Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2018 i Florida Sportsman

I saw a crying need for a voice advocating recreational fishing, and in 1969 founded Florida Sportsman. At the time the commercial industry dominated fishery regulations, led by the state’s largest gillnetters. I saw this firsthand in the ’60s working as an investigative writer for the Miami Herald. Fishery management was done all by seafood industry lobbyists and lawmakers close to commercial interests. Throughout the ’70s and beyond we exposed overfishing, mainly by gillnets and abuses continued on a large scale due to increased demand, more efficient boats and gear, state-sponsored promotion of commercial fishing and lack of enforcement. Change, significant change, didn’t come easy. Exposing conflicts of interests and proposing unification of our fishery divisions was a significant effort. Getting Florida to agree to a saltwater fishing license was…

As an award-winning investigative reporter for the Miami Herald during the 1960s, Karl Wickstrom took on crime and corruption. As a legislative aide in Tallahassee, he helped draft law-enforcement reform legislation. That same crusader mentality and zeal served him well when he decided to challenge the status quo to improve the lot of fishermen in the state of Florida. Wickstrom spent his early years surrounded by people determined to make a difference. His father was a columnist for a local Illinois newspaper and later bought a weekly paper in Zephyrhills, Florida. While Karl studied journalism at the University of Florida he spent summers learning the newspaper business and refining his writing. It was in Tallahassee in 1967 that Wickstrom got the fishing bug. He also sensed an opportunity, and when…

It was ten years ago, back in 2008 , when we first set out to try our hand at catching broadbill swordfish during the daytime. We had already learned how to target them at night while drifting with a multiple rod spread in the Straits of Florida. It seemed routine that our sleep and social lives suffered every time the seas were calm enough to get offshore at night. It wasn’t until we heard the stories of South Florida daytime pioneers Richard Stanczyk and R.J. Boyle consistently catching more and bigger swordfish during the day, that we decided to forego the sleepless nights and give daytime swordfishing a try for ourselves. Armed with crude tackle by today’s standards, we set out towards the deep structure that had delivered as a…

When she hooked two more fish, I got to wondering if Fred had been giving me the “wrong end” of the boat. The summer day was sunny and heating up fast as Welaka guide Fred Chivington launched his bass boat on a small canal off the west shore of Lake George. Within a few minutes the captain had my fishing partner for the day, Debbie Hanson, and I heading for a group of pilings on the big lake. Fred glided up to one, tied up and readied our baits. His livewell was full of beautiful frying-size white shrimp. My partner and I grabbed our spinning gear and swung the hooks toward our guide who was waving a couple of lively baits at us. Our shrimp were rigged below a sliding…

As the good chef stressed, taking good care of your catch of catfish is just what you would do with a prize redfish. Fortunately, sail cats are easy to clean, producing nice firm fillets ready for the skillet. Here are the key steps: ✔ First, remove mucous off fish with paper towel. ✔ Snip off fins at base. ✔ Find ribs just behind pectoral fins and start fillet there to tail. ✔ Turn fillet over, hold tail with pliers, and slice forward to remove skin. ✔ Avoid the red meat on the front end of the body and remove red lateral line to prevent any muddy taste. Cook like your favorite fish—blacken, grill, etc., but it’s hard to beat good old fried catfish. And if you don’t trust our research,…

Offshore fishing from Deerfield Beach south to Ocean Reef will provide plenty of action from king mackerel, sailfish, lots of bonito, large blackfin tuna, wahoo and dolphin. These fish will be feeding near the surface to about mid-way to the bottom. These pelagic predators prefer live threadfin herring, goggle-eye jacks and large pilchards, but will eat vertical jigs and trolled and drifted rigged ballyhoo. Most of this action will take place outside the outer reef line from 80 feet of water out to 300 feet of water. Over the offshore wrecks and ledges, amberjacks, almaco jacks, gag, black and red groupers and spawning mutton snappers will bend your stout bottom fishing rigs to the max. Catch some large live pinfish in the bay and hook one on a Mustad Ultra…

For more than 100 years Boca Grande Pass has pretty much been the center of the tarpon fishing universe, attracting more fish and more fishermen than anywhere else. Tarpon will probably be caught there every hour of every day this month that weather conditions allow fishing to occur. Boca Grande tarpon can be caught on almost any moving tide, but the late afternoon hill tide crab flush has long been a popular time to fish the big pass, and the tides look good for this on the weekends of the 2nd, 16th and the 30th. If Boca Grande Pass is too crowded for your tastes, then nearby Captiva Pass sometimes offers tarpon action rivaling that found at Boca Grande. Tarpon are also showing most mornings along the Gulf beaches all…

