Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2018 i Florida Sportsman

Is it recreational fishing’s “dirty little secret?” That’s what a friend calls pooling bag limits. He’s referring to the practice of taking someone else’s catch to fill out your own bag limit and combining the total to supposedly legalize the take-home quantity. I’ve probably done it myself. But we should open this Pandora’s pooling box, think about it, and consider stopping it. While it’s true that Mr. Law is unlikely to catch you pooling fish into a combo bag, that’s not the point. A true sportsman abides by the law whether or not he’s under watch. He does the right thing voluntarily. The right thing in this case is clear. It’s simply wrong to allocate another person’s catch to your bag or by reverse, whether it’s frequently done or not.…

Your stand is in deep woods and you’ve gotten turned around in the dark. You don’t have a compass, you can’t hear any traffic, and you have no idea where your truck is. Now what? First and most important: Don’t panic. If you start running looking for a way out, you risk tripping, stepping in a hole, getting out of the area where searchers will be looking for you, or doing something else that will make your situation worse. Find a comfortable spot, sit down, and wait. You can survive a night alone in the woods and then deal with being lost in the morning. Surviving an episode of being lost begins long before you actually walk into the woods. Your most basic safety plan is to always let someone…

It’s said that over 700 islands make up the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. From the angler’s perspective, the archipelago consists of only two places: One we might refer to as Easy to Get There; the other, Really Hard to Leave. The first Bahamas you can get to by commercial jet in under an hour. Nassau and Freeport come to mind, with hotels, casinos, beaches, basic charter fishing, diving. By boat, think Old Bahama Bay at West End, or Bimini Big Game Club. Straight shots from Florida, all of these. The second place, Really Hard to Leave, is a different program. Connecting flights, refueling stops, weather delays, uncertainties. A fisherman knows the payout. Sometimes, Easy to Get There yields a taste of Hard to Leave. At the blue shack outside Lynden…

When the wind lays down in February it’s easy to get offshore to the shallow natural and artificial reefs along the South Florida coast. From Deerfield Beach south to Ocean Reef, miles of rocky reef bottom in depths from 12 to 25 feet hold mangrove, mutton, lane and yellowtail snappers. Blue runners, jack crevalle, lesser amberjacks and yellow jacks swim from one reef to the next. Spanish mackerel, cero mackerel and kingfish patrol these reefs this time of year, plus sharks, cobia and bluefish. You truly never know what you’ll get into here. On a calm day when the water is clear, the reefs or patches of rocky bottom and grass are easy to distinguish due to their darker colors. But when the water is dirty, which it can be…

Trout are a mainstay of southwest Florida’s winter fishery. February trout are often caught in relatively deep water, often in depths of five to 15 feet or even deeper. That’s right, sometimes more than 15 feet deep, especially when it’s really cold. It’s surprising how many trout are taken from the inshore artificial reefs, around bridges, and in deep holes in dredged canals and in some of the tidal creeks. And, believe it or not, trout are sometimes taken around the offshore artificial reefs out to about 30 feet of water in the Gulf. Winter trout often school very tightly so the fishing is likely to be all-or-nothing. Top producers are shrimp on jigheads for live baiters and paddletail jigs for the artificial guys. Just be sure to work baits…

Weather dictates what direction our fishing takes in January and February in East Central Florida be it toasty warmth, bouts of bitter cold, wrecking winds, or calming easterly breezes. If we luck into another mild winter with fishable ocean conditions look for schools of pogies to be pulling cobia around the reefs offshore Ponce Inlet and Port Canaveral. In past years we’ve had unseasonably warm winters when the numbers of cobia were exceptional, especially out of Canaveral around the 60- and 70-foot wrecks and reefs. Ponce Inlet parties could see cobia as well on their wealth of shallow artificial reefs. In the event of 68-degree inshore water temperatures don’t be surprised to find cobia following manta rays or else free swimming off the beaches of Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach and…

It’s a tough call in the Panhandle this month. Follow the inshore bait and fish into the brackish backwater creeks and rivers or head offshore for the hot winter tuna and wahoo action? Or, tuck up in a tree/shooting house waiting for that rutting buck to pass? Really the question is how much time on the water do you want on your day off: none, some, or lots? I usually make my decision based on wind. Less wind means that I will be on the water much more that day. On windier days, the backwaters like Northern Escambia Bay in Pensacola and Northern West Bay in Panama City can be great place to bend a rod, get some fish to eat and to find some relief from the rough conditions…

