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WRANGLING
THE REEF DONKEY
AFTER DARK OFFSHORE ACTION
LOCAL REPORTS & CATCH PHOTOS
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHELSEA MANN FB: @CHELS.ANA.4321 / IG: @CHELS_CHELS28 VOLUME 31 • ISSUE 377
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AUGUST 2026
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4 NATIONAL
AUGUST 2026
tina Georg e
F
ishing for greater amberjack— By CAM Staff a!ectionately known as “reef donkeys” or “AJs”—is one of saltwater angling’s most grueling and rewarding challenges. These hard-fighting predators are famous for their sheer strength, blistering runs, and ability to test both angler and tackle to the absolute limit. Greater amberjack are structure-oriented predators that primarily inhabit o!shore waters. They congregate around deep wrecks, artificial reefs, oil rigs, and steep rocky ledges. Adult amberjacks can exceed 60 pounds, though common catches range from 20 to 40 pounds. Because they are competitive and aggressive, they often hunt in packs, making them highly receptive to fast-paced fishing tactics. Due to the amberjack’s habit of diving straight into sharp structure when hooked, you cannot use light tackle. Anglers typically rely on heavy-action conventional or spinning gear. Use a heavy 6-foot (or shorter) rod paired with a high-capacity reel. The shorter length gives you better leverage to turn the fish’s head away from the reef. Spool up with a minimum of 50 to 80 lb. braided line, connected to a heavy 80- to 100-lb. monofilament or fluorocarbon leader. Whether you are drifting over the deep wrecks of the Gulf of Mexico or fishing o! the Atlantic coast, the two most e!ective methods are live baiting and vertical jigging. Live bait is often the most productive method for targeting the largest amberjacks. Prized baits include blue runners, hardtails, pinfish
EDIT: Chris
TIPS FOR CATCHING GREATER AMBERJACK
PHOTO CR
Taming Reef Donkeys
and cigar minnows. Rig your bait using a heavy circle hook (7/0 to 10/0 depending on the bait size) and drop it down into the lower third of the water column just above the submerged structure. Pro anglers often clip the tail of a lively baitfish so it doesn’t swim away too quickly, making it an easy target. If you prefer an active fishing style, heavy metal jigs (4 to 10 ounces) are incredibly e!ective. Butterfly jigs and traditional diamond jigs mimic the frantic movement of injured baitfish. Drop the lure to the bottom and rapidly reel it upward using a jerking, pumping motion. Amberjacks react intensely to speed and competition, so a fast, erratic retrieve often triggers a violent reaction strike. Hooking an amberjack is only half the battle; bringing it to the surface is the real test! When hooked, the “reef donkey” will immediately bolt straight down toward the safety of the wreck or reef. If they reach the structure, your line will be sliced on sharp metal or rocks. You must apply heavy drag and use a “lift and reel” technique, steadily pumping the rod and winding quickly to force the fish upward. To protect greater amberjack from overfishing, they are strictly regulated. These rules depend entirely on whether you are fishing o! the Gulf Coast or the Atlantic Coast. The Gulf population is heavily managed due to low stock numbers. For 2026, recreational harvest in the Gulf opens for 43 days, running from September 1 through October 14, 2026. Fish must be a minimum of 34” fork length (measured from the tip of the jaw to the center fork of the tail). Anglers are strictly limited to 1 fish per person, per day. Captain and crew on charter boats have a bag limit of zero. The Atlantic coast o!ers longer open windows but a di!erent sizing scale. Harvest is open most of the year but features a mandatory spawning closure from April 1 through April 30.The minimum size drops to 28” fork length. The limit mirrors the Gulf at 1 fish per person, per day. Before heading out, check your state’s licensing requirements and rules for specific reef-fishing gear to improve fish survival rates after release such as non-stainless steel circle hooks, dehooking device and a rigged, readyto-use venting tool or descending device to safely handle fish experiencing barotrauma.
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AUGUST CUBERA FISHING
W
hen the August full moon rolls around in the Florida Keys, it is prime time to target one of the hardest-pulling, meanest !sh on the reef: the Cubera snapper, aka “El Diablo.” These !sh are big, powerful, and known for absolutely wrecking tackle if you are not ready. In Key West, Captain Kody Michael is one of the guys to know when it comes to getting a#er them. His company, Reel Guides, helps connect anglers with solid, trusted captains throughout the Keys, making it easier to !nd the right guide for the trip you want to take. Whether someone is looking for a serious reef trip, a trophy !sh, or simply wants to !sh with a captain who knows the area, Reel Guides helps point anglers in the right direction. Cubera !shing is not your average snapper trip. One of the go-to baits is live lobster, which makes it some of the most expensive bait !shing you can do. But when a giant Cubera eats, it is worth every dollar. Around the full moon, these !sh get !red up, and the bite can be violent. This is not dropping down and hoping for a nibble. This is waiting for a freight train to eat a live lobster and try to take everything with it. •
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The Bean Sport!shing crew By A. deGruchy has had some wild Cubera trips in the Florida Keys with Capt. Kody, including one caught on stand-up gear using a PENN International VIS. That 65lb !sh was a battle from the second it ate, and it showed exactly why Cubera snapper have such a reputation. They are strong, dirty !ghters that know how to use the reef against an angler. It has also been done on “The Bean Pole,” Bean Sport!shing’s real mini-rod under 36 inches, which was ridiculous, sketchy— and unforgettable. Catching a Cubera on proper stand-up gear is hard enough. Catching one on a tiny rod is a whole di$erent kind of chaos. Check out Bean Sport!shing TV on YouTube, @beansport!shing, to see the live lobster bites, fullmoon madness, and cubera !shing action in the Florida Keys. It is one of the coolest !sheries the Keys has to o$er, and de!nitely one of the most intense.
