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SPRING
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WANT TO BE A CHARTER CAPTAIN?
GIANT TREVALLY
MAR 21-24 • PBBOATSHOW.COM PHOTO COURTESY OF TOMMY MIANO
VOLUME 29 • ISSUE 348
COASTALANGLERMAG.COM
F R A N C H I S E
O P P O R T U N I T I E S
A V A I L A B L E
W O R L D W I D E
MARCH 2024
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PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®.
KEEN SENSES
ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
By Capt. Michael Okruhlik
I
t is always important to pay attention to our surroundings as we go through life, and fishing is no exception. How many of you have been fishing without any action and find yourself daydreaming and going through the motions until you feel the tug on your line? Suddenly you are frantically trying to remember the cadence of your retrieve to duplicate the action, but you are dreaming of fish instead of trying to catch them. Well, in this article and the accompanying video for The Angler Video Magazine, I will go over a specific situation when paying attention paid off, and you can see it and hear me talk through it on the video. I will also share some wisdom from two incredible Texas guides whom I was fortunate enough to spend a few hours with on the topic of targeting big trout. While wading in knee-deep water that
4 NATIONAL
MARCH 2024
was about 61 degrees, I could see a few mullet jumping in their casual mullet way. It was enough to keep me interested in the area. The bottom had undulating depth with grass and scattered potholes, or sand pockets for those not familiar with the term. I was throwing a slowsinking soft-plastic jerkbait, letting it slowly sink between twitches where the sand and grass met. With a cast in mid-air, I saw a mullet do an abnormal flip. It was distinct from the norm of the day and not as if it were being chased, but different, nonetheless. I burned my lure back in and made a cast just beyond where the mullet flipped. When my lure paused near the area, a nice redfish slammed my soft plastic. Had I not been paying attention and blew it off as just another mullet jumping, I would not have caught that fish and a few more in the general area. Since we cannot always have a bird’s eye view,
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we need to utilize the birds’ eyes. Here are a few tips I picked up on during a conversation with guides. Birds do not always need to be feeding to point us to fish. There are subtle hints, such as a head turn of a gliding pelican. They don’t turn their head for no reason; they saw something. Maybe they saw a huge trout and kept soaring because it was too big for them to eat. Also, watch the lines birds are relating too. They may not dive, bait may not flee from the shadow, but they are flying that line for a reason, and maybe you should work your way toward the area. Pay attention on the water and in conversation with old salts. You might need to read between the lines, but the answers are there. Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures®, and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.
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JACK CREVALLE: BATTLE THE BULLIES OF THE REEF
S
ometimes called the “poor man’s giant trevally,” jack crevalle will strike a surface lure or bait aggressively, and once hooked, engage the angler in a slugfest they won’t soon forget. Jacks are world-class fighters. These fish are perfect for small-boat anglers because they frequent inshore and nearshore waters. They can be caught in bays, inlets, canals and off reefs, where they target schooling baitfish. These fish are perfect for light spinning gear or a fly rod, as they will readily take any fast-retrieved bait imitation. They frequently show up in bays and estuaries following migratory baitfish like mullet. Strong current that concentrates bait is usually best, and you’ll find them at the mouths of the inlets on a strong outgoing tide. Any nearshore reef close to an inlet that has “nervous water” – a sure sign of bait schools—is prime territory for jacks. A 7-foot medium-action spinning rod equipped with a 6000 sized spinning reel and spooled with 40-pound braid is a prime tool for fighting these fish. I like a fluorocarbon leader in the 50-pound range for abrasion resistance. These fish are not leader shy. Jacks school up in large groups of juvenile fish under 10 pounds. The larger 20-plus-pound fish usually hunt in pairs. While a
By Mark Ambert
5000-class rod and reel setup will handle the smaller fish, a larger setup will be better for anything over 20 pounds. Pro-Tip: If you tangle with one of the larger fish, get a second bait or lure in the water for a double hook-up! Live bait and chum will usually find the biggest fish. Any local seasonal bait such as herring, pilchards, sardines or mullet will do the trick. For maximum fun factor, a topwater lure or fly stripped fast can’t be beat. I usually locate a school of feeding fish first then break out the fly or topwater spinning gear for sport. A 9- or 10-weight fly rod setup with an intermediate line is optimal. When fly fishing, a popper, Deceiver, Clouser or any streamer pattern will work. I use flies that cast easily and in colorful patterns to attract the fish. With spinning gear, any noisy or splashy plug such as a 3- to 4-inch Storm Chug Bug is ideal. I also use a 4-inch Heddon Zara Spook in white with a walk-the-dog retrieve. Watching this lure get knocked out of the water and eaten is worth the
price of admission. For sub-surface action, the Rapala X-Rap size 10 in Ghost finish can’t be beat. The initial run of a big jack is spectacular, with ever shortened runs to follow. Using lighter gear, you might have to chase bigger fish down, so be prepared to move. Once a fish is spent, I usually use a net or tail grab the fish boatside for a quick picture and safe release, as these fish have limited food quality. Now head out your local inlet and target these plentiful and eager sluggers. They will not disappoint. Find Mark Ambert on Instagram @marksgonefishing_™; Email: marksgonefishing25@gmail.com.
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MARCH 2024
NATIONAL 7
DO YOU WANT TO BE A CHARTER CAPTAIN? By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon
I
went fishing while on Florida vacation about a decade ago. After returning home to Canada for two months, I drove back to pursue a career in the industry. I had zero experience, no connections, and less than half a clue on where to begin. For those with a similar dream, here’s what I learned. First, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been a weekend warrior. If you want to be a captain, be a deckhand first. You don’t know what you don’t know, and working for someone fishing the waters you plan to guide provides all kinds of information. Every fishery has its own etiquette and unspoken guidelines. Community is crucial, and paying your dues and earning respect goes a long way. Captains communicate about fishing on the water, and often, we are each other’s first responders. This same-team mentality is nearly currency. Beginning as a deckhand is difficult. Nobody wants to train you, yet you must be trainable. On your own time, practice skills like knot tying, bait rigging and net throwing. Veteran fishermen are usually happy to flex knowledge to those who ask for help humbly. No matter what you learn, be ready to have a captain you work for tell you it’s wrong. Adapt, and learn things their way. The expectations of deckhands are high, and everything on board will be their fault. You are expected to arrive early, stay late, come in on days off, anticipate your captain and clients wants, and do it on minimum salary. The biggest issue with new deckhands is they sometimes don’t show up. Finding a replacement at 6 a.m. is nearly impossible, and it affects the productivity of a charter. Being a fisherman takes a special kind of person. If can fish six days a week and still want to go out for fun on your day off, this job
may be for you. If you’re on the boat watching the clock, you won’t last long. Showing up to the dock consistently is a great way to make connections and get work. If you can’t find work, show up an hour before local charters head out. Walk the dock and ask if anyone had a no-show deckhand. If you do this consistently and pass out your number, eventually someone will call you. They will see you have the dedication to show up. Deckhands are also required to be on a drug consortium. Sign up and keep your paper with you. Lastly, if you hold a captain’s license and are working as a deckhand, make sure your “captain” has one too. You do not want to be held liable for someone else’s mistakes. Protect your future in the industry. If this is something you want to do, I highly recommend going for it. In 10 years, I have never regretted it or lost the smile it puts on my face. Capt. Quinlyn Haddon guides with Sweet E’Nuf Charters, Marathon, Florida Keys. Captainquinlyn.com; @captainquinlyn; (504) 920-6342.
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Snook fishing during this transition is very much dependent on the weather. A warming spell pushes snook out faster toward the passes and bays, while a cooling trend will slow them down. A cold snap will absolutely shut the bite down. If it breaks cold and clear the morning of your planned fishing trip, you’re better off targeting trout and reds. While snook are moving out, big schools of scaled sardines and threadfin herring start to show up close to shore. These baitfish, also known as whitebait or pilchard and greenbacks, respectively, become the favorite food source for snook as well as many other gamefish. When water temps reach the mid-70s, a snook’s metabolism ramps up and they’ll eat anything from crabs and shrimp to mullet, but a lively sardine or herring freelined on a 2/0 circle hook is as close to a sure thing as you’re going to get. Generally, these baitfish are also pretty easy to find this time of year. Where you find the bait is where you’ll find snook. Look at a map and draw a line between a known wintering hole and the passes where snook spawn in summer. In spring, they will be somewhere along this line, staged up and feeding on structure. Snook are ambush predators and prefer to hang in the slack water while the tide sweeps food in front of them. By CAM Staff On the beginning of an incoming or outgoing tide, look to the docks, bridges, points, channel swings, mangroves, oyster bars and anything else that provides a little current shade adjacent to faster water. River mouths are a good place to start your search. If there are greenies or whitebait present, there’s a very good chance a school of snook will be there feeding on them. Want to know for sure? Use a chum bat to sling a double handful of disoriented greenies where you think snook might be. If they’re there, you’ll know it in a hurry. Fresh live bait is the easiest way to catch fish, but the spring feed-up also provides lots of opportunity for anglers throwing artificials. If you’re someone who prefers to skip the hassle of catching and keeping bait, you can absolutely get the job done with a baitfish or shrimp imitation. Topwaters, soft-plastic paddletails, soft-plastic shrimp, twitchbaits, plugs and bucktails nook are hungry when they break out of the winter doldrums and go will all get bit. A couple benefits to artificials is you can use them to cover lots on the move this time of year. As spring temperatures begin to stabilize, of water quickly to find fish and they can be skipped up under mangroves they push progressively farther out of their backwater holes, and their and docks. migration intersects with the arrival of spring baitfish schools. It’s a recipe For more tips and tactics, go to coastalanglermag.com. for an aggressive feed-up ahead of the summer spawn.
