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By Capt. Ryan Palmer
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ahoo are some of the fastest fish in the ocean. Built for speed with large tails and torpedo shaped bodies, they can accelerate rapidly and turn on a dime. Wahoo can be solitary fish or found in large schools, depending on conditions, time of year and moon phases. Known for their excellent table fare and awesome fighting ability, anglers travel to South Florida and The Bahamas from all over the world to target them. They have razor sharp teeth and their jaws are hinged like scissors, so landing one on mono is always an exhilarating feat. They can be caught year round, but during the winter months they are found in far better numbers and sizes, especially around the new and full moons. There are several ways to catch them, including high-speed trolling, planer fishing, vertical jigging and live bait. High-speed trolling for wahoo could well be the most exciting method to catch them. There’s nothing like hearing the clicker of an 80 wide reel scream while you’re doing 17 knots. In some cases, you will have multiple hook ups with multiple drags going off. Talk about heart racing! I’ll go over my normal high-speed spread, but keep in mind everyone has their favorite way of doing things. I run a three-line spread. I fish two electric reels and a 50W Shimano Talica. My first electric is set at 80 feet from the boat with a 48-ounce cable-rigged cigar lead. To that I have 25 feet of 400-pound mono shock leader, which is then connected to my lure. The next electric is set at 150 feet from the boat with a 32-ounce cigar lead and the same shock leader. Last is my shotgun Talica with a 24-ounce cigar lead and the same shock leader. I have about 25 different lures from different manufacturers in many colors, shapes and sizes. All of my lures are rigged on 480-pound cable with either single or double hook sets. I start my spread with an assortment of colors. If I get more than one bite on a particular color, I will change the others to that or similar colors. High speed trolling is done in both South Florida and the Bahamas. I used to think that it
was pointless in South Florida, but over the last few years I have been more successful catching them, and the fish I’ve been catching are better sized fish than the wahoo I’ve caught while planer fishing. On a trip just after a winter full moon, we caught a double header off Pompano Beach. Each fish was in the 40-pound range. When high speed trolling, the optimum speed is between 15 and 20 knots, and we fish a zigzag pattern between 120 and 300 feet of water. There are a couple reasons for the zigzag. One is to mimic baitfish coming in or going out during tidal changes, and the other is that during your turns your baits will slow down and fall slightly before accelerating again. This is when you get most of your bites. Keeping an eye on your chart plotter is key, because you can generally mark the schools in the upper portion of the water column. High speed trolling is great if you want to specifically target wahoo, as there are only a few species that eat at that kind of speed. Planer fishing is just as fun and doesn’t burn nearly as much fuel. I like to run two planers consisting of a #4 and a #8 planer with either a drone spoon or a bonita strip behind a Sea Witch. Colors, sizes and shapes all vary, but once I find what color they like I switch them over. The drone spoon is a time-tested and proven method. The flash and vibration of the spoon cutting through the water gets their attention. I prefer 3.5-inch blue drone spoon behind a #8 Old Salty planer. I run about 60 to 100 feet of 60-pound mono between my planer and bait. While pulling planers down deep, I also pull a couple surface baits. Anything from a bonita strip behind a chugger-style lure to a rigged ballyhoo on wire behind an Islander will work. If you have outriggers, you can spread two baits wide and run a shotgun with a cigar-weighted rigged ballyhoo. I
planer fish the same areas as I high speed, but my speeds will be much slower at 6 to 11 knots. Lots of wahoo tournaments have been won fishing at slower trolling speeds, so don’t rule out a jumbo just because you’re not highspeeding. Live baiting wahoo is less common because you are either bump trolling or drifting goggle eyes or other live baits. You are not covering as much ground. Live baits rigged on light wire or titanium are my first choice, with fluorocarbon being second, due only to a wahoo’s super sharp teeth. I’ve caught several wahoo on vertical jigs. About 90 percent of those have come way offshore under some type of flotsam. I prefer a simple 2-ounce diamond Jig. All the wahoo I’ve caught on vertical jigs have been less than 10 pounds. Wahoo as table fare is in my top five, maybe even top three. I’ve often said that if you have cooked it, it’s already burnt. Do yourself a favor and try some wahoo sashimi! Capt. Ryan Palmer Family Jewell Fishing Charters 954-882-2631
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Friends&Fishing By Jim Parks
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here are a multitude of pleasures and benefits to fishing. The beauty of the environment, the challenge, the relaxation, the simple joy of being outside, the fish caught and the big ones that got away are all among the reasons we fish. Intertwined are the relationships created during outings. Like many others, there are times when I would rather be on the water alone. One particular period of my life, I was working full time while going to night school working on my master’s degree. I had no time. Recognizing this, my wife all but demanded I go fishing. Entering the creek that morning, I was mentally exhausted. I perhaps fished 30 minutes before I wound up lying on a rock with the sun in my face. The sound of the creek and my feet in the cool water washed away a lot of stress. At other times, I’ve found the solitude allows me to commune amidst the creation with its creator. After all, even Jesus knew the merits of hanging out with fishermen. To quote Norman MacLean in A River Runs Through It, “And we were left to assume, as my younger brother Paul and I did… that all firstclass fishermen on the Sea of Galilee were flyfishermen... and that John, the favorite, was a dry fly-fisherman.” Over the decades, I’ve been blessed to meet hundreds of like-minded sportsmen. Some, I’d rather forget! However, looking back over fourplus decades, I cannot help but reminisce over what fishing friendships have meant. If you were fortunate to begin fishing young, you had at least one mentor. If you had a father or grandfather who took you on early fishing trips, hopefully you realize how blessed you were 6 NATIONAL
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and will joyfully pass that blessing to the next generation. Having no fishermen in my family tree, I adapted. Like-minded friends of my own age, aka the “Three Amigos,” myself, Keith and Steve, as well as their fathers and grandfathers, helped me along the way. Though my father didn’t fish, he worked in a textile mill alongside more than a few fishermen with whom I came into contact. Among them were the late Don Kirk, author of several books on fly fishing, and the late, great fly tyer Kirk Jenkins. To this day, the memory is burned in my mind of my father’s co-worker Charlie Murrell tying flies with me while camped on Forney Creek in the Smoky Mountains. I was 14 years old. Along the way, they and others taught me wading, casting and reading water, always instilling an interest and knowledge of the history of and respect for the locations where I trod as a young fisherman. Growing older meant adulthood; college, career and marriage entered the scene. Still, at least one of the Three Amigos besides myself has kept fishing, and we still get together when life permits. As we grow older and hopefully better in our pursuit, we’re sometimes blessed to invest in the future of our sport by sharing with the next generation. We instill in them an appreciation for the beauty and opportunity of wading in the crystal clear streams while sharing the history passed down to us. Those opportunities make us better fishermen. In teaching, we are forced to consider the intricate, basic skills of the sport, which over time can become blurred by repetition. As my mentors did with me, I am careful to not “over-coach.” This allows the student to make and learn from their
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mistakes. How awesome to be part of their first catch and to share in that accomplishment. If we’re lucky, at some point we are blessed to come into contact with equally experienced fishermen with whom we just click. The best fishing buddies possess a similar interest in locales and styles, but are different enough that we still learn from one another. The best fishing buddies become those who can finish your sentence, agree on the best places to fish, offer insight we didn’t consider and share learned tidbits, making both that much better. An additional bonus are those friends who are willing to take those crazy adventures such as night trips, remote bushwhacking treks and just downright crazy ideas for which they’ll catch it from their spouse when they eventually return home, well past curfew. I remember as kids how we were competitive. We even had the unofficial “Virgil Ward Award” for whoever landed the largest fish that day. Over time, a point is reached when you get just as much joy in watching a friend ply a hole for that big ol’ brown. Sometimes it’s a tag-team approach, with a spotter directing casts to a trophy fish. We realize as much excitement in our friend’s success as if it were our own, if not more! Lately, I’ve been stepping back… just a little… to give my buddy the first crack at a good run. Watching an artist at work, regardless of the canvas, is a joy. When that person is using all the combined skills of a stealthy approach, with the fly you both agree is best, making that cast in just the right spot and setting that hook, it’s like watching yourself from a distance. In that moment, you are just as elated to share and witness the moment. That moment is when you realize having a fishing buddy is priceless.
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he Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is looking at slashing the recreational dolphin limit in half, from 60 to 30 fish per vessel and from 10 to 5 fish per person in Florida state waters, citing a decrease in number and size of fish caught in recent years off South Florida and the Florida Keys. At its meeting in December, FWC reviewed a draft proposal that would amend the regulations in state waters. The call for action reportedly came from southeast Florida and Keys charter captains, and it follows pending regulations changes approved by the federal South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) in June. The SAFMC ruling reduced the dolphin recreational limit from 60 to 54 fish per vessel for Atlantic federal waters along the entire east coast of the United States. The ruling is pending approval by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. FWC strongly advocated for larger reductions in federal waters as a precautionary measure. That push was blocked by North Carolina representatives, who would only support the smaller reduction. Part of FWC’s interest for proactive management is increased international engagement concerning the highly migratory species. Dolphin off the east coast of the U.S. are part of the Atlantic-Caribbean stock, which extends from New England to the
4 FLORIDA
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Caribbean coast of South America. The status of the stock is currently unknown, according to FWC’s draft proposal, and a traditional stock assessment is unlikely due to unknowns within the fishery, which include international harvest and the absence of fishery-independent monitoring. Warming surface temperatures in the Atlantic are also of concern to FWC because of a welldocumented preference of the species for a temperature range between 66 and 84 degrees. Catch-rate data indicates a tight link to water temperature, and those rates peak at 75 degrees. “Because of this temperature preference, warming ocean waters and other environmental changes could contribute to shifts in dolphin distribution and influence migration routes,” reads the proposal. “Reports of more frequent encounters with dolphin in the northeastern U.S. and a growing directed recreational fishery there illustrate the northward distribution shift for this species. “Similarly, fewer encounters with dolphin in SE Florida and the Keys could be linked to warming sea surface temperatures. Anecdotal reports from SE Florida and the Keys also indicate a change in timing of arrival of large dolphin, which may indicate changes in movement patterns as water temperature increases.”
