TRUST BR AND MARINERS
Ever see a commercial harbor full of Furuno Marine Electronics and wonder why the pros rely on us?
See why here
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. 2. 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.
5. Progressive offers specialized boat coverages
Ever worry about getting stuck on the water?
Progressive’s Sign & Glide® On-Water Towing coverage** can help. It’s an additional coverage that steps in if your boat is disabled or breaks down on the water, paying for on-water towing, jump starts, soft ungroundings, and fuel delivery. Fuel cost isn’t included.
Don’t let unforeseen circumstances disrupt your voyage. Cruise with confdence thanks to Progressive Boat insurance. Because when it comes to your boat, peace of mind is the ultimate luxury.
Scan to get a quote in as little as 4 minutes.
to learn more.
Flounder Fishing 101
Do you want to catch more !ounder? You will need to nd an area with current, bait and structure for the !ounder to ambush its prey.
Where are they?
Flounder are very prevalent in creek mouths, jetties, sandy points, oyster bars, docks and any other underwater structures. e !ounder will take advantage of the structures to block the current, saving them energy and bringing bait right to their gluttonous mouths.
Flounder are the perfect ambush predator. ey like to bury in the sand adjacent to structures of some kind facing directly into the current. Your lure presentations always need to come from up current or you will spook them.
What do they eat?
CAPT. MIKE SMITH
and bait sh imitations.
Flounder love to eat unsuspecting shrimp and sh brought to them by the current. e best lures to catch !ounder are scented shrimp
e best colors of lures to use for !ounder are any color as long as it is white. White is by far the best color of lure to catch !ounder. Do other colors work? Yes, if you want to catch fewer !ounders, then use something other than white.
e best lures that I have found for !ounder are Gulp! Shrimp and swimming mullets on a jig head. Start small and go bigger if you notice the bait in the area is large. Having an assortment from 3 to 5 inches will usually be perfect.
A great second choice for a !ounder lure is a white bucktail jig. Add a small piece of shrimp to add odor for best results.
How do you catch a flounder?
Flounder have a very small cone of awareness. ey are very unlikely to notice and
chase a lure that is more than 3 or 4 feet away from them.
ey also have a very small strike zone. ey are very hesitant to rise more than 18 inches o$ of the bottom to eat your lures.
Let’s say you found a beautiful oyster point at the mouth of a creek with plenty of current and bait !owing around it. is scenario is perfect for catching a !ounder.
Cast up current and work the lure on the bottom very slowly in 1 to 3 feet of water. When you think you hooked an oyster, set the hook. Flounder strikes are subtle and o en feel like a hang up.
It is very hard to work your lure too slowly for a !ounder. Old timers will tell you to just drag it on the bottom. I personally like to bounce my lures o$ the bottom being careful to not li it more than 18 inches into the water column.
Pro Tip: Use braided line and !uorocarbon leaders when shing for !ounder. Flouro sinks and helps you present your lures more e$ectively on the bottom. Braid doesn’t stretch and will help you feel a !ounder’s very subtle bites.
If you want to become an o cial !ounder pounder, then follow the tips above and catch more !atties. 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) 339-2317, email: contact@ "shyourasso .com or visit "shyourasso .com.
Sailfish in The Florida Keys
By Astrid deGruchy
Sailfish are the true showoffs of the Florida Keys. They’re fast, flashy, and love putting on a performance the second you put a bait in the water. One moment everything’s calm and quiet, and the next your reel is screaming while a sailfish is launching itself out of the ocean like it’s trying to win an Olympic medal. It’s the kind of chaos anglers live for.
The Keys are famous for having one of the best sailfish bites anywhere, especially from November through April. Cold fronts push schools of ballyhoo and other bait along the reef, and the sailfish stay right on their heels. Spots like Islamorada, Marathon, Key Largo, and Key West all fire off during the season, with most of the action happening along
that 80 to 200 foot reef edge. Most captains here rely on live-baiting and kite fishing, two methods that make sailfish practically impossible to resist. There’s nothing like watching a kite bait get
smashed on the surface. And on those calm, clear days after a front, you might even get to sight-cast to tailing sailfish cruising right along the top. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Strong conservation efforts keep sailfish thriving in the Keys, so anglers get to keep making these memories year after year. Whether you’ve done it before or if your someone trying it for the first time, hooking a sailfish here is unforgettable. It’s fast, wild, beautiful and classic Florida Keys fishing.
