Water LIFE Oct 2010

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October 2010

Coming 10/15

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Smallest Fish at the S n o o p y - P o l e To u r n a m e n t

Pa ge 12

Red October Page 7

R e c or d C o bi a o n Fl y P ag e 16

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October

2010

DIRECT 941-235-5648 TOLL FREE 877-218-6552

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ONE-OF-A-KIND Entertainer Series Mobile Home in out-of-park Punta Gorda area. Over 1,400 sf, this 3/2 home is all fenced in with 2 metal sheds, large concrete patio facing open pasture, inside laundry, open living area, breakfast bar, glass top range, recessed lighting, built-in entertainment center and much more. $88,900 Call Ellen McCarthy 941-2355648

OVERSIZED CORNER WATERFRONT LOT. Water on side and back of lot size 135x12 for a great waterfront view. Just one bridge and 20 min. to the Harbor.

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SHROEDER CUSTOM-BUILT HOME shows like a model. Only lived in a few months, this 3/2/2 1,614 sf home built in 2007 features 17” tile floors (except in bedrooms), split bedroom plan, open great room, white wood cabinets & Corian countertops $159,900 Call Ellen McCarthy 941-235-5648

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Upgrades in this 3 bedroom, 2.5 baths, 3 car garage home with pavered driveway and pool area. Features tri-level wood cabinetry, granite, gourment kitchen, built-in entertainment center and a master suite to die for. Call for a list of all the features, the list goes on. Wonderful buy at $399,900 Call Ellen McCarthy 941-235-5648

MYAKKA RIVER VIEW – Waterfront living at its best. If you are thinking of a home on the River, this one is for you. 2,770 sq. ft. built 2006 home with all the upgrades youʼll love. 3 bedrooms, 3 ½ baths. 3-car garage. Walkway to dock and boat lift.

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WONDERFUL POOL HOME in Deep Creek. This 1,934 sf 3/2/2 home features new carpet, paint, filter, pump, skylights, roof and gutters. Master Bedroom suite with dual vanity sinks, garden tub and shower. Large kitchen, huge inside laundry room and Lanai with cabinets & sink and space for a kitchen. LOOK NO MORE! $158,900 Call Ellen McCarthy 941-235-5648

BANK-OWNED 3/2/2 home sold As Is. Newly painted, this 2,830 sf bargain has a huge family room with fireplace and aquarium, French doors, split bedroom plan and spacious Master bedroom suite with garden tub, walk-in shower and dual sinks. Check this one out today! $189,000 Call Ellen McCarthy 941-2355648

NEW PRICE ON SAILBOAT LOT Charlotte Beach Complex area. This is a end canal lot with full view down canal of all the homes and boats, WHAT A GREAT VIEW! And just a short walk to the Beach Area with pool, pier, horseshoes, basketball, tennis, botchie ball, childrens playground and club house or just relax on the beach and enjoy a good book. Sunsets are wonderful from the beach area. $239,900 Call Ellen McCarthy 235-5648

Ellen McCarthy Broker Associate www.portcharlotte-pgi.com ellenmc@portcharlotte-pgi.com www.portcharlotte-pgi.com

ellenmc@portcharlotte-pgi.com

19700 Cochran Blvd • Port Charlotte, FL 33948

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Letters to: WaterLIFE@comcast.net

Hi Michael & Ellen Greetings from Nova Scotia.

I just dissed (sic) the (Charlotte Sun) Waterline issue of last week and received back a detailed and polite response from them which was very nice.

I was thinking, its one thing to dis something but not often do we extend kudos........well, you and yours and your issues of Water LIFE are due my utmost Kudos.

Your utilization of local contributors and newsy and gutsy editorials are absolutely fantastic.

If I had a business in Florida, I would be advertising in your monthly journals just to show support.

Your dedication to the local youth and fishing scene is wonderful.

Keep up the good work, Douglas Simms.

Dear Water LIFE I sure hope boater-voters remember in November about Charlie Crist not allowing the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to follow scientific data and downlist the "endangered" West India Manatee! I sure hope boater-voters vote for Charlies opponent, Marco Rubio, for the Florida U.S. Senate seat.

I think that for the Florida Governors position Rick Scott should be elected to replace good 'ole Charlie! Rick Scott just may have made enough money in business that he would not be bought off by the Save the Manatee Club! If Rubio and Scott get elected, there just might be a slim ray of hope for Florida, the boating industry, and boaters!

Sincerely, Budd Hegele, Venice

Water LIFE Magazine inc.

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Mail: 217 Bangsberg Rd. Port Charlotte, FL 33952

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Contributing Editors:

Port Charlotte cartoonist Harry Thomas gives us his take on BP, Exxon and the spill in the Gulf.

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Dave Jacobs all-for-fun snoopy pole tournament had a class for smallest ladyfish.

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Water LIFE i s the o ffi ci al publ i cati o n o f the Charl o t t e Harb o r Reef As s o ci at i o n, the o ri g i nato r o f the Ki ds Cup To urnament and the pro ducer o f the Do n Bal l Scho o l o f Fi s hi ng .

We don’t just count the people we reach, we reach the people that count

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2010

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Thanks for a Great 7 Years

Mi chael Hel l er Water LIFE Edi tor There will be no Kids Cup Tournament in 2011. The Kids Cup was a high-end fishing event, designed to be a fund raiser for our 7th grade fishing classes, but the era of high-end fund raising events has ended.

We have taken the Kids Cup through a full 7-year cycle. Some kids who were 10 when they fished the first Kids Cup are now guideing younger kids. A few have kids of their own. Life moves on.

My wife Ellen and I are committed to continuing our 7th grade Don Ball School of Fishing classes, but we are no longer also able to spend the time it takes to put on the Kids Cup. We have our own kid in Denver and we would like to spend more time with her.

So the Kids Cup is going to go away but the fishing classes are going to stay.

The school fishing classes are taught by prominent local fishing guides so the kids in the classes get a chance to learn about local fishing from some of the best fishermen around. This are not a babysitting class. This classs is a model for a program that will ultimately expand into other coastal communities.

The classes start a lot of kids on a lifetime of fishing. Our workbook contains good fishing stories as well as a wealth of technical information. A full time school teacher told me her kids “actually like to

read it.” Fancy that!

The Kids Cup was a fun and educational event with a cool scientific component – sonic transmitters implanted in redfish to track their travels, but the stuff was expensive. Unlike the Kids Cup the 8week middle-school program only costs kids $12 and every student receives almost $100 worth of ‘fishing stuff” including a good rod and reel. All that stuff costs money too. It has to come from somewhere. (Right about now if you are thinking you want to help go to our website www.waterlifemagazine.com and click the Donate button.)

So it’s time to re-balance a little, but the goal is always going to be to introduce kids to fishing. We have to keep our eye on the goal. One of the reasons the Kids Cup ended was it just wasn’t introducing any kids to fishing, but it sure was fun and I will remember it always.

The enrollment for this years 7th grade classes, which start this month, is at 115.

