Coastal Angler Magazine | November 2020 | Treasure Coast Edition by Coastal Angler Magazine

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Fishing a Fairytale in

By Nick Carter

Bristol Bay, Alaska A

rguably the best salmonid fishing in the world exists in the system of waterways that feeds the Bering Sea on Alaska’s southwest coast. The region is a vast, sparsely populated web of streams and rivers, lakes and wetlands that weave through open tundra to Bristol Bay. The wildlife is astounding. To be there is like stepping into a documentary film, with bears, moose and bald eagles going about their business unconcerned by human visitors. On a July afternoon, I watched in terror as a brown bear crashed from the brush, bluff charged my wife and stole the sockeye salmon from the end of her line. It’s that kind of place. From fancy lodges or tiny riverside fishing villages, human anglers are nothing special. They are just one of many species taking advantage of the great salmon migrations that drive the ecosystem. All five species of Pacific salmon spawn in the Bristol Bay watershed. Coho, chum and pink salmon all make runs up the rivers that feed the bay. But king and sockeye salmon are the reason anglers should book passage to the area. The Nushagak River boasts what might be Alaska’s best king, or Chinook, salmon run. Back bouncing egg sacks on heavy casting tackle, anglers regularly do battle with big kings in the 20to 40-pound range. Just a short puddle-jump down the coast, the Kvichak River hosts the largest sockeye salmon run on the planet. Sockeye pile into the river by the millions and push up into the headwaters to spawn and then die. For thousands of years, this transmission of nutrients from the sea inland has fueled the region’s wildlife, tundra and forests of alder and spruce. An angler with a fly rod can stand on the bank and cast streamers to huge pods of sockeye as they run past. Hooking one is no problem; it’s like collecting meat. The fight, however, is that of a creature determined to achieve its sole remaining purpose on earth.

These massive salmon runs feed all of the wildlife in the Bristol Bay region, and that includes rainbow trout, Dolly Varden, arctic grayling and others. Some area rivers are places where mouse patterns streaking across the surface draw aggressive strikes from rainbows 30-inches and longer. I can’t count the number of 25-plus-inch rainbows and Dollys we caught in a single day swinging big streamers. During and after the salmon runs, fish key in on salmon eggs and chunks of dead salmon adrift in the rivers. This is when egg patterns and flesh flies lead to unbelievable numbers of big fish. It’s the kind of fishing that only occurs where humans have yet to make a pronounced impact on systems designed by nature.

And that’s where the Bristol Bay fairytale is in danger of ending. In 2005, gold, molybdenum and copper deposits were discovered underground near the headwaters of the Nushagak and Kvichak rivers, just a few miles from the banks of Alaska’s largest lake, Lake Iliamna. Ever since, conservation groups, sporting groups and locals have been waging a legal battle against greed to save this pristine landscape and fishery. As proposed, the Pebble Mine would be an enormous scar on the landscape. According to The Wild Salmon Center, it would destroy an estimated 10,000 acres of wetlands and more than 330 miles of streams at the head of the most productive salmon fishery in the world. Annually, an estimated 10.6 billion gallons of mine-polluted wastewater would be sent downstream toward Bristol Bay. For anyone who has ever fished or hopes to fish in a place as unspoiled as the Bristol Bay drainage, it’s unconscionable such a project is even being considered.

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Permit

By CAM Staff

The Ultimate Challenge on Flats of the Keys

f it’s farther away, it must be better. While there’s truth to this concept that sends anglers around the globe seeking out remote and spectacular fisheries, there are also flaws to this way of thinking. It’s like the bank fisherman who strives to chuck baits as far offshore as possible only to cross lines with the boater casting tight to shoreline structure. While you’re at home dreaming of Indo-Pacific atolls, there’s an angler on the other side of the world flipping through magazine images of the Florida Keys. It’d be a shame to forget that geography gifted North Americans with some of the most productive and gorgeous flats habitat on the planet. Nobody knows this better than Capt. Luke Kelly of Key Flat Charters. Kelly has spent his life fishing the Keys. He operates year-round backcountry and flats charters out of Sugarloaf Key Marina. It’s about 20 minutes north of Key West on A1A, slap in the middle of the mangrove islands and vast crystal-clear flats of the Lower Keys. This is a place where anglers watch from the casting deck of a small flats boat as tarpon, bonefish, permit and other species cruise and hunt in knee-deep water. A flats slam of all three species is possible any day of the year, and while the power and aerobatics of a big tarpon might be the ultimate thrill in angling, permit are the ultimate challenge… especially with fly tackle. “Permit are highly sensitive and can sense the slightest vibration. It’s the challenge of this hunt that makes it all worthwhile,” said Capt. Luke. “With little room for error, anglers must be precise and stealthy during their first attempt, as second chances rarely exist when targeting permit on fly. Considered by many as

the ultimate catch during a fly-fishing career, permit demand the best from anglers and guides.” Kelly said convincing a permit to take the hook is the most difficult aspect of the pursuit. They are abundant in the Lower Keys, especially during the late February through April prespawn, when 10- to 40-pounders invade the flats. The easiest way to hook one is to accurately present a live crab with light spinning tackle. Permit feed aggressively when they feel comfortable, Kelly said, but they spook easily. “Once alerted by boat or angler, that’s it, the jig is up,” he said, “and the permit never gives second chances.” The odds of a hook-up reduce dramatically for anglers who take up the challenge with an 8- to 10-weight fly rod. A good double-haul is required to achieve the long accurate casts necessary to put a shrimp or crab fly in front of a permit. From there, it’s up to the angler to give life to the fly during a short time-window of opportunity. “Proper technique found successful in hooking permit on fly varies greatly with any given situation,” Kelly said. “Permit eat a variety of different things, all of which act differently in the wild. Anglers must be willing to think outside the box at times when trying to fool this ultimate gamefish into eating something artificial… It boils down to a challenge, and should be viewed in no other way.” Contact Capt. Luke Kelly and Key Flat Charters for light tackle and fly fishing trips for tarpon, bonefish, permit and more. www. lowerkeysflatsfishing.com / (305) 304-3152 / keyflat@icloud.com.

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ast year, Hurricane Dorian devastated Grand Bahama and Abaco. The most destructive hurricane to ever hit The Bahamas, it destroyed homes and businesses and displaced thousands of people. After the dust settled, I got a lot of questions about how the marine environment and the fishery fared after such a powerful storm. As Bahamas initiative manager for Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT), I keep an eye on such things. After several surveys, getting out fishing and hearing reports from other anglers, it appears the inshore and offshore fisheries weathered the storm well. There are plenty of big bonefish and permit on the flats, the reefs are full of snapper, hogfish and grouper, and the offshore tuna and mahi bite is great. The northern Bahamas remains one of the world’s foremost destinations for anglers. With lodging and charters recovering from the storm and Covid-19 restrictions beginning to ease, now is a good time to plan a trip. Fishing pressure is down, and the islands could certainly use an economic injection from anglers. One of the great things about these islands is there’s no need to travel far or break the bank for incredible fishing. The main islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama sit on the Little Bahama Bank and give access to more than 5,700 square miles of reefs and flats with an easy run to productive offshore waters. For a quick weekend or family trip, you can’t beat access by air or sea. Commercial flights are 45 minutes from Miami or Fort Lauderdale, and a boat ride is just two to four hours, depending on your destination. Fishing the northern Bahamas offers some of the greatest variety of sportfish anywhere in the world. In the same day, you can catch bonefish on the flats, spearfish the reefs for hogfish and lobster, and then head offshore after dolphin and tuna. SEASONS: Right now, the winter bite is on. High-speed trolling the dropoff is producing big wahoo. Spearfishing is also good for hogfish and lobster. Come spring, late-season wahoo will be around, and the dolphin and yellowfin bite really picks up. Blue and white marlin are also popular spring targets around Abaco, and bonefish and permit can be phenomenal on the flats. Summer is time for multi-day trips targeting tuna, hogfish, grouper, snappers, bonefish and permit. Deep dropping and spearfishing are particularly good in summer. MANGROVES: While the fishing remains stellar, mangroves were heavily impacted by Dorian. Mangrove habitat is an important nursery for many fish species, and it is vital to protect the coast from erosion and storms. BTT found that 70 percent of the mangroves on Grand Bahama and 40 percent on Abaco were lost to the storm. BTT is collaborating with Bahamas National Trust, Friends of the Environment and MANG to restore mangroves on Abaco and Grand Bahama. Check out www.bonefishtarpontrust.org for info on this project. Before making a trip to The Bahamas, visit www.bahamas.com for current information on access and checking in with customs. Fishing regulations are available at www.myoutislands.com.

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FOLLOW BAIT AND WATER TEMPERATURE Tim Barefoot

ow is truly a transition time for a number of things including the number of daylight hours, water temps and the mass migration of baitfish. The number of daylight hours is a major signal to all species of fish from mullet to marlin and everything in between. Daylight hours decline by a minute or so a day until Dec. 20. Fish and bait understand this. They react accordingly by putting the feedbag on. Another important piece of the puzzle is dropping water temperatures. Every species in the ocean, from nearshore and offshore waters to the shallow marshes, reacts by working temperature breaks. Areas with dramatic thermal change will concentrate fish. When the cooler north/northwest winds start howling, distinct water temperature breaks will become more defined. Pelagics, bottom fish and the bait they pursue will all be affected. Bait like cigar minnows and sardines will gather in large schools. Everything we fish for looks forward to this buffet. Some of the best grouper bites I’ve ever encountered were on or near structure where huge stacks of baitfish were consolidated. But the bait is the most important part of the equation. As a matter of fact, I’ve been on some crazy good bites that were on slick flat sand bottom that held big stacks of bait. It’s pretty simple… find the bait; find the fish. Once gags, reds and scamps start their true spawning rituals, the bait becomes less important, but for right now, I’d focus on the food rather than simply the structure. It’s a given that the big spawning gags will key in on the best bottom, as long as it holds bait. However, grouper certainly follow these huge schools of bait around wherever they go. This is especially true for red grouper. They will follow the bait and almost disregard the ledges and structure.

Granted, a live cigar minnow is one of the most desirable baits of all time for grouper and big snapper, but a big live sardine is absolutely irresistible! It must be the oil content or the taste, but I’ll take a large live sardine on a Crab Decoy Jig over anything out there. I’m not discounting a live vermillion snapper (beeliner), though. Speaking of a live beeliner, don’t ever hesitate to put out a live beeliner on the light line for a smoking hot wahoo bite when anchored up bottom fishing. Bottom fishing and light lining or kite fishing is almost at the apex of the year, with December and the first few weeks of January being the best. Get out there and get after it!

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y first published story in Skin Diver Magazine, almost 50 years ago, was a night-diving article, “Who’s Afraid of the Dark?” Back then, night diving was a novelty, and I was making a light-hearted attempt to allay people’s fear of all the things they imagined lurking in the surrounding darkness. Today night diving has gone mainstream. Divers can explore independently, hire a dive guide to help them navigate in the darkness, or become familiar with protocols for night diving by earning their PADI Night Diver distinctive specialty certification. Pura Vida Divers in Palm Beach County A scrawled cowfish shows off its offers both night dive dramatic night coloration. charter trips to the PHOTOS BY JOHN LIDINGTON offshore reefs and shorebased night dives at the Blue Heron Bridge, also known as Phil Foster Park. These BHB night dives are very popular. Darkness doesn’t alter anything about what makes this spot a world-class dive. The varied topography of sand, sea grass, bridge pilings and a variety of artificial reefs and other submerged objects offers shelter to an incredibly diverse collection of marine life drawn from the estuary, the inshore reefs and the nearby Gulf Stream. But nighttime does change the cast of characters on display. The sergeant majors, grunts, snappers, and parrotfish that parade around during the day have retired to hiding spots. Now the previously hidden lobsters, crabs, shrimps and urchins have come out to forage. Animals that typically spend daytime trying to blend in, like octopuses and batfish, are on the move. As a county park, Phil Foster Park closes to divers at sunset. Luckily, Pura Vida Divers coordinates with the county to obtain night dive permits, which allows divers to explore the site after dark! Night dive passes are available to divers for free. There’s a lot to see there—the wreckage of a small boat, some old scaffolding, and a variety of rocks and other detritus scattered about the sand. The moderate current takes you toward the pilings of the east bridge, where eels like to hunt. A typical dive plan mimics the current—working toward and around the bridge until slack tide, then coming back to shore when the current reverses. The Blue Heron Bridge at night is a unique bucket-list experience. One diver on a recent trip told me, “I’m not usually that comfortable on night dives. But this was great! We saw a batfish, an octopus and a nurse shark. I wouldn’t have missed it for anything!” Of course, once you’ve crossed “BHB night dive” off your bucket list, next up is a blackwater dive. Call Pura Vida Divers at (561) 840-8750 and check out their SCUBA calendar at www.puravidadivers.com.

