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Pan Seared Snook and Seafood Risotto

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A spicy snook recipe that’s sure to be a hit.

Before: The authors son, Matthew Benecke, caught this beauty off Anna Maria Island on a Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow.

Snook season is now open in Florida. With all the rules and regulations on this species, catching a slot snook is a real treat. It cannot be bought at any restaurant or fish market, so it’s worth making something really special when you do catch a keeper. This recipe is great for a cozy night in with a glass of wine and a snuggie or for a formal dinner party. Whatever the occasion, this dish is sure to please the palate.

Pan Seared Snook with Jalapeno Cream Sauce and Seafood Risotto

Serves: 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients

Seafood Risotto
2 cups of Arborio rice
6-8 cups of chicken stock (kept warm)
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion (chopped)
1 tsp garlic (finely chopped)
1/2 cup of white wine
12oz jumbo shrimp (can use raw or cooked, cut into chunks)
2 cups of bay scallops (small)
1/4 cup whole kernel corn
1/4 cup leeks (rinsed and sliced)
1 tsp dried tarragon
2 Tbsp fresh chives (chopped)
1 small tomato (diced)
2 Tbsp butter salt and pepper (to taste)

Jalapeno Cream Sauce
4 jalapenos, cored and finely diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tsp corn starch (mixed with a little water to make a paste for thickening)

Garnish
12 jumbo shrimp (grilled)
6 jalapenos (halved and grilled)
Lemon wedges
Chives

Snook
2 snook fillets, cut into 6 pieces
All purpose flour (just enough for a light dusting)
Light olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of your pan)
2 Tbsp butter
Salt
Ground black pepper
Fish spice of choice (optional)

After: This snook sure cleans up nicely.

Directions

Seafood Risotto
Add the oil to a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender. Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat the rice. Add the wine and cook until the wine has absorbed. Turn heat to medium-low. Add 1 to 2 ladles at a time of the warm chicken stock and stir constantly. Let simmer slowly until the liquid has absorbed. Keep adding 1 to 2 ladles at a time and keep stirring. Once you have used about 2/3 of the stock, add in the cut up shrimp, bay scallops, corn and leeks. Keep stirring and adding stock until the rice is creamy and tender. Add in the herbs and tomato and simmer until done. Add in the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve. Add a little warm stock if too thick before serving.

Jalapeno Cream Sauce
Core and remove the seeds from 4 jalapenos. Use 5 if you prefer a stronger jalapeno flavor. Add the butter to a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Once melted add the onion, jalapeno and garlic. Sauté until the onion is translucent. Add the heavy whipping cream and let simmer on medium-low for about 5 minutes. Mix the cornstarch with a little water, just to make a paste and add this to the cream mixture. Whisk until incorporated and thickened. You can always add a little more cream if too thick. Using an emersion blender, blend the sauce until smooth. Season with a little salt and pepper (to taste). Let simmer for another 2 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Snook
Once your snook is cleaned and filleted, cut into six pieces and pat dry with paper towel. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Season with salt and pepper and lightly dust with flour. Place your pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and oil. Once butter has melted and the oil is hot, add the snook and sear for two to three minutes on each side. You will need to do this in batches. Place the snook on a parchment lined baking dish and bake for about ten minutes, until cooked throughout. The cooking time will vary depending on thickness of the fillets. If a butter knife slides into the center of the fish with ease, it’s done. If there is some resistance, continue cooking time in two minute increments.

Plating
Place seafood risotto in the center of your plate. Top with a piece of snook. Garnish with two grilled shrimp, chives and lemon wedge. Drizzle sauce around the risotto and a little over the snook. Enjoy!!

Time saving tip: While the risotto is cooking, make the sauce and grill the shrimp. Cook the snook last, just before serving.

The post Pan Seared Snook and Seafood Risotto appeared first on Florida Sportsman.


Catch Snook with a Jupiter Rig

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Yes, you can use a Carolina rig outside the Carolinas. And the Jupiter rig? It’s at home anywhere in Florida.

Want to keep the bait on bottom while allowing a little slack for the bite? The Jupiter rig does just that. Pictured is finger mullet.

Everywhere I’ve traveled, I’ve seen— and used—different rigs for snook fishing, even from one inlet to the next. Part of that is because anglers tend to adopt a rigging system that has worked well in the past. But if you pay attention, you’ll see there are other reasons.

When fishing in Miami, we used the Carolina rig for snook. That’s one term for a rig in which an egg sinker slides from the monofilament line to a swivel, followed by a leader, and then the hook. This allows the bait to move away from the weight on the bottom when the reel is in freespool. The bait can go with the current up or sideways, and the predator won’t feel the presence of the weight. It’s a good and very popular rig.

A knocker rig is another free-sliding weight rig, but the sinker is allowed to slide all the way to the hook without a swivel. This rig is widely used in many places. With it, it’s especially easy to remove a hook that’s stuck in the bottom, by jerking the rod up and down. This causes the weight to bounce and de-hook the bottom.

Here in Jupiter, where I fish, we use the “Jupiter rig.” It consists of swivel-sinkerswivel, with the swivels separated by a few inches of 80-pound mono, and then about 2 feet of leader material tied to a circle hook. This rig keeps your bait near the bottom at all times. Sure, the predators feel the weight, but for some reason they don’t seem to really mind. I use the uni-knot, also called the Duncan loop, to attach all.

Because the line does not keep sliding through the sinker, it’s possible to make long, accurate casts with this rig.

The first swivel, preventing the sinker from sliding all the way up the line, keeps the sinker with the rig during the cast. That’s important, as the fish are often holding in particular spots that may or may not afford optimal boat positioning. Also, in strong current, the Jupiter rig allows you to keep contact with the bait while the rig bumps along the bottom. With the Carolina or knocker rig, the current may carry the bait far from the sinker—minimizing your ability to sense a bite, and risking entanglement with unseen structure.

The snook, I tell my clients, are like vacuum cleaners always on the ground or bottom in this case. Tarpon can be the same way. Thus, we want our baits close to the bottom. A 2-foot leader is maximum, the two swivels on each side of the sinker keep the bait down.

When targeting snook and other hard-mouthed predators, using the right size and style hook makes a difference. For the Jupiter rig, I like Daiichi’s D85Z 5/0 offset, light-wire circle hooks when using pinfish, croakers or mullet for bait. These hooks, and others like them, are different than conventional J-style hooks where setting the hook is a must. Using circle hooks, setting the hook is performed differently. When a fish picks up the bait, you wind your reel until the line becomes tight, then slowly raise the rod to set the hook. In my opinion, the hookup-to-catch ratio is much higher when using circle hooks compared to J-hooks. Also, the fish are almost always hooked in the corner of the mouth, with virtually no deep- or gut-hooked fish, which can happen with J-hooks. Fish hooked in the corner of the mouth are easier to unhook and revive.

Using the right size hook for the bait is important too, so match smaller hooks to smaller baits. I hook my baits in the upper jaw only when using certain rigs, and especially circle hooks.

