Friday, December 28, 2007
Fishing Adventures in Islamorada’s Cheeca Lodge
Fishing Adventures in Islamorada’s Cheeca Lodge
By
Jan Stephen Maizler
It was a long time since I’d traveled to the Purple Isles and there was much to look forward to. I was planning a first-time weekend stay at the Cheeca Lodge that was paired to a trip with Captain Greg Poland to fish offshore on his twenty seven-foot Conch center console. The trip was scheduled for the most vibrant time of year for me-, which is the winter season off Islamorada. For all traveling anglers that journey to Florida in Kris Kringle time, the luck as well as the art form is in timing the adventure to occur between cold fronts.
It did transpire that a whopper of a front that originated in Canada coincided its arrival with mine at the “Sportsfishing Capital of the World.” Since my planning gave me a four-day stay, I was secure in the knowledge that I’d probably get one good-weather day to fish with Greg- he made it clear he’d make himself available to make the trip happen. That left me free to enjoy the cold china blue skies above rolling mocha-colored Florida Bay as I drove down the Overseas Highway.
As I headed down Windley Key towards upper Matecumbe Key, a cascade of angling memories washed over me-each of them a triumphant testament to the incredibly diverse environment of Islamorada: a world which stretched from the shallow backcountry of Florida Bay out to the deep blue of the Florida Straits and Gulf Stream. As I crossed Whale Harbor bridge into “downtown” Islamorada, I had a conclusive feeling that I was really entering the Mecca of light tackle and fly fishing for the entire Florida Keys. No other city- even Key West- could lay claim to such a concentration of expert guides and anglers equally at home hunting and catching Florida’s most popular marine game fish.
It was late afternoon-becoming-dusk when I turned into the Cheeca. In the short days of winter, the light was fading by now as the sun said goodbye to Islamorada for another day. But before vanishing, it took another encore bow over the Florida Bay as it cast a silver lemon radiance over sky and water that you’d swear was the path to a Christmas pot of gold.
After getting myself situated in a beautiful room in the Main Lodge, I stepped out onto the balcony to enjoy a view that swept from the Atlantic shoreline out to Florida Bay. As I enjoyed the expanse of the keys in wintertime, I noticed that the large American flag that graces the entrance to the Cheeca was undulating more slowly: it seemed the wind was dying down. A few minutes later, the phone rang in my suite- it was Captain Greg, who announced that the forecast for the next day would feature much calmer winds. Since our trip was into the Atlantic Ocean, we’d be spared the concerns of residual muddiness that tomorrow’s backcountry anglers would face. So, after all, the trip was on for next morning.
Our plans were to converge near Greg’s beautiful home alongside his offshore vessel around 6:00 a.m. I looked forward to the group we’d have aboard. I was delighted that noted angling expert and photographer Pat Ford would be on hand to record the trip with his striking images. Since we needed another angler- and, yes, someone had to do it- I persuaded my friend Jim Porter to take the day off from his busy environmental law practice. Rounding out our group was marine safety expert Brigitte Goll of Datrex Corporation. Everyone arrived right on time and saw to their different tasks.
Fishing off the Purple Isles-
Like all effective angling pursuits, the key to a successful trip was solid and thorough preparation. In that spirit, as Greg loaded his vessel with tackle, he pointed out that he’d be taking lots of chum- these were products that he felt were the foundation of reef and drop-off fishing. In short order, he loaded four boxes of block chum in one of the huge ice chests: its’ initial application would be to attract baitfish like pilchards and balao to the boat for netting. In addition, the block chum would later be used for pulling in game fish themselves once we reached the offshore fishing grounds. Greg also hauled aboard two big buckets of “sandball” chum that would be employed for yellowtails on the patch reefs and slightly beyond.
After checklisting his vessel and equipment, Greg launched his rig at a nearby ramp. His Mercury Verado engine fired up quickly but quietly. The bayside waters had settled down considerably with the wind prevailing out of the northwest at fifteen m.p.h.
Greg pointed his vessel towards a nearby key and advanced the throttle. His rig surged forward and sliced over and through the emerald-colored wavelets crisply and quickly. In what seemed about a minute, Greg was slowing down as he approached a narrow channel that cut through the island. He pointed straight off the tip of his bow and said, “ about sixty feet…check it out.” It was easy for everyone onboard to see the surface dimpling of baitfish at the juncture of the channel and some overhanging mangroves.
He slowly eased his boat close to the bait and slipped the engine into neutral. The astonishingly quiet operation of the engine left the baitfish in a “happy” undisturbed state. Greg readied his cast net and made a perfectly unfurling strike over the silvery whitebait. As he pulled in his net, the flashes in the net’s “bag” made it clear he’d shortly be shaking plenty of live bait into his aft livewell. After a few more tosses of his net, Greg had enough whitebait for the trip. It was time to get underway.
We made our approach from Florida Bay into Snake Creek, which served as a bay to ocean access. As we neared Snake Creek Bridge, Greg eased his vessel towards a nearby dock and tied his rig off in front of a waterside tackle shop. He said that he’d pick up a few dozen large live shrimp to supplement the whitebait we’d already caught. It certainly became clear to me that Greg’s approach of using multiple chums and baits was diversifying the investments of our offerings- this would certainly maximize our chances for success.
After clearing the ocean side of Snake Creek channel, Greg pushed down the throttles and we jumped on plane over a silvery green ocean topped by tiny wavelets that were the departing front’s final signature on the sea. He pointed his bow towards Alligator Light and made his course.
As we streamed towards this well-known area, Greg got on his cell phone. As a result of his thorough planning-which always starts the night before- he knew which captains and anglers would already be in the vicinity. Greg insured more privacy of communication over his phone compared to his radio. His concerns were two-fold. Firstly, he wanted to know about any unfolding action over the reefs and the drop-off. Secondly, he wanted to ascertain where the balao were concentrated so he’d be able to possibly net and use yet another kind of live bait.
After perhaps four or five conversations, he determined that our initial efforts should begin a few miles southwest of the light along the reef line. He slowed his boat about three hundred yards abeam of an anchored charter boat. Greg slowly eased his vessel over and around the multi-colored patch reefs while simultaneously checking his instruments for refining his exact location. After he was satisfied about our fishing spot-to-be, he idled about fifty yards into the northwest wind and slipped his chained anchor overboard. This would ensure plenty of anchor line rode to hold us snugly as he paid out line by reversing his vessel back over our hoped-for honeyhole.
Once we were situated to Greg’s satisfaction, he turned off the engine. He immediately deployed some block chum in a net into the water- it was tied off in classic fashion on one of his stern cleats. The chum immediately gave off a multi-colored slick that the wind pushed offshore to the southeast. Concurrently, small pieces of solid chum cascaded towards the bottom. Oftentimes, an angler’s expectant fever for action can make mere minutes into eternities and this case was no exception- at least for Jim and me. But ever so slowly, a big school of balao started grouping itself off our stern while, below us, fishy forms materialized. Greg pointed to a bunch of highly colored fish below us and said, “ there’s our yellowtail!”
Greg handed Jim and I ultralight spinning rods and baited them up with live pilchards that he hooked in the aft portion of the belly. He advised us to fish them right off our stern in a free spool stance that would give no distortion to the way our live baits would swim. Greg shook the chum bag vigorously and tossed over a couple of dead pilchards which he said would serve as hors d’ oeuvres. At first, nothing happened. Greg kept shaking the chum bag. As it released more particles, we could actually see the fish below us rising up. In moments, line flew off my reel. I flipped the bail closed and reeled a million times the speed of light (as Tim Borski says) to come tight to my fish. There was no need to strike the fish as my rod deeply bowed over and the fish pulled line off the drag. After a two-minute battle, I had my fish close to the surface and its bright yellow-orange tints augured well for dinner that night. In short order, Greg tossed the two-pound yellowtail onto the ice.
Jim had hooked up during my battle. As he pumped his fish to the surface, it was clear that he was fast to a big “flag”-sized yellowtail. As Greg netted the fish, it appeared almost twice as big as the one I’d just landed. After these two landings, Greg opened his sandball chum bucket and started easing over hand-sculpted baseballs of a muddy mysterious composition that cascaded scent and fishy bits throughout the water column. The fish loved it!
The process of action began to unfold and accelerate. Brigitte joined us at the stern and quickly hooked up as well. After a vigorous battle with her gamester, Greg netted a small amberjack. Shaking the chum bag and tossing a few dead pilchards and sandballs astern stoked the recipe for action. This salty Wheel of Fortune started serving up a smorgasbord of gamesters consisting of yellowtails, blue runners, amberjacks, and snappers spiced up with an occasional mackerel and grouper. The action would last for the better part of the morning.
After Greg was satisfied that we’d all had our fill, he fired up his engine and weighed anchor. The sea was calming down fast and the ride back to the waters offshore of Alligator Light seemed so very short. As we slowed down, we spotted a free-jumping sailfish barely a hundred feet away. Greg cut off his engine immediately. He grabbed three twelve-pound spinners that Brigitte, Jim, and I would be using. As the water was clear, Greg stuck with the sixty-pound fluorocarbon leaders that were already on the outfits. He did change to long shank hooks to minimize any cutoffs from the kingfish that he had determined were in the area. Although we did not hook up with the sailfish, we caught enough small kings that left us thoroughly sated. Captain Greg had seen to it that we had a great day of action!
The Cheeca-
The Cheeca Lodge has undergone some fascinating growth and changes in recent years. Its origins laid in a venerable history of top-flight lodgings and services for America’s saltwater angling elite. The Cheeca – as it’s often called- has flowered into the largest and most comprehensive family-friendly resort in the Florida Keys. As I toured the facilities, it was clear that this impressive expansion maintained the five star excellence that the original operation was so well known for.
The Cheeca sits on 27 landscaped acres. There are 190 guest accommodations, including 49 ocean and resort-view rooms in the Main Lodge. All guest accommodations have air conditioning, ceiling fans, mini-bars, remote control color TV, AM/FM/CD players, wireless internet, and many other first class amenities. The rooms are decorated in a resplendent and luxurious Floribbean motif.
