Water LIFE Jan 2010

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January 2010

Pick Your Days Page 10

Rag Baggers Racing Page 20

Fishing with Capt. Dave

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January

2010

DIRECT 941-235-5648 TOLL FREE 877-218-6552 MYAKKA RIVER VIEW, Two story built 2006 with 2,770 sq ft, Heated pool home.

This is a JEWEL!! All the upgrades anyone can think of.

3 bedrms, 3 ½ baths, 3 car garage. Two minutes and you are in the river for a day of fun and fishing. It doesn't get any better than this. Downstairs, double glass entry doors, living and dining rms, master suite and bath to die for. Family rm, large laundry, nook and kitchen with white wood cabinets, corian counters thru out home. Volume ceilings with double lighted treys, crown molding, aquarium window in Nook. Upstairs, bonus room, 2 bedrms.

Bath overlooking the Myakka River. Long trek walkway to dock and boat lift. This is a Florida dream home. You have to see to appreciate all the quality work in this home. The list is too long for all the extras, call for more info. $675,000 Call Ellen 628-6954

DEEP CREEK BEAUTY, you have seen the rest, now see the best! 3/2/2 with pool and lovely pavers around heated pool and at entry plus the stones in landscaping matches the pavers. Tile roof, great room with 4 skylights, country kitchen with spacious wood cabinets, pantry and dining with long breakfast bar. Walk in closets in all bedrooms. 2nd bath is also a pool bath. Master bedrm and both baths have wood flooring, tile in all other rooms. The list goes on, call today for a viewing, so nice and clean.

Seller will look at all offers. $178,900 Call Ellen 628-6954

BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPING Well taken care of. Volume ceilings thru out LR/DR wood laminate floors, Bay window in living room. Security, wired for generator, hurricane garage door.

Walk-in closet in master, large open patio. You have to see this home. $89,900. Call Ellen 628-6954

EVERY IMAGINABLE U P G R A D E Gourmet kitchen, spacious master suite, area for fine dining and breakfast nook for those more casual meals. Lighted tray ceilings and well appointed game room, with built in wall entertainment and wet bar. Both the master bath and the main bath are extravagantly appointed, garden tub in the master numerous sprayers in the shower, including the ceiling rainmaker.

Gourmet kitchen designed around the bakerʼs rack with wall oven, microwave, glass cooktop stove, built up dishwasher on a pedastal, wood cabinetry, granite counters and crown mouldings. Waterfalling pool with a huge deck and a complete summer kitchen. Oversized 3 car garage with 14' ceilings and lots of built in storage. NOTHING NOT TO LOVE $575,000 Call Ellen 628-6954

GREAT HOME FOR ENTERTAINING – This super large home has all oversized rooms to enjoy all the spaciousness you need. Over 3,100 sq ft. With 3 bedrooms, 2 and a half baths, 3 car garage, on corner lot with side entry both sides, plus 11x43 family room w/indoor grill and 11x43 tiled Lanai with spa. 26 speakers thru out home. 19x17 game room, master bedroom is 18x16 w/sitting room 11x16. You have to see this one!! $249,900 Call Ellen 629-6854

NEW YORK SECTION – Not a short Sale.

This 1,814 sq ft home is completely redone in the past 3 years. New roof, soffit, fascia, gutters, Hurricane shutters, all doors, 5 windows. A/C, duct work, electric and plumbing fixtures in baths, flooring, cabinets and tops, appliances, fans and light fixtures, garage door, opener, metal stairs to attic. New owner is wanted at sq ft price of $54.00, Offered at $98,500 Call Ellen 629-6854

SECTION 15 BEAUTY – Lovely 3/2.5/2 home with pool and auto cleaner and fountain.

2,246 sq ft under brand new A/C Dec. 2009. Volume ceilings and high windows in Master and family room. Arched windows at newer double front doors, dining rm and master bath. This home shows Quality built thru out.

Fireplace in family room opens to kitchen, bar and nook. Pool resurfaced with diamond brite in 2003.

Furniture stays as bonus to buyer, $179,900 Call Ellen 628-6954

B A N K OWNED CUSTOM B U I LT H O M E with pool and lots of space, 1,958 sq ft under a/c! Living and family room. Cooks delight kitchen with maple wood cabinets, granite counter tops, glass top range with microwave. 9x6 laundry room and 20x20 garage. Split plan, large master bedroom and 8x9.6 walk in closet! Dual sinks and walk-in shower all tiled.

Walk in the front double doors to tile entry and niches, bull nose corners and many upgrades. You need to see to appreciate the quality in this home. $165,900 Call Ellen 628-6954

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 rm and Master bedrm. Walk in closet.

Hurricane shutters, new roof, water heater, hurricane code garage door w/ opener. A/C new in 2009, 7 ceiling fans. $104,900 Call Ellen 629-6854

HOME FULLY FURNISHED – All you need is your personal items and move right in.

Large 14x32 heated pool, new heater in 2005, 10x21 lanai, 3/2/1, A/C and new glass top range in 2000, 3 mature fruit trees loaded with fruit. Master bedroom is 13x14 and large 15x16 living room. Home is located near, medical officies, hospital, and Hwy 41.

This is a great starter or seasonal home.

Call for viewing today, $94,900 Call Ellen 629-6854

Ellen McCarthy Broker Associate www.portcharlotte-pgi.com

ellenmc@portcharlotte-pgi.com

19700 Cochran Blvd • Port Charlotte, FL 33948

January

2010

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January

2010

www.fishinfranks.com Water LIFE

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

The Right Perspective:

Dear Water LIFE We want more public boating access for Punta Gorda and we want to let people know about Charlotte Harbor being one of the top 10 sailing destinations in the U.S. (according to Sail magazine).

More people around the state should know about Punta Gorda and the harbor. It is a too-well-kept secret.

If there are any local issues you think would be appropriate for me to bring to the attention of this Council, please contact me.

(941) 766-8180

e-mail (preferred) Waterlife@comcast.net Mail: 217 Bangsberg Rd. Port Charlotte, FL 33952

TOTALLY INDEPENDENT

Not affiliated with any other publication Vol IX No1 © 2010 www.WaterLIFEmagazine.com No part of this publication (printed or electronic) may be copied or reproduced without specific written permission.

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

Above: from Judy Linville in New York: How to Spot a guy from North East Pennsylvania with a DUI conviction! – Thanks Judy!

Below: Scott Steffe of Punta Gorda sorting out the right prop/power combo on his Punta Gorda All Fiberglas Repairʼs shop-built racer. Note the cool, tight, custom Merc cowling they built as well.

on the COVER THIS MONTH:

Jo Mogle, Punta Gorda ... commenting on her Gubernatorial appointment to the Florida Boating Advisory Council

Capt. Angel Torres put his client on this nice redfish last month. Fishing Report: Page 22-23

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January

2010

Last Chance for Fishing?

January

2010

By Mi chael Hel l er Water LIFE Editor This month through April grouper fishing is closed on Florida’s east coast.

Amberjack and snapper have been severely restricted. Word on the street is that in February lemon sharks will be brought to the table for closure. Sawfish habitat restrictions are coming soon. Manatee regulations passed 5 years ago in Sarasota have just been re-evaluated and they will now be ‘enhanced.’ Worse yet, these are only a few of the changes coming down the pike.

Ed Walker of the Recreational Fishing Alliance recently noted: “President Obama has appointed a woman that comes from what many consider to be the largest antifishing organization in the nation –The Pew Charitable Trust– to head the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Among other plans she has fast-tracked since she has been in office is to mandate implementation of national recreational fishing quotas. Yes, that’s right, you would get x amount of fish per year and that’s it. I personally was invited to participate on a task force to come up with a hurry-up plan for rec quotas. Our input along with others has temporarily stalled this plan but she is still pressing very hard for it and she is the boss.”

