Water LI FE
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FISH PIX!
November 2019
Water LIFE magazine
Brittany Cortes Matlacha area snook with Capt. Dalton Rybka
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20-inch snook, Venice Jetty, check out the sea gull photo bombing lol
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Nicholas J Pond fishing
Paul, Anita and Melissa, brother and sisters celebrate landing this monster catch and release kingfish
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To Water LIFE Howdy Mike, I have to say, you have me all over the map when I read Water LIFE. I commend you for your $1 Bill Challenge. You have done a great job promoting fishing for kids. I especially enjoy the Fish Pix, although I don't think you should publish photos with snook hung by the lower jaw. Not beneficial for a successful release. Your open hostility for Sunseeker becomes evident when you print misinformation. Most recent case in point, the "pounding of the pilings" and the traffic disruption transporting 2000+ pilings down our local roads. Your lack of understanding current construction methods is astounding. I don't care what their marketing content said, they're clueless marketing people who were probably told "We're going to place 2000+ pilings." What do these uninformed fools do? They Google "Pilings." I'm assuming you did the same thing. You could only report what you read. You didn't get an insight into what to expect from the marketing people when they first introduced the resort? Two marinas? A beach on Charlotte Harbor? Best of them all...a thousand foot long swimming pool. Condos starting at $600K without a Harbor view? I don't think so, nor did anyone else. You were right to call them out on the scope of the initial project, but you underestimated the determination of Redmond to make this happen. The initial announcement was like chumming. Evidently they didn't get much response. I think the best term is very few rose to the bait. A quick visit to the job site would have made it clear there were no pile drivers except for the two used on the seawall reinforcement. The "pilings" more accurately should have been called "steel reinforced footings." I am a retired contractor with a bit of a background in the water industry who is not exactly thrilled by the introduction of Sunseeker into our community. I also have to get past the reality it's happening. They're moving forward. Despite my above mentioned BS, I love your publication. Thank you again for your work supporting kids and your great publication. Bruce Bagin Punta Gorda, FL
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Concrete is rising up above the ground and it looks like it will be pretty close to the water
SUNSEEKER RESORT PROGRESS REPORT
I have to give credit where credit is due, they are moving right along with the construction work at the Sunseeker site. There is more and more steel being tied and the concrete is rising higher and higher out of the ground. The cranes have already become a local landmark. It turns out this project is too complicated for local Charlotte County Building Inspectors to monitor, so the construction company has been given permission to hire their own inspectors.... someone said itʼs kind of like Boeing building and inspecting the 737Max. What could possibly go wrong? Iʼve asked about which restaurants will be on the site but the only information I have received so far was from a friend who told me they will have restaurants that will all share one prep kitchen. The same friend also told me Sunseeker has now pushed its completion date out six months further again. That now puts them into the summer of 2021. Iʼm glad things are finally getting real. I received another survey from Sunseekers last month: What kind of music would you enjoy while staying at the resort? The options were Piano, 7080-90 hits, Country Western, Jazz, Latin and Reggae. Iʼm not sure music will matter when people from the midwest come to Florida and find there is no beach and swimming in the River isnʼt really an option. I figure itʼs going to be a shock. People donʼt know the water here is brown not turquoise in color. Maybe Sunseeker will have some special Vegasstyle lighting to fix that. – MH
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By Michael Heller Water LIFE Editor Everyone is concerned about clean water, but we have nothing to say about what clean water is. Who picks the acceptable levels for the various contaminants? Who picks what contaminants are tested? Last month the City of Punta Gorda told 13,000 water customers not to drink their water, the levels of TTHH (trihalomethane) were above the safe limit. In 2011, with the help and urging of the phosphate mining industry, that same water company agreed to increase the acceptable limits of TDS (totally dissolved solids) in their water. The excuse was: We have a lot of naturally occurring phosphates, so the 'normal level should be higher. The FISH PIX! Douglas Barr, P.G.I., black drum, caught off my dock. level was then doubled. Are all those ‘Ts’ related? Suing everyone is what worked for the manaThe action was extended in 2016 with the promise that tee club. They sued the State and they sued the Feds and the city of Punta Gorda would be installing new filtration. then, in return for concessions, they settled with them. In The new water-processing plant is now almost complete the case of our water, our settlement would dictate that no and it looks like it will come online next year, as will a industry would be allowed to make the water they use number of new wells and deep injection areas where worse. In fact, the settlement would force industries like water can be pumped underground for future use. phosphate mining to make the water they use better. From what I can tell, water companies are responsibleAs part of the lawsuit, we would name the DEP for the for providing clean water to the public, but exactly how permits it gives, on a continuing basis to Mosaic phosthey do it is not public. When the water with high TTHH phate mining. By permit, Mosaic is allowed to withdraw levels came downstream they stopped drawing that water. clean water