Water LIFE Feb 2010

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February 2010

Golden Conch Regatta Page 20

After

the Cold Page 7

5067

Manatees

Will We Ever Have Enough?

Page 11

7th annual Kids Cup

Coming in May Page 13

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February

2010

DIRECT 941-235-5648 TOLL FREE 877-218-6552

DEEP CREEK BEAUTY – 3/2/2 with heated pool, tile roof, nice landscaping with curbing and stones to match pavers at front entry and lanai/pool area. After you have seen the rest, see the best. This home features great room and large country kitchen open to dining room, with lots of wood cabinets. And more. Come see it! $178,900 Call Ellen McCarthy 235-5648

FERO-BUILT POOL HOME -- This gorgeous 2,986 sq. ft. home on 2 lots has all the whistles and bells. You have to see to believe all the quality in upgrades. 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and 3-car garage and game room.

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SHORT SALE - This 1,700+ sq. ft. 3/2/2 bargain is perfect for first-time buyers.

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BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPING – Well maintained 3/2/2 home with volume ceilings thru out, wood laminate floors in living room and dining room, berber carpet in bedrooms, bay window in living room. Security system, tinted windows, 4 ceiling fans, breakfast bar.

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POOL HOME ON 3 LOTS -- 3/2/2 with 2,046 sq. ft. shows pride of ownership.

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NEW YORK SECTION – NOT A SHORT SALE. This 1,814 sq. ft. home has been completely renovated in the past 3 years with new roof, soffit, fascia, gutters, hurricane shutters, A /C duct work, electric and plumbing fixtures in baths, flooring, cabinets and tops, appliances, fans and light fixtures, etc. etc. Other features include two splitplan master suites and baths, inside laundry room, breakfast nook and bar and large back yard with room for a pool.. $98,500 Call Ellen McCarthy 235-5648

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SHADOW MOSS COMMUNITY – Club house and pool. 2/2/2 with 1,210 sq. ft. on freshwater canal. Home features large combo living and dining room, split bedrooms, large kitchen with nook w/sliders to back patio. Lanai off living room and Master Bedroom.

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GREAT INVESTMENT – Deep Creek Pines 2/2 condo. Everything is new, even the drywall and duct work. All floors are tiled incuding the lanai. This condo is neat and clean and shows like new.

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19700 Cochran Blvd • Port Charlotte, FL 33948

February

2010

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February

2010

www.fishinfranks.com L e t t e r s t o : Wa t e r L I F E @ c o m c a s t . n e t

From Jessica’s Blog

16-year-old Jessica Watson is attempting to become the youngest woman to sail around the world non stop and single handed. On Jan 25 she passed Cape Horn, and passed half way on her trip to and from Australia.

Her voyage is updated in a blog with photos almost every day.

“Jan 25: The wind had been expected to rise to a near gale, but none of the computers or forecasts picked that it would reach the 65 knots that I recorded, before losing the wind instruments in a knockdown!

That much wind means some very big and nasty waves. I experienced a total of 4 knockdowns, the second was the most severe with the mast being pushed 180 degrees in to the water. Actually pushed isn't the right word, it would be more accurate to say that Ella's Pink Lady was picked up, thrown down a wave, then forced under a mountain of breaking water and violently turned upside down. With everything battened down and conditions far too dangerous to be on deck, there wasn't anything I could do but belt myself in and hold on...”

Keep up with the trip at www.jessicawatson.com

(941) 766-8180

Mail: 217 Bangsberg Rd. Port Charlotte, FL 33952

TOTALLY INDEPENDENT

Two cool (and similar shape) photos came via email this month.

The Nikon World International My Planet photo contest winner, a California snorkeler and a sperm whale by Peter Allinson and the Navyʼs newest ʻpirate catcher; the USS

Independence. More about the Independence on page 19.

Good News/ Bad News Fro m Adam Wi l s o n

Here's a picture from the January Gul f Counci l meeting in Fort Myers regarding Amendment 32. The good news, a record breaking turnout of 80 people. The small room at the back of the Ramada Inn only had seating for 50 (goes to show how much confidence the Council had in a large turnout). The bad news, a turnout of 80 people. There is no reason why there couldn't have been thousands of angry fishermen clogging the hallways, parking lot and connecting streets. It will be interesting to see how many anglers complain about the massive closures next year. My guess is it will be more than 80.

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Not affiliated with any other publication Vol IX No2 © 2010

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Contributing Editors:

Photography ASA1000.com Senior Editor: Capt. Ron Blago Charlotte Harbor Tarpon: Capt. Mark Bennett Port Charlotte: Capt. Andy Medina Gasparilla: Capt. Chuck Eichner Offshore: Capt. Steve Skevington Commercial Fishing: Kelly Beall Sea Grant: Betty Staugler Real Estate: Dave Hofer Inshore: Fishinʼ Frank Diving: Adam Wilson Kayaks: David Allen Sailing: Bill Dixon Office Dog: Molly

on the COVER :

Capt. Angel Torres was out right after the freeze. “It was slow, but we caught fish.”

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Water LIFE i s the o ffi ci al publ i cati o n o f the Charl o t t e Harb o r Reef As s o ci at i o n, the o ri g i nato r o f the Ki ds Cup To urnament and the pro ducer o f the Do n Bal l Scho o l o f Fi s hi ng .

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February

2010

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World Record Officially Tied

By Pete Johnson Special to Water LIFE After nearly six months of waiting, Japan’s Manabu Kurita is taking his place along side Georgia angler George Perry in the International Game Fish Association’s (IGFA) World Record Game Fishes book as dual holders of the All-Tackle record for largemouth bass - each caught fish weighing 22 lb 4 oz, although 77 years apart.

In mid January the IGFA approved Kurita’s application for the fish caught from Japan’s largest lake, Lake Biwa, which is an ancient reservoir northeast of Kyoto. The fish was caught on July 2, 2009.

Kurita, 32, was fishing using a Deps Sidewinder rod and a Shimano Antares DC7LV reel loaded with 25 lb Toray line when he pitched his bait, a live bluegill, next to a bridge piling. It was Kurita’s first cast to the piling where he had seen a big bass swimming. He only twitched the bait a couple of times before he got bit. After a three minute fight he had the fish in the boat.

Kurita was quoted as saying “I knew it was big, but I didn’t know it was that big.” But big it was. Using certified scales, his fish weighed in at 10.12 kg or 22 lb 4 oz. When measured, the fish had a fork length of 27.2 inches and a girth of 26.7 inches. The IGFA only has line classes up to 20 lb for largemouth bass,

Manabu Kuritaʼs All Tackle World Record 22 lb 4 oz, largemouth bass

so Kurita had no chance at a line class record as well.

Kurita’s fish ties the current record held for over 77 years by Perry who caught his bass on Georgia’s Montgomery Lake, June 2, 1932, near Jacksonville, Georgia. That 22 lb 4 oz fish won Field and Stream Magazine’s Big Fish contest and 46 years later, when the IGFA took over freshwater records from Field and Stream, it became the AllTackle record.

In North America the largemouth bass, and especially the All-Tackle record, is considered by millions of anglers as the “holy grail” of freshwater fish because of its popularity and the longevity of Perry’s record.

Edgewater Drive Expansion

Plans are now on the internet (www.sedfl.com/edgewaterdesign) for the expansion of Edgewater Drive in Port Charlotte.

Edgewater Drive has been an alternate route for drivers traveling to and from the Englewood/west county area. By taking Edgewater Drive west from US-41 all the way to Flamingo and then Flamingo to 776, drivers have been bypassing US-41 travel through the congested Murdock area. But not for much longer.