In its 24 years, more than 17,000 youth have made the annual Kids Fishing Clinic at Port Canaveral each June one of the largest children’s fishing events in the state. They get new rods and reels, lunch, photos, a better understanding of conservation, and go away with some cherished memories. This year, on Saturday June 23, some 600 kids between 5 and 15 along with parents and friends will cast their lines for catches from the docks at Canaveral’s Cruise Terminal No. 1 from 8 a.m. until noon, rain or shine. “It’s all about kids having fun. For some it will be their first fishing trip and everything’s free,” said Eric Griggs, who heads up a large force of volunteers from area fishing and service clubs. “We know it stimulates…

When it comes to picking a target species or two for June, the first thought for everyone has to be, “Finally it’s time for some red snapper.” But then again, mahi, tuna, billfish, grouper, kings, Spanish, and even tarpon can cloud your judgment. The great thing to me about June is that everyone gets to pick their own species to target. Though I have to agree with most people and say that June is the time to find your favorite bottom spot and look for those snapper. After that, take some time and switch gears: There are plenty of other species to round out the box. Black snapper, vermilion snapper, lane snapper, white snapper, scamp grouper, gag grouper, king mackerel, and if the water is right... mahi-mahi and wahoo. When…

Calling all divers! In addition to popular hook-and-line categories for redfish, dolphin and many other species, this summer’s CCA Florida STAR angler recognition event offers excellent prizes for the highest number of lionfish taken. Starting May 26, you simply photograph and log your kills on the STAR app. After the event concludes Sept. 3, CCA will announce the Lionfish Division winners. Any STAR-registered angler who is a current CCA member in good standing at the time of entering the tournament can participate. Lionfish of any size may be taken on any type of spearfishing gear—slings, guns, pole spears, etc. There is no limit to the number of lionfish entries daily. Lionfish entries can be made in addition to any other STAR division entries, consistent with the rules for each division.…

You won’t come home clean, but you’ll come home with fish. It’s yellowtail season in South Florida and the Keys, and we all love those days with perfect conditions, when the wind and current line up and your baits zip back to hungry fish in the chum line—but we don’t always get them. Capt. Ryan Van Fleet, of Good Karma Charters in Tavernier in the Keys, employs some down and dirty tactics for yellowtail for those days. These tactics can be used elsewhere in Florida of course, as yellowtail are widespread around the southern end of the state. They can also be used anywhere and anytime current runs a bit strong near reefs as they produce mutton snapper, mangrove snapper, grouper and other reef species. But wear your old clothes.…

Shrimp migrate into tidal estuaries and freshwater spawning areas along the Atlantic and Gulf coastlines of Florida from early summer to mid-November, depending on the area. Areas where I have employed live shrimp for bass near the St. Johns River mouth (in northeast Florida) include Julington Creek, the Nassau River and the lesser known Thomas Creek. I’ve also used shrimp effectively in several Florida Panhandle creeks off the Apalachicola River watershed located west of Tallahassee. The estuaries there discharge brackish water into Apalachicola Bay, which welcomes a great shrimp run during September and October. There are about 50 freshwater streams and rivers in the vicinity flowing into the Apalachicola River where largemouth bass eagerly feed on live shrimp. Some of the best are Montgomery Slough, the East River, Brothers River,…

SPORTSMAN’S REGIONAL EXPERTS GUIDE YOU TO THE HOTSPOTS JUNE SPOTLIGHT Gulf Red Snapper Season(s) Now that the state (and other Gulf states) will set its own season for red snapper, there are two Gulf red snapper seasons. The federally permitted for-hire vessel season runs June 1 until July 22. The Florida state season, during which licensed anglers can possess legal red snapper in both state and federal waters, is scheduled to begin June 11 and run 40 days, closing July 21. This is a new set of regulations for Florida Gulf state and federal waters, and it is complex. Any questions, please call (850) 487-0554. 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.…

June provides anglers throughout the 10,000 Islands region a plethora of opportunities, from permit to migratory tarpon fishing, snook and seatrout, but one species just never seems to get the publicity it deserves. That is the fantastic shark fishing we have in our region. While many an avid angler scoffs at the mere mention of shark fishing, many folks have never truly caught these monsters in shallow water and we have plenty of them hunting the shallows in the month of June. The 10,000 Islands are a fascinating area to fish for shark because there is an abundant population of these predators, and they vary in size, numbers and relative power. At the apex, literally at the top of the food chain, are the bull sharks. These are easily the…

Gag grouper stake out territories on reefs, ledges and offshore wrecks. Giant tarpon roam the beaches followed by sharks. Monster black drum own the real estate around upper Tampa Bay bridges, and the largest snook of the year prowl the passes and barrier islands from New Pass to Anclote Key. Depending on the species, the heat of summer either drives fish deep where cooler water is comfortable or to the shade of mangroves, docks, bridges or other cover. With gag grouper reopening June 1, much of the action for legal sized fish will be in federal waters beginning at about 100 feet or around 30 miles off Pinellas and deeper. The “D” Artificial Reefs off Sarasota in 100 to 110 feet can be productive for not only gag and red…

