Water LIFE May 2005 by Water LIFE magazine

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Keeping Boaters and

KIds Cup U pdate

Page 18

LIFE

Charlotte Harbor and Lemon Bay Florida

Fishermen Informed

May 2005

The Fishy Faces of Charlotte Harbor Barefoot Fishin始

Page 6

Tournament Round Up Page 11

REAL ESTATE TRENDS:

Live Bait Fishing Page 27

WATERFRONT PROPERTY SOLD Page 18

Offshore Report Page 23

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Water LIFE

MAGAZINE

May

2005

Water LIFE

A Significant Withdrawal May

2005

By Mi chael Hell er Water LIFE editor Luck, it is said, is a finite quantity. We each come into this world at birth with our given allotment and through events and happenings in our lives we draw on that reservoir of luck depleting it until one day something happens and people then say “well his luck just ran out.” During one tournament last month, Matt Anderson and Eric White made a significant withdrawal from their luck account. Things started out normal enough with dinner and the captain’s meeting. The boys were dressed in their team shirts and Matt’s 18-foot ActionCraft sat fueled up at the dock, it’s 200 horsepower Yamaha HPDI ready for the task. The boys left Gasparilla Marina shortly after the 8p.m. shotgun start and headed south in the Gasparilla Sound. They are both seasoned fishermen and experienced tournament anglers. They are also both 16 years old. “We fished a little, and boated three reds right away,” Matt said. Then they headed into Whidden Creek to look for more fish. They were now running the shallows, in the shadows, just before dark. Matt describes what happened next: “We came up out of a hole and headed to Catfish Creek, we had it (the motor)

trimmed up high, we were throwing a big rooster tail, but there is this big ‘S curve’ bend,” Matt says, showing the shape of the curve by using his forearm and cupped hand while tracing the boat’s path. “We started to make the turn and then the steering quit,” Matt said. “I saw a little oil leak in it before,” he added. Motor trimmed way up? Big rooster tail? Sharp turn? “I bet the steering came back when you finally got the boat back on the water,” I said, and Matt answered, “Yeah ... it did.” Of course, in actuality, there wasn’t enough prop and skeg in the water to make the boat turn, but they weren’t thinking about mechanics at the time they were looking for fish and the big prize. Later, at the weigh in, the boys realized the problem, but the night before the two boys only knew they wanted the boat to go left and it was going straight. “It was like a dream,” Eric said. He was the one at the controls. “I didn’t even have time to get off the throttle. We just ducked behind the console and crashed.” The boat penetrated the mangroves so far that the stern was 20 feet into the trees. “It looked like a duck in a nest,” Eric said. “We were almost

MAGAZINE

thrown out.” The boys estimated they were going 45 mph at the time they lost control. The boat is capable of 60. “It scared the crap out of both of us,” Matt said. Stuck in the trees, night falling, the wind picking up, they got on the phone. “I called the Coast Guard, I called Sea Tow, I called everybody,” Matt said, but it was my Uncle Jeff, he was the one who finally came and got us. Jeff Anderson said the boys called him around 9 p.m. “Come and get us,” Matt said. “We’re screwed!” Jeff managed to get to the boys but by then the tide was going out quick. The next morning he used a comealong to pull the boat back far enough for another boat to drag them out. “I was up all night worrying,” Matt’s mother Rebecca said, adding that both boys had passed the Coast Guard’s safe boating course. So this story ends happily. The boys didn’t have a scratch. The boat’s OK and they even managed to get a redfish the following morning and bring it to the weigh–in. This tale speaks volumes to the strength of the ActionCraft product and to the allotment of good luck these boys were given at birth. They should thank God for that.

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The morning after, Eric White reports on the extraction progress by phone while Matt Anderson looks through the water for any lost or overlooked equipment. The two 16-year olds, fishing in the CBCA tournament, ran into the mangroves off Catfish Creek in the dwindling twilight of the night before.

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Water LIFE

Letter To Water LIFE Dear Water LIFE,

We live in the Southern tip of Sarasota County on the water and we appreciate getting the facts about what is going on in Charlotte Harbor and Lemon Bay. We fish some, but we are mainly recreational boaters. We especially enjoyed your articles titled "Dim Sun is not Chinese Food," and "Who is Responsible for Red Tide?"

When my wife served on the Myakka River Planning Advisory Council for the County Commissioners, she emphasized decisions being made based upon private property rights and upon science – proven scientific evidence. We found that the local daily paper could not or would not report correctly what she said at the meetings. They twisted her words to fit their own liberal antigrowth and emotional political agenda. We have also experienced the same liberal bent by the New York Times owned other local newspaper.

Since you started Water LIFE, we have discontinued subscribing to both local "news" papers. We rely upon you for the real and accurate information about what is going on in our local fishing and recreational area. We too are fed up with the self-serving bull from Club Manatee and their uninformed radical cohorts in the local "news" papers.

We have lived here in paradise for a long time and we think that the antigrowth movement is ridiculous and very un-american and counter productive. We appreciate the job you are doing. Hopefully truth, scientific fact, and common sense will someday prevail and overcome the uninformed liberals' hype and emotionalism! Thank you for your excellent alternative publication available to us. Keep up the excellence in reporting!

Michael and Ellen Heller Publishers

(941) 766-8180

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Fishing / Environment: Capt. Ron Blago Charlotte Harbor: Capt. Robert Moore Gasparilla: Capt. Chuck Eichner Port Charlotte: Fishinʼ Frank Offshore: Capt. Steve Skevington Technical Advisor: Mike Panetti Sailing Advisor: Bill Dixon Lemon Bay: Don Cessna Kayaks: David Allen Local: Capt. Andrew Medina

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Tide Graphs: For Punta Gorda, Shell Point, El Jobean, Pine Island, Matlacha, Redfish Pass, and Lemon Bay. Weather: Links to all of our favorite weather and radar web-sites. Back editions: Pages of previous editions

Artificial Reefs: Lat. and Long. for 24 local artificial reefs

Manatee Myths: Read the original plan to create sanctuaries and refuges, as spelled out by the United Nations in 1984 Links to Realtors: Connect with our realestate advertisers

May

2005

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MAGAZINE

SUNKEN BOATS litter area waterways Prospects for Removal are Dim

By Capt. Ron Bl ago Water LIFE Senior Guide Hurricane Charlie has come and gone; an estimated 50,000 truckloads of debris have been removed from land, but there is still a lot more work to be done especially when it comes to cleaning up our waterways. Initial reports were pretty bleak. Stories of downed trees, aluminum roofs, sheds, smashed up docks and sunken boats plugging up the waterways were coming in from around the county. The first cost estimate to clean up the waterways was put at between $8 and $32 million; most of that to come from federal disaster funds. It's funny the things you learn after a hurricane. The most traitorous junk that ended up in the water were all the solar collectors that blew off people's roofs. They float just about a foot under the surface and because they're black, they're almost invisible. Local officials got off to a good start with the City of Punta Gorda, thanks to a $50,000 grant and an already established canal maintenance program, they were the first to start cleaning up their waterways. Charlotte County officials had a more difficult job because of the larger scale of destruction. A plan was made to attack the problem in three stages. The first stage was to clean out the freshwater canal system first. The second stage was to work on the canal systems that had major man made debris problems. The third stage was to work on the main areas in the harbor making sure the waters are safe for navigation. The county, realizing the massive size, the number of organizations involved and the cost of this operation put together a task force to

coordinate and review the clean up. I'm sorry to report that this task force comprised of Federal, State, Regional and Local officials has not even had their first meeting, or even picked a chairperson let alone coordinate anything. Despite the coordination problems, some clean up work has begun. Charlotte County Public Works Department and the county Sheriffs Department have been identifying and dragging out debris in problem areas. The Marine Advisory Commission has voted to allocate their entire 2006 budget of approximately $500,000 to the waterway cleanup. On a regional basis, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFMD or swiftmud) has been given the responsibility of coordinating the clean up in Alligator Creek, Peace River, Shell Creek, and Prairie Creek. SWFMD is under the gun to get the job started because FEMA says it will stop funding these projects on August 13. Apparently initial cost estimates for the clean up were way off the mark. The cost is now pegged at $3 to $8 million dollars. One good thing is that local shrimpers who ‘drag’ the harbor are not snagging as much debris in their nets as was first expected. This could mean there is not as much junk down their as first thought, but a request for finances to do side scan sonar scanning was denied. A lot of cleaning up has already been done by property owners, and boating clubs who got tired of waiting for government help, some even paying to have the junk hauled to the dump. By my count there are 12 separate government organizations that share the responsibility for helping clean our waterways. Most

have stepped up and are doing a good job; two, I feel, have really let us down. The biggest threat we have right now to boater safety is sunken boats. This is the sole responsibility of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. They have done a terrible job getting rid of these boats. They say they have no money which is not surprising because they did a lousy job with derelict vessels before the hurricane. It’s time they find the money to do their job or get someone else to do the job for them. These boats have got to go. The ‘totally incompetent’ award goes to the Federal Fish and Wildlife Service, the folks who installed 118 manatee protection signs in the Peace River. If you remember, a few years ago they rushed to install these signs to avoid a $20,000 a week fine by a federal judge in the famous Save the Manatee Club lawsuit. It now appears the pilings were not put in deep enough so many of them blew over during the hurricane adding greatly to the debris and safety hazards. Now they have to go back and remove the old piling and replace them with new ones. So far the FWS and their mentors at the SMC have cost us taxpayers about $500,000 for these silly signs. So far in 2005 with the signs down, there have been no man-

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Marine Debris Cleanup Forecast

