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Water LIFE
MAGAZINE
March
2008
March
2008
Water LIFE
MAGAZINE
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Water LIFE
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LETTERS
A Waking Moment Several weekends ago I noted a local Coast Guard Auxiliary Boat full of volunteers going into a congested “No Wake” zone a couple of hundred yards before coming off plain. It caused a considerable wake to be thrown at boats moored at a nearby dock. How much wake is a minimum wake? No one really seams to know. I have been a licensed captain for over 30 years and I asked everyone I could because I wasnʼt sure. What I found out was no one knows the difference between wake and no wake. So I hit the books and still couldnʼt find the answer. To be honest you canʼt make way in water without making some wake. The real important thing here is that you are responsible for your wake and for negligent operation that endangers life and property. Thatʼs Coast Guard Rules! If someone gets hurt or if boats or property are damaged you are responsible for that persons injury or property damages. Chapman Piloting and Seamanship says “regulate your speed so that no destructive wake results; excessive wake can cause damage to other boats and to shore installations. The Power Squadron teaches that “High Speed boating in restricted or congested areas is dangerous and against the law. Operate your boat at a reasonable speed when close to shore or near moored or drifting boats, floats, docks, launch ramps, swimmers, or downed water skiers. Your wake
TO
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Alligator Creek is a popular spot for fishing but itʼs also an access channel for many working boaters
must never endanger any person or property.”; and, “be careful when approaching other boats or congested areas”; “reduce wake by slowing down a considerable distance before passing another boat.” Rumor has it that the “No Wake” rule is being terminated and changed to “Slow Speed Minimum Wake.” I was told by a canal maintenance worker that he was replacing some signs in PGI with “Slow Speed - Minimum Wake” signs. This makes a lot of sense to me. The other day I was fishing about 50 feet from a mangrove island with my Power Pole holding the boat in perfect position. Suddenly, a fast boat came roaring by rocking me creating a large wake on the island. The Power Pole held the boat in position but the fishing was over. During the winter months, Alligator Creek is a great place to fish. In addition to holding fish in the deeper water of the creek it is a safe haven from rough conditions on Charlotte Harbor and the low water levels on the flats. While many boats are anchored and fishing in the creek it can become quite congested. Still some incon-
siderate and uneducated boaters fly by at full speed creating a very dangerous situation. Some of these ʻfly boysʼ are licensed captains who know better. Worse yet, some boaters are unaware of the problem they are creating and will cry fowl when they themselves anchor and someone else rocks their boat. Fishermen also need to be considerate of other vessel operators and the law. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Boating Safety Course teaches that it is illegal to anchor a vessel in the traveled portion of a river or channel that will prevent or interfere with any vessel passing through the same area. Let common sense prevail! Alligator Creek is wide enough for fishing boats to safely anchor at either side of the channel and fish leaving ample room for passing boats to proceed safely be it at a slower speed than fast. Common sense also suggests that you navigate just right of center in the channel ready to alter your course more to starboard (right) and pass port to port if an oncoming boat suddenly appears. The Alligator Creek “Slow Speed - Minimum Wake” zone should be extended down to at least Marker 17. Food for thought
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maybe, instead of “no motor zones” that are being proposed in a few places in S.W. Florida. It would be easier to just off plane if you are within a 100 feet of a mangrove shore line. Perhaps “Slow Speed - Minimum Wake.” One of the all time great deep sea captains is Terry Morris. He told me the best way to avoid going fast in a no wake zone is to just go fast enough to maintain bearing and safe steerage. Any faster and once again you probably are going too fast. On the Venice canal, which I proudly live, we get to see everything from full speed ahead to very little wake. Yes, I said full speed ahead in a canal! Itʼs difficult for me to believe that a neighbor and fellow boater would be so rude, not only to me but to everyone else who lives on the Venice canal. The fact is certain boaters do it every day, the same boats every time. “Slow Speed - Minimum Wake” sure makes sense to me. No more “No Wake?” This could solve this waking problem. As I said, itʼs just a rumor. Could it be? Safe boating and be kind out there. Capt. Rick Kelley, Punta Gorda
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© 2008 Vol VII No. 3 Water LIFE
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Fishing / Environment: Capt. Ron Blago Charlotte Harbor: Capt. Robert Moore Gasparilla: Capt. Chuck Eichner Port Charlotte: Capt Andy Medina Offshore: Capt. Steve Skevington Real Estate: Dave Hofer Sailing Advisor: Bill Dixon Kayaks: David Allen Sea Grant: Betty Staugler Diving: Adam Wilson
on the COVER:
Todd Gilbert landed this tarpon along the beach in February – See page 6
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Manatee Myths: Read the original plan to create sanctuaries and refuges, as spelled out by the United Nations in 1984
Kids Cup Updates, Fish Tracking and Tournament Information.
March
Water LIFE
2008
MAGAZINE
Trap Line Set to Snare Boats in the Myakka?
By Michael Heller Water LIFE editor The FWC is looking into an incident on the Myakka River involving some person or persons who apparently set a snare line designed to entangle powerboats. “I was out fishing with my buddies when my friend hooked onto something,” Jeff Calkins said. He reeled it in and found they had hooked onto some dacron line. “At first we thought someone lost their rod, so we followed the line. It was brand new line so I thought there might be a brand new rod on the end or something,” Calkins said. They followed the line and
came to another line, a blue plastic one – and a relatively new plastic covered small boat anchor. But the line also went on. Calkins used his Boga Grip to slide along the line. It went on and on, and at the end was another length of thick blue plastic line. “It’s almost as
if it was from a weed eater, but I’ve never seen a blue weed eater line,” Calkins said. And another anchor – a bigger Danfortrh, rusty and looking like it had been out in the elements more than underwater. But there was still the other end of the line. They loaded the
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Water LIFE
Early Tarpon Bite MAGAZINE
By Capt Todd Gi l bert Special to Water LIFE We were off on the hunt for pompano. Our first stop was Little Gasparilla Pass. Within minutes, the first fish was caught. It was only a squirrel fish, but I put it in the well. We could use that for bait. After several more squirrel fish but no pompano we moved out of the pass, driving along the shoreline continuing our search for pompano. There were numerous birds diving. I threw the net over a school of bait swimming past the boat. My clients were amazed at how easily this was done. With more bait in the well the pompano search resumed. My clients did not care what they caught; they simply wanted to catch fish. I headed out towards another flock of diving birds. I told my clients with the large amount of bait around, there was the possibility of cobia, kingfish, or bonita. All an exciting fight on light tackle. The school of bait was at least an acre across. I rigged two poles with white bait, and then cast on the outside of the school where I could see larger fish swimming. The bait was not even in the water two minutes and the fight was on. We landed a nice cobia 5 minutes later. While I was removing the hook, the client fishing at the back of the boat yelled out that he had a big fish on and that it had just jumped out of the water. I had not seen the fish jump so I walked to the back of the boat to see what he had on his line. I only use 15-pound test and 25pound leader. I had to turn the trolling motor on so the fish would not take all his line. Then the fish came flying out of the water again, approximately 5-6 feet in the air. I yelled to the man that it was a tarpon ranging from 50-to 60-pounds. Five more jumps from the fish and 50 minutes later, I grabbed for the leader to
March
2008
release it. Needless to say, the fish did not like what it saw, and took off like a jet snapping the 25-pound leader. “What a fight!” the man said. “That was the biggest fish I ever had on the line in my whole life!” I told him that it was very rare to catch a tarpon this time of year. It was February 12th. Generally the water temperature in February is still too cold for the tarpon. Some people say there are resident fish here and I agree, however those fish are usually found inside Charlotte Harbor where the water is much warmer. We headed back to the school of bait to see what else we could catch. I did have a tarpon rod on my boat that day, so I baited it with a squirrel fish and cast it outside the school of bait. Then I placed the rod in the rod holder, and baited the light tackle rods. The squirrel fish had been in the water about 3 minutes when the rod bent in half and smoke started pouring off the reel. The fish propelled itself out of the water, 8-to 10-feet high. This was higher then I had ever seen a tarpon jump before. This fish was much larger. I handed the rod to the other man and stood there thinking to myself it was the middle of February and we already had one Tarpon to the boat and now we had a larger one on. Twenty five minutes later, we landed that fish. I removed the hook, took some pictures, and then measured it. This tarpon had a length of 70 inches, and a girth of 38 inches. When you do the math, the fish is estimated to weigh 128-pounds. For the middle of February this is an awesome catch. Whether it is a resident fish or a fish starting to move in from down south, all I can say is we caught two very nice fish that day. Todd Gilbert can be reached at (941) 416-
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March
2008
“Weʼre going to need another boat!”
March
2008
By Mi chael Hel l er Water LIFE editor The strike came almost as soon as we were in position. It wasn’t 10 seconds before the telltale ‘dip’ of the line. Then all hell broke loose. The line went taught, the float went under and the boat lurched backwards. There was no controlling it. It rolled and the transom slipped below the water, bow going skyward. Then the boat popped up and was dragged in a swirling circle. It was like the scene out of ‘Jaws’, but our fish was actually bigger than our little radio controlled boat – and our fish was a snook! We were laughing hard! It worked! I got the idea a year ago, that I could modify a toy radio controlled boat and use it as a fishing tool. Since then, I have been told this is not a new idea, that some guy did this on a bass lake a number of years back, and Byron Stout of the News Press had recently said he was told about a company that is going to market such a device. I also heard that in Europe they use a remote controlled boat on the North Sea to drop chum for the shore fishermen. But for me it was a new idea. My reasoning was, if I could design the right boat I could use it as a bait delivery system, something that could run a big fat shrimp or a shiner right up under the mangroves. A boat that could venture into the tiniest little creekmouth looking for fish without any branch breaking. Small is stealthy when it comes to fishing boats. This boat is 15-inches. The boat I picked was a cheap radio controlled ‘toy’ from the Overton’s catalogue. It cost $65. A ‘real’ radio controlled boat would probably be better. When the boat came I took it into my shop and immediately disassembled it. The electronics package was deep inside the hollow hull – one simple circuit board. Problem was, it was not sealed against the elements. A plastic on plastic screwed down cover, and a bigger problem was that this particular boat was assembled with one screw missing. I figured this was a freshwater toy so any salt incursion would be fatal. I took out a fresh tube of 5200 marine ‘sealer’ and sealed the electronics. Then I sealed the motor housings and the antenna cable attachment. Then I reinstalled the deck. I sealed and 5200’d the battery wire and devised a way of keeping the battery in a zip lock bag, plugging the connector right through the bag to make it watertight. Every time I disconnect the battery I just use a fresh bag. With the deck on and screwed down I drilled a few holes in it and pumped the inside of the hull full of expandable foam from Home Depot. The boat was now truly unsinkable. Next, I pop-riveted an aluminum angle across the boat amidships and anther one at the stern. On the stern bracket I envisioned a ‘clip’ of some sort to hold the line. Down at Fishin’ Franks my friend Robert came up with the perfect outrigger clip. A $26 stainless job that looked like it was made to order for my project. I sprayed the boat’s non-stainless prop shafts with Corrosion-X and I was ready.