Miami Sea Buoy 25-46.10’N 80-05.00’W Haulover Reefs (NE Corner) 25-55.00’N 80-04.10’W Call it Miami’s 9-Mile-Miracle. From the red-and-white sea buoy outside Government Cut to the Haulover Artificial Reef Zone is a stretch of Atlantic Ocean which, December through February, produces fishing nothing short of epic. It’s one of my favorite places to fish in the state, both for the convenient access to big-water favorites like sailfish and dolphin, as well as the lively on-shore scenery and people. It’s a true study in contrasts—a wild ocean set against an urban backdrop. And, it’s easy to fish from a trailerable boat or one of the area’s many charter services. The sea buoy sits in 120 feet of water about 2 miles outside one of South Florida’s deepest, safest inlets, Government Cut. The…

SPORTSMAN’S REGIONAL EXPERTS GUIDE YOU TO THE HOTSPOTS FEBRUARY SPOTLIGHT Sheepshead around the State You’ll find a lot of information on catching sheepshead in the Spotter this month, because it’s peak season for the species. Sheepshead gather in spawning congregations this time of year, and blustery days and cold don’t put them off, either. Keep in mind that the smaller legal fish (12-inch minimum size) don’t yield much meat and that the limit is plentiful at 15 fish. Also keep in mind that the FWC is looking at sheepshead populations after concerns were raised over declining numbers of the fish. SEND US YOUR PHOTOS We welcome your fishing and hunting photos for publication in the Action Spotter and in our online community galleries at www.floridasportsman.com. Send digital pictures, 600 KB…

Regardless of the weather and water conditions, one fish in particular is an absolute given come February and that is the sheepshead. These striped bandits spawn throughout the months of February, March and April and are certainly on their pre-spawn eating binge in February. You will find the largest concentration of sheepies of the year around numerous urban coastal structures such as docks, pier pilings, oyster-laden sea walls and even navigation markers, but those backcountry haunts that have good barnacle growth on mangrove lined banks and submerged oyster bars will certainly hold fish. While hooking these critters can be a challenge, downsizing to a small thumbnail sized piece of shrimp or single sand flea on 1 or 1/0 circle or J-style hook with a small No. 5 splitshot placed roughly…

Water temperatures in the low 60s slow the majority of fish down in both their mobility and their appetite. You’ll need to find areas with warmer water to get a bite going. Power plants like the one at Anclote Key discharge warm water and attract a variety of fish like pompano, cobia, jacks, ladyfish and others. Be aware that manatees will frequent these outflows as well. You may find Spanish or king mackerel along the beaches from Dunedin to Sarasota on warm days with easterly winds. But those cold fronts that bring northerly winds will push macks back offshore. Strong winds that cold fronts bring out of the northwest will carve out contours in the shorelines of barrier islands, making some deeper holes that hold fish. You’ll find these areas…

The big female bass are on the move, and it seems bass fishing in Florida just gets better and better. Not only have the size and bag limits taken the pressure off big fish, but the change in angler’s attitudes have totally brought back trophy bass fishing. In fact in the last five years of the Trophy Catch program there have been an incredible 7,833 bass caught and released in Florida’s freshwaters including an amazing 61 bass over 12 pounds, led by Dominic Montalto’s 16-pound, 12-ounce monster that is still swimming in a subdivision pond in Lee County. Is the world record largemouth swimming in Florida? I don’t know the answer, but I’m certain it becomes more likely as the years of great management go along. I also know if…

If you are ready to leave the Florida crowd behind for a fishing vacation, you’ve got options. Sailfish are congregating in Costa Rica waters in mind-blowing numbers, with 25-plus catch days possible. Throw in the occasional shot at a big blue marlin, and the Pacific side of Costa might make a nice getaway. For those who prefer to hunt inshore waters for snook and tarpon, Puerto Rico inshore fishing peaks in February and they could certainly use the tourism dollars right now. Israel Umpierre is a resident and collaborator with Pesca, Playa y Ambiente, a conservation-slanted fishing club that is dedicated to conserving Puerto Rico fish and recreational fishing (www.pescaplayayambiente.org). He says they are ready for anglers, but suggests hopeful anglers call ahead to ensure adequate lodging. “We have charters…

