Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2023 i Florida Sportsman

DIGITAL WEB EXCLUSIVE BEST BAITS FOR TARPON BY CAITLYN GATRELL Big tarpon are on the move this time of year; use these top offerings to catch a new personal best. YOUTUBE FAN-FAVORITE FAUX WOOD Learn how to paint realistic wood grain like a pro in one of Two Rivers Boatworks’ most ambitious projects yet, a full-faux custom HydraStepp. PODCAST ON MIGRATION WATCH This month Captain Rick and the guys talk bait migration patterns. Is Florida on or behind schedule? BECOME A SOCIAL STAR Send post-worthy pics: @floridasportsmanmaga-zine or #floridasportsmanmagazine GET YOUR MUG IN THE MAG Email your best catches or scenic shots to photos@floridasportsman.com…

Dan Sardina spoke for us all. “Man, this is pretty. This place is so beautiful, I’d even come here and not fish.” However we didn’t bring the boats just for affect. We were driving toward some interactive beauty featuring the sand bars, oyster bars, mangroves islands, channels and cuts of Pellicer Creek. Fishing Pellicer is always great due to the many promising spots to cast and the bars to walk on. But it’s hot and cold. We’ve had halcyon days hooking endless trout, reds, flounders and bluefish; and other times when we caught only good vibes. “There is absolutely no way to tell,” a local once told me, grimly, “when it will be good. It’s always a crap shoot.” One thing you can depend on, the backcountry bars have zero…

It’s been several years since the marine industry was taken by storm with the popularity of EVA deck mat. In its earliest days the material was used both by boat manufacturers and existing boat owners for a similar reason. A manufacturer could forego the cost of a lot of labor hours on the interior finish work associated with new construction by trimming a new boat out in EVA for a clean looking custom appearance. Conversely, a boat owner looking to breathe new life into an older boat could improve the aesthetics dramatically without the cost of supplies and labor involved in repairing glass work and painting. With time, there have been lessons learned about the pros and cons of using these products. Here are some considerations before you deck out…

In South Florida, cold fronts continue to threaten but generally stall out before reaching us. When these slow-moving cold fronts park halfway up the coast, a big area of high pressure builds over the Atlantic Ocean resulting in strong northeast winds that make for some rough seas and uncomfortable offshore fishing for all but the hardiest of salts in the largest center consoles or sportfishers. However, white-capped seas and strong northeast winds create some of the best fishing for northbound migrating gamefish. Smoker kings, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, slammer dolphin, sailfish, the first run of big blackfin tuna, and the rare chance of a bluefin or yellowfin tuna on the reef’s edge are all possibilities this month. Big amberjack, catch-and-release grouper, double-digit mutton snapper, and huge hammerhead sharks will be patrolling…

Everything is now in play as water temperatures, bait, and even the winds will move toward a summer pattern. This is a wonderful time of the year as we can still target many of our winter fish, with a transition toward our summer species. The crazy low winter tides that we have been dealing with will slowly disappear by the end of the month. This pattern of negative low water will transition from the early morning hours to a late afternoon occurrence. Temperatures are slowly climbing, but humidity is still relatively low. Afternoon temperatures will occasionally reach the mid-80s, and lows should not drop below 60 degrees. April is not a rainy month for Southwest Florida, but it usually brings some decent wind. There are not many places better to…

As late-season cold fronts breathe their last gasps in April, anglers in the East Central region turn their gaze east to the deep blue Atlantic. The hunt for dolphin kicks off this month, with fish coming up from the Florida Straits and around the Abaco corner. These fish ride the Gulf Stream, feeding and spawning as they head north along the Eastern Seaboard. Anglers can intercept these migrations this month by heading offshore until the water turns cobalt blue, and then dropping a spread of ballyhoo around any natural edges formed by the meandering Gulf Stream. Edges—convergence zones of water color, temperature, or current—can be revealed by lines of sargassum, whitecaps in an otherwise calm sea, or stark blue-green color changes. Baitfish—flying fish or other weedline-dwelling goodies—ride these same edges…

This is easily my favorite time of year to fish the Panhandle—inshore, nearshore, surf, and offshore fishing can be spectacular right now. All the pieces really come together in April. With the water temperature finally hitting that magic number of 70 degrees and the bait showing up in full force, anglers have a multitude of options when it comes to choosing what to fish for on any given day. The pompano run down the beach will peak this month, the trout will have made their way to the grassflats, the king mackerel will make their presence felt, and all your favorite offshore fish will be happy and hungry. We’ll probably get one more cold front, but following it we can count on a steadier pattern to follow throughout the summer.…

