Florida Fishermen magazine
Lobster Season is Open Vicky Stark
Against The Grain Charters in Costa Rica
The Fate of our Rivers Valentine Thomas Lea Anne Powell Jacinda Rose Hubbards Marina For our Veterans Pictures From Our Readers More inside
In This Issue
Valentine Thomas pg 3 Lea Anne pg 12 The Fate of our Rivers Pg 41 Tall Tails -Jacinda Rose pg 50 For our Veterans pg 61
An Inspirational and Amazing Woman Valentine Thomas
Hi! My name is Valentine Thomas and I actually don’t have a job title. When I talk about what I do for a living, most people think that I’ve been spearfishing or doing something like that my whole life. It’s such an unusual sport (I’m from Canada so pretty unusual up there!) and I’m so passionate by it that it may seems like it, but my journey in this sport is not only pretty recent, but it also was not an easy one. I was a lawyer in Canada and I worked in finance in London for 6 years. I had everything I worked hard for; a good job, a stable relationship, a nice apartment well located, two amazing dogs and a great group of friends. I spent most of my holidays hanging out on beaches all over Europe but I couldn’t help to feel bored. I couldn’t connect to most people I was meeting and all of it felt…not real. pg 1
Valentine Thomas
At the age of 14 years old, I went on holidays with my parents in the South of France and got stuck in an underwater current. I couldn’t reach the surface, the lifeguard came and rescued me and I was helicoptered to the nearest hospital. It wasn’t a good day. After that incident, I refused to go in the sea. I would swim when there was no waves and water was at my waist top. No need to say that my first experience of freediving was not a piece of cake, let alone my first spearfishing trip.
It went surprisingly well. I was loving it. When I got back to London, my friends told me that they were planning a big trip and invited me to join. Explore the ocean, shooting fish, grilling it in the beach and drink some beers, hell yeah I was in. Until he explained me what Blue water Hunting was and that’s what we would be doing. Indeed my first trip was pretty special. So I just finished my first freediving class – level1, and I was finding myself going to one of the most elite spearfishing destination on earth, Ascension Island.
A couple months before leaving, my friend gave me a training program and a ton of videos to watch. The day I was sent a Youtube video on ‘how to make a tourniquet in case of shark bite” I almost cancelled. But I didn’t. With the help of a friend, I built my own gun for the trip and made sure I understood how all the equipment work. Straight out of the plane, we went Blue Water Hunting. I’ve never even shot a gun before. I found myself in the middle of the Atlantic, water was really deep (hundreds of feet), we were miles away from the shore, it was raining and the waves were huge. I was petrified. I was sitting on the back of the boat about to jump in and I couldn’t breathe. The little voice in my head was telling me to stay on the boat, to go back home. So I breathe and breathe and I reached deep (deep deep!) down for any little bit motivation I could find and jumped in. The second I opened my eyes in the water, everything lightens up. It was magnificent. Despite the dark and gloomy aspect of the sea at the surface, jumping in took me to what was another world. A hidden beauty that you couldn’t perceive from the surface. That day I also shot my first fish, I stoned a 12kg black jack, it was 200g under the current WR. I was hooked, but it wouldn’t be an easy journey, I had a lot to go over to really enjoy it.
I kept practicing the sport despite the occasional extreme discomfort, panic attacks and facing situation that terrified me. I was out of my depth in the water and I knew it. I’ve never been a good swimmer; I’ve never been comfortable in the water and my most exciting sea experience had been snorkeling with my dad when I was a kid, and even scared me. But there was something that kept me going. As I’m an avid cook, the lifestyle of going around the world and catching my food was just too brilliant to let it go. So I took my “women the hell up pills” (it’s a South African thing apparently), I took a lot of them and I kept spearfishing. I kept going to pretty remote destinations to try to learn from the best spearfishermen from around the world. I had the chance to dive incredible locations all around the world with a few goals – conquering all my fears, becoming a better spearfishing woman and eating the best food in the world by catching it myself. I went to South Africa, Zanzibar, Cape Verde, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Mexico, Brazil, California, Florida, New York, North Carolina and many more.
For a long time, before every trip I had nightmares, I was in bed imagining being eaten alive by a shark, imagining drowning or being dragged to 200m deep by a fish. I was taking the plane on my way to fishing destinations with a knot in my stomach, for over two years, maybe three. Considering all my fears and despite the fact that I so far (1) had a blackout (2) been lost at sea (3) and got tangled and dragged by a fish), reality was never even near the atrocities I was making up in my head. Of course they are real possibilities and I found myself making mistakes that could have cost me my life, but my experiences were never about that. I was coming back grown emotionally and physically as an athlete and always ended up never wanting to leave. I was happy I told the little voice to keep quiet.
I overcame a fear that was keeping me for discovering something new and that I didn’t even know was accessible to me. I worked on myself a lot and trained really hard and I am now a freediving instructor with PADI. If you had told me 6 years ago that I would be at nearly 30 years old living in my suitcase, having barely no responsibility, I wouldn’t have believed you! Spearfishing changed my life in so many aspects and I grew to love it so much that I actually quit everything I had in my life – job, apartment, car, dogs… and boyfriend haha - to do it full time. It changed me as a person, it changed my dreams and I believe it changed my vision of the world for a much better one. I think that sometimes, discomfort, even extreme is the way to discover yourself. Not the yourself you already know or being told to be, but the better version of yourself you don’t know yet. I’m so glad I told the little voice to keep quiet because now, my big fear became domestication.