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Fishing the Shadow Line By John Saporito

redatory fish are masters of finding lucrative feeding opportunities, which occur at the intersection of food availability and an easy way to capture prey. One of the best examples of this is when shadows are present in the water. The darkness of a shadow makes a perfect ambush point for predators, which usually wait just inside the shadow to lunge out at prey swimming in the lighter water or wait for prey to enter the darkness and pounce on the free meal. Sometimes, gamefish will be found in the lighted water itself. These fish are positioned to intercept bait that emerges from the darkness and is temporarily stunned by the transition

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from dark to light. But shadows are more than just an ambush point. The predators themselves like cover for their own protection; the darkened water offers them shelter where they are not so easily spied by even larger predators. Shadows are found in both freshwater and salt and create feeding opportunities day and night. Their best application in fishing, however, is when they occur at night in conjunction with artificial light. Light from a roadway, bridge, or dock will carve a deep shadow in the water where it is interrupted by a solid object. And not only is the transition between shadow and light profound, but baitfish and other small creatures are attracted

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to light, as they hope for their own opportunity to feed. This is a win-win for predators and anglers alike. The icing on the cake is a moving current that sweeps bait near the structure that is creating the shadow. This is the ticket to locating concentrations of both predator and prey, the critical ingredient in the recipe for productive shadow fishing. There are two places in the water column for fish to be in a shadow line situation: just below the surface and at the bottom. Subsurface fish give you the chance to see exactly where your quarry lies and where your casts should land. Fish on the bottom won’t be visible to you, but they are less wary and more likely to strike at your offering. Both natural bait and artificial lures work on shadow feeders, although lures really perform well once you have learned what predators are looking for in a target. The key is that a lure can be manipulated to do what its user wants more effectively than both live bait—which has a mind of its own—and dead bait, which does not move as well as artificials do. Strikes often take place when the offering is maneuvered parallel to the shadow line itself, in the lighted water just beyond the darkness. Natural presentation can be learned from firsthand observation wherever shadows and fish are found. Watch how prey moves between the light and dark; study how and when predators make their attack. Experience is the best way to improve your approach. John Saporito is a lifelong fisherman and student of the seas. Visit him online at guerillaangling.com.

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NEW REEF FISH HOOK REGS APPROVED

FWC PHOTO

WC recently approved new hook requirements in Atlantic state waters intended to improve reef fish catch-and-release survival rates. Starting Jan. 1, 2021, anglers using hook-and-line with natural baits to target reef fish like snapper or grouper from a vessel in Atlantic state waters will be required to use non-stainless-steel, non-offset circle hooks north of 28 degrees north latitude (near Melbourne) and nonstainless-steel hooks south of 28 degrees north latitude. These changes are consistent with requirements in Atlantic federal waters that recently took effect. Non-stainless-steel, nonoffset circle hooks are already required when To learn more about proper fish handling techniques, visit MyFWC. fishing for reef fish in Gulf state waters and com/FishHandling. have been a successful tool in minimizing the Non-stainless-steel hooks should degrade faster in the marine number of fish that do not survive release. environment compared to stainless steel or other non-corrodible “We hope that these new hook metals. Use of these hooks may ultimately improve survival if the line requirements, along with emphasizing best is broken or the hook cannot be removed, and increase a fish’s chance fishing practices through our educational to shed the hook over time. Additionally, non-offset circle hooks resources and strategic messaging, will help more often hook fish in the mouth rather than the gut, which reduces empower anglers to conserve fisheries for internal harm to the fish and decreases de-hooking time for the angler, the future,” said Commissioner Mike Sole. and minimizing damage to the fish’s organs. “Although not required, it’s also important Allowing the use of other types of non-stainless-steel hooks south to have a venting tool or descending device of 28 degrees north latitude accommodates for regionally-important ready to use in case you need to release a fish that is impacted by barotrauma.” south Florida fisheries, such as yellowtail snapper, in which the use of J hooks Getting fish back into the water as quickly as possible is important to fish allows for greater efficiency and reduced discard mortality. survival. FWC encourages the use of tools such as descending devices and For more information, go to www.myfwc.com. venting tools when barotrauma occurs so long as they do not prolong release.

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Flounder Time

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

or many anglers, catching flounder happens by chance while targeting trout and reds. But during the fall run it’s worth setting aside a day or two to target these interesting creatures. Not only are flounder some of the best tasting inshore fish, they are challenging and rewarding to land, and even more so on soft plastics. Everything from setting the hook to getting them in the net or in your hand can be a little more challenging than with other fish. Here are a few tips to help you land more flounder. I set aside several days each fall for flounder fishing, but for those who prefer specks and reds, here is an idea. Fall brings many days when conditions are not favorable for the open bay or long rough boat rides to your trout hole. Maybe the tides are too low and the barometer is too high? On days when you would normally stay home, consider a walk-in flounder spot in an area along their migration route out of the bay. Those days typically spent on the sofa could turn into the best flounder trip of your life. How many times have you had to say how many flounder you lost vs. how many you caught? This is not an uncommon occurrence, especially for those who don’t specifically fish for them. Let’s start with a basic tip, but one you might overlook. When fishing for flounder, always start each trip with a new sharp hook. This might sound elementary, but I—like many who tie on a jighead and use it for several trout trips without issues—have neglected this simple step. A dull hook seriously works against you when dealing with flatties and their boney jaws. I also use a heavier action rod than what I use for trout. The faster

action allows me to feel the lure and the bite. A solid backbone allows for a sure hookset to penetrate their hard jaw. Additionally, using braided line amplifies the effectiveness of the above-mentioned items. Although I have landed many flounder with a boga or my hand, when I am specifically targeting flounder, I always bring a landing net. Since I do most of my fishing while wading, the net also serves as a great place to leave flounder while removing the hook and securing fish on a stringer. On more than one occasion, these hard-to-hold fish have slipped out of my hands while removing the hook or stringing. I learned the hard way to keep them in the net until they are secure. This fall, take the opportunity to salvage those “bad fishing days” and turn them into great flounder catching days! Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures, Controlled Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

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Michael Shields Memorial Inshore Open Raises Crucial Funds for Project LIFT

OVID 19 didn’t affect the turnout for the 12th annual Michael Shields Memorial Inshore Open, which lured 186 anglers, resulting in the highest participation ever for the annual fishing tournament. A modified virtual format allowed for anyone in the state to participate, and celebratory portions of the event were scaled down or streamed on social media First Place Unguided – Elmer Pillon with a pretty snook. to ensure a safe experience for all. PHOTOS PROVIDED by Project Lift. Winners of the tournament included: • First Place Guided Division - Team Redemption - Capt. Adam White, Matthew Rader and Tim Harrell • Second Place Guided Division - Team Out on a Limb - Capt. Jonathan “Chaos” Earhart, Jason Shanks and Henry Tonkin • First Place Unguided Division - Elmer Pillon • Second Place Unguided Division - Sonia Pillon • Top Junior Angler: Guided – Jake Hester, Unguided – Denny Potter • Top Lady Angler: Guided – Brittany Bearden, Unguided – Sonia Pillon • Top Guide – Capt. Adam White

First Place Guided Division - Team Redemption - Captain Adam White, Matthew Rader, Tanya Windecker and Tim Harrell.

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Second Place Unguided and Top Lady Angler Unguided – Sonia Pillon all smiles on this tarpon catch.

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Florida Fish and Wildlife

FWC

news updates

FWC TO HOST FLORIDA STATE-FISH ART CONTEST The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), in partnership with Wildlife Forever, is eager to announce they will host the Florida State-Fish Art Contest. Students in kindergarten through twelfth grade can compete in this free contest for a chance to win state and national honors, and prizes. This program inspires creativity while developing the next generation of anglers and conservationists. Florida winners will be selected by the FWC in four grade categories, kindergarten through third grade, fourth through sixth grade, seventh through ninth grade and tenth through twelfth grade. State winners will advance to the National Competition to be judged

for top prizes such as the Best of Show. The deadline to enter is March 31, 2021, so start designing today! “We are committed to increasing youth participation in freshwater and saltwater fishing through this effort,” said Eric Sutton, Director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “The State-Fish Art program is a unique and creative way to connect to youth anglers and the FWC is proud to be sponsoring the initiative for Florida.” To enter, students from Florida should submit their entry consisting of the following: • An original horizontal 9”x12” piece of artwork featuring any fish from the Official Fish List.

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• A piece of creative writing, no longer than one page, about the chosen species (required for grades 4-12). • A Florida State-Fish Art Contest entry form. Participants may choose to mail their entry to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission,

ATTN: Laura Rambo, Florida Fish Art Contest, 620 S Meridian Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301. Participants also have the option to submit photos or a scanned copy of their entry to R3@MyFWC.com. For contest information, entry forms and the Fish On! Lesson Plan, visit www.StateFishArt.org.

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FURBEARER MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH TEAM SEEKS PUBLIC HELP ON BOBCATS, RIVER OTTERS, RED FOX AND GRAY FOX SIGHTINGS The FWC’s furbearer management and research team needs your help documenting the current range of bobcats, river otters, and red fox and gray fox in Florida. The division is trying to increase the amount of data regarding distribution of these key furbearer species and seeks your assistance by reporting sightings of bobcats, otters, and foxes. As you go about your normal daily activities, FWC asks you to keep an eye out for live animals, trail camera pictures, or road-killed animals to help with this effort. You can report your observations on a mobile device using the BobcatOtter-Fox Survey in the Survey 123 App which is available from the Apple App Store and Google Play

Photograph of a bobcat from the FWC panther cam.

PHOTO CREDIT: MyFWCMedia.

Store. (download instructions are below). You can also report using the web-based tool. This survey will be active through Dec. 31, 2020. Your contributions are vital to this project’s success. If you have questions, please contact Buddy. Welch@MyFWC.com or Hannah. Plumpton@MyFWC.com.

Major sponsors included Bank of America; Merrill Lynch; River Palm Cottages and Fish Camp; Island Party Rentals; Charlie’s Bar and Grill; Crowder Rods; Treasure Coast Legal; Closets By Design; Norchill, Ferraro Law Group; and Huk. Tournament proceeds benefited Project LIFT, a non-profit that provides mental health and substance abuse treatment for atrisk teens using a unique platform of vocational training. Programming features skilled instructors in auto repair, screen printing, graphic arts, welding, and carpentry. High-quality vocational training on industry standard equipment attracts local employers who train the teens and seek out prospective employees, allowing for job placement and a viable path to economic selfsufficiency. Licensed therapists provide best practice individual and group therapy alongside skilled trade instruction, a treatment strategy that has proven more efficient and effective with many adolescents than standard counseling, and one that results in hopeful, sober, employable and productive citizens. For more information, visit projectliftmc.com or call 772-221-2244.