This program also takes a huge amount of time and coordinated effort.

The class at Englewood’s LA Ainger school is the largest with 29 students enrolled. Both Capt. Rod Walinchus and Capt Ron Blago teach that class. The smallest class is at Heron Creek Middle School in Northport where Capt. Bob DeKeulenaere has 13 students, but there may be a few more 7th graders rotating in from the Imagine School down the road.

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The Nokomis Youth Fishing Tournament drew 95 anglers age 14 and under in a catch and release surf casting tournament on Nokomis Beach. Local bait shops provided shrimp for bait. The First Place Winner was 4 year old Hunter Dupree Naeve of Nokomis, who caught the most fish (12) during the 2 hour tournament .

Capt. Bart Marx at Port Charlotte has 27 students, Capt. Andy Medina at Murdock has 25 and Capt. Danny Latham at Punta Gorda has 21. It’s shaping up to be good.

As president of the Charlotte Harbor Reef Association I am committed to teaching our students about local fishing, ethical angling and good in-the-water and under-water environmental practices.

I believe teaching kids about ethical angling goes a long way towards improving the future of all fishing and all fishing events. In our class I tell kids: You don’t have to do anything special. Just keep your eyes open, go out and have fun fishing. When you get older you will

know what has to be done for the environment. Teaching kids about these issues now helps guarantee we still have the ‘right’ to fish in the future.

But we are still missing one major component as far as introducing kids to fishing goes. It needs to happen on a boat. I’d like to see a program where kid members would be eligible to fish for free every Saturday. There would be a big pontoon boat waiting at the dock every Saturday with a captain and a mate.

Around here, kids could fish in the local canals or on the nearby Harbor and parents could go along too. Thats something the whole County would benefit from.

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Manatee Remains Endangered On the Line

By Capt Ron Bl ago, Water LIFE S enior S taff After a grueling 10 year process, which involved millions of taxpayers dollars and thousands of hours spent by state staff and leading marine mammal experts; the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission has done, what they seem to be best at when it comes to manatee matters – they have done nothing.

The FWC recently voted to change the way they classify imperiled species in Florida, but decided to make an exception for manatees.

According to the FWC, the manatee will remain an endangered species in Florida as long as the manatee remains on the federal endangered species list. Talk about a lack of courage to make a call based on the best available science. Basically the FWC has said they are afraid they don't know what they are doing, so they are willing to let

the federal authorities tell them what to do.

This mess started in 2000 when the Save the Manatee Club threatened to sue the state for what they called a lack of effort in protecting the manatee. The state reached an out of court settlement with the SMC which resulted in vast numbers of Manatee Slow Zones for boaters throughout the state. Around the same time the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) asked Dr. Tom Fraser (former head of the Marine Fisheries Commission) to do an unbiased study on the manatees in Florida. His report sent shock waves through the environmental community.

Three of his key points were:

October

(In Name Only)

2010

“Talk about a lack of courage to make a call based on the best available science”

1. The population of manatees has sustained an increasing population for the last 25 years; and is increasing at a rate of 6-7% per year.

Please! Say it isnʼt so! Stop the insanity! Tell me these are not SMC-cult-leggins!

2. Increases in manatee population should be expected to coincide with increasing numbers of dead manatees from all causes including boats over time.

3. The building of water cooled electric generating plants along Floridas coastline beginning in the 1950s have provided manatees with artificial winter refuges north of historical wintering areas. However, these areas are becoming a risk area for disease with huge numbers of manatees that crowd together in these “non-natural tiny ecosystems”.

As a result of this report the CCA requested a review of the Biological Status of the manatee in Florida in

2001. During the last 10 years the FWC staff of manatee experts have recommended that the manatee be removed from the endangered species list.

In 2006, three biological review panels, each consisting of five experts appointed by the FWC has recommended that the manatee be reclassified from endangered to threatened. From 2006 to now the FWC has postponed voting on the issue. And all during that time the manatee population kept growing throughout red tide outbreaks and winter cold spells; and still the FWC could not find the courage to admit the manatee was not endangered. I guess its politics as usual.

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R Re ed d

O Oc ct to ob be er r

By Bi l l y Barton S pecial to Water LIFE Another month has come to pass and the salt lifes as good as it ever was! I can't lie, I really wasn't out on the water this month as much as I would've liked.

But one things for sure, the bite was on, the Fish Gods treated me well, and every second was cherished!

It hurts me to say it, but I spent a measly three days on the water this month! Ouch! I'm gonna have to make up for lost time next month. It just so happens though that of all the months to

go out there and make up lost time, October is the best. October my friends is one month to fish in Charlotte harbor.

Over the years it has deemed itself Red October due to the abundance of redfish spread out all over the place. Sounds like my kinda month!

This month, with the declining water temperatures, and less rain you will start to see red fish move further up into the harbor. My bait of choice for them in October is probably either a live select size shrimp, a cut pinfish, or a piece of cut ladyfish. These fish are still not mov-

ing as fast as they could be moving, and during the heat of the day they most definitely look for an easy meal. The whitebait is still plentiful along the east side of the Harbor so this can be another good choice. However the white bait numbers should start to decline in the Harbor in the next month or so. This means the fish will be more likely to lay on a piece of artificial.

My favorite type of artificial to throw during Red October would have to be a half or three quarter ounce gold spoon, or a Berkley-Gulp three-inch shrimp (any color). I like to fish the Gulp shrimp on a one-eighth-ounce jighead, and fish them real slow. One thing to always remember when fishing use something that imitates a shrimp. Just when you think you're working it slow enough, work it slower! Shrimp don't swim fast! I've had a lot better luck fishing shrimp jigs such as a D.O.A. when I am actually working them very slowly.

When fishing the spoons you just want a steady retrieve, no jerking of the rod you just want your spoon to swim and its doing its job. Prime time

conditions for fishing spoons? I like a nice early afternoon high tide on my favorite shoreline. During the afternoon hours these fish are up against the trees looking for some shade. You want to make your cast right up next to the bushes, then start your retrieve. The sunny days are ideal for fishing a spoon so your spoon can reflect light as its supposed to.

If theres one fish I love to catch its a redfish! If theres one fish I like to put on the grill, its a redfish! If theres a month to go catch redfish, Its October! I hope you guys all tear em up this month like I sure know I'm gonna! Good luck out there, and remember to savor it, every minute of it.

There are still some little tarpon out there this Red October too

Bottom painting and hullside waxing up to 55 feet

Joe Pocklington,

former owner of Fort Myers Yacht, Burnt Store Marine Service, Gasparilla Marine Service and Charlotte Harbor Boat Storage, is at it again!

Joe has assembled a top notch crew to concentrate on painting bottoms and waxing hullsides.

Joe offers his services only to a limited number of customers so he has the ability to concentrate on quality.

