Water LIFE Feb 2013 by Water LIFE magazine

Water LIFE The Charlotte Harbor Reef Association

Stone Crabs to the North of us

The Snook Just Keep on Chewin始 Page 12

Big Month for Sailing Page 14

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Water Life Senior Life Poor Taste

The January Top Ten Stories of 2012 by Senior Writer Captain Ron Bingo was largely an accumulation of irrelevant information. There is no value in Wildlife to demean the Presidentʼs election vote count, take a slap at those of us concerned with global warming and share nostalgia about his days as a child riding Manatees. Some substitute stories: We should be alarmed with the pace of glacial melting which is raising sea levels and fostering strong storms that could very well strike Florida. Glacial melting is endangering species to only open more waters for oil drilling in high risk seas. Many NE USA cities, New Orleans and now New York are either planning or have installed storm surge barriers and massive pumping stations. A storm surge barrier for

Nice Specimen

NY would cost less than the current rebuilding cost. Congress is getting reluctant to pay for what the States should have prevented with storm surge protection. Florida preventive measures? After a massive inquiry, no boat company could give a coherent answer about what they are doing to make salt water fishing boats more accessible to the aging population and how to make trailer boats accessible for the aging population. We all do not live on canals or afford a marina. I volunteer and take people fishing who have given up boating because they can no longer individually safely manage the accessibility of a salt water fishing boat. With innovation on cost reduction, fuel saving innovations, trailer accessibility and the industry will rebound. Bob Lumsden Punta Gorda

this King Conch is growing on our Port Charlotte seawall amid the oysters. These are reportedly not uncommon in the area but this one is unordinarily large to be growing where it is.

Mote Marine - Punta Gorda Update

Editor notes* We asked Mote whatʼs happening with the Aquarium plan for Punta Gorda

Hi Michael, We've created new education programs in our Punta Gorda office. Our first lecture was last night (we're planning the others) and our first Science Cafe is coming up (later in January) The following programs will also be coming online soon: Mommy and Me: Ages 2-5. Kids and their favorite adults enjoy marine-themed, purposeful play and wading in the water to learn about marine life and science. Behind the Science: age 6 and older. Discover marine animals and environments that inspire local Mote scientists; enjoy outdoor explorations and citizen science projects.

Summer Camps: Grades 1-4, expected June 2013. Explore a new aspect of Charlotte Harbor each week through outdoor activities and purposeful play. For updated program information, residents can check our website (www.mote.org/charlotteharbor) or call the Punta Gorda office at 1401 Tamiami Trail at 941-205-3970. We are still investigating the idea of building an aquarium in the city. We've identified a consulting firm for our planned feasibility study and market analysis and have asked that firm to send a formal proposal to do the study. We expect the study to be under way and possibly complete

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WaterLIFE Thanks for putting out a free publication of fishing information. I find your articles helpful as have moved to the area recently. I picked up your January edition at Bass Pro last weekend and noticed on page 23 at the top of the page where it says The BIG 4 fish for January, that you have a picture of a Spanish mackerel for which it should be a Trout. Thanks again for your publication. Brad Harvey Editor notes* Good ʻcatchʼ

within the next six months. Until we determine more specifics about the project and can determine whether it is feasible and the community can support it, there can be no plans, etc. Funding for the study will need to be raised within the community. To date, we have raised funds through a grant to support our education programs and Regions Bank and others have made in-kind donations (office space, and so forth). Nadine Slimak Editor/Mote Magazine Director of Communications Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium

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Contributing Editors:

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

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Bradenton fishing guide Capt. Jason Stock shows off a colossal stone crab plucked from one of 5 recreational traps he has in Sarasota Bay. Crabbers are reporting the Red Tide at the end of January influencing the local stone crab take, but good crabs to the north.

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Serenity or Insanity

Take Your Pick on the Peace River

By Michael Heller Water LIFE editor Used to be, the inshore fishing slacked off in January and we’d concentrate on offshore fishing and sailing for a month or two after New Years. Not this year! At least not so far. So far, there has been whitebait in the Harbor and the snook have been chewing good. So for a Sunday outing last month we headed up the river, like we would on any Summer Sunday. It was 80 degrees, we were in shirtsleeves.

Boating on a plate glass mirror near Liverpool

‘I don’t know why more people aren’t out today,’ my wife said. The forecast was for wind, but it was dead calm. It was overcast, maybe that’s why there weren’t a lot of boats, sure was pretty though! We slid along at 3400 rpms, barely leaving a wake in the reflected clouds. taking the side trip through Liverpooland then going up to the Trestle. I took some pictures of the wild lemon trees in bloom and the green tufts of hydrula like growth clustered at the bases of the cypress. A gar swirled near by and

Horsing around at the Ft Ogden Trestle, south of Horse Creek.

broke the silence. The water was still pretty high. I half heartedly thought about throwing a spoon around the trestle when a fellow in a small skiff approached from down river. Then, as he got closer, he came down off plane to pass by us. I had tried to wave him on, thinking I’d get his picture going through the trestle, but that didn’t work. He was too polite. When he got within ear shot I held up my camera and said “I wanted to take your picture going by.” It used to be that you had to traverse the trestle slowly, going between a specific marked set of pilings so you wouldn’t hit any submerged obstacle, but

now, with the middle section of the trestle gone and the area cleaned up, there is a wide opening between what’s left. The guy in the little skiff stood up and spread his arms wide in a classic Here-IAm, take my picture pose. “No, I wanted to take your picture as you ran through the trestle,’ I hollered as we drifted apart. He sat down at once and nailed the throttle hard, standing his boat on end, lurching up and forward out of his wake. Click - that was a picture! Thanks! He waved, I gave him a thumbs up and then he was gone around the bend, headed up river with a rooster tail chasing him. And we were headed back down south

for some fishing. I love the Peace River!

Are Manatee Protection Measures Working? Friendly

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By Capt. Ron Blago Water LIFE Senior Staff The 2012 Manatee Mortality figures were released by the FWC last week and as usual I go over them with a fine tooth comb looking for any trends in manatee deaths. Last year 392 manatees were found dead in Florida and 81 of those deaths were attributed to watercraft collisions. That's about 20.6% of the total deaths. In order to know if 2012 was a good or bad year for manatees we have to look at the annual total population of manatees; unfortunately the FWC did not conduct a synoptic aerial survey last year, even thought it is required by law. The FWC said it was just too warm last year to have an accurate survey. This is pretty much the same excuse they gave for not doing a survey in 2008. These aerial surveys have been an annual event since 1991 when they counted 1267 manatees . At that time officials used that number to prove how endangered the manatee was and used that data to require 13 counties to have State run Manatee Protection Plans (MPP). A funny thing happened as they continued to have aerial surveys, through the years they found more and more manatees. The FWC first said this was the results of improvements in their methods and experience of their spotters: then it was due to clearer water and that cooler temperatures allowed for a better count in the warm water discharge areas where the manatees gather each winter. The numbers kept growing over time until they reached a high of 5077 manatees in 2010. It is my personal opinion that this steady increase in manatee population is an embarrassment to the FWC and particularly to manatee regulators who have spent over 25 years and millions in tax payers dollars trying to protect a species who's population is sky rocketing. Baring a natural disaster, I can see a 6,000 plus (and growing) manatee population in the near future. Without any accurate population data, we have to look at mortality data to try to find some sort of trend. Last years numbers (392 deaths) were pretty low, mostly because we had no killer freezes or severe red tide outbreaks. Remember that back in 2010 there were 766 total deaths. There are 37 counties in Florida

