Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2024 i Florida Sportsman

I’ve reported in this column on the fishing exploits of the neighborhood kids. We’ve had kayak armadas in the backyard lake, skate-fishermen shredding the cul-de-sac, bass tournaments, Easter Egg hunts for lures. I’ve seen kids build a trolling motor out of a weed whacker and a fan blade that would hold with the best of them. So, I figured I’d update on our latest. Wake-surf-fishing. Say what? On calm days, fishing up the beach on my 20-foot center console is one of my favorites. I’m looking for Spanish mackerel, pompano, cobia, jacks, tarpon, all sorts of fish that cruise just outside the breakers. It’s kind of hyper-mobile surf fishing. The other day it hit me. I’m running and gunning for fish. Why not take the kids wakesurfing while I’m at…

Short of possibly a blue marlin, I’m not sure any fish creates more panic in the crew of a bluewater fishing boat than a stout wahoo. The blistering first run of a big wahoo has startled many an angler so much they reach for the drag lever, afraid they would run out of line. Equally bad, the scream of the reel has caused a captain to commit the fatal mistake of taking the boat out of gear. If you’ve prepared your reel properly (100 yards of mono top shot, backed with a mile of braid) you are not likely ever to run out of line. First off, let’s look at all the things that go wrong when you stop the boat with a hot fish on. For one, all your…

With the rising popularity of GPS-enabled trolling motors being used as a substitute for an anchor, a new dynamic joins the conversation about the proper etiquette surrounding the right of way or one’s expectations regarding temporary ownership of a spot. Since the ability to drop your trolling motor and engage the Spot-Lock requires much less of a physical investment than lowering an anchor and pulling it, you might visit many more spots using your trolling motor in a day which increases the likelihood of an eventual conflict of interest with other boaters. Since there are no actual rules that can be reasonably enforced regarding the amount of space you should give to a boat at anchor it’s ultimately left to courtesy and common sense for you to decide who’s crossing…

Late winter and early spring usher in windy weather to Florida, stirring up rough seas and coinciding with heightened nearshore billfish activity. From Jupiter to the Florida Keys, sailfish tournaments dot the weekends until the season tapers off in March. Despite some of the world’s most competitive tournaments taking place locally, catching sailfish doesn’t necessitate a large vessel or a crew of paid mates. Success lies not in the extravagance of equipment but in the mastery of fundamental skills and an assertive approach to this dynamic fishery. Kite fishing, though appearing intricate, is a skill that can be mastered without insurmountable challenges. Armed with the appropriate gear, anglers can transform themselves into adept puppeteers. Kite rods, approximately 3 feet in total length from butt to the single guide at the…

Inshore fishing throughout the region can offer a grab bag of gamefish around the local bridges that make for great table fare. I consider February a great “grocery run” month to fill the cooler with omega-3. Croaker tend to school up around bridge support structures and often run on the big side this time of year. You’d be surprised; jumbo croaker look almost identical to their cousin, the redfish, minus the spot. Pompano can also be encountered as they traverse deep holes and channels heading south. Snapper species, such as mangrove and lane, are always attracted to bridge pilings. Last February, my uncle and I went to make our way offshore one morning out of the St. Lucie Inlet, and it was just too rough for his 27-foot center console,…

In February on the Big Bend, only two fish species stand out, one in saltwater and the other in fresh. Sure, on a high-tide day with a warm southerly breeze along the coast, one can have a fine day catching big shoreline trout and redfish. Sea fog, if it rolls in, is even better for the fish, as they seem to thrive in reduced visibility. However, navigating boats in pea soup fog on this coast demands attention, electronic navigation, and a bit of luck. Skip the low-tide days and steer clear of sandbars, oyster beds, and limestone rock formations. The first standout this month is sheepshead because they gather on certain spots offshore for spawning duties. Targeting spawning aggregations of fish has never been a good idea for maintaining a…

