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Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events PHOTO COURTESY OF KACIE OLSEN “KNOCKOUTDOORS” VOLUME 23 • ISSUE 283

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BOOST YOUR CATCH w/RezBoostTM Technology

Interested in getting the most out of your own trusted transducer, or not sure you’re ready for the expense of installing a new CHIRP transducer? Furuno has a solution that will get the very best performance from your traditional narrowband transducer. Our RezBoostTM Fish Finders deliver clearer images than ever before, we’re talking up to 8x sharper. Whether it’s NavNet TZtouch2 or the FCV588/FCV628 stand-alone Fish Finders, RezBoostTM will boost your catch!

Get up to 8x sharper resolution, using a standard narrow band transducer, to more clearly define fish targets.

Assess individual fish size and depth based on echo strength for fish from 4 inches to over 6 feet.

Identify the sea floor composition from four types (Rocks/Sand/Gravel/Mud).

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THE LIGHTEST PENN REEL EVER MADE The Lightest PENN Reel Ever Made. The all new Conflict II matches an extremely light weight design with PENN’s legendary durability. Featuring our RR30 body, CNC Gear Technology and HT-100 Drag system, the Conflict II is the ultimate inshore reel.

PENNFISHING.COM COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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EDITOR IN CHIEF : Ben Martin • camads@coastalanglermagazine.com COO : Tracy Patterson • tracy@coastalanglermagazine.com ART DIRECTOR : Rebecca Snowden • graphics@coastalanglermagazine.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR : Nick Carter • editorial@coastalanglermagazine.com WEBMASTER : Nick Barna • webmaster@coastalanglermagazine.comw ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: Corporate Headquarters info@coastalanglermagazine.com • 888-800-9794

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GULF COAST MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST : Adam Nelson • (228) 627-5903 • anelson@coastalanglermagazine.com Toby Nelson • (228) 623-1761 • tnelson@coastalanglermagazine.com ALABAMA/PENSACOLA : Paul Caruso • (239) 980-7738 • paul@coastalanglermagazine.com

GREAT LAKES WEST MICHIGAN : Phil Belsito • (616) 957-1714 • phil@theanglermagazine.com

INTERNATIONAL PUERTO RICO/VIRGIN ISLANDS : Ace Bassue • (407) 285-9453 • ace@coastalanglermagazine.com COSTA RICA : Mike Erickson • (561) 262-2242 • mike@coastalanglermagazine.com © 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Disclaimer: Coastal Angler Magazine / The Angler Magazine will not be held liable for injuries incurred while partaking in activities described herein, or for claims made against products or services provided by advertisers. SAFETY

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REPOWER FINANCE Six Years of Protection at no extra charge on all new outboards 25 to 350 HP.

Instant Savings of up to $800 on select models. See your dealer for details.

Rates as low as 5.99% on new Suzuki outboards on approved credit.*

For a limited time, get Suzuki Extended Protection, Instant Savings and attractive financing on select Suzuki outboards from 25 to 350 horspower. See your participating Suzuki Marine dealer for details or visit www.suzukimarine.com.

Gimme Six Extended Protection promo is applicable to new Suzuki Outboard Motors from 25 to 350 HP in inventory which are sold and delivered to buyer between 07/01/18 and 09/30/18 in accordance with the promotion by a Participating Authorized Suzuki Marine dealer in the continental US and Alaska to a purchasing customer who resides in the continental US or Alaska. Customer should expect to receive an acknowledgement letter and full copy of contract including terms, conditions and wallet card from Suzuki Extended Protection within 90 days of purchase. If an acknowledgement letter is not received in time period stated, contact Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. – Marine Marketing via email: marinepromo@suz.com. The Gimme Six Promotion is available for pleasure use only, and is not redeemable for cash. Instant Savings apply to qualifying purchases of select Suzuki Outboard Motors made between 07/01/18 and 09/30/18. For list of designated models, see participating Dealer or visit www.suzukimarine.com. Instant Savings must be applied against the agreed-upon selling price of the outboard motor and reflected in the bill of sale. (Suzuki will, in turn, credit Dealer’s parts account.) There are no model substitutions, benefit substitutions, rain checks, or extensions. Suzuki reserves the right to change or cancel these promotions at any time without notice or obligation. * Financing offers available through Synchrony Retail Finance. As low as 5.99% APR financing for 60 months on new and unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors. Subject to credit approval. Not all buyers will qualify. Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on credit worthiness. $19.99/month per $1,000 financed for 60 months is based on 5.99% APR. Hypothetical figures used in calculation; your actual monthly payment may differ based on financing terms, credit tier qualification, accessories or other factors such as down payment and fees. Offer effective on new, unregistered Suzuki Outboard Motors purchased from a participating authorized Suzuki dealer between 07/01/18 and 09/30/18. “Gimme Six”, the Suzuki “S” and model names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. © 2018 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.

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The Rise of Patrick Sebile and his Band of Anglers

By Ben Martin, Editor In Chief

or those who are familiar with legendary angler and lure inventor Patrick Sebile, it comes as no surprise that he would once again enter the realm of lure and fishing tackle manufacturing and development. A review of his contributions, influence and participation in the world of fishing is a testament to this man’s unmatched devotion and passionate dedication to every element of the sport. A brief review of the Patrick Sebile bona fides: • Holder of nearly 370 records (IGFA, EFSA & FFPM), such as largemouth bass world record by length, but also guided for more than 200 record catches like the All Tackle IGFA tarpon of 286 pounds, 9 ounces. • Top 10 all time biggest fish ever caught. • Voted one of the 10 best anglers in the world several times. • Once voted the world’s best saltwater captain. • Travelled and fished 64 countries to date. • Image/photo on more than 190 magazine covers. • Ranked No. 2 in IGFA’s “most species caught” with 774 different species. • Published in more than 800 magazines, newspapers and journals. • Inventor of more than 200 lures, rods, hooks, reels and various fishing tackle. • Author of seven books. With this extraordinary industry involvement and a lifetime of a passionate love for all aspects of fishing, it seems only natural and appropriate that Mr. Sebile would reunite with the fishing industry under the banner of A Band of Anglers. Welcome back, Patrick. Yes, your new lures are remarkable… as are you.

KEEP IT GENUINE PRECISION PROTECTION Whether you take your boat out to the lake or the ocean, your 4-stroke outboard needs ECSTAR Suzuki Semi-Synthetic Engine Oil so it can run long and strong. ECSTAR features special additives that protect the engine in harsh salt and fresh water environments, advanced detergents that keep engine parts clean, and viscosity index improvements that help the engine start in cold conditions. No matter where your next boat ride takes you, go confidently with ECSTAR.

RUN LONG. RUN CLEAN. RUN STRONG.

Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-Approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual. Suzuki, the Suzuki “S” ECSTAR and Suzuki model and product names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. © 2018 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.

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For over a century, a league of canned crusaders have been fighting to keep boats safe from barnacles, slime, algae and other aquatic evils that rob your boat of its true performance. With advanced know-how and unique capabilities, each antifouling is tailored to different conditions, and has the power to defeat fouling in all its forms. Micron® WA is a water-based formula that’s powered with advanced Water Activated Matrix technology to efficiently release active ingredients over time for valiant multi-season protection. Micron® WA is easy to apply and clean up, making it ideal for boaters in all waters and regions. For super-powered antifouling protection and proven performance, choose Interlux®.

The hero your boat deserves!

All trademarks mentioned are owned by, or licensed to, the AkzoNobel group of companies. © AkzoNobel 2018.

interlux.com

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Coastal Angler & The Angler Magazine’s Best Of

I eScope noptix Liv a P in m r a G T 2018 w At ICAS o h S f O t s Wins Be

CAST is the world’s largest fishing trade show. Each year one of the highlights of the show is the New Product Showcase, in which companies roll out their newest and best. Coastal Angler and The Angler were there at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center in July, sifting through all the offerings of the ICAST New Product Showcase. The following are ICAST winners as well as the new products we feel are some of the most innovative, functional and… frankly impressive, offerings of the year.

ICAST 2018 OVERALL Best OF SHOW AWARD Garmin Panoptix Livescope

or anglers, sonar technology is the most rapidly advancing and functional tool in the boat when it comes to catching more and better fish. At the Orlando ICAST in July, Garmin blew the lid off the electronics industry with the introduction of its new Panoptix LiveScope. At the world’s largest sportfishing trade show, the most anticipated event each year is the New Product Showcase, in which companies present their latest and greatest in hopes of being named Best of Category. Awards are decided by a vote of media in attendance, and the Panoptix Livescope was not only awarded “Best Electonics,” it was named “Best of Show” out of 974 new products introduced in 2018. “To not only win the ICAST Best Electronics award, but the Best of Show award, too—it’s an honor we’re incredibly proud of,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales. “Panoptix LiveScope delivers the best of both scanning and live sonar technologies, and there’s nothing out there even close to it. These awards solidify our commitment to giving anglers and mariners the most innovative technology on the water, and they further strengthen our desire to be the top marine electronics brand in the world.” Panoptix LiveScope is a live-scanning sonar that gives anglers higher resolution and easier-to-interpret images of structure, bait and fish swimming below and around the boat than ever before. Garmin’s revolutionary Panoptix all-seeing sonar technology was the first to deliver live sonar images in real-time—forwards, backwards, sideways and below the boat—even while stationary. Now, thanks to the active scanning capabilities of Panoptix LiveScope, anglers can see images and movement so clear and precise that it’s even possible to distinguish between species of fish. “Panoptix changed the electronics game a couple of years ago,” said Jason Christie, Bassmaster Elite Series and Garmin pro. “Now, LiveScope is even taking it to the next level. The cool thing about it is the simplicity of it. What you see is what is there. The only picture that could be better is if you dive into the water with goggles, and I’m not sure that’s really even better.” Like other Garmin Panoptix transducers, LiveScope features two modes in one transducer—LiveScope Down and LiveScope Forward— and can be installed on a trolling motor or the transom. Depending on

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the angler’s fishing preferences and techniques, LiveScope can easily be adjusted to change views. Point the LiveScope transducer down to see directly below the boat or forward to see around the boat. Either view provides incredibly sharp, real-time scanning sonar images up to 200 feet out, even when the boat is stationary. The Panoptix LiveScope system includes a compact GLS 10 sonar black box with an LVS32 transducer and a simple plug-and-play Garmin Marine Network connector for easy installation and integration with a compatible Garmin chartplotter. A trolling motor barrel and shaft mounting kit and a transom mounting kit are also included.

www.GARMIN.com/PANOPTIX Best Tackle Management Lure Lock Lure Locker

A patented gel material paved the way for one of the most innovative tackle management solutions on the market. Lure Lock’s Lure Locker was awarded “Best Tackle Management” at ICAST 2018. Lure Lock’s proprietary ELASTAK GEL securely holds lures and terminal tackle in place. Even with the lid of a Lure Lock case open, you can turn it upside down and shake it and your lures stay in the box. Don’t believe it? Go to the website and watch the videos. The Lure Locker was designed to allow anglers to keep all their Lure Lock cases organized and ready. Constructed with durable ABS plastic, the Lure Locker securely stores up to five Lure Lock cases for ease of transport. It is available in three models, each designed to accept its corresponding Lure Lock case. The Lure Locker is also designed to hang on a wall or pegboard when not in use. The Lure Locker will be available at www.lurelock.com, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Academy, Sportsman’s Warehouse, Scheel’s, Mill’s Fleet Farm, Field & Stream, Tackle Warehouse, Tackle Direct and independent sporting goods dealers. Different Lure Locker models have an MSRP range from $24.99 to $34.99.

www.lurelock.com

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Best Saltwater Lure Ocean Born Flying Series Ocean Born Lures has come out with two new hardbaits destined to become go-to lures for anglers who love fooling saltwater fish with artificials. What else would you expect from the brainchild of awardwinning tackle designer Patrick Sebile and his company A Band Of Anglers? The Flying Pencill 160 and the Flying Popper 140 were designed to dramatically increase casting distance while also improving action. Each model features design elements that allow them to slice through the air to reach fish other lures can’t. Once they splash down, these lures are incredibly versatile. The Flying Pencill 160 has a common body shape but uncommon castability and action. Side wings enhance aerodynamics and provide lift once in the water. Reduced air friction ribs, which work like dimples

Best SUP Body Glove Mariner Need an SUP designed specifically for fishing? Want one that’s completely portable, allowing you to launch wherever there’s access to water? The Body Glove Mariner is a groundbreaking fishing-specific inflatable standup paddleboard that caters to both casual fishing enthusiasts and hardcore anglers. Designed by paddling champion and recreational fisherman Luke Hopkins, this feature-rich board is the ideal paddling platform for the active angler. From the backwaters to the bays, it will stealthily take you where you need to go, which is where most other anglers can’t go. Once you get there, the Mariner is a perfect fishing platform.

on a golf ball, reduce air resistance and add water turbulence. An angler can pop, spit, walk the dog, surface skip or slow swim below the surface with the Flying Pencill. The Flying Popper 140 is a leap forward in design for the classic narrow-neck popper. It’s perfect for all conditions, including rough water and current. It utilizes the same side wings and ribs as the Flying Pencill for the same performance enhancements during cast and retrieve. It can pop, spit, walk or create a bubble trail, and comes in Floating, Sinking and Super Long Distance models. Both the Flying Pencil and the Flying Popper come in eight fishcatching colors. With extreme castability and nearly unlimited versatility, these two lures are a game-changer for saltwater lures.

www.abandofanglers.com The Mariner is durable, stable, convenient to transport and can be customized to suit your fishing preferences. It features attachment points to add any one of over 70 Railblaza fishing accessories, including rod holders. The Mariner includes an anchor line guide system, cooler tie-downs, permanent, unbreakable fins and a patented multi-purpose handle to hold a water bottle or the included adjustable 3-piece paddle. The Mariner comes with a cell phone dry bag, a pump, an ankle leash and a wheeled backpack.

www.bodyglove.com

Best Affordable Saltwater Rods Enigma Rods With a trio of high-performing and affordable new saltwater rods, Enigma is bringing the performance and durability of its freshwater rods to the salt. With the Flats Master, Jetty Master and Saltwater Performance Series, Enigma has built rods to tangle with everything from inshore trout and snook to monsters hiding in the surf. Flats Master rods retail for just $99.99 and are available in six spinning models designed to tackle snook, redfish and trout with quality design, cutting-edge technology, and top-grade saltwater components. Lightweight and durable, select Flats Master rods feature a gimbal butt. Jetty Master rods are ideal for anglers who fish in extreme

Best Spinning Reel PENN Spinfisher VI The PENN Spinfisher is more than 50 years old and still going strong. The latest version introduced this year, the Spinfisher VI, is more durable, even better sealed from water and features the CNC Gear system to handle the heaviest of loads. It’s available in array of models, one of which is perfectly suited to the fishing you do. Updated with IPX5 sealing, the Spinfisher VI keeps saltwater out of the gearbox and drag system. Whether it gets hit by a wave or rides in the spray all the way home, there’s no need to worry.

