Ahoy there Anglers,
Urge Governor Crist to allow months and years of study and research to prevail and support downlisting the manatee.
This important Final Downlisting Vote is Scheduled for the December 5th Meeting of the commission in Key Largo. Please Attend the meeting if you can or send an Online Letter to Governor Christ and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.
YOU CAN HELP !With urging from the Save the Manatee Club Governor Charlie Crist stepped in last September and asked the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to postpone their vote to downlist the manatee from "Endangered" to "Threatened" status. This decision to downlist had been reached after years of study and research that shows the manatee to be fairing well. Governor Christ was placed under intense pressure from the Save the Manatee Club to postpone the downlisting and they were successful by sending hundreds of letters and emails asking the governor to ask FWC to postpone their vote.
Unable to celebrate the success and revival of the manatee population the Save the Manatee Club is once again circling the wagons and making a push to pressure the governor and FWC on the vote to downlist the manatee. They want the manatee to remain classified as endangered.
If you agree with the FWC's previous decision, based on years of research, tons of meetings, discussions, and common sense, you need to let them and the governor know. . Attend the meeting if you can. If not write or email the governor and the commission members to let them know your opinion and ask them to continue with the downlisting.
FWC Commission meeting on December 5th is in Key Largo, FL. Marriott Key Largo 103800 Overseas Hwy. Key Largo, FL 33037, Phone: 305-453-0582, Date: December 5, 2007, Time: Please plan to arrive by 9:00 a.m.
If you can't attend the meeting, please take a few moments of your time to send an online letter to Governor Crist and FWC Commission Chairman Rodney Barreto, asking them to continue with the downlisting of the Florida manatee.
Contact Information:
Governor Charlie Crist
PL-05 The Capitol
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
Phone: 850-488-7146Fax: 850-487-0801Email: Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com
Chairman Rodney Barreto
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
620 South Meridian StreetTallahassee, FL 32399-1600
Phone: 850-487-3796Fax: (850) 921-5786E-mail: Commissioners@MyFWC.com
Ask your friends and family members to send a letter in support of the downlisting.
JETTIES:
Sheepshead, redfish and black drum are the main characters biting out at the rocks now. There are also some nice whiting catches being reported but you all know by now how I get during sheepshead season. I've got the sheepies on the brain. I love catching these guys and I also get a real satisfaction out of showing people on board my boat how to rig their lines and actually feel and catch these light-biting, great eating fish.
Black drum from 3 to 10 pounds are being caught finally out at the jetties. I've also been waiting on these guys to show up in better numbers also.
This has been the best fall flounder run in the past 4 to 5 years. Flounder averaging 3 to 6 pounds are being caught daily with a good 8 to 9 pounder showing up too.
Redfish, some over-sized and some slot-sized are being caught not only with the bottom bumpers with dead shrimp or cut crabs but also with Sure Catch Jigs and fiddler crabs and with Sure Catch Jigs and live shrimp. There's also nice ring-tails are also being caught, a few nice sea bass and a couple black margates here and there.
CREEKS:
The redfish bite has been getting better and better since the water tempertures have kinda stabilized after the fast cool down. Nice redfish to 30" are back in schools and when the wind is calm you can really spot these guys together. It's tough when the wind is blowing 15 to 25 knots and you just have to know where they seem to hang out but my favorite is casting out in front of them either in a school or one at a time. Flounder are doing good in the creeks and the river as well as at the jetties. Speckled trout are showing up better and better. I know it's been slow on these guys but it's continually looking up with the cooler water.
RIVERS:
Sheepshead are in the rivers on rocky banks, rock piles, oyster beds and the black drum have shown up around White Shell rocks, Blount Island and Dames Point.
Whiting and large yellow mouth trout are doing better in the rivers. Try Nassau Sound and Ft. George Inlet too. Specked trout are doing better and better in the rivers also. It's about time. There are still a lot of shorties but you can sure find good sized ones also. The Virginia croaker run is about over. This was a great run but they just didn't last as long as normal. It's just my opinion, but when we had a couple of real cold fronts come through and the water temperatures dropped 11 to 12 degrees in just a few days, that tipped them off to head to their winter grounds which is Chesapeake Bay, (that's why they're called Virginia croakers). There are still a few around so get out there and catch them when you can.
SURF:
Pompano and loads of whiting are now biting in the surf. More whiting than the pompano but just consider the pomps a bonus when you catch them. Dead shrimp and sand fleas are your best bet for use on catching these fish. A few redfish are still being caught surf fishing also.
Remember, please let 'your' voice be heard on important matters concerning "our" favorite sport. It's up to all of us to protect our favorite pastime, fishing. The Fish & Wildlife Commission really does want to hear from all of you who fish. I'm on the FWC's Redfish Work Group Board and we talk about that all the time. It'll help them to make better decisions for the anglers of the State of Florida. Please be heard!
You can say what you want about the South but, you never hear of anyone retiring and moving up North,,,,,
Capt. Vic Tison
VIC2FISH & ADVENTURES, INC.
Web site: http://vic2fish.com/
904-699-2285
P.O. Box 28208
Jax., Fl. 32226-8208
Neither Captain Vic nor Vic2Fish & Adventures, Inc. claims any responsibility for any injury or loss of property arising out of any party using these Fishing Reports.If you no longer wish to receive Capt. Vic's Fishing Reports, please e-mail me to unsubscribe and I'll remove your address from the lists.
