FREE
BREVARD EDITION
Gulf
Rods &
Tuna
Reels Reviews
At Night
Fish
Tales From Costa Rica
Skeeter Celebrates
70
th
Anniversary PHOTO COURTESY OF RANDY KING VOLUME 23 • ISSUE 276
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O P P O R T U N I T I E S
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FAMILY LEGENDS
and fish tales
BUILT FOR THAT
210 FSH ® SERIES
Go where no other boat has gone before. With powerful twin TR-1® Yamaha Marine Engines, ample storage and comfortable bow seating, the all-new 210 FSH provides the shallow-water capability to get to those hard-to-reach fishing spots and the versatility to enjoy watersports with your family.
210 FSH®
210 FSH® Deluxe
210 FSH® Sport
YA M A H A B OAT S . C O M
©2018 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. Follow instructional materials and obey all laws. Drive responsibly, wearing protective apparel. Always drive within your capabilities, allowing time and distance for maneuvers, and respect others around you. Don’t drink and drive. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT YAMAHABOATS.COM OR CALL 1.800.88.YAMAHA.
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1/17/18 1:49 PM 12/22/17 9:22 AM
2018 242CC
FISHING FOCUSED FAMILY FRIENDLY “Sailfish Boats are truly versatile. A great fishing boat and a great family boat all in one.”
2018 220CC ® Exclusive Variable Degree Stepped (VDS) Hull for Performance, Safety & Stability ® 10 year Structural Warranty ® SailTech Construction: 100% Composite, Reinforced with Kevlar® & Carbon Fiber ® Lifetime No-Rot Guarantee ® Bow To Stern Intelligent Ergonomic Design with Premium Finishes ® Family Friendly Features for Fun, Comfort and Safety
www.SailfishBoats.com
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THE NEXT GREAT THE NEXT GREAT
HAVALON HAVALON INNOVATION INNOVATION HAS LANDED. HAS LANDED.
QUIK-CHANGE II ™ Interchangeable Fixed Blade™ QUIK-CHANGE Cutlery System II Interchangeable Fixed Blade Cutlery System9” FILLET 7” FILLET 9” FILLET 5” FILLET 7” FILLET 3” SERRATED 5” FILLET 3” SERRATED
Easy Blade Release System Easy Blade Release System
Opens For Easy Cleaning
KN IVES
Opens For Easy Cleaning
KN IVES
COMING SPRING 2018 COMING SPRING 2018 4
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Rugged Canvas Roll Pack Rugged Canvas Roll Pack
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BLEED TRIM
SAFETY
EDITOR IN CHIEF : Ben Martin • camads@coastalanglermagazine.com VICE PRESIDENT : Tracy Patterson • tracy@coastalanglermagazine.com ART DIRECTOR : Rebecca Snowden • graphics@coastalanglermagazine.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR : Nick Carter • editorial@coastalanglermagazine.com WEBMASTER : Dmitriy Pislyagin • webmaster@coastalanglermagazine.com ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: Corporate Headquarters info@coastalanglermagazine.com • 888-800-9794
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CHARLOTTE/PIEDMONT : Mark & Haley Alberghini • (704) 651-1934 • mark@theanglermagazine.com
COME JOIN OUR TEAM Dear Reader, “Coastal Angler” and our freshwater component “The Angler” magazines are looking to expand our franchise footprint to include numerous Gulf Coast region markets. Having become the largest outdoor publication on the Eastern Seaboard, we’re now ready to continue our expansion westerly all the way to California and northerly to the Great Lakes and beyond. Our franchise system enables localized editions of the magazine to be managed and developed by our franchisee/co-publishers. Publishing your localized edition of either Coastal Angler Magazine or The Angler Magazine can be exceptionally enriching and financially rewarding. Our ideal candidate may never have been involved in publishing before. They would, however, be passionately involved in the outdoors. Obsessive anglers often make great fishing magazine franchisees.
COLUMBIA/MIDLANDS : John Lux • (803) 807-6885 • jlux@theanglermagazine.com MYRTLE BEACH : Mike Masiero • (732) 674-3019 • mmasiero@coastalanglermagazine.com SW GEORGIA : Bob & Brenda Rice • (706) 614-8231 • bobr@theanglermagazine.com TIDEWATER/OUTER BANKS : John Tiger • (757) 707-9654 • john.tiger@coastalanglermagazine.com
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Your new career is just a phone call or email away.
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This is a chance to own your own business but not be all on your own. Our training and support systems enable our co-publishers to quickly establish their localized edition of the magazine into a viable local business. If you think you would enjoy a career centered around the outdoors and fishing, you owe it to yourself to check out our franchise opportunities. Our expansion goals have numerous territories now available.
Toby Nelson • (228) 623-1761 • tnelson@coastalanglermagazine.com
Best regards,
NEW ORLEANS : Dr. Dave Dunaway • (225) 400-8156 • nola@coastalanglermagazine.com
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INTERNATIONAL PUERTO RICO/VIRGIN ISLANDS : Ace Bassue • (407) 285-9453 • ace@coastalanglermagazine.com COSTA RICA : Mike Erickson • (561) 262-2242 • mike@coastalanglermagazine.com © 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Disclaimer: Coastal Angler Magazine / The Angler Magazine will not be held liable for injuries incurred while partaking in activities described herein, or for claims made against products or services provided by advertisers. SAFETY
Ben Martin Editor in Chief info@coastalanglermagazine.com
1-888-800-9794
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By CAM Staff
F
ast and stable, with a needle nose that reminded people of a mosquito buzzing over southern waters, the world’s first bass boat was the 1948 brainchild of Shreveport, Louisiana’s Holmes Thurmond. That first Skeeter boat, made of molded marine plywood, caught on quickly with local anglers. It launched the brand
that today, 70 years later, is still renowned for building innovative boats designed specifically for the needs of recreational anglers. Cary Crutchfield, co-publisher of Coastal Angler Magazine’s North Central Florida edition, owns one of those early Skeeter boats. When he bought his first Skeeter in the 1960s, the company was already leading the way in what became an industry-wide transition to fiberglass. His was a 15-foot model with stick steering up front that was powered by a 35hp outboard. “It’s real easy to fish from, and it’s just a neat 6
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looking boat,” Crutchfield said of those early flat-bottomed Skeeters. “It’s narrow, and the way the sides turn up to the cockpit makes it very stable to move around in.” With today’s bass boats, a 250hp Yamaha seems like a necessity to even compete on the tournament circuits. Back then, a Skeeter with a 35hp was capable of reaching speeds in excess of 30 mph. It was a fishing boat superior to any that came before it. The Super Skeeter arose as the boat for serious anglers fishing the large, newly constructed man-made reservoirs that have since fueled the sport. Crutchfield sold his 15-footer in the 1980s and almost immediately began kicking himself. He missed the narrow profile and shallow draft, along with kind of stability that allows him to stand comfortably and pole into very tight places. It wasn’t long before he ran into another old Skeeter he had to have, this one a 14-footer, originally powered by a 25hp outboard that has since been replaced by a 1950s model 12hp. Even with that old motor, it still gets around pretty quickly, and Crutchfield said it’s still the perfect small fishing boat where he launches on the Suwannee River. With the spirit of innovation that gave rise to that first bass boat and an open ear to the new requirements of early bass tournaments, Skeeter grew and evolved with the sport. The Skeeter Hawk did away with the characteristic pointed bow, which allowed for a smoother ride and a raised casting platform. In the 1970s, after moving into its current plant in Kilgore, Texas, Skeeter rolled the dice and introduced the legendary Wrangler to the bass fishing world. Rated for 150hp with a V-bottom, it was an odd and new style that absolutely dominated the competition in performance. It became the template that led to the high-performance fishing machines that roar
around our reservoirs today. In 2018, Skeeter Performance Fishing Boats is celebrating its 70th year of providing anglers with exceptional fishing boats. With modern technology and computer design capabilities, it has continued to lead the industry with innovations such as the first production composite bass boat, the ZX202, in the mid-1990s. The venerable ZX series, in all its versions, has been a staple in the bass tournament world for more then three decades. But listening to the needs of the fishermen who are its customers, Skeeter branched out to produce deep-v boats for walleye tournament anglers on the big lakes of the north, as well as bay boats for saltwater anglers. Skeeter’s acquisition by Yamaha in 1996 brought new resources to the table and advances followed. In 2001, Skeeter again set a new standard for the industry with its Torque Transfer Transom and Stringer System, which provides lift to the entire keel, while eliminating stress on the on the transom, deck, hull and sides. Through all the advancements, Skeeter boats bear little resemblance to Thurmond’s first bass boat. But the same concept, to design perfect
fishing boats for fishermen, is evident throughout Skeeter’s product line. Whether it’s on southern reservoirs, the big northern lakes or the bays and backwaters of the Gulf of Mexico, Skeeter has a nimble, fast and extremely fishable boat perfect for the kind of fishing you do.
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
1/17/18 5:06 PM
IT’S MORE THAN JUST A BOAT. IT’S A LIFESTYLE.
STANDARD FEATURES INCLUDE: Center console command center Abundant bow & floor storage Lowrance® Elite 9 Ti touch 40 gallon rear livewell/baitwell Deluxe lean post w/vertical rod holders 14 gallon console baitwell New upholstery styling ...and much more!
ENGINEERED TO BE THE ULTIMATE BAY BOAT Ultimate in the way you get to the fish, with a durability that is unsurpassed. Engineering this one was a dream come true. We put everything you need right at your fingertips to provide you with a true fishing machine. For additional information please visit SkeeterBoats.com/SX240.
$42,995* 2O18 SX21O WITH
YAMAHA VF15OXA
ACTUAL SALES PRICE DETERMINED BY DEALER. PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE FREIGHT, DEALER PREP & T.T.L.
NATIONALLY ADVERTISED PRICE BEFORE REBATE
$
43,495
+
MANUFACTURER’S SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE
$
52,060
u
STANDARD FEATURES INCLUDE: White Pro Series 2 Power-Pole® Abundant bow & floor storage Center console command center 25 gallon rear livewell/baitwell Leaning post with vertical rod holders 14 gallon console baitwell ...and much more! 8” setback plate
THE BEST RIDE AT THE BEST VALUE It’s true you really can have it all without spending it all. The SX210 is just the right fit for any situation. Family fun and weekend getaways make this boat a hero. For additional information please visit SkeeterBoats.com/SX210.
