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SHORT LINES
By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon
LEAD TO
MORE
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.
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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
I
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.
YOUR RODS. YOUR WAY.
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ROMAN GLADIATORS FROZEN IN TIME FOR OVER 1,600 YEARS
Found: 1,600-Year-Old Roman Gladiator Coins Hold the Glory of Rome In the Palm of Your Hand
W
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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THE BEST SOURCE FOR COINS WORLDWIDE®
FOR ANY
S I T U AT I O N By Gary Turner
W
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
F
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
W
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.
10 FLORIDA
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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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June heats up in temperature – welcome to summer already here in Florida. Freshwater fishing on the Kissimmee Chain will give anglers plenty of opportunity during early mornings and late evening trips. Feeding slows down during the heat of the day, but a well-placed bait will get bit for sure. Bass Fishing Kissimmee Chain: The bass have moved out to open water; mostly due to the Chain of Lakes are at low water levels for the summer hurricane season. Bass are schooling in open water chasing bait. The schooling bass range in size from one to four pounds. The baits of choice are small Rattle Traps and Rapala X-Raps. Plastic baits of choice are flukes and swim baits in shad colors.
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 creaturestyle baits. In deeper water like the Kissimmee River, crank baits have been working - try shad and crawdad color patterns. Colors that work well for bass: white; June bug; 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 ultra-light spinning gear tipped with a small bobber; split shot weight like a #4 and small 4 ORLANDO ORLANDO
JUNE JUNE2022 2022
Anglers are catching multiples on the outside edges of Kissimmee grass using artificial soft plastics. Tip: Don’t get frustrated with heavy vegetation. When your lure’s hook picks up weeds, give it a yank to clear the lure. Many times this is when strikes occur. The Crappie bite has been good on the Kissimmee Chain. On West Lake, fish open water between the two islands. On East Lake, fish open water, the 15 feet range seems to be where most Crappie are being caught. The best method to catching Crappie is trolling with jigs in various colors tipped with a minnow. Vary the depth until you start catching fish. For bluegill and sunfish, look for open water shell beds with live red worms. Fish on the bottom. If you like to fly fish, popping bugs are the best bet. Search out Shingle Creek and fish the outside edge of the vegetation.
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. 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; Carolinarigs and big worms around the ledges.
Big Hello to the friends and family of the Seminole Junior Anglers. We wrapped up our 2021-2022 tournament schedule in April on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. This year we have several teams in the top 10. Our Florida Bass Nation High School State Championship is June 11-12, 2022, this year on the St. John’s River in Palatka. We have 6 teams that have been awarded qualifying births into this championship! As you know in tournament fishing, nothing is given to you...it must be earned. I can’t wait to report back to you next month with the results of this event and let you know how many of our SJA teams will be heading to Nationals on Lake Hartwell out of Green Pond Landing in South Carolina. One of these years, we will produce a National Champion... mark my words! Our lakes in Central Florida are starting to heat up...not the fishing, but the water temps. Look for the fish to begin moving deeper and deeper. I have heard of some nice bags still coming out of Kissimmee and Lake Toho and the Harris Chain of course. I would concentrate on the low light conditions in the morning and later in the evenings. Fish will begin to chase bait early and late, but the middle of the day action will be tough. After a big rain, look for moving water areas and run offs. Shell beds will always produce this time of the year and don’t forget about those man-made fish attractors. These are normally placed in 10ft or more of water and fish love them. A big thank you to Coastal Angler Magazine, Airport Jeep Dodge, AFTCO, Huey Magoos, Kysek Coolers, Onyx, Boat Tree Marina, Gumbo Wars, Bitter’s Bait & Tackle, Oakley, Power Pole, Lowrance, our boat captains, parents, volunteers, and sponsors. We all do what we can to keep these student anglers on the water. I thank you! If you know a high school aged angler who would like to gain experience in tournament fishing, please contact me: Dave DiMauro, 407-353-4575.
To book your next fun-filled and productive day on the water call Angie at 863-228-7263 or check www.southfloridabassfishing. com to find current customer catch pics; guide rates; places to stay etc. Capt. Angie’s Sponsors: Toho Marine in St. Cloud; Mercury Marine; Lews; G-Loomis; Bullet Weights; Gill; Maui Jim; Gene Larew; Pradco Brands; Power-Pole; Real Magic; Rapala; Mid-South Tackle and BnM Poles.
