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

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Mullet Run TARPON

Slob

Snook From The Beach

PHOTO COURTESY OF RYAN IZQUIERDO YOUTUBE: RYAN IZ FISHING VOLUME 25 â€¢ ISSUE 306

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6/9/2020 1:45:55 PM

SLOB SNOOK By Ryan Izquierdo

he anticipation is over. Snook season opened Sept. 1 on Florida’s Atlantic coast, and I know a lot of anglers who are excited to get that thump, fire up the skillet and enjoy a beautiful keeper snook with friends and family. Snook, in case you didn’t know it, are pretty much the most awesome inshore gamefish around. They grow large, up into the 30- and 40-pound range. They are aggressive feeders, and the fight is definitely something to write home about. Florida anglers are lucky to live in one of the world’s best places to catch snook. For everyone else, it’s definitely worth a fall trip to the Sunshine State to do battle with these tacklebusters. Regulations allow you to keep just one fish a day in the 28- to 32-inch slot limit. One of the best ways to catch that one keeper—or a giant slob snook—is beach fishing. You don’t need a fancy boat. All you need is your own two legs, a rod and reel and the appropriate tackle. Location — When fishing for snook, tarpon

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and other gamefish, there are a few key things to look for: birds flying/diving, baitfish being ambushed, obvious structure and current flow. I always bring binoculars to the beach and scan the shoreline for birds and baitfish. If you don’t see any action, keep moving down the beach. I drive my truck to every beach access, quickly hop out and scout. This is the fastest way to cover ground and scan for what you are looking for! The more you fish the beach, the more you will learn and understand a pattern. Snook are hunters; they stage up in obvious areas ready to ambush prey. The beach may all look the same on the surface, but underwater is a different story. Be on the lookout for deep holes, rocks, grass, dropoffs, swash channels and any other structure you might find. Any time sand meets grass or rocks, that’s a great area to fish. Look past the obvious structure, and sometimes that will yield fish other anglers fail to notice. Equipment — When it comes to beach snook fishing, finesse is everything. However, the goal is to get the fish in quickly to ensure a healthy release if it’s not a keeper. Typically, you want to

downscale your line, leader, and hook when beach fishing. My go-to set up is a 4000 spinning reel; 10- to 20-lb. braid; a 7-foot medium action rod; 3 to 4 feet of 30-lb. fluorocarbon leader; a 1/4- to 3/8-ounce jig-head; and 3- to 6-inch swimbaits, depending on the forage, depth and fishing conditions. Jerkbaits and plugs that dive 3 to 5 feet are also a good option. Matching the hatch is key. Use lures that look similar in size and color to what the fish are feeding on. Fishing with live bait is also a good option. I always keep a 5- or 6-foot cast net in the bed of my truck. It’s lightweight, easy, and gets the job done. Pilchards, threadfin, mullet, croaker and whiting are all great baits found on Florida’s east coast beaches. Keep an aerator and bucket with a lid to ensure the baits are alive and cool. The bigger the bait, the bigger the tackle you will need. I like to free line baits, but I carry pinchon split shot weights if I need to get baits down into the strike zone. I recommend 2/0 to 6/0 circle hooks for the best hook up ratio. Time — The best times to go fishing are at dawn and dusk. Tides are also extremely important. The best time to fish for beach snook is the first hour before and after incoming and outgoing tides. I’ve had the best results right before and after high tide. It is important to check the tides and plan ahead. I also log my catches in a small notebook, where I write down the date, tide, time, tackle/bait used. Start a logbook, and you will eventually have excellent data to use in planning. That is the best way to truly learn and master beach snook fishing. Follow Ryan Izquierdo on YouTube (RyanIzFishing) and Instagram (Instagram.com/Ryan_Izquierdo) to check out his fishing adventures.

Spider Rigging To Catch

Crappie C

By Darcie Arahill

rappie, also known as “specks,” and “sac-a-lait” and a host of other names, depending on where you live, are absolutely delicious and are easy to catch for the whole family. I grew up saltwater fishing and did not know much about crappie. However, all it took was one trip to the lake and I was hooked on these fish; on the correct light tackle crappie are just as much fun as larger fish, and more “yummy” than most! Crappie, both white and black variations, can be found in almost any body of freshwater from Michigan to Florida. I usually catch them in Lake

Okeechobee, Fla. Depending on the time of year, you will catch them in grass mats, along edges, in deep holes, and even through the ice. They generally hold tight to some type of cover like brushpiles or sunken timber, and they eat primarily smaller fish. Small minnows or baits that mimic small minnows work best. When the fish are biting, it is easy on many lakes to see where crappie are by the dozens of boats seeking to catch what I call “lake lobster!” This type of fishing is a way of life for many lake anglers. My favorite way to catch them is often called “spider rigging.” Anglers set out multiple specially designed rods, up to 20 sometimes, such as the BP Crappie Max Crappie Rod, with very light line and leader (no more than 4- to 8-lb. test), a bobber, then a split shot and a small hook. We generally use size #1, #2 or #4 Mustad Aberdeen hooks, and you can try different color hooks as well—gold, bronze or red. The easiest bait to catch crappie with is tiny live minnows from the local tackle shop. Set your rods at varying depths, and discover where they are biting! If you want to up your game, try jigging for them. Mustad crappie jigs are usually “ball head” jigs and come in a variety of colors. Drop your jig into deep holes and along grass mats or slow troll a spread of jigs around the mouths of creeks. You can attach a variety of trailers, curly tails, minnows and some even add spinners to the jig. Lastly, to really make it fun you can even fly fish for crappie. They will hit many types of flies, and be sure to focus on the size of the fly as much as anything. In conclusion, the only way to catch crappie is to GO, get out there! It’s time to bring the entire family, kids and everyone, for a wonderful day on the water and an even better dinner. This type of fishing is a great way to introduce young kids to fishing because it’s hard to not catch a crappie or other by-catch like bass, catfish, sunfish and bluegills when out the lake. Find “Darcizzle Offshore” on all the major social media platforms. Darcie has more than 850 videos of her fishing adventures on YouTube and would love to hear from you.

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ere’s what anglers in Maine were up to in August. The Casco Bay Bluefin Bonanza, out of South Portland, Maine, hauled in more than 10,000 pounds of bluefin tuna Aug. 6-8. That’s a whole lot of good eating. The field of 41 boats landed 23 big fish, and the top four finishers all boated bluefins heavier than 600 pounds. Local captain Pete Speeches and the crew of Backstabber won the tournament and $6,250 for a 687.5-pound giant they brought to the scale the third and final day of fishing on Saturday, Aug. 8. Weigh-ins were exciting and filled with drama on Day 3, as the top five positions changed multiple times in just a few hours. Capt. Keith Jordan (Bailey & Bella) established an early lead on the first day with a 679.5-pound bluefin. Last year’s winner, Capt. Kurt Christensen (Molly Jane) brought in a 538-pounder on the second day, followed shortly thereafter by Capt. Nate Bolduc (Cecelia Jean) with a 501.5 pounder. Molly Jane’s second fish, a 671.5-pounder reeled in by Aiden McLean and Reid Hansen seemed a solid second place. Just two hours later, Bailey & Bella’s second fish looked to be a contender but fell just shy at 637 pounds. Their fish had barely been

hoisted and weighed when Backstabber brought in a 687.5-pound behemoth that launched them into first place. Capt. Kevin Lord (Square Footage) shuffled the deck again after lunch with a 547 pounder. Here’s the list of the top-10: 1st: Pete Speeches - Backstabber - 687.5 - $6,250 2nd: Keith Jordan - Bailey & Bella - 679.5 - $3,250 3rd: Kurt Christensen - Molly Jane - 671.5 - $1,500 4th: Keith Jordan - Bailey & Bella - 637 - $1,000 5th: Kevin Lord - 547 - $500 6th: Kurt Christensen - Molly Jane - 538 7th: Nate Bolduc - Cecelia Jean - 501.5 8th: Rusty Parmenter - Patricia Ann - 483 9th: Jeremy Loomis - Kelsey Anne - 466 10th: Shawn Moore - Katelyn A – 462

Dr. Walt Golet, adjunct professor from the University of Maine, and team members with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute collected biological samples from all fish landed for continuing work on bluefin tuna. In its second year, the Casco Bay Bluefin Bonanza is a charitable organization dedicated to raising funds for scholarships to Maine’s community college system. In 2019, the Bonanza

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FLORIDA 3

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SEPTEMBER 2020

FLORIDA 5

MASSIVE FORT LAUDERDALE’S

MULLET RUN

TARPON C apt. Jeff Maggio said it’s been a great summer for tarpon in Fort Lauderdale, and he’s anxiously awaiting the fall migration of massive mullet schools through south Florida. This is the fabled mullet run down Florida’s Atlantic coast, when every predator that swims the beaches and inlets can be caught following and feeding on enormous schools of baitfish. “It’s so visual,” Maggio said. “You see the massive schools of bait, and the birds, and the fish busting on the surface. It’s really spectacular. It’s the kind of thing where even if you only catch a couple fish, you’ll think you had the best fishing of your life just because you witnessed it.” Most years, smaller finger mullet show up on the beaches and in the Intracoastal Waterway around Sept. 1, said Maggio. Everything—the bait, the schools and the fish chasing them—gets larger as the migration progresses. By October, the mullet run is usually in full effect, and big tarpon, giant snook, jack crevalle, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, spinner sharks and others will all be hounding southbound mullet. Capt. Maggio is a tarpon specialist. He spends summer evenings putting anglers on big tarpon off the beaches and using light tackle or fly rods to catch juveniles in the canals. The mullet run is a phenomenon that puts 100-plus-pound tarpon in everyone’s reach. “This time of year when there’s no wrong place to be,” he said. “We call it happy bait. It’s the time when everybody can get bait, everybody’s catching fish, and everybody’s having a good time.” The key is to encounter the massive schools of bait. Maggio said they keep a close eye on bird action off the beaches. Mullet run tight to Fort Lauderdale beaches, usually inside the swim buoys, which puts big tarpon, snook and everything else in range of shore anglers. “It depends on the tides,” he said. “On the lower tides, it’s better to be in a boat. On the higher tides, it’s better to be on the sand.” From either side of the action, a live mullet netted straight out of the school and freelined with no weight or big soft baits like a Hogy or a SpoolTek are good bets for tempting tarpon. Add some weight if you want a giant snook. They typically feed near the bottom. “If fish are feeding aggressively, you can do anything and be successful,” he said. “But you’re waiting for yours to be found among millions of others.” 6 FLORIDA

SEPTEMBER 2020

By Nick Carter

Maggio said he prefers when fish are running parallel with the schools and not actively crashing them. In these conditions, a well-presented bait on the edge of a mullet school is likely to get hit. On the Intracoastal, Maggio likes to stake out a pinch point and wait as the action passes in waves. From Boca Inlet in Boca Raton south to Haulover Inlet at the north end of Biscayne Bay, the Intracoastal is squeezed down into a bottleneck. Pinch points funnel fish along the way. “Because it’s so tight, it just magnifies everything,” he said. Competent anglers might bring three or four big tarpon to Maggio’s boat on a good day, which means they’ll have jumped 10. Several big jack crevalle, some spinner sharks and often a giant 20-plus-pound snook might be considered bycatch. But Maggio, an active steward of the waters, threw in a big disclaimer. “We’re on pins and needles waiting to see what happens this year,” he said. “I’ve been fishing Fort Lauderdale since I was a kid in the 70s, and last year was the worst I’ve ever seen. We think it was the red tides, but it was the first time in my life I didn’t see the mullet run come through.” Here’s hoping, for the sake of fish and anglers, that the 2020 mullet run marks a return to the norm.

