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SIGHT FISHING

TRIPLETAIL

CAPE COD BLITZES

RECORD BREAKING SWORDFISH VOLUME 26 • ISSUE 312

PHOTO CREDIT: TOMMY LADO COURTESY OF CHEYANNE SINGLETARY

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ripletail are some of the most exciting gamefish that visit inshore waters. Their peculiar tendency to hang near the surface around floating debris makes them perfect for sight fishing, and on top of that they are absolutely delicious. Capt. Jeremy Davidson is an angler devoted to these oddball fish. His charter service, Southern Salinity, is based out of St. George Island, where he specializes in inshore tripletail on Florida’s Forgotten Coast. “They start to migrate to shallower water when that water temperature starts rising,” he said “It’s wind and water temperature dependent, but everything starts to move in March or April—the bait, the pelagics, everything.” Throughout the Gulf of Mexico and up the Atlantic Coast, tripletail move shallower in waves. Davidson said the timing is different by location, but the patterns are similar. First, scads of smaller

fish move in from offshore through the passes to find homes on floating debris. The early spring bite is characterized by plentiful opportunities at smaller fish. By May or June, larger 8- to 12-pounders settle in on trap buoys, floating vegetation and tide lines. Big fish in the 20-pound range arrive in deep summer. They’re there to feed and procreate, said Davidson, which means they are primed to pick up a bait. However, catching tripletail consistently is more difficult than it might appear. THE SETUP: To spot tripletail, you must train your eyes to look beneath the surface. Fish will stay with a piece of floating cover as long as it harbors the small crabs, shrimp and glass minnows tripletail feed on. Cover could be anything, and Davidson recommends checking out everything floating on the surface. You might spot the fish itself, but the first indication is usually the sub-surface flash of a turning fish. When Davidson spots fish, he leaves the boat in gear and noses into the current to point the bow at the fish within casting range. THE CAST: “Do not hit that fish,” Davidson warned. “Pick a spot out past it. I don’t care if it’s the treeline. Just make sure to pitch past that fish.” Casting past the fish with an underhand pitch allows the angler to retrieve the bait slowly through the strike zone. If the tripletail doesn’t take the bait on the initial retrieve, it’s time to flip the bail and allow the tide to carry the bait back past the fish. “It’s a slow dance,” Davidson said. “Retrieve it slow and easy.”

THE TAKE: Don’t set the hook! Tripletail feed delicately. They ease up and pluck their prey from near the surface. Then, to avoid spooking their next meal, they move away before engulfing it. “Let that fish roll down or go the other way,” Davidson said. “Give it 5 or 10 seconds, then lift up and he’s on. Then he turns into a wild man!” THE FIGHT: The harder you pull on a tripletail, the harder and wilder it fights back. This is important because, along with brute strength, these prehistoric fish have a sharp, line-slicing gill plate. Davidson reiterated his slow dance metaphor, saying you can sometimes lead a fish right to the boat by taking it slow and easy. “Square up with him. Keep your rod tip up, and let him run if he wants to dig,” said Davidson “Walk him around the boat. Stay square with him, and pump him in slow and easy.” THE RIG: Tripletail eat shrimp, pogies and artificials, but Davidson prefers to make a fresh-shrimp lure. He pops the heads off large restaurant-quality shrimp and pinches the flappers off their tails. Then he runs a 2/0 or 3/0 3X Strong VMC circle hook up the tail and out the second notch before turning the point back into the bait. This hides the hook and allows the shrimp to swim like a lure. To make pitching the rig easier, he ties an elongated float, like Boat Monkey’s Cigar Slip Float, between braided 30-lb. main line and a 2- to 3-foot leader of 30-lb. fluorocarbon. More advanced anglers might go bobberless for better control while working the bait. To do this, tie the braid directly to the leader with a double uni knot. Capt. Jeremy Davidson owns Southern Salinity, which runs charters on Florida’s Forgotten Coast. See their website at www.southernsalinity.com.

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ver the last few months, I’ve shared some techniques in these pages that people seem to be trying with some success. When you think about it, incorporating squid into your offshore spreads really is a nobrainer when you can find and purchase good whole squid. One of the best ways to rig those squid, and ballyhoo for that matter, is with a Chin Weight coupled with a “stiff-rig” stinger hook assembly. Recently, I’ve received quite a few calls and e-mails from folks all over the country asking for a simpler way to achieve the end result of a stiff-rig stinger hook. I had to go to the barn, have a few cocktails and dig deep, but here it is: The simple way to keep a stinger hook in a rigid “stiff ” position without snelling it or making a cat’s paw connection. If the terminology is throwing you off at this point, stay tuned, this actually is a very simple solution that anyone can achieve with a limited amount of materials and know how. The key to this rig is inexpensive heatshrink tubing over a standard crimped-wire connection. Granted, you might only get a bite or two out of this rig before teeth shred the heatshrink tubing and it’s no longer rigid. However, it’s so easy to make this rig that you can churn

Step two: Make a second crimp at 90 degrees to the first crimp. This is a (small) diameter in the cable to fit over a 7/0 or 11/0 Tim Barefoot Chin Weight (as shown in photo). Step Three: Slide a ¾-inch length section out dozens in different lengths of heat-shrink tubing over the crimped for different sized baits and keep them at the ready. Cut your cable to the connection of the hook and heat with a lighter correct length and make a few crimps… that’s in the vertical position. That’s it! all there is to it. Step One: Make a standard crimped connection using the High Seas 1.0 crimp and the American Fishing Wire 175# (7x7) or 49 strand cable.

Now, if you’re a visual learner like I am, go watch the video I made on the process. See it once, and it will be like a light bulb going off in your head. It really is that easy. For more information and to watch the video, go to barefootcatsandtackle.com. Click on “Heat Shrink Tubing Stiff Rig Stinger Hook.”

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INSHORE STRATEGIES FOR THE

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES.

Most fish are still in transition between the deep mud and the shallow sand or grass flats, which keeps them spread out through the bays. Add high winds, cool fronts and the small size of the forage, and you have a tougher puzzle to put together than the other three seasons. Here are a few tips to help you sort though this maze and hopefully land a few more fish this spring. First and foremost, baitfish are extremely small this time of year, and it is not uncommon to find dozens of small glass minnows in the bellies of trout and redfish in the spring. This makes my first tip obvious, so I won’t waste a lot of space here, but downsize your lure presentation if you can. Obviously, this can impact one’s casting abilities, so rigging small lures in tandem can be By Capt. Michael Okruhlik a plus and assist in casting distance. Something else I like to use in the spring is a clear or transparent lure with some glitter, or maybe one with a light translucent color. I choose these because it’s more difficult for the fish to see the lure’s actual size, which gives the appearance that it’s smaller than it actually is. I’ve found this to be a productive alternative to downsizing. While choosing a typical-size trout and redfish lure for this application, I look for one with subtle movements. I like either a darting-style bait or a paddle lure with a very subtle vibration. Strong, big-vibrating tails have their time, but early spring is not one of them. One thing I notice about schools of small baitfish is their movement. When displaced, they seldom dart deeper, and most of their movement is side-to-side or upward. Due to this characteristic, I also like a lightweight lure with a slow sink rate. I feel this better imitates spring forage movements and increases strikes. I like a lure that twitches side to side that doesn’t sink very fast on the pause. In early spring while the fish are in transition, they will start to congregate on sandy shores with grass. This will be the main cover for the small fry. While employing these techniques and lure choices, concentrate efforts on broken grass flats with potholes and distinct edges. These areas are best when they are close to deeper water. I hope you find these tactics helpful and as the weather warms and you pring is around the corner, and a lot of fishermen who hang up their gear enjoy the outdoors, don’t forget to take a kid fishing! for winter can’t wait for the temps to rise. Although the enthusiasm is high to wet a line, spring can be the most difficult season to successfully Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures, Controlled pattern and to consistently catch inshore fish. Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

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MARCH 2021

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By CAM Staff

ith a five-release first day, Michael Jordan’s boat, Catch 23, held on to win the 58th annual Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Tournament Jan. 20-23. This year’s event featured a fleet of 38 boats and a total of 63 sailfish caught. It was a big win for Catch 23. The big, beautiful boat has been making national headlines in tournament circuits the last few years, primarily because of the star power Jordan brings to the deck. But now Catch 23 has a big win to hang its hat on. The Buccaneer Cup is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious sailfish release tournaments. It was held this year out of Palm Beach and Jupiter, Florida during the traditional heart of the area’s sailfish season. The name Catch 23 pays homage to the jersey number Jordan wore through six NBA championships with Chicago Bulls. The custom 80-foot Viking is wrapped with the elephant print that first adorned Air Jordan 3 sneakers and now also appears on Jordan’s jet. Since 2019, Catch 23 has competed in several high-stakes marlin tournaments in mid-Atlantic. It also saw duty in the last two Stuart Sailfish Club Light Tackle Sailfish tournaments, and placed third in 2019. At this year’s Buccaneer Cup, Capt. Stetson Turney led Catch 23 to five releases on the first day of fishing, Thursday Jan. 21. The action came in spurts. Catch 23 called in its first two releases at 9:11 and 9:31 a.m. Jordan was on the reel for the first one, and angler Jimmy David cranked in the second. The team hung two more release flags just before 2 p.m., when Danny Young fought a sailfish to the boat at 1:47 p.m. and David got his second at 1:53. At 3:28 p.m., Jordan reeled in the fifth release of the day to earn the boat 1,000 points and a solid Day One lead. The tournament awards 200 points for each sailfish release using live bait and 300 points for each release caught on dead bait. Catch 23 did not call in another release until just before noon on the final day of fishing Saturday, Jan. 23. This allowed the eventual secondplace boat, De-Bait-Able, to climb into contention. De-Bait-Able, a 60-foot Viking, captained by KJ Zeher, called in two releases on the morning of Friday’s Day Two. Both fish were handled by angler Cameron Walsh. Saturday saw De-Bait-Able make a big push with four releases between 8:27 a.m. and lines out. Anglers Jay Lanigan, Mike Lanigan, Laura Rassel and Tom Walsh battled in their catches to give De-Bait-Able 1,200 points at the end of Day Three. They were one fish shy of catching Catch 23, which called in releases for anglers Annibal Moya and Danny Young on the final day of fishing. For more information on the Buccaneer Cup, go to www.buccaneercup.com.

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om Brady made a big purchase when he moved to Tampa for the 2020 NFL season. No, not just a new house, but a $2 million yacht. His custom Wajer 55 is a perfect choice for Tampa Bay area waters. He named her ‘Viva A Vida’ after Gisele Bündchen’s charity. With a top speed of 38 knots and a range of 450 nautical miles, it can get far offshore in the Gulf of Mexico quickly. But he didn’t need all that horsepower to show his boat off during the Super Bowl Boat Parade on Feb. 10. Following a 31-9 beat-down of the Kansas City Chiefs, Brady, the rest of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quite a few fans took to the water to celebrate. Brady’s yacht is comfortable and spacious with seating for plenty of guests, whether it’s the sun pads on the bow and aft or the U-shaped couch behind the cockpit. Underneath are two beds for guests, a fully equipped kitchen with a dishwasher, a full bathroom with a shower, and a master suite. One of the coolest features Tom Brady’s boat has in store is its extendable swim platform that can be raised to also act as a gangway.