Leader material is another important factor in consistently catching fish. I use fluorocarbon leader, mono leader and mainline monofilament. The reason I use fluorocarbon sometimes, and mono sometimes, is because fish will bite mono, and it’s less costly. If they won’t bite with 60-pound mono (what I often start with), I scale down to 50-pound mono, 40-pound mono, then 30-pound mono. At which point I switch to 50-pound fluorocarbon since its properties make it virtually invisible in the water and more abrasion resistant than mono. But again, fluoro is quite a bit more expensive.

There are many brands of fluorocarbon on the market; I like the Trik Fish fluoro, which comes in handy 100-yard wrist spools which I place on my leaning post rod holders for easy identification and access. I place them from lightest on the right to heaviest on the left. Saves time when the bite is on! FS

First Published Florida Sportsman Magazine May 2013

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Five Lures Every Inshore Fisherman Should Have in Their Tackle Box

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Throughout Florida, every region offers a different opportunity at inshore species. For example, fishing the oyster bars of Jacksonville is much different than fishing the grass flats of Pine Island Sound. Most fishermen are the same; every time we walk into the tackle shop, we pick up a new lure or two…or ten. Having a variety of lures in your tackle box is great, but there is a baseline. Having these five styles of lures in your box will cover just about any species and technique used in Florida. Many companies make lures like these below. Check out your options and use what works best for you.

Rapala Skitter Walk

We live for the topwater bite; if you don’t, you might not be alive. The click’n and clack’n noise of the rattle catches the fish’s attention, and a profile “walking” on the surface drives them to seal the deal, and explode on the bait. The best times to throw topwater plugs are early morning and late evening, when the fish are more active. Overcast days may extend these periods of good topwater fishing, due to the lack of sun. Topwater is my go-to bait when working around schools of bait. Hitting the outside edges of the school, the plug looks like a bait that has strayed from the pack, making it an easy target. You can check out the Skitter Walk here.

D.O.A. Shrimp

Deadly On Anything (D.O.A.) couldn’t be any truer when it comes to the company’s shrimp. I think I’ve caught more species on this lure than any other lure in my box. Everything eats shrimp! From giant tarpon to seatrout, and everything in between. The key to working shrimp lures is, SLOW IT DOWN. Think about how a shrimp moves in the water. Majority of the time they hang close to bottom, with the occasional kick, trying to escape predators. Mimic this with your lure: Let it fall to bottom, and give it a quick twitch of the rod tip. Most of the time you will get a bite as the shrimp falls back to bottom. You can check out the D.O.A. Shrimp here.

MirrOlure MirrOdine

Small pilchards, peanut bunker, finger mullet, all have a small profile, flash and flick, and are candy for inshore species. A suspending twitchbait mimics baits like these. A quick twitch of the rod tip gives the lure a quick flash and dart action. As the lure drops in the water column, fish sense this as an injured bait and go in for the kill. Pot holes, creek points and mangrove shorelines are my favorite areas to use a suspending twitchbait. You can check out the MirrOdine here.

Spro Bucktail Jig

A timeless classic, the bucktail jig is often overlooked nowadays, but catches just as many fish as it did decades ago. I find that a bucktail jig excels when fish are extremely lethargic, as in the midst of wintertime. Slow hops along bottom, letting the bucktail flow in the water, work best. You can even add a soft-plastic paddle tail for a little more action, or a tidbit of shrimp to add some scent when the fishing is tough. You can check out the Spro Bucktail Jig here.

YO-ZURI Crystal Minnow

A lipped plug allows you to choose the depth of water column you want to fish, depending on lip size. These lures offer a tight wobble, flash and give off strong vibrations that fish sense through their lateral line. You can either twitch this lure or give it a steady retrieve; try both and see what the fish want. Troll these plugs at idle speed through canals and near structure for hard-hitting strikes from snook and other species. Come sun down, shadow lines around bridges and docks are great places to rip these plugs, mimicking a bait on the run. You can check out the Crystal Minnow here.

The post Five Lures Every Inshore Fisherman Should Have in Their Tackle Box appeared first on Florida Sportsman.

Fly Docks for Snook

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Proven fly fishing tactics that give you the upper hand.

Snook beneath a dock light are visible, but not as vulnerable as they might seem. They’ll go for that piling, and fast!

Fly fishing around docks, night or day, is productive for snook, seatrout and other structure-oriented fish, but frustrating whenever the fish are hugging the structure, largely out of reach, or the current is such that it makes it hard to present your fly. It requires specialized casting and line-minding to get bit consistently, and land a few fish in the process.

Accuracy is a must, and that is easier to achieve on short casts. Unless the fish are super-spooky it makes little sense to cast from over 40 to 50 feet. The more line on the water, the more current affects your ability to fish the fly and keep your line and leader tight. I find that short, accurate casts are easiest with sub-9-foot rods. My favorite dock rods include an 8-foot, 4-incher for a 9-weight line, and a 7 ½-footer for an 8-weight. With these, I can cast in tight spots, where docks behind me constrict backcast room, and cast somewhat tighter loops on the sidearm trajectory I like to get my fly under a dock. Most shorter rods also seem less parabolic and help me muscle a fish out of structure. You may agree if you try one.

Straight Angles

As is the case with all saltwater fly fishing, keep a straight line from your rodtip to fly for both control and setting the hook. When working a long dock with multiple fishable openings (I call them windows) between pilings, fight the urge to cast at the “next one” before fishing the one right in front, or closest to you. You may be tempted by a feeding frenzy farther down the dock, but don’t worry, the fish won’t be going anywhere! And because fish tend to face the current waiting for food to be carried to them, fish from down-current. It is more natural and you can better control your boat with your electric motor facing the current.

When you spot a fish, or see a bust upcurrent of you, don’t lay the leader or flyline over its back. Rather, cast either to the right or left of its “lane.” An aggressive fish will often swerve right or left and move 2 to 4 feet to grab the fly. And whenever possible, do not cast your fly where current will push it parallel to you—you are asking for a snag on the nearest piling. When forced to cast from upcurrent, you can still catch fish. Just cast fairly close to the fish you spot, or get the fly under the dock and strip it out. An aggressive fish figures the thing is trying to get out of Dodge, and will strike on impulse.

Two prong mono weed-guard is recommended by the writer, to minimize snags on boards.

Unstick Your Fly

If you are fishing a dock correctly (tucking your fly well under the structure) you are going to stick a fly now and again. You may hang it on the cast, or current will push it into the wood. A weedguard will somewhat prevent it. I prefer a mustache-style (2-prong) fluorocarbon guard of 20- or 25-pound-test. On a typical dock fly–a No. 4 or so—the length needed to guard the point guarantees its stiffness, yet does not deter hookups.

Never yank back on a snag. You’ll just dig the hook deeper. What I do is make a quick, powerful roll cast that gets down to the fly (easiest with a short leader). The roll will pull the fly in the opposite direction and usually free it. Should you hang your leader and fly on top of a dock–caused by an exaggerated vertical casting motion—or around a dock line or rail, don’t yank hard. Simply strip slowly to “walk” the fly out of there. Fish barbless also to more easily unstick the fly.