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that reported manatee deaths last year; of those just three counties make up close to half of all the reported manatee deaths last year. Those counties are Brevard with 91, Lee with 79 and Volusia with 21. I had to ask myself, what is it about these three counties that results in such a high number of manatee deaths? Two are on the east coast, one is on the west coast. One is in north FL, one is in mid-central FL and one is in South FL. Then it occurred to me that these three counties were part of the original 13 that were required to have State run MPP's. Could it be that the MPP's in these counties just don't work? Well let's just look at the numbers: Brevard Co. got their MPP in 2003 and in that year they had 42 dead manatees; last year that number went up to 91. Lee Co got their MPP in 2005 and had 51 dead manatees that year and last year 79. Volusia Co. got their MPP in 2005 and had 13 dead Manatees; last year they had 21. It's not fair to compare just two years against each other so I went back to 2009 and compared the mortality date for these three counties, trying to find out how effective these MPP's have been. In 2009 Brevard, Lee and Volusia made up 46% of all manatee deaths in FL. In 2010 they accounted for 38%; in 2011 that number was 45% and last year it was 49%. I'm not saying that MPP's result in higher manatee moralities (although the numbers point in that direction), what I am saying is that MPP's don't seem to be working and if they are not working why are we paying for them and why does the State still want more of them?

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Fishing Rivalry

By Capt. Bart Marx Water LIFE Fishing Hello sports fans! Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talk about family fishing trips. I don't know how or when it begins - the male-female competition - but you have the husband and wife competition and then there is the sibling rivalry. It seams that when we have a family trip, both the husband and wife have the expectation of catching the biggest or the most fish. Then if there are children involved they have the same thing going on -smack talk about how many and how much. It just so happened on a January trip there was a mom and dad and a daughter and son, all involved in this type of conversation. I gave the safety talk and off we went, about a 25 minute ride to some docks where I have had some good success. We arrived and got the boat set with the anchor. I got the rods out one at a time and handed the ladies the rods first and then the guys. It was the first time that this bunch had fished in salt water. It was not long and there was a fish taking drag from the mom - it was really giving her a fight. It was a good fight; we got things under control and Gigi got the fish up next to the boat. It was a flounder about twelve inches long. I think that was the first flounder in her life so we checked it out, got a picture and returned it unharmed. This was when the smack talk really started about the first fish and the girls automatically banded together against the guys. It was not too much longer and there was another fish on the line and this time it was

FEBRUARY 2013

Dwight, the father. His drag was singing and I was smiling. He needed some help as his drag was set a little lose and the fish was giving him a fit. We got the drag tightened and battled the fish up to the boat. It was a nice snook - his first fish ever - yes! He was happy. Then the daughter caught a small jack crevalle and she was in the smack talk business to her brother. The next fish was mom again with a nice undersized red fish and not long after that she had two snook to add to the list of different species that she had caught. From my position it was funny that the girls were catching most of the fish and the guys were just enjoying the wonderful sunshine. The bite finally slowed at that spot and we ventured to some others. It was one of those trips where they were not keeping any fish and they were very excited to be out on the water enjoying the creation and having a fun

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day fishing. We traveled around and saw some of the white pelicans that migrate to our area this time of year. We also checked a few more docks but there was not much happening. The bite had slowed and their time was short so we headed back to the dock to complete our fishing adventure. The family had a great

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time and I look forward to taking them again in the future.

If you and your family would like to come along with Capt. Bart for a Florida fishing adventure, give me a call and we will get you hooked up. 941-979-6517 or captbart@alphaomegacharters.com. Singing drags and tight lines make me smile.

BOAT SALES UP

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Water LIFE Staff Report – Smaller boats, those less than 27 feet, make up 96 percent of the 12.4 million registered boats in the U.S. and are leading the industry out of the recession. Boats that fall into this category include aluminum all-purpose boats and pontoons, fiberglass bowriders, fishing and ski boats, and jet boats. The U.S. recreational boating industry began to see the tide turn for new power boat sales with an estimated 10 percent increase in 2012, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). Early projections indicate the industry will see additional increases in 2013 by as much as 5-10 percent. This level of growth in 2013 will depend on a number of factors including continued improvement in economic conditions that impact recreational boating—namely consumer confidence and the housing market—and a sustained increases in Americansʼ participation in outdoor recreation. “Improving economic conditions and what seems to be a resurgence in Americansʼ love for the outdoors, helped fuel steady growth in new power boat sales in 2012,” notes Thom Dammrich, president of NMMA. “A 10 percent boost at retail in 2012 is significant as this is the first time since the recession we saw healthy growth across the powerboat market, which will create momentum in 2013.” Another factor contributing to new boat sales is the industryʼs creation of innovative, more versatile and accessible boats that appeal to a wider variety of interests and budgets, also within that 15-26 foot range.

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Probing the Shallows

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By Capt. Chuck Eichner Water LIFE Punta Gorda Fishing Southwest Florida waterways are balanced with miles of shallows, open bays and passages to the Gulf. The exchange of water with tidal flow causes water to cover vast stretches of shallows and it increases with the incoming tide. Fish from the Gulf of Mexico migrate into Pine Island Sound and Charlotte Harbor and enter the shallows to feed and produce young. They use the tidal phase as a signal to enter and leave the shallows. All modern anglers have heard of flats fishing and it has become synonymous with redfish in this area. Flats can range from open sandy areas to complete grass covered areas. Mangrove islands create habitat for fish in these shallow areas as well. Interestingly, I find lots of species on these flats that most don’t give much thought to. The redfish

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gets all of the attention but their popularity has resulted in a significant reduction in their population as any redfish angler in the area can attest to. Redfish are still around, but in much smaller numbers. I still find that pursuing any fish in shallow water to be a challenge. Regardless of the species, fish in a foot or two of water are spooky and generally fight extremely hard. It is important to approach very quietly, make quiet splash downs with your bait and accuracy is important because the

fish relate to bottom contours, drop offs and structure in the water. The month of February is an excellent time to probe the shallows with live shrimp. The best method is to use a larger shrimp and rig it Texas style so the hook point is buried in the shrimp. Make long casts and slowly drag the shrimp through fishy haunts. White sandholes in grass beds, oyster bars, sparse turtle grass, mangrove islands, trenches against an island and dead branches in the water are perfect targets. Surprisingly, you will find fish you wouldn’t expect. Recently, I landed my largest sheepshead to date and it bit a whole shrimp in one foot of water. It was laying against some dead mangrove sticks situated off an island. The fish fought hard and long and I was surprised to see

the stripes! A little while after that I landed a very respectable lizard fish of nearly 14 inches. So for February, a day spent “swimming” whole shrimp in shallow water will result in lots of action. Bonnethead sharks are fun targets and fight like crazy on light tackle. You can sight cast the bonnet heads which are easy to pick out on the lower tides. Most trips will see snook, flounder, trout and a few redfish on the end of your line. Action is the name of the game and occasionally you may be surprised to find a cobia on the flats on the higher tides. Jack Crevalle have made many a day for me flats fishing and in February they will be actively chasing the first bait of the season as it moves into the shallows on sunny afternoons. Have a spare rod rigged with a fast moving plug because you usually only get one shot as a school of jacks maraud over a flat.

