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Nick and I had the plan in place. It was time for another short evening trip. We didn’t even have to leave work early. A late hill tide, crab flush and fairly calm seas was the recipe for tarpon, at least in our minds.

After meeting up at the marina at five thirty, we loaded up what little gear is normally brought for our “short trips” and moved out as quickly as possible. After heading out of the channel, Nick and I quickly figured out the plan for calm seas was out. The bay wasn’t filled with white caps but the rollers were like being in a washing machine, spaced out and with no particular pattern. The tide was moving out fast and the west sea breeze had kicked in. These conditions are par for the course when we fish. It never fails, but if successful, the ride is worth it. If not, you’re all wet.

Following an uncomfortable ride we make it to the Skyway Bridge and start looking for crabs. Having no bait is a bad feeling, so we scoured the waters for a few pass crabs to start fishing with; more would float by later. After agreeing that four was the magic number to start fishing with, the dip nets were out and the four crabs we needed had their claws removed and were in the livewell.

The boat was set up to account for the wind and tide and made for a great drift through the weedline, covering major ground. My first cast was out, taking the pass crab for a ride through the rough water, further out than I thought. Next thing I know, line is pulling off the spool and ripped through the skin on my thumb, barely allowing me to close the bail. After closing the bail with a bloody thumb, the battle began.

Being that a good amount of braid was already out, I had to regain some line and in between, try to keep the numerous jumps of the fish from throwing the hook. Nick drove me closer to the tarpon, threw it in neutral, and we let the fish do most of the work, pulling the boat against the tide, wearing her out. Mainly staying on top of the water and out of the channel, we made short work of this silver king after about twenty minutes and had her boatside for a few photos. What a stout fish! After reviving her, the boat was quickly positioned for another drift. That was crab number one.

On the second drift, Nick threw his crab out and I set up on the bow to look for more bait. After no luck I figured I would fish crab number three, as Nick had number two on his hook. On this second drift rolling tarpon were visible in the distance, and our crabs were heading right for them. Nick gets bit so I reeled in and cranked up the motor. After two jumps the fish spit the hook and swam free. That was a heartbreaker, but we had a good drift down. That was crab number two.

Nick and I made a few more drifts and had no luck. Not wanting to be out on the water too late, and thirsty for a few frosty beverages, the plan was one more drift through the weedline. I still had our third pass crab alive on my hook and he had placed the last bait securely on his hook. We worked our drift and were just about out of the strike zone when his phone rang. After a brief conversation with a loved one, Nick gets off the phone and we plan to call it a day, that is after Nick reeled in the fish that had his Redbone doubled over in the rod holder.

After getting out of the way and putting Nick on the bow, I drove around while taking pictures and chasing the fish down. This king made some great jumps but didn’t run as much as the first two. The girl liked the bottom of the channel more than the top of the water column, so Nick and I pretty much sat idle while he played tug of war. After some acrobatics by this hefty fish and a few leader grabs, she was boatside and released, again, after about twenty minutes.

Crab number four was gone, and crab number three got thrown back in the bay.

The wind had calmed down; we toasted with a couple of beers and reflected on another great trip. Riding back to the marina in calm seas with the sun just starting to set was the perfect ending.

Four crabs and three fish.

Check out my other ramblings at INSHOREINSIDER.COM

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Right now I’m typing this report up in Key Largo at the Conch House  restaurant. The conch house came highly recommended by Honson, and let me tell you, it’s great. The free internet is a big plus too, considering I have no wi-fi card and Starbucks wants like five bucks to use the net.

I had the fever bad in May. Taking my fair share of time off from work and fishing late into the evening, my friends and I got some nice poons to the boat for their fifteen minutes of fame. A story goes along with each one of these fish, but if you’ve read my ramblings before, you know it would take up the whole front page of Salty Shores to document every day of fishing. Some decent pictures were taken of each trip, so I’ll include a brief description of date and time. If you want to read the stories documenting all of our trips, check them out at InshoreInsider.com.  I’m not sitting here trying to self promote, as I don’t make a cent off of my site at all, it’s just my personal log, but, I honestly just don’t want to take up an extreme amount of front page space with a months worth of reports that are by now, outdated, but still fun to read in my opinion.

My friends and I started off with a tarpon to the boat on April twenty Seventh. That kicked it off. I didn’t get a fish to the boat but did get some good pictures.

Sean Rice with a nice jumper...

Boatside for a quick picture and revival.

Not a bad one here...

Chad with a nice fat poon, and a nice fight.

Joe and Dane fought this pig for quite some time.

Not bad for the first one of the year.

 The very next day I went out with a friend Rich, and his father. We did well again, going one for two. To me that’s pretty good. Rich boated a nice tarpon and I got broken off by a beast. Man I should have used a longer leader. I thought the battle had that fish worn down, and after forty five minutes, I got broke off on the braid. What a heartbreaker. Here are some shots.

Getting ready to help out...

I wish I had better pics of this one...oh well, we'll get another.

Rich and his father.

