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PALM BEACH COUNTY EDITION

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BIG FISH SMALL LURES

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KITE! PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHELLE DALTON INSTAGRAM: @BOMBCHELLE_FISHING

VOLUME 26 • ISSUE 314

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F R A N C H I S E

O P P O R T U N I T I E S

A V A I L A B L E

W O R L D W I D E

MAY 2021

Secrets of a Billionaire Revealed “Price is what you pay; value is what you get. Whether we’re talking about socks or stocks, I like buying quality merchandise when it is marked down.” — wisdom from the most successful investor of all time

e’re going to let you in on a secret. Billionaires have billions because they know value is not increased by an inflated price. They avoid big name markups, and aren’t swayed by flashy advertising. When you look on their wrist you’ll find a classic timepiece, not a cry for attention–– because they know true value comes from keeping more money in their pocket. We agree with this thinking wholeheartedly. And, so do our two-and-a-half million clients. It’s time you got in on the secret too. The Jet-Setter Chronograph can go up against the best chronographs in the market, deliver more accuracy and style than the “luxury” brands, and all for far, far less. $1,150 is what the Jet-Setter Chronograph would cost you with nothing more than a different name on the face. With over two million timepieces sold (and counting), we know a thing or two about creating watches people love. The Jet-Setter Chronograph gives you what you need to master time and keeps the superfluous stuff out of the equation. A classic in the looks department and a stainless steel power tool of construction, this is all the watch you need. And, then some. Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Experience the Jet-Setter Chronograph for 30 days. If you’re not convinced you got excellence for less, send it back for a refund of the item price. Time is running out. Now CLIENTS LOVE that the secret’s out, we STAUER WATCHES… can’t guarantee this $29 chronograph will stick around long. Don’t overpay to be “The quality of their underwhelmed. Put a precision watches is equal to many chronograph on your wrist for that can go for ten times just $29 and laugh all the way the price or more.” to the bank. Call today! — Jeff from McKinney, TX

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Jackpot! Hoard of 1881-S Morgan Silver Dollars Found & Secured Mintage accounts for only 1.94% of all Morgan Silver Dollars Struck!

In 1859, Nevada’s Comstock Lode was discovered, and soon its rich silver ore made its way across the nation, including to the respected San Francisco Mint—the U.S. Mint branch known by collectors as the source of some of the finest U.S. coins ever struck. That includes the 1881 Morgan Silver Dollar, which exhibits crisp details, blazing luster, and the iconic “S” mint mark of the San Francisco Mint. Now you have the chance to add these historic, 90% pure U.S. silver coins to your collection!

Here’s the breakdown: in 1881, just 4.25% of the total Morgan series was struck. Less than half of those coins came from San Francisco. In the end, the 1881-S Morgan Silver Dollar accounts for just 1.94% of the entire series—and that’s before the mass meltings that have left so few coins for collectors to secure. And we can expect that even fewer of the survivors are of collector grade...

.71 ear Pe s O rY l ea d r!)

(MS63) condition by NGC/PCGS

 Sealed in protective holder  1881-S accounts for just 1.94% of all Morgans Struck

Actual size is 38.1 mm

Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS)! Grading service varies. The condition of these coins are as though they were struck yesterday, despite being minted 140 years ago to circulate in commerce! And yet they have survived with a quality level of eye appeal that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

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The Morgan Silver Dollar was struck from 1878 to 1904, and again in 1921. In the 100 years since, most of these beautiful U.S. Silver Dollars have been worn out or melted down for their silver. It’s estimated that as little as 15% of all Morgans struck exist today in any condition. Even fewer come from this particular mintage.

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The Morgan Silver Dollar is the most popular and iconic vintage U.S. coin. They were the Silver Dollars of the Wild West, going on countless untold adventures in dusty saddlebags across the nation. Finding a hoard of Morgans doesn’t happen often—and when it does, it’s a big deal. So when we came across a recent hoard of 549 Morgan Silver Dollars—all struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1881—it was like hitting the jackpot!

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OFFER DETAILS: Activate a new subscription to SiriusXM Marine Fish Mapping and receive your first month free (a $99.99 savings), plus get free activation (an additional $25 savings), for a combined savings of $124.99. Add SiriusXM Select radio package at the discount rate of $11.99/mo. Fees and taxes apply. A credit card is required on this offer. You must cancel during your free month to avoid being charged. At the beginning of your second month service will automatically renew thereafter every month and you will be charged at the then-current rates. Fees and taxes apply. Please see our Customer Agreement at siriusxm.com for complete terms and how to cancel, which includes calling us at 1-800-985-9200. All fees, content, and features are subject to change. This offer may not be combined with any other trial offers and may be modified or terminated at any time. Subscription and hardware sold separately. $100 Rebate from SiriusXM available through Dec 31, 2021 with hardware and subscription purchase, see Rebate Offer Details at siriusxm.com/fishmapping. © 2021 Sirius XM Radio Inc. SiriusXM and all related logos are trademarks of Sirius XM Radio Inc. and its respective subsidiaries. All rights reserved.

THE BASICS

By Michelle Dalton

Flying OF

Kites T

here’s something about kite fishing for big pelagic gamefish that gets me going. Flying kites presents baits with a natural appearance and allows you to cover lots of water for higher catch rates. Also, the technique provides the ultimate adrenaline rush, as you get to watch the strike happen. For those unfamiliar with kite fishing, let’s go over the basics. Captains consider everything from water color and clarity to baitfish and birds to determine where to start fishing. I like fishing edges, where water color turns green to a deep blue, usually somewhere in 100 to 300 feet of water. There are different kite designs for different wind velocities. Kites are typically launched and retrieved with electric reels. Launching kites is not a piece of cake, but with the right equipment, patience and steady winds, a beginner can practice and perfect the skill. Attached to your kite line are three release clips.

Each clip is assigned to a rod. An experienced crew will fish three live baits off one kite, with each reel’s line clipped to the main kite line. Although it seems like a potential tangled mess, it’s rather organized. For the bait lines, I use high-capacity baitcasting reels spooled with 20- or 30-pound monofilament. Attached to the mono, above the leader, there are a few terminal tackle items that make up your rigs.

First, a ceramic ring is attached to the kite line using release clips. Next, a neon float dangles in the sky above each bait to help track them from a distance. From there, a small egg sinker maintains the vertical drop that keeps baits at the surface. Finally, a bead separates the sinker from your leader. Your leader depends on the targeted species. For the toothy critters, I use an 18-inch wire leader connected to fluorocarbon with an Albright knot and a 7/0 live bait hook. For sailfish, I use 10 to 12 feet of 60-pound fluorocarbon leader with a 7/0 circle hook. By paying attention and adjusting the lines, the angler keeps the baits on the surface where they make the slight commotion predators find irresistible. The rigs suspend in air above the baits, completely out of sight of the fish. I prefer fishing goggle-eyes, threadfin herring and sardines. Healthy bait is far more likely to be eaten. Ahead of tournaments, my team and I spend weeks feeding and nurturing bait to keep it healthy. If you’re fortunate enough to hook a sailfish, don’t immediately clear the other lines. Sailfish often travel in groups. Leave those other baits in the water for a chance at additional bites. Traditionally, when winds start to die at the end of spring, the number of boats trolling offshore grows. However, kite fishing goes on year-round in South Florida. Even with very little wind, a kite will fly with the help of a helium balloon. Next time your friends want to troll around offshore, tell them to “go fly a kite!” Michelle Dalton books charters through her social media pages: @Bombchelle_fishing.

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on ply. ce mer ect ely. ng. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

MAY 2021

NATIONAL 7

Humbled

ON THE DAVIDSON By Nick Carter

he Davidson River in Brevard, N.C. is one of the most widely publicized trout streams in the Southeast. It’s a challenging fishery with beautiful water that holds some very nice fish. Part of the Davidson’s appeal, or its main drawback, is easy access. The river flows roadside through most its publicly accessible length. There is small water in the headwaters accessible only by foot, but for the most part it is a park-and-fish kind of place. On a gorgeous summer weekend, a buddy and I heeded advice from the guys at Davidson River Outfitters to join the dawn patrol. We arrived on

the river at first light to find a pod of big fish, maybe four or five in the 16- to 20-inch range, hovering near the bottom of a bellybutton-deep run. They were clearly visible in low summer flows. For the next hour, we worked the run together, one or the other of us making the same drift repeatedly as the other man tied on a new fly. It was a challenge that bordered on infuriating to see those trout, an occasional belly flash belying the fact that they were eating… just not what we offered. We tried everything, right down to a size 22 red midge pupa recommended at the fly shop. Finally, because we had tried everything else, I

tied on a white Woolly Bugger—another Davidson River staple. Just twitching it through the hole, a fish we had not previously seen streaked from the periphery to slam the streamer. Those big fish didn’t even flinch as I stripped in a pretty 11-inch brown. As I released the fish, an older gentleman waded down the side of the run. He glanced out at the pod of big fish still sitting on the bottom. “Wasn’t the one you were after, was it?” he asked. My response was to offer him a shot at the run. He declined. “Don’t want any part of it,” he grumbled. “Spent all afternoon yesterday standing right where you are.” That’s a snapshot of what fishing the catch-andrelease, fly fishing only section of the Davidson is like. The river is full of fish—and some big ones. It is also frequently full of anglers. The steady pressure makes trout wise. Of course, there’s always a guy who lights up Internet message boards with a photo of a big old bruiser. He’ll give advice like, “Use a little split-shot to get it down,” but I suspect there’s more to it. Pressured fish are on guard. Catching them requires perfect presentation of the perfect fly and also being in the right place at that right time. Arriving early, staying late and fishing hard makes it more likely you’ll be there when a 2-foot-long trout makes a mistake. This story is an abbreviated excerpt from the book “Flyfisher’s Guide to North Carolina & Georgia,” which includes maps and GPS coordinates to access points for all the region’s best trout fisheries. Purchase the book on Amazon or by contacting the author at nsc8957@gmail.com.

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BUILD YOUR OWN RODS

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“Rooted” GET

he Everglades is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. This jungle-like paradise provides crucial habitat for numerous rare and endangered species like manatees, American crocodiles and Florida panthers. It is a truly amazing land and seascape, and it’s home to an awesome angling experience like no other: an encounter with the “Silver King,” one of Nature’s most acrobatic and striking underwater wonders. Tarpon (Megalops), in brief, are like an enormous silver bullet. They are powerful, explosive and acrobatic fighters, with the stamina of an Energizer bunny. Due to their tolerance of a wide range of water salinity, tarpon swim the canals and ponds of south Florida. I’ve caught juveniles in freshwater ponds, so I’ve sampled the pure power of the species. But catching a true behemoth has long been on my bucket list. To achieve this, I traveled to Flamingo, the southernmost headquarters of Everglades National Park, in Monroe County, Fla. There I met Sam Root, an exceptionally knowledgeable Miami-based

By Rosemary J. White

IN THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES

fisherman and media personality who has traveled the world to test his fishing skills. I’ve admired Root’s media work, and have been fortunate to collaborate with him through companies like Mustad, Savage Gear and many TV platforms. On this trip, we set out to test the Savage Gear Pulse Tail Mullet and Pulse Tail Ballyhoo. These swimbaits are engineered to look and move like the baitfish they resemble, and are molded with Savage Gear’s pulse tail. The tail has a patent-pending split rear kicker that allows realistic swimming action fast or slow. The bait also features “line-through” rigging that allows the soft-plastic bait to slide up the line during the fight, giving the fish less leverage to throw the hook. With the aerial tendencies of tarpon, this is a pretty good feature to have. We launched out of Everglades National Park quickly to avoid being air lifted from the ramp by mosquitoes. The scenery was breathtaking. Winding through the narrow canals was like trekking through the Amazon. We arrived at our spot with the moon to the west and the sunrise to the east, both simultaneously visible. That was unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

The action began immediately! We hooked multiple tarpon and got a first-hand perspective of why the line-through technology is helpful. An unobstructed fight, both from the lack of structure and the lack of a lure in the fish’s mouth makes for a pure battle of strength and endurance, on both sides of the rod. The acrobatics and sheer power of these fish as they launched into the air was mind blowing. At one point, it was all I could do to hold on as Root engaged the motor in pursuit of a monster tarpon with the reel screaming in my hands. After we exhausted ourselves—and several fish—we headed into the preserve canals to sightsee. We were ecstatic to get a glimpse of the American crocodile. The Everglades is the only place on Earth where both alligators and crocodiles coexist. When Root said it was time to “call it,” I cringed. I could have gotten lost for days fishing in the unparalleled landscape. The Everglades is a mix of different habitats including freshwater, brackish and salt, an angler’s paradise. I longed for more time to explore.