So I took a little flack over my comment about wanting to see “Less Sharks” a few months back. But, I’m going to double down: I really do want to see less sharks. (Okay fine, fewer sharks.) To clarify, I’m not sounding a war cry to wipe out predators. What I want to see are systems and practices to help us dial back unwanted interactions with these fish. To that end, I’ve been observing some research tours documenting the Sharkbanz deterrent device. Full disclosure: The manufacturer of the device sometimes advertises in this magazine. From what I’ve seen so far, the Sharkbanz Zeppelin device works as described…but there are caveats (how it’s rigged, for one) as well as questions about formal rates of success (half the time? more? less?). Credible,…

Taken with the idea of fishing offshore alone? Well, you’re not alone! A lot of us enjoy doing it. With realistic expectations and special attention to safety, it can yield satisfying moments. I enjoy the solitude, the freedom, and I enjoy returning to my family with fresh fish. Here are a few things I’ve learned over the years, both from my own experiences and from my mildly obsessive cultivation of boating safety news. First thing is always wear a PFD. And I mean wear it. Truthfully we should always wear a PFD on any boat trip, but the solo trip makes donning that piece of gear even more vital. Ideally, those of us running beyond the horizon would all wear Type I offshore vests. But, these are cumbersome. For all-day…

At first thought, going barbless does not make much sense. Why would you use a barbless hook, or pinch the barbs on your hooks, and take a chance at losing a fish? I was reminded of why not long ago, when I was fishing with a new lure on which I had not pinched down the barbs. A ladyfish quickly grabbed the lure and put on a show with some incredible jumps. I soon brought the ladyfish along the side of the kayak, grabbed my longnose piers, and went to grab the hook with the piers and shake off the fish. The ladyfish made one last jump, sending one of the treble hooks deep into my hand. The barbs on the hook did their job keeping the ladyfish and my…

You are enjoying your morning casting a topwater plug along a mangrove shoreline, when you round the bend only to find an unsightly situation. A large abandoned and derelict looking vessel has taken on water and is listing. The vessel is in dire need of removal before it sinks and finds a permanent home beneath the pristine waters. Who do you contact about such a situation? The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Division of Law Enforcement. While perhaps not as clear-and-present a danger to our fisheries as stormwater pollution or serial overfishing, derelict vessels nevertheless do contribute to problems such as seagrass destruction and endangerment of marine life. Abandoned vessels also threaten human life, safety and property as they drift on or beneath the surface of the water…

Alas, the wind, cold fronts, and nasty weather has subsided! Wait what!? Come on Florida, we’re not like the rest of the states. I cringe at the old saying of “April showers bring May flowers,” but it usually holds true. The timeline can be off but usually we see a phenomenal early April and then the middle to late of the month can get washed out with a blow, shutting down the fish and leaving you completely confused. What in the world just happened, I left the fish right here yesterday? Before we get to the nitty-gritty, we need to talk about permit. These are a wonderful and beautiful fish, they fight hard, they’re hard to get on the hook, and are pretty much the epitome of a perfect gamefish.…

Choices for fishing abound here in the West Central region. This has traditionally been one of my favorite months to fish. We have seen a slow but steady decline of the habitat in the largest estuary in the state, Tampa Bay. Groups like the Coastal Conservation Association, Suncoast Waterkeeper, Tampa Bay Watch, and others are all working to turn this around. From planting seagrass, and adding artificial reefs, to oyster and clam restoration, each step is designed to create a better environment for fish and fishermen. The arrival of spring brings a renewed vigor for growth of seagrass and habitats, as we prepare for an influx of fish from the Gulf of Mexico that are in hot pursuit of threadfin herring, pilchards, and glass minnows that are flooding inshore waters…

I love April like I used to love Christmas Eve as a kid. We may or may not get to open one present, but you can bet your bottom dollar we are excited for what is about to happen. Let’s take the brutal winds of March off the table, and say we are going to get numerous calm days in April. Almost everything we love to catch is either here, or on the way. Offshore, all of the wintertime pelagics including wahoo, tuna, and sailfish will still be around, and if we get a predominant southeast breeze the first good rips will push within reach of a few brave souls, and the mahi-mahi should be stacked on them. These fish will be off to the east of the ledge somewhere,…

