Guide To The Indian River Lagoon

Enjoying Life on the Indian River Lagoon Coast by Captain Rodney Smith


If you've ever wondered about kayak fishing, snorkeling or crabbing along Florida's Indian River Lagoon Coast, you need look no further. In Capt. Rodney Smith's newest book, Enjoying Life on the Indian River Lagoon Coast, you'll learn about these topics and much more-including Indian River Lagoon tides, guiding, shrimping, fishing, canoeing, sea turtles, sea level rise, beach combing, conservation, gardening, bird watching, dolphins and weather patterns.

This 228-page book, compiled from Rodney's own journal, written over the course of 20-plus years, is made even better with the inclusion of the author's own beautiful color photographs. In it Rodney shares the secrets of success to exploring the Indian River Lagoon system-one of the world's most prolific and diverse estuaries.

What Capt. John Kumiski once said about Rodney's first book, Catching Made Easy: Where, When and How to Catch More Fish, holds true for Enjoying Life on the Indian River Lagoon Coast: "Don't buy this book. There's nothing in here you couldn't learn on your own given two or three lifetimes."

For more information on how to purchaseone of Rodney's books or one of his Surf Fishing Hot Spots Maps of Brevard County, please contact Capt. Rodney Smith at rodney@coastalanglermagazine.com.
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Preparing Boats For Hurricanes

Fay is on her way!
With tropical storm Fay setting her sites on the western Florida coast, I decided to find out what boat owners should do to protect there vessels during a storm. I found some great resources from the Coast Guard, Barry University and Boat U.S.. This is what they say to do if you have a boat that you can trailer. If possible, get your boat out of the water and move it inland to a secure area, well above the expected storm surge. Lash your boat securely to the trailer and put blocks of wood between the axle and the frame of the trailer. Fill the boat about 1/3 of the way with water to give it added weight. The blocks will prevent the extra weight from breaking your springs. Use a heavy line to secure the boat, in four directions, to a fixed object. Screw anchors secured in the ground are best. Avoid tying it to trees. Trees are often blown over in hurricanes. Remove all gear that can create windage. This includes canvas covers, bimini tops, outriggers, antennas, anchors, or anything else that is loose or can become loose in high winds. Check out the links below for more detailed information.
Coast Guard Storm Center
Barry University: Prepare Your Boat
BoatUS Hurricane Brochure

Kingfish Stinger Rig

Kingfish Stinger Rig

Currently, conditions off of Florida's east central coastal beaches are prime for targeting heavy duty game fish using a light tackle approach. The water is clean right to the beach and the kingfish and other predators (jumbo jacks, tarpon, and sharks) have pushed pods of pogies (Atlantic menhaden) and other baitfish into shallow water (15 to 40 feet), and slow trolling live baitfish on steel stinger rigs can reward you with fast and furious drag screaming action.

Due to the keen vision and razor sharp teeth of kingfish, it is important to use the shortest length and lightest wire leader as possible and still have a good chance of landing the big fish. Lowering the profile of your terminal rig will greatly improve your chances of a strike, and in some cases, can even making the difference in catching a fish at all. It is also very important when utilizing a light tackle approach to counter their long speedy runs and sharp teeth of a kingfish with a light drag setting on your reel. The combination of a light drag setting and the extreme speed and long run of a kingfish will often smoke the line off of your reel, thus the term smoker kingfish. Most inshore kingfish range in the 20 pound class, but it is not unheard of to tie into a 40 to 60 pound smoker, a 100-pound class tarpon, or a 30 to 40-pound jack carvalle or shark.

With these thoughts in mind, here is how I approach this situation. First, you need a medium heavy rod and reel combination spooled up with at least 200 yards of 20-pound test braided line or 30 to 40-pound monofilament. Next, I like using about 8 to 10 feet of 30-pound fluorocarbon leader, and if big tarpon are a possibility I tip the end with several feet of 50-pound test. Next, I attach my stinger rig which is described below:

I start by attaching a very small swivel (Sea Striker Bill Fisher Krok 70-pound test stainless steel swivel) to 18-inch of #2 or #4 American Fishing Wire stainless steel leader brown in color, using a haywire twist. I like using darker leader colors to keep toothy fish like small Spanish mackerel and kingfish from striking the flashy swivel high, thus reducing cutoffs. The #2 leader is rated for 27-pounds and the # 4 is rated for 38-pounds. Larger kingfish can cut through the lighter leader during extended battles, but the finesse of the light rig is required to gain the strike in the first place. Next, I twist in a VMC #1 Fast Grip Kingfish Live Bait hook. For the stinger I attach a VMC #4X Treble Hook to 4 to 7 inches of #4 American Fishing Wire leader, and then twist in the opposite end through both the loop and the eye of the VMC #1 hook.