Me before my heartbreaking break off...

I did catch a nice little hammerhead...

Maybe four or five feet...

 All in all the new moon trips were fun, but redemption was on my mind.  I would regroup for the full moon tides.

The next trip I went on was with Captain Rachel Nobbe-Cato. She was a blast to fish with and we hooked a nice sized tarpon at the bridge. Unfortunately the fish hit our light setup, the 3500 Baitrunner with the medium action rod. We were using this for grouper. After a good fifty minutes and having the fish boatside twice for pics, we broke her off. Why wear the fish out for the sharks or possible death. Here are a few shots…

A nice long battle in the heat, at least it was flat out.

Here she is...

The fish and I were worn out...

If you ever get a chance to fish with Captain Rachel, do it. She is great and we hit it off well.

Finally I hit paydirt while fishing with my buddy nick on Memorial day and landed this pig. My first picture fish of the year. I like to have one or two each year.

The fight is on...

Nice...

Heavy ol' girl...

But I got my picture of this beast...thanks Nick!

Revived and on her way.

Nex, Chad and I took out a mutual friend that had never hooked into the silver king…This is the only poon boated in June, but once I get back, it’s game on for the full moon.

He was stoked to say the least.

If you like reading fish stories, all these trips were documented on InshoreInsider.com. Check them out.

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Every year, on the great holiday that is my birthday, I try to go out on a trip with a local Captain from the South Shore area. Even though today was not my birthday, I took the day off and went out a day early. I was invited to go out and scout with Sean Rice and Sean Hagen from Shamrock Charters, a local operation that fishes the South Shore from Apollo Beach to the Skyway, and pretty much the entire area. The vessel was a twenty two foot Ranger. Of course I jumped at the opportunity, especially since it was so close to my birthday, and hey, who can pass up the chance to learn new areas, tips and techniques, along with the normal joking around and camaraderie.

So off we went, myself, a good friend Tom from Tech Branch, Sean Rice and Sean Hagen from Shamrock Charters. Honestly, my expectations were not very high. The forecast called for 20 knot winds out of the west and a small craft advisory. I figured these guys would cancel and I would be sitting at home doing yard work. Also, churning in my head was the fact that with the conditions, it would be tough to get bait, and the main objective…fish. I was pleasantly surprised that the trip was still on, and plans were made to meet up at Cockroach Bay boat ramp at seven. Ok, no problem on my end. These guys must be hardcore to be going out in that mess, but we all fish when we can, right?

Captain Sean got the boat on plane and headed south out of the CRB channel. Far south. I wondered what the plan was, but never asked. So we pass the Port of Manatee, Joe’s Island, Bishops Harbor and end up at the Skyway bridge. The bay really was not too bad on the way out there. Sure, we got a little wet but overall it was an ordinary ride for me. Rough conditions seem to be the norm for weekend anglers and every day taken off of work seems to be the same.

Figuring we would be looking for whitebait, I waited for Captain Sean to start chumming up for the prized possessions. To my surprise the plan was tossing the net for threadfins. Ok, what for was my question. What was told to me was a shocker. Tarpon. Well, everyone already knows how the silver king has affected me, so I was game, but figured grouper would be the only catch. Reports have been out that the silver kings were showing themselves, but mainly further south, not actually in Tampa Bay.

After a quick throw of the net we had a few wells of threads and headed to our destination. After free lining threadfins for a few minutes we proceeded to catch grouper. Some big, and some little. All of us were having a good time fishing and the weather was pretty nice. Both Sean’s, me and Tom were all pulling up grouper; no monsters today, but at least a few for the dinner table. Then it happened.

Sean Hagen getting our bait for the day.

One for dinner and another that has some growing up to do.

Drag starts peeling off Sean’s spool, and I see the braided line rise. I called it out, “watch for the jump!” Up came the tarpon. The king of the bay, the reason many of us dedicate all summer long to chase was seen, and in my opinion, a little early. Finally, there was that adrenaline rush I have been waiting for all winter. There it was, the chaos of throwing the anchor over, clearing the deck of the boat and trying to motor the vessel out of the pilings of the bridge before a break off. Running to the bow and going to battle, hoping the fish would stay buttoned up, and remembering to “bow to the king”. It finally happened.

A quick boatside jump...

Hangin' loose

After I did my share of help to get Sean in position to do battle, my spot was on the tower. Some good photos of the king with my new Nikon were on my agenda, and that is what I got. After about a 20 minute battle with the normal tarpon fishing dramatics, an eighty pound class tarpon was boat side; I got some great pictures, and Sean Rice got his first tarpon.

It's official!

Sean Rice and Sean Hagen with a nice poon, the first I have seen in Tampa this year.

After we got settled again and calmed down, the boat was positioned back in place for more battles with these massive beasts, but we only came up with grouper and it was getting tough to keep bait down with the mackerel being thick. Time to head north.

