes it has. We appreciate everything they do and the agencies they provide FUNDING too and COLLABORATION that they encourage in Charlotee County. They really are Moving the Needle when it comes to people that are in need providing them services that otherwise wouldn’t be avaliable. That is why we INVEST in the UNITED WAY because of all the great things they do.”

So I have to ask; How come Heather Nedly of Mosaic Fertilizer LLC doesn’t ever mention the 2.6 Million Gallons of Blended Acidic Radioactive Wastewater they are continiously discharging, everyday, into the Peace River from the MOSAIC BARTOW SOUTH GYPSTACK that flows down River to Punta Gorda and Charlotte Harbor?

How many millions are you discharging everyday from the MOSAIC NEW WALES GYPSTACK, MOSAIC GREEN BAY GYPSTACK, BARTOW GYPSTACK, RIVERVIEW GYPSTACK into the Peace, Myakka, Alafia, Manatee and Little Manatee River's?

Last month the mining re-circulation system at the Ft. Meade mine (accidentally) discharged water into a wetland that feeds Little Charlie creek which discharges into the Peace River. Total gallons discharged unknown but estimates are well over 1000 gallons.

We want the Mosaic WATER MONITORING WELLS’ TESTS to be made PUBLIC!! They Can NOT buy their way into our community any more.

WE CAN NOT TRUST MOSAIC FERTILIZER LLC!!!

Jen Perkins caught this 24-inch fat boy in Shell Creek today

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Trevor Eibe 11-pound bass

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Michael Johnsky caught this nice tuna while fishing with Colby Howard in Boca Grande.

My name is Kimmberly, Iʼm out here catching snook!

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Big Bob Deyling with a 42-inch snook. Fishing with Capt. Skip in Bull Bay.

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Rich Knerr had a great day fishing on the Beericuda! 29-inch red grouper as well as nice red snapper

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Enjoy Spring – Just Donʼt Blink

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By Alan Williams Water LIFE Upper Harbor Spring, around here, is also known as the “Don’t Blink Season”. It seems as if every year our seasons are getting shorter, not longer, except for the almost eternal summer.

The fish seem to be harder at times to figure out with the short weather patterns.

Our lack of cold in the winter has the fishes’ clocks moving and confused as much as us changing our clocks for daylight saving’s time.

In the winter, as they try to move into the winter patterns of the back country or deep water, it seems as soon as they move in, the temperatures rise, and they put the brakes on and move back out. So they are here one day, gone the next.

On the bright side, the short transition has the fish moving and biting in a blitz as they feed for the spawn and

concentrate around the abundant early summer bait.

Our severe lack of rain has had the benefit of making the rivers and creeks obtain good visibility, presenting a rare opportunity to site fish snook and reds.

This spring weather pattern is one of my favorite seasons. It brings in a new changing of the guard, as the bait become plentiful, the fish are getting ready to go

into spawn mode and feed with a vengeance to fatten up for their trek to the Gulf. I’m referring to my favorite species…snook.

Contrary to belief, all of the snook don’t make their way out to the beaches.

A lot of fish stay in the rivers and back country and will still spawn when the right conditions present themselves, mainly water temperature and salinity.

The signs of spring bring about expectations and hope of big fish. Snook and the King of Spring, tarpon, which have

been showing up in increasing numbers and getting many hearts racing. The deeper holes of the Harbor and Pass have been producing these fish as have the Peace River and Shell Creek.

I look daily for the fun size 20- to 50pound tarpon to show up in numbers inside and outside the East Wall. The smaller tarpon are making their way out of the canal systems now.

One of the benefits of the amount of springtime bait is the Spanish mackerel run which brings them in with a vengeance. It’s a fun time to drag a couple of spoons around diving birds or busting fish to make a trip to the grocery store unnecessary.

There have also been cobia caught outside the bars and around the Alligator Reef as well as schools of big black drum on the Harbor and bridges. Trout and some nice reds are still around too, which,

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Lauren Zobrist with a decent Jack from Captiva Pass

from Water LIFE magazine

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Rick Page Buffalo N. Y. Red grouper with Capt. Joe Miller out of Venice

from Water LIFE magazine

I believe is a benefit of the closed seasons.

It’s a lot better than last year’s numbers.

This unusual time in history has a benefit to outdoor people. We have more time to spend with our families and are lucky enough to not have our boat ramps closed. It was close, but sanity prevailed over the insane rafting up mentality at the sandbars. Our east coast brothers and sisters were not so lucky.

One good thing, it will give the fish and environment a much needed break.

Our waters are busier than I’ve ever seen for this time of year. Every day seems like a weekend, but I’m glad to see couples on the boat enjoying what we all love.

Take the time to breathe. This will all be water behind the boat before we know it. Go explore and look for some fish, there are lots of them around. Get out and enjoy the day with your safest peeps.

Breathe… See you on the Water.

Capt. Alan Williams 954 -347-5275 awilli9412@aol.com

Tarpon at secret location lol Jo-Jizzle

Lydia got in on the jack action too.