Once you have netted live bait and it's in the live well, hook the #1 Live Bait hook through the bait's nose from side to side, and the 4X stinger near the tail. For best results your bait should swim as naturally as possible. When kingfish strikes a bait, they often slice thought the tail to crippling the bait, and then quickly turn around and eat it. With the stinger near the tail, you have a greater chance of a hook up on a short strike. I also like to troll three baits. The first (short bait) directly in the prop wash of your engine, the middle bait about 20 feet back, and than a long bait about 50 feet back. This arrangement helps keep the live baits from swimming into each other, and it prevents tangles during turns. Also, I like to troll my baits at the slowest speed my boat will run to allow the baits to swim rather than skip across the water.

Captain Tom Van Horn
Mosquito Coast Fishing Charters
www.irl-fishing.com
407-416-1187 on the water
407-366-8085 office

The Hot Stick

The Hot Stick (or why some people catch fish and other do not) by Capt. Jim Stoner
On a recent fishing trip with Capt. Doug (my son) and one of our friends I had the opportunity to see first hand who had what we like to call the "hot stick" (fishing rod). Our friend is a pretty good fisherman but doesn’t have the time on the water that we do. On this particular trip we set out to do some sight fishing but the conditions were not in our favor so we decide to blind cast some productive shore lines. We put our friend on the front poling platform with Capt. Doug behind him on the console seat. I was poling the boat. We gave our friend the preferred rod and lure with the color that had worked just a few days before. Off we went plugging away with the guy on the front bombing the shore with his lure and Capt. Doug behind him hitting the spots he had missed. After about ten our fifteen casts along the shore, Capt. Doug scored with a nice Red Fish. Another ten or fifteen casts and Capt. Doug scored again - with the friend on the front shut out. After this we moved over to a long oyster bar and began poling again. Bang! Capt. Doug scored again so I told him to swap rods with our friend, thinking that it must be the lure colors. I watched the two anglers cast away and it became apparent that Capt. Doug was hitting every little opening along the bar while our friend was blasting away parallel to the bar. Bang! Capt. Doug scored again, this time with an impressive 34 inch Red Fish.
Did Capt. Doug have the "hot stick" or was it simply a matter of skill? In this case I believe it was 75% skill and 25% luck. Capt. Doug was covering more of the productive water along those shorelines by casting in every nook and cranny. By doing so, he put his lure in front of more fish. The next time you go fishing and your partner is knocking them dead watch him closely. See what it is that is giving him the edge then make the change to his technique. Sometimes it can be as simple as slowing your lure down or changing lure colors. Adapt and overcome as we say; or on the other hand it could be a case of the "hot stick".

Everglades Pro Fishing Charters
Captain Jim Stoner
Captain Doug Stoner
954-444-9995
http://www.evergladespro.com/
snook4341@yahoo.com

The Incredible Edible Jig

The Incredible Edible Jig
by Capt. Jim Stoner
Jigs catch just about everything that swims in the 10,000 Islands. Snook, Redfish and Seas Trout love them and it's not unusual to catch Goliath Grouper on them. I have caught fish so small on jigs that they were almost the same size of the jig itself. I have also caught huge Tarpon on the same basic jig.
What kind of jig are we talking about? When I first started fishing the area over 40 years ago almost all of the jigs we fished were 3/8oz hair jigs. They had lima bean heads and were almost always yellow or white in color. We would tip the jig (sweeten the hook) with a small piece of fresh shrimp. This combination was utilized for many years and accounted for many Snook and Red Fish catches. Later on when plastic tails jigs became available, we started experimenting with them and had great results. Today we no longer utilize the old hair jig in yellow. I now fish almost exclusively with plastic tail jigs.
What are the best sizes and color combinations.
Well, if you ask several different experts you will get differing answers.Basically it's the combination of head and tail that you have confidence in. Here are my recommendations: For the head of the jig pick up two sizes; 1/4 oz. and 3/8oz. I like the head to be red in color and to have eyes Of course, it should have a quality hook. For the tail I like a 3" body in gold metal flake. Other colors work well also but gold is universally accepted as the color of choice.
Tipping the jig with a small piece of cut shrimp still draws more strikes so don't be afraid to add a little sweetness to the hook. Fish the jig slowly over hard bottom and you can catch almost anything that swims down there. Move the jig faster over the grass flats and you will catch Trout, Lady Fish and Jacks. Don't be surprised if that same jig gets eaten by a big Tarpon! Believe me, it happens frequently and usually when you least expect it.
Pictures are courtesy of Rip Tide Saltwater Lures
Everglades Pro Fishing Charters
Captain Jim Stoner
Captain Doug Stoner
954-444-9995
http://www.evergladespro.com/
snook4341@yahoo.com

