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LOCAL LAKE & RIVER FORECASTS VOLUME 27 • ISSUE 327

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SHORT LINES

By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

LEAD TO

MAHI T

he transition into the summer months brings calmer days more viable for offshore fishing. This is the season when waterways become flooded with snowbirds and weekend warriors, although current fuel prices may keep the pressure off those hot offshore numbers. With mahi season in full swing in the Atlantic, scouting the ocean for signs of life offshore is easily most exciting this time of year. Trolling for mahi near weedlines, diving birds and floating debris is extremely productive. These fish will eat just about anything they see, so much so that I wouldn’t be surprised if you could get a hookup on a banana peel. A trolling spread for mahi doesn’t have to be elaborate. Four lines or less will get the job done. Their penchant for jumping and swimming zigzags on the surface makes tangles in the spread an unfortunate reality. Lines can be kept short, as mahi will eat near a moving boat. While fishing in heavier weeds, shorter lines allow lures to skip more to kick off grass. Lures that don’t like to rid themselves of grass can alternatively be more easily observed and manually cleared with this method. Keeping the lines short also increases the chances of a hooked fish bringing the school of mahi-mahi with them to the boat. The farther back the lines are when a mahi is hooked, the more

6 NATIONAL

JUNE 2022

time the rest of the school has to lose interest in following their buddy. Once a hooked mahi is boatside, leave them in the water as a swimming, codependent chumbag. The rest of the school often follows them, giving you a chance to hook up to more. Have something on your boat to cast out in this situation. Nearly anything will do when the school is in a frenzy. Jigs, lures, cut bait, live bait, possibly banana peels. Sometimes mahi will turn their nose up at certain baits, but the key can be entirely within the presentation. They usually prefer a bait that is teasing them and just almost out of reach. Alternate between letting the bait fall and twitching it away from them. At times, you might get ready to leave a closed-mouth school only to finally have your bait crushed as you quickly reel in the pitch bait. If this is the case, they might just be in a mood to chase something moving more quickly, and getting back on the troll may be a better idea. Diving frigates and floating debris attract more than just mahi-mahi, and there are epic sightings to be had in the open water, everywhere in between.

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From marlin to whale sharks, calm summer days offshore are as good as it gets. Calmer and sunnier days provide above average visibility, making once in a lifetime encounters harder to miss. Keep your eyes (and bananas) peeled. Capt. Quinlyn Haddon fishes for Blue Magic Charters out of Marathon in the Florida Keys. Call (504) 920-6342.

LESS IS MORE WHEN RIGGING THE BOAT

Tim Barefoot

n a time when we are in full-throated offshore (and inshore) fishing, I’d like to address the meaning of the title of this article. We all want to put gadgets on the boat to make it more efficient and comfortable. What I’m getting ready to say may offend some folks, but the ones who actually fish for results—rather than to look good or appease mom and the kids—will get it. Less is more means the more open deck space I have, the better the dance floor is when the action starts. Period. I want a clean deck, free of “toe breakers” and stumbling blocks commonly referred to as seats and coolers I have to squeeze by. When there’s a fish ripping off drag and changing directions, I want open lanes to move up to the front of the boat or around back. You see, I’ve reached a point in life that I’m going to catch the fish I want to catch, the way I want to catch them. I troll some, but it’s early in the day to locate stacks of bait and fish. When the sun comes up to the 10 or 11 o’clock position, I start posting up with the Rhodan or drifting with a kite or float baits out. I keep a bait near the bottom and baits in

the middle water column if they are marking on the recorder or when we are getting bites on the deeper baits. What we do mid-morning is a result of how hard the current is running, the wind direction and speed or a combination of these things. If I could recommend one thing to make your boat rigging most complete, it would be a Rhodan or some other trolling motor that will keep you in place, or slow your drift with the kite directly out behind you, like you are trolling with the kite out. This will allow you to fish the lower levels of the water column for the wahoo bite in the middle of the day with lighter tackle and lighter weight jigs, and also drop a bait in front of Mr. Grouper while on the drift. Keep an eye on the recorder as you are making these long drifts, and mark the areas of bait, fish and bites so you can run back up and make the same drift again. I said all that to say this: Who says you have to use a ballyhoo trolled at 6 or 8 knots to catch fish? Slow it down to a drift or post up on a mark and catch the pelagic and bottom fish while flying the kite or with float baits. When you’ve got all that going on, excess comforts or gadgetry sometimes impede your fishing rather than making it easier. Stay tuned to upcoming videos illustrating this style fishing, but remember to keep the deck clean. Less is more. See more from Tim Barefoot at barefootcatsandtackle.com.

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Found: 1,600-Year-Old Roman Gladiator Coins Hold the Glory of Rome In the Palm of Your Hand

hen your famous father appoints you Caesar at age 7, you’re stepping into some very big sandals. But when that father is Emperor Constantine the Great, those sandals can be epic! Constantius II, became Caesar at 7, and a Roman Emperor at age 20. Today, he is remembered for helping continue his father’s work of bringing Christianity to the Roman Empire, as well as for his valiant leadership in battle. But for many collectors, his strongest legacy is having created one of the most fascinating and unique bronze coins in the history of the Roman Empire: the “Gladiator’s Paycheck”.

the Gladiators Paycheck

Roman bronze coins were the “silver dollars” of their day. They were the coins used for daily purchases, as well as for the payment of wages. Elite Roman Gladiators—paid to do battle before cheering crowds in the Colosseum—often received their monthly ‘paycheck’ in the form of Roman bronze coins. But this particular Roman bronze has a gladiator pedigree like no other! Minted between 348 to 361 AD, the Emperor’s portrait appears on one side of this coin. The other side depicts a literal clash of the gladiators. One warrior raises his spear menacingly at a second warrior on horseback. Frozen in bronze for over 1,600 years, the drama of this moment can still be felt when you hold the coin. Surrounding this dramatic scene is a Latin inscription—a phrase you would never expect in a million years!

Happy Days are Here Again The Latin inscription surrounding the gladiators reads: “Happy Days are Here Again” (Fel Temp Reparatio). You see, at the time these coins were designed,

the Emperor had just won several important military battles against the foes of Rome. At the same time, Romans were preparing to celebrate the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Rome. To mark these momentous occasions, this new motto was added and the joyful inscription makes complete sense.

A Miracle of Survival for 1,600 Years

For more than sixteen centuries, these stunning coins have survived the rise and fall of empires, earthquakes, floods and two world wars. The relatively few Roman bronze coins that have survived to this day were often part of buried treasure hoards, hidden away centuries ago until rediscovered and brought to light. These authentic Roman coins can be found in major museums around the world. But today, thanks to GovMint. com, you can find them a little closer to home: your home! Claim your very own genuine Roman Gladiator Bronze Coin for less than $40 (plus s/h). Each coin is protected in a clear acrylic holder for preservation and display. A Certificate of Authenticity accompanies your coin. Unfortunately, quantities are extremely limited. Less than 2,000 coins are currently available. Demand is certain to be overwhelming so call now for your best chance at obtaining this authentic piece of the Roman Empire.

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S I T U AT I O N By Gary Turner

hether it’s a mess of channel catfish for supper or trophy blue cats, I love catfishing! From Texas to Virgina and Nebraska to Florida, I have caught catfish all over the country. Some of my favorite locations are the Santee Cooper reservoirs in South Carolina and the mighty Tennessee River in the stretch from Tennessee into Alabama. Here’s some information on how I catch them in lakes and rivers. These fishing styles will work for catfish all over the country.

ON THE LAKE

I use Abu Garcia 7000 reels with an egg sinker, swivel and 6/0 to 8/0 circle hook. If you are looking for smaller fish, downsize your hooks and baits. Bait can be fresh cut bream, shad, hotdogs, nightcrawlers or even chicken breast chunks. All of these work. On Moultrie, you can anchor up and wait, but usually you can cover more area drifting. Set your rods all on one side of the boat and let them drag along beside or behind the boat. If there is no wind, you might need to troll. If there’s lots of wind, you might need to drop drift socks or a bucket to slow your drift. For this setup, you can use the same reels and baits, but you will need to change your terminal tackle. Use a three-way swivel to attach a slinky, Lindy weight to the bottom eye on 6- to 12-inch piece of 10- to 20-pound leader. You want your weight line to be lighter than your main so if the weight snags you don’t lose your whole rig. On the back eye, use 24 to 36 inches of heavier leader to your hook. Some people also put a small cork a few inches in front of the hook to keep the bait just off the bottom.

Santee Cooper is one of my favorite destinations for big catfish and smaller eaters, too. It’s actually two lakes, Lake Marion, the upper lake, and Moultrie, the lower lake. These lakes both have giant flatheads, huge blues and eating-sized channels. When fishing Lake Marion, I like to anchor up, cast out a bunch of baits and wait. If no bites in 30 minutes, I change locations and try again. There ON THE RIVER are flats and standing timber, and you just keep When fishing the Tennessee River from moving until you find feeding fish. Sometimes you Lake Chickamauga in Tennessee to Alabama’s mark lots of fish that aren’t feeding. Lake Pickwick, I usually go much heavier on

equipment. I go with Penn Fathoms on Big Cat Fever Rods with 80-pound braid main and 100-pound leaders, sinker slides for bigger weights, and 8/0 to 10/0 hooks, depending on how big the baits are. Sometimes a double-hook rig improves your odds. Skipjack, fresh or frozen, is the preferred bait, with bream and shad as backups. Don’t be afraid to use giant baits in big water. There are some giant fish down there! In rivers, where’s there’s a good current, you can bottom bump. This technique is also popular on the Mississippi River. You slow the boat so the current carries your lines downstream. Use just enough weight so your baits walk and bounce along the bottom. This is very productive and allows you to cover lots of water. Another thing we do sometimes where the river is fairly flat and slow is to slow drift with all the rods and lines straight down and the hooks just off the bottom. If you are marking good fish, make several passes over them. Sometimes this will fire them up. I hope this helps you catch more and bigger catfish next time you go. Please remember, if you are not going to eat it, don’t kill it. Gary Turner is a regular contributor to Coastal Angler and The Angler magazines. Contact him at gary@purgeright.com.

