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fve things you should know about boat insurance

Are you ready to embark on your next on-water adventure? Before you set sail, here are fve things to know about boat insurance.

1. Boat insurance isn’t just for accidents

With comprehensive coverage, you’ll also be protected fnancially for theft, vandalism, and unexpected events like storms if you need repairs or replacements due to damage.

Accidents can happen to anyone

When accidents happen, boat insurance offers liability coverage for damages or injuries you cause while boating, up to specifed limits. It can also cover lawsuit costs if you’re sued.

3. Boat insurance can cover medical payments

Boat insurance offers a range of optional medical payments coverage limits, helping to cover medical expenses if you’re in an accident or someone is hurt on your boat, regardless of fault.

4. Most lenders require boat insurance

If you fnanced your boat, you’ll likely need boat insurance since most lenders require boat insurance to protect their investment. Additionally, some marinas or municipalities require proof of insurance for docking.

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‘MAY’ Your Cup Overfoweth with Gags & Scamps!

You probably noticed my attempt at a little humor with that title—just what we need a!er a long closed season. In my personal view, the closure has been unnecessary, much like the situation with Atlantic red snapper. Many of us are simply trying to catch seabass and grunts for dinner, but we keep getting pushed o our favorite spots where red snapper and gags are abundant. Yet, these species are still considered endangered. I think you know where I stand on this topic, so I won’t dwell on it any further.

As warm water moves in closer to the beach, expect to nd king sh and cobia frequenting the same spots where you’re catching gags when the water temperature rises above 68°F. Always have a pitch rod ready as cobia may swim right up to the boat. However, don’t be surprised if you catch cobia while bottom shing with a decor jig and an appealing bait. In fact, more cobia are o!en caught on the bottom than on the surface when anchored up and targeting grouper.

schools of cigar minnows and sardines on them. You don’t need to look any further when you nd this combination of bait because the sh will be right there. It’s always a good idea to keep one person on the Sabiki jigging up. A live sardine or a live cigar on a decoy has a life expectancy of under ten seconds around any kind of sh. We try to never leave the marina without a couple boxes of frozen cigar minnows and live pin sh. at live pin sh can sometimes be the best selection of all because it’s too large for any of the trash bites.

TIM BAREFOOT

of other species like vermilions, mangroves, grunts and seabass.

In addition to all the other stu on the bottom, it’s always good to keep a light line out for kings, black n, wahoo and dolphin. It’s not a bad idea to keep one under a %oat (so you can keep an eye on it) and another one without a %oat, but you have to be mindful of that bait getting back into props or under the boat tangling other lines.

I’ve always said, “Find the bait, nd the sh.” Go to all your familiar haunts with structure of one kind of another, whether it’s ledges, rock out crops, wrecks, etc. e bonus will be nding

Any kind of little snapper about the size of your hand makes for the ultimate bait. I’m no longer shing for barely-legal gag or scamp. Instead, I’m looking for one good bite at a time. I’ll let that bait soak on the bottom and be patient waiting for the old man to show up. Don’t get me wrong, more sh have been caught on frozen cigar minnows and sardines than all the other baits combined, but a live one is simply irresistible to every grouper and/or snapper out there. Period. Nearly everything on the bottom will take a whack at it, but only the sh with the correct sized mouth can eat that small snapper. Because the creel limits are so low, you’ll easily reach your grouper limit. Once you have, it’s wise to take advantage

If you’re anchoring and not just using the trolling motor, it’s a great idea to %y the kite. Keep a couple baits suspended with little to no leader in the water. Live greenies, cigs or sardines under the kite is the ultimate presentation. You can even get away with %uorocarbon using circle hooks depending on the current. Don’t hesitate to put a bait out with a small amount of weight in front of it to get it down 30 to 50 feet behind the boat. is will get you that large wahoo bite. ere are so many options available this time of year in the warmer water, so be ready to take advantage of all of them once you ll your cooler with one species or another. is is the ideal time to broaden your approach and become skilled in targeting not only di erent types of snapper and grouper, but also pelagics.

MAY you nd calm seas, tight lines and delicious dinners this month!

Learn more from Tim Barefoot at barefootcatsandtackle.com.

