Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2018 i Florida Sportsman

Honest, dependable—a 5-gallon bucket is that one piece of equipment upon which land-bound anglers can always depend. Tight on space? Making a long hike? Consider the bucket: Tackle Storage: Transport castnet, tackle trays, pliers, hook-outs, fillet knife, etc. Heavy loads hard on the hands? Pad the handle with a pool noodle segment or towel secured with duct tape or zip ties. Bait Holder: Unless you can conveniently reach the water, hauling up a flow-through container each time you need live bait is a pain. Clip on a battery-powered aerator—problem solved. Using dead bait? Overturned bucket keeps birds from stealing your ammo. Elevation: Stand on an overturned bucket for better angle on bridge fishing. Or spot beach-run snook or bait schools. Elevation also helps with casting. Take a Seat: Buckets are…

Florida’s spring turkey season is divided into two regions. South of State Road 70, the 2018 season runs March 3 to April 8. North of SR70, the dates are March 17 to April 22. Note that these date ranges apply to private lands. The state’s 6-million-acre public wildlife management area system is composed of numerous units on which turkeys may be hunted, and each WMA will have site-specific season dates published. Many of the premier WMAsespecially in Osceola turkey country south of the Suwannee River—are limited to quota or special opportunity hunts only. These privileges are applied for each fall and awarded by drawing, weighted slightly to favor hunters who’ve applied and not been chosen in the past. No matter where you hunt, a Turkey Permit ($10 residents, $125 nonresident)…

SPORTSMAN’S REGIONAL EXPERTS GUIDE YOU TO THE HOTSPOTS MARCH SPOTLIGHT Sailfish off Keys and the Southeast Go for sailfish off the southeast Florida coast and the Keys, as the schools continue their migration south toward spawning grounds. The bite lasts through spring in the Lower Keys, though all through the Atlantic you might find the occasional sailfish in deeper waters through the summer. That’s the time Gulf anglers get their shot at sailfish in deeper water, too, and even closer to shore in the late summer and fall. You can read about that run in Joe Richard’s feature, “Shallow Water Surprises,” in this issue. 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…

Tarpon push into the region sometime during the month. This usually coincides with the passing of a front that leaves a stable barometer, light winds and high humidity. When all the planets align and the first big push of migrating tarpon moves through, few places rival the 10,000 islands for spring action. Being prepared for these magical periods and knowing where the tarpon will be helps ensure success. The first few tarpon will begin to show themselves in deeper backcountry bays. There is some disagreement as to whether these fish are winter holdovers, residents or part of the migrating bunch. Regardless, these fish tend to be on the upper end of the size scale. Look for the bays far south of Marco Island to hold tarpon first. Broad bays with…

Warming temperatures trigger a migration of pelagics north up the coast. Kingfish, Spanish mackerel, cobia, and others are on the move. Meanwhile, seasonal east winds settle seas on the beaches where pods of baitfish show. Offshore wrecks, nearshore artificial reefs and areas like the Sand Key hard bottom are good locations. Main techniques to employ there would be to troll plugs, jigs, spoons, or live bait for the kings, Spanish macks and cobia that hang around there. Cobia have had some limit changes as of February 1. One fish per person and a total of two fish per boat is allowed in Gulf state waters now. The minimum size of 33-inches measured to the fork is unchanged. Inshore, snook season reopens for two months on March 1. They will be…

If you could just take the wind out of March, it’s about as pleasant fishing conditions as you could ever ask for. Here in Northeast Florida variety is the magic of our area, and everywhere you look there are fishing opportunities waiting for you to take a day off. All competitive anglers have certain days circled on their calendars as can’t miss tournament days. For sheepshead fishermen, Mar. 3 is the day. The El Cheapo is the world’s biggest sheepshead tourney, and there is no less scheming and planning (and lying) going on here than there is before the Bassmaster Classic. Weather plays a huge role in the El Cheapo. If it’s calm enough (always a challenge in March) look for a lot of fish to come from offshore wrecks…

