Water LIFE Dec 2012

Water LIFE Charlotte Charlotte Harbor Harbor and and Lemon Lemon Bay Bay Keeping Boaters & Fishermen Informed Since 1997

The Charlotte Harbor Reef Association

December 2012

Kayaks that GLOW

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When Was the Last Time YOU Took a Kid Fishing?

Offshore

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Kids Offshore Page 12

Lots of Kids Fishing Inside!

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Inshore and Offshore Headquarters

Letters to email: WaterLIFE@comcast.net

Big Month for Cody

(941) 766-8180

e-mail email: WaterLIFE@comcast.net 217 Bangsberg Rd.

Port Charlotte, FL 33952

Not affiliated with any other publication Vol XI No 12 © 2012

No part of this publication (printed or electronic) may be copied or reproduced

without specific written permission from the publishers.

Contributing Editors:

Student writes Commissioners about Laishley Landfill

Dear Charlotte County Commissioners, My name is Jacob Witz and I am a camper and student at Gator Wilderness Boys’ Camp School on Farabee Road. It kind of concerns me about the fact of putting a landfill near Camp. What Gator Camp teaches us is to learn life skills and how to handle our frustrations correctly.

I don’t think that putting a garbage dump right near our school will help us in any way. Plus we live at Camp and we won’t be able to sleep with the sounds

of dump trucks going back and forth in the early morning. We don’t want the smell of the pungent fumes of a garbage dump for a year and a half. Just please don’t put this landfill down by Camp. I have lived in Charlotte County for my entire life and I don’t want to see a landfill put in my town.

Respectfully submitted, Jacob Wi tz Student and member of the Gator Wilderness Camp School Buccaneers

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Cody Peterson writes: Caught and released this stingray in Charlotte Harbor flats, it was about 100 lbs and put up a great fight on 15 lb test. Then Cody Peterson (left) & Savannah Lee caught and released this 43 inch snook, also on 15 lb test .jpg line.

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H ap p y H o l i d ay s from Water LIFE magazi ne.

May the New Year b ri n g yo u H e a l t h , P e a c e , P r o s p e r i ty an d p l e n t y o f t i m e fo r F i s h i n g

Photography: ASA1000.com Senior Editor: Capt. Ron Blago Charter Fishing: Capt. Bart Marx Port Charlotte: Capt. Billy Barton Punta Gorda: Capt. Chuck Eichner Sea Grant: Betty Staugler Real Estate: Dave Hofer Inshore: Fishinʼ Frank Offshore: Capt Jim OʼBrien Kayaking: David Allen Office Dog: Molly Brown

on the COVER:

There were numerous different species boated on the Don Ball School offshore fishing trip, but Mathew Abruzzeseʼs octopus was by far the coolest.

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“Like a good day on the water”

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2012

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Recipe for a Sweet Holiday Mix

By Mi chael Hel l er Water LIFE editor

INGREDIENTS: 130 kids Tackle for everyone 135 workbooks One handful of adult volunteers T-shirts Salt MIX: Put all the kids in classrooms, Distribute the tackle ... evenly Add the workbooks, Rods & Reels Have the adults mix for 7 weeks Stir in salty experiences and stories Cook with sufficient funding until smiles appear. Serves everyone well, leaves a slightly salty taste that lasts forever!

Finish with graduation t-shirts and a day of fishing.

It was suggested I write something sweet for Christmas. That couldn’t be easier. Watching the young guides in our kids program evolve, learning to teach, watching guides become part of their classes, watching parents sit in night after night to learn with their kids: I know we are on the right track and that is sweet.

In kids fishing, nothing is more important than the adult’s enthusiasm.

Fishin’ Frank and Jack Pearson were two enthusiastic adults who helped with our program this year; baitshop owners who gave area kids something to remember.

Jack owns the Englewood Bait House at the base of the Tom Adams Bridge.

Capt. Jack Pearson is at the far left with the big grin on his face while Don Ball School students get ready to unhook a gag. The Englewood Bait House provided the boat for the trip.

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“Pat your head and rub your stomach, thatʼs ʻwalking the dogʼ with a lure, you are cranking one way and twitching the other,” Frank told the class at Murdock, who were all cranking and twitching and wiggling and patting their heads at their desks.

Jack volunteered to take our whole Englewood Don Ball School of Fishing class out on his head boat Reef Raider for a fishing trip. He could have taken a boatload of paying customers like he usually does on Saturday, but he put aside the morning for the kids. It didn’t take any arm twisting or pleading, in fact it was Jack’s idea. Jack didn’t do it for the publicity, he did this for the kids and they will remember that trip forever. And through the process, Jack was smiling.

That’s the way it is supposed to be: win–win and we’re going to do it again next year because of Jack. Thanks Jack!

Frank, is Frank of Fishin’ Franks fame. He is another enthusiastic adult.

Not only does Frank take care of spooling all of the 130 kids reels with line (he’s

done that every year for the last 8 years) but this year he got us 3000 hooks and 2000 jigs and refused to give us a bill.

Frank provides all the little stuff: bait and prizes for the pier fishing along with leader and tools and still more hooks. He helped with a class presentation on lures and has gotten us industry samples and hats to give away every year since 2004.

That’s Fishin Frank. He isn’t doing it for me or for our program, he is always there for the kids. Thanks Frank!

We are all working in the same direction, to get kids fishing and to teach them about ethical angling and sensible management of the environment. The kids are having fun with the classes and the adults are all having a good time too.

That’s why I call it a sweet mix.

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e m a i l : Wa t e r LI F E @ c o mc a s t . n e t

No Line at the Boat Ramp

By Capt. Bart Marx Water LIFE Fishing When they travel to Florida, some people like to go to the theme parks and spend the day with thousands of other people, treated like cattle in a feed lot.

Then there are others that love to go to the beach and get sun-burnt so when they go back home they can brag they were in Florida hanging out at the beach. And then there are those that know Florida is the fishing capitol of North America; where you can spend the day with family and friends fishing for a fresh fish meal.

The lines at the boat ramp are not as long as those at the theme parks and sometimes they are more entertaining.

The other day, a friend had some of his family visiting from out of state and we set a date to do a little fishing These guys have been fishing the Great Lakes and were not beginners. The

weather was nice so we ventured out into the Gulf. We traveled out to the 50 foot depth and found a nice piece of hard bottom and anchored-up the boat. We were using spinning rods that were 30 pound class rigs with flouro-leader. We used frozen baits first to get the bite started and later when the bite slowed, we switched to the live bait. We caught some nice snapper, triggerfish and white grunts. We put some in the box for the fish fry that they were planning. There was the friendly competition on board who caught the biggest and the most and who put the first one in the box. There was a little learning curve using circle hooks, there has to be some finesse to make it successful and get the fish in the boat. There were double hookups and triples, the guys were having fun. The bite slowed and it was time to move and we started again with frozen bait first.

We were on a small ledge where we were snagging the ledge and/or there were grouper taking the baits and running for the ledge. We pulled a few out after they were stuck for a few minutes and thought they were free.

There were some scamp grouper caught and, gags and reds too. The cooler we were throwing the keeper fish in was becoming full and the bite was starting to slow once again.

We traveled into shallower waters to fish one of the artificial reefs and see if we could pick up some flounder, but we had no takers. Then we traveled in closer

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to another reef where we caught some more white grunts to add to the bounty. It was getting late in the day and they had a soccer match to attend. That helped to make the decision to return to the dock and clean our catch for the day.

Just then a local FWC officer stopped and checked our cooler and our licenses.

Every thing was in compliance and he shared that this was the best catch he had seen that day. We thanked him and off he went and we pulled anchor and started back to the dock to start the job of cleaning the fish.

The total was 49 fish, 35 white grunts, 9 mangrove snapper, 3 porgies, 1 scamp, and 1 trigger-fish.

