Coastal Angler Magazine | April 2021 | Treasure Coast Edition by Coastal Angler Magazine

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INSHORE TACTICS

TRANSITION TO SPRING

A FISHING KAYAK!

PHOTO CREDIT: PATRICK “TUPAT” EICHSTAEDTO IG: @THEREALTUPAT / YOUTUBE: TUPAT'S FISHING ADVENTURES

VOLUME 26 • ISSUE 313

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I T B Y N H T A O S A A

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FISHING FROM A PADDLEBOARD:

TUPAT’S TIPS By Nick Carter

THINK AHEAD: Unless your board is staked out or tied off, it is going to move. It blows with the wind and drifts with the tide. Even small fish will tow a board during a fight. Tupat constantly considers these factors and comes up with a plan before making a cast. Sometimes, finding wind-shade in the lee of landscape is necessary to fish. Other times, the wind or tide can be used to set up drifts. When you do hook up, you must adapt to the situation. “It’s spur of the moment to decide what you have to do to land the fish.” Tupat said. “You have to use your common sense.” If you’re in open water, it’s possible to play a fish out. The board serves as a secondary drag system in this situation. In shallow water and tight confines, it sometimes makes sense to step off the board and battle a fish on foot. In other situations, it can be necessary to hold the rod in one hand and paddle with the other to find a more advantageous place to land large fish.

F TUPAT.

Check out Tupat’s Hawaiian Poke Sauce at www. tupats.com, his Youtube fishing show Tupat’s Fishing Adventures and his Instagram feeds @therealtupat and @tupatshawaiian.

URTESY O

board that will float your weight. From there: “You’ve got to develop a core balance and become one with the motions of paddling and fishing and how the board reacts to your movements,” said Tupat. He fishes an 11-foot-long, 36-inch-wide, 5-inch-thick Pau Hana Big EZ Angler. He said it’s stable, yet maneuverable, and called it the ultimate fishing board. Rigging is a matter of preference, but generally “less is more on a paddleboard,” said Tupat. A cooler placed on the middle of the board is a seat and fishbox. Aft of that, a milk crate with zip-tied sections of PVC pipe serves as a rod holder and carry-all. Tupat keeps a softsided, rectangular wet/dry bag in front of him on the deck. This is where he keeps tackle, tools and anything he’ll need quick access to. “I’ve tried attachments and all that crap, and all it’s done is get in my way,” he said. “I need it to be as simple as possible to put me in the best position to catch fish.” STEALTH: The ability to sneak up on fish in shallow water is the primary advantage of a paddleboard. A paddle or any other gear banging on the deck alerts fish to your presence. Tupat said knowing where your paddle is and having a secure place to put it quickly is imperative. You should have a plan for your paddle. Tupat sets his on that soft-sided wet/dry bag, where it is secure and will not bang on the deck.

PHOTOS CO

atrick “Tupat” Eichstaedt has been mucking around in backwater creeks as long as he can remember. He grew up just north of Florida’s famous Mosquito Lagoon, in Bethune Beach, where the Indian River is a labyrinth of saltwater creeks and channels that snake between mangrove islands. Tupat is a surfer, angler and an entrepreneur, and recently life brought him home to Bethune Beach, where his passion for fishing from a standup paddleboard (SUP) re-ignited in a big way. “The things a board allows me to see and do is incomparable to being in a boat,” he said. “It puts me as close to Mother Nature and the fish as I can get. I can get to places you wouldn’t dream of in a boat, and the stealth lets me observe fish at a much deeper level.” Casting from an SUP for big snook, trout and redfish is not, however, something you just pick up and go do well. It’s a melding of sports, and Tupat’s surfing background gifted him with an awareness of how a board handles in the water. Anyone can spend the day SUP fishing and catch some fish. Getting good at it requires time on the water to learn the intricacies of the sport. Here are some tips from Tupat: SETUP: Fishing from an SUP requires confidence in the board and competence on it. Before you hit the water, it’s wise to research and find a stable

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NATIONAL 7

IGFA Tweaks Electric Reel Rules W ith the skyrocketing popularity of daytime swordfishing and following on the heels of some spectacularly large swordfish caught in the last few years, the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) has tweaked its rules on electric reels. Effective immediately, anglers will be allowed limited use of power-driven reels and remain eligible for IGFA records. According to an IGFA press release, new language in its rules clarify accepted and nonaccepted uses of electric reels. New rules do not allow for fighting fish with the aid electric reels. Of note is a requirement that power accessories must be removable and may not be attached to a reel during deployment of baits or at any time during fishing, except to retrieve baits all the way to the boat. This function is almost necessary in daytime swordfishing, which requires anglers to commonly drop and retrieve baits deeper, sometimes much deeper than 1,000 feet. The old and new language read as follows: IGFA International Angling Rules: Section E. Reel PREVIOUS RULE: 2. Power-driven reels of any kind are prohibited. This includes motor, hydraulic, or electrically driven reels, and any device that gives the angler an unfair advantage in fighting the fish.

NEW RULE: 2. Power- driven reels are acceptable under the following situation and configuration. a) Reels that have power accessories (e.g., electric drill attachments, motors or other power accessories specifically designed for a reel) that can be physically removed from the reel may be used strictly for the purpose of retrieving a deployed bait or lure at depth all the way to the boat. b) Power accessories may only be used to retrieve a bait or lure completely to the boat and are not permitted for adjusting the position of a bait or lure in the water column. Once a power accessory is attached to the reel, the bait or lure may no longer be legally used to catch a fish and the bait or lure must be retrieved all the way to the boat for manual redeployment before it may be legally used to hook or catch a fish. Power accessories may not be attached to the reel during the deployment of a bait or lure. c) Power accessories must be physically removed from the reel before the act of hooking and/or fighting a fish. Any fish that strikes a bait or lure being fished with a reel with power accessories still attached—whether or not under electric operation—will not be eligible for record consideration. d) Electric reels that do not have removable electronic components that allow them to be completely manually driven are prohibited.

“Changes to the IGFA’s International Angling Rules are always something we handle with the utmost care,” said IGFA President Jason Schratwieser. “This rule in particular has been a point of contention for years, and we are pleased to announce this new language that we strongly feel adapts IGFA rules to the technology of our time, while not jeopardizing the core principles of IGFA ethics.” For more information, see igfa.org.

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APRIL 2021

NATIONAL 9

2/25/21 12:17 PM

By TAM Staff

LIFE ON THE TRAIL WITH

KRISTINE FISCHER

hose familiar with kayak bass tournaments have likely heard the name Kristine Fischer. She’s a driven angler from Weeping Water, Nebraska, who dropped out of the rat race a few years ago to hit the road and fish kayak tournaments. Since 2017, she’s proven she’s a lot more than just a breath of fresh air in a male-dominated sport. Fischer has amassed a strong resume from top national tournament trails like KBF, Hobie B.O.S. and B.A.S.S. In 81 tournaments, she’s tallied five firstplace victories and fished her way to top-10 finishes 27 times. Along the way, she’s picked up major sponsors like Tincup Whiskey, Hobie Fishing, Z-Man, PLANO, Hobie Eyewear, AFTCO, Omnia, CalCoast Fishing, Dakota Lithium batteries and Torqeedo. These sponsorships allow her to make a living as a professional kayak angler. And while she doesn’t deny her blonde hair and big smile have helped, the 33-year-old said it also drives her to build on her reputation as one of the fiercest competitors on the circuit. Here’s a little Q&A with Kristine Fischer:

Q: What led you to become a professional kayak angler? KF: My biggest fear has always been leading a life that lacked purpose and didn’t allow me to grow as a person. I’ve always craved adventure in some capacity and fully believe in the importance of submersing yourself in the wilderness as often as possible. To me, routines and having everything planned out can become mundane and almost robs us of spontaneity and ability to live in the moment. Being a full-time angler was a natural fit, given my love for fishing and my competitive nature. 10 NATIONAL

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I mean, the family camping trips etched on your mind are the ones when gale-force winds destroyed the camp and raccoons stole the last bag of marshmallows. Life is what you make of it, whether it is on the road or at the end of a cul-de-sac. It’s all about your disposition.

Q: What’s the lifestyle on the road? KF: The Internet has a funny way of romanticizing road life. In reality, it’s hardly romantic. Replace sunsets wrapped in fuzzy blankets and barefoot nights by the fire with lights strung in the trees and drone shots of the RV rolling down a picturesque Route 66 with flat tires. Living on the road is 10-second cold showers, eating cans of gas-station beef ravioli with your fingers and praying you get to the next gas station before the truck runs out of fuel. It’s wrapping up a tournament in the Carolinas, knowing you’ve got one day to make it to west Texas. It’s utter chaos. Something always seems to go wrong at the most inconvenient time. It’s little sleep, a gas-station diet and pushing yourself to the limits in every capacity. Despite all that, there’s something about the road that lights my soul. I’ve always found the most joy in those moments of chaos. The best memories are made when everything goes south.

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Q: Tell us about being a successful woman in a male-dominated industry. KF: Successful women in fishing are a rarity, and therefore it’s much easier to get noticed. That fact has never sat well with me. I’m the type of person who needs to know I’m absolutely earning opportunities and that they aren’t coming to me simply because I’m a female with a big smile and blonde hair. I wanted to be recognized as a talented angler who is capable of winning any tournament on any given day. I set my sights on that. The sport is inundated with people who pose as anglers to take advantage of the industry. I’ve had to work to overcome negative stereotypes associated with women in the sport. Over the years, it’s gotten easier. The ability to record my tournaments has helped prove that I’m the “real deal.” Q: What are your goals for the 2021 season and into the future? KF: I’m gunning for AOY in the Hobie series, and I want to make “The TEN” for KBF. Future goals: qualifying for the Bassmaster Elites certainly has lingered on my mind. It’s a lofty goal, but I always appreciate a good challenge. Keep up with Kristine Fischer and her life on the tournament trail at her YouTube channel and through Facebook @kristinefischerfishing and Instagram @midwestfishergal.

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he International Rod Building Challenge pits some of the world’s very best custom rod builders and designers against each other in a competition that considers creativity, craftsmanship and functionality. The 2021 Challenge, hosted by American Tackle Company, featured many entries from throughout the United States, Germany, Indonesia, Canada and Portugal. For the competition, rod builders were presented a mystery American Tackle Mark Crouse took first place in the Bushido blank to build their 2021 International Rod Building creation; everything else Challenge for his stunning was left up to the builder custom spinning rod. for creativity, design and craftsmanship. Each builder showcased their version of a highly ornate yet functional fishing rod in hopes of capturing the coveted 2021 title. The entries submitted featured both spinning and casting rod configurations including one spinning/fly convertable design. The judging panel was comprised of 10 noted fishing and rod-building professionals with extensive diversity of experience in rod manufacturing and custom rod building, as well as noted anglers and editors of wellcirculated fishing media. Each judge scored to a list of criteria ranging from design, theme, functionality and craftsmanship in 11 categories. Judges spent hours carefully grading the top-10 rods for the final results. In the end, Mark Crouse was declared the winner, taking first place in one of the tightest races this competition has ever seen. Mark’s entry in the 2021 challenge featured custom-created acrylic grips, a custom fabricated/machined highly polished aluminum reel seat/ handle trim, custom-fabricated extendable rear handle grip and impressive ultra-smooth epoxy finish over finely detailed thread work. His entry was designed into a spinning rod configuration utilizing the titanium version MicroWave Guide Line Control System for better balancing and enhanced performance. Mark is no stranger to winning rod-building competitions. He has been a true craftsman in rod building for many decades. His rod beat out Wade Christensen and Mark Blabaum, who earned second and third in the competition respectively. To view more of the entries, visit www.coastalanglermag.com/rod-build. For more information, go to www.americantackle.us.

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Seasonal Closure Implemented at Western Dry Rocks

n a move widely supported by conservation groups, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved a total fishing closure in a 1-square-mile area at Western Dry Rocks from April through July for the next seven years. Western Dry Rocks is an area of reef and rock about 10 miles southwest of Key West that hosts large spawning aggregations of permit and various snapper and grouper species each year. Its proximity to Key West and the dependable nature of the fishery make it a popular spot for charter captains and private anglers in search of bountiful half-day trips. The intent of the closure is to protect populations of several important recreational species by allowing them to spawn unmolested by anglers. Fisheries managers had been considering a two-month, May-June, annual closure prior to the February FWC meeting, after which the four-month closure was announced. Permit, yellowtail snapper, mutton snapper and gray snapper are all known to aggregate at Western Dry Rocks from April through July. Other species, such as black, Nassau and gag groupers, aggregate at Western Dry Rocks during the cooler months, and they are already protected by seasonal bag limits. These spawning aggregations, along with the

6 FLORIDA

APRIL 2021

swirling currents that sweep past Western Dry Rocks are thought to play a role in the distribution of fish eggs and larvae throughout the Florida Keys and up the Atlantic coast of southern Florida. Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) has conducted tagging studies, which show permit from throughout the Lower Keys attend the annual aggregation at Western Dry Rocks. BTT is one of the organizations that pushed for the longer closure. They were joined in support of the April through July prohibition by American Sportfishing Association, Coastal Conservation Association, Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, International Game Fish Association, Lower Keys Guides Association, Wild Oceans and Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. Doubtless there are private anglers and fishing guides who are upset by the move. FWC data shows angler effort absolutely centers on known aggregation areas. It’s worth noting that permit harvest is already closed throughout the Keys from April through July. BTT, however, has studies that show up to 39 percent of permit hooked at Western Dry Rocks were eaten by sharks before they made it to the boat. “Looking at this from a conservation standpoint, staff has done a really good job of

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threading the needle,” said FWC Commissioner Robert Spottswood. “For some, it may be too short of a season and, for others, too long, but this seasonal closure is an investment in continued healthy and robust fisheries in the Keys and south Florida.” Starting April 1, 2021, all fishing is prohibited from April through July in a 1-square-mile area near Western Dry Rocks. The Commission adopted a 7-year sunset provision, which ensures FWC can revisit the closure. This closure area is bounded by:

• • • •

24°26.217’N, 81°57.007’W 24°25.676’N, 81°57.002’W 24°25.686’N, 81°55.489’W 24°26.227’N, 81°55.493’W

Learn more about Western Dry Rocks at MyFWC.com/Marine by clicking on “Recreational Regulations” and “Western Dry Rocks.”