Sorry Valentine , Had to get the Fishing Picture in here
Ascension Island Whale Shark
Ascension Island
Ted Talk with Valentine Thomas
Valentine Thomas Click Each Picture for Videos
Lea Anne on land and Sea The Fast and the Fishing The Fast and The Fishing
Originally born and raised in Georgia Lea Anne is a true ‘Southern’ at heart but through her pursuit of auto racing Lea Anne has resided in California, Florida, Texas and Dubai as well. The proverbial ‘apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’ is so applicable here as Lea Anne’s mother was a race car driver in the Powder Puff Derby as a young woman in the 1960’s and her father owned an automotive shop when Lea Anne was growing up
Lea Anne, 30, born and raised in Georgia, found her passion for fishing at a very young age. When her cousin took her to a local freshwater fishing hole that was stocked with rainbow trout, that first tug became her drug. She was HOOKED.
Click the picture for Lea Anne Fishing Video
She has resided in such places as Tampa Florida, Oceanside California, and even Dubai United Arab Emirates. These locations really introduced Lea Anne to the salt life which is what she focuses on majority of the time now. However, you can spot her at a lake by herself on a dock or on a bank chasing bass. Occasionally she will drag her adopted sisters with her, teaching them the ways of the lake.
Lea Anne
Lea Anne specializes in hand-lining, rod and reel, and is now getting her feet wet with bow fishing. One of her most memorable fishing experiences was fishing in the Indian Ocean for Long Tail Tuna, which is a species of Tuna that is a mix of Yellowfin Tuna and Blue Fin Tuna. She got a 55lb long tail on light gear with light line that took 50 minutes to reel in. It was one heck of a fight. Another was fishing on the Red Sea out of Hurghada, Egypt. Camping out on a 32 foot boat under the moon in a sleeping bag was certainly one for the books.
If Lea Anne isn’t fishing, or planning her next trip, you can find her on a race track. She is a professional racing driver as well as an FIA certified driving coach who has instructed at the world renowned FIA track Yas Marina Circuit. Website: www.LeaAnneP.com Instagram: @LeaAnneP
Lea Anne is currently engaged as a lead driving instructor at the world renowned Formula 1 Track Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi. She continues to pursue her career goal of driving in the Pirelli World Challenge Series. Lea Anne is available for select instruction appointments worldwide as well as sponsorship and limited modeling engagements based on availability.
Lea Anne is an avid lady-angler. She fishes anytime humanly possible. Weather in the US on the east and west coast or in the UAE, wherever she can find a place to drop a line in. Typically, you can find her with her hand-line in hersuitcase anywhere she travels. She focuses on bass fishing as well as deep sea. In-shore and off-shore. From working on cars with her hands, its made the feel for the fish at the end of her line easy for her to detect. Be sure to know that if you end up on a trip with Lea Anne, you will have a run for your money as she is known to out fish the boys.
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We would like to Thank Bimini Bay Outfitters for the amazing Support in our endeavors to get more people outdoors , Fishing and Outdoor recreation has a champion Bimini Bay Outfitters Click the Links for informative videos
As my lead-head jig/soft plastic swimbait combo hits the water with a faint splash, I slowly hop it down the bank, doing my best to mimic a shrimp, crab, or baitfish that reside in these vast salt marshes. I’ve done something right as the tell-tale “tick” of a hungry fish catching it’s breakfast is transmitted to my chilly fingers. A quick lift of the rod tip and I’m tight! After a spirited tug-of-war and some solid head shakes, our third speckled trout, a fat 20 incher, joins two of its buddies in the fish box
In Search of A Golden Isles Marsh Slam By Capt Jon Fine
It's just after 7:30 am on a brisk mid-December morning, the sun is still rising over the Hampton River marshland, and my smile grows, as all signs point to another classic day on these fertile waters surrounding St. Simons Island, Georgia. St. Simons Island, and the entire Golden Isles region, has quickly become a favoured haunt when a much needed fix of saltwater fishing and beach time is in order. Located midway between Savannah, GA and Jacksonville, FL, St. Simons Island is both a seaside resort and residential community. It is the largest of Georgia's renowned Golden Isles (along with Sea Island, Jekyll Island, and privately owned Little St. Simons Island), and an easy 5 hour drive from Metro Atlanta. Visitors are drawn to the Island for its warm climate, wide open beaches, a variety of outdoor activities, shops and restaurants, historical sites, and its natural environment. I’ve come for the cooler weather (which “usually” keeps those nasty biting bugs at bay!) and the hot fishing, something I do several times each year, to chase various species of sport fish that take up residence here depending on the season.