The expansion plans for Edgewater Drive include four new traffic circles, one each at: Midway, Lakeview, Lea Marie Island and Port Charlotte Blvd., which will effectively put an end to Edgewater Drive being a favorite road to travel. The Spring Lake boat ramp is located in the middle of the four 4 traffic circles.

Almost right away rumors began to circulate that Kurita may have caught his fish in a ‘no-fishing zone’. Then official word came back that the location of the catch was not a no-fishing zone, but was an area where anchoring or stopping was prohibited. This spurred more correspondence asking the angler if he stopped his boat at anytime. The testimony and affidavits that came back indicated that Kurita did not violate any laws and that his catch was indeed legitimate.”

But it still didn’t end there.

Largemouth bass have been introduced in many countries but in Japan fisheries officials consider it an invasive species.

In addition, because bass are not native and are stocked in Japan, many speculated

February

2010

that Kurita’s big bass was a sterile triploid. However when biologists in Japan examined the ova of the big female, they concluded that the fish was not triploid.

The IGFA was besieged with letters and emails from the bass fishing community. Many were incredulous that the AllTackle record could be tied with a fish caught in Japan. Others told the IGFA to approve the record and give Kurita the credit he deserves.

In the end, the IGFA staff concluded it would be both in the best interest of the IGFA and that of Kurita, if he submitted to a polygraph analysis. The IGFA reserves the right to employ polygraph analyses to any record application.

Again, more correspondence was issued to request that Kurita take a polygraph test. He immediately agreed and on December 15, Kurita was examined by a professional polygraph analyst in Japan.

The many questions he was given included if he was truthful about the information reported on the application form and if his boat ever came to a complete stop while fighting his fish.

The polygraph team concluded that Manabu Kurita answered all the questions honestly and that the catch was legitimate. George Perry’s 77 year old record had officially been tied.

Pete Johnson handles public relations for the IGFA. When in Florida he fishes the Lemon Bay area and prev iously handled public relations business for Mercury Marine when they were at Placida.

February

2010

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Fish Infections from the Cold?

By Mi chael Hel l er Water LIFE editor William Loftus, a longtime aquatic ecologist for Everglades National Park said “Based on what I saw in 1977 and 1989, there is a good chance we'll have a second wave of deaths.” He speculated it might take snook and other saltwater game fish years to rebound. On the brighter side, Loftus also said the cold should have killed off significant numbers of walking catfish, Mayan cichlids and other invasive tropical fish species.

Reports from up the Peace River confirmed his theory. The tropical pelcostomus that inhabit the Iron Lake area were, reportedly ‘decimated.’

Despite the subsequent warm-up, scientists warn that the freeze of 2010 will continue to claim more victims for some time to come.

During the ‘77 and ‘89 cold fronts weakened survivors later succumbed to infections from common bacteria, such as aeromonas, that they would normally be able to ward off. “It's a nasty-looking thing,” Loftus said, explaining that the infection eats tissue and creates open ulcers on the side of the fish. Grey dead areas on the trailing tips of fins can be another sign of a fish bacterial infection.

Cold water temperature brought drastic changes in dissolved oxygen content in the water. High winds pushed the cold heavier waters off shallow flats into deeper channels where fish typically seek

warm refuge. In Pine Island Sound, a week after the freeze, an FWC diver checking the underwater area reportedly noted “You ought to see all the dead fish on the bottom.” Maybe we will.

In Everglades Park where numerous fish died, water temperatures had dropped to 47-degrees... once. In Charlotte Harbor we experienced multiple days of 47 degree water. Lethal water temperatures for snook are 48 to 58 degrees for juveniles and 43 to 53 degrees for adults.

The first dead fish reports I heard were of dead jacks, then catfish, then some tarpon at the Fishermen’s Village Marina and then pompano to the south. Capt.

Rhett Morris called from a Boca Grande canal to say he could see hundreds of dead snook on the bottom. There were no snook circling in the underwater light in my Port Charlotte canal, only ladyfish.

Pine Island, Bull Bay and the open areas to the south reportedly fared the worst. “It must have killed all the sand brim,” Mitch Williamson speculated from Cape Coral where dead brim floated thick.

There were a lot of stories, the best of which was: The morning after the first freeze I talked to Capt. Danny Latham.

He and Capt. Paul Lambert were out in Pirate Harbor moving big snook around from the colder areas into a warm spot they had found. Lambert later said all the snook he and Latham moved (about 20) were listless, but most showed some slight gill movement. “Those fish all

Page 7

Bacterial infections can be a side effect of the cold. The infection creates open ulcers on the side of a weakened fish.

USGS file photo, species not given

lived,” he said, but the ones we saw where the gills were flared out, they died.

The worst story was: On the second cold morning, in Volousa County, FWC officers found two men in possession of 74 snook, 55 of which were outside the legal slot limit, and a seven-foot gaff that they had used to harvest the cold-stunned fish. They now await their trial.

In response to the cold, the Florida FWC immediately ordered an emergency statewide closure of the snook fishery until at least September, and imposed temporary closures for bonefish and tarpon until April as well.

How will all this play out for Charlotte Harbor fishing? Some local

guides are no longer offering snook trips, even for catch and release. Obviously Mr Snook will be MIA from the spring tournament venues this year and the resulting added fishing pressure on redfish could require further careful monitoring.

And what about the sand brim? There is talk that if snook fishing is in need of closure then would it make sense for the FWC to close both commercial and recreational harvest of sand brim. In local backwaters and bayous baby sand brim are a primary food source for snook.

These are complicated and interconnected issues, all with economic ramifications which, unfortunately, we won’t know the right answers to for some time to come.

FISHERMANʼS ALERT!

Page 8

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If you are a fisherman looking for a waterfront home then you need to Call The Captain!

Hereʼs why: • Always Knows the Best Deals (list available) • Expert Knowledge of the Waterways and Homes • Foreclosure Waterfront Homes and Land • Areaʼs Leading Agent in Waterfront Sales (Top 1%) • Huge Waterfront Listing Inventory • Boat Tours of Area and Homes

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February

2010

A Few Tricks for Feb. Screaming Reels

By Capt. Andrew Medi na Water LIFE Charlotte Harbor With the water temperatures bottoming out last month and some of the coldest record setting outside air temperatures, hopefully now the most difficult days are behind us. As you all are probably aware of, we lost some fish, how many is yet to be determined, but don’t let that stand in the way of getting a rod bent.

Even though the FWC has closed snook season and most of the guides I know are not fishing for or offering snook charters right now, the action on the flats and near shore reefs is still good and with a few tricks you can have a really productive day.

With the winter patterns and the water as clear as it can be, one of the best tips I can give you is to down size your bait and fish slow. All fish right now are not as aggressive as they would be in the perfect water temperature of 82 degrees, but they do have to eat, so by downsizing your bait size, when they eat, less effort is put forth by a feeding fish. It won’t matter if I am fishing live bait, or artificial. The size of the bait I use will be smaller than summer time baits.

I like to use baits that are 3 inches and smaller. Artificial such as the Zippn’ Ziggy

by Cultiva, which is a fantastic top water bait and in my opinion, and from the fish I have caught, is the perfect bait to match the hatch here on Charlotte Harbor.

Also, baits such as the Gulp shrimp, will offer anglers an excellent opportunity at a variety of species. The only colors that I throw this time of the year are new penny, and watermelon (or sardine). I have found these colors have always produced fish for me, at least according to my fishing style.

I say “fishing style”, because every angler is going to work the bait, a little different from the next. But keeping to the simple plan of downsizing baits, will offer up some of the best results.

From trout on the flats, to redfish in the pot holes, they are all looking for an easy meal, so give them something small that they don’t have to think about too much to eat it.

