The Political Sandbox: Mutiny on the bounty of Catch Shares; Aye Capt rai...

The Political Sandbox: Mutiny on the bounty of Catch Shares; Aye Capt rai...: "WHERE I ASK? DO YOU SEE THE WORDS RECREATIONAL ANGLER? OR HOW IS THIS OUR SITE IN WORKING WITH NOAA? So how does catch shares and marine sp..."

Fishermen say catch limits put them out of business

Fishermen say catch limits put them out of business: "Grand Strand fishermen say the government is taking away their right to fish and they're going to fight back."

The Political Sandbox: The Voice of America

The Political Sandbox: The Voice of America: "Scrap the Catch Shares Program, get rid of the 'Witch Hunt' in the fisheries industry and do it with real, up to date data and rationalistic..."

The Political Sandbox: SAVE OUR FISHING INDUSTRY: TELL PRESIDENT OBAMA>>>...

The Political Sandbox: SAVE OUR FISHING INDUSTRY: TELL PRESIDENT OBAMA>>>...: "Here is a link to the white house web that will give you an opportunity to submit a question for Pres Obama to be answered after his state..."

The Political Sandbox: Stinking Thoughts on Fish Mtg.

The Political Sandbox: Stinking Thoughts on Fish Mtg.

Do you: Believe in The

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (also known as the Law of the Sea Treaty, or LOST)? Better not if you ever want my vote and the votes of all I can tell!

Capt. Matt Bellinger; Another Key's Crew Member of TOF

Using a boat, that is built from the ground up by

Yellowfin Yachts, they laid down a design with comfort, safety and speed in mind. This fishing craft is 24 feet, ten inches long, with a beam of eight and a half feet wide, making it great in stability when angling from its platform. Two bait wells, communication gear, as well all the whistles required by the U.S. Coast Guard. Dry storage for personal gear and plenty of cold storage for food to drinks that are brought on board in assuring ones need for hydration and refreshment. The Verado, is powered by a 275 HP 4 stroke outboard engine which runs quite clean and quite for running long days out on our vast and beautiful oceans to bays. For those wishing listening entertainment, there is your choice of Sirius Satellite radio, with you picking your track, as you trek across the waters or just be one with nature in listening to the Everglades in their sounds of solitude.

Geared up with a complete electronics package from navigation to state of the art fish finder, you are ready in catching that adventure of a lifetime with either spin, plug or fly tackle of your choice. Red Bone, Biscayne or Key Largo Rods, equipped with Quantum Boca, Diawa Whisker, Shimano Calcutta, Billy Pate or Abel Reels, you are ready to hook it up with Tarpon, Shark and Giant Goliath Grouper. Capt. Matt Bellinger is dedicated to Florida Keys fishing. Whether it is back country, flats, or reef fishing you can find Captain Matt Bellinger, aboard the Verado getting on the fish and Bamboo Charters is also about giving back to the fishing community. Capt. Matt talks openly to fisherman as to what type of fish is biting and where you can find these fish. After years of building the reputation of Bamboo Charters, Capt. Matt Bellinger is proud to be able to give these reports through RSS feed, live radio reports, The Online Fisherman dot com and TV. He owns and operates Bamboo Charters and has been living in and fishing the Florida Keys since 1989. You can keep up with the bite by going to www.Keysradio.com

TEAM KALEX in third Pushes Forward

My neighbor's in 3rd but getting ready to make his move.

Captain Alex Alder:

I live next door to one of the best Offshore Captains in the World. Capt. Alex Adler, his 48ft Sport-fisherman the KALEX is no stranger to the winners circle, & tonight i went down to Bud N Mary's to see how he did today, as i got there the crew was swabbing the decks & the sailfish release flags were a fly'n!

Team Kalex is in 3rd with 5 Atlantic Sailfish release flags, the other two boats have 5 & 6 fish but today is the last day of the Cheeca Presidential Sailfish Tournament, fish are caught & released on 12# line,
Go KALEX, the neighbors are rooting for you buddy!!

By

Greg Poland

Another Part of the Key's Crew: GREG POLAND

captaingregpoland: My neighbor's in 3rd but getting ready to make his move.

captaingregpoland: My neighbor's in 3rd but getting ready to make his move.