If y ou hav e guests coming to Florida to v isit, we can help y ou entertain them. We would lov e to show a part of Florida that many nev er see. Tak e them on a Florida fishing adv enture with Capt. Bart Marx of Alpha Omega Charters. He can be reached for scheduling y our adv enture at 941-979-6517.

And tak e a k id fishing with y ou and get them hook ed on fishing. Singing drags and tight lines mak e me smile. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

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The Fish Just Keep on Chewing

By Capt. S teve S kevi ngton Water LIFE Offshore Wow, the kingfish bite has been flat out hot for the last few weeks.

The beach, aka water out to about 35 feet deep, has been just full of hungry kingfish, bonita, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, sharks.... the list of predators goes on and on.

Trolling is my favorite way to catch these fish, all I have to do is drive the boat in such a way that my lures find themselves in front of hungry fish, then it’s all up to the client and my deck-hand to see that the fish finds its way to the Ice Box. I don't even have to put down my piping hot cup of coffee during these epic battles between man and fish.

Trolling No. 2 planers with "king spoons" behind them at about 8 knots has been keeping the mate pretty busy. We have even had a couple tuna on that setup in the last week.

Live chumming can be a lot of fun with the kingfish annual run.

Load your live-well up with frisky greenbacks, anchor up on your favorite artificial reef, and start tossing them overboard a few at a time.

The kings will be there soon.

The amberjack we were hitting in just 50 feet of water last month have moved out just a little deeper. Out about 100 feet of water is where we are finding them now.

Large live baits are the best bet with the amberjack. If you can't find any big live baits, try heavy jigs worked fast, AJ's love to chase down a jig!

Red grouper have been doing surprisingly well even in the cooler water. We had some this week going over 15 lbs!

Cut Bonita strips over hard bottom in about 90 feet of water is turning on some slob sized red grouper.

The white grunts are absolutely on fire, everywhere we go, from hard bottom

spots to artificial reefs; they are everywhere.

And they are delicious!

Try bottom fishing with live shrimp.

This month you'll see everything from grunts and snapper to huge sheepshead, gag grouper and some nice hogfish.

If all this information fails,.....just call me and Ill give you directions to my marina!

Tight lines and more hot coffee.

Captain Steve can be reached at 941-575-3528

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Planning for Waterway Access 2010-2050

By Betty S taugl er Water LIFE / Sea Grant Florida Sea Grant recently completed a study designed to provide Charlotte County with a planning instrument that specifies the type, quantity, and location of public shore access and boating facilities needed to meet anticipated demand through 2050 while minimizing environmental impacts on sensitive marine habitat. The full report, Planning for the Future of Recreational Boating Access to Charlotte County Waterways 2010-2050, TP-186, will soon be available from Florida Sea Grant, flseagrant.org.

The project consisted of the following tasks (1) inventory of existing boat registrations, boat docks, ramps, and marina facilities; (2) assessment of the future need for boat docks, ramps, and marina facilities; (3) identification of suitable locations in the county for ramp, marina, and mooring facilities; (4) evaluation of Charlotte County’s compliance with Florida’s working waterfront legislation; (5) outlining the development of a Charlotte County manatee protection plan; and (6) updating the 1996 Marine Use Regulatory Study for Charlotte County (Tupper and Antonini 1996).

Fi ndi ngs from the study: I In 1978, 5,176 pleasure boats were registered in Charlotte County and in 2010, 20,355 were registered. Over the 33 year period, the number of pleasure boat registrations in Charlotte County increased by 293%, a rate that was more than 2.6 times that experienced by Florida (110%) as a whole.

I In 2010, on average, there were 7.9 people for every registered boat in Charlotte County.

I Currently, 53% of Charlotte County resident boaters keep their vessel at a dock in Charlotte County, 35% launch from a ramp, and 12% use a marina wet or dry slip.

I Residents comprise 53% of all ramp

users and 51% of marina patrons at Charlotte County facilities.

I Approximately 28,125 boats will be registered in Charlotte County in 2050, an increase of about 38% over the 20,355 that were registered in 2010.

I The highest growth in pleasure boats from 2010-2050 is expected to occur in the 16ft to <26ft (44.1%), followed by a virtual tie between pleasure boats falling in the 26ft to <40ft range and boats that are less than 12ft in length.

The recent decline in boats in the 12ft to <16ft class is expected to continue over the next 40 years, with the number of boats in that range shrinking by more than 12%.

I If marina capacity in Charlotte County remains consistent, Charlotte County will need an additional 870 slips by 2030; and 1,118 slips by 2050.

I Charlotte County’s supply of saltwater accessible parcels is sufficient to meet dock demand well beyond 2050.

I Inequities in the demand for ramp access versus the supply of ramp lanes are apparent for specific regions of Charlotte County, with the largest gap between current supply and demand found in the Stump Pass/Gasparilla Sound region.

I Lower Charlotte Harbor and points to the south is the destination for an overwhelming majority of boaters. Given that 80% of resident boaters who use ramps live in central and east Charlotte County—areas that have no ramps on Lower Charlotte Harbor—it makes sense to consider placement of new ramps in this area.

I Potential mooring field sites in Charlotte County include six in the Lower Peace River region, three in upper Lemon Bay, and one in the Stump Pass/Gasparilla region

Betty Staugler Florida Sea Grant Agent Univ ersity of Florida IFAS Ex tension Charlotte County (941) 764-4346

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FISHING, SAILING & RECREATIONAL BOATING continue to be a primary drawing card for Charlotte County. These folks were part of the 50th Birthday of the PGI Civic Assn.

Brazillian Zoo to Clone Endangered Animals

According to an IPS report, Brazilian scientists have begun a project which will include the cloning of endangered species. The project will be carried out through the combined efforts of the Brasilia Zoological Garden and EMBRAPA. While the genetic material being used in this study comes from wild animals, the researchers have no intention of releasing cloned animals into the wild.

“The zoo wants to increase the number of specimens for its own use. The idea is to keep these animals in captivity. The use of clones would prevent the impact caused by the removal of these animals from their natural setting,” said Carlos Fredrico Martins, EMBRAPA researcher, to Tierramerica.

Economic Impact of Environmental Regs Must Be Revealed Before the Poposal is Published

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) have reopened the public comment period on a joint proposal to simplify the process of identifying habitat essential to the survival and recovery of species protected by the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Due to public interest in this proposal and multiple requests for additional time, the agencies, which jointly administer the ESA, will accept comments and information from the public for an additional 90 days. Comments and information submitted during the original 60-day comment period, which closed on October 23, 2012, will still be considered and do not need to be resubmitted.

The joint proposal would amend the ESA’s implementing regulations to require release of preliminary estimates of the economic impacts of any proposal to specify particular habitat areas at the same time as the habitat proposals themselves are released for public review and comment. The agencies’ past practice has been to complete draft economic analyses after the habitat proposal has been published for public review.

100,000 Missing Boats

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Killing of the Golden Goose

Boats anchored off Gilchrist Park last month for an aerial photograph to capture the popularity of boating in our area. The turnout of close to 150 boats was predominantly of sailboats.

By Capt. Ron Bl ago Water LIFE Senior Staff Who would think that you could lose over 100,000 boats in Florida without someone noticing that something is wrong. The clues were in plan sight for local, state and federal regulators to see, but they were too busy with running their own kingdoms to compare notes and share information with each other, so the boats started disappearing.

It's been happening over a number of years, slowly at first just like a leaky faucet, but it just keep getting worse with time and now people are starting to worry. I'm talking about the steady 5 year decline in the number of registered boats in Florida.

It wasn't that long ago that Florida became the number one state in the union in boat registrations with California and

Michigan close behind. Florida was the first state to break the 1,000,000 registered boat mark and reached their highest level of 1,027,043 vessels in 2007. Since then the number has steadily declined each year until 2011 (the last year figures are available). The number of registered boats in 2011 was 922,491, that is a loss of 104,552 vessels or a 10.18% decrease from 2007. Any time an industry loses over 10% of its customers, something has to be wrong. Local counties are feeling the same loss, with Charlotte County boat registrations down to 20,602 in 2011; down 2,011 or 8.89% from their high on 2007.