Fishing in February demands flexibility from anglers, necessitating adaptation to closed seasons, weather fluctuations, and shifts in fish behavior. Despite the closures of red snapper and gag grouper seasons, opportunities abound with gray snapper and black seabass. Gray snapper boast a bag limit of five fish per angler, surpassing that of red snapper or gag grouper. Meanwhile, the black seabass limit is an astounding 100 pounds per angler with a minimum size limit of 10 inches in the Gulf. Both species exhibit a preference for structured environments, with larger gray snapper often found offshore around wrecks, reefs, and vertical structures like the alphabet towers. The abundance of artificial reefs across Northwest Florida creates an ideal habitat for these tasty fish. A strategic approach involves starting with deeper reefs and gradually…

In tournament fishing, teams split up to find the largest or most coveted target fish. It is a great outlet for competitive spirit and fosters a sense of community among anglers who share a common passion for the sport. At the same time, these tournaments become charitable campaigns which unite anglers from across the country to battle against some of life’s troubles. GIRLS TRIP The multi-species Suncoast Ladies Classic creates lifelong relationships within the community of anglers while having fun, empowering women, and growing the sport of fishing. The tournament is committed to providing charitable support for Ready for Life, a program that supports local youth aging out of foster care in Pinellas County. Fishing with Captain John Smith of Treasure Island, marine artist Jessica Shipley and her fellow anglerettes…

Just like last year, and the year before—and the year before that—I’m creating a Call To Action with Florida’s legislative session in the crosshairs. I continue to do so because your success, or lack of, fishing inshore state waters depends on it. “All healthy fisheries rely on healthy water,” says Jessica Pinsky, director of public affairs & policy for Captains for Clean Water. This should go without saying. However, it seems frustratingly clear that a number of our state representatives don’t get it, nor see the direct line between healthy water, healthy fisheries and the $10 billion economic engine that runs on it. Instead of opening doors to anglers and experts in an effort to improve water quality, our lawmakers are working on bills that slam doors shut. Alarmingly, there…

Florida is too hot to sustain nesting populations of ring-necked pheasant, the iconic upland game bird of midwestern and prairie states, but that doesn’t mean we can’t put them on the table. Released pheasant shoots are now popular at many hunting preserves around our state—particularly in January and February. You might also order farm-raised pheasant through specialty retailers such as D’Artagnan (www.dartagnan.com). Pheasant is best cooked in a low and slow, moist environment. Excessive heat can dry out the delicious meat due to its low fat content. A slow cooker, complemented by a flavorful stock, emerges as an ideal vessel for cooking pheasant. This method allows the meat to gently simmer, ensuring a gradual and even cooking process that results in a mouthwateringly tender outcome. While the legs may have…

Lee County: Hurricane Ian, Cat. 4, Sept. 28, 2022 Captain Justin Stuller and I are having a ball casting soft-plastic jigs to gag grouper on the rocky flats just off a channel in Pine Island Sound. Flat water, gentle tide, slight overcast, perfect conditions. But Captain Stuller tells me this same place just a little while in the past, say, September 28 of 2022, would not have been a good place to be at all. Here in Southwest Florida near Fort Myers, Hurricane Ian came ashore with 150 mph winds and a massive storm surge. More than 100 persons perished in the region, and damage to homes, buildings, roads and more ran into the tens of billions of dollars. Today the area is getting back to a more normal state,…

The fishing in South Florida starts to wind down as we move into February. Most of the migratory species have swam south to the Keys for the winter and won’t return until March. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t something of quality to catch, it just means you might have to work a little harder at it. Offshore, sailfish, kingfish, Spanish and cero mackerel, bonito, blackfin tuna, and mahi will be a part of your catch, but you may find that you won’t catch them all in the same day. The key this time of year is to have quality bait in your livewell. One baitfish species that can make or break a day on the ocean in February is the ballyhoo. If you’re planning on using live ballyhoo for…

February signals that we are almost through our winter fishing season in Southwest Florida. Although we may be lucky enough to see air temperatures reach the mid-80s, the more prevalent reality throughout the month consists of temperatures in the 70s. The success of fishing outings in February is greatly influenced by wind, particularly when it comes from the north or northwest. Northern winds tend to silt up backcountry waters, disrupting tides with their brisk nature. As strong fronts cool the water, challenging conditions may prevail for a day or two. Fishing at the doorstep of these cold fronts is always the best-case scenario. When fishing after a cold front has just passed, it will be tough as barometric pressure will be high for a couple of days following. Conversely, east…