Photos courtesy of Capt. Jeff Maggio

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Contact Capt. Jeff Maggio by email at jeff@ lunkerdog.com. See his website www.lunkerdog.com, and check out his podcast “Lunker Dogs Reel Guy Show” on all the major the major platforms.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

FLORIDA 7

SAVINGS ON DECK

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Jake Hester, nephew of the late Michael Shields for whom the tournament is named, looks on as Captain Ed Zyak catches a 240-pound tarpon during the 2017 Open.

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JENSEN BEACH INSHORE OPEN IS SEPT. 25-26

t’s fitting that the Michael Shields Memorial Inshore Open benefits Project LIFT. Part of the inspiration for the non-profit’s unique model came from fishing. As a psychotherapist working with mostly teenage boys, Project LIFT CEO Bob Zaccheo discovered that getting troubled teens out of a counseling office and putting a fishing rod in their hands was the catalyst he needed to get them talking. He ran with that concept, and today Project LIFT has provided mental health and substance abuse treatment to more than 4,000 kids by weaving therapy into hands-on vocational skills training like auto repair, welding, HVAC, screen printing and more. The 12th Annual Michael Shields Memorial Tournament takes place Sept. 25-26 in Jensen Beach. The Open is named after longtime Martin County resident Michael Shields, who died at the age of 23 from bone cancer, and the event has raised more than $400,000 for non-profits over the years. The tournament follows a catch-and-release format, with separate categories for snook, tarpon, trout and redfish. There are guided and unguided divisions, and iAngler is used for registration and scoring. In order to follow COVID-19 protocols, much of the event has gone virtual, including the awards ceremony, which will be streamed live on Facebook. The hosting sponsor is River Palm Cottages, but there are no restrictions as to fishing locations, and unguided anglers can fish from a boat, the shore, or anything in between. Lines in for unguided anglers is at noon on Friday, Sept. 25, while guided teams can begin fishing at 5 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26. Guided teams consist of up to three anglers and an assigned guide. The guide is considered the team captain, and may fish if the team chooses. This year’s Presenting Sponsor is Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, Bank of America Corporation. All fish complete with a photo must be logged into the Michael Shields Memorial iAngler Tournament Page/App by no later than 3 p.m. on Sept. 26, 2020. All proceeds benefit Project LIFT, a program that reimagines counseling for teens by disrupting traditional mental health service delivery systems. Program participants choose from one of 13 skilled trades to learn on site, using industry standard equipment. By getting the teens into a hands-on working environment, trust is built alongside work ethic, and teens gain tools for a healthy, productive future. For more information, or to register as an angler, visit fishforthekids.org, or contact Juliet@projectliftmc.com. 10 FLORIDA

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Manatee Island Ladies Tournament Raises Over $20,000 for Kiwanis Club

he third annual Manatee Island Ladies Tournament, which was held on July 25, raised over $20,000 for Kiwanis Club of Stuart. Social distancing restrictions meant only a limited number of boats could fish the tournament, but tournament organizers are hopeful their fourth annual event in 2021 will be bigger and better than ever Per Jennifer Cameron, “This year left us speechless! Even with a few bumps, weather and COVID-19, we

SEE LADIES............................PAGE 3

RESULTS KINGFISH AND HEAVIEST FISH Team Dixon 19.4-pounds Kristina Dixon

FROM LEFT: Jennifer Cameron from Team Floridian, fishing on Unbelievable, weighs in a bonito; Team Floridian accepts their first-place sailfish release award. Pictured are Ashlyn Earnest, Jennifer Cameron, Cheyenne Lee and Brook Crist. PHOTOS PROVIDED by Manatee Island Ladies Fishing Tournament.

BONITO Next 31, 15-pounds Kelly Bond

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Junior angler Ashlyn Earnest looking for a bite.

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TREASURE COAST 1

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SNOOK SEASON REOPENS SEPTEMBER 1, 2020

REGULATIONS

Snook is managed by two regions in Florida: Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. Regulations apply in state and adjacent federal waters. No commercial harvest or sale of snook is permitted. License Requirements: Snook permit and recreational fishing license. Allowable Gear: Hook and line only. Atlantic (state and adjacent federal waters)

Gulf of Mexico, Monroe County, and Everglades National Park (state and adjacent federal waters)

Closed Harvest Season

December 15 - January 31; June 1 - August 31

December 1 - end of February; May 1 - August 31

Size Limit

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Bag Limit

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• There are five different species of snook that inhabit Florida waters: common snook, small-scale fat snook, largescale fat snook, swordspine snook, and tarpon snook. • The most abundant of the five species, the common snook, was once designated as a species of special concern in Florida. Among other from causes, good management WeldinG & machininG... and conservation measures have led to removal of this designation. The common snook will be the focus for the rest of this list. ...to hiGhSnook are also known as robalo, linesiders, and sergeant fish. In the past, • precision, they were known as "soapfish" when some sections of the "soapy" tasting dynamic skin were left on the fillets due to poor cleaning practices. balancinG Since 1980 • Snook can tolerate a wide range of salinity and may be found in fresh water. However, they are extremely sensitive to temperature and a strong, fast Got a badly moving cold front through an area containing snook may claim many lives damaGed due to the rapid drop in water temperature. propeller? • Long term tagging research has been carried out over the past several years and has proven to be a valuable tool in helping to understand the life history of snook. 3009 S.E. Monroe St. • Snook are protandric hermaphrodites and change sex from male to female. The actual cause of the change is not known, but current research may Stuart, Florida 34997 3009 S.E. Monroe St. provide an answer. • Snook are known as "ambush feeders" meaning that they'll surprise attack We‚ll fix it Stuart, Florida their34997 prey as it swims or moves into range. This occurs especially at the up like neW! 3009 S.E. Monroe St. mouths of inlets where currents play a role while the snook waits in hiding Stuart, Florida 34997 behind bridge pilings, rocks, or other submerged structures. Service from Melbourne to West Palm Beach • Besides preying on small fish, snook also feed on shrimp, crabs, and mollusks. • Snook are very popular with recreational anglers due to their strong fighting spirit and mild, delicate flavor.

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LADIES............................... FROM PAGE 1 were able pull off one heck of a good time for our 32 boats and 136 Lady Anglers. So many great volunteers, participants, bidders, friends, mates and sponsors!” Cameron added, “Special thanks go out to Paul Gonnella and the Manatee Island Bar and Grill Team. Thanks to your collective outstanding support we raised over $20,000 for Kiwanis Club of Stuart!”

SEPTEMBER FISHING CONDITIONS

unty, Park aters)

h (TL)

Sheila Kelsey fishing on Valentine weighs in.

September 1

BEST

Morning

September 21

POOR

Evening

September 2

BEST

Evening

September 22

POOR

Evening

September 3

FAIR

Evening

September 23

FAIR

Morning

September 4

FAIR

Evening

September 24

FAIR

Morning

September 5

FAIR

Evening

September 25

FAIR

Morning

September 6

FAIR

Evening

September 26

GOOD

Morning

September 7

FAIR

Evening

September 27

GOOD

Morning

September 8

POOR

Evening

September 28

BEST

Morning

September 9

POOR

Evening

September 29

BEST

Morning

September 10

POOR

Morning

September 30

FAIR

Morning

September 11

BEST

Morning

September 12

BEST

Morning

September 13

POOR

Morning

September 14

POOR

Morning

September 15

POOR

Morning

September 16

POOR

Morning

September 17

POOR

Evening

September 18

POOR

Evening

September 19

FAIR

Evening

September 20

GOOD

Evening

What do the ratings mean? POOR day basically means the fish will either steal all your bait or will not even touch your line. FAIR day means that you catch one or two fish but you will have to work hard to do so. GOOD day means that you will catch enough fish to feel gratified. BEST day means that you will catch something almost every time you cast your line in the water. SOURCE: The Old Farmers’ 2020Almanac

TREASURE COAST

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

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SEPTEMBER 2020

TREASURE COAST 3

FISHING FORECASTS

MARTIN COUNTY OFFSHORE

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

oll into the heat of hurricane season with your fingers crossed and your rods rigged, September is one month you don’t want to miss. The big news this month is the mullet run. I’ve lived here for 35 years and you can set your watch to it. Tarpon, snook, jacks, sharks and everything else congregate around this throng of baitfish moving down the coast producing spectacular feeding frenzies you only expect to witness on National Geographic. Occurring for days on end and so close you’re getting splashed as baitfish literally jump and get knocked into your boat. I’m especially excited about this season after adding the new 87inch Minn Kota™ Terrova trolling

Chris Marrano with a nice three-quarter day catch aboard Off The Chain. Mahi, kingfish, bonito, cobia, and three sails! PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Scott Fawcett.

motor to the bow of my Contender. That coupled with the incredible side imaging the HumminBird Solix offers turned my 32-center console into the most incredible hybrid I’ve ever been on. This time of year, we mostly use spinning rods and lighter tackle. Blackfin Rods has a new Carbon E-series which is extremely sensitive,

strong, and durable. These rods cast amazingly well, yet still have a ton of backbone to pull stubborn fish away from pilings or roll them over to finish the fight. I use their 7-foot sixinch, 15-pound rod for everything from sailfish to tarpon. They are the perfect rod for flipping live baits, top water plugs, bigger swim baits, and jigs. Very rarely can you find a rod

that works well for everything, but these do. Through the month, kingfish action should maintain strong as should the sail bite and little tunny. Dolphin fishing has been slow, but I expect it to improve as more move up this month, especially if you find some flotsam. Live chumming with a well full of finger mullet is a great way to entice lethargic fish to feed and bring aggressive ones closer to the boat and keep them there. I love pulling up to a weed line and throwing a couple handfuls of live finger mullet over to see what happens, they also work well as bottom bait which is convenient because snapper fishing should be pretty good this month. The swordfish bite is traditionally very strong off the Treasure Coast now as well with a lot of big fish hitting the docks. Trips like that always offer the possibility coming across a weed line, a piece of float, or some tuna busting on top so be ready with some live baits, rigged ballyhoo or a spinning rod with a D.O.A. Bait Busters to cast at hungry fish. Whichever fishing trips you decide to do this September, I hope they’re safe and Off The Chain. Please give me a call to book your next outing: (772) 285-1055.