Battle Tips

When you hook up on a fish you’ve spotted, you have a clue as to how big it is. Otherwise, you won’t know at first. A wrist-breaking strike can be delivered by a dink, and a tap could be a brute!

Be ready to get a fish on the reel to better fight it. Unless looking for some kind of tippet record, err on the heavy side—a 20- or 25-pound-class tippet perhaps and maybe a slightly heavier bite tippet in the case of bigger snook. Or, a straight leader from flyline to fly. A light leader gets frayed by either structure or, in the case of snook or baby tarpon, the fish’s raspy lips.

I always advise having only the amount of line off the reel you need to reach target—too much on the deck is asking for tangles and to you would simply give that fish its freedom if you let it clear it to your reel. Strip-strike when it eats, and muscle it away from the dock, using your electric or outboard motor for assistance if needed. If I hang a big fish, I give it zero headway by snubbing my line against the rod blank while reeling up any loose line from the deck. You can hand-strip smaller snook and most seatrout. FS

First Published Florida Sportsman Magazine April 2018

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How to Tell Whitebait and Threadfin Apart

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It’s the time of year for sardines and herrings to invade Florida bays and rivers.

Top to bottom: Threadfin herring (greenie), scaled sardine (whitebait) and Spanish sardine

In the springtime, scaled sardines (a.k.a. “whitebait” or “pilchard”) and threadfin herring (a.k.a. “greenback” or “greenie”) rank at the top of the list of Florida live baits.

The threadfin herring has a vibrant green back and prominent spots along the dorsal ridge. Most telling is the long, thread-like trailer extending from the anterior portion of the primary dorsal fin. The sardine lacks the dorsal trailer, has a noticeably larger eye, a light olive green back and scattered spots. (Spanish sardines sometimes mix with these— they’ll be recognizable by their lack of back spots, and, as adults, their long, thin profile.)

Is it possible to tell them apart from afar?

Tampa Bay area guide Billy Miller says, “When you see bait on the flats running and making a commotion, those are the greenbacks. Whitebait will usually hang in one area. When you see bait ‘raining’ on the surface, those are your greenbacks. Whitebait will just dimple the surface; you’ll see one roll here, one there.”

Scaled sardines typically remain inside bays and estuaries longer than threadfins of similar age. That means you’ll often find the big whitebait on deeper flats, while locating sizable greenies requires a trip to the pass, beach or markers.

Bridges, like the Sunshine Skyway, see both bait species holding near the pilings. You’ll see flashes in the water column and plenty of surface activity—particularly when mackerel or jacks find a school. Just remember the high-low thing.

“Scaled sardines typically hug the bottom and threadfins are typically toward the surface,” said St. Pete’s Capt. Rob Gorta. “If you’re in 20 feet and the bottom machine reads 15 feet, you know there’s five feet of scaled sardines on the bottom. Threadfins will be suspended five to 10 feet below the surface.”

It’s a full house.

Round ‘Em Up

Over broad flats or on beach fronts, where bait schools often hug the shoreline contour, just idle until you spot a thick dark mass and sling the mesh “rodeo” style. For a more concentrated effort, set up on the edge of a grass flat and chum with moistened fish meal or tropical fish feed.

An old-school classic: Canned jack mackerel hand-mashed with wheat bread and just enough sea water to form a smelly paste. Flick fingernail-sized chunks downtide and once baitfish rise to gobble the chum, “walk” them into cast net range with progressively closer chumming.

Miller makes a key point: “Threadfins will not chum. If you see baitfish responding to your chumslick, that’s whitebait. Once the whitebait gets excited, the threadfins will sometimes follow them.”

For cast netting livies, Capt. Jason Stock of Bradenton recommends a 1⁄4inch stretched mesh (measured corner to corner of a net square when diagonally stretched) for shallow flats, 3/8 around deep bridge sections and 1/2-inch for larger baits, deeper coastal waters and stronger current. Remember, the wider the mesh, the faster the net sinks.

Cast nets are most time-effective, but sabiki rigs, or any homemade gold-hook rig will tempt whitebait and greenies. This can be a good option when you’re limited by wind, tide or cast net experience.

Dollar bill-sized threadfins make dandy offerings for tarpon, monster snook, sailfish and even offshore bullies like amberjack and grouper. Also, Gorta favors big threadfins for redfish cut bait because they release so much aroma that reds can track ‘em down even in dim conditions and murky water. Coastal sharks also dig cut greenies and don’t think the mighty silver king won’t stoop to scooping up a freshly cut half.

Whitebaits are the go-to choice for live baiting snook of common proportions, along with redfish, trout, cobia, small sharks and even tripletail. Baits of 2 to 4 inches fit the bill; smaller for tripletail, larger for sharks.

Hook either baits through the cartilage between the eyes and nostrils for fishing in current. In calm water, hide the hook beneath your bait by running it through the soft pocket right behind the pectoral fin joints. (This works equally well for free lining or floating baits under corks.)

If you’ve collected mostly greenies, it’s inevitable a good number of them will expire in captivity. Skim dead ones out of the well and hold them on ice for snapper bait, or grind them with the day’s leftovers into homemade chum blocks. FS

First Published Florida Sportsman Magazine April 2017

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Savoring Success

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Snook. It does a body good.

Last month my youngest son, Drew, brought me pan-fried snook, one of my favorites. I’d been dry-docked for a while, recovering from the consequences of a fall. The fish was white as snow and couldn’t have been more delicious.

Drew and his friend, Tom, have been into some of the best snook fishing I’ve heard of in more than 40 years. Man do they catch them—fishing at night, pulling these jigs about a foot under the water, really slow.

I remember years when snook were not that common.

Back in the 1950s, Florida took snook off the market. The story is, they traded with the commercial fishermen to allow market mullet fishing during roe season. It was sort of a ruse, because snook were not that desirable by netters, because they could cut the monofilament with their gill plates. They were also called soapfish back then; people didn’t know you needed to skin them. But of course when you skin them it turns into a different fish!

For years, snook were popular among South Florida fishermen—but at a distance. It was one of those fish you didn’t necessarily expect to catch, but if you did, it was a good day. For many years you could keep four, only 18 inches. But who’d get four snook? We’d go to Flamingo and maybe get one or two. Some guides in the Keys were pretty good at it, and of course in the inlets, like Jupiter, the snook sometimes ganged up by the thousands.

Vic Dunaway, founding editor of this magazine, would teach us the art of gentle jigging—and he would outfish everybody, moving that jig really slow. I’d always hesitate to do it, because it seemed like I’d get hung on bottom. Vic didn’t mind getting hung once in a while.

And then there were the years when they introduced rattles into topwater lures. One time I remember snook fishing with Bill Barnes in Key Largo, 25 years ago at least, and he outfished me five to one. I was fishing exactly like he was, but he had a rattle in his plug.

Bill was a school teacher who’d lost interest in the public school system. But he was a wonderful guy and an absolute fishing nut. He wanted to try writing, and we worked with him and he picked it up. He was friendly and laughed a lot. He spent a lot of time in Costa Rica—and in fact became partners in the Casa Mar Resort, which is famous for tarpon and snook.

