Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2018 i Florida Sportsman

WHAT Bass, catfish and bream fishing in small lakes with a limited number of boats and shore access. Quiet and easy. Costs $3. WHERE Couple miles northeast of Lakeland, FL on Hwy. 659. Address 3829 Tenoroc Mine Rd. WHEN Friday through Monday, 6 a.m. till closing (varies depending on season). Call the office at 863-499-2422 RULES Quite a few. Most designed to maximize your satisfaction and maintain excellent fishing. WHAT ELSE Home to a terrific shooting center, with rifle and pistol ranges, sporting clays, elevated archery and more. Admission $10; free for shooters ages 15 or younger. BONUS POINTS Tenoroc has some lakes set aside and equipped for physically challenged anglers, special events and children’s fishing.…

Bay boats and open fishermen sometimes need special attention to make them fly-fishing friendly. Generally, the bigger the boat, the more gadgets that a loose, snaking fly line can find to snag. On the plus side, most bay boats have a pronounced “drop-down” front and rear casting deck, and on windy days if you will get in the habit of standing close to the back edge of the deck while fly fishing, the cockpit floor contains your loose line out of the wind. For starters, stow all gear, coolers, shoes, camera cases, and other fishing rods, particularly if you expect to hook a fish that will take you “corner to corner” during a prolonged fight. If your boat lacks recessed, pop-up or pull-up cleats, a standard cleat can be covered…

Minimum size: 24 inches total length, Gulf and Atlantic. Bag limit: 2 per person Gulf, 1 per person Atlantic. Counts toward aggregate grouper bag limits for both regions. Seasons: Opens June 1 in Gulf of Mexico, May 1 in Atlantic. Closes January 1 both regions. Special four-county area in northwest Florida with early spring state waters season (Franklin, Wakulla, Jefferson and Taylor) reopens Sept. 1. Licenses: In Gulf of Mexico, the free Gulf Reef Fish Angler endorsement is a required addition to the regular saltwater fishing license. Find details at myfwc.com under the Licenses & Permits pull down. Some Digital Help: The Fish Rules App is very useful, with species ID key and regulations updates by the federal Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils. Depending on estimated…

Though penned about a North Carolina haunt from his youth, in my heart I believe Charlie Daniels’ “Legend of Wooley Swamp” is truly about the Green Swamp. As a child, Dad would play the CDB cassette while cruising SR-471 coming and going on family vacations. At night, spotting roadside deer and hogs were my first memories of these creatures, lingering close to the abyss of tangled trees and brush. With the accompanying soundtrack, my fantasies ran wild. “There’s things out there in themiddle of them woodsThat’d make a strong man die from frightThings that crawl and things that flyThings that creep aroundon the ground…” Even today, that song is an earworm when hunting this dark region of Florida. Resting in the gloaming of dawn, back against a cypress swamp straining…

Heavy clouds hung over us as we pushed off into the Dead Lakes in northwestern Florida. Mid-November promised a chilly morning slowly warming to a pleasant afternoon, but a stiff wind left us all shivering. Pulling up the zipper on my jacket, I sat down in the boat. There were four of us, Scott Bisping and Daniel Nelson of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, myself, and my husband Brian Whalen. We motored slowly, surrounded by enormous cypress trunks half-submerged in the brown-hued water, their tops gone long ago, the waterway bordered by much younger trees with needles aflame in the red and orange of fall. The Dead Lakes gained their name from these very trees. In all, the Dead Lakes cover 6,700 acres, part of the Chipola River…

BEST BET Has your stockpile of spiny lobsters dwindled? Mostly calm and clear waters during September can make snorkeling or diving up a 6-spiny lobster limit easy if you can find them. Re-visit your go-to lobster hot spots that have been untouched since the beginning of the new lobster season. You will be pleasantly surprised to see lots of lobsters where they weren’t just a few weeks ago. Late Summer Shots One of the most sought-after fish species in South Florida is the common snook. Starting Sept. 1, the snook season along the Atlantic and the Gulf coasts reopens. The adult snook population has been going through their spawning rituals since early May. Now, with fall on the way, the adult snook population has started their annual migration from the…

BEST BET Snook season opens on September 1, kicking off what is probably the best month of the year to keep a linesider in SW Florida. Most anglers target snook in the estuary, but there are adult snook offshore on some of the shallower artificial reefs out to about 30 feet of water. Mary’s Reef off Gasparilla Island and Helen’s Reef off Cayo Costa both hold September snook, though many of these offshore fish are overslot. You can also find decent numbers of snook on the beaches and on the docks along the ICW. Snookin’ Summer’s End September is the last month of the season that solid action on tarpon in Charlotte Harbor’s dark inshore water is really dependable before the fish leave for the winter. Much of the action…

