Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2020 / January 2021 i Florida Sportsman

In this special double issue, we’re proud to showcase the fieldwork and expertise of our Boating Editor George LaBonte and the Florida Sportsman Best Boat crew. Likely you’ve seen them on Fox Sports Sun or World Fishing Network: George and co-hosts Rick Ryals and Lori Hargrave. If it looks like they’re having fun, it’s because they are. Captain Bligh would’ve been forced to walk the plank long ago, the minute he turned up his sun-crusted schnozzle at one of Lori’s sub sandwiches. And if, after eight seasons, you’re still wondering, “So, guys, what is the best boat?” well you’ve kind of missed the point. Our Best Boat crew is convinced that you can’t ask that question without the words “for me” or “for us.” Leave out the prepositional phrase, might…

WHERE: First town beyond Key Largo on US 1 heading to Key West. Tavernier takes about an hour, or less depending on traffic, to drive to from central Miami. BAIT & TACKLE: Chris' Bait & Tackle, (305) 853-0191. RESTAURANTS: Check out Old Tavernier restaurant, Mar Bar for the Keys vibe and Chad's Deli for pizza and sandwiches. HOTELS: Lots of choices from economical to upscale, but some to consider include Creekside Inn and Island Bay Resort. Ocean Pointe Suites rents boat slips also. MARINA: Tavernier Creek Marina has all that you'll need and genuinely friendly help. Also on site are a boat rental, a dive company and Habano's On the Creek restaurant. ATTRACTIONS: It's a short drive to John Pennekamp State Park for snorkel and dive action. Plenty of dive…

WHAT'S IN YOUR WHEELHOUSE? Different boats for different folks. Rolling into the home stretch of my fourth season of Best Boat, I’m struck by the notion that there really is a “Best Boat” for everyone out there and the gap between your version and mine may be wide, but they all share something in common. Each of them provides us with the means to escape our work lives, our daily struggles, and the stress associated with simply surviving in this crazy point in our history. The opportunity to get on the water and unwind. What makes you happy about boating may differ from what makes me happy, but we all strive for the opportunity to leave our cares behind. On our television show each season we offer you a look…

FLOUNDER LANE The prospect of sea level rise may be of concern to Florida homeowners, but fish evidently don't seem to mind. It was business as usual for this flounder, as king tides of October, plus a long-duration nor'easter, piled Atlantic water onto a street outside St. Augustine. Samuel Vigneault took the photo, which not surprisingly was quite a hit on Instagram. 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, email the Actual Size—highest resolution. Images must not have appeared or been submitted elsewhere. Send photos to: photos@floridasportsman.com. INCLUDE NAMES of people pictured, hometowns, location of catch…

BEST BET While everyone is split between fishing far offshore and plying the backcountry waters, the nearshore wrecks and reefs are loaded with angling opportunities. Mangrove snapper, grouper, lane snapper, sheepshead, spadefish, porkfish, jack crevalle and more inhabit nearshore wrecks and reefs this time of year. A simple bottom rig with a ¾-ounce weight on the bottom and a 2/0 circle on the leader above the weight approximately 18-24 inches will catch them all. Also, tripletail have had time to set up on the stone crab trap buoys so keep your eyes peeled as you are traveling from spot to spot. Also look for Spanish mackerel crashing bait balls in open water. WORKBENCH If I had one lure for the rest of my life to fish in Florida, it would…

BEST BET December is the last month for gag grouper until June. On hard bottom, a wreck or artificial reef, dropping a combination of frozen squid and a Spanish sardine can provide enough scent and taste to get those late-season fish fired up. Using 50- or 60-pound mono or 65-pound braid with a 5-foot 60-to 80-pound fluorocarbon leader attached to a 5/0 to 9/0 circle hook, slide an egg sinker with just enough weight to keep baits on the bottom. WORKBENCH I hate being cold. For years I’ve carried a hand warmer in my pocket on cold days when winter’s chill reminds me that I’m a Florida native. Whether I’m in the woods or on the water, placing it on my wrist or the back of my neck for a…