TREASURE COAST

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 Capt. Scott Fawcett Capt. Cole Hazelief Capt. Randy Lang Capt. Danny Markowski Capt. Michael Mauri Capt. Giles Murphy Brian Nelli Jim Oppenborn Capt. Nate Shellen Cammie Ward Capt. Joe Ward Steve Wood

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FISHING FORECASTS

MARTIN COUNTY OFFSHORE

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

t’s undeniable that 2020 will go down in history as one of the most challenging years in our lifetime. With COVID-19 numbers on the rise again, a heated election this month, protesters still at the ready and the west coast about to reignite at any time, it may be hard to focus on the things to be thankful for. Family, friends, and fishing are on the top of my list this November. Grab your loved ones and head east. The start of our fall fishing season is here and it never disappoints. Northwest winds are what we’re looking for this month and aside from when we’re swordfishing the stronger the better. Mahi, sails, blackfin, wahoo and kings are in the house this month and each front will

LEFT: Snapper fishing for vermilions has been great lately. Here’s a short trip abroad Off The Chain last month. ABOVE: More and more blackfin tuna like this one caught aboard Off the Chain will be showing up over the next couple months. PHOTOS CREDIT: Capt. Scott Fawcett.

push more and more fish down as the water cools. The mullet run is over, but there are still threadfin herring, some sardines, goggle eyes and blue runners to use as live bait. I’ve been using a Minnkota 87inch Terrova trolling motor on my 31 Contender for the last year. It holds me over a spot incredibly well and cuts bait fishing down to a fraction of the time. It also works great while we’re bottom fishing and especially

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while we’re kite fishing slow trolling live baits. Even though there are live baits around to use, starting in November I troll dead bait a lot more often. Four small ballyhoo, and one large on our custom Blackfin rods, A couple dredge teasers pulled from our Cannon downriggers and a squid chain. Troll between 3.5-to- 7 knots. Look for color changes, bait schools and bottom structures from 70-to-

250 feet. When there’s a big swell keep an eye out for tailing fish also, some of the best action we’ve had are on those days. We also have a couple months left of grouper season and bottom fishing is normally pretty good right now for them and snapper. Wishing you the best Thanksgiving and hope you’re next fishing trip is Off The Chain. Give me a call to get on the books.

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MARTIN COUNTY INSHORE NEARSHORE

Capt. Giles Murphy Stuart Angler Bait & Tackle (772) 288–1219 Fishing Charters (772) 475 - 4857 www.stuartangler.com giles@stuartangler.com

he mullet run started in September and the beach fishing was blown out with windy conditions through most of October. On top of that, we had record rainfall causing very dark-stained water. This limited visibility takes away a lot of the feeding and pushes the mullet south towards

Jupiter. We are also seeing Lake Okeechobee discharges due to a late rainy season. However, we have been catching some tarpon and snook back in the St. Lucie River west of the Roosevelt Bridge and up in the North Fork. When they started dumping Lake Okeechobee, I also start fishing slightly north in the Indian River casting along docks and mangrove shorelines for snook, trout, and redfish. Some good baits for this are D.O.A. C.A.L. jigs, gold spoons, and bucktail jigs. November can be a big turning point though for the light-tackle fishing here in Martin County. There has been some pompano showing up for surf casting from the beach and near the inlet to fish from boat with

bluefish showing up near the inlet down towards Peck Lake Beach. It’s also a good time of year to start jigging the bridges for monster snook casting First Light Jigs. Simply cast these 1-to-2-ounce jigs somewhat up-current and retrieve downcurrent keeping your jig inches from the bottom. These big flat belly snook like to lay on the bottom and can be triggered Susan caught a nice tarpon back in when a jig come close or even the St. Lucie River on live mullet bumps into them. The key is during the “mullet run.” finding where the snook are PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Giles Murphy. sitting under the bridges. The sandfleas and jigs. Its also a good faster the current is moving, the time to start cruising the flats for any closer they will position themselves to the abutments and pilings to escape “skipping” pompano. As the water continues to cool the current. This technique requires down from the 80s, we should see the patience and lots of casting but can be big schools of Spanish mackerel and very rewarding with a monster snook.

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

ovember’s weather machine will be on a setting of “frequent blow cycle”. This cycle will include fresh breezes of 15 to 20 knots that will accompany the first bona fide cold fronts that will begin to sweep across our peninsula and become the key component in shaping the offshore fishing playing field. “The wind is what makes the waves,” and strong velocity winds from the northwest, north and northeast will post up as frontal sessions that can “blow” for many days in a row, making for rough and choppy ocean conditions during this month. Consequently, there will be many days that will just not be fishable or will be prohibitive

November’s “SnapperChat” will mean snapper smiles from aboard the Safari 1. Mutton and mango caught by Dennis Baum aboard the Safari 1. PHOTO CREDIT: Safari 1.

for small boat owners. Anglers must especially pay attention to offshore weather forecasts to identify favorable weather windows that will allow for safe offshore fishing excursions during November’s varied weather menu. Despite the potential for choppy conditions this month, there will be

favorable stretches of user-friendly days that will allow deep sea anglers to head east of the St. Lucie Inlet and fish the expansive and diverse reef ecosystem in our offshore backyard. Bottom fishing strategies will rule these days, as many species of snapper will have solidly populated the reefs from 50 to 150 feet of water. Lane

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snapper will be the most abundant, especially in near coastal depths of 50 to 60 feet of water. Lane snapper can be found around most types of “bottom” and will be best caught by deploying cut baits tight to the reef structure. Keeper to medium size mutton snapper will be found on the same reef sites and fall to similarly presented baits (use longer leaders, with baits presented just away from the reef structure to catch the larger muttons). Grouper will also be a favorite target species for anglers this month, as the “open season” on these bottom brawlers continues through November. November’s winds will be a double-edged sword for the near coastal ocean, as they tend to create unfishable days due to heavy seas, but these choppy and churning waves will also have the potential to help oxygenate the water column, making for a more active fish population. Watch the weather in November and plan offshore fishing trips carefully as open weather windows will present anglers with bountiful, salty rewards.

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NOVEMBER 2020

TREASURE COAST 5

Brody caught this nice drum while fishing along the docks in Fort Pierce.

SOUTH INDIAN RIVER LAGOON

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

ovember has arrived on the Treasure Coast. 2020 has been a tough year for everyone. It was a hot summer, but things have been milder lately and it should provide us with some great fishing conditions this month. Water temperatures have been in the mid-80s as we transition into winter fishing. Look for some windy days this month with chances of rain. Enjoy November and get out fishing soon!

FORT PIERCE DEEP SEA

Capt. Cole Hazellief Lady Chris Charters (772) 971-7179 TheLadyChris.com

ovember is a time to be thankful for the calm days with cool crisp air as we approach winter season. The winter winds are picking up, but on the days that we can make it offshore there will be an abundance of fish to catch. Grab your lucky hat and bring the family along for a great day of fishing on the Treasure Coast. Though November can get a little gusty, a bit of wind helps to cool things down on deck and offers November will be filled with mahi, mackerel, grouper and snapper. Grouper fishing will be excellent

PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Charlie Connor.

The pompano are beginning to return to the river and will be a favorite target for anglers throughout the winter. When fishing the surf, use sand fleas or clams and the same in the river. Doc’s Goofy Jigs are great for using artificial lures for the pompano season. You should still find some flounder around on the sand flats of

the inlet and river. Redfish can be found around docks and mangroves with D.O.A. shrimp or live bait. I love fishing docks this time of year. You just never know what might be lurking under one. I fish my lures from up tide of the dock, so that it will stay under the dock. You only need to twitch it and

as the cooler water will turn these grumpy guys frisky. Get ready for some mighty fish brawls as the gag and red grouper will be taking the bait and become the main course on a stacked menu of delicious table fare. Be sure to claim your heavy weight grouper title before season closes Dec. 31. Both mackerel and mahi will also be on the scene. These acrobatic species will make their presence known near the surface and along weedlines, so prepare for some surface breaking action. The mahi bite has been on fire, and the reports promise catches throughout the month. We recommend a 20-wide reel with 20-pound mono, rigged with frozen ballyhoo and a slow troll keeping an eye on bird action and flotsam. So, fire up the smoker and prepare some fish-dip or some tender flash-fried mahi bites for the

Thanksgiving table! Bottom fishing continues to be the main focus and anglers are catching some nice sized grey and mutton snappers. The high quality and quantity of snapper will stay steady, and the snappers will still be nice and fat from the summer. There will be a shift in habitat as snappers tend to migrate toward warmer waters. If the bite is not on at your local honey hole, head closer to the warm Gulf Stream and keep an eye out for temperature changes in the water. Keep your reel spooled up and ready to go so that you can take advantage of the cool and fish-able days of November. We look forward to seeing you on the water. Find up-to-date reports on our website www.theladychris.com and see daily catches and familiar faces on our Instagram wall-of-fame. Tight lines and good vibes!

can fish it much longer that way. It is always a challenge in getting a fish out from under one, but the excitement is well worth it. Snook fishing will be good around the usual haunts. Docks, bridges, and inlet fishing should produce some good snook action as the water cools off. There will still be some tarpon around the area. My favorite is the D.O.A. Terror Eyz. Live or cut bait will work also. Look for mackerel, bluefish and jacks to fill up the inlet this month. Most shiny lures will work on these predators. You can also find them hanging in the channels up around Harbor Branch. Docks and bridges will hold black drum, sheepshead and the sand perch should also show up this month. Live or dead shrimp always works best on these fish. It might be breezy out there...but the fish will be feeding! As always, remember, fishing is not just another hobby, it’s an ADVENTURE! Good Fishing and be safe.

There’s mutton to it... just ask lady angler Kim! PHOTO CREDIT: Lady Chris Charters.

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FISHING FORECASTS

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ST. LUCIE COUNTY OFFSHORE

Capt. Danny Markowski LottaBull Fishing Charters (772) 370-8329 lottabull4@bellsouth.net lottabullfishingcharters.com

he summer months are gone, and we now have November upon us. It is now the time of year that cool fronts will start coming in and small boaters will need to watch the weather forecast. When the conditions allow, you can run offshore, and the mahi should be heading south. This time of year, I usually start looking for them when reaching depths of 60 feet. Have ballyhoo (or trolling lures) and chunk bait on hand. Trolling ballyhoo is a known method for finding and catching these fish, but if live baits are available, it is always a good idea to bring some along for when the mahi are located. Troll ballyhoo at five-toseven knots, naked or with colored

the glass minnows and while skirts to cover more ground they are eating you will see the when searching. When mahi are Spanish mackerels jumping out located around floating debris of the water. Spanish mackerels or weedlines, switch to some will eat shrimp, but the best way live bait, if available, or throw to hook up these fish is to troll a out some chunk bait to start a small spoon around the schools feeding frenzy. If you choose to or cast a small spoon, mylar jig troll a weedline with live bait, or shiny top water lure into the lower your trolling speed to school. When doing this, troll idle speed and try to keep the at about two-to-three knots or weedline on one side of your reel the lure fast. A small Clark boat to avoid getting your live Spoon or Drone Spoon from 1 bait hung up in the weeds. When ½ inches to 2 inches is a good slow trolling a weedline, have size. A good recommendation one bait in the spread placed when fishing for Spanish at a deeper depth than the rest mackerel is to use a one to two using a planer or downrigger, inch piece of #3 or #4 wire in sometimes the larger mahi run front of your lures so the teeth of deeper under a school of smaller the mackerel don’t cut off your fish. When a hooked mahi gets Collin, Edmund, and Jacob had a great day lure and make it an expensive boat side, leave him in the water of deep dropping off the Treasure Coast. trip. A good setup for catching as its splashing may attract other With five people on board, they hooked up these fish would be a light 10-tomahi in the area, if so, you can a limit of golden tiles up to 34 pounds and 15-pound rod and reel matched pitch live or chunk bait to them some nice yellow edge grouper up to 40 with up to 12-pound mainline and try to catch a few more. pounds. These fish ate cut bonito chunks and a 20-pound leader. On the days that are not dropped to the 650-to-700-foot depths. Enjoy your time on the water good for a long run offshore, PHOTO CREDIT: Edmund Levist. and be safe. Do your homework just look outside the inlets. Big schools of Spanish mackerel will be your inlet, just look for birds diving and check the weather forecasts arriving. These fish are fun to target into schools of fish on the surface. The before going out. Catch them up! and great on the table. When exiting Spanish mackerels will school around in the deeper cuts. A pigfish or a live can also get a few black drum, shrimp will be your best choice. sheepshead and snapper and they Along the channel edges you will all be taking a live shrimp.