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From the beach to deeper reefs - tarpon, jack crevalle, bonita, Spanish mackerel and kingfish have all been close to the beach in the 20 to 40 feet depths. We have been having a lot of fun on light tackle with all these power hitting fish. Use live bunker hooked through the nostrils on 50 lb. fluorocarbon leader with an 8/0 circle hook. If you start getting cut off a lot, then it is time to put the wired stinger rigs on for those toothy kings. Keep a jig ready for cobia when you see or mark the bait out there as this is the time of year, they start to show up on the bait pods just off the beach. The bunker (pogies, Atlantic Menhaden) has finally been showing up with better consistency. Just look where the fleet is in the morning, and you can’t miss them.
The near shore reefs of Pelican and 8A have been great for the early morning king bite. Use your stinger rigs and live bunker for the best catch. In the last few weeks there has been wahoo, black fin tuna, mahi-mahi and a handful of cobias all caught on king rigs in the same area. Offshore has been good as well for mahi, many fish have been caught from 140180 feet and some days past 500 feet, It’s just a day-to-day thing and up to the winds and weather as usual. The basic ballyhoo rigs and skirts have been the key. Smaller skirts work better. Pink seems to be the key. Bottom fishing has also been awesome. Pinfish and croakers are a great bait for that. Fish the offshore reefs on 21 fathom and 27 fathom and if you have any of the wrecks that’s a good start too. Don’t forget about the amber jacks. Good luck and have a great June from your premier fishing guide charters of Cocoa Beach, Port Canaveral, and Orlando Florida. www.firedupcharters. com
lb. fluorocarbon or monofilament leader, 40-65 lb. braided main line, 30-50 lb. sized rods and 6000-8000 sized spinning reels. Get ready to hang on when you tie into a monster tarpon. As summer doldrums in east Central Florida settles in, calmer sea allows those of us with shallow water boats the opportunity to venture out off the beach in search of silver kings (tarpon), smoker kings (kingfish) and much more. In June, seas clean up and ocean predators push pogy pods (Atlantic menhaden) in close to the beach. Look for large tarpon, kingfish, sharks, and jack crevalle to be following these bait pods looking for an easy meal. For best results, try slow trolling live pogies in areas of active bait schools, especially if feeding activity is present. Heavier tackle is needed - 2x strong 7/0 circle hooks, 80-100 6 ORLANDO
JUNE 2022
Fishing on the inshore flats is best during the early morning and late evening hours for trout and redfish around concentrations of silver mullet. Try working your favorite top water plug for explosive action. Focus your efforts between 5am and 9am, and in the late afternoon after the thunderstorms dissipate. Also look for schools of bay anchovies (glass minnows) in deeper waters. For trout and redfish on top water, I like the Rapala Skitter Walk and Storm Chug Bug, and then switch to the DOA CAL Shad Tail on a ¼ ounce jig in deeper water as the day grows warm. Inshore tip: 10-15 lb. braided line will give you greater casting distance vs. 20 lb. test line.
Re-Powering Time with Portside Marine Do you have an older vessel that you really love with an older or out dated 2-stroke outboard or maybe an existing 4-stoke that is well past it’s years of existing warranty and is in need of replacement? Now may be the time to start thinking about Re-Powering that boat you love with a brand new 4-stroke outboard with 5 years’ of warranty and peace of mind and confidence every time you hit the water. Todays’ new 4-strokes outboards are much lighter than the previous models, much more fuel efficient and there is no need to add oil to the fuel source so they cost a lot less to operate than the older 2 or 4 stroke models. With summer time fast approaching now is the perfect time to get your vessel ready with a new outboard that will provide several years of enjoyment for you and your family or friends. With 5 years of full factory warranty todays’ Suzuki outboards are leading the way for re-powering existing vessels and making them like a totally new boat. Portside Marine in East Orlando is Central Florida’s factory authorized premier dealer for Suzuki Outboards and are the areas Re-power specialist. Portside Marine has a team of marine experts to help you make the right decision for a new motor, up-grading the horse power size and repowering your existing boat. When splurging for a repower it is a great idea to take a look at updating steering, throttle & shift, cabling, wiring harnesses, battery cables, and also instrumentation. A new engine with old steering, controls, and cables can only dampen your new repower experience. New technology in digital instrumentation has also come a long way over the years. They are giving you information that your old gauges could not provide. The staff at portside Marine can answer all of your questions, give you options for best results for your boat and also help with either trading your existing motor or selling it if it is in decent shape and serviceable. The best part is that it is also quick and easy. Once a decision is made on what size of motor is best for your budget and vessel power needs all you have to do is decide on the color you prefer, either black or white. Depending on availability the motor and color selected, special deals could be available on one or the other models. Up-grading to a digital model in lieu of a mechanical shifter requires no shift or throttle cables running to the helm or console shifter and no need to replace cables in the future and is very smooth and quick to respond. If it is time for you to get your existing boat brought into the future let the staff at Portside Marine make your repowering experience a breeze. Third party financing is available to those who qualify. Give Portside Marine a call at 407-249-1124 or email us service@portsideorlando.com or just stop by to see them, you won’t be sorry!