Most tropical destinations are associated with a species or two: peacock bass in Brazil, permit in Belize, and roosterfish off Costa Rica. My personal Valhalla will include stops at each and every destination. Because it is so close and relatively accessible, we might find ourselves looking past The Bahamas when considering the ultimate fishing destination. I am guilty. Yet every April when I glance at the fishing calendar, I am reminded just how lucky we are to live near such an amazing fishing destination. The list of sportfish which are peaking throughout the islands is staggering—from the flats to offshore, April is the time, and The Bahamas is the place. Permit are an April draw throughout most of the islands. The extensive flats and bights of Andros are rarely disturbed…

The words, “You’re simply not here,” still ring in my ears. The matter-of-fact answer from State Senator Linda Stewart was to my question on how a relatively small industry, agriculture, represented by a small number of constituents, generally have their way in the state Capitol. While we, the million boat-owning anglers, part of a $10 billion fishing and boating industry, get gas fumes and promises. The good ol’ boy network is alive and well. Thriving some might say. But what is odd is that many of these good ol’ boys—and girls—like to fish, boat and hunt. So, my question is, aren’t they hearing from people at church or the local high school football game about lifeless rivers and manatees starving to death? Or about the disappearance of seatrout from the…

April ushers in spring in the Florida Keys, and with it we can expect some of the best fishing of the entire year. Many species will gather in large numbers waiting for the right water temperature and moon phase to spawn. Large biomasses of prized fish assemble atop reefs, wrecks, and drop-offs where they instinctively know the stronger currents mean a wider distribution of offspring. Permit are one of those highly sought-after sportfish that many visiting anglers dream about connecting with. April is a great month to target them, although permit will not be on the flats where they are most commonly found—it’s over the wrecks and reefs that they’ll be encountered during this time of the year. Offshore, mahimahi should be showing up along the color change, mixed in…

We’re in transition once again in Southeast Florida. Average temperatures are climbing, but not quite to the sweltering summer heat yet. We also have not gotten into the summertime weather pattern of consistent rain. This can really clean up the water throughout local river systems such as the St. Lucie and Loxahatchee and make for some great snook and juvenile tarpon fishing. Sight fishing snook in this cleaner water along mangrove shorelines and seawalls can be very productive on sunny days. Soft plastic swimbaits retrieved high in the water column are my favorites for these fish. A bait coming from the bass world, the Gambler Big EZ works exceptionally well, especially around seawalls where snook tend to prefer a larger profile bait. Snook season is open if you do catch…

April ushers in water temperatures high enough to provoke topwater action, as long as the magic 70-degree coastal water temp is reached, and ideally surpassed. This ensures that migratory fish will continue to arrive on our coastal bend. Each spring is different, but April has been my favorite for getting shots at fish that are newly arrived and haven’t seen numerous artificials thrown at them yet—much less topwater. And the boat crowds of May, many from out of state, haven’t arrived yet. The lead candidate for this April magic would be cobia, which are fairly gullible early in the season, and then increasingly wary as the year goes by. In April “they hongry” and will hit almost anything thrown their way. Plastic eels are usually best, but we’ve had quite…

There is no doubt about it. Spring has arrived in Northwest Florida and so has great fishing. So much for the transition months with their starts and stops and temperature fluctuations. April weather is relatively stable, and the fishing is much more predictable. Most of the saltwater migratory species have arrived or are on their way to this part of the state while many of the freshwater fish have already spawned and are feeding to regain lost weight. The Jim Woodruff Dam is a big and imposing structure across an equally impressive Apalachicola River. The wide and curving river is home to striped, hybrid, and largemouth bass, several species of catfish, sturgeon, and a variety of panfish. While the dam creates Lake Seminole and generates electrical power, it also limits…

One of the most convenient aspects of hunting sailfish off our fair state is that you usually don’t have to burn half a tank of fuel to reach prime waters. Nowhere else fits that bill (pardon the pun) better than out from the Palm Beach Inlet. Famous for its storied history and prestigious awards, the Silver Sailfish Derby takes a rightful bow as one of the best. It was established in 1935—perhaps the oldest sailfish tourney ever—and the 86th ceremonies and two-day competition January 4-7 didn’t disappoint. Produced by the West Palm Beach Fishing Club and held out of Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores, the ocean waters foamed with the strikes and flights of sailfish “right out front” as the locals put it. The fleet of 50 boats carting…