Florida had snook kills during cold winters in the 1970s and late 1980s. The fish would loll around on the surface, and some guys would snag them when they shouldn’t, like down around Marco. Another bad one was 2010. But the fish always came back. In recent years we’ve had snook populations up in Jacksonville, and a reliable fishery in Ponte Vedra some years. That didn’t use to be the case.

I think today snook would be called a success story. The limits, if anything, may be too tight, but I think that’s better than too loose.

Under present management, snook fishing is open in Atlantic waters from February 1 until June 1. On the Gulf side, it’s open March 1 until May 1; the Gulf season includes all of Monroe County, which covers the Florida Keys and Everglades National Park. Fall snook seasons around the coast reopen September 1.

The bag limit is 1 per person per day, and one snook in the slot limit provides a feast for a family.

First Published Florida Sportsman Magazine May 2018

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Five Tips for Sight Fishing in Saltwater

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Sight Fishing

A stealth approach gives the angler an opportunity to land his fly right into this school of hungry redfish.

Sight fishing can be one of the most adrenaline filled activities on the water, when done right. Not many things compare to making the perfect cast at a fish, and watching it all come together as your lure or fly disappears into the fish’s gullet. Thus said, this can be a daunting task, with as little as being six-inches off of the intended target ruining your opportunity. Here are five tips to help you improve your sight fishing game.

1. Good Glasses

What is the number one item needed for sight fishing? Glasses! If you can’t see the fish, you might as well head back to the house. A good pair of polarized sunglasses cuts down glare on the water’s surface, allowing you to see into the water. A quality pair of glasses also reduce fatigue on your eyes, for those long days on the water. Many companies, such as Costa Del Mar, have multiple lens options, allowing you choose the right pair (or pairs) for the job. I prefer to have a pair that offers high contrast, and a pair for low light conditions, incase the clouds roll in. Note: pair up your glasses with a dark under-brim hat, reducing glare, giving you better contrast and visibility into the water.

Sight Fishing

A long and calculated cast fooled this Bahamas bonefish into eating a shrimp fly.

2. Stealth

Fish have heightened senses in shallow water, using their lateral line and eye sight to watch for potential predators. That means excessive noise and vibration from the boat can clear out a flat full of fish in seconds. Avoid stomping around the deck, giving off pressure wakes that fish can feel. Poling is the best form of stealth in shallow water. If using a trolling motor, try to keep it on a slow, constant setting. The changing in speed can be felt throughout the lateral line and spook out fish.

3. Weather and Timing

Something you should do before any and every fishing trip should be to check the weather. This is very important when it comes to sight fishing though. The main ingredient in the sight fishing recipe is sun, without it, seeing fish can be nearly impossible. It’s good to have a back up fishing plan on cloudy days.

One of my favorite things about sight fishing is that you can sleep in! No need to be up before the rooster crows, like I said before, sun is a necessity for sight fishing, the mid-day high sun is typically your best time. Go get breakfast, let the busy boat ramp clear out, then hit the water.

Sight Fishing

A school of fish cruising down the bank is an easy target for sight fishermen.

4. Elevation

The higher you are, the further you can see down into the water. It’s that simple. This is why most modern day skiffs have a raised casting platform on the bow for the angler and a poling platform aft, for the guide. These allow you to spot fish further away, giving better chances at getting a cast on the fish before it senses or sees you there and spooks. Rigid, roto-molded coolers work great for giving an elevated line of sight as well.

5. Make a Cast

We all dream of that perfect scenario, but majority of the time, it doesn’t happen the way we plan. Sometimes you just see a silhouette of what you think is a fish. Or better yet, the shadow that you thought was a log, happened to turn into a giant snook, that you now have kissed your shot at goodbye. If you have any thought that what you’re looking at is a fish, make a cast! It won’t hurt, and you will be surprised at how many times that inanimate object in the water just happens to be a fish, laid up, waiting on your presentation.

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Know the Action of Your Fly

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Redfish taken on a versatile attractor fly with dumbell eyes and a loop knot for maximum action. Shrimp? Crab? Minnow? Vary the retrieve style to fit the situation.

The bonefish spotted the crab as it darted away. As the fish approached, the crab froze, trying to blend in with its surroundings. The bonefish inhaled the crab, then realized the error as it felt the hook. For the fisherman, a well executed retrieve was the key to convincing this fish to eat. With materials these days you can tie flies that look incredibly realistic; but even the best imitation is not effective without the right movement imparted to it. The angler must become the bait!

For the most part, we can break down forage around Florida into three categories: shrimp, crabs and baitfish.

Shrimp tend to stay hidden during the day unless disturbed. If chased, they dart rapidly in reverse. This motion is best imitated with your typical one-foot-long, fast strips with a short pause in between. At night, shrimp will come to the surface and slowly swim or drift in the current. Swinging a shrimp fly under a bridge or in front of a dock light at night is a great way to imitate this behavior, and if there is enough current, you need only to cast out across the current, take a couple strips to straighten out the line, and then hang on.

Crabs tend to be fairly active during their search for food, walking around the bottom while they hunt. When they are spooked, they will rapidly dart away from the danger, and then attempt to quickly bury themselves in the sand or mud. If blind casting a crab fly, I will imitate this by slowly crawling it along the bottom, occasionally pausing for a few seconds. I’ve had fish pick up flies retrieved like this both while crawling along and while the fly sits still. If you’re sight casting a crab fly to a fish, I’d suggest a slightly different retrieve. Cast in front of a sighted fish and allow the fly to sink to the bottom. When the fish is two or three feet from the fly, give one rapid strip about 2 feet in length. Then stop, and do nothing. This mimics the crab trying to become invisible on the bottom after fleeing. A lot of times, the fish you’re casting at will dart right after the fly and pick it up as it sits still.

Baitfish are a little easier. If casting a baitfish fly, I’ll usually speed up my retrieve progressively as the fly gets closer to me—to a point. I can’t think of a baitfish out there that can out-swim a large predator fish in a straight line. If your counterfeit baitfish is being chased and it sets a new pilchard speed record, the pursuing gamefish will know something is up. But, if you start your retrieve very slowly, you’ll have time to make the gradual increase in speed that imitates a baitfish trying to get out of danger as it notices a trailing predator. This can result in some explosive takes right off your rodtip. FS

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Snook in Your Sights

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Discover the thrill of sight fishing the surf for Florida snook

Snook are primarily found along the southern half of the Florida peninsula. Sandy beaches from Melbourne south to Miami, on the Atlantic coast, and Clearwater through Marco Island, on the Gulf Coast, are prime for summer sight-fishing. During cooler months, starting in late October, snook move inland into bays, canals and coastal rivers, where anglers continue to pursue them using a variety of methods. A saltwater recreational fishing license is required of most anglers (some age exemptions for residents). If you plan to retain snook during the open seasons, you’ll also need a snook permit. Click here for license details http://myfwc.com/license/recreational/.”

I turned my body sideways as another small swell came over the sand bar, without taking my eyes off a shadow that caught my attention. As the foamy wash subsided and the sand settled out, there it was. A single snook, easily 10 pounds, swimming right at me, now within 30 feet and closing fast. I made a side-armed flip with my spinning rod, plunking the light jig four feet ahead of the fish. It didn’t spook as I had feared it might, so I crouched down lower to the water to shrink my profile, and hopped the lure enticingly on the sand. The snook paused but then changed its course. It was now heading straight away so I reeled in quickly, opened the bail and made another cast ahead of the fish.