By Betty Staugler Water LIFE There are a number of factors that have complicated marine cleanup efforts, with funding being up at the top of the list. Charlotte County is responsible for cleanup efforts within the man made canals in unincorporated Charlotte County. The Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) has been charged with cleanup efforts in the harbor and its tributaries . Charlotte County and SWFWMD have received funding from the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) for cleanup within the canals and tributaries. Funding from FEMA will support the SWFWMD cleanup. The difference in funding source results in a difference in what is considered ʻeligible marine debris.ʼ NRCS funding will cover all marine debris. FEMA funding will only cover debris that poses a risk to human health or navigation. Regardless of funding source, derelict vessels are not considered marine debris. Derelict vessels are the responsibility of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). County and SWFWMD cleanup efforts will start in Alligator Creek and its canals. Charlotte County anticipates crews being on site by May 1st. SWFWMD is shooting for May 16th to have crews in the creek itself. County and SWFWMD cleanup will focus on the Peace River area next. SWFWMD anticipates a May 30 start date there. A start date for the County was not available at the time of this writing due to a change in contractor. After the Peace River, SWFWMD will focus on Alligator Bay, Shell Creek, Prairie Creek and Lee Branch (in that order). The County will focus on the Port Charlotte canals, the South Gulf Cove canals and Pirate Harbor canals (in that order). A schedule for the harbor cleanup was not available at the time of writing. The harbor cleanup is considered a separate project from the tributaries, so it will likely occur concurrent with the tributary and canal efforts. It should be noted that upon completion of the cleanup efforts, there will still be some remaining debris that contractors could not reach with their equipment. This will leave ample opportunities for community based cleanup efforts. If you or your group is interested in conducting a cleanup, Charlotte Countyʼs Keep Charlotte Beautiful, Inc. can help with logistics. Call Glenda Anderson at KCB (941) 764-4390 if you plan to go out. Betty Staugler can be reached for marine extension information at (941) 764-4346

Barefoot Fishinʼ Page

By Mi chael Hel l er Water LIFE Editor The plan was to head out mid morning, but when I called my friend Capt. Ralph Allen at 9 a.m. he told me he had an electrical problem with one of his charter boats and had to trailer it up to Ingman Marine to get things sorted out. Around 11:30 Ralph called back and said they had it figured out. “Let’s meet in an hour,” he added, and at 12:30 we were idling my boat out of the marina at Fishville. We made small talk as we moved over to the channel markers where we planned to get bait. “I had some electrical problems myself, yesterday,” I told Ralph, explaining that my two year old battery wouldn’t hold a charge any more and that I had just installed a new 1000 amp-er. Two

coincidental electrical problems we agreed, not thinking, for the moment at least, that bad things usually come in threes. Ralph readied the net and I went about setting up the big forward livewell, installing the overflow pipe and opening the seacock that empties the well’s inchand-a half drain. Then I went to the console and switched on the forward pump.... Nothing. I popped the pump out of its holder and tried it. The impeller was frozen solid. Rats. I hate Red Head pumps! I popped the aft pump out of it’s housing and plugged it into the forward pump’s spot. Switch on and the water was flowing. OK we’re good to go. We’re not big on chumming, especially when you can get bait without it, so I idled the boat down current alongside marker No. 6 and Ralph threw the net. First marker: two threadies. On to the next one. Next, marker, nothing, on to the next one. Again nothing. On to the next one. Bingo! maybe 100 pieces. We made one

Water LIFE

MAGAZINE

May

2005

The Fishy Face of Charlotte Harbor

more pass on that marker, throwing into the shadow on the down-current side and we had bait. Not plenty, but enough. Our measurement is, if you can’t see the bottom of the well you probably have enough bait. If you can’t see the sides you have plenty. We had just enough. So off we went, headed for the wasted West Wall of the harbor, the place where once lush green overhanging mangroves are now a white stripe of bare wind blasted trunks. “My dad was telling me that down in Pine Island he has figured out that the few remaining green tufts of mangroves are the spots where the fish are holding,” Ralph said as we crossed the open water. I didn’t answer since my fishfinder had quit and I was busy wiggling the plugs on the back to see if I could get it to come back on.

Still, I made a mental note of the tip. The wind was out of the southwest and the tide would be turning soon so we headed south, inside the bar to Cape Haze, where we planned to turn around and begin a drift-and-pole scenario fishing our way back to the north. We circled around about a quarter mile north of the Cape and I flipped the baitwell hatch open. Agaaah! No water was flowing. Damn pump. I went back to the bilge and fiddled with the wires and pulled the pump again but it was dead and the circuit breaker was blown. The bait was all fine since my boat picks up water very well when it is moving, but now, with a well full of threadies and sardines we were in trouble. Ralph grabbed the bucket, filled it and dumped it in the well

while I took the dip net and began moving some of the captives to the aft well which has an inlet that flows in through a hole in the transom. Sardines are hardy, but the threadies are weak and they don’t do well without ample water circulating. This could be a problem. We drifted and poled our way ahead to the first green tuft. Ralph rigged up a bait and made a few casts while I dumped another bucket of water into the forward well. Then while I rigged up, Ralph landed the first snook, a nice legal fish of about six pounds. Ralph unhooked his fish and while I made my first few casts he dumped another bucket of water into the well and took out a handful of bait and broadcast it across the front of the little green bushy spot we were on. Then we waited. Smack, splash, thrash. There were fish here. And so it went, from about 1 p.m. until well after six. We didn’t move another 100 yards and we took turns dumping at least 100 buckets of water into the livewell at three minute intervals. Our bait stayed alive and we caught fish – plenty of fish, of every type and species available. There was that first snook and several others of varying sizes. There were trout, really big trout and some just average ones – the snook were at the bushes, the trout were out in the middle of the slough. We had a nice flounder about halfway in between and several nice redfish, including one 8 pound specimen all brought out from under the green overhangs we fished. There was a 7 pound jack that just wouldn’t quit, and although I am not so proud to say so, I had a sailcat, bigger than any I can ever remember catching, though I try not to remember catching catfish at all if I can. And there were a few hard head cats that Ralph caught as well. That day the sun was shining and the wind was pleasant and the fish were cooperating. Maybe it was because there were no baitwell pumps running, no man made noise what so ever – it could be. But best of all we were barefoot again, soaking it all up, fishing, and taking a break from reality and enjoying it. There wasn’t another boat around, save for some com-

mercial guys who motored by slowly, checking us out, and one flats boat headed south outside the bar. The fishing on Charlotte Harbor was back to normal and the day doesn’t end any better than that.

This spot with its outfacing point and a small cover of green held all the fish seen here and more

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2005

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Water LIFE

Changing Places

By Capt. Chuck Ei chner Water LIFE Inshore Editor Adventure is what fishing and boating is all about. No two days on the water are ever the same and an angler can usually count on challenges and experiences that only mother nature can provide. I always make a point to try new spots and explore areas that I have never been. The far reaches of Charlotte Harbor and the neighboring areas of Pine Island Sound, Gasparilla and Lemon Bay are really not that far away. The tangled course of navigation through countless mangrove islands and waterways hold an unlimited number of fishing spots. It’s up to the savvy angler to decipher the mysteries of where fish are holding and make them stretch your fishing line. This day was sure to be an adventure. A captain always feels a certain amount of pressure to produce but on this day I announced we would be fishing new water in hopes of catching primarily snook and maybe a few reds. Therefore, no pressure to produce right? My client (I’ll call him ‘Short String’ for reasons soon to be disclosed) didn’t completely agree with this philosophy, but hey, I was the captain. At the dock I inspected my companions tackle. The reel had about 15 turns of line on it and I asked if he was respooling because there certainly wasn’t enough line to get a decent cast. “No,

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don’t worry about me,” was the response. Our fishing day started with catching bait. Lady luck was with us because we pulled up on a shallow weedbed and saw the sign of silver flashes indicating pilchards. This hardy baitfish is easy to catch with a simple mixture of catfood, oats and other goodies and we proved this true by placing 300 baits in the well after a few casts of the net, Hoping for a quick catch, we decided to fish a few mangrove islands a short ride from the bait. A quick trout came aboard and a curious redfish inspect our bait and then things got quiet. Moving again to a nearby island, also with no action, we were off in search of new spots. Turning into an open water basin, we idled around the perimeter and into the back end. To our surprise we found a sunken house boat. Certainly a leftover from the hurricane. A simple rule for gamefish is that they like to position themselves to be inconspicuous to their prey. This is structure fishing and in this case the sunken boat was the structure. We anchored and tossed a few loose baits in the water and pitched our baits close to the boat. ‘Short String’ amazingly cast up under an opening in the stern of the boat. A dangerous location, but very snooky. Sure enough, his rod rears back with a nice fish but the fish lunges into the wreck and cuts off a little more of the dwindling line he has left. A few more casts and we both hook into snook in the 22-inch class. ‘Short String’ brings the spot to a close with a catfish and we move on. An hour into the trip and we’ve got one productive new spot. Fishing close to the beach areas where the clear blue gulf waters mix with Charlotte Harbor’s tannic brown was our next frontier. I elected to fish docks in the clearer water on a strong outgoing tide. Pulling into the old Mercabo basin, loaded with docks, we each flipped our lines under and into the shadows. Snook like this type of structure. Each piling gives them an ambush point and linesiders can chill in the shade on a sunny day. Sure enough we caught several snook, mainly little guys, but again we found fish in a new area. Our fishing methods were simple this day. Ten pound test line, connected to 20- or 30pound leader and a 2/0 hook to which we nose hooked our bait. On occasion, I belly hooked the pilchard which causes him to dive. This was especially helpful around the docks we fished as the bait would swim deep under them. Relocating closer to the beach, we idled past a sand island while deciding on which dock to fish. As a fisherman, I enjoy scanning the bottom in shallow water areas looking for clues to where fish might be. Going back to the structure concept, structure, to a fish, can be a hard object like a dock piling or it can be a softer, less obvious object like a depression in a sand bottom. As we eased along in the current, I spotted a darker green area in the sand flat