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By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

Are Back! S

ome of the best eating fish in the ocean are back on the menu, and they’re here to stay throughout the summer. Blackfin tuna have already moved back in on the Gulf Coast in the Tampa area, and they should start becoming a regular visitor on offshore and nearshore trips. We might not have as many blackfin as they do down in the Keys, but what we do have are of the jumbo variety. They produce some respectable-sized steaks. While blackfin aren’t overly common in this area, they are also not impossible to target. You might also find yourself catching them as bycatch while fishing wrecks with live bait. If you happen to hook one up by accident, keep chumming to keep the school on you, and keep sending out lines rigged the same way as the one that was already hit. Do not be afraid to have multiple hookups going at a time. Sometimes the bite will come in hot and leave just as quickly. Catch as many as you can while they are eating. While dropping over hard bottom offshore, always make sure to have at least one flat line set up out the back. Utilizing light mono and a small hook, cast a live bait behind the boat. Greenbacks, cigar minnows, small grunts and pinfish all work well. Occasionally open the bail to send out a little more line, so the bait has an opportunity to swim more naturally, faster, and get further down in the water column. This is especially effective at enticing a bite when the bait is acting nervous. Make sure your drag is set very loose, and don’t do anything fancy until the fish eats the bait and begins pulling drag. If anything, when you’re fishing larger baits, you can open the bail and let the fish really eat before coming tight. You should be burning a chum block, but also make sure to occasionally toss out a few live baits as chummers, especially when one of your flat-line baits seems to be getting nervous. As we move into summer, this exact same method will catch wahoo and sailfish, without you having to change any of your rigs or bait. Alternatively, you might stumble across diving birds above a disturbance on the water. Keep your eyes peeled for the telltale flying football shapes, indicative of tuna. Sometimes it might just be a school

8 FLORIDA

APRIL 2021

of bonita, but often tuna and bonita will run with each other, so don’t get discouraged too quickly. Make sure to have a plan and discuss it with your crew in case you do happen to run over a school while heading offshore. Whether you have a rod with a popper on it for casting, a trolling rod rigged and ready or a rod set up for a pitch bait, make sure everyone else knows what the game plan is so you don’t miss out. Blackfin often surface briefly, and you have to be ready to capitalize on it before they dive back down. Happy hunting, and don’t forget to treat your tuna fillets like steak. Cut them on a clean table and pat the meat dry if necessary, but never rinse it with freshwater. Capt. Quinlyn Haddon fishes out of St. Petersburg, Fla. Call her at 504-920-6342 and check her out on Instagram @CaptainQuinlyn.

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MUD HOLE AND CCA BAG OYSTERS FOR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON

n February, volunteers from Mud Hole Custom Tackle, the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Florida and several other organizations bagged more than 15,000 pounds of recycled oyster shells to create oyster habitats in the Indian River Lagoon. Mud Hole provided 25 volunteers for the Marine Discovery Center’s Shuck and Share initiative at New Smyrna Beach. “Conserving our ecosystems and fisheries is extremely important to Mud Hole Custom Tackle,” said Scott Gimbert, Mud Hole Vice President and avid angler. “We are excited to work with CCA on a variety of restoration initiatives—and with our headquarters in Oviedo, Florida, this one hits close to home.” Mud Hole supports a number of community programs to protect natural resources and bring angling and rod-building knowledge to youth through the education system. For the Shuck and Share initiative, volunteers from every Mud Hole department jumped in and got dirty assembling 515 oyster gabions from oyster shells donated by Central Florida restaurants. “Having the Mud Hole Team here at the Marine Discovery Center was a huge help,” said Brian Gorski, CCA Florida’s Executive Director. “We have a great partnership and share a devotion to the environment, and today was a great example of how we can all work together to protect our natural resources and our fisheries.” Along with supporting the Shuck and Share program, CCA and Mud Hole partner on a number of other initiatives, including Release the East—an Indian River Lagoon redfish restocking program—and CCA’s annual banquet and silent auction. For more information, visit www.mudhole.com.

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Inaugural Sand Spike Shootout Reels in Catches By Michael Conner, Executive Director Indian Riverkeeper

he Inaugural Sand Spike Shootout, a pompano/whiting surf fishing tournament benefitting Indian Riverkeeper, was a success. Over 80 registered surf anglers took part. The weekend of Feb 27-28 saw a mixed bag conditions-

SEE SHOOTOUT.......................... PAGE 19

PHOTOS CREDIT: Michael Conner/Indian Riverkeeper.

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Lots of great catches were brought to the weigh-in.

wise with perfect water conditions, a 2-foot gentle swell and plenty of both species. Saturday, tournament staff weighed in over 60 pompano and whiting that threatened to make the leader board, and anglers brought in another few dozen fish that fell short. A few pompano limits were caught on Saturday, too, but Sunday the winds increased to 20 knots-plus and ushered in seaweed and strong current amid the 3-to-5-foot swell. Yet the two biggest pompano on the board were caught on Sunday morning weighed over five pounds. Tournament directors were relieved that the action increased just in time for the event, with the previous weeks devoid of any kind of action. Indian Riverkeeper owes a debt of gratitude to every angler who participated in last weekend’s Sand Spike Shootout, and to the generous donors who provided great fishing prizes and raffle prizes. When the clock ran out on Sunday afternoon, the following 8 anglers remained on the board: First place pompano, Gary Faircloth, 5 pounds, 2 ounces. Second place pompano, Kenny Dinh, 5 pounds, .4 ounces. Third place pompano, Montisha Soto, 3 pounds, 9 ounces. Fourth place pompano, Lyle Herman, 3 pounds, 7.2 ounces. First place whiting, Pat Monaghan,

Tisha Soto placed both species on the leader board with third place pompano and third place whiting.

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APRIL 2021

TREASURE COAST 1

Florida Fish and Wildlife

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FWC Encourages Boaters to “Spring Aboard” and Take a Boater Education Class S pring has arrived and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) wants to make sure that everyone recreating on our waters goes home safely at the end of the day. The FWC encourages all boaters to “Spring Aboard” by taking a boating safety course today. Safety is never optional! In 2020, Florida boating accident statistics indicated that, when the level of operator education was known, 72% of boating deaths occurred on boats where the boat operator had never received boating education instruction. While not currently required, owners of human powered watercraft, such as paddleboards and

kayaks, are encouraged to take a boating education class as well so they are aware of critical boating knowledge that anyone who plans to get out on the water should have and be better prepared for the risks they may face while boating. “In Florida, boaters who were born on or after Jan. 1, 1988, are required to complete and pass a boater safety education course. But everyone interested in boating should take a course,” said Maj. Rob Beaton, FWC’s Boating and Waterways Section Leader. “There’s no reason to head out on the water

without this knowledge.” Boaters have many ways to get educated, from classroom courses offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary and United States Power Squadrons to online offerings available anytime day or night. Learn more about boater safety education by visiting

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boaters who said they knew how to swim. Drownings can be caused by strong undertows and rip currents, becoming tangled in gear, being knocked unconscious or getting hit by moving watercraft. These deaths can easily be prevented by wearing a lifejacket. A variety of light-weight inflatable lifejackets are available, allowing you to stay cool and comfortable. Make yourself a good example by practicing safe boating habits – WEAR IT!

Life jackets save lives! PHOTO CREDIT: MyFWC.

you will be on your way to a safe and enjoyable outing. Lifejackets Did you know that Florida has the unfortunate distinction of being the national leader in annual boating fatalities? A majority of fatalities are

Follow Boating Regulations • Equipment and Lighting: The owner and/or operator of a vessel is responsible to carry, store, maintain and use the safety equipment required by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). • Vessel Registration: All vessels must be registered through your local Tax Collector’s Office, with the exception of non-motorized vessels less than 16 feet in length and nonmotorized canoes, kayaks, racing shells or rowing sculls, regardless of length. • Vessel Speed: The vessel’s wake must not be excessive or create a hazard to other vessels. Vessel operators must adhere to requirements of “Idle Speed - No Wake” and “Slow Down - Minimum

Wake” zones. • Boating Under the Influence: It is a violation of Florida law to operate a vessel while impaired by alcohol or other drugs. • Mooring to Markers or Buoys: Except in the event of an emergency, it is unlawful to moor or fasten to any lawfully placed navigation aid or regulatory marker. Marine Life Awareness • Manatees: Boaters must observe all manatee protection zone requirements. Boaters who accidentally strike a manatee are urged to report the strike to the FWC and may not be subject to prosecution, provided they were operating in accordance with any applicable vessel speed restrictions at the time of the strike. • Seagrass Beds: To help protect seagrass beds, boaters should stay within channels when in an unfamiliar waterway and avoid running through seagrass beds to help prevent propeller scars. It is a violation of Florida law to damage seagrass beds in some areas within state waters. • Also be aware of sea turtles, corals and other marine life while boating.

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COASTAL ANGLER PUBLISHERS GARY & MISTI GUERTIN SALES GARY GUERTIN EDITOR/DIGITAL CONTENT MISTI GUERTIN GRAPHIC DESIGN LAURA KELLY CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jayson Arman Capt. Gus Brugger Capt. Rocky Carbia Capt. Charlie Conner Michael Conner Capt. Scott Fawcett Capt. Cole Hazelief Capt. Colton Hester Capt. Michael Mauri Capt. Giles Murphy Brian Nelli Jim Oppenborn Capt. Nate Shellen Cammie & Capt. Joe Ward Capt. Terry Wildey Steve Wood

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APRIL 2021

TREASURE COAST 3

FISHING FORECASTS

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

he April rays of the Florida sun will illuminate a near coastal ocean that will play host to some of the most prized saltwater grocery trophies on the planet. Cobia, snapper, mahi, and king mackerel will top this briny hit list and will be found around and atop the renowned reef system, east of our St. Lucie Inlet. The offshore fish hunters of April will find delight in strategies that involve both surface and bottom fishing during open weather windows this month. April can still be a windy month and produce rough sea conditions, so as always, fishing crews will continue to monitor daily weather reports and extended forecasts to best plan a day`s outing on the water. Cobia have the potential to make

Cobia will be prized grocery trophy this month, like these sturdy cobes caught aboard the Safari 1. PHOTO CREDIT: Safari 1.

a strong showing during the golden days of April and will be found in many dynamic scenarios of the local liquid playing field. Hungry packs of cobia will be attracted to all types of reef structures, both naturally occurring and artificial, and will fall to live and dead baits presented throughout the water column. Live baits are especially effective and will prove to be irresistible to a cobe in the right mood. Besides being found around bottom structures, cobes have a tendency to follow and swim along

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with larger sea animals, like manta rays and southern stingrays, turtles, and sharks. Casting to a cobia towing behind a larger sea creature is best achieved using 3-to-4-ounce jigs, tipped with a long ribbon of squid. Bottom fishing for the many species of the snapper family will continue to be a go to strategy for Treasure Coast meat hunters in April. Large mutton and mangrove snapper will be available in good numbers along the reef line in 70 to 90 feet of water and allow

fishermen to test their angling finesse while attempting to capture these fish athletes of the ocean floor. Wrestling a large snapper to the surface can be a full contact and exhilarating moment, made more satisfying as the filets hit the frying pan. With this in mind, pack the cooler with plenty of dead bait, catch some “live-ies” if you can, and have an assortment of jigs standing by. And don`t forget to pull out some coastal recipes to fully enjoy the salty grocery trophies of April.

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pring time has arrived and the fishing has finally turned on with bait showing up on the flats, beaches, and outside the inlet. This makes nearshore fishing very popular as we see lots of action along the shallow reefs and wrecks. The cobia bite continues with sharks hanging out at the Sandpile, Gilberts Shoal, and Culverts. Simply chum the sharks and pitch some weighted baitfish under them. Some spring-time tarpon can be cruising the beaches near Peck Reef or off Jensen Beach early morning. We usually flat-line live greenies or mullet while casting Yo-Zuri Crank

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Capt. Scott Fawcett Off the Chain Fishing Charters (772) 285-1055 fishscottyf@bellsouth.net offthechainfishing.com

t’s no secret that April is one of my favorite months, and this year it looks like things are shaping up to be even better than normal. Trolling, live baiting, swording and long-range marlin, tuna and mahi trips are all excellent choices for this month. April is great time of year to break out the ultra-lights. I use

Denton Potter caught a huge keeper snook to win a lucky hat at Stuart Angler. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Giles Murphy.

baits and Hogy’s. There can also be some big jacks chasing bait just outside the inlet which can be lots of fun throwing top-water plugs spin or fly fishing. Just look for birds outside the inlet with fish feeding below them and be ready to chase them as they like to move very fast.

The snook are not typically showing up at the inlet yet, but it’s always worth a try at the rock jetties with snook season is still open until end of May. If they’re not showing up at the inlet yet, we target the causeways, seawalls, docks, and mangrove shorelines pitching baitfish or artificials such as D.O.A.

Blackfin 7’6 spinning rods with 20-pound braid and a 40-pound leader, they’re perfect for live baiting for everything out here, sight casting to finning sails, and pitching to schooling mahi. If you’re into fly fishing, make sure you have one handy because there’s a good chance an opportunity will present itself this month. More often than not I spend most of my time fishing over the reefs and contours from 70 to 300 feet of water out of Stuart, but April is a month that I definitely stray a little further out looking for weed lines, birds, pieces of floating debris and even schools of fish busting. Make sure you have some chum ready and don’t forget to try deep.

Whether you’re trolling dead bait or live, a Cannon 10 TS downrigger is the perfect choice to get your baits down, if you’re drifting or running and gunning to grass mats or float try a RonZ jig to get down a little deeper. You can even leave it in a rod holder and dead stick it with pretty good results. I also recommend doing this while you’re kite fishing or just live baiting in general. April offers so much and if it’s anything like last year, it only gets better from here. If you’re interested in getting offshore and trying anything from swordfishing to sailfishing with the ultra-lights or even fly fishing, please give me a call. I hope you’re next trip is Off The Chain.