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Hot days in Central Florida signal anglers to fish early and late, but the noon bite is still fire until mid-summer sets in. June marks the beginning of our Atlantic Hurricane season. Water levels will be the key to finding fish. Low water levels in June mean there are fewer deep places to hide. If we get big rains, pastures flood giving fish many hiding places. Bass: Schooling bass can be found at first light at the mouths of Lakes Monroe and Harney feeding on shad. The water temperature at the mouth of the Wekiva River is cooler and will hold nice sized fish ready to eat Carolina rigged plastic worms, White flukes, swim baits, and rattling lipless crank baits (Rattle Traps). Pitching creature-style baits into the edges of lily pads or deep holes in the backwaters will
Catfish: Now is the time to catch large blue channel catfish. When rainwater flushes out of the creeks and rivers, the cats swim upstream to find forage and nesting areas. Chunks of mullet, peeled shrimp, beef or pork liver, and artificial stink baits are best baits. Use a foot of 20lb. test fluorocarbon leader and a 2/0 circle hook pinned with just enough weight to hold the bottom. Tip: Try a sliding egg sinker and allow the bait to roll along the bottom in a river bend. Cast the bait upstream and let it roll into the hole. Panfish: Spawning will taper off in June. Best bets are full and new moons. Look for beds in the straight areas of the river along the bank in 2-5 feet of water. Bluegills like sandy bottom or shell bottom for nesting. Use worms, grass shrimp and crickets for best results. Try a piece of 8lb. test fluorocarbon leader for more hookups.
June is not only a hot month in temperature, but in bass fishing as well. Thankfully the June rains will bring our lake levels back up to give the fish better access to the heavy cover they love to get in during the summer months. When the water gets as hot as it is the oxygen becomes low in the deeper parts of the lakes, forcing the fish to move into shallower water with dense vegetation where the oxygen is rich. Grab your flippin’ sticks! Pitching small profile crawfish baits, like the Zoom U Vibe Speed Craw or the Gambler BB Cricket, at the base of reeds or in pad pockets will surely entice a bite any time of day. The low light conditions of early morning or late evening are highly productive over and around the dense cover using a frog type bait or a swimming jig with a trailer. Try slowly walking
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a Booyah Pad Crasher over top of the pads, pausing regularly to help increase your chances at a strike. Later in the day deep water grass edges and the old river channels in both Lake Harris and little Lake Harris are good areas as well as the man-made fish attractors all over the chain of lakes. Large deep running crank baits or soft plastic swim baits are always a good choice. The old standby Carolina rig are producing bigger fish. Find the bait fish and you will find the bass. The bluegill, shell cracker and red ear are in full swing of their spawning cycles and are still very productive. Target them with grass shrimp, red wigglers or crickets under docks and in the grass lines or near a flat close to the lily pads in the shallows. Once you locate these spawning beds fan cast the area for a bunch of fun and great table fare. Watch out for the afternoon storms and be safe, take a kid fishing for these tasty eaters and make a memory that will last a lifetime. JUNE 2022
ORLANDO 7
Boat Dealers New & Consignment Sales 1 - Astor Marine (352) 759-3655
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2 - Nobles Marine (352) 787-5792
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3 - Craig Catamaran (407) 290-8778 4333 Silver Star Rd. #100 Orlando, FL 32808
18 - Monroe Harbor Marina (407) 322-2910
31 - Pyramid Cabinets (407) 947-8499
6 - Sea Tow of Central Florida Lakes
34 - Thomas Lumber Company (407) 841-1250
9 - Instant Insurance Agency (352) 735-5560 25833 State Road 46, Sorrento, FL 32776 www.instantinsuranceagency.com
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15 - American Tackle Co. (800) 516-1750
30 - Aamco East Orlando (407) 277-3311
5 - Lakeside Bait & Tackle (352) 742-3336 1000 W Burleigh Blvd, Tavares, FL 32778
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25 - Central Florida Marine (407) 647-6262
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3165 N John Young Pkwy, Orlando, FL 32804 www.orlandoboatsales.com