Intercepting the winter spawning run of American shad on the St. Johns River is an experience that combines fishing, adventure, and Florida history with an almost unbelievable story of a fish’s journey through thousands of miles of land and sea. February typically marks the peak spawning time for these fish in an area of the St. Johns River known as “Shad Alley”—a stretch of the slowly winding river between Highway 50 in Titusville and Lake Monroe in Sanford. The males show up in December with the bulk of females trickling in through December into January. The spawn and migration often continue through March. Where do they come from? Like salmon, shad leave their freshwater birthplace for a life at sea. Young fry hatch in sandy bottom areas of the St.…

Along the Panhandle, February typically marks our final true month of winter—which in my opinion is one too many! While most of the Florida Sportsman community will be in the woods, patiently awaiting the opportunity to harvest that trophy buck, I will be bundled up on the boat, fishing for the many different species that our area has to offer. Inshore, sheepshead, flounder, and redfish are on my list, while offshore, yellowfin and wahoo take precedence. Even with less-than-ideal weather patterns, one can usually find a handful of pleasant days offshore and some cover inshore that will protect both angler and fish from the cold north winds. Redfish is one of the few species inshore anglers can consistently catch throughout the year in the Panhandle. They are heavily pursued in…

Vertical Oyster Gardens (VOGs) are a positive trend in Florida and a way for waterfront homeowners to help improve coastal water quality with the bonus of creating a fish-friendly habitat. Components for assembling these simple, self-maintaining arrays are available from many organizations throughout the state, such as Tampa Bay Watch, Tampa Bay Estuary Program, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, and Calusa Waterkeeper. VOGs are constructed by drilling holes into clean, recycled oyster shells and stringing them onto rope. They are easy to install, and progress can be seen in the first few months. The VOGs work by providing hard substrate that juvenile oysters and other fouling organisms need to grow. Larvae float through the water seeking a place to attach themselves. Once attached, these organisms begin to create their own shells…

What better way is there to celebrate Valentine’s Day, than being on the water with your loved ones in the beautiful Ten Thousand Islands? We have many fish to target this month, but I would like to first introduce the sheepshead—the fish with a face that only a mother could love. Whether you have a boat or fish on foot you can take advantage of this challenging species. Sheepshead feed on a wide variety of marine crustaceans and bivalves such as shrimp, crabs, clams and oysters and are highly adaptable to changing conditions. During the winter months I like to target sheepshead in the rivers around the many rockpiles lining the passes and fortifying the seawalls, and the many docks and bridges we have in the Ten Thousand Islands region.…

On average, our low temperatures for the month of February hover in the mid-50s. The winter months can potentially see a thermometer hitting the low 40s and perhaps even the 30s in the West Central region. Getting on the water during or just after a cold front can be a bit iffy in terms of windy and cold weather, especially for offshore anglers. However, you can almost always find a protected area to fish inshore. Back bays surrounded by mangroves but exposed to sunlight can be very productive for a variety of species. Because fish are cold-blooded, they may stop feeding for a few days until water temperatures start to climb. A sunny afternoon can put fish back on the prowl for food. Nevertheless, don’t expect them to be willing…

In Northeast Florida, there is no month I don’t look forward to, but if there were one, it would be February. It blows, and it blows, and then it blows. When we get the rare calm day, the 28-fathom ridge should be excellent for blackfin tuna and wahoo. I could be the president of the blackfin tuna fan club. To me, if you treat blackfin tuna with extreme care, you’ll find them almost inseparable from yellowfin. On our boat, we keep a short cord tied off to a stern cleat. When we catch a blackfin, we will cut a tiny, deep incision behind both pectoral fins. We secure the cord to the tuna’s tail, throw it over and let it swim the blood out. Once the tuna is bled out,…