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Dolphin harvest off the east coast of Florida has fallen precipitously since 2015, according to FWC’s data. In that same data, approximately 90 percent of the harvest in the last 10 years came from federal waters. A final public hearing for the proposed rule would be held at FWC’s March 2022 meeting. For more information, see myfwc.com.
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DreamCatching By Zach Harvey
the
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FINER POINTS of FISHING AFAR
s we head into winter fishing show season, many start shopping for good charters to fish in the coming season. The following points should save you some headaches.
Know Thyself The best thing to ensure a successful trip is to take a hard look at yourself and your crew—your experience, ages, skill levels and general disposition. Rough out your group’s hopes for the trip: Is the gear type of utmost import? Are you five old college friends for whom the trip’s fish tally comes after talking and laughing? Are you hoping to take home a load of fillets? There’s a possibility a port’s highliner—the guy who mohawks the fish every trip— could be the worst guy in town given your group’s criteria for success.
Know Your Quarry, Ask Questions Understand the logistical realities, timing issues, and if there’s a viable
fishery underway. One of the biggest problems fishermen encounter in destination fishing is pride prevents us from asking what we view as “googan” questions. We end up trying to convince our would-be hosts that we know what we’re doing and forget to ask the questions that might make that so. Ask the stupid question. If you’ve been hoping to land X species of X size your entire life, flush out as much detail as possible about the fishery: Are there certain windows of timing for the best fishing? Is tide stage a major factor? Every species and every region is full of caveats and idiosyncrasies. Full-time chartermen must fish as many days as they can book. You can’t expect to get straight answers to all your timing questions. You can, however, zero in on an area’s better tackle shops to fill in blanks. The quest for reliable intel is something you’ll have to patchwork together.
Policies and Parting Advice As you zero in on a decision, there are other considerations. Do not base boat choice on price first and foremost. Charter fishing is not cheap, but a well-executed trip with a top captain can make your dream trip a reality. Be sure, however, to get a clear breakdown on the boat’s weather cancellation, deposit, rescheduling and trip-downgrade policies to be sure all in your crew have clear expectations. Ask detailed questions about the boat’s policies on fishing gear and whether you may target more than one species during a trip. Wherever you fish, whoever takes you and whatever you target, consider: Any seasoned crew will know, inside five minutes, the real extent of your experience. Everything works better if you check your ego at the dock.
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JANUARY 2022
FLORIDA 7
IGFA APPROVES NEW WORLD RECORDS T Carmody’s Southern Bluefin Tuna
he International Game Fish Association (IGFA), headquartered in Dania Beach, Fla., is the worldwide authority on record fish. The organization maintains a massive database of catches for almost any species you can think of and in numerous different categories. Every few months, IGFA releases a handful of recently approved new records. Here are some of the most impressive fish approved by IGFA this fall:
On July 1, 2021, Carl Carmody was fishing out of Hick’s Bay, New Zealand, when he landed the fish of a lifetime. This 355-pound, 6-ounce southern bluefin tuna is the second largest ever caught, weighing just 14 pounds shy of the current IGFA All-Tackle World Record. Carl was fishing aboard the Doctors Orders captained by Blake Sheridan when this fish struck a trolled lure. The impressive tuna earned Carl the IGFA Men’s 130-lb. Line Class World Record for the species.
Triana’s Sockeye Salmon Dennis Triana returned from an August trip to Alaska with a handful of records, including this 66-centimeter sockeye salmon that he landed on Aug. 14, 2021 to set the IGFA All-Tackle Length Record for the species. Dennis was fishing unguided on the Russian River in Alaska when the salmon struck a jig.
Sherbovich’s Arctic Char
Williams’ Chinook Salmon Bailey Williams was fishing with her husband on the Salmon River in Pulaski, New York on Sept. 12, 2021, when she landed this 12-pound, 12-ounce Chinook salmon. With this fish Bailey set the IGFA Women’s 2-kg (4-lb) Tippet Class World Record for the species. This beautiful salmon took an egg pattern on an 8-weight and was landed after a brief fight.
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JANUARY 2022
On July 28, 2021, Ilya Sherbovich landed this beautiful 25-pound, 11-ounce Arctic char to set the IGFA Men’s 20-lb. Tippet Class World Record. Ilya was fishing the remote Taymyr Peninsula in northern Russia when he landed this amazing fish. The Taymyr Peninsula is located north of the Arctic circle, and is only accessible via helicopter. Ilya netted this colorful char after a seven-minute fight and released the fish after recording the proper documentation.
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SAILFISH SEASON ARRIVES ON THE TREASURE COAST
Cowpoke Opens Treasure Coast Sailfish Tournament Season with Quickie Win By Ed Killer for CAM
The crew of Cowpoke, winners of the 2021 Quickie with their First Place award with Fish Heads of Stuart Quickie tournament producer/director Brent Kane (left). PHOTO PROVIDED by Brent Kane.
E
ach year, there is a certain group of women and men who eagerly look forward to the day the Thanksgiving leftovers get put away. That means it’s time for the Treasure Coast sailfish tournament season to begin. For the past two decades, the opening event has been known as The Quickie. It is known as a fun event for the sailfish tournament crews running just two short days and allowing professional mates to fish competitively. The only drawback has been sometimes the tournament is underway and the sailfish act as though they didn’t get an invitation to the party. Still, the show must go on, and these guys and gals have fun trying to catch as many sails as will let them. The 2021 Quickie hosted by Fish Heads of Stuart had a competing field of 15 boats featuring past winners and some of the best trolled bait fishing crews in the Atlantic Ocean. The first day’s fishing was a little on the slow side with 16 total fish caught, but Vintage owned by Hans Kraaz of Fort Pierce won the daily award with four sailfish releases. Day two provided a little more action with 25 fish caught and released for
RESULTS Cowpoke Capt. Mike Brady – 8 releases Wrapped Up Capt. Dave Dalfo – 6 releases Blue Moose Capt. Chris Recchio – 5 releases
a two-day total of 41. Cowpoke, the distinguished, pink-hulled Viking led by Capt. Mike Brady of Fort Pierce and owned by Cruiser and Christy Crews of Avon Park, Fla., won the daily with six sailfish and the overall title with eight total sailfish. Joining Cowpoke as anglers and crew were Dave Meyer, Andrew Brady and Jimbo Brogan. Wrapped Up led by Capt. Dave Dalfo took second with six sailfish. Blue Moose led by Capt. Chris Recchio finished third with five releases.
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JANUARY 2022
TREASURE COAST 1
SAILFISH SEASON ARRIVES ON THE TREASURE COAST
Champagne Lady wins Pirates Cove Sailfish Classic by 3 Releases By Ed Killer for CAM
T
he Pirates Cove Sailfish Classic has come a long way since its humble beginnings. Originally a tournament for charter and private boats docked in the resort’s marina, then general manager Gary Guertin and the marina’s dockmaster J.D. Sachs organized the fun event and pizza was served at the awards ceremony.
Now, 34 years later, it serves as one of the most looked forward to tournaments on the sailfish calendar. The fishing action can be really good some years, but some years are a little slower. The 3-day long 2021 Sailfish Classic was fished by 21 boats which combined to catch and release 87 sailfish, far from the Classic record of 377 sailfish caught during the 2011 tournament. Champagne Lady led by Capt.
Team Champagne Lady celebrates after Capt. Josh Chaney (holding trophy) led them to the 2021 Pirates Cove Sailfish Classic title. PHOTOS PROVIDED by Josh Chaney.
Josh Chaney of Jensen Beach came out on top with 10 sailfish releases over the weekend. Chaney said his crew made a steady pick of the sailfish they saw, and were lucky to hold off the runners up, InTents led by Capt. Rhett Bailey of Jensen Beach, which finished with seven overall. “We pretty much led it wire-towire, but that last day we had to sweat it out when Rhett came into our spot and scared us,” Chaney
said. Champagne Lady won the daily award on day one with five sailfish and added two more on day two. InTents won the day three daily award with five sailfish, but Champagne Lady was able to add three more on the day to win the overall. Floridian led by Capt. Glenn Cameron took third with six fish. Chaney fished with Matt Coppaletta, Brandon Walton, Conner Tillman, Davin Lorent,
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Marlin Wakeman and Rob Miller. He said it was classic “charter fishing” conditions. “During the last day of the Quickie we had a few bites around the wrecks off Fort Pierce in an area where we were also catching bonitos and
blackfin tuna. We had seen acres of flyers (flying fish) there and with all the bonitos we ended up going through about 120 rigged baits a day. We had to catch 40 bonitos and 40 blackfins to get our seven sailfish bites,” Chaney said.
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RESULTS
SALES GARY GUERTIN EDITOR/DIGITAL CONTENT MISTI GUERTIN
Champagne Lady Capt. Josh Chaney – 10 releases InTents Capt. Rhett Bailey – 6 releases Floridian Capt. Glenn Cameron - 6 releases FLEET TOTALS: 87 sailfish, 21 boats, 3 days
GRAPHIC DESIGN LAURA KELLY CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Capt. Gus Brugger Capt. Rocky Carbia Capt. Charlie Conner Michael Conner Capt. Scott Fawcett Capt. Cole Hazellief Capt. Colton Hester Capt. Michael Mauri Capt. Giles Murphy Brian Nelli Jim Oppenborn Capt. Nate Shellen Capt. Adam White Capt. Terry Wildey Steve Wood
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Champagne Lady enters the Manatee Pocket on Dec. 5, 2021 flying three sailfish release flags. The team won the Pirates Cove Sailfish Classic with 10 total sailfish.