In some cases there are legitimate concerns over fish stocks and sometimes regulations are needed to keep the stocks sustainable and abundant. Everyone benefits from healthy stocks. But we should be opposed to slashing recreational catches or the elimination of limited harvest for such thriving species such as Gulf red snapper simply because the anti-fishing lobby doesn’t like it and they have manipulated things to make red snapper appear worse than they really are.

Scientists adjust the results to suit their own goals. It is a fact of life. We saw it with the manatee when there were allegedly ‘only 800’ left before extinction. We saw it recently with ‘adjusted’ climate change figures. It happens everyday.

Enter the Fishing Rights Alliance. I don’t know a lot about this group, but following is what I have seen so far. The sad part is the report ends with this observation: “for some reason, recreational participation in all of this is tepid at best.” Tepid, that’s us. Tepid at best.

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Recreational anglers with snapper, like this client on Capt. Steve Skevingtonʼs trip or commercial fishermen with brim and pompano, like this fellow at Peace River Seafood, would all be affected by Federal changes in fishery regulations.

The Fishing Rights Alliance

From Ed Wal ker The Fishing Rights Alliance is the group I work with and am on the Board of Directors of. We lobby for fair fisheries management decisions. The anti-fishing/environmental sector is in control today and they simply don’t want you taking any fish. They have the money, the lawyers, and pretty much call the shots now on what they think you should be able to keep, much of it using questionable science to take things away. Our group challenges controversial or absurd findings and disputes bad or flawed data, sometimes even hiring our own scientists to conduct their independent reviews/studies of the fishes’ population status. We are a volunteer group made up of anglers who have had enough of being unfairly kicked out of fishery after fishery.

Here are just a few things that will have a huge impact on you, the recreational angler that we are working on right now:

Gulf Grouper Closure

Next January (2011) a complete closure on gag grouper, and probably all other grouper, is most likely going to go into effect. No grouper fishing ALL YEAR and until further notice. A member of the Gulf Council told me the other day that the best case scenario for recreational anglers grouper fishing is a 2 week open season annually with a very small bag limit, possibly one per boat.

This is coming guys, unless we can stop it.

Red Snapper

The National Marine Fisheries Service estimates that 3.5 million pounds of red snapper were caught by recreational anglers during the 2 month open season this year. That’s 3,500,000 pounds of red snapper in just 60 days with only a 2 fish per person limit. We dispute that estimate and the questionable surveying methods used to come up with it. We do not believe random telephone surveys and dockside intercepts are reliable enough data to cause the closing of any fishery.

As a result of those highly questionable numbers, recs have then exceeded their total allowable catch by more than 1.5 million pounds. To make up for it, it is unlikely the red snapper season will be opened at all in 2010. The Gulf is overrun with red snapper but random telephone survey data says you took too many in the 60 day season. We are vigorously disputing that and recently filed a lawsuit against the NMFS for using data that has been deemed “fatally flawed” by independent scientists to shut down fishery after fishery.

Amberjack

“Allowable catches” of amberjack have now been dropped to extremely low levels. So much so that even with a one fish limit the NMFS said too many had been taken by October of last year and shut down the fishery. (again using questionable estimating procedures) We feel that this TAC-total allowable catch is unreasonably low and are working on getting it re-examined.

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The South Atlantic Fiasco

The South Atlantic Council has a rule that bans all bottom fishing in the Atlantic Ocean out to 250 feet of water to protect red snapper, which they claim are completely wiped out (Most fishermen and 2 independent studies disagree). Since you might catch and release a red snapper when you fish for grouper, flounder, or amberjack, they are banning all bottom fishing in the ocean from Florida to North Carolina! This is a fact. It will set a scary precedent for us here on the Gulf in the near future. We are fighting for reasonable management and rejection of this amendment, however the outlook is not good.

Recreational Quotas

The FRA remains adamantly opposed.

Ms. Lubchenko (Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA administrator) wants to create a zoning system for the oceans and bays where only certain activities are allowed in each zone. Fishing would be off limits in much of it. This plan, known as The National Oceans Policy is racing thru with the full support of every environmental group in the US. It will be VERY bad for anglers.

Hiring scientists and attorneys to work on recreational anglers behalf and lobbying for your right to a reasonable amount of fish is however expensive and for some reason recreational participation in all of this is tepid at best.

You can find out more about the FRA at their website: WWW.TheFRA.org

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Auctioned Trip

By Capt. Chuck Ei chner Water LIFE Inshore The Coastal Conservation Association holds a fund raising event every February and generous fishing guides often donate fishing trips for the cause. I was lucky enough to bid and win one such trip and recently had a great experience fishing with Capt. Dave Andrews who primarily fishes in Pine Island Sound and the islands of Captiva and Sanibel.

Accompanying me on this adventure was the publisher of this magazine Michael Heller.

With nearly perfect conditions we departed from the commercial fisherman’s co-op on Pine Island and Capt. Dave had

formulated a game plan well in advance of this day. It was 2 days before a new moon and an extreme negative tide was the center of the day’s plans. Navigating around Pine Island is not for the inexperienced because on this day there was nearly as much dry bottom showing as there was water covered flats. Our first stop was to catch ladyfish to use as cut bait. Before the wakes had left from around the boat we cast small plastic baits and filled the well full of chunky ladyfish. Big ladyfish pull and jump so hard that my arms were aching and that was just the bait catching part of the day.

Easing the classic 22’ AquaSport up on plane, Capt. Dave headed to a large

flat that was completely exposed and set up a drift to cast plugs for trout. Any surface plug would probably work, but Michael and I make repetitive casts with Zaraspooks across grass flats that held only inches above them. In short order we got swatted and swooshed on and a couple of small trout were caught. A light breeze forced us to make short sharp jerks of the rod tip to keep the side to side cadence of the plug in motion.

My confidence was waning after a long interval with no action when a large slurp on my plug led to a major bent rod. Twenty-three inches of trout came boatside and the game was on! Amazing how a nice fish energizes everyone in the boat as our talent for making the Zara-spook walk-the-dog became even more proficient. A few more slurps on the plug and Dave indicated we were in a prime redfish area and it was time to do a little bottom fishing.

Quite honestly, this area didn’t look any different than were we had fished for the past 30 minutes, but that was the benefit of having a local professional on board and who was I to challenge? A couple of ladyfish chunks were baited up and cast to specific sandholes. Heller’s rod was the first to go down as the circle hook did its job. I was next with the same results - hardhead catfish. Quite frankly, I am a more aggressive type of fisherman and bottom fishing for catfish is something I did as a kid on the

January

2010

Potomac River in Maryland. With confidence Capt. Dave rebaited and recast as a guide would do for any charter let alone experienced anglers. Handing our rods to us after the cast we marveled at the flat calm morning and lack of boats. Dave thinks the economy has been good for the fish as he says fishing pressure has been very light. With that said Michael’s rod buckles over as he reared back on the light back country rod. Thirty-five yards away a major fish cut the water with a searing fast run and drag was spinning.

An unexpected reward of a 30 inch snook came boatside, then came a short photo session and the snook was released. With lines back into the exact same sand hole we watched as an occasional redfish in the

January

2010

FISHERMANʼS ALERT!

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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

Call The Captain! 941-833-4234 Keeping ladyfish (or any fish) in a saltwaterice-brine keeps the meat red, firm and fresh even after 6 hours. Mackerel and trout kept this way stay tastier and are more firm and easier to clean later. Bait is more appealing.

25”-30” range would pass by the boat.

