Water LIFE Aug 2007

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Charlotte Harbor and Lemon Bay

Keeping Boaters and Fishermen Informed

August 2007

OUTBOARD Overhaul Page 16

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New Spots Page 18

SHARKS ON US 41

LOCAL TOURNAMENT

Don始t Wear This to the Airport!

Tournament Fishing P age 22

PA G E 2 9

Offshore Still Lookin始 Good Page 13

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Water LIFE

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August 2007

August 2007

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LETTERS

Hi Michael, We really appreciate your support! We are applying for a follow-up grant application to Fish America Foundation to fund a second sonic tag study for your April 2008 Kids Cup Tournament.

It would have a similar design as we did in this years tournament. I was very impressed by your's, Betty's, and the others efforts in the last Tournament and applaud you guys for what you accomplished, and we are honored to be part of this! How can I not want to help out? Way to go Punta Gorda Community! The kids are fortunate for your mentorship. To strengthen the science behind this, we need a few more tournaments like the last one, using sonic tags in the released fish. We're still working on the application, but I'll send you guys a copy as soon as we are done.

Nathan Brennan, Senior Biologist Center for Fisheries Enhancement Mote Marine Laboratory

Follow Up: This morning I called the grants coordinator for the American Sportfishing Association, and (after talking with her several times last week about the details of the proposal we were working on) I was regrettably informed that the whole process was unexpectedly delayed and will reopen for proposals next February, but will be channeled through the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. SFA's website is now locked up, so I don't know what's going on. Nonetheless we are still moving with this 'full speed ahead' and are looking into foundations that might support this project.

Nathan Brennan, Senior Biologist Center for Fisheries Enhancement Mote Marine Laboratory

TO

WAT E R L I F E

Dear Sea Grant Stakeholders A heart felt thank you goes out to those of you who expressed your support of our Charlotte County Sea Grant Extension program. I am told, those of you who spoke at this morning's County Commission meeting did so very compassionately and eloquently. I also understand that there were a number of letters written on our behalf. Your expressed commitment to Charlotte County's coastal resources and support of our Extension program were well received. In the end, the Commission did agree with you and have directed Administration to put the Charlotte County Sea Grant Program Assistant position back in the budget for next fiscal year.

This is a huge win for our program and for coastal Charlotte County.

You have demonstrated that great things can happen with community support, and it is your support that makes being the Charlotte County Sea Grant Agent so very rewarding. We have much to do this coming year. Many projects to move forward and a greater need to leverage funds to sustain our essential marine extension program.

Onward and Upward!!

Dear Mike and Ellen Our son Chance was in your KIds Cup tournament this past April and now that's all he talks about. Our eight year old daughter Savanna Galloway is looking forward to being a part of your tournament also. She is always the first one to catch a fish. It is amazing how great of an angler she truly is.

Here is a photo of Savanna with her 15 inch Jack that she caught off of the Gasparilla Trestle this past Saturday along with my two foot Black Tip. Who said that fishing is a guy's world? Like mother like daughter!

Warm regards, Reneé Galloway

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Artificial Reefs: Lat. and Long local reefs

Manatee Myths: Read the original plan to create sanctuaries and refuges, as spelled out by the United Nations in 1984 Kids Cup Updates and Tracking

Previously Undiscovered Species?

August 2007

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Almost on the verge of a major discovery ...

By Mi chael Hel l er Water LIFE Editor You got a camera? It was Fishin Frank on the phone. Sure I said, What’s up?

Can you come over to the store? In a minute I was on my way – Frank is usually good for interesting ‘fishy’ things to photograph. His shop is just a mile from my house so it doesn’t take long.

Inside the shop, a small group of the curious regulars were looking at something on the counter. There was a discussion in the air.

What do you think this is? Frank asked, handing me the wet, but dead creature.

Frank said a shrimper had delivered it with his catch.

Shrimp comes into the bait shop through a gravity feed hose from a truck out back. Shrimp truck drivers don’t always know what else is mixed in with the shrimp they deliver – stuff straight from the bottom of the Gulf.

This to me is the cool part about the water – finding or catching living things – things that you’ve never seen before. More often than not it is some species of fish that you just can’t identify, but this was different and no one could agree on what it was. From the front, it looked like a crab, from the top it looked like it had a a weathered lobster’s tail and from underneath it appeared to be full of orange roe.

There was a sense of subdued excitement in the air, the kind of anticipatory excitement that comes when a record is about to fall or some discovery has just been made. This could have been one of those momentous moments, I thought to myself.

It was an interesting looking creature, someone looked it up in a book at the bait shop but couldn’t find a match. A great scientific discovery in progress right there at Fishin’ Franks in Port Charlotte. We could all become famous, go down in the record books and be written up for posterity in annals of marine science.

It looked like a mix of a crab and a lobster. We called it a ʻcrabsterʼ.

Ups and downs and ‘could have’s,’ That evening I e-mailed the picture to my friend Capt Ralph. He bounced back a short reply with a more plausible explanation. “It looks like a crab with its flap bent back,” Ralph wrote, matter of factly.

He theorized it happened in the trawl net.

Back at Franks, we looked at the original pictures again. We looked at each other. We looked at the dead thing that was starting to smell pretty bad. We were so close to infamy, so near that big discovery ... and then, in the next instant, we were standing there at Fishin’ Franks in Port Charlotte, scratching our heads, look-

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August Snook

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Screaming Reels

By Capt. Andrew Medi na Water LIFE Staff I guess there are only three words to say about August: snook, snook and more snook. At the end of July we were pre-fishing for the Flatsmasters Tournament. We loaded up the new 22-foot tower boat, put $200 in the fuel tank, and off we went. We looked for redfish everywhere a fish could possibly swim. And what we found was there were a lot more snook around than redfish. It seemed like all the big snook we saw were on the bars just across from the passes. They were staged in pot holes by the hundreds. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of snook that didn’t follow the normal procedure and make the run for the beach, but the big girls we saw that day, on the inside of the pass, tell me it won’t be long before the normal hot spots in and around the harbor will be filled with prehistoric-monster looking fish.

We all want that certain fish, the one inside the now very close slot limit, that we can take home and have for dinner, but the fact is, if you fish for snook on a regular basis, the oversized snook has become just another fish you throw back like the shorts.

Remember a big snook requires a good

release technique before she is turned loose after an exhaustive battle. The big girls are always fun to catch, but the most frequent mistake made by snook anglers is light tackle and fighting a fish for too long of a period of time. That stress of a long battle is enough to kill a large breeder fish.

My thoughts on tackle choice are simple and never differ. If I’m fishing shore lines or pot holes with live bait, my tackle is an 8ft Star Rod with a lot of back bone to it. A Quantum Boca 60, spooled up with 50pound PowerPro line is my choice. For leader, I choose 50-pound fluorocarbon leader with a 5/0 owner hook. I found this combo works really well for those snook over 20-pounds.

The reason for such big gear is to end the fight as fast as I possibly can. This will give the snook a much greater chance of survival. Just a quick picture (hold her horizontally and support the belly) of your trophy fish and back in the water she goes. It’s over in just a couple minutes.

For artificial anglers it becomes a little bit tougher. Lighter rods, and line make the battle a lot longer and gulping down a plug with 6 hooks on it can’t be very healthy.

Just remember when reviving the fish, allow enough time until she is ready to go.

Don’t pull the fish back and forth in the water. Gills on a fish are like our lungs, they only work one way. If a fish is not ready to go, hold it by the bottom lip and only move the fish in a forward motion. If

August 2007

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David Witters with a 48 inch snook he caught off the beach at Don Pedro Park during the 4th of July weekend. These fish are around the beach and inside the passes this month.

the fish is big, hold it boat side and idle the boat forward, this will steadily run water over the gills and soon she will be good-togo. I also carry a pair of side cutting pliers with me. If a lure is deep in a fish’s throat or in the tongue, I cut the hook off as close to the fish as possible. This can not be done with a regular pair of cutters.

Right now the bait of choice has to be big threadfins or finger mullet – there is something about a finger mullet a snook just can’t resist. I’ve heard stories that the

oil from threadfins helps the fish during spawning. Personally, I think a fish that big will eat anything it sees fit.

The FWC has new slot limits this season for snook. They took another inch off the already tight slot. The new slot limit is now 28in to 33in. That is a very tight margin, so good luck to you. I’m on the water a lot with clients and I have not noticed a decline in small snook. It seems to me, it is actually still just as easy to go out and catch a fish as it was 20 years ago. Be safe on the

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Adventure on the Low Seas August 2007

By Capt. Chuck Ei chner Water LIFE Charlotte Harbor Fishing offshore in the summer time is always an adventure. The prudent mariner will head offshore with a watchful eye on the horizon. This is storm season and thunderstorms pop up in a moment with high winds and lightning.

We rounded Cape Haze Point with a modest number of pilchards in the well and headed for the pass with hopes of exploring offshore spots about 30 miles out. The weather forecast predicted the possibility of storms in the late afternoon so we left at first light. A funny thing appeared on the horizon as we passed Boca Grande Pass - a funnel cloud whisping out of the sky and hovering over Captiva along with a massive storm.

It was now time for Plan B so we changed our intentions to a hard bottom only 5 miles offshore. Peering at my bottom unit I spotted a varied bottom with lots of bait above it. We dropped a marker and then drifted jigs tipped with pilchards. Wham! A nice gag grouper gave way immediately only he was a little short. After an hour we counted about 7 very scrappy gags all of which were released unharmed. A goliath grouper of 50 pounds also tested the relatively light equipment we were using and made for an exciting start. In the midst of these drifts we would pass over an area with large barracudas. ‘Cudas are an interesting fish that would tempt us by hovering around the boat, chasing our baits and then play

Water LIFE

hard to catch. They were willing to snip off our mono lines occasionally but were shy with steel leader. Tom eventually broke the code and banged his first snaggle tooth. Not a monster cuda but a good fight.

With the storms subsiding and a flat sea we headed farther out. We stopped at public reefs like school bus, bluebird and several others. There was some excitement from time to time with a drag burning kingfish or some species never to be identified but the bite was slow. Along the way we spotted many large sea turtles, flying fish and schools of small mackerel sky diving for bait. The calm seas allowed for sights that are sometimes hidden! About 30 miles out we hovered over a spot called the cave. It was a new area and we never knew exactly if we were on the spot. We drifted the area with 70 feet under the boat. As it turned out, there were no fish that wanted to bite so we jumped from reef to reef on our way back in. Fishing as far south as offshore upper Captiva, then we made our way north. Our last spot was on a wreck outside of Boca. We were 12 hours into our

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Inshore and offshore fishing has been good. Cudas, sharks and goliath grouper have been plentiful this year.

fishing day and we chummed with frozen whitebait saved from a prior trip.

Suddenly a 30-35 pound cobia came zooming under the boat. Two of us dropped a 6 inch threadfin in his face. I set the hook first and missed. My friend Chuck dropped in right behind and we watched him eat the bait. Another hook set and miss and the fish vanished!

About 20 minutes passed with no action and the cobia reappeared, this time he ate, we hooked, he fought and the cuda left with a mouth ornament. This was one bad cobe and he is still out there!