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JANUARY 2022
TREASURE COAST 3
FISHING FORECASTS
MARTIN COUNTY OFFSHORE
Capt. Scott Fawcett Off the Chain Fishing Charters (772) 285-1055 fishscottyf@bellsouth.net offthechainfishing.com
H
appy New Year! Not just because 2021 is behind us, but because January is finally here and aside from being the coldest month, it historically brings the best fishing. As the wind comes around to the north and the water temperatures start to cool, sailfish, mahi, wahoo, blackfin and everything else we like to target offshore will be pushing down in search of more comfortable water temps and a steady source of food. The Treasure Coast offers these to migrating fish and in turn we have some of the best fishing in the world this month. Double-digit sail days, running from mahi, limits of blackfin, endless king skyrockets are all possibilities in January. Both trolling and live baiting are effective now, but whichever you choose,
make sure you have plenty of bait. Most of our fishing this month will take place on either side of our 8 Mile reef and patch reefs from 100 to 200 feet of water. Typically, as fish migrate, they travel down a current edge, or a reef line. When those conditions line up and you find a nice rip over a piece of bottom, expect good things. Focus around bait, whether it’s flying fish or submerged schools of thread fins or sardines the bigger fish should definitely be nearby. When you get a bite, save the spot on your GPS, this time of year it is always worth doubling back around to see if there is anything else hanging out. There are a number of days where you can spend all day pounding the same dot or going back and forth between two and have consistent action the whole day. The old adage, “don’t leave fish to find fish,” can be hard to adhere to, but I promise you if you find a good pod of bait, grind it out, the bigger fish are coming. If you don’t have a boat of your own, or would just like a little help, please give me a call, I would love to take you. I still have a handful of days open in January and February so it’s not too late to capitalize on our winter season. I hope you all have a safe and great 2022 and I hope your next fishing trip is Off The Chain!
Cameron and his dad will with a great catch of mahi-mahi on a three-quarter day with Capt. Scott aboard Off The Chain.
PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Scott Fawcett.
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A
s to playin a new time fi Januar and w Lucie I macke congre known most over a these fi to cer Peck L King (the T
MARTIN COUNTY INSHORE NEARSHORE
Capt. Giles Murphy Stuart Angler Bait & Tackle (772) 288–1219 Fishing Charters (772) 475-4857 giles@stuartangler.com www.stuartangler.com
T
he new year has begun bringing with it some good fishing opportunities for light tackle anglers. The Spanish mackerel are thick off Peck Reef for some easy fun casting Gulfstream Flash Minnows and Clarkspoons. Simply drive your boat out of the inlet and
cruise the beach south until you see them or lots of other boats. The pompano bite started inshore late December pushing them in with cold weather and it’s gotten better every day. We anchor up near the inlet and use chicken rigs with sandfleas in 8-to-12-foot depth. On the flats, we mostly use Goofy Jigs while drifting 2-to-5-foot depth. At first, I’ll usually cruise around the flats looking for any “skipping pompano” as they get spooked by the boat. If all else fails, we’ll cruise over to the Causeway Bridge and drop baits near the channel or drift under the bridge jigging shrimp. This can also catch redfish, black drum, snapper, croakers, sheepshead, and more! The snook have moved back up the St. Lucie River providing a great
opportunity to cast along seawalls, mangroves, and docks. My favorite lures are bucktail jigs, D.O.A. jerk baits, and Vudu Shrimp. This also provides a great opportunity to cast flies such as Deceivers, Gurglers, and backwater muddlers. The winter is a good time to find juvenile tarpon rolling far back in small canals all around town and is a great opportunity on a windy day. For these juvenile tarpon, we freeline shrimp unweighted, or use small jerk bait minnows and of course D.O.A. Nick Mariconda caught a TerrorEyz. 30-inch keeper snook casting The bluefish have started showing a Vudu Shrimp Lure on The up at the inlet for some quick easy Sailfish Flats with Capt. Giles. fun trolling or pitching Got-Cha PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Giles Murphy. plugs near the channel and along the beaches. The surf-casting anglers Sound up to Jensen Beach. The new have been catching lots of pompano FishGum Flavored Bait has been with incoming tide at from Hobe working great!
MARTIN COUNTY DEEP SEA
Capt. Rocky Carbia Safari I Deep Sea Fishing Pirates Cove Resort and Marina 4307 SE Bayview St. Port Salerno Reservations: (772) 334-4411 Safari-1.com
A
s the pages of the calendar turn to the new year, the offshore playing field east of Stuart will display a new profile in the form of wintertime fish that will settle into their January habitats among the reefs and wrecks just outside of the St. Lucie Inlet. Schools of kings, Spanish mackerel and lane snapper will congregate this month and populate known, preferred reef areas. While most species of fish can be found over a wide area in our local zone, these fish seem to have a predilection to certain spots, like the offshore Peck Lake/ Kingfish Hole, the 140 King Numbers, and the Sand Pile (the Texas Reef), just to name a few.
772-569-2723 North Location: 1803 90TH AVE VERO BEACH, FL 32966
“Best Fishes” for a Happy New Year will be found aboard the Safari 1. PHOTO CREDIT: Safari 1.
Local knowledge of the preferred and proven fish haunts will be the primary component to any angler`s chance for success. Anglers can search out for GPS numbers for many of Stuart`s reef locations by logging on to www.martinreefs.com. This website will give one an expansive
selection of all of Martin County`s offshore Artificial Reefs. The seasonal conditions associated with the Florida winter, will be firmly in place in January`s near coastal fishing zone. This month, the rhythmic procession of cold fronts will have patterned the way
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these fish feed and move through this zone. Given the proper, user-friendly weather window, anglers will be able to ply honey holes in depths from 35 to 180 feet of water, where pelagic and resident fish, frequent for feeding and spawning. Live bait can be available in abundance by January however, anglers should always bring a good selection of dead baits (like Spanish sardines, ballyhoo, and squid) in case live bait is not easily found. Spoons and jigs should always be part of good offshore tackle box, so don`t forget to bring a selection of artificial baits or lures, along with whole dead baits. A good selection of frozen baits and jigs will always compliment a live well full of ammo and give January`s offshore angler endless options as they dial in the desired fish catching strategy. So, in January, watch the weather, find your fish-friendly window and keep your offshore strategy options open, as this will be the month to make your main resolution come true- and that will be to fish more for a happy New Year!
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them, chum the water to bring the fish off the reef and use light to medium tackle for some good rod bending action. While the nor’easter cold fronts ST. LUCIE COUNTY and cold water cause the reef fish DEEP SEA to preserve their energy, aka lock jaw, we like to use slow moving bait which delivers good results even Capt. Cole Hazellief on a frosty day. And after a cold Shock Leader Charters snap, the fish will back at it hungry (772) 800-5448 and more eager to take the bait, so www.shockleaderfishing.com bundle up and get on board! Keep a close eye on weather ut with the old and in with the conditions and call us for current new! The New Year is here, and the Shock Leader rings in the New Year with some new and tried-and-true techniques guaranteeing a great start to 2022. There will be plenty of weather windows open in January for offshore, nearshore and inshore fishing, and the Shock Leader will be piling fish on deck every day of the month! Offshore predators will be feeding along the warm and nutrient rich Gulf Stream current, and January fishing holds a promise of wahoo, king, mahi, and sailfish. Trolling is the best approach to entice a hard hit from these voracious hunters. Set your spread and look for temp changes, flotsam, birds, and color changes and get ready for some screaming High hook and lady angler extraordinaire reels! Brenda with her recent catch of a beautiful Closer to shore we will cobia and mutton snapper. be targeting snappers, PHOTO CREDIT: Shock Leader Charters. Spanish mackerel, and casting for cobia. Each of these will conditions and fishing reports. The make excellent table fare and have Shock Leader provides a dry ride a hard-fighting attitude. When in all weather conditions, and with dropping in on the snapper reef, the experience Captain and Crew lock down the drag to keep them the biggest fish along the Treasure from making it back to the sharp Coast don’t stand a chance. Let’s go! Tight lines and good vibes. ledges of the reef. Once you find
FISHING FORECASTS
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ST. LUCIE COUNTY INSHORE
Capt. Adam White St. Lucie Flats Fishing Charters (609) 820-6257 www.stlucieflatsfishing.com
H
appy New Year! Traditionally January is a cold and windy month here on the Treasure Coast. We may have a day or two each week that is calm but most days you are fighting the wind. Looking for areas with deeper water and wind protection are good ingredients for a successful day. Another thing to focus on is working your lures or baits much slower than usual. Fish typically won’t pass up an easy meal, but they also don’t want to work hard for one when the water is cold. The pompano have made quite an appearance over the past month. Focusing on the top of the incoming through the beginning of the
outgoing tides all the normal areas like Round Island, Middle Cove, and Jaycee Flats have been holding some fish. Water temps have been pretty mild so far and the bite has been good as result. We have been having better luck tipping our Goofy Jigs with bits of shrimp or clam flavored FishBites. Don’t be surprised if a bonefish jumps on your jigs while targeting pomps. They are becoming very common throughout our region. There have also been some good reports of pompano on the beach. Using clams, sandfleas, or peeled shrimp on a two or three hook rig is the most popular way to target them in the surf. Checking all the accesses until you find cleaner water is worth the effort. Fishing jig heads with live shrimp around the bridges and the turning basin is another good way to locate some quality fish in the heart of the winter. There’s no telling what species you will encounter! Between snapper, drum, croakers, pompano, jacks, and the like, you will stay
ST. LUCIE COUNTY OFFSHORE
Capt. Colton Hester Sonna Girl Fishing Charters (772) 293-5342 colton@sonnagirlfishing.com www.sonnagirlfishing.com
PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Adam White.
busy. My “go to” is a ⅜-inch Hook Up jig rigged on a 7-foot medium spinning rod with 20-pound braid and 25-pound leader. Aside from a few days this month that will start out warm remember to
dress for the weather. We can have 15-to-30-degree temperature swings over a few hours in the mornings. A couple layers with a quality wind breaker can be the difference between great and miserable morning.
there have been reports of grouper being caught in 120-to-200 feet of water. There have also been some grouper caught in the 80 foot of water range as well. So, make sure to have a fresh live bait down there at all times
to catch that trophy gag grouper. Good luck out there and be safe! Remember to keep your boats serviced and your gear clean so you can have a great day on the water. Tight lines!