6 FLORIDA

MARCH 2021

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lorida is home to one of the most incredibly diverse fisheries on the planet, and every change in season brings entirely new fishing opportunities to our doorstep. With long summers and short winters, temperature changes in autumn and spring bring the most dramatic shifts to our fisheries. Changes are unpredictable this time of year, and the month of March can be absolutely incredible or a total bust. It only takes a few degrees of water temperature rise to bring on full-on spring fishing. This is a wonderful time of year to be an avid fisherman. The delicate and seemingly minuscule weather changes are extremely impactful to the mysterious behavior of fish. We are on the precipice of the next fishing season, but it is based on many factors, none of which are your calendar. Florida is an annoyingly perfect place to be a boater and angler. It may seem like there are always too many boats out there competing for the bite, but, unlike places like Louisiana, where the fishing spots are marked by giant oil rigs, every venture is an opportunity to find a new honey-hole. One of the super-secret offshore coordinates found by the company I work for has been reliably fascinating throughout the year, or even throughout a week. This fishing spot is a unique little ecosystem. The bottom finder is usually marked up like a child’s crayon drawing, yet the species landed can vary greatly from day to day, or season to season. I was fishing this location recently and we caught 53 lane snapper in a few hours. We returned a few days later, and the bottom finder looked the same. We expected to catch lane snapper again, yet it was all mangroves. Then, all of a sudden the screen showed no fish. It was completely blank. This was just as interesting as any other change that had happened there. The fish would reappear on the screen, and disappear, and the bites and lack thereof, followed instantly. All of this happened back and forth within two to five minute intervals. Everyone on board began watching the screen to know when to expect a bite, and then we saw what we had all surmised. Big marks appeared on the screen zipping along solo. There were predatory fish down there. Luckily, we were able to land these predators visiting our honey-hole, and confirm that they were not just sharks. They were giant bull redfish, one of which came up double hooked. Likely not residents of this area, they had stopped by for a snack on their springtime journey through our area. This time of year is unpredictable, and I would never dare claim to understand all the mysterious behaviors of fish, so I will refrain from giving a fishing report. I will, however, say it is a great time of year to be surprised. Capt. Quinlyn Haddon fishes with Reel Lucky Fishing Charters out of St Petersburg, Fla. Give them a call at (504) 929-6342 and check out Capt. Haddon’s social media @CaptainQuinlyn.

8 FLORIDA

MARCH 2021

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

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SWORDFISH

The Pompano Beach fishing scene was buzzing in mid-January. Fish were really chewing out on the swordfish grounds, and it seemed everyone with a boat was running 15 miles out to the trench to get in on the action. That buzz rose to near hysteria the evening of Jan. 20, when four anglers between the ages of 17 and 21 returned to the docks at Lighthouse Point Marina. In their boat was an enormous 767.8-pound swordfish. It was a new state record. Here’s the story as told by 21-year-old Timmy Maddock, the new record holder:

had just returned from fishing in Costa Rica when I heard the swords were biting. I asked my buddy Hunter Irvine to go swordfishing, and he was ready! That evening, I swung by Big Dog Tackle in Pompano Beach where my girlfriend, Jaime Johanson, is the store manager. I bought fresh baits to rig for the next day’s trip. Hunter and I were up at 5:30 a.m. to load his 31-foot center console. Jaime and our other buddy Jeremy Rafferty met us there. At the sword grounds, we got a good bite on our first drop but were confused when the fish didn’t come back. After making three more drops, we heard on the radio there were bites to the south. We picked up and ran a couple miles south to find five boats stacked up in the area. Out of courtesy, we moved south of the other boats and dropped. The rod went slack the second the lead hit bottom. The four of us kind of looked around at each other, wondering if we had gotten cut off. I engaged the electric reel and started bringing in line to check. After a couple minutes, there was weight on the rod tip. “We got one on!” I yelled. The line was slack because the fish had shot straight to the surface. With the rod loaded and the darts ready for battle, the fish came straight up and jumped out of the water! We were all excited, thinking we might have a 400- or 500-pounder on the line. The lead was off within the first 15 minutes, and that fish raced all over the surface for 30 or 45 minutes before going back to the bottom. While she was up, we couldn’t get a dart in her because she was hauling ass all over the place. After two hours of hard fighting on the bottom, there was a nervous silence. We had begun to speculate how big she really was. She came halfway up and back down four or five times. The last time she dove, she was at 2000 revolutions off the LP electric reel. That’s when we think she died. We tightened the drag to gain line. Every time the boat rocked on a wave, we gained a foot. After an hour and a half of rocking, we finally got the wind-on leader back on the reel. Her head popped out of the water and we all freaked out, knowing she was dead and the fight was over. Jaime grabbed the gaff, holding her phone in the other hand to record this epic moment. Jeremy backed the boat to the fish on the surface, and Hunter put a dart in her to close the deal after more than five hours. When we got her tied off, happiness and adrenalin filled us all as we jumped around and celebrated. We spent 20 minutes trying to get the fish in the boat before radioing for help. Rob Doda was out swordfishing by himself, and he left his spot to come to our aid. He left his boat floating and jumped aboard to explain what needed to be done. After 30 minutes of all five of us pulling, we got her through the tuna door. The boat was taking on a lot of water from the weight on the back corner. We dropped Rob off at his boat and drove as fast as we could to the dock. 12 FLORIDA 1 LOCATION

MARCH 2021 JUNE 2020

• Word got out quickly as soon as we reached communication range. The folks at Big Dog Tackle led the search to find an IGFA certified scale. Shaughn Miller of Offshore Anglers of Pompano Beach agreed to meet us with a scale at the Lighthouse Point Marina fuel docks. There was a small crowd on hand. The girth of the fish’s tail was bigger than most men’s waist. As she was hoisted from the boat, the scale climbed 400… 500… 600! Everyone was cheering. When she was finally vertical, the scale stopped at 767.8 pounds. It was insane, to say the least. The fish yielded more than 400 pounds of meat that was given away to family, friends and Filet for Friends charity. Some of it was eaten during a celebration barbecue for the community, where many got a taste of the official Florida state record swordfish.

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Serving the Coastal Communities of Palm Beach County

MARCH 2021

Palm Beach International Boat Show Set to Sail into Town Thursday, March 25 - Sunday, March 28 In addition to a wide selection of watercraft and marine accessories, the 36th annual event offers fun for the whole family. The 36th annual Palm Beach International Boat Show (PBIBS), brought to you by the Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County, takes place Thursday, March 28 through Sunday, March 31 along Flagler Drive in downtown West Palm Beach, directly across the Intracoastal Waterway from Palm Beach Island. The show will feature more than $1.2 billion worth of yachts and accessories, including hundreds of boats ranging from 8-foot inflatables to super yachts nearly 300 feet in length. In addition to the large selection of boats and exhibits, the show will offer fun and educational activities, including The AquaZone, an upfront experience with a variety of water sports and innovative products. “The PBIBS has something for the whole family – great food and drinks, fishing and boating educational seminars, and vendors from all over the world. You just might be surprised what you will find at the Palm Beach International Boat Show. You could find that boat you were looking for or a new pair of sunglasses. On behalf of the Marine Industries of Palm Beach County, we invite you to come down to the West Palm Beach waterfront and enjoy one of the largest boats shows in the country.” MIAPBC Board President George Gentile.

VIP EXPERIENCE : For attendees looking to experience the show as a VIP guest, the Windward Club offers the luxuries of a premium open bar, gourmet hors d’oeuvres, happy hours, and exclusive events in a unique indoor and outdoor lounge setting. Guests will enjoy entrance to the show one hour before open and will be able to experience an exclusive sanctuary within the Palm Beach International Boat Show to relax, wine and dine, and plan the day. Centrally located inside the Lakeside Pavilion on Flagler Drive, the Windward VIP Club is open Thursday through Sunday during show hours. The Windward VIP pass cost is $200 now until February 14th and will be $250 starting February 15th, inclusive of admission to the show.

THE AQUAZONE: A “show within a show,” the AquaZone, presented by Informa U.S. Boat Shows and Nautical Ventures Marine Superstore, is an exciting and engaging attraction designed to give show-goers an upfront and personal experience with a variety of water sports and innovative products. Previously held in a pop-up, 40,000-gallon freshwater pool, the AquaZone’s new open-area location on the Intracoastal Waterway will allow product demonstrations to reach higher speeds and go for longer distances. Located on the south end of the show, it will feature in-water demos, hands-on testing, contests, “The health and safety of our staff, exhibitors, visitors, and and prizes on all show days during show hours. The area also will serve as a one-stop learning center for water sports and product information. community remains our number one priority,” said Andrew Doole, president of Informa Markets U.S. Boat Shows. “We SHOW INFORMATION: General admission tickets are $28 for adults and $18 for also recognize the importance of our boat shows to the local children six through 15 years old. Children under six are free. An adult, two-day ticket is and state economy, and the marine industry at large. We $52. The VIP Experience, includes access to the show and VIP Lounge, is $200 now until look forward to safely welcoming boating enthusiasts and marine businesses to the Palm Beach show, in a world-famous February 14th and will be $250 starting February 15th. Guests must be 21 or older to access the lounge. destination during the most beautiful time of year.” In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Informa Markets has worked closely with the City of West Palm Beach to enhance safety measures, updating the layout so the entire event is open-air. There will also be four entrances and exits to ease the flow of pedestrian traffic and promote social distancing. All attendees will also be required to wear masks.

PBIBS will be organized in accordance with Informa’s newly adopted AllSecure health and safety standards, as well as all official government and local authority guidance and regulations. Informa coordinated the AllSecure standards in coordination with its association partners, peers, venues, suppliers, contractors, health officials, and federal and local authorities to develop. Adopted industry-wide, the AllSecure standards raise the bar on safe, hygienic, productive, and high-quality organized event experiences.

The show runs from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 25, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, March 26, and Saturday, March 28, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 29. Social media fans can connect with @PBBoatShow on Instagram and Twitter, @ PalmBeachInternationalBoatShow on Facebook, @InformaBoatShows on YouTube, and tag the show with #PBIBS2019 to join the conversation online. For more information on activities, boats on display, exhibitors, transportation, and parking, and more, visit PBboatshow.com.

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

FISHINGFORECAST FISHING WITH DARCIZZLE By Darcie Arahill Contributing Writer

Anglers, March madness has arrived which means the fishing should offer plentiful action for a variety of species inshore and offshore this month! The sea temperatures will be warming up and cool fronts will begin to fizzle out as the month progresses. The wind will be your biggest rival because March is considered a transitional month as we head into the beginning of spring. Offshore, sailfish will be a likely catch in the beginning of March, but large numbers of migrating sails are already south of Palm Beach waters. On the bright side, the mahi mahi bite should improve. If we have a steady easterly wind, this should prompt you to rig some ballyhoo and head offshore. Look for conditions such as edges, temperature breaks, rips, and debris. On the beach, spinner sharks will be relatively easy to locate. Scan the beach and drive your boat along the coast especially between Palm Beach Inlet and Jupiter inlet looking for jumping sharks. Once located, start chumming and get some baits out. Live bait is great, but big chunks of bonita and barracuda will work. You should be looking for sea turtles and large sharks in shallow water too, cobia will be following them! Bottom fishing and jigging the deep water wrecks off Boca, Boynton, or Palm Beach will yield big fish; ajs, kings, mutton snapper, Spanish mackerel, grouper, and wahoo are all on the list. In the IWC and rivers, there will be plenty of inshore action for anglers to enjoy. Snook season has been open for a month already so get out there for your slot fish (28-32” on Florida’s Atlantic

Personal best black drums I caught fishing under a bridge! Both fish were caught back to back bouncing a shrimp on a jig off the bottom.

coast). Live bait is best— mullet if you can find them, pilchards, or just live shrimp from a local shop. Find some moving water or current, and throw that live bait or artificial under the docks, against seawalls, pilings, bridges, etc. For snook and tarpon, I like to use Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow Lip Divers; trolling or just casting around structure. If the water is dirty, use dark colored lures and if the water is clear use light colored artificial lures. Ask me questions about fishing & see my recent FISHING VIDEOS on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/darcizzleoffshore

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2 PALM BEACH COUNTY

MAR. 2021

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

MAR. 2021

PALM BEACH COUNTY 3

FISHINGFORECAST

Shannon fed a fly to this nice snook.