In Search of A Golden Isles Marsh Slam by Capt Jon Fine
M y g o o d f r i e n d a n d l o c a l a c e C a p t a i n T im C u t t i n g (www.fishthegeorgiacoast.com) is my guide and fishing partner, while the targets.areas’ healthy populations of trout, redfish, flounder and sheepshead are our Fishing with Capt. Tim is always a treat. Quick with a smile and a joke, ind fish on even the toughest days, and, as with all great guides, he knows his playing fields inside and out. We’re staked out in a narrow creek off the main river, formed from rice paddies carved into thesehe knows how to f marsh banks many years ago. Apparently, rice was grown in great quantities here at one time but now those lanes are a happy highway for all kinds of aquatic creatures
We’ve elected to fish artificial lures only today. To add to the challenge we’ve further narrowed our choices to two local baits, designed and produced in small batches right here in the Golden Isles. Sloan Brother’s Bait Company (www.sloanbaits.com) hand pours soft plastics in several styles and sizes, and are located in St. Simons Island. They provided us with some “limited edition” 3.5” ribbed paddletail swimbaits and had some fun with the names in honour of Capt. Tim’s love of music: “Purple Panic” and “Freedom Fry” were on the menu today and the trout were literally inhaling them. Pitching these on light 7’ spinning rods, using 10 lb. test braid, and 1/8 ounce lead heads (produced by local operator Dead Bait Jigs), it didn’t take long to find out that the local fish population has gotten the memo about these lures! Maybe they were just hungry, maybe it was “our day”, but there weren’t many “liphooked” fish on this trip!
In Search of Golden Isle Marsh Slam By Capt Jon Fine
In Search of A Golden Isle Marsh Slam By Capt Jon Fine
Over the next three hours, Tim and I catch our limits twice over, releasing at least as many as we keep, sometimes two at a time, and have an absolute ball doing so. Several are extra-stout models, pushing the 4 pound mark, which is quite big for this area. We take great care to release these big mommas, ensuring a good gene pool for the future. By 10:00 am, its all catch and release, as we’ve kept plenty for my annual fish fry, but the trout are still hitting with gustol, and the old adage rings true: “never leave fish to find fish”. Finally, the bite sows, and a falling tide makes the decision for us. Its time we go in search of the “Marsh Slam”, which involves catching at least one each of the three coveted inshore species here: Speckled trout (check!), Redfish, and Flounder, all in the same day. To earn the “grand slam” we would add the Sheepshead to the tally. A quick a run across the bay brings us to a long line of docks, some still ravaged by the effects of Hurricane Irma, where pitching the same jig and soft plastic combinations into the structure results in more hungry speckled trout ,and a few small sheepshead. Two from four and its not even lunchtime. The odds look good as this area reliably holds all four target species, but the tide and conditions just aren’t right, as the flounder and redfish don’t come to play this time around. No matter: as we pick up and run back to the marina, the smiles are wide, the sun is warm, the fish box is full, and two good friends have another fishing trip for the books. Ya just gotta love Mid-December in the Golden Isles! Until next time my friends: May you have tight lines, fair seas, and salty smiles. Capt. Jon Fine
Cristie Manske MyCoMedia Pro
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The weather has been much better this past week but still awfully rainy around the area. However, this hasn't affected the bite as much as the rough weather did last week. We are seeing some big tarpon rolling through the pass and even some caught and released by some skillful anglers. Luke and Jess from Canada caught and released a huge 150lb+ tarpon the other night on a live ladyfish. We are also seeing plenty of snook moving through the pass and on the beaches, they are loving the free lined live baits or bucktail jigs. The mangrove snapper action is fairly steady lately around the pass too on pieces of shrimp. Also, unique to the time of year we are seeing large amount of triple tail along the dock lights of Johns Pass area at night but where the water is moving. Robert Bogacki, the fishing manager at theTampa bass pro shops, has been plucking huge triple tail off the dock lights on fly fishing set ups and custom flies he hand ties.
Fishing Reports I Inshore
Fishing Reports Near Shore
The hogfish are the new concentration for us since the red snapper season has ended this allows our ten hour all days to begin once again and were on the hunt for plenty of the good eating hogfish, the occasional red grouper, some shallow water mangroves, and plenty of the lane snapper, grey snapper or white grunts, porgies and occasional nice seabass. The fishing is very steady as of late, and the overcast conditions has helped the day time bite remain fairly consistent even through the day time full moon period. The mackerel and kingfish fall run should be kicking off soon as the weather cools back down a little, so be on the lookout for the return of that action.
Amberjack season has opened up, we are very excited for our first Jack trips this weekend! They love the huge live bait or large vertical jigs and they are found on the offshore wrecks, springs and huge structure. Typically you have to be 120ft or more to find consistent number of keeper sized Amberjack. This past weekend, we had a 44 hour full moon trip that did very well. The night bite on this trip was steady and we picked mangrove snapper and big yellowtail snapper consistently through the night with some big gag grouper and the occasional kingfish mixed in. The day time bite was a little slower in the 120-140ft waters we were fishing but once late afternoon hit the snapper species kicked back up and the bite got hot once again. Keep in mind on the full moon the day time bite can get very slow typically. The big gag grouper bite was decent through the trip and it's great to see them starting to move in a little more shallow, they have been 150ft or more consistently now we saw them 100-140ft through this trip and caught over two dozen thick gags. Pelagic bite around this depth has however been fairly mediocre at best with the occasional night time kingfish bite, but not much else other than bonita. Out deeper, around 160ft or more there's plenty of big wahoo but they haven't been too consistent as of late either. Lots of big sharks out there now though, were seeing tons of aggressive bull sharks and catching and releasing them often.
