Coastal Angler Magazine | January 2020 | Naples/Marco Island/Everglades/Bonita Springs Edition by Coastal Angler Magazine

NAPLES/MARCO ISLAND/EVERGLADES/BONITA SPRINGS EDITION

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Winter's

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JANUARY 2020

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Photo courtesy of Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service, bigolfish.com

hether saltwater or fresh, good striper fishing awaits those hearty enough to brave winter on the water. So layer-up, zip into that parka and go. Some of the biggest fish of the year are feeding right now. On the southern end of their fall migration, striped bass are holed up for the winter off North Carolina. They’ll be chowing down and following schools of bait up and down the coast from Wilmington to the Outer Banks. Many years, Oregon Inlet sets up as the epicenter for the bite, but striped bass can be found in most area inlets. The key is to follow the birds and find bass blowing up on menhaden, glass minnows or eels. The action can sometimes come in close enough that surf casters can catch stripers from the beaches of the Outer Banks, but the best bet is to hire a local captain with recent intel and a fast boat. A little farther south, Wilmington offers another option, as stripers pile into the Cape Fear River, where they hold around structure, drop-offs and creekmouths and can be caught on artificials or even flies. These resident fish are a separate group from the highly migratory fish that winter off the Outer Banks. Cape Fear stripers are catch-and-release only, and must be returned to the water immediately. Keep an eye out for tagged stripers swimming these waters. Finally, on freshwater reservoirs across the Southern states and up through the Mid-Atlantic, fisheries stocked with striped bass produce pretty well for anglers this time of year. While smaller schoolie-sized stripers tend to get tough during the coldest temperatures of the year, the larger fish will still feed. The action won’t be as fast as dropping downlines to massive summertime schools, but the fish that do eat tend to be larger. Tactics will vary depending on the fishery, but when water temperatures stabilize or during a warming trend of a few days, the biggest fish in the lake tend to move up shallow—sometimes very shallow— behind schools of small shad. Find the flickering shad, and you’ll find the stripers. Sometimes you’ll see them plucking bait near the surface. Stealth is imperative in catching them, and a soft plastic such as a Fluke will usually out-produce live baits in such situations. It’s easier to cast and slowly retrieve an artificial. Another popular tactic is to cover a lot of water trolling wide spreads of small live baits or pulling an umbrella rig loaded with swimbaits, or both. When prospecting like this, it’s wise to seek out good information on where the stripers are holding. On many lakes they spend winters down by the dam. On others, you might find them way up in the creeks.

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12/10/19 9:01 AM

It’s boat show time! And the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), which produces 18 boat and sportshows across the country, is investing in more experiences and education than ever to meet the desires of attendees and inspire the next generation of the boating workforce. Attendee favorites will return, too, from fishing ponds to Super Thursdays. Here are some 2020 show season highlights. • With a need for skilled workers in the marine industry (more than 31K open jobs), NMMA boat shows are expanding Boating Career Days, offering the chance for students and job seekers to learn more about opportunities in the boating industry, get career advice from marine professionals and check out job openings. Last year the program attracted more than 550 students across eight shows. In 2020, the program is expanding to 14 markets: New York, Baltimore, St. Louis, Kansas City, Nashville, Louisville, Atlanta, New England, Atlantic City, Minneapolis, Northwest, Miami, Norwalk and Tampa. • New for 2020, NMMA is introducing The Discover Boating Experience (DBX), the “Hub for Boaters,” an educational marketplace that provides space to mingle, enjoy expert seminars, explore new products, learn boat care, discover new technologies, learn to navigate a boat show and more. DBX offers a place to relax and have a drink while enjoying a variety of topics, inspirational stories and live music. • The Progressive Boat House features an Occulus Rift Virtual Reality boat race game, the Annapolis School of Seamanship’s expert seminars and a docking pool with a remote-control boat and helm station to master docking skills. • Returning favorites include free fishing for kids and special deals, like $5 tickets after 5 p.m. and Super Thursday, offering deeper discounts, exclusive pricing and incentives. • Ongoing education for boaters and anglers of all skill levels is a hallmark of NMMA boat shows with free daily seminars.

The Progressive Insurance Miami International Boat Show, Presented by West Marine cruises into the docks at Miami Marine Stadium Feb. 13-17. Great deals and hands-on experience with hundreds of boats and the associated gear are the big annual draw. Highlights of the 2020 boat show include:

• Costa Conservation Village will showcase the work of some of Florida’s leading environmental organizations, such as The Nature Conservancy, Captains for Clean Water, and Costa’s Kick Plastic program.

• Presentations on sustainable seafood from esteemed Chef Allen Susser and an opportunity to get a signed copy of his new cookbook, “Green Fig and Lionfish: Sustainable Caribbean Cooking.”

• Junior Captains Program, where kids ages 13-17 can learn to operate a boat with Annapolis School of Seamanship.

• Boat US on-water training with Intro To Boating, Women on the Water and Precision Docking.

• The Progressive Boathouse, offering boating seminars, a remote-control docking pond and an Oculus Rift Virtual Reality boat race game.

• Wining and dining at three full-service, sit down restaurants at

the Show including: Latin Café, V&E Restaurant Group Showcasing menu items from Havana 1957 & La Cerveceria De Barrio and SuViche featuring select menu items from Novecento.

• For more information, visit www.MiamiBoatShow.com.

For more information and the schedule of 2020 NMMA boat shows, visit to www.boatshows.com. 4

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The easiest way to find bait when you’re ready to go fishing is by using the new Baitfinder App, available for free download on both Apple and Android devices. Bait shops are the best possible resource for local information on what’s biting, and on what bait, to ensure you have the right equipment and knowledge before you head out to target a specific species of fish. Everything about Baitfinder is designed for anglers, by anglers, allowing all bait shops in your area to advertise their bait availability in real-time. There’s no more last-minute anxiety about locating bait or driving all over to locate the bait you’re looking for. Anglers can reserve their bait of choice prior to getting to their favorite bait shop to pick it up, and it’s all easily done on the app! Let your friends know of this free app, and encourage all your local bait shops to enroll at: WWW.BAITFINDER.COM