During filming for last season’s Best Boat TV, I spent two days running the FX-21 in multiple weather and water conditions. Walking away from this shoot I was pleasantly surprised by the FX-21, not only for the value pricing relative to included features, but also the ride of this hull and the fun factor. Sea Born is clearly targeting the price-conscious buyer with this model coming in under $35K rigged as we tested her. In a bay boat field of much more expensive offerings, this makes owning a new boat in this class a reality for a much wider range of the market. The FX-21 was not a flimsy, stripped-down skiff by a long shot. She featured everything I would expect in a functional bay fishing platform. Port and starboard…

The two of us stopped fishing—we were in the moment. The gleam of warm sun was quickly slipping away and the air chilled. The sun, low at its zenith, sweated a patina of gold and silver on the opposite shoreline of the shimmering pond. A wary juvenile black bear peered from a thatch of palmettos and a mating pair of bald eagles bathed together on a white sand bank near us. It was as if in the silence of this beautiful space the true answers in life we were looking for were being revealed. We had found peace with the fish, the eagles, the bear and the sleepy Spanish moss which cloaked longleaf pine trees that shrouded us. It was an escape. This past fall, my better half and I…

In the nearshore waters throughout the Keys you can expect a great bite in the reef patches and wrecks. At these reefs, in 15- to 40-foot depths in Hawk’s Channel up and down the island chain, you can catch many different types of snappers, mackerels, jacks, sharks and porgies. Groupers and hogfish are there, but they are no take this month. Live bait works best, but squid, bonito strips or dead shrimp work as well. When the water’s clear, and especially on a bright winter day, you can see these reefs, but if you’re new to the waters, first locate reef patches on charts or research online. Off of many islands, it’s only a mile or two to some great fishing at these locations. Some places it’s even closer, so…

February is one of my favorite months to bottom fish in the Southeast region, with patch reefs and shallow water rubble being my main target areas. Winter weather, averaging in the mid 70s this month, means cooler water temperature, pushing the fish up into the shallow water from their summertime hang outs. Areas such as Peck’s Lake off of Hobe Sound, or Breaker’s Reef in Palm Beach are great starting points when searching the shallow water. Although Atlantic grouper season is closed, there are still many species to fill that void, and your cooler. There is a laundry list of fish that call these reefs home, which is part of the fun with this type of fishing. One moment you may have a school of Spanish mackerel slashing through your…

I mentioned wintertime trout fishing in my January Best Bet paragraph, but now that February’s here, it’s pretty much a “better bet” that they’ll be holed up in some of the Big Bend’s popular cold weather trout hangouts. If you ask at any marina or tackle shop along the Big Bend, there are several hotspots that likely will enter the conversation: the hot water discharge at the Crystal River Energy Center, the Preacher Hole north of Cedar Key, Barnett and Dan May creeks near the mouth of the Suwannee River, the Steinhatchee River channel, and Dallus Creek and Yates Creek in Taylor County. All have potential for bag limits of trout, but there are some disadvantages. The hot water discharge can be crowded, and the temperature gradient between its water…

February is a great redfish month and these gamefish offer something for every angler. A large outfitted boat is not necessary, neither is a large capacity gas tank. Redfish live throughout northwest Florida’s coastal system and most of the best fishing is close inshore. Some flats guides like Adam Hudson like to sight fish reds around barrier islands like St. George and St. Vincent. On calm days, when there is a light north wind, the surf typically lies down and the beaches are fish-able with a flats skiff. If the sun is bright, reds can be spotted cruising along the beach close to the shoreline. Sometimes it’s a school of reds, but most often it’s just a few or even single fish. A crab fly, Clouser streamer, gold spoon or…

Disclaimer: The Florida Sportsmen’s Conservation Association (FSCA) is unaffiliated with this magazine. But its purpose—and hard-working mobilizer—reflect the Florida Sportsman credo in significant ways. Bishop Wright Jr., 52, was born and raised in West Palm Beach. “Dad was a hunter and fisherman, and I picked it right up,” he said. “We rode swamp buggies through the Acreage. Back when Northlake Boulevard was two lanes, we’d unload airboats on the side of the road. As a kid, I would ride a 4-wheeler down any road, go fish, frog, hunt, anywhere I wanted.” As time passed, Wright, like many Floridians of his generation, watched the curtains fall on the open range. But in 1986 he had a chance to buy a piece of property adjacent to the Corbett Wildlife Management Area, one…