About that time the incoming tide brought several inches of water onto the flat directly behind us. Apparently, the reds passing our boat were headed up to feed on the flat because moments later we began seeing tails and lots of them. Wade fishing would have been the only approach to these fish but Dave encouraged us to stay with what we were doing.

In short order we had several bites with line burning redfish showing their colors.

One nice red in the 25 inch range made for a nice picture and completed the coveted “backcountry slam” of a legal redfish, snook and trout. All were extra fine specimens returned to the water for tomorrow.

Like most fishing trips the bite eventually went quiet and we fished several other areas with minimal success. Fisherman always analyze why fishing gets slow as we hypothesized that extra clear water, bright skies and not enough wind were the likely culprits. Of course, we never discussed angling skill, lure or bait presentation. It was mid-day with the last of a high incoming tide and the sky suddenly became cloudy and slightly threatening.

Capt. Dave changed up the game plan to take advantage of these conditions and positioned the boat over a deep grass bed and despite the fact it was mid-day, we began casting top water lures. It was easy

to see that was the right call as Michael and Dave quickly had a smashing hit only to lose trout that looked to be near 4 pounds! For the next 2 hours we had a ball catching and releasing many trout and nothing beats the excitement of a topwater bite. Dave shared a great tip on keeping fish fresh and perfect for cleaning; create a saltwater-ice-slurry in your cooler by adding seawater to the ice. This causes the fish flesh to become very firm - making it a breeze at the cleaning table.

If your looking for a good fishing guide to fish Sanibel, Captiva or Pine Island Sound area give Capt. Dave Andrews at call at 239-410-7194.

Capt. Chuck Eichner is a local charter captain. For information or to book a guided fishing trip call 941-505-0003 or go to his website: www.back country -charters.com

Pick Your Days

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By Capt. Mark Bennett Water LIFE Tarpon With the mild temperatures this time of year the fishing can be great.

Learning to deal with the rapidly changing conditions is part of winter fishing in our area. Sure the cold fronts can put a damper on the best efforts some days, but the fishing between the fronts can be some of the best times to be out on the water.

Usi ng a col d front to your advantage: A day or two before a front comes through, the wind will shift to the south/southwest. With the south wind comes stronger than normal incoming tides. Generally, it will come in faster and take forever to go out, if at all.

These days the fishing will be at its best. Even when it is a strong front coming and the wind is 15-20 SSW. The fish, feeling the pressure of the coming front, will usually be in a feeding mode. It is up to you to find them.

Take advantage of the hi gh water. With these pre-cold front conditions, I usually will start shallow and keep pushing in with the tide. My favorite tactic is to work points and shallow potholes that are catching the

incoming tide. As the water comes in I then work the mangroves, pushing farther back with the rising water. Most of the time I will cast jigs and top water lures. I try to cover as much ground as possible in an effort to find the fish.

Once located I will often switch tactics.

Trying live bait or different lures can and will often add a few more fish to the box for the day.

On Christmas Eve, we had these conditions. First thing in the morning at low tide we had more water than we had the day before at high tide. As expected, the spots I had been fishing earlier in the week at low tide were vacant. I switched gears quickly and went to a flat that had produced the day before at high water. We were greeted with a 30” snook and a perfect slot redfish. After working the rest of the shoreline, I made a short run to a creek mouth with high hopes of finding a few more hungry redfish. As we worked up the creek we caught another redfish out of a deep pothole, although smaller than the first it was a nice red. I anchored up tide of the large pothole and we free lined a few live shrimp. We spent the next two hours catching reds and a few large trout on almost every cast.

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January

2010

Kevin, one of my clients put the exclamation point on the day with a beautiful specimen of a redfish, the biggest of the day, on the last cast. Why a fish would take a rubber bait over the real thing I haven't a clue.

The day after a cold front the wind will shift to the north/northwest, then eventually northeast. This will drain the flats and keep the water from coming in.

Spots you normally fish, even on a mid-tide will be high and dry. On these days the fishing will be challenging at best. Challenging, but not impossible.

A couple days after the Christmas cold front came through we had these exact conditions. The weather was beautiful; gin clear skies, 6-8 mph northeast wind and 58 degree water. High pressure and cold water is not a good mix. The colder the water gets, the slower you need to fish. I have a couple spots that will hold a few active fish after a front on most days. As I learned quickly that morning today was not one of those days. We fished live shrimp in several different spots to no avail. The water was so cold the pinfish weren't even there to chew the legs off our shrimp.

As the water started to come in, I went to the creek that produced redfish, on demand, a couple days previous. It was deserted. The only bite we had was a very determined seagull. From past experience I have learned that after a front there will be very few “live” areas.

Three hours into a four hour trip, I needed to find one and fast. I have also learned over the years there are three things to do when faced with the possibility of getting skunked. Change loca-

tions, change tactics and pray. With a heavy emphasis on the latter, I made a major move back to the outside. The tide was now coming in pretty good. I decided on a shoreline with several potholes I hadn't tried in the morning. We started fishing live bait, but after a few casts I knew we needed a change. I tied on a couple 1/8 oz. jigs and my old standby root beer tails. It was almost four hours into the incoming tide at this point, something had to give. After rigging up, I cast the jig in between the guys shrimp. I was shocked when a redfish slammed it instantly. We changed over to the artificial baits and the guys proceeded to catch several reds and large trout as we worked down the shoreline.

Kevin, one of my clients put the exclamation point on the day with a beautiful specimen of a redfish, the biggest of the day, on the last cast. Why a fish would take a rubber bait over the real thing I haven't a clue. At this point it really didn't matter. Trying new tactics and exploring new areas is the most fun part of fishing. Hopefully this will help you catch a few fish on an otherwise unproductive day.

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

The regular monthly Kayak Paddleing Report from David Allen will not appear this month.

Mr. Allen has taken this month off to get married!

Congratulations David!

His report will return next month

Commercial Fishing Why Do Mullet Run?

January

2010

By Kel l y Beal l WaterLIFE Commercial Fishing One of the most frequent questions we hear at Peace River Seafood is about the mullet "run" season. What are they running for? people ask! – Well they're running to go spawn and they're running to get away from all the boats!

Basically, the red roe mullet (the most valuable) is the female and the white roe is the male. They run from the estuaries and go offshore in bunches to spawn. In our area they come out of the canals through the harbor and out the pass only to return later to the same area they left.

The life span of a mullet is determined by examing its otoliths (ear bones). The average life span for male is 7 years and 8 to 9 for females. Each time the female mullet goes to spawn she releases half to 2.7 million eggs depending on her size.

The mullet in southwest Florida are unique in their large size and better flavor and therefore they are in the highest demand. The mullet here spawn close to shore (within 20 miles) and return.

Despite popular belief, it is not the same mullet everywhere.

As with all the fisheries, the mullet fishery has seen some drastic changes over the last few decades The mullet fishermen has been without gillnets for over a decade now, so we have seen an influx of castnetters out there. Instead of a few boats catching a large amount of fish you see a large amount of boats catching a few fish. With so many boats, the large masses of mullet are broken up into smaller masses. So an average boat out there will catch 300 to 1000-pounds during a run instead of a few boats with huge 7 to 8 thousand pound catches. It's a lot of work to castnet 1000-pounds. Remember, they all aren't red roe so you're only making money on half what you catch.

This year the price for red roe topped off at .80 a pound with white roe bring-

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ing only .05 a pound. So after gas and paying a crew, a 1000-pounds will only bring about $300. They earn ever penny of that!