Best Fishing Line PowerPro Super8Slick V2 Re-engineered with added abrasion toughness, the new PowerPro Super8Slick V2 braided fishing line combines a new eight-end dense weave fiber construction with proven ‘Enhanced Body Technology’ (EBT) process. The new braid is offered in nine different pound test designations. As with the original Super8Slick braid, the new ‘V2’ version is the smoothest, softest and longest-casting braid in the PowerPro line. Its use of Honeywell Spectra fiber provides a stronger, tougher braid, while the PowerPro EBT process makes the Super8Slick V2 structurally rounder. The process floods propriety resin through the finished braid, resulting

conditions, with big surf and big jigs. This collection of rods leverages the latest in design and technology to provide extraordinary performance not available anywhere else for $149.99. Designed for maximum casting distance and superior fishfighting performance, it is the meeting point of value and functionality. Saltwater Performance Series (SPS) rods are designed for extreme pounding of sand, surf and salt. They provide a pinnacle of performance for an affordable price of $179.99. SPS rods are designed to provide incredible casting distance along with exceptional performance for anglers seeking the best quality rod and the best price point.

www.EnigmaFishing.com

Housed within a fully sealed spool, PENN’s HT-100 drag washers supply the stopping power needed for big saltwater fish. A full metal body and sideplate keep the CNC Gear System in precise alignment under heavy loads. Available in standard, Live Liner, Long Cast and bail-less models, the Spinfisher VI has all the durability and performance anglers have come to expect from PENN, only better.

www.pennfishing.com in a smoother line that reduces backlashes, increases casting distance, makes it easier to tie knots, and offers superior strength to size ratio. Super8Slick V2 is extremely silent as it passes over the rod guides. With multiple color options in nine line tests, from 8-lb. to 80-lb., Super8Slick V2 braid offers superior performance for all anglers, in fresh or salt. It is available in 100, 150- and 300-yards spools and 1500- and 3000-yard bulk filler spools.

www.PowerPro.com

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Best Boat Seat Llebroc Industries Series 2 Helm Chair ICAST had a lot of newcomers as well as industry leaders. Among the leaders is Llebroc Industries. Greg Carman and his team have created the highest quality seats, benches and other boating accessories throughout the marine industry. Anyone who has ever sat in a Llebroc chair can attest to the quality and comfort that goes into every product. Llebroc Series 2 Helm Chairs come with an array of options. Whether you are in a cabin or riding in a center console, your chair will withstand the elements and keep your ride comfortable. Depending on how you drive, you can sit in style or lean in comfort with the Flip Bolster

option. Just raise your seat and lean back into a secure rest. Comfort is not the only benefit Llebroc has to offer. Customize your seats to match your boat with a wide array of color options. Choose the style of stitching, materials, or embroidery for your home away from home. From start to finish Llebroc ensures your seats are specifically tailored to suit your needs. Once you choose Llebroc Industries, you will never look back.

www.llebroc.com

Best Tackle TRANSPORT

Plano’s new A-Series 2.0 fish contained but at your fingertips with oversized, Tackle Bag is as functional as it is molded zippers. The bag also sports a large exterior good looking. mesh pocket. With four 3650 Stowaway boxes, it is the ideal Soft corners and a padded shoulder strap make the bag for a day on the stream or paddling to a secret bag comfortable to carry at your side while wading or fishing location. The boxes act as separate storage hiking. The strap is removable, adding more options devices to hold the basics or hand-picked tackle for for stowing, while the 1.5-inch heavy-duty molded a day on the water. hardware improves ergonomics while dramatically The main compartment is easily accessed improving strength. with an adjustable metal snap closure. The top The Plano A-Series offers complete storage compartment of the bag is expandable, allowing solutions for the serious angler. The A-Series includes extra capacity for raingear, other soft-side tackle classically styled bags in a backpack, duffel, and three bags and a quick shore lunch. Side and front tackle bag options. compartments hold the tools you’ll need when you land a www.planomolding.com

Plano A-Series 2.0 Tackle Bag

Best Lure System

Odin Lure Company Frigg Popper/Fish Smack Odin Lure Company’s novel approach appeals to all of a fish’s senses. They’ve equipped productive lures with a BaitWell that holds a powerful scent attractant called Fish Smack. The Frigg 1.5-oz. Floating Top-Water Popper walks seductively across glassy water to bring home the bacon with the addition of Fish Smack. Inject Fish Smack into the integral BaitWell and ring the dinner bell for your targeted species. You will call in stripers, pike, mahi-mahi and more. Like your favorite BFF, work this in the mornings and evenings, when it’s dead quiet. Built like a brick outhouse with super strong VMC hooks and Wolverine triple wrap snap rings, this lure will handle big trophy fish muscle and speed.

• 5.5” long X 1” thick body. • Cupped face churns a ton of water. • Incredible walking, popping action. • Has an integrated rechargeable BaitWell. • Houses a fish attracting rattle chamber. • Leaves an irresistible Fish Smack scent trail. Odin Lure Company partnered with BioEdge Fishing Products to make Fish Smack attractant. It’s the perfect mixture, designed for the BaitWell on all Odin lures. The grease-like mix slowly releases scent as the lure is retrieved. Fish Smack attracts fish from afar and stimulates them to feed. It also masks undesirable scents like gas and sunscreen.

www.odinlures.com

Best Kids’ Apparel

Local Boy Sharpe Angler Dress Shirt Your little fishing buddy will look as sharp as he is comfortable, whether it’s on the deck of the boat, attending church, school or a weekend play date. Local Boy’s Sharpe Angler Dress Shirt is the go-to youth shirt for fall. This button-down dress shirt is truly fit for any occasion. Crafted from 100 percent lightweight cotton material and featuring a fishing-style vent back, the Sharpe Angler shirt offers breathable, allday comfort that’ll keep Little Locals feeling cool,

while still looking sharp. If it gets warm, Little Locals can roll up their sleeves with the side-button roll-cuffs, providing versatility in style and wear as the seasons change. Accented with the embroidered dog-and-moon logo, the Sharpe Angler Dress Shirt is available in two plaid patterns: Green/Blue/White and Blue/Mango/ White. Sizes start at Youth X-Small (4T) up to Youth X-Large.

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Best Cutlery Outdoor Edge ReelFlex Pak Outdoor Edge’s new ReelFlex Pak is the ultimate fillet knife kit for the serious fisherman. The kit includes three fillet knives, in 6-, 7.5- and 9.5-inch blade lengths so you have the right knife to match your catch. Designed to meet the cutting demands for all fresh and saltwater species, the knives are crafted from German 4116 stainless steel, known for its corrosion resistance and excellent edge retention. The blades are double tempered to provide a consistent flex and taper, ground to eliminate friction and promote an effortless cut while filleting fish. The handles incorporate Jerry Hossom’s iconic design and ergonomics with the safety and function fishermen need. The handles are constructed of blue rubberized TPR to ensure a comfortable, non-slip grip, even when your hands are wet and slimy and also feature a polypropylene core for the

Best Eyewear Unsinkable Polarized Rival Sunglasses

correct amount of rigidity. Everyone hates a dull knife, so Outdoor Edge has included a two-stage knife sharpener to keep your edges razor sharp. Finally, Outdoor Edge designed a durable hard-side carry case to keep you organized on the boat and at the dock. With an MSRP of $64.95, be sure to look for the ReelFlex Pak this fall and holiday season.

www.outdooredge.com

The featured Rival sunglasses are in Raven color with a ColorBlast Grey Lens. These are perfect for spending long days on the water because of their larger fit and full-wrap coverage. The ColorBlast polarized lens technology filters blue light, which makes colors blast. Rivals retail for about $139. For more details on all styles, colors, and technology, visit the Unsinkable Polarized website.

Unsinkable Polarized had a groundbreaking, and perhaps a little crazy, idea. Because they are so confident in their products being the ultimate watersports sunglasses, they offer them with a Lifetime + Loss Warranty. With floating frames, all polarized lenses and that warranty, there should be nothing stopping anyone from getting a pair of Unsinkable Polarized sunglasses. Unsinkable developed a naturally buoyant frame material known as Vaporlite. It floats, it’s 20 percent lighter than what most sunglasses are made of, yet the frames retain the look and feel of ordinary sunglasses. And in the unlikely event that your Unsinkables float away, the ground-breaking Lifetime + Loss Warranty has you completely covered. www.unsinkablepolarized.com

Best Boating Accessory Minn Kota Built-In MEGA Down Imaging For the first time, anglers have the option of a trolling motor with built-in Down Imaging sonar. Minn Kota’s new Built-In MEGA Down Imaging earned “Best Boating Accessory” at ICAST 2018. Anglers can select a Minn Kota Ulterra, Terrova, Ultrex or Fortrex with the Humminbird Down Imaging transducer integrated into the trolling motor. Humminbird’s ultra-clear MEGA Imaging is the first Down Imaging technology to enter the megahertz range with performance nearly three times greater than traditional 455 kHz frequencies. It results in the clearest, sharpest on-screen images ever seen. With Built-In MEGA Down Imaging, the transducer is housed in the indestructible lower motor unit and the wiring runs through the composite shaft providing clean rigging that is protected from wear and tear.

Best Towing Accessory B&W Tow & Stow Adjustable Ball Mount B&W’s Tow & Stow Adjustable Ball Mount is the most innovative product in recent history when it comes to towing. It seems B&W thought of everything when they designed this receiver hitch. Because of that, it’ll be the last one you’ll ever buy. The Tow & Stow is adjustable to the height of your trailer, which is an important safety consideration, and it’s also super convenient for folks who have different trailers. Whether you’re pulling your boat, camper or equipment trailer, the Tow & Stow quickly and easily adjusts to the proper height, making towing less stressful and safer. For the same reasons, multiple ball sizes accommodate your boat, lawn mower or ATV trailer. This one hitch can be locked into your

As part of the OneBoat Network, Minn Kota trolling motors with BuiltIn MEGA Down Imaging feature i-Pilot Link GPS technology. Anglers can operate their trolling motor from the Humminbird unit, the app or the i-Pilot remote to “follow” a contour at a set speed with the press of a button. The new trolling motors are compatible with Humminbird SOLIX, second generation HELIX, and ONIX models and will be available in fall.

www.MinnKotaMotors.com receiver, and you don’t ever have to worry about changing ball mounts. The Tow & Stow also stows behind the bumper when not in use. This will save wear and tear on your shins and garage doors. With steel construction and a two-step ecoat and powdercoat finish, the Tow & Stow is bombproof and 100-percent made in America with stainless steel pins. It is available in multiple drops and shank sizes with two or three ball size combinations. It is also available in black, chrome and Browning colors.

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Team Murderized with the catch that won last year’s Wahoo Smackdown.

imini Big Game Club Resort and Marina is pleased to announce dates for this year’s Wahoo Smackdown fishing tournament. Slated to take place Nov. 8-11, this year’s event will feature the same prizes, parties and access to Bimini’s plentiful wahoo that have made this one of the most prestigious and popular fishing tournaments in The Bahamas. Just 50 miles east of south Florida in The Bahamas, Bimini is considered by many to be the “Sport Fishing Capital” of the world. More than 50 record-setting catches have been made in the waters surrounding Bimini Big Game Club, which has long been a favorite destination for anglers, including famed author, Ernest Hemingway. This year’s tournament, which will be led by longtime Bimini Big Game Club dockmaster Captain Robbie Smith, will kick-off Thursday, Nov. 8 with a captain’s meeting and conclude on Nov. 11 with an awards gala. The registration fee is $1,500 per boat (this includes four anglers, tournament shirts and entry to all of the tournament’s social events). Additional anglers (anything more than four) are $250 each. Extra social tickets are $150 each. Total payout is $25,000 based on 25 registered boats. The Registration fee is 100 percent refundable if the tournament is canceled due to weather. A $300 instant credit will be issued to participants who book both hotel and boat slip at Bimini Big Game Club for a minimum of four consecutive nights. The $300 credit can be used against the guests’ total resort bill. Sponsors for this year’s tournament include American Beverage Marketers www.masterofmixes.com as the Title Sponsor, Bahamian Brewery and Beverage (Sands) www.bahamianbrewery. com, artist David Dunleavy www.dunleavyart.com and Tropic Ocean Airways www.flytropic.com. To register, visit www.wahoosmackdown.net. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Beth Watson at BWatson@biggameclubbimini.com or call (954) 467-1231.