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9700 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando FL 32817 www.boatmaxusa.com
46 - Gibson Truck World (407) 321-0660 3455 S. Orlando Dr. Sanford, FL 32773 www.gibsontruckworld.com 14 - Boat Tree Marina (407) 322-1610 4370 Carraway Pl, Sanford, FL 32771 www.boattree.com
7 - Owens Fishing & Marine (352) 357-3030 935 N Bay St, Eustis, FL 32726
11 - Highbanks Marina & Camp Resort (386) 668-4491 488 W Highbanks Rd, DeBary, FL 32713 www.campresort.com
14 - Boat Tree Marina (407) 322-1610 4370 Carraway Pl, Sanford, FL 32771 www.boattree.com
21 - Bitters Bait & Tackle (407) 699-6619 65 N US Hwy 17 92, Longwood, FL 32750 www.bittersbaitandtackle.com
43 - Academy Sports + Outdoors East Colonial 11955 E. Colonial Dr Orlando, FL Lee Vista 6640 Eagle Watch Drive Orlando, FL Millenia 3557 Gardens Ridge Way Orlando, FL Lake Mary 3641 Lake Emaa Road Lake Mary FL
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Boat improvement / Service & Repair Centers / Replacement Parts 36 - All American Marine (407) 855-9988 7024 S Orange Ave, Orlando FL 32809 www.allamericanmarineorlando.com
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29 - Lake Fairview Marina (407) 295-0117
4503 N Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL 32804 www. Lakefairviewmarina.com
Areas Best Picks for Restaurants 47 - Jolly Gator Fish Camp Bar & Grill (407) 349-5554 4650 E State Rd 46, Geneva, FL 32732 www.thejollygator.com
39 - Fish on Fire (407) 812-6881
7937 Daetwyler Dr, Orlando, FL 32812 www.fishonfireorlando.com
40 - High Tide Harry’s (407) 273-4422
4645 S Semoran Blvd, Orlando, FL 32822 www.hightideharrys.com
33 - Boston’s Fish House (407) 678-2107 Aloma Square Shopping Center, 6860 Aloma Ave, Winter Park, FL 32792 www.bostonsfishhouse.com 17 - St. Johns River Steak & Seafood
(407) 878-0980 550 N Palmetto Ave, Sanford, FL 32771
37 - The Steer (407) 286-6802 8015 S. Orange Ave., Orlando FL
13 - Camp House Restaurant (407) 915-5401 100 S White Cedar Rd, Sanford, FL 32771 www.camphousebarandgrill.com
Home Improvement Contractors & Service Providers 26 - DWR Plumbing LLC. (407) 293-3717 6344 All American Blvd, Orlando, FL 32810
23 - Talon Marine Services (407) 542-7600
28 - Millennium Electric (407) 420-2001
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439 Aulin Ave, Oviedo, FL 32765 www.talonmarineservices.com
4340 Edgewater Dr, Orlando, FL 32804 www.millennium-electric.com
20 - Team Marine Services (407) 260-8326 1350 28th Street, Orlando FL 32805 www.teammarineservices.com
41 - Water Works Pressure Cleaning & Sealing
JUNE 2022
51 - Vapor and Company (407) 878-7397 3621 S. Orlando Dr., Sanford, FL 32773 SR 436 Altamonte Springs East SR 50 Orlando www.vaporandco.com
56 - Orlando Outfitters (407) 896-8220
27 - Orlando Painting Service (407) 896-0839 65 Harold Ave, suite B, Winter Park, FL 32789
8 ORLANDO
50 - Campbell Renovations Inc. (407) 947-0016 285 Campbell Ranch Run, Geneva, FL 32732 www.campbellrenovationsinc.com
22 - Huey Magoo’s (407) 706-6004
32 - Portside Marine (407) 249-1124 2730 Forsyth Rd, Orlando, FL 32792 www.portsideorlando.com
19 - Ahoy Marine (407) 323-8373 511 E 25th St, Sanford, FL 32771 www.superpages.com
231 W Gore St, Orlando, FL 32806, www.thomaslumber.com
(407) 447-7637 2133 Componet Loop Suite 1001, Oveido, FL 32765 www.mudhole.com 2814 Corrine Dr., Orlando, FL 32803 www.orlandooutfitters.com
35 - All Star Marine (407) 423-9953
451 Fairvilla Road, Orlando, FL 32808 www.codepyramid.com
(407) 376-9526 490 Buck Lake Lane, Geneva, FL 32732 www.jmwaterworksinc.com
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52 - The Deli (407) 332-8800 4360 Carraway Pl, Sanford, FL 32771 53 - T J’s Seafood Shack (407) 365-3365
197 E Mitchell Hammock Rd, Oviedo, FL 32765 12231 E Colonial Dr. #230, Orlando(407) 250-4191 www.tjsseafoodshack.com
54 - Oasis On The River (407) 636-6300 4380 Carraway Place, Sanford, FL 32771
56 - Celery City Craft (407) 915-5541 114 S. Palmetto Ave., Sanford FL 32771 celerycitycraft.com
55 -West End Trading Co. (407) 322-7475 202 Sanford Ave, Sanford, FL 32771 www.drinkatwestend.com
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ORLANDO 9