Follow deGruchy’s adventures at @bean_sportfishing on Instagram and on YouTube @BeanSportfishing.
Mastry Engine Center has received the Suzuki Marine Super Service Award and has been ranked #1 in Suzuki Marine US Sales! 60 YEARS OF REPOWER EXPERIENCE!
RePower Packages designed to best ft your needs and not stretch your budget.
Financing available.
Rest assured, all Mastry Suzuki RePowers are backed by Suzuki’s industry leading 5-year factory warranty.
Stationed strategically around the East Coast, all Suzuki RePower Centers have achieved the highest level of Suzuki certifcations to meet and exceed your repower needs.
Stationed strategically around the East Coast, all Suzuki RePower Centers have achieved the highest level of Suzuki certifcations to meet and exceed your repower needs.
When Considering A Repower, Consider These Factors:
•Every Authorized Mastry Suzuki RePower Center has decades of repower experience providing proper rigging, controls, propeller matching and in water testing
•With a Mastry Suzuki RePower, owners gain improved performance, less noise and greater reliability
•Mastry Suzuki RePower’s exclusive Owner’s Edge Program*
•Mastry Suzuki RePower Centers use authentic Suzuki OEM parts and have factory certifed technicians
WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED!
Since 2014, Mastry Engine Center, has been building the premiere Suzuki Outboard repower network in Florida. Today, Authorized Mastry Suzuki Outboard Centers have been exceeding expectaions in the Southeast for over two decades. Recently Suzuki Marine requested Mastry Engine Center to expand the network throughout the Northeast. Now boat owners from Maine to Florida can be assured of the best support for their Suzuki outboard repower project. All Authorized Mastry Suzuki RePower Centers provide the best options, information and package pricing for excellent performance in repower.
*Get with the Program!
When you purchase a new Suzuki outboard from an authorized Mastry RePower Center you qualify to become a member of the Mastry Suzuki Owner’s Edge. Owners receive an identifcation card that provides them with important information about their Suzuki outboard motor as well as a passport to additional benefts during ownership. Members enjoy a detailed engine maintenance schedule, Mastry Suzuki RePower Trade Program and special pricing from Mastry Suzuki Partners.
FWC APPROVES RULE CHANGES FOR GULF LANE SNAPPER
At its November meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved rule changes for lane snapper in Florida’s Gulf state waters to be more consistent with current and pending federal regulations.
Approved modi!cations of lane snapper in Gulf state waters include increasing the commercial and recreational minimum size limit from 8 inches to 10 inches total length, and establishing a 20-!shper-person recreational bag limit. ese changes are intended to reduce the risk of over!shing, mitigate the likelihood of early closures, and increase consistency between Gulf state and federal waters. e new Gulf lane snapper recreational regulations will go into e ect on April 1, 2026.
For the full Commission Meeting Nov 5-6 agenda including links to background reports, go to MyFWC.com/About and click on “ e Commission” and “Commission Meetings.”
PORT CANAVERAL OFFSHORE
Wind, wind and more wind…Go away already!
Nearshore 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 there is a good chance they are 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 mud balls. The reds will eat anything you throw in the school: bucktails, bunker, and I’m sure even a hotdog. They’re all big and upwards of 35 pounds!
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.
hoping they do the same thing in 2026. They are a blast to catch in shallow water.
Shark fishing has been on fire as well. Large blacktip, hammerhead and blacknose have been plentiful. A bunch of bulls too. This time last year the big extinct sandbar sharks moved in, so we’re
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 won’t eat. You will literally watch everyone around you hooked up, but they will not touch a dead spinner bait. You really have to put in the effort right now to catch the live baits.
This time last year was the best ling run we had, as many fish—including many of the giants—were caught in February. It was even
better than March. Take advantage of those sunny days and go look around; 55-foot depths seem to be the most productive this time of year. Patrick has always been productive. And the rays are showing up!
Have a great month and good luck.
CAPT. CHRIS CAMERON Fired Up Fishing Charters firedupcharters.com sharkfishingcocoabeach.com (407) 222-3573
Super awesome day with some amazing customers as well!