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8/20/18 11:50 AM

By Capt. Joseph Ierna Jr. • Photo Caption: Boats moored in one of the ECLSP Mooring Fields, which help to protect the seabed of the park.

he Bahamas National Trust is the only non-governmental organization in the world mandated to manage a country’s entire national park system, which includes 32 national parks that protect over 2.2 million acres of Bahamian biodiversity. The Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park was the first National Park in The Bahamas and was the first to be designated as a “No Take” marine reserve in the wider Caribbean in 1986. Protected by The Bahamas National Trust since 1959, the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park provides a look back at how coral reefs once were and a glimmer of hope for the future. Seen from the surface, the waters of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park are enchanting, with more shades of blue than Crayola offers. The real magic, however, is under the water where vibrant reefs teem with life. This is the result of almost 60 years of protection as a marine park.

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In 1986, the Bahamas National Trust took the bold step of making the park a no-take marine reserve. The success of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park for protecting populations of key species and preserving the health of coral reef ecosystems is a testament to the foresight of its founders, who recommended protecting an entire landscape. This includes islands, nearshore habitats, like mangroves and seagrass beds that serve as nursery areas for many species, inshore and offshore reefs, and deep-sea areas. In doing so, they recognized how all of these areas are connected and how effective conservation includes protecting intact ecosystems rather than small pieces. In the 1980s the idea of ecosystem protection was advanced further by making the park a refuge for marine life where any removal of marine life or other resources was prohibited. Active management of users by The Bahamas National Park, including patrols of the park and installation of moorings for visitors to prevent damage from anchoring in sensitive areas has further promoted conservation of the park, resulting in the healthy reefs and marine life that we see today. The Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park is not without its threats, however, illegal poaching remains an issue in some parts of the park. As the wonders of the park attract more visitors, balancing ecosystem protection with visitor use is also a challenge. The case of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park highlights the ability of a large and well-managed marine park to not just preserve the beauty of an area, but also provide critical protection to marine life to maintain the delicate balance and health of coral reefs and other marine ecosystems. The Bahamas National Trust is a non-governmental, non-profit, membership organization working to protect Bahamian natural resources by building a network of national parks and promoting environmental stewardship. For more information, visit https://bnt.bs/donate/ or contact Lynn Gape: lgape@bnt.bs.

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8/20/18 11:50 AM

Sheri Daye

ahis, with their dazzling colors, are one of the most beautiful and tasty fish in the sea. They are pelagic and roam the open ocean, spawning year-round in the warm ocean currents. They reach sexual maturity quickly and spawn two to three times per year, releasing up to a million eggs. The good news is they are a fast-growing and abundant species, which makes them an ideal target for conservation-minded hunters. More good news—they are a perfect “starter fish” for anglers who want to give spearfishing a try. Most hook-and-line anglers are already experts at finding them, often looking for seaweed or floating debris. Whether you want to jump in because they are not biting, or you simply want to try something new, bluewater diving can be an exhilarating experience. When jumping on a weedline, you are treated to a beautiful sight of crystal blue water, bright orange Sargasso weed, and cute little jacks and sea creatures who will come by to check you out. It’s even more spectacular when you see the brightly colored mahi show up. They swim at the surface, so you don’t have to be an expert freediver to hunt them. They are not overly wary, if you don’t spook them. I always tell people, “pretend you are a log, and let them come to you.” Here are some tips for landing a mahi: 1. Use the right equipment. Even though you are at the surface, deeper water requires bluewater equipment with surface floatation (in case you spear a big one and it decides to go down). The float will do the work for you. Your local dive shop should be happy to advise you on the right set-up. 2. Use flashers and chum to increase your chances of attract-

FLORIDA

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ing them. Dive shops carry readymade flashers that hang from a float, or you can make your own (instructions online). 3. Move in a slow and relaxed way. Mahi are fast swimmers, reaching up to 55 mph, so if you do scare them, you will not catch them. 4. Extend your speargun slowly and take careful aim. If they are close and not moving fast, aim for the head (killshot). If they are far, aim for center mass. 5. As most anglers know, once on a line, mahis are fast, flashy and acrobatic. When speared, they sometimes make figure-eight moves, rather than swimming straight away from you like most other fish. Do not let them circle or make loops around you – just swim away from them and keep tension on the line. 6. Once a mahi is tired and ready to be subdued, hold it by the gills. 7. Once you’ve mastered spearing mahis with a speargun, you can try using a polespear for an added challenge. Sheri is a world-record holder, host of Speargun Hunter, and producer of “The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo” in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Follow “Sheri Daye” and “The Blue Wild” on Facebook and Instagram.

For more Sheri Daye, go to

CAMSPEARFISHING.COM

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OWNER’S EDGE ADVANTAGE SUZUKI REPOWER THE ALTERNATIVE TO BUYING A NEW BOAT With the Mastry RePower Centers Owner’s Edge the benefits extend long past just buying a motor. When you purchase a new Suzuki outboard from an authorized Marstry RePower Center you qualify to become a member of the Mastry Suzuki Owner’s Edge. You receive an identification card that provides you with important information about your Suzuki outboard motor as well as a passport to additional benefits during ownership. Members enjoy the following benefits and there will be more to come: · • Detailed Engine Maintenance Schedule - Owner’s Edge members receive a detailed Suzuki factory engine maintenance schedule that spans the life of your motor which includes outlines of the special member pricing. • Suzuki Repower Trade Allowance Program - A trade allowance program that provides members a trade allowance based on age and hours of your Suzuki outboard. • Special Pricing - Including special pricing on Reverso Pumps Automatic Flushing System.

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Access weather and fishing data via satellite up to 200 miles from the contiguous U.S. shoreline.

SiriusXM Marine Weather overlays directly on your chartplotter while fishing coastal or offshore waters and provides two vital services for anglers. First, and most importantly, it helps you detect, monitor and avoid bad weather without needing a cell signal. Storms can build quickly at sea, and the numerous, selectable overlay options within the SiriusXM menu let you tailor the display to your desired level to increase your comfort and situational awareness aboard. Secondly, SiriusXM overlays graphic displays of sea surface temperature contours to help you locate where bait fish might be stacked up, giving you a definitive edge when trying to find the bite. With key information needed to find the locations in which fish are most likely to appear, anglers can save time and fuel while fishing.

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FLY FISHING

his is a good question. An answer, however, is not a simple matter, as there are some specific characteristics to be considered. Baitfish If you are using a fly that imitates the movements of a baitfish, it is recommended that where and when possible, you observe the behavior patterns of actual baitfish. How fast are they swimming? Are they swimming in schools or small groups when being chased by game fish? Are they stunned by game fish before being eaten as they are sinking, or in fishing lingo, “on the fall?” Most injured baitfish swim in a frenzied motion, so quick and short strips is the best retrieval method. In conditions where the baitfish are lazily swimming about, try a slower, longer strip to get your adversary’s attention. Keep in mind that baitfish always swim into the current. When fishing from a drifting boat, cast your fly up-current, let it sink and drift in the current until the fly swings at the boat’s stern into its wake. At the end of the drift, allow the fly to gyrate, lifelike, in the current for a few seconds before beginning stripping. This technique often results in a strike, so hang on! Crab or Shrimp If your intent upon attempting to imitate a crab or shrimp, make short, small strips giving the fly the look of a scurrying crab or shrimp. This move usually gets a fish’s attention. Upon spotting the game fish eyeing the fly and beginning his approach, stop the fly, allowing it to sit mo-

tionless. Then move it again in short spurts. This move often results in a hookup. Fish that follow the fly but don’t eat it? A very frustrating incident when saltwater fly fishing is when a fish follows the fly but refuses to strike. Many saltwater gamefish, slashing and contorting, will closely tail a fly right to the rod’s tip without taking the fly. It’s a very frustrating experience that often leads to the angler scratching his head and feeling totally hopeless. There is, however, an easy way to get a picky fish to take the fly. I call it “sweeping the fly.” When a fish has followed the fly to within a few feet of your rod tip (usually you’ll have 5 to 10 feet of line outside the rod tip), lower your rod tip and make a sweeping motion as if you were going to make a side-armed back cast. Don’t pull the fly out of the water, but keep it moving. On the sweep, the fly will move smoothly through the water, doing a great impersonation of a fidgety baitfish attempting to escape a predator. This move enjoys a high percentage of success. The trick is to exercise control over your emotions and not pull the fly from the fish’s mouth when it strikes. The hook set is always very close to you, so be prepared to allow the fish to run. That means being able to manage the fly line as it shoots through the guides.

For more Bowman, go to

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By Sean Hascup Photos by Sam Blount

efore you buy or borrow gear, here are the items in a freediver’s bag and what you need to know about them. Mask: Freedivers use a low-volume mask. There is less space in the mask for air, which means there is less mask squeeze from increasing pressure while descending and a more streamlined design to limit drag. Each face is different, so don’t be discouraged if it takes a few masks to find the perfect fit. Don’t settle for a leaky mask! And remember, with all new masks, put a lighter’s flame to the inside of the lens to remove the factory film from the glass. Wipe it clean, and presto... your mask is much more fog resistant!

Snorkel: Freedive snorkels are straight J snorkels with no splash guards or purges. This design allows full, unhindered inhales and exhales. Clip your snorkel to the back of your mask strap with a zip tie or rubberband. When you break below surface and spit out the snorkel, it will sit streamlined behind your head. Wetsuit: Your wetsuit is your shield against cold, heat, jellyfish, sharp reef and other oceanic irritants. Even if it’s warm, wear a thin wetsuit or rash guard. I rarely dive without at least a 1.5mm suit. There are two types of suits, open cell and closed cell. A closed cell suit traps a thin layer of water around your body, which warms the water to body temperature. Open cell suits create a watertight seal and are typically used for colder water. I recommend a 1.5mm closed cell for warmer climates and a 3 to 5mm open cell for colder water. Fins: Freediving fins are typically two to three times longer than snorkel and scuba fins. They come in plastic, fiberglass and carbon fiber. If you are just getting into freediving, plastic is the most durable and affordable option. Carbon offers the best performance. Fiberglass has twice the performance of plastic and a price tag lower than carbon. Make sure your footpockets are a perfect fit. If they are too loose, you will lose power. If they are too tight, you will get foot cramps. Weight Belt: Being properly weighted is extremely important. The best test is to do a relaxed exhale at the surface with all your equipment and your belt on. You should comfortably float at the surface after the relaxed exhale. It’s always better to be under-weighted than over-weighted. Blackouts are a real danger in freediving, and having too much weight can be fatal. My favorite dive shop has offered a discount to all readers of this article! Shop at www.frontlinefreediving.com with the promo code HascupHunts to save big time on a new setup. They have all the knowledge to get you in properly fitting gear the first time. Sean Hascup is a spearfishing and travel guide at Hascup Hunts International. See his advantures online at www.SpearfishingGuides.com, Facebook.com/HascupHuntsInternational and Instagram.com/Blood_ Sweat_And_Spears. Email him at HascupHunts@Gmail.com.

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ATlantic Snapper

By Roger Walker

ast month, happy days were here again for recreational anglers on the Atlantic coast of the southern United States. Even though it was short lived, there was a red snapper season for two weekends in August. The South Atlantic Marine Fisheries Council (SAMFC) and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) control fisheries in South Atlantic federal waters. In 2010, they shut down the harvest of red snapper based on a 2008 population assessment that determined red snapper were overfished and undergoing overfishing. Since 2010, there have been three other short seasons and a limited-harvest season for anglers to keep red snapper. The seasons consisted of three-day weekends for about 40 days total of red snapper fishing since 2010. So how did it go this season? Well, if you judge it by the fact that tackle shops were running out of tackle, bait and ice; that boat ramps were over-crowded with anglers; that local charters were booked solid, well the answer to the question is: the season went very well. There is a huge positive economic impact when red snapper harvest is allowed. In Florida alone, the total economic impact of recreational fishing exceeds 8 billion dollars a year. So, how do we get a longer season for the South Atlantic? The length of a season is based on the amount of fish available to be caught while leaving enough to sustain populations in the future. It’s based on stock assessments. One of the problems with stock assessments is getting accurate data. One solution could be to charge an additional license fee to anglers who want to fish for offshore reef fish. Give them a Reef Fish endorsement on their regular fishing license. This would give the SAMFC and NOAA more accurate data from a pool of anglers who actually fish for red snapper. Here are a couple of other ideas that have been circulating.

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SEPTEMBER 2018

1) Distribute tags to reef fish-permitted anglers. Catch a fish, tag that fish and keep it. When an angler runs out of tags, he’s done keeping red snapper for the season. This option would spread angling effort over a longer season and relieve the rodeo aspect of a short season. 2) Have a slot size for red snapper. It’s worked for redfish and snook, so why not for red snapper? An angler could only keep fish within a de-

termined slot size. Fish longer or shorter than that slot would be released immediately. The limit could be one fish per day, per angler. Small fish would remain in the population to grow into the slot, and larger fish would be protected to make more small fish. This option would keep anglers on the water year-round. Think of the economic impact. This years’ red snapper season on the east coast was wonderful! There were boats full of anglers everywhere. Some caught big fish. Some caught small fish. Some, well they had a great time trying. If all those boats and anglers ever band together, that’s when fishing for red snapper will truly return.