Pulling anchor to head home we spotted large fish crashing the surface and moving fast due west. We motored ahead of the school with no idea of what they were. A boiling, thrashing school of 100 pound tarpon then approached our boat.

A Chinese fire drill took place while we scrambled to cast to these wild fish. We did a run andgun scenario ahead of them many times only to have them pass by as they wildly dove and surfaced on an apparent journey- they were not interested in

our offerings.

Worn out and heading home in the horizon we spotted a group of boats around the outside markers positioned at the entrance to Boca Grande. As we approached we noticed a strong flow of crabs. The high outgoing tide was moving crabs and a school of tarpon was there to intercept. Many casts in the area met without a bite. A few other boats hooked up on 100 pound class tarpon. An exciting sight to see and at last 14 hours later we were dockside.

Adventures on a calm sea allowed us to venture far and wide. We saw many fascinating aquatic creatures, caught a few fish, observed unusual weather phenomena. The interesting thing was that on this day most of the activity was within easy reach of Boca Grande. Perhaps the absence of rain and higher salinities is keeping many Gulf creatures close by.

Capt. Chuck Eichner operates Action Flats Backcountry Charters and can be reached at 941-505-0003 or visit his website at www.backcountry-charters.com.

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Good Things Happening

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Check the KIDS CUP Fish on the Internet http://charlotte.ifas.ufl.edu/seagrant/kidscup.htm

By Betty S taugl er Sea Grant / Water LIFE Sea Grant Note Worthy News There is a lot of news this month from Charlotte County Sea Grant. Top of the list is the good news that the Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners removed the Sea Grant Program Assistant position from the pool of positions slated to be cut in the 2008 fiscal budget!

Redfish Tracking: We now have 4 new dart tag returns in addition to the one I reported last month! The new returns include: Jesse Smith’s, Fish #35 - originally capture in C4 (West Wall) - recaptured on June 24 at Punta Gorda Point - West Shore. Mason Skinner’s Fish #32 - originally captured in B2 (Cayo Costa area) - recaptured on June 29 in a PGI Canal. Austin Henson’s Fish #67 originally captured in B2 - recaptured on July 26 in Charlotte Harbor - 1mile north of Pirate Harbor. This is the southernmost fish we have seen recaptured to date.

Last month we download the two Bluetooth VR2 listening devices from Colony Point and the US 41 Bridge. The charts to the right roughly represent our findings so far. GIS is currently working on the website tracking maps to reflect these updated sightings. Also this month we added a VR2 to Ponce Inlet in hopes of catching any redfish that may still be swimming around in the PGI canal system. The Redfish Tracking Website is: http://charlotte.ifas.ufl.edu.seagrant/kidscup.ht m Kids Cup Economic Valuation:

Those of you who participated in the Water LIFE Magazine Kids Cup will recall that I mentioned the University of Florida was helping the tournament determine the economic contribution to the local economy from this event. We used a survey instrument that many of you filled out. The results are restricted to the spending of participants of the tournament (anglers and captains). Since I am not an economist, what you are getting here is verbatim what I got from the University. Basically, those participating in the tournament spent about $54K in expenses associated with the event. Those expenditures created about $38K in economic impact, $20.5K in value added (defined as: economic value associated with markups and other types of additional expense added to raw products brought into the County. This is estimated via the IMPLAN model, which links together the various sub-sectors of the local economy that would have been ‘touched’ by the tournament-related expenses), and generated one full time job. The total

impacts for output, employment and value added represent the direct effects of spending by local residents, plus the direct, indirect and induced effects of spending by non-locals.

The take home message is that this event does contribute to the local economy in a positive fashion. That is probably no news flash, but in this case we have some hard economic numbers to hang on it. And this does not address the other positive effects of the tournament – of which we know are many.

Mangrove Restoration: We received word this month that our mangrove restoration grant to Fish America Foundation has been recommended for funding. Our goal is to re-establish some of the hardest hit hurricane damaged Charlotte Harbor shoreline.

Our plan is to jump start some of the red mangrove recruitment by collecting propagules (what many refer to as seeds, which are actually embryos on their way to becoming live young plants) that are plentiful in some locations of the harbor, (particularly tributaries) and establishing them in those areas where mortality is high and natural propagule recruitment is lacking. This will likely be a very slow going recovery but it is apparent that there are many areas of Charlotte Harbor that simply are not coming back on their own and this method of mangrove re-establishment has been successful in other areas and situations – so we are hopeful. Charlotte County has also come on board this project as a major contributor to the restoration effort. We are grateful for their support.

Artificial Reefs: Mid August we plan to ‘reef’ a steel barge with concrete aboard.

The barge is being donated by Marine Contracting Group. This barge is currently located next to the U.S. 41 Bridge. The concrete, which was donated by Charlotte County Public Works, consists of culverts, man holes and junction boxes. Marine Contracting Group will load the concrete and deploy the barge and concrete at the Novak Reef site. Coordinates for this deployment will be available once the reef deployment is made. Funding for this deployment was obtained through a Charlotte County MAC grant.

We are finalizing our permit application to construct a new artificial reef (the Capt. Jeff Steele Reef) located in approximately 62 feet of water, west of Stump Pass. By the time this goes to print, we should have completed our final survey of the proposed reef site.

The permit application must be approved by the Army Corp of Engineers (ACOE) before any deployment activities can occur. We are hoping for a short turn around on this application. **Ed notes: More about Capt. Steele on page 15 in this edition.

Monitoring Grant

I learned last Friday that FWC approved our artificial reef monitoring grant. This grant

August 2007

KIDS CUP Tracking update

Redfish caught by these Kids Cup anglers have been tracked at Colony Point

Rickey Stewart Dalton Fiduccia Zane Smith Fabian Guerrero Brandon Stickley Chance Galloway

Redfish caught by these Kids Cup anglers have been tracked at the US 41 Bridge

Rickey Stewart Jamie Leibman Fabian Guerrero

Redfish caught by these Kids Cup anglers were initally tracked moving east of Fishermenʼs Village

Colin Mix Beason Huffman Nic Marshall Colton Kirkpatrick Fabian Guerrero Dalton Fiduccia Marissa Legg

Redfish caught by these Kids Cup anglers were initially tracked Moving west of Fishermenʼs Village

Jamie Leibman Tyler Helphenstein Aaron Leigh Kaylea Burlew Zane Smith Rickey Stewart Austin Taylor Brandon Stickley

will allow us to conduct mapping and fish surveys on the Tremblay, Novak, Stump Pass 3 Mile, and Palm Island Ferry reef sites. Monitoring is currently required on on Tremblay and Novak, and will be required once the Palm Island Ferry site is re-opened.

This grant will allow us to fulfill our monitoring requirements and collect

additional information, which is something we talked about doing some time ago. The grant has a really cool snook tagging and tracking element to it.

Betty Staugler is the Sea Grant Agent for Charlotte County. She can be reached for questions or information at 7644346.

Intentionally Blank

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New Places

By Adam Wi l son Water LIfe Diving Last month was all about 100 mile trips offshore and huge 40 foot breaks.

With the afternoon thunderstorms finally starting to pop up it looks like keeping it closer to home and getting a real early start is going to be the ticket for August diving.

Typical of this time of year the water clarity is stunning at the surface and down until you get about 30 feet off the bottom, where a distinctive murk layer hangs like a dark cloud and can reduce visibility to almost nothing. Recently, the visibility out to 60 feet has been horrible. If you can go deeper you will be happier with the cleaner water out at the 80 foot depths and beyond.

Lobster season opens this month on August 6th. We don't find as many spinys' here as they do over on the east coast or keys, but when we do find them they are usually pretty big.

The world's largest spearfishing tournament is this month too. The St. Pete Open is being held August 17th through the 19th and is perfect for beginners and families alike. Details can be found at stpeteopen.com and I will have full coverage in next month's issue. Be ready to see some big fish.

Most large structure this month is covered with countless numbers of goliath grouper and barracudas, so unless that's what your looking for, maybe it's time to scale down and investigate those smaller spots that barely make a blip on the bottom machine. Not all life in the Gulf of Mexico revolves around titanic shipwrecks or towering ledges. If you were to drain the Gulf in our area, it would closely resemble a vast sandy desert, with occasional limestone outcroppings, holes and small ledges.

Some of these scattered hard bottom areas can be as large as several football fields, some as small as a dinner plate, and all can hold lots of fish. In fact, some of the best fishing comes off some of the smallest reef patches. I once counted 6 keeper sized red grouper in a hole the size of a garbage can.

Anyone can stumble over a 400 foot long ship ris-

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ing 40 feet off the bottom, but detecting small areas of hard bottom can be very difficult, keeping some tiny reefs out of sight of people for years. It's these productive, hard to find spots, that most fisherman cherish and keep top secret in their little black books.

A few years back we stumbled onto an area in 100 feet of water off Boca Grande that showed less than a foot of relief, and really didn't look like anything worth diving. The bottom finder was red with hard bottom and was also showing what looked like razor stubble jutting up, probably grass or soft coral.

After a few minutes of debating, the curiosity was too much and we were on the drop to investigate.

We could hear the reef before we could actually see it. Like a bowl of Rice Krispies, the snap, crackle, and pops of a healthy, living reef can be heard from long distances. As we descended, the dark outline of the reef appeared like a mirage out of the white sandy expanse. Immediately after exploring just a tiny corner I knew we had found a rare treasure. Only an acre in size, maybe, and it is the most diverse microcosm of live bottom I have ever seen off our coast. Lobsters, eels, sea shells, octopus, tropical fish of all varieties, sponges, corals and of course the regulars of snapper, grouper, hogfish and bait make up just a few of the residents. The lack of trash was a sign that not many people frequented this spot.

I think back now to how we almost didn't dive that spot because it just looked too small on the screen, and wonder how many other incredible reefs we have overlooked on our hunt for huge structure.

Now, I'll always be the first one to roll off on the smallest displays of live bottom, knowing they can be the best kept secrets around.

Adam Wilson can be reached for comments or div ing information at (941) 766-1661 or v ia e-mail at: wilsonpools@comcast.net

August 2007

ABOVE: Descending on an unknown spot

ABOVE LEFT: Isn't it crazy how well camouflaged the slipper lobsters are, yet they have those stark bright candy cane legs and they stick out like a sore thumb down there FAR LEFT A Florida Lobster in under a ledge BELOW: A Colorful Sea Slug

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The Big and the Little on Shrimp

By Robert Lugi ewi tz for Fi shi n’ Frank Water LIFE Charlotte Harbor Shrimp are the universal bait because almost everything eats shrimp. It’s safe to estimate the average local bait shop sells between 1 to 3 thousand shrimp a day. The supply is best in the winter from December through June when the shrimp are biggest.

Shrimp are counted by the 1000 and then weighed. In the winter they will weigh 14 pounds per thousand,while in the summer they will drop down

anywhere from a pound to four pounds per thousand.

Shrimp sold in this area come primarily from the Pine Island area, but that doesn’t mean we won’t see shrimp coming from Tampa or further north. Bait shrimp are different from food shrimp because of the area they trawl for them from. Bait shrimp come from shallow depths where shrimpers drag their nets for short periods to bring the shrimp up alive. Food shrimp come from the 100 foot depths in the Gulf, taken on long trawls and they are frozen right on the boat.

