Innholdsfortegnelse for December/January 2023-24 i Florida Sportsman

STREAMLIGHT WAYPOINT 400 A spotlight is essential equipment on a boat, and the new Waypoint 400 rechargeable spotlight from Streamlight offers a bunch of great attributes. For one, it’s super powerful, 1,400 lumens on the highest setting (an effective beam distance of 1,265 meters). But equally valuable, intensity can be dialed back to two lower settings. This not only maximizes run time on the rechargeable lithium-ion battery (up to 84 hours) but affords discretion when using the light in populated areas. The Waypoint is compact and the housing feels solid. The handle is grippy and textured for secure hold in wet conditions and comes with a lanyard. It’s also IPX8 waterproof to 2 meters. An integrated stand allows you to position the light hands-free, helpful if you need to illuminate…

The widely used wacky rig is simply a straight tail worm with a short-shank hook set through the middle. Tucking your hook under an optional O-ring minimizes worm wear and tear. From a distance, a neko rig could be mistaken for a wacky rig, but a closer look shows a distinct difference: hook placement. Rather than the dead center position that ensures a wacky’s evenly distributed action, the neko rig’s hook sits farther forward, about a third of the way back from the head. Here, too, you can run the hook through the worm—always parallel to the worm for a neko—or use an O-ring. The other difference is a lead or tungsten nail weight stuck in the worm’s head. Styles vary, but most have a ribbed or collared design to…

What could be a more inviting way to embrace the winter season than preparing a big pot of chili? Using acorn squash as the vessel not only imparts delightful flavors and textural elements when enjoyed alongside wild boar chili but also offers a healthier alternative to the traditional bread bowl. As with all game meats, wild boar is only as good as the care you take preparing the animal. We butcher ours into large cuts then soak in an ice bath with lemon and apple cider for four to five days before final processing. The end result is a meat free from any undesirable gaminess. If wild boar isn’t readily available, venison is a good substitute for this recipe. When using canned products try to find reduced-sodium options. You can…

DESTINATION: Tampa Bay TARGET SPECIES: Tarpon, Red Snapper, Redfish, Sandar, Shelling SEASON: Year-Round HAZARDS: Extensive Shallows But Channels Are Well-Marked. ESSENTIALS: Livewell, Tackle Storage, Seating Throughout Florida there are a host of open water estuaries that at times feel like oceans themselves. Perfectly suited for anglers who want to navigate offshore beyond the Sunshine Skyway bridge but need a trailerable boat, the R270 features Robalo’s legendary HydroLift hull design that transfers hydrodynamic pressure from the sharp keel to the wider strake surfaces to increase stability and efficiency. Given Robalo’s resourcefulness in utilizing interior space for maximum use, its standard fiberglass hardtop’s powder-coated frame bears 6 rod holders, an electronics box, tri-color map lights, LED spreader lights and two JL Audio speakers. In a departure from most center consoles, the helm…

DESTINATION: Florida Keys TARGET SPECIES: Mutton, Lane & Yellowtail Snapper SEASON: May-July HAZARDS: Strong Current, Shoal Water ESSENTIALS: Full Transom Cockpit Aft, Casting Deck Forward, Fish Boxes, Deep-V Hull, Rod Storage Boats blending attributes of flats skiffs and offshore boats are appreciated by reef fishermen in many parts of Florida. Access to shallow water for castnetting live bait is valuable, as is a flush, wide foredeck from which to throw the net. Mike Brown, owner of Dusky Boats in Dania, Florida, spends a lot of days on his company’s 242 model, a good example of the small hybrid center console. He fishes these days mostly in Islamorada, often joined by his mother, 80. Together, they enjoy reef fishing, bridge fishing, or just all-around “dinner fishing,” as he likes to say.…

DESTINATION: Fort Lauderdale TARGET SPECIES: Kingfish SEASON: December-May HAZARDS: Small Craft Advisories, Port Security Zones, Commercial & Cruise Ship Traffic ESSENTIALS: Insulated Fish Boxes, Nonskid Deck, Livewell Capacity, Transom Access, High Freeboard The waters off Broward County are a kind of meeting point for two distinct populations of king mackerel: the Atlantic stock and Gulf of Mexico stock. In the winter, these fish overlap as they follow favorable water temps and forage supplies. It’s common to catch 10- to 20-pounders; the biggest fish show up as spawning season begins in April, with many topping 40 pounds. Both populations are stable. Extensive artificial reefs along the Broward coast provide excellent habitat in waters from 60 to 200 feet deep, ideal range for kings. Slow-trolling live goggle-eyes, herring or pilchards is a…