May

2005

that indicated deeper water. Simply, this was a pothole. Gamefish will either position themselves on the outskirts of the hole and watch the middle or sit in the middle and watch the outside edge. Anchoring upstream on an outgoing tide in only 2 feet of water, we pitched our baits into the pothole and allowed our line to freely swim with the current. Wham! Fish on I hollered with a huge grin on my face. A powerful run from a beautiful snook and I worked him to the boat. Another reward for our day – a new spot that had fish. So, on it went. About every third drift into this pothole we had a take from a snook – this spot was loaded with fish! Pleasure boaters and fisherman rode by as we held our rods low not to give notice of our new hotspot. An interesting thing was that ‘Short String’ could fish this spot as well as me, just letting line out after a short cast. Easing out of this spot and down the channel edge we looked for other similar spots and anchored above a pretty hole and cast out our baits. We each hooked up and lost a fish never knowing exactly what they were. No more bites here and we again moved on, stopping along the way with no action. About that time we spotted a snake swimming across a sand flat. It was not shy and came to us at boatside and posed for the camera. As the afternoon waned, a stiff northwest wind forced us to fish leeward islands. Picking a fishy spot is half knowledge and half luck. We idled a short piece looking at overhanging mangroves and white sandholes... everywhere looked good. We stopped at a point where the wind was pushing at our backs and tossed a handful of frisky pilchards into sandholes. On this spot we had a moving tide, a point, wind which also creates water surface movement and sandholes in a grassy flat. Our reward was quick, with snook finding our free baits an easy snack. We both cast and hooked and then lost fish. Interestingly, we did this 6 times before we finally landed one. The bite was good and we boated several more snook and decided to again move. Idling a few hundred yards away, we spotted a super looking spot. A huge sand hole about 50 feet long and 15 feet wide. As we anchored we saw baitfish fly into the air as bigger fish chased them wildly. I looked at ole’ ‘Short String’ with eyes wide open and out went the lines. We waited and waited for some action. This spot looked like a sure thing, however nobody was home. Go figure: such is fishing, so on we went. We tested another new area with limited success and finished on a known spot that didn’t produce at all. Charlotte Harbor had again shown us lots of fish and given us a handfull of new spots. This place is still the best!

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:

CBCA

May

2005

Water LIFE

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MAGAZINE

Charlotte Builders and Contractors

S t aff R eport Eighty four boats, three hundred in attendance. Partyin’, drinkin’ carousing, a pig roast, live music, inshore fishin’ offshore fishin, winds gusting to 30 knots, 8 foot seas offshore, four footers in the harbor and a brawl after the weigh in. It’s the CBCA, what more do you need too know? “It was absolutely miserable,” the big winner, Tom Treworgy, said of the weather, after laying on the hook all night 90 miles offshore and then taking 5 hours to get back. But he was smiling as he weighed in a 46 pound grouper.

The field had partied until 8 p.m at the Captain’s meeting the night before and then took off to fish until 4:30 the following afternoon. Everyone had a story, but they all had happy endings, even the one where two 16-year olds ran their boat into the mangroves. And for 11 year old Travis Allen it couldn’t have been better. It was his birthday and he brought a 7 pound snook back to the dock.

RESULTS Snook: Water Proof Charts, 11.27 Red Fish: Fin Chaser Boats, 9.15 Trout: Tropical Const. Supply, 5.01 Snapper: Treworgy Const., 15.9 Grouper: Treworgy Constr., 46.02 Jack: Treworgy Const., 30.22 Bounty Fish Inshore: Cobia, Mistletoe Charters, 13.18 Offshore Bounty: Flounder, Pro Air, 2.1

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Screaming Reels

Sarasota May 16 thru 26

Naples May 9 thru 19

Happy Campers

May

2005

Cape Coral May 2 thru 12

Mike and Arleene Franco with a 14-pound combined catch of redfish.

Pool Sharks of Lemon Bay Inc 3285 Placida Rd, Pelican Plaza Englewood We have been out catching bass all day! Joey once again out fished his dad. This nice 6 lbs bass was caught in a ʻsecret holeʼ in Rotonda

Please stop in and look over our fishinʼ scrapbook

(941) 698-9889

Maintenance • Repairs Heaters • Pumps • Chemicals Covers • Cleaners

By Capt. Andrew Medi na Wat er LIFE Tournam ent Gui de With the temperatures heating we are well into spring and the action on our local waters is heating up too. Snook are well into the migration out towards the beaches. Just about every grass flat, pothole or shoreline offers an almost a guaranteed hook–up for a variety of different species, all trying to get fat from a long winters nap. With large pods of bait moving into our harbor from the Gulf, their are some very aggressive feeders such as jacks, ladyfish and now tarpon. The silver kings have been showing themselves around the Punta Gorda bridges at day break and just before dark. A lot of smaller fish are being caught in the canals around colony point. These fish average 10 to 25pounds – kind of light, but still a blast to catch on light tackle. Anglers are also reporting that big jacks are now marauding in the Isles canals. Some of these fish weighing up to 20-pounds. That’s a fun fish to catch if you have an extra 20 minutes to kill and these fish are willing to eat just about anything you throw in front of them. Redfish are still on both sides of the harbor, from Burnt Store into the Gasparilla Sound, with some real nice solid 7-pound fish and a lot of little fish making a showing around the mangrove shore lines south of Alligator Creek. Sometimes it will seem like the reds are reluctant to eat live bait, but with a 1⁄4 ounce jig head and a nice piece of whitebait with his head pinched, no hog will refuse an easy calling for dinner. With all the lady fish around, don’t be scared to cut one up into about one-inch chunks, chunked ladyfish are the other

got-to-have redfish meal. Tarpon catches to the south near Pine Island have been getting most of the attention. Some captains have reported jumping 6 fish in a trip, on both light tackle and fly. Black or white tarpon ties have been doing well in the clear water pot holes. The US 41 bridge will soon start producing regular catches along with the Myakka area. The tarpon like the swift currents and structure of the trestles, but these fish can be very difficult to land with all the obstructions. Also, the twenty foot hole outside the river should hold fish soon. It’s not uncommon in these places to be fishing for tarpon and end up having your line peeled off by a nice size cobia which also like the deep pockets along the bridges. Larger thread fins, sugar trout or cut bait are the best baits to catch tarpon and cobia along the bridges. Just remember there is a bag limit and size limit on cobia. The fish has to be 33 inches to the fork of the tail and you are only allowed one fish per person per day. They eat a lot of crabs and small bait, but they will also hit larger Bombers or Mirro Lures. I personally prefer red and white in color, that’s my first choice – my ‘go-to’ lure. That color combo’ has never failed me. Artificials are also producing good catches of reds and snook. Try using glow shrimp, or 5-inch jerk baits, watermelon and white are both producing real nice fish. Now you know where and what they’re eating, all you’ve got to do is get out and enjoy some of the Florida sun. Be safe on the water and just have fun.

Capt Andrew Medi na can be reached fo r fi s hi ng and charter i nfo at (9 4 1 )4 5 6 -1 5 4 0 o r e-mai l hi m at

KIDS CUP

July 16

Redfish Tournament See Pages 16-18

May

2005

Go To Cedar Key

Water LIFE

and bring your dog

By El l en Hel l er Water LIFE Editor As is our monthly routine, Michael called me from our end of Alligator Alley, on his way back from Ft. Lauderdale deliveries and a quick visit with his mother in Miami. But instead of the usual “I’ll see you in an hour,” I heard “Pack a bag! I don’t want to stop in Port Charlotte, let’s head north for a couple of days.” Anticipating my response he added, “Yes, Molly can come too.” We were all ready to get away from the destruction still evident from Charlie and the sounds of yet another home being demolished. So an hour later we headed north on I-75 for some point unknown. Our plan was to find a place where we could do some exploring, get some exercise and then kick back and read. By the time we reached Sarasota, we had narrowed it down to Gainesville or Cedar Key. Since we’d never been to Cedar Key that’s where we set our course. The route was straight forward. I-75 to exit 67, then west on 484 and north on 19 to Rt. 24 to the turn off for Cedar Key. Time in route: 4 hours and a little bit. The interstate was abominable as usual, but once off things changed immediately. Rolling hills, endless stretches of tree lined greenery, little if any traffic and, best of all, no signs of hurricane damage. “Have a look at that,” my husband said as we rolled into town just before sunset. A life size statue of a beagle held a sign, “Pets Welcome!” It was the Faraway Inn on the water and we checked in. Cedar Key is a zone of transition. For years it has been a fishing village, nestled offshore about 100 miles north of Tampa, part of a small string of keys stretching into the Gulf. After Florida banned gill netting the fishermen here, like the fishermen in Charlotte Harbor learned to be commercial clam farmers. Between clams and blue crabs the fishing community seems to have sur-

vived, with clam slides and crab traps in many of the house’s back yards. There are funky docks with years of history behind them, little coves and back yard marinas everywhere. We decided it was a mix of Pine Island, Placida and the Florida Keys back in the 60’s. Generations of working fishermen with mullet skiffs and airboats farm the many shallow inshore flats and muddy bays that surround the area. Cedar Key is a walker’s dream with authentic victorian houses, stilted fish camps, tree lined streets and just enough rolling hills to make the walks healthy and the views grand. Rhodadendrons and bridal wreath were in glorious bloom where ever we went and the townspeople were pleasant and pet friendly. In contrast there are also stark glass and cement condos now blooming in the mix. The real estate prices reflecting the coming of so called ‘mainland civilization’ to an area that had been peacefully asleep for the last 150 years. On our first day out we walked two miles from our hotel and discovered the local cemetery. Cemeteries are a link to any area’s past and at Cedar Key we found more evidence of the area’s fishing history and southern attitudes. Grave stones dating back to the early 1800s, ancient rounded crypts and an abundance of children’s graves spoke of desolation and tough times. Graves had outlines of fishing boats, anchors, nets and rebel flags. Fishing as a way of life has endured and continues to thrive. In addition, the cedar groves on Cedar Key led to a prosperous pencil manufacturing industry and during the Civil War it was an outpost and a prison, but after the war it went right back to being a fishing community. Our ‘digs’ at the Faraway Inn were clean and pleasant. A two room cottage complete with an equipped kitchen, 27 inch TV, VCR, tape deck and even a record player. Outside the cottage a coy pond and herb garden were nice touches as were the covered swings facing the water and nightly sunsets. The downtown is mostly historic and a handy walking tour booklet lets outsiders, like us, walk on our own and read about the history of the houses we saw. Houses that

P a g e 11

MAGAZINE

ten years ago could have been had for a song, now command prices in the $400,000 and up range. Change is coming to Cedar Key, but it hasn’t fully arrived just yet. For meals we walked to the wharf, once the hub of fishing, but now a mix of small shops and restaurants aimed at tourists. We had crab cakes and clams on outdoor patios with Molly happily at our feet keeping an eye on the pelicans. In the marina there are guide boats and commercial vessels. You can charter a fishing trip here for redfish or trout and later in the season the tarpon that visit us down at Boca Grande will make their way up to Cedar Key and be available for angling one more time. Those not into fishing find the backwater kayaking and canoeing exceptional. If you stay at the Faraway Inn they have a full livery of canoes, kayaks and bicycles that go along with the price of a room. The room rates are in the $60 to $100 range, all this right at the water’s edge tucked away on a quiet street. We told Oliver, the owner, that we published a magazine in Charlotte County and that out local kayakers and fishermen will likely make their way up to Cedar Key after reading about it. Mention Water LIFE and he’ll give you a 10-percent discount. Rates change seasonally. Our two days passed all too quickly with sunsets, silent nights black as coal with the sky lit like a planetarium, and warm breezes coming off the Gulf. We’ll be back there

New Gulf Front Condos on Manasota Key

Beautiful Coral Creek

again, I just hope the Inn hasn’t been sold and turned into a condominium first. Progress has a way of destroying things and the best stuff is usually the first to go. Check out Cedar Key and the Faraway Inn or one of the many other accommodations. before that happens. You won’t be sorry and neither will your dog!