If you are fishing with live shrimp, match the hook to the size shrimp you have. In the summer you’d use a size 4 to a NO. 2 hook where as in the winter a regular size shrimp would take a No. 1 hook or even a 1-0 hook.

In the hot summer, use either an insulated bait bucket or a cooler. Put a frozen water bottle in the bucket to keep the water cool. The cooler water promotes more oxygen and slows the bait down.

There is some thought that fish are attracted to the cooler

Discharge permit for pleasure boats?

A n Opi ni on

By Mi ke Davenport For 34 years, the federal Environmental Protection Agency has exempted discharges from recreational boats from the Clean Water Act's permit system. Regretfully, a recent court ruling canceled this exemption. EPA is required by the court decision to develop and implement, by Sept. 30, 2008, a national permit system for all vessels with operational discharges.

The Boat Owners Association of the United States has been working behind the scenes with other boating organizations to get the exemption reinstated for recreational boats. The Recreational Boating Act of 2007 (H.R. 2550) has been introduced by Rep. Gene Taylor, DMiss., and Candice Miller, R-Mich. It would protect recreational boats from being swept into this unnecessary and expensive permitting system.

It is important that H.R. 2550 passes.

Boaters should tell their congressional representatives to pass it and urge the Senate to co-sponsor it.

If the permit system becomes a reality, the EPA will be monitoring deck

runoff, gray water, bilge water, engine cooling water and the use of copper bottom paints.

The original lawsuit that led to this court decision sought to address ballast water discharges from large oceangoing ships, which can introduce invasive aquatic species into U.S. waters.

Keeping our waterways clean and preventing the spread of invasive species are important to the future of boating. But taking a complex permitting system designed for industrial dischargers and applying it to recreational boats will not yield significant environmental benefits, and it will come at a very high cost.

Requiring recreational boaters to purchase a permit would not prevent the spread of invasive species.

BoatU.S. has been a leader in educating boaters about clean boating practices for more than a decade. Its nonprofit foundation has funded local education projects on invasive-species prevention and helped develop voluntary clean-marina programs.

Mike Davenport is owner of Safeguard Marine Surveying LLC, S arasota.

bait. A battery powered aerator is the easiest way to keep them alive, but you can dry-pack live shrimp in a small cooler between towels moistened with salt water and they will stay alive.

Shrimp left in a bucket in the canal will probably be dead in an hour due to the warm water and the lack of salt right now. In the winter, shrimp can last in a bucket in the canal up to a week.

The average angler seems to buy two to four dozen shrimp every time they come into the bait shop.

Editor Notes** This month, Frank is busy trying to get his new house erected before the first hurricane arrives. Itʼs a manufactured home which is being set atop a 12-foot high concrete foundation. The first half of the house is being set in the photo above. If everything goes as planned, you will all be invited to the housewarming.

Page 20

Water LIFE

MAGAZINE

August 2007

KAYAKING: Inshore, Offshore, Minimal, or Maxed Out

By Ben Turpi n Water LIFE Kayaking After listening to guides talk about how great the fishing was in Bull Bay and Turtle Bay or some other awesome place my desire to fish those waters was boiling over. Yet my bank account didn’t afford me the luxury of the flats boat as my ticket to fishing paradise.

What was I to do? I really wanted to get off the shore and into some fishy waters? I racked my brain and then bought a kayak, a plastic people powered vessel that in fact made it possible for me to catch many fish and enjoy some of the remote locations I had only been dreaming about.

That was years ago and now with the advent of the fishing kayak the question is this. Do you load it up with tons of goodies (rod holders, paddle clips, leashes, backrests and the list goes on) or do you go bare bones?

You may have seen the cover of the latest kayak fishing magazine the name escapes me now, but on the cover is a boat loaded to the gills with TOYS that don’t help catch fish, or do they?

There are two schools of thought on this issue and perhaps as many ways to rig a boat as there are boats to rig but let’s talk first about where you’re going to fish and then about what you’re

going to take with you.

Apologies to all the folks out there selling gear before we start (note: I am one of them). But if you are going to fish off shore as many do in their kayaks for marlin, dolphin, tarpon etc – BIG Game – then you may, no you will, want some extras on your boat that the inshore boats won’t need.

On the offshore and inshore boats you always need your standard stuff; No, this is not the author and yes, ocean Kayaking takes on a whole different persona when the surf is up in life vest, whistle, Hawaii. Weʼre not sure this craft doesnʼt look like a sit-on surfboard ... and look at that stout paddle. and some sort of communication or else they wouldn’t do it. shore in a kayak imagine you took your device, you will also want to take a Then there is the fish bag and the 30ft offshore boat of choice and shrunk good bit of water to keep you hydrated. tackle box, all the same stuff you it to 14ft or so by about 2+ feet in Now lets talk about rods and reels, I would need if you were on a bigger off- width and left the motors off. There say two is plenty, but have seen as shore boat. Manufacturers are now mak- you have it ‘the offshore kayak’. many as six on a 12-16ft plastic kayak. ing the scuppers on kayaks able to take If you are going to fish inshore then I haven’t learned the art of keeping all a fishfinder’s transducer, the battery tray we start to talk about practicality. I fish my lines tangle free in this multi rod and the mount for the display are all scenario, but they must have a system continued of facing page there too. If you have never fished off-

Water LIFE

August 2007

continued from facing page

with 2-3 confidence baits. Oh sure I have a huge tackle bag full of the latest soft plastics and top waters etc, but typically 95-percent of the time I am fishing my favorite top water and a jerk bait of some sort.

So why carry all the other stuff? Well, any more I don’t. I leave the whole thing home cram a couple of extras and some leader in my shirt pockets and off I go.

As for rod holders on my kayaks, I prefer not to have any, that way I can say it’s a family boat. I use the joint between my big and middle toe as a rod holder and paddle away. When I fish, my paddle is in my lap, no teather, no clip.

Standing up is a balance thing, although there are stabilizers now to make that easy too.

Need To Be SEEN?

Gear is very cool and perhaps I am not the norm, but when I got started ... about all I could afford was the boat! The extras were just that, extra.

Some kayakers that fish are minimalists at heart – enjoying more fishing and less fussing with things that can break and that need maintenance.

However, I do envy those of you at the boat ramp loading your boats on your trailers and driving away while I heave my boat on top of my rack after paddling for an hour or so. Your nice and rested and I am dog tired. I wonder if the folks on bikes looks at us the same way as we fly past them in our cars?

Keep kayak fishing and looking at new gear. The big gear show is just a few days away, I'll tell you what I find. -Benjamin Turpin can be reached for kayaking help or information at 941-374-6973 or try www.bigkidkayaks.com

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S t aff R eport Jerry Cleffi, organizer, promoter and weighmaster for the Flatsmaster Inshore Tournament series has announced he plans to start a west coast kayak tournament series sometime near the end of this year. I’m not sure of the exact date yet, but it will be in November sometime. “This will be more of a hardcore kayak fishing tournament. It will be an all photo event but there will be a polygraph and prize money paid out. We’re calling it the Kayak Slam – red, snook and trout,” Cleffi said.

Cleffi envisions three events in north-west florida: Tampa to Sarasota, maybe, and three events south in the Sarasota to Marco area. After the divisional events there will be a top 40 tournament held in Charlotte Harbor. Kayakslam.com is their

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Page 22

Water LIFE

Inshore Tarpon

By Capt. Robert Moore Water LIFE staff There still seems to be a perception that tarpon season comes to an end by late July. Well, for the Boca Grande Pass fisherman this may be true, but try telling that to those who continue to chase the magnificent silver king throughout the summer. Great tarpon fishing in Charlotte Harbor just begins at the end of July and continues well into September.

After tarpon do their spawning in and around the gulf passes (from late April through July) tarpon will begin to venture up into bays and rivers looking to feed.

Charlotte Harbor is one of the major stopping points for many tarpon ranging from 25-to 200pounds By mid July the Myakka and Peace Rivers flow heavily pouring their stained water into Charlotte Harbor. When this begins and the winds are calm you can easily spot large numbers of scattered tarpon throughout the harbor.

My routine is to start at first light and begin searching at the mouth of the Peace River near marker No.2. I work my way down the harbor to marker No.1, looking for any signs of rolling or feeding fish. I will also look for schools of bait on top of the water where I will often find tarpon close by. If I don’t have any luck in the mouth of the Peace River I head over to marker No. 8 in the mouth of the Myakka River and work my way along the west wall of Charlotte Harbor staying in about 12 feet of water.

When you see a single tarpon roll as you run along, stop and watch for 5-to 10 minutes. Usually, if there are any numbers, you will see more fish pop up and start rolling after things settle down. I find that tarpon will recover quickly if they are run over at a fast speed while

you are on plain. Idling in or around the tarpon will push them down and away.

My theory is that they are used to boats running by at fast speeds but they get leery when a boat is idling overhead.

As for fishing for tarpon in the harbor, drifting baits are hard to beat. I will drift my live baits about 30 yards behind the boat. I will use a cork to suspend the bait 3-to 4 feet down. I will then use my trolling motor to maneuver the boat into the direction where I see the tarpon rolling most. If you do not have a trolling motor use the wind or tide to drift quietly over where you are seeing rolling fish.

My live bait of choice is the threadfin herring that can be cast netted throughout the harbor.

The bigger threadfins I catch, the better.

Sugar trout are my next pick and they can be picked up cast netting around the markers in the harbor or at the 41 bridge. Pinfish also work very well as will large jumbo live shrimp.

I prefer to come prepared for the worst and bring the heavy tackle. With 65pound braided line and heavy action rod I find you can fight the tarpon in a sporting manner without doing any harm to them.

If you prefer to fish with artificial baits I can only recommend one with confidence, the DOA Baitbuster (5/8 oz Deep Runner) in the silver glitter, black back color. There are many lures that will fool a tarpon into eating, but the Baitbuster has proven for me to be the most reliable.

Be sure to take as much time as needed to revive your catch. With the warmer water temperatures it may take more time than usual to safely revive your catch.

Best of luck and tight lines!

August 2007

MAGAZINE

Catch the Spiri

S t aff R eport The Charlotte Warrior’s tournament was held at the new Laishley Park Marina last month.

The event raised money for high school athletics and cheerleading equipment. Thirty three boats entered. When the fishing was done, 37 redfish had been weighed in and over $5000 was raised for the school programs.

At the top of the winner’s list was Devon Kurzke and Greg Silvia who weighed in a 5.95 and a 7.05 pound fish for 13 pounds total. Second place was Jack Russel and Jayson Reynoso with 12.98 Third was John Day and George Herl with an 11.71 Fourth place went to Wayne Quick and Eric Franks with an 11.04 two fish total.

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August 2007

Water LIFE

MAGAZINE

S t aff R eport What must they be thinking? Drivers and passengers at 8 a.m. Sunday morning, many dressed in their churchgoing finest, give the double takes as they pass by on US 41, southbound through Charlotte Harbor.

