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FOLLOW THE BAIT FOR NEARSHORE WAHOO
T
Tim Barefoot
his is the time of year when water temperatures allow pelagics like wahoo, dolphin and tuna to show up right on the beach… so to speak. I live in North Carolina, and every year there are stud wahoo caught “right on the beach.” Here “right on the beach” is the 20to 25-mile area off the beach. For some folks in Florida, “right on the beach” might be that first sea buoy right out of the inlet. In late summer, we have a monolithic water temperature from the Gulf Stream to the beach in the mid 80s. That allows wahoo to follow huge schools of bait wherever they go. This is what we call the beginning of the end… the end of summer. The cigar minnows and sardines come nearshore, and the wahoo follow them as far in as they are comfortable with the water depth, which is usually not much less than 75 or 80 feet. They will eat whatever they want, including live menhaden or cigs pulled around by king mackerel fishermen. We call it the beginning to the end of summer, but it’s also the beginning of a wonderful time of year for me… fall and winter. The cigs and sardines come in. The pelagics follow them for a month or so
until the water starts to cool in mid September. Then the magic happens. When cooling water runs off the wahoo, the gags show up in numbers. It’s all a very beautiful dance. Let’s enjoy every step along the way. I keep talking about the nearshore activity of the cigs and sardines, but the offshore schools are also getting bigger now, and this draws the attention of everything from pelagics to bottom fish. All the grouper and big snappers shadow these schools wherever they go. This is why it’s so important to “find the bait.” Cigs and sardines are not the only thing I’m looking for offshore. I like to find a big stack of beeliners. Wherever you find a big stack of beeliners, you can bet your bottom dollar there are grouper and big snapper directly under them and wahoo and kings around them. August is also a month to consider spending the night offshore. Yes, there are late afternoon thunderstorms that pop up, but overall weather patterns are consistent, and you can fish for days, back to back. Leave in the early afternoon, get where you are going and get acclimated to the setting sun. Anchor up on a pretty piece of bottom and bait, and turn on the lights. This is a “National Geographic moment.” The minnows and squid come to the light, so you can easily load up the livewell before the daylight bite starts. I will close with this: We lost a fishing pioneer and legend last month with Mark Sosin’s passing. Our thoughts, prayers and celebrations go out to his family. See more from Tim Barefoot at barefootcatsandtackle.com.
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LIVE BAIT AND ARTIFICIAL TACTICS FOR
J
upiter, Fla. is a worldrenowned fishery. In the summertime it’s known for hot inshore snook. Offshore produces an epic sailfish, kingfish, tuna and pelagic bite. There are always fish willing to eat. One of my favorite bites is for springtime blackfin tuna. From March through May, jumbo blackfins migrate down the east coast of Florida. It is not uncommon to catch them anywhere from 20 to 35 pounds. From their deliciousness on the table to their long powerful runs, blackfin tuna are one of my favorite offshore fish to target. They are sure to send you to the tackle shop to get your reels serviced after a productive day of fishing. Blackfin tuna are excellent hunters. Often, they work together to ambush schools of baitfish. They are equipped with massive eyeballs, which are designed for pitch black and low-light conditions. They spend a majority of their time down deep feeding on squid. However, at dawn and dusk, the tunas move higher in the water column to feed near the surface. Be on the lookout for frigates and disturbance on the water’s surface. It’s not uncommon to see them exploding and flying out of the water on a bait ball. I keep an easily accessible casting rod, with a plug or weighted feather jig tied on, for this scenario or in case a school of mahi shows up. Blackfin tuna will often hold to areas with bottom topography like humps, reefs and wrecks. You can find success drifting over areas like these with live bait. Live sardines, pilchards, threadfins and gogs will all work. I prefer live sardines. For me, they have been the most productive bait.
Chumming is important to bring blackfins higher in the water column. Chunk up pilchards and throw a few pieces out at the bow, mid and stern every couple of minutes. The best chum is live chum. Small- to medium-sized pilchards are your best bet. I throat-hook a sardine and send it out on a free line. The bait will swim down on its own, and you should keep some tension on it. I also drop a live bait on a down rod and wait for the bite as I drift along. Blackfins’ excellent eyesight means they can be leader shy, so I often run a 40- to 50-pound fluorocarbon leader, but will go as light as 30 pounds. A triplehook rig for freelining or a single 4/0 or 5/0 circle hook depending By Ryan Izquierdo on the size of the bait is my hook preference. You can also catch them kite fishing, trolling feathers/spoons, with ballyhoo rigs, cedar plugs, planer fishing, vertical jigging and slow-pitch. Second to live bait, slow-pitch jigging is a fun and effective way to catch tunas when the hot mid-day sun pushes them down deep. My go to jig is a Jyg Pro 240 Gram strike jig. I like to jig anywhere from 200 to 350 feet. Send it down to the bottom over active areas and work your rod up high and let the jig flutter back down. You can change the pace and tempo of your jigging until you find what works. Don’t be surprised to get hit as you are burning the jig back to the surface. I hope these tuna tips bring you success and dinner to share with your close friends and family. Keep on fishing! Check out Ryan Izquierdo’s adventures on his YouTube channel: Ryan Iz Fishing.
You raise the flags of the fish just caught to show you weren’t skunked. Once onshore you can take it a step further showing your fellow anglers your catch of the day wearing “slippahs” from Scott Hawaii.
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FREEDIVER SPEARS WORLD RECORD CUBERA SNAPPER A massive 137-pound Atlantic cubera snapper speared by a Texas freediver in early June was heavier than the existing IGFA all-tackle world record as well as the Texas state record. It will not, however, qualify for either record because of the method used to catch it. Who cares? The diver, Braden Sherron, a student at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, can rest assured that his monster cubera is one of the largest of its species ever caught by any method. It will likely be the new International Underwater Spearfishing Association’s world record. If approved, it will replace a 122.4-pound fish shot in 2006 off the coast of Brazil. According to a Field & Stream story on the catch, Sherron first encountered the giant snapper while freediving a Gulf of Mexico oil rig about 60 miles out of Port Aransas, Texas. He did not take his shot at the time because he was not equipped to handle such a large fish. A week later, on June 3, he returned to the rig with heavier gear, dove to about 55 feet and put a dart into the fish. Luckily, the cubera wrapped the trailing line up in the oil rig, which kept the fish from diving. While the fish fought itself, Sherron returned to the surface to wait 10 minutes before diving down to secure
By CAM Staff
his prize with two more shots. When Sherron brought his fish back to the scales at Fisherman’s Wharf in Port Aransas, it began making the rounds on social media almost immediately. It truly is an enormous fish, which outweighs the existing IGFA record—a 2007 Louisiana fish that weighed 124 pounds, 12 ounces—by more than 10 pounds. Sherron’s fish also outweighs the Texas state rod-and-reel record of 131 pounds. The only larger cubera snapper research was able to turn up was a 151-pound monster that’s listed as an “other methods” catch by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. That fish, caught by handline out of Port Mansfiled in 1984, weighed 151 pounds. The thing is, none of these other anglers were holding their breath when they caught their fish. Sherron’s catch is absolutely one for the record books. “I would equate it to shooting a 200-plusinch whitetail deer on public land,” he told Field & Stream. “It’s one of those things that happens once in a lifetime, and you can’t believe it when it does.” Check out video of Braden Sherron’s spearfishing on his Youtube channel: https://bit.ly/3yKm8EP
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August is the Best Month for
GIANT SNOOK By Emily Rose Hanzlik
A
ugust offers the best chance for anglers to catch a 40-inch-plus snook in Florida waters. With a majority of snook returning from offshore spawning grounds, the big girls will feed up to recover from the rigors of the spawn. Right now is a good time to catch them. Snook are widespread, but their range is limited by temperature intolerance. They are found throughout the Caribbean on the Atlantic and Pacific sides, including most of Florida. Due to their limited cold tolerance, Snook avoid temperatures below 60 degrees. There are 12 species of snook that can be found in just about any body of water within their range. Snook can be caught all year long. In winter they prefer shallow flats and deep holes in bay areas. As water temperatures rise, they move out to offshore structure to spawn. When snook are not spawning, they move inshore and travel upstream. Since snook are euryhaline, meaning they can live in a wide range of salinity, they travel upstream into brackish and freshwater areas. Snook have a special osmoregulation feature that allows them
to control the water content inside their bodies to maintain the same salinity as the outside water. Snook spawning takes place between April and October with peak around June and July. During this time, females and males move into higher salinity locations where they broadcast spawn with the females releasing eggs into the water column and the males fertilizing them. One female snook can release up to 1.5 million eggs each spawn. All of the hatchlings are born as males and transition to females when they reach between 12 and 35 inches in length. They are protandrous hermaphrodites, meaning the males change to females as they age. Some of the best places to locate big girls in large numbers this time of year are at the mouths of inlets, bridges and piers. Heavier tackle is preferred, since you will most likely be fishing heavy structure. Some of the best baits for really big fish include croaker, mojarra, snapper, needlefish and southern sennet. It is best practice, if you do land a big fish, to release the fish safely back into the water using a
SU
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TH sling. Where a bridge/ pier net is used to land the fish, the net can also be used to release the fish when a sling is not available. Lay the fish in the net with its head as far upwards as possible. The largest IGFA-recorded common snook weighed 53 pounds, 10 ounces. It was caught from Costa Rica. Emily Rose Hanzlik holds 51 IGFA world records in various categories. She hails from West Palm Beach, where she has a part time Bowfin Guide Service as well as fishing classes for Jr. Anglers. Find her on Social Media @emilyhanzlikoutdoors.