Single Family Gulf Front Home

Manasota Key Condo

Doug & Judy Kaff

(941) 474-9534 Judy Kaff

(941) 830-0502

New 3br, 2 1/2 bath units, some available 1st Quarter 2005. Great beach, great views: BAREFOOT BEACH: Unit 501 with partial Gulf view – $785,000 Unit 303 direct Gulf front view – $1,050,000 Call for additional details. THE PALMS: Unit 9 with partial Gulf view – $875,000 BOULDER POINTE Unit 401, Penthouse – $1,550,000

BEAUTIFUL CORAL CREEK Easy access to the intercoastal. 18000 sq ft lot with deeded dock space in gated and deed restricted community. $220,000

INCREDIBLE VIEWS on over 200 ft of direct Gulf beach frontage. Beautifully designed home in perfect shape with 4/5 bedrooms and dock on the Bay $3,325,000

3 BEDROOM 2 BATH condo in A-1 shape just steps from great beach on Manasota key, turnkey furnished...spacious rooms and view of Gulf from lanai....just $549,000...

TWO CONTIGUOUS LOTS, steps from great beach on Manasota Key. Offerred as one parcel at $849,000. Owner will look at deferred closing for purposes of 1031 exchange.

Water LIFE

Page 12

May

MAGAZINE

Office Trailer For Sale 941-698-1805

2005

Placida area

Mobile office trailer, 12' x 50', half bath, small sink, refrigerator, window air conditioner, carpeted. Includes 4' x 12' exterior deck. $6,000 or best offer.

BOAT REPAIR

Mike Panetti Sterndrive • Inboard • Outboard

Select pre-owned Boats For Sale... from $700! This Monthʼs SPECIAL!

1971 Wellcraft AirSlot just in- no photo available! 135 Evinrude Galv. Trailer fair shape, needs work $700 o.b.o

6 days a week (Mon - Sat) Bottom Paint and Detailing Available

(941) 255-3106 or 769-8064

4256 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte

(on the east side of US 41 just north of Harborview)

30' Cruisers Inc. 2000 Twin 220HP Volvo 5.0GL with only 78 hours. Exceptionally clean express cruiser Asking $99,000

33' Carver Mariner 1995 Twin 250HP Crusader. Very spacious boat- reduced to $69,900

21' Mako Inshore 210 2002. Single 225HP Honda 4-stroke with only 59hours.Transferable engine warranty until May 2008 Asking $25,000

22"Mariah Z-222 Shabah 2001 Single 250HP Mercruiser 5.0L EFI. Very sleek, loaded with options. Asking $20,900

23' Boston Whaler Conquest 23 1999 twin 135HP Mercury Optimax. Very clean, lift stored, lightly used bluewater boat Asking $45,000

23' Grady White Gulfstream 1990. Twin 150 Mercury Blackmax. Solid riding and very roomy fishing boat. Asking $19,900

24' Sea Ray 240 Sundeck 1998 Single 250HP Mercruiser. Fast moving party machine. Asking $19,900

25' World Class Cat 1999 Twin 115HP Yamaha 4-strokes 2004. Five year warranty on engines, great boat & ready to fish. Asking $51,000

25' Proline 25 Sport CC 2002. Single 225HP Mercury Optimax 2002. Only 50 hours! Trailer included. Reduced to $45,000

33" Cruisers 3372 Express 2002. Twin 320HP Mercruiser VD's. Beautiful boat, lift stored. Asking $149,500

46' Post Convertible 1992. Twin 550HP Detroit Diesels 6V92 1993. Beautiful boat - New water maker & new bottom 2005. Asking $330,000

25' Pursuit 2550 WAC 1990. Twin 200HP Yamaha TXRP's. Great fishing or cruising boat Asking $19,900

30' Grady White Marlin 300 2001. Twin gas Yamahas. Dry stored and pro. maintained, nice condition throughout Asking $124,900.

38' Chris-Craft 381 Catalina. Twin 330HP gas Pleasurecraft engines. Great boat for entertaining, cruising or liveaboard. Asking $82,000.

43' Sea Ray 430 Convertible 1988. Twin 370HP diesel engines. This boat has all the amenities of home! Asking $169,900

Mechanical Connection May

Water LIFE

2005

Switching Livewell pumps should be plug and play

S t aff R eport Our boat is blessed with the simplicity of Red Head brand livewell pumps while at the same time cursed with their crappy design. These pumps routinely fail because the shaft rusts and water gets inside, but they are small and fit well in our cramped bilge so we keep replacing them at $30 a pop. As indicated in the Barefoot Fishing installment found elsewhere in this month's edition, last month we had a double failure of our livewell pumps. Usually, if one pump fails we either use the other well or swap pump motors from one base to the other. Some captains we know carry a spare pump equipped with alligator clips on the wire ends so they can yank the bad pump and do a quick-fix by stripping the remaining wire and clipping on the replacement. Problem is, with our 8-inch bilge access, stripping wire is difficult and time consuming. Last month we bought two new pumps and one spare, and while we were on the way out of West Marine we looked for a simple two-prong plug we could introduce

L et U s S e ll Yo ur B o at into the system. We had a plug in mind with a weatherproof housing and we found a weatherproof $4, twoprong trailer light plug that worked just fine. Installation was simple. Red wire to the power side, black to the ground, and two shrink-to-fit crimp connectors - shrink to fit watertight terminals and splices are a must for ALL boat wiring applications. End result? Both pumps work again and we can now still switch them side-to-side or unplug a bad one and plug in a new one and we’ll be doing that within six months, that’s for sure.

ʻMasterʼ .... of Expensive Mi chael Hel l er Water LIFE editor Regular readers may remember a few months back when we put out a call for a used motor/gearbox combination for our Davit Master gear driven davit. One of our gear boxes was screeching badly from inside and we knew the clock was ticking on that 25-year old unit. Prior to our plea we had called Davit Master in Clearwater to see about having the unit serviced, but we were told the unit was obsolete, that no parts were available and that only a $600 check would fix our problem. To be fair, the $600 bill would buy a new motor and new gearbox and would require sending in the 3/8 inch steel mounting plate off the davit for redrilling. Still, it was excessive. As luck would have it, one of our readers called to say he had a gear driven motor and gearbox, which we bought for $50, but it was not exactly the same design. To use that unit we would have to do some welding and drilling of our own. With the new spare in the garage we took our old motor and gearbox off the davit and brought it inside. I looked at it for a day and then curiosity got the better of me. “Let’s just see what went bad,” I said to myself and I began wrenching. Once inside (time about 10 minutes) it was clear to see the top bearing had failed and

Page 13

the drive shaft was screeching in the slip collar that connected it to the motor. Carefully, I pressed the old bearing off and headed down to the local NAPA auto parts store. With bearing in hand I approached the counter. “What–cha’ got there?” the lady behind the counter said to me and I explained it wasn’t a car part but a davit gearbox part. “Looks like a 6205-2JZ to me,” she said, taking the bearing and walking to the back of the store. She returned a minute later with a new bearing. “That will be $14,” she said. So now I have a spare motor and gearbox if I ever need it and my old one runs silently and effortlessly again, like a fine watch ... and we are still $536 ahead of the game and LMAO.

Daryl Hal l • Tom S t i vi son Kurt Ji l son www. redfi s hyacht . com

Nice Big Red

The Fish-of-the-Month photo award for May goes to Nick Georges who sent us this photo of a tournament size redfish caught in late April near Burnt Store.