3
4
5
6
8
9
10
19
20
22
23
25
26
28
BREVARD COASTAL ANGLER
PORT CANAVERAL NEARSHORE: The tripletail bite in early January was on fire outside of Port Canaveral, and we’re hoping for a similar month this February so that we can continue catching these hard-fighting fish as the near coastal waters warm back into the lower-70-degree range on this part of the Space Coast. Live shrimp are our number one bait option most of the time, but you may also get them to strike small baitfish or even jigs when they are feeling aggressive. Tripletail are some of the best eating fish that we catch all year, so if this appeals to you, please get in touch with me so we can get you booked for one of these excursions before the tripletail leave the Port Canaveral area and make their way northward up the coast.
BANANA RIVER LAGOON: Speckled trout, redfish and black drum are my three main targets this month. During cooler days we often find them on the edges of drop offs or near undercut mangrove trees. On calm sunny days they will often ease out of these deeper places and into the shallows where we can sight cast to them with artificial lures or live and cut baits. The black drum prefer to dine on shrimp or crab. Sometimes we find huge schools of giant black drum gathering in the deeper sections of this lagoon. When we do, it can be a free for all on fish ranging from 30 to 50 pounds. The reds and trout will strike live shrimp, fingerling mullet, or mud minnows at times. On the days when we can’t get out to chase the tripletail, these other species keep us busy most of the time.
Hefty black drum!
SPACE COAST SURF FISHING FORECAST
By February, the Space Coast surf settles into its winter rhythm, and for anglers willing to brave cool mornings and shifting winds, this can be one of the most rewarding months of the year. As a surf fishing angler in Brevard County, I look forward to February because it’s a month that rewards patience, preparation, and paying attention to conditions. The crowds thin out, the water cleans up between fronts, and some of our most targeted species line right up.
Pompano is the headline act this time of year. February sits right in the heart of their winter run so the fishing can be outstanding. Look for clean water, rips, runouts and defined troughs. Pompano cruise these zones feeding on sand fleas, clams and small crustaceans. Fresh sand fleas are hard to beat, but well-presented Fishbites, fresh dead shrimp or clam strips will also get the job done. Pay attention to subtle bites—February pompano can be quick and light, but the payoff is worth it.
Black drum are another winter staple and often overlooked by surf anglers. February brings some of the largest drum of the year tight to the beach as they move in to spawn. These fish prefer deeper holes, sloughs, and areas near inlets where the current concentrates food. Fresh shrimp, cut crab or sand fleas fished on a simple bottom rig can produce trophyclass drum upwards of 50 pounds. When you hook into one, be ready—they don’t run fast, but they pull hard and steady, and they know how to use the current. Be prepared for a long walk down the beach and using your reel drag accordingly.
Whiting, or southern kingfish, are the backbone of February surf fishing. They are plentiful, aggressive, and perfect for anglers of all experience levels. Whiting thrive in cooler water and can be found in good numbers throughout the month, especially in the first trough. Small pieces of shrimp or sand fleas on light tackle will keep rods bending all day. While many anglers target them for the table, whiting are also excellent bait for larger predators such as blacktip sharks.
Bluefish round out the winter lineup and add an element of chaos to an otherwise finesse-oriented month. Cold fronts and rougher water often trigger bluefish activity, especially when schools of bait are pushed close to shore. Cut mullet, fresh shrimp or metal spoons will draw aggressive strikes. Be prepared to lose some rigs due to bluefish; their teeth are no joke, but the explosive bites make it worthwhile.
Overall, February surf fishing on the Space Coast is about reading the beach and adjusting to conditions. Watch the weather windows between fronts, fish early when the water is calmest, and don’t be afraid to move until you find life. For those willing to put in the time, February can deliver some of the most bountiful and satisfying surf fishing of the year.
CAPT. LUKAS BRICKWEG
Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters cocoabeachsurffishingcharters.com (321) 205-4672
COASTAL ANGLER
BRAG BOARD
Kai Lester caught this 23-inch 5 lb. largemouth bass trolling a blue rattletrap in a local lake.
Juliet Zickel caught this 36-inch, 14 lb. red on a small Mojarra off a dock on the IRL iN Melbourne Beach.