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hope you had a fantastic holiday season and that you are looking forward to a great new year! The fishing is red hot out there right now and we're all chomping at the bit to get out on every good weather day that we can. The wahoo and mahi-mahi are biting big time straight out of the Fort Pierce Inlet and also about 8-to12 miles north of the Fort Pierce Inlet in 100-to-400 foot of water. The bait of choice has been ballyhoo in your favorite blue and white or pink and white skirt, as well as trolling some wahoo plugs. I prefer to pull a pink and white, blue and white, and then a dark purple and black in my spread. I feel as if this allows me to cover all the bases. The sailfish are beginning to show up as well in 90-to-160 foot of water. The best way to catch them is with a ballyhoo rigged to swim. Preferably with a circle hook. This looks the most lifelike and will get those sailfish to react. Look for bait balls on your bottom machine to hone-in on the sailfish! There are also some kingfish being caught in 30-to-40 foot of water
Brandon with a nice snook caught on a live shrimp on a jig head.
Mike McFadden, sporting a pair of Ocean Eyes sunglasses, with a big red snapper caught in 160 foot of water on a live pilchard.
Novice & Experienced Anglers Welcome...
PHOTO CREDIT: Mike McFadden.
as well as 65-to-80 foot of water. Live bait has been working best but you can also catch them pulling some Rapala deep divers. Look for bait pods or artificial reef structures for the best success. We are having an absolutely phenomenal year bottom fishing. The big fish just continue to bite and be found on the 80-foot reef. This is one of the better seasons that I can remember for bottom fishing. Cut sardines, cigar minnows, live pilchards, live threadfins, and grunt plugs are my bait of choice. Remember a lighter leader gets more bites. I prefer 30-to-50-pound flourocarbon. I can still get the bites, but I can also get the fish past the sharks and goliath grouper. On the bottom in deeper water,
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JANUARY 2022
TREASURE COAST 7
FISHING FORECASTS
WHEN YOUR-OUT
SEBASTIAN INSHORE
STAY CHARGED UP WE DELIVER & INSTALL BATTERIES
Capt. Gus Brugger Pattern Setter Charters (772) 360-6787 www.WelcomeToSebastian.com
B
y January, the fish that inhabit the inshore waters of the Sebastian area, will be in their winter patterns. Water temperatures should be in the 60s if all is normal, with cold snaps driving them as low as the upper 40s and occasional warm spells lifting them into the 70s. Since cold fronts can drop water temps 20 degrees in 24 hours while warmups are more gradual, most species err on the side of caution and spend most of their time in, or close to a thermal refuge.
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RIVER – The Sebastian River's most prominent role in January is a thermal sanctuary. It keeps a large number of manatees warm in the north fork’s 15-plus foot depths. It also keeps a hoard of ladyfish, jacks, an occasional gator trout, redfish, snook and even a few pompano warm on the colder days. Sleep in and wait for the waters to warm and you too could Casting jigs and plugs in the deeper smile like this young angler. waters can yield every cast action with the occasional surprise such as a big PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Gus Brugger. snook or a tasty pompano. On warm days, snook, reds and trout lay up in NEAR SHORE ATLANTIC – the shallows warming themselves Pompano and whiting are the and occasionally taking a properly mainstay of surf fishermen along the presented bait or lure. Treasure Coast in the winter. Sand fleas, cut clams and dead shrimp on INDIAN RIVER LAGOON – The three hook dropper rigs are the baits lagoon offers some great options of choice. Boaters looking along for trout and redfish during cold the beaches are apt to find blues, weather. Residential canals, protected mackerel and some pompano on the shallow bays, and sunny shorelines calmer days. Goofy jigs, spoons, and are excellent areas to find both trout bucktails worked from the beach or and reds soaking up the sun’s warmth toward the beach from a boat are and sucking up some sluggish baitfish good ways to search for pompano and and crustaceans. A good January blues on calm days.
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SEBASTIAN INLET – Pompano fishing can peak out in January around the drop-offs and sandbars at the back of Sebastian Inlet where bouncing Goofy jigs is the ticket. A few nice flounder will remain around the inlet throughout the winter. Bluefish, jacks, black drum, sheepshead and Spanish mackerel will keep jetty anglers busy most days.
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cold front should improve the clarity of the waters of the Indian River Lagoon. The immediate benefit will be the ability to sight-fish for reds and possibly even “gator” seatrout. Sight fishing along mangrove shorelines is an exciting way to find redfish, which will generally eat a well-placed live shrimp, D.O.A. jerkbait or fly.
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waters uld gler.
SEBASTIAN AREA OFFSHORE
Capt. Terry Wildey Big Easy Fishing Charters (772) 538 - 1072 captwildey@bellsouth.net www.bigeasyfishingcharters.com
W
ith the unusually warm water temps we’ve had in December, January weather will be the big cool down of water temperature. The cold fronts pushing down from the north should move a good number of Spanish mackerel and bluefish down the beach. Kingfish and cobia will gather ahead of the cooler water as it pushes south. When the water temperature drops to low 70s and even high 60s, you’ll find them migrating south ahead of the colder water. Knowing where this temperature change is will determine where I’m fishing each day, North of the waters mid-70s and south as it drops to low 70s or high 60s. Windy cold fronts in January are always an issue. Fishing will usually fire up as the wind increases. So, fortune favors the bold. If you can catch that day when it’s the calm before the blow, whether you’re
A great haul of Spanish mackerel and a couple of cobia for Luis Sanchez, Ronny Mejias, Carlos Adarmes, Reinaldo Diaz, Jose Naranjo and Andy Torrealba fishing with Capt. Terry aboard Big Easy Charters. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Terry Wildey.
fishing the 80- or 90-foot reefs or trolling 150 feet and deeper for dolphin, wahoo and sailfish, it’s going to be worth the trip. I believe fish feel the change in barometric pressure as the front approaches. January is not a month known for great sea conditions, so you need to watch that
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future forecast for your window. For those of you who are fortunate enough to get fishing tackle from Santa, it’s a great time to break it in. Remember grouper season ends January 1, so if you happen to catch one be sure to use the new fish descending devices you are required
to carry when reef fishing in federal waters now. Don’t get CAUGHT without it—LOL! From all of us at Big Easy Charters, we hope everyone had happy holidays and look forward to another great year of fishing in 2022. “Fish On Gotta Go!”
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JANUARY 2022
TREASURE COAST 9
KAYAK FISHING FORECAST
Brian Nelli Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters (772) 201-5899 Brian@tckayakfishing.com www.tckayakfishing.com
INSHORE: Here comes winter! Winds and cooler temps will keep you wet and cold in the kayak. A good pair of Frogg Toggs waders is highly recommended to keep you warm this coming month. Pompano, bluefish, jacks and Spanish mackerel become more of the focus in January. I like to target areas near the inlets like the mouth of the Loxahatchee River in Jupiter and Sailfish Flats in Stuart. The deeper channels and sand flats make them ideal locations for the fish to swim in and out with the tides. Try working the edges of these channels with Goofy jigs, small buck tails and D.O.A. jerk baits.
PHOTOS CREDIT: Brian Nelli.
LEFT: Chris with his first sailfish. ABOVE: David double fisting two nice peacock bass.
sailfish. As always, winter months are very weather dependent. There are typically only a handful of days during this month that the weather will allow you to get in the ocean without dumping you and your gear OFFSHORE: January is considered in the process. Choose your days one of the best months to target wisely and be sure to have all safety
equipment on board. Sailfish prefer smaller baits like smaller goggle eyes and pilchards. Kingfish will still be around and scattered mahi and wahoo could make an appearance in the kayak.
FRESHWATER: Depending on how
cold it gets, the peacock bass should be hungry. Live baits like shiners and shad will be the best bet. Clown knifefish, largemouth and sunshine bass will make their way to deeper water as the temps drop. Try fishing the deeper holes with baits near the bottom for best results. Check us out 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!