BEST BET The Canaveral Bight, the 5-mile long stretch of shoreline north of Port Canaveral on the edge of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, will offer safety and comfort and catches to boot in the coming months. As the fall mullet run moves south, the bight can hold redfish, mackerel, blues and big jacks. With winter will come pompano, flounder and whiting. A depth recorder helps locate the deeper sloughs and troughs were the fish tend to feed. Keep the engine running and remain a safe distance from the breakers. Pick Your Spot Come September, Sebastian Inlet can be as good a fishing spot as you’ll find anywhere along Florida’s East Coast. The major draw for East Central anglers is the opening of the fall snook season on September…

BEST BET The best bet will be heading to the backwaters early morning and then transitioning to the bridges and jetties midday. The best bet is live shrimp under a popping cork in the backwaters with spoons and other lures a close second. Oyster bars and creekmouths are good spots, but points and backwater bay openings can produce too. Night time fishing is also a good choice, but just remember to be safe. It’s All Good It’s hard to make a bad fishing choice in September. Way offshore, the tuna, wahoo, and marlin bite is usually good and the seas are calm. On the beaches, pompano and Spanish mackerel are on the hunt for food and can make family fishing days a blast. To me one of the best things…

The extended Florida Sportsman family mourns the passing of Karl Wickstrom, who died on June 25, in Stuart, Florida. Karl, founder of Florida Sportsman, was 82. He is survived by his wife, Sheila; four children and three grandchildren. Born in Rock Island, Illinois, Wickstrom earned a journalism degree from the University of Florida and started his career as a sports reporter. In 1960, he went to work for the Miami Herald as an investigative journalist. In 1969, he founded Florida Sportsman, engaging Vic Dunaway, a well-known outdoors writer at the Herald, to lead editorial efforts at the new magazine. Through the decades as publisher of Florida Sportsman, Wickstrom fought tirelessly to benefit Florida marine resources and recreational angling. Wickstrom was co-founder of the Florida Conservation Association in 1984, now Coastal…

No single stand will conform to Florida’s diverse terrains. How one hunts the timber of Northeast Florida isn’t effective for ambushing the oak hammocks of Central Florida. Hunters who utilize different styles and recognize where to use them are equipped for success. LADDER STANDS The most popular setup, ladder stands—including self-standing tripods and elevated blinds—offer the height advantage to canvass a property from above. Relatively safe, they excel along fields and cypress heads, cut pine rows or food plots, and areas where a birds-eye view overcomes undulating terrain and ground-level vegetation. The drawback is their lack of portability. Once established, moving one becomes burdensome and detrimental to overall deer hunting considering the disturbance required to relocate. Some models are a pain to maneuver in with archery tackle. Additionally, an empty…

4 boneless, skinless fish fillets 1 cup all-purpose flour Salt and pepper 1 cup milk 2 large eggs 2 cups corn flakes 1 cup sliced almonds Canola or peanut oil Toasted buns, lettuce, tomato, pickle and Tartar sauce In a deep, heavy pot or deep-fryer, heat several inches of oil to 350 degrees. Sift flour with salt and pepper into a shallow dish. In another shallow bowl, whisk eggs and milk together until thoroughly blended. Gently mix corn flakes and almonds on a large plate, taking care not to break them. Dredge fish fillets in flour, coating all sides; then dip them in the egg wash. Lightly press the fish fillets into the corn flakes/almond mix and fry, one or two at a time. Take care not to overcook the…

Through this summer, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has been gathering public comment on shore-based shark fishing. The commission has fielded a number of concerns about the fishing, and there are a variety of options FWC could consider regarding management of sharks, but it’s too early to tell if any changes could be enacted, said an FWC spokesperson. The summer’s remaining workshops include those below. They start at 6 p.m. local time: Aug. 27: Melbourne Beach, Melbourne Beach Community Center, 509 Ocean Ave. Aug. 28: West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Department of Planning, Zoning & Building – The Vista Center, 2300 N. Jog Road. Aug. 29: Miami, Miami City Hall – Commission Main Chambers, 3500 Pan American Drive. Aug. 30: Key Colony Beach, City Hall, 600…

