Coastal Angler Magazine | February 2026 Sarasota / Bradenton / Venice Edition

TRUST BR AND MARINERS

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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.

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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.”

Grouper Risotto That Just Hits

By: Jessica Hendrie

There is something special about cooking a fish you caught yourself. Not rushed. Not fancy. Just good food that finishes the day the right way. When the boat is washed down and the rods are put away, the kitchen becomes part of the fishing trip. That is where this grouper risotto comes in. Grouper is a fisherman’s fish. Solid white meat mild flavor and always dependable. It does not need much to be good and that is what makes it perfect for a simple risotto. This is the kind of meal you make barefoot in the kitchen with the smell of salt still on your hands. Start with olive oil and shallots in a pan and let them soften while the house fills with that first good cooking smell. Stir in arborio rice and let it toast just a bit until it turns shiny. Pour in some dry white wine and let it cook down while you grab a cold drink and think about the fish

that got away. From there it is just patience. Warm seafood stock goes in slowly while you stir and let the rice do its thing. It turns creamy without any cream and starts to feel like real comfort food. That is when the fresh grouper goes in. Not too early. You want it to stay tender and flaky not overcooked. Cherry tomatoes add a little sweetness and lemon juice brightens everything up. Finish it off with grated parmesan and fresh herbs and suddenly you have a meal that feels like more than dinner. It feels earned. This is not about impressing anyone. It is about sitting down tired happy and full after a day on the water. It is about telling the same fishing stories again while the plates get passed around. Cooking your catch is part of the fishing life and this dish proves you do not need much to do it right.

February Hogfish

By: Capt. Andrew Bennett

February is the shortest month of the year and is often the coldest month of the year. Not exactly perfect fishing weather in many people’s mind, but I enjoy February, and one of the reasons is Hogfish. Some people call them Hog snapper, but they are not a snapper, they belong to the Wrasse Family. They root around the bottom eating a lot of crustaceans, and in February I can usually put my clients on them pretty consistently.

Hogfish are really cool looking, with their disproportionately large mouth, and the way that they change colors before your very eyes, from pale to vivid colors and back again to pale. The first three spines of the dorsal fin are extended into long filaments giving the fish a rooster type of vibe. They fight well, and are weirdly cooperative for spearfishermen, as they tend to be unwary of swimmers. But the best trait of a hogfish is their taste, considered by many to be one of the best tasting fish that swims. The meat is a dense, white, flaky, sweet, and almost crablike. On a trip to the Keys a few years ago, we cooked nine different species of fish for our group of 12 people and did a taste test. Everybody picked hogfish as their favorite!

To catch hogfish, I usually head out into the Gulf a few miles until the water is about 40’ to 60’ deep. I have several spots that I have discovered by watching my bottom machine and noticing when it indicates hard bottom, or some type of structure such as rocks or a ledge. As if hogfish were not considerate enough, they also prefer the bait that is the easiest for most fishermen to secure, live shrimp. You don’t have to be up early and get soaked throwing a cast net in the pre-dawn before a hogfish trip, as their favorite seems to be regular live shrimp.

Use light leader material when fishing hogfish. You may get broken off more often than when using heavier leader, but you will get more bites. The purpose of a leader usually is to prevent the line from breaking either from abrasion on the fish or structure. Because of this purpose, usually the leader is thicker and stronger than the main line, I usually use 30# to 100# leader when snook fishing, depending on the size of the fish and the proximity to structure, but when fishing for snapper or hogfish, who tend to be line shy, it is important to use lighter, smaller leader in the 12#-20# range. There is a definite relationship between how light the leader is and how many strikes I expect to get.

We are blessed with a healthy amount of hogfish, call me if you want to book a trip, I would love to show you and your crew how to chase your limit of hogfish, I will even clean them for you when we get back to the dock!

A FEW TIPS

By: Caitlyn Gatrell

It’s a new year and temperatures will be warming up soon, meaning great fishing opportunities are right around the corner. When spring fishing kicks off in Southwest Florida, lots of species are frolicking about and on the search for prey. From the backwaters, to the mangrove islands, to nearshore points. Here are a few of my tips on how to make your 2026 fishing year full of fun in SW Florida.

Fish Populated Habitats for Incoming Fish

As we’re nearing the end of winter and spring is soon to come, popular species like snook, redfish, and even tarpon will start making their way into local waters soon. These fish are migrating, feeding aggressively, and some even getting ready to spawn, so they are fired up and ready to strike at presenting bait.