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MILES, MEMORIES
By Capt. Michael Okruhlik
M
y son and I tried something new this summer—we took a twoweek road trip, !shing our way through Louisiana and both coasts of Florida. We even squeezed in a World Cup game along the way. Louisiana kicked things off with sightcasting red!sh and catching trout on deep structure. It was Ethan’s !rst time seeing !sh before they were caught, and watching him learn the difference between a mullet wake and a cruising red!sh was pretty special. From there, we headed to St. Pete, where the scenery and crystal-clear water were a complete change. We !shed points and channels around the mangrove islands and, between everyone in the boat, landed a Florida Slam—red!sh, trout, #ounder and snook. Ethan’s favorite moment wasn’t even a !sh. A huge nurse shark swam up to inspect the trolling motor while he was !shing from the bow in just a few feet of clear water! Next came three days in the Everglades chasing giant snook. We found them too. Some made it to the boat, plenty didn’t, and every hookup was a battle. $e real challenge was landing them before the sharks found them. Unfortunately, the sharks won at least three times. One thing that stood out at every stop was that all of our !sh were caught on softplastic paddletails. I know many Florida anglers prefer live bait, but don’t overlook arti!cials—they’ll catch plenty of !sh when given the opportunity. Our next stop was the New Smyrna area on Florida’s Atlantic Coast. $is time, my buddy wanted to !sh with live bait. We worked docks, bridges and jetties for some of the biggest snook and red!sh I’ve ever seen. $e !sh de!nitely knew where to hide, and with all that structure, we probably lost as many as we landed. $e !nal stop was kayak !shing, Ethan’s !rst time !shing from his own kayak. When he was younger, we shared a tandem kayak while he learned boat control and how to land !sh from a rocking platform. About an hour into the trip, my buddy Will found some trout and waved us over. Ethan stopped short, made a cast off a grassy point, and I heard, “Dad, I have one.” As I paddled toward him, I could tell by the splash it was a good !sh. $en he yelled, “It’s big!” By the time I reached him, he already had it in the net. $e trout measured 28& inches and weighed 7.5 pounds. I couldn’t have been prouder, and seeing one of our Knockin Tail Lures in her mouth was the icing on the cake. On this trip, Ethan caught his biggest snook, red!sh, and speckled trout. $at’s a !shing trip we’ll never forget. A big thank you to all my friends who helped make this adventure one to remember.
R E T S N O M FISH AND
PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®
4 FLORIDA
AUGUST 2026
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IGFA Names Recipients of Inaugural Master Angler Award
T
he International Game Fish Association (IGFA), proudly announced Dr. Martin “Marty” Arostegui and Roberta G. Arostegui as the !rst recipients of the IGFA Master Angler Award, the highest distinction available within the newly launched IGFA Master Angler Program. $e IGFA Master Angler Award is reserved for anglers who achieve Gold Tier status in !ve or more of the program’s seven categories, spanning IGFA World Records, Slams, and Trophy Fish Clubs. Marty and Roberta have each met that standard independently, earning the award on the strength of their individual lifetime angling achievement across the full breadth of IGFA angler recognition programs. As a couple, the two are bound by a shared passion for the sport that has driven decades of individual pursuit on the water. “Marty and Roberta Arostegui represent exactly the kind of anglers the Master Angler Program was built to recognize,” said IGFA President Jason Schratwieser. “$ey have not excelled in one corner of this sport; they have excelled across all of it, year after year, for decades. To be able to name them as the !rst recipients of this award, and to do it together, is an amazing event.” Both Marty and Roberta are inducted members of the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame—Marty in 2018, Roberta in 2023—and each has accumulated IGFA World Records, Slams, or Trophy Fish Clubs spanning more than four decades. Marty achieved Gold Tier status across !ve categories: All-Tackle World Records, All-Tackle Length World Records, Line Class World Records, Tippet Class World Records, and Trophy Fish Clubs. Over his career, he has set 438 IGFA World Records and completed nine IGFA Trophy Fish Clubs. Roberta achieved Gold Tier status across !ve categories: All-Tackle Length World Records, Line Class World Records, Tippet Class World Records, Trophy Fish Clubs, and Royal Slams. Over her career, she has set
297 IGFA World Records, completed nine IGFA Trophy Fish Clubs, and nine IGFA Royal Slams. Formal recognition of the Arosteguis as the !rst anglers recognized with the IGFA Master Angler Award recipients will take place at the 43rd IGFA International Auction on January 23, 2027 at the Ritz Carlton, Fort Lauderdale. $e IGFA Master Angler Program, launched in May 2026, introduces a tiered recognition framework spanning seven categories: All-Tackle World Records, Line Class World Records, Tippet Class World Records, All-Tackle Length World Records, Grand Slams, Royal Slams, and Trophy Fish Clubs with Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers within each. All prior eligible achievements count toward program standing. Additional Master Angler Award recipients will be announced in the coming months as qualifying anglers are con!rmed. For more information about the IGFA Master Angler Program, including full tier requirements and category details, visit: https://igfa.org/igfa-master-angler-program/.
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1920s Style for a 1920s Price
I
t was a warm summer afternoon and my wife and I were mingling with the best of them. The occasion was a 1920s-themed party, and everyone was dressed to the nines. Parked on the manse’s circular driveway was a beautiful classic convertible. It was here that I got the idea for our new 1920s Retrograde Watch.
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Never ones to miss an opportunity, we carefully steadied our glasses of bubbly and climbed into the car’s long front seat. Among the many opulent features on display was a series of dashboard dials that accentuated the car’s lavish aura. One of those dials inspired our 1920s Retrograde Watch, a genuinely unique timepiece that marries timeless style with modern technology. With its remarkable retrograde hour and minute indicators, sunburst guilloche face and precision movement, this design is truly one of a kind. What does retrograde mean? Instead of displaying the hands rotating on an axis like most watches, the hands sweep in a semicircle, then return to their starting point and begin all over again. Retrograde watches by the big brands can set you back thousands; one recent offering from a big French fashion house is selling for more than $150,000! But because we’ve designed the 1920s Retrograde Watch in-house, we can offer it to you for just $99! This watch is so wildly popular with our customers that we’re actually concerned about running out; we only have 937 729 left for this ad!