from the Peace River, mix it with mining The next day TTHH levels came down and people were sludge and then, so long as its within the ‘legal limit’, put told the water was safe to drink again. it back into the River. If 10 is the legal limit, they can What is safe, anyway? I think thr public should just take clean water with a value of, say, 1 and make it dirty sue them all to find out: Sue the City for doubling the to level of 9 and still return it to the River. The way persafe level. Sue the County for not overseeing it, Sue the mits like those are issued need to be scrutinized and I beFeds for not doing their job and sue the City Manager and lieve nothing but a lawsuit is going to get that out in the water plant manager for lack of oversight. In the dispublic. covery process we will find out what’s really going on. It In the mining industry, and in the municipal water inwon’t make you feel good, of that I am sure. from Water LIFE magazine
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dustry, there is a saying going around that has been getting a lot of play recently: “The solution to pollution is dilution.” It’s cute, but this is not a cute situation. When they get bad water they dilute it. What do you think the big reservoir off Kings Highway is for? What do you think those deep wells are for? How do you think the TTHH and the TDS levels drop so fasts? They diluted it! There must be records we can see. I have it on good authority that the local water companies are routinely warned about bad water coming downstream, so they divert their pick-up point from the open creek or river to a reservoir or well. In effect, we are getting a dotted line of clean and dirty water coming downstream, we take the good and let most of the bad stuff flow past. That's why there is a hypoxic area at the top of Charlotte Harbor and that's why the mining industry, who conveniently funds the water testing, isn’t doing any bottom sampling. There is also NO cyanobacteria testing on the Peace River... none! This is the only major river systems in the state that is not tested for it. Why is that? I bet phosphate mining is involved. All those solids eventually fall out of suspension, and it happens 24/7 - 365. Charlotte Harbor is a settling area for the Peace and Myakka River outflows. Isn’t anyone else curious about what’s in the bottom? With naturally occurring phosphates we should have LOWER acceptable phosphate levels than other places, not higher ones. There are reactions going on in the top three feet of bottom mud. The chemical composition is constantly changing. The bottoms are mostly carbon. The TTHH they shut Punta Gorda down for was formed when the chlorine they use to disinfect the water combined with other compounds like phosphates and carbon. Is there a connection? You bet there is! Let’s take control of our water. We must have a say in exactly how much poisoning we are willing to accept. We are not just lab rats.
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A Variety of Fall Targets PAGE
Cameron Parson Water LIFE Charlotte Harbor As the water cools, different species of fish will be on the move. Usually, the fall run of fish is pretty comparable to the spring run. A few tarpon and sharks are still hanging around, trout start to make their appearance and redfish are schooling. Fish like king mackerel, Spanish mackerel and cobia will be just offshore of Boca Pass as well as in and out of the Pass. A few may even stay for the complete winter season. For king mackerel, I prefer trolling a
#2 planer with a #4 spoon. Trolling around the buoys in the Pass is extremely productive. If going a little more offshore, I look for 40- to 50-feet of water over live hard bottom. Local numbers for wrecks and reefs will also hold a few fish. Most will be 10- to 20-pounds. Spanish mackerel won't be far behind the kings, most times even mixed in with them. You'll see them slicing the water or doing their normal breach and rainbowing out of the water in the holes of the Harbor and schooled up offshore, sometimes in acres.
Look for diving birds and keep those spoons ready to throw. Smaller spoons and bucktails will do the trick. A planer really is not needed. They are super fun on fly equipment if you're into the challenge. Cobia will also be on those same numbers and buoys just offshore so be sure to keep a pitch rod ready if one is spotted, even if you're fishing along the bars in the Harbor. Cobia will stick around our area pretty much year round and will make a sudden showing when you'd least expect it. They'll be over most any reef in the Harbor, around the bridges, along the bars to about 10 miles offshore. Tripletail is another fish that is already making a good showing. Find them under most any floating structure...crab buoys, coconuts, etc. They can be found anywhere from the 41 Bridges to 5-miles offshore. A natural color or gold glitter DOA shrimp will usually always get bit, but, I tend to keep live medium shrimp with me for them during the fall and spring. If a lite won't get the bite, the real thing will. The awesome part about tripletail is that they'll give you quite a few chances before moving on. They're a very "client friendly" fish and an excellent fish for kids to sight fish. Tarpon are still around the bridges and holes, but numbers will thin as the season progresses. The El Jobean and 41 Bridges have fish on them most of the year, but their lights are the main attractant at night during the fall. You can see and hear them popping glass minnows and shrimp on the outgoing tides. DOA Terroreyz and Baitbusters will usually always get bit, but keep a few small mullet or ladyfish in the well as backup. And
NOVEMBER 2019
due to the structure, beef up your gear to keep from losing as many fish. Snook will begin to make their way up into their usual haunts in the Harbor, Peace, and Myakka Rivers. Some will make the River areas their permanent residence while others will continue to migrate back and forth with the seasons. Bomber plugs, Storm Wildeye swimbaits, DOA Lures, and Rapala plugs will all take fish. And expect juvenile tarpon as a bycatch, be sure to handle them with care as snook season is still closed.
