Water LIFE April 2018 by Water LIFE magazine

Water LI FE

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

The Charlotte Harbor Reef Association

April 2018

FISH PIX!

from Water LIFE magazine

Bobby Zink with 14 sheepshead, a flounder and a mangrove snapper! A beautiful day between Boca Grande and Pine Island

Johnna Latty, grunt caught 18 miles off Fort Myers Beach

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More on the Allegiant Sunseeker Resort

APRIL 2018

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Fort Myers Beach, Spring Break, March 2018

According to Charlotte County, the Sunseeker property is located in what is designated as a Special Flood Hazard Area, Zone V, the V designation is for Velocity. According to the Charlotte Countyʼs GIS website, the base elevation for building in that area is 13 feet. This is what the Countyʼs regulations say about building in a Special Flood Hazard Area: “The following is a summary of the regulations in Charlotte County. Please note that the minimum requirements of the NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program) are now part of the Florida Building Code. All development in the Special Flood Hazard Area must have a permit prior to starting work. The structure should be elevated to at or above the Base Flood Elevation – this includes all equipment associated with the structure. Non-residential structures may be flood proofed as an alternative to elevation. Jason Bihari Development in areas subject to high waves Caught this (shown as V Zones on the flood map) cannot ob7 3/4 - pound struct the flow of waves so must remain open or be constructed in a way that any obstructions will break lobster, in the Gulf out from away. Charlotte County also restricts the size of the Boca. area that may be enclosed below these elevated It is shown structures and does not allow subdivision of the area. covering a A Non-Conversion Agreement to prevent prohibscuba tank ited use of the space below an elevated structure is for size also required at the time of construction. comparison. Site development must be done in such a way to ensure proper drainage of the lot so as not to impact surrounding lots.”

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Contributing Editors:

Photography: ASA1000.com Senior Editor: Capt. Ron Blago Baitshop: Fishinʼ Frank Peace River: Capt. David Stephens Punta Gorda: Capt. Chuck Eichner Venice: Glen Ballinger Estero: Capt. Joe Angius Everglades City: Capt. Charlie Phillips Kayaking: Bob Fraser Sea Grant: Capt. Betty Staugler Beach Fishing: Mallory Herzog Pier Fishing: Bobby Vitalis Diving: Adam Wilson Office Dog: position open (only beagles may apply)

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How They Gonna Do That? By Michael Heller Water LIFE publisher Money is starting to move around again and things are happening in Real Estate. The Allegiant Sunseeker property has almost been cleared of its old structures, but there still has not been permitting for anything but demolition. If you drive by the site on Bayshore in Port Charlotte, look at the foundation where the Two-Day-Old-Bread building once stood. That’s the base elevation required to build in the area, it is 13 feet. How are they going to do that? And in their latest rendering of a site plan, Allegiant shows a foot bridge OVER US 41 connecting their ‘properties’ on both sides. Why are they showing that? Currently construction is underway at the same location, to build a walkway UNDER the US 41-bridges. Who isn’t talking to who? And that walkway under the bridges project is an attention getter on its own, first because it wasn’t scheduled to happen for a few years and second, because the funding may be ‘creative.’ I don’t have the specific details, but the walkway is the second stage of the recently completed park at the foot of the northbound Peace River bridge on the Port Charlotte side. It looks to me,

and to others, that there may be some kind of financial hocus-pocus going on with this project. Along with the walkway, the County has drawn its phase-two plan to show a water taxi dock. Problem is, there is no water taxi and no one thinks there will ever be a water taxi. It isn’t financially feasible or socially necessary to operate a water taxi to Punta Gorda. It’s a scam. But, as I understand it, by showing a water taxi dock the County becomes eligible for additional federal funding on the project. Then, the way it works around here, the federal funds go into the County’s general account. Paperwork will be shuffled, but no one ever checks to see if there really is a water taxi, so no one is any the wiser. The fact that the County moved the schedule up either speaks to their belief of Allegiant actually building their site, which I still don’t believe, or to the Counrty’s own impatience to cook the books and get hold of the extra cash. Years ago, when the County received funds for a kids fishing program and then transferred the money to their general fund, I caught on to this trick and I’ve never trusted the County since. Down in Lee County ther have issues as well. No sooner did the jig vs live

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This will be a world class fishing pier, but it will be a private one. It is as of yet unclear how this new pier might affect anglers in boats wanting to fish here.

bait controversy at Boca Grande settle down than now a pier-fisherman vs boat-angler problem is shaping up. The land owners at the tip of Boca Grande are developing the old oil tank site. Lots start at $1.2-million. Rumor has it that former President George Bush bought the first lot. Hey George, SUP? Are you pier fishing now? According to David Rugg, an Englewood local, the site under development includes four, island sized concrete pylons, where tankers once tied up to unload fuel for FPL.

Supposedly, the developer will build a private fishing pier across the top of those pylons and connect it to shore. What a spot! This area is already home to gigantic grouper, tarpon and snook; it’s a stopping point for worldclass species, and if they build a new pier, which would be a shade producing structurefor fish, this will be an even fishier spot. Everyone will want to fish here... but it will be private. The state missed the mark when they didn’t buy this property when they had the opportunity. They will regret that move.

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Spring Fishing and the Bait Situation PAGE

By Capt. David Stephens Water LIFE Charlotte Harbor Well, February came and showed us what we should be experiencing in the Spring, then March showed up and decided it wasn’t quite Spring yet. Now let’s hope April will be more like what we normally expect during the Spring here in sunny Southwest Florida. The past few weeks our water temperatures have been like a roller coaster. Things were starting to warm up and the fishing was trending in the right direction, then Mother Nature showed up with some cool weather and we had several cold fronts stacked on top of one another push through our area. With night lows in the 40s for a week, our water temperatures dipped back down into the mid 60s. Now it looks like the cooler weather is a thing of the past, so we can get back to focusing on great fishing. After a weird winter, the snook bite is really getting into full swing now. April is the month these guys really put the feed bag on. This time of year snook can be targeted in

many different locations, the most popular being the flats. The flats off islands that are close to creeks normally hold a good amount of fish during the spring. On the higher tides, look for them to be holding close to the mangroves, then as the tide drops, the flats and surrounding pot holes will become your best bet. Another great place to locate hungry fish, although not my favorite... but still very effective... will be the resid e n t i a l canals. During the cooler months, the canals play host to a large number of fish seeking warmer deep water, and right now a large number of these guys are still hanging around. The only problem is the almost endless canal system we have. You might have to do a little looking, but you should be rewarded. Warmer water will also bring plenty of bait back in the Harbor. Over the past few days I have been seeing a lot more birds

diving. On calm days you can see the large schools of bait on the surface. For the most part, we have two major schools of bait that move into the Harbor. We have threadfin herring that are normally found in deeper water. These guys are great bait, but they have their faults. The biggest one is they’re hard to keep alive, but if you

don’t over crowd your livewell they will keep for at least several hours. Our most popular bait is scaled sardines, or pilchards. These guys are commonly found on the shallow flats and you can