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The boat went to its first sea trials in my pool and then on to the canal where I found, on a calm day, it would cross our 100 foot canal a number of times on one charge of the battery. I was ready for the big time. With a couple of dozen shrimp in the well, I enlisted my friend Capt Ralph Allen to come along. This was not going to be a one man fishing trip. Someone had to drive the radio controlled boat and someone else had to hold the rod and (hopefully) land the fish. We tried first along the seawall outside Fishermen’s Village, looking for snapper. We found none and the 5-10 knot wind was proving to be a little more than we wanted. Another problem was we tangled the line around the props on several occasions. Then we ventured down to the calm south fork of Alligator Creek. I rigged an old Paradise Popper float I had on board to the outrigger clip, then we threaded a twisted section of the line through the eye of the popper’s swivel and up to the outrigger clip, so that a strike would pull the line completely free. This solved the prop tangling problem and popper also gave us something to watch ‘twitch’ when a fish nibbled. We had a couple of snapper hits on the South Fork and I got the hang of maneuvering through the fringe of the bushes. The snapper were biting off the bait too fast and we couldn’t effect a real hook-set with the line through the clip. ‘Perhaps a circle hook?’ Ralph had suggested, but we had none aboard. The battery was running low so I plugged it into the charger and we headed up to Colony Point. By the time we got there the battery had a little more juice, so we anchored up in the basin and I pointed the boat toward the concrete docks. The boat is steered by differential control. There are two motors – one motor shuts down to make a turn. The two little plastic one-inch propellers do a lot of churning and thrashing. From the beginning, I thought the noise would be a problem. But that turned out not to be the case. In fact, the noise of my ‘power on,’ ‘power off’ navigating style might have been an enticement for the snook. It all came together like clockwork. The snook hit the bait as soon as I had the boat in position – a snook smacking head turning hit that rolled the boat on its side like the scene out of Jaws, before the outrigger released. Then, while Ralph fought the fish I maneuvered the
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Jaws, the movie
boat up towards it to see if it would spook him. It did not. He didn’t even pay attention to it. Will radio controlled boats provide the next tournament ‘edge’? Some tournament rules say: no wading, that you can’t leave your boat to fish, but no tournament rules, yet, say anything about using a radio controlled fishing aid. Looking back, it is amazing that we actually landed that fish, amazing because When a 23 inch snook took the bait our little toy we were both boat was swung around laughing so hard and dragged under, but it we could easily popped up and the line have fallen overreleased as planned. Right: The outrigger board! release clip.
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By Mi chael Hel l er Water LIFE Editor The Sea Grant Agent assigned to Charlotte County is the closest thing this county has ever had to a staff marine biologist. I lauded the Charlotte County Commissioners for including the Sea Grant program in the County plan. “Emmantely qualified, a tireless worker and dedicated beyond belief, we’re so lucky to have her,” I said of Betty Staugler, the current agent, and I still feel that way today. Sixty percent of the Sea Grant position’s funding comes from the University of Florida and the rest from Charlotte county. Right now, because of budget cuts, Betty’s position is in jeopardy from both fronts. In order to decide how they should handle the Sea Grant position, the county has now hired an outside consultant to assess the situation. The consultant will report to a 15 person citizen’s committee and that committee will then make a final recommendation to the Commissioners. It is such an ‘insulated’ process. Right now it is imperative we all make sure the county and the consultant both understand how essential the Sea Grant position is to our local and coastal economy. If
Sea Grant Position in
Water LIFE
you are a charter captain licensed in the County you will be getting a letter from me. Please mail the enclosed survey card to the commissioners. There is also a petition circulating that everyone should go out of their way to find and sign. Later this month a copy of the petition should be at most bait and tackle shops and at most local barber shops as well. Please sign it. I’ll give you an example of what Betty is involved in: I searched my hard drive for a full face photo of Betty to use with this column and I couldn’t find one. I found a picture of Betty diving in the pass cleanup, one of the back of Betty’s head in the abandonedcrab-trap-recovery project, another picture of Betty underwater working on one of the county’s artificial reefs and another picture of Betty with a salinity meter pressed up against her face. I had numerous picture of Betty out in the thick of the mangrove devastation supervising the planting of thousands of mangrove propogules and I had still another picture of Betty doing the abandoned vessel clean up and at the Kids Cup helping with the fish tagging. I even came across a picture of Betty pouring over reams of grant applications and economic surveys in her office, but I couldn’t find a decent simple, stand-there-doing-nothing mug shot of her. That’s because she’s never standing around doing nothing. And that’s what makes her so valuable. In fact, to get the picture we used here I had to track her down and meet her on a street corner. The other part of the two pronged attack on Betty’s position came from J. Bernard Machen, President of the
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March
2008
University of Florida, who said, last month: “Agriculture is a dying industry in the state of Florida and not worthy of the investments being made by the legislature.” Machen then proposed $25 million in budget cuts aimed squarely at IFAS (The Instituter of Food and Agricultural Science) which includes the Sea Grant program. There was an immediate and loud outcry from the agricultural folks, so Machen’s reaction was to focus even more intently on cuts within Sea Grant. Meanwhile, ironically, Betty was voted Conservationist of the Year last month by the local CCA. I would hope the county’s citizen panel’s recommendation would be to not only maintain Betty’s position, but to fund it fully, in the event the University decides to eliminate some or all of their Sea Grant funding. Our neighboring counties have 8 and 12 person staffs of trained professionals used to monitor and maintain their waters, Charlotte has one and one assistant. My advice to the county commissioners: Get out on the water and see for yourselves. I know you are busy, call me any time and I’ll drop what I am doing and take you for a boat ride. We need to maintain a knowledgeable vigilance over our most important resource. My advice to J Bernard Machen is this: You’re right. The future of Florida is not in agriculture. It’s in the water. If you want to help Florida, give Sea Grant more, not less funding.
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2008
A WHAT D R E A M 4 HOME, BEDRMS POSSIBLE 5 OR BONUS ROOM ON 2ND STORY. 3 1⁄2 BATHS, 3 CAR GARAGE 2,589 SQ FT ALL BRAND NEW POOL/SPA HOME ON HUGE OVERSIZED CORNER LOT WITH UPGRADES GALORE. SOLID HONEY OAK CABINETS, CORIAN COUNTERS THRU OUT. BEAUTIFULLY LANDSCAPED, DONʼT MISS VIEWING THIS HOME, $499,900 CALL ELLEN 628-6954
REDUCED $100,000 FOR QUICK 2 SALE, CORNER LOTS, HOME PLUS 30X40 DETACHED GARAGE WITH ITʼS OWN DRIVEWAY, GREAT FOR A HOME BUSINESS. BOTH WITH NEW METAL ROOFS. HOME HAS 1,900 SQ FT. 3BEDRMS AND 2 BAS. NEW KITCHEN W/OAK CABINETS, TILE COUNTERS, HARDWOOD AND TILE FLOORS, NEED TO SELL $239,900 CALL ELLEN 628-6954
NEW YORK SECTION NOTHING TO DO BUT MOVE IN, IT HAS ALL BEEN DONE FOR YOU. NEW ROOF AND SCREEN ON LANAI, NEW FLOORING, DOOR IN LAUNDRY, RANGE AND SO MUCH MORE. GREAT FOR SEASONAL BUYERS. A HOME AWAY FROM HOME. DON‚T MISS THIS ONE $99,900 CALL ELLEN 628-6954
Water LIFE
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MAGAZINE
DEEP CREEK BEAUTY, 3/2/2 WITH SOLAR HEATED POOL AND DECRO COLORED PAVERS AROUND POOL, LANAI AND FRONT SCREENED ENTRY. 1,839 SQ FT, BUILT IN 1988 SHOWS LIKE NEW.. TILE ROOF, WOOD AND TILE FLOORS, GREAT ROOM, AND SO MUCH MORE. $224,900 New Listing! CALL ELLEN 628-6954
A MILLION $ SAILBOAT HOME JUST OFF THE HARBOR. LOCATED IN THE PCH BEACH COMPLEX AREA. 2 STORY, 3,734 SQ FT, 5 BEDRMS, 4 1/2 BATHS, 2 CAR GAR.,HEATED POOL, 3 A/C, CIRCULAR STAIRS, TRAVATINE MARBLE AND WOOD FLOORS, WHITE CABINETS, COUNTERS STONE, CROWN MOLDING, MANY OTHER UPGRADES. PRICED RIGHT! $849,900 CALL ELLEN 628-6954
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T O TA L LY REMODELED FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, 1,870 SQ FT OF NEW TILE AND LAMINATED FLOORS, DRYWALL, INSULATION, MANABLOC PLUMBING, ROOF, PAINT, HICKORY WOOD CABINETS, GRANITE COUNTER, APPLIANCES, A/C AND THE LIST GOES ON. ABOVE GROUND POOL AND LARGE WORKSHOP AND SHED. $155,900 CALL ELLEN 628-6954
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LOOKING FOR A GREAT BUY ON WATERFRONT PROPERTY. LOOK NOT MORE. 1,838 SQ FT, 3/2/2 WITH SEAWALL AND DOCK. ENJOY FISHING FROM YOUR BACK YARD OR BOAT. JUST MINUTES TO THE HARBOR BY ELKCAM WATERWAY. GREAT SIZE HOME FOR ENTERTAINING. $224,900 CALL ELLEN 628-6954 LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION – THIS HOME IS NEAR EVERYTHING IN DOWNTOWN PORT CHARLOTTE, SHOPPING, RESTURANTS, MALL, ETC. 3/2/2 WITH 2,000 SQ FT. ENTER THRU DOU. DOORS WITH TILE IN TRAFFIC AREAS. LIVING, DINING AND FAMILY ROOM WITH LARGE EAT IN KITCHEN AND BAR. $189,900 CALL ELLEN AT 628-6954
RIVERWOOD GRAND DEEP CREEK VISTA GROUND FLOOR MURDOCK NEW HOME. Itʼs a CORNER Quality Builders Home C O N D O . JUST LISTED CONDO IN HERITAGE LOOKING FOR A MODEL HOME? THEN THIS IS IT!.3/2/2 BUILT IN with 2,084 sq ft. with 2001. BEAUTIFUL HARDWOOD FLOORS NOTHING TO DO BUT WHAT A OAKS, BEST PRICE IN COMMUNITY. living and family rms. MOVE IN. THIS HOME SHOWS PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP THRU 2/2 WITH CARPORT. WALK OUT G R E AT OUT. NICE LANDSCAPYou have to see this BUY. VIEW YOUR LANAI TO CLUBHOUSE POOL, REDUCED! ING, OVERSIZED CORone. It features Tri-level Cherry wood finish OF PRE- TENNIS AND LAKE. UPGRADED TILE SERVE AND GOLF COURSE. LOVELY AND CARPET, KITCHEN SINK, LIGHT NER FENCED LOT AND SO MUCH MORE. $168,900 CALL ELLEN cabinets, granite counters, stainless steel appliance, tile floors, volume ceilings, beauTRAYED FORMAL DIN. RM. GREAT FIXTURES, CEILING FANS, WASHER 628-6954 tiful master bath and more. $239,900 call DÉCOR PAINT COLORS. WOOD CABIAND DRYER. DONʼT MISS THIS
