Florida Sportsman January 2017

"The doors to reallocation have long been rusted shut." Now that's a strong and welcome one-liner coming as it does from the marine recreational fishing community. The indictment of our largely broken federal fisheries system is part of what should be a policy manifesto for the future. It's titled "A Vision for Marine Fisheries Management in the 21st Century: Priorities for a new Administration." The new report by the Center for Coastal Conservation and allied interests calls for modernization of a saltwater management machine that has been tainted by outdated preferences for large commercial takings, at the expense of the public good and economic well-being. In short, rusted shut. Not that these thoughts are new for those of us who have been wailing for so many moons against commercial bias…

For 2017, Florida Sportsman’s television hosts and production crews have lined up a tripleheader you won’t want to miss. And, thanks to a unique arrangement with our growing family of outdoors titles, this year you have more options for tuning in—whenever you like—to informative, entertaining outdoors programs. What’s New from Florida Sportsman Season four of Best Boat TV cranks up again in January with its unique “test drive” focus on top-quality fishing boats and power in popular categories and classes. In April, it’s lines-in for the new season of Reel Time Florida Sportsman. Host Capt. George Gozdz again criss-crosses the Sunshine State with his 260 Triton bayboat in tow, spending time with interesting anglers, exploring new techniques and finding “The Shortest Route to the Hottest Bite.” April also goes full-throttle…

Asked: At the Tampa FS Expo, Oct. 8-9, a gathering of fishing and hunting experts, exhibitors and vendors. Q What’s the most difficult aspect of being a woman involved in fishing and hunting? Sydney Sewell, kayak bass angler and radiology student, Valrico People underestimate you. We can catch as many fish and have as much knowledge of fishing as men, and there are women out there who have the passion and love for it as much as men do, so when they underestimate you a little bit, it’s kind of annoying. Also, I don’t like it when companies use women for their figures and their bodies to promote their products in advertising. Cheyenne Lee, pro spearfisher and 4x world record holder, Stuart The hardest thing is not being taken seriously.…

Dexter UR-Cut Fillet Knife This 7-inch narrow fillet knife from long-established knife-maker Dexter has a unique feature: You can mold the handle to fit your own hand. The bright-orange handle can be dipped in very hot water until soft and then gripped to mold to the shape of your palm’s grip. As it cools, the material hardens into that shape to be form-fitting to your palm. Blades are made from proprietary DEXSTEEL ™, a stain-free, strong, high-carbon steel. As with all quality knives, do not put them in the dishwasher. The UR-Cut comes in 6-, 7- and 8-inch sizes. The 7-inch narrow fillet is probably the most useful knife for cleaning a wide variety of fish. Retail for 7-inch version, $31.99. See www. dexter1818.com . Columbia Force 12 Outdry Extreme…

Everglades 253CC The new Everglades 253cc features a 91-square-foot cockpit, two aft fold-down seats that convert to a non-skid casting platform, and lockable rod storage with cushioned protection under the forward bow seating. Also included are rod and dry storage under the port and starboard gunwales, a 69-gallon in-deck insulated fishbox and 26-gallon livewell. Twin Yeti Hopper 20 holders and a built-in 87-quart insulated EverCooler located under the forward console seat are also standard. The 253 also features a step-down head and improved dash storage (including charging ports and a watertight glovebox). Length overall is 24 feet, 9 inches. Beam is 8 feet, 6 inches. Fuel capacity is 100 gallons and maximum horsepower is 300. See www.evergladesboats.com . Piranha Boatworks F2000 Piranha Boatworks is excited to announce the new F2000…

Redfish often school close to and under boat docks for a variety of reasons. Possibly the dock is located on a deep dropoff, or maybe there’s a creekmouth close by. The presence of tidal current and baitfish are also good signs. Docks that have lights at the end, and are decorated with rods or serious fishing boats are sometimes productive, but one of the best redfish docks I discovered had a sailboat moored there and no evidence of fishing gear. Its owner had left the redfish under their dock for other fishermen to catch! One trick I’ve been using recently to identify fishy docks is modern side- and down-scanning sonars. After installing a Humminbird Helix-12 on my Triton 260 LTS bay boat this past spring, I soon discovered a new…