Luckily, for the most part, traffic is light at this hour and the drivers are very well behaved as they pass a row of dead sharks and stingrays spread out on the pavement alongside the road. It’s a wonderful mix, fishermen coming in from a night of shark fishing on the open water and little old ladies going to church. It’s Fishin’ Frank’s annual shark, stingray and catfish tournament, a two part per year affair held in late spring and early summer. We have the June event after the sharks get through their pup season. Any earlier and there would be too much attrition among the pregnant females that would be caught. He didn’t use the word attrition, but that’s basically what Frank said. The June tournament drew 530 anglers, this one, held at the end of July only drew 353. Only? The event is huge, low key, laid back and fun.

Anglers exchange stories, like the one

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Page 23

Timmy Vulo told of how the shark they caught a 76 3/4 inch lemon , just wouldn’t quit fighting. He came up and bit the gunnel.

There is a broken tooth still stuck in my boat, Vullo said. OK I have to see that, I said and Vullo walked me over to the Shell station next door where his rig was parked.

Sure enough there it was. Not a big tooth, but clearly a broken off tip. What’d you think? He was lying?

Brandon Tucker’s friends might think he was lying too, when he goes back to school.

Brandon is an 8 year old who goes to Toledo Blade elementary. Brandon reeled in a 4.59 pound sail cat and walked away with $495 in cash for the third place win. Brandon was a happy camper. Mark Varney was happy too, with a $1300 5.41 first place cat. Robert Katzman was happy too, with the biggest ray, a 40 3/8 inch wingspan worth $923 and Daniel Strickland was estatec with his 83 3/8 inch lemon shark worth a first place pleasing $1300 as well. We hooked it at 9 p.m and fought if for an hour and a half, using a stingray for bait and fishing out of a pontoon boat near the Pirate Harbor “Ice House.’

TEETH MARKS IN THE GUNNEL: LEFT: The sharkʼs mouth...note all the broken teeth, ABOVE: the shark and RIGHT: the gunnel with the bite marks

Charlotte Harbor FISHING GUIDES Water LIFE

Page 24

MAGAZINE

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SCUTTLEBUTT

August 2007

Sometimes Unsubstanciated, But Often True

Tax Bi l l s Initial tax proposals for the coming year will be mailed to homeowners around the 20th of this month. You have 30 days to appeal. Good Luck!

S muggl ers The sportfishing boat we told you about last month, the one that carried extra fuel cans in the salon, the one that was gone both times there were Cubans discovered coming ashore on Sanibel Island, that boat was gone again when a group of Cubans showed up last month on Boca Grande. Now the boat hasn’t been seen since.

Li cense Increase Fishing and hunting licenses will cost more starting in October. Snook stamps too.

Taki ng a S tand An FWC officer responded to a call in reference to a problem of beachgoers harassing a group of manatees at the Dania Beach Pier.

The officer conducted surveillance for some time then observed two subjects swim out to where the manatees were. Both subjects repeatedly submerged in an attempt to touch the manatees. The female subject then went as far as to stand on one of the manatees. Both subjects were cited. The manatees were unharmed.

Angl i ng and War: The Collision of Big-Game Fishing and WWII by Mike Rivkin. This work uncovers the fascinating story of how angling and WWII came to overlap and the effect each had on the other. The book focuses on the angling community’s vast contributions to the Allied war effort and includes more than 200 unpublished photographs and documents. The book examines the explosive growth of big-game fishing during the 1930s, how boat builders and tackle manufacturers turned to vital war production, and the wartime development of materials such as fiberglass and nylon that would change angling forever.

Other chapters explore the development of the emergency fishing kits that saved hundreds of sailors adrift at sea, how the American home front rallied to provide soldiers with recreational fishing gear, and a series of angling-related war stories that are breathtaking in their audacity. The book is now available at www.silverfishpress.com Don’t buy thi s ei ther CITGO is now in the process of changing its name to PETRO EXPRESS due to the loss of gasoline sales in the U.S. because of recent publicity about ownership of CITGO by the anti-American dictator Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.

Backcountry Special!

2 anglers, 6

BEWARE of the Boati ng DUI Seems like the Marine Patrol is in their summer mode of checking for safety violations and looking for beer cans on the deck. If you have either one, you’re in trouble. And just because they stopped you yesterday doesn’t mean they can’t and won’t stop you again today.

Water LIFE

August 2007

River Swim proves we donʼt need rules to have good clean fun

S t aff R eport This was the best Freedom Swim in years.

The swim started at 8 a.m.

The sky was blue and the river was flat. There were more spectator boats in attendance then anyone could remember and more people on the dock at Fishermen’s Village as well. The first swimmer made it across in less than 30 minutes. The last swimmer took about 3 hours.

The event is as close to a ‘happening’ as you can get.

Swimmers simply show up and do their own thing. It happens when the tide is right. A few participants in the totally unorganized event swam au-natural, some wore masks, some flippers, life preservers, or other flotation devices.

Kayaks shadowed some swimmers while boats fol-

lowed others. Everyone comes up with their own game plan. The coast Guard, Marine Patrol, Punta Gorda Police, Charlotte County Sheriff and the Coast Guard Auxillary were all in attendance. There were no significant problems.

POLICE REPORT from the FWC: On Wednesday, July 4, Officer Robert O’Horo attended the Freedom Swim event. During the event, one vessel began taking on water; it was later determined that the vessel had a cracked hull. Several tired swimmers were recovered from the water.

MAGAZINE

Page 25

Florida is Lightning Strike Capital of the US. Punta Gorda, Lake O, and Sebring near top of list.

This month marks the third anniversary of Hurricane Charley. We havenʼt had any hurricanes yet this year, but weʼve had some high cloud tops and some awesome lightning. As seen on the map above, there are three hot spots for lightning in the US. The Grand Canyon area of Arizona ranks third. Then comes the town of Raton in the Sangre de Cristo mountains of New Mexico and leading the list is southwest Florida, with the inland area around Sebring topping the stateʼs activity area, as seen in the smaller map above.

Page 26

By Bi l l Di xon Water LIFE Sailing The Punta Gorda Sailing Club is creating a new open charity regatta.

Our year round population of sailboat racers continues to grow, and more snowbirds return early each year. Jerry Haller of PGSC saw an opportunity to put on an additional open regatta before ‘season’ begins and I was able to get it included in the BOTY series for 200708. At a later organizing meeting, it was decided to make this a fund raising regatta, and still later it was decided to make Charlotte County YMCA the beneficiary of all funds raised. Regatta entry fees will cover all expenses and may provide some level of donation.

Donations, sale of banners to be shown on race boats and other fund raisers will go 100-percent to the Charlotte County Y, and those funds will be used in local programs. PGSC will underwrite the costs of fundraising.

The regatta will span two weekends.

Water LIFE

MAGAZINE

August 2007

New October Sailing Event to Span Two Weekends

Small boats will race at Port Charlotte Beach Complex on October 13 and 14. I’m sure early arrivals will have some sort of ‘DO’ involving beverages on Friday night the 12th. On Saturday morning there will be a continental breakfast and skippers meeting before racing starts. Saturday night there will be burgers, hot dogs and beverages at Charlotte Beach.

Sunday there will be more races and an awards ceremony with the last of the beverages and snacks, Small boat sailors should have more sedate weather, compared to the March Sunfish Nationals this year again at the Port Charlotte ta on Nov 3 and 4. There will be a With all the evening beveraging Beach Complex. skippers meeting with the ever present going on, it’s hard to believe, but some There will be Sunfish, Martin 16, beverages and snacks on Friday night. boats also bring beverages out to the and Portsmouth Handicap fleets, more Currently, there is talk of a single race course. if entries warrant. Boats are expected long race on Saturday and two short In the case of sunfish, the safety from all over Florida and the event is buoy races on Sunday. Burgers and boat carries a cooler full of .....water on the Sunfish Calendar, so we should beverages for Big Boats will be bottles. get some early refugees from the cold Saturday night, followed by beverages GOTTCHA! I know you were weather states. thinking ‘Drunken Sailors.’

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On The Line August 2007

By Capt Ron Bl ago Water LIFE Senior Staff

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Fishing with Capt Ron

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We had a little rain last month, but not enough to get us out of the drought we seem to be in. The weather has been super hot with the newspapers reporting the gulf temperature at 89 degrees. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the gulf temperature hit 90 degrees.

But without the afternoon rains to bring down the temperature I think we just might break that record.

Weather sure is a funny thing to predict.

On the Atlantic side the Gulf Stream current is a full degree cooler than predicted and hurricane forecasters are using that as the reason we have not had a hurricane yet this year. Remember that this year as well as last year they predicted an above active season. We had no hurricanes last year and maybe we will be lucky this year too.

Page 27

MAGAZINE

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Matthew Dollarhide with big trout . He was fishing with Capt Bob Szymanski and Capt. Ron in Turtle Bay

Fishing has been kind of hit or miss for me last month. Lemon Bay seems to be really slow right now. All I’ve been able to get is small ladyfish or large catfish. Out of five trips, I caught only one small trout and one redfish in Lemon Bay. I finally got a break when I went down to Turtle Bay with my friend Capt Szymanski and his friend Matthew Dollarhide. We found some nice trout using live shrimp under popping corks.

We caught a few nice trout up to 20 inchs. After a few hours I took my friends to a place way back in Turtle Bay that has always been a hot spot for me. I couldn’t believe the damage still back there due to Hurricane Charley. The place that was a sure bet for snook and redfish was now dead. Dead mangroves, dead oysters on the mangrove roots, even dead looking water. A pretty sad looking place.

The situation in Bull Bay was a lot better and Widdens Creek and Catfish Creek look like they are back to normal.

Let’s hope that someone helps out Mother Nature and replants those mangroves.

With the price of gas, most of my offshore friends are not going out too far.

The near shore artificial reefs have a lot of Spanish mackerel on them right now.

There are also a lot of barracuda on the reefs now and they are a lot of fun to catch, especially on light tackle.

Someone asked me recently if I eat barracuda and the answer is yes but only the small ones – 7 pounds or less. They taste pretty good to me.

One of the really neat things to do this time of year is take a nighttime snapper trip around the full moon. Several of the charter boat are booking these trips right now so call and get your name on the list. There are also a lot of sharks that get caught on these trips.

I’m going to be busy with the Kid’s Fishing Camp the first week in August.

Capt Jerry Gillespie has graciously volunteered to help with the kids but I still need other boats to take these kids fishing from Indian Mounds Park on Lemon Bay, Fri. Aug. 3rd from 8am till noon. It’s only a couple of hours. If you can help out, give me a call at 474-3474 or 861-1982.

Capt. Ron can be reached at: captronb@juno.com for fishing informationor

Page 28

Water LIFE

MAGAZINE

August 2007

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August 2007

Water LIFE

Saturday saw a 113 boat field

S t aff R eport It was an honest mistake and it honestly cost them $12,000. That was the difference between first and fifth place in the Flatsmasters Summer Redfish Plug tournament.

“I don’t run down there.

I honestly didn’t know it was a slow zone,” Rick Tomlinson said. “I’ve got no complaints, I screwed up. It was my fault,” he added. No one would have known, except Rick, Buzzy Hayes and Al Hoff weren’t alone when it happened.

Page 29

MAGAZINE

Above: Team Screenprint Plus was on the fish all weekend. Shown above with Sundayʼs fish, and below, one of Saturdayʼs 7 pounders.

Below right: one of Tomlinsonʼs Sunday brutes

Two other boats were also racing south headed towards the same honey hole near the Caloosahatchee.

