Many of the invasive species that cause mass destruction to our wildlife started out in the pet trade. Burmese pythons, tegus and monitor lizards, lionfish, monk parakeets — all of them came here not as food or hitchhikers on agricultural products but simply to fill a desire for the exotic t…
There we were, having a nice warm Florida fall, when suddenly a cold front came into Southwest Florida, shifting the balmy 80-degree weather i…
For as much as we talk about flats fishing here, a newbie might assume that every boat on Charlotte Harbor can drive through 6 inches of water…
As the water temperature declines and gets to a point that moves those bass out of shallow water, do you have a plan to seek out and find them…
Christmas is just around the corner, so you may be shopping for gifts for that angler on your list. There are all kinds of choices — but not a…
Christmas is just around the corner, so you may be shopping for gifts for that angler on your list. There are all kinds of choices — but not a…
Just a few years ago, Peace River Wildlife Center was floundering. We had a dwindling board of directors and frighteningly little money in the…
All of us are trying to figure out how water conditions — red tide, low tides, weather, winds, etc. — can help or hurt our fishing fun. We can…
CAPT. JOSH:
OK, kids — storytime! Today, I’m going to tell you a cautionary tale in which I will serve as the horrible example, and I will describe for yo…
I’m constantly learning new things. Sometimes things I’ve already learned fall out of my leaky brain and I get to learn them again. I’m sure y…
I’m constantly learning new things. Sometimes things I’ve already learned fall out of my leaky brain and I get to learn them again. I’m sure y…
‘There ain’t nothing to this. Just haul back on that trigger and it goes bang.”
Editor’s note: This is a guest column from someone who wants to remain anonymous and allegedly actually tried this. ^pI had this idea that I c…
Thanksgiving and Black Friday are behind us and we’re now on the downhill slide to Christmas. If you are reading this column the day it comes …
Provided by MyFWC.com
An adult gopher tortoise forages in a DeSoto County cow pasture. Tortoises often share their burrows with snakes, so be cautious in watching f…
Something amazing is happening in Rotonda West: A former golf course is being changed into Broadmoor Park.
For the past four years, I’ve been fishing my backyard dock around 8 a.m. just about every morning. This is my way of starting my day. It’s pe…
Sheepshead are tough fish to catch. The average angler probably feeds 20 for every one he hooks, so don’t get frustrated if you’re having a ha…
Editor’s note: The good doctor has been so tied up with other obligations she’s had no time to write a new column for this week. Therefore, we…
There are some fish which just don’t get much respect. For example, in Southwest Florida’s coastal waters, there are few fish that are as shun…
Ever notice how some anglers consistently outfish others? How do you suppose they do it? Is it luck? Instinct? Skill? Or something else entire…
With snook and redfish closed, anglers looking to bring home a fresh Charlotte Harbor fish dinner have had fewer options. While there are seve…
Recently I sold my bass boat and agreed to meet the guy who bought it in Pensacola. I decided I’d tow the boat with the RV. Since I couldn’t l…
With winter coming up quickly, this is my favorite time to fish for the entire year. Something magical is happening in the water right now. Th…
Many of the invasive species that cause mass destruction to our wildlife started out in the pet trade. Burmese pythons, tegus and monitor liza…
I know a lot of people get very excited about Black Friday shopping. If you’re one of them, that’s fine. But I am not, and I’m not the only on…
Over the years, I’ve noticed a marked increase in the number of ladies wanting to be trained in the shooting sports. Now I’m up to about 60 pe…
There’s a front approaching as I write this, and it looks like we are getting our first taste of colder weather soon. Fortunately, it doesn’t …
This is a great time of year to get out and fish, but it’s an even better time of year to get out and look for new areas to fish. It’s not 1,0…
As the snowbirds start to stream down south for the winter, so do the snow birds. Here at Peace River Wildlife Center, we have noticed an incr…
The name Red Bug Slough is enticing enough to make one want to explore this refuge and see the red bugs. Our very first visit many years ago w…
It’s Thanksgiving and time to remember and be thankful for our heritage. I had a meeting last week in the old fishing village of Cortez. This …
From the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau
CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — A Florida animal rights activist was found guilty of misdemeanor theft and fined $500 for throwing a fisherman’s tilap…
By Mary Lundeberg
Thanksgiving weekend in Southwest Florida is sort of like a preview — a miniature version of our soon-to-arrive winter busy season. By Thanksg…
For those who are interested in nature study, it’s intriguing to consider what areas are the “hottest” in terms of biodiversity. You might thi…
After a couple weeks of reprieve, red tide is back in Southwest Florida. In case there’s any doubt, this is the same red tide bloom that’s bee…
Got a boat for sale? Have we got a deal for you. We’ll help you sell it, and it won’t cost you anything. Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Gratis.
I was first introduced to stone crabs as a waiter years ago in Key West. I thought they were pretty tasty, and I also didn’t mind the high pri…
Nice pics!
I was lucky to have an opportunity to fish with Capt. Zack Lewis, an old friend’s son who is now guiding from the Blackwater Bar and Grill on …
I have had interesting debates about whether hurricanes or tornadoes are worse. I spent my early youth living in tornado alley in the Midwest …
When you pull up to lake you’re not 100 percent familiar with, how on earth is it possible to identify water where the bass may be biting? Thi…
Spring forward, fall back. “To change, or not to change; that is the question: Whether ‘tis nobler…” Let’s not get into that argument now. But…
The medical staff at Peace River Wildlife Center does amazing things on a daily basis. But the extent of the injuries we see and the number of…
Do you have a dog? If you answered yes, I like you 10 percent better than I otherwise would. I can’t imagine life without at least one dog. My…
The anglers on my boat are always looking around at all the beauty of the area I have them fishing in. They’re constantly telling me how magni…
Soft plastic lures come in so many styles, colors, brands and flavors that you could fish all day every day for five years and not have a chan…
By Barb Hansen
With water temperatures dropping down to 75 degrees and stone crab traps getting put out in the Gulf, it’s almost time for some fun tripletail…
Our reader survey is well underway, and while we’re nowhere near done gathering data, we’ve learned some surprising things.