The Right Rod

The Right Rod

by Capt. Jim Stoner

One of the great aspects of in-shore fishing is that you don't need a lot of tackle to catch fish. I have narrowed my rod and reel choices down so that I can catch just about anything that swims in the back county with two different sizes of rods and reels. Before we get into my preferences we should look at the different types of tackle that can be utilized for back county fishing. First we have spinning tackle, which has several advantages. With spinning tackle you can cast lures and baits of varying sizes and shape. Most anglers feel comfortable utilizing this type of rod and reel combination. Next we have plug tackle, which is very popular with bass fishermen and was my rod and reel of choice for many years. Plug tackle is great for plugging a shoreline and casting accurately to a tree line. Finally we have fly rods and reels. Fly fishing has become very popular in recent years and is without a doubt the most challenging form of shallow water angling. Nothing beats catching a big Snook on fly; however, fly tackle requires skill and patience. By the way, I am an avid fly fisher. Let's talk about what works best for most anglers and the two rod and reel combinations I recommend for most fish. Without reservation I recommend spinning tackle. Spinning rods work best for almost any skill level and they can handle a wide variety of lures and natural baits. You can take on big fish even with light rods. -->So, what are the two choices? The first rod and reel combination I always carry is a 6'6" medium action spinning rod with an appropriately sized reel. This rod should be capable of casting lures from 1/4 to 1/2 oz. and should handle line from 8-17 lb. test. I recommend the SS66- M Wade Fisher by Falcon Rods equipped with a Shimano Stradic 2500FH reel. I spool the reel with 6 lb. diameter, 20 lb. test braid line. This is the rod I utilize for jigs, plugs and soft plastic baits. We have landed big Snook and Reds on this rod and reel combination. My second choice is a 7'6" medium action spinning rod with an appropriately sized reel. This rod should be capable of casting lures from 1/4 to 3/4 oz. and handle line from 10-20 lb. test. I recommend the SS76- M Medium Gulf Spin by Falcon Rods equipped with a Shimano Stradic 5000FH reel. I spool the reel with 8 lb. diameter, 30 lb. test braid line. This is my go-to rod and reel combination for live baiting and jigging on the shallow wrecks. I have successfully caught large Snook, Tarpon and Permit on this rod and reel combination. These two spinning combinations will handle everything but large Sharks, Tarpon and Permit and they won't break the bank doing it.

Everglades Pro Fishing Charters
Captain Jim Stoner
Captain Doug Stoner
954-444-9995
http://www.evergladespro.com/
snook4341@yahoo.com

Tides Are Key To Fishing Success

by Captain Jim Stoner

One of the most important factors to fishing success in the Ten Thousand Islands is the tide. The tide plays a critical role in when and where fish feed. Under certain conditions, it can also determine if you make it home.
The tide in our area is what is known as semi-diurnal, which basically means that on most days we have two tides. This is good for fishing because you have the opportunity to fish more of the tide and can schedule your trip around it.
Let’s talk about the tide as it relates to navigation. You should try to depart on a low rising tide if you are new to the area. You will be able to observe the numerous oyster bar and mud flats. The deeper channels will be more apparent and you will be able to take note of these features; not only to avoid them but to look for potential fishing spots. On your return trip you will have high water and should be able to navigate home with little trouble - having noted the shallow areas on the low tide.
Now let’s talk about the tide as it relates to fishing. Most fish feed on a moving tide. This can be incoming and outgoing depending on the spot. The fish use the tide flow as a way of traveling to and from feeding areas and to setup on a spot to ambush prey. Snook for example seem to like current and will setup on a point with a back eddy to feed. They will also lay in wait at the out flow of a creek mouth to ambush anything that passes by on the falling tide.
When I leave the dock, I always have a good idea of the day’s tides. I plan my fishing day around the tides so that I will maximize the potential for fish. I consider the tides to be one of the most important factors to catching fish in this region. Before you begin your trip pick up a copy of the local tide chart and study the tides for the day. You will not only catch more fish, you will also make it home safely.
Everglades Pro Fishing Charters
Captain Jim Stoner
Captain Doug Stoner
954-444-9995
http://www.evergladespro.com/
snook4341@yahoo.com