UP TO
INSTANT REBATE
*
LIMITED TIME OFFER INSTANT REBATE APPLIED AT TIME OF FINAL SALE BY DEALER.
VALID JANUARY 1-MARCH 31, 2018
LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY Limited Lifetime Structural Warranty 10 Year Limited Transferable Structural Warranty 3 Year Limited Component Warranty
Visit SkeeterBoats.com to locate your nearest Skeeter Dealer. Nationally Advertised Price; actual sales price determined by dealer. Price does not include freight, dealer prep, and T.T.L.. uManufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). Prices may vary due to supply, location, freight etc. Actual prices are set by the dealer. *Terms and Conditions: Nationally Advertised Price for 2018 SX210 with $1500 Rebate. Consumer benefit for purchasing a new (unused, not previously warranty registered) eligible MY 2018 and prior boat from 1/1/18- 3/31/18 is an instant rebate applied at time of final sale by dealer, at no extra cost to consumer. Actual rebate amount is determined by model selected. NO BENEFIT SUBSTITUTIONS. Promotion is only applicable from authorized participating Skeeter dealers in the U.S.A. and Canada sold to purchasing consumers residing in the U.S.A. and Canada. Promotion is limited to available stock in dealer inventory that is sold, PDI completed, delivered and warranty registered in accordance with Skeeter’s promotion and warranty registration req uirements during applicable dates. No model substitutions, benefit substitutions, extensions or rain checks will be allowed. Not redeemable for cash. Boats sold or provided for commercial, camp, resort, rental, promotional/ demo, government agency, competition, tournament or sponsorship use are not eligible. This promotion cannot be used in conjunction with any other Skeeter offer or discounts. Some exceptions may apply. See authorized, participating Skeeter dealer for complete details. Skeeter reserves the right to change or cancel this promotion at any time. Other restrictions and conditions apply. ©2018 Skeeter Products, Inc. All rights reserved. This document contains many of Skeeter’s valuable trademarks. It may also contain trademarks belonging to other companies. Any references to other companies or their products are for identification purposes only, and are not intended to be an endorsement. Remember to observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and ride. Dress properly with a USCG approved flotation device and protective gear. +
LOOK FOR US AT THE MIAMI INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW AT BOOTH A112 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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Rods & Reels
G. LOOMIS/SHIMANO CONQUEST
PENN CONFLICT II
PENN redesigned its smooth and durable Conflict reel to bring anglers the Conflict II, the most lightweight PENN reel ever made. It is a superior reel, perfectly suited to inshore applications. True to its origins, the Conflict II features stealthy cosmetics and a smooth and reliable HT-100 carbon fiber drag system. The RR30 Rigid Resin body and rotor are extremely lightweight and durable, and with the redesign, the Conflict II is 20 percent lighter than the first-generation Conflict. Internally, the Conflict II is updated with PENN’s CNC Gear Technology and high quality stainless steel ball bearings, making it the ultimate PENN inshore reel. With the Superline Spool, no backing is needed because of the rubber gasket that keeps superlines from slipping. Other key features include: Slow Oscillation – Leveline System, 7+1 sealed stainless steel ball bearing system and line capacity rings.
WWW.PENNFISHING.COM
ST. CROIX LEGEND TOURNAMENT INSHORE
8
What do you get when you mix proven G. Loomis rod design with Shimano technology? You get Conquest, a line of 12 awesome bass rods, purposebuilt for different conditions and techniques. The new Conquest series includes eight casting rods with G. Loomis’ original “Mag Bass” fast-action tapers and four “Spin/Jig” fast-action spinning rods. With Shimano’s Spiral X and Hi-Power X processes, the blanks are rolled to exact G. Loomis specifications before being handfinished in G. Loomis’ Woodland, Wash. facility. With this partnership, engineers believe they have produced the most technologically advanced rods on the water. They are lightweight and offer anglers a whole new set of performance standards. Some of the benefits anglers will experience are: more accurate casts, increased fighting power, solid leverage for hook sets and reduced rod twist for rod control and durability. The casting rods are fitted with G. Loomis’ “skeleton” reel seats on full-cork contoured grips. The spinning rods feature split grips and Shimano’s CI4 reel seats. Blank-through-handle design on both versions adds sensitivity, as do the Fuji Torzite guides and a durable SIC Titanium tip guide. Whether you’re pitching jigs in thick cover or prospecting open water for smallies, high-performance Conquest rods will help you catch more bass.
WWW.GLOOMIS.COM
PENN INTERNATIONAL VI
Legend Tournament Inshore rods are the blending of the inimitable sensitivity, power and durability of St Croix’s Legend Tournament Bass and Walleye series with components and technology suited for saltwater environments. With good looks and a high-performance feel, the Legend Tournament Inshore was awarded Best Saltwater rod at ICAST 2017. The eye-catching “Belize Blue” blanks are crafted of SCIV graphite using Integrated Poly Curve tooling technology and engineered to eliminate all transitional points, which fosters smooth action, increased strength and sensitivity. They are surprisingly lightweight, yet durable, and are equipped with a Fuji TVS blank touch reel seat on spinning rods and PTS blank-touch reel seat with builtin hoods on casting models. These new Fuji seats are designed to stand-up to the pressure of hard-fighting inshore species. Kigan Master Hand Zero Tangle guides and a Kigan titanium hook keeper provide 100 percent corrosion protection.
After nearly 15 years, the PENN International big game reel will get a makeover. The reel that has become legendary for fulfilling angler dreams offshore has been refined and modernized to once again redefine big game reels. The PENN International VI series features many upgrades including a weight reduction on key sizes, a new silent anti-reverse and a more refined/ adjustable Dura-Drag system. The new series features 28 models in both gold and silver, single speed and two-speed, wide and narrow. Made in the U.S.A. of domestic and imported components at the historic PENN Fishing Tackle Manufacturing Company building in Philadelphia, the International VI will give anglers the edge in chasing that trophy of a lifetime. Key features include: Machined and anodized aluminum body and side plates, stainless steel main and pinion gears, Quick-Shift II two-speed system, sealed DuraDrag system, Versa-Strike Adjustable Strike stop, double-dog ratchet anti-reverse and line capacity rings.
STCROIXRODS.COM
WWW.PENNFISHING.COM
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Product Reviews
TSUNAMI ARMR
MUD HOLE TURN KEY KITS Avid anglers who want to take their fishing to the next level owe it to themselves to check out Mud Hole Custom Tackle’s rod building kits. They include everything needed for anglers to construct their own high-end custom fishing rods. Mud Hole is offering an amazing value on its Inshore Turnkey Kit, which includes all the tools and materials to build a custom inshore rod perfect for trout and redfish. The kit features the extremely popular and versatile MHX SJ842 rod blank. This 7’0” medium-light power rod features a fast action for throwing soft plastics and topwater lures at wary flats fish. Along with the blank, the kit comes with a matched guide set, handle kit and everything from the CRB wrapper, a CRB rod dryer and ProPaste and ProKote Rod Finish and all the tools needed to craft your own custom rod. Visit www.mudhole.com and check out all our Turn Key Kit options or simply Google: Mud Hole Turnkey.
Super smooth and well built, the Tsunami ARMR is lightweight, high-performance spinning reel available in 3000/4000 and 5000/6000 sizes. The Tsunami ARMR has a sleek design and features
high-end components to provide smooth and durable operation for fighting and casting. The lightweight, solid aluminum body combined with hybrid, corrosion resistant carbon infused side plates and rotor and a double anodized ported aluminum spool are what keep this reel feather light in the hand all day long. Seven high-precision, shielded stainless steel ball bearings allow full support to all free-moving parts during the toughest fight or retrieve after retrieve. The look and feel of the Tsunami ARMR reel, enhanced by a light, durable EVA handle knob and braid-ready spool is what separates these high-performance reels from the competition.
WWW.BIMINIBAYOUTFITTERS.COM
WWW.MUDHOLE.COM
SHIMANO SUSTAIN HOOKER ELECTRIC REELS Hooker Electric continues to raise the bar with the fastest, lightest and best looking electric reels on the market, along with second-to-none customer service. The top seller in 2017 was their 80 motor that features level wind and auto stop, mounted on the Shimano Tiagra 80WA. The auto stop feature allows the angler to set the reel to stop winding at any interval, including just before your terminal tackle reaches the rod tip. With both 12- and 24-volt functionality, there is no need for a converter box. Its full variable speed allows line retrieval at up to 500 feet per minute, which makes checking your bait from 1,800 feet a breeze. It also includes bluetooth connectivity, allowing the angler to control the reel through Hooker Electric’s iPhone app, ReelTime. If you’re feeling sporty, the reel can also be used manually, so you can feel the fight. New for 2018, Hooker Electric now offers custom colors in silver, black, blue and even pink. For more information, go to www.hookerelectric.com or give them a call at 954-530-6908.
WWW.HOOKERELECTRIC.COM
T h e Best New Saltwater Reel winner at ICAST 2017, Shimano’s Sustain might just be the best new spinning reel for freshwater or salt. The Sustain series comes in four sizes suitable for everything from finesse baits for bass, to stripers and even small billfish. In all sizes, the reel’s Hagane aluminum body construction gives it a solid feel, and the Shimano Magnumlite low inertia rotor provides sensitive, light rotation and a light start up, which allows anglers to instantly begin the retrieve. Shimano’s Hagane gear has already made waves in the industry for its incredibly smooth operation. The exclusive technology used to engineer the cold forged aluminum drive also makes it extremely strong and durable. The X-Protect feature, which should be of particular interest to saltwater anglers but is relevant in any wet fishing conditions, is a threelipped rubber seal system that offers exceptional water resistance. With Cross Carbon Drag, eight shielded anti-rust ball bearings, and a one-way roller bearing to stop handle backplay, Shimano went in whole hog to produce these award-winning reels. Whether you fish freshwater or salt, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better spinning reel.