DESTINATION: Stuart TARGET SPECIES: Mahi, Blackfin Tuna SEASON: April-September HAZARDS: Outgoing Tide & East Wind At Inlet Mouth, Afternoon Storms, Excessive Heat ESSENTIALS: Rodholders, Tackle Storage, Fish Boxes, Navigational Electronics, Outriggers The dual console configuration opens up cockpit space aft of the helm, and weather protection is optimized by the full windscreen. Forward, there’s secure space for seating passengers who may wish to enjoy the open air. The boatbuilding industry in the last 10 years has taken this basic design principle and applied it to larger and larger hulls. The 269DC from Stingray, built in South Carolina but here photographed in Stuart, Florida, is a mid-size DC exhibiting quite a few comfort features: standup head compartment; freshwater sink; bow and stern showers; teak cockpit table. It’s also reasonably well equipped…

DESTINATION: Amelia Island TARGET SPECIES: Redfish, Seatrout, Sheepshead, Kingfish, Cobia SEASON: December-May HAZARDS: Shallow Oyster Bars, Big Tide Swings, Submerged Jetty Rocks, Naval Submarine Traffic ESSENTIALS: Trolling Motor, Shallow-Water Anchor, Fore & Aft Casting Deck Terry Lacoss had just reeled in his second trout in consecutive casts. Twin Power-Pole shallow water anchors parked his Caymas 28 HB the perfect distance from a weathered dock on the Amelia River. Lacoss, a former golf pro and Amelia Island fishing guide since 1978, relies on the versatile design of his hybrid vessel, which grants him access to the salt marsh while ensuring a comfortable ride in choppier conditions outside the St. Marys Inlet. “Let’s run to the jetties,” said Lacoss after catching another trout. “The tide is falling and there should be some…

The general trend in Florida saltwater rods has been longer is better. Six-foot rods in the 1980s gave way to seven-footers, then seven-sixes came of age in the ’90s, and now 8-footers are commonly used on the flats—to say nothing of the 10-foot plus rods guys are prowling the surf with these days. However it’s worth asking: Is there a place in the Florida salt for a shorter rod? Perhaps, even, a much shorter rod? A guide in Islamorada is making some interesting arguments. Filling the hours left open by the 2020 pandemic shutdown, Capt. Brandon Storin, out of Bud N’ Mary’s Marina, challenged himself to see how many saltwater fish he could catch with the 36-inch Shakespeare Ugly Stick Dock Runner spinning combo he found in a local shop.…

For a limited time, use the promo code: FLORIDA30 and get a 30 day free trial of MyOutdoorTV*Offer valid for a limited time. Cannot be combined with other offers. SHINERS FOR LARGEMOUTH BASS HOOK THE FUTURE,SEASON 21, EPISODE 4, "FELLSMERE BASS" Host Capt. Don Dingman: “Golden shiners, that’s the ticket, that’s bass candy! You can hook them several ways. A lot of guys hook them in the back if you want them to swim away and go down a little bit; hook lower and this one will come up a bit. Some people hook them through the lips. As long as he’s alive and swimming, you’re good. A circle hook and a float or a bobber on it, or you can freeline them underneath the hydrilla or mats.” PINE ISLAND…

The 100-pound alligator gar floated quietly in a tank at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Blackwater Research and Development Center in the Panhandle. After carefully tagging the gar with an acoustic transmitter, the FWC team—led by Fisheries Biologist Matt Wegener—released the fish back into the Yellow River. Alligator gar can grow to more than 300 pounds and live for decades—Wegener’s team estimated the specimen at 50 years of age. The FWC has been tracking this species using telemetry, part of a study to estimate population levels. Alligator gar eat other fish species, usually carp or shad or buffalo, though occasionally they also eat sportfish. In brackish water they have been known to go after blue crabs, and there are reports of gar eating ducks or other small…

Mike Hill may easily rank in the top-10 for landing the most crappie each year, though his totals fluctuate because of local lakes and their dynamics. He lives in Gainesville and fishes strictly for this one species. He has the advantage of being favorably situated within 30 minutes drive of crappie-rich Orange, Lochloosa, Santa Fe, Newnans, and a few minutes farther away, Rodman Reservoir. Venues that many anglers drive a long ways to fish, even from other states. He catches crappie totaling in the low thousands during a calendar year, often releasing every fish. And keeps count with a clicker device. How does he catch so many “specks,” as they’re locally known? (Short for speckled perch, another common name.) With jigs, not minnows. Mike trolls, but not with one of…