Fishing Reports Off Shore
Right now, is an awesome time to experience some great times on the water at Hubbard's Marina while cruising the back-bay waters of upper Boca Ceiga bay aboard the big blue dolphin boat out of Johns Pass Madeira beach. Our hour and a half dolphin watching nature cruise and eco tour with guaranteed dolphin sightings has been spotting large pods of dolphin and it's been super nice weather for us too. Plus, our entire cruise is narrated so the captain will tell you all about the local area and local wildlife as well. If you want to learn more about the relaxing, fun and family friendly Johns Pass dolphin watching tour with us at Hubbard's Marina check out this page - https://hubbardsmarina.com/dolphin-watching-cruises/
Captain Jacks Dolphin Corner
We are continuing to stay red tide free out at Egmont Key, fort de soto and shell key for now even with it just at the south end of Tampa Bay we are very lucky not to be experiencing in our local area on the north side of Tampa bay yet and were hoping it continues this way. Unfortunately, we do have some bad news to report however. Due to the City of Madeira beach new city government voting to defund the Madeira beach water taxi we are being forced to shut down the Madeira beach water taxi operations as of September 30th. If you would like to ride the Madeira beach water taxi before the city shuts it down, there's still plenty of time to join us! This is a great way to get to Johns Pass, sea the area, go for a pub crawl, or just hangout on a gorgeous water taxi as it takes guests, locals, and tourists alike around our beautiful local area. Check out this link for our Madeira beach water taxi schedule by Tampa bay ferry - http://tampabayferry.com/madeira-beach-water-taxi/route-and-schedule/ The shell key ferry has been spotting lots of manatees around shell key and bunces pass lately while cruising to and from the island. This island ferry ride is a great way to experience shell key and offers tons of flexibility on how long or how short you want to spend time on the island shelling, swimming and exploring this pristine island paradise! For more info on how you can join us for a ride to shell key aboard the shell key ferry by Tampa bay ferry and Hubbard's Marina check out this page - https://hubbardsmarina.com/shell-key-ferry/ Don't forget to check out the BRAND NEW shell key ferry from Fort De Soto County Park out to the beautiful shell key preserve! This is a great way to see the island, go shelling and enjoy a day on the water with a flexible schedule. For more info on this new ferry route check out this link to the Tampa bay ferry shell key page - http://tampabayferry.com/shell-key-ferry/route-and-schedule/ The Egmont key ferry is running daily as well with multiple rides out to the island from Fort De Soto's bay pier. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday there's an afternoon ferry option too instead of just mid-morning. Check out the website for ferry prices and times. Plus, while on the island they offer a snorkeling trip too! https://hubbardsmarina.com/egmont-key-ferry-cruise/
The Lighthouse Series by Venny Melton
St. Augustine was home to the first lighthouse in Florida, though the first structure fell into the ocean after its foundation eroded. The newer, current lighthouse was constructed on Anastasia Island and completed in 1874. The building received indoor plumbing in 1907 and the light was electrified in 1936 and automated in 1955. After lighthouse keepers were no longer needed, the keeper’s house began to be rented out to local residents. By 1970, the grounds were declared surplus by the U.S. Coast Guard, so St. Johns County purchased the property. Ten years later, the Junior Service League of St. Augustine signed a 99 year lease with the county and a 30 year lease with the Coast Guard (which still owned the lighthouse itself) and began restoring the buildings. In 1981, the tower was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Since 1994, the property has been open to the public as part of the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum. Admission fees help support continued preservation of the lighthouse and maritime archaeology programs. The organization continues to operate the lighthouse as a private aid to navigation.