Florida Bay Scallops, What You Need To Know

The Florida bay scallop season has been open for more then two weeks now, and from all of the reports that I am getting, this is turning out to be an excellent year. I thought I would give you all of the 'need to know' information about scalloping in this post, and I will work on places to go and how to catch and cook them in a later post.
SEASON - July 1 - September 10.
OPEN HARVEST AREAS - State waters in the Gulf of Mexico extending from the Pasco - Hernando county line ( latitude 28 degrees, 26.016 minutes North ), to the west bank of the Mexico Beach canal ( latitude 85 degrees, 25.84 minutes West ) in Bay County.
POSSESSION - It is illegal to take scallops from outside of the open harvest areas, or to land scallops outside of the open harvest areas. In other words, you can not gather scallops from within the legal harvest areas, and then dock your boat outside of the legal harvest areas with scallops aboard. If you live south of the Pasco - Hernando county line, or west of the Mexico Beach canal, you can not drive your boat into the legal harvest area, gather scallops, then return to your dock with scallops aboard.
RECREATIONAL HARVEST LIMIT - 2 gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell, or one pint of bay scallop meat per day. There is also a per boat limit of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell, or 1/2 gallon of bay scallop meat aboard any vessel at any time. Scallops may only be landed by hand or by dip net.
LICENSE - A Florida saltwater fishing license is required for the recreational harvest of bay scallops.
DIVING/SNORKELING REQUIREMENTS - A divers-down flag must be displayed on any vessel with divers/snorkelers in the water. The flag must be a minimum of 20"x24" and must use a stiffener to keep the flag unfurled. This flag must be displayed above the vessels highest point so that it is visible from all directions. A 12"x12" float flag is also required by all divers/snorkelers, and you must stay within 300' of this flag.
GEAR - Mask, snorkel, fins, diver-down flag, mesh bag to hold scallops until you get back to the boat, cooler with ice, sunscreen.
Keep an eye out for my next post on places to go scalloping and how to catch and cook them. Also check the maps to Florida's public boat ramps on the top right hand side of my main page. They will give you information on all of the public boat ramps in the legal harvest area, Boat Ramps - Big Bend, and you can use them to get driving directions or to find food, lodging, gas or whatever you will need when your scalloping adventure.

Pros Guide To Kingfish Tackle

With the kingfish run now stretching the entire gulf coast and half way up the Atlantic coast, I thought this would be a good time to share some information on the tackle and techniques that are needed to catch these razor toothed speedsters. Kingfish have lots of very sharp teeth and are one of the fastest, strongest fish that swim in the ocean. They can chew through heavy mono leader in the blink of an eye or peel off hundreds of yards of line in mere seconds. When that trophy size fish hits, things happen in a hurry and all of your gear had better be in top shape. My good friend Captain Rich Hartman has fished the local kingfish tournaments and guides his clients to great kingfish action on board his boat the Fish'n Mish'n out of Seminol. I asked him to share with us what he uses to consistently land those big smokers.
Tackle

• Hooks- #4, 4x treble
• Wire- At least 24" of #3 wire between the first hook and the swivel. Cut the wire for the stinger so that the second hook is about even with the tail of your bait.
• Swivel- #10 ball bearing swivel.
• Leader- 10' of 30lb mono. Switch to fluorocarbon if the water is clear.
• Line- 20lb mono.
• Reel- Shimano Speed Master.
• Rod- 7' Ugly Stick.

Bait

Rich will " Match the Hatch " when deciding what bait to use. What ever is swimming in the area is what will attract the kings. When fishing near the beach, ladyfish or mullet are usually best. Offshore, blue runners or hard tails work well because they live longer. Scaled sardines and spanish mackerel also work well. Again, use what is swimming in the area you are fishing.

Techniques

Trolling works best when targeting kingfish. Troll only as fast as your bait can swim naturally to prevent it from drowning. Spread your baits out behind your boat as much as is practical. Place at least one bait on the surface behind the boat, one on a down rigger, and put your biggest bait in the prop wash. The biggest kings will usually hit this bait. Check your fish finder to see how deep the schools of bait fish are swimming. Set your down rigger so that your bait will swim at that depth. Following these guidelines will help you increase your hookups and the number of fish you land so that you to can catch kingfish like a pro.

Thanks go out to Captain Rich Hartman for the great information. He is available to guide you to great fishing action offshore of St. Petersburg / Clearwater, and can be reached at;

fishinmission100@hotmail.com