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Florida Overhauls Redfish Regs
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fishery in Florida for future generations while balancing stakeholder interests,” said FWC Commissioner Steven Hudson. The changes to redfish management regions and regulations, as part of FWC’s new management approach, will better capture regional differences and improve angler satisfaction. The new management approach includes annual reviews of the redfish fishery For more information, including the July 2022 Commission and redfish regulations may be changed each meeting presentation, visit MyFWC.com/Commission year in response to the reviews. and click on “Commission Meetings.”
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HYDRASTEPP 18’ The New Face of High Performance Flats Boats
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By Phil Wolf
f you are in the market for a new flats boat, the 2022 Hydrastepp 18’ might just be the boat you’re looking for. It has all the whistles and bells that a flats boat needs, plus great looks, high-quality construction and performance abound. This new 18-foot flats boat is the result of several years’ trial and improvements. Renowned racing boat designer/ builder Steve Stepp has 50-plus years of experience in the industry. His previous company, Velocity Powerboats, in Sanford, Fla. holds 14 world records, showing that his advanced designs achieve performance and efficiency that most manufacturers cannot match. Hydrastepp Boats are built right here in Central Florida. Check-out their website at www.HYDRASTEPP.com, and take a look at this impressive HP flats-boat. At first glance, you’ll notice this boat’s sleek and clean lines. It has 94” beam, which is extremely wide for an 18’ boat. This makes it very stable when walking around on the wide gunnel. There is a huge storage compartment up front, with a removable tackle storage system and two additional large storage compartments in the rear, both at port and starboard. Two 28-gallon livewells are located in the front and the rear, and a new rod-storage system holds 16 rods. Custom divided sport seats with removable backrests, like you see on offshore racing boats, provide comfort. The console is very sleek and sports
a pair of 9” Simrad flush-mounted monitors for fish-finder/ GPS and supports all the normal gauges: tachometer, waterpressure, temperature, gas and speed by GPS. They are all linked to the motor and fuel system, which is very cool! A 29-gallon gas tank allows this boat to make long runs thanks to the super high-efficiency hull design. On a recent test ride of the new 2022 demo model Hydrastepp 18’, the boat was equipped with a 150 hp Mercury Pro XS, a 30” pitch Mercury 4 blade prop, three-quarters of a tank of gas, a Motorguide 24 volt trolling motor, 50 pounds of gear in the front compartment, three batteries and two adults. The boat’s performance was outstanding! It gets on a plane in 2.5 seconds with little effort. Top speed with load is 65 mph at 5,800 rpm, while getting 5 miles per gallon. Fuel consumption at 30 mph and 3,050 rpm was 7 miles to the gallon (best), allowing over 200 miles to the tank! To say this vessel is super-efficient is an understatement. I’ve ridden in just about every flats boat on the market. This Hydrastepp 18’ outperforms all of them by far. If you are in the market for a flats boat, give Steve a call to schedule a test ride for yourself, and place your order for the new face of flats boats! Tell them that you read about them in Coastal Angler Magazine! Phil Wolf is co-publisher of the Orlando edition of Coastal Angler Magazine. Check out HydraStepp boats at hydrastepp.com.
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TAMPA BAY FISHING REPORT BY: CAPT. WOODY GORE
S
nook fishing will continue to be strong this month with larger fish still on the beaches. Expect to see them bunched up near passes and deeper holes. Patience will pay off when looking for larger fish. The larger fish seem to be responding strongly to dead baits like cut ladyfish or chunks of pinfish. If you use lures, there’s also a chance you can pick up a trout or redfish. August should see more redfish action around the Bay. This past month, getting reds to bite with any consistency was sometimes difficult. Those we did catch we got on dead baits. Like snook, target reds in the morning for your best chance of landing one. Trout fishing can be fun, especially when you find larger fish that are willing to eat. I’ve been getting into some good action in deeper water and around the fish attractors using free-lined greenbacks. Also, check out the deep grass flats in the 3 to 4-foot range. Use a popping cork with greenbacks, small pinfish or shrimp. If you’re into artificial lures, jigheads and soft plastic tails will do the trick. Markers and sandy flats equal cobia. These fish frequent markers, especially those holding threadfins. They also cruise the flats following rays and manatees. When marker fishing, keep a chum bag out, since you just never know what might show up. Tampa Bay is loaded with big Spanish mackerel and bluefish. Look for
schools of threadfins--put out a chum bag and hold on. As of late, I have been seeing mackerel catches up to three and four pounds, as well as, some of the biggest blues ever. This is great excitement on light tackle. For some exciting top water action, try tail hooking your bait and let it work against the current. This forces the bait to the top resulting in some great strikes. Tarpon fishing at the bridges and beaches has its good and bad days. Recently, we’ve been seeing nice pods along the beaches in upper Tampa Bay. Threadfins, crabs and larger sardines should work. If you’re a night-fishing person, try fishing bridge light lines. Grey snapper seem to be showing up everywhere. Pieces of live shrimp or cut sardines on a quarter ounce (or heavier depending on the current) knocker rig usually works great. Just find a bridge, rock pile, dock or just about any structure and it’s fish-on.
