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Below is the latest news related to the Florida Guides Association and other topics related to fishing and boating in the state of Florida. Check back here often to stay up-to-date with the latest. You can support us and our mission to protect the Florida fisheries by becoming a member.
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12 January 2015
Posted in
News
"Electronically Aided Collisions", EAC's, sounds like a joke, but they're an actual new designation of CoastGuard accident descriptors. USCG says so many accidents are occurring as a result of the electronics many of us now have aboard--ostensibly to help us avoid accidents--that it made sense to set up a category for it, and of course this being the Coast Guard, they gave it an acronym.
The issue is basically the same as for those ashore who are unable to restrain themselves from texting while driving a vehicle--distracted attention has unfortunate results when you are responsible for piloting several tons of moving mass.
Afloat, though, there is some reason for us to be playing with our electronics--they are usually our only means of navigation offshore, as well as our all-important fish-finding tool--absolutely critical in reef fishing, and very helpful too with pelagic species that often hang around major bottom breaks, sea mounts and other structure.
We depend on them for weather, for operation in low light and fog, to help us in locating aids to navigation (i.e. buoys), hazards and lots more--basically most offshore anglers would prefer to stay at the docks these days rather than attempt to fish or travel long distances without their electronic nav and sonar systems.
But in all this dependency, it's easy to forget that the electronics are not a video game at home in the man-cave. A real-time lookout ahead every minute the boat is moving is a must to avoid consequences that range from just dumb--like running over a log and wiping out prop or lower unit--to catastrophic, like striking another boat or a fixed object.
The danger goes up exponentially with autopilots linked to the electronics. We quickly come to depend on them, in combination with the GPS, to drive the boat for us, avoiding the struggles with maintaining course that sometimes come in rough seas.
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02 January 2015
Posted in
News
Try these easy-to-keep New Year’s fishing resolutions
It’s time to implement your resolutions for 2015. I bet you considered some tried-and-true, or tried-but-failed resolutions that top most people’s list. So how do you combine your fishing passion with feeling good about achieving your resolutions? Read on.
The TopTens website scored the following resolutions as among the most popular with Americans:
No. 1: Enjoy life more. That’s a no-brainer. Spend more time on the water this year, catch more and bigger fish and enjoy bragging about it. The Outdoor Foundation reports fishing is the second most popular outdoor adult activity (14.8 percent of adults participate) behind running. Fishing ranks third for youth (18.4 percent), with biking occupying second position.
Our tip, register for free at TrophyCatchFlorida.com. You’ll be in the running to win a $40,000 Phoenix bass boat package, and every time you catch, document and release an 8-pound or heavier bass you’ll earn at least $100 in gift cards. Checking out the gallery will show you when, how and where anglers are catching these lifetime bragging trophies. “Like” us on Facebook at TrophyCatchFlorida and share your catches with your friends.
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01 January 2015
Posted in
Fishing Tips
Make a resolution to share your passion with others
My resolutions over the years has been and continues to be to enlighten people on the many attributes angling and life in the outdoors provide, and as president for Anglers for Conservation Orlando I believe recreational anglers are making headway in many areas. The majority of us understand the value of our limited resources and the challenges they face. Since the days of Teddy Roosevelt, recreational anglers are leading the way in conservation and resource protection.
These efforts are constantly met with challenges, but the popularity and growth of our sport and its economic impact have changed the prospective of many policy makers. As the president of AFC Orlando, I'm challenging each of you who are passionate about fishing and the outdoors to reach out in 2015, and share your passion with others. Take this challenge in the New Year and introduce someone new to fishing, join us in a Hook Kids on Fishing event or simply pick up some trash at your favorite fishing hole. Your efforts are important in preserving our sport for future generations to enjoy.
The AFC is a nonprofit 501C3 organization whose mission is to create a new generation of angling stewards using community-based angling education, habitat restoration, habitat preservation and applied conservation science. Our primary educational tool is a program called Hook Kids on Fishing, where kids and parents alike learn basic fishing skills, encouraging them to use not abuse our priceless resources. In 2014 AFC Orlando reached out to over 700 kids and their parents just in Central Florida and each child received a new fishing rod of their own to take home with them, so volunteer to take a pledge in 2015 to practice good conservation and good ethics both on and off the water and take just one day this year to pay if forward by joining us in our efforts to enlighten others.
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05 December 2014
Posted in
News
Thanks to a report from FWC anglers can keep track of red tide. Below is a sample report and information where you can subscribe to the report.
Midweek Red Tide Report 12-3-14
12/03/2014
Two samples collected approximately 7 miles offshore of Cayo Costa (Lee County) on 11/30 contained background concentrations of the Florida red tide organism, Karenia brevis. All other samples collected this week throughout Florida did not contain K. brevis. Recent satellite images from the Optical Oceanography Laboratory at the University of South Florida show a bloom patch currently located offshore of northern Monroe County; however, samples have not yet been collected in that area this week in order to groundtruth imagery.
A full report will be available by 5pm on Friday, December 3, 2014.
The website also provides links to additional information related to the topic of Florida red tide including satellite imagery, experimental red tide forecasts, shellfish harvesting areas, the FWC Fish Kill Hotline, the Florida Poison Information Center (to report human health effects related to exposure to red tide), and other wildlife related hotlines: (http://myfwc.com/research/redtide/events/status/contact/).
To learn more about various organisms that have been known to cause algal blooms in Florida waters, see our flickr page at (http://www.flickr.com/photos/myfwc) and click on “Harmful Algal Bloom Species”.
This information, including maps and reports with additional details, is also available on our Web site:
(http://myfwc.com/research/redtide/events/status/statewide/).