ST. LUCIE COUNTY INSHORE

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

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he inshore fishing should be improving in November as the cold fronts arrive. Look for good action in the Fort Pierce Inlet-bluefish, Spanish mackerel and lots of big jacks feeding on the bait schools that will be coming in and out with the tides. Try a 1-or-2ounce spoon or a Gotcha Jig fished on a small leader and 20-pound line. Make sure you are able to make long casts. Around the bridges the snook fishing should be really good on the tide changes for anglers using live baits like pinfish, pigfish or a mullet. Fish the baits on the bottom and use a 40-pound fluorocarbon leader with a 5/0 live bait hook. There should be some good snapper action around the bridges and along the channel edges. Try using small live baits live pigfish or pinfish or even live shrimp. If it is a fish dinner you are looking for then try the docks along Indian River Drive or the channel markers for a good stringer of sheepshead. Use a ¼-ounce jig head, 20-pound fluorocarbon

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Fred Bloom with a nice mutton he caught from the dock at the Dockside Marina. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Joe Ward.

leader and a live shrimp. You may even pick up a redfish when fishing this set up. The trout action should be good on the deeper sides of the flats and

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the spoil islands to keep your rod bent with a mixed bag.

SEBASTIAN INLET – The inlet will continue to yield snook and redfish to live bait anglers both day and night. Pigfish, pinfish, croakers and shrimp are the best baits for inlet Capt. Gus Brugger snook fishermen. Daytime anglers Pattern Setter Charters will find most of the fish along the shorelines and around the jetties. At (772) 360-6787 night most fishermen drift through www.WelcomeToSebastian.com the center of the A1A Bridge and have consistent success. The big ovember is a great month news for November at Sebastian for anglers willing to go with Inlet is the flounder run. Once the flow and fish for what the weather conditions dictate. November weather in the Sebastian area can vary from moist, tropical heat to blustery cold fronts with near freezing temperatures. The species list is as varied as the weather in November, so there will be no problem hooking up if you match your target species to the prevailing weather pattern. SEBASTIAN INSHORE

SEBASTIAN RIVER – Snook numbers will

continue to increase in the Sebastian River as water temps fall and the linesiders instinctively work their way into the backwater winter refuges. Tarpon fishing will stay a viable Top water plugs fished in shallow option if it stays warm. backwaters will do the trick on redfish Sharp cold fronts, if and trout in November. they occur, will push a PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Gus Brugger. variety of species into the Sebastian River, including gator water temps drop below 70 degrees, sized seatrout, ladyfish and even anglers can target flounder, some pompano. exceeding 10 pounds, throughout Sebastian Inlet. Live mullet and INDIAN RIVER LAGOON – Even mud minnows are excellent baits, if the weather follows a tropical and jigs will do the trick as well. The pattern, the shorter day lengths and narrow section of the inlet west of lower sun angle of November will the A1A Bridge provides a refuge allow water temps in the Indian River from howling north winds and is Lagoon to get into the 70s and cold also the hot area for flounder. fronts will push them into the 60s. This range is perfect for all the native NEAR SHORE ATLANTIC – There lagoon species and will also usher in will be calm days in the late fall, the appearance of bluefish, flounder, and when the opportunity arises it and pompano. The high-water levels is worth a ride out the inlet and up normally associated with the fall or down the beach. Pelicans diving season will allow anglers access to will give away the location of schools backwater mudflats where redfish, of mullet and greenies, which could seatrout and snook like to ambush and should be shadowed by tarpon, baitfish along the mangroves. Top sharks and big jacks. Diving terns water plugs, D.O.A. jerk baits, and are usually associated with schools gold spoons are great choices for of glass minnows, a staple of the open water reds and trout. Fish jigs, Spanish mackerel that are passing by small plugs or live shrimp around on their southerly migration.

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w fish

there for the early bite. Trolling in November will be on the upswing too. Dolphin, wahoo, blackfin tuna and sailfish will be taken by those who get out and drag baits where the water clears up. There will be less fishing pressure this time of year. Out of Sebastian, the edge of the Gulf Stream usually falls at about 180 feet (give or take a couple miles). This is a good area to work over thoroughly. As usual, look for sargassum weed and a color change. The best type of sargassum weed is that which forms a clear edge on one side. This gives away the location of a current rip and the fish will feed here. Try adding a small feather, or feather and strip bait to your spread for blackfin tuna. Drop it way back and keep it clean of weeds by checking it frequently. Best of luck out there!

SEBASTIAN AREA OFFSHORE

Capt. Randy Lang Sebastian Gypsy Fishing Charters Email: gypsycharters@gmail.com www.sebastianfishingcharter.com

ovember is a great month for offshore fishing out of Sebastian. The winds and tropical storms of October are gone, and winter fishing is easing its way in. Bottom fishing will really perk up out on the reefs as the cold fronts push down. Those pesky red snappers really fire up, but there will be lots of mangroves, trigger fish, and grouper that can be taken home for dinner. Mangrove snapper fishing will be especially good, but you must use the right gear to fool the big smart ones. Fluorocarbon leader is great but more importantly keep your leader fresh. The slightest scrape on your leader can make it look like anchor rope to those big mangos. Imagine the visibility difference between a glass window and one that has been scratched up. Lively live bait is always more effective because the fish will attack quickly, disregarding

Snooker whipped this stud mangrove snapper at a reef I’ve named “Crack City”. It took a live grunt in 90 feet of water. She was ready with butt in the gimbal and the drag hammered down when it hit. That’s how she rolls when bottom fishing. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Randy Lang.

that cautious instinct to examine the bait. Spend the time to catch that bait in the morning. Check outside the inlet for flipping bait or clouds of

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bait on the sonar screen and through those small sabiki rigs at them. Or better yet, fill the well with pinfish and pigs the day before and get out

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: We want to thank Capt. Randy Lang for providing the Sebastian Offshore Forecast for the past three years. Capt. Randy is “retiring” his Coastal Angler pen and plans on enjoying a slower pace and spending more quality time on the water. Fair winds and fair seas Capt. Randy! We hope you’ll still share some great photos and fishing stories/ techniques when time permits.

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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

ovember means it’s time for some cool fronts. The mullet run will normally end around this time of year. The fish patterns will be changing as the season is changing. Live shrimp and smaller bait fish will be what the fish want to eat. I normally change up where I’m fishing and how I’m fishing during this time. November can be a transition month; some days will be warm and some days it will be cool. On the warmer days, fish will know what to do because they are coming out of a warm time of year. But when it cools off, that is the season change that can trigger them to act very differently. Until the weather gets stable, fishing will not be stable. What this means is trying to focus on going fishing as cooler temperatures are approaching.

Chris with a very nice sea trout on a topwater lure. Early morning overcast skies can be prime time for topwater fishing. PHOTO CREDIT: Jayson Arman.

Beach fishing can be very good as these cooler temperatures approach. We will have migratory fish starting to show up as these cool fronts push down the coast. Beach fishing for pompano, bluefish, mackerel and the other species will be some of the fish that are coming down the coast. Using a double hook beach rig with Fish Bites and clam or shrimp combinations will be the way to go. Having a top water plug and a silver

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spoon will get you some good action if the bluefish and mackerel are there. Moving into the river there should still be mullet around and you will have some great top water action for big gator sea trout and you will also start seeing a good number of redfish showing up. November and December are months I like to target flounder but understanding how to do this from land can be very difficult. You will have small windows to hit various locations during the time when the tide is not moving very fast. Using small bait fish on a bottom rig or a shrimp on a jig head 3/8-ounce jig head is what I prefer around jetties and bridges 1/4-ounce around docks and shoreline flats. Good luck on your next adventure That’s R-Man over and out.

will be holding on the bridges and seawalls looking to pick off glass minnows and mullet.

KAYAK FISHING FORECAST

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

INSHORE: November will bring on the cooler weather and give the fish some relief from the heat. Snook, redfish, trout, bluefish and Spanish mackerel should be on your radar. Kayak fishing the inlets, docks and seawalls will produce most of the inshore species. The bluefish and Spanish mackerel will prefer a fast presentation like ripping a spoon or jig across the upper water column. Snook and other mentioned species

OFFSHORE: Northeast winds will

start to push through this month making the surf an issue for each trip. When you hit the beach, take some time and watch the waves. Most of the time you can see there is a pattern of a few big sets and a calm period. Fish will start to move in shallow as the cold fronts push through. Look to target mahi, kings and sails in the 80-to-120 feet area trolling a live bait or Yo-Zuri plug to pick up a few fish. Don’t forget about the bottom fishing as well. Muttons and yellowtails will be lurking in the 60-to-100 feet reef patches. Frozen sardines, live mullet and fresh dead gogs will work best. Check us out Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for all the latest adventures my clients and I get into. See you on the water!

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NOVEMBER FISHING CONDITIONS November 1

GOOD

Evening

November 21

BEST

Morning

November 2

FAIR

Evening

November 22

BEST

Morning

November 3

FAIR

Evening

November 23

BEST

Morning

November 4

BEST

Evening

November 24

POOR

Morning

November 5

BEST

Evening

November 25

POOR

Morning

November 6

BEST

Evening

November 26

FAIR

Morning

November 7

POOR

Evening

November 27

GOOD

Morning

November 8

POOR

Morning

November 28

GOOD

Morning

November 9

FAIR

Morning

November 29

FAIR

Morning

November 10

FAIR

Morning

November 30

FAIR

Evening

November 11

POOR

Morning

November 12

POOR

Morning

November 13

FAIR

Morning

November 14

FAIR

Morning

November 15

POOR

Evening

November 16

POOR

Evening

November 17

POOR

Evening

November 18

FAIR

Evening

November 19

GOOD

Evening

November 20

GOOD

Evening

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 Farmersâ€™ 2020Almanac

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NOVEMBER 2020

FISHING FORECASTS

LAKE OKEECHOBEE

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

or pitching crawfish imitating soft plastics or jigs into small holes looking for bites from larger bass that are holding tight to the cover. Every area along the north end of the lake is home to a certain number of bass, the ideal situation is to find the so-called mother lode of bass and get into some fast and furious catching. The high-water level is allowing the fish to move well back into the marsh areas, which lets an angler catch fish even when the water on the outside grass lines is inundated by rough water. November is prime time for great shiner fishing; no other bait draws the interest and the eye of a big bass like a live wild golden shiner. Shiner

very year as fall arrives in south Florida, so too does the promise of great fishing. After experiencing summertime low water periods for the last couple of years, the summer rains have filled the lake to over 16 feet. The lower waters have promoted an abundance of vegetation growth which is now expanding due to the higher water levels. With higher water comes areas of the lake that have been unnavigable becoming navigable they now provide areas to fish that have not had pressure for quite some time. The native grasses have flourished, eelgrass and peppergrass have both made a great comeback along the north shores of the lake. Add in acres of hydrilla and you have all of the ingredients necessary to maintain an incredible bass fishery and perfect spawning areas. The eastern shore of the lake from Taylor Creek all the way south of J&S lock has been very productive, providing anglers with fast action on all sizes of bass. Earlier in the summer most of the bass were positioned along the outside Kissimmee grass lines chasing shad. As the water continued to rise and also cool off, the bass have scattered out, John Todd with this 9-pound, 9-ounce some remaining on the bass caught at Headwaters Lake. His very outer edges yet others well first bass on an artificial lure EVER! back into the marsh areas PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Nathan Shellen. in the thick tangled cover. Numerous patterns have developed fishing is a specialized technique that for targeting these fish. A spinnerbait provides anglers with a chance to not cast into the grass and worked only catch large numbers of bass but through the grass will claim many large trophy size bass as well. Golden bites from schooling fish as will a shiners are native to the lake and are swimbait that imitates a baitfish. the preferred food of bass of all sizes. Great weather and wonderful Topwater baits cast into holes in the cover will also draw strikes. Many fishing make for a great time on anglers will slowly probe the thick the lake. Book your trip to see the cover and scattered clumps of weeds majesty and awe of Lake Okeechobee with creature style baits. Flipping today!