APRIL 2018

chum them up, which makes them easier to catch. And... they live a lot better in your livewell. Normally you can get a full day of fishing out of them. Whether it’s herring or sardines the birds will point you in the right location. Just remember to be courteous to other boats around you.

If you would like to experience some of Charlotte Harbor’s finest fishing, give us a call or send an email. All of our charters are private and customized to fit your party’s needs. Capt. Dave Stephens, 941-916-5769 capt.dstephens@comcast.net. www.backbayxtremes.com

APRIL 2018

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Estero Bay: Game Is On PAGE

By Capt. Joe Angius Water LIFE Estero Estero Bay has been providing anglers with exceptional water quality that is allowing large inshore gamefish to move in. The water coming in from the Gulf of Mexico is warm, clear, and full of bait.

Out on the water, I’m seeing and catching a lot more redfish, speckled sea trout, large snook and tarpon. For a while, trying to find upper slot active redfish in Estero was almost impossible to achieve, where as now I’m able to sight-cast several 24 to 28-inch redfish a trip. And I’m giving my spin-fishing clients the same opportunity while fishing the same mangrove shorelines. With great fishing to come this month it’s important to stay current with the FWC gamefish regulations.

One of the regulations I want to address is the posted Manatee Zone speed and navigational signs. In Estero Bay, our Slow Speed Minimum Wake manatee zones are active April 1 to November 15. This means that boaters and watercraft enthusiasts cannot go above idle outside of the marked channels unless otherwise posted. I bring this to your attention for a couple of reasons. Reason one is that there will be an increased police presence on the water now. The Lee County Sheriffs and FWC officers take this regulation seriously to protect, not only manatees, but the eco-system that allows our fishery to survive. Plan ahead, with slower speeds it’s now going to take anglers longer to reach some of their fishing destinations. The second reason this topic peaks my interest is because it seems as if every jet ski touring company in Estero and Wiggins Pass does not know about it! Other-

wise, why would they not adhere to it? I see this while I am fishing in remote areas, as well as the open flats of Estero. We all need to abide by the posted regulations. To be successful in Estero during April, anglers must be well-prepared. Bait is first and you can never have too much. I’ll always have a few dozen live shrimp in my live-well, along with pilchards or pinfish and artificial lures like top waters or jerk-baits. There has been a ton of bait roaming out in the Gulf, on our grass flats, beaches, and at the bridges. My go-to cast net size has been an 8-foot ¼-inch mesh net. It’s light, easy to throw, and easy to lift back up when it’s full of bait. If the bait is hunkered down, or if it’s windy, I’ll break out the 11-foot 3/8- mesh net. Knowing the tides and the area you want to fish go hand-in-hand during this month. The boat ride before the ‘slow-speed’ regulation would take me 10- to 15-minutes and now I find myself idling to fishing spots for fortyfive minutes to an hour, so having a good understanding of the tides allows me to wisely choose where I’m going to fish and how much time I can spend in those areas. The backwaters will be teeming with small and large snook, redfish, and juve-

APRIL 2018

nile tarpon. As our weather conditions begin to level-out, we will see a lot more tarpon move onto our mud flats, with the larger fish residing off of the beach and in our passes. Though tarpon are being caught now, the numbers will begin to increase toward the end of this month and the beginning of May. Be sure to have a good variety of rod and reel setups, so that

when the opportunity presents itself you will be ready for it. Southwest Florida has an ever-changing environment and it can be impossible to predict. Some of my clients have given me the name The Optimistic Fisherman because, in my eyes, every day out on the water is unique and productive. I figure you have to actually be fishing in order to catch the tide or the weather just right. Take advantage of what our area has to offer responsibly and don’t forget to find joy in the small things that we take for granted.

Captain Joe Angius (727)-234-3171 Speak Easy Fishing Charters www.speakeasyfishing.com

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

Danielle Zink This winterʼs beautiful redfish!

Chris Dans of Punta Gorda caught this 9 1/2 pound 30 inch snook on a Fly Rod in March

Mike Hetrick from Hebron, IN caught this Jack in Burnt Store Isles canal.

Cameron Smith, shark, out of Boca Grande

Redfish caught by Rodney off Manatee River with live shrimp.

Mickeyʼs Monster APRIL 2018

By Capt. Chuck Eichner Water LIFE Offshore

Mickey Kieferle is the angler’s angler. He arrives earlier to the dock, stays later at day’s end and fishes harder in the middle. I gave up trying to compete with Mick a long time ago.

Late February, Mickey let me know he was fishing seven days in a row, no matter what. Of course, being February this meant there were going to be some windy days that I would want no parts of. I had an open invitation one Saturday, but with 20 mph winds I passed and figured he would stay home. Around 5:00 pm I got a phone call from Mick, I was hoping it was not a distress call, but in fact it was! The distress was he caught a cobia so big he did not know where to weigh it in. I called some tackle shops and their scales only went up to 60 pounds. Mick figured the fish was at least 75 and the photos he sent me were unbelievable.

I suggested he buy a digital bathroom scale, weigh himself, then with him holding the monster fish and subtract the two. I had not even heard the fishing story at this point, but later got the phone call on

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Eighty pounds, you have to be kidding, right!? Nope he said, take a look at the pictures and guess what, it took 80 minutes to land the fish! Now that’s a coincidence we would all like to have. So where did you catch him I asked? Mick’s reply was a public reef and my response was in 5 foot seas? Yes.

At 6:00 am, when they left the ramp in Matlacha, they passed over a school of baitfish, netted a bunch and chummed them at first light. Braced against the console with the deep swells, this fishing party began catching bonita, one after another. Then, chum blocks in the water,

about whooped.... and then a heavy snook rod with 30pound test and a pilchard got blasted and Mick’s drag was burning!