SEPTEMBER SPOTLIGHT Wahoo in the Blue Water High speed trolling has been a popular and productive method for catching wahoo and has garnered a lot of attention in recent years, but it’s only one of many ways to catch these predators. Focus on three factors: tidal changes near reeflines that switch the wahoo’s feeding on, floating structure and schools of bonito and dolphin that attract hungry wahoo. These patterns, coupled with a technique of choice—live baiting, jigging, chunking, trolling or even good ol’ high speed trolling will get you wahoo bites. 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 to 1 MB in jpeg format. For smartphone photos,…

BEST BET The offshore bite can be on fire, with a myriad of options in the month of September. Large schools of threadfin herring will invade the nearshore reefs and extend quite far into the Gulf as the fall bait migration begins. Spanish and king mackerel along with drag screaming bonito can all be had within close proximity of shore if you deploy a run-and-gun approach to find active birds or active fish busting on the surface. This is a great opportunity to have kids aboard or your buddy who thinks golf is more enjoyable than fishing, as the action can be quite steady and it gives them a great opportunity to catch a fairly large fish that takes a lot of drag. On Fire Labor Day weekend marks the…

BEST BET Come September 1 when snook season reopens, anglers will set their sights on them. Top action for this premier gamefish is around new and full moons with good moving water. Most of our area will see good action with linesiders gorging on baitfish in preparation for the winter months ahead, making snook this month’s best bet. Water Quality Concerns If you can fish prior to and several days after any of the strong storms that visit us in late summer, you can see some explosive fishing action. With severe weather offshore, rough seas create turbidity. Big fish hold tight to structure. Being the first to the fish once a storm has passed will likely result in some good fishing. Bait schools scatter inshore and take a few days…

BEST BET I’m self-professed fish snob. I don’t go to Burger King for a fish sandwich, and I can’t imagine how they get by in Kansas without fresh triggerfish. I will however freeze just as many flounder as I can from Labor Day to Thanksgiving, and not hesitate to defrost them a few nights a week for a great dinner. The September mullet run has the river population of flounder getting thicker every day, and I dearly love throwing a gold spinnerbait with a 3-inch white Gulp! shrimp and a ¼-ounce jighead. As in most fishing, the change of tides provides the best action. Range Finders The piscatorial community is on the move, and it starts inshore with shrimp and finger mullet. Experts tell us the quality of the shrimp…

BEST BET Deep dropping isn’t the only September gig along the eastern side of the Bahamas. In 100- to 200-foot range, you can get yellowtail and mutton snappers. Get out early in the morning with live baits and see if you can scare up a yellowfin tuna, then you can change gears and fish deep contours for a good chance at a variety of bottom fish. Bottoms Up This is a fine time to target snappers in the Bahamas. Often when we think of Bahamas fishing, we think mainly of the closest areas to reach by boat—West End, Lucaya, Bimini—for obvious reasons. Easy to get to, lots of fish. But as good as the fishing can be along the western edge of the Islands, venturing just a bit farther can…

Conventional wisdom tells us that on the Gulf Coast the snook’s range extends north to the Homosassa River, with the exception of a few “wandering individuals” that might be found as far north as the Panhandle. But conventional wisdom is off by at least 25 miles as the region north of Homosassa to Yankeetown abounds with more than a few wandering individuals. In fact, substantial schools of snook (not to mention redfish, trout, tarpon, and grouper) overflow from the imagined Homosassa boundary onto the flats at the mouth of Crystal River providing Gulf Coast anglers with a tremendous linesider fishery. Mike Allen, Director of the University of Florida IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station, has been looking into the expansion of snook north along the Gulf Coast: “Snook are now common…

"L" shaped lip for very shallow water and erratic action. Circuit board lip for shallow water and deflection. Square lip for shallow/ medium water and tight wobble. Coffin shaped lip for deflection and reduced snags. Cupped lip for very erratic action and change of direction. Weighted lip to get down faster and stay deeper longer. Angled lip for quick diving and to get deeper.…

Stunning, uncrowded ponds—some as deep as 35 feet, with intricate islands and backwaters. That’s Tenoroc Fish Management Area, in Polk County. Tenoroc is old wetlands where earth-moving equipment scooped and carved in the 1960s, digging for phosphate, the fertilizer ingredient and next best thing to gold in those days. There are two dozen-some lakes on the 8,000-acre property, now owned and managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. One of the previous landowners was Coronet Phosphorus Co. Spelled backwards, you get Tenoroc. Only two of the lakes allow combustion engines—lakes B and 5—and their only idle speed. Check in at the gate station after 6 a.m. Friday through Monday, to get a $3 permit. Lakes range from 7 to 227 acres. Water quality and topography vary. Some lakes…