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HUNTING

GIANT PERMIT IN THE SURF

By Emily Rose Hanzlik

reshwater or salt, I enjoy fishing for anything that swims. Specifically targeting the largest fish of a species is what I enjoy most. Whether it’s grass carp or jack crevalle, I actively seek out IGFA records to try and break. Right now, permit is on my hit list. Permit inhabit the western Atlantic from Massachusetts to southeastern

Brazil. They occur throughout the West Indies and the Gulf of Mexico, and less-frequently in Bermuda. The species is most abundant in southern Florida, where they can primarily be found inshore around bridges, inlets, on flats, deep cuts, channels and holes adjacent to these areas. They will, however, also frequent offshore wrecks, oil platforms and artificial reefs. Due to its striking similarity to the Florida pompano, in its juvenile stage, many anglers often misidentify young permit. You can distinguish the two from each other by the color of their chins, fins or bellies. Pompano will have a more yellow coloring, where a permit will be more orange in color. Permit and pompano are both members of the jack family, Carangidae, which includes about 140 species worldwide. Permit primarily feed on crustaceans and mollusks, which they crush between a pharyngeal bony plate at the back of their mouth and granular teeth on their tongue. Most fishing guides prefer to use blue crabs in the 2- to 3-inch range. Since I am specifically targeting large fish, I prefer to use fullgrown speckled crabs, which can range anywhere from 4 to 6 inches. The smallest permit I’ve caught on these big baits weighed right at the 20-pound mark. The All-Tackle IGFA World Record permit weighed in at an amazing 60 pounds and was caught out of Brazil in 2002. When fishing for permit from the beach, it’s best to know your surroundings. I always fish the holes adjacent to rip currents. To find these, you first need to locate the sandbars, which are the “whitewater areas” in the surf where the waves are breaking the most. Next, you need to find a spot along the sandbar where the wave action seems to settle. That is the cut. It is a break in the sandbar where water is forced out on a falling tide. The water rushing out causes a rip current, which is most prevalent on both sides of the cut. Finally, the areas immediately to the left and right of the rip current and just behind the sandbars are where the holes are usually located. These features can change location depending on the strength of the tide. Permit can be found in these holes at any time. However, late spring through early fall is the best season to target large permit from the beach.

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Emily Rose Hanzlik holds 45 IGFA world records in various women’s categories. She hails from West Palm Beach, where she has a part-time bowfin guide service as well as fishing classes for Jr. Anglers. Find her on Social Media @emilyhanzlikoutdoors.

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Tips for Catching Your “PB” This Summer By CAM Staff

ith texting and social media pushing the English language in an inexorable backward slide toward a form of communication that resembles hieroglyphs of the ancients, the abbreviation “PB” has become common in angler jargon. In case you didn’t already know, PB is short for personal best. You’ll often see it used on online forums and social media alongside photos of enthusiastic anglers holding large bass. “PB! Texas-rigged Ol’ Monster. 8-2,” such a post might read. Translated, the author of the post is indicating Lewis Smelcer caught this monster they caught the largest bass 14-pound, 4-ounce largemouth at they’ve ever caught on a large Porter Lake on March 5. plastic worm. It weighed FWC TROPHY CATCH PHOTO. 8-pounds, 2-ounces. If you bass fish, catching a 10-pound-plus fish is kind of the ultimate goal. However, the PB concept allows for legitimate celebration for the somewhat lesser achievement of catching a very nice fish that might not weigh 10 pounds. On the other hand, true lunker hunters might have surpassed the 10-pound mark many times, and PB provides another goal to strive for. Whichever camp you fall in, here are some tips that might help you make a PB post this summer: • Fish Where Your PB Lives. Do your research and find out where anglers are catching big fish. Florida’s TrophyCatch program has an online database where anglers report catching bass heavier than 8 pounds. Information provided includes date, size and location of the catch. All sorts of trends can be mined from the site’s searchable data. Find a trophy bass factory near you and fish it. • Fish For One Bite. When you specifically target big fish, sometimes you won’t catch anything else... or anything at all. The lures, tactics and locations for large bass are not the same for more aggressive smaller bass. Prepare to fish hard and fish patiently for just a few bites. Be ready to set the hook when it happens. • Fish The Thick Stuff. In summer, fish have settled into predictable patterns. The big fish are going to be holed up in the thickest cover they can find, whether that’s matted grass or a logjam. If you have to worry about how you’re going to get a fish out of a hole, that’s where your lure needs to be. • Fish Large Lures. Large bass have life figured out. They are lazy and are not likely to be out in open water chasing 2-inch shad around. They put on all that weight by expending as little energy as possible while consuming as many calories as possible. They eat the large, infrequent meals that show up right in front of them. Big 6-inch swimbaits, large jigs or huge plastic worms, if it looks like a slow-moving mouthful a large bass is more likely to eat it. It’s up to you to fish methodically and put your lure right in a fish’s face. For more bass fishing tips, visit coastalanglermag.com.

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Gulf Anglers Offered Free Release Gear R eturn ’Em Right, a program that aims to reduce catch-and-release mortality for Gulf of Mexico fish suffering from barotrauma, has launched a new program for anglers throughout the Gulf of Mexico. By participating in a short online review of best practices, anglers can receive free release gear valued at $100 to help reef fish survive release. Each year, more than 10 million federally managed reef fish are released, and at least one million of those will die soon after being released. A main reason is barotrauma, a pressure-related injury fish experience when reeled up from depth. Anglers may observe barotrauma when they release a fish, only to see it float away on the surface. For every one percent of landed and released fish anglers save through learning and using best release practices, over 100,000 reef fish could survive to grow, possibly spawn and be caught again. “I have enjoyed teaching my daughter to fish and know one way to keep the fisheries healthy for her generation is to release them properly. I hope Gulf anglers take advantage of Return ’Em Right. Free gear and training to benefit the fishery is a win-win,” said JD Dugas, a recreational angler from Louisiana.

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Return ’Em Right promotes best release practices, with an emphasis on proper use of descending devices, which research shows can improve long-term survival of reef fish by up to three times. Descending devices are weighted devices that help fish overcome buoyancy and injury by releasing them at depth. These devices come in a variety of forms FLORIDA SEA GRANT PHOTO including weighted inverted hooks, lip clamp devices and weighted crates and boxes. to be a resource to a community committed “I used descending devices for the first time to preserving the future of the sport,” said Nick recently, and I’ve seen them work firsthand. Not a Haddad, Fisheries Communications Manager, single fish floated back up the entire day offshore Return ’Em Right. Return ’Em Right is a program led by fishing,” said Alexandra Spring, three-time IGFA Florida Sea Grant, University of Florida, Gulf World Record Holder. Gulf of Mexico reef fish anglers 18 years and States Marine Fisheries Commission, NOAA older are now eligible to visit the Return ’Em Right and a coalition of anglers, industry groups, website, review best release practices and receive state agencies, universities, government and a package of release gear to use on the water. The non-government organizations committed to educational review is available to all individuals maintaining healthy fish stocks and fishing access who are interested in learning best practices in the Gulf of Mexico. The project was selected by when encountering barotrauma, regardless of age, the Deepwater Horizon Open Ocean Trustee’s as part of a 2019 Restoration Plan. location or role in the fishery. “Return ’Em Right welcomes all anglers to To participate in the Return ’Em Right program participate in the program and we are excited and get your free gear, go to returnemright.org.

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Lake Istokpoga & Lake Okeechobee Edition

Welcome

to the june issue of the Angler Magazine

Featured in this issue

Pg 2 Major Aquatic Restoration Project

on Lake Istokpoga Pg 4 Okeechobee Breem Pg 5 Angler Boat of the Month Pg 8 Lake Okeechobee Report & Forcast Pg 9 Remembering Ray Scott Pg 10 Approaching the Rainy Season Pg 12 2022 RMMC Series Bass Tournaments Pg 13 JP & Paige Pg 14 Experimental Invasive Plant Control on Lake Okeechobee Pg 15 Angler Profile - Austin Young Pg 16 Talking Dog for Sale Pg 18 Ask Sara Pg 23 Big Show Classic Results

staff

Don Norton Natalie Lopez Tangie Neff Amy Norton Robert Fromhartz Carolyn Olsen Mallory McNally Chris Norton

Publisher Graphics Sales Distribution Distribution Distribution Distribution Technical Director

elcome to the June issue of the Angler Magazine - Lake Istokpoga/Lake Okeechobee Edition. This issue is packed full of great articles, pictures and results from a couple major bass tournaments. Our feature story, on page 2, highlights the aquatic restoration project taking place on Lake Istokpoga, and on page 14, the article by James Don Norton Reed reviews the project taking place on Lake Publisher Okeechobee and how they are experimenting with new ideas for invasive plant control. And finally, read about Austin Young, on page 15, our Angler Profile for June. Thanks for reading our magazine and please support our advertisers. Tell them you saw their ad in the Angler Magazine.

We want to hear from our readers! Reach out to us with your feedback, fishing adventures, and pictures!