They spotted the monster fish quickly, but could not follow it with the anchor hung on the bottom. Instead for nearly 1 ½ hours an incredible fight ensued. But when the moment of truth was near, the gaff was no where to be found! So a typical SW Florida landing net was used to get the head of the fish... and with a bear hug and adrenalin, they pulled the cobia inside. The net was broken into 4 pieces. The only place the fish would fit was in the rod locker!

weight- it was 80-pounds!

So, on a day, I would not fish on a leeward island in the backcountry, Mickey rode out in huge seas in a 23-foot bay boat and fished over a reef off Boca Grande where he dropped the anchor. With only luck (or bad luck), the anchor got hung up on the bottom so they were staying put until the anchor was cut off.

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chunks of bonita floating out from the boat and next come the sharks.

A school of 6 foot blacktips surrounded the boat and anything that touched the water got blasted. Blacktips are extremely hard fighters and they jump wildly and also eat quite nicely! A few hours of this and these boys were

With no way to keep such a big fish on ice over night, in order to get an official weight at a commercial fisherman’s co-op, the cobia was filleted. When I study the pictures, I think the fish weighed more than 80 pounds. Mickey is 6-2 and 230 ..... comparing him to the fish suggests it was quite a bit heavier... but we will never really know.

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

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Managing the Fishery PAGE

By Capt. Betty Staugler Water Life / Sea Grant Wild fish stocks are a renewable resource. In healthy populations, fish lost due to natural mortality and fishing are replenished through reproduction. However, when more fish are removed than can be replenished, the stock will be depleted. This is because although stocks are renewable, they are not infinite. Our fisheries are carefully managed at the state and federal level to ensure fish stocks are maintained for future generations to enjoy. There are many components of fisheries management, but they can broadly be boiled down into the science that goes into management, and the management that goes into rule making. Fisheries managers rely on a stock assessment when evaluating fish stocks. Information that goes into the stock assessment is collected by fisheries biologists and includes fishery dependent data data derived from anglers or commercial fishers, and fishery independent data – data collected by scientists thru planned scientific studies. Fishery dependent data tells scientists what species are being caught, where and of what sizes. It also tells them the amount of time spent catching fish and the gear used. Together, this information produces what is referred to as catch per unit effort (CPUE). Fishery independent data evaluates the entire population of a fish stock. It also assesses life history characteristics such as age and growth, diet, and spawn-

ing potential. It takes both dependent and independent pieces to assess a stock. Once sufficient data exists to conduct an assessment, a population model, which uses mathematical calculations, quantitatively evaluates the status of the stock, and makes predictions about the future of the stock. This information, along with the history of the fishery, and previous management actions is then compiled into the stock assessment. Based on the results of the assessment, fisheries managers may recommend management options, such as size restrictions, bag limits, or closed seasons. These recommendations go through a public input process and are ultimately voted on by a commission (state) or council (federal). But what happens when a stock assessment does not mesh with what the fishing community is experiencing on the ground? It happens all the time and it’s happening here, now. Many anglers are concerned about the status of our redfish populations, even though the stock assessment does not indicate the fishery is in trouble. In these cases, anglers are absolutely right to voice their concerns to fisheries managers. There could be logical reasons why the disparity exists between the assessment and angler experience. Stock assessments aren’t perfect, but they are the best tool available to fisheries managers. Some of the limitations of stock assessments include bias and uncertainty. Bias can be caused by many things including

gear limitations, measurement errors, angler recall issue, and sampling design. Scientists do their best to minimize the effects of bias. Uncertainty is harder to deal with because stock assessments do not work in real time, e.g. data is collected in the past and used to predict the future. This means the assessment must attempt to predict how the stock will be affected by wet years, dry years, red tide, oil spills and hurricanes. But that’s not all. Stock assessments must also predict what the currents that drive egg and larval transport will look like next year and the following year. And, will it be a good year for prey? How about predators? Further contributing to uncertainty is the fact that for some fish stocks there are still gaps in life history knowledge. So when stock assessments don’t translate to the management actions that anglers think are needed anglers need to get involved. In the Panhandle a few years ago, anglers had similar concerns about redfish. Though the angler concerns were not observed in the stock assessment, fisheries scientists listened and fisheries managers listened. Ultimately a reduced bag limit was implemented. Fish stocks are a public resource. The best way to ensure they remain sustainable for future generations is to follow the rules, implement sustainable angling practices, and get involved in the fisheries management process. Capt. Betty Staugler, Fl. Sea Grant Agent. UF/IFAS Extension, Charlotte County (941) 764-4346

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FISH PIX!

John Wolowicz from North Port, large catch & release amberjack

FISH PIX!

Nick Littlefield, grouper, caught 60 miles out Boca

from Water LIFE magazine

FISH PIX!

from Water LIFE magazine

Tommy V from NYC with a gorilla size amberjack catch and released

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Snook then bass on Crank Air Caught in Rotunda canals five minutes apart last week. My name is Michael Kelley long time Englewood resident.

I took out my step daughter and she landed a 27-inch red and I assisted her with a 29-inch red and a 31-inch snook. This was a last minute fishing trip and we caught all of these in less than an hour. All fish were released for someone else to enjoy and let them reproduce for our future generations. John Estill Jr. and Vera Cardinali.

Ian Roberts of Fort Myers with a big tarpon caught and released with Capt. Dave Patton!

John and Wendy on Englewood Beach with a nice snook

Gary from Wisconsin. 30-inch red grouper. 30 miles out Boca Grande

Karen Frost, Caught 60 miles out Boca

Josh Jacques from Massachusetts, largemouth bass from a small pond in Punta Gorda

Brad from Cape Coral. Red grouper, 96' out of Boca

Maya Nelson caught 10 trout that day and had a ball

Here's Autumn Szymcek and dad Tim with a jack she hooked and landed alone at Cape Haze

Ryan Stowes first time fishing the Myakka River. Got him a nice little bass!!!!