This marvelous destination is open year round. Attractions at The Cheeca include tennis, golf, water sports, boat rentals, beaches, ocean access for vessels, 525-foot fishing pier, seaside fish lagoon, health and beauty spa, fitness center, and the acclaimed Camp Cheeca for children ages 4-14. The Cheeca proudly offers 4200 square feet of function space for weddings, meetings, and similar functions. In addition, the Concierge in the lobby will help you to book fishing and diving charters, as well as dining reservations at other fine local Islamorada area restaurants.
Guests and visitors will find Curt Gowdy Lounge an ideal setting for recounting the day’s fishing. Dining at the Cheeca includes gourmet fare at the Atlantic’s Edge oceanfront restaurant, as well as the casual Ocean Terrace Grill.
All personnel at the Cheeca are given training that is infused with elements of a mission statement that include such ideals as “providing memorable experiences for our Guests through discovery of Cheeca Lodge’s Environment and Adventures”…as well as the belief “that gracious service can only be achieved through Individual Commitment, Passion and Pride…” These kinds of training programs are the soil from which the finest resort staffers in the world grow from.
General Manager Jerry Broz sees the Cheeca aiming for being a sanctuary and source of rejuvenation for busy couples and families. He said, “ whether it’s a romantic weekend or an outdoors-style family fun vacation, the Cheeca will easily provide it.” He was also pleased about the development of a private membership Club that featured heightened levels of services and amenities.
More so, the Cheeca’s placement in the epicenter of an island that is itself the epicenter of the most diverse game fishing in all of the Florida Keys makes this resort only more outstanding. And diversity is also the operative word for all the different groups of both angling and non angling travelers that are sure to enjoy the almost limitless features, services, and amenities of this resort that will surely become cherished memories.
WHEN YOU GO-
Cheeca Lodge
Mile Marker 82 (Atlantic Ocean side of the Overseas Highway- [U.S.1])
Islamorada, Florida
33036
Toll-free Phone- 1-800-327-2888
Phone- 1-305-664-4651
Web site- www.cheeca.com
Email- information@cheeca.com
Captain Greg Poland
141 Plantation Boulevard
Islamorada, Florida
33036
Phone- 1-305-852-9940
Web site- www.gregpoland.com
Email- gregpoland@mac.com
By
Jan Stephen Maizler
It was a long time since I’d traveled to the Purple Isles and there was much to look forward to. I was planning a first-time weekend stay at the Cheeca Lodge that was paired to a trip with Captain Greg Poland to fish offshore on his twenty seven-foot Conch center console. The trip was scheduled for the most vibrant time of year for me-, which is the winter season off Islamorada. For all traveling anglers that journey to Florida in Kris Kringle time, the luck as well as the art form is in timing the adventure to occur between cold fronts.
It did transpire that a whopper of a front that originated in Canada coincided its arrival with mine at the “Sportsfishing Capital of the World.” Since my planning gave me a four-day stay, I was secure in the knowledge that I’d probably get one good-weather day to fish with Greg- he made it clear he’d make himself available to make the trip happen. That left me free to enjoy the cold china blue skies above rolling mocha-colored Florida Bay as I drove down the Overseas Highway.
As I headed down Windley Key towards upper Matecumbe Key, a cascade of angling memories washed over me-each of them a triumphant testament to the incredibly diverse environment of Islamorada: a world which stretched from the shallow backcountry of Florida Bay out to the deep blue of the Florida Straits and Gulf Stream. As I crossed Whale Harbor bridge into “downtown” Islamorada, I had a conclusive feeling that I was really entering the Mecca of light tackle and fly fishing for the entire Florida Keys. No other city- even Key West- could lay claim to such a concentration of expert guides and anglers equally at home hunting and catching Florida’s most popular marine game fish.
It was late afternoon-becoming-dusk when I turned into the Cheeca. In the short days of winter, the light was fading by now as the sun said goodbye to Islamorada for another day. But before vanishing, it took another encore bow over the Florida Bay as it cast a silver lemon radiance over sky and water that you’d swear was the path to a Christmas pot of gold.
After getting myself situated in a beautiful room in the Main Lodge, I stepped out onto the balcony to enjoy a view that swept from the Atlantic shoreline out to Florida Bay. As I enjoyed the expanse of the keys in wintertime, I noticed that the large American flag that graces the entrance to the Cheeca was undulating more slowly: it seemed the wind was dying down. A few minutes later, the phone rang in my suite- it was Captain Greg, who announced that the forecast for the next day would feature much calmer winds. Since our trip was into the Atlantic Ocean, we’d be spared the concerns of residual muddiness that tomorrow’s backcountry anglers would face. So, after all, the trip was on for next morning.
Our plans were to converge near Greg’s beautiful home alongside his offshore vessel around 6:00 a.m. I looked forward to the group we’d have aboard. I was delighted that noted angling expert and photographer Pat Ford would be on hand to record the trip with his striking images. Since we needed another angler- and, yes, someone had to do it- I persuaded my friend Jim Porter to take the day off from his busy environmental law practice. Rounding out our group was marine safety expert Brigitte Goll of Datrex Corporation. Everyone arrived right on time and saw to their different tasks.
Fishing off the Purple Isles-
Like all effective angling pursuits, the key to a successful trip was solid and thorough preparation. In that spirit, as Greg loaded his vessel with tackle, he pointed out that he’d be taking lots of chum- these were products that he felt were the foundation of reef and drop-off fishing. In short order, he loaded four boxes of block chum in one of the huge ice chests: its’ initial application would be to attract baitfish like pilchards and balao to the boat for netting. In addition, the block chum would later be used for pulling in game fish themselves once we reached the offshore fishing grounds. Greg also hauled aboard two big buckets of “sandball” chum that would be employed for yellowtails on the patch reefs and slightly beyond.
After checklisting his vessel and equipment, Greg launched his rig at a nearby ramp. His Mercury Verado engine fired up quickly but quietly. The bayside waters had settled down considerably with the wind prevailing out of the northwest at fifteen m.p.h.
Greg pointed his vessel towards a nearby key and advanced the throttle. His rig surged forward and sliced over and through the emerald-colored wavelets crisply and quickly. In what seemed about a minute, Greg was slowing down as he approached a narrow channel that cut through the island. He pointed straight off the tip of his bow and said, “ about sixty feet…check it out.” It was easy for everyone onboard to see the surface dimpling of baitfish at the juncture of the channel and some overhanging mangroves.
He slowly eased his boat close to the bait and slipped the engine into neutral. The astonishingly quiet operation of the engine left the baitfish in a “happy” undisturbed state. Greg readied his cast net and made a perfectly unfurling strike over the silvery whitebait. As he pulled in his net, the flashes in the net’s “bag” made it clear he’d shortly be shaking plenty of live bait into his aft livewell. After a few more tosses of his net, Greg had enough whitebait for the trip. It was time to get underway.
We made our approach from Florida Bay into Snake Creek, which served as a bay to ocean access. As we neared Snake Creek Bridge, Greg eased his vessel towards a nearby dock and tied his rig off in front of a waterside tackle shop. He said that he’d pick up a few dozen large live shrimp to supplement the whitebait we’d already caught. It certainly became clear to me that Greg’s approach of using multiple chums and baits was diversifying the investments of our offerings- this would certainly maximize our chances for success.
After clearing the ocean side of Snake Creek channel, Greg pushed down the throttles and we jumped on plane over a silvery green ocean topped by tiny wavelets that were the departing front’s final signature on the sea. He pointed his bow towards Alligator Light and made his course.
As we streamed towards this well-known area, Greg got on his cell phone. As a result of his thorough planning-which always starts the night before- he knew which captains and anglers would already be in the vicinity. Greg insured more privacy of communication over his phone compared to his radio. His concerns were two-fold. Firstly, he wanted to know about any unfolding action over the reefs and the drop-off. Secondly, he wanted to ascertain where the balao were concentrated so he’d be able to possibly net and use yet another kind of live bait.
After perhaps four or five conversations, he determined that our initial efforts should begin a few miles southwest of the light along the reef line. He slowed his boat about three hundred yards abeam of an anchored charter boat. Greg slowly eased his vessel over and around the multi-colored patch reefs while simultaneously checking his instruments for refining his exact location. After he was satisfied about our fishing spot-to-be, he idled about fifty yards into the northwest wind and slipped his chained anchor overboard. This would ensure plenty of anchor line rode to hold us snugly as he paid out line by reversing his vessel back over our hoped-for honeyhole.
Once we were situated to Greg’s satisfaction, he turned off the engine. He immediately deployed some block chum in a net into the water- it was tied off in classic fashion on one of his stern cleats. The chum immediately gave off a multi-colored slick that the wind pushed offshore to the southeast. Concurrently, small pieces of solid chum cascaded towards the bottom. Oftentimes, an angler’s expectant fever for action can make mere minutes into eternities and this case was no exception- at least for Jim and me. But ever so slowly, a big school of balao started grouping itself off our stern while, below us, fishy forms materialized. Greg pointed to a bunch of highly colored fish below us and said, “ there’s our yellowtail!”
Greg handed Jim and I ultralight spinning rods and baited them up with live pilchards that he hooked in the aft portion of the belly. He advised us to fish them right off our stern in a free spool stance that would give no distortion to the way our live baits would swim. Greg shook the chum bag vigorously and tossed over a couple of dead pilchards which he said would serve as hors d’ oeuvres. At first, nothing happened. Greg kept shaking the chum bag. As it released more particles, we could actually see the fish below us rising up. In moments, line flew off my reel. I flipped the bail closed and reeled a million times the speed of light (as Tim Borski says) to come tight to my fish. There was no need to strike the fish as my rod deeply bowed over and the fish pulled line off the drag. After a two-minute battle, I had my fish close to the surface and its bright yellow-orange tints augured well for dinner that night. In short order, Greg tossed the two-pound yellowtail onto the ice.