September is a busy month for Florida hunters. Zone A, southernmost of Florida’s hunting zones, opens Sept. 1 for muzzleloading gun season, running through Sept. 14. General gun season opens here Sept. 15, running through Oct. 14. Zone C, basically north of Lake Okeechobee to Tallahassee, opens Sept. 15 for archery and crossbow seasons. Note that Zone B, much of Polk and certain other central Florida counties, is within this region and won’t open till Oct. 13, for archery and crossbow seasons. Zone D, the western Panhandle, does not open until Oct. 20. For specific boundaries, Deer Management Unit point minimums and antlerless deer dates see myfwc.com…

BEST BET It’s all about the skinny water this time of year. Large schools of bonefish can be seen tailing throughout the Keys flats. Permit are also back in the shallows after the annual spawn and you can easily find schools of juvenile tarpon in the basins. If catch and release is not your thing, keep an eye out for pilchards in the shallow water surrounding the islands. Pilchards are a favorite bait for almost all species, and even on a tough day fishing out on the reef or wrecks, they are sure to pick up the bite. Eyes on the Radar This time of year, the bite has slowed way down, and in order to be successful you must work harder and smarter. Most of the sought-after species can…

BEST BET A fan favorite throughout the region, snook season opens back up on Sept. 1. It’s a grab-bag this month, with some fish still hanging up around the inlets and beaches, some pushing back into the rivers. With a heavy influx of bait this month, you know the fish will be on the bait. Ambush points such as seawalls or docks with good current flow are always a solid option when looking for linesiders. A stout combo is a good idea, as these fish are quick to get in the structure if you don’t stop them, especially when using the current to their advantage. Changeups This time of year, Eric Lion of County Line Charters (561-440-0312) out of Jupiter likes to switch it up from chasing monster snook to…

BEST BET Summer vacations are over and kids are back in school. Mid-week crowds of scallopers are smaller on the Big Bend’s grassflats, meaning snorkelers have a better chance of gathering a quick limit. The scallops that have survived the summer rush are bigger—and still just as tasty. And there’s a better chance of getting a hotel room or restaurant reservation now that the busy season nears its end. Rocks, Rips and Robalo Common snook, also known as robalo, are becoming more common on our Big Bend. Many years ago, we fished for snook at the north end of Anclote Key, in Pinellas County. That was pretty much the northern end of their range. But as winters have become milder, snook have migrated north with warming waters. Guides in Citrus…

BEST BET The canal that connects St. Joe Bay to the Intracoastal Waterway is about five-and-a-half miles long and a little over 100 yards wide. This manmade canal runs in a northeast direction and is a great place to fish. It’s accessible to small and large boats and the canal is protected from the wind. This time of the year it’s good for catching speckled trout. Bouncing jigs along the bottom or fishing finger mullet or bull minnows is the way to target flounder and reds. Another Chance Anglers who missed out on the spring pompano and Spanish mackerel push have another shot at them in September. Both of these species show up in Northwest Florida before they move south to warmer water. Both of these species typically frequent the…

“Fishing keeps me calm, tuning my body and soul together.” The kayak cleaves the tannic water, leaving an imperceptible wake, as it skirts the mangrove shoreline. The guy holding the paddle stows it and picks up a spin rod. Both he and another kayaker gliding alongside him hear the commotion of mullet scattering. “How far?” George asks his wingman. Meet George Tice, U.S. Army Veteran (Desert Storm, 1991); veterans’ charity organizer; PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) sufferer; and Florida Sportsman reader. George, who lives in Bonita Springs, says he learned all he knows about fishing—down to tying knots, baiting hooks, finding fish, etc.–either on his own or from reading FS issues—after moving to Florida in 2004. “I’d pick them up at checkout counters—wherever I could find them,” says George, who…

“They are committed to a sport that few anglers will ever master.” There is no question that chasing bonefish requires a different kind of angler-dedication, a different kind of mind-set, and a different degree of patience. Sworn bonefish loyalists might appear an offbeat crew of fanatics, but at heart, they are committed to a sport that few anglers will ever master. Most of us will never have that degree of dedication, but we’d still like the opportunity to catch a bone, to share in the experience that has earned these deceptive phantoms the reputations they boast. Within the ranks of the bonefish angler clan, there is divergence among specialists. Some adhere to a fly-only ideology to extend the challenge of catching bonefish, while others profess multi-method approaches including flies, lures,…