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APRIL 2018

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Allen Harris, 26.5-inch redfish and 19-inch trout Caught wade fishing in Charlotte Harbor

Robert Brenning - black drum caught at Don Pedro by the beach docks. Fishing the beaches with Barbara Brock.... Boca Grande Beach. Great catch of sheephead, drum, and flounder

Daniel Williamson visiting from New York first ever redfish Bull red off shore 2-17-18 vented and released. Norman Hill

It's March!!! I Love to play the slots! Bud Crihfield with a snook and a black drum

Terry Corley Decatur ill, sheepshead and, next day, red grouper (left)

Jaxson Belcher. Snook caught at Punta Gorda

Denny White, snook

APRIL 2018

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Paul - Had to sort through seven other redfish to get to this 26 and 1/2 inch beauty. Accompanied by first mate Tom.

Rainy day turns into a good night fishing Damien Myers with a 25-pound black drum

Big freshwater channel catfish Dusty Helton

Johnna Latty and Darrin Knapp, Grunts caught 18 miles off Fort Myers Beach

Rainy day turns to a good night fishing Jason Huey 37-inch snook

Ron Smits from Bokeelia holding Tanner Buths tarpon. Tanner is from Strandburg South Dakota.

Terri Shipley..catch and release 40-inch snook. Night fishing in El Jobean FL 2/15/18

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Gary Meier, bass

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APRIL 2018

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Jerry Pirillo out with Cap'n Doug Wright caught this 'Fire Truck" in 160-feet, out of Gasparilla.

Father and Son Day. Ryland Rogner with his first legal grouper and with a monster mangrove snapper. And Father Izzy with a respectable gag

Wayne Price and his largemouth bass caught after breakfast in South Gulf Cove

Troy, visiting from Michigan, out of Gasparilla with Capt. Doug Wright caught this 24-inch red grouper 2/24/18

Alyx Schaefer, age 5, caught his first ever pompano and bonnethead shark on a recent fishing trip with his grandparents. He caught them on dead shrimp....he went on to catch 5 bonnetheads, a banner day for a little guy

Brian Cole, Pittsburgh, Pa. Caspersen Beach sea trout. Emma Cole & dad with sheepshead, Emma, brother Charley and dad with a Blue runner caught on the fly.

Kathleen Granning caught this bonnethead near Cayo Palau

APRIL 2018

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Still Stellar Tripletail To Be Had FISHING

10,000 ISLANDS

By Capt. Charlie Phillips Water LIFE / Everglades City Spring has finally sprung down here in the Everglades, at least on the calendar anyway. What an interesting winter we have had, a rough January, followed by a mild February into a pretty rocky March. Let’s hope we all settle down and get back to normal patterns for April, May and June when I need to start running trips, hard. These next three months are some of my favorite of the year, warming waters are bringing traveling hungry fish like tarpon, permit, cobia, kingfish and even grouper to town; they are looking for a drive-thru meal to carry them on up the coast. The challenge is being in the right place at the right time, but it’s a law of averages, the more time you spend in their living room, the greater chance you have of having a magic day. Can’t catch ‘em if you don’t go. The fronts last month made it tough, but the unpredictability of the fishery is often predictable for the fisherman. The days preceding the front are usually pretty strong, with fish in the normal places and patterns. As the front comes in, sometimes fishing actually gets magic with strong bites and aggressive feeding - usually when the barometer falls is when this occurs, and as it bottoms out and the front gets past us, things slow way down. After the front passes, as we all know, is when the

wind comes on and blows everything up, so not only is the bite slow, but it’s sloppy as well. The slow bite continues for a few days and then you get right back into the fair weather pattern and start waiting for the next front to pass thru. I am hopeful that we are now done with winter and can get to work down in the Everglades. The tripletail fishing has been stellar this year with lots of solid fish on the trap lines and free floating around the area. Come May 15 we lose the stone crab traps so it becomes a little more difficult to see ‘em as they do more free floating - the fish are still there in plenty of numbers, just harder to spot. I always keep my eyes open as I run and move. I like to scan the horizon, look around and

FISH PIX!

from Water LIFE magazine

FISH PIX!

from Water LIFE magazine

Jason Bihari, out of Boca 12- to 18-pound grouper

FISH PIX!

from Water LIFE magazine

Carol "the golf pro" with a gator trout caught with Capt. Roberts in Fort Myers

keep the bottom machine on as well. I have found some amazing fish while on the fly moving to another spot. Snook season is open and I am yet to harvest one on my boat. More and more of my customers are catch and release in regards to snook and even redfish. I usually keep one a year personally for Laura and I but only one. Lots of big snook were caught this past month. Both live bait and artificials are doing the trick. It’s good to see so many over 40-inch fish getting a picture, but make sure you handle them with extreme care. These are the breeders and we need them around for years to come. I want to close this month with a question for you: In my work for the Florida Guides Association, we are hearing numerous concerns about low fish stocks, high fishing pressure, unlicensed guides, closing fisheries for emergency collapse reasons, etc. I am curious as to what you see as the most pressing issue that impacts your fishing today and what do you think it will be 5, 10 and 20 years from now? What do you think the causes are and what do you think the answers are in getting it corrected? Please feel free to email me with your thoughts on this at hopefishing@hotmail.com and be looking for an online survey coming out in the next month or so continuing this conversation. Thank you for reading and I look forward to your feedback, together we can make a difference. Y’all be safe out there and see you next month.

Don Farren with 24 pound blackfin tuna taken 46 miles off Boca Grande

Cobia, also some sheepshead, caught by Mike Vint, and thanks to Capt. Matt Lee

FISH PIX!

from Water LIFE magazine

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

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Tale of Some Yellowtails

In March 2011, a magnitude 9.1 earthquake hit Japan and devastated the region. Hours later, a subsequent tsunami struck Japanʼs Pacific coastline, doubling the damage. The combined forces of the earthquake and ensuing tsunami generated tons of debris and carried it out with the tide, lit-

tering the surrounding ocean. Four years later, in April 2015, a derelict Japanese vessel was discovered on the Oregon Coast with 21 yellowtail jack in the hold of the vessel, but the fish were not a species normally found on the U.S. West Coast. Rather, researchers determined that the yellowtail jack (Seriola aureovittata) were actually of Japanese origin and had grown too big to escape.