Cameron Parson can sometimes be found at Rio Villa Bait and Tackle in Punta Gorda: 941 639-7166
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FISH PIX! f fr ro om m
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Barbara Brock catching and releasing some nice snook....Windy day but we still found'em!
Nicci Hogeback of Punta Gorda, gag grouper caught in Turtle Bay
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The Canyon Kid, with an impressive catch! That's my boy blue!
Diana Uebelacker, bass
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Cliff Vick with a keeper red grouper
Cliff Vick with jumbo barracuda
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Dan Aho with a blue fish
Zig with his first spinner shark
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Snook Moving Deeper By Capt. David Stephens Water LIFE Charlotte Harbor Fall has settled into Southwest Florida. We don’t get to experience the changing of the leaves, or a big difference in the night temps, however our fish do recognize the difference in seasons. Weather patterns are something I have studied as long as I have been a guide. Mother Nature’s creatures have a crazy way of knowing the weather patterns way before us. Without a doubt, snook will be doing the biggest transition this month. As our weather patterns and shortness of daylight changes, these fish feel the need to begin to migrate to areas that have deep water access. I’m sure that most anglers here on Charlotte Harbor know that snook are a tropical fish. This means that cold water temperatures can be fatal to them. So as fall moves into our area, not only does the
snowbird activity increase, but so does the snook activity. There are two times of year that I feel are great for targeting big fish, and this is one of those times. As the fall migration to the winter haunts begins, snook are willing to feed very heartily.
For the most part, these guys spend their time on the flats and beaches. However, when water temps drop, the need to seek out deeper water comes calling. Luckily for us our Harbor has tons of deep water access. Without a doubt, one of the areas that will play host to migrating fish
looking for deepwater will be P.G.I. This is an area with countless miles of deepwater residential canals. We also have two large rivers feed the Harbor. Locating fish in these areas can be difficult at times, due to fish concentration in small spots. Looking for spots that have depth and moving water is the key. Depth is important to snook because water cools from the surface down, so it’s warmer lower. Tidal flow is important to bring them
food. All saltwater fish feed better with moving water. Spending time on the water in these areas and using your electronics will help to locate areas that are holding fish. The key to having a successful day locating fish is to keep moving. When you find these fish in their happy place chances are you’ll find a good number of quality fish. Nothing takes the place of spending time on the water.
If you would like to experience some of Charlotte Harbor’s finest fishing, call or send me an email. All of our charters are private and customized to fit your needs. Capt. Dave Stephens, 941-916-5769 www.bayxtremes.com
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SHARKS By Capt. John Brossard Water LIFE Shark Fishing You know the sharking is great when you fish six different spots in one day and every place they are bitting. It’s not every month this happens, but it did last month for me. November is usually a good month because the water temperature changes just a few degrees, just enough to make fish move around .... or let’s say, head south. You start catching some different species of sharks and fish alike now. More bait seems to be in the area when the water temperature is in the high 70s, such as now. When fishing the near shore wrecks for bait, we ran into an occasional permit or cobia last month and they make for some good table fare.
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Shark Related
NOVEMBER 2019
Casperson Beach in Venice is one of the best places to find sharks teeth in the world. You can snorkel off the beach and also scuba dive the near shore reefs and find sharks teeth and other fossils there. Megladon teeth up to 6 inches have been found there and on Manasotta Key Beaches as well
Josh Nagy heading into the Army caught these 3 nice sharks by bridges around Ft Myers Beach and Sanibel using Bonita for bait
Thank goodness the fishing has not slowed down at all yet as the cool fronts have not reached us, but that will change soon. With the humidity out of the air at
night, this is a great time to pick your favorite beach in the evening and put a couple of large rods out – then sit and wait for a big surprise to be landed.
Capt John Brossard 239-777-9279 sharkchaserfl@gmail.com sharkchasercharters.com
Have you ever visited Mote Marine Laboratory on Longboat Key? If not, you should. There is a replica of the Hammerhead shark caught at Boca Grand that had 57 babies in it at the time it was caught. I believe it was a state record. There are many more things to see there if youʼre into sharks and rays. Kids love the touch tank at Mote. Michael Belluzzi holding onto a blacknose shark.
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Trey Ashley Harborside Marine Sales Managing Partner, caught this massive black drum in the Myakka River.
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Brooks Bugg reeled in his first Spanish mackerel while fishing in Charlotte Harbor on his visit with Grandpa Dave and Grandma Sue.
Leonard doing some Monday morning snook fishing 32 incher. Venice Florida
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Gasparilla snook caught by Joe Sheaffer 10/9
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Bob W. back water fishing a great day out.
Max Riesbeck with a redfish
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Caden Rowden getting in on the snook action on Lido Beach with his dad
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Frankie C. back water fishing west wall great day out with Bob W.
Jeff Verost got this snook from a Charlotte Harbor pier
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A nice Whidden Creek snook by Joe Sheaffer 10/15/19
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Out at the north jetti in the lead haha!