FISH.SHIMANO.COM
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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MOTOR UPGRADES ARE AVAILABLE
Marine Wintertime Blowout $209* mon
G2968 Key Largo 160cc
G2661 Key Largo 1800 cc
40 HP Motor
90 HP Motor
WAS $23,849 NOW $15,999
WAS $37,749 NOW $25,999
$194* mon
90 HP Motor
G3149 Caravelle 16EBo 70 HP Motor
WAS $30,746 NOW $19,799
$299* mon thly
thly
G2849 Key Largo 2000
G2646 Key Largo 210LX
WAS $50,787 NOW $35,990
WAS $59,266 NOW $36,990
150 HP Motor
140 HP Motor
WAS $35,833 NOW $23,999
thly
$279* mon
thly
G3068 Caravelle 19EBo
$164* mon
thly
thly
$377* mon
$306* mon
$368* mon
thly
thly
G3010 Key Largo 220BAY
G3054 Razon 238PF
140 HP Motor
200 HP Motor
WAS $61,517 NOW $39,599
WAS $78,605 NOW $49,599
thly
G3081 Razor 247UR 200 HP Motor
WAS $71,288 NOW $48,499
www.factorydirectmarine.com *payments calculated at 180 months for well qualified buyers with 20% down. Please note: Prices do not include freight, dealer make ready, and rigging. Pictures may not reflect actual unit and/or available inventory. Price and payment do not include sales tax or fees. Not responsible for typographical errors.
Ridgeland, SC, 401 Sycamore Drive, 844-280-9753 | Panama City, FL, 8308 Panama City Beach Pkwy, 844-278-2510 Charlotte, NC | 9204 N Lakebrook Road | 980-267-5597 | Rockwood,TN, 2475 Westel Road, 844-271-9582 Hamburg, PA, 20 Industrial Drive , 844-247-1678 | West Coxsackie, NY, 12634 Route 9 West, 844-276-8649
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All trademarks mentioned are owned by, or licensed to, the AkzoNobel group of companies. © AkzoNobel 2017.
$136* mon
For over a century, a league of canned crusaders have been fighting to keep boats safe from barnacles, slime, algae and other aquatic evils that rob your boat of its true performance. With advanced know-how and unique capabilities, each antifouling is tailored to different conditions, and has the power to defeat fouling in all its forms. Micron® Extra leads the charge in all waters. Using its signature dual-protection with boosting Biolux® technology, it provides high-quality, multi-season protection that survives hauling and relaunch without the need for repainting. For super-powered antifouling protection and proven performance, choose Interlux®.
All trademarks mentioned are owned by, or licensed to, the AkzoNobel group of companies. © AkzoNobel 2017.
The hero your boat deserves!
8953/1217
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Drifting For
Nighttime Yellowfin On Gulf Floaters
By Nick Carter
Y
ellowfin tuna are some of the most sought after gamefish in the world. They are the ahi tuna on the menus at restaurants and sushi bars, and in the water they have the speed and power to wear down anglers and break gear. The signature “spiral” that tuna commence in the waning moments of a fight is responsible for untold numbers of broken lines and broken hearts. After battling 30 mph runs for 20 minutes or more, the weary angler, captain and crew face one final test, a team effort to survive the spiral and get the fish on deck. These tense moments, when a big yellowfin turns sideways and begins to circle, using its body’s mass as leverage, are the most critical minutes of the fight. If the line even touches the boat, it will snap, and the circling fish provides many opportunities for this to happen. These moments are the reason Randy King, of Paparda Rey Fishing Charters out of Galveston, Texas, says the main limitation on their catch is the ability of the angler. The captain, Kenneth Doxey, is solid. He has been running their 54-foot Bertram and their 35-foot Cabo for more than a decade. He was the 2016 recipient
of the Houston Big Game Fishing Club’s Jim Peachey Award. The crew is also top-notch, which leaves the angler as the potential weak link. The good news is there will likely be multiple opportunities on one of their overnight trips to deep-water oil platforms off Texas. King said a great trip with six anglers would yield a dozen yellowfin tuna in the 40- to 120-pound range, and that doesn’t include the shots anglers will have at mahi-mahi, wahoo, marlin and blackfin tuna. Out of Galveston, it’s 100 miles or more into the Gulf of Mexico to reach the enormous floating gas and oil structures off the edge of the Continental Shelf. These deep-water facilities, known as “floaters,” create their own food chain, consolidating bait and gamefish from miles around. On a typical 36- or 48-hour trip, don’t plan on sleeping much. The floaters are brightly lit at night, which is when the tuna fishing is best. After identifying fish on the sonar, chumming and drift fishing with 30-pound-class tackle is usually the most productive method for yellowfin. “Sometimes the tuna will start breaching,” said King. “They’ll jump in the air like king mackerel.” It’s for these occasions, when fish are on the surface, that big spinning rigs armed with poppers are
kept on deck. Drifting and pulling poppers while chugging back up-current to start a new drift goes on all night long. At dawn, the bait rods come in, and it’s time to start trolling. The primary daylight targets are marlin, sailfish, wahoo and dolphin. Between night and day, it equates to a whole lot of big fish packed into a weekend at sea. It’s a grand adventure, and a meat trip of epic proportions in the Gulf of Mexico. Check out Paparda Rey at www.offshorebiggame.com. Information on the Houston Big Game Fishing Club can be found at www.hbgfc.com.
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FLORIDA
By Capt. Larry Conley
I
f you’re new to fishing out of the Fort Myers, Fla. area, it can be very technical. It can also be very good. Knowing water depths for a certain fish can help you. Grouper typically reside in the 70- to 120-foot depths, and it changes with the water temps and the time of year. Red snapper will be in depths of 140 feet or more. Lane snapper are great table fare and can be found in 40 to 50 feet or deeper. This year we’ve caught more and bigger lanes than I have seen in eight years. Look for hard bottom areas; learn to use your sonar. If it works as you’re running it helps a lot. Watch your screen continuously as you get past 40 feet of water. I’m not going give out a bunch of numbers, but if you watch the sonar you’re going to find a lot of lane snapper in 45 to 65
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feet of water. As you’re running out, watch for rocky ledges, as they will hold mangrove snapper, gag grouper and white grunts. If I spot a new area as I’m running, I’ll mark it on the GPS and label it “RO.” I’ll know it as a run over. If it looks really good, like a bunch of lanes, I sometimes label it “WOW.” That way I know to look for lanes on a future trip. As I get in 40 feet or so, I’ll watch the radar and sonar more than out in front of the boat, and that’s how I’ve found many new spots. I might not fish them for months out, and I’ll delete the ones that don’t produce. As for bait, squid, threadfin and herring are the best and cheapest. Live shrimp work, but it’s one bite and the shrimp is gone, which adds up. Chum with cut threadfin. Cut them small, as you don’t want to fill the fish up. Just give them a taste to get them interested. A few of the best spots I’ve found are “potholes.” I found them by going slowly from one spot to another, watching the bottom machine. In 74 feet of water, I saw the bottom drop just 2 feet and then come back up after 20 yards to form a pothole. I saw what looked like one fish. One more red grouper was more than I had at the time, so I anchored. It took a few minutes, but the bottom came alive and we caught 15 keeper red grouper! That pothole was one of the best places I ever found. So, I continued looking for places that seemed the same and found about a dozen of these potholes. I keep records of the keepers for each spot on the GPS, and I can’t tell you enough how important those records are. When it gets tough, go to the high-numbered spots. Capt. Larry Conley and Reel-Ality Sportfishing offers inshore, offshore, and deep-sea fishing out of Fort Myers. The Reel-Ality offers various trips as well as tournament charters and is licensed to carry up to 6 passengers. Call 239-980-3880, visit www.reelalitysportfishing.com/ contact.html, and check them out on Facebook.
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1/17/18 11:48 AM
By Capt. Ryan Drygas
A
n early morning departure from Key West Harbor puts the motor vessel Reel Time, a 45-foot Sea Hunter, right in the middle of 8- to 10-foot seas. The owner of the boat has been running sea trials for the last few days and has been comfortable running the boat throughout the trip, but has not yet handled seas of this magnitude. The owner made a decision to pass the helm to Paul Myrtetus, a member of the Sea Hunter team, and told him to start heading north. Myrtetus has been a part of several sea trials and is comfortable running
vessels in all types of conditions. After setting his course, Myrtetus began picking up speed and cutting through the swells. Usually, Myrtetus would be standing at the helm with his back resting on the edge of the seat. However, with the design and hydraulic integration of the Llebroc helm chair, he was more than comfortable running the course while remaining seated. In fact, Paul turned around to see the rest of the crew sitting down, as well. Anyone familiar with running in rough seas will tell you it was an unusual sight. Rough seas make for a rough ride, and the lack of a quality seat can cause back injuries quite easily from bottoming out in a chair. The 45foot Sea Hunter was fitted with Llebroc chairs, and the reasoning is quite obvious. Not only was everyone sitting down while running through 8- to 10-foot seas, they were laughing together, joking and enjoying watching wave after wave crashing over the decks and splashing against the window. After four days and 800 miles on the water, the sea trial was complete. Not only was the owner more than satisfied with his new boat, he was also injury free and has another sea story under his belt. Time after time, Llebroc has stood the test and passed with flying colors. Myrtetus is convinced Llebroc is the industry leader in seating and has helped return clients re-outfit their boats to Llebroc chairs. As a former member of the Coast Guard, I can personally recall stories of running in rough seas and bottoming out in helm chairs. The static and dynamic forces that affect the boat and the people inside are tremendous. Not only can they damage your vessel, but they can also have a lasting effect on your body. The equipment with which you outfit your boat determines the performance of your vessel as well as the enjoyment of your voyage. When looking for a comfortable ride, choose comfort, choose durability, choose Llebroc.