Handling and grading the fish out is just as much work as catching it. Once the mullet is caught it is sent from the fishhouse to the plant where it will be split. The majority of the mullet caught here is split in St. Pete. They split the red roe and box it up by weight. There will be roe that is 2 to 4 ounces, 4 to 6 ounces and 6 to 8 ounces. They will package them in 10 pound cases and once

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Mullet wholesalers at Placida contract with local fishermen, then collect their catches at the dock or ramp. Containers of shaved ice are trucked in and the mullet goes on ice immediately. When a trailerload is full, the mullet go to St. Pete for cleaning and the truck comes back with more ice. The red roe is collected, frozen and shipped overseas.

they have 40,000 pounds of roe they export it out to different countries: Mostly Tiawan, but also Brazil, Australia and China. Once it gets to its final home they lay the eggs out in the sun and salt and dry it. They will bring it in every evening to prevent any moisture getting in it. Once finished it gets packaged beautifully and is considered one of the most precious gifts you can give your mate on the Chinese New Year. It is mostly served on crackers

We have many traditions for the new year such as collard greens for money, black beans for health, champagne for happiness, but my favorite is caviar and cream cheese...mmmmm I hope my mate brings that home to me!!

Enjoy the new year - health and happiness to you all. Remember to buy local fish and produce to have an even healthier year!!

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

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January

2010

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By Mi chael Hel l er Kids Cup Tournament Director This May 15 will be the 7th year for the Kids Cup Tournament and Redfish Tracking project. The entry forms went online at midnight December 31 on our website KidsCupTournament.com. Next month there will be printed entry forms in the bait and tackle shops and at other supporting merchants around town.

Completed applications must be mailed in. That’s the only way we allow. We use the postmarks to assign the boat numbers in sequence. The sooner you sign up the earlier your boat goes out on tournament

morning.

Sponsors are already beginning to contact us wanting to be part of the 2010 Kids Cup. Our sponsors and supporters are in this strictly for the kids. I hope you are too! Please Join Us! Fishermen’s Village and Fishin’ Franks are lined up to once again be Kids Cup Senior Sponsors. Noah Marine and Pool Sharks in Englewood have called in. The Boat House in Cape Coral is in, and the month has just begun!

The Water LIFE Kids Cup and Redfish Tracking Project is a 100% non profit event that funds our 7th grade fishing pro-

January

2010

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gram in 5 Charlotte and Sarasota county middle schools. We are proud of the 1000+ kids we have introduced to tournament fishing, and of the 900+ we have put through the school program so far.

None of this would be possible without community support.

Thank you everyone, we look forward to another great year in 2010!

Michael & Ellen Heller Kids Cup Tournament Directors Kids Cup entry forms online: w w w. ki dscupt ournam ent . com 941-766-8180 = quest i ons

Tournament Venue Center-court dock at Fishermen始s Village will host the weigh in and be a great background for our sponsor始s banners.

Page 13

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Page 14

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REDUCED!

Top 10 Stories of 2009

On the Li ne wi th Capt Ron Bl ago Water LIFE Senior Staff Each year I put together a list of stories that I felt really had an impact on the way I look at the world. Some of them got a lot of press and some hardly a mention in the mainstream media. All of them will have an impact on our right to fish and boat.

1 – S al twater fi shi ng l i cense extensi on- The days of free fishing in Florida are over. This year the loophole for shoreline fishing was removed. Now just about everyone needs a fishing license to fish in Florida. The reason was if Florida didn’t require the license, the Fed’s would; so we might as well keep the money ourselves. The funny thing is there are still a few ways to beat the new fee. If you are 65 or older you still don’t need a license; and If you are collecting food stamps you can fish for free. By the way the number of people collecting food stamps in Florida is at a record high and growing rapidly.

2 – Potty-Gate – One of the funniest things that happened last year was in Charlotte Co. when one day all the Porta-Johns were removed from the public boat ramps. It seems the Parks and Rec. Dept felt they could save $18K a year by removing the portable toilets.

What they forgot was that people still have to go somewhere; so there were a lot of embarrassed people coming out of the bushes. Remember that Charlotte County is the one that charges people to park at the boat ramp. As a matter of fact they increased that fee last year and increased the boaters sur-tax that all registered boats in Charlotte Co. pay to help maintain the boat ramps. Talk about paying more and getting less. People complained so much that the Porta-Johns were put back in less than a month. The County decided to look elsewhere to cut cost. Here is an idea – How about cutting the salary of the person who came up with that idea by $18K? 3-New Fi shi ng Regul ati onsEvery year there is always a few new fishing regulations that go into effect. As we all know any new regulations only make it harder to fish and never make it easier on the recreational fisherman. It also seems they are taking something away from us. Next year we will have our first closed season for grouper. From Feb. 1 through March 31 grouper season is closed in the Gulf of Mexico. Even when the season is open, you can only have a bag limit of 2 gag grouper per person. Red Snapper is closed for recreational anglers from Aug.15 to May 31.

4-Bay Hei ghts- Last year on the top 10 list I had this project ready to go. The Bay Heights property off of RT 776 in

January

2010

Fishinʼ Frank at a fishermenʼs luncheon seminar at Madisonʼs Restaurant at the Port Charlotte Town Center Mall in 2009. A month later the restaurant went out of business!

Englewood near the Sarasota Co. line used to be a small trailer park community before Charlotte Co. purchased it for a proposed boatramp a few years ago. The purchase price was less than a million dollars. The property which is on Lemon Bay has a deep water canal leading to the intra coastal waterway and a large boat basin. All you have to do is put in a ramp at the end of the basin and you have an instant boat ramp. In 2009 the Parks and Rec. Dept ask for and received $400,000 to start the project. A funny thing happened after they received the funds. They changed their minds and are now not sure the site will make a suitable boat ramp. The project is now in limbo. It would have been nice if they had raised these objections before they tied up $1.5 million of taxpayers money.

5-Gl obal Warm – One thing I know for sure is that the earth is either getting hotter or colder depending on how you measure it and what time reference you want to use as your comparison. It appears that the current global warming reached its peak in 1998 which was 1.37 degrees above the 20 year average. It has gotten cooler each year since then. I guess that if you use 1998 as your base line you could make a strong case for global cooling. The neatest phrase of last year was the “Igon Value Problem” which is the problem you get when a writer’s expertise is derived from interviewing an expert. Did you ever watch a presidential speech and then have a newsperson tell you what the president just said – and you swear that you both heard different speeches. This happens in science all the time. By the time the bureaucrats and the politicians interpret the scientific study you don’t know what the truth is.

6- No Hurri canes or Red Ti deWe have gone another year without any hurricanes or red tide. That make three year in a row. Remember when it was predicted that we would have record red tides because of man made pollution; and the record number of hurricanes with increased severity we were supposed to have due to global warming. So much for scientific predictions. By the way the

State of Florida has stopped the funding for red tide research.

7-Cash For Cl unkers – If you want to know why people are warry of big government just look at last years cash for clunkers program. In an effort to stimulate the economy the government helped sell 700,000 cars. If you subtract about 100,000 cars that would have been sold anyway that month ; divide that number by the amount of money the government spent on the deal and you come up with $24,000 per car sold.

Since the buyer received on average $5,000 from the government; where did the rest of the money go? Would you believe overhead and administrative cost.

8-Manatees-The FWC still can’t make up their mine if the manatee should be delisted from the Endangered Species List. I guess we are going to have to wait for a new governor to interpret 30 years of data for the scientists at the FWC. Look like 2009 may be a record year for manatee mortalities. So far this year there have been 419 moralities, statewide with 99 watercraft related.