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MARTIN COUNTY INSHORE NEARSHORE

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

eptember is a big month for the "mullet run" as these 4- to 8-inch baitfish start to show up along the beaches as they migrate south from the Carolinas. One big factor is the WIND being calm enough for boats to cruise the beaches while looking for the large dark nervous water with birds diving. These are the schools of mullet getting pushed ashore by snook, tarpon, jacks, and sharks.

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

ropical preoccupation will be in the forefront of all Floridian’s minds this September as summer transitions to fall and will possess the potential for tropical low-pressure systems to peak this month, posing many possible impacts for near coastal offshore fishing interests. Barring any weather systems of this nature, offshore fishing can be business as usual when favorable weather windows allow fishing crews to fish the many reef structures east of the St. Lucie Inlet. Reefs and wrecks

September last year was very windy making it hard to cruise the beaches by boat, and the mullet seemed to stay scattered or move inshore to hide from rough seas with poor visibility. Either way, the mullet can be found along the beaches and in the river. The best feeding occurs early 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. when the fish are hungry, especially snook and tarpon. When fishing the mullet schools, one good method is putting mullet on a ¼- or 3/8-ounce jig head to get it under the mullet and make it stand out. For monster snook, we also use mullet heads around sunset in some areas 3 to 5 feet deep near the flats and islands. Simply cut a fresh mullet head off just behind the gills and hook it with a circle hook through the back severed meat and come through the top of its head with thick cartilage. There has been lots of keeper snapper caught at Peck Lake Reef

Capt. Giles caught a redfish casting a ZMan rubber crawfish lure while visiting St. Augustine.

PHOTO CREDIT: Morgan Murphy.

day and night on live bait, squid, and sardines. Full moons are September 1 and October 1, so that is easy to remember. Hopefully, the water temps cool down soon because fishing the flats

has been slow with the water reaching 90 degrees. Either way, make sure you have a good cast net ready for the mullet run and stop by Stuart Angler Bait Shop for more info and all your fishing needs!

Barring any close encounters with tropical weather, anglers will be able to stock up on a diverse collection of salty groceries this month, like these colorful reps from aboard the Safari 1.

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” 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 extremely 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 PHOTO CREDIT: Safari 1. be caught using cut bait (especially squid). Mangrove, lane, and mutton that form the bottom contour of our the food chain in action as larger snapper will also avail themselves to fishing zone are the foundation for fish are attracted to the smaller salty grocery collectors during the saltwater ecosystems and will set fish and creatures that magically days of September.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

TREASURE COAST 5

SOUTH INDIAN RIVER LAGOON

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

ith COVID-19 still affecting the Treasure Coast, more people have turned to fishing to get out of the house. August was a super-hot month! September will continue to be warm, but the fishing is always exciting. It’s a great time of year to target tarpon, snook and

FORT PIERCE DEEP SEA

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

redfish around the Treasure Coast. Lots of bait has arrived in the area and the predators are chasing it both in the river and on the beach. Water temperatures will continue to be warm. Temps have been in the upper 80s lately. It is always best to fish early or late in the day. The fall mullet run begins this month and that will bring exciting action to the area. I love fishing in September! Fish the shallow water early. Look for redfish around docks and mangroves this month. They like the shade these areas offer, and you can get a nice redfish fishing live bait, D.O.A. shrimp and C.A.L. grub tails. The trout bite improved this year and you can find some nice fish around Bear Point, Harbor Branch or Round Island flats. Fish top water early and switch to D.O.A. shrimp or C.A.L. jerk baits as the sun warms up.

Snook season opens again September 1. Live bait, D.O.A. TerrorEyz and assorted other favorites used around jetties, bridges and sea walls can get you hooked up to that slot fish. Make sure you are prepared for the season and check your equipment. It’s always good to check your license and snook stamp, too. Fish the bait schools! It's easy to spot the bait this time of year. The fall mullet run is going on strong in September. If you do not find bait around your favorite fishing spot, you will most likely not find many fish there. Move around if you need to find active bait. Fish love this time of year and they are out there gorging themselves on the bait in anticipation of the coming winter months. Water temperatures will begin to mellow out and will get

Lady angler Sue Kuderna taking advantage of the influx of kingfish during these warm summer months.

eptember to remember! Fishing in Fort Pierce is incredible. The turquoise waters of the Gulf Stream, bright sunshine, and boxes brimming with snappers on ice is a fisherman’s utopia, from the bottom to the top! Snappalanche! September is the best time to claim your Snapper Slam as the various snapper species reach peak activity. Reds are maxed, but grey, mutton, lanes, yellowtail and vermillion snapper will be caught, filleted and grilled with a side of butter and lemon. With the mullet run in full effect, sailfish, snapper, grouper, wahoo, mahi, kings, and cobia will be caught

PHOTO CREDIT: Lady Chris Charters.

on the Treasure Coast in September. With so much action all over the water column, it’s hard not to get giddy about heading offshore. On the top, we’ll see some of the biggest predators and…sharks! These ruthless tax collectors can, and will, try the patience of anglers without a care. However, there is a

silver lining and it is riding shotgun with the taxman, cobias! They will be swimming right behind the shark, and you pick one off the sharks back using a casting rod and jig. On the bottom, the main focus will be on reeling in some nice sized mangrove and mutton snappers. And when targeting the snappers, don’t

Brody caught and released this nice tripletail while fishing along the channel in Fort Pierce. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Charlie Connor.

back to normal. It's a great time of year to be fishing! Remember, fishing is not just another hobby, it's an ADVENTURE! Good fishing, be safe.

forget the groupers holed up a few feet below and add a rod with enough backbone to brawl with a mean one. A reel loaded with 20-to-30-pound mono, 110-pound leader, and 8/0 circle-hooks will give you a slim advantage when hooked up to the heavyweight off the reef. The high quality and quantity of snapper will be steady and coincides with the fall mullet run. The massive congregation of mullet on the Treasure Coast happens like clockwork and helps bring September to an all-around salty success. This “run” is a spectacular sight as the ocean comes alive, teeming with wildlife and bait piled high from the beaches to the river. So, grab your gear, and get out there! 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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FISHING FORECASTS

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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 80to 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 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 to your favorite area with structure or ledges or

with steady pressure find the bait schools off will keep from pulling the beach and slow troll the hook out. the live bait around the If you are running edges. out of live bait, don’t In the morning have live bait or would look for bait schools of prefer a faster trolling pilchards and greenies speed, kingfish will hit off the beach. For the shiny spoons like the first couple of hours in drone spoon and big the morning, kingfish, lipped lures. I would big and small, lurk still recommend using around these schools of a wire leader on lures. bait. As the day goes on, As with any lure or most of the kingfish will live bait trolling for move to deeper waters. kingfish, cover the Anywhere out to 80 feet water column from the will be a good area to find surface to down deep kingfish. by using a down rigger, Kingfish are very if available, or a planer. toothy fish so you will Big kingfish put up want to have your baits a great fight, are a great rigged with a wire leader DJ Markowski trophy and are tasty and a “stinger rig.” For hooked up this 18-pound mahi smoked or smoked and a stinger rig, you will fishing the waters made into fish smack. attach your main hook in out of Fort Pierce Smaller kingfish put up the nose of your live bait Inlet. This bull was a good fight but are the with another short piece hungry enough to better size for grilling of wire from the main eat a trolled skirted or broiling. If you look hook to a treble hook ballyhoo. He was online you can find a in the mid-section or caught in 180 feet. lot of different recipes near the tail of your bait. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Danny Markowski. for various ways of Kingfish hardly ever eat the whole bait on the first strike so being said, a light drag is essential cooking this fish. Bend your rods and catch them two hooks on the bait will increase because a lot of times a kingfish will your chances for a hookup. This get foul hooked and a light drag up!

FORT PIERCE’S PREMIER INSHORE FISHING TOURNAMENT SERIES

ST. LUCIE COUNTY INSHORE

Capt. Joe Ward

Backcountry Fishing Association

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

s the weather starts to cool off some, you can look for the fishing to get better. The schools of bait fish should be coming into the Fort Pierce Inlet with plenty of action not far behind. The snook bite in the Fort Pierce Inlet should be good for anglers using live baits, like greenies and mullet, and fishing them on the bottom at places like Judy Rock or the cleaning station and fishing on the out-going tides. Also, in the Fort Pierce Inlet, the Spanish mackerel and bluefish will be showing up and they will take anything shiny. Look for the trout and redfish in the deeper holes and channels around the flats. They will be taking a live shrimp fished under a popping cork and fish in 5-to-7 feet of water when the water starts to cool down. The local bridges should be holding some nice snapper, sheepshead and black drum. Try fishing a live shrimp on a #2 hook

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and a ½-to-1-ounce weight. Around the south jetty there should be some flounder on the beach side. A large live shrimp or mud minnows fished on a ⅛- or ¼-ounce troll-rite hook. In the surf, the whiting and pompano bite should improve later in the month. Shrimp, clams or sand fleas will all be a good choice.

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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. Live bait is the ticket during the day, but after dark shore bound anglers predominantly throw bucktails, swimbaits and various diving plugs.

will pick up considerably when the schools of finger mullet make their way into the river system. Sight cast live finger mullet, D.O.A. TerrorEyz and MirrOlure Catch 2000 Jr.’s and flies to rolling tarpon. D.O.A. Shrimp and jerk baits along with suspending and topwater plugs are excellent choices for snook around docks and shorelines. A live mullet is hard to beat for snook early and late in the day and at night.

FISHING FORECASTS

SEBASTIAN INSHORE

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

t has been an action-packed summer on Sebastian’s inshore and nearshore waters. The inshore snook fishing has been very consistent, the trout have been available even on the hottest days and juvenile tarpon remain abundant throughout the lagoon and its tributaries. Snook are again in season as of Sept. 1. Atlantic zone rules apply, with one snook overall length between 28 and 32 inches allowed per angler per day. Snook take center stage in the Sebastian area in September, but they are not the only gamefish in town. Let’s take a look at each Sebastian area opportunity available to the inshore angler.

INDIAN RIVER LAGOON –

Snook will ambush bait around shoreline structure including dock and mangroves, while trout and reds stalk the flats and spoil islands for a finger mullet meal. Topwater and suspending plugs, such as Super Spook Jr. and Catch 2000 Jr. are very productive this time of year. D.O.A. jerk baits and shads will get you through just about any late summer situation in the central lagoon. Look for juvenile tarpon in residential canals, spillways, and backwater bays.

SEBASTIAN INLET – Sebastian Inlet will be the destination of SEBASTIAN RIVER – Tarpon and anglers from near and far come Sept. snook action in the Sebastian River 1 with the opening of snook season.