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

Springtime has arrived and hopefully the mullet and other bait is right behind. This month tends to be pretty windy but if you go fishing anyways, chances are you will be rewarded. I like to net some big mullet first thing in the morning. The bigger, the better and fish them on sea walls and around the inlets looking for giant jacks and snook. Big top waters have been known to get some attention early and late in the day also. Nearshore reefs will produce kingfish, blackfin tuna, and a few mahi. If you search hard enough you should be able to find some small white baits to feed them.

Buddy caught this beautiful snook.

The freshwater scene will start firing up this month, although there will be times when the peacocks have zero interest as they are more focused on breeding. Live shiners will certainly be your ticket to fast action although shiny jerk baits and even some top waters will produce too. On days when it is cool or if you find colder water temps, I suggest fishing deeper with large build small crank baits first in the middle of the lake. That has produced some impressive catches of sunshine bass, Always great largemouth bass, peacock, and clown knifefish. to see permit in the Lake Worth Lagoon.

I know that I sound like a broken record on the subject but keep in mind how important it is for the peacocks to have a successful spawn and picking them off a bed while they are guarding eggs or fry is not very ethical or sportsman like. We must do our part for future generations.

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

Good luck out there and I hope everyone is having a great start to the year!

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 3/01 3/02 3/03 3/04 3/05 3/06 3/07 3/08 3/09 3/10 3/11 3/12 3/13 3/14 3/15 3/16 3/17 3/18 3/19 3/20 3/21 3/22 3/23 3/24 3/25 3/26 3/27 3/28 3/29 3/30 3/31

4 PALM BEACH COUNTY

MAR. 2021

Day 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 Tue Wed

Time 04:43 AM 05:31 AM 06:21 AM 12:52 AM 01:48 AM 02:49 AM 03:55 AM 05:04 AM 06:08 AM 12:48 AM 01:45 AM 02:35 AM 03:19 AM 04:59 AM 05:37 AM 06:13 AM 12:35 AM 01:14 AM 01:54 AM 02:38 AM 03:27 AM 04:23 AM 05:23 AM 06:23 AM 12:58 AM 01:58 AM 02:55 AM 03:47 AM 04:38 AM 05:28 AM 06:17 AM

Hgt -0.09L -0.01L 0.10L 2.59H 2.51H 2.42H 2.35H 2.32H 2.33H 0.12L 0.08L 0.06L 0.06L 0.10L 0.16L 0.23L 2.40H 2.37H 2.32H 2.27H 2.23H 2.20H 2.21H 2.25H 0.17L 0.08L -0.00L -0.06L -0.07L -0.04L 0.04L

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

Time 10:40 AM 11:23 AM 12:08 PM 07:14 AM 08:11 AM 09:11 AM 10:16 AM 11:23 AM 12:29 PM 07:06 AM 07:55 AM 08:39 AM 09:19 AM 10:55 AM 11:30 AM 12:04 PM 06:50 AM 07:29 AM 08:10 AM 08:56 AM 09:46 AM 10:42 AM 11:42 AM 12:43 PM 07:20 AM 08:11 AM 08:59 AM 09:45 AM 10:30 AM 11:15 AM 12:01 PM

Hgt 2.58H 2.52H 2.43H 0.23L 0.36L 0.46L 0.52L 0.5L 0.47L 2.37H 2.41H 2.43H 2.43H 2.39H 2.34H 2.28H 0.31L 0.39L 0.46L 0.52L 0.57L 0.59L 0.57L 0.50L 2.33H 2.42H 2.49H 2.52H 2.53H 2.50H 2.44H

Time 5:09 PM 5:55 PM 6:43 PM 12:57 PM 1:50 PM 2:51 PM 3:59 PM 5:10 PM 6:18 PM 1:28 PM 2:19 PM 3:03 PM 3:42 PM 5:17 PM 5:52 PM 6:25 PM 12:38 PM 1:15 PM 1:54 PM 2:37 PM 3:28 PM 4:26 PM 5:30 PM 6:34 PM 1:42 PM 2:36 PM 3:26 PM 4:13 PM 4:59 PM 5:46 PM 6:34 PM

Hgt -0.12L -0.14L -0.13L 2.33H 2.21H 2.11H 2.04H 2.04H 2.10H 0.38L 0.27L 0.18L 0.12L 0.10L 0.09L 0.11L 2.21H 2.14H 2.08H 2.02H 1.97H 1.95H 1.99H 2.08H 0.38L 0.21L 0.05L -0.10L -0.20L -0.24L -0.23L

Time Hgt 11:09 PM 2.63H 11:59 PM 2.63H 7:35 PM 8:32 PM 9:33 PM 10:38 PM 11:45 PM

-0.08L -0.00L 0.07L 0.12L 0.14L

7:17 PM 8:09 PM 8:56 PM 9:39 PM 11:19 PM 11:57 PM

2.19H 2.27H 2.35H 2.40H 2.42H 2.42H

7:00 PM 7:36 PM 8:17 PM 9:03 PM 9:56 PM 10:53 PM 11:55 PM

0.14 L 0.17L 0.21L 0.24L 0.27 L 0.27L 0.23L

7:34 PM 8:29 PM 9:22 PM 10:13 PM 11:03 PM 11:53 PM

2.22H 2.38H 2.54 H 2.67 H 2.75H 2.77H

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

MAR. 2021

PALM BEACH COUNTY 5

Targeting Donkeys on the Reef!

Wrangling with a reef donkey is sure to bring a smile!

By Mark Ambert Contributing Writer There are times when I just want to get out and try something different. Sometimes it occurs when I’m already on the water and the current plan is just not working. Whether it’s because the bites not happening or you just want to target something different; species like amberjacks, barracuda, and even sharks can bend the rod and bring a smile – saving an otherwise slow day. When the targeted species are not cooperating, fish like the amberjack or “aj” are always willing if they can be found. In this article, I’ll highlight catching the sometimes overlooked “reef donkey” or amberjack as a targeted gamefish. Ajs are notoriously strong fighters and can really challenge an angler’s skill when they reach a certain size – thirty pounds plus. Typical sizes for this fish on the wrecks and reefs are 30 to 60 pounds but can reach epic proportions at over 100 pounds! The Florida state record is a whopping 142 pounds. If you hook up to one of these – hang on! Schools of young fish are common at 5 – 20 pounds. PRO TIP - In the case of amberjacks, the small ones can be excellent table fair if prepared and eaten the same day. The larger ones up to a certain point (30 - 40 pounds) are excellent when smoked. Just don’t take the meat closest to the tail, where parasites may occur. Trim and clean them accordingly and remember while unsightly – these parasites are benign. When targeting these fish, I typically prefer the deeper wrecks and reefs in the 200 – 250 feet range as this helps avoid the problems with your catch being eaten by a shark. To target these strong fish at these depths, you’ll need a stout setup. I recommend a 6’6” rod with a soft tip to “see” and feel the baits movements, but with a powerful butt section to do the heavy lifting. The rod should have a forgiving power curve to absorb the punishing battle that will ensue. It should be light in the hands to reduce angler fatigue. I’m collaborating on a new series of rods called the Enthusiast Series™ that perfectly meets these requirements – stay tuned. For the reel, I recommend the Shimano Talica-II 2 Speed Lever Drag Reel. It will hold 725 yards of 65-pound braid while providing 45 pounds of max drag pressure. The 2-speed really comes in handy when a big fish digs in and won’t give up on the bottom. I spool mine with 65 pound Power Pro Braid in Moss Green and a top shot of 50 yards of 50 pound Momoi Mono. The mono top shot is key in that it stretches and absorbs some of the stress during a protracted battle. The leader is the most vulnerable aspect of your fishing system. Make sure to get it right and use only quality components fighting these fish, you won’t get a second shot at that trophy! I’ve had big amberjacks straighten 4X strong VMC tournament grade hooks in their bid for freedom. Insurance policy against toothy critters – 65 pound Surflon nylon coated 24” leader in camo secured with a size 4 crimp to a VMC size 8/0 circle hook and a quality 150 pound barrel swivel. To complete your leader setup – two pulls across the chest (roughly 10’) with 50 pound Seaguar fluorocarbon attached to the Surflon wire leader. This is attached to the main running line. The barrel weight is secured above this attachment on the main line using a double uni knot and safety bead to keep the weight from rubbing against the knot (see pic). PRO TIP - I like the fluoro for its extreme abrasion resistance should you hook a nice grouper that tries to get away. To start the day, I review my local fishing maps to plan. I highly recommend Home Port Charts, based in Stuart Florida. These maps give you all the information needed to locate productive local reefs and wrecks and at the desired depths. You can also check the Florida Fish and Wildlife website for the most upto-date locations of artificial reefs. Map out two or three different locations that represent various structure, depths, and locations. This will give you choices as the day and conditions unfold. I particularly like fishing wrecks on slow or no current days. These days can be tough due to the lack of current balling up bait. Wrecks and reefs will always hold some bait and even the smallest amount of current will stack bait around structure. Slow current days will keep you on your target longer into your drift. When the current becomes too strong to make a smaller wreck feasible, switch to a targeted reef system where you can maintain a longer drift over structure. I very rarely anchor for this type of fishing. PRO TIP - Many times, the larger fish will sit down current of the structure you are fishing as the bait gets swept along with the current, so be sure to drift well past the reef or wreck you are exploring. The stronger the current, the farther away the bait will be from the structure. Set up your drift on the upside of the structure based upon current and wind conditions. You’ll need at least 8 ounces of lead to get your offering down to the bottom. Plan on having 6, 8, 16 and 32 ounce weights. I go as light as possible to maintain my position close to structure. You want the line as close to straight up and down below the boat as possible as you drift. This is when slower current really works to your advantage for this type of fishing. Once your weight touches structure, reel up two or three full cranks of the reel. Set your drag to “fighting” position with approximately 20 pounds of drag pressure. Set the rod in a gunnel holder and watch the tip of the rod. A sensitive tip will telegraph the baits movement and tell you when it’s nervous just prior to being eaten. When the tip bounces, do not pick up the rod! Wait until the drag engages and line is peeling from the reel – fish on! Not having to set the hook but rather letting the line come tight is just one benefit of circle hooks. Most all fish will be hooked in the jaw for easy catch and release. Make sure to check updated regulations on the use of acceptable bait hooks. For certain anglers it may be easier to just leave the rod in the holder and fight it from there – especially on the bigger fish. Only remove the rod when the fish tires and is brought boat side to facilitate

continued on pg 12

Mark Ambert – Avid outdoorsman, sportswriter & photographer

Follow me on Instagram @marksgonefishing or contact me at marksgonefishing@gmail.com for collaboration 6 PALM BEACH COUNTY

MAR. 2021

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

The smaller amber jacks make delicious table fair!