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MARCH 2024
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FLORIDA 3
Every year, just after the New Year, American shad move from the northern states south. This year, my dad and I went to central Florida to see if we could find some shad making their way up a river. Unfortunately, after hours of constant jigging with light tackle and tiny jigs and a couple miles of paddling a tandem kayak, the shad were a bust. We decided to take a lunch break with lines out for a catfish or bowfin. We soaked baits for about an hour without even a nibble. At this point, I was more than a little disappointed after driving three hours without even a bite to show for it. Don’t get me wrong, the scenery was beautiful, but I was determined to catch something! I started jigging again as my dad slowly paddled us back to the truck. About a quarter of the way back, I got a bite, a cute little 10-inch largemouth. Despite the size, I was satisfied; I had beaten the skunk. I continued jigging until we were about halfway back, where this narrow part of the river opened wider. I made a “last cast” and had decided to call it quits. As I cranked my jig straight in, I was surprised when it got thumped! I laughed and told my dad we had been doing it wrong all day. To test the theory, I tossed my jig out and again just cranked it in. About two feet from the kayak, a huge swirl appeared where my jig was, and 4-pound line started By Emily Hanzlik ripping off my ultralight. My dad paddled to keep the fish a manageable distance from the kayak while also maneuvering defensively to place the kayak between the fish and the vegetation. After an extremely stressful nearly 20-minute fight, we netted a beautiful, 7-pound-plus Florida sunshine bass. I frantically checked the FWC website for the state record, which weighed 16 pounds, 3 ounces. However, I knew I had one more hope for a record. I checked IGFA and was more than pleased to find the women’s 4-pound-test record was a 5-pound fish. If approved, this will be my first record that was not targeted. When you’re hunting records, it’s key to be prepared. No matter where we go, I keep my certified Rapala scale and my tape measure in a glasses container in whatever bag we have that day. The other key is to make sure you always have accurate line on your reel. I use tournament Ande line so I don’t have to worry about my line over-testing. Other than that, it’s just the f you’ve read my column, you know that catching IGFA record fish is what luck of getting that big one. I love to do. I’ve caught more than 60 of them, and people frequently ask Emily Rose Hanzlik has caught more than 60 IGFA world records which is my favorite. It’s tough to pick, but the following recent record in various categories. Find her on social media @emilyhanzlikoutdoors. is at the top.
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TAMPA BAY FISHING REPORT BY: WADE OSBORNE
Grass Flats, March Madness!
W
ith El Nino waning and cold fronts diminishing, water temperatures are on the rise. Once temperatures reach the lower 70s, the grass flats come alive. As March progesses and temperatures continue to warm, more and more baitfish move onto the grass flats. Snook, redfish and seatrout follow the bait to feed. It’s truly a magical time of year to fish in Tampa Bay. Now it’s time to wean yourself off shrimp and start using scaled sardines. Even though you can start catching baitfish on most Bay area grass flat in early
March, don’t count on all flats having it. March is a transitional month. There are days when I still have to catch my bait in water 15 to 20 feet deep. That’s why it’s important to always carry a heavy deep-water castnet and a lighter shallow-water castnet. You just never know! Once you’ve loaded your livewell, it’s time to hit the flats. Snook season reopens this month, and they’re finally starting to move out of the backcountry and the deep-water canals in search of food. Mangrove points and Continued on page 21
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TAMPA 1
ST. PETE REPORT
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MARCH 2024
T
he best time of the year is coming up fast. Lots of redfish action and lots of snook action. Get yourself some cut bait, 20-pound fluorocarbon leader and 3/0 demon perfect Mustad hooks. You’ll be all set to catch these monster reds and snook. The cut bait that I prefer is cut lady fish and pinfish. These fish will be holding under the mangroves. Sometimes they’ll be in the potholes feeding during low tides. Also, there’s a good chance of catching trout on the cut bait. Artificial bait also works well. Get yourself a Mission Fishin’ jighead pack. I prefer an 1/8 or 1/4-ounce paired with a D.O.A. C.A.L. Tail. These seem to work great. Let’s talk about the freshwater fishing side for a minute. There’s a lot of bedding bass right now. Hurry up and get them while you can. The spawn will be over soon. We are offering freshwater trips in Lakeland now. I live on a private lake that is loaded with nice big bass. Shiner fishing has been working great, as well as, throwing lures. If you’re looking to book a freshwater trip, let me know. I would be more than happy to take you out. While we’re out, ask me about the Relentless titanium fillet knife. It’s the first knife that sharpens itself. Or, check them out on the web--tell them I sent you. May 2nd is our annual Veterans’ event in St. Petersburg at Maximo Park. If you’d like to sign up for this event or volunteer, you can check it out on Facebook on our page. It’s a free fishing day for all Veterans. Lunch will be served, and we also will be giving out a lot of prizes. If you have any questions, please call me at 727432-6446. — What makes our charter service unique is that we cater to disabled veterans and wheel chair bound clients! Our boat is able to accommodate wheelchairs and is ADA compliant. IF YOU’RE A DISABLED VETERAN, YOUR TRIP IS FREE! This is our way of giving back to our veterans.
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Capt. Anthony Corcella, Pocket Change Inshore Fishing Charter 727-432-6446 www.pocketchangefishingcharters.com Check us out on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok
By: Ca
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Eastern Screech Owl
Common Florida Owls By: Capt. Wes Tallyn
T
here are several Owl species that live in Florida or show up on occasion during the Winter migration; By: Capt. Wes Tallyn but, the three most common Owls in Florida are the Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl and Eastern Screech-Owl. Great Horned Owls are one of the most recognizable Owl species in North America. They have feathers on their head that are the shape of ears or horns. They grow to about 25 inches and are the largest of the Florida Owl species. Great Horned Owls feed primarily on rodents that they catch at night, hunting with their stellar vision and silent wingbeats. I, typically, see them sitting in mature pine trees, which is also one of their favorite trees to nest in during the Winter. Barred Owls are the other large Barred Owl Owl species that is common to Florida. They stand a bit smaller than the Great Horned Owl at about 20 inches tall. They — Captain Wes are very vocal at night, with a bunch of different calls; but, their most common Tallyn was raised call sounds like they’re saying “who cooks for you.” The head of the Barred Owl in Florida and is more rounded on top and the face has a circular pattern of feathers. Barred is a fisherman, Owls feed on rodents at night, as well, but they will also catch birds. birder, avid The third common species here is the Eastern Screech-Owl. Eastern outdoorsman, Great Horne Owl Screech-Owls are very small, standing at about 10 inches tall. They nest in tree photographer, cavities or in trees with matted vegetation like palms. They are often heard at and environmental scientist. Wes has a focus on conservation and education night in Florida neighborhoods as they set up territories or call to mates. They feed on insects in the community and is the owner of Snook Jam mostly, and they will help control pests like roaches and crickets on your property. Outdoors. You can find him on Instagram @ Owls are everywhere in Florida, but they don’t make it easy to find them with their nocturnal lifestyle snookjam or call 727-410-5853. and secretive nature during the day. See if you can identify all three in your neighborhood today!
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SMALL PONDS, YOUR BACKYARD
BIG BASS LUNKER AWAITS! By: Joshua Broer
F
lorida is known for having large lakes that hold big bass; but, some smaller, lesser-fished ponds, might hold monsters you wouldn’t think are there. These largemouth, or black bass (Micropterus salmoides, scientifically speaking) could be in your backyard pond, or in a tiny retention pond on the side of the road. The term “ditch pickle” is used for that reason--even dirty, shallow ditches can hold double-digit bass. I’ve lived on lakes throughout the years, but my personal best did not come from a lake. My PB came from a small retention pond just down the road. Because many of these ponds are on private property, or deemed “NO FISHING,” be careful to follow the laws of the land. But, if they are open to the public, give it a shot. I’m lucky in that the pond I live on is a spit away from my front door. It’s easy to wet a line almost every day to increase my odds. But, it’s not my pond in which I’ve landed the majority of my big bass. It’s that dirty, often algae-filled little ditch on the side of the road that’s produced bigger fish. I suppose the big fish in these ponds get that way, because they are overlooked or not harvested. Most of these small, roadside bodies of water are runoff/retention ponds, so you would NOT want to eat fish from them. From time to time, I eat freshwater bass, but not from these haunts. When I’m scouting new ponds for big bass missions, I often put down the fly rod and bust out my NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: In Mr. Broer’s last piece, Tilapia On Fly (February) there was a layout error that resulted in the first paragraph of his Crappie On Fly story (January) being inserted into the beginning of the February piece. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.