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TAMPA 1
ST. PETE REPORT BY: CAPT. ANTHONY CORCELLA
Hog Fishing Is Hot
I
f you have the patience to hunt these guys down, I will offer the same great strategy that seems to work for me. To start off, I utilize medium lite to medium size fishing rods. Our “weapons of choice” are the Green Stick made by Kris Green. These custom fishing rods can be purchased at St. Pete Fishing Outfitters. I prefer a 10 to 15-pound rod rating, but you can go with the one that will give you the most confidence. As usual, the line of choice is 15-pound braid attached to a 20-pound fluorocarbon leader. What I feel is the most critical component of my setup is the use of a 1/4-ounce Mission Fishin jig-head. Now that we have talked about the setup, let’s get to how to find them. I’m going to suggest you search around ledges---there’s no need to look for the wrecks. When fishing these areas and using this type of rig, you will also hook up with a fair amount of mangrove snapper and Key West grunts. The water depth I am looking to fish in is 25 to 60 feet. Save yourself some of your hard-earned money; there is no need to buy the biggest shrimp at the bait shop to catch these guys. Regular or hand-picked shrimp work just fine for this application, but make sure you bring plenty of them. As a rule of thumb, I typically make sure to bring 15 dozen shrimp for my clients when I’m running a 4-hour charter. 4th St. Bait and Tackle and Mitch’s Bait and Tackle always have great looking shrimp! When you’re out there hoggin’, try to bring a 4/0 reel lined with 80-pound matched with a stout rod. You’re going to want to drop a 3 to 5-ounce sinker to the bottom (depending on current) with a dead bait. My personal favorite is to have a butterflied Key West grunt attached to the business end. Make sure you lock the drag down and then simply set it in a rod holder. You just may pull up a nice gag grouper. If you put these tips to use, you’ll set yourself up for some great warm weather fishing and some of the best tasting fish you can get. Check out our New TV show on Waypoint. What makes our charter service unique is that we cater to disabled veterans and wheel chair bound clients! Our boat is able to accommodate wheelchairs and is ADA compliant. IF YOU’RE A DISABLED VETERAN, YOUR TRIP IS FREE! This is our way of giving back to our veterans. Capt. Anthony Corcella, Pocket Change Inshore Fishing Charter - 727-432-6446 www.pocketchangefishingcharters.com | Check us out on Facebook
2 TAMPA
AUGUST 2022
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
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RIVERS TO BAY REPORT BY: CAPT. JOHN RIVERS
T
he inshore bite has been very good for many species in Tampa Bay, so let’s start with Spanish mackerel. They can be found all over Tampa Bay around the markers and near the flats where there is a lot of bait. Next on the menu is mangrove snapper. The bite has really picked up the past two weeks and is only going to get better. Chum heavily, use a light leader and you’ll have good results. Red fishing has been off and on over the past few weeks, at least for me. I know a few areas that are holding them, but getting them to eat is another story. You must catch the tide right and have the right bait, which is either a fresh cut pinfish or fresh dead threadfin. Snook fishing has been great, even though it’s August and it’s hot out. The fish that have been out on the beach are starting to make their way back into the Bay. If you’re out on the beach, no worries--there are still plenty of big snook to be caught. Just remember, they are out of season so take extra care to make sure they swim off alive. One key thing is to find clean water, hit it on the right tide and you’ll have a productive day. On my last trip, we crushed the snook, with over 20 plus fish with a few of them over 27 inches. On light tackle, these fish are tons of fun and great for families or the serious angler. Trout fishing is also very good both in the Bay and off the beaches. The key is to hit them early in the morning or close to sunset. Over the next month, the fishing will pretty much stay the same. You just need to find clean water for snook and fish shaded spots for reds in the middle of the day. Mackerel are pretty much on every marker and near the flats. Yes, August can be hot, but don’t let that prevent you from booking a Tampa Bay Fishing Trip with Rivers to Bay Fishing Charters, as we are still bending the rods; and, I’ll have plenty of water on board to keep you in the fight. Captain John Rivers | www.tampabayinshoreguides.com captjohnrivers@gmail.com | 727-313-1781 4 TAMPA
AUGUST 2022
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
CAPT. SERGIO’S CORNER BY: CAPT. SERGIO ATANES
My Biggest Catch
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M
y most memorable gift was given to me by my uncle Manuel. I was only five years old when he arrived from Cuba to live with us until he got on his feet. At only 18 years old, he was already a die-hard fishman. In the 50’s we lived in Ybor City and, in those days, we didn’t have parks or a Boys Club in the area. My parents didn’t drive, so they took the bus to work. My uncle was given an old Nash Rambler from a friend to help us out, and he started working in the shipyard within a month of arriving. He would work until 2:00 am and go straight to Bayshore Blvd. to tend to his tins (pieces of metal roofing bent to form a half dome) and blue crabs