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Summer Bass Patterns By Bait Cave Customs Pro Angler Joey Bloom
A
s summer settles in and water temperatures rise across the country, bass anglers are faced with a changing !shery. $e shallowwater feeding frenzies of spring begin to fade, and largemouth bass transition into more predictable summer patterns. Understanding where bass position during the hottest months and selecting the right presentations can make all the difference between a slow day and a memorable one. I believe one of the biggest mistakes anglers make during the summer is failing to adjust to bass movement. As the water warms, bass become more structure-oriented. $ey’re in search for comfort, oxygen, and easy feeding opportunities. During the summer months, bass often position around offshore ledges, creek channel swings, brush piles, submerged vegetation, docks, and deeper points. Early in the morning and late in the evening, !sh may move shallow to feed, but as the sun climbs higher, many bass seek deeper water or heavy cover to escape the heat. One of my favorite ways to target these summertime bass is with Bait Cave Customs Cave Club #oating worms. $eir buoyant design creates a natural presentation that continues to attract strikes even when !sh become less aggressive. $e drop shot rig is one of the most productive techniques during summer. By rigging a Bait Cave Customs 4” Flat Worm above a weight, anglers can keep the bait suspended just off the bottom where
bass can easily see it. $is presentation excels around deep brush piles, offshore structure, and schools of !sh hiding in grass clumps. $e subtle action of this #oating bait often triggers bites from bass that ignore more aggressive presentations. When targeting deeper structure, I frequently reach for a Carolina rig. A Cave Hog #oating plastic trails behind the weight, gliding naturally above the bottom while covering large amounts of water. $is technique is especially effective on offshore points, shell beds, and channel edges where bass congregate during the heat of summer. For anglers !shing grass lines, docks, or scattered cover, a Texas-rigged remains a staple. $e weedless design allows !shermen to work through heavy cover while the bait’s buoyancy creates a more lifelike posture when paused. Many summertime bites occur when the bait is sitting still, making the #oating action a major advantage. Flipping and pitching heavy cover is another key summer pattern. Bass often bury themselves in thick vegetation, boat docks, and shaded cover to escape direct sunlight. I rely on a Cave Cricket when punching through mats or #ipping isolated targets because the bait maintains an enticing action even after reaching the bottom. Summer bass can get conditioned to seeing the same presentations day after day. $e #oating plastics from Bait Cave Customs give !sh a different look and allow the bait to stay in the strike zone
L longer. $at’s often the difference between getting a bite and getting ignored. By focusing on deeper structure, shaded cover, and offshore feeding areas while utilizing versatile #oating plastics through techniques like drop-shotting, Carolina rigging, Texas rigging, and #ipping, anglers can consistently catch more bass throughout the summer months. When the temperatures rise, understanding bass behavior and matching it with the right presentation is the formula for success. Follow Joey Bloom on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube at Joey Bloom Fishing.
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St. Petersburg, FL - Aug 2026 High
Date
Low
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
Sat
5:13
1.8
4:16
2.5
10:14
1.1
11:16
0.4
6:53
8:20
2
Sun
5:31
1.9
5:06
2.3
11:06
0.9
11:41
0.6
6:54
8:19
3
Mon
5:54
2.1
6:01
2.0
12:02
0.8
6:54
8:18
4
Tue
6:22
2.2
7:05
1.7
12:05
0.8
1:07
0.6
6:55
8:17
5
Wed
6:55
2.3
8:32
1.5
12:24
1.0
2:22
0.5
6:55
8:17
6
Thu
7:35
2.5
12:34
1.2
3:45
0.3
6:56
8:16
7
Fri
8:27
2.6
5:09
0.1
6:56
8:15
8
Sat
9:35
2.7
6:24
0.0
6:57
8:14
9
Sun
10:49
2.8
7:26
-0.1
6:57
8:14
10
Mon
11:59
2.9
8:17
-0.2
6:58
8:13
11
Tue
4:14
1.7
1:00
2.9
6:23
1.6
9:00
-0.1
6:59
8:12
12
Wed
4:13
1.7
1:57
2.9
7:33
1.5
9:36
0.1
6:59
8:11
13
Thu
4:21
1.7
2:50
2.8
8:32
1.3
10:09
0.3
7:00
8:10
14
Fri
4:30
1.8
3:41
2.6
9:27
1.1
10:38
0.5
7:00
8:09
15
Sat
4:42
1.9
4:33
2.4
10:21
0.9
11:04
0.7
7:01
8:08
16
Sun
5:00
2.1
5:27
2.1
11:14
0.7
11:28
0.9
7:01
8:07
17
Mon
5:24
2.2
6:25
1.9
12:10
0.6
7:02
8:06
18
Tue
5:52
2.3
7:36
1.6
1:12
0.6
7:02
8:06
19
Wed
6:26
2.4
2:23
0.5
7:03
8:05
20
Thu
7:06
2.4
3:46
0.5
7:03
8:04
21
Fri
8:01
2.3
5:12
0.4
7:04
8:03
22
Sat
9:16
2.3
6:23
0.3
7:04
8:02
23
Sun
10:39
2.4
7:14
0.2
7:05
8:01
24
Mon
3:04
1.8
11:47 AM
2.5
5:32
1.7
7:53
0.2
7:05
8:00
25
Tue
3:07
1.8
12:39
2.6
6:28
1.6
8:25
0.3
7:06
7:59
26
Wed
3:15
1.8
1:23
2.7
7:14
1.5
8:51
0.3
7:06
7:57
27
Thu
3:24
1.8
2:04
2.7
7:56
1.3
9:16
0.5
7:07
7:56
28
Fri
3:30
1.9
2:45
2.6
8:38
1.1
9:40
0.6
7:07
7:55
29
Sat
3:40
2.0
3:29
2.5
9:21
0.9
10:03
0.8
7:07
7:54
30
Sun
3:56
2.2
4:16
2.3
10:06
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Moon
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TAMPA 1
Species Spotlight
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H
Species Spotlight
Hudsonian Whimbrel By Capt. Wes Tallyn
T
he Hudsonian Whimbrel is a large shorebird that breeds in the Arctic from Alaska to Northern Canada. Until recently, this species was commonly referred to as a Whimbrel. There was a push to give it an identifier to separate it from other Whimbrel species found around the world. Their name comes from an interpretation of the calls that the birds make. Whimbrels probe the sand or mud looking for their prey, typically consisting of crustaceans, worms, berries, and insects. Here in Florida, they are typically seen only in the winter months, when their breeding grounds freeze and become too cold to support the food they need. The easiest way to identify a Whimbrel is by its characteristic long, slightly down-curved bill. Nineteenth-century hunting practices nearly wiped out all Hudsonian Whimbrels in North America, but their numbers have rebounded in most areas where they breed. The typical habitat for whimbrels is muddy shorelines, ponds, and beaches. Some individuals are very shy, but others will let you approach cautiously for a quick photo opportunity. My favorite spot to search for them in the winter is Fort DeSoto County Park in Pinellas County. In the spring, they can turn up just about anywhere if a cold front moves through. I saw my very first one, my “lifer,” standing in the middle of a baseball field during a spring rainstorm! So, as we push through the heat of these summer months, keep it on your radar for this fall and winter and find one for yourself. — Captain Wes Tallyn was raised in Florida and is a fisherman, birder, avid outdoors-man, photographer, and environmental scientist. Wes has a focus on conservation and education in the community and is the owner of Snook Jam Outdoors. You can find him on Instagram @snookjam or call 727-410-5853.