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PORT CANAVERAL OFFSHORE

Cobia season this year wasn’t too bad at all. Instead of a week like last year, they blew by us in the 40 knots this year! We had a few good days then beautiful weather with an empty ocean. We even saw a few hundred rays with nothing on them. Odd. But the good news is that this is also the time frame we start seeing them free swimming out on the reefs. While you’re out there slow trolling for kings, keep an eye out the back of the boat for that cobia trailing you. If you’re bottom fishing, keep an eye on what follows your fish up to the boat.

Good numbers of dolphin have been caught the last few weeks and should only increase this month. Start in the 90-120 foot range as many seem to think you have to go to 300 feet right off the get go. Unless someone is out there telling you to “C’mon,” start shallow. Start looking for color changes and temp breaks. Also look for weedlines and currents, as that is a good place to start. I like to use smaller islander lures with small ballyhoo or strip baits. On bright sunny days go with the yellows, pinks and bright blues. On darker days go with black, red and purple colors.

Kingfish will continue to do well this month too. Best bait is going to be the bunker. If not use frozen cigar minnows. Use a good net. Now that the water is warming up, live bait is much more consistent. Some days you may have to ride far south to get it and some days its right there in the port, but at least it’s around. Beach fishing is really starting to heat up as well. We’ve already seen some nice buoy line kings and tarpon. If the bait’s around, chances are there will be larger fish feeding. I like to start with 60# mono till I start getting cut off, then I switch to #4 wire.

Shark fishing has been on fire as well. I know many say they don’t want to deal with sharks or you can’t eat them, but they are completely wrong. On light tackle, shark fishing is so much fun—and blacktips are great to eat. Ever wonder why many restaurants are out of the shark kabobs? And I assure you, there’s no shark shortage. Just take what you will eat! No waste. We need there to be plenty of sharks and every other species for our future kids.

CAPT. CHRIS CAMERON Fired Up Fishing Charters firedupcharters.com sharkfishingcocoabeach.com (407) 222-3573

These guys got “fired up” on kings aboard the Fire Fight.

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May is one of my favorite months of the year for fishing the near-coastal waters of Florida’s Space Coast. The focal point being the fantastic opportunities around Port Canaveral.

These waters often showcase an insane snook bite. The snook are typically trying to fatten up for their upcoming spawning ritual in June and July and they love big live baits like mullet or pogies that give them plenty of nutrition to prepare for the task at hand. Snook are prone to strike live baits much more readily than artificial lures during the daylight hours, however anglers targeting them at night can often fool them with a size 12 or 14

Rapala X-Rap lipped diving lure, or many of the soft plastic shrimp imitations that are so lifelike. On nights when the wave action is slightly rough, a Flair Hawk jig, or other bucktail-style lures can be effective near the jetty rocks or interior docks within the Port itself. Most of these fish are slightly over the slot limit, but if you like catching big snook, now is the time to go.

show up along the beaches following menhaden pods. These 70- to 150-pound silver kings will be accompanied by pods of large jack crevalle (we call them hour jacks) in the 20- to 35-pound range, and multiple species of large shark that can weigh over 200 pounds. All of these species begin migrating into the Port Canaveral shipping channel and surrounding beaches in May. None of these fish are pushovers, so make sure you bring plenty of M-A-N to rub on yourself, because these fish are ready to crush your will and punish your body if you’re not up to the task.

Tripletail are a great tasting fish that also stick around most of this month. If you like taking fish home for dinner, you can often do this on one of my near-coastal fishing trips and battle one or more of the giants mentioned above. May is definitely one of the best months of the year, so look me up and let’s get out there to catch your next memory!

If you are ready for a battle that will test your back and arms, get ready because tarpon schools begin to

FORECAST SPACE COAST SURF FISHING

May is one of my favorite months to fish the surf here in Brevard. The weather settles into a predictable rhythm, water temps climb into that sweet spot, and bait starts flooding the shoreline. If you’ve been waiting all spring to get serious about surf fishing, this is your window. The bite turns on, species variety peaks, and the conditions are about as angler-friendly as it gets.