Capt Dan the man 32lb blackfin tuna fall action 10/14 look at this kid on fire!
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FISH PIX! Eric Dixon. Large Mouth Bass at Estates of North Port.
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now I'm Greg
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Rohman Bahar with a catch and release snook caught off Goodland, fishing with Shark Chaser charters
from Water LIFE magazine
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Grandson Gage with a small black grouper north Venice jettyʼs
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Capt. Ken Mercer from Nauti Knots Charters and his Son Bryce. Pine island Sound
Easton Keller aka: Gilligan with a mackerel caught off Naples Beach, fishing with his grandpa Ron, from Fergus Falls, Minnesota
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Easton Keller from Fergus Falls, Minnesota with a 50 lb sting ray caught off Goodland in the backwaters using catfish for bait. It was released after the picture.
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Grandson Gage with Spanish mackerel
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Tom McBride with a catch and releaseGag grouper
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Barb and Uncle Zane 21 inch redfish. Alligator Creek outfitters
Great fishing in Englewood by Big Al. The redfish was released unharmed.
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Last Voyage of the MOONRAKER II
By Jim Joseph Water LIFE Local After retiring from 25 years as the owner of Fantasea Scuba in Port Charlotte, this past summer found me diving for TSI Disaster Recovery, preforming derelict boat removal in southwest Florida’s waterways. Last month we were sent to Tampa to remove a large fishing boat from the base of the Howard Franklin Bridge, along I-275. When we arrived I was surprised to see the 47-foot Moonraker II, a boat I knew well. Many people from the Boca Grande area are familiar with the Knight brother's legacy of building boats and the Moonraker name that defined a series they built. Moonraker II was built in the mid 1980s on Boca Grande. Then, after a lifetime of tarpon fishing and grouper charters, sometime around 2006, the family sold the boat and she was moved to Tampa where she changed hands several times. After several years the last owner died and his son Joey Sirmans inherited the boat. The story I heard was he was motoring her to the shipyard when he ran into trouble. The boat might have been taking on water. He anchored her overnight near a sand bar. The tide went out, leaving the boat sitting on the bar and when the tide came back up, the boat didn't. Joey said he tried to pump it out, but to no avail. Another version, as told by Moonraker II’s former captain, owner and builder, Johns Knight, claims Moonraker II was tied to an old piling and the piling broke. The piling stub punched a hole in her hull. Either way, as time went by, weather and vandals took their toll on
the old wooden hull lieing on her side on the sandbar. The boat just sat there. For years. Finally, after a number of arti-
In better days, the Moonraker II fished Tarpon in Boca Grande Pass and grouper offshore. But once in Tampa Bay she fell on hard times.
cles in the Tampa Times, Hillsborough County stepped in and hired our company to remove it. When we first arrived on scene we determined the boat was too badly deteriorated to patch and float. Instead we had to get in the water asnd jet straps through the mud under the hull. Then we used a number of lift bags to get her up and to the ramp. Once there, the fuel was pumped out, the hazmat was removed and using a loader - the boat was ‘dismantled’ and deposited into a dumpster. It was a sad end for a fine boat from a great era gone bye.
NOVEMBER 2019
They Built Boats: The Knights of Boca Grande
George Knight, the son of Joel Knight who had settled near the Peace River in Port Charlotte, came to Boca Grande in 1906 to work on the railroad trestle that was being built at the north end of the island. George and his wife Francis raised six children. Two of his sons, Francis and Johns (named for Mr. Johns) would start a business together. Johns had been in the South Pacific during World War II. After he came home in 1946 there wasnʼt any work, so he and his brother Francis started a boat business. First they did repair work, but eventually they began building boats. The Knights built their boats with plans they devised on their own. Their father had been a fishing captain in Charlotte Harbor, theyʼd spent their lives on the waqter in the area, so they felt they knew what a good boat for the Florida waters was. They designed and built boats that would outperform anything they knew of, for size and horsepower. Their boats were built with a deep V entry, midship, to prevent pounding in waves and had a more flattened shape toward the stern that added lift to the boat and left clean (not choppy) water between the boat and the rooster tail with no need for trim tabs. The size boats they built ranged from 18- to 55-feet. Francis Knight eventually left the business and later Johns was joined by his three sons, Thomas, Eugene and Johns, Jr. The Knights built their boats from slab lumber which they milled then steamed, clamped and cooled, repeating the process over and over until they had photos: Boca Grande Historical Society the form they wanted. The steam was created by burning wood scraps in a box with a pipe through which the steam flowed. As boatwrights they fitted the wood methodically so that when the boat was launched it quickly became water tight. Johns Sr. said he was proudest of building then 35-foot Moonraker because it was one of the most important parts of his business. “Itʼs been a charter boat, a salvage boat, a tug boat, a pleasure boat. Weʼve done everything in it.” he said in an interview with the Boca Beacon. Moonraker II was a 47-foot version of the original. In 1989 Johns and Virginia Knight sold their boat yard property to the Gasparilla Inn. Today, their grandson, Brian Knight, runs the Marina for the Inn.