BEST BET Inshore sheepshead are the most available they will be this year, between Halloween and New Years. The jetties (especially Mayport) are the most popular spots, but the fish that inhabit dock and bridge pilings see much less pressure, and can provide you a nice box of sheepshead without battling a crowd. Veteran sheepshead fishermen often use light fiberglass rods and small wire circle hooks. They know that watching the rodtip can sometimes alert you to a bite before you can feel it. WORKBENCH Scale it down. Listen, we can’t keep red snapper, and grouper are scarce. Scale your tackle down to smaller “torque” reels on jigging rods. Pack them with 30-pound braid (think smaller sinker) and drop your hook down to a stout 3/0 or 4/0 circle hook.…

BEST BET Weather can be iffy this time of year for Bahamas crossings, but from the Great Isaac Cay down past Bimini, there is a consistent bottom fish bite for those willing to head over and clear customs for a day of quarantining with a deeply bent fishing rod. There are many ways to approach the waiting bounty, starting with fishing the top portion of “the drop” or ledge with a simple chicken rig. From about 150 feet on down to around 300, a drift with bite-sized squid or fish chunks will have you reeling anything from the more diminutive but tasty strawberry grouper and black snapper, to moderately sized red and black groupers. WORKBENCH If chasing an IGFA world record is part of your excuse to plan a trip…

We possibly can’t solve the backing down the ramp problem together, but we can fix the exposed bolts, splintered wood, broken cleats and potholes. As for backing down, a tip that always helps me is by putting your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel, while looking backwards, if you turn your hand in the direction you want your trailer to go, it goes. Turn your hand to the right, the trailer tracks right. Easy enough. Fixing the ramps, not so easy. But, don’t let the city or county governments (the majority of boat ramp owners in FL) tell you there isn’t money available. Money is there, and the state is getting more money next year. Millions more. To begin with, you the angler, who buys fishing tackle and…

DAIWA SALTIGA LD REELS Daiwa’s redesigned Saltiga LD reels feature a single-piece machined aluminum frame and side plate to assure precise alignment of bearings and gears for smooth performance, less flex, increased power and reduced binding during the fiercest battles. Oversized spool bearings reduce side load which makes turning the handle easier and smoother so anglers can concentrate on fighting fish rather than the reel. Single and smaller two-speed models, along with the high-speed tournament sailfish reels, boast soft-touch rubber handles for fast, comfortable retrieves. The larger size 50, 55 and 60 2-speed models feature a long “T” style offset aluminum power handle to improve leverage. Max drag ranges from 22 to 45 pounds for most models while line retrieve per handle turn runs from 39.9 to 47 inches. The…

After the Nov. 21-29 first phase of waterfowl season, hunting resumes on Dec. 12 and runs through Jan. 31, 2021. If you haven’t already, remember to get your migratory bird permit (no cost) in addition to your regular hunting license, Florida waterfowl permit ($5) and federal duck stamp ($27.50). If you’re hunting Wildlife Management Areas, many of which offer excellent waterfowl habitat, you’ll also need the WMA permit. Bag limit is 6 ducks, with certain limits on some species. Check MyFWC.com for complete regulations.…

• If you’re fishing for sharks from shore in Florida, you must have the state’s free Shore-Based Shark Fishing Permit (in addition to any other relevant licenses). Go to the MyFWC. com Saltwater fishing page and find out about the permit under Recreational Regulations. • In federal waters offshore, a NOAA Fisheries Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling vessel permit is required, if you plan to retain any of the approved shark species (also the case for swordfish, billfish and many tunas). When you sign up for the $26 annual permit at hmspermits.gov, also click for the Shark Endorsement. You’ll be prompted to watch a video on species identification and protected species release methods.…

According to Ryan Harrington, prepping the boat took about a month. Planning for a trip to Venice, LA is much like going to another country. It’s literally a different mindset and culture. When you get there, don’t expect to be able to buy anything but ice and fuel. Bring what you need. “We planned on being there for three weeks. We brought a freezer, which we ran out of room to keep fish after just two days,” exclaimed Ryan. As for the fuel, with all of the refineries in the area fuel was not only cheap at $3 a gallon, it was also available 24 hours a day. No matter the time you could pull up with your boat, swipe your card and fuel up. This is important because running…