That about 25%. It averaged 25% in the 90’s and 25% in the 2000s an amazingly consistent ratio over time. Remember that the total population of live manatees has doubled in the last 20 years and continues to rise. One of the funniest lines I heard recently was from a representative of the Save the Manatee Club that said that the reason the watercraft death were so high was that the offshore fishermen were now fishing inshore, increasing boat traffic. Ok, all of you unemployed, offshore boaters whose homes are in foreclosure, stop running over manatees.

9-Fl ori da Popul ati on Decl i nesfor the first time since 1946, the population of Florida has declined. From July 2008 to July 2009; the population of Florida has declined by 31,179 people.

The growth of Florida has stopped.

10- It’s the Economy S tupi dNo matter how optimistic you are it’s hard to put a positive spin on these numbers. Unemployment –Nationwide 10% - Statewide 11.5% - Charlotte Co. 13%. Who has the time or the money to run over manatees?

January

2010

R Re ea al l E Es st ta at te e N Ne ew ws s

www.WaterLIFEmagazine.com

PROVIDED BY: Dave Hofer RE/MAX Harbor Realty (941) 575-3777 dhofer@remax.net www.harborparadise.com

1. In April, 2007 we reported that the Charlotte County Environmentally Sensitive Land Commission had earmarked $5-million tax dollars to purchase a 22 acre tract of remote land in El Jobean on the Myakka River.

Fortunately for all, the Florida DEP couldn't endorse the deal and Charlotte County backed away. The property was resold this March for just $1.7 million!

The new owner, Jorge Gruenwald gained preliminary approval from the County to develop the property into a 100 site class A RV park. Amenities are promised to include a 2 story clubhouse with fitness center, boat docks, boat rentals, tennis courts and, of all things, an indoor swimming pool...

2. A proposed multi family complex looking over little Sarasota Bay is in front of the Sarasota County Plan Commission. Plans call for 236 housing units and 36,700 square feet of retail stores on the 14 acre parcel in

The view from the top of the new parking garage. FGCU is negotiating with the city for space in the unoccupied retail part of the garage building

Osprey. Biggest requested code variance is a request to build an 84' tall building when regulations only permit 57 feet.

3. Charlotte County is applying for, among other frills, $5 million from the Fed giveaway program for solar panels and other energy conservation hardware. Grant applicants will try to convince them that the $30-$40K of annual savings will justify this expenditure.

4. The Treasury Department has

released new guidelines to speed up the foreclosure process. With the Fed's help, lenders will offer delinquent borrowers $1,500 to help relocate and $3,000 to release 2nd mortgages so that short sales can be accomplished instead of the credit destroying foreclosure process.

5. FGCU is negotiating with Punta Gorda to take on the 4,000 square foot space in the parking garage.

Though this tenant will not help our tax coffers, logic will/should? prevail

Page 15

and we will have a tenant that will provide a nice addition to our downtown.

Rather than leave the space vacant indefinitely, the city will likely find a way to invest even more funds to pay for needed interior finish costs.

6. Charlotte County is applying for Federal subsidies to help defray the cost of installing a fixed bus route along Rt 41 from North Port to Punta Gorda. If implemented, the current Dial-A-Ride program would be a likely casualty to fund this amenity.

7. The Airport Authority is moving forward with the construction of its $3 million control tower. The 125 foot structure will be located on Mooney Ave. They announced that 96,000 Allegiant and Direct Air passengers have passed through Punta Gorda during the first 10 months of this year.

8. A 108 acre dirt farm was approved for Washington Loop Road east of Punta Gorda.

S al es S tati sti cs: A downward spiral of pricing for vacant lots and single family homes in Port Charlotte and North Port. Canal front lots are just beginning to sell at sharply reduced price levels. Inventories have continued to decline.

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

Page 16

THE VALUE OF RECREATIONAL BOATING IN FLORIDA

By Betty S taugl er Water LIFE / Sea Grant A four-year study of Florida's boating access facilities and their economic significance was recently completed for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). This study is the largest single effort to evaluate recreational boating in Florida completed to date and includes several components.

Faci l i ti es Inventory: The project includes a facilities inventory of coastal and inland recreational boating access facilities, including ramps, marinas, dockominiums, private clubs, dry storage facilities, hotels/restaurants, commercial establishments and large residential developments with recreational boat dockage.

This data was collected to use in economic analysis of recreational boating, but the data will be available via an online guide so that boaters can access information on any boating facility in the state, queried by county or region.

Economi c S i gni fi cance of Recreati onal Boati ng i n Fl ori da: The economic analysis estimated expenditures made by recreational boaters to determine the stream of dollars through local communities, the region and the state. The estimates were based on online surveys completed by boaters from around the state. The report shows the state's boaters spent $3.38 billion on boating trips in 2007 and $5.15 billion in watercraft expenses, which together supported 97,000 jobs. The economic effect of these same activities in Charlotte County was $86.76 million in trip spending and $103.85 million in watercraft spending, together supporting 2,702.6 jobs.

Future Demand: The report predicts a 1.8 percent decline statewide in boating demand by 2025 in Florida. About half the 63 counties in the study will see a decrease in boating which is attributed to

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changes in population demographics in those counties. Southwest Florida however is projected to see an increase in boating demand over the same period.

Lee County is projected to see the greatest increase in demand for saltwater boating (8.98%) in 2025. Lee is followed by Collier, Citrus, Hernando, Levy and then Charlotte counties in 2025 projected growth for saltwater boating. In Charlotte County, the 2025 projected boating demand increase is 7.59% for freshwater and 5.14% for saltwater.

Economi c Val ue: Economic value (termed Consumer Surplus) is used to measure the value boaters gain from the experience of boating. This analysis looks at the choices boaters make in determining access points, such as number of lanes, distance by road, distance to water destination, condition of ramp, parking spaces, restrooms, seagrasses, etc.

The report demonstrated the importance of launch lanes, parking and overall ramp condition as well as the site’s overall condition (such as restrooms at a ramp).

Artificial reefs, seagrasses and management areas were all seen as important.

Negatives included traveling costs to ramps and on the west coast of Florida manatee zones.

Capi tal Budgeti ng for Boat Ramps: For evaluating priorities for capital budgeting, the report applied three criteria to all counties for both freshwater and saltwater launches and then ranked them according to how many times a county made the top 15 list for each criteria. The criteria used was 1) lane congestion (most congested) 2) demand forecast (highest growth) and 3) consumer surplus (largest CS). If a county made three lists it is considered a highest priority county; 2 lists make it a high priority; and 1 list makes it a priority. For freshwater access, Collier County was the only county to make the highest priority list.

Charlotte County made the high priority list along with Sarasota County and seven other counties across the state. For saltwater access, Charlotte County is on the highest priority list along with Citrus, Lee, Sarasota, Pasco, Levy and

January

2010

This is a cool picture but it might be a bad idea. After all, if humans are not allowed to interact with protected dolphins, then how good can it be to encourage dogs interact with them?

St. Johns counties.

Capital budget projections use cost estimates for land aquisition and ramp construction tied to projected demand and present ramp infrastructure. The study projects a price tag of $68 million to $111 million to maintain state’s boaters' access to water at the 2006 level (baseline) over the next 15 years.

In order to meet the demand for boating in 2025, the report indicates that Charlotte County will need to spend 2.53.4 million, depending on the size of the access sites. Most of that amount will be needed to meet saltwater demand (1.8-3.0 million). (estimates based on FWC and Florida DEP sources and assumes the

average boat lane costs approximately $100,000 to design, permit and construct and require between 1.5 and 2.5 acres of property).

You can access the entire report at http://www.myfwc.com/About/About_eco nomics.htm. Word of warning though, the report, “Florida Boating Access Facilities Inventory and Economic Study” is several hundred pages long with another several hundred pages of Appendices.

Happy reading for those who wish to tackle it.