Next stop, the South Shore flats. Still, I sat there puzzled. A good bit of our threads had died and we had no whitebait. Why were we leaving the bridge without bait? I figured I had better just trust the good captain and go on with the plan. The bait of choice would be cut threadfin for snook and reds. Cut bait is something I rarely use but if you’ve read my previous reports, live shrimp with the tails cut off had been catching me redfish, so I figured it may work. Heck, I had been chumming up fish the previous weekend, and knew there were fish in those areas but had gotten no reaction, not even a pop on the water; cut bait couldn’t be any worse.

A deep trough surrounded by mangrove lines was where the power pole was laid down next. Snook were the target. They were there, running up and down the groves, which was a great sight, as I had not seen a snook in months. After about an hour of using said cut bait and a few lost snook, the crew kept on rolling to the next spot, while at the same time, scouting other areas. Getting a snook to the boat was just not going to happen with the timeframe we had.

Our final destination was very skinny water loaded with oyster bars. This was an area I had luck with before, and today the mullet were present. Again using the cut bait we staked out the area and went to work. The reason I am not a big fan of using cut bait, is that patience is the key, and there was not enough beer to keep me very patient. Persistence paid off though, and reds were landed by us all, some of decent size. The wind picked up pretty hard and after the frustration of numerous wind knots and tangles we decided to call it a day. Everyone was beat up, but content.

Cut threadfin did the trick, I guess I need to be more open minded...

I had a great time with the guys from Shamrock Charters, and with three out of the four of us being of Irish descent, including myself, we may have had a little luck on our side, and, of course skill. A big thanks goes out to Tom from Tech Branch and Shamrock charters.

Now if I could only get all these threadfin scales off of me…

INSHOREINSIDER.COM

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I wrote an article based on fishing for tarpon for saltyshores.com, after some excellent, as well as frustrating times fishing for the silver king. The article was written to help someone like myself, a first year poon fisherman, a freshman. The piece was titled Tarpon 101-Getting Started.

I felt like writing a little more this season, pretty much the same information, but from another point of view, and not as detailed. This time from a sophomore tarpon fisherman; my freshman year was passed, barely.

So, it’s almost here, the summer long party most of us are already drooling over. The annual migration of tarpon to the Tampa Bay area is just weeks away. Most of us hardcore junkies are already prepping our gear in anticipation. Hell; I already strategically took half days off of work throughout the season in order to get my time in on the water, of course based on tides and moon phases. I have to; the fever makes you sick, and will keep you coming back. This years plan is to come back with revenge, after all the knowledge that was acquired last year, I really need to land more fish. Getting schooled by these beasts is common and frustrating, but brings me back for more.

I am already buying all my gear so I am ready. Being able to pick up at the drop of a hat and fish for the king is my plan. Hooks, dip nets, gloves, leader, and an anchor ball-all are being gathered up at this time. Maybe even a new rod and reel. All this gear will be in a separate tackle bag and the boat will be straightened up so only mainly tarpon gear is onboard. I want to keep the boat as cleared out as possible.

Last year my total was only two for twelve, having jumped my last three in October, and losing the last one on a hell of a jump, by a hundred pound class fish. Ever since, I have replayed that day in my head and I’m going to be back with a passion. Most of you seasoned veterans consider two for twelve just a bad day, not a bad year. Being a rookie was tough, I had to pay my dues, and last years weather wasn’t the greatest either. Adding to it, the whole job thing didn’t help me get out on the water.

So how have my plans changed from my freshman to sophomore year? Well, let’s go over it. To read my first article, Tarpon 101, just click the link; it’s great for the beginner. This article here is not as in depth.

First on the list is to get down to Boca Grande. My knowledge of the etiquette (if there is any) and Boca’s waters is non existent. I wouldn’t know what to do in that mess of boats, being afraid to hit a vessel or vice versa, as well the rough conditions. The boat I have could not handle some of the slop out there. I hope to find someone to head down there with so I can try to get some great pictures and land a few fish.

That being said, my gear preparation for the year is pretty much as follows.

The hooks I will be using this year will be owner 6/0 SSW circle hooks. These hooks have been recommended to me from a few well known fishing guides, are very sharp and have good strength. When you tighten that drag down to land your fish, a broken hook will bring tears to the eyes. Don’t skimp on the hook as I did before, it’s a shame to lose a fish due to equipment failure.

As far as braid or line in general goes, forty to fifty pound tests will be the highest in use. One of my reels may have forty pound mono for soaking baits and the occasional by catch grouper or cobia. Last year, I was using sixty five and it limited my casting ability; many rolling poons were missed because of this. Use whatever brand you are comfortable with. Sixty five pound is fine if you are just soaking bait, but if casting numerous times or sight fishing is the plan, bigger is not better.

When considering leader, I really don’t put too much thought in it. Maybe I should. Of course I am using fluorocarbon leader, for me the brand does not really matter. Yozuri and comparable brands are fine. Sticking to fifty and sixty pound test is my plan. Observing other fisherman using eighty pound test while I was using sixty seemed to make a dramatic difference. If I’m sitting there jumping three tarpon in a row on sixty with a buddy not getting bit at all with eighty, I’m sticking with my sixty. No leaders have broken on me, and have held up well.