Everyone was headed to the same spot when they came to Matlacha. The two other boats came off plane and were idling when Tomlinson blew by.

In the final round of this tournament there is a cameraman aboard every boat.

“The cameramen know the rules,” weighmaster Jerry Cleffi said. Tournament rules mandate a disqualification if you break any laws.

One of the cameramen squealed.

“I feel just terrible,” Eric Davis of the Screenprint Plus team said. When

Tomlinson’s 12.98 was disqualified, and he was bumped to fifth, Davis, Mark Persons and Pat Hill were catapulted into first place with their 12.21 two-fish total. There was no jubilation on Davis’ boat when the winner was announced. “Those guys are our friends,” Davis said.

Fifth paid $2K, first paid $14K. The Flatsmaster Tournament venue continues to evolve. There were 113 teams entered, a record number. This event saw the

introduction of a staggered start and at the weigh in arrival numbers helped keep the line moving. Fish were returned to the anglers to be released in the harbor since a pesky dolphin was hanging around.

Friday nights captain’s meeting was inordinately short. It was held at the High School and there is no beer allowed on campus.

Page 30

August

Fishing Report

Charlotte Harbor: Robert at Fishin' Franks Port Charlotte: 625-3888

Aside from being hot and steamy this is the time for afternoon storms and good fishing in the early morning and evening into night. This is the month for pretty much any species you desire. Tarpon should theoretically be the best species this month. There are plenty of fish in the harbor, but it’s going to be an entirely and experimental August because so far this summer the tarpon have not done anything that is within their normal habits.

Typically, this time of year the primary diet for tarpon will be threadfins and crabs, but with as off as they have been, some of the small sugar trout, small ladyfish and cut bait have all been working well on tarpon and I would guess they will continue to be good tarpon baits for the rest of the summer. It’s early for those baits, but that’s what’s happening now.

Look for tarpon in the 20 foot hole, the mouth of the Myakka and Peace rivers. Look for rolling happy fish.

Small sharks are still everywhere in the entire harbor from Marker No.2 all the way down to the passes.

They are smaller, in the three foot range and under, which makes lighter tackle a lot more fun. Fifteen to 20 pound test line with a small (12-to 24 inch) steel wire leader is the ticket. Cut bait, sardines, a chunk of

Water LIFE

MAGAZINE

August 2007

mullet, or even live threadfins have been working pretty well on the small sharks. There is always the possibility of a larger shark, but the majority of the fish are going to be small.

Mangrove snapper is going to be a real good species this month. July and August are when they breed, so we should have a lot of quality fish on the inshore and the offshore reefs. Most people target snapper looking for the smaller quality fish in the pound to 4 pound range. Use bigger baits, avoid little shrimp, try to use small pinfish, small threadfins or sardines. Anything in the 2-4 inch range of bait will increase the catch numbers on mangrove snapper, considerably. A chum bag will help draw a lot of those fish out of the structure.

Evening and night fishing is best for them We caught up to this local Capt. between the bridges in Port because of the barracuda that are going to try to eat them when they come up. Cudas’ are just Charlotte last month. He and his charter were having a ball alternatcatching tarpon and cobia during the time we hung around. not that aggressive at night, same as the amber- ing Unfortunately, we lost his name. jacks. Boca Grande Pass and Little Gasparilla Pass are good for snapper now, so long as the than by sight. Small pinfish are also a good redfish salinity stays high. bait. Try weighting the pinfish down with a small Redfi sh are going to start to get interesting now. weight or stick them with a small jig head - we call We’re seeing bigger fish and the bigger bull reds are that a ‘redfish sundae.’ going to start moving in from the Gulf by the end of S nook are still in the passes and on the beaches. the month. Look for them out at some of the reefs and Again, first light and at night are the best fishing time. near shore ledges. It wouldn’t be unusual to hook into For that once in a lifetime 20-plus pound snook, a a big red there right now. Night fishing along the small ladyfish or big pinfish are the big snook bait for beaches and near the passes will start producing some the beach. Fish right in the surf, like in the first 10 of the larger reds. For the more average reds, concenfeet of it. trate closer to the intracoastal. Fish in the harbor are Also out in the surf, you’re likely to run into the moving south of Pirate Harbor towards Turtle Bay and west. Using dead bait is the best way to catch redfish continued on facing page this time of year since they are going by smell more

August 2007

Continued from facing page

big schools of whi ti ng that are out there right now

Lemon Bay Jim at Fishermen’s Edge Englewood: 697-7595

BIG-4 BIG-4 TARPON are moving up into the harbor

I’ve had reasonably good summertime fishing reports lately.

The tarpon fishing in the pass is still real good. They just had a couple of days of hill tides where the crabs were flushing out and the tarpon were feasting on crabs, the rest of the time they are catching them on squirrel fish. Top water flies, live crabs, squirrel fish, pinfish with all the clear water tarpon fishing has been good.

There is a lot of snook fishing going on. There were pretty strong outgoing tides last week and a lot of really good big fish are in Stump Pass and out along the beach, monster fish, 42 to 45 inchers, all catch and release fish. There are a lot of smaller fish around too and they are all fun to catch. I’ve had reports of trout being caught around the neighborhood. Nice fish that are keepers. You just have to work to find the good water holding fish. The trout down by Pine

Water LIFE

Augustʼs Augustʼs Target Target Species Species

REDFISH The big ones are down by the shore

Island have been good in the Pine Island sound.

Mangrove snapper are good now too, the passes at Boca and Gasparilla are getting filled up with keeper sized mangrove snapper.

There are still quite a bit of S pani sh and ki ng mackerel around. Guys that want to target sharks are still getting them. There are gol i ath grouper on the wrecks: the shrimp boat, Mary’s, Helen’s and Novak’s reef. The goliath will take a ladyfish at any of those spots and some of those fish are so big you just can’t stop them. They are eating everything out there.

Offshore they have been doing good on porgys, l ane, yel l owtai l and mangrove snapper and they are catching a couple of grouper here and there too. Redfi sh are still being caught, but they are in the 5 and 6 pound range. The

n August 11: Xtreme Redfish Tournament, Best Western, Punta Gorda, sign up at the dock or call (941) 456-1540

n August 14-16: Mercury Redbone, Little Palm Island Grand Slam at Little Torch Key. Fish the flats and shallows to raise money for cystic fibrosis. Contact Gary Ellis at (305) 664-2002

Page 31

MAGAZINE

MANGROVE SNAPPER are on the reefs and in the Passes

NO SMOKING AREA?

Water temperatures in the 90ʼs make summer fishing a challenge in Charlotte Harbor, especially if an angler plans to bring his fish to a tournament weigh in. So today, more and more tournament anglers are carrying oxygen bottles aboard their boats to aerate their livewells. Oxygenated water keeps fish alive. Shown here is the O2 bottle installation on Capt. Danny Lathamʼs boat.

Currently there is no Coast Guard regulation regarding oxygen bottles on recreational fishing boats. What consequence a livewell full of oxygen will have when an angler, smoking a cigarette, opens it has yet to be demonstrated, but the outcome is predictable.

Calendar

n August 16: Summer Flats Tactics with Artificials with Captain Mike Manis. Seating is limited,sign up early at BOAT US Port Charlotte, or call 625-5002.

n August 17 & 18: Mangrove Madness, an IGFA World Qualifying Tournament, at ‘Tween Waters Inn on Captiva Island, Florida. helping to support Hodges University. 239-671-9347.

THE ALL NEW 2008 F-450 KING RANCH SUPER DUTY

SHARKS are still all over, but mostly they are small

October 6, see P-11

of

Events

n Aug 18: Northport Bobcats Benefi t Redfi s h To urnament, Punta Gorda, Location TBA n August 20 & 22: Boat Smart Course, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, Sign up at West Marine of Fort Myers or call 239-481-7447.

n October 6: Ri ches t Redfi s h Chal l eng e, Punta Gorda. A benefit for the Good Shepherd

Fishing

RIGHT NOW:

Early Morning Late Afternoon!

GOOD!

August 2007

Water LIFE

MAGAZINE

Page 32

Water LIFE

Kids Cup Winner Cashes in on Key West Prize Trip

August 2007

S t aff R eport If there was an IGFA Junior angler World Championship this year, Wyatt Carter might have won.

“It was awesome,” 2007 Kids Cup winner Wyatt Carter said, shortly after returning from three days in the Keys.

Wyatt and his family got an all expense paid trip to the Keys in lieu of fishing at the IGFA World Championship after the IGFA abruptly cancelled their championship program after the Kids Cup began taking entries.

“We told the kids the winner was going to Key West and we thought it was important to stick to our word, even if the IGFA didn’t,” Michael Heller, Kids Cup Tournament Director said. The Charlotte Harbor Reef Association, the parent non-profit for the Kids Cup, paid for the trip.

“It was raining and nasty the first day but the second day Wyatt caught a nice kingfish and a beautiful dolphin. There were schoolies (small dolphin) all around us, but they were only 17 or 18 inches,” Wyatt’s father David said. The whole family went along and they all had a ball.“We were trolling out by the “hump’ and a 12 or 14 foot hammerhead came right up in the prop wash. That was cool,” Wyatt said.

That night the ‘guys’ caught some pilchards and fished with them the next day, boating some small sharks and a big snapper. “The next day fishing was another great day on the water,” Wyatt said.

Eleven year old Wyatt is a 6th grader at Riverdale Middle School in Fort Myers Shores. Are you

MAGAZINE

Page 9

Page 10

Real Estate News PROVIDED BY: Dave & Marlene Hofer RE/MAX Harbor Realty (941) 575-3777 dhofer@remax.net Recent area news i tems:

1. Charlotte County Commissioners succumbed to public pressures to cut their losses. They voted 4-1 to accept Sid Kitson's offer to purchase the 1,100 acre mixed use development now known as Murdock Village. Of the $108 million invested to date, County taxpayer's will get $15 million down and $67 million spread over 10 years with NO interest that's the equivalent of less than $58 million in cash! Kitson, on the other hand, will get more than 3 million square feet of commercial property and 3,282 residential lots - fully improved with water, sewer, streets, etc. at taxpayer's expense!

While prices for vacant lots are certainly depressed, Kitson's cost per lot appears to be coming in under $10K - less than the cost to improve a lot today! The request by two other credible developers to delay the County's decision to wait for submittal of acceptable proposals fell on deaf ears.

The original concept of condemnation of the lots had a lot of merit. In its 36 years of existence, exactly 113 homes were built. The prospective drain on community resources generating negligible tax revenues would likely have taken centuries to correct in the open market.

In hindsight, the County, under the constraints of faulty appraisals required in the condemnation process, simply paid far too much for the property. In searching for a development plan, the multi-year bungling of the original Lennar develop-

Water LIFE

ment proposal simply added cost and did not help matters.

I thought the goal was ‘Buy low, sell high’?

2. Charlie Crist signed a bill to require tax collections be frozen this year at last year's rates. Somehow, Charlotte County feels compelled to cut some $14.2 million in budget cuts from last year's bloated budget.... or was that $14.2 million from what they would have liked to spend this year? They still plan on $42 million for a jail addition, $27 million for the Charlotte Sports Park - slated to begin August 14, and another $20 million to rebuild the Event Center - the old ‘Tentatorium’ was sold for peanuts and removed this month.