An important reminder: When downsizing bait choices (whether live or artificial) casting ability becomes a problem. So for the winter months also down size your line pound test, or diameter. By doing this, you

will keep your distance while casting and be able to get the smaller baits to the fish without spooking them.

If you are a live bait angler, right now it’s all about the shrimp. With the noticeable lack of bait fish in the harbor, most anglers trade in their cast nets for bait buckets and this is not a bad trade.

First you don’t get soaking wet throwing a cast net in freezing water and second, almost none of the species will turn down a shrimp when they are in a winter time pattern.

There are two simple techniques I like to use while rigging shrimp The first way is to use a regular circle hook, usually a #2, with 20 lb leader material, and the smallest split shot I can use and still be able to cast.

The second way is to use a red ¼ ounce jig head. What I like to do is pop the tail of the shrimp off, and run the hook up through to the top from the bottom. This allows the bait to be bounced off the bottom, in a more natural looking presentation and with the tail taken off it adds a little more scent to the bait.

Now on to the fishing: Since we are leaving snook alone, we will not discuss the subject. Trout can be found on just about every flat. The use of search tools such as popping corks can make your day much more successful. When you locate them, shrimp on a jig head, or a DOA Cal can catch all you want. There are a lot of undersize fish around so be careful and practice proper catch and release. Redfish are still roaming around and seem unaffected by the recent cold fronts. The number one key on successful trips has to be the ability to slow down. If you are fishing and you think it’s slow enough, slow down some more. The fish are a little lethargic, and are moving in what seems to be slow motion.

Be safe on the water and don’t let the cold water scare you away from fishing.

To book a trip or fishing information Capt. Andrew Medina can be reached at (941) 456-1540 or on the web at: www.fishfloridatarpon.com

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Not all Doom and Gloom with Snook closure

February

2010

By Capt. Mark Bennett Water LIFE Tarpon Yes, you heard it right, because of the recent freeze the FWC temporarily closed the spring snook season until further notice. Snook fishing will be catch and release only until September. The FWC says they need time to figure out how much the freeze affected the snook population. So they made a quick decision and closed the snook to harvest until they have time to figure it all out.

This quick action by the FWC has been under fire from all sides of the issue. It clearly upset a lot of folks.

Before the closure we were allowed one snook per person between 28- and 33inches. A lot of the upset folks think, with the small slot limit that is already in place, fishermen keeping a few fish couldn't possibly be a factor in the health of the overall snook population.

One side of their argument says that back in the day, when the limit was 4 fish over 18-inches no more than 8 snook per boat, there were lots of snook. What they don't seem to remember is there were very few snook fishermen back in those days. Only a few of them ever caught snook with any consistency.

So much has changed when it comes to inshore fishing since that time. I remember as a kid fishing from the bank of the Anclote River, fishermen asking me what were those big fish we were catching and if they were any good to eat.

Nowadays there are lots of good snook fishermen, especially in the Charlotte Harbor area, that put up double digit numbers on a regular basis.

Numbers like that were unheard of back then. In those days redfish were even considered a “trash” fish. Jon boats and 15-horse motors have been replaced with high tech fishing machines. A lot has changed indeed.

Although I am just a fishing guide,

Larry Regula (L) and Capt Mark Bennet with a fine snook.

not a biologist, I do think fishing pressure affects the population. If anyone remembers when the limit was 2 fish, one had to be in the slot 24- to 34-inches, with one as big as-you-want allowed. In this area, on my boat, the majority of fish we caught at that time were in the 22- to 23-inch range. We caught very few in the 40+inch range.

After the minimum size was increased to 26-inches and the limit was decreased to 1 fish per person in the 2634-inch slot, that first year the average size already increased to 24- to 25-inches. The next year, on my boat, we caught more oversize snook than ever.

Now, with the minimum size at 28inches, you guessed it, the majority of the snook caught were 26- 27-inches.

Coincidence? I really don't think so.

It was roughly 20 years ago that the state closed redfish to harvesting for two years. After one year there were huge schools of reds everywhere – more than I have ever seen in my lifetime of living on this coast. Some of these people don't seem to remember, but I will never

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forget it. I could have cared less if we could have kept them, I was just crazy about catching them. I couldn't imagine how good the snook fishing would be if a permanent closure was in affect.

They are also saying once the FWC takes something away they might not ever give it back. This may be true, but at this time the FWC says it is a temporary closure. Either way, it is clearly

Page 9

out of our hands and only time will tell what they will decide to do.

The closure will also affect a few tournaments this spring. I am sure this will ruffle some more feathers around the area. I am confident that the tournament guys will have plenty of ideas to keep the competitions rolling.

There were also a lot of people that felt the closure was necessary. The reality for us on the west coast is: We are only missing the two month snook season. I personally feel this is a small price to pay to make sure the snook fishery remains strong. I don't know how many were killed in the freeze or how many remain, but this short closure, if nothing else, will give all the remaining snook a chance to spawn this summer.

Don't get me wrong, I like to eat fresh snook (make mine deep fried and pass the hot sauce please). But I know that snook are worth more to this area and it's fishermen than a fish dinner. I don't think we can ever have too many.

Till next time, keep the line tight and bow when they jump.

To book a trip, for comments or questions at: www.tarponsnook.com or (941) 474-8900

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FURTHER REDUCED!

Small Fish Big Smiles

By Capt. Chuck Ei chner Water LIFE Inshore With water temperatures finally creeping back up to the 60 degree mark, after a week of freezing, a fishing trip can sometimes turn out to be just that – fishing.

A trio of anglers joined me to explore the backcountry in pursuit of redfish and trout. Local angler Tim Short, brother Mike and friend Bob were eager to learn various techniques. Leaving my dock we ran only 1 mile to the first spot and allowed the wind to push us to a bottom depression that hopefully held redfish.

Live shrimp was the bait for the day and we rigged them Texas style like a bass fisherman would do with a plastic worm. I normally like to start the trip with a few casts of my own to show how to impart a subtle “twitch-twitch” while dragging the shrimp across the bottom. On the second demonstration cast I had a bump and set the hook on a nice fish only to have him get off as I handed the rod off.

Excited with the quick start, 3 anglers began sorting out the intricacies of working weedless shrimp through grassbeds and potholes. It didn’t take long before Tim had his first redfish, a scrappy 13 incher as our excitement began to

mount. Mother nature had a plan change for us because during the middle of the incoming tide, the tide went flat for 3 hours. I had studied the tide chart the night before and realized the slack tidal conditions might prove to be challenging, but all of that went aside with the quick start. We were then reminded about the tide as hours of jumping from spot to spot, changing from grass flats to deep holes near mangrove islands then on to the deeper water outside the bars and to more residential locations in canal systems and not nary a fish. Not even a ladyfish would bless our lines. Internal frustration was working the captain over and a run deeper into the mangroves took us to a 4-foot hole in the middle of a flat.

Bumping bottom as we crossed a sand mound to reach the hole, I proclaimed that I had never gone to this spot and not caught something. Power pole down, two lines cast out and wham - fish on! No monsters, but Tim, Mike and Bob all caught small trout and redfish. A bent rod certainly has a way of putting a smile on your face!

In time that spot went quiet and we moved onto the grass flats on the east side of the harbor. An easterly breeze pushed us along as we cast popping corks with a plastic jig tipped with shrimp. Eventually we hit a sweet spot and trout were coming in steadily. Mike was dragging a shrimp behind the boat

February

2010

and even managed a small flounder. With a beautiful warming day the fish responded and action was constant. A great day with fun fishermen that were content to take what nature offered.