If you have already spent time testing your water vision for the grey ghost, you already know the basics for catching them. Start with stealth, sturdy but fine gear and a solid personal skill set. Most important of all is the ability to follow directions, whether from a guide on the boat or locals parting with their wisdom. Before you can worry about prepping your gear or practicing specific skills, you need to figure out where to go, and you have options throughout the tropics. Of course we have some good bonefish grounds in the Florida Keys. However, due south a few score miles in Cuba, there are some of the most pristine flats in the hemisphere, and they produce good bone-fishing year-round. That’s the good news. The bad news…

I used to laugh at the guy at the boat rentals in Marsh Harbour. He would be reading us the rules about how their 24-foot bare bones rental boats weren’t supposed to be taken beyond the reefs, even while we were loading Shimano Tiagra 30 Wides. Yup, those were some fancy yellowtail reels. Let me tell you: The easiest way to get to The Bahamas is by plane, and the easiest way to fish offshore with just your crew is on a rental boat. Stateside, several boat clubs now rent boats capable of going offshore, and plenty of us will get a chance to step on a boat with no fishing equipment on board. If you don’t remember everything you’ll need all the way down to the swivels, you aren’t…

Hey Karl, We need to plan a swordfish trip at the end of the month. Check out March 31: It’s a blue moon—the second full moon in the month. And, that will be the second time we’ll see one in 2018. They say a “double blue moon” happens maybe three times a century. What’s that have to do with swordfish? Well, I looked back, and last time we had a double blue moon was 1999. What a year that was! So many of us were pushing to protect swordfish from commercial longline bykill, setting the stage for the closed areas off Florida’s east coast, and the DeSoto Canyon in the Gulf. As you recall, Ellen Peel from The Billfish Foundation, Mike Leech from IGFA, Ken Hinman from National Coalition for…

The bonefish spotted the crab as it darted away. As the fish approached, the crab froze, trying to blend in with its surroundings. The bonefish inhaled the crab, then realized the error as it felt the hook. For the fisherman, a well-executed retrieve was the key to convincing this fish to eat. With materials these days you can tie flies that look incredibly realistic; but even the best imitation is not effective without the right movement imparted to it. The angler must become the bait! For the most part, we can break down forage around Florida into three categories: shrimp, crabs and baitfish. Shrimp tend to stay hidden during the day unless disturbed. If chased, they dart rapidly in reverse. This motion is best imitated with your typical one-foot-long, fast…

Large schools of tarpon should start to funnel in through the channels and basins in the backcountry and in the Everglades. It’s one thing to spot them, but it’s another thing to get them to chew. When they first arrive, tarpon seem not to be hungry, or it could be that they are not accustomed to the local offerings and they shy away from them for a period of time. Live baits like pinfish, large pilchards or thread herring are some of the best baits in the beginning of tarpon season. About a month later, blue crabs can have a lot of success as well. But I try not to fish for tarpon at all until the water temperature reaches about 75 degrees. Otherwise it can be a boring, uneventful…

There’s still some wintertime fish hanging around such as pompano and Spanish mackerel. At the same time, you may find some fish getting into their summer rituals, such as early season tarpon and permit on the wrecks. Weather patterns tend to dictate these fish movements, but don’t dismiss either option. Whether it is 50 degrees or 90, fish will surprise you. This time of year, Captain Buddy Kirkhart of Night Heron Light Tackle Fishing Charters (www.nightheronlighttacklefishing.com) is on the hunt for one thing, big snook. “Typically, March brings warmer water temperatures, which allows me to focus on bigger snook in the shallows. These fish have been spending a majority of their time around structure such as bridges and deeper holes. Once the water temperature crests 70 degrees, these fish can…

I’ve had days in March when I wore shorts and t-shirts. And then there were other days with ice on the deck of my flats skiff at noon. We all know that water temperatures have a huge impact on the bite, and cool air temperatures don’t necessarily drive water temperatures down over the short term. But long stretches of dreary and super-cold days, like those we experienced early this year, can force significant changes. Unlike much of the state, the Big Bend has a very shallow shelf that extends well into the Gulf of Mexico. That shelf supports several of the largest seagrass beds in the state, stretching almost continuously from Hernando County north to Wakulla County. For most of the year, that lush grass provides cover for small bait,…