An amber jack coming aboard! Note the jaw hookset – perfect for a safe release.

VMC 8/0 circle hook to 24” Surflon leader to 10’ 50lb Fluoro top shot. Weight is on the mainline. Note the almost straightened circle hook battling a big aj!

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 3/01 3/02 3/03 3/04 3/05 3/06 3/07 3/08 3/09 3/10 3/11 3/12 3/13 3/14 3/15 3/16 3/17 3/18 3/19 3/20 3/21 3/22 3/23 3/24 3/25 3/26 3/27 3/28 3/29 3/30 3/31

Day 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 Tue Wed

Time 05:33 AM 06:21 AM 12:27 AM 01:20 AM 02:18 AM 03:23 AM 04:33 AM 05:43 AM 12:57 AM 01:54 AM 02:45 AM 03:31 AM 04:13 AM 05:52 AM 06:30 AM 12:16 AM 12:53 AM 01:30 AM 02:10 AM 02:56 AM 03:49 AM 04:51 AM 12:11 AM 01:14 AM 02:11 AM 03:03 AM 03:52 AM 04:40 AM 05:27 AM 06:14 AM 12:19 AM

Hgt -0.52L -0.42L 2.71H 2.60H 2.47H 2.34H 2.27H 2.28H -0.21L -0.26L -0.29L -0.31L -0.28L -0.23L -0.13L 2.51H 2.43H 2.32H 2.21H 2.09H 2.01H 1.98H 0.27L 0.17L 0.03L -0.13L -0.27L -0.37L -0.41L -0.38L 3.06H

Time 11:09 AM 11:53 AM 07:11 AM 08:06 AM 09:06 AM 10:13 AM 11:23 AM 12:30 PM 06:46 AM 07:40 AM 08:26 AM 09:07 AM 09:44 AM 11:19 AM 11:53 AM 07:06 AM 07:42 AM 08:18 AM 08:57 AM 09:43 AM 10:39 AM 11:45 AM 05:58 AM 07:00 AM 07:55 AM 08:44 AM 09:30 AM 10:14 AM 10:59 AM 11:44 AM 07:03 AM

Hgt 2.71H 2.65H -0.26L -0.08L 0.10L 0.23L 0.28L 0.25L 2.36H 2.45H 2.53H 2.57H 2.58H 2.54H 2.48H -0.01L 0.13L 0.27L 0.42L 0.55L 0.64L 0.66L 2.03H 2.16H 2.33H 2.52H 2.68H 2.81H 2.87H 2.88H -0.28L

Time 5:56 PM 6:44 PM 12:39 PM 1:30 PM 2:27 PM 3:33 PM 4:44 PM 5:55 PM 1:30 PM 2:24 PM 3:11 PM 3:54 PM 4:33 PM 6:11 PM 6:46 PM 12:26 PM 12:59 PM 1:34 PM 2:12 PM 2:56 PM 3:50 PM 4:55 PM 12:51 PM 1:50 PM 2:42 PM 3:29 PM 4:15 PM 5:01 PM 5:47 PM 6:34 PM 12:30 PM

Hgt -0.61L -0.63L 2.55H 2.42H 2.28H 2.17H 2.14H 2.19H 0.15L 0.03L -0.09L -0.18L -0.24L -0.26L -0.23L 2.39H 2.28H 2.17H 2.06H 1.96H 1.89H 1.88H 0.59L 0.43L 0.2L -0.05L -0.30L -0.51L -0.65L -0.70L 2.81H

Time Hgt 11:36 PM 2.76H 7:35 PM 8:32 PM 9:35 PM 10:44 PM 11:53 PM

-0.57L -0.46L -0.33L -0.23L -0.20L

6:58 PM 7:52 PM 8:40 PM 9:23 PM 10:02 PM 11:40 PM

2.29H 2.40H 2.50H 2.56 H 2.58H 2.56H

7:21 PM 7:56 PM 8:33 PM 9:15 PM 10:04 PM 11:05 PM

-0.16L -0.07L 0.04L 0.15L 0.24L 0.29L

6:06 PM 7:12 PM 8:10 PM 9:03 PM 9:53 PM 10:41 PM 11:30 PM

1.96H 2.12 H 2.34H 2.58H 2.81 H 2.97H 3.06H

7:23 PM

-0.66L

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MAR. 2021

PALM BEACH COUNTY 7

FISHINGFORECAST KAYAK FISHING

Bob with his first clown knifefish.

By Brian Nelli Contributing Writer

Wayne with a stud peacock.

INSHORE: Winter weather is here. Windy days and cold fronts can make the fishing difficult at times, but finding a good bite can still be done. The pompano fishing will continue to be good. Try targeting the channel edges north of Jupiter and bouncing the bottom with Nylure Jigs or Goofy Jigs. Fishing these same areas you can find plenty of sheepshead when you put live shrimp into the mix. Working mangrove lines and sand flats midday when fish are trying to warm up will put you in line with snook and redfish. I like using D.O.A. Shrimp or a small paddle tail. Snook season to open so continue to fish structures like bridges, seawalls, docks, and spillways to put one on your dinner table.

Double trouble.

OFFSHORE: Kayak trips during this time will be limited due to windy weather, but we have still been able to get out with some lucky calm windows. Dolphin and sailfish have been the main targets fishing Jupiter to Boynton Beach. As usual, using live baits such as goggle eyes and blue runners will be your best bet. Slow trolling 90’ – 240’ will likely give you the best opportunity for either of these fish. March will start to bring reports of cobia as well as an even better dolphin bite. FRESHWATER: Peacock bass will continue to be schooled in the Lake Ida chain. Target areas like bridges, docks and deeper holes. Live bait is the way to go with water temps being lower, but I always like to have a Rat-L-Trap or jerkbait tied on as well. Average size peacock bass is in the 2-3lb range. Largemouth bass and clown knifefish will also be in the mix, look to catch them on the same baits and areas listed above.

Sailfish!

Check us out at Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for all the latest adventures my clients and I get into. See you on the water! Brian Nelli www.tckayakfishing.com • 772.201.5899 • Brian@tckayakfishing.com Check us out - Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters on Facebook, Instagram & Youtube

JR.ANGLER My Fishing Adventures

By Christopher Sprague Jr. Angler-Team Tuppens, Contributing Writer Hello Anglers, I hope you all have been fishing and been on the water lately. Recently I was able to go spearfishing and freediving with my friend from school. My friend Maxim and his dad are experienced and have been spearfishing for quite some time. They gave me a lesson about freediving in deeper waters and some safety guidance, along with a simple procedure and a plan of what we were going to do. We went to this spot that was around 50 feet deep. This was just barely out of my comfort zone since it has been a few months from when I went freediving in the Keys. We got to our spot and hopped in the water. Immediately the water surrounded us, and it was so cold, it was hard to put my face in the water. I also only have a wetsuit top, so my legs were freezing which made diving a little harder. We kept looking around for the rocks but could only find hard bottom nothing else, so we reset 3 times before finding something we liked. We never found the rock; however, we did find amberjacks and some yellow jacks. My job was to be the buoy holder this time, so I was not able to spear anything. The first few shots Max and his dad took missed, but then Max saw some sheepshead that he wanted to spear. He went down and suddenly a huge amberjack swam up right next to him, so he slowly moved his gun and shot. It hit the amberjack right through the gill and Max quickly got it to the surface. The fish was struggling a lot and it was extremely hard to get it onto the boat. We eventually had to grab the gaff and just hook the fish on and pull it up to the boat. Immediately sharks surrounded us, and we had to get out. We decided to call it a day, but Max was extremely happy since this was the biggest fish he had ever speared. We guessed it to be around 35 pounds. We had an amazing day and will be spearfishing again soon since it was so much fun! 8 PALM BEACH COUNTY

MAR. 2021

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

ECOTOURISM: The Great Blue Heron By Capt. Chris Thalmann Contributing Writer March is horseshoe crab breeding season and while these aren’t animals that most people associate with ecotourism, the entire tourism industry should probably throw a party for these unique creatures. After all, they’re helping us all get through the COVID mess. The horseshoe crab plays a huge role in ensuring the safety of almost every single vaccine, shot, and implantable or injectable device that’s been used here in the US since the 1970s. That includes several COVID vaccines now coming to market. And it’s a role that only the horseshoe crab can play. Horseshoe crabs are known as living fossils and have remained pretty much unchanged for a very long time. Fossils dating back 450 million years look much like those found today on the east coast of North America. More closely related to scorpions and spiders than crabs, they found their little niche in nature way back when and haven’t really had to evolve since. The horseshoe crab’s secret superpower - besides looking like the star of an alien movie - is all in their blood. Specifically, it’s their blood’s ability to clot when exposed to bacteria. That’s a critical skill when your immune system is roughly 450 million years old! If you’re thinking what’s the big deal - human blood and the blood of most animals clots too - you’re not wrong. But iron-based red blood tends to clot slowly. The horseshoe crab’s immune system is so primitive, their copper-based light-blue blood clots instantly to protect them from infection. If you want to see this in action, pour a little cream into a shot glass and add some lime juice on top. Stir or shake. It’s like instant isolation of invaders. The magic behind this trick is that horseshoe crab’s blood contains a substance known in shorthand as LAL. Their blood is the only known naturally-occurring source of LAL, and it’s the LAL that causes the instantaneous clotting. Roughly 500,000 horseshoe crabs are “milked” every year by the pharmaceutical industry for their blood. The LAL from their blood is then used to test IV drips, shots, vaccines, or anything designed to go into the human body for bacteria. If there’s even a hint of contamination the manufacturers will know instantly and can fix the problem before products get to market. The milked crabs are released but upwards of 50,000 die every year from the procedure. Because of this there’s real concern about the crabs eventually becoming endangered, as their eggs are a key food source for certain birds, fish, and other creatures. So, the next time you see a horseshoe crab, admire them for the role they play in helping us all live better lives. And if you’d like to help them in turn, go to myfwc.com and click the Engaging in Conservation / Research / Saltwater tabs to report your sightings to FWC. Have a great month, hope to see you on the water! Captain Chris Thalmann Owner | Aqua Adventure Tours, Inc. aquaadventuretours.com Captain Chris Thalmann Owner | Aqua Adventure Tours, Inc. • aquaadventuretours.com

The Palm Beach County Fishing Foundation’s

Saltwater Angling Lessons & Techniques for Youth Produced in memory of Don A. “Hap” Wilson

Watch the program in action... west palm beach fishing club

2021 COURSE DATES: JUNE 18 & 19

The S.A.L.T.Y. Program elevates fishing skills for youth ages 12 - 15, accompanied by a parent or adult chaperone. This is a limited participation course that includes hands on instruction from area angling experts. 2021 S.A.L.T.Y. course applications are now being accepted.