The question is why the long, steady decline in registered boats? Most boaters will register their boat each year just like they do their automobile. I could see someone taking a year off, but not 5

2007 Mainship Pilot Sedan- 34' Twin Yanmar diesels, cherry interior with all the luxuries. Well kept vessel ready for entertaining. $199,500

2001 Egg Harbor 370 Convertible- 37' Sportfish w/ Twin Diesels. Professionally maintained and is in excellent condition. $175,900

2003 Legacy Express Cruiser- 28' with opening center windshield, recessed trim tabs, and much more. Great shape. $99,500

2006 Island Marine Products - Island Line 25 ft 250SC, 90hp Johnson. 12 person Coast Guard rated, padded seating and cushions. $18,900

2001 Hunter 380 Complete cockpit isinglass enclosure. Lift kept since 2004, buffed, waxed ready to sail. $98,500

1984 Fisher 30' Pilothouse Ketch - 40 HP Yanmar Diesel. Lots of recent updates & bottom paint. $54,900

years. If you're not going to use the boat you might as well sell it and let the new owner register it. I know that the economy has been pretty bad since 2007, but there seem to be just as many houses and people as there ever were, maybe even a few more. The price of gas might be a factor, but people can always shorten their boating trips and you can always fish more and drive the boat less. So where are the boats?

Some have suggested that boaters are downsizing their boats, going from yacht to power boat to jet ski to kayak; and since kayaks don't have to be registered in Florida maybe the growth of the kayak business is the result of the decrease in the power boat industry. But I'm not buying that story. It seems that going from a powerboat to a kayak is like a HarleyDavidson rider switching to a Schwinn

1999 Albin 32+2 Command Bridge is a 1 owner, special order boat. Powered by Cummins and built to last. $129,500

tricycle. It doesn’t happen.

My personal theory is that excessive government rules and regulations have sucked the fun right out of boating. With manatees, sawfish, porpoises, turtles, sea grass and red tide all competing for the disaster of the month in the minds of laypeople; boaters are now suffering from what I call Environmental Guilt Disorder.

Environmental Guilt Disorder is the condition that makes one think that owning a boat and being on the water will eventually cause the end of the world as we know it. The irony of the situation is that the regulators need the boaters to pay their salaries and the salaries of those that enforce the regulations. These people may not of yet killed the Golden Goose of boating, but they definitely got their hands on its throat.

1998 Century 3000 WA - Lift stored and in very nice condition, fully equipped to go fishing or cruising. $36,900

1994 40ʼ Sea Ray 400 Express - Cummins Twin Diesel, Bimini top, two staterooms, big cabin.

Very well maintained. $79,900

2007 Rinker Express Cruiser - 35' with twin Volvo Penta, Bimini top, mooring cover, hot shower. Lift stored since new. $99,500

2007 Mariner Seville Pilothouse - 37' with single diesel Cummins. Beautiful vessel with easy maintenance. $285,000

2007 Hurricane Sundeck 217 - 21' with Yamaha 150 HP 4 stroke. Lift kept with only 40 original hours. $27,500

1991 Beneteau Oceanis 390 Classic Version Shiny gelcoat, new bottom paint in 2012 and Raymarine electronics. Ready to sail. $79,500

1999 Island Packet 380 - Furling mast, air conditioning, windlass, Fisher Panda generator and more. Real Beauty. $194,900

1999 Silverton 351 Sedan Bridge - 35' w/ twin gas engines. Only 2 owners, Very clean and ready to cruise- $75,900

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Don Ball School - Class Trips to the Laishley Park Fishing Pier

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S t aff R eport

Students from the Don Ball School of Fishing classes at Punta Gorda, Murdock, Port Charlotte and Heron Creek decended on the Laishley Park fishing pier on two separate weekends last month.

Trout, redfish, stingrays, ladyfish, brim, one small snook, 2 spadefish and several catfish were caught. The Punta Gorda class held a small fishing tournament which helped understand how to measure a fish.

Everything they caught was released alive.

Bobby Vitalisʼ

2007 Starcraft 20' with 150hp Verado, Full canvas, am/fm with I-pod.

Well maintained $18,990

2005 ProLine 17' with 90hp Mercury 2 stroke.

Fishfinder, Bimini top $9,450 1999 Hurricane Deck Boat - 90hp Yamaha, low hours. Room for 7, Bimini top.

Very Clean $6,995

Pier Fishing for Pompano

Pompano are fun to catch, they give a pretty good fight. Pompano are silvery overall, with yellow on the under side and with a dark dorsal fin. The other fins are yellow.

The food value is good. Their average weight is from 1 to 2 pounds, which is most common. This Pompano was caught in the morning, from low to high tide. It was caught at Tom Adam’s Bridge. I caught three of them, in one day. If you find one, you are going to find another. I am also catching snook, crevalle jack, lady fish, and spotted trout too.

When fishing for these fish, most of the time I use artificial lures and most of the time I cast. The best jigs I’m using to catch pompano with is Capt. Joe rigs and Silly Willy’s. The color I’m using is a white and pink jig with a pink fly. You can use other colors such as chartruse and white also. These jigs come in several weights. The best two weights is 3/8oz. and 1/2oz. If I’m fishing from 1 to 4 feet deep, I use the 3/8oz. weight. If I’m fishing from 5 feet deep and over, and has a current, I suggest you go to a 1/2oz. weight. The

presentation using these jigs is at a slow speed. As you are reeling it in, give it sharp jerks every so often. For my main line, I am using 30lb. test SUFIX ADVANCED SUPER line (BRAIDED). For my leader line, I am using 3 feet of 25lb. test SEAGUAR 100% FLUOROCARBON, which I like because it is invisible in the water. The best knot to make from the leader to the jig is called the clinch knot. Now, for those people who use bait, the best bait to use is shrimp, fiddler crabs, or sand fleas.

When putting the bait on the hook. I suggest you use circle hooks. Because it is a circle hook, you do not need to set the hook, just reel it in. So, if you want to have fun catching pompano, try this method which works for me.

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Bitten by the Fishinʼ Bug

By Capt. Bi l l y Barton Water LIFE / Charlotte Harbor Salt water.... You take my breath away..... Where would I be without you!? Lost! Lost in this world, that's where I'd be. Dry land is no place for this young blood! My heart and soul rest in the salt water. Some folks get sea sick. People like me, we get land sick.

This condition isn't something that just comes upon you. It's something you were born with. It's something that was instilled in you from a young age. It's in your blood.

I remember being a little Florida boy, that’s me in tghe picture below. I had what we called "the bug" from a very

young age. For y'all who don't know, "the bug" is a sickness you feel in your stomach when you're not fishin! I give full credit to my Day for me having "the bug." He was a fishin’ son of a gun! I remember times as a small child chasing him down the street in tears because he was going fishing without me! Now that I'm a grown man, I'm not gonna take it away from him. He always made time to take me fishin and he taught me well. I can't blame him for wanting a break from me once in a while.

Eventually he became a commercial fisherman which totally kinda kicked me out of the picture until I was old enough to join in and help out. Anyhow, he knew how much I liked to fish so he had me in these fishing classes at the cultural

center for young kids.

Captain Ralph Allen was my teacher at the time. For those of you who don't know Captain Ralph, he's a teacher, a local fishing writer, and he owns the Kingfisher Fleet in Fisherman's village, whom I now run fishing charters for (by the way) and yes, on some days, he's my boss. Captain Ralph to me is someone who I truly look up to for his business sense, and most importantly his knowledge of our fishery.

I'm getting at something, just gimme another paragraph. When I started working for Ralph I made a comment to him and I really didn't know how he'd take it but I said "Ralph, you know 20 plus years ago you were teaching a class for kids in the cultural center, and I distinctly remember you teaching me how to throw a cast net outside in the grass." Ralph, being a serious type of guy gave me a half a smile and said "that's funny I'm still teaching the same class!" Twenty years later and I'm still learning from the guy.

