At its February meeting in Gainesville this week, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) set the popular and economically important 2019 Gulf red snapper recreational season to open June 11 through July 12, with a possible fall reopening if quota is available.
In last week’s column, I got started with a question-and-answer session that covers a lot of the things people ask every day in the tackle sho…
The mission of the Peace River Wildlife Center is to contribute to the survival of native Florida wildlife through rescue, rehabilitation and …
Last Saturday morning I was listening to Radio WaterLine and the boys were talking about all the snappers that were being caught. I thought I’…
Well, another frigid Southwest Florida winter has come and gone. What a tough couple weeks it was. But we survived, and spring is around the c…
If you read this column, you’re probably fascinated with wild things. You probably want to surround yourself with them whenever possible. Love…
Our weather is changing. There may be more cool spells ahead, but this week has been warm and humid. I’ve already observed white pelicans migr…
There is always something to be maintained. And, according to the service people, there are varying opinions on how to do that. Recently my fr…
Throughout the month of March, coastal communities across Florida will observe Seagrass Awareness Month as a means of bringing attention to th…
Does it sound like a trick question? Whatever in the world could an extremely large saltwater fish have in common with a small upland game bir…
By Brian Gleason
Do you have any fishing buddies who just never seem to be satisfied? You know the type —they go out and catch 15 redfish, but they’re grumblin…
At its February meeting in Gainesville this week, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) set the popular and economically…
In case you missed the ridiculously commercialized attempt to lure your hard-earned dollars into the pockets of jewelry stores or candy and fl…
Just mention flyfishing and all sorts of mental images appear. Everyone has a different one. Some may imagine a pristine shallow sand flat wit…
Now that we have finally had some warmer weather, the bass should be finding their way to the spawning beds. Locating bass on spawning beds is…
I’ve been working at the tackle shop for 20 years now. In that time, I’ve been asked tens of thousands of fishing questions. I always take the…
One of the easiest and most productive ways to fish an area in a kayak is by drifting with the wind, tides or currents. Since paddling and cas…
I was invited to join friends on an offshore excursion a couple weeks ago. The weather was perfect, with calm seas and clean, clear Gulf water…
There are a lot of misconceptions and bad information out there about circle hooks. Lately, I’ve found myself answering lots of questions abou…
Don’t you get tired of old guys telling stories that begin with “I remember back in the day when …”? You have to be nice, smile, and try not t…
There’s no doubt that winter fishing can be tough. We are dealing with constant changes due to the cold fronts that roll in and out, seemingly…
The warmth of the covers were so comforting and toasty that I did not want to come out of them into the cold air. However, today was the day o…
Do you fish with your baby? I’m not talking about your sweetheart or your honeypie, even though it’s Valentine’s Day (or Valentime’s, accordin…
Capt. Josh:
Capt. Van:
By Mary Lundeberg — NOTICING NATURE
Recently a buddy and I were fishing at the sandbar by my house. We both caught keeper black drum, and that got me thinking about cooking one o…
Have you ever looked out on the water at night and observed the water glowing? The glow is generally shades of blues or greens. It seems to oc…
It has been an interesting two weeks since I last put out an article. In that time though, I have heard from three different people who are lo…
As a child growing up in the ‘70s, fishing was a big part of my life. That’s probably why I became a charter captain. Now back then the only w…
The Charlotte County Commission, especially Commissioner Bill Truex, put together and delivered an impressive Water Quality Summit Jan. 29. He…
Last week’s column about Peace River Wildlife Center’s river otter patients raised many questions. Quite a few people were unaware that otters…
I took my oldest brother, Mike, to the range with me one day. We had never shot together before. We are very competitive in our family, and my…
When a fisherman looks out over the flats, what does he see? Seagrasses and potholes, maybe some oysters, a handful of waterbirds. If he’s sha…
Last week’s column on sheepshead included a mention of the fact that the bag limit on sheepshead has been changed significantly by the FWC. Ou…
As conservation ethics take a deeper root in the recreational fishing community, I have become more aware of poor fish handling — mostly becau…
One of the major dilemmas faced by any angler using artificial baits is what color to choose. We’re told there are rules — light colors in cle…
I came here for the beautiful waters and great fishing. I’m having to consider moving away because we have allowed our area to grow faster tha…
For those of us who love to fish, it’s sometimes hard to imagine that there are people who don’t. But it’s true — there are people who not onl…
The Venice Area Birding Association’s yearly trip to Circle B Bar was approaching. We had a new couple in our group: Tina and Richard, who wer…
Let’s start with a question: What’s your fishing dream? Do you want to catch a sailfish, or maybe a grander marlin? How about hooking a rooste…
Folks new to kayak fishing face a steep learning curve if they’re coming from a background of shore or boat fishing. Paddling, anchoring, laun…
I remember when the early part of the year was my favorite time to bass fish. Over the past five years or so, that has changed. It’s not that …
CAPT. JOSH:
Well, it feels like winter now, doesn’t it? Winds are blowing, rain is falling, and it’s colder than a well digger’s butt outside. Good news, …
The coldest, most blustery, most un-Florida-like weather occurs here during January and February. We don’t have much use for snow shovels in S…
I was busy giving casting lessons today. Even though it was cold and windy, everybody showed up, stuck it out, learned something and had a goo…
It was the best of weeks, it was the worst of weeks. Where have I heard that sentiment before? Is someone out there plagiarizing me? I’ll give…
ENGLEWOOD — The South Manasota/Sandpiper Key Association isn’t sitting on the sidelines when it comes to the toxic red tide algae.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — When the red snapper season begins this summer in the Gulf of Mexico, some fish will carry $250 and even $500 worth of tags…
Governor DeSantis is addressing his campaign promise to tackle our water quality challenges. I’m excited to see his aggressive attack to prote…
Recently, I was talking with our publisher about what types of fish were being caught right now, since I like to be topical and I usually end …