Call Joe at 941-769-0493 for information

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Real Estate News

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PROVIDED to Water LIFE BY: Dav e Ho fer RE/MAX Harbor Realty (941) 575-3777 dhofer@remax.net www.harborparadise.com

Recent area news i tems:

1. The City of North Port and Charlotte County are in heated competition to see which can squander more taxpayer funds on ill conceived projects.

North Port spent $90K on outside consultants to evaluate whether they should change the name of their fast growing berg. Now the largest city in Sarasota County, North Port is becoming sensitive about the misnomer (they don't really have a "port"). The City Council has earmarked $450K to obtain a license to build a replica of an iconic baseball stadium (Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, etc.). The franchisor, Big League Dreams, is a company that has already convinced nine other cities in California, Arizona, Nevada and Texas that $4.5 million was a reasonable price to pay to bolster the esteem of their middle aged softball playing

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2010

constituents.

Charl otte County seems to be thinking positively about swapping 137 commercial acres in Murdock Village for 30 acres of industrial property that they will then give away in an attempt to lure employers to the I75/Jones Loop area. After the exchange, The Laishley Group will then attempt to have Wilderness Resorts (a Wisconsin Dells developer of water parks) build a water park and 400 room resort at the Rt 776 location. It should come as no surprise, Wilderness will likely rely on taxpayers to provide the required $110 Million in Tax Increment Financing Bonds and other tax concessions to make the investment viable.

2. The Best Western has mothballed plans to develop a mooring field next to their marina. They were planning to add 82 mooring balls as well as extending the harborwalk across their property. Since the City is in the process of developing its own mooring field at Laishley Park, council prudently opted to wait for its completion in February to determine if their will be

Heres what Wisconsin Dells Wilderness Territory looks like from a website photo. See: Item #1 Charlotte County, at left.

unmet demand before committing to fund a second field. They also succumbed to the reality that the purchase of a pump-out boat was not a justifiable expenditure (even if most of the funds would be provided by Federal assistance).

Recent area news i tems:

In other news: The Artist Atelier is moving forward in the Punt Gorda Parking Garage. FGCU will be creating a program for entrepreneurship at the garage in the coming months.

They should be up and running by October 1. A new Sunday outdoor market will begin operation in the

Punta Gorda History Park starting on October 5. Cafe Ruelle reopened under new management. Water billing rates will rise 3% in October.

S al es S tati sti cs: Lot pricing has risen slightly in Port Charlotte and North Port over the past few months on significantly lower volume. Water front sales are still rare. Home sales are still dominated by distressed situations. The upper end market is VERY quiet. New foreclosure filings in Charlotte County jumped to 212 in August from 168 in July. Sarasota filings have been running consistently in the mid 400s.

October Feeding Frenzy

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2010

By Capt. Chuck Ei chner Water LIFE Inshore The biggest fishing rodeo of the year is happening this month. Nearly every species that swims has gotten the signal that it is time to feed up for the lean months of the winter. Fall is truly here and you have probably noticed that the calm, smoking hot summer days have given way to windy, warm days. The mornings late arrival of daylight and the earlier darkness of the evening has been a gradual effect that is largely overlooked by us, but the aquatic world has no calendar other than this, to tell them the time of year. Water temperatures have fallen into the comfortable 80s and the fish are ready to rumble!

My biggest challenge is what species to pursue. A nice problem to have, but you have to be flexible because the weatherman will play a big role in where you can fish. Migratory pelagics will show up at inshore locations not normally found the rest of the year. Redfish will school up, snook will pile up in the backcountry and everything from sheepshead to tarpon can all be part of your day. A short breakdown of the species to pursue and where to find them may be an eye opener.

Offshore S peci es- The good news is that you don’t really have to go offshore to get your arms broken by major fish. Kingfish up to 40 pounds, bonita to 12 pounds , sharks to 200 pounds and cobia to 30 pounds will show within a mile of Boca Grande Pass. Watch for diving birds and fish breaking the surface.

Small fish blasting on the top often have major fish feeding below. Big threadfins or pilchards are an easy recipe to connect.

You will likely have to chase these fish down as they constantly move chasing baitfish. Do not run up to the fish or you will put them down. Set up a drift to intercept their direction and wait for them to come. Oversize jack crevalle up to 20 pounds may jolt your rod as well!

Spanish mackerel will show up all over the beaches and harbor and small jigs and spoons will get the job done. Grouper will be moving closer to shore, but you will still need to go 10 miles-plus offshore.

Beach S peci es- Pompano were

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already showing themselves in September and can be found around sandy areas along the passes, Johnsons shoals and the like.

Sheepshead have already made an appearance and rocks and dock pilings are magnets. Whiting and flounder will start to bless your line when fishing along the beaches and bluefish will come charging by at any time. A jig tipped with shrimp or squid will make any of these fish chew.

Lets not forget the migrating lizard fish and puffer fish which will begin appearing. One fish that many don’t associate with the beach is the redfish. Monster redfish will be traveling the beach near any strong current areas. All of the passes have major redfish traveling through. Fish between 15-20 pounds like a fat pinfish, crab or chunk of mullet to dine on.

Backcountry & Fl ats- Some of my biggest snook catches take place in October. Snook spend the summer months sulking on the beach and move to the mangroves and bars in search of a high protein diet of shrimp, crabs, pilchards, threadfins and pinfish. All of which are conveniently living in the grassbeds. Grassbeds are experiencing changes as well as the rest of the ecosystem. Reduced daylight and cooler temperatures will affect photosynthesis and the characteristics of our grassbeds begin to quickly change. This change triggers aggressive feeding. Redfish can still be found in schools but many fish will be scattered throughout the harbor making for great fishing. High tides, mangroves and a pinfish on your line will guarantee a pull.

Trout fishing will be good this month and bigger fish will show themselves.

Drifting the grassbeds on high tides and casting lures will produce non-stop action.

Open Harbor- Tarpon will likely remain strong, ladyfish are everywhere and Spanish mackerel will be crashing baitfish. Cobia will begin to show up more

frequently. Threadfins and ladyfish will catch the tarpon.

The hardest part about fishing in October is choosing which fish to pursue.

A mighty nice problem to have!

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Capt. Chuck Eichner operates Action Flats Back country Charters and can be contacted for charters at 941-505-0003 or v isit www.back country -charters.com

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October

2010

Captain Dies in Freak Accident at Jupiter Inlet

S peci al to Water LIFE RIP Capt. Tom Henry.

Tom was a long time friend, not just to me but boaters everywhere. I don't think he had an enemy anywhere. His boat is Waterdog, a 48 Garlington. Tom had been in/out of Jupiter Inlet over a 1000 times.

Tom used to fish Hatteras every spring, Ocean City in the summer and the rest of the year in Jupiter with many spring trips to the Bahamas.

Tom always had a kind word for everyone on the VHF and always shared advice on the days fishing to other seasoned pros and weekend warriors alike.

On Friday the break on the bar at Jupiter was 8-10 feet. This inlet can be very difficult in most any situation. The swells were caused by the offshore hurricanes.

