Red tide is once again blooming off the Southwest Florida coast. This current bloom first surfaced in Collier County a few weeks ago, and since then has expanded along the coast.
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Recently I was invited to a friend’s place in north Englewood to hang out with him in the cook shed behind his house. The shed has a tin roof …
I recently enjoyed the opportunity to help teach some fifth-grade classes. Our objective was introducing them to the basics of fishing. Like m…
Based on the fact that I still see everybody running around in shorts and T-shirts, I don’t know if everyone else realizes it’s getting pretty…
I was talking with one of our local charter captains this past week about the tripletail bite in the Gulf. He said it had been pretty good if …
When a good fish eats your fly and the electricity runs up the leader, through the fly line, down your rod and hits the raw nerve endings in y…
There is no easy answer for solving the bass bite in conditions that fluctuate all over the place. The bass don’t go far — they simply become …
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Hey, shooters!
Florida thrives on tourism, and this time of year we’re seeing more license plates from the north than at any other time of year. With that co…
Recently, the city of Punta Gorda announced that some canals were experiencing flips or turns and this was contributing to an unpleasant odor.…
The Thanksgiving holiday marks a change of seasons in Southwest Florida: A change from “off season” to “season.” Not only are we firmly out of…
Another Thanksgiving, and again there is so much to be thankful and grateful for. My life has been through its ups and downs just like everyon…
The holidays are a time for family. Whether that means the people you share genetic material with or those you have chosen to have in your lif…
Wow! Is it not amazing how time just flies by? I can’t believe that the holiday season is already upon us and Christmas Day is just ten short …
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Those of you who have fished offshore in the Gulf of Mexico for more than a couple years will probably recall that back in 2013, federal fishe…
Garbage in equals garbage out — an old but accurate concept. Better fishery management requires better data. Really understanding fish require…
If you spend a little time doing inquisitive reading, you can learn some interesting stuff. This is not a new idea, but it’s a point that some…
Birders are always looking for birds. Even if we’re just going to the grocery store for milk, we’re observing how many great egrets are foragi…
For newbies and old hands alike, being properly prepared for a fly fishing travel trip is just a no-brainer. Are you headed to Belize for some…
Kayak anglers don’t have to look too far to find pictures of folks in kayaks catching huge fish miles from shore. It sure looks like fun, but …
I have always envied my tournament buddies from days gone by not only for having the opportunity to fish professionally but also to get to fis…
One of Florida’s nicknames is the Sunshine State. Although we have plenty of thunderstorms in the summer, during the winter tourist season sun…
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Despite the fact that 5:30 sunsets make me contemplate hanging myself — the sun should set at 9 p.m. every day — this is one of my favorite ti…
Here in Southwest Florida, we don’t get too many leaves changing or frost on the car in the mornings when fall arrives. But we do see water te…
It’s king mackerel time. The southbound migration of the Gulf of Mexico stock of king mackerel flows through the coastal waters of Southwest F…
Dry firing is the act of shooting your firearm without live ammunition in it. This may be done to test the trigger pull or to function check t…
By Greg Bartz — THE RV LIFESTYLE
I remember camping on the Peace River in Brownsville, just north of Arcadia. We would always fish for catfish and use chicken livers as bait. …
The oceans are full of all sorts of life. Some creatures are beautiful and majestic. Some are not. Parasites rarely make anyone’s “favorite sp…
We’ve been getting a lot of questions in the shop lately from anglers who are new to fishing in this area. That’s pretty normal for this time …
In late October as many human “snowbirds” return to Florida from their northern summer retreats, a massive movement of birds also occurs, ofte…
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If you regularly bottom fish in the Gulf of Mexico, I have a question for you: How many red grouper are you seeing lately compared to what you…
Here we go again with red tide. Calling all drama queens: The sky is falling! It’s the end of the world!
If you do much fishing, you’ve probably seen fish feeding at the surface of the water. Sometimes the signs of surface feeding fish are subtle.…
Hello there, ladies and gentlemen — are you ready to fish? Well, the song actually asks “are you ready to rock” (Cheap Trick, “Hello There,” 1…
There is nothing more exciting than going to one of the great bass capitals of the world. Lake Guntersville is one of those lakes, and after g…
As I write this, we’re feeling the effects of a cold front roaring through. The temperature has plummeted from the low 90s to the mid-80s (it …
Man, I hope you have been out on the water getting in on the great fishing we’ve had lately. The tides have been moving a lot of water, and th…
As kayak anglers, we need terminal tackle that packs small and will draw strikes from any gamefish we expect to encounter. Jigs work well for …
Driving a vehicle that has some weight to it — while also towing a boat — can make driving in the mountains an adventure to say the least. Des…
Key lime pie is a staple in my family. I learned how to make it from my great-grandmother when I was around 7 years old. The only thing that I…
How do we deal with balancing responsible fishery management and its massive economic impacts? Both are necessary, yet the solutions to one mu…
Halloween is a big event in Punta Gorda’s historic district. Many residents of that old neighborhood go all-out in decorating their yards and …
How often do you use jigheads? I use them a lot. They’re by far my favorite way to rig a soft plastic lure (as opposed to swimbait hooks, Texa…
I’m probably alone in this, but I don’t like getting seasick. By admitting this fact, I’m also admitting that I’m prone to seasickness, which …
Frank W. Hommema, Sr. of Port Charlotte, Florida, passed on Monday, Oct. 21, at the age of 82. Frank was born in Chicago, Illinois, Oct. 19, 1…
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Red tide is once again blooming off the Southwest Florida coast. This current bloom first surfaced in Collier County a few weeks ago, and sinc…
During your walks in October and November, you may see some bright pinkish flowers that are about 3 feet high and have flower heads several in…
We’ve always had a contentious relationship with wild predators. Our ancestors on the African plains succeeded in developing suitable defenses…