With my knots, I have tried a few and had success with all. For the line to leader knot I have been using a bimini twist and a slim beauty combo, and to attach the leader to the hook an improved clinch knot has been my “go to” knot. Another knot that was working was a uni to uni knot with the improved clinch knot. Experiment with knots. See what fits you best. A good site to go to is www.netknots.com.

Bait that I will be looking for will be big threadfins at the bridges and markers, or hand sized pinfish on the flats. I have had more luck with pinfish but both will do. I won’t be spending too much time netting up bait this year, as I will be waiting for the crabs to flush on those strong outgoing tides. Diversity never hurts though, so while waiting for the tide to move bait will be gathered up.

Nets. No, not for the fish, for the pass crabs. I need to buy a couple long handled dip nets to scoop up those critters. This will be discussed later. These nets are usually only about fifteen bucks each and it’s best to have two depending on how many are on the vessel. Scooping up extra crabs faster will give you more time to fish.

A quality rod and reel combination is my toughest obstacle this year. Why lie. Money is tight, as with most others, and top of the line equipment is not in my arsenal. Both of my tarpon rods are of excellent quality and are custom made, but the reels are not. A new combo is preferred. These tarpon will put a hurting on your gear. It’s been on my mind in the recent months that I may have an internal failure with my Okuma Avenger reel. Don’t get me wrong, it works, and no case has been made for this fear, but I would like to get a new setup that is very dependable, and use the Okuma set up as a back up. We will see if I can put some money together; if not I will just have to make due.

The conditions I am looking for this year are simple. No wind, no rain and calm seas, with strong tides. Of course, the pieces to this puzzle will probably not come together on most trips. Honestly, concentrating on the new and full moon hill tides will be the main goal. These tides create weed lines that flush pass crabs out of the backcountry of the bay. Pass crabs are a favorite snack of the silver king. Mainly I will be staking out areas near bridges, passes and shipping channels looking for these weed lines and pass crabs. The area with the best “crab flush” should hold the most tarpon. While scouting out the areas, scooping up the crabs will start, but one can get away with picking up a couple dozen and staking out, looking for the poons. If you’re in the right area, the crabs will pass right by the boat. Wasting too much time on pass crabs will waste too much valuable fishing time.

My fishing style this year will change too. Good luck was had at the end of the previous season sight fishing for the massive poons. Normally I would just stake out an area and wait, or pull drifts and wait, still casting all over the place. If there are not a massive amount of boats around, scouting will be something that has to be done. Hunting these big fish is on the agenda, not just waiting for them to come to me. After I get over the high of jumping a tarpon, concentrating on fighting the fish and landing it quickly is a very important thing for me to keep in mind. Remembering to “bow to the king”, as well as turning the fish at the right time and rod placement must be areas of the fight I pay close attention to. Most of my tarpon were lost last year due to forgetting these tactics. Remember, these aren’t snook.

Fishing for the silver king with seasoned anglers has given me a good idea of the etiquette required when out on the water. Really, this is just common sense. Like the old saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans”, definitely applies. When you see everyone drifting in a pattern, follow it. If everyone is anchored up, do the same thing. Pay attention to what is going on around you and make way for people that are hooked up. A little common sense goes a long way and will end up helping everyone on the water.

I’m ready, and have been ready. Ready for the winds, choppy seas and storm dodging, ready to throw down and chase these bad ass fish all over the bay for that exhilarating feeling of dethroning the king, and of course, ready for the anguish of losing a thirty minute battle, reflecting on it with arms so sore they can hardly hold a beer.

Hopefully this will give you a perspective of my state of mind for this season. If you are a novice, read Tarpon 101, what I am talking about will make more sense. Good luck out there, have fun, and be safe!

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I took the day off on Good Friday to do a little fishing with a great friend. A year had passed since we last went out and we had been skunked. So the day of, I’m calling, texting, and trying to re-validate what was confirmed on the phone the previous night. So a text comes through fifteen minutes before my friend and I were supposed to launch the boat. A cancellation text. He broke a major “man code”. Cancelling a planned trip fifteen minutes before departure is a major man law infraction. It’s almost as bad as not showing up. On a scale of one to ten his code violation a seven, and that’s being lenient.

What do I do now? Well, as a last resort, I called my father in-law, Gary, and he was ready to go in thirty minutes. Off to the bait shop, then the ramp. My father in-law wanted shrimp, I didn’t, and buying bait is not for me. Mr. Weatherman called for little to no wind, so trout drifts were the plan, hoping to locate a school. The wind was kicking pretty hard, so that was out of the question. With the outgoing tide being so high, I opted to fish the mangrove lines with some live shrimp and a few arties. Hoping the fish were in their normal haunts, the boat was anchored in the backcountry, ready for the tide to move out with some speed. The water temperature read seventy one degrees in the back-not bad. Armed with artificials and the shrimp I did not want to buy, (Gary bought), the fishing started. We caught a couple of short reds on jigs and a few rat reds on shrimp; fishing was slow, with about four short reds to the boat. Knowing the tide would be moving soon and a major solunar was coming up, I made a move to a mangrove line full of mullet and glass minnows. I even saw some snook and reds crashing these minnows; not many but a few. What a great sight to finally see again!