Call the West Palm Beach Fishing Club @ (561) 832-6780 to request application SALTY half pg CA ad2021.indd 1

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

MAR. 2021

PALM BEACH COUNTY 9 2/11/21 1:28 PM

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

Welcome to the March fishing report for Palm Beach, Singer Island, and Juno Beach. Expect great fishing and plenty of opportunities this month. The beaches will be swarming with spinner sharks and tarpon. These beasts will give you the fight of a lifetime. It won’t be hard to find the fish, just drive along the beach and look for anything dark and moving away from the vessel. The shore past the Singer Island condos will be on fire. Live bait or popper lures will work. Try to get ahead of the school for best bite. Offshore expect fat blackfins, jumbo dolphin, and fearsome kings to be on the edge, 130’ to 200’ depth. There has been a lot of cold weather up north similar to last year’s weather patterns. March 2020 was epic and we at reelintensefishing.com expect the same this March. Live bait is a must! Catch it or radio the bait boat on VHF 68. Light rigs will get the most bites. Let’s talk about swordfishing. March is for blackfin tuna. Some monsters have been taken this year. If you have never caught a broadbill then get your yourself out there. Wait for a calm day and don’t forget to bring the harpoon, you will need it if the fish is over 250lbs. If you are not sure how to sword fish, give us a call, we will get you on track for success. Tight lines and remember “you can’t catch them from the couch”!

ROADTRIPFISHING

The Boat By Keith Lozott Contributing Writer

I’ve been fishing for a long time and have had four boats personally not counting the boats that I grew up with as a kid. I always wanted a flats skiff as a kid and vowed that once I was an adult, I would have one. I kept that promise to myself and have had several skiffs since. My skills as an angler are always getting better and changing with the times. The more experiences I have, the more honed in I become on the water and to what I want to achieve while fishing. My needs for a boat are very precise for good reason and with so many skiffs available it’s hard to find what fits the best. For example: when I go on trips to Louisiana, I fish some extremely shallow water which requires a very shallow draft boat. The runs to some of the spots can be far, so a boat with sizeable fuel cell is preferred. My current boat has a 31 gallon tank with a 140 HP Suzuki which is very economical on fuel and gets around 5-6 mpg depending on the speed. If Captain Weston Russell I keep at 32 mph, I will get 561-310-2690 around 5.5 mpg and that www.reelintensefishing.com can take me 170 miles on one tank of fuel. Of course, I never push it that far. The Chandeleur Islands aren’t that far, and we could get there and PORT OF WEST PALM BEACH, FL Station ID: 8722588 back with ease in my boat or any boat with a decent fuel Time Hgt Time Hgt Time Hgt Time Hgt capacity. The smart thing to 03:19 AM -0.68L 09:37 AM 2.90H 3:43 PM -0.72L 10:04 PM 2.97H do is bring a couple fuel tanks 04:08 AM -0.56L 10:21 AM 2.80H 4:30 PM -0.73L 10:55 PM 2.98H along in case you get stuck. 05:01 AM -0.39L 11:08 AM 2.64H 5:20 PM -0.68L 11:49 PM 2.92H My boat is almost perfect 05:59 AM -0.20L 11:59 AM 2.46H 6:15 PM -0.58L minus a few items and that’s 12:48 AM 2.82H 07:01 AM -0.02L 12:56 PM 2.27H 7:15 PM -0.46L where the boat show came into 01:53 AM 2.72H 08:07 AM 0.11L 2:02 PM 2.13H 8:19 PM -0.36L 03:02 AM 2.65H 09:15 AM 0.17L 3:14 PM 2.08H 9:26 PM -0.30L the mix. We are in boat show 04:12 AM 2.65H 10:22 AM 0.15L 4:25 PM 2.12H 10:32 PM -0.29L mode this month and I just so 05:14 AM 2.69H 11:24 AM 0.07L 5:28 PM 2.24H 11:34 PM -0.32L happened to go to The Stuart 06:08 AM 2.73H 12:18 PM -0.04L 6:23 PM 2.37H Boat Show recently. I came 12:29 AM -0.36L 06:56 AM 2.76H 1:04 PM -0.16L 7:11 PM 2.50H across the 18ft Blacktip Flats 01:18 AM -0.38L 07:38 AM 2.76H 1:45 PM -0.25L 7:55 PM 2.59H Skiff and I was impressed! 02:01 AM -0.35L 08:17 AM 2.73H 2:23 PM -0.30L 8:36 PM 2.65 H The layout was almost perfect 03:42 AM -0.29L 09:54 AM 2.66H 3:59 PM -0.30L 10:15 PM 2.67H for me in that my partners in 04:21 AM -0.18L 10:29 AM 2.56H 4:34 PM -0.27L 10:54 PM 2.66H Louisiana always take at least two fly rods with them on every trip. The boat 05:00 AM -0.05L 11:05 AM 2.44H 5:09 PM -0.20L 11:32 PM 2.61H just so happens to have two fly rod specific storage lockers standard. It has 05:40 AM 0.10L 11:41 AM 2.30H 5:45 PM -0.10L 12:11 AM 2.54H 06:22 AM 0.25L 12:18 PM 2.16H 6:24 PM 0.00L six under the gunnel rod storage compartments, six rod holders on the center 12:53 AM 2.46H 07:08 AM 0.39L 12:58 PM 2.03H 7:07 PM 0.10L console, and a couple on the poling platform. The fuel cell is a custom 47 gallon 01:40 AM 2.37H 07:58 AM 0.51L 1:44 PM 1.92H 7:56 PM 0.16L tank in the floor on the hull. Thus, the above deck storage compartments are 02:33 AM 2.31H 08:53 AM 0.57L 2:38 PM 1.86H 8:50 PM 0.19L free to store other things. The hull is reasonably light and made of composite 03:33 AM 2.31H 09:50 AM 0.57L 3:40 PM 1.87H 9:49 PM 0.15L material giving it a very sporty 8”-10” draft (before the new lighter weight 04:34 AM 2.37H 10:47 AM 0.50L 4:43 PM 1.98H 10:49 PM 0.06L material). It is powered with a Mercury 115 ProXS and can be equipped with 05:30 AM 2.50H 11:41 AM 0.35L 5:42 PM 2.18H 11:47 PM -0.08L up to 175 HP. As a flats angler, I think the smaller horsepower is more effective 06:22 AM 2.65H 12:31 PM 0.13L 6:36 PM 2.43H when it comes to draft and squat in the back of the boat. I recommend looking 12:42 AM -0.25L 07:09 AM 2.81H 1:18 PM -0.13L 7:27 PM 2.71H at Blacktip Boatworks for your next boat. This is not a paid endorsement; I was 01:34 AM -0.41L 07:55 AM 2.94H 2:03 PM -0.38L 8:17 PM 2.97H 02:24 AM -0.52L 08:40 AM 3.02H 2:47 PM -0.60L 9:06 PM 3.19 H just impressed and wanted to share my experience.

PORT WPB - TIDE CHART Date 3/01 3/02 3/03 3/04 3/05 3/06 3/07 3/08 3/09 3/10 3/11 3/12 3/13 3/14 3/15 3/16 3/17 3/18 3/19 3/20 3/21 3/22 3/23 3/24 3/25 3/26 3/27 3/28 3/29 3/30 3/31

Day 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 03:13 AM -0.57L Tue 04:02 AM -0.54L Wed 04:53 AM -0.42L

10 PALM BEACH COUNTY

09:25 AM 3.04H 10:12 AM 2.99H 11:00 AM 2.88H

3:32 PM 4:18 PM 5:06 PM

MAR. 2021

-0.74L 9:56 PM 3.33H -0.80L 10:47 PM 3.38H -0.75L 11:39 PM 3.34H

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

Keith Lozott The Fishing Realtor

FISHINGFORECAST Capt. Craig

Chris with a fat snook.

JUPITER INLET INSHORE By Craig Korczynski Contributing Writer

March into spring! March is a fun time of year, typically rainy and windy, but the waters warm, there is plenty of bait around, and the predator fish are active. Jupiter and Palm Beach offers a wide variety of species to target like snook, tarpon, trout, jacks, and redfish. Whether live baiting, fly fishing, or using artificial lures anglers should focus their attention on seawalls, docks, grass flats, and mangrove shorelines. The key to successful fishing is locating moving water and most importantly bait fish. Snook fanatics, the season is open! The snook action will be fantastic as snook begin to trickle from back bays and begin to settle on sand flats, under docks, next to sea walls, and near inlets. Look for any signs of bait fish and current and you will locate snook. Night fishing is another great option for anglers in search of snook. Docks and bridges are excellent areas to pinpoint schooling snook. Jigging a D.O.A. C.A.L. 3” Shad Tail or a D.O.A. TerrorEyz for snook are great bait choices. Many anglers enjoy using live shrimp under the dock lights. Fly anglers - this is your time to shine, fly casters can enjoy epic snook action. I like to use the 2” D.O.A. Shrimp for steady rod bending action or small white flies mimicking small bait fish. Tarpon will be found occupying deep channels creating great opportunities for anglers to target rolling fish near the surface. Try to read where the tarpon are heading, focus on their actions; this will allow you to choose your best method to present Marco with your bait and position your boat. D.O.A. Bait Jack and a peacock Busters, live mullet, or greenies will leave you bowing Kevin with bass caught to the silver king. These fish are known for their a pair of on a D.O.A. acrobatic leaps and drag screaming runs. The average snook. TerrorEyz. size of the tarpon ranges from 20 to 90 pounds. Well, that is the fishing report for the Jupiter and Palm Beach area, hope you all enjoyed. Just remember you can’t catch them from the couch so get out there and get hooked up. Tight Lines! Captain Craig Korczynski 561-644-4371 • phlatsinshorefishing.com Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube

Fishing Club

Marine Yard Sale to beneﬁt the Palm Beach County Fishing Foundation

This year’s sale will feature ﬁshing rods, reels, tackle boxes, lures, lead, coolers, and assorted ﬁshing & boating accessories.

Saturday, April 17th, 2021 8:00 am - 1:00 pm At the West Palm Beach Fishing Club • 201 5th St., West Palm Beach, 33401 (downtown West Palm Beach, corner of 5th Street and North Flagler Drive)

Plan to join us for this popular outdoor event and some great deals! Mask required for entry. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

2021 CA Yard Sale ad2.indd 1

MAR. 2021

PALM BEACH COUNTY 11

2/11/21 1:30 PM

FISHINGFORECAST JUNO BEACH PIER Jake with a king mackerel.

By Lauren Eissey, Loggerhead Marinelife Center Contributing Writer Recently, our local beach was highlighted in Condé Nast Traveler’s article The 17 Best Beaches in Florida. Our sandy beaches located in close proximity to the gulf stream host clear ocean waters teeming with life. Over the next month, anglers should particularly monitor tide, temperature and visibility as the weather changes. With spring on the horizon, marine life is beginning to swarm the pier. Last month, pier spectators spotted manatees, bull sharks, spotted eagle rays, and more. Anglers enjoyed the re-opening of snook season and catching king mackerel on the pier. When visiting the pier this month, anglers can expect to see Spanish mackerel, pompano, bluefish, jacks, blue runners, and croakers. Jacks and blue runners are similar in that they both enjoy bait such as shrimp and can be caught using lures. Commonly found inshore and nearshore waters, especially along sandy beaches, pompano feed on mollusks, crustaceans, and sand fleas. Catch pompano using jigs on bait. To catch Spanish mackerel, use lures and jigs. Remember, these fish have a daily bag limit of 15 per harvester. Anglers hoping to catch bluefish are advised to use lures and cut bait, preferably oily bait. When fishing for croakers, anglers should use whiting and sand perch. For daily fishing and weather reports, call the pier house before your visit. All anglers and spectators who visit the Juno Beach Pier are encouraged to dispose of used monofilament lines in the designated recycling containers and report any accidentally hooked sea turtles to the pier staff. As part of Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s (LMC) Responsible Pier (RPI) Initiative, the Juno Beach Pier practices sustainable fishing and recycling to reduce the amount of discarded fishing gear that ends up in our oceans. Adult anglers interested in learning more about the pier’s conservation efforts, can ask the pier staff about beach cleanups, underwater cleanups, and LMC’s RPI Initiative. Young anglers eager to learn to fish can participate in LMC’s Kids Fishing Program offered weekly on Saturdays. Email reservations@ marinelife.org to register.