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PAGE 15
cushions canvas covers
Report from the Ponds By Nicholas J Water LIFE Bass It’s still an emotional roller coaster ride with the constant rise and fall of the barometric pressure and water levels. These two elements dictate bass’ mood to bite or strike. We had a small stretch of a dry period where the water levels were dropping down and settling .... the bite was ok until we had another major rainstorm that raised the water level dramatically and shut the bite down hard again, to a certain point. The real big lunker largemouths are either staying deep or staying buried and tight in the bank edge’s heavy vegetation. Bait fish are a little scarse right now along the banks so that’s why you won't see too many bankcruzing-bass searching for the bait fish. I am having success right now still casting out deep with a Sticko worm or a crawl bait on a jig, gliding along the pond bottoms for some successful strikes and definitely working the topwater weedless frog along the heavy vegetation bank edges where I have been getting some real nice lunkers to strike. Don’t be afraid to work one spot, casting out far and deep repeatedly. Many times that's what it takes to get them to come out and play and strike – patience and perseverance will lead to success. I do this technique all the time with great results. Along the heavy vegetation bank edges, look for any kind of movement in the water reeds, and if possible, work the weedless frog through them. Most unsuspected strikes are within 3-feet of the banks, so be ready to react quick and set the hooks. The sad news is, we still have a little over 4 months of the tuff bite till we get to the primetime spawning season of nonstop
FISH PIX! from Water LIFE magazine
Nicholas J. with another early morning predator Pond Monster Largemouth Hooked on a Sticko out deep Ft. Myers
action. So until then, as the rainy season diminishes and the water levels stabilize and the cooler temperatures arrive here in Florida, the bite will get better for sure, day by day. Don't give up and stay positive. Get out and hook one today!.......Nicholas J.
Nicholas J. With another sunset frog Smacking Fatback Largemouth lunker just 12 hrs before writing this column. Ft. Myers
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Raven Ali redfish
NOVEMBER 2019
Readerʼs Photos Text Us Ur Fish Pix! see page 4
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Tommy Ali redfish
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Jerry Rose snook El jobean bridge
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Opening night. Paul Wagenseil with our limit of stone crab and a lobster from Placida!
Mano C. in the blue shirt from Venice, FL Caught this 18-pound tripletail in Venice, LA BELOW: Marty Zach from Venice caught this monster bull red at the mouth of the Mississippi River.
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Ron is not a snook virgin any more.
from Water LIFE magazine
Big Ed Commers with his first snook Jeff Ziegelmeier ( aka The big Kahuna ) with his best snook to date .
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I really really dig your Publication. Here are a few of my pictures. Keep up the awesome work Water life. My name is Bruce and thank you for good reading.
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$25 WINNER from Water LIFE magazine
My pb Redfish on live Pinfish. Love your Magazine! John Slattery
Ellie Stoutner with her first Southwest Florida Gulf of Mexico dolphin! Caught 20 miles west of Stump Pass in about 75 ft of water on a chunk of squid.
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Brittany Cortes snook
ESTERO BAY NOVEMBER 2019
Capt. Joe Angius Water LIFE Estero
Fall fishing is at an all time high for Southwest Florida, giving anglers countless opportunities at catching quality inshore gamefish. As cooler weather trends approach our area you can expect to see gamefish starting to feed upon crabs, shrimp, and other crustaceans. Until the first few “cold snaps” decide to show up, the redfish, snook and trout are going to be scattered throughout the shallow back-bays.