Captain Mark Schmidt: Lower Keys/Key West Fishing

INTO FISHING THE LOWER KEYS DOWN TO

KEY WEST FLORIDA?

TheOnlineFisherman.com - Florida Sinkhole Bass

TheOnlineFisherman.com - Florida Sinkhole Bass

With the lack of spring to summer rains here in south Florida, winter water levels are a bit down, causing foliage and such as aquatic vegetation to also be sparse in places with only large patches of cat-tails or Pussy-willows to make the breaks of your drop-off lines along Florida natural sinkholes. Sinkholes too are areas if which many a gravel to coral-rock quarry are often started in Florida, as this material is sought after in roadways to highways, along with landscaping needs found at various nursery's. To either end, Florida sinkholes offer a natural flow of clean, cold, clear water, in which Florida Largemouth bass and a variety of Pan fishes can grow to enormous sizes.

YouTube - TheOnlineFisherman

YouTube - TheOnlineFisherman

Hook it up with The Online Fisherman featuring Greg Poland-Mark Schmidt-Matt Bellinger- Alex Adler- The Florida Keys “FISH ON!”

The Environmental Right: Boga Grips are fatal :)

The Environmental Right: Boga Grips are fatal :): "At a meeting hosted by CCA yesterday in Texas. a college elitist pHd by the name of Andy Danylchuk said that 'I would get sued for saying th..."

Fishing With Greg Poland

Capt. Greg Poland Redfishing

Captain write for us over at The Online Fisherman dot com, drop on over and wet a line with us too!

Cold-Water Sails lead to Deep water Kings; Fishing with Poland

Cold Morning leads to Hot Fishing!~

Broken back Needlefish Lures

Needlefish on left, Tube on Right

but both conquered the Cuda!

The back country of the Keys can be hot this time of year in cold Florida but heading out into the ocean, just after the sun breaks the horizon, to fish the offshore reefs is beautiful. Winter time in the Keys produces many a Speckled Trout, Redfish, Ladies to Jacks but running out to the reef-line was especially fun today, as we jumped a couple of Sailfish under kites as we skipped Menhaden and Google eyes out to them in some really spectacular dancing to jumping feats as the head-shook their baits with a frenetic attitude. Once the sun began to warm our faces, we could shed the winter attire and begun a slow troll along the outer cut of the offshore reef line. Using Ohero Rods and reels, we were battling Barracuda within minutes of the drop. The bait of choice was a Ohero Needle fish broken back lure. The fish were just tearing them up. We had started with Tube lures but the broken back Needlefish were smoking hot! What a rip and what a trip; sails up early and now fast action cuda on the line. Tiring of the troll and frugally thinking of gas, with prices as they are right now, we decided to re-rig with a trace or light wire in the single stainless steel leader type of 30 or 40 pound test to a standard jig-head, to which we jigged, just off the reef on a drift in hooking it up with Kingfish galore. Our whitehead jigs were tipped with shrimp and the Kings were suspended just at the drop off, around 70 feet down. We had a great day out on the water, in the warm Florida sun of a cold winter day in catching fish for all.

State of NC Stops Trout Fishing because of Cold

A ban, lasting until at least Feb. 11, when the Marine Fisheries Commission will consider opening the closure at its meeting in Pine Knoll Shores, went into effect, today at noon, 01/14/2011, for all speckled trout to protect fish stocks, from being easily caught from the cold. The trout, just like our Snook here in Florida become lethargic, come to the surface to warm up. The State of North Carolina Fish & Game now sound like NOAA in that they too are of putting themselves into a lie. Lethargic fish do not bite, so how are they an easier catch, unless one is scooping them up with a dip net, which is already illegal? Marine Fisheries Commission Chairman Rob Bizzell says “the decision comes after 'cold stun' events in rivers, bays and creeks along the coast. When the trout are stunned by cold temperatures, they come to the surface to warm up, making them easy to catch.” I wonder what is really behind this ban, any thoughts?

The Environmental Right: Boga Grips are fatal :)

The Environmental Right: Boga Grips are fatal :)

Forget Gold, Go Tuna!