Focus on populated habitats where fishing results will be productive, such as oyster beds, mangrove lines, drop offs and deep cuts, flats, passes, estuaries, and river mouths. Zones with moving water and strong currents are exceptional spots as fish often sit there awaiting prey to flow by.

Load Up on

Bait

Having the right bait can make a difference in your fishing trips. If you want to go artificial, use lures like top waters, jigs, soft plastics, flukes, and imitation baits. Live bait is often the go-to, with popular options like mullet, pilchards, crab, pinfish, and shrimp being amongst the top in Southwest Florida.

Ideally you want bait that looks lively, realistic, and catches the attention of nearby predators. Flashy, noisy, colorful bait can capture attention in murky waters while more natural looking baits are best in clearer water.

Head Out During Peak Fishing Times

Timing can make all the difference. Heading out during cooler dawn and dusk hours often provides peak fishing activity when fish are most active. But fishing can still be successfully done mid-day! You’d be surprised. Sometimes fish will bite during times you wouldn't suspect. For example, I’ve caught big fish like tarpon during hot hours mid-day!

Also, try to plan your trips around incoming tides or high low tides to ensure good water levels and current flows. Moon phases like full and new moons can affect fish behavior and feeding habits as well. Each species can have a different approach so it’s best to research more specifically if you have a targeted species.

Explore Seasonal Opportunities

As you’ve heard, spring fishing is pretty popping in the waters of Southwest Florida. But summer follows after and provides even more productivity. Fall then brings out large Redfish and yummy Seatrout you can take home. And winter doesn’t put an end to the fun either. It may not be as hot, but you can definitely still hook up to some nice fish and enjoy a day on the water.

With a little research and planning, you can have a great time fishing the Southwest Florida waters all of 2026. Tight lines to all!

CHANNEL EDGES

By: Joe Sheaffer

Winter has been quite cool this year in Southwest Florida. Throw in low water, colder water temps, usually breezy conditions that can make for challenging fishing days. Many anglers like to fish in creeks and canals where water temps can and will be warmer as the day goes on. Unfortunately, many like myself are limited because our boats just can’t get into shallower areas. Instead of being frustrated I try to focus on the positives. I have a boat, I have many different fishing opportunities near where I live and most of the time I can fish when I want. During the cooler months I like to focus on places that are near where I launch my boat. I’m close to a couple of passes to the Gulf, which creates plenty of current. With close access to the gulf there are many channels that provide waterways for boats heading to the passes. Channels that are adjacent or close to different types of structure can be very productive. I like to focus on the grass flats that create an edge along the channel. Fish like to be close to deeper water, many channels provide water depths that help fish feel comfortable especially during the cooler times of the year. I power fish in an area covering water quickly, looking for a sweet spot or key area holding fish. Once I get a bite or catch a fish, I slow down and spend time working that area. Many times, a specific area will hold many fish, making for a great fishing day. These productive areas can be solid areas for future trips. I typically will use a slow steady retrieve with a swim bait to look for active fish. Once I get a bite I change to a much slower presentation, like a jig paired with a plastic Shrimp or Shad lure. Fish may be holding to the bottom and the slower action will entice a bite. Focusing on shallow edges along deeper channels have been very productive for me and hopefully for you. Good luck and keep casting!

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Prime Fishing Month

by Capt. Billy Norris

Winter has finally showed up in Southwest Florida, and the cooler temps have turned the bite on both nearshore and in the backwater! With a mix of large predators and plenty of stuff for the dinner table, this time of year is a favorite for everyone! Even though a few extra articles of clothing are needed, the steady bite makes it all worth it!

As the Gulf cooled down, the big sharks moved in thick, with bulls, lemons, sandbars, and even the occasional tiger giving anglers long runs and plenty of screaming drags on the wrecks and hard bottom. Mixed in with the shark action have been some quality cobia and tripletail, a classic Southwest Florida winter combo around structure and surface debris. There have even been some decent schools of permit around, although most of the fish in those schools have been on the smaller side. The mangrove snapper bite has also been solid!

The water has been incredibly clear lately, some days being able to see the bottom in 40 plus foot of water! This being the case, make sure that you dumb your leader down a little. I recommend 12-pound fluorocarbon leader to fool the mangrove snappers. The only catch-22 to that, is that if you hook anything besides snapper you are almost certainly going to get cut off.