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8/20/18 11:02 AM

KEVIN MCCARTHY

he use of images on the crests of families or even states and nations can sometimes be very controversial. Families, for example, can argue endlessly over which symbols to use and exactly what those symbols mean. I once saw a dolphin on the coat of arms at Dunluce Castle in northern Ireland, contacted an expert on heraldry, and learned that no one seems to know what the dolphin means. When Northern Rhodesia became a British protectorate in Africa in 1911, officials needed to establish various symbols of power, including a flag, and in time adopted one. The design pictures a fish eagle that can be found on the rivers of that country. The wavy lines may represent the impressive Vi c tor i a Falls there. The eagle holds in its talons a fish which it seems to have recently caught. Amazingly, when the country in 1964 became the Republic of Zambia, officials took away the fish from its coat of arms in the belief that the fish actually symbolized the state of colonialism for the people. Other people objected to the fish as a dead object, although others noted that a video of such an eagle shows the fish wriggling and therefore was very much alive. Although the fish was gone on the coat of arms, the eagle remained. Even then, there was controversy. Some people who may have too much time on their hands argued that, once officials removed from the seal the “dead/wriggling” fish, the bird was no longer recognized as an African fish eagle and could, in fact, be a symbol of another country: the United States. And that leads me to this conclusion: Florida should have on its Great Seal a fish, either saltwater or freshwater, but some recognition of how important fish are to Floridians. I know the Great Seal has a Seminole Indian woman (who actually replaced a Western Plains Indian wearing a feathered headdress), a steamboat, flat terrain (which replaced a mountain – something not found here), and a sabal palm (which replaced a cocoa palm as more indigenous to our state). But surely we ought to have a fish on our Great Seal. According to the website of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida is the “Fishing Capital of the World,” has more world-record fish catches than any other state or even country, has the most saltwater anglers in the country, and has an economic impact from fishing that leads all states. We could have a contest to help decide which fish would be most appropriate on the Great Seal. Some will argue that no one looks at the Great Seal and that it couldn’t possibly influence people deciding what to do here, but then again I think a fish would be very appropriate, symbolic and descriptive. Any other opinions out there? Kevin McCarthy, the award-winning author of “South Florida Waterways” (2013 - available at amazon.com for $7), can be reached at ceyhankevin@gmail.com.

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Sneak Peek Giveaway

Coastal Angler/The Angler Magazine will be giving away 2 Brand NEW PENN® Spinfisher® VI Reels on September 30th, 2018. Only available here as these new reels are not available to the public until October 2018.

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By Capt. Michael Okruhlik Photo courtesy of Controlled Descent Lures

lthough the first day of fall occurs in the month of September, it sure doesn’t feel like it in any waters where redfish live. Fortunately, redfish don’t mind the heat and can be an easy target in the shallow marsh. September is a great month for kayak anglers who love the adrenaline rush of sight casting to shallow-water reds. The shrimp are maturing and abundant this time of year. On a recent trip where I fish in Texas, I had shrimp jumping into the kayak on every muddy shoreline I traveled. When fishing in scenarios such as this, I prefer to throw soft-plastic paddletails. Locating the reds from a distance can be easy when the water is this shallow and the bait is this plentiful. One key giveaway is hovering seagulls. You can bet if a gull is snatching shrimp out of the air, there are hungry fish below them. When kayaking, it depends on the distance as to whether or not I will try to chase down the hungry and potentially fast-moving school. If I am not willing to make the move, I try to watch for a pattern as to where the fish are feeding and stage my kayak in a similar location nearby. This could be along points, in the middle, or in front of drains.

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On this particular trip, I noticed skittish bait and distant birds along a north shoreline. I positioned my kayak within casting distance of that shore and fan casted until I saw nervous bait. Once spotted, I would wait for them to cruise the shore into range. When the time was right, I placed my lure with the fleeing shrimp resulting in aggressive strikes. This was the pattern they held most of the day; however I did catch a few in the middle of the cove as well. If I was not seeing nervous bait, I would fan cast 360 degrees to cover more water. I even had a few keeper-sized trout hanging out in the hot, shallow and muddy marsh. This area was roughly 10 feet deep throughout with a silty mud bottom, and the water color closely resembled chocolate milk. The air temp was in the mid 90s, but that didn’t deter the fish from feeding midday through 5 p.m. The strikes were violent and gave the illusion of each fish being larger than they were upon landing them. September brings a change in the season, but it is much more noticeable on the calendar than on the water. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Controlled Descent Lures and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

8/20/18 1:22 PM

COASTAL ANGLER Treasure Coast edition Serving outdoors enthusiasts in Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties.

Stuart Sailfish Club Hosts Successful 40th Annual Junior Angler Tourney

lue skies greeted nearly a hundred young anglers as they participated in the Stuart Sailfish Club’s 40th annual Junior Angler Tournament August 1011. The annual event brings youth, 6-18 years of age, from the Florida Sheriff ’s Youth Ranches in Live Oak and Bartow, residents of Lahia House, and other local kids together for a fun day of fishing, education and an awards barbecue. “This year’s event was the best Junior Angler Tournament we’ve had to date,” said Club President Charlie Conigliaro. “The kids had so much fun fishing, winning prizes and spending the day on the water. Most of these kids would never get to experience this kind of day otherwise, so we’re really honored and happy to provide them this tournament. I can’t express enough my appreciation to our sponsors and volunteers, without whom this could never happen.” The tournament offers kids a real

offshore fishing experience that includes going through a true weigh in, training on catch and release, fishing ethics, safety, knot tying and more. The children are each given a rod, reel, tackle boxes and angler bags filled with hats and school supplies. A large part of the experience are the raffles and awards. Each child was given a ticket for a chance to win bikes, skateboards and other fun prizes. A barbecue lunch is provided for participants and volunteers after fishing. Visit www.coastalanglermag.com/ treasure-coast to view tournament results online. For more information about the Stuart Sailfish Club contact Cheryl, at 772-286-9373 or email her at sailfish@stuartsailfishclub.com. Sailfish Marina is located at 3867 SE Evans Terrace, Stuart Fl. 34997.

Anglers from the Florida Sheriff Youth Ranches with Stuart Sailfish Club member Dave Astras.

Three of this year’s winning anglers with Stuart Sailfish Club member Dave Astras (on left). PHOTO CREDITS: Amy Freese.

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Stuart Sailfish Club Announces 33rd Annual Saltwater Sisters Lady Angler Tournament L

adies, get your pink on and prepare to fish! Stuart Sailfish Club will host the 33rd annual Saltwater Sisters Lady Angler Tournament to benefit Friends in Pink and Windsor Community Angels. The event will take place September 14-15, at Pirate’s Cove Marina in Stuart. “We’re really excited to host this tournament again this year,” said Jason MacKenzie, co-chair of the tournament. “It’s a really fun event and it raises a lot of money for those in our community who are fighting breast cancer and are uninsured or underinsured. It also helps pay for mammography screening for those uninsured individuals. Between the captain’s party, the fishing tournament, and the amazing awards dinner and auction, there’s something for everyone at this event. We hope the pubic, whether fishing or not, will come out and support the cause.” Friday evening, the night before

the tournament, will be a captain’s party with heavy hors d’ouevres, entertainment, silent auctions, and a costume contest with an “animation” theme. The tournament itself will begin Saturday morning with a shotgun start at 7 a.m. from the St. Lucie inlet. Eligible fish in the tournament are sailfish, dolphin, kingfish, wahoo, grouper and snapper. The weigh station opens at 2 p.m. Lines must be in no later than 3 p.m. and all boats must be checked in with the committee boat by 4 p.m. Beginning at 6 p.m., there will be an awards dinner, a fabulous live and silent auction, music and dancing at Pirate’s Cove Resort and Marina. Pirate’s Cove is located at 4307 SE Bayview Street, Stuart, FL. Rooms are offered at a discount for those participating in the tournament. Tournament entry fee is $275 per boat and includes four anglers and four dinner tickets per night. Additional anglers can fish

2017 first- and second-place dolphin and wahoo, Team Advanced Roofing. PHOTO CREDIT: Ashley Dillion.

for $100 each. Famed marine artist Carey Chen will once again be the honorary chair of the event. Co-chair Amy MacKenzie said they’ll continue to offer a place on a charter boat to anyone who wants to fish but doesn’t have a boat. “No boat? No problem! We’ve contracted with Safari 1 Deep Sea Fishing. Teams and individuals can sign up in advance and this includes rod, reel, bait and tackle. We’re really excited to open this

tournament up to more people.” Cost to register for the Safari 1 is $100 per angler and includes dinner for each night. Fish caught onboard the Safari 1 will be eligible for the heaviest fish award. The committee is also holding a raffle of a street legal ready golf cart valued at $7,900. Tickets for the golf cart raffle are $20 each or 6 for $100. For the fourth year in a row, part of the proceeds from this year’s tournament will benefit local

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501(c) (3) charities. This year our chosen charities are Friends in Pink, a local organization that provides financial assistance for those on the Treasure Coast battling breast cancer; and Windsor Community Angels, an organization that pays for free mammograms for Treasure Coast residents. Sponsors thus far include HMY Yachts, Coastal Angler Magazine, TentLogix, Pirate’s Cove Resort & Marina, Bonner Mobile Bar and the Paella King, Whiticar, Shurhold Industries, Ted Glasrud Associates, Windsor Imaging, Ocean Blue Yacht Sales, Fogel Capital Management, Palm City Yachts, WAVE 92.7, and Coast 101.3. Sponsors are needed for the success of the event and some levels include year-round advertising exposure. To become a sponsor or to donate to the auction, call (772) 286-9373 or email Sailfish@StuartSailfishClub.com. The Stuart Sailfish Club is a 501(c) (3) organization.

SEPTEMBER FISHING CONDITIONS

For more information about Saltwater Sisters Fishing Tournament, or to register for the tournament, including fishing on Safari 1, go to www.SaltwaterSisters. com or “Like” them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SWSfish to keep up with the latest tournament news.

September 1

FAIR

Evening

September 21

BEST

Morning

September 2

POOR

Morning

September 22

BEST

Morning

September 3

POOR

Morning

September 23

BEST

Morning

September 4

BEST

Morning

September 24

FAIR

Evening

September 5

BEST

Evening

September 25

FAIR

Evening

September 6

POOR

Morning

September 26

FAIR

Evening

September 7

POOR

Morning

September 27

GOOD

Evening

September 8

POOR

Morning

September 28

FAIR

Evening

September 9

POOR

Evening

September 29

POOR

Evening

September 10

POOR

Evening

September 30

POOR

Evening

September 11

POOR

Evening

September 12

GOOD

Evening

September 13

GOOD

Evening

September 14

POOR

Evening

September 15

POOR

Evening

September 16

POOR

Morning

September 17

FAIR

Morning

September 18

FAIR

Morning

September 19

GOOD

Morning

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.

September 20

GOOD

Morning

SOURCE: The Old Farmers’ 2018Almanac

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.’s Cole & Zach Hazelief Capt. randy Lang Jeremy Lund Capt. Danny Markowski Capt. Michael Mauri Capt. Giles Murphy Brian nelli Jim Oppenborn Cammie Ward Capt. Joe Ward steve Wood

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September will be "Snapper Trappin" time aboard the Safari 1.

fishing forecasts

MARTIN COUNTY deep sea

Capt. Rocky Carbia

Safari I Deep Sea Fishing Pirates Cove Resort and Marina 4307 SE Bayview St. Port Salerno Reservations: (772) 334-4411 Safari-1.com

he collective eyes of all Floridians will be focused on the tropics during the sultry fishing days of September. As summer begins to transition to fall, the potential for tropical low-pressure systems will peak this month and could have many possible impacts for near coastal offshore fishing interests. Barring any weather systems of this nature, offshore fishing can and will be business as usual as favorable weather windows allow fishing crews to fish the many reef structures east of the St. Lucie Inlet. Reefs and wrecks that form the bottom contour of our fishing zone are the foundation for saltwater

Many species of snapper will avail themselves to offshore meat hunters, like this sweet pair of mutton snapper caught by Jimmy Parker aboard the Safari 1. PHOTO CREDITS: Safari 1 Deep Sea Fishing.

ecosystems and will set the food chain in action as larger fish are attracted to the smaller fish and creatures that magically associate themselves with these structures. Many species of fish, including snapper and grouper, will be found around the base of these reef sites and can also patrol to the higher profiles along the reef line and "suspend"

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atop of a particular reef, at mid-level depths in the water column. Live and dead bait strategies will work in tandem as anglers deploy their spreads at different depths. The key component to bait deployment will be to make sure the baits are deployed very near or directly over top of these reef structures. Fishing around structure is the common

thread that runs through all types of successful fishing strategies. Vermilion snapper will continue to be found in good numbers this month and will best be caught using cut bait (especially squid). Mangrove, lane, and mutton snapper will also avail themselves to salty grocery collectors during the days of September.

