Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2024 i Florida Sportsman

News this winter about huge disparities in grouper catch estimate models for the Gulf (Florida versus feds) didn’t exactly build anglers’ confidence in fishery management. So, you mean to tell me we should let these eggheads start studying, and regulating, more fish? Jack crevalle, even? If your reaction to this month’s “On the Conservation Front” piece is “Gimme a break!” well, I get it. At the same time, let’s agree that it’s important to document the basic life history details of fish, and establish metrics for assessing their abundance and exposure to overfishing. We’re encouraged to see a fishing guides’ group, the Lower Keys Guides Association, devote money toward formal studies of crevalle. I was also encouraged to see Juan Levesque, a Tampa Bay area angler with a doctorate in…

From bayboats sneaking out to bluewater targeting mahi on calm days, to massive center consoles pulling triple-tier dredge teasers in pursuit of blue marlin, outriggers emerge as indispensable tools that enhance any offshore angler’s ability to attract fish to the boat. Their primary benefits become evident in their ability to position fishing lines and teasers in undisturbed water away from prop wash, and also reducing the risk of tangling when maneuvering to hook multiple fish or trolling in windy conditions. Outriggers for small- to midsize center consoles span a wide range with pole lengths available from around 15 to 25 feet. The simplest telescoping aluminum outriggers, featuring push-button locks and stainless eyelets, stand out as the most budget-friendly option. A pair of fifteen-foot telescoping aluminum outrigger poles can be purchased…

Gray snapper, recognized by various names such as mangos, mangroves, and black snapper, occur in nearly all shallow waters of Florida. By nature, mangrove snapper are a schooling species, eventually reaching a size where they become more predator than prey as they leave the safety of mangrove shorelines, weathered docks, and shallow rockpiles. Upon reaching a size of 10 or 12 inches, gray snapper head offshore to deeper waters. On both coasts of Florida, they are primarily targeted over natural and artificial reefs, wrecks, and deep ledges. The limit is set at five per day when fishing in state waters, 10-inch minimum, and 10 per person, 12-inch minimum, when fishing federal waters. (Special regulations apply for Biscayne National Park.) I have tried cooking gray snapper a few different ways including…

Spring in the Florida Keys is what it’s all about! Tarpon, sailfish, mahi and many more of the most sought-after species are here in large numbers. However, when I think of spring fishing in the Florida Keys, one species stands out above the rest—permit. This world-renowned game fish is a fixture in the Florida Keys throughout the year, primarily pursued by anglers in shallow water using near-silent poling skiffs. Come April, they migrate from the flats to offshore reefs and wrecks for spawning. The biomass of permit in the Keys is astonishing; some schools may contain thousands of fish, presenting an awe-inspiring spectacle for anglers new to this experience. The water briefly turns a yellow hue as as a giant school passes by. Some fish might be well over 40…

April is a transitional month in the Southeast region and we’re still hanging on to the last few cool mornings of winter, but the afternoon thunderstorms of summer have yet to cycle daily. The inshore fishing throughout the region is jam-up this month. According to the U.S. climate data, April is the third driest month of the year, behind December and January. This means some of the cleanest water of the year in local estuaries like the St. Lucie and Loxahatchee rivers. Two things come to mind when I hear this: first, the initial push of baby tarpon that seem to find their way up into these backwater ecosystems. Deep mangrove-laden canals and lagoons are your best bet. Snook are also on the hit list in this clean water and…

Area snook by now have moved back to shallow coastal water, and they’re hungry after hiding all winter from cold fronts. At the same time, the Big Bend’s dominant live bait, the pinfish, returns and can be seen grazing on underwater grass meadows. Or following and biting repeatedly at plastic shrimptails. Or chewing up any live shrimp below corks, for that matter. Catch a dozen or more pinfish with ultralight tackle and old-fashioned “hair hooks,” which are quite small. Use a tiny square of fresh fish belly. Keep those “pinnies” happy in a livewell and then anchor along the points, especially mangrove islands around Crystal River or Homosassa. If a beach is handy, wade along and watch for bull minnows, which are sand-colored marsh minnows growing to four inches or…

April is always an optimistic fishing month. It’s not only about what’s ahead, but also about the great fishing that’s happening right now. Panfishing is one of Northwest Florida’s best kept secrets. Fishing for bream is not usually thought of as glamorous or heroic like marlin or tuna fishing but that doesn’t mean it is boring. This time of year, especially around the full moon on April 23, shellcrackers are likely to begin bedding. Anglers usually search out clam and mussel beds on larger bodies of water such as Lake Talquin and Lake Seminole to find shellcrackers. On Lake Talquin, beds can be found on timbered flats such as those off High Bluff. On smaller lakes, likely shellcracker locations can be found in deeper water near emergent grass, especially where…