Unfortunately, Tom was thrown from the bridge, struck the deck, broke his neck and died. The mate regained control of the boat and returned to the dock with the 5 people from the charter unharmed.

Tom was originally from Maryland and was a lawyer briefly before deciding his true love was the water and fishing.

Consignment Boats Wanted Bayshoremarinefl@yahoo.com

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2004 Sailfish 19’ Bay Boat

115hp Yamaha 4stroke, 4 blade, fully loaded, very efficient

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These photos were shot by Stewart Browning who just happened to be there taking pictures.

Tell White House to Say No to Untested E15

By Mathew P. Dunn Legislative Director, Government Relations, National Marine Manufacturers Association As you may know, in the spring of 2009 Growth Energy, a pro-corn ethanol lobby group, petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to allow ethanol to comprise up to 15% (E15) of gasoline sold in the United States from the current level of 10% (E10). As mandated by law, the EPA had 270 days to make a decision on the waiver petition, which would have been December 1, 2009. On that date, EPA announced that it would delay its decision until late summer of 2010 to allow more scientific tests to be completed.

We now anticipate that the EPA will make its decision later this month or early next month. As we wait for EPAs announcement, NMMA and our partner organizations in the “Say NO to Untested E15” coalition are encouraging concerned boaters and people in the marine industry to visit w w w. Fol l ow TheS ci ence. org to write an email to President Obama requesting that he urge the EPA to thor-

oughly and comprehensively test all gasoline-powered engines, including marine engines, before allowing E15 into the marketplace.

What You Can Do to Hel p: The ethanol issue has and will continue to have a large impact on the boating community and we need your help to spread the word. If you reach boaters or others in the marine industry through other

venues like your organizational web site, blogs, newsletters, Twitter, Facebook and/or other social media, we encourage you to use these resources to drive boaters to w w w. Fol l ow TheS ci ence. org. We also have Follow the Science banner ads in several sizes and template newsletter articles that we can email you upon request.

Water LIFE says NO! to Charlie Crist ... for any office, ... ever.

And its all because of the way he treated boaters and manatees

This is an advertisement sought to influence the way you vote

Kids Prepare to Compete in the Marine Sciences October

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2010

Pop Quiz:

This "crab" is NOT a true crab but more related to a spider _____________.

This animal produces an egg mass that is surrounded by a "sand collar" ____________.

This fish is also known as an "oyster cracker" because of its eating habits____________.

indentifying marsh grasses.

By Betty S taugl er Water LIFE / Sea Grant

Do you know the answer to these questions? If not, check in with a 4H Marine Ecology kid, because these questions and many more like them are what they spend countless hours studying to prepare themselves for the statewide 4H Marine Ecology Event, held each year in November in Orlando.

To help the kids from southwest Florida prepare for the event, the Sea Grant agents in Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties held a “mock” event on September 23rd in Ft. Myers. Kids, ages 8 to 18 participated. The kids rotated through four stations in 20 minute timed intervals. At three of the stations, the kids had to identify up to 25 specimens by matching them to a specimen list (that contained far more specimen names than were on the table). One station was full of coastal vegetation, including needle rush, sea oxeye, black mangrove and marsh elder. The kids learn to identify plant species by looking for key characteristic such as leaf shape, whether the leaves are opposite each other or alternating, and whether they’re succulent or not.

They look for nodes and edges when

A second station contained vertebrates, most of which were fish species including black drum, pinfish, sheepshead and gulf killifish. The kids know the best way to ‘cold read’ a fish is by shape. They also look at mouth orientation, placement and size of the eyes, placement of the fins, whether the fins are rounded or not, the number and size of spines, and key features like bars and spots. The kids know color is not a good way to identify a fish because it can vary within a species dramatically. A special thanks to the folks at

FWC who collected the majority of our fish specimens. The vertebrate table also included the identification of bird species such as the little blue heron and ring billed gull. These were stuffed birds from the Florida Museum of Natural History.

The third identification station contained invertebrates. The kids will tell you invertebrates lack a spine. Many of the invertebrates were live specimens that were held in tanks and released after the event. These included blue, stone and spider crabs, lightening whelk and Florida horse conch.

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The last station is where the scavenger hunt took place. Here specimens were linked to clues about them. Vegetation, vertebrates and invertebrates were all part of the hunt and our specimens included skulls and shells. This was a difficult station for some of the kids, particularly the younger ones, who would say “I know its a pipefish, but I don’t know what the clue is.” That clue was “The male of this fish gives birth” and the answer could have been either a pipefish or a seahorse…but in this case a pipefish was what we had on the table.

Events that allow kids to learn about and compete in the area of natural sciences are a lot of fun and help them learn study skills that will benefit them far beyond the event.

So, which crab is not a true crab? The answer is a horseshoe crab.

A moon snail produces an egg mass surrounded by a sand collar.

And, a toad fish is also known as an oyster cracker.

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

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Page 12

The Snoopy Pole Tournament

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Wat er LIFE S t aff R eport This is the fun side of fishing, the 4th ‘annual’ Snoopy Pole tournament put on by Dave Jacobs and friends. Its no big deal Dave told us. It started out as me and some friends and then friends of the friends and other friends. Last year they had 35 boats lined up along the beach at the Port Charlotte Beach Complex for the weigh in. Last year they had some 4-foot sharks Dave noted, reminding everyone that sharks had to be greater than 54 inches this year and there were none.

The whole idea is to fish with a snoopy pole or a cinderella pole or some other little kids spin caster. The ones from Wal-Mart seem to be popular. Every competitor puts $10 into the pot and the angler with the heaviest fish (just so long as its legal) wins the pot. Catch and release, 1 pound penalty for dead.

There was also a prize for second place and for the smallest legal species, which was announced the morning of the tournament to be ladyfish. Two four ounce ladyfish ‘twins’ wound up sharing that crown.

There were fewer boats this year because of a local tournament scheduled on the same day, but still there were 20-plus entries and all with good smiles.

October

2010

There were a few small stingrays (top) but the one gar that Joe Jacobs weighed in (above) at 4.6 pounds was a crowd favorite.

The heaviest fish was a beautiful 6.9 pound 26 inch redfish that was subject to the 1 pound dead fish penalty, but was still a winner at the adjusted weight for Jennifer Mercer.

October

2010

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Stone Crabs Open 10/15

By Adam Wi l don Water LIFE Diving Its feeling like fall already with shorter days, east winds, a little less humidity and thoughts of stone crabs just around the corner. Opening day for stone crabs is Friday October 15th. Thanks to a first quarter moon the current should be mild, especially combined with a long incoming tide starting Thursday afternoon and slowly building to a high around 6 a.m.

Friday morning. As long as we don’t get any strong westerly winds in the days before, its going to be a stellar season starter.

If you’re planning on heading out Thursday night to gear up and be ready to dive at midnight, well, I will see you out there. Now I have no reservations about running 80 miles offshore and rolling into 200 feet of clear water to explore wrecks or shoot fish. But make no mistake, even in only 12 feet of water; I consider stone crabbing some of the most challenging diving around and every year I get the willies before jumping into the dark waters of Gasparilla sound.