As we move through May, expect water temperatures to range from the mid-70s early in the month to pushing 80 degrees by the end. That warming trend is the trigger for a major migration push along Florida’s Space Coast. You’ll see schools of mullet, glass minnows and sand fleas thick in the wash, and where there’s bait, there are predators.

The headliners this month are going to be whiting, pompano, and black drum, with a strong showing of bluefish and the occasional Spanish mackerel blitzing just beyond the breakers. Early mornings and late afternoons will be your prime feeding windows, especially on incoming tides when clean water pushes bait closer to shore.

Let’s talk tactics.

everything. I always tell clients: don’t just cast as far as you can. Fish smart, not far. Most of your bites will come in that first trough, often within 20 to 40 yards of the shoreline.

A standard double-drop pompano rig tipped with fresh or live sand fleas is hard to beat this time of year. If sand fleas are scarce, Fishbites or small pieces of shrimp will get the job done. Keep your weights matched to the surf, usually 3 to 5 ounces will hold bottom unless we get a lateseason front stirring things up.

For pompano and whiting, you want to focus on reading the beach. Look for cuts, troughs, and sandbars, those subtle changes in structure are

Black drum will cruise the same zones but tend to key in on slightly deeper pockets. If you’re targeting drum specifically, don’t be afraid to upsize your bait. Half a blue crab or a chunk of shrimp can make the difference between catching numbers and hooking into something memorable.

Now, when those bluefish and Spanish mackerel show up, and they will, it’s game on. You’ll often see birds diving or bait spraying. That’s your signal to switch gears. Grab a metal spoon or Gotcha plug and start covering water. Fast retrieves and flashy presentations will draw aggressive strikes. It’s some of the most exciting surf fishing you’ll experience all year.

One thing that really defines May is water clarity. We typically get cleaner conditions

compared to the windy months behind us, which means sight-feeding fish are more active. Downsizing leaders and using more natural bait presentations can significantly increase your hookup ratio. Pay attention to your leader material. I like fluorocarbon in the 15–25 lb. range for most surf applications this time of year.

Tides matter more than anything else. If you can line up an early morning high tide or a sunset incoming tide, your odds go way up. Combine that with low light and active bait, and you’ve got the perfect recipe.

For anglers visiting Cocoa Beach or locals looking to dial things in, May is also a great time to refine your skills. The conditions are forgiving, and the fish are cooperative. It’s an ideal month to learn how to read the surf, understand bait movement, and build confidence in your setups.

At Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters, this is one of our busiest and most productive times of year for a reason. Clients consistently hook into quality fish, and the action stays steady throughout the trip. Whether you’re brand new to surf fishing or looking to sharpen your edge, May offers a little bit of everything.

Bottom line—don’t miss it. The combination of warm water, abundant bait and aggressive fish makes May one of the best months to fish the beach here on the Space Coast. Get your gear ready, watch the tides, and I’ll see you on the sand!

CAPT. LUKAS BRICKWEG

Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters cocoabeachsurffishingcharters.com (321) 205-4672

COASTAL ANGLER

BRAG BOARD

Chris Dilecce (@floridasharkman) and team landed this 11-foot tiger shark in the Melbourne Beach surf using a stingray as bait. Handled quickly in shallow water to ensure both angler safety and fish welfare, it was released strong.

The smile on this young angler’s face says it all–Fishing is FUN!!! Edward Obrien landed this 13-inch pompano on his first cast out at Canaveral National seashore using a pompano rig, with fish gum and fresh dead shrimp.

Norm Channell says that when sea grass is on the mend, reds, trout, snook and tarpon take cut mullet plugs skipped into the deep mangrove root systems, like this 32” tarpon did in Merritt Island.

Cassie Wilkey doubled up with a pompano and sheepshead during a fun day on the water with family.

For your chance to get on the Brag Board, upload your high-quality photos (>1MB) with all of the catch details at: www.coastalanglermag.com

SEBASTIAN INLET TO EAU GALLIE CAUSEWAY FORECAST

April was a month of wind and cold fronts with very little rain. Once we get the rains, there should be lot of bait in the lagoon and along the beaches. We should get some threadfin along the beach outside of Sebastian Inlet with snook, tarpon, kingfish, jacks and a bunch of sharks mixed in with the bait pods and bonito following the glass minnow schools. The bait and the fish should be roaming the beaches throughout the entire month of May—along with the gamefish. The snook and some redfish bite at the jetty should be pretty good through the month of May, with good catches in the evening and daytime on live pigfish and pinfish rigged on a 6/0 VMC circle hook and 50 lb. leader.