SAME SIZE COMPETITOR, SAME DAY, SAME WATER, SAME CONDITIONS......Head-to-Head.....Action Craft will win! *If there is a more stable 17 footer (87" beam that carries forward with shallow draft and easy to pole), then go buy it! *If there is a 17 footer with more finished surfaces on the boat, then go buy it! *If there is a 17 footer with more storage space and livewells, then go buy it! *If there is a 17 footer with a better ride, then go buy it! *If there is a more stable 19 footer (90" beam that carries forward with shallow draft and easy to pole), then go buy it! *If there is a 19 footer with more finished surfaces on the boat, then go buy it! *If there is a 19 footer with more storage space and livewells, then go buy it! *If there is a 19 footer with a better ride, then go buy it! *If there is a more stable 24 footer (102" beam with shallow draft and higher gunwales), then go buy it! *If there is a 24 footer with more freeboard, then go buy it! *If there is a 24 footer with more storage space and livewells, then go buy it! *If there is a 24 footer with a better ride, then go buy it! Action Craft.....if we are not the very best boat in our size range, then buy the other boat. We are so confident we build the best overall boats in each size range, we are willing to tell people to go buy the others if we are not!
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By Randy “C-Note” Cnota f you’ve ever found yourself fishing for largemouths after a bitter cold front has blown into your area, then you might be familiar with how tough northern winds can make it to fill a livewell. All tournament anglers know these fronts wait until the night before the competition to crash the feeding-frenzy of the days prior to an event. There is hope in this situation, and it doesn’t involve finesse presentations. It requires you to break out your heaviest sticks and braid (65 lb. minimum) as well as your stoutest hooks and beefiest weights. It’s time to present your bait where many fear to go… under the floating grass mats. I have an 11 pounder, two 10 pounders and probably over 100 in the 5- to 8-lb. range to my credit using this technique. Mats of grass in the South consist of wide variety of aquatic vegetation. Where I fish most, they consist of hydrilla, a submergent grass that grows to the surface, and hyacinth, a floating vegetation.
I
The hydrilla acts as a base that holds the hyacinth in place. This makes for a bass sanctuary similar to your home in that it has walls and a ceiling. The trick to presenting your bait to these cold fish hiding under the mats is to crash it through their roof (the hyacinth) using a large tungsten steel weight. The exact size is dependent upon the thickness of the mat, but you want a weight that penetrates without too much effort. I usually opt for a 1 ¾-ounce, as the bass will be heading for the deepest recesses of the mat. This is also a place that many anglers fail to target because it can be quite a chore to penetrate and doubly difficult to extract a fish… especially a big fish. This is why we use heavy rods, lines and hooks. The most popular baits to present to these fish are small craw or creature type baits. I find Gambler Chigger Craws or Burner Craws work great, but there’s no shortage of baits to choose from. Color is always a personal preference, but I’ve had the best results using hues of green like watermelon-red and green pumpkin for clear water and dark hues like black/blue or junebug for darker water. As for the technique, simply put, you have to get the bait through the roof and into the bass’ house so he can eat it, but there are too many subtleties to discuss here. Once a bass bites, you have to get him out so again… NO WIMPY TACKLE! If you’ve never punched mats, I suggest you go out with someone with experience. Commit to spending a lot of time punching the mats, and set out with a variety of weights, hooks and lures to experiment and fine tune your technique. And don’t forget the camera; most fish hauled out of these places are picture-worthy. Capt. Randy Cnota is the publisher of the Panama City/Forgotten Coast edition of Coastal Angler Magazine.
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1/17/18 12:13 PM
By Phil Wolf
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ooking for a new tow vehicle or work truck? Look no further than Gibson Truck World in Sanford, Fla. Their inventory is the largest in central Florida, they stock and sell Ford, Chevy, GMC and Dodge. Their on-site service center performs a 135-point inspection on each truck and performs required repairs prior to placing them on the lot for sale. They’ve been in business 23 years selling only trucks. Half their 65 employees have been there more than five years, a third have been there more than 10 years. I’m Phil Wolf, owner of the Orlando
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edition of Coastal Angler Magazine, and I endorse this message. I purchased my first truck from Gibson’s after shopping for a replacement for a 2008 Dodge Mega Cab Pickup. I bought that truck nicely loaded, but it had a Hemi engine that got poor fuel mileage. Between delivering Coastal Angler Magazines to Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties every month and visiting our weekend retreat in New Smyrna Beach most weekends, I put a lot of miles on my truck. Needing to replace my existing truck with 150,000 miles on it, I started looking for a new one. Wow, the replacement cost was a lot more money than I thought it would be. After pricing a new one at $65,000-plus, I decided to look for a used one with low mileage. I decided to give Gibson Truck World a shot at finding what I needed. It did not take them long. They found a 2011 Dodge Mega Cab for me with under 60,000 miles. This one, a Lariat Edition, had a Cummings Diesel and leather. The sales staff made it easy; they bought my existing truck and gave me a great competitive price on the truck I was purchasing. Leo and James helped move all my stuff including my truck topper and bed-slide into the new truck. That was in 2014. The 2011 Dodge was a good fit, but I drive a lot of miles. Soon the 2011 was over the 100,000-miles mark, not that many for a Cummings Diesel, but enough that I started looking for a newer ride again. Since developing a relationship with Gibson Truck World, and happy with my previous deal, I asked the sales staff to find me another truck. A white Dodge again, so my truck topper would fit and match color. I wanted a diesel at least three years newer than my 2011. In one week, they called with several for me to pick from. My recent purchase of a Dodge Ram 2016 Lariat Cummings Diesel with under 55,000 miles is just what I was looking for at more than $25,000 off the sticker pricing of a new one! If you are looking for a new truck to pull your boat, a work truck or fleet vehicle, then go by and visit the knowledgeable staff at Gibson Truck World in Sanford. They stock hundreds of trucks and specialize in hard to find trucks. Tell Denis, Leo and James that Phil with Orlando Coastal Angler Magazine sent you, so I can get a finder’s fee. Phil Wolf is the publisher of Coastal Angler Magazine’s Orlando edition.
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By Capt. Michael Okruhlik • Photo courtesy of Controlled Descent Lures
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n early November, my buddy and I set out to fish some shallow flats in our kayaks. The water and air temperatures were near the 80-degree mark in south Texas. The area we had available to us only had a few inches of tidal flow predicted. When saltwater fishing, current is at the top of the list for catching requirements, but when the tide doesn’t provide it, find something that will. I had not fished this area in three years, and since that time hurricane Harvey changed a few things from the vehicle access point to my favorite hole, which isn’t a hole anymore. Needless to say, this was going to be a scouting mission as well as a fishing trip. We made our way to our first stop, which was a large knee- to waist-deep grass flat with a deep channel running down one side that is separated by a few spoil islands. We anchored up at the tip of a spoil island and casted to the channel. Although there was an abundance of bait, we didn’t get a strike. Off to plan B, my old honey hole. Once there, I realized the sweet spot was no longer, but we fished the area thoroughly since bait was present. We managed only a few strikes and a couple small trout. Knowing that the fish were inactive and that the tide was weak, I searched for an area where the wind might help drive a little more water flow to get the fish feeding. We headed back to the vicinity of our first stop, which was a flat the shape of a football field with the wind blowing from one endzone to the other. On the downwind side, there were a few small islands with breaks between them. Due to the wind, these breaks
funneled stronger water movement onto a small shallow flat. This flat didn’t have more bait than the other areas, but it did have water movement, which sparked the bite. We spent several hours in this tiny area catching reds and speckled trout. We used the same lures and presentation as we did earlier in the day. Soft plastic topwater jerk baits in pearl accounted for the more aggressive fish, but they were the smaller ones in this area. All of our larger fish came on slow-sinking paddle shad. Targeting the potholes and letting the lures slowly sink at the edge of the sand-to-grass transition drew the better strikes.
Photo courtesy of Capt. Tim Cutting
When fishing on less than desirable tides, remember to seek out locations that can offer it a push. Funnels and choke points are always a good bet, even if they are subtle. The water depth was the same on both sides and in between the islands, but it gave that little push the fish needed. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Controlled Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.
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HOW TO TAKE A FISHING SELFIE By: Paul MacInnis
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e all know the routine. You catch a nice fish, pull out your camera and snap a quick picture. That results in a lot of bad pictures. In an effort to make the fishing community a better place, here are a few tips on how to take a good fishing selfie. First of all, if you are looking for advice on f-stops, iso settings and shutter speeds then look somewhere else. I don’t know anything about that stuff. Most fishing selfies I’ve seen, the person is holding their camera at arm’s length away to snap a picture of themselves holding a fish. This works on rare occasions but usually results in poor photos. A better option is to prop your camera up and use its timer feature to snap the picture. Even better than a timer is a camera with a time lapse or interval timer mode. All GoPro’s have this feature along with many point and shoot cameras and even some cell phones. After you click the shutter button, a camera in time lapse mode will continue to shoot pictures, at a time interval you choose, until you hit the shutter button again to turn it off. For example, my old GoPro can be set to take pictures every two, four or ten seconds. I set it at two seconds. I’ll hit the button and as the GoPro snaps a picture every two seconds, I’ll hold the fish in front of the camera and try to shift into a different position for each picture. After eight seconds or so I put the fish back in the water so it has a chance to breathe. I will repeat this cycle two, three or even four times. When I’m done I may have a dozen or more pictures of that fish and hopefully at least a couple of them come out decent. Here is a bonus tip, when you lift the fish out of the water, try to time it when the camera is snapping a picture to get that neat, “water dripping off the fish” effect. Critical to this method is having a good camera mount. Various companies offer all sorts of elaborate camera and GoPro mounts for kayaks and boats. You can get as fancy as you want with mounts, but I prefer to keep it simple (and save money) by using one versatile clamp
mount. Several companies offer such mounts but my choice is the RAM Medium ToughClaw™ with a Universal Action Camera Adapter (RAM part number RAP-B-404-GOP1U). With this mount I can attach my GoPro to a variety of flat and cylindrical surfaces. I’ve used this to mount my camera to tree branches, the back of my kayak seat, a cooler lid, my kayak paddle and even a fishing rod. Most of the time though my GoPro and RAM mount is attached to a length of one inch diameter PVC pipe. One end of the pipe is cut at a 45 degree angle so I can jamb the pipe into the ground if shore fishing or the bottom if wading or fishing shallow water. If you really want to save money on camera mounts go to the hardware store and buy a few ¼-20 stainless steel screws. The tripod mounts on most cameras sold in America (and GoPro tripod mounts) have a ¼-20 thread so a ¼-20 screw in a piece of PVC pipe or elsewhere makes for a quick and easy camera mount. Now if you want to take good fishing pictures you need to take a little time to set up the shot. Position the subject and the camera so there will be no distracting clutter in the photo, whether that is telephone poles or fishing rods projecting up from behind the angler, or litter in the foreground. I once ruined a great tarpon photo by leaving an ugly convenience store drink cup in the cup holder of my kayak. If you are trying to keep your fishing spot a secret, make sure the background is clear of channel markers, buildings or unique landmarks that may tip off the location of your spot. You also need to consider the location of the sun. Bright sun directly behind a person will backlight the subject and make them look like a shadow. You can alleviate that somewhat if you turn on the camera’s flash, or set up the shot with the sun in front of or to the side of the subject. While on the subject of the sun, a mistake I still make far too often is not accounting for the shadow of the camera and mount so that I end up with that shadow showing up in my pictures. The last piece of advice is my number one rule in fish photography – don’t kill a fish for the
sake of a picture. Sometimes you can have the camera set up and ready to go before you catch a fish, but often that is not practical. I carry one of those fish grip devices that clamp to a fish’s jaw. I tie a short length of rope to the grip so I can keep the fish tethered in the water besides my kayak while I set up my camera and the shot. I’ve tried a number of gripping devices over the years and have settled on The Fish Grip, which looks somewhat like plastic Vice-Grip pliers. They are made from a lightweight composite material so they won’t anchor your fish to the bottom like a metal gripper, and their wide gripping surfaces won’t punch a hole through the fish’s mouth membrane like other grippers are prone to do. I’ve had my Fish Grip for over eight years and it is still going strong and it has never once prematurely released a fish (which I can’t say about other grippers). I hope these tips help. Remember, when you catch that photo quality fish, take a little extra time, set up your shot and you’ll be much happier with the pictures you get. By Paul MacInnis
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BANANA RIVER LAGOON Redfish are holding on docks, rocky areas, and mangrove roots this month in the Banana River Lagoon.