I made a last ditch effort on two different big redfish flats prior to heading in to hopefully catch a “zinger”. My definition of a zinger is a big fish that moves fast and cuts the water with the line which actually has a zinging sound to it, often right before the fish breaks you off! On this day, there were no zingers but enough action to make any angler happy when it was all said and done.

One clear observation I made was that the flats were relatively barren of baitfish, crabs, shrimp or any wildlife for that matter. It was reminiscent of a northern Chesapeake Bay river system which is also barren of aquatic life this time of year. But warming waters will reactivate the shallows from the wintery state. Baitfish and crustaceans will appear mysteriously and gamefish will follow their instincts to feed.

Good fishing is to be had and the best is yet to come.

Capt. Chuck Eichner operates Action Flats Back country Charters and can be contacted for charters at 941-505-0003 or v isit www.back country -charters.com

Manatee Population in Florida Now Over 5000!

February

2010

On the Li ne wi th Capt Ron Bl ago Water LIFE Senior Staff It’s awfully hard to count fish either dead or alive, but Ron Taylor, lead snook biologist for the FWC Research Institute has estimated that there is a population of 335,000 snook at least 20 inches long in state waters. His estimate of the snook killed in southwest Florida from this recent freeze is at least 15,000. I’m sure his estimate will be higher as more data comes in. As a result of this fish kill the FWC has closed snook season until at least September. I am amazed at how fast the FWC can react in these situations.

Every time Mother Nature has one of her major events there are always winners and losers; and this recent cold wave was no exception. I have seen colder temperatures here, down in the 20s, I’ve even seen snow here, well just about enough to make one snow ball. These events lasted just a day or two; but I have never in my 30 year history here, seen a cold front last as long as this one did. For 10 straight days the temperature never got over 60 degrees with low temperatures hovering near the freezing point.

The first report I received was from a fisherman who was out early Saturday

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January 9, and told me about dead jacks in the Intracoastal Waterway. By the time I made it down to a boat ramp in Venice, commercial fishermen had already picked them up and were filling the third pickup truck full of 3- and 4-pound jacks all under the watchful eye of a Marine Patrol officer. I guess we know where cat food comes from. It was a good payday for those fishermen.

The next day I was at the Manasota Key bridge and saw about a dozen dead snook all around the 20-inch range. I knew there would be many more reports.

Dead pompano in Lemon Bay, tarpon and catfish in the Peace River and offshore fish kills of grouper, snapper and baitfish in Lee and Collier Counties.

335,000 snook at least 20 inches long in state waters

As the days went by more reports came in – freshwater bass and sunfish in local ponds and a massive talapia kill in Lake Hancock, which is the headwaters of the Peace River. We lost a lot of fish.

P a g e 11

Manatees cluster like cockroaches in the warmth of an underwater spring. In the cold the FWC counted 5067 manatees this year and there must be some more they missed.

Below: A cold stressed manatee could develop white ʻcoldʼ sores, but may recover.

Cold weather does offer some advantage when it comes to counting manatees.

Each year the FWC is required by law to do a synoptic survey (total head count) of the population of manatees in Florida.

The first was done in 1991 and a total of 1267 manatees where counted. In 2007 the survey found 2817 manatees. In 2008 the State did not do a survey because they said it was just too warm that winter. In 2009 the survey found 3802 manatees; that record number really got a lot of people wondering where all these manatees were coming from; remember that according to the FWC, synoptic surveys count only the minimum number of manatees – after all, there will always be those manatees they just couldn’t see.

I knew that the recent cold spell would be the ideal time to do this year’s survey.

The pictures of record numbers of manatees herded up in the warm water springs and discharges of power plants were all over the television. They were going to be easy to count and the FWC did just that.

The preliminary results of the survey done the week of Jan 11, 2010 was 5,067 manatees. 2779 on the east coast and 2288 on the west coast – a new all time record. You would think that this would be big news in the media, but not a word,

just a press release from FWC. It was just a few weeks ago when the headlines were Boaters kill record number (97) of manatees in 2009. I guess no one wants to be the first to point out that the population of manatees has increased 300percent in the last 11 years, or that millions and millions of taxpayer’s dollars have been wasted on manatee zones, signage, dock and building moratoriums and law suits trying to save a species that really never was in trouble to begin with.

I guess the good folks at the Save The Manatee Club headquarters will start pushing their adopt a manatee program again. After all, there are now so many more that need our help.

Capt. Ron can be reached for comments or fishing information at: capronb@juno.net

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February

2010

February

2010

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Entry Forms Start Coming In!

By Mi chael Hel l er Kids Cup Tournament Director Entry forms for the May 15 Water LIFE Kids Cup are starting to arrive in the mail but don’t worry, we have lots of spaces.

The first meeting of the Redfish Tracking Project team has now taken place. There were no real concerns about using the fountain to collect fish in.

Fish would go into the fountain after being weighed. Fish are tagged when they are weighed and measured so all fish in the fountain would have an attached ID. Again this year, 20 redfish will also be surgically implanted with sonic transmitters. The sonic implants cost $325 each. In the past we funded this ourselves out of donations, but last year and this year Betty Staugler our Sea Grant agent has obtained outside funding for the tags.

Maybe some day we will be able to answer the question: Does a redfish caught in the Pine Island Sound and released at Punta Gorda swim back to Pine Island? Or does it stay in the upper Harbor where it was released?

With the fountain at Fishermen’s Village as our redfish holding tank, the scientists will be able to collect the fish from the fountain and the tournament

spectators will be able to watch everything that is going on. Come over to Fishermen’s Village on Saturday May 15 and you can watch too.

The concern for using the fountain was for any change in already established procedures that could effect the final results and the science. Don’t forget, although our Kids Cup kids are providing the fish for the tracking project, eminently qualified fish biologists and scientists, Mote Mari ne, S ea Grant and Progress Energy are all involved with making the experiment work. I am sure that after we repeat this procedure for several more years there will be some scientific conclusions drawn and a research paper will be written. We don’t want to mess up any part of the research process.

On another level, I got a call from Jim Branch, the Harbormaster at Fishermen’s Village. Jim told me National Clean Marina Week was going to be in June this year and that he was planning a boat show at the Village to coincide. Jim said they wanted to donate the proceeds of the show to the Don Ball School of Fishing (which is the program the Kids Cup raises money for). We are working on an idea to have the Don Ball School kids that don’t get out on the

water very much, to have a chance to go fishing out on a boat. We thank Jim for getting this started and you will hear more about this as the details are finalized.

On the sponsor side, the Breeze Newspapers in Cape Coral will again donate the printing of the Kids Cup Program, and also in Cape Coral S creenpri nt Pl us will be printing the Kids Cup shirts and embroidering the hats for the 7th straight year. There is no one who does it better than Mitch at Screenprint. Noah Mari ne will be a sponsor, as will Wrap S i gn who will again be printing our graphics and leaderboard. X- Tool s donated plyers for the captains bags and Eppi nger will again be providing quality 3/5 oz gold spoons as well. Medi na Fi shi ng Charters will provide the Smalest Fish Award.

The Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce will be lending support for the Kids as will the Charl otte Vi si tor’s Bureau.

Get your business name on the list, help the kids and have fun. Join the Kids Cup Tournament family.

Kids Cup entry and sponsor forms are online at: www. kidscuptournament. com . . . and entry forms are i n l ocal bai t and tackl e shops thi s month

Page 13

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Page 14

Understanding the Ecology of Artificial Reefs: THERE ARE NO SIMPLE ANSWERS

By Betty S taugl er Water LIFE / Sea Grant Florida has one of the most active artificial reef programs in the nation.