AFP / Getty Images

A 754-pound blue-fin tuna was sold at auction in the Tokyo's fish market, fetching a record 32.49 million yen, that converts to around $396,000. Yosuke Imada, owner of a upscale Kyubei sushi restaurant, will split the fish with a Hong Kong based sushi chain. These tuna are highly prized in Japan and are sought out more often than any other fish in the region but environmental groups say the practice is unethical and the Bluefin tuna are huge, sophisticated animals with well-developed brains and nervous systems. Maybe they too should be placed together with the nonhuman persons to which Dr Jane Lubchenko and her cronies have placed Dolphins?

The Political Sandbox: Supporting Marine Spatial Closures in Florida

The Political Sandbox: Supporting Marine Spatial Closures in Florida

Venice, Florida to Charlotte Harbor Report

SOUTH FLORIDA INSHORE OFFSHORE
Reports from dockside at the Crows Nest stated drift boats at the Venice reef, inshore Florida, were catching a small kingfish, porgies and lane snappers, along with some Cobia. Further out in the sloppy waters offshore the inshore, reported of one Wahoo this week, along with some kingfish, a few small sailfish and blackfin tunas being reported.
Piers & Jetties:
The Venice Pier at Sharky's, had scattered Spanish mackerel, some bluefish at night and a few mangrove snappers and some jacks. Head action was pretty good this week on the North Jetty at Nokomis, so I would speculate, the sheepshead action was probably pretty much the same on the south side of the inlet at Venice, as I could see rods bending and fish coming up from their rocks also. Snookering in and out and up through the Alley under the lights around the piers has been hot as we used Luv lures and Storm soft bait jigs. Lower Harbor at El Jobean Pier, Tarpon were biting live shrimp at night at El Jobean along with a few black drum, small redfish and sea trout.

Freshwater Bite:

Monster in the making!

Believe it or not? The bass in Charlotte County ponds, lakes or quarries could be bedding up. As Edwin & I slid the Snapper into the waters of a sinkhole/old quarry, the edges along the ridges to drop-offs and up against the lee side of most of the cattail islands were littered in beds with big bass moving about. Live baits, like shiners worked but what really turned on these bucletmouth bass were Zoom 4 inch lizards in the purple with blue specks. The crystal clear waters of most artisan to deep water ponds/sinkholes, require stealth in approach if angling from the shoreline but when in a canoe, it was like we were one of them. The small want to be trophies were caught on just about every other cast. The Billy Bass, those trophies you see on the walls, only followed or hit and spit before one could set it up. In the blink of an eye, the lizards were in and out of their buckets before you could even think, “set the hook!” Under normal conditions, where there are oak trees around or along side the banks, the water has that appearance of cloudy to dark, though it is still clear in the fish environment, from atop, it looks dark and deep. These sinkholes, on the other hand often than not have no trees around them and thus are clear as can be; Ed and I felt as though we were fishing in an aquarium at Mote, rather than out in the boonies of the county. Twice, we saw what I believe to be a couple of bass in the State record size of at least fifteen pounds or more with a number of smaller ten pound Largemouth in tow! Our day consisted of, no fish story either, catching somewhere around three-hundred bass ranging between six ounces to three pounds; all small and all a photograph moment with a release to get bigger. The genetics of this pond was impressive, to say the least, with every sort of Pan fish one could find and a Bass on every cast.

Cooler weather this weekend will likely slow the bass bite, so flipping and pitching soft-plastic worms, crawdads and creature baits around the outside grass lines, along deep drop-offs is probably the best bet for big fish. Live medium shiners in the North Port canals have produced lots of small bass, with perch were biting live minnows and worms under a slip cork. With the cooler weather, try to fish later in the day and use a worm or lizard with a black or dark purple or flip a creature bait into the vegetation lining the canals.

Lower Keys-Key West Fishing Report

Jack Dubose's Prize Catch

The wind has given us fits down here the last week in the Florida Keys, changing direction from northeast to east then hard southeast. As I’m writing this, the wind is trying to die out but we have another cold front on the way, leaving but a small window of opportunity in catching fish but catch we shall! Wind or slight wind, none of this seemed to matter to the fish on the reefs, as there were what seemed to be acres of ballyhoo stacked against the shoals and the fishing has been outstanding!