David DeRosa tossed out a big hunk of stingray on an old Penn International 50 and 10 minutes after his friend paddled it out they had a run. Fought this 6-foot bull shark for 10 minutes and released him back into the IRL right after cutting the hook in half.
Michael Sabato went to his favorite land-based spot in Mosquito Lagoon and got this 35-inch red 15 minutes before the end of his birthday!
Fishing in Sebastian, Jeanette Morenski threw out her line with a live shrimp, and was about to put the rod in the holder when the tip took a hard bow. She joked it was a ray — until seeing the stripes of this 8 lb. black drum slowly emerge as she reeled it up.
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
JEast Coast Tide Charts
anuary began with unusually warm weather, resulting in higher air and water temperatures than is typical for this time of year. These warmer conditions have contributed to increased activity off the beaches, where the fishing action has been consistently productive. In contrast, the bite within the inlet has been less predictable, with catches of redfish and snook varying from day to day. Notably, the flounder bite has shown significant improvement compared to previous years, offering anglers better opportunities for success with this species.
INLET TO EAU GALLIE CAUSEWAY
Tide Charts brought to you by these businesses
January 2020
(Approximate
Doc’s Goofy jigs will normally 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. We have also caught a few pompano lately on the Rapala Mooch Minnow fishing the flats around the inlet and off the beaches. The smaller profile seems to work well for pompano as well as trout, snook and most other inshore species. 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 3/8-½ ounce jighead with a D.O.A. Paddletail or Curly Tail with pro-cure.
If the weather stays warm, the snook and redfish bite in the inlet should get better and be pretty good. Live bait is the key in the daytime and at night artificials will work well. Bucktail Jigs work well and the Rapala X-Rap 14 and the Long Cast 14 are great plugs to fish from the jetties and 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 D.O.A. Baitbusters.
If you can get out on the beach, you can jig for pompano, mackerel, Jacks and bluefish. Following those species in February and March are blacktip sharks. You can have some great action fishing live bait or even Topwater baits for blacktips that are mixed in and feeding on the mackerel and Blues. We have been seeing some manta rays along the beaches, but the cobia haven’t been tagging along yet. But, as we move into February we should see them with the rays. Most live baits and bucktails work well for the cobia.
BIG SHRIMP
The big jacks, sail cats and a few tarpon are up in the Sebastian River as well as Turkey Creek in Palm Bay and Crane Creek in Melbourne. Snook are 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
Going Coastal Charters www.goingcoastalcharters.com (321) 863-8085
Anglers gettin’ some South Brevard action!
1
3
5
6
7
8
9
10
18
19
20
23
24
25
26
27
ST. JOHNS RIVER
FORECAST
Hurry! There is still time to win the 17th Annual Shad and Crappie Fishing Derby, which ends February 28, 2026, at sunset. Visit www.coastalanglermag. com/orlando to learn how to register.
Now is the time for huge largemouth bass! The spawn is on. Shallow beds during full and new moon phases will produce the biggest bass of all year. Catch, photo, and release these large female fish for the reproductive cycle to complete. The largest bass are lazy and will eat large baits. Big wild shiners, although expensive, are the absolute best bait for a trophy fish. Large wild shiners in pre-spawn areas (not more than 500 ft. from the beds) can yield the monster you’re looking for. When throwing artificial, try using baits that mimic predators of fish eggs, namely lizards, shiners and bream. Lipless rattle-trap-style crank baits, soft-plastic lizards, and shallow surface lures like a Devil’s Horse work great.
Speckled perch (crappie) are feasting every chance they get during the spawn. Minnows are plentiful in the river system and grass shrimp round out their diet. Jigs tipped with minnows trolled along channel edges is a sure bet. Watch your depth recorder in the river bends while trolling and you will learn to see them before they strike the lures. Crappie spawn in colonies and bunch up—find them and troll many passes for a bucket full of good eating. Florida’s crappie limit is 25 per person.
American shad are in full swing; go get them while they last. Their life cycle is four years and these fish return to where they were born to lay eggs similar to salmon up north. Small 1.5” tandem shad darts with a trailer spoon trolled against the current at 1.5 to 2.0 mph should get a strike in shad alley—between Mullet Lake Park south all the way to Puzzle Lake.
HIGHS LOWS& ON LAKE 'O'
By Don Norton
For years, underwater vegetation in Lake Okeechobee has been disappearing, but now it’s making a comeback!