Don Norton

(863) 273-4998

Advertising opportunities available!

don@theanglermagazine.com donorton13@gmail.com

 Major Aquatic Habitat Restoration Project on Lake Istokpoga By Don Norton

ast month, on May 3rd, I had the opportunity to join Sara Menendez, David Holmberg and Beacham Furse, along with a couple of crews from FWC to view the habitat restoration project taking place on Lake Istokpoga, and to write this article for the Angler Magazine, June issue. Sara Menendez is a Fisheries Biologist, with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Southwest Region, headquartered in Lakeland, Florida. She has also written for and provided information on various articles in the Angler Magazine. My neighbor, and another contributing writer to the magazine, Robert Fromhartz – a Master Gardner – also came along to see the progress they were making. We met Sara around 9:00 am at Windy Point, the large state boat ramp on the southwest corner of Lake Istokpoga and within ten minutes, we were running across the bottom of the lake to the east shoreline where we would meet up with David Holmberg, just south of the Istokpoga Canal. David Holmberg is the newest AHRES (Aquatic Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Section) biologist for Lake Istokpoga. He will be the one proposing new habitat restoration projects that the Lake Istokpoga Working Group (team of FWC biologists from all concentrations) will provide comments on and approve to move forward. As we idled into the shallow section of water, past the outer edge of spatterdock and scattered arrowheads, I was surprised at the depth of water. Usually, the water is too shallow for me to get my Ranger Bass Boat this close to shore, but the water was deeper than I thought and we moved slowly into the shallows. Twenty-five feet from the planting crew, I lowered the power poles to hold us in place as David waded across knee-high water to meet us. At least a half-dozen workers in orange shirts were busily planting Duck Potato plants along the shallower water towards shore. 2 OKEECHOBEE

june 2022

David explained that this location was a good choice for inner marsh areas. The Wapato Duck Potato is a very good allaround wild duck food Canada geese, swan, and all ducks. The species of wild ducks which

Sara Menendez

David Holmberg

will feed upon Wapato depends largely upon the water conditions under which it grows. If the waters remain nearly the same level the year around, mallards and other shallow water ducks will feed upon the tender shoots, tubers and seeds which it produces. A common wetland plant, the Wapato is also known as broadleaf arrowhead, arrowhead, arrowleaf, duck potato, and Indian potato. The tubers of broadleaf arrowhead have long been an important food source to indigenous peoples of the Americas. The Lewis and Clark expedition depended on the plant when they were in the

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

Columbia River basin. It produces starchy tubers which were an ethnographically known food source for native groups throughout much of North America. It's also one of the easiest plants to get started. We watched as the workers used a spade to lift up the bottom sediment at an angle, while sliding the root base into the sliver of a hole, and releasing the contents back over the roots. It is a favorite of ducks and geese, and bass fishermen. It will grow in a damp muddy soil to 2 CONTINUED on page 6 >>

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was guiding this week for bass and around 10am the bite got real slow so I got in the rod box and pulled out the spinning rods just to show my clients what our Okeechobee bream looked like. I already knew what was about to happen because I could see them everywhere on their beds. The first one I caught was a big male bream and the client said it was the biggest bream he had ever seen. I looked at him and said there all that big and we proceeded to catch 75 in less than two hours. Okeechobee has always been known as one of the best bass lakes in the world but Okeechobee is the best bream lake in the world. May June and July are the best months to fish for these great eating pan fish. When you can see them on the beds all you need to catch them is a spinning rod

loaded with 10lb braid and a pocket full of beetle spins. Instead of buying the beetle spins off the shelf I like to get the arkie wires and blades and get the slightly heavier heads with the same size hook as the original beetle spin. Yum makes a small twister grub they call a two inch that is more like one inch that works really good on the baits. The green color is good but I would use black if I could find them. You can get all these components at your local wall-mart. The limit is 50 per person and they are big enough to filet with a electric knife. You don’t have to break the bank getting the equipment, I get everything at wall-mart. Lews rod and reel for $35 and plenty of components for under under $10. Here is a picture of the tackle I personally use to catch the great eating fish.

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CONTINUED from RESTORATION >>

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feet of water. It is an emergent that grows 2 to 4 feet tall. Ducks and geese will eat the tubers of the plant. It is also a favorite of muskrats. As a bass fisherman, I love to fish the arrowheads, particularly during the spawn. Bass love the leafy plant and the protection

Illinois pondweed plants before a Lake Istokpoga revegetation project in 2021

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it provides and will often build their nest just inside the cluster of plants. It also provides a safe haven for the freshly hatched fry. We spent quite a bit of time with David, as we watched the planting team cover a great deal of shoreline planting the vegetation. Sara received a phone call from Beacham Furse to let her know that he was leading another team across the lake to the bottom of Bumblebee Island. We thanked David for the time he spent with us and slowly moved out into deeper water. The wind had picked up and the water was a little rougher as we headed west, looking for the second planting team coming out of Windy Point. As we crossed the south end of the lake, we spotted Beacham in an airboat, just off the south end of the island in a scattering of spatterdock. Beacham Furse has been working on Lake Istokpoga for the last 25+ years and has served in various roles. He started out as the fisheries biologist when he first started, moved to the AHRES biologist, and now is in a more administrative role within AHRES. He still enjoys getting out on the lake and his wealth of knowledge on Lake Istokpoga goes back almost as far as mine. He's actively seen how much the lake has changed over the last 25+ years with various natural disturbances, developments, and just overall natural variations. I had met Beacham many times in the past, and he is incredibly knowledgeable about Lake Istokpoga. We talked about what the lake looked like back in the 90’s. I asked him about the hydrilla that used to be in the lake. “Yeah, I remember the mid-to-late 90’s when the lake was full of hydrilla,” he said, “and I remember how much the fishermen loved it!” “But for every fisherman who loved fishing in the fast-growing, invasive plants,

ON >>

Eelgrass along the bottom provides foraging areas and shelter for fish. NOAA photo by Adam Obaza.

there was another voice raising concerns about how difficult it had become for small craft owners – often fishermen in small boats with small outboard engines – to move around the lake,” he continued. I remembered as well. Guides like Don Hatcher and Remo Beaver were logging in catches of 50-100 bass a day on live shiners, and even guides like myself, fishing with artificial baits were catching 20-25 bass in a single outing. We couldn’t help but love the huge expanses of hydrilla and the large number of bass it seemed to attract.. But even back then, I realized, a plant that can grow up to an inch a day, producing large mats of vegetation that grow along the bottom of the lake and eventually reach the water’s surface, topping out, can spell problems for gasoline outboard motors. These mats can become several feet thick, shading out and eventually replacing native plants that provide food and shelter to native wildlife. I could have talked with Beacham for hours about the lake and my own experiences, but I was here to learn more about aquatic restoration of the lake. As we idled up to talking distance from the airboat, I asked what they would be planting in this section of the lake. “Eel grass,” he said, “13,000 pots of eelgrass. “And each pot has four eel grass plants in it, so we’re actually planting 52,000 plants,” he replied, with some satisfaction. Again, my first thought, as a bass fisherman was, “I love fishing in eel grass!” Eelgrass provides a number of important ecosystem functions, including foraging areas and shelter to young fish and invertebrates, food for migratory waterfowl and sea turtles, and spawning surfaces for species such as the Pacific

planting the eelgrass along the way. “Don’t you worry about being attacked by an alligator,” I said, half-jokingly. “No, we’ve never had an incident involving an alligator,” she replied, “because we all stay pretty close to each other and we all keep our eyes open to our surroundings. One interesting observation that Beacham shared was the fact that eelgrass will actually keep hydrilla out. As we talked, I learned that the 4” pots the plants were in were biodegradable and consisted of 75% sand and 25% organic soil. We continued to talk about a wide variety of plants, both invasive and naturally occurring, and it was soon lunch-time, so we headed back to the boat ramp. I know there are many, many anglers, as well as other stakeholders who share my love for this beautiful lake, and on behalf of everyone, I want to thank Sara, David and Beacham for their time, their expertise and their passion for what they do.

herring. By trapping sediment, stabilizing the substrate, and reducing the force of wave energy, eelgrass beds also reduce coastal erosion. In fact, eelgrass forms the base of a highly productive marine food web. The unique habitat also produces food and oxygen, improves water quality by filtering polluted runoff, absorbs excess nutrients, stores greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, and protects the shoreline from erosion. Many people are unaware of the importance this plant plays in the marine environment. As a result, there has been significant degradation of eelgrass, primarily from human impacts such as urban development, 3605 Sebring Parkway dredging, pollution, and sediment runoff Sebring, Florida 33870 from upland areas. 863 - 402 - 4605 One of the workers waded across to our sdunn298@gmail.com boat to show us what www.FlippinOutSalon.com the plants look like before they’re planted. I was surprised at how quickly the Shannon Crivello team moved along the shallow waters Salon owner - Cosmetologist COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

june 2022

OKEECHOBEE 7

Capt. Angie Douthit ’s Lake Okeechobee Report & Forecast Capt. Angie Douthit 863-228-7263 www.southfloridabassfishing.com

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ishing on Okeechobee in May was a blast, my customers fished for bass with both live-bait and artificial lures; bluegill; shell crackers and fingerling catfish. May is a transitional month of fishing due to crazy weather; lake water level is typically 3-4 ft lower than in the winter months and you have fish up shallow; in the middle and in deeper water areas. The month of June has started off well with a mixture of bream and bass trips. If you’re fishing for bass with artificial lures try swim baits; swim jigs; popping frogs; top water lures like Zara spooks; pop-r and a devils horse; big worms; senkos; jigs and flipping/pitching creature-style baits. Deep water areas like the Kissimmee River mid-deep running crank baits have been working, try shad and crawdad color patterns. Colors that work well for this time of year are: white; Junebug; watermelon and watermelon/red; summer craw colors like green-pumpkin; red bug; browns and shad patterns. If you’re fishing for bream whether its shell crackers or bluegill using red worms on ultralight spinning gear tipped with a small bobber; split shot weight like a #4 and small hook fished around cover such as vegetation that runs along the River edge; near edges of Kissimmee grass and pencil reeds. Look for areas that have a hard, sandy-shelly bottom and areas that have a lighter-colored bottom and around boat trails. Areas to try starting on the North-end are Buckhead Ridge area; a few spots on Kings Bar; a few areas in Tin house and around Indian Prairie; point of Horse Island; the last 400-500 yard stretch on the north side of Harney Pond canal around dead-looking sticks on the edges; some areas on the Shoal and around Dupree Bar. On the South-end try around Rita and Kreamer Islands; around the edges of the waterway leading out to the lake and the south part of the East wall. The current lake water level is about 1 ft. less now than what it was this time of year last year. The current depth is just less than 13 ft. Please use caution, lots of areas has a rock bottom. This is a good time of year to brush up on your deeper water skills like crank baits; Carolina-rigs and big worms around the ledges. To book your next fun-filled and productive day on the water call me at 863228-7263 or log onto my website www.southfloridabassfishing.com where you’ll find current customer pictures and their catches; guide rates; places to stay and etc.