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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

inor wind swells associated with passing cool fronts are possible, but the Treasure Coast is in luck—unlike strong groundswells, these winds usually only affect surface conditions and rarely change visibility on the bottom. No doubt freshwater has a big negative impact on the Intracoastal Waterway and the Indian River Lagoon, but It is important to remember these releases do not affect reefs miles offshore since the prevailing north current does a good job of flushing these plumes of brown water away. Dive sites away from local inlets, like the Bethel Shoal area of Fort Pierce or Six Mile Reef and Loran Tower Ledge off of Stuart, are far enough away from

When water temperatures hit the mid-to-low 70s, large gag grouper will return to area reefs and wrecks. (Photo is of a gag grouper in the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, GA.)

Fun Sun...

shore that the effects are minimal, if any, from freshwater releases. As fall progresses and temperatures drop offshore, large fish should return to area waters. Spearfishermen will notice the return of large gag and black grouper to area reefs and wrecks

when water temperature hits the mid to low 70s. Cooler water may slow fish making them easier to spear but the same effect has been noticed on divers too! Underprepared divers might consider adding the following equipment for cool-weather diving.

PHOTO CREDIT: Rob Wilson.

Beneath the surface, 5mm wetsuits, hooded vests and neoprene gloves help from becoming cold in the first place. On the surface, basics like dry clothes, a beanie hat and a knee-length dive parka (a ‘boatcoat’) helps to block the wind and warm chilled divers.

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NOVEMBER 2020

TREASURE COAST 13

Fly Fishing Corner By Capt. Michael Mauri

Seasonal Shift

or me personally, November marks the change from our fall to winter fishery. Of course, it always depends on the weather and some years are better than others, but for the most part it’s the time of the year when I start to change things up. The beginning of November is the tail-end of the mullet run. We continue to see scattered spots of bait along with big predators still chasing and busting them. During the day I still give the sea walls a fair shot with different top water flies, mostly poppers in 3/0 to 5/0. It is very exciting for my clients to fish these flies along the walls and other structures. An important thing for this type of fishing is that you are able to move your fly as soon as it hits the water. This means there should be no slack in your fly line or leader. Here’s a little trick on how

to control the way your leader turns over. Let’s face it, even professionals don’t always get the perfect cast! Stop your line with your line hand right before the end of shooting your line. In other words, when you let the line shoot, don’t let it go from your line hand but guide the line through your fingers and stop it right at the end of your cast. This will generate a good turn over for your leader. As soon as the fly lands, put the rod tip down, strip short and hard to make sure that your popper is making that loud and deep sound. This sound is what attracts the fish even from a distance and gets them fired up. What a fun way to catch fish even if it’s not a new world record! Capt. Michael Mauri www.mauriflyfishing.com michael@mauriflyfishing.com (772) 485-3321

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The Quickie to Launch the 2020/2021 Treasure Coast Sailfish Tournament Season THE QUICKIE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS NOVEMBER 30 Registration: 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Top shelf open bar and pig roast: 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Captain’s meeting: 6:45 p.m. Daily conf. ID pickup: 7:00 p.m.

2019 Fish Heads of Stuart “Quickie” winner Floridian returns to the Manatee Pocket.

PHOTO CREDIT: Ed Killer.

ish Heads of Stuart proudly announced in mid-October that “The Quickie” will launch the Treasure Coast’s 2020/2021 sailfish tournament season. The fifth annual Quickie dates are Nov. 30 – Dec 2. Center stage for the tournament will be Sailfish Marina, home of Fish Heads of Stuart. “The Quickie is a ‘shout out’ to tournament predecessors. For years, the Quickie has been a tournament

crowd favorite and we think it fitting to keep this event in the forefront of the Treasure Coast’s sailfish tournaments,” said Brent Kane, owner of Fish Heads of Stuart. Sticking with Stuart’s tradition, the Quickie is a dead bait/ conventional reel tournament. Setting the Quickie apart from other tournaments however is its anglerfriendly format. “Hook and hand – no problem.

This is a fun, easy to fish, two-day tournament,” added Kane. Entry fee is $1,300 per boat and includes six anglers and six tickets to the Dec. 2 awards dinner. Tournament prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place finishers. For more information, contact Fish Heads of Stuart at (772) 220–6008 or info@fishheadsofstuart.com.

DECEMBER 1 Hot breakfast and coffee bar: 6:00 a.m. Fishing hours: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Top shelf open bar and burger bar: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Daily conf. ID pickup: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Fishing logs and video submissions: 7:00 p.m. DECEMBER 2 Hot breakfast and coffee bar: 6:00 a.m. Fishing hours: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Fishing logs & video submissions: 6:00 p.m. Awards party and dinner: 7:00 p.m. *Activities and events take place at the Sailfish Marina/Fish Heads of Stuart pavilion.

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BACKCOUNTRY FISHING ASSOCIATION WRAPS UP SUCCESSFUL Backcountry 2020 SEASON

he Backcountry Fishing Association (BCFA) tournament series is a nine-month circuit that runs from January through September, with a two-day final tournament—the Classic—held in October. The artificial lure only tournament gives two-person teams and solo anglers 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. The top five eligible teams with the highest accumulated points from the season are given a bye from fishing day one. The remaining eligible teams compete on a elimination basis the first day, where only the top five teams of day one progress to day two to compete against the season point leaders for the grand prize and cash for the top four teams.

October Classic Results

Due to COVID interruptions this year, the five-tournament participation was waived, and teams had to have participated in at least three tournaments to be eligible to fish the Classic. There was a three-way tie for fifth place this season. The top five eligible teams with the highest accumulated points from throughout the season and the top five teams from day one of the Classic, competed for cash and prizes Sunday, Oct. 4. BCFA President Andy Fantini and Chelsea Hampson took first place with a beautiful October red that weighed in at 7.43-pounds and a 4.03-pound trout, with a combined weight of 11.46-pounds. The team collected $2522.50. Second place and the trout Calcutta went to Chris Damon and Lewis Arnold. This team brought to the scale a 3.76-pound trout and a 2.06-pound redfish, with a total combined weight 5.82-pounds. They won $1513.50 for second place and

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$90.00 for the trout Calcutta. Third place went to George Davis and Luke Lloyd with a 5.55-pound redfish, which also took the redfish Calcutta. The team won $1009.00 for third place standing and $80.00 for the redfish Calcutta. Fourth place went to Hanna Lorentz and Sean Tillett. The couple caught a 2.19-pound trout and a 3.16-pound redfish, for a total weight of 5.35-pounds. They won a bucket, tackle, and a Bluetooth sound bar. (Thank you, Doug James for the sound bar.) Kevin Slade and Zach Foltz took fifth place in the October Classic with a 3.66-pound trout. This team won a bucket of fishing items and $100 Meltra Trailers gift certificate. Joe and Matt Canestrari took sixth place with a 2.65-pound trout; Troy

ABOVE: Classic first place winners, Andy Fantini and Chelsea Hampson. BELOW: Second place winners Lewis Arnold and Chris Damon.

PHOTO CREDITS: Backcountry Fishing Association.

Wilson and Tim Woodward seventh place with a 1.18-pound trout; and eighth place winners, in no particular order were: Kyle and Tyler Engelmann, Kyle

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ater from canals entering sediments reduced the channel depths the Indian River Lagoon has from 14 feet to 7 feet in certain spots. The St. Lucie County Public reduced water quality and essential fish habitat for decades and is likely Works Department has been working to continue impacting seagrass beds, to prevent flooding in neighborhoods oyster reefs, and the water column as adjacent to the C-25 canal and Taylor human populations on the Treasure Creek while improving the quality of Coast increase. Taylor Creek and stormwater entering these tributaries. the C-25 canal have delivered excess Dry detention areas have been created stormwater runoff, along with adjacent to the Harmony Heights agricultural nutrients and urban and Paradise Park neighborhoods. The St. Lucie pollutants to County Artificial the Indian River In the coming months, the St. Lucie Reef Program Lagoon since County Artificial Reef Program will is currently the late 1950s be creating artificial reef modules exploring the when the C-25 from some of its concrete scraps left possibility of was completed. over from previous deployments. converting these This canal drains Forms will be constructed, leftover dry detention water from concrete chunks will be placed in areas into wet 116,000 acres to the forms, and then concrete will retention ponds. the Indian River be poured into the forms. By doing this Lagoon affecting the County can aquatic animals. Aquatic animals use gills to reduce nutrients and suspended accept oxygen from the water sediments entering into the Indian much like terrestrial organisms use River Lagoon and possibly receive lungs to accept oxygen from the additional nutrient removal credits. Intergovernmental cooperation is air. Both dissolved and suspended contaminants in the water may cause needed to convert the dry detention respiratory distress in any organism areas to wet retention ponds. To with gills, including fish. Water prevent flooding, engineers from contaminated with the nutrients the St. Lucie County Public Works ammonia and nitrite is especially Department must first determine soil harmful to fish. Suspended sediments percolation rates and rainfall in the can also reduce fish health through area, as well as nutrient concentrations effects on the gills and have been in surface water, using a series of rain gauges, data loggers, and piezometers. shown to affect grouper health. Suspended sediments also The St. Lucie County Mosquito create navigational concerns when Control Department will also they settle on the bottom of the monitor these areas to ensure that lagoon, preventing boat passage and they do not become breeding grounds covering seagrass beds. Dredging for mosquitos. Recent heavy rains have left in Taylor Creek occurred in 2004 and is scheduled again for 2021 after portions of the dry detention areas

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with just a few inches of standing water. This is ideal for the propagation of mosquitos and the Mosquito Control Department has already detected multiple species of mosquito larvae in this standing water. If the pond depth can be increased to just a few feet, native fish like mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) will survive and prevent mosquito larvae from becoming problematic. There are also many volunteer opportunities involved with this project. Christa Stone, an on-air radio personality with the radio station B-94.7 FM and a volunteer with the Artificial Reef Program, is educating local residents about the possibilities of using ponds for recreational purposes. In addition to potential water quality and fishing, wet retention areas also have the benefit of creating wetland habitat for birds and other forms of ecotourism. To learn about recreational opportunities at these ponds, contact Christa Stone at (772) 361-3614 or christa@mytcmedia.com. To inquire into the possibility of donating endof-day concrete to make artificial reef modules contact Jim Oppenborn, St. Lucie County Coastal Resources Coordinator, at (772) 462-1713 or oppenbornj@stlucieco.org.

BCFA................................ FROM PAGE 17 caught the 6.97-pound trout. PRIZE: 2021 Season Schacht and Kyle Espich, David and Elijah Young, Jesse Howell and Drew Deck, and Lora and Monty Peters. All these teams received a bucket filled with fishing items. Tournament sponsors included East Coast Signs and Shirts, Danco, Whites Tackle, FL DNA, Salt Fly Pioneer, Nau-T-Girl Jewelry, ZF Custom Rods, Indian River RV, Doug James, Meltra Trailers, Weedline Apparel, Smith Sunglasses, and Mang.

End of Season Awards

Redfish of the Year. The winning fish was caught during the March tournament by team #17, Jordan Hartwell and Mike Brady. The redfish weighed in at 6.95-pounds. PRIZE: A ZF Custom 7-foot 8-inch rod. Snook of the Year. The winning snook was caught during the September tournament, team #5 Drew Deck and Jesse Howell. They brought to the scale a 9.49-pound snook. PRIZE: ZF Custom 7-foot 8-inch rod Trout of the Year. The winning trout went to team #38, brothers Kyle and Tyler Engelmann. It was pops, Rich Engelmann who filled in as an alternate for the July tournament and

They won a ZF Custom 7-foot 6-inch rod. Slam of the Year. There were only two slams for the season. The slam of the year was caught during the March tournament by team #12, Matt and Joe Canestrari. This team brought to the scale a 1.20-pound trout, 6.18-pound redfish, and 6.30-pound snook, for a total weight of 13.68-pounds. PRIZE: Two 7-foot, 6-inch Bull Bay rods. Lady Angler of the Year. Chelsea Hampson who won the title of Lady Angler for January and September tournaments took this division. For each of these tournaments, Chelsea caught a redfish with a combined weight of 8.90-pounds. PRIZE: Nau-T-girl Jewelry and gift basket, and a Salt Fly Pioneer Custom Rod. Team of the Year. Placing in five of the six tournaments, taking first in one those tournaments, team #2, Kevin Slade and Zach Foltz, grinded out all year long earning themselves the title Team of the Year. Each angler received a $600 gift package, which included a Yeti bucket, Shimano reel, Smith sunglasses, $50 Weedline gift certificate and Danco pliers.