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AUGUST 2026
TAMPA 3
CAPT. SERGIO’S CORNER BY: CAPT. SERGIO ATANES
Summertime Blues
E
very August, anglers around Tampa Bay seem to ask the same question: Where did the fish go? There’s no doubt the bite gets tougher this time of year, but the answer is rarely one thing. Heat, rain, fluctuating salinity, and scattered bait all vcontribute to the summertime blues. Assuming this August follows the usual summer pattern, the key is to adjust. Fish cooler periods, target moving water, and look for shade, structure, and lights. Here are a few ways to improve your chances. • Fish early and be in position at daybreak. Artificial lures can help you start casting right away along mangroves, points, and potholes before the sun gets high. • Since live bait (greenbacks) can be tougher to find, stop by your local bait store and pick up medium to large shrimp as a backup. • Try fishing at night around dock lights. Shrimp work great after dark, and the cooler water makes it easier on both the angler and the fish. Around docks, I like a 7-foot rod for accuracy and control. A 1/0 hook, 30-pound fluorocarbon leader, and 20-pound braided line give me enough strength to turn a fish before it gets under the dock. • Bridge fishing at night is a different game, and your tackle needs
to be a little heavier because you never know what is lurking in the dark water under Tampa Bay’s bridges. Over the years, I have caught tarpon, black drum, trout, and some big redfish there. For trout and tarpon, use lighter spinning tackle and let a live bait drift naturally from the dark side into the light. For bottom fishing, step up to medium tackle with a larger spinning outfit or conventional reel, at least 30-pound line, and a 40-pound leader. Fresh-cut blue crab is hard for black drum to refuse, and live threadfins are excellent for tarpon. Position the boat up-current and under the bridge so your baits drift back to the pilings. With light tackle, let the bait slide past the shadow line into the light where trout and tarpon are feeding. • Pompano, sheepshead, black drum, tarpon, and trout are all possible around the Howard Frankland, Gandy, and Sunshine Skyway bridges, especially when there is good current. • Change tactics this month and spend some time along the edges of the Tampa Bay shipping channel. Mangrove snapper, gag grouper, Key West grunts, sea bass, and cobia can all be found around deeper structure and hard bottom.
— Capt. Sergio Atanes is host of Florida West Coast Fishing Report on Facebook and YouTube. He also hosts Fishing Adventures Florida TV show airing on YouTube, Waypoint TV, Carbon TV, Outdoor Action, and Angling TV. Owner of Reelfishy.com Charter business covering the west coast of Florida with over 135 captains on staff. For information contact Capt. Sergio at (813) 973-7132 email: atanes@msn.com.
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4 TAMPA
AUGUST 2026
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TAMPA 5
NEW PORT RICHEY REPORT BY: CAPT. BILL RUTHERFORD
The dog days of summer have arrived!
I
t seems like we are having the doggiest of dog days lately, but the bite is just as hot (I couldn’t help myself). The main target in the greater Pasco area won’t have any scales but will be just as tasty. Scallop season will be open until August 18th and has just kicked off as of this writing with great success. Scallopers swimming around between the Anclote and Cotee rivers are filling their bags quickly, and if recent years have taught us anything, they will still be in the same areas for the entire season. The deeper grass flats on the east side of Anclote Key are also a popular place for those who can snorkel in slightly deeper water. If you are fishing around those areas, please be mindful of dive flags! Meanwhile, on the shoreline, redfish are schooling in big numbers on the shallow flats throughout the day in search of crunchy things to eat. Early morning and late afternoon produce a better bite, especially on the outgoing tides. We are in the dead middle of cut-bait season for them and will be for a while as the water temps are hovering around the high 80’s. Cut some fresh pinfish into chunks and freeline them out in front of the
schools on a 2/0 hook and wait them out. It usually isn’t an aggressive bite, so be patient! Snook have been stacked on the beaches on Anclote, but have been extra finicky this year. Nighttime fishing is your best bet, but they will eat during the day. The better bite is usually when the sun is higher, rather than early mornings, and they will eat a variety of live baits. I like to cast the bait up on the sand and slowly pull it back into the surf. Once the bait starts swimming, flip your bail open and let me look as natural as possible. You will be able to see these fish and know if you get an eat or not. Lastly, we have had an uptick in flounder bites in the area lately. The mouths of the rivers, deep channels, or anywhere that you can find fast-moving water are good places to look. Get your bait on the bottom and use something that can stay there in the current. A heavy jig head with an artificial or egg sinker and live bait will do the trick. — Captain Bill is a Florida native who grew up fishing the Gulf Coast. Being a proud Army Vet himself, he founded a charity called VetCatch that takes disabled veterans on cost free fishing trips in the Tampa Bay area. He guides out of New Port Richey fishing a 24-foot Shoalwater tower boat as well as the custom 25-foot VetCatch pontoon if needed for elderly/disabled fisherman. www.rustybucket.fish.