Artificial reefs are created to achieve a wide range of goals—replacing natural coral reefs damaged by environmental degradation or ship groundings, breakwaters to protect beaches and coastal lands, and even as creative memorial sites for cremated human remains. Among the most popular objectives, however, are improved fishing opportunities and new scuba diving destinations. These uses boost Florida’s multi-billion dollar tourism industry, especially in the local economies directly impacted by the fishermen and divers.

From the surface, it can seem as if artificial reefs are guaranteed to have positive environmental impacts and to increase the amount of fish. In reality, the situation is much more complex because an artificial reef is just a small part of a much larger ecosystem, with impacts that are often difficult to see.

New artificial reefs are indeed reliably populated in short order by many fish.

However, it remains an often-asked question whether those fish are merely attracted there from other areas—concentrating them at a known location for fishermen to catch—or if artificial reefs actually lead to the production of more fish.

Bill Lindberg, a fisheries professor at the University of Florida, has been designing and studying artificial reefs for decades, and much of his work is pertinent to the “attraction- production” debate. Below is a brief interview: How do artificial and natural reefs compare?

The same ecological processes apply on natural and artificial reefs. However, with artificial reefs we do tweak the physical architecture and complexity of the structure in ways that presumably help our purposes and that can affect growth, survival, and other processes.

Standard ecology theory would say that over time, fish will naturally adjust their densities among reefs, filling all the avail-

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February

2010

On March 11, 1999, the old Palm Island Ferry became a reef in Charlotte County

able nooks and crannies. Do you find that’s the case?

In the absence of fishing we might expect fish to move in such a way that their numbers are spread out among all the available habitat, with the densities of fish at a given reef reflecting how much suitable space and food are available.

Some of our results suggest that while that might be true in an undisturbed system, it’s not necessarily true for heavily fished reef fishes. That’s because people move around in response to catch rates, and change fishing sites faster than the fish naturally redistribute themselves.

Do fish find artificial reefs more attractive than natural ones?

When we build a reef, we’re altering the availability of the structure fish need in proximity to their foraging grounds.

So yes, they’re drawn to it, and there are reasonable studies to suggest that in general, artificial reefs hold initially higher densities of fish than natural reefs.

However, there is not necessarily the same biodiversity or the same community composition because the reef structures, by design, are different.

If there is some tendency for fish to be attracted to artificial reefs, what’s the best way to look at the production versus attraction question?

Small fishes that get their shelter, food, and complete their life cycle essentially at the same place, for them an artificial reef may very well lead to new production. But the more mobile the fish is, the more it depends on a broader footprint than just the reef for its prey and for its various life stages to play out. For those fish it’s much less likely that any individual reef is going to contribute production sufficient to offset harvest.

How might considering such factors change understanding of the true impacts of an artificial reef?

For species that move and have habitat

shifts, during years when the number of young fish is large, which we call a strong year class, the inner shelf may not have enough of the naturally occurring habitat structure to support maximum growth. So, we’ve suggested that adding new, artificial reef structure on that inner shelf may allow for better growth rates and, perhaps, better survival rates of those juveniles.

What are the conservation implications of this theory?

If you took a particular amount of material and built relatively few large reefs, you may enhance fishing but you would end up with fewer fish, slower growing fish, and higher fishing mortality. By taking that same investment in reef material and changing the way you deploy it, you can diminish the risk of fishing mortality, hopefully increasing survivorship and enhancing growth rates.

Should the human dimension still be considered?

When the primary objective for reef development is to enhance fishing, then yes, proximity, location, user conflicts, as well as reef configuration, are very important and legitimate considerations.

How well established are the economic benefits of artificial reefs?

All the analysis of artificial reefs indicate some economic and societal benefit, though of course the benefits vary and they are not always well quantified. As a side note…Preliminary economic results for Southwest Florida (Pinellas to Lee counties) indicate recreational boaters (excluding charter boats) spend almost $200 million annually to visit SWFL artificial reefs. This activity supports over 2,500 jobs and contributes over $120 million in value added benefits.

Source: Florida Sea Grant, Jan, 2010.

Betty Staugler is the Florida Sea Grant Agent for Charlotte County. She can be reached at 941.764.4346. Sea Grant is a Univ ersity of Florida IFAS program.

February

2010

R Re ea al l E Es st ta at te e N Ne ew ws s PROVIDED BY: Dave Hofer RE/MAX Harbor Realty (941) 575-3777 dhofer@remax.net www.harborparadise.com

Recent area news i tems: 1. Both Charlotte County and Punta Gorda are making every effort to stimulate economic growth here. Much like our leaders in Washington, local officials are frustrated with the lack of success experienced so far in stimulating new employment. The County was awarded $12 million by the state as its share of Federal grants to provide funding for redevelopment, known as Recovery Zone Bonds. Charlotte

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County has found only one taker for this program. Like traditional bank lending, money is only available to those who don't really need it. Loan minimum is more than $1 Million with significant owner equity and a workable business plan that includes new hiring in a blighted development area... whew!

Unemployment in the area held steady at 13% last month, slightly higher than the Florida average but 3 pts above the national average. Our workforce relies on the comatose construction industry to provide new jobs for the area.

2. Punta Gorda's CRA, unrestrained by a business plan or the need to earn a return on its investment, inked its first lease for the Herald Court Parking Garage. FGCU will occupy 4,000 square feet to provide adult educa-

tion classrooms. Taxpayers will front $165K to finish the space for this tenant in addition to discounting rents by some 20% below rates sought by its non-taxpayer subsidized competition.

Just having more people coming into our business district will help encourage our business community.

3. Although its management company suggested a rate increase, the County Board elected to keep rental rates at the Event Center flat at $1,800.

The Cultural Center in Port Charlotte charges $1,500/day. The Event Center hosted 188 events during the past year.

About 40% of those events were leased to non-profit organizations.

4. Finally.... Burnt Store Road widening will start in June. This treacherous stretch of narrow autobahn will be widened to four lanes between Jones Loop Road and Notre Dame Blvd.

Page 15

5. Within the next couple of months, Charlotte County will reveal the results of their study to provide sewer services to some 18,000 homeowners now relying on their own septic systems. EPA has been pressuring the County for several years to reduce water way pollution caused by faulty septic systems.

S al es S tati sti cs: Lot prices have stabilized in the $5k range in North Port and Port Charlotte... about where they were in 2003. Inventories are declining in this price range. Single family activity continues to be dominated by short sales and foreclosures.

Please v isit us at www.harborparadise.com to v iew any av ailable properties from Venice to Burnt Store Marina.

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Grouper on the Menu Page 16

From the Olʼ Fishʼn Hole

What kind of Grouper is that?

By Kel l y Beal l Water LIFE Commercial Fishing If you're in the right mood a blackened grouper can hit the spot, and sometimes a juicy cheeseburger can too. If you're starving I guess it doesn't matter what grade of beef or what kind of fish you have, you just want to get it down... But if you are out for a nice meal it does matter.

Now some say you get what you pay for. But grouper fillets cost a heck of a lot more than mullet and I personally prefer a mullet sandwich over a grouper any day.

More importantly, I say you should get what they told you you paid for. What I mean is - if I think I paid for a chicken sandwich don't feed me horse meat on a bun.

I once had a vendor tell me that he could sell me Lake Victoria Perch real cheap and we could sell it as grouper. I said "Why not just sell it as Lake Victoria Perch?"

Throughout the years I've learned to just not order grouper in most places because when it comes to the table and I see that it's Lake Victoria Perch or basa (Vietnamese Catfish) it just makes me mad and it ruins my whole meal. Both of these fish taste just fine - it's the misrepresentation that leaves me

February

livid.

Do these places think their customers won't tell the difference?

Do they think we are that ignorant?

I guess so, because hundreds of places get away with it everyday.