Keep Less to Have More EMAIL:

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By Mallory Herzog Water LIFE Fishing Our little town has been exploding, that’s one of the reasons I got into real estate. It is much different than when I arrived 10 years ago, when you could drive down a main road and not hit every single light and the boat ramp was quiet, even on weekends! What attracted me to this town is what is bringing everyone else; our Harbor and our local beaches just a short drive from where ever you live. It was the allure of a quiet paradise. With new residents moving here in record numbers, and the possible addition of new hotels and resorts near Punta Gorda, it’s our responsibility to look out for the future of this place we all call home. We can’t fight change, but we can work together to preserve our local flats, beaches and wildlife. Our Harbor and estuaries are facing more pressure now than ever before. From increased anglers and boaters, to water quality, a major hurricane and a cold winter, it’s no secret that our water ways are facing some serious issues. During the winter months, along the Gulf coast, we lost various species due to drastic changes in water temperatures. One species especially affected was snook. It was not as severe as the winter of ‘08, but none the less, many snook I

APRIL 2018

think, fell victim to the cold. So I think that even though legal snook harvest is upon us, it is still best to AVOID harvesting snook in the spring, wait, instead, until the fall season, this gives them a chance to spawn in our warmer summer months. People love bringing home a fresh catch, and I’m not telling you to give up seafood, just take a little less. Release the snook and fill up the fish box with snapper and flounder. Instead of freezing a limit of fillets, only take what you can eat fresh that day. Everyone can be a conservationist. You don’t need a degree in biology or 10,000 Instagram followers. There are plenty of tagging programs open to the public, usually for just a small fee to cover materials. A lot of little actions could add up to something really BIG! My husband, Capt. Andrew’s charter guests are often excited to participate in conservation efforts like tag and release fishing. From sharks to snook, it’s FUN to release your catch in hopes you will get a recapture report. The fish and local wild life don’t have a voice, but YOU do! It’s our job to create a plan to preserve our grass flats and the species that inhabit them.

To book a trip call Capt Andrew Herzog at 941-661-0304 http://bigbullyoutdoors.com

(941)-

(2628)

833 - BOAT

BUYING YOUR UNWANTED BOAT BAYSHORE MARINE YOUR #1 BOAT DEALER

Snook in April APRIL 2018

By Fishin’ Frank Water LIFE Baitshop Rules about fishing and fishing don't really go together. Everything we know from all of the books we read and all the videos we watch..... I am not sure the fish have read those articles or seen the videos. Shrimp is still working good as bait, but you might want to try something besides a sinker on the bottom. I know you are salt water fishing and a sinker on the bottom is what you are supposed to do, but maybe let’s try a float, or bobber if you are fishing a canal, say for snook. The snook are going to be from the out side edge of your dock back to the sea wall. Most snook are caught within two feet of the seawall, so if you have a sinker and a shrimp and cast it into the middle of the canal and you catch catfish... well, you should not be surprised, as you are, technically, fishing for cat fish! Canals get a bit deeper in the middle so all of the dead things drift to the center of the canal on the bottom.... so where would the catfish be? Rhetorical. Back to the snook fishing. Try a bobber or float with a shrimp about three-feet below it, hooked through the head. With the bobber, I will cast that out across the canal, there could be a trout or ladyfish swimming in the top three feet out there, that would be happy for a snack.

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If I do not get a hit, I let the tide take the float and bait toward the sea wall, then as it gets close to the edge, I start letting out line. Open the bail and let out enough line to get your float and bait up under the neighbor’s dock, or up against a boat tied

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piling that snook also wants to get right back behind the piling again, and if it gets there, you are wrapped on the barnacles of that piling, your line is cut and the snook is free.

FISH PIX!

from Water LIFE magazine

FISH PIX!

from Water LIFE magazine

Gabe Gowin (11) from Harbour Heights caught this nice snook near Pirate Harbor

up there. That is where the snook would be hiding out, waiting for food to come to them – they like to ambush food and not really run around much looking for food. So the lazy snook will lay up behind a piling and as the bait come past it will dart out and swallow it. That is what makes snook catching harder than snook fishing. When the snook darts up from behind the

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the horn, this gives it a good “look” and can make a smaller shrimp appear larger. Another trick is to free line bait, casting it very close to the sea wall and just let it sit there, not reeling it in. You should cast with the tide current, as the shrimp is out there, the tide can lift the shrimp up and then it will settle back towards the

Snook caught on a pilchard at Caspersen beach in the rain on March 11. My name is Cassandras

So you have to be ready and use a rod that has a good backbone, not really big or heavy, just stiff – if the rod tip flexes or bends easily, that makes it easier for the snook to get back around the piling and cut you off. So you want a medium heavy rod – look for mono line class written on the rod of 8- to 17- or 10- to 20-pound. While not the same on all rods, it is a place to start. If the line class is 6- to 12or 8- to 15- the rod will most likely bend too easy for good snook-catching control. And you do not need a big shrimp. I often will use a jig head in place of a hook and by running the hook up through the bottom of the shrimps head and having the point of the hook come out right above

FISH PIX!

from Water LIFE magazine

George Holl 42-inch snook, released to go make babies

bottom. What lifts the shrimp is the tide pressure against the line and that is what will lift your bait making it look as natural as possible. I tail hook the shrimp so it looks like it is swimming away. I hope these tricks help you get that snook dinner, or just the thrill of a catch and release.

Fishin’ Franks Bait & Tackle Port Charlotte: 941- 625-3888 Ft Myers: 239-634-1043

Pier Fishing PAGE

By Bobby Vitalas Water LIFE Pier Fishing This blacktip shark was caught at Tom Adam’s Bridge Pier. A good spot to catch shark on this Pier is in the middle of the Pier. This shark was caught from high to low tide. You can catch shark in the morning or the afternoon hours. At this Pier, I have caught blacktip shark, bonnethead shark, and nurse shark. The bait I am using to catch shark is ladyfish. Cut the ladyfish up into two- to three-inch chunks. Not only are cut ladyfish good to catch shark, but, you can also catch snook and redfish on this bait as well. If you want to catch ladyfish at this Pier to use for bait, try using jigs, such as the Silly Willy, or the Eupro jig. The jig weight size to use is 3/8 ounce. When casting with cut ladyfish, for my main line, I use 50 pound test Sufix Advance super line (Braid), color green with a two ounce egg sinker weight. Between my main line and wire line, I use a barrel swivel. For my wire line, I use 20 inches of AFW 7x7 40 pound test Surflon Micro Supreme Knottable nylon coated stainless steel leader color camo, Model number DM49-40-A. Wire line is necessary to use due to the shark’s sharp teeth. There are many wire lines you can get. When attaching the hook to the wire line, the hook size I use for the cut ladyfish is a 5/0 Owner or