A tarpon attacks bay anchovies from the perimeter, with in casting range of the sand.

I might as well have thrown the rod and reel at the fish. It exploded off the bar, leaving a silty trail in its wake. I reeled in my jig, and called out to my partner, standing in the knee-deep water 30 yards to the south.

“Typical single female,” I shouted out. “No wonder they get so big!”

Bill shrugged, and chuckled at that, keeping his eyes glued to the white sand bar between us. We were fishing low water, with a young rising tide, allowing us to stand on the first bar about 30 yards off the beach in knee-deep water. There wasn’t a breath of wind, so the water was super-clear, as is typical in the late-summer Florida surf. It was 11 a.m. and the unobscured sun lit the place up. It looked more like a Bahamas bonefish flat than a Florida beach, which is much of the appeal for me.

When a patch of water just out of casting range came alive with sizzling glass minnows, I started to walk toward it. Bill had spotted the bait pod, too. He flashed a thumbs-up and slowly waded in that direction. I decided to stop and watch him fish the bait pod, glancing over my shoulder for any fish sneaking up from the rear. Bill stopped, looked at me and held up three fingers, signaling he had spotted a group of three snook in the bait. He crouched down low, made a short, sidearm cast and waited. He was fishing a white, 1/8-ounce swimbait with a 10-pound-class spin outfit. As he twitched the lure, he crouched so low that I thought his chin would touch the surface. Obviously, a snook was tracking his lure. When the strike came, Bill set the hook with a side sweep of his rod and let out a triumphant yell that made three pelicans on the beach take flight!

His fish streaked in my direction, and within seconds I saw it—a decent fish of about 7 pounds. It turned seaward just before reaching me, and a slightly larger one trailed behind it. After two impressive surface-clearing jumps, his snook made a final, shorter run before head-shaking at Bill’s feet. I walked over to give him an extra hand to revive it before release. A tired snook needs extra care in hot summer surf water, otherwise it may not be able to escape predation by the sharks that often patrol the same beaches.

Revive a tired snook before release. This 7-pounder struck a bucktail jig fished on a PENN Slammer III and Battalion rod combo.

As the afternoon wore on, we had dozens of shots, and landed six more fish between us, one just under 10 pounds. I hooked one from a school of 10 or more, and they fought for my jig. The rest were swimming in pairs or alone, requiring good presentations to get the bite. Though we had shots at over a dozen big female snook swimming solo, none wanted to play. We even scaled down our fluorocarbon leaders from 30- to 20-pound-test (for lower detection), and changed out our jigs for small swimming plugs to no avail. Those big girls simply were not hungry, and even ignored the juvenile croakers (a favorite snook prey) that were swimming in the wash.

Primo Conditions

Miles of beach and miles of bait. Late-summer ushers in the snook sight-fishing season along much of the South Florida Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

Once you sight-fish for surf snook and enjoy some success, you may not look at other styles of snook fishing the same way again. Catching snook in this manner is the ultimate challenge, and you have to be prepared for frustration. Some days you’ll wonder whether they ever eat at all! This lockjaw behavior is not unusual in fish that are just coming out of inlets post-spawn. Big females and smaller males both take a little time to recover from spawning rigors. And the fish spawn multiple times in large aggregations from late-May until late-September. Since the fish return to the inlets multiple times over the 3-month spawn, the best beaches to fish are those in close proximity. This is not to say you won’t find fish on beaches miles from an inlet.

The bigger fish cruising the beach alone present the biggest challenge. A pair of snook or a small school of snook, is always a better bet for hooking up because competition for food comes into play. When their feeding switch turns on—normally triggered by the increasing numbers of baitfish in August and September on the South Florida Atlantic beaches–these post-spawn snook are ready to pack on the calories.

Sunrise, Sunset

The author makes a long cast to tarpon rolling well beyond the baitfish schools.

I am a life-long bonefisherman, so much prefer to see snook before casting. But some of the fastest feeding action can take place at first light and then it repeats late in the day, particularly when the tide is near high, and an onshore breeze pins baitfish against the shore. The snook seem to feel less conspicuous in low light. I’ve witnessed very spooky, lock-jawed snook in mid-afternoon go on feeding frenzies in the very bait pods they previously ignored as soon as dusk closed in. It’s as if a switch is thrown. The key is to walk along with your bail open, ready to cast. As soon as a snook busts bait on top, get your lure there pronto while the fish is “hot.” When tiny marine minnows such as juvenile anchovies are the entree, all you can do is cast something on the small side, like a slim-profile floating/diving plug, small jig, or soft plastic. If mullet or scaled sardines are in the mix, there are many lures such as swimbaits and soft-plastic jigs perfectly suited to imitate that prey.

Ideal Gear

An array of lures, including small swimming plugs, plastic swim baits and shrimp, work for snook around minnow schools. Use bigger plastic-tail jigs for tarpon.

During the height of the surf snook season, you’ll find spin fishermen on the beach. If there is an advantage to spinning gear, it is that longer casts can be made to snook before they come close enough to spot the angler when the water is super-clear. Another is that live bait can be used, though most sight casters fishing on foot don’t care to tote live bait buckets. Some do toss a cast net on bait schools, and then toss out a livie, but that’s the exception on the Treasure Coast beaches that I fish. An occasional angler does come in close to the beach by boat, but most opt to fish on foot.

For either sight casting or continuous blind-casting whenever conditions make it hard to see snook, I like a 10-pound-class spinning rod paired to a 2500, 3000 or 3500 series spinning reel. The lighter combos are more pleasant to cast repeatedly for hours. I prefer spinning rods longer than 7 feet for longer casts that are sometimes necessary, and the extra length helps keep my line a bit higher over any breaking surf close in. My choice is a 7 1/2-foot, medium-action rod with a fast tip.

A tackle shop on wheels. The author is ready to do battle with snook and small tarpon with an array of PENN spin combos.

Be aware that on Florida summer afternoons, onshore winds occur, along with wave action against the beach, so your tackle can get wet. A “splash-resistant” spinning reel, such as the PENN Slammer III, with its new IPX6 system sealed gear box and drag assembly, would be an idea choice for that environment. Second to that feature, a smooth, dependable drag is a must, especially when you are armed with light to medium spin gear, and 15- to 30-pound female snook and the occasional 40- to 100-pound tarpon shows up in the surf, typically in late August and September. The Slammer III’s drag is sealed, and the company’s proprietary Dura-Drag system utilizes the same material used in the transmissions of racing cars. In short, heat dissapation is ensured, greatly decreasing chance of failure, and increasing durabilty over the long haul. Line capacity comes into play with the bigger specimens of snook and tarpon, and the Slammer III 3500 and 4500 models spool up in the neighborhood of 300 yards of 10-pound or 15-pound-test braided line. So chances of getting spooled are slim.