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Shrimp, Giles~Jigs, and Rapala Twitch Minnows. There can still be some pompano on the Sailfish Flats for some fun wade-fishing. We park at the sandbar and walk north in knee deep water looking for some potholes or grassy areas holding pompano and other species. We prefer outgoing tide in the morning or late afternoons. When starting your trips, always have a cast net ready as soon as you get to the boat ramp because you can often find pilchards or finger mullet schooled up at the boat ramps or nearby. With daylight savings, we currently have a later sunrise giving you a little more time to find that early-morning bait. At the dock-lights and bridgeshadow-line, snook have been feeding more. For some evening fun cast Micro Minnow flies and Bomber Crankbaits. As the summer moves in, be ready for some early morning tarpon fishing. And as the weather warms up, an early morning trip to Okeechobee can be fun fishing the snake grass of Buckhead Ridge or the reeds and ledges near Slims Fish Camp.

Fred Church with a nice mahi on fly. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Scott Fawcett.

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TREASURE COAST 5

FISHING FORECASTS

SOUTH INDIAN RIVER LAGOON

Capt. Charlie Conner Capt. Charlie’s Fish Tales Charters (772) 284-3852 captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com www.fishtalescharter.com

pring has arrived on the Treasure Coast. Warm temperatures and windy days will be the norm this month. April provides lots of opportunities to target lots of species. Water temperatures will be in the

70s. Winter has been mild, and I love fishing in April! Have fun and enjoy the fishing! Snook fishing will continue to be good around inlets, bridges and sea walls. You have a good chance at catching a slot fish. D.O.A. Bait Busters, feather jigs, live pilchards or pinfish are all excellent choices for snook fishing. There are many great areas to fish so plan on getting some fishing in this month. The grass flats will be active with trout and redfish. I love using a D.O.A. Deadly Combo in April to locate the fish. There will also be pompano cruising the deeper flats. Doc’s Goofy Jigs are great pompano lures when they are in the river. Mackerel, bluefish, and jacks will be plentiful around the inlets and channels this

month. Small shiny lures will find you some action. April will bring lots of opportunities to the area. Bridges will continue to hold sheepshead, jacks, bluefish, and some black drum. The sheepshead was in early and many have already left the river. Docks will hold the same fish and offer an excellent chance at hooking up with a redfish. The warmer water this year has progressed things earlier than normal, but there are still plenty of fish to be caught. The surf will hold whiting, pompano and a host of other fish feeding on the bait schools along the beaches. Expect lots of action all around the area and enjoy fishing in April. As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby… it’s an ADVENTURE!!

Doug with a nice snook caught while fishing in Fort Pierce. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Charlie Connor.

Doug Crews. a repeat cobia offender, with another beauty he caught aboard the Lady Chris.

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waters at around 135-to-200 feet. Big muttons are solitary and stout and prefer juicy baits of the live kind. Send a shrimp, pinfish or crab down using a deep sliding sinker rig and make sure you have enough backbone on to reel in a 30-pound brute! Mahi-Mahi Moon – Although we prefer day-timing, nighttime fishing can be equally lucrative during a calm springtime evening. Use the full

moon, April 27, to head offshore and rig your lines for mahi-mahi. Try slow trolling along the current around the time of sunset or moon rise, as the big bulls and cows will be feeding in the moonlight all night long! Fort Pierce fisherman’s utopia, and the springtime weather is as good as it gets. Leave the windy winter behind and let us take you out for an unforgettable day of fishing! We have

Angler James Hooper with a stud grey snapper and a tasty lane snapper. PHOTOS CREDIT: Lady Chris Charters.

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n April, the waters off the Treasure Coast are turning back to crystal clear, spanning from the turquoise shallows of the inlet toward the indigo depths of the Gulf Stream. Mahi, mutton, and mangroves are swimming along our shores, looking for a few good anglers to tangle with. Mangroves Madness - To target mangrove snappers, stay close to shore and keep an eye on the tides. Drop a line over your favorite reef, wreck or mangrove cove, between slack tides and get ready for some reel fun! These stripe-eyed snappers move in schools, so when you find ‘one, keep on chumming and baitin’ for a cooler full of fantastic table fare! Mutton – Go Deep! The big muttons will be hiding in their rock holes, reefs and wrecks in the cooler

Snook

aught rce.

e Connor.

ith da

ST. LUCIE COUNTY OFFSHORE

Capt. Colton Hester Sonna Girl Fishing Charters (772) 293-5342 colton@sonnagirlfishing.com www.sonnagirlfishing.com

he king fishing is starting to get red hot in 60-to-80 foot of water. The bait of choice right now are blue runners and goggle eyes. There is a great chance of catching multiple fish over 30 pounds this time of year. Fish around reef areas, like the Amazon and the rocky bottom in 80 foot of water from Fort Pierce to Sebastian. There is a decent sailfish and mahi-mahi bite right now in 100to-300 foot of water. Trolling ballyhoo around four-to-six miles per hour has been the most effective way to catch them. Look for color changes, temperature changes, and weed lines/floating structure Caught out of Fort Pierce Florida in 60 feet of water on a half-day trip. to target these mahi- mahi. Don’t Pictured are first mate Alex Vandgrift (in boat), Austin May, Amy May and Dan May. forget to keep an eye out this time of PHOTO PROVIDED by Capt. Colton Hester. year for cobia on the beach as well. They could be swimming under Lastly, the bottom fishing is be caught in 80 feet of water. Use a smaller 3/0 - 4/0 hook to get more large rays working their way down excellent right now. There are big long leader, 8-to 10-feet, preferably bites and catch bigger fish. Stay safe the beach! mangroves and mutton snapper to 40-pound fluorocarbon and a and good luck out on the water!

ST. LUCIE COUNTY them using a 4/0 or 5/0 Kahle hook and a 20-to-30-pound leader. INSHORE If it is redfish you are looking for,

Capt. Joe Ward Capt. Joe’s River Charters (772) 201-5770 or (772) 461-1335 CWard11605@aol.com

ook for a good snapper bite along the channel edges around the full moon. Try a live shrimp fished on a #2 hook and a ½-ounce weight. I like a 20-pound fluorocarbon leader and about 24 inches long. Places like the North Bridge, Harbor Branch to the north and south of the South Bridge should produce some nice fish for a dinner. As the water warms up, the trout bite should be good at places like Bear Point, Round Island or the Midway Road area. Live pilchards will be your best choice and freeline

then the flats and mangroves around Jack Island will be your best place and hard to beat. Try a live shrimp, small crab or a piece of cut ladyfish and fish it under a popping cork. The snook fishing should also be red hot around the Fort Pierce Inlet when using live pilchards, pinfish or a select live shrimp. Fish these baits around the lighted docks at night or drifting the Fort Piece Inlet on the tide changes. The bottom fishing for black drum, sheespshead and croakers will be good for anglers using a live shrimp on a bottom rig and fished around the area bridges or rock piles. Along the beaches, the pompano bite should improve. Try using a pompano rig with a sand flea or clam.

PHOTO CREDIT: FWC South Regio nal Fisher

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APRIL 2021

TREASURE COAST 7

LARGEST SELECTION OF FIREARMS ON THE TREASURE COAST

FISHING FORECASTS

SEBASTIAN INSHORE

Capt. Gus Brugger Pattern Setter Charters (772) 360-6787 www.WelcomeToSebastian.com

pril is when the weather gets back to what Florida is known for, warm and sunny. The warm weather seems to get every species of fish active and hungry. The resident species such as seatrout, snook and redfish come out of their winter refuges and begin to spend more time feeding in the shallow waters of the Indian River Lagoon. Tarpon, jacks and Spanish mackerel numbers increase as fish that wintered further south expand their range to include the inshore and nearshore waters of the Treasure Coast. It is at this time of year that there is a pronounced overlap of all these different species which makes it a great time to target a variety of fish in a single outing or to play the daily weather conditions to target the species that the conditions most favor that day.

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SEBASTIAN RIVER – Snook, tarpon and bull sharks are available in good numbers in the Sebastian River in April. D.O.A. Shrimp, Terror-Eyz jigs, MirrOlures and live mullet will catch just about everything you will encounter in the Sebastian River. Cast small plugs and jigs to rolling tarpon in both forks of the river and work the docks and shoreline cover with Jerk Baits and D.O.A. Shrimp for snook. Bull sharks can be caught on live and dead baits fished on the bottom or below a float in the lower

river between the railroad and US 1 bridges.

INDIAN RIVER LAGOON – April’s

list of available species is the most extensive of the year. Work the shallow backwater flats, shorelines and docks with D.O.A Shrimp, Jerk Baits and plugs for snook and redfish. The spoil islands, open water flats and shoreline points with signs of bait activity should hold good numbers of trout. Deeper areas adjacent to flats and islands offer ladyfish, jacks, bluefish and some pompano. The techniques used to catch just about all the species can be as simple as live shrimp below a float, bouncing a D.O.A. Jerk Bait or working a suspending or topwater plug. Wade fishing with live shrimp is a great way to pursue trout, reds and snook this month.

SEBASTIAN INLET – The cool winter weather this year slowed the snook bite since the season opened in February, but the warm-up that is sure to come by April will again make snook fishing the focus of inlet anglers. Redfish and big jack crevalle will also be available. Live croakers, pigfish, pinfish, pilchards and shrimp will all catch fish during the day. After dark, jigs and plugs are equally effective. NEAR SHORE ATLANTIC – The pompano bite was lackluster this winter so many surf fishermen are hoping for a spring run. Sandfleas and cut clams are the baits of choice for pompano and whiting. The waters from the beach out a couple of miles can boil with schools of Spanish mackerel and jumbo-sized jack crevalle. When the weather is calm, a boat ride down the beach can really pay off, keep your eyes open and have some stout spinning tackle on board. Tight lines!

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Backwater snook fishing will be better than ever in the Sebastian area. This 29- inch linesider ate a D.O.A. 4-inch jerk bait in 18 inches of water.

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SEBASTIAN AREA OFFSHORE

Capt. Terry Wildey Big Easy Fishing Charters (772) 538 - 1072 Email: captwildey@bellsouth.net www.bigeasyfishingcharters.com

t’s dolphin time! If you haven’t yet prepared you need to get busy. Dolphin will be traveling north up the Gulf Stream on their spring migration. They will be on a constant feeding journey up the coast. There is a misconception that they are all out in the Gulf Stream. We do find them on the edge of the Stream, where the cooler coastal water goes from mid-70s to 80 or even higher. I find they are not always out wandering the midAtlantic. Look for them on the western edge of the Stream where there is that combination of a temperature change of a degree or two, color change, combined with sargassum weed with bait underneath it. This edge, that is usually caused by two different speeds of current usually running north and south, will eventually produce fish. Your eyes quite often will be

ABOVE: Will Payne with an April dolphin. RIGHT: Dottie Billington with a pair of nice cobia. PHOTOS CREDIT: Capt. Terry Wildey.

your best way to find fish. Constant scanning of the water for anything floating, and the sky for birds will all point you towards a bite. Ballyhoo rigged with a #7 or #8 Mustad hooks, on 60-pound to 80-pound mono leader works fine. If you like, even a small lure in front helps draw attention to your baits. I usually troll this spread of 4 to 5 baits at 5 to 6 knots. Sometimes I’ll

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pull some small artificials— bullet head or popper lures—if I’m trying to cover ground looking for fish, because I can pull them at 7 and 8 knots without worrying about my ballyhoo washing out. I always have a down rigger running 50 feet to 60 feet down with a ballyhoo behind a bullet head lure. I’ll rig this on a #7 wire for the toothy wahoo and kingfish.

The down line will also produce some nice dolphin in midday when the surface bite slows down. Until the dolphin show up, don’t pass up the bottom bite in 85 feet and 90 feet. Should be a good mangrove and trigger fish bite, along with some kingfish and a few cobia. I’ll see you out there on the edge. “Fish on, gotta go!”

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TREASURE COAST 9

FISHING FORECASTS

FROM THE SHORE

Jayson Arman That's R-Man Land Based Fishing Services (772) 530-8080 thatsrman4677@gmail.com

pril’s fishing forecast will consist of some spring mullet run action. The spring run is not as big as the fall run, but it still can be very exciting for some topwater action early mornings and late evenings on big snook. The flats and seawalls typically hold some big fish this time of year. This is also a great time for big seatrout. Understanding the size of the bait that is in the area you are fishing can be the most important thing to determine. Some days fourinch topwater plug will work best and other days a bigger six-inch size topwater will make the difference between you getting hookups or watching your buddy get hookups. If you find the fish are getting picky, downsize to a D.O.A. Shrimp and “slow and low” will be the technique. It will be important to have good tide flow at your spot so you

INSHO

minno numb mullet

Getting a topwater strike from a giant snook at sunrise will definitely wake you up! “Click Click Boom “ Fish on! Dennis Dering was able to pick up his personal best snook on this recent adventure. PHOTO CREDIT: Jayson Arman.

have lots of bait flushing though your area. You will also find bridge fishing at night will really get hot if bait is moving through. I like throwing No Live Bait Needed (NLBN) swimbaits and topwater plugs during this time of year. This will also be a time to consider walking the beach at sunrise and sunset for some great action. It

will be best on days with the higher tides that will bring the fish closer to the beach. Pompano will still be a fish to target so have two different types of spinning rods, one 7 foot light action and one 8 foot rod heavy action. Having big swimbaits and small jigs will help you cover lots of options. Springtime can also be very good

for bass fishing if you are inclined to do some freshwater fishing. Throwing frogs in your local canals around sunset can help you get through a tough day at work. Also, daylight savings time will allow you to fish a little later in the evening. Good luck on your next adventure and always try to learn something new when you are on the water.