Night diving under bridges and trestles with entanglements at every turn, razor sharp barnacle and oyster encrusted pilings, low- to no-visibility and possible currents that can take your mask off if you look sideways can be hazardous. And don’t forget the occasional manatee or dolphin. Sure they are quite harmless, until you look up and find a curious one right in front of your face, startling the daylights out of you. Keeping your gear configuration minimal is a good idea. Stone crabbing is no place for fancy gear like air integrated computers, expensive regulators or your favorite $500 wetsuit. At least 2 flashlights is a must. Water temp is usually between 79-82 degrees. Although the temperature doesn’t dictate need for a hood, I wear one just for protection against head bumps and cuts. A wetsuit without sturdy kneepads will be quickly shredded. I’ve had Kevlar knee pads sewn on some of my older suits by my friend

Don Ham. Don does incredible wetsuit repairs and alterations 624-3646. Of course a measuring gauge is mandatory.

Two nand ¾ inches is the minimum length, measured across the bottom, from the tip of the non-hinged claw to the first joint. After a few dives your eye will begin to see the difference between a keeper claw and one thats just a hair short. The same rule we use when spearfishing also applies to crabs, if you can’t determine if its legal at first glance, best to leave it and go to the next one.

Personally I prefer to hunt for jumbo claws that make you say WHOA! Heres a little stone crab 101. They can live up to eight years. Their spawning season runs from summer into the fall. Mating only happens after the female molts, revealing a softer outer skeleton.

Molting is the process that takes place when a crab grows too large for their hard shell and is forced to escape the constantly constricting confines by shedding their old exoskeleton and growing a new, larger one. A female can molt up to six times a spawning season and produce up to one million eggs after each molt. If you find a female with an orange or brown spongy material on her under carriage, (photo below) that is her egg sack. Because a molested female will likely drop her egg

sack when stressed, thereby killing all the babies, egg laden females are off limit to harvest. Sometimes you will find large male crabs near and protecting egg carrying females. The most asked question I hear, “Do you take both claws”? Yes, both legal sized claws can be legally &

Page 13

Tiny (blue) blennies are hard to spot being the size of a pinky. Even harder trying to get a close up of one. They usually bolt backwards into their homes.

ethically harvested. Extensive research by the State of Florida has shown removing both claws causes no harm to the crab. A clawless crab adapts by remaining more concealed, scavenging for sea grass, a diet that actually re-grows claws faster than their normal diet of mollusks, crustaceans and dead fish. Octopus regularly feed on stone crabs regardless of having claws or not. Unable to fend off aggressive males during spawning season, a clawless female may actually produce many more baby crabs. A defense mechanism to avoid predation, stone crabs can eject their claws to get away from hungry groupers, octopus or turtles. Sometimes when you grab a crab you will find that the claw literally falls off into your hand. Other times they will struggle and give you a lot of resistance. I have found if you break off a claw when the crabs are resisting there is a much higher chance of a fatal wound. If you hold a struggling crab for just a moment you will feel him relax. Thats the time to go for the pop.

A fast downward snap will remove the claw. Avoid twisting claws off as it tears excess tissue from the crabs’ body, killing it almost every time.

The second most asked question I hear, “How long does it take for a new claw to grow”? A tiny pincer appears after the crabs’ next molt. Each molt thereafter the

claw becomes bigger. It is thought a legal sized claw could be grown in as little as one year. Stone crabs have fingerprints indicating whether or not they have ever been harvested. On the inside of the claw by the upper, hinged pincer is a series of lines similar to a thumb print. Solid, unbroken lines indicate an original claw.

Broken lines looking like dots and dashes of Morse code reveal a claw regenerated.

In recent years FWC has been on scene at the most popular spots. A 20 inch by 24 inch, well lit dive flag is required on the boat, or a 12 inch square lit tow behind flag. Max limit is one gallon of claws per person or two gallons per vessel, whichever is less.

Despite the concerns of the advanced skills needed to safely stone crab, their habitat is home to some of the best diving in southwest Florida. The railroad trestle at Boca Grande is essentially an artificial reef over 100 years old and it shows. The amount of life is overwhelming. Every species of critter found Gulf wide can be found right here, usually just in miniature form, and sometimes full grown. When visibility exceeds ten feet I would put it in my top 5 list of must do dives. If you do make it out opening night and only find silted up water and crabs running in every direction with no claws, change course, you’re behind me!

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ATLANTIC BLUEFIN

October

2010

The 90-day finding released September 24 states that the Center for Biological Diversitys (CBD) petition under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to list Atlantic bluefin tuna contains “substantial information” that the petitioned action may be warranted; it is not a listing for Atlantic bluefin tuna, but the finding is the first step in a prescribed process for responding to every petition filed with NOAA Fisheries to list a species under the ESA. An affirmative 90day finding is required if the petition presents sufficient information to meet criteria specified in the ESA. As a result of this affirmative finding, Atlantic bluefin tuna are now considered a candidate species.

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K AYA K S !

Asset Forfeiture Fund How Lives are Ruined

October

2010

By K el l y Beal l Water LIFE Commercial Fishing I think within us all is a fear of government. Particularly when it comes to any police agency. Luckily we live in a country of checks and balances. It may take years and years but sooner or later an abuse of power catches up to the abuser.

I guess pay back time has arrived in New England. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke announced sweeping reforms to increase accountability and transparency and strengthen the publics trust in NOAAs office of Law Enforcement.

This came in the wake of a report by the US Commerce Dept Inspector General which found multiple cases of likely abuse of police or legal authority in the federal fisheries law enforcement system and argued that NOAA needs to "look back" and redress miscarriages of justice against fishermen.

So what triggered this investigation? It was the story of so many fisherman who felt the wrath of over zealous enforcement personnel. After hearing the countless stories of abuse in power US Senator Olympia Snowe voiced just how appalled she really is.

“For centuries, fishermen have been the backbone of our coastal communities,

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and the Inspector Generals findings of bias against them by some enforcement personnel in the northeast region are appalling,” Senator Snowe said. “On multiple occasions, the NOAA Administrator has reassured me of her commitment to ‘rebuild the climate of trust’ between industry members and regulators in New England, yet allowing individuals with a documented history of bias against fishermen and egregious abuses of power to remain on the payroll would run completely counter to that goal. I fully expect that the individual cited in yesterdays report, and any other personnel found to have engaged in these actions will immediately be removed from their positions.”

“Furthermore, I find it extremely disturbing that NOAAs former head of Fisheries Law Enforcement, who was ‘reassigned’ on April 8th – nearly six months ago – remains on the payroll today pending resolution of his case.

While there certainly are protocols that must be adhered to, there is no doubt that this individuals actions, including the shredding of case files while under investigation by the Inspector General, merit termination of his tenure with the agency,

not what amounts to a six month paid vacation at taxpayers’ expense.”