For more information on Savage Gear and their products, Sam does instructional “how to” videos on his Instagram @scssam. Follow Rosemary White @roasty194 for her fishing adventures that feature destinations throughout Florida and @daryn.white.fishing for photography.

Bow and pray.

Tarpon season in The Florida Keys is all about timing, skill and luck of the draw. Hook up and be ready to bow to the king. Stay tight and pray all those hours in the gym weren’t for naught. Whether you come just for thrills or to top your personal best, don’t miss the opportunity to experience true piscatorial bliss. fla-keys.com 1.800.fla.keys For the latest protocols on health & safety in The Florida Keys, please visit our website.

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SHRIMP: THE BAIT OF ALL BAITS

4) Shrimp (weedless, or as it comes out of the package) without a jig head I can go anywhere there are shrimp and catch trout, drum, snook and more with a very small tackle box. It’s the universal bait. My favorite is just the shrimp on the Barefoot Jig without a cork, but under the fixed and sliding cork is sometimes just the ticket. You can use the sliding cork Tim Barefoot around docks and snags at an irresistibly slow speed. The reason it works ears ago, I was obsessed with live bait of all kinds. I kept livewells so well is the jig head is balanced and will maintain a perfect horizontal with mullet, shrimp, pinfish and cigar minnows. I spent a lot of position with or without a cork. time tending to bait and battling the otters at the marina. My inshore bait of choice was the live shrimp… hands down. Live mullets will get the bite, no question, but the shrimp is simply irresistible. I would spend hours and hours catching, housing and feeding bait. I was just about at the end of my inshore live bait road when along came the DOA shrimp. I love everything about that soft plastic shrimp body. It’s pretty tough, looks just like a real shrimp and can be made to work in every single situation including depth, grass/roots and current when used with the correct hardware. I have to admit there are times when I may catch a few more fish with live shrimp, but I can carry my entire inshore tackle The key is to make the shrimp look like a real shrimp. box now in just a few small trays of jig heads, DOA shrimp A live shrimp does not move around stern- or bow-heavy. colors and a bottle of Pro Cure shrimp scent. It’s extremely A live shrimp moves thru the water slowly in a perfectly easy to just plug a DOA body on the jig, apply a liberal horizontal position. Just look at them in the livewell or at a amount of Pro Cure shrimp scent on the legs and underside, tackle shop that sells live shrimp. That’s the reason the DOA and start fishing. I have so much faith in this combination. catches so many fish: it swims horizontally. It’s just a given; they will eat it when properly presented. The weedless version of this shrimp can be extremely I could write several pages of this article regarding the effective for fish tailing in the grass or around mangrove different applications, but I’ll be brief. roots. This is one reason to keep one rigged and ready and I keep four rods rigged with shrimp: always moving around quietly. For videos of these variations, 1) Shrimp body on a 3/8-ounce Barefoot Jig. visit my website and click on “videos” 2) Shrimp under a fixed cork about 20 inches deep on a 3/8 oz. Barefoot Jig. For more from Capt. Tim Barefoot, visit 3) Shrimp under a sliding cork on a 3/8-ounce barefootcatsandtackle.com. Barefoot Jig (to suspend over shell beds).

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Summer-Long, Statewide Fishing Competition Launches May 29 C CA Florida, the state’s leading marine fisheries conservation, education and advocacy organization, will begin the seventh-annual CCA Florida STAR competition May 29. The summer-long event invites anglers and non-anglers to participate and win prizes valued at $500,000, including boats, motors, scholarships and more. Launched in 2015, Florida STAR focuses on conservation with its catch, photo and release format, conservation division and unique garbage division. Additionally, STAR is driven by its smartphone app, which allows participants to upload competition photos, eliminating the requirement to harvest or transport fish. “In the past six years, it’s been amazing to see STAR participants catch more fish, practice catch and release and support recovery efforts—all to conserve and enhance our state’s coastal waters and marine resources.” CCA Florida STAR Director Leiza Fitzgerald said. “But, what’s been just as exciting, is awarding more than $1.2 million in prizes, including $600,000 in youth scholarships, to the thousands of STAR registrants.” 2021 STAR features 17 divisions targeting 12 inshore and offshore species. STAR’s signature divisions include the West Marine STAR Tagged redfish, and prizes in this division are a Contender Boats 22 Sport, Pathfinder Boats 2200 TRS and Spyder 19FX Vapor all powered by Yamaha Outboards. For the first two youth anglers who win this division, prizes include two Salt Marsh Skiff 1656 tiller boats powered with Yamaha Outboards, trailers, Minn Kota trolling motors and Humminbird electronics. The other signature division, the Tigress Outrigger & Gear Tagged Dolphin Division, offers one winner a $10,000 cash prize or scholarship to the STAR registrant and CCA Florida member who catches the first

tagged dolphin. Dolphin are captured, tagged and released off the Florida Keys by the Dolphin Research program implemented by the Beyond Our Shores foundation. With a focus on inclusion of anglers of all skill levels, every fish an angler catches counts in STAR’s Power Pole Conservation Division. This division makes each participant a citizen biologist by documenting catches in the app with data to be utilized in research. Engagement of youth is another priority of STAR, and CCA Florida youth members (ages 6 to 17) can participate in the competition for free. Kids are encouraged to submit entries in the Youth Scholarship Division presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors for an opportunity to win one of 12 scholarships with a total value of $100,000. Youth may also garner community service hours by gathering trash and disposing of it properly in the Costa Kick Plastic Trash Division or even win a new boat, motor and trailer by catching a West Marine tagged redfish. Other divisions include ladies, kayak, guides and more. Since most division winners are determined by a random drawing, it is about submitting qualifying entries for an opportunity to be drawn as a winner. Registration is open throughout the competition and ends Sept. 6. To register for STAR 2021 or receive additional information on divisions, prizes and more, visit ccaflstar.com or Facebook.

Because every ﬁsh could be a winner!

CATCH. PHOTO. RELEASE. WIN. MAY 29 TO SEPTEMBER 6 CCA Florida STAR is the largest family-friendly saltwater ﬁshing competition in Florida, and it’s unlike traditional ﬁshing tournaments.

• $500,000 in Prizes & Scholarships

• West Marine Tagged Redﬁsh Prizes Include Boat, Motor & Trailer Packages • 1st Tagged Tigress Dolphin/Mahi Mahi Wins $10,000 cash • 101 days of ﬁshing $40 entry for current CCA members. All others add $35 for one year membership.

• Prizes for Additional Non-Tagged Non Species Snook, Trout, Redfish, Grouper, Kingfish, Dolphin, Tarpon & Lionfish

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BISCAYNE LEGENDS TOURNEY SLATED

or the first time in decades, there’s an old-school inshore grand slam tournament slated for South Florida. The first Herman Lucerne Biscayne Legends Classic, presented by Hell’s Bay Boatworks, will launch on Biscayne Bay July 7-8 thanks to The Herman Lucerne Memorial Foundation and Bonefish & Tarpon Trust. Twenty-five teams will compete in an exciting one-day contest, chasing bonefish, permit and tarpon in what is perhaps the greatest urban inshore fishery on earth. Registration is open now, and space is limited.

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Pompano on the Beach By Mark Ambert Contributing Writer

It’s everybody’s favorite time of year along the Florida seaboard – pompano are here! There’s no better tasting fish nor fun way to spend a morning or evening than fishing the Florida beaches for these tasty scrappers. As an added bonus – no need for bag loads of specialty tackle and expensive gear. Its fishing in its most basic form. Let’s explore what’s needed to get you on a cooler full of this fun to catch fish. The Florida pompano is considered by many to be the best tasting fish around. Pompano are a silver color with a dark dorsal fin and with other fins being yellow. They are very close in looks to permit of similar size. Permit will have a broader body size and can get much larger. Florida pompano range in size from 2 to 4 pounds with some going up to 8 pounds. These fish show up sometime in March along the Florida beaches and begin to migrate once water temperatures reach 70 degrees. They will cruise the beaches just outside the surf line which is where most people target this species. They can also be caught in local bays and inlets including the ICW. Inshore, they can usually be found along channel markers and deeper drop-offs around the flats. We will be focusing our efforts fishing from the beach. I usually prefer the early evening hours just before sunset. This is when pompano will actively cruise the beaches searching for a last-minute meal. It had been multiple years since my last trip to the surf, so for a refresher on this style of fishing I turned to a good friend, Mark Tafuri. Mark likes a medium class surf spinning outfit in the 10’ – 12’ range when targeting pompano. A medium sized spinning reel spooled with 10 – 12 pound test mono will work just fine. Long distance casts are unnecessary as these fish cruise the first trough created by wave action along the beach. We used pre-rigged pompano leaders from Rich Vidulich (www.PompanoRich.com), that you can find at most bait and tackle shops. They are set up exactly as needed and usually with two circle hooks appropriately sized and spaced. Pyramid or Sputnik sinkers attach to the bottom of the rig seem to work best at holding the sandy bottom these fish prefer. For bait, and to keep things simple, I use fresh frozen sand fleas (also called sand crabs). PRO TIP – Mark sweetens his rigs with artificial bait such as Fish Gum or Fish Bites available at local tackle shops. This way – if the sand flea is knocked off

the hook during the cast you will still have a bait on your hook. Fish Gum comes in 14” strips - just cut it to size. Mark likes to target evening fishing – a very relaxing and productive two hours prior to and right up to sunset. According to Mark, the bite will taper off then stop as soon as the sun touches the horizon. He sets up two rods per angler with the pre-rigged pompano leaders and sand flea / Fish Gum combination and puts the fish gum on first. Mark prefers an 11’ rod. This definitely makes casting the heavier sinkers a little easier, as well as allowing beach goers easy access underneath your rods! Mark uses 12 pound Ande Ghost on all his reels and prefers mono over braid for this type of fishing. According to Mark, monofilament line allows the stretch needed to accommodate the wave action without lifting the sinker. An appropriately sized weight is used and most fall in the category of 2 – 6oz. The cast is fairly tight to the shoreline targeting just behind the first waves where a change in water color is an indication of the first trough. This is the pompano highway where they search the beaches for morsels of food such as sand fleas, shrimp, and small baitfish. Reel the line tight to the rod and place in a sand spike/rod holder; then sit back and wait for your first bite! You will see the rod tip begin to dance then go down when a fish strikes. Mark usually likes to recheck the baits every fifteen minutes and to clear weeds from the line. Pompano will usually hook themselves – especially when using circle hooks. They are strong fighters for their size and can outfight most any fish in the same size class. When you get a double header be prepared for a spirited battle! PRO TIP – Pompano also respond well to artificials like jigs – especially when they are tipped with shrimp. You can bring a casting rod and jig combination to use while waiting for a bite. Make sure you bring a cooler packed with ice to keep the fish fresh. You can clean them back home or at a local cleaning station. Most people opt to leave the skin on as they are a fairly lean fish. Now it’s time to put what you’ve learned to good use. Pack a chair – kick back and spend a wonderful evening on the beach with family and friends catching this tasty and spirited fighter!

MAY 2021

Mark Tafuri placing the bait just past the last wave where the water starts to change color.

Just two hours of fishing. End result of doing everything right!

Two rods set and ready to go.