would go under the tins to molt. He would use his Coleman gas lantern and a #12 galvanized tub tied to his waist. Underneath the tins would be either a softshell crab (that was dinner) or a shedder crab that was used for bait. The shedder crabs would be put in the crisper bottom of the refrigerator on damp newspaper to be kept alive for a week or more. During the summer, we would leave Friday for Boca Grande to fish. Since no interstates were available, we had to make the long trip using US41. We had to take the last ferry boat leaving from Placita to Boca Grande, since there were no bridges connecting the mainland to the island. There, we would fish the shoreline from the old phosphate dock, when allowed, for grouper, mangrove snapper, trout, redfish and an occasional goliath grouper. Within a year, my uncle received an invitation to join the Army (called the draft in those days), but he had lit the fire within me to become a fisherman. Thanks to his patience and time, I spent summers fishing from the old 22nd street bridge, riding my bike every morning with my hand made rod from an old broom stick and casting reel donated from a neighbor. While other kids were getting into trouble, I was too busy thinking of catching the big one. As I grew older, I wanted to give back, so I started a saltwater fishing school and have graduated over 7,000 adult students since the 80’s. Looking Continued on page 8
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AUGUST 2022
TAMPA 5
St. Petersburg
www.USHarbors.com www.stpetefishingoutfitters.com
St. Petersburg, FL - Aug 2022 High
Date
Old Port of Tampa
Low
High
Date
Low
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
Mon
6:19
2.0
5:19
2.7
11:14
1.2
2
Tue
6:37
2.1
6:10
2.5
12:15
0.3
12:07
3
Wed
7:01
2.3
7:10
2.2
12:43
0.5
1:05
8:19
4
Thu
7:31
2.4
8:28
1.9
1:14
0.8
6:54
8:18
5
Fri
8:09
2.6
10:16
1.7
1:49
0.3
6:55
8:17
6
Sat
8:56
2.7
5:53
0.1
6:55
8:16
7
Sun
12:31
1.7
2.8
7:02
-0.2
6:56
8:16
8
Mon
11:00
3.1
2.9
8:01
-0.3
6:56
8:15
9
Tue
3:24
2.0
12:07
3.2
5:28
8:51
-0.3
6:57
8:14
10
Wed
4:07
2.0
1:10
3.4
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
Mon
5:36
1.7
4:41
2.4
10:29
1.1
11:46
0.3
6:52
8:21
1
2
Tue
5:58
1.9
5:32
2.2
11:28
1.0
6:52
8:20
3
Wed
6:25
2.0
6:33
2.0
12:15
0.5
12:33
0.8
6:53
8:19
4
Thu
6:56
2.2
7:50
1.7
12:45
0.8
1:46
0.7
6:54
5
Fri
7:34
2.4
9:39
1.5
1:14
1.0
3:08
0.5
6
Sat
8:19
2.5
1:42
1.3
4:34
7
Sun
9:14
2.6
8
Mon
10:19
9
Tue
11:29
10
Wed
11
Thu
4:23
12
Fri
13
1
www.USHarbors.com ezdocktampa.com
Old Port Tampa, FL - Aug 2022
Moon
9:54A
2.9
PM
ft
Rise
Set
6:51
8:21
1.0
6:52
8:20
0.8
6:53
8:19
2:13
0.7
6:53
8:19
1.0
3:36
0.6
6:54
8:18
2:27
1.4
5:13
0.4
6:54
8:17
3:13
1.6
6:40
0.2
6:55
8:16
7:50
0.0
6:55
8:15
1.9
8:47
-0.1
6:56
8:15
6:37
1.9
9:37
-0.2
6:56
8:14
12:35
3.0
1.6
1:36
3.1
6:37
1.5
9:35
-0.3
6:57
8:13
11
Thu
4:41
2.0
2:09
3.4
7:40
1.8
10:20
-0.1
6:57
8:13
4:35
1.6
2:32
3.0
7:46
1.4
10:13
-0.1
6:58
8:12
12
Fri
5:08
1.9
3:04
3.3
8:39
1.6
10:58
0.0
6:57
8:12
Sat
4:48
1.6
3:25
2.9
8:49
1.2
10:46
0.1
6:58
8:11
13
Sat
5:30
2.0
3:58
3.2
9:38
1.4
11:29
0.2
6:58
8:11
14
Sun
5:02
1.7
4:17
2.6
9:50
1.0
11:15
0.4
6:59
8:10
14
Sun
5:49
2.0
4:51
2.9
10:36
1.2
11:54
0.5
6:58
8:10
15
Mon
5:20
1.9
5:11
2.4
10:51
0.9
11:41
0.7
6:59
8:10
15
Mon
6:06
2.1
5:45
2.6
11:33
1.0
6:59
8:09
16
Tue
5:42
2.1
6:09
2.1
11:54
0.8
7:00
8:09
16
Tue
6:25
2.3
6:43
2.3
12:17
0.7
12:32
0.8
6:59
8:08
17
Wed
6:08
2.2
7:20
1.8
12:05
0.9
1:01
0.7
7:00
8:08
17
Wed
6:48
2.4
7:50
2.0
12:39
1.0
1:34
0.7
7:00
8:07
18
Thu
6:39
2.3
9:00
1.6
12:28
1.2
2:15
0.6
7:01
8:07
18
Thu
7:17
2.6
9:17
1.8
1:03
1.2
2:44
0.7
7:01
8:07
19
Fri
7:18
2.4
12:49
1.4
3:35
0.5
7:01
8:06
19
Fri
7:54
2.6
11:11
1.8
1:32
1.4
4:07
0.6
7:01
8:06
20
Sat
8:07
2.4
4:55
0.4
7:02
8:05
20
Sat
8:43
2.7
2:12
1.7
5:33
0.5
7:02
8:05
21
Sun
9:12
2.4
6:03
0.3
7:02
8:04
21
Sun
1:00
1.9
9:48A
2.7
3:18
1.8
6:44
0.4
7:02
8:04
22
Mon
10:27
2.4
6:59
0.2
7:03
8:03
22
Mon
2:03
2.0
11:01A
2.8
4:49
1.9
7:41
0.3
7:03
8:03
23
Tue
11:36
2.5
7:44
0.1
7:03
8:02
23
Tue
2:44
2.1
12:07
2.9
6:05
1.9
8:26
0.3
7:03
8:02
24
Wed
3:18
1.8
12:32
2.6
6:06
1.7
8:22
0.1
7:04
8:01
24
Wed
3:17
2.2
1:01
3.0
7:00
1.8
9:04
0.3
7:04
8:01
25
Thu
3:31
1.7
1:18
2.7
6:54
1.5
8:54
0.2
7:04
8:00
25
Thu
3:45
2.2
1:47
3.0
7:43
1.7
9:35
0.3
7:04
7:59
26
Fri
3:40
1.7
1:58
2.7
7:36
1.4
9:21
0.2
7:05
7:59
26
Fri
4:08
2.1
2:28
3.1
8:22
1.6
10:00
0.4
7:04
7:58
27
Sat
3:47
1.8
2:36
2.7
8:16
1.2
9:46
0.3
7:05
7:58
27
Sat
4:25
2.1
3:08
3.0
9:00
1.4
10:21
0.4
7:05
7:57
28
Sun
3:54
1.8
3:15
2.6
8:56
1.1
10:08
0.5
7:06
7:57
28
Sun
4:37
2.1
3:50
2.9
9:38
1.2
10:41
0.6
7:05
7:56
29
Mon
4:06
2.0
3:56
2.5
9:39
0.9
10:31
0.6
7:06
7:55
29
Mon
4:48
2.2
4:34
2.8
10:19
1.0
11:02
0.7
7:06
7:55
30
Tue
4:23
2.1
4:42
2.3
10:25
0.7
10:54
0.8
7:07
7:54
30
Tue
5:03
2.4
5:21
2.6
11:02
0.8
11:26
0.9
7:06
7:54
31
Wed
4:45
2.3
5:35
2.1
11:16
0.6
11:18
1.1
7:07
7:53
31
Wed
5:24
2.6
6:14
2.4
11:49
0.7
11:53
1.1
7:07
7:53
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AUGUST 2022
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM
Tarpon Springs
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www.USHarbors.com
Tarpon Springs, Anclote Anclote River River, FL - Aug 2022 High
Date
Hernando Beach
bluepelicanmarina.com www.USHarbors.com
Rocky Creek, LittleFL Pine Island Hernando Beach, - Aug 2022
Low
High
Date
Low