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Friday, Saturday June 3, 4 - Florida Sport Fishing Association Annual Offshore Tournament, hosted at Port Canaveral. Over $22K in guaranteed pay-outs. This is the 53rd annual event bringing some of the best anglers in Central Florida. $5,000 for Biggest Fish, $3,000 for winning the General Slam, weigh-in hosted at Sunrise Marina at Port Canaveral, to register or info visit www. OFFSHORESLAM.COM Saturday June 4 - Safelight till 3pm, Help our Heroes Bass Tournament on the Kissimmee Chain of lakes, hosted by Toho Marine at the Joe Overstreet boat ramp. $10,000 for 1st place based on 150 boats. 2 anglers per team, $175 entry fee. For more info or to register your team visit www.tohomarine.com or call 407-892-3200. Registration closes the Friday May 28th a week before the event, no sign-ups the day of event. All proceeds go to Local and National Wounded Veterans Groups. Tuesday June 7, 14, 21, 28 - 5pm till dusk, Jolly Gator Bass Tournament Series, every Tuesday evening plus 1 Saturday per month until the Classic in August. Cost is $40 per event, 2 anglers per team. Teams that finish in the Top 10 in points or win an event and fish at least 20 events will qualify for the end of year Classic. Some of the best river anglers in the area fish this Bass Series. The staff of Orlando Coastal Angler Magazine is the official weigh-masters for this fun tournament series, come out and join us for the weekly weigh-ins. All Tuesday events start at 5pm till dusk, Saturday events (1 per month) are safe-light till 2pm. Launch ramp at CS Lee Park next to Jolly
Gator Fish Camp on SR 46 east of Sanford at St. Johns River Bridge. For questions or more info contact Jim “Squirt” Chaudoin at 407432-2822 or Phil Wolf from Coastal Angler Magazine at 407-790-9515. Thursday June 9 - 5pm to 8pm, “Alive After 5” in Sanford - The staff of Orlando Coastal Angler Magazine would like you to join us for an evening of fun in downtown Sanford. This event is the second Thursday of each month downtown. Block Party on First Street! Don’t miss the chance for a fun night on the town. Saturday June 11 – Safelight till 2pm, Jolly Gator Bass Tournament Series, Cost is $40 per event, 2 anglers per team. Teams that finish in the Top 10 in points or win an event and fish at least 21 events will qualify for the end of year Classic. Big Bass for the day pay $10 per boat! Your team can register the day of the event, Launch ramp at CS Lee Park next to Jolly Gator Fish Camp on SR 46 east of Sanford at St. Johns River Bridge. For questions or more info contact Jim “Squirt” Chaudoin at 407432-2822 or Phil Wolf from Coastal Angler Magazine at 407-790-9515. If you have an event or meeting you would like included in the “What’s Hitting Around Town” column, send your details to: Phil Wolf phillip@ coastalanglermagazine. com. Deadline for inclusion is the 10th of the preceding month.
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East Coast Tide Charts Tide Charts brought to you by these businesses
June 2022 Time
1W
2Th
3F
4Sa
5Su
6M
7Tu
8W
9Th
Miami, Government Cut
Height
4:13 AM 10:30 AM 4:22 PM 11:08 PM 4:51 AM 11:09 AM 5:00 PM 11:47 PM 5:30 AM 11:49 AM 5:39 PM 12:28 AM 6:12 AM 12:32 PM 6:21 PM 1:10 AM 6:57 AM 1:19 PM 7:08 PM 1:54 AM 7:47 AM 2:12 PM 8:01 PM 2:41 AM 8:41 AM 3:09 PM 9:00 PM 3:31 AM 9:36 AM 4:10 PM 10:01 PM 4:25 AM 10:30 AM 5:11 PM 11:00 PM
0.3 2.2 -0.1 2.3 0.4 2.1 0.0 2.3 0.4 2.0 0.1 2.2 0.5 2.0 0.2 2.1 0.5 1.9 0.3 2.1 0.4 1.9 0.3 2.1 0.4 2.0 0.4 2.1 0.2 2.0 0.4 2.1 0.1 2.2 0.3
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11Sa
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15W
16Th
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Time
Height
5:20 AM 2.1 11:23 AM -0.1 6:11 PM 2.3 11:56 PM 0.2 6:16 AM 2.2 12:16 PM -0.3 7:08 PM 2.5 12:50 AM 0.1 7:11 AM 2.3 1:08 PM -0.5 8:03 PM 2.7 1:42 AM 0.0 8:06 AM 2.4 2:00 PM -0.6 8:56 PM 2.8 2:34 AM 0.0 9:00 AM 2.5 2:53 PM -0.7 9:49 PM 2.8 3:27 AM -0.1 9:55 AM 2.6 3:47 PM -0.7 10:41 PM 2.8 4:21 AM -0.1 10:50 AM 2.6 4:42 PM -0.6 11:33 PM 2.8 5:16 AM -0.1 11:45 AM 2.6 5:38 PM -0.5 12:26 AM 2.7 6:14 AM -0.1 12:43 PM 2.5 6:37 PM -0.3
Po nce de Leo n Inlet Hig h Ti de -11 m in ute s Lo w Ti de +19 m in ute s
(Approximate Times)
19Su
20M
21Tu
22W
23Th
24F
25Sa
26Su
27M
Time
Height
1:19 AM 7:14 AM 1:42 PM 7:38 PM 2:12 AM 8:15 AM 2:42 PM 8:40 PM 3:07 AM 9:14 AM 3:44 PM 9:40 PM 4:01 AM 10:10 AM 4:46 PM 10:38 PM 4:56 AM 11:03 AM 5:44 PM 11:32 PM 5:48 AM 11:52 AM 6:37 PM 12:22 AM 6:38 AM 12:38 PM 7:25 PM 1:08 AM 7:24 AM 1:21 PM 8:08 PM 1:51 AM 8:07 AM 2:03 PM 8:49 PM
2.6 -0.1 2.4 -0.1 2.5 -0.1 2.3 0.1 2.3 -0.1 2.3 0.2 2.2 -0.1 2.2 0.3 2.2 -0.1 2.2 0.3 2.1 -0.1 2.3 0.3 2.1 -0.1 2.3 0.3 2.1 -0.1 2.3 0.3 2.1 -0.1 2.3
Time
Height
28Tu 2:32 AM 8:48 AM 2:43 PM 9:29 PM 29W 3:12 AM 9:28 AM 3:22 PM 10:08 PM 30Th 3:50 AM 10:08 AM 3:59 PM 10:46 PM 1F 4:28 AM 10:49 AM 4:36 PM 11:24 PM 2Sa 5:06 AM 11:29 AM 5:14 PM 3Su 12:02 AM 5:45 AM 12:12 PM 5:53 PM 4M 12:41 AM 6:26 AM 12:56 PM 6:37 PM 5Tu 1:20 AM 7:10 AM 1:45 PM 7:27 PM