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COASTAL ANGLER TREASURE COAST JANUARY DAY TIME HEIGHT 1SA 2SU 3M 4TU 5W 6TH 7F 8SA 9SU 10M
12:19 AM 7:14 AM 12:52 PM 7:18 PM 1:13 AM 8:07 AM 1:46 PM 8:13 PM 2:06 AM 8:58 AM 2:38 PM 9:07 PM 2:59 AM 9:48 AM 3:31 PM 10:00 PM 3:52 AM 10:37 AM 4:25 PM 10:53 PM 4:46 AM 11:25 AM 5:19 PM 11:46 PM 5:40 AM 12:14 PM 6:14 PM 12:41 AM 6:36 AM 1:02 PM 7:09 PM 1:37 AM 7:34 AM 1:52 PM 8:05 PM 2:35 AM 8:32 AM 2:43 PM 8:59 PM
-0.61 2.72 -0.04 2.52 -0.7 2.79 -0.13 2.59 -0.72 2.82 -0.19 2.62 -0.68 2.79 -0.21 2.59 -0.56 2.71 -0.2 2.5 -0.39 2.58 -0.17 2.39 -0.19 2.43 -0.12 2.25 0.01 2.26 -0.07 2.13 0.18 2.1 -0.02 2.04 0.31 1.97 0
L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L
11TU 3:34 AM 9:29 AM 3:36 PM 9:51 PM 12W 4:31 AM 10:22 AM 4:30 PM 10:41 PM 13TH 5:24 AM 11:12 AM 5:21 PM 11:28 PM 14F 6:12 AM 11:58 AM 6:10 PM 15SA 12:12 AM 6:57 AM 12:41 PM 6:55 PM 16SU 12:54 AM 7:38 AM 1:22 PM 7:38 PM 17M 1:33 AM 8:18 AM 2:01 PM 8:20 PM 18TU 2:11 AM 8:57 AM 2:38 PM 9:00 PM 19W 2:47 AM 9:35 AM 3:15 PM 9:41 PM 20TH 3:24 AM 10:12 AM 3:52 PM 10:22 PM
1.98 0.38 1.89 0.01 1.97 0.41 1.85 -0.02 1.99 0.39 1.86 -0.06 2.04 0.35 1.9 -0.11 2.1 0.29 1.95 -0.17 2.17 0.23 2.01 -0.22 2.23 0.17 2.05 -0.25 2.27 0.12 2.07 -0.26 2.28 0.07 2.08 -0.24 2.27 0.01 2.08
H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H L H
21F 4:03 AM 10:50 AM 4:30 PM 11:06 PM 22SA 4:45 AM 11:28 AM 5:13 PM 11:52 PM 23SU 5:31 AM 12:08 PM 6:00 PM 24M 12:43 AM 6:24 AM 12:53 PM 6:54 PM 25TU 1:40 AM 7:24 AM 1:46 PM 7:55 PM 26W 2:45 AM 8:30 AM 2:47 PM 8:59 PM 27TH 3:53 AM 9:37 AM 3:55 PM 10:05 PM 28F 5:01 AM 10:42 AM 5:04 PM 11:07 PM 29SA 6:04 AM 11:43 AM 6:09 PM 30S 12:06 AM 7:01 AM 12:39 PM 7:08 PM 31M 1:02 AM 7:54 AM 1:33 PM 8:03 PM
-0.19 2.23 -0.04 2.08 -0.12 2.17 -0.09 2.07 -0.03 2.1 -0.14 2.06 0.08 2.03 -0.19 2.05 0.17 1.97 -0.24 2.06 0.21 1.95 -0.31 2.11 0.2 1.98 -0.41 2.2 0.12 2.08 -0.53 2.33 0 2.21 -0.65 2.46 -0.14 2.35 -0.73 2.57 -0.28 2.46
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JANUARY 2022
TREASURE COAST 11
FISHING FORECASTS
LAKE OKEECHOBEE
Capt. Nate Shellen Shellen Guide Service Okeechobee Bass Fishing Guides/Charters (863) 357-0892 sjmike7@aol.com OkeechobeeBassFishing.com
T
he lake level is hovering close to the 16-foot mark, which is 7-to10 inches higher than this time last year. As we move deeper into fall, the shorter light hours and cooler daytime temperatures help the water to cool. Water temperatures are 78 to 75 degrees at the present time which leads to longer activity periods for the bass. Every year at this time, the very largest bass that swim in Okeechobee start to move toward the spawning areas in the lake where they will feed heavily and then eventually spawn. The Okeechobee strain of Florida largemouth is unique. Whereas female northern bass will all spawn
within a month or so of each other, the Okeechobee bass spawn will start as early as the full moon of November, and waves of female bass will continue to move in and spawn throughout the fall, winter, and spring. It’s easy to see why the Big “O” is such a fish factory. Speck (crappie) anglers are starting to catch good numbers of small specks that are under the 10-inch size limit place on the lake several years ago. The Kissimmee River is normally the first spot where limits of large specks appear, aside from the mouth of the river, the area north of the river around the weir is a developing hot spot, as is the lock and dam area above it. Jigs and minnows are the primary baits for snagging the tasty panfish, a minnow many times will outperform a jig numbers-wise, but a jig will often provide bites from the larger specks. Artificial baits are still viable for catching good numbers of bass on the lake, topwater plugs, spinnerbaits, Senkos, and jigs will all work; however, there is no other bait that will match or outperform a wild golden shiner. Day in and day out live shiners will account for larger numbers of bites from largemouth, as well as entice the big bites from the largest bass. Good catch rates are
Rich Thompson and Jeff Shipley from Delaware caught these Okeechobee giants on a six-hour trip with OkeechobeeBassFishing.com. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Nate Shellen.
being reported by guides with 35 to 50 fish per trip. Big bass are showing up with frequency, bass in the 7 to 9-pound range are an everyday occurrence. Whatever species you pursue, the possibilities are great, if you spend your time using the proper techniques in the correct areas. The lake's vegetation is looking better
than it has in a few years which will make for a great fishing season so get on out and enjoy the beautiful weather and fantastic fishing. Stop into Okeechobee Fishing Headquarters to pick up some of the hottest lures that the fish are eating at any given time as well as pick up the new hottest jigs for the crappie bite. Tell Mike that Capt. Nate sent you!
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e Shellen.
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In January, keep tanks filled and gear ready so when a weather window opens, you’re ready to go!
DIVING FORECAST
Steve Wood Deep Six Watersports - Stuart (772) 288-3999 Stuart (772) 562-2883 Vero Steve.wood@deepsix.com www.deepsixintl.com
J
anuary cold fronts are a fact of life this time of year but those who venture out between them are in for a treat since lobster are abundant and reefs are less crowded Small weather windows are common and so far, this season the Treasure Coast has been experiencing one- or two-day calm spells between passing fronts. This has allowed even small boats enough time to sneak out and take advantage of lobster season, which remains open through the end of March. Pressure has been light over the past few months and reefs like Peck Lake, just south of the St. Lucie Inlet in Stuart, or the shallow reefs just north of the Fort Pierce Inlet should be great places to snag dinner. Visibility usually improves quite quickly after
PHOTO CREDIT: OutdoorWorks/Shutterstock.com.
a front passes and divers may be surprised to see the return of big bugs in greater numbers to these areas. With fewer boats headed offshore, compared to August, boat limits are common this time of year. Check the Bathtub Beach webcam for a quick visual on sea conditions and visibility close to shore. Water temps definitely cool down
this time of year, but luckily for the Treasure Coast, the warm waters of the Gulf Stream are just a few miles offshore allowing the ocean to stay in the lower 70s even this time of year. The hardest part of diving in January is getting out! Air temps can be brisk so packing dry clothes to change into after a dive is a must. Consider bringing a knee-length parka
(known as a ‘boat coat’), a beanie and sweatpants to change into for the ride back to the dock. Between plentiful lobster action and less crowded reefs, diving in January is well worth braving potentially chilly air temps. Keep tanks filled and gear ready so when a weather window opens, you’re ready to go!
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JANUARY 2022
TREASURE COAST 13
Fly Fishing Corner
Resolution, More Time Fishing! Visit Okeechobee, Florida
After 8 to p
By Capt. Michael Mauri
PHOTO P
The Appreciation of
BAD WEATHER!
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n the last two years, our fishery the ride back to the boat ramp. It just has changed a lot. More boats felt so good being the only boat out with more people fishing our there and I really took a step back waters and putting more pressure on to memorize this moment and my fish. Some days are really hard to get appreciation for bad weather. Thinking about it and what away from the crowds and find some untouched waters, especially for the even does bad weather mean? Just fly-fishing enthusiast. A few weeks ago, I fished my friend Russ and his wife Kelly. The weather for that day was filled with cold, rain and winds up to over 30 miles-per-hour and pretty bumpy. Since I knew Russ is a good caster and how excited he was (also this trip was a birthday present from his wife) I decided to run this trip. Arriving at the boat ramp with just a few other cars was nice and seeing our waters with no boats was even better. I decided to start at the inside of our inlet, and it only took a few minutes to find the right Russ in happy land. spot and the mayhem PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Michael Mauri. started! Every cast or every second cast was fish on, because we think it is bad or some nothing fancy but between jacks, can’t handle the casting doesn’t mean anything to the fish, so step up your ladyfish and snappers a lot of fun! After two hours when it started to casting and let’s go! get dark, we changed location and hit the first dock light. Russ had a good Capt. Michael Mauri run and landed a dozen nice snook. www.mauriflyfishing.com The four hours flew by in a blink michael@mauriflyfishing.com of an eye and a happy couple enjoyed (772) 485-3321
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After 8 hours, the Aftersome starts listing to port on her way to the bottom. PHOTO PROVIDED by St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program.