Larry Yacubian, a longtime fisherman in New England has been a victim of this agencies bullying and ultimately lost one of his loves in life due to their tyranny. He was cited in December 1998 offshore when he was boarded by the US Coast Guard. Just out scalloping, making his living, they question him of his

whereabouts of the day and cited him for allegedly going into closed waters. They also, prompted by someone coaching from onshore, asked him the weight of his catch. With no way to weigh it, out there, he explained he could only estimate it because it didn't get weighed-in until the boat docked. They knew that, but they also knew you can't refuse an answer to the Coast Guard. They ended up confiscating his catch and making him come in. When he arrived at the dock there were newspapers, customs agents, TV reporters and all kinds of craziness going on about it. He said you would of thought they just brought in John Dillinger or Bin Laden.

They began to demonize the commercial fishermen at that point over nothing.

When the case finally went before the Coast Guard court they fined him $220,000 for incursion into a closed area and $30,000 for lying about the weight of the catch – which of course he was off in his estimate. Hes a fisherman, hes not psychic.

Page 15

The fines sound steep but that is nothing compared to being permanently barred from scalloping and losing his license which is what made his boat so valueable. Thats like getting a speeding ticket and losing your drivers license FOREVER! Of course he fought it and two years later a Federal Court Judge ruled that his civil rights were violated and ordered the Coast Guard court to re-evaluate the findings of fishing in closed waters because, after all, this was the first Vessel Monitor System case and they weren't known for their accuracy. This was before they were GPS based, when they worked off one setellite and could never be exact.

By the time the Federal Court reduces his fines (by taking off the $30,000) he has already sold his boat at a HUGE loss, relocated to Florida, sold his property up north, and is completely out of the scallop fishery and out of a job. Where is lady justice in that??

Well, the dirt bag behind harassing these fisherman not only ruined their lives, but he kept tens of millions in fines levied against these US Commercial Fisherman – money held in an UNRECORDED account to be used by the fisheries law enforcement division of NOAA to fuel extravagant purchases and foreign travel. This according to a forensic audit for the US Inspector General.

Go online and read about how the NOAA fisheries law enforcement brought in 96 million dollars in 4 and a half years from fining innocent commercial fisherman!

This misuse of authority did not put these guys behind bars. Just shining a light and a camera is the first feeling of vindication for fishermen who for years had complained to congress about the abuse of authority, grudge settling (as in Larrys case) and harassment. This didn't happen in Florida - it was New England and Mid Atlantic, but the scary thing is...it was still here in the US, just another reminder that the best government is less government.

Kelly Beall owns and operates Peace Riv er Seafood at 5337 Duncan Road, Punta Gorda, Fl 33982 (941) 505-8440

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Page 16

October

2010

SCUTTLEBUTT Sometimes Unsubstanciated, But Often True

How about an Indian Gaming Casino at the north end of the US 41 bridge, where the old Oyster Bar Restaurant used to be? We overheard such an idea in a high end local restaurant.

Officers responded to the report of what was thought to be decayed human remains in Black Water Sound. One officer waded into the shallow waters to conduct an inspection. He determined the object to be a manatee carcass ...and went to wash is hands.

Dr. Julie H. Ball (below) of Virginia Beach, VA, USA, who has 11 world records to her credit may have a 12th after catching a 33.57 kg (74 lb 0 oz) cobia. She is a young

tragically in July while diving off the coast of Florida, at age 52. The details of the accident are unknown.

We need more of that Local angler Dave Jacobs told us he found a fishbox with two redfish in it before a Charlotte Harbor summer tournament this year and he released the fish. The good part of the story is Dave was willing to speak on the record. We need more of that.

Vague Inuendo stories of fish swapping two teams combining fish to make a winning pair and then splitting the winnings.

According to the DAs office thats fraud.

The annual Pirate Invasion and general mid summer excuse to get wet went and have fun happened at Fishermens Village last

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Kill Em and Eat ĘťEm Florida Keys -- More than 100 divers submerged on Sept. 11 to collect 534 Indo-Pacific red lionfish during the initial concerted effort to reduce the population of the invasive species in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The first of three planned Keys-based lionfish derbies attracted 27 teams that competed for cash and prizes to collect the most, largest and smallest lionfish. And after the weigh in they ate the lionfish, which we have been told taste good.

Related Subject: Lionfish I've been hearing steady reports of lionfish from up and down the coast for a few weeks now. So far the closest has been in 50 feet off Sarasota, confirmed with photos. I've talked with guys that are seeing them as far north in the Gulf as the Homosassa/ Crystal river area. Just a matter of time before we start to see them here I'm sure. I'll be shooting and eating them when I do.

Adam Wilson

month in good weather and with good spirits for all.

Whale with a pocket knife FWC officers interviewed subjects regarding their contact with a pygmy sperm whale that washed ashore in Delray Beach. A man fishing from the beach came across the whale and cut its tail off using a pocketknife.

Wes Skiles story was on the cover of National Geographics August issue. It contained the magazines second-ever tear-out, fold-out photograph. But Skiles did not have the chance to enjoy the recognition. He died

Slow Learners Tournament anglers are reportedly being reminded regularly they are only allowed to keep two redfish in their livewell at any time. The FWC has been providing this same information to tournament anglers as part of the culling waiver process, since 2004.

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From the Olʼ Fishʼn Hole

October

2010

By Capt. Ji m O'Bri en Water LIFE Englewood Hey y- all I hope y- all got out and got some fish'n time in. Fish'n has been at its best. This month should be good also. It looks like snook season will be closed for another year, till Sept 2011.

Florida FISH and WILDLIFE commission made there final decision' Snook season should open September 1 2011. Make sure you CATCH and RELEASE. Snook fish'n has been good in the passes, and on the beachs. White bait, large shrimp, and pin fish are an excellent choice of baits.

Red fish'n has been good from Pine Island to Lemon Bay, also from Sand Fly island going into Bull Bay, fish around the oyster bars artificial baits I still like the gold johnson spoons 1/4 to 1/2 oz.

Trout season is open now. If you fish the Harbor, or bull bay fish the sandy pot holes. I like to use a Cotee jig red head with a white curly tail tipped with a piece of shrimp, for scent and a rattling popping cork. Thats a DYNO= MITE set up.

Spanish mackerel are in Boca Grande Pass, and just off Gasparilla Pass and Stump P ass from 3 to 20 miles out.

Sharks are all over the place. They are on all the artificial reefs inshore they are in the harbor, off johnson shoals, and in Boca Grande pass. There has been some big bull sharks up in the upper harbor.

Snapper fish'n has been very good last month and should be great this month, there are mangrove snapper on all the inshore reefs and the bigger mangs, yellow tail, and lane snapper are on most of the offshore wrecks and ledges.

Grouper fish'n has been good. On my last charter we started fish'n at 30 miles, we went to 4 or 5 spots and I didn't see anything on my fish finder that tripped my trigger so we went out to 35 miles and I only seen a few fish on my screen, So I come back to 30 miles and went to a

Page 17

way point number that was in the middle of the spots we went to earlier, and my fish finder lit up with large fish symbols.