Capt. Chuck Eichner operates Action Flats Backcountry Charters and can be reached at: 941-628-8040 or go to his website: www.backcountry-charters.com

Winter Tactics

FEBRUARY 2013

By Capt David Stephens Water LIFE Inshore During the winter months a large majority of my fishing is focused on trout fishing. The cooler water temperatures do not affect them like they do snook. As a matter of my personal opinion I would say it helps the fishing. Knowing where to locate winter trout and knowing the techniques to catch them will help with a successful winter’s day fishing here on Charlotte Harbor. If you have done very much fishing on our local flats, by now you have learned that access to these areas during the winter months at times is impossible. When winter approaches and brings the extremely low tides, a lot of the fish that inhabit the flats seek local creeks, residential canals and rivers. Locating fish in these areas can be a task itself. Over the years I have spent countless days on the water to try and make sure I keep my client’s rods bent.

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A fish that has moved to deep water versus a fish in shallow water are actually very similar, the one difference is the water depth. You want to look for structure or cover – a place where the fish can hide when threatened and a place with current flow. Current flow is important, because it helps to bring in good oxygenated water and forage. When I am fishing for trout in deep water I leave the popping corks in the tackle box. When I say deep water, I’m talking water over 10 feet deep. I know that does not sound deep, but when 75% of your fishing is done in 4 feet of water, 10 feet is deep. I like to use a 20pound shock leader tied to 10- or 15pound braid with a chartreuse jig head. I prefer chartreuse, but that’s just my opinion, I have friends who prefer red or white. Use what ever color you have the most confidence in. The one thing that is important is to make sure you are making contact with the bottom. This is where the weight of the jig head comes

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With the warm temperatures, on one windy day last month Capt. Dave Stephens took his clients up the Peace River to catch snook. Snook have been a pleasant surprise so far this winter. ʻItʼs like fishing in the spring,ʼ Capt. Dave noted.

in. I use the lightest jig I can possibly get away with. I don’t recommend trying to anchor your bait to the bottom, rather let the tide flow bounce it along. For the most part, shrimp is my go-to bait for this type of fishing. I like to hook my shrimp from under the head bringing it up through the horn so the hook is exposed. (above). Spending some time fishing some of

the deeper water our area has to offer will help to keep your rods bent during the winter months. And don’t be surprised if you catch some of the other species such as sheepheads, mangrove snapper, redfish and snook. Contact Capt. Dave Stephens www.backbayxtremes.com 941-916-5769

Offshore: Still SO MUCH to catch PAGE

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By Capt. Steve Skevington Water LIFE Offshore

Well here we are in February, gag grouper season is closed....red grouper season is closed.....from what I understand all shallow water grouper are closed.

What this means for offshore fisherman.... is we can only keep the following:

1. Mangrove snapper, these tasty fish are piled up on every ledge and offshore wreck and rock pile. Catching your limit of these guys can be simple, light leaders and

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FEBRUARY 2013

small live baits for the big ones.

Live shrimp is what I use. It’s easy enough to get, every bait shop has ‘em and every snapper wants um’. 2. Lane snapper, all the hard bottom spots deeper than 50 feet will be covered in lanes this month. Try right after a hard cold front for the best action...cloudy water is what these fish like.

Small pieces of stinky bait work best in the dirty water... squid is my personal favorite. 3. White grunts. These are some of the easiest fish to find offshore, any hard bottom from ledges to wrecks and cheese bottom. Those tasty guys are everywhere.

Bottom rigs with shrimp or squid work great. 4. Porgys .....same as above.

5. Hogfish....ledges and artificial reefs....live or frozen shrimp, and patience...that’s what puts hogfish in the ice box. 6. Amberjack, if the weather man lets you get out there, the deep wrecks are covered in these guys this month and next...big live blue runners are the only thing you'll need, oh and a lot of fuel in your boat and a strong back. 7. Kingfish are back in full force already this month and will be if it stays warmer than normal. Live bait the wrecks out to about 60 feet for the most action. Otherwise just drag around planers and spoons.

8. Sheepshead, shallow water, to about 45 feet, find a nice ledge or rock pile, anything with hard growth, and you’ll find these striped bait stealers. Shrimp works best it doesnt have to be live, they will take the frozen stuff just as fast. There is so much you can still catch and make a great meal out of this month and next.

And don’t forget your still going to catch some HUGE grouper over the next two months you just can’t take ‘em home for dinner. Besides those snapper & grunts are really great eating! For a good time call Captain Steve at (941) 575-3528

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St Johnʼs River Trip

After completeing the 26.2 mile Disney Marathon in January, Charlotte Sea Grant Agent Betty Staugler and husband James took their dogs IFAS (right at right) and Lily up the St Johnʼs on a two week boating excursion.

shop at top of ramp, convenience store a block away and several restaurants in vicinity. Next we went up the Oklawaha river. Very skinny with lots of fallen trees. Hint..flagging tape = submerged snag here. At anchor in mud creek, a spring fed creek First bridge leaving Lake Monroe Wekiva River. Very Shallow at the north end of little George. At the mouth of Salt Springs Creek 19th Yesterday we made it to Palatka after a stop at Murphy's Is- looking out onto Lake George By Betty Staugler land. Murphy's is a jewel on the river. Water LIFE/Sea Grant A Timucua Indian site Jan 14th After a it is much higher elegreat nights sleep we are off to exApprox Distance vation. Now water 80 Miles plore one of the very few rivers that Palatka mgmt land, the island flows north. Sanford btw has a rehas a nice floating ally nice river walk. — at Monroe dock, camp sites and Harbour Marina. a 2.7 mile maintained 15th - With the required morntrail. Palatka downing trip to shore complete we off for Sunset, first night on the hook, south stream has made more exploring. Near Hontoon IsNice courtesy docks in Palatka of Hontoon and Blue Springs great strides at beland. — at St. Johns River. coming a waterfront desti16th All kinds of gator rumblings nation. Courtesy docks going on out there. provide access to a riverfront Bonus...Jones Island is a very park and city center. Downnice hardwood hammock surLake town is quaint but no grocery rounded by swamp complete with George store which we were after. A access road for stretching legs. local however pointed us to Great first required puppy landing. Corky Bells in east Palatka. 17th At anchor in the SW corner Lake They have a huge dock and a of Florida's second largest lake. Woodruff grocery store is across the Star gazing was great last night and The cut into Hontoon Dead River street. Corky Bells is located no bugs. This morning we are going at Devil's elbow sitting high on to see how far up Juniper Creek we the outside bank with spectaccan go...very shallow. The spring is ular views. We stayed 7 miles..definitely wonʼt get that far. At anchor for a few drinks and But local reports indicate fishing is Lake inside dinner then anchored quite good in the spring run...we Monroe Juniper a stones throw away in shall see. Springs bear branch. Today we Later on the 17th Brrrr!! We Creek. We start our journey back went from shorts to long pants and couldn't To Daytona > south as we have hit jackets today. Very windy with white make it far the midway point of caps on the lake so we opted to One of three channel cats I caught in inside, but our trip. head north out of the lake to Georgetown Marina for Hontoon Dead River. We ate them for the journey Week 2 and we are in full vacation provisions and then found a safe anchorage in Muddy breakfast. was great. mode now. Less cruising and more Cove nearby. Unfortuwine. We left Palatka yesterday and nately all of the bait have been exploring the lake George houses nearby are out of springs. Salt springs yesterday live bait, and worms are evening and today and juniper this afternoon (we didwhat's catching fish. n't make it in on our last attempt) and tomorrow. Salt 18th Today we made is very clear and a definite camper hunter fisher spot. it to Welaka after a drive Very busy..relative to what we have seen elsewhere by to mark Crocker's on the river. Juniper is very shallow, also clear, but hole, a river bottom few boats and less uplands for camping so far. Silver spring charted at 46 ft. Glen, which we missed this trip, has far better access Welaka is a perfect little Lots of gators between Lake Zeigler Dead River and therefore gets more houseboat traffic. Very pretty boaters stopping point, Monroe and Lake George spring though. public dock with bait