In June, inshore saltwater is a 24-hour proposition. Trout will smash surface lures early and late, but dock lights get better as the month gets hotter. You’ll need moving water, and lights that are close to the water’s surface. This generally means the top third of the tide. Both the Intracoastal and St. Johns hold plenty of nocturnal trout in June. There’s no way to figure out why some docks are hot some nights, and some aren’t, but just keep moving until you find the right one. Reds are just about everywhere, and they’ll be crawling around in plain sight at dawn and dusk in less than eight inches of water. You’ll also be able to find upper slot and oversized reds willing to crush a deep running crankbait. Tuck…

Blackfin tuna are only found in the Western Atlantic. They prefer warmer waters (usually over 68 F), grow pretty fast and don’t live long. A 40-pound blackfin is probably only five years old. Males start to spawn in open waters when they are about 18 months/20 inches. Females usually take until they are two—about 25 inches—before they spawn. Both sexes can be 18 inches long at one year, meaning many of the blackfin we catch are not even yearlings, and definitely not yet able to spawn. Here in the US, there is no size limit on blackfin and they can be kept without the HMS permit required to land their bigger cousins yellowfin and bluefin. Steve Johnston of Port St. Lucie didn’t mince words when discussing how the crew on…

You run 30 miles offshore to a wreck and there is a boat already anchored on the spot. You guys are geared up and ready to dive, but there’s stink-eye coming in strong from the other boat. Maybe they’re flying a diver-down flag, and have their own guys in the water. Maybe they’re just hook-and-line fishing. Now what? RESPECT THE ANCHOR First, put yourself in the other boater’s position. How close would you feel comfortable having someone anchor to fish if you were already there? If it feels awkward, it is. So don’t do it. If you don’t have the option of going to a nearby spot until the present divers leave, say hi, ask how it’s been, and if they mind if you guys jump in and do some…

I’ve just landed a muscular fish over 20 inches that smashed my Gulp! swimming mullet like a freight train, then ran hard and deep like a redfish. I’m already salivating over the thought of savoring one of the best-tasting fish in Florida over dinner tonight. So why is my fishing buddy laughing, his nose turned up slightly in disdain? Because it’s Bagre marinus, popularly known as a gafftopsail catfish. Okay, okay, I’ll have to deal with the gelatinous snot it’s left on my leader, and yes I’ll have to dodge those wicked, venomous spines to get my hook out, but sail cats just can’t get no respect—just like Rodney Dangerfield and the way it used to be for barracuda before Keys angling guides pushed to have it listed as a…

If you have not made it down this spring to the spectacular Florida Keys to experience some of its legendary fishing, June has all of the most sought after species, for a portion of the price during what’s known in the business as shoulder season—between high season and low summer season. Pack up the car, go online and find some accommodations. If you are planning on towing your boat down, I suggest a quick visit to the trailer repair shop to grease the hubs and check the condition of your trailer brakes. It’s one thing to tow your boat to the local boat ramp, but you’re going to want your boat trailer in good shape if you’re towing a few hundred miles. We have seen countless boats laid out on…

June is a great month to fish offshore. With consistent fishing and calm seas, just about any boat can get out and take advantage. We all know Mother Nature is quick to change, though, so venturing out to blue water, especially in a small boat, requires steady monitoring of the weather. Afternoon thunderstorms build quickly. When I head out on a smaller boat, typically 24-foot or less, with a single outboard, I prefer to be back in the inlet by noon, beating the storms. Out deep, the swordfish bite is one solid option this month. “I typically fish 1,600 feet or deeper when targeting these tasty billfish,” says Capt. Jonathan Earhart of Chaos Fishing charters in Stuart. “Daytime fishing, I like to fish a bait on or close to bottom,…

It’s summer, and our Big Bend grassflats are officially alive with bait and predators. Daybreak comes early, and anglers targeting larger-than-slot, 20-inch plus, spotted seatrout can beat the heat by getting out in the dark, fishing as the sun crosses the horizon. That timing almost guarantees you’ll be back to the dock in time for brunch—with a nice catch. Trophy seatrout don’t school up this time of year like the lower and middle slot version of the species. Typically, they cruise creek mouths and the perimeters of shell bars, solo, in search of small mullet, a favorite prey. One of my favorite things to hear while fishing on calm pre-sunrise summer mornings is the sound of big trout striking mullet in the distance. When it comes to pinpointing big hungry…

There are two kings in town this month: tarpon, the silver king, and kingfish. Anglers treat them both with respect, if not reverence, and in fact some anglers even bow to them on occasion. Either one is capable of stripping all of the line from a reel, breaking a rod or making an angler’s knees wobble. King mackerel are usually the first of the two species to show up in North Florida. As soon as the water temperature reaches 68 degrees and the schools of bait fish show up, the kings start appearing. Tarpon prefer warmer water, 75 degrees or above. When the water reaches this temperature, anglers can bet on seeing tarpon. Kings start appearing around many of the offshore markers, reefs and towers. It’s often in 40- to…