Florida Sportsman is the complete fishing magazine for Florida and the Tropics. Devoted to fishing, boating, and outdoor activities in the Sunshine State, Florida Sportsman is the authoritative source for Florida's most active fishermen.
There are two things a fisherman needs to survive the Florida summer. One is a cheeseburger. The other is a swimming pool. Long ago, I adopted the following routine for my June through September trips: Launch an hour before sunrise. Fish till 11 a.m. or so, by which time my head is baking and my belly is rumbling. The next steps are muscle memory. I know precisely the angle at which to turn my truck and trailer through the drive-thru at Wendy’s to order a Big Bacon Classic, medium fries, Diet Coke. Okay, yeah, yeah, it’s Wendy’s. But here’s the deal: Wendy’s puts COLD lettuce and tomato on their burgers. Enjoyed immediately, it’s special. Eat 10 minutes later, it’s warm mush. Time from Wendy’s to my driveway, about 6 minutes,…
Amberjack fishing was historically the most reliable fishery for customer satisfaction during the spring,” said Capt. Jon Reynolds of Drop Back Charters, Islamorada. “An entire fleet of charterboats could go to any hump with their clients and make their day. Now, it’s hard to catch a single amberjack, even in peak season.” It’s not just a problem in the Florida Keys. Speaking with anglers and charter captains from around the state, it’s clear the absence of big amberjacks, or AJs, is across the board. “We just don’t know enough about greater amberjack,” said Sean Powers, Chair of the Marine Sciences Department at the University of South Alabama. Powers hopes to change that with the Greater Amberjack Research Program, a 2021 Congressionally authorized $11.7 million Sea Grant program designed to provide…
Cabbage Key is an island consisting of approximately 100 acres of tropical paradise with a feeling of remoteness as it is only reachable by boat. It lies in Pine Island Sound just west of Fort Myers. Though most Floridians have likely never stepped foot on this piece of Old Florida, it has been a destination for anglers and boaters for over 60 years. It is the kind of place where you can grab a meal or “belly up” to the bar to find yourself alongside a celebrity seeking the same welcoming hospitality and laid-back charm the island offers. Legend has it that the late, great Jimmy Buffett wrote “Cheeseburger in Paradise” after a visit, but that may have been somewhere in the British Virgin Islands. With plenty of mangroves and…
It’s a relatively basic task fishing a single kite with two, three, or even four baits on the surface. But if your goal is to set two kites, each with three baits dangling beneath, there are a few things you should consider to help bank the kites away from each other. Fishing kites are square—four equal sides—made out of lightweight and breathable fabric, and feature diagonal spars used to shape the kite and catch wind. The SFE Extra Light and Tigress Lite Wind kites have the largest dimensions of any kites on the market and are the best for light wind conditions. At the opposite end of the weather spectrum, gale force wind conditions call for smaller kites that put less pressure on the kite line and the spar’s centerpiece.…
Florida is blessed with many species of inshore baitfish, thanks to a 1,300-mile coastline spanning different latitudes from tropical to, well, less tropical. Let’s take a look at what are certainly the Big Three. MULLET Small “finger mullet” are tasty snacks for trout, snook, redfish, and flounder. For such a prolific species, mullet are fragile. They freeze well, but keeping them alive more than 24 hours is nearly impossible. If you want shiny (somewhat) happy mullet, a castnet is mandatory. Practice on backyard targets. In Florida, I depend on quiet beaches, where mullet can be seen over clean bottom. Spotting them in dark water is difficult, and veterans learn to recognize even the most subtle ripples of mullet water. On flat-calm days they might be feeding on a thin film…
Fly fishers today have the best lines ever designed. Benefitting from years of refinements by line manufacturers, you can head to the water confident that your fly line will turn that fly over and you’re in business, right? Not if your leader kills the deal because it’s poorly tapered, or not appropriate for the rod or the fly you’re casting. The leader is very important. Today’s commercial extruded (knot-less) leaders are a decent option, much improved over earlier offerings. If you prefer to build your own leaders, you have to know the basics. A poorly built leader will interrupt the transfer of rod energy from the tip of your flyline to your fly. There are many scenarios where multi-section, tapered leaders excel. One is sight fishing on shallow flats where…