DESTINATION: Pensacola TARGET SPECIES: Redfish, Red Snapper SEASON: June-November HAZARDS: Gulf Chop, Strong Currents at Bridges ESSENTIALS: Speed, Range, Tackle Storage, Livewell Capacity, Shallow-Water Anchor No place in Florida has more convenient access to this desirable duo of saltwater fishes. Redfish, a.k.a. red drum, use the inshore bays in the Pensacola area as nursery zones, but when they grow up, they don’t go far! Big bulls to 20 pounds or more are commonly caught around the Pensacola Bay Bridge, also known as the 3-Mile Bridge. Same for the pass and adjacent emerald green sandbars along the Gulf of Mexico. Just a mile or two offshore, red snapper are abundant on the artificial reefs, a popular range to fish when the season opens (mid-June, most years). To get the most out…

DESTINATION: Sanibel TARGET SPECIES: Tarpon SEASON: March-July HAZARDS: Navigate With Caution After Hurricane Ian ESSENTIALS: Seaworthy Hull, Nonskid Deck, Trolling Motor, Livewell Capacity, Casting Platform Sanibel, situated between Charlotte Harbor and Estero Bay, stretches from east to west, as opposed to the typical north-south orientation of most other barrier islands in Florida. It stands out as one of the best locations for intercepting migrating tarpon in the entire Gulf of Mexico. In fact, the first tarpon was caught on rod and reel in 1885 just across the bay from Sanibel. However, the preferred platform for tarpon fishing has evolved significantly since that legendary catch. Drawing on the success of Grady-White’s 251 Coastal Explorer, the new 281 CE is brimming with features inspired by customer feedback. It builds upon Grady’s reputation…

DESTINATION: Islamorada TARGET SPECIES: Shellfish SEASON: August 6-March 31(Lobster), October 15-May 1 (Stone Crab) HAZARDS: Shoals, Jellyfish, Crab Claws, Dive Safety Considerations ESSENTIALS: Stability, Storage Capacity, Livewell, Elevated Helm, Shallow-Water Anchor For some, there’s more to fishing than just rods and reels. Many Florida residents and visitors love to get in the water for lobster and scallop seasons. Others enjoy setting traps for delicious stone crabs or blue crabs. A boat with moderately low freeboard and a hull shape enabling comfortable bay and coastal access in all conditions is an asset for this side of fishing. That’s a pretty apt description of the Shallow Sport 25 X3. Captain Sara Stanczyk, in Islamorada, has been running a Yamaha-powered X3 for almost two years now. She fishes out of Bud ‘N’ Mary’s…

DESTINATION: The Bahamas TARGET SPECIES: Tuna, Mahi, Wahoo, Sandbars, Swimming Pigs SEASON: Year-Round (Watch Tropics In Summer) HAZARDS: Rough Seas, Shallow Water, Remote Areas Might Lack Aids To Navigation ESSENTIALS: Stepped Hull, Console w/Head & Berth Cruising to The Bahamas, whether for lunch or a long weekend, involves crossing long stretches of open ocean and then navigating hidden reefs and shoals, where reliable aids to navigation might be entirely absent. Brave souls have made the crossing in Jet Skis, but you’ll be much better off in a seaworthy center conosle to comfortably accommodate passengers, safety equipment, fishing tackle, dive gear, and more. The 400CC, the largest center console in the Blackfin lineup, serves as a splendid tribute to the brand’s 50th anniversary. Designed for both indulgent cruising and fishing, this…

DESTINATION: Fort Pierce TARGET SPECIES: Snook, Sailfish SEASON: February-May (Sails), September-December (Snook) HAZARDS: Sharks, Nor’easters ESSENTIALS: Capacious Livewells, Trolling Motor, Shallow-Water Anchor Fort Pierce is not only headquarters for Pathfinder Boats, but also a very fishy town where it’s easy to understand the appeal of the bay boat design. Within a 2-mile radius of the North Causeway boat ramps (free) are flats where big trout and reds creep; deep inlet and harbor where giant snook lurk; clear-water beaches where tarpon and cobia migrate; and always the alluring Atlantic, with sailfish, kingfish and snappers. For anglers who like to do a bit of everything, Pathfinder recently reengineered its classic 22-footer to unveil the 2200 TRS. The aft deck has been redesigned to accommodate a center seat for passengers in lieu of…

Winter doesn’t get too serious in the Florida Keys, but staying well-informed of the weather forecast can significantly influence your fishing plans, determining what, when, and where you can fish. As cold fronts advance southward, modern forecasting tools can predict their arrival with remarkable accuracy. Typically, these cold air masses arrive with strong thunderstorms. After their passage, you can expect sustained strong winds from the north, gradually veering northeast. The fishing should be great, but it’s not suitable for everyone, as small craft advisories are common keeping some anglers confined to leeward shallows and patch reefs in Hawk Channel. Sailfish, on the other hand, thrive in brisk winter winds, and you can often see them showering baitfish just beyond the reef and occasionally in the shallows. Sometimes ballyhoo is all…