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The 2021 season kick-off with captainâ€™s meeting will take place on Friday, January 1, with fishing on Saturday, January 2.

Fourth-place Classic finishers and BCFA Team of the Year, Zach Foltz and Kevin Slade. PHOTO CREDIT: Backcountry Fishing Association.

BCFA Association Growth

Over the past year, the BCFA has continued to grow. With 67 teams and a total of 134 members, 39 boats per tournament were averaged despite the challenges presented by COVID-19. For more information about membership, email backcountryfishingassociation@ gmail.com or visit Backcountry Fishing Association on Facebook.

NOVEMBER 2020

TREASURE COAST 19

the local store shelves, which is true throughout Florida.” IRK will be returning to this region on a regular basis throughout the fall and early winter to monitor the bloom. Reports on social media are that bloom conditions of varying intensity extend as far south as Melbourne as of Oct 1. We ask that anglers send us reports on, and photos of, bloom conditions and fish kills they come across. Email to: keeper@theindianriverkeeper.org. And fish kills should be reported to the Florida Fish

NOVEMBER UPDATE

LEFT: Indian Riverkeeper Executive Director Mike Conner and Capt, Alex Gorichky surveyed the chronic algal bloom in the Port Canaveral area in late September. ABOVE: This is inches of water from the thickest part of the bloom near Port Canaveral on Sept 15.

By Michael Conner, Executive Director

PHOTOS CREDIT: Mike Conner.

ndian Riverkeeper (IRK) has extended its monitoring and water sample testing into the northern Indian River Lagoon since midSeptember to document the worsening algal bloom conditions from roughly Melbourne north. IRK Executive Director Mike Conner joined Capt. Alex Gorichky in late-September to get a glimpse of the chronic algal bloom in the Port Canaveral region, and at that time the bloom (not yet positively identified) was so extensive that Gorichky and Conner covered 20 miles of the Indian and Banana rivers, Sykes Creek and Barge Canal on the half-day trip without finding an end to the bright-green bloom. Water sampling was

done at three locations, with visibility less than a foot in places, but dissolved oxygen levels were in the safe range for sea life, possibly aided by windy weather. Asked about the probably causes for this recurring bloom, Gorichky was quick to respond. “I believe that this bloom, though so bright green in color, is a combination of algae species, with what we call ‘brown tide’ in the mix,” said Gorichky. “The mid-summer rain increase followed a period of decent water conditions, and with all runoff from land, it blew up. “It’s all infrastructure failure—sewer, septic—but also the overuse of yard fertilizers, which, though banned for use, is still on

and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 800636-0511. Algal blooms should be reported to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) at (850) 245-2118. the DEP maintains an algal bloom hotline and dashboard to log all locations and water testing results for toxicity at www. Floridadep.gov/algalbloom.

Lake Okeechobee Update

Due to late-summer rainfall, the elevation of Lake Okeechobee reached 16.1 feet on October 9, prompting the U.S. Army Corps to announce the need to discharge Lake water to the C-44 canal and ultimately to the south fork of the St. Lucie

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Brody@CaribbeanShoresHotel.com • 772.934.6456 • caribbeanshoresproperties.com River by way of the S80 lock and dam sometime during the week of October 12-15. This action is to stem the steady rise of the Lake rather to take it down appreciably. The Corps has not stated what the duration of the discharge will be, but it is expected that discharge volume will be in the neighborhood of 1,200 to 1,600 cubic feet per second, which translates to nearly 1 billion gallons per day on the upper end. IRK is especially concerned because the St. Lucie estuary has seen heavy local stormwater runoff for much of the summer already, and with the addition of so-called “local basin” runoff from 4 major canals that drain interior lands well west of the coast, that the additional dirty, fresh water will wipe out any established live oysters in the estuary. For example, salinity at Stuart’s Roosevelt Bridge has been under 5 parts (with 35 being open ocean salinity) many days in the last 30. Plus, the Lake water tends to bring heavy sediment into the estuary as well, and that settles, adds to the muck layer, and can cut our sunlight that seagrasses need to recover in the vicinity of Sailfish Flats just inside the St. Lucie Inlet. There is also an active cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) bloom on Lake Okeechobee and fears are that it can again be transported to

the St. Lucie River, where it created a state of emergency health order in 2018. Hopes are that cooler weather and shorter sunlight hours will help decrease that possibility. IRK reminds anglers and residents that they can periodically check the Indian Riverkeeper Facebook page for links to public Zoom meetings by both the South Florida Water Management District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bluegreen Algae Task Force, all of which invite public participation and comment. Due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, public meetings are not planned.

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Upcoming IRK Events

Due to COVID-19, IRK has decided to not hold large public gatherings, which the exception of beach/Lagoon cleanups as was done in St. Lucie County in September. Check our Facebook page for updates on a cleanup to take place in November, location to be determined. Public fundraising events are temporary on hold, though IRK is conducting Facebook auctions and raffles, and new membership specials. Visit our Facebook page and visit www.theindianriverkeeper.org for more information or to donate to our 501(c)(3) organization.

Magazine and ads also available online, so readers around the world can find you. And, your online ad links to your website!

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TREASURE COAST 21

Stuart Sailfish Club See You On Announces Annual The Water! Light Tackle Sailfish Tournament and Ladies Day Tournament 236 Fisherman

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he Stuart Sailfish Club Foundation will hold its 67th annual Light Tackle Sailfish Tournament Dec. 9-12. Anglers will compete for cash prizes and dailies. The tournament will benefit the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast and Victory Leidner, who is fighting cancer. Victory is the daughter of one of the Treasure Coast’s own local captains, Billy Leidner. Early entry fee, paid on or before 5 p.m. on Nov. 25, is $2,500, and includes captain and four anglers, and up to four lady anglers for the Club’s Ladies Day Tournament on Saturday. After Nov. 25, the entry fee increases to $3,000. Meat fish—wahoo, tuna, kingfish and dolphin—will be included in this year’s event. New this year is the Ladies Day Tournament, which will occur on Saturday Dec. 12. Entry fee for participation in just the Ladies Day tournament is $500 for crew and

two anglers or $750 for crew and six anglers. Anglers participating in the Ladies Day Tournament may depart from inlets from Lake Worth Inlet to Fort Pierce. Dead or live baits may be used in this tournament. Light Tackle Tournament registration will be held Wednesday, Dec. 9, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. A mandatory attendance captain’s meeting will be held the same evening at 6:15 p.m., followed by the tournament’s kickoff party. The Awards Banquet will be held at Pirates Cove Resort and Marina, 4307 SE Bayview Street, Stuart, on Saturday, Dec. 12. To register for the tournament, or to keep up with the latest tournament news, visit stuartsailfishclub.com/ light-tackle-tournament. To sponsor the tournament or donate to the auction, call (772) 286-9373, or email Sailfish@StuartSailfishClub.com.

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Light Tackle Sailfish Tournament 2019 First Place Winners, INTENTS, Nick Cremasco, Kyle Francis, Hector Torres, Alan Sadler, Capt. Rhett Bailey, Stuart Sailfish Club president Charlie Conigliaro, Michelle Keeney and Stuart Sailfish Club vice president Richard Shoup.

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The Stuart Sailfish Club Light Tackle Tournament is Back... with Something New for 2020!

December 9-12, 2020

To Benefit The Humane Society of the Treasure Coast and Victory Leidner, daughter of local Captain Billy Leidner in her fight against cancer

CASH PRIZES

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Plus Dailies Based on Participation All Events at Pirate’s Cove Resort & Marina, 4307 SE Bayview St. Port Salerno

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NEW!! This year a Meat Fish category will be included in addition to sailfish releases for both the Light Tackle Tournament and Ladies Only Tournament. Species included are: WAHOO, TUNA, KINGFISH, and DOLPHIN

Awards will be given for aggregate weight for both the Light Tackle Tournament and Ladies Only Tournament

SOMETHING NEW FOR THE LADIES!!! This year, Saturday will feature a Ladies Only 1-Day Tournament!

ENTRY FEE - $500 includes crew and 2 anglers / $750 includes crew and 6 anglers Ladies Only tournament participants may depart from any inlet from Lake worth Inlet to the Ft, Pierce Inlet

FEE INCLUDES Early Entry Fee (on or before Nov. 25th) $2,500 • After Nov. 25th - $3,000 FOUR ANGLERS

For more details and sponsorship information, call (772) 286–9373 or visit www.stuartsailfishclub.com

TS, Bailey, and

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TREASURE COAST 23

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Zaidee Zelano’s first-place catch in the Junior Angler Girls Division of the 2020 Bonito Blast. Bonito weighed 7.28 pounds and was caught off the St. Lucie Inlet on Z Boat II, captained by dad Robert Zelano. Leonard Fox proving the fall mahi bite has been getter better. He had a quadruple hookup of some nice ones trolling ballyhoo in 500 feet of water off the St. Lucie Inlet.

PHOTO CREDIT: Layne Zelano.

Madix Scharbach with a 32-inch snook caught fishing with his dad. Dad remarked, “The memories made between father and son will last forever.”

PHOTO SUPPLIED by Leonard.

PHOTO CREDIT: Alexis Lerette.

William Payne hooked this 33-inch snapper on the Lady Stuart with Jason Barker on the long leader and Stan Baker on the net. PHOTO PROVIDED by William.

Keegan James enjoying some mahi-time fishing with his Uncle John out of the Fort Pierce Inlet. PHOTO CREDIT: Camryn James.

Nick Dipalma with a 37-inch snook caught in the shadows of the Nettles Island bridge. Fish caught on a lady fish head and 7.0 circle hook. PHOTO CREDIT: TM Juelz.

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Sam Griffin’s Topwater Tips For The Big O B

By Robert U. Montgomery

orn on a houseboat in 1937, Sam Griffin started guiding on Florida’s Lake Okeechobee when he was 12. “Back then, the compression on those motors was too much for me to crank ’em, so the customer had to come back there and pull the rope,” Griffin remembered. “I could run it all right. That lasted about a year, and then I got strong enough to do it myself.” Along with the 5-horsepower outboard, the youngster’s guiding tools included a push pole, oars, canoe paddle and sculling paddle.

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“The more I fished the marshes, the more I learned where the fish liked to stay,” Sam said. Sam and other guides dragged weighted saw blades behind their flatbottom boats to cut trails they could use again and again. “Once the trails were cut, the outboard motors could take it from there,” he recalled. “The problem was that, back then, we didn’t have weedless propellers and the weeds would get around them really bad if we didn’t cut trails.” Of course, despite the guiding, young Sam still found time to fish. And more than 70 years later, he’s still chasing those bass. More often than not, he throws wooden topwater baits he’s been making and field-testing for more than four decades. Griffin arguably knows more about Lake Okeechobee, the bass fishery there, and topwater fishing in general than anyone else. He was inducted into the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame in 2019. Griffin’s advice for topwater fishing includes: • Topwaters aren’t just for warm water. “You can catch bass consistently on top in water that is 50 degrees or above. Usually in colder water, you want to fish extremely fast or extremely slow, not in between.” • The same topwater bait will work anywhere. “It’s a matter of confidence.” • With topwaters, most fish are caught on the front hook. That means it is important to have a bigger, stronger hook there. • Dress up the back hook. Sam has learned that he gets 25 percent more bites when he puts pearlescent Mylar tinsel on the back hooks. • Patience and fishing slowly will catch a lot more fish than fishing fast. “I tell people they have to learn to catch more fish rather than make more casts. Be superhumanly patient, and not just when fishing.” • If you want to get a bite, just look away for a second. • For the last 10 feet to the boat, look at your bait. “Watch what’s going on in the water when you lift it out. That will help tell you what the fish want.” For an in-depth look at the life of Sam Griffin and Lake Okeechobee, including solid how-to information from the man himself, check out Robert Montgomery’s new book, “Big Sam and the Big O: Reflections and Revelations from a Lifetime of Bass Fishing and Luremaking on Lake Okeechobee,” available from Amazon and other booksellers.