I mean to tell ya it seamed like all the big grouper come to this particlar spot.

My screen had consistent big fish on the bottom all day long. We caught one nice red grouper and lost at least 5 more.

When ol' Capt. here sees his stout grouper rods bent over double and stay like that I will tell ya that fish will go in the box. After the last fish break off we couldn't raise another big grouper go figure. Well I guess thats why they call it fish'n instead of catch'n In my photos this month you will see Micheal with a nice MUTTON SNAPPER, and Ken Lathrope with a nice Red Grouper for bait we was using pin fish, sardines squid, mullet.

Remember: Get out and snort some of that good cl ean sal t ai r cuz - i ts good fer ya!

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Page 18

Start this Season with the Right Kayak.

By Davi d Al l en Water LIFE Kayaking In late September and early October an increasing number of new potential members show up for the weekly Port Charlotte Kayakers club meetings. Each year it seems more and more Floridians and snowbirds become interested in the sport of kayaking and want to learn more about it. And why not? I believe we have in Charlotte County, but truly all across Florida, the best kayaking in the U.S. From the tranquil creeks and streams, to the spring-fed rivers north of Tampa, in the Everglades of course, on the beaches and inlets, a growing number of kayakers are enjoying this sport every day. What other sport can trans-

port you to another world of natural beauty, far removed from daily life, with abundant wildlife to experience and enjoy. And at the same time get you some healthful exercise.

For newcomers to the sport, selecting a kayak can be a daunting experience, and one that often results in a kayak that is unsuited, in some respect, for the kind of paddling most of us do. Often, the first kayak people purchase is too short, under 12 ft., and the paddler finds that it doesn’t track well and is too slow to keep up with the group. Sometimes, the kayak is too heavy, making it a real chore to load and unload from a car-top. A small cockpit can make it difficult to get into, particularly if the kayaker has stiff legs or has a bad back. A kayak that is too narrow for the paddling skills of the novice will feel “tippy” and unstable.

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Take your time when purchasing a kayak. Many of these problems can be eliminated by not rushing to purchase your first kayak. Most dealers will let you try out several kayaks and tell you the advantages and disadvantages of each style. Some dealers also conduct free paddle demos where you can try out a variety of kayaks and paddles before you buy. This is a great way to decide which kayak you like and which fits you best before you make the big investment.

Here i s a l i ttl e background i nfo and a few ti ps to poi nt your i ni ti al search i n the ri ght di recti on.

You’ll find that essentially all the kayak clubs in the area have one or two paddles a week for their members. These paddles will be about 2-4 hours long, usually in the creeks and rivers in the area, but occasionally in the open water of the bay or Gulf. Most clubs have a longer paddle each week for intermediate paddlers; usually 10-15 miles, usually in open water.

I’ve never know a club to intentionally paddle in bad weather or rough water, although it does happen, and you need a kayak that will handle those difficult conditions.

Kayaks suitable for this type of paddling are recreational and touring kayaks.

Recreational kayaks are generally used on calmer waters like rivers and sheltered bays. These kayaks are generally wider and shorter than the touring kayaks, usually between 12 and 15 feet long and about 2427 inches wide. They are fairly easy to turn, but often they do not track well and the shorter kayaks are slow. These kayaks are attractive to many kayakers because they are relatively inexpensive, $700 to about $1500, and are easy to car-top.

October

The least expensive kayaks are rotomolded polyethylene and the more expensive are made of fiberglass, Kevlar or carbon fiber. Carbon fiber kayaks can cost well over $3,000. The 14 and 15 ft. recreational fiber glass or roto-molded kayaks are ideal for the kind of paddling most clubs do.

Touring kayaks are longer, very stable, and slightly heavier than the recreational kayaks. They are designed to handle choppy water and more challenging conditions, but they are very suitable for all types of paddling. They do not turn as easily as the shorter kayaks, but their long, narrow design allows for more speed and better tracking abilities. With large, watertight compartments in the bow and stern, they are suitable for over-night or longer trips.

About half of our club have touring kayaks, ranging in length from 16 to 18 ft.

Prices of fiberglass touring kayaks can range from $1500 to over $3000.

Be aware of the compromises of each type of boat. A recreational boat will be very stable initially but will not track well (so you have to paddle more to keep the boat straight) and you have to paddle harder to keep up. Touring boats are longer and narrower, they are speedier and easier to paddle straight. But some paddlers feel they are less stable initially.

And a last, but very important consideration, is comfort. You will spend hours paddling your kayak, often in hot weather, often unable to get to a beach to get out of your kayak for a break. Make very sure that the seat and back-rest are very comfortable and that the leg braces and foot rests are comfortable and properly adjusted as well. You can’t tell if a boat is comfortable in a 15 minute demo paddle, so take your time before you spend your hard earned money and start this season with the right kayak.

The Port Charlotte Kayakers meet each Wednesday evening at 5:30 PM at Port Charlotte Beach Park at the end of Harbor Blvd. All are welcome to attend. For additional information contact Dave Allen at 941-235-2588 or dlaa@comcast.net

2010

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October

2010

By Bi l l Di xon Water LIFE Sailing

Well, summer is over. Highs are upper 80s, lows low 70s. No rain for 10 days at this writing. First snowbird is back. Sailing schedule is growing. My boat is still disassembled. As usual, I was overly optimistic on how much work I could do at 94 F. New organization on the racing scene, St Pete YC and Davis Island have started up some sort of a regatta marketing organization. They say this is not a new rating organization, not competition for WFPHRF. Their first concrete action was to change the scoring on

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PHRFs Sun Coast BOTY series. ?????

Page 19

Flying Scott fleet has a Florida district event in Coconut Grove Oct 2,3.

Next District event is Nov 13, 14 in Sarasota. Contact Martin Holland bayracer@comcast.net

PGSC fall series is underway, #4 will be Oct 4. See the PGSC web site at www.pgscweb.com Charlotte Harbor YC Wednesday night series continues. Contact Martin Holland as above.

Caloosahatchee Marching and Chowder Societys Summerset Regatta October 16,17. Contact CMCS at www.cmcs-sail.org.

Seven Seas Cruising Association is having a 2 day event October 22, 23 at Isles YC. Contact IYC direct.

More information is on Seven Seas' website http://ssca.org/cgi-

Notice of Regatta: Florida Regional Sunfish Championship

November 6 & 7, 2010 On Charlotte Harbor at the YMCA Bayfront Center 750 West Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda, Fl. Sponsored by the Charlotte Harbor Community Sailing Center.

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PGSC Moonlight Regatta will be Oct 23. Details on PGSC website www.pgscweb.com Go!! Sail!! Its not gonna get any better.