Spanish mackerel will make their debut sometime in March depending on how fast the water warms up. These pointed predators move into this part of Florida along with the schools of small baitfish. They seem to have insatiable appetites for anything that moves and will fit in their mouths. One of the first places that anglers look for mackerel to show up is Dog Island Reef. This reef stretches from off Alligator Point all the way to Dog Island and the depth varies from over 12 feet to just a few feet. The water is often crystal clear, especially over the sandy sections of the reef. Sea grasses are scattered in patches throughout it. There are several ways anglers can locate the first mackerel to show up over the reef.…

Surely he’d gone off the deep end. Captain Mike Puller registered pre-teens to fish against Miami’s battle-hardened pros. End of day one in the Sailfish 400 tournament in January, Puller’s phone was ringing. Who were these kids? Puller runs the Lisa L out of Crandon Marina, a single-screw Key West day-fisher. “A 10-knot boat, but this year we refitted her with a new engine—she makes 24 now.” Along with charter fishing, the captain’s carved out something of a second career: teaching kids to fish. In 2004, he expanded his business to include week-long sessions of “The Summer School of Fish.” Parents sign up their kids, drop them at the dock at 8 a.m., pick up after 4 p.m. “In our camps, from rigging to casting to gaffing, it’s in their…

Native to Australia, barramundi possess several of the top characteristics of North America’s most sought-after sportfish: Ravenous as a post-spawn bass, powerful as a snook, acrobatic as a tarpon. And guess what, mate? You don’t need an airline ticket to Sydney to catch one. A Central Florida fish farm has the unique distinction of being the only licensed barramundi fishing operation in the state of Florida. For a fee, you can hook these devils all day long. On any kind of tackle you can dream of. “We’re stocked with barramundi for both catch-and-release fishing and market sale,” says proprietor Byron Hennecy. “The property is permitted and regulated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission and Department of Agriculture.” Similar to snook, barramundi are protandric hermaphrodites, which means by age four…

March ushers in the beginning of the spawning season for many South Florida fish species. Offshore and along the coast, north bound king mackerel—some topping 50 pounds—and Spanish mackerel, cobia and bluefish can be found from just outside our coastal beaches to the outer reef. Strong northeasterly winds that can create waves as high as 10 feet this month can make this fishery uncomfortable for most anglers. However, many of these fish can be targeted off the oceanside piers. Fishing from a stationary pier can be a lot more comfortable than tossing and turning in a small boat in those conditions. In years past, bluefish over 10 pounds that were chasing schools of mullet near those piers accidently mistook swimmers’ fingers and toes for food and bit quite a few.…

The seasons do change in Florida, even beneath the sea, and increasing water temperature this month will spur all sorts of spring-like activity on Charlotte Harbor’s shallow grassflats. Winter-dormant sea grasses will begin to sprout new growth while shrimp, crabs, pinfish and other baits move into the shallows. The result: This is a great time to be fishing those flats. Not all flats are created equal, and there are areas that are more productive and areas that don’t yield much action, so you’ll need to do some recon. A good starting point is to find grassy bottom in two to four feet of water. In areas where sandbars lie parallel to and just offshore of the mangroves, the best fishing is often found in the deeper trough that lies between…

Will the big jumbo blues repeat in 2018? That’s a question East Central Florida anglers will be asking in March with hopes that the huge migrating bluefish, some to 18 and even 22 pounds, will move inshore along the beaches within reach for surf casters and boaters running outside the surf line. Last year in March they entertained the inshore guys for the better part of three weeks. For those interested in catching a few it’s necessary to continue moving with the school close enough to cast large spoons. Or else position the boat ahead of the pack at its speed and drop back spoons to the leaders. It can make for a circus in the cockpit. Plus the big blues are not the best eating so they’ll be released.…

Most salty Panhandle residents are chomping at the bit for some of the hot saltwater action coming to our shores soon. The best bets for the month will be sheepshead inshore, Spanish mackerel just outside the passes and along the beaches, and king mackerel around the edges and larger wrecks. The cobia normally show mid-month or later and the big push lasts for a few weeks. The sheepshead fishing is still going pretty steady the first week or two of March. The spawn around the full moon will have the fish hungry and the action fast and furious. The fishing really can be top notch, making it easy for anglers to overfish. It’s up to us as anglers to take the high road and do the right thing and release…