Sponsors

If you are a Kids Cup sponsor you get to help the kids and as our way of saying ‘thanks’ we will include your ad in the annual Kids Cup magazine. The proceeds from the Kids Cup go to support the Don Ball School of Fishing, a program for 7th graders at Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Murdock and Englewood middle schools. Last year this tournament raised over $12,000 for the kids. This year we are already off to a good start. The Oh Bo y ! Oberto Redfi s h Cup is again the tournament namesake sponsor and along with WaterLIFE Mag azi ne, the p re s e n t i n g s p o n s o rs and the Ki ng fi s her Fl eet we are going to make this tournament the fun event of the summer. Lai s hl ey Mari ne and Pal m Chev ro l et have again signed up to be the main tournament sponsors. Joining forces with them will again be Wes t Mari ne and Bo at US who will be the IGFA Junior Angler World Championship sponsor. Handling the food and catering for this year’s captain’s meeting will be the Redfi s h Cho p Ho us e in Punta Gorda. Tournament shirts will be printed by ScreenPri net Pl us in Cape Coral and the tournament hats will be provided this year by S an Carl o s Mari n e of Fort Myers. Acti o n Craft Bo ats has joined us this year and they will provide the printing for the Kids Cup image on the Tournament T Shirts. Ing man Mari ne in Port Charlotte was a Kids Cup sponsor last year, but this year they have moved up, donating a Power Pole anchoring system for the guide who ‘fishes’ the winning kid and movie tickets for all the kids who weigh in a redfish. Our good friend and tournament fish handler Robert Lugeowitz at Fi s hi n’ Fanks is working to assemble another incredible array for the captain’s bags which go to all the Kids Cup anglers. Robert has said the Henry Tackl e company vendors are now pitching in with products. Last year we had great stuff in the bags and this year we are going to try and out-do ourselves. Eppi ng er Lures has contacted us and will be providing Daredevil spoons for each angler. They sent us a whole bunch to test and we’ll have the best ones in the bags. D. O. A. Lures also called and said they wanted to do more for the kids so look for a number of D.O.A. soft plastics this year. This month we will start to contact all the Kids Cup sponsors so if you were a sponsor last year you can expect a call from us soon. Program ads from last year’s sponsors whose businesses are still in the rebuilding process

KIDS CUP

Free all-pro ʻSuper Seminarʼ Saturday July 9 4 p.m @ Laishley Marine

May

2005

The Tournament

The applications are rolling in. The Ki ds Cup will be a fun event, but competition will be a factor. Entry packets are now available from most local bait and tackle shops and on our website at:www.charlotteharbormagazine.com. The tournament entry fee will again be $100. There will be a full Ki ds Cup Captai n’s Meeti ng and dinner on July 15. The location was scheduled to be in the new showroom at Palm Chevrolet, but since their construction schedule will be tight we are now looking for an alternate location. Anglers will be informed by mail if the dinner location needs to change. At the dinner we will distribute the capt. bags, thank the sponsors and go over the rules. There will be a free Ki ds Cup Semi nar open to all on July 9th at Lai s hl ey Mari ne. The Wei g h-i n will be on the dock at Harpoon Harry's and the public will be encouraged to come out and support the kids. We’ll have the action on the big screen TV monitors as well. Water LIFE will handle the officiating, and once again our good friend Gene Kingery will be our master of ceremonies. Capt. Ralph Allen, owner of the Kingfisher Fleet, will again run the weigh-in and Robert Lugeowitz from Fishin’ Franks will again be the fish-handler. Entries for the Ki ds Cup are limited to 125 junior anglers age 10-16. You must be at least 10 but not yet 17 years of age on July 16 of this year. We made the ag e break a y ear o l der thi s y ear to coincide with the IGFA’s rules. Each junior angler will be responsible for securing his or her own captain and boat. The captain must be over 18. The captain will assume full responsibility for the junior angler’s safety and must sign the tournament application and release. Last year’s Ki ds Cup in Punta Gorda drew a capacity crowd and played to an audience of half-a-million people on ESPN2. This year when the Kids Cup comes to Punta Gorda, (July 16-17) there won’t be national TV coverage, but there will be local TV coverage and coverage in the Redfi s h Nati o n Mag azi ne and on the Redfi s h Cup website. The winner will get a pai d tri p to the Redfi s h Cup Fi nal s in October and also gets to fish in the IGFA’s Juni o r Ang l er Wo rl d Champi o ns hi p. There will be great competitor’s bags with shirts and hats and lures for all anglers and competitor’s trophies as well. There are two days of kid’s fishing this year; July 16 when everyone fishes in the Ki ds Cup and July 17 is when the top 5 kids from the Ki ds Cup fish in the Ki ds Cup Sho o to ut. The Ki ds Cup Sho o to ut will decide the overall winner of the Ki ds Cup. All the anglers in the shootout get big trophies and a variety of fishing tackle and equipment. The shootout weigh-in will be held

KIds Cup Rules Summary May

Water LIFE

2005

n Entries limited to 125 anglers n Entry fee $100 per angler n Mandatory Competitors Meeting and Dinner on Friday July 15 n Tournament Day is Saturday July 16. Top 5 Shootout is Sunday July 17 n Anglers must be at least 10 - but not yet 17 years old on tournament day n Each Junior angler must secure his own boat and an adult driver n It is permissible to hire a guide but we encourage guides to discount or donate their services n There must be one adult over age18 aboard each boat. Only adults and competitors are allowed aboard The artwork is taking shape for 2005 Kids Cup n Only boats carrying two competitors T- shirts:By Martin Gambecki & ScreenPrint Plus may have two adults aboard n Adults may not cast or catch fish, but may help land a fish n No wade fishing, no kayaking. All boats must have adequate livewells. n Boats will be signed out at 6:30 a.m. on tournament day in the order their tournament application is received by mail n Boats must be back at the weigh-in dock by 2:30 p.m. n Anglers will use artificial bait and/or shrimp only. No whitebait, pinfish, threadfins etc. will be allowed n Fish must be caught on hook and line and released alive at weigh-in n In the event of a tie, the earliest weigh-in time wins

] More Questions? call us at (941) 766-8180

SPECTACULAR VIEW OF CHARLOTTE HARBOR!

Incredible Hemingway Style House

Located A Short Boat Ride To The Gulf! Absolutely immaculate stilt home offers a spectacular water view from the nautical porch. Three bedrooms with hardwood floors, new kitchen, gorgeous master bedroom, metal roof, beautiful lighting and over-sized garage. Completely remodeled inside and out this home looks like it was just built! $725,000 mls# 459300

Sailboat waterfront overlooking large basin and Charlotte Harbor. Modern Key West style home in Pirate Harbor with 3557sq. ft. of living space and panoramic views of the waterfront from all sides. Boat house with lift and dock, ramp area & swimming pool. Great Adjacent lot with this home available, mls # 456908 $649,000 Room floorplan with 18Approximately 333 feet of waterfoot ceiling, huge master front combined bedroom, oversized 2 car garage and 3rd story widowʼs watch. Only minutes to Gulf waters from this incredible location! 24201 Captain Kidd Blvd, Pirate Harbor. $899,000

Gorgeous Collingswood Pointe Home

in a lush tropical settting. Nautical boardwalk area leads to huge boatdock with view over open basin with short ride to the harbor. Three bedrooms, 2 BA, 2 ∏ CG with ~1900sf, built in 1999, granite counters, gorgeous wood cabinets, large porch and lanai make this the best value in the area. $539,000

MAGAZINE

Page 19

12070 BORAX – Lakefront home, sparkling clean, quiet & peaceful country setting. Completely new remodeled including new roof, floor covers, appliances, water treatment system, A/C, paint etc.Rare to find location in Tropical Gulf Acres. Formal living/dining plus family room. & lanai. Wooden dock at the lake $249,900 MLS #468375

932 TROPICAL CIRCLE – Sparkling

clean salt water front pool home, not in flood zone.Large 4 bedroom home, formal living room and dining room, plus family room. 38' lanai overlooking the swimming pool area & private back yard. Great curb appeal, modern open, cheerful and bright. Much newer feel than the actual age. Kept in perfect condition. $450,000 MLS#466159

EDGEWATER DRIVE, PORT CHARLOTTE Just listed, waterfront lot on Edgewater Drive, gorgeous long water view. $249,900 or make an offer! Too soon for MLS number. This wonʼt last.

Page 20

Water LIFE

May

2005

ScuttleButt

MAGAZINE

Sometimes Unsubstanciated ... but often true!

Missing Shrimp Bait shop owners weʼve talked to recently tell of erratic deliveries of shrimp. “Every couple of days the suppliers are saying there are just no shrimp. “We used to get bags of 1,000 shrimp weighing 16 pounds,” Robert at Fishinʼ Franks said. “For the last month they are weighing in at 8-pounds,” he added.

struck the sandy shore at high speed and launched ten feet high into the trees before crashing down again. No injuries occurred and no citations were issued.

Tarpon Arrive The last week of April two good sized pods of tarpon entered Charlotte Harbor and have taken up residence in some of the areaʼs more notorious deep holes. More fish should now be arriving any time and tarpon season will soon be in full swing. Sorry, but we just cannot tell you exactly which deep holes they are in.

New Crab Trap Floats: Made from floating

Tourism Development On The Right Track The Countyʼs Tourism department will soon announce they have agreed to sponsor one of the areaʼs professional fishing teams. Having the countyʼs logo on a winning boat that travels to other fishing destinations and appears at regional fishing shows and expositions is a great way to promote our area. We canʼt disclose exactly who the team is yet, but we can tell you that their names appear in this publication monthly as regular contributors! Good Job and Atta (Oh) Boy! (Oberto) to all involved.

foam tubes, these new markers are popping up all over the upper harbor and the river.

Police Notes from the files of the FWC: Officers James Johnson and David Dipre responded to a boating accident after a jet boat crashed into the trees at Christmas Tree Island. The incident began when four subjects stopped in the Key West Harbor to apply sunscreen. A large vessel wake washed overboard and filled the jet boat with water. The operator swiftly accelerated the jet boat in an attempt to dump the water causing all four occupants to go overboard. The unmanned jet boat, still in high throttle, headed toward the island and gained speed as the water was successfully bailed out. It

Dockside Fuel They havenʼt returned our call, but the word on the street is this long time local fuel delivery service has gone belly up. Steadily increasing gas prices have no doubt figured into this equation and, if true, we will be sorry to see them go.

Dine on the dock ~ Million $$ View!