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By Nick Carter

otivating yourself can be tough when daytime temperatures fall into the low 20s and ice forms on the edges of Southern tailwater trout fisheries. Even on these dam-fed systems, where water temperatures remain relatively consistent, trout become difficult when tiny midges are the primary food source. But there’s a phenomenon that occurs on some tailwaters that makes fishing the cold snaps worth sucking ice out of your guides. It’s called a shad kill. When it happens every fish in the river takes part in the feast. Shad kills are caused by extended cold weather. When air temperatures drop into the teens or lower for several days in a row, baitfish in reservoirs that feed our tailwaters suffer from plummeting water

temps. Either stunned and dying or just diving deep to find more comfortable conditions, shad and blueback herring get sucked into dam turbines. What’s washed out into the tailwater is a mix of chopped up, whole dead, and quivering stunned baitfish. “All of a sudden, they get flushed out into the tailrace. It’s like chumming the river in that upper mile or so below the dam,” said Bill Stranahan, who guides with Southeastern Anglers on Tennessee’s Hiwassee River. “Good browns and rainbows will key in on it. The ones you catch are so stuffed they look like they’re about to pop.” Fed by high-mountain winters on Appalachia Lake, the Hiwassee shad kill is a good one. In the Arkansas Ozarks, the White River sees shad kills almost every year. The Cumberland River in Kentucky and Georgia’s Chattahoochee River below Lake Lanier are two other tailwaters where trout put on the feedbag for these events. But shad kills are not like a hatch you can follow by calendar. It takes rapidly cooling water temps to disorient the numbers of baitfish necessary to be noticeable in the tailrace. During the winter’s hardest freeze, intrepid anglers should hit the water near the dam and watch for activity. “You’ll see them floating down the river stunned or dead,” said Stranahan. “Sometimes you’ll see fish coming up to the surface to swipe at them.” White and flashy are the keys to catching fish during a shad kill. White Zonkers or other bunny flies, white Woolly Buggers, anything that looks like a dead or dying baitfish will work. Stranahan said to match the size of the baitfish you see in the water and to experiment with depth and presentation. Sometimes a jerky retrieve is preferred, while other times a dead drift is the ticket. At times trout will feed on the surface, and some days call for a sinking line to get the fly down. Shad kills can be ephemeral or they can last a couple weeks when conditions are perfect. It’s the kind of thing you have to be on the water to encounter, and when it happens it brings out the biggest fish in the river.

Contact Southeastern Anglers through their website at www.southeasternanglers.com.

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after wrestling it from between the pilings, it turned toward open water. As I felt the battle shift in my favor, the line parted, likely from earlier contact with the pilings. “That can happen when you’re fishing up tight like this,” said our skipper, “but some days you have to dig in to get the big ones. Other times we’ll find them in more open water around oyster bars or in the surf.” Captiva Island, on Florida’s southwest coast, is prime territory for snook, redfish, sea trout, tarpon and a variety of other inshore species. “Our waters produce so well because we have a ton of bait, structure and opportunity here,” said Fischer, proprietor of Tarpon Fischer Charters (http:// www.tarponfischercharters.com). “Pine Island Sound, on the backside of the island, for example, has several passes that allow water and bait to flow in and out. The Peace, Myakka and Caloosahatchee rivers also empty into here. I run a lot of my charters out of South Seas Island Resorts (https://www.southseas. com) at the north end of Captiva, and from there you can be fishing in the sound or the open Gulf in a matter of minutes.” Snook and redfish top 40 inches, tarpon range from chickens to 200 pounds and sea trout are abundant. Those species are resident, noted Fischer, but come December and January, offshore action also kicks in with snapper, sheepshead, grouper, kingfish and cobia, among others. For anglers, these waters call for medium-light spinning tackle. Rig a size 3/0 J-hook or a light jighead on a 2 1/2-foot leader of 30-pound mono to freeline live baits around structure, mangroves or the surf edge. Add a 1/2-ounce splitshot two feet above the hook to get down in deeper water or stronger currents, or add a float two feet above this rig to fish the flats. If you prefer to throw lures, toss a 4-inch paddletail, Rapala Skitter Walk or Zara Spook. Fischer favors a 7 1/2-foot, 8- to 17-pound class Bull Bay rod and Shimano 4000 spinning reels for his inshore fishing. Keep in mind this area occasionally suffers from red tide blooms. “It can be here one week and gone the next.” Fischer said. “If it occurs during your visit, simply head for the cleanest water you can find.”

By Tom Schlichter

A s

apt. Nick Fischer nodded at a boat dock ahead. “There should be a Launching is available at South Seas Resorts (if you are staying there) or good one under there,” he said. “We had a couple there this morning from the Sanibel Island Public Boat Ramp ($5/hr. parking fee: 239-472-6397; but saw a real solid fish just before we left.” 888 Sextant Dr., Sanibel.) Nearby, the ‘Tween Waters Inn is another good spot It didn’t take long to confirm a nice snook was home. I hooked it and, to spend the night. More info at www.fortMyers-Sanibel.com.

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t’s prime time for wahoo in the sparsely populated southeastern Bahamas, where a fleet of boats shows up each winter specifically to target some of the biggest wahoo in the world. Just off San Salvador and Cat Island, precipitous ledge drops within a 15- or 20-minute boat ride from shore are a magnet for wintering wahoo. The prime wahoo season runs from November to about April, when fish are densely congregated. Triple-digit weights are not uncommon, and the average wahoo will tip the scales between 50 and 60 pounds this time of year. High-speed trolling is the name of the game. Pulling lures at 14 knots and zig-zagging along the ledge over depths from 400 to 600 feet is the kind of fishing that produces world records. Five current IGFA line-class record wahoo came from the waters off San Salvador and Cat Island. Two of those weighed more than 150 pounds. When that reel goes off, screaming from the pull of a big fish moving at 60 mph, it’s important to crank down on the drag and power it to the boat as quickly as possible. Oceanic whitetips are thick in the area, and they’re known to show up and rip a trophy fish to shreds.

For information on lodging and charters in the southern Bahamas, go to www.bahamas.com.

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Winter can be brutal, but to the saltwater fly fisherman it can be the greatest time of year to catch some quality fish on the fly. The beaches, flats and bays are practically deserted, the “sunshine” fishermen having retreated to their firesides at the appearance of the first raindrop or snowflake. It’s time for the serious fly flingers to put on thermals, grab a fly rod, and head for the water. Two of my favorite wintertime saltwater fish are the speckled trout (or spotted seatrout) and the redfish, two game fish that thrive in cooler water and make for some great fly rod action even “when the frost is on the pumpkin.” The speckled trout is a coastal fish found on the shallow mud flats and sand flats from North Carolina to Texas. A fish generally traveling in large schools, the “speck” is capable of providing fast action on the fly whether you’re wading or fishing from a skiff, kayak or boat.