BEST BET Get on out there and get your wahoo. Moon phases seem to be a factor in the best fishing. The weeks before and after the full moon are said to be the hottest. Expect lots of anglers out there and don’t forget the early bird gets the worm. Trollers will catch their fair share on skirted ballyhoo or lipped diving plugs, and livebaiters always do well on live blue runners or speedos. And while wahoo are certainly the prime target, there’s always a good chance of landing a really big king mackerel this time of year... and a small—but real—chance of boating a yellowfin tuna. WORKBENCH In the Florida Keys we use chum a lot while reef and wreck fishing. The size of the chum particles flowing out…

BEST BET If you looking to have a blast with light spinning tackle and fill the cooler with delicious fish, Spanish mackerel are the call. This time of year you'll find these fish harassing bait along the beach and shallow reefs or traversing the tide line. Mylar jigs, spoons and lipped plugs are killer baits for mackerel. Just remember to move it fast. These fish like to run down their prey. And don't forget: December is the last month to score a grouper for dinner, as season closes January 1. Windy weather and rough seas are common this month, but when you are able to get out, you don’t have to go far to find the grouper. These fish push into shallower water to spawn this time of year. Tactics…

BEST BET Spend December offshore, over rocks and reefs, fishing for gag grouper. Big trolled lures like MirrOlure 113s or Stretch 30s should draw bites from the depths. It’s important to give the grouper a chance to strike, so don’t push your boat’s speed much over 4 knots. And while you’re there, look for spots that will attract big spawning sheepshead as winter approaches. You’ll eventually find sheepshead gathered up over smaller rock piles, reefs or springs in shallower water. Takes notes and mark GPS numbers until grouper season ends on December 31, and get ready to use them for sheepshead in January. WORKBENCH Marine hydraulic systems are more important than ever. Most steering is assisted by a combination of a helm and ram. And accessory “essentials” like trim tabs…

BEST BET The Organization for Artificial Reefs has augmented reefs in Wakulla and Franklin counties. On August 19, 2020 over 310 tons of concrete slabs and culverts were added to patch reefs in 30 feet of water, known as the Glen Peel Memorial Reef near Marker 24 nine miles south of Ochlockonee Bay. The second reef was deployed in 35 feet of water about ten miles south of St. Teresa Beach. A variety of concrete reef balls, cubes and “pancakes” were spaced around a central patch reef known as Price’s Point. Both of these reefs will shortly attract grouper, seabass, snapper, flounder and cobia as well as dolphin, kingfish and Spanish mackerel. WORKBENCH One of the best ways to chum for sheepshead is by scraping barnacles into the water. There…

My passion is tarpon fishing, with either flies or artificial lures. I live in an ideal location for following the tarpon migration from here in Port Charlotte, to the Everglades, to the Keys. I started young. It was just something inside me. If there was water, I was either in it or wanted to fish it. It’s all I could think about. As I got older, it got more intense and a lot more expensive. My older cousin John taught me to hunt as a young man. He educated me about the outdoors, including fishing, and I feel I owe him a lot. When John came back to visit last year, I asked where he wanted to fish. No surprise that he chose tarpon in the Everglades. It was winter,…

I hope with all my heart, now that I am 64 years old, I am just having senior moments and not something more serious. I have the normal occurrence of walking in a room and forgetting why I am there. Like most people, I laugh it off. Not long ago, I had such an experience on a fishing trip. I have had a condo in Panama City, Florida for nearly 17 years. During that time, I have acquired many fishing buddies and neighbors who always look after each other. On many trips there, we go offshore fishing together. This particular weekend, I was driving down from my home in Georgia, when one such friend, Eddie Hod-gens, texts me to see if I could go fishing the next morning. Normally, I…