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AUGUST 2026
TAMPA 7
BY: CAPT. FRANK HUTCHKO
Offshore Nearshore Report
N
earshore: It’s really nice to see the hogfish bite still going on this summer, with water temperatures up to 90 degrees. They definitely are a bit more scattered, but making moves and picking off 1 or 2 a spot ends up being a great day - lane snappers, porgies, and mangroves still dominate that 50 to 75 feet with an occasional keeper red grouper in the mix. Shrimp on a hog all jig or 2 to 3-ounce knocker rig is still our choice of setups, and if you really want to pound some snappers, tie a dropper loop 18 inches up from the hog all jig and add a top hook, and you’ll see your catch increase drastically Offshore: The red snapper bite is on fire, to say the least, with limit catches on our first drops. If they won’t touch the pin fish, fire down a sar-
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dine or threadfin and hang on. We have seen the snapper bite way better on the dead bait. 150 to 180 feet has been our best depth. With the great sea conditions lately, we were able to sneak out to Pulley Ridge with the
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AUGUST 2026
TAMPA 9
How to Target Tampa Bay’s Summertime Black Drum BY: CAPT. GEORGE HASTICK
T
ampa Bay is famous for its flats and hard-fighting sportfish. While snook and redfish often steal the spotlight, a dark shadow lurks around the Bay’s concrete and stone infrastructure. Beat the heat and fish in the shade. The black drum (Pogonias Cromis) is one of the hardest-fighting, most dependable species available to local anglers during the heat of summer. Ranging from four-pound “puppy” drum to sixty-plus-pound “bulls,” these powerful bottom-feeders offer an incredible challenge. If you want to bend a rod on a true Tampa Bay heavyweight, here is how to find and catch them. Locating the Dark Beast Black drum are structure-oriented fish. They rely on their sensitive chin barbels and strong sense of smell to detect food. In Tampa Bay, massive bridges like the Gandy, Howard Frankland, Courtney Campbell, and the iconic Sunshine Skyway serve as superhighways for migrating schools. The main shipping channels, deep-water fender systems, and individual concrete pilings attract Drum. Beyond the bridges, black drum frequent the residential canals of St. Petersburg and Tampa, deep shipping ports, and shallow oyster bars. During the winter, low tides push smaller drum into brackish creeks, while spring and summer see massive bulls congregating around deep-water structures. Rigging for Heavyweights Because black drum live in the treacherous structure imaginable, light tackle will only lead to heartbreak. Barnacle-encrusted pilings will slice through light line instantly. For large bull drum, use a heavy 7-foot spinning rod with a 5000 to 8000-class reel. Spool up with 40 to 50-pound braided line. Your leader is
your lifeline; tie on 3 to 4 feet of 60 to 80-pound fluorocarbon. I also like a conventional setup with 50-pound mono mainline and 4 feet of 80-pound leader when you want the big ones. Slide a 3 to 5-ounce egg weight—depending on the strength of the Tampa Bay current—directly onto your mainline, followed by an 80 to 100-pound swivel, then your leader, and tie on a stout 5/0 to 7/0 circle hook. Baits That Produce Black drum are opportunistic feeders, but their absolute favorite meal is crab. Quarter or halve the crab, remove the legs, and pass the circle hook through one of the leg sockets. For smaller slot-sized drum, live shrimp, fiddler crabs, and fresh cut bait will get the job done. The Presentation and Bite The technique is simple: drop your bait directly to the bottom next to a piling. Reel just enough to come tight to the weight, but keep it on the bottom. Black drum usually do not strike aggressively. You will usually feel a subtle thump on the rod tip. Resist the urge to yank the rod. Instead, let the fish commit, as the rod tip bends, lift slowly to let the circle hook automatically set itself in the corner of the mouth. Once hooked, get ready for a grueling, vertical tug-of-war to keep the fish from wrapping you around the concrete. — Capt. George Hastick of “Fish Hunter Fishing Charters” in St. Petersburg, Fl. is the co-host of Florida West Coast Fishing Report and co-hosts Fishing Adventures Florida which is on five streaming channels and You Tube. He has been fishing the waters of the Tampa Bay area for over 40 years and guiding over 20 years.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT - By: Capt. George Hastick Woody Wax is worth the Money Woody wax is considered one of the old standards in boat care, and for good reasons; it works! From cleaning and protection to restoration and sealing, they have everything you need, but I must brag about the non-skid deck wax/metal restorer. I had gotten away from Woody Wax because of the cost, but recently used it on the entire inside of my boat, and the cleanup has been so easy after a day of fishing. Just spray it with water or use a wet rag to wipe even blood right off. So, I am now back to using this product because it saves me so much time at the end of the day, as nothing is sticking. The application is so easy: clean your deck, spray-mist it with water, spray Woody Wax on the deck, use a brush, and spread it evenly. Now let it sit, as per the instructions, then rinse off the excess wax, and you’re done with a non-slippery deck that even blood wipes off. They also have a boat wash that leaves a wax finish for use between waxings. #1 RATED NON-SKID DECK PROTECTION: Woody Wax all-in-one boat spray provides a heavy-duty, non-slick shield specifically for boat decks. It offers a professional-grade barrier that keeps surfaces safe for walking while protecting against the harsh effects of saltwater and oxidation. SUPERIOR METAL RESTORER & PROTECTOR: This formula disintegrates oxidation on T-tops, outriggers, and engines even in the harshest marine environments. This anti-corrosion spray for boats restores a showroom shine to stainless steel and anodized aluminum without the need for exhausting labor. EASY NO-BUFF APPLICATION: Forget the exhausting labor of traditional waxing. Our special boat protection formula allows you to simply spray on and wipe in with a cotton glove or cloth. No rubbing or buffing is required to achieve a highperformance protective barrier. VERSATILE MULTI-SURFACE USE: Streamline your cleaning kit with a product that does it all. Safe and effective on fiberglass, anodized aluminum, stainless steel, vinyl seats, and even delicate electrical components to keep your boat in ship-shape condition. 10 TAMPA
AUGUST 2026
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TAMPA 11
So, You Say You Want To Be A Charter Captain BY: CAPT. T J SHEA
W
hen your kids are young and at the playground, the topic of your parents’ work always comes up. “What does your mom or dad do?” My son Colin, his response was always priceless. My dad catches fish. That was it. Now, thankfully, my daughter gave me a bit more credit. My dad is a businessman and a weatherman, and he knows how to catch big fish and take scuba divers out. He can even save lives. She might have gone a little far on the last one, but if you want to be a charter fishing captain, she was spot on about some of your responsibilities. Now, to be fair with my kids, Addisen is older, and she got trucked around a lot more. She quickly put two and two together. Since the business had our last name, I must be a business owner. She knew her dad had to be able to read and understand the weather, given how much I talked about it. She might have even been brought to a CPR and first aid class once or twice. Come to think of it, she accompanied me to the welder, wholesale bait and tackle shop, a scuba diving expo, and probably many more places I can’t remember. You see, being a charter captain and running a charter business is a whole lot more than “my dad catches fish.” My daughter’s description was a solid start, but she is still missing a few things. If you’re going to make it, you must be personable. I don’t have many customers who would enjoy sharing a small space with a salty, grumpy captain for 4 to 12 hours, especially with the good money they are spending. When it all boils down to it, we are salesmen. Selling a good time by creating memories that will hopefully bring these customers back again