Sweet spring snook. Don’t forget that snook season is open through the end of May, but closes June 1st.

There should be some mullet as well as glass minnows coming into the lagoon from the feeder creeks and if you can find the schools concentrated, you should be able to find big trout on Rapala Skitter Walks and Twitchin’ Mullet lures around the bait pods as well as snook, reds and jacks. Also, the X-Rap 10 fished along the mangroves and D.O.A. C.A.L. paddletail or Rapala Crush City Mooch Minnow and jerkbaits are good go-to baits if you want to have a lot of success. The bait pods will be making their home along the mangrove shorelines in Honest John’s canals, Hog Point, and all the coves along the shorelines as well as most of the spoil islands and some of the few flats with grass along them.

The bull sharks, jack crevalle and a few tarpon and snook are active in all of the creeks from Sebastian to Melbourne already, and should be there throughout the month of May. Rapala Skitter Walk topwater baits or the X-Rap 10 are great hard baits, the Rapala Mooch Minnow has been an excellent soft bait, and live finger mullet are the go-to baits for the live bait guys. Look for shorelines and or docks with mullet or other baits around and key in on those areas. The mullet can be either freelined or fished under a natural cork. Best bite is early morning and at dusk.

CAPT. GLYN AUSTIN

Going Coastal Charters www.goingcoastalcharters.com (321) 863-8085

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BIG SHRIMP

THE OVERLOOKED MONTH FOR TROPHY SPECKLED TROUT MAY:

If you’re a big trout enthusiast like me, you know there’s still time le to chase a personal best—if you haven’t had your ll over the past few months. While most anglers focus on trophy speckled trout from December through early April, May quietly remains one of the most underrated windows of the year. With the full moon in late May, many of those big females will hold eggs all month, giving anglers one last legitimate shot at a heavy trout before the spawn wraps up.

What makes May even better is how enjoyable it is to be on the water. e cold winter grind is behind us, waders can nally come o , and the warmer conditions allow for a more aggressive approach. Unlike winter, when slow presentations dominate, May lets you sh with more con dence and energy. Topwater explosions become a real possibility again, and there are few things more exciting than watching a big trout crush a lure on the surface.

at said, topwaters aren’t the only tool in play. Slow-sinking and suspending baits still produce, and so plastics—especially paddle tails—shine this time of year. With water temperatures rising, trout are more active and willing to chase.

Adding sound, like a subtle tail rattle, can make a noticeable di erence in getting bites from these larger sh. Sizes from 3” to 5” can all be e so don’t hesitate to mix it up until you nd what they want.

Location plays just as important a role as lure selection. I like to focus on grass knee- to waist-deep water, especially those with nearby drains from small lakes or creeks. areas concentrate bait and naturally pull in predators. Subtle features—like potholes, small depressions, or even a one-foot drop-o —can hold sh and shouldn’t be overlooked.

Approach is everything in shallow water. Whether you’re wading or shing from a kayak, stealth matters. Position yourself far enough o your target area to avoid spooking sh, especially in clear conditions. Cover water methodically with a fan-cast approach, working from short casts to longer ones. Starting close allows you to pick o sh in front of you before potentially spooking them with longer casts.

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

Shallow water may look too skinny to hold quality sh, but time and time again it proves otherwise. e key is reading the conditions,

they want to be. Some days they’ll be scattered across a at, while other times they’ll stack up along a subtle edge or current break.

May is your last real shot at an egg-heavy trophy trout before summer patterns take over. Take advantage of the warmer weather, sh with con dence, and enjoy the experience. And if you can, take a kid shing—they like big trout too.

Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor and owner of Knockin Tail Lures® — knockintaillures.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®

MDROP IT LIKE IT’S

By A. deGruchy

ay 1st marks one of the most anticipated days in the Florida Keys: the reopening of grouper season. e Florida Keys o ers a variety of grouper species, each with its own habits and appeal. Black grouper are the top prize, known for their size and power, typically found on deeper reefs and wrecks. Red grouper

are more common on patch reefs and ledges and are a great target for steady action. Gag grouper show up more in deeper water and are prized for both their ght and table quality.

