The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), at its April meeting near Tallahassee, moved forward unanimously with a proposal to make Tarpon and Bonefish catch-and-release-only fisheries.

Tome Opincar from Nashville, Tennessee, caught his first Cobia and a very nice one at that, using a pinfish in about 130 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. Tome's party also caught Red Grouper to 25 lbs, lots of Amberjacks, Blacktip and Spinner Sharks up to 6 ft.

Bob Barnett landed a nice Kingfish using a sardine on a flatline while his party was catching lots of Grouper.

Richard Winston of Bradenton snagged the largest Red Grouper of his lifetime. Richard was using a sardine in about 130 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island when he hooked onto the monster. Richard's party also caught more Grouper, Snapper, Amberjacks, Blacktip and Spinner Sharks up to 6 ft.

Karen Decker from Orlando was showing her sons how to fish when she caught a nice Amberjack in about 115 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island using a butterfly jig. Jason Decker caught and released his first amberjack, and 10-year-old Sean Decker was proud of a nice Amberjack he caught using a butterfly jig.

Bob Wilson from Ft. Myers used a sardine to attract a very nice red grouper in 145 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. 
 

While there was a time when every kayak looked like something an Eskimo would own, today’s new kayakers find themselves facing a broad variety of boats made for different kinds of paddling.

As an outdoors writer and kayak nut I routinely get calls and emails from people asking which they should buy, and, if they’re true novices, my answer is always the same -- don’t buy one to start.

Beginners don’t know enough to make good choices, and in kayaking the quality and fit of the equipment can make a huge difference to the enjoyment. Odds are they’d buy something so unsuitable that it wound up gathering dust in the garage.

Welcome once again to some of the adventures we have in South West Florida. This time I would like to tell you about a few of the tours we did this month on the north side of Pine Island and the Calusa Land Trust and Nature Preserve of Pine Island.

The folks out at Tropic Star let me know Paul and Carol, who had gone out with me many times before when I owned Gulf Coast Kayak in Matlacha, would like a tour. When we meet at the boat ramp, around 9 am, the fog had just started to lift. I was glad to see it burn off as I have done tours in the fog and it’s not fun. We got in to our yaks and paddled out down the canals by some homes, which I don’t like to do, but that’s what it takes to get to the great outdoors. We came to the shell cut to find the wind too much to paddle against, we turned to Plan B.

One of the first things I learned at an early age from my uncle Manuel was his techniques and his knowledge of fishing.

As the waters warm, bait shows up on the flats, winds lighten and if recent trips are any indication, then its good fishing ahead.

Ft. Myers Beach, Matanzas Pass, early morning in April and the conditions are right. The temperature is suppose to go to near ninety today. Right now it is 75 degrees. The high tide is around 6:30am and the tide will be coming in until 1pm. Light winds changing to offshore by midday. Water temperatures starting out the day at 73 degrees with a light chop. I have been “Jonesing” for a good day of fishing and I am hoping this is the day.

Large female Spotted Sea Trout were schooling up in the shallows a few weeks ago in March. We were using scaled sardines tossed into two feet of water with great results. I think the larger Sea Trout have learned to stay near the shallows and residential docks at night, giving them a little protection from Flipper. We were actually looking for Redfish on a recent trip when we found a large school of female Trout measuring up to 27 inches. I would like to see a maximum limit of 26 inches on Trout as these fish are all fat with roe.

Ahoy there, anglers,
I know I'm running late with this report, but have been working so much with the fish action in NE Florida doing so good this time of the year I really just haven't had time to write a new fishing report.

This discussion is about the U.S Coast Guard-approved certification that allows you to take passengers in your vessel for hire. Its official name is... the O. U. P. V. (Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessel), once called the “Six Pack” which allows you to take up to six persons for hire.