The bait of choice is pinfish, with whitebait, mullet, and shrimp producing consistent results as well. There have been days where all the fish want are live or cut pinfish and won’t touch any other bait presented. Then the very next day they’ll be hesitant to bite on a pinfish but will want to devour a shrimp or mangrove crab. My advice would be to focus on good moving water around oyster bars and thick mangrove coverage. If you’re an angler that tends to fish the local nearshore reefs, there’s been reports of some
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NOVEMBER FISHING UPDATE
amazing fishing. The time I spend out on the reefs mostly consists of trying to catch lane snapper for dinner. I’ll also soak a bait to try and catch the various shark species that roam the area. On my way to and from the reefs I’ll always check for tripletail along the beach. Usually while searching for tripletail, my clients and I will come across schools of black drum, redfish, and occasionally spot a cobia. This time of the year it’s always important to have various rigs setup and different baits on the boat to catch the array of fish that lurk in our waters. Boat traffic is going to continue to increase, so please know the rules of the water to navigate safely. The safety of your passengers and others becomes your responsibility every time you sit behind the helm; no exceptions. It’s also our job to abide by the current FWC recreational fish regulations for catching, keeping, and releasing gamefish. Since they announced the season closure on redfish, trout, and snook I’ve seen a
significant increase in the fish population, but until they can verify this increase through their fisheries management division, we won’t know for sure the statistical impact this closure had. Be safe on the water and enjoy what Southwest Florida has to offer through fishing, shelling, and sight seeing. Capt. JoeAngius (727)-234-3171 www.speakeasyfishing.com speakeasyfishing@gmail.com
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FROM
10,000 ISLANDS
By Capt. Charlie Phillips Water LIFE / Everglades City November already? Where in the world has 2019 gone to? This has been a great year and I am excited to get my fishing season back in full swing again. Lots of great fish being caught thru the Everglades and 10,000 Islands the past month, both inshore and offshore. Think we only had rain maybe twice, did have several days of hard wind for a long weekend with the passing of that system to our west, but overall it was a great month. Still a bit hot, but this is Florida, it’s supposed to be. Anyways, starting offshore I have seen a cobia or two pushing thru and that’s a trend that will continue as we get into the cooler months. Having a big pinfish ready to pitch is a great way to target them, as is my preferred method of using a long soft plastic style offering on a jig. Whatever you choose, the key is being ready when you have a chance. Also, in our area, make sure you have appropriately sized gear for the fish you are targeting, especially around the wrecks and piles as these cobia are often in the same water as sharks who hone in on them instantly when hooked. Predation is going to happen from time to time, but do your part as a responsible angler to prevent it
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all you can. Same story with permit and bull sharks, then snapper, grouper and others with the goliaths. Stone Crab season started the 15 October and will run until May 15 of 2020. I don’t know much about it personally as living in Everglades City where it is proudly proclaimed to be “The Stone Crab Capital of the World,” I leave the crabbing to the pros. There are recreational rules and opportunity out there if you want to partake in stone crabbing. Checking out the FWC website would be the place to start and I can add that I often find the trap lines on contour breaks and lines so maybe that will be helpful. Stone Crab season for me means one thing, the traps are a place to look for tripletail as I roam around. I haven’t targeted them yet this year, but in next
month’s article I will share what we have found thus far. Inshore, there were some great catches of redfish going on down south this past month, with some big fish in the mix. Same with snook and specked trout. Live bait offerings both fish and shrimp variety are working as are the normal artificals. I don’t often take fly anglers as I am certainly not a fly guide, but I have trips this weekend with some pros so I am interested to see what they bring to the gunnel. Y’all be safe out there, I hope you
NOVEMBER 2019
have a very Happy Thanksgiving with family and friends.
Capt. Charlie Phillips, President, Florida Guides Assn. Owner/Captain, Hope Fishing Adventures Everglades City, Florida hopefishing.com 863-517-1829
NOVEMBER 2019
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Manatees and Red Tide On the Line
By Capt. Ron Blago Water LIFE Senior Staff I was hoping we would go a whole year without a visit from our old nemesis, red tide, but in early October they found a low level of K.Brevis (red tide) at the Naples fishing pier. Since then levels have grown to 'high' around the Naples area and has spread north through Collier County to as far north as Cape Coral and Pine Island in Lee County. If past history is an indication, we will soon be seeing the pictures of dead fish floating on the inshore waters or washing up on the local beaches. This of course will be the start of another red tide panic where the public demands that something be done about red tide, researchers ask for more money and politicians promise to give it to them. Before the panic starts everyone should have some basic information about red tide. First, you should know the difference between a dead fish smell and a red tide smell. Here is a simple test you can do. Take your garbage can outside and let it stand in the sun for a day or two. Open the lid and take a good sniff; that objectionable smell is decaying organic material i.e. dead fish. Now run down to the Gulf shoreline; try to pick a sunny day with a westerly breeze and a little wave action. Stick your toes in the water and take a few deep breaths ; If you start to cough and get a tickle in your throat, your nose begins to run and your eyes water; that's red tide. Some may say ‘why should I go through all that trouble when the State and private research labs get millions of dollars of taxpayers money to provide us with the latest technology and data avaliable?’ Unfortunately we may not be getting our money's worth on that deal. Take for instance the FWC's Daily Red Tide Map published on their website; the website is supposedly daily, but the data