Marauding schools of jack cravelles, yellow jacks, Cero mackerel, barracudas, bonito, blackfin tuna and packs of sailfish have been in shallow water showering the schools of ballyhoo. This is the sound one hears as the fish attack the baits and as they flee, in a mad furry of erratic discomposure, it makes a sound much akin to listening to a shower, as well, the fish spray too looks as though Neptune turned on an upside down shower head.

This past week I was fishing with Gary Kolesar and his sons Ryan along with Justin from Michigan and we caught large jack cravelles, Cero mackerel and barracudas in just 11ft of water. First we anchored and caught live ballyhoo for bait, then set out the baits and waited to draw in the fish. Ballyhoo were showering all around and frigate birds were snatching the flying ballyhoo right out of mid-air. After catching several fish we got off the hook and followed the frigates, casting surface plugs into the melee, when the surface exploded with jacks chasing the bait fish.

Gary Kolesar Catches Jack!

The next day I was out on the reef due south of Key West with the Dubose family from North Carolina, where we had the same conditions and plenty of ballyhoo showers too. We anchored in 25’-30’ of water off the shoal and proceeded to catch blackfin tuna, bonito, Cero mackerel, barracuda, yellow jacks, grouper and yellowtail snapper. Father Will and sons Hill, Brown and Jack all caught plenty of quality fish while mom, Paige took pictures. Even though sea conditions were pretty sloppy everyone hung in and caught fish.

The key to fishing around the shoals is to find the ballyhoo and look for showers of the baitfish and birds working the area. Anchoring and using block chum to draw the fish in or drifting live baits while casting artificial lures all work well. It was a great day angling the waters and you too should come on down to Papa's town and together, you too, can hook it up. Captain Mark Schmidt

Dick's Tarpon Challenge Palm Island, the Florida Keys

Captain Greg Poland Charters

Large or small Tarpon is a fantastic fly rod challenge, know matter what time of the year it is but when your angling just off of Palm Island, in the Florida Keys, it is a gem on both counts. Little Palm Island, in the Keys, was once used as the exclusive fishing retreat of President Harry Truman. Accessible only by boat or seaplane, the island's hospitality has drawn an impressive guest list, including the late President Kennedy, Al Gore and Ivanna Trump. It is known as the south Pacific of south Florida. This island, in the Florida Keys, can be found at Latitude 24°37.11, Longitude 81°24.42, just four nautical miles north of Looe Key Light (marker 24). The Loran coordinates are 13981.6 and 43530.5 at Flashing Red #2, which marks the entrance to Newfound Harbor. This paradise exists, lying discreetly off the fabled Florida Keys coastline. Little Palm Island is not only an escape of choice for presidents, high profile celebrities and savvy travelers alike but a hot spot in catching many a species on a fly.

On the last day of 2010, I had probably the best day of my entire last year of fishing today in fishing with a new client, as we were in pursuit of fishes on the fly off Palm Island. Pam Wilson booked the trip and before actually getting it on, in the water, I was teaching Dick the techniques of saltwater fly fishing. Armed with an Orvis fly rod and matching reel, Dick was doing extremely well in putting my hand tied, white Deceiver, out on a lay of the water. Seven Weight line and a twenty pound tippet, on Dicks third lay, he had a fish on! The excitement of seeing him hook it up was no more than if it was watching my first hook up ever as the air was electrifying. The fish stripped out a number of feet and then spit the hook, as from the corner of my eye, I noticed a roll of a silver King and blurted cast it over there; tarpon on the move! Dick, swinging around, like a pro-angler made three false casts an laid the fly just to the nose of this rolling beauty of majestic size. At the swirl of a tail, again 'Fish On!' and the fight ensued. Angling on the leeward side of the island, this fish too was getting out of the 20 knot wind a blowing from the other side while rolling and feeding in the sea-grass of the shallows. As this happy fish stripped line off the reel, it finally decided in giving a show of presentation as it danced on its tail across the water. Dick raised the rod tip, as one would do if flying for trout or reds in keeping a taunt line, when he should have bowed to the fish in hopes of no shake off but shake off it was with a fish on, fish gone. What a spectacular feat and a few moments of greatness, as the adrenalin was still in full flow in knowing it was a good fish. The funny thing was, Dick had reeled the fish in all the way to the beginning of the leader, which was at the tip of the rod and had the leader made it to the last eye, with a touch of his fingers, it would have been an official IGFA landing. Oh! Boy was that a close one. This trip was in full steam ahead! I told Dick, he was hot and to get that fly back out on the water because, who knows to what else may be feeding in this lee of the island. Dick again lay the fly out and Wham, bam, thank you mam, another fish was on. Though it seemed different but it was stripping line, like no tomorrow. With a straight run back to the sea-grass, up it came to dance on its tail, too, like a miniature minaret, splashing back with another run to the bottom. After a struggling fight on this fishes part, Dick raised a small, fingerling Tarpon! It had as much fight and spirit as did the big boy that got away, only much, much smaller; the fly was only slightly smaller. “Hungary appetite,” I exclaimed, as we both laughed in a brotherhood of togetherness. Dick suggested he was having just too much fun and that I ought to get into the action. I joined in for a little while and hooked it up with a tarpon just before heading in. In all my days, this rates up there with one of the best because that is what it is all about; having a good time while catching fish and the catch to release of that baby tarpon made this the best day of the last day of the year 2010.

THE ONLINE FISHERMAN

The World Record Kingfish, that wasn’t!

The World Record Kingfish, that wasn’t!

By Captain Mark Schmidt 

 

Back in the mid-1980’s the IGFA opened up the 20lb tippet division for fly fishermen. When a line class opens up there are many more opportunities to set a world record. These fish may not be the biggest or represent the line class that well but they were the first fish to be caught on the open line class.

If your goal as a fisherman is to set a world record this is a golden opportunity to take advantage of an IGFA line class with little or no fish entered. This was our goal as Capt. Greg Poland and I headed out from Key West one calm, clear winter day, those many years ago.

I’ve known Greg for many years and he’s fished with me since he was in high school. We grew up in the same town, Miami Springs, and both had belonged to the Miami Sport fishing Club though not at the same time.

Greg had one specific goal that day and that was to catch a world record fish. There have been many world record fish caught on my boat, some planned and some not, but this trip was planned to fish for a species that could be a quality world record for the newly opened 20lb tippet class. I decided to target kingfish because there were plenty around and we had the right conditions to catch large kingfish on a fly rod.

On the day we were to fish we faced one problem-the night before our trip the NMFS closed the recreational capture of kingfish in federal waters. After conferring with Greg we decided to start in state waters and work our way out trying to find a large kingfish, that was legal to take. Conditions proved tough, so I decide to head west from Key West, to a spot about 30 miles away but well in federal waters. I had reasoned that this spot had other world record opportunities besides kingfish such as jacks and Cobia. Of course, once we anchored up and started fishing, we were covered up with huge kingfish sky rocketing everything we threw in the water. Wasting little time, Greg cast out a large white streamer fly and starting stripping the fly back with an erratic retrieve. The fly didn’t go three feet before a giant kingfish blasted it and went screaming off. After a lengthy fight, Greg worked the fish to the boat and my waiting scale. The kingfish bottomed out the 50lb scale-well over any fish entered on 20lb tippet fly and a great catch on any tackle.

Greg and I now had a decision to make, enter this fish and know we had caught it in closed federal waters or release a potential world record fish that Greg had tried so hard over the years to catch. Greg and I looked at each other and there was no hesitation from either of us, as I released the kingfish to fight another day. We knew what we had accomplished that day and that was good enough. As we headed back to Key West I reflected on how happy I was to have a friend that valued the traditions of fishing and sportsmanship, as much as I did.

Capt. Mark Schmidt is Captain Greg Poland's guide in Key West, Florida,

 

http://gregpoland.com

who will be working along with Capt. Alex Adler, to make up the best guide team in the Florida Keys.

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THE ONLINE FISHERMAN DOT COM
Fighting for your rights to fish
Keep our waters open!