Jesse “Roberto” Switzer Owner of Los Gringos Charters GringosCharters.com 415-758-3474
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Capt Patrick Price and Robert Warner from FFM discussing the condition of our river and fishing *click the picture to open the video *
Against The Grain Charters 305-815-2383 Because Catching is way better than Fishing
Against The Grain Charters 305-815-2383
Against The Grain Charters Key Largo, Fl
Against The Grain Charters
Captain Charlie Rogers and Melanie Housh visiting Costa Rica
The Fate of our Rivers
The following is an article I wrote two and half years ago to bring awareness to the catastrophic effects the red tide has had on Southwest Florida and surrounding areas. Since then, thousands of marine life have died due to this toxic bloom, and hundreds of Floridians have been forced out of their homes due to the horrific odors from the infected waters. The fact that this is still an issue and is just now receiving national attention is unacceptable. Join us in our fight to preserve our state’s exceptional waterways and all its inhabitants by spreading the word, writing your local congressmen and/or supporting groups such as “Captains for Clean Water,” who are committed to finding a solution to this growing problem. Also, with a new election around the corner it is important that you research the candidates and vote for a leader who will make this issue one of their top priorities. I have said it before and I will say it again: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
Enough is Enough! By: Lou Sea
"For decades, environmentalists have warned us of our devastating impact on our planet. From pollution to climate change, there is no doubt that we are slowly destroying our environment for our future generations. On the global level, the irreversible effects are spiraling dangerously out of control. Locally, the issues are seemingly as uncontrollable, and they will soon be too disastrous to be ignored. The dumping of countless billions of gallons of toxic water from Lake Okeechobee into South Florida is nothing short of old news. Scientists and advocates for the environment have been warning us for years of the deadly repercussions such “backwashing” from local farmers can result in. For example, in October 2013 Republican Representative Patrick Murphy (D-Fla.) released pictures of dead marine animals in an attempt to outrage the community (McCorquodale, 2008.) Yet, nothing has changed and I am on a quest to determine why. How many more marine animals must perish before we make a change in our water management programs? How many more ecosystems must be permanently damaged before our heads turn? How many communities must suffer from inadequate water conditions before we decide that enough is enough? The answers to these questions still remain unclear. One thing, however, is absolutely clear: not only are our current government officials doing nothing to ensure a long-term solution to this problem, but they are allowing such pollution to incur while taxpayers and Florida residents are left to deal with the horrific consequences. During Rick Scott’s five years as governor, he has denied funds to multiple studies that would have quantified the damage this toxic water has imposed on South Florida’s inhabitants (Gimleteye, 2016.) Without this data, it is nearly impossible to determine an effective clean-up plan and to rally support for such a significant issue. Though regulations have been implemented to guide farmers in procedures pertaining to cleaning water before it is recycled back into lake, these guidelines are loosely defined and enforced, and they do not have any clear consequences for the farmers who choose not to comply (Dewan, 2016.) Eric Draper, an environmental Florida lobbyist who has worked closely with government officials to enhance the bill that governs these guidelines, suggests that permits are the only way to ensure that farmers are doing everything in their power to avoid dumping polluted water back into our lakes, rivers and oceans. He believes that more laws should be established requiring farmers to retain more water on their personal property and cut-back on fertilizer use in areas surrounding the lake. He also insists that the government build and employ sewer lines that connect to the septic tanks near the polluted water (Rangel, 2016)
The problem is no longer contained to Lake Okeechobee. It is now directly spreading through South Florida’s waterways, affecting both the Gulf and Atlantic Ocean and every where in between, including the three-million acres that comprise the Everglades. Sanibel Island, a land known for its crystal waters and sea shell blanketed beaches recently had hundreds of dead fish wash up onshore due to “red tide,” a name given to harmful algae that kill sea grass and other marine life and is a direct result from Lake Okeechobee pollution (Contreras, 2016.) The Caloosahatchee River, formally infamous for its giant tarpon and abundance of blue crab, is being suffocated by excessive nutrients that feed the harmful algae and threaten it inhabitants (Gillis, 2016.) One does not have to be consuming or swimming in the toxic affects; it is reported that the algae can cause irritation of the throat, coughing, and watery eyes to those who live near the affected water systems (Contreras, 2016.)With El Niño in full effect and climate change on the rise, the issue is guaranteed to continue to grow out of control (Reid, 2016.) Thousands of sharks and other marine life are starting to move to warmer waters, which are also some of the most heavily impacted areas It won’t be long until this issue affects a waterway near you severely impacting your way of life if it hasn’t already. The last time we had an epidemic this devastating, tourism (one of our state’s leading industries) declined tremendously, sending rippling effects across the state (Dewan, 2016.) All of the amazing wonders that make us proud to be Floridians- fishing, boating, swimming, surfing, sailing- are nourished from our water systems. Imagine what our state will be like if we continue to pollute the founding source of our way of life. It is up to all of us to make a difference by spreading awareness and urging our government to provide relief to all who are being affected by this madness. The intentional pollution of our waterways has been allowed for far too long, and it is up to us to put a stop to it by voting for leaders in the upcoming election who will actually take a stand against the destruction of our planet instead of turning an intentional blind eye for personal gains. Enough is enough!"