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KAYAK FISHING FORECAST

Brian Nelli Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters (772) 201-5899 Brian@tckayakfishing.com www.tckayakfishing.com

Jupiter area will have some good snook and jack crevalle action. Use large mullet for the big girls and smaller baits like D.O.A. jerk baits to pick up the under slot snook and smaller jacks. A great place to launch the kayak is in Johnathan Dickenson State Park. This launch will give you access to the upper part as well as the lower part of the Loxahatchee River. April also brings tripletail into our river system. Look to target crab trap buoys and channel markers with live shrimp to bring in these tasty fish.

Zach with his first sailfish.

INSHORE: Our spring glass OFFSHORE: April is one of the minnows have showed up in good best months of the year! Big kingfish numbers and expect the spring will start to make their way up the mullet run to be here soon. The coast. Tuna and mahi should also be starting to show up in full force. Pilchards and goggle eyes will be your best live bait options for this time of year. Vertical jigging 230-to350 feet will also produce blackfin tuna and bonito. There are many public beaches to launch your kayak. The fishing grounds off our coast are anywhere from 1-to-3 miles. Look to work the normal 90-to-200 foot depths while trolling your lures or live bait.

PHOTOS CREDIT: Brian Nelli.

FRESHWATER: Peacock bass and style lures as well. Fishing grass Charters on Facebook, Instagram and Jeremey with hands full of peacock bass.

clown knifefish will continue to be lines and structure will be the most YouTube for all the latest adventures on the feed. Live shiners will always productive areas. my clients and I get into. be the best bet but grab a few baitfish Check us out Pushin’ Water Kayak See you on the water!

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APRIL 2021

TREASURE COAST 11

FISHING FORECASTS

LAKE OKEECHOBEE

Capt. Nate Shellen Shellen Guide Service (863) 357-0892 OkeechobeeBassFishing.com sjmike7@aol.com

arm days and nights are a lead-up to great fishing on Lake Okeechobee, as stable weather patterns usher in some of the better catching of the year. Speck (crappie) anglers are having a banner year on Okeechobee. It has been quite a few years since so many large specks have been found in the grassy areas that form the littoral zone of the lake. Kissimmee grass is found surrounding the outside edges of the lake on the north end of the lake and is a prime spot to target and find large speckled perch when they move in shallow water to spawn. When Kissimmee grass and other native grasses can be found adjacent to one another, fishing can go to catching very quickly. Anglers targeting the

fish are using small jigs on very thin lines. With the advent of superlines/ braid anglers are finding that the tiny diameter and the incredible strength of the line are perfect for fishing in the heavy cover areas of Lake Okeechobee. A large speck can offer quite a challenge when hooked in heavy cover, pulling them through weeds and other cover is challenging due to the very fragile composition of their lips, which can rip or tear easily, freeing a hook and the fish to fight another day. Many times, I have seen the large smile on a fisherman’s face change to a look of horror as a large speck falls back into the water just as it is about to come over the side of the boat. Bass anglers are finding some days catching large numbers of bass to be tougher this year than it has been in quite some time. The artificially high-water levels maintained by the Corps of Engineers are allowing the bass to access the deepest part of the marsh areas where anglers can no longer penetrate due to extreme weed growth. The bite can be a hit or miss affair, one day the fish will be stacked up in an area and eating a spinnerbait or chatter bait and the next day the area will seem devoid of fish. The tried-and-true

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Senko in a black and blue color or a watermelon/red color or a fluke in white or watermelon red will always produce fish, it is just a little slower presentation than most people can stand. Working through an area thoroughly before moving on is much more productive to run and

gun-style fishing on Okeechobee. Guided shiner trips are producing 25 to 40 fish per morning with big bass in the mix almost daily. Look for the best bass fishing for numbers and big bass around five to seven days prior to and after a full or new moon phase.

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DIVING FORECAST

Steve Wood Deep Six Watersports - Stuart (772) 288-3999 Stuart (772) 562-2883 Vero Steve.wood@deepsix.com www.deepsixintl.com

lenty of changes happening in and around the water in April including warmer weather and the return of sea turtles to local waters. Water temps have bottomed out and will start to climb with upper 70s a good bet by the end of the month. Warmer temps also signal turtle nesting season is approaching. Florida coastal waters are home to five different species of marine sea turtles that divers have an opportunity to encounter while underwater. Loggerheads, hawksbill, and green turtles are relatively common whereas leatherback and Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles are very rare. This time of year, mated pairs of loggerheads are frequently seen on the surface and once begun, mating can last for several hours. This

Leatherback in Jupiter Inlet. Turtle nesting season is approaching! PHOTO CREDIT: MyFWC/Juanita North.

leaves them vulnerable to passing boat traffic. Care should be taken to avoid disturbing breeding activities. All Florida sea turtles are protected by the endangered species act making it against the law to harass or otherwise interfere with their normal behavior. Many consider it a violation to impede their direction of travel underwater. With grouper and hogfish season still closed through the end of the month, now’s a great time for some exploratory dives off the beaten path. Everyone hits the wrecks on opening day, but smaller ledges and areas further from the inlets might yield interesting intel and new spots that may have been overlooked. Consider targeting snappers, cobia, triggerfish

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and amberjacks for smoked fish dip this time of year. Each of these can easily found in the coastal waters off the Treasure Coast and make great table fare although landing one is easier said than done. Big mutton and dog snapper are notoriously smart and hard to approach so many hunters will load

spearguns on the way down and be ready when they hit the bottom. A diver may only have a few seconds to make a shot before the fish hide into structure or scatter out in the sand and being ready will help make the most of a short opportunity. A good flashlight comes in handy too when fish duck into holes.

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APRIL 2021

TREASURE COAST 13

Fly Fishing Corner By Capt. Michael Mauri

Other than a good cast, line management is the most important thing in your toolbox.

LINE MANAGEMENT

What You Need To Know!

PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Michael Mauri.

n last month’s column we talked a little bit about the importance of fly casting, so I thought this month it is time to talk about line management. What exactly is line management? Other than a good

cast, line management is the most important thing in your toolbox. Yes, I know, you need to know how to handle the line in your cast, but let’s not talk about fly casting today, but instead let’s start where your casts end.

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GENERAL BASICS: • Get your line after the cast as quick as possible back in your rod hand, and make sure that you have a loop big enough between your rod hand and your reel that you’re able to strip set at any given time. • Reconnect as soon as possible with your fly. • If you have slack in your line, strip line until you reconnect (practice in clear water where you can see your fly, but also learn how to feel). • If your line has the tendency to tangle around your reel, try to turn your reel out in your final cast and/ or don’t let your line go entirely from your line hand but guide it through your fingers. This will help you to keep your line in better control and you will also be able to control your leader turn over much better. • Control where you strip the line. • Don’t step on the line.

BOAT BASICS: • Use a foldable leaf bucket to store your line. Cheap solution and it works great! • I use line keepers from Carbon Marine on my casting deck. Very efficient and easy to install! • If your line gets stuck in little stuff, use a wet towel to cover it. The towel will also keep your line in place. BEACH BASICS • Use a stripping basket. • Or when you’re an old idiot like me, don’t and move always against the current while fishing. It usually works pretty good until there is a lot of weeds in the water. You also have to learn the line dance to untangle your feed while fishing. Happy fishing! Capt. Michael Mauri www.mauriflyfishing.com michael@mauriflyfishing.com (772) 485-3321

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SAFMC Proposes Recreational Vessel Limits For Dolphin And Bag Limits For Wahoo

uring its March meeting, members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council chose preferred management alternatives affecting Dolphin and Wahoo harvested in federal waters along the entire Atlantic coast. The proposed measures, as outlined in Amendment 10 to the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan, would reduce the current recreational vessel limit for Dolphin from 60 fish to 48 fish per vessel while maintaining the 10 fish per person/day bag limit and reduce the daily bag limit for Wahoo from 2 fish to 1 fish per person/day. Reductions in harvest are intended to help prevent seasonal closures that could be imposed should catch levels be exceeded. Regional differences in the Dolphin and Wahoo fisheries became the focus of discussion as members of the Council reviewed concerns expressed during public hearings held in late January. Fishermen in South Florida and the Keys, including charter captains, have expressed concerns

about catching fewer Dolphin and encountering smaller fish over the past few years and have requested the Council take action to reduce harvest. Further north, charter captains and other fishermen have raised objections to the proposed reductions, noting the importance of maintaining higher vessel limits for trips that require much farther runs offshore. “We’ve heard from constituents and advisory panel members and believe their observations. Looking at the various management scenarios for both Dolphin and Wahoo, the Council compromised to reduce catches while addressing concerns of fishermen dependent on these valuable recreational fisheries,” explained Council Chair Mel Bell. “There are many variables affecting these migratory fisheries, including international harvest, environmental conditions, and other factors. We don’t have a clear sense of what the problem is and we’re being more preventative than curative at this point,” said Bell.

Amendment 10 may reduce the recreational daily bag limit to 48 dolphin (from 60) per vessel and to 1 (from 2) wahoo per person. PHOTO CREDIT: Fabien Monteil/Shutterstock.com.

Amendment 10 also includes updates to annual catch limits, modifications to sector allocations, and changes to accountability measures designed to ensure the catch levels are not exceeded for both Dolphin and Wahoo. Proposed management measures would also allow properly permitted commercial fishing vessels with trap, pot or buoy gear onboard to retain up to 500 pounds (gutted weight) of Dolphin and remove the Operator Card requirement for forhire and commercial fishermen in

the Atlantic Dolphin Wahoo fishery. After considering recommendations from its advisory panels and public comment, the Council removed an action that would have allowed filleting Dolphin at sea on for-hire vessels in federal waters north of the NC/VA border. The Council is scheduled to approve Dolphin Wahoo Amendment 10 for review by the Secretary of Commerce during its June meeting. To learn more, visit www.safmc.net or https://bit.ly/3cptW3S.

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APRIL FISHING CONDITIONS April 1

POOR

Evening

April 21

POOR

Morning

April 2

POOR

Evening

April 22

FAIR

Morning

April 3

FAIR

Evening

April 23

GOOD

Morning

April 4

FAIR

Morning

April 24

FAIR

Morning

April 5

GOOD

Morning

April 25

FAIR

Morning

April 6

GOOD

Morning

April 26

BEST

Evening

April 7

BEST

Morning

April 27

BEST

Evening

April 8

BEST

Morning

April 28

FAIR

Evening

April 9

GOOD

Morning

April 29

FAIR

Evening

April 30

FAIR

Evening

April 10

POOR

Morning

April 11

POOR

Evening

April 12

POOR

Evening

April 13

POOR

Evening

April 14

FAIR

Evening

April 15

POOR

Evening

April 16

POOR

Evening

April 17

BEST

Evening

April 18

BEST

Evening

April 19

BEST

Evening

April 20

POOR

Morning

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

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KEIFER AND VERCILLO TAKE FIRST IN BFA MARCH TOURNAMENT T

he third tournament of the Backcountry Fishing Association circuit took place on March 6 with decent weather throughout the day, and rain beginning just around weigh-in time. A total of 21 trout and 6 redfish were brought to the scale. TJ Keifer and Tony Vercillo took first place with a 3.44-pound trout and a 4.21-pound redfish, for a combined weight of 7.65 pounds, earning the pair $689. David Young and alternate angler Mike Rankin placed second with a 1.53-pound trout and a 5.19-pound redfish, for a combined weight of 6.72 pounds, earning the duo $413. They also took the redfish Calcutta, adding $240 to their winnings. Bill Smiley and Tommy Wagner took third place with a 1.32-pound trout and a 3.84-pound redfish, for a combined weight of 5.16 pounds, and walked away with $275. Brothers Joe and Matt Canestrari took fourth place with a 1.54-pound trout and a 2.50-pound redfish, for a combined weight of 4.04-pounds, earning them points

Backcountry Fishing Association

ABOVE: First place team for March, TJ Keifer and Tony Vercillo. BELOW: David Young and alternate angler Mike Rankin took second.

Fort Pierce, FL for the October Classic. Patrick Herd and his alternate Derek Yarborough took fifth place with a 4.01-pound trout and earned points towards the October Classic. The pair also won the trout Calcutta and earned a payout of $250. Ashley Cavallero was awarded the title of Lady Angler for her 2.25-pound trout and she won a pair of Danco Pliers and a fillet knife. The Backcountry Fishing Association tournament is a ninemonth circuit which runs from January thru September, with a two-

SEE BFA....................................... PAGE 21 PHOTO CREDITS: Backcountry Fishing Association.

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APRIL 2021

MARCH UPDATE By Michael Conner, Executive Director

Jensen Beach Causeway Re-Opening Update

In last month’s column, we covered the progress made on swaying the Florida DOT to reverse its decision to close the popular Jensen Beach Causeway relief bridges to fishing. On March 2, concerned local anglers, DOT officials and Martin County law enforcement met to discuss the effort to give the public a chance to “change the culture” of littering on the span, and to make the bridge more passable to walkers and joggers who complained about obstruction due to fishing tackle in the right of way. Suggestions such as rail-attached rod-holders, effective signage outlawing littering and cast-netting, and the installation of ample trash cans were made, and Indian Riverkeeper awaits word from Florida DOT on the final outcome. Many local bridge anglers are willing to police others to get on board to clean up their mess. And we expect local law enforcement to have an increased presence as well. It is believed that we will be granted a 3-month period to prove we can correct the problems, and it is expected that the Causeway will be re-opened on April 1. Check the Facebook page “Indian Riverkeeper” for developments. There is a lesson in this for all Florida anglers. Clean up your act or stand the chance to lose fishing access to your favorite bridge, catwalk or public beach.

