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More Fishing and Boating

• Barracuda chases catch into boat
• Anglers Outlook: Good fishing fronts; drilling home a point
• On the Hook: Secret (ha!) fishing spots

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Just one more week and we should be moving into a weather mode that could kick the fishing and catching into increased numbers of patches of bait from the beach and passes out.

It could be a prime time to find some keeper size redfish running the beaches and passes. It is not too late to find large bull redfish at the nearshore fish havens, wrecks and just maybe the Naples Fishing Pier.

Additional reds intermingled with several species including snook, mangrove snapper, trout, pompano, sheepshead, black drum, shark and tarpon from 16 to in excess of 60 pounds.

Anglers will be using tipped jigs, live shrimp, minnows, fiddler crabs, sandfleas and about anything they think might give them an extra edge for a nice catch. Trolling spoons, jigs and lures near the mangroves through the passes and near the outer shoreline could get some nice action for the species listed above.

Offshore anglers should be able to find fish if they have a good game plan. Many of them get set in their ways and stick to the same plan over and over. It all starts when they have had some successful trips. Then all of a sudden the well runs dry, their honey hole seems to be empty. But if they go back to it with the same bait targeting the same species and strike out. We all need to remember they were not the only one out there. It is a good bet several other anglers are working that area also.

Hitting your spot is really not a bad idea but if you are not printing the bait and fish and things are slow you need a back up plan of at least three other locations that are close enough together that you are not wasting time and fuel moving to them.

Having a good selection of bait both fresh cut and live is a must. While frozen bait such as mullet, squid or cigar minnows can work, you can get an extra edge by stopping on the way out to catch live bait such as pinfish using a hair hook rig or a cast net for bait for your live well.

Keeping the trash fish such as ladyfish, small jack and bluerunner for live and cut bait might be better that day than the other baits.

Of course chumming should be at the top of the list and making sure you are covering depths from the bottom to the surface can get the fish turned on. Chumming with small chunks of trash fish can also help for the largest species such as cobia, amberjack, shark and barracuda.

Anglers also need to keep up to date and check the latest rules and regulations for the species they are targeting such as gag grouper. With so many rules and regulations the game plan now is anglers try to catch their limit of more than one species so you will have enough fish to make the trip worth while.

They have to get used to more size windows, bag limits and other restrictions that could include closing of areas to fishing.

I think the closing of areas could be avoided if we keep beating the drums for catch and release only areas.

No taking of any marine life for commercial and recreation fishermen for, say, five years. They might be able to open the areas later if the number of marine species such as fish and crabs increase in numbers.

One area would be closed to harvesting any marine life and protected, no fishing allowed. The other one open to fishing but no spear fishing as it would be within the nine mile limit for no spear fishing.

Who knows how far they will have to go if we don’t let them know there may be a better way to manage the fishery and still allow anglers to enjoy the joy of fishing!

How far could they go? Well, so far as I know they have not started a study for you guppies at home. Don’t laugh too much, it could happen to you! Guess what? It just did

Another heads up email in part from Bryan Fluech, Collier County Sea Grant Agent, reads as follows:

“Hi, everyone! The attached document is from FWC and highlights some of the upcoming approved and proposed state and federal fishing regulations.

“Please note starting June 1 all anglers fishing reefs in state and federal waters will be required to have venting tools, dehookers and stainless circle hooks when fishing with live cut bait.

“If you know of any group that would like a presentation on fish venting and/or dehooking demonstrations please contact me at Rookery Bay, 300 Tower Road, Naples, FL 34113-8059. Voice: 417-6310 ext 225, Fax: 417-6315, Cell: 438-5594.”

You know, I always wanted a big brother.

Good news! The rest of February and first half of March is looking great, weather permitting, as I prepare this article. Double check your safety gear, file a float plan and go get them!

Have a great week!

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Red Stier is a weekly contributor to the Marco Island Eagle. Questions or comments may be directed to redstier@aol.com or 172 Trinidad St., Naples, FL 34113.