and again. I was fortunate to watch my charismatic father while out on trips with him. His big personality and smile captivated his clients. Half the time, catching fish was merely a plus. He was great at that as well. I could not have asked for a better mentor on how to sell my business. I also learned when I was young that “mechanic” better come right after charter captain. When you make your living miles from shore. From any shop or person who can help you if something breaks, you must be as self-sufficient as possible. Boats, engines, and electronics may seem daunting, but in most respects, they are manageable when trouble pops up. Often at the most inconvenient of times. We are fortunate in this day and age to have technology, satellite phones, and text messaging to possibly get in touch with help. However, being able to assess what has gone wrong and how to fix it on the fly has saved me many trips over the years of owning my business. CPR, first aid, how to administer oxygen, yes-yes-and yes. You are not asked to be a doctor, but being knowledgeable on how to address an injury or worse could be the difference in getting someone to the proper medical attention in time. Over my years, I have been on more than a few trips where a serious medical incident has occurred, and I was very thankful for the training I took. A successful offshore charter captain is a jack of all trades. The better you are at each, the more likely you are to have a direct correlation with your success. Confucius is credited with the saying, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”. Confucius was not a charter captain. We work extra hard, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. — Capt. TJ Shea. Owner/Operator 2 Shea CHARTERS Fishing and Diving Charters. TJ has been exploring above and below the Gulf of Mexico since he was 8 years old. Contact us at 813-385-2169 and at info@fishanddivetampa.com
CHARTERS Fishing, Diving and Spearfishing Charters in Clearwater, Florida Sunset Cruises and Holiday Light Cruises Full Service Dive Center 813-385-2169 | info@fishanddivetampa.com 198 Seminole St. Clearwater, FL. 33755
www.2sheacharters.com 12 TAMPA
AUGUST 2026
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The Brown Clowns Are In Town:
The Guide in Your Pocket
Battling Sharks For A Trophy Cobia By Michael Guy
T
he brown clowns are in town! As a fishing content creator and commercial shrimper, I’ve caught and targeted many fish species, and I have to say cobia are definitely in my top three! Cobia can be found in many places, including reefs, shipwrecks, sandbars, bridges, and beaches. These fish are very curious and are commonly seen following sharks, stingrays, sea turtles, and commercial fishing boats. As a commercial shrimper, we are used to seeing many sharks and dolphins following the shrimp boats—and sometimes, with the sharks come the cobia! After catching several smaller cobia and losing some keepers to sharks while fighting them, I knew that if I saw another one, I had to play my cards right. While the boat is moving and the sharks are feeding heavily on the bycatch from the shrimp nets, it can be difficult to hook and land a hard-fighting fish like a cobia. I saw this cobia come off the sharks and swim right to the side of the boat. I free-lined a live pigfish, locked down the drag on my conventional reel, and put my 100-pound braid and 80-pound mono leader to the test! With the sharks going after him, I winched the cobia in as quickly as possible and got him in the net! For anglers along the Atlantic Coast, the Gulf of America, and throughout tropical waters, landing a cobia is an unforgettable experience—whether you’re sight-fishing shallow flats, cruising along beaches, or targeting offshore structure. For more fishing content, follow @fishingwithguy on Instagram!
14 TAMPA
AUGUST 2026
T
wo anglers launch from the same ramp on the same morning. One limits out on redfish by 9 a.m. The other grinds all day for a single trout. Same water, same tide — different information. The difference is what a good guide carries in his head: how tide velocity moves bait through a creek mouth, when a falling barometer turns snook aggressive, which flat holds fish when the wind stacks against it. For most of us, that knowledge takes decades — or $600 a trip — to access. InshoreOS by Tidelogic puts that decision-making in your pocket. It combines live tide, weather, and water data with real underwater structure — seagrass edges, oyster bars, creek pinch points — and turns it into a plan: where to fish, when each spot fires, and what to throw. Then it learns from your catches and gets sharper every trip. We’re accepting a limited group of Founding Anglers in Florida right now. Scan the QR code or visit www.tidelogic. com to sign up.
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ote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium is continuing to advance its fisheries enhancement efforts in 2026 through a series of juvenile snook releases taking place throughout the summer across strategic estuarine habitats in Southwest Florida. This year, Mote scientists will release approximately 22,000 juvenile snook as part of Mote’s long-standing, researchdriven marine stock enhancement program. “These releases reflect the continued growth and refinement of Mote’s fisheries enhancement capabilities,” said Dr. Ryan Schloesser, Manager of Mote’s Fisheries Ecology & Enhancement Program. “Our focus remains on producing healthy fish, releasing them strategically, and collecting the scientific data needed to better understand how stock enhancement can support resilient wild populations.” Release locations are strategically selected based on environmental conditions and habitat characteristics that provide favorable environmental conditions and complex structure essential for juvenile snook survival and growth. Examples of favorable release habitats include tidal creeks, mangrovelined shorelines, and sheltered coves that provide abundant food resources, protection, and complex habitat structure. Mote’s stock enhancement program is guided by research objectives that examine post-release survival, movement patterns, habitat use, and the overall contribution of stocked fish to wild populations. Findings from these studies help inform adaptive release strategies, including optimal release timing, fish size, site selection, rearing conditions, and release methods. Prior to release, the fish undergo comprehensive health assessments to ensure they are wellsuited for release. Snook remain one of Florida’s most sought-after recreational sportfish and contribute significantly to Florida’s coastal economy. However, the species remains vulnerable to environmental stressors, including severe cold events, habitat degradation, and harmful algal blooms. These advancements in genetic tagging and long-term monitoring provide valuable tools for evaluating the success of enhancement efforts and understanding the role hatchery-reared fish play in supporting wild populations. In addition to ongoing enhancement efforts, Mote is expanding its response capacity throughout neighboring coastal regions. Following significant coldstun-related fish mortality observed across portions of Southwest Florida during recent winter events, Mote scientists are increasing their presence and strengthening partnerships in adjacent counties and waterways. Expanding this regional reach will help researchers better understand how to respond when environmental stressors affect fish populations across a broader geographic area and improve preparedness for future cold events or red tide blooms that impact snook. Mote aims to develop a more comprehensive understanding of how adaptive management strategies can help fish populations respond to extreme environmental conditions. This expanded effort will enhance Mote’s ability to rapidly assess impacts, coordinate response activities, and inform future fisheries management and recovery strategies throughout the region.