It a great time to grab your jacket and get those kids out there for some great fishing action this month. Bluefish, weakfish and others are biting right now.
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e had plenty of cold weather last month and that brought our near-shore waters down to near 60 degrees, before warming up slightly toward the end of the month. The good thing about this is that we should see good pompano, weakfish and whiting catches this month. These species prefer water temps that range from 64 to 70-degrees along the beaches. Live shrimp, cut shrimp or clam, and sand fleas will be great natural offerings for these three species. You can fish these on a standard 2-drop or 3-drop surf rig with good success. Many anglers enjoy trying their luck by casting jigs tipped with these baits or using pompano style jigs without baits on them when casting into or on the back side of the surf break. “Goofy” style jigs seem to be the most popular of these and pink, orange, yellow, and
chartreuse colors are usually very effective. If we have water temps in the upper 60-degree range anglers may find tripletail and cobia in the 20 to 60-foot depths, especially around floating debris or ships channel markers. Live shrimp can be a great lure for these fish as well. Bluefish are usually a given along the beaches this moth so be prepared for the wrath of these toothy critters when targeting the other species mentioned. Overall it’s a great month to get out and do some fishing when the weather permits, so get out there and enjoy! Capt. Jim Ross W-321-636-3728 Book your fishing trip at FinelineFishingCharters.com Catch a Memory Outdoors Radio show host-Live shows Saturday mornings from 7:00 to 9:00 am on 1510 am, 99.9 fm and 100.7 fm
C
old temperatures this winter have helped to kill a lot of the algae that was present in this Lagoon. The water is so clean in many places that you can actually sight fish for redfish, black drum, and speckled trout on calm sunny days. Look for areas with overhanging mangroves to hold the best numbers of fish. Docks and rocky area can also be places where these species can be found. Live shrimp or Jigs that imitate a shrimp or small minnows can be very effective when we get warm sunny spells between cold fronts. Sheepshead should be a best bet near barnacle encrusted
mangrove roots or dock pilings. Sand fleas and fiddler crabs are the top baits for these fish. Causeway bridge pilings can be a good place to check for fish as well this month. Black drum, weakfish, silver trout, speckled trout, redfish, and even mangrove snapper can be found along side of sheepshead at many of these structures. Capt. Jim Ross W-321-636-3728 Book your fishing trip at FinelineFishingCharters.com Catch a Memory Outdoors Radio show host-Live shows Saturday mornings from 7:00 to 9:00 am on 1510 am, 99.9 fm and 100.7 fm
6 BREVARD | FEBRUARY 2018 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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PORT CANAVERAL OFFSHORE
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ind wind and more wind, go away already. Near shore fishing has been great and should continue this month. Massive schools of redfish have been near the port and around the tip of the cape. Look for the birds diving and good chance that there on them. There have been large bunker schools around, so take the time and look. They may not be flipping so watch your machine and the mudd balls. The reds will eat anything you throw in the school, buck tails, bunker, and I’m sure even a hotdog. They’re all big and upwards of 35lbs! Many of my offshore trips turned into port trips and beach trips if we were lucky with a west wind. If you want to catch a bunch of stuff and keep the kids happy get a few dozen live shrimp and have fun. The way we do our beach fishing is with medium rods and light tackle while using a 1/0 circle hook with a #20 leader to a small swivel then mainline. On the mainline use a 1 or 1.5 oz egg sinker. This is the typical fish finder rig, works great, very basic. Everything eats a shrimp. Shark fishing on the other hand has been a giant dump. 15 shark trips last month and a whopping zero. This time last year the big extinct sandbar sharks moved in so we are hoping they do the
same thing. They are a blast to catch. Offshore on the days we can get out have been great but this is also the time of year that the kings are picky. If they don’t have a live bunker or threadfin flashed in front of their face they wont eat. You will literally watch everyone around you hooked up and they will not touch a dead spinner bait. You really have to put the effort in right now to catch the live baits. Last year this time was the best ling run we had as many fish were caught this month. Many of the giants were caught in Feb. It was even better than March. Take advantage of those sunny days and go look around. 55foot depths seem to be the most productive this time of year. Patrick has always been a productive as well . Don’t forget to get into the local tournaments. The deadlines for registration are at the end of the month. Sunrise cobia month long starts soon. This report has been brought to you by Captain Chris Cameron of Fired Up Fishing Charters, your premier fishing guide charter of shark fishing Cocoa Beach, offshore fishing Port Canaveral, nearshore fishing Cape Canaveral, Orlando charter fishing.
Capt. Chris Cameron firedupcharters@gmail.com www.firedupcharters.com 407-222-3573
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Brevard’s Brag Board SPONSORED BY STRIKE ZONE
Brett Marshall, Caught aboard Patriot Charters with Captain Tony Grillo.
Brett Marshall Playlinda Beach
This is a 40" Black Drum we caught in Haulover Canal. He was caught on a live shrimp, and was quickly released after this photo.
If you have a catch to brag about, please send your information and a picture to: dstring@coastalanglermagazine.com
N. INDIAN RIVER LAGOON Frank gave the trout a real spanking on a recent trip with Capt. Mark Wright. Getting the timing right on the “warm-up” resulted in well over a two man limit on upper slot trout and several redfish!
DAILY FRESH FISH! Grouper, Snapper, Wahoo, Mahi, Flounder, Halibut, Pompano, Tilapia, Haddock, Tripletail, Cobia, Salmon, Seabass, Tile, Cod, Tuna, Sword, Trout
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he winter season is in full force. Water levels are low and water clarity is quite good in most areas. So far we’ve had a fairly cold season with at least two major cold fronts knocking the water temps into the forty degree range. The good news here is once the water temperatures rise into the upper fifties again the fish typically go on a feeding binge! I try to time my starting time to allow us to start fishing as near this threshold as possible. If our timing is right and we find fish right away we can expect a good trip. Starting a bit too early is not necessarily a bad thing. If you’ve managed to find an area holding fish that won’t bite it’s fairly easy to wait them out. It’s amazing at times what an extra degree or two does to a cold
fish’s mood… Think small, especially in clear water. I keep a rod rigged with a three inch Z-Man Minnowz and another rigged with an EZ Shrimpz. Unless we’re in an area with lots of dead grass on the bottom they’ll be rigged on 1/6 ounce Headlockz jig-heads. If dead grass is an issue I’ll rig them in weedless fashion using EZ Keeperz hooks. Lead your target by several feet and manipulate the lure slowly into your targets path. Even in the cold water the bite is often vicious! Capt. Mark Wright 321-302-3474 captmarkwright@earthlink.net www.captmarkwright.com
8 BREVARD | FEBRUARY 2018 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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SEBASTIAN OFFSHORE
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ell we all survived January with the cold and WINDY weather. Hope the winds will calm done and we can get back to fishing offshore. Some fisherman were able to get out a few times in January, when they did they got good number of kings and triple tail. Kingfish, Cobia, Sailfish, and Wahoo that’s what we need to talk about. This is the time of year for these fish to be moving around a lot looking for the bait fish in the water. It’s time to get your gear ready and target these fish; they will be in depths anywhere from 50-150ft of water. Make sure your reels have plenty of line on them if not replace it because you never can tell when that 60lb Wahoo is going to take the bait. February is here and so is the cold weather. The fish are going to be moving out to deeper waters so you are going to travel further to find that game fish, continue to look for weed lines and other floating debris that the storms have brought in closer to shore.
The bottom fishing bite has been fantastic and I look for that to continue through February. If you are looking to get some Amberjacks you are going to have to run out to the 180ft mark. Make sure to take plenty of bait because the sharks will take most of it along with the Amberjack. In closing I want to remind you all that Valentine’s Day is this month. Get her something nice and she will let you go fishing again. Capt. Doug Kaska runs a 21’ Shoalwater cat style hull that will handle up to 4 people with ease and comfort with a smooth dry ride. If you are looking to fish the flats or go offshore this boat will do it. He runs the Evinrude 150 E-Tec which is quiet and very fuel efficient. Capt. Doug Kaska Fishing Charters www.sebastianfishingcharters.com
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Call for more details. Capt. Doug Kaska 321-368-9444 dkaska@cfl.rr.com www.sebastianfishingcharters.com
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SEBASTIAN INLET TO EAU GALLIE
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ets hope we don’t get the cold weather we had in early January. Water temps were 49 degrees which is a dangerous low temp for Tarpon, Snook and many other species. With the water temps in the midhigh 40 degree mark, the fish will be very sluggish and hard to get to eat anything. Live bait will definitely be the key to catching good numbers of fish. While the fishing wasn’t red hot after the fronts, as the water warms into the 60 degree range, the fishing will get good. Trout, Snook, flounder, bluefish, jacks and redfish will feed in the lagoon on soft plastic baits. I like to use Storm 360 GT Shrimp and paddletail baits. DOA Cals and shrimp work well also.