from the test sites are usually a week or more old. So the map tells you where the red tide was, but not where it is now. The accuracy and timeliness of you red tide test depends mostly on where you live. Take Sarasota County for instance. In the last report I saw they tested 45 different sites in Sarasota. Most of the samples were collected by Mote Marine Labs which happens to be located on Sarasota Bay. Now let's compare that to Charlotte County; in the last report I saw (10/22) 15 samples were collected in the local waters. Eight of them were collected by the Florida Dept. of Agriculture because we have commercial shellfish beds. They found no red tide. Mote Marine collected 3 samples offshore of Stump Pass; they found no red tide. Two samples came from citizen volunteers; they found no red tide. Charlotte County parks and Recreation collected two samples, one from Englewood Beach and the other from the Boca Grand Pier and as luck would have it both samples showed Low Levels of Red Tide. I don't know what it means if all the other samples show no red tide but these two are the only ones that show red tide. It makes one wonder. Manatees and red tide do not get along well. Last year when we had a year long red tide outbreak, 289 manatees were reported dead due to red tide. This year so far the number is only one. Is that a number we should count on? – probably not. The trouble is there are two state organizations involved. The FWC lists 9 categories of manatee deaths and red tide is not one of them. They have 3 categories of Undetermined Deaths and they have a category for Cold Stress Deaths but no red tide deaths. As a side note, there is no category for Died of Old Age. The red tide numbers come from the Florida Marine Research Lab who does the manatee autopsies. I don't know if the lab is backed up or under staffed, but
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Readerʼs Photos
txt us ur fish pix See page 4
Kevin McDonald....sawfish
Jeremy's redfish
it's hard to believe that only one manatee died this year. What I do know is that manatees are moving south to their warm water discharge areas and will going right through this years hot zone for red
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Dennis with his biggest red yet
tide outbreaks. So if you see a lot of dead manatees floating fins up in our area, that will be a sure sign red tide has arrived. Captronb@juno.com
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SCUTTLEBUTT EMAIL:
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Sometimes Unsubstanciated, But Often True WATER BARONS A disturbing trend in the water sector is accelerating worldwide. Wall Street banks and multibillionaires are buying up water all over the world at unprecedented pace. Familiar mega-banks and investing powerhouses such as Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup, UBS, Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse, Macquarie Bank, Barclays Bank, the Blackstone Group, Allianz, and HSBC Bank, among others, are consolidating their control over water. Wealthy tycoons such as T. Boone Pickens, former President George H.W. Bushʼs family, Hong Kongʼs Li Ka-shing, Philippinesʼ Manuel V. Pangilinan and a list of other Filipino billionaires, are all buying thousands of acres of land with aquifers, lakes, water rights, water utilities, and shares in water engineering and technology companies all over the world.
The officers located and arrested the operator of the vessel for boating under the influence while causing injury and leaving the scene of a boating accident without rendering aid. His wife was unavailable for comment.
ILLEGAL HOGFISH The FWC Port Investigations Team executed “Operation Nassau,” working alongside N.O.A.A., the United States Fish & Wildlife Service, the Customs and Border Patrol ) and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, targeting seafood. The team intercepted a refrigerated semi truck hauling undersized hogfish. A follow-up inspection in Dade County, where the fish originated, led to more undersized hogfish. A subsequent inspection in Sarasota County led to additional undersized hogfish. A total of 92 inspections were conducted. Other violations included missing information on invoices, unlawful purchases by restaurants, and companies selling seafood in Florida without having the required nonresident wholesale license. Appropriate citations were issued for the violations. The list of restaurants was not available at press time.
GATOR SHARED Officer Banks received a complaint of a shared Facebook post showing an individual posing with a dead alligator. He was able to identify the individual and went with Officer Browning to the individualʼs home. They conducted an interview in which the individual said the alligator was a road kill. He admitted to bringing it home and processing the alligator. Officer Banks retrieved the alligator meat from the individual and located the head and carcass of the alligator buried on the individualʼs property. The appropriate citation was issued. GATOR DRUNK A Martin County man was arrested for allegedly pouring beer down an alligatorʼs mouth. He said he was attempting to coax the creature into biting his arm. Alcohol was most definately involved!
GATOR DOINGS
Carousel Horses!
LOVES HIM ANYWAY FWC Officers Brevik, Carroll and Johnson responded to a boating accident in the area of the Stuart sandbar. A woman was reported to have been struck by a vessel propeller. After arriving, they discovered the woman had been struck by her husbandsʼ vessel and that he had left the scene.
GATOR POSTED FWC received an anonymous complaint originating from photos posted on Instagram. The photos revealed children and an adult sitting on a live alligator that had his mouth and legs taped. The officer on the case was able to locate the adult subject pictured in the photo. The individual stated the alligator was given to his neighbor by a friend, who was a licensed trapping agent. The neighbor, when questioned, stated that he still had the dead alligator in his shed. Charges for illegal harvest and possession or transport of an alligator were filed. He was also issued a written warning for not completing a harvest report within 24 hours of capturing a nuisance alligator. The alligator was turned over to another licensed trapper.
The Bill is $4.38 Mill
Project to be funded by the 1% Local Option Sales Tax Extension if passed by the voters of Charlotte County Project Name: North Charlotte Regional Park Aquatic Center The aquatic center, consisting of a competitive pool facility, will provide programming opportunities in a central region of Charlotte County which currently has limited aquatic resources available. The County says the competitive pool facility will be used by local residents, seasonal visitors and tourists, and will provide recreational opportunities for fitness, instruction, aquatic safety programs, and special events. The competitive pool facility will also provide the opportunity to increase the partnership between Charlotte County and the Charlotte County School Board. The facility will also allow for partnerships with national collegiate swim teams exploring options for “winter training” sites, as well as opportunities for local and regional swim meets. This will be a 50-meter x 25-yard competitive pool with diving facilities. The County claims most collegiate teams and swim meets are looking for a 50m facility. TOTAL PROJECT COST: $4,438,000 PROJECT COST REQUIRED NEW SALES TAX: $4,438,000 ANNUAL OPERATING COST: $421,003
The name Tampa was a misprint!