A proven way to locate the “speck” is to look for depressions, channels, holes or cuts on or along these areas. Once located, cast into them with a floating or intermediate line, a 9-foot leader and a baitfish pattern. A weedless fly like a Bent Back works well. The key to catching speckled trout in cold water is to retrieve the fly sl-o-o-o-wly using short, jerky strips. The strike is often as light as an aunt’s peck on the cheek, so keep close eye contact with your fly. Another worthy wintertime adversary is the redfish, a fish found in the same areas as the speckled trout. Redfish (red drum), can tip the scales from 5-pounds to a heavyweight of 40 pounds. These members of the croaker family take up residence near breakwaters, pier pilings, channels, estuaries and marshes. They are a great match for the fly rod. Redfish can be finicky eaters and sometimes the fly needs to be placed close to their noses, especially in colder water. An accurate cast is essential in fishing for these rascals. Come prepared with a 9- or 10-weight rod, a floating line (weight forward), a 9-foot leader and a pocket full of crab patterns, as reds favor crustaceans. Don’t hang up your fly gear at the first signs of the winter solstice. Winterize yourself and go fly fishing; it beats sitting in a chair and dreaming of warmer weather.

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By CAM Staff

veryone seems to gets excited about those spring runs, when cobia push north in their migration and can be targeted by sight while cruising the beaches. With the run-and-gun nature of these tactics, it’s arguably the most exciting way to catch them. But it’s not the most efficient. Die-hard cobia fans know that wintertime, before the big move, provides some of the best fishing of the year. Consolidated is a good way to describe cobia populations during the winter. On the Atlantic coast as well as in the Gulf of Mexico, fish have moved southward and offshore in search of comfortable water conditions.

At no other time are cobia populations so dense around the Florida Keys, but they can also be found grouped up on deeper wrecks and reefs along both Florida coasts. In the warmer waters of the Keys, deep jigging the ocean-side reefs with butterfly jigs or 1-ounce bucktails will haul up a mixed bag, which will likely include cobia, and chumming them up to the surface is also tried-and-true tactic. Out on the reef line, anchor up and drop a chum bag of chopped-up frozen baitfish and wait for the action to come to you. Cobia will show up with sharks, as well as various mackerel and snapper species. Whether it’s pinfish or shrimp, present your bait weightless, and you might want to add a wire leader for the toothy critters in the melee. Farther north on both coasts, resident cobia are schooled up and easier to locate than they are at any other time of year. Find a good winter day, with warm sunshine and calm seas, and make the run to offshore wrecks or reefs. The key to this is water temperature, so look for temperature bands with surface temps around 70 degrees, and find some good structure with bait present on the sonar. Again, chumming can bring cobia right up to the surface, which leads to fast action on live baits, but jigging is a tactic that is both fun and effective for targeting fish you actually spot on the screen more than 100 feet down. It’s quicker, cleaner and more efficient than live bait. The key to this technique is finding the magic depth where the cobia are schooled up. Drop a 2- to 6-ounce jig, depending on the current and depth, vertically to the depth you’re marking fish. Experiment with the action until they eat. Some pump a jig up with fast, short jerks, others prefer to swing it up high and let it flutter back down. Both techniques will work, and the jig should be sweetened with either a 7-inch soft-plastic trailer or a natural bait like cuttlefish. Some of the biggest cobia of the year come off wrecks and reefs in winter. So head down to the Keys or make the run offshore and catch them before they scatter with the spring run.

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By CAM Staﬀ

ahamian waters did not disappoint for the more than 70 anglers competing Nov. 7-10 in Bimini’s Wahoo Smackdown IX. Hosted by the historic Bimini Big Game Club Resort and Marina, more than 1,500 pounds of fish were landed during the event. A fleet of 14 boats fished, with 11 teams making it to the leaderboard. Over the two days, 108 fish were caught, the largest weighing

52.7 pounds. Team Blitzsea, out of Pompano Beach, Fla., took top team honors with their six largest of 16 fish weighing a total of 251.4 pounds. It earned them $8,200 in cash winnings. Second place Team Remain Calm, also out of Pompano Beach, Fla., earned $4,500 in cash winnings with 13 fish for a total catch weight of 238.3 pounds for their six largest. Another Pompano Beach team, Team Mi Novia, finished third, taking home $2,500 in cash winnings for a total catch of 13 fish and a total catch weight of 190.7 pounds for their six largest. Team 4 Play caught the largest fish of the tournament, at 52.7 pounds. Outstanding catch went to Indecisive for a 23.5-pound king mackerel. Top Lady Angler went to Lisa aboard Blitzsea. Top Junior Angler went to Luke Pinder aboard Bad Habit. Tournament coordinator Beth Watson said the weekend “went flawlessly,” despite some rough seas and rain with squalls up to 40 knots on Day 2. “The teams that did attend were amongst the most competitive we have seen in all of our years of hosting fishing tournaments,” she said. Tournament festivities included live local entertainment nightly, a cocktail reception for the Captains’ Meeting, a barbeque at Sharkies Bar & Grill on day one of the tournament, and a closing awards party in the Hemmingway lounge, featuring a buffet, live entertainment and a full open bar. Sponsors included David Dunleavy Performance Fishing Apparel, Juno Bait, Carey Chen Marine Artist, Morita Custom Gaffs, CS Custom Lures, Starbright, Paul Cuffaro Brand, Flanigan’s Seafood Bar and Grill, Mermaid Vodka, Tropic Ocean Airways and Piper’s Angels. With more than 50 record-setting catches in the waters around the island, Bimini has often been referred to as the Sport Fishing Capital of the World. Plans are already underway to make Wahoo Smackdown 2020 the biggest best one yet!

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Winter

By Capt. Bill D’Antuono

Highlights

he cold is here! I have always said winter is my favorite time to spearfish in Southwest Florida. I think I am telling myself the truth. It could it be that I am just trying to justify heading out into brisk temperatures and diving into cold water, going out in choppy seas and staying cold and wet the entire day. Let’s look into this a bit farther. Some of the highlights for winter are cobia, mangrove snapper, gag grouper and amberjack. Unfortunately AJ and gag are now closed, but cobia and mangrove will be thick on the wrecks. Seasons changing move the fish around and keep things interesting offshore. Big mangrove snappers will be on just about any wreck. Don’t discredit the new artificial reefs which have been steadily holding nice fish, including all of the above mentioned. I have recently been loving my open cell wetsuit. It keeps you much warmer during the cold days than a traditional

closed cell wetsuit. Even a traditional 5mm wetsuit will do no justice compared to a 3mm open cell. It is a must that you wear a hood during these cold months. Hook and line bottom fishing is also great right now. Red grouper will move in to shallower waters and the old spots you caught them on in summer should be holding them too. With red grouper I use a chicken rig with a 5/0 circle hook with squid or sardine for bait. Red grouper can’t resist a butterflied spot tail grunt or squirrelfish. If you don’t get a bite on that, it’s time to move spots! Stay current with my latest catches on my Instagram page, @offshorenaples. I will be fishing throughout January and hoping for a great season! Tight lights and big fish.