Jim had hooked up during my battle. As he pumped his fish to the surface, it was clear that he was fast to a big “flag”-sized yellowtail. As Greg netted the fish, it appeared almost twice as big as the one I’d just landed. After these two landings, Greg opened his sandball chum bucket and started easing over hand-sculpted baseballs of a muddy mysterious composition that cascaded scent and fishy bits throughout the water column. The fish loved it!
The process of action began to unfold and accelerate. Brigitte joined us at the stern and quickly hooked up as well. After a vigorous battle with her gamester, Greg netted a small amberjack. Shaking the chum bag and tossing a few dead pilchards and sandballs astern stoked the recipe for action. This salty Wheel of Fortune started serving up a smorgasbord of gamesters consisting of yellowtails, blue runners, amberjacks, and snappers spiced up with an occasional mackerel and grouper. The action would last for the better part of the morning.
After Greg was satisfied that we’d all had our fill, he fired up his engine and weighed anchor. The sea was calming down fast and the ride back to the waters offshore of Alligator Light seemed so very short. As we slowed down, we spotted a free-jumping sailfish barely a hundred feet away. Greg cut off his engine immediately. He grabbed three twelve-pound spinners that Brigitte, Jim, and I would be using. As the water was clear, Greg stuck with the sixty-pound fluorocarbon leaders that were already on the outfits. He did change to long shank hooks to minimize any cutoffs from the kingfish that he had determined were in the area. Although we did not hook up with the sailfish, we caught enough small kings that left us thoroughly sated. Captain Greg had seen to it that we had a great day of action!
The Cheeca-
The Cheeca Lodge has undergone some fascinating growth and changes in recent years. Its origins laid in a venerable history of top-flight lodgings and services for America’s saltwater angling elite. The Cheeca – as it’s often called- has flowered into the largest and most comprehensive family-friendly resort in the Florida Keys. As I toured the facilities, it was clear that this impressive expansion maintained the five star excellence that the original operation was so well known for.
The Cheeca sits on 27 landscaped acres. There are 190 guest accommodations, including 49 ocean and resort-view rooms in the Main Lodge. All guest accommodations have air conditioning, ceiling fans, mini-bars, remote control color TV, AM/FM/CD players, wireless internet, and many other first class amenities. The rooms are decorated in a resplendent and luxurious Floribbean motif.
This marvelous destination is open year round. Attractions at The Cheeca include tennis, golf, water sports, boat rentals, beaches, ocean access for vessels, 525-foot fishing pier, seaside fish lagoon, health and beauty spa, fitness center, and the acclaimed Camp Cheeca for children ages 4-14. The Cheeca proudly offers 4200 square feet of function space for weddings, meetings, and similar functions. In addition, the Concierge in the lobby will help you to book fishing and diving charters, as well as dining reservations at other fine local Islamorada area restaurants.
Guests and visitors will find Curt Gowdy Lounge an ideal setting for recounting the day’s fishing. Dining at the Cheeca includes gourmet fare at the Atlantic’s Edge oceanfront restaurant, as well as the casual Ocean Terrace Grill.
All personnel at the Cheeca are given training that is infused with elements of a mission statement that include such ideals as “providing memorable experiences for our Guests through discovery of Cheeca Lodge’s Environment and Adventures”…as well as the belief “that gracious service can only be achieved through Individual Commitment, Passion and Pride…” These kinds of training programs are the soil from which the finest resort staffers in the world grow from.
General Manager Jerry Broz sees the Cheeca aiming for being a sanctuary and source of rejuvenation for busy couples and families. He said, “ whether it’s a romantic weekend or an outdoors-style family fun vacation, the Cheeca will easily provide it.” He was also pleased about the development of a private membership Club that featured heightened levels of services and amenities.
More so, the Cheeca’s placement in the epicenter of an island that is itself the epicenter of the most diverse game fishing in all of the Florida Keys makes this resort only more outstanding. And diversity is also the operative word for all the different groups of both angling and non angling travelers that are sure to enjoy the almost limitless features, services, and amenities of this resort that will surely become cherished memories.
WHEN YOU GO-
Cheeca Lodge
Mile Marker 82 (Atlantic Ocean side of the Overseas Highway- [U.S.1])
Islamorada, Florida
33036
Toll-free Phone- 1-800-327-2888
Phone- 1-305-664-4651
Web site- www.cheeca.com
Email- information@cheeca.com
Captain Greg Poland
141 Plantation Boulevard
Islamorada, Florida
33036
Phone- 1-305-852-9940
Web site- www.gregpoland.com
Email- gregpoland@mac.com
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Fishing Pictures from Around the Globe by Art Blank, Jon Cooper, and Jan Maizler
Friday, December 21, 2007
A New Review of Jan's "Fishing Florida's Flats"....
Captain Ted Lund, Editor of Fly Fishing in Salt Waters Magazine says, " Fishing Florida's Flats" is perhaps one of the finest books on regional angling nuances ever written. Jan Maizler has put together a talented stable of writers willing to bare their secrets to success in the Florida Shallows. It is a worthwhile addition to any angling library even the least bit concerned with Florida's flats environment."
Monday, December 17, 2007
Pictures from Gamboa Rainforest Resort by Jan Maizler
Recent News on Jan's Newest Book, "Fishing Florida's Flats"
" Fishing Florida's Flats" by Jan S. Maizler is Now Published...
My latest and most thorough book on flats fishing on and in the bountiful shallows of Florida is now available for purchase on the University Press of Florida web site(UPF.com) as well as Amazon.com, Borders.com, Barnes and Noble and a majority of online as well as brick and mortar booksellers.
World-renowned shallow water angling expert, author, writer, and columnist Frank Sargeant of the Tampa Tribune says, " Fishing Florida's Flats is a book loaded with information on the fine points of flats fishing for bonefish, tarpon, and permit, among other species. Author Jan Maizler taps the expertise of some of the nation's top flats guides and adds his own decades of knowledge to it. Whether you're a beginner or expert, you'll find lots of tips, tricks, and knowledge here."
The contributors of the images and story content are impressive:
* Bass Pro Shops
* Tim Borski
* Vaughn Cochran
* Pat Ford
* Heritage Kayaks
* Ranger Boats
* Angling Destinations/ Scott Heywood
* Captain Butch Constable
* Captain Jon Cooper
* Captain Bill Curtis
* Captain John Kumiski
* Captain Mike Locklear
* Captain Greg Poland
* Captain Tom Rowland
* Captain Robert "RT" Trosset
* Jan S. Maizler
I decided long ago that the "dream team" concept of flats fishing experts from all over the state of Florida was the most effective, thorough and realistic approach to this vast, varied, and wondrous fishery. The University Press of Florida embraced this idea and decided to publish the book. It's been a long process, but now the release date has arrived!
The University Press of Florida describes the work thusly:
"An extremely detailed and thorough book that no serious shallow water angler will be able to pass up."--John D. Brownlee, Editor-in-Chief, Center Console Angler Magazine
"Excellent. . . . Maizler has compiled a world of interesting detail."--Jim Hardie, freelance writer for the Miami Herald, Stuart News, and Florida Fishing Week
Shallow ocean, or "flats," fishing is one of the most popular coastal activities in Florida. No other place has such a large combination of different shallow water species. In Fishing Florida's Flats, world-champion angler Jan Maizler draws on the expertise of numerous "flatsmasters" who share their wisdom on how to land a trophy catch.
Their advice--suitable for a range of first-time and experienced anglers--includes tackle selection, techniques, and directions to "hot spots" for each flats species. From habitat, biology, and feeding patterns to spotting tactics and state records, each flats fish is covered in detail. Maizler offers invaluable knowledge of the many vessels available, the different kinds of flats and the best ways to wade them, and important weather safety information. Maizler also reviews the recent technical and electronic developments in flats fishing, such as websites, software programs, and Global Positioning System devices that are now necessary additions to the Florida flats angler's arsenal.
For the large and growing number of anglers who have chosen flats fishing as their sport, this is the ultimate guide for catching bonefish, tarpon, permit, barracuda, sharks, redfish, seatrout, and snook in the state. Get hooked on Fishing Florida’s Flats.
Jan S. Maizler is a journalist and former IGFA world-record holder for bonefish on two-pound line and permit on four-pound line. He is the author of seven books.
You can click or check out the URL's below for this book, which promises to be an exciting and a highly significant contribution to the wonderful world of Florida flats fishing.
http://www.fishingfloridasflats.com/
http://www.upf.com/book.asp?id=MAIZLS08
http://www.amazon.com/Fishing-Floridas-Flats-Bonefish-Florida/dp/0813031451/ref=sr_1_7/002-9917567-2288056?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1180759209&sr=1-7
My latest and most thorough book on flats fishing on and in the bountiful shallows of Florida is now available for purchase on the University Press of Florida web site(UPF.com) as well as Amazon.com, Borders.com, Barnes and Noble and a majority of online as well as brick and mortar booksellers.
World-renowned shallow water angling expert, author, writer, and columnist Frank Sargeant of the Tampa Tribune says, " Fishing Florida's Flats is a book loaded with information on the fine points of flats fishing for bonefish, tarpon, and permit, among other species. Author Jan Maizler taps the expertise of some of the nation's top flats guides and adds his own decades of knowledge to it. Whether you're a beginner or expert, you'll find lots of tips, tricks, and knowledge here."
The contributors of the images and story content are impressive:
* Bass Pro Shops
* Tim Borski
* Vaughn Cochran
* Pat Ford
* Heritage Kayaks
* Ranger Boats
* Angling Destinations/ Scott Heywood
* Captain Butch Constable
* Captain Jon Cooper
* Captain Bill Curtis
* Captain John Kumiski
* Captain Mike Locklear
* Captain Greg Poland
* Captain Tom Rowland
* Captain Robert "RT" Trosset
* Jan S. Maizler
I decided long ago that the "dream team" concept of flats fishing experts from all over the state of Florida was the most effective, thorough and realistic approach to this vast, varied, and wondrous fishery. The University Press of Florida embraced this idea and decided to publish the book. It's been a long process, but now the release date has arrived!