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Fleur de Lis Wins 2026 Florida Panhandle Billfish Series
I
n a tight contest, Fleur de Lis came out on top to win the 3rd annual Florida Panhandle Bill!sh Series. #e Hatteras 63 GT, based in nearby Orange Beach, Alabama, !shed all three events of the Emerald Coast series, developed to highlight the big-game !shing opportunities off Florida’s Panhandle. #e competition includes three prestigious tournaments which started with the 55th Annual Pensacola International Bill!sh Tournament; the 24th Annual Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic (ECBC) at Sandestin was the second leg, and the series concluded with the 4th Annual Bay Point Bill!sh Open in Panama City Beach. Fleur de Lis released a blue marlin in Pensacola, followed by a slam in the ECBC (blue and white marlin, plus sail!sh). #e series trophy was secured with another blue, two whites and one sail!sh released in the Bay Point Open. Contestants earn extra points for slams (three or more bill!sh species released during the event) and for competing in all three tournaments. Owned by Jim Painter, Fleur de Lis team members included Conner Pellerin, Nate Dennis, Matt Cosci, Payton Berry, Grey Smith and Parker Smith, with Capt. Jacob Provo and mates Landen Tindal, Griffen Slaughter, Nick Knoep$ein and Burke Day. “Due to the unique scoring system for the Series, Fleur de Lis was able to maximize points
and achieve the win,” says FPBS Executive Director Bert Merritt. “#ey had the right !sh at the right time and put in the extra effort to !sh all three events. Promoting all three tournaments and encouraging participation is the main goal of the series and that difference put Fleur de Lis over the top.” #e team won a perpetual custom trophy, a $10,000 cash award and Miller Lite Beer for a year for its efforts. It Just Takes Time owner Nick Pratt and his family team were a close second overall. #e boat skipped the Pensacola International but tallied seven blue marlin, three whites and one sail!sh at the ECBC, good for second-place release team overall. #e next week at the Bay Point Open, the team took top release honors by scoring six blue marlin, two whites and sails apiece. Capt. Myles Colley runs the 74 Viking, also based in Orange Beach. Briar Patch was third overall in the series standings. #e team won the Bay Point Open with a weighed 582.5-pound blue marlin (angler Brantley Adams) and also recorded three blue marlin and one white releases to augment three blues released during the ECBC. #e Destin-based 74 Viking is run by Capt. Corey Hurst. To learn more about the Florida Panhandle Billfish Series, visit www.fishfpbs.com.
FWC LAUNCHES RED SNAPPER www.VisitDixie.com TAGGING STUDY IN PENSACOLA BAY Where the
A
nglers !shing for red snapper in Pensacola Bay are asked to be on the lookout for dart-tagged !sh. FWC biologists have initiated a pilot study to observe movement patterns for red snapper that are captured within Pensacola Bay. Biologists are interested in determining if these !sh remain inshore or are actively migrating between inshore and nearshore habitats. Fish have been tagged with an external dart tag as well as an acoustic transmitter surgically implanted into the red snapper’s abdomen. Acoustic transmitters are a small, sound-emitting device that acts like an underwater beacon, transmitting unique acoustic signals for up to six years. Acoustic receivers (or listening stations) have been placed underwater throughout the bay and near the pass to track movements of tagged !sh. If you catch a !sh with a dart tag: • Take a photo of the !sh and a closeup&photo of the tag so the unique tag&number can be read. • Return the !sh to the water. • Call 850-564-2430 or 800-367-4461& to report the tag number, where you&caught the !sh (e.g. inside the bay or&offshore), and receive instructions on&how to submit your photos. If you choose to harvest the !sh, please call the number on the tag to return the acoustic transmitter to the biologists.&
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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
AUGUST 2026
FLORIDA 15
PRO FISHING TECHNIQUES
Sheepshead Fishing 101
S
heepshead are one of those !sh that seem like they are everywhere in Florida. #at is because they actually are everywhere in Florida. You can catch them 30 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico when they are spawning. You can catch them in the grass $ats; around mangrove roots; around oyster bars; around dock and bridge pilings; off the beach; around inlets and seawalls; and even in freshwater rivers that empty into saltwater. Sheepsheads were the !sh that got me hooked on saltwater !shing when I was 5 years old. My father would take me to the mangrove mud $ats to catch !ddler crabs. Once we had a bucket of crabs we would use our cane poles to catch a stringer full of sheepshead around the mangrove roots and oyster clumps. #e point of this story is that anyone can catch a sheepshead, even a 5-year old. PRO TIP: #eir favorite food is a !ddler crab, but !ddlers are not readily available to most people. Get some if you can. If you don’t hace access to !ddlers, the easiest way to catch sheepshead is to target them wherever they are with a #2 sized J hook and a small piece of shrimp. You will want to use an extremely light 8 to 10 pound $uorocarbon leader because they have excellent vision and can be spooky. Why do we use such a small hook for a big sheepshead? #e reason to use such a small hook is because they are the best bait stealers
never feel them stealing your bait. I like to reel the line in very slowly to make them commit to a more aggressive bite. Make sure to set the hook hard. CAPT. MIKE SMITH Why do we like to catch sheepshead? in the sea. #ey use their We like to catch sheepshead because they are human-like teeth to nip little excellent !ghters and have a very light and nonbites of your bait until only !shy tasting meat. a bare hook is left. A small hook will increase A sheepshead is very difficult to clean your hook up ratio. because they are extremely bony. But it is worth You also have to keep a tight line or you will the extra work because of their delicious meat. #ey are an excellent candidate to !llet and release into the grease. Where is the best place to find sheepshead? #e best place to look for sheepshead is dock and bridge pilings. #ey are always around those pilings using their super hard teeth to crush barnacles, oysters and mussels that are living on the pilings. All in all, sheepshead are a fun !sh for the whole family to catch. You only need some frozen shrimp and a cane pole to have a blast and !ll a stringer full of delicious !sh. Florida allows a generous 8 !sh per person limit at the time of this article. Make sure to check your regulations in your area to stay out of trouble. Go get ‘em. Capt. Mike Smith, owner of Fish Your Ass Off Charters, is an inshore fishing guide who has been fishing the inshore waters, oyster bars and grass flats of Florida for more than 40 years. Reach him at (561) 339-2317, email: contact fishyourassoff.com or visit fishyourassoff.com.
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eah, I’ve tried that before.” If we had a dollar for every time we heard that phrase at ICAST or during the countless phone calls we’ve !elded, we’d be wealthy. But here’s the thing—in the nicest possible way— unless you’re one of our carefully selected pool of testers or based at a couple of research stations or universities, no, you actually haven’t tried SharkGuard. What makes SharkGuard different from anything you’ve tried before? Our patented electronic pulse technology works by targeting sharks’ highly sensitive electroreceptors—the ampullae of Lorenzini. #ese specialized organs allow sharks to detect electrical !elds in the water, and our precisely calibrated pulses create a deterrent effect that keeps them away without harming the sharks or affecting your target !sh. #is isn’t guesswork or wishful thinking. It’s science-backed innovation that’s been re!ned through rigorous testing and real-world application. #e results back it up. But, honestly, the proof isn’t in our marketing materials or our test results—it’s in your cooler at the end of the day. It’s in the smile on your client’s face when they land the !sh they’ve been !ghting for. It’s in !nally bringing home the catch you worked so hard for, instead of watching it disappear into a shark’s mouth. Whether you’re a frustrated angler tired of paying the dreaded “shark tax”—losing your hard-earned catch to opportunistic sharks—or a charter captain who wants to guarantee your clients actually land their !sh, SharkGuard is the solution you’ve been waiting for. Coastal Angler readers can grab SharkGuard on Amazon at an exclusive discount—now just $199 USD (down from $275)— using code COASTAL199 at checkout.