Gel-spun polyester line (braid) allow for longer casts in the wind, and solid hook sets due to its no-stretch quality. I spool up 10- to 12-pound braid because it allows for distance with the lightest lures, too. I prefer lighter colors, such as white or yellow to better track the location of my lure in the surf. I tie on a 3- to 4-foot fluorocarbon leader testing 20- to 40-ponds, depending on size of the snook I am finding, and the clarity of the water.

A snook has raspy lips that abrade line quickly. I tie my lures to my line with a 3-foot bite leader of fluorocarbon in the 20- to 40-pound-test class, depending on water clarity and the general size of the snook on hand. A loop knot gives the lure maximum freedom of movement.

The post Snook in Your Sights appeared first on Florida Sportsman.

FWC expands Fishery Management Measures in Response to Red Tide

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The following is a press release from FWC

At its September meeting in Tallahassee, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) directed staff to expand a recent catch-and-release only measure for snook and redfish to include Tampa Bay (including all of Manatee and Hillsborough counties) as well as all of Pinellas and Pasco counties starting Friday, Sept. 28.

The FWC also directed staff to extend these measures through May 10, 2019, in these and other areas previously made catch-and-release for redfish and snook. For more information visit myfwc.com

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FS Openers: Savoring Success

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Fs Openers

Snook. It does a body good.

Last month my youngest son, Drew, brought me pan-fried snook, one of my favorites. I’d been dry-docked for a while, recovering from the consequences of a fall. The fish was white as snow and couldn’t have been more delicious.

Drew and his friend, Tom, have been into some of the best snook fishing I’ve heard of in more than 40 years. Man do they catch them—fishing at night, pulling these jigs about a foot under the water, really slow.

I remember years when snook were not that common.

Back in the 1950s, Florida took snook off the market. The story is, they traded with the commercial fishermen to allow market mullet fishing during roe season. It was sort of a ruse, because snook were not that desirable by netters, because they could cut the monofilament with their gill plates. They were also called soapfish back then; people didn’t know you needed to skin them. But of course when you skin them it turns into a different fish!

For years, snook were popular among South Florida fishermen—but at a distance. It was one of those fish you didn’t necessarily expect to catch, but if you did, it was a good day. For many years you could keep four, only 18 inches. But who’d get four snook? We’d go to Flamingo and maybe get one or two. Some guides in the Keys were pretty good at it, and of course in the inlets, like Jupiter, the snook sometimes ganged up by the thousands.

Vic Dunaway, founding editor of this magazine, would teach us the art of gentle jigging—and he would outfish everybody, moving that jig really slow. I’d always hesitate to do it, because it seemed like I’d get hung on bottom. Vic didn’t mind getting hung once in a while.

And then there were the years when they introduced rattles into topwater lures. One time I remember snook fishing with Bill Barnes in Key Largo, 25 years ago at least, and he outfished me five to one. I was fishing exactly like he was, but he had a rattle in his plug.

Bill was a school teacher who’d lost interest in the public school system. But he was a wonderful guy and an absolute fishing nut. He wanted to try writing, and we worked with him and he picked it up. He was friendly and laughed a lot. He spent a lot of time in Costa Rica—and in fact became partners in the Casa Mar Resort, which is famous for tarpon and snook.

Florida had snook kills during cold winters in the 1970s and late 1980s. The fish would loll around on the surface, and some guys would snag them when they shouldn’t, like down around Marco. Another bad one was 2010. But the fish always came back. In recent years we’ve had snook populations up in Jack- sonville, and a reliable fishery in Ponte Vedra some years. That didn’t use to be the case.

I think today snook would be called a success story. The limits, if anything, may be too tight, but I think that’s better than too loose.

Under present management, snook fishing is open in Atlantic waters from February 1 until June 1. On the Gulf side, it’s open March 1 until May 1; the Gulf season includes all of Monroe County, which covers the Florida Keys and Everglades National Park. Fall snook seasons around the coast reopen September 1.

The bag limit is 1 per person per day, and one snook in the slot limit provides a feast for a family.

First published Florida Sportsman May 2018

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Fishing an Artificial Shrimp

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Fish your soft-plastic shrimp the way the fish want it

Writer with overslot snook caught on a 4-inch, 1/4-ounce Storm 360GT Shrimp. He was casting and reeling across-tide near docks.

Shrimp: small in size, but a giant player in estuaries throughout Florida. Everything eats shrimp, and they’ve proven time and time again to be one of the best baits inshore. Lure manufacturers have been making soft-plastic shrimp imitations for decades, in different shapes, sizes and colors. Some of them come rigged on a jighead, some on a weedless hook, some un-rigged. There are many different ways these can be fished. Here are some tactics for common scenarios that will help you catch more fish.

In the Rough

Redfish love to get up in seagrass flats, burying their heads into the thick of it, hunting for shrimp and other crustaceans. This sets the stage for some excellent sight-fishing, but a bait with an exposed hook is practically unfishable in this situation. Using the soft-plastic to your advantage, by burying a weedless hook into the bait, allows you to cast into the thicket and present your lure without fouling and blowing your shot. A slow “drag” of the bait across the nose of the fish, as if the shrimp was crawling along the bottom, will buy a bite.

On the Drift

Hard outgoing tides have a flushing effect on estuaries, sweeping shrimp out of the backwater with the tide. Fish know this, and will stage around choke points and areas of heavy current flow, like bridges and inlets, waiting to pick these tasty morsels off the surface, especially at night. When you find the fish popping the surface, cast a weightless or lightly-weighted shrimp up-current and let the tide do the work, keeping just enough tension on your line to feel a bite. More times than not, a fish will pick it up as it drifts with the current. A small twitch of the rod tip every so often wouldn’t hurt, either.

A slow glide to the bottom, followed by a quick upward snap, is a good technique.

Taking the Slow Ride

You’re marking a congregation of seatrout in a depression, the water is cold and the fish are lethargic. What do you throw? A slow-moving shrimp is a tough contestant to beat. Lethargic fish slow their metabolism and don’t want to waste any of their energy chasing down a meal, so why not bring the food to them?

This is one of my favorite tactics for seatrout in the winter time. Staging on the outside of a pothole, dropoff or depression in a flat, I like to make a long cast past the area where the fish are holding. Allowing my lure to sink all the way to bottom, I will then drag the lure very slowly along the bottom, with the occasional twitch of the rod tip. When the lure is dragging the bottom, it will make small puffs of sand on the bottom, like a shrimp on the move. This makes it easier for a fish to find and key in on the bait. FS

First Published Florida Sportsman Magazine October 2017

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Pan Seared Snook and Seafood Risotto

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A spicy snook recipe that’s sure to be a hit.

Before: The authors son, Matthew Benecke, caught this beauty off Anna Maria Island on a Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow.

With all the rules and regulations on this species, catching a slot snook in season is a real treat. It cannot be bought at any restaurant or fish market, so it’s worth making something really special when you do catch a keeper. This recipe is great for a cozy night in with a glass of wine and a snuggie or for a formal dinner party. Whatever the occasion, this dish is sure to please the palate.

