Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2019 i Florida Sportsman

COX POWERTRAIN CXO300 DIESEL OUTBOARD A 10-year effort from across the pond brings the world boating market the highest horsepower, diesel-powered outboard engine available. At a period when the marine industry is starving for large displacement outboards to power ever-growing center console models, Cox Powertrain’s CXO300 couldn’t come at a better time. Some of the advantages this 300-horsepower 4.4L 8-cylinder workhorse offer are: Superior torque (480 foot pounds) across the spectrum, especially low to mid-range; 100 percent higher peak torque at the crankshaft than a comparable gas engine, offering 25 percent greater fuel efficiency. This twin turbo engine is said to offer three times longer service life than a gas engine, and Cox Powertrain suggests a possible savings of up to 45 percent of the $50,000 price tag over the…

This coming season, custom rod building with Mud Hole will be a featured topic on a new TV show called Techsperts, which airs on The Sportsman Channel and features industry experts showcasing and teaching about cutting-edge technology and applications of outdoor products, from fishing rods to guns, bows, and more. For those of you who crave the nitty-gritty behind the gear you use, Techsperts is for you. The Mud Hole rod building episode is set to air on March 24 and 31 at 8:30 a.m. ET.…

Sheepshead are easy, yes? Not so fast. When it comes to consistently catching the big ones, details count. Captain Michael Foster added an interesting detail one day while fishing a few miles off the St. Marys Inlet, at the Florida/Georgia border. “A federal marine fisheries boat motored up to our anchored boat,” Foster recalled. “One of the officers climbed on board and was soon checking our fish box, hoping to find a few fish for his survey. For some reason I quickly turned off my GPS/fishfinder, hoping to keep my location a secret. Seconds later we began to catch a lot of sheepshead and from that day forward, I don’t leave my sonar on when sheepshead fishing; I believe the sound spooks deepwater sheepshead. The officer remained on our boat…

Now's the time to get thinking about offshore trips and long-range adventures. Whether that means crossing to the Bahamas or fishing the rigs in the upper Gulf of Mexico or even a day's trip for dolphin, wahoo or swordfish, you'll find action picking up in your range this season. One added bonus to keep in mind: Fuel prices remain low, making those longer trips more reasonable. As always, check your safety equipment and if you don't have one, invest in an EPIRB or PLB in case of emergency.…

BEST BET The freshwater fishing in the canals of the Tamiami Trail, Mac’s Fish Camp, Holiday Park, Alligator Alley, Sawgrass Recreation Park and Lake Okeechobee can be fantastic this month. With some of the lowest water levels of the year, largemouth bass and other fish are all forced into the canals and are competing for the same food sources. Catching over 100 fish in a day can be easy. Casting Rapala Floating Minnows, soft plastic frogs and worms and small flies will keep your rods bent. Some Favorites In my career I have enjoyed sharing the South Florida spring migration with thousands of clients, family members and friends and have so many great memories of fantastic catches, near catches and big smiles with these people. I will never forget back…

BEST BET The sheepshead spawn is peaking this month, and this means that hungry sheepies are schooled around pilings, rocks, and just about any structure that’s hard enough to sport a growth of barnacles. Some of the region’s locally famous sheepshead-producing hotspots include the Venice jetties, the Placida railroad trestle and the Boca Grande phosphate dock reef, but just about any dock along the ICW or cluster of rocks on the beach will hold at least a few chunky fish. Shrimp produce plenty of sheepshead and fiddler crabs usually do even better, but the saltiest of the old-timers swear by tubeworms as the primo sheepshead bait. The Best Shots Tarpon? Already? It’s possible in March when over-wintered fish begin to ease out of the rivers. Areas worth a look for…

BEST BET Hope for calm seas and warming temperatures because that’s what it will take to make cobia the main offshore attraction between mid-February and the end of March. We’ll need water readings between 65 and 75 degrees, with the optimum at 67 to 70 degrees. The spring cobia are sight-fished, so you’ll want bright days and clean water, and the best light will be from about 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cobia often accompany manta rays, even sea turtles and they’re also drawn to floating debris. In short, all this becomes a hunting game. Networking with friends on the water is sound advice. Inlet Action Anyone who has spent time fishing from Sebastian Inlet’s north jetty fishing pier should know about the “pocket.” If not, they could be missing…