If its Pompano you are after and there should be plenty of them around if the water isn’t too cold. Doc’s Goofy jigs will work well in the inlet and along the beaches and flats of the lagoon from Sebastian to Melbourne for Pompano and bycatch will be jacks, bluefish, trout and Spanish Mackerel as well as a few big Gafftop Sailcats. You can also fish for the Pompano around the bait pods while targeting Trout and Snook. If you are fishing Sebastian Inlet and the pompano action is slow, you can try jigging the shallow parts of the inlet for flounder using a ½ ounce jighead with a Storm 360 Paddletail or a DOA Paddle Tail with pro cure. Flounder action should be pretty good with the cooler weather patterns and cold water as long as the water isn’t flowing out of the Sebastian river and the water is very dirty. Anglers in Sebastian inlet can target snook and Redfish where the bite will remain strong. After the fronts roll through and the winds are howling, the bite can be very good in
the evenings at the tide switch with a bucktail jig. It’s a great time to fish from the jetties because its difficult to fish from a boat in the rough inlet and low visibility. Live bait will be the key in the daytime and at night artificials will work well. Rapala XRap 14 and the Long Cast 14 are great plugs to fish from the jettys as well as from the rocks along the west side of the bridge. The Tarpon will continue to feed on outgoing tide through February during the strong cold fronts and the above lures will work as well as Hogy Eels and Paddletails and DOA Baitbusters. The big jacks and some trout will move up in the Sebastian River as well as Turkey Creek in Palm Bay and Crane Creek in Melbourne. The Snook will be around the docks and tarpon are far back in the creeks. Live bait is best but the fish will eat soft plastics and some topwater on warmer days. Bundle up and stay warm as there should be plenty of action throughout the month of February for anglers looking to get out of the house on the nice days.
Capt. Glyn Austin www.captainglynaustin.com 321-863-8085 Capt. Glyn Austin is a lifelong Brevard County Resident and full time inshore/nearshore fishing guide. Glyn runs a 23’ Shoalwater tunnel boat which is comfortable for up to 4 anglers and will let us get shallower than most flats boats for inshore fishing and offers a smooth dry ride when fishing the Inlet and nearshore waters of Brevard County.
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ew things get my heart pumping like fishing. The pursuit of fish, whether on the flats, on the beach or bass fishing the local pond, is always a thrill. Some anglers prefer specific techniques. For example, some prefer using only live or cut bait, while others are die hard artificial lure users. As for me, it depends on who is on board my skiff but my preference is artificial lures. Artificial lures come in a variety of styles and colors and each has their own special use and purpose. But truthfully, I mostly use one lure, an artificial shrimp. Now there are many different versions and colors of the artificial shrimp, but I prefer the 3 inch D.O.A Shrimp in clear/gold glitter, model number 413. It's color, flash, action and fish catching ability has proved it's self worthy of space in my tackle box time and time again. This is the 1st of a 2 part write up on artificial shrimp, how and when it can be used and the ways it can be rigged. This first part will focus on different scenarios these baits are most effective. Scenarios of use: Winter time brings cooler water temperatures and fish push to drop offs /ledges to stay warm and ambush easy prey. Cast the artificial shrimp across the ledge and slowly let it drop into the zone and you are sure to get a bite from a hungry Sea Trout. As the sun rises in the sky, redfish and trout will move from the drop offs/ledges to pot holes on the flats. Cast beyond the pot hole, and slowly work your artificial shrimp, with a twitch and pause technique. In Spring and fall, artificial shrimp are deadly on tailing redfish.
When redfish are tailing, they're are actively stirring up the bottom, searching and feeding for shrimp and crabs. Casting 2 feet beyond and 2 feet in front of the tailing fish, allows you to slowly work the artificial shrimp in the feeding zone. It will be very difficult for a tailing redfish to refuse such a presentation, but be care not to cast directly on the feeding fish, as this will cause it to spook. During the summer, hot temperatures and bright sun pushes fish to shaded structure. Pitching docks with artificial shrimp, and working the lure slowly will prove to me most effective. Snook, tarpon, trout, redfish, black drum, mangrove snapper and sheepshead can all be found in the summer months under the docks, seeking shade and ambush points for easy targets. And all will eat and artificial shrimp. Next month, we will focus on a few different techniques for rigging artificial shrimp. Until then, tight lines!
Capt. Jonathan Moss Go Castaway Fishing Charters www.gocastaway.com 407-760-8593
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SHRIMP REPORT
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Reach 10,000+ Local Anglers dstring@coastalanglermagazine.com
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SaltyKayak grabbed a quick meal early in the season in Edgewater, Florida.
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e been waiting and February is the month where the runs are less sporadic. We enter a consistent more productivity pattern. January was a bust in Central Florida compared to last year where Titusville was cast netting white shrimp all day long starting in November ending in May. We are not seeing the white shrimp yet but the waters are cooling off and I suspect we will see them in our mix. Edgewater is producing a handful in early January and Oak Hill has given up a few to maybe a half a gallon. BUT, the sizes are better than this time last season. We are cycling thru a cold water fish & bait kill due to sudden drop in the water temperature. Many snook and tarpon have died in this arctic blast and it is illegal to harvest any fish out of season even when in distress near shore. Titusville is a bust at Haulover Canal, Haulover and Titusville Pier as of early January. This may sound distressing, but trust me at the time of this read the conditions will be much improved and more intel to digest. Mather's Bridge and Eau Gallie South-side relief continues to disappoint the hardcore warriors that go and and endure the elements. The love of the sport and the shrimping fever rising folks are getting real anxious and frustrated things are not happening now. One cold snap does not make a shrimp run. We are still 30 days from a full pull realistically speaking. The die-hards and locals are going to go no matter what, and bless them for sharing their
experiences in our FB intel forum. Where is the shrimp going off? In Miami on Rickenbacker Bridge and Key Biscayne and Tavernier Creek in Islamorada. They are getting full pulls from Miami to Islamorada. This is what I want to see, and it goes to the aftermath of Hurricane Irma's effects on our State. We in Central Florida kick off after the South kicks off their season. The fact that we are seeing shrimp in Central Florida going back to November be re-assured we are not going to get skunked. Hurricane Irma is NOT going to shut us down just because she came in and destroyed our grounds chewing up all the docks for miles. We locals are still nervous running the channel edge due to sailboats/debris that sunk and are not marked. Personally, I sail the channel since the hurricane because of major dock devastation in the popular shrimping grounds. The fish kill from early January will reduce the number of shrimp killed in the food chain. This means more shrimp survive to harvested by anglers. This is just natures way. For daily reports and changing intel, join our Facebook® group, “Florida Shrimping Academy- Tips & Tricks. My face time seminars will be announced in this forum, or Capt Lee Noga FB page.
Capt. Lee Noga Academy of shrimping www.leenoga.com COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM | FEBRUARY 2018 | BREVARD 13
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KAYAK REPORT
Family Membership Only $50 Entire Year! A slow approach and high sun were the ticket for this sightfished red for Capt. Alex of LocalLinesChaters.com
F
ebruary in central Florida is different than areas north of this region. While areas just a few hours’ drive north is still gripped in a winter pattern with only a glimmer of spring to hold out hope. We in the central part of the state typically enjoy a true start to spring. With only brief brushes by cold fronts that have been weakened as the push east. Keeping in mind that March means wind for us, be sure you’re ready for those perfect February days that can happen with little notice. Calm days and cool clear water can put you in a sightfishing bonanza as redfish and seatrout move on and off shallow areas searching out comfortable water and food. We don’t have much for season’s weather wise, but guides and anglers around the Space Coast live by fishing seasons. Summer tarpon, winter canal trout, fall mullet run, and many others can be thrown about. One of my favorite, late winter/ early spring (Feb) sightfishing for redfish! With a non-tidal nature the Banana River Lagoon, Indian River Lagoon, and Mosquito Lagoon have water levels driven by seasonal wind patterns. North winds of winter drop the water and South winds of summer raise the water. Of course variables can add a little or take a little, but it is a yearly constant that doesn’t change. So with the super low waters that have been cleared of many microorganisms due to the winter chill you are afforded the best conditions to see that redfish prior to casting. Artificial lures
that land soft like the (SlayerInc. com) SST are great for this fishing, as is a live shrimp with a small weight to help cast if needed, or a fly rod. The ability to stand in your kayak will greatly help you take full advantage of this fishery. However, it is in no way a required ability. A slow approach to any sightfishing situation is necessary and can to a point negate standing. Many times I say in seminars, “go a slow as YOU possibly can, then actually slowdown from there and fish”. Meaning most folks idea of working an area slow is way faster than I would fish it myself. A great pair of polarized sunglasses like RCIoptics.com and that slow approach will make you deadly at seeing everything in the water. Again you need to move across your target area very slow keeping your eyes peeled for any movement or sign of fish. It also helps to practice transferring from paddle/push pole to rod in hand and set for your cast before a massive redfish is 30feet in front of you. “Buck fever” is real and it will make you fumble your gear like you have on oven mitts. Regardless of standing or sitting in your kayak be sure to make that cast quick and silent.
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SURF FISHING
Gene with his two keeper pompano.