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

eptember can be one of the best times of the year for inshore and beach fishing as the “mullet run” kicks off! Big schools of mullet are migrating down the coast and trigger feeding frenzies of snook, tarpon, big jacks, and sharks. Simply cruising the coastline early in the morning by boat is the best way to find birds diving on the mullet. Cast-netting mullet along the way can be tricky when it’s still dark. But just look for diving birds at the “Crossroads” or pretty much

martin county offshore

Capt. Scott Fawcett

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

he September change is upon us as we transition from summer to fall fishing. With choppier seas towards the end of the month and live bait being more difficult to catch (with the exception of finger mullet) this is the time of year when we start to switch back to trolling dead baits, and intermittent bottom fishing. The pilchards and greenies may be

any shoreline that’s not rocky. I use an 8- to 10-foot cast net with 3/8-inch mesh. For artificials, we cast D.O.A. Bait Busters, D.O.A. 4-inch C.A.L. jigs, Live Target and Vudu Mullet, and YoZuri Crystal Minnows. The mullet run is also a great opportunity for anglers fishing from land as they can walk the beach or drive to different public beaches looking for diving birds. The challenge of the mullet run can be there is too much bait. To make your bait stand out, try adding some weight by using a fish-finder rig or knocker rig. This will get your bait underneath the school of mullet as an “injured” bait to get picked off. For artificials, a topwater plug help stand out. Another approach for catching monster snook during the mullet run is pitching mullet heads. This old technique is great for catching big momma snook that are sniffing the bottom for scraps during the mullet run. Simply catch 8-to-12inch mullet and cut their head off behind the gills 4-to 5-inches from

Capt. Giles caught this monster snook in the St. Lucie River on live threadfins.

PHOTO COURTESY of Capt. Giles Murphy.

the nose. Use a 5/0 circle hook to hook your mullet head through the back cut area and out the top. We use 2-to-3-ounce weights above the swivel with a 4-foot 50-pound

leader. We usually start fishing with mullet heads around sunset in somewhat shallow water where fish have been feeding throughout the day and leaving scraps behind.

other pieces of debris or weed lines to find the mahi. Small pieces of cut bait or a handful of small live mullet will quickly let you determine whether you should stay or continue on running and looking. If the mahi idea doesn’t work out well, don’t fret, we still have great sword fishing, bottom fishing, beach fishing and even wahoo fishing this month, and all of it leading into the kickoff of our sailfish season. Gracyn Tighe released her first ever sail aboard Off The Chain on this September has traditionally been beautiful summer day using a Blackfin ultralight spinning rod while looked at as one of the slower months I filmed. We also caught three others that morning and saw over 20 for fishing around here, but as long as that we cast to. Congratulations Gracyn for an epic catch! you are versatile and able to adjust to what’s available, it’s actually a pretty PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Scott Fawcett. good month to get out on the water. I hope your next trip is Off The getting more and more difficult to full of little chummies and small catch, but don’t underestimate the hook bait finger mullet. Look for Chain and looking forward to seeing effectiveness of a blacked out well birds, flying fish, grass patches and you on the water.

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fishing forecasts

Grace recently caught this slot redfish while enjoying a morning with her family and Captain Charlie.

south indian river lagoon

Capt. Charlie Conner

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

mullet. It's a great time of year to fish early mornings along the beach. The fish will be cornering the bait along the surf and action can be fun and exciting. Snook season opens September 1. Anglers have been patiently awaiting the chance at keeping a slot fish for dinner. A few things to keep in mind while you are anxiously getting ready for the start of the season are making sure your license and snook permit are not outdated. Know the slot size, which is 28-to-32-inches and a one fish per day limit. Check your rods,

reels and fishing line. Don’t lose that keeper fish because of something that you could have avoided by a little preparation. Remember that there will be lots of anglers heading out the first several days of the season. Have fun and be safe! You will be able to find some redfish schools this month as they gather up to head out to the ocean. Look around the shallow sandy flats for them to be feeding. D.O.A. shrimp or C.A.L. jerk baits can coax them into biting. Look for trout around the usual flats, like Bear Point, Harbor

Fort Pierce Deep Sea

anglers throughout the month. With so much action all over the water column, it’s hard not to get giddy about heading out to blue waters. September is the time to claim your ‘snapper slam’ as several species are at peak activity and the reef capacity is maxed. Grey, mutton, lanes, yellowtail and vermillion snapper will be caught, filleted and served up in these hot summer days. With all the frisky snappers congregated on the reefs and the booming catches being taken home, don’t forget about the grumpy grouper who will show attendance as they are looking to join us for dinner. On the top, kingfish, mahi and cobia will be flipping, dipping and cruising. In the hottest month of the year we’ll see some of the biggest

predators and usually go through an immense amount of tackle. The main reason, bull sharks! One of the snapper trappers main nemesis, this tax man is ruthless and can try the patience of any angler, avid or novice. However, there is a positive that can lessen the blow of dealing with these ferocious predators, the cobia. Riding shotgun with the tax man in the grey suit, you can pick off a nice cobia as this year’s early tax return. Like a proverbial Pied Piper, the mullet run leads the march of almost all the species swimming in our waters. The massive congregation of mullet here on the Treasure Coast happens like clockwork and helps bring September to an all-around salty success. The bait will be piled

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eptember is always an exciting month to fish along the Treasure Coast. August was another hot month for us. Anglers eagerly await the arrival of the annual fall mullet run. The beaches and rivers will be filled with mullet and you can find lots of predators following the bait in September. Look for tarpon, snook, jacks, bluefish and many other species feeding on the mullet this month. Top water and suspending lures work fantastic in September. Try a D.O.A. Baitbuster or Big Fish lure while fishing around the large schools of

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Branch and Round Island. Deadly Combos fished on the edges of the bait schools will find some action with trout and other species. Snapper can be found along channel edges and around structure. Sheepshead, drum and snapper can be caught on the catwalks of the bridges. Live or dead shrimp will find these fish. September Tip: Fish the bait schools! It's easy to spot the bait this time of year. If you don't find bait around your favorite fishing spot, you will most likely not find many fish there. To find active bait, move around if you need to. Fish love this time of year and they are out there gorging themselves on the bait in anticipation of the coming winter months. Try a C.A.L. Airhead or D.O.A. Bait Buster around the mullet schools. Early mornings can be exciting on the flats. You can find big fish in shallow water around the bait pods. It has been a long hot summer and finally temperatures will begin to mellow out and water temps will get back to normal. It's a great time of year to be fishing! Remember, fishing is not just another hobby, it's an ADVENTURE!

We will continue to see massive kingfish like this 38-pounder caught by Phillip on the Lady Chris. PHOTO CREDIT: Lady Chris Charters.

high in majestic gray shadows from the river to the beaches. Remember to stay safe, have fun and keep an eye on weather systems as we are transitioning into hurricane season. Gear up, call us, and let’s head out for the Snapper Slam in September! Tight lines and good vibes!

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8/18/18 3:41 PM

st. lucie county inshore

Capt. Joe Ward

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

s summer is winding down, everyone is looking forward to the opening of snook season on September 1. Despite all the fresh water runoff we have had this summer, I think that the snook season will be a good one. The Fort Pierce inlet will be good for anglers fishing live baits like

greenies, croakers, pinfish and pigfish. You will need to fish these baits on the bottom around your favorite rocks. I like to use a 24-inch, 40-pound fluorocarbon leader, a 6/0 live bait hook and 6-to-8-ounce weight. For snook around the bridges and in the turning basin, I will use the same rig but with a lighter weight, a half-ounce to 3-ounce. The trout bite should still be good at places with grass and sand pockets. Try a live shrimp fished under a popping cork. For the leader try a 15-or20-pound fluorocarbon and about 18-inches and a #2 Kahle hook. For the artificials, try a D.O.A, Bait Buster, Zara Spook or a Chug Bug.

Look for redfish to be around the docks along both north and south Indian River Drive. Try a live shrimp on an eighth-ounce or quarterounce jig head around the docks. Bump up your leader to a 30-pound fluorocarbon and about 24-inches. Look for plenty of big jacks working the Fort Pierce inlet and around the local bridges. They will be taking anything live or shiny. Around the full moon there should be a good snapper bite along the channel edges with fish going to two-pounds. They will be taking a live shrimp, small crab or cut baits. Fish them on a #2 Kahle hook with 24-inches of fluorocarbon leader and a half-ounce weight.

st. lucie county offshore

Capt. Danny Markowski

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

eptember has arrived, and the bigger kingfish will be arriving on their journey to the south. Kingfish are a great fish to target for some good rod bending action and blistering runs. These fish will be found from just off the beach around the bait schools to the 80-to-90-foot depths in our Treasure Coast waters. There are many methods to catching kingfish. These fish will hit live trolled baits, as well as shiny trolled lures and big lipped diving lures. The preferred method of most kingfish anglers and tournament professionals is live bait trolling. Kingfish will eat a large variety of live baits, such as greenies, pilchards, sardines and big blue runners, which can all be found in our local waters. After obtaining some live baits, go

Bart took a ride with LottaBull for a bottom fishing trip and hooked up this nice red grouper. This fish was living in 100 ft of water around some nice structure. This fish weighed in at 15 lbs. He ate a small blade-runner dropped to the bottom and it was game on. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Danny Markowski.

to your favorite area with structure or ledges or find the bait schools off the beach and slow troll the live bait around the edges. As the day goes on, the majority of the kingfish will

move to deeper waters. Anywhere out to 80 feet will be a good area to find kingfish. Kingfish are very toothy fish, so you will want to have your baits rigged

Kendrick Forlifer with a black drum. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Joe Ward.

with a wire leader and a “stinger rig.” For a stinger rig, you will attach your main hook in the nose of your live bait with another short piece of wire from the main hook to a treble hook in the mid-section or near the tail of your bait. Kingfish hardly ever eat the whole bait on the first strike, so two hooks on the bait will increase your chances for a hookup. This being said, a light drag is essential because a lot of times a kingfish will get foul hooked and a light drag with steady pressure will keep from pulling the hook out. If you are running out of live bait, don’t have live bait or would prefer a faster trolling speed, kingfish will hit shiny spoons like the drone spoon and big lipped lures. I would still recommend using a wire leader on lures. As with any lure or live bait trolling for kingfish, cover the water column from the surface to down deep by using a down rigger, if available, or a planer. Big kingfish put up a great fight, are a great trophy and are tasty smoked or smoked and made into fish smack. Smaller kingfish put up a good fight but are the better size for grilling or broiling. If you look online you can find a lot of different recipes for various ways of cooking this fish. Bend your rods and catch ‘em up!

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fishing forecasts

sebastian inshore

available in the Sebastian area and discuss what to expect during this period of change.

Sebastian River – The tarpon

and snook action in the Sebastian River will pick up by leaps and bounds as the schools of finger mullet make their way into the estuary. Live Capt. Gus Brugger finger mullet, D.O.A. shrimp and Pattern Setter Charters Terror-Eyz, as well as suspending and (772) 589-0008 top-water MirrOlures are excellent www.WelcomeToSebastian.com ways to target tarpon and snook throughout the day and night. Pay eptember ushers in the inshore attention to the major and minor fishing season in the Sebastian solar-lunar periods when fishing the area. The cooler water temps brought Sebastian River. about by shorter day lengths, tropical rains and the associated cloud cover Indian River Lagoon – expand the feeding times of most There are a few factors that will inshore species in the late summer. control when and to what extent the The arrival of hordes of yearling silver action will pick up within the confines mullet and the gamefish that shadow of the lagoon. These factors, in my them is a welcome change from the opinion and in order of importance summer status quo. Snook are again are, the mullet run, water level and in season as of September 1 and can water temperature. The arrival of the be caught anywhere from the beaches migrating masses of three-to-fiveto the backwaters. Atlantic zone inch mullet breathes new life into the rules apply, with one snook overall fishing of the Indian River Lagoon length between 28-and-32 inches in September. Flats that seemed to allowed per angler per day. While be lifeless, suddenly produce all day snook rightfully garner the limelight top-water action when the mullet in September, they are not the only show up. This resurgence is more gamefish available to Sebastian area pronounced when water levels anglers. I’ll break down each venue are up and water temps are down.

The tip of the Sebastian inlet north jetty is the place to be for September snook. Chuck Schaus of Barefoot Bay caught this beauty there last year. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Gus Brugger.

There is still only scattered sparse grass coverage in the lagoon around Sebastian. A little is better than what we have had for the last five years, so I am optimistic about the coming fall season. All types of artificials and live finger mullet fished wherever pods of mullet are found will draw strikes from a variety of gamefish. Snook will ambush bait around shoreline structure including docks and mangroves, while trout and five reds stalk the flats and spoil islands for a finger mullet meal. Top water and suspending plugs with a finger mullet profile, such as the Super Spook Jr. and Catch 2000 Jr. are very productive this time of year. D.O.A. jerk baits and shads will also get you through just about any late summer situation in the central lagoon.

Sebastian Inlet – Sebastian inlet will be will be the destination of anglers from near and far come the September-first opening of the snook season. The snook will be stacked up in the inlet and some years the oversize reds outnumber the snook in September. Live croakers, pigfish, shrimp and finger mullet

will all get the attention of predators at the inlet. The tips of the jetties, the channel east of A1A and the north and south shorelines west of A1A will hold snook. Daytime snook fishing has historically required live bait for consistent success, but with snook numbers up, more and more local anglers are reporting daytime success with D.O.A. shrimp and jerk baits. After dark, live bait is still preferred by anglers drifting the channel under the A1A Bridge, while shore bound anglers predominantly throw oneto-two ounce bucktails, and various diving plugs.