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Wheth you ca chased In condos commu plan. Th popula ponds. If there Sp rod or for cat tackle sugges
D S!
st y piece.
bait casters. This allows me to cover a lot of water quickly. I look for a few things: enough water to hold fish, fish movement, bait, and birds (which suggests the presence of bait). I arm my bait-casting rigs with plastic worms, frogs, and a bladed jig or fluke. Many of these ponds are too shallow for diving plugs, so shallower running baits are best. With this arsenal, you will find a bait that will find the fish. If you see duckweed or heavy lily pad cover, throw the frog. For the deeper ponds, nothing can beat slow dragging a plastic worm across the bottom. Whether it’s an old-school, curly-tailed worm, or a more modern Senko worm, you can’t go wrong with the tried-and-true worm technique. If I see bait being chased, I’ll switch to a fluke, chatter-bait or Rat-L Trap, if the water is deep enough. In the Tampa Bay area, with the number of housing developments, apartments/ condos and shopping centers, there are endless retention ponds. When these communities and businesses are designed, a retention pond is usually part of the plan. This is especially true of lower lying areas. While I’m not a big fan of the population explosion in our area, one small consolation is the addition of fishy ponds. Again, please use common sense and civility when choosing a place to fish. If there are “no trespassing” and/or “no fishing” signs, you should probably move on. Spring and early Summer are perfect for this small pond mission, so grab a rod or two, hop in your car and explore. The Tampa Bay area is a true hotspot for catching big bass in small ponds. And, the next time you’re at your local tackle shop, talk to the bass guys and gals there. They’ll definitely be able to suggest a great bait, and maybe even some local knowledge. — Joshua Broer, a Tarpon Springs native, is the Facility Manager for the College of Arts & Sciences at USF. His specialties include flats and bass fishing, fly fishing, and sea kayaking. Reach him at joshua.broer@gmail.com.
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St. Petersburg
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St. Petersburg, FL - Mar 2024 High
Date
Old Port of Tampa
Low
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
Fri
5:50
1.1
4:37
2.1
10:04
0.7
2
Sat
7:37
0.9
5:15
2.1
12:34
-0.1
3
Sun
6:04
2.1
1:56
-0.2
4
Mon
7:14
2.1
3:26
5
Tue
8:46
2.1
6
Wed
10:16
7
Thu
8
Fri
9
Sat
12:30
10
Sun
11
ft
www.USHarbors.com ezdocktampa.com
Old Port Tampa, FL - Mar 2024 High
Date
Rise
Set
Moon
6:52
6:32
1
6:51
6:33
6:50
6:33
-0.3
6:49
4:43
-0.5
2.2
5:43
-0.6
11:28
2.3
6:31
-0.7
5:09
2:04
1.3
7:12
-0.7
2.4
2:12
1.4
7:48
1:28
2.3
3:24
1.6
Mon
3:23
2.1
3:39
12
Tue
4:19
1.9
13
Wed
5:19
14
Thu
6:30
15
Low
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
Fri
6:28
1.1
5:20
2.2
10:57
0.6
Rise
Set
6:52
6:32
2
Sat
8:09
0.9
5:55
2.2
12:56
-0.3
3
Sun
6:42
2.2
2:17
-0.3
6:51
6:32
6:50
6:34
4
Mon
7:48
2.1
3:57
6:33
-0.4
6:49
6:48
6:34
5
Tue
9:21
2.1
6:33
5:24
-0.6
6:48
6:47
6:35
6
Wed
10:55
6:34
2.2
6:27
-0.7
5:09
1.2
6:47
1.1
6:46
6:36
7
Thu
6:35
2:24
1.5
7:16
-0.8
6:15
1.0
6:46
6:14
0.8
6:45
6:36
8
Fri
12:09
6:35
2.4
2:42
1.5
7:57
-0.7
7:10
0.7
6:45
-0.6
7:09
0.5
6:44
6:37
9
Sat
6:36
1:10
2.4
2:58
1.6
8:32
-0.6
8:00
0.4
6:44
9:19
-0.3
9:02
0.2
7:43
7:37
10
6:36
Sun
3:05
2.4
4:13
1.7
10:02
-0.3
9:49
0.1
7:43
1.8
9:45
0.0
9:55
-0.1
7:42
7:38
7:37
11
Mon
3:59
2.2
4:28
1.8
10:28
-0.1
10:38
-0.1
7:42
3:58
2.0
10:07
0.4
10:49
-0.3
7:41
7:37
7:38
12
Tue
4:54
2.0
4:46
2.1
10:50
0.2
11:29
-0.3
7:40
1.5
4:22
2.2
10:24
0.7
11:47
-0.4
7:38
7:40
7:39
13
Wed
5:52
1.7
5:07
2.3
11:09
0.5
7:39
1.2
4:51
2.3
10:33
7:39
0.9
7:38
7:39
14
Thu
6:58
1.3
5:32
2.4
12:24
-0.5
11:24A
0.7
7:38
Fri
5:25
2.3
7:39
12:52
-0.4
7:37
7:40
15
Fri
8:26
1.1
6:04
2.4
1:25
-0.5
11:26A
0.9
7:37
16
Sat
6:07
7:40
2.2
2:09
-0.3
7:36
7:41
16
Sat
6:42
2.3
2:40
-0.4
7:36
17
Sun
7:40
7:05
2.1
3:38
-0.3
7:35
7:41
17
Sun
7:32
2.1
4:11
-0.4
7:35
18
7:41
Mon
8:45
1.9
5:02
-0.3
7:34
7:42
18
Mon
8:56
1.9
5:39
-0.4
7:34
7:41
19
Tue
10:43
1.9
6:06
-0.3
7:33
7:42
19
Tue
11:03
1.8
6:46
-0.4
5:32
1.3
7:33
7:42
20
Wed
2:33
1.4
6:53
-0.3
6:11
1.2
7:32
7:43
20
Wed
2:38
1.6
7:36
-0.4
6:51
1.1
7:31
7:42
21
Thu
12:01
1.9
2:34
1.5
7:29
-0.3
7:04
1.0
7:31
7:43
21
Thu
12:35
1.9
2:53
1.6
8:14
-0.3
7:43
0.8
7:30
7:43
22
Fri
12:57
1.9
2:39
1.5
7:58
-0.2
7:44
0.8
7:30
7:44
22
Fri
1:34
1.9
3:08
1.7
8:44
-0.2
8:24
0.6
7:29
7:44
23
Sat
1:43
1.9
2:43
1.6
8:22
0.0
8:19
0.5
7:28
7:44
23
Sat
2:19
2.0
3:21
1.8
9:08
0.0
9:00
0.4
7:28
7:44
24
Sun
2:23
1.8
2:47
1.7
8:41
0.2
8:52
0.3
7:27
7:45
24
Sun
2:58
2.0
3:31
1.9
9:26
0.2
9:33
0.3
7:27
7:45
25
Mon
3:01
1.8
2:54
1.9
8:57
0.4
9:24
0.1
7:26
7:45
25
Mon
3:35
1.9
3:40
2.0
9:40
0.3
10:05
0.1
7:26
7:45
26
Tue
3:39
1.6
3:05
2.0
9:11
0.5
9:58
-0.1
7:25
7:46
26
Tue
4:14
1.8
3:52
2.1
9:54
0.5
10:37
-0.1
7:25
7:46
27
Wed
4:18
1.5
3:22
2.2
9:24
0.7
10:35
-0.2
7:24
7:46
27
Wed
4:55
1.6
4:07
2.3
10:09
0.6
11:11
-0.2
7:24
7:46
28
Thu
5:01
1.4
3:45
2.3
9:37
0.8
11:17
-0.2
7:23
7:47
28
Thu
5:42
1.5
4:29
2.4
10:26
0.7
11:49
-0.3
7:22
7:47
29
Fri
5:54
1.2
4:14
2.4
9:47
0.9
7:22
7:47
29
Fri
6:39
1.3
4:57
2.5
10:43
0.9
7:21
7:47
30
Sat
7:09
1.1
4:48
2.4
12:08
-0.3
7:20
7:48
30
Sat
7:57
1.2
5:32
2.5
12:35
-0.4
7:20
7:48
31
Sun
5:31
2.4
1:13
-0.2
7:19
7:49
31
Sun
6:15
2.5
1:35
-0.3
7:19
7:48
1
2:02P
1.3
9:50A
9:45A
0.9
1.0
2:09P
2:30P
1.4
1.5
PM 11:03A
10:56A
ft 0.8
1.0
Moon
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Tarpon Springs
1500 US 19 Holiday, FL
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Tarpon Springs, AncloteAnclote River River, FL - Mar 2024 High
Date
Hernando Beach
bluepelicanmarina.com www.USHarbors.com
Rocky Creek, LittleFL Pine Island Hernando Beach, - Mar 2024
Low
High
Date
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
PM
ft
Rise
Set
Moon
Fri
3:55
2.0
3:27
2.7
9:40
0.7
10:44
0.0
6:53
6:32
1
2
Sat
4:52
1.8
4:05
2.7
10:12
0.9
11:45
0.0
6:52
6:33
3
Sun
6:14
1.6
4:54
2.6
10:54
1.2
6:51
6:34
4
Mon
8:12
1.6
6:05
2.5
1:07
0.0
12:09
1.4
6:50
5
Tue
9:45
1.7
7:37
2.6
2:35
-0.1
2:02
1.5
6
Wed
10:42
1.9
9:00
2.7
3:49
-0.3
3:26
7
Thu
11:21
2.1
10:09
2.9
4:49
-0.5
8
Fri
11:54
2.2
11:10
3.1
5:39
9
Sat
12:23
2.4
10
Sun
12:04
3.1
1:51
11
Mon
1:55
3.1
12
Tue
2:46
13
Wed
14
Low
AM
ft
PM
ft
AM
ft
Fri
4:51
2.1
4:23
2.9
11:41
0.7
Rise
Set
6:55
6:33
2
Sat
5:48
1.9
5:01
2.9
12:45
0.0
12:13
3
Sun
7:10
1.7
5:50
2.8
1:46
0.0
12:55
0.9
6:54
6:33
1.2
6:53
6:34
4
Mon
9:08
1.7
7:01
2.7
3:08
0.0
6:34
2:10
1.4
6:52
6:49
6:35
5
Tue
10:41
1.9
8:33
2.8
4:36
6:35
-0.1
4:03
1.5
6:51
1.3
6:48
6:35
6
Wed
11:38
2.1
9:56
2.9
6:35
5:50
-0.3
5:27
1.3
6:49
4:32
1.0
6:47
6:36
7
Thu
12:17P
2.2
11:05
6:36
3.1
6:50
-0.5
6:33
1.0
6:48
-0.6
5:27
0.7
6:46
6:37
8
Fri
6:37
12:50
2.4
7:40
-0.6
7:28
0.7
6:47
6:22
-0.6
6:16
0.3
6:45
6:37
9
Sat
12:06
6:37
3.3
1:19
2.5
8:23
-0.6
8:17
0.3
6:46
2.5
8:01
-0.5
8:03
0.0
7:44
7:38
10
Sun
6:38
1:00
3.4
2:47
2.7
10:02
-0.5
10:04
0.0
7:45
2:19
2.6
8:38
-0.2
8:48
-0.3
7:42
7:38
11
7:38
Mon
2:51
3.3
3:15
2.8
10:39
-0.2
10:49
-0.3
7:44
2.9
2:47
2.7
9:12
0.1
9:35
-0.4
7:41
7:39
7:39
12
Tue
3:42
3.1
3:43
3.0
11:13
0.1
11:36
-0.4
7:43
3:37
2.6
3:17
2.8
9:45
0.5
10:23
-0.5
7:40
7:40
7:39
13
Wed
4:33
2.9
4:13
3.1
11:46
0.5
7:41
Thu
4:30
2.3
3:50
2.9
10:17
0.8
11:14
-0.4
7:40
7:39
7:40
14
Thu
5:26
2.5
4:46
3.1
12:24
-0.5
12:18
0.8
7:40
15
Fri
5:27
2.0
4:26
2.8
10:48
1.0
7:41
7:38
7:41
15
Fri
6:23
2.2
5:22
3.1
1:15
-0.4
12:49
1.0
7:39
16
Sat
6:33
1.7
5:09
2.7
12:10
-0.2
11:21A
7:42
1.3
7:37
7:41
16
Sat
7:29
1.9
6:05
2.9
2:11
-0.2
1:22
1.3
7:38
17
Sun
8:11
1.6
6:05
2.5
1:18
0.1
7:42
12:08
1.5
7:36
7:42
17
Sun
9:07
1.7
7:01
2.7
3:19
0.1
2:09
1.5
7:37
18
Mon
10:06
1.6
7:30
2.3
2:48
7:43
0.2
1:42
1.6
7:35
7:42
18
Mon
11:02
1.7
8:26
2.5
4:49
0.2
3:43
1.6
7:36
19
Tue
11:09
1.8
9:15
2.3
7:43
4:14
0.2
3:33
1.5
7:33
7:43
19
Tue
12:05P
1.9
10:11
2.5
6:15
0.2
5:34
1.5
7:34
20
Wed
11:44
1.9
10:35
7:44
2.4
5:17
0.2
4:53
1.2
7:32
7:43
20
Wed
12:40P
2.1
11:31
2.6
7:18
0.2
6:54
1.2
7:33
21
Thu
12:12P
2.1
7:44
11:33
2.5
6:03
0.1
5:49
0.9
7:31
7:44
21
Thu
1:08
2.3
8:04
0.1
7:50
0.9
7:32
22
Fri
7:45
12:37
2.3
6:38
0.1
6:33
0.7
7:30
7:44
22
Fri
12:29
2.7
1:33
2.4
8:39
0.1
8:34
0.7
7:31
23
Sat
12:19
7:46
2.6
1:00
2.4
7:08
0.1
7:10
0.4
7:29
7:45
23
Sat
1:15
2.8
1:56
2.6
9:09
0.1
9:11
0.4
7:30
24
Sun
7:46
12:58
2.6
1:21
2.5
7:34
0.2
7:44
0.2
7:28
7:46
24
Sun
1:54
2.8
2:17
2.7
9:35
0.2
9:45
0.2
7:29
25
7:47
Mon
1:34
2.6
1:41
2.6
7:59
0.3
8:16
0.1
7:27
7:46
25
Mon
2:30
2.8
2:37
2.8
10:00
0.3
10:17
0.1
7:27
7:47
26
Tue
2:09
2.6
2:00
2.7
8:24
0.4
8:48
0.0
7:25
7:47
26
Tue
3:05
2.8
2:56
2.9
10:25
0.4
10:49
0.0
7:26
7:48
27
Wed
2:44
2.5
2:22
2.8
8:50
0.6
9:21
-0.1
7:24
7:47
27
Wed
3:40
2.7
3:18
3.0
10:51
0.6
11:22
-0.1
7:25
7:48
28
Thu
3:21
2.4
2:46
2.8
9:16
0.7
9:56
-0.1
7:23
7:48
28
Thu
4:17
2.6
3:42
3.1
11:17
0.7
11:57
-0.1
7:24
7:49
29
Fri
4:02
2.2
3:14
2.9
9:43
0.9
10:35
-0.1
7:22
7:48
29
Fri
4:58
2.4
4:10
3.1
11:44
0.9
7:23
7:50
30
Sat
4:49
2.1
3:48
2.9
10:14
1.1
11:22
-0.1
7:21
7:49
30
Sat
5:45
2.3
4:44
3.1
12:36
-0.1
12:15
1.1
7:22
7:50
31
Sun
5:46
1.9
4:31
2.9
10:51
1.3
7:20
7:49
31
Sun
6:42
2.1
5:27
3.1
1:23
-0.1
12:52
1.3
7:20
7:51
1
PM
ft
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MARCH 2024
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TAMPA 11
SOMEONE PLEASE TURN OFF THE FANS BY: CAPT. T J SHEA
I
don’t know about the rest of you, but we are ready for the “Super El Niño” effect to fade into our rear view and run full throttle into Spring. Coming off the best Summer and Fall that I can remember, the powers that be kept us land locked and out of the water for the majority of Winter. Funny how things seem to have a tendency to even themselves out. One or two day weather windows, between endless cold fronts, were all we got. This made fishing trips impossible to plan and diving not even an option, due to the lack of visibility. Time to leave that in the past and spring ahead to the possibilities that await us. For the fishermen and women here on vacation, I’ve got a feeling it will be nothing but bent poles and sore arms, if the sample continues. We may not have been able to run many trips the last two months, but the ones we did were straight fire. Every one of them. Fish have been stacked up and hungry just waiting to get out of the surge and poor vis. March should bring calmer seas and cleaner water along with the start of our seasonal bait run. If you’re ever going to troll, now is the time. Macks, kings, cuda and bonita will be plentiful. The wrecks and springs out deep should have schools of blackfin nearby and maybe even a lost wahoo or two. On the bottom, all species will be chewing providing endless action no matter the duration of your trip. For our scuba enthusiast, water temps dipped into the upper 50’s for a few days in early February. Thankfully, it won’t take many Florida March days to shoot that back up into the 70’s, There will be disco on the dance floor and partying under the blue. It’s still a bit chilly for some of us locals, but that’s perfect Summer shore water for everyone along the eastern seaboard headed our way to get out of the snow and sleet back home. Break out the underwater cameras or fish pokers, and do what makes you happy. The Gulf will be teaming with life. With some good Irish luck, we will spend every day on the water and only visit the Spring training baseball diamonds after the sun goes down. — Capt. TJ Shea. Owner/Operator 2 Shea Fishing and Diving CHARTERS Charters. TJ has been exploring above and below the Gulf of Mexico since he was 8 years old. Contact us at 813-385-2169 and at info@fishanddivetampa.com
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MARCH 2024
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TAMPA 13
MARCH REDFISH MAGIC
M
arch can be a thrilling month, especially if the water temperatures warm up like it typically does in Spring. Usually, this will spark the bait to show up in numbers on the flats and, where there is bait, predator fish are not too far behind. With that being said, you will still have your wintertime fish around like sheepshead and trout that can still be caught, but snook and redfish will come alive with redfish taking center stage. If we have the normal weather patterns that we usually get in March, the schools of redfish will move onto the flats and work the mangrove tree lines and oyster bars. Shrimp, scaled sardines, pinfish, finger mullet and cut bait, along with ladyfish, threadfin herring and any other baitfish that is oily and produces scent in the water. If you are into the artificial style of fishing, nothing beats seeing a redfish get its head half out of the water to inhale a topwater lure. One of my favorites is the MirrOlure’s Pro Dog in the finger mullet skin series CS85MR or, for a smaller top water presentation, the MirrOmullet CS16MR is a great choice. You may miss some strikes from the redfish with the topwater lure, since its mouth is geared
for bottom feeding. One of the things you can do for any fish striking a topwater lure is to wait a second when you see the strike before setting the hook. This gives the fish time to get a good grip on the lure before you set the hook, but you can’t wait too long, because they will spit the lure out once they figure out it’s not real. Typically, when not using topwater lures, the fish has had the bait for a second or two before you set the hook. When using topwater lures, you see the exact time they strike the lure, and a knee jerk reaction can sometimes lead to pulling the lure back out of the fish’s mouth. Some Pro-Cure scent gel added to the lure can get fish to hold that lure a little longer to give you a longer window of opportunity for a better hook set. For these lures, I
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MARCH 2024
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One of or any er lure en you setting he fish on the hook, o long, he lure out it’s en not he fish second et the pwater ct time and a somehe lure mouth. nt gel get fish longer indow better ures, I
!
DI THIS AMENTI SC D FO ON OU R A NT
BY: CAPT. GEORGE HASTICK like Pro-Cures mullet or the inshore If you like soft plassuper gel bait scents. tics, try a 1/8 to 1/4-ounce jig head with a Saltwater Assassin Lil P&V or the 4-inch Sea Shad in New Penny, 10W40 w/LT tail or Texas roach colors to name a few good colors--and don’t forget to add a little Pro-Cure. On low tides, there can be large holes or edges of grass flats where the redfish will wait for the tide to come up, and they will move with the tide towards the mangrove tree lines or oyster mounds to feed. If you can, find an area holding good grass with sand holes and a mangrove tree line that also has an oyster mound. That is like staking three redfish magnets in one place. Try to use your trolling motor on medium to low, since redfish can spook easily. Try to get there, set up and let the reds come to you. If you see a redfish school, do not chase them--it will shut the bite off, usually. The key is getting into casting distance without spooking them but, if you do, it usually only takes about 15 to 20 minutes for them to settle down, unless you spooked them out of the area. Be stealthy and reap the rewards. Good luck and tight lines, — Capt. George Hastick of “Fish Hunter Fishing Charters” in St. Petersburg, Fl. is the co-host of Florida West Coast Fishing Report and co-hosts Fishing Adventures Florida which is on five streaming channels and You Tube. He has been fishing the waters of the Tampa Bay area for over 40 years and guiding over 20 years.
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MARCH 2024
TAMPA 15
LEARN TO FISH R
MOVING WATER
By: Captain Woody Gore
eferring to fishing tides, currents and water movement should become a habit--use them to your advantage. Tomorrow you’re planning a fishing trip with your teenage son or daughter. Or, you planned a trip with a couple of buddies, and you decided to take them flats fishing on Tampa Bay. Well, let’s hope you’ve got a handle on what the water is doing. First, you should check the tides and currents. If you did not, and you do not know what is going on with the water, indeed you are guessing in the dark when it comes to catching fish. A successful fishing trip takes a fair amount of planning, especially for saltwater. Do not expect positive results unless you have prepared by, at least, looking at tides, currents, and water movement. A good captain will study water movement directions throughout Tampa Bay. Which way does it flow when coming in or going out? An understanding of how tides and currents create water movement and how fish react to that movement, gives you a heads up and betters your chances of catching fish. Catching fish depends on water movement, especially in an area like Tampa Bay where the majority of fishing is done on the broken bottom grass flats or around the mangrove tree lines and oyster bars. Understanding the tidal movements means knowing when it comes in, when it goes out and when it just does nothing at all. It means the difference between big smiles, catching fish and fun, or an expensive boat ride. Ok, let’s talk about tides and what is best for fishing. And, how does moving water affect fishing? We all know, or should know, the gravitational pull of the moon and that the sun pushes the tides, driving the water up or down. So, if you’re trying to find some structure for future fishing opportunities, the best times to look are low tides. Low water reveals areas like rock piles, seagrass beds, potholes, broken dock and marker pilings and, everyone’s favorite oyster beds. High tides flood these same areas bringing baitfish and gamefish in search of food. Current is a by-product of high and low water, because it moves water in specific directions; tides, winds, and even water push the currents. Everyone’s heard, or should have, that you never swim against a rip current. Well, the same applies to fish. While not the most intelligent creatures, instinct 16 TAMPA
MARCH 2024
teaches them water flow brings food, so why fight the current. To preserve energy, most fish rarely swim toward a strong current. That means fish swim or suspend in eddies or behind structures such as pilings or points to escape the current. A textbook example of fish behavior affected by water movement is in saltwater flats on incoming high tides. Energy conservation is vital, especially for fish moving onto the grass flats to feed. Anglers often target shallow shoreline grass during a high or flooding tide. Redfish and spotted sea trout usually follow the shrimp and mullet into a grass flat. When fishing a broken bottom grass flat with a current, always cast up-current and let your bait present itself naturally, as it flows back with the current. During low tides, shallow water anglers should look for spots trapping or concentrating large groups of bait. When you locate areas where baitfish or shrimp are traveling through a specific path on an incoming or outgoing tide, gamefish will usually be waiting near these ambush spots. Have you ever seen a place where the current rushes past a point at the end of a rocky shoreline? If you have, you probably noticed how the water swirled as it quickly flowed past on a moving tide. Well, this swirling area is kind of like a giant food blender, and it is commonly called an eddy. Eddies trap food as it swirls around and around and occasionally shoots some out for a waiting predator to gobble down. In Tampa Bay, even though we only have a minimal tide fluctuation, many times, the tide rises or falls anywhere between zero to three feet, on average. Therefore, you need to alter your tactics and where you’re searching; but remember, fish continue feeding in these areas. Don’t focus on your favorite moving-tide spots; instead, concentrate on areas such as cuts between islands or underwater weed beds with potholes. Species such as redfish and spotted sea trout hug the shallow edges of deep holes waiting for baitfish. With the lighter tidal flows, there will be far less bait moving. So, while searching these spots, if you don’t see baitfish or fish, move to another place.
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MARCH 2024
TAMPA 17
O
n March 23rd the City of Madeira Beach and the Municipal Marina will hold the 13th Annual Great American Grunt Hunt. This unique fishing tournament has really grown over the years, and it’s hard to believe that the event is now a teenager! This event is special to Madeira Beach, because it incorporates the traditional fishing vibe of the city along with the involvement of young and inexperienced anglers to enjoy a Fishing Tournament where they can compete. The idea was to get the whole Family involved, from your 80-year-old grandparent to your 8-year-old grandchildren.
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The White Grunt is the perfect species for such an occasion. White Grunts are one of our most predominant reef fish on the Gulf coast, and they can be caught on almost any type of structure in depths ranging from 10 to 100 feet of water. Grunts are not picky eaters but seem to prefer baits like cut squid, threadfins and live or frozen shrimp. Many different rigs can be used, but it seems that most of the charter boats prefer a multiple hook “chicken rig” or a knocker rig with a 2oz lead. Youth anglers 14 years and younger may enter in both overall and youth divisions. For anglers looking for more of a challenge, we have added a hook and line only Hogfish division. This part of the tournament is optional for $25, and the top three anglers are eligible for prize money. Probably the star of the show is our Community Fish Fry. With loads of fresh fish available, we offer everyone an awesome fish fry dinner with fresh fish, fries and slaw for only $15 a plate. The food is expertly prepared by Snapper’s restaurant, and we have never let anyone go home hungry. For more information, please visit our website, madeirabeachmarina.com, or join us at the Captain’s Party on March 21st. The Captains Party will have a huge raffle, 50/50, food, tournament apparel, registration and, of course, some adult beverages. Look forward to seeing you there!
Charters available with Captain Chris Soto 941-769-9149
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727-821-7335 | 4632 28th St. N. St. Petersburg, FL. 3371 | www.reeldealoutdoors.com 18 TAMPA
MARCH 2024
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MARCH 2024
TAMPA 19
CAPT. SERGIO’S CORNER BY: CAPT. SERGIO ATANES
SCARY PLACE TO CATCH FISH —
THE CHAZ
I
t’s been a blessing for me to be able to fish and share my passion for fishing with friends, clients and my audience. The Chaz or Chassahowitzka River with its winding cuts, springs and proximity to the Gulf of Mexico is a living wonder of nature with birds, raccoons, snakes, squirrels and, once in a while, white-tailed deer and beautiful scenery with an abundance of fish, manatees, otters, alligators, stingrays and a bull shark just might pay you a visit. The Chaz is located about an hour’s drive north from Tampa, a half hour south from Crystal River and 100-miles from Orlando. The river transitions from clear spring freshwater to tannin-colored to a brackish river, and it improves as you get closer to the mouth of the river. As you enter the mangrove islands with its oyster beds, it becomes more of a marine environment the closer you get to the Gulf of Mexico. It’s a great place to kayak, snorkel and swim over springs that sparkle like a swimming pool. Fishing is fantastic, if you challenge yourself to find the cuts and holes holding trout, redfish, flounder and puppy drum. The one major problem is not tearing up your boat getting there. This is why I recommend hiring a local professional guide who can take you around to those honey holes. I would say it will take more than several trips with a local before I would consider doing it on my own. This is not the place for a deep draft boat. Flats boat and flat bottom boats are okay, and jet drive outboards work great. The best way to enjoy yourself is to book a two or three-night stay at one of the local fish camps along the river where everything is included. My favorite, over the years, is the Chassahowitzka Outfitters, LLC located on the river and just a short distance from some of the best fishing grounds in the area. There’s great food and super accommodations--just relax and let the captains do all the hard work. A typical morning starts with a big breakfast and some trash talk about who is going to catch the most and biggest fish. At 8:00am, we are in the boat with our local captains. Fishing starts within 15 to 20 minutes from the dock. Here is where things change a bit. I am used to using live baits for my clients, but this trip I am just one of the guys tagging along to learn a little bit of the techniques of fishing The Chaz. First, a flat bottom boat is a must to get into the best places and nothing fancy here. You have to remember the rocks (always remember the rocks) that love to tear up your boat. Many of the local captains 20 TAMPA
MARCH 2024
build their own out of plywood, wide and long, and most only run smaller outboards to keep the weight down. Knowledge is the keyword here. Don’t gamble-you will tear up the boat. Get a guide and learn the area. Believe me, this is not a one time and now I know where to go. It will take four or five trips with a guide, if you really want to get to the good spots. Baits differ with different captains, because the river has a lot of fresh water. Live shrimp will die rather quickly, so many of the captains will nest them on top of ice. This drops their metabolism and they can stay alive for hours in a cooler. Some captains prefer using, believe it or not, fresh medium eating shrimp cut into two pieces. They both work great. Each captain has his techniques, and I suggest going out with several different ones. Artificial baits work great on redfish, puppy drum and spotted seatrout, using a light jig head. Remember you are normally fishing in 2 to 5 feet of water with grass, rocks and oyster beds. Does color make a difference? Yes, it does. On my last trip, one of the top colors was Electric Chicken by Saltwater Assassin. I tore up the trout with it, and a few redfish. Regarding tackle, due to the rocky bottom, I notice no one uses a fluorocarbon leader. They tie the hooks straight to the braided line using a 2/0 J hook with a ¼ ounce egg sinker. Like a Texas rig, nothing fancy. Remember, you lose a lot of tackle to the rocks and oyster beds. If you aren’t losing some tackle, you just aren’t fishing the right way. Use a 7-foot medium action rod, 4000 series reel and 20-pound braided line. In fact, it won’t hurt to bring some extra spools of line, hooks and sinkers just in case — Capt. Sergio Atanes is host of Florida West Coast Fishing Report on Facebook and YouTube. He also hosts Fishing Adventures Florida TV show airing on YouTube, Waypoint TV, Carbon TV, Outdoor Action, and Angling TV. Owner of Reelfishy.com Charter business covering the west coast of Florida with over 135 captains on staff. For information contact Capt. Sergio at (813) 973-7132 email: atanes@msn.com.
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Continued from page 1 shorelines are excellent spots to catch snook. They like to hang out in these areas to easily ambush baitfish during a good incoming or outgoing tidal flow. The best way to know if snook are in a feeding mood is to pitch out some live bait. Chumming not only triggers a bite, it gives you an idea of how many snook are in your chosen spot. Once snook start popping some of the bait you just tossed out, cast a bait to the same spot for an instant hookup. The slot limit for snook is between 28 and 33 inches. The bag limit is one fish per person, per day. Last month, I caught very few redfish over 25 inches, most were less than 18 inches and are commonly called “rat reds.” Rat reds like to hang out around mangrove roots adjacent to deep-water channels and canals. This month, with warmer water temperatures and higher tide phases, look for slot-size redfish on most grass flats around oyster beds. Also, be on the lookout for mullet. Redfish like to travel the flats with mullet and eat the baitfish and crustaceans the mullet kick up as they feed, while moving across the grass. The slot limit for redfish is between 18 and 27 inches. The bag limit is one fish per person, with a two fish vessel limit. The seatrout fishing started out with a bang this year. There have been days when I’ve had to release as many, if not more, large seatrout than we’ve kept. All have been caught on shrimp in deep water, and it doesn’t seem to matter if the tide is incoming or outgoing. Dead end residential canals and channels protected from the wind by mangroves have been the hot spots. Some days, clients have been catching them on the very first cast; other days it may take a little while for them to respond to the bait. Once the scent of
shrimp spreads throughout the water column and a few are caught, it seems the action really starts picking up. The slot limit for seatrout is between 15 and 19 inches. The bag limit is three fish per person, with a one fish over 19-inch vessel limit. The sheepshead spawn in Tampa Bay is in full swing and runs right through April. Many people only associate targeting sheepshead around bridge and dock pilings. Sheepshead also spawn around rock piles, artificial reefs and even over sandy potholes on most grass flats. Sheepshead are referred to as “Convict Fish” and “Bait Stealers.” Some anglers claim, to catch them you have to set the hook before they eat the bait! I’m not sure about that, but if you get a bite and reel back in half a shrimp, toss it back out. You just might catch that fish on the second go around. The minimum size limit for sheepshead is 12 inches. The daily bag limit is eight fish per person, with a 50 fish vessel limit during March and April. Afishionado, “Always an Adventure.” Tampa fishing guide, Wade Osborne of “Afishionado Guide Services” has been plying the waters of Tampa Bay as a professional full-time captain, since 1997. Osborne has been featured on numerous TV shows and has written for multiple publications. Osborne offers multi-boat, corporate and private inshore fishing on light tackle spin, fly or plug. He also offers eco tours with an emphasis on photography. For more info visit Afishionado.com or find Afishionado Guide Services on Facebook and Instagram. Email: wade@afishionado.com Call/Text: 813-286-3474
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MARCH 2024
TAMPA 21
KISSIMMEE CHAIN FORECAST BY: CAPT. DAVE OCHS
T
he first two months this year on The Chain and most lakes in Central Florida have certainly provided a number of challenges for area anglers! Crappie anglers are getting hit the hardest by the rogue weather patterns. It doesn’t matter how good of a Crappie angler you are, it’s hard to catch Crappie in 15 to 30 MPH winds. When the wind is that bad, your only options are canals and the Kissimmee River. The mouths of the sloughs and oxbows on the Kissimmee River are pretty good bets for finding crappie on windy days. Some anglers prefer jigging in the pads on the river, but I prefer a slip cork rig and minnow on the river ledges. Setting the slip cork rig at eight feet works best for me. Bass anglers have faired slightly better than Crappie anglers so far this year. For Bass, I still think the spawn is going to be on the late side this year--perhaps April or May. Pre-spawners were showing up big time in the shallow areas last month. Also, running water was very good, so Bass fishing was good. I don’t see any reason for that to change this month. On The Chain this month, focus your Bass fishing efforts on sparse Kissimmee grass patches where the grass is only a foot or less higher than the surface of the lake. Baits can easily be worked through these patches of grass. Best baits for this are Zoom U Vibe speed worm and Texas Rig with 1/8 ounce Gambler Brass rattle weight with a Bobber stop. A Gambler underspin tipped with a small swimbait or weightless Senkos or Flukes. The color of your baits will vary according to water clarity and cloud cover. For inexperienced Bass anglers, color selection may be confusing. Here is the best way I can explain how to select color. On cloudy days and stained water clarity, I prefer to throw darker colored soft plastic. On sunny days and clearer water, I prefer to throw lighter colors. You will usually have greater success if you try to stay 20 feet off the grass patches. Most strikes will occur 10 feet into the grass patches to 10 feet off the grass patches. There seems to be the mindset in the Bass fishing world that weighted or unweighted soft plastic baits have to be fished on the bottom of the lake in cover to be effective. It’s been my experience that the Bass that swim in the water around this area do not share that mindset! Try working your baits on the surface through pads and grass for explosive action. Last but not least, if all this bad weather has got you down, go on down to the All Star Bar and Grill Wednesday nights on Highway 60 in Lake Wales. Juan and his staff will take care of you! AND – Jamie will give you this best karyoke experience ever! It’s a great party! I guarantee it. See you there! — Capt. Dave Ochs | 863-605-2181 Back Water Fishing Adventures
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MARCH 2024
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Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus n the Gulf of Mexico, red snapper are a highly prized species by anglers. The open season for these tasty bottom feeders is a hodgepodge of dates across the five Gulf states, which each manage the species independently, but generally summer is the prime season when they are pursued. This time of year, what some anglers miss out on is the slew of other tasty snappers, groupers and other reef fish that are open and available for harvest. Just because you can’t keep a red snapper doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go fishing. Also, just because a snapper is red doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a red snapper. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council put together the following list of snapper species that anglers might mistake for red snapper. All of these species fall within the federal aggregate bag limit of 10 total snapper combined, and harvest remains open in federal waters until scientists determine the annual catch limit has been met. Check the regs where you fish and go collect some meat. The following might keep you from robbing yourself of an extra fish you might misidentify as a red snapper. There are at least four other species of snapper in the Gulf that could
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be mistaken for red snapper. Two of the other red colored snapper species, vermilion and queen snapper, are pretty easy for the average angler to recognize, while two of them, blackfin and silk, are commonly mistaken for red snapper. For more information, visit gulfcouncil.org.
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Vermilion Snapper : Rhomboplites aurorubens
Vermilions or beeliners share the red eye color of a red snapper, but they’re usually much smaller and the bottom fin closest to the tail (anal fin) is not sharply pointed like that of a red snapper. ILLUSTRATIONS © DIANE ROME PEEBLES
Blackfin Snapper : Lutjanus buccanella
Blackfin snapper can look very similar to a red snapper, and often inhabit the same depths and structure. The most obvious difference is a black half-moon shaped marking at the base of the pectoral fin. The eye of the blackfin is often more orange or copper than a red snapper, and the blackfin snapper’s bottom fin closest to the tail (anal fin) is rounded, rather than pointy.
! Silk Snapper : Lutjanus vivanus
Silks can look very similar to a red snapper. This is especially true when its unique yellow coloration isn’t obvious. Silk snapper are set apart from red snapper because they have yellow eyes and black trim on the edge of their tail. Overall their body shape and size closely resembles that of a red snapper, so keep an eye out for those subtle differences.
Queen Snapper : Etelis oculatus
Queens are pretty easy to distinguish from red snapper. They’re typically found much deeper, and they have a deeply forked, fancy tail that is not found on red snapper. Additionally, their eyes are relatively large and their bodies are longer and more slender than red snappers.
R E L G N A L A T S COA
D R A O B BRAG Junior angler Ian Tucek caught this sweet 40-inc h snook off Rattlesnake Key in South Tampa Bay.
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CCA FLORIDA STAR STREAMLINED FOR 2024
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CA Florida STAR presented by Yamaha, boasts amazing prizes, is the largest familyfriendly saltwater fishing competition in Florida and it begins May 25. A unique combination of conservation, data collection and education, plus prizes and scholarships valued at over $500,000, makes CCA Florida STAR the state’s not-to-miss-summer-long fishing competition. No other fishing tournament in Florida has the ability to engage participants
of all ages and experience levels, and even nonanglers can win, just by collecting trash and debris. Heading into the tenth year, CCA Florida STAR presented by Yamaha has made it easier than ever to participate. The summer long fishing competition encourages thousands of anglers of all ages to fish with a purpose – conservation and winning. STAR is simplifying the competition to make it easier for participants to enter their catches
and win big. It’s not just about anglers winning but helping the fishery win too. Florida STAR focuses on conservation with its technology-based, CPR format and dedicated smartphone app. This format promotes the proper handling of species and allows participants who, at the time of their catch are members of CCA and registered in STAR to upload photos of their catch for an entry in the competition. STAR has set the bar for other fishing tournaments to follow by implementing conservation friendly alternatives, such as a trash division and conservation division with rewards of some really big prizes. The CCA Florida STAR competition presented by Yamaha has a division for everyone, from the non-angler to the experienced angler and targets inshore and offshore species. For the 2024 competition, CCA Florida STAR will once again offer over $500,000 in prizes and scholarships but has pared down the number of divisions to make participation simpler. STAR will offer a Tagged Redfish Division, Tagged Dolphin Division, an Inshore and Offshore Division, Native Watercraft Kayak Division, Realtree Youth Scholarship Division, Power Pole Conservation Division and Costa Kick Plastic Trash Division. With so many ways to win amazing prizes and help protect our marine resources, now is the time to get registered and make fishing in Florida more rewarding this summer. For more information on STAR, become a member and register, call 844-387-7827 or visit their Facebook page and ccaflstar.com.
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LIFE IS A BEACH
By Richard L. Matteson
COOL WATER SNOOK&THE MARCH FISHING FORECAST
I
t’s not like summer, but there are still snook on the beach here on the Treasure Coast. I caught a 21-incher a few days ago in the surf and released it. My main artificial rig is a 4-inch DOA pearl white paddletail on a chartreuse 3/8-ounce DOA jighead. Snook are looking for warmer water, so they’ll be around inlets and bridges where the water is deeper. Sometimes they run the beach because the ocean is better for them than the shallow water in the lagoon. Some large snook are being caught in deeper water of the St. Lucie, both North and South Forks, Crossroads and around deep piers and bridges as well as around deep water in both the St. Lucie and Ft. Pierce inlets. Large jigs and live or cut bait fished early morning, at dusk or at night work best. Live 6-inch croaker seem to be the preferred live bait. This month, you can harvest one snook in the 28- to 32-inch slot here in the IRL Zone. March is windy and will be the last good month for many of the winter fish like pompano, mackerel and bluefish. Some fish, especially bluefish, will remain, but the numbers are relatively small. Pompano can be caught on the beach with orange fish bites and sand fleas. In the lagoon, try jigging from bridges with pompano jigs on moving tides.
Chartreuse or hot pink are good colors. Permit have been caught on the beach on small crabs, fish bites or large sand fleas. Both permit and pompano are 50 to 70 yards offshore. The mackerel bite is good on the beach early in the morning when bait is present. This bite is in the trough around the close breakers. Small spoons like silver 1-ounce Krocodiles or gold Johnson spoons with treble hooks work best, but they will hit any lure retrieved quickly near the surface. There are mackerel still in the Peck’s Lake area where you’ll need a boat. The bluefish bite has been sporadic with fish chasing bait in early morning or when bait is present. Trout are scattered in the lagoon and can be caught on jigs and topwaters like Skitterwalks and Zara Spooks on warm afternoons. The best trout areas are north from the power plant to the Vero Beach flats. The flounder bite is still good on small the 5- to 10-pound range have been taken on jigs jigs and live bait on the flats and around the bridges. and shallow-running crankbaits. Some redfish have been caught on jigs tipped Remember, see the birds, find the bait, catch with live shrimp from the power plant north. the fish! Target mangroves on high tide in the afternoon or Richard L. Matteson Jr. is a long-time Coastal mangroves with deep water. As usual, there are scattered schools of ladyfish Angler contributor and staff writer for Stuart Rod & Reel Club. Contact him at (336) 414-3440. and jacks cruising the beaches. Some nice jacks in
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TIPS FROM A PRO
ISOLATED TARGETS FOR BIG BASS
TYLER WOOLCOTT
A
round the country, spring is either here or it is rapidly approaching. There is an amazing tip I want to share to improve your chances for catching big bass this time of year. In spring, bass flood into shallower areas of any lake. Whether that be a bank, pocket or a flat shallow area, they move shallow to start their transition and get ready to do their thing. They use any type of readily available cover to stage up and then eventually spawn. This takes a lot of the guesswork out of the search for where your next bite may come from. What I look for is isolated cover and structure. Types of cover that I look for differentiate from state to state and lake to lake, but the general concept is always the same. The more isolated the better! For instance, here in Florida, anything from a couple lily pads or a very small patch of vertical grass sticking up away from most of the other cover is the ideal spot for a big one to be sitting. In other areas of the country, it could be a single rock, a piece of wood or any kind of debris or cover that looks out of place. Shallow brushpiles near a spawning area that you find with your electronics are also an awesome thing to look for. Some of my biggest spring bass have come from something so obvious that most anglers
go right past it. Fish also often replenish on these places very quickly, so don’t overlook visiting the same piece of structure multiple times in a single day. One of my favorite things to do is cast to isolated lily pads. There could be two tiny little pads out in the middle of a flat on their own, and I might catch multiple fish off the same two pads by revisiting them throughout the day. I often pick apart these objects by dragging something slowly by or through the structure. Typically, a wacky-rigged weightless Senko or a very lightly weighted Texas-rigged stick bait are my go-to lures. When in Southern states that have some stain to the water, I stick with darker colors like blacks and blues or junebug. When the water is clear, I’ll go with more natural colors like a green pumpkin. You can keep your gear pretty simple, but remember you’re fishing around structure fish can wrap you around and break you off. Use heavier line. Try stepping up your leader size to 12- to 15-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon on a spinning rod, and use 15- to 20-pound when throwing a Texas rig on a baitcaster. The 13 have fun and be safe on the water. Fishing Defy series of rods are awesome and Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament affordable. I use the 7’6” MH for baitcasting angler and guide. Check out his website at rods and the 7’1” MH for spinning. www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com. Good luck out there this spring and always
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DECEMBER GIVEAWAY WINNER ZIPPING AROUND WITH HER NEW OUTBOARD
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A PAIR OF WILEY X SUNGLASSES THROUGH MARCH!
I
n December, Coastal Angler and Suzuki teamed up to award one lucky reader with an extra special Christmas gift as part of the magazine’s regular contest drawings. Jeanette Harkin, of Edgewater, Fla., is now the happy owner of small, but feature-rich Suzuki DF2.5 outboard, which she plans to use on the inshore fisheries around Smyrna Beach. “I was super excited when I found out that I won, because we’ve been wanting to get a nice trolling motor for a long time,” Jeanette said. “It was an extra special Christmas present from you guys! Thank you again!!!” The Suzuki DF 2.5 weighs just 30 pounds, and the smooth, quiet and dependable engine is a perfect fit for the 16-foot Gheenoe Jeanette plans to put it on. She goes out frequently after whitefish, redfish and blue crabs on the Intracoastal near her home, and this little rig will be perfect for zipping around on the flats and backwaters. Coastal Angler’s current Giveaway drawing is for two pairs of awesome Wiley X sunglasses. These high-performance and stylish glasses will be just in time for all your springtime outdoor adventures. Go to Coastalanglermag. com, click the “Contest” tab, enter the drawing, and you could be sporting some free new shades on the water this spring. To enter, go to coastalanglermag.com/contest.
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NATIONAL 11
WHERE THE SUWANNEE & STEINHATCHEE RIVERS MEET THE GULF OF MEXICO
PHOTO BY DAVID HAY JONES
GREAT FISHING!
Ne
Jus an
By CAM Staff
YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND A BOAT RAMP
DIXIE COUNTY
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REDFISH TIP:
THE GARRETT REDFISH DRAG
H
ere’s a quick redfish tip from Capt. Garrett Ross, of Miss Judy Charters out of Savannah, Ga. “While using a traditional adjustable style cork, adjust depth to allow the live shrimp to sit directly on the bottom. This means that your cork will be laying completely over on its side. Now, when the cold-water redfish decides to take the bait in its mouth, you will not know until the cork stands up right and starts to make way. It is suggested to reel lightly tight and allow the circle hook to do its job of lip hooking your redfish!” Capt. Garrett’s reasoning for the Ethan Long, 13, with a nice redfish caught effectiveness of his while fishing with Capt. Garrett Ross. technique is that a redfish has plenty of time to eat the shrimp and begin to swim away before the angler holding the rod even knows the fish is there. It might sound counterintuitive, but circle hooks have a way of coming unbuttoned when there’s an over-eager angler holding the rod. For more from Capt. Judy Helmey, visit missjudycharters.com. 12 NATIONAL
MARCH 2024
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very saltwater angler knows the frustration of losing their hardearned catch to sharks. With a hard thump, that big, feisty cobia or snapper stops fighting and all that’s left to haul over the rail is a head. Those delicious fillets were donated to the taxman, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Well, it seems the U.S. Congress is at least willing to take a look at the issue of shark depredation, which is a shark hammering a fish on the line before it can be landed. The SHARKED Act is a piece of legislation working its way through Congress right now with bipartisan support. The bill is just a first step toward mitigating shark interactions with anglers, both recreational and commercial, but it’s one of those rare occasions when legislators might just come together. According to the American Sportfishing Association, shark encounters are increasing on all U.S. coasts. The Magnuson-Stevens Act of 2007—the sweeping legislation that gave us the decades-long red snapper fiasco in the Gulf of Mexico—has been successful, maybe too successful, in rebuilding populations of many shark species that were previously reduced by fishing. In addition to being frustrating to anglers, there is concern that sharks are negatively impacting fisheries, and there is already talk among fisheries managers of stricter regulations on anglers intended to offset or avoid shark interactions. With support from several sportfishing and conservation organizations, the SHARKED Act unanimously passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives, and at presstime it was headed to the Senate and potentially to President Biden to be signed into law. It would direct NOAA Fisheries to develop a task force to study the issue of shark depredation. The task force would be tasked with improving coordination and communication across the fisheries management community to identify research priorities and funding opportunities and make a plan to reduce shark/angler interactions. We can only hope this future plan puts limitations on the taxman and not on anglers.
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GRAND LAKE TO HOST
2024 BASSMASTER CLASSIC T
he field is set, and the grandest spectacle in bass fishing will be renewed for the 54th time from March 22-24. This year’s Bassmaster Classic will be held on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, with weigh-ins and festivities in Tulsa, Okla. Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees has more than lived up to its name. The 46,500-acre fishery provided some of the grandest moments in the history
of the event when Classics were held there in 2013 and 2016. Now the picturesque reservoir in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains will add to that grand lore when it again plays host the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing. As with past Classics held in Tulsa, daily weigh-ins will be held at the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa, with the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo across the street at the Cox Business Convention Center. Daily takeoffs will be held about 90 miles away at the Wolf Creek Park and Boating Facility on Grand Lake. During the first Tulsa Classic in 2013, former Elite Series pro Cliff Pace of Mississippi claimed a wire-to-wire victory during a frigid event when icy precipitation tested the toughness of the 53-angler field. In 2016, local favorite Jason Christie led Days 1 and 2 and seemed poised to earn his first Classic trophy until fellow Oklahoma pro Edwin Evers caught a five-bass limit that weighed 29 pounds, 3 ounces to claim a dramatic come-frombehind win. “The Grand River Dam Authority is excited to see the Bassmaster Classic make its return to Grand Lake in 2024,” said GRDA President and CEO Dan Sullivan. “Not only will the event provide a tremendous economic benefit to the region but it will once again showcase Grand Lake to interested audiences across the country. “GRDA places a high priority on caring for the natural resources under its control, and being a three-time host of the Bassmaster Classic reinforces Grand’s reputation as one of the nation’s top fisheries. GRDA is excited to once again support the Bassmaster Classic, which is known as a premier event and competition for anglers.” On last year’s list of 100 Best Bass Lakes by Bassmaster Magazine, Grand Lake ranked 17th in the Central Division. That marks the 11th straight year that the fishery has ranked in the Top 100. The field will include 56 anglers competing for a $300,000 first-place prize and a total purse of over $1 million. “Since its inception, the Classic has been a tournament that changes lives,” said B.A.S.S. Vice President of Tournaments Chris Bowes. “The payday is great, sure. But the opportunity to refer to yourself as ‘Bassmaster Classic champion’ for the rest of your life — there’s no greater clout in our sport.”
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With more than 60,000 surface acres and 1,300 miles of shoreline, Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees is one of the largest outdoor destinations in Oklahoma. Located on the Grand River, the lake is hugely popular with boaters, fishermen, campers and anyone else who loves spending time in the great outdoors. Anglers are sure to have a blast searching for largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, channel catfish, bluegill and the rare paddlefish on Grand Lake waters. And Grand Lake’s shores are lined with so many unique attractions, shops, restaurants, state parks and casinos that seeing everything in one trip is next to impossible. There’s truly something for everyone to love in the Grand Lake Area!
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