Boaters Welcome

N 26 38.040 W 082 03.958 Near Marker 55 On the Matlacha Pass Dockage Available

Friday Fish Fry 5 – 9 pm

Live Entertainment

Live entertainment every weekend www.bertsbar.com

Dock Party every Sunday 3-7

4271 Pine Island Rd.

282-3232

Water LIFE

Fish Canʼt Wear Sunglasses and other useful information May

2005

By Fi shi n’ Frank Water LIFE Senior Guide Thanks to Capt. Andy Medina and his magic touch with fiberglass, I am back on the water. I am not certain if the fish are scared or not. Maybe? After months of not having a boat, the first thing is to find where the fish are holding. The weather getting warmer means most fish will start leaving the canals and back waters for the cooler water of the harbor and looking for the shade of the mangroves. Why is shade a factor? Think about it. Fish do not have eyelids. They can't squint into the bright sunlight and with no ears, sunglasses are not going to stay on! Shade is the place for fish on bright days. So when moving onto a flat to fish, fish with the sun at your back and the fish is much less likely to see you. Beware of where your shadow is since a fish is used to having birds diving at him and shadows mean danger to a fish. Fishing with live bait or dead bait is the most productive way to catch fish and (lets face it) it’s easier, but to cover more water and just to find fish, top water lures, spoons, or floating-diving lures are the ticket. Top water lure fishing is by far the most addictive fishing there is. Seeing the fish strike or roll up and boil at the lure is heart pounding, head shaking excitement. If you are not an experienced top water angler, the best ones to learn with are Heddon’s Torpedo, the Johnny Rattler, or a Devil Horse. These lures work well with a slow steady retrieve and are unbeatable with a start and stop action. Just use a light pull to make the lure splash the water a little – when you hear a ‘chooss’ sound it is working correctly. Slow is better than fast when working fish that are not actively feeding, but if you see the fish feeding, speed up. That make them think the bait is trying to escape, and if one fish wanted it the others surely will. Picture a group of kids playing in a room full of toys. No one notices the Jack in the Box until one of them picks it up then they all fight to get it. Fish are a lot like that. Make them think something else is chasing the bait and they will want it too. For those who have been working top water lures for a while there is something very special about working a Zara Spook or any other walk-the-dog style lure. Bagley's

Jumping Mullet, Mirro Lure's Top Dog, all have great actions and they all catch fish. My choice sometimes comes down to what noise they make. Most have metal balls or bb's in them to give a rattle or a ‘chuchin’ sound. One will make a higher pitch noise that is better in mild waves, some have a heavier sound and a larger metal ball that makes a ‘chuckin’ or ‘thumpin’ sound which on calm days is irresistible to redfish. The correct way to work these lures is very similar to rubbing your stomach while patting the top A new offering: Bomber lureʼs topwater Poppin Shrimp with two BBʼs, trailing ʻantennasʼ and a pair of substancial hooks. of your head . Keep the tip of your rod moving in a back and forth motion which is trough about 15 to 20 feet out from the mangroves that easy to do if you put your index finger next to the rod and the red's lay in each morning. As you move along the tap it. Then start reeling slowly this will cause the front west wall, fan cast. That means casting a pattern like a of the lure to go from side to side in an ‘s’ pattern or ‘V’ from the trees out to the open flat. Just when you are move it faster and it takes on a chopping, slashing sure they are hiding along the trees you find them out in motion, This is the classic walking-the-dog fishin’ style. the middle. Take your time and work the water. There are A VERY OLD THING IS NEW AGAIN no busses to catch out there so relax. You are where you The spinner bait for redfish and snook is back. My father should be doing the best thing a person can do. I’m fishin Frank Sr. Dave Hellard of Oh-Son Lure's, and I were mak- again!! See ya’ on the water. ing these work 18 years ago. Now, Strike King, Boo-Ya and Terminator are all manufacturing them. The best part Fishin’ Frank can be reached for information or to of throwing a spinner bait is that it is a true idiot’s bait. Throw it out and reel it in. The less you do the more fish you will catch. How great is that?!! Snook have moved to the mouth of most of the canals and are getting ready to party in the shallow Gulf waters for their baby making season. Try a spinner bait under the docks right now for some great snook action. The west side of the Harbor is a good place to try your top water lures on redfish as well. Either drift with the wind or better yet, use an electric trolling motor on ‘slow.’ The boat should be a long cast from shore. On the west side, from Cape Haze to the tower there is a small

Placida Deep Sea Fishing

An Invisible and Dangerous Situation S t aff R eport We noticed a crew on the Peace River taking down the damaged Manatee signs which even in good shape are an ugly blight on our scenery. Twisted, they are a real eye sore. The Feds were here within days of hurricane Charlie to assess the damage and check the safety factor of the downed and partially submerged signs. The recommendation was the area be cleaned up and the waterways made safe for the boating public as soon as possible. Apparently eight months was a reasonable length of time to leave it unsafe while they tried to find the cheapest way to get rid of the problem. Now it appears the F.W.S. has found a way to get rid of the damaged signs. They have hired a firm out of Indiana to come down and cut off the pilings as close to the level of the bottom as possible, by use of an underwater hydraulic chain saw. This is a very effective deep-water method of removing pilings from sight, however here in the Peace River many of the signs were placed in locations which are about 3 feet deep. Where there is three feet of water these piling do not create a big problem, unless your boat drafts three feet

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two inches. But what happens when the tide goes out and the submerged piling stubs are only covered by 12 or even 18 inches of water? This may be a real problem. If a solid wood 10 inch piling catches the lower unit of of your boat and the boat comes to a sudden stop at 25 M.P.H. it is the same as running into a brick wall. The motor can be ripped off the boat or in a worse case the people can be ejected, injured or killed. The technique of cutting pilings off at the level of the bottom is good for deep water problems, but hey we don't have deep water. We have gone from an ugly and dangerous situation to an invisible and dangerous situation. There is no possible way to know where these piling stubs are and there will be no warning before you hit one. Good job, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The manatees are safe but now the boating public on the Peace River is certainly not. The Federal Fish and Wildlife Service is overseeing this project from their Atlanta office. The person in charge is Francis Brown. Her phone number is 404-6794077. Give her a call, ask her why they are doing this to our river.

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May

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May

2005

Offshore Report

By Capt. S teve S kevi ngton Water LIFE Offshore Contributor One of my personal ‘favorite’ fish, the permit, starts to show up in full fury this month and next. These are the very same fish that have been delighting & taunting anglers all year long down in the Keys, and now it’s our turn to set the hook on these golden torpedoes. All one needs to get started is a live well full of silver dollar size crabs & jumbo shrimp. As for tackle I like too use medium-light spinning outfits loaded up with 15-20 pound line and about two feet of twenty pound fluorocarbon for leader a 1/0 or 2/0 short shank hook is just right for this size bait. Start looking for these fish on shallow wrecks off of Fort Myers beach, up to Sanibel. Another fish making a big show this month is Tarpon. These guys are moving up our beaches right now and should start piling up in Boca Grande any day. Die hard ‘Poon’ anglers will be well served to stalk the beaches with heavy spinning rod in hand ready to cast at the first sign of a roll. Crabs & large threadfins work well for this kind of fishing. Cobia is still a target fish this month. Look for them on your favorite wreck, and be ready to offer them anything they want. My personal favorite bait for these fish has got to be a big threadfin, but they will take cut ladyfish, squid, frozen & live shrimp, or jigs. To be honest use whatever bait they’re in the mood for. Red grouper action should really start to heat up this month. Start looking at those over the horizon spots you haven’t been to in a while. There should also be plenty of vermilion & lane snapper on these same spots. If all that doesn’t flat wear you out try trolling a live blue runner over top of any wreck 70 feet deep or better. The barracuda are stacked-up out there right now, but don‚t fish for these guys unless you enjoy vicious top-water strikes, big head shaking jumps, & short but powerful runs. Just don’t be too surprised if a big amberjack takes

Water LIFE

know just how irritating it is to hear a back seat driver, but to actually let them have control of the wheel too? So, is a simple solution to change places? Does the one in the back of the boat win? Well, that depends. If you are the one in the stern you could conceivably whack your mate over their head with the paddle – a word of advice here –- the one in back has to have a fair amount of self control. If on the other hand you are the one in the bow it is nigh on impossible to smack your ‘significant other’ without doing some spinal contortion and capsizing, risking real possibility of drowning since your back is probably out by trying to swing the paddle from that position.

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Can Kayaking contribute to Divorce?

By Li sa Campbel l Special to Water LIFE I’ve heard it said, that if you want to cause a fight, get in a tandem kayak with your significant other. Rumor has it that a canoe will work too. Why is it that two semi- well behaved people who in every day life probably function fairly well as a team will get out on the calm peaceful water in a kayak (or canoe) and end up wanting to kill each other? Several factors come into play in this so called ‘peaceful’ sport. First, is the necessity of one and only one person being in control. This is not an equal partnership. Someone has to steer the boat and that is whoever is in the back seat. Truly, a backseat driver. We all

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So if you sit in front you don’t need as much self control, but some would keep you from drowning. What is it about this situation that could possibly spawn such discord that one guide actually has given his tandem kayaks and canoes such names as ‘Divorce Court’, ‘The Widow– Maker’ and ‘Hell’s Fury’? One couple I talked to said they would never tandem again. While maneuvering in some tight turns in the back waters either one or the other of them would time after time end up in the mangroves. They survived the ordeal but vowed for the sake of the marriage to never again tandem. This brings us to the matter of stability. You find out that your mate leans one way or too

far the other and what you thought of as a stable relationship is in fact all wet, literally in the water. If you’re lucky you are not in the deep end without a life vest. These two small items control and stability have washed up many a relationship so why take the chance? It has been suggested that this would make a great pre-marital test, maybe a couple of weeks before the wedding? This came from the married couple who had survived, but I couldn’t help wonder if there was just a hint of bitter gloating in this suggestion. Advice to those contemplating the risks of tandems; some time apart, a little independence can be a good thing in a relationship of love or when kayaking.