Photo Courtesy of Loggerhead Marinelife Center.

Randy Yent, Pier Coordinator Juno Beach Pier (561) 627-8280 x140 Facebook.com/junobeachpier • Instagram & Twitter:@junobeachpier

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 3/01 3/02 3/03 3/04 3/05 3/06 3/07 3/08 3/09 3/10 3/11 3/12 3/13 3/14 3/15 3/16 3/17 3/18 3/19 3/20 3/21 3/22 3/23 3/24 3/25 3/26 3/27 3/28 3/29 3/30 3/31

Day 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 Tue Wed

Time 03:17 AM 04:05 AM 04:55 AM 12:05 AM 01:03 AM 02:08 AM 03:18 AM 04:28 AM 05:31 AM 06:25 AM 12:29 AM 01:15 AM 01:57 AM 03:36 AM 04:14 AM 04:50 AM 05:26 AM 12:15 AM 12:55 AM 01:41 AM 02:34 AM 03:36 AM 04:43 AM 05:45 AM 06:40 AM 12:47 AM 01:36 AM 02:24 AM 03:11 AM 03:58 AM 04:47 AM

Hgt -0.69L -0.55L -0.35L 2.65H 2.51H 2.39H 2.32H 2.33H 2.40H 2.50H -0.39L -0.41L -0.38L -0.30L -0.17L -0.01L 0.17L 2.37H 2.25H 2.13H 2.05H 2.02H 2.07H 2.20H 2.38H -0.17L -0.36L -0.49L -0.54L -0.50L -0.37L

Time 09:54 AM 10:38 AM 11:24 AM 05:50 AM 06:50 AM 07:57 AM 09:07 AM 10:14 AM 11:14 AM 12:08 PM 07:11 AM 07:52 AM 08:29 AM 10:04 AM 10:38 AM 11:11 AM 11:44 AM 06:02 AM 06:41 AM 07:27 AM 08:23 AM 09:29 AM 10:35 AM 11:34 AM 12:26 PM 07:29 AM 08:15 AM 08:59 AM 09:44 AM 10:29 AM 11:15 AM

12 PALM BEACH COUNTY

Hgt 2.76H 2.70H 2.60H -0.10L 0.13L 0.31L 0.38L 0.33L 0.20L 0.04L 2.57H 2.62H 2.63H 2.59H 2.53H 2.43H 2.33H 0.36L 0.56L 0.73L 0.85L 0.88L 0.78L 0.57L 0.28L 2.56H 2.73H 2.86H 2.93H 2.93H 2.87H

Time 3:40 PM 4:28 PM 5:19 PM 12:15 PM 1:12 PM 2:18 PM 3:29 PM 4:40 PM 5:43 PM 6:37 PM 12:55 PM 1:38 PM 2:17 PM 3:55 PM 4:30 PM 5:05 PM 5:40 PM 12:19 PM 12:57 PM 1:41 PM 2:35 PM 3:40 PM 4:51 PM 5:57 PM 6:55 PM 1:13 PM 1:59 PM 2:45 PM 3:31 PM 4:18 PM 5:07 PM

MAR. 2021

Hgt Time -0.81L 10:21 PM -0.83L 11:12 PM -0.75L 2.46H 6:16 PM 2.32H 7:19 PM 2.22H 8:28 PM 2.18H 9:37 PM 2.23H 10:41 PM 2.33H 11:38 PM 2.45H -0.12L 7:25 PM -0.24L 8:08 PM -0.32L 8:47 PM -0.34L 10:25 PM -0.30L 11:01 PM -0.22L 11:38 PM -0.09L 2.21H 6:17 PM 2.09H 6:59 PM 1.99H 7:48 PM 1.93H 8:49 PM 1.92H 9:55 PM 1.99H10:58 PM 2.16H 11:55 PM 2.39H -0.06L 7:48 PM -0.40L 8:38 PM -0.68L 9:26 PM -0.87L 10:15 PM -0.93L 11:04 PM -0.87L 11:55 PM

Hgt 2.81H 2.76H -0.60L -0.44L -0.31L -0.26L -0.28L -0.34L

TARGETING DONKEYS cont’d from pg. 6 landing. I like to do this on large fish and pick up the rod just before the top shot leader comes thru the rod tip. Note – I like a lightweight roller tip-top to prevent the knots from getting caught on the tip guide under pressure. I find that structure-oriented fish are active most of the day and thru most of the tide changes. If anything, other elements such as cold fronts, barometric pressure or moon phases will affect the bite more. Just remember – most anglers fish when they can vs. optimal conditions - so go out, enjoy the day, and have a backup plan! Whether it’s a client, friend or family member looking to “bend a rod” these fish can save an otherwise nonproductive fishing trip and be great alternatives for putting a smile on and having a successful day. And who knows – you may also hook into one of the many trophy sized grouper that frequent these same wrecks and reefs!

2.55H 2.61H 2.63H 2.61 H 2.56H 2.47H 0.05L 0.20L 0.32 L 0.39 L 0.35L 0.23L 0.04L 2.63H 2.86H 3.03H 3.12 H 3.12H 3.03 H

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

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Spring Cleaning Wastes

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

MAR. 2021

PALM BEACH COUNTY 13

FISHINGFORECAST LAKE OKEECHOBEE

By Capt. Nate Shellen Contributing Writer Some say March is the “BEST” month of the year to fish Okeechobee, personally, I think any month you can get here is the best month to fish here. March can some years be a questionable month. If the weather is cold and windy, lending itself to cool water temperatures and rough lake conditions, bass fishing can become very tough. However, “if ” the weather is warm and stable, it lends itself to warmer water temperatures and smoother conditions, which in turn can lead to some of the best bass catching conditions of the winter season. The fishing can be terrific for a solid week and then a cold front blows through South Florida and the water temperatures in the lake fall 10 or more degrees overnight, leading to a downturn in fish production, only to fully recover, after a few warm days warm the water up once again. As I write this, bass fishing, particularly shiner fishing, has been quite good for the past five to six days. Local guides are reporting catching 35 to 45 bass per trip. Big bass are in the mix, 7 to 10 pound bass are falling prey to wild shiners daily. The full moon period will be around the first of the month with the full moon being on the 9th of March leading to another wave of pre-spawn bass that will move into the grass lines to feed prior to spawning. At this juncture in the season, we have a percentage of bass that have spawned already and are feeding up after exhausting most of their energy. Then too, there are bass that are in a pre-spawn mode that are just waiting for what bass consider perfect conditions to spawn. When the perfect conditions are present, the bass bite is something that will provide a lifetime of memories. It’s about timing, with a little luck mixed in. Judging simply from the number of speck anglers on the lake, it must be a banner season! It has been several years since so many specks have been caught in and around the grass lines of the lake. Jig anglers are having the best of it reporting catches every time they venture onto the lake. Minnow anglers are finding their creels full of fat healthy 10-inch-plus specks as well. The Kissimmee River and local canals are giving up limits daily, and even more nightly. Capt. Nate Shellen Shellen Guide Service Okeechobee Bass Fishing Guides/Charters (863) 357-0892 • sjmike7@aol.com• OkeechobeeBassFishing.com

John Drab, his son, and his girlfriend landed these beauties and many more on live wild shiners.

ON THE RANGE By Chuck Papp, Contributing Writer The great ammo shortage of 2020 has now continued into 2021 with no real end in sight. So, what started all this? It boils down to several issues beginning in March of last year. With the start of March 2020, the world changed with the full blown COVID-19 global pandemic. No matter what side of the fence you are on with this does not matter. It affected everyone with a firearm. You can have all the firearms you want, but without ammo they do not work. As soon as the stay at home orders and business closures went into effect people went crazy. They all wanted to protect what they had. The vast majority of gun sales were first time buyers, and with a gun they needed ammo. Once the existing gun owners saw what was going on, they started to buy it up as well. It turned into pure hoarding of ammunition, which continues today. Let us be realistic, if they ran out of toilet paper and paper towels what do you think was going to happen with ammo. Then came the defund the police movements and all the social unrest in some of the major cities. That was like putting 30 gallons of gas on a campfire. It took off yet again. The next bump was the November elections. Everyone has known for a long time now when the Democrats get into the White House the gun and ammo sales start to gain momentum again. There has not been much said out of the new administration yet, but many feel it is coming. The more realistic approach from them will be a tax levied on firearms and ammunition purchases. There is a tax now, but it may rise 30 to 40 percent. This is keeping people watching closely. As soon as there is talk about it, the surge will start again. The manufacturers just cannot keep up with the demand. The closing of Remington took one of the major 3 brands out of the picture for sales. Now that Remington has been purchased by the owners of Federal Ammunition, they are trying as fast as they can to catch up, but it is just not happening fast enough. According to some of the ammunition representatives, if these buying patterns stop now, it will still take them until late 2022 or early 2023 to get back to the levels of inventory which were seen in January of 2020. It is going to be a tough road ahead for a while. The local shops do receive inventory, but it flies out fast. Conserve what you have, stay vigilant in your search, and hope there is a slowdown insight.

14 PALM BEACH COUNTY

MAR. 2021

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D R A O B G A R B Matthew Kane caught (and rele ased) this mutto snapper off Boyn n ton Beach in ar ound 75 feet depth with thre adfin dead bait.

Pete Moccia with a big jack caught from the surf on a top water plug.

caught Jennifer Fredricks Carly Moulton & llyhoo ba ing us r k groupe this nice 18” blac to the Keys. as bait on a trip

Florida winter is the right time for bass with the big gals on the spawning beds. Catch and release at Riverbend Park on the Rapala RipStop!

Tyler Rivero landed this awesome largemouth bass in Boynton Beach.

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

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LIFE IS A BEACH I

’m expecting awesome spring action at the beach. Longer days and warmer weather will start bringing snook from the deeper water around the inlets to feed in the surf early in the morning and late in the evening. Tarpon will start navigating the inlets and going along the beach. Pods of bait will have snook, tarpon, large jacks, mackerel and bluefish feeding on them. Even though the pompano bite and mackerel bite will start to end, the whiting and croaker bite will improve, and they will be hitting live bait, small jigs and spoons where you find bait. Follow the Bait: Fish will be following pods of glass minnows, greenies and other bait as they start heading north. Look for pelicans in the water and gulls and terns that dive at the tops of waves, picking off bait. When you go to the beach, look for birds that have located schooling bait or bait pods. The general rule is: No birds, no bait. Find a beach where you can see birds and/or bait. If you walk down to the water, you will see activity around the trough behind the closest breaking waves. You will see splashing or small fish jumping if there’s going to be fishing action. Birds will usually be concentrated on large schools of bait and big pods. The Early Bite is Best: My experience is 15 minutes before daybreak until early morning is the best time to fish the beach. It’s the best snook bite, and the fish will be around the trough because the bait will be in the wash. Usually the bait will start moving out after daybreak. Reels and Tackle: I use a medium to light spinning reel (400 series) with 10to 20-pound white braid on a 7-foot rod. A long rod gives you longer casts. I use a 30- to 40-pound fluorocarbon leader attached to the braid with a uni knot and attach the lure with a loop knot for better movement. Lures: My favorite search bait is a 3/8- to ½-ounce chartreuse jig with a pearl white paddletail, which gives the lure more movement and even works with a steady retrieve. That steady retrieve is useful in rough, windy weather. I use a variety of retrieves depending on whether the fish are hitting near top or off bottom. Usually, I try and fish near the top by holding my rod tip high, twitching the lure, and using a fast retrieve. For bottom feeders like whiting and croaker, I let the jig sit on the bottom and give it an exaggerated jerk, which brings it to the top. I also like shallow-running crankbaits and spoons in gold or silver. For long casts in wind and bigger fish, try 2-ounce silver crocodile spoon.