They will trim law enforcement and other administrative personnel by some $2.2 million. With a large jail expansion in the works, that seems implausible.

3.

Punta Gorda's budget is also under pressure. The Community Redevelopment Agency is postponing all development proposals (streetscaping, building renovations, etc.) save one.

The merits of construction of a $6 million, 300 space, parking garage is being fiercely defended by city staff.

Construction of a surface lot next to City Hall (across the street from the new convention center) is slated to start next month. Taxpayers of our little community will have plenty of space to park near our meager selection of downtown shops. Salary freezes, personnel attrition and even a reduction of library hours seems immanent.

4. North Port City Hall overflowed with angry residents to protest proposed road and drainage fees in rural Sarasota County. Base fees will skyrocket to $132 from the present $120 level!

5. Next April, Charlotte County will expand 2.4 miles of Burnt Store Road to 4 lanes from US 41 to Notre Dame.

6. Charlotte County finally realized that buying more undeveloped land east of the Myakka River for $5 million didn't make a lot of sense. Not getting a 50% grant from the State conservation fund

Water Toys, Water Skis, & Floats in stock w w w. a l l f i b e r g l a s s r e p a i r s . c o m Scott Steffe Owner

August 2007

MAGAZINE

was a wake-up call. The agency didn't feel that the modest strip of natural waterfront on the Myakka merited public ownership.

7. Punta Gorda turned down a proposal from Norstar to sell the 17 acre public works site for $2.6 million. After Charley destroyed their buildings, staff originally dreamed that the property adjacent to the waste water treatment plant would be an ideal setting for a residential/retail development at the "gateway" to Punta Gorda Isles. The hope was that the land would bring enough cash to the city to buy cheaper land elsewhere and have enough $ leftover to build their new buildings. Laishley has offered an even up swap for a similarly sized parcel near the airport. Don't know where that gets us, but the proposal seems to be getting support from the powers that be.

8. North Port will get a new Target anchored shopping center at the corner of Price & Sumter. Benderson will build Coco Plum Village Shops at Rt 41 & Salford.

9. The Loop is considering applying for annexation to the City of Punta Gorda. They stand to save 25% on water and sewer fees - the City stands to gain big tax revenue from the 1.2 million square foot shopping center/hotel/residential complex. Across Jones Loop Road, the super Wal-Mart has

Gel Coat,

These statistics are intended to assist in analy zing trends in supply and demand and not to indicate specific mark et v alues.

Ending inv entory is not alway s beginning inv entory plus listings minus sales since many pending listings are held ov er from month to month, some listings ex pire and are withdrawn and, therefore, do not appear as sales and new listings includes price

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its walls up.

Burnt Store Marina golf course 10. reopened this month. The course is being subsidized by homeowners rather than remaining closed.

11. Can this be true? Venice voted to require "stork" parking. Yes, pregnant women will get their own reserved spots next to the handicapped ones now legitimately required by Federal Law. S al es S tati sti cs: Another dismal month for lot sales.

Listings fell 20-percent during the month as many sellers withdrew from the marketplace awaiting a rebound in pricing.

Houses remained flat as new listings replaced those who gave up. Early evidence from July shows a significant pickup in activity at, albeit, lower prices.

Wall Street is just now waking up to the fact that the US housing industry has come to a standstill. It remains to be seen whether the Fed will be compelled to stem the credit crunch that is now unfolding.

Offshore Report

Water LIFE

August 2007

The permit fishing was good enough to make anyone smile.

By Capt. Stev e Skev i ng to n Water LIFE Offshore Fishing in August always conjures up images of big red grouper and lane snapper hitting the deck and this August should be no different. We’re already seeing nice fish in water as shallow as 50 feet, and the deeper you go the more grouper and snapper you’re going to see right now.

The lane snapper bite has been very strong all this last month and should continue to be good for a few more weeks.

Permit are very active this month on top of some of the deeper wrecks.

Watch for them to "tail up" in big schools right over top of the structure.

Big live shrimp, and small live crabs are the trick.

Vermillion snapper are thick offshore

on the hard bottom deeper than 80 feet.

Look for some more of the bigger red grouper mixed in with the vermillion.

Drifting with cut bait will catch more grouper this month than almost any other time of year thanks to slow moving tides and almost no wind almost every day.

This allows for the boat to make long, slow drifts, over hard bottom covering a lot of ground, and therefore catching a lot more fish.

Keep your eyes open when making those long drifts there's a lot of small mahi mahi out there right now. These fish just seem to show up under the boat while your drifting along, so having a light rod standing by is a good idea.

Capt. Stev e can be reached to book a trip or for offshore information at 575-FLAT or at 276-0565

Discounted Summer Dockage Rates Charlotte Harbor, Punta Gorda

Daily rate $1.75 per boat length • Live-aboard/long term dockage Boat club discounts • ValvTect gas and diesel Pump out station • Laundry and showers Boater’s day room • Cable TV • Wireless internet Heated pool • Restaurants and shops Cal l (9 4 1 ) 5 7 5 -3 0 0 0 fo r Res erv ati o ns

Coming October 6

MAGAZINE

P a g e 11

$25,000 First Place! a benefit for the

Good Shepherd Day School

Sign up in Punta Gorda at

The Good Shepherd Day School 941-575-2139, Laishley Marine 941-639-3868 or at Laishley Park Marina 941-575-0930.

Water LIFE

XTREME Redfish Tournament

Page 12

August 2007

MAGAZINE

The Xtreme is GROWING. There were 19 teams in this event and zero dead fish weighed in 1 s t . Pl ac e . . . . . Dave Hoke and Emma Jacques total weight:13. 44 $970. 00 They also won biggest fish. . . . . . 6. 98 lbs $190. 00 2 n d Pl ac e . . . . . Brad Opsahl and Billy Shaffer total: 13. 38 lbs $390. 00 3 rd Pl ac e . . . . Brandon Tanksley and Mike Garcia total weight:11. 56 lbs $160. 00 30 fish total weighed in. . . . Th e n e x t t o urn ame n t i s Aug 1 1 , at t h e B e s t We s t e rn i n Pun t a Go rda. S i g n up t h e mo rn i n g o f t h e e v e n t o r c al l Cap t

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Water LIFE

August 2007

By Capt. Ron Bl ago Water LIFE Senior Staff Every year there seems to be another threat of worldwide destruction due to some man made environmental catastrophe. Right now it’s global warming and people around the world are spending a lot of money trying to figure out whether it’s a real problem or just a natural change in the climate. Even on the local level we have had our share of what I call the ‘environmental crisis du jour.’ Who can forget the recent ‘High Levels of Mercury in our Fish’ crisis, or the ‘Prop Scarring of the Sea Grass Beds’ crisis and of course the ‘Red Tide’ crisis; and my all time favorite the ‘Manatees on the Verge of Extinction’ crisis. All of these problems we have been able to survive with very little change in how we live our lives.

The members of the environmental community formed committees, had meeting, solicited funds, lobbied politicians, sued government agencies and pretty much kept themselves busy trying to educate us normal people on proper environmental behavior. Frankly, to me, they haven’t really accomplished much to save or protect our environment. Realistically, all the research on how cow farts contribute to greenhouse gasses is not going to do much to change the weather on planet earth.

While they have been pleasing themselves, one of the largest environmental disasters is going on right under

How To Avoid An Upcoming

their noses and seems to be totally off their radar. I’m talking about the loss of the mangrove fringe around the shoreline of Charlotte Harbor.

When hurricane Charlie paid us a visit a few years ago it not only blew the roofs off a lot of houses, it also shook the mangrove trees so hard it knocked all the leaves off about the first 30 foot of trees that faced the water. This is what I call the mangrove fringe. I remember surveying the harbor after the hurricane and seeing miles and miles of naked shoreline; especially the east wall, the west wall and inside Turtle Bay. It looked a lot like a forest does after a forest fire. I assumed that Mother Nature would take care of the problem and the mangroves would comeback by themselves, but after two years of waiting, I now realize that those mangroves are not coming back, they are dead.

Most people understand the importance of mangroves to our water environment. They are an indicator species; the canary in the coal mine. The first thing you notice is that without leaves there is no shade and without shade there are no fish. Mangrove leaves are also the primary food source for the hundreds of different types of creatures that inhabit the mangrove roots. As the leaves fall into the water, bacteria will break the leaves down into nutrients that become part of the ‘detritus cycle’ which provides the food source for everything from microorganisms and plankton to small baitfish. Remember that

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Page 13

MAGAZINE

nature hates a vacuum and the biggest fear we have is that Brazilian Pepper trees will take over the space left by the dead mangroves. If that happens the nature of Charlotte Harbor will change forever. I can also guarantee that 10 years from now the taxpayers of Florida will spend millions of dollars to remove those Brazilian Pepper trees and replant the mangroves.

Over the last two years our Sea Grant Agent, Betty Staugler has done a great job focusing attention on our mangrove problem. A number of research and survey teams from various state agencies have been working in our area and have all come to the same conclusion someone better replant those mangroves. The trouble is with all the proposed government cut back; some how the ball has been dropped and no one group has stepped up to get the program rolling.

I think it’s time we get a little proactive. We need a group of Mangrove Marauders that will take a few of those mangrove pods and stick them in the bottom around the dead mangrove roots. Sort of like our own version of Johnny Appleseed. Right now, the mangroves are full of seeds (I call them M-Pods -scientists call them propagules) that will soon be falling into the water. How hard can it be to grab a handful of M-Pods and plant them in the mangrove fringe every time you are out on the water? That’s a lot better then just sitting around waiting for someone else to do something.

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Water LIFE

Page 14

MAGAZINE

August 2007

SALTWATER HOME PRICED TO SELL!!!!