BEST BET The best bet in March will be heading to the passes and bridges for sheepshead. Look for the fish to hold tight to the bottom and close to the structure. A light-tipped inshore rod with a stout backbone is ideal, especially when paired with thin-diameter braid. A live shrimp is hard to beat but fiddler crabs will work too. In the ideal world you would want to have both. Some days they bite one a little bit better the other. Look for fish to hold around jetties, sea walls, bridges, and deeper docks. Power Plays The one thing you can count on during cobia season is that the weather will be a little on the nautical side. On such windy days, the best bet will be inshore fishing…

In an effort to bring in as many experts and opinions as possible, with a goal of fixing the state’s water woes, a group of organizations with a mix of constituencies, priorities and geographies was established. The Advisory Panel for Season One of FSW officially kicked off in early September, 2018, when leaders of the groups met in person for two days of meetings at River Palm Cottages in Jensen Beach, FL. “The primary purpose of the group is to work in conjunction with the magazine editors and the host of the TV show to determine critical and salient issues to cover, help provide access to expert opinions on selected issues and to help give direction on the overall production of the TV show, documentary and town hall meetings,” commented…

I know a lot about boats. I’ve spent my whole life on them all over this planet. I know nothing when I compare myself to Buddy Gentry. He doesn’t even like towers, but he knows everything in the world about them, so this is good advice. First, any weight you put high on a boat is detrimental to stability. There is math involved here; your tower builder will know about it. A higher “nose bleed” tower is going to have more effect than a half tower, one where you are basically standing on the flying bridge hard top, or very slightly above it, usually no more than 15 feet above the covering boards. Second, towers are not cheap. The raw materials alone cost a bomb. Aluminum pipe the towers are…

The tide giveth, the tide taketh away. That’s Fernandina inshore fishing in a nutshell. With a mean tide range of 6 feet, it’s not the Bay of Fundy, but it is a lot more moving water than you’ll find elsewhere in Florida. Local guide Terry David ("TD") Lacoss knows the ins and outs of the spartina marsh. He also knows that when the reds stop tailing and the water begins to thin out of the grass, it’s time to boogie. For the moment, Lacoss Power Poles his 24 Triton in the creek channel and watches. When a trio of bronzed, blue-tailed torpedos drifts into view, TD casually pitches the shrimp lure. Hookup, just in time! In a few hours, the seemingly benign bay we ran across to get here will…

Starting in 2016, Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) unveiled new incentives to recognize and reward the special achievements of saltwater anglers. The agency does this nicely through a series of programs, each aimed at promoting a particular, shall I say, “angle?” All good, you’re thinking? Well, try adding: “but sometimes confusing.” Allison Stattner, of Tequesta, Florida, a former land use attorney with an MBA, attacks saltwater fishing from every angle. Allison’s well on her way to completing a “Life List,” a wish-list of species that the FWC provides as a road map. Lists are scored according to levels, starting at 10 and working up to 70. Thirty and 50 are interim signposts. Submit enough entries to any “Catch a Florida Memory” program—it costs you nothing—and you’re on your…

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, email the Actual Size—highest resolution. Images must not have appeared or submitted elsewhere. Send photos to: photos@floridasportsman.com. Include names of people pictured, hometowns, location of catch and any key details, such as weight of big catches.…

BEST BET Snook fishing kicks into high gear, especially later in the month. As waters warm and daylight hours increase, snook will begin to move towards outside areas in preparation for the spawn. If you are fortunate enough to be on the water at first light, snook can provide excellent topwater action. Perennial hot spots include the shallow rocky bars south of Cape Romano. Outside points like those around Indian and Kingston keys can hold good numbers of upper slot-sized snook on the hard bars and oyster shorelines. First Wave Action March usually has anglers in the 10,000 Islands focused heavily on tarpon, or at least thinking of that first wave of fish. There always seems to be a push of tarpon into the region sometime during the month. This…

BEST BET On those nice days with clear skies and light winds, anglers with long range vessels can head offshore for some big game action. It’s roughly 140 miles round-trip to the Florida Middle Grounds, certainly among the most consistently productive areas in the Gulf this time of year. Partyboats and private charters that run out of Hubbard’s Marina at John’s Pass in Madeira Beach are equipped for the long runs with extra safety gear aboard and specialize in these trips that usually produce a lot of photo opportunities as well as fish for the table. If you’re a sushi lover or just like some big steaks on the grill, blackfin tunas that are available at this time of year at the Grounds are this month’s best bet. The Bottom…