Last December, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers started a “recovery” schedule for Lake Okeechobee, with the goal of getting the lake below 12 feet
for 90 days or below 11.5 feet for 60 days. !e lower lake level is needed for sunlight to reach the lake bottom and new submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) to sprout.
Lake Okeechobee level was 12.08 on April 13, 2025, which was 2.82 feet lower than a year ago. By April 15th, the lake fell below 12 feet above sea level.
At the June 5 meeting of the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Governing Board, scientists were hopeful the lake low would stay below 12 feet for the full 90-day target. If the water rises faster than the plants can grow, new plants could be damaged or lost.
!en, by June 22, 2025, the o cial Lake Okeechobee elevation was 10.99 feet.
Last year, on the same day, the lake was at 13.37 feet. And the year before that? A whopping 14.33! Even the historical average for that time of year (1965-2007) was 13.24 feet. !at meant we were sitting about 2.25 feet below average.
What did that mean for you, the angler? Well, lower water levels can concentrate the sh, making them easier to nd…sometimes. But even more importantly, you have to be extra careful navigating those shallower areas.
I don’t normally sh Lake Okeechobee, but thanks to Capt. Robin Clegg and his late summer YouTube videos, I ventured down to the “Big O” a couple of times and had a great time catching bass.
Launching at C. Scott Driver Park, I took Capt. Clegg’s advice and made the short trip to King’s Bar, and for the next couple of hours, caught bass a er bass on a wide variety of lures. !e key was to be there at rst light!
!e water was still pretty low, but as long as you shed the outside reeds, there was plenty of water (and bass).
Capt. Clegg, by the way, works out of Garrard’s Bait and Tackle, located at 4375 US Highway 441 in Okeechobee, just a couple of miles from the boat ramps.
As I write this article in mid-January, the water level is back up to 13.3’ thanks to all the rain we’ve received, the new plants are doing well—and the shing is still excellent!
Don Norton is Co-Publisher of Coastal Angler Magazine’s Okeechobee edition. Contact him at (863) 273-4998 or don@theanglermagazine.com.
Valued at over $90,000 MSRP, only 2500 tickets left.
By Capt. Michael Okruhlik
water bites
February might not get the hype of spring break or summer tides, but pro cient coastal anglers know a secret: some of the best shing of the year happens when the crowds are gone, the water is cold, and the sh are predictable.
Winter has settled in by February. Water temperatures hover in the upper 40s to low 50s, especially a er a strong north wind. !at cold pushes bait and game sh into tighter zones, turning miles of water into a handful of high-percentage spots. If you can nd warmth, you can nd sh.
Speckled trout are the headline act this time of year. Big trout in particular prefer slow, easy meals in cold water, which is why February is prime time for trophy hunters. Deep guts, channels and drop-o s near shallow ats are key. Trout slide shallow during the a ernoon when the sun warms mud or dark grass, then fall back into deeper water when temperatures drop.
Slow presentations rule. So plastics on light jig heads, suspending twitch baits, and so jerk shads worked slowly can trigger reaction strikes. Make sure you know the gear ratio of your reel. You may think you are moving slowly, but if the reel is taking up a lot of line, you may be o target. Cold-water trout won’t chase far, but they will inhale an easy meal.
Red sh remain a dependable target throughout February. While they may not school as aggressively as in the fall, reds still prowl shorelines, back lakes, and marsh drains—especially on sunny days. Look for black mud bottoms that warm faster and concentrate bait.
Sight-casting opportunities can be outstanding on calm, clear days. Reds cruising skinny water are o en willing biters, even in cold conditions. Gold spoons, paddletails, and weedless so plastics shine here, particularly when worked steadily along shorelines.
February shing success is less about the tide chart and more about the thermometer. Midday is prime time. Early mornings can be brutally slow a er a cold night, but a few hours of sunshine can ip the switch fast. Pay attention to warming trends—two or three stable days can dramatically improve the bite.
Wind plays a major role this month as well. Strong north winds drain water out of bays and expose structure, which can help you locate sh holding in remaining deeper pockets. On calmer days, expect clearer water and more nicky sh.
February rewards patience, observation and con dence. It’s not about covering water—it’s about shing smart, shing slow, and being ready when that unmistakable thump signals a wintertime strike worth remembering.