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APRIL 2018

Gamakatsu circle hooks. Wire line is not necessary to use for the snook and redfish, but, I use it anyway. So, if you want to catch shark, try using cut ladyfish for bait. If you can’t catch ladyfish to use for bait there, try using live shrimp. When using live shrimp, use hook size 2/0 to 3/0 owner or Gamakatsu circle hooks. And, I suggest you use the lightest sinker weight as possible when using the shrimp. I have seen shark eat live shrimp before. In addition to my shark report, this pompano was also caught at Tom Adam’s Bridge Pier. You can catch them in the morning or afternoon hours too. When fishing for pompano. I like using artificial lures. The type of lures I am using is also the Silly Willy or the Eupro jigs. The weight I am using there is also 3/8

ounce. A good color jig to use there is yellow and white, or pink and white. These Silly Willy and Eupro jigs come in many different colors and weights. When using these artificial jigs, for my main line, I am using 20 pound test Sufix Advance super line (BRAID) color green. For my leader line, I suggest you use no less than 3 feet of 20 pound test Sufix Invisline 100 percent fluorocarbon leader line. When fishing for pompano, you can also use live shrimp like I have mentioned. But, when attaching your hook to your leader line, use 20-pound test, or 25-pound test, or 30-pound test, 100-percent fluorocarbon leader line. With this method shrimp can be used to catch many different species of fish. So, when you go fishing for pompano, try using these jigs and have a great time fishing!

SCUTTLEBUTT

Sometimes Unsubstanciated, But Often True

Officers received a tip that subjects had launched a vessel from the roadway and were heading towards a manʼs property. Officers responded and located the subjects who were still in the vessel in the canal. It was found that they were setting trot lines in the canal. Citations were issued for over the bag limit of softshell turtles (29), 4 unmarked trot lines and transporting turtles without a permit.

Norwegian Cruise Line has unveiled the design of the new and dedicated Norwegian Cruise Line terminal at Port Miami. Pending the final approval by the Miami-Dade County

Board of County Commissioners, the project will commence in May 2018, and is scheduled for completion by the fall of 2019,

FWC officers responded to a reported vessel crash under the Memorial Bridge. Upon arrival and investigation, it was found that it was not a vessel crash, but a stolen vessel incident. A runaway juvenile had untied the vessel at the City Dock and was floating down river in it when he struck the bridge. The juvenile was turned over to his mother, no charges filed for the theft.

Patrolling late one night, officers spotted a commercial fisherman returning to the dock. They were familiar with this subject because he

had recently been convicted for the use of monofilament gill nets in state waters and was currently on probation. When the officers inspected his catch, they found nine sharks on board ... one is the bag limit. The subject was arrested for the shark violations along with a violation of his probation curfew. Investigator Mattson was on unmarked water patrol when he observed a commercial dive vessel aground and trying to power off a flat. The boat had a trail of mud at least 500 yards behind the stern. The boat had customers on board. When Investigator Mattson questioned the captain as to the reasoning he was powering off the flat, the Captain said that he didnʼt want to be stuck. He was cited.

An officer on patrol at Sebastian Inlet State Park observed a group of subjects loading up their vehicle in the parking lot. They had numerous items including fishing gear in their possession, but when questioned they denied having caught any fish. Then a bag inside the open trunk of the vehicle began thrashing around . An oversized snook (34 inches) and several undersized sheepshead were found inside the bag. The fish were released and the subject was cited. Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute Biologists located a juvenile harbor seal in inland waters near Jacksonville. The southernmost range for harbor seals is typically South Carolina. This one just went further south than most. The animal appeared in good body condition and is likely eating well. The biologists released the seal and hope it will head back north as the waters warm.

The FWC completed an investigation into a complaint about a juvenile that killed a short horn buck. The investigation revealed evidence that the subject killed the deer by drowning it

after he shot it several times with birdshot. He was charged with taking an antlerless deer and animal cruelty. Editor notes ** Not enough!

Captive Wildlife Investigators from Miami Dade County were patrolling an area of Fort Lauderdale when they drove past a residence and saw a cage in the front yard containing several bunting birds. Upon closer inspection, they discovered that there were 17 painted bunting birds in a big cage in the front yard and another two cages contained two male painted buntings in the backyard. The home owner was informed he was in violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and was given 19 federal citations for illegal birds. FWC Officer Norris was driving on US 41 in Port Charlotte when he noticed a vehicle that was drifting in and out of its lane. After observing the vehicle drift into the lane of another vehicle, almost hitting it, he conducted a traffic stop. While talking to the driver he could smell alcohol and noticed the driver slurring his speech. Officer Norris conducted field sobriety exercises and determined the driver was under the influence of alcohol and impaired to the point he could not safely drive. The driver was arrested. Ed Notes* FWC can pull you over for anything!

A subject was working in waist deep water on private property when he was bitten by a large alligator. The subject sustained bite injuries to his hand, armpit, upper chest, and leg. He freed himself by punching the alligator while yelling for help. After the bite occurred, the alligator retreated into deeper water and disappeared. Nearby workers assisted and transported the man to a local hospital. The alligator remains on the loose. Spring is peak mating season for horseshoe crabs. Biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) encourage sighting reports and ask you to download and use the new FWC Reporter app. for smart phones and tablets.

