Maintaining any boat, especially an older one, can be an expensive proposition. I know this to be fact. A repair shop in Matlacha has a dedicated parking space for me with my name on the blacktop and a plaque with my picture on the wall inside. Clearly, the boat is happier there than at my ...
Congratulations! Charlotte and Carl Veaux provided the first correct answer to last week’s Thanksgiving antique lure quiz and thanks also to the many others that responded. Heddon Batwings and Four-points appeared in the early 1900s and are actually hookless fish decoys highly prized by ...
If you could only use one lure type on your next Southwest Florida big money flats tournament, what would it be? Would you choose a top-water plug, MirrOlure-type twitch bait or a soft plastic jig? A spoon? For someone that carries a small tackle store's worth of lures and flies on each outing, picking one would be a tough decision. How about a Rapala/Rebel floating minnow-type lure? For saltwater? Yes! It’s probably the most underrated inshore saltwater lure there is and yet, can do it all. A floating minnow lure can be cranked slowly or quickly along bottom or burned in short ...
New fly rod anglers looking to purchase equipment may be sticker shocked to find that a top quality fly rod and reel outfit can cost $1,500 to $22000 or more, fly line not included. The latest hi-tech graphite technology and materials go into today’s magic wands driving up prices. High-end reels are machined from bar stock aluminum requiring time and labor and the results are beautiful examples of the machining arts. Before making a big investment then deciding that the long rod isn’t your cup of tea, perhaps try shopping for an entry level package at a reasonable price. Companies ...
As of this writing, the wind is gusting to 60 mph with sideways rain. It was my turn to be on tornado watch so I found myself sitting by the window typing and silently praying to the shingle Gods for old roof mercy when my friends had to go out. Yorkie actually lifted off and flew a good four feet backwards across the front lawn. At the same time I’m hearing reports that a sailboat is stuck under the Matlacha Bridge, possibly damaging the bridge and closing off Pine Island, votes are somehow still being counted and virus numbers are reportedly on the rise. What a week! Before the ...
An item missing from many boats is a basic toolbox containing a handful of essentials and one that shouldn’t be overlooked. A few years back I was travelling at night when I hit a crab float. In an instant the prop wrapped the float rope stopping the motor. Knife in teeth I slid over the ...