Grouper shing is all about positioning and strength. ese sh live in holes, ledges, and wrecks, and when they bite, they immediately try

to return to structure. Success depends on getting your bait down quickly and pulling hard the second you feel a strike. ere is no waiting. You either win the rst few seconds or lose the sh. Tackle matters. A heavy-duty setup using PENN conventional reels paired with strong rods gives you the drag and li ing power needed to keep sh out of the rocks. On the terminal side, circle hooks are the standard for reef shing, improving hook placement and supporting conservation. Pair these with heavy leader and enough weight to stay pinned to the bottom. Live bait like pin sh or grunts is ideal. Bigger baits o en mean bigger grouper, especially when targeting black grouper o shore.

It is also important to understand that grouper are a slow-growing species. Many take years to reach legal size, and they are particularly vulnerable during spawning periods. at is why strict regulations, seasons, and gear requirements exist. Responsible anglers follow the rules, handle sh carefully, and use tools like descending devices when releasing sh from deeper water.

Here in the Keys, your approach can vary based on conditions. O shore trips o er a shot at larger sh in deeper water, while patch reef shing can provide more consistent action and shorter runs. Both are productive, and the best option o en depends on weather and current conditions. Show up prepared, sh hard, and respect the resource so it stays strong for years to come.

For more real-world shing action in the Florida Keys, follow Bean Sport shing on YouTube

www.adamsmarine.com To Reserve a Spot Call: 352-447-1950 Email: info@adamsmarine.com

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Lipless Crankbait vs. the Chatterbait:

HowMatchingtheHatchandtheRightRodDrivesBassFishingSuccess

Lipless vibrating lures have long been staples in bass !shing, but few create more debate—or more bites—than the lipless crankbait (rattle trap) and the chatterbait. While both rely on vibration to trigger reaction strikes, their e ectiveness depends heavily on forage, seasonal timing, and even the rod and reel used to !sh them.

A lipless crankbait is a hard-bodied bait designed for speed and sound. Its tight vibration and internal rattles allow bass to locate it from long distances, making it ideal when !sh are actively feeding on bait!sh like shad. ese baits excel in open water or over submerged grass, where anglers can burn them, yo-yo them, or rip them free to trigger reaction strikes. For rattle traps, rod selection plays a major role in landing !sh. A 7’ to 7’3” mediumheavy rod with a moderate or moderate-fast action is ideal. e slightly so er tip allows bass to fully load the rod before the hooks engage, reducing the chances of pulling treble hooks free during surging !ghts. e longer length also helps make long casts, which is critical when covering water or targeting schooling !sh. You typically want to throw the trap on a faster gear ratio reel like a 7.1 or 7.3. e faster gear ratio helps pick up the line on long cast when you get a bite and need to catch up with the !sh.

A chatterbait, or bladed jig, produces a wider, thumping vibration and a more natural pro!le when paired with a so plastic trailer. is lure shines around shallow grass, docks, and wood, especially in stained water where bass rely more on vibration than sight. Chatterbaits o en mimic bluegill or bream, making them deadly around spawning areas and shallow cover. Because chatterbaits use a single heavy hook, anglers bene!t from a slightly di erent rod setup. A 7’ to 7’4” medium-heavy rod with a fast action provides the backbone needed to drive the hook home while still o ering enough tip to keep !sh pinned. is setup also allows anglers to control !sh quickly when pulling them out of thick cover.

Beyond lure, reel, and rod choice, matching the hatch remains one of the most important elements of success. Bass o en focus on a speci!c

WHY BUY NEW WHEN YOU

By NPFL Pro Angler Joey Bloom

forage, and lures that match the size, color, and movement of that prey get bit more consistently. Chrome or white rattle traps imitate %eeing shad in open water, while green pumpkin or bluegillpattern chatterbaits blend perfectly into shallow cover scenarios. To maximize these techniques, anglers must learn to follow the bait throughout the season. In late winter and early spring, bait move toward warming %ats, making rattle traps excellent search tools.