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
Mon
4:54
2.9
4:23
3.3
11:57
1.2
Rise
Set
6:51
8:25
2
Tue
5:21
3.0
5:11
3.1
12:25
0.4
12:40
3
Wed
5:51
3.1
6:05
3.0
12:59
0.6
1:27
1.0
6:52
8:24
0.9
6:52
8:20
4
Thu
6:25
3.2
7:07
2.7
1:36
0.8
8:23
2:21
0.8
6:53
6:54
8:19
5
Fri
7:05
3.3
8:25
2.5
2:17
8:23
1.1
3:26
0.6
6:53
0.5
6:55
8:18
6
Sat
7:54
3.4
10:00
2.4
8:22
3:07
1.4
4:41
0.5
6:54
3:55
0.2
6:55
8:18
7
Sun
8:53
3.5
11:30
2.5
8:21
4:11
1.7
5:56
0.2
6:55
1.8
5:05
0.0
6:56
8:17
8
Mon
10:00
3.6
8:20
5:25
1.8
7:06
0.0
6:55
4:34
1.9
6:09
-0.2
6:56
8:16
9
Tue
12:46
2.6
11:05A
8:19
3.7
6:35
1.9
8:10
-0.2
6:56
3.5
5:41
1.8
7:05
-0.3
6:57
8:15
10
Wed
1:44
2.7
8:18
12:10
3.8
7:42
1.8
9:06
-0.3
6:56
12:15
3.6
6:41
1.6
7:53
-0.3
6:57
8:14
11
Thu
2:29
8:18
2.8
1:11
3.9
8:42
1.6
9:54
-0.3
6:57
2.7
1:12
3.6
7:35
1.4
8:37
-0.2
6:58
8:13
12
Fri
8:17
3:07
2.9
2:08
3.9
9:36
1.4
10:38
-0.2
6:57
2:46
2.7
2:05
3.5
8:24
1.1
9:17
0.1
6:58
8:12
13
8:16
Sat
3:42
2.9
3:01
3.8
10:25
1.1
11:18
0.1
6:58
Sun
3:18
2.8
2:58
3.4
9:13
0.9
9:54
0.4
6:59
8:12
8:15
14
Sun
4:14
3.0
3:54
3.6
11:14
0.9
11:55
0.4
6:59
15
Mon
3:48
2.8
3:50
3.1
10:01
0.8
10:28
0.7
6:59
8:14
8:11
15
Mon
4:44
3.1
4:46
3.4
12:02
0.8
6:59
16
Tue
4:18
2.9
4:42
2.9
10:50
0.7
11:01
1.0
8:13
7:00
8:10
16
Tue
5:14
3.2
5:38
3.1
12:29
0.7
12:51
0.7
7:00
17
Wed
4:48
3.0
5:34
2.6
11:39
0.7
11:32
8:12
1.2
7:00
8:09
17
Wed
5:44
3.2
6:30
2.8
1:02
1.0
1:40
0.7
7:00
18
Thu
5:21
3.0
6:33
2.4
8:11
12:32
0.7
7:01
8:08
18
Thu
6:17
3.3
7:29
2.5
1:33
1.2
2:33
0.7
7:01
19
Fri
5:59
3.0
7:47
2.2
12:06
8:10
1.5
1:33
0.7
7:02
8:07
19
Fri
6:55
3.3
8:43
2.3
2:07
1.5
3:34
0.7
7:01
20
Sat
6:45
3.0
9:17
2.1
8:09
12:48
1.7
2:46
0.7
7:02
8:06
20
Sat
7:41
3.2
10:13
2.3
2:49
1.7
4:47
0.7
7:02
21
Sun
7:45
2.9
10:39
8:08
2.2
1:49
1.9
4:00
0.7
7:03
8:05
21
Sun
8:41
3.1
11:35
2.4
3:50
1.9
6:01
0.7
7:02
22
Mon
8:55
2.9
11:42
8:07
2.3
3:08
2.0
5:05
0.6
7:03
8:04
22
Mon
9:51
3.1
5:09
2.0
7:06
0.6
7:03
23
Tue
10:01
2.9
8:06
4:20
1.9
5:59
0.5
7:04
8:03
23
Tue
12:38
2.5
10:57A
3.2
6:21
1.9
8:00
0.5
7:04
24
Wed
12:26
2.4
11:00A
8:05
3.0
5:24
1.8
6:42
0.4
7:04
8:02
24
Wed
1:22
2.6
11:56A
3.3
7:25
1.8
8:43
0.4
7:04
25
Thu
1:01
2.5
8:04
11:52A
3.1
6:17
1.6
7:19
0.3
7:05
8:01
25
Thu
1:57
2.7
12:48
3.3
8:18
1.6
9:20
0.3
7:05
26
Fri
1:31
8:03
2.6
12:37
3.2
7:01
1.5
7:51
0.3
7:05
8:00
26
Fri
2:27
2.8
1:33
3.4
9:02
1.5
9:52
0.3
7:05
27
Sat
8:02
1:57
2.7
1:18
3.2
7:41
1.3
8:22
0.4
7:06
7:59
27
Sat
2:53
2.9
2:14
3.5
9:42
1.3
10:23
0.4
7:06
28
8:01
Sun
2:21
2.7
1:58
3.2
8:19
1.1
8:52
0.4
7:06
7:57
28
Sun
3:17
3.0
2:54
3.5
10:20
1.1
10:53
0.4
7:06
7:59
29
Mon
2:45
2.8
2:38
3.2
8:57
0.9
9:23
0.5
7:07
7:56
29
Mon
3:41
3.1
3:34
3.4
10:58
0.9
11:24
0.5
7:07
7:58
30
Tue
3:09
2.9
3:21
3.1
9:35
0.8
9:54
0.7
7:07
7:55
30
Tue
4:05
3.2
4:17
3.3
11:36
0.8
11:55
0.7
7:07
7:57
31
Wed
3:36
3.1
4:08
2.9
10:17
0.6
10:27
0.9
7:08
7:54
31
Wed
4:32
3.3
5:04
3.2
12:18
0.6
7:08
7:56
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
Mon
3:58
2.7
3:27
3.0
9:56
1.2
10:24
0.4
6:52
8:22
1
2
Tue
4:25
2.8
4:15
2.9
10:39
1.0
10:58
0.6
6:52
8:21
3
Wed
4:55
2.9
5:09
2.8
11:26
0.9
11:35
0.8
6:53
8:21
4
Thu
5:29
3.0
6:11
2.5
12:20
0.8
6:53
5
Fri
6:09
3.1
7:29
2.4
12:16
1.1
1:25
0.6
6
Sat
6:58
3.2
9:04
2.3
1:06
1.4
2:40
7
Sun
7:57
3.2
10:34
2.3
2:10
1.7
8
Mon
9:04
3.3
11:50
2.4
3:24
9
Tue
10:09
3.4
10
Wed
12:48
2.5
11:14A
11
Thu
1:33
2.6
12
Fri
2:11
13
Sat
14
1
Moon
PM
ft
Moon
Photo courtesy of
Greene Marine Construction
A Li f Abo t v e the Res t
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AUGUST 2022
TAMPA 7
Continued from page 5 back, I didn’t do as good a job as I should have with my own kids. Now, with all these computer games, it seems like kids are spending too much time indoors in dark rooms. With that said, I decided to do something about it and had my first Free Kid’s Fishing Clinic held at Picnic Park in June. Many sponsors and volunteers (including many captains) donated their time and gave up charters to help the kids. Mayor Jane Castor played a big role in helping me by taking time from her busy schedule to spend time with the kids (Jane is a great Tampa Redfish angler herself). Each kid went home with a rod ‘n reel combo, a tote bag with fishing goodies and hopefully, we were able to light that fire for fishing that my uncle did for me. Soon, we could have many future anglers on the water instead of being locked up in a room playing computer games. This would be “my biggest catch” if I were able to get them united with mom or dad on the water sharing some time together. Caldwell, Capt. Tony Frankland, Capt. Larry Fritch, Capt. Tom Charlton, I am looking forward to doing this again soon, and please feel free to Capt. Bucky Goldmans, Capt. Freddy Ortiz, Capt. Micheal Gibbs, Capt. contact me if you can volunteer or donate items to help kids become anglers. John Rivers, Capt. Drew Echenigue, Lee Murray and Capt. John Griffith.
Companies who donated:
Alberto’s AC, Lithobinders Printers, Coastal Angler Magazine, Onshore-Offshore Magazine, Cracker Boy Marine, Family Boating, Stadium Toyota, Lee Fisher Sports, Loadmaster Trailers, OKUMA, Pathfinder Boats, Hubbard’s Marina, Power Pole, Fishing Adventures USA, Hook ‘n Tackle and T.A. Mahoney Co.
Captains who volunteered:
Capt. Sergio Atanes, Capt. Chris Camps, Capt. Craig Lahr, Capt. Eddie
8 TAMPA
AUGUST 2022
Special thanks to:
Leiza Fitzgerald of CCA of Florida and Gena Russo of FWC Good fishing and tight lines.