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f you’re looking for a fishing adventure that’s just a short flight away, where the fishery is as good as any on the planet, and you won’t have to mortgage your home to afford it, don’t overlook Mexico and Belize. Flights to Cancun are available from almost every airport, and if you shop around, very inexpensive flights can be found. Once you get there, accommodations are very reasonably priced, and meals are cheaper than here in The States. I have fished the “Mayan Riveria” from Cozumel to Tulum, with results that are pretty awesome. What’s more, I had most of the areas I fished entirely to myself. I am a fly fisherman, and I spent days wading turtle grass flats for species like tarpon, bonefish, snook, a variety of snapper species, pompano and even the elusive Permit. I recently returned from a trip when the weather was marginal, at best, with high winds and rough seas. Still, I was able to produce several different species, along with some world-class triggerfish. These odd-looking warriors can be found hanging out on shallow coral reefs, and they are a ton of fun on the fly. I also spent a day fly fishing with my friend Will Robins, who owns and operates Fly Fish Costa Maya, in Chetumal, Mexico, near the Belize Border. In one morning, we hooked and broke off four trophy-sized triggers and had legitimate shots at three permit in the 10- to 15-pound range. If you know how difficult permit are to catch on the fly, you’ll understand that just having a few opportunities to cast to them is exciting. The highlight of the trip was a triggerfish we landed that would have been a monster anywhere. If Belize has been on your bucket list, the waters of Ambergris Caye are as good as their reputation. I’ve fished the caye several times with personal friend, Hilian Martinez. Most consider this man among the best in the country. Belize is also very easy to travel to, and reasonably priced. With a little homework, the waters of the Yucatan Peninsula and the waters of Belize can also produce good numbers for those who desire DIY fishing, without a guide. These are just a few examples of opportunities that await just a few hours away in a place that’s as beautiful as it is productive. A world-class fishery awaits, and it’s a lot closer and more attainable that you ever thought possible.

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SPRING TROUT IN THE SMOKIES

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By TAM Staff

uide Ian Rutter is fired up about spring in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Ample rains and a mild winter bode well for the wild trout that inhabit more than 800 miles of trout streams in the park. This time of year, fish are perking up to feed on an abundance of aquatic insects. But there’s another reason the Smokies are inviting to anglers in spring. The summertime crowds, with their campers and inner tubes, haven’t yet invaded the larger rivers. Ian and his wife, Charity, run R&R Fly Fishing out of Townsend, Tennessee. They have guided anglers in the park for a quarter century and live a stone’s throw from Little River, one of the largest and most popular streams in the Smokies. From high-elevation brook trout rills to roadside rivers, they fish it all, but Ian said it’s wise to stick to the larger flows in lower elevations this time of year. In March, and even into April, it’s likely there will still be snow on the ground up in the hills. Trout thrive in cold water, but their metabolisms slow, and they feed less readily in icy temperatures. Also, the bugs they feed on are mostly dormant at higher altitudes, which can make things slow for fly fishing. Meanwhile, down in the valleys, larger rivers like Little River, Deep Creek and the Oconaluftee will be waking up. In afternoons, even on cold days, fish should be looking to the surface for hatches of mayflies like Quill Gordons, blue-winged olives and blue quills. Throw in a few early brown stoneflies, and you’ll see why the Smokies are known for great dry fly fishing. “Oftentimes you’ll have some combination of those bugs all at the same time,” Ian said. “They’re not too particular. And even the one’s that are particular aren’t as particular as some folks think they are.” Being sneaky is more important than fly selection, Ian said. Trout in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are wild, stream-born and extremely wary of predators. So wading very carefully and making short accurate casts are important to success. Another thing about trout in the Smokies is they grow slowly. Fishing is less about catching big fish and more about the overall experience. “I like to say, ‘your results may vary,’” said Ian when asked about angler expectations. “We do catch some 16-inchers, but the important thing to remember is it’s a wild trout fishery. There aren’t any stocked trout that were put in last week at 14 inches. A 16-incher might be 10 years old. It’s survived every type of predator out there, so it’s super-smart and difficult to catch.” A proficient angler can expect to catch good numbers of brightly colored 8- to 10-inch wild trout. Any angler can expect to wade through some of the most gorgeous mountain trout water in the East. For information on fishing the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, contact R&R Fly Fishing through their website at randrflyfishing.com.

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From proprietary fabrics that breathe to superior functionality and bold graphics and colors, GILLZ is in a class of its own. It starts with revolutionary, chemicalfree GillzTec fabric. It’s engineered to quickly distribute moisture 360 degrees across the garment, so the moisture evaporates much faster, keeping you cooler. The cross-breeze ventilation system channels cooling air under the shirt. In

fact, you’ll find GILLZ shirts breathe like nothing you’ve ever worn. And of course, all of their shirts provide UPF 50+ sun protection, so you can fish from sunup to sundown safely. GILLZ masks feature “gills” that channel air down your neck and mesh mouth openings that prevent your sunglasses from fogging. Plus, their masks can also be worn in a variety of ways to suit your particular needs. Functional hybrid shorts with pockets where you need them also feature four-way stretch fabric, an expandable waistband and a vented, gusseted crotch that lets cool air in. And who couldn’t use some cool air down there? And you’ve got to check out the epic designs and styles. Each color and print is inspired by and pays homage to nature and marine life. You’ll find bold, confident styles for anglers like you. Whatever your destination – the Bahamas, Florida Keys, Outer Banks or the Gulf of Mexico… whether you’re fishing offshore, the flats, lake, or river, only GILLZ Technical Fishing Apparel brings this level of durability, comfort, and performance to the table. That’s why it’s the choice of many pros. Rest assured, GILLZ will continue to push innovation and performance to the limit with elite new products. So, breathe in that moment out on the water when your muscles are working overtime and the sun is beating down. You’ll know that GILLZ apparel breathes with you so you can be at your absolute best. See the latest GILLZ collections by checking out their website: www.gillz-gear.com

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MARCH 2021

NATIONAL 15

LOCAL ANGLER CRUSHES VIRGINIA SWORDFISH RECORD A daytime deep drop expedition yielded spectacular results for a Virginia angler this past September. It took four months for the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament to officially announce it, but a 597-pound swordfish caught by Nicholas Kontodiakos on Sept. 25, 2020 absolutely crushed the existing state record. Kontodiakos, of Norfolk, Va., was drifting in 1,000 feet of water off Virginia Beach when the massive swordfish hit a bait suspended at 800 feet. Caught along the southern edge of Norfolk Canyon, Kontodiako’s fish topped the existing record by more than 130 pounds. The previous record of 466 pounds was caught in August 2019 by Tony Gower Jr., of Virginia Beach. Kontodiakos and fishing buddy Trey Wallace left Rudee Inlet at 4:30 a.m. aboard the angler’s 2007, 29-foot SeeVee. After arriving at their location, they made several long drifts and had a couple of bites that did not come tight. The lines were set for “one more drift” before they planned to head in for the day. At 3:30 p.m. the deep “buoy rod,” with a rigged dolphin belly on a blue and white skirt, came tight. After wrestling the fish for nearly five hours, it was clear it was a large swordfish, and when the fish was finally secured at the transom, they began to relax. But securing the fish to the transom was

just round one. Round two consisted of couple hours of inching the fish onto the deck. Kontodiakos’ passion for swordfish began a decade ago while living on the east coast of Florida. “I had no idea how to go about catching them,” he admitted. After moving to Virginia Beach and realizing there were swordfish 60-plus miles off the Virginia coast, he decided he needed a bigger boat. Unfortunately, even with a bigger boat, his lack of success in Florida tagged along to Virginia. “No one wanted to fish with me because I never came back with any fish,” he said. Relentlessly perusing information on the Internet and talking to successful anglers eventually began to payoff, and his success improved in recent years. He said he’s caught a swordfish in every month of the year except January. It was nearly midnight when the pair pulled inside Rudee Inlet on Sept. 25. A call had already been made to alert the Virginia Beach Fishing Center of the catch, and the boat’s bow was pointed straight to the Fishing Center’s main dock. Representatives from the Fishing Center were dockside to assist, and a small crowd of onlookers had assembled, despite the late hour. The fish measured 180 inches total length,

M Y

with a lower jaw fork length of 111 inches. It sported a hefty girth of 69 inches. Kontodiakos used a custom Joe Leffler 80-pound class rod, teamed with a Shimano Tiagra 50 reel, spooled with 80-pound PowerPro braid and topped off with a 25-foot, 250-pound Moni mono leader with a Mustad 7691, 11/0 hook, attached to the business end.

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MARCH 2021

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p b sh It’s the fry can Bu catchin vetera tips to 1) crappi hold o times shallow “Th for the the spa mid-5 As Then seek o of cree back o Th targets spawn could have m Sa the 10 discard

pringtime is crappie time. When water temps begin to climb, the crappie schools move shallow to stage on structure before the spawn. It’s the time of year when loading coolers for a fish fry can be quick and easy. But the thing with crappie is you’re either catching them or you’re not. With that in mind, veteran crappie angler Dan Saknini offered some tips to consistently catch slab crappie. 1) Know The Cycles: The comfort zone for crappie is 35 feet and shallower, said Saknini. They hold on deep brush during the coldest and hottest times of year, but in milder weather they move shallower in search of optimal water temperatures. “This time of year, the crappie are fattening up for the spawn,” he said. “Their comfort zone for the spawn is when water temperatures rise into the mid-50s, preferably closer to 60.” As the spawn begins, fish stage up on structure. Then they’ll move extremely shallow in waves to seek out spawning areas on the banks and backs of creeks. The females move in, lay eggs and move back out. The males stay shallow to guard the beds. Through the stages of the spawn, Saknini targets brush in 15 feet or shallower. With the spawning season lasting about a month, these could be pre-spawn fish or post-spawn fish that have moved back out. Saknini shoots jigs in and around docks in the 10- to 15-foot range. Many lake homeowners discard Christmas trees off their docks. These are

the docks you need to find. 2) Locate Structure: Regardless of the season, black crappie school up on some type of structure. They change depths, and move off structure momentarily to feed, so catching them consistently means knowing the locations of brushpiles at all different depths. Saknini said good electronics and prospecting are key to being a good crappie angler. If you fish a lake that allows it, you can build your own honey holes. “I probably sink 50 or 60 brushpiles a year,” Saknini said. “Then I go back and fish them. There might be fish there, or there might not, but I always have another one to go to.” 3) Ditch the Minnows: Fishing a minnow under a bobber is traditional, and it can be effective. However, Saknini said fishing jigs is a far more efficient. “Once you get used to jig fishing, it’s always more productive,” he said. “If you’re fishing a minnow, it’s either under a bobber or on a downline, and it’s stationary. With a jig, you’re moving and covering water.” Crappie are lazy and won’t chase a bait more than a few feet, Saknini said. There could be fish all over a piece of structure, but you wouldn’t know it if your minnow is just a foot out of the strike zone. With a jig, you can cover water vertically and horizontally for a better chance of passing through that zone.