A er the spawn, bluegill become a primary food source, and chatterbaits excel around shallow cover and spawning grounds. In summer, bait o en shi s to deeper grass lines or o shore structure, where slow-rolled chatterbaits can shine. Come fall, shad migrate into the backs of creeks, and rattle traps once again dominate as bass feed aggressively ahead of winter.

By pairing the right vibrating lure with proper reel and rod length and action—and matching it to seasonal forage—anglers can signi!cantly increase e ciency and landing percentage. In bass !shing, success o en comes down to details, and choosing the right reel and rod can be just as important as choosing the right bait.

Follow all of Joey Bloom’s shing and fun on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube at Joey Bloom Fishing.

COME JOIN

MPRO FISHING TECHNIQUES TOP 3 PRO TIPS to Catch More Fish

CAPT. MIKE SMITH

any anglers haphazardly run around searching for !sh. ey see a !shy looking point and anchor up and start casting. Hours later they give up and go home empty handed.

at !shy looking point probably does have !sh on it some of the time, but not all the time.

What did they do wrong? ey forgot that !sh move around based on water temperatures, food resources, currents, water quality and the presence of larger predators. In my experience, 80% of the !sh will be in 20% of the area based on those conditions.

Here are the three most important pro tips to help you catch more !sh.

1. Find Feeding Fish. My !shing charters always start by scanning mangrove shorelines, grass %ats, and spoil islands for feeding !sh. Obviously, this is the easiest way to !gure out where the !sh are.

If you can !nd baits being crushed by predatory !sh, then start casting there. Even if you only !nd nervous bait, that’s still a great spot to start casting.

2. Find Food Resources. When the !sh are not actively feeding your next best bet is !nding bait. Sometimes the bait is obvious and you can start casting along the edges of the schools.

If you can’t actually see any bait then let the birds tell you where it is and what size it is. Birds always know where the food is. When you see diving pelicans or a great blue heron perched on a mangrove branch you know there is bait there.

e various bird species will tell you what lures to cast. When you see small wading birds like snowy egrets, little blue herons, green herons and tri-colored herons, then you know to cast something small. is really helps because you can grab your three-inch paddle tail or 2.75 inch shrimp and know that you are !shing with the right size lure. ose smaller herons usually target baits that are three inches or smaller.

When you see great white egrets, great blue herons and brown pelicans it gets a little harder to !gure out the size of the baits to use. You know there is food there but those birds will eat anything from a two-inch minnow up to an eight-inch mullet.

is is when you need an assortment of di erent sizes and pro!les of lures. I usually have a three-inch paddle tail, an arti!cial shrimp and a four to !ve and half inch jerkbait (%uke) rigged on my rods. Start casting until you !gure out what the !sh want on that day.

3. Find Moving Water. e next important factor is moving water. All of the predatory inshore species that you want to catch like a little bit of current.

ey will typically be facing into the current waiting for some unsuspecting food resource to %ow past their ambush point.

Your strongest currents are going to occur during the full moon and the new moon. Coincidentally, the best !shing occurs around these two moon phases.

Go get ‘em!

Capt. Mike Smith, owner of Fish Your Ass O Charters, is an inshore shing guide who has been shing the inshore waters, oyster bars and grass ats of Florida for more than 40 years. Reach him at (561) 3392317, email: contact@ shyourasso .com or visit shyourasso .com.

The Best Infatable Fishing Boats

Best For Lightweight Solo Fishing

The versatility of the FishSUP™1210 is unmatched! Use it bare bones with just the board, a paddle & your !shing gear or deck it out with swivel seat, side pontoons, casting bar, motor and more! Incredibly stable, extra wide, swallow-tail !shing SUP holds up to 500 lbs! The FS1210 takes electric and gas motors up to 3 hp. There’s even an option for a bow trolling motor.

Choose From 6 Packages

Starting At Just $999

Best For Lightweight Tandem Fishing

Perfect for !shing rivers, lakes and bays. The STS10 is a lightweight, roomy 1 or 2 person pontoon boat that’s packed with features anglers need & love including 2 built-in !sh rules, 4 built-in rod holders & 2 Scotty® mounts for more rod holders, anchor locks, camera posts or any other Scotty® accessory. Now available with a drop-stitch in atable oor or wooden oorboards.