Lake Okeechobee Discharges Likely

Lake Okeechobee’s elevation was at 15.2 feet on March 7, which prompted the U.S. Army Corps to start so-called pulse discharges from the Lake’s eastern S-308 structure into the C-44 canal, and in turn, also from the canal into the south fork of the St. Lucie River through the S-80 Lock and dam. The Lake elevation is 2.6 feet higher than at this time last year, and with wet season weeks away, the Corps fears for the integrity of the Lake’s Herbert Hoover Dike. The problem now is that the discharges, which will range from 500 to 750 cubic feet per second on average (to lessen the ecological blow

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to the estuary), will only result in about 2 inches off the Lake overall. Which begs the question: At this late juncture, why conduct the discharges at all? Some feel it would be better to allow the estuary to remain as salty as possible for as long as possible to increase chances of seagrass (which grow and spawn in spring) taking hold and becoming more resilient overall in the face of bigger discharges in late summer and fall months. Weekly call-in meetings with the Corps will prove interesting as Indian Riverkeeper and other water advocacy groups chime in on the situation. Until Everglades reservoirs, such as the EAA project (Everglades Agricultural Area) south of Lake Okeechobee, are completed and operational, we remain at the mercy of rainfall and decisions made by the Corps and the South Florida Water Management District on moving water where it can be moved. Will be yet another “Lost Summer” for residents on both the Treasure Coast and along the Gulf Coast’s Caloosahatchee River? We all fear the formation of toxic Cyanobacteria blooms on Lake O that are shunted to our public waters. For now, the likelihood of that is increasing. Indian Riverkeeper is strongly in favor of the Army Corps’ new operational schedule, called LOSOM (Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual) over the past “Lake level” program known as LORS (Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule) that failed to take estuary damages, and human health, into consideration. For updates on LOSOM visit www.saj.usace.army. mil.

Everglades Project Updates

On the good-news front, Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson has backed off on his stance against dedicating budget funds to the completion of the EAA Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir. We thank anglers who took the time to voice their support for the EAA reservoir. But we still encourage you and your fellow anglers to contact Senator Simpson by phone (352) 6885077 or email at Simpson.wilton@

SHOOTOUT........................................... FROM PAGE 1

High volume Lake Okeechobee discharges such as this at the S-80 lock in 2018 on the St. Lucie River are likely in late summer/fall due to high Lake levels. PHOTOS CREDIT: Mike Conner.

flsenate.gov and ask him to commit full state funding to the EAA reservoir that is part of the original Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. It is under construction and will be the first completed water cleaning/conveyance project that will divert as much as two-thirds of the damaging Lake O discharges from the St. Lucie River. It will clean and send that water south to Florida Bay where it is needed. For updates, check the Indian Riverkeeper Facebook page.

Manatee Die-off Continues

We close with tragic news regarding the ongoing manatee die-off in the northern IRL. In

the first six weeks of 2021, there were 317 manatee deaths across the state, according to the FWC. That’s almost half of all deaths reported in Florida for all of last year when 638 manatees died. The consensus is growing that starvation rather than “cold shock” is the reason for this unprecedented spike in deaths. The manatees’ “home turf ” in winter is the Banana River and much of the IRL, where the native seagrass decreases are so severe that there is little else in the way of food sources to sustain them. This sounds an alarm that other marine life dependent on seagrass for forage and refuge may be next. We will provide updates as this story develops.

1 pound, 14.8 ounces. Second place whiting, Chris Fortner, 1 pound, 7.6 ounces. Third place whiting, Montisha Soto, 1 pound, .6 ounces. Fourth place whiting, Jeff Garrett, 1 pound, .4 ounces. The eight winners chose from a donated prize pool that included two Okuma surf rod/ Penn 7500 long cast reels (thanks to Snook Nook), Engel 54-quart cooler (thanks to Engel Coolers), Penn Battle 5000 (thanks to West Marine), Penn 6500 long cast reel (thanks to Penn corporate), Ninja surf rod (thanks to Ninja Tackle), Anyfish, Anywhere Surf rod (thanks to Ninja Tackle), and an Akios Fireloop reel (thanks to Akios). Over 30 raffle items were awarded in all, largely donated by local merchants. Thanks to D.O.A. Lures, YETI, Costa, Fishing Headquarters, Ian and Kye’s Pizza, Bill Bones Bait and Tackle, Native Water Sports - Kayak and SUP Shop, Danco, @FinitasticAquariums, Yo-Zuri, Mrs Peters Smokehouse, North Fork Bait & Tackle, Pompano Rich Vidulich, Lures Riverfront, Capt. Crabby’s Oysterbar, Tako Tiki Jensen Beach, Aquaco Farms, SS and T Unique Designs, Engel Coolers, South River Outfitters, Ken Dara, Stuart Stained Glass, and Reel Life Bait and Tackle. Lastly, thanks to my hard-working board members who made this event possible. We are planning to hold the event next year! Stay tuned. The Sand Spike Shootout will be held again next year, likely during the same time frame, late February to early March. Results can be seen on the Indian Riverkeeper Facebook page.

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Stuart Sailfish Club 4th Annual KDW to Benefit Project Lift

he Stuart Sailfish Club will host its fourth annual KDW tournament May 7-8, 2021. Tournament proceeds will benefit Project Lift, a nonprofit organization that helps youth struggling with drug and alcohol abuse or other trauma-like circumstances. Project Lift provides counseling, career training, mentorship, and volunteer opportunities to help the teens fast track their recovery. Tournament registration fee is $225. Final registration for the tournament is Friday, May 7, 4-6 p.m.. A captain’s meeting will take place Friday, May 7, 6-8 p.m. Boats may fish out of Fort Pierce, Stuart or Jupiter inlets. Weigh-in will take place at Sailfish Marina, Stuart, Fla, 2-5 p.m. on Saturday May 8. Cash prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place kingfish, dolphin and wahoo, as well as top lady angler. An awards ceremony will take place at the Sailfish Club’s Tiki

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LONG DOG DAYS of SUMMER Pavilion, located at 3867 SE Evans Terrace, Stuart, on Saturday, May 8. Tournament details at press time were still underway. To register or for more information, email sailfish@stuartsailfishclub. com or call 772-286-9373.

The next tournament is Saturday, April 3, with a captain’s meeting on day Classic held in October. The Friday, April 2, at Little Jim Bait and artificial lure only tournament gives Tackle, 601 North Causeway, Fort two-person teams and solo anglers Pierce, Fla. the opportunity to win cash and gain points. Redfish, trout and snook (seasonal) are the qualified species. Anglers attempt to bring one legal fish of each species to the scales for weigh in and live release. Teams must participate in at least five tournaments to be eligible to fish the Classic which is a two-day event. The top five eligible teams with the highest accumulated points from the season are given a bye from day one. The remaining eligible teams compete on an elimination basis the first day, where only the top five teams of day one progress to day two to compete The March BFA Lady Angler, against the season point leaders for Ashley Cavallero. the grand prize and cash for the top PHOTO CREDIT: Backcountry Fishing Association. four teams. Membership fees are $25 for the For more information, year. To enter the tournament each visit the Backcounty Fishing month, the fee is $60 per team. Association on Facebook.

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TREASURE COAST 21

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TIME

1TH 12:05 AM 5:48 AM 12:14 PM 6:09 PM 2F 12:58 AM 6:43 AM 1:08 PM 7:08 PM 3SA 1:57 AM 7:44 AM 2:08 PM 8:12 PM 4SU 3:01 AM 8:52 AM 3:14 PM 9:22 PM 5M 4:09 AM 10:02 AM 4:26 PM 10:31 PM 6TU 5:17 AM 11:08 AM 5:36 PM 11:34 PM 7W 6:17 AM 12:06 PM 6:37 PM 8TH 12:30 AM 7:09 AM 12:56 PM 7:30 PM 9F 1:18 AM 7:53 AM 1:40 PM 8:15 PM 10SA 2:02 AM 8:32 AM 2:20 PM 8:55 PM

HEIGHT 2.8 -0.12 2.55 -0.49 2.66 0.05 2.41 -0.32 2.49 0.21 2.27 -0.15 2.33 0.33 2.16 -0.02 2.24 0.36 2.12 0.05 2.23 0.32 2.16 0.06 2.27 0.22 2.25 0.04 2.33 0.11 2.35 0.02 2.38 0 2.43 0.01 2.41 -0.09 2.5

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

11SU 2:42 AM 9:08 AM 2:57 PM 9:32 PM 12M 3:19 AM 9:42 AM 3:32 PM 10:08 PM 13TU 3:55 AM 10:15 AM 4:06 PM 10:43 PM 14W 4:30 AM 10:48 AM 4:39 PM 11:19 PM 15TH 5:04 AM 11:22 AM 5:13 PM 11:56 PM 16F 5:39 AM 11:58 AM 5:49 PM 17SA 12:36 AM 6:16 AM 12:37 PM 6:29 PM 18SU 1:21 AM 7:00 AM 1:21 PM 7:18 PM 19M 2:12 AM 7:55 AM 2:15 PM 8:17 PM 20TU 3:10 AM 9:00 AM 3:19 PM 9:24 PM

0.02 2.41 -0.14 2.53 0.05 2.4 -0.15 2.52 0.1 2.35 -0.12 2.49 0.18 2.29 -0.07 2.42 0.27 2.21 0.01 2.33 0.38 2.12 0.1 2.23 0.48 2.03 0.19 2.14 0.57 1.96 0.27 2.06 0.63 1.91 0.32 2.03 0.62 1.91 0.32

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

21W 4:12 AM 10:06 AM 4:29 PM 10:30 PM 22TH 5:13 AM 11:06 AM 5:36 PM 11:31 PM 23F 6:10 AM 12:00 PM 6:37 PM 24SA 12:26 AM 7:02 AM 12:51 PM 7:33 PM 25SU 1:19 AM 7:51 AM 1:39 PM 8:25 PM 26M 2:09 AM 8:39 AM 2:28 PM 9:16 PM 27TU 2:58 AM 9:27 AM 3:16 PM 10:06 PM 28W 3:48 AM 10:16 AM 4:06 PM 10:57 PM 29TH 4:39 AM 11:06 AM 4:58 PM 11:48 PM 30F 5:32 AM 11:58 AM 5:53 PM

2.07 0.53 2 0.26 2.16 0.34 2.16 0.14 2.29 0.1 2.38 0.01 2.44 -0.16 2.62 -0.11 2.58 -0.4 2.83 -0.2 2.69 -0.58 2.97 -0.24 2.75 -0.68 3.03 -0.22 2.76 -0.68 3 -0.15 2.71 -0.6 2.89 -0.03 2.6 -0.44

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FWC to Host First Florida WildQuest Event May 1-9 F

rom May 1 to May 9, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is hosting the first Florida WildQuest, a unique scavenger hunt experience on wildlife management areas throughout the state. Florida residents and visitors are encouraged to grab their mobile device and join a wild adventure with missions designed to help people discover some of Florida’s best spots to see wildlife and enjoy the outdoors. WildQuest players of all ages will have opportunities to learn about and explore the FWC’s lead WMAs during the event. Participants who register and earn at least 2,000 points on one of the scavenger hunts can enter a drawing for wilderness-inspired prizes including a pair of binoculars and a field guide set! Players can go on the “Master WildQuest” or “WildQuest Jr.” at any lead WMA or visit one of the featured areas that will have area specific quests: • Big Bend Wildlife Management Area, Tide Swamp Unit in Steinhatchee • Fred C. Babcock/Cecil M. Webb Wildlife Management Area in Punta Gorda • Chinsegut Wildlife and Environmental Area in Brooksville • • Guana River Wildlife Management Area in Ponte Vedra Beach • W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area in West Palm Beach • Kirk Edwards Wildlife and Environmental Area in Tallahassee. • Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area in Christmas. To join a scavenger hunt, players will need a mobile device and the free GooseChase app. For more information and instructions visit FloridaNatureTrackers.com. Florida WildQuest is designed to be a safe,

Grab your mobile device and join a wild adventure with missions designed to help people discover some of Florida’s best spots to see wildlife and enjoy the outdoors. PHOTO CREDIT: MyFWC/ Bioblitz Aucilla.

socially distanced outdoor event for individuals and small groups. When interacting with staff and other visitors, masks should be worn if social distancing guidelines (6 feet) cannot be met. Florida has one of the nation’s largest systems of state-managed wildlife lands. The WMA system includes over 6 million acres managed primarily for wildlife conservation and nature-based public use. The areas featured in Florida WildQuest are FWC lead areas, which are primarily managed by the FWC. Other WMAs, called cooperative areas, are primarily managed by partner agencies or organizations. The FWC maintains, enhances and restores native natural habitats for the benefit of plant and animal populations as well as for the people of Florida. The public can use the WMA system for a variety of recreation opportunities including hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing opportunities. To learn more about Florida’s WMA system, visit MyFWC.com/WMAs.

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APRIL 2021

TREASURE COAST 23

St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program:

WWII TOWER TO GAIN SECOND LIFE AS AN ARTIFICIAL REEF

he St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program is planning to make use of the Treasure Coast’s rich nautical history for one of its upcoming artificial reefs. A 45-foot steel tower with a 15-foot by 15-foot base may become available from the City of Fort Pierce. This tower was erected at the mouth of the Fort Pierce Inlet during World War II to spot enemy submarines trying to access the naval base. There are many tasks in preparing the tower for deployment. Cleanup of the tower should be easier than that for a steel vessel although checking for pollutants will still be rigorous. There are no fuel or hydraulic lines to clear and remove, but the tower was built during World War II and any painted surfaces still must be checked for lead-based paint. After the initial inspection, the first task will be the demolition

of the wooden observation housing at the top of the tower. This should remove any potential pollutants such as asbestos and PCBs from the structure and will also eliminate any floatables like wood and shingles, leaving only metal to be deployed. If the tower is suitable for reefing and can be cleaned, arrangements must be made to transport the tower to a waiting barge. This will require a crane and special permits for trucking the tower to the Harbour Pointe Park staging area on Taylor Creek. Once at the park, the tower would need to be loaded onto a waiting barge for direct deployment. McCulley Marine Services and Underwater Engineering Services have loaded materials by crane before. The manner in which the tower is deployed must also be determined. Oriented vertically, the tower would

be an exceptional attraction for pelagic species such as kingfish (Scomberomorus cavalla), cobia (Rachycentron canadum), and blue This 45-foot steel tower, with a 15-foot by 15-foot base, was erected at the mouth of the Fort Pierce Inlet during World War II to spot enemy submarines trying to access the naval base. It may soon become another St. Lucie County artificial reef.