Luckily there are some that don't. Last year the alleged grouper at 17 of 24 restaurants around Florida was actually another less desirable species according to DNA analysis conducted for the state Attorney General’s office. All the restaurants were fined. They mostly blamed their distributors, but any chef worth his weight would know the difference.

Facts are - if it sounds to good to be true it probably is. A whole grouper right off the dock cost about $3 a pound to $4 a pound to the fisherman. That's the whole fish by the pound. Then the wholesale buyer fillets it out and distributes it. Once filleted the buyer has anywhere between $5.75 to $7.75 a pound invested in the fillets. Now they need to make their profit so off to the restaurant's it goes for

about $7.75 to $8.75 a pound.

The moral of this story is any Grouper Sandwich under $9 is probably not grouper or they just enjoy losing money. I've brought this up to other restaurants and they tell me "It says Grouper on the box". Oh, you get your grouper from a box - that's comforting! Where did the "box" come from? Maybe a foreign country that has no regulations on what they call grouper? Remember, the FDA inspects less then 1-percent of imports. Here in the US we have to call it by its proper name. Yes, I've seen fish in boxes from out of the country with it clearly stating the word "Grouper" and I know for a fact, looking at the fillets, it was not what it claimed.

Either way, enjoy your sandwich. Somebody somewhere caught it just for you. Personally, I just like knowing the origin and species of what I eat, I'm weird that way.

Kelly Beall can be reached at Peace Riv er Seafood 505-8440

LAKE VICTORIA PERCH, AN ECOLOGICAL TRAVESTY: In 1960, British colonialists in East Africa introduced the Nile Perch, likely the largest freshwater fish in the world, to Lake Victoria in attempts to cultivate a better fish resource.

At the time, the hearty, fast growing carnivorous fish seemed a perfect candidate, as the Lake had been over-fished at this point and needed economic rejuvenation. What ensued was an ecological travesty. The huge remorseless eating-machine decimated nearly 350 native fish species and wreaked havoc on the whole ecosystem. Now it is one of a handful of fish species in the lake, to which a large and important commercial fishery is based.

2010

By Capt. Ji m O'Bri en Water LIFE Englewood Well gang, how about all the cold and winds we have been having? It sure makes it hard to get out offshore. I found out a long time ago, if you get a window open for fish'n you better be ready to go. In other words: If you snooze you lose. HA HA!!!

The Spanish mackerel are still a good bet for near shore fish'n. If its not real rough, they can be caught from 1 to 10 miles out.

The greater amberjack (aka reef donkeys) are out on the farther offshore wrecks and ledges. Blue runners are a good choice for live bait. Large pin fish are good also.

Big mangrove snapper are chewing good at 70 to 85 feet of water. I am still using live shrimp and squid pieces. Sharks should be back on the inshore artificial reefs and wrecks and feeding.

One of our trips out 30 miles recently was great. In the picture from left to right is my mate Denny Morin, Bob Eastman, Steve Soloman, kneeling with green cap Tom Malecki and his wife Neena. They was all happy they got there limit on gag and red grouper and also caught some nice big mangrove snapper, a few porgies, some big Key West grunts on steroids, and some big trigger fish. Bob Eastman added to the stringer of fish by catching a nice big shark (about a 9 foot nurse shark – atta boy BOB!) Don’t forget, snook season is closed until September and grouper is closed until April 1 REMEMBER: GET OUT AND SNORT SOME OF THAT GOOD CLEAN SALT AIR CUZ IT'S GOOD FER YA !!!!

If you have any questions or if you have a good ol' fishin’ story or a reciepe for cooking fish that I can share with our readers give me a call. To book an offshore charter with us aboard the Predator II call (941) 473-2150

Sun. Feb 7: Sun. Fri. Sun. Sun.

Feb.14: Feb19: Feb. 21: Feb.28:

First Sunday BIKER BASH Live music by recording artists TC & The Troublemakers 1pm-5pm LISA 1pm til 5pm Acoustic Open Mike Night 5pm til 9pm UP THE CREEK 1pm til 5pm LISA 3pm til 6pm.

February

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2010

Estero Bay Report

Captai n S teve Nagy Water LIFE Estero Bay One of the longest cold snaps Florida has seen since the 1970s has finally passed. The fishing was tough during the three past weeks but we were still able to bring in fish on every charter. There has been a huge fish kill throughout the State of Florida from the cold weather. The FWC has temporarily closed snook until the end of August to help preserve the remaining snook stock therefore catch and release only.

Don’t worry, there are still a lot of fish to be found and caught. The trout bite was good this past week on the grass flats in 2 ½ to 2-feet of water using live shrimp under a popping cork and working it slowly. The trout size is running 14- to 25inches.

Redfish can be found during low tide tailing on the grass flats and around mangrove islands adjacent to the grass flats on high tides. The larger fish will be the tailers at low tide. Fish 14- to 22-inches are on the mangrove islands. Use live shrimp with a popping cork or with a small split shot lead sinker or a jig.

Dan Larson and friend John with jacks

Snook can be found sunning themselves in very shallow water with a dark bottom. Catching them has been quite difficult due to the extreme temperatures.

The fish tend to be very lethargic. We have seen some nice size fish from 30- to 35inches. Use free line live shrimp or shrimp with a small split shot. With the warming temperatures the fishing will continue to improve. The best advice I can give you right now is to target the warmer water temperatures to increase your chances of hooking a nice fish.

Capt. Stev e Nagy www.bonitaspringsfishing.com 239-398-1528

After the cold there were ladyfish but no snook in our Port Charlotte canal light

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Page 17

Page 18

By Davi d Al l en Water LIFE Kayaking This has been a difficult winter for kayakers. Right after the holidays, the weather turned cold, colder than usual, and the cold lingered for what seemed like weeks. I guess we are just spoiled by the nice warm temperatures and gentle breezes we experience on most paddles. We have scheduled the usual round of winter paddles; Shell Creek, Babcock-Webb, and always, Lettuce Lake. But it seemed that any day we picked turned out to be the coldest, windiest and most uncomfortable day of the week.

But there is one paddle that is a sure winner at this time of year; paddling in

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February

A Winterʼs Paddle KAYAKING

Paddlers from the Port Charlotte Kayakersʼ club make their way among other kayakers on the busy Orange River in Lee County

the Orange River where the manatees congregate during the cold winter months.

As the weather cools down and water temperatures fall below 70 degrees, manatees seek refuge in the warm springs of the Homosassa and Crystal River north of Tampa, and in warm water supplied by FPL power plant which flows into the Orange River. As this winter seemed colder than usual, we decided on the trip to North Fort Myers to see the manatees.

Other kayakers reported that the manatees had indeed migrated in large numbers to the River adjacent to the power plant and that the sightings were fantastic.

Upwards of 500 manatees were reported to populate that warm area.

When we arrived at Manatee Park, on Highway 80 east of I-75, we realized that we were outnumbered by other visitors to the park, all wanting to see manatees.

The small launch area was very crowded, but we took our turn with the other

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groups and finally got out on the water.

As we paddled south, we realized that conditions had changed; we saw two or three manatees, but not the hundreds we

had expected to see. Still, the river was literally covered with kayaks, all seeking the elusive manatee. To avoid the crush of boats, we continued on down the Orange River, soon reaching the Caloosahatchee.

There the water was much cooler and, of course, there were no manatees.

There is a small rookery near by, but only a couple of egrets were roosting there. We had a brief snack and then paddled back to Manatee Park.

On the return trip, we did see a few more manatees, hanging suspended in the water along the bank, out of the current.

After we returned to the park, we inquired as to why there were so few manatees in the river. The answer was that there were indeed several hundred manatees during the first two weeks, or so, in January. This large herd had consumed most of the food supply in the vicinity of the power plant during that period, and had then moved out of the Orange River to find better grazing.