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LOOK!! 10 ACRES COVERED WITH PRODUCING ORANGE GROVE ON NEWLY PAVED ROAD NEAR NEW BABCOCK RANCH DEV, OFFERING GOOD POTENTIAL APPREC. YOU CAN HAVE A 10 ACRE HOME SITE AND ROOM FOR HORSES. ACREAGE IS ON A CORNER 330X1320. THIS AREA IS READY TO BOOM. $199,900 CALL ELLEN 628-6954
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2,036 SQ FT POOL HOME WITH ALL THE UPGRADES. LOVELY TILE IN BATHS, NEW KITCHEN WITH WOOD CABINETS, GRANITE COUNTERS ALSO IN BATHS, LIVING AND FAMILY ROOM. DINING RM, BAR AND BREAKFAST RM. FAM. RM. WITH WOOD FLOOR. SPACIOUS SIZE RMS THRU OUT. A MUST SEE $269,900 CALL ELLEN 628-6954
Water LIFE
Redfish Fin Clip Program
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St aff Rep o rt In 1999 the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, in partnership with Mote Marine, began Project Tampa Bay, a large scale redfish stock enhancement designed to increase recreational catches and determine the best and most cost-effective methods for redfish stocking. To date, more than 4.2 million juvenile redfish have been released by the FWC, Stock Enhancement Research Facility. Now researchers are increasingly interested to see if any of the fish released in Tampa Bay have made their way to the Bull Bay, Turtle Bay or up into the Charlotte Harbor area. One way they can tell is by sampling fin clips. The fin clip is then analyzed using DNA technology to identify if the redfish was produced by a female spawned at the hatchery. Scientists from Mote have already taken fin clips at the Flatsmasters Qualifying tournament and at the FLW event, both held in February at Punta Gorda. Now scientists are asking that recreational anglers participate in the fin clip
43' Vikng Double Cabin1980 T/310hp Detroits - GM-6-71's, twin A/C-heat, great electronics, 7.5kw gen., swim platform . $139,900
March
MAGAZINE
process. Anglers clip a nickel-size piece of fin from the end of the second dorsal (back) fin. (the fin will grow back). Place the fin clip in the plastic bag provided in your fin clip kit. Record the fish and angler information on the bag label. Keep the fin clip on ice or freeze it (prevents DNA from degrading) until you can drop it off at a participating bait and tackle shops. Anglers who turn in a fin clip with complete fish capture information are entered into drawings for prizes donated by local and national businesses and will be mailed a postcard with information on whether their fin clip was from a hatchery-reared or wild redfish. To obtain a free Fin Clip Kit, a list of bait & tackle shops, or additional fin clip bags please call: Redfish Hotline 1-800-367-4461 or
31' Pursuit 3100 Offshore 2004 T/315hpYanmars w/320hrs, A/C, Plotter, FF/depth, radar, AP, VHF, windlass, down rigger, full Eisenglass enc. $179,900
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2008
30' Luhrs 1987. RARE FIND; A Luhrs Alura with Factory Hard Top and 210hp Cummins Diesel with trolling valve, very economical to run. $56,500
34' Catalina Islander Convertible 1995 T/250hp Cummins 6BTA5.9, full canvas, 5kw gen., tabs, A/C-heat, instruments, GPS and plotter. $109,900
36'Cruisers 3650 Aft Cabin1996. Two biminis, T/340hp 7.4 EFI's, 6.5kw gen., full canvas, New manifolds & elbows, Reduced! $79,900
33' Wellcraft 330 Coastal MAJOR PRICE REDUCTION!!!! Perfect condition and stored under cover it's whole life. Never been fished, low hours, $99,000
20' Mako Flats boat, 2002. REDUCED!! Nicely equipped, Mercury 150 Optimax, trolling motor, bimini top & more. $14,995
45' Sea Ray 450 Express Bridge 2003. Loaded, every option, largest available Cummins diesels with extended warranty, hydraulic swim platform, bow thruster, Sat TV, new canvas. $349,000
36' Trojan Convertible 1985. Twin 350hp Crusaders, Raymarine C70 radar, GPS, plotter, finder, A/C. Equiped with all the right electronics. Great for offshore fishing. $49,900.
23' Everglades 230 CC Flats, 2002. 150hp Yamaha HPDI, power pole, Jackplate, Lenco trim tabs, trolling motor, GPS, Chart Plotter. Low hours, great shape, marina stored and maintained. $19,900
27' Cobia Center Console, 2002. REDUCED!!!for quick sale. Lift kept, low hour offshore CC ready to fish! Like new condition, head in the console,Yamaha HPDIs $41,900
28' Boston Whaler Conquest 2000. Twin Opti max 225hp, A/C-heat, refrig/freezer, Plotter, fish finder, electric windlass, outriggers. An excellent off shore fishing or just cruising vessel. $78,900
29' Sea Ray 290 Amberjack, 2002. Twin 240hp 5.0EFI Bravo 3. GPS, VHF, Lowrance 3500 Depth Sounder, bimini, windlass, A/C, Tabs. Ready to cruise or fish. Lift kept under cover. $59,900
37' Intrepid 2004. Triple 300 Yamaha HPFi's,w/extended warranty,air, gen, much more! Price includes a custom Myco trailer. $286,900
28' ProLine Walk Around Cuddy.Twin 200HP Yamaha outboards. Serious offshore fishing, without having to invest a lot of money. $19,900
46' Post Marine Sport Fisherman, 1983. Twin 450hp Detroit diesels, AP, GPS/plotter, radar, A/C-heat, hardtop with enclosure. rcent engine upgrades, and much more. $164,900
40' Baja 405 Performance 2006. Mercruiser 496 Upgraded to 850 horsepower. 7 year transferable fullr warranty! Flat screen TV, Tabs, Hydraulic Hatch, Capt始s. choice exhaust, Generator. $205,000.
33' Wellcraft Coastal 330 (Diesels) 1999 Priced to sell. T/300hp Cats w/395hrs, bridge freeze, plotter, AP, tabs, transom door, 5kw gen, hard top $109,000
Time To Transition To Snook
March
Water LIFE
2008
By Capt. Chuck Ei chner Water LIFE Charlotte Harbor Sometimes you have to wonder what is the favorite fish of southwest Florida. If you’re watching TV fishing shows these days you would certainly think it’s the redfish. There are tournament anglers chasing fish for fame and fortune with a lot of coverage on Charlotte Harbor. On the other hand the tarpon or silver king is a revered fish in our area. There is no other fish that fights like a tarpon and people come from around the world to fish for them. Perhaps in third place is the snook which gets a marginal amount of fishing coverage on television and thank the lord for that! For me, the snook is the ultimate fish and the best snook fishing of the year is here now! On any given day I have to choose my favorite fish to pursue and on more days than any other fish I chase snook and love it. They are aggressive, fight hard, jump and are found throughout our ecosystem. After an extremely mild winter I anticipate by the time you’re reading this, that the snook bite might already be underway. Typically March is a big transition month as the cool winter waters gradually warm, leading to excellent fishing towards the end of March. Huge numbers of snook will migrate into the harbor. They come up hungry after lying semi-dormant during the winter
months. This year the scenario is different. The waters never cooled to their normal lows and have been up and down throughout January and February. Pilchards have been in the harbor all winter (and catchable) and I have seen small fry baitfish in the canals nearly every day. Typically, it seems that the spring arrival of the baitfish coincides with the first early snook bite. Veteran southwest Florida anglers insist that all snook migrate into the rivers and return to the harbor in the spring. I have never truly believed this. Based on my observations there are plenty of snook around the harbor, near the beaches and in all of the canal systems throughout the winter. Even in a cold winter they are here however they don’t actively feed. Certainly plenty of snook migrate into the Peace and Myakka River systems but definitely not all of them. I suspect that on any given year if there is a good source of food in the middle of the harbor that snook will follow it. Though I have never experienced catching a snook in deeper open water during the winter, why wouldn’t they be there? So, this year with the bait already here in February the fish should be nearby and some long strings of warm, sunny weather should be the trigger for the ‘official’ start of the snook season. My prediction is for fantastic early snook fishing! I caught
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MAGAZINE
many snook in mid February and they fought hard and long. Fish activity is in direct correlation with water temperatures- simply, the warmer the water the more active fish become and the more they need to eat in order to sustain their activity. The big keys to our fishing in March are water temperature and tides. Snook love to feed around the mangroves and they migrate to the shallows on the higher tide phases. Finally, after a winter of high tides occurring well after dark we are seeing decent afternoon tides. Look to the second week this month for the afternoon tide phases to be higher and go to the bushes to fish. Afternoon tide phases are best because the radiant sunlight has warmed the waters as well. Early season snook seem to arrive in small, medium to large ‘squadrons’. I call them squadrons because they are schools of aggressive feeders and battlers and typically you will catch several to dozens in any one spot. They will blast your free swimming pilchards! Their transition into a spring feeding pattern finds them traveling to outside islands, creek mouths, points, oyster bars and bottom rises. I find they stage at these locations as they meander around looking for food and cover. As April approaches the fish tend to spread out further into the mangrove backcountry. The technique for snook fishing is simple. A basic 1/0 to
2/0 circle or ‘J’ hook attached to 18 inches of 30-pound leader is all you need. Sometimes a float works well and occasionally a rattling trout float can be effective under windy conditions. The clacking sound created with this float draws attention in the choppy water. The bait of choice is the pilchard or threadfin herring. Bait catching should be easy in the grassbeds. The biggest fishing challenges will be finding spots out of the wind. Winds that prevail from the west will push extra water into the harbor and allow fish to roam deep into the man-
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grove sanctuaries. The only problem is that this very wind may also stir the water up and snook don’t like turbulent water. Experiment with different locations if you’re favorite spot has cloudy water. Music to my ears is a singin’ drag as a snook rips towards the bushes. Hold your rod low to the water to turn its head and enjoy the magnificent fishery we have in March! 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
Boaters Wanted! Custom 3 bedroom 3 bath home w/separate guest quarters only 3 lots from Lemon Bay. Direct access to Lemon Bay, ICW and Stump Pass (no bridges). Lovely water views. Great rental property. Manasota Key Road. Spectacular secluded 3 bedroom 3 bath Gulf front home w/caged pool. One of a kind property surrounded by lush vegetation. Each room with incredible views.