Mark Ambert – Avid outdoorsman, sportswriter & photographer Coastal Fishing Company • www.coastalfishing.com Follow me on Instagram @marksgonefishing or contact me at marksgonefishing25@gmail.com for collaboration

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM MAY 2021 PALM BEACH COUNTY INSIDE: Fishing Forecasts • Tide Charts • Coastal Calendar

FISHINGFORECAST FISHING WITH DARCIZZLE By Darcie Arahill Contributing Writer

We have quite a diversity of species in our waters right now and May is feasibly the prime month to fish off the Palm Beaches! There are a multitude of factors as to why this is one of the best producing months of the year. High winds should diminish, and water temperatures will quickly rise a couple degrees to average of 80°F giving the offshore angler greater opportunities to fill their fish box! The winds this month will primarily blow out of the E/SE quadrant which will trigger some very large pelagics to move closer to our coast. This time of year, will continue to produce a strong mahi mahi bite all the way through June, diminishing when the pelagics start moving further offshore. It’s a good idea for you to pay attention to the dolphin bite taking place off the coast of the FL Keys and Miami-Dade because it will be a good indicator for what you should expect in our waters within a few days time. For the anglers that like to catch smoker kings, there will be a favorable morning bite in general. Typically, king fish can be found in 90 to 120 feet of water from Boynton to Palm Beach Inlet. Trolling spoons or slow trolling live bait with down riggers are the best methods for targeting king fish. The blackfin tuna will be abundant too, the waters between The Breakers Hotel and Lost Tree Club is a well-known hot spot. Try fishing with live bait in 100 to 180 feet of water with a steady current. The arrival of bait fish will start to show up in our waters this month. I’d suggest pulling out those sabiki rigs, attaching a bucktail jig to the end of it and

catching some bait close to shore! Inshore fishing should produce excellent fishing as well! Big jack crevalles are schooled up tightly and will eat any live bait within their strike zone. Tarpon will start to show up in the inlets and juveniles can be found in the bays and canals. Try using live bait, jigs, and lip divers to entice a tarpon. Snook should also produce plenty of exciting action; work artificial lures and flare hawks along seawalls, docks and near structure. Finally, tournament season has officially begun with multiple events every weekend! Prepare yourself for heavy boat traffic on the weekends, especially on tournament days. Boating safety is always a primary concern for all water lovers alike. Be safe, follow YOUR dream, and keep on catchin’! Ask me questions about fishing & see my recent FISHING VIDEOS on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/darcizzleoffshore

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MAY 2021

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MAY 2021

PALM BEACH COUNTY 3

FISHINGFORECAST SOUTH COUNTY INSHORE & FRESHWATER By Capt. Patrick Smith Contributing Writer

May is possibly one of the most diverse months we have, as well as the start of the summer season. There is bait on the beach, bait in the ICW, and fish all around looking to eat them. First thing to do after clearing the inlet would be to check the jetty and the beach for a school of pilchards or sardines. Load up the wells and head offshore. If you’re early and it’s pretty slick, running out to look for dolphin first thing is always a great idea. Next, I usually head into a couple hundred feet of water to check for blackfin tuna, followed by another move further inshore for king fish, bonito, and cero mackerel. If offshore is rough, there should be solid schools of tarpon and snook in the inlets and even some on the beach. My main tactic is live chumming and then throwing a fly, artificial, or any type of live bait. In the freshwater you will find peacocks and largemouth around just about every dock that you fish. I like to start the morning off throwing top waters, and then move on to jerk baits or an unweighted fluke. Live bait will get you hooked up quickly. If you are using shiners from the store, keep in mind that the water in the lake is a lot warmer than the water in your bucket and you will need to acclimate your bait before you use it, or it will die of shock. If you find flowing water, try pitching a small jerk bait like a Pin’s Minnow or a Crappie Jig to see if you can hook a sunshine bass; they are strong fighters and if you like eating freshwater fish, they are one of the better choices from the lake.

Scout, Angel, Marlin, and Saylor showing off their catch of oscars in the Everglades.

Luca with a beautiful pair of Lake Worth peas.

BOCA RATON - TIDE CHART Boca Raton, Lake Boca Raton, FL StationId: 8722816 Referenced to Station: GOVERNMENT CUT, MIAMI HARBOR ENTRANCE ( 8723178 ) Time offset in mins (high:23 low: 67) Height offset in feet (high:* 0.97 low: *1.14) Date 5/01 5/02 5/03 5/04 5/05 5/06 5/07 5/08 5/09 5/10 5/11 5/12 5/13 5/14 5/15 5/16 5/17 5/18 5/19 5/20 5/21 5/22 5/23 5/24 5/25 5/26 5/27 5/28 5/29 5/30 5/31

Day Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon

Time 01:22 AM 02:17 AM 03:14 AM 04:13 AM 05:12 AM 06:08 AM 12:57 AM 01:51 AM 02:40 AM 03:25 AM 04:06 AM 04:45 AM 05:22 AM 05:59 AM 12:15 AM 12:54 AM 01:35 AM 02:21 AM 03:11 AM 04:05 AM 05:02 AM 05:59 AM 01:02 AM 02:04 AM 03:03 AM 04:00 AM 04:53 AM 05:46 AM 12:12 AM 01:04 AM 01:57 AM

Hgt 2.65H 2.52H 2.40H 2.31H 2.25H 2.23H 0.35L 0.35L 0.34L 0.33L 0.33L 0.34L 0.37L 0.40L 2.43H 2.40H 2.38H 2.37H 2.35H 2.33H 2.33H 2.33H 0.22L 0.19L 0.16L 0.15L 0.15L 0.19L 2.72H 2.61H 2.50H

4 PALM BEACH COUNTY

Time 07:49 AM 08:44 AM 09:42 AM 10:39 AM 11:36 AM 12:31 PM 06:59 AM 07:46 AM 08:28 AM 09:09 AM 09:47 AM 10:24 AM 11:00 AM 11:36 AM 06:38 AM 07:19 AM 08:04 AM 08:52 AM 09:43 AM 10:38 AM 11:33 AM 12:30 PM 06:55 AM 07:50 AM 08:43 AM 09:36 AM 10:28 AM 11:22 AM 06:38 AM 07:31 AM 08:25 AM

Hgt 0.28L 0.34L 0.38L 0.38L 0.35L 0.29L 2.22H 2.22H 2.21H 2.19H 2.16H 2.12H 2.08H 2.04H 0.43L 0.45L 0.46L 0.43L 0.38L 0.29L 0.18L 0.06L 2.34H 2.35H 2.36H 2.35H 2.32H 2.28H 0.23L 0.28L 0.31L

MAY 2021

Time 1:27 PM 2:26 PM 3:29 PM 4:36 PM 5:42 PM 6:43 PM 1:23 PM 2:10 PM 2:53 PM 3:32 PM 4:09 PM 4:45 PM 5:20 PM 5:55 PM 12:14 PM 12:55 PM 1:41 PM 2:32 PM 3:31 PM 4:34 PM 5:39 PM 6:43 PM 1:27 PM 2:23 PM 3:17 PM 4:10 PM 5:03 PM 5:55 PM 12:16 PM 1:12 PM 2:11 PM

Hgt 2.19H 2.13H 2.08H 2.07H 2.12H 2.20H 0.22L 0.15L 0.09L 0.06L 0.06L 0.08L 0.11L 0.14L 2.02H 2.01H 2.02H 2.04H 2.09H 2.18H 2.31H 2.46H -0.08L -0.20L -0.28L -0.31L -0.29L -0.22L 2.23H 2.17H 2.13H

Time 8:02 PM 9:00 PM 9:59 PM 10:59 PM 11:59 PM

Hgt -0.04L 0.08L 0.19L 0.27L 0.32L

7:36 PM 8:24 PM 9:08 PM 9:48 PM 10:26 PM 11:03 PM 11:39 PM

2.29H 2.38H 2.45H 2.49H 2.50H 2.49H 2.46H

6:33 PM 7:16 PM 8:03 PM 8:56 PM 9:53 PM 10:54 PM 11:58 PM

0.16L 0.18L 0.20 L 0.21L 0.22L 0.23L 0.24L

7:42 PM 8:39 PM 9:33 PM 10:27 PM 11:19 PM

2.62H 2.75H 2.83H 2.84H 2.80H

6:49 PM 7:43 PM 8:39 PM

-0.11L 0.01L 0.14L

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

Kelly with a solid Palm Beach permit.

Capt. Patrick Smith www.swamptosea.com • 561-503-0848

ECOTOURISM By Capt. Chris Thalmann Contributing Writer The gusty winds of early spring have mostly calmed by May as we enter a stretch of lengthy days and much warmer nights. South Florida summers are not for everyone, and many people will soon be headed for cooler climates if they haven’t already. Palm Beach County has been extending our tourism season for many years now. Still, wildlife represents some of our most reliable summertime visitors. If you’re into birds and birding, you might already know that Florida offers some great opportunities to see swallowtail kites all summer long. And if you’re not familiar with these birds, they’re easy to find and identify. Just keep an eye open along freshwater and brackish shorelines and look for the aerial acrobats. The swallowtail kite thrives in warm, tropical weather. Many winter in South America and then migrate to the lowlands of southern North America in February and March. Decades ago, these birds were found throughout the Southeast and even into the Midwest, but its range today is much more limited, mostly just Florida and a few coastal areas of the Southeast. Swallowtail kites are raptors, closely related to the red tailed hawk and other birds in the raptor family. But their body and wing shapes are far more streamlined and delicate, giving swallowtails the ability to both hover in mid-air and turn incredibly tight circles, all with barely a flap of their wings. Swallowtails are masters of soaring and spend most of their days aloft on air currents, swooping down to snatch meals from tree branches. Unlike the specialized diets of other

raptors, swallowtail kites feed on insects, frogs, snakes, lizards, small birds, and even certain berries and fruit in some locations. The key to seeing these beautiful birds is to know what you’re looking for. Adult swallowtail kites have a wingspan of about 4 feet and a very distinctive forked tail. Their head and underside of their body is a startling white, and their wings and tails are very dark grey or black. Swallowtails will most likely either be flying or perched in the upper branches of very tall trees, like cypress or slash pines. They rarely touch down on low branches, and almost never on the ground or water. If you want to see swallowtails, keep your eyes on the skies. In northern Palm Beach County, swallowtails can be seen along the Loxahatchee River, Juno Dunes Natural area, and occasionally along the Intracoastal shorelines north of MacArthur Beach State Park. They’re also easily spotted in freshwater areas like JW Corbitt Wildlife Preserve and the trails along the Loxahatchee Slough and Sandhill Crane Park. Swallowtails are rarely found alone. So, if you spot one take a minute to see if you can find its mate or a few members of its flock. Then just sit back and enjoy the air show. Hope to see you on the water! Captain Chris Thalmann Owner | Aqua Adventure Tours, Inc. • aquaadventuretours.com

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MAY 2021

PALM BEACH COUNTY 5

FISHINGFORECAST PALM BEACH IN & OFFSHORE By Capt. Weston Russell Contributing Writer

If you are an angler that likes variety, you will love the month of May. Offshore of Palm Beach, the spring kings will be plentiful. The waters south of The Breakers Hotel will produce some tournament winning fish. Try slow trolling a live blue runner or goggle eye in depths of 80’ to 120’. Don’t forget to put a stringer hook in its tail. Also, in May, the blackfin tuna bite will be on. These fish are hard fighters and make for great table fare. To catch these fish, you will need a 20 lb. spinner or conventional gear combined with a light fluorocarbon leader. A good tactic for catching tuna is live chumming off the edge of the reef. Try depths from 80’ to 140’. Remember that tuna like low light conditions, so early morning Check out this monster or late evening will be your best bet. tournament winning kingfish The reef bite will be good this time of the year. The sun sets later, so take advantage landed by #Somevillefishing. of this extra fishing time. You may be rewarded with a nice mutton snapper or flag yellowtail. For you inshore anglers, look to the beaches. Tarpon will be running in packs of six to ten. Cruise the beaches and look for any black patches that move, these fish will be chasing sardines. Try pitching a live sardine or jumbo shrimp in front of the school and hold on! Remember to point your rod at the fish when it’s jumping. Captain Weston Russell 561-310-2690 • www.reelintensefishing.com