De Leon Spring Creek

Sunset on Lake Woodruff

At anchor outside of Juniper Creek at the south end of Lake George

Love this house. Supposedly it belonged to the editor of the Putnum Journal, back in the day

Back under the Sanford bridge

Caught enough shellcrackers in Alexander Springs Creek for dinner

At anchor inside Mud Spring Creek

Up the Oklawaha River. Lots of trees down and stumps underwater

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FEBRUARY 2013

Capt. Billy with hooked mullet

Fish Godsʼ Smilinʼ By Capt. Billy Barton Water LIFE / Charlotte Harbor Wow guys, what an amazing month out there on Charlotte Harbor! The water temperature's up, and the fishing is a little bit ahead of schedule for this time of year. This is something you won’t hear me complain about. Spring time is absolutely my favorite time of year, here, on the water. I say it all the time. March is typically the transition month when our fish are moving around and all very plentiful. Two years in a row now, however, our winters have been milder, and the wintertime fishing this January reminded me more and more of spring. The snook fishing has just been incredible, although it's still only for catch and release sport fishing. The snook is to me one of the most incredible sport fish we have here in our area. Snook are a subtropical fish and they really don't tollerate water temperatures lower than in the 50's. We had a massive amount off snook die off during a strong

cold spell a few winters back, but they have come back strong! Than you fish Gods! The whitebait is here in full force as well. It's all over the grass flats as well as in th middle of the harbor, and it's big and hearty. Typically we don't see that this time of year. Typically it' full force with a live-well full of shrimp everyday of winter but not this year. The fish are still eating live shrimp. Don't get me wrong, I'm still bringing them along, but you can bet there are some "greenies" swimming in that live-well with them! One of my favorite ways to fish here is to "live chum" the "greenbacks" (or Scaled Sardines) (or whitebait) - we call em all kinds of things! - anyhow, live chumming these bait fish is just full-on excite ment to me. It's kind of like cheating too, it allows you to find fish more effectively and it keeps you from having to cover as much ground as you would normally. Us captains and local fishermen use wiffle-ball bats that we keep o

et-

n on

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our boats. The fat end of the bat is cut off, if you haven't seen one yet. You sneak up to the area you want to fish and position your boat. Now you take your wiffle ball bat, and you load it with 25 or 50 pieces of live bait from the livewell. Give em a little squish till they squeak! sounds cruel I know, I'm sorry, you'll have to get over it! Now with the bat you sling out those bait fish 20 or 30 yards toward where you think the fish are. Some of your baits will stay on the surface and disorientatedly swim around in circles. Some will make it down in the water column. Watch those bait fish. If you see some swirls or fish exploding on the surface, you know it's game on! If not, a lot of times I'll move on and wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even fish that spot. What makes this type of fishing so much fun is it's so visual. Snook, redfish, and trout all especially love whitebait. When you're fishing with your white bait either free line it (with no sinker) or use a small float to keep it up out of

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the grass and slow it down a little bit. I would say 9 times out of 10 when you have a fish hunting down your bait, you are gonna see the strike. That bait fish is almost always gonna come up to the surface before he becomes a piece of meat! And our fish here love to strike baits on the surface! To me this is absolutely the most exciting type of inshore fishing to be done. There's nothing like seeing a 15 pound snook or redfish swirl on your bait-fish. The sound of that drag screaming on light action tackle!!! Oh do I love it! If you wanna learn more about this type of fishing email me or contact me via telephone and I'll get you out there and show you how it's done. There's definitely an art to the whole style of fishing and once you learn it and understand, trust me, there's no turning back. Well I suppose that's all for me this month. The fish are calling my name!

Capt. Billy Barton operates Scales N Tails Charters. Phone 979-6140 email: bartonw24@yahoo.com

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FEBRUARY 2013

Flying Scot Regional Regatta

January始s regional Flying Scott regatta was just a warm up for this month始s 2013 Charlotte Harbor Regatta scheduled for Jan 31 through Feb 4. The 2013 Laser Masters Midwinters East race is scheduled for Feb. 2-4 and will be part of the overall drawing card. The events highlight Sunfish and laser class boats but also include other classes including the popular and popular one-design Flying Scot day sailer seen here.

January始s Golden Conch Regatta Platinum Point Yacht Club, Burnt Store - 27 boats

Above: Fancy Free, with Jerry 驶Poquette at the helm, glides by the second mark

Results

Div 5 Spinnaker Bama Slammer Soulshine Multi Hull Speedster Proclivity

Non Spinnaker Fancy Free Morgan

True Cruising A LaBoheme Diva Gorda

True Cruising B Euphoria Pipe Dream

Bob Knowles Paul Robbins Philip Styne Colin Wartman Jerry Poquette Bill Curtis Ron Scalzo Rudy Gottschlich Ed Bauer Iras Sramek

FEBRUARY 2013

Winds & Tides & Moon

By Fishin’ Frank Water LIFE Baitshop Here are some Frankisum's – they may not be trueisum's, but they are My-isum's. Wind, tides and the moon do effect the fishing. The trick is figuring out how and why they effect the fishing. There are a lot of different theories about that. Wind: I would have to say the biggest effect the wind has here is whether or not we have any water in the Harbor. If you live or fish on the Gulf the wind dose not effect the water levels to any great degree unless you have hurricane force winds. Here in Charlotte Harbor, because all of our water comes in and goes out of small passes or in north-east speak "inlets", 10 miles an hour of wind can put in or take out 6 inches of water. If the wind is blowing out of the northeast at 10 miles per hour all day, the water in the Harbor will be 6 inches shallower. No big deal if you are fishing the reefs, but if you are fishing the flats and it is only 2 feet deep to begin with now there is only 18 inches of water. That can make it hard if not impossible to get to where you want to go. Looking at the Harbor it basically runs north and south, and Boca Grande Pass is west of the Harbor. So if the wind blows out of the northeast it pushes the water out and even if the tide tries to come in, the wind is still pushing water out of the Pass. So the water get shallower. Much like a hurricane stacking water against the shore, a northeast wind will make the Harbor shallower and shallower the longer it blows. The opposite is true for winds from the southwest, which push water into the Harbor and will not let it out, so it gets higher and higher. This is mostly caused by the narrow passes the water must travel through to get in or out of the Harbor. This all affects the fishing. Tides: What is the best tide to fish? Well, that depends, are we talking summer time with lots of rain? If so the rain makes the Peace and Mayakka Rivers flow and that dilutes the amount of salt in the water causing what is known as brackish water. So as more and more water comes into the Harbor from the rivers the water gets very fresh. Also, consider that salt is heavier than water so the only salt water left during the summer time is at or very near the bottom. It is common to see gar, a fresh water fish, all the way down to Cape Haze in the summertime. Gar hang out at or near the surface usually within 2 feet of it, so during the rainy season the first 4 feet of water in

Hereʼs the rumor of the month:

WATERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM

the Harbor is pretty much entirely fresh. The other problem is that the water coming down the rivers is dark brown, dyed that color from the leaves, so being dark color it absorbs sunlight, acting like a solar collector making the water hotter. Hot water does not hold oxygen like cool or cold water, so it is fresh and hot with low oxygen. Incoming tides are the time to fish Charlotte Harbor in the summer. In the winter, we have little or no rain and the water is the same on incoming or outgoing. Well almost, during the coldest days the water coming out of the small creeks and tidal pools will be a bit warmer. The same amount of salt and oxygen and maybe just a touch warmer may make the chilly fish feel more like biting. So if I were to pick, on a general basis, I would say incoming in the summer and outgoing in the winter. Keep in mind, fish will follow an incoming tide up into the creeks and as the water starts going out so will the fish, so fish in the creeks on an incoming and fish the mouths of the creeks as the tide goes out, it’s a great ambush spot. The Moon: The sun effects the tides but it is the moon that really pulls the water. What I find fascinating is that the moon does not pull the water up on the shore it pulls the water away from the earth causing it to bulge out from the planet, making the tide higher. OK I know that it still brings it up on land, but think of the water bulging out away from the surface of the planet. How cool is that? How dose that effect fishing? Well we covered a lot of that on the tides, but the moon has other effects, like the Major and Minor feeding times. The Major feed is when the moon is directly over head of us. The minor feed is when the moon is directly below us. A lot of people say this is very important, but to me, if you can get a fast moving tide and a Major feed – that works and I will try to be out there for that. I believe this is like a full moon with people – some people just get weird. A full moon will effect people as well as fish, whether it is during the day or at night. The other thing about a full moon is that during the winter the water is a lot clearer. You can see several feet down and with a bright full moon the fish will feed all night, then lay up during the day, just hanging out like a human teenager. This does not have really the same effect during the summer as the water is darker and muddier from all of the runoff and the moonlight cannot penetrate into the water for the fish to see their prey, same hold true for deep water. At 60 feet or more it is dark down there no matter what the moon is doing. It takes the sun to penetrate that far down. So winter time: Full moon and think about fishing at night or very early in the day if there is a full moon. On a new moon or quarter any time during the day is good. Over all: I can tell you I have some spots which are best on an out going tide, other which are better on an incoming tide. I also have low water spots since low tide

Live web cam coverage is coming to Boca Grande Pass

This year, for tarpon season, you will be able to watch the tournaments in the Pass live on the internet. One of the camera locations is said be the Boca Grande lighthouse.

PAGE 15

EYES BIGGER THAN ITS STOMACH Pikes are known to be undiscriminating eaters, swallowing practically anything they can get their mouths around. While this unlucky pike could fit its mouth around a zander (larger cousin of the perch), it simply didnʼt have enough space for the smaller fish in its body and it ended the life of both fish.

can be the best fishing, as the fish have less places to be. At high tide, they can be anywhere. At high tide fish against the trees or mangroves. Mangrove leaves decaying make a type of Bacteria-mold-type stuff which small creatures like tiny crabs eat and then bigger things, like fish, feed on them. In the end we feed on what is feeding on them. Here is the secret, the number one best time to go fishing; When you get the chance, that is the best time to go. Have fun and be safe out there Frank cane be reached at: 625-3888 or at: Frank@FishinFranks.com

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Waterfront Pool Home

Call the Captain! COMPLETE REMODEL

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Sailboat Waterfront

FEBRUARY 2013

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Burnt Store Isles

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Punta Gorda Isles

FEBRUARY 2013

WATERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM

snapper and a few grunts of average size, that was it for a half day’s fish'n. It was getting pretty rough so we headed back. Here’s the report from offshore last month:

SPANISH MACKEREL - are still out there from just off the beach out to 40 feet of water. Use small silver spoons and 2 oz. diamond jigs with a small piece of shrimp for scent

KING MACKEREL - are still here and hitting pretty good. They are out in deeper water 50 to 70 feet of water is about where they have been. The guys are trolling king spoons all silver color

The Olʼ Fishin Hole By Captain Jim O’Brien Water LIFE Offshore

A couple of guy's I took fish'n a while back asked me to go out with them on their boat and you know I couldn't turn that down. We couldn't get way out offshore cause it was blow'n a bit, so we settled for about 20 miles and they caught a couple of small AJ'S with bigger ones the further out we moved. We managed some mangrove

COBIA - are showing up on the offshore wrecks and reefs. The guys are using live pin fish and whole squid tied on the hook with regular dental floss. Put your squid on your hook take the dental floss and tie from the top of the head down to the bottom part of the hook. This helps to keep the squid from coming down the hook and also holds it on longer.

MANGROVE SNAPPER - there are some small-uns in Boca Grande Pass and on the near shore reefs. I talked with a couple guys that went out to the Box Cars and caught a lot of MANGS, but just average size 12 to 15 inchs. They didn't get any of them 20 to 27 inchers like we’ve seen, but like I told them they all eat just as good. The big-uns are just further out. Live shrimp is the best bait.

The Awesome-to-catch Crevalle Jack By Bobby Vitalis Water LIFE Pier Fishing Crevalle Jack is awesome to catch. They give a good fight with the way they twist and turn in the water due to their flat body. Jack has a compressed body, with a spot on the rear side of gill cover, and with yellow fins. The top dorsal fin is grey. The most common weight is from 1 to 5 pounds, but they do get bigger. The food value is poor. This fish shown here was caught at Tom Adam’s Bridge Pier. It was between low to high tide, in the afternoon. Jack comes in schools. You can catch bigger jack in deep potholes. The best way to catch jack is to go spinning for them. Make a fast retrieve to interest the jack to bite. As you’re reeling it in, give sharp jerks ever so often. The lure I used to catch this jack is the Berkley Gulp saltwater 5 inch jerk shad in New Penny

color. The thing I like about Berkley Gulp is that it comes with its own strong scent. The scent will last through-out the day. The jig head I am using for the jerk shad is the D.O.A C.A.L short shank from 3/8oz. to 1/2oz. weight, color head (white). There are many other lures I have used such as the GOT-CHA lure in 7/8oz. to 1oz. weight, color chartruse head or Capt. Joe rigs, colors chartruse and white with a pink fly. With the GOT-CHA lure, I have also caught snook, Spanish mackerel, lady fish, and blue fish. I am using 30lb test SUFIX ADVANCED SUPER

PAGE 17

RED GROUPER - All grouper has been shut down from February 1 thru March 31. The BIG - UNS are bitting real good on the offshore wrecks and reefs good choice of baits pin fish for live bait and stink bait would be mullet chunks with a good piece of squid also Spanish sardines. It kills me to throw these tasty fish back.

AJ'S - the greater amberjack a.k.a. reef donkey is on fire right now. Everyone I know is getting out on the offshore wrecks and reefs for them. Some of the AJ hot spots are D-9, Bayaronto , Charlie, Pegasis; all of these places are doing excellent. The best baits are blue runners, but big pin fish work too. If you have a lot of current where you are at, use just enough weight to get you down and put 5 to 6 feet of 60 to 80 lbs flurocarbon leader on with a 7 to 9-0 circle hook and YA - HOO ! ! ! Well guys its time to get out of here, my lips are on the floor and my brain is thinking about the new boat. If you have a good ol fish'n story or a reciepe for cooking fish that we can share with our readers or if you want to book a charter with us aboard the Predator II call 941 - 473 -2150 and visit our web site at www. predator2charters.com AND REMEMBER GET OUT THERE AND SNORT SOME THAT GOD CLEAN SALT AIR C U Z IT'S GOOD FER YA ! ! !

line (BRAIDED) main line. When fishing with artificial lures, for my leader line, I am using 3 feet of 25lb test 100% SEAGUAR FLUOROCARBON LEADER line. Note: this leader line is invisible in the water. There are two ways to tie a knot from the leader to the jig, the clinch knot or the RAPALA knot. Both knots are very productive. Now, for those people who do not use artificial lures, try using live or dead frozen shrimp which will catch many different kinds of fish also. The best hooks I suggest you use

are Owner circle hooks. There are two ways I suggest you put the shrimp on the hook. Which is through the center body of the shrimp, or put the hook through the fork of the tail. So have fun fishing.