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Page 14
New Tarpon Jigging Rig
Screaming Reels
By Capt. Andrew Medi na Water LIFE S taff Tarpon are right around the corner. To me that means respooling, cleaning, and getting tackle in order for a busy season. The end of February was an interesting time. Love bugs made a showing. To motorists that is a bad sign but for car washes and tarpon anglers it is a great sign. All we need now is to see the little white butterflies and I will be happy. During the last part of February, along the west wall, we saw a few tarpon – this could have been a fluke, or it could mean that our fish will show up early this year. One thing I would like to share with you is a new form of pass jig. We all know that tarpon pile up in the world famous Boca Grande Pass during the
Water LIFE
spring and summer months and we know these fish are best caught with either a live swimming bait or a pass jig. A few years ago the method of jig fishing was questioned and the old style jigs actually were banned from use in Boca Grande pass. It was changed to where the anglers in the pass had to use hog rings or cable ties, the same pound strength test as their leader, to keep the lead from falling off. I’m not saying this is a bad thing, but when the fish puts on an aerial display (for witch a tarpon is famous) the weight of the jig sometimes causes the hook to be thrown from the fish. Last season some tournament tarpon anglers used a new style jig made by the H2O lure company. The jig is a standard pass jig, 5oz in weight with a rubber tail. Instead of the zip tie a large
March
MAGAZINE
split ring is used to attach the jig to the bottom of the hook. The large split ring allows the jig to slide up around the hook and over the eye. When the fish surfaces the jig slides past the hook and up the leader line and it is met by a clip that is threaded onto to line end of the leader. This clip is the secret. It was designed by a fellow tarpon angler named James Kramer. As the jig goes over the one way clip, it is held in place and can not return to the bottom of the hook. The clip is made of a strong stainless steel wire and does not rust, so it can be used
multiple times. With the jig Below: A hog ring on the tarpon jig starts out around the hook, held by a head up on the line it keeps bait stopper. Once the fish is hooked, the weight out off the fishes the jig (somehow) slides up the leader (moving from the left in the photo mouth, allowing the angler above ) and over the clip. to fight the fish without interference of the weight on the hook. That’s one good thing; the other is if you get broke off at the hook you still have your $4 jig. Remember, be safe on the water. And enter your child in the 2008 Kids Cup – it will put a whole new perspective on ‘taking a kid web at www.Bentrods4u.com fishing.’ Capt. Andrew Medina can be reached for charters or for information at: (941)456-1540 or on the
You can reach H2O lures at (941) 794-8285 or on the web at www.H2Olures.com
22' Pathfinder 2200 V tournament Series, 2005. Single 200hp Yamaha HPI 2004. Very well maintained, includes trailer. $38,500
34' Intrepid Center Console, 1999. Twin 250HP Yamis. Radar & plotter, AP, electric head with holding tank. 1 owner, stepped hull, lift kept well maintained. $89,900
28' Scout 280SF CC Fisherman, 2002. Twin 225hp Yamaha 4 strokes. Very nice condition throughout, and lift stored! $74,500
34' Formula 34 PC 1998. Twin 385HP Mercruisers 7.4L MPI Horizon. Built on a constant dead rise deep V hull with moderate beam. Excellent condition $88,000
28" Bertram Sportfish, 1982. Twin 260HP Mercruisers 1990. Raymarine D5400X Sounder/FFr/Depth finder combo, VHF, Garmin 215 GPS MAP. $29,900
32' Luhrs Tournament 320, 1992. Twin 340HP Marine power 7.4L. Well maintained & equipped, GPS,Radar, color video sounder. Salt Shaker hard top, $82,000
30' SeaRay 300 Weekender, 1989. Always been lift stored out of the water. 260HP Mercruiser Inboards. $28,900
28' Carver Riviera, 1989. Excellent condition inside and out.Twin gas motors, full head, galley and dinette. You'll proud to make her your own. $26,900
27' Sportcraft hard top, 1991. 270hp Mercruiser. Great fishing / cruising. Lift kept, enclosed head, sleeps 2. Make offer. $19,900
23' Sea Swirl 2300 Stripper, 2000. Single 200HP Evinrude. Nice walkaround cuddy, good for coastal fishing, cruising and diving. $24,900
26' Boca Grande Cuddy, 1986. Many recent upgrades to include new risers and oil cooler.Well maintained and cared for. PRICED TO SELL! $21,900
23' Hurricane Deck Boat 237, 2002. Low hours on 200hp Yamaha 2 stroke. Full mooring cover, lift kept. $18,900
17' Bayliner Trophy Center Console, 2001. 90HP Mercury 4-stroke for 50+ mph. Mint shape and has a full mooring cover. Trailer included. REDUCED TO $11,900
21' Regal 2120 Deck Boat, 2005. 220HP Volvo 4.3L MPI. JUST REDUCED $3,000 like-new with less than 25 engine hours and transferable hull warranty. $25,900
22' Black Jack 224 Bay, 2006. Single 250HP Yamaha 4- Stroke only 45 hours, T-top with box and lights. Mint condition and designed especially for fishing. $47,900
2008
The Slow Death of Fishing
March
2008
By Capt Ron Bl ago Water LIFE Senior Staff Every once in a while I stop and take a look at where the trend in saltwater fishing regulations is headed and what we can expect in the future. I’ve been around long enough to remember when there were no laws affecting saltwater fishing in Florida. The old saying ‘take my bait, cross my plate’ was the fishing philosophy of the day. I remember the beginning of the fishing conservation movement back in the 80’s with the making of redfish a gamefish and the passing of the net-ban amendment. Most of my friends, including myself, became born again conservationists and began condemning people for doing what we had done just a few years earlier. Everything was just black and white back then. First they charged you to go fishing with a fishing license. No one complained except a few of the old timers who thought they had a God-given-right to catch fish. The rest of us were all for it; after all, the money was going to go right back into the resource and the fishing would get better. And there was that snook stamp; but who wouldn’t spend a couple of bucks to help out our favorite fish? Then they told us what to catch and when to catch it. Closed seasons, bag limits and size limits started creeping in slowly at first, until now, when it has reached a point where just about every fish you catch has some kind of rule attached to it. I used to pride myself on keeping up with the latest regulations, but I can’t do it anymore. I look at the 2008 Florida Fishing Regulations book and it's like looking at the US tax codes. What is the minimum size for a sheepshead? What is the maximum size for a black drum? How do you measure a Spanish mackerel? It’s too much, it’s too complicated for the average fisherman to understand; and don’t feel too bad because
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even law enforcement officers are having a hard time keeping up with all the changes. An even darker cloud is starting to fall over fishermen. Now they want to tell you where to fish and how to fish. The proliferation of No Fishing Zones in Florida and California has got a lot of people nervous about our future right to fish. Imagine large areas of inshore and offshore prime fishing waters closed off to all fishing; both commercial and recreationalno bottom fishing or even trolling allowed. That seems to be the direction we are Recreational anglers like these on one of Capt. Angel Torresʼ trips last month rely more and more on proheaded. We are told that this fessional guides to keep them informed about local and Federal regulations. is going to help our fishing stocks to improve and recovmercial fishing industry last year was from north of Levy County through the er, so that there will be plenty of good 2.55 million pounds and the recreational Panhandle, where the fish represents big fishing for all of us in the future, but is interest caught 2.45 million pounds. One business for both commercial and recrethat really true? of the problems is that a lot of under ational fishing. The state was considerAfter 30 years of rules and regulations, sized fish were caught and unfortunately ing a plan to have their rules coincide can anyone honestly say that fishing is died (it’s a mystery to me how they calcuwith the much stricter Federal regulations getting better. The only increase I see is late that number) but since the fish is on red snapper. The trouble was that this in the number of scientists, researchers dead anyway, they always had a 15-inch plan would really hurt the recreational and regulators on the water and in the minimum size limit for commercial fishfishing business in the area. The FWC number of rules and regulations that govermen – one inch shorter than for the reached a compromise and lowered the bag ern fishing. I didn’t think it was possible, recreational fisherman. Under the new limit from four to two fish per day while but these folks have sucked a lot of the rules they are going to lower that minikeeping the minimum size limit at 16fun out of fishing. I received this revelamum limit ever further to 13-inch for inches, with a closed season of Nov.1tion after I got a call asking me to track commercial fishermen only. In exchange April 14. down a rumor that the State of Florida Red snapper have been in trouble for a for that little benefit the new rules require was going to require that we all start that commercial fishermen and recreationlong time. The biggest culprit being the using circle hooks. I like circle hooks, I al charters have available on board ‘nonnumber of juvenile red snapper that die as use circle hooks, and some of the biggest stainless steel circle hooks, venting tools by-catch in the shrimp fishery, so years fish I ever caught were caught on circle and de-hooking devices’. ago by-catch exclusion devices were hooks but they are not for everybody. The That should really take care of the red required on shrimp trawls. That didn’t do old ‘J’ hooks still catch a lot of fish. snapper problem. Remember that we are much to help the situation, so they went I tracked the rumor down to the recent paying a lot of tax money so our regulawith size limits, bag limits and closed hearings of the Florida Fish and Wildlife tors can come up with these brilliant seasons. The funny thing is how the new Commission on red snapper. We don’t ideas. I’ll give them one more idea, free state regulations will effect the commerhave a lot of red snapper in our area. I’ve of charge: If you really want red snapper cial red snapper industry. By the calculaprobably caught about a dozen in 20 to recover, treat it like snook and redfish. tions of the fish regulators, the commeryears. Most of your red snapper come Make red snapper a game fish. cial harvest of red snapper by the com-
Water LIFE
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MAGAZINE
March
Kids Cup Coming Fast
S t aff R eport April 19 is fast approaching. Application forms for the 2008 Kids Cup tournament are available online at www.kidscuptournament.com. Entries continue to come in and now application forms (printed for us by Buffalo Graffix) are available at local bait and tackle shops, at Laishley Marine, West Marine and a host of other boating and fishing locations around the area. Support our sponsors! Palm Chevrolet and Laishley Marine are the Host Sponsors of the Kids Cup. West Marine and Boat U.S. are also major Kids Cup sponsors. Ingman Marine is in there too and now this month, Fishin’ Franks has signed on to be the the Kids Cup Hat
Sponsor. This is a major investment and we thank Frank and Terry sincerely for their commitment to the kids. Fishin Franks is an especially important link in the Kids Cup because they help twist the tackle manufacturers arms for the good stuff that we put in the Captain’s Bags. Last year we figured each kid received upwards of $60 worth of fishing product in their captains bags. Add in two dinners, two hats and two shirts (one each for the kids and the captains) and the $100 Kids Cup entry fee becomes a really good deal. The Breeze Publishing Company in Cape Coral will again print our Kids Cup Program and they are also helping to promote the Kids Cup in
the Fort Myers area. Don Gasgarth Ford, The Boat House and Stump Pass Marina have again joined the Kids Cup with Stump Pass again being the competitor’s trophy sponsor. Screenprint Plus in Cape Coral is again our hat and shirt provider and Benedetto’s Restaurant at the Best Western in Punta Gorda is the host for the April 18 Captain’s Meeting and dinner. The whole idea of the Kids Cup tournament is to introduce kids (age 10 through 16) to tournament fishing and to introduce them to hands on science directly related to eco-system management. It is our belief that learning by doing, by being out on
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2008
March
2008
the water and ‘having a hand in it’ our kids will grow up to be responsible stewards of Charlotte Harbor. Once again this year Betty Staugler, our Sea Grant agent from the University of Florida, and Carole Neidig, the fish biologists at Mote Marine Laboratory, will be tagging, implanting and tracking the fish. This year Fishermen’s Village and Robert Gomes of Pinnacle Employee Leasing in Punta Gorda (Robert does the One More Catch TV show) are the major tagging sponsors. To date we are a little past halfway in fundraising for the tag-
This was last yearʼs Kids Cup. Will you be there this year? Will you win?
