Charles Gregory and Jamie Anderson release two fish for an exhibit.
A checkered pufferfish is on display.
John Miller of Delray Beach builds aquarium bases.
Photos by Tim Stepien and Willie Howard/The Coastal Star
By Willie Howard
The Delray Beach Historical Society will kick off the second phase of its popular “Fish Tales!” exhibit during its annual Autumn Harvest Celebration on Oct. 20.
The fishing history exhibit, which opened June 17, gives visitors a taste of fishing and diving in south Palm Beach County through the decades — including commercial fishing in the early 1900s and in the carefree days following World War II, when shopkeepers would close their stores because bluefish were running just off the beach.
“Fish Tales!” showcases hundreds of photographs and articles along with a large display of fishing and diving equipment — much of it loaned or donated by Palm Beach County families who have enjoyed fishing area waters for generations.
“It’s really a locals exhibit,” said Winnie Edwards, executive director of the historical society. “So far the response has been more than we could ask for.”
The exhibit’s second phase will focus on conservation and education, with fishing seminars for kids, guest speakers and scientific displays on topics such as the Gulf Stream (the current, not the town).
Live fish and mangroves are on display in saltwater aquariums installed in three buildings on the historical society’s campus by Healthy Aquatics of Boynton Beach, which promotes ocean conservation through education.
The gamefish tank, in the 1908 Hunt House, holds a barracuda, grunts, snappers and jacks. (Also known as the Ethel Sterling Williams History Learning Center, the wooden cottage was built by Horace Hunt, who established a commercial fishing business in Delray Beach in the early 1900s.)
The mangrove tank, near the exhibit entrance in the 1926 Florida Bungalow, contains a live red mangrove and checkered pufferfish.
A tank with a porcupine pufferfish was scheduled to be installed in September in Cason Cottage. Porcupine pufferfish are big-eyed and intelligent and tend to interact with humans.
“They have to be smart because they’re slow,” said Charles Gregory, veterinarian and aquarist who serves as director of Healthy Aquatics.
“This is a great addition to the exhibit and the historical society’s education efforts,” said John Miller, co-chairman of the exhibit. “We’re excited to be working with Healthy Aquatics to help educate the community about the state of our ocean ecosystem.”
The Fish Tales Slam storytelling contest is scheduled for Nov. 10. Most of the fishing yarns are expected to originate from the waters of southern Palm Beach County.
A limited number of storytellers will be chosen for the storytelling contest. It will be moderated and timed. Storytellers who go over the time limit will be “gaffed” and pulled out of the fighting chair they’ll be using to reel in the audience with tales from the water. Anyone interested in entering should call the historical society at 274-9578.
The audience for the storytelling contest will be able to eat fried fish, drink beer and cast their votes for the best fish tale, Edwards said.
Guest speakers are still being scheduled as part of the exhibit’s second phase. Names, dates and presentation topics will be announced in the weeks ahead.
Ceviche and other seafood dishes will be part of the Autumn Harvest Celebration, an annual outdoor dinner and wine pairing for historical society members set for Oct. 20. Cost for the members-only DBHS Harvest Celebration: $160 per person.
For more information or tickets, call the historical society at 274-9578 or go to www.delraybeachhistory.org.
The “Fish Tales!” exhibit is open to the public 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and is scheduled to run through Feb. 28 at the historical society’s campus at 3 NE First St. (North Swinton Avenue at North First Street) in Delray Beach. Admission is free. Donations are welcomed.
FWC relaxes rules on
transporting Bahamas fish
Anglers returning by boat from the Bahamas can enter Florida waters with fillets of dolphin (mahi mahi), wahoo and reef fish caught in the Bahamas instead of bringing the fish back whole.
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission approved the rule change in September. The new rule does not apply to fish transported by air. Similar rules for federal waters (more than 3 miles offshore) took effect in January.
Tips for anglers bringing Bahamas-caught fish to Florida by boat:
• Skin must remain on the fillets so law enforcement officers can identify the fish.
• Anglers must comply with federal size and bag limits.
• Boats must have valid Bahamas cruising and fishing permits.
• Passengers must have passports marked with Bahamas stamps and travel dates.
• Travel through state waters must be continuous, and fishing gear must be stowed. (That means hooks, leaders and other terminal tackle must be removed from rods and stored separately.)
• Anglers and boaters must comply with Bahamian recreational fishing rules and limits.
Capt. Jay Kobosko, top left, and members of his Shutter Up team show off their 37.6-pound wahoo (top) and a 26.2-pound wahoo (below) caught at the same time just south of Boynton Inlet. The big ’hoo won $5,000 as the largest fish of the X Generation 440 Challenge fishing tournament. Willie Howard/The Coastal Star
37.6-pound wahoo a winner in X Generation tournament
Jay Kobosko and his fishing team on Shutter Up trolled at high speed to catch two wahoo at the same time near Boynton Inlet on Sept. 17 — including a 37.6-pound ’hoo that won biggest fish in the X Generation 440 Challenge tournament.
Kobosko, of Lake Clarke Shores, said the doubleheader wahoo strike happened around 7:30 a.m. as his team was towing “crazy-looking” lures at high speed in about 225 feet of water south of Boynton Inlet.
The 37.6-pound wahoo won $5,000 as the biggest fish of the tournament. The 26.2-pound ’hoo won top lady angler award for Lauren Miller, fishing with the Shutter Up team.
The father-and-son team of Christopher and Chase Perry, fishing on Choppy, won top dolphin with a 17.2-pound mahi mahi caught just before the 3:30 p.m. lines-out deadline on a live goggle-eye off Juno Beach.
Perry said he and his son were bottom fishing near the end of the tournament when he looked over and realized he was hooked up to the dolphin jumping near his boat.
Alex Burgess and his team on Sea Premacy caught a 34.3-pound kingfish that won $2,000 as the second-heaviest fish of the tournament.
Adam Townsend and his crew on Sword-a-Broke won the $1,000 prize for the third-largest fish, a 31.3-pound kingfish.
New mutton snapper
limits take effect Jan. 1
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission recently approved new size and bag limits for mutton snapper to help protect the reef fish. New limits take effect Jan. 1.
The minimum size for mutton snapper will increase from 16 to 18 inches in total length. The daily bag limit will drop from 10 to five mutton snapper per recreational angler (as part of the 10-fish aggregate snapper bag limit).
Coming events
Oct. 22: Coast Guard Auxiliary offers basic boating safety class, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the classroom next to the boat ramps at Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Fee $40. Register at door. Call 331-2429.
Oct. 25: Chef Mike Kuckelman demonstrates fish cooking methods at a meeting of the Boynton Beach Fishing Club, 7:30 p.m. in the clubhouse next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Free. Details: www.bifc.org.
Nov. 3: The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show begins (and runs through Nov. 7) at multiple locations. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (5 p.m. Nov. 7). Admission: $28 for adults; $12 for ages 6-15. Ages 5 and under free. Preview (Nov. 3) $45. Details: (954) 764-7642 or www.flibs.com.
Tip of the month
A fish is too valuable to catch only once. So says Florida Sea Grant, which offers tips for helping released fish survive:
• Decide early whether the fish will be released. Know the size and bag limits for the fish you’re targeting. (Consult the free Fish Rules cellphone app.)
• If you’re targeting fish that are often released, such as snook, consider bending down the hook barbs.
• Use non-offset circle hooks when possible. They’re less likely to hook fish deep than conventional J hooks.
• If you’re fishing with a lure that comes with dangling treble hooks, remove all but one. Cut one of the three points off the remaining treble hook.
• Release fish in the water when possible. Handle them as little as possible. Use wet hands, not a towel.
• If you must lift a fish into the boat, avoid lifting it by the jaw. Instead, use a landing tool such as a Boga-Grip to hold the fish’s mouth. Support the belly with your hand when lifting the fish. For more fish release tips, go to www.catchandrelease.org.
Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.
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