Some of y'all might understand what I'm getting at. Some things just run in a cycle. This was my second year teaching the Don Ball School of Fishing at Punta Gorda Middle School. I had twenty six kids in my class this year and they were a

great class, they really were. They were so ecstatic about the fishing, and eager to learn I was amazed. Some of them really had "the bug!" I had several parents sit in

as well who also really had "the bug!" It was an absolute pleasure teaching the kids and parents what I've learned in my life full of fishing.

Now every time I write, I tell y'all to take a kid fishing! You're instilling good values in them at a young age, and to boot, you'll keep em outta trouble if it's all they ever wanna do.

Last and most important you're making memories that are gonna last them a whole lifetime. Good memories, fun memories. Teaching the class really brought back some old memories for me, and reminded me where I came from. I'm lookin forward to the next one!

Signing off and going fishin’.

Capt. Billy Barton operates S cal es N Tai l s C hart ers. He can be reached at -979-6140 or at bartonw24@yahoo.com

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December

2012

Capt. Jack Puts the Don

Capt. Jack helping Nicholas Corridino

Amber Tressler and hammerhead

Jonathan Schultz and a big snapper

Brittany Dudleyʼs fine flounder

Aaron Williams-Gore and a good porgy

By Mi chael Hel l er Water LIFE Kids The first offshore trip has to rank right up there with the best things in a life of fishing. Getting up early and out on the water as the sun comes up, being out of sight of land (or even just almost) and then the bite. What is it? OMG! I can’t hold on! Ug!, UGG!! Wait, I got one! and than ‘I got one too!’

It was still dark out when parents began dropping their kids off at the Englewood Bait House, at

The dayʼs bait

Mica Rice grabs a gag

the base of the Tom Adams Bridge.

Before 7:30 a.m. armed with the rods and reels they received in the Don Ball School of Fishing class, some kids just couldn’t wait to board the boat and began to

Live dehooking practice

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n Ball School Students On the Fish!

Deckmate Dick Parks helps Matias Reatequi

cast their gold spoons off the Bait House dock on Lemon Bay. It was going to be a good day.

This was also the first year in the 12 year history of the Don Ball School of Fishing program that the kids were going to go fishing. Previously, the classes

were held over 8 evenings in the school cafetefria. This year classes were shortened to 7 to allow for the fishing day.

The L.A. Ainger class got to go out on the water with help from a contribution toward expenses by Pool Sharks Pool Supply in Englewood, and with the help of Jack Pearson, owner of the Englewood Bait House and driver of the boat.

The Englewood kids got to catch some fish, plenty of fish; – gouper and snapper and grunts and porgys and flounder and spadefish and a baby hammerhead and even an octopus.

As we motored out through Stump Pass and into the Gulf, all eyes were wide open. We passed a pod of dolphins jumping in the surf outside the Pass.

It was feeling fishy already.

This was a catch and release trip and as it unfolded it was great to see many of the kids able to tie their own hooks and release their own fish.

Even more rewarding was watching the kids help each other. Kudos to Don Ball School instructors Capt. Rod Walinchus and Capt. Tyler Bretton for educating this class so well.

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Lexi Riddle with the only yellowtail

Aside from the few minutes when we shuttled between spots the fishing action never slowed down. There aren’t many (any other?) head boats in the Charlotte County area. Jack’s Boat, the Reef Runner, is a well kept clean fishing machine. With Captain Jack and mate Dick Parks helping them, the kids had a competent crew who took all the time necessary to make sure they had a great day. I’m sure Jack and Dick will be seeing some of these kids and their parents again soon.

Tyler Brady and a gag

For information on scheduled Head boat trips from the Englewood Bait House call Jack Pearson at 941- 475-4511

Justin Douglas and a gag

Nicholas Corridino and a red grouper Mathew Abruzzese has a grouper on the line

Cameron Overton and a gag

Page 14

email: WaterLIFE@comcast.net

December

2012

Take a Kid Fishing - The World Is Not Ending on 12/21 - You Have No Excuse

By Fi shi n’ Frank Water LIFE Baitshop I am going to write about taking your grand-kids fishin’. First however, as Robert pointed out, it is December. The end of the year is coming and the world ends in just a few days. I say that with a smirk since a round calendar just does not end. But goof-balling aside, it is hard to believe it is 2012 and 12-21-12 is upon us, and the weather has changed just as predicted by the Mayan's. October is like November was, snowing and cold. Last year was the first time I have ever seen tarpon showing up here in May – that was just weird. And with 2013 knocking at the door I am wondering what the weather will do?

The seasons seemed to have moved a month to the left. By that I mean the weather of Oct, Nov, Dec, seems more like Nov, Dec, Jan, everything is a month earlier than it was 10 years ago, which was different than 10 years before that.

Twenty years ago the tarpon would show up in May and the trout fishing was not really good until November. Now who knows? Now each season we have to wait to see what is going to happen. The good thing is giving fishing forecast advice is like being a weather man. It is not required that you have to be right, just right more often than the other guys.

The good news is that now, instead of waiting until March or April for beautiful weather, it should be here

by February. Right now we are getting reports of triple tail, big snook, and lots of tons of rat-reds, under-size redfish, babies if you want to think of it that way. Rat reds are the only fish in the world who can bite a bait, swallow it, digest it and start it coming out their back end, all before you can set the hook. All these Rats are a very good sign that we will have a great season on redfish during 2013 and to the point of my story here: Taking your Grand kids fishin.

If your kid is 6 or under I have a small fishin pole for them to cast and it rarely has hooks on it. Then I have another pole which grand-pa casts and stays in the rod holder until a fish bites. This is very important with little girls, if it is not their pole they did not catch the fish, they just reeled it in on Grandpa's pole. Little boys not as important. Watching the little one throw an $80 rod and reel in the water can be stressful and lead to yelling. Yelling is not good. It is much easier to watch him toss in a $13 push button.

In the story books, or on Mayberry RFD, fishing means sitting quietly on the boat while waiting for a fish to bite while the kid says something cute and you get to impart the wisdom of your life experiences to them so they can use this information to guide themselves through the difficult path ways of life. On T.V. it always seems to be this way and that's what we think of.

The real life version invokes a slightly different cast

William Clark is going to remember this flounder caught on his first fishing trip.

and "Opie" is not a real kid, but you have to be Andy Taylor, and it is your attitude that will make or break the day.

So lets start with little girls. They are your Fishin Buddy, everything you thought about the boy you will probably find in your grand daughter. First you get them baited up. Most little girls are not afraid of the bait and with a little teaching will readily bait their own hooks.

After the first fish, they seem to get the idea that if they stand there and hold the pole a fish will bite and they get to spend time with you. That really is what they like, spending time with you, fishing is the excuse. Within a couple of trips it will be you saying ‘come on do you have to go home already?’ Just keep in mind not to force them to stay out the first couple of trips. If they want to go, go. Maybe just to a different spot for a while, the more you force them to be there, sit quiet and not move, the more they will not want to go. Again I warn you with little girls it only takes 2 or three trips to get them hooked.

Lights and Lightings on the Water Dec 2

Dec 13 Dec 16

Dec 22

Lighted Boat Parade, Royal Palm Marina, Englewood Lighting of the Fleet, Isles Yacht Club, Punta Gorda Lighted Boat Parade, Port Charlotte to Punta Gorda Rim Canal Boat Parade, Punta Gorda

Now let’s talk little boys, the one you you have waited so long to teach to fish and spend time with. Here is how the first trip will go. First off you will find many or most young boys afraid of the bait. I think their imaginations are going so fast everything is a monster trying to eat them. Don't push him into being the tough guy, or bait their own hooks. If you do bait their hook to start with, not making a big deal of it, in just a short while you will wish the boy was still afraid of the bait.