Choose From 7 Packages

Starting At Just $1449

Best For Lightweight Fish Ski! for 1, 2 or 3 Anglers

This “low-rider” gives you access to the water to reel in and release !sh easily. With a new patented outside, in atable, rigid keel the FSK16 glides through the water at speeds up to 21 mph to get you to the !sh fast! Perfect for 1-3 anglers and room for plenty of gear.

Choose From 9 Packages

Starting At Just $2999

Every spring, it feels like the bank bite will last forever. Fish are shallow, visible, and predictable cruising, spawning, and guarding fry. It’s the time of year when con!dence is high and decisions feel easy. But like everything in !shing, that window doesn’t stay open long. Before most anglers realize it, the !sh that were once easy to !nd have simply vanished.

at disappearance marks the beginning of what seasoned anglers know as the o shore shi . As water temperatures climb and the spawn wraps up, bass begin pulling away from the bank and setting up on o shore structure. Ledges, shell beds, brush piles, and subtle depth changes start to hold more !sh than the shoreline ever could. It’s not an overnight move, but it happens quickly enough that many !shermen get le behind, still casting to water that’s no longer alive.

One of the biggest mistakes anglers make during this transition is assuming the !sh have stopped biting. In reality, they’ve just relocated. Instead of being scattered along miles of bank, bass begin grouping up in smaller, more de!ned areas. e challenge

TYLER WOOLCOTT

FROM A PRO THE OFFSHORE SHIFT: WHEN BASS LEAVE THE BANK FOR GOOD

shi s from covering water visually to understanding what lies beneath the surface. It becomes less about instinct and more about intention reading depth, structure, and subtle changes that aren’t visible at a glance.

Making the adjustment isn’t always easy, especially for anglers who are comfortable !shing shallow. It requires slowing down, trusting your electronics, and committing to areas that might not show immediate signs of life. But once you connect with your !rst o shore group, everything changes. What felt like a tough day can turn into a %urry of action in just a few casts, o en with better quality !sh than what the bank was o ering.

e o shore shi is more than just a seasonal pattern—it’s a turning point. It separates those who react to changing conditions from those who anticipate them. As summer approaches, the anglers who embrace the move away from the bank will !nd themselves ahead of the curve, dialing in on schools of bass that are no longer pressured by the crowds. And while the shoreline may feel empty, the real action is just a little deeper.

is a professional tournament angler, as well as owner/operator of Florida Big Fish Adventures, providing bass and saltwater guided shing trips: www. oridabig shadventures.com.

Capt. Tyler Woolcott

Throw Yourself a Bone

The very best hunting knives possess a perfect balance of form and function. They’re carefully constructed from fine materials, but also have that little something extra to connect the owner with nature. If you’re on the hunt for a knife that combines impeccable craftsmanship with a sense of wonder, the $79 Huntsman Blade is the trophy you’re looking for.

The blade is full tang, meaning it doesn’t stop at the handle but extends to the length of the grip for the ultimate in strength. The blade is made from 420 surgical steel, famed for its sharpness and its resistance to corrosion.

EXCLUSIVE FREE

The handle is made from genuine natural bone, and features decorative wood spacers and a hand-carved motif of two overlapping feathers— a reminder for you to respect and connect with the natural world.

This fusion of substance and style can garner a high price tag out in the marketplace. In fact, we found full tang, stainless steel blades with bone handles in excess of $2,000. Well, that won’t cut it around here. We have mastered the hunt for the best deal, and in turn pass the spoils on to our customers.

But we don’t stop there. While supplies last, we’ll include a pair of $99 Stauer power pocket binoculars and a genuine leather sheath FREE when you purchase the Huntsman Blade.

Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Feel the knife in your hands, wear it on your hip, inspect the impeccable craftsmanship. If you don’t feel like we cut you a fair deal, send it back within 30 days for a complete refund of the item price.

Limited Reserves. A deal like this won’t last long. We have only 1120 Huntsman Blades for this ad only. Don’t let this beauty slip through your fingers. Call today!

Huntsman Blade $249*