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runner (Caranx crysos). The tower would need to be stabilized with very large concrete footers adding to the cost of construction, however so it is likely to be deployed horizontally in at depths of 50 to 60 feet. The next option would be the orientation of deployment. If deployed in deeper waters, the current would usually prevent the tower from landing east-to-west. If deployed in shallower waters the tower could probably be deployed in any direction. Experience with the USS Muliphen Reef shows that fish like to conserve energy by staying out of the currents on the northern side of this reef. The St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program will also look for ways to increase the complexity of the tower. This will increase the number of fish species using the proposed reef by increasing the diversity of habitats on the reef. If a barge becomes available this might be done by welding the tower to the barge. Another idea is to deploy secondary concrete on the tower after it is deployed. The St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program has had excellent results deploying

secondary concrete on top of steel barges with the creation of the Civic Center Reef, the FishAmerica Foundation Reef and the SeaRover Services Reef. Deploying concrete materials would increase the footprint of the reef while adding habitat for bottom fish. Progress is being made on deploying the Tug Singleton. McCulley Marine Services has purchased the tugboat for sinking on the Fort Pierce Sportfishing Club Artificial Reef Site. If the St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners approves the reefing of this tugboat, the Singleton will be delivered to St. Lucie County for cleaning. After thorough cleanup, the tug must pass inspection by the United States Coast Guard before being deployed in depths ranging from 150 feet to 160 feet to provide habitat for such deepwater species such as gag (Mycteroperca microlepis) and scamp (M. phenax). For more information on the St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program contact Jim Oppenborn, St. Lucie County Coastal Resources Coordinator, at oppenbornj@ stlucieco.org or (772) 462-1713.

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GONE COASTAL By Jasmin Graham and Melissa Crouch

HOW TO START YOUR

FISHING ADVENTURE

ishing is an enjoyable pastime, especially here in Florida. In fact, there are approximately 4 million saltwater and freshwater anglers in the state of Florida. I love saltwater fishing for several reasons: 1) You get to be outside enjoying nature. 2) Crisp sea breezes and the smell of sea salt. 3) Every catch is a surprise, with so many fish in the ocean, you never really know what you are going to get. 4) The opportunity to unplug; fishing is an activity where you can often just relax. 5) I love to eat fish and there is something particularly satisfying about catching your own dinner. Have I persuaded you to try your hand at fishing? If so, I’d like to help you get started on your fishing journey with this quick guide for new anglers.

STEP 1:

Learn more at MyFWC.com/SFR. Now the question is, what gear do In Florida, you need a saltwater you need? fishing license if you are over 16 STEP 2: unless you are a Florida resident age Become Familiar 65 and older or are otherwise exempt. With Your Gear You can purchase your license online at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com, through There are a few must haves for the Fish|Hunt FL mobile app (which fishing gear. First and foremost, conveniently stores your licenses you are going to need a fishing rod for you) or by phone at 888-FISH- and reel. There are many options to FLORIDA (888-347-4356). Licenses choose from but, for beginners, I can also be purchased in person at recommend a spin-cast rod and reel your local tax collector’s office or a or a spinning rod and reel. The spinlicense agent such as a tackle store. cast reel offers a push-button control If you are a Florida resident and plan to release the line, which makes on only fishing from the shore, you casting a breeze. For a spinning reel, can get a 1-year shoreline fishing instead of pushing a button to control license at no cost. And don’t forget the release of fishing line, you must about our saltwater fishing license manually manipulate the bail, which add-ons; if you are fishing for snook, is a piece on the reel that guides the spiny lobster, several reef fish species, line back onto a spool. Choose the sharks from shore or using traps to rod and reel you think will work best catch blue crab or stone crab, you’ll for you. need to have these add-ons on your Next, you’ll need fishing line, license. non-stainless-steel circle hooks By purchasing a fishing license (which are more likely to hook the you also are supporting the Sport Fish fish in the corner of the mouth) and Restoration Program, which funds a dehooking tool. If you want to fish fishing outreach and education, boat the bottom, you might also want to ramp construction and maintenance, pick up some small weights and, if artificial reef construction, fisheries you want to fish the surface or middle research, stock enhancement, and of the water column, you may want to fisheries habitat management. pick up some floats or bobbers. Any fishing gear and boat fuel you Learn how to rig up your gear by purchase will also support this watching our how-to videos on our program, so your investment in your YouTube channel at YouTube.com/ hobby will come back around to FWCSaltwaterFishing and checking make fishing even more accessible. out our How to Fish page at MyFWC.

Obtain a Fishing License

26 TREASURE COAST

APRIL 2021

PHOTO CREDIT: MyFWC.

com/Marine by clicking on “How to Saltwater Fish.” Lastly, you’ll want to think about what kind of bait you’ll use, which will vary based on which species you want to target. Shrimp and small fish are good live bait to start out with. Now that you’ve got what gear you need, it’s time to pick a fishing spot.

STEP 3:

Decide Where to Fish

supply stores and other marine businesses; or by visiting ocean. floridamarine.org/boating_guides. If you plan on fishing from shore, try fishing places with structure. Maybe there are a few piers where fish seem to be biting more than others, try checking out those. If you plan on fishing from a boat, you can find boat launches and learn where artificial reefs have been deployed on our website, MyFWC.com. You can also check with local tackle shops for tips on the best places to fish. For more on fishing locations, visit our Where to Saltwater Fish page at MyFWC.com/Marine. For safety’s sake, remember to tell somewhere where you are headed before you leave. Once you have your spot, it is very important to understand the

Where you fish can have a big impact on what you catch. Of course, it’s impossible to know where the fish are at all times and fish aren’t always hanging out in the same places but there are some ways you can make informed decisions about where to fish.FWC’s Boating and Angling Guide maps are a great resource to learn about fishing locations. These guides are available without cost at many marinas, tackle shops, boating SEE ADVENTURE........................ PAGE 29

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TREASURE COAST 27

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USCG Auxiliary Flotilla 59 Officers Elected F

lotilla 59 elected new senior leaders for its 35th year. The leadership team is known as the “Bridge Officers’ to honor the location of commanders of a vessel. For 2021, Dawn Muller was selected as Flotilla Commander and Kevin Gilbert was elected second in command, as Vice Flotilla Commander. It is their duty to carry on the tradition that began over 80 years ago when the Auxiliary was formed to assist the Coast Guard. Both bridge officers have served in other positions of leadership within Flotilla 59 as staff officers and as elected officers. Multiple new staff assignments have been filled to manage the myriad of United States Coast Guard Auxiliary plans and programs.

Dawn Muller

Kevin Gilber PHOTOS COURTESY of Robert Michael Stringe.

Flotilla 59 senior leaders have created their vision for 2021 which prioritizes recruitment of new members to help increase their ability to interact, educate and train Treasure Coast boaters who own a large slice of Florida’s 950,000 registered vessels. The training of new Auxiliary personnel to become certified to carry out the boater education and maritime safety programs continues as a high focus for the new Bridge Officers. Flotilla Commander Muller and Vice Flotilla Commander Gilbert are concentrating on continuing and expanding the successful

boating programs. These programs include the certified Boat America course as well as GPS for Mariners and Marine Navigation. Due to continuing Covid-19 restrictions, all classes are being taught online. The Auxiliary encourages safety awareness within the recreational boating community by offering FREE vessel inspections to all boat owners. Flotilla 59 is located at 3443 SE St. Lucie Blvd., Stuart, Florida in Sandsprit Park. For more information or to request a vessel inspection, visit http://cgaux59.org.

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espite numerous COVID-19 restrictions, more and more boaters are taking to the water to alleviate at-home boredom while taking advantage of the open-air benefits and more pandemic-free aspects of recreational boating. But if you haven’t been out boating in a while, are your vessel’s lights operating properly? Do you have a sufficient number of life jackets for the number of passengers aboard? Is your engine’s ventilation system up to par? To get you started on a new year boating adventure, now may be a perfect time to consider getting a 2021 Vessel Safety Check (VSC) offered by certified VSC examiners from the St. Lucie River Power Squadron, also known as America’s Boating Club of Martin County. These trained VSC examiners from the local squadron will point out safety features such as minimum requirements required by the U.S. Coast Guard, examine fundamental mechanical aspects of your vessel, and answer questions how you can have more fun safely on the water. These are just a few of

PHOTOS CREDIT: Kittisak Soponwongsakorn/Shutterstock.

the many discussion points covered in this voluntary examination. As an added plus, Vessel Safety Checks are free to boat owners. And if you don’t “pass muster” with the thorough examination, the summary report is yours and yours alone. No record of any possible

ADVENTURE.................... FROM PAGE 26 time to cast out and catch yourself

a fishing memory. One of the most rules and regulations before you go exciting things about fishing is feeling that sudden tug on your line as a fish fishing. grabs your bait. Reel it in and reel it STEP 4: in fast. Safely remove hooks using Understand the Rules a dehooking tool, wet your hands and Regulations before handling fish and support the Fishing regulations are available fish horizontally. Don’t handle the in paper booklets and can also be fish too long and safely release any found online at MyFWC.com/ fish you aren’t keeping. Remember, Marine by clicking on “Recreational to be a conservation minded angler Regulations.” You can also find them don’t leave trash behind and be sure in the Fish Rules app that can be to recycle your monofilament line in downloaded onto your smart device. an appropriate receptacle. Read through the regulations before I hope you grow to love saltwater you go. Do you understand the terms (bag limit, size limit, closed fishing as much as I do. It’s relaxing season etc.)? Do you understand how and it’s a great way to enjoy the to measure your fish? Do you feel outdoors. FWC also offers saltwater comfortable identifying common fish angler recognition programs through you might encounter? (Fishing Lines Catch a Florida Memory. Learn more field guide, also found on our website, at CatchaFloridaMemory.com or like is a great resource for this.) What and follow Catch a Florida Memory fish may you harvest and at what on Facebook. There are nine Saltwater size? How many of each fish may you Grand Slams that reward you with harvest? These are important things prizes for catching various fish in a to understand before you go fishing. 24-hour period, Saltwater Reel Big Fish rewards you for catching fish STEP 5: exceeding a certain length, and there Go Fishing are 70 fish you can try adding to your Finally, the time has come! You Saltwater Fish Life List. These are fun have your license, you have your programs for both kids and adults to gear, you’ve read the rules and you’ve participate in. So, dive into our fishing arrived at your fishing spot. Now it’s resources, get out there and go fishing!

deficiencies will be reported to the USCG, state agency or any other authority. Want to know more about this complimentary Vessel Safety Check program? Contact Peter Burns at (772) 486-2684 or burnspet@aol. com.

St. Lucie River Power Squadron, one of more than 300 squadrons nationwide, also offers safe boating classes to the public. Check on their website, www.slrps.org, when classes will resume. Information about the parent organization is available at www.usps.org.

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TREASURE COAST 29

By Savanna Barry

Baked Seatrout

with Pesto Pine Nut Topping DIFFICULTY: Simple

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lb. white fish fillets (this recipe uses fillets from four spotted seatrout) • 1 cup dry toasted pine nuts (or chopped roasted cashews) • 1 Tbsp. minced garlic • 3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (or parmesan-romano blend) • 1/4 cup pesto • olive oil or cooking spray for greasing • salt and pepper to taste

he recipe above uses wild-caught spotted seatrout, a fish commonly targeted by inshore anglers. There is only a small commercial fishery for seatrout in Florida, so it might be tough to find in seafood markets. You can substitute any mild, white fish in this recipe if you cannot find seatrout. Some examples of good options

SERVINGS: 8

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 2. Pat fillets dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. 3. Arrange fillets in a rectangular glass baking dish in a single layer. 4. Combine nuts, garlic, pesto, and cheese and stir together. 5. Spread topping generously on top of fillets, covering them entirely. 6. Place dish on top rack of oven. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until the toppings is browning on top and the liquid around the fish is bubbling. 7. Serve hot with a side salad or sauteed veggies.

include lionfish or tilapia. If you want to use local trout for this recipe, you’ll need to catch your own! A great way to catch seatrout is to go on a guided fishing trip, perhaps with a Florida Friendly Fishing Guide near you, or target seatrout on your own. Spotted seatrout are often caught over shallow grass flats. They are

aggressive feeders and can be caught using a variety of natural or artificial bait. Spotted seatrout harvest is generally open year-round in Florida, but bag limits vary by region. Check FWC’s seatrout fishing regulations for the most up-to-date information. If you are fishing for spotted seatrout in local waters, do your part

to protect the fishery! First, take only what you plan to eat! Also, reduce unnecessary death for fish you release by learning better handling practices, as seatrout are particularly sensitive to death through poor handling (see: www.catchandrelease.org). Finally, remember to protect seagrass while boating, because these fish depend on healthy seagrass. Savanna Barry is a Regional Specialized Extension Agent based in Cedar Key, FL. Watch her make this dish online at https://www.flseagrant.org/seafood/ seafoodatyourfingertips. Visit her blog at http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/ ncbs/author/savannabarry/.

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SAWFISH NEWS A smalltooth sawfish, Pristis pectinata.

ESA Listing Anniversary for

PHOTO CREDIT: Tonya Wiley.

By Tonya Wiley, Havenworth Coastal Conservation

SMALLTOOTH SAWFISH IN THE UNITED STATES

he population of smalltooth sawfish in the United States experienced a significant decrease in numbers and distribution during the 20th century due to overfishing, habitat loss, and limited reproduction. Given the decline, NOAA Fisheries listed the U.S. population of smalltooth sawfish as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act eighteen years ago on April 1, 2003. The smalltooth sawfish became the first fully marine fish and first elasmobranch (sharks, skates, and rays) protected by the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The goal of the Endangered Species Act listing is to recovery the population to the point that it no longer needs the protections afforded by the Act. A recovery plan for smalltooth sawfish in the U.S. was published in 2009 and recommends specific steps to recover the population, focusing on (1) educating the public to minimize human interactions with sawfish and any associated injury and mortality, (2) protecting and/or restoring important sawfish habitats, and (3) ensuring sawfish abundance and distribution increase. For smalltooth sawfish recovery means ensuring the long-term viability of the species in the wild through substantial increases in both abundance and range. At the time of the listing in 2003 scientists knew little about the biology, ecology, and population dynamics of smalltooth sawfish.