Contact Offshore Naples at 239-269-5728 2 NAPLES | JANUARY 2020 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/NAPLES/

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4 NAPLES | JANUARY 2020 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/NAPLES/

In the Wake

ow! Typing the “byline” for this month’s issue, I had to write “2020”! A new decade and a reason to look back and try to see where the time went. From my wheelhouse, I saw lots of stormy seas (literally) from Nantucket to South Florida and beyond. On one of those trips, I had to go overboard 160 miles off of New York to retrieve a down-rigger fish that had broken free of the outrigger, but was still attached to the vessel by cables. The fish was solid stainless steel, and I had to go down and hook the anchor

windlass to it to haul it back up. Ever had that feeling that you’re a part of the food chain? I guess I mentally erased the water depth from that episode! Then I had one particular crossing from Louisiana to Corpus Christi, Texas in the largest following sea I had ever been in on a private vessel. We didn’t leave in those seas, mind you, they developed while we were en-route. This vessel was a 65’ Ocean Yacht, with no keel, and I was at the helm for 36 hrs. straight without the ability to use the auto-pilot. Talk about

By Capt. Jim Kalvin

an upper arm and shoulder workout! I got a free ride in a USCG chopper from 15 miles off of Charleston when the trawler I was on sank. Of course this was at 1:30AM. And another time in Newport News, VA I wound up between an inbound aircraft carrier and an out-bound gasoline tanker. The vessel I was skippering had AIS, so they knew who we were, but it’s extremely sobering to have an Apache helo draw down on you and side-escort you until you have space to exit the “zone.” In this location, you’re supposed to maintain at least 600’ from any military vessel. But in places, the channel can be as narrow as 400’. So, the required separation was impossible given that the vessels in question are several hundred feet wide. And with military traffic ahead and astern, we were at the mercy of the traffic pattern. And then there were the Bahamas trips. Wow. Such great memories now supplanted by the wrath of Hurricane Dorian. Still trying to get a grasp on the fact that the places we used to go are either gone, or unrecognizable and closed for the foreseeable future. What will the future look like? Who knows? But it will not be the quaint historic landscape that it used to be. Boy – don’t ever take anything for granted. It

can be gone in the blink of an eye. On that front, we’ve been working on a relief effort through Island Outreach, Inc. This is a long-standing taxexempt organization that has been supplying material and spiritual aid to the out-island residents of the Bahamas for decades. Pastor Randy Crowe is based in New Smyrna Beach, and flies his own plane into

the smaller communities that aren’t even on the map of the national and global relief orgs. His website is islandoutreach. com and his address is 106 Oakmont Lane, New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32168. Your donation to Island Outreach will go directly to the people of the Abacos supplying food, clothing, medical supplies, or other location-specific needs. This is a way to help a relief effort that has been on-going, and will continue in what will be a long, long road back to reasonable sustenance. Maybe the next decade won’t be as adventurous as the last one. Here’s to a peaceful Winter Season, and an un-eventful Summer to follow. Stay safe, and remember that a collision at sea can ruin your entire afternoon!

Capt. Jim Kalvin at 239-280-6054 FACEBOOK.COM/CAMNAPLES/ | JANUARY 2020 | NAPLES 5

6 NAPLES | JANUARY 2020 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/NAPLES/

Rookery Bay’s Good Fortune Eco-Cruise

ake a boat tour and find out why a group of citizens came together in 1964 to save Rookery Bay. The setting sun casts a beautiful glow on the calm waters that reflect clouds, boats and kayaks and the surrounding trees. The only sound is wings flapping as birds make their way to rookeries already heavy with birds. “It’s beautiful and quiet, and a lovely experience,”

introduce my visitors to Florida and what makes Florida special,” she said. “It worked out really well and was a lovely afternoon. We really enjoyed it. I highly recommend to others looking for a real Florida experience.” Eco-cruises leave from the launch site on Rookery Bay, about 10.5 miles from the Conservancy Nature Center. Reservations are required for midmorning, sunset and private

said Loralee LeBoeuf, a Naples resident since 1999 and Conservancy of Southwest Florida board member. “We are so busy, it’s nice to step away and have that connection with nature.” Experiences like this are what inspired citizens to come together in 1964 to save Rookery Bay and to stop plans to build “a road to nowhere.” The road was never built, and as a result, the Conservancy was formed. Now guests can experience the majesty of Bay aboard the Conservancy’s 35-passenger Good Fortune II pontoon boat led by Coast Guard-certified captains and a Conservancy naturalist. Take a two-hour tour of Rookery Bay on a midmorning or sunset cruise and learn about the history of the area and its wildlife. It’s not unusual for guests to see osprey, bald eagles, dolphins and more. Or book a private charter for up to 35 guests that include a captain and naturalist. LeBoeuf organized a private charter for a family reunion for guests from Texas, New York and California. LeBoeuf encourages others to share the experience and educate visitors and about the importance of the Conservancy’s work to protect the region’s water, land, wildlife and future. “It was one way to

cruises. Fees paid for boat trips support the Conservancy of Southwest Florida’s critical mission work including wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and release; sea turtle monitoring and research; clean water advocacy, and environmental education and outreach. Located just south of Naples, Rookery Bay is one of the few undisturbed mangrove estuaries left in the U.S., and one of only 28 National Estuarine Reserves. This 110,000-acres of open water, containing interconnected bays, mangrove wetlands, lagoons and streams is habitat for a vast array of wildlife, including dolphin, manatee and hundreds of species of birds. Protecting this threatened estuary was the first accomplishment of the Conservancy, founded by a group of concerned citizens, more than 50 years ago. All proceeds benefit the Conservancy of Southwest Florida’s mission of protection the area’s water, land, wildlife and future. For information, prices, directions or reservations, visit www.conservancy.org/ goodfortune. Submitted by Catherine Bergerson Director C ommunications and Marketing, Conservancy of Southwest Florida