Sandbar sharks are a prohibited species, and if hooked, must be kept in the water and quickly released with methods that minimize stress and injury. Hooks should be removed with longnose pliers, or the leader should be cut as close to the hook as possible. Sandbars are commonly confused with bull sharks, said Eric Sander, retired FWC biologist and shark identification expert. The easiest way to tell the two apart is to look for the sandbar’s interdorsal ridge, a line of raised tissue that runs between its two dorsal fins. Bull sharks lack this feature. Dusky sharks, another prohibited species, also have an interdorsal ridge. The position and shape of the first dorsal fin can also help distinguish the species. The point where a sandbar shark’s dorsal fin begins is…

The swoosh, swoosh, swoosh soundedintriguinglyfamiliar;but was I imagining? I mean, how often can you actually hear tarpon rolling next to your front porch? Well, you’ll hear it just about every day from the houseboats moored on the south side of Bud N’ Mary’s Marina. Indeed, that was my morning ritual during a recent stay at this iconic Florida Keys fishing lodge located at the lower end of Upper Matecumbe Key (oceanside). I’d open the glass paned door leading from the galley to the aft deck and almost immediately spot—or hear—an air-gulping poon on its way toward the Tea Table Relief Channel. Exemplifying all that is wonderful about a fishing lodge—generally, waterside lodging with angler-friendly elements—Bud N’ Mary’s dates back to 1944, when Bud and Mary Stapleton relocated from New England…

BEST BET Grouper season in South Florida remains open till January 1, 2021. That gives you a full month to target these hard-fighting and great-eating bottom feeders. Live pinfish, large live threadfin herring and pilchards make for a great bait that often will not be turned down by a hungry grouper. Artificial reefs, natural reefs, and channel edges are great places to target. Also note that Atlantic snook season ends on December 15, 2020. Look for snook in the ocean inlets and on the inside waters of North and South Biscayne Bay. Target the snook with live shrimp, mullet, pilchards or pinfish. Or, use artificial lures like the Flare Hawk jigs, Hookup jigs tipped with a soft plastic tail, or conventional casting plugs in appropriate baitfish patterns. WORKBENCH One of…

BEST BET Your best bet is to go freshwater fishing now that we’re at the peak of the winter speck run and near-peak for the bass spawn. You can combine both worlds by flipping or trolling marabou jigs for specks early in the day, then switching gears when the sun gets up to sight fish for bedding bass. This can involve heading to big interior lakes such as Okeechobee or Trafford or it can entail fishing ponds and freshwater canal systems nearer to the coast. WORKBENCH Fishing line is the slender, fragile connection between you and the fish of a lifetime. You’ll be less likely to lose that trophy fish if you go through your rigs and replace any line that looks questionable, which for braid is any line that’s…

BEST BET It’s time to make plans for winter crappie on East Central lakes. For years, Crescent Lake west of Flagler Beach has been regarded as one of the state’s best for the panfish. It is 13 miles long and there’s plenty of room for those trolling or drifting. Lake Harney, north of SR 46 and west of Mims, is known for its large “slab” crappie, some to two pounds. It’s not uncommon for 75 boats to be on the lake during weekends. Closest ramp is at C.S. Lee Park at the SR 46 Bridge. The Farm 13-Stick Marsh is famous for its bass, but it’s no slouch when it comes to crappie, especially larger fish. A productive technique is dropping small jigs or minnows under hyacinth mats. Bring a…

BEST BET If the seas lay down, now is the time to get out and do some bottom bumping and restock the fridge. A blackened vermilion snapper sandwich is hard to beat! Look for the larger vermilion to mark like clouds tight to the natural bottom. My favorites baits are small, 1-inch-wide strips of squid or northern mackerel. I like to use a 40- or 50-pound two drop rig with a 10- or 12-ounce bank sinker on the bottom. Small hooks are best and the 3/0 or 4/0 Owner circle hooks are perfect. The same places that hold vermilion thick will usually have a couple of scamp around. Whole small squids will work when you don't have live bait, just be sure to keep those baits close to the bottom.…