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St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Update:
420-FOOT AFTERSOME REEF DEPLOYED
O
n December 1, 2021, Global Diving and Salvage (GDS) deployed the 420-foot Aftersome Reef offshore between St. Lucie and Martin counties in 185 feet of water. A partnership between GDS, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commision (FWC) and Martin County, the Aftersome Reef deployment is the largest artificial reef to be deployed on St. Lucie County’s artificial reef sites since the 469foot U.S.S. Muliphen was deployed in 1989. This deployment took a very long time. After GDS cleaned the vessel according to U.S
Environmental Protection Agency and FWC standards, the boat was towed to the deployment area and the four nine-inch valves installed in the hull specifically for the deployment were opened. Eight hours later, just before dusk, the Aftersome Reef slipped underneath the surface. The large Aftersome Reef was donated to the FWC anonymously and was meant to be deployed offshore Martin County. After careful consideration, a permitted site was chosen halfway between the St. Lucie Inlet and the Fort Pierce Inlet so that boaters from both inlets
could utilize the new reef. In accordance with the donor’s wishes, the reef ’s coordinates will not be published until it has had time to recruit marine life, including fishes. The depth of the Aftersome Reef was chosen to ensure that the reef was stable and wouldn’t move during a hurricane but will also benefit deepwater fishes. At 185-foot depths, the reef will attract deepwater fish species such as amberjack, gag, scamp, and red snapper. All of these species
SEE SLC REEF......................................................PAGE 16
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JANUARY FISHING CONDITIONS January 1
POOR
Morning
January 21
FAIR
Evening
January 2 January 3
POOR
Evening
January 22
POOR
Evening
FAIR
Evening
January 23
POOR
Evening
January 4
FAIR
Evening
January 24
GOOD
Evening
January 5
BEST
Evening
January 25
GOOD
Morning
January 6
BEST
Evening
January 26
GOOD
Morning
January 7
BEST
Evening
January 27
POOR
Morning
January 8
POOR
Evening
January 28
POOR
Morning
January 9
POOR
Morning
January 29
FAIR
Morning
January 10
FAIR
Morning
January 30
POOR
Morning
January 11
FAIR
Morning
January 31
FAIR
Morning
January 12
POOR
Morning
January 13
POOR
Morning
January 14
FAIR
Morning
January 15
BEST
Morning
January 16
BEST
Morning
January 17
FAIR
Evening
January 18
FAIR
Evening
January 19
FAIR
Evening
January 20
GOOD
Evening
16 TREASURE COAST
What do the ratings mean? POOR day basically means the fish will either steal all your bait or will not even touch your line. FAIR day means that you catch one or two fish but you will have to work hard to do so. GOOD day means that you will catch enough fish to feel gratified. BEST day means that you will catch something almost every time you cast your line in the water. SOURCE: The Old Farmers’ 2021Almanac
JANUARY 2022
SLC REEF.......................... FROM PAGE 15 Management
Zone regulations prohibiting overly efficient fishing gear (e.g. trawling nets) on St. Lucie County’s artificial reef sites is hoped to protect any spawning aggregations which may develop. The potential for the Aftersome Reef to recruit ivory tree coral also exists. Ivory tree corals were abundant on the Oculina Banks and provided habitat for several fish species to spawn. Unfortunately the Oculina Banks have been severely impacted before by destructive fishing practices like trawl nets. After decades of protection, in which ivory tree corals started to regenerate, these corals are now being threatened again by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Coral Amendment 10 which would allow trawling near the Oculina Banks once again.
have already been detected on St. Lucie County’s deepwater artificial reef site. In its 2018 study of the County’s mesophotic (deepwater) reefs, Florida Atlantic University at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute researchers also found tiger grouper and blackfin snapper, which had never been detected on St. Lucie County’s artificial reefs before. The St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program has been looking for large vessels to test whether these vessels might attract spawning aggregations of deepwater species. Spawning aggregations of fishes like gag and scamp had previously been found on deepwater reefs on the Oculina Banks. Impacts on these reefs by destructive fishing practices, have left aggregations with very little high-profile spawning habitat. Gag For more information on the and scamp have both been found St. Lucie County Artificial Reef on St. Lucie County mesophotic Program contact Jim Oppenborn, reefs during spawning season, with concentrations of these species St. Lucie County Coastal Resources Coordinator, at (772) 462-1713 or being monitored on deepwater steel oppenbornj@stlucieco.org. vessel reefs. The Aftersome Reef will be monitored in the winter months For information on efforts to protect to ascertain whether this reef will the Oculina Banks and to defeat attract spawning aggregations. The Coral Amendment 10, please contact ban on grouper harvest during the John Reed at jreed12@fau.edu spawning season as well as Special or (772) 579-8215.
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There is good news on the local water quality front. On November 10, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that the state will invest $481 million for wastewater treatment improvements. Much of the funding is earmarked for faulty septic systems and aging wastewater infrastructure, and 20 of the over 80 projects will take place on the Treasure Coast, largely Brevard County, where sewage spills and septic seepage has been particularly troublesome. It is no secret that the region from Titusville to Cocoa Beach has seen horrific, chronic algal and phytoplankton blooms that are caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus, and that has caused massive native seagrass die offs that partially led to over 1,000 manatee deaths, not to mention troubling declines in numbers of grass-dependent gamefish and forage fish. (A table of the 80 projects, purposes, locations and costs is now posted on The Indian Riverkeeper Facebook page). On December 10, the Governor also announced that his budget would include $35 million to “combat” Harmful Algal Blooms, namely blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) and red tide. A chunk of this money would go to innovative technology that would directly treat, or kill, active blooms. Indian Riverkeeper is concerned about the concept of adding chemicals, algacides, and apparently, hydrogen peroxides to public waterways (Lake Okeechobee or canals leading to the St. Lucie River and lower Indian River Lagoon) that respected scientists have said will kill beneficial phytoplankton and other life forms that are part of the food chain. Many feel that it would make better sense to dedicate such funding to the prevention of the blooms through residential stormwater runoff nutrient reduction, and stricter limits on corporate agricultural fertilizer use. We will update on this
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development as more information becomes available.
At first glance it looks like seagrass recovery on the famed Sailfish Flats inside St. Lucie Inlet. Sadly, it’s largely macroalgae that has taken hold in the area. PHOTO PROVIDED by Indian Riverkeeper.
Local Seagrass Recovery Slow to Occur Anglers along the Treasure Coast section of the Indian River Lagoon are reporting sporadic seagrass sprouting, but much of the supposed seagrass is turning out to be macroalgae such as gracilleria, or Caulerpa, a brightgreen macroalgae that looks a bit like short turtlegrass. Earlier in summer, Indian Riverkeeper shared photos of a noxious outbreak of lyngbya, a cyanobacteria typically found where nutrients such as nitrogen spike in the water column. The accompanying photo at Stuart's Sailfish Flats—a region that sees repeated polluted Lake Okeechobee discharges—shows mats of bottomhugging macroalgae (red drift and others) that anglers and boater
SEE RIVERKEEPER.......................PAGE 21
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RIVERKEEPER..........................................FROM PAGE 18 assume is a real native seagrass. The photo was taken in December 2021. We will be closely monitoring the area for seagrass recovery, if any.
Lots of great catches were brought to the weigh-in at last year's Sand Spike Shootout.
Register for the 2nd Annual Sand Spike Shootout Now! The inaugural Indian Riverkeeper Sand Spike Shootout last February was a great success with over 80 registered anglers vying for prizes for biggest pompano and whiting. This on-foot surf tournament will be held again on February 26 and 27, 2022 at last year's headquarters, Dollman Park Beachside, 9200 S. Ocean Dr. on Hutchinson Island. Details, rules, and online registration for anglers is now live at https://www. theindianriverkeeper.org/sand-spike-shootout/. We are offering a $5 “early bird” discount for anglers who register online before Jan 1, 2022. After that, entry levels are $40 and $60, with the latter level to include a sample bag of surf terminal tackle. Our on-site, 2-day raffle tickets are $5 or 5 for $20. Unlike last year, we eliminated the St. Lucie to Fort Pierce Inlet legal fishing boundaries—now you can fish any stretch of beach on the Florida Atlantic coast. Weigh-in deadlines on both Saturday and Sunday (4:30 p.m.) still apply. This a prize-winning (no cash) tournament awarding four top places for each pompano and whiting. For more information, call (772) 521-1882. And be sure to check out the Facebook page Indian Riverkeeper for updates
We Got Engaged! Indian Riverkeeper engaged the public at the annual Treasure Coast Seafood Festival in Fort Pierce in November. It was a good opportunity to educate the public, both local residents and incoming winter visitors, about the water and habitat quality problems of the Indian River Lagoon. We raised funds through a raffle and auctioned a half-day fishing trip for two anglers generously donated by Capt. Mark Dravo, who is now an Indian Riverkeeper board member. (Guides who would like to join Capt. Mark in supporting our mission and efforts with a donated fishing trip can do so by calling Executive Director Mike Conner at (772) 521-1882 or emailing keeper@theindianriverkeeper.org. Last year, fishing guides including Capt. Carl Eby, Jayson Arman, Capt. Mark Dravo, and Capt. Bob Bushholz donated fishing trips for Facebook auction.)
Donate, Volunteer and/or Become a Member
PHOTO PROVIDED by Indian Riverkeeper.
on sponsors, prizes and top raffle items. We welcome new sponsors and prize donors and ask that you email keeper@ theindianriverkeeper.org or call (772) 521-1882 to get involved. All proceeds of the second annual Sand Spike Shootout help fund the mission of the Indian Riverkeeper.
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Paid memberships and volunteers are vital to keep Indian Riverkeeper on the water, at government agency meetings and on the forefront of education and advocacy for the Lagoon. To join or donate, visit www.theindianriverkeeper.org. To volunteer your time to help us conduct events, email keeper@theindianriverkeeper.org. We also invite local businesses and corporations to show their support by signing on as Indian Riverkeeper Supporting Business Partners. Call Executive Director Mike Conner at (772) 521-1882 for more information. JANUARY 2022
TREASURE COAST 21
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Florida Fish and Wildlife
FWC
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What’s
YOUR
New Year’s Resolution? Artwork by Zelin Wang, Grade 11.