The University Press of Florida describes the work thusly:
"An extremely detailed and thorough book that no serious shallow water angler will be able to pass up."--John D. Brownlee, Editor-in-Chief, Center Console Angler Magazine
"Excellent. . . . Maizler has compiled a world of interesting detail."--Jim Hardie, freelance writer for the Miami Herald, Stuart News, and Florida Fishing Week
Shallow ocean, or "flats," fishing is one of the most popular coastal activities in Florida. No other place has such a large combination of different shallow water species. In Fishing Florida's Flats, world-champion angler Jan Maizler draws on the expertise of numerous "flatsmasters" who share their wisdom on how to land a trophy catch.
Their advice--suitable for a range of first-time and experienced anglers--includes tackle selection, techniques, and directions to "hot spots" for each flats species. From habitat, biology, and feeding patterns to spotting tactics and state records, each flats fish is covered in detail. Maizler offers invaluable knowledge of the many vessels available, the different kinds of flats and the best ways to wade them, and important weather safety information. Maizler also reviews the recent technical and electronic developments in flats fishing, such as websites, software programs, and Global Positioning System devices that are now necessary additions to the Florida flats angler's arsenal.
For the large and growing number of anglers who have chosen flats fishing as their sport, this is the ultimate guide for catching bonefish, tarpon, permit, barracuda, sharks, redfish, seatrout, and snook in the state. Get hooked on Fishing Florida’s Flats.
Jan S. Maizler is a journalist and former IGFA world-record holder for bonefish on two-pound line and permit on four-pound line. He is the author of seven books.
You can click or check out the URL's below for this book, which promises to be an exciting and a highly significant contribution to the wonderful world of Florida flats fishing.
http://www.fishingfloridasflats.com/
http://www.upf.com/book.asp?id=MAIZLS08
http://www.amazon.com/Fishing-Floridas-Flats-Bonefish-Florida/dp/0813031451/ref=sr_1_7/002-9917567-2288056?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1180759209&sr=1-7
Chilly Winter Front Launches Kingfish Expedition...
Treasure Coast Royalty
By
Jan Stephen Maizler
As Captain Jon Cooper and I made the drive from Miami to Jupiter, we’d concluded that in some way, there’s always an epic aspect to the excitement of fishing for kingfish. True to form, the morning of our fishing trip with Jupiter Captain Butch Constable was larger than life in many ways. The sun rose on possibly the coldest day of February: thirty-nine degree winds howled out of the northwest over the incoming tide at Jupiter Inlet. The severe temperature contrast between the icy air and warmer water gave off large billowing clouds that briefly engulfed the fishing boats that were cautiously heading out to sea.
The seas were green at the inlet and featured three-foot waves. But it was the dark blue offshore waters all humped-up with huge swells that made my neck hairs tingle! Big seas, cold winds, and dreams of smoker kings all made good ingredients for undeniably thrilling adventure.
Even the mandate-ritual of beginning the day with catching live bait was exciting in these conditions. Ice-cold swirling winds were not enough to keep Butch from flinging his live bait net from the get-go. As soon as Jon and I had boarded Butch’s twenty-five foot center console, the Whiz Kid from Jupiter made a perfect unfurling cast with his bait net right on top of a big school of minnows alongside his boat. Two additional casts filled his livewell with loads of the tiny silvery baitfish. When Butch saw my puzzled expression, he made it clear that minnows would be the chum for the blue runners that would serve as the actual bait for the large kingfish we’d be trolling for.
Butch cranked up his vessel and headed up one of the creeks that abutted Jupiter Inlet. After idling along the shoreline for about one hundred yards, he eased up to a dock and tied off his vessel. Although Jon and I weren’t sure what Butch intended, it soon became clear what his intentions were when he jumped on the dock and pulled up a locked live bait cage twenty feet away. After he opened the trap’s top door, he netted about a dozen blue runners and transferred them to our boat’s livewell. He looked at us and said, “ It always pays to have some insurance.” It was clear that his kingfish mantra could not have been truer, particularly when today’s rough weather might hamper catching live baits for kingfish.
After that essential offloading, we eased away and from the dock and slowly headed out to sea. Although my personal requirements gave Butch only a few hours, it gave us plenty of time to watch him employ, demonstrate, as well as discuss all the important tactics for successful kingfishing off the Treasure Coast.
It was a wild and wooly time on those high seas. Butch was kept quite busy piloting his vessel into the large swells while at the same time trying to rig up the live blue runners and deploy them at different lengths off our transom. At times the baits would get nervous and panicky and we poised for strikes that did not materialize. As we headed south past Juno Pier, Butch pointed his boat southeast and headed for the famed “Zoo” grounds. Our goal was to reach the sixty-foot depths where larger kings were expected to show any day.
On the way out, we saw huge rafts of flying fish –locally called “fliers”- take to the air as they evaded predation from below. Butch felt that the culprits chasing them were small bonitos that had no interest in our large trolled baits. He turned out to be right. In what seemed like no time at all, it was necessary for me to get back to the dock. Reports by radio and cell phones from other boats indicated that no huge kings had come to the baits that morning. As we headed in, it seemed to me that the hit and miss challenge of huge kingfish constitutes its glory.
Different Size Kings Need Different Tactics-
One of the first things good kingfish anglers learn is that big kings and smaller school kings have different habits and preferences. The first distinction to understand is that smaller kings school in larger numbers than their larger counterparts: this is true for other Florida gamesters like bonefish and seatrout.
Large kingfish –often called “smokers”- can reach over fifty pounds. Expert kingfishermen off the Treasure Coast know that smokers are creatures of green inshore waters. This generally covers habitat from right off the beach out to about eighty feet of water. In addition to depth, there are generally four likely areas where larger kingfish gather to feed.
*The first areas- not surprisingly- are the edges of inshore shallow ocean baitfish schools like pilchards, greenies, mullet, or pogies.
*The second likely areas are aggregations of small predatory fish that feed on baitfish. These include schools of blue runners, small jacks, bluefish, and small Spanish mackeral, all of which can make excellent baits. It’s essential to realize that big kings strike these smaller gamesters with relish and make short work of them in seconds. Oftentimes, trolling a double-hooked bluefish is the secret bait-weapon of tournament kingfish anglers.
*The third key to finding smoker kings in the greater Treasure Coast area is to look for hard structure like wrecks, reefs, or irregular bottom configuration that draw baitfish and small predator fish. Getting the coordinates on some of these wonderful hotspots can make all the difference between success and failure. One such spot is called “ The Zoo”. It lies between Juno Beach and West Palm Beach.
*The fourth and final key is to focus angling efforts around such “soft structure” as color edges, current edges, and thermal edges. Some excellent results often await anglers that slow troll live baits along “clean-dirty” edges of green water. If this coincides with groupings of baitfish in forty to fifty foot depths, you’d do well to brace yourself for a jarring smoker strike!
Smaller kingfish position themselves just like their similar sized brothers up and down Florida’s east coast- yet this behavior is not the same as smokers. One major difference between smaller and larger kingfish is that the former-often referred to as “snakes”- tend to bunch up in large schools in ocean depths from eighty to one hundred twenty feet. Captain Butch advises anglers searching for smaller kings to keep a constant lookout for clusters of fishing boats, particularly commercial hook and line boats trolling in circles.
Some of the most crucial factors for kingfish anglers to consider are seasons and time of year. Additional factors on the Treasure Coast that are considered significant are weather patterns and even moon phase.
According to Captain Butch, the larger kingfish from twenty to forty pounds have seasonal peaks of activity.
The first occurs during the winter season when substantial cold fronts push the smokers southward from Sebastian and Fort Pierce into the Treasure Coast. One reason these fish are moving south is to stay in water temperatures that do not drop below the low seventies. Smoker kingfish that arrive on these fronts can often be caught in waters as shallow as thirty to forty feet with prime waters featuring a “bright” green tint. If the frontal weather features high winds that “chop up” the water surface to the point where the water is dirty, consider trolling live baits below the surface on a downrigger. This period generally last from December to March.
The second peak time occurs approximately from April to May when the larger kings spawn from Jupiter to perhaps as far south as Boynton Beach. One tip from Captain Butch is coordinating angling efforts by the time of day or night with moon phase during spawning season. During the full moon, Butch begins his fishing in late afternoons and continues into dusk and nighttime. During the new moon, he switches his tactics to fishing early mornings around bait schools and small predators. Butch said that he feels that the spring tide effect of the full and new moons create a better kingfish “bite” during their spawning season. On single outings during this period, he has logged in catches of thirty large kingfish from twenty to forty pounds. He also added that at this time of year all the large fish are loaded with roe.
After years of fishing for schoolie and smoker kings off the Treasure Coast, Captain Butch was able to discover a secondary smaller period of spawning from July to August during spring tide periods. He employs the same tactics and techniques that were used for the primary April spawn. Butch also advises anglers to look for green water that has a little tint or “smoke” in it: kingfish tend to be a bit more wary striking angler’s baits in the extremely clear water that summer seas seem to feature. If ultra clear water predominates across the habitat, anglers should consider night fishing to reduce the fish over-scrutinizing leader material. This is especially so for the wire leaders that are necessary in double-hooking big live baits for smokers.
Peak periods of activity for large schools of smaller kingfish persist during the same periods already noted. However, smaller kings can be active during any time of year at the aforementioned depths. Since school fish can be caught in such huge numbers, word about a run of smaller kings gets around the Treasure Coast fishing community very quickly.
Different Size Kings Need Different Baits-
Although dead baits can be successful offerings for kingfish, they simply do not give the same outstanding results as live bait. The simple fact is that many top kingfish anglers will not even begin fishing until their vessels are carrying an adequate supply of live bait.
The key to understanding live bait choices is to begin with practicing the old adage, “ big bait…big fish.” It also involves realizing that small kings up to ten pounds must restrict their feeding to smaller baits in ways a huge fifty-pound smoker does not. Therefore, use smaller live baits for schoolies and larger live baits for smokers.
Since live bait needs to be obtained, the three ways to accomplish this are by netting, hook fishing, or purchasing. Which of these choices you’ll make will be determined by the species of live bait that is available, your own skill levels in throwing a net, reading a recorder and deploying Sabiki rigs or the presence of live bait boats. If the nettable baits like greenies, sardines, and pilchards prove hard to net, consider going to jigging with Sabiki rigs.