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Page 24

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May

2005

Kids Fishing

Water LIFE

Lessons Learned

By Betty S taugl er Water LIFE / Sea Grant My son Joe got a new boat in February, a 16 foot Rogue skiff, perfect for the creek (south fork of Alligator Creek) and a major improvement over his last boat, an old Starcraft that was kept afloat with JB weld. Now, Joe is a pretty responsible young man. He’s a good captain and very mechanically inclined. None the less, he is only 15, and as such I can’t help but worry each time he takes to the water. Joe is required to file a float plan every time he heads out. He will tell you it cuts a good three minutes into his fishing time. The float plan is not just for my benefit. It also serves as a subtle reminder of all the things he needs to ensure are on the boat when he goes out. Flighty as young men can be (no offense guys), Joe would surely remember his fishing gear, but there’s no guarantee he would remember the rest without a handy check list. Our float plan includes a check list for his registration, his boater’s education card (required for all young operators), his required safety gear (PFDs, fire extinguisher, visuals and audible distress signals), a cell phone, gas, food and water, tool kit, foul weather gear, a marine radio, a navigation chart, the list goes on and on. Friday after school Joe and his friend Shawn headed out to go fishing. They weren’t going far, just beyond the last mobile home park on Burnt Store Rd. After that it’s all mangrove shoreline. We live just east of U.S. 41. There are three houses along the creek between our house and the railroad trestle. Between the last house and the railroad trestle there’s just enough undeveloped shoreline for two teen boys armed with a little power to get themselves into trouble. Joe gave the motor a little throttle upon passing the last house, rounded the corner by the trestle, and who was standing on the bank but the FWC! Now, living in a small neighborhood, in a small town, Joe has learned, nothing can possibly happen, that I won’t eventually find out about. As it turns out, this day both Joe’s Dad and a neighbor were heading down U.S. 41 just in time to see the happenings in the Creek below. When Joe got home I looked at him and said “so you got pulled over by law enforcement,” and Joe looked at me with a little bewildered smile (how could I possibly know so quickly)! Then in a very mature straightforward voice he said, “I was going too fast.” I asked if he was scared, and he said “heck yah, I thought I was going to get a ticket.” Joe told me the officer was very nice, and after informing him that he needed to slow down, and that the entire stretch of south Alligator Creek was slow speed, decided to give Joe’s boat a safety check. At that point Joe said “I calmed down, because I knew my boat was legal.” “Why is that I asked?” “Because I checked my gear when I filled out the float plan.” Joe has learned the value of having all of his safety gear on board every time he goes out – even when he’s just headed around the corner. We now agree, float plans aren’t so bad, and are worth the couple of minutes they take to fill out. Ah, those little lessons learned! Betty Staugler is the Charlotte County Sea Grant agent and can be reached

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Weighted Thoughts By Capt. Robert Moore Water LIFE Staff What a difference a 1/4 ounce will make. In my experience it can literally make the difference between catching fish and not catching fish. What I am referring to is the difference between a 1/4 ounce jig head and plain ol’ J-hook. While fishing live bait on a guided trip one day I realized I had forgotten my tackle bag of hooks. All I had was 1/4 ounce red head jigs on board. So I would pole up to a sand hole, hook a whitebait just above the belly with the jig head and cast it out. That day was very successful. Redfish, snook & trout. That was ten years ago and since then I have fine–tuned my use of lead and live bait. I have actually learned that on most occasions it can make all the difference in the world in certain condi-

Water LIFE

When the fish are on the bottom you ʻgotta get down

tions. Let’s look at this from a fish’s perspective. You’re a redfish lying on the edge of a sand hole. You look up and see a nice fat shiner swimming on the surface. That shiner looks very energetic and hard to catch. You instinctively know that it will take some work to catch him. You have seen this scenario many times. You’re lazy; all you want is an easy meal. Then you look over and in the middle of your sand hole is another fat shiner lying on the bottom. He looks distressed, maybe wounded. It looks like the shiner may have gotten hit by another fish and can hardly swim. You smile and quickly swim over for an easy meal. Makes sense, right? Then I started thinking about fishing under the mangroves and in the mouth of creeks. While I was free lining a whitebait

MAGAZINE

under the mangrove bushes, I watched as my bait would swim at lightening speed away from the shoreline in about two seconds. A perfect cast under a hanging mangrove bush would go un-noticed. Hook that same bait on a jig head, make that same perfect cast, the bait would fall to the bottom where most fish are foraging for food and it’s fish on! That same experience came when fishing in the mouth of a small creek. Most fish are sitting at the mouth waiting for a bait to be flushed in or out. Put a jig head on and you put it right in the kitchen. Fishing with a jig head does have its limitations. If the bottom is real grassy, most of the time a jig head will not work. The bait buries down in the grass and most fish will not find it. The bottom must be somewhat free of grass. Here are a few guidelines that I use when fishing with a jig head and live bait: Hook the bait above the belly, not in the nose. I have found that when the bait falls to the bottom he creates more vibration thus drawing more attention when hooked through the side. Use smaller baits. Larger baits above 4 inches will actually swim freely for a few minutes even while dragging a 1/4 ounce around with him. If all your bait is larger bait, then gently squeeze the bait before hooking him. It will stun the bait and make him fall to the bottom. If all your bait is really small then hook two small ones together.

May

2005

A 1/4 ounce seems to be the perfect size jig head. Any larger makes too much noise when it hits the water. Any smaller the bait will be able to swim with the jig. I prefer using red head jigs. It’s a preference. I believe in the bleeding bait theory. Red is what I have confidence in. Experiment on your own until you find what color gives you confidence. The reality is, color may make no difference at all. Many anglers have stated they prefer to add a few small pinch-on weights just above a hook. My opinion is it’s the same concept. My only objection is that pinch–on weights may compromise the leader if pinched on too hard. A jig head eliminates any chance of that. Don’t work your bait. Cast it out and let the bait sit on the bottom and do its dance. Fish will sense or see your bait and come to it. Try not to use jigs with forged hooks. The hooks are thicker than jigs with wire hooks. The forged hooks will make a bigger hole when placed through the bait and will slip out of the bait after a few seconds of being cast. This not only works for redfish. Some of the biggest snook and trout I have seen caught by clients were with live bait on a jig head. Good luck and Tight Lines!

You can reach Capt. Robert Moore for fishing information or to book a charter fishing trip at (941) 637-5710 or (941) 6282650 or contact him v ia e-mail at tarponman@comcast.net

May

2005

Water LIFE

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Page

Leukemia Cup Regatta

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Water LIFE

Forecasting wind is a flighty science. In fishing, when the forecast is for 10 to 15 you add the numbers together. In sailing it seems like you need to divide. On the first day of the Leukemia Cup the forecast was for winds of 10 to 20-knots, but sailors were pumping the mains just to get to the starting line for the first race last month. A front had passed through the area the day before and everyone expected good sailing, but at least at the beginning, things were slow. The start had been delayed 30 minutes already, but now they were underway. In the spinnaker boats, Flying Cloud, a Colgate 26, took an early lead but at the first mark the crew suffered the dreaded ‘spinnaker twist’ and fell behind. Frolic, a Tartan 300 took the opportunity to slip by and then didn’t look back. For the cruising boats it looked like Fancy Free was in the lead at the first mark, but little Rub-A-Dub a 21-foot San Juan put a slippery move on the big 39-foot Soveral forcing her to bare off at the mark and Rub-A-Dub came by inside. It was stating to look like a race, until just past noon when the wind died and forward progress went to the mercy of the tide. Destiny, a beautiful white Hunter 356 with blue trimmed sails manned by a color coordinated blue and white clad crew, inched by the mark in slow motion. Diva Gorda ( Fat Lady) a Jenneau 36, followed suit but the fat lady wasn’t singing. It was slow and hot, prompting some to ask why the race wasn’t scheduled for late afternoon when the westerly onshore breezes usually pick up. But who could have predicted such a mid day calm in the traditionally windy month of April. Still there were little battles going on within the fleet, micro–skirmishes: Caprice, A Catalina 36 is sliced on the inside by Ironic Breeze, a Hunter 31 and the Aloha 32 Wind Dependent simply out floated them both in the tide. Then the dark ripples of an approaching breeze popped up and hope was restored. In the end, Peter New’s boat Crime Scene an S27.9 took the spinnaker class of the first race with Wally White’s Fancy Free winning the non–spinnaker class and Roger Romel’s Desert Fox a Hunter 34, taking the cruising fleet honors. For the second race of the first day all the spinnaker fleets results were thrown out after a request for a redress hearing. That left Fancy Free to win the non spinnaker fleet class and Diva Gorda to take the cruising. Sunday dawned a little better with a genuine 5 to 10 knot steady breeze. Spinnakers and jib poles were out on the downwind legs and doing some good. From our spot amidst the fleet you could hear the enthusiasm from the crews as they past. There was, at least, a doable breeze. In the end Richard Reagan’s By-A-Nose, a 21 foot SR Max, won the spinnaker fleet class for the regatta. Fancy Free took the big boat part of the non-spinnaker class and Bill Curtis’ Rub-A-Dub took the small non spinnaker boat division. Diva Gorda was the winning big cruising boat and Ironic Breeze was the small cruising fleet winner. The charity event raises money for leukemia research.

MAGAZINE

May

In addition to the big boat classes in the Leukemia Cup there was a separate small boat race on another course. Some of these small boats in a special instructional program help disabled people learn to sail competitively. Here, two wheelchair bound sailors in No 102 ready for the start.

Above: Limp rags plauge this sailor at the mark. Left: Doing whatever you have to do to catch the little wind. Bottom Left: It was better sailing on Sunday

Below: Running downwind, headed to the last mark

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2005

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May

2005

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Catch Big Fish?