0.3 2.1 -0.1 2.3 0.3 2.1 -0.1 2.3 0.3 2.1 -0.1 2.3 0.3 2.1 0.0 2.3 0.3 2.1 0.0 2.3 0.3 2.0 0.1 2.2 0.3 2.0 0.2 2.2 0.2 2.0 0.3
Ft. Pie rce Inlet, S. Jetty Hig h Ti de -31 m in ute s Lo w Ti de -18 m in utes
Po nce Inlet, Halifax Rive r Hig h Ti de +5 m in ute s Lo w Ti de +33 m in ute s
Jensen Beach Hig h Ti de +2 ho u r s, 17 m in ute s Lo w Ti de +3 ho u r s, 4 m in ute s
Po rt Canave ral (Tr i dent Pie r) Daily Pre dictio ns
Sewell Pt Hig h Ti de Lo w Ti de
Patr ick Air Fo rce Base Hig h Ti de -1 ho u r, 4 m in ute Lo w Ti de -38 m in ute s
Ju pite r Inlet, S.Jetty Hig h Ti de -10 m in ute s Lo w Ti de -9 m in ute s
Sebastian Inlet Br i dg e Hig h Ti de -48 m in ute s Lo w Ti de -24 m in ute s
Po rt Eve rgla de s - Tu r n in g Basin Hig h Ti de -31 m in ute s Lo w Ti de -13 m in ute s
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
JUNE 2022
+1 ho u r s, 13 m in ute s +2 ho u r s, 9 m in ute s
ORLANDO 11
Hot Days Bring Hot Summer Bites
If you are a local Central Florida resident and an avid saltwater fisherman, than many of you are looking forward to the hottest months of the year. Living now in Orlando but growing up in Melbourne along the east coast and some of Florida’s best in-shore and near-shore fishing, my summer time fishing memories are some of the best days spent fishing. Notice I said fishing not catching, great memories are about the experience and adventure, catching fish though is always a plus. For those of us who are lucky enough to be a part time or annual resident of Central Florida with the hope of catching an in-shore or near-shore trophy or memory, the time is here! As the months of June, July and August arrives along with much more stable weather and fishable breezes, so do the species of game fish that our local near shore fishery is famous for; Tarpon, Snook, Redfish, Kingfish, huge Jacks and Sharks, just to name a few. Whether you are on the East Coast, West Coast or in the Florida Keys the time for catching some of these great fighters is now! As our coastal waters warm and these game fish migrate closer to the inlets or passes from the rivers, creeks, back-waters or deep water of our oceans, one thing for sure is they will be there. Not only will these hard fighting game fish be in or around these areas in most cases at some time during the day and with the right tide they are happy to eat several types of live, cut or artificial baits if properly presented. Good reports of a mix bags of Tarpon, kingfish, Sharks, Jacks, Bonita and Snook have been coming in from the East Coast from Ponce Inlet past Port Canaveral and south to Melbourne Beach. We usually start our day heading south out of Port Canaveral after launching at the Port’s launch ramp near Jetty Park. This new launch point is just inside the mouth of the Port’s idle zone and within a very short boat ride you are able to jump your boat on plane in lieu of a 10 minute idle from the old ramp next to Grill’s restaurant that has been taken over by cruise ships. The bait has arrived and has been south of Port Canaveral towards the Cocoa Beach Pier and south toward Patrick Air Force Base in close or just behind the shore break. Once you find the poggies, one or two throws of the cast net and you will have plenty for days fishing. Look for the birds diving or start near the bait schools for active fish. Hook your live bait through the bottom lip then out through the nose with a 7/0 to 9/0 circle hook with at least 50lb. leader and just slow troll them keeping your eyes open for rolling Tarpon or schools of fish feeding in or near the bait pods. Tarpon, Bonita, Kingfish, sharks, large Jacks and other species will all be in the mix as well. Large bull redfish and Snook will be near the inlets and jetties and large sea trout close in both Banana and Indian River Lagoon systems.
redfish that covered any area close to 75 yards square and all were willing to eat just about anything you would cast to them. Joining the school were sharks, huge jacks in the 20 plus pound class and several Tarpon. Each time we found this school they were just north of Port Canaveral and within less than 2 miles off-shore or less. Just having the chance to witness seeing this tremendous school of fish and the sea of cooper color is something I will never forget. Each time we ran into them we caught several each past with many double hook-ups and once even a quad, landing all 4 redfish over 35lbs. each, getting a photo and releasing them all to fight another day! So if you are looking to catch a one of the many species that are roaming our near-shore waters along our Space Coast, the hottest summer days and flattest seas during the months of June, July and August will offer many opportunities for catching a great summer memory of your own. You can’t catch them unless you give it a try. As always remember be safe, watch out for the late afternoon storms that approach rapidly and always wear an approved life vest while offshore with your large outboard motor under power. Take a kid fishing with you over the summer and create a memory for them as well! Good luck and Tight-Lines.