The recovery plan identified actions and research goals aimed at gaining a better understanding of the species and the population. Over the last 18 years, scientists from multiple agencies, universities, and organizations have collaborated to research the smalltooth sawfish population in the United States. We now know more about their size and age at maturity, the number of young they give birth to, the food they eat, their large- and small-scale movement patterns and habitat use, and their response to a variety of stressors. This research greatly improved our understanding of the species and helped us prioritize the actions needed to reach recovery as quickly as possible. One of the best ways to monitor the population and track recovery progress is analyzing public sawfish encounters. If you catch or see a sawfish, please share the information with scientists by calling 1-844-4-SAWFISH (1844-472-9347), visiting www. SawfishRecovery.org, or emailing sawfish@myfwc.com. Sawfish recovery documents are available at https://www.fisheries. n o a a . g ov / s p e c i e s / s m a l lt o ot h sawfish. A video looking at smalltooth sawfish conservation and recovery in the United States is available at https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=NSRWUjVU3e8&t=3s.

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TREASURE COAST 31

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Paul Hines from Shrimpers Grill and Raw Bar with daughter Ashlee enjoying a fatherdaughter fishing trip aboard My Other Honey Charters based in Stuart, FL. PHOTO CREDIT: Linda Hines

Stephanie Kmiotek, 4, with Spanish mackerel caught on a drone spoon off of Peck Lake.

Melissa Fox with a couple of schoolie mahi caught out of the St. Lucie Inlet in 125 feet of water trolling ballyhoo.

PHOTO CREDIT: Michael Kmiotek.

PHOTO CREDIT: Leonard Fox.

Lady Angler Sandy proudly posing with her terrific triggerfish catch. PHOTO CREDIT: Lady Chris Charters.

Sturdy cobia in the hands of Ethan “Fin” Foster, caught aboard the Safari 1. PHOTO CREDIT: Safari 1.

Susan McCarthy caught a nice snook fly fishing at the Roosevelt Bridge with Capt. Giles Murphy. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Giles Murphy.

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Author Sarah Walls practices donning and doffing deco bottles near the ocean floor.

about diving: the exploration of the unknown. Not only by diving deeper, but by delving further into my abilities, I could face novel challenges again, master new skills and refine old ones I’d become complacent with. During my first confined-water session, I felt like a brand-new student: awkward, buoyant and overwhelmed by all the procedures to remember. We spent hours throughout the course running through drills until I no longer felt like a newborn diver, but proficient in my new abilities. I’d optimized my reaction time in emergency situations, like controlling a free-flowing regulator; perfected procedures of staging and donning deco bottles; and fine-tuned my buoyancy until my depth at decompression stops fluctuated by no more than a foot and a half. Tec diving isn’t for everyone. However, many of my hesitations to try technical diving were overcome by taking other courses. Before my tec course, I completed PADI Deep and Nitrox specialties. These prepared me for increased pressure and effects of narcosis at deeper depths and taught me about diving with higher oxygen contents. I also completed Sidemount and Self-Reliant courses that taught me how to dive with multiple tanks and regulators and explained the importance of redundancy and self-sufficiency, which both play a huge role in tec diving. Tec diving is obstacle-ridden and humbling, but can reignite a fading passion. It can leave you with a sense of accomplishment and a refined set of diving skills. It grants access to depths beyond recreational limits, where lesser-known shipwrecks and deep reefs lie, waiting to be explored. There will always be risks, but with proper training and preparation, you might also find the answer to your own question.

Why Try Technical Diving?

he first time I read about technical diving, I thought I’d never try it. I combed through a tec-diving manual and found claims stating that even if everything is done correctly, there is still considerable risk for accidents and death. These claims stuck to my mind like crusted barnacles. Who would try technical diving if it is so inherently dangerous? Fast forward a year and four months, and I found myself as the answer to my own question. I sat in a classroom with my manual and equipment splayed across a desk, ready for my Tec 40 course to start. I wondered what happened over the last 16 months to change my mind. I’d been working as a scuba instructor and increased my number of dives from just over 100 to well over 1,000. Diving became part of my everyday life. Breathing compressed air through a regulator became as normal as taking a breath on the surface. I was still madly in love with diving, but submerging had become second nature and no longer felt like an exciting challenge. Tec diving made me a student again. It reminded me of something I love

To learn more about the technical diving programs available at Pura Vida Divers, or to begin your technical diving journey, call them at 561-840-8750 or visit www.puravidadivers.com.

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APRIL 2021

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LIFE IS A BEACH

3/8-ounce chartreuse jig with a 4-inch pearl white D.O.A. Shad Tail. Run the jig hook through the paddletail’s head and out through its belly where D.O.A. is printed. The idea is to rig the soft plastic as straight as you can. This allows longer casts because the lure won’t twist in the air. The two most important factors to consider in catching snook from the beach are time of day and location. Snook prefer to feed at night. On the By Richard L. Matteson beach, baitfish run the trough during the low-light periods at dawn and dusk. So, the best time to snook fish is 10 minutes before daybreak and the last 90 minutes before dark. This is when snook feed in the carved out area behind the closest breakers. Remember, snook are less than 20 yards offshore when they’re feeding in the trough. Casting out as far as you can means only the last part of your retrieve will be in the snook zone. Either make many short casts or cast almost parallel to the surf line. This keeps your bait in the strike zone most of the time. Snook will scoot under the breakers from the trough and grab your jig in 6 inches of wash. No water is too shallow for them, and from the back of the trough to the wash is where the snook point of attack is. When a snook hits, be prepared. They are extremely fast and strong, so expect them to pull out 15 or 20 feet of line. If you use 10-pound braid, like I do, make sure your drag is set loose or they’ll break you off on the initial run. The three main ways you lose snook are with a break-off on the first run, when their gill plates and rough mouths weaken the line, and when they jump and throw the hook. Start with the drag loose; you can tighten it during the fight. Use a 30- or 40-pound fluorocarbon leader, and keep your rod tip low during the fight. This discourages jumping. When you’re ready to beach your fish, wait for an incoming wave and walk the fish through the wash so it’s beached when the wave goes out. In Atlantic waters, anglers may keep one snook a day between 28 and 32 inches until the season closes June 1-Aug. 31. In Gulf of Mexico waters, the slot limit is 28 to 33 inches and the season is closed May 1-Aug. 31. armer days are here again, along with the time change, which Snook fishing is catch-and-release only in all Florida waters from the Hernando/Pasco county line through Gordon Pass in Collier County. allows more time for fishing! Snook are cruising the beaches and moving into the Richard Matteson writes for Stuart Rod and Reel Club. shallows of the Indian River Lagoon. My goal is to catch a snook a day—I Call him at (336) 414-3440. don’t always do it – but it’s my goal as a surf caster. My favorite lure is a

Snook

IN THE SURF

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APRIL 2021

FLORIDA 17

Final Sail Returns To Miami April 7-11

he Final leg of the Quest For The Crest Sailfish Series returns to the docks of Miami Beach Marina April 7-11. The third leg of the series was cancelled last year due to the pandemic, so this year’s finale will award coveted burgundy jackets to two teams. A kick off party will be held at the Doubletree by Hilton Grand Hotel, Biscayne Bay on Wednesday, April 7 from 7-10 p.m. Competition days will be Friday and Saturday, April 9-10. The awards ceremony will be held Saturday night from 7-11 p.m. The Quest For The Crest Series was halted last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and no winner was crowned, which ups the ante for Final Sail 2021, as there will be two jackets on the line. The 2020 Quest For The Crest winner will be determined by combining the scores from last year’s series with team’s points from Final Sail this year. Bar South is looking to win their second burgundy jacket. The team won their first jacket in 2015 with 97 points. They are poised to claim their second jacket with a 6 point lead over Jichi in the 2020 series with Shell Yeah just 8 points behind in third place.

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2021 Sailfish Series Leaders 1. Native Son - 52 points 2. Showtime - 51 points 3. Team HMY - 46 points 4. Fish On - 46 points The bite was red hot for Captain Art Sapp and his crew on Native Son during February’s Sailfish Challenge. A last minute double sent them over the top and secured their first place finish in the Quest’s second leg with a total of 13 sails and a hefty paycheck for $255,340. Native Son has their eyes on their first burgundy jacket and certainly won’t go down without a fight. Not far behind them are three standout teams from Operation Sailfish, Showtime, Team HMY and Fish On. Showtime is looking to win their second jacket. They won in 2019, while Team HMY and Fish On are in contention for their first ever burgundy jacket. In addition to the sailfish accolades, there are two major meatfish titles up for grabs at Final Sail. The Quest Sailfish Series offers a meatfish title to the top overall meatfish team in the series. Team Blue Moon/Chop it Up holds a strong lead from the 2020 series and there are a number of boats in close contention for the 2021 title. Similar to the jacket, the meatfish points scored at the upcoming Final Sail event will count towards the 2020 series as well as the 2021 series. For more on Quest for The Crest and Final Sail, check out www.bluewatermovements.com or www.finalsail.com. 18 FLORIDA

APRIL 2021

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Monster Gulf Warsaw Caught On Film By CAM Staff

n January, a group of anglers filming for the online show BlacktipH Fishing launched on a chilly day from the west coast of Florida on a 3-year-old mission to land a giant warsaw grouper on camera. After a four-hour run out of Fort Myers, it took just five minutes on the initial drop for them to hook into a 300-pounder. Hand-cranking that fish from deeper than 400 feet of water was a grueling feat of fishing and an epic culmination to their quest. It was a third deep-water attempt for BlacktipH host Joshua Jorgenson and Capt. Jason Boyll. Like goliath grouper, warsaw grouper grow huge. The all-tackle world record warsaw weighed more than 436 pounds. Unlike goliaths, which frequent nearshore structure, large warsaws prefer extreme depths. Deep-water structure and a peak bite in winter combine to make truly huge warsaw grouper difficult to catch. During their first warsaw trip in 2019, the crew didn’t get a bite during a full day of fishing 100 miles out of Sarasota, Fla. They dropped in depths below 1,000 feet to spring holes on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. In January of 2020, Jorgenson and Boyll tried again. This time they left the docks at 2 a.m. to travel 150 nautical miles offshore. “After hours of fishing, we finally got a bite,” Jorgenson wrote. “The fish was hooked, and I started cranking the handle. I brought the fish up around 150

feet from the bottom. Jason and I both thought it was a smaller fish. Then, all of a sudden, this fish got angry and started peeling the line off the reel. It was literally unstoppable! Seconds later, this massive fish swam into some bottom structure and snapped the line.” Losing that fish haunted Jorgenson until this year, on Jan. 22, when he, Boyll and Gord Daniher took Daniher’s 42-foot boat 140 miles off Fort Myers to a structure known as Pulley Ridge. Pulley Ridge is a 60-mile-long reef system well known to Gulf anglers. They dropped banded rudderfish as bait in water deeper than 400 feet. “Within five minutes of fishing, Jason got a bite on his reel,” Jorgenson wrote. “He started reeling and the line got very tight! A giant warsaw had taken the bait! Jason started cranking as hard as possible to prevent the monster from breaking us off on the bottom. After an incredibly intense 10-minute battle, Jason managed to bring the fish 150 feet off the bottom before being completely exhausted!” At that point, Jorgenson took the reel and cranked the fish to the surface. The total fight time lasted 15 to 20 minutes, and the whole crew was needed to bring the fish into the boat. Back at the docks, it took a tractor to COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

pull the fish out of the boat and weigh it. The scale read 294 pounds. The fish’s live weight was likely heavier than 300 pounds. The grouper was 7 feet long. Check out BlacktipH at blacktiph.com. APRIL 2021

FLORIDA 19

FWC SEEKS INPUT ON SNOOK, REDFISH, TROUT

he Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is gathering public input on the future management of snook, redfish and spotted seatrout in the area of southwest Florida where they are currently catchand-release only. Beginning in August 2018, FWC made a series of temporary regulation changes to help conserve snook, redfish and spotted seatrout that were negatively impacted by a prolonged red tide that occurred in late 2017 through early 2019. Ultimately, these popular inshore species were made catch-and-release only in all waters from Pasco County through Gordon Pass in Collier County through May 31, 2021. Long-term monitoring data indicate snook, redfish and spotted seatrout were resilient and did not experience long-term negative effects from the 2017-2019 red tide. However, anglers and charter captains have expressed concerns that these fisheries had declined prior to red tide and that the red tide affected habitat that is essential to these species. FWC staff will continue gathering public input both online at MyFWC. com/SaltwaterComments and through public workshops, which will be scheduled in the future. To learn more about future workshops, visit MyFWC. com/Marine and click on “Rulemaking” and “Upcoming Public Workshops.” FWC will revisit this topic at the May 12-13 meeting. Additionally, staff will provide updates to commissioners after stock assessments for snook and redfish throughout Florida are complete later in 2021. These stock assessments, along with stakeholder input, will help staff and the commission evaluate whether any long-term management changes are needed. Learn more about regulations for these species by visiting MyFWC.com/Marine and clicking on “Recreational Regulations.”

20 FLORIDA

APRIL 2021

BAHAMAS CUSTOMS GOES ELECTRONIC

ith a new online system for customs declarations, boaters entering The Bahamas can expect a more streamlined process for clearing Customs at the various ports of entry to The Bahamas. The Bahamas Customs & Excise Department recently launched its electronic submission portal for cruising permit applications on the Click2Clear platform. The Cruising Permit Module is expected to dramatically improve the Customs processing time for boaters. Boaters can now complete and submit declaration forms and make payment in advance of arrival. “This is all a part of our digital transformation agenda. It addresses a longstanding pain point for boaters who have been clamoring for a fully digital process. It also minimizes the opportunity for revenue leakage,” said Minister Kwasi Thompson, Minister of State for Finance. To supplement the work being done by the Customs Department, the Ministry of Finance is also working with other government agencies, including the Port Department and Fisheries, along with private sector service providers to develop additional payment and licensing solutions. These will similarly cover fees associated with the boating and fishing industry, including yacht charter fees. The delivery of other payment and licensing solutions by authorized digital solution providers in the private sector is soon to be announced. To get started, register with The Bahamas Customs & Excise Department at www.bahamascustoms.gov.bs and see videos on the process on Youtube.