1Contreras, M. (2016, January 29). Retrieved March 28, 2016, from http://www.winknews.com/2016/01/29/sanibel-city-officials-monitoring-red-tide-along-shores/ Dewan, B. (2016, February 25). Florida Officials Drain Lake Full Of ‘Toilet’ Water To Coast. Retrieved March 28, 2016, from http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/02/25/3753365/okeechobee-beach-water-pollution/ Gimleteye. (2016, March 23). EYE ON MIAMI. Retrieved March 28, 2016, from http://eyeonmiami.blogspot.com/2016/03/on-massive-fish-kills-on-florida-coasts.html Gillis, C. (2016, January 29). Emergency Lake pumping started Wednesday, polluted water coming to Fort Myers. Retrieved March 28, 2016, from http://www.news-press.com/story/news/2016/01/28/state-declares-emergency-polluted-water-coming-fort-myers/79401690/ McCorquodale, A. (2013, October 10). Devastating Photos Of Florida Pollution Will Fill You With Rage. Retrieved March 28, 2016, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/02/lake-okeechobee-pollution_n_4031154.html Rangel, I. (2016, January 8). Florida water bill poised for passage; environmentalists split on Lake Okeechobee impacts. Retrieved March 28, 2016, from http://www.tcpalm.com/news/indian-river-lagoon/politics/florida-water-bill-poised-for-passage-environmentalists-split-on-lake-okeechobee-impacts-28861b83-41-364663581.html Reid, A. (2016, February 1). South Florida emergency pumping into Lake Okeechobee ends. Retrieved March 28, 2016, from http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/fl-lake-o-pumping-change-20160201-story.html
Robert Warner from FFM With Congressman Brian Mast I had the pleasure of meeting with the Congressman Yesterday at lunch time, he was receptive and genuine with a true concern for his community and our quality of life. We discussed the current state of the river and more importantly plans for the future. His goal is "not one more drop" Offering both short-term and long-term Solutions to our Water Crisis. In the short-term keeping the water levels lower during the dry season so that when the rains come there would not be the need to let out huge amounts of algae ridden water that develops in the summer. And in the long-term, the current work on the Kissimmee River, the acquisition of land for a large Reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee and the building of the bridges currently underway on the Tamiami Trail in South Miami so that the water can flow freely through the Everglades to Florida Bay. I mentioned other politicians who had visited our area and I loved the congressman's response. It was, " these other people have to be concerned with the entire state and various other problems I am local, I live here this is my problem as much as it is yours and it needs to stop now." I encourage you to follow Congressman Brian Mast in his endeavors to handle a problem that has gone on far too long and I commend him on his service to our country and to our community Whoever you vote for make sure you know their history on this Issue, For those of you who know me , you know that in the current state of Politics here , me endorsing a candidate is like the Sun coming up in the West tomorrow . lol
Ginger Jenné Bourgeois Fishing Charters / New Orleans Fly Fishing 1-504-416-3818 cell/text 1-504-341-5614 office Neworleansfishing.com
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Cajun Life - Alaska and Alaska Fishing Report click the picture below
Thank you to Theophile and Ginger for sharing their Alaskan Adventure with us .. click the picture for another video
iNFORMATION REGARDING THIS UNIQUE EXPERIENCE NEXT PAGE
THE ULTIMATE CAJUN VISTA ADVENTURE ~ Day 1: Two (2) guests arrive at The Cajun Vista Inn in the afternoon, be treated to a 60 minute massage and then prepare to be served a Five-course supper with fresh local seafood. Accommodations will be provided at the Cajun Vista Inn. ~ Day 2: A hot Breakfast will be ready before your morning Island Adventure. The estimated flight time is 30 minutes to the Chandeleur Islands where your Captain will make an observation pass over the best location. After securing the plane away from the schools of fish you and your party can wade to the strike zone and begin catching your fresh catch of the day. Your Captain will return you back to the Cajun Vista Inn where a hot lunch will be served. Accommodations will be provided and a five course dinner will be served at supper time. ~ Day 3: A hot Breakfast will be ready before your Spin-fishing Bay Boat Adventure, your Captain will return you back around 1:30 where a hot lunch will be served while your fish are being prepared for your trip to Bourbon House, a Dickie Brennan restaurant, for a supper prepared with your catch of the day! A limousine will pick you up at The Cajun Vista Inn at 6 p.m. sharp for 7 p.m. reservations at Bourbon House. The limousine will pick you up from The Bourbon House at 10:00 p.m., for your return to The Cajun Vista Inn. ~ Day 4: A hot Breakfast will be ready before your morning departure. Your Island Adventure consists of one wade fishing trip. Your trip includes all spin fishing equipment (if you choose to fly fish, your equipment is not provided, please provide all necessary fly fishing equipment), packed lunch, soft drinks and water. Your fish will be cleaned and prepared for you to take home. WEIGHT LIMIT IS 800 POUNDS PER SEAPLANE FOR YOUR PARTY & ANY ITEMS YOU WANT TO BRING ON PLANE! THIS WEIGHT LIMIT IS STRICTLY ENFORCED! Your party will be two (2) people Total number of fishing trips (2) The total number of seaplanes are (1) The total number of boats will be (1) The cost of your trip: $ 2,750.00: per person; additional people may be added in number’s of 2’s! Each person MUST purchase a LA fishing license. Purchase your fishing license online! www.wlf.louisiana.gov/licenses-and-permits license code 079. CALL (504) 341-5614 FOR INFORMATION OR TO BOOK! www.NewOrleansFishing.com
Tall Tales after Blue Tails Hello Fishing Friends! First, I’d like to introduce myself. i.am.jacinda! (IG plug, but it’s a perfect intro, don’t you think?) I am a saltwater kayak fisherman from Central Florida, fishing primarily the beautiful Nature Coast! Redfish are my desired species on every trip, but of course I love catching anything!