Water LIFE
ging part of the Kids Cup. Please call me if you want to contribute to the tagging program. Eppinger, Frabil, Eagle Claw and RipTide are also on board with tackle. And Plano just donated top of the line tackle boxes for the top-5 and falcon Speed Bags for each age group winner. There are no money prizes in the Kids Cup, but we have great trophies. David Apalow and SPI are contributing the beautiful bronze redfish trophies for the top-5 Kids Cup anglers and local artist Tom Krause will once again be providing signed framed prints as the trophies for the heaviest redfish in each age group. In the past it seemed like every age in the top-5 also got a trophy for the heaviest fish in that age group so new this year the heaviest fish for an age group will go to anglers that are NOT in the top-5. That means more kids will be getting trophies this year. And this year, for fun, we are also going to have a special prize for the SMALLEST legal redfish as well. The Kids Cup event itself is a fun filled weekend and this year it will run concurrently with the Punta Gorda Block Party so the crowd should be big! The top five kids who weigh in the heaviest redfish go on the following
MAGAZINE
weekend to fish on the final day of the Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup at Punta Gorda and weigh in on the ESPN2 TV stage. Call (941) 766-8180 for more Kids Cup information or go to www.kidscuptournament.com
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Kids Cup Rule Clarification Note **
The FWC called to say they would like us to amend our tournament rules concerning livewells for the culling waiver. ʻlivewell size of 2.4 cubic feet or 18 gallons miniminimumʼ is what they want. Previously the rules stated livewell size would be approved by the tournament director. We will make that announcement at the Captains meeting, Friday April 18.
TA G G I N G R E P O R T – M O S T R E C E N T K I D S C U P TA G R E C A P T U R E S
Joe Vincentʼs redfish, tag No.19926 was originally caught at Bull Bay last April in the Kids Cup Tournament. The same fish was re-caught on 26 Jan 2008 at Alligator Creek. The fish traveled 3.21 nm from where it was released at Fishermenʼs Village. The fish was 489 mm when Joe caught it. When recaught in January, 271 dayʼs later, it measured 641 mm.
A second fish that was originally caught by Haley Webb was recaught on 20 Feb 08 in the area South of Ponce Park That fish had Traveled a distance of 1.51 nautical miles. The fish measured 565 when tagged but the length was not recorded when recaptured. That fish had been at large for 298 days.
Flatsmasters Qualifyer Page 18
S t aff R eport What a difference a year makes. At last year’s Flatsmaster’s qualifying tournament it was 29 degrees and it was one of the nastiest day of the year. This year it was 82 degrees and the anglers were all smiles. In this year’s event 20 of the 42 teams entered were vying for 10 open spots in the 2008 Flatsmasters Tournament field. “Seventeen of those 20 teams were from out of town. Teams from Tampa, New Port Richey and Ft Lauderdale were among the entrants,” weighmaster Jerry Cleffi said.
Water LIFE
March
MAGAZINE
FLW Leads the Way in Fish Handling Technique
LESS FISH HANDLING IS BETTER. 1) Anglers bring fish from livewell in traditional plastic tournament bags 2) Anglers empty fish from bag into submerged plastic box in holding area.There are holes in the sides of the box 3) As the weigh in progresses each teamʼs fish box is slid through the tank. 4) Fish are dumped out of the box, measured and put into another box.
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Anglers were smiling not only because of the balmy temperatures but because the fish weighed in were big, really big. “The water has been warm and the fish are eating well right now,” Paul Lambert said. Lambert weighed in a 7.36 and a 6.77 pound fish early for 14.13 pounds and the win. “This time of year redfish are eating crustaceans and they are eating hard,” he added. In all, there were 4 fish weighed in over 7 pounds with the biggest at a whopping 7.70 pounds weighed in by team Offshore Performance. There were also 14 fish that weighed over 6 pounds. Only 8 teams in the field of 42 did not weigh in.
2008
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5) When itʼs time to go up on stage each team lifts its fish box out of the tank. Water drains out through the holes in the side
7 6) The fish box is placed in a tank which sits atop the weigh in scale. The fish are weighed 7) After the weighing the anglers lift their fish out of the scale tank and take them over to the release boat. Fish have now been handled once by the anglers and once by the person who did the measuring.
F l o ri d a F l a t z Fi s h i n ’
full & half day charters
Kids Always Welcome! Capt. John C. Morrison (239) 289-3653
www. floridaflatzfishin.com
March
2008
Water LIFE
Use Next Monthʼs Tactics NOW!
MAGAZINE
By Capt. Robert Moore Water Life Pro Guide Staff Although March is still winter for many, it is definitely spring for us here in Southwest Florida. We had a few good cold fronts now and then, but overall this has been the warmest winter I can remember. And when it comes to fishing that’s not necessarily a bad thing. So what happens Warm temperatures have kept redfish eating well. We are seeing plenty of when the winter is plump fish like this one caught by Linda Kasper of Flint MI while on a warmer and it ends February charter with Capt. Angel Torres. relatively early? You Speed it up a little, look to the early great fishing. have the right ingredients for bushes, fish live bait, it all some great late-spring fishing really works. 5 Foot or Better in March. In late February my depth Capt. Mike Mahan and I This year, bait fish like pinfinder showed water temperahave been invited back for the fish and whitebait never disaptures of 78 degrees or more on third year in a row to compete peared like they usually do. some of the flats here in in the 2008 Madfin Shark I usually start to get the Charlotte Harbor. Usually this Series. The Madfin Shark cob webs off my cast net some time of year I would be happy Series is a made-for-TV time in March but my cast if it read over 68 degrees. (ESPN2) catch and release nets have not had a break all Consequently, snook fishing shark tournament where points winter long and now I’m not has been fantastic and will are awarded for catching 5 foot going to be putting them away only continue to get better as sharks or better. This is a great anytime soon. they get ready for their spawnevent to be a part of and we As for my fishing teching ritual this summer. both enjoy the non stop action niques in this mild time, I Redfish and trout have also that the Florida Keys has to have found a pretty simply and been cooperative. I fully expect offer. Filming will once again dependable approach. I mentalthat we will see a good number take place in Key West on ly turn the calendar ahead one of Tarpon in and around the March 19-21. The show dates month and then fish the way I passes before the end of March. have not been announced, but would that month. This year, This can all be attributed to the the tournament is expected to in February, I was fishing like warmer weather. air first sometime in April. I would in a normal March. In I think I am like most of Look for my column next March I will fish like I usually you and do not want to rush month where I will share whatdo in April. My theory here is the warmer summer months ever happens at this year’s simple. With the warmer upon us, but old Mother event. weather the water temperature Nature has dealt us her cards so Capt Robert Moore can be is much higher than it normalwe might as well play the hand reached at: tarponly is. Salinity is up as well. man@comcast.net she gave us and enjoy some
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By Mi chael Hel l er Water LIFE editor You get a sick feeling watching water pour in over the transom when your boat sinks. Last week I swung the davits hanging my 21 foot Paramount boat out over the canal and commented to my wife, “I need to replace these cables.” As she hangs my boat weighs 2600 pounds. I switched the lever to the down position and the boat moved about two inches. Then there was this sickening ‘snap!’ followed by a The davit crossbar lays in the motor well big splash. The cable on after the lift cable snapped. The boat the bow held, but the four dropped 8 feet into the water but year old 1/4 inch galvaappeared undamaged. I will still have to re-wire any electrical connections that nized cable holding the were submerged. heavy stern end did not. Luckily, the tide was just right – deep enough to cushion the blow, but not so deep as to let the motor submerge. The stern went down and the bilge was open so enough water came in over the transom to flood the bilge and cover the aft part of the deck – in any deeper water she would have sunk to the bottom – but the tide was just right and the skeg dug into the mud. I had enough time to get a come-along and a strap from the garage and bring the situation under control. With a pair of submersible pumps I had her back afloat in about 15 minutes. The motor, never having gotten wet, started right up and after a thorough freshwater wash down of all the hatches, compartments and connections and a spray of corrosion bloc I was under way. The next day I drove up to Ace Boat Lifts in Venice and got two new 5/16-inch stainless cables made up. Once again bigger is better! I named this boat Lucky I after our seawall collapsed in 2002 trapping the boat behind it. We built a platform and slid her out on a soapy carpet and dropped her back into the canal. Not a scratch. Then hurricane Charley took my neighbor’s boat – still attached to his boatlift – and threw it 40-feet into the back wall of his house. My boat was 15 feet away and she made it through untouched. We re-named her Lucky II. Now, after almost sinking or worse yet, she could have cracked in half if she had hit on the seawall, I’ve re-named her for the third time: Lucky III. And she sure is. A neighborʼs photo from across the canal
Divingʟs Double– Barrel Spear Gun
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By Adam Wi l son Water LIfe Diving Ever since man figured out he could sharpen a stick, we have been hunting fish and game. A lot has changed since the days of an arm powered javelin. The first major innovation was the addition of a rubber band to increase velocity. Probably the biggest modern marvel in the world of spearfishing was the invention of a trigger mechanism some 80 years ago, or arguably earlier. This allows the bands potential energy to be stored indefinitely and then utilized at the moment of need with a simple pull of the trigger. All new guns made today are basically produced with the same principle design elements consisting of a stock, muzzle, trigger, shaft and bands. There are also pneumatic guns which use compressed gas instead of bands, but on a much less popular scale, due to their loss of power with the increased pressures at depth. The latest refinement to guns in the past 3 years has been the modification of a closed track gun. Instead of the shaft resting on top of a guns stock, it is enclosed in a routered channel inside of the stock. This allows for very high power loading and incredible accuracy. Daryl Wong, the Hawaiian gun maker, has by far been the top producer of custom track guns for several years now. Today in Sarasota there is a new designer and manufacturer of spearguns that is sure to have the big names like Sea Hornet, Riffe, and Daryl Wong scrambling for the drawing board. his name is Stuart Daneman and he has recently developed an innovative new design twist on the already effective track gun. Stuart has recently produced a double
Water LIFE
MAGAZINE
March
2008
Stewart Danaman at work on a new speargun in his Sarasota shop.