BOYNTON INLET - TIDE CHART Boynton Beach, FL Station ID: 8722706

Referenced to Station: GOVERNMENT CUT, MIAMI HARBOR ENTRANCE (8723178) Time offset in mins (high:65 low: 127) Height offset in feet (high:* 1.06 low: *1.07) Date 5/01 5/02 5/03 5/04 5/05 5/06 5/07 5/08 5/09 5/10 5/11 5/12 5/13 5/14 5/15 5/16 5/17 5/18 5/19 5/20 5/21 5/22 5/23 5/24 5/25 5/26 5/27 5/28 5/29 5/30 5/31

Day Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon

Time 01:47 AM 02:44 AM 03:45 AM 04:48 AM 12:17 AM 01:17 AM 02:10 AM 02:58 AM 03:41 AM 04:20 AM 04:58 AM 05:34 AM 06:09 AM 12:01 AM 12:39 AM 01:20 AM 02:04 AM 02:52 AM 03:44 AM 04:39 AM 12:04 AM 01:06 AM 02:05 AM 03:00 AM 03:53 AM 04:44 AM 05:36 AM 06:29 AM 12:37 AM 01:30 AM 02:24 AM

Hgt 2.90H 2.72H 2.55H 2.44H 0.20L 0.24L 0.25L 0.24L 0.23L 0.23L 0.23L 0.25L 0.30L 2.58H 2.50H 2.43H 2.35H 2.30H 2.27H 2.28H 0.26L 0.18L 0.08L -0.03L -0.11L -0.17L -0.17L -0.13L 3.00H 2.85H 2.69H

6 PALM BEACH COUNTY

Time 08:35 AM 09:37 AM 10:44 AM 11:50 AM 05:50 AM 06:47 AM 07:37 AM 08:21 AM 09:01 AM 09:38 AM 10:14 AM 10:49 AM 11:25 AM 06:44 AM 07:20 AM 07:59 AM 08:44 AM 09:37 AM 10:37 AM 11:39 AM 05:37 AM 06:34 AM 07:30 AM 08:24 AM 09:17 AM 10:09 AM 11:01 AM 11:54 AM 07:23 AM 08:20 AM 09:20 AM

Hgt 0.11L 0.25L 0.34L 0.35L 2.38H 2.38H 2.39H 2.41H 2.43H 2.44H 2.43H 2.41H 2.37H 0.36L 0.43L 0.49L 0.54L 0.54L 0.48L 0.34L 2.34H 2.43H 2.54H 2.66H 2.76H 2.83H 2.84H 2.80H -0.05L 0.05L 0.14L

MAY 2021

Time 1:58 PM 2:58 PM 4:03 PM 5:12 PM 12:52 PM 1:46 PM 2:34 PM 3:16 PM 3:55 PM 4:32 PM 5:08 PM 5:42 PM 6:16 PM 12:02 PM 12:40 PM 1:21 PM 2:07 PM 3:00 PM 4:01 PM 5:07 PM 12:38 PM 1:34 PM 2:28 PM 3:20 PM 4:11 PM 5:03 PM 5:55 PM 6:49 PM 12:48 PM 1:43 PM 2:41 PM

Hgt 2.62H 2.47H 2.36H 2.30H 0.30L 0.21L 0.11L 0.02L -0.06L -0.10L -0.11L -0.10L -0.06L 2.31H 2.24H 2.17H 2.12H 2.10H 2.12H 2.22H 0.14L -0.10L -0.35L -0.56L -0.71L -0.78L -0.75L -0.64L 2.71H 2.58H 2.45H

Time 8:59 PM 10:03 PM 11:11 PM

Hgt -0.26L -0.06L 0.10L

6:18 PM 7:17 PM 8:08 PM 8:52 PM 9:32 PM 10:10 PM 10:46 PM 11:23 PM

2.32H 2.38H 2.46H 2.54H 2.60H 2.64H 2.65H 2.63H

6:51 PM 7:28 PM 8:10 PM 8:58 PM 9:54 PM 10:58 PM

0.00L 0.07 L 0.14L 0.20L 0.26L 0.28L

6:13 PM 7:16 PM 8:14 PM 9:09 PM 10:02 PM 10:54 PM 11:45 PM

2.38H 2.59H 2.80H 2.98H 3.10H 3.13H 3.10H

7:44 PM 8:42 PM 9:43 PM

-0.47L -0.26L -0.06L

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

PALM BEACH COUNTY KDW CLASSIC SET FOR JUNE 4th & JUNE 5th The 18th annual Palm Beach County KDW Classic returns to the Riviera Beach Marina Village. The popular contest hosted by the venerable West Palm Beach Fishing Club (WPBFC) routinely attracts over 200 boats! The KDW Classic is a family-oriented event, offering a wide range of prizes for adults and kids. A total of $34,000 in cash awards will be presented to the top ten anglers catching the heaviest kingfish, dolphin, and wahoo, and the top ten junior anglers. A total of 40 cash awards in all. An additional $30,000 in raffle items and other tournament prizes will be up for grabs. A great value to anglers, fun entertainment and an ongoing commitment to give something back to the community are why the KDW Classic has developed such a loyal following. Tournament proceeds support a variety of local initiatives including educational scholarships, artificial reef construction, mangrove plantings, and youth fishing programs produced by the Fishing Club’s charitable affiliate, the Palm Beach County Fishing Foundation. The tournament entry fee is $225 per boat by May 14th and $300 after that Friday (WPBFC members and sponsor marina tenants qualify for an early entry discount). Tournament entry includes two awards dinner tickets, two short-sleeve tournament t-shirts, and entry into multiple prize drawings. The first 200 boats to register receive an awesome KDW Classic bucket filled with sponsor swag. For additional information call the WPBFC at (561) 832-6780 or visit www.kdwclassic.com.

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COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

MAY 2021

PALM BEACH4/6/21 COUNTY 1:25 PM7

Youth Fishing Trip Set for June

Do you know a young angler who is interested in taking their saltwater fishing skills to the next level? Well, the West Palm Beach Fishing Club’s (WPBFC) charitable foundation has a program ideally suited for just such a youngster. The S.A.L.T.Y. (Saltwater Angling Lessons & Techniques for Youth) program is designed to help cultivate the next generation of knowledgeable and responsible saltwater anglers through an advanced hands-on instructional fishing experience. Call the WPBFC (561) 832-6780 if you know a kid age 12 to 15 years old who can participate with a parent or adult chaperone in a two-day fishing course. The course is planned for June 18th & 19th, and limited to 20 kids and 20 adults. The first day will consist of a Friday evening introduction and hands-on rigging instruction from 6pm to 9pm at the historic WPBFC. The following day participants will go on a fishing trip aboard the Miss Blue Heron berthed in Riviera Beach from 7am to 2pm, rotating through specific angling stations covering techniques for catching wahoo, kingfish, snapper and more. The cost of the program is $60, covering both the participant and their parent/ chaperone. The nominal program fee includes personalized instruction, various supplies, t-shirt, meals, snacks and drinks. Upon successful completion of the course each youth participant will become a junior member of the WPBFC and will receive a new Penn spinning rod & reel combination. “There has been a community need for a program like this for quite some time. There are a lot of kids out there who have the desire to get into saltwater fishing, but their parents just don’t know how to get started. This program, which we have dedicated to our late board member Don ‘Hap’ Wilson, fills that void. Hap was a passionate angler and valued the mentorship required to teach fishing skills to the next generation. This program teaches both child and parent useful fishing skills that they can build upon,” said WPBFC Chairman Pete Schulz.

JR.ANGLER My Fishing Adventures

By Christopher Sprague Jr. Angler-Team Tuppens, Contributing Writer

I hope you all have been fishing a lot lately. I recently fished the Meat Mayhem Tournament that was based out of Palm Beach. This tournament is part of the two king fishing leagues, the SKA, and the Angler Armory, so for us this was a huge tournament that we must do well in. We came out of Palm Beach Inlet and had our boat docked at Sailfish Marina. We were pulling out of the docks and we noticed a pretty cold wind, right there we were upset since we knew that it wasn’t going to be the best day out. We were heading out of the inlet and right away were getting smacked around by the waves, it was super rough and some of the weirdest waves I’ve been in, it was almost like a washing machine, so very sloppy. We headed to our normal spot off of Jupiter which luckily wasn’t too far of a run and we set our baits out. Not long after we did so, we got a nice bite, but we immediately lost it, around 15 minutes later, we got another bite and heard the reel screaming! This one we didn’t lose immediately, and Jason quickly reeled it to the boat were Billy gaffed it on his first try. We got it to the boat and saw that it was a decent king fish, maybe around 30 pounds. We thought the day was going to be so amazing and we were in the right spirit. But sadly, that was not how it went, we did not get any other fish the rest of the day. We got a few good bites but lost them all, so when the time for lines 30 pound kingfish in the in hit, we ran to the weigh in. Our fish weighed around 31 pounds which wasn’t too Meat Mayhem Tournament. bad, we still had a great day, and congratulated all to who won that tournament! 8 PALM BEACH COUNTY

MAY 2021

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

FISHINGFORECAST

John with a gator seatrout.

KAYAK FISHING

By Brian Nelli Contributing Writer INSHORE: The month of May will bring more bait into the river to supply our game fish with plenty to eat. Snook, trout, jacks, and reds will be looking for mullet pattern baits like super spooks and large swimbaits. Glass minnow schools and mullet will be the bait to use or imitate. If you find mullet in the area you are fishing, whip out a Super Spook or large swim bait. If you are finding glass minnows use a D.O.A. Jerk Bait or Shad Tail. Mangroves, docks, and seawalls will be the places to target as the fish will be looking for easy ambush areas. Try launching the kayak near MacArthur State Park. This area will give you access to some great areas to target snook, tarpon, and jacks. Doug with OFFSHORE: The mahi bite should pick up closer to shore this month. Big kingfish will be making their way to their spring/summer areas off our coast. Trolling live goggle eyes and runners will put a few fish in the bag. Cover a wide range of water depth is key this time of year. Bite could be 60 feet one day and 250 the next.

a 32lb wahoo.

FRESHWATER: Peacock bass and largemouth will be heading towards their beds to spawn if they have not already. Look to sight fish the bass along the banks. Throwing a small jig in their bed to annoy them will get them to bite. Clown knifefish should be easy to catch using a live shiner or Rat-L-Trap. Target deeper water near grass lines. Brian Nelli www.tckayakfishing.com • 772.201.5899 • Brian@tckayakfishing.com Check us out - Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters on Facebook, Instagram & Youtube

Chris with a stud peacock.

July 9th & 10th, 2021 Sailfish Marina Singer Island, Florida

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MAY 2021

PALM BEACH COUNTY 9

ROADTRIPFISHING

Louisiana, here we come again!

By Keith Lozott Contributing Writer Ready to see tails flagging us down on the flat or in a “trenasse”. Whether it’s a black drum or a redfish, I can’t wait to see you. Maps loaded and studied with spots marked. Boat prepped, cleaned, and running smoothly. The trailer is fully serviced ready for the highway. Tackle boxes loaded with Bayou specific gear. The chartreuse root beer Paddle Tails plentiful. Gold and copper spoons on hand. The Booyah Jig ready for battle. And for the record I didn’t forget the Peroni Beer bottlecap lure for laughs (it works). Easy breakfast, fast lunch a recipe for more fishing. Plenty of beer, snacks, and meat for dinner. I can’t wait, here we come Bayou!!!