Little rat...

This mangrove line had a shallow area with not much cover, but was parallel to a large trough; the fish were hanging right on the edge of the deeper water, ambushing bait the mullet were kicking up. The tide started moving faster and the major kicked in. The bite was on. We boated about fifteen fish in an hour and had a blast.

First keeper redfish ever...

A straggler found near an oyster bar, caught on a soft plastic.

Don’t get me wrong, these reds were not monsters. Most were under slot, but fun to catch nonetheless. The plan was to leave after the major. Time was running out. With my mouth watering for some blackened redfish we kept trying. Looking behind me I saw glass minnows being hammered. One of Dave’s lures was already rigged up and I hadn’t used it all day. I decided to throw it out near the commotion, trying to get the retrieve perfect. Finally, after a few tries, paydirt! I brought in my first respectable redfish of the year at twenty three inches, and on a new lure to boot! I was stoked! Blackened redfish was in the near future.

My first slot red of the year, I am way behind!

No more fish were interested in that lure, and the major feed was slowing, so I started with the shrimp again, (that I didn’t want :p). After boating a couple more shorts, I was prepping the boat to head in. My father in-law pitched a piece of dead shrimp deep in the groves. I told him to hold on and wouldn’t you know it, he lands a twenty one inch red. He was happy with his first keeper redfish ever, as this is his first year in Florida. After catching a couple more rat reds and photos, the ramp was the destination.

What an awesome day. Having a few beers, laughs, and catching fish can definitely be a stress reliever, and the day on the water was a great start to the holiday weekend.

INSHOREINSIDER.COM

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It’s been a while since I have written much, or have done any fishing. That’s the norm sometimes, having to balance family, work and other life events can take up a good amount of time, so I have to keep my priorities straight.  That being said, the few times I have been able to get the boat in the water have been fairly productive. In the past month I have seen the flats come alive after a horrible winter.  Trout has been the main target as the redfish have not cooperated for me over the last month. The bite has been pretty steady and these trout are hungry. Hanging in all the typical spots, I have been catching them on a variety of artificial baits.  I have recently been seeing very scattered small bait schools in the bay, including glass minnows and small schools of pinfish, and that seems to have brought the mackerel in, as I have caught a few in six feet of water the past two times on the water.  The mullet have become active all around the flats as well, which is a great sign. I am sure we have finally got out of this winter funk.

Finally, the Wang Anchor  was  tested and it gets my stamp of approval. I have been trying out numerous other products for reviews, including Marsh Works jigheads and soft plastics, Joe Hebert’s Edje weedless hooks, Mirrolure’s new 10 MR prop lure, Dave Hall’s wood plugs, a newEupro rod and Daiwa combo and an SWC moisture wicking hat. I have caught fish with all the above mentioned products, (except the hat ) . The hat is great, so far. I am waiting to catch some  BIG fish so I actually have some decent photos. These reviews will be up as soon as this happens.  One thing that’s  great about using new products, for me at least, is the fact that it helps me learn new techniques to become more proficient at using artificials in general. That is a major benefit.

Speaking of photos, I have done a bunch of experimental photography as of late; anything from flowers, animals, fish, horizon lines and even tattoos have been my Targets. I will show a couple I am proud of here, but they certainly don’t compete with the more seasoned photographers on this site. All I have really been doing is experimenting with the different features of the Nikon D3000 in different situations. Practice makes perfect.

I hit the 11th Annual Tampa Bay Tattoofest this past Friday, some of my pictures turned out well. If you want to check out the convention review, check the link. I didn’t want to clog up Salty Shores with a tattoo convention review and pictures, so I put it on InshoreInsider.com.

Here are a few pictures I feel turned out well (Please note-No photo editing program has been used on these photos except to sharpen the image, I am still learning to use photoshop properly).

That’s all for now. I have some more wildlife pictures, as well as great pictures of flowers and foliage that will be edited some more, and post them up here. Also, be on the lookout for more product testing and reports, it’s finally time for fishing again!

INSHOREINSIDER.COM

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Every year I try to attend the Tampa Tribune Outdoor Expo and Boat Show. It’s close to where I live, and one of the biggest shows on the West Coast of Florida. This year’s show did not disappoint, and I had a great time talking to old friends as well as making new ones.

When going to shows, I tend to look for local Florida businesses that are new or unique, businesses that I think will take off and make it in the industry. There are many fresh new companies out there that some may have heard of, and some may not. I will give you a brief overview of some of my favorites from the show.

Skinny Water Culture. SWC is a clothing company out of the Dunedin area. Vince and his crew have become established as a company that has set itself apart from the rest, with sharp, clean designs, and a diverse product line which is always changing and improving. I picked up one of their new moisture wicking hats and am pleased with the fit and feel. Check out their website for the latest designs of microfiber and long sleeve shirts, hats, tee’s and stickers.