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Real Estate News

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

1. Quiz: What's worse than having a government agency involved in operating a commercial real estate project?

Answer: Having TWO government agencies owning the same property! Sarasota County and the City of North Port jointly purchased the bankrupt Warm Mineral Springs spa for $5.5 million in 2010 and hired the former operators to continue its money burning management. That management contract expires next June. Members of both boards are now in disagreement about the direction of the resort or even how to solicit a new manager. This is still another sad example of elected officials with short term tenure and no business experience or judgment making investment decisions for its taxpayers. 2. The proposed Calusa Green landfill project was dealt another blow last month. The comprehensive plan for the County does not permit this type of use in this area. The site is located in Eastern Charlotte County on 554 acres 3.5 miles north of Bermont Rd & 6.6 miles east of Rt 3. The developers unsuccessfully attempted to have the county始s comprehensive plan changed to fit their needs. 3. DR Horton, the national home builder, broke ground on its Talon Bay housing development in Warm Mineral Springs. The project is located on Oriz & Rt 41. Phase I will consist of 42 homes to be completed by the end of 2013. Pricing will range from the mid 100s to the mid $200s.

4. Charlotte County foreclosure filings increased to 216 vs 131 in November, 2011. 5. The VA will open an outpatient clinic in Cape Coral greatly improving convenience to Charlotte County vets. 6. Billy Fuccillo announced plans to acquire a 77 acre bank owned site on Cranberry and Rt 41 in North Port. He will likely devote 25

FEBRUARY 2013

acres of this site to a new Kia dealership and will explore other commercial uses for the rest of the property. We'll soon learn how accurate the tax assessor's opinion of value at $4.4 mil was to the actual selling price. He will likely sell the 24 acre parcel that he purchased near 41 & Toledo Blade in Murdock Village.

7. As the time draws near for settlement payouts from the BP oil spill, commissioners and council members are writing up their Christmas lists of projects to spend this windfall on. Mote Marine was angling for the $4.6 million it needs to start its $38.6 project in Punta Gorda. That, at least, has some semblance of complying with the intent of BP's compensation to Florida's economy. (editor notes* Mote just withdrew it始s request for BP funding since it had no suitable study available) On the other hand, Punta Gorda would like to get $32.9 million from RESTORE to start a sewer project in Charlotte Park. Their premise is that it would replace 1,466 septic systems now polluting Charlotte Harbor. Yes, I know, that works out to be a $22K gift to 1,466 homeowners who weren't the least bit impacted by BP's oil spill...

Citrus Growers estimated 300 citizens attended the County Commission meeting on the proposed Calusa Green Landfill. After the commission chambers were full, another room was filled and then the crowd spilled over into the halls to watch on closed circuit TV.

Sales Statistics: The Charlotte Sun headlined "Median home prices spike". The article implied that "shrinking supply pushes values up across area". They cited that median home prices rose 23.5% in Charlotte County-North Port area last month vs. 2011. That sounds exciting... wish it was true...

Most of that increase was the result of the change of mix of distressed vs. market value sales. To illustrate that point, take a look at the statistics that I analyzed for a subsection of that market: North Port is a good cross section of the market to evaluate. The predominate home is 1600-1700 square foot 3-2 home less than 15 years old. Our comparative statistics for North Port are as follows: Nov. 2012

Nov. 2011

Median sales price

$155,000

$90,000

Median sales price

$96,933

$81,135

Median sales price

$133,950

$127,807

Short sales

Bank-owned foreclosure sales

Market rate sales

This "apples to apples" analysis shows an annual increase of 4.8% for the year for market rate homes. I believe that this is a more accurate measurement of the magnitude of

Port Charlotte cartoonist Harry Thomas offers another take on businessman Bruce Laishley, leader of the proposed Calusa Green landfill movement and area rancher Fred Hill who opposes it. They are both very wealthy men, he noted.

price recovery (not just mix changes) that we are currently experiencing. Inventories continued to decline last month with prices stabilizing at pre 2000 levels.

FEBRUARY 2013

The engineers and scientists at the Department of Energy didnʼt expect water to be dripping into their new underground nuclear waste dump in New Mexico, but it was.

WATERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM

PAGE 19

Expect the Unexpected Commentary By Michael Heller Water LIFE editor Either we are going to bring people here for the pristine environment of Charlotte Harbor and promote our unspoiled Estuary or we’re going to bring their garbage here ... and they are going to go some place else to visit. That’s my sentiment. At last month’s County Commission meeting Commissioner Constance told Charlotte County residents they should recycle because “all the recycled trash in Charlotte County goes out of Charlotte County.” So why are the Commissioners even listening to the idea of opening Charlotte County to commercial for-profit landfills, especially those that would only bring in trash from other counties. If they are going to do that then they might as well close the tourism office. Put it to a vote and see what the citizens want. What good is a long range master plan if it changes before the ink is dry? Sure plans have to change but only for the better public good. Why spend money planning? Would anyone else but the Laishley-backed Calusa Green group get a proposal like this considered? The sub surface structure of Florida is mostly porous limestone. Florida is not a good place for garbage dumps, it’s a place for incinerators, that’s the sentiment I’ve heard echoed from water management leaders for years. Nothing has changed.

Look at the drainage map in the County’s master plan. All the arrows point toward Prairie Creek. But there will be a ‘liner’ under the dump. Stuff happens. When I was a newspaper photographer in New Mexico I went on assignment to the Waste Isolation Pilot Project site near Carlsbad where, 1800 feet down, the Department of Energy was hollowing out large veins of underground salt for a place to store low level nuclear waste. The waste was to be stored in sealed 55-Gallon steel drums. I thought to myself: steel drums, salt? isn’t that a bad combination? I asked the project director, Wendal Wendel, who was giving us the tour, and he told me that was why they picked this site. ‘It’s totally dry in the salt veins,’ he said. ‘Totally?’ I asked. We had just rode by a plastic funnel pinned to the tunnel roof with a tube coming down into a container attached to the wall. I went back to look at it. It was half full of water. I photographed the director looking at it too. He was not happy. It was an unplanned stop. That’s the picture the newspaper used. Why? Because it showed the unexpected, because in spite of all the Department of Energy and Government scientists and all their paper assurances, there was water. The Charlotte Calusa landfill proposal is far from dead. The next meeting will be held in the heat of Summer when there aren’t as many people around to protest.

Farmers and citrus growers in the area where a private landfill has been proposed on eastern Bermont Rd mailed 30,000 of these flyers encouraging citizens to attend the County Commission meeting in January. According to Fred Hill, the groupʼs leader, over 300 people showed up, cloging the parking lot and overflowing the Commission chamber. A proposal to change the use allowed in the countyʼs planning map was defeated, but approval for a landfill is still on the table.