Extreme Kayak Fishing Results for Inaugural Delray Beach Tournament The Exotic Bass Roundup participants pushed off in their kayaks in search of peacock bass and clown knifefish on Lake Ida this past month. The inaugural event was organized by Extreme Kayak Fishing, in partnership with the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. Here’s the breakdown of the event with 71 total participants: Overall: 1st - Julie Garber 4.11 lbs. $2,000.00 (Nautical Ventures) (Turbo USA) 2nd – Auriel Leyes 3.95lbs. $1,000.00 (YakGear) 3rd – Daniel Stein 3.9 lbs. $500.00 (YakGear) 4th - Cristobal Colon 3.4 lbs. $250.00 (YakGear) 5th – Heynar Mejia 3.2 lbs. $125.00 (YakGear) 6th – Stephen Klein 3.1 lbs. Proyaker Fish Bag

Clown Knifefish Division: 1st - Tyler Drew $500.00 Keith Lozott The Fishing Realtor (Nautical Ventures) 2nd – Jesus Gonzalez $250 3rd – Jon Venarchick $150 Ladies Division: Biggest Peacock – Julie Garber PORT OF WEST PALM BEACH, FL Station ID: 8722588 with 4.11 lbs. Custom Exotic Bass Roundup Rod made by Date Day Time Hgt Time Hgt Time Hgt Time Hgt Powercore Rods

PORT WPB - TIDE CHART

5/01 5/02 5/03 5/04 5/05 5/06 5/07 5/08 5/09 5/10 5/11 5/12 5/13 5/14 5/15 5/16 5/17 5/18 5/19 5/20 5/21 5/22 5/23 5/24 5/25 5/26 5/27 5/28 5/29 5/30 5/31

Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon

12:18 AM 01:16 AM 02:17 AM 03:21 AM 04:24 AM 05:20 AM 06:09 AM 12:48 AM 01:34 AM 02:16 AM 02:55 AM 03:33 AM 04:11 AM 04:49 AM 05:29 AM 06:12 AM 12:41 AM 01:26 AM 02:16 AM 03:10 AM 04:05 AM 05:01 AM 05:55 AM 12:45 AM 01:42 AM 02:37 AM 03:30 AM 04:24 AM 05:19 AM 12:02 AM 12:57 AM

3.32H 3.11H 2.90H 2.74H 2.63H 2.56H 2.53H 0.21L 0.19L 0.17L 0.16L 0.18L 0.23L 0.29L 0.37L 0.44L 2.67H 2.61H 2.58H 2.57H 2.60H 2.65H 2.72H -0.15L -0.25L -0.31L -0.31L -0.26L -0.17L 3.24H 3.03H

10 PALM BEACH COUNTY

06:33 AM 07:34 AM 08:37 AM 09:39 AM 10:38 AM 11:31 AM 12:19 PM 06:53 AM 07:32 AM 08:11 AM 08:48 AM 09:26 AM 10:05 AM 10:43 AM 11:22 AM 12:03 PM 06:57 AM 07:46 AM 08:37 AM 09:28 AM 10:21 AM 11:14 AM 12:07 PM 06:48 AM 07:41 AM 08:35 AM 09:29 AM 10:23 AM 11:19 AM 06:16 AM 07:15 AM

-0.01L 0.13L 0.21L 0.24L 0.21L 0.15L 0.06L 2.50H 2.49H 2.46H 2.43H 2.38H 2.32H 2.24H 2.17H 2.11H 0.47L 0.45L 0.37L 0.22L 0.02L -0.21L -0.45L 2.78H 2.81H 2.82H 2.78H 2.72H 2.62H -0.06L 0.03L

MAY 2021

12:30 PM 1:31 PM 2:38 PM 3:48 PM 4:55 PM 5:53 PM 6:42 PM 1:01 PM 1:40 PM 2:17 PM 2:53 PM 3:28 PM 4:03 PM 4:40 PM 5:18 PM 6:01 PM 12:48 PM 1:39 PM 2:37 PM 3:39 PM 4:41 PM 5:40 PM 6:37 PM 1:00 PM 1:52 PM 2:44 PM 3:36 PM 4:29 PM 5:25 PM 12:16 PM 1:16 PM

2.56H 2.42H 2.33H 2.31H 2.38H 2.48H 2.60H -0.02L -0.10L -0.14L -0.16L -0.14L -0.10L -0.03L 0.04L 0.10L 2.09H 2.11H 2.19H 2.35H 2.57H 2.85H 3.12H -0.66L -0.81L -0.89L -0.86L -0.75L -0.57L 2.52H 2.42H

6:40 PM 7:44 PM 8:50 PM 9:55 PM 10:58 PM 11:56 PM

-0.36L -0.16L 0.01L 0.13L 0.20L 0.22L

7:26 PM 8:06 PM 8:44 PM 9:22 PM 10:00 PM 10:38 PM 11:18 PM 11:58 PM

2.71H 2.81H 2.87H 2.91H 2.90H 2.87H 2.81H 2.74H

6:49 PM 7:44 PM 8:42 PM 9:43 PM 10:45 PM 11:46 PM

0.15L 0.17L 0.17L 0.13 L 0.06L -0.04L

7:32 PM 8:26 PM 9:20 PM 10:14 PM 11:08 PM

3.35H 3.50H 3.57H 3.54H 3.42 H

6:24 PM 7:25 PM

-0.35L -0.14L

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

Junior Division: Biggest Peacock – Jack O’Donnel 3.0 lbs. Custom Exotic Bass Chupacabra Rod made by Powercore Rods

JUPITER INLET - TIDE CHART Jupiter Inlet, South Jetty, FL Station ID: 8722495 Referenced to Station: GOVERNMENT CUT, MIAMI HARBOR ENTRANCE ( 8723178 ) Time offset in mins (high:-10 low: -9) Height offset in feet (high:* 1.08 low: *1.42) Date 5/01 5/02 5/03 5/04 5/05 5/06 5/07 5/08 5/09 5/10 5/11 5/12 5/13 5/14 5/15 5/16 5/17 5/18 5/19 5/20 5/21 5/22 5/23 5/24 5/25 5/26 5/27 5/28 5/29 5/30 5/31

Day Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon

Time 12:32 AM 01:29 AM 02:30 AM 03:33 AM 04:35 AM 05:32 AM 06:22 AM 12:42 AM 01:25 AM 02:04 AM 02:42 AM 03:18 AM 03:53 AM 04:28 AM 05:04 AM 12:05 AM 12:49 AM 01:37 AM 02:29 AM 03:24 AM 04:22 AM 05:19 AM 06:15 AM 12:44 AM 01:37 AM 02:28 AM 03:20 AM 04:13 AM 05:07 AM 12:15 AM 01:09 AM

Hgt 2.95H 2.77H 2.60H 2.48H 2.43H 2.42H 2.44H 0.33L 0.31L 0.30L 0.31L 0.34L 0.40L 0.48L 0.57L 2.47H 2.40H 2.34H 2.31H 2.33H 2.38H 2.47H 2.59H -0.04L -0.15L -0.22L -0.22L -0.17L -0.06L 2.91H 2.74H

Time 06:19 AM 07:21 AM 08:28 AM 09:34 AM 10:36 AM 11:30 AM 12:18 PM 07:06 AM 07:46 AM 08:23 AM 08:59 AM 09:34 AM 10:10 AM 10:47 AM 11:25 AM 05:43 AM 06:28 AM 07:21 AM 08:21 AM 09:23 AM 10:22 AM 11:18 AM 12:12 PM 07:09 AM 08:02 AM 08:54 AM 09:46 AM 10:39 AM 11:33 AM 06:04 AM 07:04 AM

Hgt 0.15L 0.33L 0.44L 0.46L 0.40L 0.28L 0.14L 2.46H 2.47H 2.48H 2.48H 2.45H 2.41H 2.35H 2.28H 0.65L 0.71L 0.72L 0.64L 0.46L 0.19L -0.14L -0.47L 2.71H 2.81H 2.88H 2.89H 2.85H 2.76H 0.07L 0.18L

Time 12:43 PM 1:43 PM 2:48 PM 3:57 PM 5:03 PM 6:02 PM 6:53 PM 1:00 PM 1:39 PM 2:16 PM 2:52 PM 3:26 PM 4:00 PM 4:35 PM 5:12 PM 12:06 PM 12:52 PM 1:45 PM 2:46 PM 3:52 PM 4:58 PM 6:01 PM 6:59 PM 1:04 PM 1:55 PM 2:47 PM 3:39 PM 4:33 PM 5:28 PM 12:28 PM 1:26 PM

Hgt 2.67H 2.52H 2.40H 2.35H 2.36H 2.42H 2.51H 0.02L -0.07L -0.14L -0.15L -0.13L -0.08L 0.00L 0.09L 2.21H 2.16H 2.13H 2.16H 2.26H 2.43H 2.64H 2.86H -0.75L -0.95L -1.03L -0.99L -0.85L -0.62L 2.63H 2.50H

Time 6:43 PM 7:47 PM 8:55 PM 10:01 PM 11:01 PM 11:54 PM

Hgt -0.35L -0.08L 0.13L 0.26L 0.32L 0.34L

7:37 PM 8:17 PM 8:55 PM 9:31 PM 10:08 PM 10:46 PM 11:24 PM

2.59H 2.65H 2.69H 2.70H 2.67H 2.62 H 2.55H

5:54 PM 6:42 PM 7:38 PM 8:42 PM 9:48 PM 10:50 PM 11:49 PM

0.18L 0.27 L 0.35L 0.38L 0.34L 0.24L 0.11L

7:54 PM 8:47 PM 9:39 PM 10:30 PM 11:22 PM

3.04H 3.15H 3.19H 3.16H 3.05H

6:26 PM 7:27 PM

-0.35L -0.08L

2021

Marine Biology, Dinosaurs, Astronomy, Coding and more!

To register, visit SFScienceCenter.org or call (561) 832-2026.

South Florida Science Center and Aquarium 4801 Dreher Trail N, West Palm Beach, FL 33405

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

MAY 2021

PALM BEACH COUNTY 11

FISHINGFORECAST Capt. Craig

JUPITER INLET INSHORE By Craig Korczynski Contributing Writer

Happy Mother’s Day! May produces great fishing Tarpon “silver king” are a great target for anglers looking for explosive for the Jupiter and Palm Beach areas. Teeming with fish, anglers can expect strikes and acrobatic jumps. Tarpon will be found in the ICW, local plenty of rod bending action. inlets, and beaches. Live baits like mullets or pinfish work great. Artificial Snook fishing heats up as they migrate to local passes and beaches for enthusiasts D.O.A. TerrorEyz and D.O.A. C.A.L. 3 inch Shad Tail in pearl their upcoming spawn. The snook can be seen cruising near sea walls and and melon black will get the drag screaming. docks. Live baits and D.O.A. C.A.L. 4 inch Jerk Bait on a 1/8 ounce jig Well, that is the fishing forecast for May. I hope everybody enjoyed, now head worked in their vicinity will get your drag screaming. Mullet schools get out there and experience the thrill of drag screaming action. Tight Lines! will still be in our local area and this is the time for top water action. Rapala Skitter Walks worked over Snook up close. Captain Craig Korczynski open flats and near heavy structure cause some 561-644-4371 • phlatsinshorefishing.com explosive action. If you have never experienced top Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube water action for snook, I recommend you try; there is nothing like it. The snook will range in size from 5 to 20 pounds. Grace and her dad with a nice snook.

FISHINGFORECAST JUNO BEACH PIER

By Lauren Eissey, Loggerhead Marinelife Center Contributing Writer

Behind the scenes.

Photo Courtesy of the Juno Beach Pier.