SWC Crew

Reel Sassy is a women’s clothing line owned and run by two young ladies out of the Stuart area, Kimberlee Ewing and Kristy Levin. I talked to them for a minute and they seemed to have it all together. The company is fresh and innovative; a clothing line developed by women, for women. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t seen a business around that’s solely dedicated to women’s fishing apparel that actually looks good and stylish, something that many women will actually wear. My wife and daughter loved their line, I may order some shirts for their upcoming birthdays. Reel Sassy has a pretty extensive line of clothes and accessories from tank tops to microfiber shirts, hoodies and hats to name a few. Check them out at reelsassy.com.

Sorry guy's they're married.

Hall em’ in lures. Dave Hall and his father base their family business out of Orlando. Some argue they may be the best artificial plug makers around. I consider their wooden plugs to be some of the finest I’ve ever seen. The attention to detail put into the shapes and colors of these lures is amazing. They also make shadow boxes for lure storage and other uses; some are even displayed in a gallery right in my home town of Apollo Beach. There is no reason not to own one of their creations, it may just catch you a trophy.

Hall Em' In Lures

I spoke with Tom of Wang Anchor, and Joe of Carbon Marine. I don’t really feel there is too much need for introduction for these two locals. Their products have been seen all around Florida and beyond, and will make your fishing much easier. I think their businesses are in it for the long haul. I just got my Wang Anchor and love it, you will too.

Tom from Wang Anchor

Joe from Carbon Marine

Breathe Like A Fish from Lakeland were around, and in force as usual. BLAF doesn’t need much of an introduction either. Kent and Bob came up with a pioneering design to compete with standard fishing shirts. Microfiber vented shirts with or without buffs, as well as much more have been seen in many fishing shows and magazines. BLAF is on its way. I forgot to take a pic, but if you follow fishing, I know you’ve seen their stuff.

Captain Joe Hebert was at the show with his arsenal of lures, lures that will catch just about any fish Tampa Bay has to offer. His company is based out of Dunedin, close to the area he also runs charter trips out of. His soft plastics and various weedless hooks, jigheads and spoons kept me busy for quite some time at the show. He has a pretty vast and diverse line of products and they catch fish.

Fish on Lures

Flat Out Fishin is a local Tampa Bay company run by Troy Antalek. The business produces nicely designed shirts at a modest price. I picked up one of his tarpon shirts and love it, but won’t wear it while fishing, only around town. His designs are fresh compared to other “standard” shirts, and seem geared towards the younger anglers, and there are lots of us. I really liked what I saw at his booth.

I got one of these tarpon shirts, pretty nice...

Operation Still Waters had a booth with Salty Shores. Operation Still Waters is a non profit organization that is doing some real good for injured ex law enforcement, firefighters and military personnel. Currently they are hoping to be taking these deserving folks on fishing trips to our waters with local captains. I wish them all the best, they are good people.

Operation Still Waters

Overall I had a good time at the show and probably missed a few great new companies out there, but I feel some of the best were highlighted above. I wish them all well. I’m looking forward to see them around at the upcoming shows and beyond.

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I am always the last kid on the block to get the new toys. Weather it be a phone, video game system, computers, cameras, televisions-you get the idea. Well, this applies to fishing equipment also.

I finally caught up with the ever growing pack, and got my hands on a Wang Anchor system for my center console bay boat. I wish I hadn’t waited so long. Having used the system before, I already knew what it could do, but had I bought one sooner, my back would have thanked me.

The system consists of a stake out pole and mount. It’s that simple. With the system purchase, you receive instructions for installation and the stainless steel screws to mount the bracket to your boat. A bow mount and transom mount system is available; stake out pole length varies from six to ten feet. I went with the 10 footer, as I can also use it as a push pole. Why not?

Installation is a breeze. With the bow or transom mount system costing less than two hundred and fifty dollars; no installation fee will need to be tacked on to that. Like I said, installation is simple, so this makes the Wang a very economical, yet effective addition to just about any vessel.

This write up is not to review the product, as most out there know what it can do- the system and functionality are pretty self explanatory. My write up is to show how easy it is to install. In case some are intimidated to install one, after seeing this, you shouldn’t be.

Before install, you need to take into consideration if the system will come in contact with the wake from your motor creating a bad spray,  and also make sure it is not too close to trim tabs or other components on the back of the boat. Keeping  the system level, as well  as high as possible towards the top of the transom is a pretty good idea too. About a 1/4 inch from the rub rail is where I mounted mine. Another thing to take into consideration, is when mounting the bracket, the area chosen should be fairly thick. Some parts of a boat transom can be thinner than others. Many boat manufacturers keep certain parts of the transom thicker than others, partly to save weight in addition to cost. Just make sure to have a good bit of thickness for the screws to get a good bite. If your install area is very thin and you still wish to install it there, just use through bolts (stainless) and washers. Either way a simple task.