They will bill throwing it, or eating it, once the lines are cast out, it takes about 2 minutes before they start looking for something to do. Oh yeah, there is a bait bucket full of interesting things, 3 minutes later, they're looking over the side of the boat, or if you are on a dock, the boy’s head is hanging over the edge looking for, well, anything. A crab will catch their eye and it is more fun to chase crabs or a bug than to stand there. The first fishing trip with a little boy lasts 15 minutes, the 2nd 16 minutes. Those first couple of trips, by the time you get the rods baited, cast out and you just about start to relax they are ready to go. ‘I am bored’ Grandpa, ‘there is nothing to do.’ You can talk or try to explain if you want to catch a fish you have to be patient, or you can go with the flow. Get him to help you reel in each line. show and explain how to take the bait off the hook, that is usually gory enough to hold their attention.

Some kids get it very quickly, with other it takes a while, the only thing is that spending time with you is what they want. Fishing is the excuse. A few hours of your time for a day you might not even remember, however I guarantee they remember. Ask some one in their 70's or 80's did you go fishing as a kid? I will bet they remember the where, who, what and how about it.

Fishing is the one thing which really imprints on a child's mind like no other experience.

The most important thing I saved for last, what ever fish a child catches is the biggest, greatest, most wonderful fish in the world and no fish ever fought that hard. If you say it is great it is. If you are disappointed so are they.

The saddest thing is when parents come in and you hear the little kid say, all we caught was lousy cat fish.

WHAT? let’s break this down, a cat fish bites readily and fights hard, so if they are a little slimy get over it, they are an edible fish, which when filleted are quite tasty and shame on you for telling a kid that their fish was no good.

It is all about the fun. R elax and take a page from the kids book so you get to spend time with them. I took my grandson fishing, we fished each spot almost long enough to get the bait in the water. No fish at all but at the end of the trip he said ‘Grandpa I really like being on the boat with you.’ I rest my case.

Enjoy the day, have fun and be safe.

Frank cane be reached at: 625-3888 or at: Frank @FishinFrank s.com

Bobbers December

2012

By Capt. Chuck Ei chner Water LIFE Punta Gorda Fishing The most popular gamefish in southwest Florida becomes reckless in December. Thank goodness for that because many of the species we love so much become inactive or have followed a seasonal migration out of the harbor. The speckled trout is a cold water tolerant fish that is here year round and the winter months bring large schools of these tasty fish into the shallows of less than 5 feet.

There are a hundred ways to catch these fish on artificial lures but the most fun is the popping cork! I think anyone that fishes still has that kid-like persona somewhere inside relating to childhood

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days where you sat on the edge of a pond or river side with a bobber & worm waiting for a fish to pull it under. Exciting as it was then, you can get excited about bobber fishing again. Nowadays, they call bobbers, corks and we are specifically talking about a popping cork. Initially I was reluctant to utilize the popping cork because it was not technical enough, but perhaps think again. It catches trout, lots of trout and big ones!

Popping corks are generally made of real cork, styrofoam or plastic and used to suspend your lure or bait above the bottom just like an ordinary cork or bobber.

The popping cork generally has a concave top and when jerked in the water makes a popping sound. Some popping corks are simple and some quite elaborate. The modern trend by lure manufacturers has been to create popping corks that slide on a spring steel shaft and are adorned with brass beads on one end and plastic on the other and each popping cork makes a uniquely different sound.

Fish can hear. The basic concept in using the popping cork is to rig a short length of leader (2.5 feet is a good place to start) to the cork and attach a jig-headed lure to the tag end. Your running line connects to the opposite end of the cork.

Fishing over grassbeds is the best place to use this contraption. The idea is to cast out, reel your line tight and give your line a good jerk. What happens next is the cork will make a pop or gurgle sound depending on how hard you jerk,

this lifts the cork up on the shaft, then on a slack line you allow the cork to settle back into the water. The metal and plastics beads make a distinctive clacking sound as the jig descends back down into the water column. All this commotion makes a trout sulking in the weeds, come out to investigate and in doing so, the trout sees your jig swimming, where the sound just came from and munches it up.

Your cork goes under, you set the hook and man, this is just plain fun! You could call this a very interactive fishing technique because the angler is constantly working the rod.

What I have learned about popping cork fishing is that trout are like any other fish and get a bit moody at times, so some days they prefer more commotion than others. Additionally, you have to experiment with your lure selection, jighead weight and leader length - it all matters!

Certain lures possess a specific resonant frequency that turns fish on. I have found the same with popping corks. I have one in particular that will out fish the others 3 to 1 regardless of who is fishing it. I also question the colors

Page 15

being so bright on popping corks. Is it more to catch the fisherman than the fish?

My most productive popping cork is a very faded pink, the brass beds are corroded and it looks worn out but it turns on the fish!

On the business end, I prefer an 1/8 oz or Âź oz jighead with a plastic swimtail or shrimp. Experimenting with color and action is always a good idea as well as increasing leader length in deeper water.

A lure gliding just over the tops of the weeds is the key. Experiment with your cadence such as multiple pops or a pop followed by a slow drag. He who masters the fine points of the popping cork will catch three times as many fish!

Capt. Chuck Eichner operates Action Flats Back country Charters and can be reached at 941-628-8040 or go to www.back country -charters.com

Page 16

email: WaterLIFE@comcast.net

December

Fishing is Way More than Catching

2012

It builds relationships, families and memories (which turn into stories)

By Gl en Bal l i nger Special To Water LIFE In October I was invited to go fishing with a friend of mine, Jack Hollingsworth, to a place I have travelled to and fished for over 20 years. But this trip would deliver a wonderful example of how exciting and rewarding fishing trips can be.

Jack informed me that we would be traveling to Plaquemines Parish in Louisiana to fish with his son Chandlar (9 years old) and Jack’s uncle, Frank Fitts. Jack made it very clear that his son was an avid fisherman.

Jack explained his young son's excitement and enthusiasm for this trip and his zeal for fishing. He enjoys many other activities such as football, hunting, school, etc., but his true passion is for fishing. Jack also invited two additional close friends who he has enjoyed fishing with for many years.

The night before our first day of fishing I met up with Jack and his family at a fish camp in Port Sulpher, a half hours drive south of New Orleans. This camp is set up for fishing and fisherman. We enjoyed a great meal of jambalaya, settled in, and then woke at 5 am to go fishing for trout and redfish. What a day we all had, there were more redfish than I had ever seen before and Chandlar was catching one fish after another. Young Chandlar was always the first to cast out his bait and the last to quit. I took numerous pictures of both Jack and his son hooked up and enjoying the experience of fishing together as Father and son. The highlight was watching Jack’s gift of time to share a memorable day with his son.

The next day was reserved for our yellowfin tuna trip. We got up at 4 am and arrived at the Cypress Cove Marina dock in Venice to meet Kevin Beech aboard his North Carolina made 33' Freeman Cat Boat. The fishing town of Venice is located just an hour south of New Orleans in the lower SE portion of the

Parish. This area is often described as an unbelievable fishing paradise unlike anywhere else and probably one of the top three places in the USA to fish. Another very common description is the "end of the world" because there is just one road in and out. Don't expect some fancy resort type atmosphere here, it’s all about the fishing.

One of the best times to visit Venice is during September and October. That time of year provides the best possibility of catching large (100 to 200 pound) yellowfin tuna.

We left the dock at sunrise and worked our way down about 25 miles to the mouth of the mighty Mississippi. The mate threw out his cast net. We also used sabiki rigs to catch additional bait off the towering oil rigs. Now we are ready to go deep and another 25 miles gets us in 1,200' of water near the deep water shrimp boats.

We ended up catching 12 yellowfin tuna and numerous blackfin tuna. Uncle Frank caught his personal best yellowfin tuna, a giant 165 pound specimen. What an experience for all, but most of all for Jack and his son to create such a great memory. Chandlar brought in a number of tuna himself with his father at his side. It made me think of all the times I spent fishing with my father and friends throughout my whole life.