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By Don "Red" Norton

he first time I ever heard of Ray Scott was in the early 1970’s, after being discharged from the Army. Like so many other boys of the 50’s and 60’s, I grew up with a fishing rod in my hand and a passion for catching largemouth bass. I can still remember making the tough financial decision to become a “Life Member” in the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society. That was over 50 years ago, and I still have over 600 magazines in my collection. Ray was a tremendous influence in my fishing life, and he, along with Johnny Morris who founded Bass Pro Shops and Forest Woods, the founder of Ranger Bass Boats were the visionaries who made bass fishing what it is today. I wanted to write a tribute to Ray Scott, a man I had never met, but someone I admired and respected when I came across this tribute written by his good friend, Johnny Morris. “This feature story was published by Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s on the special bond between Ray Scott and Johnny Morris and how their shared passion helped shape the future of fishing and conservation.” >>

Remembering Ray Scott a Tr u e F r i e n d t o A l l A n g l e rs

 

Ray helped make dreams come true for many! It fills my heart with joy and deep gratitude to remember a very special friend in my life, Ray Scott. Ray, the founder of the Bass Angler Sportsmen’s Society, B.A.S.S., and the father of modern-day bass fishing, passed away peacefully in his sleep of natural causes on Mother’s Day evening May 8th. Ray was a true daydreamer and a bigger-than-life character! He was like the Barnum and Bailey of the fishing world — a tremendous promoter of the sport! The original pioneer of professional bass fishing tournament competitions, Ray almost singlehandedly re-energized the entire fishing and boating industry and introduced millions of anglers to the joys of the great sport of fishing along the way. Ray Scott opened the doors that created many wonderful, life-changing opportunities for me and countless others and I thank God for bringing me to know him! I was 22 years old when I first met Ray while competing in his All American National B.A.S.S. Tournament on Table Rock Lake in 1970. There can be no doubt that if I had not fished in that tournament, Bass Pro Shops would never have come to be. I don’t know what I would have done in my life, but I do know it would not have been near as much fun as having the opportunity of spending a lifetime being so closely connected to the great sport of fishing. Like many others, I am forever grateful to Ray Scott! Competing on the B.A.S.S. pro tour for the first five years Bass Pro Shops was in business were some of the happiest times of my life! Besides the fun, competing on Ray’s Tournament Trail helped us stay very close to our customers and kept us abreast of the latest trends in fishing and advancements in gear. A remarkable visionary, Ray was well ahead of his time advocating for fisheries conservation and boating safety. Far beyond having a positive impact on the fishing and boating industries and conservation, Ray helped spread true joy and happiness to millions of anglers of all ages and from all walks of life around the world. There can be no doubt; however, that what always mattered the most to Ray was his faith and his family; his bride of 36 years Susan and their sons Big Wilson, Little Wilson, Steve and their daughter Jennifer, and 10 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. Through his big smile and positive attitude, Ray always provided genuine positive inspiration to all around him. He was one of the kindest grand gentlemen ever and a bigger-than-life character! May God continue to bless Ray Scott and the Scott family. We love you Ray, and are proud to join generations of anglers around the world who are forever grateful to our steadfast fishing friend! As a life-member of B.A.S.S. and one of the thousands of followers, God Bless Ray Scott!

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

june 2022

OKEECHOBEE 9

Captain Dave Stephens

Boca Granda Pass, Charlotte Harbor, and the Flats Report & Forecast Capt. Dave Stephens www.backbayxtremes.com 941-916-5769

Approaching the Rainy Season

ts looking like maybe our long drought of no rain might be coming to an end. Well this is actually not a bad thing. During the cooler months our local fish, such as snook and residential tarpon move to deep water. As our summer rains kick in during this time of year, it’s a indication for our local schools of snook to move to areas to spawn. Areas that have good tide flow, with clean bottom are very important for snook this time of the year. The most important element is water with the right amount of salinity. I'm sure you have heard that all these fish go to the beach to spawn. That's not completely true, a large majority of our local fish stay local. We just need water that is clean, and also a salinity level that snook like for spawning. So, as we move into our rainy season, Mother Nature has to play her

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june 2022

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well-balanced roll in our fishery. One of our fish that gets better with rain is mangrove snapper. The biggest reason being is their ability to see. As our summer rains darken our local waters these guys become easier to catch. The bonus is they are also great table fair. We should have a bait spawn coming soon, that will kick off our snapper season in the harbor. Luckily for us the smaller bait helps with the snapper bite. Areas such as flats with potholes and oyster bars will hold feeding fish. Also look for deeper mangrove points with good moving water. I would also recommend down-sizing your tackle. Try a 20lb leader with a #1 hook. As we move into summer remember to keep an eye on the sky. These thunderstorms can develop fast and be dangerous.

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june 2022

OKEECHOBEE 11

STEVENS AND BRADLEY

WIN BIG FOR THE FIRST QUALIFIER OF THE 2022 SEASON

LEWISTON, FL – We’re back on the Big O — in a Big Way! Weather concerns? This is south Florida, we know how to play that game. When the hammer goes down, there are more important things to be concerned with. Like big bass and big checks. Yeah, we had wind. Yeah, there was rain. Didn’t seem to matter. A record 198 teams gathered outside the lock in Clewiston, Florida Saturday morning waiting for safelight and the launch of the 2022 Roland Martin Marine Center Series presented by HUK on Lake Okeechobee. As the teams returned and gathered around the tanks and stage starting at 3pm at the Roland and Mary Ann Martins Marina & Resort, it was clear to see that the HUK tournament bags were bulging at the seams. And when the last bag hit the scales, the team of Kail Stevens and Bradley Macqueen returned to the winner’s circle as the champions. “We knew the wind was going to blow all day,” Macqueen said. “We just put our heads down and went fishing. And we caught all our fish today on Scenko Stix heavy Custom Rods.” “We ran a pretty good ways north and just bounced our way back south,” Stevens said. “We were on the outside edge, kind of bouncing in and out, with moving baits and caught the big ones flipping. We were fishing with Gambler Big Easy swimbaits and double weed guard jigs with Gambler Chunks.” With a winning weight of 28.97 pounds, the team of Stevens and Macqueen lifted the big check for $8,000 as the champions of qualifier #1 of the 2022 season. Coming in second with 26.83 pounds was the team of Nicholas Hoinig and Matt Wieteha that started off strong but finished a little over two pounds shy of the big check. “We ran up north and started right off the bat with a good one, about six pounder,” Hoinig said. “Then we kind of struggled from there. We knew toward the end of the day that we had to keep grinding. We then hit one strategy and then caught them pretty good. In the morning, we were throwing a Gambler swim jig with Gambler Burner Craw and flipping 12 OKEECHOBEE

june 2022

a Gambler Burner Craw later in the afternoon.” “We started early on the shad spawn and were fortunate to get the six pounder,” Wieteha said. “Usually a shad spawn you’re thinking you’re going to get a two pounder, maybe three. So we got a little lucky there but sometimes that’s what you need.” A little luck turned into a $4,000 payday for the team. Rounding out the top three was the team of Joe Hobson and Tim Johnson with 26.57 pounds and the third place finish, netting them $2,000. “We caught a lot of fish today,” Hobson said. “We had the winning fish on but, that’s Rat-l Trap fishing. That’s the way it goes. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.” As the highest paying team tournament trail in Florida, the payouts continued deep into the record field of 198 boats for the first qualifier of the 2022 season. The U.S. Sugar Big Bass of 8.76 pounds earned Donny Bass $500. The team of Crisafulli and Filippelli brought in the 2nd Big Bass of 8.57 pounds and earned them $100 Gambler Bucks. The highest finishing anglers to cross the stage in HUK Gear rewarded the champions Stevens and Macqueen an additional $250 and another $250 as the highest finishing Mercury powered team. Angie Holley received $100 from Mary Ann Martin as the highest fishing Female Angler. The highest finishing Mercury Youth Angler earned Dalton McKinstry $100. Gilbert Chevrolet presented the team of Rick Wilhelm and Dell Hatfield $250 as the highest finishing Gilbert Chevrolet owner. And with 5 bass weighing just 5.78 pounds, the team of John Tavano and Ernie Johnson turned the smallest limit into $300 from AV Inspection. That’s how the first qualifier of the 2022 season played out. A big start that’s shaping up to be the biggest season yet. Make sure you don’t miss out and register your team early for the next qualifier on June 11, 2022. Be safe and we’ll see you soon.

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

s l r i g he

Dean

on t r wate

ince August, Paige and I have competed in local tournaments through Highlands County Anglers and it has been a great experience. As our season is coming close to an end, we decided to try our hand at the final Bass Nation Tournament for High School before the finals in June. Our goal was just to soak it all in, so we would know if that is something we were interested in pursuing for next season. The final tournament was held on Lake Toho which is a part of the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes the second weekend of April. Being our first tournament, we opted to only compete on the second day which was the state level. Mr. Chris Crow was nice enough to agree to be our Captain and he was great! We arrived on Saturday afternoon to watch the Regional Weigh-in. Our first observation was that Bass Nation is first class from the lineup for the weigh-in process to walking across the monstrous stage to actually weigh-in with President Glenn Cale. Mrs. Morgan Bullock, our club Vice President answered so many of our questions about the process, where to go and what to do. We are so thankful for her!