Let’s go ahead and see just how easy installation really is. For the install, all one needs is a drill, and in my case a 7/32 drill bit,  screwdriver,  marker,  level, and some 5200 marine sealant. Besides the system, that’s  it.

Required tools and equipment:

The Wang Anchor with drill, screwdriver, drill bit, marker, sealant and level.

First, pick a good location that is out of the way of clutter:

This was my choice, the opposite side of the swim platform.

Next, place the bracket level, in the desired spot, and use the marker to mark a hole for drilling:

Mark the first hole in order to mount the bracket with one screw, creating a template to mark the other holes.

Drill into the fiberglass to start the mounting process:

Be careful while drilling, wear safety goggles and make sure to press firmly on the desired location, not allowing the bit to slip.

After the first hole is drilled, mount the bracket to the hole and HAND tighten the screw, keeping the bracket fairly tight, but still allowing room for movement:

The screws won't thread in extremely easy, but you don't want to use power tools as fiberglass can easily become stripped.

Next, level the loosely mounted bracket and use your marker to mark the remaining holes:

Ready for more holes to be marked.

Marking the remaining holes.

After marking your holes, remove the bracket and drill the rest. With the bracket used as your drilling template, you should have no issues with bracket alignment:

Finishing up with the drill for the day.

Now you are ready to mount the bracket, the job is almost done! Use 5200 marine grade sealant to coat a portion of the screw threads as well as around the bolt holes on the bracket. CAUTION: Use this stuff in moderation. It is PERMANENT, I have heard horror stories of guys trying to remove components with this adhered to it:

Again, use sparingly. Like the teacher said in grade school, "a little dab will do ya".

A little bit is all you need, and this is just for extra protection. The bracket would probably hold perfect without it.

Next, thread in each coated screw by hand and ensure a good fit:

Ready to go...all the screws lined up and the bracket is level.

Tighten the bracket up and you have completed the task, if you want to call it that. You will have to put a little elbow grease into install of the screws without power tools, but it’s not that hard:

Tightening her up.

The final turns.

OK, your done. Insert the stake out pole and check it out. The install is so easy, I would be surprised if it took longer than an hour, unless space issues or other factors get in the way. My install area was free of clutter and clean, which helped out greatly.

Ready for use.

If the weather ever breaks, I will get to use this bad boy, I'm ready!

INSHOREINSIDER.COM

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On a trip about a year ago at the very least, a passenger of mine was leaning on my windshield when we were cutting through some fairly choppy waters, and put a huge crack in it. I removed the busted up shield and set it aside. I will get the windshield repaired “soon of course”, when really gathering dust is all it did. A few months later, when taking the boat to a local repair shop for an issue I couldn’t repair myself, the windshield was put in the boat to be looked at and possibly fabricated by the shop.

Well, the windshield had flown away on the drive there, never to be seen again. Now I had no template, and finding an exact replacement would be tough. After procrastinating for months after that, I finally went on the lookout for someone that could do a ninety degree bend to fit my console. Others in the area had said they couldn’t. I really didn’t want to haul the boat to a shop for measurements.

After searching the web and asking some friends, I found out there was a plastic shop up the road from me in Brandon, Plastics America, and to my surprise the fabricators could design a windshield with just a sketch drawing of the dimensions; there is an example of how to do this on their website.

Measure each side of the console

It's important to be as accurate as possible.

That’s cool for some, but I took pictures and showed the fabricator at the shop to ensure a good fit. After roughly a week I had my windshield,  a quarter inch thick tinted windshield.

Back from the shop, ready to be drilled and installed.

Dave at Plastics America even gives you grommets and a drill bit to go with it. They grind a bit for you to be used for plexiglass drilling, as plexiglass must be tapered through, not drilled straight down. If you are upgrading on a console without a previous windshield, you will have to measure and mark where you want to have it mounted. With mine, existing holes were used, so I was good to go.

All that's needed for an easy install.

 Mark the windshield and drill your holes:

Make sure your careful and don't put a small scratch in it like I did...

 After drilling clean up the freshly drilled holes and install the grommets:

Drilled and cleaned

Grommet installed with finishing washer besides it.

Ready for install, simple.

Put the finishing washer and screw in the existing console holes loosely, and make sure everything is lined up. Screw it in and you’re done. A level may be necessary, but you may be able to eye it out. There is no reason to put any sealant or 5200 on the screw threads. In my opinion the new windshield really makes the boat look great, especially after not having one for so long. The shop was very helpful, plus the windshield with all hardware and tax came out to less than two hundred dollars.

Before...