NEAR SHORE ATLANTIC – The waters within two

miles of the beach north and south of Sebastian Inlet can be explosive in September. Snook, tarpon, kingfish, blues, Spanish macs, cobia, tripletail, sharks, jacks, and flounder all follow the migrating mullet southward. Fish live mullet, plugs, spoons and jigs from the This is what makes Sebastian Inlet the beach to take advantage place to go snook fishing in September. of some of the best fishing Chuck Schaus, of Melbourne FL, shows of the year. Take a boat off an oversized Sebastian Inlet snook before release. ride up or down the beach a safe distance outside of PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Gus Brugger. the breakers and watch for The snook will be stacked up in the rolling tarpon or other predators inlet and some years the oversize reds chasing the mullet schools. A live outnumber the snook in September. mullet or a well place plug should Live croakers, pigfish, shrimp and result in a tight line.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

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SEBASTIAN AREA OFFSHORE

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

eptember is our last chance for some summer offshore action and there are many fishing opportunities to enjoy on those flat days when the storms choose another track. Watch for cold water upwellings and a late summer run of cobia in our area. The unpredictable upwelling seems to be running late this year and may push back some of August’s opportunities into September. Mangrove snapper fishing falls into this category too. Try chumming up those big mammas on the reef when the water is clear and warm. You’ll need to freeline with a sneaky presentation to fool these big girls. Try a night trip if the weather cooperates. The fish lose the advantage of keen eyesight and can be taken advantage of. King fishing should be a good bet this month from the beach all the way to the 90 foot reef. The trick is to find the fish though observing those big marks on sonar along with pods of bait and hunting birds. Dolphin fishing is on the itinerary too. Keep an eye peeled for schooly fish feeding in the weed patches from 50 feet on out. Pulling up to a lively patch and plucking a few tasty mahi with spinning rods equipped with a small artificial lure is great fun. Warm water is everywhere, and weeds are often abundant (and scattered) so focus on the presence of bait and well-formed rips. Blackfin tuna surge in our area this month from 90 feet to 250 feet so keep some small, way back lures in the spread while trolling. Also watch for the shrimp boats that will dump their bycatch early in the morning. Blackfins, cobia and of course bonito

diving birds or better yet, mullet getting blasted into the air! For big tarpon, pitch a big mullet around the action area, using a 7/0 circle hook and 6 feet of 50-to-80-pound mono leader. Blacktip and spinner sharks are good sport in these same pods of mullet and can be taken on live mullet or freshly caught blue fish. 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. 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, many seasoned anglers will be drifting for swordfish this month. Although a bit early in the season, the calm weather of September makes it a good bet. The traditional approach is to drift at night with specialized gear including: 50-to-80-pound tackle, light sticks, Timmy, from St. Cloud, watched this big mamma mangrove swallow and rigged squid presented at various his freelined bait in gin clear water and stopped it with a spinning rod depths. Newcomers have much to before it made it to the 90 foot reef below. Congrats Tim! learn here to have a crack at one of the PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Randy Lang. oceans prize catches. Best of luck out there and take will swarm around these boats The mullet run should be going looking for a handout. The bite can be strong this month along our beaches. advantage of those few summer days rekindled with your own chum slick. Cruise north or south looking for that remain!

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TREASURE COAST 9

FISHING FORECASTS

FROM THE SHORE

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

eptember means snook season is open on the east coast of Florida. You are required to have a snook stamp if you plan on keeping one and they have to be between 28- to 32-inches. One fish per person per day. When measuring the fish, don't forget to pinch the tail. Snook fishing will be hot around schools of mullet coming through the inlets. Also look for these schools on the beaches. September can be a little bit early for the main migration. September and October are normally some of the most insane months of fishing. Snook tarpon, sharks, jacks, everything will be getting in on the action. Once the mullet run pushes in the river, mayhem will begin. The bait will come down the flat and snook, big seatrout, redfish and big jacks will be crushing them. Also look for

10 TREASURE COAST

action at local bridges. Brain Sakowski with Around your inlets, fish will a Treasure Coast be stacked up on shadow lines 40-inch snook. The ambushing the bait as it comes fish was caught using through. In all of these different a swimbait. It was safely released and scenarios you will want to approach as you can tell in the them differently with different rods photo, always support and reels and different artificial lures. the fish's underside. On the flats I like having a 7-foot 6-inch Tsunami Carbon Shield Rod with a 4000 Shield Reel. At the bridges, I like having a medium action rod like a Tsunami Air Wave Rod with an Evict 4000. And at the beach, it is a must to have a sealed reel like the Tsunami Salt X 4000 and 6000 size reels. Having the right weapon when targeting some of these very large fish from land will help increase your odds of landing a fish of a lifetime or losing a fish of a lifetime. When it comes to what to throw for lures, the list doesn't have to be as long as you think. I approach almost every scenario with a top, middle and bottom water lure. No live bait needed. Swimbaits are a great option for the beach and bridges. Savage Gear Mullet in the 6-inch Line Thru Mullet. Top water options are 4-inch LIVETARGETÂŽ Mullet and a 4-inch red and white Top Dog. Don't always PHOTO CREDIT: Jayson Arman. think using a live mullet around tens of thousands of other ones is the Call me if you ever have any a fishing trip (772) 530-8080 That's correct answer. questions were would like to set up R-Man over and out.

SEPTEMBER 2020

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a good way to find the bait and then launch at the nearest public beach access.

OFFSHORE:

September has always been a great month for wahoo in the kayak. Concentrate on live baiting large goggle eyes Brian Nelli deeper in the water column. The Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters best time of the month will be a (772) 201-5899 few days before and after the full Brian@tckayakfishing.com moon. Kingfish will still be around and will most likely be staying www.tckayakfishing.com in that 10-to-15-pound range. Sailfish will remain good through INSHORE: Fishing early or late the month. Smaller goggle eyes and in the day is still the key through September. The flats and inlets are holding large amounts of glass minnows. Using lures to imitate these baits will be your best bet. Fishing the inlets, beaches, and bridges will be the best options. Try using a D.O.A. TerrorEyz or jerk bait bounced near the bottom around the inlet. Fishing the shadow lines on the bridges at night with a mullet imitation will work great as well. Towards the end of the month the fall mullet run should be in full swing. Finding the bait pods and working a live mullet or lure around the edges of the pods will entice a strike. Driving along A1A with the kayak in tow is

KAYAK FISHING FORECAST

ABOVE: Steve and Nate with a double tuna bite. LEFT: Ben with his first kayak tarpon. PHOTO CREDITS: Brian Nelli.

blue runners on a flat line will work to lure them in. Finally, blackfin and skipjack tuna will come through in small schools. Look to target them with smaller vertical jigs, trolling feathers, or deep diver plugs. Check us out Pushin’ Water Kayak Charters on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for all the latest adventures my clients and I get into. See you on the water!

Treasure Coast

Bonito Blast

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Late registration and tournament packets will be available at Pirates Cove starting at 6:00 pm on Friday, September 18th.

For more information and to register online visit: www.TreasureCoastBonitoBlast.com COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

SEPTEMBER 2020

TREASURE COAST 11

FISHING FORECASTS

LAKE OKEECHOBEE

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

ake Okeechobee has risen two feet during this rainy summer with several months of hurricane season left. Any questions as to whether there will be enough water this winter has already been answered. Fishermen will be able to fish areas of the lake that have not been navigable for a few months. Areas well back into the marsh are opening up and will continue to do so as the water continues to rise. During September, the majority of bass will still be holding on the outside grass lines where they can chase and eat shad at their will. During the early morning hours, bass can be found actively chasing/ schooling on large numbers of shad that are attempting to hide in and

around the heavy Kissimmee grass lines that surround the lake. Many different lures will work in the grass, but a double willow leaf spinnerbait out catches most other baits two to one. The catch rates vary daily according to the amount of sunlight; some days 15 bass can be caught during that early morning bite and then other days 25 to 30 will fall prey to the spinnerbait and /or swim jig. Every day is different, but every day is a success with a shot at the trophy bass of a lifetime on each cast. Once the early morning feeding frenzy is over and the fish move further into the grass, a slower more methodical approach is needed. Flipping or pitching creature style baits, such as an ugly otter, will draw all of the bites an angler desire. Fishing the creature bait entails putting your bait into crevices and holes in any thick cover area you can see. Heavy braided line is required as is a very stout rod and reel that is capable of

Dawson and his dad came from Ohio and caught plenty of nice bass. The morning was absolutely amazing and the fishing didn't disappoint. This father-son duo was an absolute joy to fish with. On this day, I believe we caught around 20 bass with the largest being around 5-pounds. PHOTO CREDIT: Capt. Nathan Shellen.

wrenching a fish out of their hiding place. It’s basically hand to hand combat and the bass win more battles than the anglers. Other techniques that have proved successful for us require 8 to 12-pound mono spooled on a spinning rod, armed with a fluke or a Senko. The very slow descent of these baits drives bass crazy at times. This technique is better performed when the wind is not blowing hard, simply because the wind can make feeling the bait on the light line nearly impossible. Many times with these light offerings, a bass will simply pick the bait up and swim with it, so watching closely for line movement is key. A live wild shiner will entice bass to eat when nothing else will. Still the best bass bait you can use, a wild shiner, will catch bass of all sizes. A bass is capable of inhaling a shiner nearly half its body length. Small bass will amaze you sometimes at how aggressive they are toward shiners you may think are too big for them to eat.

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DIVING FORECAST

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

ummertime dive conditions should hold through the month of September as fall approaches provided tropical activity remains low. Beneath the surface annual events such as the Goliath grouper migration and the potential for jellyfish to show up will keep divers alert and on their toes throughout the month. Hurricane season reaches its peak during September and 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. After the seas calm down, diving can be really good after a storm since new reefs maybe uncovered after along with grouper, lobster and large whelk and helmet conch shells scattered over the reef. The Georges Valentine wreck that sits just a few hundred yards offshore of the House of Refuge is a great example of how a dive site may be affected by tropical activity. As sand shifts with each swell, water depths on the wreck maybe as deep as 20 feet or as shallow at 10 feet, depending on the time of year. During the fall, our area plays host to the largest gathering of Goliath grouper in the world. As most boaters are aware, most artificial structures in our area have year-round resident populations but during the annual aggregation 30 or 40 individuals on a single wreck are common. Divers can count on these underwater giants to arrive in early September and hang around reefs and wrecks for a month or more. 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. Considered to be a must-dive by many this time of year, locations such as the Evans Crary Bridge rubble or David-T in Stuart,

During the fall, our area plays host to the largest gathering of Goliath grouper in the world. PHOTO CREDIT: Jonathan Churchhill.

the Esso Bonaire of Jupiter or the new Ana Cecilia Wreck in West Palm are hot spots for experiences available nowhere else in the world. Lobster hunting is great this month too since females that may have held on to their eggs for mini-

season have now dropped them and are ready to come home for dinner. Crowds from opening weekend have thinned and reef sites should be restocked and ready. Grab a camera, lobster snare and join the action!