Far Right: Stewart with the finished products
barreled, overunder gun with the capability of shooting two shafts either simultaneously or one at a time. The benefits with such a speargun are obvious, whether for slowing down big fish or a second chance on that missed grouper. Talk of his new design is just now starting to spread through the local spearing community and I wouldn't be surprised if he begins receiving orders from across the country or even overseas soon. Stuart's world headquarters is a detached garage just off from his house. A tall glass display showcasing his custom teak and steel creations is at the entrance to his small workshop. Heavy monofilament line and steel fish stringers hang from the ceiling. His bench is lined with vices, clamps, drill presses and grinders. Buckets with thousands of odd parts, spear flappers, springs, and stainless snap swivels cover the square footage under his benches. Watching him work with a rough
piece of teak on his six router table is like watching a mad scientist whirl knobs and dials on some unknown contraption. The sawdust flies as he carefully runs a new stock through the strategically placed jigs surrounding each router bit, being careful to follow his pencil marks for the precise removal of the excess lumber. He also produces his own plastic and stainless parts, all receiving the same specific scrutiny, with only the best parts ever being screwed or slipped into one A nice stringer from another dive last month with a traditional single shafted gun of his blank day reported having multiple sharks stocks. swarm them just after pulling the trigger. Whether he is making a new overOne diver had two jacks eaten off his under gun or just a regular, single shaft stringer on his ascent. Whether it's from track gun, his close attention to detail is the past years of feeding sharks over there beyond perfectionism. He is an artist and or just the constant positive conditioning, skilled craftsman in a market that today most of the larger sharks there have no is dominated by large corporations that fear of humans. simply stamp out adequately working Stuart found this out shortly after production pieces. Stuart Daneman can shooting a jack on Juno ledge. With his be contacted for custom gun creations at 941-232-5735, and he is always happy to back to the ledge he was being harassed by five reef sharks. His dive buddy show off his workshop and talk fish stodeemed the situation too dangerous. Not ries. wanting to wait till the shark had Stuart's I had a chance to dive with Stuart recently off Palm Beach. The area between leg for lunch, his buddy dispatched one there and Jupiter to the north is known as of the larger reef sharks. The other sharks quickly backed off. Seems like a little shark alley. The sharks in this stretch of negative reinforcement might be good ocean associate divers, especially hunters, over there. with food. All the divers on the boat that
On The Line
March
2008
Water LIFE
MAGAZINE
Fishing with Capt. Ron
By Capt Ron Bl ago Water LIFE Senior Staff Spring is here and already things are picking up. Boat ramp traffic is pretty heavy with all the public ramps open for business. This is the time of year when things start to get pretty crowded, not only on our roads but also on our waterways. This is when you have to let common sense take over from your emotions. There are a lot of crazy people out there and you have to just make allowances for them. Between the powerboats, jet skis and kyakers you really have to keep a sense of humor about yourself. The other day I watched three kyakers, renters I assumed, leisurely paddling in the middle of the ICW, they almost got run over by a couple of jet skiers who were drag racing through a no wake zone. The ironic part was that no less than 30 minutes before, two marine patrol officers left the ICW and came over to the grass flat I was fishing on to check my safety gear and my fishing license. I guess it’s as true on the water as it is on land; where are the cops when you really want them? Fishing has been pretty good most days, except for some extremely low tides this time of year. Already people are starting to castnet whitebait in Lemon Bay. We have had just enough rain to keep thing pretty green on land, but not enough rain to cloud the water. Snook season doesn’t open until March 1 and then closes again on May 1. Talk about a narrow window of opportunity – 60
days. A lot of nice fat trout are being caught on the grass flats along with plenty of sheepshead around the docks. Redfish have been hard for me to track down. There have been reports of people wading in shallow water to fish sandy bottom potholes and finding good numbers of reds, but I guess they caught them all because when I get there the holes are empty. What I have been getting are large bluefish hitting just about anything you throw in their path. These are some pretty tough characters. I hooked a few ladyfish and had them sawed in half by bluefish. They will definitely hurt you if they bite you. Pompano have been disappointing so far this year, for me. I’ve found small groups of them skipping out of the water, but nothing like last year. I have a real craving for the smoked pompano spread I make. Anyone catching any giant lizardfish? I found a hole the other day that was full of 20 inch lizardfish that hit every jig I threw in there. I even caught one on a top water plug. I knew an old timer who loved to use the 6 inch variety as snook bait. He swore they caught the biggest fish. Offshore fishing is pretty good considering that black and gag grouper fishing is closed in Federal waters until March 15th and you are only allowed to catch one red grouper in state waters. You’ve got to feel sorry for the offshore guides. Closed seasons, restrictive bag limits and
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$3.00 a gallon fuel – I don’t know how they can survive the way thing are now, but they keep at it. A guide friend of mine in Sarasota has had good luck catching kingfish on one of the artificial reefs off shore. It’s pretty unusual to get kingfish in February. A local guy fishing out of Stump Pass caught a 78 pound cobia last month. That’s about the biggest cobia people can remember being caught around here ever. Cobia in the 20 to 30 pound class are normal size and even that size will wear out a strong man. A 78 pounder would probably kill me. It just goes to show there are still some big fish in the ocean. Capt. Ron can be reached at: captronb@juno.com for
Page 22
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2008
By Capt. Andrew Medi na Water LIFE Staff A couple things will be on the fishing charts for this month. The first is the opening of snook season. A lot of larger fish are making their way into the harbor now. There are fish on the outside of the Turtle Bay bar, and inside Bart Sciarratta with a 26 3/4 inch redfish on a Feb. trip with Capt. Andrew Medina along the west wall of Charlotte Harbor of Bull Bay towards the clam farms. Most of these fish are oversized – big with all the tourneys – practically one females. The fish have been reluctant every weekend – the reds are feeling to eat, but a few have been caught on the pressure and have become even the larger green backs that are readily more cautious. I recently was on the available now on almost every flat in west wall and found a school of a couthe harbor. Our harbor has so far not ple hundred redfish. They hung out for been cold enough to send the bait runtwo days and then they were gone. A ning this year. The water has been over slow moved or dead-sticked bait is how 74 degrees already. Now is the time to we have been catching our fish. If the take advantage of the harbor’s numerbait was presented too fast the fish ous docks. Remember snook do not would ignore it completely. Pine like to be pulled out of their ambush Island also has some very nice fish up spots – that’s where the big tackle on the flats. Try fishing along the comes to play – don’t give those ‘dock Indian Fields at the south end of the fish’ an inch, instead take a yard! harbor. Redfish action should also start Trout fishing has been hot with heating up. Don’t get me wrong, we many being caught near the 3 and 4have plenty of reds in our harbor, but pound range. These fish are hanging
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March
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March
2008
R Re ea al l E Es st ta at te e N Ne ew ws s
PROVIDED BY: Dave & Marlene Hofer RE/MAX Harbor Realty (941) 575-3777 dhofer@remax.net
Recent area news items
1. City Marketplace plans are still in a state of flux. The developer, Ron Oskey, is planning to reduce the size of the project to 350,000 sf. Potential co-developer, Pelican Bay, backed out of its plans to develop a high rise condominium on the site after seeing no hope for getting a special use permit for the minimum building height that made economic sense. 2. Sarasota county balked at a $17.6 mil stadium upgrade to keep the Cincinnati Reds in town for their spring training. So the Reds started negotiating with Goodyear, AZ. The County is now ready to appease the Reds by burdening taxpayers with 30 years of debt in return for a new 30 year lease commitment. 3. Charlotte County's budget gap is now estimated at $1.6 million or $450 per $100,000 of assessed valuation. Millage rate will have to go up for all. The doubling of the $25,000 homestead exemption will mute that increase for many, once again at the expense of commercial and non homesteaded property owners. 4. Punta Gorda City Council turned down an annexation request from a newly completed office complex on US 17. Council will hold off until a comprehensive plan to annex the entire area between Scott St and Emerald Green Condominiums, a non contiguous area, within incorporated Punta Gorda. 5. The Punta Gorda Best Western Hotel will be applying for permits from DEP to build a 500' marina on their water front site. They are also hoping to take over management of the mooring field to be installed west of the US41 bridge. 6. A detox center will be opening shortly on Education Blvd in Punta Gorda. The $1.2 million facility is expected to drain $900K annually in tax dollars to provide dryout accommodations for up to 15 patients. 7. Skybus announced that their great fare program allowed their flights to be 2/3 full during January. The County announced an $8/day or $1 / hour parking charge will be implimented at the airport. 8. Over staff's recommendations, Englewood rejected a request to build a high rise building in excess of the 35' current height restriction. Local officials feel that less green space is an acceptable tradeoff to avoid having towers that are dominating many Florida skylines. They want to avoid becoming "another Sarasota" ... not much risk, there! 9. Burnt Store Marina's 1922 property owners took over management of the golf course rather than having it closed and deteriorate at a cost of $400/yr per property. The Marina South Shore Condominium's 100 owners filed suit and won their freedom from that burden. So the course's future has become cloudy, again. 10. Sarasota County is now planning to accelerate its infrastructure development plans. Like depression area WPA programs, they're hopeful that, though the cost benefit ratio is not yet evident, the construction industry will get a much needed stimulus from this program. 11. Gabe Bove's proposal to build a new canal
Water LIFE
MAGAZINE
Boater始s Warehouse has just broken ground on a new sales and service facility across from Fishin Franks, next to Walgreen始s off Edgewater Drive at US 41.
access from the Vivante lake is on hold 'til April. Mixed emotions pervade PGI as to whether this plan should move forward, even if he is able to earn the support of those residents that are immediately affected by the construction of the bridge that will create harbor access for boats moored in the lake. 12. The huge Thomas Ranch development is likely to stay in Sarasota County and not see further annexations by the City of North Port. Fourth Quarter Development will eventually build 22,000 homesites (7800 of them in North Port) over the next 30 years. They already have four other developments under way in various parts of the 26 square mile ranch.