PHOTO BY NICK CARTER

Catch More Crappie

Dan Saknini is a member of Lanier Crappie Anglers Club. Check them out at www.laniercrappieanglers.net.

FREEDIVER SPEARS WORLD RECORD SNAPPER

reediver Stephanie Schuldt broke a world record in late November when she speared a 19.3-pound (8.8 kg) dog snapper in the Bahamas. At a depth of 45 feet, Schuldt stuck the big snapper with 9-foot Headhunter Nomad roller polespear while wreck diving off Nassau. The fish qualified her for the International Underwater Spearfishing Association’s women’s world record for the species in the sling/polespear division. It also outweighed the men’s record of 19.1 pounds, which was caught by JonMichael Degidio off Grand Cay in 2016. “At the end of my breath hold I saw the dog snapper swimming in and out of the wreckage,” wrote Schuldt in a description of the event. “I came back up to the surface and told my boyfriend, Matt, ‘There is a world record dog snapper down there.’ I took some time to get a good breathe-up, dropped back down into the wreck and got a solid holding shot on the fish. It fought for a bit on the way up, but I was able to clear it from the wreck and get it to the surface. Once at the surface, it tried to bite me and tangled up my float line, but I was able to grab it by the gills and swim it back to my boat.” Even on a rod and reel, Schuldt’s fish would have been impressive. The IGFA all-tackle world record weighed 24 pounds. It was caught back in 1994 by Capt. Wayne Barder off Abaco. Check Stephanie Schuldt’s adventures at www.saillaviecharters.com. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

MARCH 2021

NATIONAL 19

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here should be a betting pool for just how quickly the Black Lake, Michigan sturgeon season will end each year. In 2020, the season lasted just six hours. This year, the scheduled Feb. 6-10 season was shut down after two hours of fishing when the harvest limit was met. Imagine getting all geared up to go spear fishing through a hole in the ice for these big prehistoric fish. The season opens at 8 a.m. Then, at 10 a.m., your hopes are dashed when Michigan DNR knocks on the door of your ice shanty. Apparently, that’s the way Black Lake sturgeon season goes for a vast majority of anglers. More than 500 anglers registered to jockey for a harvest quota of just six fish this year. It’s a credit to Michigan DNR that they even hold the event at the 10,000-acre lake, which is connected to Lake Huron by the Black and Cheboygan rivers. Rehabilitation of the lake sturgeon population in the watershed is an ongoing effort, and this limited harvest creates excitement around the effort. There are reports of anglers who have fished the season for decades without getting a single sturgeon. The six fish caught ranged from 50 to 63 inches and 25 to 61 pounds. Three of the fish had been tagged before during studies of the spawning run up the Black River. A 61-inch-long female, estimated to be about 20 years old, was tagged during the 2006 spawning run. Male sturgeon have a lifespan of about 55 years. Females can live longer than 100 years. For more information, go to Michigan.gov/Fishing. 20 NATIONAL

MARCH 2021

ooking through Facebook and reminiscing on traveling for boat-show season, one conversation starter I remember most fondly is, “That’s too big for my rope locker.” In spite of American fiberglass OEMs like Sea Chaser and Sea Pro factory-installing the Rebel EZ-4 on specific series, there’s still a popular myth that drum anchor winches are built predominantly for aluminum boats. One too many boaters have told me this when they stopped at our company’s booth during the 2020 season, and while we’re officially homebound due to the pandemic, we’re as busy as ever answering questions and informing customers about our product. We want to help them achieve the best anchoring results for them. From newbies who have recently embraced boating, to longtime hobbyists who have extra time to add new features on their boats, there is usually an anchoring solution, whether it’s a Patriot direct drive unit or a Rebel free-fall unit. “You can click the ‘Products’ tab on the website and select the winch that interests you,” Sara Hitchins, E-Z Anchor Puller’s office and trade show manager said. “Select the unit you’d like to view and the link to the dimensional drawings are on the product page. One way to measure is to make a cardboard cutout at home to measure against your boat.” If you’re one of the new boaters looking for a new fiberglass model or researching that windlass upgrade on your family boat, these center consoles from customers and builders prove that a drum winch looks sexy on center consoles, too! SEA PRO: Sea Pro Boats introduced the world to their 320 Deep V Center Console at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, joining Carolina Skiff to become another American fiberglass OEM to factory-install E-Z Anchor Puller’s Rebel EZ-4 free-fall unit, adapting the innovative technology one year after Georgia-based OEM Carolina Skiff began installing. SEA CHASER: “I liked it so much I installed a Patriot on my own personal boat,” Ed Johnston, engineer at Carolina Skiff told us when we saw him at the Miami International Boat Show. The 35’ Sea Chaser also uses the free-fall Rebel EZ-4 and hides it in the rope locker. PARKER: “I know this is an old post, but I love my EZ on my 2820,” one writer on Classicparker.com posted to a company thread, “I have 600’ of dyneema, 75 of nylon and 50’ of chain. With lots of extra room still.” Live2fish posted several pictures depicting the Rebel EZ-4 unit resting on a bow pulpit. ARIMA: Mark Fitch was an avid poster of his installation process on ArimaOwners.com, documenting his journey with various “beer breaks” in between. Mark’s 1987 Arima Sea Pacer was sized for the Patriot EZ-1, a smaller complete 316 stainless steel unit. He still tags #ezanchorpuller in his fishing posts.

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MARCH 2021

NATIONAL 21

HUGE SWORDFISH SETS NEW FLORIDA RECORD

n Jan. 20, four young anglers from Pompano Beach, Fla. set out early from Hillsboro Inlet to get in on the fast action being reported from the swordfish grounds, some 15 miles off the coast. They returned to the docks that evening with a 767.8-pound swordfish that set a new Florida state record. The official record holder and the man who manned the LP electric reel was 21-yearold Timmy Maddock. The 31-foot center console they fished from belongs to 17-yearold Hunter Irvine, who put the final dart in the enormous fish. Lady angler, Jaime Johanson, 20, videoed the landing and got in with the gaff, while Jeremy Rafferty, 21, manned the helm as they subdued the new record. It took five and a half hours to fight the fish into submission. It took almost another hour and a radio call for help to get the swordfish through the tuna door and safely in the boat. Rob Doda, who was fishing solo nearby left his boat floating and boarded Irvine’s boat to help haul the giant fish onboard. It was an epic catch for the group of young anglers, and the 400 pounds of meat their fish yielded was shared with friends and family, with the charity organization Filet for Friends, and at a celebratory barbecue for the whole Pompano Beach fishing community. To read Timmy Maddock’s account of the catch, see the Florida section of this magazine or online at www.coastalanglermagazine.com. 22 NATIONAL

MARCH 2021

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NEW ENGLAND AWAITS

warm water, and they’re looking for that constant bait source. That’s what the rivers provide.” Action is fast in tidal rivers like the Weweantic on the north side of Buzzards Bay. Murphy walks the dog with topwater baits like a 7-inch Lil’ Doc to draw explosive strikes from good numbers of stripers in the rivers. They’ll also eat By Nick Carter soft-plastic eel or herring imitations like those made by Hogy, and although these river fish aren’t the monsters Murphy pursues later in the season, there aren’t many anglers who’d turn their nose up to consistent topwater activity from fish up to 20 inches. As the season progresses, the bite moves to the mouths of the rivers, where stripers ambush herring moving out. This is where some of the bigger fish come into play, and they also can be taken on topwater. By mid-May, Murphy said he’ll be chasing the classic New England bass blitzes, when schoolie-sized fish ball up bait and crash the surface. At this point, fish will have spread up around Cape Cod or through the Cape Cod Canal into Massachusetts Bay. Action ou can almost feel the excitement building on the coast of can be intense for fish in the 2- to New England. Winter is ebbing, and soon warming water 10-pound range. conditions will spark the migration of striped bass up the “You can go out early in the Atlantic coast. Jack Murphy will be waiting when they arrive. morning any day and find blitzing Murphy and his partner, Jack Loveday, co-founded Lucky Jacks schoolies,” Murphy said. “You can Fishing in Marblehead, Massachusetts. For them, April begins the catch 30 or 40 fish in just a couple busy striper season off Rhode Island and Massachusetts. hours.” As you read this, striped bass are spawning in tributaries of By the first part of June, anglers Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay and the Hudson River. When in search of big fish will head 5 to water temperatures rise into the 50s, these fish push north with 10 miles offshore to find big pogy huge schools of menhaden to feed ravenous post-spawn appetites. PHOTOS BY SEAN MAIORANO PHOTOGRAPHY (menhaden) schools. This is a Murphy said the first fish collect on the south side of Cape Cod WWW.SEANMAIORANOPHOTOGRAPHY.COM short-lived first-light bite. in Buzzards Bay. Timing is dependent on weather and water temperatures, so “When you come on one of these schools that’s getting harassed, you’re in Lucky Jacks spends spring studying winds and water temps to try and intercept the first waves of migrating fish. They normally show up in the second or third for a heck of a day.” Murphy said. “We’ve had a few days when our smallest fish were 37 pounds, and 40- to 50-pound fish are very possible.” week of April. “When river herring (alewife) push into the rivers to spawn, the first waves of stripes will be right on their tails,” Murphy said. “They’re looking for that Check out Lucky Jacks Fishing at www.luckyjacksfishing.com.

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SIX YEARS OF PROTECTION 3 Years Limited Warranty + 3 Years Extended Protection, No extra charge.

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Gimme Six Extended Protection promotion applies to new Suzuki Outboard Motors from 25 to 350 HP in inventory which are sold and delivered to buyer between 01/01/21 and 03/31/21 in accordance with the promotion by a Participating Authorized Suzuki Marine dealer in the continental US and Alaska to a purchasing customer who resides in the continental US or Alaska. The Gimme Six Promotion is available for pleasure use only, and is not redeemable for cash. Instant Savings applies to qualifying purchases of select Suzuki Outboard Motors made between 01/01/21 and 03/31/21. For list of designated models, see participating Dealer or visit www.suzukimarine.com. Instant Savings must be applied against the agreed-upon selling price of the outboard motor and reflected in the bill of sale. There are no model substitutions, benefit substitutions, rain checks, or extensions. Suzuki reserves the right to change or cancel these promotions at any time without notice or obligation. * Financing offers available through Synchrony Retail Finance. As low as 5.99% APR financing for 60 months on new and unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors. Subject to credit approval. Not all buyers will qualify. Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on creditworthiness. $19.99/month per $1,000 financed for 60 months is based on 5.99% APR. Hypothetical figures used in calculation; your actual monthly payment may differ based on financing terms, credit tier qualification, accessories or other factors such as down payment and fees. Offer effective on new, unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors purchased from a participating authorized Suzuki dealer between 01/01/21 and 03/31/21. “Gimme Six”, the Suzuki “S” and model names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2021 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.