— Capt. Sergio Atanes is host of Florida West Coast Fishing Report on Facebook and YouTube every Monday night 7-8 p.m. live. He is also host to Aventuras De Pesca USA on national TV and Radio Show. reelfishing.com | Email: atanes@msn.com | Phone: 813-973-7132
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TAMPA 9
TALES FROM THE TUPPERWARE NAVY BY: BRUCE BUTLER
W
elcome back Yak fans, and say occasional black drum will still be hanging hello to August! You know Sumaround back in that cooler water. mertime in Florida, when you On another note, we crossed a milestone have to bring your A game to have a sucthis month. Yep, it was August 2009 that a cessful and fruitful trip. With all the rains, relatively new magazine brought on a writer the water temperature is all over the place. to cover the kayak fishing stories. That writer But, this time of year, it’s mostly warmer was me! I’ve watched Coastal Angler Magthan many of our favorite species like. This azine grow and expand as I’ve gotten older leads us back to the spring-fed creeks. That’s and grayer. I’ve also loved sharing my stories and misadventures. To one and all, thank you right, Summer and Winter both have that for your support and thank you for reading. constant 72 degrees of outflow and will always be a fish happy spot. And on yet another note (yeah, I’m all Your main targets will be snook and over the place this month), I wondered reds, as well as, black drum still hanging what do you all think about the seeming around. Don’t be surprised to find a shark increase in cases of the flesh-eating bacteria. A buddy of mine calls kayak fishing a on the end of your line. Sharp nose and bonnethead, as well as, bull sharks like foraging in the shallow water this contact sport--we’re going to be getting wet and we’re going to be in the time of year. I remember one time, an overly friendly black tip really wanted backcountry. This, I understand, is a breeding ground. So, let’s all throw a to eat the trout I had on the stringer (one of them must have been bleeding bottle of antiseptic in the old tackle box and be careful out there! Till next time, and thanks for the last decade, your favorite kayak fisherman. a bit--never a good thing) LOL. Anyway, I hit him with my paddle at least four times, and this in less than a foot of water, and he still kept coming back. Indian Bay Outfitters is Hernando County’s premier fishing guide with Sneaky bugger waited till I hooked into a nice red and attacked while I was full and half-day charters available. Kayaks, tackle and gear are provided. distracted. So, a 20-inch trout ended up a 15-inch trout. He got five inches Just bring your lucky hat and a good attitude, and be ready to see some of my trout and I landed a 26-inch red—we’ll call it even. pristine shoreline and great fishing. | Bruce Butler “The Stumbling Gypsy” Back to present day, snook are seemingly everywhere and are hitting (352) 428-5347 Bruce@IndianBayOutfitters.com well on topwater lures. My Zara Spook Jr in bone silver works well for snook Web: www.IndianBayOutfitters.com and the reds really go for cut ladyfish this time of year. Mangroves and the
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TAMPA 11
SUMMER DIVING AND FISHING BY: CAPT. T J SHEA
A
ugust on the Gulf of Mexico brings about calm seas, warm water, even hotter air and rain every afternoon. It also marks the close of the summer charter for hire and recreational red snapper season. Fishing was nothing short of epic this year. It seemed everyone was able to not only catch their limits, but box jumbo red snapper all the way through the season’s end. Whether it be either the impact of fisheries management or the lack of pressure with such high fuel costs, we caught more quality fish this year on the tail end than in the last decade. For the rod and reel trips, long runs to reach deeper, cooler water will be the ticket for finding keeper fish. Dodging thunderstorms is the norm, as we search for fire truck red grouper and all the tasty bycatch including lane, vermilion, and mangrove snapper with a few porgys for great eating. In these conditions, always have the flat line out with a big fresh frozen sardine
and a Yo Zuri popper in the ready. You never know what may swim by, briefly taking refuge under the boat for a few seconds. As for the scuba and spearfishing conditions in August, diving brings sweet relief to the toasty surface air temps. We do our best to dive the incoming tide, as it tends to be clearer than the outgoing with all the rain this time of year brings. Bigger structures should hold a good amount of bait which, in turn, brings about all the predators. Sharks, mackerel and schools of bonita flying through the water in search of this bait is thrilling for our divers to witness every chance they get. After seeing very productive spearfishing in water averaging 40 to 70 feet, in June and July, we can only hope to see these catches carry into August. Our goal will be to get in before the afternoon storms make their way to the Gulf. This time of year, we will dedicate one of our Raymarine Axioms to the Sirius Satellite weather app to keep us up to the minute to avoid getting caught in those strong thunderstorms. Whether you join us or run out on your own rig, August is a month to start early, take a swim and get back to the dock before the thunder rolls. — Capt. TJ Shea. Owner/Operator 2 Shea Fishing and Diving Charters. TJ has been exploring above and below the Gulf of Mexico since he was 8 years old. Contact us at 813-385-2169 and at info@fishanddivetampa.com CHARTERS
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www.2sheacharters.com 12 TAMPA
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AUGUST 2022
TAMPA 13
HERNANDO COUNTY CAPT. GARY STRICKLAND
A
ugust is here and that means Summer is in full force on the Nature Coast. The days are long and hot! You can bet if you’re scorching under that sun, so are the fish. Try to beat the heat and get started early (before sunrise) or late (around sunset or later). Night-fishing is also a great alternative and can include pole fishing or gigging. Getting on the water at night can be a great adventure, especially if you’ve never done it. Make sure you have the right equipment including a spotlight, fishing gear (including an anchor), proper safety lighting on your boat and a marine radio. Live bait, cut bait and artificial baits that have glow to them will work well in the dark. Inshore species are getting lazy from the warm water temperatures. Look for areas with cooler water like deep holes, springs or creeks with over-hanging trees. Redfish are still by the rocky islands and deep cuts. If it’s tough getting a bite on the outside, head into the backwaters. Large fish are lying in the creeks along the banks and near the edges of pot holes. For redfish, cut bait (mullet, pinfish, ladyfish) is our first choice of bait, as it provides an easy meal for fish. The oil and smell of the cut bait travels long distances and draws them in. Live creek chubs with a 3/0 circle hook through the lips, free-lined, is a great second choice. Cobia are in abundance in the shallow Gulf waters during the summer
14 TAMPA
AUGUST 2022
months. This is the best time of year to catch one on our coast. These fish are warm water fish, so the weather and heat are not deterring them. You can catch them from the beach or by boat. They prefer live bait like pinfish, creek chubs, greenbacks or crabs. Use a small weight to get your bait on the bottom. When you hook up to one, hang on! These fish fight and then fight some more. Be mindful that the FWC recently changed regulatory laws on Cobia, increasing the minimum size limit from 33 inches to 36 inches and reducing the vessel limit from six to two fish per day. Did someone say scallop season? Where? Florida? Well… the scallops seem to be scarce this year. We’ve had reports of scalloping groups of four to six people getting less than a dozen per trip. If you want to try it out, head north to Citrus County waters and look for long grass in four to six feet of water. You’ll need snorkel equipment and an abundance of luck. Let us know if you catch any! Check out our local Facebook groups: Reel Shallow Fishing Group & Fishing the Chazz. There are new posts daily with fishing info and angler pictures. Good luck everyone and tight lines! — Captain Gary Reel Shallow Fishn Charters | 352-575-6791 www.reelshallowfishn.com | Facebook @Reel shallow fishn charters
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AUGUST 2022
TAMPA 15
DOCK LIGHT BIRDS By: Wes Tallyn
I
t’s dark, the afternoon Summer storms have cleared out, and the wind has completely stopped. The humidity is so thick you can feel it like a foggy sauna. The only sound you hear is the gentle lapping of the water against boats moored nearby. You’re all alone, just you and the fish, well, almost. There are two birds on the dock with you and they’re also fishing. Have you ever wondered what types of bird they are? Well, — Captain Wes here’s three of the most common ones seen on the docks at night. Tallyn was raised The first is the black-crowned night heron. They usually sleep in Florida and is a in shady mangroves by day, but then emerge at night hunting small fisherman, birder, fish and crustaceans. They have a mostly gray and white body and avid outdoorsman, are often in a “hunched over” pose. photographer, and The second species is a green heron. They’re the smallest of environmental these dock light birds. They are multi-colored with green, blue and scientist. purple feathers. They crouch over very close to the water and exWes has a focus on conservation and tend their long necks to catch fish and shrimp swimming through education in the community and is the the lights. You’ll often see them on low hanging dock lines. The third species featured is the snowy egret. They’re much owner of Snook Jam Outdoors. You can smaller than a great egret, but have all white feathers, yellow feet find him on Instagram @snookjam or and a black bill. Hopefully, this will help you with identification of call 727-410-5853. your dock light friends!