Happy

By Capt. Brian Boxx

New Year

s the late great Barbara Walters once said, this is 2020! Let’s ring in the new year with rod bending a c t i o n ! December blew through bringing with it our yearly dose of cold fronts. The dropin temperature cooled our waters and kicked us into our winter patterns. Sheepshead are in abundance in our back water, pecking and flashing on just about every barnacle covered surface you can see. Going lite and downsizing is key to catching these convicts of the sea. Spanish mackerel and bonita have been keeping lines tight in the nearshore water. The crab pot buoys have been

holding great numbers of tripletail eager to gulp down a live shrimp. Speaking of shrimp, this is our winter go-to for live bait. They are a very versatile bait and can be used to target just about anything that swims. The local caught live shrimp are big and frisky in the cooler months making them a silver platter dish for finicky, cold water fish. Remember to reduce the flow of your livewell. Heavy flow will exhaust the shrimp. It also helps to add something

for them to cling to. I use a chum bag with a brick inside. These tips will keep your shrimp form getting stressed out, saving their energy for the hook. New year, new gear! Time to spend that holiday gift money. Get more bang for your buck with the affordable innovation of KastKing fishing products. This new company is making waves through the fishing industry. Providing its customers with the latest and greatest fishing technologies with a price that won’t break the bank. Their flagship reel, the Sharky III, is a fully sealed reel boasting up to 40lb of smooth carbon drag. It slides into your hands with a price tag of under $60.00. Top it off with their ICast award winning Super Power braid. Lock it onto one of their many innovative rods and you have a serious fin-stopping machine. Unlike most top manufacturers that spend millions on advertising

and marketing, KastKing keeps its marketing cost to a minimum and its quality at a maximum passing that savings on to its consumers. As we enter our busy season, more and more boats take to the water. Please keep in mind what you leave behind. By law you are responsible for your own wake. Although you may be outside of a “No Wake Zone,” you must be mindful of how your wake will affect others; waking kayakers, boats that have anglers standing up actively fishing, boats at or near docks, or passing a water patrol officer with his lights on are a few examples. It is extremely risky to life and property and if damage or injury occur, you can be held responsible. Till next Month, Stay Salty – Capt. Brian Boxx

Reel Salty Endeavours at 904-866-5050 FACEBOOK.COM/CAMNAPLES/ | JANUARY 2020 | NAPLES 7

By Capt. Rodney Raffield

Everglades Specials H

i Coastal Anglers, Capt. Rodney with another fishing tale from down here in the beautiful Everglades National Park. This past month we have had plenty of cool weather which has put those transitioning fish I spoke about in last month’s report into their normal winter pattern. Seatrout have dropped into the deep rock holes along with other species such as mackerel, snapper and sheepshead. We are using shrimp-tipped jigs, as well as heavy jigging spoons to extract these tasty critters. Snook are solidly moved into the backcountry, with most of these fish running on the small side with the occasional slot fish. Redfish are around and biting well on shrimp-tipped jigs, as well. Our area has plenty of wildlife, as well with northern visitors such as beautiful White Pelicans which can be found in groups as large as 300 in one spot. Dolphins are ever present and if you’re lucky will give you a thrilling show by jumping in your boat’s wake. Remember never let the number of fish you catch determine how special the time you spend on the water is when you are in such a special place as the Everglades National Park. That being said the fishing is awesome and you should get out there and give them a run. So till next time my friends tight lines and be blessed. Capt. Rodney

Contact Capt. Raffield at 239-695-4626

8 NAPLES | JANUARY 2020 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/NAPLES/

Reel in the Sunshine

native species of freshwater fish and more than 500 native species of saltwater fish. (and big fish) at fishing expo on Feb. 8 Couple that with our region’s very angler has a fish tale, available only to attendees. subtropical climate and an epic battle of man or Sunshine Ace carries an endless sunshine, and it’s easy woman vs. a fish of enormous extensive selection of the to see why fishing is so popular proportions. The story changes top fishing rods, reels and in Florida. each time it’s told – the fish accessories, including might grow longer and the Accurate, Daiwa, G Loomis, battle becomes more intense. Penn, Quantum, Rapala, But if you’re not hoisting a Shimano, St. Croix and other prized catch into the air for leading brands, as well as a photo op, though, then it’s bait products from Aquatic just a story. The casual angler Nutrition. Stores also feature likely has more stories of “the apparel and accessories for the one that got away” than the outdoor enthusiast, including one they caught. Fortunately, performance clothing and Sunshine Ace Hardware is hats from Hook & Tackle offering a free fishing expo on and Bimini Bay Outfitters Feb. 8 to ensure that you have along with stylish polarized the right gear, techniques and sunglasses from Costa. knowledge to complete your Sunshine Ace also offers a wide fish tale with a picture-perfect selection of YETI insulated photo for social media. cups and coolers of all shapes, Sunshine Ace’s fifth annual sizes and colors. Reel in the Sunshine event will Anglers in Florida are feature educational, interactive surrounded by pristine aquatic fishing seminars led by local habitats that are home to a fishing captains, vendor-led wide range of fish. According product demonstrations, food to the Florida Fish and Wildlife samples, hourly giveaways, and Conservation Commission, exclusive offers and discounts Florida has more than 200

family-friendly event also will enjoy hot-off-the-grill samples cooked on Weber grills. Sunshine Ace, a locally owned company that supports numerous nonprofit organizations, incorporates a charitable component into

Despite literally millions of fish swimming in our waterways, it’s not uncommon for anglers to return to shore empty-handed. So Sunshine Ace asked some of the region’s most renowned fishing guides and charter boat captions to share their expertise at Reel in the Sunshine, including their favorite fishing spots and gear to haul in a prized catch. For the fishing novice, captains will even demonstrate how to properly cast a line into the water. “Most of the people sitting there want to go fishing the next day, and they’ll want to know where to go and what to fish for,” said Capt. Chris Turner, who will be returning to Reel in the Sunshine for the fifth time. Guests at the

its special events. Attendees can participate in raffle prize drawings as well as a charitable lunch to help raise money for causes that impact residents of Southwest Florida. Reel in the Sunshine will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 8 at Sunshine Ace in Bonita Springs, 9100 Bonita Beach Road SE. Hopefully after attending, your next fish tale will come with indisputable evidence of the one that didn’t get away. For more information about Reel in the Sunshine, please visit SunshineAce.com and follow Sunshine Ace on Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest.

FACEBOOK.COM/CAMNAPLES/ | JANUARY 2020 | NAPLES 9

10 NAPLES | JANUARY 2020 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/NAPLES/

Positive

2020!

As we begin a new year we reflect on 2019 and learn from our experiences! November and December were absolutely beautiful, sunny and 75° and the fishing was spectacular! A few cold fronts here and there but we have to say, possibly some of the best fishing our area has seen in years! The abundance of redfish has really been outstanding! A few weeks ago we had a charter land on a day when one of the first cold fronts came thru and we were a little nervous. Would we find bait, would we have a decent bite, where to start when the weather isn’t quite cooperating? Positive attitude is everything, once we got bait in the rain and then it was actually raining on the ride in from getting bait to pick up our clients. Once on board we went out to the first spot. On the very first cast our youngest client caught a 29” redfish.