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In Restaurant and Entertainment News:
An English pub will open within weeks at the old Ice House building on North Bound US41. A wine bar will occupy the former Bike Shop on Marion St. Isles Cafe at Bal Harbor and Aqui Esta is now offering home delivery within Punta Gorda Isles. Laishley Crab House expects to start construction in April or May. The 15,000 sf restaurant will occupy the 2nd floor while 12,000 sf of retail shops will be available for lease on the ground floor. A 40' fountain has been approved for construction by city on the same grounds. The Punta Gorda block party has booked the Outlaws ("Ghost Riders in the Sky") as headliners for the big party this summer. The Boogeymen will return with Ayntellen. The new Harbor Center is already booked for the first two months of 2009. In the interim, Juice Newton will come to the PG Performing Arts Center on March 28.
Sales Statistics:
Vacant lot sales reached 189 last month at prices that were about 40% below a year ago but higher than recent months. Home sales hit 216 - almost twice what we saw in November and December. Median prices are 21% below year ago levels. Inventory has leveled off as many properties have gone into foreclosure or have simply been taken off market.
Water LIFE
Page 24
By Bi l l Di xon Water LIFE Sailing I’ve got readers. I know this because several people complained that I didn’t report the results of the Golden Conch correctly. Dave Cleverly won the Cruising Class and, Jerry Poquette won No Spinnaker and the regatta over all with 3 bullets. Napl es Feb 2, 2008. Jerry Poquette on Fancy Free won his class
at the 4th annual Avow Hospice Charity regatta. As one of six winners, Jerry was entered into a drawing for a trip to Annapolis and use of a boat for the J-105 North Americans. Guess What? He won and he is going to Annapolis later this year. Here’s to ya Jerry!! Seventy sailboats from throughout southwest Florida are expected to compete in the 15th Annual Conquistador Cup Regatta On March 8th & 9th. Competitors will be broken into four classes: spinnaker, nonspinnaker, cruising, and multi-hull.
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MAGAZINE
On Saturday, two courses are used; one will be west of Ponce de Leon Park and the other in the upper Harbor northwest of Fisherman’s Village. On Sunday, all boats will compete on the same 8.7 mile course using a reverse start system. Each boat will start at a specified time based on their individual performance handicap. This race is designed so theoretically all boats will finish at the same time. This rarely happens but it does make for an exciting finish right out in front of Fisherman’s Village. For additional information visit the Punta Gorda Sailing Club’s website: ww.pgscweb.com Top Right: Jerry Poquetteʼs Fancy Free carries a wealth of sail to the mark in Februaryʼs PGSC local race. Below Right: S-2ʼs in the non spinnaker class round the mark and head for the downwind leg. Below: Ready on the foredeck.
March
2008
March
2008
By Davi d Al l en Water LIFE Kayaking Would you like to glide through the water close to Manatees in their native habitat? And also enjoy a quiet, relaxed paddle in the Orange River? Then a trip to Manatee Park will meet your requirements and more. Manatee Park, managed by the Lee county Parks Department, is located 1.5 miles east of I-75 Exit 141 at 10901 Highway 80 in Fort Myers, a short 30 minute drive from Port Charlotte. The Park is on the Orange River, a tributary to the Caloosahatchee River in North Fort Myers. During the winter months, when the water temperature of the Gulf of Mexico drops below 68 degrees, the manatee seeks refuge from the cold Gulf waters by swimming into the Florida Power and Light warm water discharge canal. The discharge canal provides a winter haven for these warm-blooded mammals. You are most likely to see manatees during the months of December through mid-February, although sightings vary with the water temperature. Manatee sanctuaries are also located in Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park and in the Crystal River, both north of Tampa. Opened in 1996, Manatee Park has expanded in recent years to become a true nature park, with beautiful native flowers, butterflies and observation platforms at the edge of the Orange River. The park even has special polarized filters and a hydrophone that allows visitors to listen to the manatees "talking" to each other. All in all, this is one of the more interesting paddles our club takes during the year, and one that is somewhat unique to the southwest coast of Florida. In early February, the Port Charlotte Kayakers drove south to Manatee Park in hopes of seeing some manatees. The day was sunny and warm, not the kind of weather that brings the manatees up to the Orange River to the warm waters of the discharge canal. As we launched our kayaks, the water in the Orange River was quite warm, so we held out some hope of a manatee
Water LIFE
MAGAZINE
Paddling with the Manatees
sighting. As we entered the Orange River, about 100 yards from the launching area inside the park, some of the paddlers saw two manatees along the rivers edge, but these two manatees departed before the rest of the group arrived. There are usually two pockets of water, along the north bank of the river where manatees seem to congregate. The first is about 1/2 mile from the entrance and the discharge canal, and the second is about 1/4 mile beyond the first. As we paddled downstream with a favorable current, we noticed that the river had many shoal areas where the water had been deep in previous years. Not a good sign as the manatees like deep water for protection and better grazing. We paddled to the Caloosahatchee River, about a mile from the launch site, without seeing another manatee.
Page 25
As we entered the Caloosahatchee River we noted that the water there seemed warmer than normal, so perhaps the manatees were already in the larger river or out in the Gulf. We paddled out to the center of the Caloosatchee River and took a break beside the Dr. Jesse White Memorial manatee sculpture. We saw no manatees on the easy paddle back upstream. Everyone agreed that this was a very pleasant paddle even though we didn’t see many manatees. Special Thanks to Skip Rasmussen for the photos taken at Manatee Park.
The Port Charlotte Kay ak ers meet each Wednesday ev ening at 5:30 PM, at the Port Charlotte Beach Complex . All paddlers, or potential paddlers interested in finding out more about the sport and our club, are welcome. For more
Offshore Report
Page 26
By Capt. S teve S kevi ngton Water LIFE Offshore This last couple of weeks, the fishing has been more than just good. With very light winds almost every day and clear skies most of the time it’s real hard to stay indoors. We have been making some long runs offshore fishing for those big amberjack and snapper – the bite has been strong on almost every trip. There have been a few cobia mixed in with the AJs, keeping things interesting. The Spanish mackerel have been hitting early in the morning right up on the beach and on the sand bars just outside of the bigger passes. We are already catching some big brown sharks and black tips, but these guys are just a bit further offshore. The kingfish are piled up out in fifty feet of water, big live blue runners will catch the bigger fish with some going forty to fifty pounds this
Water LIFE
2008
next month. Grouper season opens on the 15th in federal waters, however we have been blessed with clear water inside of nine miles ("state waters") the last couple of weeks and that has allowed us to box up a few nice gag grouper already. And the best part is I’m running filtered (1 micron) reclaimed vegetable oil mixed with my diesel fuel to keep the costs down.
Capt Stev e can be reached for charter at (941) 575-3528 or at www.paradisefishingcharter
This photo came from Capt. Steve with the following note: Monster Grouper. That about says it!
Penthouse View
Barbara Laishley (center above) landed this sailfish, her first, on 12-pound test, fishing from the yacht Penthouse, last month at Islamorada. Right: Penthouse first-mate Casey Gardner helps 12year old Peyton Bethel with her 33 pound trophy winning kingfish.
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March
MAGAZINE
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New Const. Direct Gulf Front New Condos: 3 bedroom 2 1/2 bath. Two Pools, elevators, under building parking ON THE BEACH! a. $999,000 "The Palms " full gulf views SOLD! $769,000 "Barefoot Beach" Bldg 1 Turn-Key furnished, generated b.SOLD! over $31,000 in rental income last year...full gulf views c. $499,000 "Barefoot Beach" ...Bldg 2 entire floor no common walls d. $1,199,000 "Boulder Pointe" direct gulf front, 2 pools and tennis court
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March
2008
SCUTTLEBUTT Sometimes Unsubstanciated, But Often True
S uddenl y Better Last month we slammed Burnt Store, Realmark Properties and the Sudden Impact Tournament series for scheduling a tournament on the same day as the Kids Cup. Then, shortly after we went to press, we received word that the conflict had been resolved and the Sudden Impact Tournament had been rescheduled. We offer our deepest gratitude to Sudden Impact Tournament Director Capt. Miles Merrideth, Burnt Store Harbormaster Lloyd Henderson and to Realmark Properties for making the change happen. This once again proves we can all work together in the community, doing the right thing and setting a good example for our kids. Thank You! PGI to Ban Fi shi ng? A few years back PGI banned fishing from its bridges, now, in a proposed ordinance under consideration, the city of Punta Gorda appears ready to ban fishing from all vacant lots. According to the city of Punta Gorda’s website’s other water related plans include: • Complete the mooring field proposal process and initiate design and permitting. • Explore enhancements of Ponce de Leon Park to include lighthouse, beach This big black drum wascaught from the seawall of a enhancement, etc. vacant lot in PGI last month. • Pursue the cut through from PGI ‘Bird Section’ to Alligator Creek. • Research potential for combined submerged land lease for entire waterfront overlay district • Create plan for waterfront area between Best Western and Fisherman’s Village to include enhancements to Gilchrist Park, and additional dinghy docks on City property and in marinas. • Coordinate efforts with Charlotte County regarding marina, dinghy and/or amphitheater uses.
When the Wal Mart i n Punta Gorda closes it will become an antique car museum and there could be a restaurant/bar/lounge(?) there as well.
Trol l i ng and Pol l i ng This is the first we have heard of this. The DEP has been working on its own version of a trolling and polling zone for over a year. They missed an appointment with the County’s Marine Advisory Committee last month where they were supposed to disclose their plan to Charlotte County. Supposedly, the DEP will be dedicating areas as ‘poling and trolling’ zones in Charlotte County within a year. No one knows where yet and apparently there will be no public input. The DEP will get away with this by dedicating these zones to mitigate other environmental problems such a seagrass damage and shoreline erosion. Mari ne Protected Areas There is talk that the Federal government will approve and implement offshore marine protected areas in the Gulf under the same law the National Parks were created with in the early 1900s. There will be no public input and this could all be signed off on before the Bush administration leaves office.
Charlotte Harbor FISHING GUIDES Water LIFE
Page 27
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Page 28
Water LIFE
MAGAZINE
March
2008
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Where are the Crabs?