May brings average temperatures between 72°F and 86°F, with warmer temperatures above 86°F toward the end of the month. Anglers at the Juno Beach Pier can anticipate fishing under a full moon on May 26th. According to experts, fish tend to feed more during a full moon when tides are higher than average. With this weather, plan on catching Spanish mackerel, pompano, crevalle jack, blue runners, snook, and croakers at the JBP. Anglers can catch Spanish mackerel, a fish with a year-round season, by using lures and jigs. Anglers often enjoy eating mackerel in a variety of dishes since they are one of the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Pompano is another highly preferred fish to eat in the area. Like Spanish mackerel, anglers often enjoy the fish with butter. Pier goers can also expect to catch pompano by using bait, jigs, and live sand fleas. Anglers using bait and lures can expect to catch crevalle jacks and blue runners. Easily identified by their bluishgreen to greenish-gold back and prominent black spot on their gill cover, crevalle jack feed mainly on small fishes. When selecting bait, pier experts suggest using a lively baitfish to catch crevalle jack. Typically, adult blue runners can be found inshore and nearshore. These fish can be identified by their light-olive to bluish-green back. Experts advise catching blue runners with fish, shrimp, or squid as bait. Another fan favorite, snook, can be caught at the pier by using cut and small live fish. Anglers hoping to catch snook should visit the pier before the season ends on June 1st. To keep these slot fish, the snook must measure between 28 and 32 inches in total length. Atlantic croakers are commonly caught at the pier. These bottom feeders tend to prefer crustaceans, mollusks, and small fish. Consider using whiting, sand perch, or squid strips as bait to catch croakers. During sea turtle nesting season in Palm Beach County, the JBP adjusts its angling and spectator hours to accommodate nesting and hatching sea turtles. From March 1 through October 31, the pier opens a half hour before sunrise and closes at sunset each day. Turn to Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC) and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for best practices regarding sea turtle safety. As part of LMC’s Responsible Pier Initiative, the JBP practices sustainable fishing and recycling. Please dispose of used monofilament lines in the designated recycling containers and report any accidentally hooked sea turtles. LMC offers private fishing lessons for adults and children (ages eight and older). One-hour lessons are offered daily and scheduled based on availability. Cost: $25 per angler (without gear); $35 per angler with rental gear included. Cost does not include bait. Email reservations@marinelife.org to register. The fullservice Pier House features a snack bar as well as a variety of fishing tackle, including rental poles and bait. Randy Yent, Pier Coordinator Juno Beach Pier (561) 627-8280 x140 Facebook.com/junobeachpier • Instagram & Twitter:@junobeachpier 12 PALM BEACH COUNTY

MAY 2021

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Swab the Deck? Drop It Off.

May Reminder!

Hurricane Supplies Expired? Drop Them Off.

Find your nearest drop-off at SWA.org/HCRC Boats and vessels are accepted at the landfill for a fee after all fuels, flares, batteries and other hazardous materials are removed by the owner or hauler. Removing under-floor fuel tanks, when possible, is recommended. Boats will be inspected by SWA staff prior to disposal.

PBC Residential Disposal Only. For commercial disposal, call 561-687-1100. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM MAY 2021

PALM BEACH COUNTY 13

FISHINGFORECAST

LAKE OKEECHOBEE

By Capt. Nate Shellen Contributing Writer If you are an avid angler, May could well be one of your favorite months on the calendar. Although every month offers fishing opportunities, May is one of those months that every species in the lake can be taken, whether it’s for eating or to be released. Bass fishing is at a peak. Most of the bass have spawned and are now eagerly seeking an easy meal, and newly hatched shad fill that bill quite nicely. The full moon in spring is a time when shell cracker and bluegill, two of the most heavily sought fish for table fare, can be found in shallow water. These two panfish can be caught in a variety of ways. Light spinning tackle will work just fine, but most old-school anglers still use the same basic (cane pole) that has been used for years, only these days the pole is made of graphite instead of cane. Several kinds of bait can be used to catch panfish. Grass shrimp, which can be found in the vegetative growth around the lake, are highly prized for their ability to trigger a bite from every species of fish in the lake. Red worms and crickets will both draw bites as well from panfish and are much easier to acquire. Warm water is the key to great spring fishing, and when put in conjunction with a full moon phase it is all the better. Bass are aggressively prowling the shallow water looking for their next meal. Shad, shiners, and small panfish all make a tasty snack for hungry bass. A live wild shiner will still draw strikes from the larger bass, but sheer numbers of fish may well fall prey to artificial bait. Topwater, swimbaits, swim jigs, spinnerbaits, and all sorts of plastics will draw strikes from aggressive bass. Once the bass have spawned, they tend to move toward the outside edges of the cover, many times they will hold in the Kissimmee grass that borders the lake. The grass is growing now and emitting oxygen that feeds the entire ecosystem. Bass fishing should be productive throughout the rest of the summer but will tend to be more of an early morning bite as the days, and water continues to warm. Panfish will stay around and be catchable until fall, although very warm weather may drive some of them toward deeper water. Capt. Nate Shellen Shellen Guide Service • Okeechobee Bass Fishing Guides/Charters (863) 357-0892 • sjmike7@aol.com• OkeechobeeBassFishing.com Brent Stepp and his son Jasper came down from North Georgia to catch some giant bass like these!

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Palm Beach Anglers and Divers Asked to Help with Sawﬁsh Research SAWFISH NEWS by Tonya Wiley, Havenworth Coastal Conservation One of the best ways to track the effectiveness of ongoing management and conservation efforts is to collect information about interactions with endangered sawfish by fishers, divers, and others. Details of public sightings and captures of sawfish can substantially increase the data we have about the species, allowing us to make management and policy decisions that are reflective of the realities in the water. Because of their countless hours on and in the water, we are seeking to partner with the angling and diving community to collect information about sawfish in the United States. For anglers to safely and legally release any sawfish accidentally caught: • Release sawfish immediately • Leave the sawfish, especially the gills, in the water at all times • Never lift a sawfish from the water or drag it ashore • Do not use gaffs or ropes to secure any captured sawfish • Cut the line as close to the hook as safely possible • Share the details of your sawfish catch with scientists • Anglers should note that advertising fishing trips or charters aimed at catching endangered smalltooth sawfish can be considered “targeting,” which is a violation of the ESA. Therefore, I strongly urge that the following conservation messaging be included in all social media posts regarding sawfish: Sawfish are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Help protect this critically endangered species by following NOAA Fisheries handling and release guidelines available at www.SawfishRecovery.org. For divers to enjoy encounters with sawfish safely and legally: • Keep your distance • Avoid disturbing sawfish • Never chase, feed, or touch them • Share information about your sawfish encounters with scientists • Divers should note that advertising expeditions aimed at encountering endangered smalltooth sawfish can be considered “targeting,” which is a violation of the ESA. Therefore, I strongly urge that the following conservation messaging be included in all social media posts regarding sawfish: Sawfish are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Help protect this critically endangered species by following NOAA Fisheries viewing guidelines available at www.SawfishRecovery.org. You can promote sawfish protection by following these interaction guidelines and educating others about them. Please share the information about your sawfish encounters by visiting www.SawfishRecovery.org, calling 1-844-4SAWFISH, or emailing sawfish@myfwc.com. Your encounter reports will be used to track recovery of the population and steer research efforts, which will ultimately benefit the species and the areas in which you fish and dive.

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Dinosaur Revolution Digs Deep into Prehistoric Creatures

South Florida Science Center and Aquarium Announces Summer Exhibit The South Florida Science Center announces its summer exhibit, Dinosaur Revolution, roaring into West Palm Beach on April 24 through November 28. The popular exhibit is presented by Minotaur Mazes, the same company that produced Rainforest Adventure, a Science Center favorite which ran in 2019. Ranging over 2,500-square-feet in the Center’s main exhibit hall, Dinosaur Revolution will give visitors an exciting indepth look at one of their favorite topics, and the opportunity to puzzle and problem-solve while stepping into the skin of their favorite dinosaur. “This powerful combination of role-play and study creates an unforgettable experience that will inspire older visitors to take a fresh look at this prehistoric topic and encourage young visitors to look to the future as they learn more about this fascinating subject,” said Kate Arrizza, President and CEO of the Science Center. “We are still upholding strict cleaning and social distancing practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since reopening on Memorial Day weekend 2020, we have not had a single case of the virus throughout our programming. Safety is paramount and we can’t wait to welcome visitors to this fun and educational exhibit – along with our acres of outdoor activities and programming.” At Dinosaur Revolution, visitors will be able to live large with reptilian role-play activities, undertake three Mesozoic missions spanning 150 years and mimic dinosaur behavior. Junior paleontologists will navigate the giant maze and learn why dinosaurs are one of the most successful survivors in Earth’s history. Dino hunters young and old can debunk myths and learn about new discoveries, dig for fossils through the time periods and even make tracks by slipping on life-size dinosaur feet. The mission of the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium is to “open every mind to science” and the indoor/outdoor venue features more than 100 hands-on educational exhibits, a 10,000 gallon fresh and saltwater aquarium, digital planetarium, Pre-K focused “Discovery Center,” 18-hole conservation-themed Mini Golf Course and quarter mile long outdoor science trail. The newest addition includes a $2.5 million permanent exhibit, “Journey Through the Human Brain” and features the most advanced neuroscience research and technology in the world. Safety guidelines like social distancing and mask wearing are enforced. The Science Center is also one of the first to obtain a Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ accreditation, the gold standard for prepared facilities. Under the guidance of GBAC, a Division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, the Center now implements the most stringent protocols for cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention throughout the facility. Admission to the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium during Dinosaur Revolution is $17.95 for adults, $13.95 for children ages 3 to 12 and $15.95 for seniors aged 60 and older. Science Center members and children under 3 are free. For more information on Dinosaur Revolution or other Science Center programming, call 561-832-1988 or visit www.sfsciencecenter.org. Like the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram @SFScienceCenter.

ON THE RANGE By Chuck Papp, Contributing Writer One of the most asked questions in the world of shotgunning is about the shotgun’s choke and how does it relate to the specific task in which it is going to undertake. It is actually pretty simple. A shotgun generally has 4 main chokes. The choke of a shotgun is the restriction place at the end of the barrel to control the size of your pattern (the overall size and density of the shot being used). Choke tubes : which one and when? First is the cylinder choke, no choke at all. There is no restriction placed on the projectile (mainly a slug), the buckshot, or birdshot. All self-defense, police and military shotguns are set this way due to all the various choices of shotgun shells which can be used. Next you have improved cylinder. This starts to put that restriction on your ammunition. Basically, an ic tube will get a useful pattern out to about 30 yards. You can also use slugs and buckshot in this tube because of the minimal restriction put on it. This tube or choke style is probably one of the most versatile you can have. The third choke would be modified. You are now getting into a tighter pattern out to about 35 yards or a little more. This choke is used widely in the hunting field. The preferred restriction for squirrel, rabbit, some upland bird hunters, and some waterfowl hunters over certain decoy sets. You can still get away with buckshot, but it is not really recommended. Slugs cannot be used at this point due to the fact that now the slug has too much pressure on it because of the restriction. I have seen plenty of cracked barrels when guys try to use a slug at this point. The last major choke is full. This now is about as tight of pattern you are going to get. Normally out to about 40 to 45 yards. Mainly used in a lot of waterfowl and turkey hunting applications where you need that distance. Slugs and buckshot are out at this point. There are several specialized choke tubes on the market. One is for turkey hunting in particular. You can now get those patterns out to 50 plus yards with great results. The same with slug tubes. You can get rifled tubes as well; these will put a spin on the slug improving the accuracy out to 75 yards. If your shotgun’s barrel doesn’t have the removable choke tubes, you can send the barrel to several companies out there to have this service done. Briley out of Texas is probably the best one for this service. Remember, how your shotgun is going to perform in the field makes a big difference. Make sure you invest the time in making sure you have the right choke tube and ammunition set correct for what you will be doing.

To see pictures of tournaments and events email 57LDBryant@gmail.com for link

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MAY 2021

PALM BEACH COUNTY 15

D R A O B G A R B Colin Davis caug ht this 7 pound monster on a Vu du Shrimp at th e Jupiter Bay Cond ominiums.

Paul & Anthony Priore caught this yellowtail right before the Clearwater Bridge on spring break.

J.P. Burleigh with his personal best wild rainbow trout, fly fishing in Virginia over spring break.

Brother & Sister team (Kiel Carr & Shelley Ca rr-Kronsage), for the win, north end of Lake O!

rt of the Johnny McKeon (8), pa ght this cau m Tea g hin Fis on McKe t tackle. ligh y ver awesome bass on

Maddox McK eon (6), part of the McKeon Fishing Team, fought this clow n knifefish for over 15 minut es before reeling him in !