BEST BET The secret is out. The best big sheepshead fishing of the year is offshore on wrecks in March. If you can get out, start on the wrecks as close to your inlet as possible, and keep working offshore. Generally speaking, dropping fiddlers, clams or crab knuckles will start out getting you bites from porgies, but after they spread the scent of bait around, the giant sheeps will move in. If the weather is calm for the El Cheapo on Mar. 9, look for a 10-pound-plus fish to come from a wreck 5 to 15 miles offshore. If it’s rough it may be a good idea to focus on the Fernandina jetties. There are generally more fish and fewer boats. The Glass Half Full Is it wonderful that we…

BEST BET Billfish tournaments might dominate the Caribbean this month, but yellowfin catch rates are high in a variety of tropical destinations during March. Those chasing marlin in Costa Rica will likely battle with this very tasty bycatch, as the speedsters share much of the same diet. That of course includes flying fish and squids, two creatures many of our trolled baits are meant to mimic. Trinidad and Tobago and Granada are great places to catch yellowfins relatively close to shore, thanks to a combination of topography, water temperatures, and bait availability. Spring Crossings Some say it is the incredible variation of depth, where reefs can drop from 60 feet to well over 1,000 before you take two swigs of your Kalik Gold. Others say it is due to the…

Looking back over my academic career, I can easily see why I wasn’t a Rhodes Scholar. In fact, after meeting 22-year-old Jacob Sanders from Jacksonville, Florida, I really want a redo on high school. Not only did Jacob start the bass fishing team at Nease High School in Ponte Vedra, he is currently under a bass fishing scholarship at East Texas Baptist University. I mean how hard would I have studied if somebody had dangled the carrot of a fishing scholarship in front of me? I caught up with Jacob recently, and his passion and maturity restored so much hope for me in the whole millennial generation. FS: Jacob, has it always been fishing? JS: Since I could walk with a Snoopy fishing pole in my hand. I learned to…

EATS: Lotta good spots. Salty Pelican on Front Street for sunsets and classic fried seafood. Green Turtle Tavern for cold brews, live music, outdoor table tennis, nightlife. Or pick up fresh catch at Atlantic Seafood, right there at the boat ramp (talk about a plan B!). TACKLE, APPAREL, ADVICE & MORE: Amelia Angler, 111 Centre Street. Owned by Capt. Terry Lacoss (Sr.), longtime Florida Sportsman contributor and expert on everything from wahoo to reds. OVERNIGHT: Local boutique hotels, bed-breakfasts, or roll on into the Hampton Inn & Suites Amelia Island-Historic Harbor Front. There’s space to park a boat and trailer next door. Tent and RV camping at Fort Clinch State Park. FISHING SEASONS: WINTER: Backwater for reds, trout and flounder in creeks and/or around dock pilings. Live or dead shrimp…

POWERPRO SUPER8SLICK V2 The new Super8Slick ‘V2’ braid is described by PowerPro engineers as the company’s smoothest, softest and longest casting braid. It’s built from Honeywell Spectra fiber, with the PowerPro “Enhanced Body Technology” for a round, smooth, resin-impregnated body which the company says resists backlashes, increases casting distance, makes it easier to tie knots, and offers superior strength to size ratio. Plus, they say it’s quiet going through the guides. Colors include moss green, onyx (black), hi-vis aqua green, and blue. Tests are 8-, 10-, 15-, 20-, 30-, 40-, 50-, 65- and 80-pound. Expect to pay around $20.99 for 150-yard spools, $36.99 for 300-yard spools, $169.99 for 1,500-yard spools, and $339.99 for 3,000-yard spools.…

Having recently taken delivery of a new flats skiff, I found myself in need of a push pole. I was immediately confronted with a dilemma. Primarily, I’ll be using this skiff under power or with a trolling motor. Only occasionally do I plan to push it. That said, I like to use the highest quality equipment. But, I didn’t want to spend a four-figure sum for a pole that will likely spend most of its life on the gunwale. A top-quality pole will have a few attributes that everyone agrees are necessary. The newest technology dictates that they should be constructed of carbon fiber, which provides a stiff action while also weighing in at only a few pounds. This offers the person operating the pole the ability to push a…