By Don Cessna Water LIFE Englewood This is my favorite time of year. Sport fishermen get ready it’s tarpon time in our area. Sporty sorts travel long distances to come to this area and fish for tarpon. From May through August some of the most exciting action packed fish–fights are upon us but you have to be ready. Before tarpon season really gets started it would be wise to do some scouting to find likely fishing spots. Some of your tarpon fishing may be best early morning and after sunset in the evening. This requires some prior knowledge of how to approach and where to set up to fish. Tarpon are very easy to spook so it is wise to plan how you can best fish the area which you have scouted and figure on finding the fish. Some of the most likely inshore spots to check out have one common prerequisite

– there needs to be a current. Places in back water areas hold smaller tarpon which down in the Keys folks call ‘Johnies’. Tarpon enjoy loafing and gulping air especially the Johnies rolling at the end of a canal. They are difficult or impossible to catch when they are loafing because they won’t eat anything. The fish that are feeding and can be fished, love to hang around places where there is some water moving. Structures such as piers, bridges, large docks, dams and the like cause the current needed to be good prospects for feeding tarpon. The mouths of our local passes usually will have a pod of tarpon hanging around all day long. Tarpon move along the gulf beaches sometimes very near the shoreline and out maybe as far as a mile, but they seem to prefer the shallow waters. Structures are the ticket for an easy catch. If you learn of fish hanging around a spot dependably, next

consider how to fish them. Fishing structure from a boat requires anchoring most likely, so you do need to know where to be and how the presentation of the bait will react in the current. While scouting these spots why not fish them since these are good areas to fish in general. Those who would take a ride can find outstanding tarpon fishing in Tampa Bay. Up there the Gandy, Howard Franklin, and Courtney Campbell causeways (in that order) are outstanding and very dependable from a boat. A lot of fish, in fact probably the largest number of fish, caught in our local area last year were along the gulf beaches from Boca Grande to Casey Key. Since tarpon are so easily spooked and seem to be goofy in general, the methods to catch them are varied. A fly fisherman has the advantage of stealth which is very important. The near invisible tippet leader and light landing on the water are of a major advantage. Tarpon flies are large Streamers, Deceivers, Clouser Minnows, and the like; white, grey, red, chartreuse, and yellow color combinations along with some sparkle would be a good choice for these patterns. Many use epoxy heads and maybe a 3/0 hook. The rod and reel are generally 10 or 11 weight outfits. Live bait fishermen should do well with squirrel fish, pin fish, green backs, mullet, and small ladyfish. A mullet doesn’t belong in the gulf so they are easy pickings and the tarpon do like them as a rare treat. Large shrimp and the expensive pass crabs or blue crabs are great too. You can take an evening and dip all the crabs you need for a days fishing at the bridges and in the pass-

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es: use a lantern or spotlights to see them. Be courteous and don’t blind other boaters by shining the light on them as they approach. Artificials work well also; large jigs and plastic tails along with large plugs are a good choice. Tails of white, clear glitter, chartreuse, yellow, and black and silver are all good colors. Try some shad body tails. The hooks must be large to penetrate and hold the fish. Baitfish imitations and spoons are great lures for tarpon as well. Remember to try to land them lightly or start a radical retrieve immediately to cover the splash. Living in the Keys, I saw many times where as my boat was moving past tarpon they really didn’t leave the area but sunk to the bottom and waited till it was quiet again. The way to fish them there was to sit on the anchored boat and cast to a fish once they were in range then wait for the next bunch. Tarpon time means summer is here and our waters are heating up and so is the fishing action. Silver kings will soon be the stuff of the fish stories of the day. Jumping thrashing and running - it’s like an irradiated monster super trout on your line. The best part is even the folks who take their fishing rod and just run down to the end of the street to relax for an hour or so can have an unexpected tarpon tangle. Imagine the fish stories of a huge silver fish that was jumping like crazy and as big as a person, maybe more – what was that thing ? Well my friend, that was a tarpon. Don Cessna is the former owner of Ray’s Bait & Tackle in Englewood and a regular Water LIFE contributor.

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Water LIFE

MAGAZINE

May

2005

Mayʼs Fishing Forecast

Charlotte Harbor

Ro bert at Fi s hi n' Franks Po rt Charl o tte: 6 2 5 -3 8 8 8 We’re in the springtime run now. Tarpo n will be the big to-do starting this month They have left Marco and left Naples but they are not yet in Sanibel. I’d guess they are waiting offshore for the water to hit 76 degrees and then they will show up in droves ... along with the s harks . First they will show down south in the Intracoastal at Redfish and Captiva Pass and then along the beaches. Then they will be into

the big pass at Boca Grande. In the early morning you can sometimes get the first few fish to hit a topwater lure. Threadfins will work very well too as will sugar trout, another good bait. Lady fi s h are also good for tarpon, but it’s still a little early in the year for ladyfish as tarpon bait. Another fish showing up in semidecent numbers is shark. Small bul l s harks and bl ackti ps first. Look around Sharky’s pier, the Placida pier and down around the Matlacha area. The sharks should first show as an assortment of two footers to six footers Continued on facing page

One weekend last month we counted 22 boats above the trestle on the Peace River. Airboats made up a good part of the total and added considerably to the noise. On the shore, the landscaping is growing back.

May

2005

Fishing Report Continued from facing page

Water LIFE

B BIIG G-4 4

MAGAZINE

M Ma ay yʼs ʼs Ta Tar rg ge et t S Sp pe ec ciie es s

with some seven foot bull sharks mixed in. It’s not ever too difficult to fish for them, but night fishing is the best time. Now that s no o k TARPON are here now, season is closed (May 1) the snook SHARKS eating voraciously SNOOK are out of season more should be coming in throughout the area and only catch and release will really start to turn on, especially the larger females. There are Spani s h mackerel will show up in El Jobean Trestle already a few fish out along the beaches, good numbers throughout the harbor Rus s at To ki es Bai t & Tackl e but they are not too thick yet. El Jobean starting this month. They are already in El Jo bean 6 9 7 -2 5 5 9 will stay good for snook fishing until along the beaches, but now they will be Sno o k are still biting pretty good the end of May and the Placida pier will moving inside. early morning and late evening. There get better and better each day from now Tri pl etai l will start scattering have been tarpo n and co bi a caught in through summer. Night time fishing around because the crab traps are being the potholes off the El Jobean bridge, from shore is by far the best time for pulled off the beaches. They will move and there are a ton of whi ti ng there too. catch and release of snook. The east side into the harbor all summer long and be Bl ackti ps and bo nnetheads are in the around Pirate Harbor and Burnt Store will found around the markers. Blind-cast the Placida area. The bait is moving in and be very productive, but keep in mind markers with shrimp or whitebait when shrimp are starting to get smaller but we they are in the spawning mode so the looking for tripletail. drag our own shrimp so we’re seldom fish might be here today and a mile down Near shore reefs like the Rich Novak out. Offshore, there are a lot of fish 25the shoreline tomorrow, coming and Reef off Gasparilla Pass should be phe30 miles offshore: real nice reds and l i tgoing. nomenal for a variety of fish like macktl e tunny . Along with the snook moving out the erel , bo ni ta, s napper, snook and redbigger redfi s h are starting to move in. Lemon Bay fish. They will all be out there. The redfish are already starting to school Ji m at Fi s hermen’s Edg e Permi t are going to start showing up up around the Intracoastal at Boca Bayou, Eng l ewo o d: 6 9 7 -7 5 9 5 now, because they like that same water around Bokeellia and down in the Pine Fishing is good. A lot of s no o k are temperature as tarpon. Mary’s Reef, the Island Sound. Topwater artificials work being caught and guys are now having boxcars, and the southern reefs around very well for them especially in the good luck with bigger fish. There’s a lot Sanibel are all good for permit. The trick morning. Shrimp and whitebait are of bait around and pi nfi s h starting to is to get in early in the morning when always good. come back into the bay. The piers and it’s calm so you can see them spinning Co bi a will start moving in good docks all have big fish looking like subon top. numbers which is good news for the marines. Redfi s h is the hard fish to find On the freshwater side bl ueg i l l are shore fishermen. The Bayshore Pier, at the moment, but tro ut has been pretty starting to spawn right now and we’ve Gilchrist Pier and the Port Charlotte good on the high tides with fish way seen some really nice fish caught Beach Pier would be my top choices for back in all the basins like Whiddens and already. This should be the best month shore fishing for cobia this month. Catfish Creek. And there has been quite a for them. Small worms would be the bait Frozen sardines would be my first choice bit of tarpo n now, coming in and going of choice but small betelspins or little for cobia bait and if you can catch a fresh out with the tides. There are also a lot of tube jigs will also work well. whiting that would be just as good if not s harks in the pass right now. Hook a better.

This Month!

SunBird Kayak Festival

at Stump Pass Beach State Park

May 21-22

Kayak Fishing Tournament Captʼs Meeting May 20 Tournament May 21 8 a.m.-5 p.m. For Information (941) 639-0292 or

specialK@sunline.net

CALENDAR

n May 7: Flatsmasters Summer Redfish Tournament, Punta Gorda.

n May 12-14: Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup first 2005 event, Mobile Alabama.

n May 21: 9 – 12 a.m. Professional Tarpon Tournament Series, at Boca Grande 255-1555

n May 29: 7 – 10 a.m. Professional Tarpon Tournament Series, at Boca Grande 255-1555

n June 9-12: Caloosa Catch and

SPANISH MACKEREL should be moving into the harbor

tarpon and unless you get it in 10 minutes there is a good chance it will be eaten by a shark. Gro uper and s napper are being caught in the 15 to 25 mile range and guys are still catching some mackerel and kings up towards Venice on the hard bottom. You’ll have to go up towards Sarasota as the fish move north. I’ve had a number of co bi a

reports in the harbor and on the offshore reefs. Once you get one on, the others just come to the boat. We should be getting permi t on the offshore wrecks this month. You have to go where they are and be very quiet on the boat to catch permit, but on light tackle they are a blast. Finally, there are quite a few fl o under still around offshore and in close to the passes.

Stump Pass & the Gulf

Aaro n at Stump Pas s Mari na Lemo n Bay 6 9 7 2206 It’s been windy some days but we’ve been catching

EVENTS

Release, Captiva.

n June 11: Old Mossey Redfish Tournament, Punta Gorda. n June 12: 7–10 a.m. Professional Tarpon Tournament Series, at Boca Grande 255-1555

n June 18: Couples Tournament Burnt Store.

n June 11: Fishinʼ Frankʼs Shark, Stingray and Sailcat Tournament. 6253888 n June 20-24: Kayak Kamp for Kids First

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Session: Grande Tours, Placida. 697-8825

n July 9: Kids Cup Seminar, Laishley Marine, Punta Gorda. n July 10: Charlotte High Redfish Roundup, Punta Gorda.

n July 16-17: Water LIFE Kids Cup, Fishing Tournament Punta Gorda. 766-8180 n July 16-17: IGFA Junior Angler World Championships, Key West.

Send us your event calendar information via e-mail: Waterlife@comcast.net

Fishing

Excellent! RIGHT NOW: