Florida Sportsman is the complete fishing magazine for Florida and the Tropics. Devoted to fishing, boating, and outdoor activities in the Sunshine State, Florida Sportsman is the authoritative source for Florida's most active fishermen.
At this point, “Don’t New York My Florida” is a ridiculous statement. Take that sticker off. In my experience, Empire Staters relocating to Florida seasonally or permanently in recent years are looking for the same things we are: Sunshine, lower taxes, great fishing, lower taxes. (Oh by the way, about your property taxes and homeowners’ insurance…) What’s funny to me is, New Yorkers are actually leaving some pretty excellent fishing. Last October I fished the Lower Niagara River with Capt. Joe Marra and his friend Capt. Bruce Blakelock. I’d like to go back. In fact if the weather is good, I’d like to teleport there the first week of May when the guys tell me those PB-class smallmouths are on a prespawn feeding binge. A fair number of hardcore anglers…
CORRECTION: Last month we published the wrong address for the Everglades “Rescue the River of Grass” campaign. Please visit www.everglades.org/rescue to sign! At least once a year I touch on issues most of us don’t need reminding about, such as being a sober skipper or nixing plastic water bottles on your boat. Or tips on proper fish handling and release techniques. While reading these columns you were probably thinking, at least I’m hoping some of you were, “Of course I do this.” Even so, I’m sure there were a few of us that could use the reminder. Especially considering what’s at stake. In all of these “do-gooder” type columns, even though most were pretty simple asks, there are consequences if we ignore them. Such as limiting our access…
Unimproved boat launch off Jungle Trail. Who needs improvement? Wild is good. President Theodore Roosevelt signed Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge into existence in 1903. He did it, by Executive Order, to protect one of the nation’s last brown pelican rookeries. Did Teddy sense, at the time, that he was also protecting some of the best sportfishing grounds in Florida? I feel sure he’d be pleased were he to visit the refuge today. Catching an inshore slam—snook, trout, redfish—is a pretty good bet on the waters in and around the 5,500-acre Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge. Yes, this corner of the Indian River Lagoon has suffered water quality declines in recent years. The dieoff of seagrass starting in 2010, followed by profusions of brown and green microalgae, and shaggy, “tumbleweed”…
For another installment of BoatWorks, our occasional series on boatbuilding, Florida Sportsman staff visited the Dusky factory in Dania Beach, Florida. We rounded up with company president Mike Brown for an exclusive interview and factory tour. A family business since 1966, Dusky is a factory-direct boatbuilder, which means you, the buyer, select the hull you like and the options you want. Hardtop or stringless soft top? Pull-up cleats or hawse pipes? Outlets for electric reels? Custom livewell? Outriggers? Washdowns? Scuba racks? Anything a Florida angler or diver could envision, there’s a near-certainty the Dusky team has seen it and knows how to install it for maximum utility. Dusky boats are three-piece construction, which has a lot of benefits. It means the hull, deck and top cap (flat surface above the…
R&R TACKLE LIVE BAIT BUCKET TUBE SWEET SETUP here for livebait fishing, where keeping hooked baits ready to deploy can make a day. The R&R Tackle Live Bait Bucket Tube is similar to a tuna tube but sized for smaller baits.The 6-hole configuration (shown) is ideal for herrings, goggle-eyes and other popular kite and drift baits. The 4-hole model is good for slightly larger baits such as bullet bonito. It comes as a complete package, matched with a durable, nonslip YETI bucket and pre-installed 1-inch inlet and 1.25-inch outlet hose barbs. Add a pump on the inlet side (tee off of a livewell pump of 1000-2000 GPH, or use saltwater washdown) to push water through the bucket and oxygenate the baits—you may find they come out friskier than they went…
WEST PALM BEACH’S Ron Mitchell has spent countless days on the water during his 30 years as one of the most competitive tournament anglers in the Southeastern U.S. Mitchell has fished tournaments for a wide variety of bluewater species including dolphin, sailfish, wahoo and his chief target, king mackerel. Recently, the Southern Kingfish Association Hall of Famer shared his advice for catching and caring for blue runners, often called hard tails. These tips for one of the most frequently used live baits by tournament anglers can easily be applied for the weekend warrior planning for a successful fishing trip. BLUE RIBBON RUNNERS. Mitchell prefers blue runners as live baits over other popular choices like goggle-eyes, thread-fin herring, pilchards, Spanish sardines, cigar minnows and more. Mitchell prefers self-caught live baits. Proper…