It put up an amazing fight trying to take him under the mangroves and then back out and under the boat. He fought the fish, outsmarting him in the end. We went on to catch redfish after redfish, so many I think they almost got bored catching them! Following up with a few nice snook was a bonus, but what an awesome day to get so many reds. Some

By Capt. Christina Kraus

Attitude

of the best fishing is on those bad weather days you aren’t expecting to do well. Some BIG news! We have launched our YouTube Channel, Artistic Angler Charters, and we have published our new website! Check us out at NaplesInshoreCharters. com We have some big goals in 2020. Come see what Naples fishing has to offer. Also please note, we are kid friendly. While we can only fit three on the charters, children and beginners are always fun, and we enjoy teaching fishing. If you are thinking of moving,

buying or selling in Naples don’t forget we do that too! Call us today, 239-601-3799. You should call Naples home! The weather can’t be better and the water is beautiful. MVP REALTY A r t i s t i c A n g l e r s Charters

Contact Capt. Christina at 239-601-3799 FACEBOOK.COM/CAMNAPLES/ | JANUARY 2020 | NAPLES 11

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Changes

By Capt Roan zumFelde

ow, is it just me or did 2019 just fly by in a flash? 2020 is upon us hope everyone had a great holiday and did not do anything to crazy for New Years. I want to start out and thank you for reading my articles in Coastal Angler. We are changing them up a little this year, featuring more on tactics and techniques for fishing our waters, both fresh and salt. Hope you will enjoy. Real quick, January fishing in SSFL is usually a little difficult. Cold Fronts disturb our usual sunny warm conditions and can create havoc on our freshwater species, especially

area will be stacked up with the edible little creatures. Let us focus on the bass fishing for a second. If all goes well weather wise and we have moderate temps and no hard freezes then you should find some bedding bass on both the new moon and especially the full moon in January. This goes mostly for the lakes, but do not rule out the canals especially along I75 closer to Ft. Lauderdale. Pitching creature type baits on braided line usually works the best, a good pair of polarized glasses are a must so you can see what is going on. Pitch in and around their bedding area, pay close attention to your line

Bass Jig in our canals. Bass and crappie fishing is the one exception. The bass do not seem to care too much for the change in pressure but the cooler temps do not seem to bother them much. On a super bright note, if you are a pan fisherman and love to eat crappie this is one of the best months to fish. Trafford and all the lakes in our

and lure. Most of the time they are not really eating, they are just trying to move a potential threat to their eggs. I like to use a very visible soft plastic for this operation so I can see when the fish picks it up. I am not a huge fan of people fishing bedding fish, but it is a fact of life that it if you want to catch a big bass this is one of the

Crappie Jig

most productive ways. I do ask though, please take a quick pick or get a weight and return her to the water near the bed so that she can continue to do what she needs to do. Crappie, or specks as some call them, well; they eat well. Great numbers are caught this time

Crappie

of the year and you really havenâ€™t lived until you sit down to a plate of fried crappie with cheese grits! Most productive way to find concentrations is to drift fish with a tiny crappie jig. Once you find a concentration it is time to deploy the Missouri minnows, either on a jig or on a hook with a bobber and small split shot, they really cannot

14 NAPLES | JANUARY 2020 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/NAPLES/

resist them. Happy New Year and good luck on your 2020 fishing, from Mike and Roan. Come visit Mike and me at Mikeâ€™s Bait house and Indian Pass Outfitters on Danford Street, next to Bayview Park in Naples and we can talk fishing. We carry a full line of tackle including: fly fishing needs and both saltwater and freshwater gear, food, drink, and bait. Thanks and good fishing. Roan z If you want to contact Capt. Roan z for a freshwater fishing trip or ask any fishing

questions he can be contacted at the Shop 239-775-2248 or cell number 239-269-4426. Check the Web Site www. indianpassoutfitters.com and www.mikesbaithouse.com

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Family

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Fishing

appy New Year everyone!! If you plan on taking some time off to visit Family or friends in south west Florida and have peacock bass on your bucket list, bring your rod and reel and tell grandma you’re fishing the fresh water pond behind her house. Wyze Guyz Tackle (Bambino) Color: Fuego Funk The peacock bass have been around in south west Florida for a long time. Fisherman would catch the invasive species in Miami and Ft. Lauderdale and bring them to Naples. I remember catching them as a kid when bass fishing in the local lakes and canals. Now they inhabit many of the local canals in the area and have become very popular on social media and are on most angler’s bucket lists! And I don’t blame

them, these fish are extremely aggressive and they are a blast to catch on light tackle and fly. They are very colorful fish and photograph really well! Dancopliers.com (Premio titanium pliers) My favorite rig for these aggressive fish is pretty simple. I use a ¼ ounce jig head and a paddle tail or an Owner twist lock and any bright colored lure. Many classic bass fishing rigs will work as well. These fish typically hang out near shore lines, banks, and around

a dock, rocks, bridges or fallen trees. Sight fishing them is very fun and is great for any skill level! All it takes is a decent cast and a twitch or two and they are usually honed in on it. If lures are not your thing, you can pick up some live shiners from the local tackle shop. Live shiners and a 2/0 circle hook will pretty much guarantee you a bite and a caught fish. You can find them in the local canal systems by walking along banks or kayaking; many of the canals are accessible by foot, so go explore you may be surprised at what you can find. Well I hope everyone has a great New Year and if you

get a chance to fish for some southwest Florida peas, I wish you luck! And till next time, tight lines everybody. Capt. Justin Napior is the owner of Backcountry Culture Fishing out of beautiful Naples FL.. Specializing in snook and tarpon. If you’re looking for some SWFL fishing contact him below

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Lazy

By Capt. Billy Norris

Behavior

intertime is back and so is the winter fishing! Backwater and offshore have been great this past month, providing both steady action and quality fish! The water temperature dropped over ten degrees pretty rapidly, which means the fishes’ eating habits will change as well. Snook and redfish will be much more lethargic and this lazy behavior means that changing up your bait offerings will greatly improve your hookups. Although they will still eat whitebait, they will be much

more inclined to take a shrimp on the bottom. We have been leaving the dock with a mixture of whitebait, pinfish and shrimp to cover all bases. Big jacks will crush whitebait still, but most of the redfish we have been catching have been on shrimp. Some sheepshead have begun to show up as well, and as it continues to get colder we should see more and more of them. The offshore bite has been stellar. There is a substantial amount of red tide lingering, however, it is not nearly as bad as last year. This

year’s bloom is in patches rather than covering the entire area. Move around until you find clean water and the fish will be there. On the wrecks we’ve caught a bit of everything this past month. There are schools of big redfish sitting out there, along with some trophy sized snook. Kingfish came in for a quick spurt of about a week, but then pushed back way offshore. In addition, big barracudas, permit, cobia and grouper have been common catches this month. Stone crab season is back in full swing as well, so we’ve been picking up some solid tripletail on the pots. Now that December has arrived, the water should cool down even more and put wintertime fishing into full gear. Start focusing more on sheepshead, black drum, and redfish as the temperature continues to drop. The cooler water should also push the kingfish back in closer to shore, assuming the red tide doesn’t push them away. Fishing was great in November and we are expecting a great December as well! You can check out all of our catches and daily fishing reports on Facebook.com/ palehorsefishingcharters!