&Paige Person

Sunday morning came and we have to admit we were so excited and nervous almost jumping out of our pants especially after having some coffee . Up until this point, we had never fished with so many other teams! The playing of our National Anthem at almost safe light is a favorite and then the announcement of each team… team 90- JP Dean and Paige Person was called. We made our way out of the marina bassin so the fishing could begin. It was a long day, but a good day. And we always remind each other that it is called fishing not catching. We weighed in at 2:00 with 3 fish totaling less than 8 lbs, not our best day, but not our worst either. After walking across that stage there was a new fire that was lit in both of us that very few could ever imagine, one might even say it “reeled” us in! Stay tuned next month as we will give highlights from our final Highlands County Anglers Tournament on Lake June!

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

june 2022

OKEECHOBEE 13

A Win-Win Possibility for Invasive Plant Control

The on-lake equipment. The plant material goes up the conveyor to the bin where it is ground into a slurry and delivered to the pressure tank. From there it is pumped through the hose to the receiving farmland.

By James Reed

here may be a unique new way to solve the problem of invasive plants damaging a lake’s ecology, and it’s being tested right now on Lake Okeechobee. Invasive plants such as water hyacinth choke out native species and damage fish spawning areas. They block sunlight from reaching the lake bottom and prevent native submersed plants from growing. The worst may be water hyacinth, which can double in size in about two weeks, while shedding plant parts which sink to the bottom building up a layer of muck. One experiment by the University of Florida (reported in Aquatics Magazine) showed that just ten water hyacinth plants, left unattended, created over five tons(!) of organic sediment in a single year. For a long time, the most effective way of removing these foreign invaders has been to use herbicides, but herbicides have their own issues. Many anglers would prefer to see harvesters or other mechanical means used to remove these invasive species, but until now mechanical harvesters have had problems, such as expense and what to do with the material once it’s been harvested. In some cases, the harvested material was used for spoil islands, which meant the organic material never left the lake. In other cases, it was trucked to nearby locations, which not only meant high transportation costs, but also a requirement to find a location willing to take the material.

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On Lake Okeechobee now there’s a new method being tested. FWC has contracted for a test program that uses small harvesters to collect water hyacinth and bring them to a floating barge where the plant material is pulverized and mixed into a slurry. Then it is pumped to a nearby farmer’s field, where the slurry is used as a fertilizer. In effect, organic material is being removed from the lake, where it is not wanted, and delivered as fertilizer to farmland, where it is being used.

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

The Angler Profile

Austin Young

By Don Norton

ge limits don’t typically apply to bass fishermen, as evidenced by 16-yearold Austin Young, a High School Junior, born and raised in Sebring, Florida. I asked him when he started fishing and he said he’s always fished, but he probably became more obsessed with the sport when he turned eight years old. His parents, Travis and Jamie Young are also avid anglers and often fish with Austin in different tournament venue’s. Travis, his dad also captain’s his boat in the Florida Bass Nation High School Series. Austin loves fishing bass tournaments and fished the 2021-2022 season of the Big Show Bass Tournaments on Lake Istokpoga. His partners included Andy Morris, Lewis Mack and his mother, Jamie. Although he hasn’t won one of the events yet, it’s not from lack of trying. His best weight in one of the events was 16.08, with a 7.7 kicker. He also fishes the Wednesday night tournaments, run by Ly Nguyen from 5:45 to 8:15 all summer, through the next time change. The tournaments are held on different lakes, to include Istokpoga, Placid, June, Josephine and Jackson. The tournaments are open to the public. Austin is also a member of the Sebring High School Highlands County Anglers. Although Austin doesn’t have his own boat yet, he’d like to get a Skeeter, or a Triton, or an older style Champion. For today at least, he borrows his dad’s boat or uses one of his friends. At sixteen, he’s already making his mark in the Sebring area. His sponsors include Bruiser Baits, Flat Out Tungsten, Crawdog Custom Jigs and Buggs Stump Grinding. His favorite reel is a Quantum Smoke HG, coupled with a 13 Fishing Fate Rod. His biggest bass, a whopping 9 pounder came out of Bonnet Lake. But he’s caught more than his share of quality fish in all the area lakes.

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Austin enjoys flipping and pitching the Medlock Jig and the Bruiser Big Stick, but he’s also comfortable fishing the Ned Rig or the Carolina rig on deep water lakes. Austin will be seventeen on the 4th of July and a senior next year in High School. I have a feeling we’ll be hearing a lot about him in the future!

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

june 2022

OKEECHOBEE 15

Talking Dog

for Sale

’m out taking a walk with my wife and as we pass a nice-looking bass boat parked in a neighbor’s driveway, I noticed a sign in the front yard, "Talking Dog for Sale." I looked at my wife and said, we got to check this out! We walk up to the front door and I ring the doorbell and a guy comes out. I ask about the dog and he says, the dog is in the backyard. So, we walk through a small gate into the backyard and we see a beautiful Golden Retriever just sitting there. We walked up to the dog and I said, "You talk?" "Yep," the dog replies. "So, what's your story?" The dog looks up at me and my wife and says, "Well, I discovered my gift of talking pretty

young, while I was on the boat with Geoff and I wanted to help, so I watched closely as he tried fishing with different rods, reels and lures, and it wasn’t long before I understood the whole process. I began suggesting what lures to use and before long, he was catching more fish than he’d ever caught.” “When we weren’t fishing, I started reading all the different books and magazines that Geoff had on fishing, and we watched all the Mikeybalzz video’s on YouTube.” “Finally, I realized I had kind of a sixth sense, and I could “smell” whether there were bass in the area or not, and this saved Geoff countless hours of fishing in non-productive areas. Ultimately, it was because of me that he finally got a hold of the biggest bass in the lake.”

“He fought that fish for a solid 15 minutes, as I guided him through the process of giving the huge fish some line and not “horsing it in” too fast. Then, just as he got it to the side of the boat, his line snapped and the record-breaking fish got away.” I looked at my wife, and we were both just amazed! “This dog is amazing, how much do you want for him,” I asked. The owner didn’t hesitate and said “ten dollars.” "This dog is incredible.” I said. “Why on earth are you selling him, so cheap?" The owner replied, "He's just a big liar. He didn't do any of that stuff."

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ASK SARA "How many bass over 15 pounds have been caught and recorded in Lake Istokpoga in the last twenty years?”

WC has no records of a bass over 15 pounds caught in Lake Istokpoga. That doesn’t mean that a fish of that size isn’t swimming in Lake Istokpoga, it just means FWC has no data of collecting a fish that large. In 2014, an 11.60 pound bass was captured during FWC’s yearly Spring Electrofishing sampling. There have been 110 fish over 8 pounds captured and tagged with a yellow tag since yearly electrofishing sampling began in 2012. If you catch a fish with a yellow tag, cut the tag off and call the number to receive $100 cash prize! In FWC’s TrophyCatch program, the largest submitted fish was 13.14 pounds caught by Adrian Echols in 2018. TrophyCatch is FWC’s angler recognition program that awards anglers for catching and submitting bass caught over 8 pounds. Since the inception of TrophyCatch in 2012, Lake Istokpoga ranks 3rd in the state for approved submissions with 582 catches. The program is free to sign-up, and prizes range from gift cards, tackle, fishing rods, and the grand prize every year is a brandnew Phoenix Bass Boat equipped with all the bells and whistles – motor, Power Poles, navigation unit, etc. FWC wants to award you for catching a fish of a lifetime! FWC encourages you to join TrophyCatch and submit your appropriate catches so biologists can have a better understanding of these larger fish in our lakes. Your catches help us better manage our lakes! Right now, TrophyCatch is celebrating its 10th Season by distributing PINK tags on 10 bass around Florida and Lake Istokpoga is one of those lakes that holds one of these special fish! If you are lucky enough to catch that fish, cut the tag off and call the number on the tag to claim over $6,000 in cash and prizes! Go to TrophyCatchFlroida. com for more information. If you have a question, please email it to The Angler Magazine at don@theanglermagazine.com. Note: Sara Menendez is a Fisheries Biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission – Southwest Region.

Florida Trail Region 7 Western Panhandle Apalachicola River to Deer Lake Junction

By Robert Fromhartz

his section of the Florida Trail is 175 miles long and begins when you cross the Apalachicola River on the State Road 20 bridge. It’s also time to change your watch as you’ve passed the Eastern time zone and entered the Central time zone. At miles 13.2 and 13.6 there are campsites available. Another campsite is at mile 35.8. Pass “The Bluffs”, a scenic overlook on a limestone bluff above Econfina Creek. Seven Runs Campsite with water is found at mile 80. At mile 100 you’ll enter Eglin Air Force Base. A permit is required and a call is required to verify the AFB is open. The # is 850-882-4164. The trail will follow the AFB on the North side of the Base. At mile 117 you will be about 7 miles from the town of DeFuniak Springs. Cross interstate 10 at mile 148.4 and you’ll be in Crestview, a small town with all conveniences. Cross the Blackwater River State Forest boundary at mile 168 and at mile 175.4 this section ends at Deer Lake Road where a blue blazed trail goes north to Alabama.