Bragging is good! Send us your catch photos with details: Who, When, Where, With What, etc. Ilene@CoastalAnglerMagazine.com Get social & tag us in your photos @ facebook.com/CoastalAnglerPalmBeach on Facebook. or submit photos for the bragboard on our website @ www.coastalanglermag.com/palm-beach 16 PALM BEACH COUNTY

MAY 2021

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ISLAMORADA LLGF

SCREAMIN’ REELS TOURNAMENT SLATED FOR JUNE 11-13

omen, men and teens are invited to a non-intimidating Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing Screamin’ Reels tournament with education June 11-13 in Islamorada. Hosted by the nonprofit Ladies Let’s Go Fishing Foundation, the tournament kicks off on Friday with a presentation on offshore fishing and conservation, plus a meet and greet from 6-8 p.m. at The Tavernier Elks Club. Saturday and Sunday is fishing, learning on the water and friendly angler competition for inshore and offshore species, departing from Whale Harbor Marina, Islamorada. Participants can fish from their own boats or

charters supplied by the organization. Prizes will be awarded to individual anglers, including Penn combos, art prints and other fishing items, presented on Sunday upon the return of boats at Whale Harbor. Prizes for inshore and offshore species and releases include Heaviest Fish Overall, Offshore Billfish Release, Party Boat award, Junior Angler, Longest Inshore Fish, Wild Card prizes and more. This tournament offers easy rules and is perfect for novice anglers. Charter boats fill quickly, so early registration is encouraged. Registration is $89 early entry, $99 regular per adult angler, $45 for teens and includes about $20 in gifts. Featured on national network television and more, the series is supported by major partners including Recreational Fishing and Boating Foundation, Take Me Fishing, Vamos a Pescar, Mercury, Magic Tilt trailers, Shearwater Boats, Power-Pole, Penn, TACO Metals, Lowrance and Fish Florida. Largest Annual Sponsors are Freedom Boat Club, ICOM, CCA Florida STAR, Bob’s Machine Shop, AFTCO, Costa, Smith Optics, Frogg Toggs, Hubbards Marina, Star Brite and Future Angler Foundation. Local sponsors are Breezy Palms, Jeanne Towne of Fidelity Real Estate and the Monroe County Tourist Development Council. Annual and class-specific contributors are listed on the website. 2021 LLGF event plans with fishing offered schedule includes: • May 15-16: Gulf Coast Inshore Saltwater Weekend Seminar • June 11-13: Keys Fishing Learning on the Water Inshore/ Offshore • Oct. 15-17: Keys Saltwater Weekend Seminar Inshore/Offshore • Nov. 20-21: St. Augustine Surf Fishing Academy Bimini Bahamas boat trip, Virtual meetings and more TBA For more information, go to www.ladiesletsgofishing.com and www.facebook.com/ladiesletsgofishing.

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Screamin’ Reels Tournament June 11-13 • Islamorada, FL Go fishing & win in the Florida Keys! Ladies, fish Saturday & Sunday, inshore or offshore, on charter boats or your own boat! Win prizes! Perfect for beginners or those who don’t fish a lot. Kickoff is Friday, June 11th. We will team you with others. No experience or boat necessary!

Only $89 per person to enter. Charter fishing additional for Saturday & Sunday. Can't make it? Check out the LLGF’s Fishing Fever Tournament on October 15-17, with full-day instructional & hands-on seminar on Saturday! Fishing Friday & Sunday.

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SOUTH FLORIDA’S EXOTIC

ALIEN FISH By Ryan Izquierdo

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UIERDO PH

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he clown knifefish looks like guide, of Swamp to Sea Guide Service, in south it escaped from a mad scientist’s Florida to talk about his history with this amazing laboratory. Originally from tropical species. Here’s what he wrote: “I remember over 25 years ago when my mom Asia, it is one of the non-native species that have taken hold in Florida waters. With its would drive me around to the local tackle shops long knife-shaped body and black spots, it is a so I could speak with shop hands and check for beautiful species that anglers from all over the new pictures on the wall. On occasion, we would see a Polaroid tacked up with a giant silver alien world travel to target in south Florida. Clown knifefish are powerful and agile. fish with black dots all over it. When you asked They offer explosive thrashing jumps similar the guy at the counter what they caught it on, to tarpon, and are nearly impossible for most the response was always the same: a Gambler anglers to land without a net. I caught my first red shad worm, because that’s all you fished if clown knifefish when I moved to Palm Beach you weren’t using live bluegill. County 10 years ago. My biggest clown knifefish weighed more than 12 pounds. I caught it while fishing with my buddy Capt. Bill Lepree. It ate the last shad in the livewell as we were eating Publix subs. After some drag screaming runs, it got wrapped around bridge pilings and broke the line as it swam backward into the net. I once made a “Catch & Cook “Everything has made a Clown Knifefish” Youtube video. complete rebound since then. We’ve Let’s just say they’re not as tasty as learned to catch them consistently they are fun to catch. on bait, artificials and even a few on Any of the ponds and canals fly. I’ve managed to build a successful connected to Lake Ida in Palm guide business with clients calling Beach County are good places to from around the world to target target clown knifefish. I use light clown knife fish. fluorocarbon line, a small octopus Capt. Patrick Smith holds the world-record 14.5-pound clown “In 2018, I was lucky to have a hook and live shiners, shad or knife fish for Michael Donvito, the client who caught it. client catch the current IGFA record bluegill. They can also be caught PHOTO COURTESY OF SWAMP TO SEA GUIDE SERVICE. at 14.5 pounds. I’m sure that record on artificials and fly. Small white “It took another 15 years or so before I will fall any day, as we are seeing some absolute swimbaits, bladed baits and small hair jigs all work, and you’ll likely catch peacock and finally got my hands on a real clown myself. giants out there.” largemouth bass, along with many other exotic Unfortunately, it was during the freeze of 2010, Follow Ryan Izquierdo on Youtube when the canals were full of dead ones, along species when targeting clown knife fish. (RyanIzFishing) and Instagram @ryan_izquierdo I reached out to my buddy Capt. Patrick with dead peacock bass, shad and just about to check out his fishing adventures. Smith, a world-record holding clown knifefish everything else.

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GET SET FOR A

Summer Diving OF

By John Lidington

ummer is just around the corner. As temperature and humidity climb and seas calm, the best place to be is underwater! Now is the time to prepare, so your diving plans can proceed smoothly when the season gets hot. When do your tanks’ VIPs expire? If it’s during the busy summer season, schedule a VIP now. What about their hydro dates? Again, if the date is near, do it now. Hydrostatic testing will usually take them out of commission for several days. Don’t be without them when you really want to be diving. While you’re checking them, put fresh o-ring in the regulator seats, too. When was your regulator last overhauled? If it has been more than a year or 100 dives, it’s time for an annual service. But even with regular maintenance, problems can still occur when salt crystals, corrosion or plain old grit get where they shouldn’t be. If your regulator is still within a year from the last service, some simple checks will help catch developing problems now, before they impact your summer diving. Mount your regulator onto a tank, turn the air on, then off. Tank pressure should read constant for at least an hour. If it falls, air is leaking from the system and you need to do a careful bubble check of the regulator and all hoses to locate the problem. With air still off, gently inhale through each second stage mouthpiece. If they don’t hold vacuum, there’s an exhaust valve problem. Don’t forget your BCD. Exhaust valves and dump valves can get stuck when sitting idle for a while and may sometimes tear when used. After checking all those valves, inflate your BCD fully. Will it stay fully inflated overnight? If not, more thorough servicing is needed. Okay, your gear is set. But are you ready to dive? Summer is the best time for visiting Palm Beach County’s wrecks, reefs, turtles and Goliath groupers. That means drift diving. If you are new to drift diving, or want to refresh your skills, join Pura Vida Divers for a one-day PADI Drift Diver course. This class is scheduled every Saturday in May. Students will complete an independent online e-learning component, then do a classroom review before heading out for a two-tank dive to put skills into practice. On Sundays, follow up with the PADI Delayed Surface Marker Buoy Diver course. This one-day course covers the advantages and techniques to deploy your surface marker buoy (or “safety sausage”) on a line from depth. During busy summer boat traffic, a surface indicator is essential as divers begin their ascent. Both courses can be completed in one weekend. Contact Pura Vida Divers at (561) 840-8750, or visit www.puravidadivers.com.

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OYSTER REEF DEPLOYED IN CHARLOTTE HARBOR

ater quality, marine fisheries and recreational angling are set to get a boost after two dump truck loads of oyster shells were deployed in Turtle Bay in Charlotte Harbor last month. CCA Florida partnered with Ingman Marine, Abbott Construction, Lee Reefs, SanibelCaptiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF), Capt. Jay Withers, Placida Point LLC, Clermont Oyster Bar and Lake County Solid Waste Division to make the project a reality. Abbott Construction hauled dried-out oyster shells from CCA Florida’s Oyster Recycling Program in Astatula to a staging area in Placida. The materials were loaded on a barge and deployed in Turtle Bay at a pre-permitted location. “This is a unique partnership involving a huge amount of support from the community as well as our sponsors and members,” CCA Florida COO Adam Miller said. “With all the water quality issues Charlotte Harbor is facing, it is important to partner together and do what we can to help restore the water quality, seagrasses and marine life.” The oyster shells, donated by Clermont Oyster Bar, are dried for six months to kill potential pathogens and will, over time, form a new oyster reef. “With an estimated 85 percent loss of oyster reefs worldwide, efforts for restoration must be made a priority all around the state, ” said CCA Florida Director of Habitat and Environmental Restoration Frank Gidus. In the near future, SCCF and Lee Reefs plan to deploy fossilized shell at the same site to serve as a host structure for new oyster growth. Oyster reefs filter pollutants, reduce turbidity and create habitat for a variety of marine species.

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FISH SMELL 1000X BETTER THAN WE DO. Underwater. In current. And even in nutrient-dense saltwater, fish can pick up a scent at the parts per billion level. Think that’s impressive? How about a bait with the ability to trick that sense of smell into believing it is even better than real food. In scientific tests, Gulp!® proved so effective on saltwater gamefish, it actually outfished real bait time and time again. Not only does the scent outperform real and artificial bait, it has 400 times the scent dispersion of the best competing soft plastic bait. Now, Gulp! is available in all of the most popular sizes, colors and actions, including the new Firetail options. Berkley® Gulp! We’ve done the science, now you catch the fish. berkley-fishing.com ©2020 Pure Fishing, Inc.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE BITE Berkley Saltwater Gulp! Continues to Outshine Live Bait for Coastal Anglers

ll along the coast, as the highways near the busiest launch ramps, the bait shop signs announcing what’s for sale reinforce what most anglers already know: natural bait does a good job of catching fish. Live baitfish and live shrimp are almost always on the bait shop menu as they present the most natural food source. But even the frozen slabs of baitfish and chunks of cut bait that are also widely sold—baits which have no action to them whatsoever—are eaten by saltwater species if presented the right way. But why? The answer is simple, as it all pertains to one of the most misunderstood senses in fish biology: a fish’s sense of smell. It’s this sense of smell that inspired the development of Berkley Saltwater