I’m an offshore angler at heart, where we’ve relied on paperclip-style snaps for years when building artificial dredges to tease up sailfish, blue marlin and white marlin. However, my recent explorations into Florida’s remote backwaters have revealed yet another valuable application for these small, bent pieces of metal—fishing topwater and suspending hard baits above rocky limestone and oyster-laden shallows. Artificial lures, and even many live bait presentations benefit from a nonslip loop knot at the terminal end, as opposed to the tag tied tight with a fixed connection like a uni or palomar knot. This allows a tad more freedom of motion for lures to execute their designed maneuvers and is essential when the retrieve calls for a pause to let a lure finish its gliding motion. While many professional…

We didn’t know it yet as the boar hadn’t broken stride, but Travis Futch planted a 180-grain slug from my .300 Win. Mag. into the hog’s side as he attempted to cross a pasture. The boar rapidly passed the 300-yard mark as Travis hollered for more ammo, having already cast the last two remaining in the rifle into the wide blue yonder. Assuming he’d missed with all three, I waved off his pleas as there was no point wasting bullets with any more desperation shots. We watched the diminishing speck of swine as he approached a distant treeline, stopped, and suddenly bedded down. Heck, maybe Travis did connect. We hustled across the field and glassed the black and white boar upright under a palm. One final anchor shot, and the…

DESTINATION: Miami TARGET SPECIES: Sailfish SEASON: March-May HAZARDS: Small Craft Advisories, Yield To Freighters & Cruise Ships, Weekend Boat Traffic, Sharks ESSENTIALS: Seaworthy Hull, Livewell Seachest, Speed, Range, Gap Tower, Electric Reel Outlets Miami is renowned for its exceptional sailfishing opportunities during the spring season, and Captain Quinton “Q” Dieterle, with over three decades of experience in these local waters, and the Contender One tournament team attribute much of their success to the incredible vessel they operate. Contender One boasts a potent combination of triple 425-horsepower Yamaha outboard engines, perfectly complementing Contender’s double-stepped hull design. This synergy ensures optimal lift with minimal resistance, resulting in impressive attributes such as speed, fuel efficiency, seakeeping prowess, and a smooth, comfortable ride. “For the size of the boat, the speed you get is…

DESTINATION: Palm Beach Canals TARGET SPECIES: Peacock Bass, Largemouth Bass, Knifefish, Tarpon, Snook SEASON: Winter-Spring HAZARDS: Bridge Clearance, Boat Wakes ESSENTIALS: Stability, Rod Storage, Trailerability The term “crossover boat” in recent years has come to refer to an offshore-inshore capable ride. But how about a salt-fresh “crossover?” That could easily be used to describe the Hewes Redfisher 21. The boat proves as adept at supporting technical bass fishing as it does the diversity of inshore saltwater fisheries. Captain Johnny Stabile of South Florida Fishing Charters runs trips in Palm Beach, Broward and Dade counties. He likes the beamy, under-gunnel rod storage of the Redfisher. “I can fit 8 rods, maybe 10, in the under-gunnel rodholders. When we’re bass fishing, or fishing for exotics, I like to keep the rods tucked…

DESTINATION: Mosquito Lagoon TARGET SPECIES: Black Drum, Redfish, Seatrout SEASON: October-February HAZARDS: Shallow Water, Manatees ESSENTIALS: Carbon Marine TillerPillar, Pushpole, EVA Marine Flooring Perfection is a term open to interpretation. Your ideal skiff may boast an array of features, such as a trolling motor, GPS, plush seating and shallow-water anchor. But, there exists a distinct group of anglers who decidedly favor the elegance of a simple tiller skiff with basic interior layout—one that sips fuel and is easy to trailer and maintain. To some degree, there are times when less is more. Enter the Eldora by Hell’s Bay Boatworks, a technical skiff stripped down to its bare elements. Much like all Hell’s Bay skiffs, the Eldora is fashioned from a Carbon innegra hull and constructed using vacuum-infused Core Cell. This…

A South Florida brother and sister are following in their mom’s footsteps with a passion for the water and angling accomplishments in one of Florida’s longest running fishing tournaments. Twelve-year-old Julia Bernstein of Miami earned herself master junior angler in the historic Key West Fishing Tournament, an 8-month-long tournament where anglers target 46 qualifying species in different tackle classes. Her younger brother, 7-year-old Benjamin Bernstein, took top place in the peewee master angler division. Their mother, Heidi Mason, took women’s master angler honors. Instead of the usual one-day tournament format, the Key West Fishing Tournament, which was founded in 1965 by Captain Gainey Maxwell, celebrates the diverse variety of fish found in the Florida Keys and allows anglers December through July to fish and record catches. This type of cumulative…