Pan Seared Snook with Jalapeno Cream Sauce and Seafood Risotto

Serves: 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients

Seafood Risotto
2 cups of Arborio rice
6-8 cups of chicken stock (kept warm)
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion (chopped)
1 tsp garlic (finely chopped)
1/2 cup of white wine
12oz jumbo shrimp (can use raw or cooked, cut into chunks)
2 cups of bay scallops (small)
1/4 cup whole kernel corn
1/4 cup leeks (rinsed and sliced)
1 tsp dried tarragon
2 Tbsp fresh chives (chopped)
1 small tomato (diced)
2 Tbsp butter salt and pepper (to taste)

Jalapeno Cream Sauce
4 jalapenos, cored and finely diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tsp corn starch (mixed with a little water to make a paste for thickening)

Garnish
12 jumbo shrimp (grilled)
6 jalapenos (halved and grilled)
Lemon wedges
Chives

Snook
2 snook fillets, cut into 6 pieces
All purpose flour (just enough for a light dusting)
Light olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of your pan)
2 Tbsp butter
Salt
Ground black pepper
Fish spice of choice (optional)

After: This snook sure cleans up nicely.

Directions

Seafood Risotto
Add the oil to a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender. Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat the rice. Add the wine and cook until the wine has absorbed. Turn heat to medium-low. Add 1 to 2 ladles at a time of the warm chicken stock and stir constantly. Let simmer slowly until the liquid has absorbed. Keep adding 1 to 2 ladles at a time and keep stirring. Once you have used about 2/3 of the stock, add in the cut up shrimp, bay scallops, corn and leeks. Keep stirring and adding stock until the rice is creamy and tender. Add in the herbs and tomato and simmer until done. Add in the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve. Add a little warm stock if too thick before serving.

Jalapeno Cream Sauce
Core and remove the seeds from 4 jalapenos. Use 5 if you prefer a stronger jalapeno flavor. Add the butter to a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Once melted add the onion, jalapeno and garlic. Sauté until the onion is translucent. Add the heavy whipping cream and let simmer on medium-low for about 5 minutes. Mix the cornstarch with a little water, just to make a paste and add this to the cream mixture. Whisk until incorporated and thickened. You can always add a little more cream if too thick. Using an emersion blender, blend the sauce until smooth. Season with a little salt and pepper (to taste). Let simmer for another 2 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Snook
Once your snook is cleaned and filleted, cut into six pieces and pat dry with paper towel. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Season with salt and pepper and lightly dust with flour. Place your pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and oil. Once butter has melted and the oil is hot, add the snook and sear for two to three minutes on each side. You will need to do this in batches. Place the snook on a parchment lined baking dish and bake for about ten minutes, until cooked throughout. The cooking time will vary depending on thickness of the fillets. If a butter knife slides into the center of the fish with ease, it’s done. If there is some resistance, continue cooking time in two minute increments.

Plating
Place seafood risotto in the center of your plate. Top with a piece of snook. Garnish with two grilled shrimp, chives and lemon wedge. Drizzle sauce around the risotto and a little over the snook. Enjoy!!

Time saving tip: While the risotto is cooking, make the sauce and grill the shrimp. Cook the snook last, just before serving.

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Tournament Benefit for Captains for Clean Water

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Downtown Showdown Fishing Tournament benefits local activist group

This is a catch, photo, release SLAM Tournament. The overall aggregate may include one fish from each of the three eligible species, which is redfish, snook and trout. Up to three anglers per team, 100% payout!

Captain’s Meeting:

11/9 at 6:30pm

    Downtown Bait Shop
    Community Room
    120 Laishley Ct,
    Punta Gorda, FL 33950

Two meals provided by Leroy’s Southern Kitchen, two kegs of beer (free for anglers), tons of raffles, lots of fun!

Downtown Showdown Fishing Tournament Registration Form

Click the link for more details:
https://www.facebook.com/events/228726047776243/

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Sinking Fly Lines in the Surf

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Sinking Fly Line Seminar

A sinking line helps maintain a direct connection to the fly in turbulent surf. Taking the fly down deep also improves chances for bites.

Remember summer? Calm, clear water and snook cruising down the trough. Enter fall storms churning up the surf. Those floating fly lines that worked just fine in the flat conditions of summer need to be replaced. Many of us land-based fly casters fish right through the winter using lines more commonly associated with deep water and fast currents. I’m talking about full sinking, type III to even type V fly lines.

Floating lines are certainly useful while fishing from shore but when the going gets rough, a sinking line helps keep your fly closer to the bottom in the surf zone where fish are feeding. It also makes casting into the wind, which usually accompanies rough surf, much easier. Sinking lines are thinner in diameter than their floating counterparts, so they cut through the wind easier. Their coating is infused with heavy tungsten powder to allow sink rates up to 7 inches per second. Now we aren’t talking about plummeting to the bottom like a 2-ounce jig will, but it’s a vast improvement over using just a weighted fly on a floating or intermediate line.

Sinking lines also provide another bonus; they collect far less seaweed than a floater will, as they quickly slip beneath the surface and away from where the weeds usually are. Imagine looking at a floating fly line lying on the ocean’s surface. It will ride up and over every wave that passes under it, making for an indirect connection to your fly. Now imagine what a sinking line does as it cuts below the surface, sinking in a straight path to your fly. The less slack between your hand and the fly, the fewer hits you’ll miss! When using a fast sinking line from shore, it’s generally better to use a leader of only about 4 to 5 feet. This will allow the fly to be more easily pulled down by the fly line, which keeps that direct path between you and the fly. In rougher conditions that warrant the use of sinking lines, the water is usually fairly churned up, so spooking fish because of a short leader is less of a concern.

If you’re using a weighted fly line, it should follow that you would use a weighted fly as well. Your typical lead dumbbell weighted flies, such as Clousers, are always a good pick but sometimes you may want a fly with a different look depending on what it is you’re trying to imitate. I’ve hooked a surprising amount of snook while throwing a small size 2 or 4 sandflea imitation in the winter surf while pompano fishing. I’ll often tweak some of my normally unweighted patterns that I tie by using lead wire along the hook shank before completing the pattern the normal way to add some weight without having to use dumbbell eyes. Deceivers, epoxy flies, and EP style flies round out a selection that should also include some crab, shrimp and the aforementioned sandflea flies.

There is one other piece of equipment that can make or break your rough surf fishing: a stripping basket. It’ll keep you sane as the waves would otherwise wrap your fly line around your feet, legs and any other debris in a 15-foot radius.

Blue fish, Spanish mackerel, snook, pompano, redfish and even bonefish are all fish you might encounter in the surf during fall and winter. They’re there for one reason: to eat! Arm yourself with a fast sinking line to cut through those waves and get your fly down where it needs to be. It will really extend your beach fishing season, and it’s a great time of year to hit the sand and see what grabs your fly. FS

First published Florida Sportsman December 2017

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Florida Waypoints – Fort De Soto

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Fort De Soto, at the mouth of Tampa Bay, guards exceptional bay and beach fishing.

Bay Pier visitors tackle sheepshead, flounder, snapper and mackerel.