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F I T OA

e a r s a g o , in a fishing magazine I saw a boat called “FITOA.” It meant “Fishing Is The Only Answer.” Some may wonder the question, while others understand completely. I think it’s one of the answers to life. One of them. There are many and they are all connected. Here’s what I mean. I’ve been lots of places. Some were to go fishing. Some were not. However, fishing was occurring whether it was me or someone else, and in some unexpected places. Like during wartime. We used to regularly travel by helicopter to a camp in the Nangarhar province of eastern Afghanistan. One day I noticed the Pashtun camp commander had a fishing rod propped up in a corner and asked him about it. Fast forward to he and I knee deep in a local river, myself in body armor, armed with an M-4 carbine, fishing for their version of trout, as two armored vehicles with men standing in turrets on top behind .50 caliber machine guns faced up and down the

By Capt. Tim Ramsey

river protecting us from the Taliban. Or stationed in strange places. In South Korea we had a man who fished in what we considered a drainage ditch on the side of the road, around the corner from our little camp, ten miles from the Demilitarized Zone (way above the 38th parallel, what troops call the “No Smile Line”). The fish were no bigger than a whitebait or greenback, but he smiled happily as he ate them, still flapping, straight from hook to mouth. Or on vacation. We went to Bali a few times surfing and ended up fishing. Planned on one thing and did another. Same thing in Costa Rica, Panama, Belize, Hawaii, Germany, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. Even on a cruise, fishing from the ship while at anchor. It was the same going to Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey, Hawaii, Tennessee, Kentucky, Houston, and the list goes on. Now I fish in Florida from a boat and think of the little

differences that made it a fishing trip in other places. Fishing in Abu Dhabi meant that as we were scuba diving, locals would roar up in their 40-foot center consoles with quad outboards and handline for little snappers and grunts as we were 80-feet down watching the dangling baits. In Dubai they used telescopic fishing rods bought at the department store. Didn’t matter if they were fishing off the bank or

in a boat. We hand-lined off that cruise ship and caught flying fish. In Costa Rica I watched a man about 5’2” tall take a 5-foot trolling rod as thick as a broomstick with a Penn Senator the size of a volleyball attached to it sling a silver spoon so far, I couldn’t see it when it landed. It’s still the most amazing cast I’ve ever seen. In the spring in New Jersey, my son and I stand thigh-deep in the cold inlet water surf casting for big blues and striped bass, followed by beers and steaks. In the summer those fish are somewhere else. So, fishing really is the answer. “FITA.” Is it really “FITOA?” Who knows. It might be. We can do it alone or in groups, for fun, food, or money. It can be pastime, tradition, or part of a culture. We all seem to do it. It’s how we’re connected. Put our differences aside and we’re all just a bunch of people that love to fish. For some, I think, so passionate about it, fishing really is the only answer. FACEBOOK.COM/CAMNAPLES/ | JANUARY 2020 | NAPLES 19

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TheeBest BestAngler AnglerPhotos PhotosFrom FromSouthwest SouthwestFlorida! Florida! Th

This lady (Brittany Cortes) is the “fish whisperer”! Capt. Bryan of Reel Tight FC with tripletails for dinner.

Luis with a HUGE 68# Cobia out of Naples.

A beautiful tripletail caught out with Pale Horse FC!

George caught a beautiful yellowtail snapper offshore Naples!

Spanish mackerel brought fight to Capt. Terry Fisher’s guest!

This Living Waters guest with an Amelia Island grouper.

Dalton Rybka is happy with his Matlacha redfish.

Capt. Rodney Raffield is still finding nice reds in the Everglades backwaters.

Photos submitted Courtesy of Coastal Angler Readers and Contributing Writers 24 NAPLES | JANUARY 2020 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM/NAPLES/

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By John Saporito

ith winter temperatures upon us, its time to switch tactics when targeting inshore gamefish. The warmer months feature an abundance of life on the flats and shallow beds, but winter shows the opposite trend. Both gamefish and their prey seek out stable water temperatures, many moving upriver and into creeks to find refuge from the cold. Due to the high specific heat capacity of water, many fish will escape the cold by moving into deep-water areas of our bays and estuaries.

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Often, fish will congregate in passes, boat channels, and around bridges, where the bottom has been scooped out, creating places that assure consistent water temperatures. These deep-water haunts are excellent places to score in winter, where fish can keep themselves at the appropriate temperature while exploiting the bottom structure and moving water to help with their feeding activity. Whenever deep moving water is in play, there is one technique that stands out above the rest: jig fishing. Jigs are the most effective tool when it comes to pulling fish out of a lateral current. Their unique ability to ride naturally through the turbulence and get down to the bottom where fish are holding makes them ideal for this style of fishing. A single upright hook allows them to bounce off most obstructions and has the strength to hold heavy fish in heavy current. But not all jigs are created equal. The two main styles of jig in use today are the nose-eye and offset-eye. The nose-eye jig has its eye in a forward position on the head of the lure, while the offset-eye jig has its eye in a centered position on top of the jig’s head. The offset-eye jig is superior thanks to its knack for maintaining a horizontal orientation during retrieve. This makes natural presentation with the offset-eye jig a cinch. Weight is a critical factor when using jigs. The lightest possible jig that can get and stay within a few feet of the bottom will net you the most fish. Too heavy a jig will drag uselessly in the bottom sediment, while too light a jig will be unable to reach the deep-water strike zone. Water depth, current speed, wind speed and direction, line material and diameter, and the type of trailer used on the jig are all variables that go into weight selection. Once you’ve selected the appropriate jig, cast it up-current, allow it to sink to the bottom, and let the current sweep it toward any fish-holding structure that might be present. This structure may consist of bridge abutments, dock pilings, boulders, sand waves, ridges or holes. If you can get your jig to glide through the strike zone close to structure in fast deep water, hold on! A jig can help you clean up with your favorite inshore gamefish all winter long. John Saporito is a lifelong fisherman and student of the seas. Visit him online at guerillaangling.com and follow on Instagram @guerilla_angling.