Gag grouper fishing has been strong on the nearshore ledges, with keeper fish coming on live bait and bottom rigs, and there have been plenty of spanish mackerel to keep rods bent between grouper bites. The cooler water consolidates bait on the reefs this time of year, which is exactly what keeps the grouper, mackerel, cobia, and sharks all stacked up within easy charter range.

I n the backwater, winter patterns are setting up with good numbers of sheepshead around docks, seawalls, and structure, along with a steady mix of snook and redfish on the right tides. Live or fresh shrimp pitched to pilings and edges has been a reliable way to bend the rod when the water gets clear and cool.

Snook and redfish are sliding into their winter haunts, holding tight to deeper holes, creeks, and mangrove edges where the water stays just a bit warmer, giving anglers sight-casting and live-bait opportunities on calmer days. This combination of inshore species has made for action-packed half-day and family trips even on cooler mornings.

February is shaping up to be a prime month, with the sheepshead bite expected to really peak as more big fish pile onto the nearshore reefs, passes, and heavy structure. Anglers who like steady action and great table fare will be in the sweet spot, as winter sheepshead fishing is often some of the most consistent of the year in Southwest Florida. February trips with Pale Horse Fishing Charters should offer everything from light-tackle fun to heavyweight battles for visiting and local anglers alike!

Roller Coaster Weather

By: Capt. Dave Stephens

Well fellow anglers we are coming into February with great uncertainty. This year we have had a roller coaster of weather. We have had a way above normal winter, with warm temps. Then mother nature throws us some cold fronts that sends the water temps much cooler. This can be some of the toughest conditions to fish, for the most part the fish don't know where they want to be. During the warmer days, they want to move up shallow. During the post front days, they want to move to deeper waters. This can make fishing pretty tough to stay on a bite.

I recommend paying attention to your water temps. If the water is cooler in the morning, say below 65 the fish will be deeper. So, you should start in deeper water and work your way to shallow waters. If we have been expe-

riencing warming than normal temps, say the water is 67 or higher? It's a good chance the fish that moved into shallow water will still be there. The hardest part about finding and staying on feeding fish this time of year, is following water temps. A solid weather pattern makes thing much easier to pattern. However sometimes Mother Nature, does not give us easy, there's times when we have to change things up and look around. The biggest piece of advice I can offer is to always think outside the box. Don't be afraid to try something new.

Keep an eye on the water temps, and Mother Nature will help you to find feeding fish.

February’s Opportunities

By: Capt. Bart Marx

Fishing in Southwest Florida is getting better every week. There has been little rain and that tends to let the water get very clear. This is a great time to practice your knot tying putting on some new clear and longer leaders than you usually use as this helps so fish don't become leader shy. Sometimes you need to get out some tenpound test line and make it twenty-five feet long. This is very helpful if you are fishing offshore for snapper like mangrove and yellowtail snapper. This time of year, out in the 80' to 100' range on some wrecks or reefs is a great place to start. You may even find an amberjack if you have a live bait out behind the boat while you are bottom fishing/bonus rod and if there are any shrimp boats out there, get to them early in the morning while they are cleaning off the deck of their bycatch. This creates a huge feeding frenzy and at times you may catch some black fin tuna in their chum slick, however, usually plenty of sharks too. In closer to shore 40' to 60' there should be plenty of white grunts for the table. Maybe some porgies, lane snapper and mangrove too. Closer to the beach in 30' to 40' of water sheepshead will still be biting as they

are in spawn mode. Moving inshore, you will find sheepshead around the docks and oyster bars where there are plenty of crustations to feed on. Trout and reds along the mangroves will be scattered on the grass flats on the edges of the sand holes, and along the edges of the sand bars there may be some pompano cruising along looking for something to eat like a shrimp or a small jig. In some of the deep holes you may find a cobia feeding on lady fish or small baits. There are plenty of species to hunt for this month to catch a fresh fish meal. If you would like to come along with Capt. Bart Marx, call or e-mail me at captbart@alphaomegacharters.com or you can call 941-979-6517. I also do private charters up to four anglers on my boat for half days only. And if you are new to our area and would like a Training Session with Capt. Bart on your boat using your gear will shorten your learning curve. For me this helps protect our fragile grass flats and keeps you from damaging your boat, making it a win-win training session for all!

Redfish going in Estero Bay on paddletail baits, George Peters Bonita Springs.

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.

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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.

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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.

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