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june 2022

Bass Tournament Schedule Lake Okeechobee ■ Thursday, June 2, 2022 Scott Driver Park 12:00 PM Old Farts Tournament weigh-in, with 30 Anglers ■ Saturday, June 4, 2022 Harney Pond Canal Boat Ramp 1:00 PM South Florida Bass Club weigh-in, with 25 Anglers ■ Thursday, June 9, 2022 Scott Driver Park 12:00 PM Old Farts Tournament weigh-in, with 30 Anglers ■ Saturday, June 11, 2022 Harney Pond Canal Boat Ramp 3:00 PM SMC Bass Club weigh-in, with 70 Anglers Okee-Tantie Campground & Marina 2:00 PM Winter Haven Lunker Lovers weigh-in, with 48 Anglers

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Roland & Mary Ann Martin's Marina 3:00 PM Roland Martin Marine Center Series weigh-in, with 400 Anglers ■ Sunday, June 12, 2022 Okee-Tantie Campground & Marina 2:00 PM Winter Haven Lunker Lovers weigh-in, with 48 Anglers ■ Thursday, June 16, 2022 Scott Driver Park 12:00 PM Old Farts Tournament weigh-in, with 30 Anglers ■ Saturday, June 18, 2022 Okee-Tantie Campground & Marina 1:00 PM Beeline Bass Busters weigh-in, with 28 Anglers Roland & Mary Ann Martin's Marina 3:00 PM BASS BUSTERS weigh-in, with 200 Anglers ■ Sunday, June 19, 2022 Roland & Mary Ann Martin's Marina 3:00 PM BASS BUSTERS weigh-in, with 150 Anglers ■ Thursday, June 23, 2022 Scott Driver Park 12:00 PM Old Farts Tournament weigh-in, with 30 Anglers

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■ Thursday, June 30, 2022 Scott Driver Park 12:00 PM Old Farts Tournament weigh-in, with 30 Anglers

Lake Placid ■ Sunday, June 12, 2022 Public Ramp / Placid View Drive 2:00 PM CAPE CORAL BASS CLUB weigh-in, with 50 Anglers

Caloosahatchee River ■ Sunday, June 26, 2022 LaBelle Public Ramp (Wayside Park) 2:30 PM LEE COUNTY BASS ANGLERS weigh-in, with 50 Anglers

Lake Istokpoga

■ Sunday, June 12, 2022 H.L. Bishop Ramp 2:00 PM The Venice bass club weigh-in, with 60 Anglers H.L. Bishop Ramp 3:15 PM Top Water Bass Assassins weigh-in, with 80 Anglers H.L. Bishop Ramp 3:15 PM South florida Elite Team Series weigh-in, with 60 Anglers Tournament directors have until the day before their tournament to schedule or make changes to their tournament exemption. This exemption allows the tournament participants to have an exemption from fish length limits, but not bag limits, while participating in the tournament. All fish are required to be handled as stipulated in the permit, while doing everything possible to ensure a live release. Any dead fish are normally provided to a charity, such as a homeless shelter. More information about black (largemouth) bass fishing tournament exemptions can be found here: https://myfwc.com/license/freshwater/ bass-tournament/ Many of the bass tournaments are coordinated through local fishing clubs. Reach out to the group specified for additional information. Weigh-ins are typically open to the public.

■ Saturday, June 4, 2022 Istokpoga Park 3:00 PM Highlander Tournament Trail weigh-in, with 100 Anglers ■ Sunday, June 5, 2022 Istokpoga Park 3:00 PM Highlander Tournament Trail weigh-in, with 100 Anglers Istokpoga Park 4:00 PM Xtreme bass series weigh-in, with 60 Anglers ■ Sunday, June 12, 2022 Windy Point Boat Ramp 3:00 PM SMC Bass Club weigh-in, with 70 Anglers

Lake June in Winter COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

june 2022

OKEECHOBEE 21

The

Braggin’ Board Submit your pictures to The Angler Magazine don@theanglermagazine.com

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Big Show 2 Day Classic

aturday and Sunday, April 23rd and April 24th, the much-anticipated 2021-2022, Big Show Bass Classic was held on Lake Istokpoga. Forty-four teams participated in what was probably the highest pay-out ever of a single bass tournament in Highlands County. A number of sponsors provided the $10,000.00 cash prize for the winning team, and an additional $8,800 in entry fees was paid out to second through seventh place.

Many of the anglers who fished the 2-day event caught fish all week long, only to find extremely tough conditions on Saturday. The wind was brutal, as it had been all week long, and a number of the tournament anglers said the water appeared to be lower, preventing them from fishing some of their favorite spots. But someone always finds the fish, and the first day leaders were:

First Place - Helmuth & Niemi 38.02 lbs.

2nd Place Vrabel & Reeves 38.00 lbs.

1st Place: Johns & Gillespie 21.07 lbs. 2nd Place: Helmuth & Niemi 20.13 lbs. 3rd Place: Medlock & Medlock 17.11 lbs. 4th Place: Clark & Petrosky 17.05 lbs. 5th Place: Vinson & Vinson 16.11 lbs. 6th Place: Jones & Wieczorek 16.07 lbs. 7th Place: Vrabel & Reeves 16.03 Even after the first day, there were still quite a number of teams who still had a “chance” and were within striking distance of finishing in first place. They all knew, it would just take a really good day! Sunday finally came and each of the teams headed out with confidence that today would be their day. For some of the teams, it was a great day! Second day leaders were:

3rd Place Johns & Gillespie 37.11 lbs.

4th Place Vinson & Vinson 37.02 lbs.

1st Place: Vrabel & Reeves 21.13 lbs. 2nd Place: Bradley & Bradley 20.08 lbs. 3rd Place: Vinson & Vinson 20.07 lbs. 4th Place: Bolema & Green 20.04 lbs. 5th Place: Day & Craig 19.03 lbs. 6th Place: Conley & Ohora 17.14 lbs. 7th Place: Helmuth Niemi 17.05 lbs. As the last couple of teams weighed in, the team of Johns & Gillespie, who had been holding first place for awhile watched as the last two teams weighed in and took over the lead, pushing them down to third place. The final two-day tournament winners were:

5th Place Ohora & Conley 33.04 lbs.

Big Bass Bolema & Green 8.06 lbs.

Special thanks to all the sponsors Duckett Rods | VRM | Lake Placid Marine | Kula Signs | McPhail’s Auto Okeechobee Fishing Headquarters and The Angler Magazine

1st Place: Helmuth & Niemi 38.02 lbs. 2nd Place: Vrabel & Reeves 38.00 lbs. 3rd Place: Johns & Gillespie 37.11 lbs. 4th Place: Vinson & Vinson 37.02 lbs. 5th Place: Conley & Ohora 33.04 lbs. 6th Place: Medlock & Medlock 33.03 lbs. 7th Place: Bolema & Green 32.03 lbs. The team of Helmuth and Niemi won the FirstPlace prize of $10,000.00. Congratulations to them and to everyone who participated in the two-day tournament. The team of Bolema & Green had the Big Bass of the two-day tournament with a TrophyCatch 8.06 lb. bass.

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june 2022

OKEECHOBEE 23

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DEALING WITH

HIGH WINDS INSHORE By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES

he wind was unrelenting this spring. It kept me off the water more than I prefer. I have high hopes it will subside by the time this article is published, but if not, here is an approach that saved the day more than once this spring. If you find yourself facing high winds, consider the following. Safety is always No. 1 on the water, so let’s keep that in the forefront as you read. On windy days, the majority of the time, I seek shelter and fish the lee shoreline. First and foremost, it is the most comfortable place to fish, and the safest depending on wind velocity. Unfortunately, the fish don’t always spend their time feeding looking for a protected and calm area. Think about it like this, turbid water can disorient smaller bait fish easier than it will the larger gamefish we all seek. Therefore, the windward shore is at times where the fish will feed more frequently. For one, it is simply an easier meal. Secondly, the wind current can blow and congregate smaller fish in that area, shoreline or cove. With the why out of the way, here is how I fished this approach on a recent trip. The cove I describe opens to the bay on the west, has two drains on the north and east, and I had a southeast wind of 15 to 20 knots. I started with the comfortable approach and one that, in general, made the most sense. I waded the protected shore and fished in front of the two

drains. The water color was clean, and there was some bait tight to the shoreline in very skinny water. For all practical purposes, it was too skinny to fish and grassy. After thoroughly working the lee shore and drains without a bite, I rounded the curve and focused my attention on the windward, dirty north shore. Upon approach, I noticed the bait was farther out than it had been on the lee shore. This was key, because it was hovering in a fishable depth. My weedless rattling paddletail drew attention to my lure in this dirty turbid water. After making several cast directly downwind to the bank, I quickly determined the distance from the shore where the water was deep enough to not foul my hook. Once I knew the zone, I angled my cast at 45 degrees from the bank. This allowed me to fish somewhat parallel to the shore and keep my lure in the bait zone. Although it was less comfortable casting across the wind with waves crashing me from behind in muddy water, this saved the day and is where all the reds and trout were caught. Remember, when fishing the windward shore, be mindful of where you anchor your vessel and keep safety first. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures with the built-in tail rattle, Controlled Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

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Summer-Long, Statewide Fishing Competition Launches Memorial Day Weekend