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

The Smart Angler Challenge is a fun online game, designed to increase your knowledge and skills in both Outdoor Awareness and Fishing.

All Challenge questions will include an online source link where the correct answer can be discovered. Each week you'll have an unlimited number of tries to score a perfect 10. Your best score for each week is added to your total. As your total climbs, prizes and recognition will be awarded.

Access the game at: www.smartangler.org

January

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2010

Page 17

Estero Bay Report

Captai n S teve Nagy WaterLIFE Estero Bay The fishing is HOT with the weather cooling down a bit. First, off the beach has been very good fishing with huge blitzes of mixed fish. You will find Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, bonita, tarpon and sharks all together crashing schools of glass minnows.

As one cold front came in there were blue skies and bright sun and once Steve Greenfield with his 35-inch king mackerel the wind died down we were able to get fish all in less than an hour using scaled a number of fish to the boat on various sardines. fishing charters. On a charter with Chris On a day that was one of the coldest Michel and his dad we limited out on this season so far, I had Mick Pierce from Spanish mackerel and king fish. We also New Jersey on the boat and we managed caught a 4-foot black tip shark that put up to catch 9 snook using good-sized white quite a fight. bait.

Here is a good tip when trying to find The trout bite has been great over the Spanish mackerel and king fish; look for grass flats. We have been catching them birds about 1 to 2 miles off the beach and on a popping cork and ¼ oz jig head with you will find gold. When you find the a Hybrid Flurry in key lime or purfish, use small jigs: 1/4- 1/2 oz with a 3ple/white.

You can just use the jig and inch Hybrid Flurry in white. You can also Hybrid Flurry, jigging it or with a straight use scaled sardines and don’t forget to use retrieve. a short piece of wire leader.

Don’t get worried about the cold weathIn the backcountry and on the flats, er, there are still fish to be caught for snook, redfish and trout have been HOT in those who are willing to brave the mornthe afternoon on a high tide. I have been ings of catching bait and getting to your doing particularly well on the flats catchfavorite fishing spots. ing snook. On a charter with Steve Capt.

Stev e Nagy Greenfield from Estero we caught 22 www.bonitaspringsfishing.com snook from 20 - to 27-inches and two red239-398-1528

Let us build one for YOU!

Offshore With Capt Steve Capt. Stev e Skev i ng to n Water LIFE Offs ho re The recreational harvest of greater amberjack from federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico re-opened January 1.

Recreational anglers may keep one greater amberjack of at least 30 inches fork length daily per person in Gulf waters off Florida, and the fish must be landed in a whole condition.

OK, let’s go catch some amberjack.

They are piled up on all of our deep wrecks this time of year and they are hungry.

All you have to do in order to pick a fight with one of these guys, is drag a plug across any one of their favorite wrecks right now and hold on tight.

Live bait works ever faster, they don't call em "reef donkeys" for their brain power.

The grouper are flat-out on fire right now and almost every ledge and reef is loaded with em. Drop down a live pin-fish when the water is clear, or a whole frozen squid when the water is dirty, and you will hook up with grouper this month.

The artificial reefs are just full of big mangrove snapper. From now through late March these fish will be stacked up and hungry. Try free-lining a live shrimp or green back out behind the boat for some of the bigger fish.

Sheepshead are starting to show up on the shallow ledges just offshore of Cayo

Costa, and they should be there, through March. Bottom fishing with a frozen shrimp is a very good way to take your limit of these convicts.

Just look up the rules before you go, as they like to change them on a whim lately.

Bottom fishing in general does not get a whole lot better than it is in January, so pick a good day between cold fronts and let's go fishing.

Capt. Steve operates out of Pineland Marina.

He can be reached at: 941-575-3528 for fishing information or to book a trip – Happy New Year from Capt. Steve

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Page 18

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Whatʼs Working Now Screaming Reels

By Capt. Andrew Medi na Water LIFE Charlotte Harbor As we get into the new year you will start to notice that most of our fish have begun to feed a little better than they did last month. A lot of this has to do with the transition of water temperatures. Fish are getting more accustomed to the cooler water. Every December, with the arriving cold fronts, the water temperature drops gradually. Two or 5 degrees is not a big deal to a person but to a fish it is huge and it takes fish a while to feel comfortable enough to feed again. This could be a few days or a few weeks. By January the fish in the Harbor have begun to settle down and areas like the East Wall Flats, around Alligator Creek, are producing huge numbers of trout, redfish, and the occasional pompano.

The trout in the creek are feeding really well and it is not uncommon to use up every piece of shrimp in your well. Right now shrimp is going to be the best bet for just about all species targeted. With the white bait being a little more difficult to net, it’s just easier to visit your local bait shop and pick up a couple dozen shrimp on your way out. The fish in our harbor are also having a tough time finding white bait so they look for other food sources,

and shrimp is primary.

While trout fishing I recommend the use of a popping cork because if trout can find it so can other species. While trout fishing on a flat there is always the chance you could pick up a redfish. The redfish around the harbor will also be out on the flats and this time of the year is truly my favorite to fish for reds. Nothing beats a flat with low water and tailing fish. When fishing for these fish a stealthy approach is necessary so wading is one of the best ways to fish tailing fish. Equally important is the need for a soft bait entry into the water. If the bait is thrown on top of the tailing fish there is a very good chance the fish will spook. How I accomplish a softer entry is by scaling back on all tackle so I can make the longest cast possible and never get too close to the fish. Usually, I throw 8 or 10-pound test at this time of the year. That allows me to flip shrimp with little or no weight attached. The less weight you throw will minimize the amount of noise and splash when the bait hits the water.

If you need weight, I recommend 1/8 or ¼ oz split shots attached to the leader line.

The third thing is to always make your cast in front of the fish. Try to figure out which way the fish are heading and place

January

Trout liked this top-water. Note the custom added ʻtrailerʼ of green and blue glitter.

the bait 2 to 3 feet in front of him letting the fish find the bait. Remember, if a redfish is on a flat and is tailed up, they are already feeding and that is half the battle.

Snook fishing is also turning on.

Places like up-river are producing a lot of large snook now. The deep cut and the canals around Nav-A-Gator, up river, are great. Trolling lipped plugs, or live shrimp will produce most of the fish. Early morning seems to be the best, although the fish up river have been known to feed whenever a chance is presented to them.

In the Harbor it should also be interesting this time of the year. With the cooler

2010

water temps offshore the grouper will be making their way onto the many artificial reefs. Some keeper grouper have now been taken off the Cape Haze Reef, trolling big lipped plugs like the Stretch 30. These lures are easily adjusted to the depth you want to fish by filing the lip – many anglers have different plugs for different locations depending on water depth. Get out and experience the harbor now. It won’t be a bad time. Stay safe and have fun!

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

January

2010

SCUTTLEBUTT

www.WaterLIFEmagazine.com Do Not Park Here!

Ice fishermen in Minnesota had their cars all lined up along the side of this ice covered road, but when they came back from the lake the temperature had risen and the ice covered road turned out to be a creek. This is not yet another example of Global Warming, it’s Global Dumbing!

Sometimes Unsubstanciated,But Often True

Do Park Here As construction moves ahead on the new Coral Creek Bridge at Placida, we have been talking to the construction workers and we have learned there will be new dedicated parking for fishermen here, directly across from the Placida P ier walkway. There will also be a special walkway to the Coral Creek fishing pier. It will be a little walk the workers we spoke to told us.

No Parki ng Necessary A fully loaded skiff heads out of Pine Island on a December low tide.

The men were in route to their jobs on North Captiva.