The Port Charlotte Kayakers meet each Wednesday evening at 5:30 PM at Port Charlotte Beach Park at the end of Harbor Blvd. All are welcome to attend. For additional information contact Dave Allen at 941-235-2588 or dlaa@comcast.net

Speci al No te: The Senior Games will be held from March 4th to the 14th, at Port Charlotte Beach Park. A 3 mile and 6 mile kayak race will be included in the event, probably on March 14th. Come join in the fun, and perhaps win a medal. Registration must be submitted by February 23.

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2010

K AYA K S !

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February

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2010

SCUTTLEBUTT

Sometimes Unsubstanciated,But Often True

Invaders It wonʼt be long before we can add these fat parrots to Floridaʼs Invasive Species List. The high strung squawky little fellows apparently came over from Miami where they have been seen for the last 5 years. Lots of them now live around Edgewater Dr. and US 41 in Port C.

No Mo Lo Ran An announcement from Coast Guard Headquarters outlines the end to the USCG broadcast of the Loran-C signal. The Loran signal has been used by fishermen and other mariners for navigation since World War II. The USCG announcement said the termination was consistent with the Obama Administration's pledge to eliminate unnecessary Federal programs.

The use of LORAN (LOng RAnge Navigation) system has been in steep decline with the popularity of GPS navigating systems.

The announcement said, "Federal broadcast of the Loran-C signal will cease at 2000Zulu on 08 February 2010

FWC Notes Officer Cohl encountered a fisherman on Boca Grande who had two snook on the ground, next to a large cooler. A filet was on top of the cooler. Further inspection revealed dip nets and more snook. A total of twenty snook were located, ten of which were undersize. Citations were issued.

Picked up by Penn Local fishing guide and regular Water LIFE contributor Capt. Angel Torres has struck up a relationship with Penn International, which is handled by Pure Fishing. “I hope weʼll be able to get some of their fine fishing gear for the Kids Cup,” Angel said.

Out of the Closet There have been rumors about the U.S. Navy's speedy new triple hulled ships, but now they're for real. Here are some very recent photos of the LCS 2 (to be USS) Independence. She's shown at 43 knots running at half power.

NOTE the absence of a bow wave.

Note that there is very little spreading wake. In fact, it does not look like a wake at all, just foamy water from the water jets. Somehow, at 40 knots, you'd think there would be more wake.

The U.S.S Independence was built

by General Dynamics. It's called a "littoral combat ship" (LCS), and the tri-maran can move its weapons around faster than any other ship in the Navy. (Ironic that with all that high-tech, the ship reminds us of the ironclad from Civil War days.)

Littoral means close to shore, and Turns tightly – allegedly this also was done at 43 knots...and that's where these very ships will from the look of the small bow wave, she's still in the turn. operate.

They're tailor-made for launching scoot out of dry dock at a rumored 60 knots, it's helicopters and armored vehicles, sweeping like a speedy and heavily armed aircraft carrier mines and firing all manner of torpedoes, mis- for helicopters. The massive helo deck is big siles and machine guns. enough for a CH-53 Chinook!

These ships are also relatively inexpensive. She's strange looking, but aerodynamically This one's a bargain at $208 million and the designed. Is this the beginning of a new era in Navy plans to build 55 of them. ship design?

The first of a new fire breathing breed, ready to

Charlotte Harbor FISHING GUIDES

Englewood Beach, FL

Tarpon Trips Starting at $375

Page 19

Charters

Offshore Fishing Trips: 1/2 day • 8hr • 10 hr • 12 hr We help put your charters together

Shark, Tarpon, Grouper, Snapper, Kingfish, and MORE!

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941-473-2150

Page 20

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February

2010

Above Fancy Free and Bama Slammer battle it out at the mark

Golden Conch Regatta Platinum Point Yacht Club at Burnt Store

By Tom Fl emi ng, PRO, PPYC Water LIFE S ailing Platinum Point Yacht Club (PPYC) celebrated its 27th Anniversary of the Golden Conch Regatta (a Charlotte Harbor Boat of the Year event) at the Burnt Store Marina, on January 16 17. This weekend was a “rescheduled”

date from January 9 and 10 due to the unseasonable massive cold front with 30 degree temperatures and heavy rains.

ALL sailors were happy to postpone the date and came back to race. In fact, three more racers registered for a total of 24 boats participating.

This regatta was a two day sailing event of four races with sailors coming from Punta Gorda to Naples. They represented four sailing divisions of PHRF rated boats: Spinnaker, Non-Spinnaker, True Cruising A, and True Cruising B.

The weather was acceptable for competitive sailing with partly cloudy skies, temperatures in the 60s. The winds ranged from 5-11 knots at the starts.

Saturdays races started off with a SE breeze of 11 knots and increased to 14 knots with gusts in the 20s and no course changes. Second race winds were SE 8-9 knots giving the racers a breather. An additional race was held to offset any cancellation of Sunday’s race incurring possible bad weather. This race had SE 9-14 knot winds. It was a sprint race with a short windward leg set at .75 for the Spinnaker C lass and .50 for rest of the fleet. All boats completed the course within an hour.

Sailors enjoyed the close “fast” racing within all fleets.

Sundays race had consistent SW winds of 5-8 knots with 70 degree temperatures to enjoy the sunny skies and smooth water racing.

This race finished before some 20-30 knot winds surfaced, making going back to home port a challenge for many. All reported home safely!

Before sailing each day, sailors were treated to a continental breakfast at PPYC. After Saturday’s three races the

115 sailors/spouses/guests enjoyed a delicious sit-down steak dinner catered

by Whiskey Creek, Port Charlotte.

On Sunday, an Awards Presentation with custom designed “levitating” golden conch shell trophies were presented to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishes. First place winners were also given a bottle of champagne personalized with their name on the label. A cocktail and hors d’oeuvres party was held to congratulate all winners. Eighty five people attended.

Results (first-place) Spinnaker: Bama Slammer, Bob Knowles (S2/7.9) Non-Spinnaker: Fancy Free, Jerry Poquette (Soveral 39) True Cruising A: Serendipity, Mike Busher (Hunter 420) True Cruising B: Pipe Dream, Iras Sramek (Hunter 29.5) For complete results you can visit www.ppycbsm.com William Dixon will return next month:dixonwj@comcast.net

February

www.WaterLIFEmagazine.com

2010

Offshore With Capt Steve

Capt. Stev e Skev i ng to n Water LIFE Offs ho re Offshore this past January has been fun, with lots of big grouper hitting the deck. Fishing both live and cut bait on our favorite ledges has had the best luck, but the area wrecks gave us some good fish too.

The nasty cold snap seemed to have had a negative effect on the grouper bite late in January. Up until the snap we were bagging our limit of gags on every trip. Just after the snap we were only boating one or two per trip.

I wish I could figure out where they all went, I fished out as far as 80 feet, and never really got into them after the cold.

The snapper and grunts seemed to not be bothered as much. Fishing offshore this February is going to be all about the snapper and amberjack. The cool thing about these two fish is you’re going to find them together and

Too Cold for Diving:

By Adam Wi l son Water LIFE Diving Describing diving for the month of February will be easy, COLD. With surface temps hovering around 60 degrees and bottom temps solidly in the mid 50s it makes for some iron-man conditions. Anything less than a full 7 millimeter wetsuit just isn’t going to cut it for a full day of diving.

If you are brave enough to battle out between the fronts you will find lots of fish, but you will have to battle the relentless winds we have had so far this year. And underwater you’ll probably have bad visibility too.

We had about eight feet of visibility on our last trip out, in late January, after the cold, but it was just enough to round up some last minute grouper before the February 1 closure.

they are super easy to find.

Almost every trip I run this time of year is the same routine: We start out by catching live bait in the morning, whether it's small scaled sardines or monster sized blue runners, we get all we can of everything.

Once we have plenty of live bait on board we start the long ride offshore, I like the really deep wrecks this time of year wrecks deeper than 120 feet. They are always covered in huge amberjack and big mangrove snapper. We will start out with the AJ's because they are the easier of the two to catch.

Just put a live bait on a circle hook and put it in the water, done, your hooked up. It really is that simple!

Once you have all the AJ fun you can take, start cutting up frozen bait and slowly tossing it overboard. This method of chumming, you will find, is a LOT more effective than the ol’ chum bag routine and it draws a lot more quality fish to the boat. Be sure to drop your baits back at the same speed as your chum is falling. Once the snapper start chewing using this method it’s hard not to limit out.

Don't be surprised to run into a cobia or black-fin tuna

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One nice last grouper before February

doing this. The cobia are out there year round, and the tuna should be showing up any time now.

Capt. Steve operates out of Pineland Marina. He can be reached at: 941-575-3528 for fishing information or to book a trip

BUT THEY WENT ANYWAY!

Hunting for snappers on ledges will be popular over the two month grouper closure. A good flashlight is critical for successfully bagging trophy mangroves.

These fish will immediately vanish into pitch black holes and crevices never to be seen again without a powerful light. I have more money invested in my dive light than my spear gun. That’s how important it is. Even if you aren’t hunting, you don’t know what you are missing without a powerful dive light.

The thick schools of fat winter amberjacks are swarming over all structure past the 60 foot contour now. As soon as you roll off the boat and look down they magically appear to see what’s going on.

Generally the deeper you go, the bigger they get. But always wait for someone else to pull the trigger first. The largest amberjacks

in a school will always move in once the first fish is shot.

With grouper shut down for the next two months, much colder than normal water temps, bad visibility and the constant wind that has been hammering our coast, you might have a better chance finding me on one of my favorite oyster beds in Bull Bay this month than offshore.

Five foot across and 20-feet long this steel cylinder is out in 70 feet of water at a spot referred to locally as "the junkyard". It holds quite a few fish, even some nice snapper and amberjack this time of year.

LITTLE GATOR CHARTERS BACKWATER & OFFSHORE FISHING Tarpon Redfish Snook Grouper HALF DAY & FULL DAY CHARTERS SIGHT SEEING

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Page 22

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Left a moray eel from Jim on Predator II Above & Right: red drum / black drum from Capt. Angel

February Fishing Report

Charlotte Harbor:

Robert at Fishin' Franks Port Charlotte: 625-3888

Trout and sheepshead are the primary two species right now. Everyone wonders where all the other fish are. This is a tricky time for the other species because they are mostly sub tropical species and they don’t like the cold... except for redfish which are migratory fish.

Trout are relatively abundant throughout the Harbor right now, from I-75 to the Intracoastal, and they will be there into March. Trout are a cooler water species and they hang in deeper water, so the cold didn’t effect them as much. Look for trout at Alligator Creek, (it’s protected) at Turtle Bay on the open flats, and at El Jobean if you are fishing from shore. To the south, Pine Island, Useppa, the Rocky Channel area and Matlacha are holding trout.

Live shrimp is the best trout bait – under a popin’ cork

February

2010

or free lined, either way trout will like it. You find them by drifting along the flats in 3 to 4-feet of water. The larger the fish the more solitary they are. Bigger fish will take an artificial like a soft plastic on a jig head or a small suspending sub-surface bait like the Rapala X-Wrap or the Mirodine. In early morning a small topwater will work as well.

S heepshead predominately are structure oriented right now eating on barnacles and crabs and other small critters so you want to keep your bait in close to the structure. The cold pushed them out a little further but there are still fish on the offshore reefs and they are starting to come back in now. The old Phosphate Dock, the Placida Trestle, the Tom Adams Bridge (and also El Jobean from shore) are all good sheepshead places now. Any oyster bars and oyster patches around Bull and Turtle Bay, in Pine Island and the Alligator Creek Reef are holding sheepshead. Crabs are the best bait but fiddler crabs are hard to come by right now.

Continued on facing page

February

2010

Fishing Report .

www.WaterLIFEmagazine.com

The The BIG-4 BIG-4

conti nued Try fishing pieces of frozen shrimp, chunks of barnacle meat and HOT TIP! SNAPPER: Offshore from the the FishBites blood worm Pass to 20 miles which is a tube worm that closely simulates what sheepshead feed on.

Grouper i s cl osed but snapper offshore is usually pretty good in February. Anywhere from the mouth of the passes to 20 miles offshore – Novak, Trembly or the School Bus Reef are all good for snapper now.

For the patient angler, redfi sh are still around, but the legal ones will be hard to come by and slow to eat... although they are starting to pick up now, as the weather warms. Slow presentation: slow, slow slow, is still the key.

In freshwater, crappi e and bass are doing excellent right now.

Fish to expect expect in in Fish to

TROUT: Out on the grassy flats

Lemon Bay:

Jim at Fishermen’s Edge, Englewood: 697-7595

Since the cold a lot of guys are catching trout and redfi sh on the flats. Gasparilla Sound is doing pretty well with trout up to 26inches and reds up to 30. Guys are mostly fishing with shrimp. Some guys are catching bl ack drum now too. And they are pitching shrimp to the sheepshead at the trestle, but the best fishing right now seems to be from the private docks that you can only get to by boat.

Offshore, some guys were going to the wrecks for snapper and amberjack. It’s starting to pick up again.

Dead Fi sh: The canals all over (Englewood) are full of dead snook. They are all over the place. My one friend took 1500 of them out of his dead end canal at Boca Grande; 1500 snook, 4 tarpon 2 goliath grouper. It took days. Guys are telling me they are seeing dead snook everywhere. Bull Bay, Turtle Bay and the Pine Island Sound. There are also a lot of dead pompano and a lot of dead sand brim too.

Sheepshead from the docks Tripletail from a channel marker

February February

SHEEPSHEAD: On the inshore pilings and reefs

REDFISH: Still in the deeper creeks and holes

Page 23

Go

Fishing!

4265 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte

941 - 625-2700

700 Tamiami Trail, Punta Gorda

941 - 637-0019

CALENDAR

February 5-7: Charl otte Harbor Regatta, Racing starts at 10 a.m. one-design classes including the Sunfish, Laser, Hobie 16, Hobie Wave, Weta, Flying Scot, Viper 640, S2 7.9 and Precision 15, Various sites: www.charlotteharborregatta.com February 20: Wi nter Fl ats Fi shi ng Seminar, Capt. John Wood. Saturday, 10:30am 12:00 West Marine, Charlotte Harbor, 625-5243 February 20: Fl atsmasters Tournament, Laishley Marina, Punta Gorda, 637-5953 March 6-7: Conqui stador Cup Regatta Punta Gorda (see sailing P20) March 11-14: Fort Myers S pri ng Fishing Boat S how, Lee Civic Center RIGHT NOW March 4: CCA Banquet, Punta Gorda Warming March 20 & 27: About Boati ng Up S afety Cl ass USCG Aux Flotilla 87, Lemon Bay Park, Englewood, $25 Successful completion of this program will qualify the student to receive the Florida Boater Safety Course Id Card. 941-697-9435 www.coastguardenglewood.com Send cal endar i nfo rmat i o n t o : wat erl i fe@ co mcas t . net

February

www.WaterLIFEmagazine.com

2010

R ED U C ED

R ED U C ED

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