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LIFE IS A BEACH

SURF CASTING

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By Richard L. Matteson

urf casting is a great and inexpensive way to catch quality fish. From tarpon and snook to small panfish like whiting and croaker, you can catch dinner or experience the thrill of battling some the world’s top sportfish. The Rig: A typical surf rig is an 8-foot medium rod with a spinning reel filled with braid. For tarpon, big snook, sharks and jacks, you need 200 to 300 yards of 40- to 60-pound braid with a 60- to 80-pound clear fluorocarbon leader. For big fish you need a heavier rod and 6000 or 8000 reel with a bigger spool for more line. For smaller fish, I use 10- to 20-pound braid with a 30-pound leader on a light rod. I have two rods, one for tarpon and one for smaller fish. Take both and put the butt of the rod in the sand if you need to switch. Lures: Tie on lures with a loop knot, which allows them to move freely. My favorite lures include: a 4-inch D.O.A. paddletail (pearl white or silver sparkle) rigged on a 3/8-ounce chartreuse jig head; a 1- or 2-ounce spoon (silver Krocodile or gold Johnson); topwater plugs (Skitterwalk, Zara Spook or various chug plugs); and shallow-running crankbaits. If it’s windy or rough, add weight or use a heavier jig or spoon. Best Times to Fish: First light and an hour before dark are the best times to fish. The best tides are early incoming and early outgoing. Try not to fish during slack tides. I also use moon phases, which regulate the amount of water rising and falling during each tide. King tides are the highest tides. Using and understanding tides is important. Finding Fish: Fish will usually be wherever there’s bait. The obvious tell is bird activity, pelicans and small terns nipping at baitfish. You can also spot baitfish. A little splash or dark spot shows a school. I walk the beach looking for bait and stop to fish when I see it. Birds aren’t always there, and bait just pops up for a few seconds, so you need to be ready. Go to a beach access, get out and look for birds. If there are no birds, go to another beach access. It’s amazing how much action you can have by finding the bait. In many cases, it’s a matter of moving down the beach 100 yards. Techniques: Identify the feeders. Bluefish, jacks, mackerel, ladyfish, kingfish and barracuda are all aggressive feeders that like flashy lures on a fast retrieve. They school and can be caught near the surface on any lure that moves. For tarpon, a slow steady retrieve is better. Snook will hit a slow retrieve and can also be caught jigging around the first cut. Whiting, pompano and croakers can all be caught twitching the lure off the bottom. Richard Matteson is staff writer for the Stuart Rod and Reel Club. Contact him at (336) 414-3440. 16 FLORIDA

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Long Standing Gag Grouper Record

or those wondering what it was that bulldogged into the reef and broke you off, it could have been something like this monster gag grouper caught by Bill Smith 27 years ago. Weighing in at a staggering 80 pounds, 6 ounces, Smith’s giant gag has held IGFA’s all-tackle world record since he caught it in October of 1993. According to an IGFA Facebook post, Smith was fishing in the Gulf of Mexico out of Destin, Fla. He hooked the grouper on a mingo snapper dropped down as bait. After a 20-minute fight, Smith saw color, and the largest grouper he had ever caught appeared at the surface. The record grouper was weighed at Marina Point Destin and secured Smith his first and only IGFA world record. It is a record that will likely remain for a few more years. The second largest gag grouper on IGFA’s lists weighed 74 pounds, 12 ounces. It was also caught in the Gulf out of Destin. In 2002, David McGriff ’s huge gag broke the men’s 130-pound class world record with a mark that still stands today. For more world records, go to igfa.org.

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Marine Flea Market and Seafood Fest Sails into West Palm Nov. 14-15! O n Nov. 14 and 15, the 12th Annual Palm Beach Marine Flea Market, Boat Sale and Seafood Festival will be held at The South Florida Fairgrounds at 9067 Southern Blvd, West Palm Beach. The festival starts at 9 a.m. and lasts until 5 p.m. both days. In today’s economy, boat owners, nautical vendors and marine artists and craftsmen are all seeking new ways to sell their new, used and clearance items to customers looking for bargains. The Palm Beach festival offers two fun-filled days with great opportunities for buyers and sellers to get together and find great deals on all kinds of marine gear and everything and anything having to do with fun on the water. Catering to all levels of enthusiasts, from anglers to pleasure boaters and lovers of nautical décor, the show provides two days to hunt for the right accessories, equipment and supplies. Anyone who has a boat, wants a boat or needs something for their boating adventures will find it here and at a great price! Delicious seafood will add a nautical flavor to your shopping experience. Great deals are available on offshore rods, reels, tackle, dock lines, halyards, sheet lines, anchor lines, ladders, seats, Bimini tops, life vests, mooring whips and bases, gauges, wakeboards, skis, wake

surfers, kneeboards, boat covers, scissors, fenders, antique collectibles and maps, marine artifacts, lures and lines, boating apparel, taxidermy and diving equipment. All kinds of other marine items will be available to purchase. Admissions is $10, and Children 12 and under are free.

Visit the Florida Marine Flea Market, Boat Show and Seafood Festival website www.FLNauticalFleaMarket.com for more information, discount tickets, vendor applications and specific driving directions. Contact Under the Sun Promotions Inc. at (954) 205-7813.

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14 NATIONAL

NOVEMBER 2020

It’s Sailfish Season! S

PHOTO COURTESY OF WEST PALM BEACH FISHING CLUB

W FOR YOUR O N E V R E RES CAPE!!! WINTER ES

ailfish are a target year-round off the Atlantic Coast of Florida, but the best action should kick off this month and improve progressively with each passing cold front as more migratory fish arrive to spend winter off the coast of central and south Florida. November is the traditional start to the season, when sailfish from the north follow migrating baitfish into Florida waters to join the resident population. By December and January, it is estimated that more than a million sailfish arrive to overwinter, and that’s when top sailfish boats report dozens of releases in a single day. It sparks a mini tourism boom when anglers—rather than beachgoers— descend upon central and south Florida. Charter boats book up in a hurry this time of year. If you haven’t already planned your trip, it might be too late. Booking a jam-up sailfish trip is made more difficult by the specialized conditions it takes to bring out the best action. Everyone is looking for tailing conditions after the passage of a cold front. Sailfish move high in the water column and feed aggressively when a north wind clashes with the prevailing current to kick up swells in the Gulf Stream. Some say that the rougher the conditions are, the better the fishing is. It’s a good time of year to have a big boat, but even smaller vessels can get in on the action where the Gulf Stream swings closest to shore. Carefully watching the weather and timing a trip to get out as soon as conditions begin to subside strikes that fine balance between safety and catching sailfish. Tactics differ depending on conditions and location. Some troll a spread of teasers and dead ballyhoo. Slow-trolled or drifted live baits can also be remarkably productive in some situations. The preferred method for many is kite fishing with live baits, because it is effective and exciting. A kite is deployed trailing live baits, typically bridled goggle-eyes, threadfin herring or other hearty baitfish. The kite keeps baits near the surface, and most of the leaders and tackle are suspended above the water. On approach, anglers might see the fin or bill circle the bait. On the take, everything goes into overdrive with the legendary speed and aerobatics of a hooked sailfish. This time of year, it is a scene that takes place multiple times a day, and sometimes with multiple fish at the same time. Rough weather is a good time to be on the water when the sailfish descend on the Florida coast.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF WEST PALM BEACH FISHING CLUB

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DECEMBER 3rd Thru DECEMBER 6th

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NOVEMBER 2020

NATIONAL 15

It’s Tuna Time In Tuna Town V

enice Marina is the jumping-off point to some of the best fishing in the world. Known as “Tuna Town,” this southern Louisiana meeting place of the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico features endless branches of bayou waterways that give way to a Gulf peppered with oil rigs and other world-famous offshore structure. It is an incredible ecosystem for fish to thrive in. There are also very few marinas with easy access to this fishery, which means a phenomenal array of fish species are plentiful, oversized and underfished. It is truly like going back in time. This time of year, Tuna Town is aptly nicknamed. Autumn is shrimp-boat season in Venice, and it is arguably one of the best times to fish for tuna. In the summer, you might run many miles offshore in search of yellowfin tuna, bouncing from rig to rig or finding prime schools breaching under frigate birds in open water. With a 24-mile run down the Mississippi River just to reach Gulf waters, the summertime gas-bill can definitely take a bite out of your wallet. In fall, when these yellow-sickled beasts school behind shrimp boats, you will find yourself in a “Nat Geo” type situation within 300 feet of water, which out of Venice is only a few miles from the shore. At the shrimp boats, you must convince the shrimpers to give you bycatch. Trade is king in this situation, but not all the crews are after the same thing. Bringing a case of cheap beer is standard practice, but sometimes they request something different like soda, energy drinks or even hooks and monofilament. Sometimes, you will get lucky and the shrimpers will toss bags of stinky gold onto your boat. But more times than not, your mate will have to board them. The captain will pull up right behind their

16 NATIONAL

NOVEMBER 2020

By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

vessel, and the deckhand has to leap from the bow and grab the tires that hang off the back of the shrimp boat and scurry aboard to avoid being pinned between the boats. Once the deckhand has filled a few sacks of bycatch, they make the leap back onto your boat. I have personally done this many times, and all I have to say is, please don’t forget to tip your mates! The idea is to pull up next to a shrimp boat and chum so hard that you pull up a school of fish as you drift back. As you continuously throw chum in the water, you will see yellowfin tuna rolling out from underneath your boat to devour each piece. Your lines will be out of the water as you hand-feed the tuna and take inventory of fish collected under the boat. When you see the one you want cycle through the feeding pattern, that’s when you toss out bait with a hook in it. It sounds easy enough, but tuna aren’t the only fish that school behind shrimp boats. Buckle-up, because you’ll have to land that fish in the midst of a sharknado. The sharks can be so thick, that as the crew we’ve had to ask clients if they wanted to fight fish or eat fish and had to land a few tuna for them. This type of fishing is incredible to witness for anyone, but is truly better suited to a more seasoned anglers. Shrimp-boat season is completely worth the trip to Venice, but the weather can get a little nasty in the fall. You are likely to encounter a few days in a row that are unfishable offshore this time of year, so allow yourself a few extra days of availability. You can always check out the equally epic inshore fishery if you have to wait it out. Capt. Quinlyn Haddon now fishes out of St. Petersburg, Fla. with Reel Lucky Fishing Charters. Their charters are available for offshore, nearshore, inshore and customizable from anything in between. Call or text the owner, Capt. Joseph Dephillips, at (727) 557-7829.

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NATIONAL 17

J.O. SPICE COMPANY CELEBRATES 75 YEARS AND 4 GENERATIONS

teamed blue crabs seasoned with J.O. No.2 or a custom blend that J.O. manufactures is the flavor people experience at crab establishments all over. Most people credit this crab house seasoning to another product but J.O. has been the crab houses’ seasoning of choice since 1945. J.O. Spice, started by J.O. (James Ozzle) Strigle and his wife Dot in Baltimore City in 1945, is celebrating its 75th Anniversary. A native of Tangier Island, Va., J.O. Strigle brought the seafood spice blend he created in his kitchen on the island to Maryland. Jane McPhaul, J.O.’s daughter took over operations of the family business in the late eighties while her son, Don Ports, was serving in the Marine Corps. In 1990 Don joined his mother in the family business with a vision to expand. In the summer of 1991 Don met his spice girl, Ginger, with the pick up line, “you’re destined to be mine; you’re named for a spice,” said J.O. Spice Company president Don Ports to wife Ginger Ports the moment they met. Twenty eight years later, Don and Ginger- alongside their children Brittany, Tyler and Bethany, are continuing the family traditions of quality seasonings, spices, and more at reasonable prices at their Halethorpe based J.O. Spice Company. “We can provide crab houses everything they need for the crab eating experience, minus the crabs”, Don says. The company added crab boxes, crab paper, bushel baskets, crab knives, crab mallets and a variety of other items to their offerings. “We purchased our first laser engraver and that opened the door to the retail gift world and personalized options,” Don says. J.O. specializes in custom blended seasonings for pizza companies, pit beef stands, butchers, potato chip companies and more. We are more than seafood seasonings. “My children, the fourth generation, and our amazing team work side-by-side to make all of this happen,” Ginger says. “At J.O., we are all family who enjoy working with so many other family businesses. We are blessed.” Please visit us at jospices.com.