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AUGUST 2022
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here is nothing like the sight of a monster tarpon as it sails through the air trying to shake your hook. Your hands begin to sweat profusely and your triceps suddenly tense up as you buckle down to try and gain control over its wild acrobatics. Will you get that fish back to the boat? That’s the question we all think about at that very moment. Full of excitement, tarpon fishing is a bucket-list item for many fishermen, but it can also be extremely taxing on fishing gear for those who do it. If you’ve ever hooked up to a giant tarpon, 4 you understand that they are big and mean fighting machines. For that very reason, Okuma has worked to perfect a rod that is designed SILVER SLAYER TARPON RODS to allow anglers to - Specifically, designed rod blanks for Tarpon fishing - SeaGuide double locking Alien reel seat - Powerful and responsive 24-ton carbon rod blanks - Tapered cork fore and rear grip with rubber cork inlay go toe-to-toe with Silver Slayer specific models. The four models include a 7’ heavy, 7’ extra-heavy, - UFRII: Ultimate Flex Reinforced rod tip technology - Premium Fuji gimbal for support fighting big fish these beasts of 7’9” heavy and a 7’9” extra-heavy. These rods have the backbone to tarpon rodsby a Limited areLifetime - Fuji K-Concept deep press frames help reduce tangles - Silver Slayer rods are backed warranty - Silky smooth performance from Fuji FazLite guide inserts the salt. We built with powerful and really work your fish to the boat and feature a tapered cork fore and give you responsive 24-ton carbon full-rear grip design with a rubber cork inlay. the Silver SILVER SLAYER TARPON RODS With the brute strength that tarpon possess, Silver Slayer rods rod blanks that feature Okuma’s SLAY-S-701H-FG H MF 7' 0" 15 - 30 lbs 1/2 - 2 oz 12" 1-pcs 7 + Tip A Slayer have all the components to match. Each rod is designed with Fuji UFRII rod tip7"7" technology. What’s SLAY-S-701XH-FG XH MF 7' 0" 20 - 50 lbs 3/4 - 3 oz 12" 1-pcs 7 + Tip A tarpon proprietary blends SLAY-S-791H-FG H MF 7'UFR-II? 9" 15 - 30 lbs This 1/2 - 2 oz 7" 13-1/2"process 1-pcs 7 + Tip AK-Concept deep press frames that help reduce tangles and line SLAY-S-791XH-FG XH MF 7' 9" 20 - 50 lbs 3/4 - 3 oz 7" 13-1/2" 1-pcs 7 + Tip rod! unidirectional fiber over 24-ton carbon in Atwist after all-day casting. Each of these guides holds firmly in place S = Spinning Model the extended tip section of the rod to increase a Fuji Faz-Lite guide insert for silky smooth performance. The rods lifting strength and power by as much as 400 also have a Sea Guide double locking Alien reel seat that keeps your in place. And while fighting percent. This technology provides for the ultimate in spinning reels firmly and comfortably Okuma | Product Catalog 2022 90 strength without sacrificing sensitivity so that you can feel your fish, the Silver Slayer rods all come standard with a premium Fuji gimbal for even the lightest of bites down deep. Learn more at OkumaFishingUSA.com. There are four Silver Slayer tarpon rods that are all spinning- support.
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Legendary Angler Mark Sosin Dies
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he fishing world is mourning the death of Mark Sosin, a legendary fishing writer and television personality who was a long-time columnist for Coastal Angler Magazine. Sosin died on Thursday, June 30 in Boca Raton, Fla. He was 88 years old. Mark Jessurun Sosin was born on July 7, 1933, in Highland Park, New Jersey. He was introduced to fishing at an early age by his father, whose tactics and dedication to conservation were frequent topics in Sosin’s writing. Before making his way into the fishing industry, Sosin graduated from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and earned a master’s in business administration from New York University. He then spent four years in the U.S. Navy and after being discharged worked in several different positions. All the while he fished and dreamed of earning a living from his passion for fishing. Sosin’s long and illustrious career as a writer began in the 1960s, when he began writing magazine articles and books on fishing. Sosin is estimated to have written more than 3,000 magazine articles over his career and more than 20 books on fishing. After moving to Boca Raton with his wife, Susan, in 1979, Sosin launched his TV show, “Mark Sosin’s Saltwater Journal,” in 1983. The program ran for 27 years. Much of Sosin’s work was geared toward education and conservation. His legacy in the fishing industry is that of an educator who helped generations of anglers enter and improve in the sport we all love. Go to www.coastalanglermagazine.com to read Mark Sosin’s columns for Coastal Angler Magazine.
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hen it comes to lures designed for longdistance casting, some are built with appendages that truly help reach distances other lures can’t achieve. These appendages might be located inside or outside of the lure. One popular appendage on minnow-style baits is a mass-transfer device. A weight located inside the lure moves to the tail when the lure is held vertically in the casting position, and once it hits the water the weight slides back to its original location for better swimming action. Typically, these lures are best when they use a magnetic mass transfer device. Some billed minnows use a heavy fixed weight in the tail and can achieve longer casts than mass-transfer lures. Either way, one thing is sure: minnows not built for distance do not cast as well as those designed for this purpose. The external shape of a lure also plays a large part in the distance it is capable of reaching. Remember: a floating lure does not perform as well as a sinking or super-long-distance model because of its low density. Denser lures cast better as a rule of thumb, but they might not be best for catching fish because of where they swim in the water column or because they lack seductive action. Appendages can help achieve the best of both worlds by providing
for long casts as well as swimming well at the desired depth. Side wings are an incredible advantage. They add water lift, which helps compensate for a heavier lure and generates great swimming motion. This is how some SK and SLD poppers and pencils can weigh 25 to 100 percent more than similar floating lures and still be able to be used on the surface. The added weight allows for significant increase in casting distance. In the case of a 160mm (6 3/8”) pencil, the floating model weighs 2 ½ ounces, while the sinking model weighs 3 ¼ ounces. This weight increase translates into 50 percent longer casts. On the typical topwater retrieve, the sinking model does everything a floating one can. Actually, the walkthe-dog action is a bit superior, and it’s also possible to fish the heavier pencil like a swimbait with a slow steady retrieve. Those appendages provide great fish-catching action. But there’s a catch. Sinking lures sink. When you need a lure that floats at rest, floating lures with pointy noses cast farther. The physics are simple. Any lure flying through the air generates turbulences in front of the lure, where the line attachment is. This turbulence acts as a suction cup, dragging on the lure and diminishing casting energy. Like on a jet plane, a pointy nose helps limit this effect. Floating lures with pointed noses consistently cast farther than floating lures with similar style and length. Pay attention to these appendages next time you’re buying lures. They will reward you when it comes to distance—and fish caught! Legendary angler Patrick Sebile is a world record holder and an award-winning designer of innovative lures and fishing gear. Check out his creations at abandofanglers.com.
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CCA FLORIDA STAR AWARDS $80K RIG TO FLORIDA ANGLER
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n early July, CCA Florida, the state’s leading organization dedicated to marine fisheries conservation, education and advocacy, named and verified the first Tagged Redfish division winner in the 2022 West Marine CCA Florida STAR competition presented by Yamaha. Jeff Moore, of Punta Gorda, selected a prize package from Pathfinder Boats and Yamaha Outboards valued at more than $80,000. “I still cannot believe I landed a STAR 2022 Tagged Redfish and that it won me a new Pathfinder!” Moore said. “I almost released the fish when I noticed something on its back, which looked like a parasite, so I brought it back over the edge of my ’yak for a better look. You can understand my excitement when I realized it was a STAR tag. I knew I needed a photo on the measuring device to submit my catch through the STAR app and follow the rules to win. I was jazzed that I had registered for STAR. It is like an insurance policy for fishing; don’t fish without it because you could win a boat!” This year, nearly 160 Tagged Redfish were released across Florida’s coastal waters, giving participants more opportunities to win. Remaining
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prizes in the Tagged Redfish Division include a Contender 22 Sport and a Spyder Vapor 19FX, all powered by Yamaha along with $50,000 cash from Alta Equipment Company. Additionally, STAR’s other tagged division, the Tigress Outriggers and Gear Tagged Dolphin Division, will award $10,000 to the first registrant who catches a tagged dolphin. Unlike traditional fishing competitions, CCA Florida STAR focuses on conservation and offers $500,000 in prizes and scholarships during the 101-day event. Recognized as a “catch, photo and release” competition, STAR’s smart phone app eliminates the requirement for anglers to harvest or capture and transport fish. “Not only is STAR about having fun and winning awesome prizes, but it is also dedicated to fishing smarter to help restore, preserve and improve Florida’s marine habitat and water quality,” CCA Florida STAR Director Leiza Fitzgerald said. “Implementing a catch-photo-release competition is just one way to continue fulfilling our organization’s mission and protect our coastal waterways.” STAR is also focused on youth participation, with its Youth Scholarship Division presented by Realtree Fishing, offering $100,000 in scholarships. Youth anglers (ages 6-17) can register for free with a current CCA Florida youth membership ($10) and are eligible for prizes in both tagged divisions. Youth winners in the Tagged Redfish Division will be awarded a new boat with Humminbird Electronics, MinnKota trolling motor, Yamaha 40HP motor and trailer. Additionally, if the first registered angler to catch one of the 20 tagged dolphin (mahi mahi) is a youth, then he or she will win a $10,000 scholarship in the Tigress Outriggers and Gear Tagged Dolphin Division. The STAR competition includes 17 divisions and 12 species and most winners are determined by a random drawing, giving anglers of all ages and skill levels the opportunity to win. Registration is $40 for current CCA Florida members or $75 for non-members. For more information or to register for STAR, visit Facebook, Instagram or ccaflstar.com.