CA Florida, the state’s leading organization dedicated to marine fisheries conservation, education and advocacy, will launch the eighth-annual West Marine CCA Florida STAR competition presented by Yamaha on May 28. The summer-long event invites anglers and nonanglers to participate and win their share of prizes valued at almost $500,000, including boats, motors, scholarships and more. Launched in 2015, STAR focuses on conservation with its technology-based, catchphoto-release format. STAR’s dedicated smartphone app promotes proper handling of species and allows participants to upload competition photos, eliminating the requirement to harvest or capture and transport fish. CCA Florida also uses data collected from the app to educate the public on the importance of protecting Florida’s marine resources. This important data is also available to other conservation organizations and universities for use in their studies on conservation, habitat and stock assessments. “In the past seven years, it’s been amazing to see STAR participants support conservation by embracing the catch-photo format and picking up garbage during the annual competition,” CCA Florida STAR Director Leiza Fitzgerald said. “Even more exciting is awarding more than $2.1 million in prizes, with $700,000 specifically awarded in

youth scholarships, to the thousands of statewide STAR registrants.” The 2022 STAR competition has 17 divisions targeting 12 inshore and offshore species plus the cleanup of trash. STAR’s signature Tagged Redfish Division offers winners the choice of a Contender Boats 22 Sport, Pathfinder Boats 2200 TRS or Spyder Boats Vapor 19FX, all powered by Yamaha Outboards. In addition, this year’s competition is debuting the Alta Equipment Super STAR Tagged Redfish prize, which if caught, will give the winner $50,000. The two winning youth anglers in the signature division can also win new boats powered with Yamaha Outboards, trailers, Minn Kota trolling motors and Humminbird electronics. The best opportunity to catch this year’s tagged redfish will be in Brevard, Citrus and Charlotte Counties, STAR’s 2022 Destination Counties which each have eight tagged redfish in their coastal waters. One of the newest divisions, the Tigress Outriggers and Gear Tagged Dolphin Division offers one winner a $10,000 cash prize. The first STAR registrant and CCA Florida member who catches a tagged dolphin, released in the coastal waters of Florida for STAR by the Dolphin Research program implemented by the Beyond Our Shores foundation, will win. STAR is a family-friendly competition, and

CCA Florida youth members (ages 6 to 17) can participate for free. Kids are encouraged to submit entries in the Youth Scholarship Division presented by Realtree Fishing for an opportunity to win one of 12 scholarships totaling $100,000. Other divisions include ladies, kayak, conservation, guides and more. Since most division winners are determined by a random drawing, it is not about catching the biggest fish, any size fish can win. Registration is open and ends Sept. 5. To register for STAR 2022 or receive additional information on divisions, prizes and more, visit ccaflstar.com or Facebook.

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Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic Celebrates 20 Years

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ne of the most popular events of the Gulf Coast big-game tournament circuit is celebrating 20 years of exciting, high-stakes competition. The 20th annual Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic is set to get underway June 22 and continue through June 26 at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. This year’s platinum anniversary will showcase some of the sport’s top boats vying for million-dollar cash prizes. The Wind Creek Casino & Hotel-Atmore is the 2022 presenting sponsor. “We are celebrating 20 years of the Classic in style,” said Tournament Director Jason Draughn. “I’d like to welcome back all our valued contestants and Wind Creek, our presenting sponsor. I’d also like to welcome our two new tournament partners, MarineMax/Grady-White and Pelagic, Jack Daniels and SeaKeeper as new sponsors and Krueger, Fosdyck & Associates/Merrill Lynch once again, along with our fantastic line-up of other sponsors and supporters. We couldn’t have had this much fun for 20 years without every one of them!” Participants will be competing for awards and more than two million dollars in cash with blue marlin the top prize. Eligible fish must be at least 110 inches long to qualify. That minimum is measured from the tip of the fish’s lower jaw to the fork of the tail. Qualifiers typically average 500 pounds or heavier. In addition to the blue marlin weight category, smaller blues, white marlin, sailfish and spearfish that are successfully released earn points in the competitive release division. Releases are verified by video footage. Yellowfin and bigeye tuna, wahoo and dolphin are scored one point per pound. The ECBC attracts multi-million dollar sport-fishing yachts from across the Gulf of Mexico as well as the southeastern United States. Fishing begins after Thursday’s noon start from the Destin Pass and concludes Saturday afternoon. Eligible fish are weighed Friday and Saturday evenings at the Baytowne Marina. Viewing is free and open to the public. Hancock Whitney Bank is sponsoring the ECBC Golf Scramble, which is open to participants and sponsors. Final details are in the works. This year, entries made at the kick-off on June 22 will be charged a late fee, so early registration is recommended.

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hanges to Florida’s redfish management took another step forward at the May meeting of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Staff will now continue gathering input on the proposed rules and return to the commission for a Final Rule Hearing later this year. The proposed rule changes would:

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• Modify the redfish management regions into nine regions, each smaller than the current three redfish management zones. • Prohibit captain and crew from retaining a bag limit when on a for-hire trip. • Reduce the off-the-water transport limit from six to four fish per person. • Increase the bag limit for the Big Bend region from one to two fish per person. • Reduce the eight-fish vessel limit in each of the proposed management regions: • Panhandle, Big Bend, Northeast: four fish. • Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Southwest, Southeast: two fish. • Allow only catch-and-release fishing for redfish in the Indian River Lagoon region. “With this new management approach, this agency is committed to continuing to work with our partners and stakeholders in finding solutions for redfish,” said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto. According to FWC, the modification of redfish management regions and regulations, as part of the new management approach, will better capture regional differences and improve angler satisfaction. For current recreational redfish regulations, visit MyFWC.com. 20 FLORIDA

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CRAPPIE REGS CHANGES PROPOSED

everal regulations changes for black crappie fishing in Florida are moving ahead after gaining approval at the May meeting of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The commission unanimously approved proposed regulations changes to size and/or bag limits for black crappie on specific Florida waterbodies. A final hearing will be held at a future meeting after collection of public input. Here are the proposed changes: • Remove the 12” minimum length limit on Lake Jackson (Osceola County). • Remove specific size and bag limits on the following Fish Management Areas (they will return to statewide regulations of 25 fish daily bag limit and no minimum size limit): • Montgomery Lake • Watertown Lake • Suwannee Lake • Hardee County Park • Bobby Hicks Park Pond • Gadsden Park Pond • Manatee Lake •Largo Central Park Nature Preserve

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“Anglers fish for specks (black crappie) when they want to have a fish fry,” said FWC Commissioner Gary Lester. “Black crappie remains a popular target for anglers, and we commend staff ’s dedication to ensuring crappie fisheries thrive in Florida.” Staff completed a Black Crappie Management Plan in 2019 that called for a comprehensive review of black crappie regulations. Staff reviewed the biological aspects of regulations and gathered stakeholder input. While many anglers asked for a statewide minimum length limit, biological data indicated such a regulation would not improve most fisheries across the state and would unnecessarily restrict angler harvest opportunities. Therefore, no statewide length limit was proposed.

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WORLD RECORD REDBREAST?

ester Roberts, of Blackshear, Ga., was slinging a crankbait during a bass tournament on south Georgia’s Satilla River when he came tight on what could be a tie for the world record for redbreast sunfish. The current IGFA all-tackle world record for the species is a Florida fish, caught by Alvin Buchanan from the Suwannee River in 1984. Both big redbreasts weighed 1 pound, 12 ounces, which is an impressive individual for a species that rarely grows to even a pound. Roberts caught his record fish on May 7 from a stretch of river near Folkston, Ga. It measured 11 3/8 inches in length and beat out the previous Georgia state record by an ounce. The previous record, which had stood since 1998, weighed 1 pound, 11 ounces. Redbreast sunfish are a species that prefer to live in rivers and streams. They are native to the eastern United States. Their bellies are yellow to orangered or crimson red. Their heads have blue or blue-green stripes. In recent years Georgia’s Wildlife Resources Division has been working to save habitat for redbreast on the Satilla. The introduction of invasive and highly predatory flathead catfish is a threat to the native fish species. If left unchecked, flatheads could decimate sunfish populations in one of the world’s best redbreast rivers. See more record fish at www.coastalanglermag.com.

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Mark Your Calendars for the 2022 Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament!

ong considered the granddaddy of all kingfish tournaments, the 42nd year of the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament (GJKT) is slated for July 22-23 out of Jacksonville, Fla.’s Jim King Park at the confluence of Sisters Creek and the St. Johns River. Started by local businessmen in 1980, the GJKT has spawned the interest of generations of anglers, and the inaugural event was held in July of 1981. Out of its success, Jacksonville Marine Charities was born and serves as the operating arm of the GJKT. Proceeds from the event will support marine science research, preservation and education. To date, well over $400,000 have supported these ventures. Traditionally the tournament draws thousands of spectators, who enjoy the daily events and the parade of boats arriving to weigh their catch. This is as close to stadium spectating as it gets, because boats of all sizes and almost every make will make their way to weigh in. It’s great to root for the underdogs in the small boats. There will also be good food and plenty of drinks in the Liar’s Tent as well as entertainment. And don’t forget the Boatique, where you can purchase some very nice tournament shirts. Since it’s inception, the GJKT has been a multi-day event, but with the

uncertainty of fuel prices, as well as a sputtering economy, the board of directors of the GJKT has adopted a format change. This year we have moved the tournament fishing days to Friday and Saturday. Friday will be the General Tournament Day. That’s right, it is a one-day general tournament day. Anglers may weigh in two of their biggest fish and the Ladies can weigh a Lady Angler fish. The Largest Kingfish and Largest Aggregate places, as well as Largest Ladies will all come from that one day of fishing. Saturday is dedicated to the Kids Jr. Angler Tournament, and fishing will end at 2 p.m. on Saturday. All awards will be Saturday evening. These changes will save you the whole second day of expenses that normally come with tournament week, such as lodging, fuel, bait, etc., as well as saving you from using up vacation days from work. The tournament payout will still be the same! Anglers still fish for the best prize in the game, a 25-foot Contender with twin Yamaha 150s, rigged out and valued at over $160,000. Also new this year, the tournament will pay down to 20 places in Big Fish and 20 places in Aggregate as well as 10 places for Ladies! The rewards are bigger than ever, and you’ll save the added expense and wear and tear of that second day. So do your homework and be ready for game day! The GJKT looks forward to having a great event. For more information, please visit kingfishtournament.com

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CASTING FAR FROM SHORE: THE DYNAMICS OF LONG DISTANCE LURES PATRICK SEBILE