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AUGUST 2026
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STAY ON TOP By Britt Stoudenmire
FOR SUMMERTIME
RIVER SMALLIES
T
he late-summer months are an overlooked window to catch big smallmouth bass that have been lazily lying in the middle of the river a!er a long spawning season. The insect hatches and emergences that occur throughout the day including mayflies, damsel flies and my favorite, the cicada, spur feeding frenzies and create an excellent opportunity to throw topwater lures and flies. One of my favorite lures to target topwater smallies during this period
is the Pop-R. I make long casts with a 6-foot to 6-foot, 6-inch G.Loomis medium-action rod with a Shimano Stradic 2500 C4+ reel spooled with 20/6 Power Pro braided line. On entry into the water, I let the bait dead dri! for about five seconds before working it erratically back to the boat. I target current seams, eddies, corner pockets and any type of structure or current break in the middle of fast water. It is important to continue working the bait with the same cadence, even if a fish is crashing behind it. Once you feel the rod load, reel into the fish and swing the rod back. Once hooked up, keep the rod—and fish—down in the water. Many big fish are lost while trying to pull the fish up to get a look at it. Another one of my favorite topwater presentations is the buzzbait. I will target the same areas as above using a slightly stouter medium-heavy setup to drive the hook home. The key to the buzzbait is to get the bait up on the surface as soon as it hits the water. I favor a straight, steady retrieve, reeling just fast enough to keep the bait on the surface. When a fish eats it, allow him to load the rod before setting into him with a hard hook set. I favor longer sha!ed buzzbaits for better hook-ups, as I don’t use trailer hooks because of the damage they can do to smallies. If you have a blow up on your buzzbait and do not touch him with the hook, a quick follow up with a so! plastic will o!en garner an immediate bite from the same fish. If you like to fly fish, summer’s slower, less-busy water o!en presents the perfect scenario to fly fish for big smallmouth. My favorite presentation for smallies on the fly is dead-dri!ing cicada bugs. Big smallies are addicted to these “dog days” dying cicada bugs and the easy meal they present, and we sight cast to these fish that o!en eclipse 20” or more. This technique has produced some of my clients’ and my personal best fly-rod fish. When dead dri!ing cicada bugs aren’t working, several other presentations can produce explosive strikes. Any popper in the size 4 to 6 range can attract smallies. When they strike, remember to strip up the slack line and into them before raising the rod tip hard to drive home the hook. If fish aren’t responding to the popper, another option is a slider-style fly. When stripped, the fly will dive slightly beneath the surface giving a darting and diving action. The Sneaky Pete is a good example, and this type of presentation can be deadly. Britt Stoudenmire owns and operates New River Outdoor Co. who guides on the New River in Southwest Virginia. www.newriveroutdoorco.com.
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AUGUST 2026
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RHINO SPINNING COMBO WINS ICAST 2026 BEST OF SHOW
I
n an industry increasingly dominated by high-tech fish finders, forwardfacing sonar, and motorized watercra!, the biggest story of ICAST 2026 came down to a refreshing return to roots. Rather Outdoors and its iconic Zebco brand shocked the fishing world at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., by winning the overall Best of Show award for the newly engineered Rhino 30 6’6’’ 2-piece Medium Spinning Combo. The victory marks a monumental comeback for the legacy Rhino name, a brand built entirely on bulletproof reliability for the everyday angler. “Zebco has been the first chapter in so many people’s fishing stories, and the Rhino relaunch is helping make sure that first experience is one that lasts,” said Chris Littau, Vice President of Zebco, following the historic win. Before capturing the industry’s ultimate prize, the Rhino setup first secured its foothold by winning the competitive Rod & Reel Combo category in the ICAST 2026 New Product Showcase, where industry heavyweights and innovative newcomers competed for 39 different Best of Category awards, selected by credentialed buyers and media who voted during the trade show.
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remember the dog days of August as almost unbearable for myself and clients during the daylight hours. Some days on commercial trips we would put the fan on us and rest during the heat of the day and fish in the late a!ernoon and at night for a number of fish, including snappers and mackerel. The yellowfin and wahoo bite could sometimes be a pleasant surprise while king mackerel fishing under the lights. The first wahoo I ever caught from an anchored up boat was at night. It literally swam right to the boat and I was able to almost hand feed him. That was a game-changing experience for me. This is where I learned how to catch live squid in numbers under the lights with a long-handled dip net and on the Sabiki. Cigar minnows and sardines would gather in huge swarms under the lights and, therefore, it would attract all the predators, not to mention the bite on the bottom and in the mid depth of the water column. The full moon of August is traditionally the best beeliner fishing of the year. A lot of the snappers spawn during the full moon of July and August; the mackerel too. A lot of the snappers and triggers are not on the bottom, but will suspend in the water column, so I would recommend a level wind reel when fishing the water column to locate the depth of the largest snappers. Descend your baits, slowly letting your thumb off the spool to release more line, one rod-length strip at a time. I like to use a double tackle with small pieces of squid and small circle hooks for this style of fishing. When you feel the first bite, click the reel in gear and barely come tight to it...sometimes you’ll have two at a time. This is the perfect time to put a small snapper on the bottom, a snapper Packed out... 2-4 lb. beeliners during large enough to eliminate first half of the night on the full moon. all the trash bites and attract only the largest grouper. The largest gag I ever caught was in August (at night) on a small pink snapper. Gutted it weighed 51 pounds and we estimated that it was probably 54 pounds. August has a lot of opportunities. We just have to change tactics to take advantage of it, and the night shi! is a great way to avoid the searing daytime temperatures and fill the box with organic groceries. This is also a good time to keep at least one person on the Sabiki, catching cigar minnows and sardines for future trips. Considering the cost of a five-pound box of frozen cigars, it makes it worthwhile to jig up 15 or 20 pounds of cigs, sardines, squid and/or tinker macs. Keep them all in the live well until you’re ready to leave in the morning and chill the remainder of the livewell all at one time for the ride home. Fish through the night and during the first couple of hours of daylight on the productive bottom and come home with a box full of fish! This is how to get the most out of an August trip. Load the box with plenty of ice when you get home, go inside, take a good nap and get up in the a!ernoon to clean and freeze the catch. Learn more from Tim Barefoot at barefootcatsandtackle.com and on his YouTube channel: @timbarefoot5698.
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