July was a great month for fishing with friends. My most memorable trip was actually on a charter trip out of Crystal River with Capt. Marrio Castello of Tall Tale Charters and good friend Ronald Kersey. In search of CCA STAR tagged redfish, we headed out! Ironically, our first stop was for snook! As Capt. Marrio was teaching me a new way to work a jighead (I should mention I’m not very fond of artificials, but I keep trying!!), storms are growing on the bay. The wind picked up, making it a bit rough (especially for those like me without sea legs!). No snook were landed here, however, I did manage to land a nice Jack Cravelle, breaking my rod in the process! Fiesty fish!!! Good thing Captains always have a backup rod or two!
Jacinda Rose - Tall Tails
The rain was just across the way, coming down hard in some places, but leaving a clearing for us to get to our next destination! It was a long shot to make it through without getting wet! We missed that shot, and I swear thats what accupuncture must feel like!! Thank goodness I put on my raincoat before we made the trek across the bay! We were only rained on for a moment, but it was definitely a lot different than being rained on while kayaking! Fortunately, that was the only rain we encountered, although it remained rather breezy. In all, it was a beautiful day to be on the water!
The rest of the day we spent hunting tagged redfish! Again, with a jighead! I’ll get this stuff down eventually!! Casting accuracy was never a strong point of mine, as I spent so much time lobbing a live baitfish. I impressed myself with my accuracy this day! Most of my casts were right on point! I did say most!! One of my first casts landed me the first redfish of the day! A lower slot red, no tag. Several lower, and a few under slot redfish were caught by both myself and Ronald. One of mine had the marking of a tag that was no longer there. How cool is that? It was later determined to not have been a CCA STAR tagged redfish, but perhaps a Progress Energy or Duke Energy tagged fish. Still a pretty exciting catch! I also managed to catch the snook we were looking for earlier!
As we reached another destination, I was standing on the bow of the boat, trying to see if I could sight any fish. Capt. Marrio made the comment that it was perfect sight fishing conditions, just as I spied a nice redfish slowly cruising the bottom. I cast out in front of it and slowly reeled in so the bait was in front of the fish. I watched as the redfish swam to, stopped, then dove head first onto my bait! He took it! Fish On!! It was so exciting to watch every step, as I don’t often get to! He fought strong and hard, and took a liking to the underneath of the boat! I managed to get him out and landed one of the most beautiful redfish I’ve ever caught! Such perfect bronze coloring and vivid spots on an almost 29” pallet! Spectacular redfish I’ll not soon forget! I was happy to be a witness to Ronald catching his personal best redfish ever, as well! It was the beast of the trip, coming in at 30.5” with a good strong fight! Gave Mr. Kersey a bit of a challenge, but he handled it like a pro! Way to go, Ronald!
At our last little fishing hole, we were chatting away, and me not being used to standing all day, decided to kneel down on the bow of the boat. Blah, Blah, Blah….and BAM! My line was down again! I knew it was another redfish, and it was a decent one! It tried its best to get away, but I wanted to see it, so I had to get it in! And I did, still kneeling on the boat, with Capt. Marrio doing a video and Ronald taking snapshots behind me, leaving me to net my second overslot redfish of the day! What’s a girl gotta do to get a fish netted around here? No worries! Being a kayak angler, I was in my comfort zone and quite accustomed to netting them on my own! I got this, Captain!! Almost as pretty as my first overslot redfish, this one came in at almost 28”! We didn’t catch any CCA STAR tagged redfish, but we did catch a lot of awesome redfish, as well as some other great fish. It was an absolute pleasure getting to fish with Capt. Marrio and Ronald Kersey. It was a laid back, yet exciting day of catching and talking fish! That’s what its all about! Good times with great people doing what we love! Not to mention the gorgeous views you just can’t get anywhere else but on the water! Every trip is a new adventure and you never know what will be at the end of the line! Until next time, Tight Lines and Good Times, Y’all! Catch em up!
Jacinda Rose
Islamorada “The Sport Fishing Capital Of The World No one knows this claim to fishing fame better then the locals and fishing enthusiasts that flock here from around the globe. Islamorada may be the only place on Earth where it is possible to catch a sailfish offshore and pursue bonefish, permit, and tarpon in just inches of water in the backcountry, all in the same day.
The big three Tarpon, Bonefish, and Permit. Any angler will tell you it is a accomplishment to land any one of these three sought after species, but doing it within a 24 hour time frame and completing an IGFA Grand Slam is an anglers true claim to fame and dream come true. All three of these fish have much different personalities and bring new strategy, techniques, and equipment for each one you pursue. Tarpon are easily one of the best sport fish on the planet these fish reach into the upper 200 lb class and with thier bad attitudes, high flying aerobatics, and willingness to fight these fish are truly made to disappoint even the most seasoned anglers. It is a true accomplishment to land one of these prehistoric giants. Florida Keys bonefish fishing can be one of the most challenging of sports, these fish are some of the most technique bonefish on the planet. Relatively small, these fish average between 2 and 14 pounds, but what they lack in size they make up for in raw muscle and excitement. The elusive Permit has been called ”the grey ghost of the flats”, and has frustrated more anglers than possibly any other fish, anywhere in the world. Permit fishing is the most difficult type of fishing you will ever do. To top it off, they get moody, sulky, and will sometimes just flat out refuse to cooperate. Catching a Permit of any size bestows lifetime bragging rights upon the lucky angler, in any fishing circle, anywhere in the world.