Page 19

The Fine Nine : Charlotte Harbor FISHING GUIDES

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Page 20

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Offshore aboard the Predator II

By Capt. Ji m O'Bri en Water LIFE Englewood I hope you folks got out in between the fronts and the winds. If you did get out in the last few weeks, you should have done real good.

The Spanish mackerel, and king mackerel are from one to12 miles out and there are some liltunny mixed in with them.

The snapper are hitting well in the Harbor around structure and in the middle of Boca Grande Pass, the rocks before the deep hole are producing some nice ones. The inshore and offshore wrecks have still got some big mangrove snapper on them too.

Big Key West grunts, porgies and trigger fish are also on the deeper reefs and ledges.

Cobia have been around the crab traps, if the winds aren’t to stong. The cobia will move out to deeper structure if the bottom gets riled up. Sharks are in the harbor, in Bull Bay and Turtle Bay, and on the inshore reefs.

I had a couple of interesting pictures of our last two charters. The first one was four nice guys from Saskatchewan. They were ready to do some good ole' Gulf fishin’.

There was Darik Dodge, Richard Lillico, Kevin Meyer, Gordon Beuckti and Al Hamlin.

They caught their limit of gag and red grouper mixed with some mangs, porgies and Key West grunts. They told me they had a real good time and they would see me again in January. I hope so!

The second charter was a fun group that live in Englewood. There was my mate Denny Morin, Bob Eastman, Steve Solomin, Tom Malecki and his wife Neena Malecki. I took this group to a fishin’ spot I haven’t been to in years.

We were pushing strong winds out of the south and getting a little wet on the way and this spot was closer than where we usually go. On top of every thing it started raining on us as we anchored up. The mate put the chum over and I mean to tell ya’ all – my fish finder lit up with so many fish you couldn't see any structure!

Well, we rigged every one up and they sent the baits to the bottom and bam! One rod bent over, then two more. Folks we were catching fish one after another and they ended up catching their limit of grouper by 11:15 a.m. So the rest of the day we targeted mangrove snapper, porgies, grunts and anything else we didn't have. We just about filled a 162 quart cooler. What a day! 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

Like Sailing? Follow her voyage!

Follow the non-stop, round the world, single handed voyage of 16 year old Jessica Watson on the internet at Jessicawatson.com. Itʼs going on right now and she posts enroute videos, photos and blogs like this from the Southern Ocean, on New Years Eve:

It doesn't look like the calm is going to last though, with the wind forecast to really start coming up again tomorrow. Its sounds like this one is going to be pretty nasty, so this is probably the last time you'll hear from me for a few days. The wind is not expected to be too much stronger than last time (44 knotts with waves of 20 feet), but it is blowing straight up from Antarctica, so it is expected to be very cold. The little diesel heater will probably cop a bit of a workout!

January

2010

Southwest winds blew this anchored sailboat into Bayshore Park in late December

By Bi l l Di xon Water LIFE S ailing The Holiday Regatta is history. Next year we are going to call it Poquette’s Holiday. Jerry P.’ s Fancy Free won non spinnaker class, was first to finish the reverse start, won the award for best decorated boat, won the award for best costumed crew. Later Sunday, Karen Poquette won the award for best tasting chocolate dessert. Wow what a sweep!

There was no other serious competition for decorated boat. Bob and Mary Anderson on Journey On took second for crew costumes and Skip and Susan Vielhauer on Frolic took 3rd for crew costumes. Other dessert contest winners include: Sandy Anderson who had a birthday and won the award for best tasting Rum dessert, Mary Dorey, best tasting strawberry dessert and Barb Cartwright for best looking desert.

In sailboat racing, Tom Scott’s Whimsey was second in N/S, Bill Wilkinson’s Flying Cloud 3rd. In Spinnaker Class, Bob Knowles’ Bama S lammer was first, one of Dave Flechsig’s many boats Blind Chance second and Peter New’s Crime S cene third. Cruising class was won

by Mike Busher on S erendipity, Rudy Gottschlich was second on Diva Gorda, Tony Millan third on Anam Cara. For the first time this year we had a Multihull fleet. Thank you Peter Welch. Pete W. was first on In Flight, John Shetron on Cut Time second and William Coogan 3rd on Tini Two. All the racers had great weekend weather. Good strong breezes on Saturday allowed two six mile races. Bright sunshine with moderate temperatures on Sunday made the loooooong 8 ½ mile reverse start race a nice way to spend all day.

Many thanks to Gene Fuller PRO, and author of the Notice of Race and the Sailing Instructions, Jerry Haller for the Sunday feast, The Conquistadors for judging the decorated boat and costumed crew contests, all of their helpers as well as the many people who helped me directly.

January 3 the PGSC spring series starts and on Jan 9, 10 PPYC – at Burnt Store is holding their annual Golden Conch Regatta.

William Dixon: dixonwj@comcast.net

Top Spots Down Below January

2010

By Adam Wi l son Water LIFE Diving Almost the entire month of December was a blow out with back to back fronts that just pounded our area.

The one small window we had to get offshore was slammed shut when we lost a hydraulic line for the trim tabs.

Water temps are now buried solidly in the 60’s. For the next few months your heaviest wet suit will be a necessity.

For warmth, a hot water hose run off a motor is a huge plus, and it’s not a difficult setup to rig, even off an outboard.

Another great alternative is to carry along containers filled at home with hot water and stored in an empty cooler for the ride out. The water will stay warm for hours and can make doing multiple drops very enjoyable. A long and oversized parka style jacket can also save the day when it’s cold out. Slipped on right over your wet suit, it will keep your core temperature up for those long rides between dive spots.

Here are some of the most i nteresti ng and producti ve spots you wi l l fi nd us at thi s year: 1. Jeff S teel e Reef. Completed in September of 2008 with 500 tons of concrete this is a new reef. In just over 60 feet of water and straight out of Stump Pass, this is going to be a huge fish producer. It is already loaded with snapper, grouper and bait fish galore. The shallow depth is perfect for open water divers and there is already lots of reef life to explore, even for the non hunter. More material is to be added to this area in the near future.

N 26 55.825 W 82 35.900

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2. Bayronto. A must dive for any wreck lover this spot is filled with history. In 100 feet off Englewood this is one of our few natural shipwrecks. Put down by a powerful hurricane in 1919, this 400 foot freighter has enough to explore for hundreds of dives. Visibility is almost always good this far from shore. I have seen many a huge amberjack and cobia roam this wreck in the winter. Sitting upside down, artifacts are rare to find, but seashells of all varieties abound. A flashlight is crucial on this site.

3. Boxcar reef. This is a popular spot and on a calm day it can have quite a few boats on and around it. The good

and the wheelhouse at 155 feet, max depth at the sand is 190 feet. To really be able to spend enough time on this 180 foot freighter that sank in 1992, advanced nitrox, decompression theory and tri-mix are necessary. Monstrous, that’s the only way to describe the fish calling this wreck home. Amberjacks pushing 100 pounds, grouper not far behind, and at certain times of year schools of trophy cubera snappers inhabit this wreck. Sitting perfectly upright makes interior exploration very possible, but artifacts of great value are probably nonexistent due to its modern day sinking. Surface oil slicks give away this wreck’s location once near.

Tarpon at the phosphate dock. The Phosphate Dock is a great dive on the right tide.

news is there is a ton of stuff in this one small area. In 70 feet and out of Boca Grande Pass this spot can be hit or miss depending on the amount of bait. If the reef is blanketed with nervous water from thick schools of bait, then there is sure to be plenty of action below. For some unknown reason we always see either one huge lone amberjack here or sometimes a very small school of big jacks – not typical with this shallow depth. A good place to start, N 26.41.830 W 82.36.063, or www3.leegov.com/naturalresources/artreef. htm.