As I write this article in January, it is near 80 degrees. With that said, if February feels like an early spring, follow your spring shing guidelines. !e sh don’t have a calendar.
Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures,® and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.
Setting the New Standards in the Pontoon Boat and Offshore Fishing Boat Segments for Exceptional ROOM, RIDE, HANDLING, STABILITY, PERFORMANCE & DURABILITY In Saltwater Conditions. Sold Fully Assembled on its Matching Custom Trailer!
• 88 Gal. In-Tube Fuel Tank
• In-Floor Storage Locker
• One Panel Composite Deck
• Composite Bottom Skin & Side Bumper Guard
• 7.5’ Pull-Out Front Boarding Ramp
• Front and Rear Bow Eyes for Trailer Tie Down
Center Tube is a 32” Dropped 2” Tube with a 30”- 35” High Hp Transom Motor Mount. Outer Tubes Are 30”. Comes with an 18” Side Step Planning Surface for High Hp. Nose Cones generate super high buoyancy for extreme water conditions. Deck as it sits has a 10,000 lbs. Buoyancy Rating.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®
SPEND LE TIME ON TASKS More Time Fishing
It’s no fsh tale when you run with a John Deere. You can get everything done faster and easier, so you get more time on the water. Plus, our special offers make them the catch of the day.
ATLANTIC SNOOK SEASON
OPENS FEB. 1
The recreational harvest of snook in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Northeast, Indian River Lagoon and Southeast management regions will open February 1 and remains open through May 31. During snook season, anglers may keep one snook per person per day that is not less than 28 or more than 32 inches in total length, which is measured from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed while the sh is lying on its side. Other regulations include:
• No commercial harvest or sale of snook is permitted
• Must remain in whole condition until landed ashore
• When on a for-hire trip, captain and crew may not retain a bag limit
• Allowable Gear: Hook and line only
• License Requirements: Snook permit and recreational shing license !e harvest of snook in all of Florida’s Gulf of Mexico state waters, including Everglades National Park and all of Monroe County, remains closed until March 1. Anglers may catch and release snook during the closed season, but the FWC encourages anglers to handle and release these sh carefully to help ensure their survival upon release. Proper handling methods can help ensure the species’ abundance for anglers today and generations to come. To learn more about sh handling, visit https://myfwc.com/ shing/saltwater/ outreach/ sh-handling/.
For more information, visit myfwc.com/ shing/saltwater/recreational/snook/.
Hooking Giants In Ketchikan, Alaska BUCKET
By Capt. Lukas Brickweg
If you’ve ever dreamed about catching halibut and cod in the wilderness of Alaska - rod bent, line screaming, and majestic wildlife abound – now is the time to turn that dream into reality. Every season in Ketchikan, Alaska, May marks the kicko! to world-class halibut and Paci c cod shing, and we are ready to put you on the sh of a lifetime.
May Is Extraordinary!
May is a special month in Southeast Alaska. e long daylight hours return, the ocean comes alive, and the early-season halibut move onto nearshore waters to feed. Halibut gather on the underwater ledges, humps, and sandy $ats, areas that we know like the backs of our hands, ranging from 200-400 feet.
At the same time, hungry Paci c cod patrol the same bottom structure, adding an action-packed bonus to every trip. “Alaska cod shing chaos” is the best way to describe
this seasonal bite. ere are no limits on retaining Paci c cod, allowing anglers to bring home huge hauls of cod and halibut. is means you can o en pull up a mixed bag of halibut, cod, and rock sh - making for one of the most productive and delicious shing experiences anywhere in the world.
Reeling up cod and halibut until your arms give out is a good way to summarize Alaska bottom shing in May.
May trips tend to ll quickly because the reputation for aggressive sh and minimum shing pressure. is combination equates to an anglers dream scenario. Whether you’re $ying in for our three to four day allinclusive lodging/ shing packages or on a cruise, it’s best to start planning and booking early. Ketchikan provides convenient $ights, accommodating guests from all over the US. Our all-inclusive packages provide airport transfer, lodging, meals, shing and sh processing.
The Bottom Line ere’s shing, and then there’s Alaska shing. And when it comes to halibut and
cod, May in Ketchikan is as good as it gets. So give us a call to book your spot, and come experience the thrill of hooking giants where every trip is a story worth telling.