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Nikki Page, Buffalo N. Y. 24-inch mangrove snapper, fishing with Capt. Joe Miller out of Venice

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from Water LIFE magazine

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Caught alot in Sarasota Nick Forfar

Fisher Morris Boca Grande King

MAY 2020

Explore!

Fish with one of our Guides Youʼll learn new things and youʼll catch good fish!

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TARPON The Silver King has arrived. Pass & Harbor

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Fish you can expect in

May

SHARKS Lots of hungry SPANISH MACKEREL In roaming around. Big & Little the passes and So. Harbor

JACK CREVALLE Marauding wolfpacks of jacks are around

May – Predictions and Suggestions

Peace River Charlotte Harbor Frank at Fishin’ Franks 941-625-3888

All in all the fishing is pretty good. It was spectacular a few weeks ago but with all the fronts coming through the fish are moving around.

The number one thing is shark. From Nav-A-Gator out to the Gulf, sharks are a big big thing. The Peace and Myakka have the 3- to 6-footers, the Harbor has 3 - to 10-footers. There are just a lot of species of sharks around right now.

Spanish mackerel and King mackerel are both here in good numbers all around the area. In the Harbor, over the deep holes and by the reef... toothy critters abound.

We have Spanish 3- to 20-miles out into the Gulf and at 20 we are seeing a nice influx of King mackerel.

Also out in the Gulf there has been a nice bunch of blackfin tuna at Novak, Trembly and from the Jeff Steeler reef out to the Boxcars there are nice blackfin tuna.

The thing with the blackfin is, you have to use little baits, small jigs and lures or white bait; 2/0 to 4-0 hooks are the plan.

Grouper fishing is pretty good in 75feet of water. Snapper and miscellaneous dinner-fish are on most of the reefs.

One of the big resurgences has been freshwater fishing. Wacky rigging top water frogs, or a Texas rigged ribbon tail (purple is the number 1 color right now) are the time-proven rigs for bass.

Tilapia, blue gills crappie... all the pan fish are being caught in good numbers.

People are finding out local tilapia are so much better eating than the ones you get at the store. The bass is catch and release, but the tilapia is eating fish. They are 5-to 6-pounds and are tearing the spinner bait. Beetle spins and the tiny Strike King Bitsy Spinners are the baits working on them.

In the snook and redfish populations, the reds are scattered 2- to 10-fish, but the snook are getting ready to spawn. One of our guys out in the Gulf was just watching huge snook migrating out through the Pass. They are concentrated from Cape Haze through the Pass out to the beaches.

Snook are in the spawn mode now. They are not doing the stay at home thing, they are going out to spawn, they don’t know about the corona virus!

Lemon Bay, Placida, Gasparilla Sound Capt. Kaelin Olayer Flyin’ Hawaiian Fishing Charters 941-716-1425 Tarpon season is upon us! This is the time of the year we all look forward to, the tarpon have started their yearly migration to Boca Grande Pass. Since a lot of fish have showed up early, I have a feeling there will be a lot of fish in our area this season. Tarpon fishing in Boca Grande Pass has been productive using live crabs on both tides. The sharks have been chasing the tarpon around, so make sure you use heavy enough tackle to give your fish a chance!

Upper Charlotte Harbor has quite a good number of tarpon as well. They have been biting live thread fins, live pinfish, dead mullet or D.O.A bait busters.

Inshore fishing has been consistent. We have had a lot of south wind and high tides so targeting the mangroves has been producing nice snook and redfish. Live whitebait and pinfish have been the go-to live baits lately. Throwing artificial lures such as a Zara Spook or a Westin Shadteez can be successful as well. The snook are getting staged up to start their summer spawn, they will be in good groups near the passes and will be hungry! There are even some starting to get out on the beaches.

Offshore fishing has been really good if we can get a break in the wind to get out there. Our last couple trips out were stellar! There have been a good number of blackfin tuna around, along with a pile of king mackerel. Trolling spoons or freelined Spanish sardines have been the key to getting them to bite. I have heard reports of people catching wahoo and sailfish out there as well! The red grouper bite is still good out in the 100-to 110-foot range, along with some healthy mangrove snapper. Amberjack season opens up May 1 and they have been thick out on the wrecks. Fishing live baits like pinfish and squirrelfish are the ticket to catching a reef donkey! Those same wrecks will hold a lot of hungry sharks, barracuda, and Goliath grouper, so it’s a race to get your fish to the boat past the predators!

I have a feeling May is going to be a great month for fishing! I hope everyone stays safe and healthy. Go catch some fish!

PAGE 19

Nearshore water temps are now in the high 70s Fish are transitioning

95˚ 90˚ 85˚ 80˚

75˚ 72˚ 70˚ 68˚ 50˚ 45˚

FISHING RIGHT NOW:

ALL DEPENDS ON FRONTAL PASSAGE Englewood Bait House

Head-Boat Offshore Fishing 941- 475-4511

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MAY 2020