If you read my column last month, I introduced the topic of true long-distance lures. This month, I’m going to present the elements of a lure that allow it to be cast a long way. I hope this helps you select lures that achieve excellent distance and action. Shape: A lure that’s built for distance is elongated so that the widest diameter or width is no more than a quarter of the lure length. Width adds air resistance, which results in lost momentum and poorer performance. On the other hand, counter to what some may think, very slim lures are also not the best. Unless most of the weight is at the very end of the tail, a super slim lure will These see-through pencil lures illustrate tumble with air resistance weight placement for an optimized on a cast, which has balance of casting distance and fishing a negative effect on action. They also demonstrate proper distance. ratios between length and width. The longest distance lures have their widest diameter at a fifth and a third of the length of the lure, from the tail. Buoyancy: There is no doubt that sinking lures cast farther than floating lures with a similar shape. Within reason, the more dense a lure is, the farther it will fly. Depending on the brand, these can be called “Super Long Distance,” “Bullet” or “Rocket” type lures. Unless you specifically want a topwater presentation, you want a lure that sinks at rest if you’re after distance. Weight Position: To impart the most momentum to a lure in the casting movement, the majority of weight should be located between the tail and a third of the length from the tail. Total Weight: This one depends on angler preference as well as the rod being used. There are situations when light tackle is called for. However, for pure distance, regardless of a lure’s dimensions, there’s a weight range between 1.5 and 4 ounces for most anglers and most rods to deliver the most efficient casts. That can be narrowed down to a sweet spot of 2.5 to 3 ounces in most cases. Only trial and error will dial in what works best for you and your needs. Appendages: The denser the lure, the better it is for the distance. The catch is, high density may impact swimming action. The best lures offer the best of both worlds. Appendages such as side wings provide lift in the water when a lure is retrieved, which provides action without sacrificing casting distance. Next month, we’ll speak about types of long distance lures. Legendary angler Patrick Sebile is a world record holder and an award-winning designer of innovative lures and fishing gear. Check out his creations at abandofanglers.com.

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the marketplace. Mitzi Skiff became the brand for skinny-water anglers who value simplicity and functionality. A Mitzi does everything the pricier skiffs do, yet they are affordable enough for any angler to own and operate. About 30 years later, Mitzi has expanded to offer 15’, 16’ and 17’ skiffs that all perform the purposes of the original design exceptionally well. Continued innovation has made Mitzi a boat other builders imitate, and they still come at a significantly lower price point than the competition. The 17’ and the 17’ Tournament have become the brand’s hottest sellers. “The 15’ took the micro-skiff market by storm,” said Brad Grubbs, who owns and manufactures Mitzi Skiffs in North Carolina. “Since then, the brand has sort of evolved toward the 17’, which works just fine as a multi-purpose boat. It really is a very nice boat, notwithstanding the price point.” The Mitzi Skiff 17’ is a stripped-down and customizable version of the 17’ Tournament, which comes with the options Grubbs said most of his fishing customers were asking for. Both boats draft just 7 inches loaded, they pole easily, they pole straight, and they reach speeds into the 40s with a 60 hp engine. While the 15’ is a one or two-man boat that’s at-home on the flats, the 17’ can fish three people and it’s got better range. The 17’s primary purpose is still as a flats boat, yet it also doubles admirably as bay boat. “It’s not just a flats boats; it’s a little bit of an open water boat, too,” Grubbs said. The 17’ features a modified V-hull with an 11-degree deadrise at transom. There’s no hull slap, and rolled gunnels knock down spray for an exceptionally dry ride. They are built for light weight to run shallow, yet they are solid and durable to stand up to long years of heavy use. From hideaway pushpole holders to flush-mount hardware, Mitzi has obviously put some thought into making decks clean and fishable for fly anglers. Large, clean and stable casting decks are something Mitzi has become known for. “Keep it simple stupid, and if it ain’t broke don’t fix it,” Grubbs quipped. f you’re a shallow-water angler, you might already know the story behind the legendary Mitzi Skiff. In the mid-1990s, Tom Mitzlaff started toying For nearly three decades, Mitzi has built skiffs for anglers more interested in with ideas to build a boat for his own use. There was nothing affordable fishing than in spending a lot of money. It’s a philosophy that works. on the market with the shallow draft, clean layout and quiet maneuverability Mitzi Skiff boats are available exclusively through select dealers. needed for fly fishing the flats. So, Mitzlaff built the original 15-foot Mitzi Skiff. For more on Mitzi Skiffs, go to www.mitziskiffs.com. It didn’t take long for anglers to take notice, and that boat revolutionized

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CHOOSE FIBERGLASS PONTOON HULLS FOR THE BEST BOAT RIDE EVER StyleCraft Boats Makes Proprietary Fiberglass Pontoon Hulls

luminum has dominated the platform boat industry for years, until now. Move over aluminum, fiberglass pontoon hulls are the way to go for so many reasons. StyleCraft Boats creates multiple versions of the popular pontoon boat, all based on proprietary fiberglass pontoons with a racing hull design. The advantages of fiberglass over aluminum are great for the boat owner. Starting with the design, StyleCraft Boats uses A&M Manufacturing fiberglass pontoon hulls with a successful track record of a quarter century. The unique design is not round but flat on the bottom. This produces a very shallow-running boat with a draft of just 8 to 10 inches. The flat bottom pontoon also enhances the boat’s performance. Getting on a plane is much quicker, and the boat quietly glides across the water with less friction. As a result, less engine horsepower is needed. Less horsepower means less fuel demand. With today’s gasoline prices, this is a huge plus. Ever see an aluminum hull with welding scars that weaken the aluminum, bent fins or creased sides? The durability of fiberglass eliminates these issues. The fiberglass on a StyleCraft Boat is 1/2 inch thick, with much more body than aluminum of equivalent weight. StyleCraft Boats can take the abuse and mishaps with little to no harm. And should the boat have an accident, the fiberglass can be repaired back to new condition. No one enjoys boat maintenance, and fiberglass pontoon hulls are extremely user friendly. The very nature of aluminum causes electrolysis in saltwater, which deteriorates from corrosion on the hull surface in a big way. Not so with fiberglass. StyleCraft even coats the bottom of the pontoons with a special “SharkSkin” paint layer to reduce biological

growth of both plants and animals such as algae and barnacles. StyleCraft fiberglass pontoons always look clean, sleek and higher end. So, what’s it going to be? The smart STYLECRAFT BOATS.COM choice is fiberglass pontoon hulls from 1-855-STYLECRAFT StyleCraft Boats for that next boat purchase.

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ere’s a memorable beach moment: You’re basking in the warm sun, toes in the sand, letting the gentle turn of the foam-capped waves lull you into a state of complete relaxation. As your eyes scan the endless horizon of blue on blue, you’re rewarded with a school of dolphins making their way across the sea. There’s no denying their signature shape as they leap from the water. If you don’t see anything else extraordinary the rest of the day, you can take solace knowing you’ve witnessed one of nature’s most playful and intelligent creatures in their natural habitat. Why not re-create that special toes-in-the-sand moment with our Blue Topaz Dolphin Pendant? The beloved sea mammal has been captured mid-jump in sterling silver. And, tucked into its fins is a full two carats of shimmering blue topaz. Nothing captures the shimmering color of the ocean in the midday sun like blue topaz. With its sparkling clear blue color and high refractive index, blue topaz is one of the top-selling blue gemstones. And with our special price, you have quite the catch. Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. Enjoy the Blue Topaz Dolphin Pendant for 30 days. If it doesn’t pass the test swimmingly, send it back for a full refund of the item price.

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PARKIT360°:

BUILDING THE WORLD’S MOST ADVANCED TRAILER DOLLY

uccess stories are often driven by individuals with the ingenuity and work ethic to recognize and fill a need in the marketplace. The longevity of a dream results from a commitment to quality and continued innovation. Parkit360° is such a story. In 2009, when founder Steve Houle brought his electric trailer dollies to market, it was the culmination of years working to fill a niche need. About a decade later, with business booming, Steve has passed down the same work ethic and problem-solving spirit to his son Stefan Houle, who now manages the company and continues to produce the planet’s most advanced trailer dollies for happy customers worldwide. None of this happened overnight. Steve is a problem solver and the son of a millwright. He grew up around a machine shop using his mind, hands and machines to build things. He credits his father for instilling in him work ethic as well as the business sense to turn good ideas into marketable solutions. “I’ve always enjoyed building solutions to problems I saw around me,” Steve said. “Being able to turn this hobby of mine into a career has been hands down the greatest experience of my life.” Years ago, a problem manifested itself in dramatic fashion when Steve and his wife purchased a 27-foot cabin cruiser. On their maiden voyage, the wind blew them into another boat while maneuvering out of the docks. That costly mishap set Steve on a career path devising tools to maneuver large objects safely in small spaces. “The same week, out of pure necessity, I developed my own bow thruster, spending countless days testing, developing, and finally bringing this product to the market,” he said. “We received great feedback from the release.” That bow thruster became Sideshift, which revolutionized bow and stern thruster technology to make docking large boats easier. But Steve didn’t stop there. “Backing a trailer into a tight spot can be the most frustrating experience in the world. I know firsthand,” Steve said. “I found this gap in the market and I aimed to do my best to fill it.” Thus, Parkit360° was born. Steve started small, collecting feedback from RV enthusiasts and boaters and building prototype trailer dollies in his garage shop. “My number one priority was to help individuals trying to fit their boats or RVs into a small spot in their garage or yard,” he said. After seven prototypes, Steve finally built a product he was satisfied with. He began selling units one-off on ebay. Since then, Parkit360° has grown along with its reputation as a superior product. The company now

occupies a 12,000 square foot facility with numerous employees building thousands of units per year. And as the passion for a product passes on to the next generation, Stefan is tasked with continued improvement to trailer dollies that are already more powerful, more versatile and easier to use than anything else on the market. Check out Parkit360° at https://parkit360.ca.

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