Youth Invited to Enter Florida State Fish Art Contest
T
he Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), in partnership with Wildlife Forever, is eager to announce they will host the Florida State Fish Art Contest again this year. Students in kindergarten through twelfth grade can compete in this free contest for a chance to win state and national honors, and prizes. This program inspires creativity while developing the next generation of anglers and conservationists. Florida winners will be selected by the FWC in four grade categories, kindergarten through third grade, fourth through sixth grade, seventh through ninth grade and tenth through twelfth grade. State winners will advance to the National Competition to be judged for top prizes including Best of Show. The deadline to enter is March 31, 2022, so start designing today! “We are committed to increasing youth participation in freshwater and saltwater fishing through this effort,” said Eric Sutton, Executive Director of the FWC. “The State Fish Art program is a unique and creative way to connect to youth anglers and the FWC is proud to be sponsoring the initiative for Florida.” To enter, students from Florida should submit their entry at Wildlife Forever – Florida Art, (https://www.wildlifeforever.org/florida-entry-forms) consisting of the following: • An original horizontal 9”x12” piece of artwork featuring any fish from the Official Fish List. • A piece of creative writing, no longer than one page, about the chosen species (required for grades 4-12). • A Florida State Fish Art Contest entry form
Current Atlantic Seasonal Closures
• Snook: Dec 15-Jan 31. • Groupers (gag, black, red, scamp, rock hind, red hind, coney, graysby, yellowfin and yellowmouth): Jan 1-April 30. • Hogfish: Nov 1-April 30 • Tilefish, Blueline: Sept 1-April 30
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TREASURE COAST 23
Share Yooutor Brag Phere! H
Frank Orio (aka Mr. Muttonbutfun) with a beautiful black grouper. Caught on a 25-pound test spinning rod aboard Savage Pursuit Charters out of Fort Pierce Inlet. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Brian Godwin.
Email your information ality and high-qu rger) (500KB or la @ easurecoast photos to tr e.com. lerMagazin CoastalAng
Jordan Ford caught this nice bonefish on the Sailfish Flats in December. PHOTO CREDIT: Jordan Ford.
Michael Little with a wahoo shot on a Keys trip in December. PHOTO CREDIT: Michael Little.
Angler Craig Wallengren fishing seawalls with big mullet caught this over slot snook while fishing with Capt. Chris Britton/Grey Ghost Charters. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Chris Britton.
Regina Danielson named this shot, “Snook in the Locks”. Regina caught this 20 incher on a Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow. PHOTO SUBMITTED by Regina.
Bryce Ford shot these snappers—a dog and cubera— out of the St. Lucie Inlet in December. PHOTO CREDIT: Bryce Ford.
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By Capt. Michael Okruhlik
I
CATCH THE
FISH
n early December, I set out in search for large trout in an area known to hold these magnificent fish from December through early April. Under typical conditions, they can be found warming themselves by hovering over the mud/grass bottom in knee-deep water, which is also where I prefer to target them. However, on this particular day the temperature was at a near record high of 80 degrees! The trout had no reason to hang out in the hot mud, so I had to read the signs to catch the fish. Before launching my kayak, I stood high on the bluff and scanned the area. This shore runs north to south, and there was a slight south to southeast breeze. I didn’t see any slicks to alert me to feeding fish, nor did I see busting bait. I didn’t even see any lazily flipping mullet. What I did see were several pelicans drifting on the water several hundred yards out and two kayakers to the north. There were three separate groups of pelicans, and they were not near each other.
I launched the kayak and headed east, or straight out. I made a few cast in the shallow water, but the vegetation was too abundant to properly work my lure, and I didn’t see any bait. With the bowmount trolling motor, I was able to stand and look for visible signs of life while slowly moving forward. The water in this area was crystal clear, and if fish were present, they would be easy to locate. When I reached water with a little less grass, I decided to make short drifts and try my luck. Once a drift didn’t produce, I would head east again until I reached new water with a little more depth, and drift again. The wind would push me to the northwest and somewhat back toward the shore. I also noticed the other kayakers were moving around a lot. With that observation and the fact that I hadn’t had a bite, I concluded they were not catching either, and the fish were not shallow.
My next move was to head deeper toward the pelicans. As I mentioned earlier, there were three groups of them, and the one thing they had in common was their distance from the shore. I headed straight east until I was inline with them, but up-wind. Once I reached this area, I noticed baitfish in the water. They were not being chased, but they were present. The water was still very clear, and it was about 3 to 4 feet deep with a mix of grass and potholes. I began launching my 4-inch paddletail toward the potholes. Utilizing a steady retrieve and keeping my lure about midway in the water column, I received a vicious strike. After some tail-walking, I landed a nice 5-pound speckled trout. Not bad for the first fish of the day! I had to depart from my pregame plan and follow the signs to the fish. By following that pattern, I was fortunate enough to play catch and release with specks and reds the remainder of the day. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures, Controlled Descent Lures, and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.
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H
ere’s a feel good story about anglers using a passion for fishing to do good in the world. Harrison Konsker and Maccabee Harman were avid anglers and high school students back in 2014 when they recognized the potential their angling success had to serve their South Florida community. On the water every weekend, they regularly filled bag limits, and decided the best use for all their fresh fish was to offer it those in need. They began reaching out to local food banks before taking the next step to form Fillet for Friends (FFF), a 501 (c) (3) non-profit whose mission is to reduce hunger and empower marginalized communities by working with local fishing and hunting communities and provide fish, wild game, education and community resources for the under-served. Since its inception, FFF has been feeding South Florida through a variety of methods. FFF regularly attends fishing tournaments across Florida to collect surplus fresh fish. A majority of their donations come from this process to help reduce waste and fill the plates of the hungry. They have developed a network of volunteers comprised of high school students with several chapters across Florida, and are in the process of expanding nationally. Aside from tournament donations, FFF makes it effortless for individual anglers across Florida to donate fish. Fishermen are able to contact FFF through a variety
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of outlets: Instagram Direct Messaging, email, texts and through their website. The fish are then picked up, filleted, packaged and delivered to food banks. All contributions are tax-deductible. The young philanthropists, who are now university students, have taken their organization to the next level. The team at Fillet for Friends has grown to 10 individuals, including Captain Bill Kelly, executive director of the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association. Last month, FFF was awarded a grant from Feeding South Florida to augment their efforts, which have provided thousands of pounds of fish to thousands of Florida families. For more information, check out www.filletforfriends.org and follow @filletforfriends on social media.
Gulf Descending Devices Requirement Begins in January
O
n Jan. 13, the federal requirement will go into effect for anglers fishing for reef fish species to have a descending device or venting tool rigged and ready to use in Gulf of Mexico federal waters. This requirement was part of the DESCEND Act of 2020, which was signed into law last January. It applies to commercial, for-hire and private recreational vessels. The intent is to reduce mortality caused by barotrauma on reef species, like red snapper. Barotrauma is an increase in internal gas pressure caused by the sudden changes in pressure that fish undergo when being reeled up from depths generally greater than 90 feet, though it can occur in shallower waters of 33 feet or more. Fish experiencing barotrauma have difficulty quickly swimming back to catch depth, often floating on the surface where they are vulnerable to attack by dolphins, sharks and birds. Descending devices are a weighted hook, lip clamp or box that will hold a fish as it is lowered to a sufficient depth to allow for recovery from barotrauma. A venting tool is a sharpened, hollow instrument that can penetrate a fish’s abdomen to release excess gas acquired as it was brought to the surface.
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NOAA Fisheries is currently seeking comments on a proposed rule to clarify descending device and venting tool definitions for the DESCEND Act. Learn more at www.fisheries.noaa.gov.
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Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show is Back for 2022
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he Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show is gearing up for 2022 and the largest boat and yacht event in the world. The show returns to the Miami Beach Convention Center and four additional locations from Wednesday, Feb. 16 through Sunday, Feb. 20 over Presidents Day weekend for the premier boating extravaganza in South Florida. Produced by Informa Markets and owned by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show will be the first production of South Florida’s preeminent winter boat shows after joining forces earlier this year and combining the Miami Yacht Show, SuperYacht Miami and the Miami International Boat Show. The 2022 Miami event is the first boat show to be integrated with the Discover Boating brand, which is the North American lifestyle brand for boating aimed at attracting the next generation of boaters and engaging current boaters. “We are looking forward to delivering an unparalleled experience at the 2022 Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show,” said Andrew Doole, President of U.S. Boat Shows with Informa Markets, who produces the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show. “With our return to the Miami Beach Convention Center and alongside our partners at the National Marine Manufacturers Association, the 2022 boat show will be unlike any other winter boat show.” Historically, the Miami International Boat Show, the Miami Yacht Show and SuperYacht Miami have attracted more than 100,000 visitors from 35 countries to South Florida while generating an estimated $1.34 billion for the state. Bringing the events together offers numerous benefits for exhibitors, visitors and the greater boating community. The on-land portion of the event will take place at the newly reimagined Miami Beach Convention Center, while the featured in-water activities will be offered at One Herald Plaza, Sea Isle Marina, Museum Park Marina, and IGY Yacht Haven Grande at Island Gardens. The boat show will feature new elements such as the Boat Show Experience, which will be the ultimate boater’s destination, located outside the Miami Beach Convention Center. Guests will have access to the AquaZone presented by Nautical Ventures in addition to a collection of experiential boating lifestyle activations, live music entertainment and a marine accessory pavilion. Don’t miss the 2022 show! For more information about the 2022 Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show, visit www.miamiboatshow.com.