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beaches and less tourist traffic than Playa Del Carmen or Cancun to the north. The resort island Cozumel sits in the Caribbean Sea to the east, but Xpu Ha is quieter. There are a few hotels and restaurants in the area, but nowhere near the bustle of the Yucatan’s larger cities. I enjoy fly fishing the clear shallows of the Mayan Riviera and had never encountered another angler in prior visits to Xpu Ha. Just imagine our surprise when, on our first full day there, as we were making the morning walk to our chosen location, there in the distance was the unmistakable silhouette of a person with a fly rod. We had to meet him. After some introductions, Alex informed us this was his first visit to the area. He was from Dublin, Ireland and was stranded in Paradise because of the pandemic. I invited Alex to join us. We were headed to a reef known to hold triggerfish and an occasional permit. He jumped at the offer. Alex said his goal for this trip was to check permit off his bucket list. It’s a species he’d been chasing for several years. Over the next few hours, we waded and Alex had several opportunities at tailing triggers on the shallow reef. He got a few follows that day, but no hook-ups. He managed to cross triggerfish off his list the following morning. When Jordan had to return to the states, Alex and I made plans to fish farther south at Sian Ka’an. South of Tulum, Sian Ka’an is a large nature preserve of coastal wetlands and inland jungle. Our goal was to target By Rex Hannon bonefish, with high hopes for an elusive permit. The winds were relentless and the partly cloudy skies made spotting fish a challenge. An hour into our stalk, at 50 yards, we saw the tell-tale shadow of a good fish. Alex said it looked like a nice bone. I said, “No, permit!” Alex’s first cast fell short. No a big deal. It was better than a long cast that would have spooked the fish. After reloading and taking a few breaths, Alex’s next cast was a quartering shot, 2 feet ahead and 5 feet past the fish. Perfect! Alex stripped twice. The permit noticed the fly, but began to turn away. I knew we were still in the game and told Alex to stop. When the fish turned back to the fly, I said, “strip!” But it was too late… the permit had pounced, n January, my buddy, Jordan May, and I were fishing the Mayan Riviera and with a perfect strip-set the game was on! Within 10 minutes of keeping constant pressure, “Alex the Irishman” Coast near Xpu Ha, Mexico. It’s a beautiful and productive location I fought his first permit to the net. It’s a fish both of us will remember the visit as often as possible. Xpu Ha is one of those best-kept secrets on the Yucatan, with gorgeous rest of our lives.

22 FLORIDA

APRIL 2021

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hile tarpon are a year-round target for anglers in the Florida Keys, there is no better time than right now if a big silver king is on your bucket list. A typical tarpon season in the Keys ramps up in March and continues into the summer most years. The best months are April and May, at the peak of the spring migration, when large fish are both prevalent and vulnerable to the tactics of anglers. This time of year, catches average in the 80-pound range and anglers encounter fish 200 pounds and larger. There’s nowhere in the world that offers a better opportunity to sight fish clear-water flats for giant tarpon. In their thousands, migrating tarpon push into the backcountry, skirting the edges of flats and channels. Year after year, they follow predictable travel routes, which makes fishing for them a lot like deer hunting. If you know where they’re likely to be, you can stake the boat in ambush and wait for them to roll through. A local guide who stays on top of the movements is worth his weight in gold when it comes to encountering giant tarpon. Notice we said “encountering giant tarpon,” not “catching giant tarpon.” Getting shots at these giant fish is highly likely, convincing them to eat and then fighting them to the boat is not. With a fly, enticing a big tarpon takes skill and luck. First-timers are better off fishing live bait. A crab fished under a float in the passes and around bridges can lead to multiple hookups in a day. Fish funnel through the passes and are consolidated in bridge channels, where they are likely to bump into your bait. What follows are powerful runs and repeated jumps. The slightest mistake on the part of the angler will result in a thrown hook or broken line. Even experienced anglers are left with a slack line more often than not. Anglers who win the battle are responsible for reviving and releasing an animal that could be up to 50 years old. Tarpon grow slowly. It takes them seven to 13 years to reach sexual maturity. It is imperative for the future of the fishery to give each fish caught the highest possibility of survival. All Florida tarpon longer than 40 inches must be released, with an exception for anglers holding a state tarpon tag for the purpose of achieving a state or world record. Large tarpon should remain in the water at all times, which means unhooking and photographing them quickly, with an effort to keep the head and gills in the water as much as possible. Tarpon will often fight to exhaustion, so reviving them greatly increases their chance of survival. Hold them horizontally in the water with their mouth open, moving them forward to push water over their gills. Do this until they swim off on their own. For more information, go to myfwc.com.

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Yamaha's New 252 FSH Sport and 255 FSH Sport E The Most Capable and Versatile Center Console Boats in Their Class

ew for 2021 is the exciting 25-foot Yamaha 252 FSH Sport and 255 FSH Sport E center console boats that are the most capable and versatile boats in their class. These larger models of Yamaha’s popular FSH Series are designed with the size, power, and fuel range for serious offshore adventures. The 252 FSH Sport features twin, Yamaha 1.8L High Output engines. These normally-aspirated engines are powerful, reliable, and virtually maintenance-free. Acceleration is instant, bow rise is minimal, and more deck space is available for fishing and fun. For buyers who want the most performance available, and the premium features that come with Yamaha's E-Series drive-by-wire features, the 255 FSH Sport E gets twin 1.8L supercharged Yamaha SVHO® marine engines for a combined 500-horsepower. Zero to 30 mph acceleration is a blistering five seconds with a top speed of 55 mph. In addition, the 255 FSH Sport E feature push-button start, dual throttle lever syncing, and more. Both models come with 111-gallon fuel tanks, the highest capacity fuel tanks Yamaha offers in a jet boat. Paired with Yamaha's fuelefficient engines, there is plenty of cruising range for boaters who want to explore beyond the harbor surf break.

Under the water line is an all-new deep-V hull design that responds immediately to steering input at all speeds and comes on plane instantly. The bow seating area is wide and long, providing ample space for taller passengers to stretch out. And of course, there is plenty of storage available under the hinged bow seats, stainless steel beverage holders in all the right places, and an expansive anchor and bow ladder locker for easy access. Moving into the spacious cockpit interior, there is a transparent live well located portside and a large storage pod topped with padded marine mat adjacent on the starboard side. There is a comfortable bench seat in the front of the center console that lifts up to reveal an extra deep, large storage area that can also serve as a changing room or a head compartment thanks to the curtain enclosure that is standard on all models. Both models are fitted with finished fiberglass hard tops with LED lighting and integrated audio speakers. Completing the tower are five rocket launcher rod holders mounted to the T-Top frame, and there are eight additional rod holders located under the port and starboard gunnels.

The helm is thoughtfully designed with a glass windshield, stainless steel sports steering wheel, locking glove box, and 12-inch Simrad® marine electronics. Also included is Yamaha's Connext® 3.0 helm control system with a 7-inch touchscreen that controls the entertainment and vital system functions of the boat, a mobile phone holder, and USB/AUX ports. Behind the helm is beam width bench seating, a starboard side live bait well, and a low walkthrough transom for easy access to Yamaha's signature stern lounge area. This is the place to be when hanging out at your favorite cove, and a great open access place to cast from. Completing the stern area are stainless steel beverage holders, high-quality padded flooring, a stainless-steel tow eye, and a telescopic reboarding ladder. They also feature underwater lights. From bow to stern, there is nothing cookiecutter about Yamaha's new 25-foot center console boats. From their striking good looks to industry-first innovations, Yamaha's 252/255 FSH Series models let you do it all on the water, in style and with peace of mind. Learn more at YamahaBoats.com

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GILL FISHING OVERTON SHIRT

hen the heat of summer arrives, Gill Fishing’s Overton shirt will keep you dry, cool and clean thanks to its lightweight, breathable fabric treated with Gill’s exclusive XPEL water and stain resistance technology. New for Spring 2021, the Overton is capable of repelling water, blood, and other filth you may encounter while fishing. Gill loaded the Overton with smart fishing features, including dual chest pockets, concealed, snag-proof press stud fasteners, a micro-fiber panel to wipe sunglasses, a self-fabric strip to hang sunglasses or a small tool, and roll-up sleeves with a retainer loop and button. Gill has been trusted on the water for more than 40 years, and they’ve delivered yet another dependable piece for hardcore anglers. The Overton’s stylish design makes its just as capable off the water, providing anglers a shirt they can wear anywhere. It’s available in two colors, white and blue check, and sizes XS through 4XL. www.gillfishing.com COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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Fish Mapping gives you 8 dedicated fishing features plus all SiriusXM Marine weather information directly on your boat’s display, relative to your boat’s location. The service is delivered via satellite and is available offshore well beyond cell range. Add SiriusXM Radio and you’re all set for an incredible day fishing.

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EZ ANCHOR: Must-Have Solution for Fiberglass Boat Builders is the Charter Captain’s Best-Kept Secret

s charter captains, the time-consuming task of dropping and retrieving anchors not only becomes tedious, it cuts into valuable manpower, time and profits. Capt. Phillip Ridge, a Florida native, couldn’t settle for a typical windlass to anchor his fleet. “I have had [an E-Z Anchor Puller] unit on the bow of three different boats,” the founder of Blue Runner Charters said. “I was one of the very first captains in the area to install them... [they are] the best by far.” Charter fishermen across the United States have depended on the speed of E-Z Anchor Puller’s drum anchor winch for more than 30 years. Now, the value of owning an E-Z Anchor Puller for commercial fishing is recognized as the windlass upgrade customers want on their boats straight from the factory. Among the first fiberglass boat builders to embrace these true, freefall winches for center consoles is SeaVee, which had already been a familiar, customer-driven installer of the Classic series. Shurhold CEO Barry Berhoff, who personally installed the Rebel EZ-4 on his 40’ SeaVee, gave praise to the quality of the “strong, marinegrade piece of equipment” in a Youtube testimonial. Following in SeaVee’s footsteps, Georgia boat builder Carolina Skiff began factory-installing the Rebel EZ-4 on their Sea Chaser 35’ HFC Center Console after a company representative praised the brand from personal experience. “It works so great on our 35, I decided I needed to have one on my own personal boat.” Ed Johnston, Manufacturing Representative for Carolina Skiff, said of his E-Z Anchor Puller drum anchor winch. Sea Pro Boats recently debuted the 320 Deep-V series at the Miami

International Boat Show in 2020 with the Rebel EZ-4 as the factoryinstallation. The Rebel series appeals to boat owners and boat builders who need a versatile, no-jam solution that can hold ½” nylon rope or ¼” dyneema. What further sets Rebel anchor winches apart from the competition is its true, free-fall capabilities. Unlike other anchoring solutions, which manufacture “free-fall” mechanisms for emergency use only, E-Z Anchor Puller units are created to free-fall for regular, everyday use. Activating free-fall is simple. Press the “down” button for a quick 2-second push, the drum winch disengages the clutch plate and releases it to free-spool as fast as gravity allows. To quickly and neatly retract the line back onto the spool, press the “power up” side. Other notable fiberglass boat brands with E-Z Anchor Puller installations include Albemarle, Insetta Boatworks and Southport, with a plethora of customer and E-Z Anchor Puller authorized installers fitting Patriot EZ-3 and Rebel EZ-4 and EZ-5 units below deck.

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exter’s BrakeRite electronic/hydraulic actuator features rapid response for improved braking distance, an electronic proportional pressure valve for consistent braking, dual fill caps for easy maintenance, and is compatible with most in-cab electronic brake controllers. BrakeRite offers two models to easily match your disc or drum brake application. The BrakeRite Plug & Play model simplifies field installation by offering a plug-in wiring harness; whereas, the standard BrakeRite EHB model has a hard-wire configuration. Both models feature a large reservoir designed for single, tandem and triple axle applications. Dexter knows corrosion resistance is important on all types of marine trailers in freshwater and saltwater environments. Dexter disc brakes are designed using brass fittings, stainless steel guide bolts and sleeves, and stainless steel pistons. Rotors are offered in GAL-DEX premium marine coating and stainless steel. When combined with Dexter’s Eliminator axles with removable spindles or Dexter’s Versa~Flex adjustable arm axles, they provide a proven record of performance and reliability, superior braking, in-cab control and www.dexteraxle.com corrosion resistance.

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n Feb. 28, veteran Georgia trout guide Joe DiPietro caught a 32-inchlong brown trout that weighed 18 pounds, 2.4 ounces. It absolutely crushed the 9-year-old Toccoa River record of 12-pounds, 3.4 ounces. The fish was a long time coming. DiPietro has guided and fished this Blue Ridge, Ga. tailrace for more than two decades. He’s seen and caught monsters, but nothing close to the beast that picked up one of his own Pat’s Rubber Leg’s variations during a guides’ day off with his fishing buddy Colby White. The fish was not a stranger. Georgia WRD staff have reported a huge brown in the area that feasts on catchable-sized trout as they are stocked in the river. DiPietro, however, was not specifically targeting the fish. If he had been, he would have geared up. He was fishing a 10-foot, 5-weight rod. The size 6 stonefly anchoring his two-nymph rig was secured with 2-pound-test tippet. After the first couple runs, DiPietro knew light line was going to be an issue. White pulled anchor on the driftboat and rowed like a madman to keep up with the fish, which carried them several holes upstream. “It’s the biggest trout I’ve ever seen in my life,” DiPietro said. “Colby fell in trying to net him. I just threw Colby the net and told him to go get that fish. He lost a shoe, flooded his waders and went up to his neck in 42-degree water. I mean… the line was wrapped around his head. It really is amazing the tippet held.” For more on trout fishing Georgia’s Toccoa River, visit www.blueridgetroutfishing.com.

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