For many Florida big-game anglers back in the day, catching a blue marlin was a happy, rare and mostly incidental occurrence. They typically motored offshore in the Atlantic till they located dark blue water and trolled either large, noisy lures or large, dead baits on very heavy tackle—a technique now referred to (somewhat derisively) as draggin’ and snaggin’. Catching was mostly a matter of luck. Today’s successful blue marlin fishermen have a lot more in common with light-tackle sight-fishers on the flats. “We’re sitting there watching for them the whole time,” said Capt. Jimmy Werling of Port Canaveral, one of the most successful big-game catchers in the southeastern U.S. “We don’t use a fighting chair. It’s all stand-up fishing with light tackle—30-pound line with 60-pound leader.” The best bet for…

From an email from Melissa Crouch: A listing of all the prizes for each program (Grand Slams, Reel Big Fish, Life List, Florida Saltwater Fishing Records, etc.) can be found at catchafloridamemory.com/about-2/prizes/ . For the Life List we have: 10-FISH CLUB: Certificate 30-FISH CLUB: Certificate 50-FISH CLUB: Certificate 70-FISH CLUB: Certificate * To be determined upon angler achievement, based on product availability. A list of Catch a Florida Memory Partners can be found at: catchafloridamemory.com/partners /. All of the partners are ones with their logos in the partners box at the top of the page and include: Martin County Office of Tourism, Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort, American Integrity Insurance Company, CCA Florida, Mount This Fish Company, Smith Optics, McLean Angling, Smith’s Consumer Products,…

BEST BET Expect conditions to be sporty, but the offshore action in March can be fantastic. Sailfish action is nearing its seasonal peak, and with good conditions, multiple releases in a day are quite possible. Keep an eye out for the color change that forms outside the reef, as this is an attractor for sailfish hunting prey and a great place to fly kites or troll baits for sails and other pelagics. Signs of Spring There is nothing like riding through Key West Harbor in the early morning and spotting large schools of tarpon rolling in, or getting over a wreck and spotting a few hundred permit gathered on the annual spawn. Unless it’s being offshore when a wave of the season’s first dolphin come through our waters, or possibly…

BEST BET Do you like stone crab claws? Why not harvest them yourself? This can be a fun way of switching things up from the normal weekend fishing trip and bring some great food to the table. There are some regulations you do need to know, which you can find at www.myfwc.com. Recreational stone crab season is open from October 15 through May 15th in state waters. You are allowed to deploy five traps (traps being the most popular way of harvest) or use a dip or landing net to harvest stone crabs. Also, it’s never a bad idea to have a spinning rod on board with a jig ready when checking traps. You just might pull up to a tripletail making itself at home under your buoy (don’t forget,…

BEST BET I don’t want to jinx the bite, but we’re seeing more and more Big Bend snook as this winter turns to spring. They’re already a staple for anglers in Hernando, Citrus and Levy counties, but we’re catching more and more back-in-season “linesiders” up north of the Suwannee River. Stick with your usual redfish baits and you just might get lucky! Tough Call March can be a tough call when it comes to recommending a place to fish on the Big Bend. You can expect our grassflats to start greening up, with pinfish and smaller baitfish to start showing up, luring redfish and spotted seatrout into open water to mix with pelagics like bluefish, Spanish and king mackerel. Nowhere is this truer than at the Cedar Keys. The Cedar…

BEST BET When conditions get right for migratory fish to move into Northwest Florida, cobia will be among them. It pays to keep a live pinfish in the bait well or a casting jig on a medium weight rod. It’s hard to predict exactly when the first cobia will show up, but when they do they usually haven’t been hammered by other fishermen and will readily take a lure. March On Early spring is when many of the migratory species start showing up in Northwest Florida waters. King-fish and Spanish mackerel are two of the most popular and numerous of these gamefish. Both species are attracted to are the numerous natural and artificial reefs in this area. We are fortunate in this part of the state to have a vast…

Looking to feed your inner Hemingway? Relocating to Florida with a thirst for offshore action, but not sure where you want to land? Here’s to it, friend. Clearly, there’s something different about bluewater fishing, as opposed to bass, surf, flats, reef and other modes. It’s not just the size of the fish and the tackle, nor the remote areas on which we find ourselves. For many anglers, the major appeal of bluewater fishing lies in the exercise of self-reliance. Developing the associated skills, and cultivating that primal spirit of the adventurer, contribute to a lifelong passion. You know it. You feel it. How might you do this in Florida? First, let’s start with a quick “run” around our coasts—get acquainted with the lay of the land, so to speak. For…