This 1,136-acre Pinellas County park comprises Madelaine, St. Jean, St. Christopher, Bonne Fortune and Mullet keys. The V-shaped Mullet Key largest of the bunch offers the secluded East Beach, the heralded North Beach and the park’s namesake military site strategically and centrally seated. On Mullet Key’s southwest corner, just below the fort, stands the 1,000-foot Gulf Pier. East of the fort, the Bay Pier extends 500 feet toward the mouth of Tampa Bay.

During the Civil War, Mullet Key and nearby Egmont Key served as Union blockade posts, but it was more than 30 years later when construction of a fort began, during the Spanish-American War. Serving as a sub-post to Fort Dade on Egmont Key, Fort De Soto saw U.S. military presence during WWI and WWII. Ultimately, the fort never fired on an enemy and Pinellas County bought the property in 1948. Dedication as a park came on May 1, 1963.

In 1978, Fort De Soto’s 12-inch mortar battery was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. If you glance to the surf, near Bay Pier, you’ll see weathered remnants of a 3-inch gun battery destroyed by a 1921 hurricane. Waterfront markers indicate the original building locations.

To present matters, fishing: Fort De Soto has over seven miles of waterfront, three of which hold soft white sand beaches. Amenities include a large and well-maintained launch ramp, shower/restroom facilities, 7-mile asphalt multi-use trail, kayak rentals, a designated dog park and a 2,200-foot barrier-free trail with a wheel chair-friendly path and interpretive stations.

Daily ferry trips (weather permitting) run from Bay Pier to nearby Egmont Key. FS

Where

This largest of Pinellas County parks comprises a quintet of connected islands at the south end of Pinellas County just outside of the mouth of Tampa Bay.

What’s in a Name

Named for Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto, the fort was dedicated on April 4, 1890.

Gameplan

Sample beach, pier, kayak and wade-fishing opportunities. Also Pinellas County’s premier family picnic and camping destination.

When

Spring through fall finds mackerel buzzing both piers. Outstanding wade-fishing in the warmer months.

Bait & Tackle

Fort De Soto Gulf Pier Bait and Tackle (727-582-2267), The Bait Bucket on Tierra Verde (727-864-2108)

Lodging

Fort De Soto Park Campground (Tents, RV’s), Don Cesar on St. Petersburg Beach, Coconut Inn on historic Pass-A-Grille.

Eats

Billy’s Stone Crab on Tierra Verde or Rumfish Grill on St. Petersburg are good bets for fresh seafood.

Tips

Free-lined or floated shrimp is the pier favorite, although squid spoons (mackerel) and banana-shaped pompano jigs see lots of use. Local guide Rob Gotta says Fort De Soto’s East Beach offers some of the Tampa Bay area’s best wade fishing (also great kayak waters.) Cork live pilchards or cast jigs and topwaters over the 3-to4-foot depth range.

First published Florida Sportsman June 2018

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Snook Seasonal Closure Starts Dec. 1 in Most Gulf Waters

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Snook harvest seasonal closure in most Gulf waters starts Dec. 1

The recreational harvest season for snook closes Dec. 1 in federal and most state waters of the Gulf, including all of Monroe County and Everglades National Park.

Snook, as well as redfish, remain catch-and-release only in state waters from the Hernando/Pasco county line through Gordon Pass in Collier County (includes Tampa Bay and Hillsborough County) through May 10, 2019, in response to the impacts of red tide.

Snook outside of that area will reopen to harvest March 1, 2019. Anglers may continue to catch and release snook during the closed season.

Season closures are designed to help conserve snook during vulnerable times such as cold weather. Atlantic state and federal waters, including Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River, will close Dec. 15 through Jan. 31, 2019, reopening to harvest Feb. 1, 2019.

Visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Recreational Regulations” and “Snook” for more information on snook. Improve data and report your catch on the Snook & Gamefish Foundation’s Angler Action iAngler app at SnookFoundation.org.

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Atlantic Snook Seasonal Closure Starts December 15

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Snook harvest seasonal closure in the Atlantic starts December 15

The recreational harvest season for snook closes December 15 in Atlantic state and federal waters, including Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River, and will remain closed through Jan. 31, 2019, reopening to harvest Feb. 1. Anglers may continue to catch and release snook during the closed season.

Most state and all federal waters in the Gulf, including Monroe County and Everglades National Park, closed Dec. 1 and will reopen to harvest March 1, 2019.

Season closures are designed to help protect snook during vulnerable times such as cold weather.

Snook, as well as redfish, will remain catch-and-release only in state waters from the Hernando/Pasco county line through the Gordon Pass in Collier County (includes Tampa Bay and Hillsborough County) through May 10, 2019, in response to the impacts of red tide.

For more information on snook, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Recreational Regulations” and “Snook.” Improve data and report your catch on the Snook & Gamefish Foundation’s Angler Action iAngler app at SnookFoundation.org.

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Triggerfish and Snook Opening in Gulf

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Gray triggerfish and snook open March 1 in Gulf state and federal waters

The recreational gray triggerfish and snook seasons will reopen to harvest in Gulf state and federal waters March 1. Snook remains catch-and-release only through May 10 in Gulf state waters from the Pasco – Hernando county line through Gordon Pass in Collier County due to impacts from red tide.

If you plan to fish for gray triggerfish in Gulf state or federal waters, excluding Monroe County, from a private recreational vessel, you must sign up as a Gulf Reef Fish Angler (annual renewal is required). To learn more, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on “Recreational Regulations” and “Gulf Reef Fish Survey” under “Reef Fish.” Sign up today at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.

Learn more about gray triggerfish regulations at MyFWC.com/Marine by clicking on “Recreational Regulations” and “Triggerfish,” which is located under the “Reef Fish” tab.

Learn more about snook regulations at MyFWC.com/Marine by clicking on “Recreational Regulations” and “Snook,” which is located under the “General Species” tab.

The post Triggerfish and Snook Opening in Gulf appeared first on Florida Sportsman.

Florida Sportsman Watermen – Florida Bay Snook with Rob Fordyce

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Florida Bay is the backbone of the Florida Keys economy and home to five of the most sought after gamefish on the planet. Captain Rob Fordyce joins Benny Blanco for a day fishing the backcountry and discusses the importance of this ecosystem. To see the full episode, be sure to catch it on Fox Sports Sun and Sportsman Channel.

Fox Sports Sun

Friday – 9:00 am
Saturday – 6:00 am
Sunday – 8:30 pm
Monday – 8:30 am

Sportsman Channel

Sunday – 8:30 am
Tuesday – 3:30 pm
Wednesday – 6:00 am
Thursday – 5:00 am


On the Conservation Front

David Conway sits down with Jennifer Rehage, Associate Professor at Florida International University, to discuss the Hypersalinity issues Florida Bay has adopted in recent years.

For more conservation documentaries visit: http://www.floridasportsman.com/florida-sportsman-watermen/documentaries/


Bonus Tips

Captain Benny Blanco explains why he prefers Yamaha as his choice of outboard when guiding.

Captain Benny Blanco touches on the reasons why SeaDek is essential when on the water.

The post Florida Sportsman Watermen – Florida Bay Snook with Rob Fordyce appeared first on Florida Sportsman.

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