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Fly Fishing Corner

BIG SNOOK Rising Like Little Trout

This month I want to share a charter I had a couple of weeks ago. We started the day morning fishing on a very good outgoing tide. The weather was perfect with a little bit of wind, but the water was very dark brown from the run-off and tons of sargassum. I ran to a few different spots but just couldn’t find the right one. No bait, nothing and we only had two hours left on some of my favorite spots before low tide. I finally found some active fish on a spot I did not expect. The water was even darker with more sargassum and intense clouds of sand but what I found blew my mind! In between the sargassum and the super muddy and sandy water there were big snook rising like little trout sipping super small bait. What an incredible scenario! These fish came up right next to the boat, just unbelievable! My client, Stephen, was doing a really good job

serving up the fly but it was like a needle in a haystack. I kept moving the boat inch by inch into that spot and finally found the Holy Grail. A few square feet along a current seam where the water was just a smidge less dirty. I told Stephen to put his fly in there without any slack in his line and he nailed it. As soon as his fly hit the water a big snook took it and we could see everything, how amazing! Important: never trust in what you think you know - every day can be different. A great fisherman can adapt quickly to a new situation. Keep in mind, finding the right spot at the right time is the key to success, even if it is only a few square feet.

PHOTO CREDITS: Capt. Michael Mauri.

By Capt. Michael Mauri Client Stephen Kost is from Florida’s west coast, but he spends quite a few days fishing with me throughout the year. He enjoyed his day on the water!

Stephen’s catch was successfully released to make another angler happy on another day. This shot shows the turbidity of the water at the location we fished that day.

Capt. Michael Mauri www.mauriflyfishing.com michael@mauriflyfishing.com (772) 485-3321

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PHOTO CREDITS: Capt. Michael Mauri.

Treasure Coast Bonito Blast Set for Sept. 19

“A great day of fishing to benefit Florida’s disabled veterans”

he Treasure Coast Bonito Blast (TCBB) works in conjunction with Treasure Coast businesses to create an event that brings the quaint town of Port Salerno (a town with a fishing problem!) and local community together in appreciation and support of the Wounded Warriors of South Florida. The tournament includes prize money and auction items. Charitable donations go to support the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund (WVRF). The TCBB is the largest one-day tournament on the Treasure Coast, and this year, the eighth annual tournament is slated for Sept. 19. Local anglers know bonito are always biting at this time of the year and to date, the Bonito Blast has raised over $300,000 for the WVRF, which has provided assistance to approximately 130 veterans (https:// wvrf.org). Tournament organizers and supporters encourage Treasure Coast citizens do their part, to give back to those who gave so much by supporting the TCBB--- a way of giving back to those who have served to ensure our freedoms. The WVRF was founded in 2009 to assist qualified disabled post 9/11 veterans’ transition into civilian life. The organization provides immediate emergency financial support to these much deserving veterans. More than 85% of all funds donated to WVRF go directly toward veteran assistance, earning the non-profit GuideStar’s platinum level recognition for performance and for serving Florida’s veterans. WVRF assists veterans in getting their lives back on track by helping with

job training, housing, transportation, past-due bills, child needs and other forms of assistance too numerous to list. The WVRF mission is to save lives and keep these families together. As Mike Durkee, Executive Director of WVRF has said, “The veterans stories are why we do what we do. When they return home after fighting for our freedom, a new journey begins, often fraught with hardships. We are grateful to the local community for its incredible generosity and support of these heroes”. Tournament organizers emphasize that in addition to the funds raised by the tournament, a day of fishing and being on the water for these veterans fishing means a great deal to them— especially seeing the community come together to take part in a heart-felt patriotic event. Tournament packet pickup and late registration is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 18, at Pirates Cove Resort and Marina, Stuart, Fla., beginning at 6 p.m. Weigh-in will take place at the Pirates Cove weighstation (south dock) on Saturday, Sept. 19, from 12 noon to 3 p.m. Due to COVID-19 social distancing requirements, awards will be announced via Facebook Live Saturday evening at 5 p.m. This is the second year Pirates Cove Resort and Marina has hosted the event.

Veterans fishing in the 2019 Treasure Coast Bonito Blast. PHOTO CREDIT: Treasure Coast Bonito Blast.

Capt. Billy Black and his wife, Karen Hermanspan, are once again organizing volunteer boat captains who will host veteran anglers, many of whom have never fished in a tournament before. The Treasure Coast Bonito Blast is a 501(c3) event and contributions are tax deductible. REGISTRATION: Register online at www. TreasureCoastBonitoBlast.com. Registration is $125.00 for 4 anglers; $25.00 for each additional angler. Junior anglers (under 12) fish for free and will be recognized for their catch. PRIZES: 1st - $1,500; 2nd - $750; 3rd - $250. For more information, to register or to buy event raffle tickets, visit the Treasure Coast Bonito Blast Facebook page or TreasureCoastBonitoBlast.com.

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1TU 2:20 AM 8:49 AM 2:38 PM 9:17 PM 2W 3:01 AM 9:30 AM 3:18 PM 9:53 PM 3TH 3:40 AM 10:09 AM 3:57 PM 10:28 PM 4F 4:16 AM 10:46 AM 4:34 PM 11:01 PM 5SA 4:52 AM 11:23 AM 5:10 PM 11:35 PM 6SU 5:27 AM 12:01 PM 5:47 PM 7M 12:10 AM 6:03 AM 12:41 PM 6:25 PM 8TY 12:48 AM 6:42 AM 1:25 PM 7:08 PM 9W 1:29 AM 7:28 AM 2:15 PM 7:59 PM 10TH 2:17 AM 8:23 AM 3:12 PM 9:00 PM

HEIGHT 0.4 2.73 0.18 2.81 0.35 2.76 0.22 2.8 0.33 2.77 0.3 2.77 0.34 2.75 0.4 2.71 0.37 2.7 0.52 2.63 0.43 2.64 0.65 2.54 0.5 2.56 0.77 2.45 0.58 2.48 0.89 2.37 0.64 2.42 0.99 2.31 0.68 2.39 1.03

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11F 3:15 AM 9:26 AM 4:15 PM 10:05 PM 12SA 4:20 AM 10:29 AM 5:19 PM 11:06 PM 13SU 5:27 AM 11:29 AM 6:18 PM 14M 12:02 AM 6:28 AM 12:24 PM 7:11 PM 15TU 12:53 AM 7:25 AM 1:15 PM 8:00 PM 16W 1:42 AM 8:18 AM 2:05 PM 8:47 PM 17TH 2:29 AM 9:09 AM 2:54 PM 9:33 PM 18F 3:17 AM 9:59 AM 3:43 PM 10:19 PM 19SA 4:05 AM 10:49 AM 4:33 PM 11:06 PM 20SU 4:55 AM 11:41 AM 5:24 PM 11:55 PM 21M 5:47 AM 12:34 PM 6:19 PM

2.29 0.67 2.42 1.01 2.34 0.6 2.52 0.91 2.46 0.47 2.67 0.74 2.64 0.32 2.85 0.52 2.86 0.17 3.02 0.3 3.07 0.06 3.16 0.09 3.25 0.01 3.25 -0.06 3.36 0.03 3.27 -0.14 3.4 0.11 3.24 -0.13 3.35 0.26 3.14 -0.04 3.23 0.43

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22TU 12:46 AM 6:44 AM 1:31 PM 7:19 PM 23W 1:43 AM 7:46 AM 2:32 PM 8:24 PM 24TH 2:45 AM 8:52 AM 3:38 PM 9:32 PM 25F 3:52 AM 10:00 AM 4:45 PM 10:38 PM 26SA 5:01 AM 11:04 AM 5:48 PM 11:37 PM 27SU 6:04 AM 12:00 PM 6:42 PM 28M 12:29 AM 6:58 AM 12:50 PM 7:29 PM 29TU 1:15 AM 7:45 AM 1:35 PM 8:09 PM 30W 1:56 AM 8:27 AM 2:15 PM 8:45 PM

3.01 0.1 3.08 0.61 2.86 0.27 2.92 0.76 2.73 0.42 2.8 0.85 2.65 0.51 2.75 0.85 2.65 0.54 2.76 0.8 2.7 0.53 2.81 0.72 2.77 0.51 2.86 0.63 2.85 0.5 2.9 0.54 2.92 0.5 2.92

SEBASTIAN (INLET)

VERO (OCEAN)

FORT PIERCE

TIME OFFSET High Tide -48 min Low Tide -24 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide .93 feet Low Tide 1.0 foot

TIME OFFSET High Tide -55 min Low Tide -35 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide 1.45 feet Low Tide 1.36 feet

TIME OFFSET High Tide -31 min Low Tide -18 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide 1.14 feet Low Tide 1.50 feet

JENSEN BEACH (INDIAN RIVER)

ST. LUCIE INLET

JUPITER INLET

TIME OFFSET High Tide +55 Low Tide +1 hr; 42 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide 1 foot Low Tide .50 feet

TIME OFFSET High Tide -10 min Low Tide -9 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide 1.08 feet Low Tide 1.42 feet

TIME OFFSET High Tide +2 hrs; 17 min Low Tide +3 hrs; 4 min HEIGHT OFFSET High Tide .48 feet Low Tide .92 feet

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Stuart Sailfish Club Foundation to Host 35th Annual SaltWater Sisters Lady Angler Fishing Tournament C

alling all lady anglers! The Stuart Sailfish Club Foundation will host the SaltWater Sisters Ladies Fishing Tournament for the 35th year on Oct. 16-17, 2020. “We have definitely had to make some changes due to the pandemic, but ladies, we are still going fishing,” said Stuart Sailfish Club Foundation president, Charlie Conigliaro. Tournament proceeds this year will continue to assist Friends in Pink, which helps those in need of financial assistance while fighting Breast Cancer. “Since 2005, Friends in Pink, a nonprofit organization, has helped more than 300 individuals pay for life-saving treatments and surgeries, that they otherwise might not have been able to afford,” said Stuart Sailfish Club executive

director, Cheryl Bragg. “The Stuart Sailfish Club Foundation has donated more than $39,700 to local Breast Cancer Charities over recent years. The Club would like to exceed $45,000 this year.” Registration is $175 for four anglers. Registered teams will receive a captain’s bucket and gift certificates. Details may be found at www.stuartsailfishclub. com/tournaments. Abiding by social distancing, the club will forego the normal Friday evening kick-off and tournament registration party, as well as the Saturday awards dinner; however, “an incredible” raffle item will be won by one lucky person and tickets are now on sale. In addition, several silent auction items will be available for bidding online.

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FROM LEFT: Megan Thomas won first-place snapper division fishing aboard the Safari 1 in last year’s tournament; Stuart Sailfish Club Foundation presents Friends in Pink proceeds from the 2019 tournament. PHOTOS PROVIDED by Stuart Sailfish Club.

Tournament award winners will be announced on the Club’s social media platforms, and awards will be available for pickup at the Stuart Sailfish Club’s clubhouse, located at 3867 S.E. Evans Terrace, Stuart, FL 34997.

For more information on the SaltWater Sisters Lady Angler Fishing Tournament, visit www.StuartSailfishClub.com/ tournaments or “Like” the Club’s Facebook page (www. facebook.com/stuartsailfish club).

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Concrete bridge slab heading out for deployment.

St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program:

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he St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program continued to produce offshore fish habitat in August with McCulley Marine Services deploying an additional 2,000 tons of high-quality secondary concrete materials in what will become the Paul Jacquin Reef. Materials included 300 concrete column footers taken from the demolition of the Indian River Terminals warehouse, concrete bridge slab delivered from I-95 overpass work in Port St. Lucie, and from other demolition projects around the County. Funding for the reef came from a contribution by Paul Jacquin & Sons, Inc., a grant from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program. The materials that were available led to the design of the reef which will benefit the development of

fish assemblages on this reef and the adjacent CCA-Curtis Bostick Reef. Deployed alone, the footers would not have provided much habitat complexity. Similarly, the bridge slab would have laid flat in the sand, providing a high surface area reef with little complexity. Shifting sands would have covered the slabs periodically reducing their habitat effectiveness. It was decided to deploy a series of reefs with the footers being deployed first, followed by slabs and larger objects. Deploying materials in this manner would increase the likelihood that small ledges would be formed while still maintaining a reef with high surface area. The small ledges will provide habitat in which mobile invertebrates and juvenile fish are able to escape predation by larger ambush predators (e.g. Goliath grouper [Epinephelus itajara]). The top of the slabs will provide surface

Bridge rail being deployed.

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PHOTO CREDITS: St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program.

area (statio has s attract reefs a choose To could MMS could slab. E (500 t piles a footer barge third o deploy small o pipe) by slab as ligh barge the pr the se barge a third of the reefs l reef se Th to pro crypti the h CCA-C fish li

Bridge l being ployed.

area for colonization by sessile (stationary) invertebrates. Research has shown that larval fish are attracted to sounds made by living reefs and that fish larvae can actively choose to settle on these reefs. To maximize the habitat that could be produced by this method, MMS loaded its barge so that footers could be deployed first, followed by slab. Each barge load of materials (500 tons) was separated into three piles and each pile contained both footers and slab. Once the deploying barge was securely anchored, onethird of the concrete materials were deployed. Column footers and other small objects (e.g. reinforced concrete pipe) were deployed first, followed by slabs and other large objects such as light poles and bridge rails. The barge was then moved 75 feet and the process was started again. After the second reef was deployed, the barge was moved another 75 feet and a third reef was deployed. Four days of these deployments resulted in 12 reefs laid out in a 4x3 grid with each reef separated by 75 feet of sand. The design of the reef is intended to provide low profile ledge and cryptic habitat that will complement the high-profile structure of the CCA-Curtis Bostick Reef. Larvae of fish like the red snapper (Lutjanus

campechanus) settle in the sand but then recruit to low profile hard bottoms as juveniles, and finally to higher profile areas as adults. It is hoped that the fish assemblages on the Paul Jacquin Reef will include both juveniles and adults of many species in the Snapper-Grouper Complex (e.g. red snapper, gag [Mycteroperca microlepis], amberjack [Seriola dumerili]). Monique Guertin, from Sunrise City Ecoadventures, is organizing post-deployment dives by volunteers on the Paul Jacquin Reef to determine the final underwater configuration of the reef and to document fish species inhabiting the reef. Monique is also helping to acquire the Jungle Queen 3, a 72-foot barge/tourboat to be deployed as the centerpiece of a Veterans Memorial Reef. To learn about volunteer diving or becoming involved in the Jungle Queen 3/Veterans Memorial Reef, contact Monique Guertin at sunrisecityecoadventures@gmail. com or (772) 999-1330. For more information on the St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program, contact Jim Oppenborn, St. Lucie County Coastal Resources Coordinator, at oppenbornj@stlucieco.org or (772)462-1713. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM â€˘ THEANGLERMAG.COM

MARK YOUR CALENDARS LADIES!

35th Annual SaltWater Sisters Lady Angler Fishing Tournament October 16-17, 2020

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Sizemore Takes Fort Pierce Sportfishing Club’s July Members Tournament Series he Fort Pierce Sportfishing Club kicked-off in July a three-month summer members only tournament series for kingfish and dolphin. Two winners are named each month, one for the largest kingfish and one for the largest dolphin. The fun way to socially distance… GO FISHING! The winner of each category receives a $500 prize, paid out at the end of each tournament month. Special recognition of winners will take place during the club’s annual membership dinner and fish fry on October 21. The single winner for July, with the largest fish in both categories, were weighed in by long-time Fort Pierce Sportfishing Club member Jay Sizemore. Jay weighed in a 35.9-pound kingfish and a 6.8-pound dolphin, netting him $1,000 for his efforts. The Fort Pierce Sportfishing Club was established in 1980. Members share in interest in sportfishing, conservation, 20 TREASURE COAST

community service, and boating. Club meetings are held at the Fort Pierce Yacht Club, 700 N. Indian River Drive, Fort Pierce, on the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. and are free to attend.

For membership information contact FPSC@LIVE.COM, call (772) 464-0423 or visit www.ftpiercesportfishingclub.com.

SEPTEMBER 2020

PHOTO CREDITS: Fort Pierce Sportfishing Club.

FROM LEFT: Jay Sizemore counting his winnings; Jay weighing in his winning 35.9-pound kingfish; a 6.8-pound dolphin put $500 into Jay’s pocket! COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

Treasure Coast Waterway Cleanup Week Scores Tons of Trash

PHOTOS PROVIDED by MIATC.

PHOTO CREDITS: Fort Pierce Sportfishing Club.

he Marine Industries Association of the Treasure pickup to what each could personally dispose. Coast (MIATC) and its 13th annual Treasure Coast Significantly less construction materials were Waterway Cleanup, met the challenge of social distancing brought back. There was an overall increase in for the COVID-19 pandemic by transitioning into a picnic trash, and for the first time, mask and gloves week-long virtual cleanup. Originally slated for Saturday became a regularly reported item. “Our strong community partnerships with the Florida July 25, this year the annual cleanup began on Saturday, July 18 and concluded Sunday, July 26. Event volunteers, Inland Navigation District, Martin, St. Lucie and Indian which totaled 597, contributed 1,592 hours and removed River counties, and the cities of Stuart, Fort Pierce, 3.43 tons of trash from the waterways of Martin, St. Port St. Lucie, Vero Beach, and Sebastian, as well as Lucie and Indian River counties. Since 2008, MIATC has many more partners, made the event possible, “said engaged more than 11,240 volunteers, who collectively Price. “Additionally, we are thankful to our business have removed more than 91.5 tons of trash from Treasure sponsors who supported this year’s effort.” Coast waterways. “We anticipated a decrease in participation and trash For complete event results and photos, collected, especially without being able to open our visit www.TCWaterwayCleanup.com. traditional sites,” said April Price, the event coordinator. “However, we were optimistic about the opportunities the extended cleanup times 2020 WATERWAY CLEANUP RESULTS and digital data input could prove useful for ORGANIZATION: Volunteers Hours Trash future cleanups.” Martin County 262 719.50 1.09 Tons Despite a seven-day cleanup period, this City of Stuart 31 176.75 .08 Tons year there was a 44% decrease in participation 251 665 2.03 Tons St. Lucie County and a 33% decrease in trash collection. City of Ft. Pierce 91 671 .79 Tons “Our planning team anticipated these 72 272 .25 Tons City of Pt. St. Lucie numbers based on a combination of Indian River County 82 189.5 .31 Tons volunteer demographics and a pre-event City of Vero Beach 40 77 .19 Tons survey conducted in April. Earlier in the year, City of Sebastian 27 75.5 .07 Tons the MIATC board of directors approved the development of a digital platform for our Miscellaneous Trash: data collection system. This allowed us to Bottles, Cans, Plastic, and Glass Beverage Containers: 5,368 (5,155 in 2019) implement the weeklong social distancing Articles of Clothing: 415 (249 in 2019) option when we were faced with the Straws: 1,045 (949 in 2019) challenges of the pandemic and the decision Fishing Lures: 165 (119 in 2019) was made to go virtual for the cleanup,” Toys: 154 (68 in 2019) summarized Price. Cigarette Butts: 5,276 (5,840 in 2019) Despite decreased numbers, event Face Masks: 165 (not previously reported) organizers expressed satisfaction with the Gloves: 142 (previously averaged 3/year) number of participants that volunteered on multiple days, as well as new groups that Unusual Items: came aboard. Fishing poles (9), 10-lb. weight, reading glasses, jar full of seeds, Participants were instructed to limit trash money ($5 and $10 bills), 50-foot garden hose, broken canoe

COUNTER-CLOCKWISE, FROM ABOVE, LEFT: Stuart City Commissioner Merrit Matheson and family. ; Jase Hutchinson working the banks of the North Fork in Port St. Lucie; Sandra Hoffman (right) and friend getting the job done; Alexandra Allen-Vallely retrieving a garden hose from the North Fork of the St. Lucie River; Jase’s mom, Sandy Hutchinson, adds a paddle to her trash collection along the North Fork. COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

SEPTEMBER 2020

TREASURE COAST 21

Advocates for Our Treasure Coast Waterways

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW By Executive Director Michael Conner

Martin County residents Jo Neeson, Rebecca Fatzinger, Indian Riverkeeper Mike Conner, Indian Riverkeeper board members Cristina Maldonaldo, Mike Glynn and Troy Brown took part in the recent Treasure Coast Waterways cleanup. Indian Riverkeeper plans to host additional cleanup events in the coming months. PHOTO PROVIDED by Indian Riverkeeper.

he mission of Indian Riverkeeper organization is to protect and restore the waters of North America’s most biodiverse estuary, the Indian River Lagoon/St. Lucie River complex, its watershed, fisheries and habitats through monitoring, advocacy, enforcement and citizen action. As an affiliate of both the global Waterkeepers Alliance and

Waterkeepers Florida, we stand behind the goal of achieving drinkable, swimmable and fishable water. The Indian Riverkeeper serves as ambassador for the Indian River Lagoon, and patrols the watershed, identifies and documents pollution, educates the public, engages the media, and holds accountable

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SEPTEMBER 2020

elected officials and regulatory agencies charged with protection of the marine life and the human population along the waterway. If and when necessary, Indian Riverkeeper can file lawsuits to force a halt to pollution causing environmental harm.

estimated 50,000 acres of seagrasses have been lost in the wake of major algal blooms and water turbidity triggered by high nutrient inflows. Microplastics, a worldwide problem, have been detected in the flesh of fish in the Lagoon. And human health is increasingly threatened as toxic Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) blooms become more common in INDIAN RIVER LAGOON The Indian River Lagoon is the the St. Lucie River. most biodiverse estuary in North America. It is home to over 4,300 NEEDS species of plants and animals, some Indian Riverkeeper is committed of them endangered. This 156-mile- to its on-the-water presence on the long system is not a true river, in that Indian River Lagoon watershed. it does not flow from a headwater, When off the water, Executive instead subject to tidal flow from Director Mike Conner strives to inlets. Its waters cover over 2,000 attend and represent the Indian square miles from just north of Cape River Lagoon and its citizens at Canaveral to Palm Beach County. public meetings held by the South It is the “cradle of the ocean” Florida Water Management District, serving as a spawning and nursery U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Blueground for numerous fish. High Green Algae Task Force and other biodiversity is fostered by the by the regulatory agencies responsible presence of distinct habitats such as for waterway protection. We will seagrass meadows, mangrove forests increase our presence in Tallahassee and salt marshes. Its overall annual during legislative session to support economic value was estimated legislation that protects our waters. at nearly $4 billion in 2007. It is To accomplish this, funding estimated to be $6 billion today. is needed. Membership numbers increase our clout. Donations and member contributions will bring Major Threats The health of the Lagoon and its matching grant funding, pay for legal biggest tributary, the St. Lucie River representation when needed, and at the southern end, has declined pay for equipment, office operation, at an alarming rate. Manmade insurances, and other costs of our hydrologic changes, such as massive advocacy efforts. Please make a tax-deductible Lake Okeechobee discharges of fresh to the Indian polluted water, non-point source contribution pollution, local basin stormwater Riverkeeper and join our ranks to runoff, and increased nutrient fight for clean waterways today. Visit to inputs from suburban yards, septic www.theindianriverkeeper.org drain fields, sewage plant spills join and to learn how you can help. and agricultural lands have dealt a Indian Riverkeeper provides daily major blow to seagrass habitat and updates and news on its Facebook dependent fisheries especially. An page, “Indian Riverkeeper.”

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SAWFISH NEWS By Tonya Wiley

A sawfish in Charlotte Harbor injured from entanglement in a bungee cord.

PHOTO CREDIT: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

ntanglement of marine species in discarded lines, fishing gear, and other garbage and debris is a problem seen with unfortunate regularity. This includes endangered species such as North Atlantic right whales, giant manta rays, sturgeon, turtles, and smalltooth sawfish. Each species is susceptible to entanglement based on their unique physical attributes but none more so than the sawfish. Sawfish are rays that generally swim along the sea floor where marine debris can

accumulate. Their toothed rostrum is easily entangled in any debris the sawfish encounters which can lead to injury, deformation, or death from suffocation or starvation. Sawfish have been photographed ensnared in a variety of items including dock lines, trap lines, ghost nets, fishing lines, pipes, coffee cans, dog toys, and elastic bands. While strides have been made in recent years to prevent and remove marine debris, two recent examples highlight that this threat continues to affect

endangered sawfish. While fishing in the Tampa Bay Watch 15th Annual Tarpon Rodeo just outside Tampa Bay, some anglers caught a ten-foot-long smalltooth sawfish with a pair of swim goggles wrapped around its body. The tightness of the goggles had started to cut into the flesh of the sawfish in front of the pectoral fins. Following the safe handling guidelines available at www. sawfishrecovery.org, the crew was able to quickly remove the debris, cut the line close to the hook, and release the sawfish. You can watch the video at the Tampa Bay Watch Facebook page at https://bit. ly/3kIsDQU. Researchers have also seen a growing number of smalltooth sawfish entanglements associated with small bungee cords believed to be from boathouse awnings. The plastic balls on these bungees are buoyant enough to partially lift the bungees just off the bottom but not buoyant enough to float the whole bungee to the surface. This results in lost or discarded bungees sitting upright along the bottom, where sawfish risk swimming their rostra through the opening of the

COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

bungees. The bungees then work their way down the rostrum to the head where they remain in place and slowly become more constrictive as the sawfish grows. Adam Brame, the Sawfish Recovery Coordinator for NOAA Fisheries, cautions “We want to alert homeowners to this escalating issue so that extra care can be taken in the assembly or disassembly of these boathouse covers in the future to help protect this local endangered species”. It is a shared responsibility of all outdoor enthusiasts to keep our waters free of trash and debris. Learn about marine debris prevention at https://marinedebris. noaa.gov/. Next time you’re on the water stow all your gear and trash properly to prevent it from flying out of your boat and pick up any trash or debris you encounter. And if you ever encounter a sawfish please let us know by calling 1-844-4SAWFISH, visiting www.SawfishRecovery.org, or emailing sawfish@myfwc.com. Tonya Wiley is President of Havenworth Coastal Conservation, and may be reached by emailing tonya@havenworth.org, or calling (941) 201-2685. To learn more about the organizarion, visit www.havenworth.org

SEPTEMBER 2020

TREASURE COAST 23

Share Yooutor Brag Phere! H

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

Colin Leonard with a 35-inch snook that ate a live croaker threw under a dock at Sandsprit Park in the middle of the day. Fish was catching some shade. PHOTO SUPPLIED by Colin Leonard.

Trent Mickley caught this 9-pound mango and 6-pound mutton snapper on a trip with the Reef Bandit.

Colton Stephen, 3, with his first pompano. His dad, William, helped him reel it in. PHOTO CREDIT: William Stephen.

PHOTO CREDIT: Rebecca Mickley.

Ft. Pierce Sportfishing Club President Frank Briganti landed this beautiful Sailfish while fishing aboard his boat “Yellowbird” on a beautiful August day offshore from Ft. Pierce. The fish was safely released and swam away healthy. PHOTO PROVIDED by the Fort Pierce Sportfishing Club.

This nice 15.1-pound jack caught by Elaine Joy made for a fun day. The jack was caught on the lightweight custom rod pictured, built for Elaine using a St. Croix blank by hubby Lowell Joy. PHOTO PROVIDED by the Fort Pierce Sportfishing Club.

Coastal Angler Magazine Treasure Coast publishers' daughter Heather buggin’ out in Islamorada during mini-season. PHOTO CREDIT: Benjamin Hildebrand

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SEPTEMBER 2020

RATTLING UP EVERGLADES SNOOK By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

s with any saltwater fish, tide is of extreme importance when it comes to catching snook. Not only does the tide need to be moving, but with the large tidal swings in the Everglades, there needs to be ample water in the area you choose to fish. During stronger tidal movement, it is to your advantage to retrieve your lure with the current or at a slight angle crossing it. A lure worked upstream will most likely go untouched. When it comes to structure in the Everglades, you will find as many options as you will opinions and approaches to fish them. The most popular, and what comes to mind first are the vast picturesque mangrove shorelines. These are the areas where fishing shows are made, but I’m not convinced they are the best for catching mature snook. The Glades have an abundance of shell bottoms and islands, points littered with dead mangroves that mark the underwater jungle lying beneath. Then you have the less obvious, but productive, submerged sand flats that were once their own island before Mother Nature dwindled them down to what they are today, fish magnets! Granted, I’m no expert in fishing the Everglades. But in the 20-plus years I have been fishing there, I have noticed a few things on how larger snook relate to specific structure, water depth and the presence of different baits. The mangroves are the most obvious structure, and they are also the most heavily fished. Although popular, I don’t feel they are the most productive for the larger snook. All the large snook I have caught are 20 to 30 yards away from the shoreline in 4 to 7 feet of water. For me, currentswept points with a shell bottom have been the most consistent producer of big snook. Submerged sandbar points are also productive as long as there is current and bait. Surprisingly, small 1- to 2-inch minnows appear to be the best signal that large snook are in the area. For whatever reason, these tiny fish are followed by some monsters. When I see these small baitfish schooling around, I thoroughly cover that area with my Knockin Tail swimbaits. Snook rely heavily on their distinctive lateral line to feed, and I believe the rattle embedded in these paddletails draws them in for the strike. The next time you target snook in an area of mangroves, do not pitch into the roots and lose your lure. Fish the deeper water off the points, and be ready for that sudden thump from a heavy snook.

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FLORIDA 15

Fall Fishing The IRL and Treasure Coast Beaches

By Richard L. Matteson Jr.

eptember is an exciting month for surf fishing the beaches of the Treasure Coast and the Indian River Lagoon. It’s the beginning of the mullet run, which begins around mid-September and will stretch into October as shorter days and cooling weather bring mullet to their spawning grounds. Mullet and other baitfish are fodder for tarpon, snook, sharks and schooling bluefish, jacks, blue runners and mackerel. Fishing on the ocean shoreline, the St. Lucie River and in the lagoon will begin to pick up. The easiest way to follow baitfish is to watch for birds, as flocks of pelicans chase bait. Sometimes there are so many birds you can’t cast. Bring extra spoons and jigs, because bluefish and mackerel will cut your line. Tarpon: Silver kings are one of the prize gamefish of the world, and fall is a great time to hook and land one. Hooking a tarpon is one thing; landing one is another. Heavy 60-pound braid with an 80-pound clear leader is standard. Your reel should hold 250 to 300 yards of line. I have a Shimano Baitrunner with 40-pound power pro. I caught and landed a 40-pound tarpon a few weeks ago on a topwater plug. Tarpon like a slow and steady retrieve. I use standard jigs, shallow-diving plugs, porgies, silver spoons, 1- and 2-ounce Crocodile Spoons, rootbeer-color TerrorEyz and topwater plugs. Live bait works well, as do fresh cut ladyfish.

Make sure your hooks are strong enough to handle a tarpon. I use single hooks instead of treble hooks on my plugs. Setting the hook is important, as tarpon have hard mouths. When a tarpon jumps, give them a little slack while keeping in contact with the lure. Snook: In the lagoon, snook like structure (piers, bridges, mangroves). In the ocean, they cruise beaches and inlets following bait. Snook are rarely far from shore and can be caught in the first cut around the trough in early mornings and evenings. I recommend 20-pound braid with a 40-pound leader, although lighter tackle will also work. My favorite lure is a 3/8-ounce DOA jig with a 4-inch paddletail. I prefer pearl white or silver sparkle DOA baits. Bigger lures catch bigger fish, and I sometimes use a 1-ounce Tomahawk Jig in chartreuse with a curly white plastic trailer. Snook make a powerful first run, so don’t set your drag too tight. They’ll hit almost any type of lure from topwaters and jigs to crankbaits and jerkbaits. They also eat live bait like pilchards, greenies and sardines. Schooling Predators: Mackerel, bluefish, jacks and ladyfish are all schooling predators that like fast retrieves and shiny lures like silver or gold spoons. They provide lots of action during the mullet run. Bluefish and mackerel have sharp teeth, so expect your line to be cut, and be careful getting them off the hook. For more information about the Stuart Rod and Reel Club, call (336) -414-3440 or visit www.stuartrodandreel.com.

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atience. Any serious underwater photographer has to develop it, but mine was wearing thin. For 10 minutes I had been out-waiting a flamefish I discovered while poking around the Blue Heron Bridge snorkel trail in Palm Beach County. Slowly, the fish inched toward where I wanted him to be. Finally, he was sitting in the right spot. I snapped one picture, then a second. He seemed willing to pose. “Great!” I thought. “Now I can concentrate on getting something good.” Then suddenly my viewfinder was just showing haze. I looked up. Visibility had just been 20 feet. Now, parts of the reef structure were disappearing in murk. Photos were suddenly out of the question. Moving back from the reef, I looked around. About 5 yards up-current, five divers were treading water to converse at the surface. The flow from their fins was creating a silt storm on the bottom, destroying visibility. Seething, I swam off to find a new shooting locale. Although I’ve had time to cool off, I still think about that incident because it was unnecessary. If they had inflated their BCs while talking, there would have been no problem. But the Blue Heron Bridge is considered suitable for divers of all skill levels, and silting up your surroundings is rarely covered outside of cave or wreck diving courses. There’s no reason to expect every diver to have learned anti-silting techniques. Although it’s a relatively straightforward dive, BHB diving involves quite a bit of specialized knowledge. The more you know about tide windows, finding and identifying interesting critters, locating attractions like the shark statues or sunken boats, and, of course, perfecting buoyancy control, the more comfortable and enjoyable your dive will be. None of this is difficult, but acquiring that knowledge typically takes many dives. However, there is a shortcut to gaining this knowledge over time: Pura Vida Divers’ exclusive PADI Blue Heron Bridge course, a PADI Distinctive Specialty. Their course aims “to produce better divers at this unique dive site.” During the class, students are introduced to a broad cross-section of useful information pertinent to diving “the Bridge.” Andrea Whitaker, who frequently teaches the course, had some comments about the problem I encountered. “One of the most common mistakes I have seen over the years is overkicking at the dive site,” she said. “This will undoubtedly decrease the visibility for you and others around you, as well as disturb the incredibly interesting critters we are all there to see. As one key topic in the Blue Heron Bridge Specialty course, we discuss proper kick techniques and good buoyancy skills to truly enhance your dive experience there. By adjusting how you maneuver at this impressive dive site, you give yourself the opportunity to slow down and increase your luck at finding the incredible critters hiding there.” Give Pura Vida Divers a call at 561-840-8750, or check out their website www.puravidadivers.com to get started on your Blue Heron Bridge Diver course.

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saw my first large striped bass near Eureka on the Ocklawaha River in the 1960s. I was a kid watching a boat return from a day of fishing, and being unfamiliar with stripers, I was amazed at the size of fish that came from my river. I had a talk with Dad about upgrading my Zebco 404! In 1983, we started the first pontoon charter offering family fishing on central Florida’s Ocklawaha River. By then, catching a striper was rare. You knew immediately you had hooked something more than just a largemouth. With a striper on the run, you’re left praying your gear is heavy enough and that the drag is set right. The captain must be ready to up-anchor and chase a big fish! “Have you seen any stripers running?” used to be a topic of conversation between anglers, but it’s been a long time since this question was asked on the Ocklawaha. Striped bass are anadromous by nature, meaning they live in saltwater and run up rivers to spawn. Florida was once home to the southernmost native populations of Atlantic striped bass; however, due to loss of river habitat and water quality, natural reproduction ceased in the St. Johns River by the early 1970s. Stripers in Florida today are stocked and considered riverine. Stocked stripers spend their lives in rivers and lakes, and the long stretches of cool swift water necessary for them to reproduce no longer exist. Rodman Dam, completed in 1968, cut off migratory species from the Ocklawaha River. The Ocklawaha’s full length of swift cool current was the only river on Florida’s east coast that could support successful spawning. Rodman’s construction was part of a plan for the Cross Florida Barge Canal, which has pitted environmentalists against industry since the 1930s. An ongoing effort to restore the river continues today. For striped bass, Rodman Dam was devastating. Historic reports tell of fish weighing up to 30 pounds near the confluence of the Silver and Ocklawaha rivers. These fish, which came from the Atlantic through the St. Johns, utilized the 64-mile-long, spring-fed Ocklawaha to spawn. Progressively, stripers disappeared from the Ocklawaha along with the eels they loved to eat. You can still catch stocked stripers in the St. Johns. In summer, they can be found in cool spring runs like Silver Glenn, Salt Springs and Croaker Hole, near Welaka. In winter, stripers are caught in the St. Johns up to Jacksonville. Farther north, the St. Marys River is an option. Stripers in winter have been caught below Rodman Dam on the Ocklawaha River. Various lures and live bait are options. Stripers like shad, eels and shiners, and anything silver catches their attention. Due to the warm water, stocked stripers in Florida don’t grow as large as those up north, but you will need to bump-up your bass tackle. Contact Capt. Erika Ritter, of A Cruising Down The River, at (352) 299-0282 and check out www.captainerikasfloridaboatcharters.com.

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f you have been in the offshore game long enough, you know pelagics don’t always cooperate. Luckily, in south Florida, you can almost always score some tasty bottom dwellers for dinner before you head back to the dock. Blackbelly rosefish make for some incredible table fare and are very easy to catch with the right equipment and a little local knowledge. Most important is a good bottom machine that gives you accurate depths to over 1,000 feet. Though you can hand crank with a pound or two of lead, you won’t ever want to do it again if you come up empty on the first drop. Electric reels are a must. It’s nice to have a modern, high-speed electric reel, but a 9/0 Penn Senator with a Fish Winch or Electra-Mate will get the job done. Rosies can be caught in depths between 650 and 1,100 feet, but I believe the sweet spot is around 850 feet. They like hard rocky bottom, but can also be caught on muddy bottom as long as there is some structure close by. The go-to rig is a chicken rig with five or six hooks. You can get away with 9/0 circle hooks, but some of the best in the game go as big at 12/0 or 13/0 because a snowy grouper or big golden tilefish may come calling. Depending on the amount of current, you will need 3 to 8 pounds of lead to keep your baits on the bottom. The best bait is squid, but chunks of bonito, barracuda or even dolphin bellies will work just fine. Don’t forget to add a light source to your rig. The small, water activated strobe lights in green or blue work best. Rosies have big yellow eyes, but it’s pretty dark on the bottom in 800 feet. Don’t skimp on the light. You can locate potential honey holes by watching your bottom machine while you are on the troll for dolphin. Pay close attention when you are between 700 and 900 feet. Mark any spots where you see a 5 to 10 foot depth change. Name those marks as prospective spots and try them out. Once you find a productive spot, don’t think that you have to go back to that same spot for each drop. Many times, the bite gets better a bit north of the starting point. Keep in mind that when you hit bottom, you will have to make adjustments to keep your baits on the bottom. When you get the first bite, don’t start coming up. Leave your rig on the bottom so you can get a few more bites and bring up 3 or 4 fish at a time. Be mindful to release the smaller fish, as they don’t yield enough meat to warrant dulling your fillet knife and don’t ever keep more than you need. The next time you get skunked offshore, try a little deep droppin’ for groceries! Gene Dyer is editor/publisher of Coastal Angler Magazine—Fort Lauderdale.

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’ve fished the Shinnecock Inlet in Hampton Bays, N.Y. for many years and have usually found plenty of striped bass and bluefish to keep me occupied. One afternoon last September, I pulled into the parking lot on the inlet’s west side, took a look at the water and smiled as I saw a large school of bait flashing on the surface. Something, or a lot of somethings were feeding on them. There was a flotilla of maybe 15 boats chasing the school, including a party boat, which was crammed with weekend anglers. The school moved quickly and as I worked my way along the jetty, I could just make out larger predator fish thrashing about on the surface. It was a real blitz! On the shore with me were 20 or so anglers, all trying to keep up as fish zipped north to south and back north again. At times, they were too far away to cast to, and all we could do was watch as the boats tried to corral the school. The fish repeatedly slid through the gaps and veered off in another direction. Even though there were close to 100 anglers involved in this melee, all of whom at one point or another were able to cast into the midst of the feeding frenzy, no one got so much as a strike. Except for the guy standing just off to my left. He had driven from in Montauk, where he had spent a fruitless morning looking for stripers. He was tired when he got to the inlet, so he parked his vehicle and settled in for a nap. When he opened his eyes, the school was right in front of him. Maybe because he was more rested than anyone else, or perhaps because he was simply a better angler, he hooked into two different fish on a pencil popper. The first spat the hook quickly, but the second stayed on. It didn’t take long for him to realize what he’d laced into. It was a false albacore. Albies are not huge, but they fight like a fish of much greater size. The runs this guy’s fish made were extraordinary, both for their length and speed. It never jumped, as the other blitzing albies had while gorging on the baitfish, but his fish did come within view a couple of times. It looked to be close to 10 pounds, which the guy confirmed once he’d landed and released it. “That was my first albie!” he shouted. It was the first time I’d even seen one, so I walked over to offer congratulations and we chatted for a bit. The other anglers were too busy trying to get their lures back into the water to join us. Peter Cammann has been writing fishing stories for magazines and newspapers for over 30 years. He is the author of three books: Fishing Vermont’s Streams and Lakes, Ultralight Spin Fishing, and a novel titled SlipNot, all of which are available on amazon.com.

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ummertime means catfish to a lot of anglers, and it was one heck of a summer for catfish in North Carolina. In July, two state catfish records were broken. The first, an enormous Lake Gaston blue cat, weighed more than 120 pounds. The second, a 78-pound, 14-ounce Neuse River flathead broke a record that has stood for 15 years. Joey Baird, of Lawrenceville, Va., caught his state record 121-pound, 9-ounce blue catfish out of Six Pound Creek at Lake Gaston on July 5. The

monster fish, which ate a chunk of cut bait, was more than 5 feet long, with a girth of 40.5 inches. It broke a 117-pound, 8-ounce record that has stood since June 2016. Lake Gaston is a 20,000-acre reservoir of the Roanoke River up on North Carolina’s northern border with Virginia. It has a history of producing giant blue catfish, as this is the fourth North Carolina record blue to come from its waters. The Roanoke River system also lays claim to the world record blue catfish. The largest blue catfish ever certified came from Kerr Lake, Virginia, which is one dam upstream of Lake Gaston on the Roanoke. That fish, which weighed 143 pounds, was caught in June 2011. The new North Carolina record flathead was caught by Pikeville angler Tyler Barns. The 78-pound, 14-ounce beast ate a live bream fished in the Neuse River on July 20. Barns’ monster fish was more than 4 feet long and had a girth of more than 3 feet. It bested the 78-pound record flathead caught from the Cape Fear River in 2005. The Neuse River runs from Falls Lake north of Raleigh all the way to the coast to feed the Atlantic Ocean at Pamlico Sound.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

NATIONAL 13

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

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

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8/6/20 3:32 PM

Three Cheers For FREE!

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Pendants enlarged to show exquisite color. Chain sold separately.

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