APRIL APRIL 5-7: Spanish Fly Shark Tournament, Key West. www.keywestsharktournament.com APRIL 6: Florida Redfish Series, Panacea. www.flredfishseries.com APRIL 10-13: Final Sail, Miami. www.bluewatermovements.com APRIL 11-13: Key West Sailfish Tournament, Key West. kwst.profishingtournaments.com APRIL 12-13: D.O.A. Paddlers Tournament, Stuart. events@doalures.com APRIL 12-14: Pompano Showdown, Pensacola. www.panhandlesalt.com APRIL 18-20: Marathon Premier Sailfish Tournament, Marathon. www.marathonsailfish.com APRIL 18-20: Mack Daddy, Anna Maria. www.warriorsfish.org APRIL 21-24: Herman Lucerne Memorial Tarpon Cup, Islamorada. www.hermanlucernememorial.com APRIL 25-27: The King of the Beach, Madeira Beach. www.oldsaltfishing.org APRIL 26: Kids Fishing Slam, Madeira Beach. www.oldsaltfishing.org APRIL 26- MAY 5: Central Florida Shootout, Sebastian. www.centralfloridashootout.com APRIL 28- MAY 2: Tarponian Tournament, Marathon. (215) 541-1492 MAY MAY 3-5: Marathon Offshore Bull & Cow Dolphin Tournament, Marathon. www.marathonoffshoretournament.com MAY 3-5: Nick Sheahan Dolphin Rodeo, Islamorada. www.nicksheahan.com MAY 5-9: Faro Blanco Tarpon…

This isn’t the first time I’ve written about the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA’s) inability to accurately estimate the number of fish in the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic Ocean. And it certainly won’t be the last. But, if you want to see an increase in the number of gaffer mahi in the spring off the east coast of Florida, or get a chance to catch, and keep, a rusty belly gag grouper in the Gulf this year, then you better become acquainted with the people and process that could make it happen. Managing federal waters, extending nine miles from the coast in the Gulf and three miles in the Atlantic, a select group of council members appointed by state governors busily try to make sense of staff-driven, computer-modeled data.…

On one hand, anglers have been complaining that goliath grouper are ruining inshore wreck and reef fishing. It’s a common refrain: Can’t get a snapper or grouper to the surface before a goliath grouper helps itself to the catch. On the other hand, in 2023 when the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) opened a limited lottery for keeping a goliath, only 26 tag holders out of 200 were successful at catching one. There’s a tight slot limit on goliaths: 24 to 36 inches. It’s obvious that many of the goliaths (fully protected since 1990) robbing anglers on the reefs are way bigger than that. Might it be that anglers aren’t fishing where the slot-size goliath are? Captain Tim Simos, in Fort Pierce, suggests that might be the case.…

The jack crevalle (Caranx hippos) is a wide-ranging, voracious predator with a party-crasher reputation among anglers. Got a bait in the water for tarpon this spring? Huge strike, lotta line off the reel, no jump? Good chance a big jack is on the run. Jack crevalle—or crevalle jack, as some refer to them—can fool you on the strike, but at boatside, they’re easy to identify. They have a round black spot at the lower base of the pectoral fin and an elongated black spot on the operculum (gill plate), which isn’t found on other jacks. Also, they have enlarged scales or scutes that run along the base of the tail fin; those scutes are extremely sharp. As a fisheries biologist and angler, I learned the hard way to never grab…

YOU’VE BEEN PLANNING this fishing trip for months. The rooms are booked, the boat is gassed up, and the tackle is rigged. If only the weather would cooperate. You’ve been obsessively checking all of your apps to ensure that it will. You look at wind speed and direction, you look at water temperature, you’re analyzing the tides. Hoping, against all odds, that the days you called out of work will miraculously align with prime fishing conditions. We’ve all been there, sending up prayers to the weather gods and changing our plans accordingly. Who are the weather gods though? Where does all of this information come from? Well, a few places, namely the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. Sure, you might have heard of the National Weather Service or…

Spring is an excellent time to be in South Florida. With the departure of cold weather and the absence of hurricane threats, it offers a perfect window for offshore fishing. Where else on the Eastern Seaboard can you head offshore, stay in sight of land, and have the chance to catch sailfish, mahi, kingfish, blackfin tuna, snapper, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, cobia, wahoo, and amberjack? On top of all that action, this is the time of the year when giant bluefin tuna pass by South Florida during their annual migration. So, why is this month so special? It’s because the spring migration of baitfish and predators is in full swing. Another factor in this fishing frenzy is the strong northeast and east winds that blow this month. These winds create a…

This is a magical time for anglers as bait becomes plentiful and so do the fishing options. For guides, additional species become selected targets as bait schools push their way north along our beaches and backcountry waters. Available species include tarpon, permit, cobia, and tripletail nearshore, to our active inshore waters full of snook, redfish, trout, and big jack crevalle. Shark fishing begins picking up as well and the reason is clear, the larger game fish species that the sharks prefer to prey upon start to move in with the warming water. Tarpon, perhaps what we are best known for in Southwest Florida, begin spawning and can be found in large schools patrolling along our beaches and nearshore waters. We catch plenty of silver kings using a variety of live…

Between fish migrations from every direction, turkey hunting opportunities, and big shrimp runs here on the Space Coast—it’s tough to focus in April. Whether it’s linked to the annual abundance of whiting or not, a strange phenomenon occurs every few years along the beaches between Canaveral and Melbourne—thousands if not millions of calico scallops wash ashore. Locals argue over reasons for their beaching themselves. Some say strong winds push them to shore, but in 2022 they showed up after a period of nearly flat conditions. Others say a virus is to blame. Divers looking for lobster and fish on the 90-foot reefs report occasionally coming across big congregations of these shellfish, but with no real pattern or predictability. Once a flourishing fishery off Cape Canaveral, infection by a parasite may…

Warming temperatures not only bring the tourists to our area, but they also bring the bait, and where there is bait there are predators. History logbooks and Facebook memories prove that April has always been one of the best months of the year to find a consistent king mackerel bite. Although last year was a trend in the wrong direction, I have hopes that this year will provide better fishing for everyone. Slow trolling bait schools with a live bait on the surface and another deeper in the water column is going to be my method of choice when targeting kings. This time of year, the Spanish get so thick that you will inevitably pick up a few when using a live cigar minnow or Spanish sardine but they are…

I can’t think of a finer way to get started in saltwater fly fishing than going after Spanish mackerel in the spring. As these migratory fish work up the Florida coastline with warming waters, fly fishers can find them by boat and on foot. Spanish aggressively strike baitfish flies and put up a scrappy fight. You can cast suitable patterns on a 6- to 8-weight rod at any budget, with floating or sinking fly lines. Hundred-foot casts are never needed! If you can eke out a 40-footer, you are in the game. RING THE DINNER BELL If fishing from a boat, you can run on plane in search of baitfish schools and mackerel on the feed along the beach or in any number of Florida’s larger bays. Dipping terns, gulls…

BIG BEND PUSHPOLE SECRETS THE OBSESSION OF CARTER ANDREWS SEASON 9, EPISODE 5 “NATURE COAST NATIVE” Fishing with Captain Trey Mikell, a ninth-generation Floridian, host Carter Andrews explores the deep backwaters of Florida’s Big Bend in search of snook and redfish. “One of the things I noticed pretty quickly is that Trey didn’t have the standard fork to his pushpole,” said Andrews. “I use cypress and you can’t just use any cypress. It has to be a true Y. Can’t be a branch with a branch off,” said Mikell. The natural wood against the black pushpole is a beautiful contrast. The wooden fork will smooth and patina over time and gain character with each use. “What that cypress does is dampen his contact with the bottom, with the rocks. It…

Even when the bait tanks are full, many Florida fishermen prefer the ease and effectiveness of using artificial shrimp. Walk into any bait shop or marina in Florida and you will notice the distinct sound of swirling water coming from inside a bait tank. A look inside the tank will reveal hundreds of gray to pinkish-red crustaceans darting back and forth waiting to be scooped up and dumped into a bait bucket. A sign above the counter reads “Live Shrimp” (for sale). The man at the counter may tell a different story: “No more shrimp.” Some days the supply doesn’t meet demand. But even when the tanks are full, many Florida fishermen prefer the ease and effectiveness of using artificial shrimp. With the right presentation and retrieve, many…

April in the Everglades City and 10,000 Islands area of Florida is a fantastic time of year to experience the amazing biodiversity and wide variety of fishing options this region has to offer. Despite spring taking hold across much of the country, lingering cold fronts continue to push southward, maintaining large populations of fish in the area. During this month, I focus primarily on three species. My first target species is the spotted seatrout, or sometimes referred to as the speckled trout. Seatrout are one of my go-to favorites for a variety of reasons. Seatrout not only make for excellent table fare, they are also aggressive feeders that can be targeted with a variety of fishing methods. As air and water temperatures rise, seatrout that have migrated offshore during cooler…

You know spring is here when buds are popping on your fruit trees and cars seem to change color overnight with yellow pollen floating in the air. Make no mistake about it, just as the trees and shrubbery feel the changes from Mother Nature, fish do as well, and the natural migration of various species of fish is underway. Cobia will move into bays and on the flats following rays that stir up food as they cruise the shallows. Search near the mouths of bays where these fish tend to gather, feeding around bait pods and along sandbars as they hunt for crabs, shrimp, and baitfish. Range and channel markers are also good bait-holding areas where cobia will linger. Keep a pitch rod ready with a live crab, pinfish, jumbo…

Northeast Florida gives me far more winter weather than I think is ever necessary. It’s often the end of April before I can step outside with the confidence to wear shorts and flip flops. It’s also a time of harvest for just about every fisherman between the Georgia state line and Daytona Beach. Freshwater fishermen look forward to the spring season as much as I do. Spawning bass are moving off the beds with empty bellies, and bad attitudes. Bream are moving up into the shallows to spawn, and limit catches should be attainable especially just before the full moon on April 23. Whereas anchoring in a group of boats during the daytime is as much a southern tradition as grits, the best bream fishing I’ve ever had was at…