Losing another battle in ‘The Great Salt War’

September 11, 2020

Standing by the truck at 5 in the morning, I was concentrating on controlling my rising blood pressure by remembering my doctors’ advice about controlling stress by dissociating from the moment. He further advised me to adopt a personal mantra to also help distract me: “Fishing is fun.” “Fishing is fun.” Closing my eyes I kept repeating it till I was suddenly calm thinking about years ago when times were easy. Back then I was strictly a happy freshwater bass and musky angler and water was my friend. Now, here in Southwest Florida, the water contains something insidious, a ...

Ready for early fall fishing fun?

September 3, 2020

September is finally here and that means outstanding multi-species rod bending action both in and offshore. Tarpon are still here but if you’ve had enough of the weeks of blazing Southwest Florida day time heat then pick a river bridge or the causeway and fish the night shift. Choose your ...

End of an era for outboard motor users

August 27, 2020

Owners and longtime fans of Evinrude outboard motors were quite upset to hear that parent company Bombardier Recreational Products decided to pull the plug on manufacturing engines. No more E-TECs. The news was announced at the beginning of June. The present virus was the reason given for the closure. BRP’s new marine focus is on the aluminum and pontoon boat market, powering these newly designed craft with engines provided by new partner Mercury. Necessity truly is the mother of invention. Tired of rowing Mr. Ole Evinrude, an immigrant from Norway, designed and built an engine and ...

You may need to move around to find flats fish

August 20, 2020

If you’re not finding flats fish in your normal backwater hot spots, relocate closer to the Gulf. Moving, oxygenated water will be cooler and more productive. This time of year try your shallow inshore game is around the flats, oyster bars and docks along the Intracoastal Waterway, behind the barrier islands, in and around the passes and, of course, out in front on the beach. The area just south of Useppa Island on down to Captiva Rocks is target rich and a good place to hunt shallow redfish, trout, tarpon and snook on dawn trips. As the sun comes up and the flats fishing slows, ...

When planning a saltwater fishing trip, check the tides

August 13, 2020

The question most asked by any new angler, especially a new saltwater angler is, “When’s the best time to go fishing?” Since saltwater fishing success is usually tide dependent, the first step in planning your trip is checking a tide chart. Day or night, moving water is productive water. Being at your favorite hot spot with your hot bait/lure during a slack water period means your best efforts probably won’t be rewarded. Return two hours later when the tide is moving and you’re suddenly catching fish. Anglers only need look at the moon to give them an idea about the ...

Insure proper hookups with bridled baits

August 6, 2020

Most know that the use of circle hooks helps decrease the odds of gut hooking a fish and when the circle finds that sweet spot in the jaw, the fish rarely escapes. Getting maximum efficiency from your circle or any hook means exposing as much of the hook and hook point as possible. A hook buried too deeply in a chunk of catfish tail lying on the bottom or in a live mullet might get inhaled by a tarpon or jumbo snook, but not find a hold in the fish's jaw. As the bait is inhaled and turned in the fish’s mouth, occasionally the hook point will foul in the bait fish’s flesh, ruining ...