Deep-sea corals are among the slowest growing and oldest animals in the ocean, some species live to more than 4,000 years

APRIL 2018

Sailing

BACK ISSUES @

By Peter Welch Water LIFE /Sailing Last month’s 25th anniversary of the Conquistador Regatta put 35 sail boats in close proximity rounding Marker No. 4. The goal of the Conquistador founders was to fill the Harbor, near Marker No. 4 at the US41 Bridge with white sails and this year’s regatta delivered. The two day event had three races on a windward/leeward course the first day. Boats started in five classes based on design and their elapsed time was adjusted for their speed rating to determine finish order. The second day was the signature reverse start race of eight miles. Boats starting time is based on their speed rating from the first day: slowest boats start first and the fastest last. Then the first boat to finish gets custody of the Conquistador Helmet for one year, and points toward overall finish position in class. Day one, March 3, we had clear skies and 8- to 15- knot wind, perfect for sailing. Boats that did well this day went on to finish well in their class overall. Notable among those was the S2 7.9 meter spinnaker boat Soulshine captained by Paul Robins. In the end, it would be his third time in a row to win the Conquistador. On day two, the two spinnaker boats, Soulshine and my own boat Zou Bah started within seconds of each other in the last third of the starting fleet. We had 25 boats to pass to cross the finish line first and win the helmet. Soulshine stayed clear of the early starting boats, maximizing her speed toward the bridge in clear air. We rounded the mark near the bridge in the company of numerous other boats. Soulshine stayed in clear air, sailing with spinnakers flying, south to Marker No. 1. She rounded it in fourth place

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with her position improving to second place by the time she reached the finish line. But at the end of the second day the 36-foot Jenneau boat Diva Gorda’s skipper Rudy Gottschlich, protested Blue Robbins wearing the Heron, a 34-foot winnerʼs Helmit Beneteau, skippered by Brian Lawton. The protest was for absence of equipment that had been declared on Blue Heron’s PHRF rating document. The protest claimed the boat that finished first over the line was rated for sailing with a Bimini top and he was sailing without it. photos by Fran Burstein There was less than a boat length between Soulshine and Blue Heron when Blue Heron crossed the line, but Blue Heron was disqualified making Soulshine the Conquistador winner and elevating Learning to Fly and M&M to the second and third positions. Included in Soulshine’s winning 6 man crew were Paul’s sons Bodhi age 9 and Rocket age 11. What better way to pass on the joy of sailing to the next generation? Final scoring for the two day event had Cruising A winner as Diva Gorda. Cruising B, Sun Chaser. In Non Spinnaker, Fancy Free took first by two and a half points and in the Harbor 20 class Christi Van Heek took first with 8 points, Steven Todd second with10 and Bob Knowles in Dark and Stormy third. Full race results can be found on the PGSCWeb racing page.

Leukemia Cup

The Isles Yacht Clubʼs Leukemia Cup is a race in transition. The race is a fundraiser for its namesake. In its hey day, a decade ago, the Leukemia Cup attracted 65 boats, but times change and a number of local bigger boat sailors have moved down to sail the smaller Harbor 20 boats. The Harbor 20 is easier to handle and only requires a crew of two or three. So this year the Leukemia Cup was all Harbor 20s, with 11 of the 16 Harbor 20s residing on the Harbor, competing. The event, according to local organizer Jake Dye, it is not raising enough money. ʻWe are rethinking this,ʼ Dye said, hinting at a new two-day Harbor 20 regatta in the future.

Eleven Harbor 20 boats competed last month They are sailed by two or three man crews

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Marine Advisory Committee Budget Review By Capt. Ron Blago Water LIFE Senior Staff In March, the Charlotte County Marine Advisory Committee held their annual budget meeting. The purpose was to approve a list of marine related projects for the 2018 fiscal year. It is the job of the 21 MAC members to review all requests for funding and approve those that meet all the requirements of the various funding sources. I am one of the 21. There are three sources of funds that are available to the MAC; they are all taxpayers money. The first is State Boater Improvement Funds (BIF State); this is money the State gives back from boat registration fees to the County after taking their sizable cut. The next is West Coast Inland Navigation District (WCIND) funds; they get their money from property owners in Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota and Manatee cCounties. According to my tax bill, I paid $1.40 to WCIND; the best money I ever spent. WCIND approaches problems on a regional basis and really helped us out with Stump Pass. The last source of funding is Local BIF. This is a surtax paid by all registered boaters in Charlotte County. The funds are earmarked for improvements to navigation and boater access to Charlotte County waters. This year the total funding available to MAC was $1,298,165. With that

amount of money, there is no shortage of suggestions on how to spend it. This year there were 32 applications to receive funding. Each of the applicants has the opportunity to come to the MAC and personally make their request and the MAC members have the opportunity to ask them how they plan to use the

money. This year the total amount of requests was $2,20,222. The request ranged from a low of $ 1,200 from the Punta Gorda Boaters Alliance for website management; to a high of $777,950 from Coastal Construction Experts for a Water Camp. Neither of these requests were approved by MAC. There are a number of what are called recurring requests, which are like annual

bills you have to pay. Things like State required Stump Pass monitoring which is $50,000 annually - I guess that pays for someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s salary. Artificial Reef construction and monitoring, navigational aids and marine markers are also under the recurring grants as are a number of non-profits that provide valuable services to the public like the Civil Air Patrol, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Power Squadron and CHEC. These Non-profits

need a little help each year to keep their programs going. Next come the new requests for funds, and this is where most of the cuts are made. With a million dollar short fall this year, many worthwhile requests had to be denied while some requests we just had to go along with. The Charlotte County Sheriff wanted a new boat-

APRIL 2018

$150,000. The City of Punta Gorda wants a new boat - $100,000... both approved. That leaves very little to balance the budget. One of the new requests came from Charlotte County Parks for $160,000 for Ainger Creek Dock Repair. It never ceases to amaze me how a small non-profit with a small request will come to the MAC with half their members in tow and pages of information on what they are going to spend money on and how it will benefit the boating public, while the County staff will request hundreds of thousands of dollars from MAC and provide almost no information or documentation. The Ainger Boat Ramp request is a classic example of this. The only thing we were told was that they wanted to make the docks ADA compliant (Americans with Disabilities Act). The MAC certainly wants all disabled persons to have access to the water. I understand how difficult it is to get a wheelchair into a boat, but the Parks Dept came to MAC with no plans, no blueprints, no permits and no breakdown of construction costs or materials. In Charlotte County there are 12 boat ramps, 9 fishing piers and 6 canoe and kayak launch sites. If the plan is to spend $160,000 to make each of them ADA compliant; it would cost the taxpayers about $4,500,000. The vote was not unanimous, but the majority voted not to approve the request. There just wasn't any money left. captronb@juno.com

CANVAS & UPHOLSTERY

APRIL 2018

KAYAKING:

Backcountry Taxi

By Bob Fraser Water LIFE Kayaking I have always wanted to fish Bull Bay from my kayak, but the paddle is too far from any kayak launch. Bull Bay and Turtle Bay are very popular for fishing in Charlotte Harbor. Many fishermen call this area the backcountry. Thanks to Captain Larry and his kayak shuttle service, this area is now accessible for kayakers. I have been out with Captain Larry twice, the first time it was just the two of us. This week another avid kayak fishing guy named Rusty joined us. Rusty does fly fishing from his kayak. It was fun watching him stand up on his kayak and use his fly rod. We all caught some seatrout that day, and Captain Larry caught a 30inch redfish while drifting in his pontoon boat (kayak shuttle). It was a beautiful day on the water. Larry dropped us off in Bull Bay, and we drifted along the mangrove islands. After drifting, you don’t have to paddle back to the shuttle because Larry follows us and picks us up when we are ready to get back on the shuttle. Being picked up after drifting for awhile is especially nice when the wind is blowing hard because you don’t have to paddle against the wind to get back to the shuttle. Captain Larry is also a fishing guide, so he has a lot of knowledge about Charlotte Harbor and where to find fish. He takes you to places in the backcountry where you have a good chance of catching trout, redfish, and snook and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was getting the kayaks off

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and on the shuttle and getting in and out of the kayak. I will be taking some of my kayak fishing clients on Larry’s shuttle in the future, his kayak shuttle service gives kayakers many more choices for fishing locations. Capt. Larry’s website is kayakshuttles.com Cost is $50/person, 2 people minimum.

For more information about kayak fishing charters with me, visit my website: www.kayakfishingwithbob.com Bob Fraser, 941-916-8303

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April – Predictions and Suggestions Charlotte Harbor Frank at Fishin’ Franks 941-625-3888

BackBay Xtremes Capt Dave Stephens www.backbayxtremes.com

941-916-5769

FISH PIX!

Dusty Helton 11-pound flathead catfish

FISH PIX!

Wes finally caught him a keeper on the River, 32-inches!

from Water LIFE magazine

Fish with a Guide

Youʼll learn something and youʼll catch more fish!

from Water LIFE magazine

FISH PIX!

from Water LIFE magazine

Carter Henne (left) & David Ceilley, Sailfish off Deerfield Beach, February 2018

The good news is the Spanish mackerel are doing well around Markers No. 5 and 2 and three- to five-miles out in the Gulf where the temps are perfect for king mackerel. April will see a lot of sharks; bonnets, blacktips, bulls and spinners. Everything is going to come boiling into the Harbor soon. Tarpon will be the big story this month – where they show up and what they do. Pods of tarpon will be moving in, mostly into the Harbor, staging on the west side. If you are there in the short two or three day window, you will see thousands of tarpon line up on the west side along the sandbar. It’s like a reunion get together or something. Then they scatter and start feeding and mateing. Stageing is something to see but you have to be lucky to see it. It’s more like a social gathering than feeding. They won’t eat when they are all lined up. Snook fishing still very good, but don’t try the Placida Trestle, it burned last month and it is now closed indefinitely. Snook are eating white bait in the daytime and there are still some snook

possibilities with shrimp at night. Fish the whitebait flashy and fast in the daytime. Snook will be coming out of the rivers this month, on their way to the spawning season. They were coming in February when it was so warm, but they fell back, now they are coming out again. A lure right now needs to imitate whitebait: black and silver, green and silver, etc. And work them faster now. Bigger lures, reeled slow, outside the bars, will attract the big fish. Redfish are still doing pretty good. The Myakka Cut Off, the upper west wall are good, but the reds are working into the creeks more and back in the backcountry where there are oyster beds and slightly deeper waters. Whidden and Catfish Creeks are doing pretty good.

Lemon Bay, Placida, Gasparilla Sound Jim at the Fishermen’s Edge 941-697-7595

Had a lot of spotty reports offshore. Not a fish yesterday, other days have been ok, it depends on wind direction, there has been murky water and spotty red tide. Guys telling me king and Spanish mackerel have been good. There are a lot of reef fish: vermillion, porgys, grunts, and some guys are getting into the mangs. Right now you got to get farther out for keeper grouper. They might be

Guide Card Space available $40/mo call 941-766-8180

continued

APRIL 2018

BACK ISSUES @

The BIG-4 TARPON The big fish are in the passes to the south

spawning but I’m not sure about that. Some days you can smell red tide, but I haven’t seen a lot of dead stuff. We went out three weeks in a row on Sunday, big beautiful trout in Turtle Bay on a Hybrid Minnow, the avocado-glow is a good looking bait, or the pearl bellied minnow with green back, their tails have really great action. Guys have been catching snook with whitebait, the back country has pompano and some redfish. My neighbor got 2 keeper reds and 4 oversized last Sunday. And a couple of the guys have said tarpon were up by the 41-bridges, now.

April

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Fish you can expect in

GROUPER Moving offshore, deeper water has bigger fish

MACKEREL Kings and Spanish are here, now

SHARKS More and bigger sharks starting to appear

PAGE 23

Nearshore water temps are low 70s Fish are hungry

95˚ 90˚ 85˚

FISH PIX!

from Water LIFE magazine

80˚

Flounder on Englewood Beach. Below: Swimming a Kietech swimbait around potholes got this snook

75˚ 72˚ 70˚ 68˚

Nine pound 24-inch mutton snapper caught by Wyatt Kuhn on a 25 stretch Rapala, off of Big Pine Key

FISH PIX!

from Water LIFE magazine

50˚ 45˚

Ron Buth from South Dakota. Fishing off Sanibel with Ron Smits

FISH PIX!

from Water LIFE magazine

FISHING RIGHT NOW:

My husband walked to our lake in Deep Creek, Lake Zappa ... and surprise! 30-inch, 11 pound, largemouth bass. His name is Bryan Fulton

FISH PIX!

from Water LIFE magazine

FISH PIX!

from Water LIFE magazine

Sandra from Cape Coral 3.10 canal bass

Itʼs ON!

LAST CAST This is the last picture we received before going to print. Kenny with grandparents CT and Patty Twardzik 30 miles off Stump Pass with a 27-inch red grouper aboard Capt. Bert's SeaLady

FISH PIX!

from Water LIFE magazine

Brandon Gasiorowski and Niki Riedel. Manasota Key FL. A 4-to 5-foot nurse shark

FISH PIX!

from Water LIFE magazine

Capt. Matthew Lee of Bokeelia. 40-inch to the fork cobia. The biggest of several fish caught and released.

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APRIL 2018