Another example of how fishing helps create bonds, friendships and memories beyond anything else I have experienced. It was his Uncle Frank that started Jack fishing when he was just two years old and the gift he gave Jack has now been passed on to Chandlar.

When we returned to the dock I mentioned to Uncle Frank that it was because of him that this bond between Jack and Chandlar was created. The time and consideration that he put forth with Jack when he was young has passed to a new generation.

Now young Chandlar has the ability to pass on this great sport to others as he grows older. Fishing is a gift we all need to appreciate and acknowledge more often than we do. Take a young person fishing.

Lettuce Paddle

December

2012

www.WaterLIFEmagazine.com

By Davi d Al l en Water LIFE Kayaking Charlotte County is home to some of the most diverse and enjoyable kayaking venues in Florida. While other areas in the state have their unique qualities such as the crystal clear water of the northern spring-fed creeks or the seemingly endless marshes and diverse wildlife of the Everglades, our local streams and bays have their own charm, and keep calling us back time and time again.

As the new "Season" begins, it's an appropriate time to share some of my favorite paddles with readers so they too can enjoy the pleasures of paddling Charlotte County.

Let's start with Shell Creek, north of Punta Gorda. Shell Creek is one of the

most beautiful paddles in this area with tree-lined banks draped with spanish moss. Above the launch point at Hathaway Park, the Creek extends some 3 miles toward the west during the rainy season, but much less at periods of low water. As you proceed west, the banks of the Creek gradually narrow to the point where further progress is impossible. Or if you prefer, head west, a 4 mile paddle to reach the dam and the open lake behind it. The paddle west toward the dam is quite different than the narrowing, winding paddle to the east. West of the launch, the Creek widens out into a savannah-like area with much more wildlife present, particularly water birds of all sorts. The quiet beauty of Shell Creek make this one of my favorite paddles.

You can get to Shell Creek by taking Hwy.17 north from Punta Gorda to Washington Loop Road(WLR) and turning east. A three mile drive on WLR will take you to Hathaway Park on the left.

There is a charge of $1-2 for parking.

A perennial favorite of our club is Lettuce Lake. A short drive north of Port Charlotte, Lettuce Lake is completely surrounded by pine wood flats, mangrove marshes, trails and open woodland.

Lettuce Lake is in fact part of the Peace

We usually launch from Grande Tours as the facilities are excellent and the location is ideal regardless of the kind of paddling you want to do.

I usually choose the open water and head to the beaches that line Gasparilla Inlet, or through the inlet to paddle either north or south along the Gulf beachs.

Beautiful! We often see tarpon or dolphins, and birds, fishing or soaring, abound. There are many small islands in Gasparilla Sound , most with a beach just right for hosting a picnic or brief swim.

And then there is always the Woolverton Trail, a wonderland of shadow and quiet paddling through this hidden treasure.

For the less adventuresome, a 2-3 mile paddle up quiet, scenic Coral Creek can

River Estuary just to the east of the main river channel. This area is cob-webbed with many different branches of water leading in many directions, some deadends, some leading to more open water.

That's part of the charm, and sometimes frustration, of paddling here.

We launch at a sandy beach at the edge of the lake and either turn north through the mangrove area or head south toward the historic Liverpool Landing. The mangrove trail is about 1.5 miles of narrow, twisty, winding paths that leads to the Peace River. This trail can sometimes be frustrating as the narrow trail is often blocked by trees that have fallen across the waterway. But the inherent beauty of the mangroves and the wildlife bring us back again and again. The Liverpool route is much more open, but no less enjoyable. You can still see some of the historic limestone docks, used in the early 1900's to ship phosphate to Boca Grande.

Lettuce Lake is easily reached by taking Kings Highway north to SR 761 and turning right. After about 1.5 miles turn right again onto Lettuce Lake Road. Go to Reece Rd. and turn right and drive to the beach. No charge for parking.

And finally, paddling out of Placida is about the best you can find anywhere.

Page 17

make a day to remember. There is so much more to say about the Placida area that space will not allow, but try it for yourself and see the wonder.

Grande Tours is located at the south end of Gasparilla Rd. Take Highway 776 to Gasparilla Rd and turn south. As you approach the traffic light at the Boca Grande Causeway, turn right into Grande Tours.

Don't put it off, now. Load your kayak on your car and try one of these great paddles.

The Port Charlotte Kay ak ers meet each Wednesday ev ening at Franz Ross Park of Quesada Av e. at 5 PM. All are welcome to attend. for more information call Dav e Allen at 941-235-2588 or email to dlaa@comcast.net

Jackson Kayak has launched its Illuminati glow-inthe-dark fishing kayak series this past week in Rock Island, Tennessee.

Using its annual Dealer Summit as a launching pad, Jackson Kayak President, Eric Jackson, unveiled its new color option for their fishing fleet, Illuminati.

After charging on any light source, any of Jackson Kayak始s core fishing series built with Illuminati will glow for hours after dark.

PGSC SAILING

Page 18

Real Estate News

email: WaterLIFE@comcast.net

December

2012

Provided to Water LIFE BY: Dave Hofer RE/MAX Harbor Realty (941) 575-3777 dhofer@remax.net www.harborparadise.com Sales Statistics:

The real estate board announced that 18.5% more closings took place this October vs. last year. Our study that measures properties going under contract during the month increased by 4% with prices climbing an average of 25% from last year's more distressed totals.

Inventories continued to decline by about 30% vs. 2011.

What looks like the rolling back of a manatee or a dolphin gets the attention of one woman on the rail as Bama Slammer heads off the wind during a previous winter始s race.

In Charlotte Harbor boaters and the wildlife interact on a regular basis.

Punta Gorda Sailing Club 2012 Holiday Regatta Dec 8th and 9th

Recent area news items:

1. The Punta Gorda Ring Around the City plan is moving along nicely.

Linear Park Phase III from west of Pitman St to Shreve Street will be completed this winter. The cantilevered 9' sidewalk around the Punta Gorda Waterfront Hotel is being bid out now. Hopefully, work will begin in December and will be completed by April, 2013. Cost for both of these projects is estimated at $1.1 million.

2. The Punta Gorda SMSA experienced the 2nd best retail sales growth in the state. Sales rose 8.9% over August 2011 level. Florida's unemployment rate shrank to 8.5% in October from 9.1% in September and 10.5 last year.

3. Voters expressed their disapproval of incumbent county commissioners.

November elections saw Ken Doherty defeat Bob Starr for County Commissioner for District 1 and Bill Truex defeat Bob Skidmore in District 3.

Tricia Duffy retained her position, as she ran unopposed.

4. Only four of the eleven proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution received the requisite 60% approval level. Amendments 2,5,9 & 11 passed which provided additional real estate tax relief to a small group of surviving spouses, low income veterans and first responders. Amendment 4 which was to provide for future tax valuation increase limitations for commercial, non homesteaded and vacant properties was defeated.

5. Punta Gorda refinanced existing debt with a $20 million loan from SunTrust. The floating rate bond will start at 2.43% with a life of loan cap of 3.74%. $16 million of the proceeds will repay the loans that were obtained to build the parking garage initially. With characteristically bad timing, the CRA embarked on this ambitious construction project at the height of the real esate

boom and well before the need for a parking garage materialized.

Repayment of the debt incurred from this experience was to be provided by increased real estate taxes generated from new commercial development downtown. Instead, the taxable valua-

tion in the CRA (Community Redevelopment Authority) area declined by 35% from its peak.

6. Mote marine is hopeful of funding its new acquarium on the marketplace property in downtown Punta Gorda with the help of federal funds to be allocated to Charlotte County from the BP oil spill compensation pool. The application process for this funding will likely lapse into next spring before anything definitive will develop

7. In response to public outcry, the Calusa landfill project will drop the biosolids recycling facility from its proposed facility. It still plans to move forward with its landfill application.