OPEN AND AIRY, MAKING IT FEEL AND LOOK SO MUCH BIGGER THAN RECORDED SQUARE FOOTAGE. BREAKFAST NOOK. GLASS SLIDERS GO TO LANAI AND OUT TO DOCK TO FISH AND ENJOY PARADISE. COMPLETELY FURNISHED. BOATING IS A DELIGHT IN THIS UPSCALE WATERFRONT NEIGHBORHOOD ACROSS FROM MILLION $ HOMES AT COLLINGSWOOD POINTE. JUST ONE BRIDGE AND YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY TO THE HARBOR AND THE GULF FOR A DAY OF FISHING AND FUN. THIS HOME IS BEST PRICED HOME IN AREA ON WATER. A MUST SEE! $339,950 MLS#660068 Call Ellen 628-6954

COLLINGSWOOD POINTE AREA OF MILLION $ HOMES ON SAILBOAT WATER. OVERSIZED POINT LOT WITH A MAGNIFICENT VIEW OF NATURE PRESERVE. THIRTY FT. CONCRETE DOCK,10,000LB lift. FORMAL LIVING AND DINING ROOMS. BAMBOO STAIRCASE ,VOLUME CEILINGS THAT SOAR TO THE 2ND STORY. KEY WEST STYLE HOME, FANS, VIEWS, POOL!! A DREAM KITCHEN , CORIAN COUNTER TOPS. MASTER BEDROOM, HUGE WALK-N CLOSETS AND BATH . THREE BEDROOMS AND 2 BATHS DOWNSTAIRS. LOFT AND GREAT LANAI FOR ENTERTAINING. ROLLSAFE STORM SHUTTER. THIS HOME IS PRICED UNDER APPRAISAL. $849,900. CALL BUYER始S AGENT ELLEN 628-6954

THIS HOME YOU HAVE TO SEE TO BELIEVE THE SIZE AND BEAUTIFUL MAINTANCE FREE LANDSCAPING OF TROPICAL TREES AND PLANTS. 3 LEVEL EXTENSIVE DECKING OVERLOOKING CANAL. LESS THAN 15 MIN. TO LEMON BAY AND OUT TO THE GULF. 763 SQ FT OF ADDITION COMPLETED 2006, MASTER BEDRM WITH LARGE WALK N CLOSET, 2 DOUBLE FRENCH DRS, WOOD FLOOR AND LOVELY BATH RM WITH TILE, DUAL MARBLE SINK, CORNER GARDEN TUB AND WALK N SHOWER. NEW FAMILY RM, TILE, WITH DOUBLE FRENCH DRS TO FISH POND. 15X24 FLORIDA RM WITH SPA AND BAR. $549,900 MLS#661818 CALL ELLEN 628-6954

P G I WAT E R F R O N T SALTWATER HOME ON INTERSECTING CANAL, GREAT VIEW. HOME SOLD AS-IS WITH RIGHT TO INSPECT. HOME ONLY NEEDS A LITTLE TLC, BUT IS READY FOR NEW OWNER. ANY REMODELING IS CHOICE OF NEW BUYERS. LIVING AND HUGE 16X17 FAMILY RM WITH WORKING FIREPLACE. KITCHEN HAS PASS THRU TO 11X35 LANAI TO ENJOY OUR FLORIDA SUNSETS. KITCHEN WITH BAR ALL OPEN TO NOOK AND FAMILY RM WITH WET BAR. .2ND BATH OPENS TO LANAI FOR POOL BATH. 2ND BEDRM IS OVERSIZED 12X17. NICE SIZE GARAGE WITH 6X7 INSET WITH WORKBENCH. KITCHEN HAS NEWER APPLIANCES WITH GLASS TOP RANGE, SIDE BY SIDE REFRIGERATOR. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A HOME IN PARADISE, THIS ONE IS PRICED RIGHT. $449,900 Call Ellen 628-6954 MLS#666165

JUST MINUTES TO THE HARBOR BY WAY OF SUNRISE WATER WAY TO THE BEACH AREA AND ONE BRIDGE AT EDGEWATER. CONCRETE SEAWALL WITH 2 DOCKS AND 6,000 BOAT LIFT. 12X25 LANAI OUTDOOR CARPET. ALL FLOORS ARE PORCELAIN TILE. BEAUTIFUL WOOD CABINETS. YOU LL LOVE THE CULTURED MARBLE BATHROOMS, ONE HAS A JACUZZI. GLASSED WALK-N SHOWER.THIS HOME HAS ALL NEW PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL, NEW ROOF IN 2001 AND NEW A/C. ALL NEW FURNITURE, ONLY LIVED IN A FEW MONTHS A YEAR. THERE IS NOTHING,TO BE DONE TO THIS HOME, BUT MOVE RIGHT IN. IF YOU HAVE BEEN WANTING FOR GOOD BOATING, GOOD FISHING WATERS, THIS IS IT. $289,900 MLS#648220 CALL ELLEN 6286954

BEAUTIFUL REMODELED POOL HOME ON CANAL WITH GREAT RELAXING WATER VIEW OF LAKE. LESS THAN 25 MINUTES TO THE HARBOR, 2 BRIDGES. YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS HOME TO APPRECIATE ALL THE QUALITY WORK THE SELLER HAS PUT INTO IT. NICELY LANDSCAPED ALL AROUND HOME. LARGE LANAI FOR ENTERTAINING AND SEPARATE AREA WITH HOT TUB AND POOL ADDED 2003. STORAGE SHED, DOCK AND DAVITS ON CONCRETE SEAWALL. A COOKS KITCHEN WITH SOLID WOOD CABINETS, TILE COUNTER TOPS. GARAGE HAS BEEN CONVERTED TO OFFICE OR 3RD BEDROOM.CAN BE BE CONVERTED BACK. FRESHLY PAINTED IN AND OUT. NICE TILE FLOORS . INSIDE LAUNDRY, UPDATED KITCHEN AND BATHS. THIS IS A MUST SEE. CALL FOR YOUR PERSONAL VIEWING TODAY. $359,900 MLS#671475 ELLEN 628-6954

ATTENTION!!!ATTENTTION!!! SELLER WANTS OFFERS---THEY WILL LOOK AT ALL OFFERS!!SAILBOAT CANAL END LOT, WITH A MILLION $ VIEW DOWN CANAL! THIS IS THE ONLY ONE LEFT IN AREA OF PORT CHARLOTTE BEACH COMPLEX WITH BOAT RAMP, CLUB HOUSE, TENNIS, BASKETBALL, CHILDRENS PLAYGROUND, FISHING PIER, POOL, HORSESHOES, BOTCHIE BALL OR JUST RELAX IN THE SUN ON OUR SANDY BEACH. THIS LOT IS ON SEWER AND WATER AND IT IS PRICED TO SELL. SELLER WILL LOOK AT ALL OFFERS. $449,900 MLS#672657 Call Ellen 628-6954

LOOKING FOR A GOOD BUY ON WATERFRONT PROPERTY. THEN LOOK NO MORE, THIS ONE IS FOR YOU. PRICED AT TODAYS MARKET VALUE, YOU WILL LOVE THE LARGE OPEN AND SPACIOUS LIVING AREA. WALK INTO THE LIVING ROOM OPEN TO DINING, KITCHEN AND FAMILY FLORIDA ROOM. WALK ON IN TO SLIDING GLASS DOORS TO AN OPEN PATIO AND NICE LANDSCAPING TO THE FISHING DOCK AND WIDE CANAL. JUST A SHORT RIDE IN YOUR BOAT TO THE HARBOR, BY ELKCAM WATERWAY. GO FOR YOUR MORNING WALK TO THE BEACH COMPLEX AND ENJOY FLORIDA LIVING. SIT ON YOUR PATIO AND ENJOY THAT MORNING COFFEE OR FISH FROM YOUR OWN DOCK. THIS IS FLORIDA LIVING!!

SELLERS ARE GIVING THE NEW OWNERS A $5,000 ALLOWANCE FOR NEW INSIDE PAINT AND CARPET OF THEIR CHOICE. THIS WAY YOU CHOOSE YOUR COLORS. $279,900 MLS#667417 CALL ELLEN 628-6954

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OVERSIZED CORNER LOT WITH RIGHT SIDE AND BACK ON SALTWATER CANAL FOR A GREAT WATERFRONT VIEW. ACROSS THE STREET FROM MILLION DOLLAR HOMES AT COLLINGSWOOD POINTE. WHAT A GREAT PLACE TO BUILD THAT DREAM HOME IN PARADISE. JUST UNDER ONE BRIDGE AND 20 MINUTES YOU CAN BE IN CHARLOTTE HARBOR AND 18 MILES TO THE GULF AT BOCA GRANDE PASS FOR A DAY OF FUN AND FISHING IN THE SUN. $249,000 MLS#664014 Call Ellen 628-6954

We Remember Jeff Steele

August 2007

By Mi chael Hel l er Water LIfe Editor This is but a small part of a much bigger picture. This is a glimpse, a little look at a good man who left nothing but good memories with everyone he touched. A man whose smile and the twinkle in his eyes will be the single common memory he has etched in all our minds. Jeff leaves behind a loving family and devoted friends who spanned a lifetime.

Everyone who knew Jeff Steele has stories, memories and rememberances – recounts of good times spent with him. Here are just a few: “He was always in a good mood.

He’d come in the store every day and say ‘Hello, maam,’ and I’d say ‘Hello sir.’ Julie Joseph told me, struggling to hold back the tears. Julie and her husband Jim own Fantasea scuba in Port Charlotte. “They were inseparable, joined at the hip,” Julie says.

Compared to his close friends, my own involvement with Capt. Jeff Steele was peripheral. We dove together a few times, I knew him from various projects on the water – the crab leases, artificial reef building, stone crabbing in the gulf and spearfishing.

We just kept running into each other.

It was always good.

Jeff's picture appeared in this publication a half dozen times, all in association with good things. The last time was this spring when Jeff had gone out on his own to raise an abandoned and sunken boat from the bottom of Charlotte Harbor and drag it to the dump. He was that kind of guy, an outdoorsman doing the right thing, spending his own time and money to make things right. He was a helper and a teacher, an instructor, and a role model. He left behind a wife and 4 children. Our hearts go out to them.

When you walk in the door to Fantasea Scuba there is an old porthole at the bottom of the display case.

Recovered from the wreck of the Bayronto by The Three S tooges: Jim Joseph, Dennis Jordan and Jeff S teele, a card says.“They were inseparable, Julie says again, quietly.

Dennis Jordan writes: “I have some great memories of the crazy adventures that Jeff and I shared. Trying to sort through them all, to choose just one to write about has brought mixed emotions as I cruise down ‘memory lane’. I am sad to lose such a good friend, yet I know that he would want

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us to remember him with joy in our hearts. So, I choose to focus on the fun times we have had: Saturday nights in search of the perfect margarita, deep wreck explorations, fish tales, and dive stories. I think everyone who knew Jeff would agree what is remembered the most about him is his never ending smile and true friendship. The most recent memory I have of Jeff was on our last dive trip to the oil wreck in the Tortugas. On my first dive, I lost my right fin as I entered the water.

‘Ah Nuts,’ I thought to myself because I knew I had not brought a back up pair of fins.

I was bummed about not being able to finish (or start for that matter) my dive. But then, out of nowhere came my deep water diving buddy, Jeff, to the rescue. He had been watching my every move and retrieved my fin for me. When he handed it back to me there was that special twinkle in his eye.

One of my fondest memories was when Jeff and I dove a sink hole in Mexico with our friend Jim Joseph.

Jim led the way, then me, followed by Jeff. This was my first deep dive and I was excited and a little nervous. We went 214 feet down to a world that looked like something from outer space. Every time I looked back, Jeff was there giving me a thumbs up or okay signal. I felt so comfortable diving with my two friends. This was one of Jeff’s favorite dive sites. I am lucky to have been able to share that special experience with him.

Jeff has left many memories that his friends will cherish forever. I carry my memories in my heart and in my mind. What a buddy he was! Jeff, I love you, man.”

“We went on adventures together.

We did stuff other people only dream of,” Jim Joseph later told me. Dives well below the 200 foot level, trips to Mexico, taquitos from roadside stands and dinners at each other’s home every Saturday night. Good friends.

Jeff Steele was a commercial mullet fisherman, but after the net ban of the mid 90’s he took advantage of the state-supported transition to clam farming. “We met 11 years ago, Jeff came to my shop to take a diving course so he could move ahead with clam farming. Jeff had just come back from Alaska, he was late for the course already and there was some catching up to do. When he walked in, the first

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thing I asked him was; can you read?,” Jim said, smiling, going back to that point in time, another one of so many good memories.