Near Shore Atlantic – When weather conditions are favorable, the waters within two miles of the beach between Melbourne and Fort Pierce can be explosive in September. Snook, tarpon, reds, blues, Spanish, cobia, tripletail, sharks, jacks, and flounder all follow the migrating mullet southward. Fish live mullet, large plugs, spoons, and shad tailed jigs from the beach or from a boat to take advantage of some of the best surf/nearshore fishing of the year. Tight lines.

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SEPTEMBER 2018

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sebastian area offshore

Capt. Randy Lang

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

eptember is a great month to fish offshore of Sebastian. There are usually lots of flat calm days if the tropical storms steer clear of us. Take a look at the offshore reefs in the 40- to 90-foot range for amberjack and cobia. Drift along and work a buck tail fast or drag a live threadfin. Kingfish can be thick too. If you mark some fish up in the water column, try anchoring and chumming them up. A chumblock or diced sardines will work wonders. Throw a livie or a jig when they appear behind the boat. Try the closer in reefs along the beach when the cold-water upwelling is in effect. Mangrove and mutton snapper will be caught by anglers that downsize their tackle. Try some fluorocarbon, small hook and live shrimp in close and get out early in the morning for these weary fish. When the mullet run starts, it

Denice Toby, of Waterford, Michigan, fished with modest results as her friend Jackie caught many big fish. Finally, persistence paid off when she caught this great mangrove snapper at the end of the day on a tiny piece of squid as it was dropping to the bottom. PHOTO CREDIT: Sebastian Gypsy Fishing Charters.

will really get things going along the beaches. Schools of big tarpon will pound on the big schools of mullet giving their location away. Be prepared to cover some ground to find them. Pitch a big mullet into the melee, using an 8/0 circle hook and 8-feet of 60- to 80-pound mono leader. Blacktip and spinner sharks

are good sport in these same pods of mullet. The speed and acrobatics of these gamesters rivals a tarpon. The same tarpon rig will work for them and you can use a big piece of bluefish or other fresh bait. Use a couple feet of wire leader if you want to eliminate some cut offs. Let the shark eat the bait for a good while

before getting tight with the circle hook. The mullet will also bring the big kings in along the beach. Try slow trolling and drifting some mullet in that 30- to 40-foot range for the big smokers. A king rig with #4 wire and #3 hook with a stout treble hook trailer will do the trick. Trolling a couple heavy duty lipped plugs will catch a variety of fish in this range too including big jacks, barracuda and cobia. Snook can be in this same area way up in the surf. Throw a live mullet or your favorite snook plug in there. A long casting fishing outfit is useful here. Be careful of the breaking waves. They can pop up unexpectedly when a set of swells move in. Well offshore watch out for shrimp boats in the 130-foot range. Throughout the day and especially early, these boats will hold bonito, blackfin tuna and even pods of cobia. Chumming with chunks of cut bait will often get things going. Have a jig ready for the cobes. Trolling in this same area is a good idea. A small dark feather fished way back is a good way to pick up the blackfins. Sailfish and dolphin will be around too. Best of luck out there and go make some memories with family and friends!

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Fly Fishing Corner By Capt. Michael Mauri

Saltwater Sight Fly Fishing

It’s Mostly All About Timing

ne of my favorite ways to fly fish is definitely sight fishing. Fishing the crystal clear rivers in the European alps for trout and grayling with dry flies and small nymphs became an early passion of mine growing up in Bavaria. Years later when I began guiding globally, the meaning of passion changed when I

landed in warm clear saltwater. Sight fishing is deep, intense and requires skill that ultimately gives you an unforgettable adrenaline rush when you have success. The following few basic steps will help and support you in certain situations. • Finding the right spot at the

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and usually it needs to be done quick and efficient. Avoid too much false casting and don’t cast or play around while waiting on the fish to show up! Keep your fly in your hand and be ready for the fish to show up. • Create the perfect situation, which means you want to present your fly in a way that the fish discover it. If you have a good shot and your fly got denied, try a different approach and then if possible a different fish instead of changing the fly to quick. I usually stick with my fly patterns because I know they work. To keep it simple, stick with Giovanni Marcozzi, your normal fly rod combo (mostly from Germany, with floating or intermediate) that you a nice redfish caught are using anyway. In most cases a on fly while sight nine-foot leader will work fine with fishing in Stuart. different tippets depending on the PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Michael Mauri. type of fishing. In certain situations right time is the key. It is all about I use longer leaders up to 15-feet. food, the tide, current and structure. Carry different styles of flies with Look for holes, ledges and little different weight to cover as many situations as possible. Peace out! canals. • Pick one fish, go for it and stay focused! It is very easy to get Capt. Michael Mauri sidetracked and suddenly cast for www.mauriflyfishing.com other fish too early. michael@mauriflyfishing.com • One good cast is all you need (772) 485-3321

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Backcountry Fishing Association

SEPTEMBER 2018

TREASURE COAST 11

8/18/18 3:42 PM

diving forecast

Steve Wood

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

The annual goliath grouper spawning aggregation makes for exciting dives.

s the summer season winds down and fall approaches, weeks of calm may be interrupted by tropical systems moving up from the Caribbean. Beneath the surface, events such as the annual goliath grouper migration and the potential for jellyfish invasions will keep divers alert and on their toes throughout September. During the fall, our area plays host to the largest gathering of goliath grouper in the world. Most artificial structures in our area have year-round resident populations but during the annual spawning aggregation 30 or 40 individuals on a single wreck are common. Divers have noticed these underwater giants have already started to show up early this year, potentially due to the persistent cold water upwellings

PHOTO CREDIT: Steven Wood.

that have been around for most of the summer. Despite being hated by almost all fishermen, these large fish are pretty neat to dive with and since they are here to stay, make for a unique encounter found nowhere else in the world. Since they are generally docile, (unless you’ve got a struggling fish), patient divers maybe treated to up-close approaches that allow for great photo opportunities. For this reason, many divers consider these grouper trips a must-do this time of year. Special trips are organized by local dive operators to take advantage of this unique spectacle and divers are encouraged to bring cameras to document their encounters. Locations such as the David-T in

Stuart, the Jupiter Wreck Trek/ Bonaire of Jupiter or the new Ana Cecilia Wreck in West Palm are ideal locations for experiences available nowhere else in the world. Another common animal divers may encounter this time of year are jellyfish. Every year, outbreaks of large pink moon jellies drift past area beaches providing an uncomfortable reminder of how the ocean is constantly changing. Concentrations of jellies are usually light and easy to avoid but thick plumes have been reported in years past. Divers can avoid being stung by wearing exposure protection such as wetsuits, hoods and gloves and paying close attention while ascending and

descending since jellies usually hang in the upper part of the water column. First aid kits should include vinegar, anti-itch creams and Benadryl. Hurricane season reaches its peak during September and even though 2018 is forecast to have below normal activity, divers should pay attention to the forecast for changing weather. Storms far out to sea may have minimal effect on land but these systems can drastically change the landscape beneath the surface. Large swells generated from tropical storms may shift huge amounts of sand or move wrecks into new positions allowing divers to explore fresh territory. These swell and lowpressure systems are thought to have an effect on lobster and fish habits and may bring them into areas in greater abundance. Lobster hunters have been reporting big numbers so far this year that maybe related to the lingering effects of last year’s Hurricane Irma. Late summer is surely a great time to take advantage of diving opportunities in local waters. Lobster season is open and the goliaths should be arriving at area wrecks right on schedule. Calm conditions should hold unless tropical activity interferes and with the proper gear, even a few jellies won’t spoil all our area has to offer.

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Upcoming Events Saltwater Sisters Lady Angler Tournament To benefit local breast cancer organizations Pirateâ€™s Cove Resort & Marina September 14th - 15th 2018 65th Annual Light Tackle Tournament and the 5th Annual Florida Amateur Sailfish Championship Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort & Marina December 5th - 8th 2018 Sponsor Of The Month:

For more information, to register early and for sponsorship and registration packages, contact the Stuart Sailfish Club Foundation at Sailfish@StuartSailfishClub.com or call (772) 286-9373. Follow us on Facebook or visit our website at www.StuartSailfishClub.com The Stuart Sailfish Club Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization formed for the purpose of promoting the conservation of game fish and encouraging visitors to fish in Martin County waters. Membership is open to the public and all boaters, as well as those who do not own boats or do not fish.

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Zach Foltz and Lorae' Simpson with firstplace, trout and redfish Calcutta. Also Lorae' was the August top lady angler.

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t was another hot summer day Fort Pierce, FL for the August BCFA tournament held August 4 out of Little Jim Fish Camp in Fort Pierce. A fleet of 19 boats checked out, and 13 trout and 9 redfish were weighed in. Backcountry Fishing Association president Zach Foltz and first-lady Lorae' Simpson brought to the scales this month a 4.58-pound trout and a 3.29-pound redfish. A total weight of 7.87-pounds put this team in firstplace. The couple also walked away with the trout and redfish Calcutta, bringing home a total of $532.50. Lorae' also enjoyed a $25 gift card from Taco Dive for being the lady angler to bring in the most weight. Second-place angler Ryan Jouppi fished the August tourney solo and took home $199.50 for weighing in a 4.69-pound trout and a 2.87-pound redfish. Third-place angler Andy Fantini also fished the tournament as a solo angler and brought in the biggest redfish thus far in the BCFA tournament series weighing in at 6.55-pounds. Andy’s fish earned him a check for $133.00. Josh Pesce and Jason Gillespie took fourth-place with a 3.00-pound trout and a 2.46-pound redfish. Tim Woodward and Carol Callahon took fifthSecond-place place with a 1.20-pound trout and a 2.79-pound angler, Ryan Jouppi. redfish. The Backcountry Fishing Association is a 10-month circuit, which runs from January through October, finishing with its two-day Classic, where the top team will win a 14-foot Billfish boat, motor and trailer combo. The artificial lure only tournament gives two-person teams and solo anglers monthly opportunities to win cash and earn 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. Membership fees are $25 for the year. To enter the tournament each month, the fee is $60 per team. The ninth tournament of the series takes place on Saturday, September 1, with the captain’s meeting on Friday, August 31. Third-place angler Andy Fantini with biggest redfish caught thus far in the tournament series.

For more information, visit Backcountry Fishing Association on Facebook.

PHOTO CREDITS: Backcountry Fishing Association.

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St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Update

Progress on Voici Bernadette P

rogress continues on the preparation of the 180-foot freighter, Voici Bernadette, for artificial reefing on St. Lucie County’s deepwater artificial reef site. McCulley Marine Services has subcontracted Marine Environmental Services to clean the vessel and abate potential environmental contaminants. The first step in the process was the removal of all flammable liquids, such as bulk fuel and hydraulic fluid. This is important due to the necessity of torch cutting of bulkheads. Tanks and lines were drained first into a reservoir that had been hoisted into the cargo hold. This reservoir will be hoisted out of the ship when fluid removal is completed, preventing any possibility of contamination to the port or surrounding waters. The bulk liquids were drained from engines; pipes were cut and, because of the possibility of hydrocarbons left in

the pipes, the pipes were placed in a wooden crate before lifting the crates onto the port and transporting them from the port property immediately. The next step in the preparation for reefing is steam cleaning. So far, all seven of the fuel tanks have been steam cleaned. In addition, the rudder room and anchor room have been steam cleaned after hydraulic fluid was drained, followed by cutting and removal of hydraulic lines. Once tanks are clean and hydrocarbon-free (as measured by a photoionization detector), torches can be used to cut away bulkheads. A hole has been cut in the forward bulkhead to the engine room in preparation for removing the engine. The engine, compressors, and generators will be pulled to the cargo hold with chain lifts and hoisted out by crane. The resulting passageway will allow oxygenated water to flow over the reef, creating additional

ABOVE: Lifting machinery from ship. RIGHT: Pipes from ship.

fish habitat, and continuing a swim through for divers that starts at the wheelhouse. Concurrent with work to remediate potential environmental concerns, MMPS Environmental has salvaged memorabilia which will be auctioned to defray the costs of cleaning and deploying the Voici Bernadette. These items will either be auctioned or become part

of the sponsorship deck. MMPS Environmental is also providing memorial plaques to recognize loved SEE REEF UPDATE.................. PAGE 18

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REEF UPDATE.............. FROM PAGE 17

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as loggerhead turtles, are expected to utilize the reef at the proposed depth. Both fishing and conservation organizations including the 1) Coastal Conservation Association of Florida, 2) Florida Sportsman, 3) Fort Pierce Sportfishing Club, 4) Snook and Gamefish Foundation, 5) West Palm Beach Fishing Club, and 6) other individuals, have given their support for the project. U.S. Congressman Mast’s office has also toured the vessel to see what assistance their office might provide.

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18 TREASURE COAST

ones or businesses. Proceeds from the plaques will also be used to help deploy this vessel and additional vessels. Cleanup of floatables throughout the ship has already been started by McCulley Marine Services. Fivehundred wooden pallets have been removed from the Voici Bernadette and two 20-yard dumpsters have already been filled with other materials such as additional wood, plastics, fiberglass insulation, and trash. Furniture has been removed from the wheelhouse, captain’s quarters, and mate’s quarters, creating cavern habitat for Warsaw grouper, gag, and other large groupers. Brass windows from the wheelhouse and portholes from the lower decks have been removed, creating additional areas for oxygenated waters to penetrate the vessel. The Voici Bernadette will be both a recreational reef and a conservation reef. Divers and anglers will be able to use the reef along with both pelagic fishes (i.e. sharks, jacks, baitfish) and demersal fishes (groupers, snappers). Other listed species, such

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Wes Humphrey with a monster cobia speared off a shark in 60-feet of water off Fort Pierce. Photo PROVIDED by Wes.

