| 31 January 2012
Many freshwater anglers love pursuing
schools of black crappie during the cooler months in Florida.
Non-resident anglers avoiding the deeper chill of the northern states
congregate around some of these premier fisheries every winter to
join Florida’s own fishers who enjoy pursuing and harvesting these
succulent pan fishes.
Crappie are high profile fish with their own professional and amateur enthusiasts. Crappie USA kicked off their 2012 season with an event at Crescent Lake in January. Darrell Van Vactor, President of CrappieUSA, said “The 2.63 pound crappie that won the big fish award on Crescent Lake was definitely a great crappie, in fact after running crappie tournaments all over the state of Florida for over 25 years it is the best single fish ever weighed in, and the winning weight of 14.5 pounds for seven fish was also the best winning weight.” He went on to say “Crescent Lake is truly the best crappie water we have found in your state and your department is evidently doing a great management job there.”
Learn about the 10 best crappie lakes in Florida.
| 31 January 2012
The TWIC program began with Congress passing “The National Maritime Security Act” in 2002. The TSA and Coasties required all Merchant Marine license holders to obtain a TWIC under the guise of “security” for the maritime industry. However, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 exempted mariners on vessels not required to have a “security plan” (generally vessels carrying less than 150 passengers) from the TWIC requirement. That exemption was also in the original Congressional Act that authorized the TWIC, but because the Coasties didn’t know how to identify vessels without “secure areas” and written “security plans” they forced all licensed mariners to get a TWIC by April 15, 2009.
| 14 January 2012
If you enjoy the use of Florida's abundant water resources two new Florida bills may interest you.The House and Senate bills are identical with the same purpose. Their effect would be to privatize tens of thousands of acres of submerged lands in Florida. The two bills are SB 1362, sponsored by Senator Hays and HB 1103 sponsored by Representative Goodson.
Many outdoor related organizations, such as Florida Airboat Association and Audubon of Florida, are very concerned and asking their constituents to strongly oppose the bills.
| 30 December 2011
At some point in time the old Western gunslinger realized that it was for him to hang up his gun belt and matching Colt 45 single action revolvers because the string of young lions coming to town to challenge him was never ending. He knew that sooner than later one of the ‘young guns’ would out draw him and he would be left face down in the dirt. Father Time takes its toll on the human body and professional boat captains are no exception. I chose not to attempt to renew my license (it would have been the seventh issue) because I recently had four hours of hernia surgery and am on two types of blood pressure medication. There are far to many hoops for me to jump through.
Do you take any prescription medications, or have health issues such as recent surgery? If so, when it comes time to renew your license, plan on filing six months in advance because the National Maritime Center is taking up to three months to advise mariners that they have a medical condition that requires further review and that they must submit various medical tests and detailed medical records. It is taking up to another three months to receive an approval, or denial. If an application is denied for medical reasons the mariner is given 90 days to file an appeal, or request for reconsideration. Expect another three months for a reply for an appeal, or request for reconsideration.
| 30 December 2011
Happy New Year! As many of us flip the pages of a new 2012 calendar and glance in awe at photographs featuring nature’s beauty – from wild habitats to fish and wildlife or outdoor recreation – it is a good time to reflect on what it takes to make those glorious images.
Ask any passionate angler, hunter or
outdoors person what he or she loves about nature and getting
outdoors and you’ll get an answer based on personal experiences.
However, certain key points almost always come up, including a love
of connecting with nature, being able to relax and get away from
stress, and spending quality time with friends and families.
If you inquire about what conservation agencies should do to help them enjoy their experiences, you’ll hear similar themes such as protect the habitat, provide public access and help create the next generation that cares. You’ll also hear concerns expressed about other people and especially the younger generation not understanding the importance of fish and wildlife conservation and the joy and benefits of participating in outdoor recreational opportunities.
Each state has an agency dedicated to fish and wildlife conservation and providing fishing and hunting opportunities to the 88 million Americans over the age of 16 who fish, hunt or enjoy other wildlife-related recreation (2006 National Survey). In Florida, that is the responsibility of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Throughout 2011, the FWC made huge inroads to address those concerns through enhanced education, outreach and communications efforts. In previous Fish Busters’ Bulletins, we’ve discussed Get Outdoors Florida! (www.GetOutdoorsFlorida.org) and the Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network (www.FYCCN.org), which have gotten off to an amazing start but still need your support to reach Floridians with key messages about living a happier, healthier and smarter lifestyle by getting outdoors and enjoying active, nature-based recreation.
| 01 December 2011
December brings on the
winter months and changes fishing tactics on the river. The water
temperatures continue to fall and your fishing must adjust to the
weather. Water temps can dictate where you fish. Finding water a few
degrees warmer than normal can mean the difference in catching and
fishing.
We will get many days of breezy winds that will hinder
getting to some favorite spots out there. That's one of the reasons I
love fishing in this area....you can always find somewhere to fish!
Not only does the cooler weather affect the fish, it also requires us
to dig out the ol' winter fishing clothes. I’m not too proud to get
out the long johns on a cold winter day. It can get pretty chilly
some mornings!
Trout and snook will be targets throughout the winter. Although trout season will remain closed through December and snook season closes December 15th, many anglers will still play catch and release with them. Fishing around bridges, docks and inlets can bring great action with snook hanging around the deeper waters of the river. Using live bait, DOA Bait Busters & TerrorEyz, jigs and bomber lures can help you catch one worth a photo opportunity. Trout will tend to hang around the deeper cuts of the river. Move off to three to six feet of water for trout. Live shrimp on popping corks or DOA Deadly Combos will work the best for them. I love to work DOA CAL jerk baits this time of year on the flats. You can also find snook and redfish hanging around those areas as well.
| 01 December 2011
There are a few FGA members that have a passion and talent for writing. If you still have some Christmas shopping left to do you might want to consider one or more of these fishing books for your Christmas shopping list. In alphabetical order, here's the scoop.
Florida’s Fishing Legends and Pioneers by Associate FGA Member Doug Kelly
Fish Smart – Catch More by FGA Guide Member Captain Bill Miller
Fishing Secrets from Florida's Master Anglers by FGA Guide Member Captain Ron Presley
The Saltwater Angler's Guide to Florida's Big Bend and Emerald Coast by FGA Guide Member Captain Tommy Thompson.
| 01 December 2011
Over the past months I have written about problems captains are having with the National Maritime Center. I haven’t been very nice to the NMC and even considered rounding up the villagers and passing out torches and pitchforks. However, the NMC is charged with protecting maritime and public safety and they must be very careful. Captains complain that they were denied the renewal of their license over a medical condition, or prescription medication, that was approved every one of their past four renewals. Times have changed, and so has the laxity in approving just about anyone who could walk, talk and sign his, or her, name on a license application form.
What’s happened in the past five years? The accident involving the New York ferry that crashed into a pier killing several people and injuring dozens more after the captain passed out at the helm! The Transportation Safety Board ordered the Coast Guard to tighten up their physical standards and many sportfishing captains have lost their licenses as a result. Were they all a “risk to maritime and public safety” because of their medical condition? Maybe, but often the potential side effects of their prescription medications caused denial. If you were diagnosed with “Anxiety” or “Depression” your doctor may have prescribed an Anti-Psychotic (mood altering) medication such as: Ativan, Diazapam, Klonopin, Lexapro, Librium, Paxil, Valium, Wellbutrin, Xanax, or Zoloft. The medication makes you feel better, but consider the potential side effects: suicidal thoughts/behavior, impulsive/dangerous behavior, impaired judgment, amnesia, dizziness, respiratory depression, sedation and a host of others. Consult a PDR (Physicians’ Desk Reference) for all of the possible negative side effects. The NMC properly pays attention to the potential danger of those side effects on maritime and public safety.
| 30 November 2011
Cooler conditions will force anglers to
dig out their winter shorts in preparation for their day on the
water. Like November, December is loaded with outstanding fishing
opportunities, with the only difference being the impact of cold
fronts on water temperatures and fishing conditions. Currently, surf
and lagoon water temperatures are in the seventies with offshore
water temperatures remaining near the eighty-degree mark. As these
fronts approach and pass, gusty breezes will kick up the sea shutting
down most offshore and site fishing opportunities.
In and around the inlets, look for oversized redfish feeding on surface baits during periods of slack tide. At both Sebastian and Ponce De Leon inlets, target these fish outside the inlets near the end of the falling tide in areas of bird and bait activity. These fish will hit artificial swim baits, but live pinfish, pigfish, and finger mullet are the most productive baits.
Snook fishing will also remain steady as long as the water temperatures stay warm, with Sebastian Inlet proving to be the prime location. It is best to target inlet snook during periods of slack tide drift fishing live pigfish or pinfish at night in the channel under the inlet bridge. This style of angling can be quite rewarding when the bite is on, but it can also be challenging due to the number of anglers competing for the same action.
| 30 November 2011
Florida Fish Busters’ Bulletin
November 2011
Florida is not only the Fishing Capital
of the World, but it is right up there when it comes to the variety
of exotic fishes anglers may pursue. An exotic fish is one that is
not native to the area in which it is found. Typically, this is
because people moved them form one location to another either
intentionally or 
accidentally, resulting in their illegal release.
When they successfully reproduce in these new habitats for several
generations, they are termed established. Like native species, some
nonnatives may become a nuisance if they create substantial problems.
To many ecologists, any organism that is introduced to a place where it did not historically and naturally occur is a nuisance. However, when you look around Florida you will find many species of plants and animals that are associated with the Sunshine State but were not here 500 years ago when the Spanish first landed. In fact, the Spanish brought many of their familiar edibles from Europe, including oranges, horses and pigs that are now established.
It was not until the late 1800s that the first exotic fish were observed in Florida – the not-so-common carp. Evidently, five common carp from Germany were imported to the United States in 1872 for commercial purposes. In 1877, the U.S. Fish Commission imported additional carp from Germany, and for 20 years or so stocked the species as a harvestable food fish throughout most of the United States. Today in Florida, common carp are most abundant in the Panhandle area and support a small but avid fishery of anglers and bow fishermen.
More Articles...
- FGA Position on Seatrout Rule Changes
- November Fishing Outlook
- Million Dollar Fish Swims in Central Florida Lakes
- Understanding Marine Insurance
- Wildlife Alert: New ways to be the eyes and ears for fish and wildlife
- Triploid Grass Carp-Evoluton of a Living Lawn Mower
- Beware when moving fish – even native bass
- Members in the News - Capt. Dave Markett
- Commentary on Catch Shares and Fisheries Management
- Members in the News – Capt. Gary Colecchio