The Tarpon are showing up a little later this season than last year, the local captains mentioned that the bait has just move in from the deeper water to the shallows and as always the many species that feed on them are soon to follow. Tarpon in the 100 to 140 pound class are the norm with fish up to 200 ponds not uncommon. Captain Jim Ross and a client fought a fish exceeding the 200 pound mark that pulled them up and down the coast last summer for over several hours pulling his 24ft. bay boat over 5 miles. Jim mentioned it wasn’t the largest Tarpon he or a client has hooked but was definitely an epic battle he or the angler will not soon forget. Not only will the tarpon be the target species for most anglers there is a huge school of redfish that curse around near-shore in the summer months outside of Port Canaveral, known as School-X these fish in the 30 to 40 pound class will eat just about any offering you put in front of them once you can locate them. Local TV show host Blair Wiggins of Addictive Fishing and Bill Dance filmed a show catching these huge redfish on huge top-water chugging baits last year and got wore out from the fight these amazing fish put up. On several trips last year we were lucky enough to find this massive school ourselves, thousands of huge 12 ORLANDO
JUNE 2022
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ORLANDO 13
Tarpon Time
Cash-in on Nature Coast Silver By Capt, Rick Burns
It’s tarpon time on the east coast of Florida and seas will be settling down to a manageable level for beach launching kayaks. As summer comes in bait of all sorts will flood the beaches enticing migrating tarpon schools to stay for a bit fattening up for their northward push. A properly placed bait or lure can have you latched into the fish of your lifetime from a kayak and I’m not sure if there is any better way to spend the day. The central section of Florida’s east coast is relatively shallow with little reef or rock structure. We don’t get a kayak chance at pelagic fish like Mahi, sailfish, wahoo, or tuna due to the distance of travel it takes to reach deeper blue water. Our prime target is summer tarpon that can reach hundreds of pounds and don’t mind our shallower waters and sand bottom. We do get opportunities to catch other species like King Mackerel, massive jack crevalle, cobia, and even tripletail. With many of our public beaches being miles from any inlet or port we can get away from the boat crowds on many days. Beach launching your kayak successfully is honestly the first step to a pleasurable time on the water and its best to practice without gear to understand how your kayak responds in the surf zone without the risk of losing your expensive gear. A few quick tips would be never put the kayak between yourself and the waves, leash or tie down everything! Going out is the easy part if you maintain forward momentum not letting up until you are well outside of the break, kayaks don’t surf well so try not to catch waves, and if in doubt swim/walk your kayak in keeping it pointed at the beach while you hold it from behind allowing the waves to just roll over you and the boat. It is always best to buddy up with a partner and be safe. Things can and do happen so quick, and the ocean is extremely unforgiving. These tarpo ns are large powerful fish so you must use adequate tackle! Spinning rods and reels in the 6-8000 class with plenty of backbone, Conventional setups in the 20-30lb class, leaders from 60-100lb range, and braid from 30-50lb. Quality circle hooks in the 6-8/0 range will work for the various live baits you can either cast or slow troll. Lures like large swimbaits/paddle tails, hard plugs, or even topwater plugs can get you hooked up. However, live bait typically gives you the best chance at both getting hits and keeping fish hooked. I have the pleasure of guiding many people to their bucket list dream tarpon catch every year from both kayaks and boats. Each one is an accomplishment for the angler that is permanently seared into memory banks.