th Florida. > Tarpon aka the Silver King are one of if not the most important fish to South Florida’s sport fishing industry. The massive migration of these fish kicks off around the end of March following for around the next hundred days. As the water temperature rises into the upper 70 degrees mark we start to see these great giants appear on the flats. This is where they they can be stalked and sight casted to as you watch the drama unfold. Tarpon lore is one of the most captivating of any fish in the sea. From the stories of Scarface the thankful tarpon of Robbie’s Marina to the countless roads towns and businesses that make this great fish their poster children. Iconic fish bring iconic anglers I will always remember growing up in the Pacific Northwest watching 3m vhf videos with my father of Billy Pate, Lefty Kreh, and Andy Mills to only name a few. Watching these men pioneer modern equipment against these giant beasts in a tropical paradise was what sent me to bed dreaming at night wondering if I will ever get my shot at the Silver King. > > In resent years The Bonefish Tarpon Trust has put out an exclusive summary for South Florida alone that each angler spends a average of over $200 a day and over $2000 annually on the chances of hooking up on a tarpon. This report found that around 300,000 anglers fishes for these fish on average of about 10 days, which puts over $65,000,000.00 of direct expenditures from tarpon anglers. Supplemental expenditures spent was over $45,000,000.00 putting $110,000,000.00 into tho local economy, which creates well over 1000 full time positions and brings in $30,000,000.00 to local wages, salaries, and business owners. Tarpon truly is king i
Tarpon handling guidelines and regulations are in place to ensure that we have these iconic fish in the generations to follow. Tarpon over 40 inches must remain in the water. If tarpon under 40 inches are removed handle the fish supported horizontally, never handled by gill plate or hang vertically also return quickly to the water. Have large enough gear to beat the fish in a timely fashion, quickly fighting a fish ensures that the fish will have sufficient energy at time of release. Lastly use a single J hook or off set circle hook, never use trebles to insure minimum damage to the fish. Get out and enjoy the “Sport fishing capital of the world”, the fabulous Florida Keys and the Iconic fish that come with it. See you on the water. Capt. Ben Trainer
Call (305) 570-9424 m.me/Leatherneckbackcountryfishing http://www.leatherneckbackcountryfishing.com
Hi there My name Victoria, I just Recently caught a pending womens world record African pompano Pending World Record
Victoria Watts
It was actually a pretty slow day for us. We had caught a couple of kings and hadn't caught anything for about 3 hours. We were drifting with live bait and about ready to reel everything up and head home, then all of the sudden my rod with a live blue runner starts screaming and ripping off line. This rod had only 20lb braid on it so my boyfriend immediately started reeling up all the other rods and put the boat in drive and we chased him for about 20 minutes not having a clue what kind of fish this was. After about 45 minutes we finally got him up and we both had to pull him in together with the gaff. He was almost the size of me and absolutely beautiful. His blue lips were gorgeous and he was so shiny and iridescent in the sun. We tried to fit him in our 75 qt gatr cooler and he wasnt even close to fitting so we knew we needed to head in and get some ice. We weighed and measured him when we got home and he was 128cm and weighed in at 45.2. Only 5 pounds short of the all class world record. Such an awesome experience that I'll never forget.
Amanda Gilbert
For Our Veterans
For Our Veterans Florida Fishermen Magazine Florida Fishermen Magazine is proud tedia . The winners will receive a Charter with one of our great Captains , a rod and reel , Salt Life Sunglasses , a performance shirt , and hat A Huge Thank you to Captain Ben Trainer at Leatherneck Backcountry Fishing/Veo announce " For Our Veterans" A Raffle event that will take place on our website and here on social mterans R&R Fishing , Capt Greg Leonard with @All Anglers Inshore Fishing Charters , Capt Philip Watson with Just Kickin Back Charters, Bimini Bay Outfitters , Tortuga Custom Rods , Salt Life , Settin The Hook , FishHeads , and all the others who are helping out with this great event a Raffle paypal checkout will be added to the website at https://flfishmag.com/ for registration and tracking Raffle begins 8/20 and ends 10/8 Raffle entries are $10.00 click this picture for the link to the Raffle
Contact Us INSHORE / OFFSHORE / FRESHWATER / SPECIALTYB Hi-Performance ... Purpose-Built ... Fishing Rods ... Gaffs ... ait Nets "Crafted with Passion and Commitment ..." Tortuga Custom Rods (863) 440 - 4285 Drop Us A Line! ...We'll Hook-You-Up!
"The Gear" from Tony H2O The Gear , From Tony Ludovico represents years of hard work and dedication , They are the most beautiful shirts I have ever seen and are the result of lovng the the world you live in and in Tony's case that is Underwater . To help give back to his world a portion of the proceeds will be donated to " The Coral Restoration Foundation" in Key Largo to help keep our coral reef alive . Please use promo code "Flfishermenmag" when ordering for additional savings and to help the Coral Restoration Foundation , To order just click or tap a picture
A sneak peek at what Tony and I have been working on Password is baitball12
Catch U Later