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Agencies Respond to Manatee Mortality Event
T
he U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), in cooperation with Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), are enhancing ongoing efforts to address the unusual manatee mortality event along Florida’s Atlantic coast. After thorough science, policy and legal reviews, and substantial coordination, the USFWS and FWC leadership recently approved the Unified Command establishing a Temporary Field Response Station at FPL’s Cape Canaveral Clean Energy Center in Brevard County. The Response Station will support several response operations already underway in the central Indian River Lagoon, such as manatee rescues, carcass recovery and limited field health assessments. In approving the Response Station, USFWS and FWC leadership also approved staff to conduct a short-term feeding trial, referred to by many as supplemental feeding. The goals of this limited, small-scale feeding trial are two-fold: 1) to reduce manatee mortality and 2) to reduce the number of animals in need of rescue, allowing the limited space in permitted critical care facilities to remain open for animals needing rehabilitation for other reasons. “We understand the importance of a timely response. Our agencies and Unified Command partners carefully considered all aspects of a short-term feeding trial,” said Shannon Estenoz, Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks. “It is critical we help manatees in the short term with actions that are compatible with their long-term wellbeing and resilience.” The Response Station is not a location for mobile veterinary care or rehabilitation. The Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership will continue to care for rescued animals at their federally permitted rehabilitation facilities. Unified Command partners still anticipate relatively high mortality along Florida’s Atlantic Coast during the winter of 2021-22 due to chronic effects of starvation from the loss of seagrass associated with poor water
quality within the Indian River Lagoon. Because this trial effort is a management action that has not been tried before, it is unknown how many manatees will visit the site or how much vegetation individual manatees will consume. The goal of this action is to reduce manatee mortality. It will not eliminate it. Beyond on-site support, FPL is substantially contributing to other manatee response operations by working with the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida to obtain an additional FWC rescue truck and provide on the ground assistance. “Environmental stewardship is a critical aspect of FPL’s continued efforts to deliver clean, reliable and affordable energy to its customers,” said Kate MacGregor, FPL vice president of environmental services. “For over 30 years, we have worked closely with state and federal agencies to ensure manatees are protected and we stand ready to support FWC and USFWS in their ongoing conservation efforts for this important species.” Report injured, distressed, or dead manatees to the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.
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JANUARY 2022
FLORIDA 15
WORKING THE NIGHT SHIFT
Tim Barefoot
Y
ears ago, before I had access to a boat slip at the marina, I frequently pulled the boat to work completely ready to drop in the water and go fish by 5 or 5:30 p.m. This time of year, when it gets dark at 5:30 in the afternoon, this was the only time I had to fish, but it wound up being the best time of the day/season to fish. My favorite nights are the full moons of winter. This is the time of year to catch some gator trout. With all the fishing pressure trout endure, some of the big girls may go completely nocturnal. I would be putting the boat in the water when everyone was taking out, and my constant question was, “Did you catch ’em today?” On quite a few occasions, I would get the answer, “We didn’t catch sheet.” That was the answer I was looking for. That meant they were going to eat after dark. You see, when a lot of boats are buzzing around and on top of them, it can put them in the “lockjaw” mode. Let it turn dark, when all the “day-timers” go home, and that’s when the numbers of bites and some of the big girls eat. NOTE: I can only talk so much smack… The biggest speck I’ve ever caught at night was 7.75 pounds, but I have caught some pretty impressive numbers. For example, one night we had 42 good ones. That was before there
16 FLORIDA
JANUARY 2022
was a limit, so my “limit” was when I had a cooler full. Back then I was selling them, so I didn’t have a problem keeping big numbers. One of the standout colors was chartreuse at night. This produced more bites than anything else, and that was what I was looking for. The more I fished the old faithful chartreuse MirrOlure, the more I loved it. But then we discovered the Rattle Trap. This was a complete game changer. Not only could you keep in touch with it, due to the resistance and vibration on the plug, but you could also cast it into the wind and a long distance. Now I have come full circle back to fishing what they really eat best of all… a shrimp. A soft plastic (DOA) shrimp on a jig head, the 3/8oz. Barefoot Jig. Primarily, I have been talking about speckled trout up to this point, but redfish and snook are especially good candidates for a night bite. All three of these species are programmed to eat a shrimp in the current. So, make the best out of the shortened daylight hours. Get in the boat after work and go fish the night shift. For more info on this jig head and D.O.A. shrimp combo, visit these websites: Barefootcatsandtackle.com or Rigandjig.com.
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Bassmaster Classic Returns to Hartwell T
he world’s most prestigious professional bass tournament is returning to the site of some of the best moments in the sport’s famed history. The 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk will be held at Lake Hartwell March 4-6. It is the fourth time the crowds and pageantry of the Classic have descended on Upstate South Carolina. Takeoffs will be conducted from Green Pond Landing & Event Center, while daily weigh-ins will be held at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. The annual Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo will take place at the Greenville Convention Center, both of which are in nearby Greenville. B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin said the organization is excited to once again visit a venue that has become the gold standard for professional bass fishing events. “Everything about Lake Hartwell and the city of Greenville make them the perfect setting for the Super Bowl of Professional Bass Fishing,” Akin said. “The Bassmaster Classic is not only a chance for the best anglers in the world to showcase their abilities, it’s an annual celebration of the sport itself. “Lake Hartwell provides the perfect site for amazing competition, and the city of Greenville provides the hotels, restaurants and other facilities you need for an event the size of the Classic.” Hartwell is a 56,000-acre man-made reservoir situated between Georgia and South Carolina and encompassing portions of the Savannah, Tugaloo and Seneca rivers. It features a vast array of habitat and a good population of both largemouth and spotted bass that are likely to be in the prespawn phase when the Classic competitors arrive.
“We are very excited for the opportunity to host the Bassmaster Classic once again on Lake Hartwell,” said Neil Paul, Executive Director of Visit Anderson. “The leadership of Anderson County has made a significant commitment to Green Pond Landing and the marketing efforts of Lake Hartwell, and we expect another record-breaking event with our teammates from Greenville. “Hosting our fourth Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell is significant to our community because no other fishery will have hosted more Bassmaster Classic events. Having hosted this great event in the past, we can speak first hand to the significant economic impact it will have on the upstate of South Carolina and the impact of residual tourism that will be felt in Anderson County for years to come.” The 2022 Classic will feature 55 qualifiers with berths earned through the Elite Series, the Opens, the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation circuit, the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops and the Bassmaster Team Championship, plus the defending Bassmaster Classic champion and winner of the final Elite Series event of the 2021 season. They will compete in the no-entry-fee event for their share of a whopping $1 million purse, with the champion earning $300,000. For more information, go to www.bassmaster.com.
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THINKING ABOUT QUITTING BOATING? P erhaps your vessel needs a major repair. Maybe you sold your house and are moving away from the seashore. Maybe you are too busy to sell your boat, or you tried and found a lot of people didn’t have the resources to buy it, much less to move it. There are a lot of reasons people have for getting rid of an older boat, working or not. We want to let you know that you can trust Boat Angel Outreach Center. We here at Coastal Angler have seen them help thousands get rid of their unwanted boats and receive generous IRS1098 tax receipts for doing so. Did you know older, larger working boats can be donated for their fair market value? Did you know Boat Angel will walk you through the whole process, and most of the time even a boat that has been unused on your dock or in your backyard will be gone in less than 15 days? I’ve known the people at Boat Angel Outreach for more than a decade, and I can personally vouch that this charity is both caring and focused on helping kids. 100 percent of their funding is from the sale of donated boats. They currently fund projects on four continents and ceaselessly work to make this world a better place, especially for children. They have a courteous and diligent staff. They are experienced in solving logistical problems and multi-state title issues, all while achieving their goals of getting the donated vessels moved away quickly. So, if you’ve got a vessel that’s no longer
working, or you have decided to move on from boating, I strongly recommend you give this great organization a call or contact them through their website. When your donation is completed, just forward your receipt to your tax preparer. Who knows how much money your donation will put back in your pocket? We all know that an unused or nonworking boat is a drain on anyone’s finances. Fuel, maintenance bills, registration, insurance and slip fees are year-round expenses. Maybe it is finally
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time to move on. A friend of mine once asked, “What is better than being a boat owner?” “I don’t know, what?” I said. “A friend with a boat,” he replied, smiling. We all have friends with boats. Why not put the money saved into their gas tank and take a small fishing trip? Boat Angel Outreach Center; www.boatangel.org; EIN 42-1619552; 800-700-2628.
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Whether you take your boat out to the lake or the ocean, your 4-stroke outboard needs ECSTAR Suzuki Semi-Synthetic Engine Oil so it can run long and strong. ECSTAR features special additives that protect the engine in harsh salt and fresh water environments, advanced detergents that keep engine parts clean, and viscosity index improvements that help the engine start in cold conditions. No matter where your next boat ride takes you, go confidently with ECSTAR.
RUN LONG. RUN CLEAN. RUN STRONG.
Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-Approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. Suzuki, the Suzuki “S” ECSTAR and Suzuki model and product names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. © 2021 Suzuki Marine USA, LLC.
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Angler Lands Record Red Hind
A
North Carolina angler boated a new state record red hind off Cape Lookout in October, and it’s a record that’s likely to stand for a while. The fish weighed 7 pounds, 1.6 ounces and measured 21.5 inches in length with a 17.5-inch girth. The new state record holder, Matthew Parr, of Wilmington, N.C., was fishing with Capt. Charles Stewart Merritt of Salt Air Ventures. They were dropping cut bait on 80-poundtest line, probably looking for big grouper. The record breaker Parr hauled from the depths was less than 2-pounds off the IGFA all tackle world record, which stands at 9 pounds even and was caught by Eddie Vanmeter out of St. Marys, Ga. in July of 2019. Previously, North Carolina did not list a state record red hind but created the category after Parr applied for the state record. The Division of Marine Fisheries creates new state record categories for fish that are exceptionally large for North Carolina. Parr’s was exceptionally large for anywhere. Although red hind are known to grow up to 23 inches and exceed 10 pounds in weight, anglers rarely encounter them that large. The typical specimen brought over the rail measures about 16 inches. Red hind is a quality table fish that is important in Caribbean commercial fisheries. In the South Atlantic it is regulated within the three grouper aggregate recreational bag limit. It is also listed in the ShallowWater Grouper Complex, which means there is a closure for the species from January through April.
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FOR REEL
GOOD FISHING Visit Upcountry South Carolina Stop by the South Carolina Lakes booth at the Bassmaster Classic Expo, March 4-6, 2022 at the Greenville Convention Center.
Perfectly Seasoned FishUpcountrySC.com
864-233-2690
Lake Hartwell, host of the 2008, 2015, 2018, and 2022 Academy Sports & Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk