Florida Sportsman is the complete fishing magazine for Florida and the Tropics. Devoted to fishing, boating, and outdoor activities in the Sunshine State, Florida Sportsman is the authoritative source for Florida's most active fishermen.
If miracles really happen, let’s have a big one, please. Right now. Let the Florida Legislature, in its waning weeks of confusion and endless politicizing, pass a statute calling for a reservoir in Big Sugar country that could capture excess Lake Okeechobee water and, finally, stop the horrid discharges to the coasts. Then, in the best tradition of miracles, see Governor Scott sign such a statute and lead the way for funding of these crucial projects. It’s a longshot, as miracles tend to be. These reforms have been advocated for decades but have been blocked by status quo forces that put subsidized profits way ahead of clean and productive waters. Now, however, there seems to be powerful momentum for real change. The Florida Senate, at the committee level, has approved…
When there’s a hot sailfish bite, Bonnie Powell is often the first to bring the news. Powell is the voice behind the committee VHF for a number of prestigious billfish tournaments—including the Palm Beach Gold Cup, which saw an epic bite in January 2017. She’s a leader in the International Women’s Fishing Association; runs a unique global event, the International Light Tackle Tournament Association; and there’s more on her agenda. Powell’s service was brought to the attention of Florida Sportsman by The Billfish Foundation, which awarded her—along with two other angling luminaries—a 2016 John Rybovich Lifetime Achievement Award. We caught up with Powell en route to the Reef Cup in Key Largo, for insights into a fishing life. As Bonnie tells it, when she married Tampa Bay-area angler Billy Powell,…
Q What’s the worst and the best smell in a day’s fishing? Rick Ryals, FS Projects Editor, Jacksonville The worst smell is the whiting you left in a bucket a month ago and then put another bucket inside of that on top of it. The best smell is, the smell of a clean, deodorized fish box at dawn when you show up on your boat. Dave East, President Eastward Boats, Pt. St. Lucie Worst smell? Your burning thumb after you forget to take it off the spool as a big kingfish takes off. One of the best is the smell of coconut from sunscreen. Mike Battistoni, Maui Jim Fishing and Marine Specialist, Palm Beach Gardens When you turn on the wash down for the first time in a long time—that’s…
Tigress Kite Fishing Products Tigress Outriggers and Gear has introduced new kite products to cover a wide range of conditions. The Specialty Lite Wind Kite is designed to fly steady in 5-10 mph winds, or be coupled with a Tigress helium balloon to keep baits up on calm days. The new All Purpose Kite is intended to fly in 10-20 mph winds. Both kites have lightweight carbon graphite spars and come with an additional fifth, extra spar. The Lite Wind kite is now $129.99 and the All Purpose is now $109.99. Also new from Tigress is a waterproof, lightweight Kite Storage Bag for assembled kits. A new Specialty High Wind Kite is coming soon. See www.tigressoutriggers.com . Star brite Vinyl Care Solutions Star brite has two new products specifically designed…
Hanson 23 Tampa Bay-area builder Trevor Hanson’s 23-foot Tower Boat has been popping up more and more lately both on the Web and on the water. It’s a shallow draft (10-12”) 23- by 9-foot, 7-inch hull and it looks like a cobia-chasing machine. The flat bottom design gets her into some skinny predicaments and keeps this boat extremely stable and although not designed as an “offshore specific” boat, it has been used by west coast guides for inshore and offshore fishing for years. This model is offered as a package at the moment with features such as a dual station tower, 50-gallon leaning post livewell, dual batteries, pull-up cleats, LED courtesy lights, hydraulic steering and jack plate, underwater lights and more. This boat lists out just below $60,000 with a…
In the springtime, scaled sardines (a.k.a. “whitebait” or “pilchard”) and threadfin herring (a.k.a. “greenback” or “greenie”) rank at the top of the list of Florida live baits. The threadfin herring has a vibrant green back and prominent spots along the dorsal ridge. Most telling is the long, thread-like trailer extending from the anterior portion of the primary dorsal fin. The sardine lacks the dorsal trailer, has a noticeably larger eye, a light olive green back and scattered spots. (Spanish sardines sometimes mix with thesethey’ll be recognizable by their lack of back spots, and, as adults, their long, thin profile.) Is it possible to tell them apart from afar? Tampa Bay area guide Billy Miller says, “When you see bait on the flats running and making a commotion, those are the…