8. Charlotte County's proposed purchase of the IMPAC University Campus has been shelved indefinitely. Public pressure to provide a viable business plan for the proposed business incubator caused the Commissioners to pass on this real estate investment opportunity likely saved taxpayers millions of dollars of rental value for the 50,000 foot facility.

9. The CRA approved a lease for a tattoo parlor. Even more puzzling than the Authority's disregard of lease prohibitions imposed on other tenants, is the question of why a tattoo parlor wants to locate in the heart of a retirement community. Maybe medicare will cover the cost now?

In other news: Rumors abound that the Laishley Group is in the process of acquiring the Portofino Restaurant and defunct Coral Rock Cafe in Charlotte Harbor.

December

2012

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Page 20

By Captai n Ji m O’Bri en Wat er LIFE Offshore Hey ya’all is everyone getting ready for? Boy I am. The wife and I are like a couple of kids at Christmas, we never know what we got each other till Christmas day. My Christmas list this year has about 27 things on it so I never know what I’m getting. I have anything from a Weatherby 300 mag to a bag of pistachios, Ho !

Ho ! Ho ! I have my wife Debbie set up to do most of my shopping at Bass Pro Shop in Fort Myers. If you remember in last year’s article I wrote, ‘The wife makes me go to Bass Pro Shops bar and restaurant to throw down a few Christmas drinks while she shops’. Man I tell ya, I tell her you shop till you drop and I'll do my best at the bar. I tell ya it's not easy having a few drinks because everytime she walks by on the backside of the aquarium loaded with fish my eyes are straining to make sure she goes down the right aisle. I tell ya it’s nerve racking on my end. It's a good thing they serve drinks there, WHEW !

Now, let’s get down to what the fish are doing:

KING MACKEREL are starting to make a good showing. Trolling a nice king spoon or drifting a live blue runner or a big pin fish are a good choice for baits. Some of the bigger fish is coming in from 20 to 45 ft. of water. My mate Brian and Gary Kirkham were trolling around Lil Gasparilla Pass and catching a lot of Spanish mackerel a few lady fish and a couple of blue runners and topped that off with a 24 in. gag grouper. Not a bad day on the water.

I had a couple of guys tell me in between

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The Olʼ Fishin Hole

the wind blowing they got out 30 to 35 miles and got into some chicken dolphin and one nice size bull dolphin. The big boy was caught on a blue an white dolphin jig. The water temp. is holding at 69 to 70 degrees, the kings and Spanish bite should be getting better an better.

RED GROUPER-- the bite has been hot on the offshore wrecks and reefs. Stink baits, mullet, squid, sardines. Live bait squirrel fish, pinfish are all very good baits.

MANGROVE SNAPPER -- the bite has been excellent on these guys. They are running 18 to 24 inches on the offshore wrecks and reefs.

GREATER AMBERJACK ( aka ) REEF DONKEYS-- there are some big boys being caught on the offshore wrecks, best bait lively blue runner.

SHARK --- nice 4 ft black tips also are mixed with the aj's on the inshore an offshore wrecks. Chunks of bonita are a good bait.

TO EVERY ONE OUT THERE MY WIFE DEBBIE AND I, AND WOODY, WANT TO WISH YOU A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR .

Well guy s it's time to get out of here so if y ou hav e any questions or if y ou hav e a good ol' fish story or a recipe for cook ing fish that we can share with our readers or if y ou want to book an offshore charter aboard the new Predator 11 Sportfish call (941) 473 - 2150 or e-mail us at predator2charters@comcast.net, or v isit our web site at predator2charters.com AND REMEMBER: GET OUT AND SNORT SOME OF THAT CLEAN SALT AIR CUZ IT'S GOOD FER YA ! ! !

December

2012

I wanted to talk a little about what my partner Woody Kissell and I have been doing the last 7 to 8 weeks. For openers we are now the proud owners of a beautiful 38 foot sportfish with a 14’ beam.

She has all the bells an whistles; ice cold a.c., heat, radar, auto pilot, 32in. flat screen tv, stereo, dvd, etc. We have been getting the boat ready for charters and we should be taking our first charter out by the beginning of December. What’s nice about this boat is she cruises at 23 knots and maximum speed is 31 mph.

One of the reasons I’m selling my 282 Mako is we needed alot bigger boat for wheel chair victims. My partner is a wounded warrior since Vietnam and both of us wanted to give back so Woody an I opened FISH'N FOR HEROS INC, WOUNDED WARRIORS, Englewood Fl.. Woody an I had the same thoughts of doing something for the disabled vets and the wounded warriors now. Woody was a fighter pilot in Vietnam and had his leg taken off. He has been in a wheelchair since then and would like to talk with some of the guys coming back from Afghanistan about if they did lose a part of their body that life is not over. As he says ‘look at me. I have lost a leg. So what! I can still get on the boat and with a little help I can fish. I can go to the gun range an shoot my guns. Life is not over.’

AS WOODY SAYS I HAVE TO MUCH TO DO. We are planning a few banquets at Royal Palm Marina. The marina is under new ownership and Daryl and his wife are very much into the Wounded Warriors and we are going to have our banquets there, right on the water. We hope we can get some of the other Wounded Warrior Chapters like Cape Coral, Fort Myers, and Sarasota to come to our banquets and maybe just maybe they will meet some new friends. It sounds like a good plan to me.

Capt. Jim O’Brien

IF YOU ARE OR YOU KNOW ANY WOUNDED WARRIORS coming back from Afghanistan or a disabled vet here now, have them give us a call. They will get a full day offshore fishing trip and it won't cost them a dime!

My phone number is (941) 4732150 Woodyʼs number:(941) 564-8778 - Capt. Jim

December

2012

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SCUTTLEBUTT

Sometimes Unsubstanciated, But Often True Shocking News FWC officer on water patrol on the Choctawhatchee River stopped a vessel to conduct a boating safety and fisheries inspection. Officer noticed two wires laying across the bow of the vessel that continued down into the water. Further inspection revealed the wires were connected to a small shocking device concealed in a snuff can and then connected to a battery in the vessel.

The subject had no fish in the vessel; however, he admitted to attempting to take freshwater fish by shocking. A citation was issued for attempting to take freshwater fish by unlawful method

New semi design by Mercedes lets the air flow better around the cab and trailer

Stinks to be Him FWC Officers were traveling on McGregor Boulevard in Fort Myers when they observed an angler fishing from a small plastic paddle boat in Whiskey Creek. The officers instructed the operator to maneuver the vessel toward the shoreline, so they could conduct a vessel safety inspection. The subject looked at the officers then slowly proceeded to leave the area with a trolling motor, ignoring the officersʼ instructions. Six days later a boat that fit the same description was found docked behind a residence in a side canal.

The officers located the individual who resided at that residence and immediately recognized him as the same person who had eluded them.The subject admitted hearing

Sinking and Sunk This month West Marine will close itʼs West Express, a scaled down store location in Englewood.

Charlotte Chase Charlotte FWC Officers working the Webb Tough Penalty for No Management Contest Area for the An FWC Lieutenant nine-day genmade an arrest for BUI using eral gun This AEON boat was on display at the Palm the new floating sobriety quota hunt Island Marina celebration in November. Palm exercises. observed Island is now an AEON and Beaver Tail dealer, 1. The alphabet test. three buggies as well as a Mercury Mercruiser dealer.

2. The "25 to 1 Count". stop at a flag 3. The "Finger Count". pond. One Punta Gorda Marina under new ownership 4. The "Palm Pat". man got off of one A part of the community for over 30 years the 5. The "Finger to Nose". of the buggies and business is now owned and run by Craig and 6. The Horizontal Gaze begin videoShelli Massey and Tim and Sandy Harvey, Nystagmus Test. recording the bugfamilies that have also been a part of the The defendant pled no gies as they raced community for many years. The Punta Gorda contest and was sentenced up and down the Marina offers full service for outboards, Stingray school in the Pacific to 12 months probation, $500 flag pond. The inboards, I/Oʼs, diesels, full painting and fine, court costs, and cost of buggies repeatedly detail work as well as an onsite canvas and prosecution, 100 community service hours raced up and down the flag pond at a high upholstery shop. They can accommodate (no buy-out), 10-day vessel impoundment, rate of speed, allegedly digging ruts into the surveys and inspections, storage and haul substance evaluation, and is required to sensitive area. Officers had to chase down outs with their 15 and 35 ton lifts. attend a boating safety class. one buggy before it could leave the area. All three operators were cited for destruction of Crying Doesnʼt Help state lands.