Email your information ality and high-qu rger) (500KB or la @ easurecoast photos to tr e.com. lerMagazin CoastalAng

Leonard Fox with a nice mahi caught recently on Push Button Hill in 385 feet of water on a skirted ballyhoo.

Photo CREDIT: Mike Sierotowicz.

Photo provided by Leonard.

Cherlyn and Lewis Arnold caught over 20 tripletail while fishing in Vero Beach, but only found one keeper.

Dewitt Smith (right) and son, from Fort Pierce, with a nice beach-caught snook.

Photo provided by the Arnolds.

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Christine and Mike Sierotowicz with a blackfin caught off of Jupiter on a homemade vertical jig designed by Mike.

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FISH & FISHING

LW Tour pro Clent Davis, of Montevallo, Ala., brought a fivebass limit to the scale Sunday, Aug. 12 that was the heaviest sack of the three-day 2018 Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Ouachita, Arkansas. Davis’ final day weight of 17 pounds, 13 ounces catapulted him from 10th to first place and earned him the $300,000 top prize. With a three-day total of 15 fish and 36 pounds, 13 ounces, Davis beat out second-place Cabela’s/Bass Pro Shops pro James Niggemeyer, of Van, Texas, by more than seven pounds. “I don’t believe that I just won this,” said Davis, a former FLW College Fishing standout for the University of Montevallo. “I almost walked away from professional bass fishing last year. I was burned out on fishing. I sold all of my gear – my boat, all of my rods, my reels, every piece of equipment that I had. It wasn’t from failure, it was because I was burned out. Davis’ decision to rejoin the tour—after some prompting by FLW Tour Senior Tournament Director Bill Taylor—was definitely the correct one. He finished the season ranked No. 25 in the Angler of the Year race—his best finish since his rookie season. He cashed checks totaling more than $62,000 in seven events and qualified for his third Forrest Wood Cup appearance. “I knew that the only way that I was going to win this week was fishing brushpiles,” Davis said. “There are so many ways to catch fish on this lake, but if it was going to happen for me, it was going to be offshore, fishing out of the brush.” Davis relied on a 12-inch, plum-colored Mister Twister Mag Buzz Worm fished in the 22- to 30-foot depths. “I fished awful all week, losing fish, but I caught enough to squeak into the top-10 by 1 ounce,” Davis said. “I’m not supposed to win

Look Down

MARK SOSIN

t times, success on the water comes from changing your approach. Let me share some examples. No matter what lure you choose, there’s a compelling desire to cast it as far as you can and retrieve it on the surface or just below it. Trollers insist on a full spread well behind the boat on top of the water. Anglers who prefer to drift with the current fish natural baits or artificials a distance from the boat on the upcurrent side and closer to the surface. Even those who fly kites on the offshore grounds keep live baits barely splashing on the skin of the water. The tendency in all of these examples lies in ignoring the fact that distance on the water must be measured vertically as well as horizontally. Most fish species spend the major portion of their existence at or near the bottom of the water. Consider, too, that there are some species that will suspend at mid-depth or cruise somewhere between top and bottom in search of food. Even moderate attempts to cover vertical distance as well as horizontal can make a difference. If you enjoy casting and retrieving an artificial and you have two outfits, rig one with an artificial that skims the surface or just below it and put an offering on the other that will sink to the bottom. Alternate them on casts, and you will quickly learn where the fish are in that spot. If trolling becomes your technique of choice, rig one line on a downrigger or weight it sufficiently so that it covers the mid-depth or close to the bottom. And, if you are just drifting with offerings streamed on the upcurrent side, fish at least one of the baits or lures at a reasonable depth. Probing the depths becomes even more important when there is structure on the bottom that attracts fish. Some species will hug the structure while others will probe and prowl the area. Fishing a bait or working a lure from the bottom to the surface in these waters

CANGL_FIL1-FIL4.indd 4

coming out in 10th FLW Photo place, so I went out today and just had fun. I had an incredible day on the water today and finally got lucky, catching my 5-pound kicker. I guess it was just my time.” The top 10 pros at the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Ouachita finished: 1st: Clent Davis, Montevallo, Ala., 15 bass, 36-13, $300,000 2nd: James Niggemeyer, Van, Texas, 14 bass, 29-9, $60,000 3rd: Berkley pro Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala., 15 bass, 28-12, $50,000 4th: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., 12 bass, 28-6, $37,500 5th: Jason Lambert, Michie, Tenn., 15 bass, 27-15, $30,000 6th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 15 bass, 26-13, $24,000 7th: Wes Logan, Springville, Ala., 11 bass, 25-9, $23,000 8th: John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 13 bass, 24-7, $22,000 9th: Brandon Cobb, Greenwood, S.C., 12 bass, 23-1, $21,000 10th: Bradford Beavers, Summerville, S.C., nine bass, 20-8, $20,000 Full results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.

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often is paramount to success. It is usually more productive if you focus on the upcurrent side of the structure. Veteran anglers keep an outfit on board expressly for deep jigging. It’s rigged with a leadheaded bucktail or some other type of metal that boasts the weight to get the offering to the bottom. It can be rigged with natural bait, a natural bait tail behind the bucktail or an artificial tail such as a plastic worm. It works on countless species. The key is to drop it to the bottom straight up and down and then retrieve it with a bunch of moves with the rod. You’ll find it is much more productive when the retrieve is close to the boat rather than working it to the surface at an angle. Vertical jigging won’t work every time, nothing does, but it’s a method you want to remember and use when other approaches don’t produce fish.

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8/20/18 1:22 PM

By Richard Matteson Author Richard Matteson with an Indian River Lagoon fall snook.

ou can’t catch fish if you don’t know where they are. Since the ecological system of the lagoon is changing, some new tactics are required. As with any fishing, when you find the bait, you find the fish. Look for bait first. This year there’s been mullet, pinfish and schools of glass minnows. If you don’t see any bait, find another area with bait. Always look for birds and especially diving birds, which are actively feeding on bait. When you find the bait, keep an eye out in that area for actively feeding fish. If there’s bait but no feeding fish, find another area with bait. Look for ambush points. Docks, piers, mangroves, sea walls, bridges and docked boats are all areas where fish can stay hidden in the shade waiting for the bait to come by. Sea walls and sandbars are perfect for predator fish since they can trap baitfish. There is still some grass north of Fort Pierce, but it is hard to find. Patches of grass are found on the west side around Harbor Branch in big and little Pecks. On the east side, there is some grass in Starvation Bay and south of Fort Piece around Bear Point. Trout love grass, and these few areas still hold trout. Surprisingly, there have been good numbers of trout caught this summer, though most of the trout have been smaller. The lack of grass south of Fort Pierce has scattered the trout, but I’ve been catching large trout consistently on the west side in the shallow water between the sandbar and shore on jigs and topwater lures. Find the current breaks. When the tide is moving, predator fish will stay around the edge of the current so they don’t have to work as hard to find food. Sometimes big snook go deep under bridges and behind pilings. Other times they stay around feeder creeks and shallow islands near the faster current. You’ve got to know the tides. The predators pull back from shallow areas on low tide. In general, they will be in deeper holes, troughs, shallow break lines and around deep piers. On high tide, you find the fish in the mangroves and cruising the shorelines. If you are not on the fish, keep moving. To find fish, use fast search lures like jigs and crankbaits that cover a large area. Keep moving and fan cast areas until you find the fish. Remember that if the tide is wrong (dead low or high) the fish might be there, but they won’t bite. Richard Matteson is staff writer for the Stuart Rod and Reel Club. Contact him at  (336) 414-3440.

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By Capt. Cefus McRae, Nuts & Bolts of Fishing Series

n a recent fishing trip, the first three casts of the morning produced three fish. That’s pretty outstanding. Under normal circumstances, I would be gleeful and possibly even do a little bragging, but those three fish were all gafftopsail cats. It just so happened I wasn’t fishing for saltwater catfish. Instead, I was targeting speckled trout. But for the first couple hours that morning, all I seemed to catch were what many people call “trash fish:” sail cats, ladyfish, lizardfish, stingrays, toadfish and a sea robin. I think I caught every one of them.

Now, I don’t know exactly who came up with the moniker “trash fish” for these species. Probably someone who didn’t appreciate the tarpon-like jumps of a ladyfish or the drag-screaming runs of a big sail cat or stingray or the uniquely interesting leg-like pectoral fins of a sea robin. Actually, I’d put a couple of those in the “most-valuable” category. A lizardfish is probably one of the best baits you can use to catch monster gag grouper. Ladyfish are a preferred bait for catching tarpon, spinner sharks and bull redfish. There are some trash fish that inhabit the freshwater environs as well. Ever caught an alligator gar? Most folks put them in the trash category. I don’t. They fight like crazy. They jump, and they look really dangerous when you get them close to the boat. There are hundreds of sharp teeth on that snout that will mess up your day. A lot of people consider carp to be a trash fish. But if you ever plan to fly fish for bonefish or redfish, carp are one of the best sparring partners you’ll ever find. Carp cruise the flats of our inland rivers and reservoirs and will do just about everything bones and reds will do. It’s great practice. Plus, when you get a carp to take your fly, it’s a fight like you’ve never seen before. One fish that probably deserves the status of trash fish is the toadfish. They’re not especially pretty to look at, and their jaws and small teeth can do some real damage to your fingers. They don’t put up much of a fight, and they’re not terribly good on the table. At least that’s what I’ve heard. I can’t remember ever being served toadfish, or being hungry enough to try to cook one. By the way, they also call the toadfish a “mother-in-law fish.” Someone must have been really mad at their mom-in-law to brand the toadfish with that name. Now that I’ve reflected on the subject, I am considering removing several of the aforementioned species from my own personal trash fish list. For me, any fish that puts up a great fight, offers some aerial acrobatics or drag-screaming runs deserves its rightful place as a sportfish. But I think the toadfish will always remain a little bit on the trashy side.

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n Sept. 15, Millers Boating Center in Ocala, Fla., will host a free Women’s Fishing Clinic in cooperation with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission. The free, day-long clinic is from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Millers Boating Center, 1661 NW 57th Street, Ocala. Lessons will include knot tying, cast netting, rod and reel rigging, fish and habitat identification, fish handling and more. All participants must be at least 18 years of age. Lunch and refreshments will be provided by Millers to all participants. Space is limited, and in the past this class has filled quickly. Advance registration before Sept. 5 is recommended. To register or get more information, email Tonya Hanna at Tonya@MillersBoating.com or call 352-622-7757.

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By Capt. Tom Bailas

ach June my family and I take a break from our Venice, Fla. charter operation and head to the Florida Keys to do some fun-fishing. This year we fished from Tavernier and caught mahi, tuna and a big beautiful sailfish. We hosted some special guests on the boat this year. It was a family chosen by the Catch-A-Dream Foundation (catchadream. org). Gavin, who is 11, his little sister, mother and father came to fish with us for three days, accompanied by a Catch-A-Dream volunteer host named Adam. Catch-A-Dream Foundation provides children with life-threatening illnesses the opportunity to go on a hunting or fishing adventure of a lifetime with all expenses paid. Everyone had high hopes of Gavin catching his first mahi. As we cut through Tavernier Creek, I could see several thunder-

storms building offshore. We would have limited time to catch some fish and get back safely. I saw an opening in the sky and headed that way. We ran about 12 miles, and I started seeing bird action and three huge patches of weeds. My wife, Trisha, steered the boat as I put out the spread of lures and fresh ballyhoo. We immediately hooked a 12-pound bull mahi, and in short order Gavin had accomplished the first goal of the trip. But the day was not over. Things were getting ready to get very exciting. As we reeled in a small fish on our second pass, it started to rain. Out of nowhere Gavin yelled, “Look at the that BIG fish in the water!” It was a huge bull mahi, maybe 60 pounds. I grabbed a spinning rod and tossed a bait to it, but it just swam off. After seeing that fish, we had to try another pass. As I was letting it out a ballyhoo line, it came tight. The head of a big mahi pushed water toward the bait. Five seconds later, we had a huge fish on! Gavin grabbed the rod, and after a few jumps we had the cow mahi boat-side. I gaffed the fish, but it flew off and into the water. Everyone aboard went dead silent. Then my wife said, “Tom, it’s going to be OK,” before praying, “Oh please God let this fish come back to us.” It did! Gavin battled the jumping fish back to the boat. This time I got it over the rail. It measured 65 inches long. I have never seen anyone catch a cow mahi that long. There is not a doubt in my mind that God was in control and gave Gavin the strength to catch this fish of a lifetime! It was an experience of a lifetime for all of us. Gavin is a wonderful child, full of life despite his illness. Catch-A-Dream Foundation is an amazing organization that provides these deserving kids and their families a trip of a lifetime. Capt. Tom and Trisha Bailas run TNT Fishing Charters out of Venice, Fla. Check them out at www.tntfishingcharters.com and on Facebook @tntfishingchartersvenice.