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COLD WEATHER BASS HAMMERING SHAD

Travis Poole with a fine winter bass caught while fishing with C-note Charters. By Randy Cnota hen the north winds blow across Florida, bass experience significant shock from rapidly dropping water temps. Those fronts actually kill many shad; not all, but many. Through the fall and winter, bass tend to school and follow balls of shad to take advantage of feeding opportunities available due to the cold. The abundance of forage and the natural urge to fatten up turn bass into eating machines. Airline_Ad_CoastalAngler_8-1-14_Layout 1 8/1/14 1:14 PM Page 1 action and As a shad dies, it flails about in a jerky twitching

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eventually sinks. If any bass are around, it will never make it to the bottom. Lures that mimic this action and excel this time of year include jerkbaits, A-rigs, spinnerbaits, lipless and deep-diving crankbaits and spoons. The flutter spoon is a personal favorite due to its ability to trigger a feeding response when other lures won’t. The erratic fluttering motion as it falls appears as a very familiar sight bass have been witnessing as shad succumb to the cold. When they strike, you’d best be holding on tight! Spoons are a great tool for scouring depths from 5 to 50 feet. Not only do they generate bites in open water where schools of bass roam for bait balls, they are deadly fished around deep and shallow grass beds. For this, rig a spoon on 50-pound braided main line with a 15-pound-test monofilament leader and cast to grass edges. Allow the spoon to fall into the grass, and then rip it out to generate bone-jarring strikes. Note: 99 percent of spoon bites come as the lure falls on a slack line. Suspending jerkbaits provide a different action needed for winter bass. When it’s bitter cold and bass are depressed from the conditions, you need to slow down while still presenting a shad imitation. Fished on light fluorocarbon line, jerkbaits reach deeper depths than you might think. In clear cold water they produce with reliable results. Long casts and slow retrieves with long pauses between twitches will get cold bass to move and strike. As winter moves toward spring, I cast a lipless crankbait at shallow grass near deep drop-offs. Bass will start moving closer to spawning areas long before they actually spawn and will continue to feed. If weather conditions create a slight rise in water temps, this technique can be hard to beat. Even if water temps are still in the low 50s, but have increased slightly, a fast retrieve will allow you to cover vast areas and pluck off many bass that have started to scatter from their winter schools. During these coldest times of the year is when some of the biggest bass are caught. Don’t let the conditions deter you from searching out that trophy bass. Bundle up and get after it! Randy Cnota is co-publisher of the Panama City/Destin/Forgotten Coast edition of Coastal Angler Magazine and owner of C-note Charters. Contact him at (229) 834-7880 or randyc@coastalanglermagazine.com.

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By Michael Okruhlik • Capt. Michael Okruhlik Photo courtesy of Controlled Descent Lures.

or those who enjoy targeting speckled trout of larger proportions, we know they are not easy to come by. The majority of trophy trout hunting is done in cooler water temps and below normal feeding patterns. Utilizing solunar tables for feeding times can improve your hookup ratio and help you get the edge on gator trout. When I was a child, I would look at the calendar on the wall and see how many fish were on the day I had a trip planned. Multi-fish days built the excitement and anticipation while zero

fish still left me wanting to go, but lessened my expectations. During my younger years, I also found no consistent correlation between my success and the number of fish on the calendar and soon felt no reason to review it. I felt it was more of a folktale than a tool. As I matured into a somewhat better angler, and started spending more time saltwater fishing, I once again started to study the solunar tables along with the tides. To be clear, these tables are not a magic act, nor do they place fish where they are not, but I am a believer that if you are on fish, they will be more aggressive during the feeding times specified in the tables. Many people misinterpret the major as the better bite. This is not necessarily the case. The major vs. the minor is the length of time the bite will last. The major is typically two hours long while the minor is about an hour and a half. Both can share the same intensity of the feeding period. I plan each trip around the bite times. Naturally, I fish more than the two hours of the major bite, but I place myself in what I feel is the prime area during the bite. One rule that I stick to is to fish during the feed times rather than travel from one spot to another. On a recent trip, I wasn’t having any luck and considered moving locations. I checked the time and realized the bite was approaching. I decided to not move during the bite and continued to fish the once non-productive area to realize an aggressive feed during the specified time slot. I find this approach especially true when hunting gator trout. They do not feed that often and are difficult to catch, therefore utilizing the solunar can give you the edge for catching these larger specks. As I stated previously, these solunar tables do not guarantee you will catch fish. However, if you have the correct conditions of tide, wind, water clarity, temps, bait and most of all FISH, giving it your best during the feeding times greatly increases your odds of catching fish, and gator trout. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Controlled Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

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ll of us have enjoyed those rare days when fish would ingest virtually any lure or bait tossed in the water. Those experiences are certainly the exception, because fish are selective about their diets and seldom vary extensively in their choice of foods. Only when they cannot find enough of their standard fare will they range in their choice. Let me share a few examples: It was a beautiful day on the offshore grounds with a strong current that should hold fish. As the hours passed, our frustration increased. We couldn’t even raise a fish. Finally, the captain told us to reel in the lines. It seemed obvious he was going to try another spot, but that wasn’t his intention. Instead of moving, he took the trolling lures off the rods and rigged them with a single hook. One of the outfits had a sinker so it would go deeper. Then he turned the boat broadside to the current and cut the engine. We were now being pushed by the natural flow of water. A live baitfish was put on each hook and then streamed off the starboard side of the boat. He chopped up dead bait and threw a handful overboard as chum every couple of minutes. It didn’t take long before the big guys hit the live bait, and it suddenly became a banner day because the skipper did something different. More than 50 years ago, the late Joe Brooks told me no

one to his knowledge had caught an Allison (yellowfin) tuna on a fly, and he was sure I could do it. Joe set up a trip for me to Bermuda, where yellowfins responded to chum. I had fished chum slicks with a fly with my father since I was a young boy, and we simply cast in the slick and retrieved the fly. I can’t remember ever having a problem with that method. We were anchored on the edge of a bank in Bermuda, with the current taking chum off the edge into deep water. Tuna were devouring chum, and I was sure it would only take a cast or two to hookup. To say I was wrong was an understatement. The tuna ignored the fly as I retrieved it. They swam around it and kept eating chum. Finally, in desperation, I dropped the fly into some chum that lingered on the surface and did not move it. To this day, I can see that tuna inhaling the fly. It weighed 53 pounds and 6 ounces. The point to remember is that if the more common method isn’t working, try a modification. A friend and I were both fishing the same plug. He kept getting strikes, while nothing touched my offering. Finally, he showed me how he periodically vibrated his wrist. It made the lure flash, and that’s all it took. In a similar situation, another friend and I were using diving plugs. He kept hooking fish while I couldn’t buy strike. While I followed a standard retrieve, he would pause for an instant periodically. That allowed the plug to float upward before diving again. Simple, isn’t it? Before you claim there are no fish where you are fishing, try a few variations to standard practice. You might be surprised with the results.

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