Blue runners and goggle eyes also are slightly larger baits that are caught by jigging tiny feathers or fishskins. The largest baits for smokers are small bluefish and mackeral. These small game fish are caught with the usual lures employed for them. Bluefish can be quickly unhooked and can survive in the livewell for a period of time. Spanish mackeral, however, must he quickly unhooked and rigged on a two-hook rig and be put overboard for trolling in “pit-stop time” for an optimal presentation.
Consider a smoker kingfish an oversized warrior with a heck of an appetite. All big fish want the maximum protein reward as they are solitary or “pack predators” chasing bait and the best way for them to do this is to get the biggest swallow possible- hence, their proclivity for big baits. In contrast, large schools of small kingfish have the numbers to corral huge schools of small baitfish- again, big kings do not have this advantage.
Moderate-sized live baits for smoker kings include goggle eyes, and pogies. Larger live baits include mullet, blue runners, bluefish, and small mackeral. It’s a wise practice to double-hook all larger live baits designed for either trolling or drifting for smoker kings. Captain Butch always uses coffee-colored wire leader for all his kingfishing. On double-hooked baits he uses lighter (and more fish-friendly) number four wire from his running line to the first hook. Since the body of the bait often hides the wire from the front hook to the back hook, he feels he can use heavier number seven wire with less concern about reduced strikes.
Different Size Kings Need Different Tackle-
Captain Butch is very specific about the specific tackle requirements for large kingfish versus small kingfish.
Smoker kingfish tackle onboard his center console is simple, yet it does the job quite well. He has a quartet of thirty-pound conventional outfits. The reels all hold at least three hundred yards of line to deal with the long blistering runs of huge smokers. One of his reels with hold braided line: this is the outfit he uses when he has to troll live baits far behind his transom in ultra-calm conditions. Like many other guides, Butch knows that the miracle of non-stretching braids permit solid hookups on far-back baits in a way monofilament cannot. Butch obtained reels with high-speed retrieve ratios of either 6:2 or 5:1 that have the capability to take up line quickly when a smoker turns and takes a sizzling run towards his boat.
As to terminal rigging of smoker outfits, Butch suggests a pair of highly sharpened 6/0 to 7/0 hooks along with the aforementioned coffee-colored wire leader setup. He also advises that when a smoker hits the live bait, strike the fish smartly to effect a good hookset. Once the fish begins its run, allow the fish to tire itself out by running a long distance on a light to medium drag setting. Too much pressure on kingfish with thirty-pound tackle-particularly braids- runs too high a risk of pulled hooks.
Tackle for smaller snake kingfish need not be of such heroic specifications. Butch uses twelve-pound class spinning tackle. The reels have a fast retrieve, smooth drags, and hold about two hundred fifty yards of line. After doubling his line, he adds a fifteen-inch leader of number four coffee-colored wire and a 4/0 or 5/0 hook. He finds these lighter rigs work well with the smaller live baits –greenies, sardines, pilchards- that snakes eat with such relish. Oftentimes, he’ll use a single hook. Regarding hook placement, trolling calls for a nose hook, top drifting calls for a dorsal hook, and deeper kingfish strikes call for belly hooking. Butch has also found that throwing smaller live chum like pilchards into the troll wash or upwind drift side of the boat can get smaller kings quite excited.
If anglers decide to troll for either small or large kings, it’s important to remember that that a good spread of lines from close in to far out maximizes the chances for strikes while alerting anglers onboard which presentations are getting the most strikes.
Kingfish have now become the most popular offshore tournament fish. They range from the Gulf of Mexico through the southeastern seaboard of the United States. The reasons for this are their accessibility, fighting prowess, and edibility. You’ll find that Florida’s Treasure Coast is a perfect place to give these speedsters a try!
CONTACT DATA:
Captain Butch Constable
Phone: 1-561-74-SNOOK
Seasport Marina
Jupiter, Florida
By
Jan Stephen Maizler
As Captain Jon Cooper and I made the drive from Miami to Jupiter, we’d concluded that in some way, there’s always an epic aspect to the excitement of fishing for kingfish. True to form, the morning of our fishing trip with Jupiter Captain Butch Constable was larger than life in many ways. The sun rose on possibly the coldest day of February: thirty-nine degree winds howled out of the northwest over the incoming tide at Jupiter Inlet. The severe temperature contrast between the icy air and warmer water gave off large billowing clouds that briefly engulfed the fishing boats that were cautiously heading out to sea.
The seas were green at the inlet and featured three-foot waves. But it was the dark blue offshore waters all humped-up with huge swells that made my neck hairs tingle! Big seas, cold winds, and dreams of smoker kings all made good ingredients for undeniably thrilling adventure.
Even the mandate-ritual of beginning the day with catching live bait was exciting in these conditions. Ice-cold swirling winds were not enough to keep Butch from flinging his live bait net from the get-go. As soon as Jon and I had boarded Butch’s twenty-five foot center console, the Whiz Kid from Jupiter made a perfect unfurling cast with his bait net right on top of a big school of minnows alongside his boat. Two additional casts filled his livewell with loads of the tiny silvery baitfish. When Butch saw my puzzled expression, he made it clear that minnows would be the chum for the blue runners that would serve as the actual bait for the large kingfish we’d be trolling for.
Butch cranked up his vessel and headed up one of the creeks that abutted Jupiter Inlet. After idling along the shoreline for about one hundred yards, he eased up to a dock and tied off his vessel. Although Jon and I weren’t sure what Butch intended, it soon became clear what his intentions were when he jumped on the dock and pulled up a locked live bait cage twenty feet away. After he opened the trap’s top door, he netted about a dozen blue runners and transferred them to our boat’s livewell. He looked at us and said, “ It always pays to have some insurance.” It was clear that his kingfish mantra could not have been truer, particularly when today’s rough weather might hamper catching live baits for kingfish.
After that essential offloading, we eased away and from the dock and slowly headed out to sea. Although my personal requirements gave Butch only a few hours, it gave us plenty of time to watch him employ, demonstrate, as well as discuss all the important tactics for successful kingfishing off the Treasure Coast.
It was a wild and wooly time on those high seas. Butch was kept quite busy piloting his vessel into the large swells while at the same time trying to rig up the live blue runners and deploy them at different lengths off our transom. At times the baits would get nervous and panicky and we poised for strikes that did not materialize. As we headed south past Juno Pier, Butch pointed his boat southeast and headed for the famed “Zoo” grounds. Our goal was to reach the sixty-foot depths where larger kings were expected to show any day.
On the way out, we saw huge rafts of flying fish –locally called “fliers”- take to the air as they evaded predation from below. Butch felt that the culprits chasing them were small bonitos that had no interest in our large trolled baits. He turned out to be right. In what seemed like no time at all, it was necessary for me to get back to the dock. Reports by radio and cell phones from other boats indicated that no huge kings had come to the baits that morning. As we headed in, it seemed to me that the hit and miss challenge of huge kingfish constitutes its glory.
Different Size Kings Need Different Tactics-
One of the first things good kingfish anglers learn is that big kings and smaller school kings have different habits and preferences. The first distinction to understand is that smaller kings school in larger numbers than their larger counterparts: this is true for other Florida gamesters like bonefish and seatrout.
Large kingfish –often called “smokers”- can reach over fifty pounds. Expert kingfishermen off the Treasure Coast know that smokers are creatures of green inshore waters. This generally covers habitat from right off the beach out to about eighty feet of water. In addition to depth, there are generally four likely areas where larger kingfish gather to feed.
*The first areas- not surprisingly- are the edges of inshore shallow ocean baitfish schools like pilchards, greenies, mullet, or pogies.
*The second likely areas are aggregations of small predatory fish that feed on baitfish. These include schools of blue runners, small jacks, bluefish, and small Spanish mackeral, all of which can make excellent baits. It’s essential to realize that big kings strike these smaller gamesters with relish and make short work of them in seconds. Oftentimes, trolling a double-hooked bluefish is the secret bait-weapon of tournament kingfish anglers.
*The third key to finding smoker kings in the greater Treasure Coast area is to look for hard structure like wrecks, reefs, or irregular bottom configuration that draw baitfish and small predator fish. Getting the coordinates on some of these wonderful hotspots can make all the difference between success and failure. One such spot is called “ The Zoo”. It lies between Juno Beach and West Palm Beach.
*The fourth and final key is to focus angling efforts around such “soft structure” as color edges, current edges, and thermal edges. Some excellent results often await anglers that slow troll live baits along “clean-dirty” edges of green water. If this coincides with groupings of baitfish in forty to fifty foot depths, you’d do well to brace yourself for a jarring smoker strike!
Smaller kingfish position themselves just like their similar sized brothers up and down Florida’s east coast- yet this behavior is not the same as smokers. One major difference between smaller and larger kingfish is that the former-often referred to as “snakes”- tend to bunch up in large schools in ocean depths from eighty to one hundred twenty feet. Captain Butch advises anglers searching for smaller kings to keep a constant lookout for clusters of fishing boats, particularly commercial hook and line boats trolling in circles.
Some of the most crucial factors for kingfish anglers to consider are seasons and time of year. Additional factors on the Treasure Coast that are considered significant are weather patterns and even moon phase.
According to Captain Butch, the larger kingfish from twenty to forty pounds have seasonal peaks of activity.
The first occurs during the winter season when substantial cold fronts push the smokers southward from Sebastian and Fort Pierce into the Treasure Coast. One reason these fish are moving south is to stay in water temperatures that do not drop below the low seventies. Smoker kingfish that arrive on these fronts can often be caught in waters as shallow as thirty to forty feet with prime waters featuring a “bright” green tint. If the frontal weather features high winds that “chop up” the water surface to the point where the water is dirty, consider trolling live baits below the surface on a downrigger. This period generally last from December to March.