Book your "Bucket List" trip to Alaska with Capt. Lukas Brickweg, of Ketchikan’s Finest Fishing Charters, at ketchikan shingtrips.com, call (907) 617-4717 or email ketchikan shingtrips@gmail.com.
CAPACITY: Four Adults or 800 pounds (reduce by accessories and gear) Rear sun deck with retractable ladder for boarding in deep water. Two passengers face forward and two face backward. The front passengers pedal.
BRAVING THE COLD FOR BIG WINTER STRIPERS
By CAM Sta
Whether in saltwater or freshwater, excellent striper shing awaits anglers hearty enough to brave winter conditions. So layer up, zip into that parka, and go—some of the biggest sh of the year are feeding right now.
At the southern end of their fall migration, striped bass spend the winter o! the coast of North Carolina. ey follow schools of bait up and down the shoreline from Wilmington to the Outer Banks, feeding heavily along the way. In many years, Oregon Inlet becomes the epicenter of the action, though stripers can be found in most inlets throughout the region.
e key is to follow the birds, which o en reveal bass blowing up on menhaden, glass minnows, or eels. At times the action pushes close enough to shore that surfcasters can hook stripers right from the beaches of the Outer Banks. More o en, however, the best approach is hiring a local captain armed with recent intel and a fast boat.
Farther south, Wilmington provides another winter opportunity as striped bass stack up in the Cape Fear River. ese sh hold near structure, dropo!s, and creek mouths, and can be caught on arti cials—or even on $ies. is resident population is separate from the highly migratory sh wintering o! the Outer Banks. Cape Fear stripers are strictly catch-and-release and must be returned to the water immediately, so keep an eye out for tagged sh.
Meanwhile, freshwater reservoirs across the Southern states and into the Mid-Atlantic also produce solid winter striper shing. While smaller, schoolie-sized sh can become sluggish during the coldest periods, larger stripers continue to feed. e pace may not match summertime downline action over massive schools, but the sh that do bite are o en bigger.
Tactics vary by shery, but when water temperatures stabilize—or during a multi-day warming trend—the largest sh in the lake o en push shallow, sometimes surprisingly so, as they shadow schools of small shad. Find the $ickering bait, and you’ll nd the stripers. You may even see them picking o! prey near the surface. Stealth is critical in these situations, and so plastics like Flukes frequently outproduce live bait. ey’re easier to cast and allow for a slow, controlled retrieve.
Another e!ective approach is covering water by trolling wide spreads of small live baits, pulling umbrella rigs loaded with swimbaits, or combining both methods. When shing this way, good local information is invaluable. On some lakes, stripers spend the winter near the dam; on others, they push far up into the creeks.
Winter may test an angler’s resolve, but for those willing to endure the cold, striper shing can be at its best. From coastal inlets and rivers to inland reservoirs, striped bass remain active and accessible, o en with less pressure and a better chance at trophy-sized sh. Success comes down to preparation, paying attention to bait and bird activity, and adapting tactics to changing conditions. Bundle up, do your homework, and embrace the season—the reward could be the biggest striper of your year.
OVER 100 ANGLERS TO COMPETE IN 2026 BASSMASTER ELITE SERIES
Coming o! the heels of a record-breaking 2025 season that awarded 11 century belts, saw four- rst time champions (two of which were members of the 2025 rookie class) and garnered over 183 million social media impressions, B.A.S.S. has announced the 101-angler eld for an exciting 2026 Elite Series season.
is year, anglers will be put to the test with the use of forward-facing sonar only being allowed at ve of the nine regular-season Elite events. Anglers will be competing for a $100,000 rst-place prize at each stop of the season, while also accumulating valuable Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year points in hopes of making it to the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
“Each season, the Bassmaster Elite Series showcases the very best in professional bass shing, and 2026 will be no exception,” said B.A.S.S. Elite Series Tournament Director Lisa Talmadge. “We’re excited to welcome 101 incredibly talented anglers who represent the heart of this sport—a mix of proven champions, rising stars and hungry newcomers all ready to compete on some of the most iconic sheries in the country. It’s going to be an unforgettable season for our anglers and fans alike.”