After

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It was Presidents Day 2010. Being that my employer gave me the option of taking the day off, I took it. The plan was to get some quality time in with my daughter, but I forgot that the kids in the Tampa area had to report to school that day, giving me a chance to get some needed errands completed, and maybe even a quick fishing trip. After shaking off the dust with a few cups of coffee, I prepped the boat for a possible fishing trip. Next, the middle school was my destination. Mission accomplished, the young one was at school and I’m making good time for once. I was getting a rushed feeling, almost like when you’re stuck in traffic and late for work. Over and over in my head I am planning everything out perfect in order to get some gas through the Yamaha. I sat at the house for a few moments with another cup of coffee, contemplating what to do and in what order. Checking the wind websites the previous night, it was possible if I played it out just right, the boat would be in the water by early afternoon. There was a front approaching that was supposed to stir up the water a bit later in the evening, but a window of opportunity. The errands needed to be handled had to be done early in the day due to time constraints, so off I went to handle my business. Taking a little longer than I wanted, my responsibilities were complete so I hurried back to the South Shore.

 While driving home I did notice the wind picking up a bit, but it was out of the south-no worries; how bad could it be? I see fishing reports all the time with people going out in windy conditions. Well, the boat was prepped and all my gear was ready to go, my only task left was to hitch up the boat, grab a beer and some water, and make a sandwich. It turned out to be a good looking cold cut; I couldn’t wait to eat it.

 Off to the Simmons Park boat ramp. Roughly being two o’clock, I still had time to catch some of the solunar and hopefully could pull some quick drifts for a trout or two. Seeing an acquaintance of mine at the ramp pulling his boat out, I said to him, “how’s it lookin’ out there?”  The reply I got was simple. “It’s pretty messy out in the open, be careful dude”. He and his fishing partner left and it was only me at the ramp dropping in.

Entering the channel, the bay was not too angry. Making my way out to the open water, the weather quickly changed from the calmer, slightly covered channel. As I throttled up, the trout destination was in sight. I fooled around, organizing my stuff on the console like always when first heading out.

 Shortly thereafter, I quickly realized paying careful attention to captaining my vessel was top priority. The direction of the bow was very important, as well as speed fluctuations. The wind and chop was a lot worse than expected. I’ve been in worse though, this was a manageable situation.

Carefully I make it to my favorite spot for winter trout fishing. My poles were rigged and ready to go, so I shut the motor off to check my drift. When floating up and down at the mercy of the bay, I soon found out that the strong south wind, combined with an incoming tide had me drifting way too fast. I made due, and made sure staying stable on the boat while casting for those speckled beauties was a main concern.

First cast, fish on. A nice trout was brought boat side and now it was time to fan cast very quickly, looking for that school. I had the live well running, so I left the fish in the well for a picture while hooked to the jig and tossed out my other rig. Nothing doing. I was off the mark. When taking out my camera for a picture or two, I knew this would be difficult, as I was alone and in rough conditions. As I was prepping for a picture, I realized it was way too choppy to put self timer on and get a snapshot. I reached in the livewell for the fish and found out the fish had circled around the strainer. Kneeling at the back of the boat, bobbing up and down, I freed up the fish, got some quick shots and threw Mr. Speck back in the well, as he was dinner.

What was not realized until too late was that I had set my other rod down, and not in the holder, so I became tangled in the line. Normally this would be no big deal, but today it made for a messy situation, trying to stay balanced and untangle at the same time. Carefully the tangle was fixed, camera put away, and I motored out to resume my drift. One more drift, one more fish caught, so I threw the anchor immediately. I found some fish, and things had calmed down as far as the chaos on the boat, not the seas. I can handle the two to three foot seas, it’s just a little bumpy and a matter of staying in a balanced position. All was well, and I was only in six feet of water anyways, right?

The bite died, but three nice fish were in the well. Needing enough for a dinner fish fry with the family, pulling the anchor and trying a new drift was next. Only one more trout and I was heading home. First pull on the anchor, no movement. Next try, no movement, except for my feet coming out from under me. Ouch. One worse move and I would be in the drink without a vest. The boat was rocking back and forth and water started coming over the bow; not much, but that’s never a good sign. After numerous tries to no avail, I had to motor the anchor out. Cutting the anchor was not an option for me unless absolutely necessary. Not in six feet. What the heck was I hooked up to? This is a grass flat?

 I made sure the rope was tight to the front cleat, and at that moment, just briefly, I wondered how scared the young men that capsized in the gulf last year must have been. Motoring forward, the anchor would not budge. After a few more attempts it was free. Relieved, it was pulled up, but when I saw it there was a major bend in the anchor shaft. I never did find out what the cause was.

That was enough to send me back to the ramp. The bite stopped, the conditions were horrible and trout sandwiches were in my future. I got my two hours of fishing in and scratched the itch. The run back to the launch was not too bad, and I called it a day.

The main purpose of this piece was to reiterate how safety should always be a top priority. I made numerous mistakes. First, I shouldn’t have gone out in that weather. Second, being alone on the water at any time is a bad idea. Period. Third, the deck should have been cleared, especially in the conditions. All it takes is one bad move to trip over something, or slip and fall and your in the terrible chop of the bay. We as fisherman are so excited to get out on the water, sometimes common sense goes out the window; for me that day it sure did.

 To top it off, I never got to eat that great cold cut I made…unfortunately it was soaked.

INSHOREINSIDER.COM

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