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By Will Schmidt
Your Grouper Grounds
F
inding new spots to fish has been one of the biggest issues facing us since… well, since fishing started. For years inshore fishermen have used satellite views to find points with cuts, oyster bars and other features that can be seen from above in the shallows. The good news is offshore anglers can now take advantage of similar imagery to make finding new spots feel like you’ve got it made in the shade. High-definition relief shading like that in the new Garmin Navionics Vision+ package gives anglers insight into spots they would have never known about unless they just stumbled across them. There are countless examples of offshore spots where I’ve marked and caught fish without knowing that just a few hundred feet away were even better looking spots. It’s hard to know every ridge or well-defined bottom feature, so getting a view of what is down there can be extremely beneficial. Of course, not all
spots that look good hold fish, but it’s a start. Once you find something of interest, spot lock trolling motors make it easy to move and drop baits to see if anyone is home. For larger areas, such as long ridges, sometimes trolling makes a bit more sense to cover more ground. When chasing bottom fish such as grouper, there are a few techniques that work well. Downriggers and planers with jig heads and large paddletail baits work well, but I find deep diving plugs to be even better. There are a host of deep divers out now that provide an accurate depth to which they will dive. The Nomad DTX Minnow is one of my favorites. It is deadly on grouper and does double duty with its high-speed capability for chasing pelagic species as well. I also love the fact that they come rigged with single hooks versus treble hooks. The key is to just graze the sandy bottom next to the rocks to get the groupers’ attention. They have keen sight and will charge out quickly to grab a meal, and the bonus is you start with them already away from the rocks. Just a few hundred feet away The great thing about using highfrom where the author has definition relief shading and trolling marked and caught grouper for grouper is you might have one is a massive ledge that holds even more fish. spot that quickly turns into four or five locations to drop baits in a relatively small area. Sometimes the spots are within a few hundred feet and sometimes farther. Regardless, this technology is a game-changer, and by covering new ground quickly it can make finding new productive spots much easier. Will Schmidt is a seasoned tournament angler who has been writing about fishing from more than two decades.
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them carefully when dog-day temperatures peak. Fish are fighting for their lives with every ounce of their strength on the end of a line. The stress can kill them when water conditions are less than ideal. That, along with blazing hot sun on the back of the neck, is enough reason to strike out in search of a more appealing environment when it gets hot. My 11-year-old son and I recently spent a couple days on the headwaters of North Carolina’s Nantahala River at a place called Standing Indian. Standing Indian Mountain tops out at close to 5,500 feet, and its slopes feed the river with plenty of cold water from numerous headwater branches. This area, upstream of the U.S. Forest Service’s Standing Indian Campground, is off of U.S. 64 west of Franklin, N.C. The Nantahala at Standing Indian bears little resemblance to the big whitewater river it becomes downstream near Bryson City. In its headwaters, there are about six miles of public water that might be 20 feet across in the wide spots. It’s a great little stream for folks who enjoy slinging dry flies on a four-weight fly rod for pretty little rainbow and brown trout. The fishing wasn’t exactly stellar the two days my son and I fished in mid-June. There were thunderstorms each night, so the river was a little high and stained. My son is also new to a lightweight fly rod, and overhanging rhododendron and river birch are hardly easy terrain for a beginner. Still, we managed to catch numerous gorgeous rainbows slinging a dry-dropper rig with a small Pheasant Tail fished beneath a yellow Stimulator. There were little yellow Sally stoneflies in the air, so our selection of dry fly matched the hatch. Good small-stream browns in the 14-inch range come from this stretch of water pretty regularly, but all we caught were rainbows with a couple measuring maybe 10 or 11 inches. That’s a pretty good fish in terms of little By Nick Carter wild trout streams in the Southeast. We considered our mission accomplished returning to a riverside campsite each evening. While my son might not be old enough to appreciate it, the cool mountain rout anglers have two options when it comes to deep summer. They can air and bedding down to the gurgle of the creek were the highlights of the trip. either hit tailwater fisheries, where dam-controlled flows provide stable The air temperature was easily 20 degrees cooler than back home, and I don’t year-round water temperatures, or they can seek out high-elevation know if I’ve ever slept better. headwaters, where both fish and angler find comfort in rhododendron-shaded For information, check out Nick Carter’s book “Flyfisher’s Guide to creeks with water conditions perennially perfect for little wild trout. North Carolina & Georgia.” It’s available on Amazon or by Big fish and big hatches of tailrace trout fishing are certainly appealing. contacting the author at nsc8957@gmail.com. However, anglers should play fish intended for release quickly and handle
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TIPS FROM A PRO
SUMMERTIME BASS ON POPPERS
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ass are on the move in deep summer. Throwing search baits, especially topwater, is one of the best and most fun ways to find groups of feeding fish. A style of lure that was created a long time ago but still works wonders today is an old-school topwater popper. You can throw this just about anywhere around rocks, grass, wood, docks and in open water to get bites. When the weather gets hot and more people get on the water, getting fish to commit to a surface lure is sometimes almost impossible. What I like to do is put away the bigger topwaters like walking baits or Whopper Ploppers and take out a smaller Pop-Rstyle bait. There are a few reasons this bait gets more bites in the right situations. The first is it’s smaller and quieter. A smaller profile and less noise is sometimes what these finicky fish want. I have seen many situations when throwing a big noisy topwater won’t get a single bite, but throwing a popper in the same area makes fish eat. Another reason popper-style baits are very good is the speed at which you can work them. There are many topwaters that require highspeed retrieves. With a popper, the slower you work it the more it drives them crazy. I vary my retrieve and see what the fish are feeling, but usually I’ll pop the bait subtly a few times and vary the action to make it look like a dying baitfish. Then I’ll let the bait sit for a few seconds before creating another movement. This absolutely drives them crazy. One last reason poppers are deadly is that feathered rear treble hook. When fish are feeding on tiny baitfish or bugs, the feathered treble makes them bite. Sometimes even the small profile of the bait is still too big for them, but they come up and see the feathers and eat those instead. Fishing the right rod and reel with a Pop-R makes a huge difference in landing fish. You want a rod with a good amount of bend because you don’t set the hook. Instead, you just reel into them. I use a 13 Fishing Defy Black 7’ cranking rod. For the reel, you want something that is able to cast a light lure as far as possible. You also need one that will pick up the bait fast for another cast in case a fish misses or you spot surfacing fish. I use a 13 Fishing Concept with an 8:3 gear ratio. I spool it with 30- to 50-lb. Seaguar Smackdown Braid. Next time you get on the water, pick up a popper style lure like a 13 Fishing Poppy McPop Face and see how deadly it can be in the summer months. Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament angler and guide. Check out his website at www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com.
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