14 ORLANDO
JUNE 2022
Our resident year-round home boys, being the trout and reds, will still be obliging anglers in June as they did in May. Many guides had several trips during late May getting limits of spotted sea trout. In as little as 3 feet of water, it’s best to utilize a jig under a Cajun Thunder cork. Don’t use any jighead heavier than 1/8 oz in this shallow of water. You still need a little weight for casting, but you don’t want to anchor the boat. The bait needs to flutter down and rest between pops. The ole trusty white, new penny and electric chicken assassins will be the best colors for plastics. If the floating grass is too much and gets snagged on a topwater plug, but isn’t thick, try a Mirrorlure Mirrodine subsurface twitch bait. Color isn’t as important as the action and flash these plugs put out. Spanish mackerel will still be around and eager to take the same tackle. The cobia for June will be here in full force. And the bonnet heads and spinner sharks will take the similar offering as the trout. However, the “reel deal” for our Homosassa and Crystal River area in June will be the kickoff of the peak season for the silver king, which will last through the month. Giant tarpons start to show up on the shallow 3’ to 7’ gin clear flats as early as late April if the water along the coast reaches about 75 degrees. Most of my charters during the peak June tarpon season will be with the fly rod. Not necessarily because it’s the most successful tackle of choice, but because it’s the epitome of sportfishing. There’s nothing like seeing, casting and fooling a 150-to200-pound fish into taking a clump of chicken feathers tied on a hook. We use a lot of toads, apte 1 and 2’s, black deaths, Homosassa specials, and cockroach patterns to achieve most of the hookups. If the long rod isn’t your game, we’ll throw the spinning rod setup. A good Penn 6500 or 7500 on a matched slammer rod, along with a frisky pinfish, or active crab will most assuredly do the trick. During June I’m offering trips that consist of half trip tarpon, half trip redfish. I’ve found that if you’re going to stick a tarpon, it’ll be between 6:00 and 10:00 a.m. After that, the sun gets high and bright, and they head off into deeper water for the most part. Then it’s time to go bust some redfish. When you see multiple boats vying for a shot at the swimming schools of tarpon, please be respectful of others. Approach with the trolling motor. The fish are very sensitive to boat pressure, so it requires common sense and cooperation for the numerous anglers after them to succeed. First, avoid running your outboard where the fish are, as much as possible. Run well outside the travel route, then cut in at a 90-degree angle, rather than roaring directly up on the flat. And if another boat is setup on a pod of fish waiting for them to swim into range, take your position well beyond that boat, rather than trying to cut the fish off. Wa it yo ur tu rn an d yo u’ll ge t yo ur shots; push too hard and you’ll blow the fish off—and make enemies of other anglers who do it right. The sure bet is to hire a guide and avoid the guess work in these sacred grounds. If interested, give me a holler, and we will go cash in on some Nature Coast Silver. www.homosassafishingguide.com, (352) 201-6111
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ORLANDO 15
Pop’s from Chuluota Grocery..... still catching the “Big-Ones” a private pond Hudson Luke with a nice bass from
the “Big O” Lolo De La Pez with 3 Giants from
Angela Winters with a pair of “Good-Ones” from Lake Okeechobee
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ORLANDO 16
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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
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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:
PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPT. KIRK WALTZ
• 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
JUNE 2022
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CRAPPIE REGS CHANGES PROPOSED
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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.
ges
If you have questions about the proposed rules or the Black Crappie Management Plan, send an email to Crappie@MyFWC.com.
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WORLD RECORD REDBREAST?
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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!
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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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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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PARKIT360°:
BUILDING THE WORLD’S MOST ADVANCED TRAILER DOLLY
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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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