H
ow cold was it in January? According to local News and TV Reports it was so cold that it was "Raining Iguanas" in South Florida. I guess that's darn cold so I started wearing a jacket on my surf fishing outings. High winds,dirty water and poor surf conditions marked the January diet for many surf anglers. Those who did get out caught pompano,whiting and black drum while fishing with shrimp and clams. February 2018 will see more of the same but, hopefully not as many days of cold winds and rough seas. Anglers will note that the fishing will also slow as the ocean gets colder along our coast.. Surf anglers will be challenged to present their baits to fish that are cold,sluggish and not in a eating mode. Seasonal Tip: “Redfish Sandwich” OR "When the water is so cold that the fish won't bite" So when the fish don’t bite and/ or the water is so cold the fish and humans alike have run for cover, consider the Redfish Sandwich before you pack up and leave the beach.Many anglers fresh and saltwater anglers alike have used products that impart a scent to their lures. Where the Redfish Sandwich differs is that the surf angler is scenting the fresh bait he
is fishing. The product used in the sandwich is called Fishbites and it comes in a number of different saltwater scents: clam, shrimp and crab to name a few. The sandwich described is made with the clam scented Fishbites, sold in many local tackle shops. I use Fishbites in12 inch long strips and cut it into smaller pieces so when surf fishing with clams and the bite goes dead, I make a sandwich. First put a piece of Clam Scented Fishbites on the hook, that is followed by fresh cut clam and then finished with another piece of Fishbites. It’s that simple and it works, keeps the clam in place during the cast and when it hits the water if gives off a clam scent along with the fresh cut clam. It’s like you were chumming you own bait. Even if a small fish eats off the soft clam the Fishbites continues to draw fish into you hooks because of its scent and it being harder to tear off your hooks than the clam. Deadly in cold weather when the fish are very sluggish and off their feed.
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Progressive Miami International Boat Show Drops Anchor Feb. 15-19
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et ready to experience the five biggest days in boating, when the 2018 Progressive Insurance Miami International Boat Show fills up the Miami Marine Park & Stadium with newest and best in boating Feb. 15-19. New Sail and VIP areas will enhance this year’s show, which will be held over President’s Day weekend. Now in its 77th year, the event is expected to draw an estimated 100,000 boating enthusiasts. This year, sail will join power in one location, creating the ultimate destination for boat lovers from around the globe. The Progressive Insurance Strictly Sail Miami moves to Miami Marine Stadium, where boaters and sailors alike will have the opportunity to browse, board and buy more than 1,400 boats in-water and on-land on Virginia Key. From sport fishing boats and high performance boats to personal watercraft and wake sport boats, family cruisers, sailboats and luxury yachts, there is something for every lifestyle and budget. The latest marine technology and fishing accessories will also be on display, making the Miami Boat Show a can’t miss winter destination for those with a taste for life on the water. “Miami’s favorite Boat Show is back, bringing the best in boating and accessories from around the globe,” said Larry Berryman, manager for the 2018 show. “We have all new boats—including worldwide model debuts, more yachts and larger boats than ever before, and every leading boat brand and major engine manufacturer on site. There truly is something for every lifestyle and budget. ” Compare and try before you buy! If
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By Capt. James Marko
M
y day started like any other, another early morning shark charter. My clients, two Canadian men on vacation, had no idea about what they were about to encounter. If you aren’t familiar with the migration patterns in Boca Grande, on Florida’s west coast near Fort Myers, sharks follow the yearly tarpon migration starting in mid-spring. The day began with us running roughly 3 miles offshore toward a trough that has been known to hold sharks. I did some rigging and got our baits in the water. Shark fishing is often a waiting game, and so our wait began. It didn’t last long. Within five minutes the Okuma 8000 Series was screaming from the rod holder, with no end in sight. The adrenaline started pumping, and I immediately started pulling up the anchor and prepared for a serious fight with a serious fish. With the boat in position, we started the chase. Airline_Ad_CoastalAngler_8-1-14_Layout 8/1/14I 1:14 PM motor, Page 1 and the fight When we finally caught up to the1shark, cut the
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was on. The next two hours were full of reeling, swear words and sweat. We were dragged over 3 miles of ocean. With my clients at the point of exhaustion, it seemed that the shark was ready to give in, but not without one last run. Finally, we saw gray on the surface. With the shark next to the boat, I recognized it was a spinner shark. I immediately noted that this shark was huge for its species. Spinners are known to be jumpers, but this shark never breached the surface because of its size. My mind went right to the IGFA record. Thankfully, I had enough cell signal to Google the current record, even after the shark dragged us further offshore. The record was 205 pounds. I knew this shark was bigger than that. I made some quick phone calls and realized I would most likely have to kill the fish to get the record. I am usually a catch and release fisherman, so I was against brining the fish in, as were my clients. It took three of us to bring the fish into the boat to get a photo for bragging rights. I primarily deal with the Goliath grouper species, doing research for Florida Fish and Wildlife. This fish was comparable to the 300-pound Goliaths I catch regularly. After a few pictures and measurements, she became green again. She helped herself into the water and swam right off. We estimated the fish to be in the 260- to 270-pound range with a length of plus-8 feet. I loved seeing my client’s faces and reactions throughout the whole fight. All and all, it was just another day at the office. Capt. Marko specializes in Goliath grouper fishing and fishes waters from Sanibel through Boca Grande. Follow his daily catches on Instagram @captjamesmarko and Facebook. See www.goliathfishing.com for trip and contact information.
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FLORIDA
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FOR THOSE THRILL SEEKERS SEARCHING FOR EXCITING SPEED AND POWER!
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Telling Good Fish Stories By Matt Jorn
Laura Price of Lexington, N.C. and a nice Dorado caught with the FishingNosara Explorer on Dec. 5, 2017.
“W
hat did you catch today?” It is a question asked at every marina, boat ramp and backyard dock in the world every day of the fishing calendar. This is your chance to hold up your catch, your fillet bag or your digital camera. It is a chance to reveal (or conceal) details regarding where and how you snared your prey. It is also the chance to spin a wonderful tale of the leviathan that you fought for hours, had right next to the boat, and locked eyes with only to have it spit the hook/break the leader/get caught on the props/ pull you overboard… we’ve all been there! Even the master angler and author Ernest Hemingway’s beloved “The Old Man and the Sea” is a fish tale, featuring the angler we all wish we were losing the fish we all wish we could catch.
The craft of embellishing your catch is a time-honored tradition; however as the curator of the FishingNosara Costa Rica Fishing Report, I take umbrage with the 21st century version of the fish story. For the last seven years, I have documented every one of the 2,000plus trips run by the Nosara, Costa Rica based fishing team. Each report is meticulously checked for accuracy, including the angler’s names, trip date, fish caught, and (most importantly) photographs of the catches. I also encourage my clients to offer their own stories from the fishing experience. In December 2017, we hosted Laura and Michael Price. Here’s what Laura wrote: “My husband and I went out today on the Explorer. We had an AMAZING time!!! We ended the day with six mahi mahi caught with one mahi mahi, one tuna and one marlin getting away. Phenomenal crew! We loved every minute of it!” Here is another example, this time from angler Kevin Bahr: “We went with Capt. William and his mate Johnny. They were very professional and ready to ensure we had a successful outing on May 12. The weather was pretty sketchy, but we were able to locate the fish and ended up with a freezer full of ahi and mahi mahi. We cut our day short due to the weather, but our crew was willing to stay out longer if we wanted to. Despite the weather, it was a great day!” Everyone knows that the Internet is a place where the line between fact and fiction is often blurry; from politics, to sports, to fishing—it is not always easy to separate the truth, from an opinion, from a sales pitch. For instance, a quick glance at a competing Central American fishing charter’s report looks like this: Dec 27, 3 sailfish, 6 mahi-mahi, 1 marlin. Dec 28, 7 sailfish, 2 marlin. Dec 29, 5 mahi-mahi, 3 yellowfin tuna, 1 sailfish. Who is this helping? Why no details, no photos? Is this for search engines, the illiterate, or the lazy? I put it to all anglers in the 21st century posting online: Tell me a good fish story or log-off.
*Custom Fishing Packages *Costa’s Closest Blue Water *High Quality Boats *Professional Fishing Tackle *English Speaking Crews *Safety Equipment *Water, Ice, Snacks and Fruit *Gas included in price *Surf and Snorkel Tours
Starting at $700 pp (904) 591-2161 FishingNosara.com 16
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m t o o d fis e er ONLY $149
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Towing details can be found online at BoatUS.com/towing or by calling.
ns SoN o i t a v ser eR Sea e R g The Perfect Vacation Getaway for Fishing, Boating and Outdoor Enthusiasts in WiNT k a T Now e 2018 for th
Old Florida Waterfront Charm Re-Discovered
Accommodations are nestled on 6 lush tropical acres of pristine waterfront directly on the Indian River Lagoon. As you make your way down the one lane road you will truly be stepping back in time. Your hosts Kim and Robert Pruitt have re-captured the very best of Old Florida charm with modern conveniences and services to make your stay truly memorable and unforgettable.
Amenities: • Cable TV, Hi-Speed Internet • Boat Trailer Parking on Site • 2 miles to the Ft. Pierce Inlet • 12 miles to the Gulf Stream • Scheduled Water Taxi Service
• Fully Furnished 3 room cottages w/ fully equipped kitchens • 250 Foot Dock with Covered Guest Area • Laundry, Ice, BBQ Grilles • FREE Ice / FREE Guest Dockage • FREE use of our Kayaks
Stay 1 Month and Get 50% OFF Your Complete Stay! Mention Reservation Code CA – 0118 when making your reservation
3011 N. Indian River Dr., Ft. Pierce, FL 34946 www.indianriverlagoonwaterfrontcottages.com Reservations and Information: (772) 349-2206 Nightly • Weekly • Monthly • Seasonal Rates Available COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT INTERLUX MICRON EXTRA ANTI-FOULING PAINT Anglers across the country will be glad to hear that Micron Extra—the classleading antifouling that delivers consistent, multiseason protection against all forms of fouling—is back in stock, thanks to the renewed manufacturing of one of its raw ingredients. Providing boaters with the signature proven performance of the Interlux Micron range, Micron Extra uses Biolux technology to achieve complete protection against shell, weed and slime fouling in all waters fresh and salt. By combining the slime-blocking capabilities of Biolux with a controlled solubility copolymer that releases active ingredients steadily over time, Micron Extra achieves long-lasting, full-spectrum defense against fouling organisms. This copolymer matrix gradually wears away like a layer of soap as the boat moves through water, via a steady polishing process. The result is a continuous, regulated delivery of biocides from each freshly exposed layer, ensuring consistent, long-lasting performance and maximum efficiency. Micron Extra retains full antifouling effectiveness when hauled, and can be relaunched without repainting. Stop by your local shipstore or boatyard and ask for Micron Extra, available in both quarts and gallons, and in all popular colors.