Dixonwj@comcast.net

These photos are of Bill Dixons mast. It suffered continued exposure to salt water. “I am considering buying a foot of extrusion and cutting off the badly corroded piece, welding new on.� Dixon wrote. Bottom of the mast was under water most of the time. The bad corrosion/pits are near water line.

Bilge is flat and water stood in it till enough collected to lift the float switch and run the bilge pump. Stupid design, but then mast is 31 years old.

Page 20

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October

2010

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Fishing Report October

www.WaterLIFEmagazine.com

2010

Page 21

Charlotte Harbor: Robert at Fishin' Franks Port Charlotte: 625-3888

October is one of the two best months of the year. Everything is in transition, period. It goes from summer to winter for a lot of species. Tarpon have their last hurrah in the harbor, the migratory fish are getting ready to leave. There are fish scattered on the beaches in the passes and up river. They are usually concentrated in tighter schools because they are feeding real heavy. They are eating threadfins in the passes and in the Harbor they are feeding on ladyfish. After the full moon of October the tarpon pretty much disappear.

At the US 41 bridge to the bridge at I 75 there have been several hundred fish, but they have been hard to get to eat. Night fishing at the bridge has been excellent.

Redfi sh are the predominant species now throughout the whole state. This is the time they tend to school up for the pre spawn. The majority of the schools are concentrated down around the Intracoastal.

The FWC suggests that redfish be held horizontally and not by the gills. Tarpon, on the other hand should be left in the water unless there has been a tarpon tag affixed to the animal. These are CHS graduates Matt Crabtree and Brennen Rueff, both now juniors at Edison State College. The tag may just not be in view.

For locating the fish drift or blind cast in four feet of water along the flats. That tends to be the depth for those fish now.

Sometimes you will see them up on the flats and some of these schools are 300 fish strong. They will eat just about anything that you throw in front of them. Try a weedless spoon for locating the fish. they will eat anything: topwater or shrimp or cut ladyfish or cut sardines. There are also a lot of individual redfish along the upper end of the harbor on the east and west walls.

Trout are starting to get better and better as the water temperature drops.

Soon the trout should move in and be bigger in size and numbers. Usually you can catch quite a few trout drifting the flats

Charlotte Harbor FISHING GUIDES

when you are looking for the redfish.

Trout are not as fresh water tolerant so they are still abundant around Bull and Turtle Bay. They won’t move up here until mid November when the salt moves up.

S pani sh mackerel are already in the Harbor. They will only get better and better throughout the month Fl ounder are starting to make a huge presence now. Some fish have been here all summer.

S heepshead will show at the near shore reefs this month and slowly trickle their way inshore later.

Ki ng Mackerel and Cobi a should show soon as it cools off.

Englewood Beach, FL

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Capt. Jim OʼBrien USCG 50 ton license since 1985

941-473-2150

Capt Angel Torez (left) has this tarpon out of the water to collect a DNA sample with Capt. Rob McQue

Pompano are really going to be good this season. I think this will be a really good year for pompano because of the oddball pompano that have lingered around here all summer.

S hark are leaving the Harbor. You will see some decent size sharks as they get ready to migrate offshore.

The grouper and snapper bite has been very very good offshore so long as you can avoid the wind.

S nook will be moving off the beaches and up into the Harbor now. You should find lots of small schools of snook since these fish are traveling around a lot getting ready for winter.

Fishing Report

Continued on following page

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Page 22

Fishing Report .

The The BIG-4 BIG-4

conti nued from page 21

Lemon Bay:

SNOOK coming in from offshore but season is CLOSED

Fish Fish to to expect expect in in

SHARK heading out of the harbor

October

October October

TARPON ARE all still around the Harbor till the full moon

Go

REDFISH are showing up in schools, holding to the south

2010

Fishing Do Not Stop!

Jim at Fishermens Edge, Englewood: 697-7595

We have had snaper and grouper offshore

and still some mackerel and ki ngfi sh. The

grouper I have seen come back are nice fish

with thick fillets.

There are still plenty of nice tarpon up in Charlotte Harbor. The guys that are going up there are throwing Bait Busters or big pinfish.

The redfi sh have been good around the docks on the Intracoastal, around the shallow back side of Boca Grande and out towards Bull and Turtle Bay. There have been some trout showing up around the shallow end of the clam lease area behind Sandfly Key. It seems like the trout are hanging in the deeper cut that runs around the north side of the island. One of the guys who comes in here regularly told me they were decent sized trout there.

I have already heard some sheephead stories but only an occasional fish so far. After the water cools off a little they will be thick as pea soup on the Placida Trestle.

I have had some reports of snook in Ski Alley off the Stump Pass inlet. The shallow water in the inlet doesn’t seem to bother the fish coming or going but the boaters are sure screaming.

And we have had some big pi nfi sh in Lemon Bay lately, pinfish in the 6 to 7 inch range. That’s a pretty big pin fish.

Snook is closed until Sept 2011

4265 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte

941 - 625-2700

700 Tamiami Trail, Punta Gorda

941 - 637-0019 CALENDAR

Oct. 1-3: Conservancy of Southwest Florida RedSnook Charity Tournament, Registration forms online. e-mail: info@conservancy.org

Offshore in 125ft on Sept 12th, 50 miles out, 4 guys 4 rods bent over at the same time for 8 red grouper Itʼs on out there!!!!!!!!! Thanks Dennis Gore (above) Shan Swelland (below)

Oct. 1-3: KEY LARGO, Redbone Celebrity Series that raises funds to fight cystic fibrosis

October 16: Middle Keys Lionfish Derby at Keys Fisheries in Marathon, FL

October 16: Youth Sailing, Punta Gorda Community Sailing Center, show up at noon.

Retta Esplanade.

November 13: Lower Keys Lionfish Derby at Hurricane Hole Marina in Key West, MOST LIONFISH: $1,000 cash, $500 cash, $250 Divers Direct Gift Certificate BIGGEST LIONFISH: $500 cash, $200 cash, $100 Divers Direct Gift Certificate SMALLEST LIONFISH: $500 cash, $200 cash, $100 Divers Direct Gift Certificate.

Contact: Alecia@REEF.org or call 305-852-0030 Nov 20: 11th Annual Charlotte Harbor Nature Festival Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Charlotte County Sports Complex

Everything!

Send your calendar events to: waterlife@comcast.net

Southeast/Gulf of Mexico - NOAA Will Reopen the Recreational Red Snapper Fishery in Gulf of Mexico Federal Waters Recreational red snapper fishing will reopen for an added season to allow fishermen to catch

NOW OPEN

the quota they did not reach because a portion of the Gulf was closed due to the Deepwater Horizon/BP oil spill. Recreational fishing will be allowed on Fridays through Sundays for eight weeks, from Oct. 1 through Nov. 21.

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Live Shrimp, Pinfish, Live Crabs

Fishing For NOW:

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(941) 627-0809

Open Every Day

Mon - Sat: 6am - 7pm Sun: 6 am - 6 pm

October

2010

www.WaterLIFEmagazine.com

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October

2010

www.WaterLIFEmagazine.com

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