The second peak time occurs approximately from April to May when the larger kings spawn from Jupiter to perhaps as far south as Boynton Beach. One tip from Captain Butch is coordinating angling efforts by the time of day or night with moon phase during spawning season. During the full moon, Butch begins his fishing in late afternoons and continues into dusk and nighttime. During the new moon, he switches his tactics to fishing early mornings around bait schools and small predators. Butch said that he feels that the spring tide effect of the full and new moons create a better kingfish “bite” during their spawning season. On single outings during this period, he has logged in catches of thirty large kingfish from twenty to forty pounds. He also added that at this time of year all the large fish are loaded with roe.
After years of fishing for schoolie and smoker kings off the Treasure Coast, Captain Butch was able to discover a secondary smaller period of spawning from July to August during spring tide periods. He employs the same tactics and techniques that were used for the primary April spawn. Butch also advises anglers to look for green water that has a little tint or “smoke” in it: kingfish tend to be a bit more wary striking angler’s baits in the extremely clear water that summer seas seem to feature. If ultra clear water predominates across the habitat, anglers should consider night fishing to reduce the fish over-scrutinizing leader material. This is especially so for the wire leaders that are necessary in double-hooking big live baits for smokers.
Peak periods of activity for large schools of smaller kingfish persist during the same periods already noted. However, smaller kings can be active during any time of year at the aforementioned depths. Since school fish can be caught in such huge numbers, word about a run of smaller kings gets around the Treasure Coast fishing community very quickly.
Different Size Kings Need Different Baits-
Although dead baits can be successful offerings for kingfish, they simply do not give the same outstanding results as live bait. The simple fact is that many top kingfish anglers will not even begin fishing until their vessels are carrying an adequate supply of live bait.
The key to understanding live bait choices is to begin with practicing the old adage, “ big bait…big fish.” It also involves realizing that small kings up to ten pounds must restrict their feeding to smaller baits in ways a huge fifty-pound smoker does not. Therefore, use smaller live baits for schoolies and larger live baits for smokers.
Since live bait needs to be obtained, the three ways to accomplish this are by netting, hook fishing, or purchasing. Which of these choices you’ll make will be determined by the species of live bait that is available, your own skill levels in throwing a net, reading a recorder and deploying Sabiki rigs or the presence of live bait boats. If the nettable baits like greenies, sardines, and pilchards prove hard to net, consider going to jigging with Sabiki rigs.
Blue runners and goggle eyes also are slightly larger baits that are caught by jigging tiny feathers or fishskins. The largest baits for smokers are small bluefish and mackeral. These small game fish are caught with the usual lures employed for them. Bluefish can be quickly unhooked and can survive in the livewell for a period of time. Spanish mackeral, however, must he quickly unhooked and rigged on a two-hook rig and be put overboard for trolling in “pit-stop time” for an optimal presentation.
Consider a smoker kingfish an oversized warrior with a heck of an appetite. All big fish want the maximum protein reward as they are solitary or “pack predators” chasing bait and the best way for them to do this is to get the biggest swallow possible- hence, their proclivity for big baits. In contrast, large schools of small kingfish have the numbers to corral huge schools of small baitfish- again, big kings do not have this advantage.
Moderate-sized live baits for smoker kings include goggle eyes, and pogies. Larger live baits include mullet, blue runners, bluefish, and small mackeral. It’s a wise practice to double-hook all larger live baits designed for either trolling or drifting for smoker kings. Captain Butch always uses coffee-colored wire leader for all his kingfishing. On double-hooked baits he uses lighter (and more fish-friendly) number four wire from his running line to the first hook. Since the body of the bait often hides the wire from the front hook to the back hook, he feels he can use heavier number seven wire with less concern about reduced strikes.
Different Size Kings Need Different Tackle-
Captain Butch is very specific about the specific tackle requirements for large kingfish versus small kingfish.
Smoker kingfish tackle onboard his center console is simple, yet it does the job quite well. He has a quartet of thirty-pound conventional outfits. The reels all hold at least three hundred yards of line to deal with the long blistering runs of huge smokers. One of his reels with hold braided line: this is the outfit he uses when he has to troll live baits far behind his transom in ultra-calm conditions. Like many other guides, Butch knows that the miracle of non-stretching braids permit solid hookups on far-back baits in a way monofilament cannot. Butch obtained reels with high-speed retrieve ratios of either 6:2 or 5:1 that have the capability to take up line quickly when a smoker turns and takes a sizzling run towards his boat.
As to terminal rigging of smoker outfits, Butch suggests a pair of highly sharpened 6/0 to 7/0 hooks along with the aforementioned coffee-colored wire leader setup. He also advises that when a smoker hits the live bait, strike the fish smartly to effect a good hookset. Once the fish begins its run, allow the fish to tire itself out by running a long distance on a light to medium drag setting. Too much pressure on kingfish with thirty-pound tackle-particularly braids- runs too high a risk of pulled hooks.
Tackle for smaller snake kingfish need not be of such heroic specifications. Butch uses twelve-pound class spinning tackle. The reels have a fast retrieve, smooth drags, and hold about two hundred fifty yards of line. After doubling his line, he adds a fifteen-inch leader of number four coffee-colored wire and a 4/0 or 5/0 hook. He finds these lighter rigs work well with the smaller live baits –greenies, sardines, pilchards- that snakes eat with such relish. Oftentimes, he’ll use a single hook. Regarding hook placement, trolling calls for a nose hook, top drifting calls for a dorsal hook, and deeper kingfish strikes call for belly hooking. Butch has also found that throwing smaller live chum like pilchards into the troll wash or upwind drift side of the boat can get smaller kings quite excited.
If anglers decide to troll for either small or large kings, it’s important to remember that that a good spread of lines from close in to far out maximizes the chances for strikes while alerting anglers onboard which presentations are getting the most strikes.
Kingfish have now become the most popular offshore tournament fish. They range from the Gulf of Mexico through the southeastern seaboard of the United States. The reasons for this are their accessibility, fighting prowess, and edibility. You’ll find that Florida’s Treasure Coast is a perfect place to give these speedsters a try!
CONTACT DATA:
Captain Butch Constable
Phone: 1-561-74-SNOOK
Seasport Marina
Jupiter, Florida
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Looking Forward to Ocean Club Resort...
I've always wanted to explore and fish the Turks and Caicos, and it appears that possibility lays in store. Ocean Club Resort (www.oceanclubresorts.com ) lies in beautiful Grace Bay and appears to be an excellent resort and a wonderful fish and diving base of operations. I hope to be reporting on this in the near future.
Jan Maizler
http://www.flatsfishingonline.com
http://www.fishingfloridasflats.com
http://flatsfishingonline.blogspot.com
Jan Maizler
http://www.flatsfishingonline.com
http://www.fishingfloridasflats.com
http://flatsfishingonline.blogspot.com
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Loxahatchee Snook Slam....
Loxahatchee Snook Slam
By
Jan Stephen Maizler
Captain Butch Constable eased his twenty five-foot center console towards a seemingly solid wall of mangroves about fifty yards away. As his onboard anglers, Jon Cooper and I looked at each other as if to mutually wonder where Butch would find an entrance. As we got closer, the wall dematerialized into groups of bright green mangrove islets that rose out of the coffee-colored backcountry water. Butch chose one opening out of a maze of possibilities.
As we passed through, the aperture gave way to a meandering canal. As we turned the first corner of our serpentine path, we spotted a large heron perched on a jagged dead tree limb. In moments, the bird saw us. It gave a disgruntled shriek, crouched, and lifted off into the air- no doubt, to fly to more peaceful parts of this jungle. Jon chuckled at the bird’s histrionics.
As Butch piloted his vessel into another turn, he said, “look”, and pointed to a mud bank forty feet off in the two o’ clock position. We were delighted to see a huge alligator sunning itself on this radiant afternoon. Since the tide was falling, it would have plenty of time to rest and warm itself. As we watched the armored creature in this wild world, I had a feeling that this moment could easily be occurring a million years ago: a humbling yet exciting feeling for any angler!
Butch started talking and this popped me out of my reflections. He noted that it was a bit of a surprise to see a ‘gator in such brackish water, but understandable given that the salt water was pushing further into the backcountry due to the lack of rain. He said we’d be reaching our honey hole in about ten minutes and we could be sure that we’d have all the action we wanted. I could feel my heart start pounding at this prospect and I looked longingly at one of the overhead fully rigged ultralight spinners and I readied myself…
As we traversed the final distance, I thought back on the inspirations, challenges, and details of our quest. While Butch and I had caught and released hundreds of large common snook in his home waters of Jupiter Inlet, the topic of the “other” kinds of snook had not come up. One night when we were discussing our mutual plans for the spring and summer fishing, Butch mentioned he’d caught over forty snook that very morning. Since this was only April, I pressed him for further details. He told me that he was fishing the brackish mangrove-lined waters of the Loxahatchee River. He added that he was fishing further inland because the common snook were still on the “inside”- this was particularly so since the absence of rain and “invading” saltwater allowed the fish to stay deeper in the brackish backcountry. But the most interesting topic was his mention of the fat snook and tarpon snook he’d caught amongst the common snook.
This really got my attention, since my only experience with the rarer species of snook was limited to an occasional tarpon snook in north Biscayne Bay. I asked him if he could repeat those fantastic “ three-snook” results and he said he could do so without any difficulty. Butch mentioned that the fourth species of snook- swordspine snook- were scarce, but they could be found at times under brackish water boat docks. I decided to organize this snook trip immediately and so, the Loxahatchee Snook Slam was born. It took little convincing to lure my friend Captain Jon Cooper away from his drafting table and flats skiff to join us a photographer and fellow adventurer.
A week later, we were boarding Butch’s boat at Jupiter’s Sea Sport Marina. We’d timed the trip to coincide with a full moon spring tide and an afternoon ebb tide. The optimal conditions of a fast tidal flow and dropping water would hopefully combine to assemble concentrated numbers of snook feeding on forage that pours out of the backcountry.
As we idled away from Sea Sport Marina, Butch said we had one last step, which was filling his huge livewell with live bait for chumming and fishing. He opined that his number one choice when using bait for a snook slam was live minnows. Firstly, minnows “matched the hatch” that existed in the brackish mangrove waters of the Loxahatchee. Secondly, minnows are just the right size as bait for the rarer and smaller snook species: fat snook generally top out at about seven pounds and tarpon snook do not exceed four pounds. Butch was convinced it made sense to use live bait small enough for the above species, while acknowledging that common snook up to twenty pounds gladly gobble up these tiny baits with relish. Lastly, live minnows last longer on the river than scaled sardines, which often prefer highly saline bays and beaches.
Butch eased his boat over to the shoreline pilings that supported the bridge next to the marina. He pointed to countless small flashes going off in the water column barely six feet from the shoreline. Butch opened up his minnow cast net, got in position and threw a perfectly unfurling “strike” over the hapless baitfish. As he pulled in the cast net, it was clear from the countless silver flickers in the “bag” that he’d be hauling a load of minnows into his livewell. After apprising the numbers of baitfish, he made two more throws of his cast net, thereby filling the livewell with minnows numbering in the thousands.
After this was accomplished, Butch told us we’d have about a half hour ride westward on the Loxahatchee River as well as another half hour ride through the mangrove backcountry. The first portion of this ride would be routine and would give him a chance to tutor Jon and I on the differing characteristics and habits of the different species of snook that we’d be catching.
Butch made it clear that the most important factor for having ongoing and viable as well as large snook populations was optimal habitat. This always consisted of having the longest possible stretch of salt water that begins as fresher brackish water with mangroves far inland, then transitions into an intermediate huge bay or river in between, and culminates as extremely salty water at an open ocean inlet or cut with surrounding beaches. He continued: “ the more the habitat conforms to these guidelines of lots of miles of water with a big and rich salinity transition, the higher the chances that you’ll have not only all the species of snook, but potentially huge numbers of them.”
Butch theorized that Lake Okeechobee and some of the canals of the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) create the heart of the fresh water feed that transitions into long rivers and canals of brackish salt water where Florida’s snook populations begin. He cautioned that the SFWMD can hurt the snook distributions that are poised for feeding and spawning when they dump (disproportionately) sudden huge quantities of fresh water into transition areas to prepare for the flooding of an approaching hurricane. He believed that the secret to a great snook area is a stable salinity transition. He felt that three of Florida’s best areas were Stuart and the St. Lucie River, Jupiter and the Loxahatchee River, and the Fort Myers region with its Caloosahatchee River. He said, “ these are the places you’ll likely find the best chances for all the species of snook.”
He then told us to try to visualize the different snook species having a different and specific range along the water transition from inland out to the open ocean.
Butch started with the common snook, which has the highest capacity to spend and tolerate the saltiest of salt waters. That’s why this large snook – which can grow to over fifty pounds in Florida- is found quite often under ocean piers all the way out to artificial and natural reefs offshore. When the common snook seeks warm waters as winter approaches, some of the fish travel inland, yet some of the fish seek refuge in the offshore depths. The common snook is the one snook species that spends the least of its time in the fresher parts of brackish water: this is obviously a guideline and there will be exceptions. Common snook gather at the ocean inlets during the summer months to spawn.
The next snook species Butch discussed was the fat snook. This species is the second largest species with most of the fish in the three to six pound range, although an occasional and rare fat snook can range from seven to ten pounds. Fat snook habitually live farther inland than common snook and they are encountered on inside marine waters rather than the open ocean. Butch has observed that fat snook often move towards the ocean inlet to spawn some time in January and February. He mentioned that he used to catch huge numbers of them on live shrimp during the winter at the very same bridge that we’d netted our minnows. On a year round basis, fat snook are often taken further up brackish marine rivers than are common snook. A fat snook looks simply like a common snook that is very fat- hence, the name.
Tarpon snook are smaller than common snook and fat snook. They rarely exceed four pounds, yet they are larger than the much rarer swordspine snook, which is generally no larger than two pounds. Tarpon snook are extremely distinctive as a snook species and they actually do look like a cross between a tarpon and a snook. Their bodies are tarpon-like, featuring a thin slab-sided body that gives way to an enormously upturned jaw that is set off by an extremely huge eye. Tarpon snook have the largest eye of any of the snook species. Butch felt that the tarpon snook’s eyes made it a very predatory snook that loved to feed in the dark at very focal ambush points. He also mentioned that tarpon snook seemed to be the species that was most comfortable foraging into the most inland parts of brackish marine rivers. Like fat snook, there are times of the year when tarpon snook travel into open bays to feed around docks and other cover.
Butch began to slow down as the open river portion of our trip ended and a solid wall of mangroves appeared in the distance. He said, “ that’s all you need to know about the different snook for now…soon, we’ll be entering the wilderness where I’ve been finding these fish.”
These recollections served me well as a foundation for our adventure as we took in the marvelous sights we saw on the way to his hot spot. Butch shut off his engine and drifted towards a large dead tree that hung over and into an undercut bank of rock, mud, and shells. As we got within twenty feet of the target area, he made his vessel fast to the bottom with his wishbone style anchor.
Butch laughed at the way I’d been staring longingly at his ultra light spinning rods. “Now’s the time”, he said. He handed an outfit to each of us. The rods were graphite and would aid in strike detection as well as load the power of the strike directly to the fish. The reels were new Penn spinners loaded with six-pound monofilament line. Butch mentioned he chose these reels for their fast retrieve ratio: this was an essential quality that would help get the snook away from their protective cover when we hooked up. The terminal tackle on these rigs sported a short leader of twenty-pound fluorocarbon and a very thin wire #2 hook. Butch wanted the business end of our outfits to be a light as possible so we could make a short cast with live minnows as bait. The aforementioned leader material would also keep our presentations as natural looking as possible.
He flipped open the hatch to his livewell and netted about forty minnows. After he gazed at the pace of the outgoing tide, he flipped the live chum upstream of the tree. As the baits were carried under and alongside the tree, Jon and I were astonished as the whole area exploded with slashes, splashes, and pops of snook gone wild!
Butch baited up our rods with live minnows and cautioned us to cast our baits very gingerly. He told us to wait until he flung out more live chum and to place our baits in its midst. Both Jon and I followed instructions and were hooked up within seconds. My fish smartly ran about twenty feet into the center of the canal then made a half-jump out of the water. It was a nice common snook of about ten pounds. Meanwhile, Jon was struggling at the stern with a bulldogging fish that took him close to the engine prop. He quickly stuck his rod tip into the water and steered the fish away from the sharp blades. As the fish surfaced, its’ huge girth to length ratio made it clear Jon was tight to a fat snook of about six pounds. In another minute, both of us had our fish alongside Butch’s boat for photos and release. As Butch continued live-chumming, the snook got closer and closer to the boat: we actually reached the point where casting a live bait was no longer necessary, since the marauding snook were literally under our rod tips! The mix of snook was about sixty percent fat snook and forty percent common snook. After we caught about forty fish, we were thoroughly sated- but we still longed for our Loxahatchee Snook Slam.
Butch seemed to read our minds as he said, “ there’s another spot you’ll be able complete your slam with as many tarpon snook as you like.” As we gave Butch a “what are we waiting for” look, he smiled and weighed anchor. He cranked up the engine and eased around yet another corner. He pointed to a fallen tree log that extended into the canal for about twenty feet and said, “ there’s our spot.” He again anchored about fifteen feet away from the log. Butch said he’d only chum with a handful of minnows this time, since these were smaller fish that were highly predatory and needed less exciting. His chum landed on and around the log. In a replay of the first spot, the water around the structure became a maelstrom of boils. We both cast right against the log and were hooked up in moments. Rather than the hard pulls and runs of the fat and common snook, the tarpon snook took to the air and thrashed themselves around the surface in half-somersaults. As we released these beautiful specimens, we toasted our snook slams with handshakes and ice water under the hot springtime sun. After we caught another twenty tarpon snook, we were exhausted and more than happy to call it a day.
We topped the day off feasting on fried and sautéed cobia that Butch had brought to Schooners restaurant near Jupiter inlet. We finished our Key Lime pie and coffee, and said goodbye to Butch. It was time to head home as the Florida sun dropped over the western horizon on a day two happy anglers and one great fishing guide would surely remember.
CONTACT DATA
Captain Butch Constable
1-561-74SNOOK
Jupiter Sea Sport Marina
Jupiter, Florida
Jan Maizler
http://www.flatsfishingonline.com
http://www.fishingfloridasflats.com
http://flatsfishingonline.blogspot.com
By
Jan Stephen Maizler
Captain Butch Constable eased his twenty five-foot center console towards a seemingly solid wall of mangroves about fifty yards away. As his onboard anglers, Jon Cooper and I looked at each other as if to mutually wonder where Butch would find an entrance. As we got closer, the wall dematerialized into groups of bright green mangrove islets that rose out of the coffee-colored backcountry water. Butch chose one opening out of a maze of possibilities.
As we passed through, the aperture gave way to a meandering canal. As we turned the first corner of our serpentine path, we spotted a large heron perched on a jagged dead tree limb. In moments, the bird saw us. It gave a disgruntled shriek, crouched, and lifted off into the air- no doubt, to fly to more peaceful parts of this jungle. Jon chuckled at the bird’s histrionics.
As Butch piloted his vessel into another turn, he said, “look”, and pointed to a mud bank forty feet off in the two o’ clock position. We were delighted to see a huge alligator sunning itself on this radiant afternoon. Since the tide was falling, it would have plenty of time to rest and warm itself. As we watched the armored creature in this wild world, I had a feeling that this moment could easily be occurring a million years ago: a humbling yet exciting feeling for any angler!
Butch started talking and this popped me out of my reflections. He noted that it was a bit of a surprise to see a ‘gator in such brackish water, but understandable given that the salt water was pushing further into the backcountry due to the lack of rain. He said we’d be reaching our honey hole in about ten minutes and we could be sure that we’d have all the action we wanted. I could feel my heart start pounding at this prospect and I looked longingly at one of the overhead fully rigged ultralight spinners and I readied myself…
As we traversed the final distance, I thought back on the inspirations, challenges, and details of our quest. While Butch and I had caught and released hundreds of large common snook in his home waters of Jupiter Inlet, the topic of the “other” kinds of snook had not come up. One night when we were discussing our mutual plans for the spring and summer fishing, Butch mentioned he’d caught over forty snook that very morning. Since this was only April, I pressed him for further details. He told me that he was fishing the brackish mangrove-lined waters of the Loxahatchee River. He added that he was fishing further inland because the common snook were still on the “inside”- this was particularly so since the absence of rain and “invading” saltwater allowed the fish to stay deeper in the brackish backcountry. But the most interesting topic was his mention of the fat snook and tarpon snook he’d caught amongst the common snook.
This really got my attention, since my only experience with the rarer species of snook was limited to an occasional tarpon snook in north Biscayne Bay. I asked him if he could repeat those fantastic “ three-snook” results and he said he could do so without any difficulty. Butch mentioned that the fourth species of snook- swordspine snook- were scarce, but they could be found at times under brackish water boat docks. I decided to organize this snook trip immediately and so, the Loxahatchee Snook Slam was born. It took little convincing to lure my friend Captain Jon Cooper away from his drafting table and flats skiff to join us a photographer and fellow adventurer.
A week later, we were boarding Butch’s boat at Jupiter’s Sea Sport Marina. We’d timed the trip to coincide with a full moon spring tide and an afternoon ebb tide. The optimal conditions of a fast tidal flow and dropping water would hopefully combine to assemble concentrated numbers of snook feeding on forage that pours out of the backcountry.
As we idled away from Sea Sport Marina, Butch said we had one last step, which was filling his huge livewell with live bait for chumming and fishing. He opined that his number one choice when using bait for a snook slam was live minnows. Firstly, minnows “matched the hatch” that existed in the brackish mangrove waters of the Loxahatchee. Secondly, minnows are just the right size as bait for the rarer and smaller snook species: fat snook generally top out at about seven pounds and tarpon snook do not exceed four pounds. Butch was convinced it made sense to use live bait small enough for the above species, while acknowledging that common snook up to twenty pounds gladly gobble up these tiny baits with relish. Lastly, live minnows last longer on the river than scaled sardines, which often prefer highly saline bays and beaches.
Butch eased his boat over to the shoreline pilings that supported the bridge next to the marina. He pointed to countless small flashes going off in the water column barely six feet from the shoreline. Butch opened up his minnow cast net, got in position and threw a perfectly unfurling “strike” over the hapless baitfish. As he pulled in the cast net, it was clear from the countless silver flickers in the “bag” that he’d be hauling a load of minnows into his livewell. After apprising the numbers of baitfish, he made two more throws of his cast net, thereby filling the livewell with minnows numbering in the thousands.
After this was accomplished, Butch told us we’d have about a half hour ride westward on the Loxahatchee River as well as another half hour ride through the mangrove backcountry. The first portion of this ride would be routine and would give him a chance to tutor Jon and I on the differing characteristics and habits of the different species of snook that we’d be catching.
Butch made it clear that the most important factor for having ongoing and viable as well as large snook populations was optimal habitat. This always consisted of having the longest possible stretch of salt water that begins as fresher brackish water with mangroves far inland, then transitions into an intermediate huge bay or river in between, and culminates as extremely salty water at an open ocean inlet or cut with surrounding beaches. He continued: “ the more the habitat conforms to these guidelines of lots of miles of water with a big and rich salinity transition, the higher the chances that you’ll have not only all the species of snook, but potentially huge numbers of them.”
Butch theorized that Lake Okeechobee and some of the canals of the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) create the heart of the fresh water feed that transitions into long rivers and canals of brackish salt water where Florida’s snook populations begin. He cautioned that the SFWMD can hurt the snook distributions that are poised for feeding and spawning when they dump (disproportionately) sudden huge quantities of fresh water into transition areas to prepare for the flooding of an approaching hurricane. He believed that the secret to a great snook area is a stable salinity transition. He felt that three of Florida’s best areas were Stuart and the St. Lucie River, Jupiter and the Loxahatchee River, and the Fort Myers region with its Caloosahatchee River. He said, “ these are the places you’ll likely find the best chances for all the species of snook.”
He then told us to try to visualize the different snook species having a different and specific range along the water transition from inland out to the open ocean.
Butch started with the common snook, which has the highest capacity to spend and tolerate the saltiest of salt waters. That’s why this large snook – which can grow to over fifty pounds in Florida- is found quite often under ocean piers all the way out to artificial and natural reefs offshore. When the common snook seeks warm waters as winter approaches, some of the fish travel inland, yet some of the fish seek refuge in the offshore depths. The common snook is the one snook species that spends the least of its time in the fresher parts of brackish water: this is obviously a guideline and there will be exceptions. Common snook gather at the ocean inlets during the summer months to spawn.
The next snook species Butch discussed was the fat snook. This species is the second largest species with most of the fish in the three to six pound range, although an occasional and rare fat snook can range from seven to ten pounds. Fat snook habitually live farther inland than common snook and they are encountered on inside marine waters rather than the open ocean. Butch has observed that fat snook often move towards the ocean inlet to spawn some time in January and February. He mentioned that he used to catch huge numbers of them on live shrimp during the winter at the very same bridge that we’d netted our minnows. On a year round basis, fat snook are often taken further up brackish marine rivers than are common snook. A fat snook looks simply like a common snook that is very fat- hence, the name.
Tarpon snook are smaller than common snook and fat snook. They rarely exceed four pounds, yet they are larger than the much rarer swordspine snook, which is generally no larger than two pounds. Tarpon snook are extremely distinctive as a snook species and they actually do look like a cross between a tarpon and a snook. Their bodies are tarpon-like, featuring a thin slab-sided body that gives way to an enormously upturned jaw that is set off by an extremely huge eye. Tarpon snook have the largest eye of any of the snook species. Butch felt that the tarpon snook’s eyes made it a very predatory snook that loved to feed in the dark at very focal ambush points. He also mentioned that tarpon snook seemed to be the species that was most comfortable foraging into the most inland parts of brackish marine rivers. Like fat snook, there are times of the year when tarpon snook travel into open bays to feed around docks and other cover.
Butch began to slow down as the open river portion of our trip ended and a solid wall of mangroves appeared in the distance. He said, “ that’s all you need to know about the different snook for now…soon, we’ll be entering the wilderness where I’ve been finding these fish.”
These recollections served me well as a foundation for our adventure as we took in the marvelous sights we saw on the way to his hot spot. Butch shut off his engine and drifted towards a large dead tree that hung over and into an undercut bank of rock, mud, and shells. As we got within twenty feet of the target area, he made his vessel fast to the bottom with his wishbone style anchor.
Butch laughed at the way I’d been staring longingly at his ultra light spinning rods. “Now’s the time”, he said. He handed an outfit to each of us. The rods were graphite and would aid in strike detection as well as load the power of the strike directly to the fish. The reels were new Penn spinners loaded with six-pound monofilament line. Butch mentioned he chose these reels for their fast retrieve ratio: this was an essential quality that would help get the snook away from their protective cover when we hooked up. The terminal tackle on these rigs sported a short leader of twenty-pound fluorocarbon and a very thin wire #2 hook. Butch wanted the business end of our outfits to be a light as possible so we could make a short cast with live minnows as bait. The aforementioned leader material would also keep our presentations as natural looking as possible.
He flipped open the hatch to his livewell and netted about forty minnows. After he gazed at the pace of the outgoing tide, he flipped the live chum upstream of the tree. As the baits were carried under and alongside the tree, Jon and I were astonished as the whole area exploded with slashes, splashes, and pops of snook gone wild!
Butch baited up our rods with live minnows and cautioned us to cast our baits very gingerly. He told us to wait until he flung out more live chum and to place our baits in its midst. Both Jon and I followed instructions and were hooked up within seconds. My fish smartly ran about twenty feet into the center of the canal then made a half-jump out of the water. It was a nice common snook of about ten pounds. Meanwhile, Jon was struggling at the stern with a bulldogging fish that took him close to the engine prop. He quickly stuck his rod tip into the water and steered the fish away from the sharp blades. As the fish surfaced, its’ huge girth to length ratio made it clear Jon was tight to a fat snook of about six pounds. In another minute, both of us had our fish alongside Butch’s boat for photos and release. As Butch continued live-chumming, the snook got closer and closer to the boat: we actually reached the point where casting a live bait was no longer necessary, since the marauding snook were literally under our rod tips! The mix of snook was about sixty percent fat snook and forty percent common snook. After we caught about forty fish, we were thoroughly sated- but we still longed for our Loxahatchee Snook Slam.
Butch seemed to read our minds as he said, “ there’s another spot you’ll be able complete your slam with as many tarpon snook as you like.” As we gave Butch a “what are we waiting for” look, he smiled and weighed anchor. He cranked up the engine and eased around yet another corner. He pointed to a fallen tree log that extended into the canal for about twenty feet and said, “ there’s our spot.” He again anchored about fifteen feet away from the log. Butch said he’d only chum with a handful of minnows this time, since these were smaller fish that were highly predatory and needed less exciting. His chum landed on and around the log. In a replay of the first spot, the water around the structure became a maelstrom of boils. We both cast right against the log and were hooked up in moments. Rather than the hard pulls and runs of the fat and common snook, the tarpon snook took to the air and thrashed themselves around the surface in half-somersaults. As we released these beautiful specimens, we toasted our snook slams with handshakes and ice water under the hot springtime sun. After we caught another twenty tarpon snook, we were exhausted and more than happy to call it a day.
We topped the day off feasting on fried and sautéed cobia that Butch had brought to Schooners restaurant near Jupiter inlet. We finished our Key Lime pie and coffee, and said goodbye to Butch. It was time to head home as the Florida sun dropped over the western horizon on a day two happy anglers and one great fishing guide would surely remember.
CONTACT DATA
Captain Butch Constable
1-561-74SNOOK
Jupiter Sea Sport Marina
Jupiter, Florida
Jan Maizler
http://www.flatsfishingonline.com
http://www.fishingfloridasflats.com
http://flatsfishingonline.blogspot.com