With the exception of one angler, every 2025 Elite Series angler who quali ed is returning next year. e list of anglers includes 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic champion Easton Fothergill of Grand Rapids, Minn., who won the most coveted trophy in bass shing during his freshman season on the Elites. Two-time Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year Chris Johnston will also join the ranks of returning anglers alongside Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year Tucker Smith, who took home his rst blue trophy at the 2025 Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork with a 127-pound, 8-ounce winning weight that also earned him a century belt.
Ten anglers from the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Quali ers will also be joining the 2026 Elite roster, including 20-year-old Alabama phenom Fisher Anaya who claimed the 2025 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Quali ers Angler of the Year title. Wisconsin’s Nick Trim clinched an Elite Series spot for himself alongside his big win at the 2025 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Upper Mississippi River presented by Lowrance. e 2026 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series kicks o! on Alabama’s Lake Guntersville February 5. From there the tournament trail will wind through six states as anglers battle for cash prizes and attempt to qualify for the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
Each tournament will begin with the full eld of anglers on Days 1 and 2 before the eld is cut to the Top 50 on Semi nal Saturday. Only the Top 10 anglers will sh the nal day of the event, with a $100,000 rstplace prize and a blue trophy on the line. For the complete roster, and to keep up with all the action from the 2026 Elite Series season visit Bassmaster.com.
February Cold Water Offshore: Wahoo
This is the time of year to nd the wall of warmer water and get the wahoo bite going. All of the water nearshore is cold and where the 68- plusdegree water meets that cold water can be an excellent spot for targeting wahoo. is is a great time of year to target wahoo during the rst hour or two of your trip using high speed trolling. You can cover a lot of ground high speed trolling, which speci cally targets wahoo. Once the sun has been up for a few hours your chances at a wahoo bite diminish unless it’s an overcast or rainy day. Wahoo regulate the amount of sun they take in by going deeper as the sun rises, so midmorning is a good time to change tactics.
Slow dri s, kite shing and jigging the column with live baits is a great mid-morning tactic and the bigger the bait the better. ere’s no telling what you’ll raise during these colder days shing the temperature change. Never count out deep dropping near these temperature change areas either. Fishing the entire water column from the surface to the bottom turns a cold day into a cooler full of sh and some awesome dinners.
Meet the Beauty in the Beast
Discover this spectacular 6½-carat green treasure from Mount St. Helens!
For almost a hundred years it lay dormant. Silently building strength. At 10,000 feet high, it was truly a sleeping giant. Until May 18, 1980, when the beast awoke with violent force and revealed its greatest secret. Mount St. Helens erupted, sending up a 80,000-foot column of ash and smoke. From that chaos, something beautiful emerged… our spectacular Helenite Necklace
Helenite is produced from the heated volcanic rock of Mount St. Helens and the brilliant green creation has captured the eye of jewelry designers worldwide. Today you can wear this massive 6!-carat stunner for only $99!
Helenite Earrings -a $99 valuewith purchase of Helenite Necklace
Make your emeralds jealous. Our Helenite Necklace puts the green stone center stage, with a faceted pearcut set in .925 sterling silver finished in luxurious gold. The explosive origins of the stone are echoed in the flashes of light that radiate as the piece swings gracefully from its 18" luxurious gold-finished sterling silver chain. Today the volcano sits quiet, but this unique piece of American natural history continues to erupt with gorgeous green fire. Your satisfaction is guaranteed. Bring home the Helenite Necklace and see for yourself. If you are not completely blown away by the rare beauty of this exceptional stone, simply return the necklace within 30 days for a full refund of your purchase price.
JEWELRY SPECS:
- 6 ½ ctw Helenite in gold-finished sterling silver setting - 18" gold-finished sterling silver chain
Limited to the first 600 orders from this ad only
Helenite Necklace (6 ½ ctw) ............. Only $99 +S&P
Helenite Stud Earrings (1 ctw) ................ $99 +S&P
Helenite Set $198 ........... Call-in price only $99 +S&P (Set includes necklace and earrings)
Call now to take advantage of this extremely limited offer.
1-800-333-2045
Promotional Code HNN213-05
Please mention this code when you call.
color.
“My wife received more compliments on this stone on the first day she wore it than any other piece of jewelry I’ve ever given her.” - J. from Orlando, FL Stauer Client
Necklace enlarged to show luxurious