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By Danny Goode, Elusive Bait Co.

n an early afternoon in mid-June, my wife and I had dropped our son at swim lessons in Jensen Beach when I realized how close we were to the causeway. Of course, I made her stop so I could fish. Conditions were perfect. In the middle of an outgoing tide, the water was a little milky and churned up. A small school of glass minnows showered the surface, and pelicans dove on finger mullet schooling through the span of the bridge. Prior to leaving the house, I had just tied up a 1-ounce white-and-blue flair hawk jig and was really anticipating putting it to use. If you’ve ever caught a snook on a flair hawk, you know the feeling when they thump the jig. That happened on my third cast, and as I set the hook the fish did not hesitate to run straight under the catwalk with about 20 yards of line. About to lose her on a piling, I cupped the spool hard and managed to turn her head. I got a few cranks on her and began a battle like I’ve never experienced. The pure power is absolutely amazing. After what seemed an eternity, I brought the fish to the top. I handed the rod to my wife so I could hop the railing to balance on a piling cap no wider than 8 inches. Careful not to fall in or injure the fish, I brought it over the railing for a few photos before release. It was the fish of a lifetime.

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MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE BAIT

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f you want to be a successful bass angler, you have to learn to fish a jig. I don’t know anybody, anywhere, who’s a successful bass angler, who doesn’t know how to fish a jig well. It is so versatile, and it catches quality fish. Personally, I love a good jig bite, so it’s also one of the most fun ways to fish. There’s not another lure on the market that has been tweaked and built to fish different types of cover and structure like a jig, and that’s part of its appeal. Jigs come in so many different shapes and sizes that the possibilities are endless. Changing out the jig’s trailer can make all the difference in the world, too. If you are just starting to get serious about jig fishing, an “Arkie”-style jig would be best to learn with. A 3/8- to ½-ounce size, really the first kind of bass jig head that ever came out, is where to begin. I use it for flipping, as it works well around wood, rock, gravel, ledges, and you can even swim it. You basically fish it like a soft plastic worm. Cast it out and let it go all the to the bottom on a slack line. Pull it off the bottom a few inches and then crawl it along. Most of the time when you’re casting or flipping, you’re imitating a crawfish, so think about a one of those walking around on the bottom. He’s not going to be jumping around a lot. If something chases him, he might scurry along quickly, but they usually move fairly slowly. Fishing a jig does take the right gear. I fish 20-lb. Vicious fluorocarbon with an improved clinch knot, a good high-speed reel and an NEPS 90HF rod from MHX. It is a 7’6” heavy-action rod with a fast tip. That rod is absolutely perfect for jig fishing. You can make accurate presentations with this fast-action tip, and the heavy power gives you the backbone to pull fish out of

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the cover. There are tons of jigs with this style. The best ones always have a good Mustad hook. Keep the colors simple; green pumpkin and orange in clear water and black and blue in dirty water. Jigs are weedless and made to be fished in heavy cover. Give them a try, and you’ll soon see why everyone who bass fishes likes a jig.

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ike most southern ports, Charleston, S.C. offers plenty of inshore angling opportunities. You’ll find redfish in the bays, seatrout in the channels, plus flounder, cobia and spadefish on local wrecks. “Those are all fun,” said Darcy Hill (#fishcharleston), but if you want to hook something with a real sense of Southern hospitality, the inshore sheepshead fishery is tough to beat. From Isle of Palms to Folly Island, and right on up into the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper rivers surrounding the city, you’ll find these battle-ready fish hugging structure.” An abundance of sheepshead doesn’t mean they’re pushovers. Quite the contrary, Hill pointed out, “Sheepshead can be challenging to catch. You have to poke into all the nooks and crannies amongst structure points, and keep moving until you get on them.” For bank fishermen, Hill recommended public access points like the Folly beach, Isle of Palms or Mount Pleasant piers. Boaters should tie-up to pilings, docks or other structure (where legal) and fish each piece thoroughly. Sometimes, she said, moving your bait just 5 or 6 inches to one side or the other makes a ton of difference. “We generally use fiddler crabs or oysters for bait,” explained the 32-year old Folly Island resident. Bury the hook in your offering and hide the point. To get the bite started, chum with crushed oysters or barnacles. Fiddlers work best from May through February while oysters rule in cooler months. Get your line tight to structure, then lift it up slightly and drop it down slowly. Most bites come on the drop. The end of the ebb and start of the flood usually see the best scores.” Setting up for sheepshead, Hill uses a Carolina-rig with a size 1 Owner Mosquito hook, a ¾-ounce egg sinker and a 1-foot length of 30-pound test mono leader. She’ll team this with a fast-tip rod and KaskKing 3,000 series Kodiak spinning reel filled with 40-pound test KastKing Super Power or KastPro braided line. “I like the abrasion resistance of these lines,” she noted, “and that Kodiak reel just gets the job done. Last week it out-muscled a 15-pound spadefish.” Keep in mind, Hill added, that sheepshead can be light biters, so watch for line twitches in addition to feeling for strikes. Set the hook hard because these fish have a big set of teeth and tough lips. Pull straight up, not to the side. Keep your rod high and walk the fish away from the nastiest tangles as you reel up. Charleston’s inshore sheepshead average 3 pounds but can push into double-digits. Two years ago, Hill took fellow KastKing pro staffer Christin Kruger on her first sheepshead foray. “She caught a 10-pounder!” laughed Hill. Now she’s a sheepshead fan for life.” October is prime time for Charleston’s sheepshead. Boaters can launch at Shem Creek (free) (www.ccprc.com/3301/Boat-Landings) in Mount Pleasant, or at Isle of Palms Marina (www.iopmarina.com; $15 weekdays/$20 weekends). For overnight accommodations, consider Shem Creek Inn (www.shemcreekinn.com) in Mount Pleasant or Sea Side Inn (www.seasideinniop.com) on Isle of Palms.

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he action peaked at the end of August here in northern Costa Rica, with multiple sailfish releases and daily shots at marlin battles. Frank Bellizio, Bob Sherley and Chet Jasak had the trip of a lifetime with sweet sailfish and mighty marlin releases. Once they got home we received this: “I returned last week from my trip to Nosara,” wrote Frank Bellizio, of Tampa, Fla. “It was great to finally get to go fish with your team in Costa Rica. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed the trip and will recommend Fishing Nosara to everyone. “Bob has ALS and his mobility and strength are not the best. Both Capt. William and Capt. Francisco really accommodated us so that we were able to help our friend land both a sailfish and marlin. “Bob was a diver and commercial fisherman in his earlier years. We are all 71 or older, and he said this was probably his last chance to catch a sailfish or marlin. Capt. William on the Wanderer and Capt. Francisco on the Explorer made it happen. “If Capt. Francisco wanted to, he could have ended our day earlier, but he hung in and we got the sailfish late in the day. Capt. William had to work the Wanderer over and over to keep the marlin in position so Bob and I could get it landed. These men and their crew (Johnny and Elias) are much more than just employees, they have heart, and you are blessed to have them on your staff.” Kathleen Clarke of Ottawa, Ontario came to us as a novice angler, but after her trip on the Discoverer she is a full-fledged big-time bluewater angler. “Just wanted to let you know that we had an incredibly amazing time on our fishing trip,” Kathleen wrote in an email. “I don’t think that it could have been any better. Capt. Carlos and Mate Kevin were stellar. I would highly recommend that crew to anyone. “Kevin kept the boat very clean and tidy and made sure we all had everything we needed. Lunch was excellent, also, as was the fruit. We caught a mix of mahi-mahi and sailfish, also saw porpoises and turtles.” Most recently we received this one: “Just wanted to say an enthusiastic thank you for the incredible trip we had thanks to your team,” wrote Jeff Broom, of Jacksonville, Fla. “In three days we got three marlin, two blues and a massive black, three sailfish, a huge dorado, and a good deal more tuna and mahi. “Thanks to Capt. Alex and his hard working deckhand Wilson, I was able to cross marlin off my bucket list of fish to catch. It was definitely a dream for me, and I know I speak for all the guys in our group that it was definitely the fishing trip of a lifetime! “You could tell how passionate Alex was about fishing. His favorite thing to say after we brought in a catch was, ‘Let’s get another one!’”

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By Ken Kastorff • Photo by Pia Waugh/flickr.com

hen the Spanish conquistadors came to Ecuador, they were in search of gold. The Incas found most of their gold in the headwaters of the Amazon. I recently found gold in the Ecuadorian Amazon… golden dorado. I’ve spent 25 years on the rivers of Ecuador leading kayak and fishing trips. Three years ago, I decided to find golden dorado. Most dorado fishing occurs in Bolivia or northern Argentina. It just didn’t make sense to me that Ecuador, with such similar topography didn’t also have golden dorado. As a fly fishing guide, one of the most fun and sometimes challenging aspects of the job is finding new fishing opportunities. It isn’t unusual for my friend and co-guide, Bob Gernandt, and I to float some stretch of river we’ve never seen to develop a new fishing destination. Doing this in another country can be a bit more complicated, especially when you are heading into one of the biggest jungles in the world. Having a lodge in the cloud forest of the Amazon has allowed me to tap into local knowledge. It also helps to have a partner in-country who knows the lay of the land and can speak the language. Last February, my partner Angel and I spent a month tracking down dorado leads. Angel visited one community after another with photos of golden dorados. The first breakthrough was learning that indigenous communities call the fish by its Ketchua name, Gualo. That led us to a handful of possible rivers to check. We were dependent on local river transportation. The indigenous communities have used dugout canoes for centuries to transport people and goods in the roadless jungle. These canoes are 12-meter-long boats carved out of a tree trunk. We were able to check out three different sections of rivers using these narrow and incredibly tippy canoes. The advantage is these boats can negotiate whitewater while being pushed upstream by a 40-horse outboard. They are almost impossible to stand in, so they are not the best platform to cast an 8-weight fly rod from. We eventually transported a raft and fishing frame upstream in order to float a section of river. It didn’t take long to catch several Ecuadorian golden dorado as well as another species of fish call sabalo. Sabalo fry are the favorite food for dorado, so they are likely found together. If the sabalo survive the dorado, they grow into great sport fish. Their shape is similar to a largemouth bass, but they are much more aggressive and hard fighting. The golden dorado prefer rapids and fast water at the washout of rapids, while sabalo like smooth fast water between rapids. It presents an ideal situation for fishing because there’s no down time! Once you catch a golden dorado, you are hooked for life. These are some of the hardest hitting, hardest fighting, highest jumping fish in the world. I can’t wait to hook into more gold. Ken can be contacted at Endless River Adventures, 800-2247238, endrivadv@cs.com, www.endlessriveradventures.com. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

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CANGL_NAT3-NAT26.indd 23

SEPTEMBER 2018

NATIONAL

8/20/18 12:17 PM

ick Ratliff, 21, of Elizabethtown, Ky., a senior at Campbellsville University, will be fishing the big show when the Bassmaster Classic launches on the Tennessee River at Knoxville in March. He’s also riding around in a fully rigged Toyota Tundra that’s pulling a Nitro Z20 bass boat, and he’s holding a check for $7,500 for tournament entry fees. It’s all thanks to some last-minute heroics that helped him win the 2018 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Classic Bracket. Ratliff fought down to the final minutes of the third day in an oh-soclose bracket against a scrappy West Virginia University junior, Nolan Minor of Charlottesville, Va. The anglers wrapped up the day with the two biggest bags of the tournament; Ratliff with 13 pounds, 8 ounces and Minor with 13-4. Ratliff, who is majoring in business administration with an emphasis in marketing, plugged along consistently, throwing a weightless wackyrigged stickworm and keeping his faith. “I had the feeling I was behind,” he said. “I kept my head down, and I knew if the Lord meant it to be, then it would be.” With just 30 minutes left in fishing time, Ratliff picked up three more fish that allowed him to cull up to his winning 13-8. Ratliff was emotional and stunned as family and friends hugged and congratulated him. “It hasn’t sunk in yet,” he said of the win and the Classic berth. “It was so close. I thought I’d lost. I really did.” For more information, visit Bassmaster.com/college.

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CANGL_NAT3-NAT26.indd 26 1 1782-18A Coastal Angler .indd

SEPTEMBER 2018

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COMMON CVRS_0918.indd 3

8/20/18 12:59 PM

EVINRUDE

ENDLESS ADVENTURE SALES EVENT

7-YEAR COVERAGE

AUG. 1 THRU NOV. 30, 2018

©2018 BRP US Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®,™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. or its affiliates. Offer valid only to qualified buyers on purchases of engines bought for recreational use only. Excludes engines purchased under commercial, professional, and government programs. Offer is valid in North America only on new and unused Evinrude E-TEC® engines purchased, delivered and registered between 8/1/18 and 11/30/18 at an authorized, participating Evinrude dealer. *7-YEAR COVERAGE: Subject to all exclusions, limitations of liabilities, and all other terms and conditions of BRP’s standard limited warranty and B.E.S.T. contract, including without limitation the exclusions of damages caused by abuse, abnormal use or neglect (see B.E.S.T. contract for specific details of coverage and exclusions). Offer effective on all new and unused 15 H.O. and above Evinrude E-TEC outboard engines. Eligible models will receive 7-year coverage (3 years of BRP Limited Warranty and 4 years of BRP Extended Service Terms [B.E.S.T.] coverage) subject to a $50 deductible on each repair. Benefit offered to Florida residents is a 7-year BRP Limited Warranty. Evinrude Jet Series engines are eligible for 7-year coverage offer on the upper unit only. The jet pump assembly will only receive a 3-year BRP limited warranty. All rigging components purchased on the same bill of sale as the engine, will be covered under the same BRP Extended Service Terms as the engine. Offer subject to change without notice. See your authorized, qualified Evinrude dealer for details. Terms and conditions apply. Offer may not be assigned, traded, sold or combined with any other offer unless expressly stated herein. OFFER VOID WHERE RESTRICTED OR OTHERWISE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

COMMON CVRS_0918.indd 4

8/20/18 12:59 PM