18 NATIONAL

NOVEMBER 2020

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FISH BEWARE! CHawk 23

Idaho Producing Monster Yellowstone Cutthroats

Models Available 18-29 Feet

ellowstone cutthroat trout longer than 30 inches are exceedingly rare, but that hasn’t stopped Idaho anglers from besting that mark twice in the last few months. On Sept. 8, Nate Burr, a fly fishing guide from Rexburg, Idaho, caught a 31-inch Yellowstone cutthroat that beat the 30.5-inch state length record set in August. Both fish came from the Snake River. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game reported that Burr and a buddy had been fly fishing the Snake River for three days, looking for big trout without much success. As evening set in on the third day of slow fishing, their luck changed as a huge trout smashed Burr’s fly. “It was one of those brutally slow days,” Burr said. “Hunting big trout on streamers means a day on the water can go from zero to 100 in a split second. That was exactly the case with this fish.” After chasing the hooked trout for nearly half a mile downstream in a driftboat, the pair managed to finally scoop the fish with a landing net. After taking a quick photo and reviving the fish, Burr released the huge trout back into the Snake River, securing his name in the record books.

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NOVEMBER 2020

NATIONAL 19

FORCE ISC™ 10K B2

BIG BASS AT CLEAR LAKE, CALIFORNIA

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISCHILDERSBASSGUIDE.COM

ass anglers looking for a destination fishery worth travelling to would be hard-pressed to find a better one than California’s Clear Lake. With all the historic bass fishing powerhouses in the South and the rise of awesome Northern smallmouth fisheries like the St. Lawrence River, it’s worth asking why anyone would travel to the West Coast to go bass fishing. The answer is simple: Clear Lake is home to an abundance of large bass, and its location in California’s gorgeous wine country makes it worth a visit even if the fishing wasn’t so great. And the fishing is great. According to California studies, Clear Lake has more fish per acre than any other lake in the country. Couple that with tournament data from B.A.S.S., and the fishery looks even more attractive. Tournament statistics show the average Clear Lake fish weighed 5 pounds in competition sacks last year. With high catch rates and average fish that weigh 5 pounds, competent anglers can expect to target lots of large fish. A 16-plus-pounder was the highlight of 2019. The lake record is 17 ½ pounds. Clear Lake is a 43,000-acre natural lake about two hours north of Sacramento. Stockings of Florida strain largemouth along with northern largemouth has created a fishery renowned for quality and quantity. About 100 miles of shoreline are littered with docks, piers, pilings and other manmade structure. Humps, boulders, brush piles and an abundance of aquatic vegetation provide plenty of natural cover and structure. For information, go to www.californiasgreatestlakes.com.

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AR IA

GULF SNAPPER Three Times More Abundant Than Previously Thought

ou can bet there are a bunch of Gulf charter captains out there right now bellowing an emphatic, “I told you so!” In early October, preliminary findings of the Great Red Snapper Count were presented to Congress with results that indicate up to three times as many red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico than was previously thought. This unprecedented study was led by the Harte Research Institute and provides an independent and robust assessment of Gulf of Mexico red snapper stock abundance. It shines an additional spotlight on how inadequate data was used to all but shut down one of the most popular recreational fisheries in the world. The state-of-the-art study was funded through a $10 million Congressional appropriation, championed by Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) in 2016 and awarded by Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant. The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) was an early proponent of this study. Over a two-year period, 21 scientists used a comprehensive suite of methods on high relief areas, like natural and artificial structures, and low relief areas, such as sand or mud bottom, to arrive at the absolute abundance estimate. Approximately two-thirds of the Gulf red snapper population was found to inhabit these low relief areas, which have not been historically sampled. “The Great Red Snapper Count results validate what the recreational fishing community has long said – that there are a lot more red snapper in the Gulf than have been reflected in recent stock assessments,” said Kellie Ralston, ASA’s Southeast Fisheries Policy director. “We are grateful for the excellent scientific work by the Harte Research Institute and its partners, as well as Senator Shelby for recognizing the need to fund such a ground-breaking study.” With an interim analysis of stock abundance expected for the Gulf in early 2021, NOAA has indicated it will incorporate the Great Red Snapper Count’s findings into its interim stock assessment. Hopefully that will lead to off-the-charts snapper fishing next summer!

Insist on Only the Best Cast Net for Grabbing Your Bait America’s #1 Cast Net Choice, Year After Year America’s Best

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NOVEMBER 2020

NATIONAL 21

DESTINATIONS FOR WINTER TROUT

Karl Eckberg with a delayed harvest trout from South Carolina’s Chauga River.

By Nick Carter

or trout anglers, the next few months offer some of the best catch-andrelease fishing of the year. Delayed harvest (DH) waters are regulated by the states to carry us through to spring with heavy stockings and catchand-release, artificial-only fishing geared toward fly fishers. Here’s a look at a couple good DH options.

About an hour and a half west of Greenville, the Chauga flows a ridge east of the well-known Chattooga River. That’s part of what makes the Chauga such a great option during South Carolina’s Nov. 1-May 14 DH season. The Chattooga draws most of the fishing pressure, allowing the Chauga to fly under the radar. The Chauga fishes just like the Chattooga, only a little smaller, said Karl Eckberg of Chattooga River Fly Shop. The river’s ledges, drop-offs, deep river-bend holes and an abundance of riffle water hold rainbows, browns and brookies. There are only two access points to the DH stretch. Despite a good trail, Ekberg said the middle portion of the specially regulated water hardly gets touched. Early in the season, freshly stocked trout are suckers for the “big flashy and rubbery stuff,” said Ekberg. Load your box with Mop Flies, Y2Ks, Squirmy Worms and Gummy Worms. Micro streamers become more important as the season progresses, but fall and winter also offer hatches of midges, bluewinged olives and little black stoneflies.

NANTAHALA RIVER, NORTH CAROLINA

The upper Nantahala River’s 4-mile DH section is like a high-elevation trout stream without the hike. About 20 minutes southeast of Bryson City, Wayah Road hugs the upper Nantahala, giving no-hassle access to miles of riffles and pocket water, big bridge holes, gorges and deep plunge pools. The drawback to this situation is fishing pressure. Roadside pullouts fill up when the weather is nice during the October into June DH season. Stocked trout learn to spot a fake pretty quickly, so the fishing can be challenging. There are good numbers of standard hatchery-sized rainbows, browns and brook trout. Big fish are known to stake claim to the best holding water. For a few days after a stocking, the usual flashy “junk food” flies are effective, but Nantahala fish switch to more natural behaviors in a hurry. Fall and winter bring out winter stoneflies, blue-winged olives, midges and maybe even a few small caddis. Spring ushers in a riot of bug life and excellent dry fly fishing.

The Return of a

CHAUGA RIVER, SOUTH CAROLINA

The Chauga River is one of several good backcountry streams in Upstate South Carolina. It features some 20 miles of remote, lightly pressured water known for brown trout. This time of year, the Chauga’s 3-mile-long DH stretch is where it’s at.

Nick Carter is the author of “Flyfisher’s Guide to North Carolina & Georgia.” It is available on Amazon.com, and autographed copies are available by emailing the author at nsc8957@gmail.com.

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10/8/20 12:17 PM

Flip Flip Hooray! A perfect symbol of fun in the sun for only $79

ere’s a memorable beach moment: You’re basking in the warm sun, toes in the sand, letting the gentle turn of the foam-capped waves lull you into a state of complete relaxation. As your eyes scan the endless horizon of blue on blue, you’re rewarded with a school of dolphins making their way across the sea. There’s no denying their signature shape as they leap from the water. If you don’t see anything else extraordinary the rest of day, you can take solace knowing you’ve witnessed one of nature’s most playful and intelligent creatures in their natural habitat. Why not recreate that special toes-in-the-sand moment with our Blue Topaz Dolphin Pendant? The beloved sea mammal has been captured mid-jump in sterling silver. And, tucked into its fins is a full two carats of shimmering blue topaz. Nothing captures the shimmering color of the ocean in the midday sun like blue topaz. With its sparkling clear blue color and high refractive index, blue topaz is one of the top-selling blue gemstones. And with our special price, you have quite the catch. Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. Enjoy the Blue Topaz Dolphin Pendant for 30 days. If it doesn’t pass the test swimmingly, send it back for a full refund of the item price.

A full two carats of shimmering blue topaz set in sterling silver

Limited Reserves. A full two carats of genuine blue topaz set in sterling silver for this price is as rare as a dolphin sighting. We cannot guarantee availability for long. Call today!

Limited to the first 1900 responders to this ad only! To show exquisite details, pendant shown is not exact size. Chain sold separately.

“Enormously popular, significantly intelligent and scientifically sophisticated, dolphins are amidst the most beloved animals among people.” — Dolphins-World

Blue Topaz Dolphin Pendant non-offer code price $395 † Offer Code Price Only $79 + S&P Save $316!

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“This sterling silver dolphin is absolutely beautiful and the blue topaz is like the color of the ocean”

— Vivian, Cabool, MO

† Special price only for customers using the offer code versus the price on Stauer.com without your offer code.

Stauer

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® 14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. DPP292-01, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337

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• 2 ctw blue topaz; ½ ctw Ultimate Diamond Alternative®, DiamondAura® • .925 sterling silver setting • Sterling silver chain sold separately

Stauer… Afford the Extraordinary.®

Bad to the Bone Full tang stainless steel blade with natural bone handle —now ONLY $79!

he very best hunting knives possess a perfect balance of form and function. They’re carefully constructed from fine materials, but also have that little something extra to connect the owner with nature. If you’re on the hunt for a knife that combines impeccable craftsmanship with a sense of wonder, the $79 Huntsman Blade is the trophy you’re looking for. The blade is full tang, meaning it doesn’t stop at the handle but extends to the length of the grip for the ultimate in strength. The blade is made from 420 surgical steel, famed for its sharpness and its resistance to corrosion. The handle is made from genuine natural bone, and features decorative wood spacers and a hand-carved motif of two overlapping feathers— a reminder for you to respect and connect with the natural world. This fusion of substance and style can garner a high price tag out in the marketplace. In fact, we found full tang, stainless steel blades with bone handles in excess of $2,000. Well, that won’t cut it around here. We have mastered the hunt for the best deal, and in turn pass the spoils on to our customers. But we don’t stop there. While supplies last, we’ll include a pair of $99 8x21 power compact binoculars and a genuine leather sheath FREE when you purchase the Huntsman Blade. Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Feel the knife in your hands, wear it on your hip, inspect the impeccable craftsmanship. If you don’t feel like we cut you a fair deal, send it back within 30 days for a complete refund of the item price. Limited Reserves. A deal like this won’t last long. We have only 1120 Huntsman Blades for this ad only. Don’t let this BONUS! Call today and beauty slip through your fingers. Call today! you’ll also receive this

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What Stauer Clients Are Saying About Our Knives

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“The feel of this knife is unbelievable...this is an incredibly fine instrument.” — H., Arvada, CO

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shown *Discount is only for customers who useNot the offer code versus the actual size. listed original Stauer.com price.

California residents please call 1-800-333-2045 regarding Proposition 65 regulations before purchasing this product. • 12" overall length; 6 ¹⁄2" stainless steel full tang blade • Genuine bone handle with brass hand guard & bolsters • Includes genuine leather sheath

Stauer… Afford the Extraordinary.®