WWW.INTERLUX.COM/EN/US/BOAT-PAINT/ ANTIFOULING/MICRON-EXTRA
Take a
ROD BUILDING CLASS
Charlotte, NC
2/3/2018
Orlando, FL
3/17/2018
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4/7/2018
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4/21/2018
Orlando, FL
6/2/2018
Mobile, AL
8/25/2018
Register at:
WWW.MUDHOLE.COM/CLASSES MUDHOLE.COM/TURNKEY 18
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GAME CHANGER FishSUP FS126
Sea Eagle® Inflatable FishSUP™ FS126 -
The Stand-Up Paddleboard Designed Especially For Anglers • 12’6” x 40” x 6” provides incredible stability • Heavy duty 2 layer drop stitch construction • Motormount for up to 55lb thrust motor • 15 D-Rings for gear & leash • Paddle standing or sitting • Packs down to 45” x 15” x 10” For a FREE Catalog 800-944-7496 M-F 9-5 EST Dept CS028B 19 N Columbia St, Ste 1, Port Jefferson, NY 11777
SEA EAGLE FISHSUP FS126
By CAM Staff • Photo Courtesy of Sea Eagle Boats Last spring we introduced you to Sea Eagle’s FishSUP FS126, an inflatable stand-up paddleboard with which we were initially quite impressed. A year later, we’re fully convinced this super-stable, lightweight fishing machine is worth the praise. “I’m thrilled with its performance,” said Coastal Angler’s Tom Schlichter. “I’ve fished it from Long Island, N.Y. to the Florida Keys in everything from mangroves to bulrushes and boulder fields, and it’s come through unscathed.” At 12’6”x40” the FishSUP FS126 is both spacious and tough enough to work hardened shorelines. Heavy duty .90 drop stitch material covers the top, bottom and sides for superior protection against punctures and a 90”x18” thick camo EVA pad adds additional buffering while providing a non-slip foot bed. An integral 36-inch ruler makes fish measurement a snap. It fits in a trunk for easy transport, fully inflates in under 10 minutes, and has smartly positioned D-rings to secure a host of standard and optional fishing accessories including a swivel seat with Scotty rod holders, battery, 34-lb thrust electric motor, and forward mesh storage box with tube-style rod holders. “I love the stability, toughness and versatility of this platform,” said Schlichter. “You can stand, sit or kneel while casting, fish in freshwater or saltwater, and even add an optional Watersnake Venom 34 electric trolling motor.” Prices range from $799 for a basic start-up kit to $1,149 for a Pro Motor and Fishing Rig package. FOR MORE INFO,
VISIT WWW.SEAEAGLE.COM OR CALL 1-800-748-8066.
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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FRESHWATER
THE XTREME 20 BOAT, MOTOR, TRAILER
38,950
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TORTUGA SIDE CONSOLE BOAT, MOTOR, TRAILER
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B
eginning Feb. 1, crappie anglers will have the chance to win part of $172,000 in cash prizes being awarded in the 2018 Weiss Lake Crappie Rodeo in Alabama. More than 1,000 pink-tagged crappie were released into the reservoir on the Alabama/Georgia border. Each of those fish has been sponsored by a local merchant or individual, and tags carry cash prizes ranging from $50 to $10,000. The rodeo, being conducted by the Weiss Lake Improvement Association, will run Feb. 1 through April 15. A highlight new to this year’s event is the One Day Crappie Champion Tournament, which will be held March 31. Guaranteed payout for first place is $2,500, and Big Fish will award $1,000 in this 100-percent payback event. There will be a free fish fry at the weigh-ins. For more information, visit www.weisslakeimprovementassociation.org.
8/12/17 6:12 PM
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1/17/18 5:06 PM
GET A GRIP • Safer • Easier • Better
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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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EXPERIENCE THE
FIGHT! Full Variable Speed Control Powerful Brushless Motor Retains Handle Function Digital Line Counter Auto Stop, 12/24VDC Compact & Sleek Design
855-HOOK-ONE 22
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UNDER THE SEA
Speargun Basics
L
ike enthusiasts of any sport, if you stay with spearfishing long enough, you become intimately familiar with every detail of your equipment. Here’s an overview of what a newbie might want to know before buying that first speargun. Most spearguns are powered by bands, normally between one and three bands. There are two main types. The American style is recognized by the wood stock and is durable, sturdy and easy to load. The Eurogun style has a tubular shaped barrel, rear handle, and a thinner shaft well suited for freediving and smaller fish. In either case, spearguns are equipped with a trigger mechanism. The back end of the shaft engages into the trigger mechanism. Once the bands are loaded, the trigger is pulled and the shaft flies out due to the pulling load of the bands. You do not want to overload a gun by putting more bands than what it’s designed for as it could make the gun inaccurate or unsafe. Most spearguns now include a reel. This is especially needed if freediving and/or spearing larger fish, so the gun is not yanked out of your hands. If spearing a very large fish such as a tuna, which could spool your line in a matter of seconds, a line and float are required so the diver can pull it in from the surface. Shafts come in different lengths and diameters to match the gun, and spearos look for the perfect shaft—one that will not bend, not rust, fly straight in the water, and with a barb that will hold the fish securely. It’s wise to always carry a spare shaft or two on the boat, in case a shaft gets bent or lost. Like shafts, the bands are also replaced periodically, and it’s a good idea to carry spares in case one breaks. When bands get old, they start to get crack lines, or the wishbones can begin to fray, so it’s best to replace them before one snaps. There’s a wider variety of speargun brands than ever on the
market. These include: Wong, AB Biller, Riffe, Hammerhead, Cressi, SEAC, Mares, Rob Allen, Koah, Mako, JBL and more. If you want help selecting your first gun, see if you can find a mentor to help you select one that matches local conditions. Dive shops that specialize in spearfishing can also help. These include Austin’s in Miami, Fla.; Freedivers in Palm Beach, Fla.; James & Josephs in San Diego, Cali.; Freedive Shop in Sacramento, Cali.; and others. There are also Sheri Daye descends with a Wong speargun. custom gun builders who will work with you directly, give you advice, and design a gun to your specs—such as Wong Spearguns from Hawaii or Sea Sniper from California. Good luck and happy hunting! Sheri is a world-record holder, host of Speargun Hunter, and producer of “The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo” in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Follow “Sheri Daye” and “The Blue Wild” on Facebook and Instagram.
For more Sheri Daye, go to
CAMSPEARFISHING.COM
The Professional Choice For 200 Years SOFGRIP Knives SG132N-10 10” Sportfishing Knife SG133-8 8” Fillet Knife
Ultra-Sharp Holds The Edge Sharpens Quickly Proprietary Steel Ergonomic Handles Made in U.S.A.
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dexteroutdoors.com COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT OUTDOOR EDGE REEL-FLEX
CO
H
ITEM
119 FT. LB Over the last 30 years, Outdoor Edge has become known as a leading knife brand among hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts. So, what took them so long to enter the fishing world? They were looking for the perfect combination of edge retention, blade flex and handle ergonomics – which they clearly accomplished with their new Reel-Flex fillet knives. Outdoor Edge’s new Reel-Flex knives are crafted from German 4116 stainless steel that is known for its corrosion resistance and excellent edge retention. The blades provide a consistent medium flex during use and are taper ground to eliminate friction and promote an effortless cut. Available in 6-inch, 7.5-inch and 9.5-inch blade lengths, the Reel-Flex series was designed for all fresh and saltwater species. The handles incorporate Jerry Hossom’s iconic tactical design and ergonomics with the safety and function fishermen need.
WWW.OUTDOOREDGE.COM BC_063167_BTGBG18P.indd 1
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CANGL_NAT3-NAT26.indd 25 hft_coastalangler_0218_M-REG130505.indd 1
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At Harbor Freight Tools, the “Compare to” price means that the specified comparison, which is an item with the same or similar function, was advertised for sale at or above the “Compare to” price by another national retailer in the U.S. within the past 90 days. Prices advertised by others may vary by location. No other meaning of “Compare to” should be implied. For more information, go to HarborFreight.com or see store associate.
1/17/18 1/3/18 5:07 2:12 PM
SUZUKI MAKES IT EASY AS
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Gimme Six Extended Protection promo is applicable to new Suzuki Outboard Motors from 25 to 350 HP in inventory which are sold and delivered to buyer between 01/01/18 and 03/31/18 in accordance with the promotion by a Participating Authorized Suzuki Marine dealer in the continental US and Alaska to a purchasing customer who resides in the continental US or Alaska. Customer should expect to receive an acknowledgement letter and full copy of contract including terms, conditions and wallet card from Suzuki Extended Protection within 90 days of purchase. If an acknowledgement letter is not received in time period stated, contact Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. – Marine Marketing via email: marinepromo@suz.com. The Gimme Six Promotion is available for pleasure use only, and is not redeemable for cash. Instant Savings apply to qualifying purchases of select Suzuki Outboard Motors made between 01/01/18 and 03/31/18. For list of designated models, see participating Dealer or visit www.suzukimarine.com. Customer and participating Dealer must fill out the appropriate form at time of sale. Instant Savings will be applied against the original dealer invoice (Suzuki will credit Dealer parts account). There are no model substitutions, benefit substitutions, rain checks, or extensions. Suzuki reserves the right to change or cancel these promotions at any time without notice or obligation. * Financing offers available through Synchrony Retail Finance. As low as 5.99% APR financing for 60 months on new and unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors. Subject to credit approval. Not all buyers will qualify. Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on credit worthiness. $19.99/month per $1,000 financed for 60 months is based on 5.99% APR. Hypothetical figures used in calculation; your actual monthly payment may differ based on financing terms, credit tier qualification, accessories or other factors such as down payment and fees. Offer effective on new, unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors purchased from a participating authorized Suzuki dealer between 01/01/18 and 03/31/18. “Gimme Six”, the Suzuki “S” and model names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2018 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.
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