Over the course of the next hour Jim and I talked about Jeff; who he was and what he had done to in-dear himself in so many people’s hearts.

Jim shared some of their last trip to Mexico, how the seas went to 10 feet and how the surface boat almost lost them. “That night we laughed and toasted surviving,” Jim said.

Jeff knew there was a danger associated with what he did, but the satisfaction far outweighed the risks. “We all need to be living our lives like Jeff, living fully, living happily,” Julie said.

“The next day we dove Cenote Azul, a 230 foot deep sinkhole. That was Jeff’s favorite dive,” Jim told me.

On the way back up the coast they dove an underwater cave system amid stalagtites in gin clear water. “We went in about 1300” feet Jim told me.

One adventure after another. A full life.

Capt. Clam, that was Jeff’s nickname. Before red tide killed off the business Jeff made a go of it in clamming, establishing Capt. Clam’s Seafood and supplying restaurants and wholesalers around the state. Often, in the clam lease area at the southern end of the Gasparilla Sound, Jeff’s boat would be the only one you saw.

Jeff in the water or under the water moving, sorting turning the heavy bags of clams. He was a tireless worker, and all the time he was smiling.

He’d come to the surface, brush back his mask and there would be that big toothy grin. Jeff was a charter dive captain who recently received his master’s upgrade for his captain’s license.

He was involved with artificial reef monitoring and sat on the Charlotte Harbor Sea Grant advisory panel. He did construction and tile work and was always there to help friends out with their projects. “We all have some tile work done by Jeff in our houses,” Jim said.

Jim, Jeff, Brian Knight and I dove on the Novak Reef to place a heavy underwater monument there for our mutual friend Rich Novak. The monument was in a small dingy that Jeff towed behind his boat. We sank the dingy with the monument in it and then re-floated the dingy. I watched them maneuver the heavy concrete monument into place underwater.

They worked seamlessly. The trip

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back in to shore could have been a somber one, but Jeff’s never ending upbeat attitude brought us through it.

“Novak would have liked the way it came off,” Jeff said – a series of improvised events on the edge of being out of control that ultimately ended up working out just fine. Later Jeff would say, “if anything ever happens to me, just put me out there on a reef, like Rich.”

“We thought alike,” Jim said. We figured out a way to expedite the underwater cleanup at Boca Grande Pass. There were immense tangles of line. We came up with a way to wrap it up like a big sausage, cut it in half, and float it up to the surface. It took a little time to figure it out, but in the last two years we did what they said would take 20 years to accomplish.

Jeff loved to dive and to be inventive underwater... and he loved to spearfish. The 2005 St. Pete Open, the premiere spearfishing tournament on the West Coast of Florida, was one of his proudest moments. His picture graced the front page of this publication that month, Jeff holding up his 60-plus pound cobia.

Married to his loving wife Barbara for 23 years, Jeff had turned 60 this past May. After the party he headed up to Alaska for the red salmon run. No one is sure what happened. On July 3 his boat was at anchor in the mouth of a river, along with a number of other boats. Jeff went up on deck, a mate followed a few minutes later, but Jeff was already gone.

“What can people say about Jeff,” Julie asks me? She holds here hands up, arms outstretched wide. “He had so many friends, you’d need an encyclopedia this big.”

A remembrance for Capt. Jeff Steele is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday Aug 3 at Gilchrist Park.

Several fundraisers have been established in Jeff Steele’s memory, The funds will go to establishing a new reef. The county’s Sea Grant office is in the process of applying for a reef permit. The reef will be the Capt. Jeff

On Saturday August 4 there will be a car wash at Coyotes Bar & Grill, 4300 Kings Hwy in Port Charlotte.

A memorial fund has been established through the University of Florida Foundation.

Contributions can be sent to Sea Grant, 25550 Harborview Rd Port Charlotte 33980 or to Fantasea scuba 3781 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte 33952.

Call 627 3888 for mor information.

A poker run is scheduled for Sat Sept 2 call 627-3888 for datails and entry information.

Gimme That Old Time 2-Stroke Religion

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By Mi chael Hel l er Water LIFE Editor I love the smell of two-stroke-smoke in the morning. Sloppy, wet, noisy, oily, beautiful 2-stroke outboards have a place in my heart. Motors without valves, motors that scream, are in my blood. The industry has pretty much solved the 2 stroke’s pollution problems with high pressure injection and high output ignition, but the noise that I love is probably what the touchy-feely-environmental zealots are going to use to kill 2-stroke.

Four-strokes, although more complicated are the future. They are getting lighter and engineers are moving the powerband lower to get a better holeshot.

And they are pretty much silent. The future is coming but it ain’t here yet.

When Mercury first came out with their high tech OptiMax 2-stroke I had a carburetted 150 Merc on my 19 foot boat.

I installed a flo-scan fuel measuring gauge and recorded the fuel consumption over a couple of months, all at different engine speeds and under different conditions.

Then without switching anything else on the boat we hung a 150 Optimax on the back. The difference in fuel consumption, especially at slow and idle speeds was significant – When I set up my next boat, the 2001 Paramount that I still have today, Mercury, with whom I have always had a good relationship suggested I try the new and improved OptiMax. They knew my last Opti grenaded after a fuel injection nozzle came apart.

I went with a carburetted 2 stroke on the Paramount. I wasn’t ready to relinquish the raspy rock crusher idle and the throaty roar at six grand that only three carburetors can give. I liked the holeshot and most important at 400 pounds it was a lightweight motor.

But last week, with 1200 hours on my lightweight 2-stroke’s clock, the throaty roar of my carbureted 200 went to a rattle when the bottom piston on the port side began to come apart. I heard it happen and immediately shut it down. Later, with the head off the motor, the piston appeared chewed up but the motor was fixable. I saw no major cylinder damage.

I was at a precarious point. Do I put this low-tech fuel burning sweetheart back together and keep beating on her, or do I fix it, sell it and get a 4-stroke? If money were no object it would be an easier decision. But it was so I weighed my options carefully.

A 4 stroke: Big bucks, heavier motor, quieter, much more fuel efficient, but I’d have to re-rig the boat, buy new prop (s) and I don’t have the tools, testers or manuals to work on a 4-stroke.

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Or keep the old 2-stroke a little longer: Punch it twenty over, put in new rings, bearings, six pistons, and a gasket set and I’m back on the water. Maybe even try out some old time Boysen reeds. Go back to running the snot out of my old two stroke and if it breaks again, I’ll fix it and then beat on it some more.

First I have to know what caused it to fail. The initial consensus is either a lean carburetor or an electrical problem, but that doesn’t seem right to me so I’ve sent the picture of the piston off to my friends at Mercury to see if someone there has an opinion.

No matter what happens with the motor, I’m keeping the boat, so I’m taking the down time to get some structural changes done. That way, if and when I ever do switch motors, grey, white or black, 2-stroke FI or 4-Stroke, the transom will be ready for more power. More is always better when it comes to power.

For the boat work I enlisted my friend Scott Steffe at All Fiberglass Repair in Punta Gorda to help strengthen the transom with some ‘boxing’ and ‘hips’ that tie the top of the transom into the stringers.

As designed by its builder, the 21-foot Paramount has 4 longitudinal stringers bonded to the bottom of the boat and to the transom, but the stringers only run up 12 inches high on the 25 inch transom and I wanted it beefier. The transom itself is two pieces of 3/4 inch marine plywood, laminated together and wrapped with fiberglass mat. I talked to my buddy Darrel who manufactures the Paramount boats and asked him about the idea of triangulating the stringers up to the top of the transom. I told him I thought the transom sees some forward flexing when running in the shallows and dragging the skeg through the sand, like we often do around here. I had seen a small crack in the gel coat at the top of my transom indicating there was something starting to move. My fear was that water could get in through the crack and rot the transom.

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August 2007

Darrel said it was overkill, which is just what I wanted to hear. Overkill is my motto when it comes to engineering. I long ago came to realize that CAD (Computer Assisted Design) isn’t meant for SHSA (Sustained Heller Style Abuse).

With a couple of saber saws and a die grinder Scott and I went to work

opening up the back of my deck. We soon found the problem. The putty used to seat the cap-deck on the transom had cracked. Not a big deal, but now we can make it better. At lunchtime I went down to Cox Lumber in Punta Gorda and bought a $97 sheet of marine grade plywood.

Scott made a bunch of cardboard templates and transferred them to the wood. Scott is great at custom stuff. Around his shop ther was a hand made 350-pound 80 mph hydroplane, a couple of work boats, an older mako and a 1959 Beeline Saphire with fins that are reminiscent of a 57 Plymouth Savoy. Scott was recontouring the bottom on the Saphire while working on several other, more run-of-the-mill,

repairs. He managed to fit my job in – so long as I helped.

In two days we had it apart, ground down to the raw glass, the new wood bracing was cut to fit and my boat was starting to come back together.

It seemed like everything was on track.

Then I talked to the motor guys.

The block was fine and the crank was fine. I decided to keep the old 2-stroke for at least another year. It’s going to be three weeks before I’m back on the water. I’m trying to be positive about this. Stay tuned.

August 2007

Water LIFE

Are You Man Enough?

Shark Tournament

Almost a Record

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By Capt Rob Moore Water LIFE Staff The first annual Are you Man Enough? shark tournament was held last month on Ft. Myers Beach. This was a unique tournament where there were two ways to win. One for catching the biggest shark brought back to the tournament weigh-in or by obtaining the most catch and release points. Depending on the size of the shark, points were awarded. The minimum size was five foot. In order to kill a shark for the weigh in you had to first contact the tournament committee via VHF radio and obtain a confirmation number to kill the shark.

The reason for this procedure was to limit the amount of sharks killed. If your shark didn’t beat the top three sharks that were already confirmed you had to release the shark. Over all, only 5 sharks were killed. All the sharks were professionally cleaned on site and over 300lbs of shark steaks were donated to the Ft. Myers Salvation Army.

In the catch and release points division first place went to Team Monster Mosquito and second place to Team Captiva Rod and Gun. First place largest single weight went to Team Shark Bot with a 174lb lemon shark. Second place weight went to Team Teagues Air Cond. & Florida Mortgage Trust with a 115lb lemon Shark. Third place heaviest weight went to Team Hookers with a 74lb hammerhead.

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S t aff R eport Gary Howe thought he might have a record. A big bull shark on 50-pound test line. “I hooked into it at about 3 p.m. with a bonita for bait.” Gary’s friend Anthony Mineo who was also on the boat told the story “We were out 20 miles and we saw something we never saw before. A school of sharks this size all thrashing on a school of bonita. It was scary,” Howe said. They hooked several sharks.

“Being there and watching the sharks, it was like they were all working in unicyn. Like bonita school-up bait-fish, the sharks were schooling the bonita,” Anthony’s brother Tony who was also aboard, said. “Look at what it did to this,” Gary said, holding up a gaff that was clearly not robust enough for the task.

The team first tried to have the shark weighed at the I-75 truck scale and then later went to the scale at the Gasparilla Island causeway toll booth to get a certified weight. By then the animal had lost a significant amount of water-weight and weighed 340 pounds, 35 pounds shy of the Florida record for 50-pound test line.

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