Gulp!, the line of baits that has transformed saltwater fishing with their effectiveness, ease of use and value. For as effective as live or cut bait can be in saltwater fishing, it’s far from the perfect solution. Live bait can be very expensive and difficult to keep alive. Unused bait becomes a treat for pushy pelicans or gets dumped into the water. Presented with a problem, the scientists at Berkley set out to find a solution. Fish smell on the parts-per-billion level, the equivalent of a single drop of water in an Olympicsized swimming pool. This powerful sense of smell is extremely important to a fish’s ability to feed. Fish rely upon their sense of smell because they live in an aquatic environment filled with particles

and debris that can look like food. Their noses tell fish the difference between food and other organic compounds. Berkley scientists set out to make the first artificial bait that really appealed to a fish’s sense of smell. The first step was getting scent to disperse from a soft bait. While fish attractants and scents are nothing new, all of the competitive versions were oil-based. And just like the old adage reminds us, oil and water don’t mix. An oil-based scent that is smelly to a human has no effectiveness on fish since it is not soluble in water. That’s why Gulp! scents are water-based. The water-based scent formula, now known as Berkley Gulp! and which has since become synonymous with saltwater fishing across the country, caught more fish than live bait in headto-head tests. This scent, combined with the proprietary material used in Berkley Gulp! baits, disperses scent 400 times more effectively than any other soft bait, meaning it creates a scent field that is easily detected by fish and which continues to expand as the bait is retrieved. “I started really using Gulp! in about 2007, a few years after it came out,” said Capt. Jot Owens, who operates out of Wrightsville Beach, N.C., where he specializes in putting his clients on big redfish, flounder and other species. “And from the first year I started fishing with Gulp!, we were catching more and bigger flounder than we had ever caught before—and we were fishing in the same areas we had always been fishing. I don’t

know what the magic formula is, but it really wakes fish up.” Capt. Owens said he prefers Berkley Saltwater Gulp! for a host of species, but especially for redfish and flounder. His go-to set up for flounder varies slightly depending on whether he’s fishing inshore or farther out. The set up consists of a 6-inch Saltwater Gulp! Jerk Shad (Chartreuse/Pepper/ Neon or Firetiger) on a 3/8-ounce long-shank jig head. Because Gulp! baits are wet inside and out, they can come unrigged, so Capt. Owens relies on a Berkley Fusion19 jig that has lead lips and a wire hook to keep his Jerk Shad rigged properly. When fishing inshore, he uses a medium-fast Fenwick HMG Inshore paired with a Size 2500 or 3000 PENN Battle III DX spinning reel, which is spooled with 15-pound braid and a 30-pound fluorocarbon leader. Farther out, he will increase the line size to a 20-pound braid mainline and a 40-pound fluorocarbon leader spooled onto a Size 3500 PENN Spinfisher. “Just make sure the bait is bouncing on bottom; I’m typically jigging with the rod tip pretty high,” Capt. Owens said. “It’s not that you won’t get bit dragging it on the bottom, but the bait is more effective bouncing up and down.” For redfish, Capt. Owens has his clients using 3- or 4-inch Gulp! Shrimp (Sugar Spice Glow or Chartreuse) on a 1/8- or 1/4-ounce jig head, increasing the weight of the jig based on fishing depth and current. The rest of his redfish set up is similar to that of his inshore rig for flounder:

medium-fast Fenwick HMG Inshore paired with a Size 2500 or 3000 PENN Battle III DX spinning reel, which is spooled with 15-pound braid and a 30-pound fluorocarbon leader. “The best retrieve is a hop-hop; let it sit for a second or two then give it another hop-hop,” Capt. Owens said. “Redfish are really bottom feeders, so they’ll almost always hit it on the drop or while it’s sitting on bottom for the brief pause. The way the Berkley Saltwater Gulp! Shrimp is putting out scent, redfish pick it up with the same excitement as they would a hunk of cut bait even though it’s not moving.”

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t’s a lot more fun to fill fish boxes when the various Gulf and Atlantic grouper seasons open in spring. These days, advances in electronics have made finding good grouper bottom easier than ever. There is, however, a trade-off. In the good old days, captains precisely timed their courses out of the pass in hopes of coming off throttle near a fish-producing rock pile. Before GPS and sonar, the best indicators of productive bottom were boats already there and catching fish. Successful anglers even welcomed new PHOTO COURTESY OF CRYSTAL LAFOSSE boats to the party, reasoning that more baits in the water served to excite fish into feeding. In case you didn’t notice, that’s not the way things work any more. Now any yahoo with a boat can plug coordinates into their navigation system and sleepwalk straight to a ledge or wreck. Community holes and artificial reefs are crowded and sometimes picked clean of fish. To avoid this, a good set of numbers is a jealously guarded secret. Camaraderie on the open sea is officially a thing of the past when picking up and moving off productive bottom is a logical step to avoid being marked in the mapping system of a passing vessel. We’ve traded open sharing of information for technological advancements the old salts couldn’t have dreamed of. With advanced radar, sonar, mapping and GPS, it’s up to the angler to spend time on the water to locate their own magic numbers. With grouper seasons opening in state and federal waters off the southern states, most species have finished with the peak of spawning. They have begun moving to deeper water and are hungry to feed-up and regain what was lost to the rigors of the spawn. However, grouper are also spread out more thinly right now than they are when they group up on deep-water structure in summer. You might not have to run as far to reach productive bottom, but you will likely have to do more spot-hopping to fill the boxes. It’s a good time of year to troll. Some fish will still be shallow enough to target with deep-diving lures. Using planers and downriggers, it’s possible to get lures down to 60 feet or deeper, and some very deep-diving plugs can get down to 40 feet on their own with the right braided line. This allows you to cover ground on and around those ledge coordinates you have marked. It’s a throwback to the olds days, when trolling up a grouper was the method for finding an area to stop and drop baits. If you keep an eye on the bottom machine, you might even spot a small formation you didn’t know was there. These small blips are the honeyholes that produce when the larger reefs and structure succumb to constant fishing pressure. Don’t care for boat rides and watching rods? Traditional bottom fishing may still be the best method. Check your shallower coordinates as you head out this time of year. Many boats ride right over good structure on the way to their deeper summer spots. Reefs or rocks as shallow as 40 feet will hold fish before they head out to their mid-summer haunts. Just be sure to drop some chum down upstream of the structure to bring them out of their hidey-holes. See your state’s saltwater fishing regulations to determine which species of grouper are open for harvest where you fish.

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NATIONAL 17

On the Swordfish Ledge

off Marathon

By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

f you’ve ever been swordfishing out of Marathon, Fla., chances are you were deep dropping the same area I was in April, when the U.S. Coast Guard ticketed us for fishing in Bahamian waters. Dropping for swordfish is exhausting. Staring mindlessly at one single rod tip, it’s easy to lose your mind questioning if every other wave was a bite. It is also possible to spend an entire day doing the crazy-eyed swordfish rod stare and never get a nibble. During a slow drift along the ledge in 1,800 feet of water, our luck finally changed. A flock of diving terns approached and crossed behind the

boat. We opened bails on the flat lines and let pinfish swim toward the commotion. Immediately we hooked up and stole a school of mahi from under the birds. With four mahi hooked up along the port side, we had just begun the assembly line from hook to killbox when we were informed the U.S. Coast Guard was about to board our boat. Approaching from starboard to accommodate our fishing, three “Coasties” boarded to conduct a routine safety check. After about half an hour with our official guests on board, we finished with the school of mahi and decided to reel up the sword line. We activated the electric reel, and— distracted by our visitors—it took a moment to

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realize we were hooked up. The Coasties were going to have to put a pin in it. “Hang on fellas; we’re hooked up!” For the next half hour, we didn’t hear a word from our visitors. As the fish began to surface, the line scoped out underneath the Coast Guard cutter raft. We radioed asking them to move. After a lot of chaos and tight boat maneuvering, we landed the 150-pound swordfish with the Coast Guard on board. They even took the catch photos. It was all high fives and celebration until they asked us for our Bahamian fishing licenses and informed us we were illegally fishing in the Bahamian Exclusive Economic Zone. Later on, extensive research by Steve Steenstra, owner of Blue Magic Charters, revealed the Bahamian EEZ line runs about 24 miles from land, straight across the U.S. sword ledge. None of us, not even our GPS mapping knew about this line. A law enacted some 40 years ago had just been enforced for the first time. We were the first vessel cited. As I understand it, after visiting the Coast Guard Station in Key West, the EEZ line was drawn straight down the middle by default. Now that they’re enforcing it, recreational swordfishing from the Keys is threatened, along with the livelihoods it supports. As the situation unfolds, it would be wise to stay up to date before venturing offshore from the Keys. Capt. Quinlyn Haddon and Blue Magic Charters are following this situation closely. Contact her at (504) 920-6342 or through Instagram @CaptainQuinlyn and @BlueMagicCharters.

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ach spring, inshore anglers are greeted with big winds, big tides and small baitfish. There is no time where the size of your lure can make or break your trip more than the spring season. With the abundance of small baitfish in the water, it can be difficult to get the attention of your target species, especially when you are fishing with artificial lures. It is also very common to find gamefish gorging themselves on tiny glass minnows. This is routinely evident when you land a fish and they spit up these miniature meals. As anglers, we have two obstacles here: the sheer amount of forage in the water competing with your lure and the small size of the lure required. What I have found to be the most successful tactic is to use the smallest lure I can cast and appropriately present to the fish. Both hard and soft lures can be effective. Another key to success is color. I prefer a white-and-silver combination that closely matches the natural forage. I like to fish these lures on the edge of large bait balls when possible. I try to keep my lure on the edge or under the school to let the fish focus on a single target rather than a large mass.

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

Using a slow-sinking lure is an advantage at this time of the year. A lure that will suspend or slow-sink is ideal. This allows the predator time to target your lure, and it also gives the appearance of a wounded baitfish, which is always a plus. When the bait is this thick, your lure needs to stand out, but you still need to match the forage in size and color. The use of tandem rigs allows for a couple of advantages. Casting two smaller lures could equal the weight of one of your typical offerings. This allows you to cast farther and still have the appropriate size lure. Rigging two small silver spoons with white bucktails is a great combination when fishing glass minnow schools. I also like to use a small floater/ diver with a small spoon trailer. The diving action in conjunction with the added weight of the spoon is a unique combination of action to entice strikes. Downsizing your lure presentation in spring can definitely up-size your catch. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures, Controlled Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

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NATIONAL 21

“For Me, It’s a Fishing Tool”

The 2021 Must-Have Anchoring System

“T

he easiest way I can explain ‘boat position’: if you’re at the baseball game, you’re either playing—which is fishing—or you’re watching the game, which means you’re not…” Capt. Mickey Brelsford decided he’d rather be in the game than on the sidelines, so installing the Rebel EZ-5 became a no-brainer after researching product information and helpful documents on the company website, then calling the drum anchor winch plate design that allows the drum to free-spool when the manufacturer’s technical support team for additional pointers. clutch plate is disengaged. To get that “ good, solid anchoring In the past, using a windlass yielded poor retrieval results position,” press and hold the “raise/power up” side of the and left no room for customization, like adding special button for about five seconds: this will cause the clutch plate to attachments or splicing rope and chain. Now, Capt. Brelsford once again rotate, but this time clamping down on the drum says his Rebel free-fall unit is the perfect fishing tool, providing and holding the boat at anchor. him a “good, solid anchoring position.” “Once I deploy my anchor and it goes into a free-fall, it’s “I don’t know how many times I’ve been on boats where straight down to the bottom as quick as it can go…” Brelsford [the line is] hanging up, snarling, getting knotted up in the said. “And then, once I set the anchor, I can free-line out as windlass or shredding line.” Brelsford said. much anchor rode as I need: that’s what I call ‘boat position’.” A retired policeman, Capt. Brelsford enjoys his time fishing As an added bonus, the Rebel drum anchor winch is near the coast of St. James City, Fla. on his 37-foot “Nostalgic compatible with an E-Z Anchor Puller wireless long-range Lady”: a 1981 Hatteras Sportfish that carries 300 feet of ⅝-inch remote, which controls your drum anchor winch from rope and 20 feet of heavy-duty chain. After adding a pulpit to anywhere on the boat. Capt. Brelsford purchased his on the his vessel, Capt. Brelsford used to pull up all his rope by hand, wasting time company website, ezanchorpuller.com. and energy on multiple retrieval and deployment attempts as he tried to find “This [unit] here—don’t worry about it—it just rolls right on and keeps on the perfect “boat position.” rollin’. That’s what it is: E-Z!” Unlike E-Z Anchor Puller Mfg. Co’s two direct drive series (the Hero To learn more, call 1-800-800-1640 or visit ezanchorpuller.com. and Patriot series), the Rebel drum anchor winch has a clutch and friction

22 NATIONAL

MAY 2021

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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