4. Roatan Express I. Although the crow’s nest can be reached at 135 feet,

N26 20.392 W 83 22.048 or N 26 20.358 W 83 22.027 5. Veni ce Bone Yard. Whether wading in from the beach or hitching a ride just offshore this is one of the few places to dive for ancient fossils in the world.

Several days of east winds makes visibility best. Sometimes up to 20 feet, but only a few feet is needed to search for megalodon teeth and other extinct vertebrate remains. Easily accomplished by the most novice diver, even the most experienced will get excited about a good day of hunting treasures off Venice.

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6. Twi n Barges. A pair of barges laying next to each other and forming a V in 90 feet, this is a part of what’s known as Charlie’s reef. It’s a few miles south of the main pile of hopper cars and the Pegasus tug boat. Once again a flashlight is crucial for hunting the swarms of snappers hiding in the washouts under the barges. Big goliath grouper are also common here. This is another spot known for huge amberjacks in relation to its shallow depth. It’s not uncommon to see jacks over 70 pounds here and in good numbers. We also see an increase in shark activity in this area.

N 26 29.975 W 82 43.468 7. Capti va Bl ue Hol e. Just south of the twin barges, this spot has been popular with divers and fisherman for years. Although heavily fished it’s a very different dive from anything else in our area. Starting at 80-85 feet, the edge drops off sharply to more than 170 feet.

Swimming along the rim allows for max bottom time. The entire circular edge can be navigated in one dive if on nitrox and a steady pace is kept. Big jacks are common in the winter. Big grouper can be seen, but usually dive for the deeper caves and crevices once spotted. The east side has a gradual slope instead of a sheer drop and tends to hold the most fish. N 26 28.900 N 82 44.190 8. Trembl ay Reef. Straight out of Little Gasparilla Pass in 40 feet of water, the huge log-pile of concrete I-75 bridge beams is home to some big sheepheads in winter. With reliefs to 12 feet this site resembles a huge underwater playground.

It’s nice to have a chase boat here. The reef covers a large area and if you are not great at navigating, surfacing far from an anchored boat is easy to do. When the vis is good, this is a great dive. It’s also a great place to find a new anchor!

N 26 47.350 W 82 22.700 Hope to see some friendly faces on all of these spots and more this year. If you see us with our diver down flag hail us on channel 16. We can always make room for another boat next to us. Safe diving to everyone in 2010.

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Page 22

January Fishing Report

Charlotte Harbor:

Robert at Fishin' Franks Port Charlotte: 625-3888

It’s usually cold in January but so far it looks like, with el-Niño, we’ve just been getting a bunch of mild cold fronts with one occasional good front mixed in every now and then. Temperatures are fluctuating. The fish are moving back and forth. Trout season is open, trout are usually a schooling fish so they are easy on artificial or live bait. This is a good time to get women and children interested in fishing. It’s not hard to keep the rod bent all day long. You can down-size the tackle and enjoy trout fishing instead of water skiing them to the boat. Try a D.O.A. shrimp cast out under a popping cork. Small topwaters, like the Zara Top Puppy or soft plastics on a jig head - lightly bounced off the bottom will get a trout interested. Good areas for trout are Alligator creek, and the bars around the east side and the west wall. Fan cast the grassy areas to hunt out trout.

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Pine Island down around Useppa and some of the small islands around Cabbage Key or the Indian Fields on the east side, are all very productive trout areas.

S heepshead are another predominant species this month. They are a good fish to practice your patience on, because of what good bait thieves they are. Fishing around any structure; the Phosphate Ddocks, the Placida Trestle, Captiva Pass, Gallaghers Cut and the entrance to Bull Bay have all been holding sheepshead. El Jobean is another really good hot spot this time of year for sheepshead and fiddler crabs are the best bait. When it’s chilly, and fiddlers are not around, pieces of peeled shrimp, or sand fleas also work really well.

Pompano are usually fairly predominant in the colder weather. The west wall around Hog Island on the Myakka side, the bar south of Burnt Store all the away to Pineland are all really good spots to look for them.

There are also pompano along the beaches at Englewood and Boca Grande. These are fish often between 15 to 23 inches. A pound-and-a-half to three pounds is average for pompano, but it’s not unusual to catch them up to 5.

January

2010

If you can find a calm day the offshore grouper and snapper fishing has been very good. Guys are catching gags up to 30 inches - as close in as 8 miles; mangs and yel l owtai l snapper as close in as12 miles. Drift fishing is the best way to find your own spots that haven’t been beat up too bad. Drag your bait as close to the bottom as possible, try pinfish or frozen sardines; when you get a hit, mark the spot and anchor up. You can also troll Bombers or a Mann stretch 30. On braided line you can troll in 60 feet of water with 30-depth lure and if you let out enough line you can bounce it off the bottom. Just watch the rod tip vibrate with an occasional thump. If you get snagged that might be the spot, so turn around and go back with a new lure.

S nook and redfi sh are almost the same fishing this time of year. Snook are moving into the canals in PC and PGI but the Peace River is really the place to go to.

Try fishing along the little islands from north of 75 all the way up to Shell Creek. That’s where the better concentration of snook and reds are when it cools off.

Continued on facing page

January

2010

Fishing Report .

www.WaterLIFEmagazine.com

The The BIG-4 BIG-4

conti nued Select size shrimp are the size for these river fish.

If you are fishing in the POMPANO: Still moving into lower Harbor for redfish practhe harbor tice using circle hooks because of the abundance of small undersized reds that are around right now.

Tarpon are not unusual on the upper Peace River in the winter. Shell Creek is a real popular spot as is the area north of the navigator in the deeper holes and on the deeper river curves. The hole by Liverpool should be very good next month and into early March for tarpon. There are a few bl uefi sh and plenty of l adyfi sh mixed in out there in the harbor and bonnethead sharks are still around too.

Lemon Bay:

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

Fish to expect expect in in Fish to

TROUT: Out on the grassy flats

A lot of guys are telling me about catching redfi sh, the fish are not in big groups so you have to work at it. Guys that are doing well are moving around and they keep casting. Trout are nice and plentiful now. There has not been much of a snook bite in the bay. The Pompano fishing is really pretty good. Guys are catching their limit at Boca on the beach. The Nylure redfish jig in Chartreuse, white, and the ones with a gold head are popular in 1/4 and 3/8 oz. Use the 3/8 oz jig where the current is a little stronger. The sheepshead bite is pretty good, mostly on fiddler crabs and sand fleas. Sheepshead are at the Placida Trestle, over on Placida and Gasparilla piers. Some guys are doing OK at the Tom Adams Bridge too. It seems like sheepshead are on all the pilings. A number of guys are catching fl ounder on squid strips, chub minnows

January January

SHEEPSHEAD: On the inshore pilings near the pass

Shane Parker with a December Charlotte Harbor snook.

or finger mullet on a flounder rig which is like a Carolina rig with long weight. Offshore there are a lot of red grouper in the 20 mle range and quite a few in closer. The Bomber CD25 and 30, a knockoff of the Rapala Count Down lure with a big lip and heavy hook, is the ticket for slow trolling for grouper. And, finally, there are still some mackerel around, and a number of sharks like 6-8 foot blacktips, big nurse sharks and some bulls. Fishing is good.

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Go

REDFISH: In the deeper creeks and holes

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Fishing RIGHT NOW

Excellent

THIS IS CONFUSING The SPINNER SHARK has all back fin-tips.

The BLACKTIP SHARK (shown) has all but one black fin-tip, it does NOT have a black tip on its anal fin.

January

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2010

R ED U C ED

R ED U C ED

R ED U C ED

R ED U C ED

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