March
2008
Water LIFE
The Commercial Perspective
By Kel l y Beal Peace Ri ver S eafood Water LIFE Punta Gorda Got any crabs? I hear it everyday. Almost as much as “I know my blue crabs - I’m from Maryland.” The truth is most of the blue crabs you see in Maryland come from Florida and Louisiana. In 2004 and 2005 we shipped over 75-percent of the crabs sold to our fishhouse to Maryland and Virginia, but crabs are scarce this year so what we’re getting we’re keeping here in Florida. Don't get me wrong, the resource is still healthy, it just so happens that the landings are cyclic. The landings seem to vary every 5 to 6 years. For example, the landings in Florida in 1987 were 18.3 million pounds, then declined to an annual catch of 9.9 million in 1991. The catch reached back up to 18 million again in 1996 only to decline to 7.4 million in 2001. We reached 11.6 million in 2006, but we have been on a steady decline into 2008. All the crabbers I talk to say its because of this terrible drought and I know they're right. Nature is all about cycles and droughts are cyclic too! But Blue Crabs are the ‘Comeback Kid’ of the seafood industry. Just when you think they have dried up, a load will come in to save the day. They are amazing little creatures. They reach maturity in as little as 12 months. One female crab releases 2 million eggs by the time she is five inches across. According to the Department of Natural Resources, the largest recorded crab from Maryland was 9 inches across. Here at Peace River Seafood one of our crabbers caught a 14 inch giant! The crabbers generally run their traps every other day. Many bait their traps with stink shad or pokies. When the crabbing is good they’ll go out everyday, but it's been a while since we've seen that kind of crabbing in Peace River. Crabs are migratory. When you're crabbing you have to move those traps often. It's not fun, and it's not cheap. Hauling traps from river to river and city to city doesn't always pay off. More often then not, crabbers will find themselves in the hole. The gas prices are insane, and then there is what they lose in traps. One trap lost it’s $25 - ten traps – $250! Sometimes traps are stolen, sometimes they get run over by those who don't see them, sometimes the
Shown here you can see the rich color on the claws of this Peace River blue crab. Crabbers often use stainless steel tongs to handle crabs – a big crab can pinch you hard.
wind blows and they roll, but all the time the crabber ends up paying for it. Right now in Charlotte County there are about 25 active crabbers. Crabbing is a full time job. When you're not running traps you are cleaning old ones and making new ones. There is no such thing as a part time crabber. Even if a crabber has another job, chances are he spends more time crabbing and working on crab traps then his job “on the hill”. Crabbers are paid by the pound of their catch. Crabs are graded by length . Number ones are 6 1/4 and up and number twos are 5 to 6 inches. They are measured from point to point. The crab season is year round in Florida. There was a moratorium on crab licenses for the last decade, but a recent FWC ruling allowed the licenses to be capped in number and transferable. In other words, anyone can crab so long as they buy an existing crab license. The sale of most licenses I've heard start at $25,000 but that includes the boat and gear. But before you contemplate leaving the security of that land job remember crabbers fall on hard times more then most. Engine breakdowns, bad weather, loss of gear....these a just a few of the trials they endure. Crab price, lack of buyers and thieves are some other concerns. It’s not easy being a crabber. But for some, like my husband Jimmy, there is no other life! Next time you're out boating and see a crabber give him a wave. Show your support for the local commercial fisherman! Remember commercial boats have right of way so yield properly - those boys are working hard to bring home a delicious American product for your
MAGAZINE
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Fishing Report
Marc
Charlotte Harbor:
Robert at Fishin' Franks Port Charlotte: 625-3888
Weather is the issue. The Gulf was at 73 degrees and the canals were three to five degrees warmer. The weather has been crazy. Now, for the next two months the first question will be when is the wind going to stop. Then the next question will be – Where are the fish? We’ve skipped winter. The fish are in a late spring pattern. That means redfish have been steady. There have been lots of oversized fish, primarally on the open flats. The fish seem to be especially heavy in the Pine Island Sound, at Whidden Creek, and on the flat behind Millers Marina at Boca Grande. Most of these fish are hitting dead bait: a whitebait torn in half, a cut mullet or cut ladyfish.
Water LIFE
The one thing they are still hanging on to in their natural pattern is that they are feeding on crabs and shrimp. The smnaller fish seem to be under the mangroves in Bull and Turtle Bay. The closer you get to the ICW the better the fishing will be. That’s true for pretty much all the species too. Snook season, opens this month. A lot of them will be losing their britches this week, for sure. Placida and Boca Grande have had a lot of nice snook. The fish have not been up the river or under the bridges, it’s been too warm for that, but they could retreat after the cold front we had at the end of February. We’ll have to see. El Jobean has been consistent for snook but the PGI and PC canals didn’t seem to have had any good concentrations of fish last month. It’s just been too warm. Night snook fishing at Placida on the other hand will be the best! The east side of the harbor has a good concentration of snook right now, and there have been good reports of nice snook already up in Lemon Bay, in Ski Alley and at Stump Pass.
MAGAZINE
March
2008
New on the tournament scene is the Butt Holder, a wear around your neck rod holding device for inshore waders to use. The invention sold out at the Florida Sportsman show last month.
Sheepshead in March are predominantly plentiful. March is the best month for them. The Placida pier and the whole length of the trestle there would be my number one pick for sheepshead fishing. The Phosphate dock and even Alligator Creek reef would also be worth checking out for sheepshead. There have been big schools of these fish moving around in that area lately. Fiddler crabs are still the best sheepshead bait. Because it’s so warm the bigger trout are in 4 to 6 feet of water. Useppa, and the Pine Island sound are where I am hearing the bigger trout are coming from. Drifting has been the most productive approach for catching the bigger, quality fish. Smaller trout have been in good numbers on the east wall and also at the Placida Trestle. Spanish mackerel and bluefish are showing up in really really good numbers now. They were in the harbor from Boca Grande to the 20-foot hole, following that bait around.
Again we’ll see what the last cold front did to them. Cobia are showing and moving around as well, they should be here in good numbers for the next three months. The east and west side of the harbor are the best places to find them. Tarpon will be around this month, but the end of the month may be when they are in the pass in very fishable numbers. We’ve already heard about tarpon on the beach – pods of fish. There are a lot of bonnethead sharks on the flats outside of Bull and Turtle Bay. And there are some bigger sharks milling around in that area already as well. And by the end of the month we might even see some king mackerel. They have been stacked up in the keys all month and they chould show up here soon.
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March
2008
Lemon Bay:
Jim at Fishermen’s Edge, Englewood: 697-7595
BIG-4 BIG-4
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MAGAZINE
Marchʼs Target Species Species Marchʼs Target
I talked to a guy who fished down by Sanibel POMPANO are in the Gulf SHEEPSHEAD are moving REDFISH and a slew of rat- TROUT are on the grass and he said tarpon were passes and along the surf into the harbor reds are around the Harbor flats and in the potholes all over, but they couldn’t get them to bite. It depends on how low the tides get, telling me they are catching 40 50 - 60 pompano a day. A guy if the water drops they will move who owed me 10 bucks wanted to back into the Gulf. But they are trade me for pompano! Sand fleas, here. Silly Willys, spec rigs, and the old There have been good reports jig and sand flea combo all work. of redfsish in Gasparilla Bay and Sheephead fishing has been on down to Pine Island. In the good at the trestle and at a lot of FLW tournament the guys said the docks. Boaters have said they dark colored Darts and RT slugs are seeing sheepshead grouped up were what was working. That and in big congregations. I guess they the Berkley Gulps. A local guy might be spawning. missed the big prize by 2 ounces The only other thing is the offafter three days of fishing. Cotee shore stuff. They have been catchbaits, the chubby, they’re the ones. ing cobia – qiuite a few big cobia If you come in the store I’ll show – a group of fish was spotted by you the ‘secret color.’ FISHING HOT SPOT? The deck was burned and melted where the overone guy who came into the shop. heated trolling motor wire passed through on this tournament flats boat. There have been pretty good The team still made it to the weigh in and had fish to weigh! Smaller fish in the 30 inch range trout reports of late. Nice fish in the Pine Island sound, a couple up and some 60 pounders too. When they won’t tell you how many or this way above the Tom Adams how big, you know the cobia fishBridge on the big flat. Big hand ing is good! I’d have an eel or a picked shrimp are bringing trout n March 1- 2: Free Semi nar o n n Mar 29- Maverick Boats big black worm rigged up if I was over the 20 inch slot. Offs ho re Fi s hi ng – using marine Fl ats mas ters Seri es - Grand going out the pass. Ther are snapelectronics in the Gulf, Capt. Ralph Sl am Pl ug To urnament trout, redGuys are catching some snook Allen, Ft. Myers Bass Pro. 2:00 fish, snook on artificials. 941-637here and there, there is still a lot of per and Spanish offshore too, p.m, both days. 239-461-7800 even some kings before the cooler 5953 live bait around. Snook on whiten March 6-13 & 27 : Free Fi s hi ng shot of air we had. n April 19: Water LIFE Magazine bait have been a popular combo. Semi nars at Laishley Marine, 6 5th annual Ki ds Cup The only other thing is the There has been so much bait To urnament at Punta Gorda. pm. around this winter that my shrimp lakes are doing good for crappie n March 8 Lucky 7 To urnament, Applications online NOW! at and bass, lakes in Rotonda, ditchsales are off! www.kidscuptournament.com. six species plus most spots, Best es along the side of the road, the Limited to 125 jr anglers age 10 And there has been a lot of Western Punta Gorda, a benefit for freshwater fishing has picked up. the Charlotte Rotary 941-544-3961 through 16. $100 entry fee supports pompano around too. Guys are
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KIDS CUP NEXT
Calendar of Events
THE ALL NEW 2008 F-450 KING RANCH SUPER DUTY
Fishing
RIGHT NOW: weather permitting
Excellent!
March
2008
Water LIFE
MAGAZINE
FMstr
Classic Tournaments at 941-637-5953
2/9/08- KayakSlam Series-Cape Coral- Cape Tool & Tackle Kayak only tournament, trout, redfish, snook, lures only, photo release Flatsmasters Series
3/1/08- KayakSlam Series- Clearwater- Joe's Crab Shack Kayak only tournament, trout, redfish, snook, lures only, photo release
3/22/08- KayakSlam Series- Ft Myers- Joe's Crab Shack Kayak only tournament, trout, redfish, snook, lures only, photo release 4/5/08- KayakSlam Series -Sarasota Kayak only tournament, trout, redfish, snook, lures only, photo release 5/10,11/08- Maverick Boats Flatsmasters Series- Redfish Classic 2 redfish, bait of choice 5/31/08- Charlotte High School Redfish Roundup 2 redfish on bait of choice 6/14/08- Florida State Firefighters Assn. Redfish Tournament- St. Pete Beach 2 redfish on bait of choice
6/21/08- Junior Flatsmasters Tournament- Punta Gorda 3 age groups from 7 to 18 years old- 1 red-
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