K-9 Officers on water patrol when observed a vessel being operated on plane in a manatee slow speed zone.

The vessel was stopped and the operator admitted to knowing it was a slow speed zone but stated that he wanted to get home. When asked if he would perform sobriety tasks, the operator started crying and admitted he was drunk and did not want to go to jail. After the sobriety tasks, the operator was arrested for BUI. and booked into the County Jail.

Monks on Pongua Falls, a 7 layer waterfall Paul Bearers for the Big Twinkie on the Thai-Burmese border. and seeing the officers and told them that he was afraid of being caught with an unregistered boat. He was transported to the Lee County Jail, where he was booked on a misdemeanor offense and issued a citation for having an expired vessel registration and fishing without a saltwater fishing license.

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Page 22

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Best Approach Sheepshead

Snook

Spanish Mackerel

Redfish

King Mackerel

Trout

Gag Grouper

Live shrimp,sand fleas, fiddler crabs, tube worms Pier anglers fish alongside pilings, Gulf anglers fish right on rock ledges

Whitebait, top water plugs, soft plastics. Free line live baits on the flats and under the mangroves

Live shrimp, white bait, spoons and jigs. Free line live baits around the bars and reef, troll spoons or jigs around schools of bait or flocks of birds

Shrimp, whitebaits, spoons, top water plugs.

Fish the mangroves on higher tides, the flats during lower, schools of oversized fish on the flats

December

Charlotte Harbor:

Frank at Fishin' Franks

Port Charlotte:

625-3888

I would say the most fishing fun from land right now is along the beaches. Englewood, Manasota Key, Boca, Sanibel pick a beach and walk along it with a banana jig with a teaser.

Spoons, swimming plugs, large live baits. Troll lures or free line live baits around schools of bait, around wrecks, under diving sea birds

Live shrimp, shrimptipped jigs. Fish slow and deep during cold weather

Live baits including squirrel fish, pinfish and grunts. Fish next to or on top of ledges with heavy line and a tight drag

You’ll catch snook, mackerel and pompano. If you tip the jig with shrimp you will probably catch whi ti ng. You will have to reel in faster to get pompano and seatrout. If you reel along bottom you’ll be in the pompano, whiting and

Fishing

fl ounder. There are so many fish along the Gulf beaches right now that the reports are coming in one after another. If you don’t like throwing a jig , the X-wrap-08 and small Mavericks are your beach baits.

Once you come into the Harbor, pompano are in front of Bull Bay, Jug Creek Shoal and Two Pine.

Fishing behind the bars along the flats on the east side of Charlotte Harbor there are schools of big, oversize redfi sh. If you come on them you’ll think they are submerged logs. So far no one has come up with the secret of catching them. That, or they are not telling. We’ll see who comes up with the magic potion for these big reds. You will be doing the Dance of Madness.

You can trollingmotor right up to them and they will just look at you.

There are so many small redfish out this year because last year there was a good hatch and a lot of fry. Once you catch a small red you have to switch to circle hooks, the little reds are

Forecast

December

Clifford Myburghand and a cobia from the Venice area

crazy for swallowing hooks.

The east side keys, the Myakka, the west side creeks are all loaded with little baby rat reds.

Out in the more open water on the flats, trout doing nice on the DOA rootbeer with a chartruse head, tandem lure.

Alligator Bay flats on both sides of the Harbor all have nice trout. The DOA tandem jig come back like schooling fish.

You’d think they’d tangle but the two baits just don’t tangle.

Make sure you hold the second jig in a safe place when you take the hook out of your fish or you will catch yourself on the second hook.

Canal fishing for snook is great right now and the guys doing it are all about the Zara Spook, working it pretty quick.

They make it splash and make some noise with it and they are

Closed Season

2013 Recreational Gag Season and Shallow-Water Grouper The Council chose to keep the July 1 gag season opening, but allow the season to remain open until the annual catch target has been met. The 2-fish bag limit also remains in effect, giving an estimated season of 133-155 days, compared to the 123 days in 2012.

The Council also decided to eliminate the current February 1 through March 31 shallow-water grouper closed season shoreward of the 20 fathom break. Recreational harvest of red grouper, black grouper, scamp, yellowfin grouper, and yellowmouth grouper will be permitted all year unless you are fishing beyond 20 fathoms.

Beyond 20 fathoms, the February 1 through March 31 recreational closed season remains in effect. FYI- 20 fathoms is about 120' deep

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941-473-2150

2012

Guide Card Space Available $40 / Mo. call 941-766-8180

December

2012

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December December

getting beautiful snook, I’d The to expect expect in in Fish to The BIG-4 BIG-4 Fish say 30 inches on average.

For the meat lovers, the s heeps head bite is really starting. The Port Charlotte bridges, the PGI bridges, the Placida Trestle – if there is a bridge or a pier it will have TROUT On the grass flats SHEEPSHEAD Under the REDFISH Big reds inside POMPANO Around the piers and bridges the bars rats in the creeks and around the potholes passes, both inside and out sheepshead. Peeled shrimp and fiddler crabs, live whole fiddler crabs or peeled shrimp 20 inches. meat, that’s the sheepshead bait.

In the back country there has been Cobi a and tri pl e tai l are out in the Harbor, quite a bit of redfi sh action on the low I’m talking 20 -to 30-pound cobia and legal sized tide, in the potholes with a lot of fish triple tail. Looking for triple tail on the crab trap tailing on the incoming. Most guys are floats is the way to go. using live shrimp or small pinnies caught Eight out of 10 cobia reports are from around in the cast net. A couple of guys said they Hog Island. Anchor on the flats with chunk bait had numerous top of the slot fish and or a whole ladyfish for the cobia and keep in some even bigger. I saw all kinds of picmind to look under your boat when you are out tures. There are also some reds around looking for cobia. They will hide under your boat Lemon Bay Park near the end of Dearborn for the shade.

Ave, guys are doing really well there, On the freshwater side, crappi e is pretty darn mostly on shrimp. good in the canals off Midway and off Hillsboro.

I’m not hearing about the small fish, Offshore fishing, on the days you can get out, We’ve had some good crappie reports from Shell all I am seeing are pictures of good sized redfish. there has been snapper and grouper and a lot of Creek this fall and we havent had that in a while, I don’t se any indication of any snook fishing l ane snapper and Key West grunts. There are I’m excited about that one. Bass fishing is good but there has been a lot of trout and reds. There porgys and some fl ounder coming from the on crawfish and ribbon tail lures in the plum have been a lot of small tri pl e tai l around but Novak, Trembly and 7 Mile reefs. Freshwater color or the lighter purple. Work the lure slow not any cobi a reports. Those fish must be some- quite a few guys catching nice bass around the and stay deep. where else. are around the pier at El JoBean and area lakes and ponds. The Zoom centipedes in

Lemon Bay:

Jim at Fishermens Edge, Englewood: 697-7595

Fishing is pretty good. I had a guy today caught so many permi t and pompano it is not to be believed, fishing the incoming with a Capt. Joe’s jig with a shrimp trailer, he was catching and casting. I can’t get the Silky Willy jig any more, but the Capt. Joe’s is the same.

There are a lot of fl ounder in the surf close to the Pass, both inside and out, flounder up to

around the islands. More of them every day.

Page 23

Gulf Temps in the low 70s and falling

chartreuse pepper colors or red and black spots are working on the bass.

FISHING RIGHT NOW:

Best when the windʼs not blowing!

December

2012

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