Lures and hooks, surgically removed from patients at a Long Island New York Hospital.
NOVEMBER 2019
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Water LIFE magazine
FISH PIX!
FISH PIX!
from Water LIFE magazine
Sean Zebley with two fresh water snook
FISH PIX!
from Water LIFE magazine
FISH PIX!
from Water LIFE magazine
FISH PIX!
from Water LIFE magazine
Lucas Hallʼs first tripletail
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from Water LIFE magazine
Derek Armiger 44-inch snook Best catch n release so far. This one's for my Sis, Kara.
Seth Kalmesʼs first snook
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from Water LIFE magazine
Triple tail bucket list Charlotte Harbor. Nancy Golden
Robin Stetler, redfish Lemon Bay At Wana Be Inn, November 2019
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from Water LIFE magazine
A very nice red caught by Joe Sheaffer in Gasparilla
LAST CAST
This us the last picture we received before going to print this month
FISH PIX!
from Water LIFE magazine
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from Water LIFE magazine
Jeff Ziegelmeier (aka The big Kahuna) with his best snook to date
FISH PIX!
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Just learning Florida fishing. Mike at Wana Be Inn dock
Sean Zebley with a 32 inch snook
Scott Lenart with a freshwater snook caught in Rotonda
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The BIG-4
Nearshore water temps are still low 80s, but will cool soon. Fish are moving around
TRIPLETAIL on crab traps around markers and debris
95˚ 90˚ 85˚
EMAIL:
Fish you can expect in
SPANISH MACKEREL In the passes and to the south
Peace River Charlotte Harbor Frank at Fishin’ Franks 941-625-3888
75˚ 72˚ 70
50˚ 45˚
FISHING RIGHT NOW: VERY GOOD! Englewood Bait House
live shrimp etc.
Head-Boat Trips Offshore Fishing
941- 475-4511
November
REDFISH Schools along the beaches and in Harbor
NOVEMBER 2019
SNOOK At the spillways moving to the canals
November – Predictions and Suggestions
80˚
68˚
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Editor notes* There is no report from Frank this month. It is with profound sadness that we report the passing of Fishin Frank’s father, Fishin’ Frank Senior. This is his obituary: Frank W. Hommema Sr., of Port Charlotte, Fla., passed on Monday, Oct. 21, at the age of 82. Frank was a loving husband and father and is survived by his wife of 64 years, Carol; daughters Relinda and Pam; his son Fishin' Frank Jr.; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who all loved “Grumpy.” Frank was born in Chicago, Ill., Oct. 19, 1937, to Herman and Mona Hommema. For much of his adult life, he operated cranes and heavy equipment; but he was also an avid hunter and fisherman. He loved catching snook and enjoyed participating in shark and catfish tournaments. He was best known as the original Fishin' Frank Sr., who started the tackle shop Fishin' Frank's with his wife Catchin' Carol. The shop has become an institution in Charlotte County and is now operated by his son. God bless you, Sir. We will miss you! –MH
Brittany Cortes red and a nice snook
Lemon Bay, Placida, Gasparilla Sound Jim at Fishermen’s Edge 941-697-7595
Fishing is good. Beautiful mangrove snapper and yellowtail are being caught in 50 feet. There are Spanish mackerel and king mackerel. Right now we have a lot of bait flooding the shoreline. Numerous guys have been catching red grouper and gags. Everybody says they are catching nice keeper fish - some guys call the red grouper fire truck-size. There are also porgys, grunts... all that mixed bag of catching is starting to take place now. Tripletail are all out there too. It didn’t take long for them to find the crab pots! It doesn’t seem they are thick in front of Stump Pass or Palm Island. The Tampa guides say they are catching them more from Manasota north, that is what I hear. The back country is good too. There are a lot of redfish from Stump Pass up to Lemon Bay and decent trout. There have been a lot of snook in Placida, at Bull Bay, and at Catfish Creek. Even the guys at El Jobean are still doing well on snook. It seems like the whole West Wall and Turtle Bay have the bigger fish. Maybe it’s because of all the bait. I don’t know about the Pass, but tarpon are still in the Harbor. They are good in the middle, but you gotta make a day out of it and all of a sudden they will just pop up; you have to have the right stage of the tide when they get flushed out. Guys are starting to catch sheepshead and I’ve already had guys asking about fiddler crabs. Bass fishing in Prairie Creek is good, but over this way they have a lot of the ponds posted now – unless you are a homeowner, you can’t fish a lot of the local ponds any more. It’s terrible, the police are getting involved. Used to be fishing was an adventures, now you have to be careful you don’t get tazed!
BackBay Xtremes Capt Dave Stephens www.backbayxtremes.com
941-916-5769
Explore!
Fish with one of our Guides
Youʼll learn something and youʼll catch some fish!
NOVEMBER 2019
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