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It始s Time

FEBRUARY 2013

...You went Kayaking

By David Allen Water LIFE Kayaking How would you like to paddle the scenic rivers of old Florida, visit and photograph wood storks nesting on rookery islands, or fish along the estuaries surrounding Charlotte Harbor? All these adventures and many more, can be yours if you just visit "It's Time Kayak & Canoe". Mike Baggett, a man of many talents, came to Port Charlotte in 2005 and started a kayak rental business. Mike, originally from Virginia, had been a ships captain with a Masters License for many years, operating the large vessels for their owners. As a ships captain, Mike has cruised most of the Atlantic Coast and visited many of the Caribbean Islands. After years on the water, Mike settled down in Islamorada and started a computer business as an Internet Service Provider and web designer. Although he is no longer an ISP, Mike still keeps up his skills as a web designer and has designed his own web site at itstimekayakandcanoe.com. When they decided to leave Islamorda, Mike and his partner Audrey, spent months traveling up and down both Florida coasts, looking for the ideal place to start a kayak business. They finally decided that Port Charlotte had the best and most varied environment for their operation. After securing a license from the county and buying the kayaks, they were ready to set up shop on the beach at Port Charlotte Beach Park. "It's Time" caters to all those who want

to enjoy the rivers and bays of Charlotte County, and beyond. And, Mike is a "Master Naturalist" and has obtained certificates in "Freshwater Wetlands: and "Coastal" modules as offered by the University of Florida. He delights those who go on his guided tours with descriptions on the many and varied flora and fauna found in Florida waters. Mike will customize the guided tours to meet the desires of his customers, so what ever your interests, he will satisfy them. He says, "You set the pace and the conversation" Mike can introduce you to many of the almost 200 miles of kayak trails in Charlotte County and over 800 miles of shoreline so that you too can enjoy the sight of dolphins playing, manatees feeding in the shallows, or perhaps photographing wading birds along the shoreline. Check his web site at the address above to see some of the wildlife that makes the Harbor its home and some of the beautiful scenes photographed from a kayak. Families particularly enjoy a day on the water; an adventure that is both fun and educational for young and old. So, you've never paddled before? Mike is an expert kayaker with many years of experience under his belt. He's always happy to teach newcomers the skills needed to enjoy the water. And for the benefit of family groups, youngsters under 10 can kayak free in a tandem with an adult. Mike tells me that some of the places that his customers enjoy most are Shell Creek, the Peace River, the Rookery at Hunter Creek, and the Mangrove

Rent kayaks at the Port Charlotte Beach or have them them delivered to another location

tunnels out of Ponce De Leon in Punta Gorda. And if you want to paddle on your own, he will deliver the kayaks you need to any location in Charlotte County. Can't beat that for full service. Want to try your hand at fishing from a kayak? Mike can provide a stable kayak with space for your poles and equipment, and he can tell you the spots where the fish are likely to be biting. Treat yourself and your family to a fun day on the water .....check out "It's Time Kayak & Canoe" either at Port Charlotte Beach Park or visit their web site. You can also call Mike at 941-255-3686. You'll be glad you did. The Port Charlotte Kayakers meet each Wednesday evening at Franz Ross Park off Quesada Ave. at 5 PM. All are welcome to attend. For more information call Dave Allen at 941-235-2588 or email to dlaa@comcast.net

Fukushima Fish

Saltwater anglers take note

A murasoi fish recently caught near the Fukushima Bay tested to be over 2,500 times the acceptable radiation level for human consumption. The area was closed to human activity after the Fukushima nuclear plant始s accident during Japan始s 2011 earthquake. According to the Daily Mail, the murasoi specimen did not exhibit any signs of deformity, a worrying thought as researchers believe the contaminated water is still spreading. Waste from the damaged Daiichi reactor settled on the ocean floor, but has not remained dormant. Scientists worry that because of larger migratory marine species that eat the affected fish, the contamination will spread beyond the area. Despite this, some local fishemen have returned to the water. According to the New York Times, about 40 percent of a fisherman始s catch remains unsafe to eat because of high cesium levels. Fish caught in the Fukushima region continue to test as highly radioactive. The Tokyo Electric Power company resorted to installing a 20-kilometer net in order to contain affected species.

FEBRUARY 2013

WATERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM

PAGE 21

SCUTTLEBUTT

Sometimes Unsubstanciated, But Often True Ethical Sportfishing The first annual IGFA World Record Game Fishes book appeared in 1971, a source of international fishing records and related reference materials. The 2013 edition has just been released. Unsustainable or illegal activities, NOAA submitted a Congressionally-mandated report identifying 10 nations whose fishing vessels engaged in illegal unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in 2011 or 2012, or had ineffective measures to prevent the unintended catch of protected species in 2012. The U.S. will soon start consultations with each of the 10 nations: Colombia, Ecuador, Ghana, Italy, Mexico, Panama, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Tanzania, and Venezuela to encourage them to take action.

Gator Baby An FWC officer was notified by Tavares Police Department that a woman had a small alligator wrapped in a towel in a baby stroller. The woman stated she was going to keep the alligator as a pet in her aquarium. The woman was cited for possession of an American alligator.

Mullet FWC Officers and a K-9 Officer were on water patrol near the Cocohatchee Boat Ramp when they observed a commercial mullet boat returning to the dock. The officers discovered that the fishermen had filled both of their coolers with mullet. In addition to the two coolers, they had another 150 pounds of mullet on the deck of the boat, uncovered, un-iced, and exposed to bilge water. The fish were found to be not fit for human consumption. The officers issued appropriate citations and seized and destroyed the unwholesome fish. Editor Notes* A lot of dead male mullet showing up on the beach. Some gutted. Canʼt blame it all on red tide.

ONLY A FEW LEFT Scientists from NOAA's Alaska Fisheries Science Center announced the 2012 abundance estimate for the endangered Cook Inlet beluga whale population is 312 animals, a small, but not scientifically significant increase over last year. The populations have been as low as 278 whales and as high as 366 during the past decade. The overall population trend for the

past 10 years for Cook Inlet beluga whales shows them not recovering and still in decline, so these whales are still in danger of extinction in the foreseeable future. The belugas are counted using an aerial survey. Scientists say this year's survey did have one unusual finding: whales venturing into relatively new waters. Editor Notes* Sounds like manatee scare tactics to us. Researchers in Japan may have captured the first film footage of a giant squid (below) alive in its natural habitat. Over the course of 100 missions, a film crew with Japanʼs Na-

ters (2,066 feet) below the surface. The squid in the video measured about 10 feet long and the crew was able to follow it down to about 900 meters (2,952 feet) before it disappeared into the ocean abyss.

FWC Officers received information regarding two subjects keeping over the bag limit of red drum. When the officers arrived at the location, one officer maintained surveillance on the individuals and observed them catch fish while wade fishing, and watched as the subjects placed the fish in a mesh container attached to one of the individuals. When the subjects returned to the shore, an officer observed them hide the fish in the mangroves, then walk to their vehicles and began looking around the area, possibly looking for law enforcement. The officers then made contact with the subjects, who stated they had released the fish they had caught and were not keeping them. Officer Thompson recovered 27 red drum hidden in the mangroves which 15 of the 27 were undersized. The subjects were charged accordingly, and the seized fish were donated to the Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa. A fisheries inspection was being conducted by an FWC officer on a commercial fishing boat in Pine Island Sound. He found the occupants were in possession of a net with mesh greater than two inches, possession of entanglement net on a vessel less than 25 feet, and they failed to use direct transit with net. The fishermen were issued citations.

Bite Me! FWC responded to a boating accident in Blind Pass involving a commercial fishing vessel that was traveling on a plane through the pass. Apparently a crab bit the operator, causing the operator to lose control of the vessel. The operator was not injured, but the vessel collided with a dock causing approximately $8,000 worth of damage. The operator was charged with careless operations.

tional Museum of Nature and Science, the U.S. Discovery Channel, and Japanese broadcaster NHK spent 400 hours trying to film the elusive creature. The specimen filmed was located at approximately 630 me-

Mickey Dʼs, this month, will become the first national restaurant chain to adopt the Marine Stewardship councilʼs blue ecolabel on its fish packaging in restaurants nationwide

Put on your Crocks Thousands of Nile crocodiles are swarming over South Africaʼs Limpopo River area after a flood forced a nearby farm to release the reptiles. According to TV-Novosti, 15,000 crocs have escaped, forcing the government to call in police and army units to evacuate residents from their homes. And you thought pythons were bad!

You Gotta Go to the Captainʼs Meeting On the first day of the 52nd annual Big Rock Blue Marline Tournament in Morehead City, North Carolina (June 2012) team Citation thought they had struck gold (and instant $$) with a 883-pound blue marlin. Because it was the first blue marlin caught in the tourney to weigh more than 500 pounds, the crew qualified for an instant $318,750 in prize money. Nobody else caught a bigger marlin throughout the six-day tournament and so at the conclusion the crew was poised to receive $912,825 in prize money. They never got it. Tournament officials disqualified the crew because one member, Peter Wann of Alexandria, Virginia, 22, had not purchased his North Carolina fishing license before hopping aboard Citation. Wann said he believed the boat had a blanket license that covered everybody on board. He had not attended a pre-tournament meeting where it was stressed that everybody onboard a participating vessel must have a valid fishing license, as tournament rules state. The crew filed suit against Big Rock Tournament officials citing breach of contract for not being awarded the money. The case has moved all the way up to the North Carolina Supreme Court as of late January, where it is still being heard. Big Rock and an attorney for the fishermen declined comment on the case since it is still ongoing. It is not clear when the Supreme Court may rule on the matter.

Miami Boat Show Feb 14-17

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February Fishing Forecast

Charlotte Harbor:

- to 4 inch lures. The more you are pulling the Frank, at Fishin' Franks more activity Port Charlotte: 625-3888 Last month, at the I-Cast show, I de- you’ll get in the signed a suspending bait for Rattletrap and Gulf. Use the they are building it for Charlotte Harbor. It bigger stretch will be four or five months before it hits the 20 and 30 as shelves. They are going to call it FlatsAt- teasers. Tease em’ down deep tack. How cool is that? Capt. Billy Barton with a January ʻslamʼ of The fishing has been mediocre, but only and you’ll get Charlotte Harbor trout, snook and redfish because of the full moon (see story on page the hits on the 15). Every day is good to go fishing but the small lures at Beach is amazbetter catching will be when it is dark at the top. Swinging in through the ICW we could ing for snook right now. The slapstick night. lures, Bomber 15s and X-wrap 10s are the Offshore, as you get to deeper water, the be dealing with a hit or miss red tide lures that are working around the beach reef fishing has been great. Even though we through this month. The good news is the complex now. lost the grouper (to keep) we still have AJs, E to NE wind in February should blow it In the evenings and a.m. I’d be fishing kings, porgys and grunts that you can out into the Gulf, at least that’s what we are the beach pier, in the afternoons I’d fish the catch both trolling and drifting. I’m likeing hopeing for. boat docks and the boat ramp. People dump The beach and ICW may be hit or miss, the 4 inch feeder plug, a chunk of lead at their bait and the fish go to the ramp to get the top with an unpainted cedar body. It but the back bays are getting consistently an easy meal. catches everything. Fish are hitting on the nothing but getting better. There have been sporadic trout through There are literally redfish from Pirate little baits in the Gulf, you’ll get more on 3 the Harbor and the canal mouths in Port Harbor to Myakka and Charlotte and Punta Gorda. Up and down ElJobean. The hardest place to catch them is the west side, the Harbor there are still nice trout to be maybe because all the boats had. In 4 feet of water or more fish the running up and down spook DOA Tandem ore use the 1/4 oz Rattlethe fish. You have to use a traps, they are both doing good. If you fish long 7.5 to-8 foot rod and shallower the MR15 or the X-Wrap 8s are look for a creek to fish. Stay the ticket. The Peace River and the Myakka both way back, pitch a shrimp or a have tarpon in them right now. There are cutbait as far up into the trees also tarpon 3-4 miles out in the Gulf and a as possible. Snook are around the ElJo handful of Tarpon in the Pass. There are tarpier and the Myakka has re- pon in East Spring lake and the Pelham Waally been doing good with terway. Who the hell ever thought we’d be Nice gag from a trip withy Capt. Steve Skevington, snook too. Port Charlotte talking about tarpon in January? .... if only you could keep ʻem

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Freshwater is feeling the lack of rain and the full moon effect. The first few weeks of February it should improve dramatically. Bass, bluegill and crappie fishing should go great. Mostly blue and purple colors for lures or standard worms are the freshwater plan. Try some ribbon-tail stuff. Fish deep for the freshwater fish. Free lining off the bottom is better, because not much is going on at the surface.

Lemon Bay:

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

You have to love the warm weather. Guys catching some fish, no two days are

BackBay Xtremes Capt Dave Stephens www.backbayxtremes.com

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FEBRUARY 2013

the same as the days before. I’m hearing from Placida south, sheepshead starting to bite along with pompano, permit and flounder. Boca Grande Island seems to be good in spite of the red tide because the big pass pumps a lot of water in and out. We had some good days last week around the full moon. On the solunar table 9:30 to 11 a.m. there

WATERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM

The The BIG-4 BIG-4

SNOOK Vracious canal feeding, catch and release only

AMBERJACK on the offshore reefs

“Jim, we need those reels, we are going to start chartering,” he said. Tarpon have been around They One guy told me he are bigger fish 80 - 100 pounds. had 5 tarpon last week in the pass. Tarpon have Fishing live bait in the pass with squirrel fish. been around, they are The offshore fishing is pretty bigger fish, 80- to 100good anywhere from 7- to 12-miles pounds. out. Snapper, Key West grunts, Jim @ Fishermen’s Edge porgys, lane snaper, mangrove, was a frenzy of pompano, yellow tail, king mackerel. The sheepshead, whiting and black guys were bottom fishing with chum drum. There are also some kingfish in the water and the king mackerel in 45 feet of water. Gulf is back up just swarmed around the boat. to 70 degrees now. The back country There has been tripletail too.b water is warm. One guy told me he Still guys are catching a pretty good had 5 tarpon last week in the Pass. variety standard rudder fish and lesser AJs. If you get offshore it’s still pretty good. The Rotonda canals, have bass up to 4 5 pounds and crappie too. On the back side of Rotonda there are bass to be had using a black or a June bug worm. With the warm winter we are having the creek fishing off Charlotte Harbor has not been so great. But the early A lot of big morning and late afternoon fishing in an East Charlotte snook on the south County lake for bass has been off the hook! Derrick end of Boca Knapp says Rachael and Brooke Knapp have been serving up 2-3 lb. bass as has family friend Dan Hildreth.

Fish Fish to to expect expect in in

February February

TROUT On the grass flats and around the potholes

Grande Island. Standing on the shore, two days in a row, a friend of mine had fish over 44 inches. It’s really good there on the right set of tides. I believe what he tells me because I see his tackle when he brings it in. Mostly he fishes a big 3/4oz Rattletrap or a bigger 6 and a half inch Wind Cheater.

SHEEPSHEAD Under the piers and bridges

PAGE 23

Gulf Temps between high 60s and low 70s

This black drum was caught a few days after Christmas. I didn't catch it, but my brother did with help from my dad – Christian Antista

Stan Garrard shows off his New Year's Day 32" redfish along with Capt. Fred Vandenbroeck of Backdraft Charters

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FISHING RIGHT NOW:

Good in the Harbor

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FEBRUARY 2013